Dante, after going through the situation with Ash, reflected as he walked.

  I’m on my way home. After going through that horrible situation, all I can think about is how to kill that lunatic in so many violent ways. It had been years since I felt this kind of anger. And to make it worse, the bastard knows about Nair. Most likely he learned about her through Agnar. Now I understand why Agnar had so many problems with him: he’s not just an unhinged killer… he’s a damn villain.

  Upon arriving home, Dante went straight to his bed and, as if it were an act of trust, let himself fall flat onto it. After taking a few seconds to enjoy the comfortable mattress, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. He tried to turn it on, but it did not respond. He sat up, holding the phone with both hands, pressing the buttons forcefully, but it still would not react. He grabbed the charger sitting beside his bed on the nightstand and plugged it in. After waiting a minute, he tried turning it on again, but nothing.

  After a while, he had already tried everything: removing and reinserting the battery, replacing it, plugging it in without the battery, hitting it, looking up tutorials online, yelling at it, and finally praying to the god of cellphones… but it was all useless.

  — That’s it, it’s broken. I’ll have to get a new one. But I don’t have any money… maybe Aisha or Cain can give me one of their old phones. Yeah, I’ll go ask them later.

  Dante went to his laptop and checked the time.

  — Right… I promised that today. Maybe it’s a little late, but better now than never. Or later.

  ante went to the table in the kitchen and picked up some books. Then he put on his coat and walked out the door.

  A few minutes later, at a modest reddish house made of clay bricks, not much larger than a four-room home, someone knocked on the door. Inside the house, in the living room, Nair was there. She was sitting on a comfortable white couch, and beside her was a young man with his arm wrapped around her. Both were calmly watching a movie on the television, which stood in front of them on a small white piece of furniture, just large enough to hold a big screen.

  When the knock was heard, Nair stood up to answer the door. When she opened it, she found Dante standing there, holding the manga he had promised to return that same day.

  Nair said cheerfully:

  — Hi! — She threw herself at him in a direct embrace.

  Dante, while enjoying the moment, said:

  — Sorry about the hour, today was a terrible day, and to top it off my phone broke.

  Nair ended the embrace and straightened up again.

  — Don’t even tell me, Agnar already told me what happened yesterday.

  Dante asked nervously, his heart in his throat:

  — Did Aisha find out?

  — Nooo! She would go crazy. She’d mobilize all her fans, the media, the police, and even Agnar to take him down — she exclaimed, speaking as if she were talking about the Tengeriin T?gs?l.

  — She must not find out.

  — Of course not.

  Then, from behind Nair, the boy who had been with her approached, resting himself against her back as he said:

  — Hey, Dante. What’s new?

  — I’ll sum it up in one word: TORMENTOUS.

  — Oh, looks like you’ve had a rough time. Come in. We’re watching a movie anyway, it’s the weekend.

  The pleasant guy offering me his home is Nair’s boyfriend and a good friend of mine, Aghat. He’s a very kind person, so much so that he would give his shoes to the next beggar he runs into. He’s quite calm, with a simple but pleasant appearance. His skin tone is slightly darker than the average person’s, he keeps a simple haircut — the result of just using clippers — and in terms of height, I surpass him by only one centimeter. It’s also worth mentioning that he works for Agnar as well.

  With no reason or will to refuse his offer, I respond by stepping inside. The two hosts guide me toward their comfortable couch, and completely exhausted, I let myself drop onto it without guilt.

  After a while, when the movie no longer entertains us, Aghat asks me:

  — So how are you still alive?

  — Uff... better yet, why didn’t I go buy a lottery ticket if I was going to have that much luck that day?

  — If I were you, I would’ve jumped out the window the first chance I got. If you had only seen how we attacked him with everything we had, and then poof! he appeared right in the middle of us. My colleagues and I drew his attention by launching a combined spell of pure mana at him... and the guy just stopped it with one hand. Then he took Agnar’s attack and walked away unharmed.

  — Yeah, you met his terrifying power. Today I met his personality.

  — And?

  — He looks like he stepped out of a spy movie. He’s the damn villain waiting in a chair with a cat on his lap, or one of those fantasy series characters who ends all their explanations with “it was all part of my plan.” The bastard tricked me into getting myself into debt.

  Nair and Aghat said in unison:

  — What?!

