End Game Read online

  “No such thing, bro,” Brett argued.

  “I think I’m actually with Bart on this,” Mika said. “Like he says- nothing we’ve done so far has been easy. Then all of a sudden, the sword you need drops right into our town? I’m sure it will have security, but it will be easier to get. Much easier than if it was in Morgana’s house!”

  “Exactly, that’s why it’s a good thing!” Sebastian insisted.

  “Why would Morgana bring it here unless she wanted to set a trap for you,” Mika questioned.

  “That’s how I would do it,” Bart said. “She can catch you red handed. Then bam, you’re in jail and exposed to all. Morgana lets the police do her job.”

  “Or we grab the sword and kick Morgana’s butt!” Brett said. “It’s the only way we can win.”

  I felt all their eyes on me. They were filled with hope...like I had the answer. I actually should have had some answer. After all, I was supposed to be the leader of this group. I was the once and future queen. Yet, I really had no idea. I saw both sides of their arguments clearly but that only made things more confusing.

  “I had a dream,” I said.

  “I don’t think you made up that line,” Brett said.

  “I’m not done,” I said. “I had a dream about the sword.”

  “That’s good!” Brett said. “See it’s calling to you. Saying, you should control me!”

  “Agreed!” Sebastian nodded his head.

  “Was it a dream or a nightmare,” Art asked from behind us.

  “Nice of you to join us,” Brett said sarcastically.

  Art walked up to me ignoring the others. “Was it a dream or a nightmare?” he asked taking my hand.

  I thought about his words. I shook my head. “According to Merlin, it wasn't a dream- it was an astral experience.”

  “Was it a good experience or a bad one,” Art asked looking into my eyes for the first time since I met him in this time. “I think for once I can actually be of use.”

  “You can?” I said.

  “Don’t sound so surprised. I did wield that sword for a long time. I united much of the world,” Art replied.

  “That is a good point,” Bart agreed.

  Gail and Brett nodded their heads in agreement.

  “I’m not totally useless,” Art said.

  “Art, none of us ever thought that,” I told him.

  “I kind of did,” Bart said.

  “Yeah me too,” Brett added.

  “I had my concerns,” Sebastian smiled.

  Gail made a little bow. “I had faith.”

  “I was undecided,” Mika shrugged her shoulders.

  I held a hand up silencing my knights. “Art, I’m not sure if it was a good experience or not. It forced me to fight a dragon. I killed the poor thing. The sword said I was worthy, but I’m not sure I want to be worthy if it means having to kill.”

  Art dipped his head and turned away. “It is a sword. They don’t have a lot of other uses.”

  “They can be useful for cutting down weeds,” Gail said. She took a step back. “But yeah that’s not their best use. And these days they have lawn mowers and stuff.”

  “The sword gave me a test too,” Art said. “I had to slay a lion. It was a noble beast. I didn’t want to do it, but it knocked me down and pounced on me. I had no choice.”

  “Merlin didn’t tell me that,” I said.

  “I never told Merlin,” Art told me. “He never asked, so I figured why bother.”

  “Do you regret wielding the sword?” I asked him.

  He didn’t answer. “I brought peace to the world we knew. At least for a short time. I am glad I did that. I think I saved more than I killed. I hope I did.”

  Now the other old knights came up to us. Bart and Brett put their hands on Art’s shoulder. “Dude, you ruled, literally,” Bart said.

  "You were a good leader," Brett said. "That's what made us so angry when you were so wishy-washy about joining our cause."

  Gail hugged Art picking him up off the ground. “You did great, Art!” she said. Gail dropped Art back to the ground.

  Art shook his head. “I never felt that useful. I felt if I didn’t have the sword...I wouldn’t have accomplished anything. That sword made me.”

  “Does that mean I should try to get the sword?” I asked.

  Art laughed. “No. I needed the sword. You, Gwen, don’t. The only tools you need to accomplish your goals are your heart and your brain.”

  “Seriously, that was SO corny!” Sebastian said.

  “True,” Mika added. “But he’s right!”

