She left the room and crept downstairs, unsure why, but feeling it was necessary. She walked into the front room or lounge, and suddenly felt a chill. There standing in front of the now cold fire was a tall figure in a cloak.
He pulled back the hood as she walked in.
“Mehrl’ynne; how is this possible?”
“You have done well, child,” he said, ignoring her question.
“What are you; man or spirit?”
He smiled and shook his head.
“Neither or perhaps both. It is hard for me to explain.”
“Try me.”
“Later, I will not be able to see you again. I thought perhaps you might have some questions.”
“I just asked two and you didn’t answer them.”
Again the man smiled.
“All right, this is possible because I do not dwell in this reality. Because I am not of this reality, I am not technically a man here. I am not subject to your laws of physics.”
“Fine, so where do you dwell?”
“My people are old. Our civilisation was more advanced than mankind is today, and we had achieved the ability to travel between realities – call them parallel universes if that makes it easier.”
“Atlantis?”
“That is how your language transposes it. The Slat’lanti people were almost wiped out by the eruptions and earthquakes in the second century AD. Due to the predictions and preparations, alternative arrangements were made for us to leave our ancient home.
“Some chose to stay here and travel by boat to the closest lands and to start again. Many of these perished, or simply became assimilated in whatever society existed there. They more often than not, became rulers or wise men. Many died at the hands of the ignorant and stupid. Their descendants are still around, although their racial memory is all but gone.
“Others chose a risky route to the next reality. I was one of them. Time is different there, which would be one of your next questions. There is a portal between the realities that is closely guarded. Some of our artefacts and valuables were inexorably linked to our people, so this meant the portal could not be closed until these were returned to us.”
“The fire!” Tamsyn said.
“Indeed, that was a small portal through which we could claim our items back.”
“What happened to the original Tamsyn?”
“She was recovered, terribly wounded. Her body died, but her spirit was infused into the torque that you found. She chose you, for otherwise you would not have been able to open it, let alone wear it. She chose you long before you ever set foot in these isles. It was her spirit calling to you that made you come here. She led you to the tree, showed you the vision and gave you the torque. By wearing it, she was able to merge with you, creating who you now are.”
“What happened to the original torque?”
“Once the sword was brought home, her purpose was fulfilled and she was released. If you had simply taken the torque off, then the old organics would have claimed you. You would have reverted to being who you once were. She simply fused her essence with yours and by the power of the torque shut the door to the past, effectively making the torque part of you. She has gone now, finally at peace.”
“I am like this forever?”
Smiling, he shook his head.
“Not forever, but for your natural life; yes.”
“What about the two new torques?”
“They are new creations, and were made this side of the portal. They are not yet empowered and will only be so powered once they have bearers. Her wish was that your children might wish to access the portal at some point. Now, they will be able to do so.”
“Okay, two questions: one, why only two, as I might have loads of children. Two, why can’t I access the portal?”
“The future is not clear this side of the portal, but we can see how many children you will bear. And as for you, the torque you now bear etched into the living tissue is more powerful than the old one of metal. You have access should you require it.”
“Okay, where is it?”
“That you will have to discover by yourself.”
“There are so many questions. I read that Allun Tanner’s body was found in the sea. I suppose I need to know how that came to be?”
“When Tamsyn merged with you, your organic form became hers while you wore the torque. When you fused, your old organics were recovered to the other reality, so we simply placed it where people expected it to be.”
“How?”
“How what?”
“How do the portals work?”
“One day, your people might attain the knowledge, but for the moment, we will keep that to ourselves.”
“How many realities are there?”
He seemed surprised by the question.
“I mean, it stands to reason if there is one, there could be an infinite amount,” she said.
“There may be, but with the system we employ, only two are linked. That is an intelligent assumption.”
“One more question.”
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
“Because your spirit was the closest to hers, even if the organics didn’t match.”
“Were any of you aware that my spirit was female?”
He smiled.
“Oh yes.”
“I see.”
“Are there any of you left over here?”
His face clouded slightly, as if he was unwilling to bare the truth to her.
“A few renegades who seek to profit from their knowledge against your ignorance. They are to be avoided until we can identify them and arrange to recover them.”
“Or tracked down and sent back?”
He frowned.
“What are you saying?”
“How many?”
“Less than one hundred.”
“Then, for someone with the power of a torque etched into their skin, it should be a doddle to track them down. I just need the means by which I can send them home.”
The man that legends had called Merlin stood there regarding the girl for a few moments. It dawned on Tamsyn that he was probably telepathically communicating with others of his kind.
“You would be willing to undertake this?”
“Of course. Life is going to be really boring otherwise.”
She laughed for the first time.
“Very well; then, to find the portal all you need do is feel for it.”
“Where?”
“Wherever you happen to be. If you think it open, it will open.”
“And how do I get one of your renegades to go through it?”
“That, my dear Tamsyn, is your problem. I suggest you draw upon the spirit mind of your benefactor, for you still have access to her memories.”
“How will I know them?”
“The same way; feel for them. You will know; I promise you.”
“I have to know. Was Arthur one of your people?”
Mehrl’ynne smiled, showing her his perfect set of teeth.
“They all were,” he said. “All six of them; fathers and sons.”
“Is there any way I could go back and take a look?”
“No, the past is closed to us, whether yesterday or ten thousand years ago,” he replied.
“How old are you?”
“Older than you,” he said with an enigmatic smile.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No, Tamsyn, thank YOU. You achieved something we feared would be impossible. You were the bridge through which we could recover what was lost.”
“Yeah, but you made me a girl, and I’d have done anything you’d have asked for that.”
“Then, go and enjoy your life with our blessings. Live long and prosper!”
“Oh no, Mr Spock wasn’t one of yours as well, was he?” she asked as a swirling mist took Mehrl’ynne from her for the last time.
Tamsyn smiled as she stood alone in that small room. Suddenly, the world was her great big playground, and she got to make up the rules!
End?
I doubt it.
Appendix 1