After a while of waiting, the ascended walked back into the room with a stack of files in his hand, he sat back and flipped through the files, then turned to face Merlin.
"I've heard the reports and it conforms to your situation…" the ascended leaned forward as he locked eyes with Merlin "...now I just want to know, all other of the experiments went wild and caused destruction, so were you not affected or is this just a tactic to fool us?"
Merlin held his gaze then shrugged.
"Think whatever you like, it's not like me confirming anything will ease your suspicion, so I don't really care"
"You do realize I can have you locked up if you don't comply right?" The ascended threatened.
'Heh and I can walk right out of there with the apprentice ability…' Merlin chuckled inwardly.
"I know, but honestly, you don't have any proof that I caused any harm…" he ruffled Ariel's hair and added "... plus I still saved someone, that's more than your team of warriors did, so I don't see any reason to be locked up…"
He paused, then his voice turned serious but his face still wore a smile.
"But if you still insist, then we'll be having a rather interesting situation in the next few days…"
The ascended pinched his temple and sighed.
"I understand… however for safety, we'll still send a few people to watch you, that's non-negotiable"
"Alright" Merlin nodded and asked.
"So do you have a place I can stay? Or a place that can be bought, I don't really own anything and I have someone I'm taking care of here" he smiled at Ariel by his side.
"We have a place used for emergencies not far off from here, I will have one of the officers guide you" the ascended said calmly.
"Thanks, and what's the condition?" Merlin asked.
The ascended smiled and replied.
"If... after the monitoring, we decide that you have no problems, you'll have to join as one of us…"
Merlin listened then he thought inwardly.
'I was just looking for a way to hitch a transcendent ride through my nightmare, who would think that they would take the initiative to bring me right where I can achieve it'
"Alright I'll take up the offer" He stretched out his hand and the ascended completed the handshake.
"I'll have someone get the place ready, but as for the provisions, those will cost you, if you don't have a way to pay them, you could also take on jobs from us in the meantime…"
Merlin thought for a second, then he retrieved four ascended shards from his dimension ring and placed them on the table.
"Will these be enough?"
The ascended looked at him as if re-evaluating him, then after a few seconds, he nodded.
"Then you'll have to wait for a few minutes so the place can be prepared…"
…
An hour later, Merlin and Ariel finally left the station, they followed one of the officers till they got to the house that was just about six blocks away from the station, the place looked comfortable, not too high end and not too low standard either, just large enough for reconnaissance and small enough to not attract unnecessary attention.
Merlin walked into the house and looked around, he made his way to the kitchen, the bathroom, the room, and other parts of the house.
'No wire traps and no cameras, but who knows these guys may have someone with Kai level x-ray vision… still I don't feel like I'm being watched'
He retrieved a coin from his dimension ring, then with a flick, the coin spun in the air carving a smooth arc before landing on his hand.
'Heads… so I'm actually being watched, how professional… wait'
Merlin turned his head to the side and saw that Ariel's grey eyes were locked on his figure, he sighed then said to her.
"Hey Ariel, please turn around, I want to confirm something"
She did as he said, then he flicked the coin again and it landed in his hands.
'Heads again… I really am being watched'
He sighed inwardly and said to Ariel that was looking around the house.
"Hey it's alright now, let's get something to eat"
With that, he walked into the kitchen, and checked the cupboard. There were different kinds of stuff, some he recognized and some he didn't.
"Well I'll just make pasta… the first human-like food I've eaten in over two years, and it's inside the dream of a forgotten god, heh…"
He picked out the ingredients he recognized, and a few others, after he divined they were safe, he began cooking, while he was doing that Ariel sat quietly in the living room waiting for him to finish, her expression alternating between relief, regret and pain.
After a few minutes, he finished with the cooking and brought out the food, he and Ariel ate quietly, and after that, they freshened up and changed into clothes provided by the people, by then it was already dusk, so Merlin decided to leave his information gathering to the next day.
"Hey…" Merlin spoke as he turned to Ariel who sat by his side.
"Yes Mr Merlin" Ariel turned to him, her voice was soft and low.
He sighed and then said with a calm voice
"...You don't have to call me 'Mr. Merlin.'"
She stared at him for a second then asked in a low voice.
"I don't?"
"No. Just Merlin is fine." He replied with a smile.
Ariel shook her head as she muttered.
"But... they said that it's disrespectful"
"It's okay, I prefer it that way…."
She paused for a few seconds then asked shyly
"Can… Can I call you big brother instead?"
He thought for a while, but after seeing her expecting gaze he nodded and said.
"Sure… that's better"
Silence settled between them again, Merlin leaned back into the couch.
"How are you feeling now?"
Ariel lowered her eyes.
"I'm... okay"
She brought her knees close to her and hugged it, returning to the familiar position when he found her.
"I'm scared." Her voice was low as her shoulders shuddered.
"About what?" He asked as he moved closer and placed his hand on her hair.
"What if you die too… what if he… he" she started sobbing lowly.
Merlin looked at her for a second before answering.
"Don't worry… that guy's not strong enough to kill me" he ruffled her hair and added "I'm very strong you know"
"But…"
"No buts… I'm not dying anytime soon… you understand?" He cut her off.
She nodded slowly then she turned to him and asked.
"What of the officers… what if they take me?"
"Them…" Merlin chuckled "they can't… and if they try I'll beat them up" he proclaimed with a bright smile.
He ruffled her hair again and comforted her.
"So you don't have to worry… alright?"
"Alright big brother…" She nodded.
Ariel was silent for a while, then she asked.
