Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
Chapter thirty-two: What Merlin doesn't know.
Iseldir walked through the trees, it had been a while since he had ventured this close to Camelot. As he drew closer to the lake of Avalon, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Many feared the Sidhe, Merlin Emrys and the Sidhe had been on friendly terms for a while, so he doubted they would harm him.
The gods had not been happy about the Sidhe trying to kill Merlin and would have been punished had they not been sorry. The Sidhe were powerful and knew an ancient and powerful magic, but even they could not survive the wrath of the gods. So to escape the wrath of the gods, they gave alliance to Merlin Emrys, not that Merlin ever knew that and promised to aid him, in time of need.
The triple goddess had blessed Merlin's birth as she named him Emrys. She was the one who chose who was born to save and she had chosen well. One day Merlin Emrys and the lady of the lake would take their places among the gods, for their names had been written since the dawn of time.
Iseldir broke through the tree line and approach the shore of the lake, he could feel the power of Avalon present here, even though it was hidden from view. Iseldir knew no mortal could look upon Avalon and live, so he pulled a strip of fabric from his belt.
As he tied it around his eyes, he reached out with his magic. Once he was sure the Sidhe would be able to hear him, he spoke.
"I, Iseldir of the druids, plead for an ordinance with the Sidhe elders." Iseldir calls.
Around him the lake glows, as Avalon appears before him. Out of nowhere the Sidhe elders appear.
"An ordinance we will grant you, Iseldir of the druids," The head Sidhe elder answers. "What is it you seek to ask?"
Iseldir bowed slightly. "I come on behalf of Emrys, he has agreed to form an alliance with Avalon, but gets nothing in return. You and Avalon will be granted a mortal entrance, so the living as well as the dead may travel to your lands."
"If that is all you wish to tell us then you have wasted your time."
"I wish to ask for something in return," Iseldir continues. "I ask something which will form a greater alliance between the two realms…. I ask that Emrys will marry the lady of the lake and she be returned her mortal body. A marriage will form a strong alliance between the two worlds and will last longer than the time of man…. For as you know, both are now immortal."
The head Sidhe elder thinks for a moment. "An alliance as strong as that would ensure Avalon safety for all of time, but why should we grant her a mortal body?"
"Because you know as well as I, the lady of the lake is Emrys's one true love. He would never be truly happy without her by his side. He needs the love and council she can other him…. He needs a queen."
"Then a marriage between Merlin Emrys and the lady of the lake will seal the alliance between our realms." The head Sidhe elder answers. "He must be here at dawn and he must be alone."
Iseldir bows and feels the realm of Avalon hide itself once more. He pulls off his blindfold and smiles a small smile. Merlin Emrys was to be once more united with his love. And by doing so forming an alliance with a powerful realm, this would bode well for Albion and the golden age to come.
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The White Mountains were not far from Camelot, and Camelot was where the dragon lord had called from many times before. His first call, was full of pain not long after the healing magic of the great dragon could be felt by all the dragons' kin. The poison of the Serkets must have run deep through the dragon lord, if such strong magic was needed.
Sat on a ledge high in the highest mountain was an ebony dragon, it blue eyes the colour of deep sapphires. Her scales strong and her wings tough from flight. Her teeth were sharp and her talons like razors. Ever since she had heard the call of the dragon lord she had been searching for him.
When she had first heard the call, she had been many miles over the sea, in lands yet to be discovered or tainted by human life. Lands where natural ruled and the old religion was strong and healthy. The old religion was the magic of the earth and where earth was strong so was magic.
The dragon lords' call had been filled with pain, she had felt the spell her kin had used to heal him. For many years she had feared she was alone, she had been the last egg to be hatched before the great purge started. When Balinor had called the last dragons to Camelot, she had yet to learn how to fly and had not made it.
Most dragons could fly from the moment they hatched, but one of her wings had been damaged and that damage took years to heal. Once she could fly she had fled, all her kin had been killed and Balinor was nowhere to be found. And all magic and magical creature were being hunted by Uthur, she felt the pain as the earth cried from the loss, the balance had been changed and the damage was spreading through the land, like a virus.
The dragon lord she had heard calling was Balinors' son, their dragon call was the same. Each family of dragon lords had a different call, passed from father to son, just like the power. She was glad Balinor had a son, she had feared he was dead and the dragon lords were no more. She had often feared she was the last dragon. For some reason she had not been able to sense her kin, Kilgharrah, until the son of Balinor had called.
