The Truth Remains the Same [R,8a/8]
[7/8]
15.
Time was lost; how much, Arthur didn’t know. One thing was for sure, he didn’t feel real.
Something was wrong.
Arthur grimaced. The feeling of being torn apart faded like it was never there, and he straightened, taking in his surroundings.
Of all the ways Arthur thought the end of the world would look like, it certainly wasn’t this.
He was surrounded by roses; a field of them.
The sky was near impossibly blue, a few thin errant clouds dotted it, moving slowly but surely across the blue expanse. There was a gentle breeze, nothing like the chaos he’d just left, the roses-thigh high, oddly-swaying with the current, gently tapping his jean clad legs. The flowers were all the darkest red-blood red, actually-almost like it was life’s blood that kept them vibrant.
Arthur shivered. This wasn’t Kansas anymore. Hell, he’d never been to Kansas, but he was sure this place wasn’t it. It-
“Arthur.”
Jessica’s eyes stood out like beacons against her pale skin. “What have you done?” she husked, barren.
“I have to help him,” Arthur replied, his attention already to Merlin and Kilgharrah a few meters in front of him. “You need to see to the others. Emmy’s holding them safely, but I don’t know how much longer-”
“Tell Merlin I’ve got you,” Jessica cut in, tears dripping down her face, like they’d always been there.
Arthur turned back to her, sharp. “I’m not going with you-”
“You can’t come with me,” Jessica said, her voice both urgent and sad. “Tell Merlin he’ll need to do what he must,” she said, cryptic as always. “It’s the only way. He’ll know what I mean.”
Lightning filled the sky and Arthur watched as Merlin and Kilgharrah’s body’s disintegrated and took to the darkening sky.
“How…” Arthur turned to Jessica only to find her gone. “Right.” He frowned.
The sky continued to go from blue to a stormy grey in a smattering of seconds. The air around Arthur turned cold and the wind tumultuous. Chopped off rose-heads came at Arthur like marauders, only to drive past him as the last second, leaving him unharmed; uprooted stems flew round him and he ducked around the debris as the world seemed to give its protests.
“Merlin!” Arthur yelled at the top of his lungs to no effect, the wind swallowing his words.
It began to rain as the dueling energies-Merlin, blue like his eyes, thankfully, Kilgharrah in gold-attacked each other. A storm-no, deluge-poured from the sky, thunder and lightning shaking the earth and brightening the sky.
“They’ll kill each other,” Arthur muttered, doing his best to see past the torrential elements to Merlin and Kilgharrah. The brothers jetted across the sky, their energies leaving pockets of nothingness in the places Arthur saw them clash.
Merlin might have been the stronger of the two, Arthur mused as he watched blue and gold crash together and leaving white space in their wake, but Kilgharrah wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
Arthur sighed up at the sky, his body somehow evading the battering the elements wanted to give him. The debris flying in the air did land a few blows (clumps of dirt, branches from unseen trees, flowers and stems) but other than the initial contact, he didn’t feel the objects, nor the temperature changes.
Arthur glowered at the blue energy zipping through the storm clouds. That was no doubt Merlin’s doing, trying to protect Arthur even as he was fighting to destroy everything in his honor. Typical.
He couldn’t let Merlin kill Kilgharrah. There was no doubt Kilgharrah needed killing, but not today, and not with so much to lose.
They were the servants of the world, Arthur and Merlin. Their desires coming second to the world was their fate more than anything Kilgharrah could ever conjure.
When Arthur learned about their ties to each other, a year after he’d been crowned the first time round, he’d tried to convince Merlin of their priorities-both personal and for the greater good. It fell on death ears.
For Merlin, Arthur knew, the only job and interest his friend had was in the protection of his king. Merlin had always been a single-minded, all-or-nothing sort of bloke. And if he believed Arthur was the one to unite Albion (though he hadn’t known to what extend Merlin had wanted it) then he was going to sacrifice everything in order to see Arthur achieve it.
Arthur had agreed with the sentiment, back then. They’d both made sacrifices-all of them personal-to keep the people of Albion safe and reach their goal. But it wasn’t until he lay dying on a rain soaked field, his head in Merlin’s lap, he realized he’d been wrong. They both had been horribly wrong.
There could be happiness in having priorities greater than themselves and have their heart’s desires. Responsibilities and priorities didn’t always mean sacrifice. It would have been harder to achieve both, but it would have been worth it.
There could have been happiness the first time round. They could’ve been happy.
It took his dying before Arthur understood it, but he wouldn’t let Merlin destroy everything before he realized it as well.
They had to be greater than themselves. That was their fate. But there would be benefits this time round.
It wouldn’t be easy, this once and future king business, but Arthur was brave. And even if it killed him, he’d force Merlin to be brave too, and to take the harder route.
Arthur threw his head back, ignoring the rain, the thunder and lightning, the wind and cold. “Kill me first!”
Merlin heard him; there was no doubt in Arthur’s mind.
The blue energy bolted from the sky and swirled around Arthur, Merlin materializing in front of him a moment later.
“No.” Merlin’s bottom lip was cut; blood was smeared on his chin. His left arm swung at his side at an odd angle, looking both dislocated and broken in several places. His trousers were singed, the knees on his right leg completely burned away, the skin exposed underneath black and smoking-
“What…” Merlin blinked at him, eyes sweeping over Arthur’s body. Magic blanched. “What did you do?” he snarled at Arthur, eyes bright gold and glassy. Merlin stepped closer to him, as if the state he was in didn’t hurt or matter. “Arthur-how-what did you do?”
“Are you going to grant me my win?” Kilgharrah’s disembodied voice said before Arthur could respond, the avatar appearing a few meters behind Arthur and Merlin a second or so later.
Merlin turned to his brother, his body shaking. “You tricked us.”
The right side of the dragon’s human face was burned away; the meat and bone showing through like a bloodied and dead replica of Batman’s Two Face, the remnants of the hair on his skull in clumps. Where Merlin’s arm was broken, Kilgharrah’s limbs were missing. His right arm and leg were gone, though it’d never have been known by the way he carried himself, as if the limbs weren’t phantoms, just unseen to the naked eye.
Kilgharrah chuckled, it was gruesome. “Your boy-King is transparent. He can’t resist his own bravery,” he said. He licked what was left of his bloodied lips, his head quirked to the side. “The lengths your human will go to save you are commendable-futile, but commendable.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Arthur said and placed a hand on Merlin’s shoulder-only to have his hand pass through Merlin’s body.
Arthur shivered, a cold finger running up his spine. He’d hoped Merlin’s injuries were superficial-that he’d just forgotten to do a quick mend-but if Merlin wasn’t solid, what kind of power was it taking him to destroy his brother?
Arthur gritted his teeth, met Merlin’s stricken face, determined. “I won’t let you destroy him, Merlin. Even if it means I’ll be your enemy.”
“Enemy?” Merlin said as he turned to Arthur full on, his breath hitching, angry tears streaking his face. “It’s too late for that. Killing him is the only way to avenge you.”
“Avenge me?” Arthur blinked. “Merlin, there’s got to be a better way to stop him! The world isn’t worth-”
“Don’t you dare finish that,” Merlin hissed, pointing a shredded finger in Arthur’s face. “You were the only thing that ever mattered to me.”
“You should listen to the boy, brother,” Kilgharrah said as he stepped closer, still unhindered by limb loss. “He’ll be an expert on lost causes yet.”
