by Emrys Apollo
Merlin swallowed the lump in his throat and approached the foul creature. "Let me pass."
The creature's eyebrow rose and it snorted. "And why should I let you do that? I could just kill you here and be done with it once and for all."
Merlin rolled his eyes. "Like you have the power. And your master would disassemble you if you did. You know who I am, Kilghar. Let me pass and finish my goal."
Kilghar sighed and moved away from the door. "Very well, but you will perish like all others who have tried."
Merlin shrugged. "So be it. But, lest you forget, there was one who conquered him long ago. It's possible, just not easy."
Kilghar nodded and opened the door. "Yes, but that was a powerful mage. And you are not, Merlin. You will fight valiantly like your ancestors did and die like the rest. I am giving you this chance to leave and never come back. He will punish me for it, but you will continue to live on."
Merlin stood next to Kilghar and snorted. "And the world will continue to be shadowed in darkness? Thanks, but no thanks. I would rather die trying to free the world from his grips, than live in a world filled with misery and hatred."
"It is your choice. For my sake, I hope you are defeated by him. For your sake, I hope you fight with everything you got."
Merlin winked at him. "That's exactly what I intend to do."
***
Flaming torches dimly lit the Dark Lord's chamber room. The black walls were covered with the blood and filth of those who had come before Merlin.
The mage swallowed down his rising stomach contents due to the smell of burnt flesh and dead bodies. His eyes took in the piles of human bones set in neat heaps in each of the four corners of the room. Heavy metal grates creaked under Merlin's feet with each step. A flick of light illuminated the room below and Merlin couldn't stop the cry of anguish that escaped his lips.
A deep laugh filled the room, sending shivers down Merlin's spine.
"Ah yes, you were close to that worthless man below. He served his purpose, albeit not very well."
Merlin's eyes flashed with anger. "You bastard, how could you kill him this fast?"
The Dark Lord snorted. "It's not like he was very useful anyway. His mage power was pitiful at best. For a green mage, you'd think he would be powerful, but he didn't give me any more than one of mine. A shame, really."
Tears threatened to break in Merlin's eyes, the still form of Lance’s body sprawled below them. Torn clothes and dirt covered his usually neat form.
Merlin glanced up at the Dark Lord, fists balled up at his sides. "You will pay for that, mark my words."
The Dark Lord leaned back and laughed. "Your feelings for this waste of a mage have blinded your eyes. You will die like the rest of them who line my walls."
Merlin grinned and readied his power, brilliant blue light filled the room. "We shall see."
***
The blue mage collapsed to the ground in a heap. Merlin gasped for a breath, his energy sapping out of his tired body.
The Dark Lord laughed on his throne. "You're as weak as the rest. I will give you that you have been more entertaining than the previous ones, but you persist on when you have no more magical energy."
Merlin stared down at the room below, tears weaving down his face. He mumbled into the open grates. "I've failed you....I was so close...."
The Dark Lord eyed the blue mage with suspicion. "Calling him will not help you. He's no use to you or me at this point. Stand up and give me one last blow so I can end your life quickly."
Merlin's eyes widened.
Fingers slipped between the grates to touch Merlin's bare leg. Their owner weakly glowing green with the last bits of energy.
Merlin whispered. "How can....how can you be alive?"
Energy flowing into Merlin's body, quieting his gasping chest and stopping his hands from shaking. The hand held on as long as it could, giving the blue mage everything it had.
Tears flowed down Merlin's face and onto his shirt. "Lance....you give me your energy....I have nothing to give you in return."
Lance’s cracked lips curved into a smile. He mouthed the words, "Your love."
Merlin's eyes closed, his body wracked with sobs.
The Dark Lord studied the mage. "Merlin? Do you not want to die a hero? I wish not to kill you on all fours, I owe you that much."
Merlin sighed, storing Lance’s power into his body without alerting the Dark Lord. "Give me a moment; let me gather all of my strength."
The Dark Lord sat back in his chair. "Very well, continue to gather whatever you have left. I look forward to it."
Merlin rolled his eyes and watched Lance sway from the loss of energy. Fingers started to slip off Merlin's leg.
Lance looked Merlin in the eye and mouthed the words "I love you" and collapsed to the ground.
Merlin felt a rage surge through him like nothing else before. The blue energy in his palms changed to golden wisps. The room shook, and everything was enveloped in a blinding white light.
***
Lance awoke on the desert floor of the Badlands, a solid mile away from the Dark Lord’s tower. He groaned as he sat up, only to find Hector, Tristan, and Gareth within an arm’s reach, each man in various states of awakening. Lance looked down at himself, and realized his mark was gone.
