Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Here’s the thing about Merlin, and it is an important thing.

He has a way of meeting the right people before they become the right people. He does it without realizing it because he’s the friendly sort of soul. He just likes people, believes in people, wants the best of them to triumph, but he is pragmatic enough to know otherwise. Still, some of that naïve optimism does poke through. 

Merlin cannot shut himself so far away from the rest of the world again. He will not do so.

With this in mind, he goes out and meets people. He makes friends amongst them, even though he can only stay for a lifespan of a mortal man. He mourns them, but cherishes the time spent with them.

The people that Merlin truly likes and cares for those are the ones with destinies. They have the potential for becoming truly great. Not that he knows it at the time, the dragons keep their mouths shut to this truth. Merlin will always have Camelot, but there are others paths he must walk first.

Much like with the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin met the individuals who would make up the Avengers over time.

Year 1000 (Thor and Loki)

It was the first time that their Father had taken them to another realm. It was the solemn duty of Asgard and her warriors to defend and protect their realms from any attack. Midgard, defenseless and weak as it was, deserved their protection. Odin and Frigga had agreed that this was the best place to take Loki and Thor first.

They would be worshipped as gods on Midgard. No one would dare try to hurt the little boys without risking Asgard’s anger. Not after Odin had helped drive the Frost Giants back such a short time ago.

Thor and Loki were both excited in the squirmy, bright way that most children were. They chattered excitedly about the upcoming trip to anyone who would give them half a listen. The dangled promise was used to carouse the young ones into minding their lessons and their mother. No matter the realm, children were still children after all. 

The day of the trip, Thor took a running leap into Loki’s bed in their shared room.

“BROTHER!” he shrieked delightedly. He bounced in time with his words. “It is time for you to wake! We’re going to Midgard today!” 

It was in these moments that Loki cherished when Thor’s attention was solely on him. While Thor was a sore loser, Loki had issues with sharing. He didn’t like sharing Thor’s attention and affections with people outside of their family.

Still the excitement of Midgard was too tempting. Another world, different from Asgard sounded so exotic and wonderful to their ears. It was all full of possibilities, just as the other realms sounded with Joutenheim defeated. Asgard was again the shining prosperous beacon of the Realms: an example for all to aspire. 

Looking back on the trip itself with the rose-tinted glasses that one acquires as they reach adulthood, it is a rare trip which both Loki and Thor remember with great fondness. Even as Loki surrendered himself to his darker inclinations, even as Thor had to be broken in order to be reforged, their first trip to Midgard as boys was a wonderful one. 

(Privately, when he was older, Thor wondered if the this is why Loki wished to rule this realm. In his broken madness, perhaps he wanted to recapture those precious memories. Yet, a lesson both he and his brother will learn is that you cannot ever returned to a place when you are so irrevocably change. Loki lost bits of himself in the Void. Thor lost a part of himself on Midgard. These are things that can never be truly recovered. No matter how hard one looks for them.) 

The trip was also the sight of their first real adventure. It was also a warning as well if the boys were more inclined to pay attention. 

The first days were full of feasting and celebrations. These people who worshipped their parents and relatives so relished the chance to share in breaking bread with them. Odin looked on them as favored pets, while Frigga went about to help as she could. It was all good fun, seeing this strange and primitive world. Thor and Loki were keen on having an adventure on there own.

Their Lady Mother, who sees all yet speaks to none, sent them off one day into the woods with some food. She told them they would come across a lake, and that is where they must eat their lunch. Despite being mischievous children, Thor and Loki were very invested in doing as she said. 

You do not disobey the Queen, after all.

So the two boys, one fair and the other dark, went through the woods together. Thor acquired a stick at some point and was using it as a sword. Loki was more fascinated by the different florae and faunae they came across.

As they walked, the pair did not realize that the world was reshaping around them. The magic of Midgard had a vested interest in bringing them to a certain lake. Destiny waits for no man: be they mortal or god. Certain events must happen in this way.

Eventually, the pair stumbled upon the lake. It was a peaceful place with snow-capped mountains in the distance and lush greenery surrounding it. The water was clear and the birds sang. And it felt…indescribable to a child. It felt alive in a way, and perhaps it was. But they did not know this. All the pair knew was that this was a good place to have lunch.

They sat and broke bread together, looking out onto the lake.

And that is when the Old Man came.

“Hmm.” 

Thor and Loki jumped and looked. 

An old Midgardian man stood at the tree line with long white hair and a silver beard. His face was wrinkled and spotted while a gnarled hand gripped a strange staff. His eyes though were bright blue and looked young and ancient at the same time.

“Well, well what do we have here?”

Thor and Loki scrambled to stand before him.

Thor jutted out his chin while Loki stared.

“What do you need, white haired?”

The old man tilted his head and considered them. 

“Why are you two godlings here by the Lake of Avalon?”

Loki peered in interest at the man.

“The Lake of Avalon?” 

“It is one of the strongest points of magic there is. It is guarded by a Lady on one side and myself.” 

Thor spoke up: all haughty, childish derision.

“You?”

Loki winced at the arrogance in his brother’s tone. Already, he was begging for lessons in combat and had a thirst for the fight in his veins. Even though they were of Asgard, they did not know this land. Their mother always said that caution was the better part of valor, but Thor never seemed to get that lesson.

Still, the strange Midgardian man laughed. It sounded rusty and disused like he hadn’t had much to laugh about in a long, long time.

“Yes. Me. My King sleeps in Avalon, waiting to rise again when his kingdom is in greatest need. And so I guard this lake and him until the people are in their hour of greatest need. Little godling, an old appearance does not deride from my power.” 

“Power? You’re a-“ 

The man brought his staff on the ground. His eyes burned gold. Raw and wild power flowed from his body, knocking both Thor and Loki back. 

The man sighed and sat heavily on a rock.

“Let me give you some advice.” 

Thor opened his mouth, but Loki clapped a hand over it. The man smirked at the display.

“I have lived far, far longer than I should have. And I will live far, far longer than I will have liked. I do not have many lessons in my years, but the ones I have are sound. And so here is what I tell you to take to heart, little godlings.” 

Loki leaned forward even Thor looked a bit rapt.

“Don’t be an arse,” the man said simply.

Thor and Loki stared at the man. The man stared back.

“I have seen much in my years. A ruler who is cruel and dishonorable and an arse to his people quickly becomes a dead ruler. Live kindly to others and respect them. They may have more power than you would ever know.”

Loki swallowed, “T-Thank you for your counsel, white beard.”

A soft chuckle emerged from the man. 

“My name is Emyrs. Please, little godlings, pass my regards onto Odin and Frigga. Avalon remains safe.” 

With that, the old man stood and walked off to a small brush. Loki saw a small tucked off cabin.

Once he was sure the man was away from hearing distance, he lifted his hand from Thor’s mouth.

“Why did you do that, brother?!”

“Because that Midgardian man was vastly powerful, Thor. We are untrained.”

Loki picked up the picnic as Thor sulked.

“We should return to mother.” 

“How do you think he knows father?”

“We can ask him.”

At dinner that night, Loki passed on the message to their mother while Thor did the same with their father. 

Mother smiled while Father went an interesting shade of red.

“Emrys is the most powerful magic user on Midgard” was the only answer that the pair would get.

Eventually, it slipped their minds. It became their first adventure amongst their various other adventures.

Of course, many years later, Thor fell to his banishment. He could hear that voice echo in his head.

“Don’t be an arse.”

Year 1942 (Steve Rogers)

Doctor Abraham Erksine and SSR Agent Martin Emmett strolled through the Stark Expo. In the sleek futuristic space, it felt hard to believe that there was a war going on.

Of course, Martin could tell you there was always a war going on. This is something that will never change in human history.

“A bit showy,” commented Martin. The pair walked away from the slightly smoking wreckage of the car of the future display.

Abraham laughed, warm and a bit fond.

“Howard Stark is many things, Martin, but subtle will never be one of them.”

“No. No. Usually the best leaders have to have a bit of a showman in them.” Martin paused. His blue eyes distant for a few moments.

Abraham reached out, gently placing his hand on the younger man’s arm.

“Martin?” 

The agent came back to himself. Blue eyes re-focused on the doctor with an apologetic smile. 

“Sorry. We were talking candidates.”

Abraham allowed the conversation to continue down the direction. The two of them fell back into the easy step that they were used to. It was a comfortable relationship that the pair had. Emmett was Agent Carter’s partner in bringing out the scientist from Germany and getting him to the States.

The pair got on quite well. Perhaps the doctor reminded Martin of another kindly medical man once.  

“Colonel Philips has men who hit the physical markers. But that is not enough. The serum enhances everything: moral and spiritual characteristics should be taken into account. If not, then…” 

“Johann Schmidt.”

A pause followed by a nod. 

“Exactly. I will not be responsible for creating the American version of that monster.”

The two stopped near the recruitment office. Martin’s attention caught by a slim blonde man arguing with a taller brunette, dressed in an Army uniform with Sergeant’s stripes. 

“Buck. C’mon. There are men lying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That’s what you don’t understand. This isn’t about me.” 

Martin’s eyes widened and he nudged Abraham. He leaned in and whispered, “I think he’s got what you’re looking for.”

Abraham considered the stubborn, mulish tilt of the chin of the slim blonde man. The brunette seemed to soften and the pair hugged.

Martin averted his eyes. A pang of longing seized his heart. He may have started living for himself, but well… 

He missed his king like a constant ache in the very pit of his soul. 

Abraham spoke after observing the blonde and his friend. 

“I think you’re right, Agent Emmett.”

The pair watched as the blonde man ducked into the recruitment office after his friend left.

“I think this is where I leave you, Doctor Erksine.” 

“Thank you very much for your counsel, Agent Emmett.”

Martin winked and left.

Abraham watched as the thin blonde man ducked into the recruitment station, and followed him in.

Year 1982 (Clint Barton)

It was the summer of ’82. Clinton Francis Barton, all of eleven years old, stood at the threshold of an Important Decision. 

Ever since he and Barney ditched the group home to run away with Carson’s Carnival of Traveling Wonders, Clint has been making a lot of Important Decisions. So far, most of them have been working out pretty well. 

Except that now, he has a broken arm so he can’t join in the act with Trickshot and Barney. Accidents happen and it was his own dumbass fault. It was a clean break and he’ll be able to draw a bow again. 

It’s not as bad as it could have been. 

Now, however, Carson says he’s gotta figure out what to do in the meantime.

“We don’t take any goddamn freeloaders here, Barton.”

So Clint has to figure out what to do for the next six to eight weeks while the break in his arm heals. There are a not of good things to do around here while he waits.

“He could be my assistant.”

Clint and Carson turned as one to the voice.

The Astounding Marlin stood at the threshold. His long dark hair fell into his eyes as he considered them. Clint never really believed a person could radiate power. 

The Astounding Marlin? He radiated power. 

Carson paled slightly. 

“Marlin?”

The man smiled, baring just a hint of teeth.

“I need an assistant for my tenure here. Mr. Barton could be it. If he wants of course.” 

Clint studied Marlin for a moment. He was tall and skinny with floppy dark hair and ears that stuck out a bit. His jeans were ripped widely at the knee and could barely be considered pants at all. With his faded Rolling Stones t-shirt, Marlin did not look like Mysterio, who Marlin was replacing after the old man left.

His eyes, however, looked very kind. Clint always believed when his Ma said that eyes were the window to the soul. Marlin’s eyes reminded him of a couple that took in Alice from the group home: warm. 

“I’ll do it,” said Clint after a moment. It surprised even himself. Even with the kind eyes, Clint would still be wary. 

Yet something about Marlin put him at ease. 

Maybe it was the accent. 

Marlin grinned at him: a wide, goofy looking smile. Clint couldn’t help but smile back. 

“Excellent. C’mon, sprog. We’ve got magic to do.”

The two of them left Carson sputtering in their wake.

“So what am I gonna do for you?” asked Clint.

“Simple enough, kiddo. I need some help keeping my props clean and the like. Occasionally, we’ll go out to nearby woods and get some ingredients.” 

Oh. Crap. Does this mean that he’s on drugs? 

“Are you makin’ drugs?” 

Marlin laughed at that and grinned. 

“Nah. Although I’ll occasionally do a hit of pot. I do holistic medicine.” 

Clint must have had a confused face because Marlin smiled. 

“You’ll learn, kid. It’s a good life skill to have especially when medical care can be-“ 

“Hit or miss?”

“Pretty much.”

So Clint reported to Marlin’s trailer every day while his arm healed. He watched as Marlin worked with his props and cleaned various pieces of equipment. Mostly though, Marlin let him read whatever he wanted and listen to the radio. 

All Clint had to do mostly was feed Marlin’s two strange lizards named Kilgharrah and Aithusa. He always had a feeling that they were smarter than the average lizard, and never really found out the species of them either. Marlin would just smile when Clint asked and changed the subject.

Okay so Marlin was a little eccentric, but you had to be to work for the circus. Even if you were only working for it temporarily. 

Marlin, it turned out, was easily one of the top three smartest guys that Clint had ever met. He was doing a short stint at Carson’s, just for the summer, to finish saving up for grad school at Culver University. 

“What’re you gonna be studyin’?” 

“English Literature, specifically the Arthurian lore.” 

Clint swung his skinny legs back at that. 

“I think I saw a movie about that a group home. With the singin’?”

Marlin laughed a bit with a sad look on his face.

“Bloody Camelot, yeah? Not a bad film, but never very accurate. Did you like it?”

“Music was okay.”

And then, when there was a lull and the days always seemed particularly nice, Marlin would lead Clint to the nearby forest.

“Alright, sprog, listen up and good. Because these things’ll definitely help if you’re in a pinch and need to not die.” 

Clint, who didn’t really care much about schooling, listened up and good with these lessons. He followed Marlin as he picked up various plants and told Clint their medicinal properties.

They would go back to his trailer. Clint would watch Marlin work with the plants into pastes, tonics, and teas. 

Later in life, this knowledge would definitely help Clint out of a few hairier scrapes where medical care wasn’t easily accessed. Natasha, in particular, always found that skill endlessly useful.

At the present, however, Clint was just fascinated watching Marlin work. Sometimes, he would let Clint help one-handed. It was the rare moment in his life when Clint felt like an adult actually believed in him. 

Those warm summer days with Marlin were the few bright spots in Clint’s childhood. It was one of the stories from the circus that he could share with others, and not omit much.

When Marlin left, he left Clint his mortar and pestle. Outside of his bow and the clothes on his back, it was with Clint when he left the circus for good.

Year 1988 (Bruce Banner)  

“Is this seat taken?” 

Bruce jumped slightly and looked up through his fringe of curls. He was surrounded by books, nearly taking up a table all on his own. 

Usually, people left him along during the exam period. Mainly because everyone wanted to be left alone during the exam period. 

Still Bruce did like company so long as it was the quiet kind. 

“Ah. No?”

The blue-eyed, dark-haired young man grinned at him and sat down at the table. He fidgeted with his rather large knitted scarf, unknotting it from his throat. It looked soaked through. 

“It’s a bloody white out.”

Bruce spared a glance toward the window. Sure enough, the snow fell fast and thick making the area look like a frozen tundra rather than a college campus.

“I didn’t even notice,” Bruce quietly confessed.

His tablemate laughed.

“I don’t think most people have. I just needed a couple of books for a project.” 

“What are you studying?”

“Medieval British Literature specialty. I’m getting my grad degree in English.”

“Oh. I uh I’m getting a dual Masters in Nuclear Physics and Biochemistry.”

