This is going to be a long one so hopefully you'll like it ^-^
The next morning, Arthur, Gwen, Leon, Gwaine, Percival, Lancelot, and Elyan rode out.
"Do you think Merlin will be okay?" Lancelot asked.
"Yes, Gaius knows that my father might look for him so I'm sure he's hiding somewhere." Arthur assured.
"I hope the people of Erelia are friendly." Elyan said.
"I think we'll be fine as long as no one draws a sword on them." Gwaine looked at Arthur.
"Are you implying something Sir Gwaine?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, I'm telling you to keep your temper in check. We are here for Merlin; we don't need you killing anyone."
"My temper, if my memory is correct, it's not just my temper we need to watch out for Gwaine." Arthur sneered.
"That's true, but I have a goal, and until I reach it, I will not stray." He replied.
"That's enough! Stop this useless fighting, Merlin only has a week and a half to live and who knows how long it will be before we return. We have no time to lose." Lancelot rode ahead.
X-x-x-x-x-X
Back in Camelot
Gaius walked through the castle. He went through the dungeons, the library, and the catacombs below. When Gaius returned to his quarters, he sat down next to Merlin and sighed. "I'm sorry my boy, I can't seem to find a good enough hiding spot. I can't move you out of Camelot, it would be too suspicious." Gaius ran a damp cloth over Merlin's brow. After a few more strokes, Gaius ran a hand through his hair and sighed again.
"Sighing isn't good Gaius" A soft voice said.
Gaius looked around for the speaker, but found no one. "Who is there?"
"It's me Gaius" The voice replied.
"Merlin?" Gaius looked towards Merlin to see that he was still fast asleep.
"Yup, happy to hear from me I bet." He chuckled.
"Merlin, how are you speaking to me? You are half dead."
"I really don't know, but I heard that you were trying to hide me. I think I can help with that."
"How?"
"Go to my spell book and turn to the page with the blue and silver border." Gaius quickly went into Merlin's room and came back with the spell book. He turned to the correct page and read it, "A transport spell? How can that help us?" Gaius asked.
"You can transport you and me to anywhere in the castle. That way Uther won't know that you have moved me until it's too late." Merlin explained, Gaius could hear his smile.
"I'm impressed Merlin, but that leaves one thing, where to transport to. I haven't found a place to keep you."
"Well, how about where Kilgharrah used to live? I'm sure those caves would be big enough to hide from Uther. I also know that some of those caves are too high to walk to." Merlin explained.
"Alright, I guess that is our best choice. I'm assuming that I am the one performing the spell." Gaius smiled.
"But of course Gaius." Merlin voice replied cheerfully.
Gaius quickly packed everything he might need into his bag, held Merlin's hand, and casted the spell (I don't feel like making up one so use your imagination).
Gaius closed his eyes as he was surrounded by a bright light while being pulled and twisted in strange angles. When he felt ground below him once again, he slowly opened his eyes and looked around.
When his eyes adjusted, he saw that he was on a cliff. He walked over to the edge to see a number of other cliffs and caves along with the doorway that lead to the castle far below them. "Yes, this will do just fine. No one can see us from here." Gaius nodded and went back to Merlin.
X-x-x-x-x-X
"There they are; the caves of Iseri." Leon said. Below them was a large cave opening. They all got off their horses and walked to the entrance.
"Do you feel that?" Gwen asked.
"You mean that pull? Yeah I feel it" Elyan said. They all cautiously entered the large cave. They walked for a few minutes before coming to a large, circular room (I don't know what you would call it).
"It's a dead end" Percival stated.
"How can it be a dead end? We didn't pass any other openings." Elyan said.
"Maybe these aren't the caves of Iseri." Leon said.
"You're in the right place." A female voice said from behind. They whirled around and saw a petite female with long brown hair and blue eyes. She wore a long red dress with the bottom shredded in strips.
"Nimueh" Arthur pulled out his sword. "My father said you were dead."
"Oh I am dead. You can put your sword away Pendragon, I am not here to harm you." She said.
"How can we trust you?" He asked.
"You can't" She smiled.
Gwaine cut off Arthur's response, "Why are you here?"
Nimueh's smile widened, "I'm here to help."
"How?" Gwen asked.
"I'm here to test your reason for being here." She replied.
"Test?" Percival asked.
"Yes, remember, Gaius said we would be tested." Lancelot said.
"Good Sir Lancelot, very good." Nimueh walked towards the left wall. "Now, why have you come to the caves of Iseri? These caves are magic; I can't see a Pendragon coming here on a leisurely excursion."
"We are here to find a cure for Merlin's illness. He is dying because of some spell put on him by Morgana. Gaius told us that the kingdom of Erelia was our only hope." Arthur explained.
"Did he now?" She chuckled, "Well Gaius always was thoroughly informed. He is correct, Erelia is your only hope to save Merlin, but why are you bothering to save him?"
"Why save him? He's our friend." Gwaine replied.
"Are you sure? How can you be so sure?" She tilted her head.
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked unsurely.
"What is your opinion of magic Arthur?" She asked.
Surprised slightly, he answered, "Magic and all that use it are evil."
