Thank for the reviews last chapter! I just wrote some of the sequel out. Once I've finished this, which shouldn't be too long, this is the penultimate chapter I might give you a teaser. Now I just need a proper plot…. Anyway, you probably want to read the current one. I hope you like it, Morgana returns!

Merlin looked up blearily to see people enter his cell. His magic flickered but Merlin no longer had the strength to cry out as the burning feeling raged through his body. The guards froze at the sight of magic but as nothing happened and the sorcerer remained unmoving on the floor they started forward again.

Along the way, Merlin realised something was terribly wrong. There was no one in the corridors. He knew from his frequent travels of these corridors, they were always busy. Not a single servant was in sight. As he finally got a good look at the guards he realised they were wearing the wrong colours. They were Morgana's men. His warning to Gwaine hadn't been enough.

Morgana's guards half dragged the warlock into the throne room, his chains making themselves known. Morgana watched as he was brought towards the throne and smirked in satisfaction when they threw him roughly to the ground.

Merlin felt her presence in a way he never had before. In his heightened sense of awareness he saw how the darkness clung to her like a stench. His magic reeled against the sensation and flickered out again. Merlin twitched and despite himself, let out a groan as the chains seared into him.

"The mighty Emrys. I told you magic had no future with Arthur as king. Even when used with the best intentions, here you are chained like an animal."

Morgana stalked closer, staring down at the warlock. Merlin shuddered and suppressed a shout as his magic continued rebelling against her presence. She watched for a moment in satisfaction as he gasped and shivered in pain.

"You should have joined me when you had the chance. But no. You kept on protecting him, thwarting my every plan. Oh, are you surprised Arthur?" Morgana turned to her brother. Merlin followed her gaze and his heart sank when he saw Arthur held against the wall.

"Morgana, it doesn't have to be like this," implored Arthur.

"Yes it does. I never had a choice, you and our beloved father made me like this."

"It's not too late. Please Morgana, let me help you stop fighting me!" Arthur pleaded.

"I will take this kingdom! I will keep fighting until my last breath!" Morgana announced fervently.

"Mary Collins!" Emrys announced. At mention of the woman's name people looked at each other in confusion. Morgana frowned as he continued. "Valiant, Edwin, Aulfric, Tristan Dubois, Nimueh, Sigan, Catrina, Aredian, the Sidhe king, Tauren, Morgause. They all sought to bring harm to Camelot. They fought too, just like you do. All of them fought to their last breath. Now you are threatening everything in my life that I hold dear. Tell me Morgana, what makes you so special?"

"Well then, it seems that the only way to stop you protecting what you hold dear is to remove it. It will be a privilege to do so". Fear welled in Merlin's throat, threatening to choke him as he saw the resolve in her eyes. His eyes darted to where Arthur was at the side of the room.

Arthur stiffened, perhaps sensing the new threat to his life. His fighter's instincts tensed and searched frantically for a plan while his head told him this was it. There was no getting out of this one. The one man that could have helped him, he had eliminated himself. The warlock was kneeling on the floor in the chains he had bound himself.

Merlin saw Arthur tense but knew the fight wasn't in his eyes. Seeing Morgana stand and begin to approach Arthur, a dagger was revealed in her grasp.

"No," Merlin muttered. He felt another wave of his magic attempt to break through and this time, none of his thoughts were directed at holding anything back. He charged head first to the wall holding his magic prisoner and let loose his power.

Morgana took a step back once she heard the warlock scream. Golden light burst from his form, brighter than before and for a moment she feared it. It flickered back in retreat and she smirked he slumped and gasped in pain as his power hit back at him.

"Don't bother. Those chains have held back every sorcerer to have ever met their fate during the Purge. Not even the great dragon could break through."

Merlin didn't answer. He was still trying to summon his magic for another effort. Morgana turned toward her brother, about to give him the fate he deserved when she sensed another disturbance behind her. Incredulous and a little annoyed she glanced back enough to see another burst of light. Uneasily, she noted how much longer this one lasted. There was a slight pause before Emrys began screaming again, louder than before. She continued moving even as she heard the sobs being ripped into the air as once again, Emrys attempted to recover. She sneered in disdain.