The man stared at him for a beat. Just as Bruce was getting ready to defend his age, his intelligence, the fact that he wanted to study two different disciplines and ignore the growing anger in his stomach; the man smiled at him.

“Well good for you then, mate. I have to admit that science has never really been my subject. Unless you count holistic medicine. My uncle…ran a shop.” 

Bruce smiled at the man. 

The man smiled back and dug out a bag of trail mix from his knapsack. 

“Here. We can share if you like. I don’t think they’ll be filling the vending machine today.” 

Even in the haze of finals, Bruce smiled softly at the kindness.

“Thanks.” 

“No problem, mate.” 

It was a nice night, even if Bruce really didn’t remember it much.

Year 1991 (Tony Stark)  

His dad had a new personal assistant. 

Joy.

No. Wait. That was the assistant two-wait three-assistants ago. 

Howard Stark went through Personal Assistants like a poorer man went through Tic-Tacs. All of them were inevitably young and pretty with a nice bonus of competence from time to time.

Usually, they would leave when Howard would get bored with them or when the affair of the moment ended. Tony didn’t really bother to figure out which was going on. 

The assistants were kind of a non-entity in his life. 

Then his Dad hired the male assistant.

Due to him waxing rhapsodic about and searching for Steve Fucking Rogers, Tony always did suspect his father of, at the least, bi-curious tendencies. 

Hiring a male assistant, however, was the first time that he was being so obvious about it. 

Tony immediately wanted to learn more. 

No, he wanted to meet this mysterious assistant and confirm some suspicions about his dad and Steve Fucking Rogers. 

If the guy was blonde and blue-eyed, it would definitely confirm Tony’s Theory about his Dad and Steve Rogers.

So he took a break from his Masters in Engineering from MIT and hopped on a private plane down to the New York offices to visit his dear ol’ Dad. The man kept bugging him about looking over his inheritance as the heir to the Stark Empire.

Why not go see what will be his to lay claim? 

“May I help you, sir?” 

Tony startled at the smooth, crisp accent. A tall, lanky young man stood before him. He was handsome, but dark haired with bright blue eyes. He was dressed in a suit and held a file in his arm. 

He looked familiar. 

“Sir?”

“Tony Stark. I’m here to see my father.”

“I wasn’t aware that you were in town, Mister Stark. Your father is out with Mister Stane at the moment. I can try to reach him. He’s been playing around with a new cellular phone design. He’ll be thrilled.” 

“You look familiar.”

The man answered in a pleasant voice. 

“My great uncle and your father worked together in the SSR during the War: Agent Martin Emmett."

“And you are?” 

“Marlin Emmett. I graduated from Culver and want to save up to get a doctorate. Apparently, I share a great likeness to my uncle in his younger days.”

“Marlin? Someone actually named a kid Marlin.” 

Marlin smiled. It wasn’t a very nice smile, and had a lot of teeth in it. There was a sort of challenge in his eyes.

“Have a problem with my name, Mister Stark?” 

“Tony.”

“I’ll stick with Mister Stark. Thanks.” 

“And no. It’s just an uh interesting name.” 

Marlin smirked at that as he dialed. 

“My mother liked animals.” 

A few moments later, Jarvis entered the floor. 

“Mr. Emmett.” 

“Mr. Jarvis. I thought Mr. Stark would prefer to spend his time with you for his visit rather than me bother Mr. Stark Senior.” 

Oh. He was a tricky one bringing Jarvis into this. 

Tony could never say no to Jarvis. 

“Jarvis.”

“Anthony. Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” 

“I came for a visit.”

Jarvis smiled, “Excellent. Then you can come and say hi to Ana. She’s knitted you a new scarf and she’s been trying out recipes.”

Tony followed Jarvis out with the promise of Ana’s maternal affections and a warm meal. 

Marlin watched with a smile on his face before turning back to work.

Year 1997 (Nick Fury I)  

Newly named Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury flipped through the file before him. 

FILE: AVALON

KNOWN ALIASES: Martin Emmett, The Astounding Marlin/Marlin Emmett, Marvin Emry, Morton Evans, Michael Earl, Mitchell Edison, Mikael Elliott, Marcus Elon…

The list went on and on. It was classified so far that only the Director of SHIELD could possess the file. In the file, there were photographs and pictures of painting.

The same leanly built man with dark hair and ears stood in each picture. Even when it wasn’t with the times to smile, his eyes always seemed to be.

Nick considered himself a fairly open minded kind of man. Mostly.

It was more of open minded with a hint of paranoia, like his granddad. Nick does like people, but he doesn’t trust them very much.

This eternally young man definitely barred a further looking into.

It took about two months, but Nick found the mysterious young man.

This time, he was living in a small flat on the outskirts of London. He went by the name of Monroe Embery and worked as an audio engineer. Nick broke into his apartment and sat waiting for him to return, trying to ignore the baleful looks that Embery’s two lizards were giving him.

It felt like they were staring at him.

Monroe came home about an hour later with a jangling of keys and a cheerful voice.

“Hello mysterious stranger. I’ve brought by some curry.”

It was rare that Nick was surprised.

This was one of those rare times.

He didn’t really like it much. 

“How did you know that I was here?”

Monroe grinned at him as he puts down the plastic bags. It was a profoundly silly grin, but his eyes were very dangerous.

“Please. I got protections all around this flat. And ways of knowing who broke in. The only reason you are here is because I let you enter.” 

The voice was laced with power that made him shiver. 

“Now who are you?”

“Nick Fury, new Director of SHIELD.”

At that fact, Monroe’s face went from dangerously cheerful to something a little more scheming.

“I suppose you inherited Director Carter’s files then?” 

“You knew about it?”

Monroe smiled at that. 

“Peggy was always perceptive. And well while I could outwardly age, it comes with all the bothersome parts of it. I spent five hundred years as an old man and about a thousand as a young one. I prefer the freedom that I get with youth. Old chap travels alone. Everyone seems to notice. Young guy? It’s a college kid backpacking or getting his foot in the door.” 

Nick did some quick math and came up with a question mark. 

“You’re a fifteen hundred years old?” 

“There about. Peggy and I served during the War when I was Martin Emmett. Tea?” 

“Whiskey?” 

“I got that too. You want the curry or what?” 

Dinner and liquor with a fifteen-hundred-year-old man? Sure. Why not. 

“Okay.”

“Excellent. The shop who does this is absolutely brilliant and a hole in a wall.”

Nick watched as Monroe worked in the kitchen. He came out with two precariously perched plates and drinks, serving them both. 

The weird lizards continued watching.

Nick couldn’t help the question that came out of his mouth next. He needed to know.

“What are you?” 

Monroe considered the question for a moment.

“It’s more a who. My parents were human, mostly. I was born on Earth in what was once Albion in a kingdom that shared a border with Camelot. I grew normally into a young man and went there to meet my Destiny.” 

The young man considered Nick for a moment. 

“Tell me, new Director Fury, what do you know of King Arthur? More importantly, what do you know of Merlin?”

Never let it be said that Nick was slow on the uptake. If he was, then he would dead several times over by now. 

“No.” 

The immortal man smiled at Fury with warm gold eyes.

“Oh. Definitely yes, Director.”

Year 2003 (Natasha Romanoff)

The final Black Widow relishes her victory. The Red Room is ash and dust. The Widows dead. She stands amongst the ashes and breathes in her freedom.

The final Widow stands in the glory of the new Millennium for several years. She makes her own missions. She chooses the life she wants to live. She lives in the moment because the present and her future are the only things she has ever had control over.

Now, however, she finds she is stuck.

Right now, she looks like any college co-ed. She is ready to explore the world. Or to find a new place for her next mission.

She consults the map in a café in Scotland carefully. Internally, she debates on Austria or Romania. 

“Budapest,” a voice says above her. She has to still her hand from stabbing a knife in his chest. 

It’s her waiter. She noted earlier there was something off about him. Yet it wasn’t off in the way that made her think of a handler trying to control the Widow again.

This was why she decided to stay.

She decides to talk.

“Pardon?”

“Budapest is lovely this time of year,” says the man. He gives her an awkward smile. “Sorry. I just saw your maps. Backpacking?” 

“I’m taking a gap year,” she lies. “Budapest, huh?” 

“It could be life-changing,” replies her waiter. “Anything else, miss?”

“No. That’s it. Thank you.” 

She goes to Budapest.

He was right. It was pretty life-changing. 

Year 2007 (Nick Fury II)  

The second time Nick Fury meets Merlin, it’s at a Tasty Burger in Boston. Merlin loves Boston (fond memories of the Revolution). He would only ever serve one king, and George the III was not it. So he was more than happy to be spend days with the follow rabble rousers and maybe helped the Boston Tea Party along a bit. 

Just a little. 

The point being is that Merlin has a very fond spot in his heart for the city. He was living there as a student at the time in a small off campus apartment with several other students. At the time, he was getting a degree in Film and Television Studies simply for something a bit new. He was going by Emery Martin and was satisfying a massive craving for a cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake. 

Then Nick Fury took the seat across from him.

Now Merlin knows that there are sorts of spots that clandestine meetings between a spy and a potential contact could take place. He probably has had his share of a fair few over the centuries.

A Tasty Burger, he had to admit, was a new one.

“Nick.” 

“Merlin.”

“It’s Emery Martin, actually.”

“You do like that M and E motif.” 

“It’s close enough to who I am and easy enough to remember. I’m an old man. I’m forgetful.”

Merlin punctuated that statement with a bite of his Rise and Shine Burger. The fried egg’s yolk broke and Merlin nodded in appreciation for the deliciousness.

“It’s hard to believe that when it looks like you’re about to have a When Harry Met Sally moment over the burger.”

Merlin choked on his sip of milkshake before grinning wildly at the man. 

“Why this is a new side of yours, Director.” 

“Don’t get used to it.” 

Merlin licked a bit of ketchup from his thumb, and considered Fury. 

“Why are you here, Director?” 

Fury leaned in forward. 

“I want to talk with about the Avengers Initiative.” 

Merlin’s brows furrowed together. A serious look took over his face. 

“The what now?”

Fury smiled and slid a file across the table to the younger man.

Year 2012 (Phil Coulson)

The Magnificent Emrys was one of the many street acts that one sees in New York. Yet, everyone from the most confused tourist to the most ironic hipster to the most jaded New Yorker loved him. That alone was enough for him to earn the title in his name. No one knows precisely when he started or how he appeared, he just showed up one day in one park and then was in a totally different one the next. He had a Twitter account set up along with a Facebook and a YouTube. He mainly used the first two to put where he would be performing and use the YouTube to upload videos of the performance. (How he got them remains a mysterious. No one is ever seen filming him.) A TV executive wanted to make a show based on him, but could never find this young man.

To look at him, most would agree that he didn’t seem particularly special or interesting. He looked like any other college-aged kid. Tall, leanly muscled with messy dark hair and a bit of scruff, he wore a loose button-up and ripped jeans. He always had a perpetual smile on his face and spoke with a British accent. He was a friendly sort and it was during these chats with his crowd that he would do these amazing things. It was so casual and amazing that one would like it was real magic.

And that couldn’t be…

...

Could it?

The children did. Children loved Emrys from the sullenest of preteens to the newest of babies, they all just gravitated toward him. Emrys would just grin: wide and bright at them and give them a secret sort of wink. Like they were all in some kind of joke together.

He would make the flowers grow and butterflies appear. The warm gold of his eyes spoke of soft memories and flickering of a flame.

It was with these warm days of late spring that Emrys worked his magic. A small crowd had gathered around him. 

“It’s such a lovely day outside, isn’t it?” Emrys asked his crowd, who shouted various agreements. “I think this lovely day deserves some flowers though to finish it off. You’ve been so wonderful watching me.” 

A flick of his hands and flowers exploded from his arms. People laughed in wonder as they were showered by the fragrant blossoms. Emrys grinned at them.

“Have a good rest of your day,” he called before bowing deeply to the applause. The crowd cheered and Emrys winked before throwing a blanket over him and disappearing.

He appeared at the far end of the park. The blanket appeared in his hands moments later as he shoved it into his backpack. 

“Mister Emrys?” called a male voice. 

Merlin looked up at that. A blandly handsome man stood before him. 

“Yes?”

“Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD.”

Agent Coulson held out his hand, which Merlin took.

“Is something wrong, sir?”

“Director Fury sent me to collect you, Mister Emrys. We ah discovered the body of Captain Rogers. With Director Carter indisposed and most of the Commandoes dead…”

Merlin choked on air. To be fair, he didn’t really know Steve that well. Merlin knew Peggy Carter much better and spent a good chunk of the War as a spy. He may have used a bit of his magic to help the serum take hold in Steve correctly.

“Of course.”

“Please follow me.”

Agent Coulson led Merlin to a nearby waiting car, letting him duck in.

“There is something else, Mister Emrys, that I couldn’t say in public.”

“Yes?”

“Captain Rogers is alive.”

Of course the person who people think of as Arthur’s American equivalent rose first. Bloody prat is still snoozing away the hours in Avalon. Whenever he finally gets around to waking, Merlin is going to punch him in the nose. 

“Mister Emrys?” 

“Sorry. It’s just a bit of a shock, Agent Coulson.” 

“I understand. Attempts to break the news to Captain Rogers has failed kind of spectacularly. Director Fury thought you might be able to help.”

“Damage control?”

“Pretty much.”

Merlin considered the man before him.

“You seem to be taking the news of a seemingly immortal man in front of you.”

Coulson just smiled blandly.

“I almost got killed by an alien god last month. I deal with it in my own way.”

“And that is?” 

“Collecting Captain America trading cards. They’re mint condition.”

What could Merlin do at that?

He laughed.

Year 2012 (Steve Rogers II)  

Steve stared at the wall. It has been a few days since he woke up in this strange world. This future far from what he had ever known. 

A few days and seventy years since he went down. 

A week and seventy years since he lost Bucky. 

Steve closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. 

A knock echoed throughout the room. Steve breathed in through his nose, and settled himself. 

“Come in.”

The door opened. Steve didn’t turn, didn’t stand to greet his guest. 

The bed dipped next to him. 

“I’m not sure the wall is this fascinating,” a voice said that sounded vaguely familiar. “I mean sure in the history of walls, it’s perfectly serviceable to look at. Yet it’s not very interesting at all.” 

Steve huffed a bit. 

“It feels familiar.” 

He turned to look and stared.

Steve knew that face. It was Peggy’s friend who had a ready grin on his face. The one with bright blue eyes and the ears that Steve met in passing, but who the Howlies never had a mission with.

Yet here he is with the eyes and the ears, his mouth was quirked upward. He was wearing modern clothes instead of the drab olive of the uniform with jeans and sweater. A pale knee poked out of a hole in the jeans. He wore a pair of canvas shoes on his feet and a neckerchief around his neck. 

Still the name came out, even though this isn’t possible. He would be an old man now or, more likely, dead. 

“Martin?” 

“Hello Steve.” 

Steve stared at him, unable to believe it. 

“This is a trick of some kind.”

Martin smiled, “I assure you that it’s not. I’m just unusually long-lived. I’m not sure that if the room is bugged, but I could prove it to you by telling about the time Dum Dum and Howard tried to brew a particularly potent moonshi-“ 

Steve winced involuntarily. 

“No. No. I don’t need to get into details there.” 

It may have been almost seventy years, but he did not want to be court martialed over that. He wasn’t even there for that, but he was still in command. 

“How?” 

Martin smiles.

“Well first off, I’m going by Merlin now.” 

“The wizard?”

“Warlock.”

A smile broke out Martin (Merlin’s?) face. 

Golden light settled within his eyes. 

“Tell me, Steve, do you believe in magic?”

