RISE OF THE SWARM

The first sensation to return to Liam was the smell of herbs and linen, a stark contrast to the ash and iron scent that he remembered before passing out. Slowly, he opened his eyes, the blue skies above him, and birds flying. He was moving, he recognized.

He turned his head. He was in the middle of a rudimentary straw bed. He tried sitting up, but pain shot from his ribs, rendering him immobile. He raised his hand slowly, guiding it to his chest, a dry bandage was tightly wrapped around it, probably to help keep his bones locked in place as they mended. Who did this he tried recalling.

His conversation with the silver-haired woman echoed in his mind, a dream that was far to real-no, he had come to accept it as not a dream. She spoke of a weapon, nullification, no choice. His head started aching, and he ceased those thoughts. He brought up his hand to his face staring at it. It was covered in calluses, from work in the village.

How had he gotten wrapped up in defending the world he thought to himself, but now he had no choice but to fight, no matter how much he didn't appreciate being forced to fight something he didn't want to, he didn't appreciate the thought of the world dying.

"It seems i would have to get stronger...." He silently whispered to himself clenching his fist.

"Ah, you're back with us. I'd advice no sudden movements. Your body has been through quite a strain." A familiar voice came. Liam recognized instantly. It was Garrick the mage that had saved him earlier.

Liam strained himself, forcing himself to sit upright. He looked around, recognizing he was sitting in a carriage. The destination he didn't know. But he wasn't alone; two others were in the carriage with him. Ell and Garrik, each sat on one side of the carriage. Ell was silent head down, clutching her sword close to her unwilling to spare a glance towards him. Garrick though was the exact opposite his eyes were trained on him, intensly analyzing him from head to toe as if he was some kind of art piece.

"Where are we going?" Liam asked his voice rough and strained.

"The empire," Garrik said, casually diving into his robes, removing a pink vial. He handed it to Liam, gesturing for him to down its contents.

"Drink, it'll help with the pain." He pressured.

Liam looked at the vial skeptically. But quickly took it, if the group wished to harm him, they wouldn't have saved him twice already or even killed him while he slept earlier. He quickly downed its contents, feeling a warm sensation travelling through his body, easing the pain. He looked towards Garrik, the man seemed to have changed, carrying himself with a confidence that went beyond a simple adventurer, the princess had called him professor he remembered.

"Thank you, for saving me then and now." Liam said.

Garrick waved a dismissive hand. "Don't mention it. Though, you did make my job significantly more complicated. And interesting. I haven't seen an energy discharge like that in… well, ever."

Liam let out a small laugh, not expecting to be exposed so soon, but the silver haired lady said he could trust them so he guessed it was fine.

"I guess since we've reached this point i guess you should also know of our true identities." Garrick said turning to the Ell. Whose brows furrowed slightly as she opened her eyes slowly.

"My name is Evelyn Aulerion, Imperial princess of the Aulerion empire." She said curtly closing her eyes.

Garrick let out a sigh, expecting such a response from her. Liam swallowed hard. He hadn't expected her to be the imperial princess.

"You don't seem as suprised as i thought you would be Liam." Garrick chuckled.

Liam let out a small laugh. " Well...it's just...that...i..had...imagined the imeprial princess to be a little more....prettier." He replied

Silence, a vein popped up on Ell's forehead as Garrik burst into laughter.

" It's cause it's an illusion, we can't let everyone know our identities now, can we?" She said saltily.

"I guess you're right." Liam responded.

"Anyway, my name is Merlin, nice to meet you Liam." Merlin introduced himself.

Liam's eyes went wide. He couldn't believe he was Merlin; thoughts began rapidly firing in his mind. Of course he should've known the princess wouldn't just call anyone Professor. He was Merlin, the greatest mage to have ever appeared in the world. He had heard about him from his teacher back in the village. They said he had reached the pinnacle of human power, the rumored 9th tier.

"You're Merlin....the one termed sage of the ages?" Liam stammered in shock.

"Is that what they call me now? I kind of like it." He replied with a chuckle.

"Now, since we've introduced ourselves, if you don't mind satisfying our curiosity. Who are you, Liam, and what is that power?"

The question hung in the air, direct and unavoidable. Liam's mind raced. He could try to deny it, to play dumb. But they had seen it. They had saved his life. The woman in his dream—vision had told him to trust them. He had so few options left.

He took a slow, painful breath. "My name is Liam. I'm… I was a scholar's apprentice from a village, it was attacked by a group of heretics and bandits, they slaughtered everyone sacrificing them to some god, but something happened, i can't recall exactly what exactly it was but i awakened this power, using it to kill them all." He finally said.

He intentionally left out the parts of the silver-haired woman and his vision about the future of the world.

"Sorry to hear that, Liam. But i think its crucial that you know the power you hold. It's unlike any magic that has ever existed, and i fear it may be tied to a prophecy one that might just shape the fate of the world." Merlin said grimly

Liam sighed, he had a feeling his world was just about to be turned upside down.