2 days earlier
Merlin smacked his lips from thirst and then opened his eyes slowly. He was facing the ground. He steadily stood up only to find himself in a white room. The light seemed to hurt his eyes for a while. A few seconds later his eye had successfully readjusted only to see a white room with no windows and no doors whatsoever. He found himself surrounded by thrones. The only thing he could see beyond the thrones was an endless hallway leading to more white walls. The air was chill. He was dazed and fearful. He was trying to figure out where he was. He tried to remember what happened to him. He searched within him and he remembered it. He remembered the girl who stabbed him and then he remembered Arthur calling him. He remembered that bitter end. He covered his face with his hands to hide his sadness. He took a moment or two. As he drove his hands off he saw the blood that had dried on his palm. Those 2 sentences came to his mind.
"This blood will not be shed in vain. We need to go"… whispered the girl in his ear.
"I am sorry for this Merlin"…said the girl aloud.
These were the words the girl had confide in him before he could see the knife entering his heart.
He could now guess where he was.
He raised his eyebrows when he saw her coming behind the thrones. Beautiful as he remembered her. As the last time he laid eyes on her and as the last time he said "Goodbye" to her. She was dressed in the exact same way when Merlin had to part from her for eternity.
"Freya is that really you?" Merlin's voice trembled.
"It is me." She paused for a while and then went on. "I have missed you Merlin"
"I have too." Merlin was so happy to see here, he could not let his eyes rest away from the sight.
Freya took his hand gently and with a white cloth she washed away the blood stains from his palm.
"Am I dreaming?"
Freya smiled. "Yes and no."
Merlin looked confused.
"I have to apologize for the pain."
"What do you mean?"
"You know that it is somewhat difficult to get a message to a person who is on the other side. I had an important message and I had no other way. I had to ask a friend to help me get you this message; a person who could communicate with both worlds. "
"The girl who… (paused for a while) stabbed me?"
"Yes. That is Irene."
"In order for me to give you my message I had to either get to your side or get you to my side. To get to your side I had to be invited. Something only the highest priests are allowed to do. The only remaining alternative was to get you to my side"
"You had to kill me?" Merlin responded to assert that he was following her train of thought.
"Yes but only briefly. That is where Irene comes in. I told her to bring you to the brink of death so I can reach you but in a way that she would be sure she could bring you back to your world."
Freya awaited for a response. Merlin seemed to be taking in everything she said carefully.
"Why didn't you just give her the message so she could pass it on to me?"
"It isn't that simple. I will explain. Irene used the stone of the 7 rays of light in order to keep you close to this world after your death. But also to be able to find you in case she would lose you from her sight."
"The stone of the light?" Merlin replied surprised.
"Yes, the stone that could be used as a map to your heart and could keep a person in life. You see Merlin, as long as that person has the stone of light near him, it keeps that person from seeing the light of the other side. It draws that person to the light of the world of the living. The light that is composed of all the lights of all human souls. The light the human eye can perceive is composed of 7 rays of different colors. Those 7 rays of light when combined together give us the light of the human soul, of the human world, the one all human beings long for every morning when they wake up. If not we are all doomed to eternal darkness. These 7 rays represent the 7 values the human soul possess. The values we are born with and pass on to others. Like a candle light we pass them on without ever diminishing ours: Love, compassion, trust, courage, loyalty, hope and truth. As long as those virtues exist in the world, the sun will always come back for us, fighting the darkness. That stone embodies those values, it keeps them within it to help you fight the darkness of the other world. But, I have to warn you when it breaks it releases all its power back to the world.
"And I die once and for all?" Merlin continued scared.
"Yes…unless there is someone to help you. Irene will use her magic to bring you back to life; but not before I can give you my message. When a person dies he passes to the world of Spirits and this stone keeps you in between those two worlds where I could reach you. Not in the world of living nor in the world of spirits. If the stone breaks you descend to the world of Spirits permanently. If someone treats you while you possess the stone you are given a second chance into the world the living. After 7 days have passed Irene will take the stone and help bring you back. I believe 7 days in the in-between world would be enough to achieve a meeting with you. But let's not forget why I called you here Merlin. This was my way to reach you. I now need to tell you why I needed to reach you."
"Of course."
"King Aleman is working with Morgana in order to destroy Camelot. He is planning a war. A war Arthur will not be awaiting. A war with allies he considers close friends of Camelot. They intend to use magic with Morgana's help. They intent to use the stone of Light to capture all the human light and sink the world to darkness. Remove any shred of kindness in this world. They do not know Irene has it nor do they know you will be carrying it later on. You need to inform Arthur to verify his chancellor's loyalty and be prepared for a war. You need to carry the stone yourself and with your magic destroy it forever so as not to fall to the wrong hands. Only you as Emrys have the power to destroy it…in the valley of Aurora."
"Where is it?"
