The battle waged on. King Arthur fought with skill and the small fleet of assassins led by Mordred were defeated. Mordred had escaped into the darkness using his magic as his last men died. Arthur bellowed "Coward!" as he disappeared.
Merlin rode hard, his majestic scarlet and gold robes fluttering in the trail he blazed.
Camelot's army was outnumbered, Morgana had enlisted too many of Uther's enemies. They were arriving in droves at Camlann despite the defeat of the first wave. Percival sent Gwaine to relay this information to Arthur, whilst he held back as many from the mouth of Camlann as he could. Arthur's eyes betrayed his hopelessness at the news of their eventual defeat. He looked about, their numbers already dwindled. They became silent.
"We should retreat, Sire" Gwaine suggested. "Hold them off from the walls of Camelot instead."
"I refuse to bring this battle to innocent citizens. We carry on, all who wish to remain to spare their families of this violence." As the words echoed throughout the valley, no man moved from his position.
Gaius stepped forward. "I believe I speak for everyone here, when I say we would never abandon your side; you are more than our King, you are our protector, Arthur." A chorus of agreement rose from the surviving men.
Arthur nodded gravely, his stern face proud. "You are all brave men, we are all of us equal now, knights for Camelot."
King Arthur held Excalibur aloft and shouted "For Camelot!"
"For Camelot!" came the reply.
"Have a small company of men escort Guinevere back to Camelot immediately. Without me, she will not come to harm."
"What should we tell her?"
Arthur removed his Royal Seal and placed it in Gwaine's hand. "Camelot may fall to other hands, but my life shall go with it. She will carry all my love, and with this, the promise that Camelot may rise again, with a better ruler than I."
Guinevere attempted to refuse, to plead to join the battle. "If he dies, I die too."
Gwaine consoled her and reminded her "Your majesty, you can do nothing more here. Your place is at Camelot, you have one final duty to Arthur." She rode out for Camelot with Arthur's ring on a cord around her neck, sobbing.
Gwaine returned to the battle and handed Arthur Guinevere's wedding ring. "Her heart is with you, my King."
Arthur wore it, emboldened in the face of certain death, it gleamed in the moonlight over the hand which weld Excalibur.
Later, Merlin arrived at the edge of the battle and dismissed a wave of barbarian hordes from Percival with a motion of his staff.
Percival raised his sword to Merlin "Who are you, sorceror?"
"An ally, a friend. How goes the battle?"
"There'll be more where those came from. There's too many of them."
"Impossible, where's Arthur?"
Percival raised an eyebrow at the address of the king by his first name, he scrutinised the old man's face "Merlin?"
"Yes, it's me" he smiled warmly, his eyes crinkled.
Percival pointed behind him, stunned "He's further in."
"He continues to fight?"
"We all do."
"Where's Mordred?"
"Traitor escaped" Percival told him bitterly.
"We cannot remain here, we'll all die."
"We know, Gwaine told him. Arthur refuses to endanger the civilians at Camelot by returning and none of us will abandon Arthur."
The fury unfurled in Merlin. He would not allow Arthur to die.
He stepped behind Percival, sweeping part of another oncoming wave down that approached on the horizon "hold them off, I have a plan."
Percival nodded. "Merlin?" he spoke over his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"Nice outfit."
Merlin grinned and stood firmly, a short way further within the boundary of Camlann. He rose his face to the skies and screamed with fury the call of a Dragonlord, he summoned Kilgharrah. The dragon who had promised he could save Arthur. The dragon who had lied.