—Down here, I keep objects that I have accumulated over my long life. They hold great sentimental value for me. Over the years, I have met many people, people I have greatly admired, and have seen them born, grow, and die. Many have left me some token, and these are true relics to me, faithful testimonies of deep friendships —expressed Don Anselmo.

Gabriel observed those antiques from different eras, which included statuettes, books, swords, shields, and a myriad of objects reflecting cultures throughout history. What caught his attention the most was a chainmail shirt, a helmet, a shield, and a completely intact and shiny sword, objects from the medieval age.

—Are you telling me that you lived in the times when these objects were made? —Gabriel asked incredulously as he ran his hand over the chainmail.

—Indeed, young man. Indeed. My real name is Dercom, a native of Valarión, the majestic city nestled in the center of the continent of Eridian. I was sent four thousand five hundred years ago to this side of the world, the human world, in search of The Chosen One. I know all this sounds unbelievable to you, but let me give you a brief history and the reason for your presence here. Will you listen to an old 'madman,' if only out of compassion? —the old man said with a smile.

The young man nodded. He was fascinated by all those objects, but he found it quite difficult, if not impossible, to believe the old man's introduction.

Don Anselmo prepared coffee and offered it to Gabriel. He accepted, and they sat facing each other at opposite ends of the rustic table. The old man lit his pipe, and his deep blue eyes focused on an indefinite point in the room with an introspective gaze, as if delving into the old pages of his life.

—To help you understand, I must start from the very beginning of everything. What I am about to tell you are absolute truths revealed to me to find The Chosen One. These truths are complex and even somewhat incomprehensible, but I will try to explain what I have understood —he took a sip of coffee and inhaled his pipe, then exhaled the smoke, giving the basement a surreal touch.

—The universe is a whole and is eternal, divided into infinite existential planes. Each plane is also infinite and different from other planes, with its own constellations, stars, and worlds, or absolutely nothing, depending on its creator, god, or supreme being, call it what you will. Among these higher intelligences, there is a Universal Law Code, which states that an existential plane cannot exist without its creator, meaning an existential plane cannot exist with nothing, because all the others, the infinite existing planes, would collapse like dominoes, and the universe would simply disappear. Therefore, each existential plane has one and only one creator, unable to move to another existential plane. The Universal Law also states that to maintain the universe's balance, these divinities must be positive and negative, meaning there are as many existential planes ruled by positive entities as by negative ones. Here we cannot talk about quantities, as these quantities are infinity itself.

Don Anselmo paused and urged Gabriel not to let his cup cool. The young man, for his part, was absorbed by those words, and his mind was awakened to an endless labyrinth of conjectures.

—Now let's move to our existential plane, with its infinite constellations, suns, and worlds. This plane is ruled by a positive creator whose name to my people is Dontar. Humans, throughout history, have called and personified him in different ways, according to their cultures, but we always refer to the same being. At the beginning, if it can be called a beginning to something that has been, is, and will be eternal, Dontar, our creator, saw his world empty. He decided then to create the galaxies with their countless stars and planetary systems. Then came life, different species could enjoy his benevolence without being asked for anything in return, not even good behavior. The created beings inhabited a world full of beauty, free from the plagues known today and free from hunger, suffering, injustice, fear; free from death. Those beings, some of whom will be very familiar to you, Gabriel, through the books I sent you and that you read, did not fear death, for it did not exist; all were immortal. Thus, the firstborn, who are the humans, coexisted peacefully with different races, such as fairies, wizards, goblins, nymphs, elves, halflings, dwarves... to name a few of the species considered mythological. There were also many other peoples that cannot be found in any book of myths and fantasies, no matter how old, for they did not survive the memory of time. So it was that a long time ago, much more than you can imagine, the world was a kind of paradise, and it was one single world. It was mostly covered by forests and virgin jungles where gigantic trees sheltered those who inhabited the Primordial Earth at that time.

Dontar was aided by five of the most powerful wizards, who were summoned by him to the sacred peak of Danmajera, the highest place on Earth at that time. These great wizards helped Dontar keep the world in perfect condition. A long beautiful time passed, but something happened. Another wizard, named Aldirk, who was the most powerful and wise of the wizards, felt offended for not being summoned by Dontar to serve his cause. Then his heart filled with resentment, and his mind, full of knowledge, darkened, giving way to negative thoughts, transforming his kind personality; slowly turning him into a vile and wicked being. Thus, an intrinsic desire to do evil grew inside him, to destroy everything Dontar had created. But this was impossible for him and he was defeated again and again by The Order of the Five - the wizards summoned by Dontar. Aldirk only became more filled with rage. Defeated, he exiled himself to the ends of the Earth, where Dontar and his collaborators had not yet put their marvelous touch of creation and where the Sun's rays did not reach.

He remained for centuries immersed in nothingness, chewing his rage and devising plans to increase his power. What happened then? As I explained, in the infinite universe, there are different planes of existence, and each one is governed by a higher intelligence, which can be either positive or negative. Not all, and I think very few of these intelligences, had thought of doing what Dontar did: creating other beings. Well, Dontar did it and trusted them, but he was betrayed precisely by the most powerful of the wizards. Why didn't he summon him among The Five if he was the most powerful of his order? Perhaps because, despite Aldirk's goodness and good deeds, Dontar knew there was a seed of evil implanted in the most hidden part of his soul, waiting for just an opportunity to awaken and grow.

Aldirk, in the solitude and self-imposed exile, managed to contact Kalhanor, another creator, another supreme intelligence from another existential plane. This negative entity granted Aldirk extraordinary powers, far superior to those of any other being created by Dontar on the face of the world. Now Aldirk had achieved his purpose, and no one would stand in his way.

Gabriel interrupted him.