Thank you for reading. I really hope that you enjoyed the last chapter and will also enjoy this new one. There is a lot still to happen before the story is finished. I honestly can't believe how much there is to go and in only twenty chapters. So I hope that all of the big changes, events work out. I feel like I messed up the pacing of the story and its going to feel like a rush to get everything warped up in time. I can always add chapters, but I would like to keep it as Fifty for each part. Some chapters have to be a little longer though to get it all done. To get the story finished by the end of the year like I planned I need to update every Sunday for the rest of the year. I Don't know if I can manage that, but I 'm going to give it a try.
The loud crash echoed throughout the barn. Every nerve in Gaius's body sprung to life. His heart no slamming against his chest like it wanted to escape.
"Sorry." Gwen said as he spun round to see what had caused the unexpected explosion of sound.
I silence they had been busing themselves, redoing tasks they had already done numerous times before, hoping that if they kept their bodies busy, their minds would not be able to dwell on what was going on. The sudden sound had shaken them both into a deeper alertness. Like they had bene sleepwalking before and only now were truly awake. After apologising the queen bent down to pick up the metal water jug, that now had a large bent in its side, from the ground. He took a step forward to help her but stopped. There was no need Gwen had already picked it up and pulling herself back up before he took even a step forward. Turning round she placed it back on the makeshift table made from a wooden crate.
"Are you alright." He asked as he moved forward again.
The way her shoulders seemed tense up and how quickly she had turned away from him worried him. He understood why she was anxious and on edge, he was too. It was not like the young women to be so distant and unapproachable. It went so against her nature, that it greatly concerned him.
Turning down to face him Gwen forced a tight smile onto her face. "As alright as I can be...I just didn't have a tight enough grip..."
She stopped trying to brush of his worries as he reached her and placed a comforting, sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Letting out a sigh and a little of her tension, she dropped the pretence. There was no point in pretending that everything was alright. It was far from being alright.
"I felt like a shard of ice went right through my chest." She confessed.
Gwen didn't add that she felt a sickening certainly that something terrible had happened. What good would that do. It didn't mean anything for certain. It was just a feeling. A very strong one, but still just a feeling. Until they came back she could know nothing for sure. Until they came back there was still hope. She choose to live in that hope until she couldn't anymore. The pain in her abdomen had passed. This too would pass. She choose to believe that.
Gaius didn't offer any words of reassurance. He knew they would be just words. They would do nothing to change how Gwen felt. The feeling of dread that grew stronger then longer they didn't hear from anyone. Unlike Gwen Gaius knew of a secret weapon they had on their side, Merlin. He believed in the young man that he would do what he could to make sure they won this day.
Time seemed to slowed down as Arthur was forced to watch the sword being plunged into Elyan's abdomen. It then seemed to him to speed up again, like it was catching up with its self after the pause as the knight sunk heavily to his knees. The colour drained rapidly from his face as his red blood spilled out onto the yellowing grass. Due to sheer willpower the young man was able to keep his upper body upright, though he swayed from side to side, as his vision swayed as well. His scared brown eyes looked to Arthur's cold blue ones, which either deliberately or not didn't met his back. Scared to look to closely and see what was before him. The reality of it.
If they had then Eylan would have seen a pure anger that he would never expected Arthur was capable was. With a low guttural growl the king sprung forward and moved to impale Edmund with his sword. The lord had not expected the king to react so quickly, so aggressively. He of course did not know of the bound between Arthur and his most trusted knights. He also did not know of the familial bound between the two men. In short he had no idea what he had just done.
Caught of guard for a moment Edmund blocked the incoming attack at the last second as he jumped backwards out of the reach of the weapon. Arthur didn't give him the chance to retaliate. He launched attack after attack. Relentlessly Arthur brought his sword down on the man that had just killed Gwen's brother, his friend and brother. He made contact a few times. Nicking Edmund on the arms and legs, but was not able to land a real hit. This was all that Edmund could do, Arthur was not giving him any opening to launch a attack of his own. When Arthur did seem to be slowing down a little, his blows taking an extra second between them, he chanced a fleeting glance to Eylan.
