Chapter 27: The Last Dragon (Please add to your library and vote)

Merlin watched Kay stride away, his face etched with profound disappointment. He had genuinely believed that Kay, who had always appeared so reasonable, would be a man capable of recognizing true talent. Reality, however, slapped him hard across the face. Kay had not only refused to acknowledge Lancelot but had also given him a severe beating.

Lancelot, for his part, harbored no resentment toward Kay. He understood that Kay had discovered the truth, and under the circumstances, merely being driven away was the best outcome he could have hoped for. Merlin helped Lancelot to his feet and offered words of encouragement: "Don't be discouraged, Lancelot. We still have a chance. I can ask others—yes, surely someone can help you."

Before Lancelot could interject, a thought struck Merlin, and he exclaimed, "Morgana! Princess Morgana! She will surely be able to help. She is the most righteous and kindhearted person in all of Camelot; she would certainly be willing to assist you. More importantly, Princess Morgana is Sir Kay’s fiancée; she will surely be able to persuade him. Although I don't know why Sir Kay rejected you, Princess Morgana will definitely be able to convince him!"

He turned as if to find Gwen, thinking it would be improper to approach the Princess directly, but Gwen could act as an intermediary. Gwen, like him, thought highly of Lancelot, and Merlin suspected there was a budding connection between the two. In such a situation, he was certain Gwen would be willing to help.

"Wait, Merlin!" Lancelot grabbed the agitated Merlin and said with great difficulty, "No... don't, Merlin."

"Why?" Merlin, assuming Lancelot had been disheartened to the point of giving up, prepared to press him further. But Lancelot’s next words made Merlin feel as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss.

"Sir Kay seems to have discovered the truth... he knows I am not a nobleman..." Lancelot’s heart was heavy.

From the very beginning, Lancelot had never wanted to become a knight through such deception. He disliked lying, and it was Merlin who had persuaded him. Of course, he did not blame Merlin; after all, he had agreed to the plan himself. He simply felt that this outcome was what he deserved. He had been the one to use deceit, so a beating was hardly an excessive price to pay.

***

Kay gave no further thought to the inner turmoil of Merlin and Lancelot. He felt that letting the matter rest here was for the best. He bore no deep-seated prejudice against Lancelot, nor did he look down upon him simply because he lacked noble blood.

The reason he detested Lancelot was, in truth, because he and Merlin were manipulating Arthur.

Regardless of their motives, their actions were nothing more than manipulation. Merlin, in particular, had shown Kay a dangerous precedent: he had hidden the truth from Arthur, forged noble credentials for Lancelot, brought him before the prince, and deceived Arthur without a moment's hesitation.

To Kay, this behavior was even more egregious than if they had conspired to deceive him personally.

Who was Arthur? He was the heir to the throne! Merlin, a mere manservant, and Lancelot, a commoner, had conspired to deceive the very sovereign they were meant to serve for their own ends. Such behavior was unacceptable, no matter how many excuses were offered.

Was there any fundamental difference between this and the actions of corrupt officials?

Some might argue that Merlin had no selfish motives—that he simply admired Lancelot and wished to repay a life debt, and that his intentions were pure.

That explanation was pure nonsense.

Are we to believe that if the intentions are good, mistakes should be forgiven? What kind of logic is that? If Merlin could deceive Arthur today to repay a debt to Lancelot, would he not be "forgivable" if he deceived Arthur again for some other reason in the future?

More importantly, what did Merlin take Arthur for? A tool to achieve his own ends?

Had Merlin not been the fated figure destined to assist Arthur, Kay would have driven him away alongside Lancelot. After this incident, Kay decided he would have to keep a close watch on Merlin. He was still too young and utterly incapable of fulfilling his duty to guide Arthur—he was still just a child.

Kay cast the matter from his mind. After such a clear warning, Lancelot should understand that he had been shown uncharacteristic mercy, and Merlin should have received his caution. He felt it best to let the matter conclude there.

At the end of the day's training, Kay found an excuse to descend to the deepest reaches of the palace dungeons. There, a dark, winding passage led to a cavern deep beneath the earth—the place where King Uther kept the last dragon in the world.

Twenty years ago, King Uther had resolved to purge everything related to magic, and the dragons had not been spared. All except for the one in this cavern, which was kept as a warning—a testament to all sorcerers and mages hostile to Camelot, demonstrating the kingdom’s might.

As in all legends, dragons were the most powerful of magical creatures. Their hides were hard as iron, they commanded sorcery, and they breathed fire; they were seen as the embodiment of power. Many noble houses incorporated draconic elements into their crests; for instance, Arthur’s own coat of arms featured a red dragon.

From this alone, one could gauge the true strength of Camelot.

Passing through a dark, damp corridor, Kay finally reached the dragon’s lair. It was a vast subterranean space, some two or three hundred meters below the surface. The dragon was bound there by a magical chain; unless someone helped it break those shackles, it would remain trapped until the day it died.

The dragon had been resting on a protruding stone ledge above the cavern floor. Kay’s footsteps stirred it, and with a thunderous flapping of wings, the dragon descended from the heights, its chains clanking, to land upon a massive jagged rock.

When the beast saw who had arrived, it was quite surprised.

"Kay! You have actually returned to Camelot!"

Kay remained unfazed. He calmly set his torch into a slot on the wall of the passage and turned to greet the dragon.

"Indeed. Long time no see, Kilgharrah. I warned you long ago to stay far away. Why were you captured after all?" Kay asked, sighing as he looked at his old acquaintance.

The dragon, Kilgharrah, folded its wings, settled onto the boulder, and lowered its massive head toward Kay.

"Everyone has things they hold dear. For me, it was my own kind. I could not stand idly by and watch them be slaughtered by Uther. So, I chose to fight. It seems your warning was correct, though the outcome is better than I had anticipated—at least I am still alive. As long as I live, one day, I will avenge my kin!" Kilgharrah’s tone toward Kay was far from warm.

Then again, they were not exactly friends. Kay had first encountered the dragon ten years ago, shortly after he had run away from home, when he stumbled upon it in the forests on the border of Camelot. In those days, for a knight to encounter a dragon meant a battle to the death.

Though Kay had been green at the time, his combat prowess was already formidable. The dragon, however, had been severely wounded years prior by Uther’s treachery and had not yet fully recovered when they met. The two were evenly matched.

Kay could not slay Kilgharrah, and Kilgharrah could not kill Kay. They had tangled for nearly two months, clashing dozens of times, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Through this back-and-forth, a strange bond had formed. To call it "love at first sight" would be an exaggeration, but there was certainly a mutual respect between them.