Myths and Gargoyles by Jamie Hawke (interesting books to read in english txt) 📕

89

Gertrude, as I had taken to thinking of the past version of my aunt, led us to an armory, where they geared up. Interestingly, it resembled the armor that the future gargoyle versions of Ebrill and Kordelia wore, although with more layers of clothing. Unfortunate for my eyes, but probably good for their health. The large woman, Yenifer, took up a spot at the door to keep watch while the men gathered weapons.

“Avalon,” I said to myself, then met Ebrill’s gaze as she fastened a sword belt around my waist. “Not the same as King Arthur and all that?”

She frowned. “Never heard of any King Arthur. The current ruler of nearby lands is Emrys Wledig, also known as Ambrosius Aurelianus.”

The name didn’t ring a bell, but I imagined that, with the link to magic and the Welsh connection, this had to be the same as the legend of Arthur. Maybe he hadn’t come along yet, or maybe that was all bullshit.

“We don’t answer to them, though,” Aerona said, apparently having overheard. “Too many problems of our own, as you might have noticed.”

Nodding, I chuckled. “Indeed.”

“Let’s get you a robe, at least, so you don’t look so out of place,” Ebrill said, guiding me to the corner where several robes hung.

I picked out a brown one, very standard and not out of place. “It’ll do.”

“This is so exciting!” Ebrill said, eyes on mine, hand taking mine to hold it between hers. She didn’t seem to care about the robe one bit. “I still can’t believe you were real, I mean, those other times you showed up… all in preparation for this moment.”

“I’m still not sure I believe it myself.” Leaning in and lowering my voice, I added, “What if I told you in the future, you… I mean, you and I are fighting another war, like this?”

“I would say that sounds like exactly what’s supposed to happen, right?” She laughed. “If they get to the Liahona now, we’re all doomed. But you’re going to take it from here, expel their forces, then rally us so we can fight anew.”

“Right.” I pursed my lips, not sure that any of this made me feel comfortable. While I had recently learned new magic spells, me being in charge of some incredibly powerful magical artifact and being the one to use it to fight off some evil army, or whatever would be left of them? “So, what Rianne was saying…” I froze, not sure if I should voice it out loud. Essentially, what we were about to attempt to pull off would mean the end of magic on Earth, at least as these people knew it. We would be ushering in the age of men, a time when nobody believed in magic.

Legends would be born, myths of a magical land where Arthur would go off to in his final days. Fairy tales, basically.

Would any of it exist? Based on the time I came from, the answer was yes, because I had been born with some form of magic. Then again, maybe my birth or something to do with when the Liahona was to return had ushered in some return of this magic? Could the Powers That Be have known this was coming, and as each day approached they grew stronger?

If so, this trip to the heart of the mountain was only the beginning of my journey. At least I would have this woman at my side, and in her gargoyle form no less.

She was staring at me with a quizzical look, but when she realized my mind was back with her, she smiled. “There you are. Is everything as it should be?”

I nodded. “Worried, is all.”

“The road ahead will be dark, perilous…” She pulled me close and kissed me on the cheek. “And while I’m glad to have you here to protect me, I’m not exactly defenseless, I should let you know.”

My grin was enough to make her move in for another kiss. This time, her smooth lips pressed against mine. How odd that this version of herself had no idea that future her had given me a hand job already. It was like I had a secret from her, with herself, and that thought was a turn-on.

When movement came from below, I had to remind myself that this wasn’t the time or place. We were about to make a push for some location that sounded dangerous, and in theory we could get seriously hurt along the way. For some reason, it never even crossed my mind that I might die until later. Maybe it was the distraction caused by such beauty around me.

And that only got worse. Or… better?

The door opened, and two more female elves entered. One, I instantly recognized as Kordelia. The other was a stranger. Behind them came several others, a mix of male and female.

I nodded at Kordelia, who noticed but pointedly ignored me. Odd.

“If everyone’s ready,” Rianne said, taking up a position in the center of the room, “let us begin.”

Her eyes held a sorrow that didn’t make sense, except that I knew what was coming and assumed she did, too. This land, if it was really Avalon, was about to vanish from the Earth. This much was confirmed as Rianne briefed the newcomers, indicating me as the one to take the Liahona from this world.

“Him?” Kordelia asked, skeptical. The other one, who I now could better see, wasn’t bad to look at in the slightest. The warrior of the group, I guessed by her broad shoulders and the two axes hanging from her belt.

“You can’t sense it, but his magic is strong,” Rianne said.

“Does that explain the clothes?”

I was about to defend myself but Rianne laughed. “Oh, Kordelia, you’ll understand much sooner than you realize.”

That earned a confused look from the latter. Considering her tough demeanor even next to the warrior lady, it was a kind of fun look on her.

“There’s no simply waking