A/N:

Lots of action, no swords involved, sad, intense, slightly confusing, well, you'll just have to see!

please review! Hopefully my detail is good and so is my grammar. Well, hope you enjoy!

Merlin didn't know how it started, but it didn't really matter. All he knew was the person who started it.

And that person was none other than Gwaine.

Merlin was only one drink in when it happened. There was the sound of a fist slamming into flesh, then yelling, and then chaos.

He can't say he was honestly surprised. Gwaine was always the one to somehow get himself in trouble and provoke any guy around him to get angry and start a fight. Who knows, maybe he flirted with a married man's wife. Certainly wasn't the first time Merlin had heard of it.

He didn't even know why he got involved in the first place. Maybe it was to save his friend or perhaps he missed being able to kick someone's arse.

One punch to the face, another in the gut, and a swift kick to the chest was enough to make his opponent crash into a table and not get back up. Well, at least not for awhile.

Merlin looked to his left just in time to see Cade slam a man on the table, the poor guy received several hits to the face.

The warlock winced. That one was definitely going to leave a mark.

And another thing that didn't surprise Merlin was Gwaine's insane ability to not just get involved in a fight with one guy, but the whole damn tavern.

Possibly it was because everyone was just drunk, but nobody truly knew why they were punching the guy next to them or pulling another girls hair. If one starts fighting, the whole tavern gets involved. And now, it was a serious problem.

A blow to Merlin's left eye caused him to stagger back a few steps. He wanted to hold his eye and hold onto it till the throbbing pain stopped but in a split second decision he remembered that the person who had just punched him probably was going to continue to make him his human punching bag. He looked up just in time to see the man trudging at him with a- wait... Merlin squinted his good eye.

Was that a Knife?

"Oh sard."

Before Merlin could even think to move, he was miraculously saved.

It was all a big blur since his left eye was tearing up from the hit. But what he could tell from the sudden rush of green movement was that somebody tackled the man resulting in both people crashing into a small wooden table. His attacker taking the brunt of the fall.

When the big burly man with the knife picked his head up from under the green cloaked guy, the mysterious man punched the armed man in the face, instantly knocking him out.

The man turned his head towards Merlin and quickly assessed him for injuries if his wondrous eyes were anything to go by. The warlock sighed in relief.

It was Alex.

Piercing green eyes locked onto his, from what Merlin could tell, Alex was deeply worried.

"We need to talk!" He yelled over the loud crowd.

Just then someone swung in Merlin's blind spot. He quickly grabbed the outstretched hand and pulled before connecting his knee into the man's ribs, similarily what he had done to Arthur the day before. The man fell to the floor in a heap of gasps, and once he seemed to be taken care of Merlin returned his attention to his friend.

"Maybe later?" He suggested. "I'm kind of busy here."

"Yeah!" Alex called back as he kicked a guy in the head, knocking his drunk opponent out easily. "I guess we can take care of this first."

This time he was caught off guard. So Merlin wasn't prepared.

He grunted and closed his eyes for the inevitable when someone crashed full force into his body.

He slammed on the ground with a heavy man on top of him. His cry of pain didn't go unnoticed by Alex, but it was unfortunate that he was currently busy with his own guy.

Merlin let out a wheeze just before the man got up and placed his giant, clammy hands around Merlin's neck, squeezing with a vice grip.

The warlock's breathing immediately ceased and he clawed at the hands of his assailant, trying desperately to pry them off. His legs kicked out vigorously from underneath him.

If he didn't do something quick he would be a dead man.

Magic was his only other solution, and it was either that or say goodbye to his destiny.

It wasn't hard to push the guy off of him and onto the floor a couple feet away, his magic had been desperately trying to come out the moment it had sensed Merlin was in danger.

He stood up, deliberately ignoring the throbbing pain in his neck. The man he had just flung off of himself sat up with bugged eyes.

"Sorc-!"

But he had no time to finish that statement, because Merlin had already crossed the distance between them and slammed his foot down on his head.

He was not going to be outed, not today, and not by anyone other than himself.

He didn't have time to turn around because once again, Merlin was tackled but this time, from behind.

He fell hard on his bent arms, his elbows no doubt now scraped and bleeding from the fall.

He attempted to get up but his attempts were futile when the guy quickly adjusted himself and sat on top of him. The new person grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled his head back before slamming his forehead into the ground.

