Chapter Text
Camelot, Albion - Midnight
As bullets rained down at makeshift barricades in a rundown neighborhood, the police weren’t getting much hits on the criminal gang of sorcerers holding people hostage with their bounty of gold they procured from a bank until they got caught and made a run for it.
Commissioner Leon was gritting his teeth, he really didn’t want to have to call the SRD (Sorcery Response Division) because in his opinion they tended to take things to the extreme. And he really didn’t want to have to once again be shown that he can’t take control of a chaotic situation.
“Men! Hold your fire, we must make recovering the hostages our priority!”
If only it were that easy…
One of the sorcerer thugs combusted one of the vehicles which shielded at least 4 officers, Leon being one of them.
“Shit…!!!” Leon expected to feel excruciating pain…but he didn’t feel a thing.
He opened his eyes and saw the explosion being contained into what appeared to be a sort of force field. The officers around him were confused while the Sorcerers were outraged.
“Who…who is responsible for this?”
“Dunno sir, I was surely ready to say my prayers for a moment there!”
When the gang ringleader performed a spell of great wind in an effort to blow the officers away to make their escape, it took all Leon had to keep himself from being launched sky high and fall to his death.
His fingers gripping the lamppost were slipping and finally he along with his team were about 100 meters into the air.
“Well, not exactly how I wanted to go out…” Leon wasn’t particularly religious but he was hoping for some kind of miracle, if not for him than for his officers of which many of them have families.
He then felt his fall however slow until he was merely hovering above the air, slowly moving back towards the ground. Leon was shocked, once again he and his officers were saved!
“Come on! Let’s leg it!” The criminals began to hijack one of the remaining police vehicles not caught by the wind, they began to panic at someone foiling their heist and decided to go for broke. The hostages took the opportunity to flee from this madness.
Leon snapped out of it and ordered his men to shoot the tires. One of the criminals however gave them a magical shove as the driver accelerated the gas and made a break for it.
“Quickly! Get in a car and chase them! For those without a vehicle call for backup!” Before Leon could get into his car however…the criminals were all bolted back along with their stolen vehicle.
They appeared unconscious, the car a bit on the damaged side but it looked like the four vermin were fine.
“Sir? I don’t understand what is going on?”
Leon wished he had an answer to give them. Fortunately however it came in the form of a what appeared to be a young man? Silvery gray hair, slender but toned body, pale skin tone, red cloak with dark brown garments and black boots.
What caught Leon's gaze however were the man’s eyes…
Pure Gold .
Usually, sorcerers can’t maintain such flow of their magic for longer than a minute…yet this stranger made it look effortless.
“Halt! Sorcerer! Don’t move!” His lieutenant and fellow officers trained their sights on the strange sorcerer, who cocked his head at them with an innocent expression.
“Warlock actually. You’re welcome by the way boys.” A whirlwind spiraled around the man who vanished once the dust settled.
“Search every corner! He couldn’t have gone far!” Leon barked orders to his crew, who began to search in every direction, calling HQ for more backup.
Before Leon could breathe however 3 large vans with the letters SRD pulled over right by the rubble. Well-armed soldiers marched their way out leaving a path for their commander…Aredian.
“Commissioner, I must say I’m quite surprised. You actually caught some magical scoundrels for once, why do tell me what’s changed?”
If Leon was annoyed by the smugness in the SRD leaders voice, he was good at hiding it. “I would like to say we did it ourselves but…I believe it was the sorcerer vigilante Emrys who came to our aid.”
Aredian scoffed “I knew you were too incompetent, not only did you arrogantly try to keep us from being informed as soon as this crime had occurred, but you even dare to allow yourselves to rely on a Sorcerer for help?”
“Commander Aredian, it’s well known that the SRD’s methods of detaining magical practitioners are as inhumane as keeping animals in a zoo.”
“As well they should be. Sorcerers are nothing more than animals themselves.”
Leon kept any further emotion from breaching his face. He knew a losing battle when he saw one.
“Chain them up, we’ll deal with them at the facility.” With that Aredian made sure to tip the media as the SRD drove off with the unconscious criminals in tow.
Leon sighed, telling his officers they did a great job even though they all knew that if anything the SRD just had a major power boost at yet another one of their failures.
If only Leon knew why Emrys keeps trying to help them anyway…?
His eye however caught a glimpse at a figure hopping off a roof a fair distance away, getting closer to the main city.
“Emrys…who are you?”
As Leon just stood there watching the man disappear into the night, his officers started to ask what he was looking at.
“Hmm? Oh just thinking about all the shit we’re going to get in the press come morning…” Smooth.
“Hang in their boss, surely the Mayor won’t have you resign. You’re the best in Camelot, he needs you." His subordinate said.
