The Merlinian Chronicles Book 1

Chapter 7

I ran towards the flares in the sky, pushing past all the magical creatures crowding the streets of the Market. As I got closer to the source of the flares, I heard screaming, and not just from my sisters and guards. After running about 600 feet, I finally found my sisters and our guards. I gasped. A basilisk filled the area around it, flanked by two cyclopes. Selene was passed out near one of the stores, her face bloody. Gamma was shrieking and pointing at the air, purple tears streaming down her face. I knew she was experiencing numerous nightmares, all invading her mind and driving her crazy.Selenity had an ice sword in her hand, fighting a cyclops. Horus, Apollo, Bastet, and Hecate fought the Basilisk as Hephaestus and Athena fought the other cyclops while trying to direct the bystanders to safety. As Artemis and Aphrodite caught up to me, I immediately began giving orders.

“Artemis, you go help fight. Help wherever they need it most. Aphrodite, you go herd the bystanders away from the Market. When they’re safe, take care of Gamma. I’m gonna see what my new amulet can really do.” Immediately, Artemis and Aphrodite ran in different directions, springing into action. I clutched Rokandael’s amulet and silently begged.

Please, Rokandael. I need your help! Please help me and my family! Keep us safe! The amulet began to glow. It began to get warm as it was surrounded in white light. Suddenly, the amulet fell from my neck, and the light disappeared. In the same spot where my amulet had landed, an Angel with a purple amulet and a Dreamer’s staff stood. Without a word, he sprang into action, running towards the Basilisk, with me right behind him. As I approached the Basilisk, wand out, I was finally able to appreciate its appearance.

The Basilisk was pure black, with crimson eyes. Its trunk was as wide as both of the cyclopes together, and them some. It was three miles long, and its fangs were as tall as my father in his godly state. As I looked into its eyes, fear paralyzed me, and I wasn’t able to do anything but pray.

“MERLIN!” Athena screamed. She jumped towards me, pushing me out of the way, bringing me back into reality. “A Basilisks gaze can paralyze an opponent, making them an easier kill. Don’t look into its eyes.” I nodded and got back to my feet, pointing my wand at the gargantuan snake, avoiding its eyes.

I threw balls of energy at the Basilisk, but they did nothing. The explosion didn’t even faze the Basilisk. Suddenly, I heard Artemis’ voice in my mind as I remembered our lesson the night before.

A silver aura signifies purity and light. There are no dark creatures with a silver aura. In that exact moment, I knew what to do.

“ARTEMIS!” I yelled. The goddess looked over at me, her eyes burning with fury. I waved her over. Dodging blasts of energy and cyclopes’ clubs, she ran over to me, slightly annoyed.

“What is is, Merlin?” she asked.

“Remember what you taught me last night?” I asked. “You said ‘a silver aura signifies purity and light’”

“And?”

“We can use our silver auras to overpower the Basilisk.” I explained. “If we can force enough of our auras into the Basilisk, we can create an imbalance inside it. Its evil nature will try to fight the light we put inside it, which will require all its focus, giving us the chance to kill it.” She nodded, clearly impressed.

“But even with the both of us, we don’t have enough power to accomplish that.” I sighed, defeated as I looked around for another solution. Then I had an idea.

“ROKANDAEL!” I called. Immediately, he turned around and sprinted over to me. When he arrived, I explained the plan to him.

“It could work,” He agreed. “Two silvers would require a lot of power, but if you throw in an Angel’s aura, even one who has given up his Angel duties, will certainly be powerful enough. Artemis and I will take up positions closer to the Basilisk, you stay farther away. Summon your auras and allow the magic to pool around you. On my count, we’ll force our auras into the Basilisk at the same time.” We all agreed on the plan, and rushed to take our places. All around us people were screaming as we fought a Basilisk and two cyclopes, but I tuned them out. I focused on the moon. I pictured it in my mind’s eye. I pictured the pool of moonlight and I called upon the same emotions I felt when I opened a doorway of moonlight. My aura flashed and my eyes glowed brightly. At my feet, a puddle of silver magical energy collected, growing by the second. I looked over at Artemis, a similar puddle at her feet, and for the first time,I saw the concern in her eyes. I tried to silently reassure her as I turned my gaze from her to Rokandael, a puddle of purple and white at his feet, stronger than mine and Artemis’ combined.

“Ready, set, GO!” He yelled. Immediately, I made a scooping motion with my hands, and the puddle of silver energy at my feet rose into the air. Focusing on nothing except the Basilisk’s mouth, I pushed my arms forward, and the silver energy surged towards the Basilisk, along with Artemis’ and Rokandael’s. At the last moment, the three streams of magical energy joined together and entered the Basilisk’s mouth.

The Basilisk suddenly stopped dead in its tracks. It began convulsing, its crimson eyes glowing.

“EVERYONE GET AWAY!” I screamed. They all seemed to notice the Basilisk’s odd behavior and sensed that something was wrong and sprinted away. Even the cyclopes stopped fighting, but they were to slow. As the Basilisk thrashed about, it took out both cyclopes and a few more stores with them. It began biting itself, and as one of its massive fangs pierced its skin, and without warning, it went up in silver, white, and purple flames. The flames consumed the Basilisk, as well as the cyclopes, leaving nothing more than a scorch mark in the pavement minutes later when the fire finally died. I looked at my family.

“I think that’s our cue to leave.” I said, as I opened up a portal and herded everyone through it, to the safety of Merlinian Territory.

**************************************************************************************************

I was the last to walk through the portal. I walked through the portal and arrived in front of the Cave, as if I’d actually been IN the cave. As the silver vortex closed behind me, Selenity cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground. Luckily, Selene was able to catch her. Without asking, I knew what had happened, and my mind immediately flashed to an image of Selenity fighting a Cyclops with an ice sword. She was clutching her leg this time, and when Selene lifted up her pant leg, there was a patch of ice on her calf, still glowing.

“Selenity! What were you thinking? Wasn’t your amulet filled up this morning?” Selenity nodded, trying to fight back tears.

“I know, but I just reacted. I pictured a sword in my hand, and instead of focusing on my amulet, I just focused I wanted. I didn’t even realize I had used my aura until I got here and I forced the sword to melt. That’s when I collapsed. I’m so sorry.”

“Selenity,” I soothed, regretting my initially harsh tone. “You don’t need to be sorry. I understand why you did that, and I really appreciate it. You were amazing back there, and you saved us all. I couldn’t believe you were taking that Cyclops single-handedly!” She smiled, blushing. “Now, go and get some rest. And remember, no aura use!” Selenity nodded. Apollo and Selene helped her up and supported her as she limped towards Merlinian Castle.

When we got back to the castle, they helped Selenity through the portal and into her room. When they came back through the portal a few minutes later, I had only one thing to say.

“Meeting…study…now.” I said simply, walking through the portal, the others right behind me.