The kingdom was in ruins for days. So many people had been killed, countless lives lost in a foolish battle. Children had gone missing, parents were found dead in their homes, and a large portion of the knights were nothing but lifeless corpses that had been left lying in the streets. And Merlin felt responsible for it all.
He'd released the dragon; he'd brought endless terror and pain and agony on Camelot. A piece of the warlock had known that when he released the Great Dragon—or rather, Kilgharrah as he'd learned—that he would seek out revenge on Uther. Yet with all the dragon had preached about Arthur and Merlin's shared destiny, he would've thought it would dissuade him. But he was wrong, and the entirety of the kingdom was paying for the boy's foolish naivety.
Camelot was struggling to return after the disaster, the wrecked buildings and masses of bodies still needing to be dealt with, and Merlin himself had suffered a great loss from the war waged as well. He'd met his father, and he'd been a good man. A man that Merlin had been proud to call his family. And almost as soon as he'd met him, he'd lost him. All that remained of Balinor was the power he'd passed to Merlin, and a small carved dragon that now sat protected on the young warlock's shelf.
The boy was still torn over whether he should speak to his mother about anything that had transpired. Finding his father, speaking with him, telling her that it was obvious that he had still loved and cared for her. But if he told her those things, he would also have to tell her that he had died, that he'd passed a great but dangerous power to his son, and that Merlin was now the last of their kind.
A Dragonlord. He was a Dragonlord. The idea was still strange to him, despite what he'd done in commanding Kilgharrah just two days before. But hearing the news was sure the add to the worry he knew his mother carried for him.
"Merlin!" Jolting out of his thoughts, the boy's head lifted and found irritated blue hues glaring at him from several feet away. "Are you actually going to help or are you going to continue to stand there like an idiot?"
Blinking a couple of times as his brain shifted, Merlin looked down at the pile of boulders he'd been helping to move. When had he stopped? He hadn't realized how distracted he was by his own thoughts.
"Sorry, just a bit tired." Merlin apologized, hefting up another boulder and dropping it into a wheelbarrow that would be used to carry it out of the courtyard.
"We're all a bit tired, Merlin. That's what happens when you fight a dragon."
If the last word came out a bit louder than the others the boy didn't bother to point it out, the proud grin on the prince's face one that Merlin knew he'd have to live with for the foreseeable future. The kingdom had been abuzz with that piece of news the last two days, and Arthur had been humble to some degree.
"I merely did what any Crowned Prince would do." He'd said the first night, standing tall and proud despite the blood that dripped from his wounds and his knights that still lay on the fields where the dragon had ended their lives.
"Saving the kingdom was my honor. Landing a critical blow and having the creature wail in agony was simply like any other fight where I must defeat my foe." Arthur had smirked the second night, downing a goblet of ale while the knights who were not a part of the battle pushed for further details.
"I still find it hard to believe what I managed. I know I struck it, but I did not realize it would be the ending strike. I just knew I could not return home without trying." He'd admitted to Merlin that day as they worked to clear the rubble away with sweat pouring down their faces and dust covering their clothes.
As for Merlin, he tried to stay out of the prince's boasting—or confusion—whenever possible. The last thing he needed was for Arthur to look too closely at what had occurred and find faults in the story that his servant had told him. Though in truth, how Arthur had even believed him in the first place was a complete mystery to him.
There was something to be said however about the change in the prince's attitude since the attack. While he still bossed the boy around and insulted him, Merlin had to admit that there was a level of respect that hadn't been there before.
"Merlin!"
Jumping again, the warlock dropped the rock he was holding into the wheelbarrow and spun around to face the prince. "What? I'm working!"
"No, not that." The prince muttered with a quick wave of his hand. "The western towers, we've finally managed to clear a path to the worst part of the damage."
"That's good." Merlin nodded once, brushing his hands off on his clothes, though it did little to help with all the dust clinging to him.
"The place is in shambles; I don't think good is a term I would use." Arthur deadpanned, though the warlock could sense a bit of unease clinging to his words. "But nevertheless, a couple of the knights are still missing and unaccounted for, and the western tower is the final place to look for survivors."
"You're going up to look?" Merlin asked, already stepping away from his pile as Arthur nodded.
