Author's Note: So... Here's chapter 25. I am almost done with 26, and let me tell you guys... It's pretty intense. Stick with me and thanks for reading!
Gwaine burst through the door of Gaius's chambers, letting the motion propel him all the way across the room, to where Merlin and Arthur were sitting up anxiously.
"Gwaine, what's going on?" Arthur demanded, as Gwaine carefully removed the vial of water from his pocket and handed it to Gaius.
"It's Morgana," Gwaine said, his voice tense. Both Merlin and Arthur lurched forward as if trying to stand.
Gaius paused from his work to glare at the two of them. "You're far too weak to be of any use, you two."
"Gwen is out there!" Arthur protested frantically.
"I'll protect her, Arthur," Gwaine said, choosing to omit the fact that Gwen was already in the midst of the fighting.
"Go," Arthur demanded. Gwaine hesitated, watching Gaius nervously.
"Will it work?" he asked the physician. Gaius carefully tipped the vial of water into the potion brewing on the desk, and smile as the liquid turned a pure gold in color.
"It should," Gaius said.
Gwaine nodded, glancing at Merlin and Arthur. "Get well," he said. "I mean it."
"Yes, sir," Merlin said. "Now get out of here and be careful of Morgana."
Gwaine ran out of the room, leaving Merlin, Arthur, and Gaius alone.
"I should be out there," Arthur muttered. "If anything happens to Gwen…"
"Gwaine won't let it," Merlin said, trying to reassure his friend. Gaius approached the two cots.
"It is ready." He had syphoned the golden liquid into two separate glasses, and handed them to Merlin and Arthur. A very solemn silence fell over the room.
"If we drink this, Gaius…" Arthur said softly.
"We condemn you to death," Merlin finished.
Gaius closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were steely with resolve. "If you don't drink, you condemn each other."
Arthur and Merlin looked at one another. Merlin knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was his destiny to protect the Once and Future King, but quite separate from that, it was his wish and his decision to do whatever he had to do to protect his friend Arthur. And Arthur, a sick feeling in his stomach, knew that as horrible as it would be to lose Gaius, it would be so much worse to lose Merlin.
Wordlessly, the two young men turned to look at Gaius, and then brought the potion to their lips.
When Gwaine arrived back on the scene, things had changed considerably. Elyan was still huddled on the floor, but when Gwaine began to rush forward to assist him, he shook his head.
"I'm alright," he gasped, grimacing in pain. "Help my sister."
Percival and Leon were both fighting Morgana, and they seemed to have gained something of an advantage. Morgana was not attacking any longer, only defending against the knight's blows. Her magic took energy, of which she did not have an endless supply.
Gwen had taken her brother's sword. She had backed Agathon into a corner, and was shaking, with tears running down her face. Gwaine took a few steps towards her, close enough to hear her words over the clanging of swords behind him.
"You hurt my brother," she said. "You tried to take Elyan away from me – And you, you betrayed Camelot! I won't let you take Merlin and Arthur, too."
Gwaine felt his heart clench – Gwen lunged forward just as Agathon tried to scurry sideways, out of reach of the sword. She nicked his arm with the blade, and began shaking even more severely when she saw the blood on his arm.
Gwaine took a few more steps, standing beside Gwen. "It's alright," he said softly. Gwen stared at Gwaine without seeing him for a moment. Then, slowly, she lowered her sword.
Agathon chose that moment to attack. He jumped to his feet, unsheathing a small knife as he moved. Gwaine had no time to think – no time to avoid the inevitable.
With one quick motion, he brought his sword down, plunging it through Agathon's thin chest.
"That's for Elyan," Gwaine said grimly. He glanced at Guinevere, who was watching Agathon gasp out his last breaths with a look of revulsion on her face.
"And it's for Arthur and Merlin," she whispered, just as the light left Agathon's eyes.
Author's Note: Well? What do you think? Any ideas about what this could mean?