Chapter Text
It was a dark and rainy Sunday night. The air was thick and cold with white fog. Merlin made his way through the wet and flooded pavements leading to the Kingsman’s chapel. He needed to be there for tonight, more than any other night.
Merlin finally reached the chapel’s front door and was greeted by silhouette of Kingsman’s holy crucifix. The same crucifix that had witnessed Merlin’s confession of his doubt, his love and his guilt.
He let out a sigh, shook the rain off his robe and made his way towards the altar. His body felt heavier with each steps as his mind recalled the memory of that night.
The night he lost Harry Hart.
Merlin kneeled in front of the altar and gently formed the sign of the cross.
“Father…” his voice was deep and heavy with guilt.
“In vain have I struggled... It will not do. My feelings can not be repressed. Please… allow me to profess how ardently I admire and love… Harry Hart”. He paused to catch a breath and briefly fell into contemplated silence.
“I understand, that this… feeling, goes against every thing that your church has taught me… But I—“ His prayer was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door blasting.
“MERLIN!!!” shouted a man with dark hair, drenched in water, as he rushed towards him.
“Percival?” Merlin was surprised to see the man there with such a grim expression. His breathing was harsh as if he was just running in the midst of rain.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you!!! Galahad is missing!” he said impatiently.
“What…?” Merlin felt numb all of a sudden. He could feel his heart beat starting to race. “What do you mean missing?”
“He was sent to investigate an abandoned building which we suspected to be a vampire lair, but we lost contact about 15 minutes ago. We’re going to the location to look for him. I thought you’d want to come”. The man gestured for Merlin to follow him.
Merlin’s face went blue. A vampire lair? Oh God. Was he injured? Killed? Or worse… Turned? Merlin had been avoiding Harry to give himself some space to think about everything… His unexpected relationship with Harry, his calling to be a Priest, and the promise he made to himself when he was saved by Arthur, the leader of Kingsman from a group of vampires that killed his entire family. The last time Merlin saw Harry, they got into a bit of quarrel as Merlin childishly blamed him for distracting Merlin of his calling to be a priest. What if I don’t see him again? Oh God… My last words to him…
Percival noticed the guilt and horror on Merlin’s face and tried to ease him off the feelings. “Hey… It’ll be alright, Merlin”. Merlin kept walking in the rain without looking at Percival in the eyes.
“Galahad is one of the strongest knights we have, he’ll survive somehow”. Percival tried to give Merlin a smile of encouragement. Merlin wanted to believe him but there was something wrong. He felt really sick, like someone put a heavy weight on his chest.
Percival was wrong. That night, Harry Hart, the youngest man to be knighted as Kingsman in history, was never to be found again.
It had been almost 35 years since Harry Hart went missing and presumed to be dead—there were drips of his blood on the floor of the building but Kingsman could neither found his body nor corpses of the vampires supposedly living there.
Merlin looked for him day and night for what seems to be an eternity, but Harry Hart was truly lost. Merlin used to be able to feel his presence; it was like a mental connection. He could feel when Harry was about to show up at his room, or when Harry was in danger. But after that night, Merlin could not feel it anymore. He felt empty.
“Merlin” a deep cold voice called his name and Merlin snapped back into reality.
He looked around and realized that he was standing before the Kingsman roundtable with Arthur and Lancelot looking at him curiously as they waited for his response.
“You were about to brief us on something, Merlin?” asked Arthur.
“Yes. Sorry sir” Merlin quickly hid his expression and put on his usual calm and guarded face. He pulled out his clipboard that he had been holding on his side, took some of the papers and passed them to the two knights seating before him.
“There has been an increasing report of missing person from East Finchley to Morden. Reports indicated that most of them were missing at night, as almost all victims were last seen leaving their office around 6-7pm.”
“Vampires?” quipped Lancelot as she read through the file at her hands.
“That’s what I suspected. All of the disappearances seem to follow the Northern line, which has the longest continuous tunnel in London. I have to say it’s quite a fertile place for vampires” said Merlin in his deep Scottish brogue.
Arthur read the reports carefully. “How many cases?”
“10, sir. In a week” answered Merlin.
Arthur swiftly looked up and Merlin could see him raising an eyebrow. “In a week?!” He sounded quite alarmed. Even Lancelot was staring at Merlin with her eyes wide open.
