Thamuz was impressed upon seeing Korro. He wasn’t wearing the typical attire of the Steel Fangs but instead ordinary clothes like any other citizen in the city.

"Wow, you actually managed to get out of prison," said Thamuz, genuinely surprised by the sudden visit.

"Yeah, it took way longer than I expected, but I’m finally here," replied Korro, standing next to Thamuz. "By the way, what happened to your right arm?"

Thamuz glanced at his arm and immediately understood the question. He raised it so Korro could see it better, flashing an enigmatic smile.

"I dislocated it myself," he declared, moving the arm with a slight motion.

"Why? Are you some kind of lunatic or a masochist?" asked Korro, puzzled by the nonchalant response.

"It's a bit of a complicated story. I’ll tell you while we walk," Thamuz replied, starting to move and gesturing for Korro to follow.

They walked through the bustling streets, navigating a labyrinth of street food stalls and artisanal shops. Crowds swirled in every direction, creating a vibrant and chaotic atmosphere.

Their presence didn’t go unnoticed. Some gazes lingered on them—some curious, others fearful. Korro, an infamous criminal, strolled as if he were a common citizen, while Thamuz walked beside him with a disconcerting calmness.

The city guards watched them warily. Though they could have captured Korro right there, Thamuz’s presence deterred them. They remembered his brutal fights in the Shamonak arena and weren’t eager to provoke an unnecessary conflict.

The townsfolk pretended not to see them, averting their eyes and whistling as they absentmindedly rummaged through their pockets, as though the duo were invisible.

Eventually, they reached a secluded spot in the city: a small hill overlooking a crystal-clear lake. Tiny marine creatures occasionally surfaced, breaking the smoothness of the water.

Sitting on the ground, they gazed at each other until Thamuz shifted his focus to the horizon and let out a deep sigh.

"So, you almost killed your father with your own hand, just by placing it on his chest," Korro remarked, more an observation than a question.

"Believe what you want," Thamuz replied in a melancholic tone. "My father is still alive, but he’s like a withered tree. I just hope he recovers soon."

Korro tossed a stone into the lake, momentarily breaking the silence.

"Did you come here to clear your head?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the water.

Suddenly, the water began to stir, and a giant red fish emerged, with tentacle-like appendages writhing on its head. It appeared like a menacing predator, disturbed by the stone Korro had thrown. With a gentle splash, it submerged again, disappearing as mysteriously as it had appeared.

"I came to investigate that gigantic spaceship that landed in the city," explained Thamuz. "I was hoping to meet Narek and Berkam, but I got sidetracked in the market and ended up buying some powders and essences." He pulled a bag of vials from his sling and handed it to Korro.

Korro took the bag and opened it, carefully examining the vials. His gaze fixed on one filled with orange powder with delicate golden flecks.

"Wow, you got Eronium. It looks very pure; this will be extremely useful," Korro said, pocketing the vial.

"What are you doing? I bought that!" protested Thamuz, clearly annoyed by his companion's actions.

"Relax, we’re making an exchange," Korro replied. "Besides, you’ll appreciate the Eronium’s use when I show you what I can do with this." He pulled a thick glove surrounded by steel plates from his pocket. "What do you think of this trade?"

Thamuz took the glove, examined it closely, and struck it against the ground, noting the weight of the metal plates.

"What is this? Where did you get it?" he asked, intrigued by the object.

"It’s an armored glove," Korro explained. "Nothing special beyond its metal plating. But considering what you told me about your right hand, it’ll be very useful. You’ll be able to touch things without fear of damaging them. I got it from what used to be the Steel Fangs' base."

"What do you mean by ‘what used to be’? Also, you’re not wearing your gang’s typical attire," Thamuz observed, glancing at him sideways.

Korro sighed and began his story:

"When I escaped from prison, I went straight back to the city, to my gang’s base. But when I got there, I discovered there was a new leader. They removed me from my position, saying I caused more problems than I solved, that I preferred creating chaos over handling routine tasks."

"And what did you do?" Thamuz asked, his curiosity growing.

"The most sensible thing in that situation," Korro replied with a slight smile. "I killed most of them and burned the base down. The Steel Fangs no longer exist. It's just me now."

"Oh... wow..." murmured Thamuz, completely stunned by the revelation.

