Prologue
Picking up the crystal shard Arthur looked over it with curiosity. It was brighter than any gem he had ever seen. It had a pulsating glow, and a deep yellow color that drew you in almost like you were under an enchantment. He ran his gloved fingers over the surface, brushing the softened edges of the stone. The gem had to have been worth a small fortune, it was the size of a baby's fist.
"That stone sure is a beauty if I ever did see one." Arthur lifted his head up to spare a glance at Gwaine. The other knights were just as intrigued with the gem as he was, small sparkles of light beginning to cover the walls of the small room they were in as the jewel became even brighter and began to ignite the whole room in a beautiful stunning light. The men gasped as it did this, Lancelot taking a step back in surprise, his eyes widening as the light that the room was engulfed in began to form into shapes that were whizzing around to fast to make out what they were. It was like looking up at the stars, looking at a glittering nebula that rested high above the earth.
"Magnificent." The light twisted and turned, molding into new and bizarre forms with each passing second. The small band of men were in awe. The shapes swirled round and round and began to slow, turning into a beautiful image of light. The light twisted, turning into the image of a kingdom. A castle. There were tall curving spires and strong iron gates. Stories high brick walls and towers that reached high into the sky. Arthur took in a shaky breath recognizing the magnificent and ancient palace at once,
"Camelot."
The glittering light tucked and turned once again before their eyes, slowly rearranging itself into an image of a young man whose eyes gleamed with a gold color brighter than a thousand suns. The image swirled again before the knights could clarify who it was and jumped back with startled shouts as the face of the great witch Morgana appeared in the light, her cat-like grin plastered to her face as she laughed. The chilling cackle reverberated throughout the room and just as quickly as it had appeared it vanished as a gruesome scream cut through the air. A scream that sounded so desperate and filled with anguish. Then the young man appeared again in the starlight, his gold eyes burning a cold deathly glare to the occupants of the room and his mouth contorted into a vicious smirk that would have sent the devil cowering.
"Æledfýr dynt dún fram þæs éastrodor, ansíen sum ætforanweall ymbgang Camelot ond áscildan hit." His mouth spilt out the mysterious language like fire, hissing and shouting at the top of his lungs with an air of utmost authority and power. The young man screamed for the world to hear, sending chills down the knights body's at the power the man possessed.
In a shower of glowing sparks the starlight image of the man and all the other shapes swirled back into the glowing stone that still rested in Arthur's palm. The light quickly and suddenly dissipated from the small room, taking with it all of the images that it came with. An icy silence filled the air once the stone had returned to it's normal vibrant yellow. The only noise was that of the cool, gushing wind outside the small hut they had taken shelter in.
The five knights turned to their king with mixed expressions. Arthur dropped the still glowing stone, walking a few steps backwards before his back came into contact with one of the stone cold walls of the hut. His hands trembled as he tried to steady himself against the wall. Those images that he saw in the starlight. That young man that carried himself with such a deadly confidence and had burning eyes that went straight through your soul. There was no denying it. The others had seen it as well. Elyan, Percival, Gwaine, Lancelot, Leon. They all saw what he saw. That man in the starlight was absolutely and undeniably a wizard. A sorcerer. A magician. That young man was undeniably and absolutely Merlin.