Merlin looked deep into the hooded shadow sitting across from his and tried to see the Daghdha's face. He didn't know of any human who had seen this God and lived to tell the tale.
"Old friend," said the Daghdha. He pulled back the cowl of his cloak allowing Merlin to see through to his true face and self. A human, or even a fae of a lesser strength, would have died in that instant. Merlin was neither. He saw the rugged, yet stunningly beautiful face of a true Tuatha Dé Danan. The blond hair was uncut, and framed a youthful face that should have been on statues around the world. In high contrast, the full, blond beard framed thin lips surrounding a cruel mouth while his eyes were a dark, storm-cloud grey. At the moment, those eyes drilled deep into Merlin's own. The Daghdha didn't speak.
Merlin closed his eyes and bobbed his head in acknowledgment of the honour he'd just received in seeing the Daghdha's true face.
He raised his head and impishly asked the cowled head, " Another beer. Or two?"
"I thought you'd never ask," said the Daghdha. His laughter shook the room.
With their beer mugs replenished, the two sat silently, each deep within their own thoughts. As the oldest and best of friends, and never enemies in any way or time, theirs was a comfortable silence.
"Ok, let's get it all out," said Merlin.
The Daghdha nodded. Merlin took this for encouragement and he told the story as best he knew hoping the Daghdha would fill in the blank spots.
"We fae are at the end of our world. We're going down further and further as humanity cuts itself off from the spiritual in their world. The Otherworld is dying in the onslaught and our homes are being destroyed. But fae is giving humanity once last chance to live in harmony before declaring a war that will end one of them," said Merlin.
The Daghdha only nodded.
"And it's my job to make this happen because I'm the only one who moves easily between both worlds and can live in either," said Merlin.
The Daghdha nodded again.
"So I get to take this on again and see if I can make this attempt the one that works," said Merlin. "And the Sixth Council has given me full latitude on how I want to approach the problem this time. I have the future of fae resting on my shoulders."
The Daghdha never moved for a few heart beats, then said, "That's the "what" I mentioned. We don't know about latitude."
"Do you think I have the time to ask before I make every decision? Do you think this can be done in any other way than the way we've tried in the past? Do we do this by human committee?" asked Merlin, his voice rising.
Merlin's face twisted into an unbelieving grimace and he continued, "Are there any other humans who would fill our criteria. And are those humans reincarnated now? Is there anyone else who has my power or geas?" He didn't leave a breath between his questions and he ran out of breath.
Merlin closed his eyes for a full thirty seconds. He opened them again and looked at the silent, unmoving, Daghdha in front of him.
The Daghdha simply nodded slightly.
Merlin nodded back. The contract had been sealed. Merlin would do it his way.
The Daghdha changed to reveal a grinning, smiling, beautiful face with laughing green-grey eyes. "Now we can have another beer or two, my old friend," he said. "And I'll tell you something the humans have just done."
Merlin nodded and both steins in the Daghdha's huge fists instantly refilled to the brim. He nodded his thanks and then began, "Merlin, are you familiar with the concept known as a multiverse?"
"No, I can't say that I am," said Merlin who immediately took a large swig of beer. He released a massive burp that echoed within the room. "That's better," he said with a satisfied, boastful chuckle.
This was met with a grin and a raised eyebrow from the Daghdha who continued where he'd been interrupted. "Then let me tell you a short story about this. Human physicists took a look at this world, and how it interacted with time, chance, and probability. They applied some voodoo mathematics to all of these concepts, well beyond my understanding, and decided the only answer would be another world that mirrored ours. Well, just like the humans always seem to do when one of them says something, another mathematician/physicist had to outdo the first. She said that if there was one alternate world, there had to be an infinite number of worlds. And they called this series of endless worlds and the options inside them, the multiverse." He took another draught of beer, and continued.
"This is how it was explained to me. If I asked you a question right now and you said "yes," that would be one world that would be created. If I asked you the same question right now and you said "no", a separate world would be created," said the Daghdha.
"What would happen if I said 'yes and no?'" asked Merlin settling a bit lower in his chair, pulling the footstool over with his foot, swinging both feet up and sinking even further into the deep stuffing of the old chair.
"Damned if I know, maybe a third world," said the Daghdha. "But what I can tell you is that there are worlds where fae have not only survived but have thrived. I tell you there are worlds in which you succeeded the very first time and have developed in amazing ways. I can tell you there are worlds where you fail this time and we have to move to the Seventh Council."
"So what you're telling me is that any option I can imagine, there is a world that has been created by that option being exercised," said Merlin. He sat a bit straighter in the chair.
"That's correct," said the Daghdha.
"So if I understand you correctly, this means with multiverses and multi-options…" said Merlin and he hesitated. "Can we move, that is, can fae move between universes?"
The Daghdha laughed uproariously. "We already have," he said. "You and I are probably having this conversation in another universe as well, but we don't know about that universe."
"But that's my question," said Merlin. "Can we integrate all of ourselves across the multiverse? Can fae move easily between the universes?"
