Maddie
I woke to the sounds of battle all around me. As my eyes opened, one was red tinged. Lifting my hand to my head, I felt at it gingerly. It came away stained with red.
Groaning as I sat up, I looked around. Everyone was fighting. Drew and Sam were standing on either side of me fending off whoever the enemy was. Growling at the pain, I stood, gripping Drew's shoulder to stand. He turned briefly to make sure I was okay then faced forward again to keep everyone at bay.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Nathan jumped you just as you came out the door. We didn't have time to get to you before he used the hilt of his sword to knock you out," Sam said as he kicked an oncoming thing. "His goal was to capture you but Drew blasted him." He smiled over his shoulder. "You really are quite the catch aren't you?"
"Mind your manners, Sam," Drew said as I scowled at the guy. He simply laughed and jumped into the mix. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." I dodged to the left and brought my elbow down on the thing's head. "My head just pounds. What are these things?"
"They're Shades. Casey can wield them with ease." He forced the heels of his hands together then thrust them forward. Light exploded from between them and the Shade disappeared. "Light and fire do very well against them. If you use weapons, aim for their head or their hearts. That's the only way to vanquish them." He held my bow and quiver out to me.
Getting his hint, I took them and slung the quiver on my back. I pulled an arrow from my quiver and set it, bringing my arms up when I was ready. I loosed the arrow and it embedded in the Shade's heart. It screamed creepily and I winced then looked at Drew.
"Do they always do that?"
"More than you know. Keep going." We stood back to back watching out for each other as more Shades came from nowhere. Drew finally swore eloquently. "We have to find the focal point if we're going to stop them."
"Focal point? What's that?"
"It's the entry point where the Shades can pass through our world. If we close that, we can kill these and go after Casey and Nathan."
I smiled as I loosed another arrow. "I like that plan."
"Good, because you're instrumental in it."
I turned with an arrow at the ready. "Care to give me a little fire power?" He smiled and clapped his hands over the arrow head. It sparked with fire. I turned and fired, nailing one right in the chest. It exploded. "I got to get me some fire."
"I can teach you but right now focus. Find the focal point." He clapped his hands in front of him and a fiery barrier exploded from the ground. He turned to me then. "Close your eyes and search."
I did as I was told. I could feel Drew's power flowing through me as I searched for the focal point. I vaguely heard other voices as they jumped into the battle. My mental vision began to tunnel. Light exploded along my vision, purple and bright. I turned around facing away from the battle. It was concentrated there.
"The lake," I muttered. When I turned back to Drew, he had a tic working in his jaw as he tried to keep the barrier up. "Drew, the focal point is the lake."
Another expletive came from the calm man. "Unbelievable. She would use the legends against us. Sam, get to the lake!"
"You got it!" Sam sliced through his opponent then turned and sped away, waving at me as he went by.
"He can't handle her on his own," I said as I watched the others jump in. Max swung his sword in a wide berth, slicing through six at the same time.
"He's not. Nathan's over there. Casey's somewhere else watching from the sidelines. She will never get her hands dirty unless she sees an opening in which she can take you out. She'll wait for that moment. Until then, Sam is more than capable of taking care of Nathan."
"Isn't Arthur supposed to kill Mordred?"
Drew sighed as the fire barrier dropped and he flung something at the advancing Shades. "Technically yes, but if we can mortally wound him, Nathan won't be that hard to take out and Darren can just do as he sees fit. Besides I'd be more concerned with protecting the lake."
"Now what are you talking about?" I was seriously getting annoyed with Drew's way of skirting the issue. I could see Beca up ahead, blond hair flying as she swung her sword with deadly accuracy. I reminded myself never to get on her bad side.
Another sigh came from the reincarnated wizard as he literally ripped the head off a Shade and used its blade to behead four others. "Think about it, Maddie. It's very easy if you think."
"For your information, Drew, I'm a little busy. All I can think about is staying alive, like you told me to do. Now just spill the information before I shoot you with your own flaming arrow."
