I just feel like asking if anyone went to watch "The Great Gatsby" starring Leonardo DiCaprio at the cinema. I did with my 'sister from another mister' BF and not only was it quite epic, the soundtrack was just banging! Like it was so awesome. Search it out on youtube. (nods) Feel free to comment.
Okay all, here's the next chapter. I hope you'll all like it and such. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed, I really appreciate it.
ForeverCharmed01: Thanks so much for reviewing. I'm glad you like the mix between Merlin and Greek Mythology. I grew up on Greek Myths and stories, being half Greek. LOL! So it's fun to throw some mix up together. I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter.
Guest: Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you like the combination of Merlin and Greek Mythology. As for the Mergana, you'll have to wait and see. (nods) I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.
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The Influence of Hades.
Chapter 5 – Elysium.
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The group carried on through the Underworld, seeing various things. Some things made both Arthur and Morgana cringe at the idea. It was when they found themselves at the entrance of some cave, that they found themselves awed.
"What is that place?" Arthur asked. Morgana stood beside him as they looked through a veil into a green field, where blue skies and sunshine rained down on the inhabitants. All of the people were dressed in white, all but one. One figure, sat on a boulder and looked straight at them, wearing a blue tunic, a brown jacket, black breeches, brown boots, and a silly red neckerchief, as he grinned at them.
"Arthur! What are you doing here?" The familiar voice of Merlin called to them, as the lanky male jumped down from the boulder and ran towards them. Arthur couldn't help grinning as Merlin came to stand in front of the veil.
"Merlin! You idiot! You're... well you're dead. We've come to bring you back." Arthur stated. Merlin looked at Morgana.
"Are you both serious?" Merlin seemed confused as he looked from Arthur to Morgana. Then he looked around. "Look, I know you hate me Morgana. So why would you bother?" Merlin asked the girl.
"I don't hate you as much as I thought." Morgana replied. Merlin looked at Arthur.
"And you... you forgive me? For having magic?" Merlin asked.
"How could I hate you for something that you saved my life with? Although we need to have a long chat about all this when we get home." Arthur replied. Merlin laughed then. Then he looked around him and back at Morgana and Arthur.
"I... I've met your mothers." Merlin said.
"You have?" Both Morgana and Arthur said at the same time. Merlin nodded.
"I can bring them here. You can't come through though. Just like I can't come through." Merlin said. Arthur glared.
"If I'm going to talk to my mother, I'm going to do it face to face." Arthur stated before stepping through the veil. Morgana frowned but followed Arthur. Evadne looked unsure of whether or not she wanted to follow or not.
"I think I'll stay here." Evadne said gently.
"Are you sure?" Arthur asked her. Evadne nodded.
"I think this is something you're both supposed to do without me." Evadne added. Arthur and Morgana nodded at the woman, before following Merlin, who looked anxious.
"I don't know how this is going to work. I don't know if you'll be able to leave now that you're here." Merlin said to them.
"I'm sure we'll be able to." Morgana stated. Merlin shook his head.
"I hope you're right." Merlin said. Then he stopped. There was a river running near a tree and Merlin pointed to a dark haired woman, who sat with her feet dipping into the water. "That's your mother there Morgana." Merlin said, pointing her out. Morgana nodded and walked over to her. Then Merlin turned and pointed towards a blond woman, sitting on another boulder, looking up at the sky. "That's your mother, Arthur." Merlin said. Arthur looked at Merlin.
"Is... is there something I should know?" Arthur asked.
"I think you should be asking her that question Arthur. She's nice. I've spoken to her a few times." Merlin replied. Arthur took a deep breath and then walked over to sit at the side of the blonde woman. She turned to look at him, her eyes the same shade as his own, and she smiled brightly at him.
"Arthur? It's not your time yet, you shouldn't be here. But I'm still glad to see you." The woman said gently.
"Mother?" Arthur felt the word on his tongue. It felt foreign, strange, as he looked at this woman, who looked younger then he was himself. Ygraine Pendragon smiled widely at her son as he said it.
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Morgana barely recognised the dark haired woman. Vivienne smiled at her daughter.
"It's good to see you Morgana. Though I did not think to see you for many more years." Vivienne said sadly.
"I'm not dead Mother." Morgana replied.