"There's not a lot of room, and some of the knights are busy trying to safely clear a wider section, but I need to check on things." It was an invitation. Not explicitly said, but Merlin knew the way the prince worked by now, and as the blond turned to go the warlock was right on his heels.
"Have you seen much of Gwen today?" The boy asked as they made their way up the stairs and down a corridor.
"No, she's been aiding Gaius in your place. In fact, she's been with him a lot since Morgana was taken." Arthur's shoulders tensed as he spoke, and Merlin looked at the ground.
Morgana taken. He and Gaius were the only ones who knew that wasn't entirely true. Morgana had been the cause of the kingdom wide curse in the first place, and it was only due to Morgause that Merlin had been forced to make the promise to the dragon on his mother's life.
"Why do you ask? Is she alright?" Arthur's eyes flickered towards Merlin with the question, and the warlock could hardly contain the smile at the immediate worry that flooded his face.
"Just curious." The boy shrugged, unable to control the grin that widened on his face while he spoke. "After that hug when we returned, I thought you might have seen more of her."
"She was worried for my safety, Merlin." Arthur snapped, his hands fidgeting with his red tunic as they walked.
"As anyone would be over their prince." Merlin nodded. "Of course, most would just bow or bring the court a gift. I don't know of anyone who would run into your arms like that."
"Are you quite finished?" Arthur scowled, stopping midstride and nearly causing the boy to crash into him.
"Yes, sorry." The warlock smiled sheepishly as the blond turned, his ears tinged with red. "Of course, if you had seen her—"
"Merlin!"
"Sorry." Ducking his head as they continued up a stairwell, the rubble around them increased until they were having to step over and around pieces of the tower itself. By the time they reached the top floor, there was barely a free path to follow, forcing the two to pick their steps carefully.
"It's completely ruined." Merlin stared, coming to a stop as he spotted two knights working to clear a path into one of the towers.
"It's barely standing, which is why we need to work quickly but efficiently." Arthur spoke, walking closer to the two knights who had paused at the sight of the prince. "Have you been able to get inside?"
"Not yet, Sire." One man shook his head as Merlin peered through a small gap into a dark room.
"Why are you trying to get inside? Won't it just be filled with rubble in there too?"
"We heard someone crying for help." The second knight spoke up, the man's body as covered in dust and debris as Merlin's.
"That's why you're here, Merlin." Arthur chimed in, patting the boy's shoulder a couple of times as the warlock lurched forward.
"Wait, what?"
"We've uncovered a small hole, but not one big enough for any of us to fit into." The first knight explained carefully, eyeing the boy as if he felt guilty for what they wanted him to do.
"But if someone is in there, my going in won't help if the hole isn't big enough to get them back out." Merlin reasoned while shaking his head, taking a step back and stumbling on a loose stone.
"We'll make the hole bigger," Arthur sighed, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. "But Gaius isn't physically able to climb through, so you're the next best thing. If someone is injured inside, you've learned enough from Gaius to help them."
"But—"
"Or you could leave them to bleed out and suffer. Your choice." Arthur said with a steeled glare as Merlin's shoulders fell. He wasn't getting out of it, he already knew.
"I'm not that much smaller than you." The boy grumbled as he stepped closer to the hole while the prince snorted.
"Yeah, you're just missing all the muscle I have."
"Sure it's all just muscle?"
"Excuse me?" Arthur growled as Merlin crouched down and peered through a small tunnel like hole.
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" He asked nervously, glancing over his shoulder at where the prince was still frowning at him.
"You'll be fine, Merlin. We'll continue clearing a bigger hole and you just check and see if you can help."
"Alright." Reluctantly crouching in front of the opening, Merlin peered inside into the ruined tower and repressed a shiver. Small pieces of the wall were missing on the other side, sending scattered fragments of light in various directions, though most of the hall and tower were shrouded in darkness and rubble.
"I'll need a torch." The warlock said, beginning to crawl through the narrow opening on his hands and knees.
"I'll pass you one when you're all the way through." Arthur promised, crouching down as well as Merlin made his way across stones and rocks.
The debris slid beneath him and made his trek unsteady, his shoulders and cheeks scratching against the rough walls as he fought to steady himself enough to continue forward. After what felt like ages, Merlin found himself in a partially destroyed corridor, and as he turned he found Arthur straining to stretch a torch towards him.