"...Are you really that strong?"
Merlin thought for a second and answered calmly.
"I'm strong enough."
She nodded as if confirming something, then asked again.
"You fought those monsters without looking scared."
"Yeah… I'm way stronger than those monsters" Merlin spread his hands wide.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do now." Ariel looked down as her voice softened.
Merlin looked toward the ceiling for a moment before answering.
"For now... eat."
She looked up at his face confused.
"...Eat?"
"Sleep." He added "Wake up tomorrow."
"...That's it?" She asked.
Merlin nodded as he turned his eyes to her.
"That's enough… surviving today is already enough, we'll figure out the rest as we go"
Ariel nodded then said with a slightly determined voice.
"I'll try"
"Good…" he nodded.
Another silence settled over the room, after a while Ariel spoke again.
"Big brother?"
"Yeah?" He turned to her.
"Why are you helping me?"
He looked at her and smiled.
"Because I want to…"
"...That's all?" She tilted her head.
He smiled, "That's enough for me…"
She nodded back then smiled and said "thanks…" for the first time since they'd met, Ariel smiled genuinely.
Merlin noticed it and smiled back satisfied, then he stood up.
"Come on."
"Where?" She stood up and followed him.
"I'll show you to your room." He held her hand and walked towards the room they prepared for her.
He tucked her in the bed and waited for her to sleep, after a few minutes, she fell asleep, then he stood up and walked to the door.
"...Good night." He whispered softly then left the room.
Merlin remained in the front of the door for a few seconds before the smile slowly faded from his face, he glanced toward the dark window.
'They're still watching… I can feel it now' he thought.
'I wonder how long they'll keep it up…'
He sighed, then walked to the front door, he opened it, stepped outside and sat on the front porch, he turned his eyes towards the night sky and simply watched the stars.
After an hour of doing nothing but stargazing, he stood up then walked back into the house, he moved to his room and laid down on the bed and slept calmly.
…
The next day
Merlin opened his eyes groggily as he held his head, he had the same recurring nightmare that had plagued him since the forgotten shore, but this time, he remembered a few insignificant details.
"Miracle Invoker? Avatars…" He muttered as he pinched between his eyebrows.
He sighed then turned his eyes to the side of the bed, beside him was Ariel that he had tucked to bed the night before.
After he went inside last night, Ariel jolted awake panicking, she told him she had a nightmare about the lab, Merlin who had expected something like that simply told her to come stay with him, luckily, she spent the rest of the night in peace which allowed him some resting time.
Merlin turned away from Ariel then he slowly got off from the bed and headed into the shower, after he finished, he sat by the bed and waited for Ariel to wake up.
Thankfully he didn't wait long as a few minutes later, Ariel stirred and her eyes opened slowly.
"Morning Ariel…" Merlin greeted her with a smile.
"Um… good morning big brother" She replied after a light yawn.
"Yeah… go shower and get changed, then come out for breakfast okay?" He ruffled her already scattered hair then walked out of the room.
"So let's see… how about bacon and eggs…" Merlin murmured while standing in the kitchen and looking through the cupboards. After preparing all the ingredients, Merlin started preparing breakfast.
'Man eating good food sure does make all the difference… I might just stay in this nightmare till I have no choice but to leave' he thought as he stirred the coffee.
A few minutes later, Ariel walked out and stood beside him as he brought down the already finished dish.
"Your tea's the one on the right, take it and wait at the table…" he smiled at her then added "and be careful, it's hot"
"Okay…" She nodded and went to pick up her tea.
Merlin prepared two plates of food and placed them on a tray before going to get his coffee, he made coffee for himself and tea for Ariel.
It wasn't that he didn't like tea, but with the absolute hell of a situation he went through yesterday, he needed a good coffee to keep him active.
He picked them up and walked to the table where Ariel sat comfortably, he took the plates out of the tray and placed the smaller one in front of Ariel, before sitting down opposite her.
"Here.. eat up" Merlin said as he gestured towards the plate.
Ariel nodded and started eating.
They ate comfortably and after they finished, Merlin took the plates away to clean, then he did the necessary daily routine chores before finally resting.
'First thing first, I need to figure out some information, then currency, and finally how to live a proper life until fate catches up to me…' Merlin thought as he walked towards a shelf that had books arranged on it.
'Inside a nightmare and I still have to spend money… the world and always making up new ways to bully the weak'
He sighed and picked up a book, he opened it and read a few chapters, then he closed it shut.
'If you're going to write a story… why does the Mc have to be a simp, and above all that he's weak as hell… nope not my style' he shook his head internally.
He turned to the side and saw Ariel, the child was drawing things in a book and she looked engrossed.
Merlin placed his book back into the shelf and picked up another one, then he walked towards her.
"What are you drawing?" He said as he sat on the ground beside her.
"A house, and a man… with a hat" Ariel said as she turned her drawing to show him.
Contrary to what he expected, the drawing was rather advanced and detailed, well detailed enough to understand it.
Merlin chuckled and said.
"A hat huh… does Tom live in the hat?"
"Who's Tom?" Ariel asked confusedly as she tilted her head.
"Just some guy… nevermind that, when you're done drawing tell me okay…" Merlin said as he moved to the chair and started reading the book in his hand.
"Okay… are we going out?" Ariel asked expectingly
"Sure… we'll go for a walk after you're done" Merlin nodded, he already had plans of visiting the station to get some information.
"Okay" Ariel nodded and went back to her drawing.
Merlin turned his eyes back to the book and sighed.
'Let's just focus on what happened now, I'll sort the nightmare out when it's time…'