Chapter 11: The Kayas

"It's the only way." Merlin pleaded desperately. The massive gargoyle crashed itself against the cave again causing more soil and debris to crumble, widening the entrance of the cave in the process. It was inching its way towards fulfilling the ultimate goal of terminating Merlin.

"No, Merlin! It's suicide." Arthur shouted firmly.

"Look, it makes sense. It's me that the gargoyle is after. I'm the one that's marked. Not you. It'll follow me. I'll distract it long enough for you to get away."

"And then what? That thing is going to hunt you down and won't stop until you're dead. What part of the word dead don't you understand? It'll kill you." Arthur barked.

"I'll be fine." Merlin sputtered stubbornly. Never did he look so serious and scared at the same time. He stood in front of Arthur, trying to appear as strong as he possibly could. But the fatigue and pain from old injuries made Merlin seem small and vulnerable all the same.

"Gaius said that no one in the history of man has ever survived a gargoyle attack. Do you know how lucky you've been? You can't outsmart the gargoyle again." Arthur scorned. "Another attack like that and you'll be done. The amulet is not here to protect you."

Merlin was no ordinary human. He had the gift of magic and was only able to get away from the gargoyle because of this magic. It wasn't just dumb luck. There were many things he could do to defend himself. He was still new to the whole using-his-magic-to-fight-evil thing and had so much to learn about harnessing and controlling his magic. Merlin never saw his magic as a weapon of force against evil. His magic had always been there to protect him. Growing up in Ealdor, he used magic to do simple things to help out his mother or perhaps to play a good joke on Will. He was often scolded by his mother on the reasons why he should not use magic in public for fear of being caught. Merlin didn't take it too seriously in the beginning and thought his mother was overreacting. But as he grew, the magic became more powerful and intense. It was only a matter of time before the whole village knew what Merlin was capable of. Magic was a dangerous thing to have in such times when it was banned by King Uther. If anyone found out about Merlin, he would be arrested and burned at the stake. Merlin wished he could tell Arthur why he was the only known human to escape the wrath of a gargoyle.

"We have to do something. We know for a fact that it targets only me. You are immune. It doesn't have a purpose for you. Don't you see? You have a chance at making out of this alive." Merlin began. He noticed the resentment in Arthur's eyes. "You're forgetting who you are. You're Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot. You need to be alive to claim the throne to Camelot one day. And I'll do whatever it takes to secure your future. If you stay with me, you'll get killed. What good is Camelot if you are not there to be king? I'm begging you, Arthur. Let me do this – for the love of Camelot."

"The answer is still no. I don't care what you have to say." Arthur's voice was full of anguish. A salty lump of tears formed in his throat as he listened to Merlin's courageous rant. He just couldn't bear the thought of Merlin being shred to ribbons by the gargoyle. He couldn't imagine a day without the clumsy idiot shadowing him and being his usual annoying self. Merlin had grown to be something more valuable than a manservant. He was a friend. No, he will not sacrifice his only true friend. "There has to be a way to get out of this situation."

"You can't risk your life for me. I'm just a manservant. Like I always said in the past - a small price to pay for the greater good." Merlin said.

"There you go again with that nonsense. Why do you see yourself so unimportant? I can't – won't – leave you. Whatever happens, we are in this together."

"Arthur, you have to listen to me. I know it sounds crazy, but…" Merlin tried to talk some sense into the prince. Merlin could probably deal with the gargoyle, but on his own terms and most definitely, alone. It was only then that he could use his magic without revealing it to Arthur.

"If you think I'm going to toss you to the vicious beast so you can buy me some time to escape, then you'd better forget it because I will NOT do anything of the sort. This is an order, Merlin. Deal with it." Arthur demanded as he drew out his sword.

Once Arthur's decision was made up, everything was final. Hardly anyone could persuade a tenacious prince with an adamant state of mind. Arthur's stubbornness would get them nowhere. Merlin had to think of some other way of destroying the gargoyle, or at least get it off their backs. It was going to be tricky with Arthur by his side. But if push came to shove and there were no other alternatives, he would have no choice but to use magic in front of Arthur. The gargoyle roared, interrupting prince and manservant in their conversation. Merlin spun around and looked up at the gargoyle. Despite the intimidation, Merlin stood rooted to the spot. Merlin was practically shaking in his boots, but he tried to not let it become too obvious. He would be a liar if he said he wasn't the least bit scared of the beast. Petrified by its enormity, Merlin watched it crash into the cave again. The thud crumbled more rock all around them.

"We have to get out of here. Anymore of this and the cave is going to collapse." Arthur said as he dusted the debris off his head. "Come on, this way." Merlin snapped out of his trance when Arthur gave a pull of his arm.

