Chapter Fifteen 

The Knights 

“Hear me!” Arthur yelled to his men as they all mounted their horses. Merlin was next to Arthur watching him speak over the knights. “Today is the day we push the Thebes back! Today is the day we no longer allow them ground in this war! We have allowed the Thebes to control this war, but no longer!” 

His knights all yelled in victory as he raised Excalibur to the sky. It was truly incredible, Arthur was strong, any doubt would never been seen by his men. “Today we fight as one, my friends! I ask you to stand by me once again!” 

More raucous cheers from all sides. Merlin raised Trinity to the sky with the men and the thunder rolled with his own war cry. 

“Today we fight!” Arthur yelled. 

“Today we fight!” The knights repeated. 

“For Camelot!” Arthur yelled. 

“For Camelot!” The knights repeated. 

“For Camelot!” Arthur yelled once more before turning his horse and starting the ride out to the battlefront. 

His knights cheered as they all followed him out. They would follow their prophesied King wherever he would lead. Merlin would follow his King as well. He would follow Arthur to hell and back. 

They rode out to battle, ready to fight the Thebes back and further away from Camelot, finally gaining ground in this war. The Thebes army was very ready for Arthur’s knights and immediately began to rush them.

“Arthur!” Merlin called quickly. “Protect the middle!” 

Arthur moved his men towards the center of their line as the Thebes tried to gain ground there. 

Arthur’s knights held their position and began pushing back with earnest, something the Thebes were not expecting. 

“Archers!” Merlin called. “Attack their back ranks!” 

“Attack the flank!” Arthur yelled to his archers who immediately raised their bows high in the sky. 

A deafening scream erupted from below them as the ground split open. “Oh bloody hell what now?” 

Arthur stepped away from the breaking ground as the Earth crumbled below them. Some of the Thebes were swallowed up before they could scatter out of the way. 

“Rush them! Let Merlin and I handle this!” Arthur yelled urging his knights forward. 

Merlin leapt across the broken ground to reach Arthur’s side. 

“This is happening.” Arthur said quickly. 

“Don’t panic.” 

“I won’t.” Arthur said quickly. “What do we do?” 

“Back up.” Merlin said as the ground tore open further. “Whatever comes out, we’ll face it together. Together we are unstoppable. Remember that.” 

They stumbled back further, Merlin gripping Trinity tighter as another deafening scream erupted from the underworld. 

Five hellhounds began to climb out of the ground. Merlin’s stomach plummeted as he cast a protection charm on the knights further away. 

“Merlin… what do we do?” Arthur whispered, his hand clinging to Merlin’s robes.

“Hell hounds are drawn to blood. They must be drawn away from the battle.” Merlin said taking another step back. 

“Are you saying…” 

“We need to run. Now!” Merlin turned, Arthur on his heels as they raced away from the battle. “Do not look back. They are chasing us. Faster!” He raised Trinity to the sky and a blast of speed and energy ran through both of them as their legs moved faster than humanely possible. 

“How far?” Arthur asked. 

“Continue until I say stop. When that happens, be ready to match energies and fight.” Merlin said. 

“We’ve never done it that quickly.” Arthur reminded. 

“Trust me!” Merlin said. He glanced back to see the battle farther off on the horizon. “Ready?” 

“No!” Arthur said before reaching for Excalibur. 

“Stop!” Merlin’s feet ground to a halt and he grabbed Arthur’s hand. “Open yourself up to me.” 

“I’m trying.” Arthur said closing his eyes. 

The hellhounds were coming on them fast. Five vicious beasts who would not stop until every ounce of their blood was gone and their bones turned to dust. 

“Arthur.” Merlin said.

“Don’t pressure me.” Arthur said, his brow now furrowed. 

“I do not mean to rush you.” Merlin whispered. “Arthur.” 

“Shut up!” Arthur yelled. 

Merlin dropped Arthur’s hand and stepped forward. “Ziodyne!” He yelled as lightening struck down from the sky to the hounds. They all fell, but got up again quickly.

“Start running again!” Merlin grabbed Arthur’s hand and pulled him further along. 

“You didn’t give me a chance!” Arthur yelled. 

“We we’re running out of time! Do you expect these enemies to wait for you to be ready?” Merlin yelled. “Figure out what’s blocking you. Fear, anger, whatever it is push it to your stomach and allow it to fuel you.” 

“Bit hard while we’re being chased by fucking hell hounds!” Arthur yelled. 

“Arthur look at me!” Merlin yelled as they ran. 