"You're sure you're going to make the hole bigger?" Merlin asked, beginning to feel claustrophobic in the ruined hall.
"Yes, I already told you that." Arthur snapped, and the warlock nodded as he began to turn. "Merlin." Looking back over his shoulder, the boy met Arthur's shadowed gaze and was surprised to find worry etched across his face. "Be careful. This place is still unsteady, and I don't need your useless self added to the list of the dead."
A warning, and a plea. Don't get hurt, don't fall into danger. Merlin couldn't stop his lips from twitching as he gripped the torch tighter. "I'll be back soon."
"As if, you'll end up taking your sweet time as you normally do." The prince scoffed, but his intense stare lingered as the warlock turned away and carefully rose to his feet.
Entire sections of the floor were torn up and cracked, and small holes that led into darkness below promised a nasty end to any who fell through. The walls were barely standing, small slivers of light forcing through the cracks and making it easier to see the dust floating through the air the further in that Merlin ventured.
Every few steps the boy would pause and listen, waiting for the voice that the two knights had said they'd heard. A part of him knew he should call out, but as the boy ducked beneath fallen beams and crawled around the massive pillars that all but blocked the way, Merlin felt as if he were in a different world.
The silence was heavy, the air was thick, and each step was slow and taken with caution. The only noise that permeated the silence was the crackling of his torch and his own unsteady steps that frequently sent pebbles and loose debris skittering across the floor.
As Merlin reached the end of the short but treacherous corridor, he spotted the door to the tower ahead. Stepping closer made it obvious that the door no longer belonged to a room, the wood hanging off broken hinges and revealing another deadly drop into a chasm he could not see the bottom of.
Swallowing thickly, Merlin backed a step away and heard a soft groan behind him that made the boy jump. Whirling around, the warlock peered through the shadows into a corner of the hall and spotted a piece of chainmail colored with a crimson hue pinned beneath the remains of a decorative pillar.
"Hello?" Merlin called out, hurrying forwards and ducking beneath a fallen beam only to come to an abrupt halt at the sight of a tattered cape and a hand sticking up through the rubble.
"Hel..p.. me.." A weak voice begged, and Merlin caught his breath as he turned and wedged his torch between a couple of stones, allowing the light to wash over the area.
"Yeah, yeah I'm here! Just hold on!" The words bounced around him, his voice coming out loud in the silence as he knelt beside the hand. "I'm here, it's alright." Beginning to pull away the loose rubble and debris, Merlin quickly uncovered the upper half of a knight, the man's armor dented and scorched while his exposed skin appeared to be burned and cut.
"Mer..lin..?" The question was weak, followed soon after by a heaving cough that made the boy wince.
"Yes, yes it's me." The warlock nodded quickly, pausing from his work for only a moment to lean closer until the flickering torchlight lit up the man's face. "Elacard." Merlin breathed, a heavy weight settling in the pit of his stomach as the knight's face turned towards him and pained dark eyes settled on the boy.
"What are.. you doing.. here..?" Each word seemed to agonize the knight and Merlin hurried to quiet him.
"Arthur sent me, a couple of the knights said they heard someone calling for help." With how weak the man sounded though, Merlin was surprised they'd heard him at all.
"Arthur isn't.."
"Arthur's fine." Merlin nodded quickly, removing another heavy piece of stone as the knight hissed in pain.
"..here. He's not.. here?"
"No." The warlock shook his head, pausing for a moment as he tried to get a hold of the next piece of pillar. "He sent me in, there wasn't a big enough hole for him to come in himself."
Elacard fell silent and Merlin's chest tightened in panic. Leaning closer to the man, he found the knight had his eyes open but was still breathing. Was he lost in thought over something, or was he in too much pain to continue speaking?
"Okay, last piece." Merlin huffed, sweat dripping down his back as he hefted the last bit of debris off the man. "They're working on making the hole bigger, but it's going to take some time. I think that—"
"Merlin!" A distant voice calling out made the boy stop midsentence, his head turning towards the sound. "Merlin!" It was Arthur, and he sounded upset.
"I'm going to see how the work is coming, but I'll come right back with some supplies from Gaius." Merlin promised, taking a moment to look over the man to be sure he wasn't bleeding heavily from any of his injuries.
