Chapter 8 – Of Myth and Legend

The T.A.R.D.I.S. arrived in in the courtyard of Camelot and River opened the doors to a beautifully sunny day. The courtyard was full of noise and shouts. Apparently the appearance of a blue box in their midst had caused a stir among the people of Camelot.

Leon and Percival hurried forward as soon as they saw River and then bowed respectfully as Gwen appeared from inside the T.A.R.D.I.S.

"Find Gaius," she instructed a nearby guard.

"Your majesty," Percival began, "we didn't know whether to return or not …" he petered out as he saw The Doctor and River carrying Merlin out of the T.A.R.D.I.S. on a stretcher.

"Your majesty?" he asked quietly.

"The people are safe," Gwen announced, her voice carrying across the square and there were cries and gasps of relief amongst the crowd. "The beasts will not be returning to Camelot."

In a lower tone she addressed Leon, "He is weak but The Doctor says he will pull through."

"What happened?" Leon asked worriedly.

"Not now, not here," Gwen replied then turned and hurried after The Doctor and River as they headed towards the physician's quarters.

When Merlin awoke he found himself, confusedly, in his old room back in Camelot. He stirred and heard a soft voice gasp.

"Merlin, you're awake!" Gwen cried happily, coming to his side. "Are you alright?"

"He's perfectly alright," a familiar voice said and looking up Merlin saw the Doctor, River and Gaius all gathered in his room. The Doctor, who had spoken, gave a wave of his sonic and checking it momentarily then gave a smile. "Returned to full health."

To make sure, Merlin looked down at his hand and murmured a spell.

A small flickering flame appeared in the middle of his hand. He caught Gwen looking and stopped.

"If you want me to leave, I can - now," he said earnestly.

Gwen glanced at the Doctor, River and Gaius and getting the point, they all left.

"I want you to stay Merlin," Gwen responded.

Merlin swallowed hard then spoke, "You heard didn't you? I can't die. I don't know if I'll be able to face it, watching you all grow old and die."

Gwen looked at her hands.
"If you don't want to stay, I will not hold you from leaving; but you must remember, Camelot will always be your home if you want it to be."

Merlin was silent for a moment.

"I have to go and find something out," he said suddenly, leaping out of his bed and charging down into Gaius' room.

"Doctor," he said, "I need you to show me. You have to show me. Otherwise, I'm not going to be able to cope."

The Doctor's face was grave but he nodded once.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask," he replied.

The T.A.R.D.I.S. landed and the screen declared some date in the very far future.

"So long," Merlin murmured.

"Out there, is a place called Lacum Regis, latin for 'the lake of the king'," the Doctor explained, "there is no lake there now but the people of Wales have always believed that this place is somehow special. On this day, the last true people of Albion fight for their lives at Lacum Regis. This is a fixed point in history Merlin and once you have seen this, there is not going back. Are you sure you want to go out there?"

Merlin was already at the door.

Percival entered Guinevere's chambers where she was standing at the window, looking out.

"It is time," he said quietly.

Quinevere stood on the balcony of the castle and looked down into the courtyard and the people standing there. Her people. How she wished Arthur was here beside her …

"People of Camelot, last night we faced a terrible destruction on our kingdom," she spoke and held her head high, just as he would have wanted her to. "You have gathered here to give me your thanks for saving you and yet it was not my deed. Camelot's saviour was one who used to walk among us. His name is Merlin and he is a sorcerer."

There were mutterings among the crowd but Gwen continued.

"For too long this kingdom has been at war over magic. Not simply over magic itself but over the hatred of magic and that hatred has turned our world to destruction against itself. It took one very special, very brave man to change that. Merlin has made me see to truth in magic and that it is a force for good and so from this day, the law is passed that magic is not longer outlawed in Camelot. People need no longer live in fear."

The end of her speech was greeted at first by silence and then slowly, an old man began to clap. The people around him joined in after a moment and soon the whole courtyard was filled with cheers and applause. Gwen could barely hold back the tears.

Her thoughts turned to Arthur. I hope I have done you proud my love, she thought, as a smile broke out across her face.

