For those wondering why I describe the bastet as a lion instead of a panther, lion's are panthers. Panther - or Panthera - is a genus of cats which include lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards. The term black panther technically refers to any melanistic animal of this genus, though admittedly it's generally assumed to be a jaguar or leopard. I've simply chosen to refer to her as a lion in particular as she's larger than a leopard or jaguar (and probably a bit larger than a lion or tiger) and I've linked the bastet curse to Sekhmet, the Egyptian lion goddess.
Merlin and Mordred groaned as they searched for the book Gaius had asked for.
Do you see it? the younger boy asked kneeling on the floor to check the lower shelves.
Merlin glanced around and spotted it on a high shelf out of his reach. Unfortunately.
Mordred looked up, then followed his gaze. Great, he huffed. He peaked in the direction of Geoffrey's desk. Do you think we could just magic it down?
With our luck when it comes to Geoffrey, he'd see, Merlin sighed. He leaned up against the shelf and cupped his hands. Here, I'll help you up and you can grab it.
Mordred set his foot on Merlin's hands and they pushed him up. He grabbed for the shelves to keep his balance, but one missed. He gave a choked-off yelp as he lost his balance. His other foot sought purchase and landed on a lower shelf, which tilted under his weight.
Suddenly the bookshelf was swinging around, sending them into a hidden room.
The two warlocks shared a look then Mordred grabbed the bestiary and hopped down.
What is this place? he asked.
I've never seen it. Merlin brushing spiderwebs and dust off a book.
Do you think Geoffrey knows about it? Mordred asked, squinting his eyes at a clouded jar to try to see what was inside.
Considering what's in here, I doubt it?
Mordred turned to look at him and he held up what was clearly a book of magic.
Woah. He came over to see it, knocking into a box as he went.
The box knocked back, something inside grumbling and pounding against its walls.
Mordred jumped away from it and Merlin grabbed his shoulder.
What is that? he asked.
Mordred shook his head, pressing closer to his mentor.
Should we open it?
Mordred shrugged. Probably not.
They shared a look.
Merlin held out his hand. "Onluc scrin."
The lid flipped open and a green-skinned creature climbed out.
What is it? Mordred repeated.
No clue.
"Are you going to say something, or shall I?"
The two jumped.
"You can speak," Merlin asked.
"You're a sharp one," the creature said, stretching with a groan.
Merlin and Mordred fled the library.
By the gods, a goblin! Mordred groaned. We just released a goblin into the castle!
A goblin?
I think so. The way it was acting, it sounds just like the stories. They're supposed to be mischief-makers. Cerdan used to tell stories about how they love nothing more than playing pranks and hoarding gold.
Merlin's eyes widened. You mean a magical creature is going to be running around, causing trouble and stealing gold, all because of us?
Yes.
There was a moment's pause then they both shouted, We need to find it before Arthur finds out!
"Merlin, Mordred!"
"We didn't do anything!" Mordred squeaked and Merlin sent him a look.
Arthur crossed his arms, glaring at the two. "And what, exactly, didn't you do?"
"Anything, as he said," Merlin answered, closing the book of magical creatures he had been reading.
"Really, so you two have no idea why my father has suddenly gone bald."
"Your father is… bald," Merlin choked and Mordred stuffed his hand in his mouth to muffle his laughter.
"Think it's funny, do you? You think I'm not aware that only magic could have done that to him. I should have you both in the stocks. Or maybe a few nights in the dungeons."
Merlin's smile immediately fled and Mordred threw his hands in the air. "It wasn't us!"
"Then who was it?"
"It… might have been a goblin," Merlin answered slowly.
"A goblin?"
The two nodded.
"Why do I get the feeling there's more to this than you're saying?"
Merlin glanced at Mordred, who ducked his head. "In our defense," Merlin started, "we didn't know the box had a goblin in it."
"Merlin!"
"Don't worry, we're working on a plan to capture it. But, um, we might need a bit of gold."
"Gold?"
Gwen watched the two warlocks as they readied the storage room for the goblin. "I can't believe Arthur just gave you a chest of gold."
"He said if we lose it he'll just put us in the stocks for longer," Mordred muttered as he finished laying out the coin trail.
"He won't actually put us in the stocks," Merlin comforted.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Gwen teased. "He's put you in the stocks for less than releasing a magical creature into the castle."
"That was years ago!"
Gwen chuckled into her hand. "I know, Merlin. I'm only joking."
"We're ready," Mordred said, not looking at all reassured.
"You let it escape, you stupid boys!" Gwen huffed. "Now you just stand there like sacks of potatoes. Go after it! Go! Shoo! Shoo!"
