Thanks to all reviewers, you guys are great motivation!:)

On with the chap.


What was going on?

Flames engulfed Merlin. Cruel, excruciating flames. His very soul felt like it was being burned away. Then suddenly nothing. No flames, no pain, no nothing. It was as if he didn't exist at all and that terrified him far more than the fire. After an eternity, something started to appear from the nothingness. A black room, lit only by the flicker of candlelight, in its centre stood a cloaked figure, a woman. She was drawing runes onto the room's floor, muttering in a language Merlin couldn't understand. Who was she? What was she doing?

"Come to me Emrys," She spoke, shocking him out of his questioning. She knew the name, the druid boy had once said was his. Unease was creeping through his veins.

She began to chant again, pulling a mirror from the folds of her cloak. Staring at it intently, she called again.

"Come to me Emrys, come from the flames, come from the shadows, come to me!"

With this final cry, flames erupted from the mirrors face

Then there was nothing again.

The sorceress smirked and removed her hood.

There in the mirror rested the image of a boy. Her laugh echoed around the room, really so much power in such a weak form, he was falling into the inferno and Camelot would soon follow.

(With Gaius)

Merlin's eyes had stopped gleaming. This should have relieved Gaius of some worry but it did just the opposite. Merlin's eyes seemed empty, as if his soul wasn't there.

Even though he sensed the futility of his actions, Gaius gently wiped Merlin's forehead and hoped.

(With Arthur)

The citizens of Camelot were in panic; there had been more deaths, all over the town, no distinction between, rich and poor, men and woman or young and old. All the deaths had occurred just before the knights and Prince Arthur had appeared, it seemed as if the killer was always one step ahead. Taunting them.

The blazes themselves seemed to be getting more violent from victim to victim, the last one's bones had been nothing but ash, and there was always that word burnt into the walls.

Emrys

There had been no deaths in the castle however which had lead his father to believe the sorcerer(s) was hiding right under their noses so Arthur ordered his knights to search the castle. So far, there had been no such luck, even though for once everyone in the castle was cooperating, for they were all scared for themselves and their loved ones. Hell, even Morgana agreed to help him as much as she could. Morgana!

Even though finding the killer was important, thoughts of Merlin could not kept at bay, Arthur was struggling without his manservant, he'd never realised how much Merlin did for him, though now he had begun to question how much overwork had caused Merlin to get sick in the first place.

Arthur knew that he could not fully focus on the task ahead with that shadow over him. So, he had asked Morgana and Gwen to watch Merlin and make sure he was being looked after, not that he didn't trust Gaius, and both were happy to comply.

Having satisfied himself that everything that could be done for Merlin was being done Arthur felt more prepared to fight the evil force that was plaguing his kingdom.

After all, he had faced many threats and he always came out all right, so why did it feel so bad that Merlin wasn't there this time?

Surely that wouldn't make that much of a difference?


Yeah thats what you think Arthur...

This chapter was very hard to write.

So please review!Thanks