Korro stood up, dusted off his clothes, and grabbed another stone, tossing it into the lake. The strange red fish with tentacles emerged again from the crystal waters, its iridescent gaze fixed on him.

"Well, do you want to get to that spaceship? Follow me; I know a shortcut," Korro said, plunging his hands into the pockets of his worn-out jacket.

Thamuz stood up from the ground, glancing at the lake where the tentacled fish stared at him with an unsettling intensity.

"Yes, let's go before night falls," Thamuz responded, turning on his heels.

The two ventured into an alley away from the urban bustle. Around them, hooded figures lingered in the shadows while ragged beggars pleaded for coins with vacant stares.

A hoarse, guttural voice began to materialize in the air:

"You know, I like this boy much more than the vessel I'm trapped in," murmured the demon, perching on Thamuz's shoulder.

"What do you mean?" whispered Thamuz, careful not to attract unwanted attention.

The demon smirked sinisterly:

"His freedom to act is admirable. Killing his own gang members, burning down their base after being relieved of his position... He would have been a perfect candidate if I had the strength to possess a body."

"That would have been perfect for me," Thamuz retorted wearily. "At least then I could enjoy a moment of peace without hearing your voice."

The demonic entity floated around Thamuz, its outlines blurring like black smoke:

"Careful what you wish for. If I could, I’d reduce this planet to cosmic dust. Tell me, what is the lord of goodness doing alongside such an impulsive young man?"

Thamuz pondered for a moment:

"I’m curious, like you. My parents always surrounded me with love and understanding, while with Korro, everything feels different. It's as if he shows me the world through other eyes—those of someone marginalized."

"Fascinating," the demon remarked. "In the end, one becomes what surrounds them. Do you want to become someone like him? I can teach you a few tricks..."

"Never," Thamuz declared firmly. "So you can keep waiting until my death."

The demon chuckled, its voice resonating in the air:

"Sooner or later, you’ll feel the flow of evil coursing through your veins. It’s only a matter of time... and patience."

And then, it vanished.

Thamuz and Korro finally arrived at the site where the spaceship was docked—a spot slightly removed from the city, nestled in rolling green pastures. In the distance, several merchants passed by with their carts or rode imposing mhonktans, beasts of burden carrying heavy equipment.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Look, that spaceship comes from one of the solar systems in the Khan-Bazar galactic system," Korro explained, pointing at the colossal metallic structure. "They usually transport goods, and even slaves, depending on the demand across different planets."

"Solar systems?" asked Thamuz, a childlike curiosity shining in his eyes. "What exactly are they?"

Korro smirked ironically:

"You seriously don’t know? I thought you’d be sharper. A solar system is a set of planets orbiting around a central star, like the sun that warms us with its rays."

"A friend of my father once mentioned the existence of other planets," Thamuz replied, "but I didn’t know they harbored life. That’s truly amazing!"

"When you live a life like mine," Korro said with a slight laugh, "you discover that the unimaginable is just a limited perspective. I just wanted to share that knowledge with you."

They approached the spaceship, which loomed like a metallic colossus. Its size was so immense that it seemed to cover a vast portion of the city walls. It rested on sturdy structures capable of supporting its titanic weight, with an exterior design of a dull, matte gray. Multiple hatches and ramps remained open, revealing its interior.

The crew was unloading extraordinary cargo: living plants that seemed to breathe, levitating stones emitting multicolored glimmers under the sunlight, and gelatinous creatures covered in eyes that moved with an alien grace.

The beings making up the crew were markedly different from the Yhamak, the dominant species on Thamuz’s planet. They lacked frontal horns, their skin was a deep purple tone, and they were considerably shorter in stature. They wore lightweight, shiny spacesuits and had disproportionately large eyes, black as the darkest night.

"Those you see over there," Korro said, lightly tapping Thamuz on the shoulder, "are the Bhulgax. They come from a galactic system different from Khan-Bazar, but they’re incredibly efficient at what they do."

Thamuz observed the bustling trade with fascination. The Yhamak offered local products: giant jars filled with spices and precious minerals that shifted colors upon touch, as if alive.

Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted the atmosphere. Thamuz and Korro turned to see Narek and Berkam approaching.

"I knew you’d be here," murmured Thamuz, walking toward them.

Korro followed, shrinking into the imposing shadow of Thamuz, trying to remain unnoticed by the unexpected visitors.

When Thamuz reached Narek, he extended his hand. The greeting was met with a firm, vigorous handshake.

