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Post by Merlin on Dec 21, 2012 7:59:05 GMT -5
It was a split-second change. One moment Merlin was standing in the middle of the forest, fending off attacking soldiers with Arthur and Balinor, his long lost father, by his side. Now Arthur and Balinor and the soldier were gone, but Merlin remained in the forest. He turned in all directions, looking for any sign as to where they'd gone, but there were none. Even the remnants of the camp they'd made the previous night had disappeared.
"Arthur?" he called, but no answer came. "Balinor?" he tried again. He decided it was no good to stay and look for them since there were no clues as to where they'd gone. He started walking in the direction he believed would lead him back to Camelot. Hopefully Arthur wouldn't bother looking for him and would go straight back.
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Post by Gabriel Stark on Dec 23, 2012 11:03:03 GMT -5
Today was one of the better winter days here, Gabriel had seen in a long time. The sun was out and the overall temperature was slightly warmer than usual. Needing some alone time, he choice to take to the forest and see if he could at least gather some wild game as he was getting that much needed alone time. He had been out hunting for almost two hours now, having kill one large buck and a five of wild birds that looked almost like a goose and a grouse mixed together but a little bigger than what a goose normally was. He had the birds slung over his shoulders and the deer laid down on what looked like a stretcher…
Two round pieces of wood with an old animal skin stretch between them, it was the easiest way to carry the dead animal. He was hoping to catch a little more so that the village wouldn’t have to worry about meat for a while not that they were already but anything to boost their supplies until this winter was over would be welcome. Gabriel stopped in his tracks when he heard someone calling out someone’s name then came a second name…
After sitting the birds down on top of the stretcher, he moved to where he heard the voice coming from. His blue eyes glanced around until they came upon a young man there. Not even dressed for this kind of weather, a sigh was given. Wondering if he was a new arrival or not. They seemed to be coming in more often, just the other day they had two or three new arrivals. Finally Gabriel spoke up. ”Hello there young man. Can I help you?”
He wasn’t sure how his offer for help would go over but he removed his dark blue cloak with the royal wolf crest upon it, done some kind of gold thread. Gabriel held it out towards the younger male. ”In case you are cold.” Lately he had been going out of his way to help others but he felt that was something a Knight should be doing, that it was right.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 26, 2012 18:39:16 GMT -5
Merlin looked the stranger over, surprised at having found someone this far out in the woods who seemed friendly. Still, he was wary of him. He didn't recognize the crest on his cloak. It wasn't the one the attacking knights had worn, which was a good sign. Perhaps he'd unknowingly passed into another kingdom ... hopefully a friendlier one.
He accepted the cloak, wrapping it tightly around his shoulders. "Thank you. I seem to be lost. I was traveling with some friends to Camelot, but we got separated. Have you by chance seen anyone else around here?" Merlin knew better than to name Arthur. If this knight had any issues with Camelot he'd have no qualms about killing the Prince and anyone who got in his way, and Merlin could take that chance.
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Post by Gabriel Stark on Dec 26, 2012 19:27:52 GMT -5
If he hadn’t been out hunting for food, he normally wouldn’t be out this far in the woods. The woods were not a place where he really roamed unless there was a reason for it. Keeping close to the kingdom in case Jack showed up or unless something came up. Being a knight was rather new him and he knew that his duties came before anything else. Even looking for his lost team mate…
This kid before wasn’t someone he recognized at all, it was another new face which left him wondering if people were still be taken or if they were finding there way here. He was also wondering if word was getting out about Aldeon, it was becoming a safe heaven for everyone that was taken.
As his cloak was taken, he looked the young male over wondering if he was okay aside from seeming lost. ”Your welcome. Well… we will seem about getting you found.” He said, trying to help the young male knowing what it was to be like in his spot. It wasn’t that long ago that he found himself lost and trying to figure out what happened. As he listened to the kid speak about traveling and some place called Camelot. ”Not yet but we can take a look around but this is not a place you really want to be after dark.”
He knew of the stories of people getting attacked by creatures and things like that. Gabriel hadn’t had any first hand experience with that but he knew the temperature would drop down into the negative numbers. ”I never heard of Camelot well aside from some book I read back from where I came from. Knowing your luck, you were most likely taken from the time like the rest of us….”
