Merlin "A Lost Time Piece" Chapter Three
Previously:
Merlin stopped listening to Arthur and the Knights when He suddenly felt magic. Someone was using powerful magic close by. Then he saw a brilliant light shine over the top of a small hill. He half ran half sprinted towards it. Tripping several times to rush to the top.
When he reached the top, what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.
Bright light flashed and lit up the small valley down below. It was as if the sun was right in front of him. Merlin used his hands to protect his eyes before he went blind from the glare. He peered down trying to make out the source of the intense flames. Finally after what seemed like ages, the blinding light started to dwindle and eventually uncovering a figure lying on the ground.
His eyebrows pulled together as he realized that the light wasn't coming from the limp body on the forest floor but actually originating from some sort of necklace or pendulum this person was wearing.
Then he caught a glimpse of her, and his thoughts went straight to the figure. The glow was gone and he could clearly see a girl.
A beautiful girl. Even from this far away he could tell she had features of a princess.
She had long luscious apple-red hair that hung in loose curls from her face, as if it was made of golden fire from the sun itself. He pictured her eyes to be emerald green to match her scarlet curls. She wore a navy blue cotton dress, no shoes. She lay so still, her hair blowing ever so slightly with the breeze. A quiet beauty, like a fallen angel.
He was embarrassed at himself for letting his thoughts get carried away like that. Merlin looked around to make sure no one observed him gawking at the girl.
His gaze moving back to her as did his thoughts. She was just a girl. Not an old gray-haired wizard or an ancient-looking druid like he'd expected but a girl. She couldn't be more than 18 years old. How could a witch this young handle such a powerful spell like that, A spell that could be sensed for miles around. Maybe she was like him or Mordred. She shook that last thought out of his mind.
Merlin pondered on what to do. He knew he should go down and see if she was alright but he had this slight fear of what would happen if he startled an unconscionable warlock. 'I'll just a wait a few moments and see if she doesn't wake herself.' Merlin concluded to himself. He folded his arms across his chest.
And so he waited. Not 30 seconds later, he saw her move, more like twitch, but she didn't open her eyes. He didn't see an all-powerful wizard anymore but a just young girl who was looked alone and possibly hurt. Maybe she was a druid, he might be able reach out with his magic and try to connect with her to see if she was alright.
He closed his eyes in intense concentration. He felt his magic flow out of him like a river, down the hillside to where this dazzling stranger lay, only to collide with what seemed like an invisible, mental? Magical? barrier of some kind.
Baffled and slightly troubled he couldn't reach her, he withdrew his magic, feeling it retreat back into him.
He opened his eyes and gazed at her waiting for...something. Her eyes flew open, wide with confusion as if she didn't know where she was. She attempted to stand up. She got to her feet with some difficulty. She stumbled but found her balance. It was almost amusing to him, like watching a newborn colt trying to walk for the first time. His smile faded as he saw complete and utter terror stream into her eyes. She spun around desperately looking to find something she was familiar with. Tears about to leak when she apparently found nothing.
Somewhere behind him a long distance away, Merlin could hear Arthur and the rest of the knights riding towards where he was.
Merlin had to get to her before any of the others did. He started to descend down the grassy hill. When he was nearly right behind her, he winced as he heard his foot snap a branch. 'Idiot' He mentally called himself. Of course he would do something like this.
She swirled around and looked at Merlin with unsure eyes, trying to mask the fear that clearly swelled inside her.
He spoke to try and reassure her that he was a friend and not an enemy. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Merlin tried communicating. She just looked at him speechless, briefly glancing down as if she was examining his attire.
Merlin took a step in her direction. She mirrored his footstep.
"Please, It's alright. I'm not here to harm you." Trying to lighten the mood he added, "I mean do I look like a bandit to you? I can barely hold up a weapon let alone use one. I'm not a bandit if you were wondering. Not that there are bandits around here or anything." He quickly corrected. He could've sworn her lips pulled up slightly at his ranting. "Actually there's more Knights than peasants around these forests if you ask me" Merlin fumbled. Why was he so nervous? He scratched the nape of his neck. He noticed the slight tug of her eyebrows as he mentioned the 'Knights'
He took another step towards her and again she took another step back with a distrusting glare, she stumbled back and fell to the ground.
Merlin tried to help her up but she shifted backwards away from his outstretched arm.
"I only want to help you."
He tried reassuring her. This did not seem to remove her defensive posture. "You can trust me." Still holding out his hand. She looked up at him and their eyes connected.
Her eyes weren't green as he thought they would be, but in fact were a deep ocean blue, bluer than the Lake Of Avalon itself.
As he gazed at her, she gazed at him. It was like he could see into her soul and she could see into his. He saw not only physical beauty but spiritual beauty as well. He felt as if they had exchanged part of they're souls with each other.
At that moment something seemed to click. She reached for his hand and he gently pulled her delicate form up from the ground. She smiled at him but didn't let go of his grasp right away. Merlin could feel his face heat up, he knew he had just blushed. Her smile deepened. It was breath taking. It seemed like hours when in reality only seconds passed before he released her tender fingers.
