Hello thar! Ok so, let's get it out of the way shall we? Who's the nob head who thought he would have more time to post chapters after his baby was born? Ay? Oh right. Me. I don't think stupidity like me should necessarily be allowed to breed. I can only apologize. But I suppose it does bring us nicely onto our next point. My fiancé did indeed give birth about a month ago to a little girl, who we called Rosie…or who I sometimes call "Stop bloody screaming!". With love of course. There's a picture of her on profile page should you wish to see her.

It is, however due to this infant (or is it tyrant?) that I now beg for your understanding. Now I adore you people for taking the time out of your busy lives to leave a review, I really really do, and each one means the world to me. But as I have mentioned before, when I reply to them it does take me quite some time and I'm really sorry but for this chapter I just don't have that time at the moment. I swear to you that in the next chapter I will reply to them all again. But as I said, I am just so exhausted. And I haven't even read over this chapter yet. If there is anything in those reviews that you really want answering or if you just want to ask me a question, then feel free to send me a P.M any time and I will get back to you. Again I am really sorry.

Also I should warn you that this chapter is well over 16,000 words long, so for God sake go to the bathroom first before something…untidy happens :P Hey, we've all been there. There's no shame in it. I do think however, and I say this with the deepest modesty (and with a rather fetching portrait of myself on the mantle), that this may be one of my best chapters so far – so please enjoy. After this there are only two chapters left. The second part to this and then the Epilogue.

I hope it goes down well.

So...don't own Merlin; have a dog named Henry; I find Seagulls to be oddly creepy; milkshakes rock my world; I enjoy the occasional prune; one of my legs grow whenever I see a pretty lady; I've been known to sweat laxatives; Doctor Who reminds me of my crazy Jewish uncle; I am one of the rare people to still say swell; I believe in the underpants gnomes; having just re-read this I'm beginning to think I have MAJOR issues; I have suspicions that Stevie Wonder is actually the tooth fairy; I giggle whenever I hear someone sing "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes"; I once saw a three year old girl punch a horse to the ground; I heard Tom Cruise once kidnapped and trained a small Asian child to be a ninja pirate; I'm starting a rumour that Captain Crunch is in rehab recovering from sex addiction; Is it just me guys or does Miley Cyrus both repel and attract you at the same time?; In my wallet I carry a picture…of my wallet; Have you ever wondered what cheese says when it gets it's picture taken?; Knock knock, whose there, no one your insane; can you believe the person who wrote all this randomness is going to be a father in six months?; I hear Tom and Jerry have fathered a lovechild cleverly named Terry; I once saw a melon raping a man for once; I just discovered I have two sets of knees and did you know I invented the curtain?


Chapter 29 – The Wicked War (Part I)

They marched.

One foot after the other. Thousands of boots slamming down into the ground at the same time. The sky above them shone with the beauty of a billion stars, thin clouds dancing across the majestic yet wicked blanket of shade that was the night. For tonight was indeed the night. Tonight was the wicked night. Tonight was the night that the thousands beneath them would bathe in their own blood. Thousands of eyes gazed out at the fields before them, knowing that this may be the last place they would ever see.

Yet despite this more often than not their gaze travelled to the man leading them. The great King Arthur. The man destined to be the greatest king that the world had ever and will ever know, the mighty Excalibur clutched in his deadly right hand. To his left strode the Lady Morgana, her own sword in her hand, rumoured to be the only one to have ever defeated the once and future king in a fair fight. Albeit they were children at the time, but still she had her victory. To his right stepped his wife, Queen Guinevere, clasping her husbands' old sword in her hand. It had surprised almost everyone when the Queen had demanded she fight alongside them. It had taken all night to persuade Arthur that she should be allowed to try and make a difference, reminding them all that it was her war too.

Joining them were Lancelot, Gwaine and Sir Leon marching side by side. Antor, the Grand Elder of Avalon trailed them with casual grace, his robes gliding in the light breeze. Next to him walked Kalladine, Emperor of the Empaths directly adjacent to Lynette, leader of the Masters. Behind them marched thousands of troops. Empaths, Masters, Avalonians and the knights of Camelot all standing as one terrifying force. All of them ready to die for their cause. All of them ready to die for free will.

King Arthur lowered his focused stare to glare down the sight before him. The Venemagus Kingdom. The home to the mightiest of sorcerers since the beginning of man, now home to perhaps the strongest being to have walked the earth. Malum. However that was not who caught his eye. What did were the thousands of Faery that threatened to stampede them at any moment. The demonic flesh lined the walls of the magical Kingdom, leaving no chance to enter the Kingdom behind them. Although that alone wasn't enough to send shivers down the spines of the marching hordes Arthur led. No. What did was seeing the equally as many aerial Faery in the skies above them.

Arthur turned to Morgana and scowled, his sister returning the gesture. Not only were they still ridiculously outnumbered but there wasn't a hint of Malum himself in sight. This worried them more than anything else. After all why would he send out such a force and not want to see how it went? It was unnerving. Imogen had given them James' orders, the sorcerer kings last words before he died, that in order for this to go smoothly everyone would have to jump through the platform of time. By everyone he had meant Merlin, Morgana, Gwen and Arthur – not just Imi and Anna – because that was the only way they would remember everything that had happened. The only way Morgana could keep her baby.

Arthur shook his head. Here was what he knew. If Imi or Anna jumped through the platform of time by themselves then time would revert back to before they arrived, and no one would remember what had happened. Merlin would still poison Morgana and Morgause would take her away to heal her, as well as turning his sister into the cold hearted sorceress that would not rest until Camelot was destroyed. Events would happen as they should have done. However if Merlin, Morgana, Gwen and Arthur jumped through with them…then they would remember everything. They would remember Imi coming back through time, Merlin and Morgana would remember their love for each other as well as being able to keep their unborn child and more importantly they would remember Malum. They would remember the demon lord and be able to stop him from ever coming back.

So there it was. The three outcomes of this wicked war. Outcome one meant they all died here and now and the world was destroyed by Malum. Outcome two meant Imi would jump through the platform of time alone and everything she changed would be erased. Finally, outcome three, had Merlin, Morgana, Arthur and Gwen jumping into the platform of time with Imi or Anna and would be transported back to when Camelot had fallen asleep – with all the memories they had now. They would forget nothing.

Needless to say they were kind of hoping for outcome three.

However Malum not being on the battlefield was unnerving for two reasons. Not only did it mean he was confident that they would fail, but it also allowed the possibility that he was somewhere else. For example with Merlin, Imi and Anna. The magical trio had gone to the temple of Vice to destroy the three stones of Leones, after placing the breoste charm over them. It was perhaps their last real chance to eradicate all existence of Malum from this world. If they could do it then the war here would stop, as the Faery only follow the orders of the person with the most real authority. At the moment it would seem that was the demon lord, but if he died then the Authority would fall to either one of three people.

Arthur, since he was the once and future King. Merlin because of his destined greatness and the respect he had earned through the magical world. And last but not least Anna, due to her brother dying she was now technically the sorcerer Queen, sovereign to all things magical. Though they had to assume this would not work. So therefore the plan here was for Arthur, Morgana and Gwen to get inside the Kingdom and find the platform of time. Then they would wait there for Merlin, Imi and Anna to show up…assuming they ever would.

Morgana tried to steady her breathing upon her realisation that it was becoming erratic. She knew she had good reason to be scared tonight. Not only was she carrying her unborn child during what would be the most brutal war to have ever existed, but she also knew that the rest of her prophetic dream would unfold tonight. Merlin having to make an impossible choice. Arthur dead in Lancelot's arms. Gwen murdering a child in cold blood…and then there was that one prophecy that made her heart thunder in her chest. Merlin, a sword in his gut, dying in her arms. His last words barely managing to make it to her ears they were so weak. Sorcerer prince, he struggled. Sorcerer prince. How it was possible she had no idea, but how many times had she been wrong before? With one final shiver she placed her hand on her brothers' shoulder, and nodded to Gwen when he turned to look at her.

At this Arthur turned to his Queen, Gwen, and offered her a small smile. They had all said their goodbyes last night in case everything had gone wrong today, but in the fair haired Kings mind he knew this might be the last time he ever saw the love of his life. She returned it with equal measure and watched with pride as her husband turned back to the Faery. There was only one action they could adhere to now.

Arthur raised Excallibur in the air, its golden shine inspiring the troops behind him. His chin trembled. His nose thinned. His eyes flared with focus and unyielding determination. This was it. "CHAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!"


Merlin gazed up at the mighty looking tower before him, the already dark bricks obscured further by the creeping shadows that fell over it. It scaled high into the air, its long thin bodice belying the strength that lay within, with the heavy seeming stone platform which lay on top looking like it should never be able to balance there. This was the Temple of Vice. This was their most decent chance for ridding the world of Malum.

He sighed as his mind refused to stop reminding him of the importance of his mission. It sent his gut into a turmoil of swirling apprehension that threatened to make him vomit, and right now he needed all the strength he could muster. Besides it wouldn't do to have either Imi or Anna see him so nervous. Right at this moment he was the strong one. The two women from the future had been all but good company recently, both devastated by the loss of James Regus. In fact had this mission not been so very important he highly doubted they would have even left Camelot in the state that they were in.

He had to admit he missed the sorcerer king too. With all this madness going on around them they could have used his ridiculous humour and knack for amazing impossible feats, not to mention his friendship. The young Warlock allowed himself the briefest of moments to mourn his friend. With him gone he knew he would have to be amazing for the both of them, to take James' place as the one they all turned to. It would be no easy task but he knew he could do it. After all he was the one who had saved Camelot all those times without people even noticing him, so he could turn that around and start doing things were people could see him.

He nodded to himself before turning to his daughter and, he supposed, his Queen. "We need to get moving. Every moment we waste someone could die."

Imi looked up at him, her arms wrapped snugly around her slender abdomen, and nodded slowly. "Of course," her voice was weak and her eyes cold, but she was struggling on and that's what mattered.

He turned to Anna next. "Anna? You ready?"

