Merlin knew that there was only one course open to him, “I must speak with my father,” he ruefully told Kraak, “Whether he likes it or not.”
Kraak nodded his agreement, “Fare thee well, Raven Boy,” he said and with a powerful flapping of his large wings the huge raven flew as fast as an arrow up into the sky.
Merlin watched the raven go, it had been such a perfect day but now it felt tattered and soiled. He turned and started to run towards the hills and the Crystal Cave. He knew his father did not like being disturbed but this time the Elder god was going to have to put up with it whether he liked it or not
CHAPTER EIGHT
AVALON
THE CRYSTAL CAVE
Merlin had run as fast as he could but even so the Crystal Cave was some distance from the Great Stones of Avalon. He was breathing heavily as he made his way up into the hills where the Crystal Cave was hidden from the sight of mortal men. To an ordinary eye the countryside was undulating with no break in the pattern of its slopes and this was exactly how Mithras Invictus intended it to look. The entrance was in plain sight but hidden by the enchantment of the greatest of the Elder gods himself. Not only was Mithras Invictus the most powerful of these gods but he was also the most ruthless and bloodthirsty.
Mithras the Unconquered was the god of the Roman Legions and they had carried his image before them as they had enslaved the whole of the known world.
They had brought the Elder god with them when they had invaded Britannia but the legions had not stayed long and had returned to Rome some hundred years before. Mithras had remained for he liked the country of Avalon that was his adopted home. The Roman legions now carried other gods with them but they were never to be as successful again as when they had worshipped the Bull Slayer and made such offerings to him that his altars had run with freely blood.
For a time Mithras had been happy in his adopted country and had even fathered a child with the Princess Ailidh who also carried magic with her, although she was careful to keep it hidden from her father’s court. The child that was born from this union of a god and a mortal was Merlin and this was why he and he alone was allowed entrance to the Crystal Cave and sight of his father, the Elder god Mithras the Bull Slayer.
Still panting from his long run Merlin stepped onto the ledge above the Crystal Cave where he always spoke with his father. As well as the enchantment that hid the entrance to the shrine of Mithras it was also protected within by three Guardian Spirits. These spirits while initially appearing insubstantial and wraith-like could turn themselves, in the twinkling of an eye, into fearsome banshees and their high pitched screams could drive a man insane in less time than it takes to tell it.
It was these Guardian Spirits that Merlin now sought so that they might summon his father to him.
“Spirits of the Air, I would summon you here.”
There was no response but Merlin had not expected that there would be. The Spirits seemed to resent the power that Merlin had over them and generally set about being as unresponsive as they possibly could.
Merlin sighed and tried again, he really did not have the time to play the Guardian Spirits’ game.
“Spirits, I would speak with my father, you cannot deny me.” Once again Merlin’s voice ran out firm and true, the sound echoing off the crystals that lined every part of his father’s shrine.
There was no reply and the young enchanter decided that he had now had more than enough of the Spirits’ tantrums.
“If you do not come to my summons,” Merlin told them, “Then I will call upon my father myself and he will not be pleased with you.”
It was no empty threat and the Guardian Spirits knew better than to risk the wrath of the greatest and most ruthless of the Elder gods. Quickly they materialised in front of Merlin and the boy was amused to see that they all bore a very sulky expression. They might not like the son of Mithras Invictus but they could not risk his anger or that of his father.
“Peace, Merlin,” the first Spirit said, “Peace, there is no call for harsh words here.”
“We seek only to serve Mithras the Unconquered,” the second Spirit said rather too fawningly for Merlin’s liking.
“We seek only to serve,” the third Spirit told the boy.
“What gifts have you brought for us, Merlin?” The first Spirit asked. The Guardian Spirits loved small shiny object and it was ever their hope that Merlin might bring them these offerings. It was a hope that was never fulfilled but still they always asked it of Mithras’ son.
“None,” Merlin told them firmly, “I do not need to make offerings to three half-beings so that I might speak with my father.”
It was the reply that the Guardian Spirits had expected but they lived ever in the anticipation that perhaps one day Merlin would bring them something very small and very, very shiny.
“So cruel,” the first Sprit said.
“So cruel,” the second Spirit agreed.
“So cruel,” the third Spirit repeated yet again.
“We are the Gatekeepers to Mithras Invictus, the Unconquered god,” the first Guardian Spirit rather pompously told Merlin, “No one speaks with the god except by our admittance.”
Merlin had neither the time nor the patience to play the Spirits’ game any longer. He looked hard at the three Spirits and in doing so he was the very image of his father.
“Spirits,” Merlin demanded, “You can either let me speak with my father or I will blast you across the Abyss and you will not like it there that I promise you. The choice is yours.”
“Hush, Merlin,” the first Spirit said, the Guardian Spirits knew that like Mithras Invictus it was not wise to push his son too far. “There is no need for harsh words here,” it finished rather lamely.
“So cruel, so cruel,” the second Spirit’s voice was once again like a distant echo.
“We are yours to command, son of Mithras Invictus,” the third Spirit told him, “We obey you as we obey your father. See the portal opens.”
“So cruel, so cruel,” was all the second Spirit seemed capable of saying.
