I know it's been a long time...I've gotten sidetracked by some of my other stories and I apologize. Hopefully this makes up for it.
Disclaimer-I do not own Transformers: Prime or Merlin.
Chapter 36
The Crystal Cave
The sun had just rose over the horizon and Marie Bennett was awake and ready to open the doors of her store. She had just flipped the sign to 'Open' and had gotten back to the register when the door chimed, alerting her to someone entering her store.
"Good morning, Mrs. Bennett," a warm, tenor voice called.
"Ah, Mr. Darby!" Marie beamed, turning around to face the gentle, warm blue gaze of the dark haired man in front of the counter, "What can I do for you today?"
"Oh nothing much," Merlin said, waving his hand, "I just saw your store was open and I thought I would come to say hello,"
Marie closed an eye.
"It's Thursday isn't it," she finally said.
Merlin gave a soft laugh and nodded.
"Ach, seventeen, almost eighteen, years now and I still forget," Marie chuckled, "I'll get your coffee ready in a bit,"
She started towards the coffee maker when a second dark flicker caught her eye. She turned around just to see an almost identical match to Merlin's own form. The same tall, lean frame, the same dark ebon hair, the same gentle blue eyes.
"Well, and who might you be?" the elderly woman asked, making the boy jump high into the air, a slight gold flicker passing through his eyes as the doorbell rang again.
"Ah, I see you've met my son," Merlin smiled, coming over and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder, "Mrs. Bennett, this is Jack,"
"H-Hello," the boy stammered, giving a timid wave.
Marie gave a soft smile. She noticed that his accent was a bit different, it had a slight American tinge to it.
"So, Jack, how long have you been here in England?" she asked.
"Is it that obvious?" the boy asked and Marie laughed, "Um…I'd say a few months…right Dad?"
"Three," Merlin nodded, "I'd say Art and I have corrupted him,"
"Is he by himself?" Marie asked, slightly concerned, "Where's his mother?"
"Back at the house," Merlin replied, "He came here with his mother and two friends…the two friends are part of the exchange student program and Jack and June have decided to move here for a while…"
"Well, in that case, welcome to England, Jack," Marie smiled.
Jack gave a nod.
"Thank you, ma'am," he replied.
"And a gentleman as well!" Marie chuckled, "And they say that chivalry is dead,"
"Can't really be dead when you've got Dad and a few of his friends around," Jack muttered, earning a light cuff on the head from his father.
"True that, Jack," Marie said with a bright smile while Merlin closed an eye, "You two look like you're going to go camping or something,"
"More like he's going to take me into the woods and leave me there,"
"Jack!" Merlin reprimanded before turning back to Marie, "Unfortunately he has my sense of humor. The sarcasm is strong with this one,"
Marie handed the older sorcerer the coffee cup and Merlin raised it in thanks before taking a long sip.
"If the world has two Mark Darbys I don't think we'll need the Four Horsemen, the Apocalypse will come on it's own!" Marie joked, "Ah, Mr. Darby, 'tis a good thing that he is like you. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery and your son looks exactly like you,"
"He does have my good looks…but he gets most of that from his mother," Merlin shrugged, "seventeen years and she's still as beautiful as the day I met her,"
"Dad…hate to interrupt…but the sun's getting a little too high for my taste…"
"Ah, right," Merlin nodded, "Better to walk early in the morning…when the bugs aren't out. We'll see you later, Marie,"
And the two men walked out.
"There's something odd about those two," Marie hummed to herself, "Ah, Marie, stop your worryin', they're just like everyone else…I think,"
"You still haven't told me where we're going," Jack deadpanned, using his staff as his walking stick while his father did the same.
"That's because it's a surprise, can't spoil a surprise can I, Jack?"
"I guess…"
The two walked through the mist-shrouded ravine that rose on either side of their path. Jack noticed the large monoliths on the side of their path…two very old, very worn statues. The other thing he noticed…was that there was a very strong sense of magic here.
It was so strong that the boy stopped dead in his tracks.
Merlin turned around with a roguish grin.
"Ah, you feel it then," he started, "We're not where I wanted to show you yet, but we're close. C'mon!"
Jack trotted up to his father, walking side by side.
"Back in the Dark Ages, this place was supposedly haunted,"
"Was it?"
