Two vehicles crash into each other at high speed, both cars are damaged beyond recognition, and the collision sends out fragments of glass and broken parts. The broken gas tank leaks out pungent fuel, flowing across the crash site like a yellow liquid. This situation is hazardous, as a single spark could cause a catastrophic chain reaction.

As soon as the fire comes in contact with the gasoline, the beating flame spreads uncontrollably as pedestrians panic and scream; Merlin watches helplessly as the fire starts to ignite both gas tanks. The violent chemical reaction between the two creates a massive explosion.

"KABOOM!!"

Two massive fireballs rise along with the black smoke, the high temperature of the flames engulfs everything, the explosion sends a shock-wave that spreads out on all sides, devastating all it comes into contact with.

Merlin, who was running towards the crash site, feels an immense force launch him into the air, and he hears the ever-increasing cries and screams from the crowd, the glass of nearby cars and shops shatter, and the sirens of nearby police cars; it was as if time was stretched infinitely.

Merlin could see their faces full of fear as he rolled across the air, those expressions slowly consumed by the growing flames.

Along with that unbearable, pungent yet fear-inducing smell.

"BAM"

He crashed onto the floor hard; it hurt so much that he felt like suffocating.

But he regains his senses and climbs back up; behind him, his brother Phil, terrified, stands there with cold feet; he is unsure whether he should help his brother or storm into the fire to find his father.

He was terrified.

"What are you standing there for?"

Merlin rubs his aching chest, breathing heavily as he turns to Phil:

"Follow me!"

"Oh."

Phil Coulson, still in a daze, responded and quickly followed his brother against the panicking crowd towards the crash site.

It was miserable.

The crash site after the explosion was unbearable to watch; as the two rushed into the flames, they found the burning remains of a female corpse, the smell of burning fuel and burnt flesh made this place look like hell. Phil took one look, his face paled, and started retching.

Merlin is not looking good, he tries to ignore the hell before him, and against the heatwaves of the burning crash site, he takes off his jacket and desperately tries to extinguish the fire on his dad's car.

He kicks away the shards and looks for his father among the debris and broken body parts.

Just like a madman.

The nightmare had become a reality.

But deep down inside, Merlin had an odd sense of relief.

Everything is real; does that mean the devil's contract was also real....the demon promised that his father would receive 'redemption'.

At the very least, his father would live.

"It promised me."

These words echoed in his heart. To believe the devil's words would be suicide, but under these circumstances, he has no other choice but to believe.

"Kong"

After experiencing an explosion, the ruined car could no longer hold itself and fell apart. As Merlin searched desperately, he heard the noise and turned to look, only to find James lying in a pool of blood, unconscious.

His father was lying right there.

He was alive!

In such an explosion, the remnants of his car managed to shield him from the shock-wave, but James was still affected by it, with his clothes burning and significant blood loss.

"Phil! Phil, get over here!"

Merlin rushes to his father's side, shouting for his brother. Phil was stupefied by fear after witnessing such horror, but his brother's cries and his unconscious father gave him the strength to overcome that fear. 

The young man rushes to his brother's side and carries their father out of the wreckage together.

With the flames chasing behind them, the many survivors who saw their actions stood out and started grabbing water buckets and hoses to put out the fire behind them, saving the two and their unconscious father from this godforsaken accident.

"Call an ambulance!"

Merlin sets his father, who is in critical condition, on the ground. He reaches out to his neck and feels a weak pulse; Merlin half kneels on the floor, preparing to save his father with CPR. 

Phil stands helplessly on the side, urging survivors to dial 911, which the survivor rushes into a nearby cafe to do.

There was no need to call for an ambulance, as sirens began to ring around them a few minutes after Merlin and Phil pulled their father out.

Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances stop by the site, and paramedics rush to carry James, who was heavily injured, onto the stretcher. 

"Thank god, dad's still alive!"

Phil was so relieved he could cry; Merlin, on the other hand, was less relieved as he watched his foster father get carried onto the ambulance. James may have escaped death, but with such horrible injuries, it's hard to tell if he'll ever wake up.

Merlin was a student who was about to enter med school; he has seen too many of such examples in his three years of work in Rube's private hospital.

Perhaps that kind of life would be more painful for James than dying now.

Merlin, whose face was covered in ash and stains, looks towards his brother, an unreasonable rage burns in his eyes; he grabs his brother by the collar and says viciously:

"Why didn't you agree to the contract! If you had accepted it, James would've survived this accident without a scratch! He only received half of a 'redemption'! All because you rejected the contract!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

Phil was dazed by Merlin's sudden outburst, Merlin grits his teeth:

"That dream! From last night! I agreed to it so James could live! It wasn't a dream; it was real!"

