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Chapter Text

Mordred laughed as he watched Merlin cheat the king out of the last of the money he'd brought to the tavern. Merlin was using his magic to win and it seemed that Arthur was none the wiser.

"Are you trying to buy the kingdom from me, Merlin?" Arthur asked, drunkenly.

"I just might," Merlin replied with a cheeky grin.

"Are you using magic?" Arthur accused as he took a gulp of his ale.

"I would only ever use my magic to do my chores or save your royal arse," Merlin answered as he rolled the dice.

Arthur stared at the warlock with unfocused eyes. "You've been using your magic to finish your chores quicker, haven't you?"

"No," Merlin quickly denied. "But while we're on the topic, I think Mordred has been using it to beat you during training."

Arthur turned his head and looked at Mordred, who was currently trying to hide himself behind Gwaine. "Mordred, get over here now."

As Mordred walked over to Arthur, he looked at Merlin, who was trying to hide his drunken laughter, accusingly.

"You'll pay for this," Mordred warned, jokingly.

After receiving a drunken lecture from the king, Mordred left the tavern and headed back to his chambers. He was going to have to plot out his revenge for Merlin being a tattle-tale.

Little did he know that something was lurking under his bed waiting to attack.

While back at the tavern, Merlin continued to beat anyone who challenged him in a game of dice. Soon the fun ended when he realized that if he kept drinking the way Gwaine usually did, he wouldn't be able to do anything tomorrow. Also, he couldn't risk people realizing that he cheated the king and the knights out of their money. So he just paid his tab and left.

The Magical Advisor rubbed his forehead as he walked towards his chambers. He could already feel a hangover coming on. He cursed the second he stepped into that tavern. He was never going to drink again.

The warlock stumbled into his personal chambers, trying not to stumble over his pile of books and magical items, but ultimately failed. He managed to trip over something and knock a bunch of things over. After getting up, he managed to hobble over to his bed and flopped face down into his pillows.

Not even a minute had passed before he felt something slithering up his body. Before he had a chance to react, the thing latched itself to his face. In a fit of terror, Merlin jumped from his bed, knocking several things over in the process, as he attempted to pry the thing off him.

Hearing the commotion, a guard came bursting into the room, ready to help the resident warlock defend against whatever or whoever was attacking him. He spotted the young man on the floor writhing, trying to pull a black blob off his face. The guard weaved his way through the tossed room to help. Once at Merlin's side, he helped pry the creature off and threw it against the wall. He then stepped over to where the creature lay and stabbed it with his spear twice.

The guard went back over to the younger man and knelt down next to him. "Are you okay, Merlin?"

"Get... Gaius," the warlock managed to croak out before falling unconscious.

Mordred woke up on the floor of his chambers. For a moment, he was confused as to why, but then he remembered that an oversized leech had attacked him, and he killed it with his sword. And only after he had pried it off his face.

The Druid got up as he muttered a spell for the pitcher to pour some water into the goblet next to it, only to realize that it did not work. After several repeated tries, Mordred felt panic rise in his chest as he rushed out of his chambers and made his way to Merlin's chambers.

In a matter of moments, Mordred arrived at the warlock's chambers. Without even bothering to knock first, he threw the door open just as Gaius was getting ready to leave.

"What happened?" Mordred asked, looking past Gaius and seeing Merlin lying in bed under several blankets. From what he could make out in the poorly lit room, the older man looked pale, and his breathing seemed uneven.

"Merlin was attacked by a Gean Canach, a creature that sucks the magic out of anyone who has it. I don't think it had a chance to get to Merlin's, though," Gaius explained. "Right now, his body is in shock. I gave him something to help calm him down and rest. He should be fine in a few hours."

Mordred dropped to his knees as realization hit. The only two sorcerers in the castle were attacked by the same thing.

Gaius quickly grabbed the knight by his shoulders to keep him from collapsing entirely. "Mordred?" his voice laced with concern.

"I- I don't have any magic. I was attacked in my chambers by one of those things," Mordred replied slowly.

The old man helped Mordred stand up, leading him over to the table and sitting him down on the bench. "Tell me what happened."

Merlin woke up to find Mordred sitting at the table by the foot of his bed, just staring at him.

"Morning," Mordred said in a monotone voice.

"What happened?" Merlin asked as he sat up. "I could have sworn Gaius was just here."

"He left hours ago. Right now he's checking on Arthur," Mordred said as he stood up and walked over to Merlin to help him.

"What happened?" Merlin repeated as worry laced his voice.