And so from the moment she heard the call, she knew she was no longer alone. She crossed lands and oceans to back to Albion. But the son of Balinor did not call often and she had spent her time searching the lands. She heard every call, but could never trace it, the calls were not meant for her, the son of Balinor called only Kilgharrah.
Then it happened, one night, while she was asleep in her cave. A dragon was called from its egg by the son of Balinor. 'Aithusa' his name echoed through the earth and magic itself seemed to hum his name. A new dragon had been hatched, she felt the happiness both the son of Balinor and Kilgharrah shared. And she too was happy.
But at long last she traced the son of Balinor calls to Camelot, only for him to be gone. Taken from Camelot after a battle, the witch who sat on the throne was surround by dark magic and she feared the the son of Balinor had been killed. But then not a day after she heard him call once more, the son of Balinor had not been killed by the witch of dark magic.
She had tried to find her kin, but could not trace his magic. So she decided to wait, close to Camelot, for that was where the son of Balinor most often called from. She curled up on her ledge and waited. The son of Balinor would call again she was sure and when he did, she would be ready to help. She would no longer be alone and would be able to learn from her older kin.
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Mordred the dark growled, as he sat on his throne made of human bones.
Jared entered the hall and bowed. "My lord."
Mordred may have hated humans, but he knew when they were useful. Ever since he was imprisoned in the far mountains, a band of sorcerers had been created, which followed him and practiced his forms of magic. The called themselves 'the brotherhood of dark' and were loyal only to Mordred.
Jared was their leader.
"What news to you bring me?" Mordred snapped.
"I have news from Peryglus, my lord." Jared answers. "It seems their leader is immortal. He is the one who lead the group which killed the change-wings, my lord."
Mordred looks up. "Immortal you say?"
"Yes, my lord. He is Emrys, he has a power, which would prove a challenge to any god…. He is also a dragon lord, any weapons to kill the immortal cannot kill him."
"Blades that are forged in a dragons breath are not the only weapons that can kill the immortal," Mordred answers. "The living dead can also be killed by another weapon. Have you ever heard of a 'Hallows sword'?"
Jared shakes his head. "I have not, my lord."
"A Hallows sword is a weapon that can kill the living dead. All those who are immortal are the living dead. Only one Hallows sword is left, all the other were destroyed by the high priests and high priestesses of the triple goddess."
"Where can we find this sword, my lord?" Jared asks.
"I have the last Hallows sword, it was trapped with me in the mountains." Mordred answers, drawing a sword from his belt, the blade was as black as onyx and seemed to radiate dark magic. "These blades were formed by the guardians of the spirit world before the Cailleach became the gate keeper. These weapons can kill the living dead."
"So you can kill this 'Merlin Emrys'?" Jared asks.
Mordred grins wickedly. "He won't stand a chance…. The army will take care of everyone else."
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Jared walked the narrow path towards the tower. No one suspected him as a traitor, he had access to all the information Mordred needed. He was yet to meet this 'Merlin Emrys', which was a good thing, he had been told Merlin was good a spotting traitors. He smiled slightly as he passed through the town, all these people were going to die and Mordred would become rightful leader of the land.
But unknown to Jared, he was being followed by a hooded figure…. Someone who suspected him. They followed him, all the way to the tower and seeming to jumps from shadow to shadow as they did so. A couple of times Jared stopped to look round, but never once spotted his stalker.
As Jared approached the tower, he could not help but feel nervous. Mordred had ordered him to set up a trap for Merlin, he had even given him the curse to do it with. A curse designed to retrain a sorcerers magic, making them unable to cast spells.
"I am looking for Merlin Emrys," Jared explained, to one of the druids walking out the tower entrance. "I have news I must give to him straight away, do you know where I may find his chambers?"
The druid nodes. "Top floor."
Jared nodes his thanks and quickly enters the castle, still unaware of the hooded figure following him. He walked up the many flights of straits towards the top floor, he cursed who ever decided to give Merlin a room on the top floor. He had to stop for a break half way up, the tower may have looked like your average height tower, but these stairs seemed to go on forever.
