A/N: WOW. So we didnt get to a hundred reviews, but we did get 11, which is the most I've ever had on one chapter, and this now has over 100 alerts, so I'm still like O_o THANKYOU all so, so much for your help and support, it means a lot XD A few other things, this is a bit longer than usual, sorry, its also unbeated, also sorry. I would like to dedicate this chapter to lolello for his/her wonderful and lovely reviews and PMs. They make me XD THANKS AGAIN GJ :)

In front of him stood an all to familiar figure. Long, flowing, dark hair, piercing blue eyes, rose lips, and a surreal beauty.

The messenger was back.

"You!" Merlin exclaimed angrily

"Merlin you're going to have to trust me because I don't have all that much time."
Her words were spoken hastily, tripping over one another, a touch of fear seeping into her voice, as though she was worried she might not be able to finish.

"How can you expect me to trust you? Morgana said-"

"What Morgana said is of little importance, Emrys. You trust the witch? Make you're choice. Trust me or don't, it's up to you, but I'm going to tell you what you need to know."
Merlin paused for a second, taken aback, before nodding for her to continue. She smiled with the same unearthly smile that had found them in the Meeting weeks ago.

"Emrys, I'm sorry. The witch has defied destiny. She is coming sooner than you think. Not a year away, a month away. But even that is insignificant now."
Merlin looked as though he was about to protest, but she continued as if she could not hear him,

"Emrys, you have challenged her once already and come out victorious, but she was taken unawares, she was not expecting you to defy her so openly. She will not make the same mistakes twice. She has grown stronger herself, but she has with her an army of powerful sorcerers. Her and them combined would struggle to take you down, but it could be done. Emrys, you cannot do this alone."
Merlin stood, stony-faced, but upon this announcement reached for the closed door to his bedroom.

"No! Not Giaus." Merlin was startled; it was as if she had heard his thoughts, his instincts to find help in his Guardian.

"Please Emrys, those who you trust the most cannot be trusted any longer. You must reach for those who trust you, even though they do not know you." She sighed impatiently at Merlin's confused expression, "Don't you see!? You have to raise your own army Emrys, The Druids, Alator and his people, anyone who has magic. Every one of them would willingly lay down their lives for you, they live for the days you are destined to bring, and they would do anything, anything to help you bring them here."

Merlin stood, quiet. A minute of tense silence followed before Merlin spoke:

"Me?" he breathed

She smiled. A beautiful, wide, glowing smile. "You." She whispered back. "Emrys, if you heed my words, you will bring her down once, but she will return. I am forbidden to reveal what will come to pass after this… but I have faith in you. Good luck, Merlin."

In the precious seconds it took the Warlock to realise that the Messenger had used his name, she had gone.

And so it began.

It took Merlin a week to find Alator. It took Alator three seconds to swear his allegiance to Merlin and to Camelot. Around him echoed the cry of one hundred and thirty three others, all Catha, and all ready to die for Emrys. For a week, Alator guided him through the five kingdoms, to every sorcerers dwelling that he knew of, and each of them that swore their alliance knew where to find another five who would do the same. By the fourteenth sundown after the messengers visit their number had swelled to two hundred and seven sorcerers.

It took three days of Merlin and Alator wandering in the woods (whilst the others made weapons at the makeshift camp they had set up) to find the Druids. They were expected, and as with the sorcerers, one camp lead them to another. This chain of settlements took Merlin and Alator four days to follow, and when they returned to the main camp with all the Druids willing to join them, the total number of men, women, Druids and Catha in the army was three hundred and seventy, each possessing various magical abilities.

The last week of the month given to them by the Messenger slipped by in a whirl of training, attack plans and magic. Merlin had never before been in a situation where so many had joined together, united under one banner, all with nothing to fear from each other.

He loved it.

Everywhere he went he received bows and curtseys, but best of all, he was no longer steering from the shadows; he was leading from the front. People listened to him, people respected him, and people treated him like their King. This was the closest he had ever come to even remotely understanding how Arthur felt every day of his life, he wanted to protect these people, he wanted them to have better lives, he didn't want them to have to live in secret, terrified of who they were for a day longer. He was going to change it.

The days slipped past, and suddenly, it was sundown on the day before Morgana was coming. Merlin had gathered all his people to the middle of the camp, where he stood, trying to decide how best to address them.

"I don't know what to say to you," he began, "I don't know how to thank you. I am not you're king, and yet that is how you treat me. You owe me nothing, and yet you come to me all the same. You answered my call, and I am grateful." He spoke a little louder, "I want everyone to know. I want your children's children to be able to hold their heads high and say, my ancestor fought along side Emrys, in the greatest battle this Kingdom will ever know. I want every one of you to be able to proudly say that you changed the course of history, and made the world a better place. You know the plan, you know where I am, and I only pray that Destiny be with you. Thank you all for being the most faithful, and the most loyal people that this earth will ever see. Thank you." He finished to a resounding silence that pressed onto everyone's ears for a few seconds before suddenly-

"Long live Emrys, Lord of the Sorcerers!"

The cry echoed around the clearing, raising birds from trees as every soul with a voice screamed their alliance to their King, and in all the joy and all the celebration, no one noticed a single tear rolling from the deep blue eye of Emrys.

Not so very far away…

Two hooded figures, both seated on horseback, conversed quietly in the half-darkness, the towering white turrets of Camelot just visible in the distance

"The scrolls? The entrance to the tunnels?!" Morgana whispered excitedly.

"No." came the old mans surly, emotionless reply.

"What do you mean, no? You live to serve me, you do as I ask!" Morgana retorted angrily.

"My Lady, I bring you not the scrolls, but better." He reached inside his robe, and pulled out a small item, roughly covered by a dirty bit of cloth, which he handed to the Witch. She curiously unravelled it, to find an old and dirty key. She raised an eyebrow:
"What's this supposed to be?" she asked sceptically, but more than a little curiously.

"The key to the South Gate. It hasn't been opened in many years, and Arthur is so busy guarding the scrolls and the North Gate that he will hardly notice its absence. My Lady?" Small amounts of concern were leaking into his voice, as Morgana had not yet spoken. She was sat silently, staring at the old and rust-covered item in front of her, with an expression of triumphant pride glittering in her green eyes.

"You have done well, Giaus. Now go, before any notice your presence is missing." And with that, she rode swiftly away from the white city, to greet her own army, and ready them for the morning ahead.

A/N: dundun duuuuuun