From behind Wulfgang, Ehimus stuck out her tongue and opened her right eye with her index finger, "Killing! Just like you said it would be the best option for the liger that Fang let go. What? That head of yours doesn't know of another method to solve something?"

Katherine said nothing at the childish comment from the elf, who was shielding herself behind the lycanthrope so she could speak her mind.

"Kat." Maryam took the floor using a cold tone of voice. "It won't be necessary, my sister. I can, perfectly, be selfish as you know, but I know my limits, as well as I know a mother's compassion."

Rey could interpret that his mother was speaking in a threatening voice. An offensive passive threat from a vampire who could put on a cheerful face while giving her warning and making her territory known. Katherine, on the other hand, looked frustrated at her sister's clarification. With eyes that seemed to yearn for something her sister had, and she hadn't, the muscular vampire, who surely had nothing nice to say, decided to remain silent.

Silvia tossed a comment into the air, "Why not let the couple rest in peace?"

The maid's words defused the situation and defused the tension. Rey also noticed how, with the exception of Ehimus, the rest of the members gave their consent and, one by one, took their leave of the place.

Wulfgang, Maryam, the elf, and the babies were the only ones left in the room. With the situation as it was, "Is it even worth it to stand around and watch?" wondered the little boy that no one could see as he looked at the two individuals he didn't recognize as parents.

Rey was more than sure that, for the rest of the day, the wolf and the little green girl would satisfy the vampire's whims. Turning around, he walked through the door that had just closed. The little boy, on his way out, noticed Katherine standing outside the master bedroom, biting her fingernails, while the rest of the group came down the stairs.

Being curious, the little one that no one saw ignored the behavior of the muscular vampire and decided to follow the tanned-skinned guy, the one who in such a delicate moment had raised his finger and given a carefree smile. The same fellow who was his teacher at present.

After descending the stairs, the little guy walked down the hallway behind Heroclades. Rey looked at the leather pouch hanging from the golden belt at his master's waist; there he kept both his book and precious objects. A book as large as it was enigmatic. "Books harbor power, the Great Wise Wizard told me not long ago. I would like to know what kind of power is knowledge," the young boy said to himself.

Heroclades opened the door of the room that was his and entered using elegant and fine movements. The same movements that someone made when he was happy, something that did not fail to attract the attention of the little one who was so thoughtfully pursuing him.

As soon as he reached the front of the room where Heroclades had entered, Rey went through the door and saw something he had not expected. The bed, walls, floor, and ceiling were nothing out of the ordinary, but somehow his master looked out at the landscape beyond a window. The house, which on the outside had no windows or any form of entrance other than the front door, fireplace, or secret passage, appeared to have a window. Rey also noticed that the window looked out onto a beautiful landscape, but not like the one he remembered being outside. Looking at everything in detail, he also noticed that the frames seemed to float in the air. And on those wooden railings, with the airs of an old man, Heroclades was lost in the distant landscape like someone thinking of something profound, as intricate and distant as what was before his eyes.

With a relieved face, Heroclades not only seemed to enjoy the wind smeared with the scent of flowers, or the light that brushed his face, but under his hands he touched that which he always carried with him. As if it were a butterfly with open wings, the immense book rested on his legs, almost as big as the two outstretched hands of the little boy.

Rey remembered it being half the size when it was closed. Now that he thought better of it, it was the second time he had seen an open book. Far from being like the first time, this book lacked things that floated or pictures that moved. Instead, it had static drawings, many tipped and untipped figures, long and short dashes, pronounced and almost invisible strokes, thick scribbles and very thin ones. The book had many leaves, all dark gray like his master's hair, painted blood red.

The little boy was very attentive to the book that looked almost as old as the one who carried it. One that was untouched by the tan-skinned fellow, unless he was alone, or his sister was mentioned. Rey was curious to keep looking at the pages whose images did not float. "What kind of lore does a book like this have?" wondered Rey.

Heroclades, with his right hand, delicately skimmed. Also, from his left hand, he smelled a flower made of the material, thin, fine, and delicate, that composed the pages. The flower was perhaps a rolled-up leaf from the book. It had the same color, almost the same size and, of course, also scribbles, writings and stripes formed by blood, so "Why not?" said Rey to himself. Moving closer he could perceive in more detail the various ribbons, the numerous markers and page doublings that made up the book, making it look fat. From that distance, the paintings did not require any colors other than red or gray. Fixed colors that didn't lift or float like the other book he remembered seeing. They looked boring, very boring to the little boy.

The words of the tan-skinned gentleman made themselves heard, "What more have I to want? Being patient brings its rewards."

Heroclades turned another page. On this one, depicted in wise and serene strokes, was a glorious black wolf howling under the full moon. Pausing in his words, he prepared to turn the page, but not before sniffing the paper flower he held in his opposite hand.

"Ummm. I have you by my side, my precious sister."

Another page: the illustration, drawn with strong, detailed lines, formed what was a bear standing on its two legs.

"I have the whole world that hurt you locked up in this sacred book you created before you left us. With my hands I carry your legacy wherever I go."

On the next page, looking almost invisible, one could identify a colossal, creepy winged monstrosity—its dragon head above the stars of a black sky, its torso above the horizon and, spread between its legs, on the ground, a large number of snakes.

"The other one who tried to seduce you continues to breathe. He lives under the perpetual torment of my curse... when will you die? he asked me."

The tan-skinned lord paused, put his hand to his face, and cast a bitter smile.

"Heroclades, to live in those bad times you must no longer. Better think of that which lies ahead," he claimed to himself. "The incarnation of white eyes and infinite pentagram. That one who in his first life had the potential to be the patriarch of all the gods and fucked Mnemosine under the nose of Zeus is now my future disciple... Rey, worthy name, isn't it? I have to train him, make him strong, and give him what he needs, I am willing to kill his parents and every member of this pack if necessary. Yes. He will make the Olympian gods tremble and our father perish, I am sure."

Returning his gaze to the paper rose and running his hand over the whitened page of the book, he said, "He will be a better tool than Typhon. Did I forget to tell you that the last son of Gaea is the curse that haunts that wretch who tried to sully your chastity? That's something we'll talk about later. Forgive me, but it's time to enjoy the pleasures of the night..."

