They all left the room with the promise to revisit, at a later time, the matter of Lila’s future pregnancy.
“Thank you for coming,” said Vanesa.
“Thank you for taking the trouble to receive us,” Candado replied, removing his beret with a polite gesture.
Vanesa smiled and gave him a light pat on the head.
“You haven’t changed one bit,” she said fondly.
Candado frowned, slightly confused.
“See you, guys.”
“Goodbye, Miss Vanesa,” the group said in unison.
The iron gate slowly closed behind them as they walked down the path leading to the front entrance.
“3:31 PM... what an exhausting afternoon,” Héctor complained, checking his phone.
Candado stopped abruptly.
“Guys, I’ll catch up with you later.”
“What? Why?” Héctor asked, puzzled.
“Since I’m already here, there’s someone I need to talk to, my friend,” Candado said, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
“I see. Then we’ll see you later.”
“Can I come with you?” Hammya asked, curious.
“You can do whatever you want, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It’ll be long and boring.”
Hammya smiled mischievously.
“You may be many things, but boring is not one of them.”
Candado raised an eyebrow.
“Go with Mauricio and tell my parents I’ll see them a bit later.”
“How much later?” Héctor asked.
“An hour or two, no more.”
“Alright.”
He then turned to Hammya.
“Let’s go.”
The group departed, disappearing into the trees that bordered the forest. Candado turned in the opposite direction and began walking down the dirt road, with Hammya following close behind.
“Candado, where are we going?” she asked.
“I’m going to visit someone deprived of their freedom.”
“Oh... are they sick?”
“No.”
“Paralyzed?”
“Also no.”
“Then what is it?”
“They’re a prisoner.”
“Oh, a prisoner... A PRISONER?!”
“That’s right.”
“Isn’t that dangerous? I get it now—it’s a relative.”
“No.”
“A friend?”
“Not in this lifetime.”
“A client, then?”
“I don’t offer my guild services to inmates.”
“Then...?”
“He’s a stranger to me—or rather, someone known to my family.”
“Oh...”
Candado spotted a carriage approaching.
“Transportation,” he announced, extending his hand.
The carriage stopped in front of them. Candado stepped toward the coachman.
“Please take us to the port.”
“Understood.”
“Hop in, Hammya.”
“What? I don’t have any money.”
“There’s no money in Kanghar,” he said as he opened the door for her.
Hammya hesitated for a moment, but eventually got in. Candado followed and closed the door behind them. He tapped the small grate separating them from the driver, and at once, the carriage began to move.
“Wow, it’s my first time riding in a carriage.”
“There are no cars on this island. This is the standard method of travel across the entire country.”
“And what if you want to go from one city to another?”
“Then you take a train.”
Hammya pressed herself to the window, gazing out with fascination.
“A nation of children… I never thought that could actually be real. What happens when they grow up?”
“Nothing. Why would anything happen?”
“No, I mean… has there ever been an adult president?”
“Oh, that. No, of course not. In Kanghar, you can only hold public office if you’re under twenty. The constitution even allows that, if you turn twenty on the same day you assume the position, you may finish your term. But that’s happened only a few times.”
“So you…”
“Yes. Once I turn twenty, I’ll no longer be a candado.”
“And why is that?”
“Because children are different from adults. They’re pure, innocent, and in most cases, they truly want what’s best for others. That goodness is what allowed Kanghar to become a utopia.”
“Are you pure and innocent?”
Candado smiled.
“We’re the exception—not just me, but the other Candados as well. Maybe they haven’t seen the world through my eyes, but they’re aware enough to lead.”
“Have adults ever tried to… you know?” Hammya asked, leaving the sentence unfinished.
“A coup? Yes, there have been attempts,” Candado replied without looking at her. “But the institutions of Kanghar teach children that they have more strength and power than adults, and that they’re untouchable under the nation’s laws.”
“And what happened to those people?”
“Depending on how severe the case was—they were exiled, imprisoned… or sent to the Caves.”
“The Caves?”
“You’re better off never knowing. It’s for your own good.”
“…Alright,” she murmured.
“Children are children,” he went on, his tone calm. “Sometimes they’re naive, make poor decisions. That’s why Candados exist—us—those who must grow up faster to guide our future replacements.”
“Was your whole family made up of Candados?”
“My great-grandfather, my grandfather, my mother… and my sister. All of them served as Candados of Kanghar.”
Hammya looked at him with a spark of curiosity. She had always wondered.
“So why are you named Candado?”
He smiled. He always enjoyed telling that story.
“My great-grandmother, Rosa Velázquez, loved my great-grandfather very much. So much so that, on his birthday, she gave him a small padlock adorned with precious stones. It was just an accessory, nothing more. She gave it to Jack—that was his name—and he accepted it. That same day, they shared their first kiss. My mother loved that story since she was a little girl. So much, in fact, that she decided to name me after that gift. Of course, people made fun of me at first, but I never cared. I love my name. And I still do.”
