Candado, compelled to fight, prepared for the battle, knowing that his powers were related to the cold, and it was likely that they would weaken in the heat. He just had to wait for the first strike.
"Listen to me, I don't want to fight you," said Candado.
"But I do."
At that moment, Faustino launched an ice sphere towards Candado, but he destroyed it with his flaming fists. Faustino was pleased to see that Candado was the one he was looking for. Candado ignited his eyes with violet flame, and tattoos of the same color appeared on his face.
"It seems I won't be able to reason with you anymore," said Candado.
He then lunged at Faustino, delivering blows all over his body. However, at one point, Faustino grabbed Candado's right arm, threw him into the air, and, once in the sky, created a very large ice sphere with his hands and threw it. Candado quickly dodged it and landed on his feet. Once on the ground, Candado unleashed violet fire from his hands, and as Faustino had heavy clothes, he couldn't dodge them. This caused his garments to burn and tear. When all his clothes turned to ashes, his skin began to transform into blue ice.
"Darn it, I think I can't contain my power anymore," said Faustino.
Candado ran towards him and hit him with his flaming fists all over the body, but it did no harm, as each time he melted, he regenerated. Until at one point, Faustino tried to strike, but as Candado was experienced, he stopped him with his counterpalm.
"It's not worth it," said Candado.
Faustino, furious, threw hail at Candado with his other hand, but as soon as it approached his face, it began to melt in the air. Candado continued to show his cold expression. Faustino began to feel fear seeing him like that, so he backed away until, at a certain point, he threw very large blocks of ice at Candado, the size of a house. Candado walked towards him without any concern. Faustino, who was trembling in fear, threw the blocks at him, but Candado destroyed them with his head. Faustino kept throwing hail, but Candado continued to dodge it. Until, at a certain point, Candado ran at an impressive speed and hit him in the chest with his fist. The impact sent Faustino flying through the air and crashing into a statue that was there. One might think that with that blow, he would stop bothering, but it wasn't so. Faustino could still stand, and when he did, he transformed his body into a kind of diamond, and his eyes changed from green to a white tone, as if he were dead.
"It's time to finish you off," said Faustino.
Candado responded with a knee to the abdomen, a blow to the neck, a kick to the back, and a club that sent him flying again.
"Now you want to talk? Fight, idiot, and don't talk."
Faustino stood up and sent a freezing wind towards Candado's legs, preventing him from moving. Taking advantage of this situation, Faustino returned all the blows, but Candado still managed to defend himself. He stopped all the blows with his arms and even threw his attacks with his violet flames at Faustino, injuring him in every way. However, Faustino didn't give up and continued attacking Candado fiercely.
Candado, tired of being frozen, managed to hit Faustino in the head with his frozen feet, breaking the ice that had him trapped and injuring his opponent at the same time. But it didn't end there. Candado grabbed Faustino's arm and threw him with all his strength to the ground. When he was about to knock him out, Faustino freed himself and kicked him in the chest. Candado, showing no sign of pain on his face, raised his head and looking at Faustino said:
"Is that all? It didn't even hurt, kid."
Faustino got scared again and went all out: punches, kicks, clubbing, and headbutts, leaving his clothes dirty and wet because his body transformed into ice. Candado, with blood on his forehead, looked at Faustino again with his cold expression and said:
"Your punches are downright garbage. I'll show you what real punches are, piece of palette."
At that moment, Candado grabbed Faustino by the neck and hit him with all his strength, breaking his ice-diamond armor. Definitely, Faustino felt more pain, and he knelt down in agony. But Candado wasn't satisfied. He lifted him and threw him into the air. Once there, he said:
"HEY! HERNÁN FAUSTINO!"
After saying that, he threw a sphere of violet fire with a single hand towards Faustino. The energy hit his body and ended up completely destroying his ice-diamond armor and weakening him completely.
As Faustino was about to fall to the ground, Candado moved a bunch of leaves from the trees into one sector to cushion the fall. Faustino fell into the pile of leaves, totally injured and with almost no clothes. Candado approached him and helped him to his feet, as he couldn't do it alone.
"I thought I would win, but I was wrong," said Faustino.
"Don't worry, you're not the only one who thought the same."
"Well, at least it was fun and frightening at the same time. I hope to fight you again on another occasion," said Faustino.
"I just hope there won't be another occasion," said Candado.
"Well, it's time for me to go back to my province..."
"Wait, what about your clothes? Are you going back home without clothes and those pants?"
At that moment, Faustino applauded, and his body was covered by a new set of clothes made of ice.
"This will be enough for me until I get to my hotel," he continued with a handshake. "It was a pleasure, Mr. Candado. I learned about my strengths and weaknesses by fighting with you."
