All of a sudden, both Heroclades and Rey turned their heads in the same direction. From the far side of the plains, Maryam and Wulfgang were calmly approaching.
Maryam walked with elegance. Resting on her shoulder was a parasol; she wore a one-piece dress that clung to her body and opened along the sides, revealing her thighs all the way up to her hips, plus a wide-brimmed hat. Just by looking at those new clothes, Rey could tell she was able to use her legs as weapons. From the way she dressed, the vampire clearly knew how to deliver every single kind of kick that existed in the world of combat. Even though kicks were slower in close-quarters fights, they could be much stronger than punches.
Wulfgang, on the other hand, was also dressed elegantly—in a suit, tie, shirt, and hat—like someone who had no intention of running and didn't care if his movements were restricted. Rey could sense that his father carried himself like a shield, the strongest of all.
As soon as the couple drew close enough, they exchanged a few words with Heroclades. Maryam, in her role as mother, used her free hand to wipe the dust and blood from her battered son's face. She seemed pleased with what she saw, like someone who rewarded another's suffering, but for a brief moment her smile cracked. The vampire quickly masked the change in her expression.
Rey noticed it—noticed the way his mother had tried and failed to use her powers—but he didn't dwell on it much, since it was still very early.
On the other side, the lycanthrope gave his master a firm handshake, followed by a warm embrace and the kind of easy laughter that only passes between old friends. As soon as they separated, the wolf looked his son's battered body up and down. The boy's eyes no longer unleashed killing intent, and his aura wasn't entirely threatening, though he still wore a proud, arrogant look.
"Hello… son. I see you're still alive."
Rey nodded respectfully—more to irritate his father than to keep his distance, because he knew the wolf distrusted people who tried to stay politely distant.
Maryam, graceful in her every move, chose to busy herself pointing out Heroclades's mistakes, more as a pastime than a complaint.
"So, Hero? I think your training was a bit rough, don't you?" she said lightly.
Before Heroclades could give the smiling vampire an appropriate answer, Wulfgang cut in, as if the matter weren't very important:
"Don't worry about that, my love. No child of mine is so fragile he can't move on with one or two broken bones." Then, turning his gaze back to the bronze-skinned master, he added, "Hero, we need to talk."
Maryam realized something. Rey had nudged his father's response just enough so she wouldn't feel pressured to use her powers. On top of that, he was watching her, as if trying to read her reaction. "Extraordinary," the vampire thought.
Heroclades, delighted not to have to answer Maryam with yet another uncomfortably obvious question, chose to give his attention to his first disciple.
"Of course! Come with me. You can see the camp I set up, and with any luck my girls are ready for another round by now."
Rey watched them walk away. He also saw his mother lower the strange device that shielded her from the light as soon as she stepped under the tree's shade. The vampire took two steps in, then spun around quickly before slowly sitting on the grass and leaning back against the trunk. When her dress lifted slightly with that turn, Rey froze as memories flooded his mind. Seeing the bare skin between his mother's legs brought back thoughts of Silvia's vagina, and he couldn't help comparing them.
"Maybe once a belly opens up, it never really closes again," he wondered.
Maryam stretched out her hand and beckoned her son over, calling him out of his trance so he would sit beside her.
"Mother, are you angry with me?" he asked as he sat where she indicated.
"Yes. I'm disappointed that you've grown so fast, that you're so independent and distrustful… and that you tried to escape."
Rey swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and instinctively tried to scoot away, but he gave in when his mother's hand gently wrapped around his head and drew him back.
"Why can't you act like a normal child? Have the curiosity a normal child has? Ask the questions normal children ask? Worry about the things normal children worry about? Why are you so extraordinary?"
Rey stayed quiet. His mother was still circling the subject, and maybe she refused to jump straight to the point in order to draw more out of him. From the grass, the little guardian of Paradise cub appeared. Ignoring how awkward the atmosphere was, the furry ball squatted and peed on the ground like the females of her species did, then wriggled her way between mother and son to find the perfect spot—the warmest place she could curl up, just like they were.
"Awww, she's beautiful. I always wanted my children to find someone who could walk beside them without breaking. She's perfect for you. You know, it's normal for someone as solitary as you to end up tangled in all sorts of trouble. By nature, some beings might feel drawn to you—but remember, if someone ever comes close to you, that person might be doing it with ulterior motives. If you don't recognize them as a threat when they approach, they won't hesitate to take advantage of your naivety…"
"Are you talking about Silvia?"
Maryam's smile widened even more as she tried to contain her excitement.
"I was talking about Heroclades. He's the one who worries me most. One, for what he can teach you. Two, for what he can get you to do…"
"Teach me?" Rey echoed.
"For example: stealing. Deciding that stealing isn't bad as long as it comes with a reward is wrong. And even if hiding the truth isn't honorable either, seeking pleasure just to avoid pain is worse. I'm not the best person to lecture you on that last one, because I plead guilty. But in Hero's culture, pederasty isn't frowned upon. In the eyes of those who share his customs, it would be a disgrace for you if your relationship with him didn't go beyond training.
"What I mean is that both your father and I will respect your decisions from here on out, and now that you've been warned, you'll know whether to allow something or not. But… did anything happen between you and Silvia? If you say yes, and you feel violated in any way, your father and I can take care of it."
Rey stayed silent. His mother was good. But he still had to ask:
"Pederasty?"
Maryam shifted her legs at the question. Now that she was thinking about it more clearly, seeing how small her son still was pulled a whole series of painful memories from her past back to life.
"Let's say it's a twisted, rather unorthodox way of trying to build trust, respect, and loyalty between individuals of different ages…"
She didn't hesitate to run her hand over the little guardian of Paradise's head and add,
"Thank you for supporting my son so much; the bond of friendship can mean a great deal…"
Rey nodded, because he truly did feel much more attached to Silvia. He could even call her Nana.
Seeing the puzzled, not-quite-understanding look on her son's face, the vampire deduced he still didn't fully believe the subject. Baring her fangs and playing with his bangs, she stopped petting the cub and went on:
"By 'deeper' I mean sex…"
Maryam savored the pleasure of being a mother once more.
"Rey, even though in some cultures two adults must marry before having sex, sexuality is fundamental at every stage of life. I'll start with the parts of your body that are considered 'private.' Between your legs at the front, where your belly ends, you have a penis and two testicles. They haven't matured yet, but that soft thing is meant to grow and harden when you become aroused—just like it does with your father and every other male you might meet out there."
The vampire continued:
"On the other hand, as you saw when I turned around, I—and other women—have a vagina. It's a place that gets wet when the person in question becomes aroused, and, biologically, it's the entrance for the penis when there is a reason to conceive or to experience pleasure.
"Women also have breasts, and even though they aren't always classified as 'private parts,' they're very sensitive and usually kept covered for protection.
"Now, both sexes have one cavity in common: the anus. It was originally designed to expel the food the digestive system can't use. Vampires don't need it, so maybe you don't either—at least not for defecating."
The vampire opened her eyes again, checking to see if her son was still interested in the conversation.