  — He came to my workplace, paid my boss to make me accompany him. Then he told me to take him to a good restaurant. There, he said he would live with me. When I objected, he said he’d look for a place if I paid for his food. When I agreed, he told me to notify Agnar. I stepped outside to call him. After arguing with him for about eight or ten minutes, I turned around, and there was the bastard enjoying his last bowl. In the time I was talking to Agnar, he wiped the place out, eating more than three hundred bowls... the most expensive ones!

  Aghat said:

  — You’re lying. You’re exaggerating. It’s impossible for a human to do that.

  — Pul saw it. A huge crowd saw it. The cooks saw it. I don’t know how someone like that can even exist.

  — But then, do you owe the restaurant?

  — No. I couldn’t leave unless I paid at least half. And then the bastard tells me he’ll pay if I work with him. I had no choice. Now I’m wrapped up in all of this. And on top of that, I suspect Agnar helped him.

  Nair said:

  — Seeing how the two of you ended up, I’m grateful I didn’t cross paths with him, hahaha.

  Dante changed his attitude from anger and frustration to one of pure concern:

  — You know, despite everything that happened, no one died. And knowing what he’s capable of, I feel even more uneasy about what he said… about the others not being as kind as him.

  They all fell silent, worried about what the future might bring. Each of them reflected quietly for a moment. Nair broke the silence and, with a very positive attitude, said:

  — Well, then it’s good that we have him on our side. And as a bonus, now we have you too.

  She threw herself at Dante and, wrapping her arm around his neck, grabbed his head and rubbed her fist forcefully against his hair, trying to annoy him.

  While Dante spent the night with his friends, Agnar, on the other hand, was in his office with a guest — and just as Dante had to endure him, now Agnar would deal with Ash.

  As he walked around the office, looking at and touching anything that sparked even the slightest curiosity, Ash spoke:

  — Well, you already have the final contract. All that’s left is for you to sign it, and we’ll begin our little adventure.

  Agnar looked at the document resting on his desk. He held the pen in his hand, ready to use it, but before completing the agreement, he asked:

  — How did you do it? I assumed that, if you managed it at all, it would be at the very last moment… but it only took you… no, not even twenty hours passed. And I’ve been trying for years… and then you come along… what was missing?

  — Well, I just did what I know how to do: observe, think, pay for information, keep calm. If I had failed on my first attempt, I would have just had to think of something else. However, your help was key. I don’t know whether it was your arrogance (“again”) or that you had faith in me — He stepped closer to the desk and leaned forward on both arms — Well, a promise is a promise.

  Agnar proceeded to sign the contract. Then Ash took it and checked the signature.

  — Perfect. Alright, now let’s make a copy. You’ll keep it.

  Agnar pointed Ash toward a spot on the wall, where a piece of furniture held office equipment and paperwork.

  — See that black box? Open the lid and place the sheet face down, then close the lid and press the button with the two pages.

  — Wow, how simple. You know how useful these things would have been in my time. Back then I had to do everything by hand, and the best thing for copying papers was the newspaper.

  — Yeah… the wonders of the future.

  When it finished, Ash grabbed the copy and looked at it.

  — Hey, it came out wrong, look: the margins are crooked.

  — You must have placed the sheet wrong. Put it in properly and try again.

  Ash did so. This time he made sure to place it neatly and printed again.

  — No, look.

  Agnar approached and saw that the print had come out wrong again. He checked the position of the original, then performed the process himself. When it printed, he saw that the page had come out wrong once more.

  Confused, he looked at where the sheets were fed in for printing and fiddled with the rail that guided them to be pulled in. Then he tried printing again… and it came out wrong once more.

  — We’d better find another one.

  — No, this one should work, it must just be slightly misaligned. I’ll fix it.

  At Nair’s house, the three friends were already drunk. At least two packs of beer had been emptied, and a third was on its way. The three of them were laughing loudly, beginning to make fun of Agnar.

  — Oh, look at me, I’m perfect, no one can surpass my fine and solid hairstyle. What? The end of the world? Pff, I’ll just go and save the day like I always do.

  Dante and Aghat, with their arms around each other’s shoulders and beer in hand, burst into laughter at Nair’s terrible imitation. Soon after, she fell asleep. With little strength left, the two friends calmed down.

  — Why did you let me stay with her?

  Dante stared at the ceiling.

  — Fear… of ruining it.

  — I think you had already ruined it when you told her that giving me a chance was a complete waste.

