Mordred 13.1

13.

The Previous Realm

Merlin lashed out at the captured renegade with his left palm across the face. The captive fell to the right side and was given a kick in the face. The captive was thrown back by the kick and the captive was then facing me. It was a lady which was brought here by the Guardians. She was an older lady with her clothing in tatters but kept her modesty covered. She was in a battle from the bruises I could see on her body but the spirit of the lady was still strong. I wanted to look away but her stare was bewitching as if it was inside of me. It was a mistake to have us there. We were still growing teens then. It was Merlin who had us brought in to witness the torture of the captive. The prison was in the dungeon; a dark and humid chamber with the iron chains and manacles on the walls. There were the individual cells where the captives were held. We were accompanied by the Head of the Academy, Berlin that day.

“She is a follower of the Serpent Movement. They are our enemies.” Merlin stepped over towards us. We were four then; Rumpel, Seth, Aladdin and myself. Berlin stood apart from us while he watched our reactions.

“What is her name?” Aladdin asked in meek voice. He was a frail looking boy then that Merlin picked up from the servant quarters of some rich patron then. He had an unusual gift; a hidden spirt that once served his family. The spirit served them as the servant of their wishes, and only the male descendant of the family was allowed to call up the family guardian. Aladdin was the last male descendant then and did not realise his gift until he was confronted by Merlin. It was Merlin who invoked the guardian by threatening the boy then.

“Her name is not important but her nickname was Venom. You stay away from her. Her craft is her vision.”  Merlin told us then. “She could hypnotise you.”

I looked away from her then. I felt my mind slipping then but it could have been my imagination. I stepped back but Aladdin took the opposite. He approached the lady lying on the flooring. He held up her face and looked into her eyes.

“Jasmine? Is that you?” Aladdin asked the lady. The two Guardians there stepped forward to pull him but they were thrown back by an unseen force.

“No one touches the Master.” The unseen force was heard. The Guardians unprepared for the assault had then prepared themselves for the counter attack when Berlin stepped in.

“No! Stand down.” Berlin told the Guardians. “Only the boy can command his guardian. Let him be.”

Aladdin on hearing the command of Berlin then moved to care for the lady he thought then was Jasmine. He stroked her face and tried to comfort her.

“Who? I will protect you.” Aladdin told the lady. “I have a ….Guardian now.”

“No, my young one. You must not do it. They are stronger than you. You must…” Jasmine words were cut off by Merlin which shot her with the mental blast. She was pushed off the young boy’s grab and onto the back walls. Merlin then stepped towards Aladdin. The unseen guardian of Aladdin then moved to protect the young master but Merlin had countered with another mental blast.

“Aladdin, call back your guardian.” Merlin commanded the boy. “Or I shall be force to strike.”

“She is Jasmine. I knew her.” Aladdin defended his action. “She will be spared.”

Merlin was not to be told and more by a boy. He used his mental blast to push the boy’s guardian and then dragged the boy up. The struggling boy was no match for the master and was mentally hauled up into mid-air by the later.

“Stop your struggles.” Merlin called out while his left hand held the unseen family guardian back with his mental craft. 

“And stop your Guardian. We are not here to hurt anyone.”

Merlin looked to the lying lady and then continued on.

“She is no more the one you knew as Jasmine. She is Venom.” Merlin then reached out with his mental push at the lady neck to force it to the rear. The push broke the spine connections there and extinguished her life.

“Jasmine!” Aladdin called out but the master was past the point of stopping then. He reached for the burning lamp with his left hand and imprisoned the unseen Guardian.

“Thou shall be imprisoned for your insolence.” Merlin doused the lamp of its light and then handed it to Aladdin. “You are young and weak in the mind. You will continue your training to control yourself before you could train your Guardian.”