"Usually, a man can't conceive a baby with another man, and a woman can't with another woman. But they can ignore the natural purpose of their bodies and have sex with each other. Sex is anything that stirs excitement in a person, regardless of their gender. Like everyone else, there's nothing wrong with you being curious and wanting to experience excitement if you… touch yourself, touch someone else, give or receive a massage, masturbate, lick someone's private parts…"
Rey thought of Silvia for a moment. He had licked her "private" part; it had been wet, he'd felt excited, and he'd wanted to eat her. She'd massaged his body while bathing him and watched him as he touched himself. But his mother's words weren't very specific, so he decided he hadn't had sex with her. And even if it counted as sex, he didn't care—he had received a great benefit in return.
Maryam went on; "You penetrate, or you let yourself be penetrated. By sexual penetration, I mean introducing your intimate part, your body parts, or some object into another person's body—vaginally, anally, or orally…"
Rey didn't show it outwardly, but his mind slipped back again, this time trying to tie off a few loose threads. Images sped through his memory—those times he'd walked through a world where no one could see him. He remembered when his father had been "excited" with his mother when they were alone in the master bedroom. When Katherine had shut herself in with Miján. The moment everyone gathered in the living room and rolled around with each other.
What the adults found so interesting about being stuck together was the pleasure that, according to my mother, you can feel, he thought.
Out of all the memories and scenes in which adults were having "sex" or doing things related to "sex," one in particular caught his attention: the time he'd been in Heroclades's room. That moment when his master had stripped off his clothes and was getting ready to spend the night with two women. The boy clearly remembered the vivid image of his master's "penis," standing firm and as big as one of his arms.
If he ever tried to put something like that inside me, I think I'd be split in half. I might die… he thought, swallowing hard, disturbed.
Maryam, still wearing that smile on her face, said;
"What I'm trying to say—no matter what you do or what you want to do—is that it has to be your choice, not because someone else manipulates you into it. My son, listen carefully to a warning from your mother. Many of the people you'll meet in the future might want something from you. Your heart. Your body. Your power. The reality is that, no matter how much you try, two people can't truly become one, and separation is inevitable…
"If any of the things we're talking about happen without your consent, it's called taking advantage. And if there's penetration without consent, it's called abuse, and your father is more than willing to kill anyone who preys on another's weakness. That's his honor, his code, his path as a warrior.
"Putting that aside… why did you try to escape? I'm asking you not to try again."
"Any particular reason?" Rey asked, genuinely curious.
Maryam kept the bright smile on her face. She acted like a mother who didn't get upset at hearing her child's complaints and was willing to explain everything patiently. But she knew her son was every bit as extraordinary as he looked, and if she gave him even a small opening, he might twist his arguments into a convenient excuse and get his way. Faced with his mother's silence, Rey gave in.
"I just need one more chance."
Mmm, one more chance. What trouble could that cause? I wouldn't gain anything by forbidding it if he's going to try as many times as he wants behind my back anyway, Maryam thought, then said aloud;
"Do we have a deal?"
Rey nodded.
"Just one more chance."
The vampire let out a long sigh before continuing;
"I'm sorry, my son. Forgive me for all the pain you've had to endure and all the pain you'll still have to bear. Your mother is a selfish woman, and I hope you understand that someday."
Hearing the sound of two people approaching, the vampire rose from where she'd been sitting.
Wulfgang spoke to his wife.
"Hero's already up to speed on everything that's going on. Did Rey say anything about it?" he asked once he was close enough.
"No," Maryam replied. "Whatever it was, it was consensual…"
Then, as if changing the subject, she added;
"It's getting late to go see Jhades. After that we can stop by and visit Dante and end the day."
Once the couple walked away, Heroclades laid a hand on his disciple's shoulder.
"It's quite the commotion you stirred up, but even so, I'm proud of you. Your father told me a bit of everything, and now I understand more clearly why you beat me today: you learned from Silvia. She must have taught you how to control your aura in combat," he said, his gaze serious. "Besides, your actions helped poke at a few green spots that had been overlooked. The Great Wise Mage told your father that Silvia wasn't responsible for what happened and that, if he wanted to prevent it from happening again, he needed to talk to the little ones and teach them not to come back to the house at night.
"When the lights go out, the maid is authorized to die, to kill, or to play with the life of whoever comes inside the house. If you'd said otherwise, your father had planned to stay awake through the night and go into the house to kill her and reclaim your honor.
"You still have time to change your mind and see who's stronger in a fight. Or, on the other hand, you can keep trying to escape… I think you noticed: if Maryam can't use her powers, you won't be able to pass the initiation."
Heroclades's words were ambiguity made flesh. Was he Wulfgang's friend, or wasn't he? With that in mind, the boy asked,
"If I managed to escape… with his sense of smell, could he follow me all the way to the exit?"
Heroclades finished the boy's thought for him.
"And escape too. Yes. That's what your mother fears most."
"Hmmm. The light still shines, but unlike the darkness, maybe you won't stay bright forever."
He turned his battered body around and, limping, started walking toward the forest, but not before saying,
"I'd better get going. Mother gave me one last chance to explore… I don't intend to waste it."
Lifting his right hand to his face to smooth his immaculate beard, which grew splendidly from his chin, Heroclades pulled a bitter face, like someone tormented by guilt. His disciple's condition was far from good. Beyond the scrapes and cuts, Rey had cracked ribs that kept him from filling his lungs completely, a broken bone in his arm that stopped him from lifting it, and a face nearly disfigured. But it was the result of the training and the price to pay for finishing all the trials in just the second day.
"Even so, watching him walk is painful. I don't think it was necessary to try to finish everything in one go and push himself past his limits," he thought.
What truly worried the master was that his disciple was heading back into the forest once more.
"You remind me of myself… with no one's love," he murmured. "Hmm. When was it that I realized I wanted to fight? I think it was also when I was born. In that moment I saw I had no choice but to keep going. Just like you, little one… All I can do is wish you luck. No…"
Unable to stop himself from saying something, Heroclades called out to his disciple.
"Rey…"
The boy stopped when he heard his name.
"Everyone is free to put themselves through whatever hardship they choose, but it's not a sign of weakness to know when to accept the things that can't be fixed. It isn't cowardly to look for the easiest path, either. Nor is it dishonorable to sit and wait for problems to solve themselves. But if, even knowing that, you still decide to keep pushing forward… I'm afraid it's because you still have a lot to learn before you can call yourself an adult…"
Rey turned his face slightly and glanced out of the corner of his eye at the bronzed man who was trying to give him advice. Of course, the boy had seen the past and was well aware of his master's position—how he had given up on continuing to fight and now followed Fang because Fang, or one of his descendants, would end up solving the problem he himself had been unable to resolve.
"Looking at you closely… living without doing anything is hard, and it hurts a lot. Isn't that right, Hero? You can keep calling me conceited, arrogant, and full of myself. I don't want to be an adult if it means time will make me weak and afraid of death. I'll never live surrounded by miseries, only surrounded by chances to make a difference…"
"Just like when you asked me, 'Do you really think I won't reach the strength I need to face any situation?' back when I gave you the chance to escape every night."
