The next morning, Clementina woke up on the living room sofa. Since it was off, she didn't use any energy. She got up and checked her phone's clock, which read 5:50 in the morning, with thirty minutes left before heading to school. So, she headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, but to her surprise, Hipólito was already preparing the milk. This, for some reason, annoyed Clementina to the point that she said:
"In heaven's name, what are you doing? That's supposed to be my job."
"Oh, Clementina, good morning. Since you were sleeping, I decided to prepare breakfast for Candado, Hammya, and you."
"I do that, and I've been doing it for almost six years."
"Well, don't get upset, it's just this once. Tomorrow you can do it. Now go wake up Candado and Miss Hammya."
Without further ado, Clementina went to wake up the two of them, so she left the kitchen so that Hipólito could cook in peace. She went to the second floor to wake up Hammya and Candado. Carefully climbing the stairs, she first went to Hammya's room. She opened the door gently, approached Hammya, and delicately put her hand on her shoulder, applying some pressure to wake her up.
"It's time to go to school, Hammya. So, good morning."
"Good morning, Clemen... I'll be right down."
Having succeeded, Clementina left Hammya's room and entered Candado's.
When she entered his room, she was struck by the way he slept. This time he resembled a turtle; he was wrapped in several blankets that formed a Galápagos turtle shell. There was a small opening for him to breathe, so it was easy for Clementina to talk to him. However, as soon as she began to touch his hair to wake him up, Candado pushed her hand away and closed the opening.
"Visiting hours are over," Candado declared.
So, with no other option, Clementina transformed her right hand into an electric shock device, inserted it inside the blanket shell, and... well, the response was quite obvious in every sense. Candado screamed and tumbled out of bed with all his blankets on top of him, while Clementina let out a few mocking laughs. The blankets and quilts covering him made it practically impossible for him to get out, so he decided to use more force to free himself from that mountain of blankets. When Candado managed to emerge, he was completely furious, with his hair standing on end (thanks to the shock) and his eyes literally blazing.
"HOW DARE YOU WAKE ME UP IN THE MOST INHUMANE WAY POSSIBLE!?" Candado yelled.
"Oh, I call it revenge with a side of sauce, as compensation for what you did to me last night."
Candado stood up and said,
"This won't go unpunished, trinket. I'll give you a punishment later," Candado declared as he entered the bathroom.
"Oops, sorry," Clementina whispered, imitating Candado's cold expression.
Later, she left the room naturally, without even feeling remorse for what she had done to Candado. So, once she fulfilled her duty of waking up the others, she headed to the kitchen to pour herself some milk.
Right at that moment, Hipólito was pouring milk into two glasses. Clementina sat at the end of the table, and Hammya sat beside her. At that instant, Candado arrived, adjusting his tie, with all his hair tousled and standing on end due to the electric shock Clementina had given him.
"What happened to your head?" Hammya asked.
"A satellite fell on me while I was sleeping."
"Do you want milk?" Hipólito asked.
"No, thanks. I'll have mate; my head hurts a lot."
When he said that, he sat alone at the southern end of the table, as he wanted nothing more to do with Clementina. He snapped his fingers, and the thermos and mate flew to his hand. Candado loaded his mate and took a sip.
"It's cold," he looked at Clementina and extended his hand holding the thermos, "heat this up."
"Do I look like a kitchen or a microwave?"
"Heat it up or I'll reformat you."
"You wouldn't dare; you need me a lot."
"Are you trying to test me, tin can?"
Clementina said nothing more because she was frightened; those psycho-killer eyes indicated that his patience was running thin. So, she took the thermos and instantly began overheating the water, and in a moment, the water was hot.
"Thanks, junk."
"You're welcome, licebmi nevoj nótrap."
"I'll rip out your vocal cords if you insult me like that again."
