Merlin Gets Involved in the Battle

Merlin's role is not only that of an enlightened adviser: his powers can be put to use as a weapon of war. Master of the elements, master of illusions, capable of summoning lightning or duping the enemy, the wizard turns out to be a formidable warrior. Magic powers are often used for military purposes in fantasy. Whether to repel the evil legions of the Dark Lord or, as in the card game Magic: The Gathering (Richard Garfield, from 1993), to summon fabulous creatures to knock out those of his enemy, magic is above all used to wage war.