The silhouette turned and loomed towards Merlin, and his suspicions were confirmed- this was some part of the great dragon speaking to him.
"I have found you at last young one. I must say it wasn't easy"
"What do you mean- where am I?"
"You mean to say you do not know?"
"No- I have no idea"
"Well for some reason you, Merlin, are in a dream-like world. Normally mortals like you shouldn't be put here, as you would have no control and wouldn't survive long. That is why I've had to find you."
"What? What does that mean? I didn't know the curse could do that."
"Curse?" Quizzed the dragon shadow.
"Yes, a sorcerer- one by the name of Belkazor-" he said "- placed some sort of suffering curse over all of Arthur's friends travelling with him. It seems this is my suffering."
"I'm afraid I sense that it isn't over yet" Kilgharra said, caution in his voice "For you see, this place has been hard enough to get in to, and I'm afraid that if you were meant to leave now, the world around you would start to melt." He paused before continuing
"Whatever it is that is holding you here Merlin- it isn't finished with you yet."
"Please, Kilgharra- isn't there something you or I could do?" Merlin pleaded, hoping that he wouldn't have to face what the dragon had started to describe.
"Young Warlock, if I could do something I would've by now- just being a shadow in this world is draining my power. There is no physical way to get you out- this is up to you and you alone."
With a roll of his eyes Merlin smiled at the dragon "Now where have I heard that before?"
With Merlin's jokey comment, the dragon tried to get a clear picture of the Warlock. He knew Merlin was brave, and had all faith that the Warlock could pull through this. He was, however, worried about the impacts it may leave on the warlock. Wishing he could help Merlin more, the dragon bowed in respect to the warlock. Merlin would get through this- he always did.
Merlin was surprised to say the least; although the shadow wasn't clear he made out the dragon bowing in respect to him. Not really knowing what to do, he bowed back which caused a small chuckle to rumble from the depth of the dragon's chest.
"Just know young Warlock that I am always here within you. It is the bond we share between dragon and Dragonlord- you can never lose it. So whatever faces you ahead, heed my words- you are not alone."
"Thank you" Merlin said. There was sincerity in his voice and his eyes were watering slightly because of the affection of it all. With that, the shadow's wings outstretched and the silhouette left the land. Merlin stood still, awaiting the thunder.
Concern. That was the feeling that had crushed Arthur's spirit for the past hour. It seemed Merlin was in an unconscious state- completely void of any emotion in his face. In fact, when Arthur looked close at the boy, flopping on Gwaine's chest, it seemed there was only the tiniest trace of a deep state of concentration. No one could tell what he was going through.
"Sire, it's been an hour now." Lance said, addressing everyone to the conversation.
"I know, I know" Arthur replied wearily, and everyone took a glance to Merlin's direction.
"Why don't we try to wake him up?" Leon suggested.
"Would that work though?" Percival asked.
"Surely it's worth a try princess?" Gwaine looked at Arthur, deep concern evident in his tone. He knew what it was like to suffer at the hands of the curse.
"Gwaine's right" Arthur agreed and at his comment Gwaine's eyes sparked up.
"But how?" Was the next question.
"A bucket of water maybe? That's worked on him many times" Arthur chuckled fondly with a smile on his face
"Alright then, we have a plan" Percival added
"Now to find a stream to get some water…" Arthur continued as the horses rode on. Twenty minutes later found them by a small, trickling stream that just allowed Arthur to fill up a small bucket, Merlin was laid down and…
Splosh!
The water soaked Merlin's sleeping form, and although Arthur had felt how icy that water had been (it was practically freezing) it hadn't been enough. With a slight tremble only Merlin's hands twitched and he took to shivering.
"Well done. Not only have we got a cursed Merlin, but now we've got a cold, wet and cursed Merlin" Gwaine chortled; he then added his own suggestion.
"How about the kiss of life?" He said all seriousness present in his voice.
"You're kidding right Gwaine? I mean come on- Merlin may be weak but he isn't some kind of princess" Arthur commented back, smiling.
"Oh yeah, sorry- I forgot that the only princess here is you!" Gwaine said, smirking as wide as his mouth could go, clearly content with the insult he had made. A round of applause was given to Gwaine and he theatrically took his own little bow. Percival even patted his apple-loving friend on the shoulder.
Arthur stood there pouting, the whole time trying not to let the smile show through. After the laughter had calmed down Percival brought the group back to the main problem
"Seriously though… how do we wake Merlin up?"
Merlin had been wandering forward for what felt like quite some time now. He knew this couldn't all be real for when he had tried to reach out and touch things, they hadn't weighed as much as they should've or held colours like things hadn't back in Camelot. It was this that kept on alerting Merlin to his situation.
