Chapter 35: Confrontation

GWAINE

I should have been happy, no ecstatic about having Merlin back, but I could barely force myself to keep going. I was numb from the pain of losing Elyan. We all were, even our freshly rescued warlock.

Merlin had fallen asleep from exhaustion. In a way, I was glad. Not only did he need the rest, but it would prevent him from mourning Elyan. I hated to admit it, but we didn't have time to properly mourn him.

The most unnerving change was in Hale. She was so silent I had to check repeatedly to make sure she was still there. She clearly felt responsible for Elyan's death, not that I could blame her. All four of us felt that there was something we could have done differently. Maybe we could have saved him.

"Prepare yourselves, young ones," the dragon spoke up suddenly. "We are approaching the battlefield." Sure enough, I could hear weapons clashing, beasts roaring and men screaming.

"It never ends, does it?" I muttered as we descended.

Kilgharrah landed in the same area we met. Hale and I helped Merlin down from the dragon's back. He collapsed as soon as his feet hit the ground.

"Gah!" he gasped. "S-sorry, I just… I'm not used to moving around so much."

"It's fine," Hale assured him quietly. She and I picked the poor man up and carried him over to a nearby tree. We propped him up against it.

"You need to stay here," Hale said kindly. "Rest up while you have the chance." Merlin shook his head.

"No," he rasped. "I need to help you defeat Cairon. I'm supposed to help protect Albion, it's my destiny -"

"Well you aren't going to be much help if you're half dead," Hale reprimanded sharply. She turned to Kilgharrah. "Will you stay and watch him to make sure he doesn't do something stupid?" The dragon inclined his head.

"Of course," he responded. Hale turned back to Merlin.

"Look, if you feel well enough to fight later, I'm sure Kilgharrah will be more than happy to bring you over and bash some heads in the process. But for now, stay here." I couldn't stop a wave of admiration and affection from sweeping through me. Even after such a hard battle, and losing Elyan, Hale still took charge and was determined to keep going.

Hale looked at our final companion. "Perhaps you'd better stay here too, Gwen," she said softly. Gwen nodded mutely and plopped down beside Merlin.

I exchanged glances with Hale, silently communicating my worry. Was it really safe to leave the two alone when they were so vulnerable? Hale obviously shared my concern, but she nodded slightly to the dragon. We'd just have to hope he could protect them, but I wasn't sure if even Kilgharrah could fend off a horde of Cairon's monsters.

"Let's go, Gwaine," Hale said. "I've got quite a score to settle with my dear uncle."

Hale and I didn't even bother hiding ourselves. As soon as we were within sight of the battlefield, we charged at the first enemies we could get our hands on.

Hale screamed as she tackled an enemy from behind, stabbing him through the back. He was dead before he even knew what hit him. She leapt over the body and slashed down another opponent within seconds.

I tried to do the same, but my opponent saw me coming. This one was human as far as I could tell. He could have passed for one of our allies if his armor didn't look like it came straight from a nightmare. The armor was a metallic black and covered him from head to toe. Spikes emerged from the shoulders and helmet, ready to pierce anyone who dared try to take him by surprise. His gauntlets too were spiked, as were the bottoms of his boots. A bloody conflict was depicted on the breastplate.

Our blades locked and we desperately pushed against each other's weapons. Unfortunately, my enemy was stronger. I gritted my teeth as I was slowly pushed back. My heels carved tracks in the ground as my opponent began to overpower me.

Just as my enemy was about to win, I let my sword slip to the side, taking his with it. The force of our combined strength sent shockwaves up both our arms as the weapons hit the ground. My enemy's hit so hard that it embedded itself in the dirt. He tried in vain to tug it out, but I managed to pry my sword from the Earth's clutches and stab the vulnerable juncture between his shoulder and neck. He choked and gurgled on some blood, then his eyes rolled back in his head as he died.

"Baerne!" I paled as a fire appeared out of nowhere and scorched all the enemies nearby. Some were lucky enough to escape with only a few minor burns. Others were caught in the middle and turned to ash.

Turning to Hale, the only one who could have cast the spell, I found her doubled over and panting.

"Are you alright?" I asked anxiously. I put a hand on her back and began rubbing circles.

"Fine," she panted. "Just… a little low on energy right now. I didn't expect the spell to take that much out of me."

"You should save your strength," I said worriedly. "You're already exhausted and at your limit from battling Morgana. Don't waste any energy on extra spells unless absolutely necessary."

"Yes, mother," Hale grumbled. I glared at her but she either didn't notice or pointedly ignored me. She straightened and stretched with a groan.

At that moment, another opponent tried to sneak up on Hale but she danced away before its blade reached her. This opponent wore a heavy cloak of black, the hood covering the face, but there was something off about it. I puzzled over it for a moment before I realized what it was. It was completely, purely black - no shadows, no highlights, no sign that the material was anything cloth-like. And even in the middle of the battlefield, the maybe-cloak radiated a cold aura.

Hale had noticed the sinister cloak too. She narrowed her eyes, then suddenly grabbed a stone from the ground and hurled it at her opponent. It didn't even try to dodge, and it didn't have to. The cloak swallowed it right up.

