Chapter Seven: Creatures of Light and Shadow

May it be an evening star

Shines down upon you

May it be when darkness falls

Your heart will be true

You walk along a road

Oh how far you are from home.

From "May it Be" by Enya

Merlin sat on top of a hill, apart from his traveling companions in a meditative position as if his mind was further away than on the desolate road the three had stopped near for the night. Tony shook his head and walked up to the seated wizard. Merlin's eyes were shut and he was concentrating deeply. Tony waved his hand in front of the wizard's face in a joking manner. No response.

He returned to Nimue who was rummaging through a travel bag for food. She handed some fruit to Tony who accepted. "What is he doing" Tony said motioning towards Merlin.

"He's meditating" Nimue explained with a hint of pride. "Sometimes nature provides him with an answer that humans do not."

Makes perfect sense, Tony thought sarcastically and then added. "Like how to take on a group of Mountain trolls to get our king back"

Nimue shrugged. "Possibly."

"So anyone know what this Grail actually looks like"

Nimue shrugged. "I don't know, Sir Galahad returned to England with The Grail but it disappeared shortly after that. No one knows where, well now we do."

"Sure" Tony said.

"You seem to doubt don't you" the woman asked.

Tony laughed. "Well you and Merle should have met me three years ago, then we could talk about how much I doubted, but this just seems I don't know impossible."

"Nothing ever truly is impossible" Nimue said.

"You haven't been with us" The former New Yorker laughed bitterly. Deciding this was a subject that he didn't want to continue, Tony changed the subject. "So what happened to Merlin and his Lady after King Arthur died"

"We just wandered" Nimue answered. "Drifted, did our parts to help others in one way or another. Merlin took part in many battles. Aided those who needed us. We were particularly busy during the Second World War and watched our story ultimately become myth and legend."

"Any kids" Tony asked.

Nimue shook her head sadly. "No, I can't."

"Oh" Tony said unsure of what to say after a comment like that. "I'm um, sorry."

Nimue smiled warmly. "That's all right, I cam to terms with it long ago. We had many friends over the years, including children and in some ways, Frick could be like a child, so we didn't miss them."

At the mention of Frick's name, Tony looked to the road as if conjuring Frick, Wolf, and his daughter to appear. As if reading his thoughts, Nimue put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure they will be all right" she said.

"I know" Tony said. "I just"

"-Worry about them" Nimue suggested. Tony nodded. "So is Virginia's mother in the 9 Kingdoms as well" Upon Tony's stricken face, Nimue realized that this was a conversation that he did not want to have. "I am truly sorry, I spoke out of turn."

Tony waved his hand disdainfully. "Ah, don't worry about it. My wife, ex-wife is dead. I guess you heard about King Wendell's stepmom, the former Wicked Queen"

Nimue pursed her lips thinking. "Vaguely didn't she try to poison the Royal families at Wendell's coronation years ago"

Tony nodded. "She was my ex-wife and Virginia's mother." Nimue offered an understanding smile but otherwise revealed no surprise. "You're not surprised."

Nimue laughed. "If you have been alive as long as I have, surprise is not an emotion that you feel much anymore."

Merlin's eyes flew open and he ran down the hill to his wife and friend. Nimue saw the alarm on her husband's face. "What is it" Nimue asked.

"Creatures are right behind us" Merlin said. "We must leave now" Tony and Nimue gathered their things and followed the wizard.

They didn't get very far into the hills before Merlin pointed towards the sky. It was a clear night, but there was a dark cloud approaching them. The cloud seemed to fly closer to the ground. When the cloud came closer to the three unwaring travelers a loud ear shattering scream could be heard

Tony, Merlin, and Nimue saw that the dark cloud was actually several winged creatures approaching. them. "Gryphons, be ready" Merlin said.

The gryphons lunged at the three travelers. Their shriek was so loud that it nearly broke their eardrums. Tony, Nimue, and Merlin covered their ears as the gryphon fell on them scratching and clawing at them. "Their shrieks are meant to astound you and are meant to weaken you, try not to listen to them."

