Merlin's Lost Treasures (David McKinnon)

Erika was distraught. She hadn't wanted to do that. She never wanted to do it. She hated killing. She just wanted to embrace her teacher and forget everything.

'Don't be a fool,' Merlin whispered. 'Pull away. He's going to try again.' Erika had no idea whether or not the voice could be trusted. She suspected it couldn't be but it was always preferable to be cautious. She still remembered how sick she felt after her teacher had touched her.

She broke away from her teacher and jumped back. "I believe I warned you that my MagiPhone would inform me if you were tying to cast any nonverbal spells," she lied. This should illicit some response from him. And she wouldn't need to mention Merlin. "What were you trying to do?" she demanded.

'Why are you warning me if this is true? Aren't you a dark mage as well.'
'It doesn't serve my purposes if you're his play thing. No, mages enthralled to others are always a problem.'

Erika was really angry. She didn't know if her teacher was speaking the truth or not. Even if he was...It was horrible.

"We had an agreement," she reminded him harshly. "You are not to cast any spells on me without permission. And with permission you need to show me the book they come from and the incantation ahead of time so I can verify that it's for a good purpose.

It's not for you to decide what I need. Wasn't it you who told me how dangerous mind magic and the like can be? Do I look so weak that I cannot handle my emotions without magical aid?" she demanded.

"I'm not accusing you of a bad nature! I'm accusing you of breaking an agreement and ignoring my will! I'm accusing you of trying to manipulate my emotions!"

Erika was seething. He had no right to speak to her that way. He was clearly in the wrong. He was the one who had broken the agreement. He had warned her to be cautious and she had tried to be. He had gone behind her back and tried to manipulate her! What she asked for wasn't wrong!

'Of course it wasn't. He doesn't want to view you as a person. You're a pawn for him to manipulate. He doesn't merely want to train you. He wants to dominate you, use you. Your visions have the potential of fulfilling his greatest dreams. And now you can see the past. You might be able to shed some light on spells long forgotten, on mysteries scholars are still trying to find the answer to.'

'I can't believe he admitted it just like that and acted like it was okay! We did have an agreement!'
'You're a fool to think he would keep it. He has no need for a student who can go against him. Your motives are very different. He has tainted you. Do you doubt it now?'
'I don't know.'
'A better answer I suppose.'

'Do you suppose I can counter it with one of Morgana's spells?'
'You definitely could supposing you had the necessary will and motivation. He didn't get much of a hold on you originally. And Morgana was lady of the lake as I'm sure you recall. Her spells were often water based. That should help.'

'Not like I'm going to trust you either! You're trying to possess me!'
'Yes, but I need you not to be enthralled to him.'
'And I'm exhausted! Now I need to summon the energy to travel to a different continent!'
'Would you prefer he take you?'
'No! I'm still really angry! It's still rude, though!'

'I recommend you wait a bit anyway. Rest a little while. The danger is past here. My spells and wards are broken. Then go back over your last vision. You saw the spells Morgana used to ward off my dark seed. You don't need to trust me. Just trust the vision.'

'There's also the spell to ward off voices in your head! I think I should try that one again!'
'Is that wise? You'd have no idea of the taint if it weren't for me.'
'I don't want voices in my head! And I still don't know if he actually tried to taint me! It could have been you. He might have actually just been trying to calm me down!'
'You already tried and failed to remove me and stop being so dense.'
'There were a lot of other voices! Now it's just you. And how am I to know?'
'Because you have a brain that can theoretically rationalize and reason. And You're still inexperienced. Good luck.'

Ignoring Merlin for the moment, Erika sat down and tried to rest. She'd need her energy to go back over that painful vision and piece apart the necessary spells and then attempt them.

'I am curious...You do intend to go back, don't you?'
'Of course I do!' she thought without hesitation.
'Good. Don't leave my things with him.'
'Even if he is a dark mage and I'm still not willing to admit he is! He has so many books I can read! And he's like an encyclopedia of magical knowledge! He knows so much history and theory! And he is a good teacher! And he is willing to teach me the dark spells too. I won't find another teacher like him.'
'Smart girl.'
'But I don't want him to manipulate and control me! I'll need to be careful from now on of both him and you.'
'Agreed.'
'Even about you.'
'You'd think the same even if I denied it.'

Erika ignored him and laid down, thinking she'd sleep for a little bit and try to recover her strength.

After a brief nap she woke up and extracted her crystal ball. "Time to get to work," she murmured to herself.

