Lost in Albion 3 (Merlin) - Completed

Chapter 38: Druids

Merlin set out that night. The only thread of hope he clings to is the fact that he knows Elena is still alive, but how long he has is still unknown. His horse pants hot breaths that become grey in the air as they gallop through the forest, barely missing the trees in the dark of the night, letting the tug towards the girl lead him. She no longer answers his calls.

The Knights and guards of Camelot lie dead in Cenred's land. Not a single body moving, only the twitching eyes of one of them. Leon is still breathing, barely conscious as his side continues to bleed out. Something heavy holds his left arm down. Gathering his remaining strength, he shifts the weight of his head to the side, letting gravity do the rest.

Blood splatters on her face, dotting her like liquid freckles. Dressed in a guard's uniform, now drenched in both her blood and his. Saliva catches in the back of his throat that becomes difficult to dislodge. The night's events flood back to him, every single second down to his last bit of consciousness. She had stood over him, the lone survivor of the group. But now her back is on the ground, only rising slightly as it bends over his numb arm.

Using her weight as an anchor, he pushes himself onto his side with his feet. Low and long grunts force themselves out as his stomach burns like hot coal being pressed to the skin. He faces her raising a hand towards her that shakes in the air. It drops before it reaches her face, feeling heavy against the ground.

"E...E-Elena?"

He doesn't expect an answer, thinking she is already dead but her eyelid twitches, sending a new course of hope through him. He chokes, trying to call out her name again but she opens her eyes fully.

Elena stares up at the trees, their branches creating earthy veins against the soft blue of the morning sky. Nothing feels right in her body, not her feet, not her shoulder, not her back, or her mind. She has survived the night and her hope burns even brighter as she can feel Merlin closer than before. He's coming for her.

Her cheeks begin to pull back in a smile, knowing that help is on the way, but the darkness grows again. Her head falls to the right, finding Leon's eyes already open and looking at her.

"Leon?" Her voice is meek, but the knight hears it in the stillness of the forest. He blinks, the only gesture he has any energy left for. Elena holds her breath in anticipation of oncoming pain, using her elbow to hold herself up as she turns onto her side. Her shoulder burns, earning a cry of pain from her. Leon wishes he can speak but his sight is barely clear. Elena leans over him, shifting her weight to her knees as her right arm hangs dead beside her.

He won't last. Not to mention Merlin is horrible at healing spells. They've worked on her before, possibly strengthened by the bond but poor Leon doesn't have that advantage. Her left-hand brushes his hair away from his face as she looks out into the forest, looking for anything that she could do to help.

Leon gathers the energy, lifting his upper right arm until his hand finds the arm being used to comfort him. He holds onto her, drawing her eyes back down. "I'm going to get help," she promises, blinking away the tears that haven't left her eyes since the night. "You're going to be alright."

"Over there!"

Elena's head snaps as quickly as it can behind her. Figures walk through the forest towards them. She folds herself even more so over the knight as the strange people head directly towards them. One man walks forward, dressed in an earthy coloured cloak. A black tattoo, three swirls is on his collarbone. Just like the one on her arm. Druids.

He kneels down beside her, Leon's grip tightening around her forearm. "It's okay," she says. "They're druids."

"We can help him," the new man says to her. "But we don't have much time."