A Strange Tale (multiverse fanfiction) (On Hold)

Chapter 7: Training With A Prince?!

"So you can run, and you have guts..." Arthur stood there and watched me do the plank. "But can you endure?"

"Seriously?" I groan through my clenched teeth. "Why do you sound like someone from script? So formal...so...oof!" I fall down as my arms caved in.

"That's because I have to be...I am a prince after all..."

Prince? Arthur? The two words swirled in my mind. Then Merlin came into mind, and I finally clicked. Crap! Was I training with the legendary Arthur Pendragon!???

"Why do you just look like you've seen a ghost?" Arthur asked as I stood up and stared at him.

"You...you're a prince..."

"Yes, that is what I just said..." Arthur furrowed his brows in annoyance. 

"You're  a legend in my world...the knights of the round table, Merlin, Lancelot..." I stuttered.

Arthur's eyes widened, suddenly his firm face turned into a smug smile. "Really? Well, wouldn't Merlin have a kick from this."

"Merlin is also quite the legend in the story too. Without him, you wouldn't have even become king..."

Arthur raised his brow. "Well, I don't rely on him that much..." he frowned. "Now we're getting distracted. Up to it then, I want to see you're fighting capabilities." He grabbed two wooden sticks and tossed one at me.

To say that I was bad was an understatement. Arthur, or well, Prince Arthur, thrashed me in every possible capable way. My arms ached, my back hurt, and my right shoulder was burning like hell.

One hour later I was at the river. I took out my phone and turned it on.  Merlin had accompanied me along with some other girls to the river. He successfully was managing not to look at any of them, even though they ll were laughing, giggling, squealing and more.

I slipped off my top's shoulder and took a photo of the back. I then checked the photo. No wonder my right shoulder was burning. It was cut. It looked a little deep, but it wasn't bleeding and seemed fine. As long as I kept it clean, I should be ok.

I washed the sweat off my face and returned to the group. We started our journey towards this city. Questions still swarmed in my mind.  Why was Rachel so special? Why were the rest of us here? What exactly is Amorgania? Who was after us? Although I pounded Merlin with questions, he was equally good at evading them. Seems like that friendly, optimistic warlock was very good at keeping secrets.

I didn't want to talk to Dean, because he was a flirt and a playboy, surrounded by girls flocking all over him. Arthur was busy guarding Rachel and leading the group. That only left Derek. It was a shame he just made me so darn nervous.

I walked up to him. "Hey..."

Derek's brow raised in surprise. He glanced around him.

"Is wolf-boy capable of guarding, walking and speaking, or must I leave you alone?"

Derek shrugged. "Depends on what you want to talk about...wolf-boy?"

"You're a werewolf aren't you?"

"And you aren't terrified?"

"Your abilities did help save my life so...not really, no," I smiled at him, but he only nodded. So, not so friendly after all. 

"So who's after us?"

Derek gave a sudden smirk. "Merlin warned us about your interrogative techniques..."

"Seriously?" I shook my head in frustration. I wasn't going to ever get ...

"There's a few...all are evil, powerful, and capable of dastardly things...you do not want to mess with them," Derek spoke. "They want power, and one of you is capable of harnessing it."

"You mean Rachel?"

Derek shrugged. "If she is the one."

"Wait, you don't believe it?" I asked.

Derek glanced at me. His eyes met mine and my heartbeat raised. He was probably contemplating how much he was going to tell me. "She doesn't really seem like the chosen one type."

I laughed. That was putting it mildly. "So how did you get assigned to protect us?"

"That is something I cannot share," Derek froze. I stopped as well, and his sudden frozen face had  domino effect.

"Derek, what's up?" Dean asked.

Derek glared at Merlin and Arthur. "Where is that wolf?"

"He should be meeting us sometime soon...apparently he needed more convincing," Arthur spoke. "Why?"

"I smell something strange...and blood...."

"Everyone gather closer!" Arthur called out. "We may have just stumbled into an ambush!"

I heard a growl erupt, and creatures started appearing behind the trees. They were ugly, huge, with horrifyingly deformed faces. They carried swords and crossbows.

"Orcs!" Merlin yelled. His eyes lit up and as arrows shot towards us, they exploded into smithereens.

"Hold your positions, Rachel, get into the middle!" Arthur ordered. Mary grabbed my arm and pulled me with the group. I hated feeling so helpless, scared, powerless.

"Above us!" Brad screamed. 

Three orcs jumped down from the trees, and our group scattered. It was pure and utter chaos.

I tried sticking to at least one of the four protectors, but my plan failed as an orc caught sight of me. I knew immediately there was only one thing I could do.  With those four who was focusing primarily on keeping Rachel safe, I had no rescuer this time.

I had to run like hell.