A Merlin fanfiction based on the premise that Merlin is proactive, not reactive, with regards to his destiny. Instead of waiting around for Arthur to end the Purge, he starts fighting for magical rights. The AU starts slowly, but the changes add up.
The first book, "The Warlock's Quickening,"
covers Merlin's first year in Camelot as he fights Nimueh, starts a magical resistance movement, and plants the seeds of doubt in Arthur's mind. Also available on Archive of Our Own. Complete.
The second book, "The King's Shadow," focuses on Arthur's growing sympathy for magic and on Merlin's clashes with Cornelius Sigan, who has returned from the dead with the ability to possess anyone. Also available on Archive of Our Own. Complete.
In the third book, The Rebel's War, Merlin has been exposed to all of Camelot as Emrys and Arthur has been sent away on a diplomatic mission as a result of the final battle against Cornelius Sigan, leaving Morgana and Gwen as the only ones remaining in Camelot who can attempt to oppose Uther as he renews the Purge. Also available on Archive of Our Own. Complete.
In the fourth book, The Kingdom's Rise, Uther is finally dead, allowing Arthur to start the work of freeing magic again. But not everyone is happy about that idea and there are people who will do anything to stop the changes. Also available on Archive of Our Own. Complete.
In the fifth book, The Mage's Restoration, it's time to end the Purge across all of Albion, but not everyone is thrilled by the thought of magic's return.. Also available on Archive of Our Own. Incomplete.
The Albion Cycle provides examples of:
- The Ace: Merlin is the most powerful spellbinder to ever live.
- Astral Projection: One of Merlin's many skills, developed after he accidentally used it to protect Arthur during the Horrible Spiders Incident. He's still working out the kinks. Sigan is good at this as well, being a disembodied spirit who flits from host to host. Technically, every spellbinder with sufficient power and skill (or luck, as in the Horrible Spiders Incident) has the potential to do this, but only a few learn how.
- Badass Boast: Nimueh gets a nice one in towards the end of Book I.
- Anhora: You are a fool for making Emrys your enemy.
Nimueh: You're wrong. Emrys is a fool for making me his enemy.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Sneaky Gwen is sneaky. Merlin, with his intelligence, ridiculously powerful magic, status as the magical equivalent of royalty, and actual army of Catha is probably the most dangerous man in Camelot.
- Bodyguarding a Badass: Arthur is a superb fighter, but he needs Merlin's protection with magical problems.
- Born of Magic: Merlin and Arthur both, but in very different ways.
- The Chooser of the One: Some people, including Nimueh, believe that Emrys chooses the Once and Future King. She is not particularly happy when he chooses Arthur.
- The Chosen One: Or Chosen Ones. Quite a few of the characters are figures of ancient prophecies.
- Combat Pragmatist: Leon vs. the Knights of Medhir.
- Comically Missing the Point: This happens a lot during Arthur's conversations with Emrys. It works both ways.
- Confronting Your Imposter: Arthur shows up at the end of Emrys's duel with the wraith Tristan du Bois.
- Cool Sword: Excalibur.
- Crazy Enough to Work: This happens quite a lot, actually. One notable example is when Gwen, Morgana, and Merlin conspire to get rid of a witchfinder by making it look like he has a crush on Arthur. Sadly, Arthur overhears them, so it never gets a chance to happen.
- Determinator: Merlin is going to bring back magic, thank you very much.
- Dreaming of Things to Come: Morgana's nightmares.
- Duels Decide Everything: At least according to the Knight's Code. Merlin thinks it's ridiculous.
- Duel to the Death: Tristan du Bois's modus operandi.
- Either/Or Prophecy: Morgana's fate.
- Find the Cure!: As per canon, Arthur has to save Merlin from mortaeus poisoning. After Arthur is bitten by the Questing Beast, Merlin's frantic search for a way to save his friend's life leads to his last showdown with Nimueh.
- Forbidden Friendship: Tons of them, including but not limited to:
- Merlin and literally anyone in Camelot, as they're supposed to hate spellbinders instead of befriend them
- Morgana and literally anyone in Camelot, for the same reasons
- Arthur and Gwen
- Arthur and Emrys, who, unlike the other spellbinders on this list, is very openly magical
- Friendship Denial: Arthur tries to pretend that he and Merlin aren't friends. He's not fooling anybody.