Looking up in the distance Merlin's eye caught a glimmer. The world ahead just at the top of a hill looked wavy, like it was… melting! That was it, Kilgharra had said that when the world melted around him he would go back. Knowing where he had to go Merlin headed off with more of a spring in his step.
The hill, upon closer inspection, was higher than it looked, and Merlin didn't really want to think about how much he had been trapped here already. So, without looking back, he stepped his first step up towards the slope.
EMRYS
EMRYS
The wind seemed to call his druidic name. Mist encased the hill he was travelling up and became so thick he couldn't see up ahead. A sob alerted his attention to his right. Running up ahead a little, he could tell now it was a woman that was crying. Trying to find her Merlin yelled, but only to have no reply. He was about to turn back when his mother came into view…
"Mother?" He cried out in compete desperation "Mother please, what's happened- are you alright?" Merlin's voice rang out again, his tears beginning to form at seeing his mother so frail. She seemed to have aged considerably as though this was a future version of herself. Her eyes were red and throbbing with the amount of tears she had shed. It was a painful sight and as much as Merlin tried to reach forward to hold his mother her figure would only fade and reappear. Soon though after Merlin had agonisingly watched his mother break down her figure disappeared, realising she wouldn't be returning Merlin picked himself up and carried on the path that now was visible to him. Guilt drowning him. "That was your fault Merlin, you only ever caused me grief and pain" Hunith's voice echoed around the mountain and Merlin felt his own heart melt.
Heading even further uphill the ever-thickening mist started to eat the path again and Merlin was only left to prepare his distraught self for what he knew he could possibly see.
Brown, curly hair was the first thing Merlin could see. It was Gwen, or the back of her at least
"Gwen?" Merlin cautiously called out, voice dry from tears and lumps forming in his throat.
The girl's eyes perked up and she turned around to face him, but the sight Merlin saw wasn't pleasant. Blood flowed freely from a large gash in Gwen's shoulder although it seemed she paid no attention to him, instead she seemed to be looking out towards something behind him. Before Merlin could see what that was, more people stepped forwards behind Gwen. It was all of the round table's knights- every one of them carrying a wound of some sort and a haunted look on their face. Merlin was too hesitant to call out, so just tried to make eye contact instead however it wouldn't work and he was only left to stare at the depressing scene that was laid out before him. Never before had he seen such suffering present on so many of his friends faces- what was it they were mourning over? And why did they all have so many wounds? There were too many thoughts in Merlin's mind, and he shrunk down holding his hand in-between his knees trying to take deep breaths to calm himself down, he had to remember that this was not real. His eyes squeezed tightly shut, he forced himself to crack them open ready to face his dead-looking friends, only to find himself alone.
No, you're not alone- remember, he told himself. Kilgharra is always with you and you know that the knights and Arthur will always have your backs. Not forgetting Gaius and Gwen who are family to me. Armed with his thoughts, Merlin took his now shaking steps forward.
This was it the top of the hill, he had done it. Almost just a few more steps and he should find himself out of this twisted world that was slowly driving him mad. But not so soon it seemed, as once again the fog surrounded him now with a chilled voice ringing out in the air. It was… Arthur?
"SORCERER. YOU LYING SCUM." Were the first words to ring in Merlin's ears before he came face to face with the aged but angry Arthur that stood before him. His features were weary as though he'd been through a generation, but the anger and passion in the king's eyes were as young as could be and Merlin was scared. He was scared of his best friend.
"HOW COULD YOU? YOU BETRAYED ME. I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST YOU."
"Arthur, you can, I'm sorry I didn't want this, I swear and I would never-"
"SILENCE, I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN. IN FACT SO I DON'T HAVE TO. I ORDER YOU TO BURN AT THE STAKE."
"What? Arthur I'm your friend you can't do that, my magic isn't evil I swear I've always hated keeping it a secret from you I just wanted-" Merlin was trying so, so hard but he was breaking.
Even with Merlin trying to argue, Arthur had taken no word in, a barrier around him practically bounced Merlin's argument away and it seemed Arthur had enough of this.
He raised a sword from his hand and aimed it at Merlin's heart.
Scampering backwards Merlin's tears fell once more, silently pleading Arthur not to do this. Merlin had carried on crouching backwards ever so slightly from the pointed sword at his heart before the sword had been swiped at incredible speed.
The guilt and depression had warped Merlin's mind, he had to stay strong. Despite Arthur wanting him dead. He didn't want to break; he had to stay strong for everyone he loved. He didn't want to let them down.
"But you already have" Were the words that hit Merlin, coming straight from Arthur.
"NO!" Merlin cried out and saw the tip of Arthur's sword about to penetrate his heart and slowly everything started morphing together and becoming a blur then…darkness.