"The king of Camelot got drunker than Gwaine last night," Mordred replied with a false smirk as he picked up the vial Gaius left. "Gaius wants you to drink this. It'll help you regain your strength."

"No, I mean, what happened to me?" Merlin clarified as he drank the vile-tasting potion and then looked at Mordred. "And why are you here?"

"I was attacked by the same thing you were attacked by. A Gean Canach," Mordred answered as he gently pushed Merlin back down onto the bed. "A creature that sucks the magic out of those who wield it."

Merlin's eyes widen in fear. He'd only read about them in his books. As far as he knew, they became extinct during the Great Purge. If he'd lost his magic, he was in big trouble.

"Gaius thinks it didn't have a chance to take yours like it did mine," Mordred reassured.

"You don't have your magic?" Merlin asked.

Mordred nodded sadly as he sat back down in the chair he had been occupying for the past couple of hours.

Merlin noticed the cup of water that had been placed on the table next to his bed. He reached for it and when he realized that it was out of reach he muttered a spell to make it move closer. When it didn't work, he kept repeating the spell until he was practically yelling it.

In defeat, he dropped his arm and looked over at Mordred, who couldn't help but stare.

"I don't have my magic," Merlin said hoarsely.

Chapter Text

A few hours later, when Gaius returned to check on his former ward, he found him and Mordred deep in conversation. It was as if they were planning something. Something was wrong for them to be speaking in hushed tones even though they were alone.

The physician made his way further into the chamber and looked at the two for a moment, before clearing his throat, making his presence known.

"What's going on?" Gaius asked.

"I've lost my magic," Merlin replied as sadness filled the words.

"Oh my dear boy," Gaius consoled. There wasn't much else he could say. There were no words of comfort or advice that could help his nephew

Before anyone could say anything, the warning bells rang through the air. Screams and cries for help filled the air. The smell of copper invaded everyone's nostrils as what could only be assumed to be wounded were brought to the castle.

Mordred stood up from his seat. "I have to go."

Merlin jumped from his bed and rapidly got dressed, magic or no magic he needed to find a way to help.

Merlin looked at wounded knights lying on the floors of the makeshift hospital. There was nothing he could do for the ones that were dying. He didn't have his magic. But according to Gaius he still had his physician training and could help those who were going to live.

Before he had a chance to help any of the wounded knights. Gwaine came in carrying a young woman in his arms.

"Merlin, I need your help over here," Gwaine said.

The former warlock picked up his medical bag as he made his way over to the knight.

Once the immediate crisis was over and all who could be treated were taken care of, Arthur called an emergency meeting.

"We have sufficient time to prepare our defences, Sire. We can make our stand here however great her army. The walls of Camelot will hold. The citadel will not fall," Leon explained once they figured out what Morgana was planning.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. We've already deserted Stowell. I won't forsake the people of this land while we take refuge here," Arthur stated.

"But we can protect them, Sire, in Camelot itself," Percival said.

"Some but not all. Countless men, women and children will be left behind. People who I've vowed to protect," Arthur pointed out.

"We cannot save everyone, Arthur. No matter how much we may wish it," Gwen said, sadly.

"There is a way, one way alone. We ensure that she never makes it this far," Arthur stated.

"We ride out and meet them," Percival guessed.

"Man to man," Arthur confirmed.

"But, Sire, Morgana commands an army of thousands," Leon pointed out.

"Nonetheless. It's our duty as protectors of this land. We cannot stand by, and let our citizens be slaughtered. Those are not the values that Camelot was built on. Whatever the outcome of this battle, my sister cannot and will not desecrate those values. A war has begun," Arthur stated.

Everyone seemed to take a moment of silence to let the information sink in.

"To reach Camelot," Arthur continued, pulling out a map. "Morgana will have no choice but to cross the White Mountains. Now, the pass that gives passage to an army that size, is here."

As the king pointed to a rocky plain on the map, Percival spoke up. "I know it well. The path leads a valley by cliffs on the other side."

"That's where we meet them. Now we may be outnumbered, but don't let them outflank us. Then we can hold the pass," Arthur urged.

"How long?" Leon asked. "Morgana has no care for the likes of men."

"She can't supply an army of that size indefinitely," Arthur said. "If we can hold out long enough she'll be forced to retreat. Percival, at what point is the pass at its narrowest?"

"Here, sire," Percival answered as he pointed to a spot on the map.

"What do they call this place?" Arthur questioned.

"Camlann, sire," Percival replied.

Arthur looked at Merlin, who was standing behind him, quiet throughout the whole meeting. "It's happening isn't it?"

"I'm afraid it is, Arthur," Merlin confirmed.

