Worse Than Death

Breaking the Curse

Note: My thanks to Tumblr Users Prototypeshard and Solitaria-Fantasma for letting me bounce ideas about Callie, Morgause, Morgan, Mordred, etc. off them to see if it would work. Also thanks to everyone who joined me on the stream for this chapter and helped me phrase things better. =) Also, as this has morphed into a series, it is officially titled the “Thicker Than Water Tales.”

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            Morgause stumbled back, true fear on her face as the Lady of the Lake advanced on her, her tapered body twisting her through the air like an eel swimming, her arms outstretched. The long, wriggling arms wrapped around the sword. Morgause gripped it with both hands, shrieking as the edge sliced into her palm.

            “NO!” She struggled. “YOU ARE MINE, MINE TO COMMAND!”

            “I am still my own to command.” The voice was calm, but hard as ice. “And never, never yours.” She removed the sword from Morgause’s hand with the ease of an adult reclaiming a toy from a toddler. Morgause’s hand bled as the blade was wrenched from her. The Lady turned to Arthur, placing a hand on the fiery cords. Steam rose as water rushed along the lines, dousing the flames and releasing Arthur. She pulled him to a sitting position with one arm, hovering in front of him. He could see her measuring him again, but there was less censure in her gaze.

            “Arthur, of the line of Uther, but not the son of Uther,” She said, her voice like light rain, “This sword has lain very long without someone to wield her. Excalibur’s purpose was abandoned long before she was thrown back in the lake. I do not expect you to right the wrongs of your ancestor, but I expect you to do what he did not, and give your all in defense of your Kingdom. Will you do so, not because it is your possession to be reclaimed at the expense of any who cross you, but because it is what you treasure most?”

            Arthur looked down to the sword she held in her hands. Gingerly, he held his single hand out, palm facing up. “I will.” He said quietly.

            She bowed her head, lowering the pommel into his hand and closing his fingers around it. Her touch was warm and wet, and the small gem in the pommel flared. “Then Arthur, the sword Excalibur submits herself to you.” The spirit hovered back, staring at him with fathomless eyes. “Command me, sire. What would you have of me?”

            With a cold shock, Arthur realized the truth of the legends. Yes, the Lady of the Lake had given Excalibur to the King, but perhaps even the King did not realize that the Lady of the Lake was, herself, the spirit of Excalibur. His mouth hung open, head tilted slightly to the side in shock as his eyes darted from the sword to the spirit in front of him.

            His shock was broken only by a demonic shriek to his right. Turning, he raised the sword just in time to deflect a killing blow from Morgause. She held in her hands a sword of blue flame, her eyes boring into his with rabid hatred.

            “SHE IS MINE!” She roared. “GIVE HER TO ME!”

            She was slipping fast and becoming more dangerous. He scrambled off the table, his mind already working on a solution. He was no swordsman, there was no way he could compete with a crazed ghost from medieval times. What did the Lady say? Command me.

            Morgause opened her mouth, a shrill scream splitting his ears. The sky darkened as ghouls flocked to her call.

            “Free Mystery!” He ordered. “Free Mystery to take care of the ghouls, you take Morgause out of Vivi!”