Merlin knew time was limited. He knew he had maybe a few hours left to reach Blaise, if he was lucky. If he wasn't. . . Merlin decided not to follow that thought through to its conclusion.
Hurry, hurry, hurry, Merlin kept hearing, for every moment in the air was another precious second in which Merlin could save Blaise.
How will you find Blaise? taunted a voice in Merlin's head, How will you save him? What if you don't arrive in time? When Merlin thought these questions over, he realized he didn't know the answer to any of them.
Merlin was woken from his deep thoughts when he heard the clop-clop of a horse's feet from far below him. As he listened closer, he heard the familar clink of a scabbard hitting the buckle of a belt. Merlin knew at once that the rider could be none other than Blaise.
Looking ahead of him, Merlin saw a small clearing, and flew faster towards it, hoping Blaise's course would take him through the clearing. Slowly, Merlin shape-shifted to his normal form and walked to the edge of the clearing, ignoring the glare the windows of the cabin in the clearing gave him as he walked past. For some reason, Merlin felt as if something monumental had happened here.
Or was going to.
Merlin heard Blaise's horse approaching the clearing. Curiously, the horse stopped abruptly where the clearing met the forest. Blaise dismounted his horse and walked calmly and slowly to the cabin. Blaise did not knock; he simply kicked the door wide open, splintering it. Curiosity won over Merlin's better judgment, so he followed Blaise.
The cabin was empty. There was nothing in the cabin, nothing at all. Which seemed odd as it had clearly been built several years ago, as could be told by the decaying wood. Again, Merlin felt the monumental feeling, stronger this time. On impulse, he looked out the window nearest to him. He thought he could see a boy of his age running into the forest. But Merlin had never been able to quite trust his own eyes, due to poor sight. Blaise had once promised him glasses.
Blaise. Where was he? Merlin got up from the window sill and began to look for Blaise. Moments later, Merlin heard a thundering boom come from the bedrooms of the cabin. Already forming a plan, Merlin ran towards the bedrooms.
Merlin heard swords clashing against one another. He knew that one of the swords he heard was Excalibur, Blaise's sword. The other was one he had hoped he would never be near again if Merlin was right.
Flying around the corner, Merlin saw to people fighting. Blaise was one of them. The other had his back turned to Merlin. Suddenly, the man with his back turned took out a wand a screamed an incomprehensible word. As a result, Blaise went flying through the solid wood wall and landed on his back in a bath tub. The man came flying at Blaise, wielding his sword high above his head as if it were an ax he would bring down on Blaise's head. Blaise quickly rolled out of the way and on to his feet.
The man's sword was stuck in the wood floor of the cabin. Taking advantage of the man's predicament, Blaise ran at the man, swinging Excalibur from the side in a long arc. The man merely said another word and Blaise's foot froze, causing him to trip. Anyone could clearly see the man was an expert when it came to magic. If the battle continued to progress this way, Blaise would die.
The two continued to fight each other, driving one another into the clearing. for the third time, Merlin felt the monumental feeling. It was the strongest feeling of them all, so strong, Merlin fell on the ground and struggled to get back up. As he lay on the ground he heard Blaise and the man yelling at each other.
"It's been many long years that I have been waiting for this day!" shouted Blaise at the man.
"I don't want to fight you!" screamed the man, his voice as sharp and cold as ice. It was a voice Merlin would recognize anywhere; it was the Young One.
"Of course you don't! You're afraid I will avenge your father!"
"I didn't kill Ambro!" said the Young One calmly.
"Then why is he not with us?"
"He left! He suddenly
disappeared just as he was about to kill me! Why won't you believe me?""You most certaily earned your name, Shiroix, or as ot means in the Speech, teller of lies."
"I am not lying!" screamed the Yoiung One with fury as he brought his sword so hard against Excalibur, Merlin heard a high pitched squeal, which undoubtedly meant Excalibur had recieved a deep gouge.
Merlin overcame the feeling that had grasped hold of him just as the Young One went for the killing blow. He ran around the corner and screamed a word at the top of his lungs, pointing his cane-wand at the Young One.
"Zamaj!" Merlin bellowed. Suddenly, out of nowhere, came a stampede of giant dogs, slobber trailing behind them as they raced towardsthe Young One and Blaise. Among the dogs were blood-red stags, fire-orange birds, and horned lions. Leading the stampede was a creature riding a skeleton horse. The creature's face had much resemblance to that of a goat, except it was as black as ash. It had pointy ears, much like some of the elves Merlin had seen. It also had horns and two shrp fangs coming out of it mouth facing up like an elephant's tusk. When the creature turned it's revolting features so it's red eyes were looking straight into Merlin's green eyes, Merlin felt one thought.
I am Pertcha, was the thought the creature sent Merlin as it passed him.
Pertcha turned her eyes back on the Young one and threw a flaming sword at him. It hit him right between the eyes.
Seeing the sword, the stampede behind Pertcha started to ravage the Young One's body, leaving nothing, not even a bone. Just as quickly as they had come, the stampede left, except for Pertcha.
"Who are you?" asked Merlin.
I am Pertcha, the leader of the Wild Hunt and the bringer of death, replied Pertcha.
"Why did you come?"
You summoned us.
"Will I see you again?"
Only when your time has come.
With that final word, Pertcha and her steed too left.
Merlin looked around for Blaise. He saw him lying on the ground near the cabin.
"Blaise!" yelled Merlin as he ran to his mentor.
"Merlin?" asked Blaise weakly, "Is that you? What are you doing here?"
"I had a dream and came to save you."
"It is too late for me. . ."
No, it's not. I could use the healing spell you taught me."
"You don't understand; I have seen Pertcha before. She told me the next time I saw her, it would be my death." said Blaise, his voice ever weaker.
"Merlin," continued Blaise, "I am dying, and there is nothing you can do. I will always rememer my time with you and your mother because it was the happiest time of my life. Take Excalibur; pass it on to Uther and his son. For your self, take this." With that, Blaise handed him the ring Merlin had seen in the dream. Merlin took it and put it in the pocket of his robe.
"Take this and go to the Utopian Realm. I am trusting you with this; do not let me down. Fare well Merlin." Blaise turned his head to face the sky and held his arms straight up. "Spirits. . . have I redeemed myself on this day?" Blaise asked of the sky, just as he had in the dream.
Slowly, Blaise lowered his arms, the light in his eyes slowly dying. Then he was dead.
"No! Blaise, no! Don't leave me! Don't leave me! I'm not ready! Stay here Blaise, stay here!" sobbed Merlin, tears rolling off his cheeks onto Blaise's lifeless body, "Blaise. . ."
For hours, Merlin sat there, shedding tears for his uncle. Watching from deep in the forest, Pertcha almost felt regret for what she had done. She herself shed a few tears for Blaise. Crying was something that Pertcha had never done, and yet, here she was. Although Blaise was dead, Pertcha would make sure to do something to ease Merlin's pain. Something. . .
Unable to think of anything at the moment, Pertcha took to the skies, heading back to her master Arawn.
Below Pertcha Merlin continued to cry, and would for several hours. Even after he stopped, he would still feel the pain of losing Blaise, and would continue to feel the pain for many long years.
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