Merlin glared at his brother, his body slowly fading as Arthur saw rage fill his eyes, even as Merlin’s mouth twisted, looking trapped. His expression turned resigned at the last instant before Merlin the avatar melted away and Magic formed blue and bright, his eyes solemn, like when he appeared after having been locked away at Camlann-
“Prison,” Athur blurted to the blue energy, his mind a flurry of activity as he tried to connect the pieces of his past and present. “You were taken away from me! Merlin, put him in the-the-”
A place The Three go from time to time, if forced; Leon’s words reverberated through Arthur, and-
“The Void,” Arthur yelled at the blue energy.
The energy-Merlin-didn’t acknowledge him, instead brightening into an almost white color. Merlin-
“It cannot hold me forever!” Kilgharrah yelled as he stumbled away from Magic, fright and dread dancing across his face. “The repercussions will be twice as bad as my death!”
Kilgharrah seemed convinced Merlin wouldn’t kill him, but Arthur had no such guarantee.
The blue energy nearly burned Arthur’s eyes, but somehow he was able to withstand it. The energy crackled like a cut power line; it sucked at the atmosphere like a vacuum.
“Don’t,” Arthur yelled just as the energy released a bolt of blue-white light right at Kilgharrah’s petrified form.
Arthur had no choice. He jumped in front of the power, hoping it would kill him and save the world-
The energy went through Arthur and straight to Kilgharrah.
Kil-Fate-howled, the earth and sky shaking with the strength of it as white fire consumed him.
Arthur fell to his knees, his breath stuck in his chest as he watched what was left of Fate burn away.
Kilgharrah’s body (what was left of it) flickered under the flames and faded to gold energy.
The fire clung to the wisp of energy like the energy was still Kilgharrah, still physical.
The energy bolted straight up into the air, but it couldn’t escape the flames.
Just before the energy went so high into the atmosphere Arthur lost sight of it, the sky above it ripped open, like knife to cloth, expending a white light brighter than the flames eating Fate.
The Void.
Fate hesitated the last moment, Arthur saw, as if trying to dodge the football pitch-sized hole in the sky, but it was too late.
And like a trap set, Fate, and its avatar Kilgharrah, were sucked into the Void.
The rip sealed itself shut, the earth and atmosphere vibrating, a large crack and boom thundering through the air as the hole disappeared.
“Did you kill him?” Arthur asked as he rose and turned to Merlin. He didn’t pause for breath.
“No.” Merlin was healed, as if he’d never been hurt. His countenance though, was a stormy tale; anger, regret, and sadness all fighting for control of his face as he regarded Arthur. “He’s alive. Barely.”
Arthur nodded, closed the distance between them a bit. “Will it keep him contained?”
Merlin stared, hard, at Arthur, his jaw clenched. “He’s weakened to the extent he won’t be able to get out himself,” he said at length, the words sounding dragged out of him.
Arthur frowned. “How can you be sure-”
“I’ve experience with it.” Merlin’s eyes flashed, his hands fists at his side, that eerie anger/pain etched on his face like marble.
Arthur lifted his hand, aiming to touch Merlin to make sure he was really there; thought better of it when he saw Merlin’s face. “I’m sorry about your brother, but I’m glad you’re okay.”
Merlin watched Arthur’s hand instead of looking at his face. “You’re not,” he whispered, voice hitched.
Arthur shivered. “Pardon?” he took two steps away from Merlin, shook his head, clearing it. “I-let’s go back to your house. We need to check on the others-”
“You can’t.”
Arthur blinked at Merlin as his best friend swiped at his nose. “We can’t?”
“Not we. You,” Merlin shook his head. “Kilgharrah tricked us. It was a setup-a backup plan. What he’s done to you-I should’ve known he’d finish his game one way or another.”
Arthur swayed on his feet, feeling lightheaded. “You-I-”
Merlin was by his side in an instant, his face both calm and aggrieved.
Merlin touched Arthur’s face and he shivered again, closing his eyes, registering Merlin’s touch before it faded away.
“Open your eyes,” Merlin said, his voice sounding muffled, like he was forcing himself to speak through tears. “See.”
Arthur obeyed. He stared at Merlin a moment, followed his wizard’s eyes when they dropped between them.
Merlin’s arm was through his chest.
Arthur staggered back, hissing, waited for the pain to begin. It didn’t.
“This place was never meant for humans,” Merlin said and sobbed, his shoulders shaking. “You shouldn’t have been able to follow after us. How did-what did-”
“Emmy made a protective globe,” Arthur said, feeling numb as realization slowly soaked in. “I walked through it.”
Merlin nodded, his bottom lip trembling. “Of course you did,” he said, hoarse. “To save me.”
“I’m dead, aren’t I?” Arthur asked, kept his attention on Merlin’s face. Who knew how much longer he’d be able to see anyone, let alone Merlin.
“No,” Merlin whispered, eyes dropping to his shoes. “But eventually. This place is quite literally the Place In Between.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes, alert. “What do you mean?”
Merlin bit his lip, watcher Arthur. “Your body isn’t here. It should still be with Emmy and the others.” Merlin glared at him, fire in his eyes. “Jessica unlocked Emmy’s powers for a reason. It was to protect the four of you. Being in that protective globe saved them.”
“But not me,” Arthur croaked, his throat closing.
“With the Place In Between, you have to leave as you came,” Merlin said, eyes everywhere but on Arthur. “Think of it as a hidden passage way with locked doors on each end. If by chance you can get into the passage, and can get out, you’ve got to leave with what you brought because there’s no way to get back in again-the locks change.”
“Why can’t you just…carry me out?” Arthur asked, confused. It seemed simple. Horribly risky, but simple. If Merlin couldn’t get him out, as mad as he was, no one could.
“How can I carry an object that is at two different locations at the same time? If your body wasn’t still in this place, then maybe. But right now, your spirit and your body cancel each other out.”
“But what will happen to me? I can’t just bloody stay here forever!” Arthur yelled, his voice ringing through the air. This was unacceptable. He didn’t save Merlin only to be left alone, again.
“You won’t be,” Merlin whispered, eyes blurring with tears. “Both you and your body will begin to fade until you disappear here, and your body ceases all function.”
“Jessica had a message for you,” Arthur said for lack of something better to say. At least now Jessica’s reaction to his appearance was starting to make sense. “She said you are to do what you must.”
Merlin’s face went strange. He blanched even as a glimmer of hope sparked his eyes. “Oh,” he muttered, mouth frowning and smiling at the same time. “Oh.”
“Tell me there’s hope,” Arthur demanded even as he did his best to expect none.
Merlin watched him, sighed, looking distracted. “If I can cancel out one of you, it will act like a key and then I can help you.”
“And what’s it you must do?” Arthur said, dread holding tight to the pit of his stomach.
Merlin swallowed, his jaw set. “I must kill you.”
★
Arthur blinked at Merlin. “Kill me? Kill me where?”
Merlin couldn’t begrudge Arthur the panic, not really. What he had to do to the former King would be a desperate and drastic stunt.
“If I kill you here, I think your body will die instantly,” Merlin mused, matter-of-fact. “But the other way round, I think it gives me time to set everything to rights.” He had thought of hundreds (of thousands) of ways Arthur could’ve died, contingency plans at the ready, but this…this, he never expected.
If the Three’s rule over humanity had truly been a game, Merlin would have conceded to his brother.
Merlin shook his head. Well played, Kilgharrah.
Arthur frowned at him, eyes losing focus. No doubt working out the scenario in his head. “How long do I have once my body’s done?” he asked after a bout of tension filled silence.
“Not long,” Merlin replied, heart thumping. “Fifteen, maybe thirty seconds at most.”