"Depends on your idea of haunted," Merlin said evasively, "The people called it the Valley of the Fallen Kings…and only the very brave or very foolish went in here,"
"By the way you're navigating…you've been in here a few times,"
"More than just a few. Arthur thought that it was a good pass into Camelot…more often than not we got attacked or ambushed. One time, I got wounded and Arthur and I had to hide from Mercians, we were ambushed again and Morgana captured me and…well…that's a story for another time. Arthur got shot with a poisoned arrow once when we went through it again…"
"So basically, this place has bad memories,"
"Some are bad, some are good," Merlin told him, "There is a place deep in the valley that is…actually quite beautiful. And that, Jack, is where we're going,"
"What's it called?"
"You'll know when we get there," Merlin told him, "Just…follow the magic,"
The two kept walking, sometimes they would talk, other times they kept their silence, but it was alright. It was a time where it was just them. No Miko, no Arthur, no June…and no Morgana!
Suddenly, Merlin stopped, Jack nearly running into him.
"We're here," he said.
"It's…a cave," Jack stated.
"It's what's inside the cave I want to show you," Merlin said with a grin, "And it's a special cave,"
"How can a cave be special!?"
"You'll see," Merlin chuckled, "C'mon,"
Jack followed his father into the cave, nearly slipping on the cool, wet stone on the entrance.
"Watch your step," Merlin warned.
"A little late for that," Jack deadpanned.
"Don't get smart with me, Jack,"
Jack slipped and slid down the steep hallway until he tumbled into an open cavern…and his mouth dropped.
For everywhere, dripping from the walls, sprouting from the ceiling, spearing from the floor…were thousands upon thousands of crystals.
"Now you see why it's special," Merlin whispered, making Jack look up at him, "This is the Crystal Cave…and it is the birthplace of all magic,"
He gestured for Jack to get up and follow.
The boy got to his feet and wandered to one of the crystals.
"These crystals can show us the past, the present…and sometimes even the future," Merlin explained, "Look,"
Jack peered into one, seeing a young, dark-haired man…speaking with a dragon!
"Is that you?" Jack asked, hushed, "You actually got to see a dragon?"
"He was a close friend of mine," Merlin replied, "His name was Kilgharrah…but there are no more dragons, save for one,"
"Who?"
"A white dragon by the name of Aithusa," Merlin said with a low growl, "But he betrayed us long ago. He listens if I order him…but Aithusa's allegiance belongs to Morgana and Morgana alone,"
"You said unless you order him…"
"I am a Dragonlord, the dragons and wyverns listen to me, they have to," Merlin shrugged, "It's a gift passed down from father to son, a gift that somehow you have even though I'm still alive,"
"Wait…so you mean you should be dead because I have this…Dragonlord power,"
"My father died and passed his power to me, it's how it's always worked…until you. And we're not sure why,"
He waved his hand.
"Go ahead, look again,"
The young sorcerer gave a soft nod and looked in the crystals again, just to see Miko and Raf, both of whom were working with their mentors. Gaius was showing Raf a new potion, Miko was getting her rear end handed to her by Arth…no Gwen this time. And…wait…
"Mom?!" Jack asked, blinking as June and Arthur dueled.
"Well, what do you know," Merlin hummed, "She's just as good as I remember,"
"Wait…what!?"
"Jack, your mother was married to me for God's sake!" Merlin laughed, "She had to pick up some melee skills. Though I am surprised Arthur is the one to take her on…I would have thought Leon or Gwaine would have challenged her since Gwen's taking on Miko,"
Jack looked into the crystal again and the scene melted away…showing a darkened ship with two small human forms striding through it, Vehicon shells blasted away to the sides with smoking holes burned into their chassis and helms.
"Jack…" Merlin warned, but his son was rooted to the spot, eyes burning brilliant gold.
The scene changed again and he saw Megatron on one knee with a servo thrust painfully behind his back while a silver, chipped broadsword grazed his optic…
And then he saw a dark, cloaked form seated on the warlord's throne. The figure tossed back the hood and sent long, rippling raven locks cascading down her back as her green grey eyes seemed to pierce right through the crystal and into Jack's mind.
"Son of Emrys…"
The crystal burned in Jack's hands and Jack yelled…
And the stone in Jack's hand shattered into myriad pieces.
"Jack!" Merlin called, putting his arms around his shaking son, "It's ok, it's ok…everything is going to be ok…"
"Dad…" Jack started hoarsely, "What…what was that?"
"I don't know…" Merlin replied, "But I don't like it…I don't like it at all,"
So...this cannot be good. The board is set, the pieces are moving...something bad is going to happen...and it's going to happen soon. Well, that's all I got for now! See you all later!
Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)
Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)
Máriessë ar mára tecië
Farewell and fair writing
Elhini Prime signing off.