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| - KILGHARRAH: In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man. His name: Merlin. MORGANA: What a pleasure it is to see you again, Ari. [Ari pushes his hood back. There is a druid symbol on his neck.] ARI: The honour is all mine, my lady. MORGANA: Your arrival has been keenly anticipated, I can assure you. [Glances at Mordred.] I have boasted of your powers. Though not all believe. ARI: People may believe as they wish. MORGANA: Oh, well perhaps some small proof of your talents is an order. After all, seeing is believing. Is it not? ARI: I'm not an entertainer my lady. MORGANA: Of course not. Think of it as more as a demonstration. Extinguish those flames. ARI: My lady, I must protest. MORGANA: Indulge me. ARI: Forp fleoge! [The fires go out.] MORGANA: Impressive, indeed. Who here now could deny your powers. [A guard brings a box to Morgana. Ari recognizes the symbol on the on it. Morgana stands up to open the box. Ari tries to move back but the guards grab his arms.] MORGANA: Aweax thu metethearfenda! Thicge thu thone drycraeft the thinan deorcan mode gefylth. ARI: Not this. [The guards force him down to the ground.] ARI: Please, Morgana. My lady, I beg of you. I'm begging you. [A slug like creature slithers it way up the box. It leaps at Ari, landing on his face. Ari struggles with it for a while. The creature then slithers away. Morgana goes back to her throne. Ari lies still after the creature has attacked.] MORDRED: Is he dead? MORGANA: If I had wanted him dead, I would have put a sword in his gut. [Ari takes a deep breath. The guards help him up.] MORGANA: Don't despair Ari, we're nearly done. If you'd do me the favor of relighting those fires. ARI: You know...I cannot. MORGANA: For the benefit of my friends. [Ari jerks his arms free from the guards.] ARI: I will not humiliate myself before you. MORGANA: You will if you want to see your family alive. ARI: Bael onbryne! MORGANA: Again! If you please. ARI: Bael onbryne. [Ari cries. Morgana motions for the guards to take him away.] MORDRED: He was a loyal soldier, and robbing him of his magic you've lost yourself a powerful ally. MORGANA: Perhaps. But now we know the war can be won. [A door shuts.] For Arthur is nothing without Emrys and Emrys is nothing without magic. ARTHUR: Three! [It’s a three. The tavern people cheer.] ARTHUR: Feel free to retire at any time. MERLIN: Likewise. ARTHUR: There's no...uh...disgrace for a servant to lose to his King. MERLIN: Or a King to a servant. [More laughing from the tavern people. Merlin laughs with them.] TAVERN PEOPLE: Ohhh.. [Merlin takes a small handful of silver coins and drops them on a plate. Arthur notices how much there is.] ARTHUR: Watch out. Here we go. [Merlin shakes the cup, brings it to his mouth and blows on the dice. His eyes glow. He drops the dice on table.] MERLIN: Ten. [More cheering. Arthur has a look that says 'unbelievable.' Percival gives a small smile. Merlin pretends that he can't believe he rolled a ten.] TAVERN PEOPLE: Yay! [Arthur leans across the table to Merlin. Merlin picks up the coins.] ARTHUR: [Whispers.] Enjoy this moment, Merlin...while it lasts. ARTHUR: Twelve. [Merlin fakes a cough. Arthur rolls a four. Merlin grimaces and rubs his throat.] MERLIN AND TAVERN PEOPLE: Ohh.... ARTHUR: You put me off. MERLIN: What are you talking about? ARTHUR: You just coughed. [Percival glances between them. The tavern people laugh.] MERLIN: [He points to his throat.] I was clearing my throat. ARTHUR: You just coughed, deliberately. [Merlin closes his eyes and shakes his head.] MERLIN: Argh, I knew you'd discover my secret in the end. There is just no fooling you, my lord. Right. [The tavern people laugh. Arthur just stands there not showing any emotion. Merlin picks up his coins stack by stack and places them on the plate. He takes the last one that is on the table and tosses it with the others.] ARTHUR: It's like that is it? [Merlin nods his head. Arthur sweeps his coins into his hand and drops them onto the plate. Merlin and Arthur stare at each other. Arthur doesn't look away. Merlin shakes the dice, brings the cup to his mouth, and blows on the dice. His eyes glow. He throws the dice on the table.] MERLIN: Twelve. [The