Arthur slept restlessly. Waking up in his tent in the wee dark hours of the morning, Arthur lit a candle by the bedside. He felt a need to discuss his worries with his prophet, the sorceress Nyynnwe. He walked out of his tent, went to hers, and found her awake. By the candle's light, he saw she was chewing her lip.
"What's troubling you?" he asked.
"I've had a vision, a bad one. I'm afraid I have bad news for you and you will have to make an impossible decision with no hope of a good outcome."
"Nonsense! You told me you foresaw my campaign in Gaul would be unsuccessful and it was just the opposite. The Romans fled from me. I will rule the entire civilized world one day! Merlin prophesied this long ago."
Nyynnwe said nothing. Arthur rubbed his beard, thinking. He said, "Tell me what you saw in this vision."
"Merdraud has forged a message from Bedivere, saying you died in a battle here in Gaul. Maglocunus finally succumbed to old age. He died of heart failure. Merdraud has claimed the title of High King of Britannia and is married to Guinevere, even though they both know it's bigamy. They have been living together as man and wife ever since you left Camelot. She is not faithful to him any more than she was to you but she has him under her spell just as she did you. He is in love with her and turns a blind eye to her affairs."
Arthur scowled. "Are you certain of this one?"
Nyynnwe nodded, "Yes, and there's more. You will return to your palace in Camelot and try to straighten things out, won't you?"
Arthur pounded his fist on the bed. "That ungrateful little bastard! Yes, by god, I will straighten him out. Who does he think he is, trying to take my place? I will have him sent into exile in a monastery."
Nyynnwe shook her head sadly. "No dear Arthur, that's not what I foresee happening. When Merdraud learns you are returning, he will ride out to meet you, leading an army larger than yours, forged from an alliance of all your enemies: Irish, Scots, Picts, British Christians loyal to him, and Anglish mercenaries. It will be the largest battle in the history of Britannia, even larger than Badon Hill was."
"But I will triumph, as I always have. I will put down this rebellion. I will get the crown back from my bastard son!"
Nyynnwe grimaced. "This is your vanity speaking. I warned you. You lost that crown forever when you left Britannia five years ago. There will be no winners in this battle. Your army and Merdraud's army will destroy each other. You will both die in the battle. As a result, Britannia will fall back into the chaos that reigned before you became Dux Britannia. Every little town and village will have its own petty tyrant as king and they will all war with each other until finally the Angles will return and conquer Britannia for all time."
Arthur's shoulders slumped in defeat. "This is the worst prophecy I've ever heard from you. It contradicts Merlin's original prophecy when he told me I would defeat the Anglish and rule Britannia. Is there nothing I can do to make this prophecy not come true?"
Nyynnwe nodded. "There is. Prophecies can be tricksy. Merlin never said you would rule Britannia forever. You did defeat the Anglish at Badon Hill and ruled a united Britannia for more than two decades. That was a great feat that will be remembered in British and Anglish history books for millennia and more. Stay in Gaul. Become the High King of Gaul instead of Britannia. Forget about your treasonous son and your faithless wife. I will be your queen and bear you a loving son."
Arthur was shocked. He had no idea Nyynnwe had any romantic feelings toward him. He always enjoyed the attention of a pretty woman and wouldn't mind bedding Nyynnwe but he was suspicious of her intentions. He remembered how she had seduced Merlin, tricked him into teaching her all his magic, and ultimately used magic against him to trap him in his crystal cave so she could become the greatest sorcerer in the world.
Arthur thought, "Perhaps she is manipulating me now."
Arthur shook his head. "No. That I cannot do. I'm very fond of you but I must be honest, I don't love you. I think I have always loved Morganna and now I deeply regret having set her aside for Guinevere. It's too late for such regrets now. Morganna is married to King Lot. However, I am British. I must have my united kingdom of great Britannia back and I will have my revenge on Merdraud and Guinevere for her infidelity and his treasonous betrayal."
"I foresaw this is what you would decide to do, despite my vision and warning. I have decided I will stay with you and help you as much as I can, even though I don't foresee a good outcome. I will try to keep you alive. I do love you Arthur."
~~~
Satan's most recent creation was Sitri who was a winged Demon with the head of a leopard but the body of a Human man. He was able to put on the appearance of a beautiful man or woman and was created to inflame the males and females of Avalon and the base world with unquenchable lust. He had the power to command them to remove their clothing and show themselves naked in public.
Several years before Arthur's return to Camelot, Sitri went to Guarnob, the Dark One and said."I request permission to visit the base world, Master."
