Hello Everyone! I am so excited about how many reviews I got last chapter! 10 reviews! The last few chapters before that had been lacking in reviews and I was worried that everyone was losing interest, but this last chapter completely turned that around! I want to thank you all for review, please keep it up guys! I especially want to thank merlin9584 and Jaz-Lil-Bai-Kay. I mentioned last chapter that I am starting to write my own novel about the Arthurian legend and I asked for suggestions. You guys were gave me great suggestions! THank you! Everyone keep those suggestions coming!

This chapter's a little short, sorry, but it ended where I wanted it too. Enjoy!

Merlin's POV:

The city looked as if it were on the verge of dying out. The streets were lined with too-thin beggars. Children ran through the muddy streets (at least I hope it was mud) in rags that were far too small for their bodies. The women looked hopeless and the men looked bitter.

The houses weren't in any better shape. Most of them had holes in their roof and the wood was rotting away.

The citadel itself looked like it had taken one too many beatings from Mother Nature. The stone walls, once a gleaming white, had turned black with years of grim. Many of the outer walls were crumbling. As we made our way through dimly lit halls I noted the lack of serving staff. Alined probably could afford to pay for many servants. I wondered how he intended on paying us.

The guard led us into the throne room. It, too, had once been beautiful, but now showed its wear. The walls had been painted by some of the best artisans around when the castle was built. Murals of knights fighting dragons and Questing beasts, beautiful women being rescued by daring heroes, and a great feast lined the southern wall, but the paint had long since faded. Floor-length windows let in light from the moon and stars. At the far end of the room, there was a simple throne. In it, sat Alined. Standing on his right was someone I would never forget. The woman who most haunted my nightmares, Morgana, and she looked livid.

"Alined, you fool, you've been tricked," she hissed, "these aren't the mercenaries we hired. That, right there, is Arthur's little lapdog and some of his new friends. What's the matter, Merlin, is Arthur to afraid to come here himself? Is he cowering behind his filthy, peasant wife back in Camelot?"

"I don't know where Arthur is," I said, "and don't you ever speak about Gwen like that again."

"Or what?" she sneered.

"Or you won't live long enough to regret it," I said, coldly.

"Oh please, you're more bark than bite," she laughed. "I am the last High Priestess of the Old Religion and you're just a nobody, a servant. You cannot hope to best me in any sort of fight."

"I hope one day I'm around to see you eat those words," I said. "One day, we shall see who truly is the most powerful among men, my lady, but unfortunately that fight must wait until another day."

"Coward," she said.

"Maybe," I said, "but I happened to be the coward holding the Basilisk's Eye."

"How did you get your hands on it?" she screeched.

"Simple, my friends and I killed the thief as he attempted to steal the last piece from Camelot," I said.

"Why bring it here?" she asked.

"Because I didn't have any choice," I said. "I was ordered to bring it here."

"Who gave you this order?" Alined asked.

"Jal, the mercenary lord," I answered.

"You're Wolf," Alined whispered, almost reverently.

"That's not possible," Morgana said. "You told me that Wolf was a bloodthirsty killer and a fearsome warrior. There is no way Merlin is either of those things."

"And yet, do you really think I would be here, ready to give you the Basilisk's Eye, if I had any choice?" I asked. "You know how loyal I am to Arthur."

"What is that supposed to mean? 'If I had any choice'?" she asked. Her eyes were wide and she looked like she was beginning to hyperventilate.

"Jal uses and enslavement spell to control his men, so no person feelings can get in the way of their work," Alined answered. "They must obey his every command."

"But, Wolf was meant to be a sorcerer," she whispered. "A powerful sorcerer…"

"Yes," I said.

She stood looking lost for a sometime. I could almost see her fitting all the pieces together in her head.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH," she screamed, "HOW DARE YOU? I TRUSTED YOU AND YOU PUSHED ME AWAY! I WAS SCARED, AND LOST, AND AFRAID AND YOU LET ME BELIEVE I WAS ALONE."

"I'm sorry…" I whispered.

"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! HOW DARE YOU STAND BY ARTHUR'S SIDE, PROTECTING HIM?! HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF, WATCHING WHILE OUR KIN WERE BURNED," she yelled, her volume reaching new heights. "YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON MY SIDE! YOU COWARD! YOU TRAITOR!"

"NO," I screamed right back. "I am not the one that betrayed my kin that was you. Arthur is destined to bring magic back to this land, but it is people like you, who use magic selfishly and maliciously, that stop him from seeing the good in magic. You are the prime example of why Arthur fears and hates magic. Look how twisted you have become on you quest for vengeance and a throne that does not belong to you. How could Arthur not look at you and see magic is evil."

