Merlin Season 6
Episode 6: The Great Divide (part 2)
Gwen continued wringing her hands while she paced in front of Gaius's work table. Her stomach growled but she paid her hunger no mind. It was mid-afternoon and she still hadn't eaten anything since last night.
"My queen," Gaius began, looking through his glass bottles of every shape and filled with every color of liquid. "Starving yourself will not help me mix this tonic any faster for Merlin, nor will it help the king find him any sooner. All it will do, is cause your stomach to growl and your husband to worry."
Gwen stopped her pacing and looked at Gaius confused, like she had been so far lost in thought, that it took awhile for her brain to catch up so she could understand what Gaius said. When she did, she responded back, "I know. I just haven't given much thought to eating."
An overwhelming wave of exhaustion came over Gwen and she sank into a chair. She rubbed her left temple in a circular motion. Her headache from lack of food was getting worse. "What is becoming of the kingdom?" She seemed to ask herself. "Arthur is a good king; kind, fair and just. Why don't people see that? He loves his people and would do anything for them."
"Every king faces the consequences of the decisions the king before him makes. King Uther was my friend but the fear of magic, and persecution, started with him. It lasted for over twenty years before Arthur took the throne. That amount of pressure on any kingdom can cause it to break. Arthur has more than his fair share of work, if he is going to bring peace again to this land."
Gaius slowly poured a small glass of thick, emerald green liquid into a large glass of crystal clear liquid with flecks of silver in it, then he swirled it around. "This is why Arthur will need Merlin."
Gwen came over to the table as Gaius was finishing up the tonic.
A moment later, the door opened and Arthur stepped in. He made sure the door was shut tight behind him. "I didn't find him," he said answering the unspoken question on Gwen and Gaius' faces. "But I believe I know what direction he is heading. Did you find out what happened to him?"
"I believe so." Gaius pointed to the open book on the table. In the center of the tattered, old, yellow page was a large eye covered in black veins. "It's a dark pathogen called the Drop of Decay. It causes a disease of the mind, but only to those who possess magic, because the main ingredient is magic. Spoiled, rotten magic."
"How does magic spoil?" Arthur asked.
"Magic is like air, or gas, invisible to the eye, but you can feel it, even capture it and contain it. Many, many years ago, when I was a young man just learning magic, I heard of a group of sorcerers who were scholars of magic. They practiced the art of alchemy and their main focus was turning magic it to something solid. Not just enchanting an object, but actual magic, the very thing."
"Why?"
"I don't know the whole reason. I assume out of curiosity, for the most part. Perhaps some of them wished to sale magic for a profit. The point is that they succeeded. From what I've heard, they never turned magic into something as solid as a rock, but it was a touchable and seeable liquid. They continued to experiment and that was when the Drop of Decay was created."
Gaius placed his hand on the open book, "This book contains some of the results of their experiments, but it doesn't contain the recipe and incantation for the Drop of Decay because it was very dangerous to those who possess magic. They learned this through tragedy. One of them had become infected and went mad. The longer he was infected, the worst it got. His fellow scholars tried to help him but when he started murdering people, they were forced to kill him. Fearing this could happen again, they worked hard on a cure. But they never found one. The Drop of Decay takes hold of the magic inside one and can not be separated or destroyed by any kind of tonic."
Arthur rubbed between his eyes, "Then what are you doing with all this?" he gestured to the table covered in all the bottles of liquid.
"Well," Gaius said, soundly a bit hopeful. "One of the sorcerers invented a tonic that could clear the mind. He believed that if any sorcerer was infected by the Drop of Decay, if they could regain their mind, they might be able to use their own magic within them to cure the rotten magic. That is why when you find Merlin, you will need to make sure he takes this." Gaius finished mixing the liquid in the large glass and then poured a portion in a smaller glass and shoved a cork in the top. "But you must make haste and find Merlin. The longer the Drop of Decay is in him, the harder it will be to be rid of."
Arthur took the small bottle from Gaius, "You mean if Merlin can even get rid of it."
"If any sorcerer can achieve it, Merlin can. He's special."
"You've said that before."
"You need to start believing it."
Arthur paused momentarily as he stared down at Gaius, then he nodded and turned to leave, Gwen caught his sleeve, "Perhaps you can take a few knights with you?"
"I can't," Arthur told her. "Anyone I take with me, will surely find out that Merlin is a sorcerer."
"He easily tied you to a chair for over an hour," she pointed out, pursing her lips.
"I was caught off guard," Arthur huffed.
Putting her fingers to her brow, Gwen asked, exasperatedly, "When are you going to stop underestimating him? He took on an army of Saxons. With him not being in his right mind, I'm afraid of what he will do to you."
Arthur touched his wife's cheek, gently cupping her face, she leaned into his hand as he spoke. "I can't expose Merlin's secret, it will be too dangerous for him. Tell her, Gaius."
"I think she's right," Gaius responded instantly. "The most important thing right now is to bring Merlin back sound of mind. You won't be able to do that alone. Merlin will be too dangerous. He's a very powerful sorcerer, and despite popular opinion, he's very smart."
