Merlin
Love by Any Other name
Part 14
"ARTHUR!" Merlin roared into the darkness. His friend had called out once, then it had all gone silent. He was still on his horse, but could make out the faint outline of Arthur's horse, whining in terror as things pulled at it, the beast frightened to hell. Merlin considered going for it, not wanting to hear a creature suffer, but then he heard it too, the beating of wings all around him. He glanced once more at the sky, then at Arthur's horse, before he spurred his own one into a gallop.
Make sure you both come back Uther's words echoed in his mind.
Oh yeah. Uther was going to kill him.
Uther stood at his window, looking out into the blackness, not even seeing the courtyard below. That he could not see the courtyard below didn't however affect his hearing. People in the town screaming in panic. Fortunately the darkness had not totally overtaken the castle, though it was dimmer than it had been, as if he was slowly being robbed of his eyesight. He was sure however that it was because of the torches and candles that flickered around the room, and he was just as sure that if they should go out then all would be lost. He looked at Morgana who sat on the bed comforting Jamie, his thought's moving to Arthur and Merlin who we're out in the middle of all this, hating himself for sending them.
"It's getting darker isn't it?" asked Morgana gently, shocking Uther. He looked at her, nodding. There was no point in lying, in trying to reassure her. She was a grown woman, she had dealt with a lot over the years, she deserved the truth if nothing else.
"Yes" he agreed, looking up as the door opened, and Gwen rushed in, followed by Gaius, their clothing being pulled by some unseen assailant behind them. Uther moved over, Morgana at his side, pulling them in, aware of Jamie sitting up, reaching out for Morgana, trying not to panic. A moment later they were free, Morgana slamming the door closed.
"Gaius?" asked Uther looking at him. The old man was pale, almost shivering. Morgana shot Uther a look and led Gaius to a nearby chair, setting him down.
"I'm fine sire, just not used to running like a mad man through a dark castle" he replied. Uther nodded and looked at Gwen.
"And you?"
"Terrified actually, but coping" she answered. Uther smiled and nodded, then looked over at Jamie, before going to him and sitting down.
"Its okay Jamie" he said softly as the child gripped his hand tightly.
"I know" he said, trying to sound brave.
"Is Merlin and Arthur okay?" he asked. Uther smiled and stoked his hair softly.
"I'm sure they are" Uther said. Jamie nodded.
"Okay" he said. Uther lifted him up, Jamie wrapping his arms around him. Gwen looked over smiling, Morgana and Gaius doing the same. If Uther noticed he didn't show it.
"Do we have any idea of what this is?" asked Uther, not looking at them.
"Morgause, she came to my room, she said we'd been warned, that the Darkness was coming" Morgana said. Gaius did look at Uther now.
"The Dragon's warning" Gaius said. "I didn't believe it meant actual darkness" he added.
"Do you know what this darkness is then?" asked Gwen. Gaius looked at her.
"Possibly, in one of my books, but they're back at the Pharmacy" he admitted.
"Great, its pitch black out there, there's no way we can find the pharmacy in that" Gwen said. Suddenly Jamie hopped off of Uther and picked up his stick, after feeling around for it.
"I can take you" Jamie said. "I lived in the dark my whole life, I know where it is" he said. Uther took his hand.
"That is a very brave offer Jamie" he said. "But I will not risk losing you" he said, then he looked around.
"Any of you" he added.
"Uther, I hate to say this but Jamie is right. If we're to find out what's going on here, then I will need my books" Gaius said.
"Its too dangerous Gaius" Uther replied.
"Sire, I know you feel protective towards us, but we must do something, in case you hadn't noticed it's getting darker in here now" said Morgana. Uther looked around and sure enough the room was beginning to darken.
"We all go" said Gwen. "We follow Jamie to the pharmacy and do what we can to find out what this is" Uther shook his head but Jamie tugged on his sleeve.
"I can do this granddad" he said. Uther hugged him tightly, then looked at the others. "
Then we all go, but everyone hold a hand with someone else" he ordered. "there are five people here now and I expect to have five people when we get there, understood?" he said.
