My plot gremlins and I present to you Serum II.
I should probably warn you there is a little Merlin whump in this chapter.
""Merlin"" Morgana tried to contact the warlock using telepathy for the hundredth time in the half hour the group had been riding.
"Any luck yet Morgana?" Arthur asked knowing what she was doing, as they pushed the horses to go as fast as they could following the little dragon that was flying out in front of them leading the way.
"no, he's still not answering" Morgana called back to him.
"Maybe he's out of range" Elyan suggested." you two did tell us magic users have to be in a certain distance to mind talk, right?"
"Merlin would have to be miles out of Camelot for us not to be able to mind talk," Morgana told him as they slowed the horses down to adjust for turn into the woods that Athusa made. The path was no longer wide enough for a full gallop as it had been, Athusa started flying back and forth as she got too far ahead then came back to make sure they were still coming then flying ahead again.
"We've been able to communicate when He's visiting his parents and Mordred in Ealdor"
Athusa gave a cry as they reached a small creek, there were signs of a struggle and someone lay at the bottom of a tree. Morgana paled as she saw the lifeless body. It wasn't Merlin, she knew that much even without seeing the man's face
Gwaine jumped down for his horse before it came to a full stop and ran across the creek to the body. Arthur followed and they turned the body over to see a face neither had seen in over a year.
Morgana dismounted and joined them, She looked down at the tall blond haired man she had for a short time considered a friend with the potential for something more.
"I know him," Arthur said confused "how do I know him?"
"his name is Alvar" Morgana told him as she turned away from the body.
Arthur turned to her waiting for further explanation about the man who had been left where Athusa had last seen his friend and advisor.
"I remember him," Percival said "he was one of the Escetirs knights"
"that's right," Arthur said" I remember, he helped save you and Gwen from bandits when they attacked your guards on the way back from visiting Gorloise's grave"
"is it possible he came across Merlin being attacked and tried to help?" Elyan asked
Morgan looked around with both her eyes and her magic, she shook her head.
"I wish I could say he had," Morgana said "but I don't think so"
Morgana pointed out a spot of damage on the tree above were Alvar lay. There was blood from were Alvar's head had been cracked on the tree.
"The only residual magic I can sense is Merlins and a little from Alvar," She told them.
"unless whoever took Merlin had a person big enough to throw him into the tree hard enough to cause that damage it had to have been Merlin, and I doubt he would have thrown someone who was trying to help him like that"
"we'll deal with this later," Arthur said "right now we need to focus on finding Merlin"
"your right" Morgana said as she mounted her horse, she wasn't ready to talk about Alvar in more detail. She wondered if this was her fault, maybe if she had said something when Alvar had first shown up as a knight after having been an enemy of Camelot. What was it he had said to Uther all those years ago when the King had called him an enemy of Camelot? Being an enemy of Camelot is no crime.
A knot formed in Morgana's stomach as Arthur looked around and picked up a bloody arrow from the ground. He frowned at the bit of flesh that was stuck to the head of the arrow, whoever had removed it had ripped it out obviously not caring if he caused damage to the person, Merlin, who had been shot.
He and the other knight's locked eyes all were on the same page.
"Morgana, I want you to take Athusa and go back to Camelot with the two guards," Arthur said as he and Gwaine remounted their horses the other knight had not gotten off theirs.
"what? No" Morgana argued "I'll send Athusa back with them, but I am going with you to help rescue Merlin"
"Morgana, I know your capable of helping but this is not the time to argue with me," Arthur said.
"then don't argue, just accept that I'm coming with you," Morgana told him.
The two guards that had been instructed to come with the group looked back and forth between the king and his sister, unsure or what to do.
Arthur sighed and gave Morgana a sympathetic look, he understood, if he were in her position he would insist on going to. Even if Merlin and Morgana hadn't figured it out themselves, everyone else could see it.
"Morgana, this isn't about your ability to help rescue Merlin," Arthur told her " I need to know Camelot is safe while we are searching for Merlin, and to be sure of that I need you to be there"
Morgana opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Damn him he made a good point.
"fine, I'll go back to the city." Morgana said, "but if you haven't returned with Merlin in two days I'm coming after you"
"Right, two days," Arthurs said in agreement, he could argue the sense of having back up.
Morgana called Athusa over to her and tucked the little dragon who was tired from flying so fast to and from Camelot in the crook of her arm and turned her horse to return to Camelot with the two guards who rode one in front and one behind.
Serrum watched as the lid was removed from the top of the old well that had been turned into an anti-magic cell. The well had been created by his grandfather for magic users that used their magic to commit crimes and know magic itself was a crime. The bottom of the well was twenty feet down and the walls were covered in iron and druid symbols.
He watched with stone-faced patience as the men lowered the hooked staff with the hooked chain on it to the chain that held the prisoner. They used the hook from the staff to first unlock the chain from the wall then hooked the chain to the chain. The staff was pulled out before his men started pulling the prisoner out of the cell. It took a couple of minutes to pull him out, not because they were trying to be gentle. No one cared if the magic user was injured on his way up.
The dark haired man was pulled out of the cell and thrown to the ground before their leader. He took a sharp breath then looked up at Sarrum defiantly.
Merlin took a sharp breath as he landed on the ground, his injury from being shot being jostled once again. He had passed out again from exhaustion and had woken up when a sharp pain had shot through him when his injury hit the side of the well as he was being pulled up. His first thought was, Ow. His second was maybe he was being rescued. He had looked up hoping to see Arthur and or Camelot's knight, maybe Morgana or some druids. He was disappointed to see the faces of a couple of the people who had attacked him. Then he found himself thrown to the ground in front of a man who looked at him like he was the lowest creature he had ever lay-ed eyes on.
