Luke Becomes A Wizard

Luke, a clumsy young boy, is unexpectedly chosen as Merlin’s new apprentice. Magical mishaps become a daily occurrence, but the chaos peaks when Merlin goes on vacation, leaving Luke in charge of Camelot. Faced with an invasion, Luke accidentally shrinks the entire castle! He hides it from the invaders, and King Arthur, amused by the unintentional solution, decides that shrinking Camelot will be their secret weapon to avoid future battles.

Music by Alexander Nakarada

Transcript

Luke becomes a wizard.

In the quaint village of Camelot,

Where knights were noble and dragons were rumoured to be lurking behind every tree,

There lived a boy named Luke.

He had wild tousled hair that looked like it had been styled by a whirlwind,

And a smile that could brighten even the grumpiest of knights.

Despite his good nature,

Luke had one tiny flaw.

He was hopelessly clumsy.

Whether it was tripping over his own feet or accidentally spilling soup on a visiting noble,

Calamity seemed to follow him everywhere.

However,

Luke had a heart full of adventure and a head full of dreams.

He loved to spend his days exploring the lush green fields and the thick enchanted forests that surrounded Camelot,

Always hoping for something magical to happen.

One sunny afternoon,

While wandering deeper into the forest than he had ever did before,

Luke stumbled upon an old twisted tree that seemed to glow with an ethereal light.

Curious,

He approached it,

Peering closely at the gnarled bark.

The tree looked almost alive,

As if it were a creature itself.

There were two closed eyes nestled in the knots of the tree,

A prominent nose jutting out and a wide mouth that appeared to be in deep slumber.

Luke couldn't help but wonder if the tree was,

In fact,

Dreaming.

As he examined it closely,

An overwhelming urge to touch the tree's nose overcame him.

With a gentle reach,

He extended his hand,

With his fingertips barely brushing the bark.

Suddenly the tree's eyes snapped open,

Revealing bright emerald green eyes,

And a deep voice bellowed,

What are you doing?

Luke squealed in shock,

Stumbling backwards,

His heart racing.

I'm sorry,

He stammered,

Half expecting the tree to come crashing down upon him.

Instead,

The tree burst into laughter,

A sound that resonated through the forest like a merry wind chime.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

In a swirl of leaves and sparkling smoke,

The tree transformed before Luke's eyes.

Standing there was the renowned wizard Merlin,

Draped in robes that shimmered like the twilight sky.

His long beard flowed like a silver waterfall,

And his eyes sparkled with mischief.

Ah,

Young adventurer,

Merlin said,

A grin spreading across his face,

You've awakened me from my slumber.

It seems fate has brought us together.

Luke stood frozen for a moment,

Awe and excitement flooding through him.

Little did he know that this encounter would change his life forever.

You're Merlin,

Luke stammered,

Recognizing the wizard immediately.

I am indeed,

The wizard replied,

Smoothing down his long silver beard.

I am Merlin,

The most renowned wizard in all the land.

You're the one who helps King Arthur,

Luke stammered,

Still in awe.

Wow,

Can you do magic right now?

Why,

Yes,

I can perform magic,

Merlin said proudly.

He waved his wand,

And a shower of sparkling lights burst from the tip,

Dancing in the air before fading away.

See,

Spectacular,

Isn't it?

Wow,

That was amazing.

Can you turn me into a dragon?

Luke asked,

Practically bouncing on his toes.

Ah,

My young friend,

I certainly could,

But tell me,

Why would I want to do that?

Magic is not a plaything.

It is to be taken seriously.

It's not for mere entertainment.

A few weeks later,

Word began to spread through Camelot that Merlin was searching for a new apprentice.

The contest to become Merlin's new apprentice had drawn contestants from every corner of the kingdom.

Some were seasoned warriors with years of training.

Others were learned scholars who had studied magic from ancient tombs.

And a few were natural talents,

Brimming with magical potential.

The competition was fierce,

And the atmosphere buzzed with ambition.

Everyone knew that being Merlin's apprentice would be a life-changing honour,

One that promised power,

Wisdom,

And respect.

Among the hopefuls was Luke.

Unlike the others,

He wasn't fast,

Strong,

Or particularly clever.

