I'M SO SO SORRY! My life has been crazy the past few months… But now I'm back and ready to update more steadily! I am shamelessly referencing Spiderman in this chapter…

Obviously, a freshman in college isn't going to own Merlin…

Sorry it's short!

"What is it, young warlock?"

The young man looked up at the scaly beast."Have you ever met my father?"

"Indeed I have," came the rumbling reply.

"What was he like?"

Kilgharrah looked down at the young lord with an understanding look. "Your father was one of the most extraordinary men I've ever met. He fought for peace and freedom, practiced justice in all his actions, loved you with all his heart. He understood that with great power comes great responsibility. Yes, I knew Balinor."

Merlin stared up at the lizard. "I have but one more thing to ask. How did he die?"

"It was soon after Arthur's birth that Uther began his purge. None were spared, not even the King's closest friend. He sent Balinor to war with Essetir. Gorlois accompanied him. They were promised reinforcements, but Uther sent none. Gorlois' body was found, but your father's never was.

"He fled to Ealdor and met your mother. They fell in love and were engaged to be married. Even then, Uther pursued him. He sent troops to the village. Balinor was slain by Uther himself while protecting you."

Arthur stood before his father in the throne room. The rich velvet like coarse wool as hundreds of eyes looked on. The blonde was ready to dig a hole in the floor to hide in, but he didn't. As the Crowned Prince of Camelot, he had a duty to his people.

So he held his head high as his father read him the vows. He repeated them with a steady voice.

"Now being of age and heir apparent, I crown you, Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot."

CRASH!

A dark figure jumped into the Hall through the ancient stained glass window. Merlin looked at the knight with a filling sense of dread.

His shield was rusted, but the raven could clearly make out the serpent-like dragon twisting around the blue background. That crest, it was of the Ambrosius family.

His family.

The Ambrosius knight threw his gauntlet to the ground in front of Uther. The rattle of metal on stone echoed through the silent crowd.

One of the younger knights, Sir Owan, grabbed the piece of armor. "I, Sir Owan, take up your challenge."

"So be it," the knight rumbled. "Noon tomorrow. To the death."

Merlin's gut twisted as he watched the dark knight stomp onto the field. He looked on with a grim expression.

And then Owan brought down his sword...

The rusted blade slipped into the soft skin of the young knight's stomach. Owan crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap. The scrap of red fabric danced lazily across the crimson stained gravel.

Merlin could almost feel the wrongness rolling off the fight. Owan had struck a clean blow on the Black Knight, one strong enough to kill a man. Yet there he stood, glowering at the king.

Once more he threw his gauntlet down. Once more a knight went to grab it. But Sir Pellinore's fate was changed that day as Merlin pushed him back into his seat. The raven launched himself from his seat to take up the gauntlet.

His voice echoed through the crowded arena. "I, Sir Merlin take up you challenge."

"Noon tomorrow, to the death," he boomed before striding off the field.

Merlin heard the shocked gasps of many of the ladies of the court, but he was already onto the next step of his day. A visit to a certain scaly friend was in order…

"Kilgharrah! I need your help!"

The was a whoosh as the dragon's wings sliced through the air. "What is it, young warlock?"

"There is a Black Knight that has come to challenge the King. I am to fight him tomorrow. But the thing is, he can't be killed. What am I going to do?"

"Have no fear. What you face is a wraith. A resurrected soul that lives only to complete its unfinished work. In this case, it is the soul of one of you kin. It will not kill you," the beast stated sagely.

"Right. So I am to face this thing and hope I live based on the fact that I'm related to it?!"

"Young warlock, did you see the crest the knight bore? It was not just the crest of you family, it was the crest of your father."

Merlin sunk back against the stone. "My father?! I have to fight my father's wraith! Wonderful, just wonderful."

"I am sorry," the dragon said in a morose tone.

"Is there anything else you could do?"

"I could brandish your sword. But Merlin, you must promise me that you and you alone use this sword. Long ago, the Knights of Old wielded such weapons. They are the only things that can kill something already dead. If such a weapon were to fall into enemy hands…" the beast trailed off with a pointed stare.

Merlin stated in a solemn voice, "On my honor as a knight, I swear to you that I alone will wield such a sword."

Morgana watched tearfully Merlin walked onto the arena floor. She prayed to Caylan that he would make it through this fight.

The Black Knight stomped in after him, moody and silent as ever. Uther slowly lowered his hand to signify the start of the fight.

Merlin gripped his sword, Cosain, tighter. It was perfect: balanced and faintly glowing silver with a leather-wrapped hilt. Elegant runes were scrawled along the blade.

The Black Knight lunged first. Merlin twisted around the blade and to the back of his opponent. The wraith whipped around to face him, but wasn't prepared for the strike that Merlin sent his way. He hastily parried it, causing the raven to stumble backwards a few steps. The wraith prepared to bring his sword down on the raven, totally missing when Merlin went in for the kill.

His blade slid softly towards the Black Knight, but the dark knight twisted so the blade grazed his side. The wraith stumbled back a few steps and Merlin yanked Cosain back to him. The blade came out thinly covered in some sort of black goo, making it look ominous in the bright sunlight.

The Black Knight surged forward once more. And so it continued; a heated fight between kin. The raven made a wrong step and the damning blade came flying down-

Only to stop an inch from Merlin's face.

"No!" the wraith boomed. "I will not kill my son! You can't make me, witch." The crowd looked around in confusion. What was going on?

The Black Knight was clutch his head as he fell to his knees. His whole body shook as he screamed in pain. The wraith's hand snaked out to grip Merlin's wrist. "Son… bring your sword… kill me before I-AAAHHH!" he screamed.

The wraith jerkily rose to his feet and gripped his sword. Merlin thrust his sword into his father's body, a sling tear slipping down his cheek.

The body exploded, leaving Merlin with only a pile of ash for a father.

Nimueh glared at the boy that had killed her wraith. This young knight was powerful and dangerous, intoxicatingly so. It was no use to fight him. She had to get him to join her cause, but how?

Morgana ran to the exit of the arena, dabbing her eyes quickly to keep her tears at bay. It was unseemly for her to show such weakness.

Merlin stumbled out and spotted Morgana. She walked over to him and gave the raven a tight hug. The lady could feel the pain and grief rolling off Merlin in waves. Morgana could keenly feel the loss of the man she was coming to love.

"Merlin, what is it?" She asked.

Merlin swallowed thickly. "The man, he was the wraith of my father."

"Oh Merlin!" the lady cried as she hugged harder. Merlin's arms snaked around her, needing to prove that at least one thing in the world was real. They just stayed that way; two fatherless nobles hugging each other amid the whispers. Safe and grounded.

Far away, two figures stood on a hill. One was whiter than snow with long silver hair and determined, silver-flecked cyan eyes. The other had a slightly tanned, chisled body with raven hair and gold eyes that shone like suns. Both wore clothes fit for royalty. Both had several tears leaking from their eyes.

They watched from afar as Myrddin greived for the father he never knew. The figures couldn't run to the warrior and comfort him, for the time for their interventions had not yet come. So they gazed on at the sad sight. The man's hand gave the woman's a gentle squeeze as a bright light enveloped them.

He would meet them soon, but not yet. Myrddin was not ready to learn the truth.

Alternate Title: 'When the magic sword is NOT Excalibur'

DUN DUN DUN! I just moved up my time table up majorly for several things 'cause of that last part... Oh well, this might work better anyways...

Not my best work, but whatever… Caylan means 'People's Victory' and Cosain means 'Protect'. ^_^ Don't worry, Excalibur WILL be coming, but I have a different plan for it.

Until next week, my Faithful Readers!