"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses, and all the king's men, couldn't put Humpty together again."
-Mother Goose
"This is your last chance you foolish boy! Get out of the way or feel my wrath!" The newest sorcerer trying to take over Camelot screamed. Merlin and the sorcerer were standing on a battlement that connected to the inner chambers of the throne room. The wind was whipping the warlock's hair violently. It was raining heavy torrents of rain and lightning flashed.
"I cannot let you harm Arthur or anyone else here today." Merlin stated stubbornly. The rain dripped off his raven hair into his face but still the warlock didn't move from his spot blocking the entrance. The sorcerer sneered.
"You? You're just a simple serving boy who will be thrown out into the trash as soon as the king gets tired of you messing up all the time. His father threw my father out just because he made some mistake with the taxes. What makes YOU any different? In the end, you're just another replaceable servant who will be easily forgotten. Now OUT of my way before you really regret ever facing me!" The sorcerer raved angrily. Merlin smiled sadly then shouted above the storm,
"It doesn't matter! I believe that in the end Arthur will choose to do the right thing and he will bring the golden age of Camelot. I cannot let you harm him."
"Very well you stupid boy! I will end you along with Arthur!" The sorcerer growled. What happened next was a series of fireballs, shields, and lightning being thrown back and forth to the sound of Camelot's warning bells.
"Merlin!" A voice filled with both confusion and anger called out. Merlin looked behind him in a panic to see Arthur standing behind him looking ready for a fight, sword half drawn. "What? You…? Magic! Why would you!?" Arthur didn't have time to ask any more questions as the sorcerer took this moment of Merlin's distraction to throw a ball of swirling darkness at the King succeeding throwing him off the side of the towering battlement.
"NO!" Merlin screamed out running to the side to see Arthur falling to his death. Then without a moment's thought Merlin used what Gaius liked instinctual magic. In the blink of an eye, the sorcerer was blown against the wall, knocking him out, and Merlin used a spell that he had never used before, a replacement spell. With a gasp Arthur found himself standing on solid but wet ground back up on the battlement.
"Merlin?" Arthur slowly questioned. He glanced around for his manservant, best friend, and brother, only to see the sorcerer. Suddenly a horrible mixture of a scream, crunch, and crash sounded below. Arthur quickly turned and dashed to the side to look over and see to his horror his manservant, unmoving and laying awkwardly on the ground stories below.
"Your majesty!" Came shouts as several knights came running up the stairs just as the violent storm stopped just as quickly as it had started. Arthur was stuck staring at the horrible scene below. His brain couldn't comprehend what had just happened. That was suppose to be him down there. Why was Merlin down there? "King Arthur?" Someone was shaking him. They pulled him away from the scene.
This was all wrong.
WRONG.
WRONG!
Merlin had magic, magic was evil, but Merlin saved his life. Arthur's head went round and round until he felt dizzy. He felt himself being pulled inside the throne room and being forced to sit down. "Arthur? Are you Ok?" It was Leon staring worriedly at him. Ok was not the word Arthur would have used at that moment. Then he suddenly jumped up with a shout.
"MERLIN! Send for Gaius! He's hurt!" With his trusted knights following suit, the king dashed towards where the warlock had fallen. When he got there it was even worse than he had at first seen. Gaius walked by at that point and with a gasp and closed eyes mumbled sadly. "Gaius! Fix him! You have to! Please!" Like a little boy begging for something he could never get Arthur pleaded with the physician.
"I'm sorry Sire." Gaius choked out, "Merlin's gone."
The next day Arthur was about to sentence the sorcerer to death when he asked the required question that was asked every time an execution happened. With an evil, toothy grin the sorcerer cackled, "Merlin stood on a wall, Merlin had a great big fall. All the King's physicians, and all the King's men, couldn't put Merlin back together again."