by Tom Larcombe
Merlin's Travels
An Untimely Error #2
Tom Larcombe
Text copyright © 2014, Tom Larcombe
All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
* * *
Chapter 1
Merlin looked up and smiled as the door to the room opened to admit his future wife. Nimue was a beautiful woman who appeared to be in her early thirties. Opinionated, and outspoken about it, she was as much a master of magic as Merlin himself. She specialized in intricate, power-conserving spells as opposed to Merlin, who used his magic in a profligate fashion since he possessed far more raw power. She was slowly teaching him her methods since the power he normally depended upon was not as easy to obtain as it once was.
Their conversation earlier in the day was interrupted when Merlin needed to leave so he could teach a class. Now Nimue continued it as though there were no interruption.
“I agree,” she said, “we should wait until John returns before getting married.”
“Good, he's the only person not here that we both know. Besides, even with his slightly abrasive personality, I think I like him.”
“He's an American. They aren't all like that but quite a few are. He's part of the worst subset of them that I've met: a Texan.”
“What's a Texan? I've yet to study America. I've been too busy learning how magic is used nowadays. I've found that combining it with technology can make for some interesting effects.”
“The United States of America is made up of forty-eight states and some territories that don't qualify as states. Texas is the state that produces, perhaps, the most irritating Americans. But somehow they're still mostly goodhearted. Their brash nature is offset by both that and the exasperating fact that they can back up most of their boasts.”
Merlin nodded.
“Brash and exasperating, that fits John well. Although he was all business when he discovered something important. I guess that's what you meant when you said they're exasperating? That they're capable of being businesslike but only when they think it's necessary?”
“You'll see. You've got two American students that are due here soon.”
“That will get me back to six. Six seems to be the most I can teach at once and still give each individual the attention they need. I'm not used to this classroom learning of magic, despite having done it for a while. I prefer the one-on-one apprentice system.”
“Most wizards do, but with a war going on we need to train every potential wizard found to a point where they can be an asset. It's much quicker to do that with multiple students than a single apprentice.”
“I understand, but that doesn't mean I have to like it,” Merlin said.
Nimue looked around the room and noticed the map Merlin was perusing before she entered.
“Is this where you were talking about wanting to go to after we're married?”
“Yes, the information that was with the dragon scale I found gave a location in Wales. I understand that it's to the west of here, part of the same landmass we're on.”
Nimue pointed to a small circle Merlin had drawn on the map.
“Is this the location they gave, northern Wales?”
“Yes it is, at least that's as close as I can determine. I was thinking that we could simply go there and walk the countryside some. If the dragon still lives there, we should be able to tell its location by looking for where the magic is most concentrated. Then we can focus our efforts on that area and try to find it.”
“Quite the honeymoon,” Nimue said.
“With both of us being wizards, I thought it might be appropriate. Especially in the middle of a war.”
“I wasn't being sarcastic. I haven't seen a dragon in more than a millennium. As a groom's gift to the bride, I'd prefer this to almost anything else.”
“Good. I'm hoping that this dragon knows something of Ave. I'm sure that she's the dragon whose traces I found in the basement of the occult research facility when I was in Germany. So she's involved with the war somehow. I'd like to find out how and why, anything we can learn about her will help.”
* * *
“Merlin, good to see you. Are you settling in acceptably?” Nigel asked.
Merlin entered Nigel's office and peered around the room. Unlike Merlin's own work areas, Nigel's office was meticulously clean. It was obvious that he did some of his work here. Merlin recognized bits and pieces that were scattered around the office. But they were all set aside in areas that were plainly reserved for them.
“I'm settling in fine. William and Francis seem to be apt students but I haven't spent enough time with them yet to formulate an opinion,” Merlin said.
“Good, good... I didn't ask you here about your students though. There's a problem and it seems to be in our bailiwick.”
“What's the problem?”
“There are men on British soil simply showing up dead. There are no marks on them, no apparent reason for their deaths. Except for a similarity to their facial expressions. All their faces have been contorted as though they were terrified and the terror carried over into death. The incidents have all taken place along the coastal defenses and they die in clusters, all the men within a quarter mile on a given stretch of shore. They all occur at night as well.”
Merlin frowned in thought.
I imagine that's what my students and I would have looked like if we were killed by the death spirits that attacked us before we left Germany. I thought we'd destroyed that power source though.
“I know of something that might do that. But it was associated with the crystal we destroyed during our escape. Perhaps we didn't cause them as large a setback as we thought.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” Nigel said. “Since the normal army is stumped and cannot account for it, they've tasked this problem to us. They are claiming it's poisonous gas attacks and concealing the fact that they really don't know what's going on.”
