Mordred 13.2

The New Realm

Within the folds of the light crimson flesh, it was warmth we felt earlier but with the newly arrived person, I felt the coldness had moved in over us. I stared at the new arrival; dressed in the fine silk coat made of white mink and beneath it was the greenish shaded silk vest and pantaloons trousers. His shoe was the upward pointed leather boots favoured by the eastern riders. His head gear was the wrapped cloth with the ends trailing over his left shoulder. He saw me staring at his greenish material for clothing.

“The moss have a unique composition which properly nurtured could be turn into a silky material.” The new arrival whose identity I knew cleared my curiosity. “More to it, it’s alive and will constantly evolve to my shape.”

“Aladdin, you were always the creator of new things.” I spoke up his name then. “But your creations were diverse.”

“Creative, my old friend.” Aladdin replied. “Even Merlin was surprised. But he was more surprised when I fled his mentorship. I have no need of his coaching when I am the true master.”

“You were not any master but the successor to the throne of the deviant.” I challenged him. “Merlin once told me that you were not rescued by him but captured. He wanted to put you to death but for your young age, he thinks that you may be …”

“Changed? Evolved? Or made his servant?’ Aladdin laughed out. His laughter was more like any others but it had the resounding sound that favoured the Kings and Lords. Confidence rang in his like theirs. “Guardian, you were always a fool. I thought your rebellion against Merlin with your own mode of justice would have shown your other self, but you are still the same loyal servant of Merlin.”

“Do you see the pebbles from the stones?” Aladdin snapped on. “Or are you truly blind, Guardian?”

It was then I stopped my challenge. I was Merlin’ student and then served as Guardian but I also rejected him when he killed my parents. He was then not seen as any friend but of an enemy. It was not only his action then which made me doubt him. There were accusations against him from the ones I battled. I had my doubt of their words but when even lies repeated once too often could turn out to be true. The only doubt then was Merlin truly protecting us or was he making himself the powerful one. Maybe we were serving the wrong Council.

“You have doubts, Guardian. I can see that. Jasmine once thought me.” Aladdin replied. “It was not hypnotism but the all searching mind probe that she was gifted with. She saw Merlin for his true ambition. She was a threat to him, and had to be eliminated. He had her killed to show me his power but he was wrong. He actually made me stronger in my crafts.”

Aladdin after his imprisonment was never the same. He became more of a recluse in nature, spoke when asked and remain quiet at other times. He stayed with us for some years before he disappeared one night. Berlin had the Academy searched while Merlin send out scouts but Aladdin had disappeared. It was many years later, when he re-appeared in name as the New Leader of the Serpents.

“Challenged me no more, Guardian.” Aladdin voiced out. “Seth and I are not your enemies. There are others which you need to look out for. It may not also be Merlin alone.”

The third force, I mumbled to myself.

“You have come to the right place to seek the truth. It may not be your assumed version but be prepared for the real truth.”

“A perverted version like yours?” I hit back. I never got my reply for we were jolted by the flesh movement. Aladdin and Seth looked to the flesh and then at me.

“We are pursued by some threat. The creature has a need to flee.” Seth explained. “Both of you will be released.”

“I will guide them.” Aladdin told Seth. “You are to re-group the followers and be prepared for battle. It’s a war which we cannot avoid.”

Without waiting for my reply, Rumpel was released from his manacles and his sticks returned. The three witches then led us out of the chamber. It was not a smooth journey then with the flesh reacting differently to the situation outside. We had to squeeze ourselves part of the journey and soon we found ourselves outside. Just when we were to pick ourselves up, the whole world was in darkness and then light. The three witches looked towards us.

“The effect will wear off shortly after we leave you.” Betty told us. Go now and seek cover. The Elves are here.”

At our height, the distance we could cover was shorter for the others, but the effect of our growth was taking effect. We were growing and that was bad. The pebbles became stones and then the undergrowth grew to man sized before it was soon under our neck. We kept on growing until we were back to our original frame in that dimension.

