Chapter 9
Keepers of Purgatory

Edith put her hands to her mouth and opened her eyes as she watched the little boy's blood trickle down his foot until it fell to the ground. That man, in his other hand, held a crude pistol, which he had drawn and fired just as Rey had taken the first step forward to attack.

"You are young..." said the fellow with a Machiavellian laugh, ignoring the blurred vision he had. "And very naïve."

White and Edith went to assist him, but Rey moved from place to place quickly to dodge the next shots. He warned loudly, "Don't interfere!"

Smiling, the little boy showed perfect murderous intentions on his face, which stopped the movements of his two companions.

"You'd have a better chance of beating me if it was an old-style fight like in the books."

The man kept firing, but his blurred vision became more and more pronounced. As far as he could remember, he had never missed more than two shots in a row, which led him to think that something was out of the ordinary.

Rey disappeared from where he stood and reappeared behind his opponent.

"You have made a fatal mistake. You have just reminded me that there are no rules in combat. When it comes to winning, any means is fair game."

With his teeth out, the little guy, from behind, broke through the cloth and metal protecting the subject to tear a chunk out of his neck. Holding a sword and a pistol in each hand, the pirate had to hit another shot to win the fight, but for some reason he could not. It was as if he was fighting a ghost, something he saw was there and then vanished. It wasn't blurred vision, but rather there were several individuals in the same spot moving like shadows in different directions.

Rey, on the other hand, was familiar with firearms from books. He may not yet be able to move his feet as fast as a bullet propelled by an explosion, but he could see his opponent's hand and when he pulled his finger to pull the trigger, which gave him the advantage of knowing when to move and dodge.

The spectators, who were fighters who had not been able to beat the pirate, were stunned. How was such a ridiculous attack possible? At least the little guy should have used his other arm, right? For one thing, a normal being wasn't capable of moving that fast or using his mouth in such an act. "He's not a child," thought the pirate-clad fellow. "To top it off, that creature has chewed the piece of meat he had in his mouth and swallowed it."

Click, click, click, sounded the gun's hammer being triggered, indicating there were no more bullets left to fire. With no loaded weapons, the subject was left with a sharp-edged musket and a neck still spurting blood. Resigned to lose, the pirate shouted as he followed the little guy with his eyes, "Atrocity! Demon! How dare you bite me!"

He tried to swing his sword, but it didn't have enough reach or speed. If he wanted to do something, he had no choice but to throw it, even if he knew it would be ineffective against his opponent. "Sure! If I distract him by attacking the girl with him, he'll have to show up," he said to himself looking in the direction of the little girl who was dressed in black and seemed terrified by everything that was going on.

"My defeat is written in ink... But you'll still have to try hard! In the meantime, I will take her life!" he shouted angrily and immediately prepared to swing his saber.

Halfway through his swing, he fell to his knees on the ground in horror. Falling face first to the floor, he could find no words to speak or strength to do anything. With his mouth open and his eyes lost, he knew he was dying, but he asked himself, "How? At what moment? What was my mistake?" until he saw it all black and could not even think clearly anymore....

Rey, with a lunge of his spear-like right claw, had pierced the subject's stomach. Opening his hand he grabbed his heart and with a hard yank ripped it out, all in the blink of an eye, using his opponent's blind spot to his advantage. Back on the ground, at the foot of his fallen opponent, Rey took the throbbing organ into his mouth and munch-munch, nom-nom, yum-nom, gulp, he ate it.

Rey, wiping the corners of his mouth with his thumb, answered the silent question, "If you don't have unlimited attacks, firearms are no better than melee weapons. Once you run out of bullets, you run out of advantage."

Turning around, Rey threw a disinterested smile into the air as he continued on his way. It could be said that he was proud of himself. He had won the fight so easily despite being a child. Edith, on the other hand, followed him as she trembled in fear, thankful that she had not been pitted against such a monster. White took steps with her head held high. She was proud of her partner and was definitely inspired to be just as strong.

After defeating whoever stood in his way to the castle and painting the streets red, the little one drank the blood from inside the helmet of one of his fallen foes and then tossed it aside. In his presence, the attackers wasted no time in introducing themselves or exchanging words. Several exchanges of attack, always one defeated and one victorious, who kept on walking like this until he crossed the entrance of the castle. Inside the fascinating structure, Rey made his way to an empty throne. On the back of the wall stood imposing and supreme statues of two beautiful women intertwining their hands. One was playing with water, the other with the leaves of a tree. It was not difficult to deduce that the two sculptures represented old women in their prime.

A voice, echoing and echoing in the immense hall adorned with banners and columns supporting the far distant ceiling, addressed the little boy: "Have you come to try your fighting style?"

"No," he replied and continued, "I have come to learn how to cry out."

The voice said, "Then you must..."

Intoned with gallantry and ready to continue with what she intended to express, she realized that she was wrong and rectified herself, "What did you say?"

Rey folded his arms and kept silent as if he did not intend to repeat himself.

The voice continued, "Clamoring is not a style of combat." Pausing, she argued her answer. "What? You didn't find it fabulous to fight against so many subjects!!! Are you in the wrong circle? Because if you're really superb and live up to those sharp eyes of yours, there's no way you'd want to give up your beliefs to learn someone else's."

"They were no longer humans, much less warriors with pride. I only fought desperate ghosts who wished to win an eternal 'last stand'" After yawning deeply, he continued, "You are no different." The little boy turned to look at the Parcae. "Edith... let's leave."

The voice, in an insulted tone, said, "How dare you! You have a broken arm, you can hardly breathe properly, and you dare underestimate the power of someone like me? I don't mind losing to anyone, but I won't lose to you! Face me just once! I assure you... you'll end up begging me to be your master..."