"I know that sweetheart. How is Morgause? I know you've been spending time with her." Vivienne asked.
"She's... healthy..." Morgana replied, not really knowing what else to say.
"I know she's manipulated you Morgana. I know that you feel like she's been unfair. She wants to save magic users but she doesn't know how to go about it, and having been raised by the Priestesses of the Old Religion, she thinks everything she be done with force and as quickly as possible. She never did learn patience. She was wrong to use you as she did, and she is wrong to try and force things to happen before they are meant to. But it's just her nature Morgana. Hopefully, you can forgive her for it. I just hope you don't carry on with her plan. It will only make people more embittered towards magic. Once people believed magic to be a true source of goodness." Vivienne said sadly.
"I... I do forgive her, but I can't let her use me anymore Mother. Why did you leave?" Morgana asked. Vivienne looked at Morgana.
"I didn't leave sweetheart. I was... I was travelling to visit my mother. She was very ill, it was close to her time. But on my way there, I was ambushed by magic hunters. I fought back. I was killed. When the men realised who they had killed, they burned my body and ran. Your father... Gorlois... he assumed that I had not returned because I feared Uther killing me. We'd had to send Morgause away, he feared for you." Vivienne told Morgana.
"We found out the truth of course, once I got here." Morgana's eyes went wide as she looked up at the man who had always been her father. Gorlois, smiled down at her.
"Father?" Morgana asked, tears streaked down her cheeks. She leapt up and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, and Gorlois hugged her back.
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"There is so much I wish I knew." Arthur said to his mother. Ygraine nodded.
"I know. You want to know if what you saw before was true. In a sense it was. Though it was not my spirit that came to you, just an illusion of Morgause' that she conjured for her own gains. She was such a sweet little girl. It was being separated from her mother and father that did this to her." Ygraine said sadly.
"What was true?" Arthur asked.
"You were born of magic Arthur." Ygraine replied. Arthur felt like he'd been stabbed in the gut. "Don't look like that sweetheart. I was aware of the risks. That was what Morgause lied to you about. Your father was sure that I would not die. He... he had thought another life could take my place. But he has no control over who the Old Religion does or does not take to restore the balance. I was barren. I was not meant to carry a child, and making life grow where none could grow before meant that I paid a heavy price. But I wanted you more than anything and I was prepared to die for you." Ygraine said gently.
"But I never wanted anyone to die for me." Arthur replied.
"And that is why you will be the greatest King that Albion has ever known. Your name, and Camelot, will be spoken of long after Camelot is dust in the wind, because you are more special then you will ever understand." Ygraine told her son gently.
"There is so much I wish I knew." Arthur said softly.
"Then ask, Arthur. Ask whatever you wish. I will always be watching over you, and when it is your time, you can ask me every question you've ever wanted. But I fear that Hades is on his way here already to see you and Morgana. He feels it when there are living visitors here in the Elysian Fields." Ygraine said. Arthur nodded and started asking all the things he had ever wanted to know of his mother.
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"Did you... did you know I wasn't really your child?" Morgana asked Gorlois. Gorlois shook his head.
"You were always my child Morgana. I knew... I knew that Uther had sired you, but I was always your father." Gorlois replied.
"Is that why you made him promise to take care of me?" Morgana asked. Gorlois nodded.
"He would not hurt you for all the world. Despite everything Morgana, despite his hate for magic, he loved you, he still does. He thinks on you often. Those of us who are dead, hear the thoughts of the living. We can think on those we cared for and hear their thoughts. Especially when they think of us. Your mother and I always hear Morgause thinking on us. Just as we hear you, when you think of us." Gorlois replied.
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"Well Merlin, still trying to do nice things for people." Merlin looked at Nimueh.
"You seem happier here." Merlin stated. Nimueh smiled, her blood red lips making it look more sinister then she probably meant it.
"I suffered for my crimes Merlin. Here, every day seems like a lifetime. I've only just recently been allowed to cross into peace after suffering my penance for the things I've done. When Uther started attacking magic users, I felt the need to attack back. He had been my friend. There... there was a time when he had been more. Uther... took solace in my company after Ygraine's death. She was my friend also and we were both grieving, but once Uther started to blame and hate magic, that was over." Nimueh said sadly.