“Jesus. Arthur, I suggest we see to this case right away. Let me go” said Lancelot.
Arthur adjusted his glasses as he weighed in Lancelot’s proposal. “Both of you will go” he said. “Judging by this alarming number of cases, I suspect there might be quite a few of them in the tunnel, it’d be unwise to go alone. Right now, I want you to do a quick recon first, find out just how many of them are actually down there—or if they really are vampires, they could be something else entirely—then report back here, and only after that we’ll decide what to do with them. Understood?”
“Yes, sir” answered both of them at the same time.
A tall young man, with ruffled dark brown hair, let out a deep sigh as he walked through the front exit of the airport as he put on his sunglasses. Eggsy, who never failed to catch every bit of micro gestures, expression and tone from his master, quickly fasten his steps to catch up with him.
“Sumthin’ wrong Master Harry?” asked the boy attentively.
His master gave him no answer and chose to take out a pack of cigarettes from his black long coat’s pocket instead. Just as he placed the cigarette on his mouth, Eggsy was already in front of him, offering a lighter, always prepared for his master’s needs.
“Thank you, Eggsy” the master said as he sucked in the smoke deeply and inhaled it fully into his lungs.
Eggsy made a little concerned frown. “Master… you know that smoking is bad for your health right?”
The boy’s master let out a little chuckle. “Eggsy… I think you’re forgetting the fact that I’m immortal”. He gave the boy a little sneer as he blew a cloud of smoke at the other direction.
Eggsy kept his frown and fell into a defeated silence as his master spotted their designated chauffeur and proceeds to walk towards the fancy car, which Eggsy guessed was a Rolls Royce. “Come, Eggsy” said his master.
It had been almost a year since Eggsy offered, the vampire Harry Hart, his servitude. To his surprise, the vampire politely refused. It’s one of the enigmas of Harry Hart. Every vampire is entitled to a lifelong servitude from the werewolf they’ve tamed, and yet Harry Hart was more than willing to let Eggsy go in the blink of an eye. Eggsy still remembered the moment perfectly like it was just last night. The image of his master, lighting a cigarette as he sat under a tree, drenched in blood from the wounds that Eggsy had inflicted on him during their big fight at the rocky hills of Rannoch Moor.
“There you are, boy…” he gave Eggsy a fatherly smile. It was quite a strange view as the vampire before him looked no older than 20. Even Eggsy looked older than him.
“How does it feel, Eggsy? To be free of your dark curse?” asked the vampire as he exhaled the smoke gently from his bloodied mouth.
Eggsy stared at him blankly, trying to process the meaning of each word. Free of my dark curse? And then Eggsy felt the touch of moonlight on his brown furred arms and realised the state of perfect consciousness of his mind and the absence of hunger for blood that usually consumed him.
I… I’m… Eggsy let out a stuttering growl of disbelief as he bore sight on his diamond cut claws for the first time in his life. I’m in control… under a full moon?! He looked up to see the vampire for explanation. He was still sitting under the tree, smoking his cigarette as he watched Eggsy in amusement.
“Try putting an image of your human form in your head” the young man said as he waved his hand towards Eggsy.
Eggsy could feel the sudden natural impulse of obedience towards the vampire’s words. He shut his eyes and did as the young vampire said. As Egssy opened them a few seconds later, he watched the brown fur on his arm shedding slowly before him and revealed the pinkish shade of his human skin. He softly growled as his mouth started shaping back into its human form.
“This is impossible… what have you done to me?” asked Eggsy as he regained his speech.
The vampire grinned at him. “I’m afraid there is still one discomfort that I have to impose on you, Eggsy. And as I am quite indisposed at the moment––“ he waved his hand which hold the cigarette to point at the drench of blood that was decorating his torn black suit, “Would you be a dear boy and come over here for a moment”.
Without hesitation, Eggsy swiftly stood on his two feet and dashed towards the vampire. He kneeled before the young immortal before him, and saw the terrifying slash wounds that were carved deep on his chest. Eggsy watched in horror as he found the absence of flesh on the young man’s shoulder that perfectly shaped like a bite mark.
“Did I do this… master?” Eggsy sobbed as he unconsciously called the young vampire with that term of endearment for the first time.
