Here's the next chapter! I apologize again for the delay, has been very busy recently! Do not fear, I haven't forgotten about you lovely readers! Enjoy!
"Merlin? Edmund? Are you there?" Arthur's voice grew closer.
"Edmund?!" Terrowin's eyes flared as he looked at the man struggling in his grip, "You've been conspiring with the Prince you worthless piece of scum!"
He dug the glass shard deeper into Edmund's windpipe, choking him further and leaving a trace of blood dripping down his throat as he punctured skin.
"Stop!" Merlin took a step forward, but Terrowin growled a cruel retort at him.
"Stay where you are!" he snarled, "One more step and I slit his throat! Your precious Arthur is almost here and then you can reveal yourself to him if you want Edmund to live."
"How can I know you will stand by your word?" Merlin eyed him suspiciously.
Terrowin smiled cruelly, "You will have to trust me, I suppose."
"Never!" Edmund coughed, face turning red from lack of oxygen. Terrowin tigthened his grip around his throat.
"Terrowin, enough of this! Release him and go in peace! You've lost!"
"Lost!?" Terrowin scoffed, "You think I've lost? I've torn this city apart! Look at the state of this kingdom! It's descended into madness because of the likes of you!"
"If you will not release him, I'll be forced to use magic upon you!"
"My ultimatum still stands: use your magic and reveal yourself to Arthur, or Edmund dies."
"Merlin!" Arthur's voice called his name.
"Make your choice, sorcerer."
Days of pent up anger, pain, frustration, and emotion finally released. Merlin was through, through with Terrowin's deceitful nature, through with hiding his true self out of constant fear, through with enduring the pain of the witch hunter's arrival. He knew he was weak. The wound in his back ached, and he was sure the stitches had already split as a dampness spread through his shirt, most probably his own blood. Yet, despite his physical condition, Terrowin was too important to disregard. Merlin's destiny was to protect Prince Arthur, and Terrowin's mad lust for power was endangering that.
Now, Arthur was closing in and he would be forced to reveal the secret he'd kept for so long, because Edmund's life stood in the balance. Terrowin felt mighty because of his authority over them, but Merlin was determined to take back control.
"Mer-" Arthur's voice just outside was cut off as the heavy wooden door slammed shut. Merlin clenched his fists and his eyes glowed gold.
The door swung closed because he willed it so. He kept it locked as a heavy knocking sounded outside, presumably Arthur trying to enter.
"Merlin!?" Arthur's frantic voice sounded outside, "Are you there?! Terrowin, if you lay a hand on him!"
Merlin was just fine. He stood before Terrowin, who gulped, unmoving. Merlin was weak and injured, but he was prepared to do what he must to ensure all of their safety.
"I said," Merlin repeated in a dark voice as his golden eyes radiated fury, "release him!"
Terrowin's eyes widened as he backed up instinctively. Merlin was practically oozing power. He knew the boy was powerful, but this was unlike anything he'd seen...
"You said you know all about me," Merlin clenched his jaw, "and though you're claimed to be the most feared witch hunter, I do not fear you anymore."
"Silence!" Terrowin shouted, but Merlin continued, and he took a step forward.
"I suppressed my magic because I was afraid of you, but no longer. I now understand why you are so cruel and evil a man, because you crave what I have. You want power. You're envious of those with magic, that is why you so viciously hunt them."
"Enough of this!" Terrowin denied, "I will kill Edmund!"
"I will stop you before you could," Merlin countered, "with my magic and without your armor, you are vulnerable. I am taking mercy on you, Sir Terrowin. That is a concept you have never known. Now, release Edmund now or I will ensure you suffer as much as Camelot has."
Terrowin seemed to be weighing his options. He knew he was a capable, vicious fighter, but the armor to protect him against magic was destroyed. Merlin was also the most powerful sorcerer he'd ever crossed, he would be no match for servant boy. Arthur was also pounding against the doors outside, no doubt rushing for reinforcements. In a few minutes, those doors would come down with all of Camelot's knights following the Prince inside. Sir Terrowin was outnumbered, outmanuveured, and out of options.
But he had nothing to lose.
With a malicious smile, Terrowin sliced the glass shard against Edmund's throat.
Blood spilled from the fatal wound, as a lifeless Edmund dropped to the floor, dead at Terrowin's feet.
"No!"
A shocked Merlin gasped as the lifeless eyes of his ally stared into him. He did not expect Terrowin to act this way, he thought he'd listen to reason-
Terrowin capitalized at this moment. He lunged at Merlin, the bloody shard in hand, as he growled like a tiger in his powerful leap. Merlin quickly stepped to the side, barely dodging Terrowin, as he came to his senses. But, he was not so lucky as the jagged edge of the shard sliced through his clothes and into his forearm. It wasn't a fairly deep cut, but blood starting to seep down his arm. Terrowin kicked out with his boot and collided with Merlin.
The sorcerer was roughly pushed into the wall behind him. He yelled in pain as the tender wound in his back made contact with the wall. He fell to the floor, overwhelmed in agony as he grit his teeth and willed himself to stand again.
Arthur outside must have heard the commotion and Merlin's painful shouts, "Merlin! Open this door, Terrowin! Do not hurt him, or I swear upon my father's throne, that you will pay!"
