Casting A Spell

Arthur opened his eyes a mere half an hour later and saw that Morgana was no longer sat by his side reading a book. Instead he was alone. As he sat up in the bed, he pushed the hair from his face and looked around at the rest of the room. Now that he thought about it, he did recognise some of the things in this room, they'd just been in another place. Inside a tent to be precise. Wondering where the owner was, Arthur got to his feet and pulled on his boots that had been at the foot of the bed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Arthur looked up from his boot that he'd just put on and saw a tall man stood there. Someone he didn't recognise. "Morgana said you should be in bed, resting."

"Do I know you?"

The man rolled his eyes as if he knew Arthur would say that and he moved his body in the way so Arthur couldn't get past him to go downstairs. "I'm Gwaine. Emrys saved me a while ago," lifting up his shirt he revealed a scar from a knife wound, "I asked him to leave the scar. Reminds me not to be so reckless." There was a brief pause before Gwaine crossed his arms, "Are you going to get back into bed by yourself or am I going to have to force you? Honestly, I don't have time to be standing around."

"Is something going on?" Arthur asked and walked over to the window, seeing the sorcerer's lining the streets. What were they all doing? "What's happening? Why is everyone looking like they're about to go to war?"

"That might be because they are," Gwaine replied and Arthur's head snapped in his direction in question. "For some reason we're going to go fight that immortal army and get you your Kingdom back."

"Immortal army? Get my Kingdom back? What happened to my Father?"

A shocked look crossed Gwaine's face and then what Arthur could only guess was pity filled his eyes, "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this … I thought maybe Morgana … you should sit down."

"I don't want to sit down. What's happened to my Father? He's okay, right?"

"Sire … Arthur, Morgause has taken over Camelot. We believe she was the one who took you back to the slave trader-" a flash of Morgause smiling at him came to Arthur and he knew Gwaine's suspicions were true "-and a few days later she killed your Father." The Prince stood there in shock, hoping that the stranger would tell him it was some cruel sick joke, instead the man looked at him in sadness and what he now knew was definitely pity. "One of your Knights managed to find us and tell us what was going on. She has an immortal army at her disposal and until now we didn't think we could stop her."

"What changed your mind?" Arthur managed to ask and silence followed. What wasn't this man telling him? "Look if you're not going to tell me, send me someone who will. Like Emrys. He'll tell me what's going on without hesitation." At least that's what he liked to believe.

"That's the thing Sire, he's the one who's changed our minds. He went to Camelot by himself and told me when we could attack the army without being in any danger."

"You let him go alone?"

"Emrys isn't exactly someone you can tell what he should or shouldn't do. You should go back to bed Arthur, we're due to set off any minute now and I can't afford to be here when I can be out there, helping." Gwaine turned and took the steps two at a time to get downstairs faster. Arthur on the other hand looked back out the window and saw Morgana stood amongst the many older sorcerers. She couldn't possibly think she was going with them, did she?

Running down the stairs, Arthur went out through the main door and ran over to her. "Morgana, what do you think you're doing?" Arthur demanded to know and gripped her shoulders, hoping to keep her where she was.

"I'm going to help. They'll need as many sorcerer's as they can get and I'm one of the best. Plus I can heal the injured afterwards."

"You're not going anywhere. You'll get yourself killed and you are way too young to be doing this kind of thing. Go back inside." Arthur said firmly and pushed her towards the house he'd just come from, "This entire idea is stupid you realise? Attacking an immortal army just because Merlin says it'll be fine? Are you all idiots?"

"You don't trust Merlin?" Morgana asked and this made him stop in his tracks. "If Merlin says we're going to be safe, we'll be safe. Unlike you, we trust him with our lives. He has never given us reason to doubt him and we're not going to start now." She looked past him to see Gwaine stood at the front of the sorcerer's, a stern expression on his face as he raised his hand, five sorcerer's vanished into thin air. "It's time to go."

"Morgana, wait." Arthur turned on the spot as she brushed past him and saw some more sorcerer's vanish as Gwaine raised his arm again. "You're going to get yourself killed."

"That might be true, but at least I'll go down fighting for what I believe in." She put her back to the army and Arthur could almost see the woman she would one day be. If she made it through today that is. "You'll make a great King Arthur. Merlin wouldn't be doing this if he didn't think so too. We're fighting so you can become that King and maybe change the way the world sees people like me." Morgana glanced back and saw Gwaine raise his hand, this must have been her signal since she looked back at him for one last time. "Goodbye Arthur."

"Wait!" Arthur yelled and suddenly time seemed to rush by as all the people who were once lining the streets, now vanished. Only Gwaine, Gwen and Lancelot remained. Along with himself. "How could you let them go! By the sounds of it, they're walking to their deaths."