"Now he tells us" Tony yelled.

"Stand aside" Merlin commanded.

He held out his staff and began to chant in Ancient Gaelic. "Anail nathrach ortha bhais bheatha do thuar dheanamh" (ana nathrak urth vas bethrud dokhje djenve) "Serpent's breath, charm of life and death and life, thy omen of making"

The gryphons opened their mouths to scream, but fell silent. "Now" Merlin said to his wife and friend. Tony nodded understanding what the wizard had done. He took away the gryphons' voices, so they could fight them. Tony ducked shoving two gryphons together that lunged to attack them.

A gryphon lunged to attack Nimue. She darted out of the way as it fell to the ground. Without another thought she reached up and kicked it. A gryphon flew in Merlin's face trying to scratch him. Annoyed, Merlin raised his staff and sparked the creature sending it flying. Eventually all of the gryphons were vanquished. "We had better continue" Merlin said.

From her Observing Ball, Mab clenched her teeth. Her gryphons had failed! She suddenly felt someone enter into the shadows.She looked over to the creature that had interrupted her work.

"Shadow what are you doing here? You are supposed to be watching"

"-I have news my Queen" The Shadow interrupted and bowed low.

The Queen of the Sidhe looked closely at the creature's face. He usually showed no emotion, but something clearly had disturbed him.

"Just a minute, first things first" Mab said. She waved her hand over the Observing Ball as the fog grew until she couldn't see through it. She then turned to Shadow. "What is it" she asked.

The fog rolled so in so thick that Merlin, Tony, and Nimue could not see through it. Tony ran slower than the other two. He struggled to keep his eyes on Merlin's black robe as he ran ahead of him. Tony tried to keep up with the wizard; but the fog became so thick that he could barely see the man in front of him. Suddenly, it came in so thick that he couldn't see anyone at all, nothing but fog. He could not find Merlin or Nimue"Merle! Nim" he yelled. "Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! Where are you guys" But aside from his own echo , not a sound could be heard. Tony gulped he was left alone.

He collapsed against a rock for support. A sound made his ears perk up. It sounded like singing, a woman's voice. Tony sighed with relief. "Nimue, thank God" he sai. He turned to the direction of the voice. It wasn't Nimue!

A woman with long flowing jet black hair and alabaster skin reclined on a hill one of her legs dangling over the other. She was dressed in a long white gown that left little to the imagination. As she sang to him, Tony felt mezmerized by her voice and her looks. Tony felt drawn to her as he climbed the hill to be next to her. A small creek ran across the hill and the way she lay it was as though her gown was a part of the water blending into it almost seamlessly. The small rational part of Tony's mind was warning him to stay away from her. He looked deep into her clear blue eyes as she motioned for him to come closer with one finger. He stood next to her as she wrapped her arms around him. Before Tony realized what was happening, the beautiful woman drew her face closer to him until he was conscious of nothing but her eyes and red blood-like lips. She pressed her lips against his. The kiss felt warm and inviting at first. But Tony felt drained and tired as though life was seeping from him. Tony suddenly felt like he wanted to drop to the ground.

Suddenly, something broke him from the woman's spell or rather someone. Merlin pushed the woman away from Tony's grip. "A lilith" Merlin said. "Don't look at her and don't listen to her."

Tony blinked and tried to move from the woman's gaze. Merlin was about to perform magick to deflect the woman's gaze on his friend, but the woman continued to look at the wizard. Merlin stood still and distracted. The Lilith dangled one finger up and down the wizard's chin and pulled herself closer. She closed her lips in another kiss, until she felt a jab at her back. The woman screamed and fell to the ground. Nimue stood behind where the woman fell still holding the iron rod in her hand. "Are you all right" She asked.

"Yes" Merlin said then turned to Tony. "Are you"

"Yeah" Tony agreed.

"And that's why she comes with us" Merlin quipped as the trio moved on.

The forest closest to the mountains was deep and the creek grew to a river the closer they got.