people cheer. Arthur looks down at the dice.] MERLIN: Whoo! [Merlin puts the coins in a bag. Arthur is at a loss. His look doesn't really give anything away.] GAIUS: Merlin. Merlin. [Merlin is still struggling with breaths. He looks up at Gaius.] MERLIN: Gaius. Your head. [He points to the cut.] You...You should get that seen to. [He passes out.] [Merlin is on bed. Gaius is wiping his forehead with a cloth. Merlin comes around.] GAIUS: Merlin. MERLIN: What happened? What was that thing? GAIUS: Morgana's work, that’s for sure. Mordred would of told her of your powers by now, Merlin. It was only a matter of time before she struck out. We can only be grateful that she failed. [Gaius gets up. Merlin realizes his throat is dry. He turns and looks at the cup sitting on the bed side table. He reaches his arm out.] MERLIN: Strangath. [Nothing happens. He lifts his head up and tries again.] MERLIN: Strangath.[Nothing happens. He tries again.] Strangath. MERLIN: Gaius! [Gaius comes back over and sits in the chair by the bed.] I don't think she failed. GAIUS: Whatever do you mean? MERLIN: I've lost my magic. GAIUS: Look. Here. [Merlin comes over to him to see what he has found.] GAIUS: It is the sign of the gean canach. MERLIN: Gean canach? That...that’s the language of the old religion, isn't it? GAIUS: Indeed. [Merlin crouches down next to Gaius.] The gean canach is a fearsome creature by the tears of the earth mother Nenamed. It devourers the magic of others. Draining them of their power. MERLIN: I thought all such creatures were destroyed in the Great Purge. GAIUS: All but one it would seem. MORDRED: The garrison is surrounded, my lady. MORGANA: Good. Are you ready? MORDRED: I'm ready. [Morgana holds out her hand, Mordred takes it. They lower their heads and start to chant.] MORGANA AND MORDRED: Thurh minum gewealde ond thinum maegen... geclippath we thone lieg the ealla awestath. [They lift their heads and their eyes glow. A fire ball shoots toward the garrison. It crashes into a cart. People jump to the ground and roll out of the way.][Gwaine and other knights come out a tunneling fighting. A blonde woman runs and gets caught by a saxon. Gwaine comes to the rescue.] EIRA: Get off me. [Gwaine grabs the guy and places his sword at his throat.] GWAINE: Let her go. She's not your enemy. I am. [The man elbows Gwaine, knocking him to the ground. Before he can do anymore danger the woman hits him on the head with a piece of wood. As he falls forward Gwaine jumps up and stabs him. He goes to the woman, grabs the wood from her hand and drops it. He puts an arm around her shoulders and leads her away.] [Leon and others fight under a walkway.] LEON: We cannot hold them! Sound the retreat! Send word to Camelot! [They retreat with the saxons running after them.] GAIUS: The garrison at Stowell was attacked. MERLIN: Morgana. GAIUS: It would seem so. It cannot be a consequence. She's picked the moment you are most helpless to begin her attack. MERLIN: What am I going to do? GAIUS: Well for the moment you are going to help me treat the wounded. [He grabs Merlin's arm and leads him forward.] Your skill as a physician is still valid. [He stops him at two knights and walks off.] [Merlin is treating Eira wound on her leg. Gwaine looks on.] MERLIN: Sorry. One moment. [He grabs a knife to cut the extra length of the bandage.] [Eira looks up at Gwaine.] GWAINE: Don't worry. Merlin knows what he's doing. [Merlin gets up. Eira adjusts her skirt.] EIRA: Do you have news from Stowell? Have you heard from my family? [Gwaine glances at Merlin before answering.] GWAINE: Eira, your family...the people of your town...you're the only one that survivor the attack. [Merlin glances at them.] EIRA: I'm...alone. [Merlin watches. Gwaine kneels down next to her and places a hand over hers.] GWAINE: I'm sorry. Eira, whatever happens, you'll be safe here in Camelot. You have my word. EIRA: Thank you. LEON: A force of saxons, sire. They crossed the northern border last night and attacked the garrison at Stowell. ARTHUR: They march under Morgana's command. LEON: There'd be no doubt about it sire. It's not men we faced, but sorcery. ARTHUR: We shouldn't be surprised. She's been massing an army for weeks. Now with Stowell taken, she has a base at