The dark hall reverberated with Merlin's laughter.
I froze, stunned again by the depth of his knowledge. Star Wars? Really? He knew about my favorite movie? How? Could he travel back and forth to the world I once lived in? Could I?
Would I want to go back? Easy question. The answer was a hard no. This world was a gamer's dream, and I was living it.
"What do you want from me?" I managed to blurt out.
He answered with another burst of laughter. Heat rushed to my face. Was he mocking me?
After a while he calmed himself, though mirth still clung to his lips. "Lad, certainly not everything." Then he exploded into fresh laughter.
What the hell! Was he…? My cheeks burned. Was he actually referring to… oh my god. He's a creep! But how could he know? Did he have a scrying orb or something?
Too embarrassed to speak, I waited until his mirth finally ran out.
"Ahh, I haven't laughed that much in years." He smiled at me again. "Hear me, lad: always embrace laughter whenever it comes."
Then his demeanor shifted. His eyes focused past me, hard as flint. "This world will need all the laughter it can gather… for doom is upon us."
I stayed silent, waiting. Observing. Was he a seer too, like Victoria?
Almost as if he heard my thought, Merlin's voice softened: "The seers are not the only ones who glimpse it."
Then his gaze cut past me again, far away. "I'm right about you. You've grown. Wise beyond your years," he murmured, like we were comrades now, brothers in arms.
Wise? Me? Maybe just wise enough to know when I'm beaten. Go team Dark Lord, I guess. I stayed quiet, intent on listening. — And yeah, readers, this is really me when I've got nothing to say. Out of my comfort zone. In a fantasy world I should be dominating, I can't believe I'm the one fumbling.
"Wait—what doom?" my mouth blurted, racing ahead of my brain. Wow. Mouth one, brain zero.
"Now let's discuss why I am here," Merlin said. "I've come to strike a bargain." His demeanor was all gravity now.
"Okay, bargain, sure, but I'm sorry—what doom? Is that a pro—"
"Kuro Hashimoto!" Merlin thundered. "I don't have time for your silliness." His voice cracked like a whip, raw with anger.
The sound hit like a sonic boom. A wind sucked the air from my lungs; my throne rocked beneath me. My vision flickered with tears.
"You knew my true name!" I gasped, catching up at last. "Is there anything you don't know?"
"I am a Grand Wizard, Kuro." His tone was calm, absolute. "That answer should be enough. Shall we proceed with our bargain?"
"Fine. What bargain?" I raised both hands in mock surrender. Traitors, both of them.
"A seat at your round table."
"That position is already taken — by the Knight, from one of your two sorcerers. The bearded one," I shot back quickly, before another traitorous part of my body spoke first.
"Theodore is not a sorcerer. Human practitioners of magic who attain mastery are called Wizards. He is a Grand Wizard. All other races are Sorcerers." Merlin spoke as though lecturing a student. "A Grand Wizard represents not merely humanity, but the realm entire."
My right hand stroked my chin, as if urging me to listen. Traitor.
"Therefore," Merlin continued, sitting straighter, "you shall grant this chair a place on that round table."
"And what do I gain?" I asked.
"A merchant pass," he replied.
"You'll also sponsor my application to create a guild," I haggled.
"I will choose which fortresses on the Gallan Wall your guild shall defend," he countered.
"Deal."
"Deal." A smile tugged the corner of his lips.
"And which fortresses will be assigned to us?"
"The Fallen Fortresses," he said, smiling as he stood. "My work here is done. I'll leave you now to your schemes and machinations." He smiled again as his body shimmered, slowly fading away.
"Thank goodness! I thought you'd never leave!" I muttered, making sure I had the last word.
But my mouth, faster than my brain, blurted: "Where can I find the Fallen Fortresses?"
"In the City of the Lost," Merlin answered. His laughter rolled rich and deep before vanishing with him, leaving only the echo behind.
---
I stared at the place where he had been.
He was the true Merlin, all right.
I didn't like this — someone trespassing into my Dominion, showing off strength, mocking me. Revealing he knew everything about me — who I was, what I had done.
I glanced around the shadows. This should be my safe place. Yes, the Dominion was a prison, and prisoners lingered in its deep vaults. But they were sequestered, powerless to threaten me. Here, I was god.
So how had Merlin pierced my solitude? Why couldn't I simply enjoy my new life?
Cut your losses.
"Borkul," I called.
The massive orc with the black mane shimmered out of shadow and knelt.
"Have you found her?"
"They were too fast, my lord. The caravan with the prisoner slaves has already entered the Demon Kingdom," he reported. "We will follow them inside and rescue her — and any slaves we can."
"Good… goood…" I murmured. Merlin's use of that phrase almost made me want to drop it. Almost. But appearance mattered. Absolute power lives in the appearance of power. That's why Merlin's performance had rattled me so badly.
"Stay in the shadows. Gather information. Plan your rescue. Inform me before you strike. I'll join the mission."
Borkul grinned, pride gleaming. "It will be an honor, my lord."
I dismissed him, and he vanished.
Then I blinked. Far ahead, the Ivory Chair remained, gathering every stray light it could from the consuming shadows.
A reminder? A threat?
I stared at it, as though staring straight at Merlin himself.
"A bargain is a bargain, Grand Wizard Merlin," I said into the emptiness, knowing he was still watching.
Shadows stirred. A round table rose in front of the Ivory Chair. eleven empty seats formed — five for each of the light races, four for the dark, two for my princess and I. The twelfth seat: the Ivory Chair.
It glowed faintly, as if Merlin's laughter still lingered there.