Hello again. Finally updating after God knows how long, so apologies for that- I've just finished exams that will determine whether or not I'll go to uni, but I no longer have that excuse so let the writing continue. Thanks for waiting for me and thanks to all those who continued to read, even though I haven't put anything up in a while. Anyway, this is the first major battle scene (not my best one, but it'll get better) of two, so ENJOY fellow readers/writers.

Chapter 21

Gaius was positive that he had never had to ever deal with such bedlam in his life before this, and that included when the Great Dragon had laid waste to the citadel. There were not enough servants to help him tend to the injured and prevent them from dying from their wounds and the number of soldiers being brought back to the tents was increasing steadily by the minute.

At the moment, the elderly physician was dealing with Sir Ywain, who was unfortunate enough to have his arm clawed by a Howler. Apparently the knight had had to be dragged to the rear of the battle to be treated he was that determined to fight.

"How bad is it, Gaius?" he grunted. He was answered by the other man tying a bandage around the wound, which resulted in him grimacing.

"You're lucky that it wasn't any deeper," Gaius explained. "Otherwise something very important could have been severed."

"Noted." Ywain gave a brief salute before clambering to his feet. "Your boy looks like he's doing a good job of dealing with those beasts." He patted Gaius on the shoulder with his other hand when he saw the look of concern on the elder's face. "Don't worry, Gaius. I may have thought Merlin a fool for dabbling in sorcery, but even the blind could tell that he's doing everything he can to protect Camelot."

"I expect he'll appreciate the vote of confidence."

Ywain gave a hearty chuckle but was interrupted by a scream just outside the tent. Cursing he rushed from the tent with Gaius right behind him to find that a number of Vortigern's men had broken away from the main pack and were beginning to raze the area around them.

"How did they get back here?" he groaned, drawing his sword and striding over to the enemy. "Cowards!"

The other soldiers only just registered his bellow before two of them were cut down. By then, more of Camelot's knights had come to deal with the hustle and it wasn't long before the soldiers were dealt with. Ywain was relieved to find that he could still wield his sword, despite the injury.

He turned back around in an attempt to see Gaius and was happy to find that the physician was ushering another of the wounded into his makeshift quarters. Knowing that the old man would be fine for now, the knight pressed back towards the front line, avoiding slippery puddles of blood and the many discarded corpses that had been hacked down. That was when he found Geraint and Dagonet taking on at least fifteen of the other army by themselves near the riverside.

"Any sign of the others?" he shouted over the clanging of their swords as they dealt with the enemy.

"Safir, Hoel and Bors are still dealing with the lot on the right- I think some of them are trying to get around to the camp," Dagonet yelled, landing a blow against one of the men's stomachs.

"Too late, we've already had a group of them." Whilst saying this, Ywain took down two men with one stroke.

"I haven't seen Arthur or Aglovale, but Tor and Kay believe that they're actually trying to get behind enemy lines themselves."

"Only they would be that stupid."

"Merlin's still dealing with the Howlers and I think Olaf sent some of his men to help him," Geraint cut in after dealing with a particularly violent soldier who had been wielding a rather heavy looking mace.

"Someone obviously forgot to mention that those things can't be easily killed," Dagonet complained.

"Merlin will deal with them. Right now, we need to make sure that our future king doesn't get himself killed."

The wind around them suddenly picked up and an almighty roar overwhelmed any sound of the battle.

"For crying out loud, what now?" Ywain muttered, gazing up at the sky for a brief moment before concentrating on yet another of Vortigern's men.

Safir cried a string of profanities as yet more men tried to get past their defences to attack Camelot's tents that were nestled near the trees. There was no way he would let any of them reach the camp whilst he was still alive. He did not want anything to happen to Gaius and the others.

He heard a bellow behind him and was shocked to find a soldier collapse at his feet with Bors standing there, his sword pointing at the now dead man.

"Thanks Bors," he said, grimacing in embarrassment. He prayed that the other knight would not know that he had nearly been taken unawares. "Heard from anyone?"

"No," was the reply as the pair simultaneously lunged at an opponent, "although I think I saw someone drag Ywain towards the tents."

"Idiot doesn't know when to back down, even if he's injured," Safir muttered, finishing the soldier off with a deft stroke. "What about Merlin?"

"Not seen him at all."

Safir let out a curt growl before cutting down two more. He did not like leaving his friend out there in the battle, even if he was the most powerful being of all time.

"LOOK OUT!" came an unexpected yell. Both spun around to see Hoel sprinting towards them whilst being chased by… a giant.

"Gods," Bors breathed, his eyes widening in horror.

"They probably hate us if they're letting that lot use giants," Safir muttered. "On me!"