Rey hardly paid attention to the desperate sounding words.

"Only someone I recognize as worthy or courageous enough to enter battle at my side could be my master. A coward reluctant to show his face is not even close to being worthy of such a title! Farewell. Immerse yourself in your ideals and keep waiting for someone like you."

Suddenly, another voice spread through the place like a melody. One that sounded relaxed and powerful, which stopped Rey's gait.

"Little one. You must not leave. There is still time for you to find what you seek and, if you accept my bargain, to learn the ways of sorcery."

"Yes, it must be her. That lady of benevolent character, true to her convictions, brave, selfless, and strong-willed." After thinking, Rey named aloud, "Clara," as he turned his face away.

The eyes of the little boy without a surname reacted as if they were in for a big surprise, for, like the statues, they encountered the figure of a young and beautiful woman. Pale skin, light brown eyes, hair of the same color, long and braided. With the body of someone brave, but the look of an innocence, a worried and protective girl. She wore a crown of olives on her head, a low-cut white dress of thin fabric and two straps that reached just above her knees, and sandals that braided her ropes to her ankles. It could be said that, had it not been for her voice, Rey would not recognize her, even if she passed in front of him. Not only because of her sudden appearance but also because of her looks. She, whom the little boy remembered as a being past in years, with an illustrious, pure, and clean personality, looked young and sad. Perhaps due to the fact that the individual who had spoken before had become so arrogant.

Clara, somewhat quizzical, said, "Yes, indeed. And you are...?"

As soon as she asked the question, she flashed a smile and a gesture of obviousness at the sight of the little boy's white eyes. Like someone judging herself for having forgotten, she continued, "You are the son of Mrs. Maryam and Mr. Wulfgang. Forgive my memory, but I don't think I ever got to hear your name."

"My name is Rey. I have no surname..."

Clara, with the gentleness of a grandmother watching her grandson, said, "I see. I'm glad you are still alive and that you grew up so strong and noble..."

But, deep down, she was somewhat disappointed. She had hoped that the one who had recognized her just by the way she looked would still be who he had ceased to be. After all, he had found his way back to his castle. But no. It was not him.

The other voice said in complaint, "Old woman, I have no time for your talk. In a fight between men you should not get involved even if you are the one who trained me. My pride would not allow my enemy to show me mercy for knowing you!"

Clara, ignoring the words of the so proud man with the young and muscular body coming out from behind the statues, continued to talk to the little boy, "Rey, forgive me and forgive him. I must confess that it is my fault for his behavior. Among all my disciples, there are many who mastered my advanced style, the Water Lord; few developed any skill related to the control of the liquid, except him. Therefore, my great-grandson proclaimed himself to be the Rey of the proud and a God-ranked user."

Rey could understand that he was the only one among the human disciples with elemental control and since there was no one like him among his peers, he had been carried away by pride. Calling himself a God-style user was not very sensible, although perhaps because he fought against humans it made him underestimate the greatness of God rank. It was better to call him a false God. Though from his body structure, Rey could tell that the subject present was serious about his training, but perhaps he had had neither goal nor rival, and had not grown at all or exploited his greatest potential to the fullest.

There he was, the great-grandson of the white witch stepped into the light in front of the throne. Tall-bodied, short-haired, covered in simple knight's armor, but with bluish crystalline cloaks of rather intricate design. At his waist a two-handed long sword. Jaw raised, chest puffed out, back erect, and posture straight, like all arrogant, conceited men who would never stop until they achieved what they desired.

Clara wanted her disciple to know defeat so that he could get his head back on straight. After all, for warriors, the stronger the opponent the greater the results of combat. As one who was distressed at having to ask a favor, she added, "I ask you to accept the confrontation. In return, I will give you my knowledge no matter how long it takes you to learn it..."

Clara's great-grandson, as someone whose pride had been offended in the worst way, added, "The three of you can attack me at the same time if you wish; you may have a better chance. But if you do not defeat me, I will not allow you to train with her, and I myself will send you away forever."

Edith, terrified, moved behind the little boy and covered her head at the forceful words of the imposing burly fighter. At the same time she realized something. No matter how many times it had happened in the past, she could not get used to the feeling of fear she felt and always ended up hiding behind Rey. She even wondered to herself, that if it hadn't been for the hatred she felt knowing she was destined for someone else, would she have had the courage to run away and look for him? "What was I thinking to do such a crazy thing?" Feeling ashamed of herself, she needed to say something out loud.

"Rey. Don't hate me for depending on you so much without being able to do anything in return."

White heaved her chest as one who feared nothing, for despite her size, she alone had been victorious in facing several enemies before reaching the castle entrance.

Rey with a cautious tone and after giving Edith a smile, added, "I'll take care of him. Don't worry."

The words and his demeanor caused the small feline to give way, Edith to let him go, and his opponent to drop the weapon he was carrying and adopt a fighting pose.

As was now usual, Rey stood in a position that left his fractured arm hidden and the good one in front. With a smile on his face, the anxious opponent erected a defensive barrier of water. He created two swords from the same liquid and rushed at the little guy, but halfway through he was forced to retreat. With a leap backwards, rather as if knocked down by an external force, he crouched on the ground and tried to cover his chest wound with his remaining arm.

Rey showed a face as if he had seen something unexpected. "Oh! Congratulations, you are the only being who has managed to get to receive my most powerful attack and still be left on his feet."

Enraged, the guy stopped covering the gigantic wound that opened on the side of his chest cavity and spat blood every time he moved. Generating another sword, he tried to stand up to attack with all his remaining strength, but he could not. A monstrous hand pierced his chest from back to front and held his still beating heart in front of his face.

