She nodded and smiled wearily up at me. "Charlemagne.".
This quote help send me off on a tangent, blame Small Favor 8)
Its also a major WAG, helped and nurtured along partially by Quantus and Gryffin, whose own WAG's got my creative juices flowing to spin off theories of my own into this Super WAG.
The main starting point to take away would be the theory that out favorite barkeep, McAnally, is actually the human remainder of the Archangel Raphael. Said Archangel loaned his Grace to Merlin in order to create the island of Demonreach. The full WAG can be found here: Raphael (http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,45677.0.html)
First we will be dealing with the possible overall 'origins' of the traditional three blades:
Origins WAG: Biblical Magi
(http://www.outpost-art.org/images/Boston%20Museum%20of%20Fine%20Arts/The%20Three%20Wise%20Men%201878.jpg)
Then I opened my eyes and picked up the bell. I rang it sharply once, and filled my voice with the power of my will. "I am not some clueless mortal you can frighten away," I said to the hilltop. "I am magi, one of the Wise, and I am worthy of your respect."
A wind came rushing up from the lake. The trees muttered and sighed with the force of it, a sound like angry surf, enormous and omnipresent.
I rang the bell again. "Hear me!" I called. "I am magi, one of the Wise, and I know your nature and your strength."
Harry Dresden Turn Coat
Depending on your degree of sunday schooling you may know these men as 'The Three Kings' as well (whom wizard nelson has brought up in his theories recently and in so doing sparked a re-interest of mine in them). We all know the story of the Three Wise Men who traveled far at the behest of Herod following the Star of Bethlehem and arriving to pay homage to the newborn Jesus. This WAG leans on a variety of personal interpretation and biblical historical debate which I combine and blend quite a bit, but I had a lot of fun developing it so here it goes.
The Magi were just that, wizards. Ones of the Wise. Ancient magical beings of renown and influence. At a time when such beings could have been kings in their own right, they still advised and were at the beckon call of a more powerful and influential king: Herod.
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage."
...
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path.
Herod of course was worried about a long prophesied event that he felt would threaten his rule as told to him by the Magi. So he dispatches the Magi to locate The White Christ with a plan of his own to kill the child. The Magi would later be given a warning of this in a dream as to Herod's true plans and were warned not to return to Herod. But in the meantime a powerful confluence of events and beings have come into play with purposes of their own to be facilitated by the Magi's Quest.
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
These gifts have long been a subject in biblical lore as to their meaning. In the DV they take on a new interpretation. But first we must take a slight step back and focus on out Magi personally. Biblical text does not explicitly name them, but time and anecdotal legend names them as such:
Caspar is old, normally with a white beard, and gives the gold; he is "King of Tarsus, land of merchants" on the Mediterranean coast of modern Turkey, and is first in line to kneel to Christ. Melchior is middle-aged, giving frankincense from his native Arabia, and Balthazar is a young man, very often and increasingly black-skinned, with myrrh from Saba (modern south Yemen). Their ages were often given as 60, 40 and 20 respectively, and their geographical origins were rather variable, with Balthazar increasingly coming from Ethiopia or other parts of Africa, and being represented accordingly.
As we know with wizards, age is not always what it appears to be. Caspar the elder Magi, Melchior in the middle and Balthazar the youngest. Each carries a gift with them to present to the newborn king. Gifts befitting any ruler of the day for certain. But these gifts have also been widely interpreted to have a secondary and perhaps more important significance:
The three gifts had a spiritual meaning: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death.
But were these gifts simple gestures of respect or did another hand influence their gifting? This event of the birth of Christ would have undoubtedly sent waves well beyond the mortal world and into the Nevernever. The importance and significance would not have gone unnoticed. And as such the opportunity has arisen for the Fae to create another tether to this world.
In an act of balance befitting these creature, each Magi is visited by the Queens of Summer and Winter alike. Newly minted aspects of Hecate and the Fates, the Queens each choose an emissary to deliver their gifts. To create balance the model works in this way:
-The Ladies, aspect of Clotho and youngest of the fates visit Caspar the elder Magi. To him they grant gold, the physical representation of wealth on the mortal world. They as the closest tied to the mortal world bestow the most concrete of the gifts to signify prosperity and vitality for the newly born Christ.