His magical skills were limited,

And even when he tried to cast basic spells,

Something usually went wrong.

Still,

Luke had something that the others didn't,

An unwavering belief in helping others,

No matter the cost.

He didn't have dreams of glory or fame,

In fact he wasn't even sure why he had entered the contest,

But there was a part of him that knew if he gave his best,

Something good would come of it.

The contest began with a series of gruelling challenges designed to test strength,

Agility,

And wit.

The first task was a race through the Enchanted Forest,

A path that was filled with magical obstacles,

Snares,

Disappearing trails,

And mischievous forest creatures that tried to trip up the contestants.

Most of the competitors charged ahead,

Using their strength and magic to fight their way through,

Determined to finish first.

Luke however was slower than the rest,

And before long he'd found himself trailing behind.

As he rounded a bend in the forest,

He spotted one of their other contestants,

A young woman caught in a magical trap,

Her ankle twisted and her face contorted in pain.

She was desperately trying to free herself,

But the Enchanted finds tighted around her leg with every struggle.

The other contestants,

Too focused on their own progress,

Rushed past her without a second glance.

But Luke couldn't leave her behind.

He ran over to her,

His heart pounding.

Don't worry,

I'll get you out of here,

He said,

Kneeling beside her.

But you'll fall far behind,

She protested,

Her voice strained with pain.

It doesn't matter,

Luke replied with a kind smile,

I can't leave you like this.

Though he wasn't skilled in magic,

Luke had a knack for thinking on his feet.

He gently untangled the vines,

Careful not to trigger their magic further.

With some effort,

He freed the woman and helped her to her feet.

Can you walk?

He asked.

She nodded,

Wincing but grateful.

Thank you,

I'll be okay.

Without thinking twice,

Luke let her lean on him for support,

And together they made their way through the rest of the forest,

Though it took longer than it would have if he had continued on his own.

By the time they emerged from the forest,

Most of the other contestants had already completed the challenge.

Luke was near the back of the group,

But he didn't mind.

The woman,

Grateful for his help,

Smiled warmly at him before she went to tend to her injured leg.

The next challenge was a puzzle.

Each contestant had to solve a series of magical riddles to unlock a door and progress to the next stage.

The riddles were difficult,

And many contestants were stumped.

Some grew frustrated,

While others used brute force to try to break the locks.

Luke,

Though struggling himself,

Noticed another contestant,

A young boy,

Clearly nervous and out of his depth,

Staring blankly at his puzzle with no idea where to begin.

Luke sighed,

Knowing he was already behind,

But something in him refused to let the boy struggle alone.

He approached the boy,

Offering a warm smile.

Hey,

Need some help?

Luke asked.

The boy nodded miserably.

I don't understand any of this.

Luke sat down next to him and patiently explained the puzzle,

Guiding him through the logic behind the riddle.

Together they worked out the answers,

And when the boy finally unlocked his door,

His face lit up with joy.

Thanks,

Luke!

The boy exclaimed,

Before rushing off.

Luke,

Still working on his own puzzle,

Smiled to himself.

He may have been falling behind in the contest,

But it felt good to help someone.

That was more important to him than winning.

The final challenge took place in the grand courtyard of Camelot's Castle.

Each contestant was given a simple,

Seemingly ordinary task,

To carry a heavy stone up a steep cliff.

At first glance,

The task didn't seem magical at all,

But it quickly became clear that the stones were enchanted.

The further each contestant carried their stone,

The heavier it became,

Testing not only their physical strength,

But their determination and resilience.

The strongest contestants took off confidently,

Using all their might to push through the growing weight of the stone.

Some used their magic to try to lessen the burden,

But the enchantment made no magical shortcuts work.

As Luke lifted his stone,

He was immediately overwhelmed by its weight,

But he gritted his teeth and pressed on,

Determined to finish no matter how long it took.

Halfway up the hill,

Luke spotted another contestant,

An old man struggling under the immense weight of his stone.

The man's face was red with exertion,

And his legs trembled as he fought to stay upright.

It was clear he wouldn't be able to make it to the top on his own.

Luke paused,

His own stone was already unbearably heavy,

And he didn't know if he could carry much more,

But he just couldn't leave the man behind.