When Elacard merely closed his eyes instead of responding, Merlin bit down on his lip and slipped past the fallen beam, leaving the torch for the knight and picking his way carefully through the tower again. Arthur called his name twice more before the warlock made it back to the opening that didn't look as if it had been made even a fraction bigger.
"I'm here, what?" The boy panted, fidgeting uncomfortably as he felt grime and sweat cling to his body beneath his clothes.
"I have to go, my father requires my assistance." Arthur said with a grim look, his expression annoyed but his eyes holding relief as they darted over his friend.
"But the knight, I found him. It's Elacard, and he needs help." Merlin objected, gesturing vaguely behind him as the prince frowned.
"Elacard? I could've sworn I saw him yesterday. Are you certain?"
"Very." Merlin nodded, shifting his weight as the rubble dug into his knees and palms.
"Any chance of getting him over here?"
"Not sure yet." Merlin sighed, lifting a hand up and scraping back his hair, feeling the grittiness of the debris running across his sweaty forehead. "But I don't think so, he was buried deep, and I think he passed out before I came back here."
"Damn." Arthur cursed, glancing over his shoulder where Merlin could just see the edge of one of the knight's legs. "Get more men up here, I want an opening cleared out as soon as possible."
"Yes Sire." The knight responded, his leg disappearing from view as his footsteps departed.
"Stay with him for now, Merlin. I'll send someone for Gaius and see if he can come advise you on the situation."
"Right." The boy nodded, starting to back away before he heard his name called out again. "I can't exactly stay with him if you keep shouting for me." Merlin spoke dryly as Arthur met his eye.
"Be careful, Merlin."
"I know—"
"No." The prince cut in, speaking firmly. "The integrity of the tower is poor at best, moving all these stones could cause a cave in. So be careful." Staying silent but nodding his understanding, the warlock watched while Arthur lingered a moment longer before pushing himself up and disappearing from view.
Swallowing the unease growing inside, Merlin scrambled back again through the narrow opening until he could stand and began making his way back to the injured knight. The light from the torch made it easy to find him again, and as the warlock grew closer he was shocked to find the man awake and sitting upright.
"Elacard? Are you alright?" Merlin asked as he stepped closer, kneeling down before the man who was staring at a cracked wall across from him.
"My leg, it's caught beneath a beam." The knight answered, his voice stronger than before as he gestured weakly to his trapped limb.
"I'll see if I can move it." Stepping carefully around the man, Merlin ran his fingers lightly across the beam that was trapped on one end beneath a fallen wall while pinning the knight with the other. "Okay, hold on.."
Catching his breath, Merlin leaned forward and grabbed hold of the beam as tight as he could and began to lift, immediately feeing the weight behind it. Elacard let out a shout of pain but remained motionless, hissing in air fast and deep as Merlin was forced to let go of the beam.
"I'm sorry, it's too heavy." The warlock shook his head, panting heavily as he bent over and rested his hands against his knees.
"Please.. please try again.." Elacard whispered, planting shaking hands on either side of himself in preparation.
"Sure, yeah." Merlin nodded, turning his back to the knight and pressing his lips tightly together. Even if they managed to get his leg out, there was no way the man would be able to walk. "Ready?" Merlin called over his shoulder, receiving a grunt in response. "Here we go."
Grabbing hold of the beam again, Merlin lifted with all his strength, feeling the beam lift a fraction as Elacard screamed through gritted teeth. Despite the pain the knight had to be in, his leg began to slowly shift out of the way until he'd drawn himself back far enough that the warlock was able to let go with a groan of his own.
The beam hit the ground hard and for a moment the entire room shook, pieces of debris and small stones falling from what remained of the ceiling while dust floated down on top of them. Both men fell silent until the shaking stopped, and when it did Merlin let out a soft breath as he stood up straight and felt his muscles complain.
"Are you alright?" The boy asked, walking up to the knight and sitting down beside him. The man didn't respond, instead looking at Merlin with a pained gaze while his fingers dug into the ground beneath him. "Let's take a look at your leg, yeah?" The warlock proposed, suddenly desperate to no longer be under the man's pressing stare.
Reaching out and pulling away the edge of the cape and peeling back the shredded trousers, Merlin caught his breath and quickly looked away as his stomach turned at the sight of bone.
