Swan Song

The Lady of The Lake Part 2

By the time the sun had set, the four were ready to rest.

"I've never walked so long before," said Arthur, falling to his knees. "I don't like this whole 'hero's journey' thing. Can we go back now?"

"Your people are now swans, your highness," Merlin reminded, opening his parcel. He swung it through the air, and all manner of equipment fell out of it. Two tents, which immediately set themselves, firewood, which arranged itself and lit itself on fire, and a pot, which immediately flew up to the fire, and began to be filled with the ingredients, also coming from the parcel.

"Impressive," Lit said.

"The sleeping bags are meant to be inside," complained Lock, making Merlin sigh.

"I tried, boy. Give me a break."

Arthur immediately got into one of the tents, and Merlin followed him inside.

"I guess first watch is mine," Lit said, making Lock glare at him.

"You don't actually think we'll trust you with that, do you?"

"Well, I happen to be particularly untrustworthy. It's the untrustworthy ones you can count on, because their moves are easy to predict. If I were honest and blunt, well, you'd never be able to see the stupidity coming."

"You say that like all honest people are stupid." Lock immediately thought of Alice, who couldn't lie to save her life.

"Most people are stupid, really," Lit mused.

"Bags of skin and bone that slow me down," Lock agreed.

"Well, aren't you a chipper one."

"Setting your hair on fire might improve my mood."

"Surely sleep would be better?" Lit tried temptation again, gesturing toward the tent. Lock glared at him again, the fire beneath the cauldron increasing in intensity. "I guess I'll just have a nap then."

"You'd actually sleep in front of a bunch of strangers?" Lock inquired, still uneasy around the fairy.

"My people are all about backstabbing and deceit," Lit replied. "You get used to it. Besides, you can only kill me once."

"Just get inside the tent."

"Care to join me?" Lit offered with a wink, and Lock found himself blushing.

"No."

"Then what's that red tint I see?"

"Go to sleep."

"Are you shy?" Lit asked, taking off his boots. "Or is it your first time?"

Lock summoned a blast of wind and knocked the fairy on his back. "What I am is someone who can end you with a thought. I'm not in the mood for games."

Shrugging, Lit entered the tent.

Once he was gone, Lock made the ingredients inside the cauldron stir a bit, then reached into the fire and pulled out a burning piece of wood. He set it on a separate part of the ground, then whispered, "Vanitas."

The angel appeared inside the flames immediately, a calm look on his face. "Oh my. To what do I owe this honor? Some begging? Perhaps unconditional surrender?"

"Not a chance," Lock replied. "I'm just making sure my brother's body is alright."

"You do, of course, mean my body. I am the only soul inside of it, after all."

"Now that," Lock said, "I don't believe."

Vanitas frowned slightly. "You must realize that contacting me gives me a chance to tell your location."