"Emrys wouldn't let that happen," Lancelot replied calmly.

"We trust him," Gwen added.

"He wouldn't risk their lives if he didn't think they'd make it," Gwaine concluded.

"Then why aren't you going as well? You all have the ability to fight along side them." Arthur glanced at the sword Lancelot had sheathed and he felt determination flow through him. "I'm going. Where can I find a sword?"

"Maybe you should-"

"A sword, tell me where I can get one." Arthur demanded and Gwen sighed.

"There's one under Merlin's bed," Gwen muttered and Arthur went into the house she indicated. Now he knew why he recognised the stuff. He had been right, it was from Merlin's tent. Rushing up the many staircases, he went to the side of the bed and knelt down. Lowering his head, he looked under to see a single sword randomly lying there, a note by it's side. Picking up both items, he set the sword down on the bed as he got to his feet and lifted the note up. Why would Merlin let his precious note from his Mother fall under the bed?

"Clumsy idiot," shoving the note back into the bedside table, Arthur went back outside. He was going to get to that castle even if it killed him.

Merlin didn't know when he fell to the ground, his vision pretty much began to blur when most of his magic left him and now he lay in a pool of his blood. The scene all too familiar. Everything was happening like predicted. "Oh how the mighty have fallen," Morgause teased and brushed the hair away from his face to reveal his scar. "I can feel your magic mixing with my own Emrys-" she paused briefly "-or should I call you Merlin? Seeing as we're practically blood related. Get it?"

"I'd laugh but somehow I just can't find the strength to do so."

"You had no idea how powerful you were did you? Otherwise you would have used your magic a long time ago to take out revenge against those who sought to harm you. Not even I could imagine such power lay within you. My head is spinning from what I'm feeling. If this is what you feel every day, I'm surprised you don't smile more often."

"You'll find having that amount of power isn't enough in life. That smile will disappear when you find there in not a single person in this world who loves you. You will die alone Morgause and all the power in the world can't stop that from happening."

She glared down at him and then smiled, "Nothing you say will ruin this for me. I can do anything I want. The world is mine to have!"

Merlin watched as she walked away from him and he then looked back at the ground that was at eye level. This was the part that he hadn't seen. When he would take his final breath and that would be the end of it. However there was one thing he noticed. There was still the smallest amount of magic remaining inside him, something Morgause hadn't quite managed to take and he could probably use it to cast one last spell.

Closing his eyes, Merlin took a deep breath and summoned the magic within him. "Cargást onsteppan," he whispered and his body flinched as the spell took over him.

Arthur rode towards Camelot at full speed with the other three following him, all now determined to help Merlin in some way, even if it wasn't by much. It hadn't taken much to convince them to come with him. As they reached a clearing, Arthur stopped his horse and jumped off. The horses wouldn't go any further then this. They were close enough and they had to be quiet so not to alert any of the soldiers guarding the boarders.

However instead of talking tactics on how to get inside, Arthur froze as he looked at the view of Camelot and the surrounding trees. This image, he recognised it. The way the trees looked, the colouring of the sky, the way Camelot looked dark and evil. Trying to place the image, he eventually realised where he'd seen it. It was from the first time Merlin had used his symbols, obviously he hadn't meant too and Arthur had merely seen an image of Camelot, but this was it. He was in the future he'd seen for Merlin.

Which meant …

Spinning on the spot, he saw the one man he didn't expect to see ever again and Merlin simply stood there. A dark look covering his face. "Is that really you?" Arthur asked and he stepped towards him, only for the young sorcerer to shake his head. Glancing sideways, he saw the other three talking, as if they couldn't see Merlin stood there. "What's going on Merlin? Where are you?"

"It does not matter where I am. All that matters is that you remain safe. Why are you so close to Camelot? I thought you'd be resting."

"You think I could rest whilst knowing you lot are risking your lives to get me my Kingdom back?" He went even closer to Merlin before he could argue and reached out to grasp his hand, except instead of holding something solid, his hand went straight through Merlin. "What-"

"I'm not here Arthur. This is … I cast a spell to come see you."

"What's going on where you are?" When Merlin didn't answer, Arthur glared at him and wished he could slap him across the face to make him react in some way. "If your not going to tell me what's going on, why did you come? What is there to gain from seeing me?"

A soft look crossed Merlin's face and he tilted his head, "Did you find my note?"

"There's a battle about to happen and you're worried about a stupid note? You need to get your priorities straight Merlin."

"Stupid?" Merlin repeated sadly.

