Asacat – The Start of Something Big, Amurlate Ch. 2
Summary: The adventures of Merlin’s apprentice Amurlate and his magical panther Long Claw.
Archival Note from The Jewel Riders Archive: This story is presented as it was originally published on Stormy’s “Avalon” fan site in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is presented for archival purposes and for the enjoyment of the Jewel Riders fandom. If you are the author of this story and wish to have it removed from the Jewel Riders Archive (or wish to share more!) please email us at archivist@jewelridersarchive.com. Happy Reading!
By Asacat, asticorp@netnitco.net
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Gwen, places her hand on the wishing jewel. “With the power of the Sunstone and the crown jewel of Avalon; I add the magic of the Wishing Jewel. May these powers combined, guide it owner to us now.
A bright florescent blue light swirls around the room for a few seconds startling everyone. The light disappears leaving a large unconscious purple panther and an unconscious hooded man. The gang looks at each other not knowing what to do.
Fallon after a few minutes. “Gwen is this who we’re looking for?”
Gwen, slowly. “I hope so. Stay powered-up just in case.”
Archie, in hysterics. “No one has ever seen pictures or heard of him before, I really don’t like that large panther laying there.”
Gwen. “Just stay cool Archie”
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Morgana rises from the throne a worried look creeps over her face. “Kale! Some one has accessed the wild magic’ power.”
Kale. “Jewel Riders no doubt.”
Morgana. “But what would the need in the wild magic.”
Kale. ” I don’t know. But I’m sure they are up to no good.
Morgana. “You better watch the Heartstone girl more closely.
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After some rest the stranger in the hooded cloak starts to move. His eyes try to focus in the room’s light. His lungs breathe in the dry air.
Amurlate. [“Long Claw are you there, Where are we?].”
Long Claw.[“Here, some what….We have human visitors.
Amurlate starts to stand. He attempts to focus his eyes. One unicorn with royal markings, one with feather wings an owl, and two human girls. His eyes catch their jewels.
Amurlate bows to them. “Merlin’s Jewel Riders, I am both honored and grateful to you.”
Gwen and Fallon look at each other bewildered.
Amurlate continues. “What could I do for the great Merlin of Avalon.”
Gwen, pointing to each. “I am Gwenevere with Sunstar, and this is Fallon with Moondance. And this is Archie the owl. Are you Amurlate the great wizard?”
Amurlate lifts off his hood and smiles; they see a scared face and eyes with no pigment in them, long unkempt blond hair. “Yes, I am he who you seek, and this is my companion, Long claw.
Gwen. “We need you help in saving our friend from Kale and Morgana.”
Amurlate. “Sadly to say, I can not offer any assistance to you at your quest, for I have no jewel. It was lost to the mists when I was thrown into the wild magic.”.
Gwen smiles taking a stone out of her pocket. “Is this your Jewel?”
Amurlate looks and smiles. “Yes Gwenevere, it is.”
A shutter suddenly comes over Amurlate as he remembers. “Merlin must be warned of the attack!”
Fallon. “Attack, what attack?”
Amurlate. “Morgana is going to attack King Arthur and Merlin. With a band of evil wizards and her Darkstone. I alone escaped from her, so I could bring Merlin this message.”
Gwen confused. “King Arthur has died long ago. Merlin found out the plan. He and Jewel Riders of old banished Morgana and the other evil wizards. Peace developed for hundred of years. Now my father King Jarred and mother Queen Anya now sit on the throne. We are the Jewel Riders of present.
Amurlate. “And Morgana has came back?”
Gwen. “My aunt Kale found the Darkstone of Morgana. She has our friend Tamara in a trance. She is also a Jewel Rider, she carries the Heartstone.”
Amurlate. ” I’ll try to help, I need to go to the Mists for my jewel to work properly.”
Fallon. “Why is that?”
Amurlate. “I’ll tell you later. Now we must save you friend Tamara.”
Gwen. “Let do it then.” Calls the gliders. “Gliders, we need your help, send us to the Mists.”
The group heads off to the Mist, led by the Gliders to recharge Amurlate stone. Amurlate is confused at the point of time that he is at. Although he feel confident with these Jewel Riders. But one problem remains his sister. Where is she? What is she? But, no time to worry about that now.
Long claw telepaths to Amurlate in catese. “[Amurlate, your sister is around, I can feel her. Here in this land, but far from us.]”
Amurlate tears in his eyes. “[I know, I felt her.]”