“Seconds-” Arthur grunted, eyebrows as high as the stars. “That’s all? That’s all you can-”
“You’re really not supposed to be alive now,” Merlin snapped. And it wasn’t seconds, actually, but milliseconds. He was being optimistic. “We have to act fast. This is the only time when both sides of you will be at their strongest. If we’re ever going to get a proper chance, this is it.”
Arthur opened his mouth, frowned, and closed it again. He stared at Merlin, face steadily pinking. “Right.”
“Arthur?” Merlin inquired as his best friend walked right into his personal space.
“In case this doesn’t work,” Arthur murmured, eyes larger than normal, his throat working convulsively.
Merlin frowned, heart kicking up a notch. “What-”
Arthur hugged him, or meant to, his arms crowded around Merlin like a glove. Merlin felt nothing. He opened his mouth is surprise, tried his best to feel something, anything, but it was to not.
Arthur pulled away, gasped for breath. Merlin could tell by the look on his face, Arthur hadn’t felt anything either. He did his best to ignore the tears budding in the former King’s eyes.
“I’m honored you didn’t pick me,” Arthur said, a small smile breaking through the futility heavy in the air.
“What-” Merlin scowled at Arthur, cross as comprehension dawned. “Only you would be happy I didn’t pick you first over anything and everything, you ponce.”
Arthur shrugged and dipped his head. “It was the right thing to do. I regret nothing.”
“Well.” Merlin cleared his throat to bar it from closing. Why were he and Arthur always so crap at goodbyes? They were some of the most important people to enter the world (definitely true for Arthur), he thought they’d at least get blessed with minimal social skills. “Just in case, I-”
“Save it for later, yeah?” Arthur said, a resolute look about him as he folded his arms over his chest. “After you’ve saved me by killing me.”
Merlin didn’t flinch, much. He nodded. “Fair enough.”
Merlin looked around them, took in the destruction he and his brother caused. Whole segments of earth were pulled up, craters the size of lakes, large stones, flowers and grass strewn about like a garden after a dog had a run rampage through it. The sky still reflected his mood; grey and dense, the air cold and sharp. He was a bit relieved Arthur couldn’t feel anything at the moment.
Arthur stood amongst the ruins of the Place In Between, face scared but fierce, shoulders back, head held high. Regal, every bit the once and future King. He would be lonely, Arthur, but hopefully not forever.
Merlin refused to memorize the image before him, chose instead to be brave, like Arthur.
“I’ll return,” he said, a small smile taking hold like fire. “Wait for me.”
★
Merlin wasn’t surprised by the vigil held in his bedroom.
Arthur’s body lay in repose under Merlin’s duvet, skin pale, lips blue tinged, body unnaturally still.
Sean sat at the left side of Merlin’s bed, closest to Arthur, his chair squished to the bed as far as it could go. He was hunched over, his elbows on his knees; head bowed low, his shoulders trembling.
Jessica sat on her calves at the foot of the bed, both hands gripping Arthur’s covered feet.
She looked almost as pale and dead as Arthur. Leon sat behind her on the overly large bed, his chest pressed to her back, holding Jessica up quite literally, his face stricken, confused, as if the situation he found himself in just didn’t mesh with his outlook of events.
Emmy, the fearless one, Merlin thought fondly (alarmingly), went farther than the others dared. She was sprawled on Arthur’s comatose form, her head cushioned on Arthur’s chest, her small arms and hands wrapped round his torso, eyes open and looking at nothing.
Merlin hadn’t been gone long enough for anyone to think something was amiss. In this dimension, he was sure it hadn’t yet been ten minutes since he’d placed Kilgharrah in the Void.
“Is it done?”
Merlin looked at his sister, watched her start under his gaze, though her eyes never left Arthur’s body. “Yes.”
“Will you save him?” Sean asked as he lifted his head and looked at Merlin, his heart in his eyes.
“He’s only inhaled once since Jessica brought him back,” Emmy said before Merlin had a chance to reply. Her tone was blank, eyes still in another world. “He’s not cold or hot, he doesn’t look completely dead, but he’s not very alive. It’s a bit like he’s paused.”
“Arthur’s body is waiting for him to return,” Merlin said, his stomach bottoming out. “If he doesn’t, they’ll both waste away.”
“Will you save him?” Sean repeated, looking less lost and more angry by the second.
“Of course,” Merlin replied, did his best to look Sean in the eye. “There’s no other choice, really.”
“He knows what you must do?” Jessica asked, attention still on Arthur.
Merlin swallowed, regarded his sister. Their existence was never going to change. He and Jessica were alone, now that Kilgharrah was-gone, and they already had to move on.
There was no time to grieve for their brother, not with everything in the balance. If they ever got the chance to grieve, it was going to be a horrid affair, what with the sordid history and love/hate relationship they both had (Jessica at a lesser extent, though Fate wronged her in his own way) with Kilgharrah.
Merlin nodded, brushing the conflicting thoughts aside. “Yes. And the sooner I do it, the better.”
“What’s it?” Sean asked, back stiff and voice brittle as he looked at Merlin, suspicious.
Merlin sighed. “Arthur’s body has to die-”
“What?” Sean flinched. “Die-”
“So I can get his spirit and revive him,” Merlin continued, vexed. Time was running out and the future-both Arthur’s and the world’s-hung in the balance.
“There will be consequences for interfering directly in his life,” Jessica said, finally looking at Merlin. She was paler than he thought, near translucent, dark circles under bloodshot eyes, lips bruised and chapped.
“Haven’t I been interfering in his life all along?” Merlin replied, bit his bottom lip and looked at Arthur. “There’s always consequences,” he said and shrugged. “We’ll have to see if they’ll be good or bad.”
Merlin climbed onto the bed and shuffled on his knees to the left side of the bed where Arthur and Emmy rested. She clutched at Arthur’s body, her eyes no longer vacant but fierce and protective. She wasn’t going to let go of Arthur easily. It warmed Merlin’s heart;
Jessica chose Arthur’s protectors well.
Merlin casted his attention round the room, looking for a distraction. This magic would take all he had, and he’d need every gram of it. Jessica’s help was out of the question. As
Destiny, she really couldn’t be too hands on about it-conflicts of interests-and she’d already taken too much of a chance by bringing Arthur’s body back to the mortal dimension so Merlin could make a difference, amongst other things.
But Archie-
Huh. Merlin scanned the room twice, saw no bird both times. He sighed; Archimedes wasn’t one to cut and run, but if he wasn’t round, there had to be a good reason.
Merlin placed a hand on Emmy’s shoulder, watched the girl’s eyes track him. “Release him.”
“Promise me you’ll do your best,” she whispered, tears springing in her eyelids.
“I’ll do one better,” Merlin said as a real smile took hold of his mouth. “I’ll do Arthur’s best.”
Emmy’s mouth quirked up, and she joined Jessica and Leon at the foot of the bed, there and gone in a smattering of seconds.
Merlin looked at Arthur’s form as it rested peacefully, near lifelessly, on his bed.
Killing Arthur shouldn’t be easy, but human lives were fragile and easily extinguished.
Arthur was never made to be inactive, and seeing his best friend neither moving forward or backward, paused, turned Merlin’s stomach.
There should be words.
Arthur was slipping away from Merlin, and there was a very large possibility him intervening in Arthur’s life this directly would come back and bite them both hard in the arse.
There should be words in case Merlin messed it up and Arthur was lost to him forever. Words to carry Arthur’s spirit into the beyond.
Merlin’s mind was blank.
Anxious, Merlin directed his mind to his and the former king’s last meeting. Arthur was waiting for him in that empty half-dimension, counting on him to make things right. Arthur saved Merlin from both himself and the countless lives and destinies of humanity. It was only
fair he return the favor.
