Deganwy Castle

"Alright men! Move out!" shouted Blaise as the fist rays of light came. As one, the army sat up and packed their things away, and was marching off as Merlin was still waking up. As Merlin scrambled to pack up his things, Caedmon and Blaise walked over.

   

"Merlin, you're going to have to be faster if you're going to fight with the army," Blaise said, "I'll give you a break today, but be wary in the future. Understand Merlin?"

 

Merlin hastily nodded his head. After several nods, Blaise walked off to join the army.

 

"Are you ready to ride Merlin?" asked Caedmon in Merlin's head.

 

In response, Merlin swung his legs over Caedmon's body and sat down, not bothering to place a saddle on Caedmon. As soon as Merlin was sitting on Caedmon's back, Caedmon took off from a stand-still to a lightning sprint. Merlin clutched Caedmon's mane in his hands and held on for dear life, watching the trees fly by, hoping Caedmon wouldn't run into any of them.

 

"Are you having fun Merlin?" asked Caedmon. Merlin could have sworn that Caedmon had an amused tone in his voice.

 

Within seconds, Caedmon had caught up to the army, but he didn't stop. He sped up if anything, and quickly bypassed the riding army, shooting out far in front of them. It was almost as if Caedmon was being playful with the other horses, egging them on to run with him.

 

After a while, Caedmon stopped sprinting and slowed to a trot, and joined the rest of the army. Meanwhile, Merlin's heart was pounding from the thrill of the ride. It had been scary, but fun too.

 

Several minutes later, Shiroix led Thunder up beside Caedmon. "Nice of you to join us Merlin."

 

"I can't control Caedmon Shiroix," said Merlin with a thin smile.

 

"Sure you can Merlin! The only difference between a horse and a unicorn is the horn. They both listen the same, you just have to break him. Mind if I take a shot at it?"

 

"Yes, Merlin, why don't you let him? He could be taught a lesson in unicorns," said Caedmon in Merlin's head with an angry tone.

 

Merlin had no idea how Caedmon spoke inside his mind, but Caedmon's words brought many pictures of his defeats at Shiroix's hand at just about anything. No matter what Merlin did, Shiroix always seemed to be better. In magic, in archery, in riding, in axe throwing, in dueling, even in eating. Merlin had never once beaten Shiroix, not once had he performed as well as Shiroix had, ever.

 

"You have a rivalry with him?" asked Caedmon.

 

Surprised at Caedmon's question, Merlin wondered how Caedmon had known what he had been thinking of.

 

"I heard you Merlin. If you think a thought, I will hear it. It is part of the bond that we have now and always will have until our dying days."

 

Basing his next move off this new found knowledge, Merlin thought of him getting off Caedmon and letting Shiroix get on, and Caedmon bucking Shiroix off.

 

"I have something better planned Merlin," said Caedmon with an eager tone.

 

"Alright Shiroix. He's all yours," Merlin said with a faint smile, and slid off Caedmon. Shiroix didn't waste any time and slid on to Caedmon from Thunder, his feet not even touching the ground.

 

As soon as Shiroix was on his back, Caedmon raced forward. Shiroix, being as good as everything as he was, was not easily thrown off. While it had taken Merlin two hands to hold on at the speed Caedmon was going, it only took Shiroix one, with the other held high in the air.

 

In response to Shiroix's expert riding, Caedmon suddenly turned to the left, but he kept skidding forward due to the speed he had gathered, and could not turn. However, Caedmon hadn't wanted to turn. As he had moved his body to the left, he jumped, creating a massive force that hit Shiroix full, knocking him off Caedmon's right. Yet, Shiroix still held on to Caedmon's mane, thus he absorbed all the shock when Caedmon landed, allowing Caedmon to sprint off in the direction that he had turned before jumping, and dragged Shiroix along with him. After some time, Caedmon did a complete one hundred eighty degree turn. Shiroix lost his grip on Caedmon's mane, and with all the momentum Caedmon had had, flew twenty feet across the forest and straight into a giant tree, which of course, had to be between Shiroix's legs.

 

For several minutes, Shiroix just lay there while Merlin and Blaise came over to him, moaning in pain.

 

Blaise spoke first. "No one ever told you not to insult a unicorn did they Shiroix?"

 

"No," Shiroix squeaked softly.

 

"Well now you know not to. Might want to keep that for future reference."

 

"Will do."

