"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." "Halt!" "Stay where you are." " Where are you headed?" " The Seas of Meredor." "What's in the cart?" "Lady Morgana." "Are you all right?" "Yes, thank you, sister." "But we must hurry." "Night is nearly upon us, and we still have far to go." "Sorry." "What are you doing in my kitchen?" "Uh, the prince's shirt." "Keep your dirty fingers off my food." "Do you understand?" "Go." "Go." "Oi!" "You could try a bit of salt." " Arthur is going to kill me." " Let's see." " You've faced far worse, Merlin." " He needs it for tonight." "I'm sure a man of your talents can think of something." " You're dressed." " Yes, Merlin." "I'm not an idiot." " Are you sure about that?" " I beg your pardon?" " It's just that" " Merlin, I am trying to write a speech." " Do you want help?" " No." "You won't want this then." "I spent all night working on it." " What do you think?" " It needs a polish." "I'll add it to the list." "Merlin, there aren't many servants who get the chance to write a prince's speech." "Obviously it would be too much for you to say thank you." "The Isle of the Blessed." "You know where we wish to go." "You've not eaten, sire." "Sire." "It doesn't seem to make any difference." "I'm not sure it ever will, but at least it gives him peace." "It's been a year since Morgana betrayed him." "His heart is broken and his spirit is gone." "You're joining us for the feast tonight?" "I don't think so." "I need to stay with the king." "You're very good to him, Gwen." "I don't do it for him." "I do it for Arthur." "The reports are true, sire." "We caught up with Morgana on the Plains of Denaria." " Was she alone?" " There was someone else." " Morgause?" " Couldn't be sure." " Where was Morgana heading?" " The Seas of Meredor." "Isle of the Blessed." " I'll send out patrols at first light." " Thank you, Agravaine." "Sire, you should know, her powers have grown." "Sir Bertrand and Sir Montague are both dead." "Keep me informed of any developments." "For months, nothing." "Why now?" "We knew she couldn't stay hidden forever." "Today, tomorrow, what does it matter?" "Mustn't live in fear, Arthur." "Camelot is strong." "If Morgana were to act, we'd be ready for her." "You're right, of course." "I don't know how I would have got through these last few months without you." "Thank you, uncle." "I made a promise to your mother." "I'll always be there for you." "Samhain." "It is the time of year when we feel closest to the spirits of our ancestors." "It is a time to remember those we have lost to celebrate their passing." "Samhain is almost upon us." "We must hurry." "I can't do this." "Sister." "Remember what I've told you." "It is the only way." "What you are about to do will affect everyone, even you." "But most importantly, it will bring our enemies to their knees." "You must be strong and remember that." "Do not be scared." "I am not long for this world." "There is nothing left for me here now." "Please, sister." "Let my parting be my final gift to you." "To the king." "To the king." "To the king." "Emrys." "Emrys." "Emrys." "Who are you?" "I am the Cailleach, the gatekeeper to the spirit world." "You have torn the veil between the worlds." "The Dorocha." "They are the voices of the dead, my child." "And like the dead, they are numberless." "You are right to be afraid, Morgana." "Your enemies will rue this day and all the destruction it brings but you must beware." "Tearing the veil between the worlds has created a new world." "And you will not walk through it alone." "The one they call Emrys will walk in your shadow." "He is your destiny." "And he is your doom." "Emrys." " What happened?" " I don't know." " I've never felt anyone so cold before." " Will he be all right?" "I'll need Hawthorne to improve the blood flow, and blankets." "Lots of blankets." "When she spoke, her voice..." "It was as though it came from the depths of the earth." "And her eyes they were so sad." "So much pain in them." "Who is she?" "The Cailleach." "The gatekeeper to the spirit world." "Why was she there?" "It was on the stroke of midnight of Samhain's eve the very moment when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest." "It cannot be a coincidence." " Why was I the only one to see her?" " You have great power, Merlin." "For someone so gifted, such visions are