“Why?”
“Because with it, I have something very few people possess—at least from my perspective.”
“What’s that?”
“A connection to my family’s past. Knowing that my name was a gift of love, a token from one person in love to another.”
“That’s so romantic,” Hammya said, touched.
“It is.”
There was a brief silence before she spoke again:
“And on the other side of things… what does it mean to be a Candado?”
“It’s simple,” he replied, looking her in the eyes. “Kanghar is a chest. Its citizens are the treasure. And we, the Candados, are the ones who protect it—along with the chains, of course. Those are the other public servants.”
“So a candado…”
“Yes. A candado protects a treasure. In our case, the people. There is no greater honor for a Kangharian than to be a candado.”
“Seems like you really love it.”
“I love what Harambee and the founding leaders left us. How could I not be proud? After all, it's often adults who say the world can’t change—that it will always be this way.”
“And what’s the right way to see it…?”
“The world is the way it is, sure. But it can be better. That’s the goal: to change it. If adults no longer inspire trust, then children will. They’ll achieve what many grown-ups believe is impossible.”
“Tell me… how does it feel to carry such a heavy burden on your shoulders?”
“Hammya, it’s neither heavy nor light. Because I don’t see it as a burden. And as for my situation…” he sighed, “I love this homeland. It inspires me to hope that Argentina could one day be as fair as Kanghar.”
“…Yeah.”
Time passed slowly. The conversation carried on for a while, but after about ten minutes, Hammya decided to glance out the window. She was left in awe. The city was picturesque, beautiful, almost unreal.
Candado, on the other hand, leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
“Candado…” Hammya glanced at him sideways. “Oh, you’re asleep.”
She leaned in mischievously.
“If you don’t wake up… I’ll give you a kiss.”
There was no response.
“I’m serious… I’ll do it…”
The carriage came to an abrupt stop.
Candado opened his eyes just in time to see Hammya turning innocently toward the window.
“We’ve arrived, sir,” the coachman announced.
“Understood.”
Candado sat up. He felt a slight sting on his lips. He touched his lower lip with his finger… and saw blood.
“Hammya… what happened? Did you do something?”
“What? No! No, of course not,” she replied quickly as she stepped out of the carriage.
He stayed behind for a moment, eyeing the tiny wound with suspicion.
“Is this the right place, sir?” the coachman asked.
“Yes. This is fine.”
Candado shut the carriage door and gave the coachman a signal to depart.
“Thank you for your kindness,” he said in farewell.
“My pleasure,” replied the coachman with a smile, before driving off.
Candado turned his head toward Hammya, who was still avoiding his gaze. They walked in silence for a few minutes until he finally spoke.
“Hammya, you’ve been unusually quiet… and you won’t show me your face. Is something wrong?”
“No. Nothing,” she said, lips tight.
“Look at me when I speak.”
“No, it’s fine like this.”
Candado sighed.
“As you wish.”
The silence followed them all the way to the port.
Once there, Candado and Hammya boarded a sailboat, as there were no state ships available at Neptune Port to take them to their destination.
“It looks like a prison,” Hammya remarked, eyeing the distant silhouette of the island.
“It is a prison,” Candado replied, staring at her.
A few hours earlier…
Candado sat on a cushion, while Lila hugged him from behind.
“You know, I understand your need for physical contact. I won’t push you away,” he said calmly. “But I’d appreciate it if, while you’re doing that, you used your vocal cords to tell me what you’re trying to hold back inside.”
“Oh, so you noticed?”
“I know this moment of privacy isn’t just about your desire to become a mother… or at least, not entirely.”
“Then I’ll say it plainly, without involving your parents: would you agree to have a child with me?”
“Ah…”
“I want your honest answer, please.”
Lila trembled slightly.
“You know I’m twelve. I’m a pre-teen, just barely beginning the road to becoming a teenager. If I were just any boy, I’d say yes. I’d let my hormonal instincts lead the way, or something. But I’m not like that. I consider myself someone more thoughtful, more rational—or at least I try to be. Before anything else, I want to ask: What does being a mother mean to you?”
“I don’t know… I never had one,” she replied quietly. “I ate her.”
“Not to mention you don’t know what could happen during or after the pregnancy. You don’t know if what happened to your mother might happen to you. You might lose control from the blood loss… you could get hungry during childbirth, and eat it.”
“Are you afraid for the child… or for me?”
“For both.”
Lila rested her chin on his shoulder.
“Tell me your answer. Do you want to… or not?”
“In short, no.”
“I figured…”
“But,” Candado added, gently touching the hand Lila had resting on his chest, “it might be something worth considering when I’m seventeen. And besides, when the time comes for me to go… I’d like to leave you something to remember me by. Your immortality won’t hurt as much if you share it with someone.”
“If that ever happens… we’d both be miserable.”