And then we were exposed standing there at the treeline.  

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.”

Mordred 12.3

Merlin laughed and then his right hand reached for his forehead. He pulled away at the skin and peeled it as if it was the shedding of the skin of the serpent. The skin pulled back and revealed the true face of the imposter. It was the face of Seth that was seen there with half the face covered by the scales of the slither type and the other, the pink shades of the human’s facial on its right. His eyes were narrow slits with the eyeballs that were narrow in width and lengthen from eye lids. His nose was partially configured with the right side that resembled only a narrow open appendage. It was his mouth that was human like but the twin forked tongue deformed its design.

“You were good, Guardian but now you are better.” Seth then revealed spoke up. “I heard of your coming from the others, and sent the witches to meet you. Only the witches knew the correct paths to take to avoid the Elves.”

I looked at Seth. He was one of the gifted and was once Merlin’s student but he was discarded when he pledged his crafts towards the serpent spirits. When Merlin discovered that he had the young lad thrown out of the Academy. His words hurt the young lad who was then trying to find himself. It was also rumoured that Merlin feared Seth may one day be his nemesis.

“You who sides with the Serpents be as well be killed or be banished from the land.” It was an undeclared war between the Council and the named Serpent followers. They ranked with the renegades but when captured. Their punishment was more than harsh. They were not sent to any imprisonment but staked out while their skins were removed by the daggers. 

I have battled the Serpents before as Guardian then in the other dimension, but we never had a conclusive battle for they were spirited away by their Gods.

“Free us for we seek only the answers to our queries and you posed no such answers that we desired.” I told Seth. “I am no more a Guardian but one like the others. I only seek Berlin.”

“Berlin? I am at grief to your quest.” Seth replied. “I was banished here when Merlin captured me. He did not skin me like the others. He had me delivered here but he did me his own deformed justice. He castrated me so that I will not sire anymore of my own kinds.”

“Merlin told me that my kind shall die with me.” Seth hissed out his last words.

“Why then bring us here if it was Merlin you want. And why saved us from the wrath of the Elves.” I asked back. “I am no follower of Merlin myself.”

“Yes, we heard too. You were here with us at New Salem and yet you left once again to be a Guardian. You delivered some of our followers in a merciless manner. You gave them deliverance than pain of an eternity. This we also knew. At the tavern we were told of your battle with the Dark Queen and how you escaped. When you reached the Divide, we knew too. We were surprised at your deliverance but once here, we knew you seek only the one we sought too.”

“Merlin.” Seth ended his words with the hissing tone. “You seek him who is dead.”

“Yet you impersonated him? Why?” I snapped back. “If he was truly dead then you will not be him to see me.  You also suspected that he could alive. You lured me here to see for you need to know why I seek him.”

“Guardian, you were always the wiser one. You had us killed to avoid our life long pain, and you believed not in his death too.” Seth hissed out his laughter. “You are ever right. Who could kill Merlin if not himself?”

“There was one who could do it.” I replied. “Berlin is his nemesis. He is here in the Divide.”

“And he who is the enemy of my enemy should be my friend.” Seth hissed out. “Believe in me. Berlin is not our friend. Am I not right, my leader?”

From the folds of the flesh, a figure stood out to greet us.

“Mordred, it had been a long time.” I looked towards the new arrival and smiled.

“The New Leader of the Serpent Movement had arrived. You are also the enemy.” I spoke up... 

Mordred 12.2

The New Realm

It was disbelieving then that we could have been in the anatomy of a living creature. An unusual feat but the last time I was shrunken before, it was into a metallic craft. That moment when I realised that I was inside a living anatomy made my own flesh cringed with fear. What was to frighten me more when I heard the voice familiar to me.

“Welcome, Mordred. Or shall I greet you as the Guardian.” I turned to look and saw it was Merlin. He was the same and had the loss of his thumb on his left hand. He saw me looking and smiled.

