Shadow of the Beautiful World

In the short life of 18 years, Merlin was not without encountering strange things.

For example, in 1980, when Merlin was 9 years old, he once saw a shooting star wrapped in a scorching flame in the sky of his farm, falling towards the southeastern night sky. It was said to be a meteor that hit Kansas, and it was one of the most sensational events of the year.

There are nonsense rumors that the meteor is actually an alien spaceship.

For another example, in 1985, when Merlin was 14 years old, he saw on a TV program that the water in Lake Michigan soared that year, nearly submerging Chicago. That was also the sensational event of that year.

What's more, Merlin actually still remembers the vague memory of the night his parents died in the fire one month after he was born, the strange mysterious man in the blue cloak and black suit, the flames that were separated by the mysterious man, etc. .

Merlin's slightly withdrawn personality was never formed because of his nature, but because this child was luckier or less fortunate than other mortals.

He knew from the very beginning that under all normal disguises, the real trajectory of the world was different.

Those fairy tales are not all fiction.

But even so, Merlin had never encountered such an embarrassing situation.

A man who doesn't look normal asks Merlin to be his son

I have two fathers.

Merlin took a step back. He looked at the mysterious man in front of him. He revealed the pipe wrench on his back bit by bit. He said:

I'm not interested in finding a third, so sorry, I

Before you say no, mortals, listen to me.

Before Merlin could say his refusal, the white-haired man interrupted him.

He looked at Merlin, still expressionless, he let the dark red flames dance on his fingers, as if enduring extreme impatience, he said:

Your unique soul carries the smell of death, which is an advantage that those stupid mortals cannot reach. Your birth was accompanied by death, and you have passed through death at least once, which makes your soul purer and more precious, For me, that purity means potential.

The world is becoming more and more filthy now, just like a pond exuding a foul smell. There are fewer and fewer fish like you.

He emphasized his tone:

I am giving you power mercifully, mortal, you shouldn't refuse. Also, I think you should read this

The man's fingers flicked in the air, and a dancing halo spread before Merlin's eyes. In the fragmented halo, he saw his father, James Coulson.

He was lying in a pool of blood. In the chaotic scene, there were panicked crowds. Before those crowds, there was a black pickup truck with a distorted license plate, which proved that James drove to work on weekdays. car.

It collided with a bus.

There are scattered and blood-stained glass everywhere, there are wailing wounded everywhere, and there is a breath of death everywhere.

There are also flames dancing with flames.

The picture was not very clear, but Merlin could see that in that picture, James was struggling to crawl on the ground, and the seeping blood drew a bright red trail on the road below him.

He's trying to escape that hell.

But just when James stretched out his hand again, the flames, the bursting flames, completely drowned everything.

It was so real that Merlin even held his breath. In the picture reflected in his eyes, he could clearly see the despair, pain and an unconcealable nostalgia in James' eyes

hum

The suffocating picture dissipated at this moment, and Merlin's breathing became a little faster. He looked at the white-haired man in front of him, and said:

This is?

What will happen tomorrow.

The flame in the man's hand became a little fluffy, he looked at Merlin, and he said:

Of course, you can take it as a joke. I promise you won't notice anything abnormal when you wake up from the dream. You will sleep happily until tomorrow, and then get the news of your father's death, or

The light in the man's eyes jumped, and he said:

Can you try to change it?

You mean, your contract?

Merlin's mind was spinning quickly, but he had also heard fairy tales and read superhero comics, so he didn't think that what appeared in front of him was an opportunity.

So his eyes were full of suspicion.

This look seemed to anger the existence in front of him. Under Merlin's gaze, the long hair of the white-haired man shook. It wasn't until this moment that Merlin realized that it wasn't long white hair at all, it was more like white smoke formed after the flame was extinguished.

A group of faint flames twined around the man's arm. He stared at Merlin, and a fierce breath leaked out, like an invisible and heavy force, pressing on Merlin's shoulders.

At this moment, the young man seemed to be carrying a mountain on his back, he could even hear the groans from his own bones.

The white-haired man moved his arms, and the black dress on his upper body shattered into pieces, turning into burning red flames and disappearing in the air, revealing his robust upper body, which was covered with dark red ominous demons. pattern.

On the man's forehead, a pair of black horns also pierced the skin, and under the ears, there is a pair of thicker, horn-like demon horns appearing, as if they were the last embellishment of a demon .

What was even more frightening was that a pair of eyes appeared on the devil's cheeks, forming a strange square with his original eyes.

It was as if he had released his true self, no, it moved its body comfortably, and said in a deeper voice:

Bah, Mephisto's method doesn't work at all. It's as disgusting as that old devil's cunning.

Mortal, I've had enough of your chirping, maybe, I should just stuff a ball of hellfire into your body like I do other 'sons', or endure the burning and grow, and then be burned. burned to ashes.

I prefer this 'selection' method, and most importantly, I don't like your eyes!

The white-haired man in front of him no longer concealed his strength. The terrifying oppression, just the oppression of breath, made Merlin's body fall to the ground, like a collapsed stone pillar.

boom

Merlin knelt on the ground in humiliation, and he struggled to stand up.

very good!

The demon who no longer concealed himself nodded in satisfaction. He roughly threw a scroll full of dark red runes in front of Merlin's eyes, and then hooked his fingers. Merlin's fingers seemed to be scratched by thousands of blades. Just like before, blood spilled on the scroll.

