Emma had been alone most of her life. She looked like a human; she should not have to hide. But she had heard the minds of people: ignorance, pain, fear, anger. It was troubling, bothering. She hated it. At least, as a hermit, she was far away from all those intrusive minds.

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But living alone could be trickery as well. She longed for company. She wanted – she needed – to have someone to support her, to comfort her. She traveled the land of Britain, North to South, East to West, to find that special someone. She only met with more suffering and rage.

Britain was not a land of peace and happiness. The Kingdom was continuously under attack. Saxons, Romans, everyone wanted a piece of Britain. And King Xavier could only do so much to prevent invasion.

Citizens and slaves alike suffered from the never-ending war. Battles and death were their lot.

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And then she met with Shaw.

She felt his mind. A focused mind, sharp like a knife, untamed and potentially dangerous. And she believed he could save her; he could save all the Gifted she had found. He could save Britain.

She had created a prodigious device just for him. It would connect him with her gift and amplify it.

She just had to keep him in her tower by the lake.

In his invisible prison, the Mighty Wizard Shaw reached every mind in Britain, humans or Gifted. He could feel their powers, use them. Thanks to all those bright souls, he could sense and control the weather, create fire or ice out of nothing, talk to the trees or go through walls at will. He could also see the past and the futures. All the futures.

But only one future interested him. A future where the Gifted led Britain. Led the world.

He would make that happen, whatever it took.

He was there when Sharon gave birth to Charles, floating from servant's spirit to midwife's eyes. He already knew the baby was King Xavier's son. He knew Charles was a Gifted, a mind-reader like Emma but much more powerful.

He knew what he had to do.

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'Sweet Lady of the Lake, you have seen what I have seen,' he projected from inside the tower.

'Yes, Shaw, I have seen it,' she answered truthfully.

'You have heard what I have heard.'

'Yes, Shaw, I have heard it.'

'You know what I know.'

At that, Emma hesitated a second. She knew, alright, she knew. But she was afraid of what she knew, of what Shaw was planning to do. But she had no other choice. The safety of her kind was at stake.

'Yes,' she said weakly. She had answered and that seemed good enough for Shaw, whatever the tone of her mental voice.

'So you will do what you have to do.' It was not an order. Shaw did not need to give an order for what was eventually going to happen.

Emma sighed. She retrieved the tower's key and opened the door. Where there was nothing before, nothing but thin air and subdued light in the undergrowth, there was now a dark hole. In the doorway Shaw stood.

He smiled, took her hand and kissed it.

"Come with me. I need you."

'I need your gift,' she heard in his mind.

And they left.

It took them three days to reach King Xavier's territory.

They stopped in a grove a few miles away from the castle. Shaw turned to Emma. "I shall go alone. Xavier doesn't know you exist."

Emma understood and agreed. He left her in the wood, walking steadily towards the fortress.

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At the door, a guard stopped him. "What is your affair with the King, old man?"

"I am the Great Wizard Shaw and I wish to speak with King Xavier," he said.

The guard, who knew who Shaw was, let him through.

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In the throne room, a moody King Xavier welcomed him.

"What keeps your spirit down, my Lord?" Shaw asked.

"Picts and Saxons are relentlessly attacking Britain in the North. Hadrian's Wall will not hold them much longer."

Knowing what the future of the country was, Shaw smirked. "I assure you, Your Majesty, Britain will remain as it is now for a long time, and neither Picts nor Saxons will set foot on your holy land." He then knelt in front of the King. "My Lord, I came here to speak about matters of great importance."

Interested, the King leaned over his throne. "I always trusted you, and you never disappointed me. Tell me, Great Wizard, and I shall listen."

Shaw got up and stared at King Xavier with unwavering eyes. "Your son is born."

King Xavier frowned. "Surely you are delusional, Shaw. I have no wife therefore I have no child."

Shaw knew he was about to lay the foundations of his dream. It was the beginning of the end for humans.

"My Lord, when you slept with Duchess Sharon, a child was conceived. A great destiny awaits him. He will be remembered and loved for a thousand years. But for his fate to be fulfilled, I shall take the newborn away from his mother, and entrust him to someone you do not know. You will never see the child, and he will not know who his parents are until you are both dead."

He delivered his lines resolutely and with confidence.

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The news caught King Xavier flatfooted, his joy of having a son wiped out by the fact that he will never meet him. Resigned, he said: "I shall do as you wish, Great Wizard, although my heart is in pain."

"Do console yourself with the knowledge that your son will be King. He will find the Holy Grail and bring peace on Britain."

Suddenly Shaw's face became somber, and through the high windows, King Xavier saw dark clouds crawling before the sun, obscuring the sky, like a bad omen.

"But you, King Xavier, will not be able to achieve your goals. Your sole purpose is to prepare the place for your son."

The King gasped. Being told that he was useless was utterly painful. But he was a good king, and if Britain's happiness demanded for him to withdraw, he would do it.

"Tell me what Destiny has chosen for me, Great Wizard."