Arthur looked from Gwen to Gaius and back again. Finally he said, "I will take Sir Leon and Sir Percival and that is all."
This satisfied Gwen, and she let him go.
Gareth sat at the bottom of the stairs that led up to Gaius's home. He had followed Arthur all morning as Arthur searched for Merlin. He wondered why Merlin had gone missing, especially at a time like this. Mordred was stirring up trouble again in Camelot, just as he had done before when he used Gareth.
The door to Gaius's home opened. Gareth was quick to move out of sight as Arthur descended. He followed Arthur through the courtyard and then the castle. Arthur stopped and spoke with Sir Leon in a hushed whisper. When he was through talking, Sir Leon nodded and went the opposite way.
It wasn't long before Gareth had followed him to the stables where, Arthur, Sir Leon and Sir Percival mounted their horses and were heading out. Gareth saddled his own horse and took off after them.
Arthur worked in haste following Merlin's tracks. Once nightfall came it would be too difficult to make them out, forcing Arthur to take up the search in the morning.
"He travel fast without a horse," Percival laughed. "It's probably all that exercise he gets running around doing errands."
Arthur had only explained to them that Mordred had cursed Merlin using magic and turned him mad. To which they both wondered why Mordred would want to go after Merlin. Merlin was only Arthur's servant. If he had some how managed to infiltrate the castle, why not go after the queen or Arthur himself? Arthur didn't give them an answer, yet.
"The path he took is straight," Sir Leon pointed out.
"Yes," Arthur agreed. "He's not wandering, he headed out with a destination in mind. And I think I know where."
All three kicked their horses into a fast gallop. They slowed their horses to a walk when the first ruin of the old, fallen castle came into sight.
"You think he's in there?" Sir Percival asked.
Arthur nodded.
"How do you want to go about doing this?" Sir Leon asked Arthur. "You can go in first, distract him while I come up from behind and grab him."
Percival agreed to Leon's plan and added, "I'll stay out here, cover the perimeter just in case he makes a run for it."
Arthur sat rigid and silent on his horse as he looked up at the stone, skeleton structure of the old castle.
"Arthur," Leon spoke louder. "What do you think of the plan?"
For a moment Arthur said nothing and then said, "It won't work."
"Why not?" Percival asked. "It's just Merlin, crazy or not, armed or not. He shouldn't be too much of a problem."
Again Arthur went quiet.
Leon brought his horse forward, "Is there something else we need to know?"
Arthur dismounted and tied his horse to a fallen tree. Leon and Percival did the same. They were patient as they waited for Arthur to speak. The sun had gone down, but there was still enough light to see the look of deep contemplation on Arthur's face.
"I need to tell you something important about Merlin," Arthur started.
The look Leon and Percival gave each other was that of one who expected to hear that a loved one was terminally ill. It was clear they had know idea what was coming.
"What is it, Arthur?" Percival asked in a grave and informal way, like he wanted this terrible news over with.
Leon placed a hand on Percival's shoulder, "Just tell us," he prodded in a strong tone.
Arthur looked between the both of them, and rolled his eyes, "Merlin's not going to die."
The look of great relief that overcame them both, though Leon's relief was more guarded, told Arthur he had guessed their thoughts. But just because Merlin was not at Death's Door didn't mean they would take the real news more joyfully.
Without waiting any longer, Arthur said matter-of-factly, "Merlin is a sorcerer."
Their relief was swept away followed by amused confusion, like they were waiting for the last line of a joke.
"Actually," Arthur smiled incredulously, "he's the sorcerer Emrys."
They seemed to still be waiting.
As the silence weighed on, Arthur took another whack at their walls of disbelief. "Gaius says that he is one of the most powerful sorcerers to ever live. And that we are going to have to be very careful when we approach him, or he could kill us in his insanity. So, if either one of you want to turn back…"
That did it. Their amused confusion turned into utter disbelief, which then turned into stunned surprise, and then to sheer indignation.
Leon's chest rose and fell as he began to breath heavily, "All this time we've been fighting magic, with Merlin as one of our most trusted companions to the end, and he's one of them?"
"You knew about this," Percival accused Arthur looking deeply offended, "and you didn't tell us?"
"I learned about him after the war against the Saxons," Arthur said. "He told me himself."
Leon looked away.
"You have a right to be angry. I was. I didn't know what to think of him at first. He had been my faithful servant, my friend even, for many years, and yet he had been lying to me the whole time." Arthur touched his chest where Mordred's sword had penetrated. "Mordred had dealt me, what should have been, a fatal blow. I was dying when Merlin finally told me the truth about him. Maybe he only did tell me then because he wasn't sure if I was going to make it. But I did make, because of Merlin." Arthur made sure to emphasize that point. "He stuck by me, and through some kind of magic spell, which I do not understand, he was able to save me."
The whole forest seemed to have gone quiet as Leon and Percival intently listened to Arthur's story.
