Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin (wish I did)

Chapter 9 Gathering Darkness

Morgana followed her wretch of a guide while dragging an improvise liter which held her sister. Her dress was torn and dirty, her feet ached, and her breathing had become labored from the extended physical exertion. Yet the hag in front of her was as spry and energetic as a spring chicken only looking back to gaze at her with a smirk. It was beginning to irritate her.

When her guide yet again looked back to smirk at her she had had enough. Gently placing her sister down Morgana scowled at the (in her opinion) freak that she followed. "You could offer your assistance if you wanted to make it to our destination in good time" she spat scathingly at the witch. This made the hag grin wider. "But, you were doing so well on your own", she cooed back before cackling. Again. Apparently she didn't know how not to cackle in that rather obnoxious if chilling laugh. Morgana doubted the woman would even know where to begin.

Morgana felt a chill run down her spine at the laugh but she shrugged it off and refused to feel intimidated. "Well are you going to help or not?" she asked through clenched teeth. The hag looked thoughtful for a moment (as much as a creature of darkness could look thoughtful) she 'hummed' and bit and cheerfully said "Not."

Before turning again to lead her charge to their destination. The frown lines on Morgana's face deepened but she grudgingly set off to follow the hag after picking her sister's liter up once again.

Finally after another half hour walk they reached the valley in which their destination lay. Morgana stopped and stared at the site in shock and if she admitted it revulsion. A decrypt castle stood in the center of the valley, but that was not the source of Morgana's revulsion. No it was the oozing darkness that surrounded it. A tangible darkness. It oozed and reached as if it were alive spreading outward from the castle. Darkness the color and consistency of pitch it spread outward towards and beyond the creatures that came to the valley and were still arriving. Creatures, no monsters for that's what they were, the stuff of stories used to scare children. Except they weren't stories they were real. The tar like substance that was spreading outward would touch the monsters the demons as it passed leaving a little of itself on them. Where ever it touched fights broke out amongst the monsters leaving bloody messes in its wake. Morgana had the strange sense that the black whatever it was laughing delighting in the senseless violence it left behind it.

Suddenly a path formed straightway to the castle the darkness moving aside pushing the demons back or appearing to completely devouring them into itself if they did not move fast enough. Morgana tried to repress a shudder. The hag cackled. "It appears the master is expecting us dear, we mustn't keep him waiting. He is most anxious to meet you." Saying thus she moved forward through the path that had been formed even though the darkness seemed to reach for her. Morgana straightened her shoulders stepped forward not noticing that the path closed up behind her as she went.

Morgana was lead to a decrepit throne room rotting beams and ceiling panels giving the area a very unsafe air. At the place where the throne should have sat was a huge pool of darkness. Clinging to the remnant of the ceiling and the beams on that side of the room it pulsed and appeared to be breathing. The very sight of it sent chills down her back and her stomach tightened in revulsion threatening to make her vomit on the already filthy floor. Morgana swallowed, and pushed the feeling down forcefully. She had come this far she was not about to turn back now.

The darkness shifted and split to reveal the most 'evil' looking thing she had ever seen. "Evil" truly was the only way to describe it. The concentrated darkness around this creature made her want to cry and scream. Made her want to run away and hide. If the darkness around this thing made her want to vomit this creature 'her host' she belatededly, distantly realized, made her want to shrivel up and die.

It. He chuckled. She wanted to cry for bringing her sister to this place. The hag that had lead her here had disappeared and the doors and her path thru the darkness had closed behind her. Morguse shivered and moaned on her pallet. Morgana hurriedly set her down to tend to her. Crouched beside her sister she felt decidedly vulnerable under the gaze of this evil creature before her.

Then he spoke. "Welcome Morgana Penndragon." Morgana bent her head down toward her sister and a single tear traveled down her face falling down onto the bodice of her sister's dress absorbed by the material. The creature smirked. Morgana Penndragon would be under his control very soon and then... Then they would destroy Emrys.

Sorry for the short chapter and long wait. I have bad news I won't be able to update for eighteen months I'm going on a mission for my church and will have no computer access. But I promise I will come back and finish this. Peace Out.