Author's Note: Well, BIG chapter here J Just what you guys want! Right, I'll let the chapter speak for itself and let you read! Review maybe? There's certainly enough to review on! x
Colin Morgan on BBC 2!: I think I've just died and gone to Heaven! I'm going to get a lot of complaints from my neighbours because I've just done the biggest string of fan girl squeals as Colin's beautiful face showed up on the screen and his adorable accent came from my TV! Really makes the atmosphere seem tragic with those A-M-A-Z-I-N-G acting skills. Colin Morgan, I love you! xoxoxox
Disclaimer: I still do not own any characters of Shine and the BBC's TV programme Merlin (wish I did!) but any added characters and plotlines were completely my genius! All mistakes and splelnig errrors are also my own, which are not so genius…
Chapter Forty
Hostile
Emrys had been sat quietly in his tree, attempting for the umpteenth time to pry the chain from off his wrist. Nothing had worked. It seemed impossible. But then something had interrupted his efforts at prising off the chain. Large crowds of people were swarming up to the main gates of the castle, all of them buzzing with inaudible gossip. It seemed that the whole population of the city of Camelot was crowding into the courtyard. Why were they all going into the courtyard at nightfall? Emrys would have to go and see what all the commotion was about. He had climbed down from his tree but had soon risen off the ground again by clambering up onto one of the rooftops and making his way from there. He had sneaked silently alongside the humming crowd as they filed into the gates. He heard the faint booms of Uther bellowing out some proud speech. He hadn't taken much notice. He never did listen to Uther much. Emrys went to turn back, it was probably just Uther making a big fuss. Just before he could turn round he noticed something rising from inside the courtyard. Emrys frowned and stared at it. It was smoke. Dark, thick, black smoke billowing up in large quantities. But why was it there and what was Uther burning that had attracted so many people? Uther never burnt anything in the courtyard apart from… No.
As soon as Emrys figured out what it was he sprinted along the rest of the houses, jumping between gaps that must have been at least the length of a jousting lance. At last he reached the gate and clambered up to the top. He gazed down to see what was happening below. The crowd was huge, all staring at the large pyre that was positioned on a platform in the middle. A platform that Emrys knew all too well. Flames danced menacingly around the stake to which there was figure tied to it. Emrys squinted down through the smoke and the growing flames to see who it was. No… Ceira.
Emrys glanced round to see if there was anything he could use to stop the flames. Nothing. He then looked down at the Dark Magic chain that was still coiled round his wrist. Hate filled him. How could Arthur do such a thing? He was stood up there now glaring down at Ceira with his father. Ceira's cries were being deflected by the blaze that was starting to engulf her. If only he could use his magic. If only he could get this chain off somehow. But then something hit him. Something that could save this whole situation. A chance. Emrys suddenly remembered what he knew about chains like this one. They restrained the user from using all magic…apart from Dark Magic. Emrys knew what he must do. He only knew a few Dark Magic spells but they had to work. Ceira's life was at stake. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the words of the spell. Emrys held his chained hand up to the sky and glared down at Ceira, directing all his emotion toward her.
"Alíhtan déaþscúa, ádeorcian drýcræft, estmére!"
The magic exploded out of him. He felt a huge impulse of forceful energy burst out of him. The power, the Dark Magical power, that surged down his arm thrilled him. The words merged themselves together, flowing as easily as a river. It sounded as if he had studied the spell for months and knew it off by heart. He peered through the slits of his eyes hesitantly, then seeing what had happened, opened his eyes fully and stared round at the courtyard. Most of the people had been knocked to the ground and those who hadn't had been forced down to their knees. Uther and Arthur had grasped the battlements in front of them just in time and were just getting back to their feet. A few of the flames had been extinguished but were growing back as soon as they had been put out. Emrys looked down at his wrist. The Dark Magic chain was hanging off it, one of the links shattered open. A wisp of black smoke was curling up from the breakage as if it was its taking it's dying breath of air.
~xox~
Ceira blinked her eyes open from the huge surge that had attacked her and everyone else in the courtyard, including Uther and Arthur who were staring round bewilderedly, looking for the source.
It was Emrys. He was stood above the main gate glowering down at the scene in front of him. Uther and Arthur had seen who it was. Arthur's face had gained a pale complexion of ashen chalk and the expression of pure disbelief and terror. Ceira almost smirked but the flames licking up her were enough to keep her expression to a look of horror and panic. Ceira noticed that the Dark Magic chain that had imprisoned Emrys for so long was now was hanging limply off his wrist, broken. Emrys had used Dark Magic to remove it. He looked round at what had happened and leapt down from the significant height. He landed on his feet as always and started striding through the crowd towards her. The people parted fearfully in front of him, forming a pathway as he approached. Arthur and Uther just stood, stunned, giving no signs of calling in any of the guards. And even if he did Ceira doubted that they would make any movement, they too were too shocked to move. As Emrys moved he held up his hand to the flames. They were beginning to lick up Ceira's arms, scalding her skin. "Drysnan ácwencian," Emrys said in a low voice. Nothing happened. Emrys kept on walking but the flames kept on burning. It had gone wrong. Nothing was going to save her.