"When I woke in my own bed, alive and healed, I gave him a lot of thought that day. What should I do with him, how should I proceed? My mind reflected back on all those strange times that I, Camelot, and my knights were saved by some miracle. Now knowing what Merlin was, I was able to see clearly for the first time. Merlin, though he has lied, has always been faithful to me and Camelot. He has risked his life in more ways than I'm sure I'll ever know." Arthur then gave each of them a stern look. "He deserve a chance to be believed in and trusted. As I am now taking a chance in trusting you."
Leon's indignation slowly disappeared as he stroked his beard giving what Arthur said deep thought. Percival scratched his bottom lip as he too was in deep thought. Then, almost simultaneously, they turned to Arthur and nodded, indicating firmly that they were with him.
"Good, because I need you both at your best if we are going to take down Merlin. We will need to be careful, and extremely cautious. Do not underestimate him. I have seen personally what he can do, and so have you when you watched Emrys take on the Saxons by calling lightning down from the sky. And with him not being in his right mind, we don't know what to expect."
Leon and Percival huddled in closer with solemn expressions now that they understood the full gravity of their mission.
In the center of the ruins, three stone walls and one partial wall enclosed around, what might have been, an old throne room. The starry night sky shone brightly overhead since the stone ceiling was in large pieces on the floor. The six large columns, that once held up the ceiling, had crumbled and were now varying in height. Sticky weeds and long vines covered almost every inch of the ground, popping up through all the rubble.
Merlin paced at one end of the throne room, rubbing his hands and muttering to himself. The black veins in his eyes had doubled in size and were now showing all around his eyes. "How long has it been," he asked himself, "days, months, years since I left Camelot? I don't know." He smacked his head a few times. "I don't know anything. The whole world could now be infected with madness. Must keep it together. Must find away to save everyone. I am their king, it is my duty."
He thought for a moment and then said, "I shall throw a ball and invite all those who are still sane. We shall discuss what is to be done. We shall have music, and dancing. There shall be a feast with ham, and sausage and little roasted nuts. Oh, yes, I love those little nuts."
Arthur watched Leon and Percival disappear, each in different directions, before passing through the broken doors that led into the castle. He moved slowly, and cautiously down the stone halls. It was dark now, but thankfully there was very little left of the castle's ceiling so the moon's bright light helped him find his way. As he turned down another hall full of rubble, he saw the orange glow of torches coming from a well lit room at the end. He approached even more carefully and as he did, he heard muttering. He stopped just outside the rooms entrance.
"So glad you could come," Merlin said, sounding very cordial.
Arthur pressed against the wall wondering if Merlin was talking about him. But then Merlin continued.
"We were delighted to receive such a lavish invitation to your coronation. Ah, ha." He laughed in a higher voice. "That rhymed."
Arthur's mouth twisted up in a confused smile. Is he having a party?, he thought.
"What do you think of this dreadful disease that has taken over our lands?" Merlin asked someone.
Peeking behind the corner, Arthur could only see Merlin talking to himself. It was now or never. So he took one more step and he was now in full view. Merlin took no notice at first as he prattled on to imaginary guests.
Arthur cleared his throat which caused Merlin to look, and then look again. Merlin's madness seemed to leave him for a moment as he looked straight at Arthur with notable confusion.
"Arthur?"
Approaching slowly, Arthur said, "Yes, Merlin, it's me."
Merlin gave Arthur a small, mournful smile, "Has it been so long?"
That stopped Arthur where he stood, he frowned, "Merlin, it hasn't even been twenty-four hours."
Merlin nodded melancholy, like Arthur had told him some bad news he had no choice to accept. "I must say, time has been kinder to you than it has to me."
"I would agree with you there," Arthur smiled. "I've come to help you." He held his hands up in a sign of peace as he drew closer to Merlin.
"Help me?" Merlin asked, truly deluded. The black veins in his eyes began to pulse making all the muscles around his eyes twitch.
"Yes," Arthur continued taking two more steps. "Mordred has done something to you. He somehow injected you with the Drop of Decay. I can't explain it all right now," he pulled out the vial of clear liquid, "but if you drink this it will help you gain back your sanity."
Merlin took a step down from the raised floor where a king's throne chair once would have sat. "My sanity?" he questioned appalled by the acquisition.
Arthur felt the stone floor rumble beneath his feet but he didn't stop his approach. "Merlin, just listen to me. You are sick and you need to take this."
A loud, hysterical laugh erupted from Merlin's throat. "I am not the one who is sick. I am the only one who knows what is really going on. I am the only one who ever knows what is really going on."
"Merlin, please trust me on this," Arthur begged.
"Trust you?" Merlin sneered. "You, who has always been so blind to the truth. I warned you of Cornelius Sigan, Morgana, Agravaine, Mordred. Time and time again I tried to open your eyes to the truth. It didn't matter how many times I was right in the past, you never listened. You never know what's really going on." Merlin then smiled and said, full of wicked delight, "You don't know all I keep from you now. You have always been blind to the truth and you always will be."
Anger sparked in Arthur's eyes but he kept his temper under control. "You're right. I've been a fool." He barely managed to choke out, doing his best to swallow his pride for Merlin's sake. "But I need you to listen to me now."
