Arthur's Odyssey :Rise of the King

The battlefield lay silent, save for the faint crackle of lingering flames and the distant cries of retreating soldiers. The stench of blood and scorched earth filled the air, a grim testament to the chaos that had unfolded mere moments ago. Uther and Elyan stood amidst the carnage, their imposing figures radiating an aura of power that seemed to defy the devastation around them.

Elyan wiped blood from his blade, his expression a mixture of confusion and irritation. "Well, that was easier than expected," he muttered, glancing toward Uther.

Uther's brows furrowed deeply, his deep blue eyes scanning the retreating Night Elf forces. "Too easy," he murmured, his voice carrying an edge of unease.

Elyan snorted. "What do you mean? Two King stage awakeners on the same battlefield,of course, they'd lose their nerve. Who'd be foolish enough to face us head-on?"

But Uther didn't share his friend's satisfaction. Instead, a heavy silence hung between them as he watched the Night Elves disappear into the horizon, their retreat seeming more deliberate than panicked. His gaze lingered on their movements, every step calculated, every action restrained.

"This isn't right," Uther said finally, his tone grim.

Elyan raised an eyebrow. "They fled. That's exactly what should've happened."

Uther shook his head, the weight in his chest growing heavier with every passing second. "No. They didn't flee out of fear,they withdrew with purpose. As soon as I arrived, they stopped fighting altogether. They weren't trying to win this battle." He turned to Elyan, his eyes dark with suspicion. "This wasn't their main objective."

Elyan's smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "You think this was a diversion?"

Uther nodded, his hand clenching the hilt of his sword. "I'm certain of it. They wanted me here. They wanted to tie me down in the south, far from Camelot and the northern sector."

Elyan cursed under his breath. "If that's true, then where—"

"The north," Uther interrupted, his voice low and laced with dread. "Their real target has to be the north."

Elyan's eyes widened, realization dawning on him. "Camelot..."

A bitter chill crept through Uther's veins as the implications sank in. The southern continent had been nothing more than bait, a ploy to distract him , while the true danger crept closer to his home. To his children, they knew that even if Uther suspected something like that he would've come regardless, his honor and duty wouldn't have allowed him to remain still.

Uther turned to Elyan, his crimson lightning igniting with urgency. " I'm going back."

Elyan nodded, gripping his weapon tightly. "I'll handle things here and ensure there's no lingering threat. Go, Uther. Protect your family."

Without another word, Uther summoned his draconic spirit. Massive, wings unfurled behind him, shimmering with golden light. The ground beneath him trembled as he launched into the air, cutting through the sky at breakneck speed.

As he flew, his mind raced with thoughts of Arthur and Morgana. *Please let me be wrong... Let them be safe.* But the gnawing fear in his chest refused to subside.

The Night Elves had played their hand, and Uther knew he was running out of time to uncover the true extent of their plans.

Back at the Pendragons' training grounds Merlin was about to teach Arthur a new light-affinity movement technique. Arthur stood, his posture attentive, waiting for his grandfather's guidance. Morgana observed nearby, her eyes gleaming with excitement, eager to learn from her brother's session.

Suddenly Merlin felt something, his gaze immediately snapped to the sky, narrowing dangerously as an oppressive energy filled the air. A sense of foreboding swept through him, sharper than any instinct honed over centuries of battle. Without a word, he disappeared in a flash of fire, reappearing instantly in front of Morgana while holding Arthur in his arms.

"Stay close," Merlin ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

In an instant, his fire avatar roared to life around them, its towering form shielding them in a cocoon of scorching heat. The avatar's flaming arms crossed protectively as an enormous ethereal shield of fire manifested before it, glowing with an intensity that burned brighter than the sun. The world seemed to hold its breath.

And then it came.

A catastrophic explosion erupted across the training grounds, shaking the very foundations of the Pendragon estate. The sky blazed with unnatural light as a deafening roar consumed all other sounds. Flames, smoke, and a concussive shockwave radiated outward, obliterating everything in its path. Trees were uprooted, stone walls shattered, and the once-pristine grounds became an inferno of chaos.

Merlin's fire shield held firm, the avatar absorbing the brunt of the blast. But even with his perfect-grade fire affinity, Merlin's expression grew grim. Sweat beaded on his brow as he reinforced the shield, ensuring not even a flicker of harm reached Arthur and Morgana.

