End Game

by Katrina Kahler

“You were traveling, you were not sleeping!” Merlin said. “Apparently the sword finds you worthy. I’m not surprised.” Scratching himself, “That sword loves giving tests. Arthur simply had to pull it from a stone. You had to battle a legendary creature to the death.” Merlin looked me in the eyes. “The sword must think a lot of you.”

  “I guess,” I shrugged. “That’s gotta be a good thing. Right?”

  "The sword is a powerful weapon. With that in your hand, you could be equal to Morgana and Kristi."

  “That is a good thing. Right?” I said.

  Merlin hesitated.

  “Merlin?” I was getting frustrated now. “Talk to me. I’m not used to you not talking!” I said.

  “You killed the dragon,” Merlin said. I didn’t think it was a question.

  “In the astral plane. Yes. I guess. It was her or me. I didn’t want to, but I had to do something.”

  “Hmm,” Merlin said.

  I’d known Merlin for a LONG time and I had never known him to have so much of a problem finding the right words to say. In fact, I usually had a hard time shutting him up.

  “Why are you being so pensive?” I coaxed.

  Merlin sighed. Dousing me with more cat breath. “Ah, well, gee, golly,” he stuttered. “I don’t really know what to say.” Another pause. “I would normally think that having Excalibur on your side would be an excellent thing. The sword is an amazing weapon. It raises the power of the person who wields it...making them nearly invincible to harm.”

  “From what you are saying, Merlin, I am only hearing good things.”

  Once again, Merlin answered my words with silence. I knew something about this situation wasn’t sitting well with him.

  “Dude, talk to me!” I yelled.

  “I am not a dude,” he insisted. “Cats are even cooler than dudes. And I am a magical talking cat.”

  “You lost your magic,” I noted.

  "I am the cat who used to be magical and now can talk and release deadly farts," he corrected.

  “Okay, I won’t argue with you,” I said. “But please get to the point.”

  Merlin scratched his butt. "That's the rub. I don't know what to think about this. I am slightly okay and more than slightly worried, that the sword would force you to battle the dragon of destiny. The sword had to know only one of you would survive that. But then again, I shouldn't really be surprised, as the sword is ultimately a weapon, and weapons are meant to be used. And if you are to have any chance against Morgana or Kristi, you might have to do whatever it takes. Everyone knows they are both willing to do whatever they have to do to complete their missions in life."

  Now that was more like the Merlin I knew so well. He could talk and talk and talk and be somewhat helpful. Of course, all those words really weren’t all that helpful. “I can’t kill Morgana and Kristi!” I said. “They are people!”

  “They are forces of nature much like the dragon of destiny,” Merlin said.

  “I didn’t want to kill the dragon. Besides, at the time I thought I was dreaming,” I told him.

  Merlin looked me in the eyes. "Really? You, after all this time, can't tell the difference between the astral plane and a dream? You are a smart, powerful girl, Gwen. Surely on some level, you knew what was happening."

  “Okay, I might have suspected it,” I admitted. “But trapped in the astral plane like that I had no choice.”

  “You might run into the same situation against Morgana or Kristi on this plane,” Merlin said.

  I shook my head no. “Nope, I won’t kill them.”

  “You say that now when you don’t have the sword in hand. But the sword gives you power and power changes everybody,” Merlin said

  I found my mind drifting back, back to a time in Camelot when Arthur and I were just sitting in our bedroom. Arthur could not stop polishing that sword.

  “Arthur, why must your polish that sword so?” I asked.

  He ran the leather cloth up and down the blade. He examined the blade. It seemed to glisten in the firelight. He still didn't seem pleased. "Without this weapon, I am vulnerable. I need this weapon to be happy."

  I laughed. “Arthur, it is a sword, not a baby.”

  Arthur rubbed the sword with the cloth. He caressed it to his heart. "Gwen, I love you, but in matters such as these, you do not know what you speak of. This is not just a sword. It is an extension of me - of my heart and soul." He shook his head and laughed uneasily.