"I am done listening to you!" Merlin brought his hand down in a swift and diagonal line, at the same time, a pillar behind Arthur looked like it was sliced clean through in the same diagonal angle as Merlin's hand made. The top of the solid, heavy stone pillar slid off, stone scraping against stone, and crashed to the floor with a loud thundering boom. It broke into hundreds of pieces. Years worth of dust billowed up into the air.
Arthur had turned around, his hand on the hilt of his sword but he didn't draw it. He turned back to Merlin. "If you will not come peacefully, I will take you by force."
"I think not." Merlin's wide, amused smile sent chills down Arthur's spine. He drew his sword and ran at Merlin.
In one flick of Merlin's wrist, Excalibur flew out of Arthur's hands and stuck deep into a stone wall. The stone slab underneath Arthur's feet popped up and sent him flying all the way to the back wall. Arthur's back hit the wall and then he fell forward onto his stomach. He groaned as he pushed himself up. The front of him was covered in gray dust.
The black veins now spread from Merlin's eyes, to his temples, down past his ears and onto his neck. He looked menacing as he watched Arthur make his way to his feet. Then he heard movement at his left and he turned to see Sir Leon almost upon him. Gold filled his eyes as he slowed time in order to stop Leon. He cocked his head to the right and Leon sailed through the air landing next to Arthur. With his eyes still glowing, he picked up a small sound of someone approaching from behind.
In another wave of his wrist, Percival was faced down next to Arthur and Leon. "Do we have a backup plan?" he asked with his head still on the cold, stone floor.
"You think that I wouldn't know you'd bring your most trusted knights?" Merlin asked viciously. "I had been expecting them the moment you entered my throne room alone."
Arthur, Leon and Percival came to their feet.
"I am the king now!" Merlin roared. He brought his arms out and the room shook. "I am the only one wise enough to be your ruler."
Percival and Leon watched the walls closely as they continued to shake. Then they looked at each other with the same awestruck expression.
"This isn't you, Merlin" Arthur said trying to approach again. "You have always been a loyal friend to me. You would never intentionally harm me. Please, I beg you."
Merlin dropped his hands the trembling stopped.
"I know I can be hard on you, unfair even. I don't always listen to you, especially when I know I should. But I need you to come back to Camelot. I need you to be my servant again. I need you to be Merlin again. Don't let Mordred win. Don't let him do this to you."
Arthur was merely five steps away. He could see that Merlin was looking at him clearly for the first time that night. But then the black veins filled every white space in his eyes and the madness seemed to take over completely.
Percival and Leon ducked as the fire from the torches erupted into the air and made a ceiling of scorching flames.
"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled over the sound of the roaring fire.
Percival and Leon started making their way as quick as they could toward their king, but found it difficult as the ground started giving way to great gulfs that swallowed up parts of the stone floor.
The fiery ceiling began to fall, threatening to engulf them all in blistering flames.
Merlin stood with his glowing, gold eyes watching the scene before him with a blank expression.
"MERLIN!" Arthur again tried to reach him, but there was something about the way Merlin looked that told him it might be too late. Large beads of sweat dripped down Arthur's burning face as he struggled with what to do. His metal armor was growing hotter, and it felt like he was being cooked alive in it.
"Ahh!" Arthur heard Percival yell from behind. His knights were either going to fall into the abyss Merlin created below them or be scorched to death by flames above.
Just when Arthur thought Merlin was lost, he saw someone up in a tree just outside the throne room. The man, high up in the trees, brought a bow to his face and fired an odd looking arrow. The arrow sailed swift through the air and hit Merlin in the back of the neck. Merlin's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he collapsed forward. In one quick, long step, Arthur lunged for him and caught Merlin in the chest before he could hit the hard stone floor. On the floor laid the arrow which had a sack full of packed dirt tightly tied around the point. The fire above receded back to the torches on the wall and the ground became solid again.
Percival and Leon joined Arthur's side, panting as they did.
"Who shot the arrow?" Leon asked.
They all looked up at the tree and could see some dark figure climbing down.
Arthur carefully laid Merlin's unconscious form on the ground. He rolled his head over to check where the arrow had hit him. There was a large bump but no blood.
In moments, Gareth entered the room. He was grinning from ear to ear, clearly impressed with himself. "That shot was perfect!" he exclaimed. "Do you know how hard it is to be accurate with a sack of dirt tied to your arrow. That is true skill."
No one else in the room appeared pleased with Gareth archery skills. In fact, all three of them, wore the most serious of expressions as Gareth approached them.
Gareth looked at Merlin lying on the floor and then up at Arthur. "What?" he asked sounding a little annoyed. "He's not dead."
"How did you find us?" Arthur asked harshly.
"I didn't find you. I followed you." Gareth looked at each one of their vexed expressions and added, "Which clearly, I shouldn't have had to do, since I just saved you lot. So maybe instead of looking at me like I stole your undergarments, you should be thanking me."
Sir Percival stepped toward Gareth, "Permission to whack him, Sire."
"Granted."
In a swift move, Percival smacked Gareth on the back of the head.
"Hey," Gareth yelled grabbing his now sore head.