Chapter Text

Steve Rogers 

Steve Rogers had been awake for a few weeks in the future. For the first week, SHIELD let him mope around until they brought in Merlin. Merlin who was once Martin that he kind of knew during the war and was immortal and magic of all things. 

He thought things were supposed to be more scientific in the future. 

Still Merlin had dragged Steve out of his room at SHIELD and set Steve up in his brownstone, which was as eclectic and strange as the man himself. 

Yet it made him feel at home. Like the whole brownstone was soaked in that comforting feeling. Merlin was a conscientious roommate. He made sure to leave more than enough hot water for Steve and left extra blankets when his nightmares of cold would wake him.

He even magically made Steve’s mattress harder when Steve commented that it was hard to sleep on something so soft. 

At this point, Steve had two options: he could roll over and die or he could just go with it. Neither of them sound particularly good to his grief-stricken mind, but they were what he had. Merlin, who was older than Steve could really comprehend, was very good at grief and losing people. 

“How do you handle it?” Steve asked one night over dinner. 

Merlin sat back at that, considering his response. It’s something that Steve liked about him during their brief interactions during the War. It carried over to this strange situation. Merlin always considered his answers before speaking. 

It was also a quality Steve would like to have. He never really took much time to consider things before rushing into them. Not that fighting for what you believed in wasn’t a good thing, but he wondered if he would have gotten injured less as a kid if he took a different yet still satisfying path. 

Who knows? Maybe he was thinking like that old man he was supposed to be after all. Wasn’t that a scary thought? 

Steve was coaxed from his ruminations when Merlin finally spoke. 

“You don’t. Not really. Each person is important. Life is important but…death is important as well. Balance must be maintained in that way even if its hurts those left behind. You love them and you mourn them. But it also doesn’t mean that you stop loving them. It doesn’t mean that you stop honoring them. Death is just a part of things as is life. What we have to do is honor their impact and what they wanted.” 

Steve looked at his plate, deep in thought. He remembered a bombed out bar in London, the burn of whiskey and tears. He remembered Peggy sitting across from him. More devastatingly, he remembered the clawing desperate ache in his chest that threatened to consume him whole. 

It still did in that place where Bucky should be, but wasn’t at all. God knows how much Steve still missed him. Magic and personal computers and miniskirts, his best friend would have loved the future. 

Steve Rogers will always miss Bucky Barnes. Peggy was right though.  

“Dignity of their choices,” he murmured thoughtfully. 

Merlin swirled his water and nodded. He was staring off now and looked far, far older than his young body. Steve wondered what it was like to always be so young when you were so old.

He thinks he understood a little, but part of him felt like he cheated his way to that understanding. 

He never expected to live. 

Then again, he guessed, neither did Merlin.

“Precisely. It hurts, but the hurt fades. After one black day, longer ago than I like to think, I lost everything as well. It could have made me bitter and it did for a while. I was an old man for a long time. Hermitage sounds all well and good, Steve. You think you’ll protect yourself from the world and from the other people in it. You never really do. Not really. It just leaves you with the company of your ghosts and the weight of your mistakes. Eventually, it will just leave you feeling empty inside.”

Steve swallowed. Perhaps, this was the reason why Merlin allowed him a room and let him rest his weary head here. Merlin saw something in Steve that not even Steve fully understood. 

“What made you stop?” he asked. 

“A good friend gave me the kick in the ass when I needed it the most. She saw what I was doing to myself. After a couple centuries, she finally had enough and smacked some literal sense into me. She got me back into the world to experience it. It reminded me why I loved people.” Merlin grinned. “Maybe I’ll take you to the lake sometime and introduce you to its lady.” 

Steve smiled sadly. 

“I would like to meet her.” 

Merlin squeezed his hand comfortingly. 

“Promise. I’ve been through this more times than I care to think about, Steve. It gets...easier to live with that hole in your heart. It will always be there, but that’s part of being human. Closing yourself to loving others, it does no one any real good in the end. Ultimately, it just makes you a lonely, bitter, and a callous man. Compassion and kindness are what make good men truly great.” 

Not a perfect soldier, but a good man. 

Yeah. Steve could understand the sentiment with painful clarity. 

Merlin sounded like he was talking from experience there. Steve didn’t ask what though. He didn’t like it when others wanted to pry apart his own heart and head to figure out what ghosts were lurking in there. Those were the things that needed to be shared over time. 

Maybe it was an old fashioned belief, but it served Steve well. 

Merlin was more than happy to explain things about this new era Steve found himself in. He said that it would be good practice for reasons that Steve didn’t understand. The smile when Merlin said that was oddly wistful and kind of sad. It touched a recent ache in Steve’s heart. 

Still things were explained rather succinctly to him. Merlin was smart and wickedly funny. More importantly, he trusted Steve’s own intellect. People seem to think that the fact he was born in 1918 seemed to make him naturally stupid. What they didn’t know was that Bucky would trudge to and forth from the library bringing as many books as Steve could read; curled up in bed and with a squint to see the worlds clearly. 

Steve was just a little ignorant of how thing worked now, but he was always quick on the uptake. Merlin seemed to realize that and treated him accordingly. 

His own explanation for it was simple and to the point. 

“We weren’t the best of friends during the war, but you weren’t stupid. Peggy abhorred stupidity.” 

Which yes, that was the truth. Peggy did not handle idiots well.

Gilmore Hodge could definitely had attested to that fact several times over. 

For Steve’s second week in the future, he decided to set a routine. After the Army had dominated his life for the past few years, he had gotten used to the schedule. Part of him hoped that it would help. It did in its own way, which really was all that Steve could have asked for here. 

So he would wake up (sometimes naturally, sometimes from a nightmare), go on a run, shower, eat breakfast, do some reading to catch up (the subjects varied), have a snack, watch Merlin feed his strange reptiles, go to a nearby boxing gym, get lunch, meet Merlin at a nearby park, walk around to get used to this strange city that was and wasn’t home, eat dinner, and then twenty questions with Merlin. 

Perhaps it was a little silly, but the routine was comforting. Something that he could hold onto in the unfamiliar world. He desperately needed something to hold onto like this. It grounded him a little.

He had someone here who understood the enormity of his loss. Merlin was much better than those doctors that SHIELD kept trying to get him to talk with. Merlin understood and well… 

It was hard to find someone with a shared life experience after all. 

Steve took a deep breath and readied his fists. Goldies' Gym smelled like must and chalk and leather. He took another breath to let the scent settle into his lungs. The wraps on his fists felt familiar, comforting. 

He quickly worked into a rhythm with the bags. The movements were muscle memory even back when he was skinny and weighed about 90 pounds soaking wet. 

It stirred up memories of Bucky once doing the same with him, wrapping his hands carefully. A smirk on his face while he promised Steve that he’ll teach how to punch right if he’s going to keep on punching. Yeah, he couldn’t punch worth a real damn and kept nearly getting asthma attacks. The atmosphere was the same. If he closed his eyes, then he could almost pretend.

Almost. 

Maybe he was surrounding himself of mementos of the past like a shield. Was that so bad to want some little familiar things in his life though? 

Of course, the pleasant memory was cut with the fresher one: Bucky falling as he couldn’t grab him. Steve helpless in the face of this tragedy. 

His final punch went hard. It split the bag open, spraying sand across the room. Steve fought a bit of a wince with that. He’ll have to leave some extra money for the owners of the gym. 

“Fuck,” he whispered under his breath. He pushed back the sweaty fringe before glancing over at the row of bags that he had taken out. 

He didn’t notice that he wasn’t alone as he previously thought. 

“Glad to see you’re keeping active.”

Steve did not startle. The involuntarily tense of his shoulders was just him trying to get another heavy bag to work on. 

Seriously. 

(Okay so maybe the delicate art of sneaking up without making too much noise was just a little bit lost on him. Despite what people in this era seemed to think, he wasn’t perfect. He was far from it as a matter of fact. You could ask anyone from his old neighbor that was still living.)

“Director Fury. Trying to put me out in the world more?” 

“Actually, Cap,” Fury began with a serious expression on his face. “I’m trying to save it.” 

Steve looked up at that. 

Merlin  

The day that the Avengers Initiative was first called was a normal day for Merlin. Well it was normal for the most part anyway. He woke up, showered, ate some tea and toast, and put a plate of food in the oven for Steve. He fed Kilgharrah and Aithusa. The two dragons turned into rather large lizards happily ate their food, even if they were being annoyingly cryptic. 

“Something is on the horizon for you, young warlock,” Kilgharrah said. 

He was lounging on a branch underneath a sun lamp and looked quite content with life despite his dire warning. 

It was probably because Merlin was going to be running around trying to save everything while he slept on his favorite rock. 

“I’m fifteen hundred years old. I don’t think I count as young anymore.” 

Kilgharrah released a stream of smoke. Merlin was very grateful that Steve wasn’t back from his run. 

Poor bloke woke up seventy years in the future. Merlin did not want to startle him with dragons just yet. 

“Is it true, Aithusa?” asked Merlin. 

The small white dragon was nestled on a bed of soft leaves. Her wings fluttered slightly as she considered her answer. 

It was blunter. She never really had the cryptic knack that her companion had. 

“Something’s coming, but it’s being maddeningly vague about what it is.” 

Merlin bit on his lower lip, debating something internally. 

“I’m going to go check on the Lake.” 

With that statement, Merlin slid into a shadow and appeared by the shores of the Lake of Avalon. He took a deep breath of the cool, crisp air as its mist tickled his cheeks. 

The enchantments that protected the Lake were older than Merlin himself. Yet over the years, he adapted them. As progress grew greater and greater, Merlin folded space and used delicate spell work to make sure that Avalon’s shores would remain untouched by time’s forward march. 

The only signed that time’s progress had touched Avalon was a rather nice looking house by its shore. Merlin would retreat there from anywhere for two months to five years, just enjoying the silence. Even he, however, was tempted out more and more into the world. 

On the day the Avengers were needed, though no one knew it quite yet, Merlin stared at the Lake’s surface. Under the sun’s light, the water resembled more of a sheet of glass than anything else. The trees were still and lush. The flowers were in bloom. An occasional rustle of an animal’s movement was all that broke the silence. 

Merlin sighed and sat on the shore’s sands. He spoke aloud. 

“I should really stop running here every time one of the dragons have a feeling.”

He could have thought it, but he needed to ruin the placid serenity of the lake. It remained unfair and painful, the way that he waited for Arthur while the world moved on. 

Perhaps his reasons for Steve’s presence in his home weren’t all altruistic. A wild hope had sprung that maybe his return could signal Arthur’s in some way. Even though his memories of Arthur and Camelot were a patched and careworn blanket, he still remembered enough of the King to know that he would have abhorred sharing the spotlight. 

Prat. 

“Then you wouldn’t be Merlin,” a female voice warmly said.

The glass like surface of the lake rippled by itself. A dark-haired woman dressed in red with liquid dark eyes breeched the surface. Her red lips danced with a warm sort of smile as her dark hair dripped over a pale shoulder.

Carefully, she walks to the edge of the Lake as Merlin moved there as well. 

With little ceremony, the Lady of the Lake took a seat next to Merlin at the edge. She made sure her feet were still in the water. 

“Freya,” greeted Merlin warmly. 

His boyhood love smiled and kissed his cheek. 

“You’re looking well, Merlin. So the dragons have been speaking?” 

Merlin nodded. 

“Although, I will admit that they’re being maddeningly vague.” 

“It’s the nature of dragons I’m afraid. But Arthur still slumbers in Avalon, Merlin. I just saw him myself not long ago.” 

Merlin did not blow or curse or yell at the sky. He had long ago accepted that Albion’s greatest need, whatever it is, was going to come forth when it was good and ready. Even though Merlin could personally think of a dozen incidents were Arthur’s leadership and skill would have been good help. 

He had accepted that it will happen when it will happen. He can’t very well force the matter. 

Freya’s voice, however, broke his familiar train of though. 

“It is close though.” 

Merlin’s head snapped up. 

“What?” 

Freya considered the water for several moments. Her warm and kind expression had turned very grim. 

“Morgana had a vision a few nights ago in Avalon.” 

Merlin sharply sucked in a breath at that. 

After Morgana’s death at Camlann, Merlin had sent her off to Avalon as well. Perhaps it was foolish, but it was the only way to make amends. He had only hoped that her soul would have found peace there as well. 

According to Freya, Morgana had found peace. The cracks in her psyche and her heart were healed, although it took many years. Occasionally, she would still have visions and her spirit guarded the hidden Crystal Cave fiercely from outside intervention. 

Merlin and Morgana still had yet to speak to each other. There were too many unsaid things between them and too many bodies left in their wake. Freya, on occasion, would act as messenger since she had the easiest connection between the worlds as the Lady of the Lake. 

“What did she see?” 

Freya licked her lip.

“It was jumbled. Some things did not make sense. Demons from a portal in the sky, a mad Trickster, battles in the streets, the Infinity Stones are coming together. He who courts death wants them in his grasp.” 

Merlin considered the disjointed statements for several moments. 

“I never heard of the Infinity Stones.” 

Freya sighed and tapped a tattoo of beats on her bare leg.

“The Fae who come to Avalon have and they told me about it a little. The Stones are older than the cosmos and were guarded by beings known as the Celestials. When they died, they dispersed. Within them, the Stones hold an immense power over things like Reality or Time. That is all the Fae would tell me. Even they are afraid of what kind of power lies within them. Still if their presence is on Earth, then it concerns me deeply.” 

Merlin could feel a bit of pit gnaw in his stomach. 

“And Arthur?”

“He moved in his sleep today. The only time I saw him so much as twitch was during the Second World War. But he moved and he sighed in his sleep shortly after Morgana told me her vision. His return, at least partly, has to do with the Stones.” 

“And what is my role in this? Did Morgana see something there?” 

Freya nodded after a moment. 

“All she said was this time you must fight alongside heroes rather than sticking to the shadows. Secrecy killed the chance to bring magic to the land, Merlin. We both know it and those were difficult times. Now, however…” 

Merlin bit his lip. 

“Things are happening. I’ve heard whispers.” 

“I felt the ripples in the fabric of all things. A time of change is upon us, Merlin.” 

“What do I do?” 

Freya smiled and this time it was much warmer. She reached out and kissed his forehead, simultaneously feeling familiar and like a blessing. 

“Sweet Merlin you must be what you always were to me and to Camelot.” 

She stroked his cheek and look him dead in the eye. 

“You must be a hero.” 

With that statement, she flowed away into water and into her lake. Merlin sat there, perfectly frozen as his breathing quickened. His head was dizzy from the rush of information. His fingers were stiff and he stared straight ahead. 

How could he be a hero? 

As if answering that thought, Merlin’s phone dinged. 

Steve  

The aircraft carrier that Steve was brought to was pretty impressive. Although, it was not as impressive as the dossiers that he read over on the way to it. 

The team he was given was fractured: a master spy, a suit of high tech armor, a man with a monster dwelling in him, and his new fifteen-hundred-year-old roommate. Steve wasn’t even sure what to do with them, let alone figure out how to lead them. 

Fury, however, was insistent that he was the best person for the job. More importantly, Steve was able to corral a bunch of large personalities into doing what he wants. 

After all, you don’t get the name like the Howling Commandoes by crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s.

Steve considered both Agent Romanoff and Doctor Banner. 

Agent Romanoff reminded him of Peggy in a great many ways: capable, deadly, smart. Her life pre-SHIELD was glossed over or just redacted heavily in the files he had been given on the way. Still Steve could read between the lines. She came across it young and it had perfected her into something deadly. If Loki had somehow gotten control of her, like he did with Clint Barton, then she would probably be the biggest threat out of all of them. 