“The work of getting away was not without a sacrifice.” Merlin smiled. “However, I am alive. I am truly alive. Although I was thought otherwise by the others who believed me dead.”

I shook my head at the disbelief of seeing the man I was to replace. Rumpel was however glad that we found Merlin when we actually set out to find was Berlin. Merlin was dressed differently. He was in the dressing of a simple knee length gown and plain sandals while his long tresses of hair were into a pony tail. He was without his dark cloak and head cover. It was then I noticed he has a declining head line at the top of his head. That was probably why he needs the head piece to cover it.

“Merlin, thank the stars we found you.” Rumpel was in the grateful mode. He rushed towards the elderly man but Merlin stepped back. The elderly man had raised a shield to protect himself. It was also then when I saw the sticks in Rumpel’ hands. He was knitting something and aiming at Merlin. The later’ shield deflected the attack and Merlin then hit back with his mental blast. The blow had Rumpel thrown backwards to crash into the fleshy walls. There on the command of Merlin, the flesh there appeared and formed manacles on the tailor. It sticks were removed by the secretion of the flesh onto the hands and slipped out. The sticks fell down and were moved by the contraction of muscles towards Merlin. It wobbled as if it was riding on the crest of the waves.

“Rumpel, I am surprised at you. You were once my student.” Merlin glared at the manacled tailor. “It’s obvious that Berlin have got to you too.”

Merlin then glared at me.

“Guardian, you were always the careful one. When you were my student, you were careful when you are to use those crafts of yours. I respect that. You are not impulsive.” Merlin continued on. “Your arrival to the Divide means only one thing. You seek my brother Berlin and from him, you will ask of me.”

“Here I stand to reply to you. Ask away, Guardian.” Merlin replied. “I am the one you seek.”

“No! You are not Merlin. I know him too well.” I replied. “He will not ally himself with the serpents. He loathes them for their evil ways.” 

Mordred 12.1

2.

The Previous Realm

I stood transfixed to the ground below me at a drop of over a hundred feet. That’s a long drop but it was the landing I disliked. The bed of roses may be a charm to any ladies but with the thorns, I detest those flowers. I found the carnations more pleasant as a gift; my mother never complaint of it. I was to focus on my move when Merlin hovered before me. 

The master was in mid-air and appeared as if he was weightless.

“Focus, Mordred.” Merlin voiced out in that commanding tone. He was coaching me on how to control my crafts but his methods were mind boggling than most. “You must focus.”

I was focussing but the darned master was intimidating for me to ignore him. I nodded to the master and called on my craft again. I focused on the ground and then changed my mind. I was to whip the wind to carry me down but Merlin had me whisked out. I fell forward and was dropping down to the ground. At a fall of a hundred feet given the split seconds to decide your impact, my instinct was to reach for anything to break my fall but I was swept almost ten feet away from the wall, and probably the landing spot will not be the roses, but the upright fountain that resembled a phallic monument to man. I had then bent my body forward for the legs first landing with the knees bent.

“Use your craft, you young fool.” Merlin voiced out. I was shaken by his voice and reacted with instinct. I called on the wind to bring it on focus towards me. I went into a somersault with the push and had to adjust. I got back my balance but it was a wrong end. I was hovering downwards and had Merlin glaring at me.

“I am sorry.” I corrected my posture but not in time, to have my belly thrust by the rising earth pillar that Merlin had called up. The elder man knew of my crafts. He never displayed it before then.

“Focus, you fool.” I was upset then and called on my own craft skills. I had the wind to push me up while I reassembled the earth pillar to something more manageable. I stood on the widen surface and then focus on the wind. It gave me balance with the widen surface.

Just when I thought I had it, the master did the unthinkable. He swung at me a mental blast which made me fall off the surface. I was to hit the ground and when I felt the fall was broken. I was hovering at above the ground; just inches off it. It was not the wind nor did the earth cushion my fall but the solid grasp of the hand that held me up by the left heel. It was not the strength of the hand but the mind had lent its properties to it. I looked to my feet and saw the saviour of mine.

