SOVEREIGNTY

Chapter 13

Alan did his best to steady his hands Merlin!? THE MERLIN? What in the hell was going on? Was there truth in almost all of the old legends? Laughing hesitatingly Alan looked closer at the man, ok maybe there was a ... little resemblance to the man of legend.

"Wait, wait, wait," Alan started out, "you're The Merlin? King Arthur? Camelot and the round table? All of that?"

"Well yes, is there another magic user on earth called Merlin?" The man smirked, though it was hard to tell with the long growth of beard the man had.

Alan stopped and turned toward Hopix, "I thought you said that the earth now has a dampening effect on all magic users? That was the reason I couldn't..."

"A dampening effect? Only on Magic users?" The man was saying as he tried to sit up still stiff from not having moved in over a thousand years. "Sounds suspiciously like what happened in my time. That bitch Morgan le Fay was learning magic at an alarming rate. I found out later that she was seduced by promises of the dark council."

Alan had stopped for a moment causing Merlin to turn and see the look of pain and great distrust on Alan's face.

"Ah I see that you are well acquainted with them! A real nasty lot for sure." Merlin stared at Alan harder a moment longer then nodded, "So you know how properly to deal with them I see, and the fact that you caught them in a lie, and used that against them was genius my boy. Though I would caution you not to do it too often they always seem to find a way to turn the tables on you I know for a fact as you can see. Oh yes, this was their work."

The whole time Alan was taking in every word the man was saying he had been at this far longer than he had and with less power to boot! "I've been told you came here a very long time ago," Alan told the man. "As outnumbered as you are you think that the white council would have helped."

Here the man lowered his head, "I'm afraid that they didn't know at the time 'til it was almost too late. By the time they placed me in the chamber, the planet was already in the hands of the dark council. I am afraid it was all they could do, had they taken me they would have been in violation of their own rules they set down."

Alan could only smile he was really starting to like this man! He'd kept the council in the dark. Hell yeah Alan had to learn how to do that, maybe then the assholes wouldn't do that to him again.

Merlin could only smile he could almost see the thoughts that the younger man had going through his head. It might be good to teach the man some of his tricks, might make his job easier and a lot more fun that's for sure!

"So my good man though almost all the pain is gone I still can't walk, bum leg and all." Merlin informed Alan. Alan nodded and started back healing the leg within minutes the man was almost whole again. Standing the man patted Alan on the back, "Thank you my good man now," Merlin slapped his hands together rubbing them together. "It's time to get back to work!"

Alan passed a hand over Merlin effectively freezing the man. "I think not Merlin; I just brought you back from near death. I'm not about to let you try and temp fate again ok? Stay here for a bit I'll go kill a few then we'll talk ok?"

"You're a damn sure fire, cocky bastard aren't you?" Merlin spat at Alan.

Alan stopped a moment then turned to Merlin with a huge smile on his face, "Yes, you might say that, I have to be or I'd most definitely be dead right now. Just stay here and rest you haven't been out there in a very long time the little I have done today has barely affected the balance on this world." Alan walked up to Merlin and with a deadly serious look told the older man, "I damn sure intend to change that!"

Merlin watched as Alan walked away, a wide smile crossing his face, so it was true! The one had finally been born and arrived. Sighing Merlin sat down if the man actually could kill a few more then they had a chance. With the removal of the weakest twelve plus their apprentices Alan might not feel a difference but he most definitely could.