The King, or the Man?

Mayor Noonian Markus sat at his desk, it was one of the nights where the paperwork was never ending. Normally he was in bed by this early hour of the morning, but evening hinged on his administration looking as innocuous as possible. He knew that the muscle he employed would keep those that could make waves, in check. Markus had always known the value of fear, and if there was one thing that those morons were good at, it was causing fear. If one or two eggs were broken, well you can't make an omlette and all that. He smiled at his little joke, he always thought a bit of humour was vital to a good leader.

"Imagine the surprise I got when I walked in and there you were sitting at your desk, at, what time is it? Oh, 2:45 in the morning, very committed of you." The man said, making Markus leap from his seat in shock.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my private office.?" Markus demanded. "Collis?" He called.

"If you are yelling for the gorilla seated outside the door, well he is having a very quiet nap." The man explained. "As for who I am, well I am many things to many people, but you can just call me Arthur." Arthur Pendragon said with a slight smile.

"So you have a famous name, that won't save you, my men will hunt you down, you have tangled with the wrong man this time, you fool." Markus spat.

"I had a little to do with a few fellows in the park in the centre of town, a lovely little place for contemplation, by the way, you should be proud." Arthur explained. The look on Markus's face was worth every penny of admission. He began to laugh as the older man sat back and looked shattered.

"Did you honestly think that I wouldn't find out about your little operation here?" He asked Markus. "I mean, there are many ways to succeed, but only the lazy and the weak resort to kidnapping and murder. In fact I have heard tell that you visited this egregious behaviour on the most innocent and honest people in the kingdom." Arthur rose smoothly and moved slowly to the front of Noonian Markus's desk. "I have always found that if you take the easy way, you always end up with mud on your face and little else."

Markus moved his hand to the draw on the right of his desk, he had to act fast or he was going to lose everything he had worked for. For an old man, he was very fast and had the pistol in his hand before anyone would have realised. He brought the weapon up to fire on Arthur, but as he brought it up to eye line, a flash of steel whipped across his eyes and the weapon fell in two parts with his index finger still in the trigger guard. The movement was so fast that Markus could only look on in shock, the pain from his severed finger not even registering in his mind. His mouth hung agape, his pupils so wide his eyes were black.

"That was particularly unfriendly, Mr. Mayor." Arthur said. "You do understand that you have no options left?"

"You're him!." Markus stated in shock.

"I am who I am." Arthur replied. There was a bright light that lit up the whole room. Arthur turned to confront the latest threat, but the threat was not what he expected.

"Arthur, you're a hard man to track down." Merlin started. "Don't kill him, he is just a symptom of the disease that has infected the entire country." Merlin explained.

"He has killed and threatened a lot of people for no other reason than to expand and protect his own pathetic little empire." Arthur responded angrily. "I will not let this go on, there have been too many lives lost already." The sound of Arthur's gloves creaking on the leather wrapped grip. "A message has to be sent to those that would destroy and murder in the name of greed and corruption. Surely you have to see that?"

"Son, you have done all you need to, he has no defenders left, and only nine fingers, there is no way he can go anywhere without being recognised as the thug and murderer he is." Merlin answered.

"Why should he be allowed to keep drawing breath when so many of his victims will never breath again? He has terrorized this city for too long, the people need their revenge, they need to see that Harold's reign of terror is over."

"But you have walked away, how can you stand there and claim to be rendering justice for his victims when you won't even commit yourself to the crusade already in motion?" Merlin questioned.

"I have given all that I have to the cause, and I have no more to give. I look in the mirror and I no longer recognise the man staring back. I do not remember the last time I sat in a tavern and enjoyed a drink and good conversation with normal people. Beside, this night." Arthur sat heavily in the chair in front of Markus's desk.

"You are the true born King of this country, this empire, there are sacrifices that need to be made. For many years the people of these lands have hidden in fear, fear of Harold's Black Hearts, of the neighbour that is angry about something and reports them as a threat, of not being able to feed their families." Merlin walked over and stood behind Arthur. "You have finally experienced the pain and suffering that the population has suffered under your Uncle. I do understand your pain and suffering, and I will not force you to do anything. But I will encourage you to look at what the world will become if you walk away now." Merlin placed his hand on the young man's shoulder and squeezed lightly.

"Now, Mayor Markus, you have been discovered, the King has dispatched your thugs, and there is nothing left for you here. I will be sharing your fortune out amongst those you have wronged. I would suggest that you grab a bag and run like the wind, because once the people learn you are unprotected, there will be no saving you." Merlin explained to the older man. Markus could only sit there, his mouth flapping up and down, no sound coming out.