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Kale turns to Morgana who is siting on Kale throne. “Dawn is breaking and she is at the drawbridge.”
Kale senses something wrong with Morgana.
Morgana now rises from the throne. “The altar in the wild magic was two wizards that where trapped in it, they are now freed from it.”
Kale. “Who?”
Morgana shakes her head. “I can’t tell yet, but we need to hurry in our Jewel Rider take over.”
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Drake holds up his hand for the group to stop. “We dare not venture to close to Tamara. I will follow Tamara on foot, the rest of you, wait for my signal to advance.
Josh. “But you could fall into Kale’s’ trap.”
Drake. “I’ll have to take that chance guys.”
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Spike with noiseless feet in high in the trees to watch Tamara, who is below.
Spike “[Tamara, can you hear me.]” No response from Tamara.
A voice in Spikes head speaks catese. “[Little Brother run to the cave, help is coming. Go now.]”
Spike obeys the voice.
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The portal opens and Amurlate and group find themselves in a gray filled air.
Sunstar. “[I can’t see Gwen].”
Gwen pats Sunstar. “Easy Sunstar. What happened here, where is everyone, where are we?”
Amurlate. “Just a minute princess. Wishing Jewel, I call upon your power to let my friends see past the shroud of the Mist.”
Just at that time, the lands air became clear and easy to breath. The plants, greener then Gwen ever saw. The sky bluer, the water clearer. The land stretched for miles.
Amurlate, seeing everyone looking around in awe. “I am home at last. So do you like it?”
Gwen. “Its beautiful Amurlate. Simply adorable.”
Fallon, getting impatient. “It is nice, but we do have work to do, saving Tamara for one.”
Gwen. “Fallon’s right, so where do we begin.”
Amurlate. “First we need to distract Kale and Morgana. Second, we need to awaken Tamara from her trance. Third, replace Tamara’s Heartstone with a false one. And last, save her parents.”
Fallon. “That’s impossible to do.”
Amurlate. “Not if we work together as a team. Is that not what a Jewel Rider is all about?”
Fallon embarrassed. “Yea, something like that.”
Amurlate. “One last thing, before we go. Long Claw sensed a panther cub named Spike following Tamara, he has told it to hide in a cave not far. Do know of that name?”
Gwen. “That’s Tamara magical baby. How did you, well, know?”
Fallon. “We better get going.”
Amurlate holds up his jewel. “Wishing Jewel I command you to take us near Tamara. But, away from the dangers of the seeing eyes that seek her.”
The florescent blue light swirls around them and instantly transports them to the edge of the Thornwood forest. Just behind Drake.
Drake startled falls on his back. “What the ???” Gwen? Fallon? YOW, A PANTHER!”
Gwen tries not to laugh. “Quiet Drake. You’ll spoil the plan.”
Drake “Who is he?”
Amurlate. “My name is Amurlate, the wizard of the Mists. The princess and her friends have asked me to help them on this quest.”
Long Claw disappears into the forest leaving the others behind.
Gwen. “Long Claw disappeared on you. Is he ok?”
Amurlate. “He went to see Spike, Claw will watch over him. That’s how cats are you know, sticking to their plan. Anyway, for our distraction, watch this.”
Wishing Jewel here my command, fill this sky with your fog. Make it so none can see, except for friends of Tamara and me.”
A fog flows out of the Jewel, a thick fog. It covers every thing. The only thing visible is Tamara ahead. Gwen and the others run to her.
Gwen shakes Tamara. “Tamara, wake up.” Then turns to the group. “Jewel circle people.”
Drake, Fallon, and Tamara all hold up their jewels. Gwen. “May the power of our friendship restore Tamara to her true self, and the spell upon her be removed forever.”
Drake, Fallon, Gwen. “All right Jewel Power.”
Tamara “What happen, where am I?”
Gwen comes over and hugs her. “Its ok we’re here now.”
Archie. “Good going, Amurlate.”
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Morgana. “Now what happen!”
Kale. “Some kind of fog has come over the land, and I can’t see a thing.”
Morgana. “Then get rid of it. Use the jewel. We can’t loose her.”
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Amurlate. “Now Tamara, you must act as if you are in a trance and go to the castle. Follow their instructions. Drake and Gwen will follow you. Give Gwen your Heartstone for safe keeping. I will give you a false Heartstone to take with you. You must freely give up this false stone for our plan to work.”