It was Berlin. He had used his own telekinetic to hold me up.

“I said coached the child. Not tortured him.” Berlin called out in anger when he dropped me abruptly onto the ground.

Merlin hovered to the ground level and then faced off with Berlin. I had then picked myself up when I heard the harsh words exchanged between the two brothers. It was not the first time but that moment the words were rude and appeared unforgiving.

“Berlin, we have each our tasks. I was doing mine.” Merlin confronted the other. “You must leave me to my own methods. You don’t like it, have another master for him.”

Merlin turned away but Berlin stopped him.

“Stay your place, Merlin. I shall not intervene anymore.” Berlin sighed. He then turned to walk but his next action was disbelieving. Berlin raised his right hand at Merlin who was looking at me. The telekinetic blow pushed the other across the path. Merlin hit the tree in his path but Berlin was moving to his next attack. He had the other pinned up against the tree trunk and then with a blink of an eye, Berlin was before his brother. He had his hand at the other’s throat.

“Defile me and prepare to die.” Berlin warned his brother. “You may be the powerful one but I am not without my own crafts.”

Merlin glared at his own brother, and then nodded. With that Berlin released his hold and stepped back. He then turned to look at me.

“Beware, young one. What you seen here must never made known outside.” Berlin cautioned me. “If it’s not Merlin who will kill you, it will be mine. We are brothers in blood, and our battles are our own. Do you heed my command?”

I nodded at the Academy Head. I never seen Berlin used his craft since then. Not even when I pursued him years later. He evaded all my attempts to battle and when we finally met, he surrendered without a battle. It was most unusual. 

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. 

Mordred 11.1

The Book of Truth

11.

The Previous Realm

My first view of the Academy at that young age of ten was frightening. I was raised in a simple cottage at the edge of the woods and then whisked off by a person unknown to me then. He appeared at my home one evening. He rode in on the white stallion, covered in the blue coat and the tapering head cover with the flannel boots. My parents met him at the doorway while he dismounted.

“Guardian, what rouse you to come here?” My father approached the Guardian before he was to come near the house. The Guardian ignored him and walked towards us. He also pushed past us into the house. He approached the dining table where my mother had laid our supper. He sat down there and began wolfing down the food there. My father stormed back in and was to speak but mother stopped him.

“I know I am rude but I am also hungry. Let me have my fill and you will be rewarded.” The Guardian continued his eating.  My father was not keen to be left out of his own kitchen. He pulled both mother and myself to be seated at the table and began his own wolfing. The food was enough for all, but with the new company I lost my appetite. Soon the binge of eating was over and the Guardian spoke of his visit.

“I had come for the boy. Utter Pendragon heard of his …gift.” The Guardian spoke. “He had given me the task to bring the boy to the Academy.”

“He is young…too young to go there alone.” Mother protested on my tender age but the Guardian was insistent. 

Nevertheless, Mother protested strongly while my father remained silent. The once vocal man was all listening then. My mother tugged at his sleeves but he remained silent.

“Mother, I will go. I am not that young.” I voiced out and was given a head smack by my father. He then voiced out.

“My son may be gifted but he still needs his family. He will go when he is …ready.” Father replied. “I will see the Council on the matter.”

“There is no necessity.” The Guardian replied. He raised his left hand and a piece of scroll appeared. “This is the order approved by the Head Councillor himself.”

Father took the scroll and read it. His expression was grim when he placed it down. He looked towards me.

“The Head Councillor wants you in the Academy. He will do his best to arrange the best for you.” Father looked at me. 

“You are gifted and the words of the Council cannot be disputed.”

“Father, I do not want to go. I will remain here.” I replied politely and my mother lent her strength to me with the hands on my shoulders. “We can work out the gift ourselves.”

