Chapter 12
I breathed in and stepped through, taking a moment to adjust my eyes to the darkened tunnel. I didn't sense any guards in the tunnel, but it was hard to tell, with so many guards around us in general. It was impossible for me to not notice that it'd been too easy for us to get here, but I didn't voice my opinion, afraid that I might scare the other three I was certain that Percival would have the same frame of thought. Did they just not believe we would make it this far? I shook my head. I couldn't think like that. Arthur was on his way and everything would be fine. We would find each other again.
It was hard to wrap my mind around everything that had happened, but I'd have time for that later. Right now, I had to worry about getting out of here intact, like I promised Arthur, and I'd bond with the fucking git, despite my fears at the thought, it had to be better to be bonded than ever have to deal with this, right? I hoped so anyway.
I shuddered as I placed my hand on the cool stone that surrounded us. The passage was clearly old, being seemingly framed with wooden beams. It reminded me of the coal mining passageways I'd seen on tv. Maintenance tunnel, most likely.
I sighed, the adrenaline rush was running out and I couldn't have that. Not now. I needed to keep going, find whatever the hell is at the end of this tunnel and get back home. I looked down the empty long pit, hardly lit up by the old flickering emergency lights. I squared my shoulders, straightened my spine and smiled at everyone. Any worry or fear I may have, can go kiss itself in arse, because I wasn't going to sit around and wait to be saved. How would I ever hold my own against Arthur if I wimped out now? I was not going to be a demure guide and let him or anyone else steamroll me into doing anything. If Arthur thought that's what I was like he was going to have a very rude wake-up call when we met up again. I didn't care if he was the prime sentinel or not, future ruler or not, if he wanted to be with me then he'd have to deal with me making decisions for myself and there was no way I'd let him or Morgause take that right away from me. I'd gotten away from her once, I'd do it again, and this time I wouldn't hold myself back. Not my magic or my empathy. Gaius was right, as per usual. I did have instincts and even without training I had taken those guards out, beaten Morgause, and kept myself successfully hidden for how many years? I'd even gone to the spirit world alone in the middle of this shit, for the first time in my life, and came back alive and with a full head on my shoulders. There was no way I was backing down now.
I am guide.
I am a wizard, too.
And it's about damn time I'd accepted it.
I gasped as I felt something inside me shift, energy brimming on my skin, feeling it expand and contract and connect to everything. Everyone. My eyes widened as I heard the others gasp near me.
"What is that?" Daegal was the first to speak.
"It's me," I said breathlessly, "It's me and everything connected to me."
"Merlin, what are you?" He asked me for a second time.
I turned towards them and without hesitation I answered, "I'm the prime alpha guide and it's about time I started acting like one and got you guys out of here."
"Fuck," Percival whispered, "I can feel you."
"Prime alpha guide wizard," Elena said out loud, "Why didn't you tell us before?"
"I wasn't sure or ready, but I'm not holding myself back anymore, especially from these arseholes. Just be careful and keep your shields up around me, I don't want to accidentally hurt you guys." I felt their empathy pulse into mine, weaving themselves into me and it was like they were a part of me. I connected us all without thinking about it. Interwove all of our empathy together and felt them accept me in seconds.
They nodded and I reeled myself from them, grinning, "Let's go!"
We began making our way down the tunnel until we came into a larger room with what looked like an old generator, but it was running, there were four ways we could take but a flash of light, that I knew was Kilgharra, showed me which way to go. I could almost see him smiling at me and relax, as if it were the first time he could finally stretch his wings and roam. He'd been chained down by me for way too long.
I mentally apologized to him, although, I wasn't sure that he got the message.
As we kept on walking, I could feel the four of them steal glances at me, but I shrugged it off. When was the last there was an alpha guide around anyway? It was only natural for them to be curious of me. The tunnel seemed to go on for miles and with the group now being quiet, this creepy place started to make me feel even more self-conscious. "Ok, first, you guys can't shut up and, now, none of you can utter so much as squeak? Come on, just because I told you guys about that stuff, doesn't mean you have shut up around me."
"It's not that," Helen said, "It's just that we literally feel you. A presence and like you're a part of us. I can't really wrap my head around it."
"I am a part of you and all of you are a part of me and I guess that's what it means to be the alpha guide, I don't know, I just know that it feels right and I'm not denying it anymore. I'm sorry," I ranted.
