A/N: Another update! I surprise myself! ;)

Chapter 14- Prison Break

Merlin ran. As soon as he had exited the castle he had set off at top speed, regardless of who could see him, the great Emrys, running like a child. He had to get back to Camelot.

He ran through the haphazard little village, skirting around the grotesque shapes that loomed up at him from the darkness, reaching out at him, begging him to help them. Their moans and wails echoed around the dead valley and Merlin fought hard to ignore them.

He reached the edge of the village and started off through the skeletal trees, whose branches reached out to claw at him, drag him backwards. He kept going, ignoring the creeping sensation that the trees were watching him.

Gradually the trees began to show signs of life and growth, and the Dark Magic became less and less prominent in the atmosphere. Noises of animals and birds reached his ears, as he returned to the world of the light.

He emerged in the clearing, the moon still shining overhead, not obscured by clouds as it had been in the valley, this moon was a result of magic.

Merlin stopped to briefly catch his breath and prepared the spell he needed to get himself back to Camelot. His heart was fluttering in his chest, how on earth was he going to survive the night with everything that was happening?

He summoned his magic and felt his eyes turn golden.

"Brūcan mec tō Camelot!" He felt the winds soar around him to take him back to the castle, but, at the last moment, he felt a hand grab on to the back of his shirt, before they were both spirited away into the night.

Hyre sat in his cell, his midnight black eyes fixed on the tiny barred window the cell offered. The moon winked out at him, taunting him with its freedom. He wondered uninterestingly how long he would be languishing here.

A guard passed by his cell and Hyre took the opportunity to turn his head and flash him an evil grin. The man jumped back a foot and cursed as his wide eyes took in the sight in front of him.

Hyre chuckled, choking on the blood and loose flesh in his throat. It fascinated him, the way these people would stare at him, vomit, and faint. Didn't they realise this was a blessing? Dark Magic had given him everything he could ever have dreamed of; power above all else, the feeling of being invincible.

Of course, it hadn't lasted too long. The rate at which he had used this Noble Art, had degraded his body at an astonishing speed, as he hungrily devoured more and more knowledge of its secrets, and subjecting himself to its power. Hyre was twenty-nine years old, had been using Dark Magic less than four years, and already he was more skeleton than man. And he was grateful, he felt the Dark Magic within him, in every fibre of his being, it thrilled him. He revelled in the effect he had on others. He was unstoppable.

Unbidden, a distant memory came back to him, a time of light. Magic had not always been this way, it had once soothed, invigorated, exhilarated, now it only ruined.

Hyre frowned, when was that? What was that magic? He could scarcely remember.

The Old Religion...what was that?

Then it came flooding back. The weak, pathetic little magic tricks he could do before were no rival to the power this magic brought.

Tame, weak, flimsy...now it was powerful, thrilling, deadly...

But also lethal to himself.

He held one of his decayed hands to his face and scrutinised it carefully. Had it been worth it?

As he thought, several finger bones fell off and landed on the stone with a small clatter. Hyre felt no pain, he was long past that.

His body was dead, his mind was almost there...Dark Magic was a trap. It grabbed hold, and killed you slowly, like some sort of sadistic predator. There was no escape.

He laughed again, and spewed out some more blood. He was lost.

What had his life been like before? He had a vague recollection of a pretty woman, a flashing smile...but she soon dissolved into a hazy memory of a gaunt, shrivelled, haunted ghost of a person, lying ill in a filthy bed. Who was she? Had he done this to her?

Hyre laughed again to himself, it was all he could do. The shadows were inside of him, filling himself full of darkness and torment. Hope was a distant memory. Was it real? Or a myth? He could not remember. Who was he?

He rocked back and forth muttering to himself, what was going on? What was this evil he felt creeping inside of him?

A smattering of footsteps approached and his lifted his head. One of the Camelot Knights was standing outside his cell, regarding him with disgust, his nose wrinkled. Hyre grinned grotesquely; this one did not embrace the Noble Art, he was witnessing it at its finest. He would learn.

The man approached his eyes blazing as they passed over his body. There was anger there.

Hyre turned around fully to face him. The man did not flinch, but his jaw tightened.

"Come to witness the glory of the Noble Art?" Hyre cackled.

