Hi guys,

So this is the first chapter of Man of a Ghost and I hope you enjoy it.

If you're a new comer, I think most of this will make sense but some things may not so if you can please read Ghost of a Man : )

To all the people that read Ghost of a Man thanks for coming here XD

Ok I hope you enjoy and please follow favourite and review : )

It had been over a thousand years since Arthur had arrived in the After World. His mortal life had almost seemed like a dream. It was such a short period of time where Arthur was alive, breathing, eating, sleeping had not been done since Arthur's last day on the earth.

His wife Gwen had lived to the age of sixty eight, Percival had died three years before Gwen and Leon had died seven years after the Queen died. Gaius passed away twenty years before Percival. Arthur had, had a male child and the Pendragon name had carried on for five more generations but the young king died before having another heir. Arthur's son was called Fredrick after his best friend had died young; their friendship had grown until an unexpected, quick death. It affected Arthur as a King but he never forgot about his friend.

Camelot slowly crumbled down; it was now only told in the stories, all of its residents where at peace. Arthur had the love of his love back and he had got to talk to his son for the first time (Except for conversation Arthur and he had on his seventh birthday.) he had also gotten to speak to his grandchildren and great grandchildren and all of the other Pendragon family born after him. He also got to talk to his daughter-in-law Queen Iylia.

Well almost all of Camelot was safely in the protective world; one of all people still remains on the earth today one person as almost old as the Pendragon reign itself. All of Camelot's people, that were close to the past king and his servant were watching over the basin, waiting for the last Arthurian person to join them in the world of people a.

Merlin was still breathing, eating and living on the changed earth.

MW

Merlin's life was a curse. He had to live each day as a shadow. A shadow that had been pushed over the edge of humanity by the horrors he had seen.

He used to think that living in the Eldor was bad or doing Arthur's chores but the battle of Camlann almost looked peaceful compared to World War one and two and the cold war and all the other wars. Merlin had and survived I all of them but what was the point in all of them? It didn't make the world able at peace, not like the one he had been trying to achieve with Arthur. It was his destiny. Arthur. Arthur was the curse on his on his life. How can someone who had died over a thousand years ago, someone who had tried to kill them the second time me they had met hold such a powerful plague over his life?

By the time Leon had died, Merlin hadn't changed a fraction. The same face. The same face that looked over Camelot, the first time that watched Uther executes many for being magic. The same face that had watched Will, Freya, his father and many others die in.

Merlin had often wondered if he was crazy, it wouldn't be a surprise, after all, he did spend every day waiting for a dead king to return.

Merlin had wished that he had died when Camelot had but this was his sentence for life and it had been a long one. Would he have died a mortal man if Mordred hadn't killed Arthur? Is this why he was still alive because he couldn't kill a little boy? If so then the world was a cruel place. He had travelled around the world stayed in one place for a while and then left. He always came back to Avalon. He had been a duke, a soldier, a chef and even a hairdresser among all the over jobs but had never gone back to being a servant, he would not go back there, Arthur had found out, excepted him and Merlin wasn't going to go back to a coward hiding in the dark. He had spent a lot of his life out on the streets, a life of regret and misery.

He sat by the beach in England, it was the 29th of December Merlin didn't celebrate Christmas, first of all he didn't have any one to celebrate it with, second of all, Christmas was a time of happiness and Merlin certainly wasn't happy. The beach was cold and blowing harsh, cold English rain at him. He was reading 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. 'These were Merlin's favourite books, he wished that there was place where you could prat se magic without being worried for your own life or having to hide it from anyone, in the end the enemy died, Morgana did die but it wasn't a happy ending. Morgana was like Voldemort in many ways. His soul once pure but twisted, Voldemort was never nice like Morgana was, but there must have been something to make him that way. Merlin blamed himself for what happened to Morgana, he didn't see her as the enemy. He saw her as the girl whose life was ruined by her habitat. She had to hide this secret that she would be executed for, a secret she couldn't control and Merlin didn't even bother. It hurt him to think about what would have happened if he had told her the truth. It dwelled in his minds, unfolded in the core of Merlin's mind, leaving deep, visible creases behind it. Sometimes it gave him paper cuts, if he thought about it too hard.

It was a cold day so the coast was deserted, the waves coming up harshly, hitting thee rocks and dampening the sand. It was early morning. Merlin slowly got up and shook himself free of any sand. "Time to go back," He said slowly he was an old man. He made himself an old man so he could at least look like his age. Every ten years he would go back to Avalon and then turn back to his young self. He had mastered the aging spell. He aged faster than any man seeing as he was so old.

He was wearing a blue hat and a black clock. His hair tired back in a ponytail he had a small bag. His face was grubby; it was ironic that he could be mistaken for a homeless man when after all the jobs he had done he was quite wealthy. He had a small apartment near Avalon but staying there made all the memories come back and it became quite painful so he didn't stay there long. He didn't spend too much money either; he saved it for when Arthur returned. W, whenever that was. He didn't have any luxuries like a TV or an IPhone, Merlin didn't really think much for them and his magic kept him strong so he didn't eat much, only when he needed too.

He was near Avalon now; he had been walking for a few hours now. He found a bin with a newspaper in from today he shrugged, if he had to live here then he may as well keep up with the times. He read it as he walked own a lane. There was a murder in a surrey and girl disappeared from his house there was also a charity run and England won last night's match of football. Merlin folded up the paper and held it in his hand as he walked pat, people looked at him. He was the kind of person people wanted to stay away from but when he was young, he was quite charming.