Still, there was definitely that sense of aching familiarity with her. 

Doctor Banner, on the other hand, was more afraid of himself then anything else. Steve could definitely tell that within ten seconds of meeting the man.

“Doctor Banner.” 

The man startled slightly, blinking almost owlishly underneath his mop of curls. He fiddle with the cuffs of his purple shirt. 

“Captain.” 

Steve smiled, trying to go for comfort. 

“Heard you were the guy to see about finding Loki?” 

“That all you heard about?” 

“All I care about, Doc.” 

Banner gave him a tentative and awkward smile at that. 

Agent Romanoff joined them again after talking with a nearby agent. 

“Gentlemen. It’s time to get inside. We’re ready.” 

“Is this like a submarine?” asked Steve. 

Banner did not look enthused by the thought. Given his power set, Steve could understand why. 

“Me in a submerged pressurized metal container? I can definitely tell you that is not a good idea.” 

Rather than descending, however, Steve and Banner watched as the aircraft carrier began to ascend. 

“Oh this is much worse,” Banner said wryly. 

“Gentlemen?” called Agent Romanoff.

Steve turned and followed them in. 

Damn, he owed Fury ten dollars. 

Bruce Banner  

This was definitely the worst idea that Bruce has had in a few years. Much like with Harlem, it wasn’t even really his idea to begin with. Actually, this may not be the worst-worst idea he has ever had. 

Also all of these military types that were now surrounding him, it wasn’t really helping his stress level. 

He trusted Agent Romanoff’s sense of caution in regards to the Other Guy. The Captain’s quiet certainty that Bruce was the best man for the job was actually kind of nice. 

Uplifting even. Even if it was a little misguided. 

Bruce could see why he was the only success of the super soldier program within minutes of meeting him. He could understand why he failed. 

In the back of his head, he could feel the Other Guy grumble sleepily. 

Bruce took a deep breath and hugged the wall as two agents walked past. 

Steve paused at the entryway, “Merlin.”

A young man with a vaguely familiar face grinned at the Captain from his spot. He appeared to somewhere in his twenties with ripped jeans, dark hair, and bright blue eyes. Bruce wondered if he was part of this special team because he seemed too relaxed and open to be part of a shadowy government organization. 

“Lo Steve. Glad you can join us!” 

Steve just seemed confused. 

“How did you get here?” 

“Welp Director Fury sent me a text so I got myself over here pretty fast. Got a couple of guns in my face when I arrived for my trouble. But all sorted well enough."  

The young man (Merlin?) grinned at Bruce and Agent Romanoff with a big, goofy grin. 

“Merlin Emrys. Pleasure to meet you both. I’m the magic expert.”

Bruce could feel his eyebrows raise at that. 

“Magic?” 

Merlin waggled his fingers. His bright blue eyes filled with gold and a small flame danced around his fingers. 

“Magic.” 

Bruce leaned forward. Scientific curiosity finally outweighed his nerves. (Magic! Actual real magic!) 

“Fascinating.” 

Merlin winked and his eyes returned to blue. He beamed at Bruce with a hand out for him to shake.

“You must be Doctor Banner. Read your file. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Bruce please.”

“Than its Merlin.”

“Like the wizard? That seems like a kind of on the nose name for someone who has powers.”

Merlin sighed. 

“Warlock actually. And my mother named me for the bird originally. Granted it's still not a common name.” 

Bruce could hear the literal record scratch in his brain. Behind him, he could feel Agent Romanoff stiffen. 

“Um. You’re…” 

“Yeah. People always expect the older form. But that bloody arthritic hip is not fun. Steve! Back me up?” 

The Captain looked up from where he was talking with Director Fury. 

“Hm? Merlin served as an SSR Agent during the war. Of course, I knew him as Martin Emmett.” 

Merlin had a fond look of remembrance on his face at that. 

“I rode the Emmett family train for awhile. I kept pretending to be my own nephew until I couldn’t anymore.” 

“How old are you?” asked Agent Romanoff. 

Fury came over to the group with Steve following. 

“Mr. Emrys is about fifteen hundred years old.” 

Bruce and Agent Romanoff stared at Merlin, who shrugged and made an iffy gesture with his hand. 

“Give or take the odd decade. Record keeping wasn’t really a thing when and where I was born,” Merlin said idly.

Well, Bruce thought, it was nice to be not the strangest person on the ship. 

“I should probably go and get started on the trace.” 

Merlin untangled himself, “I’d like to join you if that’s alright, Doctor Banner. I would love to learn more about how you track these signatures.” 

He grinned at the Bruce’s perplexed expression. 

“In another life, I was a doctor and a scientist. Always still had a bit of fondness for them even as they got a bit beyond me.” 

“Sure you’re not worried about…” 

Bruce gestured as if to say the Other Guy. 

Merlin smiled, but this one was oddly wistful and sad.

“I knew a girl once with a similar problem as you, Dr. Banner. I loved her dearly, and I’m certain that I can handle myself.” 

“What happened to her?” 

“She became the Lake’s Lady, Doctor. It wasn’t meant to be, but we still each other from time to time. She’s a dear friend.” 

Bruce swallowed. 

“I would like to meet her sometime.” 

Merlin laughed. 

“I think she would very much like to meet you too. But first, let’s go stop the evil person from destroying the world.” 

Bruce laughed quietly and let himself be led out with Merlin. 

Avalon  

In the center of the isle of Avalon, there is a Great Tree. No one is quite sure of the species of the tree or what it is. One thing can be certain, however, is that it is beautiful and huge. The only other tree that could compare to it would Yggdrasil, which connects the Nine Realms. 

The tree is climbable with large knots and huge branches for lounging in. It was lush perpetually, providing shade in the eternal springtime that Avalon provides. Strange fruit would hang from its branches: perpetually ripened and ready for the picking. 

Within the shelter of this Great Tree’s roots, the body of a young man was protected. 

The Once and Future King still slept soundly on within this shelter of the Great Tree of Avalon's roots. His blonde hair swept across his brow. His hands gripped the sword known as Excalibur. His cape was spread around him, staining the ground red. 

Over the sleeping body of her half-brother stood the witch Morgana. She was dressed simply in a plain grey dress with her long dark hair in a low hanging ponytail. 

Her bright blue eyes considered the sleeping form of Arthur. 

“Anything?” Freya asked from behind. 

Morgana turned to face the other woman. 

“No. He still sleeps. The stubborn arse.”

“You can feel it though.” 

Morgana could only nod. Gently, Freya rested a hand on her arm. 

“Merlin will be fine.” 

“We don’t know that. Even my visions won’t say the outcome of this battle.” 

“And when has he surpassed your visions?” 

Morgana sighed. 

“Routinely. The absolute bastard.” 

Once upon a time, bitterness would color her words. Now, they were only colored by something like melancholy. So many things left unsaid. So many wounds that could not be healed. 

In his sleep, Arthur shifted. The two women looked down at him carefully. His fingers, wrapped around Excalibur’s handle, twitched briefly. 

In his sleep, the Once and Future King sighed softly. 

Just one word, one name. 

“Merlin.” 

Merlin  

“Merlin?” 

Merlin looked up from the tablet he was reading as Steve walked in. A pair of thick rimmed glasses were perched firmly on his nose. A stylus hung out of his mouth and there were some symbols that didn’t make sense written across the tablet’s surface. 

Across the room, Bruce was hard at work on the computer. The equations seemed to make sense to him. Between Merlin’s symbols and Bruce’s work, however, Steve was feeling a bit out of his depth. 

Well… 

More so than usual since waking up in the future. 

“What are those?” he asked, peering at Merlin’s work. 

Merlin looked up at him and took the stylus out of his mouth. 

“Runes. Doctor Banner was curious about if I could use magic to help him hone in on the signature of the Tesseract. It’s possible, but since I’ve never encountered before it makes it a bit trickier. So I’m hoping some runes will help stabilize the process a little bit. I’m just trying to take into account which ones would provide the best help while keeping things balance.”   

“Huh. Really?” 

Merlin considered Steve carefully. Without looking, he could hear Bruce pause in his typing. The other man was clearly listening without wanting to show that he was listening. 

“Not all magic is hocus pocus. I mean some of it. Small stuff. Some of the medium-ish stuff. But the magic of the Earth, it’s old. The old ways require balance.” 

“Equivalent exchange,” murmured Bruce. 

Merlin snapped his fingers at him. 

“Fullmetal Alchemist?”

“You would be surprise at what some places get.” 

Merlin chuckled. 

Steve considered the runes with a fresh eye. 

“So you’re trying to make sure things are balanced?” 

“Precisely. I didn’t have much patience for this when I was younger, but well-it does help.” 

“Speaking of help,” broke in Agent Romanoff’s voice. Merlin jumped in his seat. He didn’t even hear her come in. 

Steve straightened his back at the tone in her voice. 

“Loki?” 

“We got a beat on him in Germany. Suit up, Cap. Time to earn our paychecks.” 

Steve nodded and went to the door. Merlin sat for a moment. Agent Romanoff continued to look at him.. 

“Me as well?” 

The redhead shrugged simply. 

“Better to fight fire with fire as it were, Emrys. Do you have gear?” 

Merlin looked down at his ripped jeans and favorite jumper. He wasn’t exactly kitted out for a death match. But really, when was he ever for one of these things? 

Clearly, Agent Romanoff was following his train of thought. She also did not look very impressed with him. That was also fine. He usually worked better when people had little to no expectations of him. 

Merlin tried for a confident look. 

“Uh. I could put something more impressive together.” 

“Wheels up in five.” 

“Plenty of time!” 

Merlin watched her leave, and he sighed. 

“Bloody hell. I didn’t know we had to bring costumes.” 

From his station, Bruce snorted. 

“Beats what happens to me. I lost all sense of shame from waking up naked in random places after what happens with the Other Guy.” 

“Sounds like a Saturday night for me when I try to get smashed. Fifteen hundred years old and I’m still a bloody lightweight.” 

Merlin left to sound of Bruce’s laughter. 

Loki  

Everything was going perfectly to plan. The scientists were hard at work. His new soldiers knew exactly what to do. Everything was going to schedule. 

Now, all Loki had to do was put on a bit of show while he played people like chess pieces. What a pathetic species the Midgardians turn out to be, so easily led and swayed. 

Of course, the Mind Stone helped swayed those hearts a fair bit. They now saw what they needed to see. What Loki needed them to see. 

More importantly, what Thanos needed them to see so that Loki could be left alone with his Kingdom. 

He will yet be King. 

Laughing, he looked over the crowd as they kneeled before him. 

“Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It is the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power. For identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.” 

One old man stood at that. A few of the people tried to reach for him, to get him back down. Yet he stood and refused. 

“Not to men like you.” 

Loki had to smile. It was an indulgently patronizing kind of smile. How foolish. 

“Oh. There are no men like me.” 

The man stood tall and proud, like he deserved to be standing like that in the presence of a god. Does he not understand? Loki will see this world all kneel before him. 

He will be their king. 

“There are always men like you,” spat out the man. 

Anger seized at Loki. His hand curled around his staff and it warmed more under his touch. He could feel the crackle of power as his magic grew with the staff’s warmth. 

Loki sneered, “Then let you be a warning to them all, old man.” 

The rush of power flowed through him and into the staff. He leveled it at the man and fired. 

Some of the crowd members screamed when- 

He was knocked off his feet by the return of the blast. 

A figure in blue, red, and white stood before the old man holding a shield in his colors. It took a moment for Loki’s mind to clear. When it did, however, he knew who this man was. The SHIELD techs were a chatty bunch about the newly discovered Captain. 

The Captain watched from under his cowl. 

“You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing.” 

“The Soldier,” he laughed. “It is the man out of time.” 

The Captain smirked. 

“I’m not the one who is out of time.” 

As if summoned, a plane appeared behind him. 

Merlin 

From the shadows, Merlin’s eyes flashed gold. Simultaneously, all of the people moved. The spell was a simple one, used by magic users to clear out a large crowd of people rather quickly. 

It basically sent a little jolt to the crowd and had them all moving out of the way at the exact same time. It sent them on the safest paths out without them realizing it. It was a mixture of instinct-driven adrenaline and magic. This way Steve and Natasha did not have to worry about civilians as they dealt with Loki. 

Merlin stuck to the shadows. Steve had things handle and Natasha was providing adequate distraction from above. In their hastily thrown together plan, Steve told Merlin not to reveal himself until Loki forced their hands. Merlin could see the wisdom in this. After all, how many magic users were not expecting his own power when the time had come? 

His fingers twitched as he watched Steve battle Loki. Watching Steve was impressive, Agent Martin Emmett never got much chance to work with Howlies. Steve was a beautiful hand to hand combatant. 

Of course, it had no matched for the strength that Loki possessed. 

“Now is probably time to step in, Emrys,” Agent Romanoff’s voice said over his comm. 

“Copy that, Agent Romanoff.” 

Merlin lifted up the hood of his cape. Part of him was feeling distinctly silly, but he was also comforted by the fact that Steve looked sillier. 

He cloaked himself in shadows and kept the Sidhe staff close at hand. His could feel the warmth of his magic well up within him as his eyes flooded with gold. 

Just as Loki’s staff came down to Steve’s throat, Merlin sprung forth from the shadows. With a divisive move of his arm, Merlin brought the Sidhe staff to the ground. It sent a targeted shockwave toward Loki, knocking him off his feet. 

Steve rolled out of the way and Merlin spun the Sidhe staff in his hands. 

Loki turned around with murder in his eyes. 

“A mage?” 

Merlin felt a familiar irritation flood within him.

“Actually, I’m a warlock. It’s not that bloody hard to keep up.” 

“I thought no one possessed powers like yours anymore.” 

Merlin smiled from under his hood. 

“Well that’s a dangerous way of thinking then.” 

He took a deep breath and flung a fireball at Loki. 

Loki  

Oh how utterly interesting. Loki thought that Midgardian magic users died out a long time ago. Yet here stood one, fighting on the side of these broken creatures. 

How fascinating. He almost wished he could see his opponent’s face. 

The man, however, was tall and thin. A short navy cape covered him with the hood pulled over his face: all Loki could see were the golden eyes of his opponent that shone through the darkness. A pale hand held tight onto a gnarled wooden staff with a gem that swirled deep and pulsing colors. 

The magic, oh the magic, it was achingly powerful. 

“I don’t suppose you would want to join me, my friend? I could give you a station that befits your great power.” 

The man laughed. 

“Oh you are barking up the wrong tree there. There’s only one man who holds my allegiance completely. You aren’t him.” 

Loki growled and grabbed his staff. 

“Very well then. Let us end this, warlock.” 

From the corner of his eye, Loki could see the Captain make a grab for his shield to protect the mysterious magic user. 

He may have saved the old man, but Loki would make sure that the Captain could not save this one. 

He took aim with his staff to fire when- 

“SHOOT TO THRILL! PLAY TO KILL! TOO MANY WOMEN AND TOO MANY PILLS YEAH! SHOOT TO THRILL! PLAY TO KILL! I GOT MY GUN AT THE READY GONNA FIRE AT WILL!”

Loki froze. 

The Captain froze. 

The Warlock laughed. 

A red and gold suit of armor fell from the sky with controlled grace. For the third time in about five minutes, Loki was on his back with a blast. 

“Make a move, Reindeer Games,” intoned the metal man (Iron Man, yes?). 

Loki inwardly smirked and let his armor fall away as the Captain and the Warlock joined Iron Man. 

“Good move,” congratulated Iron Man. 