After saying that, Faustino left the place, and Candado walked back home with his clothes in a mess. The curious thing about that situation is that the town wasn't surprised since Candado had fought countless times with a new guy, and sometimes, after each fight, his clothes were either clean or dirty.
While Candado was heading home, he encountered someone unexpected again, but it wasn't a bad thing. Rather, it was someone who wouldn't harm him. It was Tarah, with her friend and bodyguard Xendí.
"Buenas, Lord Beret," said Tarah.
"Not now, I'm all dirty, and the last thing I want is to receive your mockery."
When he said that, Xendí positioned himself between them.
Xendí: A robot created by Tarah's mother when she was a baby. Xendí has neat, ash-gray short hair and blue eyes similar to Clementina's. He wears stylish dark pants, a black tailcoat, formal white gloves, and formal white shoes. Xendí is very overprotective of Tarah, showing kindness and prudence. He always seeks to avoid violence, enjoys collecting stones, and feels empathy for Clementina. Additionally, Xendí hates cats.
Power: Despite appearances, Xendí is much stronger than Clementina, as well as his weaponry, but he doesn't know how to use it. He can also transform his arm into any type of weapon.
Abilities: All related to cleanliness.
"How dare you speak to the lady like that? You're very rude," said Xendí.
"Don't tell me. What exactly would you do to me? Nothing, absolutely nothing."
"You are discourteous and a..."
"Calm down, Xendí, don't bother Candado. It's understandable that he's in a bad mood. Look at his clothes; they're all... neglected."
"Well, if you're done, I'd like to get back to my house as soon as possible."
"Yes, you have free passage, but before that, let Xendí fix you up."
"But, miss..."
"No 'buts.' Help Lord Beret, please."
"Right away, miss," said Xendí, disappointed.
At that moment, Xendí set the shopping bags on the ground and raised his arm to Candado's chest. A kind of light blue scanner emanated from it, moving up and down repeatedly until Candado's clothes gradually repaired themselves.
When finished, Xendí lowered his arm and took the shopping bags. As for Candado, he thanked Tarah and Xendí, although the latter felt somewhat disgusted to receive a "thank you" from him. But it didn't matter; as long as Candado felt good thanking them, nothing else mattered.
Once that unexpected encounter ended, Candado continued down the avenue towards his house. Along the way, Candado felt a bit tired. He felt like the sun was following him closely, very closely. It was likely to explode at any moment. It was like a balloon you inflate until it bursts. He was in a bad mood, and who wouldn't be with the horrible heat? Not to mention the bruises on his body. But Candado managed. Just knowing that he would get home and take a shower was the only thing keeping him in some kind of balance between his happiness and his horrible fury.
When Candado awakens his fury, it can be fatal and deadly, as when he's like that, nothing can stop him, except one person: his mother. There's nothing scarier than a mother's anger.
Candado arrived home without problems, except for the large bag of "fury" he carried on his back, which was about to explode. As he was about to touch the door, it opened, and a rather irritated Clementina emerged, another object to carry on his back.
"Where were you? Look at your face and hands. Don't tell me you were in another fight?"
"Look, I had a horrible morning. All I want is to take a bath."
"It's very intriguing that your clothes aren't in the same condition as your face and hands."
"Yes, I'm so cool that I only messed up my face and hands. Are you going to let me in, or are you going to leave me here in hell?"
"Weren't you the one who got used to the heat, young master?" Clementina asked as she stepped aside.
"Look at how I'm dressed. With this on, I can't tolerate the heat."
"You worried Hammya and Mrs. Andrea a lot. Please, don't do it again," said Candado.
"Sorry, I won't do it again," Candado replied as he headed to his room.
When he entered his room, Clementina, without saying anything more, grabbed a broom and started sweeping. As she did, baby Karen, crawling on the floor, imitated her in everything she did: sweeping, cleaning, washing, and organizing. Until Karen grabbed onto Clementina's leg while she was washing the dishes. Clementina immediately stopped washing and lifted Karen. It was the first time she had her in her arms. At first, she didn't know how to act or what to feel when holding her. The baby, on the other hand, was fascinated with Clementina's crystal eyebrows and eyes. So much so that she even touched them. Clementina showed no reaction, didn't blink or stop her; she just let her do all that. Then, she took her to a crib in the living room, sat her down there, but the baby clung to Clementina's back, leaving her immobile. Carefully, Clementina moved her inhuman hands to her back, took her by the sides, and placed her back in the crib before quickly moving away.
Twenty minutes later, someone knocked on the door, and Clementina went to open it. It was Héctor, exhausted and with a newspaper in hand.
"Is Candado here?"
"Yes, but he's taking a shower. He won't be long. But what brings you here in that state?"
"It's urgent; I need to show him something."
"What is so important that you act like this?"
At that moment, Candado came down with wet hair and approached Héctor, asking, "What's going on? Why are you like this?"
