Within The Keep
Prompt 069: Subconscious
Oye to' el mundo reza que reza por q se acabe la Guerra y eso no se va acabar eso será una rareza…
Aguanile, Hector Lavoe y Willie Colon
Rainy seasons were always the hardest for them to spend. They were usually trapped in their master's study, the library or their own rooms, keeping company only with their fellow apprentices. Balthazar remembered Veronica's first season here, always complaining of been trapped, but usually shrugged off; he'd learn to like these seasons, but for some reason today none of his reasons to stay in worked. He was staring out the window, the sky gray and rain falling thickly over the ground, while Maxim and Veronica sat on a desk behind him, discussing politics and manners. True enough in these times women rarely understood politics, but thanks to master careful teaching and Maxim's better understanding of the matter, Veronica was fluent on the language, of course she could never really attend with them, males, to any sort of political gathering, but both male apprentices always kept her up to date with what was discussed. Balthazar was now nineteen, Maxim eighteen and Veronica fifteen.
Rumors of war and betrayal had reached Merlin and he'd ordered them to stay in, unwilling to accept the coming battles for he knew something evil would take place.
The door to their small study opened, and Balthazar turned to see an older Greta, with whiter hair than ever before, standing at the door, smiling. But Balthazar knew that tight smile; she was doing something she wasn't particularly fond of. "Young master Balthazar?"
"What is it Greta?" He asked calmly, standing.
"Come, Master wishes to talk to you."
Now Balthazar understood. Taking a deep breath, and squaring his shoulders, Balthazar excused himself and walked to the door. Greta gave him a real smile, worriedly, and they walked towards Master's study. The rain continued to beat the grounds outside, while wind made them shiver with cold. Greta told him she would be down at the kitchens, and excused herself once they had reached the large double doors, Balthazar placed his hand over hre shoulders and gave her a real smile. He turned, knocked twice, and after Merlin asked him to come in did he open the doors.
The light filtering through the tall vaulted ceiling was enough to light his way down the stairs, but once in the studio itself, candles were lit everywhere. Merlin sat at his desk, scribbling away at his own Encantus (Balthazar would remind himself to update his) and once done turned to Balthazar, smiling a little grimly. "Ah, Balthazar."
"You called, master?"
"Yes, yes. I must ask you for another trip."
"Of course, where to?" It was a stupid question, Balthazar knew, but he didn't lost hope that some day this would end. He held enough hopes even knowing how the world worked. Merlin turned fully to Balthazar, and showed him a small vial of blue liquid that send shiver's running down Balthazar's spine.
"This will be the last trip, I promise." Said his master, getting up from his desk. Balthazar, only then, allowed his body to finally tremble, and nod. Merlin always said the same thing, someday; (hopefully today) they would be true. Balthazar understood his needs for this, Merlin's hands were tied behind his back, almost beaten and in the years that he'd lived in the Keep Merlin had done this twice; three times with today.
They had discovered this particular bit of magic when he was eight, during a thunderstorm, and although Merlin knew how dangerous it was to delve into this affairs he needed to do it.
"Your ring." Obediently, Balthazar took off the large ring he always wore, and handed it over to Merlin. "Good boy, now," Merlin placed his hand over Balthazar's shoulder and showed him the seat. "Now remember, tell me everything you see…"
"With exact details and if possible dates or hour." Finished Balthazar, having memorize the words in the first two tries. "Master, will it be the last time, really?"
Merlin looked at his blue eyes, Balthazar seeing the hesitation there, but then something solid set on the old man's eyes; a deep conviction. Merlin smiled at him, truly this time, and nodded. "I will see it sealed after we are done, alright?"
"Thank you Master." Balthazar hurried to sit, taking a deep breath then took the vial from Merlin's hand and swallowing hard, downed it in one gulp. It was bitter, the way it fell running down his throat made him almost choke and his eyes closed. Whoever said the life of an Oracle was simple ought to have a painful slow death. Merlin did the usual, place his hand over Balthazar's eyes, the boy took a deep breath, and then light…
,
,
Merlin waited, as he usually did, as Balthazar's body ingested the liquid and proceeded to absorb enough energy from the air surrounding them. His breaths were heavy, his head bowed and hair covering his face. He'd been doing that for a good fifteen minutes, and even when Merlin called he didn't react. "Balthazar." Called Merlin calmly, watching the boy.
