{"id":1512,"date":"2012-11-21T00:00:58","date_gmt":"2012-11-21T05:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1512"},"modified":"2012-11-20T22:35:16","modified_gmt":"2012-11-21T03:35:16","slug":"winter-chapter-25-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1512","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 25 – 08"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cExcalibur is <\/span>real<\/span><\/em>.\u201d Wat said, tone dripping disbelief.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced at Kes and<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Gray, his expression clearly indicating that he thought Aoife was completely off her nut\u2014that he\u2019d finally, truly come to that decision after giving her the benefit of the doubt for a long while.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife\u2019s hands curled into fists.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d she said firmly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt is <\/span>quite<\/span><\/em> real and I have been privileged to know a few of the men who wielded it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLike King Arthur.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Wat said, tone still disbelieving.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGuys?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kes said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cArtorius,\u201d Aoife said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe was the grandson of a centurion and his Welsh wife and the son of an Erse princess.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I knew him and his son.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGuys?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cReally?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Gray\u2019s brows rose so high they almost disappeared into his hair.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI didn\u2019t think King Arthur had a son.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe was a war leader, not a king,\u201d Aoife said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe never had the chance to become a king.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His son, though\u2026his son tried.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGuys!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kes jerked on Gray\u2019s sleeve and Aoife\u2019s, then pointed to the mirror.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf we\u2019re going to make something happen, now would be the time.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Things don\u2019t look so good for whoever this heir to the alleged sword of the Once and Future King is.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>They turned back in time to see the firbolg stalk over to the fallen man, whose sword had bounced free of his grip.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The firbolg lifted one foot to stomp down onto its attacker.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cConcentrate,\u201d Ter\u00e9zia said, her voice tight.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf we\u2019re going to make this work, we\u2019ll all have to do it together.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife nodded firmly, putting one hand on Ter\u00e9zia\u2019s arm and taking Gray\u2019s hand with the other.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLink up,\u201d she advised.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat should make it easier.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019re sure this is going to work?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Wat asked, still sounding doubtful as he took Kes and Gray\u2019s hands.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d Ter\u00e9zia admitted, \u201cbut we\u2019ve got to try.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ll never know if we don\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGods,\u201d Gray breathed. \u201cLook.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>In the mirror, they could see the flames jet from the gap in the walls to wreath the firbolg, who pivoted sharply, maw open as if bellowing in pain or anger.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Then someone else gestured inside that gap\u2014the man with the staff, Phelan\u2014and the ground erupted again, roots and earth exploding.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And the sword and its owner went flying.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFuck,\u201d Kes said as the man landed hard, the blade a few feet away, stuck point-first into the ground.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Another figure was waving his arms and shouting, probably trying to get the attention of whoever was beyond the walls.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The firbolg ignored him and started an inexorable plod through roots that tried to entangle it, making its way across churned, broken earth toward the walls.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNow or never,\u201d Ter\u00e9zia said, sweat already trickling down her brow.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She was shaking slightly as she held the image, held contact with that place, these people.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThink of flames,\u201d Aoife said softly, her gaze intent on the mirror.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her voice dropped to a bare whisper, almost a rasp as liquid words tumbled from her tongue, some kind of incantation in her native tongue\u2014or something close to it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<Fire come and cleanse my home of monsters from beyond the isles I call home.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Fire come and stop the walk of giants.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Fire come and save my brother and his get.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Fire come and save us all.>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her fingers tightened around Gray\u2019s.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSay it,\u201d she breathed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSay the words with me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You know them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In your heart, you know them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Just speak the words with me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She began to repeat the incantation and after a moment\u2019s hesitation, Gray\u2019s rumbling voice joined hers, low and resonant.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>By the third repetition, Kes\u2019s voice had joined them, but her words were different, spoken in another tongue.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kes\u2019s nails dug into Wat\u2019s palm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He swallowed hard, his voice a mumble as he joined in.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>At the heart of their circle, the mirror began to <\/span>glow<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then it shattered.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cExcalibur is real.\u201d Wat said, tone dripping disbelief.\u00a0 He glanced at Kes and\u00a0 Gray, his expression clearly indicating that he thought Aoife was completely off her nut\u2014that he\u2019d finally, truly come to that decision after giving her the benefit … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,64,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-25","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-oo","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1512"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1513,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512\/revisions\/1513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}