“Except other than you Merlin, no one believes he is Arthur. Even Sebastian doesn’t believe it,” said Facilitator William.
Merlin laughed. “Facts don’t care if you believe them. Facts are facts and Camelot will reveal the truth. Why don’t you join us, Anna? You can see with your own eyes.”
#
The next few days passed with an uneasy feeling as they prepared for the expedition. They knew the Seal was broken but not how or why. Because of this lack of information, they didn’t rush into an unknown but instead planned it carefully. They reviewed historical data, questioned Merlin, went over current regional information but still they had very little to go on.
The area was in ruins and most people thought it was nothing but the remains of just another castle of some unknown lord from antiquity and even historical societies didn’t bother with it. Merlin told them it was the lingering protective magic that kept away prying eyes, but they had no way of knowing for sure.
The area was overgrown with an abnormally thick copse of trees. The area outside the trees was surrounded by swamp and nearly inaccessible. Their reconnaissance data was useless. The foliage was too thick for satellites to get good imaging, so they would have to go prepared for anything. Camelot was more than just a castle. It contained a vast library, countless magical implements and had been the seat of power of the Council. If any of that remained it would aid them greatly. They also had dire need of information regarding the Seal.
The group prepared their shuttle to Caerleon. Merlin, Anna, Sebastian, Chelsea, Mason, and Bethany were the ones assigned to the team under the command of Sir Sebastian. Merlin had imbued everyone’s weapons for them until they were able to do it for themselves just in case they ran into any fey. Coordinator Anna was officially there as an observer of Sir Sebastian’s first official assignment as a team leader.
Merlin was yielding to Sir Sebastian until he was back to full strength, though the Coordinator suspected Merlin was trying to prove something about the kid. He was adamant in his belief he was Arthur and would not yield. This was eventually going to be a problem as the Masters returned. If they agreed with Merlin, it would create a power struggle if they truly tried to install Sebastian as the Warden High Lord. The current people in charge were already struggling with changes after the Seal was broken and now to try and usurp their power would not go over well. She had not relayed Merlin’s intentions to them yet. She was still holding out hope that Merlin could be convinced otherwise, and it would become a non-issue.
A group of agents from the London Facility was waiting for them at Caerleon. The small town had been hit rather hard by the quakes but as most of its buildings were small it didn’t suffer greatly from the shaking. Fires had been the major issue and several buildings were converted to makeshift shelters to house the displaced people, due to a large number of homes burned when the town’s power grid was impacted. Fortunately for them, their town’s reactor core was not damaged, and restoration of the grid was done within a few days. They landed in the town’s shuttle bay as it didn’t have a full port, only a few concrete platforms with a maintenance bay and an antiquated fueling station, a throwback to the days before the micro-reactors that powered shuttles now. All in all, it was a quiet village on a peaceful river and no one would know from looking at it that the legendary Camelot was a long day’s walk from it.
Facility 3, the London Facility, was the home base for their guides who were supposed to be waiting for them at a local pub. The pub was empty when they arrived except for the bartender and three people sitting at a table drinking. Sir Sebastian walked up. “Excuse me, would any of you happen to be Sir Bruce?” he said.
“Aye, I’m Bruce,” said one of the men. “Sir Bruce, Facility 3 at your service. This is Sir Xavier and Lady Trish. Our Facilitator said we would be joining a group with Master Merlin to go to Camelot. I told him he’s a daft bastard. Some barmy old man and some untrained pup aren’t leading me anywhere.”
Sebastian studied the three of them. Bruce was a hulking beast of a man. He was over six-foot-tall and had a huge frame and heavily muscled. He had dark hair and a crew cut. To call him imposing would be an understatement. Xavier was the opposite. He was well dressed and mannered. He had a chiseled face with neatly trimmed and parted golden blond hair. The lady of their group was cute. She was perky and smiled a lot. She was younger than most field agents, probably in her mid-20s. She was about the same size and build as Chelsea but instead of a ponytail like Chelsea, she had her long blond hair braided.
