Chapter 25: Origins

The next morning, I awoke to see Lancelot standing over my bed. Red eyes bore down on me, and he smirked.

"Thou hast been sleeping for far too long, Sir Sonic. Merlin requests thy presence, and it is not wise for the son of Uther Pendragon to be late."

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Half past noon."

My eyes widened, and I stumbled out of bed. Unfortunately, I was wrapped in the sheets and fell onto the floor. Lancelot looked amused, walking over and untangling me from the sheets.

"Thou art a mirthful one," he said. "Art thou like this every time thee wakes?"

"Sometimes," I said. "Although I could use some coffee, if you have any."

"I do not know this coffee thou speaketh of."

"It's a beverage. Keeps you awake."

Lancelot walked up to me. "I could think of something else that shalt keep thou awake. Tell me, doest thou wish to be..." He pushed me up against the wall, kissing me. "Mine?"

"Are you flirting with me?"

"Perhaps."

I pushed Lancelot away slightly. "Maybe later. Right now, we need to see what Merlin wants."

The black hedgehog nodded, and followed me into the great hall. The knights were sitting at the Round Table, and stood to attention when I walked in.

"Sire," Gawain said. "Merlin has just been telling us of his knowledge of the Grail's location."

I looked at him. "You know where it is?"

"I have heard rumors," the old wizard said. "Some say it is in Glastonbury; others say it is in the Great Castle Of Corbenic, guarded by the immortal Grail Knights. However, the location of the castle has long been forgotten."

Percival looked at me. "If thou wishes, sire, we would like thy permission to search for the Grail."

"Granted," I said. "All of us will go to Glastonbury first. Merlin, do you know any leads to Corbenic?"

"The Lady Of The Lake, Nimue, would know." He stood up. "Come; walk with me." He walked out of the hall and into the courtyard. I looked at him, and he started to speak. "This is a very important task, Arthur. If Morgan Le Fay gets her hands on the Grail, all will be lost. And she has Galahad with her too."

"Does Galahad know where the Grail is?"

"There is a prophecy that says that he will be the one to find the Holy Grail, which makes things even more complicated. Also, there is another matter I would like to speak to thee about. Thy lost memories."

I looked confused. "Lost memories?"

"Yes. I sealed memories of thy childhood away when I sent thee to the present. There was...a terrible tragedy in thy youth."

"What happened?"

Merlin was about to speak when a sword went through his chest, and he gasped in pain before falling to the ground. A pool of blood was surrounding him. I yelled in shock and kneeled beside him, but then heard a laugh. I looked up to see Morgan Le Fay.

"And so the mighty Merlin falls," she said, laughing even more.

Merlin looked at me, then reached up and placed a hand on my forehead. My eyes widened as memories came flowing through my mind.

I was 9 years old, and was running through the castle. Suddenly, someone stopped me and I turned to see my father.

"Be careful, son," Uther Pendragon said. "Thou doest not want to run into anyone."

"I'll be fine, father," I said with a smile. "Thou worrieth too much."

My father smiled back. "Go see thy mother. She is looking for thee."

I chuckled and walked into the Great Hall. My mother, Queen Aleena, was sitting at the Round Table talking to the knights. She looked up as I walked in.

"Arthur," she said, standing up. "I hath been looking for thee."

"What doest thou want me for, mother?" I asked, bowing slightly.

Aleena smiled. "I would like thee to accompany me on a visit to the village."

Suddenly, a guard burst into the room. "My Queen, come quickly! Someone is attacking the castle!"

"Who?"

"She would not identify herself, but the attacker is a black cat."

Aleena ran out of the room. I hesitated, and followed her. Once we reached the courtyard, my father was standing in front of an anthropomorphic black cat. She was holding a staff and wearing a robe.

"Who art thou?" My father asked. "Speak!"

"I am Morgan Le Fay, and soon thy kingdom shall be mine," the cat said. She laughed and pointed her scepter at my father. "Relinquish thy crown, or die."

"Never! I am the King Of Camelot!"

Morgana chuckled, drawing her sword. It crackled with energy. "Doest thou wish to go against me?"

"I wilt never surrender to the likes of you."

The black cat hissed and attacked, but my mother jumped in front of the king. She gasped as the sword went through her chest.

"Mother!" I screamed, watching as she fell to the ground, dead.

"Aleena!" My father yelled, and ran over to her. He glared at Morgan Le Fay, who smirked evilly.

"Now doest that convince thee?" She asked. "Give thy kingdom to me, or I shalt kill thee also."

"Never!"

Morgan Le Fay growled and attacked, but was blocked by a magic shield. Merlin stood over us, holding his staff high. He summoned a ball of energy and shot it at the evil witch, who screamed when it hit her.

"Leave, Morgana," Merlin said.

The cat hissed and backed away. She looked at Father. "I'll be back, Uther Pendragon, and when I do, I shalt come for Camelot! But before I leave, I curse thee and thy son! Thou shalt have a disease that wilt slowly drain thy life! As for thy son, Arthur shalt have dark magic flowing through his body that will corrupt his mind!"

She shot magic at my father and I, and we screamed in pain. Morgan Le Fay laughed as she vanished in a puff of smoke.

Merlin dropped his staff and ran over to us. My father looked at him.

"I thank thee for saving us," he said.

The wizard nodded, and looked at me. "How art thou feeling, Arthur?"

"How doest thou think I feel?" I yelled angrily. "My mother is dead, and all because of that damned witch! When she returns, I'll kill her."

"My son, revenge is not the answer," the king said.

"I don't care!"

A dark aura surrounded me, but it quickly faded away. Merlin and Uther looked at each other before whispering.

"What shalt be done about my son?" the blue hedgehog asked.

"I shalt send him to the future so that Merlina will not find him, and his dark power shalt be sealed away. However, there will be a price. His memory shalt be wiped. He will no longer remember anything about his true identity, or us. However, I prophesy that he shalt return one day."

The king sighed. "Very well, Merlin. Do it."

Merlin nodded and cast a spell on me. I groaned and fell to the floor before my vision became black.

The memory ended, and I gasped in shock. I looked at Merlin, and knew he was dead. Angry tears ran down my face as I remembered everything. Morgan Le Fay was still laughing, and I looked at her in hate before standing up.

"Stop laughing," I said. "Stop laughing!"

She looked at me in shock before sneering. "What is the matter, dear prince? Did I touch a nerve?"

"You...you killed my mother. You killed my father...and you destroyed my home! I'll kill you, you bitch!"

A dark aura surrounded me and my blue fur turned pitch black. My quills turned upwards, and my eyes became pure white. Morgan Le Fay laughed.

"It looks like my curse has taken effect!" She exclaimed. "Excellent! Now, young Arthur, thou shalt serve me."

I said nothing as I drew Excalibur. The dark aura surrounded it as well, and I sneered.

"I will never serve you, witch," I said, my voice a low growl. "It's time I ended you."

And I lunged.