BRANDISHING HIS SWORD, EMRYS stalked the hallways cutting down any Knight of Camelot that stood in his way. Unfortunately for them, they never saw him coming. But how could they when he was wearing an allies face?

The sound of screams rang throughout the night air and bursts of fire lit up the hall through the windows. He clenched the hilt of Excalibur tightly in his grasp and smiled as he rounded a corner. He could feel him just up ahead. That presence wasn't one he could easily forget.

Up ahead, Prince Arthur and some Knights were holding off a band of Morgana's men. Once they had finished the poor excuse for soldiers off, Arthur twirled around and shot him an angered look.

"Merlin!" He marched closer. "Where have you been? I had to get another servant to do your job! Out with it! What's your excuse this time?" Emrys didn't reply but gazed at Arthur deeply. Arthur's eyes ventured down and he pointed at the weapon in Emrys's hand. "Is that my sword? You took it?" Arthur huffed and extended his hand. "Give it to me before you hurt yourself, and go help Gaius with the wounded."

Emrys couldn't hold back a chuckle as he looked down at the sword. Fire erupted and the vibrant colors painted the silver of his blade. "I guarantee you Gaius is not tending to any wound but his own at the moment." Arthur's hand slightly wavered. "As for the sword ..." He looked back up at Arthur. "I believe it belongs to me. I am the one who placed it in the stone in the first place."

Arthur continued to stare at him. "Don't be ridiculous. That was just a ledge that I'm glad happened to be true." He took another step to grab the blade, but Emrys quickly raised his sword with the tip pointed at Arthur's breastplate. "Merlin, what are you doing?"

"Finally fulfilling my destiny," Emrys said gleefully, a smile spreading from ear to ear as he grasped the hilt in both hands. "I've waited for this moment for a very long time."

Arthur could only stare in awe and confusion as he twirled his sword in his hand prepping himself. "Merlin, you do know this is treason, right?"

Emrys raised the blade, his elbows drawn back and the tip pointed at the ceiling. He shrugged. "You'd be surprised at what I can do."

Before Arthur could say another word, the two Knights at his side charged towards Emrys with their swords raised in a strike position. Smirking, Emrys ducked under one sword and swung Excalibur into the Knights abdomen. From his crouch, he swept his foot under the other Knights feet and knocked the man to the ground. He then jumped back up and plunged his sword into the Knights heart with a twist.

Twirling back around, the shock on Arthur's face was priceless. Raising his sword a little higher, Arthur now looked like he would take Emrys a little more seriously. "Merlin ..." He took a couple steps back as Emrys advanced. "I don't want to hurt you."

Emrys snorted. "I think you should be more worried about yourself right now." With a quick spin, he swung his sword down on Arthur, but Arthur swiftly blocked the blow with his sword raised above his head. Using his strength, Emrys tried to force his blade down, but despite his efforts, Arthur was just the stronger man.

Arthur reared back his foot and slammed his boot into Emrys's ribcage. Emrys stumbled back, his hand pressing against his side with a grimace. With his eyes closed, he gave a low laugh before looking back up at Arthur, steading himself for another charge.

"What happened, Merlin?" Arthur asked, lowering his blade a few inches. "Is Morgana making you do this?" He glanced outside as another burst of fire sprang to life before back at Emrys. "Is this what she did to you all those weeks ago? Torture you until you joined her?"

Emrys snickered. "Of course you'd think that, and for a while there, Merlin started thinking the same thing." Arthur's brow furrowed deeper. "But Morgana didn't do anything to me. I was the one who told her to."

He didn't think Arthur could look anymore shocked as his jaw dropped. "You wanted Morgana to torture you?"

"Well ..." Emrys glanced at the ground at the blood pooling at his feet from the dead bodies nearby back up to Arthur. "Torture me, no, but torture Merlin ..." His smile widened. "He never knew what hit him. All I had to do was convince Morgana to do it."

