Shadow of the Beautiful World

Boom

A deep thunder sounded over the city, and a sudden heavy rain swept the entire city.

Mei looked at the heavy rain dripping outside the window with some worry, and she was thinking about whether to pick up little Peter from school.

I don't know what happened today...

Mei touched her heart.

She always felt restless, as if something important was about to happen.

Or rather, it's happening.

At the same time, in a high-end residential area in Manhattan, Thor is also standing at the window.

The former Thor of Asgard frowned, studying the clouds above the heavy rain.

He looked at the thunder and lightning dancing in the gloomy clouds, and he could feel the strangeness of this rain.

Some kind of sign?

Thor breathed a sigh of relief, and said:

Is it a good thing, or a bad thing?

On the other side of the city, under the curtain of heavy rain, two cloaked figures stood on the edge of a tall building.

One is fat and one is thin.

One yellow, one black.

The thin man looked in the direction of the Holy of Holies.

Beneath the hood, the face was expressionless.

The magic is gathering.

Behind the thin man, the fat man wearing a hood of the same style holds a special magic weapon made of bamboo.

He stared at the direction of the magic flow on the magic weapon, and he said:

Something is extracting the magic power of the ground, like a hungry monster, the source of the devouring is...

The Holy of Holies, isn't it?

skinny black person says:

In our hallowed place, evil rituals are underway, like a corrupt lair that breeds monsters that devour the world.

The black man gritted his teeth and said:

The Supreme is probably dizzy...how could she reach such a ridiculous agreement with such a creature!

Be careful!

The fat mage behind him was taken aback. He looked around and persuaded in a low voice:

Mo Du, I know that you are wary of all evil things, but the Supreme must have Supreme thinking... As people who serve the Supreme Supreme, we should not speculate.

The thin man seemed to know that he had said something arrogant and disobedient, and he became silent.

After a while, he said to the fat mage behind him:

You stay here and watch, Wang, I'm going back.

Is there something urgent?

The fat mage named Wang said curiously:

You are not AWOL, Modu, if there is something urgent, I can help!

No, nothing.

A smile appeared on the corner of Master Modu's mouth. He patted his companion on the shoulder and said:

It's just that Master Casillas of the London Sanctuary has an appointment, and I can't be late.

Oh fine.

The king nodded, and looking back at the Holy of Holies, he said:

Then you go, I'll watch here.

In the leap of golden sparks, Master Mordu stepped into the circular portal and disappeared into the heavy rain.

After he left, Wang looked down at the magic weapon in his hand.

There was a look of concern on his fat face.

The flow of magic power on the east coast has weakened by two-thirds, and the magic power of other sanctuaries is also being absorbed...

My lord, what kind of terrible guy did you make an agreement with?

boom

As soon as Wang muttered to himself, a dazzling thunder streaked across the heavy rain sky and landed on the sky above the Holy of Holies.

That light illuminated the gloomy city, and also illuminated Master Wang's astonished face.

This... a natural phenomenon! Is a demon descended into the world?

boom

The thick thunder struck the top of the Holy of Holies, and the dancing light of the thunder followed the outer wall of the building and penetrated into the interior.

A blue arc visible to the naked eye circulated back and forth in the hall of the Holy of Holies.

Thousands of tomes stored throughout the Holy of Holies were swept up in a storm of magic.

The illusion of quicksand also occupies two-thirds of the space inside the Holy of Holies, and the songs of the underworld swaying in the illusion, like a landscape of annihilation.

The energy covering the sarcophagus is spreading, engulfing everything it touches.

Snapped

The stairs made of mahogany groaned under the load, and amidst the sound of tearing, those expensive woods were also swept into the wind in the gloomy light.

retreat!

The Border Queen yelled.

The crowd of onlookers immediately withdrew to a higher place.

Although it had long been expected that the scene of Merlin's resurrection would be very hot, the scene before him still made the onlookers feel heavy pressure.

Watching the excitement is also risky.

And the defensive barriers inside the Holy of Holies have been activated. These barriers laid down by the real Supreme Mage are very powerful, binding this terrifying energy storm that swallows everything in the Holy of Holies.

