A/N; Hey folks! I've been writing furiously since the last update, and I've all but finished this fic. I promise updates shall be quick from now on!

"How much magic do you know?"

Merlin looked across the empty courtyard at Eldron and almost smiled at the seemingly innocuous question.

"I've been using it as long as I can remember," he said, "but I've never been formally taught."

"Have you fought with magic before?"

Again, Merlin had to try and not smile.

"A few times."

"Then let me see what you can do," he said, standing in a defensive pose.

They duelled, and Merlin was cautious to not try too hard, as he had been throughout his years at Hogwarts; this Dragonlord could not know Merlin was anything special. He parried the man's blows, and hit back with a few of his own. Eldron was testing him in every way he knew how, his strength, his speed and reflexes, his ingenuity. Merlin put on a good show, always careful to give the upper-hand to Eldron, as would be expected from a (supposedly) young and untrained sorcerer against someone of Eldron's calibre. He lessened the force of his blows, limited his spells to fairly simple ones, and even feigned some fatigue.

But Eldron seemed to realise this. His blows became more and more powerful, and Merlin was forced to exert more and more power to repel them. Sweat beaded on Merlin's brow, and he retaliated with fiercer spells, as fierce as he dared without risking exposure as the legendary Emrys, whom Merlin had no doubt Eldron had heard of. Eldron darted here and there, quick as a flash, nimble on his feet, looking oddly graceful as he poured more fiery magic from his palms.

The courtyard had been empty when they had begun training, but slowly, a small crowd had gathered around the two Dragonlords, watching curiously at first, and then with undisguised awe. Merlin barely saw them. Unwittingly, he'd been increasing his magic more and more, until almost his full potential was being directed at the older man.

The strain was now showing on Eldron's face as he began to struggle against Merlin. He was evidently a very powerful sorcerer, an equal to perhaps Nimueh or Morgause. But not to Merlin, and he was now mere inches away from defeating him-

The duel changed suddenly. Merlin felt a great shifting in the atmosphere, primal magic was present in the courtyard, infused into the very air, and it was emanating from Eldron. With a start, Merllin noticed Eldron's eyes were now a radiant blue, shining brightly in his eyes with the same intensity of the gold of a few moments before. The magic streaming from his body turned the same colour and burned so brightly it seared at his eyes.

It was as if the volume on a radio had been turned up suddenly without warning. The sheer onslaught of magic coming towards Merlin was far more powerful than anything he had ever encountered. There was a roaring in his ears, the courtyard became boiling hot and the earth seemed to shake.

Panicked, Merlin threw up the most powerful shield he could muster. The spell from Eldron slammed into this shield, which dissipated instantly, and Merlin was sent flying backwards several feet, slamming into the stone wall behind him with so much force Merlin knew he was heavily bruised. He fell to the ground, and sat there, struggling to regain the breath that had been knocked from his body. He was shaking.

It was then he noticed the spectators. They were looking between the two Dragonlords, mouths agape, eyes wide. He spied Harry and the others in the crowd, jaws hanging open; they were unaccustomed to seeing Merlin overpowered.

Merlin struggled shakily to his feet, feeling like his knees were about to collapse underneath him. Eldron was standing staring at him, his eyes restored to their previous colour. He had a small smile on his face. He turned to the onlookers, who got the message and scurried away, discussing what they had just witnessed.

Merlin approached him, and to his surprise, felt a little embarrassment. It was a long time since he'd been beaten in a duel with Old Magic.

"There is no shame," said Eldron, recognising Merlin's discomfort. "I am amazed you lasted so long."

He looked over Merlin, his eyes narrowing. "Your magic is incredible," he said. "You were holding back at first, but I could sense a greater power within you. And you say you've been untrained? Phenomenonal."

Merlin inwardly kicked himself for revealing so much, but Eldron did not linger on this. Instead, he gestured to the wall Merlin had just been thrown against.

"You see, Malcolm, that no matter how powerful your magic is, it will always be inferior to the magic of the dragons. If used properly, there is no defence against it."

"That spell was Dragon Magic?" asked Merlin. "Did you link with a dragon in order to cast it?"

"I did," he answered, magically repairing some of the masonry that had been damaged in the duel. "You noticed the colour of my eyes, and my spell? I linked with a dragon named Áine, a blue dragon who lives two hundred leagues from here."

"It can work across such a great distance?"

"It can work across oceans, entire continents," said Eldron. "Distance is no object when one shares a soul with another. Áine was the first dragon I ever commanded, the one who taught me much of what I know. I share a very close Bond with her."

