Swords of the Past

Chapter Two : My Date With Destiny

It wasn't even an hour later before I was being shaken, my headphones ferociously ripped from my ears, and my good vibe tore away from me like my headphones. Charlie was right by my chair and continued to shake me until I turned to face him, a look of annoyance written all over my face. "Dude! What happened to you in advanced lit?"

"Um, nothing really, I got a bad headache. I couldn't focus on the reading." I lied, hoping he would buy it and not look further into. The last thing I needed was my roommate thinking that I lost my marbles. 

Pausing my music, I take out my headphones and put them in my bag. "Okay, so what really happened? You never listen to music when you have a headache."

I don't even know why I was thinking that I could get away with lying to Charlie. He knows me better than anyone. Even better than my parents and siblings. His eyes were focused, his ears open and ready to listen as I open my eyes to speak my crazy tale, "This is going to sound insane and I'm beginning to think that maybe I'm losing my marbles but-."

"Just spit it out Enzo." Charlie interrupts causing my babbling to stop.

Blinking a couple of times I get on with what happened a few hours earlier, "Well as I went to read the passage the words began to move around and fall off the page. It started to freak me out, especially after the hobo today."

Charlie stayed quiet for a few seconds before he busts out laughing, typical Charlie. Groaning I stand up and swing my messenger bag strap on my shoulder. I wasn't going to sit there and listen to Charlie laugh at me. I start to walk away from him but he grabs my arm and stops me, "Enzo, you're probably just tired. You've been working yourself really hard for the past week and a half. You need to take a break and relax."

"Yeah, I have been working really hard." Taking into consideration everything I've done in the past week and a half, Charlie was right. Maybe I was just sleep-deprived. Maybe some sleep would help. "I think I'm going to head back to the dorm and take a sick day today."

Charlie wraps his arm around my shoulders and says as we walk towards the dorms, "One day can't hurt and I'll pick up everything you miss today. You deserve a day of rest." 

One part of my brain was agreeing with my happy go lucky friend but the other wasn't, it wanted me to start investigating. But I didn't know what I would investigate. Sleeping was a better alternative and it made me sound less crazy. Getting to the west wing, we take the elevator to the fourth floor. In the elevator, I fish my keys out of my pocket and as the doors open the both of step out onto the shag-carpeted floor. I love this flooring, it reminds me of my living room carpet. 

As I walk over to my bed, my eyes begin to fog over and the world around me turns blurry and wobbly. I feel Charlie's hands guide me to my bed. Everything felt like it was slipping from my grasp. He manages to get me to my bed and I fall back onto it instantly. My vision begins to worsen and so does my hearing, "It's alright, Arthur. Rest now."

Did he just call me Arthur? Why in gods name would he call me Arthur? As much as I wanted to fight the drowsiness and ask him, my body had a different plan. My vision faded into darkness and I fell into my memories, echoing out a name as I did so.

"Merlin!"

That name echoed in my head. Instead of my dorm room, I was standing in the middle of a wasteland. Numerous amounts of dead bodies scattered around. As if I was watching myself from the sidelines my body stumbled to my knees, pain rushing through me. My sword lay bloodied on the ground next to me. 

My wounded and bloody body begins to fall the rest of the way down but is caught by a strong hand. The man that caught me is wearing a blue cloak, the only thing I can make out is the mans' fierce and beautiful blue eyes. They were like the sea, strong yet compassionate. But all of that was soon replaced with worry. "Sire...I'm so sorry. I should have protected you better..."

Tears began to stream down the man's face. My heart felt like it would burst into pieces, the scene in front of me began to grow sad with each passing minute. "It is not your fault, Merlin."

The man, Merlin, brings me on to his lap and begins to position his hand over my wound. He goes to say something, a spell maybe but is stopped by me grabbing his hand. "I know you wish to heal me but I fear it is my time."

"Arthur please..." The man begged but I knew now that I wasn't going to let him, I was too stubborn. "Let me save you! If there's no you then I have no purpose. I can't live without you!"

I weakly smiled at Merlin and cupped his face with my bloody trembling hands. I could tell by looking at me I didn't have much time left. "You will live without me. I know you will."

"But-." Merlin was about to say something but I stop him, "No...Now, will you honor your kings' final task?"

Merlin shakes his head, tears were streaming down his pale cheeks. His hands trembling as he pulls me closer to his chest. "What is it you wish me to do?"

"Kiss me. I want to feel your touch one last time.." My words came out horse and forced. I could tell just by looking at myself I'd be gone in a matter of minutes. Doing as I asked, he leans down, closes his eyes and gently holds his lips to mine. I felt how soft they were.

When Merlin pulls away he opens his eyes to find me lifeless in his eyes. My heart no longer beats and my breath left my body. The tears begin to fall faster and harder. "No..Arthur..please...don't leave me.."

Merlin's voice cracked as he spoke. He kept shaking my body and started to whisper things, his eyes flashing with color, but my body just laid there. He hugged me to his chest and let out an emotional scream, his eyes burning with power. The valley walls started to shake, dust and wall rocks began to slide down. 

Then everything faded away and I found myself sitting up in my bed, tears streaming down my face. Charlie is beside my bed, his eyes are full of worry and sadness. I feel around my body for wounds before I lift up my shirt and see a birthmark right where my wound was in the dream. My mind was swimming at this point. What in the world was happening to me?

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Enzo, it's okay." Charlie tries to calm me down but the painful scream still echos in my head. It was filled with so much pain and hurt. 

Charlie pulls me close and the image of Merlin pulling me closer to him fills my head which prompts me to push him away. I grab one of my throw pillows and clutch it to my chest as I lay on my side. He goes to speak but just burry my face into the pillow. I didn't want to speak to him or anyone for that matter. The dream felt so real. Like I was actually dying and then I felt Merlin's pain, it was horrible. 

Weird things were happening all around me and I couldn't explain anyone of them. I wanted to talk to someone but I knew they'd think I was crazy and try and have me locked away in a loony bin. I think that maybe that's where I should be. 

As I lay there curled into a ball I bask in the darkness around me, only to have that ruined when Charlie steps into the bathroom, flicking the light as he goes. He doesn't even bother to shut the door. Maybe he thinks that I fell back to sleep or that maybe I was too involved in my headphones like I normally am when I have a nightmare. Because the words he said next concerned me.

"Sir it's starting, just like we predicted it would." His voice was full of worry. "It's going faster than it has in the past. I fear he needs to find Merlin and find him fast. I must go, I need to make sure Enzo's okay..Yes, I'll keep this underlaps. No one else will know."

                                                     What has my best friend gotten into?