not uncommon." "But you don't understand." "It wasn't a vision." "She knew who I was." "She called me Emrys." "What is it?" "What does it mean?" "I'm not sure." "But if someone has torn the veil between the worlds then God help us all." "Merlin." " Merlin." " What?" " Merlin!" " That's not me." "Excuse me, sire." "You're needed in the council chambers as a matter of urgency." " What's happened to her?" " Her village was attacked." " By who?" " It's not entirely clear, sire." " What's your name?" " Drea." "Drea, I'm Arthur." "Don't be frightened." "Tell me what happened." "My mother, my father, my little sister, they're" "It's all right." "It's all right." "Someone attacked them." "Who?" "There was no one." "Just shapes." "You didn't see their faces?" "They had no faces." "I--I keep telling you." "They were there, but they weren't there." "They moved so quickly." "It was as if they weren't real, but they must have been." "I could hear the people screaming and then silence." "They were all dead." "Hey." "Thank you." " Where is this village?" " Howden." "It's to the east of the White Mountains." " No more than half a day's hard ride." " Ready the men." "Merlin, you need your comfort blanket?" " What do you mean?" " You're making me edgy." "That's a horse." " Maybe it sensed something." " Yes, that you're a clot-poll." " That's my word." " Yeah, and it suits you perfectly." "It's too quiet." "Sorry." "Here!" "You saw it?" "We are literally chasing shadows." "Come on." "What happened?" "My magic, I couldn't use it." " There's something out there." " You saw it?" " When it saw the light, it fled." " Let's get the horses." "It's not something you can chase or something you can kill." "We need to get out of here." "Gwen." "Warn Gaius." "There are more victims by the western gate." "Gaius." "Merlin." "You saw them?" "Here, help me." "Get me some more sheets." "Merlin?" "My magic is useless against them." "I've tried." "I have never felt so powerless." "Something deep inside." "And when it came for me, I felt this emptiness." "I couldn't breathe." " I'm scared." " Merlin." "That's all right." "It's not your fault." "We've suffered 50 dead, maybe more, mainly in the lower town." "And there's no way of fighting them?" "No." "Our only weapons are torches." "And the light doesn't kill them, it only repels them." " What are they?" " The Dorocha, sire." "The spirits of the dead." "On Samhain's eve, in the time of the old religion the high priestesses would perform a blood sacrifice and release them." "But who would do such a thing now?" " Morgana." " You see her hand in this?" "We know she was traveling to the Isle of the Blessed." "How do we defeat these creatures?" "I don't know, sire." "No mortal has ever survived their touch." "I thought I saw something." "What was it, a spider?" "Just pick it up." "Do you want me to get one of the maids to do it for you?" "It's not a joke." "Yeah." "You see, Merlin, I could never be like you." "I could never let myself look so spineless." "Oh, you see, I'm different." "I could never let myself look heartless." " What?" " Well, all right, thoughtless." " Never." " Definitely humorless." "That's because you're not funny." "You're not scared?" "Oh, I am, Merlin." "Maybe more than you." "Hey, hey, hey." "It's all right." "It's all right." "You're safe now." "Thanks." "Couldn't let you have all the glory, could I?" "They're coming from across the kingdom." "They're looking to Camelot for protection." "And we will give it to them." "We cannot house them all." " We have to try." " How?" "We cannot live like this forever, Arthur." "We must find a way to vanquish these creatures." "Somewhere in all your books, Gaius, there must be something." "All I'm asking for is a way to fight them." "I fear the Dorocha cannot be defeated by swords and arrows, sire." "If I am right and the veil between the worlds is torn then there's only one path open to us:" "To travel to the Isle of the Blessed and repair it." "And how do I do that?" "I'm not sure, but for the tear to be created it would have required a blood sacrifice." "To seal it will require another." "We ride before nightfall." "And who will be the sacrifice?" "If laying down my life will spare the people of Camelot then that is what I must do." " My lady?" " My lord." "I trust you bring me good news." " Tell me." " The kingdom