“Mr. Stark.” 

“Captain.” 

“Mr. Stark.” 

“I have no clue who you are.” 

The Warlock sighed. It was the sound of one person who needed a very, very stiff drink. 

Oh yes. Loki was definitely going to enjoy bringing them all down. 

Chapter Text

Merlin  

Merlin tucked himself into a shadowed corner of the plane. From underneath his hood, he watched as Loki played the part of the model prisoner. 

Merlin was pretty certain that they were being played for a long game. 

He just didn’t know why. Of course, it was a feeling that Merlin had become very used to over the centuries. He didn’t know why most people or beings did the things that they do. 

When the fate of the world was at stake, however, it was usually a good idea to at least figure out why. Otherwise, they were all going to be quite screwed come morning. 

Loki had a plan. Merlin could feel it in his bones. 

So he continued his vigil on Loki, watching carefully as the god sat there patient as can be: the model prisoner. 

“It feels too easy,” murmured Steve next to him.

Merlin flicked his eyes up and nodded. 

“Yes. He has enough power. He could break through his chains.” 

“But he hasn’t.” 

“No. He’s not. It feels like in a movie just before things go from bad to worse.” 

“What’s going on in the little pow-wow over here?” asked Tony Stark. His armor made a faint clanking noise in tune with each of his steps. 

“Oh just trying to figure out the usual world-ending plots,” Merlin said easily. 

“And who are you with the cape? It’s very Harry Potter.” 

“Am I supposed to be insulted? Jo got the magic dead wrong, but it’s a delightful read. Then again so few people do get it right.” 

“What? Magic?” 

Merlin rolled his eyes at the touch of derision in Tony’s voice. 

“Would you prefer an unnecessarily long scientific explanation that I’ll probably make up on the spot?” 

Tony considered Merlin for several moments. 

“…How long are we talking about?” 

“Energy manipulation,” chimed in Loki. “You could have just said that. Mortals can’t really see what is in front of them, can they?” 

“No one asked you,” Tony said with a decisive finger point. 

In the distance, a rumble of thunder could be heard as if punctuating Tony’s statement. 

“Looks like we’re flying into a storm,” Agent Romanoff said as she flicked several switches. 

Something about the atmosphere felt off to Merlin. He couldn’t quite explain it, but the hairs on his arms started rising. 

Then he felt it. 

It felt like a huge shock to the system, like being struck down by lightning. The storm they were flying into seemed to surround them and he can feel every electrical impulse in his body. 

Merlin gasped. 

Loki grimaced. 

“What?” asked Steve. “Is a little lightning scaring you?” 

“I’m not overly fond of what follows, Captain,” replied Loki. 

Merlin stood suddenly, “Something’s coming.” 

“How do you-,” Tony began. 

THUD. 

“Oh that’s not good.” 

Loki sighed deeply. Merlin knew that kind of sigh. It was the type of noise a sibling tended to make before one of their other siblings did something embarrassing. 

And in Norse myth, didn’t Loki have a- 

Oh.  

Before Merlin or anyone could do anything, the hatch of the plane opened forcefully. Loki was suddenly in the massive arms of one of the most muscular men that Merlin had ever seen. 

And then, they were gone. 

Tony put on his helmet. 

“I knew that was too easy.” 

“Tony,” said Steve as he grabbed his shield. “We need to come up with a plan of attack.” 

“I have a plan,” responded Tony cheekily. “Attack.” 

With that parting shot, Iron Man blasted off into the night. Steve made a dash for the parachutes. 

“Steve?” 

“Stay with Agent Romanoff, Merlin. If we need the heavy fire power, then I’ll call you both in.” 

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you, Steve? He is a god.” 

“Well,” Steve said carefully, “his brother certainly proved that even a god could take a hit.” 

He then threw a cheeky grin over his shoulder. 

“Besides I’m Catholic. We’re used to divine punishment.” 

Then he too jumped out of the plane. 

Merlin breathed in deeply and pinched his nose. 

“You alright?” asked Agent Romanoff. 

“I’m having a very intense flash of deja-vu, Agent Romanoff.” 

“Natasha,” she said. “That must be a familiar feeling since you’re way older than Steve.” 

“Was that an age joke?” 

Merlin’s lips twitched as he joined her in the cockpit. 

“Just getting you warmed up for when we get Clint back,” she said lightly. “His humor will be much worse and filled with puns.” 

Her hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel as she said it. Merlin chewed his lip momentarily. He wondered if telling her that he knew the Agent briefly would help, but it was so long ago. 

He probably didn’t even remember Merlin. 

Merlin wanted to offer some form of comfort, but he admittedly was a bit out of his depth here. It had been years and years since he had directly dealt with any issue so large and threatening. 

The last thing was possibly that thing with Peggy and the fake Captain America in the sixties when he pretended to be his own younger brother. Even that, however, was a little bit iffy in the grand scheme of things. 

Still even though Natasha probably didn’t need or want it. Merlin wanted to offer some form of comfort to her. 

“We will get him back.” 

She looked at him carefully. 

“You don’t fully believe that,” she said. “But thanks for lying to make me feel better.” 

Merlin paused for a long, long time. He felt every inch of his age in those few moments. 

“The older you get and the more you see then those lies becomes easier to tell yourself.”

Natasha looked at him with eyes far too old for her face. 

“That I can believe,” she said. 

There’s really not much more that someone could say to that. So they sat in a fairly comfortable silence until they had to go pick up the boys in the ruin of a forest to bring Loki back to the base. 

Steve 

Maybe Steve had been a soldier for too long, but he didn’t believe in easy missions anymore. A soldier was used to living under Murphy’s Law constantly because that was the constant that they will always know. 

“Shit’s fucked, Stevie,” Bucky would say as dawn broke through another day in the woods. “You just gotta deal with it best you can and hope you’re not the pile of shit that’s being fucked.” 

No one ever said that Bucky was a poet. Steve still held onto those words as the world felt like it had gone insane in the time that he missed. 

Steve was trying to deal with it, but he was off balance. 

Gods from outer space, the future, magic and mystery…he felt like Buck Rogers or the Shadow instead of a soldier. 

Even with everything out of whack for Steve, something still felt wrong. It felt like a loose tooth that you just noticed and you kept worrying at it with your tongue. It probably was gonna help things, but now that you noticed it…you weren’t going to stop. 

Merlin was right. Loki had another play. 

“You haven’t let Loki see your face,” Steve said at the conference table. He was stripped of his uniform top, wearing the strange “under armor” underneath. 

Merlin, whose eyes were blue, nodded. He watched the video feed of Loki in the Hulk containment unit. His finger tapped at the table.

“Call it a holdover from when I had to deal with magic users on the regular,” Merlin said. “I didn’t like them seeing my face much either.” 

Steve opened his mouth to ask what Merlin meant when the door open. 

“I still want to know about this so-called magic that you use,” Mr. Stark said. 

He paused when he saw Merlin’s bare face. 

“Do I know you?” 

“I worked for your father before his death as Marlin Emmett. I was his PA and left after he passed,” Merlin said simply. “I also knew him during the War as Agent Martin Emmett.” 

“The male assistant,” Tony murmured as he squinted as Merlin. 

“I’m glad that was my legacy with the Stark family,” Merlin replied dryly. 

“This isn’t over,” Tony said as he moved to stand by Doctor Banner, who had entered. 

“I wasn’t aware that something had begun.” 

“If we can get back to the topic at hand, gentlemen,” broke in Fury who was flanked by the large blonde (who was Thor: God of Thunder because this day couldn’t get any weirder). 

“Which is Loki.” 

“Loki is of Asgard,” Thor said in a deep rumble voice. “I was tasked to bring him back to meet the justice of our people.” 

“Not until we’re through with him first,” Fury said. “I want our people back and the Tessarect.” 

Thor tensed slightly, clearly he was not used to being told no. 

“Loki is my brother.” 

“He killed eighty people in two days,” pointed out Agent Romanoff. 

Thor paused for a moment. 

“He’s also adopted.” 

Oh God. 

They were dealing with a supervillain with Daddy issues. He’s only been awake for a few weeks, but even Steve knew that was kind of a major cliché. 

“So what’s his play, Thor?” 

“Loki seeks power. Apparently, he has found something to give it to him. He’s a powerful mage, but to control so many people…” 

“It requires something to settle the spell,” Merlin said quietly. “He needed to tie it to an object. Oh no.” 

He stood suddenly. 

“Merlin?” 

“Doctor Banner, Mister Stark! I need your help,” Merlin said excitedly. “I think I know where the spell is tied that made all those people into Loki’s flying monkeys.” 

“Monkeys?” asked Thor in confusion as the three left. 

“Oh!” said Steve feeling inordinately pleased given the dire circumstances. “I understood that reference.” 

Bruce

Bruce wasn’t sure this was a very good idea. 

“I don’t think this is a very good idea,” he said to Merlin. 

Merlin was back in his jeans and sweater combo rather than his hero clothes. He stood over Loki’s staff with a considering expression on his face. 

In the doorway, a small group loomed that included Director Fury, Agent Romanoff, the Captain, and Thor. 

“Do you have a better idea?” Merlin asked. 

“Not really.” 

“You haven’t given us time to come up with a better idea,” Tony said from his perch. 

“Then trust that I know what I’m talking about.” 

“I don’t know you well enough to trust you. Crazy story and all.” 

“He’s an expert in his field, Mr. Stark.” 

“Which doesn’t exist!” 

“Look,” Agent Romanoff started. “We can get into the debate about whether or not magic is real another day. Just hear him out.” 

“Says the spy.” 

“Merlin,” the Director cut in. “What are you going to do?” 

“Mind control is a tricky thing to do especially when factoring in distance and time. For the most part, you need an anchor and something to boost it with.” 

Merlin chanced a look at Loki’s staff. 

“This staff can do more than give Bruce and Tony a read on where your Tessarect is. It’s also probably where Loki had weaved the mind control spell in. If I can connect with the spell, then maybe I could break the hold on a person over it.” 

“Why not all of them?” 

“Unweaving would take a lot of time and effort that we don’t have right now. If I could pick one person, then it would be easier to unravel it. And I know who to pick.” 

“You do? How do you pick one person?” asked Bruce. 

Merlin paused for a few moments before saying. 

“Personal connections make it stronger.” 

Fury narrowed his eye. 

“And you have a personal connection with someone who was taken?” 

Merlin turned to face them all, looking a bit shame-faced but determined. 

“I knew Agent Barton briefly when he was a boy. I performed as a magician in Carson’s for a summer. It took me a bit to place him because, obviously, I remember him as a skinny young lad.” 

“You never shared it,” accused Agent Romanoff. 

“I wasn’t sure if we could do anything with the information.” 

“That’s three of the Avengers that you have some kind of connection with, Merlin.” 

Merlin smiled brittlely. 

“That’s Destiny, Director Fury. I met the Knights of the Round Table in a similar fashion. Of course, I didn’t realize at the time. You never do when you re in the middle of such things, sir. Now we can stand her talking or I can try to free Agent Barton.” 

“And what if it gets a hold of you?” 

“Then I trust you all to take me out. I’m powerful, but not that powerful." 

Bruce swallowed and thought of the Other Guy, wondering if it was silly on Merlin’s part. Sometimes there are things in this world that cannot be stopped. 

“I can’t believe you’re considering this,” said Tony. “Magic isn’t real. Just science that isn’t explained yet.” 

“Stark.” 

“I can’t believe you’re going to let him do this.” 

“Oh we’re not letting him.” 

Merlin rolled his eyes. 

“You don’t have a choice.” 

Before anyone could do anything, his eyes turned gold and he grabbed the scepter. And he was surrounded by a golden light. 

Avalon  

Morgana and Freya immediately looked up from their places underneath the Great Tree of Avalon. 

Morgana glanced from underneath her curtain of hair at Freya. 

“Did you feel that?” 

Freya rose from her seated position, a deep-seated concern marred her features. 

“Merlin…” 

Merlin 

Merlin gasped to consciousness. 

He had to blink his eyes several times to readjust to his new surroundings. He floated, surrounded by swirling galaxies and twinkling starlight. 

As he stood in this space, Merlin had to wonder if he had acted impulsively without regard to what will happen now. Maybe he had, but something in him said he had to do this. 

He hated gut feelings, yet he was driven by them. 

Before him, several people dotted the surroundings with a golden-blue light surrounding their heads. Merlin shuts his eyes intent on finding Agent Barton to break the control. 

Emrys…

Merlin turned suddenly as a form of golden light stood before him. To assign the light gender, to assign the light anything would have taken away from it. It was vast and incomprehensible and chilling and warm. 

“Who are you?” 

I am the Mind Stone. And I have called you here.  

“Why?” 

There are things that you must know.  

“What things?”

Important and terrible things, child of the Old Religion.  

Without warning, the Mind Gem reached out to Merlin. 

Thor  

The warlock was still as a statue, and had been for quite a long time. His golden eyes were opened, but the rest of him was perfectly still. Any moves to close his eyes for a more peaceful rest, as one nurse attempted, was met with a rather nasty shock. 

So they put him in the bed and left Thor to watch over him as the various warriors of Midgard went their separate ways. 

It was decided that should the warlock, Merlin, change in some way that Thor would be the one to bring him down. 

‘Twas a better task than watching what had become of his brother. 

What Thor, in his arrogance and bloodlust, had let his brother become. 

Already, Thor could see fractures in this group that was brought together. They had no warrior’s bonds, no loyalties to each other. They were on the cusp of breaking as Thor needed to be broken for him to be rebuilt. 

Perhaps, they needed to be broken as well. 

Secrets were being kept from them. This idea of Phase II, old hurts and resentments that Thor did not know how to read. A King was supposed to know how to mend things yet Thor felt inexperienced and clumsy. 

This was a reminder that he was not ready to rule. 

Thor was jarred from his musings by the sound of the Helicarrier being attacked. The vibrations surprised Thor enough to knock him from his chair. In the distance, Thor could hear the inhuman roar of the other that dwelled inside Doctor Banner. 

He paused for a moment, spared a glance at the still warlock. 

“I hope you journey back to us, Warlock Merlin.” 

Thor grabbed his hammer and went to do battle. Loki had set a trap. Though they were aware of something, they still played into his clever hands beautifully. 

As the door closed behind Thor and the Helicarrier become chaotic with the sounds of battle, Merlin became engulfed in light that seemed to seep through every orifice of his body. His eyes became completely engulfed with gold and his mouth opened in a scream that no one on Earth could possibly hear. 

Avalon 

The Great Tree of Avalon ruffled in the great gust of wind. Morgana and Freya tried to figure out what was going on, trying to figure out how to help in some way. 

An echo of a scream drifted through a particularly strong gust, shaking a few leaves loose. 

Nestled underneath the roots of the tree of Avalon, a long slumbering figure snapped awake. 

Arthur gasped. 

“Merlin.” 

Merlin  

The Mind Stone’s light invaded every inch of Merlin’s form. He could feel it in his blood, in his nerves, in every molecule of his being. 

In that moment, he saw. 

Not what Loki wanted him to see, but what the Mind Stone needed him to see. The sentient force sent every part of him aflame and showed him things. 

If Merlin was a lesser man, not born of magic and rage and thousands of deaths screaming out for justice, then he would have died. 

Merlin, however, was and was not a man. He was a being of the old religion, a vessel for the magic once so accessible to his world. He stood in between these two sides: mortal and immortal, real and magic. 

So, as consequence to this, he saw what the Mind Stone wished for him to see and did not go mad from it. He did not succumb to this as many would have with broken and fractured minds. 

He saw. 