"What's happening?" Gwaine asked.

"The prophecy," Merlin answered.

"What does it say?" Leon questioned looking at both the king and Magical Advisor.

The two men, who knew of the prophecy hesitated. None of them wished to voice the dreaded words. Saying it would make it more real. But time was up. They'd held off for as long as they could. Now the time for Fate and Destiny had arrived. These next days would either bring them one step closer to Albion or tear it apart.

"It was written hundreds of years ago by Catha priests," Arthur began. "They wrote it under a fate that had been set in stone, but when I repealed the ban on magic, I supposedly unwove that fate and created a new one. We're still not sure if it will all still happen or not."

"What does it say?" Leon repeated.

"'Let loose the hounds of war. Let the dreadfire of the last priestess rain down from angry skies. For brother will slaughter brother. For friend will murder a friend. As the great horn sounds a cold dawn at Camlann. The prophets do not lie. There Arthur will meet a fate, upon that mighty plain'," Merlin recited.

"Then we make our stand here," Gwaine said. "We can send those that we cannot protect to Nemeth."

"We can't stop the future," Mordred piped up. "Merlin and Arthur received the prophecy because the time was nearing for it to become true."

"But like Arthur said, he unwove that fate and created a new one," Leon pointed out.

"There's more than one future. If Arthur had kept the ban on magic, Mordred would still be destined to kill him. Now his destiny is to protect the Once and Future King and Emrys," Merlin explained. "But a lot of futures end up in the same place. It doesn't matter how you got there. The only thing that matters is that you got there. It would seem that after all we did to change fate, we wound up having to deal with the same future that's been set in stone."

"So we don't have a choice, do we?" Arthur asked.

"I'm sorry Arthur, but we don't," Merlin said. "The prophecy is coming true. We must go to Camlann."

Merlin was clearing away the king's breakfast plates when he decided it was time to tell him. "Mordred and I will not be able to go into battle with you. There is something we must do that takes precedence."

Arthur turned and stared at Merlin in complete shock. "I need you two to come. It's a war against Morgana. You two are the most powerful sorcerers we have. What could be more important."

"We can't come," Merlin stated matter-of-factly, as he worked up the nerve to tell his king what had happened.

"Why not?" Arthur demanded.

"We were both attacked by Gean Cancahs two nights ago after we got back from the tavern," Merlin explained.

"What the hell is that?" Arthur asked, not really sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"A creature that sucks the magic out of those who wield it," Merlin answered. "Neither of us our power anymore."

Arthur's face softened when he realized that Merlin didn't have his magic anymore. "What are you going to do?"

"The Crystal Cave is the birthplace of magic. I'm hoping that if we go there our magic will be restored," Merlin said. "We need your permission though."

"You have my permission. I'll have a servant ready your horses. You'll leave as soon as possible," Arthur said. "If all goes well, we will meet on the field of battle."

A few hours later Merlin and Mordred were ready to depart on their mission to get their magic back. Mordred looked over at Merlin who was fiddling with something on his saddle. He stepped over to get a closer look to see what it was.

"Why are you bringing your cane?" the Druid asked. "You don't need it anymore. Do you?"

Merlin looked over at the younger man and flashed him a small smirk. "No, I don't need it, but it contains magical properties. Might be useful in the long run."

Just the two were climbing onto their respective horses, Gwaine came running out of the castle signalling for them to hold on.

"You can't come with," Mordred said looking at Gwaine.

"I know. I just came to wish both of you luck. Camelot wouldn't be the same if you two didn't have your magic," Gwaine said as he reached the bottom of the steps. "Besides who's going to keep Eira company if I went with you?"

Merlin couldn't help but laugh a little. It was good to have someone ease the tension that surrounded them. Gwaine always had a knack for being that someone "At least she's not the barmaid you've been wanting to a one-night stand with. I hope you two are happy together."

Hours later as the sun was beginning to set, the two powerless sorcerers had arrived at the Crystal Caves. They dismounted their horses and tied the reins to a nearby tree, they shared worried glances at the cave before them.

"Let's hope this works," Merlin said as pulled his sword and cane out of the horse's saddle.

"No argument," Mordred said as he drew his own sword.

This was their only chance to be restored. If it didn't work... No it had to work. Not just for themselves, but the whole of Camelot. For the future of Albion.

Chapter Text

For what felt like hours, they wandered the caves looking for the main cavern that held the most powerful magic known to man. Eventually, they found themselves at a dead-end, when they turned to go the other way, Morgana was there to greet them.

"I don't know why you bother," Morgana taunted as she moved around them. "You'll never have magic again."