Setting down his stone for a moment,

Luke rushed over to the man's side.

Here,

Let me help you,

He offered.

The man shook his head,

Embarrassed.

You'll never make it if you help me,

Save your strength.

But Luke was determined.

He grabbed the man's stone,

And despite his aching muscles,

Carried both stones up the hill.

It was excruciating work,

And by the time he reached the top,

His body was trembling with exhaustion.

But he had done it.

Both stones were at the top,

And the older man was safe.

By the time Luke finished the challenge,

Most of the other contestants were already at the top of the hill,

Resting and congratulating themselves.

But when they saw Luke arrive,

Carrying not one,

But two stones,

They fell silent,

Watching in awe as he gently set the stones down and caught his breath.

Merlin,

Who had been watching the entire contest from a distance,

Approached the hilltop.

His eyes sparkled with approval as he looked at Luke,

Who was still painting from the effort.

You could have focused on your own task,

Luke,

But instead you helped others at every turn,

Merlin said,

His voice kind but firm.

Magic can be learned,

But compassion and selflessness,

Those are qualities that make a true wizard.

The crowd of contestants watched,

Stunned,

As Merlin placed a hand on Luke's shoulder.

Luke,

Merlin announced,

You may not have finished first in any of the tasks,

But you have shown me what it truly means to be an apprentice.

You understand that strength is not just about power,

And wisdom isn't just about knowledge.

You are kind,

Brave,

And you see the bigger picture.

Luke blinked,

Hardly believing what he was hearing.

But I didn't win any of the challenges,

He stammered.

Merlin chuckled.

You won the most important challenge of all.

You won the hearts of those around you.

And that,

Luke,

Is why I choose you to be my apprentice.

The other contestants,

Though disappointed,

Nodded in agreement.

They had seen firsthand how Luke had helped them,

And they knew Merlin's choice was the right one.

Luke,

Still in disbelief,

Smiled shyly.

He had never expected to become Merlin's apprentice,

But as he stood there,

Surrounded by people who had seen the goodness in him,

He realized that perhaps there was more to magic than spells and power.

Perhaps being kind-hearted was the greatest magic of all.

The First Lesson Merlin began his lesson with a spell to turn an ordinary pebble into a butterfly.

Watch closely,

Luke.

You must focus on the pebble,

Imagine it as a butterfly,

And say the magic words.

Butterfly,

Ammonious!

Luke watched in awe as Merlin transformed a pebble into a beautiful butterfly that fluttered away.

That was amazing!

My turn!

Luke picked up another pebble,

Closed his eyes tightly,

And shouted.

Butterfly,

Ammonious!

But instead of a butterfly,

The pebble exploded into a cloud of confetti,

Showering them both.

Uh-oh,

Luke said laughing.

Well,

That was colourful!

Not quite the result we were aiming for,

Merlin protested.

Let me try again,

Luke insisted,

His enthusiasm undeterred.

Picking up another pebble,

He focused really hard and held the pebble close.

I can do this!

He waved his wand dramatically and shouted.

Butterfly,

Ammonious!

Instead of a butterfly,

Luke accidentally turned the pebble into a confused chicken that flapped around,

Squawking loudly.

You've managed to turn my magic into poultry,

Merlin gasped.

But I like chickens,

Luke exclaimed,

Dodging the flapping bird.

They're funny!

Well,

If you're going for comedy,

Then you're doing splendidly,

Merlin said,

Sounding annoyed.

As days turned into weeks,

Luke became more determined to master magic.

Though his lessons often ended in hilarious disasters.

During one lesson,

He attempted to turn a branch into a sword.

Swordify!

He shouted,

But instead he created a very lively brim that chased Merlin around,

Trying to sweep him up.

Stop that,

I'm not dirty,

Merlin protested,

His robes flapping in the wind.

Another afternoon,

As Luke stood in the forest clearing,

Wand in hand,

Practising his newest spell,

Which was to turn a simple teaspoon into a lizard.

A sudden gust of wind caught him off guard as he concentrated on murmuring the incantation.

The wand flickering with magic,

He accidentally swung it towards Merlin,

Who was standing next to him.

With a burst of colourful sparks,

The spell took flight,

Enveloping Merlin in a bright cloud of magic.

