by Philip Blood
Hail Atlantis!
-Donovan
My father… is Merlin? That thought kept going through my head, but I couldn’t wrap my brain around it.
It turned out Morgain had called all her remaining necromages to the battle, and so there were none left here on Mystical Island. We went to the place where Morgain had created her own portal to the other Worlds. Merlin did some sensing and told us this is where our opponents had escaped, all leaving Abal.
Merlin started to walk out, headed to search other parts of the fortress, but I noticed Toji lingering behind. I stopped and said, “What is it, Toji?”
Merlin and the others paused at the exit.
Toji came toward me, looking apologetic, and when he drew near he said, “Please forgive me for what I must do, Master Justnick, and understand I have no choice.”
I was puzzled, “Forgive you, for what?”
He suddenly snatched the hilt of Caliburn from where I was wearing it belted at my waist, and then stepped back with the naked blade in his hand.
“Toji!” I said, frowning and taking a step back. I was shocked, why would Toji, my friend, want to kill me?
“That is Excalibur!” Merlin said, “I would know that sword anywhere!”
But Toji didn’t attack me, or anyone else, he just smiled, rather sadly, and then stepped into the Portal and disappeared, taking Caliburn, or as Merlin called it, Excalibur, with him to another World.
“Toji!” I yelled, but I was speaking to his brief afterimage.
Merlin came back to the portal and said, “I can sense where he went; it was Earth, though to which portal there I cannot say.”
“Can you tell where the others went as well?”
Merlin shook his head, “The older the use, the harder that is, I can only sense where Toji went because he departed so recently.”
I was still looking at the Portal and said, “How could Toji do that? He has sworn an oath to serve me, and yet he took the sword I had promised to return to Nimue.”
Merlin answered, “I do not know, Bakemono Honor is a strange thing, it can have many more twists and turns than you might imagine. For now, I would guess he was honor bound in some other way, he seemed quite apologetic for this act, so maybe it is something he could not avoid.”
I nodded, but I felt a sense of betrayal; after all we had gone through, my ‘friend’ had chosen to leave, without a word or explanation. It made no sense. I sighed, and then said, “Well, Nimue is going to be pissed when she learns I let her sword get stolen.”
Merlin laughed, “The Lady of the Lake will get over it, she has in the past,” he said with a chuckle.
“You have had trouble with Caliburn before?” I asked.
Merlin replied, “I prefer some of the more recent terms, ever since we used it on Earth, the sword has been known as Excalibur.”
“From the old King Arthur legends,” I noted, and then asked, “Are you really the Merlin from those tales?”
He chuckled softly, “No, and yes. I am likely the person they are referring to, but the details of the legend are no doubt mostly myth by now, with very little of the real facts involved. That often happens as time passes and events are passed down through the mundane records.”
“And Medrod? Who is he in those legends?”
“Perhaps you heard of Mordred, and Morgana?”
“Medrod and Morgain?”
Merlin nodded, and then added, “And at this point, I can guess who The White Enchantress is, even though you seem bound not to tell me, or confirm my guess.”
“Oh?” I asked.
“The White Enchantress is the translation of Finnabair, an Irish name. Of course, Finnabair is Gwenhwyfar, in Welsh, which translates to the more modern name of Guinevere. I’m not surprised Guinevere was involved in this Civil War, she was also deeply involved in the whole Dragon affair on Earth.”
My head was spinning as I tried to reconcile the old legends with the actual people I had come to know and that my father was the wizard Merlin, and my mother Guinevere.
Now that Five Point travel was available on Mystical Island, Merlin opened a portal to Poseidon. Once there he dismissed the wizard Timarod from control of the city, assigning the suddenly blue faced saeran to more clerical duties. I remembered the little officious bastard, Timarod, quite well, he was the wizard who had tried to kill Myrka and hold me in Poseidon a few weeks ago. Merlin took control of the capital and set things swiftly in order.
When he finished, I had a chance to be alone with my father for the first time. I really wanted to tell him I was his son, but I’d promised my mother, so I waited. However, there was something else I’d come to Abal to ask the Archimage.
“Merlin?”
He was at a large stone desk, looking over reports, and glanced up at me. He put his pen aside, and sat back, and then said, “So, are you ready to tell me the rest of what you have been holding back?”
I grimaced, “You notice that?”
“A wizard, of my House, comes to my rescue on Mystical Island, yes, I knew there was a lot more to your story, and I just figured you weren’t ready to tell it yet.”
I nodded, and then explained about my missing memory, the dream about my orders to obtain information, and the fact that The Dragon was after me, and how I’d taken something I could not recall from the Dark One. I then explained my reasoning that Merlin was the one who had ordered me to steal from The Dragon since Merlin was my Archimage, and how I’d come to Abal in hopes he could help restore my memories, and retrieve the information I’d obtained.
After explaining the whole thing, Merlin just sat there for a time, staring at me, and then finally said, “Well, the first thing I have to tell you is I did not send you to steal information from The Dragon, or from anyone, for that matter. I don’t know you.”
