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Hello! I'm back!

So there's good news and bad news: the good news is, I finally updated. The bad news is...this is the last chapter. But I tried to bring everything to a proper conclusion.

I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

"So, let me get this straight. I stabbed you, you knocked me out, and then you just flew off?"

Kilgharrah shook his head slightly. "Not precisely, young Pendragon. I would have proceeded to destroy Camelot if your manservant had not forbidden me to do so."

"Because he's a Dragonlord and all." Arthur mumbled. "I'm still trying to get my head around that one."

Merlin tried not to laugh as he watched Arthur shift around trying to get comfortable on the other side of the campfire. It was getting late, and both the king and the warlock were too tired to attempt transforming Arthur back to his normal state that night. So they had decided to set up camp a short ways from where they had left the druids and work on transformations the next morning. Kilgharrah had resolved to stay with them as well. That had been immensely helpful for Merlin, since this way he didn't have give Arthur all the explanations that the now-sane-king-still-turned-dragon kept demanding; not just about the whole curse business, but also about pretty much every other suspicious incident that had occurred since Merlin had first come to Camelot. Merlin still had to explain a lot himself, but eventually their long conversation died away into silence.

It was the old dragon who fell asleep first that night. Merlin lay back on the soft grass, watching the stars far above as Arthur continued to shift around on the other side of the fire. Finally, long after he had stopped moving, Merlin heard him ask, "Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Why did you keep saving my life?"

Merlin smiled to himself. "Didn't I tell you already? It's my destiny."

A long silence. Then, "Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"You have a terrible destiny."

"Oh, so you're only just now realizing that?"

"Idiot."

"Prat."

"Humph." Another pause. "Goodnight, Merlin."

"Goodnight, Arthur."

Merlin opened his eyes to see nothing but silver. Blinking rapidly, he realized that he was back in Lanae's domain. So he shut his eyes, though now the trees, rocks, and cave seemed much more blurry than before. And it was far too quiet.

She appeared almost instantly. "Greetings, Emrys."

"Lanae." He found himself smiling. "It worked!"

"I know. And now Kaena has been defeated."

"Truly? I mean, permanently?"

"Yes. And now, I am free. I can leave his otherworld prison and move on."

"Oh! Um…" Merlin stammered, "I didn't realize that this was a prison…"

"It wasn't always. In fact, I chose to stay here, so that I could keep an eye on Kaena and thwart her plans if possible. But now, she is gone. The damage she has inflicted has been healed…or will be soon." Lanae smiled at Merlin. "Thank you. And pass my thanks on to your king." The landscape began to fade into silver-white mist as she spoke.

"I will. And thank you for all your help." Merlin shuffled his feet a bit. "So, I guess this is the last time we'll meet."

"Perhaps. But nothing is forever. Even the immortal must face their form of mortality. Farewell, Emrys. And remember: once you've been able to fly, it is hard to give it up."

And with that, Lanae faded into the silver background.

When Arthur woke up, the sun was already well on its way climbing into the sky. He groaned and shifted around, scales rattling, only to let out a frightened shriek when he unexpectedly found himself face-to-face with Kilgharrah. "What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?" he demanded. "And where's Merlin?" The manservant was nowhere in sight.

Kilgharrah huffed in amusement. "Merlin is off somewhere looking for his breakfast, I believe. I have already said farewell to him, and it is time that I took my leave of you."

"What, you're not staying to help Merlin turn me back into myself?" Arthur pushed himself to his feet and stretched his wings.

"He is more powerful that you think, young Pendragon. I believe him to be more than capable of changing you back into your usual form by himself. If, for some reason, he finds himself unable to, he knows how to find me." The larger dragon shook out his own wings before inclining his head slightly to Arthur. "Farewell, Arthur Pendragon. I believe that we shall meet again. Perhaps very soon, if we have anything to discuss."

Discuss what? Oh, yeah, that bit about the ban on magic, no doubt. Dealing with that now is going to be a whole lot of fun. Arthur suppressed a groan as the Great Dragon backed away and leapt into the sky.

Arthur was still watching him fly off into the distance when Merlin returned, looking pleased with himself. "Good morning, Arthur!" he piped cheerfully. "I was thinking…"

"First time for everything, right?" Arthur said out of habit. Merlin snorted before continuing,

"We should be getting back to Camelot as soon as possible, so…if you want, I can try changing you back to a human now. I've worked out a few spells."