"Merlin told me what's going on," Freya said, coming into their house. "Have you seen any sign of the gob- What happened?" She looked over the trashed room in shock.
"It's that pesky goblin!" Gwen snapped. "Those two let it escape and it's ransacked our premises! You better tell them they've got some cleaning up to do."
"Are you going out?" Freya asked as Gwen headed out the door.
"I'm going to the tavern."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
Freya frowned at Gwen as she shuffled out from behind the curtain that marked her sleeping area. "Are you alright? How much did you drink last night?"
"You don't look so good yourself. What's your excuse?"
"What?"
Gwen shushed her. "Too much talking. I have a head like the inside of a drum, and a mouth like a badger's armpit."
Freya's eyes widened. "Gwen?"
"Don't you have a job to get to? Away! Go!"
Freya frowned, eyes narrowing. "Are you feeling alright? You're acting odd."
Gwen frowned, then smiled. "I'm sorry. Last night has given me a headache. How about I make you breakfast as an apology?"
Freya studied the other woman. "That would be lovely, thank you."
Gwen smiled at the guards and curtsied. "The Lady Morgana has asked me to retrieve a necklace from the vaults for her."
The guards, recognizing her, let her pass.
Gwen smiled and licked her lips as she saw the shelves of golden jewelry.
Mordred!
The young warlock looked down and gasped.
"Gwen, good to see you."
"Can't say the same," she snorted, continuing on.
Merlin frowned at her odd behavior before he spotted a bit of gold peeking out of the collar of her dress.
"Arthur!" Mordred called as Arthur entered his chambers. "We've got a problem."
"You bet you do. Where's Merlin?"
"That's not important right now. Arthur, look."
Arthur raised an eyebrow as the boy held up a black cat. He might have thought it was Cavall if it weren't for the cat's warm brown eyes.
"A cat?"
"It's Freya."
The cat meowed and waved it's paw like it was saying hi.
Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose. "How?"
"She came to find me. She told me Gwen did it to her."
"Guinevere?" Arthur scoffed. "Why would she do this? How could she do this? And how can Freya talk if she's a cat?"
"She can still talk in our way. And I think the goblin is possessing Gwen. Freya said she's been acting weird since last night and Gwen was helping us catch the goblin when it disappeared."
Arthur frowned. He had tried to talk to Gwen earlier, but she had blown him off. He had thought she had just been worried about being caught, but maybe…
"Where's Merlin?" he asked again.
"I don't know. I came here hoping I'd find one of you."
"Right, let's go find him then we can track down Gwen."
"Sire!" The two turned to see Leon standing in the door. "A guard has reported a magical creature loose in the castle. A dragon the size of a horse."
Arthur's heart skipped a beat and his thoughts went back to a year earlier. "Are you certain?"
"He was, though none of the other guards saw anything. One of them even suggested that he had been drinking and that's why he was seeing dragons. I'm not sure what to think."
"Hopefully, he's wrong. I'll look into it. Where was the supposed dragon heading?"
"Towards the dungeons, sire."
"Great. Help Mordred find Merlin."
"Merlin?"
"Gwen's been possessed by a goblin and Freya's been turned into a cat."
Leon looked down at the cat Mordred was holding and she meowed and waved.
"Long story."
"Do we know how to remove the goblin?"
"Not yet."
"Right. I'll try to track him down. I think I saw him heading towards the armory."
"I'll check Gaius's."
Arthur kept his sword at the ready, even though he knew it would do little if it truly was a dragon he was going to find. Any hopes that there wasn't something down here had been crushed when he'd stumbled upon a trio of downed guards (only unconscious, thankfully) and a hallway of overturned torches that spoke of a large creature trying to make its way through.
The hallway that led to stairs to the Great Dragon's cavern.
The stairs Arthur was currently reaching the bottom of.
He held his torch high as he stepped into the cavern, but saw nothing. "Show yourself, beast!"
"Arthur!"
His eyes widened at the familiar voice. "Merlin?"
There was a gust of wind then a dragon around half Kilgharrah's size clumsily landed on the outcropping Kilgharrah had once used when Merlin or he came to talk to the dragon. This new dragon was red with stormy blue eyes.
"What on earth?"
"It's Gwen, she's the goblin."
"Yes, Mordred realized that when your girlfriend showed up as a cat. What happened to you though?"
"Freya? Is she okay?" Merlin growled, rising and stretching his wings.
"She's fine! You, on the other hand, are a bloody dragon!"
Merlin slumped down again. "Yes, it gave goblin-Gwen quite a shock too. I think the spell it used just turned people into animals according to spirit."
"And your spirit animal is a dragon?"
"Well, I am a Dragonlord after all. The blood of dragons runs through my veins when I'm human, let alone when I'm a beast."
