Candado was locked in his room, with no intention of coming out. It was more than obvious that it was due to the patch over his eye; he wanted to avoid explaining himself to his family, especially to his grandmother, who, to his misfortune, had the gift of reading minds.

"This is annoying," he muttered irritably.

He had his reasons for complaining. He couldn’t read or watch TV without feeling discomfort. Doing so with only one eye was exhausting, giving him headaches or making him sleepy. The only activity left for him seemed to be complaining. From time to time, he would get up from the bed and look at himself in the mirror; his eye was still yellow, though he didn’t feel alarmed by it.

"Ah…" he sighed, resigned.

Suddenly, a noise in the tree caught his attention. He approached the window, opened it slightly, and snapped his fingers.

"Asinóh."

As he whispered the word, a violet flame slipped through the opening, transforming into a flaming dog.

"Investigate."

The animal tilted its head and jumped onto the tree. Candado stayed by the window, waiting for his infernal creature to return with news. After a few moments, the dog returned, leaping back through the window. Candado stepped aside to let it in.

"Did you find anything?"

The dog shook its head. Candado stroked its head, managing a slight smile.

"It's all right, rest, my friend."

The dog vanished, and Candado returned to his bed. Just as he was about to lie down, the reflection in the mirror startled him: there was his own image, sitting with a serious expression and a knife in his hand. To top it off, his eyes in the reflection were entirely black.

"I told you I'd be back, Candado."

He looked at it with narrowed eyes, without surprise.

"Oh, I thought you'd be surprised," the figure in the mirror said, standing up and approaching. "Candado, don’t you have something to tell me?"

"I have nothing to talk about with you. Go back to your cell."

"I don't think that’s necessary. Your body has set me free on its own. Since you've carried that spell… every cough, every sneeze, every jolt has weakened my prison until there's nothing left."

"I can use my power to lock you up again."

"But you won’t."

"That spell… and the bastard who cast it…" Candado gritted his teeth. "I swear I’ll make him pay. After all, he used an innocent boy to summon me."

The reflected figure let out a bitter laugh.

"An innocent boy? Candado… you're a coward. You’ve lowered yourself too far."

"You weren't there. I fought with everything I had. The coward..."

"That’s what you remember."

"Yes…" murmured Candado, looking away. "I don’t know why I waste my time with you."

The reflection tilted its head, its smile turning sinister.

"Seems like you didn't want her."

Candado looked at it with fury.

"What are you talking about?"

"Gabriela."

The mention of his sister made his blood boil.

"Shut up. You don’t know how much I loved her. I would give my life for her."

The reflection smiled, and suddenly its hand reached through the mirror, gripping Candado by the neck.

"You loved her? Don’t lie to my face. Your anger, envy, pain, and desire for revenge made me strong all these years. I protected you the entire time. And how did you repay me?"

Candado grabbed the reflection’s arm firmly.

"By locking you up."

"NO! You tried to kill me. And when she… when she needed you, you failed her. You're nothing but trash."

The reflection’s arm began to disintegrate slowly.

"Time’s up," Candado taunted.

"It may have been in the most cowardly way possible, but I'll tell you here and now: you killed her."

Candado was petrified, his eyes widened upon hearing that. However, the reflection continued.

"When you realize what I said, you'll need me. And I’ll be strong again. After all, I am the evil, the anger, the pain, the envy. All that is negative strengthens me, because I am Odadnac."

It released Candado and disappeared, leaving behind a smile.

"I'm no coward," murmured Candado, adjusting his tie. But despite the firmness in his words, he began to doubt. His heart was pounding.

"Why?" he asked himself softly, placing a hand over his chest.

At that moment, someone knocked on his door.

"What?"

From the other side, a voice answered:

"It's me, Hammyi."

"(Hammyi? Is she five or something?) Go away," he said coldly, looking at the door. "And take those with you. I don't want to see anyone."

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Don't play dumb. I know you're with Declan, Anzor, Pío, Viki, Lucas, Lucía, Erika, Pucheta, Walsh, Germán, and... Germán."

