A dream was beginning to take shape: a demon and a creature resembling an angel stood on a vast battlefield, on a colossal planet. Both looked at each other with threatening auras. The angel floated in the air while the demon stood firm on the ground, assuming a combat stance. Suddenly, the angel launched a massive energy blast from its arm, while the demon waited patiently, extending its hands to receive the impact.

"Son, wake up, we're almost there," a voice was heard.

Thamuz woke up immediately, feeling the sun's rays illuminating his face, almost blinding him.

"It's already morning," said Aolani.

"You can really tell," Thamuz replied, rubbing his eyes.

"Grab some food, it's in the boxes I placed earlier," Tawnylon said, turning his head slightly to glance at them.

Aolani approached one of the boxes and opened the lid, taking out some dried meat along with bread and cheese.

"Here, son, I'm sure you must be hungry," Aolani said, handing the food to Thamuz.

Thamuz eagerly took the food, making a small sandwich with the meat, bread, and cheese. He prepared another one for his mother and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said.

Thamuz was so focused on eating that he didn't notice where they were. It looked like a village devastated by death itself. Crops were rotten, houses destroyed, and occasionally, bones from various creatures could be seen scattered on the ground.

"What kind of things did that bastard do when he got the title of king?" Tawnylon muttered to himself, looking around.

They left the village, and Tawnylon saw a large city in the distance, covered by a wall that easily surpassed fifty meters in height, reinforced with the hardest materials on the planet.

"Look, son, that's the great city," Tawnylon said, pointing to Thamuz.

Thamuz turned his head to observe the city, impressed by its size and the wall that stood like a giant protector. The city seemed like an impenetrable fortress, its towers disappearing into the sky, and the shine of its buildings reflected a glorious past now submerged in decay.

"Is that where the shamonak to death will take place?" Thamuz asked, curious.

"Yes, although it used to look much better, it looked alive," Tawnylon replied, with a melancholic tone.

They arrived at the city gates, which were gigantic and opened slowly due to their great weight. Inside, there were guards dressed in rather normal armor, nothing out of the ordinary, but their weapons looked different, much more modern.

"Why have you come and what do you want to do in the city?" one of the guards asked.

"We came for our son to participate in the shamonak to death. He's a special guest of the king," Tawnylon replied.

The guards looked at Tawnylon for a few seconds, then shifted their gaze to the carriage, observing Aolani and Thamuz.

"Damn!" exclaimed one of the guards, startled by Thamuz's appearance.

"Is that your son?" another guard asked, pointing with his finger.

"Yes, any problem with him?" Tawnylon asked.

"No, no, not at all. Good luck in the shamonak. I'm sure he'll make it through all the rounds," he replied.

"Rounds? What rounds?" Tawnylon asked again.

"Let them pass!" the guard exclaimed.

Tawnylon looked at him confused, but continued on, gripping the carriage more firmly and moving forward slowly.

Inside the city, Thamuz began to observe his surroundings. It was magnificent. People walked everywhere, dressed in colorful clothes; others wore clothes similar to his. Markets overflowed with diverse products with different uses. For example, there was a blue flame that, if you poured water on it and named an object, could make that object appear and materialize in reality.

"Incredible," Thamuz murmured to himself.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped, causing Aolani and Thamuz to sway in their seats.

"What happened, dear?" Aolani asked, concerned.

Up front, Tawnylon was looking down at a man lying on the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir, I didn't see you," Tawnylon said, bending down to help the man.

The middle-aged man got up slowly, rubbing his head.

"What, can't you watch where you're going, you damn brute?" said the man, raising his head.

The man's eyes fixed on Tawnylon, who stood in front of him. Seeing his face, his eyes widened.

"Tawnylon?" the man asked, incredulous.

"Armesto?" Tawnylon replied, recognizing him too.

"Tawnylon!" Armesto exclaimed, getting up quickly and hugging him tightly.

"Armesto!" Tawnylon shouted, returning the hug with equal enthusiasm.