Sir Sebastian ignored the taunt. “Well met Sir Bruce, the information you have is correct and we’re going to,” he started but was interrupted.
Sir Bruce stood up and stared at Sebastian. He stood chest to chest looking down at him. “Listen, pup, we’re not taking orders from some wet behind the ears baby. Seeing as how I have more seniority than anyone here except your Coordinator, who we’re told is on an observational basis only, I am taking charge of this mission. Here’s what we’re going to do,” he said but Sir Sebastian laughed at him.
Lady Chelsea started forward, but Coordinator Anna held her back and whispered to Chelsea, “He’s in charge so let him handle this. It was your recommendation to give him this command so let him command.”
“What do you find funny, pup?” said the British man as Sebastian started laughing.
“The fact you are trying to intimidate me. Disregarding the fact that I would wipe the floor with you, I know, and you know that my command is approved by the Directors and I couldn’t give a damn less how much seniority you have, and you don’t know how close you are to having your ass handed back to you. I would stand down if I were you.”
The larger man threw a punch which Sebastian sidestepped. Bruce swung again and caught Sebastian across the jaw. The hit knocked him back a bit, but he held his ground and stared at Bruce. The big man grabbed him by the jacket with his left hand and drew back his right to hit him again. Sebastian hit him in the gut with speed Bruce couldn't match then kicked the man in the side of the knee and used his momentum to slam his head into the table and then kicked him in the ribs when he hit the floor. Sir Bruce lay on the floor, blood pouring from his nose and coughing. “Sir Bruce, you’re dismissed from this mission. Return to your Facility, please.”
He thought a moment. “Wait, belay that. You’re not dismissed. You’re Coordinator wanted you on this mission. Your file says you’re good and we need good people. Can you follow my orders if you remain on this team?”
Sir Bruce shook his head yes but didn’t speak, he was busy stopping the blood gushing from his nose.
“Now that the issue of leadership is settled, let’s plan our approach,” said Sir Sebastian, taking Sir Bruce’s chair and drinking his beer.
The remaining two agents were pleasant and cordial and seemed happy the brutish Sir Bruce was taken down a peg. The group spent the next hour going over the maps of the area and discussing the best approach. Air was ruled out. The entire location was overgrown with abnormally large trees making overhead visuals impossible to plan a detailed route so overland through the undergrowth it was. They couldn’t use their shuttle to get close because the land was mostly marsh and couldn’t support the shuttle's weight when they finally had to land. They planned to leave at first light.
#
Several men in brown robes were talking to King Arthur.
“The first of the cells is complete. The creature seemed to be a normal fomorian but would not sleep and we can’t seem to hurt it,” said one of them.
“I feared this would happen,” replied King Arthur. “Some creatures are only vulnerable to magic and as magic has left the world, they are invulnerable. It’s a shame too, such beautiful creatures they are, now it will exist as a corruption, an abomination because it can’t return to the Earth’s womb. Contain it until we find a way to let it rest again and return to its glory. Prepare more cells I think this is the herald of things to come.”
They bowed agai
n and left.
Queen Guinevere came in as they walked out. “The library is sealed and hidden. The new chamber built for it is undetectable now, deep beneath the castle’s lowest depths in the back of the tomb. The archives are as safe as we can make them,” she said.
His face brightened as she approached. “I knew the world was going to change and I knew it would be difficult. I am thankful you’re here with me. The crown is a heavy burden due to the aftermath of closing the Seal, but you make it bearable,” he said as he embraced her.
She smiled at him. “I am going to practice,” she said. “Would you like to join me? You lose yourself in that beat-up old blade when you’re on the field. Some distraction might do you good.”
“You call Excalibur a beat up, old blade and not its twin that you wield?” he said laughing. He looked into her eyes as he held her. “I should have made you one of the knights, tradition be damned,” he said.
