Chapter Notes: This is Chapter 8...

Bring on the battle...There are several different angles in this one, it's me trying to make the battle a little more...erm...concrete...? Ehem

To ariacle: Thank you for your review, I hadn't even noticed about the Gwaine/Lancelot typo :D Must have been my subconsciousness kicking into motion there :D

Yes I have seen the episode and I even know the channel :D

I really hope that they'll get back to Merlin as the center of attention soon, the show is called Merlin not Arwen after all…I don't dislike Arwen but there has been an overdose of it lately at the cost of pairing I greatly prefer…Let's see where that's headed :D

To those of you who reviewed, thanks again, this really is what keeps me going... ;D

Ok enough of me already... ;D

Here's the chapter :D


"Merlin?" Arthur asked in wonder staring at the boy in front of him.

"Yes Arthur, it's me, I came back. Just as I promised I would." Merlin replied, his attention back on the sorcerer who was now on his feet.

Arthur looked at him in disbelief. Merlin was a sorcerer. He waited for the feeling of betrayed trust to come, but all there was was love and gratefulness.

'He came. He kept his promise. He came for me'

That was all Arthur could think right now. It didn't matter that Merlin had magic, it didn't matter what he was. To Arthur it only mattered that he was alive and with him and who he was. He was Merlin. His truest friend and the one his heart belonged to. With or without magic that didn't change a thing.

Merlin was carefully assessing his surroundings. The knights Arthur had brought along didn't even stir. He didn't think they were dead but for all intents and purposes that didn't matter 'cause if they were just unconscious they would be just as much help as if they were dead.

He looked at Athelear. The man looked scary, he had to admit that. He had to find a way to get Arthur and his men out of harm's way. He could hear the dragons roaring and he hoped that Kilgarrah had found his friends and that they were doing ok. He had to find away to incapacitate Athelear without having to use his staff directly against the other. He figured that he would just have to resort to his own magic and hope that there would be a solution presented to him sooner or later.

"Arthur," he said half facing his friend. "I got this." Merlin saw that some of the knights were waking up. Good. "You go take your men and help the others fight against the army. They need you."

"No way. I am not leaving you here." Arthur protested.

"Oh how adorable. So this is the little pet sorcerer of the king's son. You will not have to argue, I will just kill you both." With that Athelear lifted his staff and sent a blow towards them. Merlin managed to divert its course.

This got him an angry glare of Athelear and a surprised look of Arthur.

"Arthur I said go, I got your back. Take you man and leave, with you here I cannot fully use my powers so please just go."

Arthur looked into the pleading eyes and he nodded reluctantly.

"Fine" he answered motioning towards his knights, instructing them to retreat.

Soon the clearing was empty save for Merlin and Athelear who was very upset because Merlin had stopped each and every single of his attempts at killing Arthur or following the knights. Now that they were gone his attention turned to the raven haired boy entirely.

"You dare to stand between me and my mission? For that I will let you suffer and die in pain!" he yelled in a threatening voice.

Merlin knew he had to make him angry to make sure he would become unfocussed, starting to make mistakes.

"Oh yeah...you think you can do that? Dream on. There's no way you could defeat me!"

xxXxxXxxXxx

"Lancelot look out he's right over you!" Gwaine yelled to his friend who was standing probably 15 meters away from him on the wall of Camelot. Xigarrah who had been attacking the castle walls furiously, thankfully without doing too much damage. But the village was burning and people were screaming.

It was horrible. They didn't stand a chance against the giant beast. He and Lancelot had positioned themselves on the castle wall, waiting for the right moment to strike. They had managed to cause minor injuries on the dragon but only at great risks for themselves and they had only made the dragon attack more furiously.

Now the giant beast was about to take Lancelot apart with one blow of his claws as they heard a familiar roaring and Kilgarrah appeared over the castle.

"Kilgarrah...!" Lancelot and Gwaine both yelled, relieved, while the people in the castle called in terror.

"Oh no there is another...We are lost!"

Uther looked at the scene in terror. The two warriors that he knew we're supposed to be banished from Camelot, had Arthur brought them back? They were fighting a dragon and suddenly there was another dragon who seemed to be on their side.

