Selfless Love pt.36
Hello, hope you are having a good day.
Meanwhile, Faith, Nimueh, Aithusa, and Mordred had found Morgana's castle.
"Let's hope she doesn't go crazy when she finds out who I am." Faith sighed.
"Hopefully, she has felt the creature's power." Nimueh answered. They went inside and went to the throne room. They went in and saw Morgana. Aithusa went to Morgana and they greeted each other. Morgana looked up and saw the other three.
"Why are you here?" Morgana asked.
"We seek your help, Morgana." Mordred started.
"Why do you need my help?"
"Have you felt it?"
"Felt what?"
"The evil and emptiness that is coming"
"I thought that was what it was."
"We need your help. We can stop the creature but only the most powerful sorcerers can stop it." Nimueh explained.
"Then why not go to Merlin? I'm sure he'd help if he isn't dead." Morgana replied.
"My father and I have already agreed to help." Faith stated. Morgana went to Faith and looked in her eyes.
"Sefa."
"She is my mother."
"You look like her. No, I will not help."
"Morgana, I am your sister. We are both high priestesses. This creature will destroy everything that we have tried to do." Nimueh warned. "This creature will suck everything dry. We will all suffer if we don't stop it."
"If I go, Merlin will only kill me." Morgana scoffed.
"No, he won't. He doesn't kill because he wants to. He kills because he has to. He poisoned you because Morgause had used you." Faith explained.
"She speaks the truth, Morgana. Join us. If we do this, we will have what we want. We will be free. Arthur will accept us. He has accepted Merlin and Faith. He will accept us with open arms." Nimueh pleaded. Morgana looked at Aithusa who made noises.
"Fine, but when this creature is dead, I am gone. I will not help you after that." Morgana stated.
"Thank you, but first, we must know. Where is Morgause? We need her help to defeat this creature."
"I can't tell you. She told me not to."
"You must. We need her help. We need everyone we know to help."
"She's in the mountains north of here."
"Take us to her."
They went to the mountains. They saw Morgause outside looking at the sky. They went to here and got off their horses. Morgause faced them and saw Morgana and Nimueh.
"Morgana, what are they doing here?" Morgause asked.
"We need your help. Have you felt the darkness coming?" Nimueh replied.
"Yes, is that why you are here?"
"Yes, we need your help."
"I remember what happened last time. Will something like the Great Purge happen after we kill it?"
"Most likely, but we can stop it."
"Merlin is with you. Where is he?"
"No, he is back at our base waiting for us to return."
"Then why do I sense his presence?"
Morgause saw Faith and went to her.
"You. Why do I sense Merlin's magic in you?" Morgause questioned.
"I'm his daughter." Faith answered.
"You are very powerful. In our time, you would have been trained as one of the nine, but… you are more powerful than all of the nine combined."
"Will you help us?"
"Yes. Only because I know the evil that this creature brings."
"Thank you." Nimueh thanked. They went home. Meanwhile, Sefa and Merlin were wrapped in each other's arms panting breathlessly.
"I wonder if they found Morgana." Sefa panted.
"I'm sure they have. I just hope Faith is safe." Merlin answered.
"Me too. Should we get up?"
"No, I want to stay like this."
A few hours later, they heard horses outside. They got dressed and went outside and saw Morgause and Morgana talking to Nimueh. Morgana looked at Merlin and then walked away. Morgause followed her. Nimueh went to Sefa and Sefa.
"Morgana will only help destroy the creature. She is young. She doesn't know about what happened all those years ago. Morgause does. I have asked her to talk to Morgana." Nimueh explained.
"Morgana is stubborn. It will take a lot to convince her." Merlin sighed.
"Indeed."
AT dinner, they sat outside and talked about everything.
"How will we defeat this creature if we don't know where it is?" Morgause asked.
"It will come to us. That's not the problem. The problem is defeating it. Every single one of Desdemona's children are different. The last one was defeated by enough blows to the legs." Nimueh explained.
"We have to know its weakness before we strike. If we just attack it, it will kill us." Balinor warned.
"But how?"
"Most of the goddess of evil's children take on human form to hide. The only problem with that is that their powers are limited. We can force it to turn into human form so that we can kill it."
"But how, father? If it sees us, it will kill us." Merlin stated.
"Kilgarrah and I talked about it. We just need another creature of evil. One who makes this beast bow to it." Balinor suggested.
"Who? What?"
"A manticore."
"A manticore. Father, I have seen one. They are hardly scary enough to make a creature of pure evil afraid."
"Their venom is dangerous to all creatures. Good or evil. Long ago, Desdemona had a run in with the Triple goddess. The Triple Goddess conjured a manticore to give Desdemona a taste of true evil and darkness. It did. To this day, Desdemona has taught her children to fear it."
"But where can we find one?"
"I know where." Alice stated. "Most of them live in caves where they can hide in the darkness. The live near the forest of the serkets."
"No, we'll have to find another way. I am Not dealing with serkets." Merlin replied.
"Who said it had to be you. You've done enough." Balinor answered. "Arthur already said that he'd go get the manticore. He already has a cage for it and manticores are reasonable creatures."