The mortally wounded knight's upper body still remained up right. The other men fought around him paying him no attention. What difference was one more man fallen on the battlefield make. When his willpower and determination wore out he slumped forward. Hitting the ground with a crash that echoed him Arthur ears.
Letting out another more primal groan of pain and anger Arthur drew his sword back over his head and down on Edmund's.
Merlin had not been convinced by Morgana new plan when she told it to him after she had agreed to accept his answer to her question. He was still not convinced as they moved forward once again. A new destination to head to. They moved quickly and silently towards the coast circumventing the battlefield as they did. A one point they had to pass through the line of fire. It gave of a wave of heat when you where a few meters from it, but once you passed that point the temperature was back to normal. This seemed to be enough to keep those that believed the fire to be real to keep their distance. They couldn't help but flinch a little as they passed through the illusion. It looked so real. Once they saw the coast line just beyond the cove they stopped.
"Are you sure about this." Merlin asked.
He expected Morgana to snap back yes, but she took a second to answer. The answer was just as he had expected. Calming her mind and body she closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath.
"We have to make sure that they never set foot in Albion again." She said before she opened her eyes and raised her arms out before her.
Low words were spoken under her breath as the stone in the center of her headdress glowed faintly in the daylight.
Leon ran at a steady pace. Understanding that he had to reach his distinction quickly, but that he also had to maintain some energy to deal with what he had at the end of his journey. As his Armour beat down on top of him with each step forward that he made, he felt a growling guilt beat down on him too. He still did not feel right about leaving behind his queen, Gaius and those that maintained the fire that added them so much. In his head he knew that those left at the barn were not in any immediate danger. He also knew those powering and controlling the fire illusion did not need his help, that there was nothing that he could really do to help them. While his mind knew all of this, his heart still nagged at him. Made him feel guilty.
If he was going to change course, turn back the way he had come, then time was running out for him to be able to do that and be back in time to be of any use to anyone. Quickly as not to change his mind he spun around and began to run back the way that he had come. As he continued to run he felt his heartbeat to stop thumping in his chest, echoing in his ears. The guilt eased. He still was not happy about about not joining the battle, but he took his calmer mental state as a sign that he has making the right choice.
Mordred played with the ring in his hand as he listened to Kara and Luke talking. Their voice sounded to him like he was underwater. He could feel the power radiating off the ring. It was faint, he had felt stronger magical objects, but after so long distancing himself from magic he was impressed and surprised that he could feel it at all.
"Mordred.." Kara turned to him as she asked if he was alright with the plan. "Mordred." She said again as she placed a hand on her shoulder as she pulled his attention back to what was going on around him.
"What." The knight said as he lifted his head and looked between Kara and Luke, who still had his hands lifted up as he controlled the fire.
Instead of looking annoyed, Kara looked concerned. "We split up and move the fire forward. Make sure the saxons couldn't move back."
As she spoke Mordred nodded along, half listening. Not wanting to repeat herself, in cause Mordred grew uncomfortable with them all splitting up. With her being on her own. She quickly pushed forward telling Mordred he should head west and she would head east, while Luke remained where he was in the middle. This seemed to get his attention properly. Knowing he not be able to change Kara's mind and the plan did make sense He couldn't argue that, but he didn't like the idea of the two of them being separated so far. Not when they had just been reunited not even ten minutes ago. Kara agreed to his change. That she would remain in the centre and he and Luke would head out in opposite direction. Feeling a little relieved as she did. She did no much care for the idea of being out in the forest on her own with an enemy that would show no mercy.
Luke continued to only half listen. They off course was still controlling the fire. He didn't have the time or energy to waste on the couples negations. In truth they were beginning to get on his nerves a little. He appreciated the help, but what he really needed to do what he had to was quit to focus.
Now they were all agreed on the next move they moved to part ways. His hands still raised Luke began to head east. Before he left, Mordred took Kara's hand and tried to put the ring Morgana gave him in her hand. At first she didn't know what he was doing. Surly he would give he a much finer ring than this. Then she saw the seal and understood.