"Can you only link with one dragon?"

"At one time, usually, though exceptions have been made," he said. "But a Bond be formed with more than one dragon. Many Dragonlords wander the wilderness to encounter as many dragons as possible in order to form such a Bond, because the Bond is one of great bliss and love. It is more than mere affection or trust, it a Bond of the very soul."

"But each and every dragon is different, as is each Dragonlord. Every Bond is unique, and can often take years to form, once the two truly understand one another. Once this Bond is active, you shall be able to contact this dragon or dragons from whatever distance, and as soon as they sense your need, they will share their magic with you. There are of course rules that must be followed for your benefit and for that of the dragon. I have a Bond with Niamhrach, but to ask her to share her magic with me in this duel would have been an abuse of this Bond, since she is weak and injured. It is also wrong to expect a dragon who is using their magic for whatever purpose of their own, including giving it to another Dragonlord, to share with you. They will not allow you to take the magic if they are weak or otherwise engaged, it must be freely given. Áine lives on an isolated mountain where she studies the stars and seldom uses her magic, and has few Bonds. She is always willing to share with me for training purposes for that reason."

"We cannot teach you how to acquire a Bond, nor how to use it once you access it, in the same way you could not be taught how to command your first dragon; it will come naturally when you are ready."

"If it cannot be taught, then what are we doing?"

"Dragon Magic, and Dragonlord magic are different," said Eldron. "Using the Bond is to use Dragon Magic, but Dragonlords have an innate magical ability of their own that is separate from their normal magic, and that of the dragons. It is these abilities that I can teach you; seeing the future, seeing one's destiny, seeing lies etc. This Dragonlord magic was gifted to you at birth through your father and the goodwill of the dragons, and you can use it without any Bond, since the magic comes from within you. But Dragon Magic is using the magic of the dragons themselves in combination with your normal magic and your Dragonlord magic."

"Wait," said Merlin, his head spinning. "So … normal magic, Dragonlord magic, and Dragon Magic are all different things?"

"Yes," nodded Eldron. "It is the combination of the three that makes Dragonlords so powerful, and why we are sometimes not considered as fully human, rather, creatures of magic. None but the dragons and gods themselves are more powerful than we."

Merlin was silent for a moment, trying to wrap his head around all of this information. Now more than ever, he was confused at how Dragonlords were wiped out in the first place, being so powerful.

"This is just really confusing," said Merlin. "I mean, how do you keep it all in balance?"

"That is the problem of what plagues our society," said Eldron sadly. "This magic requires years of study, of finesse, yet the younger ones of our tribes do not take the time to learn as they should, and are wasting away. Or, some like yourself, are unaware of just how powerful they could be, and are content with the skills of an average sorcerer. Our ways are being lost."

This was the answer, Merlin thought. They were wiped out because they forgot their heritage, forgot who they were, forgot the Old Religion.

It was eerily similar to how Merlin had been feeling the last few months, feeling abandoned by the Old Religion, not living up to the potential he knew he had.

Merlin nodded slowly. He had had no idea any of this existed; history had been far too adept at wiping out all of this knowledge. He was the last of his kind, or would be as soon as he returned, he had a duty to remember this, all of it. And maybe, just maybe, he could use it for good in the future.

"Would you care for your first lesson?" Eldron asked him.

Merlin grinned.

"When can we start?"

Several hours later, and Merlin was aching from head to toe from being mercilessly thrown around the courtyard like a ragdoll by Eldron as he demonstrated the new magic Merlin was about to learn. The sheer force of it astounded him. He was however, happier than he'd been in a long while.

This new magic, the magic he had never known existed excited him, it thrilled him in a way that magic had never done since his own youth. He might as well have been that naïve servant from Camelot all over again, discovering the joys of a hidden world, feeling at home in a way he had never done before.

The possibilities … Merlin could hardly dare to think. What could he do with this power? How much better could he make the world with it?

He had performed none of the magic himself. He had watched and listened as Eldron revealed the secrets of their kin, lapping it all up in a fierce hunger that was never satisfied. Despite the onslaught of information, he was determined to commit it all to memory, to bring it all back to the future that so desperately needed it.

He felt it now, the Dragon Magic, or Dragonlord magic, whatever it was, he felt it now inside of himself. He felt it so strongly he was amazed he had been able to live almost thirteen hundred years without knowing what it was. He was itching to try it all out.