"The mountains are on the other side" Merlin said.

"How do we get across" Nimue asked.

"We sail" Merlin replied.

Tony snapped his fingers. "Damn, I must have left my yacht out at the mansion"

"Not like that" Merlin said. "Like that." He pointed to a few fallen logs and a vine. "It's primitive but it will work." the wizard said.

The trio worked to make the raft. Tony and Nimue sat on it as Merlin handed them three branches to row. They struggled to keep their grip on the branches despite the river's currents. The river kept pushing them back and forth along the waves. "Are you sure this will hold, Merlin" Nimue asked.

"Of course it will" Merlin said. Just as he said that, the vines began to fray and fall out of the logs. Tony and Nimue glanced at Merlin. "What do you want, I'm a wizard not a carpenter" he said dryly.

The logs seperated from the vines completely as a wave capsized the raft. The three bobbed in the water struggling to keep hold of their breaths and their heads above water. Merlin grabbed Nimue's hand and reached for the back of Tony's shirt. "Swim to the other side" he commanded.

"I don't think we have much of a choice" Tony agreed his mouth filled with water. Merlin stuggled with his two charges but they were able to tumble on to the opposite shore and landed.

"Are we there yet" Tony asked.

Merlin pointed forward at the gray mountain range in front of them. "I should say so" he said but he yawned. "We must keep going."

"I'm beat from the water" Tony said his eyes beginning to shut.

"We are here" Nimue suggested. "Maybe we could sleep for the night."

Tony and Nimue fell to the ground, almost collapsed. Merlin was puzzled but he could barely keep his eyes open. "No we must" he said but his voice had no commanding force to it. "Oh I suppose sleep wouldn't be bad." He fell to the ground next to his wife and friend.

Merlin woke to see himself in darkness. He couldn't see anything in front, around, or behind him. He couldn't see or hear Tony or Nimue anywhere around him. He called for his companions but recieved no answer. He sat in the darkness wondering what to do next and where he was. "Light" he commanded but no light came. He tried again, but still no light. He rubbed his head annoyed. What is going on? He thought. Suddenly, he could see a light up ahead on the far end as though he were in a tunnel and he could see the other end. He ran towards the light and as he ran closer he could see that it began to form a shape of a cup. He ran to the light that he knew to be the Holy Grail! He became more hurried approaching the Grail, but stopped. The cup shown in all of the brilliance that he had heard about but it was on one end of a cliff and he was on the other!

Merlin grunted his frustration. He tried to find a bridge or a way across but there was none. He tried to use his magick which failed him. "I can almost touch it but how can I"

"Let the light guide you" a familiar voice appeared to him. Merlin turned to his side to see a young man he thought he would never see again. King Arthur stood next to him! Last he saw Arthur, the king was a broken man bleeding and dying from the loss of his kingdom. Now in front of the wizard he stood once more strong and in the prime of life.

"Arthur" Merlin said bowing to his king.

King Arthur smiled at his friend. "None of that please. I cannot be with you now and my time is short. But we will see each other again before too long."

"I had given up hope" Merlin said.

"Never" Arthur assured his former advisor. He took Merlin's hand, his grip feeling strong. "Just let the light guide you." He embraced the wizard and disappeared.

When Nimue woke up she found herself in an abandoned castle. At first she walked through it calling for Merlin and Tony but heard no one. It was silent, then suddenly she heard a shriek. Nimue covered her ears as the shriek grew louder. A warith appeared. Nimue backed up terrified. She tried to run but ran into another one! Nimue ran seeing several wraiths appearing before her. A wraith held onto her, it's grip bony and cold. Nimue pulled herself away and ran. She ran up the stairs hearing the shrieks and seeing the spirits chase after her.

The hallway appeared before her, but the ghosts ran in front of her. Nimue screamed until she felt herself grow hoarse, but she just had to get away from these frightening things! She held onto a door and caught her breath. She looked towards the door and listened. She couldn't hear the wraiths behind the door, but she heard a voice, a strong male voice. She could barely hear it over the shrieks but it seemed to be calling her. She opened the door and ran up the gray stairs she could see before her.

