Chapter Three

They walked and walked until they reach four tombs. "This is a bit morbid," said Gwaine grimly looking at them.

"More than a bit," said Leon who wiped the dust off one of them then move to the next ones. "They have our names on them….." he said looking at the others cluelessly.

"We should carry on walking," said Merlin at once "The longer we linger at one spot the more likely it is something is going to happen," Merlin was keen to move on.

"But why would our names be here?" asked Leon feeling uneasy, Gwaine was right it was morbid. It made it feel like they were going to die in these caves – and Leon felt responsible for that. He was lending his friends to the village but instead it seem he lend them to their doom. If they got out of this – he was never going question Merlin's judgement again.

"Since when did anything here makes sense?" asked Merlin sounding frustrated "I think the less questions we ask the better it will be…..we need to keep moving….." but as Merlin spoken the lid of the tombs started to move on its own.

"I am starting to think we should have cross the water," said Gwaine taking out his sword.

Hands appeared from the other tomb – not quite a skeleton but not quite living – it was something in-between. Soon hands began to raise from the tomb – their heads parting rotting and evil looking - heads that looked eerily liked their own. They began to climb out of the tombs all four of them with old ancient looking swords….

The knights and Merlin didn't dare to speck, Leon and Percival also took out their swords ready for a fight, Merlin moved behind them, Gwaine also pushed him back– Merlin thought he really needed to start carrying a sword. He might not be the best fighter without magic but he knew how to defend himself longer enough until somebody helped him. Percival might know his secret but Leon and Gwaine did not. While Merlin thought Gwaine might take it pretty well – Leon he was unsure about. Leon had grown up under Uther rule, he knew Camelot Law backwards and was loyal to the kingdom. Magic had to be used as a last resort.

"Fight the dead, we done it before," mumble Leon before he swag his sword around fighting the living dead version of himself.

Leon was right they had fought the living dead before. Fighting the dead seem to happen more often than Merlin thought it should do. first they was the vengeful uncle of Arthur hell bend in killing Uther – and was only stopped but a sword forge in dragon breath. And they was Morgana army of the dead who were only stopped by emptying the cup of life filled with blood with the same sword. Merlin didn't have a sword forge in dragon breath on him and he didn't know how they would get out of this one.

Merlin quickly moved aroused the looked into the nearest tome with Percival name on it and it was empty. He was hoping they was something that may give him some clue how to stop them. "MERLIN, BEHIND YOU." Yelled Gwaine. Merlin ducked quickly narrowing missed getting hit by the sword by the rotting Leon. Gwaine hit the dead Leon and the old sword he was carrying fell to the ground. Merlin took the opportunity to roll and grappled it quickly. And the same time he and Gwaine hit the Leon look alike and he turn into dust.

"Was that the sword?" asked Gwaine looking at the rusted sword Merlin had in his hands

"I don't know," said Merlin looking at the sword in wonder – he sense a hint of magic on it. Not as powerful as the one he help make – nowhere as near. But maybe it was all that was needed. Merlin hold the sword to Gwaine "You take it…" Gwaine was faster and the better fighter.

Gwaine took it but passed Merlin is own sword. Merlin went to help Leon and Gwaine went to help Percival and save him from the rotting Gwaine. Gwaine theory was right as soon as the old sword hit his own look alike it crumble into dust. Percival picked up the sword was dropped and put his own away. And he and Gwaine went to turn the last two into dust.

Percival was quick and turned his dead self into dust. And that just left the rotting Merlin who seemed a better fighter than the real one. But before the knight could strike him the undead Merlin then just vanish from the spot.

"The hell?" asked Gwaine looking the living Merlin in shock.

"Don't look at me – I am as clueless as you are," said Merlin who was staring at the stop in wonder. "Something tell me that's not the last we will seen of him…."

"How did he disappear?" asked Gwaine still looking at Merlin like he should know the reason behind it.

"How am I meant to know?" asked Merlin "Can we now keep moving now? I rather get out of here before I have to fight with myself…."

Merlin passed Gwaine back his sword. Gwaine took it but then passed Merlin back the old sword. "Just in case you have to fight yourself." He said as he Percival and Leon all picked up the other swords. "Of course the one that looks like you has to disappear…"

"What is that meant to mean?" asked Merlin at once.

Gwaine shrugged "It more likely to be you than any of us," Merlin was still giving him questioning look "Well, you are the smartest one here so I with your zombie copy is smarter as well…."

"Either way, Merlin is right we need to keep moving…and no more stopping…." Said Leon with that hey left the tombs but all four of them were more on edge than before. How much longer do they have to spend in these caves?