by GR Griffin
“I saw her in the cave. I-“ she hesitated, eyes wild and wide. “She was going to kill them all Gaius!” her ferocity faltered at the memory. “I tried to stop her but it was no good. I had to do something I-” Abruptly tears streamed from her eyes as she fell into the old man’s embrace. Gaius patted her back comfortingly, a resigned sigh escaping his lips. Morgana had been through much the past few months. Discovering the extent of her magic had taken its toll; she had been gifted with special powers that she could not yet control. Releasing the woman, he met her eyes imploringly.
“Iaonem was destroyed, how did you make it out past her?”
The question triggered raw panic. The woman in front of him wavered on her feet, her composure crumbling. Suddenly, she resembled the small, frightened girl from Camelot all those years ago. On impulse, Gaius extended a hand to steady her balance. The woman latched onto him frantically, breathe ragged and unsteady. She struggled against him, uncertain whether he offered comfort. They remained like this for a few more moments. Then she inhaled a final wiry breath and refrained from her agitated movements.
“Morgana,” Gaius soothingly said. “what happened?”
“I didn’t mean to.” The raven-haired woman whispered, trepidation rife in her eyes. “It just came out and I couldn’t stop it.” Pause. Teeth gritted, expression solemn, Morgana grimaced. “I…I…” blinking back tears, she clamped her eyes shut. “Morgause is dead.”
A thick silence spread between them. Gaius gazed over at the woman, stunned by the confession. Morgana bit her lip, choking on a sob that was wedged viciously in her throat. Paternally, he placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing her into a reassuring embrace. Her eyes opened slowly, beads of water falling from the corners and down her pallid complexion. Pulling back to engage eye contact, Gaius smiled faintly. Morgana returned the sentiment, a laugh gesturing embarrassment at her state sounded. Wiping her eyes, her smile grew as she studied her old friend. He had always been there for her and Arthur. When they were children, he had looked after them for most of the day. At night, he had tucked them into their beds. She was positive he had caught sight of her smuggling clandestine books into Arthur’s room many times. He had never said anything, but there had always been a peculiar twinkle in his eyes the next day.
“You did the right thing Morgana,” Gaius whispered. “Morgause threatened the lives of thousands, you were brave to make a stand. You were not to know how your magic would react against her threats. You have just begun to understand magic, do not blame yourself for its actions.”
Nodding silently at the words, trying to believe them, Morgana brushed away the final tears. He had a point. Curiously, she studied the man before her. She had not been blind to his reserved character of late, even though it seemed everybody else was. Her usual vibrancy and energy returned rapidly.
“Seer or not, I see it in your eyes you know,” her words confused him, the bite to her tone adding to this confusion. His body froze in its tracks, awaiting an elucidation. “You know what I speak of Gaius, after everything he’d done! You still cared for him.”
“We were friends for many years Morgana-” Thirty-six to be exact.
“-I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” she replied, now furious at his admission. “Have you forgotten what he did to you Gaius?! He threw you into the labs! Clearly your friendship meant nothing to him-”
“-I knew the consequences of staying in Camelot, it was my own mistake.” Gaius snapped back with a ferocity Morgana had not seen him wield before. His voice softened. “If you had seen what I have seen, understood the depth of suffering he endured, then perhaps you would not be so quick to condemn.”
Snarling, Morgana narrowed her eyes at the concept.
“He was a monster.” Her tone became more vicious, darkness seeping into her eyes. “Just because he suffered grievances, it doesn’t excuse his crimes! He has murdered, he has destroyed Ealdor your home! He led an attack on the Crystal Cave and tried to destroy the whole of Albion out of greed and spite.” A foreign hatred bled into her eyes. “I hope the next life strips him of redemption, and offers only perdition. I hope his soul suffers immeasurable pain and the weight of all those he has destroyed drags him down the depths of hell-”
Startled by the outpouring, Gaius attempted to pacify the insatiable rage and passion overpowering her. There was a glint in her eyes, bordering madness.
“That is no way to talk about the dead,” he replied wisely. “No matter who they are.”
