Okay all here's another Merlin fanfiction. I got inspired to write this particularly after reading Lass Royale's Time Enough and Now. It's a great fic. Well I think it is. Anyways chapter four alluded to an old Greek story (Orpheus and the Underworld I believe) that I was taught when I was a little kid (being born Greek has all sorts of wonderful advantages) and all of a sudden this idea came to fruition. I hope you all like it. It's set after season three. Just thought I'd mention that.

SUMMARY: When Arthur and Merlin are attacked by a band of sorcerers, Merlin is killed. When a strange woman alludes to an old legend, will Arthur follow it to try and get his best friend back?

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The Influence of Hades.

Chapter 1 – Revelation.

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Arthur was out on patrol with Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival, Elyan and Leon. Of course Merlin was with them. He always was. There had been reports of strange goings on in the Darkling woods. There were incidents of people who wondered too close and were not seen again, people who went to get herbs and never came out, and strange noises had came from the woods at night. Or rather, stranger noises then the usual ones. Now Arthur and his own special patrol were going to investigate. It had been a year since Morgana's failed coup and the people were restless. Morgana hadn't been heard from since she disappeared that day that Camelot was forcefully taken back. Uther was still not quite himself, but he was returning to normal, slowly but surely. They'd spent most of the day searching and the whole group were getting hot and fed up. Arthur grabbed at his water skin and took a gulp, only to find air instead of water. He scowled at the empty skin.

"Merlin?"

"Yes Sire?" Merlin replied.

"Where are the spare water skins?"

"Um..." Merlin seemed reluctant to answer.

"Merlin?" Arthur put emphasis into his manservant's name. Merlin sighed wearily.

"You've all already emptied them. There isn't any more water. Just empty skins." Merlin replied.

"And you couldn't tell me this sooner? You're totally useless Merlin. I sometimes wonder if a corpse wouldn't make a better manservant." Arthur griped irritably. Merlin just shrugged, not really knowing how to reply. The barb had hurt just slightly more than usual, Merlin didn't like the idea that a corpse would be better at his job then he would, none the less he didn't comment. He could see Arthur was in a foul mood. "We're turning back." Arthur stated. That was the very moment a band of men attacked. One of them, Merlin recognised as Alvarr, a rogue sorcerer bent on destroying Camelot. He knew the others were very likely to be sorcerers as well. However they didn't seem to be using their magic if they had any. Most of the men were fighting the Knights one on one. Alvarr, however, seemed to be waiting for Arthur. Merlin watched as Arthur didn't hesitate to jump into the fight. It seemed Alvarr wouldn't use his own magic on Arthur. It was when Merlin took note of another figure behind a tree, that Merlin realised this was still a trap. Merlin saw the figure's hand raise, and instinctively, he knew this sorcerer was going to try and kill Arthur while his back was turned. There was no slowing down time, Merlin had to make a quick decision and now.

Within seconds, Merlin had shouted out his own spell to create a shield around Arthur. The enemy's spell bounced off, and Merlin felt his energy draining. He hadn't used this spell before. He'd just finished learning the words. He felt light headed, but he could see the shock on Arthur's face. The next second he felt blinding pain in his back. He looked down to see a sword protruding from his chest. He felt numb with shock and when the blade was pulled out, Merlin fell forward onto the grass.

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Arthur was shocked to say the least. So many emotions ran through his head within seconds. Merlin having magic was an almost ridiculous thought. But then again, seeing was believing, and Arthur had seen Merlin use magic. The strange thing was that Arthur didn't feel hatred towards Merlin. Merlin was still the same person, just with magic, magic that had just protected him from potentially serious harm. Now Arthur was horrified. He noticed Alvarr had moved, too late to do anything, when he saw the sword descending upon Merlin. He yelled out words that were incoherent to him, and he wasn't sure that Merlin had heard him. Now Merlin was laying face down on the grass, his blood coating the ground burgundy.

Arthur rushed forward and gently turned Merlin over. He looked so pale, and Arthur pressed his hand against the wound, but couldn't seem to stem the flow of blood. The other Knights gathered around.

"Merlin? Come on Merlin. Talk to me you idiot!" Arthur exclaimed. He tapped Merlin's face gently, and the younger man opened his eyes lazily, almost as though he'd woken up from a deep sleep.

