Merlinus Ambrosius

 My Name is 

Jackson Van de Kamp. 

That's what My Parents called me 

when they adopted me 17 years ago. 

My original name was William, 

I've come to learn. 

That's what My Birth Mother called me. 

Dana Scully. 

I have never really met her properly, 

but I can feel her in these... 

Aah! Is this a message for me? 

...violent episodes in which I can feel us 

connected to The Future in ways 

that I'm just beginning to understand. 

Or am I sending a message to you? 

I don't know My Role in The Future, 

but I'm beginning to understand that as well. 

I-I have visions of it. 

It's A World of Confusion 

and Pain and Loneliness 

that I can't escape, 

nor can I prevent, 

but I want no part 

in the suffering that it brings. 

I've known Happiness. 

I had a happy childhood. 

Until I grew older, 

I had a life where I could dream 

of anything that I ever wanted to be, 

but even then I knew that I had... Powers. 

Special Powers. 

When I turned 11, 

My Powers grew. 

I got in a fight with Jerry Marriott. 

He was this bully 

who used to pick on the smaller kids 

who couldn't defend themselves. 

Whoa. 

So I sent him to The Hospital. 

I had to change schools many times. 

The kids... would catch on that I was different. 

And then I, uh, just kind of became 

A Criminal. 

So I was sent away to a school for bad kids. 

It devastated My Parents, 

but I just couldn't help myself. 

Yeah, I guess that's why I've been lashing out. 

I talked to psychologists, 

and I would just make up stories 

and tell them what they want to hear. 

I'm so scared that I'm gonna, 

I'm gonna find out one day that 

I'm My Father, all of a sudden. 

But then this man came 

from The Government to talk to me 

and I could tell something was up, 

so I decided to just cool it. 

Then I had to come home, 

but every day there was this car on the street

 with these guys in it, 

watching our house. 

And I was smart. 

I-I didn't make any mistakes 

until I decided to play a stupid joke on these two girls. 

My Whole World came crashing down. 

My Parents were killed 

by those men on the street. 

Oh, no.

And they're hunting me now. 

They found me. 

I'm afraid they'll kill me, too... 

if they catch me. 

What I need most right now is 

Answers. 

Jackson? 

About Who I Am, 

about How I Can Get My Life Back. 

You seem like a nice person. 

I want to ask My Real Mother 

these questions, but I know that 

The Truth  can only come from My Father, 

A Man I've only seen in My Visions... 

but who I know I already hate.

 

“But I need you to know, Fox, 

when I gave you life, 

I never fathomed a moment when I would need to end it.”

“I don't think you can do it.”

We have Our King! 

Thanks be to God! 

Arthur :

Rise, Father, please. 

I was your son before I became Your King... 

...if I am king. 

Sir Ector :

You are King —

The more so, because 

You are Not My Son —

and I am not Your Father. 

Arthur :

Not My Father? 

Then Kay is not My Brother? 

Sir Ector :

Merlin The Magician brought you to me 

when you were newly born,

and bade me raise you as My Own.

At first I did so because I feared Merlin, 

but later... because I loved you. 

Arthur :

Who is my True Father? 

Sir Ector :

Only Merlin can tell you that. 

Arthur :

And Who is Merlin? 

Merlin :

I am Merlin. 

Arthur :

Whose son am I? 

Merlin :

You are The Son of Uther and Igrayne... 

...You are King Arthur. 

We haven't forgotten you, Merlin..!! 

What Trickery is this? 

He's trying to foist a Fatherless boy upon us. 

Do you want A Bastard as A King!? 

Lord Leondegrance, join us against The Boy. 

Leondegrance :

I saw What I Saw. 

The Boy drew The Sword. 

If A Boy has been chosen --

Then A Boy Shall Be King. 

No, I challenge that. 

Leondegrance :

The Sword has been drawn. 

Are you with Us or against Us? 

Leondegrance :

Against you. 

Arthur :

Why have you done this to me? 

Merlin :

Because you were 

Born to Be King. 

Arthur :

What does it mean To Be King? 

Merlin :

You will be The Land, and The Land will be You. 

If you Fail, The Land will perish. 

As you Thrive, The Land will blossom.

Arthur :

Why? 

Merlin :

Because You are King. 

Arthur :

No!

Merlin :

What are you afraid of? 

Arthur :

I don't know. 

Merlin :

Shall I tell you what's out there? 

