AN:

Some of the things Arthur and Merlin deal with may seem odd and their place in chapters rather short.
It's not the thing that matters but more the conflict that it brings to the King and warlock.

Darkness

"You know better, Gwen." Merlin muttered and on his way out he slammed the door behind him.

While Arthur and Gwen explained to Gaius what his ward was going on about, the King's treacherous advisor brought to Camelot a creature of the vilest of natures. It wasn't a difficult task that needed a specific set of skills, just a mind that followed orders.

It wasn't until the moon rose that it roamed beyond its lair. Blood coloured one of the streets and half a dozen people were missing. No one saw it, save for the dead, but howling could be heard throughout the city. The next morning, Knights and guards looked for 'the wolf' but it wasn't found and Merlin had a strange feeling that magic was involved.

At dusk, Merlin managed to get away from his duties as manservant and patrolled the streets like a guard would. The difference between the guard and the warlock was that the latter had at least some idea about what he was looking for. Where the creature would most likely have made his home would be the underground waterworks. He went down several narrow corridors before reaching the many tunnels. It was dark but to light a torch might be unwise considering the nature of a beast that fears the light.

Corner after corner, corridor after corridor, he was met by silent darkness. Gently and unseen he let magic slip through his fingers like sand. He felt vibrations in the water make a pathetic attempt to pushing it back. There was something down there, he was certain of it. He let go of his magic and the vibrations stopped. Could it be that the creature was afraid of magic? He kept looking but the affirmation that the beast was there also gave reason to fear the darkness.

The water began vibrating again but he wasn't using magic. There it was! He couldn't see it but he heard some sort of running and with the rhythm of an animal. It was moving away and Merlin persued it back to the surface. The warlock was too late, several dead bodies already laid sprawled out on the floor but it had not been in vain.

Fear caused Merlin to freeze up. There it stood, a black hound, very similar to a wolf and if it weren't for the blood on its teeth, it would easily have been mistaken as a stray. But that was not what struck fear in the warlock's heart. It was the eyes, the red, glowing eyes of the ghastly beast.

It was heading straight for him, running. Merlin did not hesitate and summoned a shield but it was like it did not care, did not matter at all. The hound seemed to break through the spell and it only seemed to amplify the blow that sent him back, thankfully away from the hound. It bared its teeth once more and Merlin took up arms in the form of an offensive fire spell. Once more it did not have the desired effect. A ball of fire made its home on the monster but it merely backed off, not really bothered by it.

Armour and weaponry echoed through the streets and the hound scrambled at the sound. Merlin put his back against the wall and remembered to breathe. He closed his eyes, glad that it was over. The Knights took in the sight of the dead bodies which, this time, hadn't miraculously disappeared.

Back at the physician's chambers, Merlin went through the bestiary with Gaius.

"The Barghest." Gaius turned the book over to Merlin. "This does not bode well for Camelot."
Merlin quickly read and reread the page.
"It doesn't say how to kill it." Merlin said confused.
"That is because the Barghest cannot be killed." Seeing the confusion in his ward's eyes, the physician continued. "You did not see the creature of legend. You saw a creature of black magic imitating it."
"I couldn't kill it." Merlin said slightly panicked.
The old physician chuckled and replied "Not with ordinary weaponry, naturally-" but he did not understand.
"Gaius, I've tried magic and it didn't die." The apprentice explained and Gaius showed a face of worries.
With his guardian's mind elsewhere, Merlin went to his room and picked up his satchel.
"Merlin." Gaius called him back as he was about to leave. "Where are you going at this hour?"
"To find an answer." Merlin replied before closing the door behind him.

Merlin took a horse from the stables. He knew who would be able to provide an answer and he had to leave Camelot to get it. Black magic, a vicious creature, one that seemed incapable of dying. It looked like the Barghest to obscuring its true nature. The warlock could figure it out on his own with complex spells and enchantments but the streets would run red before he would find it.

He would seek the answer from the dark sorceress that cast it. He would confront Morgana Pendragon.


The windows of Morgana's hovel shed a dim light on the outside. Merlin dismounted close by but tried to keep his presence unnoticed. It didn't make sense. He could be as sneaky as he wanted to be but she'd have to answer it willingly. He had no way of forcing her to. Then there were the words. "Think about it" she had said. Whatever she offered probably wouldn't matter, it would harm Arthur and he'd never agree to that.

He slowly moved towards the front door and knocked in a rhythm of three.
"Come in." Came Morgana's voice.
Merlin hesitantly opened the door and saw her busy with a mortar and pestle.
"I was right, you do know where I live." Morgana spoke casually, almost ignoring him.
Only now did it occur to Merlin that there was a reason she made him stop in the woods that day.
"I need you to stop the Barghest." He told her.
"Why would I want to do that?" She smiled cruelly as she revelled in her superiority.
"If you don't stop this you will find yourself in a Kingdom without subjects." Merlin tried to make her see reason but she just kept grinding away at the plant in the mortar.
She wasn't going to give in. He knew that the only way to receive any help from her was to grovel.
"Morgana, please. It's killed thirty people already. I implore you, Morgana. Please tell me how to stop it."
He could see her think and hoped she wasn't imagining ways of torture.
"I want something in return." She said. "Gaius kept a head from the Fomorroh. I need it."
Merlin shuddered at the thought. How did she even know Gaius had it? Agravaine must've seen something. He could guess what she wanted with the head. She probably wanted to grow a new Fomorroh but right now it was a good a deal as it would get.
"Fine." He agreed.
She held out her hand and replied "Your dagger."
He took out a simple dagger with a wooden handle. It was slim, a tad fancy for your average peasant, but a decent knife nonetheless. Merlin handed it over and suddenly worried about being unarmed. He couldn't use magic against her and if she were to strike him... the dagger would've been pointless anyhow.
Morgana began chanting and Merlin listened to the words.

Light against darkness at world's end

Against the fiend it strikes without relent

With a weapon made to defend

Let it banish the shadows in the people's lament

When Morgana returned Merlin's dagger he noticed the blade had become so white it seemed to glow.
"Just stab the thing." She said as she returned to her alchemy project.
As Merlin opened the door to leave, Morgana called him.
"Merlin, did you ever consider my offer?" She asked.
He hoped she wouldn't ask.
"No." He said after a pregnant pause and quickly closed the door behind him.
With a sigh he put his back against the wall and a second later heard something shatter inside. Peering through the window he saw Morgana had smashed her bowl and pulling her hair back in an attempt to recompose herself before leaning against her workbench.

"Who is fooled the most?" She thought."Him by my kiss or me for thinking he might actually have affections for me?"
Her solitude and subsequent presence of Merlin had stirred something inside her. Without Morgause plotting against Arthur became a lot less fun and more something of duty. Years ago he disarmed with his sweetness and as a prisoner he did something similar with his honesty, or rather shaking off the duplicity that belonged to the act of a manservant.
"Stop kidding yourself, Morgana. It's been too long. But he knows where I live and didn't tell Arthur, surely that meant something? Gods, I'm acting like the tavern wench no one wants to touch. Agravaine would but I'm not that desperate. He hates me and I hate him, that's the way it is and how it's supposed to be. He just said he's not interested and he left in a hurry. Stop it, he can't even stand to be around you anymore. It's not Merlin anymore, it's Arthur's manservant."

AN:

There first couple of chapters are a generic intro, that's why I didn't bother with an elaborate plot and added Morgana in to keep the story going.
Morgana's longer train of thought is something new I'm trying. Good or bad?