“Where are we?” Tristan asked. He blinked, then looked over at Hector and gasped. “You’re alive!”
“We all are,” Lance said as he shakily got to his feet. Tristan nearly fell over pulling Hector into an embrace.
“Where’s Merlin? How are we alive?” Gareth said, his voice mixed with confusion and concern.
The four men jumped as they heard a roar. The Dark Lord emerged from the cracked ground with a gasp, clawing his way to the surface.
“MERLIN,” he gasped. “SHOW YOURSELF!”
In the distance, the tower began to collapse. The Badlands shook violently, the ruined earth cracking even further. Lance and the others clung to each other, unsure of what to do. The tower swiftly collapsed into blackened dust as the Dark Lord screamed at the sky.
He turned his gaze to Lance. “You,” he rasped. “You gave him power. You did this, somehow.” The Dark Lord stood up, and pulled his sword. “I will end all of you, again. It is the only pleasure I have left to look forward to now.”
Gareth pushed the others behind him in a desperate bid to keep them safe. He knew it was futile without weapons. Just as the Dark Lord raised his weapon high, the ground began to shake again.
“Your legacy of darkness is done, and your name will be forgotten to the promise of a golden age.”
Lance turned towards the voice, only to witness a blinding blast of light strike the Dark Lord, knocking him to the ground. Lance could only stare at what had become of the younger man before him. Merlin’s dark hair had turned to the color of honey, his skin pale like fresh milk. Gold magic swirled from his fingertips, and there was no fear as he approached the Dark Lord. Lance could see through Merlin’s shirt, that while he no longer bore his mark, his heart seemed to glow gold.
“You gave me a gift, Lance. Of sacrifice and love, and now I have become pure magic.” Lance could only blink at Merlin’s words.
“Merlin…” Lance said softly. He wanted to run to him, but Tristan held him back with a knowing look. They had to let their sire finish his goal.
The Dark Lord snarled as he got to his feet. He pulled his sword once more. The magic that drifted from Merlin’s fingertips began to drift upwards, causing a thunderstorm to brew above them.
“What are you?!” The Dark Lord screeched.
Merlin’s lips quirked upwards into the slightest smirk. “I’m the wizard, Merlin. And this is your end.”
Thunder boomed as lightning crackled down, violently hitting the warm, dry earth, leaving scorch marks.
“I will raze these ruined lands and turn them into a kingdom of prosperity and legend, I will take your ruins and erase your name, and when you feel the need to rise from Hell
again, I’ll be there,” Merlin said, his voice cold. He raised one, glowing hand as the Dark Lord moved to strike. “Tell the Devil that Merlin sent you.”
A blast of light erupted forth just as a massive bolt of lightning struck. The Dark Lord was obliterated, his last words a scream. The storm above stopped as abruptly as it had begun. Merlin sighed, and ran a hand through his now golden locks.
He turned to face the others, only to be barreled over with an embrace. Lance pulled Merlin tightly to him, feeling the warmth of the smaller man against his chest.
“You saved us, didn’t you?” Tristan asked as Merlin and Lance parted. Merlin gave a simple nod in response.
“Lance gave me the last of his energy, and when he did, I felt something rise up inside of me,” Merlin said. “I’m not a mage anymore. I’m a wizard now, so I don’t need to drain anyone anymore.”
“That’s good, because I don’t have magic to give anymore,” Lance said. Merlin laughed, a pure sound to Lance’s ears. Merlin sobered.
“None of you are bound to me anymore,” he said, twisting his fingers in his shirt. “You are free to live as you please now. And, no more calling me sire.”
Gareth seemed to ponder this for a moment, before turning to Merlin. “I think I’ll stick with you. You told the Dark Lord you would take this ruined land and build it anew. You might need some help, you know?”
Tristan and Hector nodded in agreement.
Lance took Merlin’s hand in his own. “You may be a wizard now, but that doesn’t change a thing when it comes to us.”
Merlin smiled as he laced his fingers with Lance’s. “And what shall we call this new kingdom?”
“I don’t know. Something weird. Maybe, say, Camelot?”
Merlin snorted. “Camelot? It’s so ridiculous. But if you say so.”
Merlin gave a snap of his fingers, and slowly, small flowers began to bloom from the cracked earth. He pulled Lance to him, Lance holding Merlin’s face in his hands.
“I like your new hair better,” Lance said. Merlin laughed again.
They came together for a kiss, one without any power exchanged between them. Merlin rested his head in the crook of Lance’s head and he breathed out, safe at last.
-fin-