Arthur thought, that even though had now reason to believe Merlin to be alive (he wanted to believe it, forgive him), he had not expected it to happen like this.

Sure, he could have expected Lancelot and Merlin to pull a prank on him. And surely, it should not have made Arthur's heart clench that impossibly harsh. When Lancelot said:
"Bad news." And paused so horribly that Arthur felt his heart shatter already.
Before he said: "He's still alive."

But seeing Merlin grin that lopsided smile, as if nothing was wrong....
He knew they never reached Gaius. And even if they did, Gaius was no miracle worker. He would have ordered Merlin to rest for at least another two days.
And even if Merlin had managed to escape, he would never have made it here in time, let alone so seemingly effortless. In perfect health.

Merlin looked alive and well. No scratch on him. As if nothing had happened at all.
This was his final confirmation. Dragoon had not lied. Merlin had been magically saved. For what reason, Arthur could only wonder.

If Arthur had not had the discussion with Dragoon, he was certain he would not have questioned Merlin's miracle recovery.
He would have been full of his own upcoming end and not wasted a second to feel anything but relief for Merlin return. He would have been blind to this.

Right now, he could felt himself soak up the hope that Merlin brought back with him, as he was indulged in hugs of all the knights.
Even Arthur himself could not help himself. He patted him on his arm. Though he was last to acknowledge his affection for his servant.
"It's good to see you, Merlin.", he said earnestly. And in Arthur's book, this was almost a love confession.

He almost winced at Dragoon's claims that he did, indeed, love Merlin. Arthur hated to admit, that he couldn't deny it. He was glad to see Merlin. More than he could ever dare to admit.

Merlin endured all the happy and relieved welcome backs, there in yet another old ruin which no one knew the history of.

"Who is that?"
Arthur swirled around, to see Lancelot curiously look at the man sitting at the fire.
Dragoon looked at them, the nostalgic smile on his face again.
His eyes were following Lancelot and Merlin with expecting eyes.

It was then that Merlin turned around to follow Lancelot's gaze.... And then Merlin froze.
He halted where he had walked towards Lance, his face morphed into something like utter confusion. Startled beyond believe, he merely gaped. "Huh?"

Dragoon made no move to introduce himself, so Arthur did it for him.

"This, Merlin, is Dragoon.", Arthur pat him on the shoulder again, just to have a reason to be close to his friend.
Merlin mindlessly stood there, still staring at Dragoon.
Something akin to recognition in his eyes.

Arthur blinked. Had they met? Did Merlin know him? That could not be. Merlin had been drunk beyond believe, when Dragoon had escaped the pyre. No way he remembered him.

"The great.", Arthur added to bring the humor back, but Merlin stalked forward to confront the old man.

"Who are you really.", he said and he said it with so much disbelieve, like he had expected Dragoon to be dead. Like it was impossible that this man sat in front of him at all. Like his mere existence was questionable.

"Who do you think I am.", Dragoon's expression was almost a mirror to Merlin's. And for the first time, Arthur saw them side by side.
There was... a striking similarity between the two. Arthur frowned. That's weird? Something in their eyes looked incredibly similar.

"You can't ... be.", Merlin frowned, but the more he watched Dragoon, the more his disbelieve seemed to fade. It was like Merlin was trying to sense something.
Strange, how the happy mood had suddenly shifted again.

"Merlin? Do you know him?", Lancelot reached out to comfort Merlin, but Merlin swatted his hand away.
Now, Merlin was usually a very affectionate person.
When Merlin refused affection he was usually mad. Determined, on guard. Like he expected the worst to happen. Something only he knew of. This look, Arthur had often recognized and waved off like it didn't matter. He would still insist that it didn't.
But he had often been wrong about it.

"Merlin?", Lancelot asked again, totally confused now.
Merlin ignored him an walked forward.
"You're....", Merlin breathed heavily as he stood before Dragoon. His eyes frantically searching for something wrong or different in this face.
"You're old."

Arthur frowned. THAT'S what bothered him?
"Your magic -", Merlin said and swallowed and now.... that was an interesting sentence, because.... Dragoon wasn't using magic right now.
Nothing but the beacon of light from the staff, but Merlin wasn't looking at it. He was only looking at Dragoon. It was questionable, if he had even noticed the beacon.

Merlin noticeably paled.

