Chapter 25—Rise
Merlin strikes Mordred down and in his rage, roars out a spell he didn't know he knew. Morgana's eyes go wide and she screams as she is pelted with thick wind. The wind makes her feel as though thousands of stones are hitting her flesh and bone.
Blood and welts rise all over her body and she backs away from the wounded dragon, holding her broken wrist into her body.
Mordred suddenly appears at her side and they disappear in an array of black smoke.
This is not the end, Emrys, Mordred's voice whispers into everyone's mind.
Merlin runs to Kilgharrah as the Great Dragon roars in agony. Blood spills from the wound at his heart—for dragon's hearts lie on the right side of their chests, rather than the left—and ribbons of flames curl weakly around his teeth.
Merlin places his hands on the dragon's shoulder, the rough hot scales irrelevant to the mortal wound.
"Kilgharrah," Merlin hisses with the dragon's golden eyes flickering.
"You have done well, young warlock," the dragon struggles to say with his great eyelids opening and closing.
"You're dying," Merlin says, hopelessly stating the obvious.
"I have lived my years." Kilgharrah gives Merlin a toothy smile. "And look—I have managed to see Emrys rise with his Arthur."
Merlin looks over his shoulder to see Arthur running through the battleground of fighting soldiers to get to his friend.
"Even after he knows who you are," Kilgharrah says, "he is your friend."
Merlin looks back to the dragon whose life was fading. "What happens," Merlin says in a thick voice, "when dragons die?"
"The great ones go to the stars, my friend," Kilgharrah replies. "To watch over the world as a dragon was meant to—from above."
Merlin smiles sadly. "You'll watch Albion grow."
The dragon nodded weakly. Arthur stops just behind Merlin, looking from his friend to the dying dragon. "As I will watch you," the dragon says to both Merlin and Arthur. Then his eyes fall onto the young warlock. "Merlin."
—Merlin forces himself to look away from Kilgharrah. He nods to Arthur who swallows, wondering whether he should say something.
"What now?" Leon asks sharply. They are still being overwhelmed by their leaderless enemies.
Merlin looks up at the blue sky. Then he smiles. "Aithusa."
At that, a dragon's roar, higher and younger than Kilgharrah's had been, rings throughout the sky. The White Dragon flies overhead, spilling blue and white fire around the field of enemies. The dragon stands on his hindquarters and strikes at the attacking men with young claws and white flames.
"That's the dragon from the fight with the Gorinians," Leon points out. He looks at Merlin. "You brought it there?"
Merlin smiles and takes a few steps toward the dragon. "I thought you liked dragons on our side."
"Oh, I do," Leon insists. "Though I can't understand how you could make him come."
Merlin tilts his head toward the White Dragon. "Aithusa," he whispers with a double timbre in the dragon tongue. Aithusa looks at him expectantly. Then Merlin barks something in the dragon tongue.
Aithusa nods and spreads his great white wings out, screeching at the top of his lungs. The enemies fall back in fear and Aithusa breathes on them without fire.
They all slowly fall to their knees, struggling with pain and fear.
"A great victory, Emrys."
Merlin smiles as Lara slips her hand into his, both warm from fighting.
"Thank you, Aithusa," Merlin says aloud.
The White Dragon turns to look Merlin with great blue eyes. "Always, Emrys," the dragon says.
As Aithusa rises and flies off, signifying Camelot's victory, the men of Camelot, the sorcerers who remained, exulted.
—Merlin stares at the battleground. The dead and dying are being carted off and those that live on King Mark's side groan in protest. The grass is scorched with Merlin's and the dragons' fire. Merlin thinks of Kilgharrah and all he had done for him through the years as the dragon's corpse had disappeared without reason. The dragon will take its place among the stars, just as those before him.
"I suppose I shouldn't be particularly shocked."
Merlin smiles as Arthur stands next to him. Both look out toward the battleground.
"Why's that?" Merlin asks.
"Well, you aren't enough fun to be going to the tavern as much as you said you did," Arthur lists. "You aren't strong enough for a fleet of sorcerers to follow your stead. And you aren't smart enough to run from danger."
Merlin smiles. "So you admit that I'm smart?"
"All I'm saying is that you aren't completely worthless," Arthur says with a smile. Merlin laughs.
Arthur looks at him. "All those years," he says. "And you had to endure the persecution of people like you."
Merlin shrugs. "Yes, I suppose I did. Though I didn't always stay silent."
"Regardless," Arthur says. "Why did you stand by me?"
Merlin smiles easily. He looks forward as the red swollen sun descends upon the victory. "Because I knew of the king you would become," he says with certainty. "And the kingdom you would create. That was worth waiting for."
Arthur sighs and laughs to himself. "You're a fool to tolerate me for so long," he says jokingly.
"Why do you call me a fool, Arthur?" Merlin says with a grin he can't make disappear. "I am a very powerful man, you know."
Arthur scoffs. "That's even funnier now that I know that it's true," he says.
They laugh together, Merlin and King Arthur.
Arthur looks at him. "Merlin, you're also a great man," he says smiling. "And a great friend."
Merlin smiles and puts his hand on Arthur's shoulder. "And you're a great king," he says.
Then Merlin begins walking forward. "But really, Arthur, there has to be some changes to Camelot now that I'm your first man," he says.
"Oh really?" Arthur says following him.
"Yes," Merlin confirms. "First, we can't have so many tournaments."
"And why not?"
"Do you realize how much trouble that is?" Merlin asks rhetorically. "People cheat—all the time. More than once I've had to use magic to get you to win."
Arthur looks affronted. "You lie!"
"Remember Knight Valiant with the snakes on his shield?" Merlin shakes his head. "Nasty business. I'm surprised you survived that one, honestly. Oh, and no more disturbances to graves."
"That's only happened once," Arthur argues.
"No, it's happened quite a few times," Merlin rebukes. "Remember when those gargoyles were attacking Camelot because of that tomb? And Cedric took over the citadel with that spirit that possessed him?" Merlin shook his head again. "You fell unconscious—for the millionth time and not the last, either—and I had to step in, destroy the gargoyles and provoke the spirit out of Cedric. All because of a bloody diamond! No more ancient castles—unless I go in first without knocking you unconscious—no more killing magical creatures I like; no more banishing my friends, or me, for that matter; no more hunts in the Valley of the Kings without me; no more target practice; no more throwing pillows, because both you will regret; no—"
"Merlin!" Arthur cries with a smile on his face. "By God—what have you been doing all these years?"
Merlin glares at Arthur and he blinks rapidly. "Oh—that much?"
Merlin nods.
"You're a bloody mess, Arthur. You get yourself into too much trouble," he says. He pats Arthur's back. "Only now I can protect you openly, which means you can stop falling unconscious all the time! Good news, eh?"
"I didn't fall unconscious all the time!"
Merlin laughs at him. "Oh, Arthur—the things you haven't seen. As for my new chambers…"