-The Queens, aspect of Lachesis and middle of the fates visit Melchior. Upon him they present Frankincense, the spiritual essence. They straddle the worlds between mortal and Nevernever and their gift reflects the duality of Jesus who is both God and man alike. Ever of two minds and responsibilities will he be.
-The Mothers, aspect of Atropos and the eldest Fate visits Balthazar. To him the bestow the gift of Myrrh. An anointing embalming oil used in rituals on the bodies of the dead, they are denoting the sacrifice that the White Christ will undergo. In so doing they are attaching themselves in their aspect of 'thread cutter' to arguably the most important death in the supernatural world as well as the eventual rebirth.
By doing this the Queens and their Courts also become tethered, loosely, to the life and death of Jesus. Gifts cannot be given or taken without recompense and theirs is to have a hand in the events yet to come as well as a light, but undeniable tether to the mortal realm thru the one who we would come to name as Savior.
What ultimately becomes of them is unknown but legends surrounding their importance bear noting as it pertains to DV events:
What subsequently happened to these gifts is never mentioned in the scripture, but several traditions have developed. One story has the gold being stolen by the two thieves who were later crucified alongside Jesus. Another tale has it being entrusted to and then misappropriated by Judas. One tradition suggests that Joseph and Mary used the gold to finance their travels when they fled Bethlehem after the magi had warned them about King Herod's plan to kill Jesus. And another story proposes the theory that the myrrh given to them at Jesus' birth was used to anoint Jesus' body after his crucifixion.
As an alternate theory to what the gifts gained the Fae if not a tether to this world, the option exists that Favors could have been their goal as well. Helping to keep the child alive and anoint him upon death ensuring his physical and spiritual survival over the years would certainly be a worthwhile proposition for the Fae and gain for them in the long run as to being owed something in return.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
We Three Kings
The Magi set out with their Fae gifts in tow. But the star they follow is no ordinary celestial body, but rather a very extraordinary one. An Archangel of the lord guiding them to the Messiah. We know his death by crucifixion would empower the Nails and help create the Swords of the Cross for many centuries to come defending the world from Darkness. But prior to receiving such Nails the blades would have been 'simple' holy swords if given any meaning at all. But what if the birth of Jesus also was the first step in creating the SoTC themselves. The three blades needed to be prepared as vessels of such power. It has been fairly well theorized that the Archangel's are custodians of the holy blades, but prior to them becoming such they would have still needed looking after for their task ahead. And gifted to the Magi on the road by the self same 'star' that was guiding them all the while. One single archangel and original custodian of the blades. The Lightbringer: Lucifer.
Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."
In his last act before Falling in the DV, Lucifer the Morning Star bequeaths the Swords to the Magi on their journey and sets them about another task. They will follow his 'light' and form to where the King of the Jews was born. The Magi will enable these blades to become 'vectors of power' much like Morgana's athame. This begins the 'line of kings' mentality that each true bearer and future Knight of the Cross will ultimately descend from a royal legacy. It also begins a tradition of wizards acting as temporary custodians to the holy blades until such time as they can find a worthy recipient. Lucifer grants them each with a critical power necessary to perform this task, Soulfire. The first such mortals to be granted this gift.
2010 Bitten by Books Q&A:
#387 “You mentioned that all of the Knights of the Cross were of royal heritage. Why is this? Does being royal make you more qualified to be one of the Knights?”
It doesn’t make you qualified, so much as it makes you /responsible/. It’s a small but important distinction.
I’ve seen a well-done argument that defined goodness, in the Dresden stories, as power balanced by responsibility–and evil as power without accompanying responsibility to restrain and control it. I liked it.
This act is the final straw for Lucifer who sees humans as inferior, weak beings. Beings with the potential power to bring Outsiders into this world and beings he is now meant to bow down to and show deference. After this task he begins the War in Heaven and takes a 'third of the stars in the sky' down with him.
"Thaumaturgy," I said. "As above, so below. Make something happen on a small scale, and give it the energy to happen on a large scale."