Rey, was interested by his teacher's words, but, with discouraged eyes, watched as he closed the book whose title was hidden and torn on the page behind the cover. Just below the title, he could also see more writing that was not so heavily laden with scribbles, strokes, or figures. One thing was certain: no more pages that Heroclades pretended to turn for him to see, no more words. Thereupon, the older man put the grimoire away in his scarsella. With that, the window through which the sun and a cool breeze were coming in disappeared.

The little boy was still puzzled by the attitude of the tanned-skinned gentleman. He didn't understand how to interpret it, if perhaps it was good or bad. Especially the part where he was willing to kill his parents and every member of this pack if necessary. Was it good for him? Was it bad for his parents? Was it necessary? Suddenly, Rey was taken by surprise as two lumps moved under the bed sheets behind his back. As soon as he turned to look, two women were crawling across the sheets on all fours.

Turning his face back, Rey saw how Heroclades, by simply unbuttoning the button at his shoulder, caused his garments to fall to the floor. The sound of silky fabric accompanied by the clinking of golden metals could be heard.

"Right? Damares mine..." finished the tanned-skinned fellow.

As soon as they crossed the bed, the two women with Heroclades-like skin and features came out to meet the naked man. One went straight for his mouth, the second knelt in front of him as he spread his hands and spread his legs. Rey heard how between the three of them they laughed and made wet sounds. The little boy understood that they were laughing because they knew well of "the pleasures of the night," the last phrase his master had said.

Rey didn't think anything more interesting was going to happen, nor that his questions would have answers. It was true that there were three unclothed seniors in a room alone, but it would do the little boy no good to learn of "the pleasures of the night" if he was not yet a senior like them.

Amid the sound of worldly kisses and caresses, Rey walked through the nearest wall into another room. He found that in this room Ehimus yawned as she finished filling a second bag of blood, which she prepared to give to Katherine to feed.

"She hasn't fully recovered and wants to have an orgy as a reunification," he thought.

"I want to give them a mother's love," she said. "Good thing I rescued you from that room in time. I'm not about to fall into his web! At least not again! You have to understand that I'm pretty pissed off about letting that kid live!" the vampire said indignantly as she paced back and forth and gestured with her hands as one trying to make a point. "Surely that thing passes clan initiation. He's her son, how could he not be loved by her? But what if at some point I incapacitate my sister's abilities?"

"You get paranoid," Ehimus said, "especially when you're bored. Initiation is about them trusting and experiencing death, and then Maryam, with her love, bringing them back to life. She would not love someone who does not deserve to be loved, even if he is or is not her son."

"I admit I'm bored," Katherine said, "tired of hearing him cavorting like never before, frustrated that I can't make a woman of myself, worried about the future of De-Bastador. So many things and I don't know what to do."

"What do you want most right now?" Ehimus asked as one who knew the answer.

"I want to have the warmth of a man with me, inside me, without her having anything to do with it! Are you listening to me?" said the muscular vampire to the elf, who didn't even flinch to listen.

"You and Mijan, think about it," replied the little elf as one who downplayed the matter. "Even though he thinks he can replace everything with wealth, even though he always steals the group's funds from me, and charges favors to the needy to gamble, at least, he is a better choice than Heroclades. And I am of the opinion that he is sensible enough to only stay with you if you demand it of him," Ehimus suggested. "Besides, the De-Grecians are very ambiguous. They don't work and whenever they approach someone different, they always approach them with a question. ‘What do you think it is to reign?’ And if you don't know how to answer well enough to have a dissertation on the subject, they reply, ‘It doesn't matter, I was just looking for someone rational.’ How irritating!!! They say logic, decisions, wisdom, knowledge...!!! They look at the person as if they are trying to determine if they really have any idea what they are talking about and if not, they corrupt you. They tear your argument into a thousand pieces and you end up seeing that you were wrong..."

Katherine stopped listening to Ehimus, but, even so, the elf continued speaking as if she had returned to the past. To the muscular vampire, the elf was motivated to hate Heroclades. The two of them were always at each other's throats whenever they fought, not to mention that maybe she wanted to keep the De-Greece. Katherine, having ignored all the words related to Heroclades, returned to the present.

"Sometimes you surprise me, little green one. I've been thinking about it already. He has all the time and life forces of an elf. From within the group, at least he's the only one left to afford to invest them in a rather selfish vampire like me," she said as she sat in one spot thinking aloud.

Ehimus, as one who warns and advises, said, "Try not to be so abrupt at the first meeting. Let him take confidence and enjoy himself. Maryam says that all men love the pleasures of the flesh, so, if you control your very bad habits in bed at first, everything should be fine."

Changing the direction of her words, the little green girl pointed to the blood bag she had already filled.

"You already have one. I'm going to leave this other one in the heated box." Standing up she prepared to leave. "I wish you luck, ah... I want to warn you. Leave me out of all this!" she said in a low, weary tone.

Katherine opened her eyes drawing a smirk from ear to ear. "No offense, but I don't entertain you as much as I used to. Despite being so small and asking so many questions, your old girlishness is becoming very prevalent in intimacy whenever Fang is away. I was more attracted to your scary face and not liking what was going to happen to you," the vampire said as she made the whole room go dark and enveloped the elf, who flinched in reaction. "You see what I mean? You're getting older and you're getting boring..."

Rey, on the other hand, was taken aback. He hadn't expected to see the display of such darkness. Hungry and terrified, the black devoured even the sound in that small room. Unable to see anything for a second, he waited on the spot until he slowly saw how a ray of clarity entered through the cracks of a door that was being opened. He also noticed that as soon as the little green girl finished opening the door, she left from inside the room as if escaping from the grip of the muscular vampire, who wanted to seduce her in her own way.

Once Ehimus stepped out into the hallway, Katherine followed her nakedly with a somewhat disappointed face. Rey also emerged from within the darkness that made him feel so uncomfortable. From one moment to the next, the little boy was intrigued when he saw how Katherine crouched down in front of her room and began to pretend she was looking for something when she obviously had nothing to look for.

There, unclothed and before Rey's eyes, Katherine didn't look much different from his father or Heroclades. Sure, she didn't have something hanging from between her legs, but both her thick voice, build, and scars made her comparable to the other members who did.

As she touched the floor with her hands, Katherine made the shadows enter through the gaps in the wood that made up the floor. Rey became more curious about the event, and not because she was leaning forward with her buttocks spread open in front of him.

"The darkness looks like water, but it can't be water because even though it runs across the floor nothing stays wet," he thought. It wasn't the first time he had seen the vampire use shadows as her ally and if she was someone who was against him in the future, it was best to be cautious and learn.

