Merlin: The Light of Eriador

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Astrice!" cried out Emmerich.

He immediately felt the wave of magic take birth in him and he sent it in the direction of the Black Druid with a simple movement of his hand.

The druid Bryan stopped the spell quickly, but he was compelled to take a step back.

"What is this?" cried the Druid, glancing at Emmerich as though seeing him for the first time. "You are no match for me, old man."

Odran was speechless, but nevertheless he had scrambled to his feet and now he was eyeing his mentor with a mixture of pride and awe on his face.

"You are nothing compared to him," the prince shouted.

"We shall see," laughed the Druid. "So you like to play with fire… Forbearnan!"

It was as though the air itself had caught fire. An enormous ball of light was flying in Emmerich direction.

He cried "Gescildan!" and watched Bryan's face change as a great shield of pure magic appeared in front of him and changed the ball of fire into harmless smoke.

"I must say you played your part well," snorted the Black Druid. "I would never have thought such magic possible coming from you."

"You have seen nothing yet!" replied Emmerich.

And then he cast a ring of fire around Bryan.

He used the distraction to yell to Odran. "This is my fight now. Stay out of the way!"

The young prince did not need telling twice. He rushed to Merlin's side, glancing momentarily at the two sorcerers, the rusty sword still firmly in his hand.

Bryan's next move was to set most of the clearing on fire; however Emmerich was quicker and more focused. He said softly "Tidrenas!" and a heavy rain started to fall, extinguishing the fires but also producing clouds of mist around them.

They exchanged another series of spells which Emmerich found not difficult to block. But between each spells, he glanced back at Merlin, Odran and Glinda. The young sorcerer was stirring now. He was struggling to regain his magic and the battle of will was beginning to show on the druid's face as well.

This time, the druid conjured a wall of rock surrounding Emmerich.

The old sorcerer shouted back "Ic abietee paet stanhol!"

A hole was blown instantly in the center of the wall, sending rocks flying at Bryan. But as he peered at his opponent through the cloud of dust, Emmerich saw something else: the Crystal Dagger at Bryan's belt had begun to glow of a faint blue light.

The Black Druid took his head between his hands and let out a low moan. "What magic is this?"

Emmerich could not help the pride he felt. It was Merlin's will that was reversing the effect of the dagger: the enchantment he was using was merely a tool given to him by the Great Dragon. It had worked before against Cornelius Sigan and it would save his life again in about twenty years against the powerful Mordred. Such magic could not be taught from a book. It was part of him body and soul.

Bryan was bent over in pain now.

"You can never become Emrys," said the warlock from the future. "He is magic and you are not. This is power beyond your understanding."

"My power isn't only the old religion," muttered the druid, catching his breath. "Maybe I cannot have his magic, but it doesn't mean that I am defeated. Men! To me!"

Suddenly, on all sides, Bryan's thugs appeared with their swords in hands, yelling and growling menacingly as they rushed forward. All of them – there were at least twenty or thirty – were aiming straight for Emmerich.

He had only spells for protection; he didn't even have a sword. Why did he always get into these kinds of situations? Still, he had kept more than one brute at bay with flying rocks and balls of fire at different points in his life. Magic had always been his best weapon. His attackers were thrown off their feet one by one while Bryan seemed to be struggling with the effects of the reversing spell.

"One hundred gold pieces to the one who brings me the sorcerer's head!" he yelled.

As Emmerich wheeled around to avoid a flying knife sent in his direction, he saw Odran standing besides him, sword in hand.

"What are you doing?"

"You're an idiot, you know that?" shouted the prince. "What were you thinking keeping something like that from me?"

"It was for your own good," mumbled the sorcerer.

"Bullshit."

"And I am not an idiot."

"Merlin's coming around, but he's weak," said Odran while swinging his sword at an opponent. Bryan's men were circling them now.

"We don't need him," snapped back Emmerich. "We need Arthur."

But then he realised that he no longer had Bryan in his sight. His eyes darted across the clearing, and then he saw him: the druid was standing over Merlin, holding off the woman with one hand, aiming the blue dagger at Merlin's throat with the other.

"No!" cried Emmerich.

As he screamed, the ground began to vibrate and all of those who stood in Emmerich's path were sunken knee deep into mud. He reached Bryan not a moment too soon; the druid was about to deliver a fatal blow. He stopped the dark sorcerer's hand with magic and then the young Merlin's eyes snapped opened and he rolled out of the way.

"Kill them! Kill them all!" yelled the druid.

Bryan's men rushed forward. Odran took up position in front of the woman Glinda, his rusty sword gleaming faintly in the pale morning light as it crashed down on his attackers. Emmerich was trying hard to maintain his magical grip on Bryan. If he could use that grip and squeeze hard enough, then Bryan might release the Crystal Dagger and Merlin would grab it and Arthur might actually show up and…

The next thing that he knew was a sharp pain on his back. The magic around him shifted. It was no longer in his control, like a river interrupted. He was falling. Was this the end of the great sorcerer Merlin? This wasn't how he had planned it. Then again, his plans never really worked out as expected. Even the legendary Light of Eriador had played a trick on him by sending him to Vallonia. He had never ever been in control of anything. It was annoying beyond belief. And all the while he kept repeating over and over in his head the same irritating question.

Where the Hell is that pratt Arthur when you need him?