"Right," Arthur sighed. "Well, you're useless like this. We'll just have to figure out how to take out the goblin then hopefully Mordred can turn you back. You're far too big to hide." Arthur looked up at him and frowned. "How'd you even get down here?"
"I wasn't this size at first. As soon as I realized what I was, I rushed down here. Barely made it inside before I was too big for the tunnel."
"Right, well, just stay down here and keep quiet. The fewer people who see you, the easier it will be to play it off as the goblin's mischief."
"Be careful, Arthur."
"It's just a goblin, Merlin. I think Mordred and I can handle it."
"It's inside Gwen, though. You can't just take a sword to her."
"It will be fine."
Arthur glared at Merlin, who was lying on his back across the rock. His legs and wings twitched with his laughter.
He brayed at the dragon, who only laughed harder.
"I can't... understand... a word you're... saying, sire."
Arthur turned to Gwen and Mordred, the former was smiling apologetically while the latter had his face buried in Freya's fur to poorly hide his own laughter. He brayed at them and Gwen stepped forward.
"Please, Merlin, can you fix him? I feel so bad about what happened. Mordred tried but he's not strong enough."
"It's not your fault, Gwen," Merlin said, his laughter dying down to the occasional chuckle. "For you though, I'd be happy to. Although, it kind of suits him." He turned to Arthur. "I always have said you were an a-"
Arthur let out a loud bray and threw a rock at the dragon.
Merlin tilted his head. "Wow, I couldn't even feel that. Scales are way better than armor."
"Merlin."
"Right, right."
He leaned closer to the group. His eyes flashed gold as he breathed a golden mist onto Arthur, washing away the donkey ears. He then did the same to Freya, returning her to human.
He shook his head as he straightened. "That's a weird feeling. Definitely different from my normal magic."
"I should put you on the pyre!" Arthur shouted now that he had his normal voice back. "First you set a goblin loose and now you nearly refused to turn me back!"
Merlin rolled his eyes, knowing Arthur didn't mean it. "Come on, you know I was going to turn you back. I just wanted a good laugh first."
Arthur threw another rock at him.
"Can you turn yourself back?" Freya asked, looking over him worriedly.
Merlin shook his head. "I tried already, but it's a lot harder to direct my own magic back at myself like this. Stupid dragon magic."
Mordred frowned. "I don't think I can do it. I couldn't even fix them and my magic can't pierce dragon scales like yours can."
"It's alright, Mordred, you're still learning," Merlin said, his voice rumbling in something resembling a purr. His wings stretched out. "Unfortunately I think there's only one person who can help me. I was just waiting for sundown to call him."
Arthur scowled and Merlin ducked his head.
"If that's okay, Arthur."
"Fine. It's not like we can leave you like this. I need to go speak to my father."
Merlin sighed as Arthur marched off. "You guys should go. I'll come back once I'm myself."
"He'll be fine, Merlin," Gwen said.
"I know. And I get it. I still don't forgive Kilgharrah either, but we can use his help."
Gwen smiled and led Mordred out. "Come on, let's go start cleaning up the goblin's mess."
Merlin turned to Freya. "I'll be back soon."
She shook her head and hiked up her skirt. "I'm coming with you."
He chuckled and jumped over to cling to the wall next to the overhang she was standing on. "I'm still clumsy with my wings."
She pressed a kiss to his scaly cheek and climbed onto his neck near his shoulders. "That's nothing new for you, love," she teased.
As gracefully as he could, he pushed off the wall and flew out of the cavern. He stayed low to the trees to hopefully not be spotted by anyone in the castle until he reached a clearing he judged to be big enough for both himself and Kilgharrah. He let Freya down then lifted his head and roared, "O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!"
They settled down to wait, though it wasn't too long before wings sounded overhead and they looked up to see Kilgharrah coming down to land.
"I didn't think you'd answer my call," Merlin admitted, standing. He could feel that his magic was different like this and wasn't sure if his abilities as a dragonlord would have been affected, but he had to try as he knew it was likely the only way he'd return to human.
And then, of course, there was the fact they hadn't been on the best terms last they met.
"Merlin, I could not resist a dragonlord, even if I wanted to. What have you done to yourself?"
"A goblin got loose in the castle. He did this to me when I tried to catch him. Can you fix it? My magic wasn't working on myself and Mordred can't get through my scales."
"Of course," Kilgharrah laughed. "Hold still."
Merlin stiffened his body, pressing his tail against the ground and ears against his skull to keep as still as possible while a wave of golden breath washed over him.
In case anyone's curious, had the spirit animal spell been used on them as it was on Merlin and Freya: Arthur would have been a phoenix, Gwen a dog, and Mordred an amphiptere.