Part 4: The End

"Merlin?" Arthur called. Ambrose apparently had started eating the flowers. ("Well," said the little boy, expression serious. "Clotpole, they looked tasty. And I saw Mordred eating a flower once.")

"What the hell? How'd this happen again….?" They heard a familiar voice mutter. Arthur's heart flopped. That voice.

"Merlin?" he asked, unsure, walking towards where he left her.

"Hi," grumbled the warlock. "You know what? I hate all those deities now. Always in in my business. Know what? F*** them. Just f*** them."

Amby covered his ears, but giggled. He loved his Mommy's curse words. Arthur, however, knelt by Merlin, and whispered very softly.

"Merlin, are you all right?" he asked, voice very sincere.

The warlock glowered. "I don't know. Just had my gender changed. Again. Because some higher entity thinks I shouldn't be able to live a normal life whatsoever. And I was just thrown off a horse after a huge branch hit my head. Hmmm, actually I'm good. What about you?"

"Oh, Merlin," said Arthur, wrapping his arms around the sulking warlock. Amby joined in too, not really caring that his mother was now a man. "Really, just f*** those deities."

"If Mommy's a boy now…" said Amby, a pondering look on his face. "Can she join us in peeing competitions now, Clotpole?"

Merlin turned to Arthur. "You have what competitions?"

Arthur looked away in embarrassment. "C'mon Merlin, you didn't have peeing contests with your dad growing up?"

Merlin facepalmed. "Didn't have a dad there…"

"Right. Sorry. But are you alright to walk? You took quite a blow to the head."

Merlin stood, swayed, and was steadied by Arthur. He took a few steps, and…fell. The king and the warlock argued briefly, while Amby kept poking his "Mommy" in several places that were "different." Arthur wanted to carry Merlin over to the horses, but the warlock claimed to actually have some dignity left.

"Merlin," said Arthur, command voice taking over. "You're hurt and we need to get you back to Camelot. You can't stand on your own. Just let me-"

"No," winced the stubborn warlock, head spinning.

"Merlin."

"Uggggh."

"Emrys," Mordred muttered.

You hurt Emrys.

"No."

You killed Emrys.

The druid shook his head. This argument had been going on for hours.

Emrys is dead and it's by your hand.

"No!"

Arthur will hate you. Ambrose will seek your blood.

"Never !"

You killed Emrys.

You killed Emrys.

You killed Emrys.

"How?" he cried desperately. "How?!"

You could have saved Emrys, stopped him from going out. You knew Emrys would get hurt, even killed and you did nothing.

Mordred sobbed. "NO!"

Here they come now, riding into the city. Emrys' body is on the horse.

Mordred needed to see it to believe it. Stumbling to his window, he saw Arthur and Ambrose walking with…Emrys, slumped and unmoving, on a horse. Blood was matted in his hair. Emrys was dead.

"NO!" he screamed. "NO!"

You did this. You could have warned Emrys. You did not.

"EMRYS!"

Emrys is gone. You need to escape.

"No," he said weakly. "No. Not Emrys…not Emrys."

Emrys would want you to leave.

"I killed Emrys."

Yes.

"I killed Emrys."

Yes. Let this fill you.

"I KILLED EMRYS!"

Yes.

"What must I do? What must I do to make up for this?"

Flee Camelot. Then train. We will teach you. Then you will take Camelot and rule as Emrys would want you to.

"Yes."

Mordred got up and said a spell, transporting him to the Isle of the Blessed. What had happened may have not made a lot of sense, but these voices were inside him, influencing his thoughts. Emrys was the only person who ever loved him, and to believe that he killed him pushed Mordred over the edge. The voices took that as their advantage, finally being able to pull him into the darkness. But with darkness, there is always a light.

And Mordred's light was Emrys.

Merlin woke up with a splitting headache and some light pressure of his chest. Forcing his eyelids open, the warlock saw Arthur next to him and Amby curled up, sleeping, on top of him.

"Merlin!" said Arthur, gripping his hand. Merlin rolled his eyes. "Never do that again! That spell healed the gash on your head, but Gauis said you had lost some blood and you were bleeding on the inside-"

"Please, can you be try and be quieter?" asked the warlock, the king's concerned and fast voice making his head pound.

