Things were not looking up. They were out of water, out of food, and Morgause's men were everywhere. Arthur had long since given up hope.
"You cannot defeat an immortal army," Arthur told her when she tried to persuade him that things would be better soon.
"We won't know until we try," was her response.
With Arthur being despondent, Merlin took it upon herself to give orders. She fell into the role of leader easily. "We need to act before Morgana gets any stronger. I sent word to Lancelot days ago, but there's been no response. He's likely moved on by now."
"Give it time," Gaius told her.
"We don't have time. We need to act now."
"We know, Merlin," Elyan spoke up. "But how?"
"There's been an immortal army before. How was it defeated then?"
"The Cup had to be emptied of the blood it contained," Gaius explained. "Once that happened, the enchantment no longer held."
"Then that's what we have to do."
"They're immortal," Gwaine said. "We can't defeat a solider, never mind an army."
"We have to try."
-
Had anyone been awake, they would have seen Merlin frantically searching for something in her bag. Finally, she pulled out the flask that had been gifted to her by the Fisher King. "When all is lost, it will show me the way," she murmured. "But how?"
Merlin stared at the vial. She tried a number of different spells, but it was no use. It wasn't long before she fell asleep, clutching the vial to her chest. Not far behind her, Gwaine stumbled to his feet, causing Merlin to flinch awake. "Sorry," he apologized. "Nature calls."
Merlin sat up in alarm. She dropped the vial. It was broken. Merlin watched as the shimmering water pooled together. It began glowing and the image of a young man appeared.
"Frey?" Merlin whispered, tears threatening to fall.
"I've missed you." Frey's voice was just as soothing and gentle as she remembered.
"You're..."
"Merlin, we don't have long."
"Is it really you?"
Frey nodded. "I swore that one day I would repay you. Now is the moment."
"I don't understand."
"There is but one weapon that can something which is already dead."
"A blade forged in the dragon's breath."
"That weapon lays at the bottom of the Lake of Avalon, where you hid it."
"But Morgause's army is very much alive."
"Anyone who toys with the cup pays a terrible price. The moment they entered the pact with Morgause, they became the living dead. Merlin, you must come to the lake."
"And you will give me the sword?"
"In your hands it has the power to save Albion."
"Thank you."
"No. It's given me the chance to see you again," Frey smiled.
Merlin jumped at the sound of Gwaine returning. "You alright?" Gwaine asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I'm fine," Merlin told him. "Really." She turned back to the puddle, but Frey was gone. She knew what she had to do.
Merlin walked as quietly as she could out of the cave and into the Forrest. Once she was far enough away from the cave, she called for Kilgharrah. It did not take long for the overgrown lizard to land gracefully in front of her. Kilgharrah looked down at the Dragon-Lordess, waiting for her to ask her questions or make her demands as per usual.
"I have to cross twenty leagues of hostile territory. I need you to take me."
"I am not a horse, Cassandra."
"If you do not, Morgause will have won and Albion will be lost. Is that what you want?"
Grudgingly, Kilgharrah allowed Merlin to climb upon his back. Once they reached the Lake of Avalon, he made her promise that once the sword had completed its task, it would be put somewhere that none would be able to wield it.
"I promise. Thank you, Kilgharrah."
"Good luck, young witch." With that, Kilgharrah flew away. Merlin briefly wondered how she would return to the cave, but decided to deal with it later.
Merlin climbed into a small boat and allowed her magic to take her to where she needed to be. Merlin's eyes widened as she saw Excalibur rise from the water, held by a man's...No. By Frey's hand.
-
Everyone was awake by the time Merlin returned to the cave. "Merlin, where have you been?" Gwaine demanded, coming up to her immediately and gripping her shoulders. He had obviously been worried for her.
"I'm fine, Gwaine. I just had to get something."
"No, he's right," Arthur said, standing up. "What if something happened to you? What would I- What would we do?"
"Ah, so he speaks," Gwaine joked.
"I'm sure you'd be fi- what's that sound?" Merlin said.
"Let's check it out."
Merlin, Gwaine and Arthur crept out of the cave to see what the source of the noise was. "Gwen! Sir Leon!" Merlin cried, relieved.
"Merlin!" Gwen said. "You're alive!" She ran to her friend and gave her a tight hug.
Their reunion was cut short when Elyan, who had been checking their perimeter sprinted over to them. "We've been found! Their almost upon us!"
"We need to get out of here!" Arthur ordered.
Everyone hurried to get what few supplied they had and ran out of the cave. Morgause's men were almost upon them when suddenly, a voice called from above them, saying, "look out!" And then a large boulder fell, blocking the soldiers from getting to them.
"Who's that?" Arthur asked, alarmed.
"I dunno," Gwaine replied. "But I'm liking him already."
Standing on the cliff above them were two men, one of which they already knew. "Lancelot!" Merlin said, overjoyed to see her friend.