The man looked at him in revulsion. "You know nothing of nobility." he scorned.

Hyre's eyes glinted. Here was a proud one.

"And you know nothing of power, you are too weak to embrace its might."

The man did not answer to this. He stepped closer, and Hyre admired his audacity to approach someone so heavily imbued with Dark Magic. Brave, but foolish.

The Knight spoke: "Tell me about the Wandrian."

Hyre regarded him in fascination. "So you do want to embrace it?"

"I would rather die." The Knight glared at him.

Hyre thought for a moment. He shouldn't say anything, but distant memories came flooding back, memories of a time when people would look at him without flinching. Why not tell him?

"Death. You think it a punishment, but it is not. Suffering such as mine is the punishment. Long years of pain, and decay, and torment. Darkness and shadow overcoming you. A flood, unable to be kept back. The Wandrian embrace this, and that is their downfall. There are very few sane amongst their ranks."

"Then they are no danger?"

Hyre chuckled. "That is why they are dangerous. Dark Magic corrupts all. They think of nothing else than submitting to the force of the magic, immersing themselves in its might. It is their life's goal, to turn their very insides to shadow. Only when it is too late, does the addiction end, and you realise what you have done, but by then you are ruined, a decayed mess of what used to be human. Then you remember...remember what you used to have and what used to be. And that pain overwhelms anything you have done to yourself since."

Hyre broke off. The pain returned...that woman...that haggard destroyed woman...what had happened?

The man's expression changed. "Can't you resist it?"

Hyre laughed bitterly.

"No one can forever."

The Knight frowned. Hyre took his chance. "Not concerned about someone are you?"

The man's eyes flashed. "That's none of your concern. Tell me what you know of Emrys."

Hyre gave a hollow laugh. "I thought you might be asking me that. Must be a blow, to know someone close to you's been betraying you from within."

The man huffed. "Just tell me something useful! If you never do another decent thing in your short life, then do this now. Help us. And we can end your suffering."

Hyre paused, considering. He wanted his suffering to end. He didn't want it drawn out any longer. The darkness was still to consume him completely. He was a dead man anyway.

He looked up at the man once more. He was so young, untainted, full of life and vigour, had he once been like that? Hyre knew, that in years, the man wasn't much younger than himself. But in mind and soul...he was ancient. What would his life have turned out like if he hadn't...

Hyre coughed and spluttered, clearing his throat of mucus and rotten flesh. "Listen closely then. And I shall tell you everything I know."

Merlin felt himself land roughly on the ground, his legs collapsing beneath him, feeling disorientated with the extra weight he'd carried from the clearing. He was sprawled out on the hard earth, but he twisted and turned around sharply to see who had followed him here. Was it Wrecan? Had he decided he wanted revenge? Instead-

"Wow! I've never done that before!"

"Gehola?" Merlin gasped as he saw the young man's silhouette appear against the night sky.

"Want a hand up?"

Merlin accepted the proffered hand dazedly, and was pulled to his feet. Gehola grinned at him.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Merlin asked.

Gehola's grin fell. "I wanted to help. I was afraid they were going to hurt you, especially after you came tearing out of the place as quick as you did. So I ran after you and grabbed hold before you vanished."

Merlin stared at him stunned. He didn't want Gehola to get involved, not when there was such a large chance of being caught, but he couldn't turn him away. He noticed Gehola looking rather downcast at his less-than-warm welcome, so Merlin reached out and grasped him on the shoulder.

"I'm glad you're here and you want to help. But I've got something dangerous to do, and I don't want you to get caught."

Gehola looked determined. "If it's dangerous then I can help. I've lived around danger my whole life."

Merlin regarded him, he knew there was going to be no arguing with him.

"All right then, follow me."

Gehola nodded happily, and fell into step with Merlin as he set off through the woods towards the castle. They walked in silence for several minutes before Gehola turned to him.

"Wasn't Hafela angry with you?"

Merlin cast his mind back. "I'm not sure. Wrecan insisted I was betraying them, but Hafela...I really don't know. He said I was to prove my loyalty to them by breaking out a prisoner of theirs from the dungeons."

Gehola nodded. "I don't envy you. They're a nasty lot. I'd be terrified to just be in the same room as them. I'm afraid I'm not especially brave."