Rey, who had not even moved from where he was, disappeared, surprising even his two companions who were left with their mouths open.

Edith, as one who was trying to understand, said, "So that was the way you would be prepared if someone appeared from nowhere and attacked you. All this time you were hiding your real body."

Munch-munch, nom-nom, yum-nom, gulp. Rey swallowed, flashed a smile, and made his hand return to normal to drop his opponent on the ground.

"It's an ineffective trick in the eyes of an expert and it comes with great risks."

Rey became so intoned that he was forced to cough a few times. "If I were forced to fight either of the old women or the dulahan, I would have lost. The two of them can see through my shadows with ease," Rey thought.

Instead, the Parcae believed otherwise. Edith's eyes widened at the words of the little monster, who knew well how to hide his abilities. To her, he looked invincible, well prepared, and as if he could do anything if he set his mind to it. Does such a person have any weaknesses? Seeing someone so perfect was intimidating yet knowing that such an individual was on your side in a fight was comforting. "But like warriors, his arrogance and hubris may lead to his downfall someday," she thought.

Clara shook her head at her disciple's defeat, and then continued, "Aura control is not an ineffective trick at all. I can see that you have endured extreme physical training to make you resistant to pain, that you are loyal to willpower, control your murderous intentions, and have a fighting spirit. Little guy, give yourself a little more credit. If I were your mom, I'd be proud of you. You're growing up smart, you can understand the intentions of others, and hold your own in an interesting fight against an adult. In other words, all this time you were baiting my great-grandson's moves. To set a person up with the idea that they have the fight won and then have you do something as complex as disappearing, in a way makes that idea become impossible to believe."

When enough time had elapsed, the subject got up from the ground without any wounds. He felt anger in his face and wanted to attack again, but out of respect for his teacher there he stopped and simply added, "A victory is a victory, but there was no honor in it."

"Would it be honorable for an adult to beat a child?" said Edith with a tone of retort.

Rey focused his gaze in the direction of the Parcae and at the silence of the defeated, said the following words, "It was not combat between an adult and a child. It was combat between two warriors. I am aware that my fighting methods are not honorable. I cannot afford to lose. Not when my life depends on it."

The Parcae was silent.

Clara, recognizing Rey's words as those of the castle's creator, added in a nostalgic tone, "To be honest, hearing you speak, seeing you here and observing your fighting style brings back a lot of memories. It makes me want to ask myself again what kind of life did you have to have so far to be capable of such a feat even when you were so young? But no questions asked and leaving nostalgia behind, I'll keep my promise. I will teach you how to cry out, though I fear it will be no easy task and could take you a long time.”

"How long?" asked Rey.

"To be exact, a lifetime of meditation and practice by a normal human would suffice to reach the intermediate rank in sorcery."

"I don't have that much time to perfect the art. At least not in this circle." Pointing to Edith, he said, "Not to mention that I have to leave her in the Tartarus before returning to the upper circle. I just want to go through the initiation process."

Clara, as one who spoke with rationale, said, "The initiation process does not require more than a few decades if guided correctly. Regarding the Tartarus, hmm... You must leave Purgatory and go up to the Heaven of Hell. There you can find it."

As soon as she finished, she put his hands behind her back and began to walk.

"In the meantime, why don't we show your companions around and accommodate them?”

Rey started in advance and, immediately, other women, similarly dressed, came forward and led the Parcae to the site, while White stepped into the path of the burly fellow as if to confront him.

With everyone already in the room, having a purpose, the white witch proceeded to say aloud, "Come with me," as she led the way.

The little boy silently accompanied the woman who led him through the place to the back exit of the castle, which adjoined an entire immense lake as bright as that at the entrance of the circle.

"Welcome to my workroom," said Clara. "This lake is formed by the waters that come out of the tip of the mountain, the same that come from Heaven and that later hid the dismembered body of Lete and reach Hell. Here we will practice your meditation and begin the art of sorcery. But first you must get rid of your clothes and take a bath to remove the impurities from your body while I prepare a special concoction that will help you cleanse your insides. We must also fix those broken bones, the pneumonia you are developing from not breathing properly, and heal the wounds on your body."

Rey nodded and proceeded to carry out to the letter the words of his new instructor. After stripping off his clothes, he entered the water and, dunking himself several times, scrubbed himself with his bare hands until he understood that he was clean. The water had healing properties, helped with his recovery, and the liquid he was given to drink helped him even more. After placing the fractured bone of his hand in an anatomical position, it was released normally.

Clara, as one finishing a long and exhaustive task, said, "I must emphasize that if, for any reason, the process, once started, does not end correctly, you will die. If it ends incorrectly, your life will be reduced by at least eighty percent. At best, you will have to live with physical disabilities or even your body will create autoimmune diseases in which your body would devour itself or you would end up cursed. Do you agree to proceed?"

Rey affirmed.

She undressed. She wasn't wearing much, so just taking off her crown, unbuttoning the snaps of the short dress, and removing her sandals, was enough. After folding everything to one side, Clara entered the water with the little boy. Running her hands around Rey's shoulders, she put him on his back to help him float.

"Lie down in the water. Let your body float..." she said.

Ignoring the awkwardness of having to watch the little guy's limbs rise, she continued, "Relax your limbs. On no account move or open your eyes until you fall into a state of lucid dreaming."

Once she noticed that her disciple was ready, she continued, "With the exception of a few individuals, we are all born with twenty-four blocked energy vortices. Many arts focus on unlocking some of these specific vortices so that you can use energy and also have affinities with some particular elements, but sorcery requires unlocking them all at once. Only then will you be able to offer your pure energy to whoever accepts it to exist."

