Chapter 1
This is one of my RAW BOOKS. It’s just a rough first draft. That means it’s not edited, and things might not be perfectly set in place in the story.
In another time, in another world, there was once a place called Avalon. It was a wide-open land with rolling mountains, green pastures, lakes, and rivers swimming with life and a sky as bluer than the bluest topaz one could imagine. But there was something else in this world, something that made it unique among the other worlds; there were humans, but they had magic.
Camelot was a Kingdome of beauty and stature. Unlike anything among the small villages that sprawled over the land, and in the heart of the world, there stood a grand castle. King Arthur was a fair and just king, but in a land filled with creatures that belonged in nightmares, King Arthur not only had his hands full with the people who loved him but also with many enemies who hated him.
One splendid spring day, as the sun shone through a magnificent stained glass window casting colors over the stone walls, King Arthur paced in a hidden room. He gazed out of the magical window that would let one see out, but none could see in, and shook his head. The darkness within the land could be felt even in the confines of the magical room of his mentor and best friend. "Where could you be, Merlin," Arthur growled, turning from the view.
The still air in the room shifted, and a swirling wind blew through. Merlin appeared in the midst of the before coming fully transparent. "Arthur, my lad. I did not expect you here this day. Is something the matter?"
"What do you mean, what is the matter? Our world is being ripped apart at the seams,"
"What has happened for you to say such a thing?"
"I've encountered some sort of strange magic out in the woods. I can feel it crawling upon my skin like a parasite. Can you not feel it?"
Merlin turned away and nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid it has covered our world in its foulness,"
"What are we to do then?"
"There is nothing for you to do, my son. I'm afraid this is my fault."
"What does that mean?"
"Neyven is with child," Merlin answered.
"That cannot be. You told me you threw her out of my lands so people would be safe from her blackened and twisted soul. Now you say she's going to have a child?"
"Yes,"
"You once told me that if Neyven ever bore a child it would mean certain destruction for all of us. Tell me, is that still true?"
"Yes,"
"So what are we to do now?"
"I'm afraid we have more to worry about than just Neyven and the child she is caring,"
"More, bloody hell, man. What more is there?"
"The queen is also with child."
Arthur stopped his pacing and spun around to Merlin. "Guinevere is with child?" He smiled, thinking of the son he had been dreaming of for so long, but it soon fell, and his hands balled into a fist. "Lancelot,"
"It is not Lancelot's child that she carries, my boy. It is yours,"
"Mine, she's caring my child,"
"Yes, and congratulations are to be given," Merlin offered, but with a frown.
"What? What aren't you telling me?"
"The darkness that you feel coming over the land is growing stronger, and it is in no way done with its destruction,"
"Neyven,"
"Yes,"
"What Neyven doesn't know, and I cannot fully explain to you, is that she will lose her child, and in doing that, she will destroy our world and the son in which the queen now cares,"
"No, no, I will not let the witch hurt my child, Merlin, I will not! How can we stop this?"
"We cannot," Merlin sighed, turning his back and glancing at the pile of books on his table. "This was my fear, and it has come to pass. I cannot see what the future holds, and my vision is all but gone. This world has become dark."
"How is that even possible?"
"There is only a handful of reasons for this. The first reason is that I am entwined with the reason for the destruction of this land and, therefore, cannot see what the outcome is. Or the second reason is that the world in which we dwell, Camelot and everything in it, will be gone,"
"How can our world be gone, Merlin? What you say is nursery tails for the babes at bedtime. What you are speaking of is not true," The king said with a shake of his head.
"There is always a bit of truth that lies deep within a story or myth, my lad,"
"And what is the truth in this tail you have spun?"
"That this world is not our own. In fact, we share a space with another world, one that is very similar to our own. It is just in another place in time."
"It is here now?"
"Yes, it goes on even as we speak,"
"And you can still see this world and its future?"
Merlin closed his bright blue eyes. "Yes, I can see it. The world is still intact, but,"
"But what,"
"I see your child in that world," Merlin said, his eyes opening and glancing at the king.
"I don't understand. How can that be?"
"I cannot say either under the circumstances, my boy. I can only tell you what I see from glimpsing into their world. And I can tell you that your son is there."
"My son is there. Is he safe?"
"Yes,"
" But you do not see me or Genevieve with the child?"
"No, All I can see is him. I'm afraid more will come to pass before I can get more information than I already have. But Arthur, I fear that my reasons for why I have lost my sight is far worse than I first imagined."
"What is your suggestion on moving forward? Do you have any thoughts on how to keep my son here in Camelot?"
"No, not as of yet. I only know that we do what we can to fight for the good of Avalon."
"I will leave Neyven and the wickedness she spews in your hands. I will have to deal with my nephew Mordred and the evil that he is bringing upon us."
"Be careful with him, my boy. He will put a dagger in your back quicker than Neyven can cast a spell,"
"I will take care of him. But Merlin, I am trusting you with everything I love. My kingdom, my queen, and my unborn son. Please, do not fail me my old friend."
"What you love, I love Arthur, and I solemnly vow that I will nothing hurt your child, my king."
Arthur stared at his friend, thinking of the words, or rather the lack of them, and his heart ached. "I know you will do all you can," He frowned and left.
"I'm afraid, my dear boy, you can't even imagine my despair at this very moment. But I will do everything I must to save your line... that I swear."
