Acting on Kae’s instructions, I drew Excalibur from its invisible scabbard on my back. Everyone made some kind of sound as the long, golden blade suddenly appeared, blazing brightly, driving back the dark in the cellars. I thrust the sword deep into the earth at the foot of the grave, and the blade seemed almost to drive on down, pulled by something rather than anything I did. I let go and stood back, and what was left of the blade pulsed with a fierce golden light. And then all the earth was suddenly gone from the grave, gone in a moment, leaving a long hole in the ground with a man stretched out in it. We all crowded forward to look. King Arthur lay peaceful and still, in his shining, spotless armour, his face calm and dignified. And then he opened his eyes and took a deep breath as though it was the most natural thing in the world. He stretched slowly and sat up, in one easy movement. And every one of us there knelt to him. Because some things are just the right thing to do.
Arthur stuck up one bare hand, and Kae grasped it with his and helped Arthur out of his grave. They stood together a while, looking at each other, legendary men, smiling easily. King Arthur was a big blocky man, in armour that gleamed like it had been polished, under heavy bear furs draped round his shoulders. His crown was a simple gold circlet set on his brow. He had a strong, hard, somewhat sad and reflective face, and there was about him a natural authority, a sense of solid and uncompromising honour; a simple goodness, strong and true. He was a man you would follow anywhere because wherever he was going, you knew it was the right way.
He pulled Excalibur from the earth as easily as he had once pulled it from an anvil on a stone, and the sword nestled into his hand as though it belonged there, and always had. The golden light blazed up joyously, filling the whole wide cavern; but now it was a warm, golden glow, with none of its previous fierceness. I felt the weight of the invisible scabbard disappear from my back and wasn’t in the least disappointed. A burden may be an honour, but it’s still a burden.
Excalibur was destined for great things, Earth-changing things, and I wanted nothing to do with any of it. I never even wanted to be a warrior, never mind a King.
Arthur hefted Excalibur as though it were just another sword, and, perhaps for him, it was. He put it away, the golden glow fading slowly away, and the sword in its scabbard hung openly on his hip. Arthur started to brush some grave dirt off him, and Kae immediately stepped forward to help. The rest of us slowly got up off our knees. Alex had actually taken off his beret, a rare sign of respect, and Suzie had put down her gin bottle. Arthur smiled on us all, started to address Kae in old Celtic, then stopped, looked down at Excalibur, and spoke again, in modern English.
“Kae,” he said. “Of course; who else? I always knew I could depend on you, brother. So is this it? The Final Battle?”
“Not ... as such,” said Kae.
EIGHT
Kings and Queens and Worlds Without End
King Arthur lunged forward and embraced his stepbrother Kae, who hugged him fiercely back; and the two men stamped back and forth like two great bears, saying each other’s names over and over again. They beat each other about the shoulders, called each other names, and generally carried on like the alpha males they were. Eventually, they let go, and Kae introduced me to Arthur. The once-and-future King towered over me, every bit as large and real and intimidating as he should have been, and I stuck out my hand because I was damned if I was going to do the kneeling-and-bowing bit again. Arthur grinned cheerfully and clasped my forearm with his huge hand, in the old style. It was like being gripped by a mechanical press.
“So! You brought Excalibur to me, John Taylor. I owe you my thanks, and all my duty. I would not be here now were it not for you and the many travails you have endured. Call on me for anything, and it shall be yours.”
“It was an honour,” I said, and I meant it.
Arthur let go of my arm, and turned his great smile on Suzie. I took the moment to massage some feeling back into my arm. Arthur had the sense not to try to take Suzie by the arm. She still didn’t like to be touched by strangers. Instead, he bowed courteously to her, and she nodded respectfully in return. Arthur then turned to Alex and looked on him thoughtfully for a moment.
“You’re of Merlin’s line, aren’t you? I can see it in you. Merlin was always a good friend to me; I trust you will be, too.”
Alex, surprisingly, went all bashful on being addressed by the legendary King, and smiled and nodded quickly. Arthur looked round him, taking in the grim and gloomy stone cellar.
“I have been here too long, sleeping in my grave. Not dead, only sleeping, and all the time ... dreaming history. I know all that matters of the years that have passed, while I waited to be awakened and set to work again. So many wars ... In my day I fought to put an end to war, but then, I suppose everyone does. And I have dreamed of such progress, such wonders, so many marvellous creations. I have seen the rise of Science, seen the human imagination given form and substance through incredible machines. I never knew such things were possible. But now I have returned. Tell me why I have been awakened at this time, Kae. What is the work that waits for me?”
“You’re needed, Arthur,” said Kae. “To do something only you can do.”
“Same old story,” said Arthur. “People always placed too much faith in me and not nearly enough in themselves.” He shrugged and looked suddenly at Kae. “How is it that you are still here, Kae, after all these centuries? Did Merlin put you to sleep, too?”
“No,” said Kae. “I had to go the long way round to get here, walking through the centuries day by day, waiting for you. Bastard sorcerer made me immortal.”
Kae started to explain what Merlin had done, but Arthur cut him off with a curt gesture.
“The past doesn’t matter. I am here, and I will do what needs to be done. I will save the day, one more time, because that’s what I do. So where exactly am I? My dreams only covered the high spots; many details were left vague.”
“You’re in the cellars under Strangefellows, in the Nightside,” said Alex.
Arthur grimaced. “The Nightside? What the hell am I doing in that disgraceful shit hole?”
Kae smiled briefly. “Where better to hide the resting place of the noble Arthur?”
Arthur growled, deep in his throat. “Merlin always did have too much irony in his blood. What is my trial this time, Kae? Does it hopefully include burning down the entire Nightside and putting its sinful inhabitants to the sword?”
“Wait just a minute,” I said.
“Worse than that,” said Kae, ignoring me. “It’s the elves.”
“Oh bloody hell,” said King Arthur. “Of course. It would have to be. It’s always the bloody elves. What are they up to this time?”
“They threaten civil war, which would devastate the Earth and wipe out Humanity.”
“Civil war?” said Arthur. “That’s new. In our day, they fought everyone except themselves. Who leads the factions in this age?”
“Queen Mab of the Sundered Lands, versus King Oberon and Queen Titania of Shadows Fall,” I said. “But before we go any further, I want it properly understood that the Nightside is my home, and it is not a shit hole. Well, all right, some of it is; but it is still a place worth defending and the people worth preserving. Mostly.”
I hadn’t realised quite how fiercely I’d spoken, until I noticed how quiet it got when I stopped. Kae looked to Arthur, who nodded slowly to me.