Nimue ran up the tower still hearing the shrieks and feeling the ghosts follow her. She could feel their grip on her gown and pushing her down. She fought with them until they let her go but they continued to follow shrieking in her ears. She put her hands on her ears and covered them. Through the covered ears she could hear the man's voice again. "Nima" it said. She knew that voice and even if she hadn't she would have known that childhood nickname anywhere.

"Father" she said. She felt a hand remove her left hand from her ears and hold it. She opened her eyes to see her father, Lord Adante looking at her.

He smiled at her with his kind eyes and bushy red beard that Nimue used to tug on as a small child. "It is I, Nima" he said as he led her out of the steps and onto the tower. Standing on top of the castle, Nimue could see that it was day and there was nothing to fear.

"I am trying to find my way Father, but I'm lost" Nimue said her voice quivering and her eyes filling.

Adante embraced his daughter warmly. "Now now Nimue, you are not lost. You will find your way to the Grail with your friend and your husband. A good man indeed." Nimue blushed at her father's compliment. "But Daughter, don't be afraid to hide in the darkness to find it."

"Hide in the darkness" Nimue said. "But Father I don't understand."

"You will Nima in time" Adante said and kissed her on the top of the forehead. "Just hide in the darkness to find it."

Tony heard music as he awoke, familiar music. He rubbed his eyes to hear "Whiter Shade of Pale." Instantely he felt a little terrified since he heard the last time he heard that song, he was in the Swamp being given bad dreams by some trippy mushrooms. He wasn't looking forward to finding out what trouble he was in now.

He walked forward to see himself in a white cave the song growing louder. But another sound entered his ears. Viriginia's voice. He could hear her screaming. "Dad" "Help" she yelled.

"Virginia" Tony yelled. He tried to run where he thought the mouth to the cave was but couldn't find it. He heard her voice grow louder as he ran to a far end. He could just hear it as though it were outside the cave, but as he approached the mouth, he could see that it was closed. He banged on the door frustrated. "Virginia, my daughter is in danger" he yelled.

Suddenly he could hear the song playing again from behind him. Tony turned and felt a hand hold him by the shoulder and push him to the other side. Tony's ex-wife, Christine took his hand and began to dance with him. They danced to "Whiter Shade of Pale", just as they did on their wedding day and at her debutante dance when they first met.

They danced a waltz for a bit, but Tony pushed her away and banged once more on the door. "You stay away from me" he said and began to bang on the cave door again. "Virginia"

"Tony" Christine said. "Don't look through me, look at me"

Tony turned to see his ex-wife looking her in the eyes. He said that to her all those years ago in Wendell's castle trying to get her to remember who she was. It was a secret code that they shared once after Tony had confided that he felt intimidated by Christine's rich friends and snooty mother.

"When they insult me, when they make me feel like a slob don't look through me, look at me and it won't be so bad" Tony told her as she laughed and now here Christine was saying the same thing.

"Virginia is not in danger" Christine said. "Not yet anyway, but she will be."

Tony's breath caught in his throat. "How? When"

"Dark forces want to harm her" Christine said. "But they haven't found her yet"

"I have to get out of here" Tony declared.

"Tony, you have to find the Grail first" Christine said. "That is the only way you can save Virginia"

"I don't know where it is" Tony said. "I'm a failure."

Christine took her former husband's hand. "You are not and you will find it. Just listen to me, The queens will know the way."

Tony shrugged. "What queens? Snow White? What are you talking about"

Christine shook her head. "No, just know the queens will find the way." She kissed her husband on the lips. It felt real and more natural than the Lilith's kiss. "Now go find the Grail and save our daughter"

Three Mountain Trolls were hunting in the woods when they saw the sleeping humans. One of them shoved him with his stick. "Do we eat them" he asked.

One of his companions reached down and smelled them. "No, let's take them to our cave we can finish them off there" They gathered the three in their arms and marched them to their cave proud of their new finds.