"Don't you dare make excuses!" Morgana said. "Arthur is his father's son, he will never change."

"Funny, it's you who remind me the most of Uther," I said. "You are just as stubborn and cruel. Your quest for revenge, like his, will end up killing thousands of people."

"Silence! I don't have to take this from you," she said. "I am nothing like Uther! That throne is rightfully mine, I will bring magic back to Camelot, and I will punish those that aided Uther in executing those with magic. I will put the magical race where it belongs; ruling over the magic-less peasantry."

She looked mad as she ranted on about her plans for her future kingdom.

"But you, Merlin, will have no place in the new Camelot," she said, "no, for betraying our people I will make you the lowest of the low. If you cannot disobey Jal then I'll just have to hire you permanently to do my bidding. Once you are mine Merlin you will help me take down Camelot and then you will spend the rest of your life doing the most degrading tasks I can imagine. You will be alone in the world. Lower even than a slave, that is what you deserve."

"I will not help you, Morgana," I said.

"But you don't have any choice, Merlin," she sneered, "remember?"

"I will find a way to get out of this spell," I snapped. "You will never hurt the people of Camelot again, once I am free."

"Even if you could get free what makes you think you could kill me?" she mocked. "You are not my doom, Emrys is. Magic or no magic, I will not be defeated by the likes of you."

I smirked (though the expression felt very foreign on my face). I really couldn't believe how obtuse all Pendragons could be. She knows that I have magic and am loyal to Arthur yet she still doesn't realize that I am Emrys? I wondered.

"Enough of this!" she said. "Give me the amulet!"

It was times like this that I loved loopholes. They bought me time.

"No."

Arthur's POV:

The spell soon ended again and I prayed to all the gods in existence that Merlin hadn't moved from the area again. Once I felt that I could safely move again without puking out the contents of my stomach, I noticed that we were inside what appeared to be some sort of dungeon.

"Where are we?" Gawain asked.

"If I had to guess I'd say we are in that castle of Cornwall," I said. "More precisely we are in a dungeon."

"Because that part wasn't obvious, princess," Gawain said.

"You don't think Merlin's been locked up, do you?" Elyan asked.

"Why would Alined lock up Merlin when he's bringing him the amulet?" I asked.

"Maybe so he doesn't have to pay him," Elyan suggested.

"If that were true I'm sure Merlin would be free to escape and kill Alined for not upholding their bargain," I said, "and if it hasn't come to that I think they'll be up in the throne room."

"You're right," the High Priest said, "I can sense Emrys' power emanating from above us. It's seems he is currently fighting someone with great magical power."

"But why?" I asked.

"Wait, Morgana's working with Alined, right?" Leon asked, and we nodded. "Do you think she knew about his magic?"

We all paused at that.

"We have to go help Merlin," I said and we rush up the staircase.

By process of elimination (and the fact that the layout of most castles was basically the same) we found the hallway leading to the throne room. Unfortunately, it seemed that this was one of the few halls that were guarded.

"Ten guards," I said. I turned toward Salias and the High Priest, "You two wait here. The knights and I can handle them."

"Why?" Salias asked. "We could take care of them faster."

He muttered a few words in the Old Tongue and all the guards felt to the floor.

"Are they dead?" I asked.

"No, they're just sleeping," he said. "Let's go."

I heard the shrill, angry voice I'd known since childhood and I felt a mix of sadness and anger as we pushed open the double doors. We walked in just as Merlin dodged a fireball Morgana threw at him. He retaliated with a bolt of lightning shooting from his hand so fast Morgana barely had time to raise a shield. I couldn't believe he was so powerful. He looked like a vengeful god smiting his enemies into oblivion. For a moment I thought there was no way he could be human.

Morgana screamed. "How can you be so powerful? You're just a servant."

"You still haven't figured it out, have you?" Merlin asked with disdain. "You know now, that I have magic. You know that I always stop you from attacking Camelot. You have all the pieces in front of you and you haven't even tried to puzzle them out."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"You figure it out," he spat.

"Give me the amulet!" she screamed as she attempted to throw him back with a fierce wind. I slide back a few feet (and I wasn't even the target!), so did the other knights. It had no effect on Merlin. He didn't move an inch.

"I won't give it to you!" he yelled.

"But that's why you came here!" she yelled back.

"No, I came here to give the amulet to Alined," Merlin said. "Last time I checked you aren't the middle-age king of a second-rate kingdom."