Outside the T.A.R.D.I.S. was night but the sky glowed red with fires and some strange unnatural light. The T.A.R.D.I.S. sat on a hillside overlooking a valley and down below a battle was being fought. Men and women alike stood and fought with nothing more than pitchforks and spades against great metal machines and men clothed in black who were advancing steadily. Pushing the last true people of Albion back towards a small mound of earth upon which the remains of a small tower stood. Even as Merlin watched, more and more of the men and women fell. He could see one very old man who seemed to be throwing fire and flashes of light sparked around him but even he could not hold back the advancing mass of warriors.

It suddenly hit Merlin that the old man was himself and the small hill with the tower was the same one that had stood in the midst of Avalon. He saw himself now with barely a dozen companions, grouped on top of the hill still desperately trying to fight.

He fell to his knees, tears pricking his eyes because it was all so hopeless. After so long, was this really how it was all going to end?

"Keep watching," the Doctor said who had come out of the T.A.R.D.I.S. and was stood beside him, one hand on his shoulder.

Merlin saw himself yell a desperate final spell and the air around himself and his companions was filled with blinding white light. As the light died however, Merlin was dismayed to see only a few of the advancing warriors had fallen and the rest still moved on. It looked like this was the end.

Then suddenly at the far end of the valley, a light began to flourish and after a moment, Merlin recognised it as the sun, beginning to rise. Then, there was a great roar and it seemed, almost out of the ground, water began to flow until soon all ground around the small hill was covered in water.

"Avalon," Merlin breathed.

Many of the advancing warriors were drowned in the water, the rest were blinded by the sunlight which seemed to be filling up the whole valley and it was at its brightest right over the small mound. Merlin began to see figures in the light and he blinked, then gasped.

Arthur had stepped out of the light, his head ringed in a fiery halo of sunlight. He held Excalibur aloft and his red cloak of Camelot streamed out behind him. There were other figures too, Merlin realised. Gwen stood beside Arthur, and then Lancelot joined them. Then Gwaine, Percival, Leon and Elyan. To Merlin's delight he saw Freya join the crowd, her face alight with happiness.

And as he looked down he saw the old man, himself, had fallen to his knees but he seemed to be being wrapped in the light until suddenly it burst out from him. It faded and Merlin saw himself, the sam age as he was now, turning and kneeling to his King.

The warriors had gone, the sky was becoming blue, grass was beginning to show over the hills and valleys. And up there at the top of the light a great golden dragon soared triumphantly into the sky.

My name is Merlin but the Druids know me as Emrys. I am a sorcerer. I have walked this earth longer than any man alive and I have seen many many things. I have seen the changing of the seasons, the phases of the moon, the growing of a tree. One day, a long time ago now, there was a king. The greatest king this world has ever known and his name was Arthur. He died before his time and I sent him to rest in Avalon. One day, I know he will return and so I walk this earth until that day, when Albion's need is greatest.

After losing Arthur many things happened but for a long time I stayed in Camelot, looking after the kingdom with the Queen – Guinevere. But, as all things do, Camelot passed to dust, its people to the grave and I lived on alone.

The people of his earth call me a legend. A myth of a time when magic ruled and dragons lived and nowadays, people do not believe these times could have existed. But some do and with them I spend many life times, helping, aiding and sharing the greatest gift I own. My story, my story of a man.

This man is not me, in fact, one could hardly call him a man. He is a time lord and he travels in time and space, saving worlds, saving people, seeing the birth of stars and the end of nations. He is a legend. A story. A funny old man in a blue box. But to me he is great, he is the greatest man ever to have lived because he gave me the one thing I could not have done this without. He gave me hope.

So if you hear tell of a man in a blue box, flying through the stars, do not laugh as many do. If you hear the stories of King Arthur and his sorcerer Merlin do not cast them aside in disbelief. Because I tell you, the stories are true. The magic is real. And one day all will see the truth. One day Arthur will rise again.

Note: And its finished! YAY :) I've had this ending in my head for AGES and finally I've got round to writing it! I hope you all like it. I really liked how this story turned out and was really happy with how I wrote it. Its been wonderful taking you all on this story with me. Thank you for reviews, favourites and follows it means so much and if you feel you have the time, just a smiley face in the review would mean the world. Thank you for reading! New fanfic coming soon so keep your eyes peeled! Love and hugs and stuff xxx