"Magic powers grow, the older you are.", Dragoon said, his voice crooked from age. The firelight made his features more prominent. And that's when Arthur noticed that his cheekbones were about as sharp as Merlin's. That's incredible.
Merlin's cheekbones were his trade mark.

For all Arthur knew - they could be related. Were they? It would explain why he helped Gwen. Gwen and Merlin were friends. Maybe Merlin had helped him?
But then.... had Merlin lied to him?

"I did not go back in time, if that is what you're asking. Time ends were it begins. It happened agonizingly slowly and it's hard to pinpoint what is and what isn't the end. I have a few theories, but I cannot be sure. This is my first return, after all."

"You came around.", Merlin nodded slowly, as though he understood.
His eyes were completely fixed on the sorcerer, but he did not seem afraid. Now THAT was unusual. Even more than Merlin ignoring Lancelot.
Arthur blinked and shared a look with the equally confused knights.

"Merlin you must heed the future.", Dragoon suddenly said and Arthur walked forwards to hear him better. He was talking quietly, but Merlin took him serious.
Since when were sorcerer's interested in Merlin and HIS future?

"What happens?", Merlin asked, too eager to hear him out. To eager to soak up his every word, as though it held the upmost meaning and importance. As though this was not the first time this had happened.

"You fail.", Dragoon said and Merlin's eyes widened. Fear written all over his face.

"Fail what?", Arthur had it with his patience. What were they talking about? Why did Merlin of all people seem to KNOW what Dragoon was talking about?
What was going on?

"Merlin what is he talking about?", Arthur ordered.

"How?", Merlin asked instead and kept ignoring Arthur.
"You know how."

Arthur frowned completely. What did he fail in? What did Merlin know?

Apparently, more than Arthur, because Merlin didn't seem to care about either of their presence anymore.
"No.", Merlin shook his head with conviction. "I have SWORN to protect him. It's my destiny to keep him alive. No matter what. It's my destiny!
I will not fail. I swear it!"

"It is your destiny to bring upon the golden age of Camelot. That time is as soon as Arthur is king. You will keep him alive until then and until the end. It is all well, while he lives. Everything after is just as bad as before. For you especially, it will be nothing short but hell.

You forget, that it is supposed to be a time of magic as well.
Your devotion to your king outgrows your love for magic.
You fail, because you deny magic it's chance. You fail, because you keep choosing destiny over your own morale. Merlin, you must be true to yourself.", Dragoon said.

Arthur wanted to say something. But he felt completely lost. It was like their conversation held place in a completely different dimension. Merlin.... loved magic? LOVED it?

Merlin was breathing heavily. His eyes flickered to Arthur, as though he finally noticed what Dragoon had said. What he just implied. Merlin swallowed.
Or was this how they knew each other? Had Dragoon showed Merlin magic and entranced him of it?
Once upon a time, Arthur had told Merlin NOT to confide in magic.
Back, when his best friend had died in Ealdor. And Merlin had helped Arthur and his father to fight magic. This made absolutely no sense!

Arthur felt a little like a hypocrite. It was a strange dejavu. Another sorcerer swore he was willing to lay his life down for Arthur.

There was a silent exchange of words between Merlin and Dragoon. Merlin was begging Dragoon for something. But Arthur couldn't tell what it was.

"Merlin, how do you know him?", it was Lancelot who spoke up now. He too, looked like he understood part of what Dragoon was saying.

Merlin turned to him. "Dragoon is Emrys.", he stated, as if that explained anything.
At the name, Percival suddenly stumbled back in shock. He stumbled over loose rocks on the ground, momentarily raising attention to his big presence.
But the attention was short, as Lancelot spoke again.

Lancelot stared at Merlin, like he just saw a ghost. "That's impossible.", he said.
Percival looked like he was trying to hide. Upon Arthur's questioning glance at the tank, Arthur finally got ONE question answered.
"Emrys is the most powerful sorcerer who ever walked the earth, Sire! I didn't know he existed yet! There are prophecies but.....", Percival said, but was cut off by Merlin.

"It is him. I can feel it.", Merlin said, directed at Lancelot. Lancelot blinked, his mouth agape. But their eye exchange sounded much different. Arthur was just unable to hear or see it.

Were all his knights suddenly telepathic or what?

"Okay, I want answers NOW. What the fuck are you talking about?
What destiny? Why are you talking about my death? And what idiot told you MERLIN plays a part in it? Is that what you're playing at? You want me to bring magic back to the land?
Is that why you're planning to sacrifice yourself at the veil?
That I'd revoke the laws?
Time travel or not, you must all be mad!"