Kilgarrah positioned himself protectively over the two fighters, indicating them to climb on his back.

"Kilgarrah...!" the older dragon roared. "Why did you betray us? Do you not remember the crimes that the people of Camelot did commit?"

Kilgarrah just glared at him.

"Trust me I do remember. I don't think that I will ever be able to forget what has happened." His voice throbbed with hatred as he thought of the many dragons, dragonlords and sorcerers Uther had killed in his blind rage against something he could not begin to understand.

"Why do you protect them then?" came the challenging reply.

"Because" Kilgarrah roared, manoeuvring himself into a better attacking position "Because there are a lot of good people in Camelot" as he said that images of Gwaine, fighting for his best friend without fear of the consequences, Lancelot following the path he knew was the right one regardless of the setbacks he had to endure, Arthur, the righteous young prince, so full of courage and passion to protect those who needed protection and last but not least, Merlin. The young warlock, more powerful than most people could imagine, but so forgiving, caring and compassionate.

Thinking of them made him realize with full force that he was doing the right thing, no matter what Uther had done. No matter the crimes the old ones did commit. There was a new era coming and the young ones leading it did deserve his protection.

"There are a lot of good people in Camelot and they do not deserve to be punished for crimes committed by a blind king and his followers!"

"So you choose their side then?" the older dragon challenged.

Kilgarrah looked at Gwaine and Lancelot who were now placed on his back. He used all the power he had to contact them in their telepathically. It wasn't as easy as it was with Merlin who he shared a mental connection with but it was surprisingly simple.

/You have to listen. I will try to coax him out of his defences, make him become reckless. We will have to get him away from over the castle. After we managed that you will have to jump on his back and attack him on his wings and throat. He is extremely strong, far stronger than me. Being strategic is our only chance. Got that?/

The two of them just nodded in agreement stunned at the sensation of having a talking dragon in their heads.

"Yes!" Kilgarrah answered the other dragon out aloud.

"Then you will go down with them!" Xigarrah roared, preparing to attack.

xxXxxXxxXxx

Gaius, Gwen and Morgana were in the caves beyond the courtyard tending to the injured people. The heard the news of a second dragon taking part in the fight. Morgana and Gwen were terrified but Gaius dared to hope. Maybe it was Merlin's dragon. Maybe that meant that Merlin was alive and back in the game.

As another blow hit the castle he held on tight to that hope, because at the moment, cut off from the world above, just getting news whenever a new injured villager stumbled into the cave half dead, that was all he had.

xxXxxXxxXxx

Arthur followed his knights to the general direction of the battle, but when they had almost reached the others he saw a red lightning bolt crash down on the clearing, followed by an explosion that shook the earth they were standing on.

"Merlin...!" he called alarmed.

His knights looked at him, anticipating his orders. He stared at them for a moment. Merlin had told him he could handle this. But he didn't know that. What if Merlin had just said that to get him out of harm's way? But what if he hadn't? His knights waited patiently for him to lead the way but as another explosion sounded from the general direction of the clearing where he had left Merlin he made his decision.

"You," he shouted at his knights. "Go and help the others. You have to stop that army from reaching the village!"

"But sire...!" Sir Leon protested.

"I said go!" Arthur ordered and this time no one dared to protest. They could all see the fire in his eyes and they knew there was no arguing with their future king. So they left him behind, heading towards the battle sounds, while Arthur turned around, rushing towards the clearing.

'Merlin,' he thought with all the force he could muster 'I won't let you do this alone you hear? Whatever threat I had to face, even if I told you I had to do it alone' he thought furiously thinking of his quest or the time with the unicorn 'You always came and had my back. Now it's my turn to have yours!'

xxXxxXxxXxx

Merlin panted heavily. This wasn't good. He had to think of something soon, otherwise he would end up roasted, or worse. Athelear was attacking with full power, obviously unaware of the effect that it would have should he hit the staff of compassion.

Merlin used his magic to protect him while he used the staff to have rocks and trees and the ground under Athelear's feet betray him. But his plan didn't really work. He was getting tired and he knew Athelear could sense that.