Clementina said nothing more; she remained silent and continued sipping her milk, just like Hammya, who had finished before everyone else and decided to nibble on some cookies on the table. Meanwhile, Clementina began processing data to check the weather, temperature, and season. Candado had installed this data so that he could anticipate unexpected weather changes since in the Chaco, one is never sure if it will be sunny, rainy, hot, or cold. For these reasons, he had that information. As for the season, Candado thought that if the Chaco's weather was quite peculiar, the season might be, too. It wouldn't be surprising if they were in autumn, and for some mysterious reason, winter arrived. While Clementina finished analyzing the day's conditions, she looked at Candado and said,
"My forecast says we'll have 24 degrees Celsius with a minimum of 19 by noon, clear skies, 9% humidity, and the interest rate will be very high next week."
"The last one was totally unnecessary, although truth be told, where the heck have you seen it hot in the morning and cold at noon? We might as well be upside down."
"Well, it seems this province has its ups and downs, Candado," commented Hammya.
"Young... I mean, sir, I think it would be prudent to head to school."
"Why? It's only 6:23; it's a long way to 7:30."
"I'm receiving some information on my radar; Lucas is coming at an incredible speed."
When Candado heard that, he quickly stood up, grabbed his beret, and rushed to the second floor.
"What's happening to him?" Hammya asked.
Candado and Lucas always have races to see who is the fastest and most cunning. So far, Candado hasn't lost a single time."
"Races? How did you know Lucas was coming this way?"
"It's simple; in my brain, I have a radar that detects movement within a hundred kilometers. When someone or something uses their power or magic, my radar informs me of the individual, helping me prevent threats to my young master."
As Clementina was explaining the situation, Candado opened the door and said,
"Well, Uzoori is already downstairs; it's time to go."
Clementina looked at Hammya and said,
"You go, Miss Hammya; I haven't finished my breakfast."
"Am I going to ride Uzoori?"
"In a way, yes, but hurry up, or I'll lose the race."
Hammya stood up and ran with Candado outside, where Candado's white steed was waiting for them. Candado jumped and settled in the saddle, then approached Hammya, took her arm, and with a swift motion, seated her on the horse.
"You'll want to hold onto something because we're going very fast. LET'S GO!"
With that shout, Uzoori started galloping, racing through the deserted streets of the town. Candado passed by some houses of his friends, waving to Hector, Anzor, the twins Lucia and Erika accompanied by Declan, Ana Maria, and German as he ran. As they advanced, they encountered parked cars on the road. Hammya, who was holding onto Candado's shoulders, didn't stop screaming in panic since they left the house. Candado didn't stop and pulled out a whistle from one of the horse's saddlebags, starting to blow it repeatedly. One of the car owners stuck their head out of the window and shouted,
"HERE COMES THE GAUCHO, GENTLEMEN! HERE COMES THE GAUCHO, GET YOUR LICENSE PLATES AND PUT THEM ON YOUR ROOFS!"
Quickly, everyone grabbed some hard plates and placed them on the roofs of the cars. Candado jumped over the car roofs, running one by one until he reached the asphalt.
"That was insane, Candado."
"You're alive, aren't you?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with it?"
"Then don't complain."
Candado continued running on the asphalt, dodging motorcycles, cars, and people. All these feats lengthened his path. At one point, Candado felt Lucas's aura and turned his head to the left, seeing Lucas running on the roofs, teleporting from one place to another while smiling. Candado wasn't willing to lose, but with people and objects in his way, he decided to take a shortcut through the forest. The curious thing was that as he advanced, the branches, thorns, burrs, and leaves mysteriously parted, as if the forest itself made way for him. Hammya noticed this as she followed him.
When they emerged from the forest, Candado could see the school very close, but Lucas was also close to catching up. Candado whispered something in Uzoori's ear, and they started to go faster. Lucas, exhausted, could no longer use teleportation, but he was still fast. Both were neck and neck, rapidly approaching the finish line, which was the school gate. The gatekeeper was just opening the gate, unaware that the two runners were dangerously approaching him. When he finally noticed, they were right in front of him. Candado jumped over the gatekeeper, while Lucas passed between his legs, causing the gatekeeper to faint from the fright.
