by Lynda Engler
“We must flee!” they shouted.
“Yes! Get away from here! Go where they will not find us!” other cries echoed.
The villages outside of the city walls were totally destroyed. The evil horde of Kullucks completely trampled everything in their path. The remaining villagers and many of the women and young children within the broken city walls fled to the safety of the ancient caves up north. They would be safe there for now. But they couldn’t live in caves and cellars forever.
The king was badly injured but alive. Oddly, his home in the center of the city took little damage. The walls held and no Kullucks had entered. The King of Finias sat in the outer room at his wooden table and held his head in his bloody hands like a frightened child. “What will become of us?”
Chapter 2: Arthur
May 24, 500 A.D. Wales
Arthur was 12 years old and growing up in Wales with his aunt Morgana, his older cousin, Cai, and his best friend Gwain. Arthur’s father was Uther, King of the Britons. Arthur lived with his aunt because his father had hidden him there from his mother Igraine and the deceitful wizard Merlin. Merlin and Igraine wanted to control Arthur because someday he would be king and the scheming pair wanted him to do their bidding.
Uther’s sister Morgana lived with the great warrior race, the Sea People. She was training Arthur, Cai, and Gwain in their ways. The Sea People were from the wild tribes who since before the Romans led their lives fighting, feasting, loving, singing, and storytelling. Arthur loved these people. They were nothing like the civilized people of southern England where he was from – the Saxons influenced by the Roman conquest.
Morgana created a safe haven for Arthur in her sea compound on the edge of the ocean. It was even safe from pirates because Morgana had made it known that she would show no mercy to anyone who tried to steal from her. The compound was surrounded by a thick wooden log wall that was reinforced by stone and mortar. That made it safe from roving bandits too. Uther knew Arthur would be safe there from the wizard Merlin as well.
“Arthur!” called Gwain from across the field. “Hurry! You’ll be late for sword practice. Morgana will be angry.”
Arthur ran across the training field outside of the Sea People’s compound, his ragged brown hair flying in the sea breeze. He was still pulling his tunic over his head as he ran. On the far side of the grassland, the sword training field was already set up. It was a square section of grass, about 20 meters across, and marked out with ropes tied to sturdy wooden posts set in the ground.
Gwain, Cai, and Arthur were the oldest boys living there and everyday their instructor, Cullwich, expected them to report for training immediately after first light. The sun had come up over the western sea of Wales more than a half hour ago yet Arthur was still not dressed. He had not slept well troubled by disturbing dreams and had overslept sunrise.
Arthur had dreamed of a great battle. In his dream great warriors fought a bloody battle against dark, evil man-shaped animals. The creatures ripped and tore at the brave warriors with fanged jaws and clawed hands and feet. They broke down the walls of a town, trampling everything in their way, destroying wildly. Arthur woke in a sweat, and realizing he was late, rushed to dress. However, he was still thinking of his dream when Gwain called him.
When he arrived at the training field, Cullwich gave him a sidelong glance, muttering, “You’re late.” He looked disapprovingly at the boy, then continued, “Cai and Arthur, you will be partners. I will demonstrate today’s lesson with Gwain. Put your helmet on and come here and face me.”
Gwain confidently entered the training square and stood in front of their instructor. Arthur and Cai watched from the side, both holding their steel helmets. Cullwich drew his sword and faced Gwain. The older boy pulled out his sword and parried Cullwich’ attack. Metal clashed on metal as the old warrior and the young traded thrusts. Sweat beaded on Gwain’s brow as he fought his instructor. But he fought hard. As a sworn oath-man of the future king, even at 12, Gwain was already a well-trained swordsman. You could see his muscular frame even through his coarse wool tunic.
Cullwich made one hard attack at Gwain’s right side, then a quick jab to the left, putting the boy off balance. He swung his sword at Gwain’s exposed right side and whipped the sword right out of the boy’s hand, finally disarming his opponent. Gwain’s sword fell to the ground.