"No Prince to say you now," Terrowin circled Merlin like a vulture, "you're supposed to be the greatest sorcerer? Pah!"
Merlin struggled to stand.
"You are nothing but a pathetic servant boy!" Terrowin spat, "And you will suffer a similar fate as Edmund's. I believe your power will be suitable for my new armor!"
Merlin's eyes travelled to the lifeless body bleeding on the floor a few feet away. He turned away, trying to hide his pain.
"I will have Camelot's throne," Terrowin kneeled down before Merlin tauntingly, "Prince Arthur will perish, then that fool of a King."
"No…," Merlin protested in a weak voice.
"Open this door this instant!"
The hinges on Terrowin's door were coming loose due to Arthur's incessant pounding. He would enter any second, but Merlin didn't know if he had that long.
Terrowin clamped down against Merlin's injured arm and pressed hard.
"Your precious Arthur will come barging in at any moment," Terrowin smiled sinisterly, "and he will know your secret. Then, you will experience the cruelest death: execution ordered by your closest ally."
"Please…." Merlin said through gritted teeth as Terrowin's grip grew tighter. His weakened physical condition betrayed him in this moment.
"Terrowin! Do not lay a hand on him!"
One of the hinges on the door came flying off and it clattered on the ground. The door was in serious danger of opening any second.
"I will slaughter Prince Arthur before your eyes the moment he enters this door if you do not reveal your magic. The choice is yours, sorcerer. Will Arthur suffer the same fate as Edmund?"
Merlin's panicked eyes looked to the door and to Terrowin before him, who brandished a knife and was prepared to strike the unexpected Arthur the moment he entered the door.
What am I to do? I cannot let Arthur be killed! Edmund's blood is already on my hands...I must reveal myself to him. Terrowin has won….
The final hinge on the door fell to the ground.
Merlin closed his eyes, preparing his magic as his fists glowed with a golden aura.
Terrowin laughed like a madman, wielding the knife as he watched the "powerful" Merlin under his control.
Chink!
Merlin opened his eyes.
The aura around his fists faded abruptly.
Arthur burst through the doors into Terrowin's chamber, sword in hand.
The Prince's panicked eyes settled on Merlin immediately.
"Merlin!?"
The young sorcerer wasn't focused on Arthur, but on Terrowin.
Arthur followed his gaze, to see Terrowin with a jagged shard of bloodied glass sticking out of his chest.
The witch hunter gasped and choked, looking down at his abdomen with wide, shocked eyes. He looked back up at Merlin, who seemed just as surprised as he was. Then, he turned to see Edmund.
Arthur and Merlin both settled upon the man, who was not lying on the floor dead, but in fact barely holding himself in a weak sitting position. His neck was drenched in blood and his skin was an ashen grey, but a determined fire burned in his eyes. His arm was extended as he willed for the shard that injured him to embed itself into the witch hunter's chest with his magic.
Terrowin growled and fell to his knees. A black gloved hand pulled the glass shard out of his chest and it fell to the ground. Blood poured from the wound, as his eyes seared with hatred. They bore into Edmund, whose arms were shaking from the sheer effort of holding himself up. Though, he wouldn't break eye contact with Terrowin.
Arthur saw the bloodied Edmund on the floor, the injured Merlin sprawled against the wall, and the cruel witch hunter still on his knees.
Terrowin cackled, blood dripping from his mouth, as his breaths grew increasingly labored, "Camelot….will fall…..my work….is just the beginning….be warned, Prince Arthur…..magic will rule this kingdom…..Merlin has ma-"
Arthur's sword fell, as the worldess Prince stuck the blade into the witch hunter's side.
Terrowin fell to the floor, dead.
His grotesque features, bloodied form, and frightening armor was all that was left of the merciless man who reigned terror upon Camelot.
Merlin snapped to his senses, and crawled hurriedly to Edmund. Arthur saw him and did the same as Edmund lay on his back, gasping for breaths.
"Edmund?" Arthur kneeled beside the severely injured man.
Edmund's eyes were fluttering closed. Arthur looked towards Merlin.
"Quick, we must get him to Gaius, he can save him!"
Merlin bit his lip and shook his head, "There's nothing Gaius nor anybody could do now."
Arthur knew he was right and looked back down at Edmund, who was struggling to speak.
"Save your energy," he advised, trying to keep a solemn tone, "you did well, Edmund. You saved Merlin and myself."
A ghost of a smile spread across his dry lips, "My family…."
"Is safe," the Prince assured, "no harm will come to them, I assure you."
Edmund just nodded once, then his body relaxed. His eyes closed completely as the last breath left his body.
Arthur closed his eyes, shaking his head. He felt sorry to see such an innocent man with a traumatic end. His promise would stay true, Arthur would ensure no harm would come to his family.
"Merlin…?"
He looked up with heavy eyes and a pale face. Arthur knew that Merlin himself needed Gaius' care, but Merlin did not show any pain. He stood by Edmund's side until Sir Gwaine and Sir Leon entered the chambers in a hurry.
They saw the two bodies of Sir Terrowin and Edmund on the floor.
"Sire," Sir Gwaine cleared his throat, looking at the room in shock.
Arthur stood, "Summon the king," he said in a clear voice, "inform him at once that Sir Terrowin is dead."
Leave me a fav/follow/review!