The result of the race was clear; Candado won "by a head," while Lucas couldn't catch up, even stretching his arms. Right at that moment, Kapanga's "Desesperados" had finished playing. When the race ended, Hammya got off the horse, embracing the ground in fear, while Candado dismounted to approach Lucas, who was panting, bent over from exhaustion.
"God, I lost for the seventh time; I assure you I'll win tomorrow."
"I don't doubt it," said Candado as he handed him a bottle of soda.
"Thanks, idol."
At that moment, the vice principal appeared, a fat, bald man with a very bad temper. He was one of those teachers you wouldn't want to have, but as Candado is who he is, he doesn't care at all.
"How many times have I told you not to enter the school with this beast?"
"Mr. Luke, I recommend that you don't speak about Uzoori like that while I'm present."
"I don't care; there are rules here, and they must be respected, Candado. That's something that distinguishes us from animals."
"It's a pity that you're in the education field, saying something so stupid."
"What did you say? Didn't your parents teach you to respect your elders?"
"And didn't they teach you how to teach people? Instead of telling me something as stupid as that."
"If I were in charge, I would have expelled you a long time ago."
"But you're not. Frankly, I'm glad that Rodolfo is our director, despite our differences. The guy is good at his job, something I've never seen in any case of someone in education, not even in you."
"I am the best..."
"Someone like you will never be better at education."
With those words, Luke left the place indignantly, upset that a kid like Candado would treat him in that way, something he couldn't tolerate. So, he locked himself in his office.
At that moment, Candado's other friends arrived, entering through the gate. Anzor was the first to approach Candado and put a hand on his shoulder.
"How's it going, Candado?"
"I'm good, thanks."
"Please, could you tell me the time, boss?" asked Ana Maria.
Candado took out his watch from the pocket of his vest and said,
"It's 6:34. The school still has time to open."
"Then why are you here so early?" Declan asked.
"Because Lucas started a race I couldn't refuse."
"Well, why don't we go inside?" suggested German.
"You're right. You guys go in; I'll take my horse behind the school so he can graze."
"Whatever you say," said Hector.
Having said that, Candado took his horse to the designated area, but instead of tying him to a tree branch, he left him free since he trusted Uzoori. If he told him to stay, he stayed without moving. When he finished doing so, he signaled Uzoori not to leave the spot, and the horse responded by lying down on the ground. Then, Candado left the place and entered his classroom, where his classmates were sitting at the back of the room, talking among themselves. When Candado approached, they decided to invite him into the conversation, but instead of discussing the previous topic, they started debating something more important.
Candado, yesterday afternoon I was in Resistencia and passed by where the Cascabel guild massacre occurred."
"And?"
"And I found this," Lucas said, showing a badge of a Silver Falcon.
Candado took the badge and remembered what Nelson had told him at that restaurant.
"Whoever it is, it seems like they're trying to provoke W.O.G.A.B.," Lucas said.
"Have you found out anything else?" Candado asked.
"Yes, I also found out that Circuit 42 was destroyed, but there were no injuries or deaths."
With those words, Candado also recalled what the strange man in the forest had told him: "Someone wants to start a conflict between W.O.G.A.B. and U.F.E.T.C." It was completely strange that the Silver Falcon badge appeared at the crime scene, especially considering that the same person had caused his grandfather's death. Was he involved in this matter, or did he want to imply that? While considering the numerous possibilities, he looked at his classmates and said,
"Something is wrong. I think this is a provocation."
"Yes, but from whom?" Lucía asked.
"That's what I'd like to know."
"I'm sure this was done by the Circuit," Matlotsky asserted.
"No, it wasn't them," Candado replied.
"Candado is right. Someone in the shadows wants to start a war," added Hector.
"On what basis do you make these conjectures?" Lucas asked.
"It's simple... well, it could be that... let me think."
"You don't remember, do you, Hector?" Candado said.
"I'm sorry, it was so detailed that I forgot."
