Excalibur Rising

Merlin

                                     Chapter 10

From horizon to horizon there was nothing but lush green fields broken up only by the dashes of poppies and a multitude of coloured flowers glittering under the pink sun that shone brightly in the purple sky. The sky flashed brighter as the sun was temporarily blotted out before 8 bodies dropped into the grass disappearing from sight. They groaned before one by one they climbed to their feet and searched the area.

“Where are we?” Lila questioned as she stepped towards her brother, taking time to avoid the flowers that looking ethereal in the strange sunlight. Simon wrapped an arm around her as the others approached but didn’t get time to respond as a voice responded for him.

“You are in my domain, welcome children.” The voice came from mid-air and a second later a man appeared before them. Lila, Simon and Colton let out a gasp as they recognised the man instantly.

“Merlin,” Colton whispered wide-eyed as he stared at the white bearded man that looked somewhere between Dumbledore and the Disney interpretation of the man. He pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at the man who was wearing a set of 3D glasses on the end of his nose like they were his spectacles whilst his long navy coloured robe had been tucked up slightly to reveal his nobbled knees that were ghostly pale.

“You know my name and yet I don’t know yours but alas, we need to get on with business, I’m sure we can do introductions as we walk, but step fast children, the valley will soon be in darkness and it does not do well to dwell in such a place at night.” He chirped the words happily as if they weren’t ominous and scary which had the teens exchanging looks as they stared at the back of Merlin’s head. He started walking away but when they didn’t follow he glanced over his shoulder and beckoned at them. “Are you coming or not?” With that merlin continued onwards but not without muttering under his breath, “damned modern kids.” As he muttered he shook his head in disdain but carried on walking, leaving them to follow after him in his wake.

They teens exchanged glances before shrugging their shoulders and following after the strange man.

In a matter of minutes they were out of the field and were instead in front of a huge rock face in which a crag opened up a little away from them only to be blocked by a door a little way in. Merlin strode up to the door and placed his palm on the solid stone so that it glowed before turning to a wooden one with a handle. He smiled over his shoulder at the little group before swinging the door inwards to reveal a large and spacious house, light coming through the far wall that was made completely out of water, cascading past the missing rock so that rainbows of light shone onto the floor. Despite the place being made out of rock and water, the place was warm and steam emitted from where the water splashed up onto the stone.

“How is it so warm in here?” Emily questioned stepping forward to look at the humble but at the same time amazing home that Merlin had created for himself. The old man grinned before pointing to the floor.

“Under floor heating,” he said proudly but the twinkle in his eyes told the teens that there was a lot more to it than that. Colton stared at him for a moment before shrugging it off when he lead then over to a large table surrounded by cushioned chairs and gestured for everyone to take a seat.

Merlin sat at the head of the table while Colton and Simon took seats on either side, Lila sitting next to her brother leaving everyone else to get seated. Merlin watched all of this with his elbows resting on the table and his fingertips pressed together as he stared with much curiosity at the people before him.

“Would you like some tea?” he questions when they finally stop chattering and look towards him. A few of them scrunch up their noses at the strange old man but when he waves his hand and a teapot appears  on the table as well as a cup for each of them, they reluctantly grab the cup as it is filled and take tentative sips.