The evening air moved through them both, carrying the last warmth of the day.
The unfamiliar woman leaned lazily against Xavier's shoulder, completely unbothered by his stiffening posture. "What's with the sudden silence?" she asked, voice teasing. "Cat got your tongues?"
She puffed out her cheeks, mock-annoyed, when neither of them answered.
"Come on now. Speak up."
Jasmine finally managed something, though it came out shakier than she intended. "M-Master? What brings you here today? You never show up unannounced like this."
"I know," Lady Merlin replied breezily, pulling Xavier in even closer against her chest, utterly indifferent to the chaos she was causing. "But I couldn't resist. I wanted to meet the successor to my old friend in person — the Great Hero, Saint Sebastian. Master of Excalibur. The Iceborne Hero. The White Vanguard."
"I wanted to see for myself what kind of boy Excalibur decided was worth calling its master." She grinned. "If you catch my meaning. Hehe."
Xavier, somewhere between suffocating and starstruck, managed only a strangled, "I-it's a p-pleasure to m-meet you!"
Jasmine's face went scarlet at the sight. "MASTER! LET GO OF HIM! YOU'RE CUTTING OFF HIS AIR SUPPLY!"
Startled into giggles, Lady Merlin finally loosened her grip — though not entirely, much to Jasmine's visible displeasure.
The moment Xavier could breathe properly, he spun to face her, eyes blazing with pure, unfiltered excitement. "ARE YOU REALLY LADY MERLIN?! THE GRAND HERRSCHER OF TIME?!"
"That I am," she said, smirking with obvious pride.
"OH MY GOD!" Xavier's whole body seemed to vibrate with the force of his fanboying — and he was, unapologetically, a fanboy for every single one of the legendary heroes. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! ONE OF THE GREAT HEROES, STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! I'VE DREAMED ABOUT THIS MY WHOLE LIFE!"
He stared up at her, dark red eyes shining like he might actually combust from joy. "WOULD YOU SIGN MY HANDKERCHIEF? PLEASE?!"
"Sure thing," she said, amused, as one finger lit up with a soft pulse of ethereal energy. She traced it across the fabric, leaving behind a mark that would never fade no matter what touched it. "There. Hope that made your day."
"It absolutely did!"
Lady Merlin laughed, delighted by him — and then noticed, almost immediately, the conspicuous silence radiating from Jasmine beside them. She knew that silence intimately. That particular pout that only showed up when her vessel was somewhere between jealous and furious.
A slow, mischievous smile spread across her face. She leaned into Xavier's enthusiasm instead of dialing it back, answering every question that came pouring out of him — purely to watch Jasmine squirm.
"How strong was Saint Sebastian? And the other heroes?" Xavier asked, practically bouncing.
"Incredibly strong, Xavier." Her voice softened with something like fondness. "My dearest friend Sebastian was — still is, in legend — the strongest human who has ever lived. The strongest of all seven of us. Even without Excalibur in hand, his raw strength and command over ice were enough to stand against anyone, including the rest of us."
"He was simply born that way. Overwhelmingly strong. So far beyond the rest that not a single kingdom and Gifted across all four realms wanted him as an enemy. He was already something close to a god before Excalibur ever chose him."
"And the rest of us weren't called heroes for nothing either, mind you. I was the second strongest human after him — every one of us was the absolute peak of our race. None of the others could touch what we had. That's why the title found us so young."
Xavier's jaw had gone slack with pure awe. "WOOOW! You're all SO cool!"
"I'm flattered," she said dryly.
"Saint Sebastian kind of reminds me of my brother, Aleksander," Xavier said, "from how you're describing him."
Lady Merlin paused at that, something thoughtful crossing her expression. "Ah, yes. Emperor Aleksander. Word of him reached even Korea. A special case, that one — though I suppose that's typical for anyone born of the Four Great Families. Talent comes easily to your kind."
"Still, he's different from everyone else born in this era. A naturally born monster. Just like my old friend was."
She trailed off, lost for a moment in memory — old comrades, old days. Xavier watched her closely, catching the sadness that flickered through her expression before she could hide it.
"Miss Heroine?" he ventured.
"Just Lady Merlin is fine."
"Right! Lady Merlin! I have one more question."
"Go on."
"What were the heroes actually like? As people, I mean. I want to understand for myself — since, well, you already know — I'm one of the new chosen heroes. I want to live up to everything you all stood for."
Something in the sincerity of the question reached her. The teasing fell away, replaced with something more honest.
"Well, little hero — unlike how the stories paint us, none of us were perfect. We had our flaws. Our quirks. That's what made us who we actually were."