At the words time travel, something in Lancelot's confusion seemed to click.
"No way.", he gasped and looked between Merlin and Dragoon.... as though they were..... they were....

Arthur blinked. Dread. And then.... sudden realization.
No. He shook his head. "Wait -", he walked forward and glanced at Merlin once, before studying Dragoon's face.
The same shade of blue in his eyes. The same cheekbones, the same expression. Just much more serious.

"Merlin?", he huffed out, his eyes wide, as he stumbled back again.
His eyes flickered to the younger Merlin, whose eyes filled with fear and sudden horror. What? Had he expected Arthur to be completely oblivious?

"Sometimes, Arthur Pendragon -", Dragoon smiled lowly. "You are smarter than I give your credit for."

"No. No this is impossible. Merlin is no sorcerer. Merlin is -
I saw you weeks ago. You were old. This is not true. This can't be....
You used an aging spell."

Dragoon's grin widened at Arthur's stunned conclusion.
No.... Merlin WAS a sorcerer?
The man in question backed away. Slowly, his feet crunching the leafs beneath him as he tried to increase the distance between himself and Arthur.
"Why would you do this.", Merlin said, but he looked at Dragoon, not Arthur.

Arthur swallowed. Merlin had lied to him for years. His relief from earlier felt heavy on his heart, all of a sudden. For all he had fought for over the years, he should kill Merlin right on the spot. But he felt frozen at the mere thought.

Dragoon - no - Merlin - chuckled. "I have nothing left to loose."

Merlin frowned in anger. "But I DO!", he shouted in frustration.

There was silence between them. But Dragoon did not look regretful.
"If I were not here, you would lose Lancelot at the veil tonight.", he said. Lancelot stifled where he stood and all heads turned to him. Lancelot looked guilty. Had he....
Had he planned it?
Arthur looked at him in horror.

"Then Morgana will use necromancy to use him as a pawn to destroy Gwen's and Arthur's relationship.
When that fails, it will cause Morgana to hate Gwen even more. She abducts her, manipulates her to kill Arthur by an old torturous ritual of the high priestesses of the old religion. At the rescue mission to get her back, Elyan lays his life."
Elyan stiffened in surprise, that he was mentioned.

"Without Elyan as their voice of reason, the knights all roam around without being held back.
Gwaine dies, shortly before Arthur does. And he dies thinking he failed Camelot for giving Morgana information against his own will.
Even though Morgana is dead at this point as well, Percival leaves Camelot to help people in need. He only ever served Arthur. He dies protecting children at a druid camp that is raided by Morgana's last men.
Gwen falls sick with grief. She rules Camelot for a while and then dies alone.
Leon and I saw the horrors of the world. A world that is constantly at war. He takes his own life with a magical sword, which after that, fails to take my life too.

If you truly do not want to lose anyone, you have to risk everything now, Emrys. THIS is your chance."

Silence fell upon the ruins. It did something to them all, when Dragoon called Merlin Emrys. And Emrys listened to it, like he was used to this name. Used to horrible prophecies as well.
A strong wind waved through the ruins with a grave howl.

The two Merlin's staring at each other. The knights whose deaths had just been pronounced, stared at the scene, fear written on their faces.

The young Merlin quivered, before he fell to his knees, as though each word was a blow to his insides. Tears were welling up in his eyes and easily spilling.
"I've.... I've already lost so much.", Merlin whispered to Dragoon. Who gave him a pitiful look.
"I know. It's nothing in comparison."

"How old exactly are you? How long have you waited?"
Dragoon fiddled with his thumbs, while Arthur still tried to process what the hell was going on.
"I've lost count of the years. But I've stopped waiting a long time ago. I didn't dare believe in false hopes."
"What is the youngest you could be.", Merlin added, swallowing at the grief in Dragoon's voice.
"A few thousand years.", the other Merlin replied with a barely noticeable shrug.

The silence stretched again. Arthur's eyes widened. Yes, he knew that Dragoon was this old.
But having it dawn on him that this was Merlin's future, made everything somehow ten thousand times worse. Made the image so much clearer. Because now Arthur could imagine precisely what and who Merlin would lose. The answer was short. ALL of them.

