Chapter 23: The Tell
It had not taken long before the press responded and soon it was as if all the reporters, photographers and journalists in London had swarmed in, surrounding the three mysterious figures that stood so unnervingly at the centre of Trafalgar Square.
Rapidly, a live image was broadcast on almost every channel and screens flickered into life as the word spread. But still the three waited silently.
The square grew quiet; as if no one wanted to be the first to interrupt the trio's thoughts, only when the loudest sound was but a breath did their leader begin.
"We have gathered you here today to deliver a message, one of great importance. We are not here to harm you. We only ask that you will listen.
"A thousand years ago a great power withdrew itself from Earth, one that has been sorely missed by all throughout the time of its departure, even if most were not aware of its passing.
"The name of this force is the Old Religion, and whilst we are not asking you to switch faiths just on our word, we do ask that you become aware of this: The Old Religion is still in the process of leaving, but soon it will be gone and the earth destroyed. What you need to understand is that this force is sentient; it thinks, it feels. This grave choice it made all those years ago was not done without thought.
"We, the people it has allowed to live on its planet have angered it. We hunted its servants; we burnt them, hung them from trees, and sent them into hiding. "You need to listen to me because I am like you, powerless, but my friends here are not, and yet they are still human!" He shouted. "You have been blind to them for too long, these people can do things you can only dream of, they can light a fire with a click of their fingers; make water defy gravity. Magic is real and now you have seen the evidence here in front of your very eyes."
Whispers ran throughout the crowd and as if on cue, three oddly dressed men and one woman barged their way through the crowd, cloaks swirling, making for the speakers. From somewhere there was a shout and all four were simultaneously blown backward.
"Please, these people are not a threat; they went into hiding so that we would no longer hunt them; so that they would no longer die!" Arthur sounded urgent now, his words stumbling out clumsily.
"Call them what you want: druids, witches… it doesn't matter, what matters is that they are asking for our help… because if we cannot show that our two races can live in harmony then we will ALL be destroyed."
At that, all electronic devices; phones, cameras, everything went dead. Someone had flicked a switch and any communication to anywhere outside of the immediate area was destroyed.
Only the crowd where left to observe as more people burst through the masses, trying to push their way toward the small group.
Quickly one of the men who had caused the commotion grabbed the other two – both the speaker and the third of their party - then all three vanished into thin air and finally London was left in peace to deal with the strange events of that day.
In the commotion nobody thought to look as the peculiarly dressed people picked up their unconscious allies and merged back into the crowd, hanging their heads in shame, for they had failed their people. After all this time, the muggles knew the truth. After all this time, their secret was out.
"Scotland Yard have discovered traces of an unknown drug that has been injected into the water supply of London. We cannot say how the drug was allowed to be exposed to the public but do ask that everybody return to their everyday lives as the events of this morning were but a hallucination caused by this substance."
"Mr Prime Minister, how do you explain the images seen on live TV all across the world?"
"The BBC has already admitted to being hacked and we are sure that the same has happened to broadcasting channels around the world.
"We don't yet understand what this hoax was meant achieve but we suspect that it has been long in the planning and involved a significantly large number of people.
"Please, if anyone knows anything, come forward. Thank you."
Britain's muggle Prime Minister, bowed his head –worried circles had formed under his eyes – and he let himself be escorted through the chanting crowds, trying not to read the banners that were being waved feverishly above his head sporting the words 'The end is neigh' or 'God's final test has come, we together must not be tempted!'
"Prime Minister, if that is true, how do you explain the large abundance of video footage and photographs collected on cell phones and other devices by hundreds of people in London this morning?"
The Prime Minister ignored the voice and kept walking, diving into his car before he could be asked something else that would dig him into an even deeper hole.
"You know you're doing the right thing." Her voice was calming. It made him at ease, made him forget the reporters outside his door knocking to come in, made him forget about all the lies he had been spreading.
"I was friends Merlin growing up… he was a squib;" She lied "ironic really a squib being named after the greatest wizard of all time!" The Minister didn't notice the jealousy in her voice when she spoke that last sentence, didn't catch on to the envy caused by the fact that it was always him that was remembered, not her.
Hadn't they fought for the same cause? They both wanted magic reinstated to its true place hadn't they? Her way would just have meant that that place was of higher standing. Her way would have meant that that place was the thrown!
And it wasn't like he was more powerful than her anyway. He had won on a trick, but now she was ready for him. In a couple of months Morgana would be the only one remembered, the only one respected. Ruling over and praised by the few who were lucky enough to be saved by her.
But to get there she needed the world to keep thinking wizard kind didn't exist, and to get that she needed control of its leaders.
She knew that there was only one person who could manipulate them for her. Fortunately, that man was an idiot.
It hadn't taken too much effort to persuade him to lie for her and steadily, he had assured her that the earth did not believe Merlin's story, telling it lies that she had fed him.
Soon it would be over. Soon she would finally get the credit that she deserved and not even King Arthur could stop her now!
Author's Note:
Ugh, a boring chapter, yes I know, but it was necessary, trust me!
I'm actually really excited about the rest of it, it's just finding the time to actually type it all up amongst the plethora of other things I have to do.
Year 11: research loads and loads of stuff for controlled assessments, do notes of things you haven't actually been taught, learn 50 billion key words, do the pointless homework that the teachers set you (well maybe not pointless), revise everything for mocks, constantly catch up on art course work (it's a constant battle), revise, do your personal statement, visit 6th forms, do sport, REVISE, oh and also don't forget to go to bed before 9 o'clock 'cause you need to be alert when you learn stuff!
I kid not I am about to collapse.
I have the rest of this planned though, and I have to say, I am so proud of where this is going... I only wish I could write better...
If you've read this until this chapter it would be great if you could comment, even if it's just 'Hi!' so that I can see who have stuck with me so far! I do reply, I love replying! Honestly, I'm not scary or judgemental I don't believe in bitchy behaviour... and I really just like seeing who reads my stuff!
Shout out to HappyEnchilada, FateOfChaos, Coolestbee and FalconFate who have been commenting a lot recently, thank you so much, it's so encouraging, you're all fab, you really are!
And to anyone who is still reading this thank you!