"You're wrong Morgana. I am Emrys, the Greatest Sorcerer to Ever Walk the Earth. If you think you can take my power away, you are wrong," Merlin said loudly, holding his cane up, praying that it would prove useful in keeping them safe.

"You're not going to get away with this," Merlin stated. "I will find a way to stop you. And then I will save you."

"Save me?" Morgana laughed, still not showing herself. "I don't need saving."

"But you do, Morgana," Merlin pleaded. "Morgause poisoned your mind with lies and half-truths. Yes what Uther did as king was a horrible atrocity, but you shouldn't make Arthur or Camelot suffer for his crimes against our kind. Yet Arthur has proven time and time again that he is not Uther. He freed magic and gave us a safe haven. He's treated our kind with respect and understanding. Please just let me help you."

Morgana materialized in front of the only entrance to the small cavern they were in. For a brief moment, Merlin thought he'd finally gotten through to her. But his hope was short-lived when she screamed. "Help me!? You want to help me!? You betrayed your own kind for someone who despises us. You could have helped me all those years ago, but instead, you sent me to the Druids. All of this is your fault and I will make sure you suffer for it."

Merlin stared at her as his heart shattered for he had truly lost someone he once considered a friend. "I am so sorry Morgana. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time. I see now that I was wrong. If I could go back and change it, I would. But it's too late for that. Destiny must play out as it was always meant to happen."

"Destiny?" Morgana asked. "Destiny is me sitting on the throne of Camelot. Not Arthur. Not Guinevere. No one but me." She looked over at Mordred and smiled. "Come. You can be by my side as I teach you how to harness your powers."

Mordred backed away from her, pointing his sword. "I will not go with you. I was born to protect the Once and Future King and Emrys. And you have failed before you've even begun."

"How dare you speak to me that way? I am a High Priestess. You don't tell me that I will lose," Morgana exclaimed as her eyes glowed gold, throwing Mordred against a cavern wall.

Merlin reacted to her attack by charging and stabbing her with his sword. As he pulled the sword out, Morgana only laughed as she remained standing. "Your mortal weapon can not kill me," Morgana taunted as she backed away.

Merlin quickly figured out what she was planning and backed up in the direction of Mordred. He watched in horror as Morgana caused a rockslide, blocking their only exit.

"NOOOO!" Merlin screamed, as the air filled with dust and several stray rocks.

When the dust cleared away, Merlin began clawing at the rocks trying to move them. He didn't care about the injuries he had received from the rocks that hit him. He had to get himself and Mordred out of there. They had to find the main source of magic.

After trying for what seemed like forever, Merlin gave up and leaned heavily against the rocks. He looked over at Mordred, who was beginning to wake up.

"I'm sorry," Merlin said with ragged breaths. He had failed. He had failed Arthur. He had failed Mordred. He had failed Kilgharrah. He had failed Camelot. He had failed his destiny. He had failed himself. He closed his eyes and allowed darkness to claim him.

When Mordred finally became aware of his surroundings, he looked over at Merlin, who was on his knees slumped against the fallen rocks.

He heard the older man mutter something, but couldn't make out what he was saying. He watched as Merlin closed his eyes and didn't open them again.

Mordred got up and walked over to Merlin. He knelt down next to him and felt for a pulse. Merlin still had one, but it was weak and fading.

The knight then began looking for any serious wounds but found none. All Merlin had were various scrapes and bruising, but nothing life-threatening. He started wondering why Merlin had lost consciousness, to begin with.

As he thought about it, he pulled the older man away from the rocks and laid him flat on his back. He began to clean Merlin's bloodied hands with the water from his waterskin and bandaged them with fabric he tore off from his tunic. Then he got up and searched the cavern for something to make a fire with.

After what seemed like hours, Merlin began to wake. His first thought was, Why aren't I dead?

As he became more aware, he felt the warmth of a fire. He opened his eyes and looked over at the fire. Mordred was sitting on the other side of it, staring at him with concern.

"Nice of you to finally wake up," Mordred said, his voice filled with worry and sorrow.

"I failed," Merlin said, making no attempt to move. What was the point? His life was over. He'd always wondered if he was immortal. Now he didn't have to wonder anymore.

"Where does it say in the prophecy that the Great Emrys gives up?" Mordred asked.

"Prophecy be damned. We'll never get our magic back. We'll never be able to save Arthur. Camelot will fall and Albion will never rise," Merlin replied. "I give up, so let me die in peace."

"You're not going to die," Mordred stated shaking his head.