Arthur :

Yes, please. 

Merlin :

The Dragon. 

A Beast of such Power 

that if you were to see it whole and complete 

in a single glance it would burn you to cinders.

Arthur :

Where is it?

Merlin :

It is everywhere. It is everything. 

Its scales glisten in the bark of trees. 

Its roar is heard in The Wind. 

And its forked tongue strikes like.... 

Like lightning. 

Yes, that's it. 

Arthur :

How can I...? 

What shall I...? 

Must I...? 

Merlin :

Do Nothing. 

Be Still. Sleep. 

Rest in The Arms of The Dragon. 

Dream. 

Arthur :

Excalibur --

It's part of The Dragon, too. 

Merlin :

Oh, yes. Oh, you learn quickly. 

That's good. I like that. 

Arthur :

What kind of Man was My Father? 

Merlin :

Oh, he was brave, he was strong. 

He was A Great Knight. 

Arthur :

Was he A Great King? 

Merlin :

....Well, he was rash. 

He never learned 

How to Look Into Men's Hearts. 

Least of all his own. 

Arthur :

You loved him? 

Merlin :

....Well, it is easy to love Folly in A Child. 

Arthur :

Merlin, will you help me to be Wise, not to be rash? 

Where are you going? 

Merlin :

Where do you think? 

You have A Kingdom to Rule. 

Arthur :

But how? 

Merlin :

I don't know how. 

You knew How to Draw The Sword from The Stone. 

Arthur :

That was easy. 

Merlin :

Was it? I couldn't have done it. 

Arthur :

You couldn't? 

Merlin :

You're The King, not I. 

Arthur :

But where to start? 

Merlin :

Well, what do you think has happened since you ran off? 

King Arthur :

Sir Ector and Kay --

They must be waiting all this time. 

Most of the Great Knights were against me. 

Except Leondegrance of Camelyarde. 

But if he supports me, 

the others will turn against him. 

Merlin :

Even now They lay siege to His Castle. 

King Arthur :

I need him. 

We must help him. 

Merlin :

There you are. 

That was easy, too, wasn't it? 

King Arthur :

We have to get back. 

Merlin :

That's it. Now.... 

There they are. 

Well, you go and show them. 

Sir Ector :

Arthur, I knew you wouldn't fail us. 

Go on. I picked out a horse for you. 

Kay :

All these men are loyal. 

Now what do you want us to do? 

We waited here for you. 

King Arthur :

Any Man who would be A Knight,

and Follow A King --

Follow Me. 

Kay :

Where to? 

Where are we going? 

King Arthur :

Leondegrance, 

His Castle is under siege. 

"There really are 

Four Quarters of a Whole. 

And I think that maybe threw some people 

at the beginning of last season, 

and even at the end of last season. 

But I think that you see, 

as you have seen, that they were puzzle pieces, 

Four Puzzle Pieces to A Circle.

I wanted to tell 

Mulder’s Story — Mulder's Struggle.

I wanted to tell 

Scully's Struggle.

I wanted to tell 

The Cigarette Smoking Man's Struggle,

and I wanted to tell 

William's Struggle.

For me, 

The Four Characters 

who are central to The Mythology.”

— Chris Carter.

Card Games

Morgan Le Faye:

I could always beat you at Chess, Merlyn....

Time's Champion,

The Artist Yet-to-be Known as Merlyn:

Who said anything about Chess....?

I'm playing Poker...!

And I've got an Ace! up my sleeve...!!

Lt.Gen Cushman,

Deputy Director of Central Intelligence :

He's Nervous, sir...

He's heard you're looking for a new Director.

 

 DICK Nixon :

He sure'n isn't acting like it.

 

 

Lt.Gen Cushman,

Deputy Director of Central Intelligence :

That's Helms -- The Epitome of Cool.

He's a World Class Poker Player, sir.

 

 

 DICK Nixon :

Yeah? Well, I own the fuckin' Cassino.

Each person carries in himself his own Destiny.

Arthur : 

Merlin, what have I done?!

Merlin :

You have •broken• — 

What could not •be• broken..!!

Arthur : 

Hope is Broken. 

My Pride broke it. 

My Rage broke it. 

This Excellent Knight — 

who fought with Fairness and Grace 

was •meant• to win. 

I used Excalibur to 

CHANGE That Verdict. 

I have lost, for all time 

The Ancient Sword of My Fathers...

