Merlin and the doctor stepped out of the TARDIS. They were in the middle of a wood and ahead of them was a small crumbling shack that Merlin had seen before.
"That's Morgana's hovel," he said. "What's the angel doing here?"
"One way to find out," said the doctor. He pushed the door open. It appeared to be deserted, so he entered. Merlin attempted to follow but the door slammed shut, with him on the outside and the doctor inside.
"Doctor? Doctor!" Merlin yelled, hammering on the door.
"Merlin? What happened? It's locked!" The doctor yelled back, rattling the door knob.
"Can't you use you're sonic thingy?"
"My screwdriver? It, er, doesn't work on wood." The doctor sounded slightly ashamed.
"Um...right." Merlin didn't think this was the right time to ask questions.
"Can you try and magic it open?"
"I'll try...stand back."
Merlin held his hand out towards the door. He muttered a word, snapped his palm forward and his eyes flared yellow. Nothing happened.
"It's not working! Someone must have blocked it somehow."
"Well done Merlin," came a voice from behind him. A familiar voice. Merlin's blood ran cold. He turned round slowly and found himself face to face with Morgana.
"I knew there was something different about you," she said, smirking. "Unfortunately, you're not different enough. I'm more powerful than you'll ever be."
But Merlin wasn't listening. There was something far more worrisome than Morgana's gloating. Standing next to the TARDIS with a stone hand stretched out in towards it in what appeared to be mid-caress, was the angel.
"I wonder what Arthur will say when he finds out that his faithful manservant has kept this big a secret from him all these years?"
At these words, Merlin focused his attention back to Morgana but kept a watch on the angel out of the corner of his eye. Morgana noticed him looking.
"Ah yes. I believe you've met my new ally? The creature informed me that with the power of the TARDIS, I will be able to overthrow Arthur and Gwen and become queen and cause a paradox that will not destroy the angels, but in fact feed them for eternity. So, you see, everyone wins. Except my dear brother, of course."
"Merlin?" The doctor was still hammering on the door. "What's going on?"
"Morgana's formed an alliance with the angels."
"What? No! Morgana you can't trust them!"
Morgana smiled and raised her voice so the doctor could hear her.
"I was warned that you might try to dissuade me. But there's nothing you can do, my mind is made up."
Merlin wondered how much the angel had threatened or bribed her to make her so sure.
"You can't do anything with the TARDIS anyway without the key," the doctor said sounding vaguely triumphant.
"I thought it might come to that. That's where Merlin comes in. You can't get out and help him, so hand over the key, doctor, or we'll see how the great sorcerer's powers work against me and the angel."
Merlin looked at the angel and was met with a cold, stoney smile.