"You still remember those words?"
"I've memorized every word you've said."
Rey turned away and kept walking. Talking with Heroclades was far more exhausting than talking with his mother.
"That was the past. I don't live in the past…"
Laughing out loud, Heroclades clapped four times into the air and went on;
"A round of applause for the little one. You're splendid. If you hadn't said it, I wouldn't have believed it. Still, it doesn't do you much good to have figured out the sickness I suffer from. Let's see how far you get without changing, without growing weaker, and without ever fearing death."
…
With his loyal companion at his side, the boy left the green fields of Heaven behind and stepped once more into the depths of the Ever-Changing Forest. Rey walked and walked, with his now characteristic limp, swaying slightly as he went, leaving the light behind. That light which illuminated everything it touched slowly vanished and became darkness. But darkness no longer existed for those white eyes, nor for the little cub. Both of them could see without any trouble, as if it were broad daylight.
Unlike the previous time, Rey had not waited for the "guardians of Paradise" to finish their work and go to sleep before wandering through the forest.
Now it was much more likely he would run into one of those creatures out looking for something to eat to kill the boredom. In fact, a black-camouflaged beast that had been lying in wait suddenly launched itself at the battered boy and his companion. From above, claws extended, the creature unleashed its strongest attack.
White was caught completely off guard. She couldn't do anything—not even manage a warning cry before the ambush hit. The little feline knew her companion was at a disadvantage and that he shouldn't be able to survive such an attack. And yet, as she witnessed the unthinkable, all she could do was stand there, frozen in place.
Rey, with a simple but perfectly coordinated series of steps, slipped to the side, and with quick, precise movements, launched his counterattack. The effectiveness of his strikes wasn't about where he hit, but about how, even as he dodged, he targeted the beast's vital points.
With one finger extended, he harassed the pressure points of the great camouflaged beast.
An animal's body is less complex… From what I've studied, there are several spots that, if stimulated in the right ways, can immobilize an enemy, slow them down, or trigger involuntary movements. Since these points line up along the nervous system, an electricity user would have far more affinity for this style, because they could multiply the effectiveness of these techniques a hundredfold. But I've always wanted to try it. Now's a good moment… let's start with pain.
Rey struck just above the feline's ear, right over the trigeminal nerve. Under the jaw. Along both sides of the neck. The soft inside of the biceps. The pit of the stomach. The liver. When he went for the testicles, he couldn't find them.
Whoops. Female, I'm guessing, he thought.
The guardian of Paradise barely hit the ground before she pushed off the nearest tree, climbed, and came at him again as fast as she could.
Rey slipped aside once more.
"Looks like pain wasn't enough. I get it—I wouldn't let pain distract me in a fight either. How about I try to mess with her movements instead?"
According to the mechanics of the body, certain hard and soft areas are prone to fractures, sprains, dislocations, and strains if you hit them at the right moment.
This time, with the back of his still-functional hand, Rey went for the bony sutures of the beast's skull, the nose, the vertebrae in the neck, the floating ribs, the elbows, and the knees.
The beast landed again, mouth hanging open, blood dripping from her nose, unable to keep up her breathing or run as before. But she didn't stop. Raising her right claw, she slashed at him with violent fury.
The white-eyed child kept his analysis going.
"Mnnn. With my current strength, I only managed to fracture her nose and floating ribs. I guess what's left is to strike with the intent to cause bruising and knock her out."
Using his elbows and knees, he stepped in closer and, as he dodged the swipe, he struck at a very specific angle against the main veins in her neck. He went for the jaw again, the temple, the joints of the huge animal, and in that way—after slipping away from three more attacks—he wore down his opponent until she lost the strength, mobility, and energy to keep fighting.
The beast trembled where she stood, not from fear but from weakness. Resigned to defeat, she filled her lungs and unleashed her most terrifying roar.
Rey didn't move.
"The brain is a vulnerable organ… Even so, with my current strength I couldn't land a strong enough impact to knock her out. She's clearly disoriented and off-balance. If I can't make her lose consciousness, it means I lack the power to pull off any of the different 'death touches' properly. Now she's roaring to intimidate… this roar feels different. If I'd known this before," he told himself, slipping into nostalgic thoughts. "Back to the point—and taking nature as an example: if you roar at a rock, what exactly do you get out of it?"
In the forest's darkness, Rey chose to behave like a mountain. He opened his intimidating white eyes and let loose the murderous intent he had been holding back. The nameless boy stared straight into his opponent's eyes with solid, unmoving resolve until the beast understood she'd been given the chance to live.
Yes, for the beast, it was far more sensible to leave now than to keep fighting just to impress others or to be the first to pounce on the prey. The guardian of Paradise lowered her head and, stumbling a little, left the way she had come.
In that moment, White, aware that they were surrounded, hurled herself at Rey as if throwing herself into the arms of someone she loved who was about to die. Rey, acting as if the whole situation were hardly worth noticing, said:
"Worry you must not. Even if I were missing both feet and one of my hands, it still wouldn't be enough for one of those beasts to kill me."
In the Ever-Changing Forest, Rey ran his hand over the trembling cub's head and stared straight ahead.
"Hmmm. Looks like something strange happens when the trees touch… what could it be? Now that it's daytime in the Heaven, the darkness shouldn't be as solid, and you can see better. Maybe that's the entrance… or the exit. To find out, I have to go there, don't I?"
White didn't understand his words. But she did understand that it was dangerous to keep moving forward. Better to retreat toward the green pastures, where they could escape from the other felines.
Rey seemed utterly unconcerned with anything happening around him.
"Well, since I already tested that hand-to-hand style with pressure points and it turned out to be inefficient, I suppose I should start attacking seriously and use my best move from now on… They've been warned. I left one alive. From here on out, I won't feel sorry for any of those who want to try their luck."
An intrigued expression crossed his face. Rey stopped petting his companion, who was trying to push him back with the strength of her head, and moved toward whatever his eyes had locked onto.
"White, don't fall behind," he said as he stepped over the corpse of a liger he'd killed with a single blow.
"When? How? From where?" Those were the questions that flashed through the little white cub's mind when she saw something lying dead on the ground that hadn't been there a heartbeat ago.
Countless felines circled around the boy whose face was speckled with blood, but none of them dared to move after seeing the second attacker lose its life in the space of a blink. Not all of them understood that this small, wounded creature who smelled of blood was dangerous. Not all of them understood that even if they attacked together, they would share the same fate, cut down by him. But all of them did understand that he wouldn't attack unless one of them struck first.
Among those who didn't understand were the younger, more reckless ones, who took advantage of the lack of aggression or warning from their "prey" to position themselves perfectly and launch an attack from a different angle.
White saw a third guardian of Paradise pounce with no warning at all. One of her own kind was attacking her companion—did that make sense? It hadn't happened before. In the animal world, yes. And if it hadn't happened until now, it had only been due to pure luck, the little feline realized. It's common behavior: the young, hungry for power, food, and recognition, commit crimes against their own species, even cannibalism. And even if they were the same species, they weren't part of the same group—therefore, he was a target.