For a brief second, Arthur tried to move. But then his conscience reminded him that these men had just discussed how hard they were trying to protect Arthur and what it cost them both.
They were on Camelot's side in all of this. Against Morgana. Arthur couldn't move still.
Even if Arthur were to kill them, it wouldn't stick. Somehow he knew he couldn't do it. Not now, not ever.

"Merlin, I have to warn you yet again. After I die at the veil -", Arthur shuddered at Dragoon's, at MERLIN's words.
"Arthur will be attacked by bandits who invade the castle during a feast in a couple months or years. To be honest I don't remember it much. You know how often he comes close to getting himself killed.

If you cannot stop it from happening, Uther will get injured because of it. Uther may be the worst king Camelot has ever known, but in his final moments, he is at least a good father and Arthur is already in charge.

When you try to save him, beware of Morgana's pendant. It reverses the affects of your healing magic.
Heed Agravaine, do NOT trust him. He works for her.
And do not fight Mordred. Befriend him."
Merlin nodded, swallowing harshly at the advice.

Then, surprisingly, Dragoon turned back to Arthur.

"Arthur, do not condemn his girlfriend to death. Mordred is a good man. Though she is nowhere close as good, she needs to live. If you kill her, Mordred will turn against you and that seals your fate.
Accept the old religion. Turn the favor of the triple goddess on your side and you shall live.
The test she puts you to is a fluke. Follow your heart, do not kill an innocent man."

Then, he turned back to Merlin again.
"At Ahkanar lies the last Dragon egg."
Suddenly Merlin's eyes widened, shocked by the sudden twist in advice. And Arthur, who was just trying to wrap his mind around the warning (because the name Mordred felt familiar somehow. But he couldn't pinpoint who it was), felt like a ton of bricks had just been thrown on his head.

"In the vaults of Camelot lies a third of a triskelion. It cannot fall into the wrong hands.
Leave the egg where it is, until Morgana is defeated.
Or Aithusa will fall into her hands. She will forge a sword in the dragon's breath and create the weapon that kills your king.
The egg can wait for at least four hundred more years. Keep it safe, Merlin."

There was another pause, but Dragoon finally took a deep breath in relief. He had warned them of the most important mistakes he ever made. It felt like hundreds of years were taken off his shoulders.

"Why wait to destroy the egg?"

Both Merlin's stared at him. Both in a way that asked if Arthur had lost his mind.
Then..... they had the audacity to ignore him... AGAIN.

"Hello? Can't you hear me? If there is a dragon, we ought to destroy it! You've seen what those horrible creatures can do! What they HAVE done! You can't be asking us to spare them!", Arthur's impatience was growing.

Merlin and Dragoon turned back to him. Their eyes both serious and so... so sad.
"Your father did a horrible crime killing them all.", Dragoon said. And Merlin nodded without question.
"It is the duty of every dragon lord to protect the dragons. They are not dangerous, if you don't try to slaughter them all.", Merlin heaved out, clearly imagining Uther in front of his closed eyes.

Arthur opened his mouth, but found nothing in his limited pool of knowledge that would make him win this argument. Wait.... what did dragon lords have to do with this?

"There is one thing, I still don't understand. If YOU'RE here.... because time repeats itself, are there more of me roaming around the world?", Merlin asked curiously.

"None I've met.... although I'm not entirely sure.
I have a few theories on this.
Question: Have you met the fisher king? Did he give you the tears of Avalon?"

Okay, now Arthur was completely lost. When had THAT happened?
"The fisher king?", Leon frowned. "Wasn't that the quest you were supposed to go on alone, Arthur?"
"He was alive?", Gwaine asked, dumbstruck at the mention of the king.
"Gwaine too? Sire?", Leon looked almost disappointed.
"So that's why that elf called us courage, magic and strength. Makes sense now.", Gwaine was living his own conversation. His posture relaxed and considered the ceiling, as though it had just revealed the answer to an old question to him.
But this time, Arthur finally knew what someone of them was talking about. Yes... the elf suddenly did make sense, somehow.

"Yes, I met him. Why?", Merlin asked Dragoon, curious now.

"Well... I always wondered how he had known about them.
I had the theory, that maybe this repeat of time, might actually be more of a spirale. Like... everything repeats itself, but I will always have to wait for the once and future king to return.
And my successor will be my death. Like with the eye of the phoenix.", Dragoon explained.

Merlin's eyes widened, as he nodded. "You think, the fisher king might have been...."

