4th chapter in 3 days, Merlin addiction has finally overcame my senses! Not that I'm complaining of course.

Chapter 10: The Darkest Hour Part 4

As Merlin led Cade up to their chambers, he could feel her continuous shaking. Upon entering their room, Merlin immediately set Cade down on her bed and then maneuvered so that he was sitting on the bed right next to her. She immediately resumed clinging to him.

"Cade, it's okay." Merlin said, running his hand up and down her back in a soothing motion. "You heard what Gaius said. What happened back there wasn't our fault." He felt Cade nod slowly. This was soon followed by a violent cough and loud sneeze. Merlin sighed and put a hand to Cade's forehead, feeling the warmth of a fever begin to take place. "You've got a fever. You shouldn't have ridden out with us."

Cade looked up and smiled lightly. "You know you can't get rid of me that easily. That should be simple enough."

"Stop joking and get to bed. I'll let Gaius know when he gets back." Merlin ordered. Cade rolled her eyes, but grudgingly complied with his order.

The next morning, in Arthur's chambers, Agravaine relayed the death toll to the prince. Merlin and Cade, both still fearful as well as Cade still being a bit sick, stood behind Gaius.

"We've suffered fifty dead. Maybe more." Agravaine informed.

"Is there no way of fighting them?" Arthur asked.

"Only the torches." Agravaine replied. "The light doesn't kill them. It only repels them."

Arthur turned to Gaius. "What are they?" he asked.

"The Dorocha, Sire." Gaius answered. "Spirits of the dead. On Samhain's Eve, in the times of the Old Religion, the High Priestess would perform a blood sacrifice and release them."

"Who would do such a thing now?" Agravaine asked.

Gaius looked at him. "Morgana." He answered.

"You see her hand in this?" Arthur asked.

"We know she was travelling to the Isle of the Blessed." Gaius replied.

"How do we defeat them?" Arthur questioned.

"I don't know, Sire." Gaius answered solemnly. "No mortal has ever survived their touch." Arthur looked away, despair evident on his face.

That evening, as the sky darkened, Merlin and Cade were performing their evening duties for Arthur. Merlin was lighting the candles around the room. A sound startled him and the basket holding the candles dropped and one rolled by the window in the shadows. Arthur and Cade looked up at him curiously. "Thought I saw something." He said and resumed lighting the candles. He blew out the match, all the while staring where the candle stick had rolled.

"What was it? A spider?" Arthur asked. Merlin didn't answer but continued to stare at the curtains and the candle stick. Arthur saw him staring at the candle stick and began walking towards the warlock. "Just pick it up." Arthur said. Merlin didn't move. "Do you want me to get one of the maids to do it for you?"

"It's not a joke." Merlin replied, irritably. Arthur walked towards the curtains and, reaching out with his sword, pushed them aside, revealing nothing hidden behind the curtains. Merlin sighed with relief.

"You see, Merlin," Arthur said, picking up the candle. "I could never be like you. Could never let myself look so spineless."

"Oh, see I'm different cause I could never let myself look so heartless." Merlin retaliated.

"What?" Arthur said.

"Alright, thoughtless." Merlin corrected.

"Never." Arthur said, shaking his head.

"Definitely humorless." Merlin said.

"Cause you're not funny." Arthur said. He handed the candle back to Merlin. Cade snickered at the banter she had grown accustomed to. She was used to the way the boys jeered at each other. She even threw in some remarks herself. They all stopped as another distant scream of the Dorocha filled the air.

"You're not scared?" Cade asked.

"Oh I am, Caden," he replied. He turned towards the siblings. "Maybe more then you two." He smiled slightly which was followed by smirks from the warlock and witch. He walked away and the siblings smiled.

The next morning, people from all over the kingdom were flooding into the citadel.

"They're coming from all over the kingdom." Agravaine informed. "They're looking to Camelot for protection."

Arthur turned towards his uncle. "And we will give it to them."

"We cannot house them all." Agravaine argued.

"We have to try."

"How? We can't live like this forever, Arthur. We must find a way to vanquish these creatures."

"Somewhere in all your books, Gaius, there must be something." Arthur pleaded. "All I'm asking is a way to fight them."

"I fear the Dorocha cannot be defeated by swords alone." Gaius answered. "If I'm right, and the veil between the worlds is torn, then there's only one way we can take: travel to the Isle of the Blessed and repair it."

"I'm not sure." Gaius answered. "For the tear to be created would require a blood sacrifice. To seal it, will require another." Merlin, Cade and Agravaine all looked at Arthur, who looked thoughtful.

"We ride before nightfall." he said at last. Merlin and Cade looked at Arthur in shock.

"And who will be the sacrifice?" Gaius asked.

"If laying down my life will spare the people of Camelot, then that is what I must do." Arthur answered.

In their room in Gaius's chambers, Merlin was packing. Upon entering, Cade soon began the same thing. Merlin looked up at her, a frown on his face. "No." he said sternly. "I know what you're thinking Cade and no you're not coming." Cade just smirked up at him.

"Try and stop me." she said, a wide smile crossing her face.

"Cade, you're still ill from the last time you rode out with us." Merlin said. "What if you get worse?" Cade looked down at her bag, frowning with annoyance.

"Just because I'm sickly doesn't mean you have the right to treat me as though I'm a fragile thing who can't take care of myself." Cade said, not looking up. "I'm stronger than any of you guys give me credit for." At the last word, she smiled again and looked up at Merlin, who sighed.

"You sure I can't change your mind?" he asked. Cade shook her head. That was the moment when Gaius chose to walk into the room.

"Merlin, Cade, what are you two doing?" he asked.

"It's our destiny to protect Arthur." Merlin answered.

"How? Your magic is powerless against the Dorocha." Gaius said.

"Then I will sacrifice myself in his place." Merlin said. Cade looked up at her brother in shock. Merlin intended to sacrifice himself? No way! Gaius appeared to agree with her unspoken thought.

"No." he said.

"My life has always been mapped out by destiny. If this is meant to be," Merlin hesitated for a moment. "I'm not afraid." he said.

That makes one of us. Cade thought.

"I will gladly die, Gaius, knowing that one day," Merlin stopped. Cade put a hand on his arm. Gaius said nothing, but pulled the warlock into a hug. He then did the same to Cade. Cade discreetly wiped the tears forming in her eyes.

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