The brothers slowly ventured into the cave, taking a few steps at a time and stopping every few minutes to listen for any clues to the possible hideout of the kidnappers. But the truth was that the cave was unusually large, and despite the brothers walking for several minutes into its depths, they couldn't yet distinguish any single clue that indicated any human presence in this cave before.

The cave itself was incredibly damp and somewhat chilly inside. Occasionally, on the rocky floor, they could see some puddles that the children carefully avoided. These puddles appeared deceptively shallow but could quickly engulf them if they weren't careful. Moreover, the cave's floor and walls were covered in slippery blue moss, forcing the children to take small, cautious steps to avoid slipping on this treacherous terrain.

The brothers were so focused on not having an accident that would reveal their position to the kidnappers that they lost track of time. Easily more than an hour had passed until they finally realized that the sound of water splashing against the rocks from the outside had disappeared completely, leaving the two brothers in absolute silence where only the echo of water droplets falling into the cave's puddles could be heard. This silence lasted for no less than another half-hour until finally a strange noise could be heard coming from the deepest part of the cave, prompting Apolo to extinguish the flame on his finger, camouflaging himself and his brother in the cave's absolute darkness.

—Finally, everything is ready! It's time for you to show the entire council of mages that you deserve to become a mage, Helena!—shouted a woman from the depths of the cave. This caused the children to lie flat on the mossy ground and wait patiently to gather more information about how many enemies were ahead before acting.

—But why did you force me to kill Eco, master?!—asked a girl, crying, which surprised the two boys: that voice was identical to Helena's!

—The world of mages cannot be mixed with the world of commoners!—the unknown woman shouted with authority—If you don't leave your past behind and forget who you were before becoming a mage, you won't be able to enter this world.

—I was raised by her as her daughter my whole life. I just wanted to become a mage to give Eco a better future!—Helena cried, her tears mixing with her sobs.

—Kid, you don't understand anything!—the woman exclaimed, followed by a loud thud, much like a slap—It's not that I don't want the world of mages and commoners to mix: it can't be mixed! As a commoner mage, you can't show any weakness to the council: you never had that option, just like I didn't back then!

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—I don't want to be a mage without Eco! I don't want this!—Helena screamed in anger.

—Then leave and return to the filthy streets where you were born: just try to find a merchant who can prostitute you so you don't starve to death too soon!—the woman replied furiously—Come on, go! If you really don't want to be my acolyte anymore, then go and find your own life. I never forced any of this on you, Helena. You chose to become my acolyte, and it was your own hands that killed Eco!

—You forced me to do it!—the girl desperately retorted.

—No, I always gave you the option to live as a commoner again, but you chose to kill Eco and become a mage—said the woman with an unusual calmness—Now, I'm giving you the option again, but you can't turn back time and bring Eco back to life. So, tell me: do you want to go and die on the streets of the Ring City, or do you seek a glorious life in the capital?

—...—The girl didn't seem to want to answer the big question, and silence filled the cave again.

—I see I was wrong to take you as my acolyte; you don't deserve to be a mage—said the woman cruelly.

—Wait, don't leave me: I have no one else!—Helena pleaded after a few seconds.

—If you come with me, it will be to surprise the council and become a mage. Otherwise, stay and find a place to die far from my sight, kid—said the woman calmly, without any remorse in her voice, and seemed more filled with disappointment than anger.

—...—There was no response from Helena. Nevertheless, the cave returned to its usual unusual silence.

—We're going to find Helena...—Apolo whispered, still surprised by the discovery that Helena had killed the old woman.

—Do you really think Helena really killed the old lady?—Homero asked, also surprised.

—The truth came out of her own mouth, Homero. What punishment do traitors and deserters receive?—Apolo replied in a low voice, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

—'In life, my torment; in death, my ancestor's'...—Homero muttered as if it were a rehearsed phrase he had been taught some time ago.

—Don't feel sorry for a traitor, Homero, or you'll be the next to receive their dagger before you even realize it: it's our duty to avenge old Eco!—Apolo said without hesitation, knowing what he had to do next.

—But the old lady said that Helena was kidnapped; Eco never blamed her, she even deceived us to keep us from knowing the truth—Homero replied, still incredulous.

—I am the one accusing her, and I am the one who will apply the sentence. It's my duty, and it's yours too: Helena is our servant and lived under our laws—Apolo said, standing up and going to look for Helena.

In the darkness of the cave, Homero silently watched as his brother walked away, wielding the sword with which Eco had been killed. However, the darkness of the cave didn't hide the tears of a child who would have to watch his older brother condemn his best friend. Instead, the darkness of the cave concealed the marked smile of a man who had been working in the shadows for years, finally seeing everything unfold according to his plan.