Only Now

I'm back and I've brought this new chapter with me!
Prepare yourselves for a fair amount of angst in the coming chapters.

Chapter Two

"my ghost-
where'd you go?
what happened to the soul that you used to be?

i'm searching for something that I can't reach" -Ghost, Halsey

It was a few minutes before he realised his magic hadn't picked up any sort of disturbance for a while.
And it was then that he felt the firm, icy grip of a certain hand around his ankle.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he looked down to see the cruel grin of the woman he'd once respected so much.
Morgana let out a slow, rattling breath, curved lips flecked with blood.
"Well then. Fancy seeing you here, Merlin."

He swallowed.

"Morgana."

She let out a rasping chuckle, lips quirking back into a smirk.
"You don't sound too pleased to see me."
The witch dragged herself forwards, reaching out for Merlin's other ankle but he quickly stepped back, nearly stumbling as her vice-like grip refused to release him. She may have been crawling on the ground with her face contorted in pain, but that had clearly done nothing to weaken the strength of her grip.
"Why would I be?" He replied coldly.
Her hold tightened. He tried not to flinch as her nails began to dig into the skin of his ankle.

Merlin's magic flared up in response to his fear but he fought it back down. The last thing he needed was for her to realise what he was.
He could only contain so much, however, and his magic began to carefully re-assess his surroundings. Invisible gold swirled around Morgana's frail form, searching for answers.
She was badly injured, he could see that clearly enough. But by what? He saw no crimson staining her trail, his magic could sense no wound. Perhaps this was another one of her cruel tricks, the beginning of another act of revenge for the suffering he had caused her.

His magic circled her again and flinched away from the darkness coursing through her, the inky mass that boiled and spat as he drew near it, that burned like fire as he brushed against it.
"Because, Merlin..." She breathed, dark eyes meeting his as she clawed her way ever closer, "You're going to be seeing an awful lot more of me from now on."

He looked right and left, desperate for a method of escape that didn't involve his powers, but she only laughed.
"Scared, Merlin? Now that your stupid king isn't here to protect you?"
Shaking his leg, he tried to force her to let go but if anything her hold tightened further.
He stumbled back again, eyes widening as he lost his balance and went crashing down to the ground to join her.
The warlock trembled.
He had no other choice.

"Ástríce." He whispered, and as his eyes melted into swirling gold. He just about caught sight of the fury in her eyes before she was thrown to the other side of the clearing in a sudden burst of light.
Quickly, he stood. He could feel the remnants of his magic, the extra burst of magic he hadn't meant to release, fading from the air.
His heart beat furiously as he glanced over to Morgana.
The High Priestess lay limp on the ground, ebony ringlets spread around her head like a shadowy halo. She wasn't moving.
The manservant let out a sigh of relief.

The feeling disappeared rather quickly, however, as she shuddered back to life, a rasping laugh echoing through the forest.
"Well. That was unexpected."

Merlin staggered back, hands clenching and unclenching in readiness.
Slowly, his eyes faded back to blue.
"I'm sorry." He couldn't stop the words slipping out.
"Me too." She replied.
Neither of them were talking about the present.
For the briefest moment, her eyes cleared and she looked like the Morgana he'd once known, the one who goaded a prince into saving the life of a servant.
Then it was gone and the fury returned.

"But what I don't understand is how a simple manservant from Cenred's kingdom could possibly show so much raw magical power."
She dragged out the pause for a long moment, eyes darkening further.
"Or how anyone could."
His heart raced at her words, each breath short and shaking.

She grinned.
"I'd never even dreamed that it could've been you, Merlin. That YOU of all people could be Emrys."
He shook his head.
"No-"
"Yes." Her eyes gleamed with a mad kind of fervour. Had her eyes always been that shade? That swirling darkness, a bog-black soup?
He frowned but had no time to ponder it as she slowly staggered to her feet.
"Yes. You are Emrys, the one and only- advisor to the Once and Future King, the one who will restore magic to Camelot... And the most powerful sorcerer in the world."
She laughed. Merlin flinched at the sound, the soft and gentle laugh replaced with a rasping cackle.

All light around her seemed to bend away until she was wreathed in shadow.
"Morgana..."
The warlock was at a loss for words.
This magic was wrong, her aura was all wrong- this swirling dark mess was nothing like the soft, pastel greens
that had once lit her up from the inside, that had once brought peace or passion to all those who met her.
He didn't understand- and then she met his eyes again and she did.

They were vengeful, coal-like orbs.
Those eyes weren't hers; Morgana was possessed.

Well that's another chapter wrapped up!

Sorry for the clunky start, I wasn't sure how to reveal Morgana's possession or get Merlin out of the castle alone.
I hope you'll stick around for the next one! ^^