"Get out you bastard before I do the peoples work for them." Arthur commanded.

That was all Markus needed to hear, he was on his feet and running from the room as fast as his wheezing, fat body could carry him. The door slammed shut leaving Arthur alone with Merlin, he was torn in so many directions, he couldn't order his thoughts.

"If you must, go to the river and return the sword to the Lady." Merlin finally said.

"The river? I thought she was resident of the Lake?"

"She is all around, the lake was simply where she chose to deliver the sword. But remember, if you walk down that path, there is no turning back, you will have to see it through to the end." The light blazed again and Arthur was alone.

Arthur walked along the road, his mind lost in the depths of the new information Merlin had imparted. The road was empty and the sun slowly rose over the eastern horizon to usher in the new day. He loved the first breaths of the new day, everything was new and the day held new experiences and knowledge. It was the only time of the day where nothing was set in stone, nothing had happened. Arthur had always found himself sitting in the window of his apartment in Hong Kong watching the sight as the sun broke the horizon and the first rays of light seemed to wash the world clean, almost disinfecting the ground, air and building so the new day would be prepared for the problems and pleasures that were to come.

Before long he found himself sitting on a rock looking out over the wide reach of the River Stour, it was a pleasant and calm little waterway. The Sword of Power sat across his lap, his hands resting on the mirror finished blade. He was torn, should he throw the sword back into the water from whence it came, or should he keep it safe and continue to seek the downfall of his mad uncle? Was all this struggle and death worth it, just to sit in the same chair and try not to let the lure of ultimate power and authority? He always thought of himself as a normal everyday man, not any more special than the next man or woman, or any less special. The choices he was faced with were massive, to say the least, and terrifying in the extreme. No matter how he looked at it, there were so many pitfalls waiting around every corner, people that would seek to influence and cajole favour from the young King.

Arthur suddenly flung the Sword out toward the middle of the river, watching as the most powerful weapon known to man spun through the air, the sun glinting off the blade. The sparkle of the reflections beautiful as they caught his eye, it made him think of better and simpler times. Times that left him feeling relaxed and comfortable in his life, times that were so long gone now he could barely remember the faces of those he loved to sit and discuss the world and all it's ills. He felt at ease in that moment, it was as though the world was completely different and he was somebody else.

As he watched the final spin of the Sword, a delicate hand wrapped in silvery gauze reached up from the surface and took the Sword of Power by the grip and held it aloft. Arthur stood and watched, mouth agape, his mind bending in different directions as he tried to understand how there was a woman in the water catching the sword. The Lady of the Lake was real, and he was watching her claim the weapon from him. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life, just a hand reaching above the surface of the water reached into his heart and held it gently to hers. He felt the warmth and love that she emanated toward him, reaching into his very soul bringing calm and relief.

'You have not understood the Sword, My King. You have been a beacon to the people, and you have done so much to lead them into the new age. But, you have not allowed yourself to follow them into the future they have fought and died to bring about.'

'I have given all I can, M'Lady. My heart and soul have been drained and I have no more to give. I have tried to be the man that all say I am, but I was never raised to be a king,' he replied. Suddenly he realised that her voice was in his head, and he was responding in his mind.

'You are correct, My King. I do not exist on your plain of life, I live in the hearts and minds of all life. Life is the most precious and fragile of everything in the Universe, and without it, I no longer exist. I feel your pain and suffering, Arthur, I see all of your trials, your loves and your hatred of death.' Her voice was calming him as she spoke. 'You have done everything asked of you, but, you have failed to understand what it is that you do. You have sacrificed when you should have allowed to fall, you have struck when you should have stood in peace.'

'I don't understand what you are saying. How could I have done anything differently, I responded as I felt I should, I couldn't stand by and let people die, or the evil escape.' he argued.

'Arthur, you do not understand what is needed of you, why you must allow some to die, and some to live, My Lord Merlin showed you the way with the Mayor. There are some that need to live, if for no other reason than to pass on the legends of the True Born King. I have watched you and I have marveled at your compassion and your discipline, your fierce protection of your people, and the unbreakable determination to rid the world of those that needed to be removed. The Sword is an extension of your soul and will do your bidding without question or waiver, you only need allow it.' She explained. 'look into your heart and see what will come to pass should you deny the Sword it's master.'