"I already am. I have been since that thing attacked me," Merlin pointed out. "Without my magic, I'm nothing. I can't live a life without my magic. Magic is the only reason I exist in the first place. You might be able to live without it, but I can't."

Mordred looked at the man, who had become one of his closest friends in the past months, sadly. "There has to be a way to save you."

"There is, but it's a hopeless cause," Merlin said.

Mordred shook his head again. "No. There's always hope. Just tell me what needs to be done."

Merlin made an effort to push himself up and let all his weight fall onto his elbows. "We have to get to the main power source. There is the main cavern. It is in the centre of this cave. That is where all the magic comes from. But Morgana has blocked our only way to get th..."

Merlin stopped what he was saying and stared straight forward. He saw a bright light in the distance. An exit.

"What is it?" Mordred asked as he looked in the same direction as Merlin.

Merlin looked at the younger man and smiled. "Hope."

With much help from Mordred, Merlin was on his feet and they were heading toward the light.

As they got closer, Merlin grew weaker. He'd tried using his old cane, but he was too weak to even hold it properly. He was now leaning heavily on Mordred, who was trying his best to keep them from falling.

"You alright?" Mordred asked as they became mere feet away from the exit.

Merlin didn't respond. He just closed his eyes. Despite his newly restored hope, he was still dying. It didn't matter that they were most likely getting closer to the main cavern. He had to be in there in order to be healed. He felt himself drifting into unconsciousness. He was determined to stay awake, for Mordred's sake, but it became difficult to fight.

When Mordred realized that Merlin had lost consciousness again, he lifted the man over his shoulders and carried him the rest of the way. As he walked through the exit they had found, he realized that they were in the centre of the Crystal Cave. The very centre of magic itself.

Mordred walked deeper into the cavern and laid Merlin down on his back. He could just feel his power returning to him. He hoped that Merlin awoke with his power fully restored.

Meanwhile, at Camlann, Arthur was going over battle strategies when Gwen walked in.

"You look tired," the queen said as she began to rub his shoulders.

"I'm worried about Merlin and Mordred," Arthur admitted. He had no way of knowing they succeeded in their mission. He could only hope they did and showed up before the battle. The battle they've spent their lives marching toward. The battle that would determine the Fate of the land.

"What happened?" Gwen asked. She knew that they had not come, but no one had told her why.

"Their magic was stolen from them and they went to get it back. I think Morgana is behind it. She knows that if we don't have the two most powerful sorcerers with us, then we're doomed," Arthur explained.

"How are they going to get it back?" Gwen questioned.

"The Crystal Cave," Arthur answered. "They're hoping that since magic was born there, then it can be restored there as well."

"Merlin," A voice echoed through the cavern.

The warlock opened his and saw that Mordred was gone and in his place was. "Father?"

"My son," Balinor answered.

Merlin sat up and stared at his father. "Are you here? Are you real?"

"Dead or alive? Real or imagined? Past or present? These things are of no consequence," Balinor spoke. "All that matters is that you heed the words of your father who loves you. Do not let go, Merlin, do not give in."

"I have no reason to go on. The battle is already over. Morgana has won," Merlin stated as if it were fact. Everything decision he made for the past ten years was all for nought. He had failed in his mission. Now it was time to accept his punishment.

Balinor sat down next to his son. "Only if you accept defeat. But if you fight, if you let hope into your heart, Morgana cannot be victorious."

"What hope is there without my magic?" Merlin asked.

"Merlin, you are more than a son of your father. You are a son of the earth, the sea, the sky, magic is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that magic," Balinor explained. "You are magic itself. You cannot lose what you are."

"But how do I find myself...again?" Merlin wondered. He had no clue what to do or say to regain what he needed.

"Believe, Merlin," Balinor soothed. "Believe what your heart knows to be true. That you have always been, and always will be."

"Always will be," Merlin repeated drowsily as he laid back down.

He believed. He believed in his father's words. He believed in Gaius' vast knowledge that helped guide him. He believed in Gwen to be the voice of reason. He believed in Gwaine to be there offering support in the form of jokes and pranks. He believed in Leon to fight for those he cared about. He believed in Percival to take down his enemies barehanded if need be. He believed in Mordred to have his back when he had a stupid plan involving magic. He believed in Arthur to bring peace to Albion. Most important he believed in himself and his magic. Fate and Destiny be damned as long as he believed.

"Rest now. Rest my son," Balinor said softly. "And soon you shall awaken into the light."

Merlin didn't need to be told twice. He drifted off back to sleep knowing that when he awoke he would be whole again.

