"Kilgharrah!" Merlin shouted at the top of his lungs as the great dragon descended from the sky towards the young warlock and the King he held in his arms. "I would not have summoned you if there was any other choice" Merlin spoke as tears ran down his face, Arthur's body was lifeless leaning heavily against Merlin. He had to get him to the lake of Avalon to save him, he cannot die Merlin thought to himself "I have one last favour to ask" Kilgharrah bowed his head as Merlin climbed onto his back clutching Arthur in his arms.
The three of them rode through the sky reaching some open land before the lake of Avalon. The dragon lowered his body allowing the pair to slide off his back, Merlin gripped underneath Arthur's arms and dragged him closer to the water in front of Kilgharrah
"Merlin..." the dragon spoke softly "There is nothing you can do" Merlin looked up at the majestic beast before him with his eyes glossing over with tears
"I failed?" he whimpered in disbelief.
Kilgharrah stood tall "No young warlock, for all that you dreamt of building has come to pass". Tears now streaming down the young man's face, anger raged within him
"I CAN'T LOOSE HIM!" he bellowed "HE IS MY FRIEND!"
"Though no man, no matter how great can know his destiny." Kilgharrah replied "Some lives have been foretold Merlin..."
"NO!" The warlock interrupted "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" The anger now warps every cell in merlin's body, he couldn't let his friend die. That wasn't an option. he looked down at Arthur's body now lying on the grass and then up to the dragon "I am going to save him" Merlin said with conviction.
"Merlin there is nothing you can do, not even the Sidhe of the lake of Avalon can heal him now, but fear not he is the once and future king: he will rise again"
Merlin broke his eye contact with the dragon, falling down on his knees looking down at his friend, his anger, frustration but most of all guilt still seeping out of him like an overflowing dam on the brink of bursting.
"You once told me I was the most powerful sorcerer to walk this earth" Merlin muttered under his breath but still loud enough that Kilgharrah could hear him.
"I did, and this is still the truth young one" he responded his tone unsure of where Merlin was going with this.
"Then if anyone can save him. It's me." Merlin stood from his knees with new found confidence and looked up to the sky, tears still staining his face
"Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ!"
The clouds above started to move in circles, soon growing grey in colour, within seconds a storm was raging on within the clouds, Sounds of thunder grew unbearably loud, even Kilgharrah winced at the sound, but Merlin was unbothered as he stood firm shouting towards the sky
" Seópan ærest wearð feasceaft funden. Denum æfter dom. Dreamleas gebad he gewann langsum"
The wind now picked up, dangerously swirling around Merlin and Arthur, as the warlock continued his spell. Kilgharrah was struggling to keep his footing and dug his giant claws into the ground to keep himself grounded. Trees around them began to fall down as the earth started to shake, and the water in the lake started to rise up high into the air like a tsunami wave.
Upon seeing this Kilgharrah tried shouting to his young friend "MERLIN! YOU MUST STOP THIS!"
"STAY OUT OF THIS KILGHARRAH!" Merlin argued
"YOU'RE MEDDLING IN SOMETHING YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY CONTROL" Kilgharrah roared, Merlin didn't respond, he knew what his old friend was saying was true but he couldn't let Arthur die. He would face the consequences of his actions after his king was alive. He turned his hands up towards the sky
"Butan þæt cwalu. Hrðe þon aidlian. Hrðe þon eðian. Bot ond tile"
Rain started pouring down from the black clouds above, adding to the worsening conditions of the storm, the water from the lake still growing higher and higher. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck down into the middle of the field, striking Merlin full square. Kilgharrah was watching in horror as the lightning bolt was continuing to consume Merlin like a never ending source of power "MERLIN!"
Merlin cried out in pain, but not the kind of cry which would make you feel sorry for a man but the kind which would put fear into anyone who could hear it. Merlin began violently shaking under the pressure of the bolt, it's brightness increasing every second soon blinding him, the warlock sealed shut his golden eyes, still trying to control his spell and the dangerous effects it was having on the weather. His body was shaking in attempt to continue the spell it was draining all the energy out of him, if the spell didn't work soon he would die and suffer the same fate as his friend, but he couldn't give up, not yet, if there was even the smallest chance to save Arthur he had to take it.
Suddenly, everything stopped, the warlock was no longer submerged in a bolt of lightning, the wind was no longer trying to pull him off the ground, he could feel no rain and the sound of thunder ceased to exist. Merlin opened his eyes, to see a beautiful tall woman, her eyes pale blue with long blonde hair constantly moving as if waving in the non-existent wind standing before him
"Emrys" She spoke softly "What you are attempting to do is forbidden, you should not interfere with such things" She continued.
Temporarily silenced by her beauty Merlin cleared his throat
"I cannot let him die, I will not".
The woman moved closer as if gliding through the air
"Yours and Arthur's destiny has been written since before the time of men, changing such things will have dire consequences" she voiced with concern.
"Then I shall pay the consequences gladly" the young Warlock stated. Nothing was going to get in his way, especially not the Sidhe who now stood before him. The woman did not respond she just looked upon the young warlock with sadness in her eyes. Silence was upon them, Merlin noticed that the Woman was no longer staring at him but past him, he slowly turned around to find what she was looking at.
He saw water from a lake rising above 20 feet tall, trees of the Forrest fall with almighty thuds, Kilgharrah: who was struggling to stay grounded to the floor, Arthur: lying lifeless unaffected by the weather apart from the rain which soaked his chainmail And last of all Merlin saw himself: he was still looking towards the sky still being engulfed by lightning his body shaking with struggle but still shouting his spell in his final attempts to save his best friend.
"Will it work?" Merlin questioned looking back towards the woman "Can I save him?"
The sidhe nodded, a smile climbed it's way onto Merlin's face, His face so pure and full of happiness and hope as he realised he was going to save his friend.
"Heed my words Emrys, you have interfered with a great power even I dare not touch, its effects will gain ahold of you. You won't be able to see it at first, but you'll feel it. Everyday for the rest of your life. It'll be a kind of darkness around your heart. And permanent, like a scar."
Merlin's smile faded as he took in what this powerful woman said to him, he nodded in return, understanding the burden he was about to take on.
"I suppose there is no convincing you otherwise?" The lady questioned. The warlock looked at the sidhe who was now beside him and smiled, a goofy sort of smile but still with serious undertone within it. Merlin shook his head "No"
YOU ARE READING
The Aftermath (Merlin)
Fanfiction*Sequel Out now* Kilgharrah may have told Merlin that nothing he could do would save the Once and Future King, but that doesn't mean he was right. The warlock takes things into his own hands when he revives Arthur at Avalon, but there are consequenc...