Merlin smiled. "I'll admit, I'm scared of them too. Anyone would be. You're not a coward. You followed me here didn't you? That takes a bit of courage."

Gehola shook his head. "I'm not brave. I'm a bit of an idiot actually."

Merlin laughed softly to himself. "You'd be surprised how many people say that about me."

Gehola's eyes went wide. "But you're Emrys."

"That doesn't define who I am." Merlin explained. "Only actions decide that. Don't put yourself down, you could surprise yourself."

Gehola kept staring at him, like some wide-eyed puppy, and Merlin began to feel a little uncomfortable. He didn't deserve admiration like this.

They continued walking until the towers and turrets of Camelot were visible. Gehola stopped abruptly.

"So this is Camelot?"

Merlin nodded, suddenly remembering Gehola's parents had been killed in the Purge.

"This is it."

Gehola continued to stare at it, his eyes fixated on the castle. Merlin felt a twinge of concern.

"Will you be all right?"

Gehola turned to look at him, and smiled.

"Yes. It's just...I haven't been here since I was a few months old, when my parents were killed. Then my aunt took me to the Wandrian."

"What happened to her?"

Gehola laughed without humour. "She wasted away, like all the rest. There wasn't much left of her when she finally died."

Merlin couldn't imagine what he'd gone through. He'd thought his own upbringing had been difficult. How had he managed to survive this for so long?

Gehola turned to him. "Who is the prisoner?

Merlin tried to remember. "Umm, Hyre, I think his name was."

Gehola shot him a sharp look. "Hyre? That's not good."

Merlin felt alarmed. "Why? He's not dangerous is he?"

Gehola shook his head. "Not particularly. He's too far gone too be much good at any sort of magic. He's not really much trouble, despite being pretty awful to look at."

Merlin privately agreed. "Then what's wrong?"

"Hyre and Hafela arrived at the same time about four years ago. They'd both been friends since they were young. They both practised magic, but Hafela started using Dark Magic, and convinced Hyre to do the same. They were unstoppable together. Their experiments were...extreme. Eventually it ended in the death of Hyre's wife, the Dark Magic from Hyre had wrecked her own body beyond repair, even though she'd never used magic in her life. Hyre went mad, and started using it more and more, till his body became completely wasted. Hafela brought him to the Wandrian to be looked after. Most of them think Hyre's useless and want rid of him, he can barely walk without some body part falling off of him, but Hafela protects him, no one knows why. Hafela became leader quite quickly, and ordered no one to touch him."

Merlin looked at his feet, sighing. So many lives, ruined by the magic. What was the point?

"How did Hafela manage to become leader so quickly?"

Gehola wrinkled his nose. "It wasn't difficult. The Wandrian are smart enough to realise when someone's strong enough. He was the only one strong and sane enough to lead them. And he was young, which was an advantage. Hyre and Hafela are both only twenty-nine, not that you'd believe it."

Merlin was mildly shocked to hear this. Why would someone want to waste away their youth like that? Gehola continued:

"Most of the Wandrian don't live past thirty-five. Gamol's the exception, he's well over fifty, we're not sure how he's managed it. He's resentful of Hafela, he's twice as old, just as sane, but he's not the leader. He doesn't respect Hafela."

Merlin made a mental note of this, it might come in useful later, if things went ill.

They had now almost approached the gates of Camelot, and passed through as the guards recognised Merlin. They made their way through the streets of the city and Merlin began to feel nervous. How was he going to pull this off?

Gehola meanwhile stared around in wonder. "I never knew a place could be as big as this!"

Merlin looked at him. "Haven't you been outside the valley before?"

Gehola shook his head. "Never. I was always too afraid."

"But you're afraid when you're there," reasoned Merlin. "Why don't you just leave?"

Gehola hesitated. "Because I'm afraid I won't fit in anywhere else. I've never been much good at secrecy, I'd stick out. At least with the Wandrian I don't have to worry about that. We're all outcasts there."

Merlin felt saddened at Gehola's perceptions of the world. He deserved so much more.

"Why don't you go to the Druids? They'd protect you."

Gehola shuddered. "But the Druids guard the portal. And that would just put me on edge all of the time."