"Let's just hurry and get it over with," The new Sorcerer Queen almost spat.

"Good idea," Merlin noted. "The faster we do this then the faster we can destroy Malum – there may be no other way," he sighed once more as he examined their depressed features and knew this would have to be one of those moments where he stepped in for James. "Look I know you're both feeling more than crushed at the moment and I know James' meant the world to both of you, really I do, but this is something we have to do. You both have to be focused and ready for anything that might be thrown at us in there, because this is it. This is how we get revenge for his death. This is how we complete his last wishes. Now is when we fight for his memory and I give you my word we WILL honour and avenge him, even if we have to die trying," at this he extended a hand toward each surprised girl. "So are you ready or not?"

To his utter astonishment he watched as the two women shared a look and smiled. "That's the Merlin I know," Anna stated with a reluctant side smile.

"That's my Daddy," Imi it seemed was almost delirious with a relieved joy. "And I thought you died back in my future," she whispered, her eyes shining, and reached out to take her fathers' hand. He let loose his goofy grin as soon as Anna had taken his other hand.

"Then let's go," he murmured back, before suddenly bolting into the tower and dragging the two smiling women as he did. James had made this look difficult but in reality, there was nothing to it.

So then why did he still have that sinking feeling in his stomach?


Arthur raised his sword to block the blow the Faery in front of him had thrown before he thrust his weapon up, span and sliced open the monsters gut. A gush of wind blew past him and soon three more Faery had all received the same wounds. Arthur paused when he realised that the gush of wind had been Howel, the empath, and grinned when the younger man began brushing the filth off of his hands.

"Fastest man in the world right?" The King teased.

Howel shrugged and grinned himself. "So they tell me," And with that he burst off again, becoming nothing but a blur to Arthurs eyes, and breezed past Lancelot and Lia – Kalladines weapons expert sister.

Lancelot struck a mighty blow down which caused two Faery to both drop their blades. With expert grace he planted his heavy boot into one's chest, sending it tumbling to the soil beneath them, and with all the mercy of Malum himself ferociously stabbed the other through the throat. The choking Faery lived for all of three seconds until it collapsed next to its fallen comrade. The former knight without warning pulled his blade from the throat of the dead demon before plunging it into the others heart. With one final gasp the Feary breathed its last breath. Behind him Lia raised her two smaller blades above her head, crossing them over each other to form an X shape, to intercept an arrow that had been heading straight for her head. The wooden weapon bounced off her duel blades and allowed her to spin around, her blades still in the X shape, and elegantly slice off another beasts head.

"When we're done here," the no nonsense Emapth began, talking to Lancelot behind her and slashing at another Faery's jugular vein. "I'm going to rip of your clothes with my teeth and claim you as my own."

Lancelot was so busy blushing that he barely had time to block another attack, and slice another enemy throat. "I erm…thank you?"

Just a few feet ahead of them Morgana, Gwaine and Sir Leon were all standing back to back, swiping down Faery as if they were flies and leaving no side vulnerable to attack. Gwaine chopped at ones legs before plunging his sword straight through its stomach. Sir Leon was wildly swinging his sturdy blade around and simply hacking two or three of them down at a time. Morgana pulled up her blade to block a sweeping assault to her left before thrusting it down the centre of her attacker, from its chest down to its waist, and causing the consequent spray of blood to fly onto her. Nevertheless Gwaine was stunned.

"Oh dear," He breathed out, diagonally cutting open yet another opponent. "I think I just fell in love with you my Lady. Young Merlin won't be best pleased when we runaway together I think."

Morgana allowed a brief amused giggle to escape her before rapidly striking three times across a Faery's chest. "My Dear Gwaine, I doubt you'd even be able to run in a straight line these days."

"Now hold on there, princess. I think you're assuming the worst of me," Gwaine replied with a charming smile. "I'll have you know I'm very well adorned with tons of stamina."

She scoffed, slicing across two Faery at once. "Is that how you, Arthur and James managed to drain the entire store room of the Tavern on the eve of my wedding?"

"That was you!" Leon yelled, indignant, and almost received a dagger to his gut for his trouble. With speed that could only come from years of training he managed to angle himself away from the strike and slash at the opposing Faery's face. With a deep breath he craned his neck to look back at Gwaine. "The Barkeep thought it was me! I spent the night locked up in his cellar because of you!"

Gwaine winced. "Sorry Fella, just went with the flow of things you know?"

"Sorry! His wife spent the same night regaling me of tales of how her husband could not…satisfy her," He shuddered at the memory, missing Morgana fighting not only the Faery but also the urge to scream with laughter. "I was terrified, especially when she began trying to show me how he had failed, and how I could succeed."

"Well in that case you're welcome," Gwaine responded with a bounce of his eyebrows. Though when it looked like Leon was about to join the Faery in trying to kill him he recoiled. "Come on, I'm sorry alright? Forgive me? One beard to another?"

Leon huffed. "Fine," he said shortly, turning his full attention back to defending himself when three charged him at once.

"You know, you should both try this new invention," Morgana added. "It's called shaving. Apparently all the popular people are doing it."

Both men managed to shoot her a dirty look. "That's it. I'm not in love with you anymore," Gwaine pouted.

"Oh but I was so looking forward to trading sweet loyal Merlin for you," The black haired beauty mockingly whined, though a smirk did stretch across her face. "And of course the several diseases that you carry-"

"Hey!" Gwaine yelled. "I'm clean…well…I am now – shut up!"

Gwen stood tall on her position on the mound, Kalladine poised regally next to her. Behind them loomed a mass of Archers just waiting to open fire on the Faery soaring across the skies, the very tips of their weapons scorching with spitting flames, and all of them already aimed at the beasts. All they were doing was waiting for that one command, and when it came then it would rain fire.

Gwen fidgeted nervously, her tense fingers wrangling together. "Surely now?" She begged the Empath Emperor.

He offered her an alarmingly calm smile. "Not yet, my young Queen."

"Kalladine, the flying Faery are scooping warriors up every few moments," Gwen pointed out, her voice lowering an octave. "What exactly are you waiting for?"

His calm smile was still in place. "For the most effective moment to strike. If we fire now then we risk hurting more of our own men than any beast. You must trust me, Guinevere. My power is knowledge, remember?"

She stared blankly at him before biting her bottom lip. "Not as such, actually. Sorry-"

"There it is!" The Emperor abruptly yelled, arm rising and finger extending into the sky. "Now! Fire!"

Gwen beamed at finally being able to act on her anxiety. "Fire!" She repeated for the benefit of Camelot's Archers.

Like a wave of fire the arrows ascended into the dark sky, rising and falling like the very ocean itself, before striking almost half of the winged Faery in the heavens. With screeches that pierced everyone bellows ears the winged beasts plummeted into the ground with thunderous booms. Gwen actually leapt with joy, skipping and hugging the equally jubilant Kalladine for a brief moment.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you," The new Queen cried.

He waved her off. "Think nothing of it. I'm an Empath, I think I have to forgive you," he joked. Gwen let out a delightful laugh, her large grin gushing hope, until Arthur and Morgana appeared at her side.

"We have to go," Arthur demanded, trying to clasp her hand and drag her away without even a thought to explain himself.

"Wait," Gwen breathed, pulling on his armour to halt his hurried attempt to kidnap her. "Where are we going?"

Morgana stepped up at this point. "Gwen, you have to remember this is all just a front so we can get inside and find the platform of time. Merlin, Imi and Anna will meet us there but we have to go now."

"But…" Gwen shook her head, confused. "But things are going well. We're winning."

"We are right now yes, but soon things will turn," Morgana swiftly explained. "The Faery outnumber us too much for us to ever win this fight. We may have the greater skill but they simply are too many in number, inevitably our warriors will grow fatigued and then this war will turn in their favour. We have to try and sneak into the kingdom whilst we still have a chance. We still have yet to find it even. All we have is what James said to Merlin, about it being at the heart of the kingdom and that it needs the blood of soul to work. We don't even know what that means, so we will need time to figure it all out."

Gwen allowed her shoulders to slump a little in defeat. "But what if Merlin succeeds and Malum dies? What of your sword, Arthur?"

"They are both a last attempt to not have to use the platform," Arthur took his turn to explain. "If Malum corners us then we will have the sword as a chance to survive, but we cannot hope to forge a plan with it. And if Merlin's plan does work then he will tell us when we meet him at the platform, but until then we must assume that it will not." Gwen nodded mournfully at her husbands' words. "Now please Guinevere, we must go now. The battle is already pushing into the kingdom and that will make it even more difficult to sneak in."

It was then that Lancelot, Gwaine, Sir Leon and a small group of five Masters showed up. "Are we ready?" Lancelot asked.

"We're ready," Morgana answered with a stern nod. "Let's move."

A pair of beautiful ice-blue eyes watched the group move off with unshakable focus, safely hidden with the shadows on the battlefield. His gaze followed them until realisation crept up on him, and just like that he whipped his baggy blue hood over his head and ran after them – using all the stealth he had picked up in his young life.

He had a destiny to complete.


The door had been there for over a thousand years.

It stood there, infested with age and decay. The accumulated dust had now been there so long that it was acting as a second coat of paint and any colour it once had had been washed away so that even in the brightest of lights it would still look grey. Sure it was only a door, but it was a door that had outlasted civilizations. A door that had seen the dragons come and go until there was but one left. A door that had seen Malum rise, fall, and rise again. A door that right now, in this moment in time, probably concealed the best hope to rid the world of the demon lord once again.

Its dull and listless surroundings for the first time in over a thousand years began to stir. A warm golden light stretched out from underneath its rickety frame, gradually building and building until finally the ancient door exploded off its hinges. It blasted forward into the room it had gazed upon for so long and crashed into the opposing wall, before falling backwards onto the granite floor and kicking up a cloud of filth.

