Excalibur

I drew Excalibur from its sheath shakily, knowing I wasn’t worthy of gazing on such a sacred artifact. The gold around the hilt danced with swirls and gems, covered in diamonds. The sunlight hit each jewel perfectly, causing an array of colors sketched across the walls and windows of the room. The steel was like iron, and any story or scroll I had ever read over King Arthur was wrong. This sword was beyond description. From the iron hard steel to the extravagant tunes that danced from the hilt to the edge of each blade. I noticed the faint red tint to the sword, and I told the stories of each man that had died by this weapon. I could practically see each Saxon he had killed, standing in front of me with a stone cold gaze as the sword plunged deeply through their chest, the blood draining onto the polished steel of Excalibur. I looked at the sword once more, admiring the runes and the ancient language, desperate to know what they spoke of. I yearned to know the hidden message, perhaps it told of the sword’s fabled origins, or perhaps it was the name of each man that had wielded such a masterpiece. In that moment, I knew what was required of me. I walked out of my door and closed it behind me, staring at the shimmering lake in front of me. The lake spread for miles and miles, for I couldn’t dream of ever seeing where it ended. Just barely in my view, I could see the faint outline of an island that had remained undisturbed for centuries, nay, eons. Avalon. The familiar sight of the ancient, yet magical land warmed my heart as if it were on fire. I looked down to my hand, which was currently wrapped tightly around the hilt of Excalibur. I let out a deep breath, watching in fascination as it turned to mist in the air. Majestically, I lifted my arm as high as it would go, plunging the sword into the sunlight. Every angle of the sword was wrapped warmly in the sun’s embrace and I never wanted it to end, sensing the urgency of the moment. I knew I could no longer procrastinate and prolong this endless moment any further, so I gently drew my arm back as if to throw the sword, much like a pitcher would during a baseball game. With all the might I could muster within myself, I threw the sword with unmatchable force towards the water. Just before it hit the glimmering, enchanting waves, a small arm shot into the air, an ivory foresleeve only just visible from my stance. The Lady of the Lake. I smiled, my mouth soon dropping in awe as the sword landed perfectly in her grasp before sinking back towards the mysterious depths of the enchanted lake. For a second, and only that, I dreamt I had kept the sword. I longed to practice with it, to have my names written in the books. I wished to swing it to and fro, threateningly towards my enemies. My mind carried me to an alternative universe, full of war and bloodshed. I stood in the heat of battle, sweat drenching my face as I relaxed the death grip I had on my dagger. I man raced at me, but with a simple twist of my wrist, I flew to a small area of his gut that remained vulnerable and endangered himself to my weapon. I sunk in with a sickening thud. I wearily drew it from his carcass and wiped the blood off on my shirt. Unprepared, I was glued back into my sad reality, staring at the lake that now held the legendary sword, Excalibur.