“But you’d have someone to lean on. And so would I.”
“Thank you, Candado…”
“Don’t thank me. That’s just how I feel now… though it might change,” he added with a smirk.
Lila kissed him gently on the cheek.
“I’ll make sure of it.”
“I want to see that.” Then his face grew serious. “Now tell me… what’s going on?”
“The truth is… I met with someone.”
“Who?”
“Chronos.”
“What did he say?”
“He spoke about a war… and that he’s preparing me mentally for what’s coming. No matter how you look at it, Candado… I still don’t trust him. Be careful.”
Present.
“First Héctor… and now Lila. What are you planning, Chronos?”
“Did you say something?” asked Hammya.
“Nothing, just thinking out loud.”
Candado and Hammya finally arrived at the island. At the dock, a familiar figure awaited them.
“Well, look who it is,” said Candado with a smile.
“Good afternoon,” Helga greeted them calmly.
“What are you doing here?”
“He told me to wait here. Said someone would show up.”
“That someone must be me.”
“I suppose. He also said he’d be expecting you in the main hall for a talk.”
“For some reason… I’m not surprised.”
“He’s been doing whatever he wants this past week.”
“Let’s hope he doesn’t get used to it,” Candado grumbled.
Helga turned her attention to Hammya.
“A companion?”
“Oh, this is Hammya. She’s a friend.”
“Hi… heh…” Hammya gave a small, awkward wave.
“Good afternoon, Miss Hammya. You may call me Helga.”
“Yeah… nice to meet you, Helga.”
“Anyway, I’ll take you both inside.”
Candado and Hammya were led down a long corridor into a large, silent chamber.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
“I’m sorry, but the girl must stay here,” Helga said firmly.
“Nothing will happen,” Candado interjected, “but it might be best if she waits.”
“Hey, I—”
“Hammya,” Candado cut her off, his tone soft but serious. “It’s better if you wait here, okay? I need to speak with him… alone.”
“…Alright,” she agreed reluctantly.
Candado gave Helga a nod, and she opened the door. He stepped inside without looking back, and as he lifted his gaze, he saw him—Chronos, sitting in a chair, a book resting upside down on his lap.
“Helloooooooo!”
“Hello, Chronos. I envy your enthusiasm.”
“Really?”
“No.”
“Then you lied.”
“I didn’t, because I told the truth.”
“About which part?”
“I don’t know.”
Chronos smiled.
“Come on, Candado. Don’t be shy. I don’t bite.”
Candado sat down in the chair, glancing around the room.
“I thought we’d be in your study, not an interrogation chamber.”
“I asked for this,” Chronos replied. “The truth is, I’ve always wanted to act out those scenes from the crime movies I watched—the classic police interrogation. Look, I even requested a lamp so you could torture me with it.”
“I think being locked away for almost a hundred years is finally taking its toll on you.”
“You’d be the same in my shoes. Don’t judge me.” Chronos leaned forward across the table like a child. “Booo, I’ve wanted to try this for ages.”
Candado picked up the lamp, switched it on, and pointed it at his own face.
“Talk. Where are your contacts?” he asked in a deadpan voice.
Chronos looked stunned.
“Better turn that off… I’m not feeling well right now.”
“Because of the light, right?”
“No, because you’re such a buzzkill.”
Candado turned the lamp off and sat down again.
“Now I want to know something.”
“Alright.”
“Tell me what you said to Héctor.”
“About my brother or the cake?”
“I seriously doubt he asked for help with the latter.”
“You think so? In another dimension, he did.”
“Tell me about your brother.”
“Thanatos will return.”
“I figured. According to one of your visions, right?”
“Possibly. If the same possibility repeats across different realities, then to me, it becomes a certainty.”
“Too bad you're such a lousy prophet.”
“What?”
“Saying ‘you all’ will set him free leaves room for interpretation. It could be me, or one of the leaders, or someone else on this island.”
“That’s something I taught to one of my students. I think his name was Nostradamus.”
“Oh, that clown with the vague messages anyone can interpret? I don’t blame him. I’d do the same to make money.”
“It’s a shame he’s only known for that. The guy had a lot more to offer, but he chose to make a living off ambiguity.”
“Let’s not get sidetracked. I need you to focus on what I’m saying.”
“I already told you, didn’t I? He will return, and—”
“Forget it. Same answer. New question. Is Desza dead?”
“Oh, Desza… I don’t know. I don’t see any link between him and me. So I really don’t know.”
“Damn it! I thought I’d finally track down that bastard.”
“That’s a shame.”
Candado’s eyes landed on a box wrapped like a gift.
“What’s that?”
“Oh, this box?” Chronos opened it and pulled out a green book. “It’s a gift.”
“For me?”
“No, no, no. For your companion.”
“Who? Helga?”
“No, for a beautiful lady with green hair.”
Candado felt an inexplicable discomfort at the description, but he hid it well.
“Can I see it?”