He was about to just use the staff and put an end to this as he sensed Arthur closing in.

"No..." he mouthed silently, distracted for a split second only, but it was enough for Athelear to hit him with full force. Merlin was blown off his feet, the staff of compassion falling out of reach.

Merlin felt dizzy and his vision was blurry as he lifted his face to look at the old sorcerer, staring at him with hateful eyes. He averted his eyes, looking at the burning castle, vaguely seeing the shape of two dragons in the air somewhere around it.

He heard their roaring and the clanging of metal and the screams of the fighting knights. They were all fulfilling their part, only he had failed them.

'I'm sorry' he thought at all of them 'I'm really sorry Arthur.'

He looked up at the other sorcerer, red glowing eyes boring into his green-gold ones and he held the hateful gaze.

xxXxxXxxXxx

Kilgarrah and the others had managed to lure Xigarrah away from the castle, making sure that he was preoccupied with chasing them so he wouldn't attack the castle or rush to aid Athelear.

The two warriors had jumped on the back of the terrifying beast, using their magical weapons to injure the dragon, they worked, unlike most normal weapons. Unfortunately for them it did not do nearly enough harm to stop him but it helped a great deal in making him more and more aggressive.

"Gwaine!" Lancelot shouted to the warrior who was currently trying to get to the head.

"What? I don't know if you noticed but I am kind of busy right now!"

"This isn't gonna work! We have to think of something else!"

"You just figured that out? Wow great job..." Gwaine stopped as he nearly lost his balance and fell off the dragon before he managed to hang on to a spike on the back, climbing back up before he answered. "So, where is your great plan?"

"I really don't have one!" the other knight answered as Kilgarrah once again attacked to keep the other dragon from getting closer to the castle and the village again.

"Yeah figures. So what do we do now?"

"Duck!" Kilgarrah roared just before he breathed his fire over the other dragons back.

"Hey!" the two warriors screamed in unison as the younger dragon reappeared next to them.

"I discovered a weak spot, I had to take it on!" he answered, before he got back into battling position.

The two warriors knew he was right and they noticed that they were finally getting somewhere. Attacked form three directions the older dragon started to get tired. The three of them had been injured, low degree burns, scratches and bruises on the warriors' side and a large cut over the shoulder for Kilgarrah. But they had known the odds and it looked a lot better for them then they would have expected.

Suddenly something changed and the other dragon howled desperately. He shook them off, just Kilgarrah's quick reaction keeping them from ending up as a smashed puddle on the ground.

"What the...?" Gwaine started but the terrified look in the dragon's eyes cut him off.

Kilgarrah placed them on the floor and set after the older dragon, catching him midway to the clearing.

"Merlin..."Gwaine surmised looking at the two dragons with growing tension.

"Please be ok." He pleaded as he saw a blast of green and red light in the direction where the clearing was.

Lancelot just got up putting one hand on Gwaine's shoulder.

"He'll be ok I'm sure. Kilgarrah won't let Xigarrah interfere and...and I am sure Arthur is with Merlin."

Gwaine glanced up at his new friend and he could in his eyes that he wanted to calm himself down just as much as he wanted to reassure Gwaine.

xxXxxXxxXxx

"The dragons are moving away!" someone in the cave yelled.

Gwen ran over to Gaius who had stopped working, just staring into the void, as if he was trying to see what was happening up there.

"Gaius, what does this mean?" the terrified maidservant asked him.

"I do not know my child." He answered, thoughts clouded with worry about his ward and the young prince who he was sure were outside now fighting the battle of their lives.

"I do not know."

xxXxxXxxXxx

Uther Pendragon was staring down at his burning kingdom and he asked himself if this was really his fault. The dragon had said so. All these many people suffering and dying because of him? He looked at the forest, desperately wishing for a sign of his son.

Arthur had not talked to him after he had given the orders to prepare for an attack. If his son died now, he would never know how proud Uther was of him. He had led his man into this battle, which wasn't even his, had decided to leave the safe walls of the castle to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.

