Chapter Text
Act I
It is nighttime in a grove of trees. The middle shows an ominous ancient willow with black wood and gaping hollows. We see Morgana, pale and unstable, limping towards the tree. She is in a torn blue dress, and has messy hair. She is smiling evilly.
Morgana: I have finally found it, after all these years. The Sacred Grove of Fendigaidd is real!
She reaches forward to touch the bark of the gnarled willow. Looking closer, there are runes carved intricately all over its surface. Images of men with the heads of crows cover the entire flesh of the tree.
Morgana, beginning to chant: A'R GOGONIANT YN OES OESOEDD MEGIS YN Y NEF, FELLY AR Y DDAEAR! I summon the Old Kings and supplicate them for my request! I desire to summon the mistreated dead to fulfill their sinister purpose. Cause chaos and ruin for all who oppose me! I summon the High Priestess to awaken from her slumber to command her legion of the dead.
The young woman takes out a knife and cuts her hand, pouring the blood onto the tree. The blood falls, it sizzles as it touches the black bark. A groan and shudder is heard as the leaves of the trees in the grove begin to shudder. Morgana gives a wild grin, bows, and disappears in a cloud of fog. All we hear are the echoes of her cackles.
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It is daytime now in a brightly lit forest. We see a pair of bare feet racing through the brambles and mud. We get a shot of a man, and he looks dirty, young, and ragged. As he runs, he wildly smacks aside the branches of trees. In another part of the forest, we see Gwaine and Elyan riding. Suddenly, the man jumps out of the branches and startles the horses, who rear up. Gwaine manages to stay on his mount, but Elyan falls with a shout.
Gwaine, drawing sword: Who the hell might you be?
Young Man: Please, I mean no harm... I must find Camelot.
Gwaine: Why?
Young Man: I must warn King Arthur about a great evil.
Gwaine, nodding: Alright, get on my horse.
He helps the man on his horse, and then turns to his friend and fellow knight.
Gwaine: Are you alright, there?
Elyan: I should be fine. My wrist appears to be injured. Go on, I will see Gaius at my own pace.
Gwaine nods to Elyan, and then the two of them race off.
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The man stands in the great hall at Camelot, Gwaine at his side. King Arthur and Queen Gwenevere are sitting on the throne, and Merlin stands nearby. Sirs Leon and Percival are also present, but it is an empty room otherwise.
Arthur: So you ran here all the way from the borderlands? To what end?
Young Man: I needed to warn you, m'lord. There is evil brewing in the Black Forest near my home, and the rest of my village has already been attacked. None of the others made it...
He begins to tear up thinking about it. Arthur appears saddened at this, and quickly tries to speed up the conversation.
Arthur: I am sorry that this has happened to you. What is your name?
Young Man: I am called Emyr, my liege.
Arthur: Very well, Emyr. I will personally investigate this circumstance. Perhaps the people of your town are not gone after all.
Emyr: They... they all just burst into flames. They screamed while grabbing their heads for a bit, and then all stopped at once. I was out in the fields, so I could hear them and was running back home when I saw the flames. By the time I was there, ashes were all that were left of my people.
Arthur: If they are truly gone, the only solace I can offer is bringing the sorcerer to justice responsible for such evil deeds.
Emyr, nodding: It seems the only peace I will be able to attain. Sire, I wish to act as your guide. My bones shudder to think of returning, but there are some coins I've hidden in town that would help me start a new life.
Arthur: Very well. Now you will be shown a place to spend the night and wash up after such a traumatic ordeal.
The man bows low, grateful for the assistance as he is led out of the great hall. Arthur turns to the remaining knights.
Arthur: Prepare the horses, for we leave at dawn.
The knights bow and scramble to get ready. Gwaine and Merlin stay, along with Gwen.
Gwaine: Aye, sire. I sure do love a quest.
Arthur: No, Gwaine and Merlin, I need you for a different task.
Merlin: Do you think that is wise, my lord? This could very well be a trap, and the rumors of Morgana sightings are too close to the borderlands to be mere coincidence. We would both feel better at your side...
Arthur, smirking: You are quick to question your king, Merlin.
Merlin: Well, when one's king is such a dollophead, one must set them right.
Arthur, leaning in confidentially: I know it is probably a trap. That is why the two of you will wait half a day and then follow our trail. If anything seems awry, I leave it up to you to either save us or ride back and get more help. You two are quite good at sneaking around when you aren’t being idiots, so I leave my fate in your hands.
Gwaine: Is it me or are you growing more devious in your old age, sire?
Arthur, shocked: I am not old!
Merlin: He is just getting fat, but it is a common mistake to make.
Arthur: Oi!
Gwen, laughing: Oh, quit teasing!
Arthur: Thank you, my queen. At least she sees reason.
Gwen: I only see a few grey hairs on his head. Hardly enough to make him old!
All of the assembled friends start laughing at Arthur.
Arthur: If everyone except for Gwenevere is not out of this room and preparing for tomorrow's journey in ten seconds, I will start putting you traitors in the stocks.
They all continue to laugh as they walk out the door.
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It is the next day, and we see Arthur and the knights ride off with Emyr. Merlin is left sitting with Gaius, who has just finished wrapping Elyan's wrist.
Gaius: You should be back in the training ring by this time next week.
Elyan: Thanks, Gaius. I don't know what we would do without your help.
Gauis, joking: Probably bleed out or something equally horrific and distasteful.
Elyan smiles in response, nods to Merlin, and leaves the two.
Merlin: I leave in a few hours, but something still is bugging me.
Gaius: Do you really believe the king to be in danger?
Merlin: I am not sure. But that Emyr seems strange, does he not?
Gaius: Hmmm. I did not get a read on the boy.
Merlin: Why would he be untouched by a spell?
Gaius: I have never heard of such a spell that could set fire to an entire town. From what it said, they were being afflicted in the mind beforehand. The closest I have read about was a ghost possession, but this is such a large scale that it couldn't be. Perhaps he is naturally immune to whatever spell was cast? He could have inherent magic that protected him.
Merlin: That could happen?
Gaius: Oh yes, many dangers that befall normal humans do not pose a threat to magickind. It is one of the reasons Uther feared sorcerers so greatly. They could curse a town and feel no ills themselves.
Merlin: Hmm. That would mean I could face whatever this is without fear.
Gaius: But take heed not to show your hand. If the others knew why the spell had no effect on you, it could end in disaster. If the sorcerer finds out, you will similarly be in a dangerous predicament.
Merlin: Obviously. I cannot seem to go a week without the threat of discovery.
Gaius, chuckling: Oh, Merlin. Just be safe.
Merlin: I will.
They hug, and then Merlin picks up his bag.
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Arthur, Percival, and Leon ride with Emyr through the forest. Finally, they reach Emyr's town. It is small and quaint, but empty. He leads them slowly through.
Emyr: Here we are.
Arthur: So it truly is deserted. Where might one hide around here?
Emyr: There is a dense wood over there. That is where the sacred grove is, if legends are to be believed.
Arthur: Sacred grove? Could you lead us there? It might be where a sorcerer is hiding.
Emyr: I could try. Haven't been there myself, but I can show the direction others have found it in.
Arthur: Very well.
Emyr grabs his hidden coins and leads them on. As the horses ride from the bright village green into the ominous forest, gloom settles over the assembled men. We get a close shot of the horses hooves, and that is when we see colorful warning flags hidden under the roots and ragged with age. There is something in this forest which should not be meddled with. And Arthur is riding right to it...