Merlin was dazed and confused when he came to. The last thing he remembers is a white hot liquid running down his throat. When the door opened he thought it was Freya calling out to him, but the intruder made the mistake of laying their hand on his shoulder. His magic recognized that this person was a threat and lashed out. He heard the sounds of crashing before the intruder shoved a vial half down his throat, forcing him to swallow. His vision nor his hearing had yet returned, but he could still feel with his hands. He was leaning against a wet rock wall. Cave? He let his magic probe out and found he could see without sight. He was not so much in a cave, but a crevice. The other wall was less than five inches away and the tunnel only led to darkness. There is a sudden blossom of pain in his chest. It's like something being ripped away from him, and then his magic was gone. He didn't have the energy to probe for it, but there was a hole in him. Something he never thought he would feel. It was consuming, like a black hole in the cosmos, eating away at him until he lost consciousness once more.

Freya and Aithusa were leaning over the giant table in the cavern when they hear footsteps. The smell of smoke wafted into the room a second before Kilgharrah did. Freya looked up and saw the grim set in his face.

"Found anything?"

"We both swept the apartment with magic. There were traces of evil. Something cold and dark, but nothing really that will help." Freya answered. "You?"

"Yes. I let my mind reach out. Aithusa you should be able to do this as well. Merlin has a special affinity with the drakon, a dragon lord if you will. Our kind will always be able to find him. Reach out with your mind and you can always find him." Kilgharrah gave Aithusa a stern look before turning and departing.

"Well, okay then. Thanks for the god damn help." Freya muttered. She glanced at Aithusa who had her eyes shut tight with concentration. All of a sudden they flew open, gleaming bright blue.

"I know where he is." Her voice was thick and ancient. It shook the cavern with how ancient it was. Aithusa turned to one of the nine archways and set off at breakneck speed. Freya followed as fast as she could, all the while scanning the tunnel in front and behind them. Aithusa seemed too preoccupied to protect herself. Freya detected a small glimpse of movement in one of the side tunnels, but it was gone before she could explore it further. Aithusa led her through so many twists and turns, she knew they would have hell getting out. She finally stopped in front of a tiny crevice. Her eyes stopped glowing and she sways slightly. Freya shot out a hand to catch her. ""He's in there." Her voice was back to normal as she gestured to the crevice. Freya was at a loss for words, but she stooped down and crawled into the crevice. She had the antidote in her pocket and prayed she wasn't too late. What would she do without him? She only crawled for a minute or two more before she saw him. He was slumped against the back wall, unconscious hopefully. Freya reached out and lets her fingers probe his neck, looking for a pulse. She finds one, but it is weak, barely there. She had to move quickly. The vial is in her hand in a second and the Merlin's lips the next. She tilted his head back and empties the contents into his mouth.

"Swallow Merlin. God dammit!" Freya cried. Thankfully, he complied and the effect was almost instantaneous. A blast of cool air whipped around the crevice. Freya felt it like a kiss on her skin. He was staying. He would not leave her today. A groan escaped his lips as she began to drag him out of the hole. Aithusa reached her hands in and helped pull him out. They half drug, half carried him back to the cavern and lifted him onto the round table. Another groan escaped his lips before his eyes fluttered open.

"Frey," he groaned weakly.

"I'm here. Can you see me?" Freya noticed his eyes were no longer cloudy.

"And hear you. What happened?" His voice was thick and rough. Aithusa instantly had a glass of water pressed to his lips. He drank it all greedily.

"You were kidnapped. We were able to find an antidote."

"I was there for the kidnapping bit. We? Aithusa? What?" When he laid eyes on the small girl his eyes went wide.

"I recognized it the moment we met. You were special. I had no idea how special until Freya came to the shop, but you are indeed." Aithusa gave him a warm innocent smile he couldn't not return. Merlin nodded slowly, understanding dawning on him. "I am a drakon."

"Oh that makes sense. You have a similar presence to Kilgharrah."

"You know about Kilgharrah?" Freya asked incredulously.

"Yea, father told me." He answered quietly. Freya's face drooped in sadness.

"Oh." Merlin nodded solemnly.

"So, where are we?"

"I call it Albion. As far as I know only Kilgharrah and I know about it. This is where we will prepare for war."

"War? Freya I think it's time to go." Merlin's head ached and he refused to let Freya anywhere near a war.

"No Merlin, our place is here now. We are a part of this. We can't leave." Freya gave him a sad look, understanding his reasoning.

"She is correct. Because you were taken, you are now woven into the events that will come. Whomever tried to kill you will only try harder. They want your magic for themselves." Aithusa's face was grim. Merlin's shoulders sank in defeat.

"Fine. C'mon Freya lets head home." Freya slipped under his arm and began to hoist him up the stairs. Aithusa slipped under his other arm to help. "I guess this will the beginning of some major changes huh?"

"Yes, Merls. The time for running is over. It's now time for us to stand and fight." Freya gave his side a squeeze, but said no more.