"Before I tell you I need to ask you not to tell anyone about its whereabouts, Merlin. It is a place where very few should know of. Very few fortunate ones should be able to walk on. Therefore I couldn't tell Irene my message."
"Of course. You know you can trust me."
Freya explained in great detail how Merlin should find the place. Then she gave him her farewell.
"The war has been a long kept secret and still is. You want see it coming but nonetheless closing by. I hope everything goes well. You need to go now. Time goes by differently in this world. We may not have much time in our hands before you return. "
"But I do not wish to go." Merlin disagreed in a sorrowful tone.
Freya smiled. "As much I wish I could let you stay, there are things that are above us Merlin."
"I know. I understand. But if I could…Just for a while."
"Your friends need you and they must be worried about you."
Merlin sighed. Freya gave a gentle kiss to Merlin, hugged him and whispered the magic words to send him back.
Back at Arithon's house:
Arithon was sitting at the chair next to the bed. He was getting frustrated he couldn't help the boy. He concentrated his stare at the big rock hanging from Merlin's neck and decided to relieve him from it.
Upon the removal of the necklace he could hear Merlin taking a deep sharp breath and then returning to his lifeless state. He wasn't sure what that meant. He couldn't reassure himself whether it was a sign of improvement or in the worst case the deterioration of his breathing.
"Merlin? Merlin? Did you get the message? You now know how to help them?" asked the girl in eagerness.
"Y…yes " said Merlin with a soar throat.
"What happened to the stone?"
"I don't.." he coughed. He was still dizzy. "I don't know." He managed.
"I found it broken to thousand pieces at your friend's house. It is a miracle you are still alive. Your friend must have done a very good job."
"Where am I?"
Before she could answer she heard horses galloping close by. She stood up. She ignored his question and quickly said:
"I have to go. I am sorry again Merlin. Don't worry, you'll be find. Good luck!"
"Merlin?" Gwen shout out in fear when she saw him on the ground. When she saw him in that lake of blood.
"Hurry" said Arthur seeing him just a few meters away.
"God?!" said Gwaine.
Gwen was the first to arrive by his side. She in turn raised his head in her laps and tried to wake him up. She could see he was conscious but just barely.
"Merlin?" said Arthur in agony."Are you all right. I though I would never see you again old friend."
Merlin was slowly blinking in order to give them signs of life and time to process what was happening around him.
"He's breathing heavily. We need to take him to Gaius right away" Gwen ordered.
Gwaine along with Percival hoisted him over a horse and along with the others began their road back to Camelot.
Arthur came the next day to check on Merlin in his chambers.
"He is not here, Sire. He went out but he said he needed to talk to you urgently when you would wake up."
"He got out of bed?"
"He said he felt fine and that there was something he needed to do."
"Gaius you should not have left him to go out in that state, no matter what he said!"
"He was already set to go when I woke up and he kept saying "Trust Gaius. Trust! You need to trust people, me, more",he smiled and left in a hurry before I could do anything"
"Very well I shall discuss this with him later. I am just glad his back with us."
Merlin knocked on the door."Hello?"
Celia was behind it. She answered the call.
"Merlin?" said the girl surprised by his visit. She still felt awful for what she did. She lowered her sight in shame and welcomed him into her home.
"How can I help you?" meant to say Celia when Arithon popped.
"Celia who is it?" said Arithon upon hearing a strangers voice.
"I think you want to see this. Come…"
"Merlin?" said Arithon delighted to see him.
"Hello."
"Please come in. Can I offer you something?"
"No am fine, thank you.I am here to thank you for your help. To thank you for attending to my wounds. To thank you for showing compassion to a stranger. My friends have told me that you were the one who saved my life."
"I am just happy to see that you are well again"
"Yes my husband tried everything he could and to be honest we thought you weren't going to come out of it alive"
"There was always hope, Celia" said Arithon trying to make the conversation less grievous.
"Nonetheless I had to thank you. There is something else I need to ask of you."
"Anything?"
"I had a stone with me, when you found me?"
"Ah…Yes. The stone. " nodded Arithon.
"I need it."
"Amongst the commotion that took place here am afraid it broke. Am really sorry"
Arithon walked to the drawer and took out a small pouch." I 've gathered all the pieces in here" He handed him the pouch.
"Thank you. Considering everything you've done for me I could not hold this against you. It is all right. I need to go now."
"Wait" Celia popped. "There is one more piece you'll need". Celia took the small piece of the stone she had previously presented to king Aleman from her pocket and handed it to Merlin
Merlin nod again in meant to turn around when...
"What is its significance? … If I may ask" Arithon asked a bit reserved.
"Now that I have obtained the truth behind King Aleman's actions I will help Arthur defeat him with the help of this magic stone. That is all I can say"
"I understand. Well, know only that we are all placing our hopes in King Arthur to free us from his destruction. May his courage free us all and his men royalty help us carry on the harmony in our lands. Have a safe journey back, my boy."