In strode Merlin, his eyes scanning the ancient area without a glimmer of appreciation. After all he had but one purpose for being here. He was here to save the world. With feverish excitement his ocean blue orbs darted around the room, bouncing off of the odd artefacts and ancient tapestries hanging on the walls, until they finally stopped dead. Now they rested on a small stand. A small stand with a circular slot in it. His dry lips twitched as he felt his nerves soar up into new heights.

He had found it.

Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, preparing himself to mentally call both Imi and Anna. The three had split up upon realizing just how expansive the temple of Vice was on the inside in order to find the rather anti-climactic stand he had just discovered.

"I've found it," he repeated in his head. "Find me."

And with that his eyes snapped open as he strode toward the simplistic stone stand in the centre of the room, digging his right hand into his pocket and fishing out the small woollen sack with the three stones in it. Due to the fifth sorcerer king and his wits Merlin knew he could not touch the stones, but whilst he waited for Anna to arrive he could still place the Breoste charm on them.

He raised a shaky hand over the now opened sack, his eyes drifting shut. He didn't even know if he could perform this spell. It wasn't as if he had no idea what he was doing, having researched it over and over again, but he had yet to actually do it. He licked his lips in trepidation. At least he wasn't under pressure. After all only the whole world was counting on him to be able to do this, absolutely no pressure there. His eyebrows tensed as he took one more calming, deep breath.

"Ic bebeodan þin agan abreotan manfordaedla, nu mengan prie miht breoste!" His eyes snapped open to reveal the furious gold burning orbs flashing within them. With a relieved smile stretching across his clammy features he turned his gaze downward to the stones…to see absolutely no difference in them at all. His smile dropped from his face. Were they supposed to look different? Silently he began remembering if Morgana had looked or acted different after James had placed the enchantment on her. No, he thought with yet more relief. No she hadn't. In fact she hadn't even known until she had been told it had happened.

"Merlin?" The voice of Anna Regus almost made him scream it startled him so much.

"Anna," he breathed out. "Come on, I need you for this bit. Where's Imi?"

She shook her head as she jogged toward him. "On her way probably, but we don't have time to wait for her. Give me the stones."

"You're right," he nodded quickly, handing the stones over to her and leading the sorcerer Queen to the rustic stand they would have to place them into. "Hurry and combine them, that's the only way they can be destroyed."

"What about the Breoste charm?" She asked, impressing the young warlock with how calm she was keeping.

"Already done," he answered as quick as he could. "Whatever happens to those stones now will affect Malum, now hurry up Anna. People are dying. Our friends are dying."

"Right," she gave a nod, emptying the three stones of Leones into her hand and holding them up into the air. "Cuman geador," she purred, her rosy red lips shaking as the words poured out.

Like lightening the three stones shot into the air barely a moment after Anna had finished, causing the two sorcerers to leap back in surprise. Anna grabbed a hold of Merlin's arm, and together the duo could only watch as the three stones shone with a radiant ruby glow, all circling each other in mid-air. With an eventual shift in the atmosphere Merlin physically jolted, his skin scrawling as he sensed the crystals power.

It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Utter, true might exuding itself from it with effortless capability…and yet at the same time, felt hollow to the core. The young Warlocks head bounced around on his neck as if he were in some sort of seizure. The sensation was horrendous. Such horrible, empty power vibrating through his entire self, but it only got worse when a dark red mist began flowing out of the now conjoined stones. With an eerie serenity the mystic cherry fog began swooping over the room, its thick clouds completely obscuring the two sorcerers' vision until the two couldn't even see the hand in front of their faces.

"Merlin?" He heard Anna's voice call out to him, without a doubt as concerned as he was about the eerie mist, and with good reason. Neither of them had expected this.

His eyes feverishly darted around the room, dancing with his alarm. He had to clear this smoke before something happened. After all, it hadn't escaped his notice that the way to destroy Malum was dangerously close to the way he could be released. With this in mind he took a bold step forward, his eyes burning gold. "Bene laeg gesweord," He breathed out. With a wave of his hand the swollen, profuse smog began to blow away, escaping from the room via every available exit.

It wasn't long before he could see again, and what he did see was Anna clutching at the positively lustrous crystal the combined stones had created, the blinding light so bright that he actually felt his eyeballs dry up. Despite this he released a thankful breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. They were both alright.

Anna Regus turned to him with a firm look. "We cannot waste any more time," She commanded, and he felt a spread of warmth flow through him. Just for a second he could see James in her emerald gaze.

"Right," Merlin ran up to her, feeling a new sense of hope. This was actually happening. "Place the crystal in the slot and then we might actually get rid of Malum forever."

Anna shared an apprehensive look with the young warlock. "I don't think I can," she quivered in such a small voice that she reminded him of her child self.

"Yes you can," he demanded. "You can do this, Anna."

The new sorcerer Queen's eyes melted into a vulnerable state he had yet think her capable of. "No, I don't think I can," she gasped. "Because we haven't done this yet," And just like that she threw her arm out and sent an unprepared Merlin soaring into the wall behind him.

Merlin felt all the oxygen in his lungs force their way up his throat as his back collided with the stone of the wall. He gasped, suddenly unable to breathe, and experienced the sensation of complete numbness spread throughout the rest of his body. Instantly aware that he was unable to move everything but his nauseated head he fought to lift it, his ocean blue eyes moist as they fell upon his assailant. Anna stood there with a thin smile on her face.

"Anna…" he croaked out. That was all he could manage.

"I am afraid not, Emrys," Anna replied, her voice an abrupt low and chilling calm. "Anna Regus ceased to be after receiving the news of her brothers' untimely death."

Merlin's clammy forehead wrinkled with confusion and concern. "Wh…What?"

"Come now young one," Anna encouraged with a purposeful stride toward him. "As if it is not perfectly clear who I am, resting under this…supple flesh."

The young warlock let his fatigued head fall with a small whimper. Of course it was obvious, he just didn't want to believe it. "Malum," he finally wheezed out.

"Indeed," came the unmistakable tone of the demon lord, serene and indifferent, wrapped snugly in the soft melodies of Anna's voice.

Merlin managed to lift his heavy head once more, his eyes screaming of his sorrow. Both physical and emotional. "How? Why?"

"Decent questions," Anna, or Malum rather, praised. "I wished to aquire the stones for myself, and then I felt sweet Anna's soul break at the news of her brothers' death. Her pain was enough to call to me from across the world, almost as if she was inviting me to possess her essence, and with her heart broken and therefore no resistance I merely walked into her. She wanted vengeance. I could feel it. Darkness consuming her, boiling in her blood, hatred in its richest and purest form. I can taste it even now, like the finest of wines on my tongue."

The young warlock had to resist the urge to let tears fall. "Is she dead?" His voice was weak but getting stronger. "Did you kill my friend?"

Malum raised his head, sucking in a large breath through his nose. "Hmm, I believe so, yes," his words hit him like a slab of stone falling on his chest. "Everyone else I have consumed has met their end, even immortals, so I assume so. It was certainly fun pretending to be her for a while. To have Arthur Pendragon dote on me and Morgana Le Fay show me compassion. You're all so soft, especially your daughter."

To say that Merlin grew alarmed would be a massive understatement. "What have you done? Where is she? Where's Imi?" He demanded of the demon, the strength in his voice making an abrupt return. Malum almost smiled at it. He would never understand how emotions could both give and steal someone's forte.

"I am afraid loyal Imogen would not accept my request for a partnership, and in so sealed her own fate."

Merlin felt his throat go dry whereas his eyes by comparison flooded with moisture. A sickness bubbled in his gut, providing him with the sensation that he might vomit at any given moment. "No…no, you didn't," he panted.

"Surely you can understand my position," Malum continued using Anna's pleasant voice. "I know you too have been faced with difficult decisions in the past-"

"WHERE IS SHE!" Merlin absolutely roared, his chin shaking in his fury. Malum actually recoiled at the howl, having not expected such an outburst from the usually reserved and very mild mannered Merlin. In fact even Merlin himself felt a sparkle of surprise at his own actions…but he didn't care. All he knew was panic and rage. It filled him, escaping only to infect every other portion of his body. Nothing else mattered in his mind right now. Only one thought reverberated around in there, and that was Imogen's safety. The power of the feeling scared him.

Malum scowled at him, feeling the swirling emotions in his opponent as if they were his own. "Perhaps you should calm yourself fir-"

"Tell me," the young warlock growled. Silence encompassed the luminous red room as the young warlock waited for the demons answer, his bottom lip trembling. "NOW!" He screamed with a thrash of his once numb limbs, so lost to his panic that he neglected to realise Malums spell was meant to keep him paralyzed against the wall.

Malum however did, and a scowl of concern forced itself on Anna's pretty features. "Imogen still lives," Malum conceded with gradual regret, calming when he saw the young warlock visibly relax, his sudden rage induced power fading with his tension. "So long as you decide she should stay that way."

Merlin snapped his troubled gaze up to look at him once more. "What are you talking about?"

"It is rather simple, Emrys," Malum stated and raised his arms into the air. With a small crash two podiums broke through the concrete of the dusty floor on either side of him, and rose to be level with Anna's waist. But what really caught Merlin's ever widening eyes were the orbs atop these podiums. Malum eyed the warlock with eagerness. "I am going to offer you a choice."

He glared down the demon lord, already feeling sick with apprehension. "…What kind of choice?"

A callous, empty smile graced Anna's face. "Again simple," he took a step forward so he stood in between the two orbs and waved his hands over them. The clear spheres, now glowing red to reflect the rooms luminosity, began to form shapes within them. "I'm going to give you two choices. Choice one," he put Anna's palm on the orb to Merlin's left as it began to show people cheering in the streets of Camelot. Arthur appeared on it, enveloping Gwen and Morgana in a fierce embrace. "I will allow you to place the three stones of that blasted Leones into the temple of vice. I will be wiped from this world and thrown back into that dimensional prison, allowing for your destiny with Arthur and Morgana Pendragon to be fulfilled in whatever way you see fit."

Merlin was beyond stunned at his proposal, his eyebrows now so low they were practically smothering his eyes. Why would he ever allow that? What could he possibly gain from such an offer?

