Another chapter.

Enjoy.

"So Arthur killed you?"

"Yes," Merlin replied and Death burst out laughing. Merlin rolled his eyes; he had expected this type of reaction from Death. Merlin sighed, bored. He now knew that his story was over and that he'd need to be sent to Heaven or Hell.

"So where am I off to?" Merlin asked, realising that he didn't really like Death very much. Well, he liked Death as much as he liked Arthur when he was making fun of him.

"To where you belong," Tom Scythe replied simply, calming down.

"Yah... But where's that?"

"Right next to the man that killed you!"

"What?"

Arthur knelt by his friend's dead body, not knowing that the rain was hiding the small tears that rolled down his face. The knights were unsure of what to do... Merlin was dead. Pain tumbled in Arthur's stomach and every breath he took killed him inside as he knew he was about to breath and his friend not.

They all knew what it was like to lose someone you cared about, but for some strange reason, it was different this time.

It was Merlin.

A hand holding a flower just entered Arthur's vision on his right side. He slowly turned his head to see the Remotas flower in Percival's hand. Percival grabbed Arthur's hand and gently put the flower into Arthur's hand. With one hand, the giant knight then picked the future King off his knees and placed him firmly onto his own two feet. He then picked up Merlin's corpse and turned to his fellow family.

"Let's get out of the rain... Merlin wouldn't want us catching a cold now, would he?"

After a while, Arthur nodded and they all turned to find shelter somewhere in the ruins. It took a while of searching, but they found a corner in which to hide that had some sort of roof. They all bundled under together, Percival placing Merlin kindly down. He then ripped the charm from the boy's neck, and for a second, thought that Merlin had breathed a sigh of relief. Percival almost felt like smiling.

He looked over at Arthur who had his head in his hands, clearly ashamed of himself. It would only be a matter of time before the guilt tore the young Prince apart, and with Merlin not present now, it was up to Percival to do the servant's job.

"It was not your fault," Percival started. "You were enchanted."

"I still killed him," Arthur's voice shook with fear, fear of himself, fear of what he was able to do.

"You did not do it willingly," Percival pushed.

"You don't understand!" Arthur snapped, facing him. "I still did it! I still killed him, and I alone have to live with that," Arthur's voice said all. He will always blame himself, no matter what anyone said. Percival shook his head pitifully.

"You are never alone," Merlin's voice spoke through the knight, and he knew that Arthur had taken his words in. Another silence walked over them and gagged their mouths.

"I'll go and find some fire wood then," Gwaine said, walking out of their small shelter. As he left, no one said a word. They sat there – just sat there – and no one was able to look at Merlin.

"I'm not getting you. Am I going to Heaven or Hell?" Merlin asked slowly, so Death would understand him.

"Why not back?"

"Because I'm dead! The world must be in balance! For a life to be saved a life must end!" Merlin was getting frustrated now. Death just wasn't getting that he couldn't go back.

"I know... I'm only messing with you," Death sniggered, picking up and book and a quill. "So let's kill someone –"

"Who?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"Uther."

Gwaine walked with his sword in his hand, scanning the ground. He then suddenly stopped and realised: this was completely pointless. It was raining, as if he was going to find any dry wood for a fire! He sighed and stabbing his sword into the ground, he sat down on a rock. He let the rain soak his hair. Rubbing his eyes, he realised how tired he was.

The wind stirred and whispers came from the shadows. Gwaine didn't notice the sound of feet from behind him. He looked to the sky and wondered what time of day it was. A gasp came from a mouth, but Gwaine thought it was nothing more than the wind.

Not until it was right behind him did he realise they were all in danger.

"You cannot kill Uther," Merlin said sternly. He gripped the arms of the armchair tight, his knuckles turning slowly white. The Grim Reaper looked up at him.

"And why not?" he simply said. "He is dying at this point in time, I could kill him if I want, I could kill him anytime I want," he said. Death had gone from a fascinated story listener to a businessman, plainly doing his job.

"You'll crush Arthur's spirit, he his unprepared to be King yet!" Merlin yelled, his eyes pleading. Arthur wouldn't last three days without his help. He'd be killed the night he was crowned probably. Arthur needed Merlin, no matter how little he thought of Merlin or how useless he was, and Merlin needed Arthur.