"You're crazy! Merlin!"

Phil widens his eyes, shakes off his brother, and screams:

"Demons don't exist! Last night was just a dream! Get yourself together!"

"No, Mr. Phil, demons do exist. Although you humans occasionally mix them with devils, they truly exist. As for you, Mr. Merlin, I understand how you must feel right now, but calm down; yelling won't do the situation any good."

As the brothers were quarreling, a soft voice emerged behind them; the two turn to look at the source and see someone leaning against the cafe door holding a cup of coffee.

He was wearing an outdated black suit; behind him was a blue cloak and a top hat that covered nearly most of his face. He wore black gloves and a white shirt beneath the suit, and then there was an odd-looking necklace clasped with silver coins.

The necklace did not reflect the sunlight; instead, it absorbed it.

Frankly, he wore an attire that was hard to forget once you see it, yet in this chaotic situation, with all the people around, they all seem to ignore his existence.

Not even Merlin and Phil would notice had he not spoken first.

"It's you!"

Merlin recognizes him, the mysterious man who appeared once when he was an infant, again yesterday, and now here.

"Yes, it's me."

Phantom Stranger snaps his fingers, and Phil's face becomes blank, like he had lost all sense of thinking.

"Mr. Phil, go with your father to the hospital; your father and mother will need your accompany. As for your brother, do not worry, for he has important matters to attend to here."

"Now go!"

Phantom Stranger said so to Phil, and like he was given a command, he snaps out of it and runs to the ambulance through the crowd without a doubt.

After seeing off Phil, the man turns to Merlin, who is on high alert. He stands properly and gestures for Merlin inside the cafe:

"It's been a while, Mr. Merlin. Now it's just you and me."

"I know you have many questions as well as anger. But believe me when I say that I have nothing to do with your father's accident, at least, not directly."

"If you wish to know more, including the demon's upcoming hunt, then please, spare a few minutes of your time for a talk."

Phantom Stranger lifts his head, and underneath his top hat, a smile appears:

"Trust me; I am here to help you."

---

Because of the accident outside, the cafe was now empty; even the cafe owner had run out to help.

By the window sits Merlin.

Opposite to him was the Phantom Stranger, sipping on his cup of coffee with his legs crossed. The two seemed like long-lost friends, yet Merlin's face was not that of excitement.

It was of disgust.

After this terrible accident, Merlin holds caution and hate towards supernatural things. Although he knew clearly that his father lived only because he signed a contract with a demon.

The two stare at each other, and after a minute, Phantom Stranger speaks up:

"Time is nothing to me, Mr. Merlin, but it is very precious to you. If you want an answer, then you must ask the right question, for a right question gives the right answer."

"Who are you?"

Merlin licks his dry lips, his body covered in ash and stains from the accident, seeming rather miserable. The Phantom Stranger waves his hand, and the coffee machine in the counter begins working by itself.

Moments later, a cup of coffee with sugar floats onto the table in front of Merlin, as if it's being carried by an invisible hand.

Then, he answers:

"My name is the Phantom Stranger; you can also call me Judas. Of course, I'm not the 'Judas' you know."

Phantom Menace lifts his top hat, his eyes sparkle under the shade, and continues:

"When you were an infant, I was the one who saved you from that fire."

"What you saw yesterday was also me...though I mean not to frighten you, it was just trying to remind you, to make preparations, and now, it would seem that you are prepared."

"What preparations?"

Merlin asks, but the Phantom Stranger shrugs, and with a meaningful tone, he says:

"Preparations to live your true fate, of course. Surely you didn't think that your life was as simple as becoming a doctor, finding a wife, and having children? After all, you of all people should understand this, after the incident when you were young."

"Merlin, you are different from others!"

"So, why me?"

Merlin asks expressionless:

"How am I different from the others? Is it just as the demon said, my soul is purer?"

"Hahahaha...."

The Phantom Stranger laughs as if Merlin had just asked something foolish. He takes a sip of his coffee and replies:

"Trigon is powerful, but its vision is narrow. It could not see the true meaning behind this world; it could only see your purer-than-average soul. If it had known the truth behind you, it would've run as far away from you as it could. Sadly, it's far too late for it to run now."

"You need not worry about Trigon, at least, not for now. Until you've become powerful, it will not pose a threat to you."

"As for how you are 'different' from the others, this question is not mine to answer, for you will discover the truth once you brave fate."

The mystery man sips his coffee and whispers:

"I'm curious what choices you'll make once you find out the truth."

Finishing his sentence, he stands up, moving his shoulders. He opens his arms; blue lights emit from all ten fingers. He looks at the defensive Merlin and says:

"Now, you've asked the question, albeit not the right one, but it's alright."

"Let's get down to business, shall we?"