"Old man Aelion was a work of art, I'll say that much. Always the reason we were late to every important meeting, since his body needed twice the sleep ours did. But his wisdom outpaced people who'd lived ten lifetimes. He's the one who kept the rest of us together. I genuinely don't know if I'd have grown into who I am without him."
"Lord Leviathan, on the other hand — just a grumpy old sea dragon. He ruined the mood constantly, mostly because he couldn't be bothered to understand human, elven, or vampire customs. But he'd throw himself into danger without a second's hesitation. First to defend with his whole heart, even though nothing about how he looked suggested he had one."
She laughed quietly at her own memory, then continued. "Then there's our silly little Elven Princess, Lady Cecilia. My closest friend, honestly. An airhead, clumsy, childish at times — and yet the most brilliant of all of us, if I'm being completely honest. If I had to rank it: Lord Kasla, Lord Thalindra, and myself were the natural geniuses. A tier above us, Lady Cecilia — true genius. And above even her — the perfect genius. Saint Sebastian."
"To everyone outside our circle, we stood above the world without exception. But inside it? There were levels. Cecilia proved that better than anyone — a walking archive with no limit to what she could hold. Grand Herrscher of Magic. The best of us, frankly. Well — apart from our infamous money-obsessed friend, Lord Thalindra."
"He adored his own fame and fortune a little too much. A shameless flirt too, which suited his charisma perfectly. But underneath all of that — a genuinely good man."
"And then Lord Kasla. First and Beloved Son of Dracula. The calm one among us — nothing ever rattled him. Pale skin, that signature crimson-black hair his bloodline carries. A monster in his own right, easily a match for Thalindra, Cecilia, or myself. He'd even trade blows with Sebastian, casual as anything."
"Quiet man. Spoke little. Loved life and nature more than most living things deserved, hated killing, forgave easily. Made sense, given what his power demanded of him — the thing he valued most: life itself. The power over death is a blessing and a curse wrapped into one cruel joke."
She paused.
"And lastly," she said, voice dipping into something softer, "the man himself. Saint Sebastian. There's not much I can say that his name doesn't already say better." A small, almost private smile. "He was my first crush, you know. Hehe."
"W-what—" Xavier gasped.
She laughed at his reaction. "It's only natural. He was a devastatingly handsome man — scarred from battle, sure, but it only made him look more like exactly what he was. The most rugged of all of us, easily."
"But you remind me of him, Xavier. Just from one glance, I can already see it — the purity in your heart. That unconditional warmth. Both of you, cut from the same cloth. Selfless to a fault, always willing to give up everything you have for someone else's sake." Her expression shifted, fond. "Though Sebastian was colder than you. A pillar of ice, completely unlike you in temperament. His calm, distant nature wasn't a flaw — it was its own kind of charm, to the people who knew him."
"That's probably why he and Lord Kasla got along so well."
She tilted her face toward the darkening sky. "You asked what the Great Heroes were like. This is my answer — they were the greatest among legends ever recorded. That's who they were. My proud, impossible, beloved companions."
Xavier felt something warm bloom in his chest, hearing all of it — the same warmth he carried for his own friends, mirrored back at him through someone else's memory.
"Say," he said after a moment, curiosity tugging at him. "Why are you still alive? I thought all the heroes had died. Are you immortal or something?"
Lady Merlin poked his nose playfully. "I was wondering when you'd get around to that one. Hehe."
Xavier blinked, confused, as she reached over and ruffled his hair. "I'm only teasing. I'm not alive at all, Xavier. What's standing in front of you right now is pure ethereal energy — borrowed shape, given form through my vessel. Princess Jasmine."
"I died over ten thousand years ago, little hero." A small, knowing smile. "Did nobody ever tell you that a Contractor can be formed with the souls of the dead?"
"WAIT, WHAT?!" Xavier's voice cracked with disbelief. "HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!"
Both women burst out laughing at his expression. Jasmine added, still smiling, "It's true, Xavier. Much harder than forming a contract with someone living, obviously — but since I'm Lady Merlin's direct descendant, it made the process considerably easier than it would be otherwise."
"That's incredible!" Xavier said, completely unaware this had been possible until thirty seconds ago. "I wish I'd known that earlier. Would've saved me a lot of embarrassing questions. Haha."
Lady Merlin studied him for a long moment, then extended her hand gently. The Visors of Time — the glasses Xavier had been wearing — drifted free from his face and floated into her open palm, returning home without resistance.
"It seems you've made good use of my Ethereal Instrument," she said softly. "I'm glad I left it with the Ivanovich family before I passed."
She slid the glasses on, an old, familiar weight she hadn't felt in longer than she could properly measure.
