Chapter 12: The Scarlet Witch Part One
The gates of the castle opened to a lively and vibrant garden filled with many a kind of flowers and a roof of trees.
The sun tried its best to poke through the canopy of leaves, but the garden was dark.
"Be on your guard everyone. The wretch could be anywhere." Perceval said as we walked through the garden.
Wanda looked amazed by the beauty of the garden, and I was awed myself.
"It's enormous Stephen." She said.
"Indeed it is, but we can't allow ourselves to lower our guard. Morgan is apparently very dangerous."
Wanda nodded and we continued on our way through the garden.
I heard a rustling coming from some bushes to our right and all of us stopped.
"What was that?" A knight asked and approached the bush.
"Hold Sir Eugene! Do not approach that which you do not know!" Perceval cried as the knight reached towards the bush.
The knight didn't listen and reached into the bush.
We were all quiet for a brief moment and suddenly a loud "crunch" came from the bush and the knight recoiled, screaming and falling over.
His entire arm from the elbow down was missing.
Something small jumped out of the bush and onto the knight, and I choose not to describe what it did to him.
The rest of us readied ourselves, preparing for battle when we saw what it was.
A small, blood coated, white rabbit with large, black eyes sat on the mans face, sniffing the air.
"You've got to be shitting me." Wanda said.
I stared at the rabbit, and it looked me in the eyes.
It hopped from the mans face onto the knight beside me, tearing through his armour as he fell over screaming.
"Merlin's beard!" Perceval cried.
"Holy shit!" Wanda yelled.
A red swirl surrounded the rabbit, raising it into the air as it struggled against Wanda's magic.
Wanda's eyes flowed as she lifted the rabbit in the air.
The knight it attacked moaned on the ground before going still, just as Wanda executed the rabbit.
"We've already lost two. This doesn't bode well for us." St'Vaan said and Ironheart nodded.
"We must remain vigilant men, we have to stop her." Perceval said.
Merlin nodded in agreement.
"Shall we continue?" He asked.
We all nodded or grunted in agreement and continued on.
The garden ended in front of a great steel door. On it was a carving of a dragon burning what looked like a king.
"Well that's ominous." I mumbled.
"I can sense her presence within this area of the castle." Merlin said, raising his staff.
Perceval nodded and, with the help of Ironheart, pushed the great door open.
We all entered the room cautiously, Perceval and Ironheart leading, followed by Merlin and St'Vaan, me and Wanda and then the 4 remaining knights.
The room we entered was dimly lit by torches on every wall. In the centre was a large dining table lined with 20 chairs. A large stairwell was at the far end of the room and a large fireplace was by the table with a painting above it.
The painting was a portrait of a woman who looked strikingly similar to Wanda. She held a sceptre in her right hand and a crown in her left. She wore a black gown and her long black hair was let loose down her back.
"That must be Morgan." I said.
"Sister to King Arthur. Former queen of Norway turned enemy of Camelot." Perceval said.
"I've been hunting her for 6 years, and now my journey is at its end."
We walked up to the table, the torch lights getting brighter.
"Welcome Sir Percy. You've finally found me."
At the head of the table was a hooded figure, but we all knew who it was.
"Please, all of you, sit down."
Black Knight pointed his Ebony Blade at the hooded figure.
"If you think we'll play your games witch, you clearly don't know us very well."
The hooded figure chuckled, the flames growing brighter.
"Don't you see Percy. You have no choice."
A knight behind me fell to his knees, grasping at his throat.
Blood began dripping from ones torso, wounds beginning to appear on his chest.
I muttered under my breath, casting a small charm over those of us not yet affected.
The hooded figure grunted and chuckled.
"It appears one among you is powerful enough to counter my spells. Shame about the four you've already lost however."
"Give up now Morgan! While you can still escape with your life!" Merlin cried.
The robe came off, revealing Morgan le Fay dressed exactly as she was in the portrait.
"Merlin, you're intelligence has greatly diminished in your old age. I'm not at your mercy. You-" Morgan snapped her finger, a crack coming from the two remaining knights as they toppled over. "-are at mine. Unfortunately my spells don't seem to work on those of you that remain."
She slowly began to walk towards us, soldiers walking out from the walls of the side of the room.
"You came into my home Perceval, where I'm most powerful. Tell me, how foolish are you?" She asked, smiling.
"You're magic has no effect on me. I could slay you easily." He said, gripping his sword with two hands.
"My magic can't hurt you, but something else can. Mordred!"
A black tipped arrow flew across the room, planting itself in Perceval's shoulder.
"Argh! Impossible." He said and he gripped his wound.
"In order to penetrate my armour it must be made of the same material as the Ebony Blade."
Morgan smiled as she looked to her accomplice.
"You and Merlin weren't as thorough as you thought. Mordred is equipped with an arsenal specially suited to killing you."
She raised her arm in the air and Mordred raised his bow.
She lowered it and an arrow flew, narrowly missing Perceval's face as a red glow surrounded it.
Morgan looked over to Wanda, a look of mild surprise on her face.
"Merlin, why have you brought a clone of me with you?" She asked.
"Not a clone, a more powerful version of you." I said, stepping forward.
Wanda looked at Le Fay and her troops, her eyes glowing red and red energy flowing from her finger tips.
"What is she? Some sort of witch?" Morgan asked.
I summoned my shields and readied myself.
"She's the foil to your plan Morgan"
Merlin readied his staff, lightning sparked in Ironhearts fingertips and St'Vaan readied his sword and shield.
Perceval stood up, ripping the arrow from his shoulder and pulling his shield from his back.
Morgan looked Wanda in the eyes, shocked.
"You're me, but not from here."
Wanda nodded.
"I'm your better counterpart."
Morgan began to look around to her troops.
"I was warned of this day, and I will not allow fate to win this day. You may be the 'Scarlet Witch' I was warned of, but you will not take me!" She cried.
She turned to her men, about 50 in all.
"The witch is here! I want them all dead!"
The soldiers began to charge at us and we readied ourselves for a long battle.