He eventually got to Avalon. It was colder than before, grey and lost all life. What used to be beautiful was now nothing more than a memory. They were fishermen on the water, the only use for the lake.

Merlin walked passed and stopped, he didn't sense anything, he would walk on but in that second memories flooded back to him. He had said goodbye to Freya Lancelot, Arthur and Gwen, who had wanted to be buried there they were all here, somewhere, kept save by the magic water and by the Sidhe species. Excalibur was also here, held in the hands of the love of his life. The memories of several lifetimes ago were here, yet they were fresh in his mind, a life that couldn't be lived again, only one hope that will be a key to Merlin's peace.

Merlin walked to a deserted place and when he found one he changed back to his younger form. His face and body and face were cleaned with magic, seeing as he was in dirty clothes that were too big for him, he went to change into something more his style.

He went to a local shop and brought a red hoodie, a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. After he had brought the clothes, he went back to his apartment that was half a mile away and changed into the clothes and put on a pair of red converse high tops. He got his wallet and planned to get some coffee hell, he'd treat himself. When he got out of his flat, something told him to go back to Avalon again. He did what his conscience told him.

When he arrived, his senses got a bit stronger; this had happened over seven hundred years ago, he had gotten so excited but that excitement slowly faded, false hope, something Merlin was used too. He still had ages to wait, a fraction closer maybe, but only a fraction. He went to the coffee shop and ordered a black coffee, bitter, just what he was used to.

AW

"Poor Merlin," Gwen said.

"I know, I really want to talk to him, it's been years since he's laughed at one of my jokes." Gwaine said sadly.

"Why does he turn into an old man?" Leon asked.

"Because oldness is what he wants." Gaius said. He had turned into a younger version of himself, in his twenties. All the other people that had died old turned into their younger versions.

"Do you think what he says is true?" Percival asked.

"That Arthur will return?" Elyan responded.

"I don't know." Arthur said. Would he be a mortal once again? He didn't feel any different.

They had been watching over Merlin, they all wished for him to know that they were there but it was rare for them to have any possible contact between the mortal and after world.

"Why can't he just die?" Leon asked. "I mean, hasn't he had enough already? If Arthur is going to return one day then why can't he just be here and they can both return together?"

"Maybe it's because his magic needs him for other resources, you saw that guy in the First World War. If Merlin hadn't killed him, he would have given a vital piece of information to Germany, who knows how different the world would have been if Merlin had died a normal age?" Lancelot explained. They all nodded in agreement.

"The world has changed enough." Percival said, shaking his head.

"They have got weapons that will destroy the whole world because everyone is so selfish." Gaius said.

"It makes Camelot look so peaceful." Gwen said softly.

"Camelot was peaceful." Arthur beamed at her.

"Sometimes I wish that I was back, I really miss the village atmosphere." Percival said quietly.

"The tavern was the best part." Gwaine said dreamily. "I don't remember what mead tastes like but I loved it."

"I discovered that drunken Gwaine is a lot more interesting than sober Gwaine." Percival noted cheekily.

"At least I was a happy one." Gwaine grinned. "'Has anyone seen my bloody SLEEVES?'" Gwaine mocked. "Percival mate, you don't have any." Gwaine acted out as the others laughed.

"Yeah, well at least I didn't order two thousand pickled eggs that time." Percival defended.

"I get cravings." Gwaine said simply.

"However much we like listening to your mock-fights," Gaius said as everyone sniggered around them. "An old scene is repeating." Everyone quickly turned around.

Merlin was holding Arthur's body; it was moments after he died.

"Why is this one playing?" Arthur asked, it brought back so many painful memories, Gwen hadn't been told of his death yet, Merlin didn't know how much hell was in front of him.

"I don't know." Lancelot said which a rare thing was.

"But when the time is right, Arthur will rise again." The Great Dragon said.

The vision disappeared.

Everyone looked at Arthur.

"Arthur," Lancelot said. "It's time."

"Oh God," Gwen said, hand over his mouth.

"But how is that even possible?"

"Merlin and Albion need you. It's time to help them." Gaius said wisely. The room started glowing white; it almost burned Arthur's flesh.

"I don't know if you're going to remember anything." Lancelot said.

"WHAT?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, be strong." Gwen said, giving him a loving hug.

"We'll be able to speak to you. We'll guide you through this." Lancelot said.

"Look after my boy." Gaius said.

"Drink for me." Gwaine smiled.

"Say 'hi' to Merlin for me and don't treat him like an idiot or I'll club you on the head when you get back." Percival grinned.

"Why are you all happy?" Arthur asked angrily. Anger, that was new.

"Because you'll be alright," Gaius said.

"Touch the liquid." Lancelot instructed.

"How do you know what to do?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know." Lancelot laughed.

"Aren't you a bit sad?" Arthur asked as the light grew stronger.

"Not in the slightest buddy." Gwaine joked.

"Arthur," Gwen said. "I'll miss you more than anything. But you'll get to see Merlin again." She kissed him on the cheek and then stepped back.

"Touch the liquid or you'll miss the chance." Lancelot said firmly.

Arthur hesitated before touching the green liquid going through the walls. He gasped it was so powerful, he felt like his skin was being ripped off his body. Ice touched his skin and was drowning him, he breathed for the first time in over a thousand years. It felt good, so good. Suddenly it went black, the light was burning him and dragging him down, he was suffocating, it was muffled by a great force and then Arthur knew no more.

A little cliff hanger there…

I will try to update soon!

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