Chapter 14: Arc 1: Chapter 14: Blessings

"So, you're on a tour across America?"

A somewhat uneasy Merlin is invited into the living room in Henry's home.

Henry's wife Nora, a humble and slightly fat madam, brings Merlin a simple breakfast; the fragrance of the soft bread and cooked ham makes Merlin's mouth water.

After wandering around for nearly a month and sleeping 18 hours in one go, he desperately needs to eat, to soothe his emotions and somewhat uncomfortable belly.

"Yes, madam. I started from Madison County, traveled across Chicago, and had my luggage stolen when I reached Central City; I'd probably be sleeping on the streets right now if it weren't for your kindness."

The sloppy lie cringed Merlin, but it was necessary.

The lesser people knew about his actual situation, the better.

Mortals who get involved with demons usually don't have happy endings.

"That's true; the public order in Central City had become worse these past few days. It's becoming worrisome."

Henry, who sits beside Merlin, takes a piece of bread, and while putting fruit jam on it, tells his wife disappointingly;

"Last week, there was a robbery in the middle of the street, West tells me, that they're preparing for a big manhunt, but that can't solve the root of the problem. If the economy here were as good as Star City beside us, we wouldn't be having these problems."

"You know that's not what I'm asking!"

Nora glares at her husband; she hesitates and sits down on the dining table, asking while looking at Merlin's strange eyes:

"Merlin, I'll be straightforward about your eyes..."

"Oh, these."

Merlin hesitates and gently answers:

"I'm a mutant."

This answer makes the Allen couples' eyes go wide, but the curiosity and doubt in their eyes lessen.

Mutants have always been talked about in urban legends, but to be honest, anyone with knowledge knows that mutants are a natural societal phenomenon.

In 1989, mutants were not as mysterious as they once were.

There are mutants in every city, and there's even a rumor about a school open only to mutants in New York. Although most mutants live in solitary, their existence was tolerated as a part of this world's order.

Of course, their abilities were as mysterious as their origin; it always makes commonfolk curious, as if listening to a strange story.

Merlin was not a mutant.

He had this idea when he talked with old man Stan on the train.

For Merlin, other than trying to explain the odd changes brought by demons, it'd be easier to say that he was a mutant; after all, many mutants looked different-than-normal due to genetic mutations.

"What's your ability? Merlin."

Madam Nora asks excitedly, but her husband winked at him.

Madam Nora then realizes she has made an indiscreet remark. Many young mutants cannot fully control the abilities they were born with, and they cause lots of trouble; this is why mutants generally live in solitude.

Asking a mutant what his ability was in front of him was improper.

But Merlin wasn't a mutant, so he did not feel offended by Madam Nora's question. As he eats his bread, he shrugs and replies;

"It's misfortune."

"Misfortune? How rare, it's shapeless and formless after all, more uncommon than fire and water."

Henry was a doctor; though he had never treated a mutant, he had read about mutants back in med school. Merlin's answer piques his interest; he puts down the fruit juice at hand and looks at Merlin:

"So, do you manipulate it, or?"

"Even worse than that."

Merlin smiles, he says dryly:

"I can't even control it."

He looks at Henry, sighs, and says straightforwardly:

"My ability is time-based; staying in one spot for over 2 hours causes my misfortune to start affecting those around me. And after 6 hours, the misfortune worsens...but for some reason, this rule had failed."

As he spoke, the red light in Merlin's eyes flickered. After focusing his attention, he enters 'second sight', and he looks at the couple in front of him, as well as the surrounding environment.

Although he had stayed in the Allen couple's home for 18 hours, it was still 'spotless'. Nothing similar to what happened on the train had occurred.

It was as if the source of his misfortune had been 'turned off', and no longer releases the unknown power passively.

But this wasn't because the Allen couple had special powers, as they were both regular people.

Merlin guesses this is happening because the last two mana explosions had caused the mana inside his body to reach a 'point'; it had weakened, or to say, it sensed Merlin's weakness and temporarily delayed the mana corruption.

As the mana corruption stops, so too does the spread of misfortune.

Sadly, with Merlin's awakening, that power prepares for trouble.

Maybe after a few more hours, he'll return to the state of misfortune he was in.

The atmosphere in the dining room becomes odd.

Madam Nora is slightly shaken by the fire flickering in Merlin's eyes. Merlin spots her fear and lowers her head, stuffing the last piece of bread into his mouth.

Moments later, he raises his head and smiles at the couple, telling them:

"Alright, thank you for your hospitality, but I must get going. I don't want to leave my misfortune in the living space of good people like you."

Seeing as Merlin is leaving, Henry stands and tries to persuade him to stay:

"No, Merlin, we don't mean anything else. What I mean is, the wound on your back has not fully recovered; you should recheck it at my clinic."

"I was going to head to med school this year, Mr. Henry."

Merlin smiles and tells him:

"Although I'm not as experienced as you in theory, but believe me, I can handle this small wound. Not to mention, for a family about to have a child, I don't think I should prolong my stay here under my circumstances."

"???"