Merlin smiled and crouched over Arthur’s prone form. “Hear me, Arthur Pendragon, feel me,” he whispered in Arthur’s ear, aware of the eyes on him. “You’ve shown me the light. And right, I’m glad I didn’t pick you, too. I can’t live without you, but you know what else is true? Neither can the world.”
Merlin leaned back a bit, his hands reaching out and landing on Arthur’s chest. His best friend’s skin was lukewarm to the touch, but it didn’t matter.
“Come with me,” Merlin said as Arthur’s body died and his own form fell away. “No, Arthur.”
He frowned, a part of him already with Arthur and holding the former King tighter as he tried to slip away. “Let’s see what the future holds for you, together.”
★
Hands brushed Arthur’s chest, something he hadn’t been expecting, feared he would never feel.
“Come with me.”
He squinted at the sky, brows raised as he identified Merlin’s true form as it descended from the cosmos like a bullet.
It was all so quick.
The blue energy gathered Arthur in a flash of blue-white light and together, they jettisoned up, up, up and into the atmosphere.
They broke the ether, and instead of seeing stars and planets as Arthur had expected, they entered a tunnel-shaped corridor.
The hallway itself was shadowed and had doors; thousands of them.
Arthur could feel Merlin’s energy tighten around him, the pressure like straps closing in.
Magic picked up speed, zipping through their surroundings, the doors blurring.
“Life is death,” a deep alto voice whispered from one of the doors and all of the doors at once. “Don’t embrace life, stay here where you belong.”
“No, Arthur,” Merlin’s form said gently, coaxing, the energy tightening around Arthur further.
“Pendragon,” the same voice said, sweet and inviting, “sleep. Find your rest with me. Find-”
“Let’s see what the future holds for you,” Merlin said, ever loving, ever kind. “Together.”
The voice ceased. The hallway faded.
Arthur could see the stars; the constellations and galaxies around them, the meteorites buzzing past, the beyond, in all its wonder, right at his fingertips.
Arthur smiled.
“Yes. Together.”
★
There was no pain. Arthur hadn’t expected that.
“I’ve got better things to do than watch you laze about all bloody day.”
Arthur grinned and opened his eyes. “You’ll do what I tell you, git.”
Merlin rolled his eyes, his smile looking forced even as close as their faces were. “Not bloody likely-argh-”
“Arthur,” Emmy squealed once she’d knocked Merlin out of her way with a surprise elbow to Merlin’s neck.
“Emmeria,” Arthur croaked into Emmy’s hair as he pulled her tight against him, his throat closing. “So good to see you.”
“Sound a bit worried, mate,” Sean said beside Arthur as his childhood friend (Christ, it was going to be awkward if Sean ever became Will, he realized) attacked him, climbing on the bed and hugging he and Emmy both. “There was nothing to fear,” Sean said into Arthur’s neck.
Arthur snorted into Emmy’s hair. “Look at you, Sean. Acting like you weren’t sniveling like a girl-”
“Hey!” Sean barked. “I’ll have you know, I was the epitome of mannish behavior.”
“I’ll always take care of you three,” Jessica said, her voice sounding a bit muffled.
Arthur peeked over the top of Emmy’s head and saw her standing at the foot of the bed, her eyes red-rimmed and too bright. She smiled at him, her lips trembling with false and overly optimistic cheer. “That’ll never change.”
Sean and Emmy finally saw sense and extracted themselves from Arthur’s person, and climbed off the bed, giving Arthur the space he needed. And for the record, he hated every second of that feel good moment, almost assuredly-certainly-yes, he didn’t have butterflies in his stomach from the joy, they were baby condors.
He inclined his head and scooted backward until his shoulder blades brushed against the bed’s headboard. He smiled. “Nice to know that now, Jessica.”
Jessica rolled her eyes, the spark of playful smugness returning a bit. “Don’t start, Arthur. If it wasn’t for me, you probably wouldn’t be here now. None of you.”
“Are you taking credit for saving the world?” Arthur asked, his mouth falling ajar. “That’s rich.”
“It’s true,” Jessica said, and chuckled. “And it’s Morgana, actually. I know you don’t want to admit I’m the same person you knew, but I am.”
“I-” Arthur blinked at her, pinked. “Morgana,” he said softly, watching Morgana’s face fill with warmth. “Right.”
“I take it you’re glad to be back?” Leon said, climbing off the bed and standing behind Morgana, his pseudo-sister’s ever present companion and watcher.
Arthur watched Leon, heartened to see his old comrade safe and sound, and there for Morgana in ways Arthur never could. Merlin and Morgana lost their brother not long ago, and even though Kilgharrah wasn’t dead, his absence would be missed.
It was good to see Morgana wouldn’t be alone. Sir Leon, Arthur was glad to re-confirm, was a good man.
Arthur nodded. “Yes, I’m-”
“It would be a complete waste of time if Merlin hadn’t brought him back,” Archimedes said as he landed on Leon’s shoulder out of nowhere, startling everyone in the room. He glowered at Arthur. “Arthur would be a blubbering mess without Merlin in that place; utterly useless.”
That arse Archie was still alive. That, unfortunately, accounted for everyone.
Arthur twisted his lip at the devil bird. “I see-”
“I’m both relieved and put out that you stand before me with no broken limbs,” Archie continued, golden eyes swirling angrier than usual-not that Arthur knew Archimedes, mind.
Thankfully, that was far from the truth.
Arthur crossed his arms, and glared harder at the bird. “You should’ve been a vulture,” he declared at length.
Archie shrugged, his left wing popping up. “And from what I understand, the only thing Arthur Pendragon of old did right was acknowledge his wizard’s importance.” The owl lifted a feathered brow. “You let the entire world know Merlin’s worth.”
Arthur opened his mouth; shut it. It was clear Archimedes got his abrupt subject changes from Merlin. If that didn’t prove he was Merlin’s creation, nothing did. “I thought you hated me,” he said to Archie’s smug face.
“I don’t hate you.” Archie said, snide, like their first meeting wasn’t a complete nightmare and Archimedes hadn’t treated Arthur like he was the bird’s sole cross to bear. “I just don’t think you’re worthy of Merlin’s friendship or concern.”
“Merlin’s done so much.” Arthur stared at the carpet, hyper aware of the expectant ears around him. “I’ll never be worthy of his interest, I don’t think anyone is.” Arthur looked at
Archimedes, hoped the bird saw the truth and promise on his face and tone. “But I’ll strive to be everything he believes me to be.”
“You’ve already done that,” Morgana said as she engulfed Arthur in a hug, smelling of lavender and lemongrass. “You’re his King. But now it’s time to be someone far more dangerous.”
Arthur glanced around, pulling out of Morgana’s embrace, surprise battling with concern. “Where is he?”
“Gathering himself, I’d imagine,” Morgana said, a watery and wry smile plastered on her lips. “He looked to be in quite the strop when he teleported off the bed.”
Arthur sighed, and climbed out of the bed, thankful to note he was still fully dressed. He knew what had Merlin aggravated. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his own ire building. If Merlin thought he could be righteously angry after their history, he had another thing coming.
“Arthur?” Emmy called after him, sounding both confused and nervous.
Arthur didn’t spare the group a glance, admonishing himself for being so wrapped up in Merlin that he forgot about everything else that mattered.
He made it out of the bedroom and took off down the hall, his heart darkening with every step as he followed his instincts to his wizard.
Yes, Arthur was happy to be alive, ecstatic to be given another chance; his trust rightfully placed in Merlin’s hands. But, there were things between him and his best friend that needed tending to, and almost none of them were pleasant.
Quite frankly, the argument he was about to have with Merlin, was centuries in the making.
