Chapter Ten: Merlin's Warning

"𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱," — 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗮

.

.

.

Alaric POV

"Seems like you've got quite the number of affinities at your disposal Fire, Lightning, and Darkness," Merlin said after scanning my magic. I would usually be excited at the prospect of advancing my magecraft abilities but for the life of me I could not even bother. 

Last night kept flashing through my head who was that women the one I saw behind Morgan "hey Merlin!" I exclaimed cutting the man off from what he was going to say "do you per chance know anything about her majesty's sister Morgan? I encountered her last night on patrol" I questioned not noticing the man's sudden pause. 

His face is one of worry for a moment before it switched back to a cheerful fake one "why of course I would know her...after all she is your senior and my former apprentice in magecraft," he replied. 

He then gasped "wait...don't tell me that you've fallen for her Alaric who would have thought you would have fetish for older women! Ah my apprentice how you've grown tis great to see you finally become a man of culture-argh!!" whatever else Merlin was going to say was cut off by me slamming the butt end of my halberd into his face. 

My face felt like it was burning from the sun "it's not like that you perverted wizard!" I exclaimed pushing the butt end of the spear further into his face until it turned crimson red. 

The man waved his hands in surrender "alright alright!! I give mercy please," he shouted despite the fact that he could escape at any time he wanted. 

I huffed spinning the halberd before slamming it downward into the ground "...so you said she was my senior right? What kind of magic does she specialize in?" I asked in a curious tone. 

Merlin hummed in thought "normally magi aren't supposed to share their secrets and all of that but since you're my personal apprentice I guess I can tell you that her work lies more in the darker aspects of magic," he said in a rather vague tone. 

His face then turned to one of wary "although I must caution you Alaric, Morgan is not someone to take lightly either should you wrong her in some way the consequences will be quite...dire," he ended with a pause. 

I swallowed nervously even Merlin is afraid of his former apprentice I open my mouth to say something when the doors to the study open a messenger knight bowed in front of us "excuse me head court mage Merlin and Sir Alaric but his majesty summons you to the throne room," he informed. 

Merlin nods "go Alaric best to not keep the King waiting when you come back, I'll teach you more about your affinities," he said. 

 I grabbed my halberd in response swinging it onto my back with a firm nod back "very well let us depart then," I replied following after the other knight. 

Our fast-paced footsteps echoed through the halls of the castle when we finally made it to the throne room the messenger knight bowed before leaving me there. 

Pushing the doors to the throne room I entered walking towards the sitting Artoria "you called for me your majesty," I said taking a kneel. 

She nodded her head "yes I've summoned you here today to inform you that we will be going to a party that both my elder sister Morgan and brother in law King Lot are hosting you along with Sir Gawaine, Sir Agravaine, and Sir Lancelot will be accompanying me to their castle in one hour's time," she explained. 

I nod trying to hide the grimace that threatened to expose itself I had no problems with neither Gawaine or Lancelot but Agravaine well I didn't like him, and that feeling was quite mutual. 

"I understand that both you and Sir Agravaine have some...issues but I must ask you to refrain from fighting between one another failure to do so will lead to severe punishment," Artoria said in a cool voice of ice making me shudder. 

"O-of course my king I'll shall not intentionally cause a scene but if I am provoked then what will you do?" I questioned "do not worry about it Sir Alaric I have already informed Sir Agravaine what should happen to him if he were to provoke you," she replied in a reassuring tone. 

"Very well then if I may please be excused my King I must go prepare for the journey," I said lifting myself from the kneel but before I can even move, she called out "they will also be holding a small tournament I expect for you to participate Sir Alaric I wish to see how far along you've come." 

I paused at that "if that is your command teacher then I shall do so," I replied back and with a swish of my cloak I walked out of the throne room. 

Artoria silently chuckled to herself "dramatic as always my student," she whispered. 

Returning back to my quarters I began to pack the necessary things required for the journey but then something caught my attention. 

For atop my bed laid armor of the most exquisite quality that I've ever laid eyes upon my fingers unconsciously run down over the torso of the armor sensing the faint feeling of Merlin's magic. 

My fingers then trailed off grasping onto the note that sat beside the armor. 

 'Dear Alaric you may be wondering why I've left you this armor for you and the truth is that I was going to gift you this armor upon the completion of your magecraft training, but when I heard you would be participating in the tournament that will be hosted after the party at King Lot's castle. I figured you could use the armor now it has been enchanted to retain both your speed and flexibility along with strong durability to tank attacks of a large-scale head on.

 Best of luck my apprentice...and please do keep in mind about what I said earlier be very careful around Morgan.'

I narrow my eyes I did not why the wizard was so cautious and wary about his former student perhaps it has something to do with the magic she specialized in. 

I shake my head I didn't have time to be contemplating about this right now I quickly ripped the note apart grabbed the armor and started assembling it onto myself. 

 (This is the initial armor that Alaric use's in his early life until he switches over to his own dark knight armor) 

When I was done placing the armor on, I inspected myself in front of the mirror "I look more like a warrior in this armor compared to the standard one that I've been using," I mused out loud to myself. 

-end of chapter ten- 

I am hoping to use the next few chapters to practice a bit more on writing combat and of course establishing the contact between Morgan and Alaric. 

The armor Merlin gifted to Alaric is the prototype armor that Alaric will use to base his Dark Knight armor in the future. 

Merlin, Lancelot, and Artoria are all of Alaric's teachers in case some of you guy's forgot.