Author's note: Yes, I am alive. I am so sorry for this outrageous late update. I just watched A princess for Christmas and it was Katie McGrath'd acting that inspired me to write again. I hope you would like this chapter and the story is nearing it's end. Let's get on with the story.

Chapter 46

A Friend's Promise

The night wind was blowing strongly. There was a chill in the air. King Arthur wrapped his cloak around him more tightly to feel a little bit warmer. Merlin told him a few weeks ago, that he semsed magic in him when he was stalking him a few months ago during Merlin's infiltration in Amata. And again when Arthur healed Merlin by his tears. If only he could warm himself now with that magic. Strange, Arthur thought to himself. Who would have thought that the son of magic hating Uther Pendragon would think of warming himself with magic. No wonder that once Geffory said to him that Men rot when die but change when live.

It was obvious now that Arthur had some kind of magic in him. But what it could be was something yet to be discovered. For Arthur, he always felt something stirring inside him lately whenever he was near Merlin. Something strong, something powerful. Was it magic? He didn't know. He didn't care that much either. What intrigued the king of Camelot most was how. Not what. The Pendragon family had no member in last five centuries ' recorded history who had any aptitude for magic. So why now, out of nowhere, he, the son of Uther and Ygraine Pendragon had some kind of magic?

Maybe that's why Merlin called me tonight here, Arthur thought.

" Meet me at the lower vantage point of Izrakh mountain at midnight. " said the letter sent by Merlin from Elmetian war camp bearing Ambrosius seal.

The letter didn't say anything else. So, Arthur was curious what Merlin would say. He began to climb the mountain towards the ridge of the mountain where Merlin was supposed to be. No one was with him. Protocol demanded at least five knights should be with him. But when did he obey the protocols? And there was something that told Arthur that Merlin wanted this visit to be private. Soon, he finished the climb and saw a man standing near an Ash tree overlooking the warcamps illuminated by the full moon.

Merlin's white cloak was blowing wildly as was his long black hair. Surprisingly to Arthur, he was wearing his crown. Merlin never wore his golden crown except during royal duties. So, did Merlin call him here to talk about some stately matter? He thought to himself.

Oddly enough, the king of Camelot felt a little sad and disappointed. He thought that Merlin asked him here as a friend not as a fellow monarch. As Arthur came closer, Merlin said without looking at him, " They look like fireflies, don't they? " Arthur came closer and stood right next to Merlin. He was talking about the torches in the war camps. " Yes, they do. " Arthur said.

" One would think it's perfectly alright if they see the calmness of the camp. " Merlin's voice was morose and tinged with sadness.

He was right. Arthur thought. No one would realize the uneasiness in the wind if they only scratched the surface. But everyone was tense. From kings to cooks, from quartermaster to blacksmith was waiting with bated breath for the storm that would soon crush against them. And for some odd reason, Arthur was at peace, not stressed. His best guess was that it was Merlin's presence in the camp with his people.

King Arthur Pendragon had gone through many hard times in his entire life. But he had always overcome those problems. Be it the Knights of Medhir, the Great Dragon, Undead armies or Monsters from the other side of veil. He survived them all. And there was only one thing that was constant in all those catastrophic events. Merlin was with him. He stayed true to his side. Braver than any of his knights but never taking any glory.

And as Arthur was facing his greatest test during his reign, he couldn't help feeling calm. For Merlin was here again. He always had been, and he always would be. He would always win, always overcome the evil. Arthur wondered if any king ever had such a great friend. A friend who would forgive you even after you had been so cruel to him, even after breaking his heart. A friend who had become your brother, your soul mate.

Arthur was so engrossed in thought that he didn't realize that Merlin was looking at him for a while.

" Arthur, you there? " Merlin asked.

" Huh? Yes. Yes. Sorry. I was just thinking. You were saying something? " Arthur asked.

" I have got a message sent by one of my spies. It's about the undead army who was going to lay siege on Camelot. " Merlin said in a flat tone.

Arthur's heart skipped a beat as soon as he heard it. He was dreading for what Merlin might say next. He waited for Merlin to talk with bated breath.

" During the crossing of sea of Meredor from Gwant to Camelot, a storm started and drowned the undead army. It seemed that they don't like salt water as much as they don't like fire. " Merlin's look was undecipherable. He looked neither sad nor happy.

" That is great news, Merlin. We won't have to worry for our rear end of the army and Camelot is safe. We would just have to defeat the army that is in front of us and we will win. " Arthur said. Hos voice, full of ecstasy.

" I am afraid the situation isn't so black and white as you might think. " Merlin said with a grim tone.