"What is your name?" Merlin prayed she didn't hear the nervous crack in his voice. She hesitated..."An...Angela... My name is Angela" She said timidly. Relief washed over him. When he was about to declare his name, his eyes caught hold of a small clock pendulum hanging from her neck. That must be what caused the blinding light. The source of the magic he had felt.
It was stunning. He'd never seen jewelery with such detail and intricate design. When he looked at it, he felt a surge of magic pulse through him. Something about that clock necklace confounded him. Without even thinking he stepped towards it reaching out to touch it.
This scared Angela and she stepped away from him, hand clutching her necklace. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you. Please I only want to look at it..." She stepped forward slowly "May I?" He cautiously reached his hand out to touch it only to receive a shock as a sharp pain shot through his hand.
He shook his throbbing hand in hopes of ridding of his pain. He didn't understand what had happened. She rushed forward and took hold of his hand to examine it.
"Are you alright?" Angela asked with genuine concern in her eyes. Surprised at her question, not expecting her to speak, Merlin racked his brain for an answer. "Yes. I'm fine. What was that?"
She looked down at the time piece, as she stroked it, when it started to glow.
She looked just as shocked as he did. Then all of the sudden she screamed out in pain and both hands flying to her head like she had an intense migraine but far worse. Merlin caught her just in time as her body went limp and she fell into his arms.
Angela(POV)
As I looked around realizing I was completely alone and in an unfamiliar place, tears were filling up my vision. Panic attached to me like a leech. Then I heard a twig snap behind me.
I whipped around to see a young man walking towards me. I didn't know what to do. I tried to hide how extremely terrified I was. My heart felt like it was going to break right out of my chest, it was beating so fast.
Then he spoke. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" His voice gentle, soft.. kind. He didn't look a criminal. I wanted to say something but my voice just wouldn't work. 'What was he wearing?' (I thought to myself as I quickly looked him over.
He took a step toward me. I stepped back automatically.
No way was I gonna let him get close enough to touch me. He could be a rapist for all I knew but that was highly unlikely.
"Please, It's alright. I'm not here to harm you." Somewhere deep down I knew this was true.
"I mean do I look like a bandit to you? I can barely hold up a weapon let alone use one. I'm not a bandit if you were wondering. Not that there are bandits around here or anything." He scratched the back of his head as he fumbled with his words.
It was kinda funny to see him ramble on like that. Like a nervous boy trying to talk to an older girl. "Actually there's more Knights than peasants around these forests if you ask me" Knights? Peasants? What the heck was he talking about? Maybe he was shooting a movie nearby? No. He was probably in a club or some band or something like that.
He took a step toward me, this caught me off guard. I took a step back again but this time my foot caught on something and I fell backwards.
He offered a hand to help me up. I scooted away from him. He was still a stranger. "I only want to help you." I thought about it for a second. "You can trust me." I looked up at him straight in the eyes. As I looked at him, my gaze deepened, like I could see the depths of his heart. I saw kindness and loyalty. I saw love in him, maybe even felt it too, almost like it was magic. It made me feel warm inside. No one had ever made me feel this way. EVER! There was... just something...different about him. He looked like the kind of man who would risk his life for a complete stranger. And at that moment I knew with all my heart...
I could trust him.
I reached up to him. As he clasped my small hand, it sent butterflies all up and down my stomach. He gently pulled me up. His touch was so... magical, I couldn't find the right word for it. I never wanted to let go. It made me feel safe. I smiled at him watched as his face turn a shade of pink. This made me smile even more. 'He just blushed at me' I thought... 'Oh God that sounded so sappy'
I liked it though.
All too soon he left go.
"What is your name?" Did his voice just quiver? I felt suddenly nervous. "An...Angela... My name is Angela" I was interested to hear his name. He looked like he was about to answer when his eyes drifted down to my pocket watch.
His eyes lit up wide with fascination and curiosity. His hand reached as if to grab it. I didn't know why I stepped away from him again. My hand instinctively clasped around it. I felt protective over my necklace like it was apart of me.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you. Please I only want to look at it..." I felt kinda embarrassed for doing that so I strode back to him. 'May I?" When he was about to touch it, I was shocked to see him yelp in pain. He shook his hand like he had just touched a hot curling iron.
I rushed over and grabbed his hand to see if he was ok. So maybe It might be part of the fact that I wanted to touch his soft smooth skin again that I did this but I was also concerned about him too. "Are you alright?" I asked.
He looked confused for a second. "Yes. I'm fine. What was that?"
I tried to think of some explanation but I honestly didn't know. I stared deeply at the silver pendant to find the answer hidden inside while I stroked it. As if it came to life by my touch, it started to glow.
I was astonished and shocked by its luminescence when all of the sudden a stabbing pain shot through my head. I screamed at the excruciating pain and clutched my head. I couldn't see my surroundings anymore as images flashed in my mind drawing me to them. A path, caves, trees, red, a dragon symbol, fire, a dark, hooded figure, my pocket watch. The last thing I remembered was that voice calling to me.
"Angela"
Then everything went black.