Gwendolyn had gathered all of the knights as well as the willing wizards and druids who had agreed to assist us in taking back Avalon, and for some unknown reason little miss bleach blonde noble had decided to join the charge – apparently when she heard that her 'best friend' James was back in Avalon, she just had to help him – I tried to ignore how she was standing as if she truly belonged here practically stuck to James' side like an appendix, as Gwen nodded at me, indicating I should join her side at the front of the lines. I can't believe that James' didn't tell Kendra about us...
I shook my head, trying to force my draining thoughts out as I faced all of the brave soldiers...and Kendra, with a determined expression. Gwen was dressed in armor, looking like the warrior badass Queen she really is. She spoke, the fierce expression never leaving her face, her voice embedding me with the last bead of strength I needed to snap out of my ill-timed Kendra fueled anger.
"Today is the day we take back what has been taken from us." She paused making it a point to look every one of the warriors in the eye. "Today is the day we take back Avalon!" She turned to me, pride evident in her expression. "And it's all because of this brave young woman."
Her words spurred me into speaking.
"You're all here because you're tired of the injustice that has plagued your lives for the past decade." I paused. "Tired of the indignity and darkness that has befallen you." I raised my voice. "Well no more!"
A chorus of determined cheers rang out from the crowd. Gwendolyn spoke next.
"Princess Emily and I have devised a plan. We are going to storm the castle, and take the fight to the Wild Hunt." She then gestured at me. "While Princess Emily seizes the Sword of Kings. And goes after the Pendragon."
Aodh spoke up from his position on the front lines.
"On her own?"
Malorn, always the voice of stoic protesting spoke.
"Not alone."
Before I could say anything, James spoke up as well.
"We'll go with her."
Edward seeing the opportunity to both smooth things over – since I looked like I was going to burst a capillary – and protect me at the same time, chimed in, giving his two cents, ever diplomatically.
"Angel...we started this together." He turned to look at me, then Mal, then James, and Penny and Xena. All of us, making his point clear with the small gesture. "We'll end this together. All of us."
Gwendolyn turned to me, searching for any objections on my face. I nodded, letting her know it was okay, so she turned to the crowd, with a yell.
"Let's take back Avalon!"
War cries rang out from all around me, as the newly appointed soldiers marched towards Castle Avalon, while I teleported Mal, Ed, James, Xena, Penny and myself towards the secret entrance to the grand foyer, Mal turned to me with a knowing smile. I could immediately tell he was thinking of all the times we snuck out using this door. I smiled back at him, feeling the nostalgia crawling into my expression, before slowly opening the door, peeking my head through to check if the coast was clear. I nodded when I couldn't see any of the wild hunt goons, and snuck inside, with the others on my heels.
We traversed our way across the medley of secret tunnels inside Castle Avalon, making sure to stay as quiet as possible, until we made it to the entrance of the Keep of Ganelon, pushing the door – which blended in as part of the Keep's wall – slightly ajar, Malorn peeked his head through before pulling back in abruptly, pulling the door shut quietly with him. He sighed heavily, looking back at our questioning expressions he rolled his eyes.
"Wild hunt."
I nodded, giving Malorn a wolfish smile.
"They won't be a problem for long." I turned serious. "Did you see the sword?"
He nodded. I sighed. Brain trying to connect the dots. How did The Lady even get it back here with these guards always stationed here? Malorn either accidently reading my thoughts again, or just understanding what I was thinking through his sheer Emily knowledge spoke.
"As its guardian, the lady can return the sword magically."
"What about the wild hunt?"
He shrugged.
"What about them? It's not like they can pull it out."
"Fair point."
I looked towards the door, realizing the magnitude of what I was about to attempt, as James gave me a questioning expression.
"Love, are you sure you can pull it out?"
My brain flitted to Artorius' face for a moment. I could feel myself drifting off into my thoughts, and forced myself to snap out of it with a sigh.
"I'm sure."
Edward spoke up confidently.
"If anyone can pull this off, it's Angel."
He winked at me when I smiled at him. Malorn nodded in agreement.
"Yes she can."
I felt an over-pour of affection for both of them in that moment. I have the best friends in the world. My emotion was short lived as we heard commotion coming from the other side of the wall, choruses of yells and swords clanging together ringing into my ears.
"That's our cue."
I looked at the others, as I moved towards the door. They nodded, as I opened it, and surely enough the wild hunt goons had dissipated from in front of the sword – no doubt fighting off our army – save for 6 knights, standing in a guarding circle around the sword and the stone.
