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Morgana didn't know how long she waited on the crest of the hill. It was long enough for her tears to dry up and her hair to become even more untamed by the wind than it already was. She couldn't believe it, she refused to believe it. After everything... everything that had brought them back together... She couldn't help but think back to all those years ago, when he was only a child. She had promised him that nothing bad would happen. Nothing bad would happen to him. Now here she was, weathered by years of mistreatment and loneliness, marking his grave with a few stones and a sword.
"The battle's not over, Mordred. We will have our revenge."
They would pay, Arthur would die and Merlin... Merlin would die too, but only after he suffered as she suffered, felt the sting of betrayal and heartbreak like she had. He would die, but it would be slow.
She turned away from the gravesite, ready to meet with the few remaining ranks of her army. However, she gave pause. She couldn't shake this strange feeling that had persisted ever since she reached this spot. It was almost as if something was watching her. Her heart skipped a beat. Could Emrys be on her trail now? Was he here? She stopped this train of thought quite quickly. It was foolish. Merlin would be coddling his dying king.
No, this was something different. Something less finite. She tried to brush passed it, thinking of the long journey ahead. She could not allow Emrys to reach the Isle of the Blessed.
But there it was again! A slight shift in the breeze, a quiet hum in the air, what was it?
"Who's there?" she called out, using a voice haggard by the battlefield.
"Hello, Morgana."
She whirled around, coming face to face with none other than Mordred, only it wasn't Mordred. He appeared the way he had the day they'd met. A light blue cloak billowed in the wind around his shoulders and blood dripped from the wound in his side.
"Mordred?"
It sighed and spoke in a young Mordred's voice. "No, not Mordred."
"Then-"
It held up a hand. "I know you must have many questions, but there is no time for me to answer them all, nor, is it necessary for you to understand everything."
"Who are you?"
The being smiled. "I cannot give you a who, I cannot give you a what, but for your sake, I'll give you a name." It extended a small hand. "You may call me Kyulds if it pleases you."
"Kyulds?"
"Yes." Kyulds said, peering behind the high priestess. "I am sorry for your loss. I know he meant much to you."
"He was the last thing I had."
"I know. It must be painful, living with the knowledge that Mordred is someone you'll never see again. How many people have you lost in this battle. How many more will you lose."
"As many as it takes," Morgana said through clenched teeth. "But none of that matters now. There's no one left for me to care for. No one for me to look up to, no one for me to guide. Even Aithusa has left me in favor of Emrys. I am only trying to take my rightful place on the throne! I was only trying to return this kingdom to something like it used to be! Somewhere where people like me could be safe."
"But you strayed so far from the path, my dear Morgana. Hardships and obstacles stood in your way as you desperately tried to cling to a crumbling world. It was a task too great for anyone."
Morgana's expression became steely. "But I haven't failed yet. Arthur still lives. I will snuff his life away and then I will bury Emrys somewhere he will never see the light of day again!"
Kyulds clicked his tongue. "Morgana, I am going to confide something in you..."
She stared at him curiously.
"I am not something to be trifled with, nor, am I necessarily a human being. It is because of this, that I know how things transpire, how things dissipate. Morgana, if you pursue Emrys and his king now, Emrys will kill you. I have seen it. There is no place for you in this world, in this time, where you can do any good. Emrys will be your doom one way or another."
"He won't be expecting me. I'll catch Merlin off guard-"
"Yes, indeed you will, but it won't stop Excalibur from being driven into your chest."
"How can you possibly claim to know such things!?"
"Emrys is your destiny, Morgana, and he is your doom. You were warned, but failed to heed that warning."
"That is nonsense!" Morgana said, her tone becoming more aggravated. "I spent years searching for Emrys!"
"And yet you failed. Admit it, Morgana. Although the idea of Emrys terrified you, you never truly believed there could be someone who could overpower you."
"You don't know-"
"Oh, but I do. Don't deny me."
Morgana paused for a moment. Digesting Kyulds' words. "I may have... become ambitious, but... there's still time. Thank you for your warning. I will not go into this interaction without great caution, I-"
The Mordred like being held up his hand. "It is too late, Morgana. You will die here, you always do. You have set your destiny in stone."
"Who are you?"
Kyulds chuckled, a strange sound coming from a child's lips. "I promise you, I am not someone to be feared. I wish to help you."
The witch stared at him, skeptically. "How can you help me?"
"I have certain... knowledge that might pertain to your struggle."
"Go on," now she was intrigued.
"I can take everything back. I can manipulate the very flow of time itself."
"What do you mean."
"I can take it back. I can take it all back." He looked at her with a wicked glint in his eye, a glint that looked at home in a young Mordred's eyes. "I can rewind it. I can take you back to a time before the battle of Camlann, before King Uther's timely demise, before Morgause's death, before... before anything you wish."
"Im- no, impossible."
"Not impossible."
"There must be a catch."
"No catch."
She narrowed her eyes. "You must have an agenda."
He shook his head. "No agenda," he said, although Morgana thought she saw something flash beneath his steely gaze. "I only wish to see you succeed in your plight."
"I can... I can have a second chance?"
He nodded.
"I can live everything again... but now..."
"But now, you'll know."
"But now, I'll know."
He nodded again. "You'll keep your mind, but everything will be like it was. Emrys will be at your mercy. He'll be young..."
"Easily manipulated."
"Easily killed," Kyulds said with a resounding tone.
Morgana turned away, thinking about her situation. "This seems too easy, it seems false. Why are you willing to do this for me for nothing?"
"I don't have to answer your questions." He took a menacing step closer to the witch. "In fact, you don't need to believe me. I'm not asking for your permission."
"What?"
"This is what's best. I know that. I'm only asking out of courtesy. I will send you back no matter how you feel about it. I will not allow you to make the foolish decision to refuse me."
Morgana took a few tentative steps back. Kyulds followed.
"Where would you like to go, Morgana? When would you like me to drop you?"
"I- I-"
"Better choose wisely. I won't have the energy to give you a third chance for a long time. Bringing you back will take a great deal of strength, I will need time to recover."
"Right before the battle of Camlann then. When I confronted Merlin in the cave!" Morgana blurted out.
Kyulds shook Mordred's head. "Not far enough, Morgana. Destiny already has its filthy grip by then."
Morgana thought about her life in Camelot, before Morgause was mortally wounded and she was forced to flee the city. She remembered her luxurious dresses, her frequent baths, the servants, the meals... She found the perfect moment. She looked back at the form of the young boy. "I want to be taken to the first time I met Morgause. When she came to Camelot to challenge Arthur. That is the moment I choose!"
Kyulds smiled. "Now that... that is a most pliable moment."
"Is there a spell I have to learn? What do I have to do?"
"Nothing," Kyulds said, making his way towards the witch. He placed his hand on her forehead. "Nothing."
A piercing ring became louder and louder in Morgana's head. She closed her eyes and covered her ears, trying to make it stop. She felt like she was falling, falling into nothing. Her limbs flailed wildly about as she tried to find anything she could hold onto. Her lungs filled with empty space and contracted in, rejecting the things around her. She was terrified, thinking Kyulds had tricked her in some way. The last thing she saw before she lost conscious completely, was a concerned face staring over her.
"Morgana?" Came a voice. It sounded familiar. "My Lady, are you alright?"
Morgana's world faded into darkness.