A Different Ending

Don't tell Merlin

"Okay everyone settle down...Guais you have the floor, explain your plan" Arthur said loudly so the rest of the knights could hear and silence themselves.
"Thank you, as you know Merlin's conditions have gotten rapidly worse these last few weeks, despite his denying it ...anyways I have come across a way of saving his life and I think I have uncovered the spell Nimeuh plans to unleash...
"The spell that I believe Nimeuh has cast was intended to be cast at Arthur's death. At your death, Arthur, Camelot would be weakest and Merlin would have been too destressed to have noticed his life force being drained. He probably would have confused that pain with what he felt after your death. However, when you survived and Merlin died she had to do some pretty dark magic to bring him back so she could use his life force" Guais began to explain.
"If she needs Merlin's life force, why isn't it Arthur who is walking around the castle half dead the last few weeks, since he gave his to Arthur after the battle?" Gwaine asked impatiently. Gwaine had been very short with everyone the last few weeks, everyone except Merlin who he spent most days trying to make laugh.
"Don't speak about him like that Gwaine, enough of these outbursts! Let Guais finish" Arthur commanded. 'Half dead' it was true though Merlin looked ghostly recently. His trousers were barely able to stay up on his hips, he was so thin, circles under his eyes, and he had a lot less energy than usual.
"Well, to answer your question, Gwaine. Life forces can indeed be transferred to others, like what Merlin did with Arthur. However, once a life force is transferred it becomes that person's life force. Meaning that Arthur's life force is his own now, not Merlins. Nimueh needs a life force directly coming from Merlin in order for her plan to work. This is because when a life force is in Merlin it is enriched with pure magic and energy. Which means the question now remains how and where did Nimeuh get the life force that she gave back to Merlin, this I still do not know
I do believe that I know what spell Nimeuh cast...I believe that it is a memory charm that will erase Camolt from the memories of everyone in the world, which is why she needed the strongest life force on earth to reach so many people" Guais finished hesitantly
"Guais I hope you have a solution to help Merlin and save Camelot, you called this meeting with me and my knights in secret without Merlin. Please tell me there is a reason" Arthur stated fiercely.
"Yes sire, I called this meeting without Merlin because the only way to save him and the kingdom will have to be done without him knowing. Because if merlin finds out he would never let us do it"
"Why do I feel like the next sentence you say is going to suck?" Leon said with a half smile.
"I believe that if we cut off Merlin's life force for enough time the spell will be broken. It will need to be cut off for exactly five hours, then the memory spell will be broken. It takes five hours to conjure a memory spell, and therefore five hours to stop"
"Forgive me if i'm wrong but wouldn't that mean that Merlin would be dead again! I don't see how this is a valid solutio-" Arthur roared but was cut off by Lancerlot
"Sire, Guais would never let Merlin die I'm sure he has a way to do this where Merlin doesn't die, right Guais"
"Yes, I do and this is the part that Merlin won't like, three people in good health would need to pass some of their life force to Merlin after the five hours is up. This spell has never been done and nobody knows the side effects of only having a partial life force, I will be the one to do the spell. And since this is a very risky thing to do I will only be taking volunteers, and Arthur before you volunteer you can't do it. Arthur if my spell doesn't work...Camolet can't risk it–i'm sorry your majesty but I will not do the spell on you. It will have to be three of the knights" Guais firmly stated.
Gwaine was the first to volunteer, closely followed by Lancerlot, and finally, "I knew what you were about to say was going to suck but I gladly volunteer" Leon smiled at Guais he spoke.
"Then we are agreed. Gwaine, Lancerlot, and Leon will be a part of the spell, and Merlin can not know if there is one thing Merlin won't stand for, it's putting his friends in jeopardy" Guais finished.