A World of Another Kind

Chapter 35 Merlin

     "First of all, you need not fear, for I have no intentions of killing mere children if that is what you are thinking," replied Arthur. "I'm not that cruel."

     "Then why did you order their arrival?" David questioned. "Answer us," he demanded, unsheathing his sword. "Is it because they found out your true intentions with the sword of Nayu?"

     "No, I have another reason," he returned, eyeing Aubrey and me coldly. "Their blood is an essential ingredient to my spell, the blood belonging to the finders of the sword of Nayu. I just need a drop from each of them, then I will let them go. You have my word."

     "Sorry, but that's not going to happen under my watch," Regina retorted, forming a fireball in her hand as Lancelot, Neal and Hook also unsheathed their swords.

     Arthur turned his malicious gaze to Lancelot. "Now are you going to betray me, my loyal and noble knight, Lancelot?"

     "You are the one who has betrayed me," Lancelot replied coolly. "I shall no longer stand by your side. Look what has become of you? To think I have served you faithfully with loyalty and honor all these years. I looked up to you. You were not just my best friend, but you were like a brother to me. You have proven yourself weak, and I will not subject myself to you any longer, for I know the truth about you, Arthur, and I am going to stop you from destroying yourself from an insatiable need for power. I will have no choice but to fight you if I must."

     Arthur's brow darkened. "Then a fight there shall be," he replied. "Guards, seize them!" he ordered, then immediately, many guards flooded from all directions and surrounded us. We all took up defense mode, and Cora, Regina and Zelena took them out by magical means. Lancelot dueled with Arthur while Hook, Neal, and David dueled with the guards. Snow shot from her bow, and Aubrey and I were not equipped with any weapon, but we did take two guards out by a few self-defense moves we had learned from Snow. Suddenly, a guard seized Snow and held his sword to her throat, and the action at once ceased. Even Lancelot quit dueling with Arthur and dropped his sword.

     "Now if you do not drop the swords and quit the magic, she dies," the guard threatened.

     "Please, I beg you not to harm my wife," pleaded David. "You have us now. We surrender." David dropped his sword, and Hook and Neal did as well.

     "David, no!" cried Snow.

     "I must protect you, Snow," David replied. "There's no other choice. We must surrender."

     Guards immediately seized all of us, including Lancelot, and they cuffed Regina, Cora and Zelena. "Great, magic-restriction cuffs," muttered Regina sarcastically.

     "Well, this is such a happy day," Zelena added, also sarcastically. "It will be utter torture being unable to use my magic."

     "Now take them to the dungeon and leave the twins with me," ordered Arthur.

     Our friends were led away, and the two of us remained, still restrained by guards. We fought them, crying out to our friends. "What will you do to them?" I asked Arthur fearfully.

     "They will only be locked in the dungeon for a little while so that they do not get in my way," replied Arthur. "Now they cannot interfere with my plans."

     "Do you promise to let them go, unharmed?" I asked.

     "You have my word," Arthur replied with a nod. "Now, this will hurt," he warned, approaching me with his sword. "But it will be quick." I couldn't get away because the guard still had a firm grasp on me. Arthur seized my hand then quickly slit it. I winced and he squeezed my hand, letting a drop of my blood fall into a small bottle. Then he did the same to Aubrey. "Now, this should complete the spell." He grinned with success.