Merslin 3: The Shatterborn Oath

Chaos still reigned on Earth. With the use of EMPs, most electronic devices were rendered useless. The war could no longer rely on advanced weaponry or technology. Instead, soldiers lured their enemies into close-quarter battles, and the dense forest of Seoul's apartment complexes had transformed into a massive stronghold. The ruins of destroyed buildings served to slow the enemy's advance while also becoming natural shields for the defenders.

As soon as the dimensional gate opened, Kim Young-min regained his magical abilities from Luminaría. Until now, he had fought using only science and tactics—but now, with magic once again at his command, he singlehandedly took down numerous Etherion enemies. However, as the battle dragged on, exhaustion gradually overtook him.

At one point, Kim Young-min found himself surrounded. The few soldiers with him had run out of ammunition, their faces gripped with despair. They were helpless before the overwhelming enemy.

"...Is this the end?" one soldier muttered as he sank to his knees.

But at that very moment, Kim Young-min stood again. He threw himself in front of the soldiers to shield them and began casting spells with desperate resolve. Then something strange happened. As he used magic, the soldiers around him began to feel a peculiar energy stir within them. A subtle force rose from deep inside.

Kim Young-min quickly grasped what was happening. With the convergence of dimensions and the opening of the gate, some individuals had become infused with magical potential. The fact that they were in Korea mattered—just as magic in Luminaría responded to Korean incantations, Koreans themselves were now awakening to magical power.

"Use your magic!" Kim Young-min shouted. "You can do it now!"

The soldiers were initially confused. But trusting his words, they turned inward, searching themselves—and when they spoke their incantations aloud, they unleashed power they never knew they had.

"Light, protect me!" cried one soldier, and a shield of light flared around his body.

"Flame, burn my enemy!" shouted another, flames bursting from his fingertips and scorching the Etherion invaders.

The Etherion soldiers were caught off guard by the sudden surge of magic from the humans. They had believed their advanced powers would easily overwhelm Earth's defenses—but now, panic spread among them.

"How is this possible?" they muttered in confusion.

With magic flowing through their veins, Kim Young-min and the soldiers were no longer just humans—they had become warriors capable of standing toe-to-toe with Etherion. One by one, they engaged their foes in close-quarters duels, slowly reclaiming the battlefield.

Despite his fatigue, Kim Young-min kept fighting alongside them. Magic reinvigorated his body and soul. For the first time, he realized this wasn't just Earth's war—it was a decisive battle connecting two worlds.

"We can do this! Fight together—don't stop now!" he cried.

The battle for Seoul only intensified, but Earth's warriors now wielded newfound power. The magic that had seeped into them became their weapon—and with it, they marched toward the final confrontation against Etherion's invasion.

**

Episode: Turning the Tide – The Power of Magic and the Disarray of the Etherion

The aftermath of the battle in Luminaria began to affect the Etherion soldiers invading Earth. As their connection to the main Etherion stronghold weakened, an unshakable sense of unease spread among them. News of the unfavorable developments in Luminaria reached even the Earth-based forces, causing fractures to form within their collective psychic network.

The Etherion had always relied on their hive-mind for unparalleled coordination. But now, the creeping scent of defeat from Luminaria was bleeding into their consciousness, sowing discord. The belief in their invincibility faltered, and fear seeped into their clashes with the magic-wielding humans.

"What's happening in Luminaria? Why does this dread weigh on us?" they asked each other, voices tinged with confusion and doubt.

This unraveling of Etherion cohesion triggered a major shift in the war on Earth. Kim Yeong-min and his soldiers quickly sensed the cracks forming in the enemy's ranks—and they wasted no time. They struck back.

Reigniting the arcane power flowing through him, Kim Yeong-min plunged once more into battle. He and his soldiers began to manifest even stronger magical abilities, empowered by the deepening bond between Earth and Luminaria. Amidst the chaos of the shattered cityscape, they took down Etherion warriors one by one.

