by Tom Larcombe
Merlin quickly switched to his Sight and found that Nimue's essence was curled up in a protective sphere around their unborn child. The same substance he'd seen attack Nimue before was attempting to breach the sphere and get to the still-developing child.
Merlin poured his own power into Nimue, strengthening the shield she'd made of herself that blocked their child from attack. As he watched, the shimmering substance took on a miniature form of the dragon he'd seen incinerated less than a year ago. The creature used its jaws to tear into the sphere Nimue had made of herself, tearing off small chunks and either swallowing them or tossing them aside.
Bits of power floated through the air, to be captured by the lightning tree. As the tree absorbed more of Nimue, Merlin watched in awe as a tendril of magical power grew from the trunk at ground level. It wormed its way under Nimue and he saw power begin to flow back into Nimue's sphere from the trunk, as though the tendril were a root for her to draw sustenance from.
Merlin used the last of his own energy to form the white hot bar of flame on his finger. He struck at the tiny form of the dragon ravaging Nimue. The flame carved off a small portion, which floated into the air to be absorbed by the tree. Cautiously, he struck straight to the center of the creature and it vanished in a haze of magical mist.
Merlin tried to get Nimue to respond once the attack was over but her body remained limp on the ground. The sphere formed of her essence pulsed with power and appeared to strengthen and harden as he watched.
Merlin stood by helplessly. He couldn't contact Nimue's mind and he couldn't get her body to respond. He was at a loss and simply stood there, watching over her, until Brenda and Gwyddon found him.
“What's wrong?” Brenda asked.
“Nimue was under attack, or maybe our child was since she's formed her essence into a barrier to defend it,” Merlin answered.
“What can we do?”
“Watch her. I'm going to go get some help. You may need to feed power to her if she comes under attack again.”
Merlin described what he'd seen during the last attack and left Brenda and Gwyddon watching Nimue as he ran to the base. When he arrived at John's office, only Nigel was there.
“Nigel, can you help me? Nimue's under some form of magical attack that I'm unfamiliar with,” Merlin blurted out.
Nigel grabbed a bag from a desk drawer and followed Merlin out of the office. They arrived at the cottage quickly.
“So, you say the attack is over but she's still like this?” Nigel asked.
“As far as I know. I can't See anything attacking her any more. But I can't get any response from her either physically or mind to mind, so I don't know for sure.”
Nigel removed two crystals and a pair of eyeglasses from his bag. He donned the glasses and tapped the crystals for power. With his Sight, Merlin saw the lenses on the eyeglasses begin to glow.
After a minute, Nigel removed the glasses and turned to Merlin.
“There are tiny bits of something on the outside of that sphere she's formed. They're different than the rest of the sphere. They move around almost at random and appear to be searching for something. My guess is that the attack is still taking place. The attacker is looking for a means to breach the sphere and when those tiny bits find a way in, the rest of the attack will follow.”
“Don't mince words Nigel. You're telling me Ave has Nimue, and my child, under siege?”
“If your guess is correct and Ave is the attacker, then yes that sounds about right.”
“What can I do about it?”
“I honestly don't know. If it got through those shields you told me about, then I don't know a way to ward off the attack. Barring the destruction of whatever body Ave is currently residing in, I don't know how else to defend against this.”
“So, if I destroy Ave's body the attack will cease?” Merlin asked.
“Eventually. Something like this needs to be powered regularly. The small bits may last on their own for hours but without being fed, they'll disappear. But we don't even know where Ave is or what body she's using.”
“The Germans are still acting insane and the orders for those actions come down from higher up the chain of command, so I assume she's in whatever body she used to instigate this madness in the first place.”
Someone cleared their throat audibly. Merlin turned to see Ferox in his human form.
“I might be able to assist you in locating Ave,” Ferox said.
“Good, then you can fly me to her and we can be done with her meddling,” Merlin said.
“I'm afraid I can't do that. If I arrange for you to locate her, then I'm not assisting you in fighting her, technically. If I fly you in for an attack, that would be different and she'd know and gain a measure of control over me before we even got there.”
Merlin fumed.
“Well, where is she then?”
Ferox slowly turned, then pointed a finger.
“She's that way. A long ways off.”
“How's that going to help me?”
Merlin was beginning to sound frantic.
“Wait a moment. Do you have one of your crystals that only holds power? No spells on it.”
“Here's one, the only spell on it is the ward to keep the power from draining away.”
“That should do,” Ferox said.
He took the crystal and did something with it. Merlin could tell that it was magic, but it wasn't a magic he was familiar with.
The dragon handed the crystal back to Merlin.
“Slowly turn with the crystal.”
Merlin did as he was told. When the crystal was pointing in the same direction Ferox had indicated earlier, the tip of it was glowing brightly enough to be seen in the daytime.
“Aha! A locator,” Merlin said.
“Yes, but if you give me an hour with it, I can make it more efficient. I'll take it north and add another layer to the spell. Then when you use it, it will triangulate and you can determine exactly where she is. The closer you are to her, the brighter it will glow.”
