The jostling that her body went through as it was placed roughly on a hard and bumpy surface woke up Annalia from the unconscious state she'd been in for the past three days. She opened her eyes slowly, weakly, and looked around carefully for a clue as to where she was and where her son was. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw that she was lying under a gigantic silver tree surrounded by hundreds of cloaked servants of the Shadow, all of them chanting and swaying slowly in time to their chanting. She twisted around her head, searching for her son and saw him just a few feet away, crying in fear as he was trussed up in leather bindings and placed on an altar. She tried to move, then panicked as she realized that she was tied up and bare. She flinched as the three Shadow Lords strode leisurely up the marble stairs that led to the silver tree they were under.

She looked around again and tried to find a way to escape, and then gasped loudly as she saw several large black and white wolves, each of them big enough to be a horse. She whimpered in fear as they snarled and snapped at her hungrily while eyeing her with glowing golden eyes as she struggled to get free. She cried out in pain as her hair was grabbed roughly and she was forced to be still and look up into the face of the Black Lord, Heolstor. He smirked down at her as he saw her panic and fear when he tightened his hold on her hair. He ripped her hair out as he slammed her head onto the marble slab that she was laying on, which made her scream in pain as the chanting increased in volume around them.

He along with the other two turned to face the gathered servants while raising their arms, which silenced the chanting. They turned as one to face the two bound sacrifices and then moved to form a triangle around the two altars as they began to intone their spells ominously.

Annalia renewed her desperate efforts to become free as she felt terror break through her when lightening flashed around them and struck near her child, causing him to shriek and wail in fear. She closed her eyes tightly and prayed urgently to the Goddess and her husband for help as she felt a sickly feeling wash over her and its touches increased in time to the chanting while it increased steadily in pace and pitch.

She jerked in pain suddenly and cried out while choking on her own blood as white fire lanced through her body. By the vague screams she heard from her son, she knew he was in the same amount of pain, but her strength was slowly leaving her. She opened her pain-glazed eyes and watched dully as the White Lord, Cwild, stood over her with a wickedly curved dagger, the feminine face tight with a sneer of pure evil glee as they stared at each other.

Annalia watched as if in slow motion as the dagger was raised while the chanting increased in volume when the White Lord prepared to plunge the dagger down. Suddenly, images began to pass before Annalia's eye as the dagger began its decent to her chest.

"I, Annalia O'Grady, take you, Talin Esin, to be my lawfully wedded husband…"

"I, Talin Esin, take you, Annalia O'Grady, to be my lawfully wedded wife…"

"I will always protect you, my love. You are the Goddess to me and we will always be bound in her."

"You are the God to me, my sweet Taliesin. Until we part in death, my body is yours. And even in death, my soul and yours shall never part."

"You are my chosen one, Annalia of Avalon. Take me into yourself so we might rule and love together."

"I was chosen by the God to be his vessel. We are bound to them and they us until the end of time."

"I will find you, my beloved. Death will not part us and together we shall find the peace we created once more in life."

"I love you…find me…Taliesin!"

“Taliesin!!” Annalia’s agonized scream floated out as the dagger stabbed her and echoed wetly as she arched and choked on her pain. She stared up at the leering face of Death’s Lord and then felt warmth fill her. With a wet gasp, she brought her hands up as she broke her bonds while pulsing with white fire. The White Lord’s leer faded before a shriek of agony rose up from her when a pillar of white flame shot up into the air, startling the gathered servants of the Shadow.

“Annalia!!” an answering call roared out before mayhem broke out. Taliesin had arrived in answer to his Queen’s call.

Chaos ensued as the Shadow and Light collided at the foot of the Silver Tree of Ages. Shrieks and roars of rage rolled out as lightening and thunder added to the bedlam of violence and magic. Hooves stomped, claws slashed, beaks tore, swords pierced, and blood flowed as both evil and good creatures and men fought to dominate the battle that would end all battles. The air was filled with furious creatures of flight battling and tearing at each other the same as their ground allies while flames and other magic flew out from the dragons that battled in a roiling coil of scales.

Taliesin slashed through the Shadow’ troops making his way towards the top of the platform and to his captured family. He got to the top and began fighting against the remaining two Shadow Lords, Excalibur ringing with every strike it landed on their swords. He saw his wife and his heart stopped as he noticed her lying palely on the slab of marble to his left with a dagger standing from her chest in a gruesome testimony of how she was hurt. He heard his son’s wails and looked over to see one of the lower Lords holding another dagger over his son, preparing to complete the ritual. “No!!” he cried in rising panic and caused the servant Lord to look over and leer at him mockingly. His determination now turned into desperation, he worked to get to his son before it was too late.

