The Stain of Mordred part 34.

The Mage.

George felt an explosion of pain that ripped him from his communion with the earth. He screamed as the pain intensified and he was ripped out of his trance. He knelt still by the Heelstone and after opening his eyes he looked down to see the spear that protruded from his chest and had been pushed through to dig into the earth as his blood ran down the shaft. He felt a presence to his left and turned his head to see a smiling Mordred crouching down next to him.
“You left without saying goodbye George and took something that belonged to me, that’s upsetting. I thought we had connected yet you go and steal from me.” Mordred said.
“Where’s Mick?” George asked using his powers to remove his pain.
“Oh the young lad, he said he was called Bigus Bollocks, I didn’t think that was his real name. I’m afraid he dived in front of you the first time I went to stab you, very heroic but foolish as I still stabbed you and you will die.” Mordred said cheerfully looking back to where Mick lay looking at him in hatred.
“I told him not to do anything stupid.” George said.
“Don’t put his actions down to stupidity, he did a very brave thing for you George, far more than any of the followers I have would do for me. I think I like him as I like you too, it’s just as you’d say we’re on different sides of the trenches.” Mordred said. “I’ve lived for centuries and never met so many people that seem likeable as I have since you turned up.”
“I helped people from the other side of the trenches, healed them if they were captured injured. Do you remember how you thought you’d been born to be a tool, what if that wasn’t the case and you were actually born to make a choice.” George said.
“George, please stop being so bloody middle class and nice. I just stabbed a spear through your back, you do get that right? We don’t get choices in this life, just an illusion of them to manipulate the weak. I’m not weak, I’m the bad guy who is going to end the world.” Mordred said.
“Maybe you are, I think you’ve missed something though, tell me are you worried about what I have planned yet Mordred? George asked.
“Should I be? You achieved nothing lasting with your death.” Mordred said putting a hand on George’s shoulder, almost like a friend would do to give comfort. “You’ve delayed me at worst by a few years, that is all.”
“I think I did what I came from Avalon to do, when I first arrived I set out to heal people and give them hope.” George said. “It took me a while to come up with a plan to stop the Dark Gods. After talking to you and remembering the conversations with your mother over the years a plan began to form. Do you remember the words of the Great Merlin about the power of magic?”
“Which ones, he was partial to his own voice and importance so he wrote many books to pass down his thoughts.” Mordred answered. “How could you have talked to my mother, she was trapped within the mirror?”
“The power of blood magic and the importance of sacrifice, how you have to be willing to give everything in order to master the power of earth magic.” George said and looked into Mordred’s eyes. “Haven’t you worked out what I did yet?”
For a moment doubt flashed across Mordred’s face.
‘How could you talk to my mother?” Mordred repeated.
“I gave everything including my life to the power of the my spell. I spill my blood to heal the land, as a Knights of the Round Table and a Mage of Avalon. For the land, may it receive my gift.” George said releasing the power of his spell, power flooding into his voice as he smiled up at Mordred who staggered back as if George had struck him a blow. “I set out to stop and heal the stain of Mordred and now it’s your choice, you choose what happens next.”
Light sprang up around the stones dancing through the air, off in all directions shafts of bright white light shot up into the air. All around the stones the earth rumbled and shook. The men who had come with Mordred turned to run but lightning streaked from the sky to hit them all.
“What have you done Mage, you don’t have the ability to release so much power?” Mordred screamed getting to his feet.
“I tied myself to the spirit of the land, when you drove your spear through me the land recoiled as if you attacked it and it is now defending itself as it senses my approaching death as I cast my true spell, mistaking my death for a danger to the land. The power now flooding into me is boosting my own spell further.” George said, power filling him as his spell took hold and the earth power rose to burst forth in an explosion of anger that only nature could achieve. “What you have done in stabbing me is to cause the land to defend itself, ask your men about how powerful that defence can be and it’s not even started yet. Can you feel the effects of my spell yet on you, I’m giving my life to stop the Stain of Mordred, to remove the stain of the Dark Gods on your soul and return the Prince of Camelot and Avalon.”

To be continued.