Merlin handed the crystal back to Ferox.
“The sooner the better. She's attacking my wife and my unborn child. I'll not tolerate this. It was bad enough last time, but now she's made it personal.”
Ferox moved into the open field and shifted to his dragon form. He immediately took flight and headed north.
“Nigel,” Merlin said, “I need to be assigned a mission, right now. One to remove the insane supernatural influence that caused the Germans to start this war.”
Nigel shook his head.
“You know that John would need to be the one to assign you that. You also know that he won't be willing to do it without requesting permission from his superiors, which would take weeks.”
“Let's find him. He'll give me the mission or I'll resign and do it on my own. Gunter, I know you're my bodyguard but will you please stay and guard Nimue? We've no idea if there will be a physical attack to accompany the mental one. If something happens to her I'll be more devastated than if the same were to happen to me so you'll still be guarding me by doing so.”
Gunter nodded, one hand going to the pistol he wore at all times.
* * *
Chapter 3
John was in the office when they returned. Merlin immediately launched into his plea.
“John, Ave's back and interfering again. I need you to send me after her. I've got a means to locate her and I'm going to destroy whatever body she's using and make sure she doesn't grab herself a new one this time.”
“Wait, one step at a time,” John said. “What's she doing? How do you know it's her?”
“She's attacking Nimue, or maybe my unborn child, I'm not sure which. Either way Nimue is utterly unresponsive and she's formed her essence into a barrier around the child. So I want you to give me a mission to destroy Ave. Both Anguis and I recognized her in different ways so we're sure it's her.”
“I can't do that Merlin.”
Merlin's voice got louder a
s he lost patience.
“What? You mean you won't do that.”
John's volume increased in response.
“No, I mean I can't do that. After your mission to rescue the dragons I was forbidden to assign you anything that would put you in danger. I was especially chastised for allowing you to work deep in enemy territory and told never to do that again.”
Merlin's volume continued to rise.
“So, ignore your orders. Send me after her. You know it would make things much easier for the rest of the troops if she were gone. The enemy might actually see reason and listen to logic with her removed. You might even get them to surrender and be able to end the war.”
“I can't do that Merlin. You know I'd love to let you do this. That I'd love to go with you even. But I can not do it.”
John's voice dropped to a whisper.
“They've got a Geas on me. They said I was too much of a loose cannon.”
Merlin stared at him for a moment, then resumed speaking in a softer voice.
“Then I've no choice but to resign my commis—”
“Wait a minute,” Nigel said.
Both John and Merlin turned to him.
“Merlin, you've taken no leave ever, not even for your honeymoon, correct?” Nigel asked.
“I keep trying to, but then I end up mixing business with pleasure.”
“Then I think you should take your accumulated leave. Now. I can authorize that and John doesn't need to be involved.”
Nigel winked at Merlin.
John looked at Nigel, then Merlin. He turned and entered his office, closing the door behind him.
“What you choose to do with your leave is up to you,” Nigel said. “But I'd recommend starting it tomorrow and, before you start it, checking out a few items for personal use.”
Merlin looked at Nigel, amazed that the once proper Englishman was willing to be as duplicitous as he was offering to be.
“I'd like to request my accumulated leave, beginning tomorrow,” Merlin said.
“Certainly, I'll get the paperwork done right now. In approximately fourteen hours, at midnight, your leave will commence. You've got two weeks coming to you if I remember correctly.”
“Thank you. I didn't want to resign, but...” Merlin said.
“Please, don't tell me anything. What I don't know, I can't be forced to impart to others. I will say that I'll stop in to check on Nimue sometime tonight. I might bring a few friends also.”
“Thank you again. I've a few things to do before I start my leave so if you'll excuse me?”
Nigel nodded.
“Go do what you have to,” he said.
* * *
Merlin's stomach was queasy as he left the building. His mind raced in a sickening fashion to match his stomach.
What do I need? Where will she be? What can I do about this? I need to make a plan, he thought.
As his feet made their way to the quartermaster his mind made tentative plans. When he arrived, he was momentarily surprised at the size of the building the quartermaster was housed in.
Oh yes, I forgot. Once the dragons started dropping supplies for the troops they increased our store of ready materials.
Merlin made his way into the building and back to the man he normally dealt with for work-related materials.
“Allan, I need some equipment.”
“What can I get you today Merlin?”
“I'm going to need a German Luger, spare magazines, and ammunition for it.”
“How much ammo do you want?”
“Two hundred rounds should suffice. I'll also need some K-rations. I think I'll have room for five of those.”
“I can do that, anything else?”
“Yes. Give me three canteens, twenty-five of the charged crystals, and a sun flashlight as well.”
Allan shook his head.
“You know I can only dispense five crystals at a time to any one person.”
“Sorry, it slipped my mind. Five will have to do.”
“You want a pack for all this?”
“Standard issue backpack should hold all of that, yes?”
