The princes ran through the forest, twigs ripping at the cloth left uncovered by their chain mail and armor. They ran for their lives. Arthur could hear the battle cries of the bandits behind them, at least two dozen, they didn't stand a chance if they got caught. He was stronger than his brother, he could run with the heavy armor for hours if need be but Merlin was beginning to fall behind.
"Come on!" Arthur urged glancing back, "You have to keep running!"
The two slid into a ditch, the younger leant against it panting while the elder looked for their attackers.
"See, I told you we'd loose them" Arthur grinned
"Are you sure?" Merlin asked through gasps.
"Why is it you never trust me?" Arthur grinned before being interrupted by yet another bout of yelling from the bandits who had spotted them. Quickly Arthur pushed Merlin out of the ditch and back into the forest.
"Where are we going?" Merlin yelled as he ducked an arrow
"Trust me!" Arthur implored, taking the lead over a ridge between two boulders.
"Arthur!" Merlin cried, the prince whipped around praying Merlin hadn't been hit, instead he found Merlin standing perfectly still, a look of fear on his face, staring at the Entrance Valley of the Fallen Kings.
"Come on Merlin what are you doing?" Arthur argued grabbing him by the arm and pulling him into the valley. The cries became echos in the foggy valley, Merlin walked after his brother tentatively.
"Is this The Valley of the Fallen Kings?" He asked, he seemed scared.
"Don't worry Merlin, there is no such thing as curses" Arthur teased, "But bandits don't know that, they wont dare follow us"
"I don't think they need to" Merlin replied pointing to the top of the valley where several bandits with cross bows stood, aiming at the pair, "Run!"
They were off again but not for long. Arthur felt a stab of pain from his back that sent him flying, dazed into the ground. He was vaguely aware of Merlin looping his arm around him trying to lift him up.
"What was tha'?" Arthur slurred feeling dizzy
"An arrow" Merlin replied
"Oh good, for a moment I thought it was something terrible..." He barely managed to get the words out before everything faded away.
...
Getting Arthur to safety had not been an easy task, now he leaned back against the rocks in the small crevasse where he had taken refuge, his brother leaning on his side. Trying to make him as comfy as possible the younger prince held his breath as he ripped the arrow and discarded it, Arthur gave a small grunt of pain when the arrow was removed but remained still. Merlin quickly built a fire and began making a healing poultice like Gaius had taught him, heating it in the fire. Gently he pressed the small leafy bundle to his brothers head, saddened to see there was no response.
"Come on..." he urged, "Dollop head"
Still nothing, that always got a rise out of Arthur.
"I need you to recover!" Merlin implored, he'd have to do magic, "Þurhhæle dolgbenn"
He cursed the fact that he was terrible at healing magic, it was his destiny to protect Arthur yet he could only heal the simplest of wounds. He tried several other spells but none had any effect! Arthur was dying right before his eyes and he couldn't do anything!
"Licsar ge staðol nu!" He tried, forcing as much magic into the wound as he could, "Listen to me you clotpole, I don't care if you die, there are plenty of other princes I could have as brothers. You're not the only, pompous, supercilious, condescending royal imbecile you know"
Nothing worked, Merlin blinked back tears. He couldn't get Arthur to Camelot in time, the only thing he could do was sit with him and wait. After a while a light rain began, filling the tiny holes in the ground with water. Sighing, Merlin got up to wash the blood from his hands. Arthur's blood. Quietly he sobbed as he cleaned his hands, a voice that sounded like his brother telling him not to be such a girl.
"Tell me" Came a voice, making Merlin look up at a man standing a few feet away, "Why are you so sad?"
"It's my brother" Merlin explained, whipping his eyes, "He's dying I can't help him..."
"Then do not waste your tears" The kind white haired man replied, "I can tell you that the time for him to die is not yet upon us"
"My name is Talisen" The man continued, walking to Arthur's side.
"I'm Merlin-"
"I know who you are" Talisen interrupted, "The moment of our meeting has been written for many, many years. You are Emrys"
As he spoke Talisen rolled Arthur onto his side carefully. Resting his palm, as Merlin had done, on the wound.
"Wel cene hole"
To his delight, Merlin watched as the colour returned to Arthur's face. He rolled onto his back again, settling down into the pillow Merlin had made from his coat.
"Arthur?"
"He is sleeping" Talisen explained, "within hours he will be fully recovered"
"Thankyou" Merlin sighed
"Come, I want to show you something Merlin" Talisen smiled
"What?" Called the prince as his new companion walked away.
"You will have to wait and see!"
Looking guiltily down at Arthur Merlin sighed, making a silent promise to return as quickly as possible, and followed after Talisen.
...
"Where are we going?" Asked Merlin after a few minutes as Talisen walked up into a small cave, "Why have you bought me here?"
"All in good time" Grinned the man, "You will discover all"
The man lead Merlin inside the cave, Merlin had expected it to be dark but to his surprise the entire cavern was filled with the pale white light of hundreds of crystals.
"What is this place?" He breathed
"This is the Crystal Cave" Talisen replied, "The birthplace of magic"
Something about this place made Merlin nervous, his instincts told him this was a bad place, but also that he had to be there. He couldn't leave not yet. Hesitantly he walked down the steps formed in rock, peering at the strange white crystals, gasping as clear pictures began to form.
Morgana on Camelot's throne...
An old man being walked to his death...
Merlin forced himself to look away, it was the Crystal of Neahtid all over again!
"What is it you see?" Talisen asked
"Images...flashes" Merlin replied, "Like in the Crystal of Neahtid"
"This cave is where that very crystal was hue" Talisen replied, it's not a surprise. These crystals will show you time itself. Look into them Emrys"
Once again Merlin felt the draw that the crystals had, just like Neadtid did. Forcing him to look, he resisted.
"No!" He cried, feeing frightened, "take me, out of here. How do I get back to Arthur?"
"The future is hidden to all but a very few Emrys" Talisen argued, "You are one of those few. They contain futures unique to you, there is a reason you were bought here at this moment in time"
"What reason?"
"Only the Crystals can tell you that. Use what you see for good"
dreading what he was about to see Merlin looked and once again pictures began to form...
Morgana holding an ornate dagger...
She was walking in the castle...
Somebody's fingers were dripping red...
Himself, surrounded by fire, roaring, eyes bright gold...
Merlin threw himself away, the final image frightened him more than anything else ever had. Unfortunately the wall in which he fell back on had a crystal at his height and before he knew it...
Morgana walking the castle grounds...
Arthur crying...
Morgana with a dagger...
Himself filled with rage...
Uther asleep, Morgana by his side, unsheathing her knife, holding it above her head...
Merlin forced his eyes closed, clutching his head as he fell to the ground. It was too much! Everywhere he looked, more crystals...
Morgana, her knife raised...
The knife came down...
Killing the king...
The flow stopped, no more images came. Merlin's breath was shaky.
"What...was that?" He breathed, in a barely audible voice, but Talisen was gone.
"What was that!"
Man that was a long chapter!