Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter One:

Merlin stood in the clearing beyond Camelot's walls, waiting. The moon was full and hung in the sky, which was perfectly clear and countless stars twinkled in the night sky. But for once it wasn't the Great Dragon Merlin was meeting here. He couldn't help but smile as he waited. He hadn't been able to stop smiling since Lancelot came up with this idea.

Turning, Merlin watched as Lancelot came through the trees and into the clearing. He was dressed in light armour and had his sword at his side. He smiled as he saw Merlin waiting for him. He quickly walled over and looked around the clearing, before glancing up at the sky.

"It's a nice night," Lancelot commented.

"Perfect," Merlin agrees.

"You didn't happened to have something to do with that, did you?" Lancelot raised an eyebrow at Merlin.

Merlin shook his head with a smile.

"No," Merlin replied. "It's all natural, I promise."

"But you could change the weather if you wished to?" Lancelot asked.

"I can make it rain," Merlin answered. "But I haven't had a chance to try anything else… If the weather changes to quickly, people start getting suspicious. It only takes a funny shaped cloud to send the people of Camelot running to the King screaming about sorcery."

Lancelot stared at Merlin with a look of disbelief.

"I mean, what type of sorcerer would attack Camelot using clouds?" Merlin carried on. "Like there's a sorcerer sitting somewhere going 'I think I'll destroy Camelot today, unleash the funny shaped clouds!'."

Lancelot couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

"If only that was the worst you had to deal with, Merlin," Lancelot smiled.

Merlin grinned.

"Well then," Lancelot said, drawing his sword. "Let's get started."

Merlin nodded and took a couple of steps back and raised his hands and without giving Lancelot any warning, he cast his first spell. Lancelot didn't have time to do anything other than duck and roll out the way, but he quickly got to his feet and came charging towards Merlin, who ducked under the swing of the blade and cast another spell, sending Lancelot crashing backwards.

Lancelot quickly regained his balance once more and charged at Merlin who danced out the way easily, before sending a spell crashing into Lancelot exposed side. Lancelot let out a yelp and jumped back. Merlin grinned and watched as Lancelot turned to face him once more, Merlin shrugged one shoulder.

"Try deflecting the spells with the flat of your blade," Merlin explained. "Guide it away from you, the same way you would a sword strike."

Lancelot nodded and fell back into a fighting stance once more. Merlin raised his hand and cast another basic spell, sending it directly at Lancelot, who this time deflected the spell with his sword and sent in to ground. Lancelot smiled and Merlin cheered, but quickly danced out the way and sent another spell at Lancelot as he attacked.

)o(

Merlin stood in the council chamber the following morning, leaning against a pillar as Arthur addressed the council. Lancelot was stood across the council chamber from him, the other Knights of the Round Table at his sides. Merlin sent him a small smile as he caught Lancelot's eye, before turning his attention back to what Arthur was saying.

"… And that concludes the land disputes between Lord Hawks and Baron Tredinnick," Arthur announced. "Now on to more worrying matters. We have received several reports of a magical creature attacking villages near the borders in the west."

Merlin shifted and pushed himself of the pillar. A magical creature was attacking villages… Merlin looked around the chamber until he gaze meet Gaius's. His mentors gaze was full of worry. Merlin turned his attention back to Arthur.

"Sir Lancelot, Sir Gwaine, Sir Elyan and Sir Percival, lead by Sir Leon will travel to the western borders and investigate the sightings. Gaius, you will accompany them, as I believe several villages are in need of a physician."

"Forgive me, Sire," Gaius took a step forward. "But I fear I am too old to make such a journey. May I suggest you send Merlin in my place? He has been training as my apprentice since he arrived in Camelot."

"Merlin?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

Merlin shot Arthur a sharp look and the assembled council members mumbled amongst themselves.

"Yes, My Lord," Gaius answered.

"Very well," Arthur said after a moment. "Merlin will accompany the Knights."

Merlin shared a look with Lancelot, who sent him a wary smile. They both knew Merlin was the only one who really had a true chance of killing the creature, but with so many other Knights with them, it was going to be hard for Merlin to get a chance to kill the creature or send it away without being seen.

)o(

"We'll set up camp here for the night," Leon told the group, as dusk began to settle over the land.

Merlin jumped down from his horse and began to ready the supplies he'd bought with him. Lancelot quickly made his way over and offered Merlin his help, which Merlin gratefully accepted. As the two of them worked, the other Knights sat around the fire Gwaine and Percival had made as Leon discussed potential battle plans.

"Water," Merlin suddenly muttered. "We don't have enough water."

Lancelot glances at him from where he was chopping up some vegetables.

"We passed a stream only half a league back," Lancelot said, getting to his feet. "I'll go."

"No," Merlin shook his head. "We're less than a day's ride from the village… You and I both know, I have the best chance."

Lancelot opened his mouth to protest, but realised Merlin was right and nodded.

"I won't be long," Merlin promised and disappeared into the quickly darkening forest.

"Where's Merlin going?" Gwaine called across to Lancelot.

"To get more water," Lancelot replied.

"Well, he'd better hurry," Gwaine replied. "I'm getting hungry… At this rate I'll be eating my own socks!"

Elyan snorted, "I wouldn't want anything that smelt that bad anywhere near my mouth."

"Oi!" Gwaine elbowed him.

Lancelot rolled his eyes and dropped the last of the chopped up vegetables into the pot along with the dried, salted meat Merlin was planning to make a stew out of. Suddenly an unearthly shriek sounded through the air and the Knights jumped to their feet. Lancelot's eyes were instantly drawn to the match of forest Merlin had disappeared into. The shriek hadn't come from that direction, but he didn't feel comfortable leaving Merlin out their alone, even if he was the most powerfully of all of them, with no one to watch his back.

"I'm going to find Merlin," Lancelot called over his shoulder as he vanished into the forest after Merlin.

"I'll come with you…" Gwaine trailed off, as turned to find Lancelot had already gone.

Lancelot hurried through the tree's, trying to follow Merlin's tracks in the low light. But for someone Arthur claimed to be so clumsy, there were little to no tracks to follow. It was almost like Merlin had no physical presence and like a ghost, he had simply drifted through the area leaving no mark or trace.

"Merlin?" Lancelot called out.

Up ahead a twig snapped and Lancelot looked up sharply.

"Merlin?" He called again.

He received no answer. Raising his sword, Lancelot began to move forward and as he did so he failed to notice the figures moving through the trees around him. Another unearthly shriek filled the air, much closer this time and Lancelot paused as he sensed a movement behind him. He went to spin round and attack, but he was quickly enough as something hard connected with the back of his head and he feel to the ground unconscious.

)o(

Hey! I hope you enjoyed the start of this story. Until next time,

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.