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He never set foot in Camelot again, never looked at a crystal in the same way. Never did the real Merlin appear, and never did Arthur be reincarnated. The forced jokes, and the words he said still haunt him. So much has the world changed. So much he misses his friends.
Leon lived long, as did Percival and many of the knights. He did not see them again, but so much as watched them from afar. Watched as they grew old and had families of their own, as they lay on their death beds and watched the sun set one last time before they closed their eyes. Of course they would see many more sunsets, and sunrises when they got to Avalon, but they will not notice. They will not care, because there.. There Arthur will meet them, and they will live like they should have. They will never look at the sun in that way again.
Merlin watched as Gwen ruled, as she died and left the body she called home. He'd stopped one day, when something caught his eye. It was ruins then, the castle, Camelot was no more than a small camp now. They had named this country Wales, and Mercia and south England. What caught his eye was a crystal, shining bright in the evening sun, he dare not touch it, and he did not. But still, as darkness fell it shined on, blue and glowing, Merlin was captivated by it. It was a such blue it mimicked Arthur's eyes. He could almost recall the jokes they shared, but stopped in fear of stirring up dust. He turned his back, and walked away. There were other places he avoided, and other places he feared. In the current day Camelot is nothing, just a mythical place and Merlin himself is a creature of magic, but nonetheless a myth.
There was not a day when he didn't wish he could see Avalon and his friends in all their glory. There was not a day he didn't wish he could just see Arthur one last time, just so they could share the last joke. But there was not a day those wishes came true, and there was not a day when the blue of his king's eyes lit up the sky. Maybe he walks past Arthur every day, but does not see. Maybe he shouts after Merlin, chases after the old man, but falls away.
So much the world has changed.