Trapped in the Consequence of Time

Camelot

Camelot  

Paradise was failing. Its magical protection wavered and if something wasn't done about it then blood shed would be inevitable at night fall.

The sun was just starting to kiss the ground.

Di looked up at her grandfather. Both of them were in full battle armour and both of them were prepared to kill. All around them was a flurry of movement as the last of Paradises few residents left through the swirling portal that had been opened to them. Di's parents were on the other side making sure that everybody got through safely and that their new safe haven was well warded. Of course Paradise was well warded too, it was the most well warded place ever, and it was about to be purged, was already being purged, so they knew wards weren’t everything. Di sighed and glanced at the rapidly descending sun.

"Was it a good idea?" she asked.

"I do not know, but it was the only idea and it is better than nothing." The Captain replied.

"Was it worth it then?"

"Only time can tell."

"When they find out..."

"Di, think positively for once, if it works then they would have helped uniquely in saving our worlds and nobody has to know. That's the bit they don't like." The Captain cut across her.

"I think it's also the proximity of death." Di added drily. "And they won't like the final bit."

"They gave me permission." The Captain said.

"The original gave you their permission for them to help, not their kids, and when they find out how much danger you put them in..." she didn't need to finish the sentence, the Captain took a deep breath.

"I know."

"Do you really want to be on the end of Percy Jackson's wrath, Gem's got half of it and she's terrifying when shes angry?"

"Close the portal after you. We are no longer needed here; I will see you again soon." The Captain said with a long last sweeping look of Paradise, which Di didn't really think was an answer.

"And where will you go?" she desired not to bring up the fact that unless a certain group very unwilling Heroes stopped existence from unravelling he would not be able to travel and see her. Once night fell the darkness would consume everything and magic transportation - the transportation of the gods - would be the first to suffer. The swirling portal behind them could very well be the last, higher beings than they would have to resort to the transportation of, and a very adaptable, humanity. At least until the electricity failed and then even humanity would have to resort to the humble beckoning’s of the animals. Walking. That was fine for the lowly shepherds of the furthest corner of the Roman Empire but not so much for the west leaders in the early twenty-second century.

"I?" the Captain took another deep breath. "I will go and consult in the wisdom of my decision." Recognising dismissal Di nodded and walked over to here portal and made a split second decision.

"Try not to make them hate you. I would prefer to see you alive and whole next time we meet again." she grinned at the Captain look of shock and jumped rough the portal which collapsed into nothing behind her.

"I'll get you back for that." he muttered and glanced over at the vanishing sun. "But maybe you were right, maybe this is insane, maybe I have left too much to chance." a scream shattered the calm of the evening and the blood red sky was far too foreshadowing. Peace was over and war would touch every inch of land.

Nowhere would be safe.

The Captain vanished as the wards collapsed and darkness fell.

Existence was set.

***

The elderly man was waiting for him. As the Captain was up the hill to the sacred site he got to his feet and bowed low. In the distance a gleaming castle lit up by fires and touches stood on a cliff top staring out to sea, forests covered the space between but the top of the hill was bare except for a large square slab of rock carved ornately with symbols and words that glowed faintly in the twilight, it was lifted a metre in the air by carved roots from a tree that were also inscribed with symbols and words of power.

"Is it time?" he asked.

"Yes." the Captain replied.

"I will need all three gifts of Viviane to be able to complete the ritual the first two atop the last, which means we need to find them." he stared at the Captain hoping he had an answer for his unasked question.

"I've got some help for that. In the mean time we must only wait, when they arrive they should help you and I will be able to use the energy to travel to the beginning and stop Chaos from being disturbed. If something goes wrong you know where to find me and they will know how to get to me." The Captain explained.

"So then why is this happening?" the man asked sitting down on the table again.

"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore." the Captain said carefully.

"Everything will be fine. What could possibly go wrong?" they both laughed and the Captain smiled at him.

"Everything, my friend. Everything and everything rests on this working."

"Everything upon everything upon everything." the man added as he started walking down the hill towards the forest and the castle.

"They are going to kill me." The Captain murmured so that his companion couldn't hear him before setting off down the hill after him.