As expected, a number of the knights were not keen at all with the prospect of having to face such an enormous being, but they managed to snap themselves out of it, a large number of them forming ranks around the other three, their weapons brandished in front of them. Much to their horror, another two giants had become attracted by their comrade attacking the group and were making their way over.

"We need a miracle," Hoel stuttered, voicing the thought in all of their heads.

Suddenly, all three giants were stopped in their tracks and, looking down, everyone could see that the snow had formed an icy trap around their monstrous feet. It didn't stop there. The knights watched in awe as the ice began to crawl up the creatures' bodies and encasing them in a solid and frozen prison, their features distorted by the misshapen element.

Gazing around and expecting to see Merlin, Safir was horrified to spot the all too familiar long, sweeping brown hair.

"Freya? What in the name… What are you doing here?"

They were interrupted by a soldier aiming at Freya with his sword. All of them were shocked when she didn't even bat an eyelid and yet he man was frozen like his giant comrades had just been.

"I never actually promised Merlin that I would stay at Camelot. You all need my help, even if you do have the Leader of the Old Religion in your ranks. His powers aren't fully there yet and Vortigern has three sorceresses."

"Woman, you haven't even got any armour on you! And you're pregnant!" Safir jumped at another soldier who was trying to kill them. "Merlin would crucify me if he knew you were here. No, forget that, he'd curse me into hell, bring me back and then crucify me."

"No need to be over the top, Safir," Bors sighed whilst helping his friend deal with the man.

Freya then proceeded to through a line of Vortigern's army into the air, causing them to crash back into several of their comrades, all of them falling to the earth completely limp.

"I think she can take care of herself," the knight muttered in admiration. Hoel himself did not look pleased at this, not that anybody would be surprised. Both Bors and Safir were still uncertain as to where their fellow knight stood in regards to magic.

"You still shouldn't be here," Safir told the woman.

"I'm here to help and I refuse to leave my family to die, especially when their home is in danger of being overrun by the likes of Morgana."

Before Safir could argue anymore, the elements once again seemed to turn against them as there was a great gust of wind. What the knights were not expecting was an echoing roar to resound throughout the countryside.

"What in the name of the Triple Goddess is that?" Bors exclaimed, not looking to see where the noise was coming from as he and the others were once more being set upon.

"A friend," Freya replied.

Arthur had lost all sense of time as he battled his way through the tirade of soldiers that had come to take his kingdom. He was sincerely thankful that Lamia and Sindri were not involved anymore. Beside him was Aglovale, who had his back as the prince pushed his way towards the enemy camp.

Unfortunately there came the horrific moment when the pair of them were thrown to ground and they both looked up to find themselves being overshadowed by an enraged sorcerer, grinning malevolently as he bore down upon his prey.

"Where is your pet sorcerer now?" the man sneered. "He won't be able to save you this time, Arthur Pendragon."

He was cut off when a thundering roar echoes throughout the land and everyone- soldier and sorcerer- gazed up into the sky to see the monstrous figure of a dragon descend upon them, the bleak winter sun glinting off of his golden scales.

Arthur was immediately relieved to see Kilgharrah, even more so when the beast swooped down on his and Aglovale's attacker and lifted him into the air with his claws before dropping him from a great height.

Kilgharrah then landed and circled around the prince and his knight, warding off any enemy, snorting out jets of flame at Vortigern's men. Once most of them had fled away from the dragon, he finally turned to Arthur.

"It seems that I arrived just in time, young Pendragon," he remarked.

"Did Merlin call you?"

"He did not need to call me. There has been a great disturbance. Albion's time is almost upon us and all manner of beings have been called to aid the Once and Future King and the Leader of the Old Ways."

"Meaning?" Aglovale asked.

At the moment, there was a monumental flurry of movement from the trees on either side of the river and Arthur gaped as hordes of creatures charged from them, including wyverns, the Sidhe and a great number of humans. At the front of this particular group, Arthur recognised the man he had taken Mordred to all that time ago. The Druids had come. The prince also saw a flash of white clothing and was astounded to see that Anhora had joined the battle.

Feeling a lot more hopeful than he had previously, Arthur leapt away from Kilgharrah and raced to take on more of the enemy. Soon, he and Aglovale came across a small group of the other knights comprising of Safir, Bors and Hoel. To their horror, they also found Freya fighting alongside them.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Arthur exclaimed whilst cutting down a soldier. "Merlin said you were staying at Camelot. And you're pregnant!"

"I've already covered that, Sire," Safir explained as he aided the prince. "We've concluded Merlin is going to kill us for letting her fight."

"I couldn't ignore the call just as much as any of those other creatures could," Freya argued. "Camelot needed all of the help it could get. Merlin can't be in a hundred places at once, even if he is the most powerful being alive."

"You still shouldn't be here," Arthur raged. "The battlefield is no place for a woman."

