Drawing the Sword

Arthur awoke lying on the ground the sun shining brightly through the trees. Believing he had simply dreamed his encounter, he sat up and worried to himself what Kay would say. But as Arthur looked around, he noticed that he awoke next to a stone statue of a man who sitting and had his hands together. There were pink leaves falling all around him from the trees. “Where am I?” Arthur asked himself as he brought his hand to his temple, head aching for some unknown reason.

“It is quite simple. We traveled to Japan as I said before. However, I did not expect the trip through the portal to drain you and leave you unconscious as it did.” Arthur heard the voice coming from the distance. Realizing that his dream was not a dream, Arthur looked around for the man he knew he would recognize as Merlin. As he glanced around the woods, he saw a snow-white fox approach him.

“Hello there. Do you know where my friend Merlin, is little guy?” Arthur asked the fox as it approached him, not really expecting an answer. Yet, as the fox drew nearer, he noticed something odd about it. The Fox had more than one tail. Arthur counted in his mind…one two three….nine. It was a nine-tailed fox. Arthur had heard many stories and legends of these mystical beings. Legend says the foxes can live for hundreds of years. After the first hundred years, a fox will grow another tail. A fox reaching nine tails, the final number able to be grown, is said to be as powerful and rare as Dragons.

“Are you done counting?” the fox said to Arthur. Upon hearing the words come from the fox, Arthur found himself unable to move. “I told you I would look different here my friend. This is my true form. Like the story of Excalibur, I also shared the legend of fox spirits around your country. Although that was more to keep my mind busy over the years. It was the only form of magic I could use while trapped in the sword. Otherwise I would have been bored and gone crazy." Realizing who he was speaking to Arthur quickly apologized. Merlin laughed and told him not to worry. “Now then, if you have regained your strength, the Divine Sword is not far from here. We are lucky for we managed to land just outside the temple where it is kept.”

After hearing the fox’s words, Arthur took a better look at his surroundings. Not far from him was a pathway. As he walked to the pathway he looked further down the path and saw a building that he assumed was the temple that Merlin spoke of. “I am strong enough. Let’s go, my friend” Arthur said to Merlin, and they walked towards the temple together.

Upon reaching the courtyard, Arthur noticed a weird-looking sword in a stone. The sword he noticed the slight curve the blade had, the longer hilt as if it were to be held with two hands. Seeing his curiosity, Merlin informed him that the sword was the typical style of a Japanese sword called a katana. “The sword's real name is Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. It is one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan . As a sword destined for kings, only those destined by Heaven to be a King may wield them,” Merlin told Arthur.

Realizing what Merlin told him was the same story as Excalibur, Arthur approached the Kusanagi. He grabbed the sword with both hands and pulled with all his might. As he felt the sword budge from the stone he began to feel a sudden surge of power flow into him, giving him strength, and with one final effort Arthur pulled the sword from the stone. He felt more power than ever flowing into him making him stronger than ever.

“Now, my friend, you have the power and the divine right of heaven to be King of Britannia. It is time to fulfill your end of the bargain and help me reclaim that which is mine,” Merlin said to Arthur while handing him a sheath for his blade.

Sheathing the sword, Arthur nodded to his friend. “Agreed. Lead the way, and let us begin the real journey.”