“No.”
Candado’s reply was immediate and sharp, the irritation plain on his face.
“That’s a shame.”
Chronos smiled, and that smile made Candado stare hard at him, his mind racing through a thousand reasons why Chronos would want to see Hammya. Then, one theory struck him like lightning, and the surprise surfaced plainly on his face.
“No…”
Candado spun around abruptly and saw that Hammya was already there.
“Impossible!” he growled.
“Easy now, you’re not far from the truth—but not exactly close to a lie, either.”
“Candado?” Hammya’s voice trembled with concern.
“Chronos… is that you?”
“You don’t want to know that, Candado,” Chronos replied, then turned his gaze to Hammya. “Hello, sweetheart. How did you get in?”
“Hammya, I told you clearly not to come.”
“Sorry, I heard you talking about me… And by the way, you didn’t close the door properly.”
“Out. Now.”
“But—”
“Now!”
Candado, visibly irritated, shouted with firm authority.
“Candado, stop hassling her. If she doesn’t want to leave, let her stay.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Hmm, are you afraid of me?”
“No.”
“That’s a shame,” Chronos said, then glanced again at Hammya. “I have a gift for you. Would you like it?”
“My dad says never take anything from strangers… especially not from prisoners,” she answered defiantly.
“Ouch, that hurts, young lady. I suppose he didn’t say anything about ignoring people’s advice about not entering a room with a prisoner, did he?”
She felt mocked.
“Hammya, out,” Candado ordered, grabbing her arm and dragging her toward the door.
“Alright, alright, I got it!” she protested, offering no resistance.
Candado gave her a light push out of the room and slammed the door shut.
“Wow,” commented Chronos with a grin.
“Tell me, Clockmaker… do you really need to mess with my mind?”
“No, I just wanted to give her a gift.”
Candado stared at him, then shifted his gaze to the box on the table. He walked toward it suddenly, examining it closely.
“Then you don’t mind if I open it, do you?”
“You’re so distrustful, friend,” Chronos replied with a shrug. “Go ahead.”
Candado opened the box. Inside, there was nothing but a green book. He frowned, lifted it carefully, running his fingers across the flap and spine.
“No magic, no power, not even a simple spell…”
He opened it. Every page was blank. Three hundred empty sheets.
“What is this?”
“A book,” Chronos answered plainly. “Can’t you tell?”
Candado summoned a violet flame to engulf the book, but it didn’t burn.
“Something’s protecting it…” he muttered, puzzled.
He tried to tear a page out, but couldn’t. It was as if the paper was sealed by an invisible force.
“It’s resistant.”
He brought it to his nose and sniffed.
“No scent of poison or potions… doesn’t even smell new or old.”
“Mind if I take it?” he asked.
“Well, yes. I do mind. Don’t be so possessive with other people’s gifts, Candado.”
The boy ignored him. He looked at the book again, his expression growing thoughtful.
“This book… it gives off something like aquariums… or lagoons… no, something similar, but different…”
He looked Chronos straight in the eyes.
“Tell me the truth. This—”
BAM!*
The door burst open. Helga stepped in, panting and visibly agitated.
“Candado… we have a problem.”
“What happened?”
“Agents.”
“What?!”
Candado rushed out of the room at once.
“See you around,” Chronos called with a grin.
“Protect the prisoner!” Candado shouted without looking back.
He sprinted down the hallway and ran into Hammya on the way.
“What’s going on?” she asked, worried.
“Stay here. Don’t leave,” he commanded firmly.
“But you told me—”
“This is different! Do not leave this room.” He turned to Helga. “Take me to them.”
Candado, Helga, and a group of guards disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.
Meanwhile, back in the room, Chronos smiled again, tilting his head toward Hammya.
“So… shall we talk?”
Hammya stood still. A strange discomfort crept over her.
(say the world)
Candado ran without looking back. He rushed out of the headquarters, and as soon as he crossed the walls, a huge explosion shook the air. The crash echoed like a war cry. Outside, the harbor was in flames. Two ships were slowly sinking, consumed by fire and water.
"Report," he ordered in a firm voice.
From where he stood, he could see the disaster. Smoke blackened the sky, and the chaos grew with every second.
"Call for help. I'll take care of it," he added without looking away.
"Understood."
"Guards, accompany Helga."
"But…"
"Just do it. You'd be in the way at my side."
Without waiting for a response, he headed straight for the fire.
"Jeff," someone called out. "Go with him. He'll need your help."
"Understood."
"The rest of you, with me. We have to call for reinforcements."
"Understood!" they all replied in unison.
In the cell.
Hammya kept her eyes fixed on the left wall. She avoided eye contact at all costs with the man across from her.
"Do you come here often?" he asked in a mocking tone.
"Oh, it's not my first time," she replied, smiling.
Chronos laughed briefly and then rested both elbows on the table, staring at her intently.