15.
Time was lost; how much, Arthur didn’t know. One thing was for sure, he didn’t feel real.
Something was wrong.
Arthur grimaced. The feeling of being torn apart faded like it was never there, and he straightened, taking in his surroundings.
Of all the ways Arthur thought the end of the world would look like, it certainly wasn’t this.
He was surrounded by roses; a field of them.
The sky was near impossibly blue, a few thin errant clouds dotted it, moving slowly but surely across the blue expanse. There was a gentle breeze, nothing like the chaos he’d just left, the roses-thigh high, oddly-swaying with the current, gently tapping his jean clad legs. The flowers were all the darkest red-blood red, actually-almost like it was life’s blood that kept them vibrant.
Arthur shivered. This wasn’t Kansas anymore. Hell, he’d never been to Kansas, but he was sure this place wasn’t it. It-
“Arthur.”
Jessica’s eyes stood out like beacons against her pale skin. “What have you done?” she husked, barren.
“I have to help him,” Arthur replied, his attention already to Merlin and Kilgharrah a few meters in front of him. “You need to see to the others. Emmy’s holding them safely, but I don’t know how much longer-”
“Tell Merlin I’ve got you,” Jessica cut in, tears dripping down her face, like they’d always been there.
Arthur turned back to her, sharp. “I’m not going with you-”
“You can’t come with me,” Jessica said, her voice both urgent and sad. “Tell Merlin he’ll need to do what he must,” she said, cryptic as always. “It’s the only way. He’ll know what I mean.”
Lightning filled the sky and Arthur watched as Merlin and Kilgharrah’s body’s disintegrated and took to the darkening sky.
“How…” Arthur turned to Jessica only to find her gone. “Right.” He frowned.
The sky continued to go from blue to a stormy grey in a smattering of seconds. The air around Arthur turned cold and the wind tumultuous. Chopped off rose-heads came at Arthur like marauders, only to drive past him as the last second, leaving him unharmed; uprooted stems flew round him and he ducked around the debris as the world seemed to give its protests.
“Merlin!” Arthur yelled at the top of his lungs to no effect, the wind swallowing his words.
It began to rain as the dueling energies-Merlin, blue like his eyes, thankfully, Kilgharrah in gold-attacked each other. A storm-no, deluge-poured from the sky, thunder and lightning shaking the earth and brightening the sky.
“They’ll kill each other,” Arthur muttered, doing his best to see past the torrential elements to Merlin and Kilgharrah. The brothers jetted across the sky, their energies leaving pockets of nothingness in the places Arthur saw them clash.
Merlin might have been the stronger of the two, Arthur mused as he watched blue and gold crash together and leaving white space in their wake, but Kilgharrah wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
Arthur sighed up at the sky, his body somehow evading the battering the elements wanted to give him. The debris flying in the air did land a few blows (clumps of dirt, branches from unseen trees, flowers and stems) but other than the initial contact, he didn’t feel the objects, nor the temperature changes.
Arthur glowered at the blue energy zipping through the storm clouds. That was no doubt Merlin’s doing, trying to protect Arthur even as he was fighting to destroy everything in his honor. Typical.
He couldn’t let Merlin kill Kilgharrah. There was no doubt Kilgharrah needed killing, but not today, and not with so much to lose.
They were the servants of the world, Arthur and Merlin. Their desires coming second to the world was their fate more than anything Kilgharrah could ever conjure.
When Arthur learned about their ties to each other, a year after he’d been crowned the first time round, he’d tried to convince Merlin of their priorities-both personal and for the greater good. It fell on death ears.
For Merlin, Arthur knew, the only job and interest his friend had was in the protection of his king. Merlin had always been a single-minded, all-or-nothing sort of bloke. And if he believed Arthur was the one to unite Albion (though he hadn’t known to what extend Merlin had wanted it) then he was going to sacrifice everything in order to see Arthur achieve it.
Arthur had agreed with the sentiment, back then. They’d both made sacrifices-all of them personal-to keep the people of Albion safe and reach their goal. But it wasn’t until he lay dying on a rain soaked field, his head in Merlin’s lap, he realized he’d been wrong. They both had been horribly wrong.
There could be happiness in having priorities greater than themselves and have their heart’s desires. Responsibilities and priorities didn’t always mean sacrifice. It would have been harder to achieve both, but it would have been worth it.
There could have been happiness the first time round. They could’ve been happy.
It took his dying before Arthur understood it, but he wouldn’t let Merlin destroy everything before he realized it as well.
They had to be greater than themselves. That was their fate. But there would be benefits this time round.
It wouldn’t be easy, this once and future king business, but Arthur was brave. And even if it killed him, he’d force Merlin to be brave too, and to take the harder route.
Arthur threw his head back, ignoring the rain, the thunder and lightning, the wind and cold. “Kill me first!”
Merlin heard him; there was no doubt in Arthur’s mind.
The blue energy bolted from the sky and swirled around Arthur, Merlin materializing in front of him a moment later.
“No.” Merlin’s bottom lip was cut; blood was smeared on his chin. His left arm swung at his side at an odd angle, looking both dislocated and broken in several places. His trousers were singed, the knees on his right leg completely burned away, the skin exposed underneath black and smoking-
“What…” Merlin blinked at him, eyes sweeping over Arthur’s body. Magic blanched. “What did you do?” he snarled at Arthur, eyes bright gold and glassy. Merlin stepped closer to him, as if the state he was in didn’t hurt or matter. “Arthur-how-what did you do?”
“Are you going to grant me my win?” Kilgharrah’s disembodied voice said before Arthur could respond, the avatar appearing a few meters behind Arthur and Merlin a second or so later.
Merlin turned to his brother, his body shaking. “You tricked us.”
The right side of the dragon’s human face was burned away; the meat and bone showing through like a bloodied and dead replica of Batman’s Two Face, the remnants of the hair on his skull in clumps. Where Merlin’s arm was broken, Kilgharrah’s limbs were missing. His right arm and leg were gone, though it’d never have been known by the way he carried himself, as if the limbs weren’t phantoms, just unseen to the naked eye.
Kilgharrah chuckled, it was gruesome. “Your boy-King is transparent. He can’t resist his own bravery,” he said. He licked what was left of his bloodied lips, his head quirked to the side. “The lengths your human will go to save you are commendable-futile, but commendable.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Arthur said and placed a hand on Merlin’s shoulder-only to have his hand pass through Merlin’s body.
Arthur shivered, a cold finger running up his spine. He’d hoped Merlin’s injuries were superficial-that he’d just forgotten to do a quick mend-but if Merlin wasn’t solid, what kind of power was it taking him to destroy his brother?
Arthur gritted his teeth, met Merlin’s stricken face, determined. “I won’t let you destroy him, Merlin. Even if it means I’ll be your enemy.”
“Enemy?” Merlin said as he turned to Arthur full on, his breath hitching, angry tears streaking his face. “It’s too late for that. Killing him is the only way to avenge you.”
“Avenge me?” Arthur blinked. “Merlin, there’s got to be a better way to stop him! The world isn’t worth-”
“Don’t you dare finish that,” Merlin hissed, pointing a shredded finger in Arthur’s face. “You were the only thing that ever mattered to me.”
“You should listen to the boy, brother,” Kilgharrah said as he stepped closer, still unhindered by limb loss. “He’ll be an expert on lost causes yet.”