“What would the nobles say if you made a woman a knight?” she said smiling.
“They would see your beauty and your skill and say I’m wiser than Solomon for doing so,” he said.
#
A local shuttle carried them as close to the forest as it could before the tree line became impassable then hovered long enough to drop them off and left. They looked ahead at the trees. The ground was soft and moist but supported their weight well enough.
This section of the woods was definitely thicker than everything else. Satellite images showed this abnormal growth covered a roughly circular area a little over a few miles in diameter. Local preservation societies had the area declared protected land and it had been untouched for as long as anyone could remember. No one seemed interested in it and even the locals stayed away from it, calling it cursed or haunted.
“Okay, we’re on foot from here,” Sir Sebastian said as he pulled out his sword and extended it.
“Expecting a fight, are we?” asked Sir Xavier.
“I don’t know,” said Sir Sebastian, “But this growth looks thick and I’m not carrying a machete. Are you?”
“Ha! Good point,” said Sir Xavier as he pulled his blade and others followed suit.
They trudged through the overgrown foliage with a slow pace due to the thickness of the vegetation. Eventually, the marshy ground became hard and dry. Every now and then they would see signs of ancient habitation, a piece of a crumbling wall, a small section of cobblestone but mostly just weeds. It took them nearly two hours to get close to the center and as they broke through the tree line, they all stopped and stared in awe.
The tree line cleared and atop a huge open area at the crest of a small rise was the castle of Camelot. It was in shadows, like dusk, from the heavy cover of foliage above it but its gilded stones glinted even in the low light. The castle was huge and dwarfed others. The windows of the castle were stained glass in complex, intricate patterns, their designs not clear at their distance. The remains of dilapidated catapults reminiscent of Roman designs lined the walls. The great iron gate was closed, and its outside face and the walls were covered in reliefs etched into the stone and metal showing great battles. The group was speechless.
Only Merlin seemed unaffected by what they saw and walked forward. “Well, what are you waiting for?” he said looking at the group.
They walked forward, and the gate opened of its own accord and everyone stopped except Merlin who walked into the outer courtyard. The rest of the group followed him cautiously. One side of the outer courtyard was large and old training areas could be seen. Decaying archery targets and sparring dummies, an ancient jousting ring, sword and spear racks, and many other implements dotted the area indicating this was once an active training location. The other side appeared to be a common area. Stone sitting benches surrounded a dry fountain and the rotted remains of broken carts lay scattered around. On the far end of the common area was an elevated platform with a podium.
The thing that caught everyone's attention the most were two statues, one on either side of the main walkway to the castle’s entrance. They faced the gate and a hand of each extended over the main walkway and embraced forming an arch about four meters tall. They were cast in gold and were probably worth a large fortune just from the size and weight of them. They were of a man and woman, both wearing crowns.
That wasn’t what everyone was staring at though. One was a statue of Sir Sebastian and the other was Lady Chelsea. Their clothes and hair were different, but the faces were unmistakable.
“These must have been erected after the Seal,” remarked Merlin. “Those weren’t here the last time I walked this courtyard. They’re a little ostentatious don’t you think, Arthur?” he said but no one spoke.
Sir Sebastian and Lady Chelsea couldn’t speak. They just stood staring at the statues. Coordinator Anna said quietly, “Oh my.”
Sir Bruce, his voice a bit off due to the bandage on his nose, was a bit louder. “Aye now! What the bloody hell is this all about?”
Chelsea just stood shaking her head and then ran crying towards the castle with Sebastian going after her. Anna started to follow them, and Merlin stopped her. “No. Let them be for now. They need to process this, and we can’t help with that, only time can. We have a different task anyway, we have to find the library. The knowledge contained in it is invaluable. We had archives on every form of magic, every known fey, and long-dead cultures.”
“They’re really Arthur and Guinevere, not Sebastian and Chelsea, aren’t they?” asked Anna.