"That's not stopping the Druids and I was once one of them in my previous life. We all have as much right to fight as you do." As if to prove her point, Freya yelled a spell and the snow shifted so that it layered itself over at least thirty of their enemy.

"Has anyone seen Morgana or the other two?" Aglovale queried as they carried on the fight.

"No," they all conceded.

"I haven't sensed them," Freya admitted. "They're definitely not here."

"Then where are they?" Bors asked.

"Something tells me we'll find out sooner or later," Arthur replied as he took Excalibur to a Howler.

Merlin tackled the magical creatures one by one as they tried to take down Camelot's soldiers, blocking out the bloodcurdling yells of pain and fury and the howling of the beasts that he slayed. Not minutes ago, he had felt a massive rush of magic and had been amazed to see that many more magical beings had joined the fighting. At first, the warlock had been wary on which side they thought, but his doubts were soon erased when he felt a presence in his mind.

"Do not concern yourself, Emrys, we are here to aid you," the voice explained.

"Who are you?"

"I am Iseldir, the chieftain of one of the Druid clans. It is an honour to meet you, Emrys, even if circumstances are not particularly pleasant. We have been called to help you defeat those who would threaten the birth of Albion."

"Who called you?"

"Your forbearers… and you."

"I didn't call anyone. I didn't even call Kilgharrah. This isn't your fight."

"On the contrary, Emrys, it is our fight. The witches and the false king wish to destroy the promised future. Your predecessors helped to inhibit some of your magic that sent out a signal to all of those who are a part of magic. We came because the time of Albion has come and nothing will prevent that calling."

"Oh no, Freya is here, isn't she?"

"Peace, Emrys, the Lady is safe. She is more than capable of defending herself, especially because of the life she carries."

Merlin was almost distracted entirely from dealing with another of his uncle's sorcerers. "How do you know Freya's pregnant?"

"All felt it, Emrys, even those who did not understand its meaning. The child is the first promise of a new life for magic."

"Thank you. And please don't call me Emrys."

"Very well, Em- Merlin. You are welcome."

"MERLIN!"

The warlock's internal conversation with the Iseldir was cut short as he recognised the voice of the person who had called his name. Spinning around, he saw Vortigern stalk towards him and he vaguely noticed that everyone else was giving them a wide birth.

Vortigern himself was completely enraged, his wide form tensed and his eyes glittering with a dangerous emotion that foretold death. Merlin had to use all of his courage not to fold under that expression.

"Vortigern," he acknowledged, drawing his sword from its sheath.

"Why do you insist on continuing to fight me, nephew?" the older man spat, gesturing his sword at the warlock. "The Pendragon spawn does not deserve your loyalty."

"You have no idea about anything," Merlin shot back. "He earned my loyalty by proving that he is a better man than his father. Arthur is the Once and Future King and he'll bring about an era worth fighting for."

The two were now circling each other like wolves locked in a struggle for the survival of the fittest, both anticipating who would attack first, their eyes locked across the blood-spattered snow.

"He himself has seen to the death of hundreds of sorcerers. Why would your protect him?"

"You've killed more innocents than he has, not just those who have magic. You pillage and slaughter when you feel like it. Nobody would have anything to gain by helping you. Peace would be impossible. And I refuse to be used as a weapon in your bid for power and a play thing for Nimueh, Morgana and Morgause."

"You and I share blood, Merlin, you cannot deny that. What point is there in blood if there is no loyalty between those who are bonded by it? I am your uncle!"

"Love is more powerful than blood. Gaius took me in and cared for me whilst I learnt how to use my magic. He and his family cared for my mother, no matter if she wasn't theirs. He loves me just as much as he loved my mother and he is more of an uncle than you could ever be, blood be damned!"

Something in Vortigern's eyes snapped and Merlin knew that the man had finally given up trying to turn him. With that statement, Merlin had turned his uncle against him to the extent that he would want his blood.

"Very well then, Merlin," he snarled, and he lunged for the younger man, their swords coming together with an almighty crash.

Merlin was the first to break away, fearing that he would stumble underneath the amount of force that Vortigern was exerting. He may be the Leader of the Old Ways, but that did not improve his combat skills. In that area, he was almost defenceless.

But that didn't mean that he would give up.

The two continued their ferocious duel, both surprised at how long Merlin was lasting against his physically stronger and more experienced opponent.

"Why not call upon your dragon to aid you?" Vortigern taunted some time later. "Better yet, use your magic to strike me down. Or are you as soft as Evader was all those years ago."

"Maybe I am, but I am proud to honour him."

"Even if it gets you killed."

"It isn't as if I haven't died before."

This seemed to make Vortigern pause in his assault.

"The Earth brought me back because I hadn't passed on the powers of the Old Religion to another. That and maybe it knew that I still had to complete my destiny."

