Before Arthur became a king,
before Merlin became a legend—
they were both betrayed.
The Boy Who Would Be King
Arthur was not born a king.
He was raised as a weapon.
From childhood, he was taught that strength was the only truth.
That mercy was weakness.
That kings existed to protect the world from chaos.
And Arthur believed it.
Until the day he pulled the sword from the stone.
Excalibur did not choose him because he was pure.
It chose him because he was unyielding.
The moment Arthur became king, the gods noticed him.
And so did the Church.
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Merlin was never human.
At least, not entirely.
He was born with memories that did not belong to this age.
Visions of futures that should not exist.
Truths the gods wanted buried.
Magic spoke to Merlin.
Not as a tool—
but as a warning.
He knew the gods were not saviors.
He knew faith was a leash.
And most importantly…
He knew Arthur would be used.
Brothers in a Broken Age
Arthur ruled with justice.
Merlin ruled from the shadows.
Together, they built Britannia into an empire where heroes thrived
and magic was free.
But every miracle came at a cost.
The Church whispered into the ears of kings.
Into the ears of the people.
Into Arthur's own council.
"Magic is corruption."
"The gods demand order."
"Merlin is a heretic."
Arthur refused to listen.
At first.
The Day Everything Broke
The Church demanded one thing.
"Hand over Merlin."
Arthur said no.
So they gave him proof.
A prophecy—twisted and incomplete.
It showed Merlin standing over a burning world.
It showed Arthur dead by his hand.
Arthur hesitated.
That single moment of doubt…
was enough.
Merlin saw it in his eyes.
And he understood.
Betrayal Without Blood
Merlin was not executed.
He was erased.
His name was stripped from history.
His spells were forbidden.
His existence declared a lie.
Arthur signed the decree.
Not because he believed it—
but because he was afraid.
That night, Merlin disappeared.
And Britannia began to rot.
The Last Words Between Them
Years later, as the Church tightened its grip,
Arthur found Merlin one last time.
"You chose faith over truth," Merlin said calmly.
"I chose my people," Arthur replied.
Merlin smiled sadly.
"No. You chose fear."
Before vanishing, Merlin left Arthur with a warning:
"One day, you will find a child the world wants dead.
And you will understand what you lost."
Arthur never forgot those words.
Legacy
Arthur lost his kingdom.
Merlin lost his name.
And the world lost its balance.
Until one day—
In a forest untouched by fate—
Arthur found a child filled with darkness.
Asmodeus.
And history began to repeat itself.