A/N:

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Hi.

So… Sorry people. It's been a while, hasn't it? Honestly, I apologize a lot for taking so long with this next update, but it's Christmastime and I've been having a life for once (gasp!) and I'm currently obsessing my way through the first three seasons of Supernatural in a desperate attempt to get to my beloved Castiel because I must must must go in order without skipping any episodes and I'm falling head over heels in fangirl love with Sammy and Dean.

I know it shouldn't count as an excuse but come on, people.

Plus there's the bit about the part that I can barely come up with any ideas for this new Merlin segment and it's just SO FRUSTRATING!

So anyways here we go!

Merlin didn't know how long he had been walking. The hallway was just as dark and gloomy, and the stench of blood just grew stronger and stronger, sinking into his sinuses and filling his dry mouth with the metallic taste. With every step the sinking pit of fear in his stomach grew deeper and wider, threatening to consume every fiber of his being.

But he kept pressing on, keeping the image of that beautiful dark-haired Freya in his mind and forcing back the undeniable feeling that invaded his thoughts.

As well as the same nagging thought that he was forgetting something very important.

Something beyond important.

And something that was far beyond his reach.

The tunnel was getting darker, and the blood was getting thicker, dripping from the ceiling with sick plopping noises. Bile rose in the young warlock's throat, but he choked it down and reached for the umpteenth time for his magic.

There was still nothing there, not a trace of magic, not even the faintest echo. There had been times when Merlin hadn't been able to use his magic, but never, not once had he been unable to feel its bubbling, boiling power writhing inside of him, aching to be let loose on the world. This cavity in his soul filled him with a soul-sucking sense of desperation.

And yet he couldn't let himself let go. Some small spark of insane light fighting away deep in the dark whirlpool his life seemed to have become refused to let him simply give up.

The sound of footsteps startled Merlin from his thoughts, and with a confused expression he realized that these thoughts seemed to happen a lot. He turned towards the source of the footsteps, terror rising up from his stomach. He already knew who it was. Who else would want to be in this stupid hellhole? Forcing down the feelings clawing at his resolve, Merlin turned on his heel and began to run, his heart pounding in his ears with each frantic foot. One, after another, after another. Just keep going.

But it was no use. He knew deep within him, or maybe not so deep, that there was no way he could ever escape the wrathful sorceress on his tail. Maybe if he gave in she would show mercy…

But again, he knew that the thought was no more than the desperate, foolish hope of a man who knew he was condemned. What reason would she have to spare the miserable excuse his life had begun? What could he possibly be to her now without his powers or his magic or any scrap of hope or fight left?

And besides, Merlin was tired. Tired of a truthfully very depressing life of keeping secrets and hiding in the shadows and keeping himself tucked away in a deep, dark corner of himself where there was no light, just an endless, crushing darkness. Tired of watching day after day go by in a meaningless existence. Maybe if she killed him it would be better. Maybe it would give him an ounce of relief and freedom after living in a world that wanted to kill him for being alive, for just existing.

Merlin's footsteps slowed to a halt, and he took a deep breath, closing his eyes and turning around. "Here I am!" he shouted, trying to sound like he at least wanted to survive a little longer. "Come and get me!"

Ilythien's footsteps echoed ominously in the bloody hallways, and Merlin slumped against the wall, not caring about the crimson liquid staining his skin and clothes and for a few seconds, just wanting to return to that blissful place where the Caelonite's words were the only thing that mattered or made any sense.

Disgusted with himself, Merlin shoved the thoughts out of his mind, but it was already a little too late to try fighting against the sorceress' magic, which battered the walls around his mind, threatening to break them down and destroy everything within, pick apart his thoughts like one of Gaius' experiments and leave him a shivering, drooling mess.

There was no hope. For once, there wasn't a single tiny star glittering in the darkness to show him the way, no friendly, encouraging voice to tell him that everything was going to be okay. Every time he'd stupidly ended up in one of these situations there had always been something, someone there, who trusted and believed in him, that one ray of sunshine that kept him going. Merlin knew that much. But now it was gone. He couldn't even remember what it had been.

"Emrys!"

A soft whisper echoed down the bloody corridor, beckoning to him. Merlin felt his body make to move towards it, but he steeled his mind. No, he told himself. She would not get the satisfaction of having him come to her.

She would have to come to him.

"Emrys!"

But it was so hard to resist that beguiling call. It resonated in his mind as well, pounding and pounding, insistent and slightly irritated. The footsteps were louder now, louder than they should be for a seemingly delicate girl.

It took everything in him for Merlin to not just give in and fling himself at the ground before her feet, to apologize for everything and offer up his soul. It took everything for him to just remain on his own two feet, to not slide down to collapse on the ground in utter defeat and submission.

"EMRYS!"

Merlin squeezed his eyes shut as the angry voice drilled into his brain, like someone was cutting his head open with a blunt knife. His mental defenses shattered and he gasped, his blue eyes flying open as he sank to the ground, struggling to breathe. Already he could feel the sweet, sweet poison of Ilythien's intoxicating aura infecting his thoughts, warping the way he saw things.

His hands grasped blindly at the wall, searching for purchase to pull himself up and run towards the beautiful sorceress. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have ever thought that she would want to hurt him? Ilythien had been nothing but kind to him, healing his wounds and giving him shelter, and in return he had scorned her hospitality and tried to leave, when in truth the warlock knew that she had just been keeping him in the dark stone room because he wasn't well enough to go about on his own. Merlin had been stupid and selfish and rude for thinking otherwise, and he waited gladly for the chance to beg for forgiveness from Ilythien.

"Āhebban bregdan!" The soft spell caught Merlin by surprise, and he fought back another wave of fear as he felt himself being slowly lifted up, his feet kicking wildly as they left the ground. With a sickening crack!, he hurled across the tunnel, his head colliding solidly with the wall and adding a bit more blood to the already thick coating.

Ilythien strode towards him, her white gown stained with blood as it dragged across the floor. "You poor idiot!" she sighed in mock exasperation, but her eyes glinted with hateful amusement as she glared at the unconscious figure huddled on the ground. "I lied. Of course I did. But why on earth should that mean that you get to escape? Trust me, Emrys." She laughed cruelly. "You will never leave. Not that you were ever going to anyways."

A/N: Well that was interesting! I wasn't sure how it was going to pan out, had some vague notions of a giant mud-monster but that was a bit out there. Not sure exactly how I feel about this chapter, but at least I've gotten something done.

In the A/N at the top I mentioned I was going through the first three seasons of Supernatual.

Well…

Sorry about this.

But in the time it's taken me to write this I have now found myself in the middle of season 7 and quite desperately missing my little dead angel Castiel who is, well, you know… Gone.

Thankees for reading, you are all amazing!

Until next time, my lovelies!

Oh, by the way, I was watching the premiere of Merlin in the US. My happy dance was epic when Mordred came back. And very, very tiring.

And the whole stuff with the reuploading chapters and then deleting them? That was me very very confused because I thought I had two chapters that I hadn't uploaded but I actually had so... Sorry about that!

Until next time for real, my lovelies!