"Choice two," Malum continued as if reading his thoughts, pressing his other hand on the orb to Merlin's right. Could he read his thoughts? However he soon didn't care, because the other orb was showing something that made his heart stop beating. Imogen. Tied up to a wooden pole. Crying. His breath caught in his throat. A cold shiver shot down his spine, because she was not alone. Circled around her stood over two dozen Faery, drooling with the prospect of carving into her fresh young flesh.

"Oh no…" Merlin could scarcely breathe out.

"Yes," Malum relished at the horror-struck features on his enemies face. "Choice two is a good one. I will give you the opportunity to save your daughter." Merlin wasn't breathing, this he was only vaguely aware of. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. "So which one will it be, Emrys?" Malum's voice brought his disturbed gaze back onto him. "Will you let the whole world burn just so you can hold your little girl in your arms again? Or will you save it, and let Imogen be eaten alive knowing her father allowed it to happen?"

A long, sickening silence settled over the room, until Malum finally broke it.

"Decide."


"PUSH ON!" Arthur Pendragon roared over the battling masses surrounding him, desperate for his warriors to hear his cries and take hope from them.

Morgana charged passed him, blade poised at the ready, and slashed down a Faery who had been attempting to corner a woman and her child. Things had not progressed as they had planned since they'd decided to try and sneak off unnoticed to find the platform of time. In fact things had gone very poorly. No matter where they had gone, no matter how hard they had tried to hide away in the shadows, someone or something had found them. Naturally they had remained determined and tried over and over again, but eventually they found that the war was somehow following them. Morgana had nearly exploded at the lunacy of it all. It had been a slow and agonising process, but in the end they had found themselves here. In the actual outlining village of the Venemagus kingdom, fighting their way slowly down the street in between innocent civilians houses.

Families were being bombarded from their own homes. Fathers, Brothers, Uncles, Sons and nephews had been forced out to fight in order to protect their family, though surprisingly they had opted to fight the faery rather than them despite the fact that they were the invaders. Morgana had even heard cries of loyalty to James Regus as they charged out and plunged into the battle. Some Mothers had attempted to fight themselves, and some who weren't were trying to smuggle their children away from the destructive chaos. More often than not though they seemed to be getting caught. Morgana had lost count now of how many bodies she had had to step over of innocent women and children, never mind all the others of men soaked in their own blood.

If she had time she would have spared a few moments to mourn them, all of them, but she couldn't. Where ever she went a set of fangs or a blade would come at her and her thoughts would be consumed by that. Like now for example. She ducked when a dagger swung out from the mesh of bodies that surrounded her, her instincts urging her to bring up her sword and slice it across her assailants stomach. As if on springs the black haired beauty sprung back up to her feet and immediately took in all her surroundings.

Arthur and Gwen were side by side, Arthur striking down foe after woe with unstoppable vigour whereas Gwen seemed content on picking off a few of the weaker ones. Lancelot and Leon were working surprisingly well together. The two were moving in almost fluid motions, one would injure one Faery and move on to allow the other to finish the monster off. Whilst, and she didn't cast any judgement as she observed it, Gwaine seemed to have been chucked through a window of a nearby home. Her eyes rolled of their own accord.

So maybe she judged him a little.

Without sparing another moment she charged in on the warriors position, leaping in through the same window and throwing her sword under a dagger intended for Gwaine's throat. Needless to say the warrior allowed his eyes to boggle upon observing Morgana's last second rescue. A beat later the Faery holding the dagger, the very same dagger that was a mere hairs length away from Gwaine's adams-apple, was lying dead on the floor adjacent to him.

His stunned gaze travelled up to the beauty standing over him, an amused look of utter smugness plastered onto her features. "Well," His voice croaked out, forcing him to clear his throat. "Isn't this embarrassing."

"Only because I just destroyed your manhood," she commented, throwing him a non-committal shrug and feeding off his apparent look of horror. "Oh but…I'm afraid I don't know how this works. Do I cut it off myself or simply wait for it to shrivel?"

His wide eyes glistened, hurt, as he gazed up at her now smirking form. "There is something very cold and broken inside of you. Something that could chill a flame."

"Hey!" The two looked to the smashed window to see Arthur Pendragon gaping at them. "What the hell do you think you're doing? In case you haven't noticed there's a war on! But by all means stop and have a natter."

Morgana turned fully to face her half-brother, leaving poor Gwaine to struggle to his feet on his own behind her. "I'll have you know, Arthur, that I just saved his life!"

"Morgana, I don't care!" Arthur yelled back, trying to be heard above the immense noise encompassing them. "Now, Gwaine, hurry up and give her your manhood so you can get back to fighting!" And with that he offered them an amused little smile and disappeared amongst the crowds.

Gwaine felt his jaw hit the floor. "Unbelievable."

"So, you merely hand it over?" Morgana's intensely amused tone was like wailing to Gwaine's ears, his annoyed gaze grudgingly making its way over to her mocking features. "How quaint."

He shook his head. "Why must I be the butt of your jokes?"

"I don't know," She gave a dainty shrug of her shoulders. "I guess you just fit the role of butt so perfectly," She stated, breezing over to the shattered window and throwing a teasing smirk over her shoulder at him.

His snarl would have sent a lesser person running for the hills. "Cold and broken, I'm tellin' ya."

Outside Arthur, Gwen, Lancelot and Leon had managed to find each other again, and were now fighting side by side. At their combined force their usual body count was tripled, body after body falling at their feet. Despite this however Arthur was not happy. They had been on the battlefield for what felt like eternity, and not only had they not managed to slip away but by the looks of it his men were growing more fatigued by the minute.

This had to end, and soon.

"We have to get moving!" Arthur called above the screams and sounds of swords coming together. "We're wasting time! Merlin could already be at the platform by now!"

It was at this point that Morgana and Gwaine arrived at their side. "How are we meant to do that? Wherever we go the Faery follow us. They must be Malums' orders."

"I agree," Arthur approved with a nod. "So that's why we should-"

"Lancelot!" Gwen's shrill caused the hollowing sensation to open in his gut and halt his words. It would seem it had the same effect on everyone else too, because like him they all spun around with that same alarmed expression. What they saw was the brave knight, eyes fogging over as he fell back, his gloved hand coming up to grab the arrow sticking out of his ribs.

"Oh no," Morgana managed to gasp, her words but a hushed whisper.

Leon lunged forward and cushioned the fall for the noble knight, allowing him to sink into his arms before he had hit the cold soil beneath. As if they had forgotten the war the group circled around the feeble Lancelot like a wake of hungry Vultures, all of them wearing concerned expressions.

"We need to provide him with some shelter," Morgana was quick to dish out orders, surprised by Arthur's lack of bossiness.

"You're right," Arthur finally chimed in. Gwen was on her knees next to him, heavy tears streaming down her face as her rattling hands tried to apply pressure to Lancelot's now open wounds. He forced himself to ignore his wife's volatile sobs so he could focus on his surroundings. "Morgana, you and Gwaine find your way onto those roofs and take out the archers. We won't get anyway with them firing at us."

Morgana and Gwaine nodded. "Of course," Morgana agreed and made to run off with Gwaine, before seeming to hesitate and turn back to them. "Arthur?" Her small voice barely reached his buzzing ears.

"What?" He demanded, his tone one of hurried frustration.

"Just…be careful," she gently wished him luck, melting the hard look on her brothers' face. "Promise me?"

He gave her a feverish nod. "You too, now go!" Upon his order the duo ran off to rid their armies of the Faery archers. "Gwen, you're going to have to drag Lancelot over to that house. Leon, you and I are going to defend them from the Faery as we go back, understood?"

"Yes, sire," Leon immediately responded, handing the dying Lancelot to a trembling Gwen, before unsheathing his blade and rising to his feet. Purpose radiating from his stance.

"But…Arthur…" The new Queen of Camelot began, looking back up at her husband with a gaze screaming of just how overwhelmed she was. She wasn't an idiot. She knew before she had come that this was not going to be even your average war, but she hadn't counted on dragging her friends living corpses over a terrain of blood and dead bodies.

"Gwen, listen to me," Arthur was at her side in the blink of an eye, carefully brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear with his gloved hand. "I know this is not what you expected but if we do not do this then Lancelot will die. I'm sorry Guinevere but this is war, and we don't have time to let fear have a say, alright?"

With an eventual steadying gaze she showed she understood. "You're right, Arthur. Let's go."

"Good," He smiled at her, unaware of the young blue eyes that were scrutinising his every movement from afar.

With a deep breath, Mordred made his move.

Gwaine burst up onto the rooftop first, the war cry emanating from his mouth truly something to behold. Without waiting he began hacking down one Faery after the next, and by the time Morgana had arrived there were only a few left for her.

She sighed at her bearded companion. "You can't have your manhood back, Gwaine!"

"You don't know that!" He yelled back, causing the inevitable grin to spread across her face.

Of course that had been when she had caught something from the very corner of her eye, something that had stood out in a blinding light of familiarity from within the hording masses below them. She turned to see what had been able to catch her attention so vividly…and felt her pounding heart freeze over. Mordred. Mordred was dancing over through the battling crowds toward a belligerent Arthur and Leon, somehow going unnoticed by everyone and everything around him. This couldn't be good. Not on any level. In her desperation she attempted to alert her friends of their impending company, but try as she might there was no way they could hear her.

Arthur scythed down foe after foe, feeling unstoppable with Excalibur within his grasp. The sword truly was like an extension of his own arm. He could feel it slice through the air and flesh alike, sense how much he should balance it and even kill a Faery with a simple flick of his wrist. He didn't even have to be looking all the time to do it, almost as if the sword had consciousness all on it's own. He clamped his teeth down on themselves as he plummeted his blade clean down the middle of a Faery, splitting the beast into two halves.

Gwen had to admit she was impressed. Even with a dying Lancelot in her arms and the knowledge that her husband was a great warrior, she was pleasantly surprised by what she saw. However that was when, finally, she caught sight of Mordred just as he reached the fair haired king. Her eyes grew wide with distress.