"Me.", Dragoon nodded. "The me before me that is. Kilgarrah once said, Ihave many names. Emrys and Merlin are but two of them. Maybe there were many more.
But if you met the fisher king, my theory makes no sense.
Maybe..." Dragoon tilted his head in thought.

"Before Camlann, Morgana tried to seal me away in the crystal cave. She took my magic from me. Which... I can't really lose, because I AM magic.
It's a long story. But what if, that's what happened to the previous Merlin's?
Maybe they are all stuck in the crystal cave?"

"And the crystals each show how THEIR future unfolded?", Merlin's eyes widened.

"Maybe the cave has absorbed their magic into itself and created the crystals from that.
It would make sense, wouldn't it?"

"It would.", Merlin confirmed in distress.

"Can you two stop this? Can one of you, please give me clear answers to my questions? Look, I'm not going to kill either of you. Not that I could, apparently. So please, just tell me what the hell is going on!"

Dragoon and Merlin shared another look. Merlin looked slightly surprised.
"You should sit down.", Merlin said. "This is a long story."
"No, Merlin. We don't have the time. And believe me, Arthur. I have been much clearer than any of the sorcerers who've been guiding ME! Not to mention the dragon. Oh my god.", Dragoon rose to his feet instead in exasperation. "It is time."

"Merlin, tell him everything, after the veil is closed. Change your destiny. Listen to your heart. Trust in Arthur. Or else it will be another regret you carry with you forever."
That message, was clear enough.

-------------------------------------------------------

"WYVERNS!", Gwaine shouted and Arthur and the knights too cover. Where the hell had those beasts come from?
They were in another part of the ruins. Only meters parted them from the throne room in which the veil resided.

Everyone took cover, uncoordinated at their current situation. Unsure whom to trust and what to think. Only together, because their goal was the same.
Dragoon however, did not waste time and growled and shouted at the Wyverns.
It sounded low and rumbling. A language which only Lancelot seemed to recognize for some reason, as he shot Merlin a strange look.

Then.... Arthur let his sword sink in surprise. As did Gwaine, Leon, Percival and Elyan.
The Wyverns.... backed away.
They turned to Dragoon, who merely waved at them to follow him.
Arthur shot a glance at Merlin.
"Can you do that?"

Merlin looked at him, seriously considering something. Then he took a deep breath.
"Why do you think I would want to protect that Dragon egg?"
Arthur blinked. "huh?", he asked dumbly, still oblivious and too scattered from all the revelations tonight.
"I'm the last Dragon lord, Arthur. Balinor was my father."

Then Merlin's face morphed into something like shame and irritation, before he looked away to follow Dragoon into the throne room.

Arthur and the knights stared after them. Then sharing a look, before following after the two Merlin's. Arthur went last. His knees weak like not yet invented rubber.

----------------------------------------------------

"You know the price to close the veil.", the Cailleach eyed Emrys. She looked old.
As old as Merlin himself did. Maybe even older.
She wore a long dark cloak, which reminded him a lot of that dress he once wore as the Dolma.

"You have finally come to challenge me, have you, Emrys?"

"I always wondered what you meant by that."
Merlin remembered her works from long ago. He had never understood why she thought he wanted to challenge her.
Maybe it was this. Maybe.... giving immortal life, balanced out death? Maybe their mere existences challenged each other.
Maybe, Merlin walking through the veil would unleash something else. What happens when life bleeds into death? Death into life?
Where is the beginning, where the end? Is there anything at all? Do our stories ever end? Or do they always continue? Differently in each life? Who knows?

Honestly, Merlin felt a little too old to care.

The Cailleach nodded. She looked strangely pleased to see him.
"I have waited many lifetimes for you, Emrys. You have been a thorn in the eyes of the disir for many more. And now here you are once again."
Whose lifetimes? Mine? Arthur's? All the lifetimes of all the people?

"I am."

"You wish to die."

"I do."

"You have brought me many souls, Emrys."

Merlin nodded. He had. There was no point denying it.
"More than I care to remember."

There was another pause. "You must be relieved that it's finally at an end."

"I will be." For a second, Merlin wondered, if maybe she would refuse his sacrifice. After all, it was not the veil that demanded sacrifices. It was the Cailleach who did.

The Cailleach shook her head. "You are right, brother."
Merlin frowned. But only slightly, as she lead him to the veil. His questions could wait.
"Arthur.", he turned around to see his friends stand in one line to see him goodbye. Not really HIS friends. But another go at them. Another chance. One that Merlin was not part of anymore. That - in this form - he had long outlived. It was still nice not to have to go all alone.

