A hidden threat
chapter 13

So chapter thirteen's here! I would just like to say thank you for everyone's renewed support of this story, I really wasn't expecting such a positive response after such a long break. And a big thank you to No.1 Merlin Fan, I love you girl! Now down to business *shuffles contracts authoritively* *wonders when these contracts actually got here* so this chapter is slightly shorter, just purely because I think the last chapter lacked detail and as my primary school English teacher always told me "it's about quality not quantity" the funny thing is she always had a go at me for not writing enough! Anyway, enough procrastination, here it is!

Gwaine turned another corner and was presented with yet another nondescript expanse of corridor. A wind howled through the corridor sending Gwaine into automatic defence mode. He was not normally this on edge, but he had experienced first-hand what this monster was capable of and he refused to let his guard down until Lucan was safely under lock and key. He suddenly felt a shiver shoot down his spine, but it wasn't just the cold. Was it his imagination, or was there really a talon like hand clasping his shoulder? He refused to acknowledge the clearly fantastical footsteps that were echoing his own. He kept walking determinedly.

"Pull yourself together!" he spat at the blackness, "Only children are afraid of the dark."

He knew he was acting irrationally, he knew that there was nothing behind him but an empty corridor. He also knew that even if Lucan was behind him Gwaine would make short work of the sorcerer. He knew all of this, but not in a million years was he going to turn round.

Suddenly a noise erupted from the hallway, something that was definitely not coming from Gwaine's imagination. A scream, a cry for help. It sounded like Carmen and she was in trouble.

"Can no one last more than five minutes without me?" he joked to himself, and took off down the corridor.

…

Arthur had been wandering the darkened palace for over an hour now. He had never felt more like a child. He knew this castle like the back of his hand, every single passage and entrance, every single corridor. But at this time of night every shadow seemed to take on its own malignant form, every noise was an attacker intent on harming him.

The courtyard was ahead of him, he stepped out into the moonlight, the lunar sheen caressed his face and hair, illuminating his deep blue eyes. It rebounded off his armour, he was every inch the warrior. A sharp wind brushed through Arthur's hair and sent a tremble down his back. He had suddenly grown cold, like someone had walked over his grave. Arthur was convinced he heard his name being carried on the wind, he spun round, glaring at the unmoving shadows, wrongly convinced that nothing was there he turned back round. But the problem with monsters is that they only advance when your back is turned.

His sword felt comfortably heavy in his hands. The impossibly high stone walls were bathed in an ethereal light. He gazed up at the starless sky, and inhaled the piercing air. He felt the ice on the wind fill his lungs and his head. For the first time that night he was in control. No ultimatums, no threats, no buts or what ifs, he was in control. And loving it. His eyes fell upon the huge clock tower on the west side of the courtyard. The witching hour was well upon him, his father had often told him about this time of night, when sorcerers and monsters set to work. When dark magic was at its most potent and when the evil preyed on the innocent. Suddenly his feeling of control slipped through his fingers. He tried to regain it but it was like clutching at water. This feeling peaked as a shout emanated from the corridor behind him, it was a cry for help that made Arthur's blood run cold. It was Merlin's voice, he sounded terrified. Arthur made a dash for the corridor, running to help his friend.

And the monsters stepped out of the shadows, watching as the prince sprinted away. A collective smile spread across their hooded faces.

…

Merlin rounded a corner, Carmen following close behind him. He had been following the sound of Arthur's voice through the labyrinth or corridors and hallways that adorned Camelot's castle, it had led him to a more secluded part of the castle, barely visited and certainly not inhabited. He stopped for a second, trying to gain his bearings and that was when it hit him, he was totally lost. Merlin could no longer hear Arthur's voice, just deathly silence. Suddenly Gwaine came cannoning down the corridor, practically running into Merlin. He seemed panicked and agitated, as well as out of breath, he addressed Carmen without even acknowledging Merlin's presence.

"Carmen," he began confused, "What's wrong? Are you okay?" he babbled

"Me?" she asked even more confused, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard you scream." Gwaine added, he had finally got his breath back but had not lost the confused tone in his voice.

"I didn't scream." She added, the panic in her voice disguised by reason, "It must have been someone else. I've been with Merlin this whole time."

Gwaine looked to Merlin and his face mirrored Carmen's confusion.

"It was definitely you." Gwaine stated, trying to shift the idea that he was mad, mistaken or lying. "Anyway, what are you even doing down here?"

"It's Arthur, he sounded like he was in trouble. So we…" she was cut off by an abrupt entrance from the aforementioned prince, looking confused and relieved.

"Merlin!" he gasped

"Arthur?" Merlin returned

"What happened? What's wrong?" Arthur garbled, panicking.

"Me? We were coming to look for you." He looked round to Carmen, she was at a loss to explain.

"But I heard you shout." Arthur was now just as confused as the other three, this was clearly shown on the expression now etching itself across his face.

"Hold on," Carmen interjected, trying in vain to make sense of the situation. "We all heard different voices, they were all calling for help, and they all led us here." Suddenly realisation sneaked across her face as she put the pieces together. "Oh, we've all been so stupid. We've been led into…"

She was cut off by another arrival, Leon and Elyan. Both looking perplexed as to why Gwaine wasn't dead or dying.

"A trap." She finished.

With this a sinister applause rose out of the seemingly endless gloom. It was followed by a tall dark figure donned in a floor length cloak and a villainous aura. The air around the group seemed to ripple and distort and a golden mist bled from an invisible source, and The Brotherhood appeared encircling the group. The knights drew their swords simultaneously, although they all knew it was in vain. A repulsively dark grin spread across Lucan's face. He placed his hands on his hips and regarded the group with something that may have been mistaken for admiration. His mesmerising eyes scorched as this look was replaced with one of hate and aberration.