Merlin chased after Tiffany through the forest. She couldn't evade him forever. He was quicker and his strides were a lot longer. Eventually, he manged to get only a few paces behind her when she unleashed a violent spell at him to which he quickly dived to his right behind a tree. He grimaced and sighed. Great more running! He peered around the side of the tree, only to see Tiffany on her knees. Did I overestimate her strength? Facing Morgana's relentless determination and power tended to do that.
He slowly stood up and walked over to Tiffany. She seemed completely exhausted and defeated. Her face was covered in a sheen of sweat. "Tiffany." The girl looked up, with her young brown eyes were filled with fear and anger, and a reverberated image of Freya entered his mind. Then again, every druid or sorcerer I come across reminds me of Freya. "It's over."
She stood shakily to her feet, "It's… it's not over!" she said raising her hand in opposition. Merlin sighed… why were they all like this? "Don't look at me like that! If you're going to hand me over to my death the least you can do is not pity me!" Merlin didn't actually know if he pitied her, or if it was just her resemblance to Freya that clouded his judgement.
"Tiffany I just want to help you." He spoke slowly. Tiffany laughed like a mad woman.
"Help? HELP?! You sure have a strange way of showing it! Is that what you told the boy in my army when you ran him through? Or when you killed the men who stood in your path to get to me?" Merlin didn't say anything in response, "That's not one of our swords in your hands. That's a sword of Camelot. A sword you brought with you." She was rambling in an disbelieving manner. One would think she was binding her time to strike at the right moment but the truth was… she just couldn't believe she had lost. But he couldn't deny, that there was slight tremor in his hand when she bought up the fact he had brought his sword with him. He wished to drop it, and he had done, before he tightened his grasp on it. He shouldn't let his hesitation overrule him.
"I defended myself just like your soldiers have done." She scoffed, "But that's not the point. I'm not going to hand you over to your death."
"Why?!" She cut across him, "You've killed men for less than what I have done. Why would you attempt to spare my life?!" Merlin couldn't help himself but smile.
"I don't know." And when he said those words, a look of shock emerged from her face. Despite the fact, she may have resembled Freya there was no real reason Merlin should spare her. But for some intangible reason that Merlin didn't know, he just felt like he should give her another chance, "I truly do not know. But maybe one day I could find an answer to that." She laughed in a disbelieving manner. They often did that. But Merlin didn't let that discourage him from trying to reach her from the pit of despair she found herself in.
"And where is it that I can go?" Merlin pondered for a moment, "I have no home. Uther Pendragon saw to that!"
"I have connections with the Druids. You can rest. Slow down. Think about what you want to do with your life. Because I am sure your family didn't want you to consume yourself with vengeance." Merlin spoke trying to keep his tone light, delicate and understanding. But even as that last sentence left his mouth, he immediately knew he said the wrong thing. He didn't mean to mock her but she took his words that way. Using her magic, she picked him up and slammed him against the tree.
"What would you know about what my family would want?!" Merlin tried to answer but he felt her magic close around his throat, "NOTHING! YOU KNOW NOTHING!"
Merlin felt his vision fade to black.
It took him a moment or two before, he forced his eyes open, and the light and his surroundings entered his mind quicky. He found himself kneeling on the floor and opposite him… he felt his blood rush to his head.
"Nimueh!" He growled at her as he dropped his sword.
"Hello Merlin." Her voice chaffed his head, "It has been a very long time. What have you been up to since you killed me?" He clenched his fists and took his first step to her, "You're still a servant... and oh magic is still punishable by death." She pursed her lips together, "So nothing I presume?"
Merlin felt a harsh chuckle erupt from him, "And who's fault is it that magic is banned on pain of death to begin with?" Nimueh's jaw tightened, "Not mine. I wasn't born. That fault lies squarely on your shoulders!"
She summoned a powerful fire ball which hovered in her hand, "I offered my help and you saw yourself so wise to deny it."
"And there is not a day that goes by where I regret my decision." She sent her powerful fire ball at him which he stopped with his hand, for the first time in his life he saw a flash of fear in Nimueh's eyes. Her death last time while painful, was a quick one. And now she thought she earned the right to torment him. "I've gotten stronger Nimueh. Back then you stood a chance because of my… inexperience. But now?" He sent it back with twice the power to which she could only parry, Nimueh tried to run away but Merlin was on to her in an instant. "I am going to kill you again."
Leon and Elyan were running as fast as they could. Arthur would kill them if he was to find out Merlin was killed by the sorceress. Hell, I'll kill myself if Merlin is dead. Leon thought.
But when they got there, all they could do was watch in shock and horror.
Merlin was savagely beating the sorceress. His fists brutally slamming into her face. It was Elyan who awoke up from their daze first. He walked over to try and pull Merlin away from the half-conscious sorceress. But as soon as he pulled at Merlin's shoulder, Merlin turned around and viciously punched Elyan in jaw whilst grabbing at his chainmail and slammed his knee against Elyan's forehead knocking him out. This finally spurred Leon to action. However, as soon as he was within distance, Merlin had somehow managed to get his hands on Elyan's sword and swung it around to point it at Leon.
"Are you going to stop me Lancelot?!" Leon was in shock once more.
"W-What?!" Merlin turned to face him. His blue eyes were so angry and full of hatred. What is going on?
"I SAID ARE YOU GOING TO STOP ME LANCELOT?!" Leon swallowed deeply, Merlin picked up girl from her collar of her shirt and held her up showing her to him, "YOU know what she did! She damned us! SHE damned ALL OF US! She is the reason why I have to do what I do! The REASON I have this stupid destiny!" He spat his words out like venom. The girl's face was caved in and covered in blood. She choked up some blood. Whatever she had done to inspire this immense hatred and delusion in the calm and gentle man must have been something.
"I... I am not-!" Merlin slammed the butt of the sword against her nose breaking it instantly.
"SHUT UP NIMUEH! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR APOLOGIES!" Did Merlin… Did Merlin think this was Nimueh?! The Nimueh which terrorised Camelot? Leon licked his dry lips and held his hands in a calming manner.
"Merlin." Merlin's head snapped up to face him, "That isn't Nimueh. Nimueh is gone." Merlin scoffed.
"Of course, she's gone Lancelot!" Leon felt his heart almost stop, "I killed her." That sentence sat heavily in the air between them. All Leon could hear was Merlin's intense ragged breathing, "But this… and you, Lancelot. This is all in my head! And I know how to stop this!" Leon saw Merlin raise Elyan's sword. Leon tried to move but… the sword was too quick and Tiffany's head went flying off. Leon stayed unmoving and just stared at Merlin. It was the first time he had ever seen Merlin kill without needing to. The first time Merlin had killed in cold blood. And all Leon could do was stare at him. He didn't stop staring at Merlin even when Merlin dropped the sword and fell to his knees and passed out.