Héctor handed over the newspaper and showed him the headline from the second column. Candado took the newspaper and began to read.
REVENGE?
Yesterday, at 10:54 p.m., the Triple C.C.C. guild (Cooperative Community Cascabel), better known in Resistencia as the Rattlesnakes, caught fire. According to local police reports, 13 children died, and only one survived. The forensic examiner determined that the bodies of the children were already dead when the house caught fire. The witness and survivor, Juan, said the following: "They entered as if nothing, dressed in black with a silver eagle on their chests, then they shot us. Our president, Elián, fought with those strangers but was shot in the forehead and fell lifeless at my feet. One of them approached me and pointed a gun at me with the intention of killing me, but my friend Mariela pulled me out of the window with a blow to the chest. Then I heard the shots over her; it was horrible (…)." The Resistencia police are looking for the criminals responsible for this heinous act. Governor Jorge Milton Capitanich and Mayor Aida Ayala expressed their condolences to the affected families and promised to bring the culprits to justice.
"What does this mean?" Candado asked.
"They are hunting us, Candado. The Circuit is behind all of this," said a disturbed Héctor.
Something very strange was happening. A guild had been burned, and its members had been murdered. Candado was shocked to read this terrible news. Héctor wanted to talk more, so the three moved to the living room. Candado and Clementina sat together, while Héctor took the seat next to Candado.
"I can't believe it; it's simply impossible," said Candado.
"Believe it; it's the truth. The Circuit is behind all of this."
"Let's not rush into conclusions. Maybe it's not them; perhaps it's others," Candado expressed his opinion.
"If it's not them, then who could it be?" Héctor asked.
"I don't know, but I'm sure it wasn't them."
"Listen to me, I know the Circuit helped your family in the past, and I understand. If it weren't for them, our guild's name would never have been cleared. But now it's different; those people no longer exist. Everything has changed."
"Think, Héctor. Why would the Circuits and the U.F.E.T.C. want to make a small guild like the Rattlesnakes disappear?"
"Maybe to give us a warning, I don't know. That doesn't matter now. What matters is that they killed our brothers; we won't tolerate this aggression; we have to act."
Candado brought his left hand to his chin and said, "I know you're furious because lives were lost, but I want you to think for a moment. Remember that Esteban is the leader of the Circuits."
"And what about it?"
"Esteban is dating Tarah, you know her, she leads the Tiles. And what are the Tiles? A guild. Now, here's the interesting part: Esteban has done nothing but stop any potential war with the W.O.G.A.B. It's highly unlikely that he would do such a thing, not to mention that his only goal is to defeat me. So far, neither of us has won, but he wants to be the first to defeat me, nothing more."
"Yes, maybe you're right, but it could also be a play by the Circuit," said Héctor.
"What do you mean?" Candado asked.
"Oh, please, remember what happened when Esteban became the leader."
"How could I forget? There was destruction all over the world; they were very upset about such a choice. They couldn't tolerate a pacifist who has a love bond with a guild leader being their leader."
"Exactly. Maybe they want to start a war to oust Esteban from power," said Clementina.
"It's improbable. It would be impossible for that to happen since Esteban has gained popularity among them. Removing him would be the end of the Circuit as a global entity. They wouldn't tolerate that because it would go against the principles of Tanatos. They, if they wanted, would tolerate a fool, an incompetent, even a murderer, as long as they don't leave the F.U.C.O.T. leaderless."
"So, what do you think is really happening?" Héctor asked.
"I think it's a ruse by someone. They want us to believe it's the Circuit's fault so that we go to war with them."
"But why would they want us to believe such a thing?" Héctor asked again.
"I have no idea, but I know it's true."
"How do you know?"
"It's obvious. The Rattlesnake guild is weak, no matter how you look at it. Elián only manipulated the composition of matter, a power that is quite poor compared to someone like you or Matlotsky."
"Matlotsky doesn't have powers," Héctor said.
"I already know that. Do I look like a fool or what?" Candado asked irritably.
"Well, well, well, don't get upset... uh... How do you know what the intentions of this person X are?"
"If the Circuit really wanted a war, they would have attacked settlements in Athens, Chubut, Berlin, Brasilia, Madrid, and Moscow to weaken the O.M.G.A.B. But they only attacked one settlement in Chaco. If the Circuit had started a war, they would seek to destroy their enemy by surprise, not warn or alert them. Why spend resources on a guild that is minimal to them? It doesn't make sense. One seeks to win the war, not lose it. It would make sense for them to destroy our guild, but they didn't. Someone wants to incriminate the Circuit in all this."
"So, what should we do?"
"We need to warn our comrades throughout the province, no... throughout the world. We'll be on high alert 24 hours a day. They won't drag us into a new war," Candado said, standing up.
