Note: This story has spoilers up to The Crystal Cave in Series 3, and is AU from that point on and for another obvious reason. This is a (very) weird idea that I've never read before, and as it sprang into my head I just had to write it down.

"And thus, the mighty warlock of prophecy, Emrys, is about to fall. Everything is happening as it should."

Morgause's words chilled him to the very bone. Somehow, she had discovered that he was a sorcerer and with the aid of Morgana kidnapped him from his room as he slept.

Uther Pendragon was very ill and was not expected to survive more than a few days, and there was no known cure for what was ailing him, magical or otherwise. Arthur had not left his bedside throughout, and Merlin felt genuinely sorry for him. While he had no fond feelings for the King, his son was about to lose his father and he knew from experience just how much that hurt.

Before the end of that week, Arthur would be the new ruler of Camelot, and everything Merlin had striven for over the years would finally come to pass.

Or at least it would have, if he hadn't been captured and most likely soon would also be put to death.

It was ironic that they dragged him to the same place where he had nearly met his end years before, and if the Dragon hadn't saved him from the Serkets he would still be there, albeit as a pile of bleached bones. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he was completely paralyzed by some sort of spell which must have been very powerful. Morgause wasn't playing around this time, and unless he escaped from there quickly he was sure to die.

Merlin had always thought it odd that Morgause didn't just kill him outright then, when it was well within her power to do so. Instead, it was almost as if she had left him in a situation that she had known he'd escape from.

If his entire body hadn't been numb, his eyebrows would have certainly raised at that. She always knew about me! But none of this makes any sense!

"Everything makes sense, Merlin, at least to me. I can finally rest, and the truth can come out once all of this is over. The circle is soon to be completed. And to answer what you would have asked me if you could speak: I can't read your mind, but I know your mind."

Morgana didn't understand what had gotten into her sister all of a sudden for her to start speaking that way, or indeed her recent actions. While she hated Merlin, who had once been one of her most trusted friends until he had ultimately betrayed her by nearly taking her life with poison, Morgause had always been indifferent towards him. Often, she would discourage her from trying to eliminate him from Camelot, for no other reason than the supposed fact that he could be useful in the future, despite his murder attempt and constant foiling of their plans to destroy Uther.

Sometimes one or both sisters nearly succeeded in killing him, but he always managed to cheat death over and over again.

Morgause had been glad when hearing news of Uther's illness, almost giddy, and Morgana was excited as well. Soon they would be free to practice magic as they saw fit, as well as many others. There would be no more hiding or brutal suffering from the citizens of Camelot once the new ruler took over.

Morgana always knew in her heart that, despite her parentage, she would never be Queen of Camelot. Arthur would be King, and Gwen his Queen, and as much as she hurt both of them (she attempted to kill the former on more than one occasion, before she came to her senses), she accepted this and was looking forward to their coronation. Surprisingly, Morgause also agreed, saying that Arthur was a much better man than his father.

Morgana thought that statement to be especially odd, coming from her sister, but she asked no questions.

And not long after that, seemingly out of nowhere, Morgause told her that Merlin was a sorcerer and that they needed to get rid of him. A sorcerer. Having long wanted revenge against him, she hastily agreed, and after sneaking into his room and magically transporting him out of Camelot (with the help of Morgause, since she still did not have the required skill to do such a feat of magic yet herself), she stood witness at what would soon be the execution of her second most hated enemy.

"I want to be the one to do this. Look at him, he is so helpless... just as I was!" said Morgana, glaring at Merlin with an evil smirk.

"No, it has to be me. He is very powerful, Morgana, but I can feel my own magic increasing every moment that now passes, that which was denied me until now. Soon, it will be time, and he will be gone." replied Morgause, and touched Morgana's cheek lightly with her fingertips. "I know how confused you must be right now, and I hope so very much that you will not despise me once this is all over."