Shaw's face brightened. The bait had been taken.

"You shall build a magnificent castle, a symbol for chivalry and courage, and call it Westchester. The best knights will gather in its hall, and in a hundred years from now it will still be admired."

"I shall do as you wish, Great Wizard," King Xavier nodded, sadly.

"And you shall create a Round Table. Every knights sitting at that table will be equals, and only the best will be invited."

"I shall do as you wish, Great Wizard."

Shaw then knelt, saluted respectfully, and before the King could stop him, he was already gone.

After he picked up Emma in the grove, they walked for two more days until they reached Duke Marko's castle.

Tintagel, the fortress of Duke Marko, was set on a high cliff, its dark grey walls looking down on the green water of the ocean. The path to its entrance promised certain death to the careless traveler, but Shaw knew its dangers and how to avoid them. He and Emma climbed the perilous road to the portcullis without fear.

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Shaw's reputation as King Xavier's first advisor was well known in Britain.

When he and Emma showed at the door, his sole name was enough to grant him access to the Duke's private apartments.

Once in the place, the Lady of the Lake used her gift to freeze every man and woman, servants or guests, and the Duke. They walked to the nursery, where newborn Charles was sleeping in his crib. Next to it, Duchess Sharon was sewing by candlelight. The lady was beautiful, with long blond hair and big blue eyes. It was no wonder King Xavier had fallen in love with her.

She started at Emma and Shaw's sudden appearance.

"Who are you? Why were you not announced?" she asked, angry and afraid at the same time.

The mixed feelings felt like honey for Emma and made her smile.

"My name is Shaw, Great Wizard of King Xavier, and I am here to take your child."

Sharon's motherly instincts urged her to reach the crib that she seized with shaking hands. "I know who you are, Great Wizard, and it is said that you are the son of a demon." She wore her defiance like a suit of armor. The hint of fear had disappeared from her eyes, where rage was now burning in bright blue flames.

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Shaw didn't deign to reply to her.

"This boy is King Xavier's heir, and I shall take care of him." He nodded towards Emma, who froze Duchess Sharon, before forcing her to move back.

Shaw approached the crib and took the baby in his arms. "Little Charles, I will make you a king, and you will use your power to give the world to the Gifted. You will do what you must," he whispered to the baby. Then he kissed Charles soundly.

He turned to Sharon and said: "This is what happened: your son was stillborn. Do not worry, everybody will believe you."

He waved to Emma who understood it was time to leave. As Shaw headed outside, she concentrated on everyone's mind and rearranged their memories. From now on, Duke Marko and his family, plus every servant and every guest that was here at the moment, would believe that Charles was already dead when his mother gave birth to him. Only Duchess Sharon would know the truth, but she will never tell.

Charles Xavier, the crown's heir, was now for Shaw to do with as it pleased him.

In a village far away from both Xavier's fortress and Duke Marko's castle, Shaw and Emma spent the night in an inn. The building was old and creepy, but the food was good and the beds warm.

Just outside the village lived a man and his wife. They sadly couldn't have a child of their own: the woman was barren.

When morning came, Shaw was at their door and knocked. The man, Antor, opened. He frowned at the sight of the old man in dark blue robes.

"What can I do to help you, sir?" he asked, curious of the bundle of cloths the Wizard was holding against his chest.

Shaw noticed Antor's interest and smiled. He used all the charm he was capable of. "You should ask how I can help you, Antor."

Despite Shaw's amiable look, Antor stared at him, suspicion written on his face. The use of the man's name had been a bold move, but Shaw needed to show his magical nature – as humans deemed him.

"The Almighty God refused you the gift of a child, Antor, but I can fulfill your dream. Will you hear me out?"

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Antor had let him in and they were both sitting at the table in the small room. A narrow bed was standing in the corner, near the fireplace. Kitchenware was aligned on a shelf. It was a humble home.

Both men were using the only two chairs, and Antor's wife stood near her husband, quiet but restless.

Shaw opened the cloths in his arms. Charles stared at Antor with large blue eyes. With fair skin, rosy lips and a small stature, he looked like a doll. "This is Charles. I want you to take care of him. He is of glorious lineage but I entrust him to you," he said as he held the baby out to Antor.

His wife lunged forward and took Charles. Soon she was weeping, looking at the peaceful face of the baby as if it was the face of an angel. Maybe it was for her.

But Shaw did not care for those humans' feelings. He had a goal, a purpose. It was just lucky for Antor's wife that his plan and her happiness met.

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"There is, however, one condition," Shaw added seriously, a hint of anger in his voice promising wrath in retaliation for disobedience.

The man and his wife tensed up. "Do tell, stranger," Antor replied with a grave tone.

"When Charles is fourteen, I shall come and take him back, and you will not see him again for many years. This is my only condition." He waited patiently for their answer.

Husband and wife looked at each other, conversing silently. Then the woman looked at Charles, kissed the baby's cheek and nodded at her husband.

Antor finally agreed. "We will do as you say, stranger. We will take good care of him."