Arthur almost said yes immediately, but then hesitated as something occurred to him.

As a human, I don't have wings. I can't fly.

He thought about that for a minute.

"Arthur?" Merlin queried anxiously when the silence stretched too long.

Arthur took a deep breath and asked quietly (or at least quietly for a dragon), "Can you give me a minute? I mean, I…I, uh…I want to try flying again first. While I still can, you see."

Merlin gazed at him with more sympathy and understanding than Arthur was usually comfortable with. "Of course."

Arthur nodded briefly before launching himself into the air and allowing the morning breeze to assist his wings in carrying him upwards.

As Merlin watched the dragon soar and twist through the air, brilliant gold against the clear blue sky, he finally understood what Lanae had said.

Once you've been able to fly, it is hard to give it up.

As the Once And Future King, Arthur would have to.

But Merlin didn't think he'd ever forget.

When a curse is cast on the Once and Future King,

Clearly, the Araendye curse that is supposed to turn Arthur into a dragon.

Fear and chaos he shall bring,

Self-explanatory.

To wander in darkness, fear and secrets,

Arthur was in the dark on stuff involving magic; plus I was afraid and was keeping my secret by being Dragoon.

And find cure, death and weakness,

We had to find the curse or else.

To silver or fire, it will fall,

Arthur will fall either to the silver curse or to the fiery truth.

The key will be lost in an empty hall,

The answer to the curse was hidden in a place of death, namely, where Lanae was in her otherworld.

The lock shall be broken and rediscovered,

Kaena and her power was broken when Arthur and I…well, really just me, found how to break the curse.

Leaving the bane of Emrys uncovered,

Arthur was the "bane of Emrys". Because he was going to destroy me. By infecting me with the curse, he would be ensuring my eventual demise.

Merlin finished working through the prophecy and looked over to where Arthur was riding his horse.

It had taken a few tries to change Arthur back into a human. Merlin had used several different spells with varying results. One of them had transformed Arthur halfway back into a human, before failing completely and sending him back into dragon form. Judging by the way Arthur had yelled, it had been extremely painful. But in the end, Merlin found a spell that worked. Arthur had reverted to his proper form, and, except for a few limb coordination problems, had suffered no serious side effects.

But he'd been uncharacteristically silent as they trekked a few miles to the druids' camp to collect their horses and supplies, and afterward as they turned towards Camelot.

Merlin alternated between chattering idly about nothing and silently thinking as Arthur brooded incessantly.

It was about mid afternoon when Arthur abruptly spoke. "Merlin, if I allow magic back into Camelot, will you help me figure out who to trust and who not to trust?"

Merlin stopped his horse as the Pendragon did the same. For a few minutes, they just stared at each other. Then Merlin grinned and said, "You prat, what do you think I've been doing for the last few years?"

Arthur laughed out loud. "I'm still trying to get used to the fact that you have a brain, Merlin. But," he grew serious again, "I'll need your help more than ever now."

"So, you're going to allow magic in Camelot?" After all this time, is this series of events really what will change it all?

"Recent circumstances have changed my views a little. I don't know if you noticed, but I was a dragon for a while." Arthur responded dryly. "And we got help from another dragon. And druids. And a mysterious old man who turned out to be my magic-wielding manservant in disguise…"

Merlin chuckled. "You really never guessed, did you?"

"You know, Merlin, I think I did. I think that I knew somehow that you were different, but I never let myself believe that you could have magic and therefore, in my mind, be evil."

"Well…thanks, I guess."

Arther sighed. "And…no matter how extremely annoying and absolutely idiotic I always found you, I've always thought of you as a friend. Of sorts."

Merlin was grinning so widely that he thought his face would split in half. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Don't let it go to your head, Merlin."

"Dollop-head."

"Idiot."

"Clotpole."

The two friends both laughed together before turning their horses back towards Camelot.

The future…the "Golden Age of Albion"…was waiting.

The End

So that's that! I hope the ending is satisfying enough. I could have gone on, I suppose...but it just seemed to end here.

Thank you for all your support! I hope you all have a wonderful day!