chapter 2

After arriving in this mixed world of gods and myths, he chose the name Merlin—a title that carried weight, mystique, and power. Testing his newfound ability, the Silvertongue, was his first priority. He had read about its capabilities in Inkheart, but experiencing it firsthand was another matter entirely.

Merlin's first test was daring: he summoned the 12 Talismans from Jackie Chan Adventures. One by one, they materialized before him, each radiating a faint glow of their inherent power. He picked up the Dragon Talisman, feeling the warmth of its energy, and then the Tiger Talisman, sensing its dual nature stabilizing within him. Each talisman granted him its unique ability: the Rabbit's speed, the Ox's strength, and even the Dog's immortality. With the Talismans now in his possession, he had secured a powerful layer of defense, one that could tip the scales in his favor should he face danger.

With his first test a success, Merlin retreated to a remote and secluded area. Here, surrounded by untamed wilderness, he turned his attention to his second wish: the Encantus. The ancient tome radiated a quiet, undeniable power, its cover bound with runes that shimmered faintly in the moonlight. Merlin quickly realized the true depth of this artifact's power—whatever type of magic he sought, the Encantus would respond. He needed only to think of the type of spell he desired, and its pages would reveal the knowledge he sought.

Merlin prioritized mastering barrier spells, understanding that secrecy was his greatest ally in this chaotic world. As he studied the pages, the Encantus revealed a complex, multi-layered incantation: Sanctum Aeternum. This spell created an impenetrable barrier, one capable of blocking even divine beings from detecting him. The process was arduous, requiring days of practice, concentration, and refining his magical precision. He practiced relentlessly, pouring his strength into weaving the spell around his sanctuary.

Finally, with the last word of the incantation spoken, a translucent dome shimmered into existence around his hideout, faint runes glowing across its surface before vanishing into the ether. The air within the barrier grew still, untouched by the outside world. Even the gods themselves would be blind to his presence now.

As he sat back, exhaustion creeping into his mind, Merlin allowed himself a rare moment of satisfaction. The Talismans gave him strength, agility, and defense. The Encantus granted him limitless magical potential. And his barrier spell ensured that he would remain hidden, free to grow in power and explore the secrets of this bizarre world.

"This is just the beginning," he murmured, his fingers brushing the smooth, ancient cover of the Encantus. He looked out at the stars through the barrier, the light refracting like a prism. "If the gods want to play games, they'll find I'm a far more dangerous player than they imagined."

Although the dog and horse Talismans, when

combined gives the user power of immortality, the user practically becomes invincible to all forms of damage/diseases.

He still wanted something to help people close to him become immortal, to join him.

Thus he gained the idea of bringing the Pool of Eternal life from Shangri-la from Mummy 3.

Merlin stood in the heart of a ordinary cavern, his silver tongue weaving through the lines with the precision of a master storyteller. The Mummy 3 book, a treasure in itself, lay open in his hands, its pages radiating faint golden light. The words about the Pool of Immortality seemed to leap off the parchment, carrying an ancient power that rippled through the air like a breath of the divine. As he spoke the final syllable, a surge of energy trembled through the earth, and the once-empty cavern before him began to reshape itself.

The ground rumbled gently, sending soft vibrations through Merlin's boots as the very rock around him bent to his will. Slowly, the cave materialized, its walls shimmering into existence as though drawn from another realm. Faint streams of light filtered through unseen cracks above, casting the newly formed sanctuary in an otherworldly glow. The scent of damp earth and ancient incense filled the air, mingling with the faint hum of unseen magic.

To the left, a colossal reclining statue emerged, its intricate details illuminated by flickering candlelight. The figure, an embodiment of enlightenment, seemed alive under the play of light and shadow, its serene face radiating a calm that was almost hypnotic. The folds of its robes were so exquisitely carved they seemed to ripple in an invisible breeze. At its base, rows of candles burned steadily, their flames unwavering despite the faint draft, as though the very air respected this sacred place.

To the right, a pavilion rose in elegant symmetry. Its stone columns bore intricate carvings of celestial beings, each detail etched with the care of a master artisan. The roof of the shrine shimmered faintly, as though coated in stardust, and from within its heart emanated a soft, azure glow. Merlin knew without seeing that this was the Pool of Immortality, its waters glowing with a life force that seemed to sing a melody older than time.

The rugged walls of the cavern, raw and weathered, told stories of eons past. Stalactites hung like the teeth of a primordial beast, while the stone floor bore markings of countless pilgrims who may have sought this hidden haven. Scattered lamps and candles dotted the area, their golden light casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the cavern like silent spirits.

Merlin stepped closer to the pavilion, his hand tracing the ancient runes glowing faintly along the walls. The magical barrier he had cast was nearly invisible, but the faint shimmer in the air confirmed its strength. This place would be untouched by time or intruders.

Merlin went to pavilion, where the Pool of Eternal life was, he looked at the pool which was glowing. He quickly took a sip from it, making him feel energetic and every cell in his body felt alive.

Merlin took a knife and cut his hand, he saw his wound slowly heal at an astounding rate and completely disappear as if it never happened.

Merlin grinned and muttered."Well that is amazing."

He used it to keep himself Immortal, after mastering magic. He started to travel around the world for centuries, for many he became a legend and for some a demon because of his powers. He helped many with his ability to heal, he gained basic understanding of the world's timeline it was before christ, since it was times more or less

800 or 700 BC.