The Daghdha looked at him silently for a few seconds before speaking again, "So what you're asking is can we integrate ourselves and be aware of all universes simultaneously?"
"Exactly," said Merlin. And a tingling at the back of his mind told him his deeper self was working on something but it couldn't quite pull it up, couldn't quite remember. He knew something about this. It was important but it just wouldn't come. He shook his head at himself with frustration and the worry about whether he was losing his mind surfaced again.
"What are you thinking, old friend? Your face just went somewhere else," said the Daghdha.
Merlin met his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. Then changed his mind and told his oldest and best friend the truth. "I find myself wondering whether I'm too old for this kind of thing. We were ancient legends when we took Nineveh. You remember how the two of us walked to the front so the warriors on the walls could see us and how they wailed at the sight of us? We were only a few thousand years old then but we were strong and full of life. And who really built the library at Alexandria as a repository for the future? The stupid humans then burned it when I was travelling. Whatever we've built, somebody tears it down." Merlin stopped, took a sip of his beer, shook his head and said, "I'm tired of all this nonsense. I don't feel as strong as I once did, and I don't know what to do about it. " He sighed, and leaned back into his chair.
Merlin looked into his glass, took a sip and spoke again, "You were smart. Once I'd led our people to these islands, you decided to stay and retire. I kept wandering and I've fought in more wars than I can remember. I've learned so much that I no longer remember what I've learned. I'm tired, my friend. I'm bone-weary tired of it all. The humans resent being helped and are intent on their own destruction. They harnessed new technologies that are well beyond their control and have no moral base on which to understand or use them. I'm tired of trying to help humans who refuse to be helped. And between the two of us, I think I may be slipping into my dotage. I sometimes think I don't remember things the way I used to do. I'm even considering my own death, my
friend whether it comes at my own willing hands or … " Merlin left the thought hanging.
The Daghdha nodded, didn't speak and left it to Merlin to continue his train of thought.
"I'm old, my friend. And I'm feeling my age," said Merlin. He stopped talking, took a sip of beer and then sat staring into the glass.
And unsettled silence grew between them.
Merlin took a deep breath, took a sip of beer and looked up into the Daghdha's eyes. "I really don't have a choice though, do I? As you said, it's my geas." Merlin took a long draught of beer, drained the glass and waved his friend on. "Give it all to me and get it over with so we can drink in peace," he said. His low, tired voice put a lie to his words.
The Daghdha looked at Merlin, nodded and said, "OK, well then back to the universe theory and my sense of this. I really don't know if it's possible, or whether it's probable, or even desirable. But, if it's possible, you are the one who can find a way to do it."
"Well, I don't…" began Merlin.
The Daghdha held up his hand and interrupted him. "Excuse me for interrupting my good friend, but if there is a way to understand this, and if there is a way to move between universes in this multiverse concept, there may be a world where fae do not exist at all. And in this case, you could find this universe and open a doorway to it so that we would have a retreat position should we need it if humanity wins the battle in this world."
Merlin interjected, "Or we could avoid the battle entirely if I succeed this time."
"Indeed the battle could be avoided. But if not, do we want to give up our world to the humans?" asked the Daghdha.
Merlin was silent. The thought of a few seconds ago continued to elude his searching mind. A minute passed while the two men dropped deep into their separate thoughts.
Merlin spoke first. "I will explore and see what I can learn about the multiverse. You on the other hand, must take that thought back to the fae and the different groups must discuss it. But not as a full Council yet. But yes, they must explore the options. Every group, whether it's dryads, elves, or those who go bump in the night, must be included and a decision must be made."
"Indeed my friend, a decision must be made," said the Daghdha. "This means of course that if you fail in either quest, either in finding the multiverse or in establishing a new fae kingdom here, we may die on this world. And as you know, when we call the Seventh Council there is no way forward but with our death, or that of the humans."
A deep silence grew as both men withdrew within their minds to consider these options.
Merlin spoke first. "If the multiverse theory is true, there's at least one world where we win this time."
The Daghdha only nodded.
"It could be this one," said Merlin.
The Daghdha just stared at him.
Security finds him again
A few days later, Merlin walked across a wide, dark-green lawn towards an ancient spring. He remembered the spring in the ages before recorded history. The fae living deep in the spring blessed babies when its water was poured over them, or if they were dipped into the overflowing, crystal-clear water that filled a shallow pool at its base. He had tasted the sweet water more than once and it was one of his favourite quiet spots. Or it had been a favourite spot before it was adopted by the medieval monks who stole possession away from the spirits of the spring, imprisoned the spring with a stone casement and called it a "well". They'd even renamed it after two local nobles in a fund-raising effort to secure patronage.
He'd known both Non and her son David quite well. Both were lovely, indeed saintly people and deserved all of the recognition they had received. What bothered him wasn't the naming of the well, it had been known by many different names over the years. Rather he was angry and sad at the same time because the church persistently tried to kill the resident fae with their churchly ceremonies to "purify" the well. Merlin knew it didn't require purifying, it simply needed tolerance. He knew tolerance was often in short supply when it came to the world of men.
