"San Gong looks down upon the Seven Lords of Hell, considering them a weak collective of cowards and schemers, attempting to rule Hell through political machinations and seeking true unification of the dark world. But with the Seven Lords each harboring their own agendas and the constraints of Heaven and other powers, such unification remains an unattainable grandeur."

The Shadow Guest's fingertips lightly grazed Merlin's forehead as he spoke of these otherworldly matters, which ordinary mortals could neither know nor comprehend—like the ramblings of a self-deluded madman.

Yet his power was very real.

Bound by the pale blue light, Merlin was immobilized, unable even to blink. He watched helplessly as tendrils of dark red smoke were extracted from his being by Judas, reminiscent of a bizarre exorcism.

"Yet the haughty San Gong yearns to be the true King of Hell. Despite ruling over several hellish dimensions, it lacks the authority of the true King by just a margin. For many years, it has pursued a brutal path to power enhancement."

"You know, the more powerful the force, the harder it is to elevate."

The Shadow Guest's finger pressed against Merlin's heart, pulling out a writhing mass of dark red power, which squirmed like an insect in his palm before being easily crushed and dispersed into the air.

"Believe me, Merlin, you wouldn't want to know what it means to be a 'son' of San Gong."

Judas chuckled deeply, knocking thrice on Merlin's back, releasing him from his constraints.

Now free, Merlin was suddenly overwhelmed with nausea, rushing to the coffee shop's restroom.

Returning pale-faced, he accepted a tissue from the Shadow Guest, wiping his mouth and glancing fearfully back at the restroom.

"Those creatures..."

"Parasitic Soul Worms, a rather underhanded tactic."

Judas explained to a shaken Merlin with ease:

"Mortals often think demons, or devils, omnipotent, but their limitations in the human realm are greater than you'd imagine. The farther they are from Hell, the more diminished their powers become."

"Thus, they resort to such tricks, leaving parasites or other entities within your bodies. By manipulating these creatures, they can make you feel wronged, as though they control everything."

"But in truth, you can live peacefully among mortals, as long as you don't court death. Even demons as mighty as San Gong can hardly harm you unless you're crushed by your own inner fears. That's the outcome they relish."

"Manipulating a broken shell of a person is much simpler."

The Shadow Guest mimicked a puppeteer's motion, yet this explanation did little to ease Merlin's mind.

Noticing Merlin's concern, Judas paused and shifted the topic:

"I've just removed the magical imprint San Gong left on you; it can no longer 'see' you, rest assured."

"But the pact!"

Merlin touched his neck anxiously:

"It said the pact would take my soul, is that true?"

"Uh, in a sense, yes."

The Shadow Guest pulled a pocket watch from his coat, glanced at the time, and elaborated:

"San Gong is brutish, like a barbarian, rarely using pacts to gather potent souls. Your experience was purely due to the rivalry between San Gong and Mephistopheles. Both ambitious, they compete in various aspects."

"Mephistopheles excels at forging powerful warriors through contracts, but in this, San Gong is a complete novice. Let's say, the pact isn't as binding as a devil's contract—it has loopholes."

Judas adjusted his hat, took a sip of coffee, and added:

"But for now, I can't tell you how to exploit those loopholes, because even if you knew, you wouldn't be able to."

"As for your soul, don't worry about that. San Gong was right; your soul is unique, and you'll survive this ordeal unscathed. But to cross death's threshold, how could you not leave something behind?"

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Judas patted Merlin's shoulder, as if bidding farewell, and said:

"I must tell you in advance, you will lose something."

"Be prepared. Don't ask any more questions; you know all you need to for now. It's unlikely you'll see me again soon, but when necessary, I won't be late..."

Judas stood, straightened his hat and clothes, and advised Merlin:

"Go see your father, and spend quality time with your family, Merlin. Cherish them; you don't have much time left."

"Also, by midnight tomorrow..."

Judas's form gradually faded from Merlin's view, and just before vanishing completely, he winked:

"At the moment the pact takes effect, you'd better stay away from mortals unless you want them to be affected."

"Whoosh"

Judas left as quietly as he had arrived, leaving Merlin alone in the coffee shop.

Standing in the empty room, the only evidence of Judas's presence were the two cups of coffee on the table.

It all felt like a dream, as real and yet as intangible as the one from the night before.

Merlin's mind was a mess; he didn't know how to face it all. It seemed as if his peaceful world had vanished overnight, replaced by a bizarre, unlovable reality.

Did he have a choice?

No.

There had never been one.

Not even the option to flee.

