It can't end like this, eight years of protection and friendship brought to its knees because of a child who I once helped save. He, I swear will pay for what he has done and so help me no one whether it's god himself will stop me. Beware Mordred for you are about to witness the wrath of Emrys and not even your precious Morgana shall save you now.
The sun was lowering beyond the horizon and the air had a slight chill. Camelot's patrols were hastily riding back to the castle to update their king on the whereabouts of Morgana. As they swiftly ran towards the gates they were suddenly thrown back by an unseen force. Sir Weston was the first to recover and made way to the gate to investigate. With his approach his heart was beating erratically he felt as if the air itself was pounding just like the beat of his heart. Putting his hand forward with caution he tried to pass it through the gate. He felt and sharp pain flow from his hand up his arm and across his chest though it was sudden it was very powerful. "Magic" he whispered to himself. Sir Weston ran towards the other knights to try and awaken them but as soon as he was close enough to grasp onto one of his comrades arms, a sharp pain went from his back and through to his chest. His vision was darkening and his breathes ceasing. Right before he drew his last breathe he saw the dark and knotted hair of the Lady Morgana and a red cape walk pass. "N-no. Why M-m-mordred?" he asked while spluttering up blood. With that he fell into an eternal darkness.
Guards among the eastern wall of the castle were able to see Morgana and Mordred enter the castle and sounded the bells. Civilians and knights alike started running about trying to get into position. Leon and the Knights of the Round Table met Arthur, Merlin and Gwen in the throne room." What has happened?" Arthur asked immediately after they ran in.
"Sire, it's Morgana she's invaded the city with the help of Mordred" Leon stated calmly towards his King.
'No not again, why did he betray me…. He was one of my most trusted knights' Arthur thought to himself sadly but didn't let it pass his stoic mask. "Round up the knights and prepare for a siege, let us hope that there shall be minimal casualties" Arthur addressed his knights.
"Already started my liege, but now we must get you and the queen to safety" Percival said. Arthur simply glanced at his knight and sighed. "You know I am not leaving when the safety of my kingdom is on the line" Arthur said in a dull tone.
"Arthur, I agree with Percival we must get you two to safety, if you are harmed then they can take the kingdom and you will be the first ones to die" Merlin said coming into the conversation.
Arthur looked over at his servant, his friend and saw the sincerity in his eyes. He sighed and nodded his head in acknowledgment. As they were about to leave the throne room, there were anguished screams coming from the hall outside. The knights drew their swords and stood protectively in front of their monarchs. Merlin stood behind them ready to defend his king.
The massive door was thrown open as if it were just a feather in the breeze. There stood Morgana and Mordred. As soon as Morgana was able to see into the room she sent out a burst of magic crashing all those in the room on to the floor accept for Merlin. Merlin stood silently with his head down and hands behind his back. He didn't want to see his best friend and king look at him with betrayal. Morgana looked down upon those helpless on the floor and then up to Arthur's annoying servant. While, Mordred walked toward the king with his hand on the hilt of his sword and slowly drew it from its leather sheath. Morgana noticed the increase of tension in Merlin's shoulders the closer Mordred got to Arthur. She sent a fire ball towards Merlin, he simply placed a shield around him silently and never met her eyes. The fireball crashed into the shield and vanished.
"You have magic," she said angrily. Morgana felt a sense of betrayal, her supposed friend let her live in fear for her life while he ignorantly sat by and watched.
"Correction, I AM magic… sorry to disappoint you" Merlin said dully, as if he had better things to do. Arthur looked at his longtime friend and felt betrayed but with that also understanding.
Morgana gaped at him and suddenly froze,' Haha there is only one who is magic...No wait it can't be….Emrys.' Her eyes widened in fear, her destiny and doom stood in front of her as if she were nothing but an insect waiting to be squashed.
"Emrys.." she said out loud, asking in a way for confirmation. "I'll just distract him" she thought to herself. "That's what the druids call me" he said before he heard a shout of pain. "Arthur.. What have I done?" Merlin thought as he looked over at his friend. Mordred stood in front Arthur with his sword embedded into the kings chest. Arthur let out a cry of pain and fell on his side, his breathing was slowing and quickly. "NOOOOOOO" Merlin yelled, and his magic went wild. Raw power flowed from him in waves and into the room causing Mordred and the witch to be sent flying back towards the wall. The knights and Queen of Camelot stared at Merlin in horror.
Merlin ran to Arthur and put his head in his lap "Arthur come on you dollop head you'll be fine. I'll heal you and then we can go hunting!" he said desperately while trying to figure out the proper spell to heal his friend. "Merlin there is nothing you can do" Arthur said sadly looking into his friends eyes. Tears filled Merlin's eyes and shook his head in denial. "No… I can't lose you to, not in my arms like everyone else, please. It's not your destiny to die here, please let me help you" Merlin choked on his words and tears fell onto Arthurs pale face. Arthur turned his head towards Merlin's chest and grinned lazily," I'm sorry old friend but I can't let you do that, protect them Merlin and please, never change," with that his blue eyes closed and breathing ceased. The king was dead.
Merlin cradled his friend in his arms while rocking back and forth. Merlin's cries rang throughout the room while everyone else was silently crying for their fallen friend. "I failed you .I failed destiny. I'm so sorry…. Arthur." Merlin whispered into the ear of the dead king. Two groans filled the room and suddenly the air went electric.