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Post by Merlin on Dec 27, 2012 13:47:20 GMT -5
"I appreciate your help. I really have to find my friends, one of them is hurt." It was a fact Merlin had been trying to overlook when he looked back on how he'd suddenly gotten lost. Balinor had been stabbed. Unless they could find a magical remedy - which was still likely - he would die. Merlin just had to get to him, and he wasn't going to let anything get in his way. He'd faced off against more creatures than the knight in front of him could possibly imagine, and he was still in one piece. "I can take care of myself," he said, rather stubbornly. "I ... I know my way around a sword." It occurred to him this might be an odd statement, given that he wasn't carrying any weapons, but he couldn't be sure how this new land took to magic.
It didn't surprise him that Camelot would be written about. It was, in his opinion, the best of the Five Kingdoms. No matter his differences with Uther and how he'd persecuted Merlin's kind ... the young warlock could not deny that the king had done wonders for Camelot. He was going along with what the knight was telling him until he came to the part about being taken from time. About others. "What do you mean? I'm just lost. Happens to me more than I'd care to admit. But, how can someone be taken from time? And what do you mean about 'the rest of you?'" Merlin was getting a very bad feeling about it all. The kind he got when he sensed dark magic was to blame for things going wrong.
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Post by Gabriel Stark on Jan 2, 2013 0:08:51 GMT -5
The last thing he wanted to do was upset the young man but truth needed to be known. From all looks, the kid wasn’t from around here if he was he would have been more dressed for this weather than what he was. ”I doubt you will find them here. And I am sorry one of them is hurt.” Gabriel said, trying to show that he was worried about what was going on but he knew the chances of someone else from this young man’s world showing up at the some point he had were very slim. For he was still looking for someone very dear to him but had no luck in finding that person yet.
Gabriel had not been a knight for very long or seen what creatures this world had but he had seen all kind of alien life and monsters from his world… his time spent traveling among the stars with Jack. Even having to defend themselves against few of those said aliens and monsters… but life here had been calm for the most part once everyone got settled into their new fresh start here in this world. ”Well that is good you can do that and know that. But currently, I see no weapons on you.” He said rather bluntly as he reached around and undid the dagger and sheath around his one thigh before handing it out towards the young man, waiting for him to take it. ”You might need this.” He knew that come nightfall, which was starting to set already, dangers could be greater. Not to mention that frozen meat he had not far from here. Only thing good about the meat being frozen there was no scent to it.
”Your not only lost, you have been taken from all you know and love just like the rest of us in this world. It’s a long story and one best told by a warm fire. To be short as I can be at the moment, something or someone has been taking people out of their worlds and bringing them to this time and place. You are no longer anywhere near Camelot or in the same world. As for the rest of us, there is a rather large amount of people from all over that have been taken too. We all live in a city not far from here. Its called Aldeon.” He knew it was confusing but that was the best he could at the moment, he was just really wanting to get this young man settled enough that they could get moving back to the city before too long.
After pausing for a moment to look around, he sighed softly before looking back at the dark hair male. His hand coming to rest on the hilt of his sword. "We need to reach the city before total nightfall. This is not a place you want to linger for too long after the daylight has vanished." He turned his back away from the kid and started to walk towards where he had left the collection of meat he was taking to the city before he found the other male out here lost.
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Post by Merlin on Jan 11, 2013 21:39:42 GMT -5
Merlin listened to the knight solemnly. He accepted the sheathed dagger with a quiet 'Thank you' and clenched it tightly in his fists, praying he wouldn't need to use it. How many times had Arthur made it clear he shouldn't be allowed to wield a blade? He'd just have to be extra careful. He was skeptical of the knight's tale. Magic was one thing, but wouldn't Gaius have told him if it was possible to travel to different worlds? Unless he didn't know ... not a likely scenario.
He remained silent as the knight started walking away. Everything in Merlin's being was telling him not to believe this - that he was walking into a trap. But he couldn't deny the strangeness of the situation. Surrounded by people one second, completely alone the next. The snow ... snow that hadn't been there moments before. He looked up to the sky, which was darkening. Hadn't the sun just risen? Yes. He'd just woken before the knights attacked him.
