Orin took a deep breath, recalling Tio’s advice about the fluidity of time in the mind dimension and the importance of choosing to leave when necessary. So, he found himself standing at the edge of his mother’s mindscape, the ethereal boundary shimmering like a veil. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the journey within. The task before him was daunting, but he knew it was the only way to save his mother. He stepped forward, and the world around him transformed. There were many doors with different colors and shapes, so he decided to start with the orange one. He found himself in his childhood home, the familiar sights and sounds tugging at his heart. The scent of fresh cookies baking in the oven filled the air and the mint perfume of his dad. It was as if he had been transported back in time. Orin wandered through the house, memories flooding back with each step. He saw himself as a young boy, playing with his father, Uden, in the living room. His father’s laughter was deep and rich, and Orin felt a pang of longing. Uden had always seemed larger than life, a hero in Orin’s eyes. But now, he was about to learn that his father was much more than he had ever imagined. Suddenly, the scene shifted, and Orin found himself in his father’s study. Uden sat at his desk, surrounded by books and maps. He was writing a letter, his brow furrowed in concentration. Orin moved closer, peering over his father’s shoulder. The letter was addressed to a council of mages, discussing strategies for an upcoming battle against dark forces. As he walked closer, the scene shifted to a memory of his father in uniform, saying goodbye before leaving for what Orin had believed to be a normal military deployment. His father’s face was stern yet kind, a mix of pride and sadness.
“Was he a magical being as well?” Orin muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the quiet room. A soft voice answered from behind him, “Yes, he was.” Orin turned to see his mother, Edua, standing there. She looked serene but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I’m sorry about all those lies, but they were necessary to protect you and our family.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” Orin’s voice wavered with a mix of anger and hurt. “I grew up believing he was just a soldier who died in a war.” Edua sighed, her gaze softening. “Only a few people in the magical world knew that you were the direct descendant of Viviane and Merlin. Even among our kind, some seek power to command and claim respect. We had to keep you safe.”
Orin clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up inside him. “All those years, I could have been learning, understanding who I really am. Instead, I was kept in the dark, living a lie.” “It wasn’t just to protect you,” Edua continued, her voice gentle but firm. “It was to protect everyone.” Orin opened his mouth to argue but then closed it, realizing that his mother was right. He had been so devoted to the material world, to science and logic, that he hadn’t been ready to embrace the magical world, even if he had known about it. The setting around them shifted again, and they were now in a beautiful garden, bathed in sunlight.
Edua sat on a chair, looking more relaxed. “Come, sit with me, my dear. There’s so much you need to understand about our family, about Merlin and Morgana.” Orin sat down beside her, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and dread. “Tell me everything.” Edua began, her voice weaving a tapestry of ancient stories.
“Merlin and Morgana were actually cousins, coming from the mystical place of Avalon, hidden from the natural world. Avalon was a sanctuary for magical beings, where they lived in harmony and peace. Merlin’s father, Afrejus, was Avalon’s king, a powerful mage and master of Water and Earth. His mother, Queen Mykaia, held the power of Fire magic. Mykaia’s sister, Lady Sadne, was the holder of Air Magic and Morgana’s mother. Sadne was lovely and devoted to her sister, and she was born with the power to see the future.” Edua paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in. “Sadne foresaw her daughter embracing dark magic and seeking the powers of darkness. But she never told anyone, because Avalon was the safest place for her daughter. Merlin and Morgana grew up together, becoming powerful mages, both able to master all the elements. Everything seemed perfect, but Avalon’s enemies were always lurking.” Orin listened intently, his mind racing with the implications of these revelations. “The Darkness wanted what Avalon was protecting —the eternal flame, the source of all magic, even dark magic.”
Orin’s eyes widened. “The eternal flame?” “Yes, the source of all kinds of powers” Edua replied. “The Darkness’ sons, the Lightshadows, managed to find Avalon’s entrance. They began twisting people’s minds against each other and slaughtering the ones who were fighting. War was in Avalon, Afrejus called for the fight, and all the powerful sorcerers and mages were fighting the evil of the Lightshadows. Sadne, worried about the future, decided to remove Morgana’s powers. She used a forbidden, ancient spell to strip Morgana of her abilities to control the elements.”
