Arthur's New Journey

Long ago, when the United Kingdom was still known as Britannia, there was a boy named Arthur Pendragon, orphaned by his father. Arthur was raised by his adoptive father in a small village. His new father trained Arthur to be a squire to his son Kay, who was in turn training to be a Knight. Little did anyone know, Arthur was destined for greatness, majesty, monarchy. Yes, Arthur was destined to be the King of Britannia, its greatest king that would become a legend. However, no one ever expected the journey.

We begin our story when Arthur is seventeen years old. Arthur, his adoptive father and brother Kay were at a neighboring village for a tournament for those training to be Knights. The reward for the winner of the tournament was the chance to pull the Holy Sword Excalibur from the stone. At the time, the legend was that whoever could pull the sword from the stone was chosen by Heaven and God to be Britannia's King. As Kay's squire it was Arthur's job to keep Kay's armor polished, his horse well fed and his sword sharpened.

However, Arthur had made a mistake and forgotten Kay's sword back in his home village. "What do you mean you forgot my sword!? Go find me one, you imbecile. My fight is starting soon!" Kay yelled at Arthur after learning of his brother's mistake. And so Arthur scrambled from tent to tent, trying to find a sword. However, there were no swords anywhere. So while no one was looking, Arthur went over to the fabled Excalibur. Excalibur's beauty left Arthur breathless. The hilt had the most beautiful jewels laid into it and was lined with gold, the blade itself seemed to have been forged from pure gold. Recomposing himself, Arthur made an attempt to pull it from the stone. After a struggle, Arthur pulled the sword Excalibur from the stone! However, after Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, the sword began to glow and it became hot. Before the heat from the sword could sear Arthur's skin, he threw it away from him and the sword began to float in front of him.

From the sword came a great light, so bright that Arthur had to cover his eyes. When the light faded, Arthur uncovered his eyes and looked upon a man standing on the stone. He wore a long cloak with a hood where the sword once was. "What? Who? Who are you? What happened to Excalibur? Where did you come from?" Arthur asked the strange man.

"That was not the true divine sword, for that lies far to the East. I am the wizard Merlin. I have been trapped in the form of the sword in that stone for over one hundred years. You have freed me young man. I thank you," responded Merlin. Confused, Arthur inquired how he was turned into a sword. Arthur wondered if Excalibur even truly existed and if so where it was. Merlin told Arthur his story, about his nemesis Morgan Le Fay and how she stole something of great value to him, then cursed him transforming him into a sword and sent him to Britannia.

"Wait, I do not understand. Are you not from this land? And if you were Excalibur, what does that mean for the legend?" Arthur asked Merlin.

"When I came to this land as the sword, before I lost consciousness I used my power to create the legend so that your countrymen would come and free me. As far as the sword, the true divine sword does exist in a country known as Japan. With that blade you could become the true king. If I take you there and help you take sword, would you use that blade to help me take back something of mine from Morgan?" Merlin asked.

After some thought, Arthur responded "On my honor, I will help you fight the witch and reclaim what is yours." And so Merlin turned around and mumbled to himself, and there appeared a portal.

Motioning to the portal Merlin said to Arthur "Step through, my friend, and let us go far to the east. Though I warn you now, once there you will see my true form and it is rather different than the one before you." Swallowing his fears, Arthur stepped through the portal and began a whole new journey.