"Arthur!" She screamed as loud as her lungs would allow.

It worked. Arthur swung around at her call and prepared to strike down whatever was at his back this time…but immediately dithered upon seeing the young boy. He froze in his assault and merely stared down at the boy he recognised.

"Mordred?" He questioned, his tone displaying all of his confusion.

Morgana watched from her position on the roof, mouth agape and eyes wide. "Don't do it, Mordred," she murmured to herself, shaking her head lightly. "Please don't do it."

Surprised at the sudden arrival of the small druid boy he had helped escape well over a year ago, Arthur let his sword wielding arm drop to his side. "Mordred, what are you doing here?"

It was like all the noise around them had been sucked up into nothingness as both Morgana and Gwen watched in silence from their respective positions, unable to do or say anything but stare. Neither Arthur nor Mordred moved for what dragged on for a perpetuity, lost to the bizarre sensation tingling through their skin at the sheer electric vibe the moment was exuding.

"I'm sorry, Arthur Pendragon," The soft sound of Mordred's voice was in complete contrast to the spectacle at hand. Arthur frowned down at him, completely unsure as what to do. "But my master doesn't want you to have that sword."

That was when everything happened so fast that Morgana could barely keep track.

Mordred closed his eyes, and out of nowhere a spear came shooting over his head and thrust straight into Arthurs abdomen, the point plunging all the way through until it burst out of his back. Gwen's shrill even managed to reach the black haired beauties ears from her position, chilling her right down to her bones…but it wasn't over yet.

Arthur had released his firm grip on Excalibur as he fell to his knees, gasping for air he could no longer process. Leon was so busy gawking at the scene that he didn't notice the group of Faery leap onto his back, systematically bundling him. Mordred then picked up the legendary sword, having to hold it in both hands due to the weight, and brought it back so he could finish the king off.

Morgana watched on, helpless, as Gwen leapt up to her feet. Clearly lost of all cognitive recognition the former hand-maiden retrieved Arthurs' old sword from her waist and raced forward…before sinking it deep into Mordred's own gut. The young boy bent over and threw out his arms in his shock, missing Gwen's own gaping expression at her actions. Tears sprung to her eyes without any effort to be stopped, her feverish glance watching as Mordred's small frame fell onto the ground before her.

Morgana couldn't breathe. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes then she wouldn't have believed it, but that was when she remembered her dream.

Gwen stood tall above a child's body. A deceased child's body. A sword with fresh wet blood up to the base of the handle secure in a trembling hand. Arthur's sword. Hatred. Anger. Devastation. All these emotions radiating off of her hand maiden with such fluctuating waves it was virtually visible. Tears flowed freely down her face without any effort to be stopped.

The black haired beauty brought a quaking hand up to her mouth, feeling so many different things that she felt like she was going to be sick. The sight below her was identical to the horrific image of her nightmare. In fact for a moment she hoped she would wake up any second now, but she didn't. She wouldn't. With a desperation she had never felt before she tried to recall what else she had foreseen in her prophetic incubus that had yet to come true.

A man levitated seamlessly down from the sky before landing facing an active volcano, a black robe on and the hood covering most of his face. His green eyes shone through the shadow his baggy hood had created, eyes filled with both fear and resolve. The volcano shook in front of him, but the man somehow levitated from the ground and dove into the volcano.

She had once assumed that was James, but not anymore she realised wretchedly. But what was perhaps even more upsetting is that, if she squinted, she could just make out the very same volcano from her dreams shadowed in the distance. She gulped and tried to recall more, closing her eyes to move it along faster.

Arthur. Dead. Lying limp in Lancelot's arms as the brave knight took slow, emotionally devastating steps forwards across a field filled with blood and lost souls. Lancelot fell to the floor in exhaustion, and it didn't take long for the brave Lancelot to fall into the realms unknown over his dead prince.

Her eyes snapped open to indeed reveal Lancelot attempting to stumble to his feet, right hand clenched over his still gushing wound. She shook her head. "Oh no, no please no."

A sword in a hand...the same sword that at this moment was resting easily in Merlin's gut. Horror-struck Morgana stared up into those warm baby blues, filled with pain and betrayal. Who had done this? Someone had driven this sword through the stomach of the one decent man in the whole of Camelot. They had killed Merlin.

"Prince..." Merlin's words escaped his dry lips.

Morgana was confused. Why had someone done this? What the Hell was going on? "What?" She asked lamely. She didn't know what else to do.

"Prince...Sorcerer Prince." And his neck fell limp, dropping his head on his still chest.

A tear rolled down her cheek. Merlin. She had never wanted to see him more than right at this very moment.

Merlin with a single tear sliding down his pale cheek. He was standing in a dark misty red room, staring at two glowing orbs with haste in his body language. Fidgeting, sweating. He was making a choice.

She looked up at the heavens, tears now falling freely down her cheeks as she prayed for any kind of help.

It was all coming true.


Merlin could feel the tear streaking down his pale cheek, the red mist swirling all around him as he gazed with hopeless resolve at the two glowing orbs. On one side he could see Imogen, the daughter he loved with his whole soul, chained up to the pole and encircled by Faery. In the other he saw Arthur, Morgana and Gwen hugging amidst glorious celebrations due to Malum's defeat. These were his options, his choices.

Either let his daughter be eaten alive or save the whole world.

"Come now, Emrys," Malum goaded, growing tired of waiting. "It is time to make your choice."

Merlin let his neck wilt, allowing his head to just hang and displaying his utter defeat. "Why are you doing this?" He croaked out. If Malum were capable of pity then that would have been the moment he experienced it for the first time. "Why would you want to do this?"

"Why?" Sounded Anna's voice, cloaking the demon lords dispiriting tones. "Do you honestly not know or are you simply trying to buy yourself some time?" He waited for the young Warlocks reply that never came and snorted. "I suppose it is of little consequence, but can you even begin to imagine living for thousands of years, Emrys? Can you envisage what that does to a person? Well now picture it being spent in dungeons, being whipped and tortured by the only people who would call you family. Picture thousands of years were no woman would pass you without being able to laugh, where you were treated like something a dog stepped in merely because of who you are. Having a demon mother who refused to claim me left me with no option other than to live with the Regus throne, who made me do awful things and then made sure I would never receive any amount of affection no matter how small. I have spent countless thousands of years knowing I would never have any friends or anything to love throughout eternity…until one day I had enough. One day I decided to stop caring about anything or anyone, and soon I found myself taking what I wanted rather than asking for it. As the years went by uncounted I realised I had lost the ability to love anything. The air I breathed, the people I called family and even myself. Nothing mattered anymore. I felt nothing. I was nothing."

Merlin shook his head, understandably finding it difficult to fathom any form of compassion for the demon right now. "So, you thought you would just take that ability away from others as well."

"Indeed," He spoke with such dulcet tones that Merlin immediately believed him. "And that is why I feel nothing for you right now, other than a tedious amount of intrigue as to what your decision will be. I am but a hollow vessel blowing in the wind. So do I pass your test, Emrys? Or have you managed to stall enough time to finally decide between your daughter and the rest of the world?"

Merlin felt his tired eyes flutter closed, his outstretched limbs aching in their way of telling him he had been here too long as it was. Like he needed such a reminder. His clammy skin was juddering of its own accord, though if it was due to fear, illness or just plain heartbreak he wasn't sure. He didn't care either. All he could feel was…cold. As if the blood shooting through him had ice flowing within it, numbing his fingertips and making his stomach churn.

"I do not have all day," the slight tremor of annoyance found its way into Anna's voice, but again Merlin barely registered it. His mind was on other matters right now. Like trying to find a way to somehow save the world and Imi at the same time, and it wasn't until he felt the invisible restraints binding him vanish that he realised he was on the dusty floor. However before he even had time to question it he was seized by the demon lord wearing Anna Regus' flesh like a jacket and felt him push the crystal in his sweaty palm. "Hurry Emrys, or I shall make the decision for you."

The young warlock turned his despondent eyes onto the crystal now in his hands, feeling sick just by touching it now. If he chose to use it and place it in the temple, then yes Malum might die, but Imogen certainly would…and he wasn't sure he could live with that. To spend the rest of his days knowing he had fed the girl who had utterly captured every part of him to flesh eating monsters would kill him, he wasn't even remotely doubtful of that.

He could still remember that horrendous sensation of death when he had been cradling a choking Morgana in his arms. He remembered feeling such revulsion at himself, such loathing for causing his friend so much pain that even after he had healed her he could barely even look at himself for months to come. And this, he scarcely dared to believe, was ten times more terrible than that. Imogen was his daughter. He loved her more than he once thought it possible, and even the mere thought that he could consider actually killing her made him want to tear his own heart out and crush it with his bare hands.

But he knew he had to. An involuntary shiver rippled through his entire body. If he sacrificed her then the whole world would live to see another day. Children would wake up every morning and play, other men's daughters would keep breathing and his destiny with Arthur would survive. Morgana would live and be able to give birth to their child. Gwen could stay married to Arthur. He could continue to love Morgana and raise a family he had only previously dreamed he could have.

But he couldn't do it.

Camelot would flourish, Albion would be united by himself and Arthur, the human race would go on to live for generations upon generations without fear of Malum ever rising again.

But he couldn't.

"I…can't," he finally spoke, his tone so subjugated and pitiful that for a second Malum doubted he had heard right. In his experience Emrys did not talk like this. "I just…I can't do it," he repeated in the same exact tone, head sagging like he was expected on death row.

Malum gazed down at the young warlock, his features that of someone who had been betrayed. "Emrys," the demon lord sighed, disappointed. "The man who poisoned the woman he loved to save Camelot, cannot sacrifice one insignificant child to save the whole world," he shook his head, plastering a sneer on Anna's beautiful face. "I cannot pretend I am not disgusted. I thought you were the one person who would do whatever it took, but I fear your legend has been grossly exaggerated."