Of course! He would have recognized me immediately had I been one of his agents, and a known mage. I should have thought of that, but things had been moving so swiftly I hadn’t had a chance to stop and think it through.
He continued, “Now, as to restoring your memories, I will take a look and see if there is anything that can be done.”
He concentrated and then asked me, “Do you remember anything now?”
I shook my head, “Nothing new, not about who ordered me to steal the information, or what information, or anything past waking up in the Temple of Karnak.”
He nodded, “I was afraid of that. The spell they used likely wiped those memories completely, so I cannot create them again without knowing them myself. However, it is possible that the person who hit you with the spell could restore them if they were kept. Now, it is equally possible you will still remember them on your own, especially since you have gotten a couple of things back. That makes me believe there is more you may recover. Perhaps some will come back when you get to more familiar things. For example, if you could find the actual person who gave you those orders, it might help you remember, it’s hard to say, but don’t lose hope!”
A few hours later we Five Point traveled to Ouroboros, where we found that, with the help of my mother’s golem army, Oberon’s forces had mostly destroyed and then routed the remainder of Morgain’s army.
There were several mages at Ouroboros, so Merlin ordered a Fourth to take over control of this city and another Fourth, and two Fifths to Five Point travel to Poseidon. With those two cities covered, he ordered Oberon to go to Mystical Island, where he was to capture Morgain should she decide to return via the Portal. With Oberon being a Second, he could hopefully handle Morgain should she return. He then ordered the bulk of the remaining army to go to the aid of Gunder, at the city of Kromwall, with orders to liberate the city, and then head for the fortress of Nithar to aid Braun against any remaining forces of Morgain’s armies.
Merlin then opened a Star to Castle Ivory. I was anxious to have my mother talk to Merlin so that I could finally tell him I was his long lost son, and speak to him as my father. On arriving at my mother’s castle, we foun
d Morgain’s besieging army gone, they had been defeated and then had disbanded due to desertions. As soon as word had spread that Mystical Island had fallen, and Morgain was on the run from the First Wizard of Abal, those who were conscripted, due to fear, deserted, and the rest fled.
But we soon discovered that my mother was not at Ivory Castle. I tried calling her name aloud, but no spirit bridge was formed. This meant it was likely she was off World by now.
Once that was evident, Merlin decided to depart, and said, “I’m sorry, I wished to thank the architect of the plan that freed me from my imprisonment at Morgain’s hand, and helped to liberate Abal. If she should return, please have her come to the capital so that I can personally give her my thanks. Or, if she is still pursuing Morgain, I offer my aid in apprehending the Island Witch so that we can give her the reward she so richly deserves, an end to her entire line.”
I nodded. I really wanted to tell him the truth about our relationship, but I had to keep my promise to my mother, so I let him go. Merlin made a Star and Five Point traveled out, heading back to the capitol. I decided to stay in case my mother returned through her portal.
The others were grabbing some food when I wandered into the library. It was the place I most associated with my mother. In the time we’d spent here, I’d most often found The White Enchantress in her library, sitting in her favorite chair while reading. On the small table next to that big comfortable chair is where I found the envelope. Not just anyone could have found it, the envelope only appeared when I drew near, and it hadn’t been here earlier when others were present. She must have set it to only appear for me, and when I was alone.
I opened the letter and read:
“Dear son.
“If you are reading this, then things did not go as planned at Mystical Island, yet I am pleased you have survived. It also means I am either dead or have gone seeking Morgain. You will survive me because you are part of your father’s line. If I am not here, yet still alive, just know I have my reasons for hunting Morgain, and must pursue this quest. I will contact you soon!
“However, now I must reveal part of the plan you were not yet meant to know while still on Mystical Island. This will be hard, but you must understand that I always have good reasons for the things I tell you, true or false. First off, I really am your mother, but forgive me for telling you Merlin is your father, he is not. In fact, Merlin is the person who stole you from me when you were a child. I sensed him but was unable to find where he had taken you. I followed him to Earth, and there went through various things in my quest to find you, my son.
“I was on Earth with your father, The White Knight, during that time. He now resides on my home world. I cannot tell you about him, not now. I have very good reasons why I must keep his real identity a secret from you. Just know you are a Sivaeral Second. But, your father’s true identity MUST be kept hidden from everyone, for that makes you what the Houses term a ‘Crossbreed Bastard’. You are the son of an Albus Second and a Sivaeral Second. This is forbidden, by the Accords, and if it were common knowledge, you would be hunted by all the Houses. Therefore, for your safety, and other reasons, this MUST remain our secret! Tell no one!
“Now, here is why I lied to you about Merlin being your father when he is really your abductor. I never learned why Merlin took you from me when you were a small child, but I did discover that Merlin was either in league or had some compact with The Dragon. I do not know if they are still working together, or if that was only a temporary truce between Archimages. What I do know is this, we must find out the truth. I arranged this whole plan so you would rescue Merlin because you thought he was your father, and I hope this plan has come to fruition! If so, then he trusts you now, and you may continue to be known to him as a Hidden Third of House Sivaeral. Even if Merlin figures out who I am, he will not suspect you are spying for me; he does not know I learned of his involvement with The Dragon on Earth.
