The gusts of sea wind rushed in, bringing a chill to Merlin, but it also cleared his mind quite a bit. His muddled and weary will was slightly dazed, then awakened, as he slowly got up and moved his body.
Stretching his sinews and bones forcefully, his body made light cracking sounds, like misaligned machinery being corrected back to its proper place.
Merlin sighed deeply, appearing both physically and mentally exhausted.
Indeed, very tired. Sometimes Merlin felt as if his entire remaining life had been compressed, with all his joys and sorrows piled onto his face, crashing toward him.
From the moment he vaguely knew of the fence's existence, found the secret of the World's End, and headed toward the ultimate showdown, all of it felt too fast for him. Reflecting on the past, he and his teacher desperately pursued results for decades without success, yet within these few years, he had already seen the end.
"Teacher, if only you could have lived a few more years."