"We need to hurry," Lancelot told them.
"I take it that rock fall wasn't an accident," Arthur said once they were clear.
"This is Percival." Lancelot patted his giant of a friend's back. "It was his strength that brought them down."
"You highness," Percival said with a slight bow.
"Call me Arthur." They shook hands and Arthur winced at Percival's massive strength.
"What were you two doing here?"
Merlin walked over to the three men. "It was me. I sent him."
"Well, we owe you our lives," Arthur told them. "Thank you." With that, he walked off.
"It's good to see you again," Merlin said. "And a pleasure to meet you, Percival."
"The pleasure is all mine," Percival said. "I assume you are Merlin." Merlin nodded. "You are just as beautiful as Lancelot described."
A light blush covered Merlin's cheeks. "Thank you," she said.
-
After a long hike, the group found themselves in an old castle that was part ruins and part cobwebs. "This castle belonged to the ancient kings," Arthur informed them. "It'll do for a while."
"Can't be worse than that cave," Elyan muttered. The others who were in the cave nodded in agreement.
"Gwen, Leon, how did you escape?" Merlin asked.
"It was Morgana's plan," Gwen said. "Leon was in the dungeons so Morgana had me make a key, which I slid to him with his food. Then he met me at my house. To get out of Camelot, I made him-"
"You don't need to finish that," Leon interrupted, looking extremely embarrased.
"Surely it can't be that bad," Merlin teased. "Come on, I won't tell anyone."
Gwen cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered in Merlin's ear, "I made him disguise himself as a woman."
Merlin's eyes widened. "You did not!"
Gwen giggled. "I did."
Leon groaned.
Merlin put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't tell anyone, Leon. But I'm sure you made a lovely woman."
Before their conversation could continue, Arthur called them all over to a circular table in the center of the room. "This table belonged to the ancient kings of Camelot. A round table afforded no one man more importance than any other. They believed in equality in all things. So, it seems fitting that we revive this tradition now. Without each of you, we would not be here. Everyone here has played an important role. My father has languished in prison for too long. Tomorrow, I make my bid to rescue him. Are there any around this table who will join me?"
Lancelot was the first to stand. "I believe in the world that you will build. I will join you."
Elyan was next. "I'm a commoner, a nobody. But over the past few days, I've seen how you care for your people. I will join you."
"I have fought alongside you many times," Leon said, standing up as well, "and I will continue to fight alongside you. Tomorrow and onward. I will join you."
"I think we have no chance," Gwaine said. Everyone looked at him exasperatedly. Then he stood up. "But I wouldn't miss it for the world. I will join you"
"If you need an old man," Gaius said, standing up.
"You're enemies are my enemies," Percival told him. "I will join you."
"For you and for Morgana. I'll be there." Gwen.
Merlin was the last to stand. "Always. Until the day I die."
"Thank you," Arthur said. "Thank you all. Now, I'm going to do something that my father won't approve of."
Arthur had each man kneel in a line. Then he pulled out his sword and proceeded to knight each one of them. Merlin watched with pride.
Later that night, Merlin walked over to Lancelot, who was standing guard off to the side. Everyone else was fast asleep. "Hey," she said.
Lancelot glanced at her. When he saw who it was, he smiled. "Hey."
"You're a knight. At last."
"But for how long?"
"Who knows?"
"What're you planning?" Lancelot asked. "And don't even think about lying. I know you too well."
"It's difficult to explain."
Lancelot sat down against the wall and motioned for her to sit by him. "You can tell me."
Merlin sat. "Morgause has the Cup of Life. If I can find it and empty it of the blood within, then the army will be destroyed, and Morgana will be powerless."
"Aren't you forgetting something? It's guarded by an immortal army."
"Aren't you forgetting something? I have magic."
"It doesn't make you immortal."
"No."
"I'll come with you."
"I can't ask you to do that."
"You don't need to ask."
Merlin shivered from the cold. Lancelot wrapped his arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered. They sat there for a while, until Merlin fell asleep. Then he lifted her up and carried her bridal style to her spot next to Gwen. Lancelot kissed Merlin on the forehead and resumed his watch.
-
The next morning found the group sitting around the round table to come up with a plan of action. "There is a tunnel under the northern ramparts that bring us only a few paces from the entrance to the dungeons. It will be well guarded. If we're going to break everyone out, we need to remain unobserved. We cannot let them raise the alarm," Arthur said.
"We need to take out the warning bell," Lancelot suggested.
"Good idea."
"I can do it, but I'll need someone who knows the castle."
Merlin caught on immediately. "I'll go."
Arthur hesitated, but agreed. "Alright. Merlin and Lancelot will take out the warning bell. Leon, Gwaine, Elyan, Percival and I will go to the dungeons. Guinevere and Gaius will stay and prepare bandages, firewood and anything else they might need. There will likely be casualties. We leave in an hour." As everyone moved to prepare, Arthur pulled Merlin to the side. "I'd like to have a word with you."