Whose Power was meant to unite ALL Men, 

not to serve The Vanity of A Single Man. 

I am — NOTHING. 

"There is, of course, a scientific reason for all forms of divination practised without hope or promise of reward. 

Each person carries in himself His Own Destiny. Events do not happen to people by chance, but are invariably the result of some past cause. For instance, in the last years a man becomes a soldier who had never intended to pursue a military career. 

This does not happen to him by chance, but because of the prior occurrence of la European war in which his country was engaged. 

The outbreak of war is similarly the result of other causes, none of which happened by chance, but were founded by still remoter occurrences. 

It is the same with The Future. 

That which a person does today as a result of something that happened in the past, will in its turn prove the cause of something that will happen at some future date. 

The mere act of doing something today sets in motion forces that in process of time will inevitably bring about some entirely unforeseen event.

This event is not decreed by Fate or Providence, but by the person who by the committal of some act unconsciously compels the occurrence of some future event which he does not foresee. 

In other words, a man decrees his own destiny and shapes his own ends by his actions, whether Providence rough-hew them or not. 

Now this being so, it follows that he carries His Destiny with him, and the more powerful his mind and intellect the more clearly is this seen to be the case. 

Therefore it is possible for a person's mind, formed as the result of past events over which he had no control, to foresee by an effort what will occur in the future as the result of acts deliberately done. 

Since it is given to but few, and that not often of intention, to see actually what is about to happen in a vision or by means of what is called the 'second sight,' some machinery must be provided in the form of symbols from which an interpretation of the future can be made. 

It matters little what the method or nature of the symbols chosen is — dice or dominoes, cards or tea-leaves. 

What matters is that the person shaking the dice, shuffling the dominoes, cutting the cards or turning the tea-cup, is by these very acts transferring from his mind where they lie hidden even from himself the shadows of coming events which by his own actions in the past he has already predetermined shall occur in the future. 

It only remains for someone to read and interpret these symbols correctly in order to ascertain something of what is likely to happen; and it is here that singleness of purpose and freedom from ulterior motives are necessary in order to avoid error and to form a true and clear judgment.

This is the Serious and Scientific Explanation of the little-understood and less-comprehended action of various forms of Divination having for their object the throwing of a little light upon the occult. 

Of all these forms perhaps Divination by Tea-Leaves is the simplest, truest, and most easily learned. 

Even if the student is disinclined to attach much importance to what he sees in the cup, the reading of the tea-leaves forms a sufficiently innocent and amusing recreation for the breakfast- or tea-table; and the man who finds a lucky sign such as an anchor or a tree in his cup, or the maiden who discovers a pair of heart-shaped groups of leaves in conjunction with a ring, will be suffering no harm in thus deriving encouragement for the future, even should they attach no importance to their occurrence, but merely treat them as an occasion for harmless mirth and badinage.

******

The ritual to be observed is very simple. 

The tea-drinker should drink the contents of his or her cup so as to leave only about half a teaspoonful of the beverage remaining. 

He should next take the cup by the handle in his left hand, rim upwards, and turn it three times from left to right in one fairly rapid swinging movement. 

He should then very slowly and carefully invert it over the saucer and leave it there for a minute, so as to permit of all moisture draining away.

If he approaches The Oracle at all seriously he should during the whole of these proceedings concentrate his mind upon his future Destiny, and 'will' that the symbols forming under the guidance of his hand and arm (which in their turn are, of course, directed by his brain) shall correctly represent What is Destined to Happen to Him in The Future.

If, however, he or she is not in such deadly earnest, but merely indulging in a harmless pastime, such an effort of concentration need not be made. 

The 'willing' is, of course, akin to 'wishing' when cutting the cards in another time-honoured form of fortune-telling.

The cup to be read should be held in the hand and turned about in order to read the symbols without disturbing them, which will not happen if the moisture has been properly drained away. 

The handle of the cup represents the consultant and is akin to the 'house' in divination by the cards. 

By this fixed point judgment is made as to events approaching the 'house' of the consultant, journeys away from home, messages or visitors to be expected, relative distance, and so forth. 

The advantage of employing a cup instead of a saucer is here apparent.

'The bottom of the cup represents the remoter future foretold; the side events not so far distant; and matters symbolised near the rim those that may be expected to occur quickly. 

The nearer the symbols approach the handle in all three cases the nearer to fulfilment will be the events prognosticated.