He felt shame coarse through him. Not because he had disappointed Malum, but because he had just found out he wasn't strong enough to do what had to be done. Anna had once told him that he was different. That he would never have an equal because he had no limits, but it would appear he had just found one. Perhaps his only one. A fiery beauty by the name of Imogen.

"Daddy?" Like a surge of energy his head shot up at the sound of his daughters' voice, his fatigue forgotten and his only fear being for the girl from the future.

"Imi?" He quizzed quietly, watching her on the orb. "Can you hear me?" He watched as she nodded, about as steady as a woman in labour.

"I must have forgotten to mention that," Malum shrugged, rewarded by the look of pure repugnance that spread over Merlin's face.

"Daddy," Imi repeated, her voice sounding just as dishevelled as she looked. "You have to do it."

His troubled blues snapped back to the orb, glaring down his daughter as she shook with fright on it. "What?" He forced himself to ask.

"Please, you have to let me die," She pleaded. "I knew before I came here that I would do this if it meant saving everyone else, and I made a promise to myself that I would do whatever it took. If there's even a tiny chance that this will work then we must take it. You have to do this."

He shook his head, his lips turning dry as they parted. Beyond horrified. "Imi, you don't understand-"

"No I don't think you do," Imi interrupted him. "If I jump into the platform of time then I'll die anyway, there is no difference, and though I will die it won't be goodbye - not for you. Mum is pregnant, remember? I'm just an anomaly but if you do this then she will give birth to your real daughter, and you will be able to dote on her as I remember you doing with me," At this Merlin felt his frown cross his features. Did she really think she wasn't his real daughter? "Every moment you waste trying to decide Uncle Arthur, Mum and the baby are falling into more danger. I will not thank you for that."

"I don't understand how you can think you're not my real daughter," He said softly, watching her take a deep breath to qualm her rising temper. He would pick up on that rather than everything else she had said. "You are as real as I am and I will not do this. If you could fathom how much you mean to me then you would never ask me too."

Imi shook her head, her tears heavier than they had ever been. She had never been so frightened in her entire life, but she also knew what had to be done. "Dad, I know you love me-"

"I don't think you do," Merlin shot her a resolute glare, firing her own words back at her. "You mean more to me than anything, anything else. Everything you do just makes it stronger. Every time you hold your stomach when you're nervous, every time you brush your hair out of your eyes, every time you speak it just makes me realize it over and over again and every moment of every day it just gets stronger and stronger without warning or limitations…and I cannot do this. I will not do this."

Her bottom lip extended as anger poured through her. "Fine! Don't then!" She yelled at her father, not able to see him but hear the determination his voice. "Come and save me, forget everyone else and just save me! Forget about the thousands dying every moment we waste talking here! Forget about Uncle Arthur and Mum! Forget about your unborn baby and all your friends and just save me! But be honest with yourself, could you live day after day knowing that you were responsible for everything you love dying! Because that doesn't sound like my Dad to me, that sounds like someone I would want nothing to do with."

She had hissed the last bit, and Merlin had to admit it had hurt. A lot. She was right. She was right about all of it. He had been focusing on his life without her rather than what else he would be giving up, what he would be forcing others to give up. His eyes fluttered closed for what felt like the billionth time. He knew now. He knew what he had to do. What no parent should ever have to do.

He had to sacrifice his daughter so that others could be spared that same pain.

Malum allowed a malicious smirk to grow on his face. "So it would seem, Emrys, that you have made your choice at last," He jeered. "How interesting it is that even the best of you can become someone capable of murdering their own child, and yet you still pass judgement on me."

"It's alright, Dad," Imogen's gentle voice earned Merlin's reluctant attention, his now flooding eyes trying to focus on her form through the orb. What he saw was the most terrified smile he had ever seen gracing her face. "This will save everyone I love, and it is my choice to accept that privilege. This was never you fault. You are, and always be, completely and utterly-AGH!"

And just like that the orb containing his daughters' image shattered into a million tiny fragments at her cry. Merlin's eyes bolted open. His heart stopped beating. His tears now fell on numb cheeks. "Wha…" he breathed out, his voice broken to an extent that even Malum seemed surprised. "But she wasn't…she wasn't finished – she…you didn't let her finish…"

"I am afraid I grew tired of the long speeches a while ago," Malum's bored voice felt like ice shards stabbing at his chest.

His mouth constantly kept trying to close but couldn't as he fell further onto the floor, slowly losing control over his limbs until he was almost lying down. He never knew something could hurt so much. Even his nails hurt. Every single cell within him did. From the tip of his longest hair to the end of his toe nails felt like they were being crushed in a vice, suddenly overcome with the sensation that he was no longer the one in control of his body. All that lived here now was pain. Ruthless, unending, pitiless agony.

Malum sucked in the scent of his pain, able to taste it on the gentle breeze. "It is so…" he shook his head as he tried to find the right words to describe the young warlocks' anguish. "…full."

"Dad?" Both Merlin and Malum snapped round to face the source of the voice…and saw Imogen herself standing just inside of the doorway, looking petrified and beyond disturbed. The silence that followed felt like it was going to last forever as Merlin looked at her afraid she wasn't real, and Malum just seemed baffled.

"What are you…?" The demon began, scowling, but ended up trailing off confused. "How did you do that?"

For the briefest of moments Imi forgot that she hated the demon in front of her due to her immense puzzlement, and instead offered him a simple shrug. "I don't know," She answered honestly and threw a glance behind her, as if expecting to see all her answers there.

Malum glared down at a bemused Merlin. "You did this," he growled out, but the almost paralyzed warlock shook his head.

"No, I didn't," he choked out, still unable to tear his eyes away from his daughter.

The next silence that followed seemed to drag out even longer than the first one, until Imi turned her wide eyes onto her father. "Dead baby bunny?"

"What?" Merlin damn near gasped. He didn't know it was possible to be both flabbergasted and disgusted at the same time."Imi, what's going on? And what do you have against rabbits?"

The girl from the future finally snapped back to reality and shook her head. "Never mind, just attack him, now!"

Merlin didn't process her words until he saw her raise her hand in a still baffled Malum's direction. Losing his adopted new expression of astonishment, he spun around and held up his own hand. "Friþ áblindest hine!" His rasped out, his eyes flashing gold.

Malum looked up just in time to see the young warlocks eyes change, and before he knew it a sharp pain had pierced both his eyes. The demon lord cried out, his hands shooting up to bury Anna's jade eyes, and therefore missing Imi's own ice-blues eyes turning too.

"Cume Thedon," The girl from the future purred, instantly forcing a windstorm to gather within the confined room. The dark red mist that danced across the room coiled, spinning into the air and cast a deep crimson fog.

Imi's eyes returned to their normal state and began shooting concerned glances every which way. The red mist, though tactful, had now also blinded her. Wherever she looked her father was nowhere to be seen. There were no noises that could indicate movement, no shadows to give her a hint of where anyone was, just blinding ruby. Well, that was until Merlin emerged in front of her. Without warning he scooped his girl up into his arms bridal style, ignoring her surprised squeak, before sprinting over to the open window and blasting off into the skies.

Malum coughed as he fumbled around the room. He had been completely taken by surprise, the father/daughter duo having attacked him just as he had realised something that shook him. Refocusing his attention to the task at hand he waved his arm, immediately causing the red fog to gush out of the window at a fierce pace. The Demon Lord snapped his furious expression around, desperate to get a glimpse of the two sorcerers who dared to assault him. However what he got was an empty room staring back at him.

A low growl exited from Anna's throat, eyes wild with danger. "Regus."


Morgana's ice-blue orbs shone with terror as they gawked down at the scene below her. Arthur was dead. Mordred was dead. Gwen was howling over her husbands' deceased body, and Leon was desperately squirming free from his position under half a dozen Faery. Their armies were beginning to thin in numbers and grow in fatigue, whereas the Faery seemed no different from when this war had begun.

Gwaine ran up next to her, staring at her as if she had gone insane. "What're you doin'? I just took out every Faery up here without any help from you at all!"

"Arthur, he…" She began weakly.

His scowl only hardened. "What?"

"Arthur, he's…" She shook her head in an attempt to clear the cobwebs from her mind. It worked, a little. "He's dead," she finally finished. Gwaine's eyes shot open and turned to follow her line of vision, just as Lancelot cried out in his agony. The noble knights' wound was continuingly gushing blood, but still he tried to fend off Faery from Arthur's lifeless form. Morgana stiffened. "Gwaine, get down there now. I'll use the Faery's bow and arrow to help you out from up here."

The usually flippant warrior simply nodded and ran off to do as he was told, leaving Morgana to fight off her tears alone on the rooftops. This was horrible. She felt almost numb at the scenes below, but decided on accepting denial as her best friend right now. With a firm nod to assure herself, she reached down and seized a hold of a random Faery's bow and arrows, before aiming it down toward her half-brother.

She would see this out no matter what.

Gwaine arrived at Lancelots side just as the brave knight had begun accepting his fate, and cut down a bunch of faery like unwanted weeds. A parade of arrows shot down into the backs of the monsters bundling Leon, giving the knight a chance to escape and aid Lancelot and Gwaine. Morgana allowed the whisper of a smirk to tug at her lips. She never thought she would be pleased Uther had brought her up.

"Lancelot, fall back," Leon ordered of his companion.

The noble knight winced as he looked up at him. "I can't. You need help."

"Just do it," Leon barked, blocking yet another attempt on his life. "Help Gwen get Arthur to safety."

Lancelot seemed to ponder over the order before finally consenting, vanishing behind them. Arriving at Gwen's still weeping form, he squatted down with great difficulty. "Gwen, get up. I need you to cover me while I carry Arthur off somewhere safe," When she didn't even acknowledge him he was forced to yell. "Gwen! We don't have time for this! Now get up and cover me!"

That seemed to earn the new Queens attention. With trembling hands she picked up Arthur's old sword, the one still fresh with Mordred's blood, and stood in front of Lancelot as he gradually managed to lift the fallen king. Morgana watched on from her position upon high. Her wide eyes following Lancelot as he fiercely struggled to carry Arthur to safety, her heart hammering in her chest when she realised the image was exactly like her dream. Soon Lancelot would drop to his knees and fall over her fair haired brother, just as dead as the man beneath him. Her arms fell loosely to her sides in defeat.

