My newest chapter. A treat for you loyal readers in here. Read below and you'll find out! There is some background information on them, the mysterious organization stalking Merlin and kidnapping Arthur. Enjoy and as always remember to review! We got to 33 reviews now. Awesome job. Can we get 40?
The storm was relentless, rain pelting upon his 'borrowed' car as he raced through highways and then almost empty roads. The windscreen wipers were working furiously to keep Merlin's vision clear but it wasn't entirely working; yet he settled for what he got. At the moment Merlin couldn't be bothered to use his magic. He wanted to be careful incase it would needed when he finally found Arthur.
Throwing the sweat off of his brow with the back of his hand, Merlin smiled slightly as he relished the adrenaline that was currently surging through him. It had been awhile since he'd felt anywhere close to this level of excitement, hope and anxiety. Just this small change in his behavior was already spelling a new beginning for him and the rise of Albion.
That was of course only possible if they didn't get to Arthur first.
It had been awhile since Merlin had last heard of them. Almost a hundred years maybe, he tried not to keep track. They didn't exactly spell well meanings for his destiny. From his knowledge, they had first appeared at the turn of the fourteenth century, 1303 to be exact and formed for one purpose alone. To prevent the rebirth of the Once and Future King and that meant taking out whatever came into their path. Which in other words meant Merlin.
Even after all those years Merlin still didn't know how they found out. Of course, the printing and creation of the Arthurian Legends when he was disguised as Geoffrey gave the world knowledge of Arthur. However, he had made certain that no intimately personal information was given away, especially like his age and immortality though they seemed to know every secret detail.
They had come out after him one night very similar to the one currently raging around him. The result had not ended lightly as it was recorded in history as the earthquake of August 8th, which destroyed the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt and killed all men sent after him. Merlin had figured they would've gotten the message. Obviously they didn't.
Now it seemed that they had once again resurfaced and their target this time was not he. It was someone infinitely more important.
He grinned as he drove up to the massive open gates of the Collin's mansion, roaring through past a set of guards who barely jumped out of the way in time. Merlin was rewarded with a brief memory of Arthur, the knights and galloping out of Camelot to start a new quest.
Merlin gasped in shock and shook his head to wake himself as he barely missed crashing into a ingeniously placed hedge. Arthur would've laughed and called him a girl or an idiot had he been there next to him at that moment. Instead, since he wasn't, Merlin just made a mental note to tell Arthur to call him that later. It wasn't as though Merlin had missed Arthur constantly belittling him … but he needed to know, just in case.
Merlin pulled up immediately outside of the manor home and jumped out, leaving the door open as he launched up the steps to the front door.
"Sir?" A woman obviously a servant, asked, stepping out of the large double doors towards him.
"Is Arthur here?" Merlin asked.
"Sir?" She repeated, confused.
"Arthur. Arthur Pen...Collins." Merlin said hurriedly. He was hopping from foot to foot, trying to peer into the grand house.
"I'm sorry sir, who are you?" The woman asked.
Merlin grinned as he answered, momentarily forgetting his rush. "An old friend."
The servant bit her lip, inwardly debating whether or not she should tell this stranger the whereabouts of her master. In the end she decided that there could be no harm, after all.
"He's not home at the moment." She answered. "The master went out running an hour ago and has not returned since."
Merlin froze, ice running through his veins and turning him into a figurative statue. His breathing stopped for long enough that the woman asked if he needed any help but he didn't hear her. If they had him, how was he going to find them? Could he try and tap into the bond he and Arthur shared to discover his location?
Clearing his throat, Merlin turned and ran away from the shocked servant towards his new car before letting rip an ancient spell he had never used before. Once again, he drove out into the storm however this time; it was faster than ever before.
Arthur smiled in confidence when the black limousine finally pulled to a stop, his fists balling up into lethal weapons. They had been driving for more than an hour and Arthur felt he was ready. It was strange in a way, how Arthur was so prepared. It felt instinctual and elementary, as though it were muscle memory for him to fight.
The door was flung open, much to Arthur's surprise and a long, double barrel rifle was pointed at him. Great. Now all his well-thought plans went out the window.
"Get out." The driver said to him gruffly, motioning with the point of the gun.
"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Arthur demanded, stubbornly staying where he was.
"Get out." The other man repeated sternly.
"Who are you?" Arthur replied, gritting his teeth.
"Get out." He replied once again.
After a tense moment of silence, he relented and exited cautiously from the car. Looking around, he noticed in surprise that he actually knew where he was. An old, abandoned mansion which sat in the middle of a forest barely half an hour away from his own home. He frowned, wondering why it had taken so long for them to reach the manor. Had they just driven around in circles for awhile to try and confuse him?
Three heavily armed guards stood silent and immovable at the front door, guns hefted upon shoulders or pointed at him.
What is going on? Arthur thought to himself. If anyone is out there who can help. Hurry up and get here.
As Arthur was led through the grand hallways, he noticed that incredibly heavy security was placed all over the building, some stationed at doors, windows and at the top and base of grand staircases. He frowned in surprise at all of it, hoping this hadn't all been set up for him.
Rifle pointed at his back, Arthur was forced into a room that resembled something like an old dining room, one hardly ever used, more placed there as a sort of decoration advantage. He was pushed forward in, and the door was closed behind them, leaving him alone in the room with the driver.
"Now, it's time to get to work. Before Emrys comes and gets you."