"I have no doubt," Shaw said.

He put a little purse filled with golden coins on the table. After a quick bow, he left the house.

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The first part of his plan was a success, but Shaw had another meeting with Fate.

For many days, the Mighty Wizard Shaw and the Lady of the Lake visited many places, Emma bringing Shaw where she had met with Gifted before.

Not a man of great empathy, he decided against meeting with them. He just needed to see them from afar. He did not want to make promises, even though he was sure he would keep them. He thought appearing when humans had been exterminated, as the one who saved Gifted people from oppression, would be much more rewarding.

A look at Emma, who stood quietly at his side, told him she had heard his stray thought. That was unnerving.

The smile she had shown until now disappeared suddenly. "I am sorry, Mighty Shaw. I will not read your mind again if you do not want me to."

"Please do, my mind is mine only to listen to." The cold fingers that had been crawling in his mind vanished.

He would have to find how to keep it that way.

After a two week travel, they finally arrived where the next stage of Shaw's plan would take place.

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The land was the property of a generous King. Lehnsherr was a good sovereign, and Lady Lehnsherr helped the poor and the sick when needed.

They had been blessed with a son, Erik. He was very much loved and the first and second anniversaries of the little boy had been celebrated by every citizen with joy and many festivities.

But King Lehnsherr was threatened by Claudas, a vain and vile Duke envious of his prosperous land and who started a war to take the King's crown.

King Lehnsherr was old and impaired. His seneschals had decided to send the King and his family in exile to save them and protect them, while they fought against Claudas' army.

That was why King Lehnsherr, Lady Lehnsherr and little Erik were on the road to a distant castle owned by the King's cousin.

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They had been on horses' backs for several hours when they reached a deep forest. The undergrowth was dark and scary, as if a monster was hiding behind the bushes and they could hear his filthy breath. It smelled of decay and evil. But they needed to go through it.

Erik was in his mother's arms, gripping her dress. He started wailing. Nothing could calm him.

They hit a junction. One road led to a clearing bathed in the sun, the other offered a darker path. Judging they needed some rest, and Erik would quiet in a much brightened atmosphere, King Lehnsherr took the sunny road, followed by his wife.

They dismounted in the clearing, and Lady Lehnsherr tenderly cradled her little boy.

Erik was almost asleep when Shaw and Emma joined them. "Good day, King Lehnsherr. Good day, Lady Lehnsherr," the Great Wizard said with a small bow. Emma did an elegant curtsey.

"Good day to you too, sir," the King politely replied. But sensing danger, he discretely put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "It is a strange event to meet someone in a remote place like this forest. Especially someone who knows who I am."

"It is for you, certainly. It is not for me as I was waiting for you."

King Lehnsherr stood between Shaw and his wife, and raised his sword. "I do not know your intentions, sir, but I will not let you harm my family." And he brought down his blade on Shaw's head.

The sword did not slice through the wizard, but with the hit, Shaw felt a surge of power in his body, reverberating through his nerves, sending sparkles of pure energy. He whacked the King without applying too much force. But Lehnsherr literally flew across the clearing, hitting a tree before landing on the ground. Blood started dripping from his ears, his nose and his mouth.

He was still breathing, but barely.

Shaw revealed in his power. The blow had been so satisfying, as he heard bones cracking and flesh ripping. And he had still so much energy that his fingers and toes were tingling.

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When she saw the King on the ground, Lady Lehnsherr shouted her husband's name: "Jakob!" with worry in her voice and tried to reach him. But Emma froze her, with her right arm stretched and Erik still cradled in the other.

Shaw came and took the infant. Erik looked at him with light grey eyes filled with wonder. Shaw gave the boy to Emma and approached Lady Lehnsherr. Summoning all his power, he pushed her. She crashed in a tree at the other end of the clearing and remained still, life leaving her body.

Seeing his mother hurt, Erik started struggling in Emma's arms until she let him go. With unsteady legs he walked to his mother. She did not move. Erik instinctively used his power on Lady Lehnsherr's heavy bracelet and her limp hand brushed Erik's cheek.

The feel of that lifeless skin on his face made the little boy cry. He kissed that hand, that loved face, trying to give them warmth and vitality. In vain. So absorbed he was with his mother's well-being that when he finally turned to his father, lying feet away from him, the old man was already dead. Erik walked to him silently and knelt beside the still body. But his eyes were dry and there were no tears left to share for his beloved father.

Emma went to Erik. She crouched besides the boy and put her hands on his temples. A second later, his memories had been wiped out and he was asleep.

The Great Wizard and the Lady of the Lake headed out of the clearing with the boy, leaving behind the lifeless bodies of the good King and his wife.

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This day, Erik lost everything; while Shaw was murdering his parents, Duke Claudas won a decisive battle and took the crown.

The trio traveled several days until they reached the invisible tower by the lake.

Shaw entrusted Erik to Emma, who would train him. He entered the tower, locking himself out until Charles needed him.

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In his prison, the Mighty Wizard Shaw laughed like a mad man.