Sorry for the delay of this chapter. It's been a long week that started out with me almost hitting a 2 year old out wandering alone in the middle of the road. Still a bit shaken about that, but got her back to her family... and well, called DHS after that because of the lack of ... well really any emotion... long story. Anyway, hopefully my muses will get back on track. Sorry if this chapter isn't up to standards, not entirely happy with it but *shrugs* long week as I said. Also- Someone hijacked my muses. So for that he didn't get to have a sneak peak at this chapter. :P
I WILL praise the sovereign, supreme king of the land,
Who hath extended his dominion over the shore of the world.
Complete was the prison of Gweir* in Caer Sidi,
Through the spite of Pwyll and Pryderi.
No one before him went into it.
The heavy blue chain held the faithful youth,
And before the spoils of Annwn woefully he sings,
And till doom shall continue a bard of prayer.
Thrice enough to fill Prydwen, we went into it;
Except seven, none returned from Caer Sidi.
~Book of Taliesin, first stanza Preiddeu Annwn
*gweir is suspected to either mean hostage, or be the name of one of the "Three Exalted Prisoners of Britian" (once again translation copied from maryjones dot us, not mine- just used for setting the mood)
(*~*~*~*)
"Come my son; join me in a drink. We have many things to discuss."
"The last time we spoke you did nothing but degrade me, why would I agree to sit down with you now?"
A blond woman appeared at Uther's side and smiled down at Arthur from atop the gate, "Because my son, after that day your father sought me out and has since found peace." A wooden door appeared beside the gate. "Come join us, I have long wished to see you again."
Arthur's eyes were wide and his breathing shallow as he stared up at his mother. A strange sense of calm came over him, "Of course, I would like to see you as well."
There was a tone of enchanted happiness in his voice that made Merlin shiver, "Arthur, this is a bad idea."
"Shut up Merlin, and learn your place," Arthur spat out uncharacteristically as he physically shoved Merlin aside and made for the door.
Merlin stumbled and nearly fell on his back. Bran managed to catch him and push him back to standing. They all watched, stunned as Arthur went through the door. The other knights rushed to try and stop him. Only Leon managed to make his way inside just before the door slammed.
Leon spun in the near darkness and was faced with a blank wall where the portal had been. Looking around for something to aide him, he saw his king walking away without even a backwards glance. "Arthur!" He called out, but the footsteps were growing softer as the king moved away. Without a thought to himself, the loyal knight sped after the other man, hoping to catch him before it was too late.
(*~*~*~*~*)
Gwaine pounded his fist against the door. Bran tried his axe, while Percival and the others used their swords. Merlin attempted his spells, but nothing seemed to work against the portal as it faded back into being just another piece of the wall.
Uther cackled at them from his vantage point, "This is what I should have done long ago to you peasants who have tainted my son with your common blood." He turned and disappeared from the balcony with a laugh.
Gwaine huffed, "Think I should have told the old goat that I'm actually related to a king?"
"Yes and then tell him it was Lot and watch him do something even worse," Merlin replied.
Suddenly there was a loud clank and the sound of chains rattling against turning gears. The six men stepped away from the wall as the gate was being opened. The hordes of Roman soldiers behind it ready to rush at them.
Gwaine chuckled sourly and cursed, "Guess it's time to prove that us low-life's can fight." He spun his sword in his hand, lowered his stance, and narrowed his eyes as he prepared for battle.
The other men did the same, collectively holding their breath as the portcullis rose. "Stick to the side of the gate, we may not gain ground but at least they have to fight us in turn," Bran suggested taking up the point position.
The men fell into a semi-circle with their backs to the wall and prepared for the worst, although they knew instinctively they didn't have the manpower to stop the Romans from overtaking them, it was the best they could do.
As battle was joined the knights swung their weapons, though the hits seemed to do little damage. Merlin used his magic in an attempt to blast back the soldiers. The Roman legions faltered a step, but nothing more.
Merlin pulled his energy through the staff and cast a spell to create flames along the edges of the sharpened weapons that the knights held. He was actually surprised when it worked, as the last time he encountered the Doracha his magic felt as if it were being muffled under the weight of the undead creatures. Here in their realm however, things worked a bit differently. With the aid of the staff it allowed him to draw not only his power, but that of Anwnn as well. It was a darker magic, like the necromancy Morgause used during the years she attempted to take over Camelot, either on her own or within Morgana's body; not the life giving magic Merlin typically drew from.
As the knights swung their weapons at the creatures a few would retreat. Merlin would send of blasts of lightning and fire from his staff. Each one marking a hit, but for every spirit that they drove back there seemed to be two or three more that took its place. They were holding the Doracha off, but fatigue was beginning to set in.