Annalia’s eyes slowly opened at her husband’s cry and she looked over weakly to where her son was tied up and crying. She raised a weak hand and pulled out the dagger from her chest before she sat up slightly. Swallowing down her bile, she steadied herself and prayed silently for strength. Raising her head as she felt a burst of power within her, she brought the bloodied dagger up and threw it. The dagger flew straight and true and landed in the menacing Shadow lord’s neck and threw him away from her squalling son as it killed him. Ignoring the battle around her, Annalia slid off of the altar that she had been on and crawled to the other altar while avoiding her fighting husband as he battled fiercely with the two remaining high Shadow Lords.

She leaned up and dragged herself along the edge, leaving a bloody trail along the marbled rock as she went to her son’s side. She brushed a gentle hand along his tear streaked face and calmed his tears as she struggled to breath. “My beautiful son…you are…needed. Awaken, my Pendragon…and…fulfill…your…destiny…” she rasped out wetly as she used her bloody fingers to trace the symbol of the *Triquetra on her son’s forehead, the symbol of the *Celtic Tree of Life on each of his limbs, and the *Triskele on her son’s chest over his heart.

As she finished the last symbol and darkness began to overwhelm her, she whispered the words that had brought her and Taliesin into their destinies together. “Secrets wait…on paths of old. Darkness falls…as…tales have told…A new light is needed this day of new. Come forth…chosen from…the forgotten few…Songs of wisdom be your guide…Spirits…of past be at…your side. Look for the…mists of places…gone. And know…the nature of what is born…All that is old shall be new…All that was lost shall come…into view….For as the night…draws close to…shroud us all…the Pendragon…reborn shall ensure…its…fall.”

Little by little, she fell from the edge as light began to pulse around her son starting from the symbols and spreading in widening circles. Through the sounds of battle and the cries of the injured and dying, a gentle harmony began to float from the Silver Tree and beat in time to the pulsing light that surrounded the cooing child as he reached up.

Taliesin stopped as did the two Shadow Lords and they stared in growing shock as the light around Arthur grew in radiance along with the singing from the Tree. He watched in wonder as Excalibur rose from his hands and floated over to the enlarging glow when it ascended as well from the altar. The battling slowed to a halt in astonishment as beams of light throbbed in an ever rising rhythm over the valley. As the song reached its peak, the ball of light exploded and pulsated around the form that it surrounded in writhing rings of energy while it lowered back to the altar that it had started on.

As all watched in either horror or wonder, Excalibur appeared within the light, moving unhurriedly in a wide arc as the light began to dim. When the radiance had left the figure, a young man stood within it clothed in creamy white robes that billowed in the wind and glittered with gold and silver threading amidst the embroidery, jewels on the billowing sleeves, and a sash made of pure gold that was wrapped around the slender waist. The hand that held the chiming sword Excalibur conveyed strength that traveled up to the broad shoulders and torso. His face was as chiseled as his father’s, his hair black with red highlights under the intricate crown that held the wild strands in place around his face, and his eyes were sharp even as their blue green hues gazed out at the gathered and held them frozen with awe and fear.

He stood before them and his regal bearing silenced all in his authority as he fairly emanated with a supremacy that spoke of a greater power than any of them could hope to hold. He stepped down carefully from the altar that had once held him captive, then straightened once again as the Shadow stepped back in fear. He knelt slowly and cupped Annalia’s cheek while caressing her cheek tenderly before he stood once more and faced the two remaining Shadow Lords and Taliesin.

Slowly, he raised Excalibur once more above his head and the chiming increased in volume. “I…Arthur Pendragon…son of the first King Taliesin and first Queen Annalia…stand in fate’s door. Stand forth, Shadow Lords of Chaos…and face me for the right to rule!” His voice was a light tenor, but it rang with authority as it floated out over the valley and caused shivers to run through the Shadow and strength to rise in the Light. He turned his eagle sharp gaze to the remaining two leaders of the Shadow. “Step forward and take the charge Dreor of the Blood…Heolstor of Darkness. Cwild of Death is no longer…do you dare to continue in your bid for the Silver Tree of Ages?” he demanded as he pointed Excalibur at them challengingly.

“We accept your challenge, Arthur Pendragon of the Ancients. Prepare for the end,” Heolstor hissed out as he swung his own sword in a cutting arc through the air. Dreor drew his own dark blade and grinned madly before he cackled softly before they circled around the returned Pendragon.

Taliesin stood back and watched solemnly and knew that this battle would prove the end of the war for now…one way or another.

Silence fell over the observers from both sides of the battle as they watched Dreor, Heolstor, and Arthur circle each other gradually while watching the other side for signs of weakness and strategy. In a show of skill, Dreor sneered as he swung his sword around him in a flashy example of swordsmanship and earned a contemptuous look from his brother Shadow Lord, Heolstor.

“Showing off your skills will prove nothing, Shadow Lord of Blood. Show your skill of the blade or fade away,” Arthur murmured softly as he tilted Excalibur to catch the light.