 

As Shiroix painfully got up, he steered clear of Caedmon and mounted Thunder with a great deal of moaning and whining. Quite unusual for Shiroix, but then again, he'd never been thrown by a unicorn.

 

Merlin looked over at Caedmon and thought good thoughts of his congratulations before mounting Caedmon. For once, Shiroix had been shown his place.

 

After several hours, the sun was finally visible in the sky. At this point, Blaise turned around on his horse to address the army.

 

"Attention men! Now that it is daylight, it is time that we use our magic to cut our journey shorter than it would normally be. All of you are to participate in this spell, it will take a great deal of power to transport more than two hundred men and women across an ocean to a land several thousand kilometers from here. On the ready men!"

 

As Blaise spoke these words, the army halted, the people which made it up summoning the power they would need from within them. Merlin could feel a great deal of powering coming to the area, fueling the spell that was about to be performed. Some provided a great deal, others provided a lesser amount. Yet, all contributed.

 

Merlin felt the presence of strong magic in the area, much stronger than everyone else combined, emitting from only a few sources, three that Merlin could count. One of the sources was Blaise. Blaise was emitting a powerful magic, much more powerful than Merlin would have ever imagined anyone capable of. Yet, what shocked Merlin was how weak Blaise's power was comparably to the others.

Blaise's was weak enough that Merlin could pick out where it was coming from, as he could everyone else as well. The only sources he couldn't define were those that were much more powerful than Blaise. One of them seemed to come from some faraway place, being very faint and hard to find. The last of the sources seemed darker somehow, a dark spot in the midst of a light collection of magic. The darkness almost completely covered the army, it's power overshadowing the presence of the other lighter magics that Merlin sensed. It still grew, growing ever more powerful by the second, as if it were drawing power from the sources around it and making it its own, dark power.

 

Then the spreading darkness quickly began to recede, to go back to its point of origin as a bright magic, a clean, white magic appeared and overpowered the dark magic, forcing it back. No matter how hard the dark magic tried, it could not penetrate the white magic and foul it. The white magic was using very little of its power to force the dark magic back to its place. The white magic was unstoppable, a great and powerful force that only wanted peace, whereas the dark magic wanted to have everything for itself, absorbing into the lesser, weaker magics.

 

Merlin closed his eyes, and felt the presence of the white magic everywhere, all around him, providing more than enough power to fuel the spell for everyone. Unlike the dark magic, it left the others magics alone, instead only adding its own power to the spell. The dark magic had tried to fuel the spell itself by consuming all others. It had wanted the glory of fulfilling the requirements of the spell without help, and it had failed, giving birth to the white magic.

 

For several moments, the world sat still. All was quiet, the white magic's disembodied presence floating in the air. Nothing moved, nothing breathed, nothing was anything. It was all one, it was all itself, one unified body of many things that came together to be one.

 

The silence was broken when Blaise shouted the words of the spell to the heavens, taking the army to Wales. When Merlin opened his eyes, he saw Deganwy Castle in the distance. The army could easily arrive within the hour.

 

People in the army began to mutter. They weren't supposed to have landed here! They were supposed to have landed kilometers away, they were supposed to have had a great distance to cover before coming within sight of Deganwy Castle, yet, here they were, Deganwy Castle looming in front of them.

 

None in the army had seen Deganwy before, aside from Uther and Merlin. The last time Merlin had seen Deganwy had been in the dark, and thus Merlin hadn't been able to see Deganwy very well. Here now in the early morning light, Deganwy was a spectacular site. Like many things, the first impressions were unreliable. The land Deganwy sat on was the neck of a peninsula, both ends of which ended in two hills, a slight dip between them like an 'm' shape, which was where a large gate lay. Merlin estimated that Deganwy was about a kilometer and a half wide, from end to end. Its towers had been built higher since Merlin had last seen the castle, and it appeared far stronger than before.

 

In front of Deganwy Castle was a giant, awe inspiring army. Every man just stood still, unmoving, waiting. The men were obviously well trained, and would be a worthy adversary, especially considering the navy that was blockading escape from Deganwy out the back entrance. It would be a hard fought battle for the sea fortress.

 

Blaise turned his brown and black spotted mare around to face the army.

 

"Men, in front of us lies Deganwy Castle, currently under siege by the followers of Vortigern. Tonight, we will break that siege. Meanwhile, the War Council will gather and develop a strategy for tonight's battle. The rest of you can rest up. I don't want worthless soldiers fighting tonight. Execute."