Chapter Text

Mordred watched as Merlin slowly woke up. Once the older man's eyes were fully opened, he just turned his head and looked past Mordred. The Druid turned to see what he was looking at but saw nothing.

He looked back at Merlin, who stared straight at him for a second, before falling back into unconsciousness.

The knight watched as the wounds, Merlin had received from trying to move the rocks, slowly began to fade.

Sometime later, Merlin woke up again, fully healed. The warlock sat up and rubbed his forehead as he looked around. They were in the centre of the Crystal Cave. He then looked at Mordred, hopefully to confirm his thoughts.

The Druid only nodded, affirming that his power had been restored to what it once was.

To make sure, Merlin repositioned how he was sitting so that he was on his knees, cupped his hands to his mouth, and muttered a spell. He slowly opened his hands to release a small blue butterfly.

He grinned with joy as he stood up. He quickly turned serious and focused on the crystals, trying to figure out what Morgana was planning. He watched as an army marched toward where Arthur had set up camp. It was a trap. He had to warn Arthur. He quickly located the king to warn him of what was to come.

"Arthur. Arthur," Merlin called out, using the crystal to enhance the strength of his message. "I'm sorry I had to leave you. I didn't want to. But Mordred and I will be with you soon. Your plan is a good one, and you may yet save this kingdom, but you must beware. Your army's flank is vulnerable. There's an old path over the ridge of Camlann, and Morgana knows of it. She means to trap you, Arthur. Find the path, or the battle will be over before it's begun. Find the path! We will be there as soon as we can."

"Do you think he heard you?" Mordred asked.

"We need to get to Arthur," Merlin stated, avoiding the question.

He and Mordred quickly made their way out of the Crystal Cave. Once the two newly reformed sorcerers were outside, Merlin called for Kilgharrah.

"You're a Dragonlord?" Mordred asked, surprised.

"Did I forget to mention that?" Merlin asked in return, flashing his signature smirk.

Mordred nodded, still a bit shocked. "Yeah, I think you did."

Just then, a roar came from the sky. The two looked up and saw the Great Dragon heading for them. As the dragon landed, he bowed his head in respect for the last Dragonlord.

"Arthur's life is in danger, and the future of Albion is at stake. I need you to take us to Camlann," Merlin ordered.

"How many times must I tell you? I am not a horse," Kilgharrah stated.

"If you do not take us, we will not get to Arthur in time. Morgana will kill him," Merlin argued.

"I will not take to the Druid boy," Kilgharrah said firmly, sneering at Mordred. If looks could kill, the boy would be dead where he stood.

"Why not?" Mordred asked, feeling slightly offended and terrified of what this dragon might do.

"Arthur is destined to die at your hand," the ancient dragon answered as if it were obvious.

"I was born to protect the Once and Future King and Emrys. I have no intention of killing or harming Arthur," Mordred declared. "I will lay my life down for them and for Albion."

"There are many different futures, Kilgharrah," Merlin pointed out. "Mordred killing Arthur was one of them, but not this one. Fate was changed when Arthur repealed the ban on magic. I need his help to save him."

The dragon sighed as he lowered his head. "Very well."

Arthur and many other knights slashed and stabbed the enemy. They knew that they were losing, but continued to fight on. A knight of Camelot never gave up.

Just as another wave of Saxon soldiers came at them, there was a roar in the sky. The battle ceased as everyone looked up. There was a dragon in the sky, and it was heading for them.

"On me," Arthur yelled, recognising the dragon, but not wanting to take any chances.

All the knights that were still able to stand, ran toward Arthur and got into formation.

The king looked up at the dragon and could have sworn he saw two familiar faces riding it. He watched as the mighty creature set a group of enemy soldiers on fire before landing in front of Arthur and the knights. This caused every other enemy still standing to run.

"What the hell?" Arthur shouted, looking at the dragon.

"We meet again, Arthur Pendragon," the dragon said as it lowered its head.

Two men then proceeded to jump off of the dragon's neck.

The young king looked at the two men in complete surprise. "Merlin! Mordred!"

"Arthur," the two sorcerers said in unison.

"Took you long enough," Arthur ordered, his tone laced with mock anger.

Merlin ignored the king as he looked up at Kilgharrah, bowing in respect. "Thank you for getting us here."

"I am glad to be of service, young warlock. My presence has only delayed what is to come. Morgana will attack again soon, so be prepared. You must protect Arthur at all costs," Kilgharrah warned as he bowed his head at Merlin.

"That's what I've been doing for the past ten years and will continue to do so as long as there is breath in my body," Merlin promised.

"Farewell, Dragonlord," the ancient dragon said before he took off into the night sky.