"Yes, I'll inform everyone to be careful with those who wear an eagle on their chest."
His friend's statement surprised Candado, who asked in astonishment, "What did you say?"
"I said I'll inform everyone to be careful with those who wear..."
"THE SILVER EAGLE ON THEIR CHEST!" Candado shouted in surprise.
"What's wrong with you?" Héctor and Clementina asked.
"Clementina, give me your phone. This is an emergency," Candado ordered.
"What do you need it for?"
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"JUST DO IT!" Candado shouted.
At that moment, Clementina took out her phone and handed it to him. Candado took a card from his pocket, the one Nelson had given him at that restaurant, and dialed the number. After a few minutes, they answered.
"Hello, it's me, Candado. Can you tell me where you live?"
"I didn't think you'd call so early, but okay, I live at 180 San Martín Avenue," Nelson said.
Candado hung up and said, "It's close by. Héctor, I want you to inform everyone else. I want them at my house in one hour."
"Right away," he said as he rushed out of the house.
As Héctor went to inform his comrades, Candado sat back in his chair, crossed his arms and legs, and a thoughtful expression took over his face.
"What's happening, Candado?" Clementina asked.
"The silver eagle... They were the ones who killed my grandfather. I feel like my revenge is near."
"They killed Mr. Alfred? How do you know?" Clementina asked.
"That person I spoke to on the phone is the one who knows about them and also about their origin," Candado replied.
At that moment, Hammya came down the stairs. Clementina greeted her, and Candado just made a gesture with his hand. When she approached Candado, she asked him:
"Where were you?"
"In the North Pole. It's cold there, so I decided to spend some time in that place," Candado said sarcastically.
"Seriously, you have to drop that attitude. It won't get you anywhere."
"I don't give a damn. I don't have any right or law to tell you where I was," Candado said, covering his eyes with his beret.
Hammya took that as an offense, and to make him pay for what he said, she threw a pillow that was next to him.
"It didn't hurt."
"Because you should try being kind, just like you are when you're with Yara."
"Ohhhh, so Candado is sweet and kind when he's with children, huh?" Clementina said with her hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter.
"One more word, and I'll shut you up," Candado said, annoyed.
"Why are you cold and fearsome with others, but not with children?" Hammya asked.
"Because I'm diabolical," Candado replied.
"Now seriously, behave," Hammya said.
"Would you mind not meddling in my life? I already have enough with Clementina. Now I have to put up with you. I'm somewhat tired of people getting involved in my life."
"Well, I won't do it anymore until you show more respect for those around you, starting with me."
"And with that, will you stop bothering me?"
"Of course."
"Fine, what do you want then?"
"I want you to apologize for threatening me three times with your damn knife," Hammya said.
"I'm sorry, I promise to try not to do that to you again," Candado apologized, although he did so insincerely.
"Also, I want you to change your attitude toward me and Clementina."
"In what sense?"
"You shouldn't react with violence towards us. You shouldn't be sarcastic or authoritarian."
"If I don't comply, what would someone who gets scared so easily do to me?"
"I trust my instinct that you're very proud of yourself, almost vain. If you don't, you'll be a coward who didn't want to accept the easiest demands you've had."
"You're good at this, Hammya," Clementina congratulated.
"All for you to leave me alone. I accept your absurd and childish requests," Candado said, adjusting his beret.
"Good, that's settled then," Hammya said.
At that moment, there was another knock on the door, but this time Candado went to open it, and behind it was Héctor with the other comrades. Candado looked at his watch and said.
"Great, you arrived twenty minutes early."
"I was as fast as I could be," Héctor said.
"What's happening, Candado, is there an emergency?" Declan asked.
"No, nothing like that. I want you to come with me," Candado said.
"Wherever you go, I'll go," German said.
When Candado was about to close the door behind him, Clementina stopped it with her hand, and he said irritably.
"If you wanted to close the door, you could have told me. There was no need to stop it like that."
"I'm sorry, young master, but we'll go with you."
"We'll go?"
"Yes, Hammya will also come."
Candado, biting his lips, said.
"Fine, but don't break anything."
Hammya and Clementina exited. Once outside, Candado closed the door behind them. Without further interruptions, Candado and his comrades headed to Nelson's house. Most of his friends didn't know where they were going, walking for a few minutes, turning a few corners until they reached a fairly large white house with two windows. Candado approached and knocked on the door while answering Lucas, who wanted to know why they were there.
"What are we doing here?"
Candado, without turning around, replied, "You'll know very soon, and all of you too."
At that moment, the door opened, and behind it was an elderly man in shorts, espadrilles, and a scientist's robe.
"I thought it was something... decent," Candado said.
Nelson burst into laughter and said, "And you are very decent for such a hot morning."
"Why are you wearing that robe?"
"Well, you see, I'm a scientist, little piece of coal."