"I stick to my idea because if they were really the Circuit, they would have attacked us first instead of others. It makes no sense for them to destroy a small guild. Besides, as I told Hector, if they were really seeking a war, they would have attacked the most important settlements of the Bernstein Organization."
"Come on, Candado, do you really think those people are as smart as you? No, they're stupid, undesirable, and heartless," Declan opined.
These words struck Candado's mind, making him realize that his plan to avoid a conflict between the guild members and the circuitists could be in jeopardy. He had noticed that, like Declan, many people could be swayed by hatred and emotions, and they might be pressuring W.O.G.A.B. to start a war in response to this incident. He realized that the attack on a small guild aimed to sow hatred between the two major organizations.
"Wait, Declan, do you really believe they started this?" Candado asked.
"Yes, they hate us. For years, they have tried time and time again to derail us in their quest to dominate the world. Let's be objective, Candado. There's no such evil as the Circuit's. If they want to eliminate us, I don't see why we shouldn't do the same."
That's not being objective; it's prejudiced. You're saying that all of them want to finish us. Think a bit, don't let anger take over. Remember, you have intuition for these matters. Don't rush to conclusions so quickly. It's true that they went too far once, but now it's different times. Esteban leads them, someone who has a guild girlfriend."
"My apologies, Candado. I'll try to do better next time."
"Continuing with the topic, how did you come to the conclusion that someone wants to provoke a war?" Germán asked.
"I thought that was happening, but I confirmed it yesterday."
"By whom?" Erika asked.
"I have no idea, he didn't tell me his name, but I know he was sent by Esteban to try to find out who is behind all this."
"Well, what was the person who told you like?" Lucas asked.
"His way of dressing was very formal, but he didn't have a face."
"Alright... that's really strange," Matlotsky commented.
"But his face emitted white smoke, and..."
"CARBORAPOR! IT'S CARBORAPOR!" Héctor shouted. (wordplay in coal/carbón and steam/vapor in spanish)
"What's that?" Candado asked.
"They are those who handle coal and steam; only masters in that art can hide their faces with that steam mixed with coal. But it's strange, usually only adults can do it since it's expensive, but if this individual achieved it, then they must be very powerful."
"Oh, I didn't know that," Candado said.
"The truth is, very few cases exist where a person like that can emit white smoke from their head because to achieve it, they must use their powers for protection and not for selfish purposes."
"Great, but who could be orchestrating things from the shadows?" Ana Maria asked.
At that moment, Candado remembered what Rucciménkagri had told him about the matter: the Witnesses. However, he had to find a way to mention it without compromising his friend. After a few minutes pretending to think about it, Candado said,
"I heard it from one of the people I had an unwanted encounter with. They mentioned something about the 'Witnesses.' Maybe they are the ones behind all this."
"Witnesses? That's impossible; they have been extinct for a long time," Lucas said.
"Wait, do you know the Witnesses, Héctor?" Candado asked.
"Of course, my mother fought against them when I was your age. That was a month before she became friends with your mother."
"What do you know about them?" Clementina and Candado asked at the same time.
"Well, according to the writings and the information my mother provided me, the Witnesses were followers of Thanatos. Some say they were his siblings; others believe they were children who abandoned their humanity to learn spells. But, in my opinion, they don't fit into any of those categories."
"Well, we already knew that, but why do you say they have become extinct?" Candado asked.
"The reason they became extinct is that a while ago, their leader tried to bring back Thanatos with a very dangerous spell called 'The Black Hole.' This spell had the power to nullify or destroy any type of power in the world, and it was obtained through the blood of the Bailak. The Witnesses tried to resurrect Thanatos, but that spell was extremely powerful and absorbed them, leading to their own destruction. It caused an explosion that covered thirty-five kilometers around, killing everyone present and destroying everything in its path. The few who survived were hunted down one by one, both by the guild members and the circuitists."
"Wow, it seems that despite being hunted, I think very few survived and are starting to recruit new people."
"What leads you to think that?" Anzor asked.