He let out a painful yelp as the guy pulled his head back again, getting ready to repeat the same action. Merlin couldn't see anything, and he had an idea of what he looked like now, some dazed person with a big bleeding gash on his head.

Before the man had a chance to slam his head into the hard floor once again, the weight was suddenly gone. His heavy head flopped roughly to the ground, emitting a low groan from deep inside of Merlin. The sounds that once filled the chaotic room were blocked out by the loud pounding sounding throughout his head.

His right cheek was lying on the cool wooden floor. Crimson red blood made its way down his temple and onto the ground. He should get up, he really should before someone else came to finish him off because you never know what could happen around a drunk man. They were capable of almost anything. He needed to get up, to make his way back to the castle and find Gaius, but he didn't feel like it. His head hurt, and he felt hot, really hot all over and the floor felt so good. He was content on resting right there, lying down on the ground forever and never getting up. He was so tired and the alcohol in his system wasn't helping. He was a light weight and after just one drink he always became drunk. It wasn't his fault the tankard his drink came in was so large and filled to the brim with mead.

The warlock felt a slight tug on his arm.

"Come on Merlin, up." Someone said, their voice muffled from the rush of blood in Merlin's head.

He let out a pained groan as he was pulled to his feet. The man held Merlin's waist as he took his arm and lifted it over and onto his shoulder.

Good, Merlin thought, because he wouldn't be able to walk on his own anyway.

His vision blurred and he stumbled a bit before there was a tighter squeeze around his waist, he silently thanked the gods for the extra support. Merlin squeezed his eyes tight for a moment, desperate for his headache to just go away, but of course, nothing changed. He let out a slow, ragged breath and tried to ignore the sting in his eye, forehead, and elbows, but sadly, his magic was thrumming through his veins and that caused his senses to heighten, and unfortunately his pain too.

Merlin watched with one eye as a guy was nearly beaten to death right in front of him. Blood oozed out from the victim's nose and onto the fist of his opponent. Every punch was a pang in Merlin's gut and the disturbing feeling in his stomach deepened each time a blow was landed.

He couldn't help the small gasp that escaped his lips when the person in front of him finally registered in his brain. It was the moment he saw the long shaggy brown hair that he knew it was him.

"G-Gwaine." Merlin whispered, trying desperately to reach his friend.

The arm around his waist tightened even more, this time Merlin finally looked to his right to see who it was.

He wasn't surprised to see Alex's worried face.

"We need to take it slow." The Prince said, looking intently into Merlin's eyes. "I know you want to get back to Gaius as fast as you can but-"

"Gwaine." Merlin said weakly once more, he gave a small nod in the direction of his injured friend.

Alex turned this time and the warlock watched as his eyes widened just a fraction before softening.

"I can't leave you alone here, I won't." He insisted. "Not even for a moment."

Merlin looked around the best he could. He noticed the crowded tavern and all the fighting, blood stains, spilled mead, and broken furniture. Not to mention the few bodies lying around. To be honest, Merlin didn't want to be left alone either.

He looked over at Gwaine again, and a small sense of determination settled in his mind. He would help Gwaine, even if nobody else would.

With just a thought, Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the man, who was just about to deliver a final punch to Gwaine's bloody face, fell backwards. He hit his head hard on a nearby chair and didn't get back up.

Merlin never kept his eyes off Gwaine as Alex shepherded him out of the tavern. He'd be damned if he lost Gwaine, he'd already lost one brother, he didn't need to lose another.

It was during their walk back to the castle when Merlin heard the scream.

"Fire! Fire!"

He quickly turned his head around and stared with wide eyes as smoke rose from the building.

Sure enough, The Rising Sun was on fire.

Merlin pushed his way out of Alex's grasp and started running towards the tavern.

"Merlin!" He called after him, "Merlin stop!"

"My friends are in there!" The warlock screamed back, keeping his eyes on the entrance as he got closer. "And so are yours!"

It was obviously the adrenaline pumping through his veins that kept him going and running at speeds like that. Perhaps maybe it was his magic too. He didn't really know, nor did he care at the moment.

As he neared he kept pushing aside people who got in his way. It was chaotic and civilians were rushing out the door, screaming frantically all around him.

He had just reached the door when someone grabbed his arm.