When he said that, Anzor unsheathed his sword and placed it at the old man's throat, but the old man didn't stop smiling.
"How dare you talk to Lucas like that?"
"Vladimir, lower your sword, we didn't come to fight," Candado ordered.
"But this old man..."
"I TOLD YOU TO LOWER IT! We didn't come to fight," Candado repeated.
After he said that, Anzor sheathed his sword and apologized to his leader and to the old man.
"Wow, you really have them under control," Nelson said, arms crossed.
"I don't want your praise; I want you to respect my friends. I don't care if you're racist; you're going to call them by their name and not by nicknames."
"You're just like your grandfather. Don't worry, I'm not racist. We also had a dark-skinned friend, but he was indigenous. What are you doing here with your battalion at my door?"
"I came here because I saw a news article in the newspaper this morning. Interestingly, it's related to this," Candado said, pulling out a silver eagle from his pocket.
"Ah, who would have thought. It seems you're very interested now. It gives me great pride," Nelson said.
"Well, I'm glad you feel that way. Now I want to know about this," Candado said, shaking the silver eagle.
Nelson nodded and allowed them to enter his house, stepping aside. Candado and his companions walked in.
The place was large and clean. The walls had white tiles with red flowers, and the floor was wooden. Several pictures of communist heroes adorned the entrance wall and the living room, where they sat down. It wasn't a problem for Candado's friends, as it was very spacious with about ten armchairs arranged in a square shape, each able to accommodate four people, all in the same green color. In the center, there was a table with a television with eight faces, a rather peculiar TV but not so surprising for an old man who had a Peronist in such good condition.
"This guy is quite strange. Look at the television he has," Lucas commented.
"Surely it's from Europe or one of those first-world places, not like in this land of death," Matlotsky said.
When he said that, Candado kicked him in the leg, specifically in the femur, causing him pain and making him bend to hold his leg. Candado seized the opportunity and punched him in the head, causing Matlotsky to recline in the chair, holding his head.
"As long as I'm present, you won't speak ill of this wonderful country, you damn idiot," Candado said.
"Whatever you say, boss," Matlotsky said.
"Do you want to get punched again?" Candado asked.
"No, not at all," Matlotsky replied.
"Then don't call me that. I already have enough with Clementina calling me that; I don't want another person to address me like that."
"Relax, Candado. Right now, we're in someone else's house; it wouldn't be a good idea to kill him here," Héctor said.
"Thanks, friend," Matlotsky said.
"If you want, you can kill him outside; I'll help you," Héctor joked.
"Hey, are you defending me, or are you speeding up my death?" Matlotsky asked.
"A bit of both. It's not bad to have two jobs," Héctor replied with a smile.
Everyone burst into laughter when he said that, everyone except Candado, who only showed a smile on his cold and expressionless face. But while everyone was laughing, Nelson appeared from the kitchen with a bag of cookies and soda.
"This brings back so many memories," Nelson said with an attempt at nostalgia.
"What memories? What memories?" Clementina asked.
At that moment, Grivna emerged from Nelson's pocket.
"Memories from Mr. Nelson Torres's childhood," Grivna announced.
But when little Grivna introduced herself, everyone became agitated and drew their weapons, except for Candado, Clementina, and Hammya, the latter hiding behind him. Meanwhile, Grivna climbed up to Nelson's shoulder, drew her knife, and assumed a combat stance.
"You guys are funny. I can't believe you're on the defensive over something as harmless as that little thing there," Candado said.
"WHAT THING!?" Grivna shouted.
"But sir, you yourself said not to underestimate people who seem inferior," Anzor said.
"ME, INFERIOR!?" Grivna shouted again.
"This seems like a soap opera," Lucía commented.
"Yeah, it does," Erika agreed.
"QUIET, ALL OF YOU!" Grivna shouted for the third time.
"Please don't shout; they are my guests," Nelson said.
"Ha, whatever you say," Grivna said as she climbed down from Nelson's shoulder.
"Alright, that's settled. It's time to talk," Candado said.
"Alright, whatever you want," as he sat down, Nelson continued, "What do you want to know now?"
"I would like you to tell me about the mercenaries you mentioned in that restaurant."
"Why do you want to know?" Nelson asked.
"Thirteen members of the Cascabel guild died today, and I know for a fact that they are involved."
"Yes, I already figured. What do you think about this matter?"
"I think they are trying to instigate a war between the guilds and the circuits."
"Well, you guessed right. Unfortunately, there aren't many people like you who think that way. Another war is more likely to start."
"That's why I'm here. You know a lot about this. I want to know who those guys are and why they want to start a war."
"Because Greg knows about the emerald we showed you, and he's trying everything to take it from us. What you read in the newspaper is just the beginning; there will be more attacks."
"Then why don't you stop him?" Clementina asked.
