Chapter 21

The Lighthouse of Alexandria (The ancient Egyptian Library)

On the weekend the kids gathered in the ancient library to discuss possible solutions. Donnie had already told them at lunch the next day that this wasn't a situation that they could just wait out. The king would never stop coming for him. And when he finally convinced them he wasn't being overly dramatic, they all agreed to meet-up on Saturday to scour the library for solutions. Even Kyle and Travis gave up their volunteer day to help.

SO here they sat in a circle around the wooden tables, while Donnie wondered, not for the first time, what type of trees the tables were made of. What trees grew in ancient Egypt that could make such a sturdy table. He followed the grains of the wood with his fingers as his friends argued noisily over the best possible solutions to his problem.

He knew he was being morose and no help at all, but he couldn't help it; he was still reeling over the news that his cousin had shared. The guys hadn't pressed him for the why's of it after he mentioned just knowing the secret would put them in grave peril or maybe just in a 'grave'. And he was never more thankful for his friends, when they just agreed not to pry and to help anyway.

Thankfully Lauren's anti-eavesdropping spell was in place because unlike the first time they'd hung out in the library discussing his problem it was crowded today. Clio looked like she was being run ragged by inquisitive students working on their magical studies. The kids had stopped her themselves several times to ask for advice on what tomes or scroll to pull.

Her usually tightly wound blonde bun was looking decidedly mussed giving her a frazzled look. Zach recognizing her state of agitation went off to offer his help which she gladly accepted. Of all the students in his year he knew the library the best.

That left them one man down not that that would make a difference they had been looking all day and although they'd found several possible solutions none were within reach or even a plausible alternative given their level of skill. Merlin himself would be taxed to perform some of the spells required to obtain true invincibility.

So then they started looking for magical items that might provide the same effect, but inevitably every mystical item's location was shrouded in mystery, it would literally take years to find them and that they didn't have. Besides most of the items were inherently evil and would turn him into a douche bag of epic proportions.

So here they sat huddled dejectedly around a table that was drowning in scrolls and books from every era in history when Lauren suddenly blurted out," I've got it! Or at least I think I've got it."

CJ who was nodding off at the far end of the table nearly fell out of his chair when he jumped.

Lauren steadied him as she zoomed by using her fae speed. She was headed to the section in the stacks that dealt with medieval times. Not the dinner theatre, the actual time period.

When she came back with dozens of books and scrolls piled high in her arms Quinn took them from her delicate hands to place them on the crowded table. After he placed the stack miraculously on the crammed table without knocking everything over the gang clapped and cheered his achievement, then he bowed dramatically making a very serious Lauren laugh.

Once everyone settled down again Lauren proceeded to focus her magical energy toward the texts. Lauren had an enviable affinity to absorb the knowledge from books that she held. It was part of her Dryad attributes. Apparently being part dryad and Tuatha de Danann has its privileges, because the pages spoke to her of their meaning and she knew the books secrets in just moments.

After she had handled several books, she let out a woe begotten sigh and raced back to the stacks. Donnie decided sitting around like a lump on a log wasn't helping anyone so he made himself useful and started replacing the books they'd rejected.

Finally Lauren exclaimed, "I've found it." and handed him the book open to a passage in French, and as he mentioned before he not only spoke the romance language; he could read it too. Finding the passage in old French wasn't surprising, finding that Lauren could read it however was. It made him wonder if her magic allowed her to translate any language which in turn made him let out a low awestruck whistle.

Lauren began to explain to an enraptured audience of her peers as she held up an old scroll," This scroll is the Vulgate Mort Artu and it tells the tale of Excalibur. The ancient sword of Arthur the King of England. Let me just say here that there were many versions of the sword through history and many cultures claimed it as their own and had named it accordingly: including the Welsh. They called it Caledfwlch, but before that it was known by a different name . . ."

Lauren held up another scroll to say, "In this ancient Norse tale Sigurd, whose father was Sigmund, draws the sword of Gram out of the tree Barnstokkr where it was embedded by the Norse God Odin. That is the first true mention of the sword."

She picked up an old worn out leather volume and raised it up for everyone to see before she continued," In the , Arthur orders to throw the sword into the enchanted lake. After two failed attempts (as he felt such a great sword should not be thrown away), he finally complies with the wounded king's request and a hand emerges from the lake to catch it.