White understood all that at the exact same time she watched the creature who had ambushed them lose its head in an instant, just before its body hit the ground. The little cub felt nothing but relief that she belonged to the same "group" as the hybrid walking on two legs.
Rey returned to a neutral stance and, using his more functional arm, popped his shoulder back into place after the violent, almost imperceptible motion that had torn it out.
With a second body on the ground, everything became clear to the guardians of Paradise. As long as they didn't provoke either of the two small ones, wandering through the forest would be safe. These coal-black, camouflaged felines were the strongest, the ones at the top of the food chain—but not because they had claws, fangs, or thick pelts. It was because they were the smartest and most adaptable. They understood they were facing a dangerous individual, and it was better to leave him alone and go find different prey.
The black shadows withdrew. All except one.
Rey spoke into the air as he touched a sort of portal with his fingertips—one that, apparently, refused to let him through.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it? Yes, you. Why do you keep following me and letting me notice you? Do you need something from me, or is it that you can't attack if I know you're there…?" Then, as if something clicked, he went on, "You're afraid. Interesting…"
A girl's voice, thin and fragile as if afraid the words might shake themselves apart, replied:
"I want to kill you instead of just waiting to take you. I just wouldn't have any honor if you didn't know why first."
Rey had never heard that voice before, but he had seen and sensed that figure at least twice. She was the one the Great Wise Mage had said opposed life and dressed in black. The same shadow he'd seen the day he was born, the same presence that appeared at the mouth of the cave when White had been about to die.
Rey's tone hardened into a clear warning.
"If you try to kill me, I'll be forced to defend myself and end your life in an instant."
Silence settled in. She didn't answer, because she was sure he was just talking for the sake of talking.
"You leave no trace. You roam wherever you please. You see everything and hear everything from wherever you are, yet nothing solid can stop you. You're a being 'non-tangible at will'. Let me tell you something: power lies in knowledge, and knowledge can be found in books. I love reading, and in the stories I've read there are countless tales where beings like you can be erased. Call me paranoid if you want, but in a way, I was once like you. I experienced what you experience. That opened my eyes and made me think about how to defend myself if something that isn't there suddenly appears and attacks me…"
Rey turned and looked out across the distance.
"I can hear the sound of a heart beating inside an anxious chest. A breath trying to be silent. A dry throat trying to swallow… you can't control your power when you get nervous, can you?"
He realized his companion also sensed the intruder's presence, because White was sniffing at the air like she picked up a scent.
"White—attack!"
The cub shot forward at his command and, as soon as she rounded the massive tree in front of them, a small figure burst out from the other side—running, screaming, hands flung up.
The girl, who clutched a dagger and wore an enormous outfit that dragged along the ground, slammed right into Rey's outstretched hand and then dropped onto her backside in the dirt.
"White," Rey said in a commanding tone so his companion would stop.
The small feline froze at once. White was proud of her feat; it was obvious when she planted one paw on the victim's body and let out a fierce roar—a sound that came out more like a shrill screech, yet still claimed attention and the conquered ground as hers, without doing further harm.
As soon as the shaken girl opened her eyes, Rey pinched his nose shut and went on:
"So that's what hatred looks like in the eyes of someone with a sad heart. Stranger…" he said, referring to the hooded girl. "Have I taken something from you? I don't even know you, for you to hate me this much. I apologize if my existence bothers you. Since I have no intention of making up for my mistakes… I can give you something you want instead. But first, you, who move around here, might know things I don't. Tell me: what is that thing opening in front of us that won't let me go through?"
"Don't call me 'stranger.' I have a name—and tell her to get her paws off me. Her claws are hurting me," the girl shot back.
Rey gave a small tilt of his chin, and White obeyed at once, stepping off.
"My name is Edith Lachesis De-Tartarus, and yes… you stole my childhood and more. It's your fault I'm lost!" She folded her arms and turned her face away so she would not have to look at the boy. "For your information, that's a portal. Don't you know that, you who have read so much? I don't think you can cross it if you haven't met the conditions and, even if you can, I don't recommend that you do. That's one of the many entrances to Purgatory. There, you'll be a foreign body to that world, just like I am to this place. If you do something you shouldn't and change its structure or its purpose, you might end up being erased."
Rey, still covering his nose, asked:
"Erased? Why? By whom?"
The girl with the dark gray skin got up off the ground. Brushing the dust from her clothes, she let out a sigh and straightened up. She was a head taller than Rey.
"It's not like I know all the details," she said, "but in these circles there are beings that try to restore the natural balance of the place—the guardians."
Rey ran his free hand over White's head, and, satisfied with Edith's explanation, decided to give her a chance to speak.
"In what way did I steal your childhood?" he asked. "Why do you say it's my fault you got lost? Be honest…"
Edith, a little provocative, threw a question back at him:
"And what if I don't tell you?"
In her mind, she wasn't obliged to explain anything or answer him; no one had ever done that for her, and she believed no one had that right. Besides, it was a shameful subject for her, and her pride would not allow it.
Rey took a step back.
"Then you'll have to fend for yourself…" he replied coldly, like someone who needed sincerity in order to trust.
Edith took one step forward and dropped to her knees, almost on the verge of tears.
"No! Don't abandon me! Protect me… I need affection… I need someone," she pleaded, her voice cracking.
Lifting her tear-rimmed eyes, she realized the boy would not change his stance unless she answered what he had asked.
"All right. I'll tell you…"
From her knees she shifted to sit on the ground, her feet tucked in, rocking herself slightly from side to side as her tail brushed the floor in a half-hidden sweep.
"By the way, why are you covering your nose?" she asked.
Rey, unsure how to respond, chose to soften the moment.
"Don't get upset by what I'm going to say, and don't take it the wrong way."
Edith blinked several times, clearly waiting for his answer.
"If I'm covering my nose, it's because you smell really strong…"
Edith, with the crushed hopes of someone who had tried hard for nothing, averted her gaze, crossed her legs, and covered her neck with her left hand. Feeling suddenly exposed, she tried to make herself smaller where she sat, and answered in a tone that fought not to sink into misery:
"Ah… That figures. The smell bothers me too. I haven't had the chance to bathe or go to the bathroom properly in a long time. Aaah…"
Changing the subject and returning to his questions, she went back down onto her knees and began to draw on the ground with the tip of her finger.
"My surname is the name of the second of the three Moirai. It means I'm the replacement for one of the daughters of Zeus and Themis. Lachesis, 'the one who casts the lot' or 'the one who determines people's future.' Your thread is strange, and I don't like it at all, because it tangles with mine. I have to confess that, even though I tried every possible way to cut it, I never could. I had no choice but to resign myself to hating you: because you exist, I have to live an entire life so tormenting and miserable, full of tedious routines, harsh work, endless classes, and reading so many meaningless books. One day, a thread broke all on its own, because its owner died…"
She stopped. "How am I supposed to say what comes next without losing his trust?" she wondered.
Rey went on as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"And you came to kill me yourself, so you could cut the thread that ties us together…"
She nodded, looking regretful.
"But you didn't," he said. "Why not?"