“Gaius-!” Morgana shrieked, anger flaring up in her eyes, sparking a stronger resilience.
“-The difference between Good and Evil is not always black and white.” He responded. “I can never forgive what he has done to the People of Albion. But there once was a time where Uther Pendragon was kind, generous and fair.” Drawing her eyebrows together, the woman ceased her retaliation. She listened to his words, standing rigidly. “Over the years, it pained me to see him change, for there was nothing I could do to stop Destiny’s plan. People do change Morgana,” he gazed over at her. She was unable to sustain the gaze, her body shuddering and heart racing. “some change for better and some for worse.”
Promptly, Gwen returned back with water. The bucket of water was no longer a concern; she slammed it down on the ground and glanced between the two figures. The atmosphere was dusted with a frost, chilling her spine. Something here was amiss, a strange aura between the pair. Gaius acknowledged Gwen’s presence, breaking the stalemate.
“Ah!” he exclaimed, reaching for the bucket. “Excellent-”
“-Is everything alright?” she questioned warily, unable to contain the inquisitiveness bubbling up inside of her.
Averting the woman’s gaze, Morgana’s eyes met the ground.
“Not to worry Gwen.” Gaius picked up the bucket of water and dipped the vial into it.
“Everything is fine.” Morgana concluded with a cheery smile that oozed false joy. It was almost sickening to watch. With that, Morgana bowed her head and left the clearing brusquely.
And that was all that was said on the subject of Morgause, and of Uther Pendragon for the night. Gwen did not query Morgana’s exit, taking the vial from Gaius and administering it as he instructed.
♦☼♦
Arthur had to slap a hand to his mouth in order to silence his dramatic gasp. Eyes wide, legs trembling, he found his eyes were locked on the dark mass before him. Now she had said it, yes he could see. The mass wasn’t moving like any creature they’d encountered before. It was slithering, sliding across the burnt land with its large, scaly body. From this distance, it was difficult to make out the size of the beast, aside from the fact that it rivalled Aithusa in size. Swallowing-hard, he clenched his sword fiercely. It didn’t make him feel any more comforted. A basilisk. Out of all the magical creatures in the world, it just had to be the freaking basilisk didn’t it?! That pesky snake mentioned in Harry Potter that had kept him awake for endless nights. It had to be that stupid, oversized snake that he’d irrationally feared would be lurking under his bed as a child.
The Dragon behind him remained motionless also, clearly a little fazed herself by the appearance of such a creature. This discomforted Arthur greatly because if she was scared of the giant serpent, then Arthur definitely stood no chance. For a moment the pair stood silent, watching the dark mass ahead in the shadows, praying it hadn’t noticed them or heard them walking around the plain freely. Now they were both quiet, and intent on listening, Arthur could hear it. He heard the hypnotic hissing, the terrifying dexterity and force of the creature becoming fully exposed the longer they stood. They couldn’t exactly walk away now, of course. That would be silly. The creature would see them and try to catch them, maybe it would catch them and hold them in a vice-grip like Arthur had seen a king cobra do on the Animal Planet archives once. It made him shudder. They couldn’t fly away either, because the key to Merlin’s survival lay right beside that dastardly creature! They weren’t even certain there would be a flower t
here to find.
All of this meant one thing; they were going to have to face the Basilisk, one way or another. Trying to compose himself, regain focus on the task at hand, Arthur spared a glance over his shoulder. He quickly threw his gaze forwards again; fearful the Basilisk had spotted them. It hadn’t. It was still slithering around in the near distance, entertaining itself. Arthur dreaded to know what it was doing, but the crunching and snapping of bones was enough to go by to know it wasn’t pleasant. Too afraid to speak aloud, he spoke in his mind to the White Dragon beside him. He hoped the creature didn’t possess powers of telepathy, or else they’d really be in trouble.
What are we supposed to do now? Irritation was overpowered by his imminent alarm. Merlin has days left. It may well take days to look in the ruins itself. We can’t do that whilst there is a… pausing, Arthur found himself unable to speak the dark name. He felt himself shudder. …That thing guarding the sealed entrance to the ruins protectively!