- Forced Sleep: This is one of the first spells that the druids teach their offspring. Merlin is also a fan.
- Framing the Guilty Party: Used twice. Morgana and Gwen frame Sophia Tir-mor of theft. Later, Merlin frames Aredian for conspiracy with the Tir-mors by hiding his staff among the Witchfinder's possessions.
- Friendship Denial: Arthur denies that he and Merlin are friends. He's not fooling anybody. There is an entire underground betting pool about when he'll admit it.
- Healing Magic Is the Hardest: Merlin hasn't really started learning it yet.
- Highly-Conspicuous Uniform: The Knights of Camelot wear shiny armor and red cloaks. RED.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Because who would suspect that Uther's ward and his son's manservant had magical powers?
- Hope Springs Eternal: Uther attempted to avert this by making all mention of the prophecies punishable by death, but the druids (and a few other spellbinders) have always remembered.
- I Am Not My Father: Arthur is not Uther, much to the magical community's relief.
- I Am Who?: In the very first chapter, Merlin has no idea why Kilgharrah called him Ambrosius. The druids do a much better job of explaining who Emrys really is.
- Icon of Rebellion: Emrys.
- Ignorant of Their Own Ignorance: Arthur didn't even know that there was a difference between a warlock and a sorcerer.
- Just Whistle: After Merlin frees Kilgharrah, the dragon gives the warlock a way to summon him. Merlin mostly uses this ability for emergency advice and sheep smuggling... until Cornelius Sigan's final attack on Camelot.
- La Résistance: The magical community is mostly united behind Emrys, their Icon of Rebellion.
- Last of His Kind: Balinor and Kilgharrah.
- Liar Revealed: In the second book, Merlin tells Arthur that he's Emrys the warlock. A few chapters later, Cornelius Sigan exposes him to a party of guards, which results in all of Camelot finding out.
- Long-Dead Badass: Cornelius Sigan, technically.
- Machiavelli Was Wrong: One of the many reasons Merlin dislikes Uther, and a major source of his disagreement with Morgause.
- Magic Staff: Beothaich.
- Master Swordsman: Arthur, of course. Also Leon, Lancelot, and Morgana.
- Misplaced Retribution: The Purge.
- Not Quite Human: Sophia and Aulfric Tir-mor are Sidhe in mortal form. So were Hunith's birth parents, Fergus and Niamh, which sort of makes Merlin (and Ganieda) a Half-Human Hybrid.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Merlin can get away with this almost accidentally.
- One-Hit Kill: Excalibur and Beothaich vs. the undead.
- Panacea: Unicorn magic plus the mirror of life and death can overcome the effects of a Questing Beast's bite.
- Rank Scales with Asskicking: Pretty much every authority figure except Iseldir the druid can unleash some serious damage in battle. Even Iseldir is something of a Badass Pacifist.
- Reluctant Ruler: The magical community tends to treat Merlin like royalty.
- Secret Test of Character: Nimueh kidnapped a unicorn in the hopes that Arthur would shoot it, which would show Merlin that Arthur was unworthy. It didn't work. Arthur scared the unicorn away from Camelot instead, knowing that it wasn't safe there.
- Seers: There's lots of them, including Morgana and the Vates. Even Merlin has been known to deliver a prophecy or two.
- Side Bet: There is an enormous underground betting pool about when and how Arthur will admit that Merlin is his friend. Rumor has it that even Uther has invested a few coins.
- Smarter Than You Look: One reason that Merlin is able to get away with his Obfuscating Stupidity.
- Street Smart: In some ways, Merlin knows more about how Camelot law really works than even Arthur.
- Supernatural Gold Eyes: Merlin was born with these. The blue eyes are an illusion placed on him at birth by Gaius, who knew that he would probably be killed otherwise. Merlin takes off the illusion after Sigan exposes him to Camelot.
- True Sight: Nimueh has a spell for this. Merlin and Hunith have the ability to see through illusions. It comes in handy when he's fighting Cornelius Sigan.
- Vagueness Is Coming: Because prophecies, like Kilgharrah, are contractually obligated to be cryptic.
- Warrior Prince: Arthur, of course.
- Wizard Duel: Merlin has gotten into a decent number of these.
