Chapter 17

                                    

                                          
  	 	 	 	   
                          
 Merlin's POV
                          
 I'm running through the forest, chased by terrifying creatures. My legs are running as fast as they can, but the creatures are behind me. My lungs refuse to breathe, I look behind and see the sharp teeth. I fall on a broken branch and I feel the paws on my back, their breath on my neck, hungry of blood. But when I turn I see Arthur, not the creatures. "Arthur..." He stretches an arm to help me to get up. When I stand his sword pierces me, I feel it cutting me reaching my back. I gasp and look at him, he's smiling. But it's not those smiles he does when he sees me, no. It's full of hatred and anger. "You're a sorcerer." He pulls out the sword and I fall.
                          
 I wake up screaming in the night, sweat running through my forehead and my back. My breath is heavy. Gaius reaches me worried. "Merlin?" He asks. "I'm... I'm alright." I say breathing. "Just a nightmare." He dries my forehead with a wet clothes. The cloth is refreshing. I close my eyes and breathe. Just a nightmare. I open them and see the creature of my dreams. For a moment I freeze. The drool falling on the floor, his teeth waiting to taste my flesh. I rub my eyes, but the creature is still there. "Gaius..." I say softly not wanting to alarm the beast. "What is it, boy?" He asks, my heart beating fast. "There's a creature in front of the door." I say. "What?" Gaius turns to see it. "Where?" He asks. "Right there." I confirm. Maybe one spell can kill it. "I don't see anything. Are you sure?" He turns back to me. I keep looking at the beast. "Yes! It's right there! It's looking at me!" Why can't he see it? "Merlin, you had a nightmare, you're just tired." I blink and the creature disappears. I look at the door confused. "You're probably right, it looked so real." I lay down again and close my eyes. Fear still running in my body. Sleep is useless. I keep waking up by nightmares. My friends killed by me, monsters torturing me, Arthur rejecting me then killing me over and over, my magic used as a weapon against Camelot, my mother tortured by Morgana, children dying because of me. I get up shaking and go to drink a glass of water. I exit from the room to take a walk. I reach a window and open it, the cold air blows against my face and I breathe in. I hear a noise on my right so I turn to see what it is. At first I don't see anything in the darkness. Then a tall skeleton wearing a long black cloak flies against me, pushing me on the floor. His cold hand pressing against my mouth, his empty eyes looking at me. I feel cold, so cold. My heart is beating fast. I want to blast him away but I can't speak. His skull is approaching my face. I'm sweating coldly. He's looking at me. My breath begins to be irregular. Then when he's inches away from me I scream. I scream as loudly as I can. The skeleton immediately disappears but other creatures of the darkness come to face me, shouting my name, shouting my death. I pull my legs to my chest, closing up my ears and scream for help. The demonic creatures fly around me. I keep screaming until a guard or maybe another demon approaches me. When he touches my shoulder, I punch him. He falls on the ground, my hand hurts. Another guard or perhaps a demon arrives, he tries to make me stand up but I keep fighting and kicking and screaming until my mind blacks out. When I realize where I am, I look around. How did I get here? I'm shaking, the light of the moon illuminates the cell of the dungeon. Why am I here? I try to think but the demons appear again and I find myself screaming once again.
                          
Arthur's POV
                          
When I wake up, I don't see Merlin. He's still resting, I think. I should visit him. But when I go to Gaius he hasn't seen him when he woke up. We're both worried. I look around the castle, in our special places but nothing. I ask of him to a guard and he informs me he's in the dungeons. My eyes wide. When I ask him the reason he says that last night he attacked three guards. I immediately reach the dungeons and see him, in the corner of the cell. Whispering and shaking. His legs brought to his chest, his hands covering his ears. He looks at me but his eyes are pure black, his face white. He keeps whispering something then turns to look the floor. "Merlin..." I say. I walk in and he steps back, hitting the wall. "It's me, Arthur." I step forward but he keeps distancing himself, gluing himself to the wall, scared. When I'm almost near he starts screaming and shaking. I stop feeling concern. Why is he acting like that? "Guards!" I yell and someone arrives. "Call Gaius. Immediately." After some minutes, the physician arrives. "Merlin..." He says. He tries to approach him but Merlin starts screaming like an insane. Gaius stops. "Gaius, what's happening?" I ask him worried. "I don't know, sire. I can't tell it if I don't analyse him." He tries to step forward but Merlin starts screaming and shaking again. A feeling of fear invades me. I hate seeing him like this and not knowing why. "Merlin please..." I try to approach him but this time he's still, looking at me. I catch the moment and bent in front of him. I take his cold hands and warm them in mine. "Merlin, I'm here. You're safe with me." I say looking at him. His eyes returns to normality, his skin now a bit warm. "Arthur..." He says with a hoarse voice. "Yes, it's me." He rests his head on my chest and I hug him, stroking his back. "You're safe with me."
                          
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A/N: I told you it was "dark", at least I hope so. Did you like this chapter? Let me know it in the comments! Thank you and byee