Before Gareth could even think about retaliating, Arthur was in his face. "You will not tell anyone what you have seen tonight," Arthur growled, "or the penalty will be death. Understood?"
"Absolutely," Gareth said. Then looking down at Merlin he asked, "What's wrong with him?"
"Mordred poisoned him, somehow, and it caused him to go mad."
Gareth frowned. "But he is a sorcerer," he confirmed.
"Yes," Arthur nodded. "A good one who is loyal to me."
Leon knelt down next to Merlin and opened one eye lid. "He should be out for sometime," he announced. "What do you wish to do now, Sire?"
"We'll camp here for the night. I don't want to take Merlin back to Camelot unless I am sure he is all right, and safe to be around."
Percival and Leon both agreed.
"And what about him?" Percival asked indicating to Gareth.
"I'll stay with you," Gareth blurted.
"No," Arthur said, "You will return to Camelot and tell her highness that all is well and I will return in the morning."
"What?" Gareth asked, pouting like a child who was just told he had to go to bed early. "I just saved you. You may need me."
"Gareth," Arthur started with barely controlled patience in his tone. "A knight of Camelot does not question the king's orders. He obeys without question. If you wish to be such a knight, you will go."
In a huff, Gareth turned around and headed out the room mumbling the whole way about what an ungrateful lot they all were.
"That boy has a lot of growing up to do," Percival said, shaking his head.
Leon shrugged, "He's spoiled and arrogant. Because he's a natural born fighter, he feels entitled to certain privileges."
An hour later they all sat around a fire eating hot stew. Each of them had already tended to their burns caused by the ceiling of fire. Arthur noticed how both Percival and Leon kept glancing at Merlin who was laying near Arthur still unconscious. He had already given Merlin the tonic and was now waiting to see if it worked. When Arthur was done eating he asked his knights, "What is it?"
Leon was the first to speak, "I am wondering, Sire, with all that is happening in Camelot is it wise to bring Merlin back? He is bound to be discovered sooner or later."
"Are you thinking the same thing?"
"I've always liked Merlin," Percival said. "But fear has taken great hold on Camelot and all the villages around it, I worry that if Merlin's is found out that the people will lose faith in their king. And then what will we do?"
Leon nodded.
There was a long moment of silence as Arthur contemplated what Leon and Percival said. He looked down at Merlin as he slept on the ground. When he looked up again, he spoke, "I understand your concerns. They are valid. Merlin warned me that Mordred's plan would be to divide us and he is doing a marvelous job of it. And I have been helping him by causing those with magic to be rounded up, and placing the fears of those without magic above those with magic." Arthur's eyes focused on the fire, "We keep blaming Morgana, Mordred and all the others for what is happening but it was my father who started all this. It was his own fear of magic that has caused so much suffering. It was his fear that divided us. I loved my father, but I can't follow in his footsteps if I ever hope to be a better king. That is why, as soon as we return to Camelot, all those accused of magic will be pardoned."
"Are you certain that is the right thing to do?" Leon asked.
"No, but it is the only thing I can do to ensure that Mordred does not divide us anymore."
Leon opened his mouth to say more when Merlin began to stir on the blanket he was laying on. He groaned and slowly brought a hand to his head. Arthur knelt beside him, "Merlin?"
Merlin rubbed his dry eyes before opening them.
Leon and Percival both grabbed the hilt of their swords.
Merlin looked up to see Arthur leaning over him with a look of relief on his face. "Arthur," he groaned and swallowed trying to moisten his throat. Arthur offered him water which he took and drank gratefully. The cool water brought instant relief to his throat and helped clear his head. He sat up and took in his surroundings. He was in some castle ruins with lit torches on the walls. Arthur sat next to him looking concerned. He noticed that Arthur's face had a few burns. He then saw Leon and Percival who also had burns on their faces and Percival had more on his exposed arms. The two knights sat rigid with their hands on their swords like they were ready to draw them if Merlin so much as sneezed. This unusual scene caused Merlin to think back on what could have caused this strange behavior.
It took a moment, but once the memories came flooding back he instantly felt guilty and embarrassed.
Arthur noticed his change of expression because he asked, "Do you remember what happened?"
Merlin nodded. "I remember going down to see those in the dungeon and then someone stabbed me in the back of the neck." He rubbed at the spot. "I felt strange after that and I started seeing everyone going crazy, except now I know that I was the one going crazy."
"And how are you feeling now?"
"Clearer."
"Good," Arthur nodded.
Merlin again looked at Leon and Percival. He remembered thinking they were the enemy and how he tried to burn them all alive. They knew he had magic, and by the way they watched him cautiously, they did not trust him. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. He looked at all their burns. "I can heal those for you."
Leon and Percival remained still so Arthur spoke up. "You can take care of mine first," he demanded, sounding playfully irritated.
Merlin placed a hand over the burns on Arthur's face and muttered a few words in the Old Religion. He noticed out of the corner of his eye how Leon and Percival tensed but then, when he pulled his hands away and Arthur's burns were gone, they relaxed.
Percival was the first to let go of his sword. "I guess I let you work your magic," he smiled.
