The mermaids took Merlin and Arthur back to the beach, where they found the stranded boat. They dropped them off on the sand before sliding back out to the Lake of Peace.
Merlin and Arthur, both carrying the Faerie Swords, thanked them, waving goodbye.
The mermaids waved back.
Arthur started to roam, but Merlin was lost in thought. He could not get Talya’s warning out of his head:
“‘You must strike the Death Lion at the right time for the magic to work.’”
What did she mean by that? Why did Merlin feel so clammy of a sudden? He snapped out of his doze when Arthur threw a stick at him, and it hit him in the arm.
“We don’t have time for this. We need to find the Death Lion,” he told his manservant.
***
Merlin and Arthur returned to the search party.
At the sight of them, Guinevere broke down in tears. “Merlin! Arthur! There you are!” She threw herself into Arthur’s arms, crying into his shoulder.
Next to them, Merlin continued to stare into space.
“‘Strike the Death Lion at the right time; a different kind of magic.’”
Merlin did not even notice that Guinevere had pulled him into a hug, too.
“Merlin!” she said.
“Huh?” Blinking, Merlin shook out his head. “Oh, hi, Gwen.”
***
The search party took some time to set up camp. By then, Elyan had woken up. Sir Gwaine, Sir Percival, Sir Leon, and Agravaine also managed to snap out of Esmerelda’s spell.
Agravaine left to grab some firewood, but he made a slight detour to speak with Morgana. This was because he did not like the looks of the swords Arthur and Merlin received from the cave they mentioned.
The Death Lion planned to attack early in the morning, but under Agravaine’s concern, it changed its mind. It meant to get rid of Merlin and Arthur, but in the end, it helped them.
“So the faeries gave you those swords?’ Esmerelda asked Merlin and Arthur. Gwen and the knights still did not know that she was a mermaid, and Esmerelda intended to keep it that way. She, the knights, Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen were sitting in a circle. It looked very much like a council meeting at the Round Table.
Smiling, Arthur said, “Yes.” He held up his sword to show it off. “One strike from these swords and the Death Lion will disappear into oblivion. Poof! Just like that!”
“Don’t you think that’s a little too easy?” Elyan asked. Wrapped in a blanket he got from his horse, he held a warm drink in his hand.
Arthur considered Elyan’s words. “Sure,” he said, but there was definitely some uncertainty in his voice.
Merlin jumped in for him. “The faeries also mentioned that we need to attack at the right time.”
Arthur scoffed. “Poppycock. They just said that to scare us.” Rolling his eyes, he rubbed his fist on top of Merlin’s head.
“Ow! Ow!” he complained. He quickly pulled away from his friend. “Arthur, not to be rude—I mean, I know you’re the king, but I really think we need to return to Camelot and think this over.”
“Why? The faeries gave us these swords for a reason. They want us to get rid of the Death Lion as quickly as possible. They’re tired of its reign in our world, just like us. You’re such a scaredy-cat, Merlin.” Arthur gave Merlin another fist rub on the old noggin. Chuckling, he patted his shoulder and rose to his feet. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go see if I can find my uncle.”
Unfortunately, he was not able to take a single step before a terrifying roar came from the forest. It scared the horses, but they were not able to run. The search party had them tied to some trees. Instead, they whinnied and leaped back on their hind legs.
“What’s that?” Esmerelda frightfully asked.
Sir Leon, Sir Percival, Sir Elyan, and Sir Leon leaped up and grabbed their swords. They pointed them in the direction from which the roar came.
“Ah, perfect,” Arthur mumbled under his breath.
The Death Lion leaped out of the woods. It was still limping a little bit from the wound Arthur gave it earlier, but for the most part, it had strangely healed.
Esmerelda and Guinevere jumped. They threw themselves into each other’s arms and stared deeply into the Death Lion’s red eyes.
Seeing it, Esmerelda and Merlin felt their magic draining. Esmerelda’s head fell forward, and Merlin started to sweat.
Guinevere gave her shoulder a quick shake. “Esmerelda!” she yelled. Then her eyes landed on Merlin. “Merlin!”
Arthur held his hand out to her and gave her orders. “Get Esmerelda to safety. The Death Lion is here for her.”