Orin’s eyes widened. “But why? Why go to such lengths?” “Sadne knew that Morgana would grow powerful but evil. As a human, she wouldn’t hurt anyone. However, the spell drained Sadne almost completely, she saw the Air and Water magic leaving her daughter's body, disintegrating in the air. However, the ancient spell was not only stripping away powers but also consuming the mage’s soul. Mykaia saw what her sister was doing, “Stop Sadne, what you’re doing is forbidden and outrageous. Stripping away Morgana’s power is an abomination”. “You did not see what she is capable of, my daughter will be a vessel for the Darkness, her most powerful witch, I won’t it to happen!”. The two sisters looked at themselves with pain and despair, Sadne was killing herself to save her daughter from a dark future. While Sadne was chanting the ancient, forbidden spell to strip Morgana of her powers, the room around them trembled with magical energy. Mykaia, her eyes blazing with the intensity of fire magic, faced off against a Lightshadow, a twisted creature of darkness and light. The Lightshadow, with its shifting form of light and darkness, attempted to ensnare Mykaia with chains of shadow. Each tendril that reached for her was met with a fierce blaze, incinerating the chains before they could touch her. The battle was fierce, their powers clashing in a violent storm of fire and shadow. Mykaia's flames roared and crackled, searing the air, while the Lightshadow struck back with piercing light and shadowy tendrils. With every failed attempt to capture her, the Lightshadow grew more desperate, launching more aggressive attacks. With a final, desperate surge of strength, Mykaia unleashed a torrent of fire that consumed the Lightshadow, its screams echoing through the chamber. But the victory came at a great cost—Mykaia staggered back, blood pouring from deep gashes, her body wracked with pain. Afrejus and Merlin arrived just in time to see the Lightshadow turning into ashes.”
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Edua’s voice grew softer, filled with sorrow. “Afrejus, Mykaia, and Sadne exchanged a grim look, each understanding the gravity of their situation. The battle raged around them, the Lightshadows clawing at the very heart of Avalon. Sadne, her hands trembling as she continued her incantation, was barely making progress in stripping Morgana of her powers. They needed more time, but the darkness was closing in, its tendrils creeping ever closer to their sanctuary. Mykaia, with blood streaming from her wounds, her fiery aura flickering weakly, locked eyes with her husband, Afrejus. “We don’t have much time left,” she said through gritted teeth. “The portal is our only hope. Merlin must take Morgana out of here. It’s the only way to protect magic, her—and us.” Afrejus nodded solemnly. With his Earth magic, he began to create a protective barrier around the portal, fortifying it against the encroaching darkness. Mykaia, using the last of her fire magic, reinforced the portal’s strength, her flames flickering wildly as she channeled her power. Sadne, though weakened and barely conscious, continued to weave her spell. She was aware that she wouldn’t have the luxury of finishing it completely; the spell was a desperate measure, a final gambit to secure a future for Avalon, even if it meant sacrificing their home. Her voice, strained and broken, called out to Merlin. “Please, Merlin, take Morgana and run. Keep her safe. She may be lost to the darkness in the future, but maybe you can save her in the real world. You must try.”
Merlin, holding the unconscious Morgana, his face etched with both determination and despair, nodded. With a final, anguished look at his family, he stepped through the portal, carrying Morgana with him. The portal, a swirling vortex of light and shadow, closed behind them, sealing their fate in Avalon. The three mages gathered in the center of the chamber, their resolve unyielding. They began the incantation of the Unspeakable spell, a dire and forbidden magic they had discovered in Avalon’s oldest library. The spell was ancient and complex, known only to a few, and never meant to be used. It was a final resort, designed to isolate Avalon forever, ensuring that nothing from the outside world could penetrate its borders again. As they chanted the spell, the air around them grew heavy with magical energy. The ground trembled, and the walls of Avalon began to quake. The Unspeakable spell was a collapsing force, pulling everything inward, compressing Avalon’s very essence. The skies darkened, and a vortex of magical energy started to spiral around them, drawing the entire realm into a singularity. The darkness that had plagued Avalon surged, trying to resist the spell, but the combined power of Afrejus, Mykaia, and Sadne proved overwhelming. Their magical energies intertwined, creating a powerful gravitational force that began to implode the realm from within. As the final words of the incantation left their lips, the chamber around them disintegrated. The Unspeakable spell worked its devastating magic, sealing Avalon away from the world. The three mages, their powers and lives spent, were consumed by the collapsing magic, their sacrifices ensuring that the darkness would be trapped inside Avalon, forever. The last remnants of Avalon’s grandeur crumbled into nothingness, leaving only the echoes of their final moments. The realm was lost, sealed away from the world, and collapsing into itself. Their hope now rested on Merlin, the only one who could carry the legacy of Avalon beyond its borders and into a future fraught with uncertainty”.