Merlin stood over Percival and began to say the words of a healing spell. Percival watched closely as Merlin's eyes glowed. He seemed more fascinated now than afraid.
Once Merlin was done healing Percival, he looked at Leon who shrugged giving Merlin the permission to heal him too.
"I wish I would have known about your powers sooner," Percival said while examining his healed arm. "I wouldn't have quite so many scars."
"If you wore more armor, you'd have less scars too," Arthur told him.
"True, true," Percival agreed, then he smirked, "but I can't deny that the ladies do love them."
Leon rolled his eyes, "Or is it that you love the sympathy you get from them as they coddle you about them?"
"Does it matter?"
Merlin smiled at the light heartedness of the conversation and he took his seat by the fire again. Arthur offered him a bowl of stew, which he took graciously. By the way his stomach tightened and groaned it had been awhile since he ate. He was only halfway through his meal when he realized that everyone had gone silent. When he looked up he saw that Leon and Percival were watching him warily. He turned to see that Arthur had an amused smile on his face.
"What?" he asked.
Percival was the first to ask what was on his mind, "You're really Emrys?"
"Uh," Merlin swallowed a large piece of a potato that burned his throat on the way down. "Yeah."
"I mean, that old, old," he emphasized by scrunching his face, "OLD man?"
"Yep," Merlin answered again.
Leon rubbed his brow as if he didn't understand Merlin's answer. "How?"
With a careless shrugged, Merlin said, "A simple spell. Turning into an old man is not hard, it's turning back is the trick. The first time I did it, I was almost executed and if it wasn't for Gaius coming up with the potion that turned me back I would have been."
"How did you hide it for so long?" Leon asked.
"It wasn't easy," Merlin admitted.
The next two hours or so, Merlin was bombarded with questions about magic. He told stories of the past from his point of view and was able to be honest about what really happened. Of course he left out anything about dragons. The longer he spoke the more comfortable he could tell that Leon and Percival were becoming with their new found knowledge of him. It was late before Arthur announced it was time for them to sleep. They all did as the king commanded and stretched out on their blankets.
In moments Merlin could hear Percival's soft snore and Leon's slow breathing. Arthur also lay unmoving a few feet away. Even though it had been nice to be so accepted for what he was, Merlin laid awake with an uneasy feeling inside. When he couldn't take it any longer, he got out of bed and sat down on the steps near the entrance to the ruins. Shortly after, Arthur joined him.
Neither of them spoke at first but then Merlin said, "I need to tell you something."
"I know."
"You do?"
Arthur nodded, looking up at the bright starry sky, "You told me you were hiding something from me when you were still in your mad state."
Vaguely remembering that, Merlin said, "Oh."
Arthur patiently waited for Merlin to find his courage.
"I wasn't completely honest with you when we were in the catacombs under the White Mountains"
"Hmm," Arthur prompted Merlin to continue.
"Do you remember the Crystal of Neahtid?"
Arthur nodded.
"It allows someone who possesses strong enough magic to see the future. I can see the future in it. I've seen the future in it many times. And I saw the future again when I was in the cave of the White Mountains where I first saw Mordred."
Arthur frowned, "What did you see?"
Merlin leaned forward shaking his head, "Myself, bringing down the walls of Camelot with magic."
"That's impossible," Arthur was quick to contradict. "You would never do that."
"I know," Merlin smiled a little crazily. "But that's the thing. Everytime I see the future, no matter how awful it is, no matter what lengths I go to avoid it, it always come to pass. I saw you being stabbed through the chest by Mordred long before it happened."
Arthur's eyes widened.
"I did everything I could to avoid it. But everything I did only ensured it. And now, I see myself destroying Camelot? I don't know how that's possible and I don't know how I can stop it."
Merlin buried his face in his hands feeling the full weight of the future on his shoulders.
"Maybe you should stop trying to avoid what you see," Arthur offered simply.
Merlin looked up bewildered by Arthur's statement.
"It seems that if avoiding the future you've seen only causes it to unfold, then perhaps you should just prepare for it instead." Arthur placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder, "Sometimes war, famine, sickness and death are inevitable. They are going to happen, it's just a matter of when. We can run around fearing it or we can do are best to prepare for it, taking confidence in the fact that we did all we could do."
"How can I prepare for something like that?"
"I don't know." Arthur shrugged, "I didn't see the future, you did. I think that is something you are going to have to figure out."
Before getting up to go back to bed, Arthur slapped Merlin hard on the back and said, "Thanks for be honest."
Merlin grimaced and gave Arthur a tight smile.
Back in Camelot, in the early hours of morning, Gwen was startled awake, from her already uneasy sleep, by the sound of panic coming from down below in the Citadel. She pushed her covers off and ran to the window. Outside she saw something she had never seen before. Thick, gray fog had covered the castle, like a dark cloud had fallen from the sky. She couldn't see anything above are below, but she could hear the panic cries of the people. Someone would scream and then they would stop, like someone or something had silenced them.
A woman was calling out, "JOHN! Where's John? Please give him back. JOHN! JO…" and she stopped.