"Sorry! It's just so much has gone on and Amby's just been so upset and I haven't been able to concentrate on anything without you and-"

"Shut it, Clotpole. You'll hurt Mommy's head," snarled a grouchy Amby, who did not like waking up or seeing his Mommy in pain. His eyes then turned soft. "Are you okay Mommy?"

"Fine," said Merlin, attempting to sit up. Arthur helped him. "Um, Amby you know now I'm-"

"I know," smiled Amby. "You're a boy now like me, Clotpole, Mordy, and Uncle Gwaine! But you'll always be my Mommy."

Merlin smiled. "Where's Mordred?"

Arthur's face turned serious and sorrowful. "Mordred ran away. I sent some knights looking for him, but it's been three days….."

Merlin closed his eyes and breathed out. "Mordred."

"Mordy will be fine!" chimed Amby. "I talked to him yesterday."

"So he didn't leave Camelot?" asked the king and the warlock.

"Nope! You wanna see him? I know where he is."

Merlin nodded and made to get up. "Where you going?" Arthur asked. "You're not leaving. You just woke up and your gender was just changed, which I can't image was pleasant."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Arthur-"

"No, you are not allowed to leave this room."

"Lock the door," Merlin snorted. "I'll just get out."

"That's why I'm not locking the door," said Arthur mischievously. The king quickly pulled out a bottle and poured its contents into his mouth. Without warning, he stooped down and pressed his lips against Merlin's, in a chaste kiss. When their mouths opened slightly, the warlock felt a sticky, semi-sweet liquid run down his throat. Arthur pulled away.

"You sneaky bastard," Merlin muttered as the sleeping draught took effect. Arthur pecked him on the lips one last time and walked out, Amby in his arms. "Got to love you, though."

Amby dragged Arthur to the edge of town, by which night had fallen. The little boy raced ahead and stopped at the last house. He knocked on the door, which was soon answered by an old man.

"Ambrose, what are you doing out this late?" he asked. Arthur coughed and the man looked up, expression not changing. "Hello, King Arthur. I suppose Amby here has told you this is where you can find Mordred."

Arthur nodded, surprised at the man's bluntness. They were then invited inside, and were seated by a fire.

"So, umm, is Mordred here?" asked Arthur as Amby snuggled into his lap.

The old man sighed. "In some ways. Currently your friend is on the Isle of the Blessed, mad with power as they train him to take over Camelot."

Arthur really wasn't sure what to question first. "What?"

"It is a long story."

"We've got time," said Amby, already falling asleep on his father's lap.

The old man sighed again, and Arthur noticed something familiar about him. "I know you! You were that man I met after I-I – " Arthur was still uncomfortable mentioning the time he hit Merlin.

The man smiled. "So you remember."

"What did you do, Clotpole?" Amby yawned. The little boy was asleep before Arthur could answer.

"I hope you don't mind," the old man said. "But I used a sleeping enchantment on your son. I think some of what I will tell you will scare him."

Arthur nodded, but kept his guard up, as he was always a little wary of strangers that possessed magic.

"Mordred as you know, is hearing voices."

Arthur nodded again.

"These voices are deities, goddesses of destiny. Mordred has strayed from his fate, as you and Emrys have."

"What do you mean?"

The old man looked like he was preparing for a lecture. "Emrys was never meant to be a woman. That messed destiny up. You were never meant to fall in love with each other-"

"What?!" Arthur asked, unable to control himself. He loved Merlin so much, it sometimes hurt. How could they not be destined to be together?

The old man sighed. "You were supposed to fall in love with the serving girl, Guinevere. When the Dorocha attacked, Emrys and the knight, Lancelot, made an animal blood sacrifice. Lancelot was supposed to die instead, but he did not. Guinevere fell in love with him and you did not fall for her. That is where destiny was screwed.

"After Emrys was changed into a girl, you began to see her in a different light. You developed feelings for each other and, well –" he indicated Amby and Arthur's wedding ring " – we see where that led. Destiny was yet again screwed over when Emrys met Mordred. Mordred was destined to be your downfall, your bane. He was destined to be evil, to be filled with spite. One of his names, 'Portentum,' means monster, as he was to be so dark. However, he met Emrys in the forest after your falling out –" what a nice way to put it " – and he cared for her. In turn, Emrys started to care for him. Mordred had never known love, and it changed him. Emrys kept his evil at bay. His love for Emrys kept him good.