Rey, although he had his eyes closed, could see darkness. He could also feel his body and hear the voice of the one who spoke to him. In a moment, within all the darkness, the figure of Clara's naked body appeared speaking to him.

Clara, with innocence and much patience, continued to speak as one who was not interested in being seen without garments, "It is believed that the world is not as we see it. It is more like a gigantic spider's web where different realities can exist in the same space. This is best manifested within us when we are inside a lucid dream, like now. It is dark, isn't it? You think you can't see anything, but it's the opposite. You are actually seeing straight into the first energy vortex through which cognitive, emotional, controlling forces of vital activities such as movement, sleep, hunger, and instincts flow. You just don't know how to interpret it. This is the first vortex, known as the brain, and to denaturalize it there is a method... Only by forgetting everything you know will you be able to clean the darkness of this vortex and move on to the next one. Think that if the world is not as we know it, and things are not as we perceive them, then the brain becomes a prisoner of what it knows, remaining within the limits of what it does not... What does it mean that we are prisoners of what we know, or of what this world full of illusions has given us to know? We are different types of energy, and each has tried to influence you with a fine ecosystem of interrelated purposes, influences that create and shape this darkness."

Rey took a deep breath and let go of the air he had inhaled. Questions and more questions... he couldn't help but think of Heroclades. Putting his master aside, he breathed again and again. Slowly he began to forget everything. The knowledge went away easily, for, in a way, to forget was to think of nothing. To turn off the memories and leave the mind empty. With each breath the vortex changed color. A color that was not black, but neither white nor gray. The vortex was what it looked like, an intense vertical hole, which lost its support and fell right on top of the little boy.

Rey kept his mind blank; suffocating inside the vortex, he ignored everything he saw, felt, and could hear. Drowning in a sea of sadness, thoughts, and pain, the little boy refused to fight adversity for the eternity that passed in a moment. Still, the vortex turned black and hopelessness raised its hand to embrace the body that had forgotten all its knowledge. Suspended in loneliness and depression, he still floated without moving, seeking help, or escape.

The darkness became brightness, and the brightness left and brought with it a whole variety of sounds. The unbearable noise of life screamed with all its might in the boy's ears until, tired, it faded away. Darkness invaded once more and shaking what seemed to be a head, he gave himself to understand that he had lost his purpose before the white eyes that pierced everything they looked at. A body condemned to an existence void of knowledge was not a body that lived; living is a natural instinct that allows beings to move away from death. But Rey did not obey those instincts. He had no reason to if he knew nothing and had forgotten everything. Weak and vulnerable, the floating body persisted at the crossroads until it exploded into a thousand pieces.

Clara, in the voice of a worried mother amid the twilight that filled the place, said, "Rey... Can you hear my voice? According to your energy flow, you managed to unblock the first vortex. Return to consciousness, understand my words, and try to reassemble your shattered unconscious. The next vortex is known as the cerebellum; here you will rebuild and process everything you once let go."

A drop made itself out of nothing and, leaving thousands of shockwaves, rose until it hit something in the void. That transformed into an eye. The eye was white with the silhouette of an infinite star; it was Rey's. Another drop of dispersed knowledge came out and the second eye was created. Another drop and the eyelids were created and so on until the face of Rey was formed. The floating head elongated into a neck, then chest, arms, abdomen, pelvis, and finally legs. Although the body was now complete, there was still a lot of knowledge left.

Rey felt lonely among so much knowledge. Each drop floating in the silence showed sad memories. Little Paradise guardian felines played with their parents in the meadow, under the cold of a blizzard, a broken nest, and destroyed eggs. Among the adults, he sat, unsocialized, silent, watching them and analyzing the surroundings, the shadow of pain relieving the sadness. Rey slowly closed his eyes, but still the tears came in and the images became vivid, until the last one came in and left the place.

Clara, from the fading twilight, broke the silence of solitude with her voice, "Perfect. The next vortex is known as the spinal cord. It is responsible for connecting the body with the mind. This vortex, through which the life force of the first two passes through to the whole body, is to be awakened by controlling reflex, sensation, movement, and pain. This is not as complex a vortex as the previous ones and, since you are a fighter, you have an advantage..."

The place was transformed into a tornado of flames, just as the immobile body of the little boy, who already knew how to ignore the pain and that it was not real, was set on fire.

Clara, within the dawn of a new day inside Rey's mind, said, "Okay, we are done with the three primary vortexes, thus achieving total sensation and control over your body and mind. Now we can proceed to clear the seven secondary vortices."

Entering a place where eternity continued, she continued her dialogue, "These seven vortices are known as chakras, and thanks to the fact that you are not yet as contaminated with emotions as an adult would be, you will be able to cleanse these energy points very easily..."

Like a gentle breeze, the sorceress's naked body approached her disciple's. She rolled over to him and after reaching out her hand she touched him with her index finger on his buttocks, just where the cleft of the buttocks began.

"Let's proceed. At the end of your spine is the root vortex. It is the base of your spine and body. It is the first one starting from the bottom. Focus on feeling the link of the base of your body with the material, the solid and the firm. This chakra is the foundation that makes the largest of trees rise secure and imposing regardless of the conditions of the ground. When blocked, it is responsible for generating negative emotions such as rootlessness, guilt, fear, and not belonging anywhere or having any reason to grow. It is also the vortex that prevents concentration and affects emotional stability the most..."