“Peter, we can take…” Mother pleaded but my father had made his mind.

“No, you must not defile the order. Get your things and be ready to go with the Guardian.” Those were my father’s words.

“Peter, he’s our child….” Mother begged from my father but he was past the listening of a wailing woman. Soon I was on the mount with the Guardian and it will not be another fifteen years before I get to see them. Five before my father was are killed by Merlin.

“Hello, young boy.” The man greeted met at the doorway of the Academy. He was a tall man with a slight stoop on the spine. “My name is….”

“I am not a boy. I am a man.” I interjected in. “I want to go home.”

The slap came across my left cheek before I could even blink my eyes. The blow was hard but I was still on my feet. I wanted to land my own punches but the tall man had stepped back.

“From now, you will address me as Master Berlin. You will be under the care of my brother Merlin.” The man replied. “You will grow to be the man he wants you to be. You will share your room with another boy name Rumpel.”   

Mordred 10.2

The New Realm

I calculated the width of the crevasse given the elevation of the other cliff in my mind. Even with geometry included in the training at the Academy, I was never paying attention to all figures that were crunched then. I knew Euclid will never be pleased with me but I could not care less. I was gifted with other skills that even Merlin was applauding then. Truly I never regretted my decision not to know geometry. I have my other skills to compensate me.

“Brace yourself for the landing. That’s the part was never good at.” I gunned up the bike while Rumpel for his safety had sewn himself a thick jacket.  I guess he was confident if we crash, it won’t be leg first. I released the brakes and left it all up to fate; my own version of fate. I called on the wind to sail across and the earth there to soften for the landing. It was the former which saved us but the later was the spoiler. The momentum of the bike with the extra weight factor was not taken into the so named calculation. We ended up on our side when the brakes were applied. We slide on the ground but with my swift compensation, I got the moisture into the soil. We still hit it hard then and it hurt most on our legs.

“I did warn you.” I pulled myself from the toppled bike. Rumpel had then recovered by himself although he had re-sewn his leggings. “Pardon me but I think we done well.”

Rumpel have scrawny legs beneath his leggings; well compensated by the thick strands he applied to make him look stronger or bigger in some places. He did however have a nice crafted butt.

“Speak no more of this.” Rumpel pulled at the last strand of string before he knotted it. “I am more concerned why you cross the Divide. You know it was forbidden unless we are renegades.”

I looked at the treeline before us. Yes, we crossed the Divide then. It was man made crevasse made by the Head Councillor in this new land. He was given the permission by the new Council. It was needed for there was no other place which the Elves could be housed. Merlin had brought the Elves with him during the cross over. They had considered a man made structure but it was rejected by Merlin then.

“They are like us. Maybe misunderstood but they have a purpose then, and they will do the same here.” Merlin made them the guardian of the land where he kept the renegades who rebelled against him in this new dimension. “The renegades are ours and will remain in our custody. I will have a prison that they will not escape but they will also regret being a renegade.”

There was no castle on that divided land but a dark forest which the Elves do their work as guardians on the captured renegades. The renegades lived there without the use of their crafts but to live as normal community. If they are found to contravene the rule, they will be punished harshly by the Elves. Such was the law.

“The new land needs them to be warden for those who needed imprisonment. Just as they need the land to stay, they also need a purpose.”

So it was the wish of Merlin that he will have his land to build the prison. When he was Guardian, he sent them there to be guarded by the Elves. During my tenure, I did the more humane thing; I shot them in the head with the Colt. I heard of the punishment and the option of death was more humane.  

“Guardian, do you hear me or am I to knit you bigger ears?” I was shaken from my thoughts of the old master. I looked at Rumpel.

“You could go back. The bike is working. I will assist you with the flight.” Rumpel shrugged his shoulders and then walked towards the treeline.

“I was sure that was Merlin who was in our head.” Rumpel stopped in his track. He looked back at me. “I have been looking for him for years. Ever since they told me he died. I was the last one to ever believe Merlin could die. That person is an immortal. It’s near impossible for him to die.”