"You didn't say my name! YOU SKIPPED IT ON PURPOSE!" Matlotsky shouted from the other side.

"Calm down, Matlotsky," Erika whispered.

"Candado, we just want to talk," said Walsh.

"Funny, because I don't. Go away. And you, Hammya, go rest; you have a fever."

"We know," Pucheta responded, concerned.

"Well, take care of her and leave."

"Hammya told us everything," Lucas said.

Candado closed his eyes, dropping his shoulders and tilting his head slightly to the left.

"It can't be…" he whispered.

"Why didn’t you tell us anything?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Ernést, we know you're sick and that what killed Gabriela wasn't an illness, but a spell. The same spell that you carry."

"Hammya… you have no idea how much I hate you right now. Whatever my words, compliments, or good treatment, forget them. You’re officially expelled from the Roobóleo guild."

On the other side of the door, Hammya felt a pang of sadness. Her eyes watered, but she tried to stay strong as Viki and Erika hugged her.

For the first time, Declan felt empathy for Hammya and took a step forward.

"Sir, ever since Hammya arrived, I wanted her to leave to prevent the same thing from happening with Ocho... but if she’s run from her house to here with a fever of forty-two, that’s worthy of admiration."

"I'm surprised to hear that from you, who distrusts everything. But that doesn’t change anything. It's true I need your votes to expel her, but as president of the guild, I have the power to bar her from our meetings."

"You won’t do it, my friend."

"That voice... Héctor?" Candado turned, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Candado," Héctor greeted as he closed the window behind him.

"You were supposed to be…"

"I got Hammya’s call. I canceled my plans; this is more important than any trip."

"Héctor… get out of my room."

"I won’t. Not after what you just said to Hammya."

"Get out, Candado, now," Viki ordered.

"It’s time for you to give us an explanation," added Matlotsky.

"SHUT UP!" Candado shouted, and a thunderclap boomed in sync with his words.

Hammya reacted, breaking free from Viki and Erika's arms.

"No, don’t push him, please. He’ll get worse."

Everyone paused at her words.

"Worse?" Lucas asked.

Matlotsky pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the door.

"There, it’s open."

Lucas pushed the door, and everyone entered.

"Candado, please, stop," Hammya pleaded.

He turned to them and shouted again.

"I DON’T WANT YOUR CONCERN!"

"Candado, calm down."

Héctor stepped forward.

"Enough, Candado. You can’t keep treating us like this. For years, we’ve done nothing but look out for you, sacrificing ourselves without expecting anything in return."

"No, stop excusing yourselves with your ‘good intentions.’ Stop being…"

"Friends? Candado, no matter what you say, it won’t change the fact that we care about you. We promised Gabriela."

"Stop."

"I won’t stop. We’ve gotten too used to your orders, and you, to ignoring everything we feel. You need to move on."

"Silence."

"You can't keep hiding important things like this from us. Trust us; we’d never betray you."

"Enough," Candado muttered, placing a hand on his temple, where he had the patch.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"Candado…" Hammya whispered.

"What’s happening?" Walsh asked.

"Héctor, stop. You’re pressuring him too much."

"No, Hammya, Candado needs to understand that not everything can be jokes and laughter. He needs to talk to us, trust us, stop hiding secrets."

"Stop it, Héctor. I assure you, you don’t want to know what I hold in my heart. I've been bottling this up for three years... three bitter years."

"That’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s not healthy. You need to release all that pain; you can’t keep storing up your feelings, or you’ll destroy yourself."

Candado managed a wry smile.

"Now you care? For three years, you were there in my shadow. This is the first time we’ve spoken about this so openly."