Merlin glared at his brother, his body slowly fading as Arthur saw rage fill his eyes, even as Merlin’s mouth twisted, looking trapped. His expression turned resigned at the last instant before Merlin the avatar melted away and Magic formed blue and bright, his eyes solemn, like when he appeared after having been locked away at Camlann-
“Prison,” Athur blurted to the blue energy, his mind a flurry of activity as he tried to connect the pieces of his past and present. “You were taken away from me! Merlin, put him in the-the-”
A place The Three go from time to time, if forced; Leon’s words reverberated through Arthur, and-
“The Void,” Arthur yelled at the blue energy.
The energy-Merlin-didn’t acknowledge him, instead brightening into an almost white color. Merlin-
“It cannot hold me forever!” Kilgharrah yelled as he stumbled away from Magic, fright and dread dancing across his face. “The repercussions will be twice as bad as my death!”
Kilgharrah seemed convinced Merlin wouldn’t kill him, but Arthur had no such guarantee.
The blue energy nearly burned Arthur’s eyes, but somehow he was able to withstand it. The energy crackled like a cut power line; it sucked at the atmosphere like a vacuum.
“Don’t,” Arthur yelled just as the energy released a bolt of blue-white light right at Kilgharrah’s petrified form.
Arthur had no choice. He jumped in front of the power, hoping it would kill him and save the world-
The energy went through Arthur and straight to Kilgharrah.
Kil-Fate-howled, the earth and sky shaking with the strength of it as white fire consumed him.
Arthur fell to his knees, his breath stuck in his chest as he watched what was left of Fate burn away.
Kilgharrah’s body (what was left of it) flickered under the flames and faded to gold energy.
The fire clung to the wisp of energy like the energy was still Kilgharrah, still physical.
The energy bolted straight up into the air, but it couldn’t escape the flames.
Just before the energy went so high into the atmosphere Arthur lost sight of it, the sky above it ripped open, like knife to cloth, expending a white light brighter than the flames eating Fate.
The Void.
Fate hesitated the last moment, Arthur saw, as if trying to dodge the football pitch-sized hole in the sky, but it was too late.
And like a trap set, Fate, and its avatar Kilgharrah, were sucked into the Void.
The rip sealed itself shut, the earth and atmosphere vibrating, a large crack and boom thundering through the air as the hole disappeared.
“Did you kill him?” Arthur asked as he rose and turned to Merlin. He didn’t pause for breath.
“No.” Merlin was healed, as if he’d never been hurt. His countenance though, was a stormy tale; anger, regret, and sadness all fighting for control of his face as he regarded Arthur. “He’s alive. Barely.”
Arthur nodded, closed the distance between them a bit. “Will it keep him contained?”
Merlin stared, hard, at Arthur, his jaw clenched. “He’s weakened to the extent he won’t be able to get out himself,” he said at length, the words sounding dragged out of him.
Arthur frowned. “How can you be sure-”
“I’ve experience with it.” Merlin’s eyes flashed, his hands fists at his side, that eerie anger/pain etched on his face like marble.
Arthur lifted his hand, aiming to touch Merlin to make sure he was really there; thought better of it when he saw Merlin’s face. “I’m sorry about your brother, but I’m glad you’re okay.”
Merlin watched Arthur’s hand instead of looking at his face. “You’re not,” he whispered, voice hitched.
Arthur shivered. “Pardon?” he took two steps away from Merlin, shook his head, clearing it. “I-let’s go back to your house. We need to check on the others-”
“You can’t.”
Arthur blinked at Merlin as his best friend swiped at his nose. “We can’t?”
“Not we. You,” Merlin shook his head. “Kilgharrah tricked us. It was a setup-a backup plan. What he’s done to you-I should’ve known he’d finish his game one way or another.”
Arthur swayed on his feet, feeling lightheaded. “You-I-”
Merlin was by his side in an instant, his face both calm and aggrieved.
Merlin touched Arthur’s face and he shivered again, closing his eyes, registering Merlin’s touch before it faded away.
“Open your eyes,” Merlin said, his voice sounding muffled, like he was forcing himself to speak through tears. “See.”
Arthur obeyed. He stared at Merlin a moment, followed his wizard’s eyes when they dropped between them.
Merlin’s arm was through his chest.
Arthur staggered back, hissing, waited for the pain to begin. It didn’t.
“This place was never meant for humans,” Merlin said and sobbed, his shoulders shaking. “You shouldn’t have been able to follow after us. How did-what did-”
“Emmy made a protective globe,” Arthur said, feeling numb as realization slowly soaked in. “I walked through it.”
Merlin nodded, his bottom lip trembling. “Of course you did,” he said, hoarse. “To save me.”
“I’m dead, aren’t I?” Arthur asked, kept his attention on Merlin’s face. Who knew how much longer he’d be able to see anyone, let alone Merlin.
“No,” Merlin whispered, eyes dropping to his shoes. “But eventually. This place is quite literally the Place In Between.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes, alert. “What do you mean?”
Merlin bit his lip, watcher Arthur. “Your body isn’t here. It should still be with Emmy and the others.” Merlin glared at him, fire in his eyes. “Jessica unlocked Emmy’s powers for a reason. It was to protect the four of you. Being in that protective globe saved them.”
“But not me,” Arthur croaked, his throat closing.
“With the Place In Between, you have to leave as you came,” Merlin said, eyes everywhere but on Arthur. “Think of it as a hidden passage way with locked doors on each end. If by chance you can get into the passage, and can get out, you’ve got to leave with what you brought because there’s no way to get back in again-the locks change.”
“Why can’t you just…carry me out?” Arthur asked, confused. It seemed simple. Horribly risky, but simple. If Merlin couldn’t get him out, as mad as he was, no one could.
“How can I carry an object that is at two different locations at the same time? If your body wasn’t still in this place, then maybe. But right now, your spirit and your body cancel each other out.”
“But what will happen to me? I can’t just bloody stay here forever!” Arthur yelled, his voice ringing through the air. This was unacceptable. He didn’t save Merlin only to be left alone, again.
“You won’t be,” Merlin whispered, eyes blurring with tears. “Both you and your body will begin to fade until you disappear here, and your body ceases all function.”
“Jessica had a message for you,” Arthur said for lack of something better to say. At least now Jessica’s reaction to his appearance was starting to make sense. “She said you are to do what you must.”
Merlin’s face went strange. He blanched even as a glimmer of hope sparked his eyes. “Oh,” he muttered, mouth frowning and smiling at the same time. “Oh.”
“Tell me there’s hope,” Arthur demanded even as he did his best to expect none.
Merlin watched him, sighed, looking distracted. “If I can cancel out one of you, it will act like a key and then I can help you.”
“And what’s it you must do?” Arthur said, dread holding tight to the pit of his stomach.
Merlin swallowed, his jaw set. “I must kill you.”
★
Arthur blinked at Merlin. “Kill me? Kill me where?”
Merlin couldn’t begrudge Arthur the panic, not really. What he had to do to the former King would be a desperate and drastic stunt.
“If I kill you here, I think your body will die instantly,” Merlin mused, matter-of-fact. “But the other way round, I think it gives me time to set everything to rights.” He had thought of hundreds (of thousands) of ways Arthur could’ve died, contingency plans at the ready, but this…this, he never expected.
If the Three’s rule over humanity had truly been a game, Merlin would have conceded to his brother.
Merlin shook his head. Well played, Kilgharrah.
Arthur frowned at him, eyes losing focus. No doubt working out the scenario in his head. “How long do I have once my body’s done?” he asked after a bout of tension filled silence.
“Not long,” Merlin replied, heart thumping. “Fifteen, maybe thirty seconds at most.”
