Magic Revealed

Illusion

"No." Heldin said and then everything seemed go black around them until the only thing Merlin could see was a seemingly endless abyss of black.

"Arthur!" Merlin whirled around, trying to find something in the pitch black.

At first he couldn't hear anything and then he felt something fly by his ear and he stumbled backwards, apparently into the space where the tent entrance was. He promptly got caught in the canvas and frantically tried to extricate himself without actually being able to see what he was doing.

Suddenly a voice cut through the resounding silence, "Merlin!" It was Lyra's voice. It was clear her voice was raised but it was still muffled by whatever magic Heldin was using. "It's just an illusion!"

She was almost right. It was a very advanced illusion that went far beyond just what he could see. He could feel the magic pushing at his emotions, trying to reduce them to pure fear. The problem was the more he tried to fight it the stronger it pushed back. Every time he tried shaking off the magic it was like it grew thorns into his mind and took root.

Needless to say he was less than pleased with this type of magic being used at all much less against him.

He tried to focus through the stabbing pain in his head and the irrational fear that came in waves.

As soon as he could focus he started pulling apart the magic, hoping to at least get his vision and hearing back, even if the pain stayed.

When the black cleared he saw Arthur and Lyra standing in front of him. Arthur looked to be in pain and was staying behind Lyra who was stopping the magical attacks thrown by her father. Her movements seemed hesitant, almost as if she didn't know her own body. Arthur didn't appear to be in any better shape. If Merlin had to guess Lyra had found a way to partially lift the illusion, but both still felt some effects.

Merlin! Where are you? What's happening? Mordred's voice cut clean through the painful haze in Merlin's mind for a brief moment.

That extra sword would be useful right about now. Merlin stumbled forward and placed a hand on both Lyra and Arthur's shoulders, trying to dissolve what was left of Heldin's illusion spell.

Arthur straightened and tightened his grip on his sword, "That feels much better."

"Quite." Lyra agreed.

Merlin gritted his teeth and kept working at that magic stabbing into his brain. For some reason it was always much harder to work on his own magically inflicted issues than it was anyone else's.

"Can you cut through that barrier and get him to stop some how?" He asked Arthur.

The king narrowed his eyes, watching Heldin was the sorcerer moved back slightly, hand raised in a defensive position while another was at his belt.
Lyra's face was scrunched slightly, from anger or sadness Merlin couldn't tell but her sword hand came up in front of Arthur, "Trade with me." She said quietly.

Arthur blinked at her then nodded, taking her sword and giving her Excalibur.

She stepped forward, her body drawn up into an offensive one handed stance that made it obviously that she was actually taller than she first appeared.

Heldin muttered something under his breath that Merlin couldn't hear that made Lyra give a disdainful half laugh, "Yes, because I'm the one who's willing to kill people to get to power." She lunged forward, blade slicing at the shield, cutting it away easily. Her other hand came up, pushing Heldin backwards as she continued forward, trying to throw off his balance. He stumbled backwards, another ball of energy appearing in his hand as he tried to keep away from her and reform the shield. Merlin blocked the attack before it had fully left his hand, walking up on Lyra's left, Arthur following close behind.