"Don't be sorry," Elena answered, "It feels sort of amazing. I never knew how connected we were to the everything. It's you who's showing us that. Hell I feel re-energized now, like nothing can stand in my way."
"And nothing will, if I can help it. I mean, at least until we get the hell out of here."
Percival slapped my shoulder and cracked a smile, "I may have had my doubts at first about this, but, yeah, we're going to pull this off," his words full of confidence.
With renewed spirits, we picked up our pace. I was glad to hear our little group filling the silence of the seemingly endless tunnel again. Following Kilgharras hints, we finally found ourselves near the end. Thick metal bars blocked out escape, but past it we could see a river below and the woods it led to.
"We need to cross the river, but I can't tell how deep it is really," I said flinching at the thought of the water.
Helen placed her hands on the bars, "I think the bigger issue is, how exactly do you plan on getting us through these bars?"
"Let's see what I can do," I asserted, placing both hands above my head on two bars, "And please, back up." Helen quickly retreated several steps, while I concentrated on creating heat from where I touched the bars. I watched my hands glow and within minutes the bars began to melt beneath my palms.
"Woah," I heard Percival behind me. I grinned, "Untrained, but still useful," I kneeled and place my hands on the bottom of the bars.
"Hold on," he said making me pause as he stepped up, slowly placing his hands on the middle of the bars, "They might fall on you."
I frowned, "What if I burn you?"
He looked down to me and smirked, "Well don't burn me."
I rolled my eyes, "No promises," but I centered myself, trying to make sure that I didn't lose control and the heat didn't reach his hands, but still melt the bars all the same. I felt the bars begin to melt and saw Percival pushed the bars outward and by the time I was done, he simply let go and the bars fell into the water.
"Sweet," Daegal chimed.
"Can everyone here swim?" Percival asked. I heard a chorus of yes and bit my lip.
"Merlin?" Percival looked at me again when I hadn't given a response. I looked away and stood up before answering, "It can't be that hard, can it?"
Percival let out a laugh and shook his head, throwing his arm over my shoulder, "You're really something else, Merlin."
"Yeah, so I've been told," I admitted.
"I'll go first, I'm an excellent swimmer!" Daegal exclaimed, shoving us out of the way and jumping in.
Elena following his lead, grabbed Helen and started pushing her forward, "Come on!"
"What if it's cold?!" Helen whined.
"Suck it up or we'll leave you here," Elena snapped, shoving her towards the bars and with a shriek from Helen and a final push from Elena, Helen was in the water. Elena grinned, giving us a thumbs up, and I shook my head, "I'm starting to understand why you may not be her favorite person."
Elena shrugged, "It's not my fault she's a crybaby," and with that, jumped in after her.
"I'll go before you," Percival smirked, "So I can save you before you drown."
"Gee thanks," I snorted and watched him jumped in. I stepped towards the bars and looked down, the jump was only a few feet, but then my eyes caught the water and a flash of fear welled up inside. The memory of almost drowning drifted in my head and I closed my eyes as the feeling overwhelmed me. Lungs burning, limbs thrashing wildly, agony speeding through me, until I inadvertently inhaled the water. I shuddered. If I was going to die in anyway, drowning was not the way I wanted to go. Not by a long shot. Drowning fucking sucked. I looked back from where we came. Staying here sucked even worse.
"You better not let me drown!" I called out to them, took a deep breath and with eyes closed, I jumped.
The seconds of falling felt like an eternity, then soon as I hit the ice cold water, I was engorged by it. My body seized up and right before the impulse to start kicking wildly kicked in, I felt a hand grab my arm and I was yanked to the surface. I gasped, "Fuck, it's cold."
Percival chuckled, "Yeah, I was thinking with this water temperature, it might be too hard for us to make it to the end, unless our trusty wizard can figure out a way to keep us warm."
My teeth were already chattering as he shifted my hand to his shoulder, "I have to try to swim and keep us warm?"
"How about you let us worry about the swimming and you keep us all from freezing to our deaths?" Elena compromised.
I groaned, "Give me a minute, 'cause I have no idea how pull this off." What had Elena said about magic? Ugh I muttered a spell that I wasn't sure would work to heat this much water, "Onhǽte þá wæter," but it didn't work. I thought about again and instead just tried to aim for the water surrounding us. Doing my best to pour my energy into it, I tried again, "Onhǽte þá wæter!"
