"You missed a spot."
Arthur brought his hand down and lathered it up with soap before sliding it between Merlin's legs. Merlin leaned against the wall stone, gasping at the touch.
Merlin found himself walking, walking, walking... Where? He didn't know. The forest was very dense here, the sky an olive shade of green and the trees with leaves of red and gold. There were no sounds of animals, and Merlin felt bombarded by the silence, silence, silence, silence. He felt so tired, tired, he felt so weak, so weak, but something inside of him told him to keep going, that something was waiting for him in the future, future, future, future.
The end of the woods spawned the beginning of a mountain and Merlin's eyes lazily drifted along it, looking for something, something. Something. He felt something pull at his chest, like a rope or a leash, pulling him forward, forward, forward, forward.
The cave was dark and a gentle scent of limestone filed the air, air, air. Merlin stumbled inside, his legs heavy, his body was fading, fading, fading. He pushed himself deeper, deeper into the cave, deep into the bowels of the mountain, into where he was sure he was to go, go, go, go.
He found a small pond, deep, deep away from the bright light of the outside and sank to his knees, knees, knees to slowly dip his hands in the water. He saw his reflection in the water, water, water and he didn't think he could look so sad, sad, so alone. Alone.
"I see you've found the Crystal Cave."
Merlin turned around, around, around. He saw an old man standing at the exit of the small chamber he was in and he stood up, shaking.
"Who... are you?" Merlin asked weakly.
"I am an Elder. That is all you need to know for now." He took a few steps forward. "I see you're about to give up, Emrys," the Elder whispered.
"Where... where am I?" Merlin asked, even weaker than he had the last time.
"The Fade," the Elder said. He looked around the room as if he could see something that Merlin couldn't, and rather ironically, Merlin found that his spirit was fading quickly.
"Please..." Merlin begged. "I'm so... tired..."
His voice echoed through the cave, resonating with the crystals in the walls which began to glow dimly. Merlin felt his eyes close even though he tried to force them open. His soul was degrading.
"You want to die?" the old man asked.
Merlin nodded his head, head, head. His mind was filled with pain and agony. All he could think about was release. All he could think about was death.
"Before you do..." the Elder said, "there is something I want you to see."
Merlin spread himself on the floor, too tired to stand up. The Elder took a piece of crystal from the ground and held it up, waving his hand over it, causing it to shine brilliantly. He handed it to Merlin.
"This is the cave of Neahtid," the Elder explained, "and this crystal will show you what life will be like for your love... if you give up now."
Merlin gazed into the crystal that began to shine brighter and brighter until it finally over took him.
Arthur was crying. The world was dark and cold. Merlin was helpless and could only watch as Arthur continued to sob. He hands were on Merlin's body, touching him, shaking him, begging him to wake up. Merlin watched as Arthur, in vain, tried to give him CPR, tried to give him medicine, tried to use one of Merlin's magical books to perform a healing spell, none of which worked.
"Don't you do dare this to me!" Arthur screamed, tears flowing from his angry, red face with equal vehemonous sorrow. "You come back to me!"
Even Gwen and Lance were crying as they watched Arthur shake his love in vain. Gwen walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "He's gone... Arthur—Arthur, he's gone!"
"No! No NO NO NO NO!" Arthur screamed into the air, slamming his fists down on Merlin's unmoving chest.
A dark void engulfed the area.
"You need to leave."
"What?" Arthur asked. He stared at Gwen with a scared and confused look.
"You're of magic kin!" Gwen yelled. "You have to leave! They'll kill you!"
She handed Arthur a small pamphlet with the words Purge the Urge: To use Magic.
Arthur turned away, his heart sinking into his stomach as he ran to his room and packed his bags.
A dark void engulfed the area.
Arthur sat around his campfire alone. He checked his watch for the time and watched the stars in the sky twinkle. He had been running for so many years, for so long. He thought about the world, about how he over took it, about how he purged the land and established a new government, about how he was the reason that Merlin was dead.
Merlin watched Arthur reach into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He fumbled through it and pulled out a picture of Merlin. It was from a long time ago, a happier time—a time when they were carefree and fun and silly and—
Arthur began to cry. He took a large sip from his flask and tried to chase the memories away like he did every night, but this night, this night he couldn't rid himself of the nightmares, of the longing. Merlin wanted to scream at him, to tell him how much he cared, but he couldn't. The warlock was frozen, forced to watch.
Arthur searched through his backpack until he found what he was looking for—his gun.
The blonde looked to the moon, tired and cold, and thought to himself, I want to be with you, Merlin. The cold steel was warm against his head as he searched for the good times, the best times, the times when he swore Merlin loved him back, the times when Merlin hugged him or confided in him. He thought to the kiss Merlin gave him to bring him back, it was so warm, and so—
The crack that echoed through the forest and paled in comparison to the deafening silence that followed; the silence that brought Merlin to his knees.
Merlin sobbed hysterically and threw the crystal across the room. It shattered against a far away wall.
The Elder walked over to Merlin and knelt in front of him.
"Why! Why would you show me that?" Merlin screamed. His voice was hoarse and he couldn't hold back his feelings, and yet still the Elder picked up another crystal, which began to glow as the first had.