Merlin had been riding for what seemed like an age, the beating of wings all around him, but so far he hadn't been caught like Arthur had. He looked up at the sky, it was completely black now, as was the world around him. He also knew that the blackness, moving at the speed it had been would be well past Camelot by now, and all he could think of was Morgana and Jamie. Suddenly his horse buckled beneath him, and he was thrown forwards, hitting something hard and unyielding. He felt around, bark. A tree. He had reached the Forest again. Not that it gave any comfort as he could hear his horse now whining, but not in fear, in pain.
"I'm sorry" he muttered to it, as he got to his feet, feeling around, realising he no idea of what way to go. He roared in frustration as he felt out, his hand hitting something else. Leathery skin that was cold to the touch but very much alive. He quickly pulled his hand away, even as something clattered at him, like fingernails down a chalkboard. He backed up, stopping as he felt breathing down the back of his neck.
"Emblazry" he intoned, holding his hands up, they glowed with the intensity of fire, but did not burn him, but the light given off was hardly able to penetrate the darkness. It was enough however to get a fleeting glimpse of something moving quickly away before it the beating of wings began. They were afraid of the light, that was something at least. Slowly he looked around trying to get his bearings, it was no use. It didn't matter however as something suddenly swooped down from behind and sent him sprawling, he felt sharp talons rip into his back, tearing the chain mail as if it was nothing. Then with another clatter, the world went dark.
With everyone holding hands, Jamie in the lead, holding Uther's hand, the king reached forwards and opened the door to the camber. He felt it as soon as he did so. The evil that was bellowing from the dark hallway beyond the kings chambers.
"Remember, no matter what happens do not let go" Uther reminded them. "Okay Jamie, lead the way" he said. Jamie gulped and then moved forwards, Uther, Morgana, Gaius and Gwen following him. As soon as they were in the hall the tugging began, they pulled back as best they could, making slow progress.
"Its to the left at the end of the hall, then we have to go downstairs" Jamie said, swinging his stick out in front of him.
"Okay Jamie" Said Morgana. Suddenly Jamie stopped.
"Jamie?" asked Uther. Jamie gulped.
"There's something here" the boy said.
"Back up now!" Ordered Uther.
"I can't" said Gwen. "There's something behind us as well" she called out. A moment later the hall became full of the sound of clattering, the noise sending shivers down their spines.
"Nobody move" whispered Uther. Suddenly the clattering chalkboard sounds began to move around them, just behind Uther. Next to Morgana.
"Stop it" she whispered.
"Morgana?" hissed Uther.
"I can feel them, touching my arms… my hair" she said. Abruptly the clattering stopped.
"You" the voice was like the wind itself was talking. Uther felt a tug, then Morgana screamed, and Uther felt her hand ripped from his own.
"Morgana!" he roared, even as he felt Gaius's hand grip his.
"We must move quickly!" Gaius said.
"but-" Uther began.
"We cannot save her if we cannot see her!" Gaius said.
"It's moved, the thing in front of me its gone!" Jamie shouted. Uther blinked in the darkness.
"Then go!" he yelled, even as the clattering started up again.
Morgana awoke, aware that she could see, and that she was lying on parched earth. The sky above her was wrong, A yellowy grey mixture, no clouds, no sun. Slowly she sat up, taking in her surroundings. Dead trees littered the landscape, bone's piled up every fifteen paces or so and the coldness was unbearable. She remembered being grabbed, pulled roughly away from Uther and Gaius, then a blinding light, then nothing until she had woken up. Standing, she found her legs to be shaky, but she forced herself to not show weakness. But one thing she was certain of, she was not in Camelot anymore.
"WHARE AM I?" she screamed aloud, her voice echoing around her.
"Welcome Morgana" a voice replied from all around her, she could hear the vileness in its voice as it spoke.
"Where am I?" she demanded again.
"A place between your world and mine, a place of desolation…death… this is my domain" the voice replied.