"Tell me, darling. Have you made a decision?"
"I'm sorry... I don't know what you're talking about. You're a prisoner."
"With privileges."
"But you're locked in this cell. What good are privileges if you're still here?"
"Don't be mistaken, little girl. I am free... you just don't know it yet."
He then picked up a box next to him.
"Now let's see if you're free, too."
"That..."
Chronos opened the box. He took out a green book and placed it on the table. With a gentle motion, he slid it until it was in front of her.
"It's a gift, little one."
Hammya looked at him with suspicion.
"Green…"
"For Candado, you're a mystery, but not for me."
"You know?"
"Everything."
"I see..."
"Now tell me, how free are you? It's very simple."
"I won't take it," she replied, her hands trembling. "Not yet... no... not yet."
Chronos closed his eyes serenely.
"I see. That's a shame. You couldn't answer... you just postponed it. Just as well, Miss Saillim."
Island Port.
Candado had knocked down two men in suits. He tried to stop them, but they committed suicide before he could interrogate them.
"Tinbari."
"Well," the voice behind him replied. "You knew."
"I want you to deal with those who managed to get into the facility."
"Can I kill them?"
"Do whatever you want. Those men were born to die... whether by their own hand or by ours."
"Candado..."
"I know. I won't kill anyone. I still have a promise to keep."
"That's what I like to hear," Tinbari said, before vanishing into thin air.
Candado clenched his fists.
"Anyway... let's finish this."
He headed towards the port, hoping to find survivors.
"I hope no one died..."
When he arrived, everything was silent. There were no bodies, no injured, no trace of the enemies. For the first time, his pleas seemed to have been heard.
"Thank goodness..."
Then, he heard a sound. Chains dragging on the gravel. He looked up and saw a woman in a suit, accompanied by an agent holding a remote control in his hand.
He sighed. He went on guard.
"I shouldn't be surprised... that creature was once a child. You people are monsters... and you deserve something worse than death."
The woman had a cold, impenetrable face. Her white hair fell like a shadow over her forehead. Beside her, a barely human figure watched him: it looked like a child between thirteen and fifteen, but its face was deformed, flat, with a steel plate embedded in its forehead. It had no lips, only metal teeth visible. It growled instead of speaking. It was shirtless, with torn pants and barefoot. It had nine toes on each foot, and its mutated hands ended in red claws, as if its bones had surfaced.
The woman stopped, showing no emotion.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Arturo Jauretche, that's my alias at the library."
She sighed, almost disappointed.
"I'm sorry. You're not the person I was looking for. Attack."
The creature lunged at Candado, but he had no intention of prolonging the fight. With surgical precision, he cut its tendons, immobilizing it immediately, and headed straight for the woman.
"I wish I had no restrictions, so I could fulfill my most gruesome desire with you, miss."
"Are you going to gut me?" she asked, without hesitation.
"Of course not," Candado replied, with no trace of emotion. "I'm just going to put you through such a horrendous agony that you'll beg for death."
"Oh, my little one."
Without responding, Candado threw his facón. The blade lodged in the agent's shoulder, who let out a strangled cry of pain. Then, with a tug on the thread tied to the handle, the weapon returned to his hand.
"I'm not in the mood for games," he warned in a firm voice.
The woman, still trembling, looked at him carefully. Candado's speed had taken her completely by surprise.
"This is going to be a problem," she murmured, barely audible.
Interrogation Room
"You won't be able to hide your secret from Candado for long. It's amusing to watch you try," the young man said in a calm voice.
"Stop it. This has nothing to do with you, you weird kid," Hammya replied, looking away.
"Nevertheless, I'll be waiting for you."
"Why? We don't know each other."
"I made you a promise."
"When? This is the first time we've talked."
"Even so, I did."
Hammya felt a chill run down her spine. The boy's words were unsettling. He was right... there was something she was hiding from Candado.
"I don't want to talk about it," she murmured, crossing her arms.
"As you wish, Miss Saillim."
Port
A young woman lay on the ground, with colossal wounds. She whimpered and gasped in pain, while a young man sat on her back, cleaning his facón with a torn piece of her own suit. He was clean, without sweat or a single scratch. The young "Arturo Jauretche" calmly dialed his cell phone.
"It's incredible that you've endured so much pain," he commented, with no emotion in his voice. Then he watched the injured creature next to him try to crawl away. "Relax, the services will return you to your home... and, if possible, to your old life."
The young woman continued to gasp.
"It's useless," Candado said. "I made sure to leave you in this state."
"...Mpfpf..."
Candado stepped on her hand hard, digging in his heel.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" she screamed, writhing.
"Stop trying to kill yourself with that hemlock capsule. Absurd," he snapped his fingers, and the capsule burned to ashes. "Pathetic."
At that moment, a squad of guards arrived at the scene, led by Krauser and Leandro.
"Finally," Candado murmured.
"Candado," Krauser called him, with a tone of reproach.