The little, white-eyed boy continued down the hallway, until he slipped under Katherine's legs to get a closer look at the floor. Suddenly, Rey heard Mijan say goodbye to Ehimus, who had suggested going to sleep.

Rey raised his head, looking in the direction of the living room, and saw Mijan approaching. One step, two steps, three firm steps. Seven, eight, nine, not so much anymore. The elf noticed that the hallway was darker than usual, also that the muscular vampire was looking at him as if she was proud of her nudity. It was an uncomfortable situation for Mijan. Rey could imagine and agreed that it is always intimidating when a prey is watched by a hunter. As quickly as he could, he changed the direction of his gaze, barely making connection with Katherine's eyes. Rey remembered that the elf always looked nervous before the vampire.

Mijan stopped. He had the face of one who was trying to calm himself. Even with a movement of his neck he commanded the strange floating device to disappear. Putting his right hand behind his head, the light elf stepped closer and said, "Perhaps I should be more sociable. I can count on my hands the number of times we have spoken alone..."

Katherine interrupted the elf with the confidence of a triumphant, "Words are not necessary... Do you intend to resist?" she said and with a snap of her fingers a whole cloud of shadows took place in the hallway.

Mijan, with a smile and pinning his gaze between the vampire's legs, replied, "What can I do? I am forced to reciprocate your feelings. I like you if you like me.”

Rey watched as all the eerie darkness enveloped the body of the confused silver-haired youth. At the little boy's feet, as if he were a sack full of earth, Mijan fell helplessly. Lacking the strength to struggle or the desire to try to escape, he surrendered to the effects of a gas that seemed to be sedating him.

"Then I own you," Katherine added, as soon as she opened the door to her room, with the face of someone who had no intention of wasting much time.

The vampire dragged her victim into the room, which had once been an entire lighted room and was now so dark you couldn't even see anything. Rey watched as someone observing the scene of a murder. Standing in the hallway, not daring to approach, the little boy with no last name only heard the door close and the click-clack of the lock.

For the little boy, there weren't many other rooms left to check. At least, not without two or more grown-ups rolling over each other. He didn't understand what they saw so interesting about being stuck together all the time. "I'm not older, it's not my time to be able to understand," he repeated to himself again. "Unlike them, I am small. I remember how Heroclades always did his best to separate me and my siblings from Mijan and Katherine whenever these two got together and went into a secluded area."

Walking to the exit of the hallway, the little boy, who was trying to understand, stopped dead in his tracks. He heard a familiar voice speaking from the second floor.

"A well-applied and combat-strong servant girl?"

If the voice hadn't been enough, the whimsical laughter that preceded the words was unmistakable. It was Maryam speaking. "I always believed that every house needs good servants. In particular, maids to take care of my husband, the children, and the other tenants whenever I can't. Brenk Priom shared my opinion on the matter, but the other nobles thought it was an unnecessary luxury..."

Silvia, clicking her tongue, said, "Tsk." Fulminating the vampire with her gaze and availing herself of a straight tone, Rey heard her say, "What does Mistress Maryam wish?"

Maryam, from the second floor, was just beginning to play with the fringe of her hair, just as she had done the first day when she first saw Silvia. Rey was seeing his mother's curious and flirtatious look, a look that wanted to undress whoever she saw with her eyes. The vampire arched her back, letting her breasts spill out of her loosely fitting dress and continued.

"I know you are hungry for knowledge, Silvia. These eyes, which have seen it all, can see a girl who is curious, jealous, and full of unfulfilled desires. I can give you and provide you with what I have. I have plenty to share, and I know you wouldn't care how much it costs you... Tell me, if I use you as a tool or as a slave, would you be interfering directly with us? After all, I am the one making the proposition and I would need your services otherwise."

Rey noticed how, even though no one had raised their voices, nor were they offended at each other, the atmosphere was tense. He also realized that he had never seen his mother angry. "I wonder what she would be like angry. Hmmm!"

Silvia averted her gaze. "Among my standards as a servant, I am well within my rights to demand respect. I must not allow myself to be treated in a way I do not want and if it happens, I must, in a polite manner, bring to the guest's attention that her insinuations are unjustifiable and will get nowhere.”

Maryam nodded her head, made the expression of someone realizing something obvious and, even so, then flashed a growing smile as if expecting to receive the best of the situation. "Your maid standards are somewhat strict. Officially, I want to do an act of reuniting our family. My room is not big enough for all of us in the pack to get together. For that reason, I plan to change the meeting point. I always thought the foyer of this house was the most convenient place for all of us to be. You won't have to keep listening behind the door. As a maid, you can do your job and keep an eye out for any wet spots that might be left on the floor without having to interfere directly with us. Still, please note that I am willing to receive you as a daughter if you wish. What do you say?"

As soon as the maid thanked her for the so tempting offer and clarified the necessary points, Rey could hear how the vampire turned around and entered her room. Silvia put her hand to her chest and let out a sigh.

The little boy went to take a step to approach the maid, but time stopped. This time he wasn't astonished. He already knew he couldn't move no matter how hard he tried. He also knew that he could only watch and wait until everything returned to normal. Looking up, in the middle of the room, Rey could see all the members of the house naked on top of each other, and how Silvia simply watched them without doing anything.

"You're looking at my ass... You're curious, aren't you? If you want, I'll let you see it from closer... even its inside... How it looks, how it feels... what sounds it can make if you put your tongue inside it."

Those were the few words Rey was able to make out in the intense scene that lasted for quite a while. When they were all finished, they went back to their rooms as fast as the wind. At that moment, the maid proceeded with her routine of cleaning everything from top to bottom, left to right and turning off the lights until the place was dark. The darkness became long, for Rey, who neither did nor saw anything.

As soon as the lights came on and the weather returned to normal, the little boy looked up with the opening of the door to the upper room. This time it was not Maryam, but Wulfgang who stepped out onto the balcony that adjoined the stairs. Leaning on the handrail, he proceeded down to the second floor while clearing his throat and breathing as one who needed calm. Rey noticed that his father did not look the same. The wolf had a slightly different expression on his face. It wasn't the usual sadness that sunk him, but he did have the face of someone who couldn't believe what he had seen.

"Guys," Wulfgang called to the rest of the group.