This war had been lost and she knew it. Short of a miracle from the heavens themselves, there was no way this battle could be swayed.

"Morgana!"

Morgana swivelled around at the yell of her name…and felt her eyes boggle with both joy and disbelief. For there in front of her, Merlin and Imi had just landed. In fact she was so overcome with jubilance that she barely noticed the Faery running up from her left, through the entrance she and Gwaine had used earlier. However Merlin did. With one raise of his hand he sent the flesh eating monster soaring off the roof and plummeting to his death.

Morgana snapped her gaze around just in time to see it snap its neck on impact. "Close…" She trailed off absent-mindedly.

"Mum!" Imi's voice would forever be burned into her memory, she realised with a smile. Turning back around she felt the smallest, yet most genuine of smiles grace her features, and opened her arms to receive the running embrace from her daughter.

Her arms folded around her flesh and blood with such ferocity that for a moment, Imi was concerned she wouldn't be able to breathe. Before long Merlin had arrived behind her, wrapping his arms around both women with one easy embrace. The black haired beauty looked up at this, and when their eyes connected she felt that familiar buzz shoot through her. The one she always got when looking into those soft magical oceans of blue. Without thinking she brought her tender lips up to meet his in a brief exchange, before moving them over to her baby girls forehead to place a delicate kiss to her smooth skin.

"Thank the Gods you're both here," Morgana breathed out, not questioning the sensation of content that they gave her despite what was happening all around them.

Merlin pulled back after a few moments to stare miserably into her eyes. "The plan didn't work, Morgana," he explained as gently as he could. "Malum had been possessing Anna since we found out about James' death, he was with us the whole time."

Morgana shut her eyes as tight as they would go. "Oh Anna," she whispered, more to herself than anything else, before her eyes snapped open again. "But, wait, that means that the platform of time is now our only option…which means Imi will have to jump in and be trapped in the void forever," she gasped and tightened her grip on her little girl without even realising, her eyes displaying her horror at the notion. "Oh no, no please not my baby."

"Mum," Imi began, pulling away only to be yanked right back into her mothers' arms. She sighed and tried again. "Mum, listen to me. We all knew this was an option and believe me, James would never have suggested it if there was another way."

Morgana seized her shoulders. "Imi, I loved James too but he didn't have time to come up with another plan. We can afford that luxury-"

"No, Mum, we can't," Imi interrupted with fierce eyes, lightly surprising her mother. "Both you and Dad need to learn that this is my choice whether I do this or not. And if I have to, I'll do it without either of you."

Morgana shook her head. "We'll talk about this later, Imi. For now you're going to have to forget your stubbornness."

Merlin shared a look with his wife. "At least she didn't inherit my ears," he sighed, a fleeting smile crossing his face when his wife glared at him, until he realised something. "Wait, we don't even know exactly where the platform is. All we know is that James said it was in the heart of the Venemagus kingdom-"

He was cut off when a flash of bright light in the distance caught his eye, causing him to turn with his family to see something that thoroughly confused him. For there on a distant volcano were words lit in flames across its side, boldly stating in no uncertain terms that the platform of time was within that mountain. Now Morgana and Imi scowled too. The very moment they had needed to know where to go, flaming giant letters had appeared telling them exactly where to go. To say it was odd would be a massive understatement.

"Ok…so…" Merlin began, unsure of how to finish. "That was…lucky."

Morgana twisted to frown at the young warlock. "Did you do that?" She quizzed, desperately confused, and watched as Merlin shook his head with feverish certainty. "So then how did that happen?"

"I don't know, but we shouldn't question our luck," he answered. "Where's Arthur and Gwen? We need to get there as fast as we can."

Morgana's cheeks paled as the memories slammed back to the front of her mind, suddenly feeling ill with guilt. "Oh, Merlin," she murmured weakly, watching as Merlin's features began to fall into a look of apprehension at her tone. "Merlin, I'm so sorry…but Arthur's…he's been…"

Merlin didn't wait any longer for her to finish. Without pausing for a second he charged to the edge of the roof and began wildly scanning the area for that familiar batch of blonde hair, only to see his best friend under a now motionless Lancelot on the ground – a distraught Gwen at their sides. His head recoiled as if it had been hit, unshed tears gathering at the base of his eyes as a hollow smile stretched onto his face.

He shook his head when Morgana and Imi arrived on either side of him, Imi's hands shooting up to her mouth to conceal her gasp. "That can't be right," Merlin informed. "It can't be. It was my destiny to protect him so he…so we could unite that land of Albion. That can't be real."

Imi ran into her mothers' warm embrace and buried her sodden eyes in her shoulder, unable to look upon her beloved Uncle's fresh corpse any longer. Taking a breath to steady her own tears she turned to view her husband. "I'm so sorry, Merlin. Mordred – he came out of nowhere-"

"Mordred," Merlin damn near growled, sounding as if it should have been obvious, before giving his head a violent shake. "I will not let this happen."

Morgana swallowed down her pain. "Merlin, there's nothing-"

"I will NOT let this happen," he interrupted, levelling her with his most determined glare. Eventually she gave him a hesitant nod, understanding that he was embracing the denial just as she had. "Imi, stay up here and help your mother," And with that short demand leapt from the roof, shocking the two most important women in his life.

His feat touched down on the slippery soil with a small thud. Without wasting any more time, he threw out his hands on either side of him as he got up to run. "Cume thedon!" He whispered. Like a storm had just rushed in overhead the wind picked up on either side of him, and soon two small whirlwinds where darting through the battling masses. "Sámbryce sé rýman," he muttered quickly, making sure the growing whirlwinds only picked off the Faery on their travels.

He leapt over three fallen bodies and landed right next to Gwen, who jolted in surprise. "Merlin!" She cried, startled but happy all the same. Merlin didn't return the pleasantry.

"Befæðman ús beinnan fýr," He muttered in a dark whisper. He spun around on the spot, his eyes flashing gold, and soon Gwen found herself encircled within a ring of fire with both Gwaine and Leon just within its parameters. But before she even had time to comment on it Merlin had already fallen to his knees beside his king and slammed his hands onto his chest. "Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ!" Once more his eyes burnt gold, lit by the spitting embers that surrounded them.

Gwen gazed on, gapping, and waited in torturous silence for something to happen. But she kept waiting, and waiting…and waiting. "Is it working?" She asked the desperate looking warlock. "Merlin?"

"Listen to me, clotpole, I don't care if you die," Merlin whispered hoarsely, ignoring Gwen and looking down at his king. "There are plenty of other Kings out there. You're not the only pompous, supercilious...condescending, royal imbecile I could work for - the world is full of them. But I'm gonna give you one more chance."

Up on the roof Morgana and Imi watched on helpless as Merlin tried to bring their king back to life twice more, and having no success. Imi closed her eyes. "He can't do it," she stated the obvious, her voice but a frail breathe. Morgana ran her fingers through her daughters' silky black hair in a repetitive motion.

"I know, sweetheart," Morgana choked out. "I know."

The two stood there for a few moments more until a deep thud sounded behind them. Turning around, the mother and daughter were completely unprepared for their hearts to leap up into their throats at the sight of Malum, still wearing Anna Regus, rising to his feet.

"Perhaps you should have realised I would know where you went, child," The docile tones of Malum carried smoothly through the riots just behind them, his yellow orbs as calm as they ever were. "It is never truly an escape when you have nowhere else to run."

Morgana threw herself in front of Imi, guiding her behind her with her hands without taking her alarmed gaze off of the demon lord. "Please, leave us alone. Why can't you just leave us in peace?"

"Because if I gave you enough time then you would find a way to destroy me," He answered bluntly, now stepping toward them with slow careful strides. "And as it so happens I have given you enough second chances. I am tired of you constantly squirming free of my advances, and it will end right now. Prepare yourself," he stated in that horrid, calm voice…before lifting his hand in their direction.

Like a shot Morgana's eyes bolted open, realising just what he was about to do. She blinked. Everything seemed to be happening so fast that the sheer speed of it frightened her. She couldn't even find the time to take a breath, but that was how things were playing out, and there was still something she could do. Not wasting another moment she whirled around and seized Imi by the shoulders, warranting the terrified look that spread over Imi's pretty features. "Thank you."

The girl from the future creased her brow. "What? Mum-"

"Always know that I love you," Morgana interrupted in rush, before quickly placing a soft kiss to her forehead and offering her the most motherly smile she had ever seen – which was saying something. "I only wish we had more time together."

Before Imi could even register what was happening, she felt pressure on her shoulder and her feet leave the safety of the floor. Her eyes flew open in a terrible realisation. Her mother had thrown her from the roof.

Merlin's head shot up when his ears picked up his daughters scream, and what he saw would stay in his mind forever. She was falling. Not concerning himself with explanations he blasted off into the air, the only thing on his mind now was the mission to catch her before she hit the ground. He hadn't been that far away when he had started and yet he found he only just managed to reach her. Imi fell into his unprepared arms, but he managed to stabilize himself before he too plummeted to ground beneath them.

Of course that was when his whole world rocked on its axis.

Just as he was sure she was secure in his arms, the home she had fallen from exploded in rush of fire and wind. He was sent soaring back, spiralling in mid-air, by the sheer force of the eruption. His bearings were gone. His memory of his position seconds before wiped. The only thing he was sure of was that he still, somehow, had a firm hold of a shrieking Imogen.

"Dad!" He heard her scream. It was at this moment that he realised his eyes had been forced closed due to the immense heat of the explosion. Plying them open, the first thing he realised was that they were heading straight for the ground. With a start he clenched every muscle in his body, his arms tightening around his daughter, and felt himself come to an immediate halt from his descent. It was a good few seconds before he finally worked up the courage to open his eyes, but when he did, he realised he was so close to the earth that had he stuck his tongue out, he could have tasted the soil.

