Chapter Sixteen

Holding the ancient tome upon his lap, Merlin read the words over and over, so much so his eyes began to sting. It was almost impossible to remember a single word on the page, which the young warlock saw was an effect of his death. The death he struggled to understand. The death he... recovered from. Also, the piercing glare the boy was receiving did not help his concentration.

Looking up, Merlin set eyes upon his best friend, and Prince, Arthur, who was watching him from the doorway. "Look, if you don't agree with this get out. You may not want me to do this, but I'm willing to risk it." Of course the prince would disagree. Of course he'd protest. Of course he'd do everything in his power to stop the ritual. However, Merlin was not like him. He was not bought up to fear magic. The boy was bought up to use it. Harness it for the greater good. To protect Arthur from other mages who were not so morally acceptable.

Sighing, the blond male shook his head, "Magic got us into this mess. It was this kind of magic, to be precise. Once my father finds out about this, you'll be a dead prat." Sitting on the bed Arthur frowned. "Have you ever heard about those who are bought back from death?" As Merlin shook his head, eyes still glued to the page, the prince dropped eyes to the ground. Those that are bought back remain forever changed. Whether from the abyss or from true bliss. One will maddened, to the point of savage. The other… The other will not care… About anything. Their family would mean nothing. Their friends, obsolete. True necromancy is forbidden by all, even those opposed to King Uther.

A slight cough came from the doorway, where Jacob was stood. Leading the boys into the living room, the Quileute 's insides tied up. "Are you sure you wish to do this young warlock?" Aro calmly asked. The words sent a shiver down Merlin's back; the last person to ask him that was Kilgharrah, those exact words. The Great Dragon was always right, and if the vampire was anything like him, Merlin shouldn't risk it, but it was Merlin's choice, so he was going to bring them back, even if it meant he had to go through the veil himself.

Stepping forwards, the mage dropped his head and placed his hand upon Edward's heart. "Ego hic tribuo meus vita, ut testis per filiolus of vetus monastica, ut is vir, quisnam mos suscitatio ut an imperiosus lamia quod tractare suus fatum. Ego induco meus fortuna sic is can tractare suus." The murmurs were virtually inaudible, however, when the boy lifted his head, his delicate, sea-blue eyes were shimmering, if only for a moment.

Stumbling back, Merlin clasped at the far wall, watching Edward's body for change. The shimmering from the warlock's eyes seemed to be mirrored by the dead teen's skin. As Aro and Jake watched what happened to the corpse, Merlin grew weaker, his breathing becoming irregular and heavy. The boy's eyes struggled to stay open. His body shaking from exhaustion. His skin becoming paler than even Aro's.

Noticing Merlin's struggle for life, in blind desperation, Arthur grabbed at something, anything, and thrust it into Edward's heart. However, the transition was too far gone, the Ed was a vampire and Merlin was going to die.

Collapsing to the floor, Arthur crawled over to Merlin and ferociously grabbed him by the shoulders, "He's almost fully alive, Merlin! Attach the spell to me!" Noticing how unreceptive his best friend was being, the prince hit him. "Listen to me, you prat! Attach the spell to me! Let me give some of my life, don't let it kill you!" There was a slight slur from Merlin. "As your prince, I command you!"

Slowly, Merlin raised a frail hand and pushed Arthur from him, "No." Was all the boy's dry lips could mouth before he received another punch from the prince.

"If this kills you, I'll… I'll… Give up my claim to the throne. I'll never be king! Please, Merlin!" The panic in Pendragon's voice indicated he may've refused the throne for this, and Merlin could not allow that, not after all he had done to get him on it.

Weakly gripping Arthur's wrist, the warlock's eyes shimmered gold. Pulling away, he nodded to the prince who felt tugging inside the pit of his stomach. Falling away from his manservant, Arthur's eyes drooped shut, feeling as if someone was battling within him, trying to gain control, to take the very essence of his being. The ground beneath boiled as he froze.

In the distance, Aro stared, guilt filling him. Young Edward was not worth this. No one was. The old vampire fought to understand why he allowed this. Why he convinced Merlin to do this. Was it to genuinely help? Or was it to feel the thrill magic had given him back when he was mortal? Whatever it was, even the future king from the past was part, and dying. As the blond male collapsed back, his head smashed against the table leg with a crunch, spilling blood all over the eggshell carpet and flopping to the side, like a rag-doll.

The prince had become human when the spell was attached, meaning one thing… Edward would wake up soon, and maybe Arthur would be spared, just as Merlin was. Jacob had turned away from the very beginning, but he was now biting his lip, gripping the wall as he heard the situation behind him. Eyes squeezed shut, the werewolf wished it would be all over, he didn't care about any of this. It all ended when Nessie and Bella died…

Jake understood why he didn't fight against it. He saw Edward as the last piece of Renesmee and was selfish enough to want the him back, even if he was just a memory of the pain… The pain would show that she did exist, and that Bella wasn't some dream. He wanted to hit Edward. He wanted to yell until his throat went hoarse. He wanted to blame Edward. He wanted to tell Edward, that if he didn't come back from Volterra, Bella and Jacob could've been happy together…

But none of it mattered anymore.

Nothing did.

Nothing but… the future.

Nothing but Merlin and Arthur…

A groan from behind the Quileute spun him around, making him notice Edward sit up. Running towards the vampire, Jacob suddenly hugged him, before pulling away and punching it. The crunch made both teens rub the place of impact hissing slightly. "What was that for?"
Huffing, the werewolf grabbed Edward's head and spun it towards Merlin, who was tearing fabric to help with Arthur's smashed skull. "You have possibly killed King Arthur!" A poor cover up, but he couldn't just say, "For leaving me here on my own." Just thinking of it made the boy's eyes well-up.

Confused, Edward simply said, "I actually meant the hug," Glancing around, the vampire called for Carlisle, who rushed in and embraced his son, before he smelt the blood and scooped up Arthur.

"I must tend to him." Spinning around, Carlisle thanked Merlin and sped out without another word.

Everyone knew that the end of the recent events did not mean the end of their troubles, but they all understood it would mean goodbye…