Those Who Inherit the Earth (Merlin, Arthur/Merlin)

They called it “Nimueh’s Curse”, though she was only one of a dozen who cast the curse that ruined Camelot and took the rest of the world with it. It left a visible mark on the world, and ruined Merlin’s life in the process. All he’d been carefully building up – his life in Camelot, Arthur’s trust and the burgeoning… something between them – had been shattered by her treachery.

Merlin carefully picked his way through the rubble that remained of the castle, moving as slowly and quietly as he possibly cold. The sun was still up, likely would be for a few more hours though it was hard to get an accurate sense of the time of day in the ever-present gloom. A red haze of clouds covered the sky, casting the land all around Merlin in a pink hue. So far, he had yet to encounter any of the usual creatures but he had his shields up just in case.

The shields had become a way of life for Merlin. They were a subconscious part of him, as automatic as breathing. He could and had maintained them in his sleep, a feat which had saved his life on more than one occasion. Without the shields, he would have died months ago. They kept him hidden from all senses, invisible and yet free to roam around. They let him walk amidst the multitude of monsters that now roamed the land unheeded.

Merlin pushed aside the boards blocking the partially collapsed hallway in front of him. If he remembered his geography correctly, this path would lead towards where the kitchens used to be. Hopefully, there would be something salvageable. He’d already picked through the parts of the city that hadn’t been completely overrun with monsters. Only the castle remained. He’d saved it for last partly because it was the worst of the wreckage and thus the hardest to pick through, but also because he was reluctant to face the memories it held.

The boards fell to the ground with a bang.