Arthur dropped his blade completely as he stared dumbfounded.

Emrys's face hardened, and with Arthur's guard down, he took his opportunity. He slashed his sword through the air, and Arthur jumped back, but not in enough time to avoid a nick to the shoulder.

Arthur winced at the small cut, but it didn't seem to bother him too badly. He learned his lesson and quickly picked his blade back up.

Emrys grasped the hilt even tighter as his blood boiled. "Do you know how long I've had to pretend I was that fool? To make sure I didn't blow my cover so that this battle could take place?" He huffed. "I've lost count, but you want to know what the worse part was? Having to be your servant!" With a shout, he slammed his sword against Arthur's as he blocked and the clanging metal rang out in the hallway. "Prepping your food, making your bed, drawing your bath water, picking out your clothes!" With each phrase, he swung his sword again and again trying to wear down Arthur's arms. "I mean, who doesn't know how to put on a shirt?"

Halting his sword against Arthur's, Emrys glared deeply into his blue eyes. "How does it feel?" he asked. "To know you're going to die by the man you thought was your best friend?"

Arthur clenched his jaw. "Clearly, I didn't know you as well as I thought," he spat, shoving back. "Just like I didn't know Morgana." With a quick shove and swing, Arthur sliced Emrys's leg.

Emrys let out a quick yelp, and Arthur swiftly knocked Excalibur from his grasp. The sword slid across the ground until it met the wall, and with one quick sweep, Emrys landed on his back as Arthur's foot knocked his feet out from underneath him. Gritting his teeth, Emrys gazed angrily at Arthur as the Prince towered over him with his sword aimed at Emrys's throat.

"I don't want to hurt you, Merlin, but I don't understand what's gotten into you." Arthur's expression softened. "If this truly was Morgana's doing during all that time I failed to find you then I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there to save you from her."

Emrys bellowed out a laugh. "You really think this was all Morgana's doing? Why can't you get it through that thick skull? How can I be more plain?" He lowered his voice, making it sound more menacing. "Morgana saved me." Arthur's expression wavered. "I've had more chances at living in the past month then I've had in a lifetime." Arthur placed the tip of his blade on Emrys's throat and the sharpness drew a nick of blood. "And now that you know I have nothing holding me back."

His smile vanished. He had been dreaming of this day for a long time, but Merlin had always been such a coward. Afraid that someone would find out and he'd be executed, but now none of that mattered. With a quick flick of his head, his eyes glowed as a rush of magic left his body, and Arthur flew backwards several feet landing on his back and sliding across the stoney floor.

Emrys dramatically rose as Arthur scrambled to his feet from off the floor, clinging to his sword that had flown from his grasp. A sudden weight lifted off Emrys's shoulders finally having reveled his and Merlin's deepest secret. Unfortunately, whoever he revealed his magic to died moments later so the glory was short lived, but it sure felt good every time. To see the fright on his opponent's face was pure gold. "As I said, Arthur." Arthur stared at him astonished. "There will be no escaping this time. Not like on the training field."

"You were just toying with me?" Arthur panted. "All this time?" he could barely whisper. "You're a sorcerer and you kept that secret from me all these years?"

Emrys clenched his jaw. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Arthur."

"So, you were never really kidnapped." Arthur interrupted. "It all just a part of your plan to get to me." His face hardened, but there was also a small mixture of sorrow and deep hurt. "That's why you said you wanted Morgana to torture you. To make me believe your lie!"

Emrys looked out the window as the dragon soared close to the Citadel walls, his massive shadow darkening the hallway. When the shadow vanished, revealing the moonlight, he turned back towards Arthur. "I wasn't kidnapped, but Merlin on the other hand ..." He took a couple steps forward. "He had no idea of mine and Morgana's collaboration." He didn't want Arthur thinking that that fool would've been smart enough to piece any of this together.

