Forty Five

When Merlin was young, he went to Camelot to live with the court physician, Gaius, and that's where he met an ancient dragon, who told him of his destiny. Merlin was meant to help King Arthur unite the kingdom of Albion. They grew close and eventually fulfilled this destiny, but in their final battle, Arthur died in Merlin's arms and that broke his heart. He went to a powerful sorceress in an attempt to bury the pain.

    The sorceress tricked him and passed the pendant onto him, along with its curse. Merlin traveled to other lands, uniting them, but usually never revealing his identity. I asked why Merlin wasn't well known even though he did all these things, and he told me that magic has always been seen as evil and having no place in society. Sorcerers, warlocks, witches, they've all been hunted down throughout history.

    When Kevin was born, Merlin was summoned by our father and they agreed that he would send him away on his second birthday to Merlin for instruction in magic. A little while after that, a sorceress went to Merlin and asked him to help her and her husband raise their magical child and he agreed. That magical child would grow up to be Zephyr.

    While Kevin and Zephyr were receiving instruction, they found an abandoned puppy and raised it in secret from Merlin. He eventually found it, but instead of getting rid of it, he gave it speech and named it Arthur. When I was born, my father had sent for Merlin, but Kevin went in his place. That was the last time he saw Zephyr before he turned evil. The sun set in our field of flowers and I woke up.

    I ran to Merlin at first light and embraced him tight. He was a bit surprised at first, but he hugged me back anyway. He told me we needed to go, and my excitement returned.