Arthur met his eyes. “This is your destiny. This is our destiny. You can do this. Now push your fear away, and trust in yourself.” 

Arthur nodded and got that familiar fire in his eyes. 

“Ready?” Merlin asked. 

“Ready.” Arthur said. 

“Now!” Merlin slammed his feet into the ground and turned towards the hell hounds. “Glacio!” he yelled as ice formed between them and the hounds. The began breaking through it quickly. 

Arthur laced their fingers together and they both closed their eyes. Merlin could immediately feel Arthur energy pulsing through him. “Good.” He whispered as they opened their eyes once again, seeing everything as one. Feeling everything as one. Merlin did not have to think what Arthur should do next, Arthur already knew. 

He began fighting the hounds off with Excalibur’s might and Merlin’s powers coursing through his veins. One hellhound tried leaping at Arthur from behind. 

“Protego!” Merlin yelled and the dog was blasted away from them. The hellhounds began trying to kill both. Arthur pulled Merlin to his back and they fought them off from all sides. 

“Get them out of here. We must get back to the battle.” Arthur said quickly as the hellhounds continued attacking from every angle. 

Merlin thrust Trinity into the ground and the hellhounds were all stunned. Merlin reached for Arthur’s hand and felt his own powers begin to press into Arthur’s palm. Arthur let out a guttural yell, moving away from Merlin and spinning Excalibur as it extinguished the life of the hellhounds. 

The sword was a quick death, far faster than Merlin’s magic would have been. The dogs began to seep back into the Earth immediately. 

“We did it.” Arthur choked out falling to the ground. 

“We did.” Merlin said grabbing Arthur and pulling him up. “Come on Arthur. We need to return to your knights.” 

They ran back as fast as Merlin’s magic could carry them and continued battling the Thebes, they were gaining ground as the Thebes became tired. Arthur’s knights had been saving their energy for this exact moment and they struck with blinding force as the Thebes began to retreat further back.

“We did it!” Arthur yelled grabbing at Merlin’s shoulders. “Get the injured back to camp. Tonight we claim the ground we’ve won.”

“What happened the hellhounds?” Gareth asked reaching for Arthur’s shoulder. 

“We extinguished them.” Arthur said. “Their bodies went back to the underworld.”

Gareth turned to Merlin and grabbed his shoulders. “You are the greatest sorcerer of all time aren’t you?” 

Merlin clung to the knight as well and congratulated them on their hard fought victory. 

The men all drank that night, a well deserved reward for the efforts they put in. The war was far from over, and everyone knew as much. But a battle had been won, and they celebrated. 

Arthur led the men in songs and drinking games as Merlin stood off to the side with his single mead, allowing Arthur the time with his friends and comrades. 

He stumbled towards Merlin, falling into him. “We did well today, didn’t we?” 

“Yes, your men fought bravely.” Merlin agreed righting Arthur once again. 

“But we did well too, didn’t we. You and I.” Arthur said. He cocked his head and smiled at Merlin, that brilliant smile he had been sharing with Merlin since they were children.

“Yes, we did well today. You were able to put aside your fears of dying.” Merlin added. 

Arthur shook his head. “I’m not afraid of dying Merlin. There are plans in place for if I die. I know my Kingdom will still survive long after my death. I’m afraid of you dying. I swore to protect you when we were only children. I do not intend to break that promise as long as I can help it.” 

Merlin met his eyes and felt his chest swell. He reached a hand to Arthur’s shoulder and squeezed hard. 

Arthur mirrored Merlin’s movements before glancing back towards the men once again. 

“Go,” Merlin said. “Go and be with your knights. They deserve to celebrate with their King.” 

Arthur nodded and raised his glass in the air. “A toast,” he said his men all quieting around him. “To Merlin. The Greatest Sorcerer of all time, and my friend. Without whom our hard fought battle would not have been achieved this day.” 

“To Merlin!” The men all cheered. 

“And to all of you, for I could not ask for braver men to fight along side with.” Arthur raised his glass higher. The men all cheered and drank and Arthur finished his glass and pulled Merlin into a tight embrace. 

“You were incredible,” he whispered. 

Merlin said nothing, he could not respond. Someone as incredible as Arthur, someone whose destiny was written in stone, someone who was destined to be the greatest leader to ever walk the Earth should not think so highly of someone like Merlin. But Arthur did. Because of Arthur thinking so highly of Merlin his own destiny was created. 

Arthur stepped away but smiled and pointed towards Merlin before turning towards his men who all enveloped him with congratulations and cheer. 

“You were incredible.” Merlin whispered after Arthur.