Mordred. Merlin remembered that name. He remembered everything now.

"My little Merlin."

"Oh Bal, I just put him to sleep!" Hunith said as she tapped her foot irritably.

Balinor had Merlin straddled around his waist, placed perfectly on his hip. Merlin's bright blue eyes were filled with excitement even though his mother had just put him to sleep a few hours ago. The boy was so little, only three, and he didn't understand why his dad had to leave for weeks at a time.

"I know, love. I'm sorry." Balinor shot her one of his looks, one of those everything-is-going-to-be-alright glances.

Hunith's own face melded over with confusion and fear. "Bal, what's going on?" she asked, walking up close to him. "I know you. Something's wrong."

Balinor sighed and placed Merlin down carefully. "I'll be back, okay?" he told Merlin, who pouted but nodded and sat on his bed. Hunith and Balinor walked out of the room and down the hall, to the kitchen, where Hunith put the kettle on and sat across from her husband.

"Something is happening," Balinor began to explain. His face filled with fear and anxiety. Hunith had never seen him so shaken; being one of the top warlocks in the Knights he had a large arsenal of weapons, spells, and people. If something was scaring him, it was serious. Hunith reached across the table and squeezed her husband's hand. "There is a team being formed. Somewhere," he waved his hands in the air, "in the darkness. And they want me."

"Want you? What?" Hunith questioned. "Honey, you're not making sense."

"I know," Balinor responded lamely. His voice was raspy and dry from stress. He met her gaze for only a second and then turned to look out of the kitchen window. The sky was clear, and the moon was full. He thought about his life, his future, how it meant nothing without Merlin. He couldn't tell Hunith that it was really Merlin they wanted, and figured it was best to protect them both. If she still thought he was inept at magic then she wouldn't worry. He would keep her safe, even in death. "You and Merlin need to leave tonight."

Hunith recoiled like she had been slapped in the face. She leaned forward so fast she forced the table back. "What do you mean, we have to leave? What are you going to do?"

Before Balinor could answer there was a knock at the door. He got up and gave Hunith a quizzical look. "Are you expecting anyone?"

Hunith shook her head and Balinor pulled a vial of liquid out of his pocket. Hunith hadn't seen that vial in years, not since their first mission together.

"Go back to Merlin's room, lock the door, seal it, and do not open it," Balinor commanded. Hunith nodded as there was another rap on the door. She raced back to Merlin's room, and Balinor approached the tall front door. As soon as he heard Merlin's door lock and felt the faint aura of a force-field, he opened the door.

There was a sudden blast of energy. Balinor flew back into the room. He slammed his foot down, using the friction to flip himself and land on the opposing wall. He took the lid off of his vial and quickly chugged it.

In the next room, Merlin's ears twitched. He could feel something evil in the air. Mordred, the darkness seemed to whisper. He looked through the wall into the living room.

A tall man with dark hair walked in the door. He was dressed in a bright red robe and had the hood pulled back. He was accompanied by a young boy with hair just as dark as his.

"Balinor, a pleasure. My name is Mordred," the older man said.

Balinor stayed on the wall, using his magic to cling to it like a spider. The aura from the man was suffocating. Balinor had never seen such magic before. "I assume you want to know why I'm here."

"I already know," Balinor replied coldly. His eyes were dead on Mordred, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. He could feel the liquid from the vial pumping through his veins; it was only a matter of time now.

"Well then, why don't you just give him to us and we'll be on our way."

"Over my dead body," Balinor spat.

"How cliché, really, tisk tisk tisk." The man took a step towards Balinor. "Is this where I say 'that can be arranged'?" Mordred let out a deep dark laugh, one that was meant to intimidate rather than show amusement. Balinor could feel his face and body heat up. He was ready.

The first blow was fast, so fast that the space and time around Balinor wobbled and shattered everything within a few feet of him. His fist connected with Mordred's face and just as fast as he had leaped, he was flying backwards, shooting through the open door and out into the countryside. Balinor knew he couldn't stop here; he only had a few minutes. He used his magic to push the air like it was solid ground and quickly caught up with the man's still-flying body. He brought his leg around and connected the tip of his boot with the man's head, causing him to drastically change direction and fly upwards into the sky. Balinor landed gently on the ground and began to channel the Earth's magic, feeling it stretch and warp his body. He extended his palm and chanted in his head.