  — Then I wasn’t wrong. But I only did it because it was you.

  Aghat looked at him and said:

  — Khariult — and fell asleep.

  Then Dante said:

  — I know — and he followed him into sleep.

  Early in the morning, as the sun was rising, Pul — who had worked all night — walked down the corridors toward Agnar’s office. Without knocking or asking permission, he entered, saying:

  — Sorry, but it’s urgent, comman—

  The scene he found upon entering was a floor covered in crumpled and trampled papers. Where the printer stood, there was a disheveled, messy-haired, utterly presentless Agnar, manipulating the machine in some way. Agnar looked up to see who had entered and said:

  — Ah, Pul. I’ll be with you in a moment. Just wait, this one’s the good one.

  Pul, somewhat unsettled, looked around and noticed Ash sitting there, resting his head on his hand over the desk. Pul asked:

  — What have you done?

  — Me? Nothing. I’ve been trying for a while to convince him to look for another printer, but he’s very stubborn — Ash replied in a discouraged tone.

  — There’s no time for this.

  Pul walked over to the printer and, grabbing the plug, yanked it out. Then he turned to Agnar.

  — Sir, your presence is required.

  Agnar straightened up, adjusted his hair, and took a deep breath. Like an actor stepping into his role, he asked:

  — Yes? What is the urgency?

  — It’s about the second one. We haven’t found any more information about him. The agents who traveled to the places where he’s been roaming haven’t obtained anything beyond what we already knew.

  — That doesn’t sound like news. Is there anything else? — Agnar said indifferently.

  — To be honest, this worries me a lot. Unlike this maniac — he points at Ash — the next subject has no record of having shown dialogue or social interaction. Everything suggests that, one way or another, blood will be spilled in a few days. And if we’re not well prepared, it could turn into a disaster.

  Agnar said:

  — You’re not wrong about anything, but that’s precisely why I decided to hire the lunatic.

  — I’d like to know at what point in our relationship I gave you the impression of being insane — Ash told them, disappointed.

  Agnar said to Ash:

  — Since you’re from his era, you might know him.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  — Obviously I’m from his era. His name?

  — He doesn’t have one. Or rather, we don’t know it. We only know what the survivors of his encounters called him. They named him The Butcher, The Beast, The Final Light, and other things in different languages.

  — Mmm, no… that doesn’t ring a bell at all. Tell me what he looks like. It’s not like I asked everyone I fought for their name.

  — Apparently he wears some kind of cloak that covers his entire body, along with a mask with feathers and a red stripe, and he uses weapons that are like gloves with long claws, called tekagi.

  — No, nothing. Since we’re already in this, give me a list of the targets’ names, so I know more or less what to expect.

  Agnar looked at Pul and, with a gesture, Pul proceeded to retrieve the information.

  — Let’s go to the command room, that way you’ll know what the place where he’ll appear is like.

  Already in the command room, Agnar looked at the information on the screen, while behind him Ash was using the printer that stood in a corner. Ash approached, offering him a sheet of paper in his hand:

  — Now it came out right. Here.

  After Agnar took the paper and looked at it, he saw that it was the copy of the contract, and that this time it had printed correctly. After handing over the copy and storing the original in his coat, Ash turned his gaze toward the large screen.

  — So that’s the next one. And? What can he do?

  Agnar said:

  — From what we know, and according to Abel’s experience, this man can cut through anything. Also, no one has ever seemed to hear him speak.

  — Well, I understand why he’s dangerous, but now, why is he so hard to kill?

  — According to Abel, this man seems to be able to teleport, without using magic or anything like that.

  — Is it an ability?

  — It must be, but it would be strange for someone to have a second ability. It’s about as rare as Dante accepting my offer.

  Pul intervened and added:

  — Out of the entire world population, it’s estimated that one in every hundred thousand mortals is born with an ability, and counting the official cases and the mythical legendary ones, there have been around thirty individuals throughout history who have demonstrated having a second ability.

  — Yeah, that would be rare, even for an old man I know. Now that we’re on the subject, Agnar, you’re not a mage — you have an ability, don’t you?

  — Do you think I’m going to give you information about myself?

  — It was a rhetorical question. I already more or less know how your power works.

  Ash turned around and headed for the exit.

  Agnar asked him:

  — Where are you going now?

  — I have to coordinate with my new associate — Ash replied as he walked out.