"I think you'll need that more than me." She said before kissing him quickly and then turning away, lifting her arms and sending her magic out to connect with the illusion.
Mordred felt sure she was probably right so he didn't say anything to argue. The ring gripped tightly in his head he head out to do his part.
Merlin kept his eyes on Morgana as she worked her magic. Only When he felt that should not be staring any more did he turn to look out to the sea.
There where a few ships close to the shore, but the majority remained further out to sea. Only a few men left on board. Waiting on the signal from those on shore to tell them that they had been victorious and they could now some ashore now as well. Slowly they began to disappear from sight as a thick mist began to rise and spread out across the sea for miles.
The mists of Avalon that had remained in place constantly for centuries. That now the new queen of Avalon was calling into being many miles from where they had cloaked the magical isle from view. Giving protection and security to those that called Avalon home. Though not as dense as they normally where, being spread put to a greater distance. They did what was needed.
There was going to be no escape for the saxons. They had come here to take what did not belong to them. Land they had no clam on. That could not be alone to stand. That president could not be made. If they wanted the land so much then they could have it for eternity as the place of their deaths. There would be no marked for them to mark them, their final resting place.
The sea began to grew restless under the cover of the mist. Merlin didn't notice at first, he was not fully comfortable with it, but like Morgana he had little sympathy for the men they were dealing with. They had showed no concern for the ordinally people of Camelot Would should they show any for them. He began to see the turbulent water and ships more clearly. The mist was beginning to fade. raising his right arm he spoke loudly words that made the water rise and fall. Allowing Morgana to maintain the mists that blocked the view of sea and the saxons possibility of escape.
Once they could see the fire more closely, Uther and his men came to the same conclusion. This was no normal fire. It was the product of magic. This came as a great relief at first, then there was the realisation that they had no way of stopping a magic fire. An ordinally, burning fire was difficult enough. This was impossible. They didn't know how they would even begin to start to stop the fire.
Word of course and reached the old king of the changes his successor had made in regard to magic and its practise. It worried him, but he would be lying of he said that he was shocked by the change. The worry nagged at him for the first few months that he had lived out of the city. A stubborn, verdictive part of him felt like turning his back permanently on his son and the kingdom he had ruled over for many year. Let them deal with the consequences of such a rash choice. He couldn't do that, not truly. His son was now king, he did not want to see him fail. He believed to much on Arthur's potential to see that happen. His daughter, though he did not know of her exact location, he did know that she would never turn her back on magic or her brother. Their bound as siblings meant to much to both of them for them to allow this change in the law to fail. They both wanted, needed it to be a success. While they were different people and different than himself in a lot of ways they both had to much of his stubbornness for that.
The only way Uther and his men could think to deal with the fire was to head in different directions and try and find the source.
It did not take long for Uther to notice someone a little ahead of him, near the bottom of a hill. It was a young women and she seemed to be waking slowly towards the fire, her right had lifted slightly. He called out, asking what she was doing in a measured tone. When she didn't respond he told her to stop and explain herself in a more forceful tone. Still she did not give him any attention, to focus on her task. Which Uther was now certain was connected to the fire.
As he drew closed he moved slowly, not wanting to startle her. When he could see her face he saw that her eyes were closed. She looked very young. Not viewing her as any great threat anymore he moved to place a hand on her shoulder as he again tried to get her attention. His other hand hovered over the hilt of his sword. He was not naive enough to underestimate a young women with magic.
Before he could get a word out or place his hand on her shoulder something fast and heavy slammed into his left side. Knocking the air from his lungs and crashing him into nearby tree.
The attack was blocked, but rather than put all of his strength into forcing it down he lifted it. Then with a twist of his wrist he slipped his sword under Edmunds and brought it down sharply.
He didn't have to use much force. There was no need. The sword didn't have to cut too deep for it to do damage. The neck was one of the most venerable parts of the body in battle. It was the link between the head and the body. Yet no one had ever found to best protect the vital spot in a way that didn't affect the wears ability to fight.