Though it is hard to say if he understood. 

He saw Earth subjugated under Loki’s rule. The smell of burnt flesh and the quiet subservience of the people to this god. The bright blue eyes as his rule stretched and wills bent underneath the might of the Mind Stone. Merlin saw the cruel tyranny and the attempts of rebellion squashed until He came from the stone that He gifted Loki. Stark Tower stood as a hellish castle in this landscape. The strange alien creatures would own the skies and work humanity to the bone and it would be so very grim. Arthur would barely rub the sleep from his eyes before he is slain. 

Merlin saw bloody fights as hero fought hero in a brutal Civil War. Steve’s body strewn out on the street with neat bullet in his head. Heroes who disagreed chained and hidden in the Raft. Merlin himself hidden in a way that he hadn’t been since Camelot. 

Merlin saw Thanos, who courts Death as one would a lover. The Earth would be his final gift to Death as he dawned the Infinity Gauntlet and give all to his one love. 

Merlin saw all of these horrible and terrible things. These things that cannot happen now that he knows with the Mind Stone flowing through him. 

He saw a billion things: billion lives and billion possibilities. He saw and he knew these things. These terrible and wonderful things. 

He screamed and screamed until the Stone left him. All that he saw and knew faded because that knowledge would overwhelm him without constant contact to the Mind Stone. 

Still, Merlin retained enough to understand the message. 

Bad things will come in they do not stand united. 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

The Celestials who created me and my siblings were a fearsome race that died out from their own loneliness. Most of siblings do not care, but I know that there needs to be life in order for many things to thrive. Emrys, one of mortality and immortality, I show you this as a warning. Your King will rise soon. First, however, they must be ready to fight. 

Merlin nodded. 

“I understand.” 

Then I release you.  

“But…what about Agent Barton? He is who I came for.”

If a beam of light could look amused, then the Mind Stone would definitely have that expression on its face, or its general face area.  

The Widow has disrupted the connection, Emrys. Be well and be wary. He comes for us.  

With that, Merlin was ripped from the Mind Stone and the place that they had been talking. 

In the real world, as the medical staff ran around triaging their patients, Merlin returned to consciousness. 

Arthur  

The Once and Future King opened his eyes. 

That, in and of itself, was definitely a momentous kind of thing. It did also, however, meant that sooner or later bad things were coming.

Albion’s Darkest Hour doesn’t exactly sound like the kind of place to take the kids for the weekend. 

Still the Once and Future King opened his eyes under the roots of the Great Tree of Avalon. His wounds were healed. His heart was beating. He felt oddly refreshed, which was an unexpected surprise because Arthur was pretty sure that he remembered dying. 

He also remembered that Merlin was a sorcerer. 

Death and magic, it had definitely been one very long strange day. 

Arthur rubbed the sleep from his eyes and glanced around the area he slept in. It had been drilled into him from a young age that he should be wary of waking up in strange and unexpected places. 

Yet in the nest of these roots, Arthur could not find it in him to be afraid. The instincts trained into him since he first picked up the sword spoke of no danger. 

It was peaceful here.

Briefly, he wondered if Merlin’s magic had sent him here. 

It was at that thought that Arthur’s head snapped up. 

Merlin! 

Where was he? 

“Merlin?” called Arthur as he stood shakily. 

A figure turned around the corner and gasped. It was a lovely woman with pale skin and ink hair. Her liquid dark eyes were wide and a slim, pale had as pressed to her mouth. 

“Arthur?” 

“Freya? What did you say?”

And that voice sounded much more familiar. The new person looked familiar, but did not seem to stick out particularly with her plain grey dress. 

In fact, it was the plainest clothes Arthur had ever seen her in. 

“Morgana,” Arthur hissed. He grabbed Excalibur. 

Morgana’s eyes widened and she stepped back. 

“Arthur.” 

Arthur stood tensed and ready for attack. He waited for Morgana to make a move. 

Moments passed, she just stood perfectly still. Arthur studied her face. 

Morgana didn’t look as consumed by madness and darkness as she once did. Dare he say that she looked sane more than anything else. She looked more like the sister that he had grown-up with. A woman that he loved very much. 

Even more important to that, Morgana looked more at peace than Arthur has ever seen her in his whole life. Realizing that prodded at an old familiar ache, it was a reminder that he should have done more. He should have been better for his family. 

Slowly, he sheathed Excalibur. 

He looked at Morgana, reminding her of the little boy he once was 

“I’ve been asleep for a very long time, haven’t I?” Arthur asked. 

“Oh Arthur,” Morgana said. “You really have. Freya?” 

Arthur turned to the other woman who smiled at him kindly. 

“The Once and Future King,” she said almost oddly formal, “your Destiny is fast encroaching. Merlin is paving the way for your return. Before you return to the land of the living, however, there are some things you need to know first.” 

Arthur closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

Well then. 

“Tell me what I need to know, Freya.” 

Freya looked up from the fringe of her hair and nodded. 

Merlin  

There was really no time to think much about what the Mind Stone had told him. In fact, Merlin had to rather shove it aside as the chaos around him pierced through his consciousness. 

In an instant, he was up from his bed. A nurse, who was walking past with a person in a wheelchair, startled before hurrying to claim the free bed. 

“What happened?” 

“Ship was attacked. It’s stopped know, but that’s all I know,” she summarized. Merlin definitely had to appreciate the kind of organization Fury ran. Everyone at least seemed to know how to keep a cool head under tense circumstances. 

Merlin took a deep breath. 

“Take me to the most seriously wounded.” 

“The surgeons are working…” 

The doors opened and a pair of EMT’s came running in with the man that Merlin had met in the park a few weeks ago. 

It was the one with the mint condition Captain America cards. 

“Agent Coulson has been stabbed through and through by Loki’s staff!” called out one. 

“He’s lost a lot of blood.” 

Merlin was immediately by Coulson’s side. The man was breathing shallowly. The fact that he was breathing at all seemed to a miracle in and of itself. 

Now Merlin wasn’t as good at reading Destiny’s as Kilgharrah. The old dragon truly had a talent for most forms of Second Sight that Merlin just could never really match. That being said, Merlin has learned a few tricks over the years. Mainly that usually his gut feelings were tied into people’s Destinies. 

His gut was telling him that Phil Coulson still had some work to do. He may not be meant to be with the Avengers, but he was not meant to die quite yet. 

Without thinking of it, he held out his hands. 

“Hey! What are you doing?!” 

“Making your job easier,” answered Merlin. 

Healing magic still wasn’t and never will be Merlin’s specialty. Even with that limitation, he does know how to bring people back from the brink. 

Destiny, after all, can help a fair bit with such matters when it is needed. 

Merlin closed his eyes and reached out to his magic. He could feel it, the almost endless and vast power that he possessed. His eyes flashed gold and his magic seeped into Agent Coulson. It was a delicate process because he didn’t want to overwhelm the poor man with his power. 

“I can’t heal everything,” Merlin said through gritted teeth. “I can get him stable though. So get ready to do your thing in three, two, one…” 

He pulled back and staggered to the wall. The group of shocked doctors and nurses swarmed forward. Merlin rest his head against the wall and took a deep breath. 

“Are there more?” 

“Most of them are in surgery,” an agent informed him. “Agent Coulson was the last of the most serious injuries. The rest are minor or…” 

She swallowed. Merlin didn’t press. 

“Thank you, Agent. Do you know where the other Avengers are?” 

She breathed in through her teeth for a moment. 

“I know that Agent Romanoff took Agent Barton to a nearby private room.” 

“I’ll go there first then. Thank you.” 

Merlin ducked out of the doors and went down the hall. 

Loki  

Loki stood on the largest balcony of Stark Tower and looked out across New York City. Soon, it will be home to the start of his glorious kingdom. He will be worshipped as he should have always been. 

The mortals of Midgard will bow to him 

Loki smirked as he tightened the grip on his staff. 

“Are we almost ready, Professor?” he asked. 

Selvig (and how he relished using his brother’s friend for this task) nodded. 

“It will be up and running very soon.” 

Loki smirked and looked out at the clear, cloudless sky. 

It was a beautiful day to become Midgard’s ruler. With the Chitauri’s help and Thanos’ promise, Loki will have everything he always wanted. 

With his brother and the broken heroes of Midgard scattered to the winds, there was nothing stopping him. The magic user from earlier had not even shown up to fight him. 

Pity. Loki was looking forward to persuading him to his line of thinking. 

Well, perhaps they will see each other soon. Then the mage could be made to see his way and rule was for the best. 

Clint Barton 

In the hallowed halls of crap days, the past three had taken the cake for Clinton Francis Barton. God knows how many of his fellow coworkers he killed. He was forcibly brainwashed by an alien god. It was like he was held hostage in his own body. 

He swallowed back the involuntary bile. Right now, he was prepared to push back those thoughts until a SHIELD shrink dragged it out of him kicking and screaming. 

Natasha watched him. 

He knew that she better than anyone else in the world would understand what was going on. 

“Nat. How many-“ 

“Don’t,” she insisted quietly. “It won’t help bring them back.” 

Clint sighed and ran his hand through his hair. 

“Well thanks for the hit on the head.”

“I’m glad that I was able to help. Merlin was trying to break the hold on you-“

“Like the wizard?” 

“Warlock actually,” said a familiar voice. 

Clint’s head snapped around. There before him like right out of the rare golden memories of childhood stood the Astounding Marlin. 

“Marlin?” he asked. Could this day be any more bizarre? 

Marlin (Merlin?) smiled at him warmly. 

“I’m glad to see you’re not brainwashed anymore, Clint.” 

“How-what?” 

“He’s the warlock, Merlin. Immortal, fifteen hundred years old, magic.” 

“So he’s real?” 

“Quite.” Merlin said, looking slightly bemused. 

“Okay then,” Clint said. He scrubbed his hand across his face. It looked like it was going to be one of those weeks, huh. 

“So were you able to break the magic or did me hitting him hard on the head work?” 

Mar-Merlin blinked, but answered simply. 

“The hit on the head. Apparently some ancient rock needed to talk with me.” 

Sure. Ancient rocks need to talk with apparently immortal magicians because this is where his life going. Clint really hope that he wasn’t having a breakdown. It would mean extra therapy and that was something he did not want at all. 

Natasha looked barely phased at that answer. Clint wished he had her composure sometimes. 

“Did it tell you anything useful?” 

Merlin sighed and ruffled his hair. 

“Just that if we don’t stop Loki then we’re all doomed. I think we pretty much knew to expect that bit.” 

Yeah. Clint could tell him that. 

“It is safe to say that we did. What about what we don’t know?” asked Natasha. 

Merlin nodded. 

“I do know where he is: Stark Tower.” 

That was when Captain America himself appeared in the doorway. Clint tried really hard not to feel like a tool when a voice in the back of his head was saying that Captain America wouldn’t have been brainwashed like that. 

This day really sucked.

“That’s what Tony and I realized as well. Loki would like the symbolism of it all.” 

“Any word on Banner and Thor?” asked Natasha. 

“They’re still in the wind. Hopefully, they’ll figure out where to find us.” Steve said, but he didn’t sound too hopeful about it. 

Merlin brightened slightly at that. 

“Oh I can do that.” 

“You can?”

“I’m magic. Of course I can. Think of it like ringing the dinner bell, but a very specific one. They’ll both know where to go. It’s more like giving their instincts a nudge in the right direction than anything else.”

Merlin paused. He took in the confused faces around him, and grinned sheepishly. 

“That didn’t make the amount of sense I was hoping it would.” 

“Does it make sense to you?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then do it. We need to figure out how to get there.” 

“We’ll need a Quinjet. It’s the fastest thing we have,” Natasha said. 

“Can you fly it?” 

Clint finally spoke up at that. 

“I can. I have some business that I wanna take care of with Loki after all.” 

He saw the Captain spare a quick glance to Natasha, who nodded. The bright blue eyes of the great American hero focused on Clint after that. 

“Alright then. Suit up. We’ve got a city to save.” 

Merlin sighed. 

“I’ll go get my cloak.” 

Arthur  

Arthur had been awake for only a short time, and he was already wishing that he was still asleep. Because the headache that forming underneath a particular spot on his left temple was definitely going to hurt a lot. 

He called it the Merlin spot. His manservant, whether unintentionally or not, usually helped form headaches there. 

Right now, it was by proxy. 

Arthur took a deep breath and repeated what Freya, the Lady of the Lake of Avalon, told him. Perhaps hearing it out loud again would make sense. 

“So you’re telling me that men from the sky under the command of a god are going to try to take over the world and I can’t help?” 

Nope. 

It still wasn’t making any amount of sense to Arthur at all. 

God fifteen hundred years (and that was another headache that Arthur was putting off until later) and Merlin was still the source of the majority of his headaches. 

He’s not really that surprised. 

“This is something that Merlin must do with these people, Arthur. Just as you had a bond with the Knights of the Round Table forged through battle, Merlin must forge his own with the Avengers.” Freya said. 

“He has become a good fighter in his own right,” Morgana answered quietly. She was preparing some sort of visual aid so that they could watch what happens. 

She paused in her work and looked at him. Her eyes full of an unnerving clarity Arthur hadn’t seen in years. 

“He needs to set the stage for your return, Arthur. He failed once in bringing magic back to the land. This time, he cannot fail. Neither of you can. Besides we send you out to fight in this now and you will get run over by a car or shot.” 

Arthur hated agreeing when Morgana made sense as a boy. Even with her sanity back, he found that he didn’t like it much either. 

Mainly, he didn’t like the idea of Merlin fighting alone. Although, he has apparently been doing it for the past fifteen hundred years without much trouble. 

Arthur found he hated the idea that Merlin had spent all that vast amount of time alone. Feeling helpless was something that Arthur did not like or was really used to feeling. Right now, it was the prevailing feeling as he was swept into the moment. 

“Isn’t there anything I could do?” he asked after a few moments. 

Freya considered him for a moment. She shared a glance with Morgana who raised an eyebrow and nodded. 

“There is one thing that may help,” Freya said. “But I don’t know how much you would like it.” 

“Will it keep that idiot alive?” 

“It definitely couldn’t hurt.” 

“Then name it.” 

Freya considered him for a moment. She seemed to be squaring herself up like she was expecting him to say no. 

Arthur was expecting something horrible because most of the magic he had witnessed had been of sacrifice and blood and flesh. If it would help keep Merlin and the world safe so he could see him and smack him round the head, then Arthur would have agreed to it. 

Instead, what Freya said was: 

“I’m going to need to borrow your sword.” 

Merlin 

Merlin stood in the small bathroom of the Quinjet. The small plane was barreling toward New York. Steve, Natasha, and Clint were figuring out tactics or some semblance of a plan. 

Of course, in battle, the plan was usually the first thing that went out of the window. Merlin knew that lesson well from the wars he had fought in over the centuries. 

Right now, he was preparing to send out the spell to nudge Bruce and Thor into the where the Avengers were heading. Hopefully, they would come. Merlin refused to compel them. He hated the idea of taking away people’s choices. 

He took a deep breath. Their auras were rather unique: glowing like bright and odd beacons as he sent out the magic to them. 

His eyes flashed gold as he sent out the message, the vibration, the ring of the bell. 

Whatever you want to call it. 

The two would know to go to New York, but it was up to them whether or not they wanted to go there. 

Merlin turned on the water and splashed his face with it. He felt exhausted and wired, like he hadn’t slept in days. There was a thrum of something in the air, but he didn’t know what it was. 

That was when he noticed the sink was feeling up with water. He tried to turn off the water, but he kept running. 

Merlin didn’t know much about the fancier types of planes, but he was pretty sure they weren’t supposed to do that. 