And it worked. We all felt the temperature change instantly and as a group let out a sigh of relief.
"Definitely keep that up," Percival grinned, then shifted, "Now be a good boy and help me take my shirt off."
"What?!" I asked, startled.
"Dude, now is not the time to be showing off yours pecks. Weak, man, weak," Daegal scolded.
"Shut up," he scoffed, "I want my shirt so that Merling can hold on it while I pull him in the water. It'll be the easiest way."
"And I want a view I can definitely enjoy!" Helen giggled and swam over, grabbing Percival's shirt, "Arms up!"
"I think one arms at a time will prevent them from drowning," Elena chimed in helpfully.
"How about one of you just hold on to me while he takes it off?" I asked.
Percival slapped Helen's hand away and turned his head to the side, "You mean you don't want to touch my pecks?" he said in a mock hurt voice.
"Not if it means drowning, no."
"Makes sense," he nodded solemnly.
"Helen, take Merlin for a minute."
"Fiiiiine," she complained and turned, "Put your hands on my shoulders," she huffed.
"Tsk. You don't have to be that excited about keeping me alive here," I snorted, placing my hands on her shoulders.
"You're taking away all of the joy in my life right now, I've the right to be peeved."
"Bite me," I snarled.
"No thanks, you're way to boy-next-door to handle anything from me," she smirked.
"Oh that's right, you like gallant kidnappers," I shot back, "How could I forget?
Percival cracked up and then slapped his shirt toward me, "Grab on."
I grabbed onto it and he immediately began swimming, I struggled to kick my legs to keep up while mouthing the spell every so often and I was entirely certain that it was his speed that kept my head above water, seeing as his shirt wasn't exactly buoyant. The others trailed off behind us in varying speeds, but for the most part we stayed nearby.
The longer we swam, the further the shore seemed to be. About what looked like half way point, Percival stopped and let everyone else catch up fully.
"Are we really going to be able to make it?" I said breathlessly.
"I have to check on everyone before I can answer that," he said with a heave breath.
"How are you guys doing?" I asked, "Any cramps?"
"So far ok, but I that shore gets any farther, I'm going to die," Helen answered.
"I'm with her," Daegal conceded.
"Yeah," Elena nodded.
"Well, let's get as close to the shore as we can," Percival said, starting to move again. "Wait!" I cried, stopping him, while eying a log near the shore, "I have an idea."
"I'm all ears," Percival murmured.
"Just do me a favor and make sure I stay afloat while I do this."
"Alright," he nodded. I reach one of my hands out to the log and began using my magic to pull it over to us. The log was heavier than the ticket and I knew I was using much more force than I had ever used before in this kind of thing. It was several moments before I managed to make it hit the water and I waited a second to see if it would float, before I continued to make it come to us.
"I see what you're doing here," Percival smiled, "That would definitely help."
"I fucking hope so," I grunted as I drew the log closer to us.
When it was near enough, Helen rushed over and threw herself over it and sighed, "Ugh Remind me to add a wizard to my body guard team."
Elena rolled her eyes as she and Daegal put an arm over it and Percival soon followed with me in tow.
"If we all work together, we'll reach the shore in not time," he grinned as I reached to use the log as float myself, "I knew we kept you around for a reason."
"Who would've thought?" Daegal laughed.
"Shut up! Are you guys ready to start kicking or what?" I asked.
Every agreed and we began pushing our way through the water much faster, taking only two more breaks before nearing the shore. Percival let go of the log and climbed a shore first, then extended his shirt out to me and I grabbed it, allowing him to pull me the rest of the while yelling, "Land!" throwing myself on the ground, "Sweet land! I've missed you! Don't ever abandon me again!" I heard a snicker behind me and Elena's voice say, "How about after all of this is over, you learn how to swim?"
I rolled over and grinned at her, "Only if one of you teach me."
"Consider it a date," Percival promised.
"A group date," Daegal added, "I'll go too."
"Count me in," Elena grinned and turned to Helen, "Well?"
"Well what?" Helen frowned, "I don't know my schedule."
"Seriously?" Elena practically growled at her.
"Oh my gosh, fine! I'll make time, ok?" Helen huffed.
