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“You lie, Emrys. You do not care for the old ways, for protecting magic and those who possess it. You care about one thing and one thing only: the human known as Arthur Pendragon. And now that the balance of this world has been restored with his death, you want him back.”
“That’s right.”
“So, tell me this... just why should I return him to you?”
“Because... because he’s my destiny. And it’s our destiny to bring about—”
“There is no Albion! It has been reduced to ashes, Arthur Pendragon’s kingdom dust in the wind. That is not the reason, and for all your power you cannot conceal what truly lies in your heart. Tell me why, Emrys.”
“...I need him. I cannot go on without him. I cannot die, or find rest, or forget. He is the reason for my existence, and without him I have nothing. I am nothing. Nothing at all.”
“And here we have the naked truth. Not once have you ever cared about Albion, Emrys. You have maimed and murdered strangers without sparing a thought as to the lives you cut short. You torture and you deceive, deceived the last High Priestess into thinking there was no other path for her than the path of darkness and corruption—”
“There was no other path for her then! I wanted to help Morgana, god did I crave to have a kindred spirit who didn’t slip through my fingers as soon as I met them, but... I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t throw away everything I spent years and years working towards. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.”
“You could have chosen to trust her and instead guide her onto the path of light and kindness. But you did not, for purely selfish reasons. Your paranoia. Your inability to trust. You manipulated, hid, and kept silent as your people were hanged and burned before your eyes. No, it is not Albion you seek, nor is it your destiny. You seek but Arthur Pendragon himself, body, heart, and soul—for you and you alone.”
“If you know all this, then why do you continue to mock me? You keep him imprisoned, unable to return to the living world, which itself is a prison for me. Why? You know I would do anything, fix every single thing I’ve ever done, if only you gave the word that that is what I must do to bring Arthur back to me.”
“You cannot atone for your sins, Emrys, because you do not want to. You do not have any regrets.”
“I do have one. It is my inability to save Arthur.”
“Were I mortal, you would have terrified me. You feel not a sliver of remorse. Your selfishness rears its ugly head at every turn. You would have destroyed the world itself for your beloved, and that is all there is to you.”
“I still will, if that is what it takes.”
“And as long as you feel that way, you can never have him.”
“Damn you.”
“...”
“...”
“You’ll try again.”
“I will. I can’t give up until I have Arthur with me once more.”
“That is fine with me, Emrys. I am not in a hurry.”
“I’ll convince you next time.”
“Feel free. You have eternity.”
A sigh, and a dejected glance to the side. Merlin mutters quietly, “Don’t I know it.”