With that the Guardian Spirits faded from sight and with their parting one of the walls of the Crystal Cave shimmered and dropped away. Merlin took a deep breath, he was well aware that his father did not like being disturbed but even so the danger to Avalon made him determined to summon Mithras Invictus.
“Father,” Merlin spoke hard and clear to the insubstantial and shimmering wall of the Crystal Cave, “Father, I would speak with you. Camelot is once more in great peril. Your people need protection.”
There was no response and Merlin’s heart dropped, he knew that his father had lost interest and patience with Avalon and it was possible that the Elder god had already left Avalon and never would return.
“Father, please,” Merlin called, “I need to speak with you.”
To Merlin’s relief the huge figure of Mithras Invictus appeared before him. Mithras was many times the height of an ordinary man. His face and his body were heavily tattooed and his body rippled with the powerful muscles of a man who was very much in his prime. Mithras was a god who was as old as Time but he had the strong young build of a warrior who has never been and never will be defeated.
Mithras gazed down at his son and his face was stern.
“I am here,” the Elder god told his son
“Father, the Dark Lord is again seeking to destroy Avalon and Camelot,” Merlin told his father.
It was not encouraging that the god looked totally disinterested.
“What is that to me?” Mithras demanded his deep voice once more echoing off the crystal clad walls.
Merlin looked up into the grim face of the god that was his father and for a moment wondered if he was not on a wild goose chase. His father had become totally disillusioned with the land that he had once loved so deeply.
“Father, these are your people.”
“Were my people,” the god thundered at his son, “They have let my shrines decay and they do not now
sacrifice to me. There was a time when my altars ran with blood, now they are dry and I am ignored.”
“Times change,” Merlin told his father, “But these are still your people and you loved them once.”
“And this is how they repay me,” the whole cavern that was the Crystal Cave shook as Mithras’ voice echoed around it. So powerful was the god’s anger that earth tremors would be felt up to a mile away from the hidden shrine.
Merlin knew that he had to try another approach before his father’s anger drove him away.
“I believe the Dark Lord will once again try to invade Avalon and this time he might succeed.”
“Who tells you this?” the god asked.
“The Ghouls and the Raven Kind,” Merlin replied.
“The Ghouls will always lie,” Mithras said and Merlin knew this to be true. The boy had often thought that Grim wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped up and slapped the smelly ghoul in the face.
“But not the Raven Kind,” Merlin reminded his father, “They are ever loyal to you.”
For a moment the god’s bleak face seemed to soften, “You speak of Kraak?”
“Yes, I do,” Merlin replied relieved that his father seemed to have regained some of his temper.
“What would you have me do, Merlin?” the god asked.
“I would know what the Dark Lord is planning and what armies he commands,” Merlin replied.
“And you think that I can tell you this?” Mithras Invictus asked his son.
“I know you can father. You are a god and you see everything.” Merlin replied for he knew that this was the truth. Nothing was hidden from an Elder god and after all his father was the greatest of all of them.
“If and it is ‘if’ I show you these things what will you do?” Mithras asked his son.
“Defend Camelot and Avalon,” Merlin told him quite simply.
Mithras face was bleak, “Even to your death? For you can die”
“Even to my death,” Merlin replied, “If I must.”
“You think that when your life is threatened that I will come to your aid,” Mithras stated grimly.
Merlin shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know. I wouldn’t count on it.”
Once again the god’s temper was rising, “That is insolence.”
“You asked me a question, father,” Merlin bluntly replied, “I answered it.”
For a moment they both stood glaring at one another and looked as alike as two peas in a pod. There was no disguising the fact that Merlin truly was his father’s son.
Finally Mithras Invictus nodded his approval for he could appreciate the courage that it had taken for his son to stand up to an Elder god.
“I will show you what you ask,” he told the boy.
A vision appeared in the darkness of the Crystal Cave and it was a vision of truly terrifying proportions. Here there were skeleton warriors that carried the remnants of shields and swords with them, some wore the remains of rusted and long decayed armour and all were heavily spattered in blood. These were the Undead and there were rank upon rank of them. They stretched farther back than the eye could see and Merlin knew that they were the most terrifying sight that he had seen in the whole of his life. They stood still as if waiting for some call or summons to reanimate them back to life. There was a look of total cruelty about these skeleton warriors, a desire to hurt and maim all that stood before them for these were the skeletons of men who had, at the hour of their death, been deemed unworthy by their very depravity and blood-lust to enter the House of the Dead. Instead had been condemned to the eternal pain and horror of the Hell that was the Underworld.
“The Dark Lord has raised the Army of the Dead,” the god told his son, “He has breached the Underworld and called the Undead to him.”
“How many?” Merlin’s voice was little more than a whisper.
“They are without number,” the god replied.
“Can magic kill them?” Merlin’s voice was still a whisper for this was a truly terrible sight.
“Magic will not kill them for they are already dead and they cannot be slain by any mortal. But know this the Army of the Dead cannot set foot in Avalon while you live.”
“So the Dark Lord will wish me dead,” Merlin said his face as bleak as that of his father.
“He does that already,” Mithras Invictus said grimly.