Merlin pulled out his wallet, placed a bill on the counter, and glanced back at the table with the two cups. He hesitated, then laid down another bill, covering the tab for the elusive Shadow Guest.

Well, consider it a coffee on him.

Minutes later, Merlin, who had been delayed, arrived at the hospital. Seeing Merlin enter the ward, Mrs. Coulson broke down in tears, hugging her son. Merlin comforted his grieving mother while looking at his father.

James lay in the emergency room behind thick glass, dozens of tubes inserted into him, the machines sustaining his life, flickering like a candle in the wind.

He had survived but was merely alive.

Phil sat to one side, his face filled with confusion and loss.

He hadn't come to terms with the events unfolding before him, guilt shadowing his grey eyes. Upon seeing Merlin approach, Phil instinctively stood up, nervously addressing his brother:

"Merlin... is it really because I refused the demon that Dad..."

"No!"

Merlin extended his arms, embracing his bewildered and frightened brother. Patting Phil's back, he whispered:

"It's not your fault; forget about it, Phil. It was just a dream."

Looking at his brother's haggard face, Merlin sighed, placed his hands on Phil's shoulders, and spoke to the 15-year-old:

"You need to grow up, and quickly. You have to take care of Mom and Dad. Can you do that?"

Phil clenched his teeth, nodding:

"I can!"

"Good!"

Merlin glanced around, lowered his voice, and said to Phil:

"Keep Mom from going home for now, wait for me to return, okay?"

"Um, okay."

——————————————

The day after James's accident, Merlin was busy.

At 9 PM, a haggard Merlin, carrying a black briefcase, entered the hospital.

Phil was still waiting outside James's ward, while Mrs. Coulson, exhausted from grief, dozed in a chair.

"Come here, Phil."

Not wanting to disturb his mother's rest, Merlin called his brother over. In the corner of the ward, he handed the briefcase to Phil.

Upon opening the unexpectedly heavy case, Phil's eyes widened at the sight of stacks of green dollar bills—apparently totaling over a hundred thousand.

"Where did you get all this money? Merlin!"

Phil whispered harshly, questioning:

"Did you take out a loan?"

Faced with his brother's interrogation, the usually non-smoking Merlin surprisingly pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes.

He opened the window, lit a cigarette, and after a few coughs from the harsh inhale, said in a raspy voice:

"No, I sold the farm."

After Merlin's parents died, he inherited the rights to the Riley family's ancestral home. But the house was demolished, and James used the compensation to buy Merlin a farm as his future inheritance.

The farm was always in Merlin's name, and at 18, he was fully entitled to dispose of the property.

Although the sale was severely undercut by the agency due to the urgency, an innate sense of urgency made Merlin disregard the loss.

He needed to arrange everything as quickly as possible. Judas's warning before departing had not been forgotten; Judas told him his time was short. From that, Merlin sensed an ominous foreboding.

He didn't know what he was facing, what his end would be.

So before the end arrived, he was determined to secure his family's future.

"You!"

Phil was genuinely shocked, grabbing Merlin's wrist, and exclaimed:

"You're mad! That's what Dad left for you!"

"I know, brother."

Merlin met Phil's gaze:

"But I don't need it to live well. James needs surgery, and I've seen many such patients at Rubes' private clinic. They need a lot of money post-surgery. You need to go to school, and Mom has to care for Dad. James's pension and insurance won't cover these costs."

"I don't want you to live in poverty. This is just a down payment; more money will be transferred to James's bank account. It should be enough to support you until you come of age. By then, you and I will have jobs, and everything will get better."

"Just don't tell Mom yet, okay?"

Phil looked down at the briefcase in his hands, feeling its weight, and finally nodded.

The somewhat impulsive kid seemed to have grown up overnight.

Merlin checked the time, coughed, stubbed out the cigarette, and told Phil:

"I have to step out for a bit, might not be back until after midnight. Take good care of them, okay?"

"Midnight?"

Phil looked puzzled at Merlin:

"What are you going to do?"

"Don't ask."

Merlin patted his brother's shoulder, vaguely stating:

"I'm dealing with the agency; those bastards took advantage of our urgent need for money and lowered the farm's price. Can't let them get away with it."

Phil took him at his word, not noticing the tension and slight fear in his brother's eyes as he turned to leave.

Merlin stepped out of the hospital. Summer nights should not be too cold, but as he saw the deep flowing darkness beyond the lights, he instinctively wrapped his coat tighter.

He felt a chill, born from fear of what was to come.

The third midnight approached, and the pact with San Gong would take effect.

Merlin wasn't dealing with any agency issues.

He was facing his destiny.

Tonight.