Merlin walked down the steps beside the arch over top of the rock walls circling the spring's source, and around to the spot where the water overflowed. He bowed his head, and silently acknowledged both Saint David and Saint Non. He didn't find either of their spirits, but he did recognize the energy coming from the ancient fae still living deep within the spring.
He put his hand into the water to make contact with the elemental and sent his energy deep into the wellspring where the true spirit of the water lay.
Merlin sent the message, "My friends, I have need of your help. What is it I can do for you in return?"
An image rose in Merlin's mind of thousands of small coins that had been tossed into the fountain over the years and that now threatened to block the flow of the water itself. The request was clear. Clean the well of all the coins so the water and the energy could flow freely. It didn't matter to the fae who used the well, or for what purposes, they simply wanted the water to flow.
Merlin hadn't considered the effect of thousands of well-meaning pilgrims and tourists on a well of this kind. But with the slow strangulation, it could not have been fun to be one of the fae living deep within the wellspring. The reduced water flow would have slowly, and surely choked off both their contact with the outer world and the inner world of fae. They were in danger of starving physically and spiritually.
Merlin closed his eyes. He leaned over the well as far as he could and shoved his arm right up to the elbow in the water. He started swirling a pointed finger to get the water moving and then used his entire arm in greater and greater circles. The water circled faster and faster. With the whirlpool effect slowly but surely becoming stronger, Merlin started gesturing with his other hand in an upward motion. The circling water continued to increase in speed and power foaming against the sides of the old stone well.
Suddenly, there was a clinking, clanging, and banging, as coins of all sizes, denominations and history poured over the edge of the well into the flowing stone gutters below. Centuries of fallen leaves and mud followed and within a few minutes the ages of abuse had been removed from the wellhead. Within another few moments the well water ran clear and clean and had tripled its flow.
Merlin bowed his head in silent acknowledgement of the delight and praise that was showered on him from the fae below.
"May I ask a favour?" Merlin said. There was no question of acceptance, and even without Merlin having to ask the question the answer came.
"He's twelve years old. And so are the others. He's north of the border in…"
The voices of the fae in the well turned shrill and full of warning. "They are coming for you Merlin, and there is no time for more. Leave now. You will find your quarry, you will find your people, but we cannot guarantee or see the outcome. Go with our blessing. But go. Now!"
Merlin looked down at the roiling water, nodded, dropped his chin to his chest, and disappeared.
Ten seconds later, a squad of troopers double-timed down the stairs towards the well, but Merlin had disappeared. With a few hand signals the troopers spread out across the park in a fruitless search for their quarry.
Merlin Gets Angry
Merlin arrived almost instantly back in his Cardiff home from the well, but if one could see his angry face and the lights flashing in his eyes, they would have hesitated to approach.
"Enough is enough," said Merlin. His voice was soft, yet deadly serious. He paced back and forth in the small living room, slowly but surely venting his anger and frustration out into the world. The birds in the trees surrounding his home went silent. The dryads who normally played and sang in those trees, stopped and protected themselves as much as possible by moving to the side of the tree away from him. His anger was palpable in the fae world and nobody with any common sense wanted to be anywhere near him.
Merlin managed to bleed off enough anger and frustration that he could think clearly again. The first thing that he did was to check on the health and safety of his dryads and of all
the birds that made his day such a delight. He sent calming messages and reassured them all that he wasn't angry at them. It's is no good to be angry at the small folk he reminded himself. They are creatures of the light and it was my mistake to frighten them.
His second thought was to send messages of apology to all the creatures that had been afraid of him during the last while.
It was noted by all manner of fae that Merlin had learned a great deal during his time of imprisonment. The old Merlin would never have apologized to simple folk.
Merlin quieted. He brought his anger down, reduced his heart beat, focused his energy and brought it back under his control. Within a few seconds, it was as if nothing had happened.
But Merlin knew something had happened and he wanted, no, he needed to deliver a clear warning to the humans.
He took a deep breath, focused on his London house and found the trails left by the humans as they both entered searched his home and then left for their offices and barracks deep inside the city. He tracked several of those until he found the young Officer Ross. He followed this trace back to security headquarters and up into the offices of Angus Campbell, Director of MI5 - the UK Internal Security Department. A satisfied smile appeared on Merlin's face, and he decided that now was as good a time as any to confront this official.
He closed his eyes, quieted his emotions, focused his energy, and in his mind's eye he saw the office of the Director. He transported himself there.
Campbell had his feet up on his desk, his chair tilted back and a sheaf of papers in his hand. Merlin's appearance directly in front of his desk was totally unexpected, unbelievable and incredibly shocking.
"What the…" Campbell was not able to finish the sentence, he was not able to speak, or move. Frozen into place, the only thing he could move were his eyes and these tracked Merlin as the wizard slowly looked around the office taking everything in.
The Mage Returns Page 6