Storm Front
The Magi arrive and present the newborn Jesus and his parents with the Fae gifts. They set up the thaumaterlogic rituals under the glowing star of Lucifer's grace and using both the blood of the newborn child as well as the power from their own Souls, the vessels of the eventual Swords of the Cross are made. Christianity has not yet started and in a fun bit of irony the Magi promote "The use of magic for nonreligious purposes; the art and science of “wonder working;” using magic to actually change things in the physical world." for what will ultimately lead to one of the largest religious movements ever. Caspar the oldest, forges what would come to be known as Esperacchius the Sword of Hope. As the eldest he wishes to bestow upon the world that which all his long centuries could not take from him, the Hope for a better world. Melchior undertakes Fidelacchius the Sword of Faith. As the middle and most pragmatic of them he believes in the mission at hand. And the youngest, Balthazar gives us Amorrachius. His youthful Love for magic much like Harry's helps fuel his soul into arguably the most important of the blades.
2011 Bitten by Books Q&A
How can Kusanagi be a Sword of the Cross when it predates the crucifixion?
Because the Swords are ideas and symbols as much as they are physical objects–maybe even more so. Kusanagi isn’t the original Kusanagi, Exaclibur isn’t the original Excalibur, etc. But their title, their /idea/ has been passed down from one generation to the next, much as the names of warships are passed down to the next generation of ships, with the new ship inheriting the titles, victories, and traditions of its forbears. The nails are passed on from one sword to the next, bringing bits of the metal of each sword that came before.
(As a loose interpretation of how the ritual would go down using the general 'five elements' magic Harry works with i'd see it as such: The Gold represents the Earth, Frankincense is Fire, Myrrh is Water, Soulfire as the unseen 'essence' for Air and either the Grace of the Archangel or Jesus' blood as the 'spirit'. This of course does not preclude a more simple working on their part or that such a model had to occur at all, just that for posterity I decided to use what was 'on-hand' and how it might be ok).
The Three Wise Men would then set out with their blades, keeping them safe until such time as the one they visited as an infant lay dead on the Cross. They take the Nails and re-work the Blades into the now known Swords of the Cross, 'closing the circle' on their mission so to speak before setting out to find their first worthy Knights.
(The above is a bit of a 'prequel edit' as its an idea I came up with a good deal after this whole WAG was shared, but added as I felt it fit in nicely with the whole 'ancient story' here.)
The Swords of the Cross
(http://difficultrun.nathanielgivens.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014-09-29-Michael-Carpenter.png)
Three legendary blades affixed with the Nails from the crucifixion of Jesus the Nazarene. Amoracchius, the Sword of Love, Esperacchius, the Sword of Hope and Fidelacchius, the Sword of Faith. It has been theorized that each of these blades has an angelic guardian, or custodian. Michael gifted Esperacchius to Sanya, the Prince of Host representing the blade of Hope seems to fit nicely. Gabriel is believed to have been the Archangel who used Murphy, temporarily, as a vessel at CI. The Trumpeter, decrying the LoON's as 'false gods' and pretenders befits his station, and the sword such beliefs would tie into; faith. Finally we have Uriel, friend to Michael. The Watchman is the least heralded of all the Archangels, but does he fit well with the sword of Love?
If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
The underlined portion could be taken to view Love as ever present, unyielding, supportive of all the other traits and yet the least appreciated. Much like a Watchman standing guard.
But that leaves us one Nail short. What of Raphael, the Demon Binder, who takes tasks upon his own shoulders? Surely as an archangel he would warrant such representation on earth as well. How then do we reconcile for lacking a final nail and the conspicuous missing sword?
Durendal
(http://photos.swordsfromspain.com/martoswords/marto/catalog/photos/photossmall/5221_3.jpg)
Once again our old friend Charlemagne comes back into play:
According to the Song of Roland, the sword is brought by an angel to Charlemagne, who gives it to Roland.
In The Song of Roland, the sword is said to contain within its golden hilt one tooth of Saint Peter, blood of Saint Basil, hair of Saint Denis, and a piece of the raiment of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to be the sharpest sword in all existence. In the poem, Roland uses the sword to hold off a hundred-thousand-strong Muslim army long enough for Charlemagne's army to retreat into France
Well now, that is certainly a high concentration of 'holy power' to bring life a fourth sword no? Equal to a Nail. The Sword of Endurance. So now we have our missing power source.
Roland attempted to destroy the sword to prevent it from being captured by the attacking Saracens and created La Brèche de Roland in the Pyrenees in the process. But Durandal proved indestructible, so he hid it beneath his body along with the oliphant, the horn used to alert Charlemagne
Swords like this can only be broken under certain conditions. Roland could not do it. Some legends say the blade is still embedded in a cliff wall in France somewhere, but what if it simply had another destiny awaiting it?