"At first, I thought your parents would kill you for me. Later… seeing you suffer so much more than I did made me feel guilty." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you ever regret the life you're living? Aren't you dissatisfied? All this time you haven't smiled even once… You can always choose suicide to make the people around you happy."
Rey, sounding absolutely sure of himself, replied:
"You haven't lived a happy life either, and your face says you don't smile much. That doesn't mean you want to stop living."
Edith lifted her gaze, looking at him as if suddenly understanding something obvious: the boy was right.
"Your life is yours, and it's the only thing you truly have," Rey said. "As long as you take care of it, you can still do something about it. If you don't have the power yet to make a difference, you can wait until you do—or fight to get it. That's how I see it. Take my life in the future if you feel ready for it. But for now, as compensation… accept my help. Since we're almost heading to the same place anyway, I can take you back home. However, before that, I have to find the old women."
Rey finally uncovered his nose and extended that same hand toward her.
Edith lifted her head, hope glimmering in her eyes. Slowly, her hand trembling, she returned the gesture, as someone who had long imagined the possibility of receiving help from her enemy but had never quite believed it could happen. In the instant she felt Rey's grip—firm, warm, and full of quiet certainty—and saw that gentle light in his eyes, she stood up, slipped the dagger behind her back, and gave a timid smile while tucking her hair behind her left ear.
The small boy held the Reaper's hand and, without warning, lunged into the portal, dragging her along and making her scream in surprise. Rey kept his eyes wide open and, because he was touching her, he was able to pass through.
"Just as I suspected and read: if I make contact with you, it seems I can meet the conditions…"
Edith, breathless and shaken, snapped:
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" she shouted as loudly as she could.
The boy ignored the Reaper's complaints. On the other side of the portal, White had been left behind, unable to cross, but they could see her peeking in, squealing in distress. Rey could already imagine the anxiety of being left alone in a place as vast and dark as the Ever-Changing Forest. Still holding the Reaper's hand, he stepped back through the portal, scooped up his inseparable companion, set White atop his head, and crossed again to the other side.
"So this is Purgatory, huh?" Rey said, arrogant, thirsty for adventure, and proud of himself for having achieved such a favorable outcome in his meeting with the Reaper.
Edith turned intangible again, letting herself drift above the boy. In a trembling voice, she said:
"Indeed… the supposedly 'last barrier' at the entrance to the first circle of Paradise. The beings that invade this place are countless. Those who had no sins, but were not worthy of Paradise either, and those who turned their backs on the green plains ended up in this circle." She swallowed hard. "One of the most famous of them all is the headless rider who mounts a unicorn with a broken horn. There are also dwarves, white witches, colonies of scholars, and people who were born with a path that leads either to grace… or to dying by immolation."
Rey looked around at the figures surrounding them.
"I can see them," he said.
However, he wasn't really focused on the odd inhabitants crowding the place, no matter how strange they looked. What he truly sought was some difference that could prove his teacher had been wrong.
The trees, the colors, the branches, roots, leaves, and even the scorched-smelling dust followed the same patterns as on the other side of the portal. To the meticulous eyes of the little boy without a surname, this place was the same—only on a different plane.
Among the creatures who stared curiously at the sudden appearance of the three newcomers, one rough voice stood out:
"A Reaper and a purified one… What business do you have in this lowest circle?" asked the headless rider passing by, clad in armor, armed with two weapons. At his waist he carried a helmet tucked beneath his arm as he rode atop a unicorn with a broken horn.
Rey puffed out his chest, proud and haughty, and stared toward his opponent with a defiant air.
"We're looking for the white witches. Ana, the Crone of the Forest, and Clara, the Crone of the Lake."
"Let me tell you that you are indeed on the right path," said the headless rider, ignoring the boy's attitude. "Turn back and seek the plains at the foot of the mountain. Where the proud gather, there you shall find at least one of the disciples of the white witches. But let me warn you, not as a dullahan, but because it is one of my duties as guardian: you must tell no one what the place you come from is like, unless you gladly wish to know the pleasure of ceasing to be." With that, he rode off at a slow, steady trot.
And indeed, now that Rey paid closer attention, he could see a question hiding in everyone's eyes. But none of them dared ask the boy anything, afraid the worst might happen. Resigned to keep their doubts, they stepped aside and opened a path, clearing the way before the stride of the purified one with white eyes.
Just at the edge of the forest, Rey stopped seeing through the darkness and turned his face toward the light. His pupils adjusted until they almost vanished, leaving only the Pythagorean star. Everything was the same, except for a colossal, seemingly endless mountain that disappeared into the glow of the sky.
Edith was still frightened, as if she disliked interacting with others. She preferred to stay quietly in the shadows, where no one could see her. The boy, on the other hand, met every gaze head-on, challenging anyone who looked his way, while the little guardian of Paradise searched with the quiet hope of finding his mother.
Troubled by a certain sound, Rey spoke up:
"You've been scratching down there for a while now."
"I have no idea why," Edith replied. "It's starting to become unbearable. Just like my hunger and my thirst. Aren't you hungry?"
"No—no thirst either," Rey said. "Now that I think about it, I don't think it would hurt to make a small detour and pass by the lake. That way you can also take a bath. But I'll warn you in advance: I'm not going to lick you clean with my tongue or take care of you if you've got nothing to give me in return."
Edith blushed.
"Lick me… take care of me? What are you talking about? Give you something in return?"
Rey remembered the long conversation he'd had with his mother, and realized that he and Edith clearly had very different methods of bathing. To avoid making the same mistake he'd made with Silvia—because this time it really would be sex—he decided to keep the explanations to himself and said:
"Don't worry about it. Just forget what I said…"
The girl was curious. She wanted to know why he had told her he wasn't going to lick her. "Licking each other is something adults do," she thought. Biting harder on her thumbnail and pressing her other hand against her pubis, Edith felt her heart race. "I'm the one who's supposed to marry him in the future… Have I already been rejected? Does he not like me anymore because I tried to kill him? Oh no! It's not like I even like him or anything… But… why wouldn't he want to lick me? What am I supposed to give him in return? My purity…"
Lifting her chin and puffing out her chest, she continued her thoughts: "No. That can't be it. He must be talking about right now. Yes, that has to be it. Hmmm! If I smell bad now, maybe once I smell better we can get married. Yes, if he wants to lick me, he'll have to marry me first. I'll just be following what I've been told. On the other hand, now I have the chance to bathe, to smell and feel better—but I don't want to do it alone. What if something dangerous hiding nearby grabs me the moment I let my guard down? To bathe I'd have to become tangible again."
A shiver ran all the way through her, and the worried Reaper, floating about with her limbs drawn in, finally asked out loud:
"Rey, since I'm the one who's not going to let you lick me unless you marry me first… could you at least stay by my side?"
Rey turned around; the word "marriage" caught him off guard. However, the memory of the conversation he'd had with his mother surfaced in his mind. His eyes settled on the face of the little floating girl; she reminded him a great deal of Ehimus. Skittish and prejudiced, the sort of person who made hasty decisions.