  "Without this sword, I would not be king. And while you might still be queen, you would not be my queen." He laughed. "Perhaps you would be with Lancelot. I see how you two look at each other."

  "Gwen, pay attention," Merlin said. "This is important stuff. If the sword is calling out to you it means it finds you worthy to challenge Morgana and Kristi."

  I snapped back into the present. “Yes, now we just have to decide if that is a good thing or not.”

  “Yes, my dear, you are quite right,” Merlin said. “Though from what I know about Morgana and Kristi, I would much rather you have the power of the sword than them.”

  My notes: I didn't disagree with Merlin. I had seen Morgana and Kristi's power up close and first hand. They were both nearly impossible to deal with and that was without them having control of the sword. If either of them managed to convince the sword to let them wield it, that would surely spell trouble for everyone. Morgana already had the sword in her possession. It would only be a matter of time until she convinced it to let her use it...or she would figure out a magic workaround. Morgana armed with this sword would be a nightmare! From what little I knew about Kristi her having the sword would be just as bad. Ahh, I really needed to figure out what to do and fast.

  I was going to need help here. And not just from my cat.

  Chapter 3: Family

  In the morning I told mom and dad what happened during the night. Even though my adopted parents were just regular people, they had taken me in, learned who I was, and then learned even more about my situation. They had become almost scholars in the old ways of Camelot.

  “The sword called to you,” Dad said as we sat at the breakfast table.

  “Apparently,” I said. “I think that’s a good sign. Right?”

  Mom put a hand on my shoulder. “Gwen, I’ve never seen you like this. You are usually confident and sure of yourself.”

  “Thanks Mom, but something feels out of whack,” I said shaking my head.

  “Well then, I don’t know if this is going to help or hinder,” Dad said showing me the news on his iPad. The headline read:

  MORGANA TO BRING

  FAMOUS ANTIQUE SWORD

  TO CAMELOT MUSEUM

  ONE DAY ONLY!

  “The author of the article is actually happier about Morgana coming, than the sword,” Dad said. Dad grinned. “Morgana has been in our car so much I feel like I should know her better,” he grinned.

  “Well, yep, the sword is definitely calling to me,” I said. I turned to Merlin slurping up milk from a dish on the floor. “What do you think of this, cat?”

  Merlin held up a front paw. His face slipped deeper into the bowl. He didn't care; he kept slurping away. He finished. He licked the bowl. He turned to me. He licked his face with his tongue. He burped. “Excuse me,” he said. “I love milk!”

  "What do you think of the sword coming to town?" I pressed.

  “It does seem that the sword is calling to you. And for some reason Morgana is listening to it,” Merlin said.

  “Yeah, but why?" I asked.

  Merlin shrugged. “No idea.” He pointed to his head. “Cat brain, it happens after milk.”

  We heard a frantic knock at the back door. Since only Lance used the back door, I felt pretty confident without even looking that it was him. “Come in, Lance,” I called out.

  Lance rushed into the kitchen. “Did you see the news?” He sniffed the air. “Is that bacon I smell? I love bacon!”

  Mom put a plate of bacon on the table.

  “Please Lance, s
it,” she said. “I always make extra for you.”

  Lance eagerly sat. “The sword it’s coming here.” He looked at Dad’s iPad and nodded. “But I see that wonderful magic pad has already informed you of that.”

  Lance didn’t quite always grasp technology, but in a way, that was a part of his charm - a part of what made Lance so Lance.

  “What do you think about that?” I asked Lance.

  “I think the magic pads are incredible. They give you information. They give you entertainment. They can be used for light. They take photos. They make calculations. They are amazing marvelous wizards.”

  “True, but what do you think of the sword coming here?” I asked.

  "Hmm," Lance pondered. "That is not nearly as easy to determine," he said slowly. "The sword can really only be used for one thing. After all, it is a weapon and a weapon’s purpose is to do harm."

  “A weapon can be used for defense or intimidation,” Mom said. I believe she was just trying to see how Lance would respond.