When the basin was almost full, the water turned off. 

That was when Merlin realized that it was Freya trying to talk with him. He carefully peered into the water and caught a glimpse of her face.

She smiled, a slash of red across the paleness of her cheeks. 

“Freya? What’s wrong?” 

She smiled again, making a motion for him to step back. 

Merlin quickly stepped back. 

From the bathroom sink on the Quinjet on the way to battle Loki and an alien army, the Lady of the Lake gave Merlin Excalibur. 

(Later, Merlin would laugh over the ridiculousness of the image. But in that moment it was very impressive and awe-inspiring. Promise.)

Chapter Text

Steve

Steve Rogers has had a lot of long days in his life. The war itself was a series of very long days. Being near death in his childhood often enough were long days. Bucky dying was the longest day with waking up seventy years in the future counted for another one. 

Steve was used to long days. 

He wasn’t sure about saving the world (again). 

Maybe after this he could take a vacation somewhere tropical like in the pictures with white sand beaches and a drink with an umbrella in it. The kind of places that a poor kid in Brooklyn would always dream of, but could never go. 

It probably wouldn’t happen, but damn if it wasn’t a nice kind of dream. 

Of course of the series of long days, or even long and strange days, that had comprised Steve Rogers twenty-some years on this Earth; this was quickly becoming the longest and the strangest. 

It only seemed to get stranger when Merlin excited the Quinjet bathroom carrying the sword. 

Steve was pretty sure that Merlin did not have a sword on him when he entered the bathroom. In fact, he was very certain that Merlin did not have it. 

Merlin saw Steve’s look and glanced down at the sword. 

“Well I needed something other than magic and my winning personality.”

“But where did you…?” 

Merlin shrugged at that. Honestly, he looked a bit thrown and bewildered as well. It really wasn’t a look Steve wanted to see on the face of his teammate before he goes to battle in the streets of New York. 

“The bathroom sink.” 

“Oh.” 

Because, really, what could you even say to that? 

“It’s Excalibur,” Merlin explained. “The Lady of the Lake sent it to me. It can kill anything. I don’t what it means that I have it, but yeah. I have it.” 

Well okay then.

Mystical, mythical swords exist. Steve should not be so surprised by this. In fact, Steve should just stop being surprised in what the future holds for him. He bet Buck Rogers didn’t have these problems. 

And how sad was it that Steve was comparing his life to a fictional character? Probably not very, but it’s been a day. 

Steve really wanted that nice and sunny beach somewhere. 

“We’ll take what we can get. Can you use it?” 

The pause Merlin took did fill Steve with a lot of confidence. 

“Well enough. It’s been a few centuries, but I assume it’s like riding a bike.” Merlin said, a touch defensively. “In fact, it’s a lot like riding a bike. I mean bikes right! We all ride them.” 

“Just aim the pointy-end at the bad guys.” 

“That I can definitely do. I trounced an immortal skeleton army with this sword. We’ll be fine, Steve.” 

Steve could honestly hope that Merlin was right. 

They just kept flying closer and closer to New York. He tried to ignore the twist in his gut about what they will fight. 

Merlin 

Excalibur was heavy against his back. Merlin was trying not to freak out over what this means. Only Arthur could relinquish Excalibur, give his permission for someone to use this…

Merlin sighed. Right now, there were bigger things on his mind. If Arthur was awake, then he couldn’t come right now. It wasn’t time yet. So Excalibur was meant to be there to help where the Once and Future King couldn’t.

Now all Merlin had to do was make sure there was a world left standing for Arthur to return. 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His hood was hiding his face again, kept in place by a spell.

With his magic, he was able to force the blown plane down gently. Loki’s blast on the rooftop had caught them by surprise, but Merlin was nothing if not god at responding. 

The plane landed gently onto the vacant street below with only a couple of added cracks in the concrete. The people that had once crowded the sunny New York street were running to seek refuge from the chaos of the battle. Merlin definitely sent a gentle shock to lead them to safer ground or underground. The subways were probably the safest spot at the moment. 

Without wasting a moment, the group disembarked the plane.

“Stark’s going to be coming,” Natasha said as she prepared her guns. “We’re going to need to get up there again.” 

“Possibly one of those fliers,” Steve murmured. His mind already whirring with the strategic possibilities.

Steve pulled up his cowl and prepared his shield. Clint had an arrow ready to go.

“I just wish he waited for us,” Clint said. “We could have ended this nice and quick with an arrow in Loki’s eye.”

“Stark needed a good look at the device they built,” Merlin remarked as he flexed his hands. Golden light seemed to almost ignite around them as his eyes burned the same color of gold underneath his hood. 

“Didn’t look like it did a lot of good,” Natasha said as she took in the chaos of people running and the aliens flying above them. 

“No. Not really. We’re going to need the staff to break through it,” Merlin sighed. “I can feel the energy from here. It’s going to need like energy to break it.”

Above them, they could see a bright light cutting through the sky. A swirling portal was opened and aliens poured out of it. Merlin was uncomfortably reminded of the Dorocha.

Thor landed, “Loki will not stop this madness. So we must stop it for him.” 

“We’re going to need the staff.” 

“He took it with him. He is amongst the Chitauri.” 

“Just let me get a good shot at him,” said Clint darkly. “We’ll get it back.” 

Okay so those creepy alien things have a name, which is very good to know. 

He could only hope to keep the death toll minimum with the help of the team. 

“Well this looks horrible,” Bruce commented wryly behind them. He was getting off some kind of motorbike. 

Merlin was very glad to see him. He could hear the roar of his other half, like it was ready to burst out of Bruce’s skin any moment. 

“I’m bringing the party to you,” Tony’s voice fizzed to life. As one, they group looked up at the sky. 

What followed him definitely did not look like a party. It looked like the bizarre, space whale that had flew over them a while ago. Merlin had to admit out of all of the things he had seen and experienced, this was the ugliest. 

“Doctor Banner?” Steve asked with a polite tone. “Now would be a really good time to get angry.”

Bruce walked forward easily enough. There was a sad sort of smile around his face and Merlin could hear it. He could hear this animalistic wild roar growing louder and louder.

Let me free. Let me free. Let me free.

Merlin wondered if Banner could hear it. 

“That’s my secret, Captain,” Bruce said with that sad sort of voice. “I’m always angry.” 

To punctuate that, Bruce spun around and grew. His skin became green and his muscles expanded and by some form of magic not Merlin’s own, his pants remained in tatters. 

Then the Other Guy punched the space whale in the face, and Merlin had to admit that it was definitely one of the top five coolest things he has ever seen in his long, long life. 

Moon Landing was number one by a mile still. Nothing could really beat or destroy the wonder he felt in the moment. 

Even with an army from outer space barreling down on him and the others to kill them all.

“Do you think the Other Guy can get all those giant things?” murmured Steve. 

Merlin knew exactly who he needed to call.

“I know two friends who can help. Remember my uh pet lizards?” 

Steve sighed. 

“They aren’t lizards, are they?” 

“Not quite,” Merlin admitted sheepishly. 

“Call them.” 

Merlin closed his eyes and threw back his head to the sky. He searched deeply within him for that different power. It was the feeling of dragon fire and endless flight and the expanse of sky stretching before.

He really hoped that they would at least not destroy his brownstone when answering his call and shedding the shrinking spell kept on them.

Merlin roared for his brother and his sister. Those who are soul-bonded to his heart will know answer his call. 

He roared. It pierced the sky and people around shivered. 

In a brownstone in Brooklyn, the dragons roared back in answer. 

The battle has begun. 

Steve  

It seemed eerily silent when Merlin finished his bizarre roar to the sky for a few moments. Like even the Chitauri were silenced by that inhuman roar, perhaps they were. 

And then, suddenly, they were right in the thick of battle yet again. Everyone was surrounding him, preparing for the fight. 

“ETA Merlin?” 

“They’ll be here in a half a mo’. Promise,” said the sorcerer as he threw two bolts of magical energy at the Chitauri. It vaporized them on contact. 

Natasha took two out with headshots, “Impressive.”

“I try to please, Widow.” 

“We need to try to keep this contain,” Steve said as he considered the chaos. “Hawkeye. You need to get to higher ground. Know a good vantage point?”

“Yeah,” Clint agreed. “Gonna need a lift though.” 

Tony’s synthesized voice cut in, “I got it. Clench up, Legolas.” 

With that, Clint was rocketed into the sky in Tony’s sure grasp. Steve tracked them with his eyes to see which building Clint would position himself near. Unsurprisingly it was one with a good sightline to Stark Tower, which Loki would undoubtedly be flying around. 

As the leader, he would keep closer to the base of power than anyone else. Now they just needed someone inside to fight him. They’ll have to fight in, but they will get him. They had to because there was just too much to lose for them not to. 

Steve began issuing orders to the rest of the team. 

“Widow, Emrys, you both stay on the ground with me. Thor you take aerial support and try to break the hold on Selvig. And Hulk?” 

The giant green face turned to Steve.

“Smash. And watch out for the-“ 

“Dragons,” Merlin interrupted simply.

“Watch out for the dragons.” If Bucky were here, then he would be having an absolute fit over it all. He had definitely read too many pulp novels back in the day. 

The Hulk nodded with a feral grin on his face. With a roar, he launched himself into the air. A few seconds later, dual roars pierced through the day. If Steve were a gawker, then he would definitely be gawking. 

Dragons.

Those were dragons like right out of a storybook: one was a greenish gold and the other was snow white. They flew through the air delicately as if trying not to cause more damage while also ripping apart whichever Chitauri they can get their hands on. There are even bursts of honest to God dragon fire illuminating the day and making the buildings shine eerily.

The dragons roared and the Hulk seemed to roar in response. He could see Thor’s red cape and the armor of Iron flash in the air while arrows sliced the sky. On the ground, Natasha was garroting a Chitauri who had gotten too close while Merlin was changing the wind currents to make them crash into each other.

For the first time, Steve was feeling very hopeful about their chances to actually survive. More importantly, he was really believing there was a chance that they could win this. Like actually win this in a meaningful way with as minimal casualties as they can. 

“I’ll go talk with the police and try to get perimeters set up.” 

“Sounds good. Ready to go into the breach, Widow?” 

“Always, Emrys.” 

Steve ran to the nearest cop car, fighting the Chitauri along the way. There was something weirdly soothing about putting his shield through their faces. 

Maybe It was the adrenaline. 

Merlin 

Merlin was using every dirty magical trick he had in his arsenal. Most of them were very sneaky due to his years of keeping magic a secret. 

He manipulated air currents so their cruisers would crash into each other. He redirected electricity so it would electrocute them. Flames jumped whenever a Chitauri was near, incinerating them neatly. He didn’t want to do anything with water yet. There wasn’t any free source going on right now.

In addition to that, he was throwing bolts of manifested magical energy. Excalibur was on his back, but acted more as a last resort.

Merlin could feel the Earth under his feet, under the layers of asphalt as it cried out to him. These things did not belong here, and they must be banished from this world.

Which Merlin could definitely get behind.

“Doing good, Emrys?” Natasha asked. She had taken one of the Chitauri’s weapons for her own and was firing at the enemy with deadly accuracy.

Merlin had two more Chitauri crash into each other before firing a bolt of magic at the third one.

“Holding steady, Widow. How’s the ammo holding up?” 

“As much as I’m enjoying my new toy, it’s a bit unwieldy. Got anything that will give me an unlimited bullet supply?” 

“That would require mixing two spells that I don’t know much of,” Merlin answered. “If we live, then I’ll make sure to look it up.” 

“I’ll hold you to it.” 

Suddenly they could hear the song of singing metal as Steve’s shield sliced through the air. Perhaps it was the time Merlin had grown up in, but he could appreciate how neatly the shield could decapitate the Chitauri. 

Steve easily caught it back. His helmet was gone revealing disheveled blonde hair and some grime on his cheek. 

“Sorry. I had to save a family on my way back,” he answered. He sounded barely winded as he threw his shield again. “The police will help us keep it contained or at least try to. Most of the people are headed toward the subways are to the sturdier buildings. Trying to keep the casualties to a minimum.” 

Which is precisely what they all want. Merlin could hear Aithusa’s roar and another of the space whale in the distance. Kilgharrah was positioned above, near the portal’s entrance but not near enough that he could fly into it. He was blowing dragon fire onto most of the Chitauri coming out, leaving the others that could escape him to the Avengers. 

“We still need to get up there,” Merlin said. Excalibur was heavy on his back. 

Natasha watches one of the cruisers pass overhead with a deep furrow of consideration between her brows. 

“I have an idea, but I’m going to need a boost.” 

Steve nodded, “Are you sure?” 

Natasha nodded. 

“It’ll be fun. Besides Merlin will make sure the landing is soft enough.” 

Merlin snorted, “Oh dear Lord Gwaine would love you.” 

Natasha spared him a glance, “He’s the one with the Green Knight, right?” 

Oh that was a very, very, very awkward story. One that Merlin exaggerated when he was particularly hammered and missing Gwaine because mulled wine always made him a bit of a sentimental kind of soul.

Merlin blasted two approaching ground Chitauri while Steve beat the third with his shield. 

“Grossly exaggerated story. I got drunk in a pub once and well...,” Merlin paused and coughed.  “Anyway it was a bar brawl of a feast that we were having. If we live to see another day, then I promise to tell you the story.” 

“I’ll hold you to it,” Natasha promised. 

“Before you go, you should take this.” 

Merlin unstrapped Excalibur and handed it to her. 

“While Loki’s staff may do the trick, it may reject anyone other than Loki who tries to use it or doesn’t have the power I possess. This is Excalibur, and it can get the job done.”

Natasha’s eyes widened briefly, but she nodded. Merlin could tell that she was pragmatic sort and the kind who preferred Plan D to others. 

The Black Widow took Excalibur and strapped it on. 

“I’ll need it back,” Merlin said softly. 

Natasha nodded once. She could tell this wasn’t meant to be with anyone but the King it was created for. She couldn’t explain how she felt, but she did.  

No words were needed because Merlin turned back to the battle. 

“Ready, Steve?” she called. 

Steve turned and nodded, blonde hair flopping into his eyes. 

“Ready.” 

A cruiser came close overhead, Natasha ran and Steve launched her into the air. Merlin directed the wind currents to have her land correctly on the craft. She was garroting the pilot as she flew away. 

“If I was straight,” Merlin mused. “I would be in love with her and terrified of her.” 

Steve snorted, “Let’s save declarations of love for another day.” 

The Chitauri were advancing closer 

“Once more unto the breach, good sir?” 

Steve laughed a little, “You gettin’ sleepy there, Emrys?”

Merlin grinned wolfishly, “Never.” 

Arthur  

If there was a feeling that Arthur hated more than anything else in the world, then it was a feeling of helplessness. As a Prince and then as a King, it was something that he had unfortunately grown familiar with. 

He sat back watching the battle unfold. He followed Merlin and this strange band of fighter in this shining city of metal, glass, and rock. Two dragons flew overhead trying to keep the numbers of enemy combatants low. 

The red-headed woman was in possession of Excalibur now. In the back of his head, Arthur could feel the connection to the sword. (And that was something that he would examine much later when the world wasn’t in danger and he wasn’t helpless to help stop it.) The connection wanted to reject her and to be used at full power with her. 

Arthur gently encouraged the Excalibur to obey her. It would be back with him soon. The power of the blade was needed right now and Arthur was not. He focused on the connection and gently guided it to letting the red-head use her.

Pave the way. Let them see what you could be in the right hands. Let me return to the world to complete my Destiny. 