Leon was flattered they felt that way but honestly, he didn’t know just how many more failures Mayor Lot can tolerate.
Leon turned back to the direction Emrys fled to. “Why do you do this at all? When the entire world just hates you anyway?”
An hour passed midnight – Downtown Camelot
Emrys landed on the roof of his apartment building and magicked the door to enter open. As he was walking down to his apartment number his body shimmered. Gone was the strong and fearless form of the sorcerer vigilante…now the lanky, scrawny, raven-haired body with blue eyes that required glasses to see with properly.
Here we have Merlin Ambrosius, part time superhero…full time loser.
“I really hate Aredian, he has a stick the size of the moon up his ass…”
As he got to his family’s apartment, he quietly…ever so quietly opened the door with his key, dreading waking up his mother or brother.
The door kept making squeaky sounds as he tried to close it, frustrating Merlin to no end.
“Ssshhhh…!” He whispered as if the door had ears…
Finally closing it shut he left his shoes back by the door where his mother last saw them and tip toed over to his room. On his way past he saw Mordred’s room with his little brother deep asleep holding his dragon action figure that their father gave Merlin when he was a little boy.
Merlin gave it to Mordred for his birthday recently, it really brightened the kid’s face when he saw it. Honestly Merlin didn’t really need it, he had a plethora of memories of their dad that Mordred doesn’t…
His mother’s door was shut so hopefully that meant she was fast asleep herself…
Nope.
The second he entered his room his bed lamp switched on; Merlin froze like a deer caught in headlights!
“Merlin.” There was his mother sitting in his bed, arms crossed and looking alarmingly not happy…
“Hey…mum…”
Hunith was unimpressed at her son’s nervousness and sighed.
“Do you want to explain yourself? Why is it that I woke to find that you’ve snuck out in the dead of night?”
“Well…”
“…?”
“You see…”
“Yes?” Hunith’s hand motioned in a ‘go on’ gesture.
“…umm…”
Hunith heard enough. “Merlin, this can’t keep happening. Ever since, ever since your father died you’ve been neglecting your studies, you keep coming home late and when you are home you sneak out to do gods know what.” It was worse because his mum didn’t even shout…she just sounded tired.
“Mum, I’m sorry, I promise I’m not doing anything bad.” “ Fighting criminals doesn’t count as bad surely…?”
“No? You won’t even tell me what you’ve been up to!” She barked out.
Both heard Mordred turning in the next room, Hunith than looked down. This time in a lowered voice she said. “Your father’s death was hard on all of us son, but things need to change around here. Especially now since I’m working extra hours just to keep us from being kicked out onto the street. You need to come home early and stay home.”
Merlin looked a bit guilty, but how can he just tell his mum that what he’s doing is because of dad? How can he tell her that he, wimpy Merlin was the crime fighting vigilante that took Camelot by storm early this year?
“Promise me Merlin that you’ll be home tomorrow straight after University.”
“But mum! I have a—”
But Hunith cut him off “Responsibility to look after your brother while I’m gone Merlin.”
He knew that, of course Merlin knew that. It’s just…being out there, being Emrys…it’s like he’s making a difference. He can pretend he isn’t weak and worthless. He can keep people from experiencing all the pain and hardships he’s felt.
“Okay mum you win, I’ll be here.” Merlin nodded.
Hunith stood and moved closer to her son, who was now taller than her these days, she looked him in the eye trying to search for any deceit.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Hunith smiled, and hugged her boy. “Than please go to sleep, and I mean it. You have class in the morning. Actually it’s what nearly 2 in the morning? You have class in 6 hours young man. Off to bed with you.” Hunith laughed at the horror in Merlin’s eyes as she went to close Mordred’s door before going to bed herself.
As soon as he heard the door close, Merlin quickly went to his laptop and searched the media websites to see the latest news.
MAGIC VIGILANTE SPOTTED AT SHOOTING EVENT
Neutral, good enough.
MYSTERIOUS WIZARD A SUSPECT IN THE GOLD HEIST?
Merlin had to scoff at that, these publications really love smearing him.
SRD COMMANDER PLEDGES TO APPREHEND EMRYS
“He can try.” Still Merlin shuddered at the thought of being anywhere near Aredian’s crosshairs.
MP UTHER PENDRAGON DEMANDS EMRYS BE BROUGHT BEFORE PARLIAMENT IN CHAINS
Ugh Uther...
"Really weird that he's actually Arthur's father. They’re almost nothing alike."
OFFICER AT SCENE SAYS VIGILANTE SAVED THEM
Huh…this is interesting. He can’t recall ever having officers saying anything factual about him. Mostly just ravaging that he’s a lawbreaker and that magic should be locked away.
Who is this officer?
Merlin clicked the link to the article and read some of the dialogue.
Officer…Leon.