In an instant,

Where the wise old wizard had stood,

There was now a small bewildered lizard blinking up at Luke with wide beady eyes.

Merlin?

Luke gasped,

Horrified.

He bent down,

Trying to process what had just happened.

Oh no,

What have I done?

Panicking,

He waved his wand again,

Attempting to reverse the spell.

Okay,

Um,

Revert us,

Lizard us,

To Merlin us,

He chanted,

Hoping for the best,

But instead of transforming back,

Merlin was enveloped in a whirl of light,

And when it faded,

He was now a fluffy quacking duck,

Flapping his wings in confusion.

Quack,

Quack,

Quack,

The duck flapped around,

Clearly agitated.

Luke couldn't help but stifle a laugh,

Despite the absurdity of the situation,

But it quickly turned to concern as he realised he needed to fix this.

Okay,

This is not working,

Luke cried,

Waving his wand again,

His heart racing.

Let's try something different.

He concentrated hard,

Picturing a wise old wizard in his mind.

Reverse us,

Duck us,

To,

Um,

Merlin us.

The magic fizzled and sparkled,

And Merlin transformed again,

This time into a bewildered platypus.

Merlin,

I'm so sorry.

I just wanted to turn the spoon into a lizard,

Luke exclaimed,

Running after the platypus,

Who was now trying to waddle away,

Clearly fed up with the whole ordeal.

After a few frantic moments,

Luke finally managed to gather his thoughts.

With one last desperate incantation,

He pointed his wand at the platypus.

Please let this work.

Return us to yourself-us,

Merlin us.

A brilliant flash of light erupted,

And with a loud pop,

Merlin was restored to his original form,

Though he looked a bit ruffled.

Luke stood there,

Wide-eyed and breathless,

Waiting for the inevitable lecture.

Luke,

Merlin said,

Shaking his head.

I think it's best we end class for today.

I believe I've had enough excitement for one afternoon.

I'm really sorry,

Merlin.

I didn't mean to turn you into all those things,

Luke stammered,

Guilt washing over him.

With that,

Merlin vanished in a puff of smoke without even saying goodbye,

Leaving Luke to ponder the lessons learned from a day filled with unintentional magic.

As weeks turned into months,

Merlin finally decided it was time for a long overdue vacation.

After centuries of advising kings,

Crafting spells,

And keeping Camelot safe,

Even the greatest wizard needed a break.

So with a wave of his staff and a twinkle in his eye,

He informed his apprentice,

Luke,

That he would be taking a week off.

Luke,

You're in charge,

Merlin said with a reassuring smile,

Packing his magical satchel with potions,

Scrolls,

And a hat for sun protection.

Camelot doesn't need much looking after.

Just keep an eye on things,

Oh,

And don't use too much magic while I'm gone,

You're not ready for the biggest spells just yet.

Luke,

Standing nervously in Merlin's tower,

Nodded.

He was still getting used to things as his role as Merlin's apprentice.

The great wizard saw something special in him,

But Luke wasn't so sure.

Most of his spells ended up in minor disasters,

And he had a habit of panicking under pressure,

But Merlin had faith,

And that was enough for now.

With the final swirl of his robe,

Merlin disappeared in a puff of smoke,

Leaving Luke alone in the tower,

Staring out over Camelot's grand castle.

For a moment,

Everything seemed peaceful,

And Luke breathed a sigh of relief.

How hard can this be?

He muttered to himself.

The next few days passed without incident.

Luke wandered through the castle,

Marvelling at the knights training in the courtyard,

The servants bustling about,

And the villagers going about their lives.

He even managed to practice a few small spells,

Lighting a candle,

Moving a feather,

And brewing tea.

Nothing exploded,

Which he took as a victory.

But on the seventh day,

Just as Luke was beginning to think that Merlin's job wasn't so difficult after all,

Trouble arrived.

It came in the form of invaders.

From the north,

A band of fearsome warriors approached,

Clad in dark armour with banners flying high.

They marched through the valley,

Heading straight for Camelot.

Word reached the castle quickly,

And soon the knights were preparing for battle,

Sharpening their swords and donning armour.

But something felt off.

Merlin was always around when there was trouble.

And always knew what to do.