Mordred and Morgana got up from the floor beside the wall and held their heads. Morgana looked across the room and saw the body of her deceased brother. She couldn't help but feel giddy on the inside; her head turned towards Mordred and saw that he had a look of satisfaction on his face.
Mordred felt the air in the room pulse with energy and suddenly remembered that the Emrys was there. 'Morgana we must leave' He telepathically sent to her. 'I agree, can you feel the magic that's coming from him?' she asked back. 'Yes and I would really like to avoid dying at his hand' he was cut off by a sudden laugh and looked towards it. Merlin's head was down and his shoulders were shaking with laughter. He snapped his head up and his eyes were pure gold. "You think that I will just let you leave when you murdered the once and future king, my friend, MY BROTHER!" he said starting out quietly then getting louder with each word until he was yelling. "You dare think that you can get out of this with your pathetic lives? Ha. You have no idea the pain that I shall bestow upon either you Mordred and Morgana. There is no god on this earth that will stop me and you can be sure that you Mordred will die in the most painful way." He sneered, his eyes glowing stronger with each world while silent tears streamed down his face.
Morgana and Mordred quickly tried to transport away, but was held back by Emrys's magic. "He is no longer the Merlin we knew him as, he is now Emrys and he will destroy us" Mordred thought darkly. Morgana sent a fire ball towards Emrys but it didn't reach him, his magic dissolved it before it could hit him. She repeated it over and over again but didn't notice the distance between the two of them dissipate. His eyes showed raw and enraged power. His hand threw out as if to strangle her but it didn't touch her. Wordlessly he began to crush her wind pipe while she gasped and clawed at her throat. Her eyes went to Mordred pleadingly and he turned his head in dismissal. The life drained from her body and her now it lay limp on the ground.
Emrys stalked towards Mordred with such grace and power he seemed like a god himself. Mordred took a hesitant step back and then stopped, Emrys's magic paralyzed the boy. "Mordred, now not even you precious Morgana can save you now" he said threateningly. Mordred swallowed the lump that formed in his throat and looked at Emrys. Emrys's looked straight into Mordred's eyes and suddenly he felt like fire was consuming his entire body. "What are you doing to me" Mordred gasped though the pain. "I told you I was going to make you feel pain beyond your imagining. What? Did you think that was a bluff?" he asked sadistically. Mordred felt magic move towards his soul, "No he couldn't" he thought nervously. "Oh, but I can" with that Emrys wrapped his magic around it and took his magic from Mordred never to be used again. Pain wracked throughout his entire body now that part of him was literally missing. Mordred watched as his family was slaughtered and killed repetitively watched as he was slowly killed for murdering Arthur. While Emrys stood in front of him smugly. The images ceased and Mordred felt tears rim his eyes. Emrys laughed at the display and quickly flung him across the room over and over until he deemed it time to finish him. The now normal boy who tested his fate by killing the king now sat helpless against the wall, weak and broken. Emrys's eyes burned such a powerful gold that his pupils were no longer there. " Mordred, I Emrys, sentence you to death for treason and for killing the once and future king. I make this decision with the power of the old religion on my side and this curse will never be broken. You will spend eternity burning on the pyre that you despise while watching the ones you love die over and over again. I cast you out." Emrys was covered in a golden light that spread towards Mordred engulfing him. Screams of terror and agony filed the throne room then suddenly stopped. The light dimmed and Mordred's body had vanished.
Merlin felt his powers become reign in and his eyes dullwith each passing minute. He collapsed to the ground from the use of his magic. The Queen and knights sat dumbfounded on the ground, not knowing whether they should stay there or run.
Two days later….
Merlin lay still in the infirmary under the watch of Gaius, Gwaine and Percy. "Gaius, how long have you known of Merlin's magic?" Gwaine asked the old physician." I've known since he saved me the first day he arrived in Camelot," Gaius stated. Gwaine looked from Gaius to the Merlin then to the ground speechless. "How much has he done for Camelot?" Gwaine asked quietly not expecting an answer. "He has done more than it should be possible. He has saved the castle from immortal armies, Morgana, sacrificed his life for Arthurs on countless other cases and while doing that lost the ones that he loved for his destiny and much more." Gwaine stood shocked at the revelation." He's done all of that and never sought any credit?" "Why would he he's protecting the one he cares for regardless of his destiny ", Gaius said like it is the most basic thing in the world.
Suddenly, a groan came from the back room. Gaius, Gwaine, and Percival ran towards the sound. "Please, please don't leave me to. I can't do it again. Please tell me it was a nightmare." Merlin whispered from the bed . Gaius was the first through Merlins door. " Merlin you're finally awake,how are you feeling?" he asked getting in physician mode. Merlin cocked his head to the side confused," How long have I been out?" he asked his mentor. 'Please tell me that it was a dream' he mentally pleaded. " You don't remember what happened?" Gaius asked while Gwaine and Percival looked down avoiding Merlins eyes. " I-it's true then, Arthur is d-dead. I failed my destiny and now my b-brother is gone." Merlin choked out while fresh tears began to fall. He laid down on his bed and silently dismissed them.
"I'm sorry old friend but I can't let you do that, protect them Merlin and please, never change" Arthurs final words repeated over and over again. "I will Arthur I will protect them until my last breathe" he said convincingly. From the point forward after the death of his friends and throughout the centuries he was never truly the same again.