Rey, faced with the huge vortex of negative energy, felt he had many questions to answer. "Do I have a home to live in and grow up in peace? What do I want to live for? Is it worth it to become an adult? How far can I go? Do I feel good about myself?" To which he replied, "Yes! The world is my home, the three planes are mine to live in as much as Heaven and Hell. I live because it is my opportunity. It pays to be great and even greater. Surpassing the 'me' of now, I will go as far as I can go and I feel good about all that I am, all that I have and all that I may become, have or feel." With this powerful feeling, the vortex unblocked, and the energy rose until it stopped.

Clara, sliding her finger upward, circled the little boy's body and stopped at a certain point.

"The next vortex is located in the lower abdomen, and it is called ‘sacral.’ Once you find the anchor of support in the world, you have to spread life. For that reason this chakra is linked to procreation, sex, and pleasure. When blocked or dormant, it is responsible for generating feelings of guilt about the continuation of the species, fear of enjoyment, and clipping the wings of the personality, inhibiting you from being reserved."

Rey, in the face of the vortex, felt doubts about whether it was really bad for him to have sexual impulses towards those who helped him and were closest to him. Images of him licking Silvia's sex, of all the naked bodies he had seen, of Edith as she was cleaning him in the lake, and now of Clara crouching right in front of him, floated through the place and came together in a strange combination. But after closing his eyes, he accepted what it was, as well as stopped holding back about what might happen. The images left, and the energy continued to move forward.

Clara, enthralled, continued to move her finger.

"The third vortex is located in the center of the body, between the upper abdomen and the heart. Its name is "plexus" and when it is blocked, you do not have proper control of breathing or digestion, making it common to feel tired, lack of energy, inferiority, insecurity, dissatisfaction, and lack of confidence."

Rey was invaded by the same words that the white witch had said to him. Perfectly, he remembered that only a night ago, his dissatisfaction with himself was exponentially high. At that moment it came to the surface. "My decisions are mine and I take responsibility for them. I am in control of my emotions. I know what I want, and I am confident that I can get it through effort alone. I am satisfied with self-improvement and not having anyone else as a goal."

Clara, as one who wielded a sword against the vengeful shadows that had kept growing around the place, continued and pointed to the area with her clenched fist.

"The next vortex is associated with the heart and is the largest of all. As a catalyst for feelings, it is also responsible for feeding the flame of will. If this chakra, located in the center of the chest, is blocked, it generates emotions such as a lack of love for one's life and others around you, premature performance in the face of rigorous tasks, and a lack of values in a person."

Rey encountered a whole gigantic flame, to which he opened the way and let the course of energy move forward, as if nothing happened.

Clara paused for a while; she saw the herald of pain in front of her eyes and to protect herself, she used her breath.

"You were indeed born gifted, little one. Not only are the fifth chakra, located in the throat, the sixth in the forehead, and the seventh at the tip of the head, already unlocked, but the fourteen tertiary vortices are also free, and you have just successfully passed the initiation test. You can come out from within the lucid dream and feel your new sorcerer's body."

As Rey disappeared to return to the outside world, a body huddled in a corner raised its voice and spoke to the witch before she left.

"Clara?"

She froze in place. The tears couldn't stop coming.

"Even after so long... Do you remember my voice?" he who was hiding under mists and lies asked.

She nodded her head, at the same time giving a tender smile.

"Rejoice then, Clara. Your wish will finally come true... You never had sins to atone for, and neither did Ana. You don't have to remain guardians, nor did I impose such a petty concept on anyone. The two of you were always free to go..."

The witch walked forward and raised her hands as if to activate the face of the presence but was stopped by a raised hand.

"At any moment, my memories and the vestiges of me will vanish completely from within this body. It is the natural course.... It seems that my voice, my actions, and exploits of a past will also end up forgotten, but remember that I always loved them more than anything. Now, I may be able to leave in peace..."

With tears in her eyes, the white witch threw an affable smile before watching an old love not forgotten disappear.

...

Rey opened his eyes and with those twenty-four lights, each and every one of them different colors, began to illuminate the place, dulling the brightness of the lake. The water all around was pushed aside by the flow of energy that the small body let out. Not only was the white witch's hair shaking all over the place, but her body was also about to be blown away. She was still behind her disciple, but, even so, she did her best not to release her grip.

Clara, whose tears were drained and dried by the wind, clung tightly to the little boy's body. "So much power that he even distorts the space around him! I must stop him..." she said to herself to then scream as loud as her voice would allow, "Rey, take a deep breath. Take a moment to balance your energy until you notice it changes the way you feel. Use your imagination. Believe in the power to control your body and form an imaginary bubble around yourself."

The environment calmed down and the chaotic energy expelled ended up trapped inside circumferential walls.

"Now make the sphere smaller and smaller, while thinking about how infinite the space in it is. Think about how it can become a cosmos, a galaxy, or a microworld..."

The energy was successfully contained and with that the water returned to its place.

"Keep reducing the size until you can keep it inside you."

The site and the water returned to normal.

"That will be your core. As a tip, and seeing your inclination to combat, you can connect it with the heart chakra for better performance with respect to willpower and fighting spirit. The passive energy that your body manifests will become magical energy, ritual material. You can also make this core an inner world which connects with all points of your body as well as your subconscious."

Once the water returned to normal, Rey stared at his hands.

Clara continued speaking. "Now that the vortexes are balanced, rest and eat a little until you return to your normal state."

But seeing Rey give her an odd look back, she threw a warning into the air.

"Listen. As long as you have energy you won't need food. Your core will take care of making you feel full and that you don't have to defecate or urinate, but your body will stop aging and growing. Everything you eat will be stored as pure energy and not fat, but I recommend that you eat food, even if you don't feel hungry, and rest, even if you don't feel sleepy. You are not a machine, and you can still make good use of those two functions to keep growing, developing, and adapting."

