The Angels In The Game (Merlin Fanfic)

Chapter 6

Arthur and Merlin had spent yet another day trying to crack the lock and they had fallen into an exhausted sleep. When Arthur eventually woke up the air seemed unusually still. He sat up and looked around. He looked to where Merlin had been, no one. He looked to where Merlin might be, no one. “I guess it’s just me then”, He muttered.

　

Merlin woke up on a cold stone floor in what appeared to be a prison cell. He looked to his left and saw a brick wall. He looked to his right and saw Percival lying unconscious on the floor in the cell next to his. In the cell next to Percival’s was a very pale, ill looking Gwaine lying on the floor next to the bars of his cell. He looked even further along and saw Leon sitting on his bed staring at the floor.

“Leon!”, He yelled. Leon looked up and looked relieved.

“Merlin!”, He yelled back “Welcome to a new level of hell”

“Thanks”, Merlin said “What happened to Percival and Gwaine?!”

“Gwaine was injured by one of those cat things from the pit when he was fighting one and Percival was bitten by a snake when we were fighting three cats!”, Leon explained

“Cat’s?”, Merlin said.

“Yes”, Leon replied “It’s Morgana’s new entertainment for us”

“Morgana?”, Merlin asked

“Yes Merlin, Morgana”, said Morgana’s voice.

Merlin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he turned to face Morgana.

“I hope you like my home”, She said

“I’ve stayed in better places”, Merlin said

“Well perhaps you’ll find our entertainment more appealing”, She said with a sly smile. Merlin looked towards Leon who was trying hard to hide his fear and then he looked to the conscious bodies of his friends and felt a sudden stab of dread. The door to his cell opened and three guards entered. They grabbed him and began dragging him away from the cells along with Leon, Percival and Gwaine. The were taken to a large hall with a large table and elaborate chair. They were thrown into the centre of the floor and Leon caught Merlin by the shoulder, speaking urgently. “Merlin. We have to protect Percival and Gwaine. From what Percival told me we’ll be fighting more of those cat’s”

2 wooden swords landed by their feet and 2 real ones. Leon looked at Morgana, confused. “It’s only fair”, She said “You have 2 injured friends to protect and only one of you is a trained fighter”

They didn’t wait for her to say any more. Merlin grabbed a sword and so did Leon. “Here we go again”, Leon muttered as 4 cat like things with sandy coats and bright green eyes prowled towards them. Merlin heard a noise behind him and turned to see Percival sitting up and staring at the cats. He grabbed one of the wooden swords and snapped it on his leg and then managed to get to his feet. Once standing he swayed and almost fell over but Merlin caught him and Percival steadied himself “Thanks”, Percival said and then turned his attention to the approaching cats. They spread out to protect Gwaine. The first cat launched at Merlin and While Leon helped him fight it off another one launched at Percival who stumbled and tried to fight it. Leon plunged his sword through the skull of the cat and rushed to Percival’s aid. He dispatched the other cat swiftly and was beginning to think that Morgana had made this all too easy when he heard Merlin cry out in surprise. He turned to look and saw that Merlin was hitting the creature’s skull with his sword but the blade kept bouncing off.

“Looks like you could use some help”, said a voice behind him and he turned to see Gwaine holding two pieces of wooden sword and heading towards Merlin. The three of them rushed to Merlin’s aid but everything they did just bounced off. The other cat leaped onto Leon’s back and scratched him. Percival plunged his weapon into the cat’s eye and the creature fell to the floor. The two then rejoined the fight with the other cat. As the 4 of them circled the creature it’s whole body shook with growls. Suddenly it leaped forwards and pushed Gwaine to the ground. Gwaine’s bad arm was twisted underneath him and the cat was crushing his good arm with it’s body. The other three tried to distract the creature, hitting it and yelling but it couldn’t be deterred from Gwaine. Suddenly it yowled and then it’s whole body shook before it went still. ‘Get this off me’ Gwaine said, almost unconscious again. Merlin and Leon grabbed the dead creature and heaved it off Gwaine who took a deep breath in before his head fell sideways and he lost consciousness. Merlin was down on his knees beside Gwaine, checking his breathing, his heart rate, his temperature when suddenly there was a noise behind them and they turned to see Percival in a heap on the floor, shaking uncontrollably.

“Percival!”, Leon cried and rushed to his friend’s side. Merlin was there next but just as he began to check what state Percival was in but the guards descended on them and dragged Merlin away from his friends and they were taken back to the cells.

　

　

Leon was thrown into his cell and he landed hard on his back making the cut down his back flare with pain. He got up again and sat on his bed.

A few hours later a guard appeared carrying basket. He walked down the cells and threw a small loaf of bread and a full water skin into the occupied cells. Leon looked suspiciously at the bread but the rumbling in his stomach made the decision for him and he demolished it within 3 minutes. He then picked up the water skin and emptied it swiftly. Only once he’d finished did he realise that the water tasted a little but funny. Suddenly there was an agonising pain in his stomach that brought him to his knees.

　

　

Gwaine woke up lying on the cold stone floor, a sensation he was becoming all too familiar with. He sat up slowly and looked around. In the cell to his right Percival was lying in a very uncomfortable looking position on the floor. He looked to his left and saw Leon lying unconscious on the floor. For some reason he found the situation quite amusing. He crawled over to the bars that separated him from Leon. “Leon”, He said “Leon”. Leon remained unconscious even when Gwaine reached his arm through the bars and punched him. A horrible idea dawned on him and even though he hated it he knew it was true. Leon had been poisoned and had entered a similarly nightmarish world to the one Gwaine had been living in for goodness knows how long. Suddenly he heard Merlin’s voice behind him calling his name. He spun around to answer his friend, rather too quickly as it turned out. His stomach lurched and he felt almost certain that he was about to pass out. He groaned and then steadied himself.

“Gwaine. Are you alright?”, Merlin called from 2 cells away.

“Do I look alright?” Gwaine asked, clutching his stomach “I feel about as alright as a man who is probably dying and has been deprived of mead for God knows how long”

“You’re not going to die”, Merlin said although Gwaine strongly suspected that he was trying to convince himself just as much as Gwaine.

Suddenly Gwaine couldn’t keep himself up anymore and he collapsed to the floor and lay there, fighting for consciousness. From far away he heard Merlin calling his name “Gwaine! Gwaine! Stay awake! Don’t leave me alone!” But no matter how much Gwaine wanted to stay awake he couldn’t. He felt the oh so familiar blackness closing in on him and he simply couldn’t resist it any longer.

　

　

Merlin watched Gwaine lose consciousness and there was nothing he could do about it. He was left alone in the silence. He looked along the cells and saw his three unconscious friends. His thoughts went to Arthur. Had he made any progress escaping? It wouldn’t be long before he found out.