by J. M. Briggs
“Morgana,” Merlin called, turning towards his counterpart.
Holding up a finger, Morgana did not look up from the paper she was grading. “We instructed them that we would start at seven, they are early.”
Shaking his head slightly, Merlin chuckled and gave the waiting students a small shrug. Alex risked a glance over at Aiden who offered her a tiny smile before she looked back at Morgana. Professor Cornwall seemed completely calm, maybe even a little bored while Professor Yates looked excited and pleased to have them gathered together. His eyes met Alex's and he gave her a quick wink before looking up at the clock. Walking over to the doorway of the classroom, Merlin shut it and then raised his hand. Alex watched curiously as a soft blue haze covered the doorway, settling on the wood and giving it a gentle glow that lingered.
“Now it is seven o'clock,” Morgana announced, capping her red pen and drawing their attention back to her. “Let us begin,” she added as she stood from the desk gracefully. “You've had a few days to adjust yourselves to this new reality,” Morgana said as she picked up a marker from the desk and strode to the large whiteboard that filled one side of the room. “We are going to start with the basics of magic. We have explained the source of magic and its purpose, but in order for the four of you to survive as mages you must learn the basics of how to control magic and how to use if correctly lest you harm yourselves. To start, do you have any questions about what was discussed on Samhain?”
“Was King Arthur real?” Nicki asked suddenly, raising her hand high in the air.
Morgana sighed and set down the marker with a slight eye roll. Turning with a forced smile, she looked at Nicki and answered, “No, there was not a King Arthur, or a Camelot.”
“Oh,” Nicki sunk in disappointment before brightening up again, “What about Excalibur? Was there a real sword that inspired the legend?”
Merlin stepped towards their desks, quickly, to intervene before Morgana replied. He smiled warmly at Nicki. “Well that's a complicated question Nicki,” he answered gently. “When I was young the Bronze Age was still in place and swords were created by pouring molten bronze into molds. In my case, the first sword I ever made was done with a stone mold. Once the metal cooled, I literally pulled a sword from a stone.”
Alex blinked at that piece of information and Aiden gave a low whistle, clearly impressed. Merlin beamed at their expressions and when Morgana stepped forward to speak, gestured for her to wait. “And a part of my people's religion was returning items to the earth by burying them or placing them in water. Plus, there was a Lady of the Lake who taught me magic and dwelt in water. She inspired the mythology of King Arthur and several goddesses in the later Celtic tradition.”
Bran leaned forward with a small frown, “So how did you two become associated with King Arthur? I mean the myths say that Morgana was his sister-”
“Anyway,” Morgana interrupted, her eyes flashing dangerously. “As much as I appreciate your curiosity about history there are several things we need to cover today so you can start learning magic.” She gave Bran a look and added, “And I'll remind you that modern retellings make me evil and incestuous.”
Bran flushed slightly at her pointed remark and nodded quickly, shrinking back in his chair. Morgana shifted her green eyes to Aiden next, then Nicki and then Alex, silently reminding them that she was the professor and worse, the fully realized mage. Apparently she was satisfied with their chastised expressions as she turned sharply on her heel.
Back at the white board, Morgana selected a black marker and uncapped it, making a sound that resonated in the now quiet room. Merlin chuckled softly, earning him a look from Morgana, but it didn't seem to bother him. Alex noted that he looked amused at Morgana's theatrics and wondered for a moment if they had stayed together all throughout their long lives. She frowned softly; the thought of just how long they had been alive raising new questions, but Morgana began to write on the board and Alex forced herself to pay attention.
In one long graceful movement, Morgana drew the triskele symbol on the board that matched her necklace and the pin that Merlin wore. A long line, three spirals all sloping in the same direction rotated outward from a shared central point. It reminded Alex of an optical illusion, standing in stark contrast as black on the white board.
“This is the triskele,” Morgana told them, reverence in her voice. “It is a powerful symbol of the path that Merlin and I have walked for nearly three thousand years. It has been a symbol of the ways of our people since the Neolithic period.” At the confused look on everyone except Nicki's face, she added, “The stone age. Within this symbol is a sign of the core of magic.”
Examining the symbol, Alex tried to understand what Morgana was talking about, but didn't have any idea what the ancient woman saw there. It sort of made her think of the trinity necklaces she'd seen from time to time, but she had a feeling that Christianity wasn't the answer here. Next to her, Nicki raised her hand slowly.
“Nicole,” Morgana sighed, “You don't need to raise your hand here.”
“Okay,” Nicki replied with a quick nod, “I think it represents land, sea and sky. I read that once.”
“That's a largely Celtic interpretation of the symbol,” Morgana agreed. “Not one that was at the core of our beliefs, but relevant I suppose.” She paused for a moment, but when no one spoke up continued with the explanation. ”The Triskele was also a symbol of life, death and rebirth. Our people lived with the knowledge that we existed in a cycle within the earth that gave us strength. This was very important when we were confronted with the Sídhe.”