is on its knees." " How terrible." " Indeed." " What of the poor people?" " More fall every night." "Such a shame." "You should know that Arthur intends to vanquish these creatures." "Impossible." "He makes ready to go to the Isle of the Blessed as we speak." "And if the Dorocha don't kill him on the way our brave little lamb intends to sacrifice himself to repair the veil." "Something's troubling you." "Morgana?" "Something the Cailleach said." "She spoke of someone called Emrys called him my doom." "Your doom?" "What did she mean?" "I don't know." "Morgana, we should be celebrating." "Arthur will be dead within the week leaving the throne open for Camelot's rightful heir." "I have many things I have to thank you for." "You've taught me so much." "Most of all, you have taught me what it is to be a prince." "I hope that this time you'll be proud of me." "Don't leave me." " I have to, Father." " Please." "Promise me you'll look after him when I'm gone." "What is it?" "You don't have to go." "I do." "Please, Arthur, take care." "You are precious, not just the kingdom." " Smile." " I can't." "Do you remember the first time I kissed you?" "There." "That's the memory I want to take with me." "You have to take this." "It bears the royal seal." "In my absence, responsibility for the kingdom rests with you." "What about your father?" "Should he die, you're to assume the throne." " Arthur" " You're the only person I trust, uncle." "I beg of you, for the sake of the kingdom, there must be another way." "My mind's made up." "I'm just grateful you're here." "Merlin, what are you doing?" " It is my destiny to protect Arthur." " How?" "Your magic is powerless against the Dorocha." "Then I must sacrifice myself in his place." "No." "My life has always been marked out by destiny." "If this is meant to be..." "I'm not afraid." "I will gladly die, Gaius, knowing that one day Albion will live." "Gwen." " Will you grant me a favor?" " Anything." "Look after him." "Bring him home." "I will protect him with my life." "You have my promise." "Thank you." "Elyan, look after the horses." "They need watering." "I need someone to volunteer to get wood." "I'll do that." "You shouldn't be here." "You have no powers." "Doesn't matter." "You're not a warrior, Merlin." "I don't want to see you hurt." "If you leave in the morning, I'll cover with Arthur." "It's your duty to protect Camelot, no matter what the cost." "Well, it's my duty to protect Arthur." "Surely you can understand that?" "I can understand that very well." "Help me, Emrys." "Please." "Is this really what you wanted, Morgana?" "Please!" "Emrys." "We need to reach Daelbeth by nightfall." "Pair off." "Find any wood you can." "Let's get the fires burning." "Let's go!" "We haven't got enough!" "Go!" "It won't get us through the night." "It'll keep the area safe for a while." "The last one." "Maybe we should draw lots, see who gets some more." " I'll go." " You'll need help." " I'll go with him." " You sure you're the right person?" "And since when have you known how to collect firewood?" "Merlin, look out!" "Let's go!" " They should have been back by now." " Someone needs to go and look for them." " We've only got one torch between us." " Who's coming?" " It's cold." " Right." " You're not feeling it?" " I..." "You know, Merlin, you're braver than I give you credit for." "Really?" "Was that a compliment?" "Don't be stupid." "All the things I've faced I've never worried about dying." "I don't think you should now." "Sometimes you puzzle me." " You never fathomed me out?" " No." "I always thought that if things had been different, we'd have been good friends." "Yeah." "That's if you hadn't been such an arrogant, pompous dollop-head." "We'll defeat the Dorocha." "We will, Arthur." "Together." "Well, I appreciate that." "You know, you're a brave man, Merlin." "Between battles." "You don't know how many times I've saved your life." "If I ever become king, I'm going to have you made court jester." "They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn." " It's pretty dark right now." " It can't be long then." "Merlin, no!" "What happened?" "Merlin." "The Dorocha cannot be allowed to remain in this world." "The sundered veil must be restored." "Arthur intends to sacrifice himself to heal the veil." "I must take his place." "Merlin, you must not do this."