  An hour later, at Nair’s house, the three friends were still sleeping with the kind of peace any adult working overtime would envy.

  Aghat, shifting slightly in his sleep and turning to his side, half-awake through one half-open eye, saw a dark figure — somewhat blurred — but upon sensing movement, he opened his eyes fully and froze in fear, saying nothing.

  Leaning against the table beside the couch was Ash. He noticed the newly awakened Aghat and said:

  — I see I woke you. Don’t worry, I’m just here for Dante.

  Aghat stayed silent while watching Ash read one of the manga Dante had brought. While reading, Ash asked him:

  — And you still haven’t done it?

  Aghat, confused, replied:

  — Done what?

  — You know — Ash said, pointing with his index finger toward Nair’s pleasant backside, then moving his hips forward and back mockingly.

  Aghat, frowning, replies:

  — And what does that have to do with you?

  — It’s not that I care, it’s that I know. Wouldn’t it be better to end this farce?

  Aghat, without hesitation, tells him:

  — Don’t tell Dante anything.

  — What, don’t tell him what? That you and this girl haven’t slept together? Or that you don’t like women?

  — Shhhhhh!

  Ash looks at Dante and Nair, checking whether they are still asleep.

  — What did you come here for? — Aghat says.

  — I already told you, didn’t I? I’m taking Dante now, there’s a looooot to do.

  Ash walks over to Dante and grabs him by the foot, starting to drag him. Dante wakes up immediately, startled, and shouts:

  — What’s going on? You! How are you here? How did you find me? Where are you taking me? Helppp! Nair, Aghat!

  Nair wakes up, completely disoriented, looks around, turning her head back and forth until she locks her gaze on Dante.

  — What’s happening? And who are you? What are you doing with Dante?

  — Don’t worry, beautiful, I’m just taking him to work — Ash says while continuing to drag him toward the exit.

  — Nair, do something! — Dante pleads.

  Nair tries to stand up from the couch where she had been sleeping, but gets tangled in the plastic bags from the beer packs scattered around and trips. The only thing heard from her is:

  — Ouch!

  Already outside the door, unbothered, Ash rose into the air, expelling fire from his feet, holding Dante by the ankle and extending his arm higher and farther from his body so he wouldn’t be affected by the flames.

  Dante, astonished, said:

  — You can fly?!

  — Oh, no, that’s not all I can do.

  Ash spun Dante through the air, then caught him by the armpits and said:

  — It’s time to talk about your working skills.

  Then he flew off at full speed, and as they disappeared into the distance, Aghat and Nair stepped outside just in time to see them leaving.

  A small green plain, surrounded by mountains, and before them lay a forest. In the middle of all that green grass, Dante fell face down; then Ash landed with a refined pose of elegance.

  — Well, where do we begin? — Ash commented while walking casually from side to side.

  — Why did you bring me here? — Dante said as he adjusted himself to sit.

  — Let’s talk about your power, or more precisely, your strange magic. I know you don’t want anyone to know about it, because you told Agnar to try to kill you instead of admitting that he had already done it three times. I don’t know why you would want to hide that power, especially when it literally makes you invincible.

  — It’s not as good as you think — Dante replied.

  — What? Do you have to relive the day you died, all over again?

  — No, my power sends me back to the exact moment when I can prevent my death; it’s not something that’s useful beyond a lethal fight.

  — Mmm, you’re right. Besides, if you were alone, you might end up doomed, but with a team you’d win one hundred percent of whatever you have to overcome.

  — I already know that. However, in the worst situation I’d be left alone, unable to do anything for them. I can prevent my death, but not that of others.

  — Well, I suppose you have a point. Still, you can’t even reduce the risk of their deaths by working as a waiter.

  Dante fell silent.

  — It doesn’t matter. I didn’t bring you here for psychology, but to figure out how to use your power. Maybe you think it only works to stop you from being killed, but I can get a lot of use out of it to gather information.

  — So you’re planning to send me first to find out what the second one does, aren’t you?

  Ash made a gesture with his hands and pointed at Dante.

  — Correct! You’ll die over and over again until I understand what we’re getting into. That will be your job.

  Ash pulled his shotgun from inside his coat and shot Dante in the head, blowing it apart.

  And then — going back just a moment — Ash fired his shotgun and Dante quickly dropped to the ground, dodging the shot.