Everyone watched as the dragon disappeared into the night sky. When he was out of sight, Merlin turned to Arthur. "Get everyone remaining out of here. We need to regroup before Morgana attacks again."

"You don't order me around. I'm the king," Arthur stated.

"Arthur, I am being dead serious when I say that you need to get everyone out of here, now," Merlin declared as he looked Arthur in the eyes and gave him a look that meant he wasn't screwing around.

Arthur turned and faced his knights. "You heard him. Everyone back to camp now!"

As the knights and soldiers retreated back to camp, Arthur looked at Merlin and Mordred. "Were you successful?"

"If you mean almost dying, then only to be brought back by having my magic restored, yes," Merlin said with a half smile before taking off in the direction of the camp. He knew Arthur would want details, but right now they had other concerns that took priority

The king then looked over at Mordred, waiting for his answer.

"I didn't go through what he went through, but my magic was restored as well Sire," Mordred answered.

Arthur, Merlin, Mordred, and Leon gathered in the king's tent and went over Merlin's battle plan.

"Thanks to Kilgharrah, we were able to scope out the field from above," Merlin started. "I saw the perfect place where Mordred and I can make our stand without being seen by the enemy," the warlock said, pointing to a small, rocky hill on the map. "When the battle becomes too much or if you begin to suspect anything wrong, give the signal."

"What's the signal?" Arthur asked.

Merlin glanced over at Mordred. "Care to tell him?"

"You will be wearing an enchanted necklace. As soon as you rip it off, it will emit a signal, that only Merlin and I can hear," Mordred explained as he pulled a necklace out of his pocket and handed it to the king. "It belonged to my father. He gave it to me just before he got caught by Uther's men."

"What will you do?" Leon asked.

"What we do best," Merlin said. "Use magic. There are several powerful spells that we can use to even the battlefield. Maybe even win it."

Arthur looked at the map of the battlefield. It was a large area, and Morgana's men still outnumbered his knights. "Are you sure you'll be able to cover this wide of an area?"

"I believe we can," Mordred answered.

Leon raised an eyebrow at the young Druid. "No offence Mordred, but you're still just a ward. I know you are powerful, but not as powerful as Merlin."

Mordred rolled up his sleeve to reveal a bracelet inscribed with the old religion. "This will help enhance my powers and provide a focus point for any spells I use."

Merlin lifted his diamond cane. "This will also be helpful. It can give both of us a pretty decent boost. It might not cover the entire field, but enough to make a difference."

Leon nodded. "Okay then. Let's talk strategy."

For the next hour, the four men continued to go over Merlin's battle strategy. They were soon interrupted when Gaius walked in.

"What is it, Gaius?" Arthur asked, looking at the physician.

"Sir Percival and Sir Gwaine are back, Sire," Gaius replied.

"Are they okay?" Merlin asked.

Gaius looked at his ward and shook his head. "Gwaine's shoulder was pierced with a bolt and Percival was stabbed with a sword. Both weapons were laced with Serket poison."

Before anyone could say anything else, Merlin and Mordred rushed out of the king's tent and headed toward the hospital tent. When they arrived, Merlin walked over to Gwaine, while Mordred went over to Percival.

"Can you save them?" Mordred asked.

"I have to try. Too many lives have already been lost tonight, and we're about to lose more. We can't afford the loss of Gwaine and Percival," Merlin explained as he placed his hands over Gwaine's wounded shoulder.

Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle, Merlin recited with all the power he could muster. Merlin moved his hands away from Gwaine's shoulder and watched as the wound began to close, and colour returned to the man's face.

"He should sleep for a bit," Merlin confirmed as he made his way over to Percival.

Merlin then repeated the spell with the same amount of force and watched as his body healed in response to the magic. "He'll sleep as well," Merlin said, just as Arthur, Leon, and Gaius walked into the tent. "Neither are going back out to fight. When this is over, they need to be taken back to Camelot for rest and recovery. It'll be another two days before the poison is completely out of their system."

Arthur looked at the two unconscious knights and then at Merlin. "Glad to know you've been practising."

Merlin offered him a small smile. "Not really. It's like my magic knows what needs to be done and does it. I don't have to put so much focus into it."

Everyone just stared at him. He looked like Merlin and talked like Merlin, but it wasn't Merlin. It was like he was channelling his Druid persona, Emrys. But Emrys was just another name to call him by, right? Not a different person living within him?

Chapter Text

Merlin and Mordred listened as the battle raged below them. They were as ready as they would ever be, but Mordred had a feeling that something bad was going happen. He couldn't explain the feeling, but deep down, his soul was screaming at him that this was all wrong and that he shouldn't be here.