The narrow tunnel was their only means of escape. Without a torch, they had their hands in front of them, frantically groping blindly at the darkness, hoping they wouldn't run into a dead end. At arm's length were the cold damp walls that they felt with their hands and fingers. The distant echoes of the gargoyle's roar travelled in the tunnel seemed to diminish as they advanced in the passageway. Merlin also noticed a peculiar soft sound of trickling water perhaps somewhere inside the walls. They scuffled and picked up their pace. Arthur led the way and Merlin followed closely behind. The earth under their feet was soft and appeared to cushion their steps, while the smell of oxidation and iron in the soil filled their nostrils.

They travelled quite a distance before coming to a fork in the passage. The opening was much larger than the average size of the tunnel. This space allowed Arthur and Merlin to stand side by side. There in front of them was a dilemma. They could see the grand outline of the entrances to two caves. Arthur knew about the labyrinth of caves and tunnels of The Kayas, but he had never actually wandered in them before. He also had no clue on whether or not any of the tunnels lead to safety. For all he knew, they could be going around in circles. They really needed light.

The air in the cave got colder and colder as they ventured deeper into the twists and turns of the maze. Arthur had on chain mail, which retained some warmth but Merlin, on the other hand, was freezing in his threadbare so-called winter clothing. Merlin could easily create a fire with a simple spell and part of their problem would be solved. But that would mean revealing his magic and he couldn't do that. He'd have to rely on the two rocks that he had in his pocket, which he used for igniting fire the old-fashioned way. A little fire for a bit of warmth would actually be nice.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked when he heard Merlin moving about.

"I figured if this was any sort of habitation for the Kayaruvians, there should be some sort of wall sconces holding old torches. Even the Kayaruvians must've needed light at the end of a tunnel to see where they were. If only I can find just one, I can light it." Merlin explained as he fumbled about allowing his fingers to feel the grimy walls.

"Good thinking." Arthur said as he joined Merlin in searching the opposite wall for anything that felt like a wall sconce.

Merlin reached for the areas high above his head and he came across a protrusion from the wall. He was able to feel the shape of the sconce. It was a fixture made of wood and appeared to be nailed to the cave's wall. A sticky substance fell upon his hand and fingers as he extended his search further upwards. He dismissed it to be cobwebs or moistened soil. Merlin soon got a hold of the torch that stood cradled in the fixture. His fingers were practically numb from the coldness that even fishing out the two stones from his pocket was a challenge. He dropped to his knees and tried to strike the two stones together for a spark. It was hard enough to keep the circulation of blood going in his fingers. Trying to strike the stones in the dark was nearly impossible. There was a much easier way of doing this and if he did do something soon, they would never get out of the caves. He squinted in the dark to try and locate Arthur. A few scuffles of a boot led Merlin to believe that Arthur was a good distance away from him, still groping the walls for a sign of a torch. Merlin allowed his magic to roll in his veins. His eyes flashed a fiery gold and the word forbearnan escaped his lips. He tried to say it as softly as he could to be out of Arthur's earshot. Suddenly, a puff of orange and yellow flame caught itself onto the tip of the torch. Merlin gave a satisfied smiled. It was so easy. All he did was manipulate the earth's elements – something he was really good at.

Just as quick as he breathed the word and the torch ignited, Arthur asked, "What was that Merlin? Did you say something?"

"Erm…I just said, I found one." Merlin said sheepishly as he stood facing Arthur holding the torch all lit with dancing flames. "I – I used the stones to make a spark."

Arthur could've sworn he heard Merlin saying something entirely different, but he quickly dismissed it when he saw the torch. Seeing the fire was a great comfort to Arthur. Not only did it provide some kind of warmth, it shone like a beacon of hope. The light gave him a sense of new courage and optimism. Arthur took the torch from Merlin and shined the light on the path ahead. The two caves were identical in size. The mouth of the caves reached a good twelve feet in height and both were equally intimidating.

"Which way do we go?" Merlin asked. He was so cold that he could see the breath in front of him as he exhaled.

"Left." Arthur replied.

"Left?" Merlin questioned quizzically. "Why left? Why not the one on the right?"

"Because when in doubt, always choose the one on the left." Arthur answered.

"Who told you that?" Merlin inquired.

"No one. I made it up." Arthur seemed quite proud of himself, but caught the incredulous look on Merlin's face. "Look, this rule has never failed me in the past. I can't be a hundred percent certain it is the right path. But what have we got to lose?"

"Apparently, nothing. Let's go then." Merlin said. He took the lead in walking towards the cave on the left, leaving Arthur standing there with a dumbstruck look on his face. Arthur wanted to set the record straight, yet again, that he was the one who gave the orders – not Merlin – but decided to overlook the minor shift in chain of command. Arthur followed closely behind Merlin.