Merlin asked Master Ancient One to borrow the Most Sanctuary to resurrect himself, not just for the convenience of absorbing magic power.

There are only a handful of buildings in this world that can withstand the ravages of the power of the Heavenly Father and at the same time isolate them from dimensional probes.

The Holy of Holies protected by the Window on the World is one of them.

Merlin didn't want to expose the truth of his resurrection prematurely. Only by hiding in the dark can he see many details that cannot be seen under the light.

This is an advantage.

He must grasp the advantage.

look!

Satana walked up the stairs. After walking a few steps, she pointed to the hall below which was ravaged by powerful energy. She let out a strange cry:

Merlin's coffin can't be held down anymore!

Everyone immediately looked back.

Sure enough, as Satana said, above the purple sarcophagus covered by the illusion of quicksand, the lid of the sarcophagus was beating strangely.

It's like a corpse.

Of course, everyone present has seen the world, and it is impossible to be frightened by such a small scene.

Normal situation! Don't panic!

Zatanna waved her hand, and she said:

We can't get involved in this matter. We have a little confidence in Merlin, so let's take care of ourselves first.

The storm that engulfed everything was spreading, and when Miss Magician gave an order, everyone immediately dispersed.

They rushed to the higher places of the Holy of Holies, like refugees from the flood.

This building obviously has very clever space magic, and the interior area is much larger than it looks on the surface.

But at this time, in the howling storm of magic power, everyone felt unsteady.

gravitational...

Gravity here is getting messed up.

But it's a good thing.

This shows that Merlin's body is about to be reshaped, and the incorporated metal onium is taking effect.

The outside world was chaotic, but the inside of the sarcophagus, which was like the eye of a storm, was unbelievably peaceful.

In the quiet darkness, a new life is being conceived, just like in a mother's womb.

The warm and moist liquid was gently tumbling, and Sangong's power seed was suspended in the center of the liquid, and the cracks on the seed were spreading, as if it was about to bear fruit.

The orange light illuminates the green space, and in the flow of light, a pair of jade-like bones are becoming complete.

And blood and flesh have been integrated into it, and Merlin will get a new, strong and pure body only after the remodeling of the bone of sin is completed.

His ghost lies at the bottom of the sarcophagus.

In his hands, he held his two horcruxes.

While the body is intact, his self-separated soul is also reintegrated.

This is a very delicate process.

It's like playing a complex jigsaw puzzle and you have to concentrate on it.

Can a split soul be reshaped?

Yes, at least split souls in the form of horcruxes are okay.

And the process of reshaping is not complicated.

Actually, it's very simple.

repent.

All it takes is a sincere confession without lies, and the soul fragments in the Horcrux will be reunited as one.

but...

I have nothing to repent of.

In Merlin's soul vision, his body stood on a burning wilderness, and in the rising flames, he looked at the two selves in front of him.

That is the split soul.

He said to them:

I have no shame in killing Pierce and fake Fury, that was what I had to do and the right thing to do.

But you must repent.

The other Merlin put his hands together and said:

If you want to be whole again...

This is part of self-salvation. We all hate this formalism, but since we have chosen this method, we have to follow its rules.

He blinked at Merlin's body, and said:

It doesn't matter if you want it or not.

All right.

Merlin said dryly:

Then talk about something else.

He looked back into the burning wilderness, and in that scorching wind he said:

We have no choice from the beginning, driven by the whip to embark on a road that does not know where to go.

The bad thing is, when you're on the same road every day, it's easy to want to change it.

When you're tired of the never-ending provocation, respond and fight back.

When you lost interest in protecting something, you always wondered, should I have an easier life, should I leave the things that make me feel tired...

Merlin turned his head, he looked at the other two himself, and those two Merlins were also looking at him.

He said:

I'm talking about responsibility, mission, those things that have supported us and bound us. Can you understand?

The other two Merlins nodded.

Obviously, they understand.

Maybe this time to escape by cheating death, this rebirth is an opportunity for us.