Arthur walked along a dirt road, there was no sound, no atmosphere around him. It was as though he were standing in a vacuum, he could smell diesel fumes, so strong it was as though he were standing in front of an exhaust port. The grass had a dull sheen to it, like it was coated in thick wax, still as a statue, not a breath of wind ruffled his hair. It was a scene straight out of some horror story read to scare young people out of their skins. He strode forward looking for someone, anyone, a person to tell him what was happening. But there was no one.

He felt a strange prickle at the back of his neck, it was like he was being followed, or watched from the shadows. He spun on his heals quickly, there, over by the thicket on the edge of the field, someone hid in the darkness of the base of the shrubs. He ran over and reached under the thicket and pulled a small figure out from it's hiding place. He held the small frame up and looked into the eyes of a young girl, he face streaked with soot, her eyes blood shot and filled with tears. Arthur pulled her close and held her as he would any small child.

"Hello, my name is Arthur, what's yours?" He asked softly.

"Marie." She responded equally as soft.

"Where is everyone, Marie? Where are your parents?"

"They are all dead, the King killed them." She said in a matter of fact manner.

"What king Little One?"

"Harold the Great, he said that there were loyalists hiding in our town, so he killed everyone. Mother hid me in the forest near our house." The tears started to fall down her cheeks.

"How long have you hidden under these bushes?"

"I don't know, Sir. I don't know my numbers, girls aren't allowed to learn their numbers, they have to learn to cook and clean so they will be good wives." Arthur was stunned when he heard that, restricting women to domestic chores only, it was so wasteful. Women were the source of real strength and intelligence, he could never imagine a world without women in leadership roles, using their God given intellect.

A dull rumble began in the west, Arthur saw the terror that struck the young girls face as the sound smashed the silence.

"They're coming, we have to hide or they will kill us." She almost squealed. She began struggling in his arms, desperate to get away and hide from the machines bearing down on them.

"Ok, Marie, Ok." he said and let her down. The girl was gone into the maze of tiny gaps that existed around the base of the thickets. Arthur stood there wondering why this was happening. Why was he looking at a squadron of Leviathan tearing up the fields and the roads as they stormed toward him.

'This is the future of your people if you walk away from your armies, Harold will have no one to oppose his madness and he will tear the country apart. When you walked away, they saw their King run away from them and abandon the cause. You broke their hearts and they lost the determination and belief that having their King lead gave them.' She explained, her voice calm and informative, no hint of accusation or criticism, just fact. He was horrified as he watched the massive armour rumbling across the fields toward where he was stood.

Even though he was unarmed and unprotected, he had no fear of the death machines. He was sure that he wasn't there, it was all his dream, or was it a nightmare. Whatever it was he did not fear for his safety, these wraiths had no power over him. He turned and faced the first rank as they approached along the small dirt road. The sound of the massive tracks tearing up the ground as they powered forward, was not overly loud, but the vibration through the ground made the sounds almost unbearable. Arthur could hear the diesel engines of the trucks following the electric powered behemoths, they clearly contained foot soldiers that supported the tanks. He was still stunned at the sight of the Royalist forces storming across the fields, how could this happen?

A scream made him spin on his heals toward the horrible sound, before he knew what was happening another scream tore across the fields. It was a sound the tore at the very fabric of his sanity, he needed the sound to stop before he lost his mind. It was that moment that he realised that it was him screaming, and it was the sight of Marie's little crushed body stuck in the tracks of the Main Battle Tank as it ripped up the thicket she hid in.

'She needed the True King to stop this madness, she could have been anything, but there was no one to prevent her dying.' the Lady explained.

'I can't be responsible for everyone, M'Lady. I am just one man.'

'But you are the man who would be the difference between this reality, and the reality where she is happy and safe.' The ethereal figure floated in front of Arthur, her face just visible through the gauzy vail she wore. 'Which man are you, Arthur? Are you the King in absentia, or are you the man in the tavern reliving his glory days?'

Arthur thought he knew the answer, but before he could engage his mouth his mind stopped him from giving the answer he thought correct, for him. His eyes wandered to the tank, frozen in time, the girls arms dangling covered in mud and blood, jammed in the tracks. He had seen some horrific sights in the past few years, but this was far worse than his mind could really comprehend. He could still hear the scream as the tank rolled over the thicket, he wanted to destroy everything that represented the killers of that little girl. But, he realised this was a possible future, and the little girl, if she really existed was at home safe in her bed.

'How can I do something I don't understand? You say I didn't listen to the Sword, how does one hear a weapon?' He asked, he was confused by the entire situation.

'You are the chosen one, the one who can use the true power of the Sword. Use your mind to see the power and feel the intent behind the power.' She responded. 'Are you the man to take on this challenge and lead the righteous to victory?'