Allan nodded.
“Then yes, the pack also please.”
Allan turned and left. Merlin knew it wouldn't take long to get his items. Allan was a wizard but he didn't have enough power for anything combat related. He had one special talent that made him invaluable though, he possessed an eidetic memory. In the jumble that filled the supply building on base, this skill was put to constant use.
A few minutes later Merlin watched Allan tick off his requests as he packed them into the bag. He also laid down three slightly different Lugers on the counter top.
“I didn't know which one you wanted, so I brought all three for you to choose from.”
Merlin picked up each pistol, hefting it and comparing it to the one he'd used. Gunter had insisted on training him in firearms and the ex-German soldier used his own pistol for the training. Merlin found one that was very close to the one he'd trained on and chose it.
“Sign here please,” Allan said.
Merlin signed the paper. He thanked Allan but before he turned to leave the quartermaster looked at him strangely.
“What's wrong Merlin? You aren't acting like yourself.”
Merlin sighed.
“No word of this goes anywhere but here, okay?”
Allan nodded.
“Nimue's under attack, mental attack. I need to go and remove the attacker but, as far as we can tell, she's deep in Germany.”
“So you're going after the attacker physically? Why not with magic?”
“Let's just say that this attacker has significantly more experience with magic than I do.”
Allan blanched at the ramifications of that statement.
“I'm not supposed to have this here but maybe it'll help you even the odds some.”
Allan slid a smoky-gray crystal across the counter. Merlin looked at it curiously and picked it up.
“What is it?” he said.
He looked at the crystal with his Sight and saw a tight shield right at the surface.
“Don't remove the shield on it until you want to use it,” Allan said. “When you do, it will nullify all magic within a ten foot circle or so. It draws it into itself and then you can use that power at a later date, assuming you're still alive to use it.”
Merlin looked shocked.
“What are you doing with something like that on this base?”
“Merlin, do you have any idea of what it's like to have just a touch of magic? And to have everyone around you with so much more it's as if you have none? That's my protection in case things go bad or I get a wizard in here demanding things they aren't supposed to have and not taking no for an answer.”
Merlin recalled his helplessness when Ave had taken over Gunter and there was nothing he could do about it.
“I've been in similar situations. But I can't take this, you said it's your protection.”
“Well, they take a long time to set up so...” Allan said, a blush suffusing his face, “I have a spare.”
He opened his other hand to reveal a near twin to the crystal lying on the counter top.
Merlin chuckled, briefly.
“Then thank you and I'll accept your gift. Hopefully I can return it to you some day.”
He turned to leave, but not before seeing Allan's expression turn worried from Merlin's uncertainty.
* * *
Merlin's next stop was the firing range. After firing a single magazine of ammunition, then checking that all the magazines fed the rounds properly, just as Gunter had taught him, he was satisfied with his pistol.
Merlin headed back for the cottage. He hoped that there was some improvement in Nimue's condition but he wasn't counting on it. He found her still lying on the ground near the tree. Someone had provided a pillow and blankets. They'd also arranged her body in a more comfortable position.
Merlin dropped his pack in the house, then came ba
ck out and sank to the ground next to Nimue.
“Oh my love, what am I to do? I'm told I can't go after your attacker officially, yet there's no other way for me to help you and I refuse to sit idly by while you're attacked,” he murmured softly.
Merlin took Nimue's hand in his own and idly caressed her fingers. When he brushed the wedding ring he'd made for her it was as though he'd touched a live electrical wire.
{Merlin? Is that you?} came Nimue's mental voice.
{Nimue, are you alright? What's going on? I couldn't contact your mind directly.} Merlin sent in return.
{I'm not exactly alright but I'm holding on. I left the channel to the ring open so I could recharge my energy. I didn't realize you'd be able to contact me through it.}
{What's happening? Is it Ave attacking you? It seems to be and the dragons say that it probably is.}
{No Merlin, Ave isn't attacking me. She's attacking our daughter. Ave is trying to take our daughter's mind and body over before she's even born. She thinks that as a product of two Tainted wizards our daughter will have a dragon form at some point in her life. Ave desperately craves a dragon form again despite leaving her previous one for decades at a time.}
Merlin was stunned by Nimue's revelation.
{She's trying to take over an unborn child's body? Our unborn child?}
Merlin's vision grew red and he heard someone screaming at high volume. It took him a moment to realize that it was his own voice he was hearing. Then he stopped. He took his rage and fury and drove them away so they no longer controlled him. He slowly bottled them up and held them for future use. By the time he was done, his entire body seemed to buzz with barely controlled power.
{She will not succeed. I'll drive her from the body she's in and make sure she gains no other before fading into oblivion. I swear this to you!} Merlin sent to Nimue.
{Be careful Merlin. She expects that of you and has planned for it. I couldn't pick more out of her mind before going on the defense but your efforts won't be a surprise to her. Now, communicating with you this way is more draining than normal and I need to save my energy to defend our daughter. I love you Merlin.}