"You are alive." Was the only thing what Arthur could say. Least to say, he was happy, but same time, he was in shock. He couldn't believe what he saw. "How?"
Merlin put his hands over Arthur's shoulders.
"I'm, because at last moment, Kilgharrah made his sacrifice. Now there is only me, the Last Dragon Lord and this little fellow, Aithusa, The Last Dragon. When he hacked two days ago and I saw the colour of white, I knew that there was hope left to us."
Arthur stared his friend, barely understand what Merlin said.
"I'm so sorry Merlin."
Arthur felt how Merlin's hands shook more tightly his shoulders.
"Arthur. You are always my friend, my brother. I always forgive you. What ever stupid you may do. I regret that I backed off then. I was the one who run away from you."
Arthur shook his head.
"Let me apologize Merlin. Keep that in mind, I made the choice and you pay the price. All I know now is that time is a valuable thing. Everybody's life is valuable. When I watched you fly away I know. I kept everything inside of me, and never said anything what you meant to me. First I have to lose it all. In spite of the way you always mock me…"
"Hey!"
"Acting like you always knew better…"
"But I do know. Sometimes."
"Stop interrupt me!" Arthur yelled and Merlin started to laugh.
"Things aren't the way they were before." Arthur sighed and Merlin nodded.
"No, but, in the end, do that really matter?"
Before Arthur could say anything, two figure stepped out of the mist on the clearing.
"Merlin." It was the red lady, walking beside the green, now their faces exposed.
"Freya." Merlin walked toward the woman, offering his hands. They just stood there, staring each others. They didn't need any words. Finally Freya kissed Merlin what made Arthur to frown.
"I have to go now, my time is up. Avalon is calling me back. And Arthur, we meet again when your time is up. And that day, you have to return the sword to me." Freya smiled and turned last time to see Merlin. "Bye, my love. You may come to see me now when ever you want. Will." Freya nodded to the younger boy who smiled back. And then Freya walked back into the mist and disappeared. Merlin sighed.
"You two will be together someday." The boy said with absolute sure.
"Will." Merlin greeted the boy.
Arthur noticed bit of awkwardness between those two. The boy smiled. He wasn't older than seventeen, though somehow he seemed ageless. His smile was wide.
"It was good to see you again Merriman."
Merlin smiled. "Although to me, this was the first time when I saw you."
Will laughed. "Time to us is a strange thing. When we walk through it, it can always confuse us if we don't be careful. But, the Old Road is closing, I have to go. We see again in the future. I hope that you don't need my help anymore like this. Where I come, things are different than here. And my king." Will looked at Arthur and bowed. "We too will meet again. Remember, hard times are coming, following years will never be easy, but you are going to create something what last long long time."
This time the mist rolled up like the wind was moved it, but Arthur couldn't feel any wind. Suddenly there was a door and Will opened it. Warm light, music and laugh welcomed him inside. Then, he was just gone.
"Amazing." Merlin muttered.
"Who were they?" Arthur wasn't so sure that he wanted to know. Freya, maybe, but that Will seemed terrified.
"Freya, Freya died some time ago. She was a druid. Now she is one of the guards of the Avalon."
Arthur noticed how hard it was to Merlin to spoke about her.
"And that Will? He called you Merriman."
"That, is really hard to explain. I think that he is the highest of all of us in the old region, or will be. Hard to say. He was there when Kilgharrah died and I was left alone. He came and told… No, it's not time to tell you about it. But someday, someday you know."
Arthur looked the sword and sighed.
Hard days? Nothing new.
"Merlin?"
"Yes?"
"Can we just go home now?"
"Yes, we can go home now."
And they knew that the new days of their destiny had just begun.
There was a light crossover. I borrowed Will Stanton from the books The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper. If you have read those, you may understand.