“Well done!” shouted Gwain as he slapped Cullwich on the shoulder. “Very well done Master Cullwich.” Gwain bent down and picked up his sword.
Cullwich looked at Arthur and Cai. “Now, you boys show me you were paying attention.”
Cai and Arthur eagerly drew their swords, held them up and crossed them to signal the beginning of the duel. Arthur’s cousin was a bit shorter and stockier than he was although he was almost a full year older than Arthur. Being taller, Arthur had a longer reach, which was an advantage in a duel.
Although thin, Arthur was also strong but perhaps not as strong as the muscular Cai. However, he was able to deflect Cai’s powerful thrusts.
Metal clashed on metal as they went through the training exercise. Their steel swords made loud clanging noises as they dueled. Cullwich and Gwain watched from outside the training square as Cai thrust at Arthur’s right, then saw the quick jab meant to disarm him.
Arthur parried Cai’s powerful attack and saw the jab coming to his left. All of a sudden, in front of his eye’s Arthur saw an ugly gray animal with fangs bared, drooling from his oversized mouth and thrusting both clawed arms at him. “No!” shouted Arthur as he drove his sword at his attacker. The twisted form grunted then crumpled to the ground.
Cullwich and Gwain were shouting as they ran to the fallen figure on the ground. Arthur looked down and saw Cai lying at his feet, a pool of red blood forming underneath him and dripping to the soil. “Cai! What have I done?” Arthur screamed as he knelt by his fallen cousin. His sword had grazed Cai’s side, cutting a gash through his tunic and into his flesh.
Cullwich began ripping strips of cloth off his shirt. “Arthur, what happened?” he asked as he wrapped the cloth around Cai’s torso.
“It wasn’t Cai I saw, sir,” he replied. “It was... it was something... pure evil.”
Gwain picked up Cai to carry him home. “You could have killed him, Arthur. I don’t think Cullwich’s exercises were meant to go that far.”
“I saw something else. A vision – no, a nightmare. I didn’t see Cai, but something evil. I tried to kill the evil. Just like in my dream early this morning. That’s why I was late. I dreamt of a terrible battle! An evil horde of manlike animals was attacking an innocent town built of stacked stone and wood. The thing that I saw attacking me was part of that force. I was in the battle. Believe me, I did not see Cai! I meant him no harm. I would never hurt him.”
Cai was like a brother to Arthur. Arthur checked Cai’s bound wound as he ran alongside Gwain. The compound was not very big and they hurried quickly to the main buildings where they would find help for the boy.
“Oh, Cai, I am so sorry. I don’t know what is wrong with me. I saw something horrible,” Arthur said to Cai, who had now regained his senses enough to speak.
“I am not badly hurt, Arthur. I’m sure that mother’s healer will sew up the cut just fine,” he replied. Cai had an amazingly even temperament and he never seemed to get upset about anything, unlike his mother who angered easily. Morgana would have Arthur’s head on a platter if anything really bad happened to Cai!
When they reached the other side of the compound, Cullwich fetched the healer, a gnarled old wizard whose knowledge of healing herbs was second only to his sewing skills. Arthur knew he would use thread made from sheep gut to sew up Cai. He’d seen it done before, on his own body and it made him sick to his stomach to watch. When Arthur was eight, he’d fallen down a cliff while hunting with his father. He’d broken his left leg so severely that the bone poked through the skin. The scar from the stitching was still visible to this day.
Cullwich and Gwain accompani
ed Cai into the healer’s home – a round hut made of reeds from the swamp and held together with packed mud. Being near the shore there were a lot of stones around and most of the buildings in the compound were made of these small round stones. The healer, of course, would have no stone. He said it was dead and he would not live in a dead house. He needed to feel the life in everything, so he built his hut out of green wood and live reeds from the swampy moor.
Arthur stayed outside the healer’s hut and sat on the ground trying to figure out what had happened. How could he have seen something that wasn’t there? Was he dreaming while awake?