our northern border, which can only mean one thing. GWEN: She means to take Camelot. PERCIVAL: Well she's already made her first mistake. LEON: We have sufficient time to prepare our defenses sire. We can make our stand here however great her army the walls of Camelot will hold. The Citadel will not fall. ARTHUR: Perhaps, perhaps not. We've already deserted Stowell. I won't forsake the people of this land while we take refuge here. PERCIVAL: But we can protect them, sire, in Camelot itself. ARTHUR: Some but not all. Countless, men, women and children will be left behind. People who I've vowed to protect. GWEN: We cannot save everyone, Arthur. No matter how much we may wish it. ARTHUR: There is a way, one way alone. We insure that she never makes it this far. PERCIVAL: We...ride out and meet them. ARTHUR: Man to man. LEON: But, sire, Morgana commands an army of thousands. ARTHUR: None the less. It’s our duty as protectors of this land. We cannot stand by, and let our citizens be slaughtered. Those are not the values that Camelot was built on. Whatever the outcome of this battle, my sister cannot and will not desecrate those values. A war has begun. MORGANA: Your blade, Mordred. [She holds it out to him.] Forged in a dragon's breath, nothing can survive its touch. A weapon worthy of my proudest warrior. [Mordred takes the blade and holds it up in front of him.] MORDRED: Then I shall wield it in victory, and with honour. ARTHUR: To reach Camelot, Morgana will have no choice but to cross the White Mountains. [He sets a smaller map down and unrolls it.] Now, the pass that gives passage to an army that size, is here. [He points to a place.] PERCIVAL: I know it well. The path leads a valley by cliffs on the other side. ARTHUR: That’s where we meet them. Now we may be outnumbered but if don't let them outflank us then we can hold the pass. LEON: How long? Morgana has no care for the likes of men. ARTHUR: She can't supply for an army that size indefinitely. Not isolated by the mountains. If we can hold out long enough she'll be forced to retreat. Percival, at what point is the pass at its narrowest. PERCIVAL: Here, sire. [He points.] ARTHUR: What do they call this place? PERCIVAL: Camlann, sir. [Merlin fears the worst. It’s the place in the prophecy.] ARTHUR: Then it is at Camlann, that we make our stand. MERLIN: I hoped to never hear that name again. GAIUS: You cannot go, Merlin. You'll have to persuade him. MERLIN: I know Arthur better than I know myself. He'll mot listen. GAIUS: If Arthur goes to Camlann, the prophecy will come true and he will die. MERLIN: This battle is the only way he knows how to save his people. If he's going to lose his life...he'll still go. GAIUS: Then what are we to do? MERLIN: If I can't prevent him from going then I must protect him as best as I can. GAIUS: But you can't protect him without your magic. MERLIN: Then I must regain my magic. GAIUS: I can't restore it. It's beyond my power. MERLIN: I know. Perhaps it’s beyond anyone's power. If there’s an answer, I must seek it elsewhere. GAIUS: But where? MERLIN: The birthplace of magic itself, The Crystal Cave. [Gaius crosses his arms.] GAIUS: The Valley of The Fallen Kings is crawling with bandits. Without your powers you won't stand a chance. MERLIN: Which is why I won't be going alone. EIRA: I thought you weren't going until sundown? GWAINE: There’s something I have to do first. Favor for my friend Merlin. EIRA: Where you going? GWAINE: The Valley of the Fallen Kings. EIRA: Why? GWAINE: Don't worry. I won't be long. MERLIN: I think that you'll find that’s everything, sire. ARTHUR: Impressive. Very impressive. ....more likeable. Not from you anyway. MERLIN: Thank you, sire. ARTHUR: So where are you after? MERLIN: After? ARTHUR: Come on, Merlin. You’re the worst servant in the history of the world. Now suddenly this. Is it money? MERLIN: No. ARTHUR: No, it can't be that. You already won all of mine. Time off? MERLIN: Arthur... ARTHUR: No. It can't be that either. You don't really do anything. MERLIN: I just wanted to make sure you had all you needed for your journey to Camlann. For the days ahead. ARTHUR: Thank you. [He seems confused.] Merlin, what do you mean, my journey. MERLIN: I'm afraid I won't be coming with you. Not