 

The well trained army broke apart upon Blaise saying 'execute'. Everyone went every which way, going to go find means of relaxation. Some men sparred with sticks to sharpen themselves for the night's battle, others pulled out a blanket and made a hammock between two branches to lay down on. A few pulled out their wands and used simple magic to set up a sea of tents for the men. Within minutes, the nearby area looked fittingly like a military camp.

 

Merlin dismounted Caedmon, giving him a cracker before he left, and walked up a small hill for a better view of Deganwy. Deganwy was a beautiful castle, very mystic, especially considering the army camping outside its walls. Merlin found it hard to believe that such a great place could possibly be defeated, but then again, the battle hadn't been won yet. The War Council was determining the course of action as Merlin looked over at Deganwy.

 

The War Council. What were they going to do tonight? Two and two formed in Merlin's mind to become four. What if he spied on the War Council? He'd know exactly what they planned tonight. He could help them without them ever knowing he had been there listening!

 

Quickly and quietly, Merlin moved over to the War Council's tent. No one saw him, no one stopped him. No one questioned him. He was free to go and listen in on classified strategy.

 

"There you are Merlin," said Shiroix from no more than a foot behind Merlin, scaring the living daylights out of him, "I've been looking for you. So how long have you been considering spying on the War Council?"

 

Merlin turned to look at Shiroix with a pained face. It figured. Shiroix knew exactly what Merlin had been planning. As always, Shiroix was better than Merlin. Doubtlessly, Shiroix would want to repay Merlin for the riding incident earlier in the day, and here Merlin was, providing him with the perfect opportunity to get even and more.

 

"Relax Merlin, I'm not going to tattle on you. No, rather the opposite. I myself was going to spy on the Council because I could, much like you are. However, I'd rather not be discovered, and so I have a proposition for you."

 

The word 'proposition' caught Merlin's attention. "What do you want Shiroix?" Merlin asked with a suspicious tone.

 

"I won't tell Blaise that you were planning on spying on him if you go in for me and report to me everything that was said. Everything. I'll put an invisibility spell on you so that you won't be caught quite so easily. Do we have a deal here?"

 

Merlin considered Shiroix for a minute. He gets to go undercover with an invisibility spell performed on him. He gets the information that he wants, and all he has to do is tell Shiroix just what has happened in the Council. It sounded great, except for one thing, but that could be easily changed without hassle.

 

"Alright Shiroix, I'll do it. But I'll cast my own spell."

 

Shiroix snickered. "You? Perform an invisibility spell? I doubt that you can perform one. Alright, let's see it then."

 

Taking a deep breath, Merlin whispered several words while watching Shiroix. After Merlin completed the spell, Shiroix's eyes grew wide, and his jaw dropped ever so slightly. Obviously, Merlin had successfully completed the spell and was now invisible. To test it, Merlin walked over to the right, and then jumped to the left. Shiroix's eyes stayed where Merlin had been.

 

"I told you so," said Merlin as he walked carefully away, unable to resist teasing Shiroix.

 

Quickly and quietly, Merlin walked to the tent of the War Council. In less than a minute, Merlin was listening by the entrance to the tent, not spotted, no one knowing he was around. Then he realized he was invisible and could actually go into the tent without trouble. Naturally, Merlin did such.

 

"… as if there was a surge of power coming from somewhere in the army," said Envok in his deep sing-song voice, standing up in a corner of the tent while everyone else sat in magically conjured chairs around a table with a three dimensional map of the area demonstrating the geography and altitudes of Deganwy.

 

Blaise spoke next. "Yes, we all felt that power. Even Uther here, and if a mortal has sensed it, then it was very powerful indeed. Far more powerful than the magic of anyone else thus far that the Light has encountered, save for a few."

 

"What gets meh is taht this is the fi'st time this has happ'nd in liv'n mem'ry," Anthon pondered aloud in his deep accented voice.

 
"No, Anthon, not the first time in living memory. There are some who still remember the last time it happened. Granted, it was very, very long ago, and there are few still alive who were such back then, most of which are veterans of the Wars who want nothing more than to forget the horrors of war. The only others who aren't such are either in exile, or else are of one of the other races. I can only think of three others who are among society that remember, and at this time, none will be of any use."


 
"Alright now, yeh lost meh; so apparently there has been this kind of power before?" asked Uther, holding his hands up in a stopping motion.


 
"Yes, Uther, but this is far more powerful than the last time, and at the time this last happened, the wizards who had caused this surge were the most powerful in the land, and look at what they accomplished. Now imagine that on a much greater scale…" Blaise explained calmly to Uther, trailing off in the end.