The young woman opened her eyes in surprise at hearing that name.
"Of course, I had to say my name," Candado said with irony as he stood up.
"Don't get confused," Krauser retorted, "you're a lock."
"You already know..."
"Are you Candado Barret?"
Candado did not respond with words. He stepped on the prisoner's head.
"You'd better save your words," he said, icily.
"Let her go. We'll take care of her."
"Oh, look who's late to the party," Candado commented upon seeing a familiar face. "Horacio..."
Horacio: A man with dark hair and gray eyes, with a scar on his chin. He wears a red suit. Krauser's best friend.
Power: Control over organic and inorganic matter.
Skill: Conciliator.
"Stop it. This is not the time for this, Candado," Horacio intervened.
"...Candado...Barret," the woman whispered.
"Take care of her," Candado ordered. Then, looking at Krauser, "And you help me take this guy to a doctor."
"Understood," Krauser nodded, and then added, "Thanks for the support. But tell me... how did you manage to placate all of them?"
Candado's gaze shifted to Krauser's shoulder, where he saw Tinbari greeting him with a knowing smile.
"It's a secret."
"Of course, it had to be..."
"Krauser."
"I'm coming. Anyway, see you, Candado."
The woman got up abruptly, pushing the two agents who were about to handcuff her.
"You're Candado Barret, aren't you?!"
Krauser reacted instantly, wrapping her in his tentacles.
"ARREST HER!"
Candado watched her coldly. He showed no interest, not a hint of curiosity about how she knew his name. He simply turned around... and left.
"See you, Krauser."
"Alright... HANDCUFF HER NOW!" he shouted, before waving goodbye.
Tinbari let out a laugh as he disappeared into the shadows.
Candado opened the room door. To his surprise, Hammya and Chronos were there, surrounded by an awkward atmosphere.
"What the hell happened?" he asked, frowning.
"Hello, Candado. You were able to contain the invaders," Chronos replied.
"It's sorted out," he said, dryly.
"Thank goodness."
Candado sighed and looked at Hammya.
"Is something wrong? You look very upset."
"N... no, of course not," she replied, too quickly.
"Uh-huh... Anyway, I'm going to call Mauricio to give us a ride." Then he looked at Chronos. "We'll postpone the conversation."
"Don't worry, I'm not leaving here," Chronos scoffed.
"Hammya, let's go."
"Yes..."
She stood up, but froze after taking a step. Candado turned, surprised by her sudden silence.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, oh... I think it's best you catch her, Candado. It's too much for her."
"What are you talking about?" Candado asked, puzzled.
Hammya's face was pale, motionless. Her eyes were trembling.
"I... I... I..."
She closed her eyes and lost her balance.
Without thinking twice, Candado ran to her and caught her in his arms.
"Hammya! Hammya, snap out of it!"
She looked at him with blurred vision as her consciousness faded. His voice was already a distant echo. She could hear Candado getting angry with Chronos, while the latter was calm.
Antarctica.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the city, Tanacia was sinking into darkness. A figure emerged from the alleys: it was Joel. He had never escaped, he just waited for things to calm down. He wasn't going to leave without Guz, who had saved him more than once. This was his chance to return the favor.
With the information he had gathered, he knew that Guz was being held at the police station and would be transferred to the city of Rux the next day. He only had that night to act.
"How boring... Today at the Richerad boarding school there was an event for Cadet Day, and nothing happened here," a guard complained, yawning.
"Stop saying stupid things," his partner replied. "After what you did to the commander, are you still expecting a vacation?"
"You're cold. That's why you don't have a boyfriend."
"And you're so stupid that yours left you."
Joel watched carefully. One of the guards had the keys to the cells. Although he didn't see Guz in the common prisons, that meant he must be in the restricted area.
He used his threads to take the keys from the guard without him noticing and vanished into the shadows.
Arriving at the back of the room, he noticed a door... but the two guards were right in the middle. He had to get them out of there. For someone inexperienced, it might have been a problem. But Joel was not just anyone. Besides, there was a woman in the room. And that was enough for him.
He approached stealthily from behind. With surgical precision, he used his needle to unravel part of her shirt, took the thread, and discreetly tied it to the leg of a chair. Then, he subtly pricked her thigh.
"What the hell?!" The woman turned abruptly. The movement caused the shirt to tear on the left side, exposing one of her breasts.
"I must say... what a small nipple."
"Shut up! That was my favorite shirt!"
"I'll bring you a jacket."
"Why don't you give me yours?"
"I don't want you to rip it, and besides, I don't want to give you my things."
"HEY!"
Taking advantage of the distraction, Joel ran to the door and went in. He quickly went down the stairs, checking cell by cell. But Guz wasn't there. Then, he saw a door ajar.
"There..."
He opened it carefully and peeked in.
"Guz..."
"Behind you."