The doors in the hallway opened delicately. The footsteps of the pack members also echoed through the house. Rey stepped to the side, then turned his gaze to those present. Those who walked were dressed, with attentive looks. They looked worried as well, though even Ehimus did not dare to ask. The lycanthrope seemed to speak with his eyes. As if he had said, "Come see this...you'll be surprised." He turned and walked up the stairs he had already descended.

Following the wolf's suggestion, the members climbed up behind him to the second floor. No one knew precisely what had so surprised Wulfgang. They could only wait to see with their own eyes.

"What situation could have happened for them to have such faces?" With this question in mind, Rey stood first in the rising line. As soon as he invaded the room together with the others, he found no reason to be amazed, but he was puzzled because the others couldn't help but open their mouths when they looked in the direction of the cribs. The little boy looked back to where they all saw. He still didn't understand why the older ones were so surprised. Still, next to them, he stood at the edge of the three cradles.

Rey watched as six people surrounded three little ones who were no longer babies. He also heard murmurs, questions, and exclamations. "How is this possible?", "Unbelievable!", "Must it be a dream?", "Not again!" The older ones emphasized so much about what they saw that it no longer seemed so normal to Rey that in the passing of a night, both he and his siblings grew big. The little boy could also see how in his own version of the past his brothers opened their eyes. He remembered that both the brightness and the noise bothered him. He also vaguely remembered another noise, independent of the one made by the older ones there. Knock, knock, knock. Rey turned at the sound of wood being knocked to see the Great Wise Wizard at the entrance to the room.

The old man, who knocked on the door and at once caught the attention of the onlookers, spoke in the usual jocular tone he always carried. "Well, good morning, my tenants! Isn't curiosity splendid! That which motivates us. The one that takes us by the hand and leads us to explore a new and fascinating world. Give the not-so-little ones a chance and they will see."

Everyone looked at the old man as if they did not understand what he was talking about. Yet he continued as if the opposite were true.

"I say this because the currents of time act in a different way with our bipedal species than in the rest of the animals. In one night, your children developed enough to reach the capacity to be able to fend for themselves. I can assure you that the children are mature enough to be able to walk, run, reason, and fend for themselves."

Everyone returned their gaze to the little ones. Running seemed to be too much for them. Even Rey, there, remembered that he did not run from the first moment he opened his eyes. But he did remember that the older ones wanted to put the Great Wise Wizard's theory to the test.

After those present made room, the lycanthrope charged his son without a last name, the one with an infinite pentagram inside his white eyes. After stepping back and turning around, Wulfgang placed the little one he carried on the ground.

Rey saw himself standing; he saw himself as the one who did not want to be seen. He had the same height, hair, and build, but he did not share the similarity of their looks. He also saw his father walking away and the looks of the other members from another angle, but all exactly as he remembered, only this time he carried with him the burden of knowledge. And, although the result would be the same, he now sensed that it would be much more painful.

His naïve and carefree self from the not-too-distant past took his first wide-eyed steps, clumsy and almost falling over. He corrected his posture several times, caught his balance, and again took strong steps forward.

Rey painted his gaze with disappointment, more so as he remembered how he could not resist the urge to discover at that moment. The Great Wise Wizard was right about what he had said. "That thing about curiosity motivating us and taking us by the hand is not entirely untrue." In the past he was as innocent as he was incredulous and the feeling of discovery encouraged him, even if he didn't know how to observe or listen or behave with the best attitude. But, no matter how much he wanted to change it, that was a past that could not be altered, erased, or eliminated. Events that were there to stay and live among memories.

Rey turned his gaze. The little boy's other self could be seen looking at all those who were cheering him on. With his curious eyes he only saw faces with gestures, smiles, and grimaces, but not what was behind those faces... that the older ones were judging him and even despising him in silence. Once the little boy lost interest in those around them, he turned his gaze without reason to be grateful or return any gesture, smile, or grimace. He wanted to follow his discovery beyond where he had been left.

Preventing that something bad might happen, as the little boy approached where Katherine was, the worried mother tried to hold him. With an awkward swipe and a squeak on his part, Rey swatted his mother's hand and refused help so as to continue more freely. With much dissimulation and tact, Maryam withdrew the hand with which she’d tried to help and kept her distance.

Rey, after hearing the sound, walked to where his other self was and almost joined him. There he raised his face and with this, also his gaze. His eyes were somewhat worried. Even if he didn't recognize the vampire as his mother, she was the one who had the most right to kill him if she felt like it. However, in response to the rejection by her younger self, Maryam simply gave a pleasant smile and took her distance. Though a smile meant no more than just an appearance, Rey did not take it amiss. Still, Maryam was Maryam, and at the gesture toward the mother, the other members there fell silent, turned off their grimaces, and paid closer attention. Rey was ashamed of himself, but he also knew that the worst was yet to come and that he could do nothing but be strong and see what he had ignored before. His former self remained upright on his legs, and, at the same time, he tried to lift one to lean on the other.

Although no one seemed to be expressing anything in particular, it was a long time they had been alive and thus anticipated the fall of the little one who had just stood up. Using subdued faces, they focused their gazes without comment, as if they wanted to see what the reaction of the little adventurer would be as he fell from the pride of wanting to over strengthen himself. A clumsy step. A second small step without any balance, and then, "plop," the little one fell to the ground.

The one who was curious was now feeling another intense, annoying, and unpleasant sensation. Pain. The little, white-eyed boy stood there for a moment, as if assessing the situation. Touching the ground with his hands, he proceeded to touch his aching knees, to finally raise his puerile face and look around. None of those present had sufficient reason to pretend to help him, nor had they received parental approval.

Rey remembered asking himself, "How can they stand up and I can't?" When he noticed that the elders were paying attention to something else, he turned his neck and watched as Dante was even able to stand and, despite the effort, also fell to the ground, but he acted differently in the same scenario. His lycanthrope brother opened his mouth, closed his red, and cried out in a pained cry.

The past self of Rey realized that it was the loud crying of his brother Dante that caused him to be helped by the concerned mother. Maryam, with regret on her face, did not hesitate to pick up her son from the floor to pamper him as one who intended to ease another's pain. He also saw how the third little one, the one with blue eyes, acted cautiously. Jhades, as one who learned from other people's mistakes, decided to continue clinging to his father who was helping him with the intention of trying to keep him from falling.

