Lucifer's Calling

Chapter Eight

I awoke, coughing and gagging as water and blood spluttered from my lips convoluting me to my side gasping with every breath.

　　I should be dead right now, so how even am I  still alive...

　　My dagger dropped in front of me as I looked up as a mysterious woman with black hair and silver-like eyes looked down at me with her intimidating gaze, her body was drenched. She smiled at me and pointed right across the water where Merlin sat with bloodshot eyes and sticky wet rosy cheeks.

　　I looked back at the woman and she again pointed towards something in the distance, looking to where she gestured I noticed a wooden rowboat with paddles.

　　"Thank you for saving me," I tried to sound grateful. Suddenly her smile became a maniacal grin.

　　"One day you will return to me, and it will be I who will require a favour, from you," she said in a monotone voice.

　　Suddenly, she walked back into the water and vanished. Leaving a trail of her wet footprints behind. 

　　My body still smeared in mud and sticky slime from before, I slowly get to my feet sinking into the marsh.

　　Knee high in the mud, my feet were sinking deeper and deeper with every step, forcing my way to the boat.

　　The marsh seemed to go on for miles, but thankfully the boat was only another five more feet.

　　Finally, I made it to the boat I slumped into it like a pile of dead fish, gasping for air.

　　Grunting exhausted, pulling the oars I began pumping, back and forth slowly making it across.

　　Merlin got up on his feet wiping his now sore, red eyes and got ready to leave me behind; ready to leave Ariel behind.

　　"Merlin!" I coughed out harshly, he couldn't hear me I was still too far. "Merlin, wait!" I cried.

　　Merlin continued walking down the lonely cold marsh just looking down at his feet, I tried one last time. I screamed as loud as I possibly could, with my voice breaking in pain. 

　　"Merlin!" Finally, he turned around and noticed me in the boat on the brown murky water.

　　I continued rowing my way across the water, finally hitting the dock. I threw the rope toward Merlin and he brought it ashore.

　　"How are you still alive, you died. I watched you die and yet, you're standing here in front of me. I sat here for days watching the water drift off." Merlin said while once again becoming emotional.

　　"Days? How many days exactly, I just woke up on the marsh over there." I pointed out where I came from.

　　"It has been six days," Merlin spoke solemnly. "I thought Avalon may have taken you..." 

　　"what's Avalon?" curiously asked.

　　  "it's an island in the seas: in it is where Arthur was taken by his older sister after he was mortally wounded. That is where I am truly from, I decided to leave that place behind me. 

　　It was beautiful, but what we have sacrificed and have done for the sake of Avalon was inexcusable. I left to try and make my ways right again, oh Lucas I have done so many awful things, I have seen wars and murder. But what Vivienne and Morgause have done went too far." Merlin explained wistfully.

　　I'm not really sure what he is talking about, but I just let him talk. I looked over the horizon as the sun was coming up if I was asleep for five days this must be the sixth.

　　 My mind went back to Ariel. The strange girl who took me from a forgotten village, with a neglectful queen. We went through hell and back and now she's gone.

　　Is she safe, in the clutches of those awful orc's or has she been eaten like they talked about at merlins tower? I still don't know why I care about her so much, I still can't remember anything except an old man creating weapons. 

　　I pretended to be listening to merlin's rant about all that he has lost, and how everything he once loved has been taken away from him, I patiently waited for him to be done and patted his shoulder, he was a peculiar old man, but he did have good intentions.

　　"We should probably be on our way," I stated, pulling on the rope that's attached to the boat bringing it close enough so I can get back inside it.

　　We finally went across the lake and went back into the marsh walking up the enormous grassy hill. My legs felt like they were on fire, the more I walked the harder it was to make it. 

　　The sun slowly came up as red and purple spread across between the bright light and the night sky.  The large glowing sphere rose slowly into the dull morning sky. Casting sunbeams in every direction while it illuminated over the hill. 

　　I looked up as the colours made by the rising sun changed, growing more vivid with the passing time. Making the sky more radiant as it climbed higher and higher into the air. 

　　Tears began falling down my face, my heart hurts as if I had lost something important, my tears turned into cries and my cries turned into sobs and the sobs turned into laughter and the laughter turned into hysteria. 

　　I remember falling into a void of nothingness all around me was pitch black the world was spiralling as I got closer and closer to..this body, my body.. and now here I am.

　　Suddenly I stopped laughing and looked over at me where Merlin stood, he was staring at me confused. 

　　I think I finally understood what that woman meant by her favour.

　　"Are you alright?" Merlin asked concerned.

　　"Yes, it's just been a very long few days." I smiled at him assuringly.

　　"I can see that this all must be very overwhelming you." Merlin agreed.

　　"You have no idea, it's like...being exiled or like being reborn," Laughing at my own joke sadistically.

　　Merlin shook his head as we continued up this never-ending hill.

　　Oh, I will have my retribution...

　　One way or another...

　　I am not the boy everyone thinks I am...

　　Not anymore...