this time. I'm sorry. I have an urgent errand to run for Gaius. Vital supplies that I can't attain here. ARTHUR: Vital supplies? [He seems hurt and doesn't think that Merlin is telling him the whole truth.] MERLIN: Yes. It's.... ARTHUR: No, no. It's fine. It's fine. I understand. MERLIN: Arthur... ARTHUR: You know, Merlin, all those jokes about you being a coward...I never really meant any of them...I always thought you were the bravest man I ever met. Guess I was wrong. GWEN: Arthur! ARTHUR: Guinevere. What are you doing? GWEN: I'm coming with you. ARTHUR: The battlefield is no place for a Queen. GWEN: I have no intention of joining you there. I can assure you. Arthur, if these are to be your last days, I would far rather spend them together then sit waiting for a man that I might never see again. MORGANA: Gently, Mordred. Can't speak with her throat cut out can she? [Morgana walks up and stands beside Mordred. Mordred puts the sword away.] MORGANA: So, Eira, I trust Sir Gwaine has found your company to his satisfaction? EIRA: I like to think so. MORGANA: Has he been forthcoming about Arthur's plans? EIRA: He's kept no secrets from me. MORGANA: Well? Does the king intend to ride out and meet us? EIRA: He does, my lady. The king and his men depart from Camelot as we speak. MORGANA: Then it is as we have anticipated. Thank you, Eira. You've been most informative. [Morgana hands her a pouch with gold and she starts to leave. She remembers something and turns back.] EIRA: Something else. The knight said he was taking Merlin somewhere. The Valley of The Fallen Kings, I think. [She leaves and Morgana looks concerned.] MORGANA: Merlin. Why would Merlin leave Arthur now? MORDRED: Why shouldn't he? He's of no further use to his king after all. MORGANA: Perhaps. Why The Valley of The Fallen Kings? [Mordred lowers his head. She turns toward Mordred.] MORGANA: What is it Mordred? MORDRED: When I was a boy the druids told me of this special place, a place where magic itself was born. It was said to lie within The Val...They call it The Crystal Cave. MORGANA: This can mean only one thing, Emrys means to get his powers back. GWAINE: Thanks for everything that you did for Eira. MERLIN: There's no need to thank me, it was the least I could do. And you seem to care for her. GWAINE: Well I could hardly leave her to the saxons now could I? MERLIN: Was that your only reason for rescuing her? GWAINE: Of course. [A twig snaps and bandits come running at them. Gwaine turns to fight them. He stops the blow of one and pushes him to the ground. He punches the other one and knocks him to the ground as the first one gets up. He goes after Merlin, who falls to the ground.] MERLIN: Gwaine! [Gwaine stabs him in the back, pulls the sword out and without looking stabs the other guy who has gotten up and is standing behind him.] GWAINE: You okay? [He offers Merlin a hand up.] MERLIN: Yeah. I think so. Thank you. GWAINE: No need to thank me Merlin. It was the least I could do. MERLIN: I can make my own way from here. GWAINE: Sorry. (?) MERLIN: You needn't come any further. I'll be fine. GWAINE: How will you get back to Camelot? There are bandits everywhere. MERLIN: Once I have what I'm looking for I'll be perfectly safe, I promise you. GWAINE: What are you looking for? MERLIN: I can't tell that, Gwaine. [Merlin turns to look at Gwaine.] MERLIN: You just have to trust me. You should get going, Arthur will need you by his side. GWAINE: Look after yourself Merlin. [He holds his sword out, hilt first, to Merlin. Merlin reaches to take it.] GWAINE: You know to use the sharp end, right? MERLIN: Yeah. [They grasp arms.] GWAINE: I hope you find what you're looking for. MORGANA: Emrys. [Morgana is nowhere to be seen though.] MORGANA: Over here, Emrys. [Merlin pulls the sword from his belt and walks forward.] MERLIN: I see you, Morgana. MORGANA: How well you've kept your secret. [Morgana moves behind and he turns but shes no longer there.] How well you've protected my brother. MERLIN: Face me, Morgana. [Morgana's voice sounds like it’s coming from different directions. Merlin keeps on turning to where her voice sounds like it’s coming from.] MORGANA: Who would of thought it, a worthless servant with all that power. MERLIN: Face me. MORGANA: