Author's note:

Thanks for the reviews! It's really appreciated.

Here we go: they are leaving the cave in the dark and they won't get far.

Chapter 5: Trapped

As soon as his feet found the ground, he heard Morgause's voice again.

Sister, it is almost time. Be ready. They are coming.

Merlin opened his eyes; Gwaine was staring at him. The knight's face was half-concealed in the darkness but the young warlock could see his worry.

"Come on, Merlin. We made it this far…" he whispered.

We shouldn't have waited for darkness, thought Merlin instantly.

"They're here," said Merlin, his voice hoarse, his face tense.

"We don't know that for sure."

"I do," he replied. "Morgause is here."

"How do you know?"

But Gwaine stopped short at the sound of clanging swords to their right. Merlin wheeled around; he had heard it as well.

"Gaius…" he whispered.

"Wait, Merlin!"

The young warlock was already running towards the ringing noise. It was utterly black around him and he even thought of conjuring a small flame to guide him, but that would give away his position. Instead, he brought his sword up in front of him, waiting for the assailants that were certain to come.

Gwaine came up to him in a flash. They could hear the sound of branches and leaves cracking under many sets of feet. However, the first figure that crashed into them was a familiar one.

"Ellyan!" said Gwaine in surprise.

Percival was walking towards them as well; the sleeve of his shirt was thorn and there were traces of blood. The tall knight was standing protectively over Gaius. The old man looked petrified but at least he was able to stand on his own. Almost.

"Not this way!" murmured Percival. "They're on our tails. We're trying the other way."

Merlin went to Gaius's side and the old physician took hold of his shoulder; he was breathing heavily.

"I've got him," said Merlin to the knight.

Percival seemed glad to be able to move at ease. He pulled out a dagger from under his chain mail; he was ready for a fight.

Gwaine was leading them back towards where he and Merlin had landed when suddenly, they heard more clanging sounds.

"Arthur…," whispered Merlin.

They sped up, slashing through branches as they made their way, but then Gaius tripped and fell on his knees. He was panting and clutching his torso. Merlin glanced up at the others as he lay besides his old mentor. He only had a few seconds to act.

Pressing his hand on Gaius's chest, he said "Gestathole!" and immediately he felt the healing power surge through him. He knew that his eyes had flashed gold.

"Better?" he asked in a low voice.

"You're amazing, I hope you know that," said the old man.

Gaius struggled to his feet, but at least his face had regained some color. Merlin followed him in the darkness. His hair was so white that it was almost a light.

Gwaine, Percival and Ellyan were either too far ahead or it was too dark but Merlin could no longer see them. Nervousness and fear grew in his stomach. He pushed hard against the branches; his right hand never leaving Gaius's shoulder. The sound of clanging swords had stopped and that couldn't be a good sign.

It wasn't long before he found out the reason for the sudden silence.

As he stepped into an opening in the trees, he saw Arthur and his knights standing on a patch of grass but with their swords at their feet. Arthur raised his hand and Merlin understood that he should not step in any further. At least twenty fully armed men where perched on a hill in front of them, forming a semi-circle. They had swords in one hand and a bow on the other; arrows were on their back. And in the middle of them, wearing a circlet of gold on her forehead and a red velvet dress stood the Lady Morgana.

Not Morgause. Morgana, thought Merlin, his mind racing to fit the pieces of the puzzle.

"Shall we have some light?" she cackled. "Forbearne!"

At least ten torches lit up at once, and there was something else in the spell too. Merlin had heard not only Morgana's voice but Morgause's as well, whispering in his head, reinforcing the enchantment. Morgana did not have that kind of power on her own, and Morgause must have been hurt during that fight, so the witch had found a way to transfer her magic to her sister. Morgause was not only controlling Morgana; she was in her head, inhabiting her body, touching her soul. They were as one.

Merlin shivered. Lady Morgana would have been beautiful shrouded in the orange glow but for the evil snarl on her face and the dark magic that was radiating from her. As he peered into her face, Merlin tried to find some trace of the Morgana he had once known, but Morgause's influence was changing her from inside.