Edward turned to Malorn.
"Do you want the ridiculously large one, or the slightly less burly large one?"
"The right one."
Edward winced.
"I was afraid you might say that."
They charged at the two men with their swords and magic. James, Xena and Penny took the other three, and I blasted the remaining one with a surge of magic, sending him sailing as I ran towards the sword. I was just about to pull it out when a slashing flaming axe fell towards my hand, nearly slicing it off. I pulled away at the last second eyes widening as the axe slashed down again, this time towards my head. I blasted a surge of magic towards the scaringly large being and watched as it jumped off him, as if bouncing off a wall.
Shit, that did nothing but piss him off. I backed away watching as his dark brown eyes turned even darker which I hadn't thought was possible, as he drew into something deep inside him, causing his eyes to turn black, irises and all. The air around him was dark as fronds of shadows encircled him. He marched menacingly towards me. Fuck! What do I do?
I ran, trying to buy myself some time as the behemoth chased after me, thankfully he wasn't as fast as he was strong. Good. I shot out a stronger surge of death magic towards the creature, which again did nothing.
Direct magic does nothing against this creature! Think...think...
And that's when I saw it...embedded in the middle of the stone block, glimmering. Alright, time for a game of chicken.
"Malorn!"
I looked from him to the sword and back at the wild hunt goon that was on my tail, and he immediately understood, flooring the goon he was attacking and shooting a surge of magic towards the one chasing me.
"Over here you son of a bitch!"
The wild hunt goon turned angrily towards Malorn, giving me the momentary distraction I needed to run towards the sword, twist my fingertips onto its hilt, and pulling with all my might, and to everyone's surprise it slid out without a struggle, emitting a light so bright that it blinded everyone for a brief moment. The wild hunt soldiers all charged at me, ignoring my friends as I started slashing into each of them with the sword one by one, watching them crumple to the ground with a thud. I felt especially satisfied when the big menacing one that was chasing me earlier fell to the ground. Ha! Take that you deer-faced bastard.
The others turned to me with surprised expressions, save for Mal and Edward, who were looking at me with pride. James shook his head in disbelief.
"Wow...so it's true?"
I nodded.
"Your dad told me I'd have to wield this sword one day. Guess he was right."
He looked back at me in confusion.
"He..." he swallowed. "Why?"
I shrugged.
"He said Bartleby saw it." I looked around, suddenly feeling exposed. "Come on, let's go get the Pendragon."
Malorn's eyes darkened.
"Bastard's probably in the throne room."
I nodded in agreement, letting Malorn lead the way to the secret tunnel that leads to the throne room. When we got to the tunnel, I made it a point to walk ahead, this is my mission, after all.
"Em!"
Malorn's voice rung out as he rushed to keep up with my long strides, to which I replied flippantly.
"Come on."
I could almost feel him about to protest when the others caught up with us, interrupting his train of thought. James walked next to me, taking my hand in his.
"Whatever happens next, know that I love you."
I squeezed his hand, giving him a sincere look.
"I love you too." I pulled my hand away turning serious. "But I'm mad."
I don't want to go into a potentially life threatening situation without him knowing.
"...About Kendra?" I simply sneered which caused him to pout. "Come on, Love. It slipped my mind I promise!"
"Pssh yeah right. How about next time I meet a cute guy I just conveniently forget to tell him I'm engaged?"
James' eyes widened.
"That's not the same!"
"Isn't it?"
"It isn't, Ken's my best friend."
"Pssh, and I have a small butt."
James made it a point, seeing an opening, to sneak a peek at my behind, before smirking.
"You have a phenomenal butt, which you very well know."
Normally this statement would have made me laugh, but I was fuming.
"Exactly. Just like I know that Kendra doesn't see you as just a friend."
Edward cleared his throat.
"Not that this lover's spat isn't great. But we've got bigger problems at the moment. World sized problems."
Ed nodded towards the door, which we'd reached. He's right, I don't have time for this. I looked at James coldly before walking up to the door, and taking the handle, pushing it open without a second thought to reveal the green scaly embodiment of evil himself...the Pendragon, his face set in a stony resting expression, coldness radiating from every wisp of his being. He was standing there, head held high, radiating entitlement, as if he owned everything and everyone in Avalon, as if he hadn't stolen it, as if it was his. I could feel my anger skyrocket at the air of arrogance surrounding him.
