The Paradox Corridor

Chapter 36: A Familiar Face (Or Two)

James and Andrew carried Amber through the encampment, every person giving them curious or mistrusting looks until Arthur pointedly stared at them and they looked away. They must have looked like freaks, wearing their 21st century clothes. They reached the main entrance to the grey keep, which jutted into the sky, defiant of the wilderness that surrounded it. The guards, upon seeing Arthur, gestured to some people behind the doors, and they unlocked the door. Andrew and James looked at each other warily; even though they were on the same side as these people, they couldn't help feeling like they were intruding on foreign territory, which, in a way, they were; being from the future and all. Hefting Amber between them, they walked in the grand double doors, Arthur leading them on. When they walked through the door, though, they stopped and gasped. The low ceiling and the spaced out torches made for an incredibly reverent scene, the torchlight casting strange shadows over the walls and floor. Arthur kept on going, though, and after a while he realized that James and Andrew had stopped. He turned around, saying,

"Well, hurry it up! She may not have long!" This snapped James and Andrew out of their stupor. They hurried along after Arthur, barely noticing the various hallways that extended from the main hallway. Carrying Amber was hard: she was very tall and was therefore very unwieldy; Andrew almost hit her head against a wall countless times, and James could barely fit through the door that Arthur eventually led them through. Finally, after much cursing, grunting, and groaning, they got Amber inside the room. The room was incredibly dark: the only light came from the hallway. Arthur stopped right in front of them, and told them to put Amber on the ground. James delicately lowered her long legs onto the ground, while Andrew unceremoniously let go of her, her head hitting the ground with a thud. 

"Andrew!" yelled James, annoyed, "Seriously?!?"

"Hey, she was heavy! My arms got tired!" Andrew replied, offended. James sighed and turned to Arthur.

"Now what?" he asked, "Where's the healer?" James asked. Arthur smiled; 

"You will see, Sir James. Have patience." 

"Bleh," groaned Andrew, "patience. How dull. I could have more fun watching grass grow." James rolled his eyes. In spite of the situation, Andrew still remained a smart-ass. Typical Andrew.

"Honestly, Andrew? I think you're one of the most annoying people I've ever met." James said out loud, partially on accident.

"Thank you. I try." replied Andrew immediately. James smirked, having predicted the response to a T. The presence laughed in their heads, and commented on how it was a miracle that they hadn't killed each other yet. James and Andrew both laughed at that a bit, and after a while, Arthur suddenly joined in.

"You are some of the strangest people I have ever met, and I've dealt with witches and wizards!" Arthur commented. James suddenly had a brain flash.

"Would one of them happen to be named Merlin?" Suddenly, James found himself on the ground, Arthur holding a knife to his throat. Andrew drew his sword,  but the presence warned both of them to not try fighting back: they needed Arthur on their side. So they did nothing. Arthur growled,

"How did you get a hold of that information? TELL ME!" James sat there for a while, trying to figure out what to say. Finally, he said,