Xavier smiled. "You can keep wearing them today, if you want. They're yours to begin with. It'd be nice to see the two of you reunited — they really do suit you, Lady Merlin."
Caught off guard, she flushed slightly, masking it with a smirk. "Smooth, child. Keep talking like that and you'll be the next Thalindra — a real heartbreaker." She leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead, then shot a sly look toward Jasmine, who had gone completely red and speechless. "Though I won't complain, darling. Someone better claim that heart of yours before I decide to take the position myself."
"MASTER!" Jasmine snapped, flustered beyond words.
Lady Merlin only laughed, her form already beginning to dissolve into drifting motes of white light. "It was wonderful meeting you, Xavier. I truly hope the best for you and the other heroes. Safe travels to the elven realm." A final, knowing smile. "Farewell. May we cross paths again — as the destined couple we clearly are."
Xavier, still reeling from the forehead kiss, snapped back to himself just in time to wave. "A-ah! See you later, Lady Merlin!"
And then she was gone — leaving the two of them alone again, the evening settling back into its quiet hush.
— ✦ —
Not far off, Alcmena had watched the entire exchange unfold. He let out a long, exhausted sigh as Lady Merlin's light scattered into the evening wind.
"Why do you look so relieved to see me go, Lord Alcmena?"
The voice came from directly behind him. Alcmena's fur shot up like he'd been struck by lightning as he spun around — to find Lady Merlin standing there, entirely unrepentant.
"I thought you left."
"I didn't," she said, teasing. "I just couldn't leave without saying hello to my second-favorite dragon. Hehe."
Alcmena exhaled slowly, the exhaustion of dealing with her settling into his bones. "If that's the case, you could have simply said so. Instead of frightening me half to death."
"Where's the fun in that?"
"You truly are something else."
She settled onto the grass with an easy grace, gesturing for him to lay across her lap. He did — not reluctantly, not really, settling in without a second thought, and their quiet little reunion began properly.
"I heard you talking to Xavier about my uncle, earlier," Alcmena said. "It brought back memories. From when I was still alive, in my true body. Hearing his name again — it's a fond ache."
"You really do think highly of him," Lady Merlin observed, smiling.
"I do," Alcmena confirmed. "Lord Leviathan was one of the very few dragons I considered an equal to my brother, Azraelon, and myself. The three of us — Leviathan, Grand Herrscher of the Cosmic Sea. Lord Osiris, Sky Dragon, Grand Herrscher of the Celestial Firmament."
"And my mother." His voice softened with something between reverence and longing. "The Ashen Empress, Dragon Queen Sylvia. The Immortal Blazing Phoenix. The Undying Sunbird. The Everburning Sovereign. The First Flame Incarnate. Grand Herrscher of the Eternal Sun."
"She's the only dragon who outranks my brother and me — second only to our father, Dragon God Eldoria himself." He paused, something heavy settling behind his eyes. "I do miss her. We haven't seen each other since the battle between my brother and me. I doubt she even knows yet that one of her sons is long gone."
Lady Merlin listened, then smirked faintly. "You're a peculiar dragon, Lord Alcmena. Not even Lord Leviathan would openly admit something like that — most of your kind are far too proud and bitter to show it."
"And on top of that," she continued, tilting her head, "you chose a human as your vessel? That truly surprises me, My Lord. Choosing outside dragonkin is practically taboo among your own. The only other one I know of who did that was Lord Osiris, and that was epochs ago."
Alcmena gave a faint, prideful scoff. "Xavier matters to me. Greatly."
"Meaning?"
"It's complicated to put into words." He hesitated, then let himself say it plainly. "But I won't deny it. That weak little human boy — he's like a son to me. Someone I refuse to lose, no matter what it costs."
Lady Merlin went quiet at that. Quiet long enough that Alcmena turned, frowning, to find out why.
"My Lord," she said finally.
"Yes?"
"You said the boy — Xavier — matters greatly to you."
"He does. Absolutely."
She paused again, gathering herself. "The truth is... the real reason I came to see you tonight, privately, was to tell you something you may not be aware of."
She turned her gaze toward the setting sun.
"Have you ever wondered why so many of our kin look at Herrschers as gods, even though we never were? It's because to them, we represent a power no mortal should be capable of holding."
"But what they fail to understand is that we're exactly as mortal as they are. We can still die — of age, or by another's hand. They call us 'nigh-omnipotent.' As if we're anywhere close to it. If we were, do you really think the world would be this broken?"
"We Herrschers have simply reached the absolute peak of what a mortal body can achieve. Nothing more than that. We're not all-powerful, despite what the stories say. We have flaws. Weaknesses. We need food. Sleep. Air. We're not what people believe us to be."