He looked at me shocked before spinning out of a Shade's way and stabbing it. He spun once again and slammed a dagger in another's heart. "That is probably one of the most unforgiving things you have ever said since I met you." I cocked a hip I as loosed another arrow just over his shoulder. He was unfazed. "It's where the Lady of the Lake resides. That's why we're all gathered here. That's why you were brought here."
I fired one more arrow as I thought about what he said. "Once you're capable of it, the sword about your neck will transform into the most powerful sword known in any legend. That sword is Excalibur. It was forged by the Lady of the Lake and the only thing that can kill Morgan le Fay. You have to focus on finding the Knights and killing her."
My heart beat a quick tempo in my chest as the sword burned it. This was what I was born to do. This is what I wanted to do as I jabbed my bow in the heart of a Shade. These people were trying to end thirteen centuries' worth of fighting.
I knocked one of them away then stabbed it with the arrow head. "Cover me!"
"Maddie, wait!"
I ignored Drew as I charged into battle, taking out Shades as I made a beeline for the lake. My gut never led me wrong before. Deep down I knew it was a gut feeling that had told me to come here in the first place. Somewhere deep down I knew there was something special about me. I just had to come here to find out what that was. And it wasn't even the fact that I was the reincarnation of a woman from thirteen centuries ago. It was the fact that people here actually cared about me more than my father's money.
We were all friends. In all my years of schooling, no one had ever made me feel welcomed outside of my family. This place was my home now and I would do whatever I could to protect it.
I put on a burst of speed as I singled out Sam. I had to help him.
Nathan was shoving him back when I arrived and about to go in for the kill when I came on the scene. Making up my mind, I charged. When I was two feet from him, I launched my body forward, making contact and taking him by surprise. I rolled to my feet and was suddenly face to face with the end of a sword.
"Why am I not surprised?" Nathan said. His voice wasn't warm anymore. Far from it. He had turned into the lethal killer that was Mordred, his past self. "You would come barreling from the shadows with you sword blazing."
I smiled sardonically. "You're obviously sadly mistaken."
He scoffed. "Whatever do you mean?"
"I don't have a sword." I shot to my feet and fired one arrow past his head.
He laughed as he shifted to the left to avoid being hit. "You have terrible aim for someone trained by Merlin and Sir Galahad." His laugh stopped suddenly as the arrow embedded itself in his right shoulder. He looked over at it then snapped the head off and
threw it in the river. "Stupid bitch."
I rolled as he swung his sword down. I heard it connect with the gravelly snow where I had been. My heart thrummed in my chest as I buried my toe in the snow and propelled my body forward. I felt sudden heat radiate through my right arm as Nathan's sword suddenly connected with it. Unable to stop my momentum, I plunged headfirst into the icy lake.
Sam
Sam gasped in horror as Maddie's head disappeared under the water. He had been completely surprised when she had come barreling to his rescue. If she hadn't there was no telling what would have happened to him. Well, he knew what Nathan would have done. He would have sliced him in two. Had Maddie not used her body to force the attack off balance he would be dead. Now all he could do was watch her go under with a sword wound.
Sheathing his sword, he scrambled to his feet then plunged into the icy waters. She couldn't have fallen very far. It was only seconds ago. He had to find her or she would die. If she died, everything would be over.
Please. Let me find her. She can't die' he thought to himself. Suddenly a bright light erupted from the bottom of the lake. Squinting he looked down. There was Maddie and she wasn't alone.
'Young Knight, please do not be concerned. I saved the young woman from certain doom caused by Mordred son of Arthur. She is alive.' The disembodied voice came from the woman holding Maddie.
As he ventured forward, he noticed he was in an air pocket. He took plenty of breaths to get his lungs to function again. "Who are you?"
She smiled at him as she adjusted Maddie. 'I, young man, am the Lady of the Lake. I am the one who has been watching over the young woman and all of the Knights as they get ready for battle. The battle you just fought will not be easy to finish. You need help of the metal, emotional, and natural kind.'