So many spells, so many chances. As well as using his Dragonlord magic to augment his normal magic, there were those other unique spells Eldron had told him about. A way to see the future? Perfect, when he got back he'd be able to see the consequences of his actions before he did them, so he'd know how to fix his problem. Seeing a person's destiny? He'd know exactly what it was the people in the Order had to do, himself included. Seeing the truth? He'd be able to see through the lies Verax told, the lies Rogers told, no longer would he be deceived. He'd see their motivations and desires, he'd even be able to control their actions, surely a much less harmful method than the Imperius Curse? A way to locate someone instantaneously? Great, he could find everyone in trouble in a matter of seconds and see the movements of magical people from all over.

He'd been desperate for a solution to his problems, and here it was.

He found himself wandering through the corridors in a thoughtless dream until he realised he had found himself in the courtyard where Niamhrach was lying, sprawled on the ground in the sun, light reflecting off her emerald scales and glittering enchantingly. She opened one eye lazily as he approached.

"You seem much happier, Malcolm," she said. "What has occurred?"

"I've met other Dragonlords," he said, unable to resist the smile on his face. "They're going to teach me how to use their magic."

"Ah," she said. "The magic of your ancestors. You have found your kin, and no longer do you feel so abandoned."

"I've heard nothing from the Old Religion for a long time," he said. "It … I thought it … I just couldn't feel it the way I used to. But now … maybe this is the reason. Maybe it was so silent because it was my destiny to learn this magic instead."

"This magic is the Old Religion," she said, raising her head slightly. "They are one and the same. Only when you realise the balance and nature of the magic you learn will you be able to master it. You cannot forsake one for the other."

"But this magic is so much more powerful," he said. "It can do what I could not when it really mattered."

She turned her head, so one silver eye was boring into his. "You have always had this ability within you, Malcolm," she said. "The fact you were never able to use it before now means that you were never meant to use it. Whatever things have happened to you in the past, this magic could not have prevented it. And it cannot be used to solve any problems you have in the future if they are not meant to be."

"But who's to say what is meant to be and what isn't?" Merlin asked, pacing. "How am I supposed to know?"

"That is what you must learn," she answered. "You have often despaired at finding the right course, I can see that. Even now, the mission that brings you to this island is one that you doubt. This magic you are studying shall help you to see the truth. It will help you to see what your true destiny is."

"I know what my destiny is," he said, "I have known for a long time."

"Have you? Or have you misinterpreted it?"

Merlin shook his head. "It was pretty straightforward."

"To you perhaps, but we dragons see the truth, the intricacies and many weaving threads that combine to create a destiny. We know that it is never as simple as it appears. You must learn this, Malcolm, or you will be forever doomed to be chasing after a destiny that is not yours."

Merlin was silent, and Niamhrach turned so both eyes were now staring at him.

"There is a reason you did not learn this magic until now, Malcolm," she said. "A reason why the dragons of your own time did not tell you."

"Yeah, because they're-" Merlin stopped himself before expressing how he really felt at Kilgharrah and Aithusa at the moment; he had a feeling Niamhrach wouldn't take kindly to it. "I mean … we don't always see eye to eye."

"And therein lies your problem," she said. "Can you say you've honestly always filled out your proper duties to them? Have you always been the perfect Dragonlord? Have you cared for them as you should?"

Merlin thought about the long, long years he'd been separated from the both of them, not bothering to check up on them for fear of igniting old hurt feelings, and how Aithusa had been captured and tortured as a result. He thought of the many arguments he'd had with Kilgharrah over the years. He thought of the current anger he felt at him for not informing him of the time travel spell, and at the both of them for not revealing this magic.

"No," he admitted, now filled with shame. "I haven't, not always. I … I ignored them often. I … care about them, of course I do, but … I haven't been the best friend to them that I could have been. I've neglected them. I know my duties, and I never abuse my power. But … maybe I don't deserve it."

"Power that we are born with is never undeserved," she said. "It is a part of who we are, and we should never seek to run from it. You are a Dragonlord, Malcolm. As long as there are dragons, your bloodline shall remain. You have ties with the dragons of your time, I can see, but not nearly strong enough, because you shut them out, you tried to forget about them. That is something that must be changed, since without true Bonds, you will never be able to use their magic. Until that time, you will never have achieved your full potential. Many of the things you have suffered need never have happened if this bond had formed sooner, but it has not, for what reason I do not know. When you return to your home, remember this. Do not let foolish human emotion get in your way. Share with them, and they will share with you. Take the trouble to understand them better, and they shall reciprocate. Perhaps the only reason you feel abandoned by the Old Religion is because you deliberately run from it."