Arthur blinked a few times, seeming to hold back tears. "Since when did you start referring to yourself in the first person? You've done that a few times now."

Emrys shook his head as he looked down at his boots. "Arthur, Arthur ..." Glancing up with just his eyes, he asked, "Have you learned nothing?" Flicking his head to the right, the tingle in his eyes returned. Arthur flew to the side slamming against the wall. He dropped down, but surprisingly landed on his feet. "I'm tired of talking."

He took another step, but Arthur cried out from his hunched position, "If you're going to kill me, the least you can do is tell me why!" He straightened his back with a cringe. "I thought we were friends, Merlin."

Emrys snarled. "Would a friend treat me the way you do?" he screamed. "Do this, Merlin! Do that, Merlin! I'm honestly surprised the fool hasn't killed you himself by now."

Arthur gave him a gentle glare. "I'm sorry," was all he could manage to say. He let out a defeated sigh as he stared more intently at Emrys. "You wear Merlin's face well, but there's little things you do ..." He paused and squinted. "Your strides, that smile ..." He shook his head. "If you're going to kill me let me at least know who you are."

Emrys stood tall as he proudly proclaimed his name. "My name is Emrys."

Arthur's eyes strangely lit up. "I've heard of you." Emrys slowly narrowed his eyes, anxious to know how Arthur could possibly known him. "I came across a Druid camp that had been raided and I found one of the Chieftains. I thought he was dead, but he wasn't. He told me of a powerful sorcerer named Emrys." Arthur maneuvered the sword in his grasp. "Told me he was my bane. The man destined to kill me, he said."

Emrys gave a dramatic bow. "Well, I can't disappoint the prophecy, now can I?" He straightened back up. "I can't imagine how you must be feeling. To know that your best friend has been hiding a secret so dark this entire time." He held his hands out to the side. Glancing down at the ground, his eyes met Excalibur and he chanted, "Þurhdrif hie ecg!" His eyes lit up and excalibur lifted off the ground. It pierced the air headed directly for Arthur.

Arthur quickly jumped out of the way smacking a column with his side. He pushed off and, with his sword held high, advanced on Emrys.

Emrys smiled, finally feeling the adrenaline and excitement of getting to kill Arthur Pendragon. He had dreamt of this moment for so long. He wanted every moment to be perfect. He ducked under Arthur's swing and thrust a hand forward. Rapidly, he shouted, "Ablinn ðu; forlæte ðu nu!" and moved his hand in a quick upward motion.

Again, Arthur flew back. He landed in a somersault and sprang to his feet. Emrys's lips pressed into a thin line and he huffed. Arthur charged once more, and Emrys threw out his hand again, but before he got out a spell, Arthur swirled around Emrys and elbowed him in the back sending him lurching forward.

Emrys stumbled but caught his baring. With a growl, he felt the magic surge in his fingertips, and he quickly dropped to the ground in a crouch slamming his palm on the floor as he yelled, "Ic þe bebiede þæt þu abifest nu!" Suddenly, the hallway began to shake and pieces of the ceiling collapsed pelting Arthur.

Arthur dropped to all fours, his arms wobbling as they tried holding him.

Emrys smiled as he strolled forward. He bent down and grabbed excalibur that lay inches away from Arthur and stepped up to the Prince. Grasping the hilt in both hands, he held the sword above Arthur's back. The next words to leave his tongue are ones he'd dreamt of saying for a very long time. "Goodbye, Arthur."

Before Emrys knew was happened, Arthur unexpectedly jumped up, missing the blade, and he swirled around Emrys slamming his boot into Emrys's back.

Emrys lurched forward and his head slammed against the corner of one of the fallen ceiling pieces. He slid off onto his back and gazed up at Arthur through blurred vision.

Arthur leaned forward inches from Emrys's face. "Sorry, Emrys. Looks like I'm not dying today." With that, he stood back up, and next thing Emrys knew, Arthur's boot met his face.