If Geoffrey of Monmouth the 12th century monk is to believed then Excalibur was given to the rightful King of England by the Lady of the Lake. In many versions, Excalibur's blade was engraved with phrases on opposite sides: "Take me up" and "Cast me away" In addition, when Excalibur was first drawn, in the first battle testing Arthur's sovereignty, its blade blinded his enemies.

She held up a book entitled Le Morte d'Arthur and announced, "in this book Thomas Malory the 15th century author writes when he describes that moment:

thenne he drewe his swerd Excalibur, but it was so breyght in his enemyes eyen that it gaf light lyke thirty torchys.

"And according the Historia regum Britanniae written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century Excalibur's was said to have powers of its own. Loss of blood from injuries, for example, would not kill the bearer. In some tellings, wounds received by one wearing the scabbard did not bleed at all. "

Zach drifted back from the stacks halfway through Lauren's explanation to say, "that's all well and good, but if it was given back to the Lady of the lake how are we supposed to get it when we don't even know where the enchanted lake is?"

That's just it, Lauren exclaimed excitedly, when you take each account in to affect it means nothing, but when you look at the whole picture it's like a mystical arrow is pointing straight at the spot."

Everyone still looked confused.

"Oh yeah I forgot to mention that one account states that the scabbard was stolen by in revenge for the death of her beloved and thrown into a lake, never to be found again. Does that help?"

She smirked knowingly then and looked around the table.

Kelly stepped forward affecting a bored air before saying, "Let me see if I can get this straight." She raised her hand palm out and cocked her fingers to the ceiling to show everyone her palm and began to count down using her fingers.

"One," she drawled in her southern accent, "You think the sword is a divine creation, two) you think the scabbard absorbed the swords power and that's what you are really excited about. Because it can make the wearer invincible to attacks, three) you think we can locate it because we have two people that supposedly held it in their hands teaching at this school, four) if we can locate it we can get Megan and Cameron's help in finding it in this mystical lake, and five) there's no reason for the lady of the lake to object to us taking the scabbard as it has nothing to do with the sword except it being the means to carry it around. Is that it?

Donnie looked around at the shocked faces around the table, and a lot of them looked like they were still trying to mull over what Kelly had said and they were also marveling on how much she had said. She had never said that many words together in front of them before and most of them were just plain shocked.

Cameron broke the silence though to say, "Well I'm always up for a swim."

"And where he goes I go," Megan cocked her thumb over her shoulder at her Selkie boyfriend.

But Zach only scoffed, "Who's the other teacher, as if I have to ask?"

Kelly responded," Galahad supposedly pulled the sword from the stone marking him as the knight who would find the Holy Grail."

Zach looked to Lauren for confirmation and she nodded her head yes to indicate what Kelly said was true.

"If the Sword in the Stone is to believed; then, yes Galahad bore the sword at one point. But there are other myths that state that the sword came into being on Avalon a mystical Island off the coast of England. In Welsh mythology Avalon is considered Annwn the otherworld and their afterlife.

"Doesn't le Fay have something to do with Avalon too? I remember watching an old TV series about it, "Marley asked from the other side of the table. She was stoically trying to ignore Ollie and Ray horsing around quietly.

"How can we even be sure these legends are true? I mean I know we can't discount them entirely, we have two of the actual historical players right here in our school and if Merlin hadn't constructed this elaborate time slip we wouldn't be sitting in the Library of Alexandria, but how do we know which parts are true?" Megan asked.

"I might have a fairly simple solution for that problem," Zach announced, "but I've just thought of another problem. How are we going to locate Avalon isn't it shrouded in a mist making it impossible to find?

"That's just the thing according to Geoffrey of Monmouth Le Fay was the enchantress of the Isle and the chief of nine sisters that reside on the mystical Island of Avalon. If the ancient tales are to be believed Excalibur came from the Island. If it came from the Lady of the Lake and then was thrown into a lake by le Fay then it stands to reason that if we locate the island we locate the lake and therefore we can locate the scabbard." Lauren looked at the group with a satisfied smile.

"Okay that still doesn't explain how we're going to locate Avalon?" Brenna pointed out once again.