"But that really pissed destiny off. The three goddesses of Malum – evil – had decided that was enough. They came to Mordred and began speaking to him. Slowly, they corrupted him. They got it into his mind that he killed Emrys – the only person he ever loved – and he believed it. They took control over him and now are training him to take over Camelot and to be your bane.

"The Malum also turned Emrys back into a man. I think they wanted destiny to be straightened out a little more, as Emrys was never meant to be a girl. Their spell didn't work fully, though. Their brother, Mortius, turned him, and deities cannot completely undo the work of one of their own clan. Their spell will work, but only half way. Emrys will change from being a man to a woman monthly. The first few times will cause immense pain, but that is because the magic is fresh. Over time it will simmer down."

"How do you know so much?" Arthur asked, still absorbing all the information.

The old man grimaced. "That is another story."

Arthur raised his eyebrows, in a "do tell" fashion and the man sighed. "I am from the future – Camelot's future."

Arthur could have snorted. Or rolled his eyes. Or said something disbelieving. But he didn't.

"In the future, Camelot is ruled by Mordred, or Portentum, a monster, as he's become. You have been killed, along with all those you hold dear. Camelot is in ruins and all the people live in fear of him. He is a ruthless tyrant, treating those without magic or those with no inclining to serve him worse than dirt. Albion has not been united and it affected the whole world. That is why I am here, to fix that.

"However, Portentum – Mordred – began to fight the Malum. He could throw them off sometimes, only if he was thinking of Emrys. One night, he cast them away, back into the Underworld and he saw what they had made him do. He knew he needed to fix it, but how?

"Then it hit him; the three time goddesses. They are sisters of the Fates and hold the keys of all time. He bargained with them and they made a deal. He could come back and fix his mistakes in the past."

Arthur thought for a moment. "So that would mean-"

"I'm Mordred?" smiled the old man. "Yes."

The king stared at this withered old man. He could be in his eighties. Just four days ago, Arthur had seen and talked to Mordred – the young one, the one who was eighteen. It was hard to believe these two people were the same person.

And yet it wasn't. Scarily, Arthur could see the resemblance. The man in front of him was Mordred.

"How did Amby know it was you?"

Mordred smiled fondly at the sleeping boy in Arthur's lap. "He recognized my aura. He's special like that. He could see I was Mordred, yet I was not. He just decided not to question it."

Arthur felt pride for his son, whose magic was powerful enough to let him do this. Mordred stood up. "Now, we must prepare."

"For what?"

"Portentum – your Mordred – will attack Camelot in two days' time. We must fight. If he wins all is lost. If we win, everything is saved."

Arthur stood too, clutching Amby to his chest. "We better start planning. Let's head back to the castle."

Mordred nodded, but said one more thing. "In this battle, it will not be Mordred, you must remember that. It is Portentum ,the monster. In my time, when you fought me, you showed mercy. You must show him none. Be ruthless. He will not surrender. He will not show mercy."

Two days seemed to pass in a blur to Merlin. With all this new information, battle tactics, and reminders that Mordred was evil really took its toll on him.

The night before the battle, Arthur held Merlin very tight, never wanting to let go.

"This will be the worst enemy Camelot's faced yet," Arthur said, arms tightening around his warlock.

"We'll get through it. And we'll do it together," Merlin responded, hoping to reassure him.

"Together? What do you mean? You'll be staying here," the king commanded.

"Why? The only people that hide are the cowards and defenseless. I can fight."

"But you won't be," said Arthur, in his kingly voice with just a crack of emotion. "You still have a head injury, you're in no state to fight. Besides, Camelot will need someone to rule if I die."

"I'm fighting," Merlin said, indignantly. "And you're not going to die tomorrow."

"Merlin, please-"

"No. Now let's get some sleep. Tomorrow will be an….interesting day."

They curled up together, falling into a fitful sleep. All the while, Arthur was planning.

In the morning, things were grim. No one talked much. By mid-afternoon, everyone was preparing for battle. Arthur and Merlin stood in their chambers, arming themselves.

"Merlin," said Arthur quietly.