But you cannot help your King now. You cannot even help yourself. MERLIN: Why do you hide? You still afraid of me? [He turns back the way he came. Morgana comes through the doorway behind him.] MORGANA: I fear no one. Least of all you. [Merlin swings the sword around and cuts her arm. He holds the sword up to her. She laughs at him.] MORGANA: You have defied me for the last time, Emrys. [She starts to back up, Merlin walks toward her. Once through the doorway she causes rocks to fall to block his way.] MORGANA: Stanas ahreosath! LEON: Send word to the King. The enemy will reach Camlann by sundown tomorrow and we underestimated their forces. They outnumber us 5 to 1. MERLIN: [He hits the rock.] Aaahhh!!! ARTHUR: Vital supplies. [Gaius looks up from what he is doing.] GAIUS: Excuse me, sire? ARTHUR: It's a shame Merlin didn't feel able to join us. GAIUS: I'm sorry Sire for I must take the blame. GAIUS: But I cannot treat the wounded without sufficient medicine. The timing is unfortunate I grant you. ARTHUR: Yes. Unfortunate as you say. [Arthur walks away. Gaius watches him leave.] GWEN: I'm not sure he believes you, Gaius. [He turns back to face Gwen.] GWEN: I'm not sure I do either. I know how devoted Merlin is to Arthur. He would never leave him at a time like this. Not for a mere errand. Not unless there was something else. Something he doesn't feel able to talk about it. GAIUS: My lady, there is something else. Something of the very greatest importance, and I very dearly wish I could tell you what it is, but I cannot. For reasons that affects us all. [Gwen nods her head.] GWEN: Then there is nothing more to be said, except whatever it is, I wish him luck. [She reaches over and pats Gaius's hand.] [CAMLANN] [The knights make it to Camlann. Arthur and a group of knights go up a short passageway. He holds his hand to halt everyone. They look at the dead end area before them.] ARTHUR: This is it. Camlann. The fate of the kingdom will be decided here. Make camp. Take our positions. LEON: It's a death trap, Sire. ARTHUR: That's the idea. LEON: Morgana will have no means of escape. But neither will we. ARTHUR: They'll always out flank us. This is our only chance. [He looks at Leon.] It ends here, Leon. Be it life or death, it ends here. BALINOR: Merlin. [Merlin opens his eyes] MERLIN: Father. [He turns his head the other way and sees his father's ghost/spirit.] BALINOR: My son. MERLIN: Are you here? Are you real? BALINOR: Dead or alive? Real or imagined? Past or present? These things are of no consequence. All that matters is that you heed the words of your father who loves you. Do not let go, Merlin, do not give in. MERLIN: I have no reason to go on. The battle is already over. Morgana has won. BALINOR: Only if you accept defeat. But if you fight, if you let hope into your heart, Morgana cannot be victorious. MERLIN: What hope is there without my magic? [Balinor kneels down next to Merlin.] BALINOR: Merlin, you are more than a son of you father. You are son of the earth, the sea, the sky, magic is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that magic. You are magic itself. You cannot lose what you are. MERLIN: But how do I find myself...again? BALINOR: Believe, Merlin. Believe what your heart knows to be true. That you have always been, and always will be. MERLIN: Always will be. BALINOR: Rest now. Rest my son. And soon you shall awaken into the light. [Merlin sleeps.] GWEN: What is it? ARTHUR: What if Sir Leon was right? Perhaps we should've made our stand at Camelot. [Gwen moves toward the table and places her hands on it.] GWEN: Your plan is brave and bold, and our only chance of defeating Morgana once and for all. Yes, we could of held out at the Citadel, but for how long? And at what cost to the kingdom? I have never for a moment doubted the valor and wisdom of this choice. [Arthur stands up and walks around the table to her.] ARTHUR: If you do not doubt me, Guinevere, then I do not doubt myself. [He takes her hands.] That gives me a strength greater than any weapon. [They hug.] GWEN: Come, we must rest while we can. [Arthur picks Gwen up and carries her to the bed.] MORGANA: Have the outriders returned? MORDRED: Arthur has made camp at Camlann. MORGANA: And the path? Did you find it? [Mordred