When the sword hit flesh there was a sicking crunching sound as it hit bone.
Edmund dropped his sword as he moved his hand to cover the gaping wound on his neck. Hoping to stem the flow of blood. Knowing ultimately that it would do no good. In the split second before he could hold his weight no longer and he fell into the darkness that would permanently take hold of him very soon, his eyes met Arthur. It was hard to tell, it happened so quickly, but Arthur felt that he saw a hint of begrudging respect.
The victor didn't wait for the vanquished foe to fall to the ground. Once he had regained his footing after delivering the fatal blow, Arthur turned back to Eylan. Dropping to his knees beside him Arthur swiftly grabbed hold of Eylan, pulling him half off the ground. He couldn't stand the idea of his sinking into the mud that was being created by all the violence taking place around them. He deserved so much better than that. His dark eyes, so like his sisters fluttered open as Arthur cradled him in his arms. What broke the king's heart was the look of gratitude on the younger mans fate. As if he had not just saved Arthur's life and him being with him now was the greatest gift he could be give. When in fact it was the least Arthur could do. The very least.
Elyan had just given Arthur the chance to live to have children bring about the new Camelot, Albion that he wanted to. He had given him the chance to live. A chance that had been taken away from him. He was the youngest of the original knights of the round table and he was now the first of them to die. That wasn't right. In no way that made any sense was any of this right. He had had his whole life ahead of him. He hadn't have the chance to fall in love. To even begin to think about falling in love. Or had he, Arthur didn't know. It was now dawning on him that he couldn't remember that last time he had properly spoken to Elyan, yet alone spoken to him about his life. When he and Gwen had children they would not get to know their uncle. He would have been a wonderful uncle. Who would have had unlimited energy to engage and play with them. He would have been a even better father, if he had been given the chance.
There was so much that Arthur wanted to say. So much he wanted to thank him for. So many promises that he wanted to make. All of it got stuck in his throat as he tried to fight back sobs, as he felt Elyan's breathing getting fainter and fainter, till he couldn't feel it anymore.
How was he going to tell Gwen that the only blood family that she had left was died. Because of a pendragon again as well. He would never be able to make this up to her. He would spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her and the sacrifice Elyan made would not be wasted.
Not able to look at the face of the young man, that looked like he was sleeping, Arthur looked up to the sky. The clouds where dispersing, the sun now show a little. Lowering his eyes again he met Gwaine's who had just dispatched with the saxons he had been fighting with for a good few minutes. For a second he smiled having won his own fight and then seeing the body of Edmund laying on the ground nearby, he smiled a little bigger. Then it fell away completely as he noticed Elyan in Arthur's arm.
As if like ripples, slowly everyone around them became aware of the death of lord Edmund. Not sure what they should do the saxon's began to stop fitting. Some holding up their arms in surrender, some also dropped their weapons to the ground. The knights and Druids began to relax as they enjoyed their victory. Though the bodies of the few dead around them cast a shadow.
As Gwaine walked over to Arthur and Elyan, Percival noticed and fallowed where Gwaine was headed. Seeing Eylan his sword fell from his hands. Not bothering to pick it up he walked to join his king and fallen friend. A little later Lancelot noticed the small gathering and too moved to join them. He noticed quickly that Elyan was not with the group, when he finally noticed him his heart sank.
Silently the originally knights of the round table, stood in silent vidual over their fallen comrade and brother.
Not to repeat myself, but I did say that a lot is going happen in this last part of the story. I hope that its not to much all at once. I think its important for the characters and the world to be different at the end than they were at the beginning. I had planned to kill off Uther earlier but it felt better here. He was such a large part of creating the conflict in the story from the beginning it felt right that his death should be a part of the events that lead to the ending of the story. I feel a little guilty about killing off Eylan though. He dose die in the show and his lose will have a huge impact on a lot of character. I did spare (So far?) Lancelot, so I could have spared him, but I also feel that there has to be stakes for the characters and there haven't been any real major character deaths so far. Sorry, but there will be more. Some that died in the show and some that didn't.
As always any feedback, comments or ideas that you have are very welcome.
