The Golden Age Universe
All for Love - Chapter 12
~Fran Gipani
Disclaimer - I don't own Merlin, or the characters...I'm just borrowing them and adding a couple of awesome OC's
AN – Wooah! This is quite possibly the second last chapter (very late, but here it is), I think my procrastination on this story is partially due to not wanting it to finish, as I seriously love writing it! :) (very selfish on my part, so I am sorry!) Anywho, enjoy! (I hope there is still someone there with an interest here :) …)
Thank you to guest Alice for the review! :) I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations :)
"Trust me," Merlin repeated, trying to convince himself as much as anyone else, there is so much hinging on the one detail, this can't go wrong. Merlin took a deep breath; his blue eyes tore away from the panicked look on his wife's face. Everything is going to be fine. He took a final step towards Morgana, then, keeping his voice steady, he began to recite a spell he hadn't yet tried yet. He hadn't needed to use it, and up until that moment, he'd thought he never would need to. Pulling what little power he had left from deep within him, his magic, her magic, Merlin began to chant. The spell would work to reverse the curse Morgana had cast, closing the time portal, and leaving Merlin to pull back his Magic from Morgana. Nearing the end of the spell, Merlin began to feel the familiar warmth behind his eyes so he brought up his hand to direct the spell at the swirling pool of light. He was almost ready to send the magic forth when the sound of laughter pulled him from his concentration.
"You know Merlin," Morgana giggled, "that really isn't going to work."
Merlin stayed silent, not letting go of the spell, but not casting it either. His outstretched hand began to shake.
"Brooke's magic won't be substantial. You'll have to give something else too." She smirked, making no other attempt to stop the Warlock.
"You're telling me this now, why? I know the sacrifice if the power level can't be made. You know it too. From memory, it is the same price to open this sort of time portal." Merlin turned to face the witch, "who'd you use?"
"Does it really matter?"
"Who'd you use?" Merlin repeated, his voice louder now, angrier.
"Technically, I used you." Her voice was calm, "your immense power could open the portal, I didn't just need it to keep me alive. I needed it to carry out my plan."
"Thank you." Merlin replied coolly, "that was all I needed to know." He was about to carry on when another voice stopped him in hi tracks, one much more powerful than that of Morgana.
"Merlin stop!"
Brooke, he turned back, still keeping his arm outstretched.
"You don't have to do this!" Brooke continued, "There has to be another way!"
"Of course there isn't!" Morgana threw back her head in a cackle of a laugh, "that's why I did this. He has to sacrifice something. His life, your life, the life of his precious King. Either way something will get sucked through that time portal, and Merlin will lose."
"No he won't." Brooke growled.
"I wouldn't be so sure."
Brooke smiled, "you're all talk, aren't you. All talk and no heart, no soul. That's where Merlin triumphs. He was ready to give up everything to keep us safe."
"Yes. But that is his downfall!" She smirked.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Brooke echoed back.
Morgana frowned as the realisation clicked in her mind that Arthur had disappeared from behind the blonde. He eyes widened with pain as she felt the blade of a sword pierce her back, instinctually her hands went to her abdomen where the point had come out the other side and hot red blood began to sink through her clothes. She felt the sword pull back and with a scream, she drew from the last of her own magic to lift Brooke roughly from her feet as if she were a puppet and fling her towards the portal.
"Brooke!" Merlin yelled in panic, taking a step forward but finding his way barred by an invisible barrier.
Flecks of red flew from Morganas blood covered hands, as she threw Arthur back at the same time. "You know that sword won't kill me…" She choked in pain, hand quivering with the effort of holding Brooke in place.
"You see though, Morgana, it will." Merlin had completely lifted his attempt at the spell now, understanding what Arthur had done and why. "That blade, Excalibur, it was forged in a dragons breath."
Morgana staggered on the spot, the pain becoming too much, her hold on Brooke stayed strong but the barrier faulted for a moment letting Merlin push forward towards the two women. At that moment it dawned on her; that as she lost her strength, she lost her hold on the time portal. "Arthur!" She growled, "what have you done?"
Arthur knew he didn't need to answer as he moved back to stand next to Merlin. "I don't think you completely thought through your plan to use Merlin's Magic, from what I understand you had to use it to both open the portal, and as a sacrifice."
Morgana looked even more panicked now as the now struggling Brooke slipped from her grasp, falling a little before the witch caught hold again.
"I can feel my power coming back to me; you won't be able to hold onto it forever Morgana."
"You're wrong," the witch replied coldly though she could feel herself getting weaker by the second. That was when she realised; this could work in my favour after all, a smirk twitched at her lips.
Merlin smiled as he felt the familiar warmth of his magic traveling up through the tips of his fingers, through his arms towards the centre of his chest. I'm glad you're back. "I should be able to close it now."
"You will sacrifice yourself?" Morgana asked incredulously, trying but failing to keep in another groan of pain as she sank to her knees. Brook slipped down too, her toes now only just touching the frosty ground.
"If I have to…"
"Merlin, you idiot!" Arthur interrupted, his panic evident in his eyes. He'd been here before, this situation, Merlin would do anything, "no you won't!"
"And neither will you!" Merlin yelled back, refusing to look Arthur in the eyes. At that moment there was a loud boom which radiated out from the portal, the ripples contorted the air around them. Like a pebble hitting the water. What was that?
Morgana gave a cruel smirk as she turned away from the portal towards Merlin as she felt the last of the Warlocks power leave her. "It will be your own fault you know." The witch fell forward into the grass, motionless, eyes open but unseeing.
In that moment the light from the portal grew brighter as Merlin struggled to gain control of the spell Morgana had cast. Brooke slumped to the ground, the spell on her having been lifted when the witch died, the blonde's proximity to the swirling circle of light meant that almost instantaneously, she began to be pulled towards the portal.
"Help! Merlin!" Brooke cried out, as she tried but failed to get a hold of something to keep her down.
"Brooke!" Merlin yelled in panic as he turned round to see his wife being sucked into the portal, the blonde's legs were already through. He ran forward, clasping onto Brookes hand, "don't worry, I won't let you go!" He pulled with all his might but she was stuck fast. This can't be a one way thing! Merlin heard footsteps behind him, and without turning around he yelled, "no Arthur! Stay back! If you get any closer you'll get dragged in too!"
"But won't you get sucked in too!?"
"No, it recognises I control it now!"
"Then can't you…"
"NO! It's a one way portal! It won't let me pull her back!" Merlin interrupted, yelling back at Arthur in panic, before turning towards Brooke. I'm too late, angry tears threatened fall as he looked into Brooke's scared eyes. "I…" but he couldn't put his feelings into words.
"I's okay," Brooke replied quietly, "I–"
Suddenly there was a jolt of power which pulsed out from the portal hitting Merlin squarely in the chest, he was thrown back, and Brooke's shaking hands slipped from his own, and she was pulled further into the portal with a frightened scream. As Merlin stumbled forward with a look of sheer panic on his face, he reached out a hand. Merlin only just managed to let his fingers brush briefly against Brookes own before a flash of blinding light swallowed her up, and sealed the portal forever.
An agonised scream was wrenched from Merlin's throat as the light faded to reveal the empty clearing before him. He crashed to his knees, face down, his hands pulling at his hair. The moment he hit the ground a pulse of power radiated from where he knelt throwing everyone in the clearing back.
As a painful silence spread over the group, Arthur stood, and closed the space between him and his friend. Putting a hand on Merlin's shoulder, Arthur could feel him shaking.