“He was a great help to us, without him my officers and perhaps even myself would not have survived the ordeal. I don’t condone vigilantism don’t get me wrong, but to say that Emrys didn’t save our lives would be grossly disingenuous,”
Merlin kept re-reading it over and over again…
He didn’t think he would be making an impact on people this quickly, least of all a police officer. It honestly made him feel fulfilled, as if all the sleepless nights of patrol and constant evasion of the law and anti-magic crowds were worth every minute.
It would be a slow process, but his dream is that one day magic and mundane and live side by side in harmony. That way, no one else’s fathers will ever be stolen from them.
Merlin wiped the tears flowing down his face, putting his glasses down on his night table.
He printed a copy of the article and taped it on his wall, to serve as a reminder that Emrys…no matter how hard the struggle is beginning to make a difference out there.
He smiled to himself as he removed his shirt and trousers and just flopped onto the bed, not even bothering to get under the sheets.
“Dad, I won’t let you down…”
Merlin was abruptly woken up a few hours later when a large weight jumped onto his back.
“Oof…ugh…Mordred…” Merlin groaned, so exhausted.
“Morning Merlin!” The smile on his brother's face was so hideous…
“Mordred you’re like 9…why are you such a morning person???” Merlin moved him to the side as he sat up and rubbed his eyes awake.
“I’m not tired.”
“I can see that…”
Hunith than stepped in, her nurses uniform on neatly. “Ah good your awake, breakfast is on the table. Quickly get ready, you need to drop your brother off at school before you get to Uni.”
“Sure mum…” Merlin said idly as he checked his phone for any messages. Shooing Mordred away when he tried to snoop.
1 new message from Will
Will: Holy shit Merls! The news are going bananas over you! That prick Uther practically shat a pickle xD
Merlin snorted while checking for any more.
1 new message from Freya
Freya: Merlin are you alright? I saw the news, I hope you you didn’t stick around for the SRD. That Aredian bloke looks like a cutthroat… :/
Merlin typed a reply, confirming he’s fine.
2 new messages from Prince Prat
Prince Prat: Hey dollophead thanks for the notes, you may have just saved me a lecture from my father on maintaining ‘proper grades’…so thanks
Prince Prat: Also if anyone asks, I totally passed the exam on my own!
Merlin rolled his eyes as he sent a tongue emoji at Arthur.
You: 😝
His eyes widened at the last message sender however.
1 new message from Morgana
Every time she texts him it sends butterflies in his stomach. They met through Arthur, by all rights Merlin shouldn’t be friends with either Pendragon but well…his father Balinor was friends with Uther in their youth. However, according to his father they had a falling out not long after Arthur’s birth and it was only until he was in secondary school did he meet and befriend Arthur…after helping the prat pass maths.
Through him he met his sister, Morgana. The most beautiful girl in the world. Who couldn’t possibly notice a wimp like Merlin…
Somehow though he hasn’t ticked her off yet, she still finds him amusing enough to talk to pleasantly. He considers her a friend and hopes she views him similarly…even if he wishes it were more.
Morgana: So apparently I saw Arthur doing all of his maths work in record time. Be honest, you helped didn’t you?
Merlin stifled a laugh, she got him.
You: Maybe? ;)
Morgana is typing…
Morgana: Ha! Knew something was odd! You’re way too nice Merlin 😹
You: Eh well, how else will the prat last through freshman year??? 😂 I’ll see you soon yeah?
Merlin would have waited ages to see if she responded but his mother cleared her throat.
“Merlin, I gave you that phone so that I can contact you easily, not so that you can ignore me whenever I speak.” Hunith said dryly.
Merlin turned to her with a cheeky smile and waved her off. “Not ignoring you mum, get to work safely. I’ll make sure the little rugrat gets to school safely.” He said rubbing Mordred’s head earning a pout.
Hunith sighed and kissed her boys goodbye while they both got dressed.
“Merlin, why do you always smile so weirdly when you talk to your friend?” Mordred asked, eating the oats and toast their mother prepared.
“Hmm? Smile? Weird? Friend?” Merlin was nervous as to this line of questioning.
“Mhmm.”
“…Which friend?”
“Morgana. You get all weird whenever you talk with her.” Mordred always made sure to talk after he swallowed his food. His mother would be so proud.
Merlin blushed at the insinuation…I mean he’s right but still!
“Oh look at the time it’s getting late we should get going pal!” Merlin instantly swallowed the remaining oats and quickly ushered Mordred to get his jacket and shoes on.
While they were about to leave however, Merlin's phone pinged.
1 new message from Morgana.
Morgana: Like always 👍🏻
“You see! There it is again! That weird smile!”
Merlin groaned as his blush worsened. “Just start walking Mordred! Sheesh!”
Mordred’s giggle is perhaps his only redeeming quality.