Basilisks are known for their acute speed and potency. Her words weren’t making him feel better about the situation at all. They have been known to outrun the fastest of Chimeras, to leap as high as the trees themselves and pluck out Wyverns like squirrels. Arthur gritted his teeth unwillingly, believing it to be the only way to stop them from clanging together and making unnecessary noise. This whole speech about their strength and power made his stomach lurch slightly. He didn’t reply, a little caught up in shock to respond even in his mind. His eyes were still latched onto the sight in front. Part of him was slightly relieved to find that it was no longer moving around; it appeared to be resting. Aithusa’s tone suddenly became enlightened. It broke his attention from the beast before them.
You! She cried with a relieved sigh. You are tiny, barely larger than it’s eyes. You could sneak past it-
Shocked more by the concept that it’s eyes were as big as him than the proposition itself, Arthur’s eyes widened. An involuntary shudder passed through his spine. He had to bite his lip viciously to avoid the words of avid protest spilling out of his mouth.
-What?! He spluttered, indignant and horrified.
The creature only lies outside the ruins, not within them. Once you are in, you will be able to search the ruins. The Basilisk has just fed and is resting itself; it won’t be too difficult to slip past it. Despite her convincing case, Arthur really wasn’t buying it. His hands were so sweaty he was afraid his sword would slip out of his hands. He gripped it tighter, using it to balance himself in this crazy situation. How on earth was he supposed to just slip past a creature like that?! He had never managed to master Merlin’s agility in such things, though this skill and an appropriate spell would come in handy right now.
Can’t you just breathe fire on it until combusts? He asked rather rudely, raking a hand through his blonde hair.
Aithusa’s reply was curt, revealing she had taken offense to his words. She snorted lightly.
Basilisks adore fire. Why do you think it had chosen to settle here of all places?
Of course the bloody Basilisk liked fire, Arthur thought to himself crossly. For a moment he remained silently, stewing over her words. His eyes flickered between the dark mass ahead, his sword and Aithusa. It seemed then, that there really was no other way of dealing with this matter other than with tact and grace Arthur was frightened he didn’t have. He’d have to creep quietly, take each step like a timid mouse stalking towards a giant cat – no. Abruptly he sighed.He wasn’t honestly thinking about going through with this was he? Oh but he was, because hell there was nothing he wouldn’t do when it concerned Merlin. It just so happened that this did concern Merlin, totally. In fact, Merlin’s life depended on him getting to those ruins. That was enough incentive for him to sign away his sanity. Rolling his eyes with resignation, he gazed up at the Dragon.
You are certain that if I approach it quietly and walk around it, I’ll reach the ruins of the Cave?
His mind-voice faltered him, revealing his own anxiety through the resolution to fight for Merlin. Averting her sapphire eyes, Aithusa gazed over to the ground.
I never said I was certain. She tilted her head as if contemplating the words. In fact I am more uncertain than certain.
She didn’t seem to realise she had said the completely wrong thing. Gawking at the Dragon, Arthur felt his heartbeat increase. At first he tried to shrug off what she was saying, believing she was joking. Dragons could be genuinely funny, very rarely though… their humour was more often on one end of the spectrum: incredibly crude or puzzlingly subtle. Arthur was certain that her words fitted neither category. As he stared at the Dragon, his complexion paled, his eyes lost their vibrancy. She appeared to have finally noticed that he really didn’t appreciate her honesty of all things right now. Frowning, she nudged him gently with one of her great wings. The affectionate gesture shoved him forwards a little.
Don’t fret, you are the Once and Future-
-I can’t help but feel that you’re using my prophesised name to try and comfort me, rather than offer me the dark reality. He admitted brusquely, clutching his sword tighter in his hands.
Maybe I am. She whispered back into his mind musingly. But I do believe in you, and I know that a giant snake is hardly the worst of what you have faced in Albion.