"It'll have run out of chances by the time I've finished with you, boy!" Vortigern swiped at the warlock's head, only missing by a hair's breadth before Merlin knocked the weapon back.

By now, the two of them had made their way onto the ice-over river, which was already creaking ominously under the weight of the living and the dead as the battle reigned on around them. The ice was thick in some areas but perilously thin in others, the water underneath bubbling against its prison as it continued on its voyage below the surface, the sight tinged by the red stain of fresh blood.

The elder man's eyes flashed as an idea sprang to mind and he drove his sword into the ice near Merlin's feet. The pair watched as the ice cracked and spider-webbed its way to the surrounding area, breaking into segments, sending a great many men into the watery depths. The warlock himself was lifted off of his feet, grabbing onto the edge of a broken piece, which he frantically made balance so that it wouldn't tip him into the water. His sword lay abandoned to the side.

Vortigern moved carefully so that he was standing in front of Merlin, his head cocked to the side as if the sight intrigued him.

"How is it that one so mighty is brought so low?" he said in a silky manner, making the hairs on the back of Merlin's neck stand in a way the chill of the air couldn't.

"I'm not mighty. I may be the Leader of the Old Religion, but I am still a servant. A servant of the Old Religion and the Earth and a servant to the greatest king that will ever live."

"You can hardly be so if you're dead."

"I don't plan on dying again today."

With a flick of his wrist, Vortigern was sent sprawling backwards. Lifting his head, he saw that the ice had somehow melded itself back together. The boy had used his magic without him realising it.

"I thought you were honouring your predecessor," he hissed as both of them regained their feet.

"I am… by protecting the people of this kingdom from your tyranny."

"So cold, Merlin. You're not usually this unfeeling, are you?"

"I do what I do to protect Arthur and Camelot. I may not like it, but I won't let more people suffer because of you."

"You'll have to stop me first." With that Vortigern released a battle cry and ran at Merlin. The warlock clumsily picked up his sword from and, like his uncle, brought it down into the ice. However, unlike before, the frozen river caved began to cave in a horizontal line, rushing towards Vortigern like the tide beneath him. The man had no time to think before he was sent into the freezing waters that quickly chilled him.

On the surface, Merlin stared at the spot where Vortigern had disappeared, unsure as to what he was feeling. He watched as the ice smoothly reformed over the open spot before turning his back on it. Vortigern, finally, was gone.

And the men in both armies had seen this.

Arthur was dealing a fatal blow to one of the opposing soldiers when he suddenly noticed that the rest of them were fleeing the battle field, closely followed by groups of Camelot's knights. The enemy soon dispersed into the trees and out of sight.

That was when the cheering started. But Arthur was not about to begin celebrating yet.

"What happened?" he demanded of one of his men, who was currently aiding another back to the tents.

"It was your servant, Sire. The battle's over because Vortigern's dead."

Arthur stared at the man, dumbfounded, oblivious to the chanting that had begun behind him. Geraint was clapping Hoel and Bors on the back and Safir was doing some sort of victory jig, watched by a befuddled but delighted Freya and Kay. Kilgharrah was shaking his head in mild amusement. However, not everyone was celebrating as Dagonet, Ywain, Aglovale and Tor were rushing to help the injured and to help find the dead.

The prince soon caught sight of a weary figure heading towards them and couldn't help but call out as a slightly ruffled-looking Merlin came up the slope.

The group laughed when they saw the warlock's jaw drop on spotting Freya, who promptly rushed over and embraced him. Any indignation that Merlin may have felt at her being there was lost as they clung to each other, seemingly unaware of the titters and stares they were receiving.

Soon, Arthur marched over to the pair of them, which was when they finally broke apart.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, awkwardly.

"I'm fine," came the reply. "Got a bit wet, but I don't think it's serious."

Freya looked on the Arthur made a grunting noise in acknowledgement and Merlin scratched the back of his head. She folded her arms when the silence progressed, but her demeanour soon changed when the prince, dignity damned, lunged and Merlin and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

Merlin was too stunned to do anything, let alone say anything, but Arthur soon let go, turning to each and every one of them.

"If anybody repeats what just happened to anyone… You know what I'll do." They could tell from his tone of voice that he was being serious, but they couldn't care less. The battle had been won.

But that didn't mean the war was over. After all, where were Morgana, Morgause and Nimueh?

I've just realised that there are only two more chapters and the epilogue after this (sad times). Warning for the next chapter- there will be a lot of angst and a character death or two, so be prepared. Thanks again for reading and please leave your comments. Flames are discouraged but welcomed anyway because I value constructive criticism. And please follow/favourite if you're enjoying it- it feeds my Merlin muse.

Be seeing you,

MerlinStar x