The cave took them into a few turns and just when it felt like they had been walking forever, they stumbled into a large opening. The first thing that Arthur and Merlin noticed was the beams of sunlight coming through three holes in the wall of the cave, providing better ventilation than that of the other areas. They looked around and scrutinized the large dome shaped room. Almost immediately, they were able to take note of the extremely high ceiling of solid rock. It seemed to go on upwards for miles. There were no furnishings or any signs of its ancient occupants, at least none that Merlin could see right away. Through his eyes, it was just one big empty but amazing cave-room. Arthur walked around, crouched on a corner of the floor, shone the light from the torch here and there, and inspected the whole chamber.

"Hmm, big and spacy. Certainly nicer than the other caves. Is this the master bedroom?" Merlin joked. He didn't mean to sound comical at a time like this. But Merlin always had his way of relieving a stressful situation without meaning to.

"Oh very funny, Merlin." Arthur rolled his eyes. "This was something of a place of worship for the Kayaruvians." Arthur said confidently.

"How do you know?" Merlin asked.

"The triad." Arthur pointed to the three small windows in the wall, which were placed in a triangular pattern. "The triad represents sky, earth and living creatures. Father used to tell me stories about the Kayaruvians and their practices when I was a boy. The three holes you see are placed that way for a reason. During a particular time of the day, the sun's rays will beam through the windows and coincide, hitting a single spot on the opposite wall. When the three rays become one, legend says the Great One will appear but only long enough as the sun's rays holds its beam." He explained and alternated glances between the three holes and the spot on the wall.

"The Great One?" Merlin probed. "Is he some sort of God?"

"The Great One is believed to be a spirit who foretold the future. The Kayaruvians were a superstitious lot and they came here every day to worship the Great One and watch him immerge from the light. They would pile into this room, burn incense, chant and smoke a special pipe. They often waited and waited. Sometimes, the Great One won't appear for days or even weeks, but when he finally does appear, they listened to whatever he had to tell them." Arthur said with skepticism. "I guess he wasn't a very good seer since he failed to give a prediction about the fire that would wipe out their entire race."

"Do you think it's true? I mean that the Great One exists?"

"With the Old and New Religion, I think there are things in this world that aren't explainable - things that should be left alone and not picked apart for the sake of logic. Maybe the Great One really did come to them. Then again maybe the people were smoking something pretty nasty in here, causing them to hallucinate."

"Well, we're about to find out if the myth is true." Merlin pointed at the three beams of light converging into the center of the opposite wall. Arthur stared at the beams of light.

Within a matter of seconds, the three separate beams aligned and became one. A white circle of light made itself visible on the wall. Arthur and Merlin braced themselves for something to happen. They stared at the spot, held their breaths and waited for something miraculous to occur. Arthur began to question the Great One's existence. If he did exist, it would change the whole concept of spiritualism. Meanwhile, Merlin wondered what the Great One looked like – was he young or old, handsome or ugly, fat or skinny. They stood there and watched attentively.

"Nothing's happening. I don't see anything." Merlin said half relieved and half disappointed. It was true, nothing happened, except a really nice and interesting display of sunlight. The Great One chose not appear. "I guess today's not a good day for him to show himself."

"Look Merlin." Arthur interjected. "I don't know why I hadn't noticed it before. Perhaps the Great One is helping us out after all." Still holding the torch in his hands, he walked away from Merlin, taking the light with him.

"What is it?" Merlin followed Arthur curiously.

"That is our way out." Arthur said. Just below the converging beams there stood the small entrance of another passageway at ground level. It was a dark little hole that seemed a bit short for a person to stand at full height. "If it wasn't for that beam of light pointing to it, I would not have noticed it. We have to find a way to ditch the gargoyle and get back to our horses."

"It's found me. It knows I'm here, Arthur. It doesn't matter where I go. I have to face it." Merlin insisted.

Arthur turned and shot an exasperated glance at his manservant. The expression on Merlin's face was one of seriousness. He truly felt that the only way out of this was to fight this gargoyle on his own, something Arthur would never allow. It would be like throwing a piece of meat into a pit of wild and hungry dogs. The gargoyle would tear Merlin apart in a blink of an eye. Arthur felt Merlin stood no chance against a raging beast. He wanted to shoot a smart insult at Merlin for thinking such an asinine idea, but he couldn't bring himself to doing it after seeing how fragile Merlin appeared through the glow of the burning torch. Arthur could tell Merlin was shivering from a combination of fear and cold.