" What do you mean? " Arthur asked. He was confused. What bad could there be in the destruction of the undead.

Merlin sighed. " You see, Arthur, all those undead were once human whose life force was sucked out by Ajajil and braned with the augur of darkness. Cursed to live as undead. "

" I am not following what you are saying. " Arthur was now very confused. He didn't have any clue of what Merlin might be saying to him.

" The curse of the undead. According to Uriel Ignotus, this was the curse that I was supposed to lift. I was supposed to free them from Ajajil's curse. And now hundreds of thousands of them are dead. I have already failed half of them. " Merlin's despair was evident on his voice. And Arthur knew that Merlin was always like that. He had always wanted to save people. Even if that meant his own destruction.

Arthur didn't know whether it was foolishness or bravery but he admired Merlin for that.

" How do you think you would lift the curse? " Arthur was very curious to know.

" By sacrificing my soul. " Merlin said as if he was talking about today's weather.

" WHAT? " Arthur almost screamed.

" Whoa! Calm down. You know my other name is Emrys, right? " Merlin asked

" Yes. "

" Emrys means immortal. So that means I have two souls in my body. Or more frankly, I have tow part in my soul. One is the Merlin part, the mortal part and the other is the Emrys part, the immortal part. "

Night wind began to blow harder all on a sudden. Both of the kings wrapped their cloak around them tightly and then sat on the hill side.

Merlin started again. " Ajajil took the people of the south Albion's soul and is feeding off their power. To break him and his curse. I would have to tear apart all his souls that he consumed and set them free. And those undead could become men again. But that would require a sacrifice. An immortal soul. Just like mine. "

" But you have so much power. Can't you do something with your magic without sacrificing? " Arthur asked.

" Magic doesn't work like that, Arthur. If you want something, you would have to give something of equal value. "

" Oh! " For the umpteenth time in his life, Arthur felt his knowledge of magic was severely lacking.

" Don't worry, Arthur. It wasn't like I would die instantly. I would still have the mortal part of my soul. I would still have some times in my life. " Merlin said with a shaky smile on his face.

"Some? How long? " Arthur would remember the next few seconds all his life. For what he heard from Merlin's mouth shook him to the core.

" Normally, I would have lived a normal life span like any mortal... But... "

As Arthur kept looking intensely at Merlin, he continued.

" After your... " Merlin hesitated a little, then said, " Harsh treatment of me by the inquisitorial knights, I should have died. But my immortal soul kept me living. My mortal soul was severely damaged by the Nathair's poison. "

Merlin looked away from Arthur. Maybe he couldn't bear to look at him any longer. Maybe he hated me. Arthur thought.

Well, he had every right to do so. Arthur said to himself. Meanwhile, Merlin didn't stop there.

" My soul would be able to keep me alive maybe only for 6 months or a year at most. "

" And after that? " Arthur didn't want to hear it. But maybe he needed to hear it. That's why he asked.

" What do you think? " Merlin asked looking back at him.

" You'll die? " Arthur's voice was trembling. Did Merlin ask him to come only to torture him? He couldn't take it anymore. This pain, this sadness was unbearable. His conscience kept screaming at him.

Murderer. It said to him.

You killed him.

You killed your best friend.

You never deserved him.

And now you would be tearing him apart from his son, his wife, his mother, his family, everything he held dear.

Arthur's inner voice kept on screaming but Merlin was talking again.

" I would have. But by destroying the curse, apart of it would go back to it's maater, Ajajil but the lord of manipulation was no trickster. He wanted to dissuade any warlock, namely me from destroying the curse. So, if I destroy the curse, a small part of it would latch onto me. "

" After my mortal soul stops running my body, I would become an undead. A hollow. A feral beast living on the flesh of humans. "

Arthur thought he was struck by a lightning. He thought things could get any worse. But unfortunately for him, that was still to come.

" Actually, that's the reason why I called you here. I wanted you to do me a favour. An undead could only die if killed by sea, dragon fire or immortal weapons. And I want to pass on to the other sidecof veil when I am sane. " Sadness was gleaming in his two blue eyes. He looked so tired. A warlock weary pf bearing the burden for his entire life.

" What do you want me to do? " Arthur asked him.

Needed to know.

But didn't want to know.

That night wind blew strongly.

Merlin looked Arthur in the eyes. Put his crown off his head and said, " Excalibur. I want you to kill me after the battle. "

And that night a storm ravaged Arthur Pendragon's life.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So how did it go you think? Leave a review, would you? See you soon, I Hope.

Adios.

-Assassin of Syria