Mordred coughed, a blow driving all air out of him.
"What did you do that for?"
Tears streamed down Merlin's face. Mordred staggered back, the weight of his mistake pouring over him.
"You were entirely devoted to him, weren't you?"
"My whole life was for him. Now it's ashes."
Merlin looked like he'd been the one holding armies at bay and had taken the fatal blow.
Mordred sunk to his knees.
"Merlin. That's not how it was supposed to be. Arthur's death means freedom for our kind after all these years. That's all I wanted." Tears ran down his face.