Mordred 11.2

The New Realm

Rumpel did not like the idea of going over but he knew the answer was there. He was very close to Merlin during the Academy years, and kept in touch with Merlin. Soon after he completed the studies under Merlin, he ventured out to be a tailor. A laudable profession then, but he soon made his name. He was truly gifted with those strings of yarn, and with the specially made sticks of his given by Merlin, he became more adept.

“Do you know much of the Divide?” Rumpel asked me. I smiled and then shook my head while I hid the bike the trees. 

Although we were Guardians we never ventured into the treelines. With Berlin, I brought him to the cliff that we just crossed. We were standing by the other side at a place named the Pier. There we will wait for the Elves to arrive.

Many mistaken the Elves for slender and agile in their frame, but these Elves were different. They were short at half the height of Man, and their body frame held great strength in those limbs. Their heads were slightly larger than a normal man with the sunken eyes sockets and high cheekbones with the wide mouth. It was not their snarl with the bared teeth that will intimidate the opponent but the oversized paddle they carry. It was shaped like the paddle for the boat. It measured to their height and it does leave a smarting mark on the punished including wizards and witches. They were immune of the crafts which made them the idea warden of the renegades. I never get to see the Elves upfront. I left Berlin there and later he was carted over by the wooden bridge laid over by the Elves. I was in the behind some trees watching them lay the bridge before they scrummed over in their rush to take their prize. They did not grab Berlin but used their paddle on the man. They beat him senseless before they dragged him across. That was one factor which made me stop going there.

“Not much. I was once at the Pier once.” I replied. “I think it was some miles up ahead. I don’t want the Elves to know we are here. We need to move fast to avoid or our stay here will be longer than expected.”

“Aye, we need to move but I doubt we could decide. They have come for us instead.” Rumpel motioned to ones standing a distance from us. It was three ladies dressed in green cloak that looked like it was press starched with the hard lines that could stands on its own seams. Beneath the cloak were the ladies preferences for the green leaves to stitch themselves a garment to cover their modesty.

“Ladies..” I greeted them. “I don’t think we have met before.”

“My name is Betsy.” The one in the middle of the trio introduced herself. “She is Betty and that is Beth. We are the Three Witches of the Glen. Do you want to topple a King?”

“A King, not exactly. I am here to see a resident here.” I picked up that term when I once hunted a Category D in the place called Goddamned Asylum. The wizard won’t stop smiling until I dislocated his jaw but that made his smile more hideous. He was the few who escaped my efforts.

“A resident? I know of no such terms. We do however know on how to call on a King.” The one named Betty sniggered at the thought. “It has been too long since we last seen a King.”

The trio of witches bowed before me. I was taken aback by these witches for I was not any King nor will I be one. I was only the Guardian.

“We have seen many Princes’ who made the throne and our prophecy are ever right. You are a King in your rights. You will be one but how well you make it will depends on you.” The one named Beth spoke up.

“Aye, the role of the King is never easy. The curses and attempts are many just like the number of applaud be it from the heart or from their mind. The later rang will have hidden intentions, but the former may be your only saviour.” Betty voiced in after Beth. “”They are true in nature.”

“Hush, Sisters! The King need not be told of the calamities but the glory. Many will rally to your cause and many more shall fall before it.” Betsy added in. “For that was the foretold tales of the Kings.”

It was Rumpel who laughed.

“Him a King? More to the tales of the Scottish King. He who was doomed from the beginning.” The tailor had spoken out of line. I glared at the tailor as if I was to lay on him a punch but I relented. I was not a prime King or will I ever be. I was just a Guardian. I looked back to the witches. I recognized them well; well known for the prophesies false and at times proven true.

“Ignore them and let us move.” I told Rumpel but the witches were motioning us to follow them. Rumpel looked to me and smiled.

“Guess the King has to command thee not today. I think we heed their commands for now.” Rumpel took to follow the witches and myself reluctant. The walk with them was into the treelines and then among the under growths. While we were walking, I noticed ourselves getting shorter and soon the bushes cleared above our heads. The further we walked, the roots soon towered over our heads and then we were the height of the pebbles.

“Stop!” The witches called out and all of us froze in our walk. Then came the slithering creature with the elongated body crossed out path. The witches reached out to the cold blooded creature on its scales while it slitters passed.

“The Watchers will protect us. The Elves feared nothing but they respect the serpents for both were of the same blood and origin.” The witches chanted while their fingers traced the moving scales. They then turned to look at me.

“Nothing will harm those who are sanctioned by the evil ones.” At that last word, they laughed. Their voice came out in a loud whining sound and yet it sounded coarse to my ears. I knew then I was saved from the Elves. My wishes answered but I was not sure of whom I had my wishes answered from.

“Come, the master beckon.” The witches continued on their walk. Soon among the pebbles we found a hidden opening that we were to make our entrance. It was a narrow opening with the stone encasing it on all sides, but the opening widen on our approach as if it was an orifice. It swallowed us into the dim light lighted not the flames of fire or the tingling lights that some insects could emulate but a light that only the crafts could manifest. We walked along the tunnel where it enlarged and then constrict upon our passing. Then we stepped into a large cavern with a high ceiling and further drawn back walls. Then there was the furniture there if one could called it as such for they are not of solid material made by man, but of the shaded light crimson breathing material which many of us identified as the flesh.

We were in the orifice of a living flesh creature.