A hand grabbed him by the back of the neck and slammed him against a table. Another slipped into his jacket and snatched the roll of thread.
"In the end, I was right. A loyal friend always comes back. I knew it ever since the Pharmagea saved you from me; I knew that if I was patient, you would come."
"Why? I told you to leave, you idiot!"
The attacker grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall. His face was revealed.
"Good evening, Mr. Needles."
"Patrick..."
"I'm surprised you managed to fool the most basic guards in this police station," Patrick said sarcastically.
Joel tried to reach into his pocket, but Patrick was faster. He broke his hand with a brutal knee strike.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"If I were you, I'd calm down," he said with a twisted smile, throwing him to the ground. "How predictable."
Guz felt burning anger at the situation Joel had caused.
"You're an idiot," he muttered, furious.
Joel didn't respond. He simply fixed his gaze on Patrick.
"I don't know what you rats want, but that roll is staying here," Patrick said with disdain. "Therefore, you will be expelled from Tanacia."
Joel let out a laugh as he held up the golden ribbon.
"How naive you are."
Patrick tried to snatch the ribbon and hide it in his vest, but it was too late.
"Ponto," Joel whispered.
The roll glowed intensely and then exploded, violently throwing Patrick backward.
Joel quickly got back on his feet and ran to free Guz, who was still handcuffed.
"I didn't... expect that," Guz stammered, stunned.
"I always have a plan. I learned it on the streets. Now, let's go."
The handcuffs fell to the ground. Joel summoned his tentacles, which destroyed the room in a matter of seconds.
Patrick emerged from the rubble, unharmed, though covered in dust and debris.
"Rats..."
Guz hit him with one of his tentacles, throwing him outside.
"Over here!"
Guz hugged Joel and, using superhuman strength, propelled himself into the sky, breaking through the destroyed ceiling. When they reached the outside, he let go of him, and they both started running.
"Where is it?"
"What?"
"The roll, you fool!"
"Hidden. Follow me."
"I'm following."
Guz began to summon more tentacles, one after another, using them as ladders to gain height and distance. Below, thousands of guards were chasing them. Among them was Dylan, who pulled out a crossbow and shot directly at Joel. Guz stepped in, taking the arrow instead.
"…! Guz!"
"It's nothing... I've had worse."
Guz hugged him again and covered their bodies with a membrane as hard as steel.
"I hate using this... so hold on tight."
"Okay..."
Guz's eyes shone with a silvery light. All the tentacles disappeared, and they both went into a free fall.
"Oh, God! We're going to die!"
"Oh, no... of course not."
A colossal force propelled them in a straight line, flying at a colossal speed. They reached the city limits, too fast to be caught. The great wall of ice and iron that surrounded Tanacia was destroyed by Guz's impact.
A scorching wind blew through the hole in the wall.
"Forget about the fugitives and get the citizens to safety!" Dylan ordered urgently.
Guz's speed dropped sharply as he reached the frozen desert of Antarctica. The cold immediately enveloped him.
"Permarech..." he whispered in a trembling voice as he touched the ground with the palm of his hand.
The ice turned green, and a thick layer of grass emerged from the ground. Joel was unconscious, possibly from the impact.
Branches sprouted from the ground, forming a protective dome. Then, the ground cracked and they were both buried underground. Guz crawled to Joel, wrapped him in his cloak, and hugged him tightly.
"Don't you die here..."
He cut some branches with his tentacles, soaked them in gasoline from his canteen, and lit a fire. He moved dangerously close to the fire, just a few centimeters away, to warm Joel's body.
His eyes were closing from exhaustion, but he fought against sleep. He was not like that young man, Czacki. He didn't have the same resistance.
Finally, Guz fell asleep.
A few hours passed. When Joel opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he was in Guz's arms, covered and hugged. He pulled away from him abruptly, alarmed.
"What's wrong?" Guz asked, still half-asleep.
He fell on his back from Joel's reaction, which fully woke him up.
"Oh, you're alive... thank goodness," he said, relieved, getting to his feet.
"Where are we?" Joel asked, confused.
"At my house... metaphorically speaking."
"God... what time is it?"
"Eight in the morning."
"That long? Did we sleep a lot?"
"Only an hour."
"But... it was night."
"Joel, this is Antarctica. Here there are six months of day and six months of night. What you saw in Tanacia is just an optical illusion... something set up for the citizens."
Joel sighed deeply.
"So... what do we do now?"
"First of all," Guz sat down in front of him, "where's the scroll?"
Joel took off his left boot. His sock was visibly bulky.
"I hide valuable things here," Joel replied proudly as he handed the scroll to Guz.
"You're a fool, you could have failed."
"I had to come back for you."
"Why?"
"Because you're my friend."
Guz sighed exaggeratedly.
"That's a stupid reason."
Joel smiled sincerely.
"I mean it."
"Oh, but let's keep this a secret."
"Don't worry, nothing will leave my mouth."