"Bumm, Crack." A resounding sound preceded something breaking in two. The elders returned their gazes to the first little one. Rey, however, could do no more than avert his face. He didn't have to see to know what had happened. Despite not even being able to walk properly, in one blow his past self had shattered part of the floor. He could understand that, at that moment, in his mind, the floor had been responsible for his fall, so with his hands he hit it to try to fix the problem. Then, as if with clumsy and unbalanced movements, he stood up once more to walk again without realizing something—the new expressions on the faces of the ten adults present.

"Who would have imagined that so many different expressions could be the result of just one decision?" wondered the little boy no one could see. "The past cannot be changed, but I can learn and reflect. This is also the time when I can know who is with me and who is not."

As soon as he took a deep breath, Rey was ready to turn and accept reality. At first, he saw neutrality in the older man's face. The Great Wise Wizard, the one with black skin and a shaved head, with his eyes narrowed, showed expressions between lively and cold, as if he did not pretend to react, but did not refuse either. Further back, Rey focused his gaze on Silvia's interested face. She leaned her body forward to see better. To the right was Mijan, looking offended, with his eyebrows narrowed. He also narrowed his lips and pushed his jaw forward. He looked as if he wanted to antagonize the aggressive behavior of his former self and could not, as he was not the father. With a full turn, looking across the room, Rey could see the corners of a thin, stretched mouth on the happy, carefree face of the vampire he was to call mother. Following the turning of his body, by the doorway stood Heroclades, marveling, raising his eyebrows high and letting his eyes resemble large saucers. The tan-skinned fellow did not avert the gaze he had locked on his disciple's son. Further inward, with lowered eyebrows and her upper lip curved, while wrinkling her nose, the muscular vampire denoted an expression of disgust. Katherine intensely disapproved of the destructive behavior of his past self. Returning to go another full circle, beside Maryam stood Wulfgang, with drooping eyelids, full of sadness, as was typical. Behind the lycanthrope was Ehimus, trembling with fear, trying to stay hidden. Rey could imagine that the elf, with her childish personality, previously told by the adults, imagined a De-Bastador in the future. On the other hand, ignoring the adults, Rey also inspected the look of the one who had stopped crying in his mother's arms. Dante seemed to be in search of more emotions, to have the intention to compete and make himself look better. While Jhades looked disinterested and seemed to avoid as many emotions as possible.

Rey watched his brothers with great attention. These two little ones had to enter the equation as well. He understood that not only did he have to watch out for his parents, but he had to keep an eye on Katherine and Mijan, who were none other than his siblings' current mentors. Such an event meant an infinite amount of detrimental situations for him. The sneering faces that made themselves felt more intensely made the moment become suffocating. But the situation did not stop there. Someone had to speak and someone else had to say something about it.

Mijan, looking in Wulfgang's direction, was the first to throw out a comment. "He's a real monster with an indecipherable heart."

Katherine, while stepping forward, also communicated what she thought. "Not only that, in me there is no doubt that he will become a danger, a devastator capable of eliminating everything around him. Do you still want to keep him alive?”

Maryam said nothing in response. Her silence meant yes. The muscular vampire continued. "One thing the De-Bastadors have in common is that they need to break something to understand it or simply to relieve their emotions. What, isn't this the most obvious example? He's here. Tomorrow maybe he'll be a little closer, and so on until he's right next to us. At that moment, and without anyone knowing it, he will crawl inside our heads to steal our sanity and eliminate each member of the group one by one.”

She was saying something she had experienced firsthand in the past, even showing the scars on her shoulders to confirm the events that traumatized her. The group members were silent, not daring to contradict the muscular vampire's beliefs. The look in Wulfgang's eyes said he was disappointed and only hoped that time would prove otherwise, for whatever he said, he had no solid evidence that could support the attitude of his surname-less son.

The voice of the Great Wise Wizard made itself heard. "My dear tenants, you must not be hasty. The different situations and emotions that the little ones will experience in their childhood will undoubtedly be the common thread that will connect the great decisions they will make in adulthood," said the old man as he slowly opened his eyes.

His figure seemed to double and although one remained static, the other moved and looked at Rey. "Your eyes were already suspicious from the start. Now you have the confirmation you needed, and no one could tell. Such a situation meant a lot to you, didn't it? Because no one helped you when you fell at this time, means that you won't expect to get help from anyone, even if you need it. Even if you can't understand me, let me tell you something small. Pain may come in unequal proportions to the happiness you are willing to experience. But if you choose the better path, you won't have to deal with so much pain and you may not have to witness what death is...”

Rey realized that all the time had frizzled and that the Great Wise Wizard was there, speaking to him. Still, silence reigned supreme. He was not going to break it; he would no longer talk for the sake of talking. He intended to be more consistent and take his time.

The old man with black skin was there. He needed to confirm for himself the assumptions he had created about that child. Nor was there anyone else the little, white-eyed boy trusted.

"The past I showed you has not skipped any fundamental point regarding the truth," the old man thought. "You were able to see with your own eyes and hear with your ears the key secrets that are undoubtedly crucial to your survival. With all that you observed, you will have to take a submissive attitude to those who can help you or whose alliance is beneficial to you."

Time continued to pass, and the silence remained.

The old man opened his eyes and flashed a calculated smile to continue his internal dialogue. "Speak your words. Even if it's just one, child. Based on your instinct-driven behavior, you do not lack the fundamental means to reflect and act sensibly. You may be reserved, cautious, confident, arrogant, proud, haughty, presumptuous, and dashing, but, above all, you are someone rational."

Rey maintained his silence. Nor did he move from the spot. With his eyes held high, he was distrustful, or seemed to be hesitating.

For the old man, the passing time supported his theory that "someone so proud and self-sufficient cannot admit that he is wrong and that he needed others to survive. But that's precisely why you have to do it. Whether it is coherent or not, you know that you must try to integrate into the herd to prolong your existence. It is part of the common sense of all existential logic... or am I wrong? No, I am never wrong... How can I be wrong? Impossible... and, why am I hesitating?"

The smile on the old man's face remained firm and convincing, although a bead of sweat was running down his black complexion.

"Are you still full of doubts and continue to study the situation or is your pride too much? You know that I am the strongest, a supreme being who transcends the present, the past, and the future. You know that, if you bow your head to me, you will have my protection. What will you decide to be in response to this situation? What will your identity be? With that last variable I will finally have what I need to be able to calculate the equation... Come on, little one, let me hear what you will be. What will you base your actions on... pride? instability? nervousness? insecurity? cowardice? curiosity? aggressiveness?! Come on!!! Lower your eyes and let me hear who you will be in this life, damn it!!!!" thought the Great Magician.