"And deadly."
"Come on, Merlin. We leave in an hour." Arthur said as he stood up. Merlin sighed and went inside to get ready. Merlin was packing what he needed when Sefa came in.
"Be careful. I don't want you getting hurt. We both know that if it hadn't been for Kilgarrah you wouldn't have survived the serkets." Sefa warned.
"I'll be careful. Besides, last time I was chained by Morgause and Morgana." Merlin answered. They kissed passionately. "I have to go. I'll be home soon."
"Ok. The kids want to sleep in our room tonight."
"Ok. If we're not home before bedtime, they have my permission to stay up and wait for daddy."
"I think they'd like that."
They kissed again. Merlin went outside and saw his horse waiting. He got on and followed Arthur and Aithusa.
"Your father said that Aithusa might be able to help. She can burn the serkets." Arthur said.
"I know. Let's hurry. I have to be home by dark." Merlin sighed.
"We have a few hours."
At the house, Sefa and Faith helped everyone get settled into the houses. Ava was helping them. Ava went to Morgana and handed her a couple of blankets and pillows.
"Here is your bedding." Ava said. Morgana took them without a word. "Your welcome."
"What did you say?" Morgana hissed.
"I said your welcome. You know, you were supposed to say thank you, but you didn't. Why are you so disrespectful?"
"Because of your father?"
"Really? That's your excuse?"
"Yes."
"Well, it isn't a very good one if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you."
Ava rolled her eyes and then walked away. Morgana looked over and saw Mordred chuckling. Ava went up to Faith, Sefa, Kara, and Gwen.
"Mum, can I go play with the other children?" Ava wondered.
"Sure." Sefa answered. Ava ran off.
"She is growing up into a nice young lady." Faith sighed.
"Yes, she is. Braelynn is still her boyish self."
"I fear she will never change."
"Where is Braelynn? I see Brain, but not Braelynn." Gwen asked.
"She's with her father. They're collecting herbs and looking at trees that would be good for building homes." Faith replied.
"Where is Kenna?" Kara wondered. Then they saw Braelynn, Kenna and Kokum come out of the woods.
"She might have made a friend out of Braelynn."
"It's ok. She needs friends. She doesn't have any in our town."
"Same with Braelynn."
Faith sighed and put her hand on her womb.
"Faith are you pregnant?" Sefa asked. Faith snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at Sefa and nodded. The three women hugged her and congratulated her. "How far?"
"Almost 7 months." Faith answered.
"If you were that far along, how come you barely show it?" Gwen wondered.
"I don't know. I had an appointment and the doctor said that it would just be a smaller baby. There isn't really anything wrong. Kokum and I haven't really told anyone because anything could happen."
"SO, I take it that it isn't as painful as the twins?" Sefa asked.
"I barely even feel it kick." Faith sighed.
"Go sit down and rest. We can pick the rest of the plants."
"Ok."
Faith went to Kokum and told him what had happened. They went to the twins and pulled them aside.
"Guys, your mummy is pregnant, but we don't want you to tell anyone till the baby is born." Kokum said.
"Why?" Braelynn wondered.
"Because the baby is very small, and we don't even know if it will live."
"Ok. I hope it lives."
"Me too."
Brian went to Faith and put his hand on Faith's stomach. He felt the baby kick and giggled.
"It kicks hard." Brain giggled.
"Yes, it does." Faith answered.
"When will you have it?"
"Soon."
"I hope it's tomorrow."
"Not that soon, buddy."
"Why? I want to be a big brother."
"The baby needs to grow a little more first."
"Ok."
Meanwhile, Arthur and Merlin had arrived at the serkets clearing. They got off their horses. Aithusa crowed and hissed. They turned and saw a serket. Aithusa burned it and then they heard more. They looked around and saw several serkets surrounding them.
"We have to get to the cave." Arthur ordered.
"Aithusa, burn them." Merlin shouted. Aithusa did as she was told. Merlin grabbed Arthur and they ran through were Aithusa had burned the serkets. Then Merlin cried out in pain and fell to the ground. He rolled onto his back and saw a serket standing on him. "Arthur, get a manticore. I'll be fine."
Arthur looked into Merlin's eyes and nodded. He pulled out his sword and ran to the cave. Merlin looked at the serket and then watched it turn into flames. Merlin saw Aithusa stand over it as it died. Merlin sat up and groaned painfully.
"Aithusa, go with Arthur. I'll be safe." Merlin groaned. Aithusa did as she was told. Merlin leaned against a tree and tried to control his breathing. In the cave, Arthur and Aithusa looked around.
"DO you sense them?" Arthur asked. Aithusa nodded and looked at the wall. Aithusa breathed and the room lit up revealing several manticores.
"Arthur Pendragon why are you here?" A manticore asked.
"Because you can help us defeat the creature that is coming. Please, we need your help to trap Desdemona's child in human form so that we can defeat it." Arthur said. The manticore went to Aithusa.
"I will come with you, but as soon as we are done, you are to release me."
"I swear."
Arthur opened the boxes and put the manticore inside. He closed the box and Aithusa followed him out of the cave. They went to Merlin and saw that he was resting.
TBC