“It’s true, it was a mistake. We left you alone. I left you alone, watching as the joyful child you were slowly faded away. I failed Gabriela. But I won’t fail you. That girl you mentioned, Hammya... I thought she was a threat, but I was wrong. She did what we didn’t: she reached out to you, challenged you, made you angry, and slowly brought back pieces of what you lost. For three years, I hadn’t seen any expression on you other than seriousness. But she... she made you laugh, she made you cry, she made you feel anger. I envied Hammya because she managed what I couldn’t. But I won’t step back. Get angry, scream at me, hit me.”

Candado’s voice trembled.

“Just... stop.”

“I won’t.”

“You... hurt me... Just be quiet.”

Héctor moved closer, and Candado stepped back, alarmed.

“Candado?”

The patch had fallen off, and his eye, once yellow, was now completely black. But what truly shocked Héctor was that Candado was trembling—not from fear or distrust, but from pain. The impenetrable shell had cracked; before them stood a shaking, vulnerable human. He tried to retreat, but the others surrounded him.

“Sir?” Declan asked.

Candado’s body trembled involuntarily, struggling to stay upright.

“What have you done to me? I feel pain... so much pain.”

Candado’s eyes filled with tears as he looked at Hammya with rage.

“This is all... your fault... IT HURTS!” he shouted, shoving her aside.

“After him!” Héctor ordered.

Candado stumbled down the stairs, rolling to the ground, catching the attention of Clementina and his mother.

“Sir?” Clementina asked, concerned.

“Son?” his mother questioned.

Candado glared at them as he stood. A tattoo in the shape of a circle briefly appeared on his forehead and right cheek, glowing a fierce yellow, which alarmed his mother. Without a word, he looked away and saw his friends rushing down the stairs after him. He quickly rose, kicked the door open, and bolted outside.

Lucas was the first to reach the door.

“Damn.”

“What’s happening to my son?” Mrs. Barret asked.

Clementina looked at Hammya, who shook her head, unable to provide answers.

“Young master...” Clementina whispered, distressed.

“Don’t just stand there, we have to go after him now!” Viki commanded.

Clementina sprang from the couch.

“Search the whole town.”

“You all go. I’ll stay with Mrs. Barret,” Matlotsky said.

“Thank you, Matlotsky,” Declan replied.

“No problem.”

“My son... what’s wrong with him?” Mrs. Barret asked, worried.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Barret. We’ll bring Candado home; it’s my duty,” Declan assured her.

“Hurry!” German urged.

“I’m coming with you.”

“No, absolutely not. You’re sick, Hammya,” Mrs. Barret intervened.

“I won’t get better until Candado is back. As long as I can stand, I won’t stop.”

“That’s stubborn. The last thing we need is for you to collapse,” Pio remarked.

“Let her come. I’ll take care of it,” Declan said without looking at them.

“Tavis Declan Murphy Kennedy, I can’t believe it! The apathetic Irishman defending the person he hates most!” Matlotsky teased.

“Shut up, Matlotsky,” Declan growled, pointing his sword at his neck.

“All right, hurry up,” Lucia urged, looking at the others. “Come on, let’s find him.”

Somewhere in the mountains...

Candado ran through the forest, tormented by the pain. His right eye had turned completely black.

“What... is this?” he cried in agony.

“It’s your fault, my friend,” a voice echoed in his mind.

“Silence! You’re no longer part of me!” he shouted, clutching his head.

“You can’t get rid of me.”

Candado fell to his knees in the mud, burying his head in his hands.

“What... is this? It hurts... it won’t stop hurting. My head’s on fire... I’ve always endured pain; why can’t I now?”

“Things have changed. You’ve weakened.”

“Enough!”

“Your rage only makes me stronger, Candado. I feed off your negative feelings.”

Candado rose.

“Fine, do what you want. I’ll show you pain beyond measure.”

A twisted smile appeared on his face.

“Didn’t it hurt?” the voice wavered.

“You don’t know pain... it’s worse than a bullet or a sword. Much worse.”

Candado began running toward the guild.

“You’ll see what I’m capable of.”

“I’d like to see it.”

“You’ll regret your words.”

He quickened his pace until he accidentally ran into Lucas.

“Candado, I’m glad I found you...”