His bone chilling voice rung out as he noticed us, making my skin crawl.
"So this is the little wizard that's been wreaking havoc all across my kingdom. You stink of Merle Ambrose."
I smiled coldly, giving as good as I've gotten.
"Well he is my grandfather."
"Hmmph." His eyes fell on the others, the constant wall at my back. "And what is this...? The Ashthorns live?"
He let out a guttural laugh, sending a chill down my spine as he looked at James and Malorn like they were prey. Malorn's eyes narrowed, emitting that he wasn't fazed in the slightest, but I knew better, I could feel the tension in his face as he spoke, his deep icy baritone ringing out confidently.
"You're dead."
The smile never left the Pendragon's face, about to answer Malorn when his eyes glimpsed my side, eyes widening at my newly acquired weapon.
"The sword of kings? I didn't think it possible for it to be raised again." He shook his head, pulling himself to his whole impressive height. "No matter. You will die here tonight." He then turned to James and Malorn, making it a point to look them both in the eye. "I will especially enjoy ending Artorius's line."
That was all the warning he gave as he shot out a blast of fire from his mouth, straight towards James. Without thinking I jumped in front of him, unsheathing my sword and using it to block the surge. I could hear Malorn and Edward yelling my name as the smoke cleared, revealing both me and James unscathed. I looked down at the sword in awe. As the Pendragon shot out more fire balls towards the others, most of them dodged out of the way, but Penny got blasted, immediately falling to the floor, not in pain but almost like...she couldn't get back up?
"I-I can't move!"
The Pendragon didn't stop his barrage of disabling fire balls, catching Xena next, followed immediately by me. I fell to my knees, hearing the clanging noise of the sword falling next to me on the ground, feeling like the weight of the world was – quite literally – on my shoulders, forcing me to the ground, flat on my face. I kept trying to move, but to no avail. James yelled my name.
"Emily!"
Rushing over to me to check on me, for all of a second before a fury overtook his face.
"You son of a bitch!"
James made the mistake of rushing over towards the Pendragon, trying to attack him head-on.
"James no!"
When the Pendragon fired a surge of magic, not debilitating this time, but actually physically hurtful. I could see the pain in James' eyes as he fell to the ground. I looked around using my eyes, and could see all my friends on the ground around me, James and Malorn the only ones unconscious. The Pendragon menacingly walked towards James, no doubt about to finish him off.
"Finally..."
If I could just...reach the sword. He was getting closer to James, and I could feel myself panicking more and more. Fuck!
"James..."
With the last ounce of strength I had I conjured every drop of willpower I had into a spell that would levitate the sword towards me. To my surprise it worked, and the second I touched the sword's hilt, I could feel myself go back to normal, as I teleported behind the Pendragon, slashing his head off with my sword, watching as it rolled to the ground right next to James, who was still unconscious. I rushed towards James, trying to shake him awake but to no avail. Shit....his pulse is really weak.
"James!"
Xena, Penny and Edward stood up, regaining their energy as they turned to look at me in awe. Penny spoke first, with a cautious expression.
"Is he...really dead?"
Edward smiled in a way I haven't seen him smile in ages.
"You...did it."
His happiness was short lived as the Pendragon's head dissipated from sight, leaving behind nothing but the horned crown that was on his head. And immediately I could see the rest of the Pendragon's form begin to change, dropping to the ground with a painful scream, as the change took place. A blinding light emerged from within the creature's headless body blinding us all, before a blast shook the entirety of the ground, knocking us all to the ground.
When it was over I looked over to see a sight that was most welcome.
"...Ar-Artorius?"
"Peg...Pegasus..."
And with those words he collapsed to the ground, next to his two sons, who were still unconscious. I turned to look at Edward who nodded before rushing towards Artorius. I remained next to James, caring for nothing more in that moment other than his safety. I touched both hands to his chest, interlacing them over his heart. By Bartleby work!
"Sano integro!"
I could feel a warmth blooming from inside me, travelling outwards through my palms, all the way into James' body, but to no avail.
"Fuck!"
Life wizardry...think love not anger. LOVE. I mustered all of the love I ever had, remembering every stolen glance, every kiss, every moment where I felt like my love for him would be the death of me, I channeled it all into one last try.
"Sano Integro!" I pushed and pushed and pushed. "Come on, James..." I could feel the tears escaping my eyes, dripping over James' pale skin, which was paling even more by the second. "Don't leave me like this."
And that's when his heart stopped.