Her mouth opened and closed a few time, whether from anger or disbelief I don't know. Behind her, Alined looked offended, but after seeing what Merlin could do he didn't have the courage to speak up.

"That's why you wouldn't give me the amulet?" she shrieked. "What was the point of that? It's just going to end up in my hands anyway!"

"Yes, I know that," Merlin said, "but I needed to buy some time."

"WHAT?"

"Merlin is really good at exploiting loopholes," Hawk said with a grin. "And I think you bought us just enough time, Merlin."

Merlin followed Hawk's gaze and saw us standing at the door. He too grinned.

"Well, if it isn't my dear half-brother," Morgana said, finally noticing our presence. "Have you come to try and stop me?"

"Morgana, you don't have to do this," I said. "I've already promised Merlin that I'll unban magic. You and your people can be free once more. There is no need for any more violence."

"Somehow, brother, I don't think I believe you," Morgana said. "And even if you were to unban magic, that does not change the fact that the throne of Camelot rightfully belongs to me! I will not rest until I am Queen!"

"Now you show your true colors," Merlin said. "May all of our people know that you are a selfish witch and not the freedom fighter you have pretended to be. All the people who you have manipulated to your side let them see you for the viper that will lead them to their doom. Soon they will see Morgana; soon they will know what you really fight for. I wonder if you'll have any followers left, usurper."

"Silence," she screeched, "I've had enough of your impudence. Complete your mission then get out of my sight. I deal with Arthur as soon as you're gone."

I watched Merlin pull out the box and move towards Alined.

"Stop!" I yelled.

Everyone turned to look at me.

"I won't let you give him the amulet, Merlin," I said, "I'm taking you home, now."

"Well, don't just stand there," Alined yelled, "You heard him, he's trying to stop you from completing your mission; attack!"

I saw Merlin's eyes darken, his muscles tensed, he signaled the others to fight the knights before turning to face me with his claymore in hand.

Merlin's POV:

We circled each other a few times, both unwilling to make the first move, and tried to find an opening in each other's stance. I remembered back when I went on my final mission for Jal, six years ago, when I first heard the name Arthur Pendragon. Jal told me the then-prince was thought to be the best warrior in the five kingdoms. I remembered laughing at that (thinking that it was all talk) and feeling so confident that I could beat him. But Arthur lived up to his reputation. He was the best swordsman I'd ever seen, maybe even better than me when I was in my prime. After six years of not fighting to my fullest potential, I was rusty, and I was almost certain I couldn't win in a fair sword fight. I hated the idea of cheating against Arthur. I hated the idea of using my magic against Arthur even more.

I feign a strike to the left which he dodged by twisting right. He fell into my trap and I shot out a low voltage bolt of lightning at his right leg only to have it disappear before it hit the target. I looked around, confused as to what happened. Arthur took advantage of my distraction and tried to land a blow to my shoulder. I took a quick step back to avoid the hit. This isn't good, I thought, that one almost hit me!

Arthur didn't stop there. He came at me with his sword again and again, forcing me to go on the defensive. Our swords clashed back and forth. Neither of us gained the advantage, we were so evenly matched. I tried to push him back with magic only for my attack to be stopped again, but this time I was prepared. I sensed where the block was coming from. I glanced at the door (while still keeping an eye on Arthur and parrying his sword) and saw a face I hadn't seen in a few years. Arthur had somehow found the High Priest Andor and convinced him to help. Next to him was Salias. Well that explains it, I thought. I knew the Andor was not going to let me use magic on Arthur. This fight wasn't going to last very long.

I was still tired from the two teleportation spells I'd done today. It was some of the most powerful magic I'd ever done and I had done it twice. My body was fatigued and I hadn't rested properly since before being taken to the Mercenary Lands. Arthur knocked the sword out of my hand.

"No!" Morgana screamed.

The knights gathered around us as Arthur knocked me unconscious to stop me from trying anything.

Arthur's POV:

The High Priest started reciting the transportation spell.

"Stop them!" Morgana and Alined yelled. The mercenary Mary threw a dagger at our group. It was only about a foot away from me. There was no time to move out of the way. A flash of orange and black appeared in front of me just as we were teleported out of there.

I know some of you were looking foward to a badass fight between Arthur and Merlin, but I figured with everything Merlin's been doing lately he would be exausted and running on adrenaline, but don't worry I promise before this story is finish they'll have thier epic battle! Oh, by the way, check out this new story I'm posting called A Tale of Two Princes. See you soon guys!