A/N
So, I wrote this almost a year ago but never posted it on this site (I did post it on Heart of Camelot). I figured it was about time that the loyal Merlin fans of FF got to read it. I'm rather fond of it myself. There is also a sequel, called
Revelation, which you can check out after reading this one. Enjoy!

Gwen saw him fall. As if time had slowed, as if she and Merlin and the sorceress were the only living things, as if all sound had gone out of the world, she watched as Merlin ducked, but ducked too late. The sorceress' magic hit him square in the face. Gwen opened her mouth, tried to scream, tried to shout for Arthur. Merlin, falling. Merlin, on the ground, with no visible marks of the blast, but unmoving except for his hand. His hand, outstretched in the direction of his enemy. The sorceress shrieked in horror and then crumbled into a pile of dust. Merlin's hand went limp.

With no time to think about what she had just seen, Gwen ran to his side. She found her voice, calling and calling for Arthur. Where was he? Why wasn't he here? Didn't he know that Merlin was hurt?

"Merlin," she whispered, dropping to her knees beside him, cradling his head on her lap. "Merlin, please be all right. Please"

He was pale. So pale. His breathing was shallow. He looked up into her face, trying desperately to force words to leave his lips.

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice rang out across the courtyard. Another second and he was there.

"What happened?"

"He … threw himself in front of the sorceress," sobbed Gwen. "for me."

"Where is she?" Arthur looked around.

"She's gone," Gwen said. "What are we going to do? He was hit in the face."

"I'll get Gaius," he said, jumping up.

"G-Gwen," Merlin gasped a few seconds later.

"Yes, Merlin, I'm here. Don't worry. Arthur's gone to get Gaius. You're going to be fine."

"No, I'm not. I'm … dying." He drew in a ragged breath. "I know I can trust you. You saw what I did, didn't you?"

"Magic," she whispered.

"Yes."

"Then heal yourself with it!"

"I … can't. But there's something I have to do, quickly. I can feel my magic trickling out of me. That's how I know I'm … dying. I have to … do something. Arthur's destiny … and mine … go together. I have to protect him. So … I'm going to … transfer all of my magic to you. You … keep him safe … Gaius will help you … understand it. Give me your hand."

With tears running down her face, Gwen looked down at him. He couldn't be dying. He would bounce back. Merlin always bounced back.

"Please, Gwen. Give … me … your hand. We don't have much time."

She placed her right hand in his left, and he grasped it. Slowly, weakly, he lifted his right hand to her forehead, closed his eyes, and began to speak in a language she had heard only a few times in her life: the language of magic. His words went on and on, unintelligible at first, but soon she found that she could understand them. Something had changed; she felt herself being filled with Merlin's magic. With his last strength he was giving her everything that he had.

A moment longer, and he fell back in exhaustion. Tears gathered around his eyes, but he was too weak to cry.

"Tell Arthur," he said, so low that she could barely hear him. "Don't keep it a secret … like I did. I wish I had told him … years ago."

He closed his eyes and she put her hand on his chest, feeling as his breaths became shorter and more labored. Then, hesitantly, she summoned all her new found power and spoke a spell, hoping against hope that it would work. His breathing became easier, and for a moment she was sure that he would sit up, grinning. But no. He opened his eyes one last time, smiled, and then … he was gone. Arthur and Gaius found her a moment later,bent over Merlin's still form, weeping broken heartedly.

The fate of Albion now rested on the shoulders of Guinivere, Queen of Camelot.