Author's Note: This is set after the Disir event in Season 5.
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
Prologue
Is this Destiny? Is this my Fate? Merlin closed his eyes, the pounding pain in his back making his eyesight blur and forcing the blood to pound in his head. Bumping his head against the tree he had propped himself up against, unshed tears burned his eyes. Is this it? Will I be left to die out here, alone and in the dark? His thoughts raced in his mind, back to the moment the bandits came rushing in around them. They were only a small group; Merlin, Arthur, and two other non-descript Camelot knights. Arthur, like his usual prat self, had forced Merlin out on one of the torturous hunts that the King was oh-so fond of. Fate does seem to have a sick sense of humor, huh? The memories burned in the back of his mind forced themselves to the surface. He's your destiny, Merlin. You're two sides of the same coin. The Once and Future King, the might to your magic. And yet he turned his back on you without a backwards glance. Merlin snorted to himself, ignoring the pain that shoots through him through that one act. So much for being friends. Merlin had always known that one day Arthur would catch him saving his life. That one day, something would break through that oblivious skull of his. Merlin had guessed the betrayal he would see in Arthur's eyes. He knew that he'd be angry. Hell, he even thought he might be banished from the kingdom. Never guessed this, though, but then again, I really should have known better. Resting his head against the tree, he closed his eyes gently. The throbbing pain in his back started to fade to the recesses of his mind as the sounds around him began to dim to non-existent. Merlin could tell he was dying. He could feel his life's blood pooling around him as his treacherous heart continued to pulse and pour even more blood out from his wound. This is it. This is where I die. Merlin's fluttered open again, his eyes flooding gold as a new thought brought magic coursing through his veins. Rage. Pure, unadulterated rage. He had worked every day for nearly a decade for that good-for-nothing prat. Some days he starved, and every day he died little bit inside as his secret ate away at him. He threw away his entire life, his dignity and honor for the sake of one man. And he left me to die! Defiance filled his entire being with his magic swirling throughout his body. I will not die! With a sudden burst of immense power, throwing his head back as he roared in the dragon tongue, "Dracan, eom, ala, sece findan metan, teosu hus anbid!" Along with the sudden deafening roar, a powerful surge of golden light burst out around him before collapsing into darkness.
Author's Note: I know, sorry this is really short. This is just a prologue, so isn't really suppose to be very lengthy. I promise the next chapter will be much longer.
