Series: Untitled

Chapter: no title (still working on it).

Rating: PG-13

Pairing/s: could be seen as slash Merlin/Arthur, Possibly Implied Gaius/Uther, I don't think it is, but other's might disagree.

Warning/s: Dark, Angst.

Summary: Magic and Despair are not a good combination.

I hope it's a good ending to the other chapters

I'm not sure whether I should write a short epilogue or not, please let me know if you think it's a good idea.

Please read and review

The room was a murky, Green-black color, like someone had peeled the flesh from a rotting carcass, and hung it over the windows and on the walls, the ground seemed to slip under Arthur's feet, and all around him, columns of what seemed to be the veins and arteries of the same dead beast.

In front of him Arthur could barely make out Merlin's pale form, his body almost completely covered, wrapped in the twisted parody of a mother's embrace.

Every step made him feel like he had a black hole somewhere inside him, the feeling so strong Arthur looked at his stomach, expecting to see it's surface cave in as he was hollowed out.

"Merlin?"

"Why are you here?"

Merlin's voice seemed to echo inside his head.

"I came....I was coming....to apologize."

"What....What's happening Merlin?"

"He called to us."

The voice was not Merlin's, though it emanated from his throat.

"He called to us.....such pain.....such sorrow.....such unimaginable power."

"Who are you, what do you want with him?"

"We want to take him away.....take him with us.....such pain.....he calls to us."

The voices seemed to claw at Arthur's mind, desperately battering at his sanity, long forgotten whispers of a half remembered nightmare from his childhood.

"Merlin, can you hear me?"

"You gave him to us....you made his pain....we will not give him back......not to you."

"Merlin,I'm sorry."

Arthur's voice had a desperate edge to it.

"I was just trying to keep you safe, I had to drive you away, to keep you safe, to keep you from father."

For a second, Merlin's eyes seemed to clear, but it faded away to soon.

"We will protect him now......we will keep him safe from harm.....we will lay to waste all that would cause him pain."

"I know I went about it the wrong way, I should have just talked to you, made my intentions clear another way.

Arthur moved to where his friend was kneeling.

"I'm sorry, Merlin please, please speak to me."

".....Arthur."

"No, you can not risk it."

The voices became more and more desperate. "We will keep you safe, we will protect you from harm........stay with us.......please don't leave us."

Slowly, the darkness in the room began to fade away, Merlin slumped forward, his forehead pressed against Arthur's chest.

"Please, don't leave us."

Merlin pulled back from where he was resting, and moved towards the rapidly shrinking puddle, Arthur watched him, expecting a destructive spell, a violent clearing of the things that had tried to harm his friend.

It didn't happen, Merlin conjured a small, almost crystalline bowl, kneeling next to the black puddle creatures, he held it towards them.

"It's alright, I won't leave you alone, I'll take care of you, I'll protect you always."

Slowly, they poured themselves into the bowl.

"Merlin, what are you doing, they're evil, they tried to kill you."

"No, they didn't Arthur, they tried to keep me safe, to protect me, now I will do the same for them."

Arthur just stared as Merlin placed the bowl on his side table.

"What if it happens again?"

Merlin walked forward and wrapped his arm around Arthur's shoulder.

"It won't if your a little more clear about what you mean to do."

And they both stepped from the room.

The End