"No, Arthur, I'm coming with you. I'm freaking Emrys! I doesn't matter if you think a little head-"

"Merlin, come here," said Arthur, same soft voice. The warlock complied and was enveloped in a tight embrace. At one point Arthur's hands moved up, but Merlin thought nothing of it.

"I'm coming with you," Merlin said firmly. He knew why Arthur was worried; the blow to his head he serious messed with him and there was the fact that they were fighting Mordred – no, Portentum.

Arthur nodded, and held him at arm's length. This could be the last time they held each other. They both lent in for a final kiss goodbye.

"Arthur-" Merlin gasped, when they pulled away. Betrayal was on his face. He slumped to the ground, only for Arthur to catch him. A sleeping draught had been forced down his throat during that kiss.

"I'm sorry Merlin," Arthur said, placing him on the bed. "But I can't lose you."

Everywhere, people were preparing as Portentum neared. Gwaine was supposed to be at a post, but he needed to do something first.

"Morgana!" he called, watching the shade run into the citadel. "Morgana!"

She turned with a surprised look on her face. "What?"

Gwaine ran over to her very quickly. He stopped in front of her. "Morgana, I want you to know something before tonight."

"Can it wait? I have to-" she started, keeping the aloof attitude she reserved just for him.

"Morgana, I love you," he said. "I love you. I just need you to know that. I love you."

Morgana turned and ran away.

Camelot was on fire, burning everywhere. Children called out for their dead mothers, blood ran in the streets. In the middle was a young man, just about of age, eyes gold, laughing. Laughing at the chaos, the mayhem, the desolation. No one noticed the trails of tears sneaking out of his eyes, or how his laugh shook with unspoken emotion.

"Portentum!" called up King Arthur, him and his knights preparing for attack.

"Arthur," said the young man, smiling with mirth. "How pleasant to see you! But have you forgotten my real name?"

"Your name has no matter in this!"

"But we used to be friends….." said the sorcerer, with mock hurt. "And you've forgotten who I am!"

"You will never be him," Arthur snarled. "He would never do this!"

"But I am doing this!" he laughed, eyes pure gold.

"YOU ARE NOT MORDRED!" screamed the king. His signaled for his knights to attack and they charged. With a sweep of his hand, Portentum had knocked them all out, save for Arthur and Gwaine, who had the sense to jump out of the way.

The battle had been raging for hours, knights constantly regrouping. Arthur had run countless plans by Mordred from the future, but none seemed to be able to work.

"Why?" Arthur called up. "Why would you do this?"

Portentum laughed, this time the voices of the Malum coming out. "Destiny must be fulfilled," crooned a woman's voice out of his mouth.

Arthur was suddenly struck by an idea. "Mordred!"

Portentum looked down. "Mordred is not here any longer!" screamed the Malum, possessing him. "Only Portentum and the Malum."

"Mordred, Merlin – Emrys – is still alive!"

His eyes flickered back to normal for a second, almost as if he were considering it. Gwaine was sneaking up behind the boy, sword poised to strike. The knight inched nearer and neared. He looked like he would reach him.

"Foolish mortal," snarled Portentum, conjuring a sword by magic. He forced Gwaine to the ground and stood over him. He pointed his sword at the smaller area of the knight's exposed neck. "Die, Gwaine, Knight of Camelot." And with that, Portentum brought his sword down.

No, thought Arthur. No!

It was just him now, all alone on the battlefield that used to be Camelot. At this moment Arthur knew he was going to die.

But he would not go out without a fight.

"FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT!"

Merlin woke up groggily. Something was wrong. Why was he in bed? Why was – Memories flooded back to him. The battle! He needed to get there.

He swayed standing up, cursing Arthur and the sleeping draught. He started to run, but realized magic would be faster. He used a transportation spell thinking Arthur and suddenly found himself in what used to be the lower town.

Mordred – Portentum – stood over a body. He said something to it before stabbing it through the neck. Merlin's vision was blurry and he couldn't recognize the figure on the ground.

He looked around again and saw Arthur raising his sword, a battle cry admitting from his mouth.

"FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT!"

Portentum knocked him down with a flick of his wrist. "I expected better, Arthur Pendragon. So much better."

He now stood over the king, much in the same way as he had over the other body. His sword was poised. "Time for destiny to be filled."

