Chapter 5: Meeting with the Legendary Merlin
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The boy opened his eyes to a crushing darkness—thick, cold, and suffocating, as if he were trapped beneath an ocean of shadows. The air felt dead, still, yet carried a strange hum, as though it buzzed faintly with something old and powerful. For a long moment, he simply lay there, unsure whether he was alive, dreaming, or something in between.
Am I… in the afterlife? the thought echoed in his mind like a whisper in a cave.
As his vision slowly adjusted to the dim glow, he noticed a flickering light ahead—a small, weak fire dancing atop a mound of gray ashes. Sitting beside it was an old man, hunched and frail, leaning on a tall wooden staff. His robes were tattered, his long white beard unkempt, and his hollow eyes seemed burdened with centuries of pain and loss.
Yet, despite his broken state, the old man looked up and gave the boy a faint smile—one that radiated a strange warmth, a grandfatherly gentleness touched with deep sorrow.
The boy hesitated, uncertain, but the man's gaze was not threatening. Slowly, he stepped forward, drawn by curiosity and a quiet sense of familiarity. The firelight illuminated the old man's face, revealing deep-set eyes filled with knowledge and heartache—a quiet storm that had raged for ages.
Finally, gathering his courage, the boy spoke. "Excuse me, sir," he said respectfully, his voice dry and raspy. "Can you tell me… where am I? And why am I here? If it's not too rude to ask… may I know your name?"
The old man's smile widened, soft and gentle. He slowly rose to his feet. His movements were deliberate and slow, yet graceful—as if, once upon a time, he had moved like flowing water, commanding the tides of magic itself.
"I am Merlin," he said with calm dignity. "Merlin Ambrosius. Some once called me Emrys."
The boy blinked, stunned. "Merlin? You mean… the Merlin? The legendary wizard from the stories of King Arthur?"
He let out a nervous laugh, startled by the absurdity of his own words. Why would he believe such a thing? And yet… something in the old man's presence made the thought feel entirely real.
Merlin chuckled softly, a sound both amused and weary. "Yes, my boy. I am that Merlin. A wizard, not just of legend, but of flesh and blood. A man who once walked among kings, dragons, and giants… and now, I rot here, in this void between worlds."
The boy stood in stunned silence, taking in the empty landscape around them. There was no sky above, no earth below—just endless blackness stretching in every direction, a world devoured by shadow.
"So…" the boy murmured hesitantly, "I must be dead then. And you… are you here to guide me to the afterlife?"
Merlin let out a deep, hollow laugh, filled with more bitterness than humor. "No, lad. You're only half right. You have indeed died. That part is true. But I am no servant of Death. I have no power to escort souls. I'm merely another prisoner… caught in this eternal nothingness."
"Then why am I here?"
Merlin sat back down beside the fire, his hands trembling slightly as he stared into the faint flames. "I summoned you," he said after a moment. "Though not for the reasons you may think. I've been trapped in this void for countless years—between existence and non-existence. My body is withering, my soul unraveling, and my magic… slipping away like sand through a broken hourglass."
He motioned to the darkness around them. "In a final act of desperation, I cast a summoning spell—hoping to reach someone. Anyone. Someone who might be able to help me die. Someone who could take what remains of me… and ensure it does not become something monstrous."
The boy stared at him in shock. "You… summoned me… to help you die?"
Merlin met his gaze, his eyes dull and haunted. "Yes. I no longer have the strength to endure this place. I've lost everything. And now, I've dragged your soul into this cursed emptiness. Here, we cannot truly die. Our souls are caught between realms, condemned to suffer in silence—endlessly surrounded by darkness, loneliness, and death energy."
A long silence settled between them, broken only by the quiet crackling of the fire. In the center of the ashes, something glowed faintly—a soft, ember-red light pulsing gently like a heartbeat.
The boy's eyes dropped to the ashes. "What… is that?"
Merlin's voice trembled as he replied, "The remains of my phoenix—my most beloved companion. She tried to reach me when the void began to collapse. She gave everything to protect me… but death struck her down before she could save me. Her ashes have remained here ever since, cold and still."
He looked upward, toward a sky that no longer existed. "She always rose from the ashes before. But perhaps… even a phoenix has a limit to how much pain it can endure."
The boy knelt beside him, his heart aching with helplessness. "I… I'm sorry. For everything."
Merlin shook his head gently. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for. Your presence alone… it's more than I expected."
He studied the boy closely, his expression thoughtful. "I have seen your world, you know. Through your memories. Your world lacks magic—its laws are different. But still… I could tell you had knowledge of mine."
The boy blinked. "What? How could I know about your world? I mean… I've heard of the old stories—King Arthur, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table. But that's all just fantasy."
Merlin gave him a knowing look and smiled faintly. "Not just by those tales, but by Harry Potter."
The boy's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Wait—what? You're from the Harry Potter world?"
Merlin chuckled, the faintest spark of amusement lighting his face. "Yes. Strange as it sounds, that world exists… and so do I."
For a moment, the boy didn't know how to respond. He was caught between awe and disbelief. But gradually, the truth began to settle in his mind—and with it, a quiet acceptance. The world he thought was fantasy had just become his new reality.
And perhaps, just perhaps, the boy who had lost everything might yet find a new purpose in the legacy of the greatest wizard who ever lived.
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Author's Note:
Your support is the inspiration behind this story's creation. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts or questions. Every piece of feedback motivates me to keep going!
English isn't my first language, so if you find any mistakes or unclear parts, please let me know in the comments!