Thamuz watched as his father hugged the man, puzzled by their familiarity. He looked at his mother and asked:

"Who's the man hugging dad?"

"He's Armesto, your father's childhood friend. We thought he was dead when we fled this city," Aolani replied.

"Long time no see, friend!" both friends said, still hugging, tears streaming from their eyes.

Finally, they separated and looked at each other. Armesto lightly punched Tawnylon's chest with his palm and began to laugh.

"I thought you wouldn't come back. Since you left, I haven't heard from you," Armesto said, smiling.

"We had to hide very well. We didn't know if Zarakel would hold a grudge against us," explained Tawnylon.

"Well, tell me, what made you come back? Are you planning to participate in the shamonak to death?" Armesto asked, curious.

"I would if I were a little younger, but it's something much more special. My son will participate in the shamonak to death," Tawnylon replied.

"Your son? You finally had a son? What a miracle! Where is he? I want to see him," Armesto said, excitedly.

Tawnylon nodded slightly, indicating to his friend that his son was in the carriage. Armesto became greatly excited and headed toward where his friend pointed, but he was startled to see Thamuz with his peculiar appearance, staring at him with those black and red eyes. Thamuz raised his hand in greeting, and Armesto slowly walked backward, returning to Tawnylon.

"I think there's a demon in your carriage," Armesto whispered in Tawnylon's ear.

Tawnylon chuckled and placed a reassuring hand on Armesto's shoulder.

"Easy there, friend. This is my son, Thamuz. His appearance may be striking, but he's a good lad."

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"By Azhamat, Tawnylon, I know you're not the violent type or anything, but I'm sure you were mad when you were doing it," Armesto said, with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

Tawnylon laughed again, and so did Armesto. They both stopped and Tawnylon indicated that Thamuz posed no danger.

"Really, Armesto, you have nothing to worry about. Thamuz is a good kid," Tawnylon said, patting his friend on the back.

Armesto, still a bit nervous, gathered his courage and approached Thamuz again.

"Sorry for my reaction, young man. It's a pleasure to meet you," Armesto said, extending his hand.

Thamuz shook Armesto's hand firmly and nodded.

"The pleasure is mine," Thamuz replied, trying to smile to ease the tension.

Armesto glanced at Tawnylon and Aolani, surprised but impressed by Thamuz's presence.

"There must be an interesting story behind this young man," Armesto said, trying to understand the situation.

"Yes, friend. Many stories to tell, but first we need to find a place to park our carriage," Tawnylon replied.

"Come, I invite you to my house. It has enough space to store your carriage," Armesto suggested.

"Thank you, friend," Tawnylon said.

Armesto led them down the road, occasionally chatting with Tawnylon about the time that had passed until they arrived at the house. The house was very large, surrounded by well-tended vegetation and with a settlement behind it that contained several animals.

"Wow, how did you get such a mansion?" Tawnylon said, looking at the house in amazement.

"Now I am the one who organizes the shamonak fights instead of fighting them. Really, you realize how much effort I was making to win a few coins in comparison to those who only see and organize everything," Armesto replied, walking to his house.

They arrived at the house and Armesto opened a large door, revealing a spacious area to Tawnylon. He instructed his wife and son to disembark, and they obeyed. He parked the carriage in that space and let out a deep sigh.

Stepping out, he looked around, observing Thamuz and Aolani, then turning his gaze toward the house.

"Come on in, make yourselves at home," Armesto said, opening the doors to his home.

Thamuz and Aolani followed Tawnylon and Armesto inside. The interior was even more impressive: large windows let in natural light that illuminated carefully selected decorations. The walls were adorned with brightly colored tapestries and paintings that seemed to recount stories of ancient battles and festivities.

"You have a beautiful home," Aolani said, admiring the place.

"Thank you, Aolani. We've worked hard to make it comfortable and inviting," Armesto replied, with a proud smile.

