Sophie ran through the burning hedges, ducking past flames. She could hear fire engines approaching. She burst through the entrance, and ran back inside. Only to find her group huddled around Eleanor's current "bestie", Megan.
"What happened?" She asked.
"When the planes began shooting, one hit Megan."
Sophie looked up and saw that the roof had massive holes in it, as did the walls. The smell of smoke was dominating the air.
A paramedic's crew burst through the door to attend to Megan.
An hour later, Megan had been wheeled off into an ambulance, and was racing towards Hospital. Mr Johnston herded them out, and they began to walk back to the hotel. Sophie trailed behind the group, watching as Megan's place with Eleanor was taken by Giuliana.
'What a surprise.' She said to herself. 'No sooner did her 'best friend forever' almost die, and then she steals mine.' And for the second time that day, Sophie hid her tears, as they boarded the bus back.
As they drove along Hampton Court road, past Bushy Park, and over Kingston Bridge, Sophie could have sworn she saw a strange light over the city, but merely thought it was a fire from the attack that morning. She sighed, and then turned her attention to Mr Johnston, who was on the phone to the hospital Megan was in.
(This part is a conversation between the Celtic gods I got as many as I could…)
Dispater looked around at the room full of Gods and Goddesses.
"My brethren, it appears that the time has come, at long last. Many a human year has passed since Arzhur ruled the humans. Now that they face a time full of dark days, where true evil shall emerge, his people need him. Cerridwen, it is your task to awaken him, and set him on the right path. My brethren, it is up to us to guard the fates of the British people. Only with our help, and Arzhur's, will they survive. Are you up to this challenge? And can you save the humans?"
A great roar erupted, as the Gods and Goddesses cheered for the future of the human race. Cerridwen, the Goddess of goddess of death, initiation, inspiration, magic, regeneration, and referred to as the Mother Goddess, left the hall of the Gods, and continued to Arzhur's resting place.
Cerridwen looked at the face of the Great Wizard, protruding from the wall of Alderley Edge. She began to glow slightly, then reached up, and breathed onto it.
"Wake up, my old friend. The time has come."
Merlin opened his eyes, and walked out of the wall.
"Has Dispater commanded so?"
Cerridwen nodded.
"Then I shall awaken him."
Merlin strode to the circle of stones, a short way from where from he had slept for so many centuries. He took a vial from his pocket, poured it around the circle, and began to speak, in a voice that spoke with the ages of time, and was not here, nor there, and was neither male, nor female. When he spoke, many others spoke…
"Céad Míle Fáilte!
Ord Oraiochta Na Uisnech!
Tuatha de Danaan Lughnasadh,
Mean Samhraidh Mean Foghamar,
Mean Geimridh, Mean Earraigh!
Lugh! Oimelc!"
With his last words, there was a great clap of thunder, the ring of stones began to turn, and the Edge, where Merlin had slept, began to shake. With a final clap of thunder, the rocks moved apart, and a man stepped out.
Arzhur was lean, and tall. His hair was thick, and dark, almost, but not quite, touched his jaw line. His eyes were dark as well, with thick dark lashes. He wore a knights clothing, a long sleeved, chain mail shirt, covered by a long dark blue tunic, with four red crowns on it.
"Merlin, Mother Goddess." He said, kneeling on the ground.
"Arzhur" the Mother said. "The time has come for you to return, and save your kingdom from grave danger. Go forth, but do not tell anyone of whom you really are, unless you know they are detholedig."
"How will I know?" Arzhur replied.
"You will know." The Mother replied, with a small smile, "You will know in your heart."
With that, she transformed Arzhurs medieval dress, into black jeans and a dark blue shirt, much like a polo shirt (hehehe, yay, analogies…), except for the small red crown instead of the polo symbol, over a long sleeved grey shirt.
"I will succeed great Mother Goddess."
With that, Cerridwen vanished, and Arzhur stood with Merlin.
"Old friend, will you be here to guide me? Or must I continue on my own?"
"I will be here for you, always my friend, always."
Arzhur smiled, and began the walk to the sight of the earlier attacks.
Sophie heard caps of thunder, and looked around. The skies were clear. 'Funny that' she thought.
She stood up, as she heard the strangest words, in the strangest voice…
Céad Míle Fáilte!
Ord Oraiochta Na Uisnech!
Tuatha de Danaan Lughnasadh,
Mean Samhraidh Mean Foghamar,
Mean Geimridh, Mean Earraigh!
Lugh! Oimelc!
She looked at the other girls on the bus, wondering if they had heard it. Obviously they hadn't, because they were acting normally… or as normal as one could when a girl they knew had almost died. 'What is going on today? It's as if the world was going crazy!'
Sophie shook her head, closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.
She was awoken, however, when the bus suddenly jolted to a halt.
Sophie, among others, stood up, trying to see what had happened. On the road, standing stock-still was a young man, with dark brown eyes, in black jeans, and a dark blue polo shirt over a long sleeved grey shirt.
"Stupid idiot! Kids these days. MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" the driver shouted, honking the horn.
The boy looked up at them, completely surprised. He walked to the door of the bus, and got on. He looked around, and sat in the only empty seat, next to Sophie.
"Who are you?" she asked?
"He looked at her, and replied…
CLIFFY!