The Sword of Merlin

The light of the moon filled up the sky on this cloudless night as Merlin slowly crept to the edge of the water. The hem of his long robes were now soaked as he stood there wondering what to say to her. He knew she would not help him again, but he had already run out of ideas and his spells could no longer protect the people. The war had reached Camelot and the well trained knights were no match for the magical creatures conjured by the dark wizard Blaise. This wizard cared nothing for human life as he scoured Britain's countryside destroying the villages and collecting the souls of its inhabitants. Merlin tried to stop his siege at the city of Bath, but his powers where stronger than any he had encountered before. The only thing the aging wizard could do was watch as the cities walls crumbled. And so, as he stood at the waters edge, he finally mustered the strength to call out, "Lady of the Lake!"

As soon as the words escaped his lips, the waters surface began to move. The water glowed as it bubbled into the air in the form of a woman. "You dare call to me Merlin? After what you did?" With his eyes turned down he said, "I know I am not worthy of you my lady, but I come to you now with the humblest of hearts." The light of the moon shimmered on her wet skin and marlin could see that she was just as young and beautiful as she was 30 years ago. "I need a way to defeat the wizard Blaise, his power has increased and I have grown weak. I need a weapon…I need…Excalibur!"

She said nothing for a moment as she stared deeply into his clear blue eyes, and then said slyly, "I will give you the one sword, but when it has done its task you must return here with it and surrender what’s left of your magic to me!" His gift of foresight allowed him to know the consequence of his actions before he came here, and in a way he was relieved. The years had made him grow weary and he welcomed an end to this life. "I will do whatever you ask of me my lady, just help me save my people."

The lady moved slowly away from Merlin as water flows down a river and as she reached the center of the lake the waters began to bubble and splash, "I give you Excalibur!" The silver sword burst out of the water and flew through the air toward the wizard. As it moved, he could see the silver blade cutting through the air and its jeweled hilt that followed behind it. Merlin snatched the sword out of the air and, as soon as it was in his grip, he felt a strange magic flow though him. Merlin was now years younger and he could feel his strength return to him. "You know have the power to defeat the dark wizard, but remember Merlin, you now belong to me." Merlin looked across the water at the lady and he could see that she had grown old and weak. He could only stare in disbelief at what she had done for him and without a word she slowly sank into the water. With his strength restored and a powerful blade a new hope grew in Merlin’s heart. He knew what he had to do but he was now running out of time. Blaise’s evil army of demonic creature was descending on Camelot and only he had the power to save the kingdom. 

The sun slowly crept over the hills as Merlin raced back to the once glorious city. As he rode, the memories of his past with the Lady of the Lake flowed through his mind. They were in love once and when he called to her then, he called her Nimue.  He was in love with her from the first time he saw her. He was looking at his reflection in the water and instead of himself, he saw a beautiful girl with pale skin and clear blue eyes. They were both made of old magic and they were drawn to each other immediately. The time they spent together were the happiest times of his life. But now those days were over, and he had to focus on what lies ahead of him. He could see the devastation the evil army had left in their wake as he sped closer  to Camelot. The villages he passed through were burned to the ground and not a soul was left in them. He couldn't let the same thing happen to the people that he cared so much for. He couldn't let the dark wizard destroy the peace that he and the knights of the round table worked so hard for.

The evil army had now reached the gates of Camelot, stationed ready for the command of their master. The dark wizard moved slowly among his evil creations feeding off of their hunger for souls. He was a being made of pure evil, created by the pagan craft and destined to destroy human life. As the light of the sun crept over the hill he new his time had come. He would rule the world and allow the creatures of the dark to roam the conquered earth. The dawn broke over the hill as he gave the command to attack, but the only rays of light they could see was shining from the sword Excalibur. Merlin had reached the city and was ready for battle that had come. As he swung the blade the song of the sword was deafening to the ears of the creatures. They came at him from every direction but they were no match for the might of the sword. Every stroke of the blade decimated the monsters in its wake. The hundreds now lay in pieces scattered around the city as Merlin turned to face the wizard Blaise, "You cannot defeat me Merlin! You have tried before and failed! No man made object can kill me and your magic is to weak to even hurt me!" he laughed, as he approached Merlin with no fear. "Your reign of evil will now come to an end Blaise and I will cast all the evil you have unleashed back into the underworld!" Merlin drew up the sword and plunged it deep into the dark wizard. "How could this be?" he gasped as he sank to the ground. "The magic that flows through this sword is deeper and purer than any magic you could muster. Your time has come to and end and  you will be forgotten." He pulled the blade out and a black evil poured out of him. Blaise fell to the ground and was no more. Merlin had stopped the spread of evil and saved his people one last time. 

A few days had passed as Merlin again approached the edge of the lake. He called out for its lady like he had done so many times before. The surface of the water was moving but there was no light, no bubbling water. He called again and agin, but no one answered. He knelt in the water and stared at his reflection, hoping he would see her again but he only saw himself. She had sacrificed herself for him and now he was truly alone in the world. She said that his soul would belong to her and, in the end, she was right.