It was all very confusing, but he didn't have time to sort it out. With one hand still clenching the dagger and the other keeping the cloak around his shoulders, Merlin hurried after the knight until he was walking beside him.
"I appreciate your help, Sir. I can't say I'm not a little surprised. What you said ... it makes no sense, to be honest." He chuckled nervously, focusing on his shoes. "But is there perhaps a chance that my friends may show up?" He looked up at the knight again. "Have any two people come from the same world?"
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Post by Gabriel Stark on Jan 15, 2013 12:39:19 GMT -5
He could tell the young one was a bit nervous about taking the dagger and he couldn’t blame him. When it came down to it, he really didn’t care for weapons but around these parts it would not be wise not to have some kind of defense against the creatures that lurked around here. He wasn’t too sure who the kid was or what he was so he guard wasn’t let down but he knew he couldn’t let someone get attacked and not have a way to protect themselves. It wasn’t in him to do that to someone let alone cause any harm to them…too many lives have been taken because of him and he was doing his best to make up for that.
Gabriel turned his head slightly to look back when he heard the footsteps; one good thing about advances senses…easy to tell when someone or something was around. Once he reached the sled of meat, he stopped and waited for the young male to approach. His turned his head to make sure everything was okay with the city’s food supply for the next couple of weeks as he listened to the other speak. ”No need to call me sir. I forgot to introduce myself, I’m known as Gabriel.” He removed the glove from his hand and extended it. He wasn’t sure if he would be shaken or not but he came to understand that this was a rather important gesture in mankind and often the start of a friendship.
”Your welcome, you’ll come to find that most people in Aldeon are rather friendly. There are few you should watch out for like Mr. Gold. His deals and magic always come with a price.” He figured that he should give the other that piece of advice just in case he found himself meeting with Mr. Gold. He knew that Mr. Gold could talk just about anyone into anything when they were desperate enough for it and with this kid really want to get back, he knew that he could fall prey to that. A nod of his head given at the young man’s question…”Yes, many from the same place have shown up. It’s just a matter of time if they didn’t show up with you. Don’t give up hope; you’ll see your friends again. If not here, hopefully back in your world. For many of us are looking into trying to fix what has happened…”
It was true but they were still trying to figure out what exactly happened to them all. Gabriel picked up the strap that was tied to the sled and looked back at the young man. ”Come lets head back to the city. You can stay with me tonight in the castle and then we will work on getting you settled in the morning.” He started to walk towards the city, dragging the sled with almost hundred pounds of various animal meat upon it…most of it came from the large deer like creature. All of this would go into feeding everyone.
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Post by Merlin on Jan 19, 2013 8:02:32 GMT -5
Merlin shook Gabriel's hand, smiling broadly. "My name's Merlin. It's nice to meet you." He listened to the knight's warning about a Mr. Gold, his stomach doing flip-flops at the mention of magic though he tried to keep a calm exterior. He wondered and worried if Gabriel was against magic. He seemed nice enough, but that didn't mean much where magic was concerned. Merlin made a point of remembering Gold's name for later. He'd have to find a moment to go see him once he knew his way around. Surely he wouldn't mind a fellow sorcerer coming to him for help.
"Thanks for the warning. I'll make sure to stay clear of him," he said, unable to look Gabriel in the eyes, and too scared to say much more on the matter. The first thing he'd do when he got to Aldeon was familiarize himself with the laws on witchcraft. "I'd like to help in finding a way back home, if I can." His mind wandered back to the dragon and wondered if his friends wouldn't be better off in this land instead.
"I don't want to inconvenience you," Merlin said, walking alongside the knight. "If it's easier, just point me in the direction of an inn once we get to the city." He listened to their snow-crunching footsteps for a moment and added getting warmer clothing to his growing to-do list. He would have to get a job to pay for them, of course, and that was going to be quite the adventure if his last job hunt was anything to go by.
He glanced behind them at the sled and eyed the dead things curiously. He'd seen plenty of strange creatures in his time, but never these. "You're a good shot. I go out with large hunting parties and we don't come back with even half as much as you." He laughed, imagining the look on Arthur's face if he were to hear that.
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