"Merlin..."

He looked up sharply and quickly jerked his hand out of the man's grasp.

"Merek." He whispered, surprised.

"No," the illusion of Merek shook his head. "Cade."

The warlock closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to gain composure. When he opened his eyes again, it was no longer his enemy who was staring back at him, but his dear friend, Cade.

"Cade." He sighed happily.

The other flashed him a quick smile before schooling his features. "No time for greetings Merlin, we've got people to save. We're knights," he reminded him, "and it's our duty."

The warlock quickly grabbed the knights wrist and pulled him Inside.

"Then let's hurry."

The moment they entered through the doors, the smoke attacked them. Their vision was blocked out by the heavy smoke and their lungs became filled with ash. They coughed almost immediately, using there hands to fan out the smoke around them, but it was useless, the smoke was to much. The heat was almost unbearable but it wasn't anything Merlin wasn't already used to.

"I need." Merlin wheezed in between coughs, "to find Gwaine."

"áscrepan," Cade quickly spoke, and suddenly the air around Merlin and the knight cleared.

The warlock took the advantage and looked around him, to his utter surprise, there was no sign of him.

"D-did you say you needed to find Gwaine?" Cade asked a little breathlessly.

"Yeah," Merlin said softly as he looked more frantically around. The fire began to envelop the walls, and still not sign of him. "But he's-"

"Not here." Cade finished for him. It was in such a knowing tone that it caused Merlin to quickly snap his gaze up to his friends.

"What? How did you-"

"I saw Matthew and Lucas grab him during the stampede." He answered before taking a quick glance around the room. "He's safe."

Merlin looked around once more, now noticing that there wasn't anyone left but them. People must have carried out those who couldn't do it themselves.

"Then why are we here?" Merlin asked with genuine curiosity.

The fire continued to spread.

"Because," Cade said as he began to walk forward, "That's why."

Merlin looked towards the direction Cade was pointing at and saw what looked to be a foot sticking out from behind the bar.

"Who is that?" He called over the crackling flames. He winced when he saw debris fall from the ceiling. When it crashed on the wooden floor sparks flew up and it immediately began to catch fire.

With just a wave of Merlin's hand, the fire was out.

"The barmaid who helped serve me." Cade answered, finally rounding the bar and crouching down, now hidden from view. "I knew the others would forget about her so I came back. She was hit from behind by oomph-"

There was an odd sound that sounded too much like something piercing flesh that drew his attention.

"Cade?" Merlin asked worriedly, beginning to walk forward towards the shoe. The smoke around the warlock immediately began to encompass him again. "Cade!"

"rýmet," an unfamiliar voice spoke.

The air began to clear again and once it had Merlin finished the remaining distance between himself and where Cade was last seen.

He took a sudden step back and gripped on to the edge of the counter. His heart rate began to speed up as his eyes scoured over a puddle of blood.

There was no sign of Cade.

"Yoo-hoo!" An unfamiliar female voice rang out. "Over here!"

Merlin turned swiftly around. The sight that met him was something he never expected to see.

Cade was on his knees with his arms hanging loosely at his sides. He stared up at Merlin with a pale, blank face, sweat dripping down his face. He looked ill, sick. But what drew his attention the most was the expanding red stain on the bottom right of his white tunic. He was bleeding profusely because he was stabbed in his lower abdomen.

"Cade," Merlin murmured as he took a step closer.

"Stay back!" The girl yelled. She yanked Cade's dirty blonde hair back, and placed the sharp blade of the bloody knife on his neck. "Stay back or he dies."

Merlin held both hands up in an attempt to calm the girl down. She was pale just like he was, her Raven black hair was tied in a braid that lay softly on her shoulder.

"Okay, okay." He spoke softly, taking another small step forward, "he is going to die if you don't let me take him to the physician."

"No!" She shrieked, now pressing the blade a little harder. A small trail of blood drizzled from the knights neck. "I said stay back!"

Cade groaned, his eyes fluttering.

"Sorry! Sorry." Merlin apologized. She wasn't the only one who was frightened.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" Her sudden change in voice had Merlin furrowing his brows in confusion. "He's going to die whether you come close or not."

Suddenly her skin began to morph and her hair began to grow shorter. Her shoulders grew wider, and her arms got stronger. It wasn't long before Merlin was looking into the eyes of someone he dreaded to see.