"This is it! The tide is turning in our favor!" Kim shouted, rallying the troops.

Earth's warriors unleashed devastating counterattacks, their magic strengthening their blades and shields. Even the Etherion's advanced technology and energy shields faltered against this surging force. The disarray among the invaders spread rapidly across the front.

"They can't stop us now! The power of Earth and Luminaria is merging!" Kim declared, pressing forward alongside comrades who, for the first time in ages, fought not with desperation but with hope.

As the spiritual upheaval from Luminaria destabilized the Etherion psyche, the humans' magical might only grew. The once-flawless strategies of the alien invaders crumbled before their eyes, and victory on Earth became an ever-distant dream.

"This isn't the end—we can win this war!" one soldier shouted, conjuring a blaze of magic from his hands.

The tide was indeed turning. Kim Yeong-min and his forces exploited Etherion's confusion, launching a relentless offensive that shifted the balance of the entire conflict. Drenched in the aura of defeat, Etherion soldiers faltered. And Earth's newly awakened magical warriors pressed forward, no longer defenders, but liberators.

The spirit of victory in Luminaria echoed across dimensions and arrived on Earth like a wave of light. With Merslin and Kim Yeong-min at the forefront, the power of magic finally broke through the arrogance of Etherion—and turned the hope of protecting both Earth and Luminaria into reality.

**

Episode: The Etherion Retreat – A Battle of Force and Morale

Though the Etherion forces remained formidable in sheer numbers, their next move came as a surprise. Despite retaining a sizable army, it was clear that the allied forces of Luminaria and Earth had gained the upper hand—not through brute strength, but through morale and psychological dominance. In the end, Etherion chose to retreat, opting to regroup and await a more favorable opportunity.

Kailok made the call not based on battlefield defeat, but on the deteriorating morale and mounting mental pressure among his troops. While their strength remained intact, a series of setbacks and growing internal unrest had eroded their fighting spirit.

Kailok:"We still have numbers. But our morale is broken. Pushing forward now would only tip the odds further against us."

Meanwhile, the united front of Earth and Luminaria, though exhausted, had been emboldened by small victories. Their resilience and shared conviction became a powerful weapon, one that began to shake Etherion's resolve.

Kim Yeong-min:"Our strength may be spent, but we're overwhelming them in spirit. If we hold the edge in morale, they'll no longer have the will to advance."

Sensing this shift, Merslin rallied the troops with renewed determination. The mere possibility that Etherion might retreat fueled their spirits even more.

Merslin:"We can drive them back. Now is the time to stand together. Etherion will crumble before our united resolve."

Kailok, attuned to the faltering morale of his soldiers, understood that prolonging the fight would only lead to unnecessary losses. They had the numbers—but not the will.

Kailok:"Retreating now is the wisest move. We must preserve our forces and prepare for the next battle."

Thus, Etherion chose to pull back. Their decision wasn't out of defeat in arms, but from the realization that a battle cannot be won with strength alone. They withdrew to their fleet waiting in orbit, aiming to reorganize and regain their footing.

Etherion Soldier 1:"We will return. We may retreat now, but this war is far from over."

Etherion Soldier 2:"We'll regroup… and avenge this loss in the next battle."

Even in retreat, Etherion clung to a renewed sense of purpose. The outcome was only temporary—their ambition to conquer Merslin and Earth still burned.

The allied forces of Earth and Luminaria watched as the invaders retreated, reminded once again that morale could shape the outcome of war just as much as any weapon. Though physically depleted, their unity and spirit had turned back a superior force.

Merslin:"Our strength isn't just in weapons or numbers. It's in our bond, in the morale that carried us through."

Kim Yeong-min:"Morale is its own kind of power. When they return, we'll be ready to shatter it again."

Etherion may have preserved their army, but their foundation was shaken. Kailok now turned his focus to restoring their spirit—and biding time for a future counterattack.