Part Four: Splitting Up
By Julia Nolan
     Niniane poked Zelgadiss as he slept sometime around midnight.
     "Hey, come on.  I need to talk to you."
     Zelgadiss groaned.  "You know, that hurts."
     "I’m sorry. I was careful. I put on gloves, you know.  I’ll stop if you’ll talk to me."
     Zelgadiss sat up on the bed.
     "Look," Niniane said.  "I want to find the Grail, and you’re the only one I can trust."
     "So…"
     Continuing, Niniane said, "Eris is too dependent, she’d never work.  I don’t trust Rezo…"
     "I don’t blame you there…"
     "And Merlin is…how do I say it…demon…but more than that.  He is the one they called the Anti-Christ, not that it means much to you."
     "No…what about Arthur?"
     "Arthur is…" Niniane turned away.  "He’s needed here."
     "You don’t want him injured?"
     "He’s needed."
     "You like him."
     "Yes.  It’s why I hate Guenivere so much. She’ll only hurt him.  But we need to find the Grail."
     "You know where it is?"
     "Close enough.  What do you know about it?"
     "Nothing.  Tell me."
     Niniane began.  "About five hundred years ago there was a man. Some say that he was the God, the one God, the most powerful of all, who controlled all. Others say that he was an avatar of a God or a prophet. Whoever he was, he was one of tremendous power and goodness.  His own people had him put to death in a painful way, and in order to end the pain, a soldier thrust a spear at him, killing him.  His blood was caught in a cup by a man from Aramethea named Joseph.  This cup is called the Grail and is said to be able to heal all manner of illnesses.  Joseph then took the body from the cross, which was what he was killed upon, and buried it in a tomb and then left, with the Grail, for Prydain…Prydannia…Britain.  He struck his staff into the ground at the blessed Isle of Avalon and there grew a whitethorn bush.  Now, if he brought the Grail into Britain, which I think he did, it should be around the island."
     "Why have you not gotten it before? Why shouldn’t I think that this is a trick?"
     Niniane smiled slightly.  "Have you heard of the Saxon invasions?"
     Zelgadiss shook his head.
     "It is unsafe for me to travel alone.  Besides that, I am worried about what I will find there.  I would feel safer accompanied.  Could you leave tonight?  Now?"
     "Yes…"
     "Then let us go."

     "Niniane’s gone," Merlin said, frowning.
     "To where?" Eris asked.
     "To find the Grail, I’d imagine," Merlin said dryly.  "And I would imagine that she’s not alone.  Damned third-rate sorceress who can’t do anything by herself…"
     "We will need to be there before her," Rezo said.
     "Where is it?" Eris asked.
     "It’s a secret," said Merlin.

     "It’s a secret," said Xellos, this time for no particular reason. He just rather liked the phrase.
     "Would you please stop saying that?" Gawaine asked.  "It’s beginning to get annoying."
     "It’s a secret," Xellos said again.
     Gawaine groaned and tried to drone him out by talking with Gourry, which was, unfortunately, not a particularly stimulating discussion.
     Mordred was prancing about.
     "So what are we looking for again?" Gourry asked.
     "It’s a secret."
     "Stop before I strangle you," Gawaine said.  "Mordred, brother, what are we looking for?"
     "I think that Xellos has it right there," Mordred said.  "It really is a secret."
     As Gawaine groaned and debated whether fratricide really counted as a sin with a brother like Mordred, two women on palfreys came riding up.
     Removing a modest veil, Sylphiel said, "Gourry-sama, we thought that you might like our help…"
     "Really?" Gourry said.  "Will you cook us dinner?"
     "If you wish," Sylphiel said.
     Mordred groaned, but Gawaine looked interested.
     "Sylphiel and I decided that you men needed looking after," Igraine said.
     "Thanks, grandma," Gawaine said.  "You’re very considerate."


 
     "So," Morgan said to Amelia and Guenivere, "We’re trying to find the Holy Grail so that we can bring peace and justice to all of Britain."
     "Really?" Amelia said, starry eyed.  "Lina-san, you’re such a genius, thinking of this!  And you too, Morgan le Fey-san!"
     Lina and Morgan groaned collectively.
     "I still think that Morgan and Margawse are bad guys," Guenivere said darkly.
     "We’ve decided," Margawse said, "To reform by doing this…uh…service."
     "Oh, well, then…" Guenivere said.  "I guess that we should start at once in that case."

     "Hey, I think I see Arthur!" Gawaine said.  "We should ride out to meet our lord."
     Mordred groaned, but as he was outnumbered by Sylphiel, Igraine, and Gourry and only had Xellos to side with him, he suppressed it and said, "What a wonderful idea, brother."
     They rode up, displaying their standards.  And, as Gawaine and Arthur exchanged stories about how they were looking for the Grail, Sylphiel clung to Gourry and chattered with Igraine, Rezo stood about looking bored, and Eris clung onto Rezo, Merlin and Xellos slipped off.
     "They’re never going to get there in enough time," Merlin said.  "I say that we take whoever can reach the Grail first and split up.  Want to come with me?"  Merlin smiled.  "With my demon blood, I should be able to be there quickly…and I feel, somehow, that you’re one of us…"
     "It’s a secret," Xellos said.
     "You sound like a broken record. Let’s go."

 Return to the Three Moons
 Return to Broceliande
 Return to the Castle of Air and Darkness
 Return to the Ivory Tower
To Part Five: The Grail