Merlin gave a half laugh, “Then I’ll just have to disappoint him.”
Mithras still remained unmoving and if anything his face had taken on a darker hue, “There is another,” the god told the boy who was his son, “The Dark Lord has summoned a creature from the Depths of the Abyss.”
With that Mithras Invictus turned away and looked deep into the vision of the Dark Lord’s Army of the Dead. At his bidding the image of the decaying skeletons faded away and there was the sound of a bellow that came from where the skeletons had stood. It was a sound totally unlike anything that Merlin had ever heard for it was deep and primeval and tore at the very essence of the boy’s being. Something told him that this was a creation that should never have been begotten nor ever have been allowed to live. Gradually a shape materialised and it was a shape that was truly unnatural in its conception and could only be a creation of the Forces of the Dark. It was like a bull and a very large bull at that but it stood on its hind legs as a man does. The creature was truly enormous with horns that stuck out almost horizontally from its head and those horns were razor sharp and could rip a man to shreds in the space of just a few seconds. Its hind feet were cloven and as those of a bull but it had arms like a man and arms that bulged with powerful muscles. In its hand, for it had hands also, it clutched a wicked looking club that appeared to be made from stone and was studded with evil looking spikes that were more than capable of killing with just one single blow. Even as Merlin gazed at it the creature put back its head and gave the spine chilling bull-like bellow that Merlin had heard from it before.
The boy looked questioningly at his father, “What is it?” He asked almost in a whisper for the beast was an overwhelming and hideous sight.
“An atrocity,” the god told his son, “Something that should never have been allowed to exist. It is the result of the coupling of a beast and a man and it should not have been permitted to live. It is the Minotaur and it is half man and half bull. It has the strength of a bull and the cunning of a man and it is an abomination of both.”
“Minotaur,” Merlin repeated, he had never heard of such a thing let alone seen one.
“Its name is Ergotaur,” Mithras said, “It was driven across the Abyss ten thousand years ago.”
“Who did that?” The boy asked.
“I did,” the god grimly replied, “It should never have been allowed to return.”
“And the Dark Lord will send him into Avalon if he can kill me?” Merlin asked.
“No,” Mithras answered, “The Dark Lord will send him into Avalon to kill you and then, when you are dead, he will unleash his Army of the Dead.”
Merlin didn’t like the sound of that at all and he looked once again at the half bull half man monstrosity that his father had shown to him.
“Can the Minotaur enter Avalon, can it pass your altars?” Merlin asked.
“It is a creature of the Abyss,” Mithras Invictus told him, “And it is impervious to the Old Magic. It can and it will enter Avalon to seek you out and kill you.”
This was going from bad to worse, Merlin decided.
“Can magic kill it?” He asked.
Mithras shook his head, “No, the only way to kill the Minotaur is to behead it.”
Merlin wasn’t even sure that he was tall enough to reach the creature’s head let alone cut it off.
“You will not help me?” it was a statement rather than a question for he knew what his father would reply.
“I will not help Avalon,” the god replied.
“That is not what I asked?” Merlin asked his own face bleak.
“And that is the answer that I ch
oose to give you. Now leave me,” it was clear that the Elder god had had more than his fill of Avalon’s troubles.
“Father,” Merlin almost shouted at the god for the boy had no idea how he could ever cut off the Minotaur’s head but it was half bull and his father was the Bull Slayer and in that there was hope.
“Go, Merlin,” the god roared at his son and once again the surrounding hillside shook with the force of his anger. There was no more to say and Merlin watched as Mithras Invictus faded from his sight. The Crystal Cave was empty now and there was no enchantment there. Disconsolately Merlin turned away and made his way back to the hidden entrance and Avalon.
If he was Avalon’s only hope that the Dark Lord could be defeated then both it and Camelot were truly in great danger for the boy could see no way that he could defeat the Minotaur that the Dark Lord was shortly to unleash against him. Merlin left the Crystal Cave and walked disconsolately away down the sloping hills of its approach. There were better ways to die the boy decided as he unhappily made his way to Mo Dhachaidh.
CHAPTER NINE
AVALON
MO DHACHAIDH
Galapas’ home, which was named as Mo Dhachaidh, was a large house as befitted the dignity of the High Mage of Camelot. There were many runes in the Celtic language running up and down its sides and entrance. These were Spells in the Old Language that would bring Protection to all who stayed there. Large as it was Mo Dhachaidh was not the sort of place that you would expect to meet a queen but this was where Queen Alona of Camelot had come and even more unusually she had come alone and with no guard or military escort.
If Galapas was surprised to see Camelot’s queen enter his house he gave no sign of it and besides he was fond of the woman who had stolen King Uther Pendragon’s heart. The High Mage was not alone in this for everywhere that Queen Alona went she was loved and just as much by the ordinary people of Avalon as she was by its nobility. Queen Alona was, Galapas had decided from the very first time that he had met her, a very good influence on her husband the king. The queen was well aware of Uther Pendragon’s fiery temperament and she brought a softening influence to the great warrior that he undoubtedly was.
Merlin and the Land of Mists: Book Two: The Minotaur Page 5