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"You are weak and pathetic, no wonder no one guessed you were a sorcerer. Who would have thought an idiot like you could even remember a spell, let alone cast one." Arthur hissed down at him as Merlin clung to his stomach where a recent wound had appeared.

"This idiot protected you Arthur, can't you see that your father's hate for magic is clouding your judgement? I'm not going to hurt you. Camelot is safe. Stop attacking me when you know I was your friend through the years even though I used magic."

"A friend wouldn't lie to me so much."

"I lied because I had too, if you knew, do you think I would have survived the first week being your servant? No. I barely did even without you knowing. I took poison for you, protected you when I had two Kings ready to slit my throat and it almost cost me my life."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Because in the end you showed me who you truly are. You sought out the plant that could cure me. Risked your life for a mere servant that you barely knew. I got to see the King you will one day be, someone who is fair and doesn't judge people on their status. Isn't this the same thing? Instead of a servant you need to recuse, it's a sorcerer, no difference."

"The difference is that you use magic. A servant doesn't."

"You're never going to accept me … are you?" Merlin muttered and lowered his gaze to the floor. No matter how many times he tried to explain to Arthur that he was his friend, he just came back with remarks that made little sense and didn't sound at all like Arthur.

It had to be him surely? Merlin could see him in the flesh, the wounds hurt and bled like they should, but Merlin knew Arthur like the back of his hand and he didn't act this way. Not unless he was regressing back to the way he acted when they first met.

"You're not Arthur, are you?"

"Have you lost your mind? Of course I'm Arthur. Has that magic messed with your head? I told you it was evil."

"No, it's not." Merlin got to his feet and glared at the impostor. "You have helped those with magic, many times you have shared your thoughts on how magic couldn't be all bad and now I'm beginning to believe this is what Morgause was taking about."

'Arthur' smiled and crossed his arms, a small smile on his face. "Have you figured it out?"

"Arthur is my weakness. At the end of the day, I care what he thinks of me and she'll use that against me to keep me here. He needs me."

"And if you're too late?"

"I'm never too late," Merlin admitted and watched as the image of Arthur faded.

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"I honestly can't believe you'd attempt to harm me when the circumstances are against you," Morgana laughed lightly and walked casually around the kneeling Prince who had a sword to his throat by a guard.

The attack hadn't exactly worked. Morgana and Morgause had both cast a spell that caused the men to fly back onto the ground, the guards instantly surrounded them and now they were being teased about such an attempt.

Arthur couldn't help but glance over at Merlin who had fallen very quiet in the past few minutes. No new wounds appeared like before and no moans left his lips as he experienced pain. If Arthur didn't know any better, he'd think the boy was sleeping. Get up and help us you idiot.

"I think such actions should be punished," she said and her delicate hand ran across Arthur's face as she glided past him in long strides. "You have no use for me Pendragon. I have my Kingdom and you shall not take it from me."

Morgana took a sword from a nearby guard and studied it as the light bounced off the metal. Arthur knew she had every intention of using that against them. Even when they had no weapons of their own to defend themselves.

"You think we fear you? Ha! You are simply a woman who is bored and has too much free time on her hands. I know plenty of men who could occupy your time." Gwaine teased and earned a punch to the side of his head. Yet he kept on smiling.

"I tire of this," Morgause mused and looked towards her sister. "Finish it."

Arthur looked up to meet the gaze of Morgana who held the sword pointed at his chest. "Could you really kill me Morgana? After everything we've been through together?" Arthur asked and saw slight hesitation cover her face. "You were like a sister to me and now that I know you are, we could have done so much together. Created a Kingdom many generations to come would hear about. Do you really want to give that all up because our Father could not see past the magic?"

"You are no different."

"I see that I was wrong. The magic inside of someone doesn't change who they are. It's how they use it that defines them. Don't do this. You must feel in your heart that this is wrong."

"I have no choice."

"You always have a choice," Arthur stated.

"No, Arthur, not all of us do." With that being the final word said, the sword was drawn back and then thrust forward towards his heart. Instead of looking up at his fate, he looked over at the warlock that was meant to protect him, who was still lying asleep on the ground.

I guess this time he can't save me.

He closed his eyes to meet his fate.