“So you want me to check this out?” Merlin asked.
“And provide a recommendation or solution for the problem,” Nigel answered.
“If my suspicions are correct, we're going to need lots of non-charged crystals. A few hours of sun would help also, although I don't think you can do anything about that.”
“How many crystals do you need?”
“Twenty would be a good start,” Merlin said. “If I'm right, that will help us discover the problem and begin to ease it. We'll need many more than that later on.”
“What do you need them for?”
“If these creatures are what I think they are, then they can be repulsed by sun crystals. The sun is anathema to them and can even cause them to disperse.”
“So, you want to distribute sun crystals to the troops?” Nigel asked.
“It will keep them from being killed.”
“They won't believe in them,” Nigel said.
“They don't need belief to work
.”
“The men need belief to be willing to use them in the first place.”
“You have a point,” Merlin said. “Requisition us an equal number of the flashlights I've seen around here. Equal to the number of crystals you can get us. We can modify them, leave the top of the crystal sticking out of the reflector, with the main portion of the crystal in the battery compartment. Would they believe that you've developed a light that will neutralize the gas, and the Germans only use the gas at night because it's sensitive to certain kinds of light?”
Nigel looked at Merlin appraisingly.
“They might at that,” Nigel said.
“Will they believe that the flashlight needs to be left in the sun? They'd charge better if the whole crystal were exposed but we can manage to leave a large portion of it protruding from the reflector. Tell them the truth, that it stores sunlight for use on demand. We can also arrange the crystals with a sort of on/off switch instead of leaving them on all the time.”
Nigel paused for a moment before replying.
“We can do something with this. But first, we need to make sure that what you suspect is true. Otherwise it would be a lot of wasted effort. I'll get you those first crystals later this afternoon, those you can probably just use as is. But if you're right, we'll arrange for a batch of crystals and flashlights, set them up, and distribute them to the troops in the affected areas. Probably send them to the areas surrounding those eventually, just in case they move their efforts.”
Merlin nodded.
“Yes, the first batch should be fine without a flashlight modification. It will just be wizards using those.”
“How long to get them ready? When can you go examine the problem?”
“If I receive the crystals today, then I can be ready the day after tomorrow if I request the assistance of Ernst, Anselm, and Nimue.”
Merlin blanched as he mentioned Nimue's name.
She's going to want to go with me. I don't have a problem with that but Nigel will. Should I warn him? No, better to let her take him by surprise, he thought.
“Then meet with me again the day after tomorrow at noon. Will that give you enough time?” Nigel asked.
“It should.”
“I'll get the crystals headed your way as soon as I can; they'll be delivered to your barracks.”
“Thank you, I'll go gather the others and let them know what we need to do.”
* * *
Merlin returned to the barracks and found Nimue waiting. He explained the problem to her and his potential solution.
“Good, I've finally got you thinking of ways to save power,” she replied.
“Yes, well. I didn't think the soldiers would be prepared to watch the lights blaze away throughout the night without darkening. Plus, you've just recently been reminding me about my spells that run constantly when they don't need to, pointing out how much power I could save.”
A tightening sensation on Merlin's neck caused him to continue.
“Anguis also felt the need to reinforce your argument. Reminding me that he did something using only about a third the power I would have needed, and the extra power made the difference between success and failure in our escape from Germany.”
“I'm glad you're coming around to my way of thinking on this. There just isn't the power available now that there once was.”
Merlin grimaced.
“I understand that, intellectually. My instinctive reactions still tend towards my old style of usage though.”
“I don't know if I mentioned it, but I'm glad Anguis found you, or you found him. I thought about it and realized that when I was making him I was most worried about finding you again, and I may have imparted that priority to him.”
Merlin chuckled.
“You knew where I was.”
“I knew where your body was, but it was only your body. There was nothing else. The part of you that makes you Merlin, as opposed to a lump of meat, was elsewhere. Anguis found you, the complete you, shortly after you were available to be found. So although it seemed like a failure at the time, I've been re-evaluating that.”
“You always maintained good control of your emotions when I was teaching you magic. It sounds like they were running free when you made him and that changed your intent. Now you know why I recommend using magic when completely calm, at least for some things,” Merlin said.
“Then it looks like we may have to be teaching one another for a while. I'll teach you precision and conservation, you can continue to teach me those things I may lack,” Nimue said.
“Back to the sun crystals though, we need to make a batch of them quickly. The second batch will require something that allows them to be turned on and off. I'll need to disassemble a flashlight and see what physical reaction occurs when they switch it on and off. Then we can tie them together so the action is still familiar to the soldiers that receive them.”