Tamara, looks at Gwen. “Gwen?”
Gwen. “We can trust him.”
Tamara hands Gwen her Heartstone. Gwen lets Amurlate examine the jewel.
Amurlate. “Wishstone hear my command, change your shape into the Heartstone Jewel. Then place me inside your domain till the proper time.” Looks at Gwen. ” We begin now.
Amurlate vanishes into the jewel, the fog lifts, Gwen and Drake take cover, and Tamara heads to the castle.
Drake signals Max and Josh to him, gives the sign to be quiet and to follow.
Gwen. “Here’s our part. Fallon, Max, Josh, and Archie, stay at the castle entrance. Sunstar and Moondance will have to stay outside along with Thunder, Storm and Shadow. If we run into trouble we’ll call.”
Fallon. “Are you sure, Gwen.”
Gwen nodding. “Let’s do it.”
Everyone raises their jewel. “Jewel Power.”
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Kale. “The fog has lifted Morgana. What’s going on!”
Morgana. “Hmm fog, where have I seen that before?”
Kale. “The Heartstone girl approaches.”
Tamara plays her trance well. Kale and Morgana notice nothing unusual.
Morgana. “Welcome to Thornwood Castle my dear Rider.” Looks at Kale. “Bring her parents here. I want them to see this.”
Tamara glances a look at her parents. “My name is Tamara, what do you want of me?”
Morgana holds out her hand. “Your jewel for your parents.”
Tamara repeats. “The Jewel for parents.”
Morgana. “Now repeat after me, Tamara.” I Tamara, freely surrender and give this jewel to the one called Morgana.”
Again Tamara repeats the chant. The jewel flies off the waist of Tamara and into Morgana’s hand. Tamara falls to the ground and weeps. Her Parents are shocked and perplexed.
Morgana. “Kale get rid of them, the jewel is ours now. They pose no threat to us. Let them find the other Jewel scum. So we can grab their Jewels as well.”
Kale with the Darkstone dump Tamara and her parents outside into the Thornwood forest.
Tamara, seeing her parents scared. “Don’t worry guys its ok, it’s planned this way.”
Morgana hold the jewel. “Now my Heartstone time to do my biding. By the magic of the Heartstone.”
The Magic swirls around Morgana. “Success, HA HA”.
The magic swirling stops but no Jewel Armor appears on Morgana, she looks at her self, but finds no changes at all. She then looks up and sees a figure standing against the wall.
Amurlate, the Wishing stone flies to him. “Pretty cool trick, there isn’t.”
Morgana focuses her eyes. “Amurlate? Yes it must be, my little thief.”
Amurlate, mockingly. “Long time, no see, dear mother.”
Morgana. “Then you finally admit to it?”
Amurlate “I admit that at one time you where my mother and my sister was my twin. But we have gone separate ways, I to truth, and you and Marlana to evil.”
Morgana, gives a slow smile. “So you still are a rebel, are you. Then hear this, your sister has come to me. I have given her permission to hunt you down. Kneel to me now and give me your oath and I will call it off.”
Amurlate. “Never will I join you, ever.”
Morgana. “Pity, I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this. Then the hunt starts NOW.
Morgana rises from the throne, lifts her hands, then disappears.
Kale, raises her jewel. “Since Morgana didn’t take care of you, I will.”
Gwen and Drake come out of the shadows. “Hold it right there, Aunt Kale.”
Kale, dismayed. “Leave my castle princess, you and all your friends.”
The group leaves Castle Thornwood, without a fight. But a doomed Amurlate is under the curse of the hunt.
Gwen looks at Amurlate with pity. “Don’t worry, we can help you, come to the Crystal Palace. There you will be safe until we can figure something out.”
Amurlate, bows. Thanks princess, I will follow you to the Palace, but I will not be able to stay long. My sister will be able to locate me every time I use my jewel.”
Drake. “We better leave then.”
The two parties rejoining with each other and decide to take the long way home. They fear that using the Travel Trees may give their location away.
Night has fallen. Every one has gone to bed. Amurlate stops at Tamara’s door. He knocks at the door. “Tamara, may I speak to you a second.”
Tamara opens the door. “What’s, up?”
Amurlate. “Don’t worry about Spike, Long Claw will watch over him. He has given me his word.”
Tamara places a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks, I mean, for everything.”
Amurlate leaves Tamaras door and heads to his room down the hall. A feeling of happiness warms his heart. Sleep over comes.
Fin.
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