"Mordred!" Merlin screamed. The druid stopped, sword about to impale the blonde king. He turned and his eyes widened.

"Emrys," he said, a tear leaking out of his pure gold eyes. "I killed you."

"Mordred, you did not."

"But Emrys- I-I-"

This is a deceit, a voice whispered in Mordred's head. You killed Emrys. Make up for it by killing the king.

"Mordred, no!" said Mordred's hallucination of Emrys. "Listen to me! Those voices, those goddesses, their using you!"

"But I'm making up for killing you," Mordred cried back. Something didn't make sense; how did he kill Emrys? And why would killing Arthur atone for it?

Portentum, the voices started, but when they did, something clicked for Mordred. Portentum. He was not Portentum. He was Mordred.

"Mordred, fight the Malum! Fight them," said Emrys running over.

What Merlin did not know was how much power they had over him. If they were going down, they were taking Mordred with them.

"Cast them out of your mind!"

Mordred could not. But he could stop this. All of this and he knew how.

Pointing the sword away from Arthur, he pointed it at himself. With no body to possess, the Malum would leave.

"Mordred don't!"

Mordred smiled. Death would be a great adventure. He brought the sword through his chest.

Arthur, being literally under him, caught Mordred as he fell. The boy's eyes were back to normal, but he was fading fast.

"Arthur," he breathed. "I can see it – Avalon."

Arthur nodded, unsure what to do except for holding him.

"Arthur," said Mordred again. "I-I can see Merlin – Merlin in the future. Emrys…Emrys means immortal! Merlin will have to watch us all die and live forever, waiting for us to return."

Arthur wasn't so sure this was just some dying man's ramblings. The boy continued as Merlin dropped down next to them. "Arthur," he said looking the king in the eye. "Love him while you can. The future will be lonely for him. Just love him while you can." He turned to Merlin. "Emrys. I want to thank you. You did something no one's ever done before; you loved me. You cared for me. Thank you…..thank you…" He drifted off.

"NO!" screamed the warlock. "NO!"

His screams were soon drowned out by another's. Morgana had found Gwaine.

Morgana knew she shouldn't have run away from him, but she was scared. She disappeared in to the spirit world. What she didn't realize time passes slower there. Five minutes there is two hours here. When she came back, she had missed the whole battle.

Everywhere was quiet, until an unearthly cry screamed into the air.

"NO!" it screamed. "NO!"

Morgana went to investigate, but stopped dead in her tracks. Laying at her feet was Gwaine, in a pool of blood. She dropped to her knees.

"Gwaine?" She prodded his face. "Gwaine? Wake up."

He wouldn't.

"C'mon, Sir Drinks-A-Lot," she said, shaking him. "Wake up!"

Nothing.

"WAKE UP!" she screamed. "Please, I haven't told you. I never told you. I never told you! Wake up! Wake up! I never told you! Wake up!"

Silence.

Morgana screamed. And screamed. And screamed. And screamed. Gwaine would not wake up.

Somehow, life went on.

Morgana came to Arthur and Merlin one day.

"I have to leave," she said.

"Where are you going?" they both asked.

"I'm going back to where I belong; the spirit world," she said with a smile. "I need to tell Gwaine. I need to see him. And I'll also see Mordred too."

"We'll miss you," said Merlin. And she (the magic had changed her back into a woman for this month) meant it.

Arthur nodded. "When are you leaving?"

Morgana smiled brighter. "I've said my good-byes to everyone already. You two were last on the list."

"So now?" asked Merlin.

Morgana nodded, smile getting wider. "Good bye."

"Good bye."

Morgana faded in to the shadows, returning to where she truly belonged.

"I hope she can find Gwaine," said Merlin, sad smile on her face as a tear leaked out of the corner of her eye. Arthur brushed it away.

"Love always finds its way."

I cried writing some parts of this chapter. I'll admit it. Why did I kill Mordred and Gwaine? Why? *sob*

So after this, there's going to be an epilogue, then the end.

Anyways, on a brighter note, I would like to thank the awesome reviewers Luka Knight, Meegan, Lady Blade WarAngel, bubzchoc, Corey YoungBlood, Auttzthoughtz, and littleking3125. Imaginary penguins for you! :)