I was in the library when I saw a looming shadow. I spun around, and there stood Marco. "Surprise, surprise. Didn't thought I'd see you here, Nancy."
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm working as a librarian."
"What do you want?"
"All your lives, of course. Oh, and you may want to read today's paper." He handed me The Tintagel Times.
I grabbed it from him and read it, keeping a wary eye on him.
The Timtagel Times
High School Teacher murdered; murderer not found.
LITERATURE teacher of Nolava High, Cornwall, was found dead at 6 a.m. this morning. The janitor found her dead when he was cleaning the Staff Room. Ms Kali. Marlin, aged 38, was a friendly and caring teacher. All the students liked her. The murderer is still at large. Anyone who can provide details please contact: 1800-WITNESS-IN-FO.
Police suspects that it might be Marco Kohler, ex-student of Nolava High. He has murdered a girl once, and it was Ms. Kali who led us to him. He might kill her for revenge.
"Ms. Kali was the nicest teacher I've ever got. It's Kohler's fault. My Seniors said that nine years ago, Marco killed a girl, and nearly killed two people, if Ms. Kali had not stopped him. So now he's back for revenge." A Nolava High student said.
"All right Marco, I'm calling the police." I got to my feet. "And don't try killing me here. There's people here."
"It's okay. I'm not killing you yet. Oh, and don't think of calling the cops. There's nothing about me they don't know yet. And if you want your friend to live, don't say that you saw me. Buh-bye, Nan." And he strolled off.
I dazed for a minute before I rushed off to find Jennifer.
"Oh, that's dreadful! We've got to be together!" she exclaimed.
"I know, but I'm more worried about Elaine. And Lily Fay. Ms. Kali's already gone."
"Poor Ms. Kali. She helped us such a lot."
"Yeah. So now I'm gonna act her role. Vivien took over Merlin's role when he's absent. So now I'm going to find some things on the Internet. Like, our school's name."
I switched on my laptop, and typed in T-I-N-T-A-G-E-L. Sure enough, it is related to Arthur. I copied the information down.
In Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the British Kings, Tintagel is the scene of Arthur's conception. Arthur's mother was Ygerna, 'the most beautiful woman in Britain'. So beautiful was she that Uther Pendragon, Britain's High King, was so 'filled with desire for her' that he invaded Cornwall to do battle with her husband Gorlois. Ygerna was hidden at Tintagel while Gorlois' Cornish forces were besieged at Dimilioc hillfort near by. For days Uther's huge army laid seige to Dimilioc, until Uther grew fearful that his great passion for Ygerna would overwhelm him utterly; he called Merlin for a solution. Merlin, with the use of 'methods which are quite new', offered Uther a drug to change him into the exact likeness of Gorlois. Merlin changed himself into one of Gorlois' knights, and together they set off for Tintagel and the queen's bed where Uther then 'satisfied his desire'. Thinking Uther to be her husband Gorlois, Ygerna 'naturally believed all that he said and refused him nothing that he asked. That night she conceived Arthur. The real Gorlois died as Uther's army overran the Cornish forces. The High King Uther, in his own likeness again, marched on Tintagel for Ygerna, whom he married, and 'from that day on they lived together as equals, united by thier great love for each other'. And soon Arthur was born.
In 1998 the mis-called "Arthur stone" was discovered there that raised hopes for some basis for the legend.
"Hey," I said, as words began to form in my head. "You know yesterday at the Pizza Hut? The girl with Marco? Well, her name's Ingie. Which may mean Ingrid. Which would be a modern definition of Igraine, or Ygerna, Arthur's mother. And you know Gordon, the guy that joined them later? Well, Gordon and Gorlois. Ingrid and Uther-incarnate are supposed to be together, but Marco changed Arthur's birth by setting up Ingrid for another guy, Gordon."
"No wonder William said she looks familiar! You mean, if he succeeds, Arthur would never be born?" Jennifer asked.
"Yeah. Like, Marco's gonna obliterate William."
"We've got to stop him!" Jennifer cried. "We can't let Marco win? I've always believed in the Arthur legend. I just don't want Lance to think I'm superstitious."
Our doorbell rang. We looked at each other. "I'll get it," Jennifer offered. She went out. She opened the door and it was William.
"Hi, Jen, Hi, Nan. Have you seen Ellie? I couldn't find her." William said.
"Hi Will. Where's Lance?" Jennifer asked.
"Lance? I thought he's with you! And I thought Ellie's with Nan!"
"No. We've only seen each other." Jennifer shook her head.
Suddenly, our phone rang. Jennifer picked it up and pressed for loudspeaker. "Hello, old boy Will, long time no see." It was Marco's voice! How did he get our number?
"Kohler…" William's jaw was set.
"Having fun without that fat girlfriend of yours? Oh hi, my Queen. Where's your protective Champion? And thy Immortal, noticed thine servant the Lily Maid?"
"What did you do to them?" Jennifer and William shouted in unison.
"Don't worry, they're safe. I'll like an exchange though. Holland for Jennifer, my love; Harrison for St. Arthur, my sworn enemy; and the Lily Maid for the Lady of the Lake, so you'll not be meddlesome anymore."
"NO WAY!" I burst out.
"Then too bad. I'll tell your estranged beau, and he'll come and rescue the Lily Maid, and then you'll have to rescue him back, 'cause he's not involved in this. You'll feel guilty. Otherwise I'll kill my hostages. I don't need them for personal means. And I'll kill them like I killed Marlin."
"Ms. Kali is dead?" William gasped.
"Well, meet me at the library at midnight three days later. Just the three of you."