"Fine... I kill Arthur instead."

"I am telling you now, no!"

"You cannot tell me what to do! I am Death! I decide whether you go to Heaven or Hell. I decide I who dies!"

"You shall not kill Arthur Pendragon!" the Young Warlock screamed, jumping out of the chair, causing it to fall backwards. "He is destined to return Albion back to the way things used to be where magic is allowed. He is destined to be the greatest King time shall ever see! He is destined for greater things that you shall never understand and I have every bit of faith in him –"

"How dare you speak against my word?" Death roared back, jumping to his feet.

"I am Merlin; known to the Druids as Emrys, Arthur Pendragon's secret protector and last DragonLord, and I am telling you," Merlin shouted then in a calm voice said: "That you shall not kill him."

The knights heard Gwaine's shouts long before they saw him. Drawing swords and forgetting about the past, they came out of the shelter and looked around for him. Suddenly, Gwaine came flying round the corner and landed flat on his back. Scrambling to his feet, he ran from what turned the corner.

It was a man, but he moved like no ordinary man. He swayed, his arms hung lifelessly and his legs moved as if he had no control over them. His skin was pale white, veins bulging black and bloodshot eyes. More came from round the corner, and as Gwaine reached the knights, they were surrounded.

"You really need to learn when someone's messing with you Merlin," Death said, trying not to laugh. "I weren't gonna kill Arthur," he chuckled. Merlin calmed slightly and smiled.

"So, now what?" Merlin asked, swaying from foot to foot.

"You go back to Arthur and we never speak of this again."

"Go back? But –"

"Oh shut up Merlin! I am Death! If I want the world to be out of balance who better for it to be out of place for than you boy!"

Arthur dug his sword into another... whatever they were! Ghosts? They dissolved into fog when you killed them. However, they just kept coming and the fog that was forming was not helping them at all. Arthur was starting to feel his muscles hurt. He was tired, he was wet, he was depressed and to sum it all up: he just wanted to go home.

He slaughtered another 'person' and stopped. He looked round at the knights who were finishing off the last of them. The Prince dropped his sword, breathing heavily. The thoughts of Merlin flooded back into his mind and guilt shook him. He remembered every second of it. Fighting had made him not think about it, but only for that moment in time. Arthur used all the energy he had to stop himself from falling to his knees. However, with his back turned and sword out of hand, Arthur was vulnerable to the person who slowly walked up behind him.

Arthur turned and fell backwards in surprise. The man forced Arthur to scurry backwards a little, away from his sword. Arthur closed his eyes, accepting that this was the world's way of punishing him for what he had done.

However, nothing came.

Arthur opened his eyes to be surrounded by fog. He coughed and swatted it away. The fog swarmed around him and Arthur was just able to make out a figure with a sword in hand, in front of him.

"Sir! Are you alright?" Arthur heard Leon's voice. Arthur choked on laughter and tears.

"Leon, I thought you were Merlin then," he climbed to his, feet, using Leon's shoulder for support. The fog finally cleared and Arthur kept his hand firmly on Leon's shoulder smiling at how lucky he had been.

"Sir... Look round," Leon said. Arthur turned his head to see Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan, Percival and Leon all look at him in shock. Arthur frowned. If Leon was there, if they were all there in front of him then who saved him? Realising that they weren't staring at him, he slowly turned his head to face the person. Arthur's jaw dropped, as he stared at his friend.

With a giant goofy grin plastered across his face, black hair looking dashing as ever, skin pale as the dead, Merlin said:

"Did you really think you'd be getting rid of me that easily?"

Arthur went to say something, but no words came out, he only shook his head.

"Merlin, I'm..."

Merlin laughed, cutting Arthur off.

"I told you Clotpole... I'm happy to be your servant, until the day I die," Merlin said, nodding. Arthur looked at Merlin then to his knights. The knights just smiled and shrugged and Arthur looked back at Merlin.

"We're not even going to ask," he said, slowly breaking into laughter with his friend.

The reason as to why Death spared Merlin will come in the next chapter.

Review please.