A/N:
Sup. I have another chapter for you a little later than intended. Featuring… the return of Wes. Thank me later.
Enjoy!
Ilandrae
CHAPTER 22 – THE BENEVOLENT SORCERER OF WHEREVER THE HELL HE HAPPENS TO BE
Magic's Hollow, ?
"After our discussions in Camelot last week" Myara inspected the red crystal atop her staff as she spoke, "we all informed our apprentices to be on the lookout for any occurrences they may forewarn us of another attack from this dark sorcerer that's apparently trying to conquer the world."
Sighing the woman put her staff down, true concern in her eyes, "And collectively, none had any idea that there was any threat at all. Or that the Kingdoms of Kent, Nemeth and Deorham had fallen."
Each of the sorcerers at this table were considered Masters of their discipline. As such, each had taken on several apprentices over the years, teaching them what they knew. Training under a Master was considered an essential step if a sorcerer wanted to sit at this table one day, as it was usually the current master who selected the next.
After their training was complete, apprentices usually went back to their homes, keeping an eye out for any magical threats and reporting them back to their Masters, or sometimes completing missions assigned to them.
"What about the apprentices that were in those Kingdoms?" though he asked, Merlin thought he might already know the answer.
"They did not answer the summons" sorrow permeated the air at Myara's words.
"How many?" Merlin murmured softly.
"Dylan was in Kent, Marnia in Deorham" Wes didn't even use his famous nicknames that he reserved for his apprentices.
"Gina was based in Deorham too" a tear slid down Iseldir's cheek.
"Marx and Lucas were dealing with something in Nemeth." Maria's tone lacked emotion.
Isabel looked to Myara before answering, her voice small, "Daniel accompanied Rachel to Nemeth because it was her first mission after completing her training with Myara."
Merlin did the math. Seven. Seven apprentices unaccounted for.
And after hearing Mithian's story…
"Since then, we've been noticing an increase in magical occurrences as well as anti-magic sentiment. But there has been no sighting of an army or even whispers of the Dark Sorcerer. The only relatively concrete thing that seems to have come to light is whispers of some anti-magic cult based out of Camelot and Gwynedd that's apparently gaining power."
"A cult?" Camelot did seem the ideal breeding ground for an anti-magic cult.
"We've already sent people to start gathering information. There focus seems to be on Gwynedd though so it probably not too much of a concern for you right now."
"Ok, keep me updated on if anything changes." Merlin's brain was whirling with all the new information, "What was the second thing you wanted to talk about?"
"When were you planning on letting us know that the Prince of Camelot was a warlock?" Merlin felt six pairs of accusatory eyes burning a hole in his skull.
"Oh… that" he fidgeted with the engravings of his arm rest, "I guess it slipped my mind."
"Of course it did" Alice shook her head, "Do you know how he's a warlock?"
"I have a theory…"
The expectant eyes of the Council were heavy enough that he had continue.
"Arthur, the first one that is, was born of magic. His mother couldn't conceive, and it was only due to Nimueh's magic that he even came into being. As a result, I think magic was a part of him, merged into his being with the sole purpose of giving him life. I suspect that magic that was a part of Arthur is now a part of Art as well, a part of his very being. However, in Art's case he didn't need magic to give him life, so it manifested itself differently. By making him a warlock."
They took a few moments to mull over his words.
"Your theory is sound" Maria said softly.
"Are you training him?" Iseldir asked.
"Well, I'm helping him understand his-"
"You know the rules when a council member takes an apprentice Merlin." Isabel said curtly. Merlin sensed she was already prepping for one of her famous arguments, "It needs to be recorded."
Merlin wasn't quite sure why he was arguing about this, "Well there was nothing formal about it. I'm just making sure he doesn't-"
"Did you ask him to learn from you? In any way shape or form? Did he accept?" Isabel shot out each question like an arrow while making her way over to a bookshelf that had been carved into an ancient tree.
Inwardly cursing the warlock remembered the note he'd had delivered to the prince for their first official lesson.
"But I'm not a Master on the Council-"
"You have a Council Amulet Merlin stop arguing" the blonde sorceress hauled out a leather-bound book clasped firmly shut with an iron buckle.
"You wouldn't let me give it back."
"That's because it's yours, you dimwit." she slammed the book in front of him, "Now record your apprentice."
Still not quite sure why he was arguing Merlin took his Council Amulet from around his neck and pressed it to the indent on the books cover.
The iron buckle undid with a clunk and the book sighed open. Inside, each page was divided into six columns, one for each Master with their name as the header and their apprentices listed underneath with accompanying dates.
Merlin turned the pages searching for the familiar names of the current Masters.
Unsurprisingly Myara's was the first he saw, apprenticed at age 13 she made Master by 20. Soon her name was joined by Wes and Iseldir, then Maria, Alice and Isabel.