  Dante got up and shouted at Ash:

  — Why did you do that?!

  — Isn’t it obvious? We need to practice.

  — Practice?! What?!

  — Your reaction to your death. Besides, you need to learn how to take fatal blows.

  — What do you mean?

  — Well, this.

  Ash then pointed two fingers of his hand at Dante and fired a bolt from them. Dante was slammed against the ground and left paralyzed in pain. Ash walked over to him and exclaimed:

  — See? Your power is useless if the hit isn’t lethal. Look at you, completely incapacitated. The enemy we’re going to face specializes in cutting things; in my opinion, he could be very dangerous. Tell me, what would happen if you died from an illness or got trapped in some kind of loop?

  With effort, Dante turned his head to look at Ash, recovered slightly, and sat up, stretching one leg while bending the other.

  — I don’t know how it would work in the case of an illness, but once I was poisoned, and when I died I went back to the exact moment I was about to be poisoned. So I deduce that if I contracted a terminal illness, or one that would eventually kill me, the most logical outcome would be that I’d return to the moment I caught it.

  — Oh, well, that sounds very useful for sex, but in the case of death by bleeding out, it occurs to me that it might send you back to the moment when you can stop the bleeding. That would be the worst-case scenario, since the individual we’ll fight could cut off an arm or a leg.

  — I couldn’t answer that. I don’t know how this is automated. I never even found anything similar while searching through all kinds of books about this power. But it always activates at the moment when I can prevent my death.

  Ash made a serious gesture upon hearing a certain part of Dante’s explanation, but he said nothing more. Once Dante finished, Ash put his weapon away and turned around, walking forward.

  — I don’t know why you’d want to keep this extremely secret. I mean, apparently you haven’t even told your girlfriend, and besides that, you’re hiding something else, buuuut that’s none of my concern — he stopped and turned to look at Dante — So, with all that reviewed, let’s continue.

  Ash drew his dagger and, holding it in a reverse grip and taking a guarded stance, his body crackling with blue sparks, in a lightning-fast slash he appeared behind Dante, whose head fell.

  Dante reacted and this time spun to the left; with his feet and hands braced on the ground, he fixed his gaze on Ash:

  — That’s twice now I’ve killed you easily.

  Ash quickly aimed his shotgun at Dante and fired a solid beam of fire, but Dante dodged it at superhuman speed. The beam Ash unleashed pierced through one tree and several others; Dante was left stunned at the impact of such an attack, especially considering what would have happened if it had hit him.

  — Well done! — Ash said — You’ve finally dodged an attack without dying.

  Without giving him a moment to breathe, Ash rushed toward Dante and began trying to cut him down with his sword. Dante, with his great speed, barely avoided the strikes and leapt backward to gain distance, but Ash did not let him escape and kept pressing the assault.

  Dante raised his hands and said:

  — Wait!

  Ash stopped, showing a curious expression.

  — What a surprise. I really didn’t expect that from you.

  — Hey, this isn’t fair. At least give me a weapon.

  — I suppose you’re right.

  — Exactly. How about you give me the sword?

  Ash lowered his guard, and the next thing that happened was that he burst into laughter.

  — Hahahahahaha, no, no, no, no. These are mine, only I can use them. Get your own.

  — Where? We’re in the middle of nowhere and I’m not going to use a branch or a rock as a substitute.

  Ash thought for a moment and then put his weapons away.

  — Fine, then it’ll be mage against mage — and he raised his fists.

  Dante responded in the same way and, before the fight began, the two adopted their respective stances. Ash began to emit small flames and lightning from his arms. Dante appeared to do nothing, and when he blinked, Ash launched the first strike: a fire-infused attack aimed directly at Dante’s head. In response, Dante lowered his body and delivered a clean punch to Ash’s stomach; he was only pushed back slightly, and the blow seemed to have no effect.

  Next, as if holding a pistol, Ash brought his hands together, extended his arms, and raised his thumbs forming a V in front of his sight. He fired a very thick beam at Dante. Dante merely muttered something and, just before the beam reached him, it slowed down incredibly, allowing Dante to step aside and dodge it.

  — That was your time magic, wasn’t it?! — Ash shouted, breaking his stance.

