Destiny of the endless
Merlin looked at his bloodied hands, shaking from despair but mostly anger. He was tempted to scream but he had no desire to alarm the guards who were most likely looking for him under Gwen’s orders. Merlin took the knife again and positioned it right over his heart, he closed his eyes as he prepared to meet his death once again, and hopefully for the last time.
“That won’t work” A voice from behind him said, laced with worry and unfortunately for Merlin, certainty.
“Listen” Merlin breathed hard “This is none of your business, so go on…leave me” He said never bothering to face the man behind him.
“I understand you have lost so much, but this is not the way” the man hissed as he took steps forwards, closing in on the warlock.
“You understand nothing” Merlin cried as he lifted the dagger and started to plunge. But before any blade touched his skin, a strong arm stopped Merlin and fought him for the knife.
As the dagger was pried away from his tired hands, Merlin cried in frustration. Could anything go his way he thought in despair.
“This is not the way, Merlin” The man now whispered slowly. Merlin could feel him kneeling in front of him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Merlin instead of accepting the comfort he shrugged the man off and now moved to look at the person blocking him from death.As his eyes met the man’s, the warlock’s soul filled with hope.
“Father” Merlin whispered in relief, as his father looked at him with a sad smile. Merlin then moved to hug the man, and everything was calm for a moment until Merlin got up and started wiping his tears and dusting himself off.
“I’m sorry, I’m not normally like this” Merlin laughed off his previous condition and then he looked around with a frown.
“Do you know where Arthur is?” He then asked eager to find his King.Balinor frowned and looked at Merlin with even deeper worry.
“If you don’t know it’s fine, you could help me….oh and I guess I’ll have to clean myself off before I see him” Merlin said as he looked at his hands with disgust. The warlock then sighed and looked at the sky, he took a moment to breath in the cold air. “So, this is the afterlife” He breathed in relief and Balinor exhaled in dread .
“My boy” Balinors tone gave no sign of good news, and by the expression of fear that Merlin shot at him he knew this was going to be painful
“This is not the afterlife” Merlin’s eyes turned glassy while shaking his head.
“I don’t understand, I know you are dead, so this must be the next thing after life.” Balinor stood quiet but shook his head as to shoot down Merlin’s beliefs.
“Then this is some sort of limbo…one of which I will figure out how to get out of…don’t worry father I’ll get us both out, and you can finally be with mother and I with Arthur” Merlin said with a weak voice as he headed to the woods to find any exit. There must be a plausible explanation Merlin thought. Maybe it had to do with his dragonlord lineage, why else would his dead father be in front of him.
Balinor then grabbed hold of Merlin’s arms stopping him in his tracks.
“Please don’t” Merlin pleaded whilst trying to pull away.
“Merlin, my boy, you are still alive…you are Emrys the inmortal, you are magic therefor you cannot die” Balinor said trying to get the idea of immortality through his sons head. Merlin at first laughed but then his laughs quickly turned into tired cries as he pushed away from his father.
“By the triple goddess, I’m going crazy” He mumbled to himself. The warlock was now kneeling on the dirt with his hands making a mess of his hair. He felt like puking or shouting…better yet, dying. If Arthur could see him now, he would laugh, only these things could happen to him, the idiot manservant.
“Merlin you are perfectly lucid, I assure you” Balinor said once more and now his voice started rattling Merlin. The warlock saw his father die, he cried for him and then stopped thanks to Arthur’s words of wisdom. He mourned for his father who he had known for very little time and then he had taken over his legacy; being a dragonlord. He knew his father was gone so who was the man in front of him.
“If I’m not hallucinating then who are you” He said still on the ground but his eyes flashing dangerously gold.
“I am your father” The impostor said with no fear behind his gaze.
“The truth” Merlin shouted, making the ground shake with his voice. The older man did not cower, simply sighed resigned.
“For what is worth I am really your father.” Merlin didn’t say anything then, but his eyes glowed even brighter in warning.
“My child, I am Destiny of the endless” Merlin heard a gentle yet powerful whisper. Power, strong one at that, enveloped the air, and Merlin’s eyes turned sky blue once more as he watched the man who claimed to be his father change appearance to that of a cloaked man chained by the wrist to a heavy and dusty book.
Merlin although he had many questions, he knew for certain he wasn’t being lied to. For the first time in many years, he had been given the straightest of most answers.