Portal.

Gehola didn't know about what this portal was did he? And what Morgana was supposed to do?

"What exactly is-" he began, but broke off at the sight of two red-cloaked figures crossing the courtyard in front of them.

"In here," he hissed, grabbing Gehola roughly by the arm, and dragging him into a nearby doorway, hiding them in the shadows.

Merlin watched as Arthur and Lancelot continued on their way, oblivious to the two sorcerers, deep in discussion. Merlin wondered whether they were talking about him.

Soon they were out of sight, and Merlin began to breath easier. That had been close, and it was going to get even worse. He'd better stop the idle chit-chat and start to concentrate. Tonight was not going to be easy.

They stepped out of the shadows. Gehola was still staring at where they'd vanished.

"Was that the Prince?"

"Yes." Merlin said shortly, pulling Gehola after him in the general direction of the dungeons.

"He doesn't look evil."

Merlin frowned at him. "That's because he isn't."

"But he's Uther's son isn't he? He's the one we're fighting against aren't we? That's what everyone says."

"You shouldn't believe everything the Wandrian tell you," said Merlin. "They're not exactly the greatest of role models are they?"

Merlin didn't get a chance to see Gehola's reaction. A patrol of guards approached, and he had once again to pull Gehola abruptly into the shadows. He shouldn't have brought him, he had no experience with this sort of thing.

He turned to him. He looked pale, but not overly frightened. He really underestimated his own courage.

"We're going to have to use the invisibility spell all right?" Gehola nodded. "But we're going to have to adjust it slightly, so we can see each other, but no one else can."

Gehola nodded again. "So what's the incantation?"

Merlin thought for a moment, trying to remember all the magical words he knew. He'd have to create this spell himself. He had to be careful to get it right.

"I'll be: Lēoht tō eal būtan heorðgenēat." That should work, they'd be invisible to everyone except each other.

They both muttered the incantation, and Merlin felt the cold shiver pass over his body. He looked down, and saw his body was still there, and found he could also still see Gehola. Had it worked?

A guard was coming down the passageway towards them. Merlin took a deep breath and stepped out in full view. The guard passed by without so much as glancing at him. Merlin sank in relief, making a note to thank Gaius for forcing him to learn the language of the Old Religion; he'd always said he would have to make up his own spells in a hurry some day.

He beckoned to Gehola and they crept down the corridor together, making sure to make no noise, invisibility did not prevent them from being discovered by hearing. They silently moved down the long staircase, taking care their footsteps were not heard, emerging in the dungeons with their silent cells.

Merlin had never seen the place so heavily guarded before. Grim faced guards stood everywhere stock-still, staring straight ahead, weapons at hand, and Merlin knew they wouldn't hesitate to kill him immediately, despite knowing he was the Prince's manservant. Despite being invisible, Merlin knew it would be near impossible to get past them.

"Any ideas?" he whispered to Gehola.

Gehola frowned. "They're too close together, we could try and sneak past them, but they'd probably sense or hear us."

Merlin agreed. He racked his brains, how were they to do this?

Suddenly Gehola gasped loudly, and Merlin cursed inwardly, but the guards appeared not to have heard.

"Shush!" he hissed. "They'll hear!"

"Sorry! But I just remembered," whispered Gehola, almost imperceptibly. "The prophecies say Emrys has the power of time, don't they?"

Merlin's face was a blank. "Yeah, so?"

"Well...can't you stop time or something? So we can sneak around the guards?"

Merlin looked at him in bewilderment. Stop time? He could slow it down, he used to do it all the time before he had much control over his abilities, and he could stop it for a brief moment over a small area, like when a drink was spilled or something, but stop it completely? It seemed impossible. He bit his lip.

"I've never done it before Gehola, I'm not sure it would work."

Gehola shook his head. "It has to...you're Emrys."

"It doesn't mean I know what I'm doing! The prophecies-"

"Have to have some basis in fact, don't they?" Gehola asked impatiently. "If anyone can do it, it's you. You're underestimating yourself."

Merlin sighed. It was worth a try. He concentrated fiercely, closing his eyes, searching his magic, letting it fill him up. He tried to place the sensation of what happened when he did slow down time, he'd never really given it much thought before. He concentrated, until he thought his mind would burst, trying to reach that sensation.