"Ar-th-ur?" Merlin's answer was drawn out, his gasps for breath seemed to be painful.

"You're going to be alright. We'll get you to Gaius and he'll make you fine." Arthur said softly. It seemed so childish, but Arthur really needed that hope at the moment. The others looked stricken, they could tell the young warlock was on the verge of death.

"I-I've ne-ver used my ma-gic ex-cept to pro-tect you Ar-thur. I sw-e-ar." Merlin said. Every syllable said separately, through painful breath-stealing gasps.

"I know Merlin." The strange thing was that Arthur did know somehow. He knew Merlin was telling him the truth. He knew Merlin would never try to hurt another person. "Everything's going to be alright." Arthur added. It was more to reassure himself then Merlin. Merlin let out a couple of gasps.

"It's cold Arth..." Merlin's voice cut off in his last gasp. They knew Merlin had died. Arthur couldn't quite believe it. He shook Merlin, trying to rouse him, hoping this was some sort of a joke. However Merlin didn't move.

"Merlin you idiot! Wake up! I didn't mean it when I said a corpse could do a better job! Merlin! MERLIN!" Arthur yelled. He was shaking Merlin quite hard now. But Merlin's blue eyes remained glazed and lifeless, and his expression didn't change. Merlin was undoubtedly dead.

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Alvarr stood with two hooded figures.

"Merlin is dead, just as you asked Milady Morgause." Alvarr stated. Morgause removed her hood, as well as Morgana, who seemed agitated.

"Good work Alvarr. Next we'll strike Camelot while their prize protector is gone." Morgause said cheerfully.

"Why would Merlin being dead make any difference?" Morgana asked. Alvarr walked away, leaving the two sisters alone.

"It was Merlin's magic that nearly killed me Morgana. He is the magical protection that Camelot has no idea exists. How do you think he always foils our plans?" Morgause stated calmly. Morgana shook her head.

"Merlin? Magic? Those words don't belong in the same sentence." Morgana replied. She'd known about the plan to get rid of whatever was protecting Camelot, but she never thought it would mean getting rid of Merlin, or even that it would work, and now that it had, she wasn't sure that she had wanted it to. What Morgana didn't tell Morgause was that Merlin and dead didn't seem to belong in the same sentence either. How could she not know about his magic? How could she not figure it out? There were so many incidents of good luck, or unexplained happenings that appeared with Merlin at the centre, and knowing that he had magic made absolute sense.

"Why didn't you tell me it was Merlin?" Morgana asked.

"I didn't want you to have to be involved my sister. Getting rid of the boy was easy enough while he was busy protecting Arthur. Now that he's gone we will be able to take Camelot with no problems." Morgause replied. However, Morgana was now confused. Her loyalties were being tested in a way she never thought they would be. After all, it was Merlin who helped her originally to save Mordred, it was Merlin who gave her the opportunity to go and speak to the druids, and it was Merlin who surely must have saved her when she fell down those stairs. She had heard Uther admitting that he was her father whilst in a coma, but she had heard Gaius say that there was no cure, no way to help her. She remembered hearing whispered arcane words over her, but not the voice. She had assumed it was Morgause. But when she had asked, Morgause had not taken credit. She said that it was odd for someone to have that kind of power. But Merlin was strong. Alvarr and Morgause had both said it. He was the Druids fabled saviour, Emrys. Merlin was destined to help Arthur bring Albion together, and bring magic back to Camelot. There were still so many questions she wished she could ask him. Oh she was still angry at him for poisoning her, but anger gave way to curiosity. There were so many things she would never know now. She almost felt fear, as a chill crept over her. She wasn't sure what to say as she followed her sister to their shared tent and she sat in the shade. She was thinking about Merlin in a completely different way now.

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Okay, I hope you all enjoyed that first chappie. Here's a snippet for the next chapter.

Arthur gave Evadne a strange looked as she used a rather beautiful, ornamental dagger to slice of a lock of her hair, then she handed it to Arthur.

"It will be your covenant between you, Merlin and Hades" The girl said seriously. "And my lock of hair is my covenant to help you and be your guide." She added. Arthur nodded and sliced off a golden lock of his hair, wondering what else was needed for this covenant...

Please R&R and let me know what you think. See you next chapter.