 
"Blaise," said Envok calmly, breaking Blaise out of his thoughts and back to reality, "The last time a surge like what happened back in the forest happened, great change happened. What's to say that won't happen again? We could be facing another war, and this time, there will be no mercy, no tricks, no hiding places. We'd have to fight our own against an invincible enemy, and we all know that the war would be far greater than the last time. After all, if the surge was so much more powerful, then what's to say that the war won't also be such?"


 
Blaise stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That is precisely what I was thinking."


 
For the first time, Geoffrey spoke. "But there were four major factions in the surge Blaise. One was yourself, we could all tell it was you, there was just something like you in it. Then there was the magic that someone was performing from afar, adding to the spell. We don't know who that was, for all we know it could have been a Dark wizard leading us to a trap. This could all be an illusion for all we know! And then there was the darker magic, something we've never seen before. Magic is magic, it's always been that way. Then there comes this magic, the magic that felt darker and almost overtook the army, taking everything for itself. Then the white magic, a pure aura of magic, again, something never seen before, magic is magic, which pushed back the darker magic and added its power to everyone's, though it could have fueled the spell itself."


 
"Geoffrey, I can tell you that the magician from afar is an ally," Blaise said, his half moon glasses half down the bridge of his nose, "I remember feeling his magic once before. It has never been something I could forget. After all, you hardly feel the aura of someone's magic, let alone feel such a unique one."


 
"A'right tehn, what 'bout the oth'rs?" asked Anthon, clearly very interested, as demonstrated by his wide eyes.


 
"Well, my magic had very little to do with anything. The far magician powered much of the spell. As for the darker magic and the white magic, we can only guess who they are, but we do know they came from within the army, so that leaves about two hundred possibilities," Blaise said, a far off look appearing in his eyes, "Yet, tomorrow we will have even less to consider. The two magicians are destined to fight one another late in life, and they will not die tomorrow. One will die at the other's hand, and the one who stands will die from heartbreak more than any other cause. Why these great friends will turn against each other and fight to the death, no one knows. Only time will tell." The misty look left Blaise's eyes, and his shoulders slumped.


 
"Did you…?" asked Envok almost with some emotion.


 
"Yes, Envok. I saw them battling on a hill not far from here. They have inexplicable link between them that they are discovering at the end of their lives, as they duel each other above a battle that will decide the fate of all of us, far off into the future. Yet, the battle won't decide the fate of the world, but rather the two magicians high above. I didn't see much, but I know that the magicians I saw are much older, too old to be anyone currently in the army. We have long before this battle, and maybe we can avert it."


 
Uther decided to speak up after waking up from a five minute nap, or rather the one he had tried to take. "Didn't we come here to plan this war, not one to come?"


 
Blaise nodded his head several times, as did the others in the tent. "Yes, yes we did, so let's take a look at what is happening," Blaise said, moving his hand, palm down, over the table in a sweeping motion. Magically, little figures and boats popped out of the map, and the water and trees began to move. Merlin figured that this was what was happening outside on the night's battlefield.


 
"As you see, for any normal army, there would be no way to get to Deganwy and no way to let them know that tonight we fight. Yet, we are not that normal army. We are an army of wizards and magicians, and so we can send a message to Ambrosius inside. As for tonight, well, we can have several wizards perform fire spells to break up Vortigern's tightly packed army, and a few water spells too. This will create a path for us to get through and separate the army in an effort to even the odds. Then, if all goes well, Ambrosius will see the fighting outside, and send his army to surround Vortigern's, us on one side, and Ambrosius on the other. Completely surrounded, the men will panic, and from there, it ought to be easy to finish the battle and claim victory here at Deganwy. Where the war takes us after tonight, well, that's a story that will tell itself."


 
Merlin sensed the council was over and left the tent. His mind swarmed with the new found facts and strategy he had stumbled upon. About a hundred yards away, Merlin saw Shiroix, waiting for Merlin to come and tell him what he had found. Merlin also saw Deganwy, not more than a kilometer away.


 
"We can send a message to Ambrosius on the inside," Blaise had said. What if Merlin did it himself? He could even spy on the enemy while he was there, pick up on things that would greatly help Ambrosius and Uther win the battle, and maybe the war.


 
Thinking thoughts of glory and greatness and helping his friends, Merlin set off to Deganwy Castle. He was going to spy on Vortigern without his ever knowing.