"I don't run from it," said Merlin. "I was running for a long time, but I stopped. I found the thing that I'd been looking for."

"But have you realised that?" she asked. "When your mind stopped running, did your heart? You had run for so long, staying still was unfamiliar to you. People chase peace so often, they cannot see it when it is right before them."

Remembering Luna saying something familiar, Merlin looked away, trying to rid his mind of the confusion he felt.

"How many Bonds do you have?" he asked. "How many Dragonlords can share their magic with you?"

"All of them," she said. "Even those that are beginning to forsake the old ways. All of them come to me for guidance at some point in their lives, and all come to this isle, where I often live while the initiations proceed."

"Is it possible to maintain so many?"

"A soul can never be restricted in the love that it gives," she said. "They are my family, and I shall never forsake them, no matter the weariness of sharing so much magic with so many. But despite all of this," she said, bringing her head closer to Merlin's, "there is still room for one more Bond."

Merlin smiled weakly. "And how could I form such a Bond?"

"You might as well ask, how does love work, or why do we love," she said. "It is unexplainable. It is the bonding of one soul to another, and that is impossible whilst lies, deceit and distrust exist between the two souls. I cannot accept you as kin, Malcolm, until you see my true nature, and I yours. I cannot see into your soul, you must share it with me. There must be no barriers. There must be absolute honesty."

Merlin nodded. "Then I must tell you my true purpose here, my true name?"

"That is part of it," she said. "But the greater part, is when you stop lying to yourself, stop suppressing your fears and insecurities, and above all, stop the denials that plague you. You need to accept yourself for who you are before I could ever accept you."

Merlin made no answer to this, and Niamhrach just looked at him, huge silver eyes boring into him, sending unease spreading through him.

"Mer-Malcolm!"

Merlin turned, cursing Ron for his careless mouth. He was standing by the entrance to the courtyard eyeing Niamhrach with a little trepidation.

"They've called a meeting," he said, when Merlin approached him. "All the Druids and everybody else will be there. Something about how to tackle all the stuff that's going on outside."

Merlin bid goodbye to the dragon, who lay her head back on the ground, and followed Ron along the corridor.

"When's the meeting?"

"Tomorrow evening," said Ron, walking in step with him. "They're calling Druids from all over to come."

"Good," said Merlin.

"Is it?" Ron asked, turning to look at him. "Should we even be going?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Ron hesitated before speaking. "I mean, we don't want to … interfere. Anything we might say could change what was supposed to happen."

"I'm going," said Merlin. "If my culture is doomed to die, then I'm sure as hell going to see how it happened."

"But-"

"I'm not going to stop it from happening," he said, seeing Ron's expression. "I know I can't."

Ron didn't look convinced, but said nothing more, and soon drifted off towards the dining hall. Merlin kept walking, heading towards the gardens outside, feeling suddenly trapped within the stone walls of the castle.

Once outside, he breathed in deeply, looking across the lake. The mists had abated somewhat, and he could almost make out the far shore, some sun beams penetrating down from above.

A squawking noise caught his attention, and he saw Luna sitting by one of the vegetable patches, Fawkes on her knee. She was stroking him softly, and smiling, Fawkes closing his eyes in bliss. For a moment, Merlin felt oddly jealous.

Luna looked up. The smile on her face faded.

"Oh, Merlin," she said, solemnly. "You still don't see do you?"

"See what?" said Merlin disturbed by the unhappy expression on her face.

"This magic, it isn't the answer."

"I'm just learning about my people," Merlin protested. "My people, my culture-"

"Not for the right reasons," she said, shaking her head. "You're not learning it for the sake of learning it. You've got a purpose in mind for it."

"And what if I do?" said Merlin, suddenly defensive. "What's wrong with that?"

"Why can't you see?"

"See what?" Merlin asked, annoyed. "Why do you have to be so cryptic? You and everyone else around here? You all tell me I have choices to make, things I need to do, but when I choose a path, you all tell me it's the wrong one! I'm sick of it. Sick of living my life to someone else's specifications."

Luna stood up, eyes wide. She looked hurt. Fawkes flapped away, shrieking at Merlin's angry tone. Luna fixed him with one long stare, and softly shook her head. She turned, and moved away, quickly covering ground until she was soon out of sight.

As soon as she was gone, Merlin regretted his hasty words, and closed his eyes, berating himself. Since had he been one to shout at his friends? He barely recognised himself anymore.