"am I dead?" she asked. The voice gave a low, cruel chuckle.
"In a sense. But not quite, enough of you remains in your plain for my purpose"
"What do you want from me? I assure you Uther will never bargain with you!" she snapped.
"Uther does not interest me. His small mind is nothing to be fought over. Nor do I require anything of you, not directly" it said. "But the life growing within you. That is what interests me" it stated.
"You will never have my baby" Morgana spat.
"The child of a Dragonlord and a Sorcerer is a rare and powerful thing. And I have waited such a long time for such a vessel" it said. "But the choice is no longer yours. You will remain here until my essence is within your growing child, and then I shall be free of this eternal torment"
"I warn you, I will fight you!" Morgana said.
"I know, I look forward to it. Go where you will, it makes no difference you will not leave until I say you shall" it replied.
"What are you?" she demanded.
"I am the master of the darkness, the god of the lost. I am the Beast" it intoned. Morgana's eyes went wide.
"You're a legend, a myth told to children to frighten them!" she yelled.
"And yet. I am so much more" the voice replied, fading away.
The four of them finally made it to the pharmacy with Jamie's excellent sense of direction, Gaius feeling around in the darkness, until he finally found one lone candle. He put the palm of his hand around it and closed his eyes.
"Emblazrie" he whispered softly, the candle coming to life. He quickly looked around, making a motion as if dropping a match on the floor, but none of the others seemed to notice. All wincing at the sudden brightness. It was soon replaced by a look of horror at the horrid creatures that were in the room with them, all of them shying away from the light. Their bodies were a mottled grey and crème colour, their arms impossibly long, they had three fingered hands that ended in wicked looking talons, but their faces, they had no mouths just a dark hole where it should be ringed with teeth, one of them moved a putrid tongue through the opening the sound as it passed over those teeth making the sound of fingernail's down a chalkboard, causing the group to wince. Then it slide the tongue in a quick circular motion, the sound turning into the clatter they had heard earlier. The had eyes, much like that of an arachnid, and all of them had powerful looking wing's sprouting from their backs. Uther wasted no time, drawing his sword, but Gaius stopped him.
"There are too many sire" he said. Uther looked at him, about to protest, then nodded. In close quarters like this, a sword fight would surely get one of them killed.
"The light, they're afraid of it" said Gwen in a whisper. Gaius looked at the candle, then quickly moved to his desk picking up several more, using the lit one to light those. The room grew a bit brighter each time, until finally all the walls were visible. The creatures shrieked and shrank back, but did not leave.
"Where are the books?" asked Uther. Gaius looked up to the stacks, and to the two creatures that were there.
"Oh they would be" muttered Uther. He took a candle and moved over to the stairs, and stepped on the first one, it creaked softly, startling Jamie.
"Granddad?" asked Jamie softly.
"Stay with Gaius and Gwen" Uther told him, even as Gwen took Jamie's hand, Uther nodded at her, then moved up to the second step. At the top the creatures stepped back hissing. He held the candle out and the creature on the left leapt up and away, to land among its kind below. That left one up there, but instead of flying away, it stepped forwards. Uther paused, then realised the room was becoming darker again as the darkness sought to reclaim its lost area. With a snarl Uther ran up the rest of the stairs, shoving the burning candle into the face of the creature. It screeched causing Uther to wince, but he brought his sword around suddenly catching one of the wings, the creature screeched again, this time in pain as it tried to move away, tripping and falling down the stairs. It landed with a thud, Gwen pulling the shaking Jamie away from it. Uther snarled and began to throw books down towards the others, Gwen and Gaius doing their best to catch them, even as around them the darkness began to grow deeper.
Morgana had moved from her starting position, walking along the desolate landscape, intent on finding a way out. She was here, so the rational part of her mind insisted that there was a way out. She had walked for what seemed like miles, aware that she was not thirsty, not hungry. And that the landscape was the same in all directions, piles of bones, dead trees and dead earth, but she would not give up. Too much was depending on her. But she was woman enough to admit she was scared, not for herself, she had been through too much already to be afraid for herself, but for her child.