"Merlin, it doesn't have to be like that," the Elder said. "Take this. It will show you what will happen if you hold on just a little bit longer."
Merlin reluctantly extended his hand and grasped the shinning gem, and the bright light pulled him into the future.
"Tell me you love me."
"I love you," Arthur responded as Merlin rolled over and rested his head on Arthur's chest to listen to Arthur's heart beat, to his breathing, his life. He placed gentle kisses on Arthur's chest, biting and licking his way along Arthur's body, from nipple to nipple, and then down.
"I love you so much," Arthur whispered.
Merlin reached under Arthur's boxers and began to stroke and rub, feeling his hands slide up and down Arthur. Merlin gazed up to see Arthur looking down at him intently, passion and lust in his eyes.
A white light filled the room.
"I do."
"I do."
Arthur leaned in gently, his face red and holding back no emotion. Merlin leaned in as well, closing the gap between them, and the two felt their lips brush against each other as there was a large applause.
Merlin and Arthur turned to face the crowd of odd creatures and fantastic beasts, save for Gwen, Lance, and Gaius, and then back to the old man who was standing in front of them.
"By the powers invested in me of the old religion, I now bind you, in soul, in heart, and in spirit."
Arthur took Merlin's hand and they slowly left the alter to walk down the aisle, moving forward into their new life.
A white light filled the room.
"Daddy!"
"Sophie! My baby girl!" Arthur picked his daughter up and threw her into the air before catching her and kissing her face.
"Daddy! Daddy, stop! It tickles!" Sophie laughed and giggled into Arthur as he continued to kiss and nuzzle her. Merlin walked over and ran his fingers through Arthur's hair.
Sophie reached into her back pack and pulled out a picture that was done crudely with markers and crayons. She held it up for Arthur and Merlin to see.
"Look! Look!" she yelled. She pointed to the two men she drew on the paper. "See Daddy this is you," she pointed to the stick figure with blond hair, "and papa this is you!" She pointed to the stick figure with black hair and a magic wand.
Arthur and Merlin smiled at each other.
A white light filled the room.
"Pappy!"
Arthur lifted his beautiful grandson up. He felt him wrap his arms around him and he held him close. Merlin walked over to Arthur and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Dad!" Sophie yelled in her excitement. "I'm so glad you guys could make it for Tim's birthday!"
Merlin gave Sophie a disappointed, mocking look. "Did you really think we'd miss this tinker-tots birthday party?"
Tim turned around in Arthur's arms. "I told you mom! I told you they'd make it!"
Arthur carried Tim into the next room, but stopped shy of the doorstep. He glanced back to Merlin and Merlin gazed back and the moment there was glazed in ice, frozen and still. Merlin was happy, Merlin was safe, Merlin was loved and his life was fulfilled.
Arthur woke up to the sound of scuffling. He rolled over in bed and saw Merlin opening his shades as he sat up. The white light, the magic, the arrow? He looked over at Merlin who was wearing very odd clothes.
"Time to wake up you lazy bum!" Merlin yelled. He leaped on Arthur's bed and gave him a hard kiss on the lips.
Arthur stared at him in amazement. "Merlin?" he asked in disbelief.
"What?" Merlin asked, sporting a huge grin from ear to ear.
Arthur looked around the room. It was a huge chamber and his bed itself was also very large. There were royal symbols everywhere and it felt like Arthur was in an alternate reality. Merlin snapped his fingers in front of Arthur's face, bringing him out of the trance.
"Arthur!" Merlin yelled. "Get up! You have a meeting this morning!"
Arthur felt himself suspended in space. White, in every direction. He felt himself drift and drift and drift. The emptiness was satisfying, the world quiet and peaceful. Arthur could feel no fear, no pain, no anguish, no hate, no suffering. He was empty and full, heavy and light, and he felt himself continue to lift, the memories of his past becoming fuzzy and faded the farther he floated. He was ready.
No.
Arthur felt himself become gripped, tangled, he felt the power of something far greater than him. He opened his eyes as something that felt like rope wrapped itself around him, digging into his soul, into his flesh, unrelenting, powerful and absolute. He felt it dig into him, felt it pull him back, and Arthur screamed. It hurt so bad, he just wanted to drift, drift up into the light, drift up into the sky, into happiness, into freedom, but the coils pulled him down, deeper and deeper. He felt heat on his lips and a shock through his body and he was ripped into the mortal world.
Merlin leaned backwards, lying on the ground. His eyes were still adjusting to the light as he quickly tried to rub the tears from his eyes. The Elder was looking at him, apparently pleased by what he had done. Merlin sat up to look at him.
"Make a choice young warlock," the Elder said, his tone stoic. He held out both hands. One was glowing white, and the other was a dull, depressing black. "You must pick your own future."
Merlin could still feel the sting in his eyes, he was so tired, tired, tired. He didn't think he could make it; he didn't want to make it. He loved Arthur, wanted him, but what if these were just illusions, illusions, illusions. He was so tired of fighting the darkness that was pulling him deeper, deeper, deeper.
After a few seconds Merlin extended his hand and took one of the Elder's.