Curtana
According to the legend, it bore the inscription "My name is Cortana, of the same steel and temper as Joyeuse and Durendal.
(https://stresseffect.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/sword-of-mercy1.jpg)
Fast forward 300 years give or take. Edward the Confessor is overseeing the last days of Anglo-saxon reign in England. He carries with him a famous blade in its own right, the Sword of Mercy. He lived until 1066 A.D. If that year sounds familiar to you it ought to, the Battle of Hastings occurred later that very year. And with it, the ascension of Mab.
But what makes these two blades one in the same? Let us re-examine for a moment Corinthians:
If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
These could very easily be taken as aspects of 'mercy' and endurance...both versions of the Sword within the same sentence of Corinthians. We have interpreted the final line about love being the greatest of all to have a hidden waypoint back to the three Swords of the Cross. Thanks to Thomas and Harry's discussion in Blood Rites:
“You can have everything in the world, but if you don't have love, none of it means crap," he said promptly. "Love is patient. Love is kind. Love always forgives, trusts, supports, and endures. Love never fails. When every star in the heavens grows cold, and when silence lies once more on the face of the deep, three things will endure: faith, hope, and love."
And the greatest of these is love," I finished. "That's from the Bible."
First Corinthians, chapter thirteen," Thomas confirmed. "I paraphrased. Father makes all of us memorize that passage. Like when parents put those green yucky-face stickers on the poisonous cleaning products under the kitchen sink.”
Thomas admits to paraphrasing, if we re-examine the Corinthian text from earlier, we see a slight different listing:
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Between the two gives us representation of all blades, known and theorized.
Love Trusts. In other words, Faith. Fidelacchius.
Love Hopes. Esperacchius
Love Forgives and perseveres. Mercy and Endurance. Durendal and Curtana.
The Sword of Mercy has a broken blade, which is cut off short and square. In 1236, the weapon was given the name curtana and has since been used for royal ceremonies. In ancient times it was a privilege to bear this sword before the king. It was considered a merciful gesture. The story surrounding the breaking of the weapon is unknown, but mythological history indicates that the tip was broken off by an angel to prevent a wrongful killing.
Durendal has made its way to England. But what events could have caused the unmaking of such a blade? Who would have been of such importance that they needed defending from an angel? Much like Murphy wielding the Sword of Faith against a 'helpless' Nicodemus, we see that may only have been history repeating itself. The most important person to come out of Hastings was the target. The future Queen of Air and Darkness...Mab.
Hastings
(http://www.angelfire.com/mb2/battle_hastings_1066/clovellhastingscolorrough.jpg)
She gave me an oblique look. "I have not exchanged words with my sister since before Hastings."
Titania Cold Days
A major confluence of events surrounds this battle. A changing of the guard as it were. Clearly such a battle in the DV would have had supernatural influence on both sides considering the known outcomes. We know Mab ascends to power and the responsibility of the Gates falls to her. According to Odin the Jotuns 'retreated' from their duties. Many have come to ascribe this to being the original guardians of the Outer Gates. What if it was to lend their support to William the Conqueror's campaign?
Certainly the Unmaker would have noticed, full WAG here: Sarissa (http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,44130.720.html)
The reason I bring this up is because the WAG I made based off of Quantus' leads me to wonder if Mother Winter intended all along to have her two daughters take power in both of the Courts. We don't know for sure when Mother Summer abdicated but we know Mab rose to power during Hastings, 1066. The last time she exchanged words with Titania, possible because she too ascended but to Summer. And so as the most experienced Fae left after Mother Summer's abdication, Mother Winter might very well have foreseen the need of her other daughter to fill a void in Summer...
A separate idea has been presented regarding the idea that Mab was the FIRST Queen of Winter. In a way that could very well lend credence to the idea that Mother Summer abdicated at this time. Mother Winter saw the Jotuns failing at the Gates. Winter was poised to take over and indeed Mab curried many favors, (such as Anduriel), during her initial take over of the defense at the Gates. Hastings was in some ways a signal that the old guard was in need of replacing by the new. IF Mother Winter created the Queen mantle and gave it to Mab...it is not so unlikely that as a new Mother Summer came to be, Mother Winter could have convinced her to appoint Titania as the Queen of Summer. Knowing as they both would the dangers and responsibilities necessary to maintain the defense of the Gates, the Mothers would know that should Mab ever falter she would need a check. So Mother Summer would in the aspect of balance create the Queen mantle for her Court, and Mother Winter would offer Titania for the role, Mab's own sister, to be her counterpart in all the ways they might have been in another life.