“It won't be a problem Merlin. Many wizards now tie magic to physical devices. The holdouts are artificers like Nigel, who create entirely magical artifacts. They're reluctant to adapt and feel that the rest of us are infringing on their territory.”
“I know, I've been looking into combining technology and magic myself. I'll need to train Anselm and Ernst on how to make the sun crystals and then we'll do the first batch. Then if we need to do the larger one they'll just need to learn, along with us, how to make them emit the sun at will instead of constantly. Perhaps we can assuage Nigel's fears and ask for his input while we develop it?”
“That might be wise. We've already challenged a lot of his preconceptions, at least I have. He's repeatedly told me that I should have gotten myself out of France and worked on artifacts instead of risking myself in enemy territory,” Nimue said.
“We'll do it that way then. Give him some self-assurance and peace of mind. I was surprised to find him in charge here.”
Nimue shook her head.
“Nigel isn't in charge, he's second in command. John's in charge but he's a very hands-on type, always out doing something himself. Poor Nigel is left here, trying to keep things running smoothly. John told me that Nigel's an artificer so he ought to be able to get things to run smoothly. When I told him that people weren't magical artifacts and that they frequently reacted in unexpected ways, he just shushed me.”
“Then we'll definitely have to give Nigel some reassurances. Maybe nudge him in the proper direction from time to time. I'll talk with John when he gets back, but...”
Merlin's hand reached to tug his beard and was, once again, surprised to find a bare chin.
He began to brainstorm for the easiest way to keep a spell intact while being able to turn its effects on and off. He continued working on it until Anselm and Ernst returned to the barracks. As soon as they were back he went out to the main area of the barracks to speak with them.
“Anselm, Ernst, we need to start earning our keep here,” Merlin said.
“What's going on?” Anselm asked.
“It appears that the shores of Britain are getting visits from some of those creatures we met in the cottage back in Germany.”
“I thought the crystal was destroyed?” Ernst asked.
“As best as I could tell that entire facility, crystal and all, should now be a massive hole in the ground. My guess is that the skills behind it weren't destroyed and they've started working on the same concept using smaller crystals. Imagine a small crystal, the size of a sun crystal, stuffed with the same hostile spirits from the larger crystal and the death magic of twenty or so people to fuel it.”
Ernst shuddered.
“Now imagine that they're smashing them on Britain's shores, releasing the spirits to wreak havoc on the troops defending them. So far, they seem to dissipate with the sun, but if even one spirit finds a way to hide from the sun they could fuel themselves with the magic from the deaths they cause. They could possibly work their way in from the shores. It is, in essence, the latter part of the plan they had for the massive death magic cry
stal. Once they'd used its power for their wizards, they were planning to position it on enemy soil and release the spirits,” Merlin said.
“So what is it we need to do?” Anselm asked.
“To start with, we need to make a pile of sun crystals. Then you two, myself, and Nimue are going to go and verify what the problem is. If we're correct, we'll have to make lots more sun crystals and integrate them into military issue flashlights which will be distributed to those guarding the shores. They've been told it's a gas killing them and the flashlights will supposedly use a particular type of light that destroys the gas,” Merlin said.
“That's wrong, lying to them like that,” Ernst said.
“I agree, but Nigel pointed out that the average troops aren't going to accept magic, spirit creatures, and the like. So, we explain it to them in a manner that allows them to ignore the magical part and then they'll actually use our magic to defend themselves.”
“I don't like lying, but I suppose he has a point,” Ernst said.
“So our part will be to make the crystals and verify the problem. To further that I'll be teaching you how to make sun crystals tonight. You both already know how to call sunlight and this is very similar. You simply need to anchor the sunlight in the crystal. The spell will stay intact if there's any power at all in the crystal and will recharge in sunlight. If I'm correct and we need to make the flashlight version then we'll have to add in something to turn it on and off as well, but for now I'll just teach you how to make the basic sun crystals.”
* * *
Two days later, with twenty newly created and charged sun crystals waiting, Merlin returned to Nigel's office, accompanied by Nimue.
“Did you get the crystals done?” Nigel asked.
“Yes, we're all set to go,” Merlin answered.
“Good, the attacks have continued. One or two each night on random portions of the beach. Some places have been hit as many as four times, others only once, and a few not at all.”
“So, where are we going?” Nimue asked.
“We? Merlin and the students he brought with him from Germany are going to a point where they can respond within a couple of minutes to any of several sections of beach. You're staying here,” Nigel said.