Merlin stretched out his fingers, spread them apart, and said:

Maybe we're tired of being heroes, and we're going to try being villains... Like they say, the world owes us.

But does it really owe us?

Merlin chuckled and shook his head.

Looking at the wildfire burning behind him, he said:

No, it doesn't owe it.

It owes nothing to anyone, it gives us the power of being human, and we don't waste it.

We have strived to be true, we have longed for the dignity of being treated as equals!

Merlin clenched his five fingers into fists.

He turned to the other two himself and said:

Our dignity comes from freedom, not only from the freedom of action, but also from the freedom to control our own destiny and not need to bow our knees.

Our dignity does not need their handouts, we will get it ourselves!

Take it upright!

Our story is not over yet, our accounts with them have not been settled yet, we have to keep going...although I don't know what to do next.

But I believe that as long as we look for it, we will definitely find it!

That road must be right in front of us!

There was a gleam of fire in his eyes, and in the wildfire that burned more and more fiercely, he said to the other two selves:

When you walk the same road every day, it's easy to want to change it...

I try not to think that way myself.

I'm lucky too.

I took the right path from the start and we'll keep going.

Together we will!

He held out his hand to them, and he said:

If there is a need to repent, then I will.

I'm sorry guys, I've spent so much time thinking about this useless stuff, I've wasted so much time to understand...

Where we are going is more important than where we came from.

So, the next thing has nothing to do with this world!

So, the next thing is a personal grievance.

It's time to leave the past behind and get on the road again!

The three Merlins held hands in the burning wildfire, and they looked at each other.

Give them back theirs.

Ours is left to us...

Merlin's main body closed his eyes, and he said softly:

In the name of Merlin Riley, we will embark on this path of rebellion, this path of condemnation, until the end.

boom

The wildfire on the Wilderness of Mind set Merlin's body on fire.

In the burning flames, the three merlins were ignited like logs, the flames rolled and burned, and the scorching wind howled.

Between the drifting ashes, the rift in the soul is healed in this unique confession.

Like hot molten iron poured into torn metal...

There will always be ugly scars.

But it's complete.

It has been reborn in fire.

click

At the moment when Merlin's soul was recast, the power seed hovering in the sarcophagus... no, it can no longer be called a seed.

The vines that extended like rays of light finally broke out of their shells. They seemed to take root in Merlin's bones, spreading across every bone of him in the form of flowing light.

The bones of vanity have been forged!

Flesh revived on the bones, and the tumbling liquid was quickly absorbed, shaping every muscle in Merlin's body.

With the sound of splashing liquid, Merlin opened his eyes.

A pair of blue eyes, as blue as the ocean and sky.

cough

He coughed lightly.

So the storm stopped, so the heavy rain gradually stopped.

The whole world seemed to fall silent to hear what he was about to say.

He pushed aside the sarcophagus and stood up naked.

Behind him, everything that was swallowed up and annihilated was reshaped in a way that went back in time.

In the blink of an eye, the messy Sanctuary returned to its solemn and quiet appearance.

He takes a step forward.

The clouds dissipated and the sun shone.

The dark red robe covered his smooth body, and the long tail dragged on the ground.

The long black hair hung over Merlin's shoulders. He walked to the window and looked out the window.

Finally, he saw...

The familiar world for which he gave everything, even his body was broken to pieces, made people love and hate.

Hello, I'm back...

He said.

boom

The last thunderbolt resounded through the sky.

Then there is the first eye after the rain, and everything grows.

It all starts with a whisper and ends with...a thunderstorm.

The quiet world became noisy again.

It was as if he had regained his vitality, as if he wanted to show him his best side.

He gently raised his hand, and with a loud hiss, Victor, the spirit of the raven, flapped his wings and landed on his arm.

Bird, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, put his head on Merlin's cheek affectionately, expressing his simple yearning.

The light shone into the hall from the window, casting Merlin's figure on the ground, and the onlookers walked down the stairs, looking at Merlin's back.

Merlin turned his head, a gentle smile appeared on his fair face.

He said:

Everyone, I'm back.

Merlin...

came back.