Prompt# 126 - Quintessence - Dark Forest - Tekia - original

[tekia.livejournal.com]

Title: Dark Forest
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Quintessence
Warnings: pwp?
Rating: G
Summary: Merlin teaches his students a lesson in magic.
Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four
Part five
Part six
Part seven
 Part eight


Merlin had disappeared into the forest, leaning heavily on his cane, a smirk curving his lips.
Saya glared at the spot at which he had disappeared. Twisting her lips in thought, she folded her arms over chest and thought that perhaps he was testing her and Rurik. Then a movement caught her eye and she grinned. Rurik had fallen for Merlin’s trap.
She quickly pushed away from the stone wall and rushed down the stairs.
If she ran, she could catch Rurik before he was humiliated by the wily old magician. She just had to see it.
Hiking her skirts up to her knees, she ran the short distance from the castle grounds to the forest and nearly crashed into Rurik. He gave a startled yelp and stared at her with wide, confused eyes.
“What?”
“Nothing. I just didn’t want you to go into the dark scary forest alone.”
“It’s not scary, nor dark. It’s midday.”
Saya rolled her eyes and threaded her arm through his. “So, where are you off to?”
“I saw Merlin go off this way a bit ago, but I lost him.”
Saya nodded sagely. “I see. So, what do you plan to do?”
Rurik shrugged. “I don’t know.” He frowned at the shadows of the forest. “I suppose I have to try magic.”
Saya grinned and pulled away, stretching his arms wide out. “Lets see. Do some magic for us.”
Rurik blushed, his face turning a bright shade of red. “I really shouldn’t without Merlin’s supervision.”
“Oh, come on. He’s not here and he has given us both permission to do as we will.”
“Only in the course of our training. Saya!” He tugged his arms free and glared. “I don’t want to get in trouble.”
“We won’t get in trouble.”
“Says you. Merlin calls you Troublemaker. Don’t.”
“Rurik, do it. Use a spell. Show us your magic.”
Rurik ducked his head, shuffling his feet before he nodded. “Alright. Which spell?”
Saya shrugged. “How should I know?”
“Saya,” he moaned with a frown. “You’re the one that uses magic freely.”
She snorted. “Right. And you see how well my magic is.” She smiled at his look of shock. “Yeah, I know how bad my magic is. Now, lets see your magic.”
Rurik nodded and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and held out his hands, fingers splayed wide. He frowned as he concentrated on the magic flowing through him and Saya’s mind wandered.
Merlin was probably watching them even now. He was analyzing them, searching out their weaknesses. Just the same, she knew her weaknesses, as much as she hated to admit them. She was too impatient. She was too foolhardy. She had all the things that made for a poor magician.
So, why did Merlin chose her to become her student?
Finally, Rurik relaxed and opened his eyes. “Merlin’s near.”
Saya rolled her eyes. “And that’s it?”
Rurik’s eyes roamed their surroundings. “Very near.”
The hair on the back of Saya’s neck rose to attention and she followed Rurik’s gaze. “Yeah, he’s near. Let’s see if we can’t find him. Do another spell.”
“Which one?”
“Why do you keep asking me? Think up one on your own.”
Rurik wanted to curse at her, but he was too polite. Smiling, Saya waved him into action and leaned back against a tree, waiting.
Rurik’s magic was slow. He had to search into himself to find it, harness it, and force it to obey his will. Hers was explosive and near unpredictable.
Rurik dropped his arms. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“I can’t get it to work.”
Saya frowned. “How does magic not work?”
“I don’t know.”
Saya shook her head, touching her magic, touching it only. It flared greedily and she frowned. “You’re right. There’s nothing.” She stood with her arms akimbo and glared. “What’s that old man up to?”
“Why would you say he’s up to anything?”
She grinned. “Unless you want to say that it’s because of the forest?”
“It’s not.”
“So it has to be Merlin. Now, what can he be doing?”
Rurik shook his head and Saya rolled her eyes. “Alright, let’s try the old fashion way. Use our eyes.” She turned to the forest and smirked. Merlin was near, watching them. What was he planning?
Suddenly, the forest did grow dark, eerily so. She shivered and stepped away from the trees, closer to Rurik. He put a hand on her elbow and stepped behind her.
“What’s that?”
“I-I don’t know.”
They both jumped when a strange howling noise filled the air. It wasn’t like anything they had ever heard before. It was low, long and drawn out. They wildly searched the forest’s suddenly deeper shadows with wide eyes.
“Boo,” a voice, calm and even, said behind their backs.
They both jumped and spun around to gasp at Merlin. He smiled at them. “What’s the matter?”
They gaped. Saya waved a shaking hand over toward the forest. “Do you not see that?”
“See what?”
They looked around them, the eerie forest sending chills down both of their spines. Rurik pulled Saya closer to Merlin. “Why are you not seeing this?”
“Because, children, the quintessence of magic is people’s reaction to it. If you show them something that they don’t understand, they’ll call it magic. That’s how it works. You two are still young and believe in fairy tails and the mysterious. Thus, you are easily duped with a thin veil of magic.” He nodded. “That’s what the both of you need to know. Rurik, learn to perceive people’s way of viewing things. Saya, you need to focus less on people’s reactions and more on controlling your magic.”
Saya frowned at him. “You’re being mean, Merlin.”
“Yes, yes I am. Lesson learned?”
She glared. “Yes,” she bit out. “Fully. I don’t fear this.” Her hands shook in repressed rage as she spun on her heels and walked away.
Rurik watched her go, then turned back to Merlin. “She was afraid.”
“Yes. She fears the unknown. It is in her to learn everything. I showed her things that she didn’t know.” He shrugged. “She had to learn these things, though.” He slanted Rurik a look. “You’re calm.”
Rurik looked guiltily after Saya. “There are things out there that we can’t understand. I know that. I’m sorry that she can’t accept it.”