The Aftermath 2 (Merlin) ON HOLD

Chapter Eight: Let Go

Merlin ran through the woods, he'd been running for what felt like hours, his eyes streamed with tears, his lungs felt as if they would explode, exhaustion exerted from every pore.

The gash on his back bore wide open, his black blood spewing freely but he didn't care. He didn't care that his veins crawled beneath his skin and had made its way onto his face. He didn't care that the most excruciating pain gnawed from his chest. He didn't care that he knew that if he saw another living thing he would rip its heart out just for being alive. Or maybe he did care, maybe that's why he was running, running away from everyone and anyone he could hurt.

As the Raven ran through the trees flashbacks of the day overwhelmed his mind.

The warm sun encompassed Merlin as he felt the heat radiating around him, without opening his eyes he knew it was bright, since his childhood home was in ruin the big hole in the wall provided a giant opening for the sun to shine through.

Weakly he opened his eyes slowly, allowing the light to filter through, it took a few opening and closing of his eyes in order to fully take in the view in front of him. He smiled at the happiness the summers day brought. Despite all atrocities and casualties of the days before, the faint laughter of children in the distance made all the shadows fade away.

Merlin ran faster as he felt the aching remembrance of what the day had brought, he shook his head trying to rid his mind of these plagued memories but to no avail.

"Mother look, it's morning." The Raven spoke softly as he sat up. When he got no response he turned back to face Hunith, "Come on, let's get you up and fed." He brushed his hand over the blankets that covered his mother's shoulders. "Mother?" The boy's smile faltered slightly at the silence he was met with.

As soon as he touched Hunith's pale hand he retracted his hand at the sheer coldness. Concern sought its way through his entire body as he got up and shook her body gently. "Mother?"

No response.

The warlock continued running, stumbling more as he lost focus on what was in front of him, be it from the pain in his body or the pain his memories brought.

Unwilling to believe the truth he knew, Merlin searched for a pulse on Hunith's neck,
"You're not gone, You're not gone." He whispered to himself. When he found no indication of a heartbeat all the light he had been awoken with faded, not just figuratively but the weather itself changed, as if matching its child's disparity.

"Mother?!" He shouted, his voice was a mixture of anger and sobs. "Wake up! I still need you... you can't... I was supposed to save you." Quickly swallowing the lump in his throat Merlin knelt at his mother's bedside,

"Þu fornimest adl fram guman!"

The Warlock's eyes shone red as he recited the spells,

"Bebiede þe arisan áblinnan!"

With each spell his voice became harsher and more demonic,

"Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle!"

The blackened veins underneath the boy's skin began to move once more, he could feel every inch they moved but despite the pain it caused he wouldn't give up.

"Þu fornimest adl fram guman!"

"Bebiede þe arisan áblinnan!"

"Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle!"

The Raven's breathing had become so heavy that as he said the last word his head dropped in exhaustion, closing his eyes, they returned back to their ocean blue. Merlin looked back up to Hunith but when he saw no change, his sobs consumed the shack he once called home.