The Greatest Hero of All Time

~An Afternoon with Merlin~

I went to Merlin the next afternoon to begin lessons. I was excited to get more lessons in as I know I've missed a bunch of school with trying to rescue Henry and this whole journey."

We arrived at a lake, "When I said I could swim like a fish. I really meant as a fish" I ask, "You mean you can turn yourself into a fish?" Merlin, "Yes. After all, I happen to be a wizard."

I ask, "Can I turn into a fish for our first lesson?" Merlin, "Imagination,do you have one. Could you imagine yourself as a fish?" I beam, "Yes!" Merlin, "Oh."

Merlin, "Good. Then I think that my magic can do the rest." Archimedes was a bit cranky today, "When he stays out all night he is always grumpy the next morning."

I joke, "He must stay out every night." Merlin laughs, "Yes. Yes. Very good. Here we go." He casts a spell and he turned into a fish and he made Ruby into one as well. All I had to do was think about transforming into a fish and it happened.

I ask Merlin, "Merlin? Merlin? Am I a fish? Am I a fish?" He picked me and Ruby up in his hands, "Yes,yes. You are now fish. If you guys don't stop flipping and flopping around and get in the water you won't last long."

He brought us to the lake, "Now,stay right here in the tules-both of you and I'll be with you both in a minute." He released us into the pond below and we swam around for a while until Merlin joined us in fish form:

It took a while but we eventually got the hang of it as Merlin saw us struggling, "So,you thought you could take right off like a shot,didn't you?" He asked me.

Ruby, "Well,we are fish,aren't we?" Merlin, "You merely look like fish. That doesn't mean you can swim like one. You guys don't have the instinct. So,you will have to use your brains for a change."

Merlin, "You are living between two planes now,somewhere between the ceiling and the floor. Now,there are lots of ups and downs,like a helicopter."

I question, "Helicopter?" Merlin, "Yes. No. Nevermind. Every flick of a fun creates movement. So,first we'll start with the caudal fin."

I struggled even more,"No,no,girl. Your tail,tail" I tried again and again and it seemed to work right up until I crashed into Merlin, "Now that gives you the forward thrust. Now,let's get a rhythm."

He actually helped me get a technique down immediately after. There were many creatures like frogs and turtles. Ruby, "Merlin? Merlin! I swallowed a bug."

Merlin, "Oh. What's wrong with that?" I add on, "After all,Ruby,you are part wolf." Merlin, "Instincts,you know. That's either there or not. The main thing is that you must set your sights upon the heights-especially you,Sasha. Don't be a mediocrity."

I ask, "Mediocrity?" Merlin, "That's right. Don't just wait around and trust to fate. And say that's how it's meant to be. It's up to you how far you go. If you don't try you'll never know. And so,lassies,as I've explained: 'Nothing ventured,nothing gained."

Merlin continued to hum a tune and giggle, "Let's swim through that tall grass again. It tickles." I did and he was right,we laughed so hard and bad because the tall grass tickled us relentlessly.

Merlin, "The water world has its forests and its jungles,too. So,it has tigers and its wolves. But that is what makes the world go round. You see,girls it's natures way. Upon the walk the strong one's prey."

Merlin, "It's human life,it's also true" I saw the bullfrog from earlier swim ahead of me in a hurried rush with a scared look on its face. I turned around and I saw a barracuda behind me.

I pulled Ruby towards me and we swam at the pace of Merlin. Me and Ruby hid in a crack with the bullfrog as the barracuda swam past us but the bullfrog kicked me and Ruby out and I yell, "Merlin! Help! Help!"

Thats when Merlin noticed the barracuda chasing after me and Ruby. He grabbed onto his tail before he could open his jaw and eat us. The barracuda was able to flick Merlin off his tail and we got in a race to escape the animal.

Ruby, "Merlin! The magic!" I say, "No,we are on our own with this one!" Merlin, "Sasha's right. Now is your chance to prove my point,Sasha" I ask, "What point?"

Merlin, "He's the brawn and you're the brain. Now,don't panic!" Ruby hid behind Merlin as I swam away, "You use your head. Outsmart the big brute!"

I was about to trap the barracuda by getting its snout trapped in a big chain. Merlin, "Smart move,lassie. That's using the old intellect." The barracuda was able to yank himself free and he still continued to chase me.

I held the tip of an arrow and I screamed when the barracuda found me and I snapped back into action with the arrow in my mouth. I shoved the arrow into his mouth and I swam away.

Ruby, "Bravo,Sasha!" Merlin, "Great strategy" I ask, "Is the lesson about over?" Merlin, "Did you get the point?" I say, "Yes,yes. Brain over brawn." Merlin, "Ok,lassie. I'll fix the big brute."

I swam as the barracuda once again continues to chase me, "Merlin!" We jumped from outside the lake to back in and I jumped up onto a cliff above the lake and the jumping barracuda below me.

Archimedes noticed me struggling, "Help! Help!" Archimedes held the jaws of the barracuda open as he helped me escape from a near death catastrophe.

The barracuda still continued to swim after me as Archimedes is now in the water as well. At this point, I was getting pretty tired of the barracuda chasing me.

I continue to shout, "Help!" At the top of my lungs as we made another jump out of the water and in notice the cranky owl, "Archimedes! Help!"

We jumped out of the water again and Archimedes pried his mouth shut. Archimedes chased me up the barracuda's back and he caught me in his mouth and with a flap of the barracuda's tail,we flew across the lake but he still followed us until we crash landed onto land.

Merlin became a human again, "What? What in thunder is a monster like that doing in the moat?" He said while still wearing the knight helmet from when we were in the water.

Merlin, "By George,I'll turn him into a minnow" I flopped and Merlin changed Ruby back into her human form. I shout, "Merlin!" And he says, "Oh,there you are,girl."

Merlin, "Remember what I taught you" I focused on changing form and I was able to change back into my human form. Merlin, "How in the world did you ever get out of that mess?"

I say, "I'll say. That barracuda almost swallowed me and Archimedes. He saved me" Merlin, "Well,what do you know about that?" Archimedes shouts, "I did nothing of the sort!"

Merlin, "Do you believe that,Sasha?" I say, "Well, I..." it was getting late, "Goodness. It's getting late. We should be heading home." Merlin, "I guess you are right."