Arthur reconciled himself with the memories he’d made in Albion. From day one, he’d been spat out of peace and cast into the wild, raging world. He’d escaped imminent death from a Bastet, outrun a Chimera with Merlin on their second meeting, tamed Wyverns, escaped the clutches of a haunted Manticore, harassed Wildrens, outsmarted the Orthenu. He’d met the Faerie Princess, consorted with the most graceful and beautiful creatures. He had also held his ground against a Dragon on the top of a hill in a ferocious storm when all odds were against him. A reminiscent smile touched his lips at the memories. It faded. It hadn’t all been narrow getaways and fun games. He’d seen whole settlements destroyed, a civilisation bought to their knees as their sacred place crumbled. He’d seen bloodshed, death. He’d seen grief beyond anything he had ever known. Yet – he had seen these great people fight against their oppressors, and win. The prospect gave him hope.
Perhaps, it may not be the worst in light of all we have faced. Arthur admitted, understanding her message. He took a small step forwards, wincing at how the ground softly crumbled under his feet. This was it. He took one more step before becoming paralysed with anxiety. He gazed back at the White Dragon, drenched in his childhood fear and trepidation. You will come to my aid if it attacks?
The White Dragon took another step forwards, as if to answer his question. He felt his stern expression waver into a touched smile that met his sapphire eyes.
I will be with you all the way, Arthur.
Confidence renewed, Arthur crept forwards into the pitch black. Aithusa followed timidly behind him. It was impossible to discern just how far away they were exactly from the creature. This greatly unnerved Arthur. Still he continued onwards blindly, one hand groping in front reluctantly to ensure he hadn’t stumbled too far. Three small steps later, his body and mind both seemed to agree that this was a terrible idea. Stalking around in the dark, when the enemy clearly had pristine vision – it was hardly fair. Within seconds, a miniscule orb of blue light – that Arthur hadn’t conjured – swiveled around him gracefully. Baffled by it, he gazed back to Aithusa who studied the orb curiously. Arthur was ready to fling his sword at it and shatter the enchantment into pieces warily, until he heard the Dragon’s voice enter his mind.
It is not only I that is with you, Arthur.
She didn’t need to specify who the significant other was; he guessed it as soon as his disorientated eyes got a proper look at the orb that had stopped moving. It was a crystal blue, a mystical haze swelling around inside it. The light it emitted was efficient and yet deceptively it somehow replicated natural moonlight in order to remove speculation or unwanted attention. The colour of the orb, and the nature of its actions, had revealed the owner of it instantly. Instead of
gratitude, or relief, Arthur felt nothing but pure, boiling rage that began to bubble inside his body like a furnace. It started at his toes, then rose up heatedly to paint his cheeks.
Merlin.
♦☼♦
Moments after Morgana had left, another figure entered. The constricting, tense atmosphere instantly slithered back into the shadows to bother somebody else. In return came a lighter air that soaked into their lungs. The rugged man walked forwards, taking a seat beside Merlin.
“How’s our magical friend here doing?”
Gwen cast her eyes over to Gwaine, who was fumbling with his hands nervously. He examined Merlin’s chest as it rose and fall steadily with his breaths. His face was still swathed with a sickly colour. He looked pasty and yellowish in hue, unsettling Gwaine.
“As good as he can be,” Gaius began clearing the workbench. “though I-”
“-Gaius! Gaius it’s happening again!” Gwen yelped suddenly, leaping onto her feet with urgency. Gwaine lunged forwards, trying to settle the unexpected change in Merlin’s body. He was unsuccessful, Merlin slipped out of his grasp. The man was writhing like he had done before, the hum of magic echoing throughout the clearing. The trees around swayed a little too violently, the leaves danced energetically across the stone. Panicked, Gwen cupped her mouth. This was far more strenuous than the kind of magic he’d unconsciously unleashed earlier. Gaius pushed Gwaine aside, gazing down at the blue glow that had protruded from his hand. Lifting up the blanket, Gaius studied the blue orb. It rested in the palm of the druid’s hand. Merlin’s movements became more frantic. Suddenly, his fragile voice was shouting hysterically.