Thamuz walked around in awe, examining every detail. He noticed a large library in one of the rooms, filled with ancient books and scrolls. He approached to investigate, feeling an irresistible attraction to the knowledge those books might contain.

A woman descended the stairs, wearing a white dress that moved with the wind. She had a notable feature: a broken horn on her forehead.

"Hello, love, did you bring guests?" the woman asked, finishing her descent.

"Yes, do you remember Tawnylon? My childhood friend," Armesto said, approaching the woman.

Armesto and the woman exchanged a passionate kiss, with the woman extending a long tongue from her mouth and playing with Armesto's mouth. Thamuz watched the scene somewhat disturbed, while Aolani and Tawnylon watched them with tenderness.

"That's how we used to do it when we were young," Aolani and Tawnylon said with a nostalgic tone.

Armesto and the woman stopped kissing and stood in front of Tawnylon and Aolani. Armesto introduced his wife.

"This is Yakrare, daughter of the sixth richest man in this city. She's also my wife, my beloved," Armesto said, looking tenderly at Yakrare.

"I always knew you liked to go big," Tawnylon said sarcastically.

Thamuz didn't pay much attention to the adults' conversations and continued exploring the house, discovering new things with every step. His eyes focused on a gigantic shelf containing various relics and trophies. He approached to get a better look and was impressed.

There were different belts and trophies inscribed with the word "shamonak," each bearing a number that was always present: the number three.

"It looks beautiful, don't you think?" a voice behind him said.

Thamuz turned and saw a young man, probably around his age, with a similar appearance to Yakrare. He had a small broken horn and an air of confidence.

"Yes, they're impressive," Thamuz replied. "Are you...?"

"I'm Narek, Armesto and Yakrare's son," the young man said, extending his hand. "I see you've found my father's trophy collection."

Thamuz shook Narek's hand, noting the firmness of his grip.

"Your father has won many shamonaks, hasn't he?" Thamuz asked.

"That's right. He was one of the best. Though he always got third place, he fought in a way worthy of legends," Narek said proudly.

"I see. I hope I can at least match him," Thamuz said, determination in his voice.

"Are you going to participate in the shamonak to death?" Narek asked.

"Yes, I have to fight against the king's son," Thamuz replied.

"Gigantino!" Narek exclaimed, immediately covering his mouth.

"Gigantino," Thamuz said in a low voice.

"Yeah, he looks big, but I don't think there's any problem in beating him. He seems like an idiot," Thamuz said, chuckling lightly.

"Yeah, I won't deny that, but Gigantino is too strong. I've seen his fights and most of them end with the opponent in the first blow, if not playing with it," Narek recounted, worried.

"Nonsense. I will defeat him with a blow," Thamuz said, making a gesture with his palm.

"That's what the last person who faced him said. Gigantino left it so damaged that they had to collect it with a shovel. It took three hours to collect everything that was left of him," Narek said, expressing disgust on his face.

"Surely he did not use special techniques to face Gigantino, which I will. I will duck and hit him with both palms in the ribs," Thamuz continued arguing.

"Your arrogance makes me somewhat concerned, but well, for your height and the way you have your body, maybe you have some opportunity. I would say that a seven percent chance, and being generous," Narek said, turning back and starting to walk.

"Hey, wait, where are you going?" Thamuz asked.

—"Well, I'm going outside. I want to soak up some sun," Narek replied.

—"Can I join you?"

"Well, I don't see why not."

Thamuz and Narek went outside, where the sun shone brightly and the fresh air filled their lungs. They walked through Armesto's house gardens, surrounded by lush vegetation and vibrant flowers.

"How do you know so much about Gigantino?" Thamuz asked, breaking the silence.

"I've been in almost every shamonak fight since my father started organizing them. I've seen many fighters face off and fall before Gigantino. He's a fearsome opponent," Narek replied, looking at the horizon.

"That just motivates me even more, besides, I have a goal in mind for when I defeat him," Thamuz said, looking equally at the horizon.

