EXPEDITION: An Unmatched Fanfiction

Chapter One: A Hero's Journey

He couldn't imagine a more beautiful sight.

King Arthur had his back turned to all the land he ruled. He loved England with his heart, but his eyes were currently set on the seas. He stood on a cliff above the rocky shores of Great Yarmouth, staring out into calm waves caressing the land. He had an indiscernible sense of envy for this water. It is free, tossing itself around this way and that. It does not have any sense of direction except for what nature tells it. It is endless, expounding, and covers all. It can see every side of the Earth, from the very tip of England down to the farthest reaches of Western Asia. It knew the world better than any man ever could.

Still, despite its large scope, the water was inviting, enticing even. It almost felt like it was calling him to find the nearest boat and jump on to find his next adventure. He had spent many years slaying monsters for the glory and safety of his homeland, but now that he had ultimate lordship over it--with a table of knights at his beck and call--he yearned for more.

His Queen Guinevere was the loveliest woman he knew, and all of his loyal knights made ruling and protecting England a worthwhile endeavor, but Arthur felt he could do more for his land. Maybe he could find new land, expand its reaches into places no one had ever imagined, or find holy treasures that could keep England's legacy alive for millennia to come. He thought deeply that he could do more to make England better, but how could he ever accomplish such a feat without exploring these unknown depths.

"Arthur!" an elderly voice called from behind him.

Arthur turned around. Usually he would be perturbed by someone not addressing him as King, but he recognized the voice, and he knew it was the one man whom he owed all his royal nature to.

"Ah, Merlin!" Arthur greeted with a jovial spirit. "I am overjoyed to see you here!"

However, Merlin did not seem to carry the same merriment. His eyes were more sunken than usual, and his countenance was weighed down by a sense of dejection.

"What is on your heart, Merlin? I beseech you, tell."

"I come with prophecy," Merlin announced. "I was resting in my chambers when I was struck with a vivid vision pertaining to your future."

Arthur took a few steps away from the edge of the cliff, concerned by Merlin's words. "What did thine eyes behold?"

"It was a prophecy of a journey," Merlin foretold, his voice deepening. "I see doors appearing and opening across England, but these are not regular doors. They are linked to different parts of the world, places that even I could never imagine. These doors bring great danger to the sanctity of England. I envision them bringing all kinds of new beasts to destroy our land and people."

"What do these doors look like?" King Arthur asked.

"I cannot tell for certain. It is cloudy in my mind, but I see them surrounded in black smoke, like a bad omen."

"Well, that is of no worry. I will not cower to face any beast that comes through those doors."

"It is not so simple, Arthur," Merlin warned. "These doors will be plentiful. They filled my vision, I could not escape their visage when I closed my eyes. I tell thee, even if we gather all of our horses and men, their reign would expand too far and wide for our knights to fend them off. This is a threat to England the likes we have not seen before."

Arthur pondered Merlin's apocalyptic words. In the back of his mind was an inkling of a thought that whatever this prescient message was leading to could be a way for Arthur to righteously embark on some journey that would let him experience the glory of his monster-hunting days. "What is the source of these strange doors? Magic, no doubt. Is this the work of Morgan le Fay?"

"No, it is too powerful to be her doing," Merlin responded. "I dare say this magic is even more powerful than what I can conjure. I know not the source, but it must be found and destroyed if England is to prosper once more."

Arthur turned his back to Merlin and walked back to the cliff, staring again at the waves that crossed thousands of miles to land on the shores of England. Suddenly, they looked a lot closer. Arthur squinted at the cool breeze of the ocean brushing against his face. His mouth was filled with a crisp, salty taste. "I will do what I must. I will venture out and find the source that will soon create these doors. For the power and glory of England, I will slay this wretched creature before it can create terror in my land."

"I hope it is that simple," Merlin said forebodingly. "I do not know the exact location of this source, but it is beyond our land." Merlin walked beside Arthur and pointed a knobby finger out into the ocean. Despite it only being a hand, the way Merlin held it imbued it with a sense of dignity and wisdom. Its direction was true. "In a land over yonder, you will find your answer."

"I will alert the port and command them to grab me their largest ship!" King Arthur exclaimed. "I will set out and find this source before these doors can materialize."

He began to walk away when a sudden gust of wind nearly knocked him off his feet. He turned around to look at Merlin, still standing stoically at the edge of the cliff. The waves started to form whitecaps as they crashed harder against the shore.

"It's too late for that, Arthur."

Arthur ran back to the cliff to see the ocean. Just then, a giant whirlpool began to form in the water. The waves changed directions and started to swirl around each other in a circle, creating a large divot in the middle. The sound of the waves crashing into each other became louder and louder, a chaotic crescendo created by nature itself. Birds flying in the area quickly turned away, and fish started to flop out of the water from force of the waves. The waves spun faster and faster until it felt as if they could go no quicker. Then, the divot in the water began to rise, and the bow of a wooden ship began to peak out. The rest of the ship quickly revealed itself, being massive in size. It boasted two giant masts and a hull large enough to carry thousands of pounds worth of contraband. It rose out of the water like a great blue whale, jumping from the ocean vertically and splashing back down on its keel. The water around it sprung up high as the ship came down, reaching past the tall heights of the masts. Arthur had never seen anything quite like this before, but he had no time to marvel at this supernatural event or question its physical plausibility because the ship quickly leveled out and was headed towards the shore.

"It's beginning," Merlin muttered.

"No time to wait!" King Arthur said. "We must get to the port before that ship arrives. I will not let them step one foot on our soil!"

King Arthur began to run down the cliffside. He carried himself with confidence, but he had no idea of the dangers he would soon face.