The Merlinian Chronicles Book 1

Chapter 3

I didn’t sleep that night. I was up all night with Athena, trying to think of a way to help Selene and Gamma. We spent hours trying to make magical items, searching for spells, researching potions, and anything else we could think of. It was useless. As the sun began to rise, shining in the window, I knew I had to get ready for our new guards. I closed the spell book in front of me, stretched, and flashed my aura. Slowly, the clothes from yesterday were replaced by a fresh pair of jeans, a black tee-shirt, and tan sandals. My messy hair was fixed, and a cup of coffee appeared in my hands. Slowly, I sipped some coffee as I shuffled through the portal, into the foyer. With a cup of coffee in one hand and my wand in the other, I slowly walked across the dew-covered grass, towards the same cave where I was born.

When I arrived, the cave was glowing. In front of the cave were seven people, facing me. As I approached them, I bowed. They bowed in return, and a tall, muscular man with a shaved head and one silver eye, one gold eye, stepped forward.

“You must be Merlin,” The man greeted, his deep voice powerful and commanding. “I am Horus, Egyptian God of War. With me are Hecate, the Greek Goddess of magic; Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love and beauty; Hephaestus, the Greek God of Craftsmen; Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the Hunt; Apollo, the Greek God of Prophecy, Healing, and the Arts; and Bastet, the Egyptian Cat Goddess.” Each god bowed as they were introduced, and were silent.

“We have all volunteered to help you and your siblings,” Horus explained. “Poseidon and Isis have explained everything, and we will do our absolute best to keep you all safe.”

“Why did you all volunteer?” I asked. “Very few members of the High Council are happy for our existence. Why did you choose to help?”

“Well,” Horus began. “Isis is my mother as well, and I felt it was my duty to help any other child she may have. I cannot speak for the rest of the group, though.”

“I was an outcast myself,” Hephaestus explained. He was an overweight man with a metal leg and bushy beard. His eyes were the color of bronze. “I have a soft-spot for anyone who is shunned by the High Council of the Magic Realm. I wanted to help you.”

“I agreed to help because of your curse, Merlin,” Aphrodite said. She looked beautiful. She was tall, tan, and thin, with long blond hair and hot-pink eyes.“As the Goddess of Love, I wanted nothing more than to help you find your Sorceress, and marry her.”

“I helped because you have a silver aura, just like I do,” Artemis explained. She was tall, serious, and pale, with braided brown hair and silver eyes.“And I wanted to help you learn more about it. My brother, Apollo, helped because you all need help with combat, and we are both skilled archers,” Her brother was the exact opposite of her. He was tall as well, but he was perfectly tanned, with short blond hair, big muscles, a smile from ear-to-ear, and gold eyes.

“As the Goddess of magic, I find it necessary to train as many wizards as possible, especially those as powerful as you.” Hecate said. She was the scariest of all. She was clothed in a black cloak, covering all but her head. Her long, black hair was perfectly straight, cascading down her back. Her face seemed to look different each time I looked at her. Sometimes it was that of a young girl, then a middle aged woman, and then an elderly lady. Her eyes changed color every few seconds, reflecting all the magic that she was a goddess of.

“And I am a protector,” Bastet began. She was tall and thin, her face very cat-like. Her eyes were green, and had the same shape of a cat’s. “It is my nature to protect those who need it.” I nodded. I had expected them to say that they were just trying to prove themselves, but it was all really heartfelt. I was touched.

“Well, welcome to the Merlinian Territory. Follow me to Merlinian Castle, where you can meet my siblings.” I turned around and silently walked back to the castle, where Athena was already waiting for me as soon as I walked through the door.