Something caught his eye and he glanced up at the trees near the hut. The air beyond the trees was shimmering and swirling in shades of blue and green and white. What on Earth was that? he thought.
He walked over to check out the sparkling light. Yet even one meter from the shimmering light, he could not figure out what was causing it. Suddenly the light expanded, grew, and grabbed Arthur! The boy was pulled into the maelstrom.
Arthur felt as if he were falling a great distance down a deep well. His body was twisted, twirled, and he fell for what seemed like forever. The light that had captured him began to leave him behind, his body fell and fell. He looked up and saw the light now far above him.
Suddenly he stopped. He landed softly at the bottom of the well and the lights went out. It was night, and Arthur was… somewhere – he wasn’t sure where. He stood up and took a step forward and realized he was standing directly under the top stone of a group of standing stones. He walked out into the grassy field and saw a darkening sky. He had no idea how he could fall down a well yet land under a rock.
Arthur looked up to see the first stars of the night appearing, but it was all wrong. The stars were familiar but they were not in the right places. He thought back to Morgana’s astronomy lessons. The stars move, but so slowly that it took thousands of years to change the sky.
He was suddenly very tired and sat down on the grass to collect himself. He thought I have been transported somewhere. What force could do something like this? He knew staying alone outside was dangerous and set off to find out where he was. One thing he knew for sure, he was no longer in Morgana’s rocky sea compound. The area around him was flat and grassy but he couldn’t see much with only the stars and moon to light his way.
As Arthur walked in the night looking at the skies above, he tripped and fell. He must have hit his head on a rock, because he got knocked out.
When he woke up it was morning and there was a beautiful woman standing above him. She was petite in height and her long black hair fell to her waist. Her eyes shone like the golden sun. Her skin, unlike her dark hair, was so pale it was almost translucent. Arthur jumped up quickly and said, “Somehow I suspect you had something to do with my being here.”
Chapter 3: Danu
April 7, 2200 B.C.E. Ireland
Arthur looked at the woman with curiosity. “Who, or what, are you?” he asked.
“I have been, and will be in the future, known by many names. Years from now the Greeks will call me Gaia, the Romans will call me Terra. Here the people of the Emerald Isle call me Danu, which means the wisest woman. I am the Earth Mother,” the woman explained.
“You are a goddess then?” Arthur asked, his dark brown eyes staring intently at the beautiful lady.
“The people here think I am a goddess because I can do certain… miracles. While I am of God, I am certainly no goddess, merely a simple servant. I have been here on your Earth since the beginning of time. I remember the first men, the first women. God, the Maker, the Great Spirit – He who is known by many names – sent me here to help protect the people who need it most. The Creator put me here to watch over all his children – you humans.” Danu smiled approvingly. Arthur sensed that she truly loved the human race.
“Where exactly am I? This is not Britain, for the stars were not right last night. They are the same stars but not in the same places. They’ve moved. By what trickery is that possible?” Arthur asked.
Danu was amused by Arthur’s total lack of knowledge. “Do you not know of the Emerald Isle? You have obviously received an inadequate education in history. You are in the year 2200 B.C., by your calendar. This land is called the Emerald Isle by its people. In your time you would call it Ireland – the planes of southern Ireland to be precise. I have brought you here to help me with a very important task.”
Danu was not shocked that Arthur did not question the notion of time travel. She knew the boy was intelligent and obviously he was also able to handle the unexpected. “How did you bring me back in time 2700 years?” he asked.
“Arthur, imagine bending a sapling to make a snare. You’ve done that in the woods, have you not?” Danu asked.
“Of course. What boy hasn’t?” Arthur replied with a grin.
“I did the same with time to bring you to me. I reached into your time and grabbed you; but the power of time strains against my grasp. Soon, like the bent sapling, the time force will snap and hurl you back home.” Danu explained how she could bend time to bring people from the future back to her time but she could not bend enough of it to bring through an adult. She could only bring adolescents – someone usually no older than 13 or 14.
