Sorry it's been a while! Life happened (so stupid), but I'm back with another chapter! To be honest, I have no idea how many more chapters there are going to be. I know where I want the story to go, but I'm sort of winging it when it comes to getting there.
The white light flared brighter than a star, blinding Akasha and the knights to their surroundings. She heard the sharp ring of swords being drawn as the knights drew their weapons to face the attack. Akasha had to fight the urge to laugh. It was light, what on earth would their swords do against it? They were more likely to slice each other to ribbons than to effect the glow at all!
"Steady! Steady, men!" Arthur called, apparently thinking the same as Akasha. All they could do was shield their eyes with their arms and hope the light faded soon. The light seemed to only increase the longer they stayed there, and Akasha was about to suggest that they try to find cover elsewhere, when the earth shuddered with a great earthquake, knocking all of them to the ground. The earth quaked so violently Akasha braced her hands on the ground, trying to remain in one place as the ground seized like a great ship in a maelstrom. Wind whirled and there was a final cracking sound, and the light, the wind, the shaking all disappeared. Akasha rose on shaky legs and looked around, afraid of where they had ended up. They had been deposited in a clearing in the middle of a forest, surrounded by tall trees and the natural light from the sun. The tranquility of the area stood in sharp contrast with the tower, at least until Gwain cursed loudly.
"What in the devil's name was that?!" Akasha turned around and couldn't repress the grin that rose at the sight of the knights sprawled all around the clearing, with various looks of shock and disorientation. Percival was actually upside down against a tree.
"My guess would be magic, but I could be wrong," She snorted, going over to help the men to their feet, "Is anyone injured?"
The knights glanced around at each other and shook their heads, really not feeling any worse for wear.
"Good. Then we can focus on finding Merlin," Akasha slowly opened the barriers around her mind for the second time in 24 hours, spreading her consciousness to find the warlock.
"How are we going to do that? We're in the middle of the woods, hours away from Camelot in the middle of a siege! Merlin is probably still with the sorcerer!"
"Well then we'd best get going!"
The knights dissolved into heated discussion over their next move, to which Akasha only paid half attention too. She focused on trying to find Merlin. If he knew about the relocation spell, then it was entirely possible that he had jumped on board when it was activated. Although that meant that Haerbrik could be there as well, but one problem at a time. Akasha branched her magic out a little farther, and finally ran into a bump that could be Merlin. Unfortunately the magic she was detecting was weak, meaning that Merlin was unconscious and likely beaten to a pulp.
"Perhaps one of us should scout the area," She said to the knights, who were too absorbed in their tactical discussion to notice, "I'll be back in a minute, then," She started out in the direction she had sensed Merlin. She only hoped she would be able to help him.
She only had to walk about ten minutes before she saw a familiar boot sticking out from behind a shrub. She hurried forward, sliding to her knees beside the unconscious warlock.
"Merlin? Merlin, wake up," She patted his cheek, but received no response. She looked him over closely. There was little on the surface, no obviously broken bones, no cuts or contusions, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything wrong on the inside. As her examination traveled up to his face, she noticed that his lips were pasted together with a thick, sticky substance. Blood.
"Arthur!" She shrieked, completely abandoning any sense of decorum, "Arthur! Gwain! Somebody, please!" She was close hysterics at the sight of her friend's blood. She had never hoped to find companionship like the one she had found with Merlin, and she immediately feared the worst, knowing how fate liked to work.
The sound of crashing feet eased her panic a bit as the knights of Camelot burst around the corner.
"Akasha, what's going on? Why are you-?" Arthurs questions cut off with a choke as he saw the body she was kneeling by.
"Move aside, let me see to him," He ordered, and Akasha quickly scuttled aside to allow the king to see to his servant. The first thing Arthur noticed was the blood staining Merlin's mouth and crusted down his neck.
"No fresh blood," He muttered, "Leon, go fetch some water and a damp cloth," Arthur didn't even look up as he gave to order, intent on addressing Merlin's injuries. His hands probed down both arms and legs, searching for broken bones, and was relieved to find that there were none. Then he moved to the man's chest. As soon as Arthur put the slightest pressure on the area, Merlin stiffened and exhaled sharply through his nose, in obvious pain.