"Unfortunately, we don't know where he's hiding. He's been attacking other guilds and fleeing to find you, Candado, but now he's very close to finding you."
"Let him come. When he faces the mighty Roobóleo guild, he will be destroyed. Right, boss?" Ana María said.
"Your enthusiasm and bravery are admirable, but these people are very different from the Circuit," Nelson replied.
"What do you mean exactly?" Lucía and Erika asked.
Nelson leaned forward and changed his demeanor; he stopped being charismatic and became serious. At that moment, everyone realized the gravity of the situation.
"Greg not only hires mercenaries to do the job, but he also uses innocent children to do it. For years, he's been kidnapping children from their homes and taking them to an unknown place. In that same place, he uses a type of magic to control them..."
"Rucrenian magic," Héctor interrupted.
"What's that?" Nelson asked.
"Rucrenia was a woman who had the ability to control other people with that magic. At that time, she was the only person who could do that. But if there's someone who can do something like that, then they could be very powerful against us," Héctor said.
"Why would it be strong?" Candado asked.
"It's hard to explain with that attitude. How many children has Greg kidnapped?" Héctor asked.
"Like... twelve hundred," Nelson said.
"Then it's a problem, Candado. It takes a lot of soul magic to control a thousand two hundred human beings. Not even Tánatos had that kind of power. But if this guy can do something like that, we're in trouble," Héctor said with concern.
"You don't have to worry like that, Alvino. Greg doesn't have powers."
"In these years, have you saved anyone from that individual?" Declan asked.
"Yes, we have, and we continue to do so," Nelson said.
"How many people have you saved all these years?" Lucas asked.
"We've saved three hundred and eighty-six," Nelson replied.
"Well, I expected more, but what can you do?" Matlotsky said.
"But these people are nothing compared to the ones this guy kidnaps every day," Nelson said.
"But the people you rescue, Greg doesn't kidnap them again?" Anzor asked.
"No, Rucrenian magic can only be used once. If the individual uses that spell again, they can harm themselves, as if their previous victim was controlled, their body and mind can defend against it. It's like chickenpox, you only get it once," Héctor explained.
"What the kid said," Nelson added.
"Something is wrong. If Greg doesn't have powers, then who is controlling them?" Candado asked.
"We don't know, we've never met him," Nelson said.
"This looks interesting. I think if I follow this path, I'll find the mastermind behind my grandfather's murder," Candado said.
"It could be, but for that, you would have to know where he hides," Nelson said.
"Don't worry, there's no one who can hide from me," Candado said.
"I don't doubt that, but you'll need our help," Nelson said.
"Excuse me, I don't want to insult you or anything, but aren't you a bit old for this?" Ana María asked.
When she said that, Nelson stood up, approached Ana, and with a cheerful yet eerie attitude, said:
"Hit me."
"Are you crazy? No," Ana said.
"Come on, do it. I give you permission to hit me wherever you want and however you want," Nelson said.
"But with my strength, I could kill you," Ana explained.
At that moment, Nelson slapped her and replied with a smile.
"Do it, or I'll hit you."
When he did that, Germán was about to stand up to hit him, but he couldn't because Candado grabbed his arm to stop him. This annoyed him so much that he bit his tongue and sat back down, like a faithful dog to his master. Once he sat back down, Candado let him go and told him not to do it anymore. But it didn't end there; Nelson kept insisting that Ana hit him over and over again, but she didn't want to, convinced that her punch could be fatal. So Ana looked at Candado, waiting for him to tell her what to do since he was the one witnessing everything. He nodded, giving her permission to hit him.
Ana, still hesitating, stood up and threw a direct punch, with her eyes closed, towards Nelson. And as a result of that... the room shook. After that deadly punch, Ana opened her eyes, and to her surprise, the old man had stopped it with his palm. Everyone was stunned, including Candado. An ordinary human would have died from that punch, but Nelson, with a smile on his face, sarcastically asked,
"Do I look like a veteran now?" Nelson asked.
Ana, who was catatonic, could only nod in agreement.
But Candado, who didn't understand what he had seen, asked him,
"I thought you weren't supposed to have powers?"
"I didn't lie to you; I don't have powers. I'm more normal than all of you," Nelson said.
"Then, how could you stop that punch?" Candado asked.
"It's simple; the experience I have in science led me to strengthen my bones and muscles with a serum I invented over thirty years ago," Nelson replied.
"In other words, your body is more resistant to blows, right?" Lucas asked.
"It's more interesting than it seems. What other things are you hiding from us, old man?" Declan asked with a smile.
"Heh, many things, young man, that I'll tell you another time, of course," Nelson said as he sat down.
"You're very strange," Clementina said.
"That's true... Anyway, now that you're here, I'm going to make you a "job offer." I hope you don't mind," Nelson said as he took a sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Candado.