Even Uther had never looked at a magic user like that, he had looked at them with anger but Merlin had never seen him look at anyone like this man was looking at him now. It unnerved the warlock, how could someone he'd never met look at him with such hatred.
Merlin pushed himself up and moved to stand speaking as he stood.
"who are?"
He was cut off as the man's fist swung out and hit him in the side of the head knocking him down.
"you will not speak," The man told him with an eery calm as if he hadn't just hit him.
He leaned down and taking hold of the back of Merlin's neck held him so his face was to the ground.
"you will not stand unless told to do so"
Merlin tried to struggle, the chains were still blocking his magic but he could fight, at least he could if he could get up.
Serrum moved his hand but before Merlin could do anything a metal collar clamped around his neck and he was dragged away. Merlin had to kick at the ground to keep from choking as he was dragged over to a post that was covered in the same anti-magic symbols from the well.
He was lifted up by the collar and the chain was attached to the post. The chain held him facing the post giving him only enough room for his nose to just not touch it. He places his hand in the post for a sense of balance, while his head spun with dizziness from being dragged like that and being jerked up by the neck. He coughed after having had the sudden need to fight to breathe, with no warning.
Hey didn't attach his chained arms to the post, he was only held to it by his neck and it was holding him in a way that he had to stand on the balls of his feet so the collar didn't pull on his neck.
"do you know who I am" The man asked.
Merlin had observed the men's clothes and the symbols that were sewn into the arms. He was the coat of arms sewn into the chest of there leaders cloths. He may have never met him before but he knew who he was.
"Your Serrum" Merlin answered
"do you have any idea" Merlin was cut off as he was struck on his back by something thin hard and solid. He gritted his teeth to fight from crying out as he was struck five more times.
"you will only speak an answer any question directed to you" Serrum sneered in his ear.
"I know what you are, you are the lowest kind of creature to walk on earth. You and all your kind choosing to practice magic. You disgust me, as far as I am concerned that decision has removed your right to call yourself a person.
Merlin scowled at him.
"I was" He was struck again six times.
"born" six more
"with magic" six more.
Serrum stepped back and handed the rod he had struck Merlin with to one of his men who handed him a whip that spread out on the end into four leather strips.
"I told you not to speak unless asked a question," Serrum told him as he pulled back and struck him with the whip. Merlin grabbed the post to keep from losing his balance as the leather strips struck his back and legs.
"do you think you are the first to try to tell me that lie?"
Merlin gritted his teeth not saying anything. The whip struck him again.
"you will answer my questions" Serrum demanded.
"I don't know about anyone else," Merlin said "but I'm not lying, I've had magic since before I can remember"
Serrum pulled back the whip to strike him again, but then stopped. He lowered the whip then stepped over to speak to Merlin putting his only inches away from his. He reached out and grabbed the warlocks hair pulling his head back as far as the chain and collar would physically let him, Merlin winced as the metal dug into his neck.
"Uther was much to easy on the magic users found in his kingdom, and because of that, you were able to get your hooks into his son," Serrum said the eary calm back in his voice.
"I don't know what kind of enchantment you placed on Arthur and his knights, but reassured that you will pay. Uther was too merciful giving magic users the quick death of beheading, or hanging or burning"
Merlin glared at him, was he serious? How was any of that merciful? And how many of his kind had this man murdered?
Serrum pulled out a dagger, Merlin tensed up but Serrum didn't stab him with it. Instead, he used the blade to cut open the back of his shirt then ripped it open to reveal his bareback.
"for your disobedience and lying to me, you do not get the protection of cloth on your back"
Serrum stepped back and once again raised the whip he pulled back and flicked his wrist and forearm.
Morgana rode into Camelot followed by the two guards Arthur had sent with her. Gwen was waiting for her by the stables. Morgana dismounted handing the reins of the horse to a stable hand with one hand and holding Athusa with the other.
"You're dismissed," Morgana told the two guards before they had a chance to dismount then hurried over passing Gwen with a look that said follow me.
"what happen?" Gwen asked as she turned and fell into step with her friend.
Morgana explained what they had found and her agreement with Arthur.
"two days?" Gwen asked surprised since this was Merlin they were talking about.
"I doubt I'll wait even that long" Morgana told her as they reached her destination. She opened Merlin's door and walked in heading straight to his bookshelf after placing Athusa down on Merlin's bed.
"Morgana, what?" Gwen asked
"I didn't say I wouldn't send back up sooner or that I'd stay in Camelot at all times," Morgana told her with a grin as she found the spell she was looking for"
"what are you doing?"
"I'm going to get help," Morgana told her, "don't worry, I'll be back"
Gwen gave her a worried look but nodded her assent.
"be careful," she told her "I'm going to tell Gaius what's going on and send messengers to spread the word to the patrols to keep an eye out"
The two women hugged each other before Gwen hurried out of the room closing the door behind her. She took a breath and sent up a prayer for her friends, she could empathize with what Morgana was going through Even if Morgana herself was yet to admit her feelings for a certain ex-servant.
Morgana read the spell five times to be sure she had it right and to be able to remember it to come back.
"Westanwind aberan me to se Draca Freadrihten Balinor" (Western wind bring me to to the Dragon Lord Balinor). Morgana's eyes glowed and the air started to circle around her.
and we are ending the chapter here, what's this but that means there's going to be a Serrum 3 will there be a Serrum 4 I don't know only my plot gremlins do I just don't like unbearably long chapters