"Damn," Arthur swore, lifting up his shirt to get a better look at the injury. Akasha's stomach lurched at the sight of the myriad of bruises mottled across his chest and torso. Though no skin was broken, the bruises and tenderness were a sure sign of internal damage.
"My lord," Leon had returned with the cloth and water.
"Thank you," Arthur squeezed the saturated cloth over Merlin's mouth, breaking the bloody seal on his lips. As soon as his mouth was free, Merlin moaned and took a heaving breath.
"Easy, easy," Arthur said, squeezing the cloth again and trickling some water down his manservant's throat. The water seemed to do some good, as Merlin's eyes flickered open and blinked rapidly against the bright sun, "Merlin? You in there?"
Merlin squinched his eyes shut, then opened them wide and scrunched his eyebrows, trying to shake of the post-torture fog, "Think so," His voice was hoarse but strong as he rolled his head to get a view of his surroundings, "Where are we?"
"Darkling Woods," Gwain said. Akasha was surprised he had managed to stay quiet this long, "Akasha says you were captured by a sorcerer?"
"Yeah," Merlin cringed, "My chest hurts,"
"I was just checking on it. Hold still," Arthur tried to resume prodding at Merlins side and chest, but as soon as he laid a hand on flesh Merlin jerked and grunted in pain.
"Merlin, I said hold still! You're going to do more damage!"
"Sorry," the boy muttered, panting from the pain.
Arthur sat back on his haunches, frowning. He needed to check Merlin's injuries, but if he was squirming the whole time he would do more harm than good. He had to get Merlin to hold still.
"Akasha, come here for a minute," He said, standing and walking away from the group.
As he passed Leon, he muttered, "Keep him calm and still. I'll be back in a moment,"
Walking a few yard away, he turned to the baffled Akasha, "I'm going to need your help with Merlin,"
"What? How can I help?" Akasha blinked. What the hell was she supposed to do?
"I need to check his wounds, but someone will need to hold him down. I can't have him wriggling around while I'm checking for broken bones,"
"But why-?"
"I can't have one of the knights do it. I need them to set up a camp and post lookouts. This is the safest way,"
Akasha hesitated, uncertain in her strength of muscle and of will, but what choice did she have, really?
"Ok. Just do it quickly,"
Arthur nodded, and the two strode back to the group.
"I need you lot to set up a perimeter and makeshift camp for the night. Gwain, you stay here, I'll need someone to help make bandages,"
The knights set off to perform their respective tasks with a quick "yes, sire," Leaving Akasha, Arthur, and Gwain to tend Merlin. "Akasha, get his legs,"
"Hold on, what're you doing?" Merlin tensed as Akasha pinned his legs to the ground with her full weight.
"Gwain, his shoulders, please,"
"It'll be fine, Merlin, just hang in there," Gwain pressed his shoulders into the dirt, and Merlin finally understood what was going on.
"Arthur, I'm fine, really. Just give me a minute and-" Merlin's protests were cut off with a choking scream and Arthur pressed him hands into his servants chest. Merlin bucked, but was held firm by his friends, who were grimacing as though they were the ones in pain. Arthur was as gentle as possible, but even his lightest touches were sending Merlin into spasms of pain, and it was clear why. Arthur found multiple swollen lumps hidden under the skin, indicating a displaced bone. There was definitely something broken inside his manservant.
"Alright," He sighed, bracing himself, "Hold him tight," Akasha and Gwain grimly tightened their grips, and Merlin squeezed his eyes tightly shut, knowing that he was about to be hurting more than ever.
Arthur hesitated for a second, then placed both hands over the misaligned bone and pushed. Hard. There was a massive snap! and Merlin screamed through gritted teeth, his hands clenching into claws in the dirt. Akasha held him down with tears prickling at her eyes, praying to whatever gods there were that he would be alright.
Merlin's shouts eventually diminished to weak coughs, and his taught muscles slowly relaxed as the vice of pain left him. Akasha and Gwain released him and sat by Arthur, anxiously waiting for him to speak. After several minutes of tense silence, Merlin's eyes flickered open and he rolled his head to look at his remaining friends,
"Ow," He said with a lopsided grin, trying to hide his pain.