"Surprise, surprise," laughed the witch. "You didn't think that we were going to loose you in the dark, did you?"

Arthur glanced sideways at Merlin, throwing him one of his most reproachful looks.

"The idea never crossed our minds," said the prince ironically.

Arthur was wearing his most defiant look.

"She is so beautiful," whispered Gwaine all of a sudden. "Why didn't anyone tell me that?"

Merlin couldn't help but let out a long sign.

Arthur wasn't disturbed by Gwaine's comment. "What do you want, Morgana? To kill me? Go ahead, but let the others go!"

"We'll die before we let you kill him!"

The cry had escaped Merlin before he even became aware of it.

Morgana let out a cruel laugh. "That's very brave, Merlin, but that's also completely useless and stupid. Then again, that's all you ever were. Do you have any idea how easily I could crush you?"

"Why don't you try?"

He saw Arthur throw him another look that had 'shut up, Merlin' written all over it, but he couldn't help it: he was fuming.

"Morgana!" said Gaius, aiming to catch her attention. "I'm the one you want. I'm the sorcerer."

Merlin felt a wave of anger coming from the witch. It was so strong that the ground under his feet seemed to shake.

"How dare you! How can you claim to know what I want? A sorcerer? Don't make me laugh! You're a hypocrite and a liar. You're nothing! Nothing! That's why you're going to die with the rest of them."

"Morgana, don't do this," said Arthur, taking a step forward. "Don't let the darkness take over. Remember who you are!"

"What I am become…"

She paused, looking suddenly lost, almost frightened. In his mind, Merlin heard Morgause again, whispering inaudibly some command. But the hesitation, the momentary silence; it had been Morgana. She might still be in there, thought Merlin.

But the other's voice was screaming. Finish it! Kill them!

"Archers!" bellowed Morgana, echoing her sister's wishes.

At her command, the men in black dropped their swords and took up their bows and arrows. It was happening fast. Merlin quickly glanced around, Arthur and the others were doing the same, but there was nowhere to run. Even Gaius seemed at a lost. And then, as Morgana screamed "Fire!" several things happened.

Lancelot put himself in front of Arthur. Gwaine took a step forward with a cry of war; Ellyan and Percival followed his example and growled as well. Gaius turned his back to the archers, protecting Merlin as he did so with his whole body.

And Merlin, purely on instinct, did the only thing that was left for him to do: he raised his hand and cried out "Gescildan!"

The arrows were set loose, but they did not reach Arthur and his knights, nor did they reach the old physician. A wall of pale light had appeared magically between the arrows and their targets; it was a shield that seemed to come from the air and the heat of the torches. Most of the arrows that touched the shield turned into ashes, but some fell through.

Merlin did not see the arrow that slashed through his left arm, but he felt its bite. He immediately cried out in shock and in pain. He heard Gaius scream his name.

"It's not bad," said the warlock, breathing deeply and trying not to faint at the sight of his own blood on his fingertips.

He was dreadfully aware that Morgana could kill them all with another volley if he didn't regain his senses quickly.

"Gaius doesn't have that kind of power!" said the witch, her voice slightly panicked.

By the demented look on her face, Merlin guessed that she was probably talking to Morgause, not to them.

"I don't care about another sorcerer. You will not deny me this, Sister! I will have my revenge!"

The scream that followed was so full of pain and rage that even Morgause's men recoiled at the sound. It made Merlin's insides twist in agony. His head was on fire; he tried to cover his ears, but it was all in vain. Morgana was summoning a magic darker than anything he had ever experienced. The ground began to shake horribly. As he glanced around, he saw Arthur and Lancelot struggling to remain on their feet while trying to regroup with the others. The patch of grass on which they were standing was opening up like the mouth of a monster. The ground and the hillside were caving in with increasing speed and a deafening sound. Merlin tried to think of a spell, but his mind was filled with the blackness that was now all around them. They were sinking, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

And then he watched with horror as Arthur fell into the hole. And Gaius disappeared as well. And Gwain and Ellyan and Percival fell into the darkness. And finally Merlin sunk. Someone grabbed his arm as he was tumbling down and down. And then he hit his head and knew no more.