"We've been through this already. You're not going to do anything stupid. I'm not going to let you." Arthur said. "We're going to find a way out of this mess. Now let's move. The longer we stay here, the faster the gargoyle will pick up your scent."

Arthur turned and started for the small cave. With the torch lighting the way, master and servant followed the route that the cave took them. Every now and then, they had to watch their heads because the ceiling was so low. The damp air in the passageway was much thinner, causing Arthur and Merlin to draw deeper breaths as they journeyed forward. The narrow cave led into a series of other caves and passageways. Finally, they entered the last cave. It had a corridor, which extended into a rectangular cave. The darkness was still unnerving but at least they've reached what appeared to be the end of the line. With the only light coming from the torch, it was hard to tell the function of the cave at first glance. All the caves appeared identical after a while. Though this one had strange writing carved onto the walls. As intriguing and curious as it seemed, both Arthur and Merlin knew this was no time to linger around for an archaeology lesson. They needed to find a means of escape.

As they walked further into the cave, they noticed a sparkling glimmer of brightness in the far corner. At first they weren't sure what was causing it but as they ventured closer and closer, they realized it was indeed an exit. Sunlight peeked through the gaps in the snow-covered overgrown moss and winter foliage that hung over the opening. The light was spotty and dim but it was the most comforting sight they've seen in a long time. Arthur extinguished the torch and made a straight path towards the sunlight. He used the pile of rocks as stepping stones to reach the top and quickly pulled out loose rock to make the hole big enough for a person to go through.

For safety reasons, Arthur ordered Merlin to stay put while he took a look outside. He drew his sword and climbed out of the cave. The seconds that Merlin waited felt like hours. He stood there rubbing the sides of his arms with his hands for warmth. He tried to be so brave and fearless, but he was just a human being. There were things that scared him and things that really scared him. He was ever so glad to see Arthur reappear in the opening. Once the coast was clear, the prince signaled Merlin to climb out of the cave. Merlin made it out of the darkness of the cave and had to wait for his eyes to adjust to the brightness of the sun.

"Where are we?" Merlin said after catching his breath. Climbing that bit of rock turned out to be more taxing than he thought. The exercise rendered him weak and tired. He was just not making it very easy for himself to recover from his wounds. But he could barely complain at a time like this. Merlin looked around and tried to figure out their location. The twists and turns in the caves really jumbled his sense of direction. Merlin saw lots of rock and forest.

"We need to go west. Our horses are back at the ravine." Arthur said without a moment's thought. "No sign of the gargoyle. Maybe it's lost your scent when we went into the caves. We'd better get a move on. The sooner we get back to Camelot, the sooner you'll be safe."

Arthur led the way and Merlin followed. Merlin could tell Arthur was one of those people with good direction. Maybe it was the sure fire way that Arthur spoke or perhaps it was in the way he carried himself. Merlin admired Arthur's calmness in times like these. He always seemed to have a plan. If Arthur was feigning his ability to take control of the situation and lead, then he was doing a spotless job of keeping up a poker face. Merlin suspected nothing. But it was only natural because Arthur spent a great deal of time studying maps and going on quests in his lifetime. He had the experience and the knowledge of the woods. He could tell the direction just by looking at the location of the sun.

They travelled in a trench-like passage filled with vines, moss and a confusion of bare trees. It had a sort of ghostly presence that reminded Merlin of The Valley of the Fallen Kings. But he had to admit that taking a stroll through this place was much better than being chased by a gargoyle. The high walls of rock protected and shielded them from being seen. Arthur and Merlin moved quickly with conversation drawn to a minimum. They followed the passage until they reached the end, which opened up to a clearing. The small gap of land separated them from reaching the forest on the other side. They needed to rely on the pine trees for cover.

"We're gonna have to make a run for the trees over there." Arthur said. "Think you can manage?"

"Do I have a choice?" Merlin replied sheepishly. Arthur darted a worried glance at Merlin, whose complexion had gone a tad paler.

"You can do this. On my mark, we run as fast as we can in that direction. Understood?" Arthur instructed and pointed. Merlin gave a nod and hoped to not disappoint Arthur.

Arthur took a few steps out of the cover. He listened carefully for any movement and searched the sky for the gargoyle in all directions. He wondered where the gargoyle had gone to. Not knowing the location of the beast made Arthur nervous. With massive wings like that, it could easily cover ground in an instant. The frosty air bit at Arthur's skin and he could see his breath in front of him as he breathed. He tightened his hand around the hilt of the sword, ready for anything. The area had an odd sense of tranquility that made Arthur uneasy, but at the same time, they couldn't wait forever to make their move. He circled back to where Merlin stood.