As he looked at the blow of green and red light, somewhere from the forest he couldn't help but hope that his courage and compassion wouldn't make Arthur pay for a mistake that his father had made.

xxXxxXxxXxx

Arthur was now standing in the shadow of the trees watching the two sorcerers warily. It was already getting dark, they had been fighting for longer than it had seemed to him. He knew that they couldn't see him. But he watched the scene on the clearing in horror. Merlin had just been blown off his feet, losing hold of the staff. Arthur gasped. He had to do something. He drew his sword and closed in.

Athelear walked towards Merlin.

"YOU!" he shouted at the young warlock "You dared to oppose me? You stand on the side of Uther and his son? You betrayed all magic and you are not worthy of your powers. You will die!"

Merlin looked around helplessly. The staff of compassion was not that far away, just barely out of his reach. He scrambled up, slowly getting into a defensive crouch on the floor. If he could only get to the staff. On eaimed leap and he could end all of this.

Athelear pointed his staff at the raven haired boy, the glowing increasing.

"You should not have betrayed magic by using it to protect those monsters. The Pendragons are not worth the life of any of us!"

Merlin stared at the red glow then he closed his eyes waiting for the final blow, his whole mind fixated on projecting his love to Arthur. But the blow didn't come. As he opened his eyes in to see what had stopped the older sorcerer, he gasped in shock.

Arthur had jumped up behind the sorcerer, striking him with his sword. It had stopped him from killing Merlin, but now he turned towards the young prince with a vicious look in his eyes.

"You." he said, the staff glowing dangerously as he dealt Arthur a blow which crushed him against a tree.

The blonde boy landed with a horrible thud, slumping to the ground, not letting go of his sword. The staff glowed again and it sent a horribly powerful magical blast on its way to kill the future king.

"Arthur!" Merlin yelled and suddenly the staff of compassion was back in his hands and it sent out an powerful blow which merged with the red one, turning into a motionless blast of red and green light, before it could reach the prince.

Merlin let out a sigh of relief as he saw that Arthur was relatively unharmed, scrambling to get on his legs. But his relief didn't last long. The blast reversed its course moving towards Athelear now. The sorcerer shouted at it, trying to stop it with his staff but it was no use. He was consumed by it.

And as Athelear disappeared in the blazing light Merlin felt all his strength being drained out of him. He fell to his knees, nearly falling over entirely, but he was captured y strong arms, Arthur's concerned face over him. He could hardly see it as darkness was creeping into his vision and it became blurry.

He heard the desperate roar of Kilgarrah, so much pain in it. He heard the battle sounds, faint, as if through stupor. He knew they had won. Camelot was safe. And so was Arthur. Athelear was gone, Xigarrah had run off and the army had been fought back by Arthur's knights.

Merlin felt so weak, he could hardly concentrate on what Arthur was saying.

"Merlin, talk to me please. Merlin!" Arthur sobbed, cradling Merlin in his arms. He could see that the greenish gold glow in Merlin's eyes was slowly diminishing, but as it did Merlin's strength seemed to do so as well. He couldn't find any injuries, well minor ones but nothing that could cause such an abrupt downfall. He was terrified. He could tell that Merlin was dying and he didn't know what to do.

Merlin forced his eyes to open so he could see Arthur's face. He tried to muster up a smile, but he failed miserably.

"Arthur,..." he said, his voice hoarse. "It had to be done."

Arthur just shook his head refusing to hear the truth behind these words, refusing to seeing the truth that was right in front of him. He just knelt on the meadow holding the dying warlock in his arms. He did not even notice the sound of the incoming dragon.

He could hear the noises of the battle. He could tell that Camelot was safe. Once again they had made it. But as he looked at the diminishing glow in Merlin's eyes his heart cried in vain.

xxXxxXxxXxx

It started to rain as night came over them, just a few droplets at first but then the rain became very very strong, washing away the blood of the fallen warriors and putting an end to the raging fires.

The injured dragon landed on the meadow with a heavy thud, looking down at the two small humans who had just defeated the staff of mercilessness and the strongest user it had ever had.

Chapter End Notes: So that's it...chapter 8 is not any longer...

Chapter 9, which will be coming soon as I hope,...will have a strict focus on the direct aftermath of the battle...

I hope you liked it ;D

Please leave a review *puppy dog eyes*