"Don't freak out on me now, Mordred. We've been through too much to give up on Arthur," Merlin stated, feeling Mordred's uneasiness. He could visibly see the kid freaking out. As was his right too. He was just a kid being thrust into probably one of the bloodiest wars of their time. He had minimal training in both magic and sword fighting. The warlock was mad at himself for putting the younger man through this, but it had to be done. Mordred still might be training but he had great power. Power most Druids didn't possess.

"Can't you sense it?" Mordred asked. "Something's not right."

"I sense a lot of fear, uneasiness, and death," Merlin replied. "That's what you're feeling as well. You just have to tune it out. As time goes on, you'll get used to it and be able to turn that feeling into a great weapon. Don't worry about it right now, though. Once we wipe out the enemy and cleanse Morgana, the feeling will pass."

"How can you be so calm?" Mordred wondered. Ever since Merlin had woken up in the caves, something about him had changed.

"Years of fighting alongside Arthur," Merlin answered. He hoped Mordred would hold off pushing him for more answers. They both needed to focus.

"No, it's more than that," Mordred pushed, shaking his head. "You're not Merlin anymore. You're Emrys."

"I'm both," Merlin sighed. "Something happened in the Crystal Cave. I can't explain it, but when I woke up, I wasn't just me anymore. I was Merlin and Emrys. I feel stronger and more confident. I don't feel the need to second-guess myself. I can see many different paths to the future and what they'll lead us to. I can see what would have happened if Uther hadn't tried to kill me. I know for a fact that we're on the right path to reach Albion."

Down below, Arthur and the knights were slashing and stabbing anyone who wasn't wearing red. Wave after wave kept coming at them. Each wave of Saxons got bigger and harder to kill. His men and their resources were becoming depleted. This had to end. The king ripped off the enchanted necklace and threw it on the ground. No more than a moment later, did he see Merlin and Mordred standing on the hill, both shouting out spells and blasting the enemy. The king continued to slash and stab the Saxons who had not been killed by the two sorcerers.

In a matter of minutes, the surviving enemy soldiers retreated to go and lick their wounds. Morgana no longer had enough soldiers to fight this war. The war was won. Those who were still standing began celebrating, hugging, laughing, and rejoicing. Some just sat down, too exhausted to move another inch.

Arthur weaved his way through his men to meet up with Merlin and Mordred, who were steadily making their way down from their vantage point. Together, the three of them would head back to the camp and drown out the witnessed horrors with a tankard of Camelot's finest mead. Or so Arthur was hoping.

Merlin and Mordred's victory would be short-lived. The war might have been won, but there was still work to do. If they had any chance at success, they had to get a move on. But first, Merlin had to make sure Arthur made it back to Gwen.

"I have never been more happy to see your faces," Arthur said once he got within shouting distance of his two friends.

"The same could be said about you," Merlin replied. "Now let's get you back to Gwen, who is waiting for you with Gaius."

While everyone else headed back to Camelot to celebrate their victory, Merlin and Mordred set out to find Morgana.

"If we go through the night, we should reach Ealdor by dawn. There we can rest and gather a week's supply of everything we'll need," Merlin said as he drew a map in the dirt with a stick next to the blazing fire. "Also I can see my mother."

"How long has it been since you saw her?" Mordred asked.

"A few years," Merlin replied. "With Arthur being king, I never really had the time off to go see her. We kept in touch though. I would send her letters and some extra money."

"You miss her, don't you?" Mordred guessed.

"Yeah I do," Merlin stated. "Now after Ealdor, We'll head for Mercia..."

As planned, the two men travelled through the night and made it to Ealdor as dawn approached. As they got closer to the village, Merlin could already hear his mother's voice and feel her gentle touch.

When they walked into the village, several people, who were already outside working, stopped what they doing and looked at them with, hateful looks.

"Why are they looking at us like that?" Mordred asked.

"We have magic," Merlin summed up as he looked around to see if his mother was already outside. As he looked he continued to speak. "Magic is still outlawed here. Remember this is Lot's kingdom. After Cenred died, he reinforced the ban on magic. Many have suffered. We can't stay long here."

After a good minute of looking around, he spotted her coming down the road carrying a basket full of what appeared to be half of the village's laundry. The warlock left Mordred's side and went to assist her.

"Here let me get that, Mother," Merlin said taking the heavy basket away from her.

Hunith just stared at him as she allowed her hands to fall away from the basket. "Merlin."

Merlin set the basket down next to him and embraced his mother with a hug.