The Fae throw their hat into the ring on the side of the English to counter the Jotuns. But as we often see in the DV, not everything goes as smoothly as one would hope.
Merlin
(http://fdzeta.com/subir/images/TLYiq.jpg)
Lets take one more step back and outline the idea Merlin gained angelic Grace:
Raphael likely gave Merlin his Grace to create Dudael/Demonreach at the end of Merlin's "lifetime". Once Merlin finished, he would have to be imprisoned in Dudael to preserve its existence; if he died, then his workings with the Grace might be undone, thus making it pointless. So everything that formed Merlin's living legend would have to have occurred before that point. We know Merlin was still active around 400 A.D., moving the remnants of the WCW from Rome. Assuming he had already aged a bit before he got the Dudael job, it could have been commissioned anywhere in his extended wizard's lifetime, between 400 A.D. to 800 A.D.
HOWEVER, Merlin created the prison at five times. The earliest of the five times was likely when Raphael was tasked by TWG to create Dudael to hold Azazel, the leader of the fallen Grigori. That occurred sometime before the Great Flood, as part of its purpose was to flush away the half-breeds sired by the Grigori. If that's the case, then Raphael's Grace was tied up in the prison for millenia before Merlin's lifetime. Since before most of human history.
HOWEVER, part of the Archangel/SwordSponsor theory is that it's not consciously done. Since none of the SotC stopped working when Uriel gave up his Grace to Michael, it seems to imply that either the swords aren't sponsored by the Archangels, none of them are powered by Uriel, or the sponsorship isn't inherent to the bearer of the mantle consciously enabling it. In the latter case, a Raphael sword could exist beyond Merlin taking up the Grace. But that leaves the question as to where it is now, and some other explanation of why it's not active.
My own WAG from some time ago gives a slightly different reasoning FOR Merlin's speculated imprisonment on DR, but neither one needs to be mutually exclusive of the other...full WAG here: Morgana (http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,43809.0.html)
This comes up as part of the discussion within the Aurora topic regarding the spread of Nemesis and another contributor postulated the notion of Morgana being the 'patient zero' for Nemesis. Certainly she was well known for pushing the boundaries of 'natural' magic, Nemesis seems like the perfect sort of being with which to ally herself with OR be taken over by. She has been portrayed as Merlin's former lover, sister, apprentice...perhaps she was driven down a path that allowed for her infection?
...
The two theories tie in together in this way, supposing Merlin when setting up Demonreach was already well aware of the Outsiders attempted influence on the world, perhaps because the original battle was between Morganna and himself over the opening of the Outer Gates. Merlin is stronger than Morgana but she is cunning and infects Merlin with a strain of Nemesis in her final act before being blown to kingdom come. Merlin now has a choice, roll the dice and see if he can resist the strain on his own, (the info on Nemesis is already sketchy at best, during his time would likely even be more so if there was any to be had at all), OR use the handy prison that he had created to seal away all those Nightmares that would have been kicking in his day and as a final act, place himself in holding. Maybe he constructed the prison BECAUSE he became infected, maybe those nightmare's were allied with or even summoned by Morgana?
Merlin created the prison in five different times. But his arch nemesis has to be dealt with. If Morgana either summoned, aligned herself with or otherwise wanted to free the beings in the Well Merlin would have to fight her. For the sake of this WAG we will postulate the beings were already around...perhaps Morgana did indeed summon them over the course of her life and Merlin has been 'putting out the fires' each time. But in spite of having locked all her allies away by the time he is finished, Merlin would have expended most, if not all of the Grace. Not to mention if sealing himself away was in part necessary due to being out first case of N-fection how could he have reasonably fought Morgana off? Well as luck, or foresight would have it Merlin picked up a handy tool...the Blackstaff.
The Ultimate WAG
Are you all excited? You better be :D
Edward the Confessor is dead. His blade likely passing to the last 'ruler' Harold II Godwinson (how's THAT for a surname? :P ) With the help of Durendal and the Fae, Harold can see victory over the upstart William and his forces. But Mother Winter is no fool, this battle is not like the ones in the days of Charlemagne and the Sword will not avail Harold here. The Gates still need defending and the Jotuns have abandoned their post. Winter is poised to take responsibility and control. But to do so requires knowledge, access and 'permission'...a willing of the task away on the part of the Aesir.