Rey, somewhat busy, said, "Rest? Now that I've finished opening the vortexes is when I can cry out. Leaving aside that I feel light and better, I don't think a rest is necessary."

After heaving a sigh in the air, the white witch turned her back and came out of the water with her disciple who followed her like an adorable puppy begging for food. It was frustrating to Clara that Rey was so extraordinary. A process that took a lifetime for an average human, he had accomplished in just one session.

"I can't remember the last time I felt this exhausted. I congratulate you." Giving a bitter smile, she continued, "You are the only one of my disciples who has gone through the initiation process successfully in such a short time."

Getting dressed and trying not to show much discomfort at being naked in front of someone else, she continued, "Rey... Your inner energy is... overwhelming. You must not use it indiscriminately, as weak-minded individuals around you may lose consciousness. With that said and having been exposed, even though I am a witch, I have my limits as a human. Your power blocked one of my chakras. When this happens, the others begin to malfunction and the sorcerer or sorceress in question loses his or her inner balance."

He continued to watch her, and she, no longer able to hide the reality, had to say, "Rey, it is I who needs to rest."

The witch looked into the eyes of the little boy. He needed to keep learning and could absorb any information given to him. "So why not? If he really is so extraordinary, he could learn with simple instructions," she said to herself, to add aloud, "Aaaaah, little one, in order to ‘clamor’ at your level, you have two paths. The safest and most prestigious is for you to create a grimoire of your own in which you enclose creatures, natural phenomena, and objects. The second way is to use a book made by someone else. But this is not an easy thing to do, as wizards jealously guard their grimoires, especially if they were created by themselves, since you can't claim something that someone else is using at the same time. Since I don't use mine, I can give you my book, but you understand..." She made her book appear in the air.

Rey finished the witch's sentence, "It's not up to par and neither will I be able to alter the content of the book if I'm not the original creator."

Clara, while getting dressed, made a gesture of obviousness. "Exactly. The few remaining claims in this book are basic and will restrict your potential to a great extent. They will also stunt your growth as a wizard. Believe it or not, if you make a pact with the creature in question and foster values such as trust, fidelity, and respect, she will not attack you when someone else tries to use it against you... Going back to the negative aspects, it's not like I know any other book or its conditions to be invoked either. Follow my advice, go in search of the library of The Scholars, which is located in the fifth circle of this place. Learn about the power of symbols and how to generate your own book. Once you materialize it, seal as many beings as you encounter throughout your life and create a work that meets the expectations of a talent as great as the one you have."

Rey, also finishing dressing, said, "To tell you the truth... I found something better than the library of The Scholars. I'm already familiar with all that knowledge, but I don't have much time to create a book. I know the book I want."

Arching her left eyebrow, the white witch asked:

"Which one?"

"The Sanctuary of Athena," he answered as one who remembered.

The woman, there present, vomited on the floor from hearing the name. After holding one hand to her stomach and the other to her mouth, she continued as she wiped herself.

"Impossible!!! How do you know the title of that book?!"

After trying to collect her surprise, she continued. "Rey, the original book was destroyed. I understand that if you recite the words or draw the magic circle on its cover, you can summon a copy to the present, but as those words were never before heard by ears nor the sign seen by human eyes, many of my acquaintances lost their lives and succumbed entire civilizations by merely trying to summon that book and failing in the process. Rey, to behold a book of sorcery ranked "God," you are privileged. I was amazed at the way you went through the initiation process and came out unscathed; if you still feel confident and want to keep trying your luck..."

Rey nodded.

"Then proceed, I don't intend to stop you. Although I'm afraid I must leave: this is a struggle in which I will not be able to accompany you. Honestly, I don't want to get involved in the ritual of such an atrocious book as that."

"Don't worry, I still consider you worthy to be my instructor."

After those words, Clara turned around and, as best she could, left the way she came.

Rey did not expect such a reaction from the white witch at the mention of the name of the book his master carried everywhere. Once the place was desolate, the little boy prepared to sit on the floor repeating what he remembered seeing from the drawing of the title and proceeded with the ritual.

"Requirements to invoke: three thousand hairs, which will be the leaves of the book. According to the color of the hair, according to the color of the pages." Rey plucked out the hairs and, after counting them, set them aside in front of him. "Three nails that will wrap around the leaves as a cover page." With his teeth he pulled his nails out by the roots. "Three liters of blood that will be the ink. Red blood, red letters." After cutting his wrist, he let out as much blood as he could. "Three Hours administering energy to the symbol or incantation."

After creating a symbol on the ground, in which he enclosed his previous offerings, the little boy stretched out his hands and from his newly acquired core used the energy as an offering. He felt confident. All the books he remembered reading about sorcery in Silvia's Library of Knowledge were not that complicated. Something was in the back of his head, though. Rey couldn't help but think about the white witch's reaction.

Rey believed that the process was relatively easy, and yet why had so many people failed? Rummaging through his memory, already somewhat worried, he recalled that, if the procedure failed, three thousand years of life would be taken. Three limbs, the head could be included. Three organs and three ribs were also to be given as offerings of failure. They did not necessarily have to be the user's, but if the user was the only one on site, he would bear the full brunt of his failure.

Rey, already almost worried, thought: "Hmm... The sorcerers jealously guard their books. Heroclades refused to teach me sorcery so that, in a battle, I would not use the same clamors as him. He knows that I can see the symbol on the cover, and that leaves him susceptible to theft. In effect, if he leaves that symbol exposed, it means there must be an extra security measure, one that is not so obvious. Three thousand pages for three thousand hairs, but... if the original book will be missing a page... Heroclades would certainly not carry the original book, as the pages are the same color as his hair. Also, the name of the book is blurred and only the owner can alter the contents. If it were missing a page, it wouldn't be a copy of the original book, would it?"