"Oh! Get married? I understand now," Rey said. "You know what having sex is. And to have sex, two adults must get married first in some cultures. Don't worry, I told you I would take you to the place you come from. Didn't I?"
She nodded her head, her eyes and forehead remaining hidden behind the shadow of her hood.
"That means you are part of my pack, and I will take charge of protecting you until our paths diverge," Rey continued. "When I said 'lick,' I was referring to bathing you with my tongue."
Edith's eyes went wide, so wide she almost lifted the corners of her sad, drooping mouth. She wasn't exactly laughing, but a flicker of happiness sparked at his words. It was ironic to see how, at that exact moment, White was licking a paw and grooming himself, as if demonstrating what a true bath looked like.
Once they reached the shore of the immense lagoon, the white-eyed boy stripped off the only garment he wore to enter the water, completely indifferent to how many people might be watching or passing by the busy plain. In contrast, the Reaper thought twice about it; she felt it wasn't right to bathe or relieve herself if other people could see her.
After waiting for a while, she began to complain, floating directly above the little boy.
"What? Aren't you ashamed that other people can see you? That I can see you?"
The boy with no surname shot her a confused look, dismissing the issue entirely.
"Well, I am!!! I am a lady..."
Rey, taking Edith's demands into consideration, formulated a question.
"Do you want to go to a place where no one can see you?" She nodded. "I understand..."
With only his head above water—carrying White perched on top of it—Rey used his hands and legs to stay afloat and ventured out into the depths of the lake. This triggered absolute panic in the Reaper's behavior. Edith acted like a hen who had lost her chicks, hysterical at neither knowing nor seeing the depth of the lake. From the air, the body of shining water seemed vast, deep, and dangerous.
Her mind wandered among the millions of creatures that could exist and be hiding beneath the surface of a place like that. On second thought, what other site could be more advantageous for predators than one where they could see their victims and attack from below? The panic swelled inside the little girl to the point of generating intense discomfort in her stomach, almost making her vomit. Edith, agitated, couldn't keep quiet.
"What are you thinking! Aren't you afraid something will come out of the water and eat you?"
Rey shook his head as if there were no reason to think of such a possibility.
"Well, I am! Ugh... What? Do you want to die?"
Rey, pointing out a problem and speaking like a master training his disciple, said, "Edith, if you want to become stronger, you must be more vulnerable..."
"More vulnerable?" Edith asked, agitated. "What do you mean? How will being more vulnerable make me stronger?"
Rey, sounding like someone who knew he was explaining something that wouldn't be understood, continued.
"Someday you will understand it for yourself. It is beyond my power to make you understand if you are not yet ready to understand." Changing the conversation, now past the middle of the lake, he added, "Look, there's no one on this side. Feeling calmer?"
"Yes," Edith replied with a soft voice, lowering herself and grabbing Rey's left arm with her right hand, clinging to his body as if she didn't want him to drop her during his exit process. Her mind was occupied with something else; she was reflecting on what had been told to her. Be vulnerable, she thought.
The Reaper's eyes went down once more to look at the boy's not-so-developed member. Leaving the panic of the lake behind, now came another fear that made her feel vulnerable. Undressing in an open place, in front of other individuals, was a massive moment of vulnerability. She was female, and small at that; the action of being without clothes would provoke the approach of other types of predators. Yet, even so, that would make her strong in some way.
No, this is simply arrogance, she told herself. Like those warriors who go into battle without armor, or want to face the strongest person they find... Still, taking risks is an opportunity to make myself stronger, unless I die in the process. Maybe that is what he meant.
After reflecting for a while, she looked to the sides, let Rey move away, floated to the shore, and very slowly began to undress. As long as my feet touch the bottom, I don't have to worry about something bigger coming to eat me from below. If I can make myself intangible, no one will be able to touch me... Let's see what happens, Edith thought.
Both Rey and White came out of the water and shook their bodies to wring out the moisture covering them. Immediately after, they lay out on the grass as if taking a breather so the light would dry them. On the other hand, the Reaper—very careful not to slip—now without clothes, covered both her chest and her vulva with her hands while, bit by bit, she entered the lake without looking to the sides. She felt that if she caught someone watching her, she would regret what she was doing.
Her heart beat forcefully; she felt sand under her feet, the water rising and covering more with every step. To her, the liquid felt lukewarm, almost as much as the warm glow bathing her face. Neither colder nor hotter. She remembered that whenever she got into the bathtub where she lived, the freezing water would take her by surprise and make her recoil a few times. Also, that when she asked for the bath to be heated, it almost boiled and burned her upon contact. Until this moment, she didn't know that bathing could truly feel so refreshing. As she walked, no longer worrying about what might exist around her, she sank her body and left her hands freer until she let her weight float in the water. Edith didn't understand that feeling of well-being and relaxation the shining lake provided her. She could swear she was bathing in the sky, as free as any bird flying across the firmament.
With one thing leading to another, Edith decided to let go of the discomfort she felt in her bladder, something that was supposed to relax her even more. Relaxing her pelvic zone, she set out to urinate. Rey heard a sharp hissing sound he managed to identify quickly. Edith is complaining about something, he thought. The hissing transformed into groans, and the groans ended in complaints against the water.
No longer containing the doubts arising within him, Rey asked aloud like someone taking care of a child, "What's wrong?"
Edith replied, "I don't know. It burns; I can't pee without it stinging. It's the water, it has to be. This has never happened to me before."
Rey, concerned about discovering a word he had never heard, asked, "Pee?"
Edith, as if it were something as common as drinking water or breathing, replied, "Urinating, that yellow liquid that comes out from down there..."
Rey, like someone deducing something new, added, "Oh, pee... from urine. Come here, let me see. Maybe it's not the water, maybe it's you."
Edith, somewhat flushed, refused. "Definitely not."
"Why not?"
Edith, her face almost turning red, said, "I don't know. I'm embarrassed, and a lady shouldn't be showing her parts to anyone."
The boy stood staring at her fixedly, as if wanting to understand the logic of what she was telling him. She changed her mind upon seeing that she was practically naked at the other end of a lake traveled by many individuals.
"Mnnn, but make it quick," she said, like someone who wanted to be vulnerable for the purpose of being strong.
The Reaper came out of the water with slow steps, like someone who didn't want to leave. Since she didn't know what to do, the white-eyed youth gave her instructions.
"Come closer. A little more, stop covering yourself with your hands, squat down. Open your legs. Let me see better... Mmm, you have an infection."
Edith, surprised to hear a new word, asked, "What?! What is an infection? How do you know?"
Rey, as sure as if it were something obvious, answered, "Yes, it is an infection. It happened to White when he was about to die. His wounds got infested and secreted pus of different colors, yellow and green, to be exact. Although that thing you have between your legs isn't a wound..."
The boy felt embarrassed for having jumped to the conclusion that a woman's genitals were a wound because she had had a baby; he decided to leave that behind and continue.
"Sometimes I think it behaves like one, and the strong smell you have comes from there. So it doesn't keep getting worse, I advise you to clean yourself well and more frequently. Saliva and certain other ointments have properties to protect the area from the development of infection. But I think, before anything else, you should also clean your garments with water; the filth on them doesn't help."