Merlin sat beside the Pool or Eyerna life, his gaze fixed on the Ten Rings resting on the edge of the pool. The metallic bands gleamed faintly in the soft golden light of the sanctuary, their intricate carvings pulsating with an otherworldly aura. He had brought these mystical artifacts here through the Silvertongue, a spell that allowed him to manifest objects from the fictional worlds of books. This time, the source had been the Shang-Chi movie novelization book.

Yet, something gnawed at him. While the rings were powerful tools, amplifying his strength and granting him incredible abilities, Merlin sought more than just their physical might. He wanted the skill, the mastery—the vast martial arts knowledge and experience of their original wielder, The Mandarin.

With determination gleaming in his eyes, Merlin summoned the Shang-Chi book from his mindscape. As the book materialized in his hands, its pages fluttered open, glowing faintly as the spell recognized his intent.

"Let's see," Merlin murmured, running his finger over the pages, his mind racing. Using Silvertongue was no casual affair. Altering the properties of an object required precision—one wrong modification could unravel its magic or make it volatile. He muttered an incantation under his breath, allowing his magic to weave into the pages like threads of light.

He began modifying the story. The narrative shifted and warped under his control, his words reshaping the description of the Ten Rings. Merlin's aim was simple: to imbue the rings with an inheritance mechanism that would store The Mandarin's vast combat knowledge, including his techniques, tactics, and martial arts prowess.

The revised text read:

"The Ten Rings used for 1000 years by Mandarin now not only carried unmatched power but also the entirety of his knowledge. Within the rings lies his legacy—a reservoir of skill and experience waiting for a worthy wielder to unlock."

Merlin's eyes gleamed as he uttered the final lines aloud, sealing the spell. The Ten Rings on the edge of the pool pulsed, their carvings glowing brighter as they absorbed the altered properties from the book. He felt the air in the room thrum with energy, the resonance of magic at work.

For a moment, silence hung heavy in the chamber. Then, the rings shimmered faintly, their power subtly shifting. Merlin reached for them, his fingers brushing against the cool metal. As soon as he made contact, flashes of martial arts techniques flooded his mind—intricate movements, stances, counters, and strikes. He could see The Mandarin himself, a shadowy figure demonstrating each move with precision.

A triumphant smile spread across Merlin's face. "Now, this is what I call a proper relic." The Ten Rings were no longer mere weapons—they were a teacher, a guide, and a legacy all in one.

Merlin then had a thought."Could I get powers of Dream the endless and similar beings through this method." then he noticed writings of the book showed a warning, that appeared infront of his eyes. It was "Yes, possible. But your body must be able to contain the power, which your body has not yet capable of. You need to grow older.

Merlin hummed and muttered."So it's possible."

After that Merlin started travel the world to see what it looked like. During his travels,Merlin was lucky or unlucky to meet with gods, like Egyptian gods like Osiris, Hathor and Horus, while also neeting gods relating to West African pantheon like Anansi, Zorya sisters part of Slavic mythology and

Ahura Mazda, who was is the creator and the highest spirit of worship in Iranian religion Zoroastrianism. He had very good relations with Hindu pantheon, he got along well with Shiva God of destruction,his son Ganesha and got along with Vishnu, some of the other god and goddess too.

The annoying gods he met where from the Greek pantheon, there was the arrogant and paranoid Zeus, who didn't like Merlin hanging around his lands. But he did get along with Hades, Hephaestus and Athena, he even flirted with Aphrodite.

Merlin gained an understanding of them, these gods needed to feed on belief and worship.Without regular worship, the old gods weaken, lose their powers and sanity, grow old and sick. When weakened, they can even die like regular human beings. In the opposite way, regular worship allows the old gods to fight and resist those afflictions that are age, sickness or hunger (though some of them appear old due to their ancient nature reflecting in their human appearance). While the weakened old gods can die of lethal wounds or old age, death does not work for them like for human beings: they can manifest as ghosts or spirits soon after their death, and even be resurrected with enough worship and sacrifices. The only "true death" for an old god is complete oblivion.

Human sacrifice grants an Old God a lot of strength and vitality, more than simple prayers, faith, and offerings. In some cases like Bilquis Quesn of Sheba, Old Gods even eat their worshippers alive to keep themselves alive.Without worship or belief, the old gods fade away, a fate considered "worse than death". When a god completely stops receiving worship or belief in any form, they will eventually disappear and a statue of them appears in the Hall of Forgotten Gods. Knowledge of the god and the popularity of their legends play an important role in the survival of the old gods: well-remembered deities usually stay alive longer than obscure legendary figures, and the Hall of Forgotten Gods separates the gods whose name and aspects are still known from those whose names and stories have completely disappeared (the former having a chance at being resurrected, the latter being doomed to oblivion). Even if a god's celebration is popular, as long as the deity itself is not remembered the worship will feel empty and unsatisfying.

After becoming friends with some of them, making sure under absolute secrecy he provided some of them with diluted version of the water from Pool of Eternal life. This helped them from easily live for centuries without the need for worshipping or faith, thus they considered Merlin a valuable friend and ally.

He even had a small encounter with Queen of Sheba, who later became obsessed because he possessed unlimited vitality. They had more just flirting relationship, since then she started hunting him down, now and then for particular reasons. He even had fling with Hathor.

Merlin looked at the horizon and thought,"So 100 years have passed. Maybe, I should go visit Egypt again."