Evil on the Rise

Emrys is All-Powerful

After Arthur and his knights got off the train (with absolutely no plan), they asked the nearest bystander where the Mystic Lake was. The kind girl gave them directions and they started that way.

It was eight o'clock by the time they got to the lake, and it was nearly deserted. Merlin was nowhere in sight and neither was Freya.

"What do we do now?" Gwaine asked. He was continuously running his hands through his hair and it was starting to get on Arthur's nerves.

"We find Merlin, obviously!" Arthur growled at him.

Gwaine just stared at him, unperturbed, "I have no idea how you ended up leading us in your past life. It just doesn't make sense. I can see everyone else being who they were, but I don't see you being a leader. Well, I don't see myself serving you either, but whatever." The group was trying to avoid using phrases that could potentially trigger flashbacks.

They had figured out that the terms Merlin, king, knights, and question words triggered flashbacks. So far, there had been only a few other memories and they were all secretly dreading the memory of their death.

Lance stepped between Arthur and Gwaine before they started to truly fight, "Come on guys, we need to work together. Let's think this through. We're looking for a place that buts up against the water. It has to be somewhere that other people cannot see nor hear. Most people wouldn't take well to seeing a lady rise from the water."

Arthur deflated and visibly calmed himself, "You're right. It'll probably be in a wooded area. The trees muffle sounds and allow for no visibility from at least three sides."

The other knights nodded, thinking. Mordred spoke up, "I snagged a map a while earlier. I found something that could work, but it's at least an hour away."

"Alright, we'll go there. Elyan, I want you to stay with Morgana and Gweneviere and keep them safe, understood?" Arthur instructed.

Gwen crossed her arms across her chest and lifted her head high. Morgana repeated this stance and said sternly, "No! There is absolutely no way that we are going to stay here while one of our best friends is missing and possibly kidnapped. Do you understand me?"

Arthur gaped slightly at Morgana while Leon sniggered, happy that for once Morgana's attitude was aimed at someone else. After a few seconds, Arthur nodded his consent and murmured something about Gwen spending too much time with Morgana. The two girls smiled at each other gleefully before turning and following the knights.

An hour later found the heroes at the self same grove that Merlin had been in hours ago. There was no one there.

Gwaine punched a tree and swore loudly, startling some birds from their nests. They heard a splash in the water and turned to look upon a mystical sight. The gates of Avalon stood ajar, about eighty percent below the water. They could hear the sound of many people talking and laughing behind the doors.

Coming out from inside the doors and rising above the water was a girl. She was wearing a gorgeous, medieval looking, mauve and purple gown with gold threading and ribbon. She had mesmerizing eyes and a haunted yet beautiful face. Her black hair hung loose behind her as she regarded them with curiosity. It was Freya.

"Freya! I'm so glad we found you! Have you seen Merlin?" Morgana called out to the girl who was sweeping her gaze across the clearing.

Freya's eyes landed on Arthur's and froze with hatred. The heroes stilled as they watched Freya stalk closer to their king. When she spoke, it was so cold and... evil that they could hardly believe this was the same girl who had pronounced her love of Merlin not so long ago, "Of course I have seen Merlin. I helped capture him after all. And look who shows up to save him! Ha! The infamous Arthur Pendragon! You killed me! And still my love took care of you. He didn't even grieve for me you know. He didn't want you to find out he was hiding anything. He was too scared. You know, Merlin was afraid that you were going to kill him when you found out about his magic.