OMGaius! This is amazing. I never even thought about a story about the beginning of the Purge. I love this. I read it even though I knew it wasn't finished because it was so good. I would assume you're not going to finish this but I surely wished you would. Beautiful work!

Wow this is amazing work. I love how you have set everything out from the begining and your story truly beaks my heart. This fic seems long abandoned but I would like to tell you how much talent you have. Love, love, love this fic. -Jess

Oh please update this soon! There are not enough purge era fics out there

This is awesome. Please update soon.

wow, what a great chapter!

I absolutely love your writing and your negotiating/interpretation of the vague facts we did get about the Great Purge from the show! It makes a lot of sense and I've always wondered about Uther's relationship with Morgana/Vivienne and what happened to Vivienne. I gladly accept your interpretations! Also I do really like how you've included Julius and Edwin and Lamias and ragaid! Nicely canon.

The way season 5 ended makes your fic even more painful as we know how ineffectual Merlin/Emrys and Arthur were in their time and that justice for the magic users was never gained. These deaths you're vividly describing, the damage, the destruction of the magical community, the total injustice... Uther got away with it basically scot free and Merlin/Arthur never helped the magical community recover. Seriously, I was incredibly bitter by how the show ended and reading this lovely rendering of the Great Purge just makes it even worse. Ugh.

I've always thought Gaius was the shadiest character in 'Merlin', being complicit in genocide and leading Merlin down the exact same path. I do like your explanations for his behaviour because it's incredibly realistic and yet still so disappointing as I feel he would have redeemed himself if he actually encouraged Merlin to be more active with helping the magical community.

I'm wondering how much you'll be covering as I'd really love to read your interpretations of Gaius drugging Morgana. Or what happened to Vivienne.

I read your fic all in one go despite wanting to head off to bed. I'll be re-reading when I get the chance as there were other parts I really loved and wanted to let you know.

Can't wait for the next update! :D

This story is so painful to read - because it has to be, there is no way for it to be truthful without being hideously painful in multiple directions all at once - that I admit I flinch when I get chapter update notices. And yet I keep reading, because what you are writing here is, I think, necessary. And also beautifully constructed in its claustrophobic inevitability. It's not the kind of story that will ever really be popular, but I am very glad and thankful that you are writing it.

NOOOO! Gaius! This is so incredibly well written but so incredibly sad D: I'm not sure that I want to keep reading, but I probably will... I need to take a break for now, at least... (See? That's how good your writing is!)

Wow. That was...I don't even know what to say. If you aren't already a professional writer you should be.

Oh, man, poor Gaius. And poor Aurelius - I felt so bad for him. This is phenomenally written as usual. And kudos to you for tackling such a difficult plot, not to mention one without the two main characters. There aren't many times that I would pick up a story not involving Arthur & Merlin at all, but when it's as well written as this, I can enjoy it regardless. You've done a fantastic job remembering to include all the details we already know such as Tristan DuBois, Gorlois, and Morgause & Morgana's mother and then adding to them. You also do a fantastic job with the dialogue of the characters. I especially liked Gaius's descriptions of magic. Really well done!

Just one thing you might want to consider, though. In the first episode when Merlin asked Gaius why Uther baned magic Gaius answered: "people used magic for the wrong ends back then. It threw the natural order into chaos." Based on your recount here (which suggests Uther actually falsified all this misuse of magic) I'm not sure he would have said something like that. We definitely know that the death of Ygraine is what caused the purge and Uther's unfounded hatred of magic, but I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced that Uther had actually gone so far as to create all the recounts of the illuse of magic. Uther definitely took everything WAY to far and played up all the problems with magic, but because of what Gaius said to Merlin I tend to think there were also quite a few people using magic for evil at the time as well. Just offering my opinion!

Never one to let your readers down...it is fantastic!

well done

RYNE! YOU CANNOT! GAH! THIS IS MY OWN PERSONAL HEADCANON AS OF NOW! THIS IS NO WORK OF FICTION! THIS IS CANON! I DUB IT SO.

This is brilliance. I loved every aspect of this chapter. The innerworkings of Gaius is the best part of this chapter for me. I love, love, love it because we all know what happens when Merlin arrives and how he risks his life to protect that child daily. I love it because we know what is the result, and here, we get to see what causes such a result.

This is officially one of my favorite stories of all time. I think I cried when I saw you had updated. Like legit, heartwrenching cries of joy. It didn't last long though. Eventually, I had to open the chapter up and seize the chorus of HALLELUJAH.

I've grown such a deep attachment into this story because it's amazing in the sense that the events explain so much to what we see now, and they are so realistic and perfect. The descriptions are just the right amount, and your points and scenes are portrayed perfectly.

This is such a wonderful story and I can't wait for the next chapter!

Happy writing,
Erin xD

OOOOHHHHH! RYNE! Woman, that was amazing! I admit, it took me a while to get through it (never watch Doctor Who while reading a new chapter) but it was AWESOME! It was so packed and I felt so sorry for Gaius! I know I should be feeling really mad at him, but he's trying so I feel bad for him! :( I do like that you portrayed Gaius as a fatherly figure even to Uther; I've never thought about it like that. Brilliant! ;D I kept waiting for Cundrie to mention Emrys or something. Like 'Emrys will bring your downfall...' or something like that... *rolls eyes at self* I can't wait to see what happens next! ;D

I never did like Uther...and now, you have only reinforced my dislike. A pleasure to read something so well written.