Pacing back and forth in Merlin's tower,

Luke tried to stay calm.

OK,

OK,

He muttered,

I just need to buy some time.

Maybe I can send a message to Merlin,

Or maybe I can cast a protection spell.

He rushed over to Merlin's giant spellbook,

Flipping through the pages,

Filled with ancient ruins and complicated diagrams.

His eyes landed on one spell,

Simple enough for a beginner like him,

But powerful enough to protect the castle.

Defendo Maximus.

It promised to create an impenetrable magical barrier around Camelot,

Keeping all enemies out.

Perfect,

Luke thought.

He gathered his courage,

Stood in front of the window and began to chant the words.

But halfway through the spell,

As the sky darkened and the winds picked up,

Luke realised something was wrong.

His hands were shaking and his voice wavered.

The ruins on the pages blurred and panic crept in.

He fumbled over the final incantation,

Accidentally merging two spells together.

Instead of a protective shield,

There was a bright flash of light.

The castle trembled for a moment,

And then everything went silent.

Luke blinked,

Confused.

The invaders were still far off in the distance,

But something felt different.

He looked down at his hands and then out of the window.

Nothing happened,

He whispered,

But as he looked more closely at the castle courtyard below,

His heart sank.

The knights,

The horses,

The servants,

Everything was tiny.

The entire castle of Camelot,

Including its inhabitants,

Had shrunk to the size of his fist.

Luke's mouth fell open.

No,

No,

No,

No!

He scrambled down the tower stairs,

Racing outside to see the castle for himself.

Where once had stood the grand stone structure,

Now there was only a tiny version of it,

No bigger than his hand.

He could see the miniature figures of the knights,

Still readying for battle,

But they were barely visible to the human eye.

What have I done?

Luke groaned,

Picking up the castle carefully.

It fit perfectly in the palm of his hand,

And the tiny inhabitants looked up at him in confusion.

Some of the miniature knights waved their swords and shouted orders,

But their voices were so faint that Luke couldn't hear them.

He sat down on a tiny bench,

Holding Camelot's tiny castle in his hands,

His mind racing.

What was he going to do?

Merlin was gone,

The invaders were still approaching,

And he accidentally turned the entire kingdom into a pocket-sized version of itself.

Suddenly a voice broke through the panic.

Oi,

Apprentice,

What have you done to my horse?

Luke looked down to see Sir Gareth,

One of Camelot's bravest knights,

Pointing at his now tiny steed.

The tiny horse was neighing up at Luke,

Though its voice was more like a faint squeak.

I,

I,

Um,

I,

I,

I accidentally shrunk the whole castle,

Luke admitted sheepishly.

Gareth,

Barely as tall as an ant now,

Crossed his arms.

Well,

That's a problem,

Isn't it?

The invaders will be here soon,

And we're all the size of ants.

Luke gulped.

The invaders,

How could he protect Camelot?

He thought back to Merlin's advice about not using too much magic.

Clearly his spells were more trouble than they were worth,

But now he had no choice.

He had to fix this before the invaders arrived.

Or at least hide the castle.

A wild idea popped into Luke's head.

What if I just keep the castle safe until I figure out how to reverse the spell?

Gareth raised an eyebrow.

But how exactly are you going to do that?

Luke looked around desperately,

Until his eyes fell on a large,

Hollowed-out tree trunk at the edge of the castle walls,

Which were still their same enormous size.

Only the castle within the walls had shrunk.

He gently placed the tiny castle inside the trunk and covered it with a leaf.

It wasn't much,

But it would keep Camelot hidden for the moment.

That should do for now,

He muttered.

Luke then ran and hid himself behind some large boulders.

His heart pounded in his chest as he watched the invaders approach.

The invaders were a fearsome sight.

Rows of armoured soldiers,

Their faces grim beneath their helmets,

Led by a towering figure on horseback who seemed to radiate authority.

Luke's pulse quickened as they reached the walls of Camelot.

For a brief terrifying moment,

He feared they might somehow sense the tiny castle hidden within the tree trunk or notice his shaky breathing behind the rocks.

But instead of launching an assault,

The invaders came to an abrupt halt.

The leader raised a hand and the soldier stopped.

Confused murmurs rippled through the ranks.

Where is it?