"How could I ever do such a thing? You are the only true family I have, as I would never acknowledge Uther and it is best if Arthur never knows of our relation... of his father's infidelity. I love you!"

Morgana hugged her sister tightly and rested her head in her chest, sobbing. Morgause couldn't stop the flow of her own tears either, and said: "I love you too, dear sister, and I always will. No matter what you ever think of me."

Through all of this, Merlin was soundly confused and at the same time, very afraid. At Morgause's comments of her power increasing, he knew that she was not telling a lie, for he could feel it radiating off the blond woman. It was oddly familiar.

Letting go of her sister, Morgause moved much closer to him, kneeling down as to be at the same eye level. Brown met blue for what seemed to be hours, yet only a few seconds had passed.

She took one of his hands in her own, and despite being paralyzed, could feel her. He could feel the heat and sweat upon her hand, the same feeling from one being very nervous at what they were about to do. But what stood out even more was her power... by now, it was comparable to his very own. Not that Morgause had by any means ever been a weak sorceress, but now she was something to be feared.

He realized, with sheer horror, what she had been doing all along since the first moment she cursed him: She was draining his magic, stealing it from his very soul! He tried with all his physical and magical (what was left of it) might to break free, but to no avail.

She looked at him again, and her eyes flashed a very bright gold, much different than her usual darker shade.

"I'm sorry for this, Merlin. But it has to be this way, you will soon understand why. I'm so sorry."

Moments later, a white light emerged from Merlin before fading away, and his body collapsed upon the ground, eyes wide and unblinking.

Merlin was dead.

Darkness.

Then a bright light.

What... what happened? Where am I?

The last thing he remembered, Morgause had been holding his hand and apologizing for what she was doing. Merlin didn't know why she would have shown such compassion against one who had been among her greatest adversaries.

Merlin's eyes were closed, but he could feel a softness pressing into his back. He was obviously in a bed of some kind, from what he could tell, and most obviously was not dead. Everything that had happened was just a nightmare, he figured, but a very strange one. He infrequently had strange dreams, but none so vivid as the one he had just experienced, and certainly none involving Morgause.

Opening his eyes, he gazed upon a stone ceiling. Since ceilings in general tended to all mostly look identical, he couldn't immediately tell where he was, but he knew for sure that he wasn't in his own room in Camelot.

He was too comfortable, far too much, compared to his hard and clunky bed. He didn't want to go anywhere, and he could feel sleep attempting to claim him once again...

Forcing himself to sit up (which seemed, for some reason, to be quite a difficult task), he glanced at three barred wooden walls surrounding him, one at each side and the other in front. They were too high to try and climb out of, even if he had the strength to do so.

"Where am I? Is anyone here?" he tried to say, but all that emerged from his lips was an unintelligible garble that even he could not understand. He tried again, but with no change in speech. Something was very wrong with him.

Someone entered the room, and Merlin gasped as he saw just who it was.

It's impossible... she's dead! I killed her!

Of all people to come upon Merlin in such a weakened state, she had to have been the very last one he had ever expected.

"Nimueh!"

Having heard his cry, the sorceress immediately walked in his direction. Oddly enough, Nimueh seemed to be smiling and what was even more extraordinary, she seemed to have grown at least ten times in size since their last encounter, and would most likely soon squash him like a bug.

She reached for him, and he screamed, but just as before what came from his mouth was not what he'd intended. Instead, he cried.

"Oh, please don't be sad!" said Nimueh, as she took him in her arms. "I know that you miss your mother but this is for the best, you're safe here!"

I've gone completely insane, that's all there is to it. thought Merlin. Maybe I'm still lying where Morgause left me to die, a complete invalid. Yes, that must be it.

He didn't think he had lost his mind for very long, as he noticed something below as Nimueh was rocking him back and forth. The bed he had been sleeping in was in fact a crib, and while that was terrifying enough, what Nimueh said next went far beyond that.

"Be at peace, Morgause."

Merlin screamed, and this time it came exactly as intended.