My eyes widened along with Hale's. What was that cloak made of?!

"It's…" Hale gasped. "I think it's made of dark magic!"

"You've got to be kidding me," I groaned. Now their armor was enchanted?

"Well damn. Now what am I going to do? I can't kill it if I can't touch it!" Hale complained. The thing - I couldn't tell what it was under all that black - made a weird rasping, rattling sound.

"Was… was that a laugh?" I asked in bewilderment. Hale growled.

"It thinks this is funny, huh? Well if that cloak of yours is made of dark magic, I doubt it will take kindly to the light." Hale drew her hands in front of her to cast a spell.

"Stop!" I snatched her wrist. "I thought we agreed no magic unless absolutely necessary!"

"You think it's not necessary now?" she asked incredulously. I opened my mouth to argue when I heard a crackling sound behind us. I turned to see a ball of fire hurtling towards me and Hale.

"Duck!" I cried and pulled Hale to the ground with me. The fireball struck the ground behind us, directly in front of Hale's opponent. It hissed and slithered back. Was it some sort of snake hybrid?

I glared in the direction the fireball was shot from as I helped Hale up.

"Don't look at me," Hale said. She put her hands up. "I didn't do it."

"I know," I grumbled. "It came from behind us. Unless you kept a spare hidden in the clouds or something." She snorted.

"I don't think that's possible," she said. "The only way to hide a fireball up there is if we asked Kilgharrah to keep watch or something."

"Then who -" Both Hale and I were forced to dive out of the way as our forgotten enemy lunged. The cloak appeared to magically grow tentacles and shot out to grab our ankles.

"Ahh!" The cloak held us upside down as we swung our swords wildly.

"How is this even possible?!" I cried. "That damn cloak just swallowed the rock before - why are we still here?!"

"Don't question it!" Hale roared back. "Just focus on getting out of this mess!" We struggled with all we had, but it was in vain.

"Baerne!" Another fireball came flying towards us, this time hitting the tentacle holding Hale. Our enemy shrieked in pain as the fireball had ripped a hole right through the cloak where it hit. Hale fell to the ground with an oomph.

"Baerne!" A third ball of fire struck the tentacle holding me, and I went down much in the same way as Hale did. The two of us scrambled away from our enemy, and just in time too. A barrage of fire came raining down on our opponent, engulfing it and reducing it to nothing in mere moments.

"That is how it is done." Hale and I whipped around to see the blind Druid seer smiling at us.

"You!" Hale leapt to her feet. "What are you doing here? This is a battlefield, it's dangerous!" The seer cocked her head to the side.

"Did you not call for our help, daughter of Arianrhod?" she asked. Hale looked confused for a moment, then smacked her forehead.

"Of course! You gave the charm to Lancelot, didn't you Gwaine?" I nodded.

"So you do require our assistance. That is good to know, although it was inevitable given who you're up against," the seer said calmly. How she managed to look so serene in the midst of a war, I'll never know. She raised her head, sightless blue eyes turned towards the heavens.

"It is time for us to take back what is ours," she announced. "Let us go to battle!"

"That damned witch!" Gilfaethwy banged his staff on the ground in fury. "Going and getting herself killed like that. Arianrhod's brat is stronger than I thought."

"Indeed she is." Gilfaethwy whirled around to see none other than his hated sister, the White Lady smirking at him. However, the smirk didn't reach her eyes, which were cold and harder than steel. She absentmindedly reached up to stroke the familiar marten on her shoulder.

"What's the matter, brother dearest? Surprised to see me?" She chuckled. "Well you really shouldn't be. You knew it was only a matter of time when you began to mess with my domain." Gilfaethwy's eyes narrowed in hatred.

"You've held power for far too long, Arianrhod," he spat. "It's time you pay your dues!"

"Oh?" Arianrhod raised an eyebrow. "What's this? The outcast is trying to assert his nonexistent dominance, is he?" Gilfaethwy glowered at her, but she only rolled her eyes.

"Please, Gilfaethwy," the goddess said cooly. "We've done all this before. You and I both know you stand no chance of defeating me. You are simply too weak. Now kindly stop this childish tantruming. Get your toys under control and out of my territory!" At that, Gilfaethwy smiled a terrible, knowing smile.

"Do we really know that, sister dearest?" he mocked her. "Don't think I don't know exactly how this 'protecting your territory' gig works. In exchange for near limitless power to protect your domain," his grin widened. "Your life is tied to it. The state of the land reflects your health." Arianrhod's smile had long since vanished. Her insane brother began cackling.

"And oh, what a sorry state your territory is in, my lady. You must be furious with yourself for letting it come to this. It is your arrogance that cost you so dearly, my dear." Arianrhod was so still and pale, she could easily have passed for a marble statue.

"I suppose I have no choice then," the goddess said finally. "I was hoping to avoid this outcome, considering we are family. However, you have forced my hand." Slowly, Arianrhod raised her right hand out in front of her.

"To protect my land and its people, you must die, brother Gilfaethwy. I, Arianrhod the White, will kill you myself."