“Get out of my way.”

“No, sir. You’ve got a spell that’s killing you. I won’t step aside.”

“Today, it seems everyone has a case of Héctor-ism.”

“I won’t step aside after seeing your face, sir. Those empty, black eyes aren’t a good sign.”

“Funny that you should say that.”

Lucas readied himself.

“Go ahead.”

“Looks like I’ll have to hurt you enough so you can’t get up.”

Lucas snapped his fingers. But Candado jerked back, tore a branch from a tree, and hurled it at him. Lucas incinerated the branch instantly and lunged forward, but Candado leaned forward and headbutted him against a tree. Lucas tried to teleport, but Candado, anticipating it, blindly elbowed him, striking his chest.

“I know you too well, my friend,” Candado said seriously.

Lucas staggered but didn’t give up.

“If I could use my powers, I’d defeat you, but here, in the forest, I only have my teleportation and fists.”

Candado attacked again, summoning his violet flame. Lucas, forced to vanish again, reappeared just as Candado caught his left arm, lifting him in the air and punching him in the chest, leaving him kneeling on the ground, panting.

“Stay down.”

“No, my friend. I won’t.”

“Your stupidity is incurable, isn’t it?”

Candado raised his arm.

“Good night.”

Just then, an object flew at Candado with incredible speed. He didn’t notice it until it was inches from his face, forcing him to release his hold and catch it in mid-air. It was a card—the king of spades.

“You’ve gone too far, Candado,” Héctor said from a distance.

“Héctor, I’m not in the mood for games,” Candado replied, incinerating the card with his hand.

“Come with us, and let’s talk.”

“I have neither the time nor the patience for your nonsense,” he responded coldly. “I need to go.”

“If you won’t come willingly, you’ll come by force.”

“Asinóh,” Candado murmured.

Upon uttering the word, two massive flaming dogs emerged from the ground.

“Tell your problems to them,” Candado said before dashing off into the forest.

“I’ll catch you, my friend... I swear it,” Héctor muttered as eighty cards began to swirl around him.

Candado began to run, each step amplifying his pain. Still, he didn’t stop, driven by sheer determination to reach his destination. After a few minutes of sprinting, he caught sight of the house.

"Perfect," he whispered to himself in relief.

Without further hesitation, he rushed to the door, opened it, and stepped inside. Looking back, he saw his companions approaching at full speed.

“Itóh!” he murmured, shutting the door firmly.

Suddenly, nearly twenty-foot-high violet flames erupted around the house.

"Stop!" Walsh shouted.

“What is this?” asked Hammya, bewildered.

“It’s Candado’s fury,” Héctor replied.

Inside, Candado moved along the walls, keeping to the shadows.

“You’re forcing my hand... I hate you... I hate Hammya,” he muttered, as his right eye turned completely black.

“This isn’t you, Candado. Come to your senses,” a voice spoke from behind him.

“Tínbari,” he replied with disdain.

“The spell is affecting you. You’ve used your power for too long. It’s time to—”

“It’s time for nothing, you foolish demon,” Candado interrupted.

“I haven’t seen you like this in ages. If you keep going, you’re just doing what he wants.”

“I’m going to lock him away again. He’s taken the mirror... I think it’s time his cell becomes even more disturbing.”

Candado stepped up to the mirror, staring intently at his reflection.

“Don’t act as if nothing’s wrong.”

His reflection began moving on its own, and his clothing turned pitch black.

“Well, well... seems like I’m doing a fine job,” the reflection sneered.

“You have no idea how much pain I’m enduring, how much I want to end you,” Candado replied, his voice trembling.

“You can’t kill me, Candado.”

At these words, Candado fell to his knees before the mirror.

“It hurts, doesn’t it? That’s how I felt when you attacked me and betrayed her.”

“Your powers are destroying him, stop it,” Tínbari intervened.

“I’m doing nothing. He’s the one releasing me, after locking me away in the depths of Limbo.”

Candado stood up, his painful expression accompanied by a bitter smile.