“Why?” Gwen asked in a frightened voice.
“Because she’s a magical being,” said Arthur.
Gwen and the knights gave him a weird look.
“I’ll explain later,” Arthur continued. “For now, we need to keep her safe.”
Merlin piped up. “And the only way to do that is for us to return to Camelot.”
“Merlin, Merlin.” Arthur grabbed hold of his shoulder. “I always knew you were a scaredy-cat, but this? Aren’t you forgetting that we have the Faerie Swords on us?”
“I seriously do not think it’s time for us to use them,” Merlin admitted.
Sir Leon tried to get across to Arthur. “Maybe you should listen to him, Arthur.”
“Silence!”
Sir Leon jumped. He hated it when Arthur got mad.
“We have the Faerie Swords! They will get rid of the Death Lion just as quickly as it appeared before us!” he shouted. “Come on, Merlin!” Shooing the knights away, Arthur grabbed Merlin’s arm. He dragged him toward the Death Lion.
“My Lord!” Sir Leon yelled.
“Just leave it to us!” Arthur announced. “For now, you all need to take shelter.”
Seeing that there was no point arguing with him, Sir Leon nodded. He and the knights escorted Gwen and Esmerelda over to a log, which was in front of a cluster of trees. They dove behind them, peering out at the two boys.
“I’ve never seen you so terrified,” Arthur told Merlin, who was sweating profusely.
“We can’t do this. Please, Arthur,” Merlin begged.
“Shut up. All we do is lift our swords, and wham! No more Death Lion!” Arthur grinned. Just holding the Faerie Sword, he felt invincible. The Death Lion stood no chance against him and Merlin.
“I really think it’s too early,” Merlin argued. “Gaius knows more about the Old Religion than either of us. He can help us.”
“We don’t need Gaius’s help,” Arthur argued back. He flicked Merlin’s nose. “All we need is the magic of the Faerie Swords.”
“This is not the kind of magic we need!” Merlin yelled. “It’s the magic of—Arthur, stop!”
Too late. Arthur forced him to attack the Death Lion. He threatened to chop off his head if he refused to follow his orders. No one doubted the king! He knew what was best for his people!
Gwen, Esmerelda, and the knights nervously watched from their hiding place.
Esmerelda chewed on her nails. She wanted to stop Arthur, but she knew she couldn’t. Arthur had to learn from his own mistakes.
A rumble of thunder came from above the Lake of Peace. Nevertheless, Merlin and Arthur lifted the Faerie Swords high over their heads.
Merlin tried to use magic to throw Arthur’s sword from his hand, but it did not work. The Death Lion was too powerful, and it kept on stripping him of his powers.
“So long, Death Lion! Now, Merlin!” Arthur shouted. He slapped Merlin’s back, since he had a feeling he wasn’t going to listen to him. The impact knocked Merlin’s sword out of his hand, causing it to fly forward.
“No!” Merlin screamed.
The Faerie Swords flew straight for the Death Lion’s heart. It did not move a muscle. This was not because it was scared. In fact, it was nowhere near scared. It was because he was well aware of Arthur’s mistake. The swords edged closer and closer before… stab! They struck it right in the chest.
“Yes!” Arthur cheered, but he celebrated too soon.
Nothing happened. The Death Lion did not vanish into oblivion. A magic blue force field appeared all over its body, and snap! The Faerie Swords broke in two pieces. They landed at the monster’s feet.
Through telepathy, it yelled, “You imbecile!” at Arthur.
Arthur merely stared. His mouth gaped.
Merlin made a face at him that read, You’re such a clotpole!
“What happened? No!” was all Arthur could say. The Faerie Swords were supposed to KO the beast. What was the meaning of this?
Stomping its feet, the Death Lion let out another terrifying roar. Rain fell from the clouds above, soaking the whole search party.
“No!” Esmerelda shouted. She held her hands in front of her face.
There was a great flash of light. Gwen and the knights looked away.
When the light faded, Esmerelda was on the ground, but she was no longer human. She was a mermaid. She looked frightfully at Gwen and the knights in the eyes.
“You’re a mermaid!” Sir Leon shouted. Terrified, he, Gwaine, Leon, Percival, and Gwen backed away from Esmerelda.