The vampire paused as he heard the term; but quickly composed himself back and gave Eggsy a comforting smile. He put back the cigarette on his mouth and set his right hand on Eggsy’s head. “Do not fret, Eggsy, it’s merely a scratch” said the vampire as he stroked Eggsy’s blonde hair. Eggsy couldn’t stop himself from crying. He didn’t know how but he was flooded by the most painful guilt he’s ever felt in his whole life.
As if reading his mind, the vampire’s hand slid to the back of Eggsy’s head as he leaned forward. “Poor boy, allow me to ease your pain…” He gently drew Eggsy’s head beside his and whispered to his ear.
“I, Harry Andrew Hart, hereby forfeit my dominion over the Lycan Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin. May every dark power which binds him to me be broken now and forever”.
Eggsy could see dark clouds circling the sky as the vampire whispered those words in his ear. A burst of wind suddenly swift through them as the vampire finished his sentence. Eggsy thought he was being lifted in the air, his body felt unbearably light as the pain from his guilt slowly faded away. And just like that, the cold wind disappeared, leaving Eggsy and the young vampire alone in the cold moonlit night.
The young vampire drew away from Eggsy and let out a soft grunt as he struggled to lean his back on the tree. Once he settled himself, he looked up at Eggsy and let out the gentlest smile.
“It is done. You are a free tamed werewolf now, Eggsy” the vampire paused to catch his breath. “You have full control of yourself. No power in this world, be it the moon nor any supernatural creatures will have any dominion over you”. The vampire looked satisfied, as if he was congratulating himself on a job well done—despite the fact that he was drenched in his own blood.
Eggsy stared at him with an open mouth. He still couldn’t process everything that just happened. “Why are you doing this?”
The vampire reached for the cigarette on his mouth and exhaled a long smoke. He paused and looked up at the sky. Eggsy could see the hollow gaze on his eyes, but more than that, he could sense the years of pain reflected on those iridescent eyes.
“I know how it feels to be given no choice. The excruciating pain of having your humanity torn of you” He turned his gaze on Eggsy. Gone was his gentle smile, the young man’s face was then cold and terrifying.
“I know how it feels to watch yourself turn into a monster”.
That was the moment when Eggsy decided to dedicate his whole life to serve the vampire Harry Hart.
His master spent the good part of their first month together telling Eggsy to leave him and go home to his mother and little sister. He even tried to leave a couple of times when Eggsy was sleeping. It didn’t work out though, as Eggsy could track his master wherever he goes. Eggsy was not a small time werewolf, after all. He went as far as chasing him to Rome and Germany by tracking him only by smell.
After about three months, the vampire finally got tired of pushing him away. Harry—as Eggsy now found out that he’s not young as he looks—now welcomed Eggsy at his home, or whichever mansion the vampire had. Eggsy never got used to Harry’s wealth. The man seemed to have limitless amount of money. Just like how there’s always a Rolls Royce or a Bentley waiting whenever Eggsy and his master stepped out of any airport.
“You sure you’re okay, master?” Eggsy knew how his master was quite literally the perfect embodiment of a repressed English gentleman. So he always made a mental note to never regard his master silence and politeness for granted.
The master stared outside the window as their car passed through the streets of London. He let out another sigh and lunged his back at the seat.
“It’s nothing, Eggsy. It’s just that there are a group of people in this town I’d rather not have the unfortunate chance in meeting”.
Eggsy was intrigued, but he held back his curiosity. If his master wanted him to know, he would have already told Eggsy. The fact that he didn’t mean it was not Eggsy’s business. So Eggsy decided to let it go and both of them sat there in silence throughout the journey.
It was then when Eggsy realised that he knew so little about his master despite having followed him for over a year. Sure they’ve fought many monsters, freed poor supernatural creatures from their dark curse and saved a great number of humans, but what does Eggsy really know about the man? He’s English, extremely repressed and sometimes overly polite, he has quite a temper for ill-mannered being––be it monsters, supernatural creatures or human, he has quite an odd preference for dogs and a weird obsessions for butterfly––which reminded Eggsy of Silence of the Lambs for some reason, but aside from that Eggsy really knew nothing about his master.