Rey closed his eyes. In theory, he didn't mind witnessing what death was, he thought. "Turn your back and walk... you'll be able to avoid giving him an answer as to whether you’re rebellious or submissive towards him. Even if that means walking to the most painful destination, it will only make me someone stronger." Making an expression of understanding what was happening, he turned around and, using his means, unraveled that world of the past that was embodied in the present to march back to where his master Heroclades was, who was still telling the story of the past to Dante and Jhades.

"I have no words," the Great Wise Wizard said to himself after breaking his smile and opening two pairs of cold, expressionless eyes as he looked, shattering into pieces, at countless futures that could have been created. "Perhaps all I know is not enough... Without a variable, my calculations will not be able to control you in this, your new life, on this plane or any other. One thing is clear: first I have to find the reason that makes you an irregularity before I eliminate you. The question is how many pawns will I have to sacrifice to get the answer? If you decide to go rogue, I'm afraid a lot. Planets, worlds, planes... but still it would be a necessary price to pay. For now, I must lay my hand to make enemies to slow your pace. Sicken your flesh, your blood, and bones... You will also carry with you the curse of having eyes different from those of any being there is and ever will be. Eyes that you will have to show to anyone you wish to look at. That infinite Pythagorean star, floating on a white background around your pupils surrounded by a circle, will be the cause of countless damages to the living beings of the three planes, the symbol of vicious destruction and true evil."

It could be said that everything seemed normal, but the world the Great Wise Wizard saw no one else could. He saw how the little wolf cub, together with the vampire, observed the attitude of his brother as soon as he had finished talking to him. He also saw how the threads holding Rey's limbs caught fire until they cracked and broke into a thousand pieces. With each step, the body that carried a first name and not a last name took control of an unstoppable flame that surged in his heart, unlike the other two.

...

With the conclusion of his epic narrative, as well as the appearance of Mijan and Katherine, Heroclades took the opportunity to mention the name of his distracted disciple.

"Rey."

The little boy looked up, like someone returning to the present.

"Come on... Say goodbye to your siblings. You won't see them again for a long time."

The little boy's teacher looked hurried; he had a tone of someone who wanted to get ahead of the darkness before he ended up in any more entanglements.

Katherine, who was still walking around with her lower garment pulled to one side and traces of wetness still dripping down her legs, looked at Jhades and signaled. Mijan, trying to dress in his one-piece suit, looked at Dante and waved. They were teachers too, but no words seemed to come out of their mouths that had anything to do with the little, white-eyed boy.

Knowing why they were distancing themselves, Rey lifted his gaze to the faces of the two individuals who silently despised him. He then looked at his brothers and realized how right his master's words were. "They are my brothers now, but after the training, maybe they will no longer be my brothers," Rey thought somewhat overwhelmed. Thereupon, he said aloud, "Dante, Jhades. It's no big deal, but... I hope to see you again...".

Both the vampire and the wolf cub felt somewhat uncomfortable with the words spoken by the little, white-eyed man. With a grimace as a smile and farewell, the two brothers, who did not know what to answer, turned their backs to Rey and marched their separate ways without even looking back.

The black-skinned old man watched as the words the little irregular had spoken caused the threads, which no one else could see, to tighten, shrink and twist as he said goodbye to their brothers. The threads that bound the life of every mortal, those that connected those who existed and ended in the abode of the three spinners who embodied birth, life, and death. Though they tightened, shrank and twisted, none could break, but they did come close to giving way, a situation that gave the old man organizing his beard pause for thought. "I suppose I needn't have to rely on something faulty if I can control everything around it first. Although with threads it won't be the best way. I'll have less to worry about if that luck-puller ties up your fate as your wife in the future," he said to himself. The old man visualized in his mind a little girl with dark skin and violet eyes, who was busy studying and trying to learn what her sisters, who were dressed in long black dresses, were telling her.

...

In the meadow, under the intense brightness, Rey and Heroclades were walking on the opposite path that would take them to the other side of the lake and the mountains. Heroclades had chosen the longer path because the conversation with his disciple would be just as long. Now that he thought about it, it was the first time the two of them would be alone for an indefinite period of time. He was also free to teach him whatever he wanted and understood to be necessary. As his master, he had the right to corrupt him without facing any consequences.

"Rey..." he began to speak aloud, in a firm and calm tone, but stopped himself.

He was afraid of being disappointed. Perhaps it was too soon. "What child could pay attention to the dull words of an adult?" he thought. "Still, why not try?" he answered himself to continue speaking.

"Now that you know how to talk, I have things to tell you... As a teacher, I'm not to scold you for something I didn't teach you in the first place. So perhaps, most of the time, you will find me talking to you about things and stuff. I hope you don't mind. To be honest with you, this is one of those moments... In the past, in my golden age, I had many friends who today have their names plastered in the history books. In the beginning they were nobodies, but they worked hard and went on to get what they wanted most. They sought recognition and immortality. They got what they longed for. Their names became immortal, and their teachings will have the recognition of being passed on for thousands of years and more to come. But if they had preferred to have a small part of those years added to their real lives, they would still be with me. Yet they decided otherwise. They worked hard without regretting it for even a second... they respected their convictions to the end, even though irremediably the fruit of their labor was the main reason why they ended up dead. Tell me, based on the story I have told you, can hard work do everything?"

Heroclades was surprised to finish his story without any interruption. Incredible as it seemed to him, his disciple kept silent until he reached the end. Not to mention that, during the story, which sounded dull and somewhat rushed, he seemed to have paid as much attention as someone his age could. The tan-skinned fellow believed that, although the son of his first disciple could be considered a newborn in terms of lived experiences, he had the eyes and aptitude of someone who understood the power that exists in not rushing into decisions and learning from mistakes. Perhaps he was giving him more credit than he deserved, but if he thought about it, Heroclades could come to such a conclusion. "He did not rush into making decisions, for, if he had, he would have asked questions that would lead to nothing," the old man thought. "He also learned from his mistake because he did not interrupt me again as he had done before to talk to the old man, and this time he listened until the end... He takes his time to answer." Heroclades turned slightly to look over his shoulder at his disciple's face. "Indeed, he has the look and posture of a person so talented that he appreciates the company of other individuals more talented than himself and politely handles his own emotions."

