Von Hagen and Diego strode through the dark and gloomy corridors of the prison. The scientist, with his black and graying hair, wore a penetrating gaze and a perpetually serious expression on his face, while Diego, with his blond hair and light eyes, seemed uncomfortable. The veteran Scientist wore his open white coat so haphazardly that it resembled a huge scarf, whereas the young assistant, on the other hand, looked impeccable. Both, however, contrasted noticeably with the group of guards escorting them.

They walked briskly through the cold, damp stone corridors, illuminated by the ancient gas lamps and their yellowish, dim light hanging from the ceiling, passing by some cells whose interiors they ignored until they stopped at the penultimate entrance.

"Guard," said Von Hagen, indicating the cell with his hand, not bothering to turn his head for eye contact, focused on some idea known only to him.

"Yes, sir," responded one of the prison guards, approaching the lock with the key. Diego gave two tiny jumps, betraying his nerves.

The entrance to the cell swung open. Von Hagen raised an arm, causing the guards preparing to enter to halt in their tracks.

"Retreat," he continued, making a minute gesture with his wrist. If the guards had any reservations about the scientist's attitude or orders, it showed only in their facial expressions; they all obeyed, leaving the two men in lab coats alone. Led by Von Hagen, they entered the cell.

"Doing your homework at the last minute? Doesn't seem like the usual genius Von Hagen," said the young man on the top bunk before chuckling and opening his eyes. Aron was sitting with his legs semi-crossed, his feet resting on opposite thighs, hands stacked together at the center, and his back against the wall. "I was about to fall asleep!" He continued with a youthful smile and a warm gaze. "Diego! How are you? Getting used to the work?" he asked, looking at the young, blond scientist who glanced at the ground somewhat uncomfortably.

It was a notably strange attitude for a prisoner after years of being subjected to experimentation and punishment and with no chance of freedom. All those imprisoned for possessing "magic" were lifelong prisoners and would die within the prison; the vast majority would lose their lives within five years of their incarceration. However, Aron, with his light brown hair and brown eyes, increasingly thin and looking weaker, maintained a warm gaze and a constant smile.

"I only need blood samples, young Aron..." said Von Hagen, smiling. His expression contrasted enormously with the absolute seriousness he maintained before entering the cell. Diego, still nervous, hurried to open his briefcase and prepare the syringes. "...From both..." continued the man, looking at the lower bunk, where another human figure lay. "...I hope for young Melina this won't be a problem," he added, his voice sharp, intensifying his smile; For Von Hagen, the whole situation was an exciting experiment.

Melina was curled up with her face to the wall, remaining silent and motionless. However, both Aron and the scientist knew that far from sleeping, the girl was paralyzed with fear.

"Oh! Doctor! Don't you remember how much my cellmate hates needles?" Aron asked, climbing down from the bunk and removing the top of his jumpsuit, which bore the number 13 on the back. He opened his thin arms and offered one to each scientist, maintaining his friendly and natural demeanor.

"...Aron, No!" interrupted Melina, abandoning her position like lightning and covering Aron. The girl was trembling noticeably, her teeth were grinding, and sweat covered her face. The girl of medium height and tanned skin fought to remain standing.

"Calm down, Melina. It's okay," Aron responded, smiling and gently helping her back to bed. Von Hagen observed the scene with fascination.

"Why don't they just die?!" Melina screamed with hatred, glaring at the doctor and Diego, who appeared increasingly distraught.

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"Everyone, someday," said Von Hagen into the air before bursting into laughter. "Now, back to my work. I regret to inform you that the sample I need represents a significant amount," explained the doctor in a more serious tone. "If I don't divide the extraction into two sources, the loss will be fatal, and we don't want that, do we?" he continued, this time opening his eyes with a hint of madness.

Melina broke into tears and began to remove her uniform - bearing the number 21 - with great difficulty. But Aron quickly intervened.