Enter changeling Mab. The supernatural forces aiding the forces of England are his only hope at being outnumbered by some 3,000 troops and much more in the way of cavalry/archers. But while most of the Fae are there in earnest to aid Harold, Mab has a secret agenda. Mother Winter is this realities Destroyer by her own admission. She will be damned to see Outsiders come in and try to usurp her role or the future of this reality. She has commissioned her daughter to meet in secret with the Jotuns. Mab will gain the trust and love of Harold as his consort in order to become close to the events. In exchange for the 'keys to the kingdom' and control of the Outer Gates, Mab will provide William vital information on the movements of the army. Harold intends to 'surprise' William at Hastings but scouts find his army and are able to alert William. That 'scout' is none other than Mab.
Mab did not turn around. When she spoke her voice had something in it I had never heard before and never heard again-uncertainty. Vulnerability.
"I was mortal once, you know." she said, very quietly.
Cold Days
Mab is not speaking only of her daughter but of days gone by...before she was forced to betray the man she loved and ascend to the role she never truly wanted. Mother Winter promises her after she secures the Gates for Winter she and Harold may live in peace and love together away from Winter for the rest of their days. But the Unmaker knows well and good her daughter is vital to holding the Gates...and she knows as well that she doesn't have to break her promise to Mab, as the future Queen of Winter will seal her own fate.
“Mab,” said Mother Winter in a tone of pure disgust, “is too much the romantic.”
Cold Days
Mab confesses but proclaims her love for Harold, and the deal she made. Harold is shocked at the betrayal. The young woman he had grown to trust, perhaps to love has unmade him. He draws the blade that after this day would be known as Curtana and goes in for the kill. This is the sword of endurance, and Harold's will to persevere is as strong as ever. The loss of willpower might unmake the blade, but anger will not. Only the power of an archangel can break the blade...but its custodian has bequeathed his Grace to another. And Harold is still a human being, the angels cannot interfere in a free willed act. Mab is going to die an iron death.
Until the blade tip is caught and broken, snapped by the fingers powered by archangelic Grace...by Merlin.
Merlin created Demonreach in five different times. The confluence of important events has led him, knowingly or not to 1066, where he has finished one round of Demonreach's creation. Merlin once had Amoracchius under his stewardship. He can feel the presence of a holy blade. He is also battling N-fection, held at bay by the Grace Raphael has given him in order to perform this task. But his connection to Nemesis allows him to gleam the events surrounding the Outer Gates and Hastings through Jotuns who have been infected and abandoned their posts to aid mortal warfare. And so he makes his way over to Hastings, led by the palpable feelings Durendal and Outsider magic would emit to him, and sees Harold about to kill this young changeling with it.
A free-willed mortal, acting with the Grace of an Archangel to further his own will to save Mab from a wrongful death. The Grace endures, Mab is saved and Durendal is unmade, its power broken and undone by Raphael's Grace. Without it Harold II has no hope of winning at Hastings. He would go on to die at the end of the battle, shot in the EYE.
“Little games of protocol are how one shows respect, especially to those with whom one does not get along famously well. It can be tedious, but generally is less trouble than a duel would be.”
Odin Skin Game
The hooded figure of Odin smiles his wolfish smile and walks away after loosing the arrow, a fitting example to Harold about the price one pays for true wisdom.
Endearing himself to Winter who he will soon have a valuable alliance with. With Sigrun at his side to help ferry those worthy fallen in this battle to Valhalla, the Aesir's time as active guardians is done. But he isn't the only one. Whether foreseen by Mother Winter or not, Merlin's interference has saved her daughter. A debt is owed. Merlin is not yet done with his task, but neither is he foolish. He knows he cannot defeat Morgana after building Demonreach and expending all that Grace, especially when it has been holding Nemesis at bay. But another weapon exists that could aid him in his task, Mother Winter's walking stick. As repayment for the debt Merlin is gifted the Blackstaff. So long as Merlin lives the Blackstaff is his to aid in the 'protection of humanity' much as he protected Mab.