If this simple ritual has been correctly carried out the tea-leaves, whether many or few, will be found distributed about the bottom and sides of the cup. 

The fortune may be equally well told whether there are many leaves or few; but of course there must be some, and therefore the tea should not have been made in a pot provided with one of the patent arrangements that stop the leaves from issuing from the spout when the beverage is poured into the cups. 

There is nothing to beat one of the plain old-fashioned earthenware teapots, whether for the purpose of preparing a palatable beverage or for that of providing the means of telling a fortune.”

Quite Frankly, Mordred, I’m getting a little •tired• of hearing about Your •Mother•....

“You were bound. 

My Mother sealed you into the ice caves for all Eternity.”

“There will be a reckoning, Ancelyn. 

I have sworn it. 

As for you, Merlin, My Mother has waited twelve centuries to face you. 

You will bow down before her this time.”

“This is no battle. 

‘Tis but a ruse, a diversion. 

My Mother hath summoned the Destroyer, the Lord of Darkness, Eater of Worlds. 

Look to your children, Merlin, for soon they shall be no more.”

“My Mother will destroy you.”

“Just between You and Me, Mordred, I’m getting a little tired of hearing about Your Mother....”

— Brig. Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart

“You just called me ‘honey’....”

“Yes, I •DID•, because, you gotta get WITH This —

Men and Women chase after each other, right...? 

RIGHT?!?!?”

“......yes, yes they do.”

MORGAINE: 

Then tell Arthur to face me with honour in single combat. 

Tell him to show himself. 

It's time he ceased hiding behind your coat tails, Merlin.

Time's Champion :

Arthur is Dead. 

MORGAINE: 

No. 

Time's Champion :

He's Dead, Morgaine. 

MORGAINE: 

Merlin, Prince of Deceit. 

Another Trick. 

Time's Champion :

No. 

MORGAINE: 

I..... don't believe you. 

Time's Champion :

Don't you? 

MORGAINE: 

It can't be. 

Time's Champion :

He died over a thousand years ago. 

MORGAINE: 

Arthur — who burned like star-fire. 

Time's Champion :

Gone. 

MORGAINE: 

And was as beautiful —

Where does he lie?

I would look at him one final time. 

Time's Champion : 

He's gone to dust. 

MORGAINE: 

Then I shall not even have that comfort. 

I shall never see him again. 

Arthur. 

We were together, in The Woods of Celadon. 

The air was like honey...

Time's Champion :

I'm sorry, Morgaine. 

It's over. 

(The Doctor removes the key from the nuclear missile firing controls and puts it in his breast pocket.)

The Grey Magician

Gray magic (also spelled magick) is magic that is not performed for specifically beneficial reasons, but is also not focused towards completely hostile practices.

It is seen as falling in a continuum between white and black magic. It is also called neutral magic

“A single shaft of light fell from the roof and illuminated a black slab of obsidian like an altar at the centre of the hall. There was a figure standing in front of the slab, silhouetted against the light. As the king’s cortege crossed the floor, their footsteps echoing back at them, the figure stretched out its arms in greeting and stepped backwards into the pool of light.

The king caught his breath in disbelief. 

‘Merlyn! Against all hope...’

The wizard smiled impishly at his aged royal pupil. ‘I see you’ve been killing people again, Arthur. Another fine pickle you’ve got yourself into!”

**********

“A once and future king?’ complained Merlyn. ‘Dear oh dear, I thought we’d given up all that nonsense.’ He shook his head of unruly red hair in irritation. ‘Isn’t enough ever enough?’

Arthur raised himself painfully from the side of the chair where “they had sat him. He slammed his gloved fist against the carved arm. ‘You gave your word!’

‘I most certainly did not! You’ve been listening to those minstrels again. They always exaggerate.’

‘Teeth of Heaven!’ A series of coughs tore up from Arthur’s aching lungs. He pushed away the queen who moved in to tend him and wiped the fresh blood from his mouth himself. 

‘You are never here when I have need of you, Merlyn.’

The wizard shrugged and smiled weakly, revealing the laughter lines on his avuncular face. ‘I can’t be everywhere at once.’

But there was still mischief behind his eyes. And he still looked younger every time he returned.

Arthur rested his head back on the side of the chair. He looked around the dark ribs of the King’s Hall ship that Merlyn had cultured for him long, long ago in the vat-cellars of the High Tagel. The consoles bleeped quietly as they awaited his instructions. Always ready to jump the stars or outfly the swiftest ornithopter.