"Ready?" Arthur asked. Merlin gave a nod, which Arthur didn't find too convincing but he had to take Merlin's word for it. The distance was wide but he could make a good sprint into the forest without problem, as the prince was fighting fit and on top of his game. It was Merlin that he doubted. If climbing a little rock rendered Merlin out of breath, imagine what a run would do.

Arthur searched the skies one last time for the gargoyle and seeing that it was still clear of present danger, he gave the word. They ran towards the tree line with all their might. Arthur, the healthier of the two, was leading ahead of Merlin by several feet. Even though Merlin wasn't as fast as Arthur, he was doing pretty well in keeping up as they closed the distance between them and the forest. Things were suddenly looking very promising for Arthur and Merlin. Merlin wanted to believe that they were able to outsmart the gargoyle and that the next step in safety was within arm's reach. Was he really going to finally manage a triumph? He suddenly felt a victory coming on. It was so close that he could almost taste it. He was so sure of it. And the thought came as easily as it went when he heard a loud terrifying screech.

"Oh no, no, no!" Merlin thought frantically. He turned his head and found the gargoyle flying after him at full speed. Its wings flapped up and down creating giant dust balls in its path. The massive wings swept closer and closer. Arthur saw the beast heading for them and regretted not seeing it before. But it was hardly his fault because once it caught Merlin's scent, it was bound to come.

"RUN, MERLIN. RUN!" Arthur hollered between labored breaths.

Merlin had no complaints and tried to pick up those knees. He tried to increase his speed, but was tiring and his legs just couldn't go any faster. His lungs didn't have the capacity to make him a champion runner. He was not trained like Arthur had been for speed and agility. Arthur was quick and landed on his feet almost all the time. Merlin was the opposite. He was known to trip over his own feet. Athleticism did not suit him. In fact, he had never been athletic his whole life. There was nothing in the books that could prepare him for running away from a gargoyle. Merlin knew he couldn't go any further. He could almost feel the wind from the gargoyle's wings overhead. Somehow, he knew deep down inside what must be done. He'd known it for some time now and he couldn't ignore it anymore.

Arthur caught sight of Merlin through the corner of his eye. He turned his head and noticed the distance between him and his manservant was considerably far. Something told him Merlin was about to do something extremely stupid. And he was right.

"Merlin! What are you doing?" Arthur shouted while slowing down to Merlin's pace.

"I…can't…run…anymore." Merlin gasped. "There's no point…in both of us getting killed."

Arthur caught the despair in Merlin's voice. "The plan was to run like the devil was after us. You WILL run." Arthur's exasperated and heavy breath tone sounded just as threatening as if he was just standing there spewing orders. Arthur then grabbed the servant by the back of the collar and pulled him up to speed before letting go.

Of course, it was in Merlin's nature to not listen to any of Arthur's words. There were just times when Arthur just couldn't pull rank on Merlin. When Merlin had his mind set on something, it was pretty much rooted. He wasn't a stubborn person. He was a person with magic and had his own way of dealing with things. Besides, who said anything about giving up? He wasn't just going to let the gargoyle have his jollies. No, Merlin was not going to make it that easy. If he was going to die, he was not going to die without a fight to the finish. At least then, his life would've been worth it. Merlin just wasn't sure how strong his magic was going to be since his body was still weak but he knew he had to try. He felt it was the only way to keep Arthur out of danger. Merlin slowed to a jog and didn't go unnoticed by Arthur, who turned to meet a sorry look on the servant's face. There was something awfully disheartening about that look in Merlin's eyes.

"I'm sorry Arthur. You are too important." Merlin's voice shook. He turned around to face his adversary and conjure a spell. He did not anticipate the distance between him and the gargoyle. It was a pretty bad move because it turns out that the gargoyle was only inches away from the young warlock. It didn't give him a chance to recite any spells. The gargoyle snatched Merlin by the shoulders with its clawed hind feet and flew up into the air.

"NOO! Merlin!" Arthur cried in horror as he watched Merlin being taken away by the monster.

The gargoyle's claws sank deeper into Merlin's back and caused him discomfort. As his life was further threatened, he could feel the magic pulsing in his veins. It was so different from the usual tingling under his skin whenever he used casual magic. Merlin often felt the full force of his power immerge during times of extreme anger and great distress. When the rage hit and the adrenaline started pumping, he felt nothing but power running in his veins. His blood felt like lava flowing in his body and a blinding white light formed in his mind. The feeling was so powerful that it often caused him to tremble. They flew higher and higher, farther and farther away from Arthur into the sky. Merlin's river blue eyes turned a fiery gold as he concentrated on the gargoyle.