Merlin shook his head no. “They are both and many more besides that. They swore an oath to each other and oaths are no small affair when you are as powerful as they are and bound by great magic. That oath has bound them to each other and they will continue to be reborn and drawn to each other every time they are reborn and as both were also sworn protectors of humanity, they seem to be drawn to the Wardens in each life as well.”
A tear fell from Anna’ eye. “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard and the saddest at the same time. They will be together forever, but they’ll never find rest.”
Merlin looked towards the castle’s entrance.
Sir Bruce was frustrated. “Would someone please tell me is going on now?” he said.
Coordinator Anna turned to the rest of the group. “Sir Sebastian and Lady Chelsea are scouting the castle and have left me in charge in the interim. Master Merlin has requested that we secure the library first and foremost so that’s our primary objective. Master Merlin will have to lead us there since maps of Camelot were sold out at the gift shop back in town. Master Merlin, after you,” she said.
“Wait. We all know they’re not scouting the castle. They freaked out. Are we going to talk about the twelve feet tall golden statues of Sebastian and Chelsea?” asked Lady Bethany.
“No. We’re not. Sir Sebastian and Lady Chelsea are scouting the castle. We have our mission and that’s our primary focus,” said Coordinator Anna.
“Okay then,” said Lady Bethany, never one to question orders.
“Master Merlin, point us toward your library,” said the Coordinator.
#
The castle itself was a large squarish building with a round tower at each corner. It looked as if it were designed by the author of a child's fairy tale book. On the rather large grounds stood an additional tower that was half again taller than the castle. The rotting remains of numerous wooden structures dotted the grounds. The remains of the dilapidated structures looked large enough that at their peak, a population of many thousands could have lived within the walls.
“That tower is where the Council met. The library is on the first few floors of it. Further up are the locations used for research and experimentation and at the top, the Council’s meeting room where we cast the Seal. We need to see what survived the test of time in the library and see if there is any evidence in the Council room of the Seal being broken by outside forces,” Merlin told them. The group followed Merlin around the north side of the castle towards the tower.
They approached the tower and as they got close, they realized it was covered top to bottom in runes. It appeared they were made up of the stones themselves with darker stones interwoven into the gray stone of the tower to create the patterns. Part of the top of the tower was missing the pattern of runes and the stone appeared to be of a different material.
“They must have repaired the tower after the Seal was formed. The Tormentor destroyed part of the top floor when it attacked me,” Merlin told them.
The tower had no entrance they could find. Merlin walked up and tapped on the wall with his staff. The stones shuddered, and he walked through the stones as if they were made of air, motioning the rest to follow. Coordinator Anna walked through immediately behind him. Lady Bethany hesitated a moment and entered. The rest seemed more cautious but followed suit.
Inside was what they expected. It was a large round room with a staircase spiraling up along the wall. The room was lit but there were no visible sources of light. The walls were lined with bookshelves carved into the stone of the tower. Empty bookshelves. There was no evidence that books ever rested on the shelves.
“Hmm,” Merlin said. “They’re gone. I wonder where they've made off to?” Asked the old man.
“That’s all you have to say?” Asked Coordinator Anna. “Your library, that by your own definition contained irreplaceable books of vast knowledge, is missing and you wonder where they’ve gone off to?”
“What would you have me do?” asked Merlin. “Should I panic? Should I cry? Should I shake my fist at the heavens? Now is not the time for overreaction. Now is the time for investigation,” he said calmly and started up the stairs. “There are no remains, either. No crumbling spines. No dust. The books seem to have been removed. Are you coming?”
Each of the library floors and laboratories was equally empty. As they reached the top floor, things changed. The top floor had a great round table that seemed to be carved of some kind of solid white material, like marble but with no veins or variation in color other indication of it being stone. Eight curved stone chairs surrounded it. The chairs contained the remnants of cloth of some kind, likely the cushions that once softened them. Melted candles circled the table and symbols were painted on the walls in what looked like dried blood.
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