Edith fell thoughtful. It was true that lately she hadn't been taking much care of her hygiene and that every time she finished doing number two, she would only wipe herself with the rocks and leaves she found around her. She also remembered how "the caretakers" used to fastidiously warn her about how important it was to wipe correctly, from front to back, something she hadn't been doing lately.
"I suppose you're right. But I don't know if I can clean myself. I don't want it to hurt more," she thought twice about it, looking at the one who seemed knowledgeable on the subject. "You don't have to lick me directly, but you can help me..."
Rey, as one who warns:
"Even if it hurts, you have to do it properly. Otherwise, it will get worse..."
"It's true, even if it hurts, I have to do it right. On the battlefield, if I can't stop a wound from bleeding, I must burn it in a cauterization process," she thought before adding, stammering:
"I ask you to do it for me. Can you?"
"I told you I wouldn't lick you..." said Rey, somewhat reluctant. "Use your own saliva, and clean the clothes you're wearing with the water."
Edith, even more frightened by the idea, added:
"You don't have to lick me... if you use your hands, I think it will be fine. I can't do it alone..."
She truly looked terrified, to the point of breathing faster, and believed she would die in the process like a wound bleeding out. As soon as he nodded, both headed back to the lake. Once inside, Rey positioned himself in a way that he could hold the Reaper's body, even if she resisted from the pain, and with his good hand, he would manage to clean her intimate part. Once ready, he said:
"I'm going to begin," Rey warned.
Without saying a word, she nodded. Running his hand over the outer lips of the Reaper's vagina, Rey used his fingers gently between the folds of the major and minor labia, and around the tip.
"Does it hurt?" asked Rey.
"No, you can continue. It's fine," Edith responded while holding onto him with her hand and closing her eyes. "Just try not to go too deep so it doesn't hurt."
Rey focused more, though he wanted to keep his mind on the innocent side, he couldn't help but wonder if he was having something else. He was touching the private area of a female who had given him consent and, in a way, penetrating her by inserting his finger. "I'm holding her in my hands against me... I feel her vagina. It's soft, much smaller than Silvia's. It has no hair. Now that I think about it, her body is delicate and silky. I close my eyes and smell her... without that strong odor, the essence her skin releases through the pores is sweet. My mind wanders, tries to imagine what her vaginal lips would look like open... in front of my face..." Rey felt her becoming moist. "Does this mean she's aroused? Oh, no! No, no, no."
On the other hand, Edith couldn't stop thinking either. She was clear that penetrating herself with her fingers during masturbation didn't define a loss of virginity, but if someone else did it, was she having her first time? Moreover, why love someone she was supposed to hate and not long ago wanted to kill? Why did this moment with him, the cause of her problems, make her happy? Questions swirled in the Reaper's head, interrogations that made her feel confused. "Does this mean I'm falling in love? Is this strong attraction in my chest love? Why do I feel he has the necessary capabilities to make me happy?" Among so many questions, Edith noticed how Rey was beginning to stir his fingers down there. "Does this mean he likes me?"
Rey, after clearing his throat, said:
"Lift yourself a little, get out of the water... I'm going to put my saliva on you."
With this, he could make her detach from him and not notice he was having an erection.
Edith, more like a puffed-up kitten, purred affectionately as one who felt appreciated, raised her tail as high as she could out of the water, waiting for the next move. She trusted the little one wouldn't pounce on her, but if he did, she doubted she would want to stop him.
Rey removed the hand he had placed between the Reaper's legs; for him, it was incredibly morbid to notice his fingers were drenched. The water had receded, but the viscous juice secreted by a soaked vagina remained there, before his eyes. It was his good hand; he had a justification to suck his fingers if he wanted to leave his saliva on them. Rey, in that moment knowing what he was doing, found no valid reason to deny the genuine euphoric pleasure, the surge of energy, and the excitement that other people felt in the world of pleasures. Rey put his fingers in his mouth, tasting the flavor of a woman for the second time. An invasive desire in his mind urged him to seek more.
With every movement from Rey, Edith remained silent and felt as if her heart wanted to escape. She was sweating, feeling anxiety combined with pleasure and guilt. She didn't understand how it felt so good for someone else to caress her buttocks. For him to slip his fingers between her cleft and slide deeper and deeper inside.
"Hey!!!" a robust voice said. "What are you doing?!"
At the unexpected, incriminating question and call, Edith jumped in fright, Rey turned with an enraged look, and White growled while backing away.
"Sinners, in the name of the Holy God of Heaven, with that libidinous attitude, I can hardly believe you could have passed through the lower circles and arrived here." The person covered their body with old, almost torn robes.
Rey stepped in front of the Reaper and took a step forward. He, of course, had noticed the presence of the older man who was meddling in affairs that didn't concern him. Despite being much larger, the moment that individual saw the young man walking toward the shore, for some reason, he got goosebumps. He felt the sensation of encountering a guardian of the circle and, almost reflexively, took two steps back while raising his hands in reference.
"Of course, your eyes... your skin. You are not human. A thousand apologies if I have disturbed you."
Rey softened his gaze and decided not to attack, but it was for no other reason than that the older man had been the first to demonstrate a passive attitude.
Although the gentleman maintained his vigilance and distrust, he raised his hands and tried to strike up a conversation.
"My name is Cato, the Younger..."
Rey continued to look at him, while Edith managed to get her garments and become intangible.
"I am but one of the guides of this circle. I apologize if my comment offended you... On the other hand, I can deduce you must want to find someone. You have good eyes, I must say the truth."
Moved by the word "guide," Rey decided to ask frankly:
"Cato, my name is Rey De-Heavens. I seek the White Witches, Ana and Clara. Or at least to meet one of their disciples."
Cato, opening his eyes as wide as he could, immediately smacked his forehead with the palm of his right hand and said:
"Having my eyes open all this time and more, I was incapable of seeing. You come from Paradise. Oh! Such is my joy at this moment!... How is Paradise? How is the Almighty Lord? What does it feel like to attain the eternal bliss of being among the nine heavens and the Empyrean?"
The little one remained silent, looked around, and remembered the words of the guardian of the place. He returned his gaze to the older gentleman, who almost praised him, only to realize there wasn't much practical difference with the Heaven of Purgatory. Looking toward the mountain, Rey witnessed all the people climbing it to reach something not at the summit but in the forest.
"What would happen to that gentleman if he knew? He would cease to be as the dullahan had said," he thought before saying:
"If you hear the answers to those questions, I have been told by the guardian of this place that you would cease to be... You could guide me to the witches, and once we arrive, if you are still willing to know, I won't deny you the privilege."
Cato, convinced like a good merchant securing a lucrative deal, said:
"I understand. Of course." Forcing his curiosity aside, he continued: "The White Witches. Those who enter this circle sooner or later end up learning about them. But not everyone knows their names. Come with me, little ones. Walk with me across the plains of this first circle of Purgatory, ruled by the proud."
Skirting the entire mountain, the guide led the little ones to a kind of city as bright and lush as the place itself.