Suddenly, before the whole pillar of offerings, a page appeared. Just a page with writing, scribbles, and letters. Rey remembered that the book, whose images did not float, was accompanied by a flower made of the same thin, fine, delicate material that made up the pages. Although the page in front of him was black, it did present the same size and, of course, also the same scribbles, writings, and red stripes that he remembered made up the flower that, with delicacy, his teacher was holding at that moment he saw through the window of his room.

Rey, as one who discovered something new, said to himself, "This is the test that no one has been able to pass! To create a flower with the first page... Now, in what way does one create a flower while supplying energy for the completion of this book?"

...

Time went on and on. Clara, intrigued, entered the place taking small steps to find a deformed and disassembled body.

"Ha-ha, that's so funny! Stop using 'Aura' and show yourself."

The horrifying scene disappeared and there appeared, on the other side, a small boy who could hardly be seen because he was holding a huge open book bigger than himself.

The book was black, made up of black pages and red letters. Clara put her hands to her mouth and ran to see what her disciple was carrying and reading. She stretched out her hands like a curious child. Rey didn't think twice and gave what he was carrying to his teacher.

"But how?" asked Clara, unable to believe her eyes.

"The answer is on the first page that appears. You must create a flower like this in order to successfully complete the process. If you want, I'll show you."

Clara, as one who could not ask for such a great favor, said, "I won't be able to invoke this book, even if I want to. My energy is only enough to materialize something with twelve pages and a cover. It's a specific curse I received for not being able to complete my initiation process correctly. Although it wouldn't hurt if I could copy a few clamors and add them to my book."

"Feel free to do so," he said as if it was the least he could do to say thank you for the teachings that were given to him.

Clara, returning to normal, said, "So what's the reason it's taken you so long to get out?"

"I'm trying to understand why every time I try to "cry out," I get hurt and the movement in question doesn't fully develop. Maybe I'm cursed."

"Let me watch you do it and tell you my opinion," Clara said, sympathetic, to show the attention worthy of a faithful spectator, about to hand the big book back to the little guy but stopped short when she saw him raise his arm in the air and get serious.

Rey, with his hand outstretched, threw a projectile of water, which exploded and knocked his hand back. Clenching his fist, he looked back in the direction of his instructor, and she was not acting normal. Clara, on the verge of fainting, lost her balance.

"You have to be at least "specialist" level to be able to cast silent spells," she said with a bitter smile. "I don't believe my eyes; it has to be a dream. Even after all this time, I'm still only an intermediate grade Wicca in the art of spellcasting; for that reason, I can't use it in combat. I take too long."

Rey, sharing his thoughts, proceeded to speak, "From what I could see, my other master is advanced level. He can recreate and modify the patterns in the book with a special ink, and he uses those loose leaves to cry out as he fights. But I don't have any of that at my fingertips, so I tried my hand at a basic spell, and since it didn't end up possessing or 'wetting' me, I found out I can do it."

Clara, like someone trying to explain something to someone who knew more about it, said, "Rey, regardless of what level you are at, you will always have to control and adjust the amount of magical energy you offer as an exchange. Even if you are someone extraordinary, if you call out too quickly something you have not practiced, it is normal for that kind of reaction to happen to you. In conclusion, you can't control your power because you lack practice." After pausing, she said, "Do the same thing you did. Raise your arm, but first take a moment. Take a deep breath and feel the energy."

Rey proceeded to follow the instructions.

 "Now imagine and judge for yourself the amount of energy you need to be able to perform the clamado. Regulate the distance, think of the strength, the speed, the solidity. After loading these three factors, finish the spell..."

Following the words of his instructor, the little one fired a powerful shot of water capable of reaching the other side of the place and hitting against the wall.

Clara continued as one who was not allowed to be surprised anymore, "You must practice this type of attack until your mind memorizes it and you can use it in combat. Keep in mind that in a fight you and your opponent have the same amount of time to act; as a wizard, it is your job to find a way to optimize your moves and manage time better than your opponent. You can make your core a barrier and even a ‘zone,’ but if an opponent succeeds in destroying it..."

"I will be left vulnerable and without reserve energy to be able to clamor," he said, finishing his teacher's sentence.

Clara, nodding her head, said, "Yes. Also, if you want to speed up your clamoring process, it is best if you say the shortened incantation. From the legends I've heard, the shortened incantations were designed for combat..."

She stopped talking, she didn't know what else to say or teach. She stared at her disciple, who was staring back at her as if he wanted to squeeze more knowledge out of her. With the urge to change the subject she continued, "And now what do you plan to do?"

Rey took a deep breath and continued, "I have to go all the way to the Tartarus to drop Edith off."

Clara commented on the subject of the Parcae, "She was sleeping the last time I saw her."

Rey was surprised at the comment.

 "Yes, she was all this time training with Ana; she said that her goal was to defeat you and for that reason she decided to become stronger."

"Interesting, I hope she had some progress. By the way, the Tartarus was upstairs, wasn't it?"

"Indeed..." said Clara as she was about to walk together with her disciple back to the castle. "I recommend you climb through the floors of this place. Although it is made up of seven levels and on each level, you will encounter a respective headache like my great-grandson, I guarantee you that the pinnacle is the closest point to Tartarus in all of Hell. If you scream loud enough, some ‘cherub’ may hear you and come to your call. They have wings and can fly."

"If it's about having wings, then I won't be needing them," said Rey after walking all over the place and arriving where the little Parcae was.