“You... you’re just a dark version of me.”

He extended both hands toward the mirror, alarming both Tínbari and the reflection.

“Which means that whatever I do to myself, you’ll feel too,” he said, smiling through the pain.

Candado’s hands ignited in violet flames.

“Planning to melt the mirror?” the reflection mocked.

“No... I just want to make sure you stay away from me. This wasn’t caused by Pullbarey’s cursed spell; it was you, when I let my guard down.”

With both hands wreathed in flames, he pressed them against his chest.

“What are you doing?” Tínbari asked, alarmed.

“Stay out of this, Demonto,” Candado muttered before looking at the reflection. “I’m going to destroy you now.”

Candado took a deep breath and released all his energy, burning from within. The pain was so intense he let out a scream that echoed through the entire house.

“Candado is…” Hammya murmured.

“Yes…” Héctor nodded, his face twisted in anguish and tears in his eyes.

“Candado, I won’t allow this anymore.”

Héctor ran towards the wall of flames, wrapping himself in the cards from his belt. He crossed through the fire, losing all his cards in the process, but reached the other side with his shield destroyed.

“Thank you, companions,” Héctor murmured sadly.

At that moment, he saw Hammya, who had also crossed the fire barrier.

“How...?”

“You’re not doing this alone.”

“Hammya, that wall incinerates anyone. How are you unharmed?”

“Like this?”

Héctor shook his head.

“We’ll talk about it later. Right now, we have to save Candado.”

They both rushed to the door. Héctor opened it first, and they ran down the hallway to the living room. There, they found Candado… or rather, his dark reflection. His eyes and clothes were completely black.

“Candado… No, you’re Ira Odadnac, the feeling Candado destroyed.”

“Did he really think he could defeat me with that? Though I admit, it hurt a lot… Finally, I’m free to do as I please.”

“What have you done to him, you bastard?”

“Nothing. He did it all himself. With that pathetic speech, you triggered a pain and remorse in Candado, a suffering he could never control.”

“You… son of a…”

“Oh, the girl who made all this possible. I’m proud of you.”

“Look, I’m warning you, let Candado go,” Héctor said angrily.

“As long as I’m here, Candado will never die.”

“That doesn’t matter to me,” Héctor replied.

Odadnac turned and, without hesitation, punched him, throwing him out of the house. Then, he approached Hammya and placed his index finger on her forehead.

“You’re very good, Hammya, very good. Thank you for freeing me, thank you for betraying Candado’s trust. I’ve never seen him in so much pain as he is now. You’re too good to be bad. I love you, girl.”

He kissed her forehead, causing Hammya to step back in fear.

“Ujtais nawaja ahót (Thank you, demon girl).”

He placed his hands behind his back and walked to the door. As he stepped outside, the storm raged; the violet flames extinguished, revealing his figure to everyone, smiling.

“You?” someone asked in disbelief.

“Well, well... German Santiago Benítez, long time no see.”

Lucía stepped forward to protect her sister.

“I’ll never forget what you did to me. It’s time you pay for it.”

Odadnac raised his arms and bowed slightly.

“Now, please, rest.”

Suddenly, Clementina burst onto the scene, transforming her left hand into a weapon and firing at him. Odadnac dodged the shots and lunged at her, grabbing her arm.

“I don’t want to hurt you; you mean a lot to me.”

Clementina turned her right arm into a machete and swung it at him, but Odadnac backed away just before the blade could touch him.

“You are not my young master.”

Odadnac smirked.

“Of course not, nor will I ever be, but that’s how it is.”

He rose into the air and began to laugh, looking down at them all.

“All of you, little ants.”

However, something forced him down, a blow from a rock—or rather, three rocks.

“What…?” they murmured in surprise.

From the brush emerged a figure known to some and feared by others.

“RUCCIMÉNKAGRI!” they shouted.

She smiled, but most reacted with distrust, except Héctor, Clementina, and Hammya.

Lucas looked at her with hostility.