“We had to be Children of the Iron Realm,” Merlin added from his place by the desk. “Iron is one of the only weaknesses of the Sídhe and thus it was vital for our survival that humanity drew its strength from the earth and its iron. Our people joined the earth when they died and gave it the strength to help us stay strong in the face of danger.” Merlin sighed softly, “It's also why in the Iron Age after the Sídhe were pushed back from this realm that funeral rites changed away from serving the community and strengthening the world to celebrating a person as an individual.”
“Off topic,” Morgana scolded Merlin, but her voice lacked any real anger or bite. Instead she sounded vaguely sorrowful, but quickly recovered. “The triskele to mages holds a much more important message. It is a sign of balancing the forces of this world and the place of humanity within it. Any ideas?”
No one spoke. Alex would have guessed the classical elements, but there were four of those so that wouldn't work and Nicki had already talked about the sky, sea and land thing so she had nothing. Fortunately this did not seem to surprise Morgana, in fact she seemed pleased at their silence and curious expressions.
“The three forces of magic are: science, nature, and the unknown,” she told them before her index finger glowed and she reached over to tap the sign on the board. The black lines turned brilliant gold and floated off of the board in a shimmering movement of light. Hanging before them in midair, the glowing triskele symbol pulsed gently, each of the three spiral branches staying intact as the entire symbol began to rotate slowly.
“Science, nature, and the unknown,” Morgana repeated as she walked around the glowing symbol. “They used to have different names, but that is how you would best understand them. I'm sure you are familiar with the views some hold of the roles of nature and science in the human experience, you may even be aware that some view these two forces as existing opposite to each other, but mages know better.”
“What do you think we mean by nature and science?” Merlin asked them, speaking up once again.
Morgana returned to the board and picked up a marker, writing down science, nature and the unknown with space underneath each of them. The symbol of the triskele that hung between the students and the board faded from the air in a brief shower of shimmering gold. Without Morgana redrawing it, the triskele appeared plainly on the board once again, black against white.
“Well,” Bran offered
slowly, clearing distracted by a moment, “Science I suppose would be technology and the human pursuit of understanding how the mechanics of the universe work, like articulating the physical laws of gravity, mass and forces.”
Merlin nodded and wrote Bran's examples under science on the board as Morgana stepped calmly to the side, allowing him to take over the lecture.
“A good thought Bran,” Merlin congratulated warmly, “So what about nature? If we put the understanding of the physical laws of the universe with technology under science then what could be meant by nature?”
“Maybe our instincts,” Nicki offered slowly, “And how we relate to the naturally occurring world that we don't create and control,” she finished in a rush.
Merlin nodded and took the marker from Morgana, writing down Nicki's suggestion. He also wrote the word knowledge next to science on the board.
“Knowledge used to be the word we used in place of science a century ago,” Merlin informed them with a serious expression. “Humanity is distinct in the natural world. We are separated from other animals and the processes of nature by our consciousness: our sentience divides us from the rest of nature. Science is how we cope without the natural advantages that other animals have for their environments. Nature is seeking to understand not only how that natural world works, but how we as a creature separate from it fit into the world. This isn't something that can be broken down by science because it relies not only on the physical, but the emotional. Our moral choices, our desire to either be harmonious with nature or ignore it and how we react to the scientifically understood processes of the natural world are at the core of how a mage must think about nature.”
Tilting her head slightly, Alex considered the words as Merlin wrote them down on the board, her eyes moving back to the triskele which dominated the board. Everyone was quiet, giving Alex and the others a few moments to study the symbol and try and understand what was being explained to them.
“The unknown,” Morgana spoke up as she moved to the front once more. “Is the undefinable, the things that science and nature do not answer.” She opened her palm and a small orb of light appeared, twirling slowly in the air like a tiny spiral galaxy as she continued speaking in a softer tone. “Humanity since the dawn has always felt the unknown. In our long history we have explained it as gods or spirituality. It is that feeling that draws you one way. That sense of something unseen, but felt; the connections we feel to those we have only just met.”
The ball of light vanished and Morgana considered them carefully. “Long ago, humanity lived in balance with these three aspects. The belief in magic was not primitive or just trying to explain the unknown, but a result of life being dependent on all three of these forces. Humanity is not just an animal; we have a distinct place in the world that grants us greater responsibilities and great abilities if we can put ourselves into balance with these forces.”
“This is the challenge that you must face,” Merlin explained as he joined Morgana in front of them. He held out his hand and a long twisted wooden staff appeared in his hand. The wood was old and worn smooth in many places with carving faded into the staff. He leaned on it slightly as he studied all of them. “As the world changes, each generation of mages faces different difficulties to finding this balance, but I have faith that each of you will manage.”
“Once you have balance, you can tap into the magic that surrounds you,” Morgana continued. “Magic is raw. It is in this world without true form, only effect. A mage gives magic form through their will. Once you have balance, the only limitations are the amount of magic present in the world and your imagination.” She closed her hand and the ball of light vanished, darkening the room once more.