One of the soldiers muttered,

Looking around.

I thought this was where Camelot stood,

Another said,

Scratching his head.

The commander dismounted,

His heavy boots thudding against the ground.

He walked up to the outer walls and laid a hand on the stone.

These are the walls of Camelot,

He said,

More to himself than anyone else.

But where is the castle?

He gestured towards the lone tower that had somehow remained unaffected by Luke's shrinking spell.

Merlin's residence.

The tower,

Which was not very tall,

Stood in stark contrast to the empty space where the castle should have been.

The invaders stared at it puzzled.

There's only one tower,

One of the invaders exclaimed,

His voice tinged with disbelief.

Where is King Arthur's fortress?

There should be a castle here,

A grand one.

Have the people fled?

The soldiers exchanged nervous glances,

Unsure how to respond.

They had marched on Camelot expecting a mighty battle,

But all they found was a tower and an empty courtyard.

The silence was unsettling.

The commander paced,

His eyes narrowing as he scanned the walls,

Looking for some explanation.

He ran his hands through his beard,

Deep in thought,

But no matter how hard he scrutinized the scene,

He couldn't make sense of the situation.

Finally,

After what felt like an eternity to Luke,

The commander shook his head in frustration.

There's no point in attacking an empty fortress,

He growled.

We came to conquer Camelot,

But there's nothing here to conquer.

The soldiers,

Equally baffled,

Grumbled in agreement.

Some even chuckled at the absurdity of it all.

The commander spat on the ground in disgust and mounted his horse once again.

Fall back,

He ordered.

We march on another kingdom.

This place is cursed.

As the invaders turned to leave,

Their drums falling silent,

Luke let out a shaky breath.

They hadn't found him.

More importantly,

They hadn't found the tiny castle,

Hidden away like a secret gem inside the hollow tree trunk.

He waited until the last of the soldiers had disappeared over the horizon before he dared to move from his hiding place.

With the invaders gone,

Luke crept out from behind the boulders and made his way to the tree where he had hidden Camelot.

Gently,

He uncovered the leaf that shielded the castle from view and peered inside.

The tiny buildings,

Towers and courtyards were still there,

Their miniature inhabitants likely wondering what had happened.

I really need to fix this,

Luke muttered to himself,

His hands trembling as he gingerly placed the castle back in its original spot inside the walls.

Though it was small,

It seemed right that it should be back where it belonged.

He took a deep breath.

There was only one thing left to do,

Reverse the shrinking spell.

He had barely managed to perform it in the first place,

And the thought of trying another spell filled him with dread.

But what choice did he have?

King Arthur,

The knights and all of Camelot were depending on him.

With his mind made up,

Luke raised his hands,

Ready to attempt the spell.

Luke,

Luke,

Wait!

The voice,

Though tiny,

Was unmistakable.

Luke peered down and saw King Arthur,

Standing at a window waving frantically.

He had a worried expression on his tiny face.

Don't cast the spell just yet,

King Arthur called up.

You're not skilled enough in magic to reverse it properly.

It's too risky.

But I have to do something,

Luke protested.

We can't stay like this forever.

I understand your frustration,

Luke,

Arthur said calmly,

But sometimes the best course of action is to wait.

Merlin will return soon enough,

And he'll know how to return everything to normal.

Luke frowned,

His gaze drifting to the horizon where the invaders had vanished.

But what if the invaders come back?

What if something else happens while Merlin's away?

We'll manage,

Arthur said with a wry smile.

We've faced greater threats than this,

Luke.

Besides,

There's no harm in being a bit smaller for a while.

The king's words,

Though unexpected,

Gave Luke pause.

Maybe Arthur was right.

As much as he wanted to fix everything immediately,

The idea of accidentally making things worse terrified him.

With a sigh of relief,

He lowered his hands.

All right,

King Arthur,

Luke conceded,

We'll wait for Merlin.

For the following week,

Camelot remained tiny.

Life inside the miniature castle was challenging,

To say the least.

Insects,

Which had once been mere nuisances,

Were now dangerous creatures to be fended off.

Rain,

Too,

Became a formidable adversary.

Even a gentle drizzle could flood the tiny kingdom,

And the residents had to build intricate drainage systems to protect their homes.