He assumed that he lived in London during his mortal days, but what did he do? How did he become a vampire? How did he become the kind of vampire that he is now? Why does he detest London so much? Does it remind him of his old life? The only trace of his master’s past that Eggsy ever found was an old Polaroid photograph that he always kept in his wallet. His master looked the same as he is now, which means that he was probably turned around the same time as when the photograph was taken. But there was much life in him, his eyes were hazel brown framed within his tortoiseshell square-framed glasses, and his complexion was fresh earthly pink. There was a curve of smile on his face that Eggsy had never seen before, a sort of happiness and love tangled in one. On his master’s right was a young man with a short-cut hair who looked like he was around the same age. He was wearing a black shirt with a rosary on his neck and a pair of black horn-rimmed glasses. The other young man was also smiling, but in a more sheepish way. Both of them had their arms on each other’s shoulder. Maybe he was the reason that master was so reluctant to go back to London?
“Well, well, Merlin, what do you have here?” asked Lancelot as she gleefully stared at the array of guns before her like a child who has just gotten a new toy.
“It’s the same standard issue pistols that we always use, I just added a shotgun cartridge for messy close-range situations” explained the older man as he took off his clerical coat and revealed the holster on his shoulder. He strapped on two knives on both of his arms and gestured for the young knight to do the same.
“So where do you want to start?” asked the young knight as she placed the new issued pistols on her holster.
“We’ll start from Morden and make our way up to East Finchley. We’ll have to make sure every hole and corner of the tunnel are accounted for. If there really are vampires down there, then they should be fast asleep. You need to be careful though, we don’t want to wake them up” The priest had put on his clerical coat back.
“Understood” said Lancelot with a fierce gaze.
“LANCELOT ON YOUR RIGHT!” shouted Merlin as he refilled the shotgun cartridge on his tokarev. A gunshot sound followed half a second later.
The priest made out a blink of shadow about two metres away from him and swiftly moved his gun on that direction and pulled the trigger. The creature evaded, it was fast, faster than usual. Merlin pulled the second shot, and the third shot, still no sound of a body thumping on the ground.
The tunnel was pitch dark with only dim lights lighting its ceiling. It was almost impossible to spot the creatures by sight alone, the only sound they made was the disgusting growl and hiss from the tentacle which are coming out of their mouth.
“FUCK!” Merlin heard the young knight’s shout and a stabbing sound afterwards.
“Lancelot are you okay?” asked Merlin as he took another shot at the creatures before him, this time he heard a thumping sound.
“I’m alright—“ They were shocked by a loud screeching cry emanated from the far end of the tunnel, followed by a thundering beastly growl.
Suddenly, a straight line of flame shot through the ceiling of the tunnel, illuminating it with a dancing orange glow. And that is when Merlin finally witnessed the true horror that he had been fighting. They were surrounded by 10 vampire-like creatures with tentacles slitting their mouth apart as it opened up like a horrifying flesh-eating flower.
They hissed at the fire and set their gaze back on Merlin and the young knight. As if getting over the distraction, all of them charged at the same time. Merlin was thrusted to the ground as his left hand caught the tentacle within centimeters away from his face. He noticed the sharp needle-like fang that was coming out of it as he blasted its face with his shotgun.
Another one lunged at Merlin’s direction and he pulled the trigger in reflex to the sound of click. I’m out of ammo. SHIT! As he caught his breath, Merlin savoured every milliseconds that went by as he calculated the reserve of armory that he still had on him. He lost a gun and three knives, finished up all of his ammos, wasted five bottles of holy water as the creatures were merely blistered by it. The only defense he had was himself and the last Kingsman standard issue knife which was grinded by holy water.
He was about to throw the knife at the creature’s direction when a big brown silhouette suddenly appeared before him and took the creature down in the blink of an eye. Merlin fixed his glasses, as he was unable to process the sight before him. A big dark brown werewolf stood before him with its mouth still biting at the creature’s throat.
The werewolf made a loud growl and bit the creature’ head off its body. It then charged towards the remaining herd of the creatures in a speed that Merlin had never witnessed from a werewolf before. It bit and tore their bodies off in such ease, killing them all within seconds of his arrival.
Merlin and Lancelot stood there in horror as they witnessed the grand dark power of the beast. “A werewolf?!” said Lancelot in disbelief. Merlin snapped when he heard the wolf’s majestic howl. And it then turned to Merlin and Lancelot with its big glowing blue eyes, piercing at them.