"What are you talking about?"
'Bind yourself to her, to the sword. Your strength will increase. How do you think the other Knights are able to hold off the Shades?'
"What if I don't do this?"
Her mouth pressed into a thin line. 'Your strength will wane. It will be inevitable. If you do not, there will be no hope for defeating Morgan le Fay. You either defeat her now or fear what she will do in the future. It is your choice.'
Sam looked down at the unconscious girl. She had lost everything and now she was fighting to save the school, the Lady of the Lake, and possibly the world. She was honorable. That was probably the reason why Merlin chose her to raise. Merlin always did have ulterior motives. There had to be a reason he picked the girl to raise before finding Arthur. Now Maddie was her and was handling it as well as could be expected.
He looked up. "What do I do?"
Very gently, the Lady pulled the pendant from Maddie's shirt. His throat constricted as his heart raced. He slipped to one knee without realizing it. "I give my life in service to you. Do with it as you wish."
The Lady smiled a brilliant smile then lifted his chin. 'Rise, Sir Dagonet, and take your lady to finish your battle. Remember, to win you need help from metal, emotions and nature.'
The light suddenly faded and Sam kicked the bottom of the lake. Using his leg muscles, he kicked furiously to get to the surface. He held Maddie tightly, his arms resting under the quiver strapped to her back, his lungs burning for air.
Finally he broke the surface and gasped for air. He coughed as he paddled for the shore. He could hear the fighting on the shore. He pulled his body onto the muddy bank then hauled Maddie with him. Leaning down, he listened for her breath. He sighed when he heard it, weak but there.
A shadow came over him. He looked up into the face of Casey. She sneered down at him as he placed his body over Maddie's in a hope to quell the other girl's attack.
"Protecting the bitch isn't going to save you. So roll to you left and let me at her throat and I'll let you live." He didn't answer and he didn't move. The only thing he did do was pull his sword free of its sheath. "That puny thing won't help you.'
"Stand down, Casey." Sam looked between her parted legs and saw Beca, Parker, Bianca, Bruce, and Drew standing on the other side. He wrapped his arms around Maddie and rolled to the right.
Casey smiled. "Drew, you know she doesn't deserve the title. She's just a puny little girl. She's expendable."
"No one's expendable to me. Now leave her alone. She hasn't done anything to you."
"She's trying to stop me, as you all are. The only difference is you will have no one to lead you once I kill her." She watched as their eyes shifted to her left but they didn't move. "I know he moved her to my side. It will be quick."
What would have been real quick was going to take a little longer. As she turned to
her left, she came in contact with a whole pack of grey wolves led by Stryker. The massive wolf lowered his head and growled, inciting the entire pack to do the same. Casey took a step back, knowing she couldn't get to the woman. Deciding against logic, she turned and fled. Stryker led the pack on the chase, howling as the thrill of the hunt overtook them.
Drew sighed briefly then made his way to Sam. The other man was cradling Maddie carefully. "Are you okay?"
Sam nodded a little too hard, making his head hurt worse. "Yeah, I'm fine. So is she. The Lady of the Lake protected her."
The wizard nodded. "We have to get her out of here. Beca, go pack a bag for you and Maddie. All you need are toiletries. Meet us in the junior parking lot. Parker, get your Trailblazer. Everyone else will ride with you." The two ran off to do as he asked.
"What about Simon and Darren?" Max asked.
Drew grunted as he lifted Maddie and turned. "Darren needs to stay here. Bruce, you and Bianca will remain here. Max, I have to ask you to accompany us. Maddie and Beca will need to be trained. The only ones leaving will be Sam, you, Parker, Beca, Maddie and me. When we get to Dallas, I'll call Aaliyah. She'll meet us there."
"What about my class?"
"I already got a sub on the way. We need to move now."
Max nodded and helped Sam get to his feet. Once they were halfway across campus, Bruce and Bianca disappeared into their dorms as they moved to the parking lot.