The Calling
Chapter 36

“Thoust is mad!” exclaimed Kay, “Did I not say he was mad!” he slapped Galahad on the arm as he spoke.

“If he says that is where we must travel, then so be it” said Galahad.

“Look!” snapped Kay, “the darkness swallows the sun”

“Have at thee!” countered Galahad, “your fear betrays thine own senses”

“I fear nothing!” snapped Kay angrily, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Stop it!” shouted Francis, “stop it now! we have a problem” he continued, “we must travel out to sea and it is getting darker. If we don’t leave now we will not make land”

“And how do we travel?” retorted Kay, “Swim?”

Francis considered the sarcasm of Kay’s words for a moment and smiled, “thank you for your counsel, but I do not think it would be safe”

Galahad laughed at the look which crossed Kay’s face and slapped him on the back, “My Liege jests” he roared through his laughter, “we sail” he pointed up the beach toward the dunes where a small rowing boat lay discarded amongst the sand and the beach grass. Its wooden frame was partially hidden by the fronds which submerged the small vessel as it peered out over the landscape.

“Fortuitous” remarked Bedivere and he walked up the dune to inspect the boat.

“Tis a sign...” breathed Galahad and looked upward toward the sky.

“Whatever it is” said Francis, “we need to make sure it is sea worthy before we set foot in that thing”

“Show me the boy!” snapped Morgan as she stood before the crystal sphere in its stone mounting. The images swirled and cast a divine darkness within the confines of the ball as her reflection stared back through the glass.

“My Lady...” Agravain spoke softly as he moved through the courtyard close to where Morgan stood. She turned her attention to him, her face flashing with rage at her futile attempts to see the youth. “The female...” he said hesitantly, “she is secure”

“At least something has gone well” she snapped viciously.

“My Lady is perplexed”

“Yes, Knight Commander. I am perplexed. I cannot replace the location of that young knave” she spat and turned away from the sphere in frustration. “How am I to rule this obsolete world, if I cannot control the simplest of fashions!” She clenched her fists and approached Agravain, who flinched upon her as she glided through the ruins. “Be still” she purred, “I shall not harm thee” she insisted, “at least not yet” she teased as she smiled at the Knight. She moved behind him and gazed through the open archway and sighed. “It is beautiful, is it not?” she asked and waited for Agravain to stand by her. “My nephew does not appreciate the world around him” she explained, “he does not see the colours, he does not see the patterns in the air or along the ground. He just feels for war and conquest, he is still young and impatient. He knows not the ways of the world”

“My Lady” said Agravain politely.

“There is more to the world than conquest” she said softly, “look abroad...” the couple walked through the arch and up the ancient ruins into the night air and stared for a moment into the night sky. “Look good Agravain, the night sky...” she waited for a moment as his eyes were drawn skyward and as he looked into the darkness he could see the tiny sprinkle of light cast from a variety of stars which stared down from their heavenly position onto the landscape below. “The sky is not black...” she said, “there is so much more, blue dances with black and sparkles of brilliance play in the sky” she sighed heavily as she spoke wistfully, “this is the beauty of reality, not the world we live in. Not the death of all those around us, this is the true divinity” she waved out before her as she spoke, a soft smile cast across her lips, “this is the world that commands us...and with Excalibur, I shall rule it Agravain. I shall twist nature to my design” she clenched her fist and raised it to the sky, a madness descending over her eyes, “my rule shall be complete dominance, not over the peoples of this land, nor the world, but over the very fabric of nature itself. We stand on the cusp of greatness good Agravain, destiny is ours!” she smiled triumphantly as she spoke and flashed him an insane glare, “gather your men and send them abroad into the land. I want the forest and the beaches around the castle searched. I want that sword Agravain!” the palm of her hand connected with his unprotected cheek, leaving a vicious red mark, “otherwise you shall feel my wraith”

Bors pushed his way through the undergrowth and separated the plants for his comrades to step beyond into a small clearing, “is thoust sure this is the way?” he queried.

“This is my home land” remarked Tristan, “I know this country” he paused in the clearing waiting for Percival to push his way past Bors and into the clearing.

“Which way?” asked Percival glancing around the clearing, looking into the growing shrubs and making images of the trees and they stand tall and proud in the forest.

Deep grooves bore a mark in the sand and ran down the beach toward the edge of the water. Francis stood in the center of the boat as it rested on the uneven sand and gently bobbed up and down testing the endurance of the wooden structure.

“We waste time” complained Kay as he watched the charade play out before him. “We should be travelling to the Isle”

“It’s no good if the boat sinks” said Francis looking at the boards beneath his feet as he bounced. “We need to get there in one piece, dry hopefully” he added smirking.

“Aye...my old friend. The boy is right” commented Galahad then turned to Francis, “but to the same virtue my Lord...Kay is also correct”

“I understand that” replied Francis, “but I have no intention on swimming to the Isle”

“Ha! the boy has mirth” laughed Kay and slapped Bedivere on the back, who turned and frowned at his comrade.

“The sea looks calm” Bedivere remarked as he turned his attention from Lord Kay and back out toward the ocean. Francis followed his gaze, the sea looked calm as the moon shine down and cast a shadow off its reflective surface and sat down in the boat. Bedivere briefly glanced at the sitting form of Francis, “is thine boat worthy?” he asked.

“Yes...” he stated simply, “Can’t see any problems”

“Then we begin...” said Bedivere softly and placed his hands on the rear of the boat and began to push the boat toward the water, where his two fellow Knights joined him in his efforts to move the vessel into the sea. Francis rocked from side to side as the boat travelled along the remaining few feet of sand as the water lapped up against the bow.

On the beach, two figures moved through the sand grass, their eyes fleeting along the beach and out into the sea beyond. Their silver polished metal of the armour they wore shone in the light of the moon, which bore down as witness to their progress through the sand. Their eyes flirted with the light of the moon as they stalked the beach in search of prey, their bodies moved like predators as they used the shadows which danced the shoreline to hide themselves from view. They stopped in unison on the banks of the beach and gazed out through the night air and stared into the distance, staring at the small boat with its four-person cargo over slowly into the wash of the edge of the water.

“Return to the castle...” spoke the first figure as he stretched to his full height, his armoured body silhouetted by the moon, “tell Morgan...they are found”