Edith slept at Ana's feet, but she didn't sleep like any other child. In her sleep you could see how worry and loneliness were the ones who had caused her tiredness, because with her eyes closed, she was crying without realizing it. That became the reason Ana passed her hand like a worried mother.

The "old woman of the forest" also had the body of a young girl, short hair, and the same light brown color as her eyes. She carried strong physical features, dressed in light green, loose-fitting garments, plus a pair of sandals.

Ana and Rey exchanged words in a distant greeting. As soon as the white witch finished catching up and nearly vomiting from learning that the little boy summoned the most infamous book in the history of wizardry, she left the room along with Clara.

At the same time that the two white witches were walking out, White came in, staggering from side to side. She too looked as if she had been training and, from the wetness of her hair, it had surely been against Clara's grandson.

Rey didn't know how to wake the little Parcae. After glancing at his faithful companion, he returned his eyes to Edith and, without much thought, slowly pulled back the sheets with which she covered herself. "Without the blanket, maybe the cold will wake her up naturally," he surmised.

It didn't work, Edith simply rolled over and shrank her body squeezing a pillow.

Rey moved on to touching her shoulder and then shaking his head. He didn't want to be any rougher and thought maybe she didn't mean to wake up. "If my journey of accompanying her to the Tartarus ends, everything will go back to the way it was for you," Rey thought, realizing that the Parcae may not want to wake up because she would go back to living her boring life, the same life that perhaps gave her reason to cry in her sleep.

Edith, turning her back to the little boy and pretending not to have woken up, said to herself, "There, where I live, a severe punishment awaits me, several beatings and who knows how long without food and water between cold walls. I don't want to go back. I must pretend to sleep. I am still sleeping. Even if it means he may leave me behind. He has been interested in getting stronger, in suffering, and fighting. As long as we're together, I'll be a burden on his shoulders... we don't even know each other that well enough for him to care about keeping his word." She paused hearing soft sounds from White. "I see, both me and that feline are a burden to you, but you refuse to let us go because you're not alone. Someone as exceptional as you has a weak spot: you're prone to get attached to those you spend a little time with, even if they hurt you. Leave me here and pretend I never existed...it will be best for both of us."

"In a book I read a word that until now I had not been able to understand..." said Rey as he proceeded to take a seat. Once beside the Parcae, he pushed aside the hair that covered her left ear, as if to make sure she could hear him speak. "Friendship. And then I wondered as I read: why is it that some particular beings can become the best of friends? Perhaps because they take the time to listen to other people's problems. Tell me, Edith, do you want to tell me about that which torments you?"

The Parcae turned her face and, with her eyes watering, hugged the little boy and the little boy hugged her with all her strength. The child's cry spoke louder than any amount of words. The Parcae wept without contemplation or sorrow, weeping that lasted until she actually fell asleep.

As was the proper course of action, Rey lifted the little girl in his arms and so left the castle after bidding farewell to the residents. Once on the pavement at the entrance and with the absence of a roof, Rey took one last look before spreading his wings. White jumped down and climbed up to his companion's head.

The two huge black wings flapped wildly, and the three bodies lifted off the ground. In a few seconds they reached above the highest point of the castle. From a third and fourth flapping, they surpassed the first level. In this way until they reached the sky before the eyes of all the spectators who were holding their hands to their heads, because for them it was unusual that an angel with black wings existed and even more so that he was going to Heaven.

The divine glow of the place ceased to be and a whole roof of branches and trunks imposed itself solidly before the passage of the little one. In the middle of the place there was a hole through which they could slip if they used some maneuvers. Rey, as if he were a bird of prey, imposed himself as much as he could and then shrunk his wings and swooped up.

White's eyes saw for the first time what the other Heaven looked like. For the helpless feline, the atmosphere was totally new and, in response, the hairs on her body stood on end before the Hell composed of frightening visions where only color reigned, the red of blood, the yellow of fire, and the gray of smoke. Thousands of endless and permanent screams were heard.

The giants with several heads and numerous limbs saw the little one, screamed, and tried to catch him, but could not; instead, they managed to grab others of the horrendous creatures flying around the place and put them in their mouths to devour them in one bite.

Rey flapped his wings even more. The hot air, tempests, bones, fire, lightning, and thunder tried to knock him down, but the little one covered himself and his companions with a barrier to continue climbing without anyone being affected.

The Parcae was unaware of anything and slept in the arms of the enraged little boy with no last name. White held on with all her might and even pulled out her nails and dug them into her companion's head until he bled, but the latter did not complain, knowing that it was necessary so that the feline would not be torn off.

The Heaven of Hell, amidst the red mist, smoke, and flames, became unreachable. Still, the hatchling ignored all common sense and kept flapping. Although any other more sensible individual would have given up, Rey did not plan to stop until he reached his target. With his sharp gaze, murderous intent, and teeth bared, he faced the blizzard that was moment by moment shrinking his barrier with the intention of destroying it. When his wings protruded from the protection of the enlarged core, although his limbs became tired and he could hardly fly anymore, he continued to move forward.

When Rey felt that the muscles of his back were about to burst, that the feathers of his wings were on fire from the heat, that he was about to fall, he was able to see the lower part of the platform that floated and was sure to be the much-mentioned Tartarus. Thanks to the strength of his will and the abundant energy he had in his core, Rey made it all the way to the top, surpassing the limits.

With a final roar of war, he transformed one of his hands into a claw. After lengthening his nails considerably, he launched a lunge while still holding the Parcae with his opposite hand. Clouds, wind, and flames broke through before the violent blast. The hole was not even that big and the moment it opened it closed, but it was still enough time for the three little ones to pass through and crash onto the platform. Edith came back to consciousness. Looking around her and seeing Rey's face full of blood, she screamed hysterically.