Chapter 308: The Bargain
A few hours later...
Ethan sat in the living room, resting his head on the back of the couch as his eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling. His thoughts circled the same question again and again. What had been the goal here, and why had that missile attack happened?
On the table before him lay the crumpled paper that carried Merlin’s warning.
Then, suddenly, a voice from the side filled the room. It sounded casual and amused.
"Hello again."
Ethan turned his gaze toward Merlin, then just as easily looked back up at the ceiling, saying nothing.
Merlin tilted his head slightly. "No hostile attacks this time?"
"Why are you here?" Ethan asked in a cold tone. Merlin’s sudden appearance inside his home did not seem to surprise him in the slightest.
The Trickster smiled, stepping further into the room. "Come now... won’t you thank me?"
He gestured toward the paper on the table before taking a seat on one of the couches. "After all, that is the reason your city is not in shambles, is it not?"
Ethan exhaled and pushed himself upright into a seated position.
"I know that was Audrey’s doing," he said. "What I don’t understand is where those missiles came from... or why."
His brows drew together slightly. "Why would she try to destroy the very people she intends to rule over?"
Merlin gave a shrug, as though the answer were obvious.
"With the sudden deaths and disappearances of the family leaders, your side handed her the advantage she needed... Now she can incite the people even further against the king, and from there, approach everything from the angle of revolution."
Ethan’s expression widened slightly as he quickly understood that angle. "She would go that far? That’s diabolical."
"Yes," Merlin replied. "I told you before, Lady Audrey knows exactly what she’s doing."
Ethan sighed, shaking his head.
Merlin smiled again, continuing as though the conversation had not darkened at all. "Well, I did not intervene because I care about your citizens. After all... I was the one who set those missiles on that path to begin with."
Ethan’s eyes instantly turned toward him. He had so much irritation and fury in them.
Merlin raised both hands in a mock display of surrender. "I was simply doing my part for my summoner. You do realize I still have to operate under his control."
Ethan said nothing. He only stared at him furiously.
"But regardless of all that," Merlin continued, lowering his hands, "I have shown you that I intend to honor my part of the bargain."
"So... I ask again. Will you strike this bargain with me, Ethan? I will help you win this war, and when the time comes, you will lend me your power to complete my spell."
Ethan stared at him for a moment before speaking. "I have a few questions. Answer them honestly, and I will accept your request."
Merlin let out a soft laugh. "Why do you think I owe you honesty? It is not exactly my strongest trait."
"That may be true," Ethan replied, "but you should also realize that you have approached me twice of your own accord. You want this bargain more than I do."
He leaned forward slightly. "Your honest answers could determine how we deal with Audrey. Your bargain depends on me winning this war, and you claim you intend to help me do that. If I lose, then you get nothing from me."
"So the choice is yours, Merlin. Give me the wrong answer, we act on it, and fail. There will be no coming back for you."
"Or give me the right one, we act on it, and we win."
"Or not win," Merlin interjected. "Even the right answers do not guarantee a certain outcome."
Ethan gave a shrug. He knew that too.
Merlin shook his head with mild amusement before continuing, "Multiple questions would mean I remain here longer than I intend, so I will limit you to three. Those three, I will answer honestly."
"Fair enough," Ethan replied. "Then answer the first. Where is Audrey right now?"
"She is in Vanburgh at this moment," Merlin answered.
"Hm.. I can guess why she is there." Ethan muttered, now looking thoughtful.
"The Prime Minister of Vanburgh leads a branch of the League of Assassins. Lucien was rescued by Alistair, so Vanburgh is most likely an ally."
"Vanburgh is known for its military expertise. One of the most advanced in warfare tech..’ then he pointed toward the crumpled note on the table. "It is also not far from Gritnia, and given the timing you wrote here, ten minutes is enough travel time for a ballistic missile coming from there."
Merlin smiled at how quickly Ethan pieced everything together, but he said nothing.
Ethan continued with the next question. "Her next move. What will it be?"
Merlin answered, "Audrey mostly keeps to her counsel and only informs Alistair of what needs to be done at the exact moment it needs to be done. Even I have limited knowledge of her next steps until that time comes."
"I see," Ethan said. "So not only do we not know what comes next, we also do not know when it comes."
He sighed, then turned his attention back to Merlin.
