Friends to Be Feared

Chapter 8: Rescue

After the wind left and extinguished the fire we were forced to use the last of the dried fire wood we had collected earlier to keep the cave warm. The storm was still raging but seemed to have quieted, as if in waiting. None of us could seem to find any words and were content to stare at the newly formed fire in silence. All of us except Percival.

I watched as he laid one of the few blankets over the unconscious sorcerer and sat next to him. He was silent but would occasionally send scathing looks at the rest of us. I couldn't find it in myself to reprimand him for it but it didn't change my resolve. Merlin was a traitor and the law can bend for no man, no matter how loyal. Magic corrupts, it always does.

Suddenly Merlin started shivering, shaking. His fingers clenched and his face scrunched in pain. Percival seemed to be on the verge of panic so I walked over.

"Wake up." I placed my hand on his shoulder and shook him. He flinched but his eyes remained closed. How dare he ignore me?!? I was about to shake him again when Percival pushed me back.

He actually pushed me. I felt the knights behind me stiffen but I couldn't do anything as Percival glared at me. I was shocked. He actually pushed me.

Leon spoke up. "Sir Percival what do you think you're doing?" His voice sounded equally as shocked as I felt. Kind, gentle, loyal Percival, pushed the King.

The person is question just moved his glare behind me to the blonde haired knight. He started talked to Merlin before gently lifting him up and offering him some water. When Merlin didn't move Percival gently forced some water down his throat and for a moment I thought nothing was going to happen.

Then the spasming started. Merlin began shaking, even harder than before and the water came back up. He must have been aware in some way because  he turned his head to the side.

Then suddenly he gasped and his eyes flew open. He clutched onto Percival's sleeves and started frantically looking around the cave. It was only when Percival began calmly, yet it sounded a little frantic to my ears, talking to Merlin as if he were a startled horse that Merlin's eyes began to focus.

"Merlin are you alright?" Percival spoke gently but Merlin just stared at him, confused.

What was going on? It was as if Merlin just came up for air after going under too long. He was panicked and it was such the opposite of the still and quiet state of his former servant from only minutes before.

Merlin's eyes wandered past Percival before refocusing on him when he started speaking again.

"Merlin are you okay?" There was something wrong. Something really, really wrong.

Merlin opened his mouth as if he was going to speak but then he doubled over, gasping. He clutched Percival's sleeves as if afraid of letting go.

"Merlin!" Percival was frantic. Merlin was choking, his face was full of anguish and fear. His body tensed, his face going uncharacteristically blank before his eyes rolled and he slumped forward into Percival.

I was about to get up when a loud bang echoed through the cave. The lighting striking close to the small cave mouth illuminating the previously unseen figure standing outside.

Morgana.

I quickly shot up and unsheathed my sword followed by my knights. I looked around. Well, almost all my knights. Percival had drawn his sword but stayed by the still form of the sorcerer who was slumped on the ground. 

Another strike and my sister strode in, lowering her hood.

Her gaze flitted across the knights and over to Percival and Merlin before locking eyes with me.

I raised my sword and her eyes flashed gold.

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The light led me toward a small cave entrance through which the barely noticeable glow of a fire could be discerned. 

The blue glow flickered at the entrance and disappeared. This was my destination.

I thought about my dream, I thought about  the darkness that enveloped the blue-eyed warlock. Merlin was a warlock. At first it was hard to believe but once I thought about it, it made sense. All the little quirks that I used to wonder about were explained. That's not saying that I wasn't confused or upset because I was. There are so many unanswered questions and explanations needed but...

My magic told me to help him, to trust him. If there is one thing I had always trusted in it would be my magic. It was telling me that something good lay ahead, something bright.

The light flickered again, urging me to make haste. The wind howled and the rain fell harder as if in warning, in fear. I ran to the entrance and what I saw shocked me into stillness.

Merlin was laying on the ground and, other than the occasional shiver he was completely still. I would have thought him dead if it were not for the slow rise and fall of his chest. Just like my dream, vision.

Merlin was dying.

A glint of dark metal caught my eye.

No. I knew my brother could be arrogant and oblivious but I never thought him cruel. I never thought his hatred of magic could cause him to stoop so low.

One of the new knights was sitting near Merlin, occasionally glaring at the rest of the Camelot party. That was interesting, he may turn out to be an ally, from the looks of things Merlin might have to be carried, especially to get away quickly.

My attention was drawn back to the dying warlock when he started shaking even harder, his fingers clenching. My brother walked over and began non-too-gently shaking his former friend before the big knight punched him back.

That surprised me. Camelot knights are infamous for their loyalty and I found myself watching the ensuing glaring match. My brother was laying on his back, a shocked expression on his face as his knight attempted to get some much needed water down Merlin's throat. That water, however, seemed to cause a chain reaction in his body.

He threw up the water and started gasping and looking around. But that wasn't what caught my attention. I felt a small surge of magic, barely big enough to be detectable. But something was wrong, it was coated in cold, there was the warmth that usually accompanies magic but there was also something else. It was cold and menacing, it seemed to be trying to devour the warmth. It blocked out all other thought, all other sound. I could feel it clawing and whispering. I shuddered but refused to take even a step back, my magic surges up as an inner shield against the cold. As sudden as it came it disappeared. No, not disappeared. I could still feel it, but it wasn't here. It was in him. He was slumped on the loyal knight, his stillness a startling contrast to the frantic knights.

Lightning flashed and I stepped inside. My brother and his knights scrambling up and drawing their swords. I flicked my eyes over to Merlin and the Knight, his sword drawn but lowered.

I willed the magic inside me to rise, begging the surrounding magic to respond to my call. I didn't know a spell for the magic I was going to call upon but magic had led me this far and I trusted it to aid me in this endeavor.

I raised my hand and I felt my magic mix that of the Earths, another vision of sparkling blue eyes filling my mind before fading.

A promise.

Magic swirled and destiny began to right itself once again.

Authors Note: Extra long chapter for you! And oh my gosh! So many views it's amazing! I love all the positive feedback! Thank you! Hope you all are having a lovely time! :~)