“Heolfor desires your flesh, Arthur Pendragon. Prepare yourself!” Dreor retorted in rage before he leapt forward on the attack, his blade Heolfor gleaming darkly in the unearthly light that emanated from the Silver Tree of Ages as its song filled the silence. The clang of metal rang in the air time and time again as they clashed in a deadly dance of battle; slashing, parrying, thrusting with their swords in an attempt to find holes in each other’s defense while defending their own weaknesses. They twirled around the other and flipped in unimaginable feats of dexterity as they fought in an effort to defeat the other.

Their dance came to a climax as they clashed once more and strength took over instead of skill as they both pushed, trying to overpower the other as their swords screeched in their effort to come out on top. But, in the flash of an instant, the tide was turned. Arthur twisted his wrist just slightly and used the impetus of Dreor's pitch forward to duck under and slash upwards with his blade, cutting slowly, yet thoroughly through the Shadow Lord as Dreor screamed in agony. The scream ended abruptly in a gurgle as Arthur finished his slice through Dreor’s throat and decapitated the Blood Lord in a swirling blast of blood and dark power.

Stepping back, Arthur panted softly as he whirled around to face the attacking Heolstor when he struck in the aftermath of his brother Shadow Lord’s destruction. They collided again and again, striking fierce blows against the other’s sword as the singing continued to mount in intensity from the Silver Tree. Their attacks became faster as the energy from the Silver Tree urged them to higher levels of vigor.

As the Silver Tree pulsed faster as the zenith of its awakening neared, the two Lords of Good and Evil whirled in an intensifying dance of swords and fists as they battled, cutting each other here and there as they fought. But, as the light of the Silver Tree flared more blinding than any sun, Arthur’s Excalibur slashed up and through Heolstor’s throat and the trilling of the Tree mingled with Heolstor’s death scream.

When the light cleared, Arthur stood before the Silver Tree as it glowed silver and throbbed brightly while its song resonated through the valley happily even as rejoicing voices from the Light rose up in answer amidst cheers. He turned and smiled at the jubilant troops as they danced or hugged in triumph, while some stood solemnly, yet proudly at the foot of the staircase and just watched as their King humbly took in their joy.

Taliesin moved forward slowly and felt pride and elation wash over him as he looked over the crowds before facing his son. He reached a tentative hand up and cupped Arthur’s face while smiling warmly. “My son…you made me proud,” he whispered hoarsely as tears flowed freely down his face.

Returning the joyous smile, Arthur placed his hand over his father’s on his cheek and then looked over to where the altars had once been. Taliesin looked over as well, then gasped in shock and horror as he went over immediately to where Annalia lay, pale, blood covered, and unmoving. He bit back a sob of anguish as he carefully gathered his fallen wife and Queen to him in a searching embrace while cupping her face with trembling fingers as he investigated her features for signs of life. He couldn’t stop the soft whimper of agony as he held her close and wrapped her in his arms as he rocked slowly. “My wife…my love…Annalia, please do not leave me…” he cried softly as he ran his fingers through her limp red brown hair. The joyous sounds of victory faded to him as one of the two most important people in his life faded from existence. “We promised to always be together…do not leave me…”

“Father…” Arthur’s soft tenor broke through Taliesin’s grief stricken fog and he looked up slowly into the warmth infused face of his beloved son. He leaned into the tender fingers that cupped his face reassuringly and felt hope grow within him as his son nodded in assurance before kneeling next to his parents. “Do not worry, Father. Mother will be all right. Have faith in the God and Goddess that you bound with so many centuries ago,” he whispered before wrapping his arms around both of his parents and held them close. A gentle light surrounded him and them in turn as he hugged them both before placing soft kisses on their foreheads. “I love you both so much. Thank you for giving me life and a second chance,” he said quietly before the light blinded Taliesin.

When the light had cleared, he looked down in shock to see his six month old son cooing and gurgling happily as he lifted his feet up and played with the tiny toes as he giggled. Stunned at what had happened, Taliesin gathered Arthur into his arms and held him close between Annalia and himself. He looked down at his wife and noted that there was still color in her cheeks and that her wound had stopped bleeding and had begun to heal even as he watched. Feeling tears roll down his face, he embraced his family to him tightly and prayed to the God and Goddess for their blessing to save his wife.

A soft pulsing glow emanated from the Silver Tree in response to his silent prayer as well as a higher calling and, as it enveloped all in the valley and returned them to their worlds and homes, Taliesin looked up to see a vision of two immaculate figures beaming down at him. With the image of the God of the Hunt, his guide in life, and the Goddess, who had protected Annalia while showing her the true way, his heart grew warm before all thoughts left him and he was returned with his family to their world and home safe and unharmed by all that they had been through. With luck, Taliesin knew that their lives would resume their happy ways with Annalia safely at his side and their son growing. Nothing could stop them now.