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Morgause watched as her sister dealt the final blow to the Prince. A smile lit up her face as the point pierced his skin. It dropped a moment later when she saw it would go no further. Even as Morgana put her entire weight behind it, she could not make it enter his flesh, even the Prince seemed shocked when he opened his eyes to look down at the useless weapon. "How-"

"Miss me?" A voice came from the side and she turned to see Emrys standing on his feet. His hand outstretched towards Arthur, a scent of magic looming in the air. He'd once again protected his destiny.

"You shouldn't have been able to wake up from that. That spell was ever lasting. No normal sorcerer could do such a thing."

"Haven't you learnt by now, I'm not normal." He casually walked over to his friends, not even a sign of pain covered his features from the wounds dripping blood across the floor, it was like he was an entirely different person. "Are you okay Arthur?" He asked and glared at Morgana to move away, which she did with the look of shock remaining on her face.

"I'm fine thanks to you. Again." Arthur and his men got to their feet, all exchanging smiles at the sight of their friend being alive. "Are you okay?"

Merlin ignored his question and turned to look at the witches. "You have seen what I can do. Leave this place before I use it against you."

"He's bluffing sister. I bet he can barely stand. Magic is out of the question. He's all talk and no action."

"Is that your final decision? To stay and fight?"

A hand came on his shoulder and Merlin turned his head to see Gwaine standing behind him now, "Can you handle them alone? We do not wish for you to do this alone Merlin. We want to help."

"You've already helped," he looked at them each in turn. "All of you. For it takes courage to go against those you stand no chance against. It takes strength to wield weapons that shed blood of those you once cared about. Patience is what you need to have when dealing with a situation where your friends are at risk and finally loyalty, that is the most important of them all. You are true Knights of Camelot and will always be loyal to the Prince and King. You are the men who will help this Kingdom become what I know it will be."

"If we are those then what are you?" Arthur asked quietly.

"I am the magic that binds you together. For if it weren't for me you'd all be dead by now," he winked and then snapped his head in the witches direction. His hand shot out and a spell left his lips. Morgause, after much experience in people turning against her, hand time to put a shield around herself. The guards and Morgana did not.

As the spell finished, Arthur and the men watched as the guards around them fell to the ground. All gasping for breath and clutching their throats as they lay against the cold ground. Morgana did the same, her eyes wide and panicked as she sat on the ground herself so not to hurt herself from falling. "Stop this!" Morgause yelled and ran to her sisters side. Holding her in her arms as the witch struggled to breathe. "We will leave. All of us. We won't bother you again. Do not kill her. I beg of you."

"Merlin, you don't need to kill them." Arthur's voice said behind him.

"They could come back again."

"And we'll face them then. You've done enough."

Merlin took one last moment to study the dying witch before he broke the spell. He knew he couldn't last much longer. Morgause had been right. Nobody could escape the spell she cast and he was only awake because of his determination to protect the Prince. Once that died out, he would once again fall into the darkness. By the look in her eyes she knew this.

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"Go before I change my mind," Merlin threatened.

"Very well," she cast a spell of her own and the guards surrounding them vanished. All sign of their presence gone in the blink of an eye. "You must be pleased that your final moments on this plane of existence has been used to protect the Prince."

"What are you on about? He's fine. Your spell didn't work." Gwaine said firmly.

"When the moon is at it's peak you will find yourself forever surrounding in nightmares warlock. I will return with more power than ever and you won't be here to stop me." Arthur grabbed a sword that lay on the ground and attack, but by the time her reached where the held Morgana, she was gone. They were all gone. Camelot was theirs once more.

"We did it! We won!" Arthur celebrated and turned to his friends. Except one of them was looking rather pale. "Merli-" he started but the sorcerer was already falling back towards the ground. His eyes rolling into the back of his head and his arms fell limp at his side. Gwaine caught the young boy and stared down at him in shock.

"The spell was broken, he was fine! Merlin, wake up!" Gwaine pleaded and Lancelot knelt by their side as Sir Leon went to search the corridors for help.

Arthur went to Merlin's other side and stared down at his unconscious friend. The wounds kept bleeding and his body grew colder with every moment that passed. Morgause had been right. Merlin wouldn't be around to protect the Kingdom if she attacked again. He was dying.