Forbidden Love - Merlyn [2]

Chapter Sixty-Two: The Power Of The Crystal

Eventually, Merlyn pulled Major to a stop and waited for Arthur and the others to catch up. A few minutes passed before Arthur and the others arrived, stopping beside her. They all jumped off their horses and began the last leg of the journey on foot with weapons drawn.

It wasn't long before the knights of Camelot were surrounding the camp. Unfortunately, they were surrounding an empty camp. Merlyn was crouched down beside Arthur looking into the camp. There wasn't a soul insight. It looked like everyone had just up and abandoned the camp. However, Merlyn couldn't help but think it looked too much like an abandoned camp. It seemed staged.

Merlyn couldn't help but tighten her grip upon her sharpened sai that were in her hands. Something didn't feel right. Before Merlyn could stop him, Arthur was suddenly darting forward straight into the abandoned camp. Arthur creeped into the camp causing his men to follow. He reached the nearest campfire that had been made and put out at some point. The prince stabbed his sword into the ground and took off his glove before he reached into the blackened wood beneath a black pot that was hung above the wood. Arthur scooped up the burnt wood immediately informing Merlyn that the wood had been distinguished some time before.

"Well whoever was here, is not here anymore" Arthur announced as he dropped the firewood and stood up to his full height. He dusted his hand off and placed his glove back on as he looked around. However, Merlyn was not so certain Arthur was right. Merlyn closed her eyes for a moment and could feel the pulsing of magic around her. It wasn't strong but it was there informing Merlyn that there were indeed magic users around her.

"Yes, they are" Merlyn warned but before anyone could question her the sound of arrows being released came from all over the camp. Arthur was able to move out of the way of one such arrow but the knight behind him was not so lucky. Merlyn narrowly missed several arrows whilst people around her cried out in pain as they were stabbed by the stone arrowheads.

"Take cover!" Arthur ordered resulting in his men scattering around the campsite finding cover wherever possible. They had mere seconds to prepare for the onslaught of renegades who exploded from their hiding places. There was at least fifty men armed and ready for a fight with others hiding in the trees firing arrows from above.

Merlyn darted behind a tree whilst she got her bearings and scanned the enemy. From her place she watched as some started using magic to throw away the Camelot knights and disarm their opponents. It certainly didn't take long for them to resort to magic. There was an awful lot of the enemy using magic as well. Scanning the area around her Merlyn noticed that everyone was occupied. If she wanted, she could even the odds, just a little ...

Plastering herself to the tree she was hiding behind, Merlyn began scouting the trees until she found her enemies. Her eyes flickered momentarily over to Arthur and saw the prince locked in a sword battle with a renegade. Taking the opportunity Merlyn looked back at her enemies and willed her magic to throw them from the tree. Her eyes glowed golden and the men immediately fell. Her eyes snapped to the next enemies in the trees and with a muttered spell she set their crossbows alight causing the men to panic and scream before losing their balance and falling from their tree. Quickly, their enemies were raining from the trees as Merlyn subtly cast spell after spell.

"Merlyn!"

The warning came from her left. Merlyn snapped her head over and saw Leon looking right at her. Suddenly she felt her senses screaming danger. On instinct she dropped to her knees. Millimetres above her head a sword crashed into the tree she had been stood against. Using the floor as leverage, Merlyn kicked out at the enemy behind her and sent the man flying away from her weaponless. Rolling to her feet, she deftly twirled her sai and snapped it forward into the man's neck, the thin blade piercing the flesh with ease. The man collapsed dead before her feet.