  “It just doesn’t make sense,” I said. “Why would Morgana bring the sword here? She knows I can use it to stop her!”

  “True,” a voice said. The next thing I knew I was standing in the middle of nowhere with Morgana dressed in a white flowery sundress.

  “Morgana!” I shouted.

  She struck a pose for me. “In the flesh.”

  Pointing at her outfit I said, “What gives? You’re normally more dramatically.”

  Morgana smirked. "Nice eye, Gweny. I'm the good Gail here so I thought I should dress for the occasion. Like they say, ‘dress for the job you want'. And I want to be the good knight." She lowered her sunglasses in thought. "Well, not a knight cause knights are dull. I mean that Lance is a handsome sturdy specimen but the boy is dumb."

  “He just has a different kind of intelligence!” I said.

  Morgana laughed. “Oh, Gwen you are such a sweetie. I hope to learn from you. Now that we are on the same side.”

  “Morgana, what are you rambling on about?” I demanded.

  Morgana pointed at me. “Careful little Gwen, I might need you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be my pet poodle.” Morgana drew a deep breath. “But I did not summon you here to fight. Because like I am trying to tell you, we -you and me- are on the same side here.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?” I asked.

  “Because you are smart, and I have not been the perfect goodie-two-shoes in the past. I do have a chaotic side. But, trust me, I am chaotic neutral. I’ve decided I like the world as it is and I don’t want to change much at all. Maybe get some more wealth. A girl can’t have too much wealth or clothes or shoes.... Maybe buy another soccer team. I don’t know. But I don’t want to totally rule or dominate the world. That would be no fun.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” I asked.

  Morgana smiled. “I’m bringing the sword here to New Camelot to make your job easier.”

  “Yeah, why are you doing that?” I asked.

  “Cause the sword is dangerous. The thing has been calling to me. It wants me to grab a hold of it. That sword is evil. The way it magnifies a being’s power. If I actually grabbed it then I would be All Powerful!”

  “Then when did you steal it?” I demanded.

  “I bought it fair and square from some old guy who didn’t even know what he had. The man lived to be 120 just because of the sword. I was careful not to touch it and to only let my minions touch it ever so briefly. Even then a couple of them still tried to do me in. Fools, even with that sword they don’t have my kind of my power.”

  “Then why have you kept the sword?” I asked.

  “To keep it safe from others. Others who may want it. My mother, for instance. She knows if she came for it I would claim it and end her.”

  “You would end your own mother?” I gasped.

  “I’d turn her to stone or something, sure. She’d do the same to me.”

  “Morgana, then what’s your point here?”

  “I mean, I would claim the absolute power to stop my mother or say Ninue from claiming it. But I don’t want it. Like I said, I like the world as it is. Therefore, honey, I want you to destroy it.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “Gwen, you have a lot of power, but you don’t have my kind of power, so you can touch the sword long enough to get rid of it. I believe you can get rid of it.”

  "Hold on, what are you say
ing?"

  Morgana rolled her eyes. “Gwen, I am starting to doubt your intelligence. The sword not only gives power to its wielder but it also takes power from their belief. And I think you are good enough to hold out and resist the sword for long enough to either destroy or get rid of it.”

  “And you know this how?”

  “I’m incredibly smart. I’ve literally been alive forever. I’ve learned things. Trust me, Gwen. Take the sword and get rid of it. All will be good!”

  “How do I destroy it?” I asked.

  “I’m sure you will find a way,” Morgana said.

  “Why should I trust you?” I said.

  “Because we are your knights. We would do anything for you!” Gail said.

  “Actually, that question was aimed at Morgana,” I said.

  “Ah, dudette, she’s not here!” Brett said. “Is the pressure getting to you?”

  “No, but she was here, to discuss the sword…”

  “Wait, really?” Mika said. “Why?”

  “Let me guess, she told you the sword was evil,” Ms. Vivian said almost appearing out of nowhere. She pointed to the classroom door. “You guys are talking right outside my classroom. I have amazing hearing.”

  “What do you know about the sword?” I asked Ms. Vivian.

