Written Destinies (Arthur Pendragon)

The Gates of Avalon 3: Truth Hidden in the Ruins

Elizabeth's POV:

             Ruins. That is what I was walking through. What was once a glorious kingdom was now rubble. I am oblivious to how I arrived here and I did not know where here was. After the explosion of fire emanating from my body, everything was left in a blur. I remember the heat I felt. How the fire did not burn as it touched my skin. I can recall Arthur's faint screams, begging for me to return home. I remember the fear in his eyes, the memory causes tears to cascade from mine. He was scared of me. The boy who I believed would be there for me no matter what was scared of me. My heart clenches at the thought. I quickly wipe away my tears, taking in my surroundings.

             I stood just outside the stone walls, the metal gate appearing to be melted in the center, allowing me to enter with ease. A stone walkway leads me through the crumbling town. Most of the windows of the shops lining the street were shattered, whereas others were covered in dust. Long vines climbed up the sides of the buildings, looking overgrown. The way the wind whistled as it blew through the empty streets sent shivers down my spine. Everything around me was either falling or had fallen. I kept walking, my feet tapping gently against the stone path. 

            I reach the peek of the city, standing outside the grand gates of the castle. I stop in my tracks when I see the crest on what remains of a banner. The same crest that is engraved in the pendant around my neck. A phoenix rising from the flames. I knew where I was now, seeing that crest made it all clear. I was home, I was standing in what was left of Alden. I grasped my pendant tightly around my neck, shedding a few tears. 

"What happened here," I whispered. 

            What happened next took me by surprise, it was as if mother nature was guiding me. A large gust of wind pushes me through the palace gates, guiding me to the courtyard, the strong winds stopping when I reach the center. The wind silences, leaving me in a void of quiet. That is until screams slowly erupted from it. I whipped my head around in search of those who were screaming, yet there was no one around, not a soul in sight. Fog began rolling in, covering everything in a gray tint. I squinted my eyes, trying to make my way through it. Yet I stop, my eyes widening in surprise as gray figures begin to form within the fog.

"Elizabeth," came a woman's voice. I  turned to face them, gasping in shock. For there, among the fog, stood a woman. She wore a long dress, with a crown on her head.

"Mother," I whispered. Uther was right, I was a spitting image of her. Her foggy complexion looked frantic, searching among the other figures.

"Mommy," Screamed a younger voice. I whipped my head around, my eyes landing on a little girl. I recognized her, for she was the one who haunted my dream that night. The night my eyes glowed gold. I took in her appearance, her face streaked with tears.

"Elizabeth," my mother screamed, reaching for the younger me. My younger self began running towards her through the crowd of frantically running townspeople. 

            It was as though everything was moving in slow motion, watching as my mother smiles when she sees the younger me. I watch as a large man approaches her from behind, sword in hand, an evil grin on his face. My hand flies to my mouth as I watch him stab my mother through the back, the blade running her through. Her eyes widen as she looks down at her stomach, the blade crimson with her blood. A grunt escapes her lips as the man rips the blade out from her body, allowing her to fall to her knees. The man walks away with a satisfied smile on his face, leaving my mother dying in a pool of her own blood. 

"Mommy," the younger me screamed, racing toward her. She falls to her knees beside her.

"E-- Elizabeth," my mother stuttered, blood staining her teeth. "You n-need to find y-your father d-darling. He w-will protect y-you...... I lo-love you my darling." 

            I watch as her eyes glass over, her last breath escaping her lips. I watched her die, I watched as the light left her body completely. I watched the sorrow pass over my younger self's face, taking in our mother's appearance. I could not imagine what was going on in her head, watching our mother die at such a young age. 

"Daddy," the younger me cried, her voice cracking. "Daddy!"

"Elizabeth," My father cried, his shadowed figure running towards her. I took in his appearance, his hair was long, reaching to his shoulders, slight stubble was noticeable on his face. He wore metal armor, his sword grasped tightly in his hand. 

            I watched as he stopped abruptly a few feet away, taking in the scene before him. I watched as tears cascaded down his face as he took in his wife's appearance. I watched as four men approached him from all sides, surrounding the royal family. 

"Daddy," the younger me warned. My father awoke from his trance as the men began to charge. He raised his sword high, defending his fallen wife and his young daughter. He fought bravely, determination written across his face and his sword clashed with the enemies around them. He was precise, each attack being stronger than the last. Yet, it wasn't enough. One of the men charged him from behind, stabbing his leg and retracting it. My father screamed in pain, falling to his knees. He looked at the younger me.

"I love you," He whispered. A cry escaped my lips as the attacker's sword through my father's back, escaping out of his chest. The attacker retracts the blade, allowing my father's body to fall down alongside my mother's. 

"You're next, sweetheart," The man spoke, pointing the bloody blade toward the younger me. 

"Mommy," The younger me whimpered. "Daddy?"

"Don't worry darling, you will be joining them soon," the man said. 

"Mommy, daddy, wake up," the younger me pleaded, shaking our parents. "Wake up."

"What don't you understand kid," the man taunted. "They are dead!"

            I watched as the younger me cried in horror, falling over our parent's bodies. Her body shook as she sobbed. I watched as the man approached her raising his sword high, prepared to strike. Yet he was not given the chance. The younger me raised from her hovered position over our parents, her eyes glowing gold in rage. 

"My God," the man gasped, frozen in his spot. He shook off his shock, bringing down the sword. Yet the blade never made contact. The younger me threw her head back, an ear-defining escaping her lips. A burst of energy escaped her small body, engulfing the man in flames. I listened to his screams as he burned, his flesh melting off his bone. Part of me was happy to see him die, while another part of me was frightened. The energy kept radiating off of her, engulfing the entire kingdom and everyone in it in flames. I watched as her little body relaxed, falling over in exhaustion. She slept peacefully for a while, her chest steadily rising and falling with every breath. When she woke, she took in her surroundings, a look of confusion crossing her face.

"Where am I," she whispered. "Mommy, Daddy?"

"Oh my God," I whispered. When I found out I lost my memory, I thought it was due to a fall, or hitting my head. But no, my memory left me because what I went through was too traumatic for a child to bare. 

            The fog cleared, leaving me in a fog of confusion. Everything was revealed now, served to me on a silver platter. I did not know what to do, I had nowhere to go except for back to Camelot. Back to Arthur.