"Ástríce." Merlin said, holding out his hand. As soon as he uttered this word, a sudden invisible bolt of force hit the gargoyle causing it to jerk backwards. In doing so, it lost balance and twirled in the air before taking a nose dive. Still holding onto Merlin, the gargoyle desperately flapped its wings to regain control. Merlin was being flung about like some sort of rag. He thought about casting a spell that would release him from the grasp of the gargoyle. But that would mean he'd fall ten stories to his death. So all he could do was hang on. The beast roared and swooped to and fro while plummeting towards the earth.

The wings flapped and just as it was about to come in for a crash landing, it managed to pull up. They were about eight feet in the air when the gargoyle absentmindedly loosened its grip on Merlin. Merlin fell and gravity pulled him downwards. He didn't actually feel the impact with the ground because the comfort of the darkness claimed him almost instantly.

In those few seconds, there was very little that Arthur could do except watch in horror. It was unclear to Arthur what exactly happened to cause the gargoyle to fly out of control. He couldn't see very clearly after the gargoyle snatched Merlin into the air. He knew something happened and seconds later, Merlin was sent spiraling out of the gargoyle's hold. Arthur watched as Merlin's body hit the ground in a small thud. Lying unconscious some thirty feet away, Arthur needed to see if Merlin was alright. Seeing him so still made Arthur nervous and uneasy about Merlin's well-being. But relief soon came to Arthur when he saw Merlin move a finger, followed by a hand, then an arm, then the head and upper torso. Arthur's initial instinct was to run to Merlin's side but he was mesmerized by the gargoyle still trying to gain control of itself in the air.

Merlin was lying on his stomach when he regained consciousness. The first thing he felt was complete soreness. There was a light buzzing in his ear and everything hurt. He was convinced that the fall had broken every bone in his body. He tried to move as feeling returned to him inch by inch. He opened his eyes and waited for the images to focus. A moan escaped his otherwise pale lips. After realizing that it was something short of a miracle that none of his bones were broken, Merlin managed to turn himself to a seated position. He was still seeing stars for a moment but at least he was still alive.

By now, the gargoyle had recovered its ability to fly. It circled around above the treetops and made a beeline straight for Merlin. Arthur's eyes widened with fear for his friend. The gargoyle was really going to finish Merlin off. Still dazed and disoriented from the fall, Merlin remained seated on the ground. Arthur could see the gargoyle advancing towards its prey. He could not stand by as the beast zeroed in on his friend. He had to do something. Suddenly, a realization swept over him and he found a new burst of energy and bravery in himself that he never quite felt before. It was an odd sense of adrenaline – much different than from fighting against vicious creatures or going into battle. This was something that had always been there, but just never had the chance to surface until now. Right then, he understood the meaning of sacrifice and what it meant to give all he had to a cause. The importance of his existence finally dawned on him. His purpose in life was never made clearer. He suddenly understood the reason behind Merlin's loyalty and sacrificial ways. It all sort of came together in his brain at that moment.

Most people would consider him to be extremely foolish for what he was about to do. But as the heir to Camelot, Arthur knew his job was to serve and lead his people. He had to protect his people and do whatever was in the best interest of his people. Arthur had to defend all his people as they would defend him. Merlin may be his manservant and part of the hired help, but stripped of the title, Merlin was a citizen of Camelot. What kind of prince and future king would he be if he failed to defend this one person? When Arthur's life was on the line, Merlin didn't need to think twice about forfeiting all he had. Merlin was always so willing, yet Arthur didn't quite know why. Up until this sudden epiphany, Arthur had always been "by the book" and attached to the old ways. He was made to see things as King Uther saw them. But Arthur finally opened his eyes and came to realize that there were things that were more important than pride. He didn't care what anyone thought of him. There was one thing that he must do and if he would be reprimanded for making such a disagreeable act, then so be it. Merlin deserved so much better. He had to save Merlin – at all costs. Without hesitation, Arthur raced towards Merlin.

Just as the gargoyle came within close proximity, Arthur made his ultimate sacrifice. He dived on top of Merlin and tried to shield him with his body. If this was the last thing he'll ever do, it'll be worth it because Merlin was his friend. The impact of Arthur's fall knocked Merlin back and a throb of pain spread across his shoulders. Arthur's weight plus his chainmail coming down on a frail Merlin must hurt to some degree. The prince covered Merlin as best he could to protect his manservant from the gargoyle. Arthur shut his eyes tight and braced himself for the pain that he was about to follow.

Though Merlin was shocked by Arthur's valiant gesture, there was no time to dwell on it further. He locked eyes with the gargoyle as it advanced and a spell formed on the tip of his tongue. A swirl of gold lit in his eyes and the power in his blood rushed to the top of his head making him slightly dizzy. He drew a breath. Just when he was about to release the energy, a miracle happened. The gargoyle had turned into stone in midair and exploded into a million pieces. Debris rained on Arthur and Merlin.

