But Now, I Know

Doom Before Destiny

Morgana was awake before she opened her eyes. She tested her surroundings, feeling dry strands of charred grass at her fingertips and the scratchy sensation of weather fried fabric against her skin. There was a pungent smell in the air, one that was instantly recognizable. There had been a tragic battle nearby. It was the only explanation for the rotten scent of blood carried by the wind.

She opened her eyes and blinked to grow accustomed to the filtered light trying to burst through the overcast sky. She tilted her head up and spluttered through the dryness of her throat and the dull pain in her stomach. She felt the spot cautiously with her hand, but found nothing. Only a sore reminder of what must have been a terrifying dream. Wait...

Instantly she shot up, her breath quickened and her heart panicked. She looked around and spotted the stack of rocks and sword that marked Mordred's final resting place. She was back. Had it all been a vivid hallucination, a scenario cooked up by a dream?

"Morgana?" Or was it another dreamed prediction? for like in her experience, the young form of Mordred now stood in front of her, his ocean cloak drifting in the breeze around his shoulders and his arm clutching at his wounded side. "Morgana?"

"I know what you're here to do."

He shook his head. "I'm not here to do anything."

Morgana narrowed her eyes.

"You have the right to be suspicious."

"It wasn't a dream?"

"Unfortunately not."

"Then why are you here now?" Against her better judgment, she drew closer. "And why are you in that cruel disguise?"

His form flickered at her question, eventually morphing and growing into something she had been forced to become familiar with: the uniformed Merlin, covered in blood of his own and of his son's. Only now, his one golden eye that had been a staple of his intimidating appearance, was gone. Back, was the comforting pale blue hue. "I'm sorry... poor judgment." They paused for a moment, Morgana surveying him wearily.

"What has happened?"

He took a breath. "We... helped each other."

"You essentially kidnapped me, held me in another time to-"

"I think we can agree that both our initial intentions were malicious, but look where we've landed." He gestured to the land around him.

"I still don't quite understand."

"I wish I could stay. I wish I could make everything clear, but I'm running out of time as it is. In only a few more moments I will... cease... so to speak."

"You'll cease?"

"Cease to exist."

Morgana was unnerved by the sympathy she felt for the man in front of her who had, for what felt like forever, been such a formidable enemy in more ways than one.

"I don't-"

"You were able to draw me back, Morgana. You were able to use the past to draw me back. For so long I was trapped in two, my body and magic persevering to end my own life, while the lightness of my soul followed behind, trying to piece myself back together, trying to undo my terrible mistake." He lightly brushed his wounded chest with his hand. "But there are some things that you can't take back."

"What's to happen now?"

"I am no longer an aimless monster, pillaging through time to my own end. This means you have a chance to prevent my mistake, to erase this mutilated version of me from history." He came even closer to Morgana, his fierce eyes fixing her with a haunting gaze. "Destiny has chosen you, Morgana. It has chosen you as it has chosen me. It is important that you recognize the burden of this responsibility as well as the importance of the lesson my mistakes have taught you."