As the explosion subsided, a sinister silence fell. The training grounds were unrecognizable, reduced to smoldering rubble and ash. Merlin's fiery avatar dissipated, leaving the old man standing tall, his eyes scanning the destruction with an icy focus.

Arthur and Morgana stared in stunned silence, still encased in their grandfather's protective grasp. Arthur's heart pounded as he clutched Merlin's arm, his young mind racing to make sense of what had just happened.

"Grampa," Morgana whispered, her voice trembling. "What is happening?"

Merlin didn't answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where faint traces of foreign energy lingered. His jaw tightened, and a deep anger flared within him.

"An attack," he finally said, his voice low but filled with menace. "Someone dared to challenge the Pendragons on their own soil."

Arthur's hands balled into fists, silvery light flickering faintly around him. "Who would do this?" he asked, his tone laced with both fear and fury despite his young age.

---

From the swirling smoke came a silky, mocking laugh, echoing through the ruins of the training grounds. "My, my," the voice purred, teasingly laced with amusement. "What a feisty little child we have here."

As the haze cleared, the owner of the voice stepped forward,a strikingly beautiful woman. Her tall frame radiated an eerie elegance, midnight-black hair cascading in waves down her back. Her crimson eyes gleamed like polished rubies against her ghostly pale complexion, making her appear as though she'd stepped out of a nightmare tailored in allure.

Merlin's expression darkened the moment he laid eyes on her. His fire avatar flared to life once more, this brighter and stronger, casting a protective glow around him and the children. "Nimueh..." he spat her name like a curse, his voice thick with disdain and wariness. "What do the vampires want with Camelot?"

Nimueh smiled, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly as she took another step forward, completely unbothered by the blazing heat of the fire avatar. "Ah, Merlin, it's been far too long," she cooed, ignoring his question entirely. Her gaze flicked to Arthur and Morgana, lingering for a moment before returning to Merlin. "And I see you've taken on the role of babysitter. How... quaint."

Merlin's fiery aura flared, the heat intensifying as the air itself seemed to ripple with tension. "Answer the question, Nimueh, or I'll make sure you regret setting foot here."

Nimueh tilted her head, the mocking smile never leaving her lips. "Oh, Merlin," she said with a theatrical sigh. "Always so quick to anger. But if you insist on being so direct..." Her smile widened, revealing sharp, glistening fangs that caught the flickering light of Merlin's fire avatar. "We're here for the Life Weapon."

The words hung in the air like a death knell. Arthur's brows furrowed in confusion, while Morgana's expression shifted from anger to alarm.

Merlin's fiery shield flared dangerously, his face twisting into a scowl. "You dare come to Camelot for that?" he snarled. "Do you have any idea what you're playing with, Nimueh?"

Her crimson eyes sparkled with mischief as she took another deliberate step forward. "Oh, I know exactly what I'm playing with, dear Merlin. You think the vampires have been idle while you humans hoarded your precious secrets?" Her gaze flicked briefly to Arthur and Morgana, a subtle smirk curling her lips. "I must say, these children are quite... fascinating, especially the boy..."

Arthur stepped forward, the silvery glow around him intensifying as he glared at her, his usual childish behavior nowhere to be seen. "You think you can just waltz into Camelot and take whatever you want? You'll regret underestimating us, a Pendragon never shy away from a challenge, do not underestimate us just because we're children."

Nimueh's laughter was soft and melodic, yet it carried an undercurrent of menace. "Such spirit!" she mused. "It's almost adorable." Her expression hardened, and the air around her seemed to grow colder despite Merlin's fiery aura. "But don't mistake my amusement for leniency, boy. I didn't come here to play with fledglings."

Merlin raised a hand to stop Arthur, his gaze locked onto Nimueh. "Enough," he said, his voice steely. "You won't lay a hand on the Life Weapon, or anyone in Camelot. If you value your existence, leave now."

Nimueh's smile didn't waver, but her tone grew icy. "Merlin," she said softly, her voice like a dagger wrapped in silk. "Do you really think you can stop me? You've grown old, while I..." She spread her arms, her crimson eyes blazing. "I have only grown stronger."