"And yet most of us let the lie stand. Too proud to let people's expectations slip. I'd wager you're just as prideful as Leviathan was, in that sense — being a Herrscher. Or — having been one, in your case."
"With the strength we earned through sacrifice and the constant risk of death, the heavens granted all Herrschers — present and future — a particular gift. The ability to search for answers. To look into the past and present and ask the questions that haunt us."
"It rarely worked the way people imagined. A limited gift — like a library with half its shelves missing. And the ability only activated through deep meditation, which left us completely vulnerable while we used it. Worse — every use ate away at our lifeforce. Use it enough, and it would eventually kill you. Slowly. Painfully."
"A blessing and a curse, delivered as one cruel joke from above. Your power has limits, and so does your hunger for answers. Which is exactly why most Herrschers never bothered learning the ability in the first place. And yet outsiders called this curse a blessing of 'nigh-omniscience.'"
"To see the past, the present, nearly everything. Which couldn't be further from true. We could never see the future — not truly. It didn't exist yet to be seen. If we really could glimpse what was coming the way the legends claim, so many of us wouldn't have suffered the way we did."
"Even we — descendants of Chronos — can only catch fragments of what's ahead. Faint, vague shapes of prophecy. A limited inheritance, nothing more."
Alcmena listened to all of it, increasingly unsettled, increasingly uncertain where this was leading. "Where is this going, Great Hero? Why tell me things I already understand? I know precisely what a Herrscher is. The absolute limit of what a mortal body can reach. Nothing beyond that."
Lady Merlin turned to face him fully.
"I'm telling you this because I saw the future. Before I died."
"WHAT?"
"On my deathbed," she continued, voice steady despite the weight of what she was saying, "the Allfather himself — Origin — came to me as my soul was leaving my body. He showed me a vision. A distant future. A boy of common birth would be born — chosen, just as we were chosen. Just as Sebastian was. The next master of Excalibur. The one who would carry his legend forward."
"And that boy," she said quietly, "was Xavier. The same boy all of you love so dearly."
Alcmena's face drained of all color. The world around him seemed to fall utterly silent, every other sound rendered meaningless against the words still settling into him.
"With whatever strength and time the Most High allowed me," Lady Merlin continued, "I carried my Ethereal Instrument — the Visors of Time — to Ulfberht, the Great Forger himself. At the Allfather's request, he modified them. Built in the ability to suppress the wearer's own power, and to recognize a single name as its rightful bearer."
"All I had to do was speak it. Xavier Laurent. From that moment on, he would be able to wear my glasses without resistance."
"That's why he could wield an Ethereal Instrument that wasn't his to begin with."
The revelation landed on Alcmena like a physical blow — and yet it made horrible, perfect sense. He had always wondered how Xavier wore another's Instrument so easily, when Ethereal Instruments were sentient, forged by Ulfberht to answer to one master and one master alone. Now the answer crashed down on him all at once.
Lady Merlin wasn't finished.
"I always wondered what kind of darkness would have to fill this world for Excalibur to be needed again, once the Seven of us were gone." Her voice dropped lower. "Now I understand why."
"For the Allfather himself to personally intervene — before that boy's bloodline had even been born — is extraordinary. So extraordinary that my dear Jasmine hasn't just glimpsed one prophecy of him. She's had recurring visions. Vague, yes. But unmistakably clear in what they point toward."
Alcmena had gone rigid, pale as something already dead, his jaw slack with dread. "W-what? What did she see?"
"My vessel can't make sense of her own visions," Lady Merlin said softly. "But I can. She saw what Fate has prepared for him." A pause. "Or — given how the prophecy reads — perhaps I should say Destiny."
"But I'll tell you this much, My Lord. I've spent decades around the corpses of the wicked I've killed myself. I was friends with the Reaper for longer than most memories have existed. I know what death smells like. I know its presence intimately."
"And that boy — Xavier — carries the strongest scent of death I have ever encountered in my entire existence. It's almost suffocating." Her voice was quiet now, stripped of all its earlier playfulness. "Death already has its hand around his soul. And once Death has chosen someone, their end isn't a possibility. It's a certainty. It cannot be avoided."
"That boy is fated to be claimed by the chains of Fate, and the hands of Death." She looked at him steadily. "If I were you, I'd keep him from anything that could risk his end. But you already understand, don't you? It's inevitable regardless."
Her words fell over Alcmena like a slow, suffocating storm — something he felt all the way down into whatever remained of his soul. The dread wasn't for himself. It had never once been for himself.
It was for the boy he loved more than anything else in this world or any other.
A long silence stretched out, swallowing every small sound around them, before Alcmena finally found his voice.