  Without answering, Dante rushed toward Ash. Ash threw a powerful punch straight at Dante’s head, but Dante simply smiled and, surpassing even Ash’s speed, tilted his head aside to evade the blow. Then, with his arm, Ash grabbed Dante by the neck, choking him and lifting him into the air. Squeezing from the throat, he slammed him down with incredible force, leaving Dante in a small crater no more than twenty centimeters deep.

  Seeing him out of combat, Ash lowered his guard and stretched his hands.

  — Ufff, it’s been a while since I’ve fired beams that size. You’re not as bad as I thought. You clearly have talent for fighting. That’s enough for today.

  Ash stepped away from Dante and took off, propelling himself with fire. Dante, seeing this, quickly lifted his torso and shouted:

  — Wait! Are you going to leave me here?

  — You need the exercise. Don’t worry, it’s not like you can die. The city’s that way — he pointed — and then flew off.

  Dante, watching him disappear, could only shout:

  — FUUUUUCK!

  Hours later, at the command center, Agnar and the rest of his team were working. From the entrance, Ash announced his presence with a:

  — I’m back!

  Agnar exclaimed:

  — I thought you’d return with Dante.

  Ash replied:

  — Oh, he’ll be back. In the worst case, tomorrow.

  Agnar left his post and, walking toward Ash until he stood in front of him, said:

  — What did you do?

  — Nothing serious. I just took him a few kilometers outside the city and we trained a bit. Since I saw he lacks endurance, I let him make his way home on his own.

  

  

  Agnar looked at Ash with an expression of annoyance.

  — You would’ve done the same, wouldn’t you?

  Agnar did not respond. He turned toward Pul, who was standing behind him and handed him a folder with documents. Then Agnar turned back to Ash.

  — Here. This is the list of the bad guys.

  Ash walked slowly forward while opening the folder to the first page.

  — Let’s see… alright, this is the second one. What’s next? Ahhhh, I know this guy. Let’s see who else… another familiar face, I’ve tried to kill this one, I know nothing about this one, next…

  And so Agnar and Pul watched as Ash wandered through the base reading the documents.

  Ash, seated on a bench outside the facility, calmly read the folder containing the information on each prisoner.

  — There you are! — someone shouted from somewhere nearby.

  Ash grumbled and looked around; his gaze locked onto a fierce beast charging toward him with a stance that clearly said, “prepare for the consequences,” while Aghat followed close behind her.

  Ash greeted them both:

  — Well, if it isn’t my favorite fake couple. How can I help you?

  Nair, furious:

  — Where is he?! Where did you take Dante?! Answer me or I’ll kill you! — she said all of that while Aghat held her back, preventing her from throwing herself at the beast.

  Ash, seemingly entertained by the scene:

  — Relax, he’s just taking a walk. Maybe in four or five hours you’ll see him. By the way, why are you putting on this whole act?

  — As if I had to explain it to you — she said, like a beast sharpening her claws.

  — Oh well, then I suppose I have no reason not to tell Dante.

  Nair’s attitude shifted instantly. She calmed down and took a breath.

  — Fine, I’ll tell you. But if I find out you went around gossiping, you’ll learn just how much fury a woman can unleash.

  Ash remained silent for a few seconds, then let out a laugh so loud even the dead would hear it. But while he was laughing without restraint, a flaming fist sent him flying into the garden behind him.

  Ash stood up and, confused, searched for whoever had landed such a blow. His gaze focused straight ahead; Nair was advancing toward him, her arms burning fiercely, standing in a stance ready to cause trouble, and she said:

  — Ash, I hadn’t considered that you come from an era where chauvinism was the norm, so let me show you — she cracked her knuckles — how far women have come in the present.

  Far from frightened or nervous, Ash grew excited and replied:

  — Then what are you waiting for? I’m eager. The only time a human ever gave me a real fight was when I faced a Valkyrie, so don’t disappoint me, colleague — Ash said, raising his guard and gesturing with his hand to invite her to attack.

  — Commander, commander! — a soldier shouted to Agnar.

  — What is it?

  A soldier, his heart in his throat, said:

  — The Darughachi Fill!

  Agnar stepped out to the building’s entrance, only to see a storm of fire raging in the middle of the garden. He spotted Aghat a few meters away and went to speak with him:

  — What’s going on here, Dorje?

  — Well, Commander, all I can say is that Ash started laughing at women and… well, this is how it turned out.

  — And it didn’t occur to you to stop them?

  — Mingghan, with all due respect, at that moment the only certainty I had was that I was about to be incinerated, and I could only choose who my executioner would be.