"Look I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything because I know that the words on that piece of parchment mean a lot to you, but to someone like me, it means nothing. It won't change anything. I put it back in your drawer where it should be kept if that's what you're worried about." Arthur replied and the expression on Merlin's face was like he'd just stabbed a knife right through his heart. "Merlin-"

"Tell Gwaine that the sorcerer's should attack in a matter of minutes. It's ... almost ... time." Merlin winced and put a hand to his stomach, when he lifted his hand away, Arthur could see dark blood covering his black glove.

"Tell me where you are!"

Merlin smiled softly and shook his head, "It is my destiny to do this. I see that now. No other could have stopped her." He suddenly stood tall and Arthur had never seen him look so … normal? If that was even possible. There was not the usual power emitting from his body. No strength behind his eyes. Just sadness and longing. "Don't be a prat yeah? Otherwise I'll really regret doing this."

Arthur yelled out as Merlin vanished and the other three finally realised something was going on. Gwaine was first to reach him and grasp his shoulder, "What happened?"

"Merlin…" he started and saw a look of confusion cross Gwaine's face. "Emrys. He was here … talking. Something was wrong, he was bleeding, there was … he told me to tell you that it's almost time for the sorcerer's to attack." Silence followed for a moment and then Gwaine moved away, bringing out a small stone in his hand that he squeezed tightly. That was odd. "What are you doing?"

"Morgana's idea. Each sorcerer has a stone like this and when they feel it heat up, they know it's time. I'm letting them know we're ready to attack."

"What does he mean it's almost time? What's changing in the next few minutes that would give you the ability to attack?"

"I don't think I should tell-"

"If you do not tell me, I'll have you executed when I'm King." He was being deadly serious.

Gwaine sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Emrys went to that castle knowing he would die." He admitted and looked back at the Prince, "The moment he dies. We can attack, apparently with no fear for our lives. I'm sorry Arthur, but he told me that this was the only way."

He returned into his body with ease and Merlin knew he had mere minutes to live. If it wasn't the magic that was now gone from his body, it was the amount of blood loss, that would kill him. Morgause remained stood in the middle of the room, happily talking to herself about what she would do now, how she would take each Kingdom for her own.

"I wouldn't get too excited," Merlin whispered and she looked over at him.

"Why not?"

"You really think I'd let you have my power and roam free?" He replied and noticed the first sign of his idea working. There were dark blue lines running up her neck and she stumbled a little as dizziness began to overtake her. "You forget Morgause, I can see the future, I knew this was coming."

"What have you done?" Morgause exclaimed and clutched her chest as she fell to her knees, her eyes going red as the magic began to attack her body. "Tell me!"

"I poisoned my magic," he hissed between gritted teeth as his body began to shut down. "You were doomed the moment you said the spell. The poison attacks any foreign magic it comes into contact with and well … I have a feeling my magic isn't fond of yours." Morgause came over and pushed him onto his back, holding him by the scruff of the neck.

"What's the antidote?" She demanded to know.

Merlin struggled to hold on, he wanted to see this, needed to see her suffer for what she did to him. "There is none," he lied and she threw his limp body onto the floor in anger. She screamed as the poison attacked her body and her fingers dug into her skin as if trying to dig it out. What she didn't know was that soon enough, the poison would wear off and she would be back to her usual self. Morgause would have the power to take over any Kingdom she wished.

She just hadn't discovered her immortal army was being destroyed as she became weaker. The moment her magic was poisoned, the soldiers had weakened and it had been enough for the sorcerer's to attack. Outside a battle would be happening and Morgause would find herself having to face all of them. He only hoped that what he taught them was enough, that somehow they'd find a way to stop her, because he had done all he could. Merlin had destroyed an army that couldn't have been destroyed any other way and couldn't be summoned again.

Merlin felt a single tear leave his eye as he felt his heart slowing, his final moments now approaching and all he could remember was how Arthur had said his note meant nothing. That his words had meant nothing. He'd been rejected after all of this and now he really was going to die alone. At least now he'd be with his Mother. With someone who loved him. Arthur would stay here and become a great King, would marry a Princess and start a line of heir's that would rule the Kingdom like he had. There was no room in his life for Merlin anyway.

They had two completely different lives and Merlin could never be a part of Arthur's. He knew that now. So as he took his final breath, a small smile came to his lips and he closed his eyes. For someone who had been responsible for the deaths in his village as a boy and had been told he was a monster from such a young, he reckoned he'd done good in life.

Duh. Duh. Duh.

I honestly can't believe how many of you reviewed the last chapter. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I did not expect to wake up to that many emails. The review saying 'one word' made me giggle. In answer to another, I don't know how many chapters until the end, I'm still deciding on how to finish it.

Hope you enjoyed the latest installment. Of course Merlin wasn't going to let Morgause take his magic without something happening. He's no fool.

Keeping reading & reviewing and I'll keep writing