A/N: Right, next chapter. Thanks to tehcharissard, Josh4eva3 (heh, I'm glad it's keeping you guessing!), ReverieIndigo, lordstarlight, serialblogger (don't worry about long reviews, I was really pleased to see you enjoyed the last chapter so much!), and readernurse (again, thanks for the long review and your kind words about my writing style!) for their reviews!

Chapter 7

It was a good stroke, Merlin and the creature held within him, were both dead before the sword was halfway through the young man's body and a deep rumbling started in the ground, working its way up, rattling the surrounding buildings until it there was a pulse like a thunderclap, as a shockwave exploded outwards from Merlin's body and covered the whole village.

Arthur roared with anguish and anger, the cross-guard of the hilt slamming into the dead man's shoulder, and he sank to his knees still gripping his sword, his knuckles white. The moment he felt his friend's life leave his body, something had broken inside him, like part of him had just gone. There was a bond between them and he had destroyed it, with his own hands and his own sword.

He had no idea how long he knelt there but slowly he became aware of someone calling his name and a low keening noise, which after a moment he was ashamed to realised came from him. He raised his head and saw Gwaine charging towards him, yelling his name. He was still holding on to his sword with a death-grip and forced himself to let go, catching Merlin's limp body and laying it down gently.

Gwaine skidded to his knees on the other side of Merlin's body, shock and disbelief written on his face. "What did you do, Arthur?" he demanded. "What did you do?"

Unable to find his voice, Arthur just shook his head, sitting back in the snow and resting his head in his hands. They were covered in blood. Merlin's blood. It was more than he could comprehend.

"Arthur!" Gwaine leaned over and shoved him hard and that spurred him out of his daze.

"It tried to possess him," he explained haltingly though his blood-stained fingers. "He begged me to do it."

"So you did? Are you insane?" the knight shouted. "He was in trouble so you just put him down like a dog?"

The king said nothing, keeping his head buried in his hands and Gwaine glared at him, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. Neither man heard the muffled hoof-beats approaching until horse and rider were almost upon them. Gwaine jumped up ready for action, although he was unarmed; Arthur did not move a muscle.

The rider reined in his horse and jumped out the saddle, pushing the hood of his dark cloak back, revealing a young boy with a pale face, long black hair and a pair of piercing blue eyes. He looked at Merlin's lifeless body dispassionately for an instant before appraising the motionless king next to the corpse.

"Who are you?" demanded Gwaine, taking a threatening step forward. The stranger looked over at him and gave him a lazy grin as his eyes shone a blazing gold, and Gwaine found his feet firmly stuck to the ground. "Sorcerer!" he spat.

"Look at me," the boy ordered Arthur, his tone brooking no argument. Slowly the king raised his head and met the sorcerer's eyes. "Do you remember me, Arthur Pendragon?"

There was something, Arthur decided, familiar about the newcomer. It was the eyes, although the face was different, those eyes were hard to forget. The boy's identity came to him from the flash of a long disregarded event.

"Mordred," he whispered. "Why are you here?"

The boy smirked. "I came to see the great Emrys laid low." At Arthur's confused expression, he bowed slightly, "Oh, forgive me, Merlin."

Fury shot through Arthur and he sprang to his feet. "He saved your life! And you're happy about this?"

"Oh, settle down, Arthur," Mordred smirked and with another flash, the king's feet were as firmly held in place as Gwaine's. "You didn't know this man. You have no idea of the things he has done."

"I know he died to protect my kingdom," Arthur growled.

Mordred threw his head back and laughed cruelly. "You see? Even now you misunderstand his motives. He didn't do this to save your kingdom, he did it to save you." He took a calm step forward and gently prodded Merlin's leg with his foot, ignoring Arthur and Gwaine's cries of complaint. "There is nothing, nothing he would not do, no crime he would not commit, no friend he would not betray, to save you."

"That's not true," snarled Arthur. "He was a good man and the most loyal person I have ever known."

Mordred sighed as if he was speaking to a particularly stupid child. "Of course you would think that, did I not just say his life was dedicated to you? You will never know what it is to be betrayed by him," he gave Gwaine a sideways glance. "But you will."

"I don't believe that," Gwaine responded angrily. "He was my best friend."

"He is everyone's friend until it comes to a choice between his 'friends' and Arthur Pendragon." Mordred shrugged, "You just wait." He sighed theatrically, turning his attention to Merlin. "To think of all the times I wished for this very moment and now here I am having to fix it. This is not what destiny intended."

"What?" Arthur exclaimed, hope flaring in his chest. "Can you help him?"

"I have the ability to Mirror Life and Death," Mordred admitted, "but the balance of the world always requires a sacrifice - a life for a life."

"You can have mine!" Was the response from both men and Mordred shook his head, curling his lip in disgust. "I do not require your death, Arthur Pendragon. Not yet," the boy stated solemnly. "There have been enough deaths here that were not necessary, their lives will be enough to buy back his. But first, let's remove that sword, hmm?"

As the young sorcerer leaned over to take hold of the blade, Arthur suddenly knew he must not touch, never mind take possession of, the sword. Why he had no idea but he knew it, felt it to his core. The sword was his.

"No!" he cried, dropping to his knees awkwardly, his ankles twisting painfully as his feet refused to move. "I'll do it. Gwaine help me."

Mordred gave him a grin that said 'you caught me' and waited as Gwaine lifted his friend far enough off the ground for Arthur to get a decent grip of the hilt and draw the blade free. Once they lay Merlin back down, Mordred knelt beside him, his eyes closed and uttered a string of words that meant nothing to the young king; he placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder and opened his eyes, the irises burning a molten gold. An instant later, his eyes returned to their piercing blue and with an almost tender expression, he ran a hand through the prone man's hair.

"Farewell, Emrys," he whispered, standing up. He walked over to his horse and pulled himself into the saddle, reining the horse's head around. "When he awakes tell him the next time we meet, I will take that which he holds most dear." With that he kicked his heels back and disappeared into the lightening horizon