Two Sorcerers Equal One

Chapter 3

"Thank you all for coming to the court. We have received a message from the people outside the lower grounds and from the other kingdoms to warn us that the Dark Army is coming. We have to be ready to fight them and we have to be ready for the injured and the dead. We have fought them before but it seems like Morgana has summoned them this time."

Arthur gives out his speech.

I grabbed Merlin's hand in fear. From Gaius' books, the Dark Army are one of the powerful summons from Dark Magic, hence their name.

Merlin squeezed my hand back, both of us hiding them behind our backs.

As Arthur carried on, I get a vision from the air spirits.

The Dark Army is approaching through the woods, a black mist surrounding them with lightning strikes. Their footsteps echoes through the ground and they are chanting. I don't recognise the language but I see her. Behind the tall oak tree. Morgana. In her black dress. Messy hairstyle. Eyes filled with hatred and evil. Her smile gets wider. "Go, my little army. Go and kill my brother. Go and destroy Camelot." Their faces are shielded but the glow of redness shines through the eye gaps.

The vision disappears and I see everyone looking at me.

Oh no.

I hope I didn't do anything.

I looked at both sides and sees Arthur and Merlin are holding me up.

"Luce, are you OK?" Arthur questioned, as Merlin rubs my back.

"I'm sorry my Lord. I didn't eat breakfast. I'm fine."

Arthur checks my face to see if I'm telling the truth, nods and turned to the court. "Get everything ready. We need to leave before they are a day close to Camelot. I don't want us to go through what happened, especially if Morgana is the cause of this."

As everyone leaves the court, Merlin grabbed my hand and turned me around, facing him. "Are you OK? What did you see?" as Gaius walks up to us with a goblet of water for me.

"Morgana is telling them to destroy Camelot and kill Arthur. But Merlin," I stared into his eyes, "the army is bigger than before." and his face drops the colour of rosiness.

Both he and Gaius looked at each other as I drank. We know what this means. We know that I have to help Merlin. But how if they won't let me go with them.

"Merlin, you're coming with us. It's time we use your skills." Arthur approaches as Gwen gave me a hug.

"My Lord, I'm coming. I have skills too and you need an extra."

Everyone turned their heads, shaking no. Except Merlin's.

"Luce, I know you're good and you even beat me in training but you're -"

"-a woman. I know. But I can help. I'm fast. I know what to do." I stepped closer to the King.

Everyone looked at each other and muttered trying to figure out the right plan for me.

Gwen placed her hand on Arthur's chest, whispered in his ear and looking away.

"Are you sure?" she nodded at his question.

~~~

As we were waved away, I looked at the knights. The Sirs and the rest of the army, with Arthur in front.

Merlin pulled up beside me, grabbed my hand, sensing I'm getting more and more nervous. "It will be OK, Luce. Hopefully what we use will make them disappear and stay disappeared forever."

He pulled his hand up, still holding mine, to my face and wiped my tear away with his thumb.

As we camped out, and surrounded the fire with the cauldron filled with rabbit stew, Merlin and I passed out filled up bowls to each and every knight before we sat down and had ours.

"We have to get up before dusk so we can reach to the ruins before they do." Arthur tells us who's going where and when to do what. "Luce and Merlin, I want you both to try and stay hidden unless you see we're losing." and we both were ready to protest but he raised his hand and we stay silenced as he finished his speech before everyone scatters to their sleeping spot.

I woke up to the vision from the earth spirits. They're getting closer. I can feel each vibration of their footsteps. I can feel their strength through the ground. I can still hear their chanting from when I had the vision earlier.

I catch a shadow of a hooded figure. I try to use the air spirits to show me who it was but by the time they led me to it, it vanished.

I see Merlin in front of me. "They're getting closer. We need to go. Now."

Merlin patted my hand before waking Arthur up and telling him that we have a gut feeling and suddenly, everyone is packing up and onto their horses.

~~~

As Merlin and I are hiding in the higher parts of the ruins, where we can see everyone in their positions, we can see the lightning getting closer.

They're here.

I can see Merlin in my peripheral vision, chanting to create a shield around everyone, the shields that only we can see.

The tallest Dark Knight comes forward, scanning for preys.

One of Camelot's Knights were caught and he charged before the Dark Knight runs his sword through Merlin's shield, into his torso, chanted and the knight disappeared into black mist.

All of us are shocked. I looked at Merlin who looked surprisingly pissed off.

"Morgana must have cast a spell to fight through mine." he growled.

I leaned to his ear and whispered "Try and see if you could find any Emrys spells and I will try and hold them off as long as I could." before I kissed his cheek and used my hands to raise the roots of the trees, wrapping around the Dark Army's ankles.

Arthur was surprised at the sight of sorcery but noticed it was against the Dark Knights so he cried out "CHARGE!!" and everyone jumped out of their spots, running towards the army.

Both Merlin and I do everything we can to protect them and the Camelot army did everything they can to fight.

I saw Elyan struggling and jumped to help him. Merlin reached out but I looked at him, letting him know that he can do it and I will fight as much.

Then I ran and shielded the Dark Knight's sword before slicing his legs.

We carried on until we heard a roar.

We looked up and the clouds are swirling above us.

I turned to check behind me to see an elderly man in red robes, chanting, his hands glowing.

We looked at the Dark Army who are fading one by one as we carried on making them weaker. The tallest one, the last one standing, stabs the ground with his sword and a wave of force brings everyone down.

The elderly man stood up, carrying on chanting. "I will not be brought down, and you-" he brought his hands together, forming a ball, "- make sure you tell Morgana that Camelot is protected by me, Emrys!" and we shield our eyes from the light.

As everything went quiet, I looked up first to see Emrys gone.

"Merlin" I thought as I ran up to the spot where I jumped from.

And there he is. Panting. And one of the dark knights' sword next to him.

"You amazing man!" I jumped at him and hugged him as I buried my face in his shoulder.

I felt his arm across my back.

We heard a cough behind us, and we turned to see Arthur. We quickly separated and I rubbed my neck, blushing.

He pulled Merlin up and Merlin pulled me up before wincing.

I got worried and scanned his body before I spotted a red substance on his forearm.

"You idiot." I muttered as I ripped the bottom my black shirt, hanging under the armour, and wrapped his arm.

Arthur pinched his cheek and cooed "Aww, the little baby has another battle wound." before Merlin brushed him away, laughing.