  “I guess that is true,” Lance said. “You are truly a wise woman, but defense and intimidation both relay on the weapon being able to do harm. That is really a sword’s only purpose- especially a sword such as Excalibur.” Lance smiled. “It truly is a remarkable weapon. A blade that can cut through anything. Also, holding the hilt - for those who are deemed worthy - protects the holder from harm. This grants them extra confidence. I have never seen Arthur so strong and arrogant as when he was holding that sword.” Shaking his head he said, “Actually, I prefer this Arthur. The sword changes people. The Arthur we see now is the real man.” He ate a piece of bacon. He turned to me. “Why do you ask?”

  “I think the sword is calling to me,” I said.

  “The sword does like power. And you, Gwen, certainly pack a lot of power into a formidable package,” Lance said. “I can see why the sword would call to you.”

  “Then when did the sword choose Arthur?” Mom asked.

  I actually answered mom. “He has great potential. I believe the sword tried to pull it out of him. In a way, it did. After all, he ruled over Britain for a long time.”

  Lance looked away and lowered his head. He stuffed his mouth with bacon and some eggs.

  “Lance do you have something to add?” I asked.

  Lance pointed to his full mouth and mumbled, “Eating…”

  Crossing my arms, I said, “We can wait.”

  Lance swallowed the food. He pointed to the clock over the sink. “I don’t want you to be late for school.”

  “Lance, what are you not telling me?” I asked.

  Lance forced a smile. He shrugged. “Many things. My mind has so many thoughts. Like how does the light in the refrigerator know when to turn on? Why do we park in driveways? How do birds fly?”

  “Lance, what are you not telling me about the sword and Arthur?” I questioned.

  “Oh, that!” Lance said, stalling as if I would forget.

  “Lance, as a Queen I order you to tell me!” I demanded.

  Lance lowered his head. “The sword came to me in a dream. A dream like no other. It made me face the purple knight in a fight to the death. The purple knight was a fine warrior. Perhaps the greatest who ever roamed the Earth.”

  “He mysteriously disappeared,” Merlin said. “I assumed he retired. The ravages of battle make a man weary.”

  “I killed him in that dream,” Lance said, his head lowered. “I had no choice. He wanted to kill me. He wanted the sword for himself. I detected evil in his heart. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But I knew he couldn’t wield that sword. I defeated him.”

  “The sword wanted you to take it?” I said.

  “Apparently,” Lance said. “It said I could unite the world. I told it I did not need a special sword to do that. I had the strength of my arms and my heart.”

  “You always could be a bit of twit,” Merlin said.

  Lance laughed. "The sword agreed. That was the last I saw of it until I saw it in Arthur's hands."

  “The sword did change him,” Merlin said. “It united the world with him. Not so sure that’s what Arthur wanted, but it’s what he got, and the world was better for it!”

  My mind drifted back again to our bedroom in ancient Camelot. Arthur stood looking out the window. Our room was so high we could see for miles and miles.

  Arthur sighed. “For as far as the eye can see are lands that I rule.”

  I gently put my hands on his shoulder. “Actually, my king, you rule lands far greater than the eyes can see.”

  Arthur forced a chuckle. “I’m not sure that makes it better.”

  “Arthur, you’re a good man. You have brought peace to your kingdom,” I reassured him.

  Arthur gazed out the window. “Yes, for now. But there is always a force that wishes to challenge my rule and break the peace. Sooner or later, I will fall. I wonder what will happen then?”

  "Arthur, how can you talk that way?" I asked. "Do not think like that." Pointing to Excalibur at his side I noted, "Besides, you hold that sword. It makes you near impossible to defeat."

  “Yes, but death and other forces are at always at play. Sooner or later the sword will grow tired of me and it will seek one who is more powerful. Eventually all will change…”

  I snapped back to the present day. Standing up I said, “I guess the sword can be fickle.”

  My phone lit up with texts:

  GAIL> It’s coming here

  MIKA> U heard right?