Amazed that he hadn't died or felt any extreme pain, Arthur opened his eyes to realize that the threat has been somehow neutralized. The gargoyle was no longer targeting them. In fact, the gargoyle was destroyed. They waited for the giant dust cloud to settle. It was so thick that they breathed in coughed up dust for a while. Arthur looked around at the jagged pieces of stone that once had been the gargoyle. Winded from fear, exertion and relief, he tried to catch his breath while seating himself next to Merlin. He tried his best to compose himself.

Merlin remained speechless for a moment, still trying to make sense of what had happened. He would like to think that he was the one who destroyed the gargoyle. After all, he had all this power in him that he could've used. Though, Merlin wasn't sure if it would've been enough to defeat the gargoyle, but he would've at least been able to cripple it severely. Merlin couldn't help but be a little disappointed that he had nothing to do with it. He tried to figure out who could've possibly had the know-how to obliterate a gargoyle. Not many people knew of Merlin's situation and even less knew where he had gone. Thoughts flooded his head and it finally came to him. It was so obvious yet, it took him a while to realize who was behind it.

Gaius. Merlin should've known it was Gaius. Gaius had been hitting the books pretty hard the last few days to find a way to lift the mark on Merlin's head. By the looks of things, he definitely succeeded and not a moment too soon. A few seconds delay and they would've been torn to shreds, starting with Arthur. Leave it to good ol' Gaius to save them just in the nick of time – nothing like the last minute to make them sweat a little. Merlin couldn't help but smile and say a silent prayer thanking his guardian.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked between breaths.

"Arthur!" Merlin gasped. "The gargoyle has been destroyed!"

"Yes, I know, you idiot. I can see that." Arthur rolled his eyes. Somehow, he wasn't surprised Merlin would say something so obvious and stupid.

"I can't believe it! It's really dead!" Merlin beamed. He turned his head this way and that way, observing the scatter of rock that fell all around them. His grin soon left his face when he remembered Arthur's courageous yet extremely foolish act of sacrifice. "Arthur, why'd you do that? Why did you try to shield me from the gargoyle?"

"As Prince and future King of Camelot, I have duties to my people. Not only must I lead and enforce, I must also strive to defend and preserve the well-being of everything in Camelot's existence." Arthur rambled. Merlin stared at Arthur with a puzzled expression, trying to figure out what he meant. "Keeping you lot safe is part of the job." Arthur sighed.

"You shouldn't have done that. You could've been killed." Merlin shook his head.

"I know – and I wouldn't have done it differently. Your life is just as important as any. I wouldn't trade your life for mine. I know some people back in Camelot would beg to differ. If they knew what I had done, they would think I've gone mad. But a servant is still a citizen of Camelot. And more importantly, you're my friend. Good friend and good servant combinations are hard to come by these days."

"Well, thank you for saving my life, Sire." Merlin said after a moment's pause. He was heartened by Arthur's unusually kind and unselfish words. Merlin was honored to be considered Arthur's friend. He never had the privilege of being more than a servant. And it was so humbling to finally realize how much Arthur valued his friendship.

"You would've done the same for me." Arthur shrugged off like as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. "What do you suppose happened here?" He glanced at the remnants of the gargoyle scattered all about him.

"I dunno. Whatever it was, we got lucky." Merlin grinned. There were some things that Arthur didn't need to know, especially those associated with magic.

"How odd that it should happen in such a way." Arthur said in a confused voice. Merlin hoped Arthur wouldn't try to over analyze things. It didn't take Arthur too long to brush his theories aside. He pulled himself up and reached a helping hand to Merlin. "Well, whatever it was, fate is on our side today. I say we'd better get out of here while we still can."

When Merlin stood up, he instantly felt the soreness in his muscles. He looked forward to going home and taking a steamy bath to melt away all his aches and pains. In addition, he could use a meal. Even Gaius' mushroom soup sounded good about now. And boy did he wish to be out of the cold and all snug in his comfortable bed by the fire. He could sleep for days – if Arthur would allow it. The wonderful images were filling Merlin's head and he began to smile. But that smile did not last too long.

Before Arthur and Merlin could take another step, a puff of white smoke swept across their path and a mysterious figure appeared. He was a tall fellow with an average built. His long stringy black hair fell right above a sharp pointy nose. Dressed in black, the haunting figure's wrinkled eyes were glowing orbs of bloody red. His cape hugged his body like a cocoon. A cold smirk spread across his thin lips. This was a man that needed no introduction.

"Blais." Arthur said. His voice was steady, showing no signs of disbelief.