"What?" he said in a hushed whisper, in a voice that wasn't his own.
"Are you ready?"
"Dead men speak no lies…"
"What?"
Balthazar's face shot up, eyes read, lips crooked into a twisted smile of anger and forehead furrowed in a deep angry frown. "Dead man shouldn't delve into the future of others!" Cried Balthazar attempting to rise from the chair, but unable to. The chair had been enchanted to hold him down with invisible chains, while he was in this state, Merlin frowned at him.
"What do you see?"
"Death old man, nothing but death! Kings shall be betrayed, apprentices shall be betrayed, and all for the Love!" Balthazar sat back down, again sucking on the energy around him, a crackled laugher so unlike him, left his coarse throat.
"What will happen at Cammlan?"
"Everything and nothing,"
"I need to know."
"Do you?" another cracked laugh. Followed by a gurgled choke and some coughing. Then the red eyes lifted, calmer, face becoming calmer as Balthazar took hold of his own body and mind. "Master…"
"You can do it, boy. You must." Balthazar's eyes closed, teeth gritting. He groaned, trembling as he gained control. Then his eyes shot up, wide, as his body relaxed visibly. "Camlann will be the death of Arthur, brought by the mistake." Balthazar was looking up, at the vaulted ceiling, "There will be no way of saving him, so he must be brought to the Isle of Apple, Morgana… Morgana…"
"Morgana?" Said Merlin, eyes wide and standing.
"Her plan will unfold once Arthur is gone. Seal the book, away with dangerous spell of death!" His voice was chocked, as if he was been strangled from the inside. "There will be a witness left, dragged by pain to the Isle, but if should the witness return and keep youth…" A chocked gasp for breath and Balthazar fell to the floor with a loud thudding sound. Merlin hurried to the boy but before he could check him Balthazar shot up forth, face already distorted. "Your fault will it be for his injuries! Your fault shall it be for his youth! He shall know Hell in Earth!" But before the thing could continue talking turned to the stairs, where both Maxim and Veronica stood, the last one holding tightly onto Maxim but not turning away. "And her sacrifice will be the evil's undoing…" Another chocked breath and Balthazar fell backwards hitting his head on the wood of the chair.
Merlin was quick to help him up, covering his eyes and murmuring hastily a spell that covered Balthazar's head, little points of light moved around them, and Merlin slipped the ring around his finger again. "I don't remember calling for neither of you two!" Thundered Merlin, angry.
"Why was Balthazar…?"
"How long have you two been there?"
"Since he said something about the witness." Merlin lifted Balthazar, Maxim quickly moving to help his master, and the man was set over a nearby bed. Veronica was still at the end of the stairs, frozen. "How could Balthazar…?"
"Since Balthazar was a child he could see the future, reason his mother knew he had magic. But the power is too much for him to control so we had it sealed since his arrival here." Merlin turned to Maxim, seriously. "This is the last time we use it."
"He can see the future?"
"He can talk it in riddles the thing is for us to solve the riddle now." Merlin covered Balthazar's body with a thick sheet, and then turned to Veronica.
"Come, child, he will not hurt you." IT took a moment but Veronica finally moved and walked towards his master. "Now listen, both of you, the only ones to know this were Greta and me, I must sworn you to secrecy under pain of death. Not even Balthazar must know what he just said."
"But master…"
"It could undo his mind, Maxim! Now both of you, swear you will not tell!"
"I swear," Said Maxim rather reluctantly.
"I swear." Said Veronica, with such conviction that Merlin turned to her and smiled.
,
,
An hour later Balthazar opened his eyes, and turned. Veronica stood over his master's desk, both whispering over the Encantus. His mind could not be cleared, so Merlin must have heard something shocking from him, but that part that was always restless in his mind, that part Merlin had told him gave him those red eyes, was quiet.
So finally it was over.
The other two kept whispering, as Balthazar smiled and closed his eyes again.