"Hello brother." James greeted with a mischievous smile. Cade began to squirm from James' grasp, but evidently only made the gash in his neck worse.

He cried out in pain.

"Quiet, you!" James said looking down as he scolded Cade. "I'm trying to have a nice conversation with my dear brother and your ruining it."

"James please." Merlin begged, he really didn't know what his brother was trying to do. "Let him go, it's me you want."

His brother looked up sharply. "Is it?" He spat. "What could I possibly want with the likes of you?"

"I-"

"The King wants you." James corrected him. "I just want you dead."

Merlin shook his head vehemently. "I don't believe that."

James tilted his head. "Oh?"

"I refuse to believe that." Merlin stated, glaring defiantly at James.

"What? That the king wants you?" James asked, playing dumb.

"No," Merlin shook his head. "That you want me dead."

"Hm? Oh!" His brother nodded. "Well yes, of course that's what you meant. Well," he shrugged, "hate to break it to you little bro, but I don't care whether you live or die. But! As I see you are a threat, standing in my way to Camelot's king, I must eliminate you." He tilted his head and pursed his lips as if contemplating. "It's a pity, I wish I could've had more fun with you."

That, spurred Merlin into action. He quickly raised his hand and muttered.

"Wáce- No!"

Merlin yelled just as the sickening sound of slicing flesh stopped him mid chant.

Cade's eyes were wide as he stared into Merlin's who matched his completely. Blood gushed out of the deep slit in the knights throat and onto his wife tunic that was beginning to be fully encompassed by crimson red. The sounds of his gasps and gurgling filled Merlin ears as tears fell from both of their eyes.

"No!" He screamed, making a run towards Cade only to slam into an invisible force.

Merlin shouted, kicked and banged his fists on the invisible barrier trying desperately to get to his dying friend.

"Cade! Cade!" He screeched. "Let me in you bastard!" He yelled to a grinning James, "let me in!"

He threw a couple more hits but they were useless. He eventually laid his palms flat on the barrier and slid to the ground, crying uncontrollably as he stared at his still struggling friend.

"I'd kill you myself," remarked James, "but I think the fire will do that for me. And I'd like you to feel what other magic users felt when they were sentenced to the pyre. After all, you do deserve this death Merlin. You deserve to suffer for not doing a single thing about it. All because you wanted to be good in the eyes of your king. I'm not the evil one here brother, you are."

James said a quick spell and disappeared.

Cade fell the floor at the same time a crack was heard coming from somewhere above the warlock.

Merlin looked up in time to see part of the wooden roof collapse.

He didn't have time to mutter a spell, nor did he think about it until it would've been to late. But somehow, the roof never came crashing down on him.

It was frozen in midair.

Merlin gasped and quickly looked towards his friend.

There was Cade, blood dripping from his mouth, eyes wide and hand shakily outstretched, his eyes were a beautiful gold.

A sob escaped Merlin's lips as he began to crawl over to him. The moment the warlock was in the clear, Cade's hand went slump and there was a big crash from behind him.

Merlin ignored it.

This time, there was no barrier standing in between them, and for that, Merlin was grateful.

When he reached him, Merlin cradled Cade's head and held it in his arms as he brushed away the bangs off his forehead.

"Sh, shh." Merlin said, rocking him back and forth while caressing his pale cheek. "It's alright, Cade, it's okay, I can save you."

Merlin hesitantly put his hand over Cade's throat and muttered a healing spell, pouring everything he had into the wound.

"hælbære."

He opened his eyes and smiled down when he saw gold shine over the slit before sealing shut. Only blood remained.

Merlin breathed heavily and laughed breathlessly.

"Cade, cade your fine now! I healed you."

His smile suddenly slipped from his face when he looked at Cade's face and saw that his eyes were closed and his body was slack. It was only then that he remembered the stab wound in his stomach.

"Cade?" He whimpered. "Cade!" He shook the knight a little. When there was no response, another cry escaped from Merlin's lips.

"No, no, no, no, no." He whispered.

Merlin's magic was probably the only thing holding up the tavern they were in, and it wasn't helping that he was getting weaker by the minute.

In a last, desperate decision, Merlin grabbed the pocket knife that he kept strapped to his ankle and pulled it out. As he looked at the shiny blade, a memory from Arudus resurfaced.