"The one and only." Blais said and turned to Merlin, who stood by Arthur's side. "I thought I gave fair warning that your prince will meet his doom here. You chose not to listen. And well, here we are."

"Leave Merlin out of this." Arthur demanded. "He has done nothing."

"Rightfully so. If I have an issue with the employee, I should talk to the employer. Isn't that right?" Blais chuckled.

"What do you want?" Arthur had his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw if provoked. But a sword was no match for a sorcerer.

"Getting directly to the point, I see." Blais observed. He enjoyed the fear resonating out of the prince and his manservant. It fueled his dominance. "The answer to your question is simple. I want the amulet."

"The amulet belongs in Camelot. It will not be given up." Merlin spoke finally.

"Ah, the mute one speaks. I haven't figured out how you managed to kill my poor gargoyle but that was only a rock thrown in your path. You haven't even begun to feel the wrath of Blais yet. If you deny me the amulet, you will watch your noble prince die a painful death. Then I will go after the old man Gaius. And if you still persist, I will take a holiday to the quaint little village of Ealdor and see about your mother. You don't want to know what I have planned for her." Blais laughed wickedly at the thought of Hunith squirming in his hold.

"No!" Merlin gasped at the horror those words brought to his soul. His eyes shook with fear as he envisioned losing all the people that made his life full.

"Don't listen to him, Merlin." Arthur said firmly. "He's just playing with your mind."

"You can't. I won't let you." Merlin spat while giving Blais a cold stare. His blood turned to a slight boil and he felt the magic surging in his veins. At this point, he didn't care if he revealed his true self to Arthur. The very fiber of his existence was threatened, along with the well-being of all those he cared deeply about. Arthur took no notice of Merlin's eyes suddenly turning gold.

Just as Merlin was about to hurl a ball of energy towards Blais, the evil sorcerer conjured up a spell that clasped metal shackles around Merlin's neck and wrists. In an instant, Merlin's concentration broke and he reached to pry himself free from the restraints. The one around his neck was tight and made breathing quite a challenge. Merlin choked and coughed, all the while clawing at the shackle around his neck.

"Let him go!" Arthur demanded. He drew his sword and advanced towards the sorcerer.

"Oh don't worry. I won't kill him." Blais said sarcastically. "Let's just say, the shackles are there for his own good so he won't think about trying something funny."

Arthur couldn't help but feel like he had the short end of the stick. Seeing Merlin suffering like this made him sick to his stomach. He wondered why Merlin needed to be restrained. It's not like the harmless servant could run away if he tried. Merlin was just a boy with no fighting skills whatsoever. It never occurred to Arthur that Merlin had the power to do more damage than he knew. Arthur made a vow to always protect Merlin and at that moment, he was doing a really lousy job of it.

"Give me the amulet." Blais said.

"Don't do it, Arthur. Don't…." Merlin wheezed. He had fallen to his knees.

"Silence!" Blais shouted angrily at the young warlock. With a wave of his hand, the shackle around Merlin's neck tightened. Merlin gasped for air as the suffocation increased.

"Stop!" Arthur cried in anguish.

With another wave of Blais' hand, the shackle loosened and Merlin was able to breathe again. He then threw a strip of electricity at Arthur and it knocked him painfully onto the ground. The voltage was not lethal and barely did much harm. It was not Blais' intention to kill Arthur right away. He just wanted to subdue him.

"Arthur!" Merlin screamed. He turned to Blais and said, "Please don't hurt him. You can do what you want with me….just spare him. Please…." Merlin found it odd that this was the same thing that happened in his dreams. He kept begging Blais to spare Arthur. But he was only rewarded with Blais' feral laugh. Arthur eventually recovered from the blow and got back on his feet.

"You are my prisoners and will do as I say. The amulet will be mine." Blais boasted. Holding out his hand once again, a slew of foreign words passed his lips. As he spoke, his command became stronger. Right before Arthur's very eyes, Merlin whole being disappeared into thin air.

"MERLIN! NOOO!" Arthur bellowed as he stared at the empty space that Merlin had taken up a second ago. "What have you done to Merlin?" The prince demanded.

"I haven't killed him, if that's what you mean." Blais said calmly. "You will join him soon enough, Arthur Pendragon." Another blast of electricity hit Arthur in the chest and sent him flying backwards.

Lying on the ground, he stared straight at the sky, trying to get his wind back. He heard Blais spewing another string of words. Before Arthur could get up and defend himself, his mind relaxed and soon saw nothing but darkness close in around him. He didn't want to succumb to the darkness. He needed to fight to get Merlin back. As hard as he tried, he couldn't hang onto consciousness any longer and surrendered.

End of Chapter 11

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please sign a review?