Apprentice: Merlin returns

Chapter three: Switching sides

“I am going to try again,” I said to my father.

“Take your time son; I do not expect you to get it on the first go as I never did either.”

“Forbaern aeltaewlice” I shouted at the rope on the ground.

I looked down at the rope but nothing had happened again but Matthew didn’t say anything this time which I was pleased about and my father just smiled at me.

As I went to say the spell again, I suddenly got this major pain in my head and I collapsed to the floor but I looked out the corner of my eye to notice my father on the ground like I was. Had we just felt the same thing?

“Adair,” shouted Merlin as he dragged himself towards me as Matthew and Luke got to their feet and ran over to us.

“Father what is going on?” I managed to ask him as the pain continued but my father touched my hand which made me feel better for some reason.

“Do not be afraid my son. Close your eyes and concentrate, keep your mind on only one thing, us. We are the only ones here and the pain will go,” he smiled to me.

I did what my father asked me. I kept my mind on just me and my father, no one else. The pain began to slip away until he was completely gone.

Matthew and Luke helped me to my feet but my father was still on the floor. I went to help him but he held out his hand stopping me from doing anything with a shield put between him and us three.

“Father is everything alright?” I asked scared.

“Adair go inside with Matthew and Luke. Please fetch Arthur at once and get him to come here. I want you three to go to your rooms,” my father said which made my heart sink but I did as my father asked. We set of back towards the castle but I turned around to look at my father as he put his hand to his forehead.

Merlin’s POV

I slowly got to my feet as I saw Arthur coming towards me with a worried expression on his face. As he stopped in front of him, I couldn’t help but wonder if coming back here was a good idea or not.

“Arthur I saw something. When I normally have a vision it’s in a dream and it doesn’t hurt but this vision I just had, did. Adair felt it too but I made him stop the pain before the vision came through to him. I am glad I did just that now because what I saw, it scared me Arthur. I never felt like this for years but the evil within the vision is so powerful and it made me feel weak. Something evil is coming and everyone needs to be ready for it. You’re life is in danger Arthur, more then I could imagine and I even need to make sure I am ready.”

“Merlin, it can’t be that bad, can it?” asked Arthur.

“I wish I could tell you that everything is going to be alright Arthur but I can’t this time,” I said as I put my hand on his shoulder.

“Merlin, I have faith in you and I always will. I think you need to have faith within yourself too. Adair may only be eight but I also know he cares deeply about you. Do not give up his training; I know he’ll do just as good as his father. He will do just as good as my best friend,” smiled Arthur before he pulled me into a hug.

“I am the one who is meant to be giving you advice,” I said as we pulled away.

“It makes a change then, besides we are friends and that is what we do.”

Arthur and I headed towards the castle in silence but I could tell Arthur wasn’t as strong about this as he made out to be but he knew I needed his words this time and unlike the prat he use to be, he understood and knew I needed it more.