 “Ever since we met in the Academy he was always like father figure to me. I do not believe him dead until I see the real soul depart from its body.” Rumpel looked at me. “They don’t die. They only depart but they are always there.”

Rumpel looked at the treeline once more. He smiled and then cried out.

“You must be crazy to think the he will be of any help?” Rumpel looked at me again. “You had placed him here. You apprehended him soon after the purported Merlin demise. Was he responsible for it? I am sure you asked him.”

I glared at Rumpel. He was bringing up an old issue which I had placed away in my mind. I then my back on Rumpel, and reflected the day I caught Berlin. He was accused of planning the murder of Merlin. It was what prompted me to be the Guardian once more. I wanted to repay Merlin for his deed of helping me to better at my crafts. Ironically, I hated him for killing my father and causing the dead of my mother, I have held him in my heart as my Master.   

“Berlin, you killed Merlin.” I recalled that cry that I made towards Berlin whom I had cornered at the dark rooftop. We had a long battle from the alleys to the streets and then ended up there. Berlin was dressed in the usual dark blue three pieces with the matching white silk shirt and bowler hat with the heavy handed cane. The cane was tucked under his left armpit. It was his preferred dressing since he saw the image of it on some silly wood crafted loose pages.

“It’s a wonderment that how the mind could be made to believe something when the words are influenced onto it.” Berlin had his thumbs tucked into the vest side pockets pushing the lapels of the coat back. It revealed a time piece hung by the chain there.  

“Do you believe I could kill Merlin?” Berlin looked at me. “I am after all his only brother. Do siblings kill each other in their lifetime?”

“Yes, it’s true. It had been seen of many who did it for greed or power. Or both whichever caught their fancy.” I replied. 

“You may be of no different from them.”

“Are you sure? Merlin was the wizard between us, while I was the Academy Head; the only one without any gifts or need for gifts. I was protected by all of you and why should I need to be one like them.”

“Then tell me how did you kill Merlin?” I queried him. The other laughed.

“I did not kill him. He did it himself.” Berlin laughed. “Like all of you who joined the Academy. All of you wanted to be that better person and yet are you any better? Did you seek what you wanted at the Academy? We gave you the encouragement, did we not? Or was it you who were encouraged within the mind? Do you know how many survive the Academy? Be it death or insanity, there were many. The former were merciful but the later was given mercy later.”

“No! Tell me how did Merlin died? I do not want to hear of the Academy.” I shouted out at the man. I approached the elder man and grabbed hold of him. “Tell me or be prepared to be banished.”

Berlin laughed before he leapt off the rooftop. It was my craft of the wind that saved him. I pulled him up and dropped him before my feet. He looked up at me and smiled.

“You were good but your mind is still weak. Banish me if you must but do not unto the others. They deserved not that.” Berlin told me before he surrender to me. It was those words that made me wonder if it was right to banish someone to such an imprisonment. The next capture had the judgement done for them mercifully from me.   

Then I was back at the Divide. I came back for a task to find Berlin. 

Mordred 10.1

10

The Previous Realm

My right fingers were twitching with the winds swirling at the tips. The air in the wind was getting heated by the gifted fire but I was cooling it with the moisture in the air to avoid them seeing my acts.  My left fingers were making earthen mini balls on the ground heating it hot but held down by the pocket of winds.

I was at the top of my element.

I was the King of the four elements.

I came to know of it when I worked with Merlin. He helped me to control the skill crafts. Merlin told me that I was gifted with it unless the others who acquired their skill crafts by learning.

“No one can take it from you.” Merlin told me. “Not even me.”

That last line was delivered by Merlin with a smile.

“That scares me at times.” Merlin added in that line then when he was still my master in controlling my elements. I trained under Merlin to perfect my crafts and it was with him over fifteen years of hardship I was to endure. I was with him in his so named Academy of Masters and Apprentices.