"Go wherever you want Morgana, I'll always be here" the voice taunted her.
"Go to hell" she muttered. The voice laughed again.
"But that is where we are" it replied as it faded away again. Morgana ignored it, absently stroking her stomach, as if trying to sooth the child within. She carried on walking some more, then suddenly stopped, her eyes widening, there, laying atop a pile of bones, was Arthur. She let out a scream and ran forwards, gripping his limp hand.
"Arthur… please no… not this…!" she screamed.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, some of your friends are here" the beast taunted. "Too easily in his case" it added. Morgana felt the tears in her eyes, falling to her knees at her half brothers corpse.
"this isn't real" she stammered. "IT ISN'T!" she screamed.
"Oh but it really is"
She looked up to see Arthur sitting up, looking at her. But his eyes were jet black. "Now we can talk properly" he said.
Uther grabbed the last couple of books, throwing them to Gwen, while Gaius poured over the texts in them.
"Well?" she asked going to him, keeping Jamie close to her.
"I'm looking… I'm looking"
"Look faster Gaius!" yelled Jamie. Suddenly there was a thud from above. Gwen spun around to see Uther being backed up by two of the creatures, the darkness around him nearly complete. He whirled his sword around, neatly dissecting the nearest of the attackers.
"Sire!" screamed Gwen as one of the creatures came up behind him. Uther turned and struck out at it, it fell screaming to the floor, but its work was done. Gwen and Gaius watched in horror as Uther's stomach blossomed red as the other creature that had been up there with him impaled him through his back.
"No…" whispered Gaius, as Uther turned and with a last spurt of energy decapitated his killer, before he collapsed down the stairs, landing in a heap.
"Gwen.. what is it? What's happening?" asked Jamie, pulling away at the sound.
"Jamie!" she screamed, as he back up, one of the creatures looking down at him. Slowly he turned, feeling out, touching its leathery leg.
"Granddad?" he asked softly, Gwen screamed and ran forwards as it raised an arm. Then she screamed again as it went completely dark. The creatures began to clatter as they moved, only to pause as the door exploded open. Fire reaching around the room, burning the creatures where they stood. They screamed in agony as they died. The darkness fading from the room as they did so. Gwen and Gaius looked over at the door. Merlin stood there, his armour bloody, his face scratched and bleeding, caked in dirt. His eyes were narrowed as he looked at the creature that stood over Jamie.
"Lesson one, you never hurt my family. Now get away from my son" he snarled. The Creature hissed at him, then was blown away as Merlin blasted it out of existence. He looked at the few remaining creatures.
"Lesson Two" said Merlin. "Never screw around with a dragon lord" he said, then blasted the creatures incinerating them as he did so.
"And lesson three. Never piss me off" he finished, as the door slammed behind him. Jamie slowly turned and then moved forwards, hitting Uther's hand. He knelt down and felt out.
"Granddad?" he asked softly. Behind him Merlin walked over and knelt down, seeing what had become of the king.
"Jamie" he said softly. Jamie turned, crying and threw himself into Merlin's arms.
"Father" Jamie whispered. Gwen clutching Gaius's hand as they watched. Merlin slowly stood and looked at them.
"Where's Morgana?" he asked.
"She was taken Merlin, we don't know where" Gaius said. Merlin closed his eyes.
"Then find out where" he said.
"Where's Arthur?" asked Gwen. Merlin opened his eyes again.
"Probably where Morgana is" he said, then he turned and looked at Uther.
"And I'm sorry I was too slow to save you" he whispered as Jamie hugged him tighter, a moment later Gwen moved over to him. He looked at her, then began to cry.
"Oh Merlin" she said softly, pulling him into a hug as he collapsed to his knees. Gaius watched, then he looked down at Uther, shaking his head sadly, then he left the three of them huddled on the floor of the room, and turned back to his books, vowing he would find an answer.
To be continued…..