“Stay the course, play your part, and learn what you can from Merlin, but never trust him! Stay with Merlin as a loyal Sivaeral wizard until we find the truth about him and The Dragon. Then we can decide, together, what we should do. When you have learned something valuable, come to me on my home World.
Love,
Your Mother.”
I placed the letter back in the envelope and then onto the table. I walked to the books and looked at them absently; I was considering my mother’s words.
That is when Morgain said, “Interesting. They say an Albus plan has so many layers you never know when you have reached the center.”
I turned and found the Dokkalfar necromancer standing by my mother’s chair, reading the letter Guinevere had left for me. She did not seem concerned, or even threatening, but I knew better.
“What are you doing here, Witch,” I answered.
She put down the letter and then smiled, as she replied, “Hiding from your mother, and this is the last place I figured she would look. Obviously, now I’m going to have to find somewhere else to go. I’m quite angry with her, she has ruined centuries of work! I had all but completed the destruction of House Sivaeral, but you have ruined all that, and I will have my revenge on you!”
“Good luck, Bitch without an Island,” I retorted.
She glowered at me for a moment and then shrugged, and spoke without showing anger, “You have killed my husband…”
“You don’t seem very put out about that,” I noted.
She ignored me and continued calmly, “and released the Archimage of Sivaeral. In hindsight, the second time we bound him I should have just killed the Archimage, but there was my ‘husband’; if I killed his father, well, that would have also meant Medrod’s death. Still, now I see that it would have served me better. No matter, the Dokkalfar WILL destroy all of the Houses; all you have done is delay the inevitable.”
“Glad to be of service,” I noted flippantly.
She was walking slowly around the room but staying some distance from me. She smiled, and said, “You know you are being played, right?”
I shook my head, “Are you really going to try to put doubts in my head about my mother? You, who are an evil bitch who murders children?”
She smirked at me, “No, not about your mother, though you should take care, she is an Albus, and there is more to her plan than you understand. Why do you think she stopped you from killing me? But right now I’m talking about your father, the White Knight.”
“What about my father?”
She laughed, “He is not a Sivaeral Wizard, Nicholas. The White Knight is from another House, though your mother did not bother to inform you of the truth. However, this is not the first time she has lied to you, is it?”
“You’re just attempting to sow mistrust in my mind.”
She smiled, “And it’s working, too. But, I don’t have to make things up to trouble your mind, the truth works even better. However, I trust you won’t take MY word for it, will you?”
“Never, but I will kill you!”
She laughed, “You will try, but first you will seek confirmation of what I have told you, and when you find it, remember that I spoke the truth when your mother gave you nothing but lies.”
“Screw you, bitch! If I messed up your precious plans, why don’t you just try to kill me now?”
“I have much better ways to hurt you than just killing your body, and I have great plans for you, Nicholas. However, now that I have had a chance to meet you I am intrigued, you have so much anger! I could use a mate with your ability to hate! What is it that drives you to hate me with such delicious force?”
“You murdered Ziny.”
“Does the death of one small saeran sorceress matter to you so much? Why was she so important? I have killed whole lines of mages and with them every child in that line. What does it matter? In the end, all of you will die.”
I shook my head sadly at her and said, “The fact that you do not understand why one small sorceress matters is the difference between us.”
Th
e left corner of her lips lifted slightly in an amused smirk, then she changed the subject, “Have you ever wondered who really took your memory… and why, Nicholas? I will tell you something which your Albus friends have hidden from you; your memory can be restored. It was hidden from you, not destroyed.”
I snarled at her, “Before I kill you, would you like to tell me what you know of who took my memory, and why?”
She smiled very slyly and replied; “Now why would I want to help you? The only reason I am even talking to you, instead of ending your line, is that you have a part to play, and, as a side benefit, I wish to cause you pain and anguish. You will become a thorn in your mother’s side, which is to my advantage!”
I snorted, “And you tell me this, expecting that with my knowing your plan, I will still take part in it?”
Now she actually laughed outright, “Of course! I am not an Albus; I do not hide my plans beneath so many layers even I may not know my final end game. I am a simple sorceress, I follow the orders of my Archimage, and we will be the last House left alive before the end!”
“So all of this, the entire Civil War on Abal, the death of so many mages and other innocent folk, is all because you have orders from your Archimage?”
“Of course,” she replied.
“And Medrod, your ‘husband’?”
“He was just a tool, one who has now served his purpose. I am leaving Abal, so I have no need for a Sivaeral husband anymore. Your meddling has managed to thwart our plans, and for that, you will soon become the focus of my Archimage. I would tell you to go crawl under a rock, but that won’t save you, Nicholas. Now, I’m sorry, but I have to keep to my schedule, after all, I have a new World to destroy and your mother and father to kill.”
Then she stepped out of the doorway.
I ran toward where she had departed, pulling my Bowie knife, but when I rounded the corner I found the black outline of a Pentagram off in one of the alcoves near the library entrance. She had obviously prepared her means of departure ahead of time.