Arthur was puzzled. “But if you have so many powers, reaching through time, living forever, what could you possibly need me for?”
“It is true that I can perform certain miracles – even pulling some people through time, but I am unable to hurt any man or even an animal. Even when I try, it doesn’t work. If I throw a rock at an animal it passes right through. I am forbidden by the Maker to cause harm. Because of these limitations, I need you,” she replied.
“You need me to hurt someone?”
Danu nodded. “There is an evil force here. The Emerald Islanders call them the Kullucks. They are violent animals and although they walk upright and look somewhat like men, they are not human. They are mindless creatures, spawned from the Underworld itself.
Senchos the Footless leads this evil band, and has attacked the people of Finias, the largest city in this land. King Tuan of Finias has called in his allies, a nomadic people called the Firbolg, but Senchos attacks again and again. The Kullucks killed the king’s oldest son, Élan, and so many villagers that I dare not count them for I will break down in tears once again. Most have fled for safety but it is only a matter of time before the Kullucks attack again. Soon there will be nothing left of Finias. Then the evil horde will move north to the other towns and villages of the Emerald Isle, destroying everything in their path.” Arthur could see the horror in her eyes. They mirrored her thoughts so well that Arthur felt as if he could see what she was thinking.
“My dream,” murmured the boy. After a moment he continued. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, My Lady, but what do you think that a 12 year old boy can do that others can not?”
Arthur stood up straight as he spoke. Perhaps if he were taller he could make himself look older and somehow more competent. He stared into her golden eyes trying to see into her thoughts.
Danu replied, “I need to help King Tuan but don’t know how. I am out of ideas. That’s where you come in. Someday you will be a great king, Arthur. Even now you are an intelligent, imaginative young man, trained in the art of war. These people need a warrior’s skills. Will you help me?”
Arthur studied Danu and pondered the request. “And if I don’t? Will you send me home and bring someone else who can help?”
“No, Arthur, it is not that simple. I cannot control when the powers of time will snap you back home. That will happen by itself. My powers are limited. I will not have the strength to bring someone else for many months. By that time, I’m afraid the people of Finias will be lost. The Kullucks will kill them all.” Danu’s eyes flamed whenever she mentioned the evil horde.
“Then I will help you. It is the honorable thing to do, My Lady.”
“Thank you, young Arthur. You are truly a chivalrous future king. Your aunt
is raising you very well. I hope that your warrior skills are as well developed as your honor,” Danu replied.
“Yes, My Lady, they are. I would be happy to help King Tuan fight this evil. How much of his army remains and when can I meet with him to make our plans? Do your powers to see into the future give you any idea how long until the next attack? We will need at least two weeks to forge weapons and gather troops.” Arthur was already formulating a plan of attack in his mind.
Danu sighed. “Time is something that we do not have a lot of. I cannot tell when the Kullucks will attack again, but I do know that those I bring to my time only have a few weeks, sometimes only days. Then time scoops them up and sends them home.”
“Days! What can we do in only a few days? We will need weapons of steel and many men.” Arthur paced the ground, chewing on his lower lip.
“Arthur,” began Danu. “There is no steel in this time – only bronze.”
“Bronze.” Arthur sat down on a rock and cradled his head in his hands. “Bronze bends. What will we do?”
Chapter 4: Magic and the Dolmens
April 7, 2200 B.C.E. Ireland
“Arthur, I will take you to meet with King Tuan. Since the Kullucks overran Finias, King Tuan has spent many hours each day sitting in the dolmen that holds his son’s ashes. I’m sure we will find him there now,” Danu said as they walked across the Senmag, the plane of souls.
Arthur had seen groups of standing stones during his childhood in England. There were hundreds of ruins scattered across his homeland. But here the stones were not ruins – they were neatly arranged across the plane. Danu called them dolmens. They were made up of three or four upright stones, generally roofed with a single huge stone.