Merlin pounded through the corridors, headed for the courtyard, hoping that he would get there in time, hoping that Morgana would not be able to resist twisting the knife. He grinned ruefully at the appropriateness of the metaphor. He rounded a corner and sped along the corridor towards the entrance chamber.

Meanwhile...

Arthur left Merlin and Gaius, pouring over books, and head over to the only place he could associate with Morgana. Her old room. Along the way, he stopped in to his own chambers, hoping that Gwen was there, safe, and sure enough, he found her asleep on the bed. He went over to her, and leaned over, kissing her gently on the forehead. He didn't wake her, not wanting to risk her waking up and hating him... even if Merlin had said that they might be unaffected by the effects of the stone.
He sighed. Damn Morgana. He gently stroked Gwen's cheek, tugging his hand away when she stirred, and backing away. He took one last glance at her before leaving the room, gently shutting the door behind him. Over the next couple of hours, he searched Morgana's old rooms, the dungeons, all of the underground places including the tunnels and the reservoir... He found no sigh of her. He sighed as he made his way back to where he had left Merlin. He paused. On a hunch, he made a detour to the courtyard, heading for the lower town.
He crept through the streets, avoiding brawling men and women. Even the children seemed to be fighting each other. He also noticed that some had cuts on arms or faces, the sign that they had been cut by the demons. He hoped Merlin had managed to find a cure.
He finally reached his destination, Gwens old home.
It had recently become the home of some young friends of her's that had been married. He cautiously stepped inside and was dismayed and saddened at the sight that met his eyes. A young woman held a man in her arms, crying softly. She looked up at Arthur, and managed to get a few choked words out.
"We argued, it was so... it was about nothing... then I got angry... he hit me and I grabbed a knife and..."
She couldn't continue. She burst into fresh tears, clutching the man closer to her. Arthur stepped over and reached out a hand, feeling for the pulse, for any sign that he was alive. He pulled his hand back, resting it instead on the young woman's shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, realizing that her grief must be the reason she was not getting angry at him.
She looked up at him.
"Wait... aren't you..." her eyes widened as she realized who he was. "Your majesty, I..."
He stopped her.
"Hush. Its okay. Stay in here until everyone starts to act normally again."
He left, knowing that Morgana could not have been there, and unable to get the image of the young couple out of his mind. That was, until he entered the courtyard, to find himself facing Morgana.
He acted instinctively. Drawing his sword and hurling it at her. It skimmed past her side and she gave him a mocking smile, not realizing that Arthur had hit his target dead on. She turned to follow his gaze, and let out a scream of frustration as the stone fell to the floor, smashing.
She grabbed another and her eyes turned gold as she spoke something over it. Arthur saw a movement out of the corner of his eye.
"Damn," he cursed, as the gargoyles and statues began moving.
Merlin, he thought. I hope you have found what you need... I could really use a hand. He sighed as Morgana smiled evilly.
"You need to work on your finesse," he called out to her, groaning when she began to rub her victory in.

Merlin reached the entrance hall and crept to the door. He took in the scene, taking in the creatures and the shattered stone at Morganas feet. He realized it was the discord stone and grinned. Arthur had good aim... but no sword. He knew that he had to get it to him. But until then. He saw Morgana turn and knew he had to take the chance.
"Arthur!" he called, throwing the knife he had taken from his belt. He just had time to see the hilt thud into his hand before he was knocked halfway across the courtyard by Morgana's spell. He rolled behind a pile of crates and spotted Arthur's sword just in front of him. He grasped it, feeling a sense of confidence fill him... he peered around the edge of the pile and froze.
Morgana had a Black stone in her hand, pointing it at Arthur. He needed no prompting to realise that it was the Shadow Stone. He saw Mogana's lips form words and a beam of light flare from the stone, engulfing Arthur and forcing him to his knees.
He stood up, ready to run to his aid, but was stopped by the sound of Morgana's voice.
"Now now Merlin, are you sure that it is wise for you to do that... after all, you know what some of his worst fears and nightmares are..."
Merlin froze, thinking about it. Losing Gwen, Losing Camelot... Maybe losing him... or maybe finding out that Merlin was...
"No..." he murmured, looking at Morgana. She grinned.
"Yes Merlin, I can see what he is suffering... Do you want to know how much he fears that you will turn against him?"
Merlin shot a jet of blue light at her, narrowly missing the stone, but hitting a Gargoyle behind her, turning it to dust. She retaliated with a burst of yellow light, which missed Merlin by inches, shattering two dog statues behind her. Merlin looked at the dogs behind him and recalled the time he had brought one to life, in order to bring to life the snakes on the shield of the knight in the tournament. He suddenly recalled the counter spell, and dodged another stream of light, red this time, before saying the spell. He was rewarded with all of the statues turning still. Now all he needed to do was to keep Morgana busy. Stop her from getting the stones out.