It was a grand castle in the deep valley surrounded by the dark forest and forbidden by the Head Councillor to allow anyone to be there unless he was invited or was one there as Master or Apprentice. Once before the valley was accessible only to the well hidden community that avoided the others until Merlin found them and managed to convince them to serve only him. He did not bring them out of their hidden land but chose to build the home on their land. It was guarded by his army, the Elves. The elves patrolled the dark forest against intruders. The elves were well versed in the art of hunting. They never had to fear the wizards and witches for they were shielded from the crafts. It was what Merlin found out when he met them. He won them over not with the crafts but with his wits of words. They swore allegiance to him and only to him. That was the initial thought then.

The castle itself covered a land area of over half a mile, with its eight imposing towers on it with the high dark walls that overreached the jump of the leaping lion by many more times, and the long palisades that ringed it with the manned armed sentries carrying weapons of bow and arrows along with the giant ballista that was spaced on there. It was choice of weapons for them provided by the Head Councillor.

Inside the castle walls were the four main building structures comprising the main streams of the crafts; dark, white, inventions and gifted. Of the four above, the first three were learned by the books or embedded by rituals. The last one was the ones which were gifted by it.

I was in the last building.

The list of members was few and so could be memorized on their names. Besides myself, there was Chiton, Fangnir, Rumpel and one other which we hardly mentioned.

Berlin.

He was Merlin’s brother.

He was our House Master then in the streams of our building. The difference between the Masters and the Academic Masters was the later determine your Master for you. Berlin selected me to learn under Merlin. It was a privilege to be tutored by Merlin for he had had few apprentices under him. Even among the Ladies of the Lake, only Nimue was given to him to tutor while the others were placed under different Masters. I learned more from Merlin on how to control my crafts and then to combine them into one. It made a difference to me.

“There is no fear than your own mind.” I recalled then Merlin communicating with me through the mind thoughts when I was in the dark forest. “Let your sight show not fear but courage. Let your ears listen to courage and your mouth to speak the words of courage so that you may feel the courage inside you.”

In that dark forest, I was to meet my biggest fear.

Berlin.

Mordred 9.2

The New Realm

During the Lancelot distraction, Rumpel pulled me to safety. He threw up the strands of strings to create a diversion before we slipped off into the tavern again. Chiton followed on close behind but when we reached the counter, she stopped.

“You leave with Rumpel.” Chiton told me. She then looked at me. “Rumpel, we will meet later.”

Rumpel took me through the back and into the basement. We fled along the wet and humid stairs down to the lower levels and then into the tunnels. We rushed along it and taking turns at the cross sections. I asked Rumpel on the planned tunnels but there was no reply. We came out of the tunnels into a small clearing. Rumpel ran towards the nearby tree lines and uncovered the green and brown camouflage cover. The cover soon reverts to the strands of string and woven itself into Rumpel virtual ball of strings hidden inside his jacket.

Under the cover was the single Seater 'Track Speed Bike'; a robust bike with the essential weaponry; mounted cannons on its right side of the front frame. It was designed to tackle high-speed movement on any dry terrain. It has a built in comms unit and a mounted dynamic personal aide in the built-in processor, which would assist the rider in its riding condition, with a built-in on screen data update on the mechanics and performance of the bike projected on their visor. 

It was a mean machine for one likes to ride wild.

“We do not have the horses given the rationing then we had to cull them for food. Ours and the dragons.” Rumpel smiled. “You knew then too. Or you did not know what you chomping. So we improvise.”

I smiled and grabbed the helmet off Rumpel.