  “Why do you ask?” she asked.

  “Morgana said she wants me to destroy it so nobody can have it. She claims she can’t touch it because it would totally corrupt her with power.”

  Ms. Vivian snickered. “Who would have thought that lady could be more corrupted?”

  “Do you believe her?” I asked.

  “Look she has the sword already in her possession. If she says she wants it destroyed it’s either because she is telling the truth or it can destroy her and she needs somebody else to destroy it,” Ms. Vivian said.

  “That does make sense,” Mika said.

  All my knights and Art nodded in agreement.

  “I need to talk to Nimue, she knows the sword better than anybody,” I said.

  “That would be a logical course of action,” Ms. Vivian said. “Except she transferred out of the school yesterday. She didn’t leave a forwarding address. She did say from now on she would be called Nimue instead of her old nickname, Nina.”

  “You sure?” I asked.

  “I date the VP, I learn things,” Vivian said. “Now you guys get to class! You can’t save the world without knowledge.”

  My notes: For some reason, I don’t know why...but I kind of believed Morgana when she said she wanted me to destroy the sword, but I needed to learn more about this sword. Sure, I had Merlin and Art but somehow I have to find Nimue.

  Chapter 5: Girl Talk

  I figured if I needed to find Nimue, the best place to start would be her cheerleader fairy friends. I wasn’t actually a fan, but I knew they would be the quickest way to her. I waited for lunch, and then I walked over with Paulie. Due to his younger age and sweetness, Kat and Celia seemed to like him.

  The two cheerleaders strutted into the cafeteria like they owned the place, which they kind of did in the eyes of most of the kids in school.

  The fairy cheerleaders saw me coming and frowned. Then they saw Paulie and smiled.

  “Ladies,” Paulie said with a bow.

  The two looked down at him and smiled. "Always the gentleman Percival," they said.

  “I’m now called Paulie. I like that name better. It’s friendlier sounding.”

  “I take it this has something to do with our friend who left,” Kat said.

  “Yes,” I said. “I need to find her.”

  “What if she doesn’t want to be found?” Celia asked.

  “That’s not really your problem,” I told them.

  “It is if we tell you where she is and she doesn’t want to be found,” Kat said. “The girl has a temper and lots of power.”

  “The girl has mad power, and I mean that both ways. She got mad at me once and I spent a week as her deodorant," Celia said.

  “She used me as her tissue,” Kat groaned. “And she made us dream about our memories every night, just so we would know not to get on her bad side again.”

  “Look, I am willing to take my chances with her,” I told the two fairies.

  Celia cautioned, “We were her friends and she did that to us. She’ll probably turn you into toilet paper.”

  “Or a toilet!” Kat laughed.

  “Like I said, I am totally willing to take my chances with her. Nimue has great power but she knows the sword well.”

  The two cheerleaders exchanged glances. “Oh right. The sword is coming, so of course you want it,” Kat said.

  Crossing my arms, I told them. “No, I’m not sure I do. I just want to learn more about the sword.”

  “Morgana told Gwen to get the sword,” Paulie told the two girls.

  They looked at him. “Is that so?”

  “Yes, and you know I do not lie,” Paulie said. “Gwen wants to know why Morgana wants her to have the sword so that is why we wish to talk to Nimue.”

  Celia pointed at me. Her finger sparkled. “Why didn’t you tell us this?”

  “I would have gotten around to it,” I insisted. “But I’m glad Paulie did because, like he said, he doesn’t lie.”

  “No, he doesn’t…” Kat replied.

  “Please tell me,” I asked, looking the girls in the eyes.

  “Why should we?”

  “I just want to talk to her. I want to learn more about the sword,” I said as sincerely as I could. A pause then, “Maybe she’ll turn me into toilet paper. You girls would like that, right?”

  "Fine," Kat said. "She's on an island about 10 leagues south of here."

  Paulie squinted his eyes. “I know this ocean well. There is no island there.”