He cast a shield around them and still the soldiers came, pressing through it like thick honey a little slower, but not stopping. Summoning a fireball, he sent it over the knights into the legion a bit away from them all.
The blast had more effect than anything else thus far and the oncoming Romans shied away from the heat and the light. Merlin glanced around and noticed that the ranks of soldiers were increasing. Inside the courtyard the Doracha from the sky were coming down and transforming.
"When I tell you to, get down and close your eyes!" Merlin yelled at the other men as he prepared to do something drastic. He put his back to the wall and planted the staff at his feet, hoping his idea would work. Closing his eyes for a moment he centered himself and allowed the power to build. Foreign and so cold it felt like it burned inside his soul, the power of death welling up inside him to try and defeat the dead beings. He reached out and touched the minds of the knights with the soft command, 'Down, now,' while his voice roared out, "Brynewielm!"
The staff glowed with a blinding light, he felt the heat radiating under his hands, and an explosive wave of fire erupted from him. It cascaded over the heads of the men; catching the evil spirits full on, evaporating all the ones on the ground surrounding them.
Merlin felt his vision cloud over for a moment before strong hands gripped his arms and hauled him up.
"Come on friend, no time to sleep," he heard Gwaine's voice vaguely through the haze of spent energy.
Merlin was finally able to pull his own feet underneath him and gaze around. The Romans were gone; consumed by the fire blast. Then he heard the screaming howls of the Doracha in the sky bearing down on them.
The men finally made it to a door inside the courtyard and piled through it before closing it tightly behind them. It was pitch black and smelled almost worse than the cave they found the giant in. Not a single one of them moved for fear of stepping in whatever created the stench. Merlin's eyes flashed gold momentarily causing the others to startle slightly before his staff began to glow with an eerie pale light.
"That was creepy," Elyan mentioned softly.
"That was awesome," Gwaine grinned like a kid.
Percival looked around, "We need to find Arthur."
Creating a larger radius of light around them the men began searching the room they were in. First thing they all saw was the source of the stench. The giant, Dyrnwch, was lying dead in a pool of his own entrails and bodily fluids.
More than one of them felt a wave of nausea at the sight. Attempting to avoid the massive rotting corpse they kept their breathing shallow as they searched the room. Merlin used the same light spell and enchanted a few of the weapons as they split up into groups of two and began cursory exploration of some of the side passages.
Percival and Elyan headed off to the immediate left, while Bran and Bedivere took the right hand hallways, leaving Merlin and Gwaine to explore what was ahead of them around the giant. Merlin sighed as he and the knight moved cautiously around the humongous body.
"What?" Gwaine asked, his eyes searching the room, "I thought you'd be glad to see this thing dead already?"
"Mmm, I would be if there weren't a few minor problems with it," He said cautiously.
"Those would be?"
"One- when we came in here, the writing on the tablet. There were six of us, plus the giant that entered, so seven need to return."
"Well let's take Elyan or Leon then," the rogue responded as if that solved everything.
"But we can't. Elyan died months ago, he wouldn't have a body for his soul to return to and Leon...I don't know if he's really here."
Gwaine sighed as he stepped carefully over another pool of blood, "Ok then, other than the fact we're screwed for getting out of here what else?"
"Two- where is the cauldron? Unless it's underneath him, which might be a possibility," he admitted looking at the large corpse, "someone, possibly that hell version of Uther, took it."
"There was another version of Uther?" He asked pretentiously. "I get the feeling there is at least one more reason that worries you."
"Yes..." Merlin swallowed down his fear and spoke quietly, "What the hell is in here that could kill a giant?"
Gwaine turned, his hazel brown eyes met Merlin's blue ones that appeared almost black in the darkened room and cursed silently. The warlock actually smiled a bit and shrugged apologetically.
As they neared the giant's head they caught sight of something on the other side. At first neither was certain of what they were seeing, but as they approached they could see it was the body of a man. His face was concealed under a hood; he was otherwise bare except for a filthy loincloth. The man' skin was coated in filth and wounds seeping with infection. What little they could make out, he appeared to have suffered from starvation as he hung along the wall, his arms held upwards in a crucifixion pose with bluish colored chains. Merlin could feel the magic humming in their links.
"Think he's alive?"
Merlin shook his head, "I don't know. Even if he was, I'm not sure it would make any difference in this place."
"That's right Merlin, it doesn't make one lick of difference," A smooth voice said from the shadows behind him.
"Who said that?" Merlin challenged, holding his staff higher as he spun around.
Gwaine paused and looked at his friend with confusion, "Who said what?"
Merlin ignored him and began moving off towards a dark corner.
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