Magic in Camelot

The Curse of Cornelius Sigan

Merlynn was pulling night shifts with Morris now, since he could hardly stay awake anymore. Really she couldn't blame him, the miners worked all day and all night long and hardly anyone could get a good night's sleep. She and Gaius lived up in one of the castle towers and she could still hear them working sometimes. Morris had been caught a few times sleeping during the night shift after going for days without sleep due to the miners, and now she was pulling double duty to make sure he stayed up. Morris had been drifting when Merlynn heard Arthur call for him.

"Morris. Morris."

Merlynn nudged him. "Morris, Arthur's calling for you."

Morris jolted up and ran into his room. "Yes, Sire?"

"Are you deaf?" Arthur asked, exhaustion clear in his voice.

Morris tweaked his head to the side. "I wish."

"I want you to go down there and tell them to stop."

"But they're working under the King's orders." Morris pointed out.

"Yeah, and you're working under mine."

Morris jogged out the door and Merlynn pulled him aside. "I'll go. You're exhausted and I'm getting bored. Besides I can't go in there to help him if he needs anything else so there's really no point in my staying and you going." She grabbed a torch and turned down the hall before he could say anything.

She had just reached the entrance of the mines when the miners ran past her screaming. She turned down the corridor they had just run out of to investigate. She came across a small opening in the wall of the tunnel that led to a little cavern. She carefully walked through the opening and saw riches scattered about the room with what appeared to be the casket of an old King.

A vibrant blue jewel caught her attention and she approached it as whispers started to surround her. It seemed to call to her and she was transfixed by the jewel. She stepped up to the side of the casket when she bumped into something, breaking her from the trance. She looked down to see she had bumped into someone kneeling in front of the jewel.

Surprised that he hadn't said anything to her about running into him, she carefully called out to him. "Hello?"

When no response came, she gently reached out to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him until he moved. He fell over as she removed her hand revealing a grey face with veins highlighted in black and bulging red eyes. The sight of him made her jump back. Once she got over her initial fright, she turned and headed out of the cavern and back towards Morris to tell him what she had found, then off to Gaius to determine what had happened to the man.

When she had gotten Gaius up, she led him down to the cavern. Gaius looked him over and confirmed he was dead before beginning to look over the room.

"How do you think he died?" Merlynn asked him, bending down over the man. "Gaius?"

"Hm?"

Merlynn noticed Gaius studying the blue jewel in the lid of the casket. She stood up and looked about the room. "Do you know whose tomb it is?"

"Not sure."

"Do you think it may be cursed?"

Gaius didn't answer, instead stepping closer to the casket. Merlynn heard something give under him and her panic sent her magic into action. Time slowed around her and she saw an arrow flying at Gaius. She quickly willed a metal platter up to protect him from it and the arrow dropped after impact.

"You just saved my life." Gaius told her, looking between her and the raven that had shot out the arrow. "Thank you."

Merlynn heard Uther coming down the hall and she dropped her magic hold on the platter. Uther stepped through the small opening into the cavern and looked about the room, shortly followed by Arthur who did the same, though obviously less interested.