Suddenly, the blaze grew up into a huge inferno of heat, walls of flames surrounding her and closing in, ready to eat her up. Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, the flames shrank to the ground and simmered out. Then there was Emrys waiting for her."Onbindán." The rope securing her to the pyre fell to the floor limply. Emrys grabbed her hand and they both leapt off the platform, heading towards the gate. At the sight of his captive escaping, Arthur seemed to come back to his senses.
"Guards, close the gate and arrest them!" he called down from the balcony. The guards instantly jumped out of their hypnotisation and sprang to the doors. No. They were almost there. Emrys tugged her along even faster, desperately trying to make it. There were guards running at them from all directions, trying to grasp hold of them. Emrys weaved skilfully through them, determined to get to freedom. But something was wrong. Ceira felt something inside her starting to awaken after so many years. It coursed through her to every inch of her body. No. Not now. Not when they were so close. They were only a few feet from the gates now. Emrys threw out his hand and yelled a spell. The guards pushing one side of the gate were launched off their feet and slammed into the opposite wall. Emrys did the same to the other side of guards so that the gate was left open to them. Ceira could feel the thing inside her beginning to get to it's feet. It seemed to grow stronger the closer they got to freedom. Arthur was yelling desperate commands to the guards now, determined not to let his prisoner go. The gates were in touching distance now. Emrys gave one last burst of speed, dragging Ceira with him, and they were through, leaving the stunned courtyard behind them.
~xox~
But they couldn't stop yet. Guards, Knights and probably soon, Arthur himself, were chasing him. Ceira tried to slow down but Emrys' grasp was too strong. The feeling was taking her over. She could feel something inside her changing. Emrys slithered through the labyrinth of houses, heading towards the shelter of the forest. The trees and shadows were their allies there. Arthur's men would find it hard to follow them, no matter how long and how hard they searched. Leon's voice called over the rushed stomps of guards' feet which told her the Knights had now joined the chase. If they had caught up then Arthur would be sure to follow soon. Abruptly, Emrys turned to the left and bounded up onto a low roof. Ceira was forced to follow, even though the thing taking her over was telling her to stop. Emrys then sprinted across the rooftops, climbing higher and higher above the streets. Half of the fleet behind them had pursued them up to the rooftops and were gaining on them. Emrys pulled her on even more, not used to losing a chase. Ceira took a breath and gave one last push. They both ran full speed now, matching each other's paces. The gap between them and the Knights was opening rapidly. Ceira suddenly heard another voice in amongst the yelled commands. Arthur had caught up with the chase and was pursuing them on the rooftops also. Though this wasn't as bad as it could be as the gap between them was now at least five houses. Their huge numbers were preventing them from keeping the pace up. Ceira could feel her whole insides wrenching painfully as they jumped another house. Abruptly, she stopped dead and leaned against a chimney. Emrys skidded to a halt beside her and stared urgently down at her.
"Ceira, come on, we've got to keep moving. We're almost to the forest. Come on Ceira. Please," begged Emrys. Ceira shook her head taking rushed breaths.
"I-I can't. Emrys… There's something I should have told you about a long time ago. I'm-I'm not the same as you. I'm not the same as anyone. I…I…" But Ceira never got to finish her sentence. She yelled out a bloodcurdling scream and dropped onto all fours. Emrys stepped back from her but still looked concerned. Ceira flashed a look up to see how far away the onslaught was. They were less than three houses away now, there were at least twenty of them. She stared back down at the tiles below her. Pain was consuming her body now, every inch of her burning like fire. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and she felt a huge wave of agony that she was sure would burst out of her skin. Then it was gone and she was stood there at least a metre higher than she had been. Jet black fur covered what had just been pale skin and her nails were now huge claws at the ends of four paws. Her teeth were now fangs, a bushy tail had grown from the base of her spine and two huge, bat-like, spine-lined wings had sprouted from her shoulder blades. She could sense Emrys stepping back and staring in horror behind her. She hadn't wanted him to find out like this. She hadn't wanted him to find out at all.
~xox~
Author's Note: Bit of a large cliffy there, yeah… Sorry bout that… :S Well something for you to look forward to anyway J Please review? Pwees? *Puppy eyes* x