The sight of it made me realize just how outmatched we were from the start. There was no way for us to win. Especially at this point. Everyone was dead except for myself. Did I even have a reason to stop Merlin any more other than revenge? I only wanted to save this world so that I could enjoy it with them. I was just being selfish. If I returned to my time then none of this would have happened. I could pretend that it was all a dream. That there was nothing wrong. It sounded so easy. Though I wanted to know some things first.

“What did you do to him?” I asked Merlin as I fell to my knees in shock. Noticing my state, he didn’t bother to show me any hostility and answered as if a teacher to a student.

“When anyone in the Agency became a Director they had to make an oath. I used this oath as a way of forming a binding magic contract that allowed me to control them whenever it suited me. The only downside is that they are completely conscious of whatever actions I make them do.” Merlin replied calmly.

“What purpose did it serve to kill them? It was obvious that you would have won whether they fought you or not.” I asked with very little motivation in my voice.

“Actually, had they kept the element of surprise then they might have killed me. However, Silva is far too honorable to do that. Just like her mother.” Merlin said as he began looking up. The sky became dark and the stars came out just like with Medea’s ritual. I stood up and walked towards Merlin and watched as lights from the ground itself lined up with the stars above. Light spun around in various forms like thousands of gears intermingling together and a single light shot into the sky.

“Does it hurt to watch this knowing that you failed?” Merlin asked as I approached.

“It hurts that you just killed all of my friends.” I replied.

“What? Not going to try and kill me? I figured that you would be so dead set on revenge that you would charge at me again.” Merlin asked with a wary and concerned look.

“Oh, I plan on killing you. However, I want to watch you suffer from seeing yourself fail. Plus, if I can’t kill you then I can return to my timeline and pretend that this never happened.” I said in a way that was similar to himself when he asked me if I was hurting from all this.

“I see… though, I don’t believe you’ll be able to watch me suffer. My dream will finally come to pass and at this point, there is no way to stop it.” Merlin replied just before holding out his arm and making a small cut so that some of his blood would drip down. “Sands of time, sands of time, hear my calls. Return from you what was lost and replace it with these. Blood upon blood, drip into the narrow crevice, fill the void and become one, I call upon the wish bringer. Hear my cry and return what was lost.” Merlin chanted.

As soon as he finished the chant the lights went dark and all of the corpses around us began turning to ash. I assumed that it would spread and consume the entire world eventually but it didn’t matter anymore. We both looked up to see Tim appearing out of nowhere. Her long hair flowed as she looked like a divine being coming down to earth.

“So, young one. Who is it that you seek to summon forth? The dead, the living, or the unborn?” Tim asked. I noticed that it was different from when Medea did the ritual as Tim only asked who she wanted to bring back from the dead.

“I wish to summon my deceased wife, Freya.” Merlin stated.

“I see. The payment for such a summoning will consume most of the world. Are you okay with this?” Tim asked.

“Yes, that was my plan from the start.” Merlin replied.

“Then it is settled. Is there anything else you wish to say before I do this?” Tim asked.

“I actually have something to ask.” I said. Merlin gave me a look of pure malice as I did but he didn’t bother to do anything to stop me.

“What is it?” Tim asked with a curious grin.

“I wish to be the payment for this summoning. However, I also ask that you summon back my dead friends. Is that remotely possible?” I asked.

“You do bear my power so it would be possible for you to become the sacrifice for Freya. Your friends are a different matter though. It would require even more power than you possess to bring them back. Many people will still have to be sacrificed.” Tim said.

“They probably wouldn’t like it if I used innocent lives to bring them back. I can understand why Merlin would want to sacrifice so many for one person. Hell, I’m considering it now. That said, they wouldn’t want that. Well, maybe Medea would but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself afterward.” I said.

“You would really sacrifice yourself for this rotten world?” Merlin asked.

“Of course. I may not think that the world is good but I still believe that people should have a chance. Plus, I promised to save a specific time god so at the very least I can do that.” I replied. Tim’s eyes grew wide at this comment before she started laughing hysterically.

“I see then. You shall be the sacrifice as you requested. Hold out your hand.” Tim said. Doing as she asked I held out my hand to her. Taking hold of it she disappeared and my body fell to the ground as if my soul had been sucked out of it and my flesh turned to ash.