A narrow stair was carved into the rock. Weak, grey light spilled into the great caverns from an opening far above. After a while their eyes grew used to the dim light. They'd left the only torch with Merlin, and Arthur was not about to go back.

Arthur, followed by Guinevere, Gwaine and Leon, made their way slowly down the uneven stone steps. Guinevere had made a few attempts to speak to Arthur, but eventually gave up and now they walked silent and tense towards no-one knew what, doom or deliverance. Merlin's revelation lay heavily on them all. Gwen kept looking back, but saw no sign of Merlin behind them.

The stair ended on the bottom of the cavern and after a few failed attempts, they found a large tunnel branching out.

"We'll follow it," Arthur said abruptly. The light grew dimmer and dimmer, until at last they were walking in pitch black darkness. "Keep a hand on the wall and another on the person ahead," Arthur ordered.

"Sire, perhaps we should turn back and look for a light," Leon tried. "And Merlin," he added haltingly. "He saved our lives."

"No. We keep going."

"Arthur, this is madness," Gwen said pulling on his tunic to get him to stop. "We need to go back. We don't have a light and we don't know where we're going. And we can't leave Merlin behind."

"He's got magic, haven't you heard?" Arthur snapped. "He can very well fend for himself!"

"He is loyal to you, Arthur" Gwen pleaded. "He tried to tell you, remember? Nothing's changed. He can help us."

"Everything's changed. How could he keep this from me? He's a sorcerer. He lied to me. How can I ever trust him again?"

"Arthur, if he wanted to do you harm, he's had plenty of opportunities. Why in the world would he stay and be a servant to you and keep living in Camelot, where the danger to those with magic is highest. Arthur, stop a moment and think about it. Merlin cares for you, more than anyone else I know. He would give his life for you."

Her words faded and the silence of the dark tunnel pounded in their ears.

Memories swirled in the dark behind Arthur's eyes. A spear that no one threw slaying the beast that was about to ram him down. A tree branch breaking at random and knocking down an attacker as he was about to plunge his sword in Arthur's chest. Little odd incidents that turned the tide of battle. Merlin always at his side.

He'd been so blind. He squeezed his eyes shut in the darkness, as if to block out the memories. Little things that Merlin did, now took on a new light. Merlin had used his magic to serve him. He'd just never noticed. He'd been so sure of himself, so idiotically blind.

A scraping sound echoed further into the tunnel.

"What was that?" Guinevere asked, her voice high with fear. They heard the noise again.

The knights instinctively went to draw their swords, forgetting they had none. The darkness was so complete they could see nothing ahead. They stood still as statues, listening. Another scrape followed and then a shuffling as if that of a large body brushing against the rock. A sharp squeal sent shivers down their spines.

"Wilddeoren!" Arthur shouted. "Turn back! Hold on to each other! Run!"

They dashed back through the dark, stumbling over rocks. The Wilddeoren behind them gained ground, and its squealing getting louder. Several other squeals sounded from further away.

Before them in the tunnel, a small glow appeared. Guinevere encumbered by her long dress, stumbled and fell. Arthur and Gwaine helped her to her feet. They struggled on. The glow grew closer and brighter and Arthur started to distinguish a figure running towards them.

Merlin. In the light of Merlin's torch they could see the creatures behind them, barely ten feet away. Sir Leon turned on them, his only weapon a candle holder he'd taken from the dining hall. Arthur and Gwaine followed suit. Gwaine flexed his empty palms in frustration. If they were going to die here, they would die fighting.

Merlin reached them, and shoulder to shoulder with Arthur he put his hand forward and spoke an incantation. At his words a wall of fire burst out of the ground between them and the charging Wilddeoren. The beasts cried out in pain and drew back.

"We must go back," Sir Leon said.

Merlin stopped him. "No, we must keep going. This is the only way out."

"How do you know that?" Gwen asked him.

Merlin looked uncomfortable. "I can see the road ahead." Arthur scoffed in frustration and Merlin flinched at the sound. He turned to look at him, waiting for Arthur to give the word.

"Can you keep pushing them back, Merlin?" Gwaine asked him.

"Yes."

Gwaine glanced furtively in Arthur's direction before laying his hand on Merlin's arm and giving him a stealthy smile and nod.

"We'll keep going, then," Arthur declared. He didn't quite look at Merlin, but faced away from him and spoke to the others.

They walked in silence, Merlin ahead with Sir Leon who held the torch, followed by Arthur and Gwen and finally Gwaine bringing up the rear. Whenever Wilddeoren approached, Merlin drove them back by fire.

After that seemed like hours, the torch grew dim and eventually died out. A few whispered words and a ball of blue light grew out of Merlin's palm and rose in the air ahead of them.

"That light," Arthur whispered, recognizing the ball of light that had led him to safety many years ago in Nimueh's cave while the spiders chased him. For the first time in hours, he turned and looked Merlin in the eye. "That was also you? But how? You were dying."

"I was," Merlin admitted. "But it is my destiny to serve you, Arthur, to keep you safe."

Arthur looked away. This was Merlin, the same Merlin from this morning and the morning before that. He'd ordered him about and called him names and for some reason, he'd stuck around. He was a sorcerer with great power and he stuck around doing Arthur's laundry, and scrubbing his boots.

"Let's keep going," Arthur said abruptly, and they walked silently on.

Time passed, counted only in the number of steps they took. They didn't know if it was day or night above ground or how much time had passed since Morgana had attacked the citadel.

"We'll need to stop a while and rest," Arthur said to them.

They sat down, leaning against the tunnel wall, silent and watchful. Sleep seemed like a good idea, but none of them felt able to relax enough. The darkness around them was oppressive.

"What chance have we of retaking Camelot?" Arthur asked without looking at anyone in particular.

"Any of the knights that escaped would be gathered in the forest of Ascetir," said Sir Leon. "Once we are out of the tunnels, our best bet is to regroup there."

"If we ever get out of these tunnels," Arthur replied despondently.

"We will," Merlin said with conviction. "They think we're dead. We have the element of surprise."

"We sneak into Camelot and go straight for Sarrum and Morgana," said Gwaine. "Without them, their soldiers will flounder."

"They'll be knights held in the dungeons," Arthur said. "I would free them before facing Morgana."

Merlin felt the grim resolve settling in his heart. "It's Sarrum's men you need to worry about. I will take care of Morgana." He'd killed her once, he could do it again. He knew the weapon that could do it. She'd grown evil beyond redemption.

He looked up and caught Arthur watching him with something akin to awe before he abruptly looked away.

They set off again through the dark. After what felt like days, the darkness became less oppressive, slowly melting into twilight and then a bright white light appeared ahead. They crawled out of the tunnel into bright sunshine.

They were on a plain of tall grass. The mouth of the tunnel opened underneath a formation of rocks that jutted up on the slowly sloping plain. The wind was high, whistling like a live creature.

"I know where we are," Arthur exclaimed. "The forest of Ascetir lies east. Camelot is two days behind us."

"We made it!" Guinevere squeezed Merlin's hand affectionately. "We couldn't have done it without you, Merlin."

Gwaine slapped him playfully on the back. Arthur frowned and shifted from one foot to the other looking away. He examined the tip of his boot.

Watching him, Merlin almost smiled. But they were not out of danger yet.

"We should keep going," he said and they pressed on.