Excalibur flickered but seemed to agree. 

Arthur watched and waited and worried. Merlin and the blonde man were fighting on the ground fiercely. 

But they were such a small group of people. Like he and his knights when they went against Morgana’s army, they will tire eventually. 

“They’ll be okay, right?” 

“Merlin’s too much of a thorn in everyone’s side to die so easily,” Morgana said with a breezy tone. Once it may have sounded cruel colored by her madness and her loneliness, but now it just sounded like a simple statement of fact. 

Merlin lives. 

“He’ll be fine, Arthur,” Freya said. “He has seen how this ends if he doesn’t turn out fine.” 

It was meant to be comforting, but Arthur had a hard time being comforted. He wanted to be there, watching Merlin’s back and helping him defeat these monsters. 

Even so, even though he fingers were curled so tightly that his nails bit the skin of his palms, he knew that this was something Merlin had to do. 

He spent so long in the shadows that it was time for him to walk in the light. 

He just hopes the blasted idiot could keep himself safe. 

Natasha  

Getting up to the top of Stark Tower took more than a bit of luck and some fancy flying. If SHIELD got their hands on this tech, then Natasha definitely wanted one of these fliers for her very own. 

Loki was down, moaning pathetically in a crater that (Natasha presumed) the Hulk left him in. He wasn’t there anymore, which was a bit of a relief. 

Still though… 

For all of his talk of being a powerful god, he would not have lasted a day in the Red Room. 

The sword was a heavy weight on her back and Selvig needed a good knock to the head to come back to himself. On the ground, she could hear Loki’s staff sing to her and try to draw her in. 

It whispered temptingly in her ear: promises of power, promises of control, promises, promises, promises. 

Such promises are always false in the end. 

So she doesn’t touch the staff, she wants the thing destroyed. Maybe, if Excalibur doesn’t work, then she will use the staff. 

For now, however, she was going to stick with the sword of legend as her weapon. 

Steadying herself, Natasha swung Excalibur at the glowing reactor. 

Love and belief and hope, they were for children. They were things clung to by hands untouched by darkness of the souls of humanity. They were about as real faith, trust, and pixie dust that were played over and over from Disney movies in the Red Room.

“Do it!” Steve’s voice commanded in her ear.

Natasha logical and calculating. Yet in this moment as she brought down a sword of legend onto a beacon from outer space, all she could think was a simple wild thought. If she were the praying type, it would have been a prayer. 

Please let this work. 

And it did just as Tony Stark flew a nuke into the rapidly closing hole. 

Merlin 

Merlin, Steve, and Thor were on the ground. The hole was closing and Tony still wasn’t back yet. 

Steve swallowed thickly.

“Fuck.” 

It was the sound of a battle-weary soldier, who was tired of losing so much. Even though Tony and Steve were like a wildfire, there was still that relationship born of fire and the desperate, stupid desire to live.

Yeah. Merlin was hoping no good men would die today. 

Then he saw it, rapidly falling through the sky. It was red and gold. 

“Wait!” 

“He lives!” 

It was Iron Man. 

Iron Man was falling just as the Chitauri and the space whales began to fall around them, like marionettes with their strings cut. 

Something was wrong.

Tony wasn’t stopping his fall. At all. As if sensing something was wrong, Aithusa and Kilgharrah were rushing to meet Tony. Perhaps to catch his form in their claws because there was no time for them to maneuver under the man.

“Merlin!” called Steve.

Merlin did not need to be told twice to figure out how to catch Tony Stark. The wind sparked under his control when a roar shattered through the still city.

The Hulk jumped through the air and plucked Tony from his downward journey. He leaped from the side of the building and landed before Steve, Thor, and Merlin on the street. 

With surprising gentleness for one so huge, the Hulk rested Tony’s still body on the ground. 

“We need to get the mask off of him,” Merlin called. He frantically tried to remember the last time he went to med school. 

Shit.

It was the 1890’s, wasn’t it? Well he watched a lot of Discovery Health between that and the basics, he should be able to keep Tony Stark alive. 

Maybe.

Probably.

Luckily, Thor had taken care of the mask problem. He ripped off the mask of Stark’s helmet like it was a cheap version bought at a Halloween store.

Merlin immediately was at Stark’s side. He wasn’t breathing. In fact, his face looked pale and too still for the normally mobile man.

Fuck. With the arc reactor, Merlin wasn’t really sure if his normal tricks would be working. 

“He’s not breathing.”

“His heart needs a jolt. Thor’s electricity would definitely short circuit Tony’s arc reactor but maybe if I…”

The Hulk interrupted Merlin’s train of thought with the mightiest roar the warlock had ever heard come out of another living creature. It was impressive. It was mighty.

It was loud.

Apparently, loud enough to wake the dead. Or, at least be the strength of hitting the chest to make a heart start beating.

Whatever way it could be phrased; it was just what Tony Stark needed to not die.

Tony gasped to life and his eyes fluttered open.

“Oh I…”

He stared at the four men gathered around him.

“Please tell me that no one kissed me.”

“You’re not my type, mate,” drawled Merlin. “I prefer them blonder.”

Steve looked like he wished he was surrounded by more professional people. Mostly though, he just looked vastly relieved that they were all still breathing.

“Did we win?” asked Tony, lifting his head a little.

“Yeah,” Steve said with a quiet sort of wonder. “We won.”

“Yaaaaaaay,” Tony cheered weakly as Merlin choked back a laugh. “Hey. Hey. You know what we should do? Or what I haven’t tried? You guys ever had shawarma? ‘Cause I never had it and it seems criminal that it has not passed my lips. You’re like a million years old, Merlin. Have you had it?” 

Dear Lord, Gwaine would be a perfect fit on this team. The thought both warmed and horrified Merlin in ways he hadn’t been in years.

“I’m a millennium and a half, Tony. But yes. I’ve had it.”

“Awesome! Let’s just you know. Take a day. Don’t bother coming in tomorrow. Let’s just relax. Have some shawarma. Maybe some tea. I don’t drink it but Pepper does and…” 

“There is still work to be done,” rumbled Thor. “Before we go and toast our victory.”

“Agreed. We need to bring Loki in,” Steve stood at that.

Tony sighed, “I figured you were going to say that. I don’t think my repulsors would work and fuck knows about my elevators.” 

“Perhaps,” Aithusa said in bemusement, “we could be of some assistance?” 

“Speak for yourself,” grumbled Kilgharrah, “I’m too old to be a dragon masquerading as a pack horse.” 

Tony and Steve stared slack-jawed at Aithusa and Kilgharrah. Thor looked almost reverent. 

“I did not know that any of the Old Ones were left,” he said before bowing his head. “You honor us with your presence.” 

Aithusa preened, “Oh I like him, Merlin.” 

Kilgharrah rolled his eyes.

“Why don’t you give us that respect?” 

“I keep you both fed and in sun lamps. What more do you want?” 

“I gave them belly rubs,” Steve said a bit faintly. 

Merlin snorted, “I didn’t know that!” 

“Oh he has wonderful hands,” Aithusa agreed. She bent down. “I still expect them when I’m at a smaller size again, Steve.” 

“Alright,” Steve agreed as he and Tony scrambled on. 

“I hope you both had the sense to transform outside of the brownstone,” Merlin said. 

Kilgharrah chuckled, “What do you take us for, young warlock?" 

He bent down so Merlin could climb on. 

“What happened to ‘I’m not a pack horse’?” 

“I’m not. But you will always ride me, Dragonlord.” 

Merlin huffed fondly as he climbed on. 

“You’re getting sentimental in your old age, Kilgharrah.” 

“Don’t go spreading it around, young warlock. I have a reputation to maintain.” 

Merlin chuckled, “Well, at least one of us should be a grumpy old man.” 

With that, they flew to Stark Tower to bring Loki in. 

Loki  

The last time Loki’s head ached this much, it was after he fell- 

Thanos. 

He snapped his eyes opened.

There above stood the broken creatures victorious. The Widow was holding a sword, pointed for his throat. Clinton had an arrow pointed at his eye. The Soldier had his shield in front of him. Stark had one of energy devices charged. The beast that put him in the crater howled in background. The Magic Man had his staff surrounded by a glowing, golden light with his burning gaze focused on Loki. Thor had his hammer before him, looking equal parts grim and determined. 

Outside the window, he could see two Old Ones glare balefully through the window. 

If Loki escaped, then he would be decimated within the week. Thanos did not take failure well at all. 

So he gave up. 

He did know what he would like to have before he was taken in though. Turning his gaze onto the Man of Iron, he remembered their conversation from earlier. 

“If the offer is still open, then I think I would like that drink now.”

Merlin

Merlin chewed his shawarma carefully, exhausted in a way he hasn’t been in years and years. All around him, the other members of the Avengers were in varying stages of exhaustion and injuries.

Kilgharrah and Aithusa were possibly back in Brooklyn, shrunken down and feasting on whatever leftovers Merlin had in his fridge.

It could have been worse. They were lucky to keep the damage contained and the causalities minimal, but there were still casualties all the same.

“So is it everything you dreamed it could be?” Steve mumbled at Tony.

“And more,” agreed the billionaire.

Merlin huffed a laugh and yawned. The shop keepers were already cleaning up the place. Merlin planned on joining the relief efforts as soon as he ate his body weight in food and slept for a few hours. 

Next to him was Excalibur, and he could feel the sword call to him. It needed to be brought back. The female clerk was filling up the mop bucket with fresh water. 

“Excuse me?” Merlin called to her. “Could I borrow your bucket of water for a moment?”

She gave him a look, but Merlin pulled down his hood and grinned at her. 

“Please? It’ll only take half a minute. I just need the water to return something.”

To her credit, she was a New Yorker. After today, she just seemed to go with it. It was either living in the city for a long time, or she was pushing back everything for an epic freak out later tonight. 

Either way, Merlin could borrow the bucket of water. 

He could feel the other Avengers stare at him as he knelt before it. 

“Merlin?” 

“I have to return the sword. Give me a second.” 

Carefully, Merlin dipped Excalibur’s tip into the water rippling it. A few moments later, Freya’s face appeared in the bucket.

The two smiled at each other and she reached up her pale arm through the water. 

Merlin could hear a gasp behind him. Carefully, tenderly, he placed the sword in her hand. 

“He has to wait for me for a little bit,” Merlin told the Lady of the Lake. “I need to do some clean-up here. Tell him to be patient. I won’t keep him waiting for long.” 

Her laughter sounded like bells, and slowly Excalibur disappeared through the bucket of water. 

Merlin turned and looked around at the shocked faces. 

“Long story,” Merlin said with a grin. “Now let’s talk about the clean-up, shall we?” 

Four Months Later  

The Battle of New York, as the media called it, had a total of 738 civilian casualties and 97 first responders. 

It could have been a lot worse than it was, but Merlin still felt guilty about those lives lost. He spent a lot of time cleansing the area after to help the dead moved on during those first few weeks.

The Avengers were able to keep the damage contained. Some even made public appearances to help clean things when all was said and done. 

Steve and Merlin were the most widely spotted out of the Avengers. Although Tony did help with fundraising and a benefit to raise money for the relief effort. The other members of the team were just sneakier in helping. 

Merlin still preferred his hood to anything else as he used magic to help out where he can. No one was giving up his identity quite yet, which was good. He was ready to be out as Emrys, but not quite as anything else.

Surprisingly, no one seemed to put the fact that the street magician Emrys was the same as the Avenger. Of course, the Clark Kent theory proves that people aren’t willing to believe that superheroes walk amongst us all. 

Only three days after the battle, they watched Thor and Loki return home. Merlin could tell by looking at the dark-haired god that he was going because he had no other choice. He was too clever and talented by half, and it made Merlin nervous.

He was frightened. He thought of the purple being who courted death that the Mind Stone had showed him. 

Merlin wished he could have taken possession of the staff and the Mind Stone. There were things that needed to be done, and people that also needed to be touch by the power of the Stone. 

Like Merlin, it had a Destiny of its own. Merlin could not interfere with it, even though he really wanted to. 

He was just glad that Tesseract was off the planet. He could take his victories where he could get them.

Dark times were coming, indeed.

Until they arrived, however, Merlin helped where he can. 

Now things were winding down. Construction crews were cluttering Midtown. Most pundits seemed to have calmed down on the arguments of superheroes. Though that one fellow at the Daily Bugle could get into a right rant and look ready to eat his cigar if you bring it up.

Steve was moving out to D.C. for a job with SHIELD. He was the last of them to take up their wandering ways yet again. The threat had been dealt with, and the Avengers could always be recalled again.

“This is a good thing,” Merlin told him. “You need to get on with things.” 

“That’s what people keep telling me. That’s what Peggy tells me.” 

“She’s still sharper than most.” 

Steve smiled a bit sadly, “She is. I can’t thank you enough tho-“

“Stop right there. It was a pleasure to have you, Steve. Although Aithusa is going to miss her belly rubs.” 

Steve huffed a laugh at that. 

“Are you going to stay here?” 

“I’m going to return to England for a bit. I have a nice lake front property. I plan on getting some good old rest and relaxation, but you can always reach me if you need help.” 

Steve grinned at him. 

“And if I don’t?”

“Well we’re both old men, Steve. I’m not one to turn down a friend.”

“Neither am I.”

Merlin hugged the other man at that.

“Take care of yourself, Steve. Understand?” 

Steve hugged back. 

“Only if you do the same, Merlin.” 

The two pulled back and grinned at each other. 

“If you two fossils are done,” drawled Natasha from the van, “then Steve and I need to get going.” 

Merlin rolled his eyes. 

“Lovely to see you as well, Nat.”

She grinned at Merlin with entirely too much teeth. Steve shook his head before bounding down the stairs.

“Bye Merlin.”

“Bye Steve. Take good care of Nat. I put way too much time in training him.”

She grinned wolfishly.

“I’m not going to undo all of your hard work.” 

Steve rolled his eyes. 

“I’m not a dog.”

“Of course not, Steve. You just have the puppy dog eyes of one,” placated Natasha as she got in the van. 

Merlin shook his head and watched them drive out of sight.

The Lake Of Avalon

Merlin arrived at the hidden space of the Lake of Avalon with little fanfare. Kilgharrah and Aithusa were placed in their ostentatiously large terrarium that Merlin kept at the nice, well-kept, modern lake house. 

Carefully, Merlin walked toward shoreline of the Lake of Avalon.

Smiling, he released his magic and felt the magic of the lake well up to meet him.

“If you think that I’m dragging your fat ass out of the lake again, then you have another thing coming.” 

Merlin paused for a moment.

“Clotpole.”

A figure slowly emerged from the lake, breaking the surface yet remaining completely dry.

“Honestly Merlin, fifteen hundred years and you haven’t gotten any new insults yet?” 

Merlin beamed at the figure walking toward him.

“Why mess with the classics?” 

A smile twitched at the lips of Arthur Pendragon. 

“It’s good to see you.”

Merlin beamed back. 

“It’s good to see you too.”

Just for a moment, for one shining and brief moment, all seemed right in the world.

Chapter Text

The Other walked carefully toward his Master.

“The Asgardian has failed us. He is as weak as they come and we lost both Infinity Stones to Terra.” 

His Master did not seem angry or overly surprised. 

“It is all going to plan.” 

“They say that Terra is no longer as defenseless as it seems,” the Other stated demurely, “There are forces protecting it. They destroyed the Chitauri."

The Other paused.

The Master moved his hand for the Other to continue.

"They say to court them would be to court Death itself.”

His Master chuckled: a deep and reverberating sound. The grin on his face was wild and feral. 

“Then let them court her for me,” he whispered.