A/N: Sorry for the late update but I ran out of pre-written parts and my exams begin next week so it will probably take longer for my next chapter to come up as well. Anyway, enjoy!

Gwaine sits up and puts a hand on his throat, it might not be a deep cut but it stings a lot. He knows what just happened, Merlin used magic. He saw Merlin's eyes flash gold and then the bandits flew away. Merlin used magic, he lied this entire time. There was something weird about the magic but Gwaine can't figure it out. He looks at Merlin who is still standing on the same spot, staring out in front of him. Why isn't he moving? Gwaine turns his head as Lancelot stands up. Lancelot looks at Merlin and then to Gwaine and moves towards him. Lancelot looks extremely calm, too calm for what just happened.

"You knew didn't you? Since you're not as surprised as I am." Lancelot doesn't say anything but the look on his face says enough. He knew, he must have known for a while now. Lancelot reaches out his hand and pulls Gwaine up.

"How's your neck?" Lancelot inspects Gwaine's wound. "It's not deep, you'll be fine. Try to keep pressure on it to stop the bleeding. I'll take a proper look at it later, we have to get out of here first."

"What are we going to do with Merlin?" Gwaine asks.

They both look at Merlin who collapses and drops to his knees. Merlin used magic right in front of Gwaine. Magic isn't allowed in Camelot, by law they should arrest him. No one knows though, only Lancelot and probably Gaius, and now Gwaine too. He can't arrest Merlin, he can't arrest his friend. But that same friend just killed more than a dozen bandits in one blow, he has powerful magic. Gwaine doesn't realize he is backing up a little, slightly frightened by the thought. He doesn't know how to feel about all of this yet, but Lancelot seems to trust the situation since he's now kneeling down beside Merlin.

"What have I done…" Merlin says while tears start running down his face. Why is he crying? Does he regret his actions? He's a sorcerer. Why does he feel guilty when he's lied to us this entire time? And why is Lancelot so calm? He's known all along that Merlin has magic, he could be hanged if I told Arthur. Why does he risk his life protecting Merlin? Gwaine feels confused and a bit jealous. Merlin told Lancelot but not him. Have they never trusted me?

"It's not your fault." Lancelot says while holding a hand on Merlin's back.

"I killed all those men, I couldn't control myself." Merlin's voice gets louder.

"He was about to kill me, if you hadn't intervened I wouldn't be here. You saved my life."

"I didn't have to kill them all. I could've just prevented the one from killing you." Merlin is very pale and it looks like his hands are shaking. "I killed them all." The ground begins to tremble. Merlin buries his head in his hands and keeps repeating the words: "I killed them all." The ceiling is cracking and rocks are falling down. Merlin is making the cave tremble with him.

"Lancelot!" Gwaine yells. He carefully backs up towards the exit.

"Merlin, calm down!" Lancelot tries to reach him but he doesn't respond. Lancelot grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him, "Merlin look at me!" He finally looks up, "You have to calm down." He looks around and the trembling stops. Lancelot sighs in relief, "Let's get out of here." Lancelot helps a limping Merlin out of the cave while Gwaine quickly gets the horses. They will travel much faster with Merlin on a horse than having to support or carry him. Gwaine walks a couple of feet behind them next to his horse, still unsure and even more alarmed. Merlin isn't just a sorcerer, he's now an unstable sorcerer. Gwaine feels uncomfortable but he doesn't want to leave, he has so many questions he wants answered first. Lancelot is an honest and noble man and he still trusts Merlin, even in his current state. Gwaine can't leave. Merlin must still be in there deep down inside; the Merlin he's always known and trusted. He can't abandon him when Merlin needs him more than ever.

They stop at a good place to rest, far enough from the cave. Lancelot puts Merlin down against a tree.

"Gwaine, why don't you get some wood for a fire." Gwaine nods and moves out of sight.

Lancelot turns his attention to Merlin's leg. "Does it hurt?" he asks Merlin.

"Only if I move it." Merlin looks exhausted, he is still pale and he has bloodshot eyes.

"The bleeding has stopped. I'll leave the arrow in for now so you can get some rest but I'll need to pull it out when you wake. Rest now." He helps Merlin lay down and positions a horse saddle as a pillow. Merlin falls asleep immediately. By the time Lancelot is done feeding the horses Gwaine is back with the wood. He has some trouble lighting it due to the moist from the rain two nights ago. After a short while he sits down cross legged in front of the fire.

Gwaine looks at Merlin. "How long have you known?" he asks Lancelot.

"Long before you came to Camelot."

"How?"

"A griffin was attacking the city so I charged towards it on horseback with a lance in my hand. I was able to kill it because Merlin enchanted my lance. I heard him saying the spell."

So Merlin didn't tell him. He found out, just like me.

"How can you be so calm after what happened in the cave?"

Lancelot takes a deep breath. "You and I both know he would never hurt his friends. He has only used his magic for good; to protect Camelot and its king. That's why I never told anyone about his magic, and it wouldn't be my place to tell anyway." Lancelot tears a piece of cloth from his cape and kneels down beside Gwaine.

"He needs my help and now that you know he'll need yours too so I suggest you grow a pair and stop being such a princess." Lancelot puts the cloth around Gwaine's throat, covering the wound.

"That's supposed to be my line." Gwaine says. Lancelot smiles as he tightens the cloth for a brief second making Gwaine choke. Lancelot's tease is answered by an evil look from Gwaine.

"I guess I'm just a bit overwhelmed by everything. I never imagined Merlin to be a sorcerer."

"There's something else you should know about Merlin. Remember that time when we had to leave Merlin behind after the ambush?"

"I remember it all too well. He's never been the same since."

"You noticed that too huh? Yesterday he told me what really happened."

"What really happened? I thought he already told us. He was running for three days."

