Prologue

"Merlin..." Arthur's voice quivered with both resignation and a heartfelt plea as he lay wounded on the battlefield. The once-mighty King of Camelot, his armor battered and bloodied, struggled to draw breath. His legendary sword, Excalibur, lay beside him, its blade dimmed by the encroaching darkness.

Merlin, his faithful friend and advisor, knelt by his side. His ancient eyes were filled with sorrow, knowing that this was the end of an era, the twilight of a once-great kingdom. He cradled Arthur's head gently, offering what comfort he could in those final moments.

The battlefield was a cacophony of chaos, the clash of steel against steel, the cries of wounded warriors, and the distant wails of approaching sirens. But in this small bubble of time and space, there was only Arthur and Merlin.

Tears welled in Arthur's eyes, not from the pain of his wounds but from the weight of his unfulfilled desires, the unspoken dreams that now hung in the balance. He whispered, "Merlin, I have one last wish, one thing I long for before I depart this world."

Merlin's voice was soft and steady, a balm to Arthur's tortured soul. "Name it, my friend, and if it's within my power, I shall grant it."

Arthur smiled as his blue eyes paled. "I have prayed, and I have high hopes to be reincarnated as a wizard in my next life..."

Merlin widened his eyes. "Arthur!" He exclaimed, genuine fear in his eyes. "Don't say such things! You know as well as I do that reincarnation is absolutely forbidden! You will be punished forever should that wish be granted!"

Arthur put a shaky finger to his friend's lips, grasping the handle of Excalibur, the magical sword given to him by the lady of the lake. "That wasn't it friend, that is entirely beyond your power... Take Excalibur and hide it, it is cursed, and will always be cursed... Hide it so it can never be found aga..."

Arthurs words trailed off and his hand fell, with one final beat of his heart he died on that flaming battlefield, one that would be forgotten by history and never recorded...