Luke did his best to help where he could,

Though he felt guilty about the whole situation.

He spent hours guarding the tiny castle from any threats,

Both from nature and the occasional curious animal that wandered too close.

He also did his best to maintain morale,

Reminding everyone that Merlin would return soon.

Despite the hardships,

King Arthur remained surprisingly upbeat.

In fact,

As the days passed,

He began to see the benefits of their predicament.

This is quite the tactic,

Arthur mused one evening as he sat with his knights at the now tiny round table.

By shrinking the castle,

We completely avoided battle.

No blood was spilled,

And the invaders left without a fight.

The knights,

Though initially sceptical,

Nodded in agreement.

It's true,

Said Sir Gawain,

His voice thoughtful.

We never had to draw our swords.

The enemy didn't know what to do.

And imagine,

Arthur continued,

His eyes twinkling with mischief.

If we could control this power,

We could shrink Camelot whenever invaders threatened us.

They'd be baffled.

Just as those soldiers were.

We could avoid needless conflicts altogether.

But sire,

One of the knights said,

What about the dangers of being so small?

The insects?

The rain?

Arthur waved a hand dismissively.

Minor conveniences,

My friend.

With proper planning,

We could fortify ourselves even while shrunk.

Think about the lives we would save by avoiding battles altogether.

Isn't that worth a little discomfort?

The knights exchanged glances,

And slowly they began to nod.

Arthur had a point.

They had managed to survive,

Despite being tiny,

And they had done so without spilling a drop of blood.

The more they thought about it,

The more their idea appealed to them.

Finally,

After what felt like an eternity of waiting,

Merlin returned.

His grand entrance was as dramatic as ever.

A wind whirl of magic and light,

Followed by his sudden appearance in the middle of the castle courtyard.

Or rather,

What should have been the courtyard,

Had it not been reduced to the size of a thimble.

Merlin blinked,

His gaze sweeping over the tiny castle,

The miniature inhabitants,

And the now tiny King Arthur,

Who was waving up at him from a tiny window.

What in the world,

Merlin began,

Scratching his beard.

Luke,

Who had been pacing nervously nearby,

Rushed over.

Merlin!

Thank goodness you're back!

I,

I've messed up!

Merlin raised an eyebrow,

Clearly.

After Luke hastily explained the situation,

Merlin chuckled.

Well,

I must say,

This is quite the creative solution.

Unintentional,

But effective nonetheless.

With a flick of his wrist,

Merlin waved his staff over the castle.

Slowly,

Camelot began to grow,

Expanding back to its original size.

The buildings stretched,

The knights and the horses returned to their normal proportions,

And the castle,

Once again,

Loomed over the landscape.

As the kingdom returned to normal,

King Arthur approached Merlin with a grin.

You know,

Merlin,

Arthur said,

Clapping the wizard on the back,

I think we've stumbled upon something rather clever here.

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

How?

Arthur nodded.

Luke's shrinking spell,

It worked.

We avoided a battle entirely.

The invaders left without a fight,

And not a single knight was injured.

I'm beginning to think we should employ this tactic more often.

Merlin looked bemused.

You mean,

Shrinking Camelot on purpose?

Arthur grinned.

Why not?

If we can avoid conflict through clever magic,

Isn't that better than sending men to fight and die?

There's no shame in using strategy to outwit an enemy.

And shrinking the castle,

Well,

It certainly throws them off.

Merlin stroked his beard,

Pondering the idea.

It's unconventional,

I'll give you that,

But it's not without merit.

Luke,

Standing nearby,

Looked surprised.

You really think that's a good idea,

King Arthur?

Arthur nodded.

Indeed,

Luke,

Sometimes the best way to win a battle is to avoid it entirely,

And thanks to you we've learned that there are other ways to protect Camelot besides brutal force.

You may have made a mistake,

But it's one that taught us something valuable.

Luke blushed,

Grateful for the King's kind words.

And so,

While it was not used often,

The shrinking spell became one of the kingdom's most secretive and powerful tactics,

A way to outwit enemies and avoid unnecessary conflicts.

As King Arthur wisely said,

Better to win through cleverness than to lose through pride.

And from that day on,

Luke never felt so clumsy again.

The End.