Chapter Text
When the light finally disapeared they expected to found themself in another universe’s crystal cave but when they looked around even though they were at the same point of the woods, there was no cave. There was just ruins of it.
Someone had destroyed the Crystal Cave.
Merlin heard Mordred gasp. “Who would do such a monsterous thing?” He asked. “It is like killing magic itself.”
“I can think of one person.” Gwaine said. Merlin knew he was talking about Uther and Merlin found himself agreeing with him. Who else would do such a thing?
“Gwaine.” Leon warned. “You are talking about the former king.”
“I didnt specified who i was talking about.” Gwaine defended himself.
“It was kinda obvious.” Elyan said.
“There is only one way to find out, right?” Percival spoke. “We need to go to Camelot.”
“Yes, Percival is right.” Arthur agreed. “Come on! We are leaving!”
He approached to Arthur after a while. “Are you alright?” He asked.
“Why wouldnt i be?” Arthur asked.
“If Gwaine is right. Your father could be still alive.”
Arthur clenched his jaw. “I got over it when i blew that horn.”
“It was your father, Arthur.” Merlin said, softly. “It is normal if you are nervous.”
“I’m not nervous.” Arthur clearly lied.
“Well, if you say so.” Merlin didnt want to press on him, now. Even though Arthur and him wasnt in a quite fight, he hadnt forgiven Merlin for all his lies, Merlin could see it.
They didnt talk for the rest of the walk.
When they arrived to Camelot they found people gathered front of a pyre. Actually two pyre that was built next to each other. Arthur never burned people so his father must be still alive. He felt his hands nearly shake. Why did he feel that way? Why was he so afraid to see his dead father again?
Well, last time he saw him he had tried to Merlin. Then he remembered his last words.
‘Merlin has-‘
That was what made his father furious then. He had found about Merlin’s magic! And he was trying to tell him in his final moments. His goal wasnt to make sure Arthur was ok, he was sure. He probably wanted to tear their friendship apart. He wonder what was his father thinking now. Watching him.
Did he hate him? No, he wouldnt. Right? He was his son, after all.
They quietly approach to the pyre to see more clearly but they all froze in half way when they saw who was standing in the balcony. No, it wasnt Uther.
The one standing there was no one but himself.
Arthur felt sick as a woman and a man was brought and tried to the pyre and the other Arthur spoke at the same time. “These man and woman you see here, is a traitor to Camelot. They all guilty of cooperation with sorcerers and rebels, specificly with the Order of Emrys, who thinks they can win against us! So i hope this will he a lesson to you all. There is no place for magic in my kingdom!”
He raised his hand like his father always done and gave the sign without hesitasion. Or without a sign of regret.
Screams filled the streets. Arthur wanted to vomit when he saw the face of his otherself. God, who had he turned in this universe?
“Well,” Gwaine laughed awkardly. “I didnt see that coming.”
“What happened here?” He turned to his wife that talked. She looked horrifed. Arthur heard the real question she meant to ask. What happened to my husband.
“Come on.” Leon said. “I dont think we should enter the castle or let anyone see us. We dont know this Arthur. We dont know if he would believe us or execute us the moment he saw us.”
“You are right.” Arthur answered. “We need to get out of here before anyone sees us.”
“Where will be go but?” Elyan asked.
“We can go to the druids.” Merlin offered.
“Will they even take us in?” Leon asked, glaring at Arthur
“Druids know me.” Merlin said, he sounded awkard. “Before even meeting me. They sense me somehow. Um..I’m important to them.”
“Important how?” Arthur asked. He couldnt believe they were still things his friend didnt tell him about.
“I promise i will tell all of it but later, for now just know they will welcome us.”
“How will we find them?” Leon asked. “We tried for days to find the camps before.”
“Well, you didnt have me as a guide before.” Merlin replied.
“Are the druid’s camps give you a sign or what?” Arthur asked him.