As Orin listened to his mother’s voice in the tranquil garden of her mind, he felt an overwhelming sense of awe and curiosity. The ancient stories Edua recounted painted a vivid picture of a world long gone, where magic was both a blessing and a curse. “But mum, what happened to the Eternal Flame?”, Orin asked in terror.
“The Eternal Flame,” Edua began, her voice soft but firm, “was a force of unimaginable power. It was the source of all magic, the core from which all elemental powers were derived. When Avalon was sealed away, the Eternal Flame was not extinguished; instead, it was divided between Merlin and Morgana.” Orin’s eyes widened with realization. “So, the Eternal Flame wasn’t destroyed. But how did it end up where it did?”. Edua looked at her son with a blend of sadness and regret. “Sadne’s spell, while it stripped Morgana of her Air and Water Magic, also took with it her connection to the Flame. She didn’t destroy it; she merely severed it from Morgana. The Flame, having lost its primary vessel, was left without a clear master.”
Orin nodded slowly, piecing together the information. “So, what happened to it?” Edua’s gaze grew distant as if she were revisiting a distant memory. “The Eternal Flame is a living force, ever-seeking balance and purpose. When Morgana’s powers were stripped, the Flame sought out a new host, a new vessel that could harness its essence. It did not take long for it to find one.” Orin leaned closer, intrigued. “Who did it find?” Edua’s eyes softened as she spoke. “The Flame found its new bearer in a young girl, born to a humble farmer. This girl, our great-grandmother Viviane, was destined to inherit the Flame’s power. She was just a child, unaware of her profound legacy, but the Eternal Flame had found a new home within her.” Orin was stunned. “Viviane? But how did she come to wield such immense power?” Edua’s expression turned wistful. “Viviane’s story is one of great significance. She grew up in a world far removed from Avalon’s grandeur, but the Flame within her was always a part of her, guiding her Her destiny was intertwined with the Flame, and through her, the legacy of Avalon continued.”
Orin took in this revelation with a deep breath, feeling the weight of the history and the legacy that had been passed down through generations. “So, the power of Avalon wasn’t lost but rather transformed and reborn.” Edua nodded, a look of pride and melancholy on her face. “Yes, and that power has been a beacon throughout the ages, guiding those who came after Viviane. It was the Eternal Flame that allowed her to become the powerful witch we know, one of the great ancestors who shaped the magical world.” Orin’s mind raced with thoughts of his own journey and the responsibilities that lay ahead. “And what about Morgana and Merlin? Their legacies—how do they fit into all of this?”. Edua’s gaze grew intense, her voice taking on a serious tone. “Merlin’s legacy, carried by the Eternal Flame’s essence within Viviane, continued to guide the world. Morgana’s path, however, was more tumultuous. She became a symbol of the darkness, a cautionary tale of what power unchecked could become. The Flame’s division left her with a fractured destiny, one that was marked by conflict and the ever-present struggle between light and darkness.”
Orin felt a deep sense of both admiration and responsibility. “So, the Eternal Flame’s power is still alive within me?”. Edua nodded. “Yes, and it is up to you to embrace it, to master it, and to use it wisely. The path will not be easy, and the darkness that Morgana sought to control is still a threat. But you carry within you the legacy of Merlin, the strength of Viviane, and the potential to control the Void.” The garden around them seemed to shimmer with a renewed light, reflecting the weight of the truths Orin had learned. He looked at his mother, a mixture of sadness and resolve in his eyes. “I will honor this legacy. I will learn to control the power within me and face the darkness with courage.”