"Job?" Candado asked.
"Yes, as you heard. I'm aware that you're very skilled in all of this, as well as strong. But I promised your grandfather that I would take care of you. The offer in your hand details what you can do and what you can't," Nelson said.
"I don't like what you're trying to do with me and the guild. Maybe you were a friend of my grandfather, but I won't tolerate being your servant," Candado said.
"Relax, I'm not going to make you sign agreements you don't like. Keep in mind this: What's the point of making a contract if I know you won't sign it? It makes no sense," Nelson said.
Candado carefully read the contract. It detailed everything he and his guild could do: listen to Nelson's phone calls, be punctual at meetings, obey Nelson and his members, etc. It also stated what they couldn't do: disobey direct orders from Nelson, not be late to meetings, not disclose or involve anyone outside the Roobóleo guild, etc. Everything in the contract had to be fulfilled without complaints or objections.
Apparently, everything was in order in that contract, and there was nothing that could bother Candado. However, in Candado's nature, he didn't like being given orders. So, respectfully, he said,
"I'm sorry, I won't sign this. My guild and I are dedicated to helping others, yes, but this kind of work is not for me, mainly because I hate always being stuck to orders. If this decision hinders the way to reach my grandfather's killer, then I'll look for him on my own."
"
Everyone was impressed by the way he spoke. Normally, Candado would burn the contract and tell it to go to hell, but that day he was very friendly and prudent. Those words that came out of his mouth and reached Nelson's ears made him applaud and say,
"No need to apologize. That's your decision, and I won't judge you for it. Besides, it doesn't affect our goal of reaching Greg, so don't worry, son. It's okay."
"So, what now?" Candado asked.
"You and your guild will help me with certain things, just as I will help you," Nelson said.
"What does that entail?" Héctor asked.
"It's very easy. When I need your help, I'll call you, you'll come, help me, and that's it," Nelson explained.
"That sounds... interesting. Don't you think, Candado? Surely, if we follow you, I can take down a few strong rivals," Declan said.
"As enthusiastic as ever," Anzor commented.
"What do you say? Do you accept?" Nelson asked.
When the old man made his proposal, everyone began to talk among themselves about what decision to make, but that was very short-lived, as Candado called for silence in a brusque and authoritative manner, simply placing his hand on the table to his right. Then, Candado stood up, approached Nelson, and, very confidently, extended his hand, saying,
"The Roobóleo guild and I accept your request."
The deal was sealed with a handshake.
As they closed the agreement, Clementina, in a clever manner, took a photo to remember that moment with a camera she had stored in her pockets. Although it seemed funny to see a robot using such a simple device as a camera, Clementina had forgotten to turn off the flash, which did not go unnoticed by Candado. However, this time, he decided to let it slide, mainly because he found it amusing that Clementina was so clumsy in that regard.
Once the deal was sealed, Candado and his companions prepared to leave Nelson's house. Before departing, Nelson touched Candado's shoulder and handed him a small vial.
"This will be useful for you," Nelson whispered in his ear. "I hope you use it wisely."
Then, Nelson closed the door behind them, and Candado examined the vial carefully. It was transparent, with a light green liquid and a black metal cap. The object caught his attention, but he didn't have much time to investigate because Héctor approached and asked,
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I'm fine," Candado replied.
As he was about to rejoin his friends, he began to cough violently and knelt on the ground. This worried Héctor and his friends, but Candado quickly stowed the vial in his pocket.
"Bloody?" Héctor exclaimed, surprised.
Candado stood up and started running quickly to get away from the place, leaving everyone astonished. Hammya, on the other hand, knew very well why Candado had coughed up blood, so, with no other option, she grabbed Clementina's shoulders and said,
"Please, don't let them go after him. Please."
"Yes, I'll do that, no problem," Clementina said, confused.
Then, Hammya ran towards where Candado had fled, surprising Héctor even more. He wanted to follow her, but Clementina stepped in and prevented him or any of them from going after Candado or Hammya, just as she had promised.
"Clementina, what's happening?" Declan asked.
"I have no idea," Clementina said, looking at Hammya as she ran after Candado. "For now, I'll leave this in Miss Saillim's hands."
Candado ran along the sidewalk with a handkerchief covering his mouth, colliding with pedestrians in his way. Behind him, Hammya pursued, skillfully dodging people. Candado ran and ran until he reached the entrance of his house, exhausted and coughing violently, spitting blood on the ground. Due to his condition, he couldn't enter his house and fell to the ground just in front of the door. At that moment, Hammya arrived, completely exhausted, but she didn't stop to help Candado, who was on the ground without strength. Hammya approached him and helped him stand up, placing her left arm behind his shoulder. However, Candado didn't want her help and didn't like being touched.
"Let go, I can handle it alone," Candado said, panting.