"What is it?" Narek asked, intrigued.

"To free a friend of mine. I just met him for a few minutes, but his eyes told me a whole story, a story of suffering and pain," Thamuz replied.

"What's his name?" he asked again.

"Shandam, that's his name," Thamuz replied.

"Shandam? I think I've seen him. Gigantino always takes him for a walk like he's a creature by the city, with a collar and leash around his neck," Narek recounted.

Thamuz was silent for a moment, lowering his gaze a little, and in a serious tone said, "That giant is going to fall."

"Thamuz, Narek!" a voice shouted from behind.

The two boys turned their heads and saw their parents calling them, they immediately went to them.

"I see you've been getting to know each other, it's a great pleasure that our families are joining forces right now," Armesto said.

"Yes, he's been telling me a bit about his future fight with Gigantino," Narek commented.

Armesto slowly stopped smiling, turned his head towards Tawnylon, and he did the same.

"Is your son going to fight against Gigantino?" he asked.

"That's what I was going to tell you," Tawnylon replied.

"It can't be, Tawnylon, you can't send the boy against him, I thought he was only going to fight a few rounds and that was it," Armesto said, worried.

"It's really much more complex. But what do you mean by rounds?" he asked Tawnylon

"Zarakel changed the rules at the last moment. I thought Gigantino was going to fight some random person, but now it turns out to be in rounds. Your son will have to fight against several unknown fighters," Armesto replied.

"I always knew Zarakel was a coward, but not like this. He wants to put rounds on my son so that he's tired and injured when he has to fight Gigantino," Aolani protested, visibly upset.

"He was the one who wanted a direct fight, but look at him now, he had to resort to a dishonorable method," Tawnylon protested equally.

"You can't make those rounds disappear, can you?" Aolani asked desperately, putting her arms on Armesto's shoulders.

Armesto took Aolani's hands and slowly started to remove them from his shoulders, giving her a look of pity and looking away.

"If I had known in advance that your son was the one who would fight, I would have done everything possible to match him with weak opponents, but now it's too late. Zarakel would have my head if I changed his strongest fighters at the last moment," Armesto explained, looking Aolani in the eyes.

Aolani looked into his eyes as well, knowing he wanted to help them, but couldn't because of his position. She lowered her hands, freeing herself from Armesto's grip, and went to her husband, embracing him.

"Let's trust Thamuz. I taught him the shamonak very well," Tawnylon said, trying to comfort Aolani.

Thamuz watched with confusion everything that was happening, only understanding some parts of what they were saying. He approached Armesto and whispered in his ear:

"What do the rounds mean?"

"It means you'll have to fight a different wrestler every day, the strongest ones Zarakel has at his disposal, each one stronger than the last," Armesto replied.

Thamuz listened to the answer, trying to process it. As he understood what it meant, he made a grimace, eyes wide open.

"Will I be able to fight more?" he asked.

"That's the idea," Armesto replied.

Tawnylon watched how Thamuz reacted to Armesto's response, a slight smile forming on his face. He admired the new fighting spirit Thamuz had developed. He looked down and saw Aolani shedding some tears.

"You need to rest a bit, son. Your first shamonak match will start in five hours," Tawnylon said, approaching Thamuz with Aolani.

"I will, father, but where are the beds?" Thamuz asked.

"Come with me, I'll show you where they are," Yakrare said, gesturing for Thamuz to follow.

Thamuz obeyed and went with her. They climbed some stairs and found themselves in a hallway with several rooms.

"Pick whichever room you want," Yakrare said, turning to leave.

"Thank you," Thamuz replied as he walked towards the rooms.

He examined each room and chose the one on the left, in the middle. It seemed to be the most comfortable and cozy, with a gigantic bed that was bigger than Thamuz and Tawnylon combined.

Thamuz dropped his body onto the bed, and it did not break, cushioning his weight and softening like cotton. Thamuz lay on his back and raised his hand to the ceiling.

"I will defeat them all," he said.

He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.