It was quiet in the forest. The only sounds were coming from the crickets, and the occasional hoot of an owl. That was, until Merlin heard a screeching noise.

It didn't sound human, that was for sure. As the sound got louder and louder, his heart beat faster and faster. This noise could draw attention, he could get caught and who knows what King Edward would do to him.

He looked up when there was rustling in the trees above. He spun around and tried to find out which direction the thing was coming from. It wasn't long before something shot out of the tree and landed on the ground before him.

It was a bird withering on the ground, squawking as if in dire need of attention.

The ever physician that Merlin was took over instantly. He knelt down and assessed the bird for injuries. There, on its right wing was blood. Judging from the way the bird crashed to the ground told Merlin that it could no longer fly.

The warlock reached down with a hesitant hand to comfort the bird, perhaps to use magic to relieve it's pain, or even heal the bird. His hand stopped, hovering over the bird as his eyes focused on the silver bracelet on his wrist. He cursed inwardly at the sight of the thing.

Merlin didn't have time to retreat his hand before the bird gave one last squawk. Not from pain, but from delight. He immediately felt the sting of pain as the bird pierced his flesh with its beak. The warlock slowly moved his hand back, trying hard not to hurt the bird worse, but the bird had clamped on the skin of his hand with a strong grip. He felt the sting grow worse when there was a slippery texture on his new bleeding wounds.

The bird was drinking his blood.

"Off! Off!" Merlin shrieked, now shaking his hand violently. "shoo!"

That only made the bird bite down harder causing Merlin to yelp in pain.

He finally relented and relaxed his hand for a moment, watching as the birds head bobbed back and forth as it sucked his blood.

A soft golden glow suddenly started to appear from inside the bird's injured wing.

"What?"

The light grew bigger until it's whole wing was covered in the golden aurora. As soon as it had come, it disappeared. Fading slowly back to nothing.

What was left of the wing was... Everything.

The bird finally detached itself from Merlin hand and stood up on its thin legs. It's wing was completely healed, back to normal. It ruffled its feathers once, turned to Merlin and let out a final squawk before it took off, soaring into the sky once again.

"Impossible," Merlin spoke softly to himself.

The warlock took the knife in hand and cut deep into his palm, he hissed from the slight sting of pain.

He let the knife clatter to the floor as he quickly brought his hand to Cade's slack mouth.

The blood dripped out from his palm and into the sorcerer's mouth.

"Come on Cade!" Merlin said with frustration. "Drink!"

But nothing happened. Cade didn't grab his hand with both hands and drink the blood from his palm, nor did he move a muscle. He stayed absolutely still.

The warlock brought a shaky hand to his friends neck and laid his two fingers down on the still warm skin.

Merlin released a dry sob, letting his hand fall to the ground when he felt no heart beat.

He quickly bent down and gave a wet kiss to Cade's forehead before standing up.

He took one last glance before leaving behind one of his best friends, his comrade, a brother.

When he exited the tavern, he was greeted with the site of a bunch of knights and people with buckets full of water. They all stopped when Merlin emerged from the smoke.

Two people called his name out at once.

Arthur reached him first.

"Merlin!" He yelled, relief flooding his voice. "Oh thank the gods Merlin, I was so worried."

He was so out of it that he didn't realize he was being hugged until Arthur stepped back.

The King frowned slightly when he noticed the blank expression on his face

"Merlin? What is it?" He asked worriedly, he didn't wait for an answer and immediately started assessing his servant for injuries.

"Bloody hell Merlin! Your bleeding!" He spoke urgently as he glanced at the dried blood on Merlin's head and all the blood on his hands.

When the warlock finally met his kings worried eyes something inside him broke.

"He's dead." He whispered, "he's dead because of me."

Arthur searched for something in Merlin's eyes but couldn't seem to find it.

"Who is Merlin?" He asked, "who's dead?"

"He killed him." He whispered, ignoring Arthur, "I couldn't save him."

At that moment, Merlin released his magic. The tavern collapsed at the same time he fell into Arthur's arms.

He buried his face in the crook of his kings neck and held on to the front of his cloak with dear life. Arthur wrapped an arm around him and held the back of his head.

He cried as he spoke.

"C-Cade, Cade is dead."

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