"That bad?" Elacard grunted, lowering himself onto his back as he drew in a wheezing breath.
"No, no its just.. its fine.. Once Gaius looks at it I'm sure.. I'm sure it will be fine." Merlin didn't even have the words, his body trembling as he forced himself to look back at the bloody mess of a limb.
"You're a rubbish liar, Merlin." Elacard spoke with a weak laugh as the boy's face fell.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"It's alright." The man muttered, turning his head to the side and meeting the warlock's eye. "I knew it wasn't salvageable the moment I lost feeling."
"I'm sorry." Merlin said again, knowing there was nothing else he could do.
"At least it's out and I can move now." The man grunted, pushing himself back up to sitting as Merlin stretched a hand towards him.
"Maybe you should lie back, you've been really hurt."
"Why did you come in here, Merlin?" Elacard questioned, ignoring the boy's concern as the warlock frowned.
"They said someone needed help and I could fit through the opening."
"You were willing to put yourself in harm's way for someone else? Someone that you didn't know was alive or not?" Furrowing his brows as if confused, Elacard shook his head. "You cannot be that selfless."
"I don't really think it's selfless." Merlin objected, leaning closer to look over some of the man's injuries that had stained his clothes with blood. "I think anyone would want to help if they knew someone was in trouble and they were capable of being there."
"You don't even know me." Startled by the sudden admittance, Merlin glanced up and found Elacard staring at him with an open mouth. "Not really, not enough to sacrifice your life for."
"Well, I don't think I'm exactly sacrificing my life." Merlin chuckled awkwardly, peeling away pieces of the man's tunic and nodding in approval. "None of the cuts are very deep. Aside from your leg, you seem to be very lucky."
"Yes, lucky." Elacard mumbled, looking back to his mangled limb. "Tell me something, Merlin. Why do you work for Arthur?"
Blinking, Merlin sat back on his heels and found himself shrugging. "The King offered me the position, and I needed a job."
"But why do you stay? Why do you put up with everything he does?"
"Arthur's really not that bad." Merlin smirked, thinking back to when he'd tripped in the hall and Elacard had helped him up. "I know it seems that way when we argue, and he can be a pain at times, but he's the prince. Serving him is my—" Pausing before he used the word 'destiny' Merlin grinned sheepishly. "Let's just say that Arthur's lucky to have me. Without telling him I've said that of course."
While Merlin grimaced at his own flustered words, the knight only smiled. "You're really very different in this capacity."
"Different?" Merlin's brows drew together in confusion. As he opened his mouth to question the man further, a piece of the ceiling to his right fell, crashing to the ground as another shudder shook the tower and the sound of crashing echoed around them.
"I should see if they've gotten that hole bigger, we need to get you out of here." The warlock spoke, beginning to push himself up as Elacard's hand shot out and wrapped his fingers tightly around the boy's wrist.
"I'm sorry, Merlin. Truly I am. You have more honor than I, and far more kindness."
Staring down at the knight in confusion, the warlock began to wriggle his wrist out of the man's grasp. "I don't understand what you mean. You're a knight of Camelot, Elacard. You're one of the most honorable men in the kingdom."
"You really don't know me at all." The man smiled ruefully, letting go of the boy's hand and leaning back against the rubble.
"I'm going to see if that opening is cleared." Merlin said slowly, taking a couple of steps backward and stumbling over the rocks as the unease from earlier grew in his stomach.
Turning his back to the knight, Merlin made his way carefully through the ruined corridor, working to avoid a gaping hole in the ground that had grown bigger as a thunderous crash signaled the collapse of more of the tower. Pieces of stone began to fall from the ceiling, and the warlock ducked to the side as a massive stone pillar crumbled like a tower of blocks right where he'd been standing.
"Merlin!" Elacard's voice called out to him as Merlin coughed against the dust clouding the air, the boy stepping closer to where he'd left the man as concern rose within him.
"Elacard?" He called, choking on the particles as the ground shifted beneath his feet.
The entire tower was collapsing, and as the boy tried to make his way back to the now silent knight, he didn't see the ceiling caving in overhead until it was too late. As frightened blue eyes lifted up, a piece of stone struck him in the back of the head, causing the tower, the shaking, and the fear to melt away into darkness.