Hunith watched the fight from her window, and little did she know, Merlin was watching through the walls. She had applied a very powerful cloak and force-field to the room, using the strongest crystals she had. She had her fingers crossed. She wasn't a witch herself but she could still feel the power that the cloaked man was emanating. It made her sweat.

A bright gold orb began to form in Balinor's palm. He brought his other hand and gripped the air. Mordred stopped flying and became stationary, suspended by Balinor's magic.

"MINE!" shrilled a voice.

The orb disappeared and the moon seemed to go out, as if all the magic was siphoned from the world. It only lasted a few seconds, but when the lights came back on, Balinor's eyes didn't. The young boy was standing in front of him, his arm extended, his hand deep in Balinor's chest. He quickly ripped his arm back, Balinor's heart in hand, and used his other hand to support Balinor's lifeless body.

"No..." Hunith gasped under her breath. She placed her hand over her mouth and Merlin started to cry in the back ground.

The young boy took Balinor's heart and began to eat it. Hunith screamed in horror as he finished eating the heart, then got on all fours and began to eat his body. Mordred gently floated down, half of his face missing, his eye hanging from its socket by just a thread of nerves and tissue, and joined the young boy in feasting on his corpse.

As Mordred ate his body he began to regenerate.

What are these people? Hunith quickly ran to the closet and pulled out a bag. She needed to hurry.

There was a loud crash. The entire house was ripped away in one swoop of light and energy, leaving Merlin, Hunith, and the little of the room that was still in the force-field. Hunith jumped and turned around to see the boy on all fours, pressed against the force-field, bashing his head against the magic.

"You will let me in, you bitch, or I will let myself in," the boy screamed between blows. His voice was high pitched and it carried the voices of several people, all echoing through his mouth as he spoke. He continued to bash his head against the field, each collision caused it to crack and fracture a little more. Hunith dug into her bag filled with crystals until she finally found a milky blue one.

There was the sound of glass shattering, and the boy stuck his head through the small hole he had made. The sharp edges of the field had ripped much of his face away, leaving only bone and sagging flesh. Hunith broke the crystal against the metal tip of her boot and smoke surrounded her and Merlin. Under them, the crystal had created a hole in the universe. Sunlight pierced Merlin's eyes from the other side, and he felt himself and his mother fall.

The other boy continued to push. "I WANT THAT FUCKING—"

But Hunith and Merlin were gone. The smoke cleared and the force-field faded. The boy screamed at the top of his lungs and floated to the ground.

"My lord," Mordred began to say, but he was cut off by a vicious glare the boy gave. "Yes sir," Mordred replied and he picked the boy up, tossing his own crystal down and teleporting back to base.

"You... you killed my father," Merlin said, his voice barely there. He stumbled backwards and Arthur caught him. Mordred and the boy smiled.

"I'm so glad you remember." Mordred chuckled. "It's good to know we have fans out there."

The boy was the one to chuckle this time. This laugh was shrill and piercing, like hundreds of sirens going off at once.

Merlin's head was spinning. He felt his magic inside of him bubble and burn in response to their laughter. He felt it extend and seep into the ground, into the air. He felt it spread, for miles and miles, until he found Gwen and Morgana. Perfect.

Merlin raised his right hand and a green wall placed itself between Mordred and Merlin and Arthur. The boy immediately leaped at the field and, just like all those years ago, began to thrash and bash his head against the wall. Merlin raised his left hand and a black void appeared. He could see Gwen and Morgana in the front seat. He kicked Arthur and he fell into the portal.

"NO!" the boy screamed at the top of his lungs. "NOT AGA—" but he was cut off as the field fell.

"No," Merlin replied coolly. "Not again."

Merlin closed his eyes and reached out his hand, just like his father, but this time he caught the young boy by the throat. He squirmed and thrashed in the air.

"Not again," Merlin repeated, and when his eyes opened, this time, they weren't his.

Dragoon.