King Arthur (2017 Legend of the Sword OC Fanfic)

13. Knowledge is Power

She ran endlessly. The trees passed by her in a blur. She didn't even know what she was running from. The forest was never-ending. She kept running until her legs wouldn't carry her anymore. She stopped to catch her breath and collapsed to the ground. She panted and heaved. She couldn't stay here she needed to keep moving. She looked up and couldn't believe her eyes, it was the largest, most intricate tree she had ever seen. Its limbs looked like they had been shaped by the wind, its roots were large, gnarly, and deep.

''Keep going.'' The wind whispered.

She got up and started running again. The terrain was different this time. She seemed to be on a hillside where the forest was sparse. She kept running until she came upon a little cabin tucked in the pines. She stumbled towards the humble adobe, stricken with curiosity.

''Hello?'' She called out.

...

Suddenly Lucy jolted awake. Her dreams left her more exhausted waking up than before she went to bed. She rubbed her eyes, wishing for a better nights sleep before she dragged herself out of bed to the wash basin. She freshened herself and took a moment to examine her reflection. Dark circles had taken up residence underneath her eyes. She sighed, knowing that sleeping in wasn't an option today. She put on an old brown dress, combed her hair back into a ponytail, then went down to the dining hall where breakfast would be served.

When she arrived she took her usual seat next to Beatrice and smiled at her. ''Morning, Bea.''

''Good morning Miss Lucy. You look like you didn't sleep well last night.'' She greeted quite cheerfully.

''Eh, I've got many things on my mind.'' Lucy shrugged.

''I will listen if you need me.'' Beatrice offered.

''Thank you Bea, but not today, I already have a lot on the agenda.'' Lucy politely declined.

She ate her meal silently then left to the library where she knew Mága would be meeting her soon. Lucy wanted to read more of Merlin's journal, but she wasn't ready to share it with Mága yet. She didn't know how much time she would have alone so she settled for a history book. It appeared to be a telling of King Uthur's rule and the war with the mages. As Lucy picked up the book she began to realize she didn't know much about the war, but rather the fallout of it. She grew up under Vortigern's rule, and since Arthur's crowning, her life has been turned upside down.

Lucy opened the book and began to read about the past, a time before her, where her parents had grown up and lived. She didn't realize how long she had lived without them until she realized she didn't really know anything about them. To her, they were always just mama and papa. Her mother worked religiously in the shop where she was a seamstress, that Lucy now ran, and her father was always away on the fishing boats. He always came home with stories about sea monsters and kidnapped princesses in foreign lands.

The book described a time when mages used Dark Magick to gain power and attack the kingdom. They were led by a warlock name Mordred, who rode on the backs of giant elephants in his attack against the heart of England, Camelot. King Uthur's forces held their ground while the King himself used Excalibur, a magickal sword forged by Merlin, to cut Mordred down and stop the attack.

Lucy couldn't imagine being a mage at a time where so many of them were evil. She knew that mages like Mága were good people, but she didn't know anything about the magick they practiced. She began to wonder what defined magick as good or bad. Was it intent, or outcome based? What are the rules? Why does one choose dark magick if they know its bad?

She didn't have time to wonder too long before Mága showed up. She entered the library in her same blue robe and a blank look that didn't reveal any emotion. It was almost disconcerting how cold she came off.

''Are you ready for your lessons?'' Mága asked sternly. Before Lucy could even ask, Mága noticed the book that Lucy had. ''Off to a good start, I see.'' Mága almost smiled.

Lucy nodded. ''I wanted to know more about my parents and what it was like when they were growing up.''

''Ah, yes. It was a different time then. They once knew an age when mages lived freely amongst the people. For us its never been the same since the war.'' The mage said solemnly.

''How'd the war start? What happened?''

''Mordred happened.'' Mága sighed. ''He became drunk with power. He thought mankind deserved to be our slaves.''

''But Uthur stopped him,'' Lucy added.

''With the help of the sword, Merlin made for him.'' Mága corrected.

''The mages' history goes deep, doesn't it?'' Lucy asked as she was beginning to realize that she had hardly scratched the surface.

''For today's lesson, all you need to know is the basics. Light against dark. Good versus bad.'' Mága redirected.

For the next hour or so they discussed these matters and practices of meditation and positive thinking. Mága insisted that Lucy needed to learn to control her breathing and aura. Her energy field was delicate and easily disrupted, which could cause anomalies in any magick she tries to perform.

Lucy left her lesson feeling slightly overwhelmed. When she learned that she was a mage she was kind of excited and expected it to be easy, but it was so much more complicated than it seemed. After leaving the library Lucy went straight to the academy, as she had promised Arthur.

On her way towards the barracks and the schoolhouse that held the classrooms the Academy taught in, she ran into a little boy that was sneaking bread out of the kitchen.

''Hey, you there?'' She called out to him. ''What are you doing?''

The boy who was about 9 or 10 turned around and faced her. ''Nothing.'' He called out.

''Are you sure? Where should you be right now?'' She asked him candidly.

''Please don't tell on me?'' He begged the bread already stashed in his pockets.

''I promise, as long as you get along.'' She agreed, smiling at the cute boy.

''Thank you miss. My name is Blue.'' He quickly introduced himself.

''My name is Lucy. And you're quite welcome Blue. Run along now.'' She quickly shook his hand then urged him to go.

''You're pretty, but don't tell Art I said that.'' He smiled, then quickly ran away.

Lucy smiled.

Art, that was a cute nickname.

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Author's Note: Just got done watching Legend of the sword again and even managed to finish this chapter. I am honestly quite surprised with myself. Now time for a quick shower then bed.

Also, we've taken a small drop in rank to #300 in fantasy :( , but that's alright. I'm pretty sure rank is measured by a read/vote ratio which makes sense. In other news, we're just broke over 2,000 reads, which is more than I've ever expected from this story.

You guys are awesome!

Thanks! Goodnight and enjoy!

-Surviving (8/6)