"Ugh, thank goodness."
Joel smiled again, though this time he looked a little anxious.
"Guz... thank you."
"I haven't done anything."
"You're wrong. You saved me, and that's no small thing."
"Joel..."
"No, seriously. You're a great friend."
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"I did it because I had the scroll."
"If that were the case, you would have used me as cannon fodder. But you helped me."
"Ha, of course not. I did it because I was enough to distract them on my own."
"You're a great friend. That's why... I have to confess something to you."
"I hope it's not your love."
"What? No! Of course not."
"Thank goodness."
"It's about Desza."
"Oh, how curious. Even in a coma, he's still a nuisance."
"Can I talk?"
"Yes, yes. What did the idiot do?"
"Listen... You saved my life, and someone who risks their own for me deserves to know the truth. Guz, you are my friend."
"I'm not."
Joel smiled in a friendly way but didn't stop.
"The truth is that Desza plans to use this scroll to bring him back."
"Bring back? Who?"
"Thanatos."
Guz froze at hearing that, raising his face. He didn't say anything, but his eyes said it all.
Kanghar.
Hammya woke up with a start in a hospital bed, agitated and disoriented.
"Calm down," Candado said, sitting in a chair to her left.
"Candado? What happened?"
"That's what I want to know."
Candado stood up and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Hmm?"
He placed his right hand—this time without gloves—on Hammya's cheek. Then, with the same hand, he touched her forehead with the back of it.
"The fever has gone down," he sighed in relief. "You had me really worried."
"Where are we?"
"In a hospital, in Kanghar."
"It's night..."
"Yes. It's two in the morning."
"It's late... we should go home."
Candado placed both hands on her shoulders, preventing her from sitting up.
"I've already taken care of that. I told my parents I'd be staying at a friend's house and would be back in the morning."
"You lied."
"I didn't. This hospital is owned by the state of Kanghar, which, in turn, belongs to the Candado. And it turns out I'm friends with them. So no, I didn't lie."
Hammya smiled faintly.
"But back to the topic... What happened to you?"
"I don't know. I felt my head get heavy... and the next thing I remember is being here."
"Did Chronos do something to you?"
"No, we just talked."
"What did you talk about?"
"Just..."
Hammya then remembered the words of that strange man.
Hours earlier.
"You won't be able to hide your secret from Candado forever. It's amusing to watch you try."
"Stop it. This has nothing to do with you, you weird kid."
"Nevertheless, I'll be waiting for you."
"Why? We don't even know each other."
"I made you a promise."
Present.
"Hammya? What did you talk about?"
"The gift."
"Did you take it?"
"No. I didn't."
"...Good. I'm sorry I left you in that place and went out, but the only safe room was that one."
"You left me with a prisoner."
"Yes, but not just any one."
"He's a prisoner!"
"Harmless."
"Why?"
"He has never harmed a woman. It's a rule he follows."
"How trustworthy," she said sarcastically.
Candado leaned in and hugged her tightly.
"You worried me so much. You're a very important friend."
"(Friend... A friend?) Thanks, Candado."
"Why are you making such a serious face? Do you want to be something else?"
A smile slowly appeared on Hammya's face.
"Please."
"Alright, you win. You'll be... you'll be... you'll be... I know! My sister."
"I want to be your friend," Hammya said firmly.
"Why?"
"Because I want to."
"For Isidro's sake... do whatever you want."
Candado got up from the bed.
"Where are you going?"
"To get you something to eat. You haven't eaten anything."
Hammya's stomach growled, betraying her.
"Heh, heh... yeah, you're right."
Candado left the room.
"You're very interesting," a voice said behind her.
"Oh... Tinbari."
"Hello, my little green curls."
"Is that an insult or a compliment?"
"Both."
"Haha. Get lost, you stupid horny man."
"Girl, you've really changed since you've been with Candado."
"Aside from that... what happened outside?"
"Just a failed attack by the agents."
"An attack?"
"Yes. It's the first time something like this has happened... at least coming from this organization."
"Were there any injuries?"
"Yes, but nothing serious. Everyone will live."
"Why would they do that?"
"I don't know, but I think it has a lot to do with what's cooking right now."
"What?"
"Nothing, I'm just talking to myself," he replied dramatically. "Anyway, I'm glad you're okay."
And with that, Tinbari vanished.
"What a strange person," Hammya commented.
At that moment, Candado entered, pushing a small table on wheels, on which a steaming stew pot rested.
"I hope you like it... well, actually, I know you're going to like it."
"Oh yeah? What is it?"
"It's not empanadas... but it's stew with meatballs."
"Wow! Who made it?"
"I did."
"How? This is a hospital."
"There are hospitals with kitchens. This is one of them."
"Oh, how strange."
"Maybe for you."
Hammya let out a light laugh.
"Well... let's see how good the chef is," she smiled.
"You won't be disappointed," Candado smiled back.