Arthur

It was dark. And it hurt. The last thing I remember was seeing a flash of gold in Morganas eyes... then nothing. Wait... I can see a light. I can see... Gwen? Im all of a sudden in my rooms, with Gwen... and Morgana. Morgana... she's walking over to Gwen and I... I can't move... I can't... Morgana has grabbed her, by the throat... Gwens eyes... shes staring at me... I can see the fear in her eyes... "Arthur" I can hear the pleading tone in her voice... But I cant... I cant help her... Morganas eyes turn golden and Gwen goes limp in her arms... And suddenly Gwen turns to Merlin... he's fighting her but shes stronger... she throws him towards me and he falls, limp to the floor... and now shes looking at me... and she throws a knife at me... it doesnt reach me because Merlin flings him self in its path... and hes covered in blood, I cant see his face.. He rolls over but its not merlin... its my father... covered in blood... and Morgana is gone... Merlin stood in her place with an evil smile on his face... his eyes golden... full of rage... He is evil... He turns to me and sends a jet of light at me... Im cocooned in blue and it burns... and everything is black and pain again... Im lost...

Merlin hit Morgana square in the chest with a jet of light and she flew back, hitting the wall, and falling to the floor. He breathed deeply, trying to catch his breath. Finally... He ran over and plucked two stones from her belt. The Shadow Stone and the Animation Obsidian. The others were nowhere in sight. Staring at them, loathingly, he grabbed the sword and dropped the stones to the floor. With two strokes, he destroyed them. He turned to Arthur, running to his side. Finally, he would begin to come out of whatever nightmares he had been suffering...

I am suddenly on the wall surrounding Camelot... the town is burning... a great dragon flying through the skies... the citadel has been taken... but by who... then I see them... Morgana and Merlin... felling whoever comes before them... I watch Percival fall...Elyan... Leon... Gwaine... then Merlin looks at me... smiling... he raises his hand... gold light in his eyes... and I'm falling... falling... I land on my back in a clearing... I see a splatter of red on a tree and recognise the place... It was where I found out Merlin was a sorcerer... I turn at the sound of his voice... I see him... but he has Gwens face... now Leon... Gwaine... Elyan... Percival... Lancelot... My Father... Others... faster and faster...
Then its Merlin... staring at him... but his eyes are not golden but his normal brown... but they weren't full of the laughter and liveliness that he had taken for granted... they were pained and full of hate and rage...
"I trusted you..." he whispered... "How can I ever forget this?" he held out his arm... blood dripping from it... then it drips upwards... and Merlins eyes are golden... and everythings fading...
I reach out grasping the hilt of something that has appeared in my hand... All I can see is Merlins face... then I'm surrounded by Golden and blue fire... I thrust the blade in my hand out in front of me, panic filling my mind... and I finally find myself back in the courtyard... staring up at Merlins face... But something is wrong... His face... I look down and see the blade of the knife in my hand embedded in his stomach... blood pouring around it... Panic overwhelms me as I realise that this is not the power of any stone... this is real... I've just stabbed my best friend...
Guilt and pain and Panic overwhelm me... He stares at me, trying to speak but unable to... then I see something fade in his eyes and they close... Accompanied by a small sigh from Merlin... I scream silently, a single word reverberating through my head... MERLIN!...

Merlin

I can see Arthur coming to his senses and see him open his eyes. My relief is cut short as I see a look of sheer panic in his eyes. I suddenly feel a sharp throb of agony flare through me and look down... Arthurs hand is curved around the knife... which is jutting from my stomach... blood pouring from the wound... I look back to Arthurs face and see him staring at me... shock and guilt evident in his expression... I open my mouth to speak but no sound comes out... nothing... I gratefully sink into darkness... feeling the pain melt away as I close my eyes... then...