"Last question. Where exactly is Alistair and the rest of the king’s children?"
Merlin hesitated for a moment. Ethan said nothing, simply waiting patiently.
The trickster exhaled. "They are in a house on a remote island somewhere in the sea that separates this continent from the one belonging to demons. But it is heavily cloaked by Alistair’s sister, Sylvia. Unless you know the exact point in that sea, you will not be able to find it."
He initially did not want to give this answer to Ethan after he asked during their first encounter, because he did not want a sudden invasion into the said Island as this would have slowed him down from completing the body of The Hollow he had intended to jump his soul into.
However, that preparation of the body, was nearing its completion already.
Ethan nodded slowly. "I see..."
Merlin rose to his feet. "So, what say you then?"
Ethan looked at him and gave a slight nod. "You have a deal."
Merlin smiled. "Very well."
He turned as if to leave, but at that exact moment, the front door opened and Isabella stepped inside.
Merlin halted. For the briefest moment, his eyes widened slightly as he looked at her in shocked recognition of who was standing infront of him.
Isabella paused as well, but looking rather confused as their gazes met.
Then Merlin’s smile returned. He dipped his head in a bow. "Greetings... Mistress of the Endless Dark."
Isabella stared at him for a moment, then narrowed her eyes slightly. She was trying to remember where she had seen the face. "Greetings to you too."
Merlin let out a soft chuckle and resumed walking. As he passed through the doorway, he murmured, "This world has truly gone mad."
"Wait, aren’t you..." Bella began, quickly turning toward the doorframe.
But the moment she stepped forward and looked outside, Merlin’s form had already begun to break apart. His body dissolved into blue butterflies, scattering into specks of mana that faded into the air.
She then turned back to Ethan, now looking puzzled. "If I remember correctly, that’s Alistair’s summon."
There was a brief pause as she seemed to search her memory. She then finally remembered It was around the time of Alistair’s eighteenth birthday. Their father gave him the catalyst as a present and asked him to break his old contract and bind to this instead.
But it was also the last time she had truly seen the summon herself.
"Yeah," Ethan said in agreement.
Bella looked confused for a moment, still trying to process the entire occurrence. She had originally come to ask about the thunderstorms and everything that followed.
Ethan went on to explain everything that had happened between him and Merlin so far. However, they never discussed the name Merlin had referred to her with.
It was mainly for two reasons. Merlin was a rambler, and it was no longer a secret that Isabella was a Grand Caster who controlled the domain of darkness.
---
The following seven days were filled with mass hysteria across Gritnia, especially among the common folk.
The missile incident and the thunderstorm that shot them down remained largely unexplained to the masses. The only official statement they had received was that it was under investigation.
Nothing more.
Thankfully, in this situation, that was all it amounted to. Fear spread everywhere, with people refusing to even leave their homes. But since no lives were lost, no one was angry enough to entertain whispers of incitement that could lead to any form of revolution.
——
At the Stark Manor...
"One week has gone by and she has made no move," Ethan said in a displeased tone, staring blankly ahead in thought.
He was seated on the couch, stroking Hayley’s hair absentmindedly. She lay on her side with her head resting on his lap, scrolling through her arcphone.
On the other side of the couch, Percival lay on his back, equally unbothered, and also occupied with his arcphone.
Both of them had stayed over for the weekend, claiming they were bored at their own place.
Percival, however, had been listening. "I mean... her whole plan to incite the people against the king failed, didn’t it? What if she just gave up?"
Ethan shook his head. "Nope. Strongly doubt it."
Percival shrugged and went back to his phone. Hayley, on her part, seemed too engrossed to care.
Ethan sighed, then glanced at his arcphone and noticed the time, remembering he still had work to attend to. "Alright guys, it’s time I head out."
He was already dressed for it.
"Noooo..." Hayley protested, shifting her body slightly in resistance. "I like you here better."
She was actually referring to him stroking her hair for the past thirty minutes.
Ethan let out a small laugh. "Get up, blue eyes. I have to go."
—-
A/N: Hey guys, I apologize for the lateness of this Chapter. I spent most of the day at work, speaking to my clients and preparing for a court case I have in a few days.
Additionally, I need a few hours to plan the outline that would conclude the rest of Volume 2.
Yes, the volume will be ending with The Desdemona Arc and it’ll be done so really soon. Thank You!