“No, “ Merlin said awkardly. “I can hear them… in my mind.”
Arthur raised his eyebrows. “You can hear them? In your mind?” He asked in disbelief.
“Yes, the druids normally talk from their minds than talking.”
“They talk from their minds?” Gwen asked, sounding suprised.
“How come we never knew that?” Leon asked.
“I fear they didnt think to tell you while they were slain by… you.” Merlin answered, he didnt mean to accuse anyone or be unkind. But it was the truth.
“Right.” Leon said, looking guilty.
“So can you hear them now?” Gwaine asked.
“I need silence, guys. I cant hear my own thought while you are talking.”
“Sorry.” Gwaine said, apologiticly and shut himself up.
And Merlin finally focused on the voices he wanted to hear. He immadetly found the voices, they werent far then, it was good.
They were actually very close- No, they were here. Right now.
He quickly turned to Arthur who suddenly made a gasp sound.
“Arthur?” Gwen said, worried. “What’s wrong.”
Arthur was pointing to his throat as he continue to gasp. He couldnt breathe! He fell to his knees when it could no longer support him.
“What is happening?” Gwen cried.
Merlin quickly turned to the woods darkness that seemed like it is going to the end of the world. “Realise him!” Merlin commanded. Arthur continued to choke. “I know you are here. Do as i say!” The woods gone silent to his loud command this time.
Arthur, thank the goddess had stopped choking and he seemed he could breathe normal again once more. He realised a breathe of relief.
“Are you alright?” He asked to his king.
Arthur just nodded, still trying to catch his breath.
Merlin turned to the hidden druids once more in rage. “Show yourself!”
And they listened to him. They slowly came out from behind the trees.
“No it cant be.” One of them whispered. Merlin turned to the voice. The voice, it was… so familiar.
“Gwen?” He whispered as the one who spoke took of his hood and revealed, Gwen’s beautiful hair and face.
“What kind of sorcery is this?!” Another druid that he didnt know, asked in rage.
“It is really him as the other ones.” The one in the front talked. Then he realized it was Iseldir.
“How can that be?” The angry druid asked.
“I dont know.” Iseldir replied, looking in disbelief.
The angry druid came forward then. “Who exactly are you?” He demanded.
“Dont talk to me like that.” Merlin warned. “You just tried to kill my king, i can barely restrain myself now.”
“Your king? He executes your kind and executed you, if you forgot.”
Executed you.
“What?” Merlin asked. “This Arthur executed me?”
“This Arthur? How many Arthur is there?”
“You would be suprised.” Gwaine said.
“We are really sorry, Emrys.” Iseldir once again said. “If we had known we wouldnt harm him.”
“You are lucky, you didnt caused anything couldnt be fixed. Then i wouldnt forgive you no matter what.”
“I wouldnt expect you to. And please, execuse Ronald too. This Arthur just executed his best friend. He is still grieving.”
“Dont worry, i have no problem with him. I undertand why would he be angry.”
“That you can, Emrys.” Iseldir smiled at him then walked away. And Merlin finally went to Arthur’s side.
He saw them talking to the other Gwen. They told them when Arthur lost his way, she had found shelter in them.
“Still breathing?” He asked, laughing.
“Yeah, still breathing. I cannot feel anymore welcome.”
“Dont joke about it!” Gwen said. “I was so scared.”
“Sorry, Gunievere.” Arthur looked at his wife apologitic. “I know you were.”
“I was too.” Merlin found himself saying suddenly.
“Of course you were, you are a girl, after all.”
“Hey!”
They were sitting around the camp fire at the nights.
“So mate, “ Gwaine spoke. “Will you tell us about the Emrys thing, huh?”
“You dont know?” The other Gwen asked.
“We just found out about his magic.” Elyan explained to his sister in this universe.
“Is it your real name?” Arthur asked and Merlin heard the real question. Was your name a lie as Well?