Merlin returns to his work and finishes Demonreach. Morgana, sensing all the dark power ripe for the taking has decided to press the issue and attack. Battling and hammering at Merlin, trying to take advantage of what she perceives to be his weakened condition after infecting him with Nemesis. But what she does not know is Merlin now wields the Blackstaff, a tool that keeps its user safe not only from the effects of Black Magic, but it also suppresses Nemesis in much the same way. Merlin defeats Morgana and locks himself away in Demonreach in order to keep his Nemesis riddled self from ever unmaking the prison, as well as sealing the magic into permanence as needed for the Grace to endure.
But before he does so, he gifts the Blackstaff to his own White Council. Knowing at the end of the day the threat Nemesis presents and Mother Winter's limited ability to act on this Earth both go against them. So he creates the office of the Blackstaff, the Council needs such a flexible option to deal with the enemies of reality. He still lives within the confines of DR and so his deal with MW remains valid, humanity needs protecting so long as he lives. MW very much wants her walking stick back, Merlin could not have realized how vital it was to the even limited actions she COULD take on earth. But a deal is a deal.
Mab, heartbroken and jaded ascends to Winter Queen shortly thereafter. Her past and the task ahead of her has forged the Queen of Air and Darkness for all of time to come. And she never forgets, and she never forgives...but always she endures like the blade that almost ended her life.
Mac (transubstantiated Raphael) is now 'out of the game' retiring to a quiet life thru the ages as a beer-o-mancer. Perhaps Merlin is able to place him in a time right after Demonreach's final creation in order to remain ever vigilant on the outside, otherwise known as present day Chicago where his previous acts and deeds gain him Accorded Neutral Ground status.
The Sword of Mercy is broken, its time done. The Swords of the Cross will take up the battle for the rest of their time while Curtana becomes a symbol during English coronations, an example that a simple act of mercy can change the world.
*Roll credits to the tune of Carry on My Wayward Son*
{disclaimer. I wrote this for several hrs last night till almost three in the morning. At 85% completion my internet 'dropped' and since I was too stupid to save any of this, I lost it. My router and computer have since been enjoying their time in a firepit. :-X}
Reference Links:
Famous Swords. (http://imgur.com/gallery/5jQLz) Some real interesting little backstories for other possible incarnations of the Holy Swords.
Durendal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durendal)
Curtana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtana)
Hastings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hastings)
Three Wise Men (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi#Gifts)
Star (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_Bethlehem#Fulfillment_of_prophecy)
Thaumatergy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaumaturgy)
Much obliged to all who enjoyed ;)
(http://iwritearticle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/merlin2.jpg)
EDIT: It has been brought up that we already had a legend to Durandel in the DV:
"Excalibur, Durendal, and Kusanagi, yes, yes," Sir Stuart said, his tone a little impatient. "Of course I know the Swords of the Cross. And the little blond woman has two of them?"
My contention is this sword, while not a sword of the cross, WAS on a similar level represented by Raphael. But the sword is 'lost' after the time of Roland. What if the church did in fact lose track of it, unbeknownst to them it would find its destiny in later centuries...but the story of Durandel is too important a representation to lose hold of. It has its own legend of being created with 'holy relics' within its hilt...why not simply re-purpose the legend for one of the Swords they still had knowledge of, one that did not yet have its own legend like Excalibur or Kusangi...Esperacchius :)
Case in point, Harry's reaction to the knowledge:
I just stared at the burly shade for a long second. I'd found what amounted to a rumor that Amoracchius was, in fact, the same sword given to King Arthur, but I hadn't ever heard anything about the other two— despite some fairly exhaustive research over the years. The shade had dropped their identities as if they were everyday knowledge.
Harry has a gift for research but in all that time never came across Kusangi or Durendal...now this doesn't preclude him from not having looked in the right places, but these are legends after all. Durandel had a pretty specific legend already, much like the information on Shagnasty being 'anecdotal' I see no reason to believe the legend and 'mantle' of Durandel could not have been re-distributed ;) Especially coupled with the systematic 'purging' Nicodemus does on the Church and their records ever few centuries, its rather easy to lose track of important information.
It should be noted Ogiers the Dane wielded a sword named Cortana, another paladin of Charlemagne at the same time as Roland. But the history is very vague surrounding him and whether the same Curtana of later English years is in fact meant to be the same blade...the inscription it is purported to have on it might lend some credence to that.