"Permission denied," replied the Dark One. "Satan wants us to wait until he deems we have sufficient Lesser Demons to launch an attack on Avalon before any of us go wandering away from the Isle of the Damned, giving away our presence here to the Elves. Besides, we are creatures of Otherworld, not the baseworld. Our mission is here only."
Sitri nodded. "I know this is true but I have a thought I want to share with you. You know the Demon named Gaap has the sight of all things past, present, and future, in both worlds. He told me he sees the human war leader of the British, the one they call Arthur Pendragon, coming here to Otherworld to live in Avalon. Gaap says he will wield the flaming sword once again and will lead Elves and Humans to war against us. He says this Arthur person is a real threat to all of us, not to be taken lightly."
Guarnob snarled, baring his fangs. "Is that all, or do you have more things to waste my time?"
Sitri shook his head. "Let me finish please oh Great One. Satan said we are not to go to Avalon without his permission and I won't, not really. You said you don't want to give away our presence to the Elves and Humans yet, and I won't, I promise.
"My plan is to go forth in the form of a beautiful Human man. No one will know I am a Demon. I will fly to Avalon in the dark. The Elves' Gryphons never fly in the dark, so I won't be spotted. As soon as I drop to the ground, I will transform myself into my Human male shape. I will land near the portal and go through quickly. Once on the other side, I will make my way to a village in Powys named Camelot.
Guarnob shook a sharp talon at him. "And what mischief have you planned to do there? So far I don't like the sound of this."
Sitri continued unabashed. "Arthur has taken a mistress named Guinevere. He keeps her in his house in Camelot and visits her there often to fornicate with her. He has fallen in love with her and has sent his sister-wife, Morganna Le Fey, away. He sent her to live in a house far to the north in the kingdom of Gorre in Gwynedd with their son, Merdraud. I will seduce Guinevere in order to plant seeds of doubt about her in Arthur's mind.
"I will also give her feelings which will make her be inflamed with an unquenchable lust. Gaap says she intends to be faithful to Arthur and wants to marry him. I will make her lust such that she will not be able to remain faithful. Gaap said he foresees such unfaithfulness on her part being the cause of Arthur's downfall and death. I can arrange things so Arthur will never come to Otherworld with his magic sword."
Guarnob pulled back, his heavy upper eyelids raised in surprise. "I begin to think your idea is not so bad after all Sitri. I have underestimated the extent of your evilness. I grant you permission to pursue this quest and wish you good luck. However, if you are caught and revealed as a Demon, will you vow to me that you will not reveal the types and numbers of Demons in Otherworld?"
Sitri put a fist to his chest. "I do so vow Great Master."
It was already dark when Sitri finally left Guarnob's lair so he immediately spread his wings and began the long flight over to the Isle of Avalon. It was a lonely flight with nothing but stars for company but Sitri didn't care. His mind was filled with delicious thoughts of how much fun it would be to pervert Guinevere.
Six hours later he landed close to the doorway to Baseworld. He immediately changed shape into the form of a male Elf. He knew this would make him be the least conspicuous should anyone spot him. Quickly he passed through the doorway and found himself on the small island in the middle of a large lake in Northern Britannia. He quickly transformed himself into his natural Demon form so he could fly to the mainland.
Upon landing again after a short flight, he once again transformed himself, this time into the form of a beautiful Human male.
He thought, "All this shapeshifting has tired me. I think I will lay down here and take a nap before resuming my quest."
When he woke next the sun was directly overhead shining brightly down into his eyes. He shielded them with his hands and looked around. It appeared no one had seen him in this remote area of Northern Britannia. This was a good thing because he was naked and Gaap had informed him nudity was not acceptable in most of the realms of Baseworld. He would need to find clothes quickly.
He walked southeast, in the direction where he was told he could find Camelot. It was a long walk and he cursed his human wingless form. In the late afternoon he came upon a small farm. He hid in nearby bushes and watched as the housewife went about her chores. She milked a cow and then brought clothing from the house to wash in a tub full of water she drew from the well. After washing the clothes she hung them on a line. Sitri was pleased to see some of the clothing was a man's and looked to be his size. So far there was no sign of this man.
Moving closer to the woman as she hung the clothes up, he whispered to her, "Psssst. I need your help please fair maiden. I have been robbed and the thieves took all my clothing. I would be happy to barter with you for some of your husband's clothing."
The woman gave a small startled scream but didn't bolt for the house. She said, "Show yourself and tell me your name and nationality."
Sitri stepped out of the bushes. Not only was he naked, he was sporting a perfectly sized and shaped erection. He gestured at the woman, casting his spell of lust on her. He stroked his penis.