On the other hand, Rey was silent, and ignoring the fact that he was being studied by his teacher, he set his mind to thinking. "Your first question. Even if it is based on a personal story, it is just as Ehimus described it... he will try to determine if I really have an idea of what I am talking about. Being right doesn't mean being right in the face of a different point of view..." thought the little boy to answer his teacher who was looking at him as he walked.

       "‘Hard work can do anything.’ It is a rather ambiguous phrase for people who ended up dying without enjoying the fruit of their efforts. What a phrase that is. ‘Hard work can do anything.’ Was it said by one of your friends? What a story that one too. Did you make it up? Everything is so short and ephemeral. An eternity in a few seconds, at the same time, a few seconds in an eternity. But it's not something you made up; it was a story you shortened by telling me. Your friends' lives could not have been as insignificant and short as you mentioned. The phrase... neither. If you said, ‘If you put your mind to it, hard work, at all times and throughout a lifetime, will serve to have the possibility of being able to do it all,’ it might be true. But, even then, it would still be a small phrase. What do you think about it?”

Heroclades heard words that he did not believe could come out of the mouth of someone so small and with so little experience. Rey had not spoken for the sake of speaking, but even handled his emotions in the most appropriate way as he sought to explore and point out other points of view. Hero even came to believe in the possibility that his disciple retained some of his past life knowledge, but such a probability was slim. Had he had his memories, he might have elaborated a better answer or even told a better story about his friends. Still, the words "ambiguous", "invented", "ephemeral", "eternity", "seconds", "insignificant" were words that The Great Magician could not have taught him, for he had no need, for they served no purpose. Words that perhaps he had surely heard from someone else. But how, from whom, and when?

"Rey, do you even remember what happened around you when you were in your mother's belly?" The tan-skinned lord asked the question because he knew there were special cases, creatures who had consciousness in the mother's womb and could learn. Well, his own sister had been born grown up, with clothes, armor and wisdom, so what was he to be surprised about? Not only did that support his conclusion, but he also remembered that Mijan's artifact, called XWZ, said that Rey was the only awakened individual inside the womb. And, last but not least, when he had been recapitulating on the arrival in Paradise, his disciple had been the only one who had shown no interest in listening further.

Rey, somewhat puzzled by the question, answered truthfully. "Yes. I have recollection of much of what happened while I was in my mother's belly..."

With a smile on his face, Heroclades was silent for a long moment. "I found you. I found the one I was looking for," he thought as one who saw the green of nature more radiant than ever, the sky more luminous, and everything around him looking better. Aloud he added another question, "Can you feel the wind in your face?"

Rey, while seeing the symbol on the cover of the huge book hanging from his master's waist, at the same time he also listened to the third question that the latter addressed to him, as one who was inspired to say something.

"Take a deep breath. Enjoy this calm, the life and the air around you. Insignificant things you fail to notice when, in truth, they are so necessary and wonderful. Oh, my disciple, enjoy. Enjoy much now and whenever you can, for I assure you that a busy future lies ahead, and eagerly awaits you. You will train much. Training that will have the purpose of becoming the compass that will guide you on the path of survival. As soon as you and your siblings learn how to guide yourselves through the calamities, we will return to the house so that the other members of the herd will form a different opinion of you... That you are not a burden and, of course, that you are not a threat and will be able to go through the initiation."

Before any further comment could be made on the air, the attention of Rey and Heroclades was caught by a Paradise guardian cub crying for help.

A helpless baby liger, in cries, called out to the one who was missing. Hungry and battered, it staggered listlessly through the undergrowth. The creature screeched as loudly as the strength of its tired lungs would allow. Rey, concerned, surveyed the area until he came upon the little cub.

"Am I seeing what I'm seeing?" he asked in a low, almost trembling voice, as one who was disappointed and could not believe what was happening.

Both walkers stopped. Rey looked up to see his master. Before this fact, Heroclades made a gesture of confirmation and decided to cross his arms to observe the empathic and unusual behavior of his disciple. For him it was a good opportunity to see how the little one without a last name related to other living beings.

Heroclades knew that no matter how hard he tried, how much he was advised or disciplined, someone of an intelligent nature could not always be in control of himself and avoid behavior suggestive of his mental condition or power. "No matter how correct a De-Bastador might want to act, he will always be exposed because of his personality alterations, especially to those who are weaker than he is," the old man thought.

In this case, faced with an intelligent and rational disciple, who was perhaps already aware of his problem and the consequences to which his condition led, Heroclades expected to see, during the course of his training, Rey present one or several obsessions against which he would fight all the time to maintain a normal appearance. And what better opportunity to see these behavioral events than by letting his disciple have a pet. The desire to harm and cause suffering to others is like an intrusive, uncontrollable, suffering-generating thought.

On the other hand, after receiving his master's approval, Rey returned his gaze to the small feline. He did not understand how it was possible that the large and majestic white beasts, which he remembered for being true examples of familiarity, could leave their young unattended. Lowering his body almost to the height of the small feline, Rey approached and extended his hand in its direction.

"It has to be a mistake. Maybe they are looking for you... Two parents must be desperate to find you. Come to me and I will help you find them. You don't deserve to suffer what I have."

Heroclades upon hearing his disciple's words did not know what to think. He was prepared to watch him violate the rights of the small defenseless animal, tear off its legs, gouge out its eyes, pierce an object through its stomach and make it walk until it died of pain and suffering without any remorse or empathy. But he had given up his arrogant and haughty behavior to help someone else not go through what he was going through. "Sure, instinctively, Rey is doing for others what he wants others to do for him," he came to a conclusion. Ripping any thoughts related to personality changes from his mind, Heroclades completely dismissed the idea that the disciple could be a De-Bastador.

"I warn that being strong becomes a lonely path," Heroclades said aloud with some regret.

He was seeing things differently, a somewhat troubled future.

"I do not recommend your intention. Far from helping, you're going to end up doing a lot of damage. Still, if you plan to let him come with you to help him, never take his licking as something to be scorned."

Combining a dose of cruel curiosity and reality, the master warned his pupil, seeing that the latter's gaze had become attached to the liger puppy and was trying to make contact. Rey was looking for a family. It is not unusual for someone like him to choose to find someone younger and fit him in.

Heroclades continued, "If he licks you, he will feel strange. The feline's tongue is rough, but he would be making you one of his own. In that affable gesture he will share his scent with you..."

The master continued speaking as he saw that the boy awakened feelings for those who needed someone.

