Ember : Merlin's Sister

Arthur's Bane - Another Prophecy

*Merlin's POV*

We rode through the forest the next morning. I couldn't help but worry. I know Ember was. She and Gwaine were always so close. The thought of losing the closest friend she had in Camelot scared her. It scared Arthur I little as well, I think. His knights were like family to him.

"Do you really think they could still be alive?" I asked him.

"We have to find out. My knights are more than knights... They are brothers..."

I heard Ember clear her throat behind us.

"And sisters." Arthur corrected himself.

We reached a gorge.

"This is Annis's territory. Ember, Elyan, take a few of the others and check the area." They nodded and left.

We rode into the gorge the other way, and met them again.

Ember and Elyan looked worried, and Ember sounded it, "There's something you have to see."

They led us to a village. It had been attacked. It was a Druid village. They were probably attacked because they had magic. I hated that...

"See if there are any survivors..." Arthur instructed.

We all dismounted, and Ember and I went to look around, to check for life, like Arthur had said.

"Emrys... Ignis..." a voice whispered. We followed it, and it said again, "Emrys... Ignis..."

"Ignis?" Ember asked, confused.

"I'm guessing, that's you."

"You're Emrys?"

I just nodded and we came across a small cavern.

"Hello?" Ember called.

"Ignis... Emrys..." it called again. We found an old man, injured, dying. He had his hand in a pool of water.

"Merlin, look at his wrist."

I did as my sister said, and on his wrist, there was a black Druid symbol, in the centre was a yellow mark.

"I think he's a Druid Seer." Ember explained.

Then, as I looked closely at his wrist, he grabbed mine.

"Who did this to you and your village?" Ember asked.

"It happened... That is all that matters..." he breathed, "This moment has haunted me... Even as Camelot flowers, so the seeds of her destruction are being sown... The prophets speak of Arthur's Bane..."

With that he fell. His breathing stopped...

We looked at the water his hand was in. A picture emerged... It showed a battle. Only Arthur was left standing, the bodies of his men scattered around. I looked at them closely... One was Ember... Alive but extremely weak, barely able to make a sound. Then as Arthur walked through the battle field, someone came to face him. A young man with short, curly, black hair... He seemed familiar, but I didn't know how... They fought, but Arthur fell...

We were brought from the vision by someone speaking.

"Is he alive?" we looked up to see Arthur.

*Ember's POV*

"No... He was a moment ago... But no..." I said, sadly.

Arthur could see something was wrong with Merlin and I... "What is it?"

I made up an excuse for way we were nearly crying, "Three years of peace... Then this... Innocent people... Dead..."

"I know... We'll give them a proper burial, then we move out."

I was actually crying, "Sorry, it usually takes an awful lot to make me cry... More than this..."

By the time we had buried everyone, it was dark, so we set up camp for the night, to move out in the morning.

That night Merlin woke me up, "Em, come with me a minute."

He lead me up a nearby hill. "O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd' hup' anankes!" A dragon flew down and landed in front of us.

"Merlin, you're a Dragon Lord?! I think that important detail slipped your mind!"

Merlin turned to the dragon, "We need to know about a Druid symbol."

"A black spiral, within it, a thin yellow coil." I described, "I think it's a Druid Seer."

"You are right, Ember, or Ignis as the Druids call you. It is the mark of a vates. Where did you encounter him/"

"On our journey here." Merlin answered.

"He warned us of Arthur's Bane..." I explained.

"He showed us a battle. A terrible. We saw Arthur wounded. We saw him fall." Merlin described, sadness in his voice.

"The vates' powers are unrivalled..." the dragon explained to us.

"So this battle will come to pass?" I put it simply.

"I do not know." he answered, not helping at all, "But you did not meet him by chance... The vates singled you out for a reason. Keep Arthur safe!"

With that, he flew away again.

"Brother," I sighed, "I have come to the conclusion that I hate prophecies..."