“Seconds-” Arthur grunted, eyebrows as high as the stars. “That’s all? That’s all you can-”
“You’re really not supposed to be alive now,” Merlin snapped. And it wasn’t seconds, actually, but milliseconds. He was being optimistic. “We have to act fast. This is the only time when both sides of you will be at their strongest. If we’re ever going to get a proper chance, this is it.”
Arthur opened his mouth, frowned, and closed it again. He stared at Merlin, face steadily pinking. “Right.”
“Arthur?” Merlin inquired as his best friend walked right into his personal space.
“In case this doesn’t work,” Arthur murmured, eyes larger than normal, his throat working convulsively.
Merlin frowned, heart kicking up a notch. “What-”
Arthur hugged him, or meant to, his arms crowded around Merlin like a glove. Merlin felt nothing. He opened his mouth is surprise, tried his best to feel something, anything, but it was to not.
Arthur pulled away, gasped for breath. Merlin could tell by the look on his face, Arthur hadn’t felt anything either. He did his best to ignore the tears budding in the former King’s eyes.
“I’m honored you didn’t pick me,” Arthur said, a small smile breaking through the futility heavy in the air.
“What-” Merlin scowled at Arthur, cross as comprehension dawned. “Only you would be happy I didn’t pick you first over anything and everything, you ponce.”
Arthur shrugged and dipped his head. “It was the right thing to do. I regret nothing.”
“Well.” Merlin cleared his throat to bar it from closing. Why were he and Arthur always so crap at goodbyes? They were some of the most important people to enter the world (definitely true for Arthur), he thought they’d at least get blessed with minimal social skills. “Just in case, I-”
“Save it for later, yeah?” Arthur said, a resolute look about him as he folded his arms over his chest. “After you’ve saved me by killing me.”
Merlin didn’t flinch, much. He nodded. “Fair enough.”
Merlin looked around them, took in the destruction he and his brother caused. Whole segments of earth were pulled up, craters the size of lakes, large stones, flowers and grass strewn about like a garden after a dog had a run rampage through it. The sky still reflected his mood; grey and dense, the air cold and sharp. He was a bit relieved Arthur couldn’t feel anything at the moment.
Arthur stood amongst the ruins of the Place In Between, face scared but fierce, shoulders back, head held high. Regal, every bit the once and future King. He would be lonely, Arthur, but hopefully not forever.
Merlin refused to memorize the image before him, chose instead to be brave, like Arthur.
“I’ll return,” he said, a small smile taking hold like fire. “Wait for me.”
★
Merlin wasn’t surprised by the vigil held in his bedroom.
Arthur’s body lay in repose under Merlin’s duvet, skin pale, lips blue tinged, body unnaturally still.
Sean sat at the left side of Merlin’s bed, closest to Arthur, his chair squished to the bed as far as it could go. He was hunched over, his elbows on his knees; head bowed low, his shoulders trembling.
Jessica sat on her calves at the foot of the bed, both hands gripping Arthur’s covered feet.
She looked almost as pale and dead as Arthur. Leon sat behind her on the overly large bed, his chest pressed to her back, holding Jessica up quite literally, his face stricken, confused, as if the situation he found himself in just didn’t mesh with his outlook of events.
Emmy, the fearless one, Merlin thought fondly (alarmingly), went farther than the others dared. She was sprawled on Arthur’s comatose form, her head cushioned on Arthur’s chest, her small arms and hands wrapped round his torso, eyes open and looking at nothing.
Merlin hadn’t been gone long enough for anyone to think something was amiss. In this dimension, he was sure it hadn’t yet been ten minutes since he’d placed Kilgharrah in the Void.
“Is it done?”
Merlin looked at his sister, watched her start under his gaze, though her eyes never left Arthur’s body. “Yes.”
“Will you save him?” Sean asked as he lifted his head and looked at Merlin, his heart in his eyes.
“He’s only inhaled once since Jessica brought him back,” Emmy said before Merlin had a chance to reply. Her tone was blank, eyes still in another world. “He’s not cold or hot, he doesn’t look completely dead, but he’s not very alive. It’s a bit like he’s paused.”
“Arthur’s body is waiting for him to return,” Merlin said, his stomach bottoming out. “If he doesn’t, they’ll both waste away.”
“Will you save him?” Sean repeated, looking less lost and more angry by the second.
“Of course,” Merlin replied, did his best to look Sean in the eye. “There’s no other choice, really.”
“He knows what you must do?” Jessica asked, attention still on Arthur.
Merlin swallowed, regarded his sister. Their existence was never going to change. He and Jessica were alone, now that Kilgharrah was-gone, and they already had to move on.
There was no time to grieve for their brother, not with everything in the balance. If they ever got the chance to grieve, it was going to be a horrid affair, what with the sordid history and love/hate relationship they both had (Jessica at a lesser extent, though Fate wronged her in his own way) with Kilgharrah.
Merlin nodded, brushing the conflicting thoughts aside. “Yes. And the sooner I do it, the better.”
“What’s it?” Sean asked, back stiff and voice brittle as he looked at Merlin, suspicious.
Merlin sighed. “Arthur’s body has to die-”
“What?” Sean flinched. “Die-”
“So I can get his spirit and revive him,” Merlin continued, vexed. Time was running out and the future-both Arthur’s and the world’s-hung in the balance.
“There will be consequences for interfering directly in his life,” Jessica said, finally looking at Merlin. She was paler than he thought, near translucent, dark circles under bloodshot eyes, lips bruised and chapped.
“Haven’t I been interfering in his life all along?” Merlin replied, bit his bottom lip and looked at Arthur. “There’s always consequences,” he said and shrugged. “We’ll have to see if they’ll be good or bad.”
Merlin climbed onto the bed and shuffled on his knees to the left side of the bed where Arthur and Emmy rested. She clutched at Arthur’s body, her eyes no longer vacant but fierce and protective. She wasn’t going to let go of Arthur easily. It warmed Merlin’s heart;
Jessica chose Arthur’s protectors well.
Merlin casted his attention round the room, looking for a distraction. This magic would take all he had, and he’d need every gram of it. Jessica’s help was out of the question. As
Destiny, she really couldn’t be too hands on about it-conflicts of interests-and she’d already taken too much of a chance by bringing Arthur’s body back to the mortal dimension so Merlin could make a difference, amongst other things.
But Archie-
Huh. Merlin scanned the room twice, saw no bird both times. He sighed; Archimedes wasn’t one to cut and run, but if he wasn’t round, there had to be a good reason.
Merlin placed a hand on Emmy’s shoulder, watched the girl’s eyes track him. “Release him.”
“Promise me you’ll do your best,” she whispered, tears springing in her eyelids.
“I’ll do one better,” Merlin said as a real smile took hold of his mouth. “I’ll do Arthur’s best.”
Emmy’s mouth quirked up, and she joined Jessica and Leon at the foot of the bed, there and gone in a smattering of seconds.
Merlin looked at Arthur’s form as it rested peacefully, near lifelessly, on his bed.
Killing Arthur shouldn’t be easy, but human lives were fragile and easily extinguished.
Arthur was never made to be inactive, and seeing his best friend neither moving forward or backward, paused, turned Merlin’s stomach.
There should be words.
Arthur was slipping away from Merlin, and there was a very large possibility him intervening in Arthur’s life this directly would come back and bite them both hard in the arse.
There should be words in case Merlin messed it up and Arthur was lost to him forever. Words to carry Arthur’s spirit into the beyond.
Merlin’s mind was blank.
Anxious, Merlin directed his mind to his and the former king’s last meeting. Arthur was waiting for him in that empty half-dimension, counting on him to make things right. Arthur saved Merlin from both himself and the countless lives and destinies of humanity. It was only
fair he return the favor.