Arthur sighed in relief, "Gwain, we could use those bandages now,"
"Sure thing. There was a cabin of some sort out that way," Gwain jerked his thumb in the general direction of where they had landed, "Had some useful stuff in it, like clean bandages. We need to inspect it further," Gwain handed his loot over to the king.
"I'll take care of this," Akasha said quickly, all but snatching the bandages from Gwain, "You two go take care of... manly, knightly stuff,"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, cocking his head at the serving girl, "Why is it that servants think they can give me orders?"
"It's because you're such a princess, Princess. Come on, let's go see how the others are doing. Surely she can tend Merlin for a few minutes.
Merlin gave a short, barking laugh that quickly turned into a moan as his battered torso protested the movement.
Arthur frowned, looking hesitant, but common sense finally won out, "Fine. We'll be back soon, Akasha,"
Akasha dropped a quick curtsy and went over to where Merlin lay. Some color had returned to his cheeks, but he was far from healed.
"I don't think these are going to do much good," She admitted, starting to bind Merlin's sides and chest.
"No, probably not. They certainly won't get me to fighting shape," Merlin agreed, trying to sigh and wheezing instead.
"Merlin! You can't go fighting Haerbrik! It's suicide, and besides, you hardly look like you can sit up, let alone engage in a magical duel,"
"If I only use conventional healing methods, you're right," Merlin grabbed her hand and placed it on his battered chest, wincing at the contact, "Luckily I have access to more than just convention,"
Akasha's eyes widened as she grasped his meaning, "I'm barely able to heal a scratch! I can't heal bone, especially one so close to the heart and lungs! I could kill you! Actually, I'll probably kill you! No, you'll just have to sit this out," She yanked her hand away and scooted back a foot, completely terrified at the idea.
"Akasha, I'm dead if you don't. Arthur fixed the bone, but he can't stop the bleeding,"
"What are you talking about? You're not bleeding, you're perfectly-"
"On the inside, Akasha,"
Merlin held her gaze, and Akasha knew that he was right. She had to try. She was left with no other choices, as usual. She sucked in a nervous breath, "What do I need to do?"
"Place your hand here," Merlin said, indicating where he had put her hand before, "Now,repeat these words..."
Merlin had Akasha practice the words several times before deeming her pronunciation fit for use, "Just repeat the incantation and let the magic flow. It should work,"
"Should work?!"
"Well, maybe. It might work. It's definitely possible that this will work, no problem," Merlin said, grinning sheepishly, "The last time I tried this spell it killed the man, but that's because he had a cursed amulet and well, I haven't got one of those, have I?"
"Merlin-" Akasha sighed, not moving her hand.
"Akasha, please," He said, cringing with pain, "Now would be good,"
Akasha took a calming breath, which did absolutely no good, and cast the spell. She felt searing heat shoot through her arm and into Merlin, whose eyes widened and breath caught as the spell took effect. There was a slight glow from around the wound, which faded quickly, leaving the bruising slightly healed. Merlin, however, had stopped breathing.
"Merlin? Merlin! Oh gods, I've killed you!" Akasha was on the brink of another panic attack when the warlock heaved in a huge gulp of air.
"Better! Much better!" He said, regaining his wind. Slowly, he pushed himself up to a sitting position, then to a stand, "Not perfect, but enough to keep me going. Good thing you're such a fast learner, eh?"
Akasha was in no mood for flattery, "You nearly died, you idiot! You weren't breathing!"
"I think that was supposed to happen. Maybe. It's likely. Anyway, I'm not dead, and I am breathing, so it's fine,"
"And how are we going to explain your recovery to Arthur? To Gwain? They think you're completely incapacitated,"
"Chalk it up to your amazing bandaging skills. They'll buy it, believe me," Merlin grinned cheekily and looked around, "Now let's see what we can do about a meal, hm?"
Merlin's back and on his feet (for now). I sort of feel like they're out of character here, but every time I tried to fix it the chapter turned to crap, so we'll just have to deal with it. Please be patient with me while I try to fit writing time into my schedule, I promise I will finish my stories! It just might take a while :P