  “Nimue made her own. And it’s invisible and guarded,” Kat said. “Like we said...she wants to be left alone. You go there at your own ri-…”

  Kat never finished that statement, instead, she shrank down and became a jelly bean. In fact, everybody in the cafeteria were now jelly beans. They were all golden jelly beans.

  “Kristi!” I said.

  Kristi appears before me wearing a sweet pink dress.

  “Hey Gwen,” she said. “Thanks for getting those girls to talk. Nimue rivals my power. I couldn't find her on my own. I still might not be able to, but at least now I know where she is hanging out.”

  “What do you want with Nimue?” I demanded. I also drew my staff so Kristi knew I meant business.

  “Like you, I just want to talk to her, find out how I can get the sword to choose me and make me its new master,” Kristi said.

  “Your daughter says the sword is evil!” I told Kristi.

  “Yes, but she's also wearing a white summer’s dress in the winter, has stinky feet, and doesn't like seafood! The girl is wrong about a LOT of things. And she has the sword, but the sword won't let her claim it, so she is jealous and petty and all that jazz.”

  “You tried to turn my friends and into gold statues!” I said waving my staff at her.

  Kristi laughed, “That was just playing around, dear.” She pointed at the room filled with jelly beans. “Look how easily I turned your knights into jelly beans.” She bent over and picked up Paulie with two fingers. She showed him to me. “I could squish him like a grape. Ha, it is nothing to me.”

  “Okay. What do you want?” I asked.

  “You to stay out of my way,” Kristi said. “Just let me have the sword.”

  Now, this was a sticky situation. I really couldn't just step to the side and let Kristi have Excalibur, at least not until I knew more about it, but I didn't want Kristi stepping on my friends and squishing them all. I needed a plan. A plan that didn't involve smashing Kristi over the head with my staff. Even if I beat her, my friends and the school would still all be jelly beans.

  “I have a deal for you,” I told Kristi.

  “Honey, I hold all the cards here. Well, I guess it's more accurate to say, I c
ould hold all the beans. Or just squish em."

  “Right, but then we would fight,” I told her.

  Kristi squeezed her hands into fists. “I might enjoy that.”

  I nodded. “True, but here's the thing, Nimue is just as powerful as you. She can remain shielded from you if she wishes because she's scared of you,” I said, playing to Kristi's giant ego.

  “I am quite powerful,” Kristi agreed.

  “Then let me find Nimue and talk to her. She might tell me how to get the sword. You know she will never tell you,” I told Kristi.

  Kristi crossed her arms. “And then what?”

  “I’ll give you the information you want,” I said. “Maybe…” I added, though I knew it would make her angry. I also figured Kristi wouldn't be dumb enough to think I would just give her the sword.

  “What do you mean, maybe?” Kristi asked.

  “If I decide I don’t want the sword...I can make a deal,” I told her.

  “What stops me from just taking it from you?” Kristi said with sheer glee in her eyes.

  “Nothing,” I said. “And you certainly would have a better chance against me than you would against Nimue.”

  Kristi took in my words. “I do so enjoy having other people do my work for me.” She spits into her right hand. She held it out to me. “Deal!” she said.

  I shook her hand.

  Kristi was gone. Everybody turned back into people.

  Kat and Celia looked at the clocks on the wall. “That was weird, we’ve been here for more time than I thought,” Kat said.

  Kristi was here. She turned you all into jelly beans.

  “That explains the sweet taste I have in my mouth,” Kat said.

  “Agreed,” Celia said.

  “What did you tell her?” Kat asked me.

  “Nothing,” I lied. “She did most of the talking,” I added.

  “Of course she wants the sword,” Kat said. Shaking her head. “I doubt the sword would allow her to hold it, but wow, if she did it would be bad. Epically bad!”

  “Don’t worry, I’m going to make sure I beat her to it,” I assured them.

  My notes: I still didn't know what I wanted to do with the sword. I had no idea if I wanted to wield it, but I did know that if Kristi got hold of it...that would be much worse. I’ve got to say- it's weird to be agreeing with Kat and Celia. Only thing I know for certain is that I have to find Nimue. That would require some help. Lucky for me, I know a guy with a boat.