He opened his eyes and looked at the nearest guard. He blinked.

Merlin fell back, defeated. "I can't do it."

"Yes you can," Gehola urged. "You're just thinking about it too much. It should be instinctive."

Merlin shook himself off, and tried again. "You'd better hold onto me. I don't want you stuck in time like the rest of them."

Gehola did so, and Merlin closed his eyes again, this time, letting his mind go blank. Stop, he ordered.

He felt a small ripple of power escape him.

"You did it!" Gehola shouted, his voice loud in the confined space.

Merlin's eyes shot open. The guards didn't look much different, they stood so still anyway. But when he looked at the table in the corner, where the captain of the guard sat, he noticed the man had been in the middle of pouring himself a drink. A wine bottle was suspended over a small wooden goblet, blood red liquid hanging in the air.

Merlin laughed in astonishment. He'd done it!

He and Gehola exchanged grins and walked freely down the corridor lined with statuesque guards, ducking under some crossed blades obstructing the entry to the furthest row of cells, where Merlin guessed the prisoner would be located.

They'd turned the corner, and Merlin let his mind go blank again, and thought about time starting up again, and soon enough, he heard the sound of wine being poured. It certainly was a strange experience.

They passed down this corridor, full of empty cells, the stench of Hyre getting closer and closer until Merlin stopped, looking straight ahead.

Gwaine was standing in front of one of the cell doors, his face inscrutable, with guards on either side.

What was he doing here? Merlin panicked. Did Hyre know who he was? Was Gwaine figuring out the truth?

As if on cue Gwaine spoke: "And what does Emrys look like?"

A harsh voice came from within the cell. "I have only ever seen him from a distance. He was thin, with pale skin and black hair."

Gwaine nodded, as though something had just been confirmed. "And what of his clothes? What did he wear?"

Merlin's breathing stopped. Please don't answer. Gwaine would be sure to recognise a description of his clothes, he rarely wore anything else.

"All I saw was a black cloak. Didn't see what he had on underneath."

"But did he look like a noble?" Gwaine asked, moving closer, grabbing the bars of the cell. "Was he well dressed, or did he look like a servant?"

He knew.

But Hyre obviously didn't.

"It was a black cloak, what else do you want me to say? They all look the same to me."

Gwaine slumped back, sighing.

"Thank you, you've been most helpful. I'll take the information you've given into consideration when Arthur decides to sentence you."

Merlin felt alarmed; what information had he given Gwaine?

Gwaine turned from the cell and spoke to the guards: "Don't let him out of your sight."

The guards nodded, and Gwaine turned and strode down the corridor towards Merlin and Gehola, who only just managed to jump out of the way in time.

As he passed, Gwaine stopped, and frowned, turning his head slightly to stare at the spot Merlin was standing. Merlin hardly dared to breath. But Gwaine shook his head slightly, and continued on his way. Merlin let out his breath. That had been close. He reminded himself to get rid of his black cloak before Gwaine saw it.

He grabbed Gehola again and pulled him down the corridor to the cell door, and looked in. The man named Hyre was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, and what looked like several bones. He sat smiling to himself, laughing occasionally and staring out the window. Merlin felt revulsion seep in. This man was mad, and wasted. Should he really release him?

The memories of the meeting came back to him however. Wrecan, and surely Hafela, would kill him if he returned without him. He had to do this. For Camelot's sake, as abhorrent as it was.

"Slǣpan."

The guards on either side of the cell fell to the ground, their eyes drooping, and Merlin used magic to catch them before they hit the ground and made a loud clamouring noise. They were fast asleep.

Hyre looked up, his eyes darting around wildly.

"Who's there? Is it a ghost? Because even you cannot frighten me, I am death itself!"

Merlin made himself visible again, followed by Gehola.

"It's Emrys."

Hyre contemplated him, his black eyes glinting. "So I see. And still without the Eyes. How do you do it I wonder?"

Merlin ignored him.

"Tōberstan!" The cell blasted open, sending dust flying everywhere in the small corridor, and bricks tumbling to the floor. Hyre sat watching him.

"Come on!" Merlin shouted, the guards would be there any minute; there was no way they couldn't have heard that.