“I’m sorry,” she choked out.
***
“Run!” Merlin shouted at Arthur. He picked up the two halves of his Faerie Sword and prepared to sprint, but Arthur did not join him.
He was kneeling over his own Faerie Sword. Picking it up, he whimpered, “I failed.”
Merlin fell to his knees next to him. “Yeah, you did.” Grabbing Arthur’s arm, he lugged him to his feet. The two friends barely managed to dodge a swipe from the Death Lion. Not only that, but Merlin caught a glimpse of Agravaine and Morgana. They were standing behind the beast, smiling evilly. Merlin knew it! Agravaine must have called the ambush!
The glow in the Faerie Swords faded. Merlin and Arthur rushed toward the horses. To the rest of the search party, Arthur yelled, “The horses! We need to get out of here!”
The knights and Gwen, still freaked out by Esmerelda’s true form, abandoned her.
Soaking wet, she held her hand out to them, begging, “Please!”
Merlin heard her. He turned his head in her direction, yelling at his friends, “We can’t just leave her!”
“Yes, we can! She’s a monster!” Sir Percival shouted. “Mermaids cannot be trusted!”
Gwen stared at the frightened mermaid. The Death Lion was creeping in her direction, licking its lips. Oh, how it loved fresh fish from the Lake of Peace for dinner.
Esmerelda returned Gwen’s stare. Tears streamed down her cheeks, mixing in with the rain, which now poured. A bolt of lightning caused half her body to flash white. “Please,” she frightfully begged Gwen.
Gwen arched her eyebrows. She yelled, “I can’t believe how selfish you are!” at the knights.
“Gwen, wait!” Arthur shouted, but Gwen made her move.
She leaped into the fray and sprinted to Esmerelda.
The Death Lion charged. It swiped its claws at Esmerelda and Gwen, catching Gwen’s arm as she was helping the mermaid up.
The young woman yelled in pain, but she did not give up. Luckily, Arthur and Merlin came to her rescue. Merlin helped both her and Esmerelda, and Arthur threw his normal sword at the beast. It rolled headfirst, like a boomerang, and stabbed the beast in its left eye.
Roaring, the Death Lion stumbled. It was walking in its own blood.
While it was stunned, Merlin and Arthur escorted Esmerelda over to the horses. Merlin tossed her onto the neck of his horse, while Arthur picked up his sword.
“No!” Morgana screamed in the woods. Lifting her fist, she punched a tree.
She and Agravaine started to run out, but by then, the search party was already galloping away.
Still stunned, the Death Lion fell onto its side in a puddle of blood. Arthur’s attack knocked its eye right out of its socket. It was rolling away from the beast, toward the lake. A seagull made off with it.
***
The search party galloped their fastest back through the forest and away from the Lake of Peace.
Esmerelda’s eyes expanded as her home grew smaller and smaller.
The party was in such a rush that they did not notice Agravaine was missing. Right now, they just had to get the heck out of here. The broken Faerie Swords were bouncing up against Merlin and Arthur’s saddlebags.
Merlin glanced at Arthur, who looked both confused and humiliated. That battle with the Death Lion did not go at all as planned, all because of his deadly mistake.
Together, Sir Gwaine, Sir Percival, Sir Leon, and Sir Elyan glanced at their king.
Merlin, who was galloping next to him, shrugged his shoulders. “I told you,” he said.
***
Talya of the faeries sensed what happened. She rounded up her people so she could hold a board meeting in front of their crystal homes.
Each faerie gave her a nervous face. None made a sound. Their wings did not sparkle. Parents held their children close to them. They did not like the look in Talya’s eyes. Nor did the children.
The Faerie Elder took a deep breath. She held her small hands in front of her and lowered her head in shame.
Underneath her, the Crystal Room’s spring lost its miraculous glow. The flow of the waterfall slowed.
Talya shook her head. A few minutes of silence passed, and then she finally opened her mouth to speak.
And when she did, she said, “The king has failed.”
8Please respect copyright.PENANAc5VdtAlBxY
End of Act I: The Death Lion
Final Word Count: 22,392
ns216.73.216.82da2