"He only ran for one day."

"Then what happened on the other two?"

"He was tortured."

Gwaine spat out the water he just drank from his wineskin. "Tortured?" he exclaims. "By who?"

"Morgana."

"That witch. I'll kill her next time I see her."

Lancelot told Gwaine every detail of Merlin's story. "You'll need to know everything if we are to help him," he said. Lancelot also told him that Merlin is Emrys. Gwaine had never heard of Emrys before. He still can't imagine Merlin being the most powerful sorcerer alive. The most powerful sorcerer had an emotional breakdown a few hours ago. How are they going to help him through this? They don't know anything about magic; only that it's better to stay away from it when it gets dangerous. One thing Gwaine does know though is that he'll help Merlin no matter what.

"Gwaine," he hears next to him. He wanted to sit by Merlin when he woke up. "Gwaine, I-"

"It's okay, Lancelot told me everything. I won't tell anyone, you're my friend."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He helps Merlin sit up. "How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"Good," says Lancelot. "It's time to get the arrow out of your leg."

"Can't we wait a little longer? He just woke up." Gwaine requests.

"The arrow has been in there long enough, it's already starting to infect. I'll have to pull it out slow to make sure the head doesn't break off."

Gwaine takes off Merlin's scarf, "Here, bite on this. It's going to hurt."

Lancelot starts pulling slowly and Merlin starts screaming. The sound is muffled a bit by the scarf in his mouth. Hopefully no one will hear him. The arrow is almost out when Merlin suddenly becomes quiet.

"Merlin what's wrong?" Gwaine asks, confused by the sudden silence.

"Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?" Lancelot says, also confused. "I'm pulling out an arrow from your leg and you suddenly stopped screaming. What did you do?"

"I feel nothing."

"It doesn't hurt anymore?" Merlin nods. Lancelot pulls the arrow out and tears pieces of cloth from his cape to bandage the wound.

"I wished the pain would go away and… it's gone."

"I never thought it was possible to erase pain with magic. It must have been a powerful thought. Let's try to be careful what we wish for then, we don't want to regret anything else."

"Wait." Merlin stops Lancelot from bandaging the wound. "I want to try something first." Merlin sits up and holds his hand over his wound. "Þurhhæle dolgbenn" he says. Nothing happens. "Þurhhæle dolgbenn" he says louder. Still nothing happens. Merlin looks frustrated, "Þurhhæle dolgbenn!"

"I don't think it's going to work Merlin. You're still weak." Lancelot bandages the leg.

"I don't understand. I wished the pain would go away and it did, I try to heal my leg but it doesn't."

"Try to relight the fire." Gwaine says while looking at the smoldering wood.

"Forbearnan" Merlin says, still agitated by the failure of his previous spell. A six foot flame shoots up from the ashes, startling the horses and setting fire to Lancelot's sleeve who was sitting closest to the fire. Gwaine jumps up and runs to Lancelot who is hitting his arm to kill the flames. The fire lowers and Gwaine steps on some smoldering spots on the ground here and there to put them out.

"Well at least you got the fire going again." Gwaine says sarcastically.

"Let's take a break from using any magic." Lancelot pants. Merlin nods with a guilty look.

"We should head back to Camelot soon." Gwaine suggests. "Arthur will be waiting for us."

"I can't. I… there's something I have to do first."

"Merlin, you're in no shape to be doing anything. We have to go back."

"I came out here to meet someone. I'm not leaving before I do."

"Meeting someone? Who?" Merlin looks at Lancelot. "You left something out again didn't you?" Gwaine asks Lancelot.

"I was hoping Merlin forgot after his breakdown. The druid claims to have some important information for Merlin."

"The druid! You have got to be kidding me!"

"Gwaine, we're already close to the ruins of Neshir. I don't want him to go either but it wouldn't be wise to argue with him right now."

"I don't expect you to come with me, I can do it on my own." Merlin says.

"Don't be ridiculous Merlin, of course we're coming with you. You can't do this by yourself."

They put Merlin on a horse again. Even if he doesn't feel pain he shouldn't put too much weight on his leg. It's early evening when they arrive at the ruins of Neshir; a huge clearing hidden in the woods. Stone walls are the only thing left of the small keep that once stood here. Fresh green ivy grows on the blackened wood of huts and cottages. Wooden poles of tents still stick out of the ground.

"You'd better stay here, he's expecting me alone."

"Are you sure?" Lancelot asks.

"I'll be fine, I think."

"Shout if you need any help. Gwaine says.

Merlin enters the clearing and disappears behind some rubble while Lancelot and Gwaine wait at the edge of the woods.

"This doesn't feel right." Gwaine says while resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I don't like it either but we wouldn't be much use against a sorcerer. How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine. How's your arm?"

"A little red, but nothing to wo-" Gwaine holds up his hand, gesturing Lancelot to be quiet. Lancelot hears a rustle and suddenly a figure in a long robe appears from behind a bush. His face is concealed by the big hood hanging over his head. He must not have heard the knights since he abruptly stops, obviously surprised to see them. Lancelot and Gwaine slowly pull their swords a few inches out of their sheaths. The man mutters a word and they're both thrown backwards a few feet. It took them too long to get back up. Two big fireballs are now flying towards them. Just before they hit their target they seem to hit an invisible wall instead and fall apart. The man flies backwards just like the knights did a moment ago.

Merlin appears from behind some trees and slowly steps towards the druid. He is clenching his fists and his eyes are gold. The swords from Lancelot and Gwaine's sheaths slide out and fly through the air until they're hovering next to Merlin's hip on either side. The druid crawls backwards on the ground as Merlin comes closer. When the druid bumps in to a tree the swords shoot forward.

"Merlin no!" Lancelot shouts.

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger, again. It's just too perfect to end it here. :)