"Yet I get the feeling you're going to tell me something else." Merlin replied.
"I have a daughter. Anna. She lives in Lorelai, the Queendom of magic." Nimueh said softly.
"Wait... Anna... this Anna is a sister of Arthur's as well?" Merlin asked.
"Yes. She knows her parentage, but she is smarter then I. She has chosen against the path of hatred and has made a life for herself in Lorelai. She owns a little bakery. She was always happy with that. I never wanted her to try to take the throne. It wouldn't have been right. My revenge was for Uther, not Arthur or Camelot." Nimueh said softly.
"Should I tell Arthur about this?" Merlin asked.
"If the time should come, then yes. I don't want her life to be changed. She's happy with her life. She has two children of her own. Lorelai is a magical Kingdom, Merlin. Full of all the wonders of magic. It's even considered the birthplace of the Dragonlords. Uther cannot know that it exists. If he does, he cannot know where it is. If he does he will take an army and try his best to destroy it. There would be heavy casualties on both sides. I'm sure you understand." Nimueh told Merlin.
"Then why tell me? Why take the risk?" Merlin asked.
"Because someone needs to know my daughter exists. Anna deserves some form of acknowledgment." Nimueh said softly.
"I'll tell Arthur when Uther dies. I won't risk your daughter's life." Merlin promised. Nimueh smiled and turned to walk away. "I'm sorry that your life ended the way it did." Merlin said gently.
"I'm not. I was going further towards the darkness instead of the light. My hate was making me bitter and so was my thirst for revenge. We were destined to battle Merlin, and it was my destiny to die at your hand. I needed to pay for my sins and find redemption. I have and that is thanks to you." Nimueh replied. Then she was gone. Merlin saw Arthur and Morgana were still talking to their families. That was when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Merlin looked at Will.
"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye were you?" Will asked.
"Of course not." Merlin replied. The two men hugged.
"I missed you Merlin. I'm rather glad I get to see you again. I'm also glad they came for you. It's not your time." Will said. Merlin grinned.
"I've missed you too you know. You were always like a brother to me." Merlin replied.
"I know. The whole dead telepathy thing. I can always hear when you think about me. Arthur even thinks about me sometimes." Will said. Merlin grinned. "Your father wants to talk to you. It may be the last chance we get to talk to you before you go back." Will stated. Merlin frowned.
"I'm gonna miss you, you know." Merlin said. Will grinned.
"As long as you think about me, I'll always be with you my old friend." Will replied. Then will was walking off, speaking to an older man, who looked very like him. Merlin knew this was Will's father. He couldn't help but be happy that Will got to see his father again.
"Just remember what I told you about Dragons, Merlin." Merlin looked at Balinor.
"I'm seeing so many people. It's weird." Merlin said sadly.
"Just remember what will said, my son, as long as you think on us, we're always with you, and we can always hear you. Just speak to us, think of us and we know." Balinor told him.
"Alright, this is quite enough." Everyone looked to see a man garbed in black. Black leathers, a black cloak, with black fur lining the top and a black sword strapped to his back. He didn't look pleased. His black eyes glowed against tanned skin, and his black hair was skinned back into a tight ponytail.
"You're Hades yes?" Merlin asked.
"You should know, we met when you got here." Hades replied. Arthur and Morgana looked at Hades.
"You know why we're here I'm assuming?" Morgana asked.
"Of course I know. You want Merlin here to come back to the world of the living with you. Of course we will be discussing this outside of the Elysian Fields. Say goodbye to your loved ones. You shouldn't be here, but I won't be so cruel as to take away your chance to say goodbye." Hades said. Merlin watched Arthur and Morgana saying goodbye and then he looked at his father.
"Is this goodbye for now?" Merlin asked.
"For now, my son, but not forever. It may be a long while until we meet again, but we will meet again." Balinor said. Merlin embraced his father tightly, committing every moment to memory, and then it was time. Arthur, Morgana and Merlin were almost compelled to follow Hades towards the veil. They walked through and found themselves in the dark cavern of the underworld.
"Now, I believe we have something to discuss." Hades said sternly.
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Okay all, that's the end of this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it, please R&R and let me know what you think. I'll see you all again when I next update.