nods his head.] MORDRED: It was well concealed. MORGANA: If Arthur imagines we can't out flank, he's in for an unpleasant surprise. Send a 100 warriors. Good ones. MORDRED: I'll choose them myself. MORGANA: And prepare the army, we attack tonight. [Mordred nods his head and leaves.] [Merlin is fully healed of the cuts that were on his face. He opens his eyes, sits up and touches his face. Rubbing a place where there was a cut and sees that there is no blood on his hand when he pulls his hand away. He slowly gets into a crouching position while looking around him. Merlin cups his hands together.] MERLIN: Gewyrc an lif. [Merlin's eyes glow. There is small fluttering noise. He opens his hands and a blue butterfly flies away. He watches it with a smile on his face. He stands up and finds a crystal. Merlin puts his hand out and imagines start to flash through the crystal. Some are from previous episodes. He sees Excalibur coming out of the lake, Mordred leading the saxons through the wetland, the red of an old dress of Morgana's, him receiving a spell from the dragon, the saxons marching along a path to attack. He flashes through several more to find Arthur.] MERLIN: Arthur where are you? [Merlin sees the camp at Camlann and Arthur and Gwen sleeping.] MERLIN: Arthur. Arthur, I'm sorry I had to leave you. I didn't want to. I hope one day you'll understand why. Your plan is a good one and you may yet save this kingdom, but you must beware.Your army's flank is vulnerable. There's an old path over the ridge of Camlann, and Morgana knows of it. She means to trap you, Arthur. Find the path or the battle will be over before it's begun. Find the path! GWEN: What's the matter? ARTHUR: Merlin. GWEN: It was a dream Arthur. Just a dream. ARTHUR: Didn't feel like a dream. It felt... [He throws the covers back and gets up.] GWEN: Arthur! [Arthur bursts out of the tent.] LEON: Sire, the scouts report that Morgana's army is on the move. ARTHUR: She'll attack before the night is done. Tell our men to prepare. LEON: Yes, Sire! ARTHUR: Percival! Gwaine! [They head toward Arthur.] ARTHUR: Take a patrol of men to the rear of us. You're looking for a hidden path running into the mountains. She means to outflank us, we must stop her now. [Percival and Gwaine lead a patrol of men up the path. Percival holds his hand up and everyone halts.] [Arthur is in his armour, standing before his army.] ARTHUR: Tonight...we do battle. Tonight we end this war, we end a war as old as the land itself. War against tyranny, greed, and spite. Not all will greet the dawn, some will live, some will die. But each and every one of you fights with honour, and with pride. For not only do we fight for our lives, we fight for the future. The future of Camelot. The future of Albion. The future of the united kingdoms. [He lifts Excalibur into the air.] For the love of Camelot! ALL: For the love of Camelot! MERLIN: Thank you. For your help, your guidance. BALINOR: I only offered a hand. You stand tall on your own two feet, Merlin, you always have done. MERLIN: As did you, father. I follow in your footsteps. BALINOR: Your journey has only just begun. You wield a power you yet cannot conceive of. Only in the heart of the Crystal Cave will your true self be revealed. [They turn toward the center of cave.] BALINOR: Move towards the light. Your destiny awaits. Do not be afraid. Trust in what you are, trust in what will be. [Merlin walks toward the light. He stops and looks back his father.] MERLIN: Goodbye, father. BALINOR: There are no goodbyes, Emrys, for I will always be. As you will always be. [Merlin climbs up a step and walks to the light.] ARTHUR: On me! [They charge at the saxons. The saxons charge back. The battle begins.][The saxons along the hidden path run at Percival, Gwaine and the others.] PERCIVAL: On me! [They charge at the oncoming saxons and clash.][Arthur cuts downs saxons. He slashes one, flips one over his back, hits one as he runs past, cuts one down from behind. Ducks an attack and kicks the guy in the chest. Cuts another one down as the guy leaps at him. He runs on.][Morgana watches Mordred from above. Mordred cuts down a couple of knights, he keeps looking around for Arthur.]
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