He'd known this book existed, but he'd never actually looked at it. As he saw the names under each of his friends' he realised how many people they had taught. Isabel, who had only been a Master for five years had no less than ten apprentices, not mention Myara a Master of forty years who had countless.
He also realised, with a start, that his name featured in every column.
He was beginning to wonder where they expected him to put his when suddenly the page layouts changed. The page that corresponded with the year he'd had his Council Amulet forced upon him had the top section portion off with his name at the top.
Unspoken question answered he hurriedly flicked to the current date. Willing a quill into existence he hovered over the blank space where he was to write.
"Bedivere."
"Yes Sir?"
"What's Art's full name?"
Bedivere paused before answering, "Arthur Thomas Merlin Pendragon."
Swallowing the sudden emotion Merlin croaked out an "Ok thank you" and wrote it down under his own.
The second he finished writing the final letter the book snapped shut once more, nearly taking Merlin's quill with it.
Quivering, the book started to glow, and with a flash a wooden amulet appeared on its cover.
One side was divided into quarters each containing an image. The cup of life, the tree of the isle of the blessed, a crown and druidic rune that he didn't recognise. A dragon curled around the four images, as if protecting them. On the other side was a crown made of plants, more specifically, healing herbs Merlin realised, over a sword.
"What is all this?" even after all this time he was still clueless about some things to do with magic.
Isabel gave was of her equally famous sighs that said he was a dimwit, "Those four symbols on the one side make up your crest, it represents your identity as a sorcerer. The other side of the amulet symbolises Art. That amulet will be Art's. Your crest one side, his the other. It's a symbol of your bond as student and teacher."
"I never got one of these when you guys taught me" Merlin studied the amulet, intrigued by the slight hum of magic it gave off.
"Well, that's not true" Alice flashed a cheeky smile. "You actually got six, we just never gave them to you because we knew you'd just run away."
Figured.
After rolling his eyes at the surrounding sorcerers Merlin looked at Art's amulet again, more specifically, at his own crest. "Why the crown? And what's the rune?"
"That rune means Emrys." Iseldir laughed, "It's your name."
"And don't know if you remember this after your near-death experience" Isabel drawled, "or if you have truly become a dimwit. But you are kind of King of the Druids. AKA King of Magic, and kings tend to have a crown. It basically says King Emrys."
Merlin frowned, "I don't know if I like that."
"Well, you don't get a choice" Isabel smiled wickedly, "Take your new amulet, it has your complete crest on it now."
Merlin's gaze cut to the sorceress, he already had an amulet and they never let him give it back, but she was looking at the book in front of him which had started to glow and hum once more.
Another flash and another amulet appeared, made of some kind of dark grey metal and edged in gold. Merlin's inspection saw his four symbolled crest on one side and the head of a snarling dragon on the other.
"Now that you've taken your first apprentice, you are a full-fledged Master of Magic on the Magic Council. And there's no backing out." Isabel hefted up the book again to put it away, and Merlin could feel the satisfaction oozing from every sorcerer present.
"Now if we're done" Isabel waved a hand, "see you at some point I'm sure" and with a spring breeze she was gone. Merlin blinked at her sudden departure, but she wasn't the only one.
"Cyclone spell Sparks" Wes slapped a friendly hand on his shoulder, "You've gotta try it" with a bang he left too.
One by one the sorcerers said their goodbyes and left, until it was just Iseldir and Merlin at Magic's Hollow. Merlin's mind was reeling, as what they'd said. Sneaky. That's what they were. A full-fledged Master of Magic. That's what they'd said last time too.
Iseldir thrust another handful of amulets at him. "Here are your six apprentice amulets if you want them. But they're pretty much useless now."
Wordlessly Merlin took them seeing varying combination of his crest and the others on their wooden surfaces.
He studied his and Art's amulets and remembered all he'd learnt and shared with the Council; he couldn't help but laugh softly. Maybe being shackled to this bunch of loose cannons wasn't so bad.
But Isildir wasn't finished, "There's something else you have to see Emrys."
At Merlin's questioning look the druid only added, "Go to Darkling Woods, at dawn tomorrow, the clearing where Arthur claimed Excalibur, you'll see."
And with that the druid shimmered and disappeared.
Approximately 14 hours later, dawn in the Darkling Woods…
"You have got to be kidding me" Merlin sat on the rock which had once contained Excalibur not quite believing his eyes. And the cause of his disbelief happened to be the small crowd that had wandered into the clearing as the sun rose.
Young, old, children and parents, all looked around fearfully yet beamed as they laid eyes on him.
"What am I" the warlock muttered to himself as they approached, "The Benevolent Sorcerer of Wherever the Hell I Happen to Be?"
"Great One, please heal my daughter's puppy."
"Let me get my herbs."
A/N:
Til next time,
Stay strong,
I ;)