"I think I might have a plan," Zach announced again. Actually this time he held up his hand from where he stood like he was in class and trying to call the attention of the teacher or in this case Lauren, but Connor interrupted to say, "Let me guess it involves intrigue and danger and the risk of life and limb?"

Ryan the Arabic Jin laughed as he rolled up scrolls on the cluttered table and said sarcastically, "Are we even able to come up with any other kind of idea?"

Donnie spoke up then: he hadn't said a word yet because he knew nothing about the Arthurian tales, but he felt he needed to say something now, "No one needs endanger themselves for me. I assume all risks, si?"

"That's nice of you Donnie, but unless you can breathe under water that counts you out." Megan pointed out.

Leaving Donnie feeling terrible that his friends might get hurt because of him, but he could think of no other way.

Xander cut in to say, "I can consult the rumor mill to see if that would help."

Donnie didn't even think he was listening he spent most of the time lounged on the other end of the table where he sat polishing one biker boot after the other. He would prop it up on the edge of the old table and with the cuff of his leather racing jacket he'd buff it to a dull shine, then he'd do it again on the other side.

Donnie didn't know what was wrong with him, but he didn't think shining your boots over and over again was normal. Not even for a self centered demigod.

Zach cut in, "That sounds like a great plan Xander, but if everyone would just stop interrupting I'll tell you what I think would work."

He paused to make sure no one planned to interject again and continued, "I've been working on developing one of my affinities with Helsing and I'm getting pretty good. I think you guys all know I suck at lying. I mean don't tell me anything you won't want known."

A couple of the guys chortled at the idea. They knew good and well that as a halfblood Angel Zach couldn't lie, but it also gave him the affinity to discern the truth or even make other creatures utter nothing but the truth, and if he was referring to that Donnie could see where he was going with this.

Zach continued after a pregnant pause, "I think I can flat out ask le Fay where the sword is and if she threw it into a lake on Avalon and she just might have no choice, but to answer me truthfully. And if she doesn't know I can always ask Knight."

"Yeah you could say it's for a report in Magical History or something. They might never suspect were involved with Liam again, which I don't think I have to remind you guys would be very bad." Lauren reminded them.

"Well that sounds like as good a plan as any. All for asking them straight out raise your hands?" Zach called out to the group.

Everyone raised their hands enthusiastically especially since it meant their meeting would be coming to an end soon. It looked like a few of them might have Saturday evening plans.

Donnie sighed wishing he could do something normal like go to see a film or as Kelly called the picture show. Or just to walk free he'd have to stay here until 10 tonight them port straight to Kelly's and frankly he was getting sick of it.

When everyone started saying their goodbyes and taking off to their normal lives he laid his head down on the now clear table and sighed heavily.

Kelly came up from behind him, ducking her head down to his level and fixed him with a concerned look, "What's a matter sugah? You should be happy we've got a plan."

And he knew he should, but any cat that never got to play got a little melancholy now and again and this rainy Saturday wasn't helping.

"I just wish I could take you somewhere fun. You should leave and go hang out with your friends."

That's when he saw a weird look on her face, but it was gone in a flash, and it made him wonder what he'd said.

"Nice try lazy-bones-jones, but I'm not going anywhere, you need to practice more if you hope to ever stop running. I'm going to show you some sure fire moves that will leave your opponents wishing they never knew your name. Now get up we're off to the training gym for some extra training."

And the next thing he knew he was sparing with Kelly and didn't that just make his day ten times better.

They worked out for hours and when they were done Kelly ordered some food from a great little Italian restaurant she knew in mission hills that delivered. They sat down cross legged on the training mat and ate their meals while they laughed and joked and teased each other about their training session. He soon learned that no one can smack talk like a southern belle.

When it was time to go back to Kelly's he was exhausted. He still owed the sleep bank a few hours and he intended to sleep in tomorrow, but tonight he wanted to talk some more to his beautiful Kelly, but when she went to take her face off ,her words not his, he fell asleep soundly on the pillow she gave him. He lay curled up in his cat form.

That night he dreamed of a Giant Cat sitting on a golden throne looking down at him, pointing an accusatory hand in his direction and bellowing, 'off with his head'.

Well I don't know about you, but a trip to Avalon sounds like an exciting adventure.

Will Zach get caught trying to manipulate Knight or le Fay?

Tune in tomorrow to find out.