Merlin woke to a pounding in his head and something slick against the side of his face. The warlock was lying face down on a pile of stones and broken wood, and the smell of smoke was prominent around him.
"Are you awake?" A low and calm voice asked.
"I.. Elacard?" The boy asked weakly, pushing himself up with his hands as a wave of nausea coursed through him.
"Careful, you were hit pretty hard." The knight cautioned, and as Merlin's head turned, he found the man sitting on a broken pillar to his right.
"You moved." The boy acknowledged, feeling his head throb as he tried to breathe past the sickness threatening to rise up his throat.
"It was easier than I expected." The knight nodded, resting one hand on his injured limb's knee. "The leg is useless though. It's going to have to be gotten rid of." The statement was said in such a nonchalant manner that it caught Merlin off guard, the boy blinking up at the man who seemed far too calm. "That opening you were talking about?" Elacard started, gesturing with his hand. "It's closed off now. We're trapped in here."
Sitting up all the way, the room spun around the warlock as Merlin reached up and gently brushed a hand against the ache at the back of his head. As soon as his fingers made contact the pain he felt spiked and the boy groaned, yanking his hand away and finding his palm slick with blood.
"Like I said, you were hit fairly hard." The knight uttered, leaning forward with a grimace. "It wasn't my intent, I assure you. Us trapped, or you becoming injured I mean."
Drawing his brows together in confusion, Merlin felt a sluggishness in his mind as he barely shrugged. "I don't know that anyone would voluntarily get themselves trapped in a crumbling tower." He grunted, catching the sad smile that the other man displayed. Why was he looking at Merlin like that? Like the boy was missing out on some sort of joke.
"Any thoughts on how to get out?" The knight questioned, clasping his hands together in front of him as Merlin coughed, smoke and debris clouding the air and making it difficult for the boy to breathe.
"We can try digging out, moving the rocks and stone from this side." He offered hoarsely, wishing that he'd thought to grab his waterskin before he'd just followed Arthur blindly.
"Not enough time for that, or haven't you noticed the fire?" Elacard gestured back behind the warlock, and as Merlin turned his head he could see the faint glow flickering from where the knight had previously been trapped. "I didn't move for the fun of it." The knight chuckled, coughing himself as he returned his gaze to the warlock. "So, any other ideas?"
"Not as of yet." Merlin grumbled, the pain in his head beginning to grow unbearable as his vision swam. "You?"
"Oh, several." The man nodded, though he didn't elaborate any further, instead changing the subject. "You know, I never expected this to happen."
"What, us getting trapped here?" Merlin asked, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to his knees as his body trembled. He could barely think straight and could he hardly move, the air too thick with smoke and his body too weak to be of use.
"Well, that. Arthur was meant to be the one here though, not you. But I was speaking of the dragon. I knew Uther had him trapped, had him trapped for years in fact. But in all my plans, I never once considered what might happen if he were released."
Merlin stared at Elacard as the unease in his stomach transformed into full blown dread. He was still processing what the knight had said, but he knew something wasn't right. Something about Elacard wasn't right.
"You knew of the dragon?" The boy asked warily, repositioning himself against the rubble as the danger of their atmosphere left his mind, replaced with the caution of a potentially new threat before him.
"Of course I did." The knight practically snorted, kicking his uninjured leg out in front of him. "Kilgharrah was the last remaining barrier. At least, he was until I met you."
"I don't understand." Merlin shook his head, beginning to push himself back slowly, trying to distance himself as much as he could from the other man.
"What I can't understand is how Arthur defeated him." The man continued as if the warlock had never even spoken. "You see, I know dragons rather well, I know how powerful they are, and I also know that Arthur didn't stand a chance against one."
"Well, he did." The boy declared, his voice coming out sharper than he'd intended as Elacard lifted a brow.
"Oh did he? The prince managed to kill a dragon all by himself?"
"He dealt a devastating blow, and the beast flew off, barely alive." Merlin spoke, repeating the same story he'd been telling for the last two days as the knight smirked.
"Don't try and fool me, Merlin. I know you were there; I know that alone Arthur could never have managed that. But with you by his side? Well, I suppose it's good he hasn't discovered yet what you are." The man's expression turned then, and Merlin felt his blood run cold.