"No, it's not true. If that were the case, you wouldn't be on the ground," Hammya replied.
"This is humiliating."
"It's not humiliating if your friends help you."
"It's still humiliating."
Hammya opened the door and started to take Candado to his room with difficulty, while he complained and gave her orders to leave him alone, but she didn't. She continued carrying her friend until she reached his bedroom. Only when Hammya arrived at her destination did she leave Candado on his bed.
"I've told you I don't need your help."
"You're welcome, honestly, I don't care. Candado, I'll never leave someone stranded when they need me."
"Listen to me, I'm tougher than you. I don't need the help of a girl who faints when there's a conflict," Candado snapped.
"That's not true. It's never happened to me."
"What? Are you not going to tell me that you got sleepy when I saved you from those degenerates?"
"That... was an accident."
"Yes, one that could have ended badly. So, I don't need you," Candado clarified.
"Sometimes I wish you were more considerate with me," Hammya said.
"IT'S NOT TRUE. GET OUT OF MY BEDROOM! NOW!" Candado shouted, very angry.
With what had happened, Hammya quickly left the room, angry, not to mention that she had closed the door with great force.
"Who does he think he is to treat me like that?" Hammya muttered as she walked away from his bedroom.
Things hadn't ended well between them, especially because Candado had made a considerable effort to hide his poisoning. Now Hammya knew, and Héctor was beginning to suspect. He couldn't tolerate being under anyone's control, especially not from a woman who couldn't handle her powers. Now he had to swallow his pride to prevent everyone from finding out about the illness he suffered. He deeply hated those who meddled in his personal life. It was the first time he had been so close to Candado. He thought about all of this while he delved deeper and grew angrier. It was like pouring kerosene on a fire. On top of everything, he had fainted when he tried to open the door and had to receive help from a girl like Hammya, whom he considered a gossip.
In the midst of this annoying situation, Tínbari appeared out of nowhere, as always, just to mock Candado.
"I heard that 'the powerful boy' is being extorted by a girl."
"You're unbearable. One of these days, you'll pay for all your mockery."
"Don't get mad, Little Lock. Remember that you were the one who accepted her into the guild, so the problem is yours, not mine."
Candado remained silent for a brief moment because Tínbari was right. He had accepted Hammya into the guild, so he had to deal with the consequences.
"I see it's the first time you're left speechless. Heh, I think I'm getting better."
"No, you haven't improved at all. You're just an idiot who becomes more of an idiot as the seconds tick on my watch."
"And your life gets shorter as the seconds tick on my watch," Tínbari said, showing a wooden sphere of some kind.
"No, that stupid ball isn't going to predict whether I'm going to die or not."
"Heh, let's hope not, because it would be total boredom if something happened to you," Tínbari said as he stored the sphere away. "But remember, you have a curse running through your veins."
After saying that, Tínbari disappeared without a trace, as always, leaving Candado even angrier than he already was. It was likely that he would explode at any moment, and when that happened, there was no one in the world who could reason with him. But just as he was about to explode, Clementina arrived carrying baby Karen. The mere presence of his sister made Candado quickly calm down, not wanting to make his little sister cry. Apparently, there was something that kept him at peace, and that something was Karen.
"What's going on?" Candado asked with a feigned smile.
"Nothing, I just came to find out what was happening."
"Hmm, and for that, you had to bring my sister?"
"Don't get confused; when I was coming here, I found Karen crawling around."
"Well, if it's nothing, you can leave."
"In reality, there is something. Why did you run off like that?" Clementina asked imposingly.
Candado looked her in the eyes and replied, "That's not your concern. Let me tell you something, Clementina? You're no one to raise your voice at me like that. Make it clear. Now, get out of my room," Candado said, pointing to the door.
Clementina headed for the door.
"Listen, I was worried when you ran off like that. I'm sorry if my attitude bothered you. If you need anything, let me know," she said before closing the door behind her.
"Heh, she thinks she's something... Ahhh, I just hope the group hasn't found out about my condition," Candado said as he sat on the bed.
Just at that moment, he took out the strange vial that Nelson had given him and began examining it from top to bottom, trying to decipher the meaning of what Nelson had said: "I hope you use it wisely." With no success in understanding, he removed the lid of the vial, and a sweet aroma emanated from the container. Overwhelmed by curiosity, he decided to taste a drop of it.
"I can't believe what I'm about to do," Candado said as he brought a bit of the liquid to his mouth. He touched it with his tongue, but nothing happened. It was somewhat disappointing for him, but it also reassured him.
"It tastes strange, I can almost distinguish banana, strawberry, and other things," Candado said as he closed the vial. "I don't understand why Nelson would give me this."
Without fully understanding what he had consumed, he decided to put it back in his pants pocket and went downstairs to watch TV.