Lancelot loaded his gun with her back up silver bullets and shot the werewolf in reflex. But the bullets had no effect on it. The werewolf barely made a step back. Instead it lunged at Lancelot, grabbed the gun away from her and crushed it with its bare hand. Merlin jumped at him and thrust his knife on the werewolf’s shoulder but it fought back and threw Merlin hard to the wall. Merlin fought his way to stand up only to fall back down again as a throbbing pain shot through his right leg.
The werewolf growl seemed to soften as he released Lancelot’s hand and took a few step back. And within seconds, it shed its dark brown fur and transformed into an average height young man with a fair amber blonde hair and light brown stubble on his chin. He limbered himself up as to adjust to his new form and walked slowly towards both of them.
“Easy now, bruv. Not trying to hurt you”, the young man said as he raised both of his hands up in open palms to show his genuine intention.
“STAY BACK LYCAN!!!” shouted Lancelot as she waved her knife at the young man’s direction.
“Wow. Okay, calm down, all right? I just need to make sure––“ the young man’s face went stiff as he stared at Merlin’s face with his mouth open. His eyes widened as they bore a more careful look at Merlin’s face. “You––“
“Eggsy” said a voice from dark end of the tunnel behind the young man, breaking the spaced silence between them.
The air suddenly felt thick and colder as Merlin felt a shivering dark presence emanating from its direction. He was drenched in cold sweats before noticing a glowing pair of red eyes slowly making their way towards them. As the figure approached, the light of the flame––which was still burning in a straight line at the ceiling of the tunnel––started to unravel his frame. Merlin could see the dancing outline of its black long coat and the ruffled silhouette of its dark brown hair as the light touched their surface.
“Master…” answered the young man in obedience.
“Is there a problem, Eggsy?” said a voice that sounded very familiar to Merlin.
Merlin could feel his heart stopped for a second as he bore sight at the werewolf’s master. Standing before him was tall young man with a ruffled dark brown hair in a black long coat and a bespoke dark grey double-breasted suit. Merlin’s mouth opened wide, ready to shout the name that he had painfully missed throughout the last 35 years, but his words failed him. So Merlin was left kneeling on the floor, watching that haunting face which he had longed to kiss one last time after that horrible night 35 years ago.
35 years ago… The realisation slowly sank in as Merlin watched the radiating iridescent golden eyes and the absence of creases and wrinkles that were supposed to decorate his old lover’s face by now.
Merlin watched Harry’s surprised face shifted as he composed himself back. Now Merlin could only see a cold stoned expression on his face. Harry turned to the young man whom he previously called Eggsy.
“It’s time to leave, Eggsy” he said with a grim face, and started walking back to the dark side of the tunnel.
The young man went stiff as he caught his master’s expression. “But, master… I think the girl’s been bitten”. The young man’s words pulled Harry into a pause as he stood there with his eyes now piercing at Lancelot.
Harry walked his way back slowly towards Merlin and Lancelot. “Little girl, did one of those vile creatures bite you?” His words seemed to echo inside the tunnel even though it sounded like a whisper.
Lancelot’s face went blue and Merlin could see cold sweats running down her forehead as she stared at Harry.
“I—I…” Merlin was surprised to see her terrified and stuttered as Lancelot is one of the bravest Knights Kingsman have right now.
“Answer me, human” said Harry in a silent thunderous tone, as he now stood there towering in front of her. Merlin could feel himself trembling, he felt like he was suffocating. What is this feeling? Is this Harry’s doing?! Merlin tried to break himself out of the dark presence stampeding his body. He could see a tear dropping from Lancelot’s eye.
“Y-Yes…” said Lancelot in a whimper.
Merlin then heard an ethereal growl ringing in his ears, which seem to emanate from Harry despite hardly moving a lip or any muscle on his face.
He gently kneeled down until his eyes were at the same level as Lancelot’s. His hand slipped into Lancelot’s neck as he ordered the young man, “Hold the priest, Eggsy. I don’t want him to disturb me”.
Merlin didn’t even have time to catch his breath and register Harry’s words before the young man suddenly appeared behind him, holding Merlin’s arms into a tight locked grip.
