Merlin slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the familiar wooden ceiling of his home. The faint smell of boiled herbs and smoke from the small fire pit filled the room. His body felt heavy, as if he had slept for days, and a dull ache throbbed inside his chest.
"Merlin!"
His mother, Vanness Nidris, rushed to his side the moment she saw his eyes move. Her face was pale with fear, her hands trembling as she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Oh Merlin… why did you collapse like that?" she cried. "Maybe it's my disease… maybe I passed it to you…"
Her voice broke.
Merlin blinked in confusion. "No, Mom… it's not the disease," he said softly, forcing a small smile. "I just… felt dizzy. That's all."
But deep inside, he felt something strange—like a second heartbeat that didn't belong to him.
Vanness touched his forehead. "You scared me half to death. You were shaking when the soldiers brought you home."
Merlin tried to remember what had happened.
The battle that ended quickly
The light.
The dark mist.
But his mind was empty.
"I think… I'll go outside for a bit," Merlin said, sitting up slowly.
"But you just woke up!" his mother protested. "You should rest."
"I'll be fine," he replied. "I just need some air."
She hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Don't go far."
Merlin stepped outside.
The streets of Ydris were alive with celebration. Soldiers walked proudly, people whispered about the Demon King's death, and banners were being hung along the stone walls. Children laughed in the distance, pretending to be heroes with wooden swords.
Merlin wandered through the streets aimlessly.
What happened to me…?
Why do I feel like when my heart beats, something beats too"
He rubbed his arms, feeling uneasy. Everything felt normal, yet wrong at the same time—like something invisible was watching through his eyes.
Then he heard laughter behind him.
"Look who's here."
Three boys stepped out from between two buildings. The same ones who had chased him before. Their clothes were clean, their faces cruel with confidence.
"Well, well," one sneered. "The beggar's back."
Merlin froze.
Normally, he would run.
But this time… he didn't.
His legs refused to move.
The boys rushed him.
A fist struck his cheek. Pain flashed through his face. Another punch hit his stomach, forcing the air out of his lungs. A kick sent him crashing to the ground.
"Get up!" one of them shouted. "Is that all you've got?"
Merlin curled slightly but didn't fight back. He didn't cry out. His thoughts felt distant, muffled, as if sinking underwater.
Then something changed.
A strange pressure built inside his chest.
A dark aura began to leak from his body, swirling like smoke. The ground beneath him cracked slightly. The air grew heavy and cold.
The boys froze.
"W-What is that…?"
The aura exploded outward.
They were thrown back violently into the nearest wall, slamming into stone and collapsing to the ground in shock.
Merlin slowly stood up.
But it wasn't Merlin anymore.
His posture straightened unnaturally. His eyes darkened, glowing faintly red. A low voice escaped his mouth—deep and irritated.
"Ugh… why did I get beaten up like that?" the voice complained. "This body is fragile."
The boys stared in horror.
Merlin's shadow twisted on the ground. A horn of dark energy formed on the side of his head, shaped from the aura itself.
Inside his mind, Merlin felt someone else moving.
Who the Fuck are you…? he thought in panic.
A voice answered calmly from within.
"Who I am?" it said. "You humans called me Griatt Levin, the Demon king"
The Demon King stretched Merlin's fingers slowly, testing the body like a new vessel.
"Hmph… weak muscles, small lungs… but usable."
Merlin's heart raced inside his own body.
Get out… he thought. This is my body!
The Demon King laughed softly. "Your soul and mine are bound now, boy. You invited me in without knowing it."
The three boys scrambled backward, terror in their eyes.
"W-what are you…!"
Griatt turned his gaze toward them, amused. The aura around him thickened, and the horn glowed brighter.
Merlin felt his vision flicker between his own eyes and the Demon King's.