AN: Merlin is not and never has been mine.

So, as promised, here is the beginning of my magic reveal fic. I will try to update regularly as I did with my other story. I hope you guys like it!

Merlin really hated hunting.

The sun was beating down on him and Arthur. There were more roots for him to trip over because Arthur had decided to stray from their usual worn hunting route. Arthur, hoping there would be a bigger variety of animals to hunt on this new path, had brought along even more equipment for his servant to carry. And, to top it off, he had dropped his water skin somewhere back in the forest. This whole trip was a disaster.

Arthur really loved hunting.

He felt confident that the new area of forest he had chosen would wield good results. He had a delicious meal packed away for when he got hungry, and best of all Merlin was so preoccupied with not tripping on everything that Arthur had gotten in the last word every time one of them started up their usual banter. It felt like nothing could go wrong on this trip.

"Ouch!"

Merlin had tripped over something sticking out of the ground, and the hunting gear finally went flying. Grumbling, he scrambled to pick it up.

"Merlin, at this rate we'll barely catch anything, if you haven't scared everything away by now."

Merlin glowered, but before he could respond Arthur got a good look at what his servant had tripped on.

It was a corner of a piece of wood, but to precisely cut and symmetrical to be natural. The king bent down and cleared away some of the dirt. He realized it was a box, or a small chest. Gripping the edges, he tugged and turned it until it came clear of the soil.

"What's that?"

Arthur looked over at Merlin, who was staring avidly at the box.

Merlin couldn't tear his eyes from the object Arthur had dug up. It made his blood tingle, and he knew that whatever it was, it was magical. It gave off a feeling of foreboding so strong, he was surprised Arthur couldn't feel it.

"Some box that was stuck on in the ground," Arthur replied. He dusted off the lid so they could get a good look at it.

It was carved of dark wood, about a foot long and half as wide. Small, black river stones lined the lid, and a forest-green jewel was set in each corner. A strange symbol was carved on the top; a circle with intertwining wavy lines radiating from it. Merlin didn't recognize it, but he was sure it was important.

Arthur placed a hand on the lid to open it.

"Don't!" Merlin said sharply.

Arthur stared at him. "What? It's just a box."

Merlin shook his head slowly. "Just...I don't think it's a good idea to open that."

Arthur's incredulity grew. "Honestly, Merlin are you scared of everything?"

And, before Merlin could respond, he opened the chest.

Immediately Merlin clutched his head as waves of magic washed over him. He felt that if he hadn't had to withstand magical threats before, he would not have been able to stay standing now. It was pure power, and it made his head pound.

Arthur, though he didn't feel Merlin's pain, also realized immediately that magic was involved. It was hard not too, for light had burst from the box and the clear bottle of midnight blue liquid that had been sitting at the bottom vanished slowly before their eyes. Then the temperature dropped at least ten degrees. But that was nothing to what happened next.

Black mist swirled into their area, seeming to come from all directions from who knew how far away. Arthur recoiled at the obvious magic and drew his sword, as though he expected it to be able to do damage to the dark fog. But suddenly, it wasn't just fog anymore as the mist formed itself into solid forms.

Arthur and Merlin stared into the shielded face of a tall, dark, armored knight where moments before there had been nothing but an indistinct cloud. He was the first of many others that were solidifying around them. Arthur was pumped with adrenalin, ready to fight. But the knight made no move to attack him.

"Which of you made the mistake of opening Theali's Chest?" Arthur was surprised by the warrior's voice. It wasn't harsh or dark, it was sad. Not threatening, not anything really, but sad.

He seemed to be talking about the container Arthur had just opened with barely a thought. Arthur hesitated, but the knight clearly was not aggressive. "I did," he said. The knight's face, hidden by a helmet, turned to him.

"Ah, yes. Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot." Arthur didn't like that this stranger knew his name, but he wasn't really surprised. After all, this man was clearly conjured from magic.

"I assume you did not know what this is?" He gestured to the open box. Arthur shook his head slowly.

"Believe me when I say I take no pleasure in what I'm about to do." The sadness in the man's voice grew. "But the curse controls me, so I have no choice. You have doomed yourself, Arthur Pendragon. Just know I will not enjoy this."

With these ominous words, Arthur went for his sword once more, but the knight turned and began to leave, the other mist people following him. They were gone in a blink of an eye.

Arthur and Merlin stared at the spot where they had vanished.

"That didn't sound good," Arthur commented nervously.

Merlin turned to stare at the box. No, it really didn't, he thought.
"Come on, Merlin. Hunting trip's over. We have to decide what to do about this." Arthur went back to look for his horse and waited for Merlin to do the same.

But Merlin, reflecting on the power he had felt spilling from that tiny chest, wondered if there was anything they could do.