"That's more like it," Elena smiled.
"Now that that's over with," Daegal turned to me, "Anyway you could dry us?"
I began wracking my brains for ideas on that as I sat up, "Give me a minute."
"Don't waste your energy," Percival shook his head, "We can deal with it. You're probably running on fumes, right now, the way it is. Unless it's absolutely necessary save your strength, we have a ways to go yet," he reached a hand out to me and I took it, letting him pull me to my feet, "And anyone here who disagrees can find their own way out," he eyed the group down.
"It's chilly, but I can deal," Elena answered quickly.
"I just thought being wet would slow us down," Daegal quickly defended.
"I've modeled in worse conditions," Helen shrugged.
"What about the guns?" I asked.
"Most modern guns will still fire while wet," he answered, "And if not, we'll deal with it when the time comes, we've made enough noise the way it is."
"Ok. Does anyone know which direction to go from here?"
"According to the map, if we follow the river downstream, we should eventually fund out way out somehow," Daegal supplied.
"Let's get a move on then," I nodded and we began trudging our way to the direction Daegal had suggested, it was a while before we noticed movements.
Percival went on high alert and whispered, "They've looking for us." I rolled my eyes at him, in a effort to convey that he did not need to be pointing out the obvious right now and heard Helen let out a soft gasp behind me.
We all followed his lead and crouched down, moving slowly until there was a break in the trees.
"Fuck," Daegal cursed.
Fuck indeed, I thought, looking at the fence, about 30 feet away, the clearing was heavily guarded and no way were we getting through. Not unless there was a miracle…
Or me.
I could create a distraction. I started to think up an, I'll admit, wild and terrible plan, but a man's got to do, what a man's got to do, right?
"Stay here," I whispered and crawled away from them. I went as far away from them as I dared without leaving the tree line before I prepared myself.
Fire, as it turns out, has been slowly becoming a very good friend of mine, these past few hours and there were a few fire spells I had memorized, in case the worse of the worst happened and I, for any reason, needed to attack, but I'd never actually performed any of them. So if this actually worked, I wasn't sure what would happen. I bit my lip, reluctant to pull the trigger.
These were old attack spells, what if I really hurt someone? What if they didn't even worked? I pushed the thoughts away and thought about Arthur. It would be fine. Arthur would know I did what I only thought I had to and it would all be fine when he got here.
Now, if I remembered correctly, and it this point I wasn't a hundred percent sure, the spell would create a ball of fire that I could aim at the fence. I braced myself, focusing every ounce of energy I had inside myself towards my magic and began chanting, "Þurh minum gewealde ond þinum mægen... geclippaþ we þone lieg þe ealla awestaþ." I felt my strength slowly draining and looked up to the sky to see the ball of fire forming. I kept going, "Þurh minum gewealde ond þinum mægen... geclippaþ we þone lieg þe ealla awestaþ," grunting as more and more of me felt zapped, but I didn't stop until I felt I was close to breaking point and then sent the fire flying to the area of the fence nearest to me and as soon as it hit it exploded, cause the ground to shake, the air turbulence knocking me several feet away, I stumbled backwards, smacking the back of my head on what felt like a rock. My body felt weak. I was breathing heavily as tremors shook my body.
What the fuck was that?
I tried to gather my bearings, pushing myself to try to sit up and see what the hell was happening, but the between over doing it and the blow to my head, even lifting a finger felt like too much.
Had I said the right spell? The fire ball was right, but the explosion afterwards? Don't remember that in the description. I closed my eyes trying to prevent the dizziness from making me vomit, but it was a moot point, I turned my head and threw up. I groaned at the pain it caused me. Pure stomach acid. When the hell was the last time I ate? How much time had passed since spending that time with Arthur in my kitchen?
Those gits better be getting the fuck out of here or I was going to be pissed, with a capital "P." I whimpered in pain. I couldn't get a hold of my thoughts, the world spun around me. I wanted to cry. I heard shouting and running, but it all felt worlds away. I felt myself slipping further and further into darkness. I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids refused to cooperate. My body had reached it's limit and all I could do was give in.
A/n: So it's been awhile since my last update (did you guys think I gave up?)... So I hope this chapter makes up for it and yay! I finally got a new computer!
FYI if Daegal's name is misspelled anywhere, please let me know... I can never get that name right! Ugh!