He finally reached the top floor. He could sense magic flowing freely for one room and quickly made his way towards it. He pushed the door open and found himself in what could have been a physicians' work place, if it wasn't for all the magical and enchanted items lying around. He stepped into the room but froze when a growl came from above him.
Looking up, he was greeted by the sight of a small white dragon. Jared almost laughed, he had been expecting something much worse. The white dragon growled for a second time, a small puff of smoke erupting from its nostrils. Jared just ignored it, the dragon was only a baby it was no bigger than a cat.
In the doorway the hooded figure just watched as Aithusa growled at Jared, the dragon may have been a baby, but it could still do a lot of damage. Aithusa was a couple of months old, so would soon be able to breath fire and if the smoke was anything to go by, it would be soon.
As Jared placed the first curse on the room, Aithusa let out a large growl and leapt at him. Landing on table just behind him, Aithusa roared, white hot flames burst from his mouth and Jared let out a painful scream. He dropped the curses he was holding, they hit the floor and they were destroyed. Mordred would not be pleased.
Jared backed up quickly, knocking over a work bench. As bottles and jars hit the floor, they exploded in bright colours, smoke and sparks. Jared finally made into the far wall and edged along until he reached the door he had entered the room through, only to find his path blocked by a hooded figure.
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Alator sat, meditating, in the Cathay's main hall. An altar filled with candles lay before him and the room with thick with the smoke of incense sticks. There was a cough behind him, he didn't even bother to turn around.
"What is it, you wish to speak about?" Alator asks.
"I fear we may have a traitor among us, my lord." A voice answers.
"A traitor?"
"Yes, my lord. I fear a sorcerer working for Mordred is present in the court."
Alator nodes. "Then what is it, you wish to do about it?"
"I wish to dispose of this traitor before they can do any real damage…. They left the city today at dawn, I fear they have gone to speak with Mordred."
"Then when they return, follow them," Alator replies. "Once you have proof, call them before the council and they will be charged with treason."
"Yes, my lord."
Alator sighed as the person left the room, he had feared they would be betrayed. For a long time now the magical community had known of those who practiced and followed Mordred the dark and his way of using magic, if any were ever caught they were killed. The type of magic they practiced was inhumane, stealing a sorcerer's power to use it as your own.
It took a lot of dark magic to control a person's magic against their will. Alator feared the magic they stole was corrupted by their own power and then became there's. It was a wicked art and all those who practiced it were sentenced to death by the high priests and high priestesses.
Sighing Alator stood from his seat and picked up his staff, he needed to warn Merlin. If there was a traitor they would no doubt be after him. Alator knew Merlin was good at spotting traitors, but he never spent enough time in court to suspect anyone. He was always too busy doing jobs or going on missions, to spend time getting to know people to the court.
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Jared glared at the hooded figure, who refused to move out his way.
"Let me through!" He demanded.
"No," The person answers. "You have been seen trying to harm Merlin Emrys, you must answer to the court."
Jared laughs. "I don't think so."
He throws up his hand, with a shouted word, the hooded figure is thrown into the wall. They slide to the ground, out cold.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" A voice demands.
Jared turns and comes face to face with a raven hatred young man with blue eyes. He was dressed in plain druid clothing and had a midnight blue around his shoulders.
"None of your business, druid." Jared snaps.
The young man glared at him, before glancing at the hooded figure on the floor. "She was right, you have just attacked a member of the Catha, you must answer to the court."
"I will answer to no one, druid." He throws up his hand and yells a spell.
The raven haired young man, simply holds up his hand and his eyes glow gold. Jared's attack was defected with ease.
Jared laughs. "So you have some magic, druid, but you are no match for me."
He throws a second spell, the raven haired young man simply steps out the way.
The raven haired young man smiles and throws up his hand, his eyes glow and Jared is thrown backwards down the corridor. Where he lies stunned for a moment, before getting to his feet. Jared glanced round for a moment, looking for a way to escape, before yelling a spell and disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
The raven haired young man curses and rush over to the hooded figure. "Finna, Finna can you hear me?"
The hooded figure, Finna, doesn't respond. The raven haired young man curses again and turns to look down the hallway. "Hello?" He yells. "Somebody help me!"
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Hey hoped you liked that, next up is the changeling and the castle of Fyrien.
Blessed be,
TreeOfLife1997.