"Hmm, it's strange you feel that way. You protect Merlin with such vigor, you call him your friend, yet the instant you find out who he is you would kill him."
"What are you talking about?" Leon accused. The other knights glared at Nimueh, but Lancelot looked uncomfortable.
"Merlin is a liar. He has been lying to all but one of you since the first day he came to Camelot." She smiled.
"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.
Nimueh didn't answer, but looked at the cave wall. The group followed her gaze and gasped as the whole wall shimmered before showing a clear image of Merlin walking through Camelot and into the castle. "Behold, Merlin's first day in Camelot."
They watched as Merlin entered Gaius' chambers. Then, they saw something that surprised them: When Gaius fell from the balcony, Merlin's eyes turned bright gold and time seemed to slow down. Then, with another flash of gold, Gaius fell onto his bed.
The knights (excluding Lancelot) had their mouths hung open, Gwen's wide eyes never strayed from the wall, even thought the picture was long gone, and Arthur's mouth was bobbing like a fish. "M-Merlin h-has magic?" Leon asked once he overcame his shock.
Nimueh nodded.
"WHAT! That is a lie, Merlin doesn't have magic." Arthur unsheathed his sword again.
"Please Pendragon, you cannot touch me. I am dead, remember." Nimueh smiled.
"I don't care, Merlin doesn't have magic." Arthur insisted.
"Are you so sure?" Nimueh asked.
"Huh?" He looked down in thought. "I-I" He couldn't form a complete sentence.
"Why did he come to Camelot? His life is in danger there." Gwaine said.
"It's his destiny" Nimueh said.
"Destiny?" Gwen asked
Nimueh nodded, "There is a prophecy that was made when time began. A prophecy that states the once and future king will unite the lands of Albion. Unfortunately, this king will be the target of several evils and will require help achieving his goal. So, fate created the most powerful sorcerer to help the king."
"Wait, wait, wait, you want us to believe that I am this 'once and future king' and that Merlin is this 'all powerful sorcerer'?" Arthur gave her a strange look.
"Whether you believe it or not Pendragon, you are the once and future king who will bring magic back to Camelot and become the greatest king in history." She replied with a straight face.
Arthur's mouth hung open. "That's impossible, Merlin is a bumbling idiot; he can't be a sorcerer."
Again, Nimueh looked to the wall. In the picture was a sick Merlin calling out to Arthur who was in a dark cave.
"When he drank the poison" Arthur glared at Nimueh, "The poison you gave him"
She didn't respond. Merlin muttered a spell and something under the blanket made a blue light. Gaius pulled the blanket back to reveal a small blue orb with swirls of silver sitting in the palm of his hand.
"That was him" Arthur whispered. They saw Arthur hanging onto a cliff in a cave, struggling to get up when a larger orb appeared before him. They saw as it lit his way to the exit at the top of the cave.
"He was on his death bed and he still wanted to help." Gwen had tears in her eyes.
The picture changed to Lancelot waking up in Merlin's bed, Lancelot telling Merlin of his dream of being a knight, Merlin forging the seal of nobility, Lancelot and Merlin killing the Gryphon, and Lancelot discovering Merlin's secret."
"I didn't kill the Gryphon. Merlin did it. I couldn't take his credit." Lancelot said.
Finally they saw Arthur get beat by the questing beast. Merlin quickly killed the beast and helped Arthur back to Camelot. Gwen started to cry as Merlin went to the Island of the Blessed to give his life for Arthur's life. They watched as Merlin battled Nimueh for Gaius' life, ending with her struck down by lightning.
"Merlin killed you?" Leon looked surprised. "You are supposed to be really powerful."
"I am, compared to an average sorcerer. I am a priestess of the Old Religion. However, compared to Emrys, I am nothing. When Merlin reaches his full potential, he will become the most powerful sorcerer in history." Nimueh explained.
"Why did he want to become a sorcerer? Why did he start practicing magic?" Arthur exclaimed.
"Pendragon, how can you still be so naïve? Merlin did not practice magic; he hadn't even seen a spell before he came to Camelot. Merlin's magic runs through his veins. He has been conjuring flames and moving things since before he could talk. He is Emrys and he will help you unite the lands of Albion." Nimueh started to fade.
"Wait! I have more questions" Arthur ran to her.
"All in good time young Pendragon" She disappeared completely.
The group was silent for a time. Gwaine looked at Lancelot, who had stayed quiet throughout the exchange. "You knew this whole time" He wore a slightly hurt expression.
"Yes, I heard him casting the spell that killed the Gryphon. From that point on, I have tried to protect his secret and helping him if anyone became suspicious." He looked at Arthur, "Sire, Merlin has saved your life more times than I can count, please, do not kill him for something he can't control."
Arthur was speechless, he looked around at everyone. Most faces matched his except Gwen was crying. "No, I can't kill him. He was willing to give his life for me, I will save him."
"Anyone else?" Lancelot looked around. They shook their head.
There was a soft rumbling and one of the cave walls disintegrated, leaving a new passage to walk through.
"I guess we passed the test" Lancelot observed.
"Wonderful, let's go." Gwaine smiled and all but ran into the entrance.
Sorry if it's a little cliched or something, I thought it was a cool test ^-^
Anyway, Review please ^-^