Chapter 99: Merlin’s Fear [Illustration]

Chu~

"Haa...My lady, please stop...this is...mmf..."

"Shhh~"

Chu...chu...chu...

Daniel and Anne stare gray as the stone gates surrounding them, unreachable from the unfolding heat in the center where a love rages. So riveting are the moans and sweet kisses between Merlin and Nimue, they seemingly fan the actual flames crackling on the altar to their passion.

It's not a total surprise to see love spilling, given the medieval literature of the two. That said, it's been more than a minute since they started making out. For the patient, invisible observers to this union, this has gone beyond mere poetry.

Making matters worse in their suffering, Mary is still nowhere to be seen to join them.

Shaking at her peak, Anne finally breaks, raising her fists into the air with her own flames. "Graah, we get it! When are they going to finish!?"

Her frustration echoes into the distance, yet the moans continue in their own world. Looking away, Daniel can only chuckle sadly to himself. Besides sharing his slime mother's exasperation, he's a little relieved. Had it been Merlin and truly Viviane making out, he's not sure if his heart could take it.

'Although, he said Mother was his apprentice?'

Nimue also mentioned lessons when consoling Viviane at one point, so the relationship does follow a version of the tale where the "Lady of the Lake" learned from the wizard. At the same time, the tale and Merlin's messages through Mary indicates a higher affection between master and student. Perhaps there was, even as Nimue embraces the man before them.

Daniel shakes his head, unwilling to let potential or past relationships distract from more meaningful history they've been trying to uncover. In particular, what of Nimue's role and fate?

In the first memory shared, this fiercely kissing woman was presumably caught by cultists and burned to death at some point, but that now seems unlikely if she's anything like his slime mothers. With her recent shapeshifting before their eyes, lack of bodily warmth, and the screams of a cultist she dealt in saving Viviane, "human" should be the last thing to describe this enchantress.

Amid his thoughts, the hooded wizard finally forces some distance, holding the enchantress barely at an arm's length.

It took him long enough.

"My lady, please," he breathes, letting his hand trace from her hips to her hands, holding them just as tightly.

Said lady's eyes soften as she pulls forward a bitter smile. "Why? Tell me, am I that troubling for you?"

"Troubling for my heart," the wizard amends. "But, I'm more troubled by how your outsized influence is creating work for me."

Nimue relaxes, finding the first trouble quite the praise. As for the second, she draws away, waving her hand dismissively. "You speak of the cultists that are spread among the Saxons? I find this blame rather unfair. How am I supposed to rein in centuries of misunderstandings, false hope, and corruptions spread from my predecessors?"

Merlin sighs, dropping his head. "Forgive me, I was just airing grievances. I am well aware that your existence is better off hidden. As a remnant of Isis, the last thing we need is for the current you to be worshiped."

'...What? Remnant?' Daniel repeats to himself, his eyes wide. 'If she says there were predecessors, does she mean...'

"Ah, let's not forget to give you a name! I've held many names myself, so it's only suitable that I bestow one to such an abandoned."

While Nimue's saving words to Viviane echo through his mind, Anne snaps him out with her own beginning line of thinking. "Um...Daniel? Could Viviane and I also be..."

"Ah! Wait, let's not jump to any conclusions yet," the artist quickly urges, squeezing her hand. In turn, Anne hums, only a little worried, as they return their attention to the Arthurian couple.

The enchantress huffs at the wizard. "Even so, you shouldn't need to feel troubled by what you can't control! Why try to overstep yourself in this short life?"

"I can't simply do nothing either, my lady. At the very least, I want to make sure that the history in this land is headed into the right direction."

Nimue furrows her brows and scoffs. "Is that why you advise Uther Pendragon? That pathetic king is far from right."

"Has there ever been one?"

"...No, I suppose not, but why have you aligned with him?"

"He may be crude, but he's not short-sighted when it comes to managing his land and trying new ideas." Merlin lifts his gaze to the fire. "Regardless of who I align with, though, I promise you there are no loyalties."

"And to me?"

"All the love."

Nimue narrows her eyes. "Suspicious. You'll give me love, but not even a bit of loyalty? As the one who helped raise you and then your dear apprentice, shouldn't I deserve more?"

"It's not good to be greedy," Merlin advises, his lips rising. "Besides, you've tricked many, no?"

"I haven't the faintest clue why you'd think that!" Nimue harrumphs, twisting away.

Merlin snorts. "Even now, my lady is being quite the enchanting trickster."

"And you're any better?"

The wizard quivers with a hearty laugh. "Heavens, no. You should take pride that your precious daughter is turning out better than us. When she inevitably takes over my studies, she'll need to be."

"How ridiculous. You must think you're so wise, huh?"

"Not at all! It would be unwise to think so."

"Unwise, you say...Unbelievable."

The two hold themselves in their little banter before the enchantress eases up. With a sigh, she joins him in staring into the fire. Once a few stars take their time to glimmer, Nimue shuts her eyes.

"Fine, it does not matter to me how your plans go. But, if we're talking about troubles and wrongs, I fear this fire is the only real slight I've granted you and Viviane."

Merlin remains still in his gaze. "Certainly, it would've been better if I wasn't able to handle it at all, but I don't regret connecting with you. At this time, I can only study how to control it. Perhaps one day, this power can be snuffed from use."