  Agnar was left speechless as he assessed what he could do. Ash and Nair continued their fight.

  Ash, hovering in the air, calmly dodged Nair’s attacks. Nair, as if throwing punches, tried to hit him with her fire projectiles, but to no avail, so she shouted:

  — Are you so afraid that you won’t come down and fight like a man?!

  — What’s wrong? Can’t you fly? In my time that was fairly common among pyromancers. Maybe today’s mages have lost their edge or… could it be that you can’t because you’re a woman? — Ash said with an arrogant smile.

  Even more enraged, Nair screamed:

  — IDIOT! — and raised her arms above her head. With all her power she formed a massive sphere of fire, so hot that people where Agnar and Aghat stood began to sweat.

  When the great sphere of fire reached its peak, Nair hurled it at Ash, who had been watching eagerly as she prepared the attack. As the blazing orb came toward him, he propelled himself swiftly to the side with his right arm and foot, dodging it.

  But Nair smiled and then, bringing both hands together, clapped; the fireball exploded. Ash was struck by the blast, which pushed him toward the ground, though it did not knock him down.

  Just as Ash was about to take flight again, Nair ran toward him and, propelling herself with small bursts of fire from her feet, reached higher than a normal jump would allow. Then she boosted herself once more midair, gaining enough height to deliver a heavy blow to the chauvinistic old man’s face, sending him crashing fully to the ground.

  After standing up and regaining his posture, Ash said:

  — Alright, it seems I underestimated you. Allow me to show you the respect you deserve.

  Ash leapt forward, closing the distance to Nair, who, unable to react to his great speed, received a powerful flaming strike to the stomach that hurled her in Agnar’s direction.

  After hitting the ground right in front of Agnar and the others, Nair tried to rise, but failed to recover and remained unconscious.

  Agnar looked at Ash as he approached and asked:

  — Was it necessary to be so violent?

  — I was only showing her respect — Ash replied — Besides, is it really your place to say that? When you’re the one who sends people to kill the bad guys.

  Agnar did not respond and ordered medical assistance for Nair.

  Having had enough entertainment, Ash turned around and took off, but before leaving he shouted at Agnar while tossing him the folder with the names:

  — About the prisoners, I have good news: there aren’t one hundred twenty, there are one hundred eighteen. And by the way, later you’ll explain to me why there’s nothing about the last one.

  sh flew off, and Agnar returned to his work while the onlookers dispersed and went back to their duties.

  It didn’t take long before Nair woke up in the infirmary. Aghat was at her side and looked at her reproachfully:

  — You shouldn’t throw yourself in like that. What if he had killed you?

  Holding her head as if nursing a headache, Nair replied in a sore, drowsy tone:

  — It wouldn’t have suited him. Besides, he deserved it.

  — Maybe. But let someone capable handle that.

  — Are you saying I’m not capable?!

  — Obviously not.

  — If he weren’t around, there wouldn’t be a single pyromancer in the army who could compare to me. They had to bring in some foreign operative to measure my power, and now an obsolete old man shows up and makes me look as weak as a civilian! That’s not fair. I worked hard to get where I am, and now it turns out I’m nothing if I don’t have more power.

  — Yes, now there’s someone stronger than you. That happens to anyone. And you didn’t get where you are today just because of your magic. You’re very reliable, Nair—organized and disciplined. That’s why you’re Darughachi. The women who hold that rank can be counted on one hand. Besides, you’re still young and have a lot of potential left to unlock — Aghat said cheerfully.

  Nair smiled shyly and immediately shifted into a more active, confident mood:

  — Well, you’re always good emotional support, but answer me this: why didn’t that idiot come see me?

  Meanwhile, Dante walks along the road he found on his way back home. Exhausted, he keeps his arm extended with his thumb up, waiting for some kind person to give him a ride.

  — Damn living fossil — he thinks — he left me stranded like a child in the woods. It’s been about five hours and I’ve only managed to cover around twenty kilometers… I think. Next time we fight, I’ll kill him.

  Dante would have reached the nearest bus stop within an hour; however, his luck had not yet run out.

  Hearing the sound of an engine, he turns to look and notices a car approaching. Desperate, he suddenly finds new energy, starts signaling with his thumb, jumps, and stretches out his arms, ending with a pleading gesture. Throwing away what little dignity he had left, the car comes to a stop.