He was forced to sign the contract, and no one respected his choice at all, and no one wanted to hear his choice. All of this was doomed before he was pulled into this dream, no, earlier.

Very well, ants should look like ants.

The demon completed the contract, and he took back the scroll in satisfaction. He looked down at the howling Merlin, and said:

The deed is done, my 'son'. Your precious and pure soul is mine, and your poor father can be 'redeemed', bah, I hate that hypocritical word as much as the angel who invented it Hypocrisy! But alas, the other little guy rejected me, so there's only 1/2 'salvation', which is fair.

The contract at midnight the day after tomorrow is formally established, that is, I will give it to you

The demon stretched out his dagger-like fingers, and touched Merlin's forehead, which was distorted by pain, his strange dark red eyes shone with malice:

strength!

hum

The world around Merlin completely collapsed like shattered glass at this moment, and at the moment when the world collapsed, Merlin heard the demon's triumphant voice.

Mephisto, old man! Did you see that? I also have my 'knight'!

Before Merlin fainted, only the last two thoughts echoed in his mind.

Who is this demon? Mephisto, and who is it?

The most important thing is, didn't you agree to let me make my own choice?

ah!

Merlin let out a scream, and sat up from his bed as if he had suffered extreme fright.

Panting, he stretched out his hands, moving in front of his eyes, he looked at his intact hands, the skin and flesh of those hands were so intact, there was no sign of being cut at all.

He looked out of the window, and a round of bright moonlight was shining by Merlin's window. Outside the window, it was another peaceful night on Coulson's farm.

A dream?

Merlin walked to the window, he opened the window, took a few deep breaths of the night air, he picked up the water glass at hand, and gulped down a sip of water.

That's not quite like a dream.

It's all too real.

But if that wasn't a dream, doesn't it mean that James, tomorrow, might really

wrong!

Merlin narrowed his eyes. If it wasn't a dream, it meant that James would not die, because the demon said that James would survive.

Ah, I might really be crazy.

Merlin grabbed his hair and returned to the bed. He stared at the ceiling above his head and said to himself:

I actually believed in a demon's promise, I actually believed in that contract.

Forget it, don't let James go to work tomorrow.

Merlin closed his eyes, trying to make himself fall asleep again. He thought it was difficult, but it was unexpectedly easy. A few minutes later, a slight snoring sounded in the room.

And at the head of Merlin's bed, in the unnoticed darkness, a mysterious man in a black suit and blue cloak was sitting there with a relaxed expression on his face. As he said, as a bystander, he witnessed Everything.

In the dark, he seemed to be talking to himself.

I really didn't expect that Sangong, who is rude and arrogant, like a barbarian, would have a day when he believed in a contract. It's so polite that I don't know it.

So, boss, did you modify the world line on purpose, and also modified Sangong's character? If you can do this, can you help me change Pandora's character so that she doesn't bother me anymore.

Another voice answered his question in the dark.

It was a low, husky voice.

It's the voice of the boss.

Of course not, Phantom Stranger, that is the power of fate. Do you really think that the name of the Fate Bones Dice is a joke? There is one last thing, come back when you are done.

Of course, everything is as you wish, my Overlord.

The Phantom Stranger stood up. He glanced back at the sleeping Merlin, opened the window and jumped into the night. Behind him, a gentle wind blew the window and closed it again.

everything

It became calm again.

—

Early the next morning, the sun was shining, a real fine day.

Merlin woke up on time at 8 o'clock in the morning and walked out of the room. Anna Colson, his mother, had already prepared breakfast for him and Phil.

Simple bacon toast, but not simple and truly delicious.

Mom, where is Dad?

After washing, Merlin sat on a chair, picked up the toast and took a bite. Well, it still tasted familiar. He asked casually, and Mrs. Coulson, who was busy in the kitchen, responded:

James has gone to work. It's strange to say that the principal called this morning to ask James to go to school early.

boom

The toast in Merlin's hand fell on the plate. Before he could stand up, Phil Coulson, who was walking down the stairs rubbing his eyes, shouted at Merlin:

Brother, you can never imagine what kind of dream I had last night! A strange white-haired man asked me to sign a contract with him, but I refused. The coolest thing is, you can never imagine the real identity of that man .It is a

demon!

Merlin interrupted Phil, and he rushed to Phil's side, grabbed his brother's hand, and rushed to the garage.

A moment later, Lola, who had refueled, let out a roar, and the red roadster rushed out of the Colson farm like an arrow.

The serious expression on Merlin's face made Phil sitting next to him dare not speak at all. This young man had never seen his wise and calm brother show such an expression.

Something big must have happened.

Lola was galloping on the road from the farm to the school, and after turning a corner, Merlin's eyes suddenly widened.

At the end of the street in front of him, the chaotic crowd screamed and tried to escape, and in front of the crowd, a black pickup truck and a bus collided, there were broken and bloody glass everywhere, and injured people were everywhere.

In the wreckage, a familiar figure is struggling to climb out of that hell.

dad!

Phil screamed and stood up, but Merlin pulled him down again and pressed him on the seat. Merlin opened the car door by himself and ran towards James, and just after he ran 100 meters

boom

Red, scorching, bursting flames like bombs

Thoroughly, devour everything.

No!!!