Lady Knight Missione (Merlin fanfic)

Chapter Twenty One - Avalon, Part VI

It takes about three to four more hours before we make it close enough so that we can see the tree in the distance. Like the high priestesses said, it isn't a full tree, just the beginning of one. It is quite... Magical, I think that's the right word to describe it. It seems as if it is glowing, emanating magic and power. It draws you in. I find myself walking faster towards it as soon as I see it in the distance, even though that distance from it is very large. I walk faster and soon, so does Pryoca. So instead of about an hour it only takes half that amount of time.

It is all I and I think Pryoca can do but stand in front of it and just marvel at its beauty. It feels like I am looking at it forever, I can't tear my eyes away and I don't want to. I can hardly think, or even feel. It is perfect, it is beautiful and it is-

"There are many legends that tell of a fleet of men whom drowned just before they made it to the isle." Says Pryoca's voice, cutting through my mind like a sharp knife. "They tell of how the men found themselves here in front of the starting of the tree. They say that all the men looked at this tree couldn't look away. All but one died.

"There was a warrior, he had the heart of a true warrior and therefore he could look away. It was hard, very hard but he could and he did. Once he did an apple fell from what seemed like nowhere. He picked it up and being as hungry as he was, he almost ate it. Just as he was about to take a bite he heard something. He heard a growl that was fiercer then the largest beast he ever saw but it wasn't a beast, it was his leader's stomach asking for food. So he fed the apple to him and soon after all the men fell over and died, except for his leader. His leader lived.

"The man with the heart of a true warrior made sure that his leader didn't look at the tree and then they left. They became so close to leaving when the man with the heart of a true warrior fell over and died too. The leader grieved for his death along with the rest of his men but made it out alive to lead his people another day."

Pryoca's voice stops and somehow it leaves like an echo, a shadow, an imprint in my mind and I can't look away. I look up at him as he looks over at me. I want to say something but I can't, I am speechless and my mind blank. I turn away from the tree and look out into the yellow that reminds me of darkness somehow. Is it night here? Did a whole day pass already?

Suddenly it isn't only yellow in front of my eyes, and now there is a face. I jump and my throat becomes closed with terror as the face shimmers with red, grey and black. Tints of yellow in his eyes and black all around him. It is the creature from before, the one that helped let us through the endless black wall. We left him, but now he is standing right in front of me and only half an arm's length away. I'm staring into his eyes, seeing determination and that something else that I coul4dn't and still can't explain.

And then I'm not looking in his eyes. I am looking at the back of Pryoca's head as he jumps in front of me and tries to push the creature away. I hear an indescribable noise and when I look down at his lower back I see a black pointed object sticking out as blood flows out the newly open wound. I can't move as fear consumes me and as he falls to the yellow grassy, mushy ground. I look up from him and to the creature. Where a black gloved hand used to be is now a sharp pointed object with blood dripping off the edge of it. It's only now that I notice the blood isn't red, it's silver.

The silver is so unnatural and different that it snaps me out of my stupor. I look up and meet the eyes of the creature as I can't help but ask, "Why, why did you do that?" He doesn't say nor do anything as I slowly reach for my sword and grip the hilt. I count to three in my head, then unsheathe my sword as fast as I can and bring it up to block the creature's quick movements. As I was unsheathing my sword he brought up his weapon that used to be his hand and they clash. I make a last split second decision to use the blunt part of my sword instead of the sharp side; even though it's possible that he killed Pryoca and is now for sure trying to kill me, I feel as though he needs help.