“Get out of here,” he ordered.

Tínbari stepped forward to defend her.

“She’s not an enemy.”

“Of course not, not to a demon,” replied Anzor with sarcasm. “But that lady is responsible for the deaths of many innocents.”

“I know, Russian, I know. But she’s under Candado’s protection.”

The revelation left everyone stunned. They couldn’t believe Candado would defend, or even hide, someone like her.

“We’ll discuss this later. Right now, my friend needs help.”

Rucciménkagri stepped forward to face Odadnac, who looked at her with arrogance.

“Well, well…”

“I’m not here to fight,” she responded calmly. “I left that life long ago.”

“Too bad for you.”

Odadnac lunged at her, but before he could touch her, roots emerged from the ground, binding him and forcing him to his knees.

“Grave mistake,” he hissed.

“No, it’s not,” Rucciménkagri replied.

Odadnac tried to set the roots ablaze, but he couldn’t.

“Thank you, Candado,” said Rucciménkagri.

“Impossible… I control this body.”

Rucciménkagri placed her hand on his chest.

“Sleep, naughty boy.”

Her hand began to glow with an intense white light, and slowly Candado’s body returned to normal. Exhausted and shaky, Candado was himself once more.

“Thank you, Rucciménkagri.”

She smiled and released the roots binding him.

“Be more careful next time.”

Candado struggled to his feet.

“Do you still hear him?”

“Not now, but I know I will again.”

Candado looked at his companions approaching him.

“Great…”

He stepped in front of Rucciménkagri as Anzor confronted him.

“Candado, talk now about this. Now,” Anzor demanded.

“Hello, everyone. I’m glad to see you all, and… I apologize to everyone. Except you, Hammya.”

“Why?” Pio asked, intrigued.

“Because she lied to me, she can’t keep quiet, and she didn’t listen when I told her to stay in bed.”

The others noticed Rucciménkagri and turned to her with hostility again, but Candado intervened once more.

“Stand down, comrades.”

“She’s Rucciménkagri, the dreaded druid. One of the greatest criminals to ever live, alongside Thanatos the Conductor, Chronos the Watchmaker, Laila the Butcher, and Victor the Judge,” declared Declan.

“Those days are behind us.”

“Humans don’t forget, Candado,” Declan said.

“But they can forgive, and it’s been a long time.”

Anzor drew his sword.

“PUT AWAY YOUR WEAPON!”

“I will not. During the Circuist years in Siberia, the forests massacred local villagers. That wound is still open in my homeland.”

Candado took hold of the sword’s blade with his right hand.

“Don’t make me angry, Vladimir Anzor Dima.”

Clementina stepped between them.

“Please, don’t fight.”

Erika and Walsh placed their hands on Anzor’s shoulders, coaxing him to lower his weapon. Candado hid his hand behind his back.

“All right, you all want answers…”

Suddenly, Candado dropped to his knees with a groan of pain.

“Candado!” they all cried.

Rucciménkagri approached him.

“It’s nothing, I’m just hungry.”

“Oh, really? You’re telling us this whole ordeal happened because… you were hungry?”

“Exactly,” he replied, standing up. “Is there a problem, Lucas Silva De Los Santos?”

“None at all.”

“I know what you’re going to say, but I have to do this. Candado, you need to rest, whether you like it or not.”

“Rucciménkagri, I appreciate what you just did, but what I do with my body is my business.”

“If I hadn’t been nearby, you would have killed your friends and destroyed the village.”

Walsh pushed forward and approached Candado.

“Talk to us, Candado. Stop bearing this heavy burden alone. We’re your friends, and you know we’d do anything for you.”

Candado managed a wry smile.

“All of you… are a nuisance to me, but…” He paused, as if weighing each word. “…you’re a necessary nuisance. I… care for you all… very much.”

With those final words, Candado closed his eyes. His body lost balance, collapsing into his friends’ arms. As his consciousness faded, their voices became distant echoes—a final melody before he drifted into darkness.