"You had me worried," Narek said, his gaze falling to Thamuz’s dislocated arm. "I thought you’d need more time to recover, but you look better than ever. What happened to your arm?"

Thamuz extended his injured arm. Narek and Berkam examined it with curiosity.

A subtle movement caught Berkam’s attention. As he scanned the area behind Thamuz, he spotted Korro. His reaction was immediate.

"What is he doing here?!" Berkam exclaimed, stepping back several paces.

Narek noticed him too. Korro emerged slowly from behind Thamuz, wearing an enigmatic smile that alarmed both of them.

"Thamuz, be careful!" Narek warned. "Korro is right behind you!"

Thamuz turned slightly, meeting Korro’s mocking gaze.

"You’re scaring my friends," he said calmly. "Step forward and introduce yourself properly."

Korro nodded, moving forward with deliberate nonchalance. His arms swayed theatrically as he extended a leg and hand in an exaggerated greeting.

"Hello, Narek and Berkam," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Remember me?"

Narek glared at him with disdain, gritting his teeth and looking away.

"How could we forget?" he replied, his voice brimming with irritation.

"Come on, I know we got off on the worst possible foot," Korro said, shrugging. "But I’m no longer part of the Steel Fangs. In fact, the gang no longer exists. I hope any misunderstandings and conflicts are in the past now."

"The past?" Berkam protested, stepping forward. "Do you think everything you did to me can just be forgotten? Everything you put me through?"

"What are you talking about?" Korro asked, crossing his arms.

Berkam erupted, his voice thick with pain:

"The sleepless nights because of your malicious antics, the physical punishments I had to endure, the emotional damage you caused me every single day... Do you really think that can just be left in the past? I don’t think so. Luckily, I’ve found someone who truly loves me and treats me like a person," she declared, clutching Narek’s arm.

"Oh, nice" Korro responded, giving a casual thumbs-up with a carefree smile.

The simplicity of his response shattered Berkam. Her heart broke into pieces. she collapsed partially to the ground, beginning to sob uncontrollably.

Narek rubbed her back, glaring at Korro with even more intense disdain.

"We’re going home," Narek said to Thamuz. "Please be careful with this maniac, and don’t take too long to join us."

"Goodbye... Narek," Thamuz murmured, watching them walk away.

"It’s not like I said much," Korro commented.

"Sometimes a few words are enough to make someone crumble. Interesting," Thamuz reflected, scratching his chin.

"Come on, let’s not dwell on this. Have you seen everything you wanted?" Korro asked, his hands deep in his pockets.

"I think so, but I’m still curious to learn more about that spaceship," Thamuz replied, casting one last glance at the vessel.

"I’ll tell you everything on the way. If you’d like, we can go to my place. It’s not far," Korro suggested, starting to walk.

"You have a house? I thought your home was your gang’s base," Thamuz inquired.

"The Steel Fangs owned several properties in the city. They’re all mine now," Korro replied, glancing at him with a sly smile.

They returned to the bustling city center. As they walked, Korro began explaining:

"Spaceships serve various purposes. The one we saw is commercial, transporting goods between planets. But there are many types."

"Like what?" Thamuz asked, intrigued.

"There are tourist ships that take people anywhere in the universe: planets, asteroids, even stars. Then there are exploration ships designed to investigate the most remote places in the cosmos. But there’s one function that might interest you the most..."

"Which one?" asked Thamuz, his voice filled with curiosity.

"The war or conquering ships," Korro replied. "Used by great conquerors in intergalactic crusades. Someone with your abilities and strength could easily become a tremendously powerful conqueror."

"A conqueror? I don’t know what those are," said Thamuz, watching as they approached a gigantic house at the end of the path.

Korro explained in detail:

"A conqueror is someone powerful enough to claim a planet, a star, a solar system, or even an entire galaxy as their own."

"So, they’re extremely powerful," observed Thamuz. "Who’s the most powerful among them?"

"According to tales from travelers of other planets, there’s a conqueror named Atlas, nicknamed 'The Golden Reaper,'" Korro responded. "I don’t know why they call him that, but I wouldn’t want to meet him. Fortunately, they say he’s in another universe, trying to conquer it."

They arrived at the house, leaving Thamuz in awe of its immensity and peculiar decorations. The exterior walls were covered in red triangle symbols with lined edges, and the main door was adorned with horns from various creatures.