Arthur straightened and nodded at him.

Merlin's eyes softened.
"Thank you.", he gave Arthur a meaningful look. And Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. The younger Merlin looked confused, but Arthur recognized those words.
Dragoon smiled mischievously. Only once .... Arthur was allowed to know a little more about his own destiny. Just this once.

"Famous last words, eh?", The Cailleach muttered right before Merlin turned around to look at the veil one last time. Merlin merely nodded.
And stepped right through it. It vanished after him. The tear in the world was finally closed.
Unseeing of the knights, the king and himself, watching with disbelieve how he disappeared.

When Dragoon opened his eyes, he found himself in front of none other than Arthur Pendragon himself. Dressed in royal attire and crown. As old and mature as he had been in death. He was smiling upon him.... as though he had waited for Merlin.
Dragoon turned around in surprise. For the fracture of a second, he had believed he had failed to close the veil. And it was still the young Arthur in front of him.
But..... there was nothing here. No veil, no ruins, no Cailleach. No one else. Just Arthur. And light.
A great contrast to the darkness of the veil and the dorocha.

"Hello Merlin.", Arthur said and pulled him into a hug as though this was their always.
Merlin froze. This... he knew THIS was Arthur. This was HIS Arthur! He could feel it. Sense it.
"Late as ever.", Arthur shook his head fondly, without separating from Merlin more than a few inches. "It's good to see you."

"I - hi.", Merlin intelligently managed to say.
"Hi.", Arthur smiled at him.
"Now come. Everyone is waiting for you.", Arthur punched him in the arm.

"Huh?", Merlin asked, but was dragged forwards by Arthur's hand. With each step, Merlin felt himself grow lighter and lighter. He felt himself deage. His beard growing back somehow. Like all the years were thrown of his shoulders all at once. As though his burdens, his destiny lifted off of him. Leaving only purpose and devotion. Something Merlin hadn't thought was left inside him.
Now he realized it had never left. It had just been buried underneath all the grief and the pain.

"Now, don't be stupid, Merlin.", Arthur rolled his eyes with a smile.
"Who do you think?" Merlin had said 'huh', maybe Arthur misheard it as 'who?'
Merlin opened his mouth, but out came only closed of sobs. When had he started crying?
Softly, Arthur retreated a few steps from him. "Don't worry, Merlin. He haven't waited that long. Time is.... fleeting in a world without it."

"You mean, you haven't waited at all.", Merlin scolded him.
"No.", Arthur grinned. "Not at all." But Arthur kept dragging him along.
"Come on, until the veil is closed. Nothingness is.... better when everyone is there."

Merlin tried to smile at the contradictions. But somehow... he understood what Arthur meant.
He felt strangely full and empty at the same time. Strangely uncaring, and so utterly compassionate that it was hard to explain. It was... as though complete opposites were actually synonyms of the same meaning.
As if meaning itself was meaningless. And meaning nothing at all, mattered more than anything else.

Right.... what was death, if not the feeling of contradiction.

Strangely, it sounded .... exactly like what Merlin had been craving all his life.
Maybe it sounded even better than that.
"Don't be such a girl, Merlin.", Arthur rolled his eyes. "It's hardly the end of the world".
'No. It's the exact opposite.', Merlin wanted to say. More than cry. More than laugh. More than tears.
Merlin looked at Arthur closely. There was so much he wanted to say to him. So many many things. So many. But he couldn't bring out a single thing. It didn't matter, because Arthur looked knowingly at him.

Arthur shot him an amused look. A look that was somehow fond and sorrowful at the same time.
Full of love and devotion. And empathy and care.
"I know, Merlin. I've watched you. Numerous times. Sometimes nothing... feels like it's too much to bear."
Then he took Merlin's hand in his and Merlin let him. "Come on. Morgana doesn't like it, when we let her wait."

Merlin's eyes widened, but Arthur shook his head. "Everything is different now. Here. Where we've always never been." Arthur laughed, as though he understood a joke no one else did.
Merlin didn't either. But he nodded anyway.
Merlin had never thought he'd ever felt this content again. There wasn't even anyone here but them. They hadn't even bantered. Arthur was just... here. HIS Arthur. HIS purpose.
It was all he ever needed to be able to let go.

And when the veil closed, they both ceased to exist.