“I will take the rider position.” I placed the helmet over on my head and watched the system calibrate for my weight and height for the best suspension adjustment. Rumpel climbed on the back seat and muttered away. I gave the machine the nod for its machine to start the engine. The bike pulled off from the cover and roared along the tree lines before it jumped onto the tarmac road. Its rimless wheels held its grip on the debris lined path, where its weave past the random laid pieces with ease. The foot wide wheels were supported by a dynamic frame which allowed it to adjust for the terrain; riding low on smooth surface, and retracted to rise up on rougher terrain for better gravity control. The bike was powered by a large powerful core engine, which ignited the power hungry and allowed it zoom distances in seconds. It was not my vintage Honda CBR1000RR; the nine hundred ninety nine cc liquid cooled inline four cylinder sport bike with the top speed a hundred and seventy miles per hour.

“Do you do this all the time?” Rumpel was communicating with me through the com-link when we were doing over two hundred miles. The trees and hills were just drifting by our eyesight and wind; it was under control by the art crafts of mine. I ignored him and rode to feel the freedom of my shackles as the Guardian. I once rode on a dragon and that was in battle over the skies, and when we swooped down, it may have exceeded the speed I was on with the bike.

“Just in case if you do want to know. I borrowed this bike from the Councillor.” Rumpel voiced out. “At the speed you were doing, we have alerted their knights.”

I looked sideway and saw the approaching knights on those swift dragons. Those were specially trained dragons for speed in pursuit and there are only a few. They stand out like the sprinter among the other breeds of horses. There were three of them.

“Anyone I may have known?” I asked Rumpel.

“Probably yes. They are part of the Twelve Knights of Arthur.” Rumpel replied. “Sir Percival led them. Lamorak and Tristan.”

I recalled them all. They were a trio always; with Percival being the leader. Percival was the loyal one to Arthur; some questioned his loyalty was to the man or the lady that the man was wedded to. Percival was the loyal one to Arthur; some questioned his loyalty was to the man or the lady that the man was wedded to. Guinevere was never a saintly figure for a lady with her affair with Lancelot known by few and whispered by more, but Percival was the far flung lover whom she occasionally flirt with. Lamorak; the son of Pellinore. He was also the younger brother of Percival. He was best seconded only to Lancelot among the twelve knights. And there was Tristan, the archer who hardly missed. It was said that he held the bow that once belonged to Athena the Goddess but it was only a rumour.  

Without a warning, I swerved the bike to the right just as the arrow went passed us but it nicked me at the left lower arm. I bit down on my lower lips to quell the pain I felt. It was Tristan doing then but the time for the next action was mine. I directed the bike towards the trio instead of fleeing.

“Are you out of your mind?” Rumpel cried out but he was already moving into offence mode. He called up the strand of string and from it soon a trio of hand sized ball appeared held together by the entwined strand of strings of over ten feet in length.

“Throw it.” I shouted at Rumpel.  The other did as I said while I called on the wind to lent its weight to the propulsion of the throw; moving it to a high speed while the ball of strings were building up with the sands on its surface coated with the moisture to become hardened mud. The trio of mud caked balls sped on towards the dragons with my enhanced winds. It was aimed at the left dragon mounted by Lamorak. He was tough one and with his build, his dragon was larger than the other two. The balls hit at the dragon’ extended neck and winded itself over it. It was then I pushed out my craft of fire to blaze it. The dragons may be able to cast out fires from their jaws but they feared the fire generated by man. It was a different type of fire element from theirs, and it hurts them when it burns beneath the scales.

The dragon shrieked out in pain and went into a frenzy of twist and turns. In its need to get rid of the ring of fire, the dragon crashed into the middle one rode by Percival and cause a mid-air collision. The collision soon hit the other dragon and the pursuit was over. It was then I kicked in the brakes and course the bike to a standstill near the edge of the cliff. The grasses along with the sands were brought up into a storm of dust by the sudden stoppage.

‘Don’t you ever do it again?” Rumpel called out to me. I looked at the man disbelieving.

“It was you who told me to do it.” I replied.

“No, I did not. I heard you in my …mind.” Then it occurred to both of us that we were right. We did not give the instruction. Someone did it on us.

It can only be one who could do that.

Merlin.