Korro took out a necklace with a small key on it, inserted it into the lock, and opened the door, inviting Thamuz to step inside.

"Make yourself at home," he said, closing the door behind them.

The interior revealed an enormous and chaotic space, clearly designed to house hundreds of people. Over twenty rooms stretched across the area, with walls appearing to have been torn apart by incomprehensible forces.

Thamuz sank into a worn but comforting armchair, watching Korro rummage through a chest full of objects until he found what he was looking for.

"Finally found you!" Korro exclaimed triumphantly.

It was a pear-shaped glass pipe with a metallic handle and a small window between the flask's interior and the mouthpiece. Along with it, he retrieved a crinkly bag that seemed to hold dried ingredients.

Korro sat across from Thamuz and handed him the pipe. Thamuz examined it, noticing traces of golden dust and black leaves inside.

"What is this?" he asked, turning the pipe with curiosity.

"It’s a funadortel," Korro replied, extending his hand. "Come, I’ll show you how to use it."

Thamuz handed over the pipe, and Korro took out the jar of golden powder they had exchanged earlier. From the bag, he pulled out several dried leaves of an intense orange hue.

"Look, you insert the Eronium through this window," he explained, demonstrating each step with precision. "Then crush some leaves and place them inside. Now, extend your arm."

Thamuz complied, slowly extending his left arm. Korro took a wooden matchstick and struck it against Thamuz’s skin, igniting it with friction. He inserted the match into the pipe, beginning to burn the Eronium along with the dry leaves. Closing the window, he waited a few minutes.

"You need to let all the flavors combine," he said, setting the pipe aside.

"What’s it for?" asked Thamuz, sinking into the armchair.

"The funadortel is for fun," Korro replied. "I used it a lot when I led the Steel Fangs."

Orange smoke began to emerge from the pipe. Korro brought it to his mouth, controlling the smoke's release with the metallic handle. He inhaled deeply and shut the pipe, then violently turned his head, expelling smoke through his nose. His eyes, now red, fixed on Thamuz.

"So good," he murmured.

Moments later, he collapsed unconscious, the pipe still in his hand.

"Korro? Are you okay?" Thamuz asked.

Korro remained motionless, exhaling one last wisp of smoke. Thamuz took the pipe, observing it cautiously.

The demon's voice echoed in his mind:

"Go ahead, take a small inhale."

"Are you crazy? Look what it did to Korro," Thamuz protested.

"Look at you," the demon insisted. "You’re as strong as an oak compared to that kid. This won’t affect you. Besides, I want to try it too."

An ethereal hand materialized, grasping the pipe.

"Fine," Thamuz relented. "Just one puff."

The smoke entered smoothly, revealing a strange yet sweet flavor. Thamuz inhaled deeply and closed the handle.

"Wow, you were right. Nothing happened to me…"

Suddenly, his body began to liquefy. His fingers elongated as he watched, astonished, while reality disintegrated around him. Space filled with multicolored points that danced and shifted in size, floating in a dreamlike dimension defying all logic.

During his hypnagogic trance, he saw a gigantic door standing as a portal to the unknown. He opened it with slow, trembling movements, finding a pink light that drew him like an irresistible magnet. He approached, feeling a spectral warmth that made his skin crawl, crossing the threshold between the real and the surreal.

Spectral and shadowy figures passed through him without hesitation, their coldness penetrating to his very bones. His wide eyes took in the hostile environment as he heard an eerie creaking that seemed to emanate from the very shadows surrounding him.

Hours or perhaps eternities passed until Thamuz found himself in an unfamiliar place. He opened his eyes slowly, blinded by sunlight that seemed to pierce through his consciousness. Gradually, he managed to rise to his knees, scanning the strange surroundings.

He was in what appeared to be a well-kept garden, teeming with life. A small pond hosted aberrant fish with unpredictable movements. To his right, a crumbled wall bore a perfect mark, as if his own body had been the one to destroy it.

"What happened?" he muttered, his voice a whisper lost in the haze of confusion.

Suddenly, the metallic sound of hinges broke the silence. Thamuz turned his head, directing his gaze toward a house that loomed behind him. But what truly captured his attention was the figure standing before the open doors.

"Who’s there?" the figure called, a shiver running down his spine.

It was Vixkard, holding a worn wooden cup.