An amused puff of air escaped him, which was when he felt something pull in his back. In an ungraceful display and with a cry of pain, both he and Imi collapsed onto the ground with light thump. Merlin sprawled out on the damp soil and cringed as pain shot through his entire body, whereas Imi wasted no time. She clawed at the ground until she scrambled back to her feet and burst off at a sprint toward the open flames, her expression petrified.

"MUM!" She shrilled as loud as she could, wretched with panic. Her mother hadn't got off the roof in time. She could feel it in her bones. It echoed in the very recesses of her gut. She had used what little time she had to save her, pushing her from the roof and knowing Merlin would catch her. Imi wanted to vomit. To crawl up into a ball and stay there forever. Her mother couldn't be dead. She just couldn't be.

Merlin forced himself to look up at the skin curdling screech emanating from the girl from the future…and felt that horrible moment when the truth settled over him. His eyes darted around in search of his wife's stunning figure. Looking everywhere and anywhere as he became more and more desperate. Where was she? The last time he had seen her was on… "No," he choked out, his bottom lip positively quaking with the evil realisation that she must have been on the roof when it went up in flames. "No, no, no! No! NO!"

He wept. He wept more than he ever had before. He tried to move but the sharp pain in his back stopped him before he got the proper chance. Anyone but Morgana, he found himself begging silently. Anyone but the woman who carried his child and who he had shared his soul with. The woman he loved. How much was he expected to take? First he had been made to choose between his daughter and the world, then he had found his best friend dead, and now…now his wife, his pregnant wife, had been blasted into atoms.

"MUM! MUM!" Imi cried, having to steady herself when she came over all woozy. "Please, Mum…help me…"

"I am afraid your mother is indisposed," Malum stated in his cold, bitter tone, as he stepped out of the flames without so much as a singe on him. Imi felt bile rise in her throat. "Still, I find myself with a question that only you can answer, Imogen Pendragon."

She shook her head at him, tears stinging her eyes and her sneer full of revulsion. "Why? Just tell me why? Why? Why do you to take EVERYTHING I LOVE!"

Anna's dainty hand came up to strike her to the floor, she tumbling onto the dirty soil beneath her. "If you are quite done, then perhaps you will listen to my proposal," he added, ever so slowly lowering himself to be eye-level with her.

"For as long as I breathe, I will never help you. I swear it," she spat, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"If you just tell me one thing, then I shall let you and your father escape this place with what little you have left," The demon lord seethed, Anna's emerald eyes alive with danger as he leaned slowly down into her personal space. "Where is James Regus?"

Imi felt her heart freeze over and snap in two, her whole being tingling with unpleasant sickness at his words. Her dry lips parted to offer him his answer…and then slammed shut again. She couldn't say it again. She would rather bring up the bile rising in her throat than say the love of her life was dead once more time. "What?" She finally breathed out, eyes gleaming with tears at the base. "You just killed my mother. My Uncle is dead because of you, you're wearing the skin of my best friend, and now you want me to convince you the man I love is dead?"

"Just tell me where he is, young one," Malum demanded. "Tell me where James Regus is or your father will join your mother in swift agony. Someone saved you when we were in the temple of Vice, someone wrote those flaming letters on the side of that mountain to let you know where the platform was, so spare me the dramatics."

Imi let an almost breathless gasp escape her, her eyes burning with hatred for the demon in front of her. "James is dead, you monster," she spat, bottom lip trembling. "He's dead. The Fates themselves killed him in the underworld. Not even he could escape-"

"SUCH a liar," Imi's voice caught in her throat, her whole body seizing as the voice seemed to shake her very core. Merlin himself solidified before their eyes. Silence overcame the battlefield. That which was once smothered in screams and swords clashing together now had everyone stood like statues, countless eyes now gazing behind Imi. Merlin allowed his jaw to drop and soul to shudder, for he was the only one out of the group in the position to see the source of the voice that had silenced the war. An instant tear slid down a numb cheek, the warm trickling sensation tickling his frozen skin. Imi closed her mouth with a haunting daunt glowing from her eyes. She barely dared to believe it. And yet she found her exhausted, aching neck turning to see what her heart was singing about…and there he stood.

"Did you miss me?" James Regus asked from his position on the mound, his arm around the waist of none other than the lady Morgana herself. Both Imi and Merlin felt their stomachs tremble. The sorcerer king smirked. "Look what I picked up," he added, lightly pulling on Morgana next to him who couldn't help but roll her eyes. Despite this though a warm smile graced her features, and with lightning speed she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Ok," Morgana chirped, releasing a breath of mock anguish. "You're amazing. It's official."

James grinned when Malum snapped to his feet. "Oh aren't I just. Now should we do this now or go for a spot of warm milk and some cheese."

Merlin, Imi, Gwaine, Leon and Gwen could only watch, aghast, as Morgana brought a finger up to her lips in playful thought. "Hmm…tricky."

"Isn't it though?" James teased right back. "I mean cheese is really good this time of year. Those cheese makers work really hard."

Merlin looked appalled as Morgana nodded her head in agreement. "But…" The warlock began with shaky precision. "But you…you both…what's happening?"

"What's happening is that I didn't die after all, simply trapped. Albeit in the underworld but still," James bounced his eyebrows. "Did you know that they don't provide a single slither of ham down there? Not even a bean! Unacceptable."

Morgana nodded, before her eyes fell on Arthur. "Oh," she murmured, examining her brothers' motionless body.

"Arthur's still as articulate as ever I see," James moaned with a roll of his eyes.

The black haired beauty pouted. "I heard him use the word valour not long ago."

"It's inspiring. No shame on the family there, though I guess I should heal him," The sorcerer King mocked, before looking across at the gaping landscaping. "Oh and by the way, Malum, can't say I'm enjoying the new look. Too much Anna, not enough...volcano face."

Malum grew a smirk on Anna's beautiful face. "Your sisters soul screamed as I consumed her, powerless to do anything else when confronted by my aptitude."

James scoffed. "Oh please, you don't even have an eye patch! I'm sorry but until you have an eye patch then I just cannot take you seriously…and while you're at it do something about that accent. It always sounds like you want to get me into bed rather than hurt me which is, of course, its own form of evil. One that I imagine would involve a bucket of grease and a stick to bite down on."

"Ok, so, thanks for the mental imagery," Morgana sighed.

"You know I wish I cared, blue, but Imi will tell you my rule."

Imi raised her eyebrows, barely able to find her shaking voice. "The rule where you never care?"

"No," He answered with a small laugh. "The one where I never EVER care. It's far more useful with a side of perfect and dipped in the gravy of amazingness –naturally mirroring my good self."

Morgana slapped him playfully on the chest. "Enough. We should probably go ahead and win the war."

"And here I thought you were the fun one," James sighed. "Fine. Well, I hope no one minds but I brought along some friends," he stated, his insane grin stretching across his face as he bounded forward and outstretched his arms wide on either side of him. "FORWARD MARCH!" He riotously screamed.

The moment his words hit the air a swarm of Wyvern soared over his head, their screeches billowing out to the crowds beneath them. Imogen found the strength to scoot back when three giants rose up from behind the love of her life, their heads seemingly almost meshing with the clouds high above, before the torrent of screams erupted from all around them. Griffins charged out from the darkness and began ripping apart the faery. The giants lurched forward. Six grotesque Cyclops stampeded out from nowhere, their heavy feet pounding into the ground as they hurtled into the rotted flesh. The sound of a trumpet blaring into the fields alerted everyone to the horde of Centaurs lining the battlefield. Merlin watched on from the ground, his jaw lowering when he took in the half-human half-horse beings, before one of the beasts stepped forward.

"STORM ON, CHIRON!" James yelled from his position, his ridiculous grin now bordering on concerning. With a mighty rear the centaurs stampeded into the war, hundreds upon hundreds streaming out from the shadows. Malum gradually turned back to face the sorcerer King – his eyes alive with fear and astonishment.

James merely smirked back at the demon. "Oh now sugar bun, don't think I forgot about you."

Malum snarled. "Regus. I knew you would show yourself eventually."

"Well congratulations you were right! And I'll be coming for you myself later!" James had to yell above the now thundering war all around them. "Because make no mistake – not one - you WILL pay for taking away MY LITTLE GIRL!" he roared, his eyes now shinning in his still raw fury, before he once again opened his arms wide on either side of him and spun on the spot. "WICCA SIRENS! WHOOOOOOOO!"

Much to the devastation of the demon lord, well over three dozen Sirens fazed into existence. The ghostly grey women, all with dangerously sharp fangs and flowing black hair, hissed with hunger and glared at the now terrified looking Malum.

"That is not fair-"

"I'd be running now gruesome!" James interrupted as fire balls began raining down from the sky. "Magic doesn't work on Wicca Sirens remember! We both know you don't have the stomach to actually face a challenge because you've never had to before! Now go on! Run! RUN! RUUUUUUUUUN!" He violently screamed, jumping up and down in his excited fever. "Runaway you coward! Run! Run!"

With one last snarl and gaze around, Malum did indeed turn tail and blast off into the sky – the Wicca Sirens flying off after him at ferocious speeds. The fireballs raining down from the sky thundered into the ground all around them. Beasts that begged belief fought on their side, Faery both in the air and ground were falling like flies, and in the middle of it all was a jubilant Morgana. The Lady of Camelot was bouncing on her heels and clapping her hands, her grin threatening to split her stunning face in two.

"We're winning!" She chimed like a six year old told she could play with her favourite toy.

Merlin, Gwen, Imi, Gwaine and Leon watched as James Regus' grin showed off all of his insanity, his tongue coming out to roll over his lips in excitement.

"Fire and rage, Blue," The sorcerer king whispered. "Now, time to bring down God."


Phew right? I've written less for my dissertations. But don't fret, because now I get 2 hours of sleep before my little girl wakes me up lol Anyways, as always, would love to know what you thought so please R&R. In the next chapter: There are some nice and nasty reunions; the group find the platform of time; And isn't there one part of Morgana's dream that has yet to come true?

Stay tuned.