"Don't you trust me, Melina?" he asked in a friendly tone, smiling and accompanying his smile with his eyes. The traumatized-looking girl nodded her head. "Very well!" exclaimed the young man. "And what about you, Doctor? Do you trust me?" Aron and Von Hagen locked eyes. The doctor felt a hint of… fear? Which excited him even more.

"Are you trying to tell me how to do my job, young Aron?" And tension hung in the air for a couple of seconds until Von Hagen continued. "The truth is, I don't need you dead, and there are two subjects in this cell." The scientist shrugged, but deep down, he hoped for Aron's unpredictable response, for which he did not have to wait long.

"Doctor. If you needed blood from different subjects, this scene wouldn't be happening. Instead, there would be guards forcing us to remain motionless. You need quantity, and I have enough," said Aron, indicating himself. Diego wanted to intervene, but Aron continued. "So, I ask again. Doctor Von Hagen, Diego, don't you trust me?" He concluded with his classic youthful smile.

Diego felt a shiver. What was wrong with this prisoner? How could he trust that he would survive? But, even more... How could a convicted, weak, and battered magician try to convince Von Hagen? Who did he think he was? Could a convicted wizard sway a high-ranking professional decision? Did this guy want to die? Or did he care so much about his companion's mental health?

A thousand questions flooded the young assistant's mind. However, without realizing it, he ended up convincing himself that Aron wouldn't die, especially when he saw Von Hagen himself approach with a set of several syringes to take blood samples from the thin arms of the young prisoner.

"You love chaos, don’t you, Doctor?" Aron managed to say before passing out from anemia.

By this point, Von Hagen's smile of satisfaction bordered on the maniacal, but as Diego stored the samples in the briefcase, the scientist seemed to compose himself.

"Now, return the favor. Young Melina," he said, looking at the girl who was now beside her companion. "Diego, leave our damsel in distress a couple of... medications. She'll know what to do," he added as he approached the cell door.

"But sir..." Diego tried to intervene. It was entirely against protocol to provide any potentially dangerous instrument, no matter how small the possibility of it being used, to a prisoner, and even if not, number 21, Melina, had no medical knowledge or any magical ability of that sort. Diego had studied all the profiles forwards and backward.

"Oh, Diego. There are people in this prison willing to teach, and others willing to learn. Isn't that right? What do our young prisoners do when they're not in their cells, and the solitary Mr. Li Wei feels generous enough to share his wisdom?" Although he was responding to Diego, his gaze went directly to Melina, who did her best to conceal her shock. "He knows, he knows perfectly well," thought the girl as she watched the cell door close and heard Von Hagen's chilling laughter in the distance.

Melina still wasn't convinced of the "gifts" that Master Li Wei had suggested she explore; much of her past was still hazy to her. But if that old Fengnian man had the absolute admiration and trust of Aron, she would try. Even though she had no medical knowledge beyond the classic first aid she was trained in as a high-class girl, she read the components of the substances that Diego had left on Von Hagen's orders. Still trembling, she dabbed her fingers into the ointment from the first vial, on which she had read the name of a plant that seemed familiar, and tried to concentrate.

"You have a natural gift with plants," she remembered the stoic voice and gaze of the old Li Wei. "Wood feeds Fire, it's combustible, resource, mother." Instinctively, she brought her hands to Aron's chest and then felt the connection. Why had she never achieved something like this before? Or had she indeed done so before falling into disgrace and couldn't remember it? Perhaps out of selfishness or rejection of her own "magical" nature, she had never truly desired to accomplish it. This time, she genuinely wanted to help Aron, even if it meant fully accepting herself as a pariah in society, as a prisoner with all the legal rights, as a danger to Nova Orda's progress, as another aberration born in Ferranza family. She noticed her own tears only when she saw them fall onto Aron's bare chest, which now exhibited a faint greenish glow where Melina had placed her hands. The glow lasted only a short while, but after a few tense seconds, her young cellmate weakly opened his eyes.

"Melina... it's nothing personal, but I doubt your tears possess moisturizing properties... Water, please..." he said with a weak smile, while the shattered girl burst into tears and ran to the small, dirty sink in the cell.