"I highly doubt it," Nimue scoffs. "Take it as someone who has lived through others for too long."

Yet, breathing out the cool air, she refocuses on him. "Anyway, since I can't convince you otherwise to not bother in the matters of men, I'll leave you to your research and manipulations. Just know, I'm always here for you if you need it."

"I know...and thank you."

Nimue holds the wizard's hands one last time, glowing with a hopeful smile, before leaving into the direction of the observers. They straighten, but any question on whether to move aside becomes moot as she passes through them, dispersing into the surroundings behind them like a mist.

'Huh, so Uther Pendragon was a real king then? No, more than that, whose memory does this scene belong to if it's just them?' Daniel ponders. It's less clear given how the entire circle is walled away from Viviane's fog, yet surrounded within it.

Regardless, Merlin stands alone again by the altar, illuminated by the fire's glow. With the enchantress gone, he raises a hand, sliding into its flames without hesitation. Rather than being seared, the fire rumbles, roaring higher. It's hue fades to green, howling into the air and spreading fading emeralds around the monoliths.

His audience stares, mesmerized.

"It's like your painting," Anne whispers.

No, it's more beautiful, but Daniel swallows from speaking it. Having seen just a little of what different colors of magical fire can do between the various memories, Victor, and Lecia, he wonders if he has any right to paint it at all.

If Merlin really did try to bury these flames, it might be for the best.

Their enrapture is broken when Merlin breaks the crackling silence. "It's faint...but there. You're watching this moment with me, aren't you?"

Daniel and Anne flinch to the wizard's call. After an odd second, the two glance at each other before the former checks behind him, hoping there's another person about to join this replay of memory.

It's just them.

Not waiting for a response, Merlin tilts his head to the sky as the green fire stabilizes on the altar. "The fire that we carry, and the kind you see here, is a force that not even my lady was able to explain. An enigma despite sharing with many kinds of people over centuries.

"No matter how long, it's existed throughout all of her incarnations, originating from a time when Isis was thought to roam this world, yet lost without a true sense of self or understanding of what she is. The reality of being a goddess is simply a title thrust upon her by man, eager to serve a higher being just so they can feel a sense of purpose beyond their life."

His hand clenches into a fist. "It's beyond foolish to attach to something we don't know, and yet, look at me trying to understand this dangerous energy that she brings. While it may feel cool to touch, just like her, make no mistake, it burns far worse than anything ignited by man. For me, it's already condemned me to views to the future and my fate."

He snorts sadly. "Perhaps, that in itself is fate."

The flame's crackles are highlighted in the coming silence as the wizard recollects himself. When ready, Merlin turns around to face his future viewers, a glimmer of light peaking from the darkness of his shrouded face. Whether he's actually seeing them isn't clear yet, but it definitely feels like his eyes are boring into their souls.

"This isn't about me anymore," he continues. "I don't know when or why yet, but the lady you saw — that I respect and love — will eventually undergo a change due to the greed of others. I can't tell her any of this in fear she'll bring about the change that will flood humanity earlier — connecting us all together in a sea of flames."

He lowers his head. "Thus, Viviane, if it's really you who can hear this, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for deceiving you when I know what's going to happen...for showing you love even though I know we can't be together...and for the sacrifice you'll have to make with me and your mother to give humanity time...and possible a chance."

Merlin turns away, taking a deep breath and levels his voice. "Find the book that I will bury here, and of which will have unsealed you. By that time, I hope to have written a way to cleanse you. You may think it baffling that I would even allow you the chance to be free, but leaving it to others has the potential to shape the future in ways I can't see. I must latch onto that hope rather than let your seal to the false star fade on its own.

"This is my gamble. Although I cannot guarantee I will have any descendants like you in the future, I hope someone will be there to guide you and perhaps give you the genuine love that I could not. More importantly, I hope you're able to suppress the madness that inflicted your mother, wherever it resides in you."

The wizard returns his attention to the green fire, wavering.

"Do not let the worship consume you. The goddess mustn't remain anywhere."

With his final plea, he swipes a hand through the fire.

FWOO!

A wind promptly howls, providing the observers little time to prepare in their attention to the wizard's words. There, above the altar, a vortex forms, disrupting the air. The magical fire gets sucked in, plunging Merlin and the Stonehenge area into darkness.

With the fire and Merlin gone, the air continues to be drawn evenly through all gates, nearly lifting Daniel and Anne off their feet towards the altar. The former buries any thoughts and immediately hugs Anne, grounding them together as sharp breaths of incredible force streak past their huddled bodies.

"Why is it like this?!" Anne screams, her voice dampened. Nevertheless, she envelops her son closer by turning gooey, then burrows her feet into the ground. It was good timing as the great monoliths shatter around them, crumbling into pieces while being erased from the area. Holding tight, Anne shields her sweet artist from any debris pulled forward, not taking any chances to see if they can be hurt while in a realm where her son can feel everything.

SHWI—

And then it stops.

The sound and feeling of the wind cutting off is so abrupt, their minds reel. Yet, enshrouded in darkness, they don't dare to let go of each other. In their grip, they feel more seamless than ever before.

They can't think too much about it as rays of warmth slide across their face. With it, their ears recover a bit to the sounds of cars honking in the distance and the usual city movement.

"Ugh..."

Slowly, they stir and open their eyes to a perspective that may not be the same.