The door to Gwen's chamber opened and Gareth appeared.
"Are you alright, your highness?"
"Yes," she told him. "What is happening?"
"I don't know," he said. "This fog came out of no where but something is taking all the people."
When Gareth was closer, Gwen noticed a large bump on his head. "What happened," she asked pointing to his head.
"I ran into someone on the way to check on you."
"Are there not guards by the door?"
"Yes," Gareth said. "But as your personal servant I was worried, and felt it was my duty to make sure you were alright," he said valiantly.
"Or did you think you would look good to my husband if you bravely protected his wife?"
"I don't see why it can't be both," he quirked his brows, smiling impishly.
Even in the chaos, it was hard for Gwen not to smile at Gareth's boyish charm.
"Where's Gaius?" Gwen asked.
"He's trying to see if there is anything he can do about this unnatural fog."
"Well maybe there is something I can do," Gwen started toward the door but her exit was blocked by Gareth.
"No, your highness. It is best that you stay here. There is nothing either one of us can do."
Gwen frowned at Gareth, he didn't say it out of fear but surety. "Why do you say that?"
The corner of Gareth's mouth twitched, "Because, on they way to see if you were alright, I stumbled into a child. So I picked her up and was going to bring her here so she could be safe."
He paused.
"Yes?" Gwen said urgently.
"Then she was gone. I didn't feel anything pull her out of my arms, she just disappeared. Whatever is going on out there, we can't do anything about it. Perhaps Merlin could have, and that is why Mordred poisoned his mind."
Gwen returned back to the window and tried to hold in her tears. Gareth was right, Merlin probably could have done something. She was still surprised when Gareth had returned last night to tell her about what had happened to Merlin and that he knew Merlin was a sorcerer. It became clear to her then just how much they needed Merlin.
On the journey home, Arthur was telling Merlin how he planned to release all the people accused of magic. How it was time for their kingdom to be united again after the many years apart, when they saw the unholy cloud that covered the entire castle of Camelot except for the tip of the highest tower. They halted for only a moment before they spurred their horses into a run.
Once at the gate they were immediately engulfed in the dense fog. Arthur yelled over the panic, "Do something!" he told Merlin.
"Hold on to your horses," Merlin said before his eye blazed gold and he whispered a powerful wind spell.
Arthur held tightly onto the reigns of his horse, as did Percival and Leon, when a small but powerful tornado appeared pulling the dense fog in its swirling vacuum. The tornado swept through the citadel until only a thin gray haze was left.
Percival placed both hands on Merlin's shoulders and shook him. "Well done," he said.
Merlin liked the praise but didn't like being shook like there was coins inside him.
Many guards and a handful of people could now be seen all looking dazed, frightened and confused. Gwen was seen from a far descending the stairs and running toward them. She leapt into Arthur's arms and kissed him.
"Thank goodness you returned."
Gareth was close behind.
Merlin looked for Gaius, who usually greeted him when he returned, but he wasn't there. "Where's Gaius?"
"He said he wanted to see what he could do about the fog. But I haven't seen him since," Gareth said.
"I'm going to look for him," Merlin told Arthur.
Arthur let him leave.
Merlin ran to his home with Gareth at his heels. He flung the door open expecting to see Gaius at the table poring over books but there was no one home. So he ran back outside and started asking many confused guards and knights if they had seen him. He went to the library but he wasn't there either. It was obvious that many people had disappeared and as Merlin continued to look it became clearer that Gaius was among them.
When he returned to Arthur, he saw that Arthur had assembled all his guards and knights in the council room with the Round Table and was directing them to search for the missing people. Once they all left, except for Leon and Percival who were on both sides of Arthur, and Gwen who was off to the side. Merlin blurted out, "Gaius is missing."
Gwen bit her lip, "No."
Arthur sighed taking this information a little more calmly than Merlin would have liked, "We will look for him, too?"
"Your men are not going to find him," Merlin breathed angrily.
"We don't know that," Arthur still spoke calmly.
"Mordred took him," Merlin practically shouted. "Mordred took all of them!"
Leon and Percival tensed. Arthur rolled his shoulders back, and stood up taller as he faced Merlin. "I know that Gaius is like a father to you, but I have all the other people to worry about and I have to do what I can."
"It's not enough!" Merlin slammed his fist on the Round Table and the entire room shook causing a few tapestries to fall.
Leon and Percival drew their swords and Gareth took many steps back. Gwen froze as she gazed up at the ceiling as if it might fall on top of them.
Arthur had also drawn his sword but then he threw it across the table until is slid underneath Merlin.
"Your eyes," Arthur said to Merlin sternly.
Merlin's fists shook but he looked down at his reflection in the smooth blade of Excalibur. He was not surprised to see that his eyes were glowing but what he was surprised to see was the black veins in the whites of his eyes.
"I thought the tonic Gaius made cured this."
"Not completely," Arthur said. "Gaius told me that it would clear your head but that it would be up to you to overcome the poisoned magic that now runs through your veins."
Shaking, Merlin crumpled down into a chair. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. He looked at his reflection again and the black veins had gone. "I'm fine, now."