Hyre blinked. "Why?"

Merlin couldn't believe this, he could already hear the guards on their way. "They'll kill you!"

Hyre didn't look fazed. "I'm already dead."

Merlin was too impatient for this. If he had to drag him out, he would. But he didn't have to.

"Is this what Ides would've wanted, Hyre?" asked Gehola softly.

Hyre's whole demeanour changed. "Ides? No, she wouldn't have...who is she again?"

Merlin was just as clueless, but it seemed to be working. Hyre stood up looking into the distance. "She wouldn't forgive me for what I did to her."

"Yes she will," Merlin said, throwing all caution to the wind. "If you come with us she will."

Hyre nodded dreamily, and walked out of the cell. Merlin wanted to grab him as well as Gehola, but apart from the immense stench, he was afraid of pulling off some body part or another, he looked so fragile.

Merlin and Gehola set off at a run down the corridor, with Hyre shuffling along behind them. Merlin led the way to the grating in the dungeons through which he and Arthur had managed to break Mordred out of all those years ago. He hoped it wasn't guarded.

Guards came up behind them, running at them with weapons. Merlin panicked; how was he to get rid of them without them seeing who he was?

"Slǣpan!" Gehola shouted, and the guards tumbled to the ground asleep. Merlin shot an appreciative look at Gehola. He really did learn fast.

"Nice one."

They hurried down the corridor, turning several times, Merlin frantically trying to remember the route. Hyre came behind them at a snail's pace, and Merlin had to fight the urge not to just knock him out and drag him. They reached the entranceway to the corridor where the grating was. It was guarded. Great, thought Merlin. He should have known Arthur would have it guarded, he knew how useful it was for escaping prisoners.

The two guards saw them and rushed forwards, brandishing swords. Merlin didn't think twice.

With a flash of his eyes, the two men were thrown backwards several feet, hitting the stone wall and sliding to the ground unconscious. Merlin cursed, he hadn't meant to hit them so hard; he didn't want them dead.

He stepped around the prone forms of the guards and crept closer to the grating. As far as he could tell, there was no one on the other end.

"Tōberstan!" Merlin yelled, and the grating flew off the wall and out into the night with an almighty clang. Choking on dust, they climbed their way out, and stood outside the walls of Camelot, next to the woods. Merlin heard guards yelling from within the tunnels, they were close on their heels.

"Merlin, we have to go!" Gehola shouted, starting to look afraid for the first time.

Merlin opened his mouth to say the incantation to get them out of there, but a sudden inspiration hit him. If he was going to do this, he might as well do it right.

He lifted his palm into the air and called forth his magic with every ounce of energy he could muster, his eyes glowing.

A gigantic flame appeared in the night sky, burning brightly as the sun, immense heat almost scorching Merlin's face. As they watched, the flame glided through the air, dipping and weaving its way through the sky, leaving a trail of fire behind it.

It spelled out a single word.

It looked pretty good, Merlin had to admit. It would send a message.

"Merlin!" Gehola yelled, and reached out and grabbed both himself and Hyre, shouting the words of the Transportation spell.

Gwaine fought his way through dust and rubble, into the night air outside the tunnels. How could the prisoner be escaping? He'd only just left the damn place! He knew he'd sensed someone down in the tunnels!

He darted around guards in an enchanted sleep; the prisoner couldn't get away!

He emerged in the woods, ablaze with a golden light. He looked upwards in awe at the word raging in fire above the ground.

Emrys.

Below the fiery word, three figures stood holding onto each other.

"Merlin!" he heard someone cry.

All of a sudden, great winds were buffeting around the woods, forcing Gwaine back.

But he saw, the three figures turning. One was the prisoner, one was an unknown youth, and the other, was Merlin.

Gwaine felt his breath catch in his throat. Merlin was helping him escape.

Was Merlin Emrys?

Merlin at that moment, turned to his left to look at the other person in the group.

Gwaine looked more closely at him. He was young, tall, skinny, pale skinned with black hair.

He was in the middle of yelling something, in some foreign tongue. Then his eyes flashed gold.

Gwaine gasped. This was Emrys.

And then they vanished.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing! Sorry if this is a cliffhanger again, it's just how I like to end my chapters! :)