"What is it, Arthur?"
"I just want you to know... If we don't make it out of this... If I never see you again..."
"You will," Merlin assured him. "I watched you last night. You gave everyone hope, something to believe in. I saw the king that you will one day become and I am so proud of you, Arthur."
"You don't have to come, you know. I could have Leon take Lancelot to the warning bell. You could stay here where it's safe."
"I'm coming. I have to."
Arthur sighed in defeat. "Just be safe, alright?"
"I've got the easy bit. The warning bell is nothing compared to the cells."
"If you get caught, you'll be dead."
"Then I won't get caught."
-
The group walked cautiously through the woods just outside of the castle. As soon as Morgause's soldiers changed shifts, they sprinted into the passageway that would bring them inside. Once they reached the stairs, they split up. "Good luck," Arthur told Merlin.
Merlin and Lancelot crept carefully through the halls, dashing out of sight whenever a soldier was near. As they walked through one of the halls, Merlin suddenly stopped with a gasp. Lancelot looked back at her, concerned. "It's here," she told him. "I can sense the Cup's power. It's this way."
Of course, there was no way that they would be able to make it all the way to the Cup without being caught. The soldier drew his sword and attacked Lancelot. Lancelot was far more skilled with the sword, but the soldier was unable to die. Merlin entered the spar and stabbed the soldier in the gut, causing him to explode with a crack of thunder.
Lancelot stared at Merlin. "What is that?"
"Sword forged with a dragon's breath."
The duo peeked around the corner. There were guards all along the wall. "What do we do now?" Lancelot asked.
"We go for it."
Lancelot led the way, engaging in a quick fight with a soldier and then pushing him towards Merlin to kill. Once those guards were defeated, they went into the chambers where the cup was held. As luck would have it, there were even more guards in the room.
It was a quick fight. They used the same tactic as before. However, one of the guards managed to get lucky and stabbed Lancelot. Thankfully, the wound was not fatal. Finally, the last guard was dead. Merlin ran to the cup to spill, but something stopped her.
Morgause was standing in the doorway with her hand outstretched. She closed her hand and whipped it to the side, causing Merlin to be lifted up and thrown against the wall. Merlin felt a couple of her ribs crack. "Ow," Merlin gasped. Every breath hurt.
Morgause walked confidently over to Merlin. "I have a feeling I won't be seeing you again." She stretched out her hand again, likely to kill Merlin.
"No, you won't," Merlin said, gritting her teeth. It hurt to speak. Acting on instinct and without moving, Merlin through Morgause against the opposite wall, giving her a taste of her own medicine.Merlin held Morgause there and slowly stood up. She grabbed her sword and walked over to her enemy. "It's over, Morgause."
"You're wrong. This has just begun!" Morgause said, screaming the last bit. With a flash of gold, she was gone.
Merlin shook her had and went to the cup. Using the sword, Merlin knocked it over, allowing the blood to spill. All at once, every once immortal soldier exploded. Merlin breathed a painful sigh of relief. She made her way over to Lancelot and helped him up. Clutching his bleeding side, he pulled her into a hug. "You did it."
"We did it," Merlin corrected. Then she pulled away. "We should get you to Gaius' chambers."
Before they made it out the door, the rest of the now dubbed Knights of the Round Table ran into the room. "We won!" Arthur exclaimed.
"We know!" Merlin laughed. "And... And I think I'm going to faint now." True to her word, Merlin fell unconscious. Arthur quickly caught her before she could hit the ground. Arthur lifted her up bridal style.
"Leon and Elyan, you two go fetch Gaius," Arthur ordered. "Percival, help Lancelot. We're going to the infirmary. Gwaine you come too. We should probably check out the shoulder wound."
"I'm fine," Gwaine protested.
"That's an order."
-
When Merlin opened her eyes, Arthur was by her side. "You're awake!"
"I told you we'd make it out alive," Merlin grinned weakly. "How's Morgana?"
"She's fine. Just a little bit shaken up."
"And your father?"
Arthur shook his head. "They put him through some kind of mental torture. He seems... broken."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
Arthur stood up. "I should get going. Gaius will be here soon. Take care, Merlin."
"You too, Arthur."
As he left, Arthur lingered at the door, as if he wanted to say something more. He must have had decided against it, because he left.
-
That night, once everyone was asleep, Merlin snuck out of the citadel and deep into the Forrest. She had a promise to keep. Merlin allowed her magic to guide her to a clearing. All around was dark because of the great trees, but there was one spot where a pillar of moonlight shone upon a large rock. Merlin's eyes glowed a brilliant gold as she thrust Excalibur into the stone. Thunder roared in response.