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Lazarus stared upwards and saw the magical shield over them was gone. Hundreds of Vvong ships were coming at them. Several feet away from them was Captain Marlena and her soldiers were battling a Vvong creature with an elf’s head.
Merlin held up his hand and time slowed. He said, “Lazarus, we don't have enough time to tell you everything.”
Lazarus said, “You have been lying to me. You knew all this will happen, and you changed the outcome.”
“Yes, I didn't tell you everything. But I had to so I can protect you. If Morgana knew I was the person who led her to you, she would not have tried to find you. I knew the Grimoire wanted another host more powerful to inhabit. It was in the books nature.”
Lazarus scanned around. Morgana was gone. He looked around perplexed. She couldn't have left so fast.
Merlin said, “She is in the shadow realm. She left inside its landscape. We have to follow her there.”
“What about the others,” he said.
“They need to defend Earth.”
“Wait. Let me at least tell Cindy.”
The surrounding scene was still moving slow. Merlin sighed and nodded. Cindy stopped moving slowly and stared at him and then at Merlin. She seemed mad for a brief second and then she composed herself.
Lazarus said, “Cindy, Merlin and I have to go to the Shadow realm to destroy Morgana.”
Cindy looked unfocused for a brief second. She looked around herself and merely nodded. Lazarus saw a doubt in her eyes. He had promised her before that he would never leave her but this was how it had to be. Cindy grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
She said, “You will be back. You cannot die on me, Lazzy.”
He nodded. She called him an old nickname his old friend, George, had called him back in highschool. Lazarus smiled. “I’ll be back.”
Merlin said, “Please give me, my Amulet.”
Cindy gave him a fierce hug and then kissed his cheek. Then went over to Merlin and also gave him a hug.
She said to Merlin, “Take care of him.”
Merlin nodded. He turned toward him. Lazarus took out the Amulet from around the gold chain and pulled it off his neck.
Merlin grabbed it. “Ah, I feel the power of the captured dead star in my amulet.”
For a brief second, Lazarus saw sorrow passed through the great Wizard’s face. He thought something was missing, but he didn't know what it was. The great Wizard waved the Amulet before him. A portal appeared. He turned toward Cindy. “When we go through this gate, time will flow again. Be careful. The Vvong are numerous.”
Merlin nodded to Lazarus, and they both walked into the portal together.
***
LAZARUS AND MERLIN stood on a vast desert. The sun was high in the sky but it was still dark. Lazarus felt a cold breeze flow around them. Before them was Morgana, and she held in her hand a sword. Merlin swore.
Morgana said, “I knew you were coming to get me and you thought I would be easier to defeat without the Grimoire. But you were wrong.”
She lifted the sword.
Merlin said, “It’s the Sword of Omens. How did you find it again?”
“Ah, I have my ways,” she said. “When you were trapped in the magical crystal, I have scoured the universe to learn the secrets of magic and I learnt so much.”
Merlin said to him, “This is not good.”
Lazarus nodded. The last time he saw this sword was when Merlin defeated the orc mage, Bruen, on Middle Earth. Merlin barely defeated the dark wizard.
Lazarus raised the sword Excalibur. It vibrated in his hands. The weapon was responding to the Sword of Omens.
Morgana said, “Lazarus, did you know the Sword of Omens was the precursor to the Sword Excalibur. It was made to defeat a powerful demon called Balrock.”
Morgana swung the Sword of Omens at them. A magical blast erupted. Lazarus held up Excalibur in defense. Merlin was faster. He erected a magical barrier, but the blast from the Sword of Omens still knocked them backwards. Lazarus almost fell to the ground but Merlin grabbed him. He saw determination in his face.
The great wizard said, “We have to get close to her. When I tell you, I want you to strike her with Excalibur. We have to destroy her and the Sword of Omens. It is made by the death of a star like Excalibur.”
Merlin created a large boulder and hurled it at Morgana. She laughed and pointed the Sword of Omens at the boulder and it broke into pieces. He hurled a large fireball at her but she stuck downwards with the weapons and the spell was broken in half and the fireballs struck the ground causing a loud explosion.
She smirked and said, “Merlin, make me flesh again. I don't care about the Grimoire.”
“No, this will never happen.”
Morgana snarled and launched herself at him. She flew at Merlin with the blade of her sword pointing at Merlin.
The great Wizard didn't move away from the blow. He casted some type of time spell. Morgana was moving slowly at him. He turned toward him and said, “Strike down at me, right at my Amulet with all your power.”
“But that will kill you.”
Merlin said, “You have to do it now!”