“No, Emrys is more like a title. I’m Emrys to them as you are the king to your people. Though they saw me more as a savior than a king.”
“A savior? What do they think you will save them from?” Elyan asked.
“There is a prophecy.” Merlin started carefully.
“A prophecy?” Gwen asked, curiously.
“Yes, actually it is about Arthur and me.” Merlin clarificed.
“About you and me?” Arthur asked, eyebrows raised.
“Yes, Arthur is reffered as the Once and the Future King and i’m reffered as Emrys in them.”
“The Once and the Future King?” Arthur asked. “What is that means?”
“I’m not sure what it’s actually means but it is said that you are going to be the greatest king this land has ever known by uniting the lands and… bringing magic back to it.”
“Unite the lands and bring magic back?” Arthur’s voice was emotionless. “How long had you known about this prophecy.”
“Before i even become your servant.”
“So all that time, every moment you said how much a good king i will be, you were talking about a story that couple of people wrote for false hope?”
“What no! First of all, it is not a story, it is an ancient prophecy. Kilgharrah says so. And also so many ancient people that i met. More like their half dead bodies or spirits. Like Taliesin. I talked about? He was one of them. He also called me Emrys. Then Gaius told me he was dead for 300 years by that time.”
“And not all my faith you was caused by this prophecy. Yes, it helped in desparete times when i needed hope but the reason i believe in you is you. No one else or anything else. You.”
“Merlin-“ Arthur sighned. “I dont know if i can do all this you say. So i will probably end up dissapointing you anyway.”
“You dont need to do all of them. Or you can just do none of them. You would still not dissapoint me.” Merlin smiled softly at his king. “I told you, you could never dissapoint me and i mean it.”
“Thank you, Merlin.” Arthur slightly smiled back. “You are still a girl though.”
“And you are still an annoying prat.”
Arthur laughed at that loudly but it was cut off by the sound of swords. Then a shout echoed through the cave.
“They found us, the Knights of Camelot are here!”
Arthur quickly draw his sword too. “Protect the queen!” He ordered to his knights before running of to fight his men in this universe but Merlin grabbed his wrist.
“I can deal with them alone, dont go there.” He said.
“What? Merlin, are you insane! You cant fight with all of them by yourself.”
“Just watch and see.” And ran off to the battle. “Dont come closer! Stay somewhere safe.”
Arthur huffed. What was Merlin thinking now? That they knew about his magic they would just wait in the sidelines and watch him fight? It really went against anything he stand for. He ran off to the battle along with his servant.
Merlin hadnt summoned lighting since Nimueh and it brought bad memories. But he didnt know what else to do.
As he continued to bring death from the skies, the knights screamed. He was also blocking any arrows or swords that was aimded at him. He was glad he didnt have to watch for Arthur-
Arthur! He saw the king fighting as the same time. He cursed to the king who seemed never listen to him.
Thankfully the other realm’s knights were retreating. But there was still some of them fighting and one of the archers was aiming at Arthur. He laughed in relief when he could stop it at the time.
A man found the perfect moment of distraction and grabbed him from the behind and before he could even did a spell he had lost his conscious.
Arthur laughed in victory as the last of the man retreated as well. It was diffcult to fight men who looked like the people he knew, was the people he knew in his universe.
He suddenly felt Guinevere’s arms around him.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
“I wasnt at the battle like you. I should he the one asking that!”
“I still worry.”
“Um.. Guys?” They all turned to Mordred. “Where is Merlin?”
At that moment, Arthur realised Merlin hadnt come over them when the battle finished. He actually hadnt seen him since he entered the fight.
“I dont know.” He tried the hid the worry in his voice as he spoke.
“How could you not know?” Gwaine demanded.
“Dont start fighting.” Leon warned them before they can began. “It is for the best if we just look for Merlin-“
“It wouldnt change anything. You wont find him.” They turned to the little druid girl that spoke. “They took him. They took Emrys.”