"Good," Arthur said. "Because I need you to be fine, if there is any hope for Camelot."
And then, Merlin felt it, the pulsing in his head as some clammy hand held his brain. His eyes felt like they were swollen and his ears hummed. The magic inside him, which normally felt light and airy, felt heavy and stifling. It was like his magic was sick, if that was possible, and according to Gaius, it was.
Arthur had started speaking again, and it took Merlin a lot of concentration to understand him through the buzzing.
"Mordred wants war against Camelot," Arthur said. "He wanted to reveal those with the potential to do magic so that I would separate them, and then he would more easily be able to take them from us. No doubt he plans to use them in his war. I've been playing into his hands. But no more. Mordred expects me to behave like my father, to fear magic. I've decided that it is time to embrace it." Arthur looked to Merlin, as did everyone else in the room. "So, Merlin, what do we do?"
Merlin sat there as all the eyes in the room were on him. Then he took a long breath, clearing his head, and stood. "We prepare for a war against magic, with magic. We prove to the people that magic can be used for good and I have a few ideas on how to start."
Gaius appeared, along with hundreds of others, in a wide, grassy meadow. Moments ago he was in Camelot, until he felt the fog seep into his body and turn him into mist only to have him reappear in his solid form somewhere far away from Camelot. Men, women, and children filled the meadow, looking scared and confused. Gaius noticed that most dressed like normal villagers, but few looked more wealthy and others wore emblems of other kingdoms on their clothing. It was not just those who belong to Arthur's kingdom that were taken. It was quiet, for no one knew what to say or how they had gotten there.
There was a large boulder at one end of the meadow and a figure was standing on top of it. Gaius moved closer until he saw what he had already guessed, the figure was Mordred.
"Children of the Old Religion," he called out. His voice was somehow magically being carried out so that they all could hear.
The crowd all turned to face him. Many had turned pale and a few children hid their faces behind their mother's or father's legs.
"I am Mordred and I was once a knight of Camelot until the king betrayed me. He feared my power, my magic and he sent me to the dungeons to rot, just as he had done to you before I liberated you. Our kind has been feared and persecuted for too long."
"We are not of your kind," a brave man near the front yelled out. "Why have you brought us here? We are not like you."
Mordred smiled, almost compassionately. "But you are like me. Each one of you has the potential for magic, your eyes showed you the truth. Your eyes showed you that you are unique, special, greater than other men. And yet, how has our kind been treated? Like rabid dogs to be hunted and scattered! But no more. Together we will pull down the walls of Camelot and all other kingdoms and take our place above normal men. We will be their rulers and they will be our foot stools."
Gaius was sure that Mordred was crazy if he really expected to rally up these frightened people to go to battle against their country and kin. So he was not surprised when many spoke out against him, refusing to listen to his nonsense and demanding to return home.
Mordred also did not look surprised. He lowered his head and in a roaring language that Gaius had only heard Merlin speak, he spoke in dragon tongue. "It's not possible," he said to himself, "Merlin is the only Dragonlord left."
From behind Mordred, rising up into the sky was the white dragon. It roared and fire blazed in long swooping arcs in the sky. Many screamed.
When all was quiet and the white dragon landed next to Mordred, he spoke, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to persuade you but you really never had a choice."
Fear gripped Gaius's chest when shadows in the form of people began to appear behind Mordred. More and more appeared until they had encircled the meadow. Then Mordred smirked and the shadow flew up into to the sky, blocking out the sun and came down on the people.
Gaius watched with horror as these shadows flew into body after body. He turned back to Mordred and found that Mordred was looking at him. His eyes blazed as he tried to think of the worse spell he could curse Mordred with but he never got the chance. Something cold and dark hit his back and filled his body and then he collapsed to the soft, wet ground.
Check out my first published novel, A GRIM AWAKENING: THE FOREST OF HOLLOW. It is now up for sale. If you are interested, search it up on Barnes and Noble, or Amazon. Also, there is a book trailer on Youtube!
Here is a synopsis -
Awaken to a grim world once hidden before your eyes.
There must be something wrong with 13-year-old, Ian Grim. Why else would Mitchel Trent, who everyone believes to be the nicest guy in school, bully him? Why did everyone at school give him nasty looks and whisper about him in spiteful gossip? Even teachers didn't like him. They always made him sit in the far corner of their classrooms where it was easy to ignore him. Even more hurtful, was the fact that Ian's own father blatantly ignored him. If it wasn't for his loving mother; his fun, yet psycho, younger brother; and his own sparkling sarcastic personality; Ian might think his life was a bit difficult. That is, until his mother goes missing one night.
In a twist of cruel irony, his father finally pays Ian's some attention only to threaten his life and force him on the run. Desperate for answers, Ian is compelled to accept help from Mitchel, the "nice" bully from school. That's when Ian learns that his mother was taken by the Reaper
If Ian wishes to save his mother, he must first survive his father. And in order to do that, he will need to learn of the spirit world, discover his own power, and embrace his role in an ongoing shadow war, before the Reaper tears his world apart.