"And this is Pride, the capital of the circle of the proud. The enormous headless knight structure, along with the many other women with voluptuous bodies, are said to have been built by the renewer of the site in his lifetime. He spent most of his time here sharing and learning from those of different beliefs, hence he also created the castle you see embedded in the mountain. The other structures, initially rustic, were created and designed by the humans themselves, who, after the lord's death, suggested to the guardians that they stay and enjoy the comfort of the place, in exchange for one or two combats a day. After almost twenty centuries, the great walls and towers you see have become the most prosperous city in Hell, inhabited only by those who refuse to acknowledge that there is something more powerful than their own bodies, who have walked and walk the path of the sword, martial arts, knowledge, honor, pride, and weapons. In the castle at the back, you will find the White Witches you seek..." He stopped pointing and slowly turned. "Here ends my humble guide, for one who has no knowledge of combat, like myself, cannot advance further."
Edith, unable to look the gentleman in the eye, asked a question as soon as she noticed something unusual:
"Who are those leaving with their heads down?"
Cato looked where the Reaper pointed, paused, and responded:
"They are individuals who realized how weak they were compared to others... That's right! They do not belong to the circle of the proud. Perhaps they believed they admired their desire to strengthen themselves and fight enemies because it was a noble cause. But none of those feelings will prevail enough against those who are truly strong for the sake of being strong! Heroes driven by obsession and the need to save someone cannot keep running if they have no purpose. Without anything to defend, a noble objective, or something to lose! Their swords cease to be sharp, their fists become slow, their hearts stop beating, they notice the pain, the fatigue of their bodies, and consequently, how wrong they were. That it was all a farce. That there is no need to save anything. That nothing needs saving. No, first of all, in Hell, they don't even know what they want to save! There you see them, abandoning the arrogance and pride that brought them to this place with their heads held high, just like those who enter..."
….
Trying not to show how impatient he was to know more, the long-bearded man in simple robes leaned forward, hands cupped as if he were about to receive money.
"Now then, what is that place you come from, boy?"
Rey answered without thinking too hard about it.
"Exactly the same as this one, I'm afraid. And the path isn't at the top of the mountain, it's at the entrance to the forest."
Caton drew in a deep breath.
"Haahhahaaa–ah!" He flung his hands wide. "I see. All of this turned out to be a comedy… Truly, I am nothing but a tiny speck of dust blowing in the wind! I see, I see—so that's how it is! So there was nothing at the top of the mountain after all!" He bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, boy. Thank you for setting me free."
The body that had stood before them dissolved into dust and vanished with the first gust of wind, right before the eyes of the three.
"Let's keep going…" Rey said. "Ah—and if you don't want people to stare at you, I suggest you stop floating. But stay intangible in case you get attacked," he added to Edith as soon as he turned toward the great kingdom built inside the mountain.
Edith, who had been drifting through the air, followed his advice. She descended slowly and set her feet on the ground behind Rey.
Once they had advanced into the immense, almost overpopulated city, countless eyes turned to look at them. Edith muttered a comment under her breath when she saw the first nearly naked individuals, armed with stone mallets, loincloths, and spears.
"Rey, these people with arrogant eyes and cold behavior are barely wearing any clothes. Why is that?"
Rey, in the tone of someone who knew everything, explained it to her.
"In combat that isn't influenced by technology, there are two paths: strength or agility. But no matter how strong you are, if you can't follow your opponent's movements, you lose all the advantage you've gained by building that strength and end up as a target that can't defend itself. My master told me that techniques are ways to compensate for weakness—and he was right. Speed gives you a lot of advantages and a wide variety of techniques. Take my fight against the guardians of Paradise, for example. In terms of raw strength and defense, I can't compare to them. But if I'm fast enough to intercept them with a lethal strike before they can even touch me, then the fight is mine…"
A man with an irritable temperament stepped into the middle of the wide road paved with gray slabs and bricks, blocking the boy's way.
"Stop right there, kid!" he barked. "You dare walk past me without bowing your head or greeting me with respect? What, didn't they teach you any manners?" He contorted his mouth to look even more intimidating—not that he needed to. His appearance already said plenty: pale bronzed skin, long white hair, a full mustache, and scars across his face. He wore cloth wrapped around his neck and tucked into a vest. The black vest, with gold buttons, was covered by a sleeveless, vibrant red coat that fell all the way to the ground. White shirt sleeves spilled out at his wrists. A three-cornered hat with a red feather sat on his head, and he wore long trousers, steel-tipped boots, and three belts: one slung over his right shoulder across his chest, carrying a mosquete, and two more at his waist, hidden by the coat.
Edith flinched, startled by the sudden loud voice—as anyone would be. Rey, on the other hand, simply straightened his posture, thrust out his chest, and hid his broken arm so it wouldn't make him look weak. His gaze sharpened, predatory.
"You're in my way…" he said, voice low and edged with killing intent.
Of everyone they had seen so far, this man wore the most clothing. "So that means he's strong and doesn't care about speed," Edith thought.
The man drew his mosquete and a sword, then slid into a guarded stance in front of the boy's ominous presence.
"So someone as insignificant and battered as you still has pride." He tossed the sword at Rey's feet. "Let me tell you this: from here on out, you'll have to prove yourself to me. In this city, where no one can die, we'll see whether your skills are worthy of respect…"
Rey also wondered about the man's clothing. The mosquete was a quick one-handed saber, good for thrusting, but all those layers he wore seemed to contradict any specific style of fighting. Still, since the weapon had been offered, Rey picked the sword up from the ground and, without even bothering to draw it, said:
"Regardless of how effective your tricks are, if I defeat you in a single blow, will I be able to reach the white witches?"
"What a ridiculous question. In this kingdom, effort is everything—and what greater glory for a fighter than to see the fruits of a lifetime of training? The white witches are the strongest ones here, and whoever defeats them earns the privilege of rejoicing in the title 'The Strongest of All.'" He paused, then went on. "My fighting style is not made of tricks. I won't accept such an insult. Anyone who fights by the means they believe are right cannot be mistaken."
"So I'm not the only one who wants to see them. Interesting…" Rey tilted his head slightly. "And besides, people who argue end up trying to prove something to themselves. If you can't feel proud of your style of combat in the face of my comment, you should look for a different one. I'll show you…"
"You're not seriously thinking of fighting him, are you? You've lost your mind," Edith said, frightened.
"Edith, listen and pay attention. Fighting—and keeping on fighting without falling—is the best way to learn. In other words, through countless battles, you also find knowledge."
Grinding his teeth at being ignored and having to listen to a lecture from someone smaller than him, the man snapped loudly:
"Think you can handle pain? Because here I come—and I don't want to see you crying!"
The crowded street, lined with buildings that almost scraped the sky, came to a halt. Everyone stopped what they were doing just to watch the two opponents face off.
The moment Rey took his first step to attack, a sharp, explosive sound ripped through the air.
Bang!
The man had been much faster than him. Rey took the first, nearly lethal hit without even managing to defend himself or understand what had just happened.
A hole opened in his right shoulder, and the blow hurled the nameless boy backward, forcing him to drop the sword that had been given to him.