"What do you think Arthur? Which one of you will die first?"

Arthur understood. He might not be able to see the sorcerer's face but if the blood beginning to cover the floor beneath him was anything to go by, Emrys wouldn't last much longer.

"Emrys you –"

"I won't let you die!" Emrys shouted. The words hit Arthur like a blow to the chest. He knew that voice. But it couldn't be…

Unaware of the impact his last comment had made, Merlin once again gathered all the power he could and came up far, far too short. Exhausted from his previous attempts, Merlin slumped to the floor breathing heavily. Failure washed over him for the first time since he'd watched his father die. Closing his eyes Merlin felt a calmness rise from within him. He stopped thinking about his worries, his fear and this terrible situation he was in.

For what could only have been a second, but felt like days Merlin felt everything. For his whole life, he was always doing something, always caught up in the moment of helping people, saving Arthur, protecting Camelot. His magic stilled within him from where it had been bubbling up throughout his captivity and, it seemed, his whole life. Never had Merlin simply sat and felt his magic's existence just for the sake of it. Now that it was blocked it was easier to subdue, easier to see the power that had lain dormant in his soul for so many years.

Through the calm pool that his magic had become he could finally gaze into its depths. He could see where it ended, where it seemed to be the bottom of the well. No…Merlin felt the bottom in his meditative state and pressed lightly against it… It felt like falling. Then he realised, it was if he'd been running his whole life and never really stayed still to see where he was. Now he could see everything. He could see the earth inside him, the balance that held nature together was here all this time and he'd never been able to see it. Emrys opened his eyes.

Arthur shook his head in disbelief as the defeated warlock slowly and calmly rose to his feet. Morgana paused, unsure of his next move. Emrys stood and straightened his back. There was a pause as everything held its breath, marking the significance of this next moment.

Merlin roared as he released everything, all his fears and hope was poured into this new found power he'd taken from the earth. Morgana stepped back in fear, dropping her weapon to the floor. Had he been more aware of this, Arthur would have seized this opportunity and taken the knife from where it lay on the floor. As it was he could only stare in awe at this being before him was shrouded in gold, the chains that had held every sorcerer to have ever set foot in Camelot, now lying shattered on the floor.

There was a heavy silence as in the sudden stillness, Emrys stood tall, his blue cloak accentuating the golden aura of power that surrounded him. Slowly, Emrys took a step forward. Morgana stumbled away, eyes terrified.

Emrys raised his hand. Quivering in fear and sensing his unadulterated power, the words of the Cailleach came back to her.

"My doom…" Morgana whispered. Her eyes hardened. This wasn't over. She was no pawn to destiny. Gathering her power with ease, she whispered a spell. A wind of darkness swept her from sight and far from Camelot and its protector.

Merlin lowered his arm, relieved that he didn't have to kill her. He honestly didn't know whether he had it in him. For the first time since he was dragged into the room he properly looked around. The men that had come with Morgana were easily overwhelmed by Arthur's knights and guards once their magical help had disappeared. Arthur was untying the rope around his wrists. Now they weren't bound by magic it was simple enough.

Freed, he looked up to his saviour with a steady gaze. Merlin met it with relief flooding through him. It wasn't the wariness and suspicion of a sorcerer or that glazed determination as he'd arrested him that Merlin saw in Arthur's eyes. It was the look of an equal, a comrade he knew he could trust, despite the magic. Finally, Merlin could see his destiny. But no matter how strong his belief was, he couldn't find the strength to stand much longer.

Arthur saw Emrys fall to the ground with horror in his eyes. He'd seen for himself what those chains did. If Emrys hadn't already destroyed them Arthur would have done so without hesitation.

"Emrys!" Arthur knelt down beside the still figure and turned his shoulder gently to face him.

"The…the forest. Need to…call…the forest. Help me.." Emrys mumbled. Arthur pushed aside his cloak with light touches and gasped at the sight. It was worse. Much worse. His entire chest was overridden with black veins. Arthur thought he could almost make out the warlock's heart.

"What do you need? Tell me," Emrys grabbed Arthur's arm in a weak grip.

"I need to get to the forest," Emrys whispered urgently.