“So,” Aiden asked slowly, “How do we do that?”
“We'll start simple,” Morgana explained. “Mediation and focus: you must think about what we have told you and think on your place in the world.”
Alex gaped at Morgana, completely thrown by her statement. It sounded so simple, but at the same time nearly impossible to wrap her head around. She glanced over at the others, noticing looks of concern and doubt on their faces.
“And now you understand why this was easier for earlier people,” Morgana offered with a small chuckle.
“I personally find yoga helpful,” Merlin added with a wide smile. “Close your eyes,” he suggested. “And think about a happy memory, how it made you feel and how you feel right now in comparison.”
Closing her eyes, Alex tried to conjure up the memory of her birthday last May just before the end of the school year. All of her friends had been together to celebrate with her, knowing that they'd all be going different directions soon. There had been a bittersweet feeling to the party, but an underlying gratitude and joy that they were together. Frowning, Alex compared the memory to the present. Frustration, fear and worry were dominant now. Her hands tightened in response as the churning in her stomach returned. She had no idea how to approach ‘bringing balance' to herself. She enjoyed hiking and skiing, she recycled, but had grown up in a decent sized city with the internet and a cell phone. Plus she'd only attended church for Christmas and Easter, and that had only been maybe every other year when she was growing up.
“Enough,” Morgana called out, distracting Alex. “You all look ready to start hyperventilating.”
“It takes time,” Merlin told them as they opened their eyes. “I studied magic for over a year and had the benefit of a magical potion before I began to gain any significant control.”
“But what if we're attacked again?” Bran asked, voicing their shared concerns.
Smiling, Merlin walked over to the desk and picked up a duffle bag from behind it. He set it on the desk with a heavy thunk before unzipping it. Humming softly, Merlin drew out several knives in leather sheathes with symbols marked on them. Merlin placed four of them on the table before picking one up and carefully drawing out the knife. The blade was a shining grey metal and symmetrical with both side of it sharpened and glinting dangerously in the light.
“I’ve made for each of you an iron dagger,” Merlin explained, holding up the dagger so they could see it, including the carved wooden handle that had some kind of metal on it. “They are ten inches long and very dangerous so be careful. Daggers are stabbing weapons. If you see a Síd, run. If they get close enough for you to use this, then use it and stab them as hard as you can. Iron is poisonous to them and in our world will cause them to almost instantly dissipate. I have burned into each of your sheathes a weak magical seal to help cloak your daggers, but I strongly suggest you try to keep them out of sight as magical crafting is not my greatest talent.” He chuckled to himself while Morgana just shook her head. “Remember that you are just beginning to learn and avoid conflict with the Sídhe if at all possible.”
Merlin sheathed the dagger and picked up the other three. Walking to each of their desk, Merlin handed one to each of them. When Alex's hand closed around the leather sheath, she made an involuntary shiver. Merlin gave her a soft smile and patted her hand gently before moving on to the others. Staring at the dagger, Alex couldn't think of anything to say in response. With slow and shaking movements, she used the metal clasp on the back of the sheath to fix the dagger to the inside edge of her book bag, considering ways to wear it on around campus.
“That's all for tonight,” Morgana suddenly told them when Merlin stepped away from Bran's desk with empty hands. “Rest up, take in what we discussed and we will meet again here tomorrow night, same time.”
“I have a question,” Nicki suddenly announced, looking towards Morgana with wide eyes and still clutching her dagger. “Do all mages live as long as the two of you? Will we?”
Alex looked towards Morgana and Merlin quickly, aware of the stillness that had taken over the room. Merlin slowly shook his head and Morgana cleared her throat before answering.
“No,” she assured Nicki, “Merlin and I have trained many mages over our long years, that is a part of our purpose in this world
. Our students have aged, had families and died of many causes over the centuries. Immortality is not something you should be concerned with.”
There was something in Morgana's voice that caused Alex to stare at the woman, feeling as if she was on the cusp of understanding something new about the woman and Merlin. But Morgana clapped her hands and gestured towards the door, reinforcing their dismissal and interrupting their thoughts. Packing up her things more slowly that necessary, Alex watched the others file out. Nicki glanced back at Morgana with a guilty expression. Alex brushed her fingers over the dagger she was now armed with and headed for the doorway. She reached the door and stopped, turning back to Morgana.
“Is it possible to have a Connection with someone who isn't a mage?” Alex questioned before she lost her courage as Morgana fixed her dark eyes on her.
Professor Cornwall frowned slightly and raised an eyebrow. “A Connection can only be formed between those with magic,” she informed Alex simply. “It is impossible otherwise.”
“Then I- I think there is another mage on campus,” Alex managed, the knot in her stomach tightening. “His name is Arthur Pendred and when I first met him I had a vision of fire and some kind of hammering in the background,” she explained in a rush.