Evil on the Rise

Epilogue

"Merlin!" Came a shout from outside his door, an insistent knocking accompanying it. Merlin groaned and shifted a little, feeling Freya's bowl next to him. He scrubbed his eyes open and looked at the clock blearily. It was almost five in the afternoon.

Merlin struggled to remember last night's events. He remembered the massive all-nighter Merlin and his friends had pulled. He remembered everyone leaving Gwen's house at seven in the morning. He had then gone home, talked to Freya and started watching television with her basin in his lap. Said television was still on.

"Merlin, come out this instant!" Mithian's voice was shrill and commanding, her tiny fists almost bringing down the door of Merlin's apartment.

It was exactly one year after Merlin had been kidnapped and his enemies had almost destroyed the earth. Arthur and the knights decided that they were going to have a celebration to commemorate their remembrance of their past at five this day. Evidently five was an important number because that was when they had realized Merlin was missing.

Many rather spectacular things had happened when they returned. For one, all of their parents remembered their deaths and their lives in Camelot. The second Gaius had remembered, he had called everyone's parents and had been with them when they remembered and through the initial freak out.

At first, they were inclined to believe in a massive gas leak causing hallucinations among the people of this town. Then, they thought that their children had been pumping drugs through the vents (and you wonder where the knights got the idea from). Eventually, they started to accept the idea. Surprisingly enough, it was Uther who had first said that Gaius spoke the truth. The other parents took his word as law.

Then, after many tense hours of waiting, Arthur, Gwen, Morgana, Merlin, and the knights returned. There followed several awkward hours of accusations and comparing of memories. Uther took some convincing that magic was not evil and Morgana took some convincing that her father was not evil. Merlin explained many things about their pasts, his past, and their present. He and Gaius acted as mediators for all of the parents and their children.

After the initial shock, anger, and fear had worn off, the parents all thanked Merlin profusely for everything he had done for their children and they commiserated with him over his many lonely years.

The knights and former Camelotians walked Merlin home. They were startled to see Mithian curled up on his couch. The moment the door slammed open and close quickly (Merlin knew that Mithian was there due to the fallen piece of paper), Mithian flew from the couch and promptly punched Merlin in the face. Then she hugged him. Then she kicked him in the knee.

As Merlin was cringing in pain, Percival asked what she thought she was doing. She explained that she just remembered all that had happened in Camelot. Merlin was surprised. He hadn't thought of the fact that she would remember. He grinned sheepishly and she forgave him.

All across the world, missing persons reports went out, reporting the disappearance of all those that had been in that outer room of Avalon that day. The school replaced Morgause and Agravaine and tried to explain away the disappearance of Edwin, Tristan, and Gilli. No one really believed them and the students of Camelot high came up with their own rumors.

A few months later, Percival and Mithian started dating. Arthur and Gwen, and Morgana and Leon, and Merlin and Freya were still dating and, if anything, their relationships had strengthened. Gwaine had been switching partners almost daily, but his current girlfriend had been with him for at least three weeks now, which was longer than any other. Elyan, Mordred, and Lancelot were still searching for their perfect partners.

Merlin was torn from his musings by the sound of Finna calling his name. She and Alator had gotten married as promised and had also remembered their histories. After a brief talk with Merlin, they came to accept it and they also learned to accept all of Merlin's friends.

"I'm coming!" Merlin shouted. He pulled on his outfit (Gwen and Morgana had joined Freya in trying to get Merlin to change outfits, but so far he was still refusing) whilst using magic to brush his teeth and comb his hair.

In about two minutes flat, he opened the door and saw that Finna, Alator, Mithian, and Percival were all waiting for him and Freya (meaning her bowl, of course). Merlin rolled his eyes and started down the stairs, listening to the others chatter behind him.

He walked outside to see... a small army of limos. Merlin realized that Uther was rich, but this was slightly ridiculous. They were all going to a school football game and then celebrating afterwards at the Pencil Shaker. Finna had made sure that a special room was always reserved for them.

Merlin rolled his eyes again and pulled himself into the limo with Arthur in it. The two had become as inseparable as they had been years ago. So far, Merlin had yet to see any signs of aging, but he was still hoping that his curse was at an end and that he would die alongside his friends. He was nothing if not optimistic.

And so, a year after the rise of great evil and the coming of King Arthur, Merlin spent the night with his girlfriend and his best friends. They talked of times long past and times only a year gone. Merlin and Freya shared stories of the twenty five thousand years the rest missed and Arthur and the knights shared stories of the fifteen years of their lives that they missed.

For the moment, everything was peaceful. They all knew that destiny was not finished with them, that they had yet to unite Albion and to bring magic back to the land, but that was for another time. For now, the only thing that mattered was that they had found each other again after so, so many years.