"Admire that creature. It is an intelligent animal in recognizing that it can no longer live alone, but, even so, it distrusts you. It does not understand your language, nor your intentions or your motives. Unfortunately, perhaps its experiences shaped the way it behaves. Eating the flesh of creatures similar to him doesn't make you very trustworthy. On the other hand, good things don't come by themselves. He needs support and is making you qualified by the simple fact that he is faltering. Don't turn him away or let your intentions waver now when he is at his weakest." Rey approached slowly in front of the small feline who was looking at him with intrigue. "He is a great cub and at some point, he will be able to shine. Come closer. Show him why he should trust you. His coat is dirty, but you should not show rejection for that reason. It may be that such a gesture on your part will make him lose his will to live, as it could end up amplifying his feeling of being abandoned."

Listening to Heroclades' advice, the little guy shed his upper garments and careful not to scare the striped cub away, tossed them aside. "Felines may not have faces that show emotions like I can show, but they can look and also understand. Understand that I also need someone, that my father and mother also abandoned me..." thought Rey, who with his hands took from the earth at his feet and rubbed them over his body to get dirty and, instead of extending his arms, on his knees he left his chest bare and showed a face of sadness that said, "I am like you."

Heroclades opened his eyes and although he hid it with his hand, he laughed at the sincerity of the little boy. A parody of what he was seeing, as if the sick man was taking care of the wounded one.

On the other hand, the cat was trying to stand as firm as he could. He no longer squealed as before but looked with his sharp eyes and pointed ears in the direction of the being so different who, at the same time, looked so similar. With hesitation in its footsteps, the feline approached emitting a strange noise. One that the white-eyed youth had never heard before.

Heroclades, seeing the surprised expression his disciple wore, decided to explain. "Purring. You shall not worry. That sound has the characteristic of reassuring him when he is frightened. He is showing himself to trust you." Once the two little ones made contact he continued. "You can bring him with you, but from here on out it will be up to you whether he will become your best companion.”

In a loud voice, even more inspired, he continued to speak almost shouting, scaring the little feline unaware.

"The greatest secret of the beast tamers is that they were always one with their companions! They fed them the same food they put in their mouths. They shared bedding, bathing, happiness, and crying. If they got sick, they took care of each other and protected each other from all dangers from the predators of darkness. If they did not have a goal, they both cultivated common interests throughout life. They were both proud of each other. And if at some point they died, a good tamer would intend to die beside his faithful companion or at least bury his body with respect. Will you follow my advice? If you do, you will be able to create an unbreakable bond between you and that beast. Otherwise, it will only end up as a wretched being that would have preferred to die rather than lose its freedom."

Rey lifted the little cub off the ground before it scampered away from Heroclades' sporadic burst of emotion. With watchful eyes, Rey looked at the ball of fur he carried in his arms, as if inspecting him for wounds as he writhed in fear of being airborne without being able to touch the ground with his claws.

Heroclades continued, "No matter how strong you are or become, a bond of friendship may be able to save your life by protecting you from loneliness. I said that being strong is a lonely road, only if you don't learn to take care of those with you... At that point, you will have to overcome hopelessness on your own and stay sane in the process."

The cat was scared. It was the first time he was lifted off the ground and he thought he was going to fall, but with this, the little guy placed him on his head. Lying on Rey's furry surface, the feline saw a whole world that he had not been able to before because of the size of the grass. It was no longer only green and light that he could see, but in that world, there were also trees, rocks, hills, water, and a horizon in which the view was lost. From swimming in the vegetation to floating almost in the air, the little liger was also able to spot individuals of his own species. On the walk, making sure to keep his balance, the little feline shrieked in the direction of the ligers he could spot, but none seemed to care about the cries of a creature that was not his own.

Rey and Heroclades spent the rest of the journey talking to each other and ignoring the behavior of the desperate little creature. Thus they proceeded for a long time until they seemed to reach the opposite side of the place from which they started. As it was the little white-eyed one who was in second place, this one needed to stop so as not to bump into his master when he stopped.

"Here I will place the house. This place is perfect, don't you think?" said Heroclades boisterously, once again startling the little feline who opened his eyes as if they wanted to pop out of their sockets. "A one-bed tent and a campfire outside will suffice. Not to mention all this space we have to train without harming anyone. Best of all, the Ever-Changing Forest is just a few leagues from here..."

Letting out the air he had in his lungs, the tan-skinned fellow changed the tone of his voice.

"Listen to me well my disciple. Behind that forest lies Hell and behind Hell there must be a path to the other two planes. As long as you do not sleep, no one will be able to wake up. This means that you will have all the time you need if you wish..."

Rey raised his gaze, narrowed his eyes and raised his chin in distrust. With this exception, Heroclades realized that his disciple had been taken by surprise. It was more reasonable for Rey to expect a warning and not to be encouraged.

"In me you can trust. I know you are perceptive, and I will speak the truth to you. Listen carefully. Every night, as long as you live in this place, you will have the opportunity to be free if you find a way. Do what you want to do and what you understand is best. But by day, if you are still alive, here, we will continue your training. Well... training is not the most appropriate term, for you will have to fight as much or more than you suffer in order to survive. Torture, martyrdom, and torment are better terms."

Rey raised his right eyebrow and narrowed his opposite eye as he looked to the side. He spoke as one analyzing the situation. "Are you telling me that I can escape? Also that if I fail to fulfill my escape I will be subjected to torture and martyrdom?"

Heroclades continued as if distressed, "Indeed. If you do not succeed, you will know hatred. Yes. I assure you that you will come to hate me with every ounce of your body. As time progresses, if you fail to live up to the immense expectations I have of you or fail a test, I will be the one to bestow upon you the most painful form of punishment. There may even come a time when the punishment will come to you whenever I wish it, without the need for you to fail me or do anything to deserve it. You might think, ‘this old man intends to kill me in a roundabout way, just so he doesn't have to dirty his hands and justify to Fang that I died because I was weak.’ Yes, that's how harsh I'm going to be and your thoughts are partly correct. I am warning you beforehand that, as your mentor, until you meet the conditions I give you, I will be responsible for setting tests and guiding you through them, but I will not be responsible for whether you live or die. I would feel very bad if in the future you die because I was an incompetent teacher in teaching you. You must be able to survive not only any situation you may encounter out there but also those that may be provoked by those around you, disguised as allies... I hope you understand what I mean?"