‘Ten years of war have we suffered. My wife and friend are lost to me. The alliance of the Round Table is broken.

My kingdom is slipping away. The land dies.’

‘Morgaine has grown in power. She will destroy us all with her black arts.’

‘I doubt that. Arthur. But it may be a long struggle.’

‘I thought I had lost my tutor too. And then you return against all odds, but only to snatch away my remaining hope.’

‘Oh, don’t be so gloomy. And never trust people who make prophesies.’

Arthur lifted his eyes in disbelief. ‘But you do naught else!’

‘It’s one of my more annoying habits.’

The High King of the Thirteen Worlds gripped the arms of the chair and struggled to rise. 

He cursed as his knees buckled under him. The dead armour was cumbersome and he was too weak to move against it. He sat back temporarily defeated. But he would find a way.

He missed Lancelot. 

And he longed to see Guenever again and ask for her forgiveness.

Merlyn took a salve-sponge from one of the queens and began gently to wipe the mud and blood from the aged king’s face.

‘My dear Arthur, I think it’s time I came clean with you.’

‘Excalibur,’ he muttered. ‘Where is it?’

‘You see it’s all very well calling me tutor, but I can’t even begin your education until I find out how all this ends.’

To Merlyn’s surprise, the king appeared to rally from his misery. ‘So it is true then,’ he said eagerly.”

‘True? Why? What else have the minstrels been saying?’

‘That you live your life backwards.’

‘No, no, no!’

From his tatty embroidered Afghan coat, Merlyn tugged a floppy hat of brown felt. 

He flailed it into shape as he tried to contain his annoyance. Around its brim, the saffron Katmandu bandana was creased and tangled. A pair of finger cymbals tinkled to the floor. ‘My life may be rather haphazard — in a temporal sort of way. But I cannot predict the future...’

‘You deny it yet again!’

‘Of course I do! And you know that.’

‘So you cannot say the hour of my death.’

The wizard smiled inwardly that the old king could still beat his tutor into a corner. He looked forward to beginning the young king’s education. But there seemed no way to convince his old friend that time was passing.

All things had their time and that included the time to let go of what you loved.

“I shall rise again,’ continued Arthur. ‘There is no question. I decree it. And I shall see Morgaine defeated.

And you, Merlyn, I rely on to see me win through!’

Merlyn’s twin hearts sank. ‘I’ll see what I can do, my lord,’ he said quietly. ‘It may already be in hand.’

The king grunted. Satisfied at last, he leaned back into his chair. ‘And find my sword too.’

There was a movement in the shadows at the back of the hall. One of the queens, Bellangere of Orlamande, lifted Excalibur from the cavity into which it had been peristalted by the ship. She carried the ancient sword with reverence toMerlyn.

‘But there is no scabbard,’ she said.

‘I’m sure it’ll turn up again some time.’ Merlyn held the sword for a moment, recognizing the filigree ganglia systems worked out in the hilt and the blade.

‘I am hight Escalibore,

Unto a king fair tresore.’

‘Thank you, your majesties,’ he said gravely. ‘Your part in this will be remembered.’

The three attendant queens bowed low to him. Then he turned to present the sword to its true master.

The king was already sleeping. A new serenity drained the aching weariness from his face. His breathing steadied.

The queens watched Merlyn carry the sword, symbol of the High Kingship, to the central control console. He found the key input socket that he had grafted into the obsidian unit, because he remembered that long ago he had found it there in the future. He slowly, ceremonially, lowered the blade into its place.

‘So my once and future friend, the Night Watch begins.’

The huge amethyst in the hilt glittered momentarily with fire. The gentle hum of the ship pitched up a degree.

“High King Arthur shifted in his sleep. ‘Thank you, Doctor,’ he muttered through his dreams.”

Excerpt From: Platt, Marc. “Battlefield.” 

Target Books, 1991-08-14T07:00:00+00:00. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright.

(LIBER LXXXI - THE BUTTERFLY NET) A PROLOGUE

by ALEISTER CROWLEY

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This book was written in 1917, during such leisure as my efforts to bring America into the War on our side allowed me. Hence my illusions on the subject, and the sad showing of Simon Iff at the end. Need I add that, as the book itself demonstrates beyond all doubt, all persons and incidents are purely the figment of a disordered imagination?

London, 1929.

A.C.