  SEBASTIAN> Now is our chance

  BART> The sword will be ours

  BART> Well yours

  BRETTT> We’ve so got this!

  “Let me guess, the rest of the Knights are weighing in?” Mom asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah, of course. Just for once, I wish I would get a text about what I’m wearing or who’s seeing who or who said some juicy piece of gossip,” I moaned.

  “Do you really?” Dad asked.

  Shaking my head, I said. “Nah, actually I don’t.”

  Dad stood up with me. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride to school.”

  Driving in the car I asked dad, “What is it you wanted to say to me?”

  He smiled. “Was I that obvious?”

  “Yes, you were,” I told him.

  “I just wanted to say that I trust you. I’m sure whatever you decide, you will make the right choice,” Dad said.

  "That's the thing, dad. I'm not sure I'm going to get any choice here. Right now, Morgana has the sword and she's not going to let me have it, and even if I do manage to get the sword...I am not sure I want that thing!"

  Dad laughed.

  “How can you laugh!” I shouted. “It’s like 8 in the morning and I am already sweating from worry about this thing! Dad, in the astral plane this thing made me battle and kill a dragon. I didn’t want to, but I had no choice.” I stopped. “Actually, I had a choice. I could let the dragon kill me, but I didn’t.”

  “I’m glad of that,” Dad replied.

  “But I have no idea what to do now,” I said.

  “That’s because you don’t have the all the data yet,” Dad said. “I know when the time is right you will make the best choice.”

  "Which will be?" I asked though I knew he wouldn't tell me.

  “No idea,” he said. “Only you will know that.”

  My notes: Yes sir, I really did not like being this confused. In thinking about it, I might not even have had enough of an idea of what was going on, to call myself confused. I was more perplexed, I guess. I truly had no idea if the sword was calling out to me, and if it was, did I want to answer? Did I need this sword to take out Morgana and or Kristi? Yeah, I think I did. Without the sword, both of them could probably just magic me into a toad and that would be that. But, if it were that easy, why hadn’t they gotten rid of me? Morgana laughed that she liked the challenge, but I doubted it was that simple.

  But then again, Morgana was coming here to my town with the sword. It was like she was daring me to take i
t from her. My first thoughts were...this had to be some sort of a trap. Morgana wanted to lure me in, get me to try to steal the sword and then have me arrested and thrown in jail. I would be out of her hair forever. But why would she want to go to all that trouble? From what little I knew about Morgana, she loved to do things the easy way. Heck, that's why she was drawn to the ways of magic in the first place. Magic seems like the easy way, until you learn that with that magic and power comes cost and responsibility. Of course, maybe Morgana doesn't care about the costs. And she does claim, and I think she truly believes this, that the world would be better under her rule. But maybe I'm wrong.

  The only thing I was sure of was I wasn’t sure of anything. I needed more information and more feedback from my knights. A good leader takes in all the information and facts they can, before they make any decision.

  Chapter 4: Knights words

  Of course, I found Gail, Bart, Brett, Sebastian, and Mika all hanging out by my locker. Gail couldn’t wait for me to walk all the way across the hall to my locker. She rushed at me.

  "Did you hear? Did you hear? Did you hear?" she screamed! She stopped and she looked me in the eyes. Her head shook. "Wait, you are you. You must know. You do know, right? Wait, I know you know, we were texting about this yesterday…" She started hyperventilating.

  “I knew this would happen,” Mika said walking up to us. She gave Gail a paper bag. “Breathe in, girlfriend,” she said.

  Gail took the bag. She looked at it. “I’m not sure...I remember...how to...breathe.”

  Mika puffed into the bag and held it over Gail’s nose. Gail started breathing into it. “Ah, I can breathe again,” she said from inside the bag. “What are you thinking?”

  I walked up to the others around my locker. “What do you guys think?” I asked.

  “It’s an amazing break,” Brett said.

  “Agreed,” Sebastian agreed, his head nodding.

  “Yeah, it seems too easy,” Bart looked uneasy.