Merlin smiled and crouched over Arthur’s prone form. “Hear me, Arthur Pendragon, feel me,” he whispered in Arthur’s ear, aware of the eyes on him. “You’ve shown me the light. And right, I’m glad I didn’t pick you, too. I can’t live without you, but you know what else is true? Neither can the world.”
Merlin leaned back a bit, his hands reaching out and landing on Arthur’s chest. His best friend’s skin was lukewarm to the touch, but it didn’t matter.
“Come with me,” Merlin said as Arthur’s body died and his own form fell away. “No, Arthur.”
He frowned, a part of him already with Arthur and holding the former King tighter as he tried to slip away. “Let’s see what the future holds for you, together.”
★
Hands brushed Arthur’s chest, something he hadn’t been expecting, feared he would never feel.
“Come with me.”
He squinted at the sky, brows raised as he identified Merlin’s true form as it descended from the cosmos like a bullet.
It was all so quick.
The blue energy gathered Arthur in a flash of blue-white light and together, they jettisoned up, up, up and into the atmosphere.
They broke the ether, and instead of seeing stars and planets as Arthur had expected, they entered a tunnel-shaped corridor.
The hallway itself was shadowed and had doors; thousands of them.
Arthur could feel Merlin’s energy tighten around him, the pressure like straps closing in.
Magic picked up speed, zipping through their surroundings, the doors blurring.
“Life is death,” a deep alto voice whispered from one of the doors and all of the doors at once. “Don’t embrace life, stay here where you belong.”
“No, Arthur,” Merlin’s form said gently, coaxing, the energy tightening around Arthur further.
“Pendragon,” the same voice said, sweet and inviting, “sleep. Find your rest with me. Find-”
“Let’s see what the future holds for you,” Merlin said, ever loving, ever kind. “Together.”
The voice ceased. The hallway faded.
Arthur could see the stars; the constellations and galaxies around them, the meteorites buzzing past, the beyond, in all its wonder, right at his fingertips.
Arthur smiled.
“Yes. Together.”
★
There was no pain. Arthur hadn’t expected that.
“I’ve got better things to do than watch you laze about all bloody day.”
Arthur grinned and opened his eyes. “You’ll do what I tell you, git.”
Merlin rolled his eyes, his smile looking forced even as close as their faces were. “Not bloody likely-argh-”
“Arthur,” Emmy squealed once she’d knocked Merlin out of her way with a surprise elbow to Merlin’s neck.
“Emmeria,” Arthur croaked into Emmy’s hair as he pulled her tight against him, his throat closing. “So good to see you.”
“Sound a bit worried, mate,” Sean said beside Arthur as his childhood friend (Christ, it was going to be awkward if Sean ever became Will, he realized) attacked him, climbing on the bed and hugging he and Emmy both. “There was nothing to fear,” Sean said into Arthur’s neck.
Arthur snorted into Emmy’s hair. “Look at you, Sean. Acting like you weren’t sniveling like a girl-”
“Hey!” Sean barked. “I’ll have you know, I was the epitome of mannish behavior.”
“I’ll always take care of you three,” Jessica said, her voice sounding a bit muffled.
Arthur peeked over the top of Emmy’s head and saw her standing at the foot of the bed, her eyes red-rimmed and too bright. She smiled at him, her lips trembling with false and overly optimistic cheer. “That’ll never change.”
Sean and Emmy finally saw sense and extracted themselves from Arthur’s person, and climbed off the bed, giving Arthur the space he needed. And for the record, he hated every second of that feel good moment, almost assuredly-certainly-yes, he didn’t have butterflies in his stomach from the joy, they were baby condors.
He inclined his head and scooted backward until his shoulder blades brushed against the bed’s headboard. He smiled. “Nice to know that now, Jessica.”
Jessica rolled her eyes, the spark of playful smugness returning a bit. “Don’t start, Arthur. If it wasn’t for me, you probably wouldn’t be here now. None of you.”
“Are you taking credit for saving the world?” Arthur asked, his mouth falling ajar. “That’s rich.”
“It’s true,” Jessica said, and chuckled. “And it’s Morgana, actually. I know you don’t want to admit I’m the same person you knew, but I am.”
“I-” Arthur blinked at her, pinked. “Morgana,” he said softly, watching Morgana’s face fill with warmth. “Right.”
“I take it you’re glad to be back?” Leon said, climbing off the bed and standing behind Morgana, his pseudo-sister’s ever present companion and watcher.
Arthur watched Leon, heartened to see his old comrade safe and sound, and there for Morgana in ways Arthur never could. Merlin and Morgana lost their brother not long ago, and even though Kilgharrah wasn’t dead, his absence would be missed.
It was good to see Morgana wouldn’t be alone. Sir Leon, Arthur was glad to re-confirm, was a good man.
Arthur nodded. “Yes, I’m-”
“It would be a complete waste of time if Merlin hadn’t brought him back,” Archimedes said as he landed on Leon’s shoulder out of nowhere, startling everyone in the room. He glowered at Arthur. “Arthur would be a blubbering mess without Merlin in that place; utterly useless.”
That arse Archie was still alive. That, unfortunately, accounted for everyone.
Arthur twisted his lip at the devil bird. “I see-”
“I’m both relieved and put out that you stand before me with no broken limbs,” Archie continued, golden eyes swirling angrier than usual-not that Arthur knew Archimedes, mind.
Thankfully, that was far from the truth.
Arthur crossed his arms, and glared harder at the bird. “You should’ve been a vulture,” he declared at length.
Archie shrugged, his left wing popping up. “And from what I understand, the only thing Arthur Pendragon of old did right was acknowledge his wizard’s importance.” The owl lifted a feathered brow. “You let the entire world know Merlin’s worth.”
Arthur opened his mouth; shut it. It was clear Archimedes got his abrupt subject changes from Merlin. If that didn’t prove he was Merlin’s creation, nothing did. “I thought you hated me,” he said to Archie’s smug face.
“I don’t hate you.” Archie said, snide, like their first meeting wasn’t a complete nightmare and Archimedes hadn’t treated Arthur like he was the bird’s sole cross to bear. “I just don’t think you’re worthy of Merlin’s friendship or concern.”
“Merlin’s done so much.” Arthur stared at the carpet, hyper aware of the expectant ears around him. “I’ll never be worthy of his interest, I don’t think anyone is.” Arthur looked at
Archimedes, hoped the bird saw the truth and promise on his face and tone. “But I’ll strive to be everything he believes me to be.”
“You’ve already done that,” Morgana said as she engulfed Arthur in a hug, smelling of lavender and lemongrass. “You’re his King. But now it’s time to be someone far more dangerous.”
Arthur glanced around, pulling out of Morgana’s embrace, surprise battling with concern. “Where is he?”
“Gathering himself, I’d imagine,” Morgana said, a watery and wry smile plastered on her lips. “He looked to be in quite the strop when he teleported off the bed.”
Arthur sighed, and climbed out of the bed, thankful to note he was still fully dressed. He knew what had Merlin aggravated. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his own ire building. If Merlin thought he could be righteously angry after their history, he had another thing coming.
“Arthur?” Emmy called after him, sounding both confused and nervous.
Arthur didn’t spare the group a glance, admonishing himself for being so wrapped up in Merlin that he forgot about everything else that mattered.
He made it out of the bedroom and took off down the hall, his heart darkening with every step as he followed his instincts to his wizard.
Yes, Arthur was happy to be alive, ecstatic to be given another chance; his trust rightfully placed in Merlin’s hands. But, there were things between him and his best friend that needed tending to, and almost none of them were pleasant.
Quite frankly, the argument he was about to have with Merlin, was centuries in the making.