"I don't know what you're talking about." The warlock spoke through gritted teeth as Elacard shook his head.
"I said don't try to fool me. I know all about your magic, Merlin. It's not as if you're careful, are you? Especially when your precious prince is in danger."
Remaining silent, Merlin's mind raced to catch up with everything he was hearing. He'd always thought of Elacard as a friend. Perhaps not a close one, but to have him act in such a manner?
"Take a breath, young warlock. I'm not going to expose you, if that's what you're afraid of." Elacard said with a slight shake of his head. "If you wish to keep your secret I have no qualms with that. For now, at least. However, I do wish for you to answer one question."
"What?" Merlin demanded, coughing again and feeling himself growing dizzy as flames began to lick around the corner towards them, pieces of fallen beams and broken wood quickly feeding the fire.
"Did you release the dragon?" Blinking, Merlin's shoulders tensed, and though he didn't answer the man's question, the knight let out a long groan. "Merlin! Oh, Merlin! You find a dragon in chains and you what, you choose to release him?" Elacard yelled, more exasperated than angry as he kicked his leg out again. "I knew you were young and therefore foolish, but that was just stupid. You do realize that all this carnage, all this death and misery, it's all on your hands?"
"Yes." The warlock ground out, his hands curling into fists as his heart raced in his chest. Something about the way the knight was speaking now was familiar. The way his voice rose in pitch and his expression remained cold and calculating. Merlin felt as if he'd seen it before, as if he'd heard it before.
"Well, at least you'll acknowledge your faults. Not that it matters, we haven't got much time left." As Elacard gestured easily to the side, the warlock's eyes followed the movement and found the flames growing, the smoke in the air creating an acidic taste in his mouth as his breaths rasped out.
"We need to find a way out." Merlin murmured, pushing himself back again until he felt the caved in opening behind him. Even as he said the words though, he knew he wouldn't get out of the tower alive, not alone. His mind was in a fog, his movements were slow, and he had to fight for his words to not come out slurred. "Help me dig." Merlin pled, the boy blinking quickly to try and rid his vision of the dark spots dancing before him.
"You know it's no good." Elacard spoke gently, as if calming a child. The man pushed himself up then, grimacing as weight fell on his injured leg. "But I can leave you with one final thing." As the man limped towards him Merlin tried to move away, but his body was heavy and refused to listen, leaving him at the knight's mercy.
Instead of attacking him as he reached for him however, Elacard merely settled a hand against the boy's chest as he had done a couple of weeks prior. "The old religion is a part of you now, Merlin. I can sense it. Can you?" As the boy caught his breath, Elacard smiled. "You'll see me again, given time. At least, you will if you survive." Backing away from the boy, the knight turned and began to walk towards the fire.
"Elacard!" Merlin yelled, sitting up only to fall against his hands, his vision dipping as his stomach lurched. "Please.. Elacard.." The boy whispered, lifting his chin to see the man standing frozen, his head turned to look over his shoulder as he stared at the warlock in a detached manner.
"Honestly Merlin, you'd think you'd know my name by now. I know you've read it; in that journal you stole?"
One breath, two, and a third passed before a single word left Merlin's lips. "Ralcade."
"The Court Sorcerer, finally returning home." The man smirked, the shadow of a reptilian smile finally sparking the memory in the boy's mind as the sorcerer turned and made a sweeping bow while the flames wrapped around him.
Darkness began overtaking the boy's vision, and as Merlin collapsed against the ground, rough stone cutting into his cheek, he saw a shimmer of gold before Elacard—Ralcade was gone. The fire crept along faster now, and a thunderous crash echoed in the distance, but none of that mattered as Merlin's eyes fell shut and the danger around him faded into nothingness.
A/N
Sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, but I really wanted to build the tension for this three parter. That being said, I meant to post a lot sooner, but my family was struck with tragedy, and I lost one of my older sisters near the beginning of the year. The last two weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions, and I've not had the energy to focus on much of anything. However, my writing has helped me immensely to get through this time, and I would love to hear from you guys if you liked this chapter, or if you saw the twist coming as I've been building this for a LONG time. Thank you for your patience as chapters come, and I hope you all have had a better start to your year than I have. I appreciate you all and thank you for reading 3
