Updated Chapter
Thanks for the reviews Leafygreen they are really appreciated. I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. Thanks to all those who are following I hope you are enjoying the story too.
Part 1 is about why we saw Merlin and a truck at the end of series 5 and why Arthur was declared dead. It's more background stuff so it makes sense that he is now alive.
Part 2 is going to be about the great war between good and evil and how the kingdoms will unite under Arthur's rule. I'm writing part 2 now and hope to have it done by the time I've finished putting up part 1.
Chapter 34 – The Crystal Cave
Merlin stopped walking and leant on his staff for a moment, he ached all over. The pills Bella had given him had stopped the sickness but this world stank, he could feel the poison in the air and his vision darkened. He shook his head, he had a long way to go, he couldn't pass out now. While he was moving he didn't feel so cold but every step was agony, his skin burned and it felt like he was walking on broken glass. He sighed and continued walking along the side of the road. He stopped as he heard another machine coming towards him, he climbed the bank moving closer to the hedge. The brambles in the hedge tugged at his clothing and scratched his hands, the long grass tried to trip him and he struggled to keep his balance. He has been getting out of the way of the machines ever since he had left Bella and the effort was taking its toll. Some of the machines were huge and the ground shook as they passed, some were smaller but they were all poison.
After a while he realized that they took no notice of him and as long as he kept to the side of the road they would pass him by. He was too exhausted to keep climbing the bank and it was getting steeper the further he walked. The path to the cave would soon leave the road behind, he hoped he would feel better walking through fields. He struggled with his tiredness and looked for the gate that led away from the road and these machines. He hoped he hadn't missed it, he would die if he got lost in this world. He closed his eyes and saw in his mind the way that would lead to the fields, the trees and then the cave.
When he opened his eyes another machine thundered passed. They had large eyes in front that lit up the darkness and in this harsh light he saw the gate he had been looking for on the other side of the road. He listened carefully for any machines, then quickly crossed the road and climbed the gate. He felt exhausted, he wanted to rest but first he must find the cave. It was almost midnight when he finally reached the cave and he was leaning heavily on the staff. He had met no-one else and for that he was thankful. He rested for a while taking another sip of water.
He entered the cave surprised that it was not as dark as he expected. There were small creatures covering the wall and they glowed with a bright light. If he had been feeling better he would have looked more closely at them but he was just glad they were there. The air was cleaner here away from the road and the places people lived. He planted the crystal as Gaya had shown him. At first nothing happened and Merlin feared he was too sick to finish the task. The crystal then started to hum and glowed faintly in the dark. Little pools of water formed next to the crystal, then started to grow. He had done all he could, now he must return to Arthur.
He stumbled as he turned to leave the cave and the journey ahead seemed too far. He breathed deeply of the clearer air, the magic already forming in the cave behind him gave him strength. He was still aging he could see the change in the back of his hands and feel the aching in his bones.
When he returned to the road the sun had risen and he understood why Gaya advised him to make his journey in the dark. All across the land a shadow spread, it stained everything and even in the new light of day this world looked dark and sad. The sickness had returned and he heaved but he hadn't eaten and his stomach was empty. He took two more of the pills Bella had given him washing them down with the last of his water. He stood for a while holding on to his staff and waiting for the nausea to pass.
He was weary, his arms and legs were blistered and sore. He walked back along the side of the road ignoring the machines as they thunder passed him. He reached a gap in the hedge and saw the lake before him. He stopped to look and sighed. The lake was such a beautiful place in his world, here it was dark and dirty. He pushed on, he did not want to die in this alien place where all the magic had been lost.
He felt blisters pop on his feet and now he could feel them forming on his face. He found the wooden steps leading down to the lake and there was the boat still tied to the wooden platform. He was glad he didn't have to swim through that dirty water. He rowed across the lake tempted to use his magic but he remembered Gaya's warning and resisted.
He dragged himself out of the boat onto the wooden platform. He was spent and could go no further, the water Bella had given him was gone and he didn't want to take anymore of the pills he didn't think they would help now anyway. He heard voices coming from the direction Bella had said she had come from and wondered if her friends had noticed she had gone. Would they come down here to look for her? He didn't want to meet anyone else. He made a last effort to get to his feet.
If he was going to die he wanted to do so in his world or on Avalon not here. He was bent almost double, using the staff to keep him upright. He followed the path looking desperately for the standing stones. He couldn't find them, he was sure they weren't so far up the path. He sat down on the grass next to the path wondering if he had already passed them. He heard a voice in his head calling him and telling him to get up not to give in.
He stood with difficulty and continued up the path. He looked up and to his left were the standing stones. He crawled along the grass to them and fell through the doorway. He saw Gaya standing over him, then the dark took him and he remembered no more.
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