Merlin words make Henry and Nora's eyes go wide; Nora asks in surprise:

"Merlin! How did you know we were going to have a child? Henry, did you tell him?"

"No, it wasn't me."

Mr. Henry was equally surprised.

Merlin realizes that he can see more things with his 'second sight'.

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Like just now, for example, he 'saw' Madam Nora's more vigorous life force; it meant that this madam was currently pregnant.

He was still too inexperienced. These things were others' privacy, not to be spoken out loud.

Merlin apologizes and points to his eyes embarrassingly:

"Forgive me, Madam Nora, I can 'see' some things, so please forgive me for saying it out loud."

"It's alright; it's alright."

Madam Nora answers in a hurry, but truth be told, she was somewhat uncomfortable in front of Merlin; the feeling of having no secrets at all makes her step back from Merlin instinctively.

Mr. Henry feels his wife's distress, he takes his coat from the clothes stand and pats Merlin's shoulder:

"Since you wish to leave, I won't keep you then. Come, child, I'll accompany you to the station."

"No, no need, I can walk there myself."

Merlin gently declines, but Mr. Henry interrupts him; the warm doctor smiles:

"Do you know how far we are from the station? Child, let's go, don't forget to take your clothes and hat, oh, and by the way, that's a cool hat you've got there. I remember having a similar one when I was young."

Thirty minutes later, at Central City train station, Henry parks his car in the parking lot but doesn't get off immediately; instead, he takes out his wallet and hands a few bills to Merlin, who's sitting on the passenger seat.

Merlin shakes his head and declines promptly:

"No, I can't have this!"

"Take it, child."

Mr. Henry uses a gentle but irrefutable tone:

"This isn't charity; it's to express our apology."

"I know that you may not mind, but it was my wife's actions that had brought you injuries. You may have secrets of your own, and I don't wish to pry, but Merlin...take this as our sincere apology. Not to mention, no matter what you want to do, where you want to go, you can't do so without money."

He sees the hesitation on Merlin's expression; this kind doctor lowers his voice and says:

"Listen, every man has a time of embarrassment in his life. When I first graduated college, I lived a worse life than yours, Merlin; me and Nora had a hard time when we were in a relationship."

"I'm just saying, don't reject kind-hearted aid; if you're guilty accepting it, then go help others when you find them."

Mr. Henry's persuasion makes Merlin nod; he takes the money, though few, it felt like it weighed a lot.

Seeing how Merlin was acting, Mr. Henry was becoming extra curious about this child's secrets.

Yet he is a man of high education; he can rein in his thirst for other's secrets.

He opens the door, takes a handbag filled with Merlin's clothes, as well as some of his old ones, from the back of the car, and hands it to Merlin. he looks at the child in front of him and asks:

"Speaking of which, child, where will you go?"

Merlin could not answer this question; he could only say:

"I don't know...maybe, maybe the next stop."

"Err."

Mr. Henry shrugs; he does not know how to answer this question, so he pats Merlin's shoulder and sits back in the car.

The two had met by a chance encounter, and it was time to say goodbye.

As Henry is about to leave, Merlin leans onto Mr. Henry's car window; he tries to make a smile and says:

"You're a good person, Mr. Henry, so is your wife. So no matter where I am, I'll pray for you and your future son."

"?"

Henry turns his head and looks at Merlin astonishingly:

"What did you say? My what? Son? Are you saying that I'm going to have a son? Did you saw? You can see, right?"

"Ah, I misspoke."

Merlin wanted to slap himself, but seeing the excitement on Mr. Henry's face, he nods and apologizes:

"Sorry, Mr. Henry, I didn't mean to..."

"Don't be sorry!"

Henry looks at Merlin happily; he wants to hug him:

"Call me Henry, Merlin; this was the best news I heard all day...who told you that you only brought misfortune? No! You brought me a days' worth of good luck! Hahaha, I'm gonna have a son! This is great!"

"I have to give him a name, nonono, me and Nora already prepared a name for the child, where's my notebook?"

Henry was crazily excited; he hums a melody as he searched his car for the notebook containing his child's name.

His happy expression makes Merlin, who's watching beside him, feel better. Just as Stan and Henry had said, maybe he can bring something more than just misfortune.

"Yes! Here it is!"

Henry flips open the notebook and reads through the lines of names; until he finds one he is most satisfied with, he reads out the name word by word:

"Bartholomew Allen, yes, this is the name. My son, my baby boy, I'll call you, little Barry, Barry Allen!"

"Haha, farewell, Merlin! I'm going to share the good news with Nora! Godspeed, child...you'll find what you desire! Don't give up! You've got this!"

As he cheers, Henry starts the car, and as he waves Merlin goodbye, he soon exits the parking lot.

Merlin sees Henry off while carrying his bag, and he looks back at the station behind him. Under the bright sunlight, Merlin puts on his sunglasses and cowboy hat; he had never felt more relaxed in this past month.

"Barry...little Barry, huh?"

"What a wonderful name."

"Barry Allen, you lucky boy, I wish you a perfect life."

 

 

 

 

 

 

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