“Yes, master” he said obligingly.
Harry’s hand was then cupping Lancelot’s. “It’s Roxanne, isn’t it?”
Lancelot’s breaths were heavy and her lips quivered. “Yes…”
Harry’s hand and gaze traveled down her cheek, gently sliding through her neck, and made its way to Lancelot’s shirt buttons—which popped suddenly on its own—exposing her cleavage to the young man before her.
Lancelot let out a small gasp as Harry’s hand stroked her breast tenderly. He took a careful momentary look at them, then shifted his gaze to meet’s hers. Merlin thought he saw a flash of red on Harry’s eyes. But just as he blinked they changed back to its gold colour.
“Hey!!! Get your hand off her!” shouted Merlin as his words starting to come back. Harry did not respond nor oblige to Merlin’s request.
“The venom has not reached your heart yet. You’re a lucky girl, Roxanne Abigail Morton”. Harry made a faint cold smile at her.
His hand then reached for Roxanne’s neck again and stroked it gently. “This is going to hurt a bit, Roxanne”.
Merlin’s mind was spiraling, deep down, he knew what Harry was the moment he sensed his presence. He knew the creature the love of his life had turned into. But there was a huge part of him that seemed to deny every single deduction that his logical mind proposed. There was a part of him still desperately hoping that the young man who appeared before him was the same Harry Hart that he fell in love with—and still loved—35 years ago.
Merlin watched Harry slowly snuggled his head between Roxanne’s neck and the tip of her shoulder.
“No… no…” whimpered Merlin as he watched in horror. “NOOOO!!! PLEASEEE!!!” Merlin’s shout turned coarse as he struggled to stand, helpless with Eggsy still gripping his hands at his back tightly.
In the echoes of Merlin’s pleading howl, he heard the soft sound of Lancelot’s blood bursting out of her vein. Lancelot whimpered in pain as Harry bit deeper, speeding up the blood flow that coursed to his mouth.
Merlin found a warm tear in his eyes as he gathered his last remaining strength, begging Harry to spare Lancelot’s life. “Harry… please… let her go…”
After about a minute, Lancelot’s whimpers started to change into a soft pleading groan as her hand reached for the back of Harry’s head and caressed it gently.
“No… no… Fight him Lancelot!!! Lancelot!!!” shouted Merlin as he realised that the second stage of the bite was happening.
“Lance—Roxy!!! You have to fight him!!! Don’t give in to him!” Merlin shook his body hard to release himself but Eggsy—even in human form—was still far stronger than him.
Merlin could hear Eggsy sighing at the back. “Let it go, bruv. It will end in a bit”.
Eggsy was not lying. Just as he finished his words, Harry loosens his grip on Roxy’s body and slowly drew himself away from her. He looked at Roxy, carefully watching her expression as he fixed the strand of hair on her face aside.
“It is done now, Roxanne” whispered Harry in the most tender tone as he slowly laid her body on the ground.
Merlin watched Harry turned to Eggsy and gave him a little nod. Consequently, Eggsy released his grip on Merlin. Merlin dashed his way to Roxy in struggle as the pain in his right leg had not yet to disappear.
Just as he was about to reach her, Merlin felt a strong cold grip on his neck lifting his body off the ground, throwing him against the tunnel’s wall. Merlin opened his eyes to see Harry’s pale face staring at him from below as he choked Merlin. There was a fresh trace of Lancelot’s blood dripping from his mouth all the way to the end of his chin. Merlin struggled to breath as Harry’s choke blocked his air way. He grabbed Harry’s arm for release but Harry was too strong, just like his werewolf servant.
“Look at me, Merlin” Harry’s words echoed in Merlin’s ears. Merlin fought the tight cold grip on his neck to set his gaze on his old lover’s face.
Merlin gasped as he found a pair of blood red eyes staring back at him, carving its gaze right into Merlin’s soul. He let out a small whimper, a plead to God to bring his old Harry back. “Harry…”
“Remember this, Merlin… The Harry Hart you knew is dead.” Harry paused to let the words sank in.
“What stands before you is nothing but a monster.”
As Harry finished his words, Merlin felt a sudden release and a fresh inflow of air going into his lung. He dropped to the ground coughing. When he opened his eyes and looked up, Harry and the young werewolf were already gone.