She went over her vision again and again, exhausting herself further. But she found the proper spells to cleanse dark seeds of discontentment. She just needed to focus and chant them.

'Focus on your desire to protect, your determination to work good through your spells,' Merlin instructed. She actually took his advice. Her visions were never lies. And she had seen what good Morgana's spell had done. Merlin couldn't try to possess her through something like that.

Erika closed her eyes and thought of all the people she'd been able to protect because of her water magic and even the visions she loathed. She thought of all the future people she wanted to help, of what good she could work through her spells. And then she thought of Lady Morgana, Lady of the Lake, powerful mage, and benevolent healer.

She chanted the words and when she was done, despite her fatigue it was like a weight had been lifted from her body. She felt...better. It was like the sickness she had felt for a second when her teacher had touched her had lingered deep within her soul and she had not been fully conscious of it until it was expunged. Although she still wasn't completely certain he was responsible. Maybe this was a trap and Merlin was using this to gain her trust. He infected her and then showed her the means to free herself.

She was about to try the spells to ward off voices again when he spoke.

'Not yet. You're weary. It would be best if you traveled home first.' She didn't listen to him. She wanted him gone and she wanted him gone soon. But he fought her and she was too tired to cleanse him from her mind. Well, she didn't know if she could cleanse him even at full strength. He was a echo of one of the greatest mages who ever existed.

'You shouldn't travel yet,' Merlin cautioned. 'Don't wear yourself out.'

Again she didn't listen. She didn't like the idea of staying in this dark place longer than necessary. True the wards and barriers were broken but it still felt...eery and uncomfortable.

She punched the coordinates in her MagiPhone and used her Hoki to teleport her back to her teacher's place. Completely drained, she stood back in his home with the piles and piles of books. She was weak but she didn't allow herself to collapse. She needed to have another talk with her teacher about ground rules.

Erika deliberated. She knew she should say something to her teacher. How could she not?! He had broken their agreement. But honestly...She wasn't sure what she should say. She was used to being the passive force, the girl who went along with what others wanted and fell in line. It briefly occurred to her that perhaps it would be wise if she demanded a magical oath; but, that would be fairly complicated. Like her teacher said before you needed to cover every angle. And what if she did actually bind him to not performing any spells on her without permission and she was in trouble and did need his help?

At least Merlin was being quiet. He didn't seem to want to bother her when she was so tightly strung. It occurred to her that she had never had the chance to ask the questions she wanted about Merlin and Morgana. She contemplated waking up her teacher to ask.

Merlin chuckled. 'You'd rather ask him when I'm in your head?'
'I'm trying not to let you corrupt me! And I'm curious what he has to say. And how am I to know for sure you're even Merlin?'
'He already tainted you. And don't be daft, Seer. You know what you saw. You know what you sense.'
'I sense I want you out of my head!'
'Because you know what I am and what I can do.'

Erika went back to ignoring Merlin. She'd been busy so she hadn't done the proper thing of recording the mage's name in her book of the fallen. She took out her notebook and recorded it. She hadn't had a flower on her at the time but she left one for him now and prayed for the peace of his soul.

She paced back and forth. She had to say something to her teacher. At the very least she didn't want things to be so awkward between them. Thinking she couldn't wait until morning to speak she timidly went to his room and knocked on his door.

"Mr. McKinnon," she said hesitantly, wondering if he'd be angry that she was disturbing him.

Erika looked as timid and frightened as a deer caught in the headlights when Mr. McKinnon approached her and asked what she wished to speak to him about. All the words died on her tongue and she simply wished she had better planned what she was going to say.

"No, you definitely gave me enough to read!" she squeaked. She might just take him up on the offer and stay up all night reading. Truth be told she was sort of terrified of to go to sleep. She had already had two depressing and exhausting visions today. She didn't particularly feel like risking one in slumber. And she was...wound up and edgy despite her fatigue. No, she wasn't sure sleep was going to happen at all.

She had half a mind just to apologize for disturbing him and scamper off; but, then she worried he might be angrier for her disturbing him for no reason. She decided to avoid the topic of his betrayal at the moment. She was far too timid for that after all.

"Um...I was just wondering...um..." He certainly did look intimidating! "Is...Is it dangerous to sleep when you have someone else in your head? Will he...Will he try to possess me in my sleep?" she asked anxiously.

Merlin chuckled. 'Too timid. That's not at all what you want to say, Seer.'