Destiny's Harbinger: A(n Unhinged) Merlin and Young Justice Crossover

Chapter 20: Trump Card

The Team was in the process of disengaging with the enemy when Atemis, Leon, and I extracted ourselves from the Saxon lines. It appeared that the Saxons were drawing back as well to seek a brief reprieve from the battle. A field of carnage lay between us now. Tens of felled Saxon soldiers lay bleeding on the ground. I noticed for the first time that their wounds wept blood as black as soot. Definitely not natural. Yet the enemy's numbers were still strong.

I surveyed the Team for injuries.

"Anyone hurt?" I asked, even though I didn't see any obvious concerns.

"Should we worry that the Saxons will be reinforcing Morgaine?" Nightwing asked.

"We won't let them rest for long," I promised.

Leon jumped in. "I'm sure—"

An explosion echoed down the pass, followed by a shockwave and a violent gust of hot air. Rocks tumbled down the stone cliffs and clattered to an abrupt halt at the bottom. The ground shook and for a moment, I swayed, trying to reorient my footing. I had been sweating before, but the heat was unbearable for a moment before it dissipated.

"Should we be worried?" Zatanna asked.

Her white shirt was ripped and there was a smear of black blood on her face. She looked tired, but there was still fight left in her. She was not ready to give up.

"We have to trust in Arthur and Merlin," Leon said.

I was still breathing heavy from the fight, but slowly, I took control again. My limbs felt as if they were weighed down by armor and the thought of returning to battle was not overly appealing, but we had to keep going.

"Let's redistribute the line," I decided.

When I got confused looks in response, I knelt by a patch of dirt and started drawing with the tip of a knife. Two rough lines for the sides of the pass. An X where we stood. One line connecting to either wall of the canyon and leading back to the X.

"Etrigan will take center. If you can push the Saxons his way, great. Troia will shore up the far left flank and Aqualad the far right," I decided. "Leon, you'll take left center, I'll take right. Let's see...Nightwing, Tula—"