"Candado refers to the people he and I fought with yesterday," Clementina said.
"What she said, we had some trouble in the forest yesterday afternoon."
"Wow, we didn't know. Did you have any issues?" Héctor asked.
"No, nothing I can't handle."
"Humble as always, huh?"
"Matlotsky, please, say another stupid thing and I'll knock you out with a punch."
"Well, it wasn't that serious."
"Well, what was I saying? Oh, yes, the fight. Well, I was saying that I had problems with these people, and while I remember, I snatched this from them." Candado showed the badge he had shown to Rucciménkagri and continued, "I'm sure you know this."
Héctor stood up and took the badge in surprise, as if he had seen a ghost.
"This is impossible; they were supposed to no longer exist."
"It seems you've made a mistake, Héctor, because this is worth more than a thousand words," Candado said, pointing to the badge.
"If you took this from one of them, it means there are more."
"I thought that too, maybe they are preparing to start a war."
"You're not entirely wrong, Candado."
"What do you mean, Lucas?" Candado asked.
"Don't forget what Héctor said; they were trying to bring Thanatos back. If they exist, it means they are still trying to achieve that."
"That would be a problem. Imagine the guy who dominated the world for three whole years... free. That would be terrible chaos."
"Where have you seen chaos that is cute?" Candado asked.
"Seriously, you need to stop being so logical," Clementina and Hammya said.
"It shouldn't be that terrible. They tried once and failed; there can't be much difference now," Anzor said.
"Maybe you're right. If they couldn't bring him back then, it's unlikely they'll succeed now," Declan commented.
"In other words, there won't be anything to worry about," Ana María added.
At that moment, Esteban appeared, hands in his pockets, entered the classroom, and the first thing he did was stare intently at Candado, who returned the gaze. It felt like a big fight was about to break out any moment, but Esteban looked away and sat at his desk. Apparently, that day, he had no intention of fighting.
"Is he sick?" Germán asked.
"No, I think he wants to challenge me after class," Candado replied.
As he had predicted, Esteban stood up and walked towards Candado. Esteban's steps put Candado's friends on high alert, but being on guard did nothing to help him. As Esteban approached, they took a step back, except for Hammya. When Esteban stopped, he looked at Candado, and Candado looked back at him. Both were about to unleash all the hatred they had harbored against each other.
"Tell me, where do you find these defects?" Esteban asked.
"Where I find them is my problem and no one else's."
"So, you're... numb to all this, glad to know you're too cowardly for certain things."
"Do you think I care about the speeches that come out of that hole you call a mouth? After all, only shit and garbage come out of there."
Esteban raised his hand to chest height and started releasing an electric sphere, continuously shooting some kind of threads from that energy sphere, while Candado ignited his hand with the same violet flame.
"Do you know? My biggest dream is to defeat you and prove that I am much better than you," Esteban declared.
"You defeating me? That's a completely impossible dream," Candado said as he stood up, pressing his forehead against Esteban's.
The situation briefly became terrifying, with the possibility that either of them would unleash all their energy on the other, but it all ended when the bell rang.
"You got lucky, for now," Esteban said.
"No, you got lucky."
At that moment, Anzor and Declan grabbed Candado by the shoulders and dragged him outside while he made provocative gestures at Esteban. He was more focused on insulting Esteban than on what Anzor and Declan were doing to him.
Everyone lined up, saluted the flag, sang the Argentine anthem, and entered their classrooms, except Candado, who approached the flagpole and knelt before it for two minutes, as if venerating a god. No one had noticed it before, except the school principal. Until that moment, absolutely no one had any idea that Candado did that every day. When he finished the reverence, he stood up and entered the classroom. The teacher hadn't noticed that Candado had just come in, as he didn't care.
I'd like to say that Candado was the favorite of the class or the teachers, but that wasn't the case. In reality, the entire school, except for his friends, feared him, and the teachers hated him. Candado had put the teachers in their place more than once. An anecdote tells that teachers used to ask students for money for infrastructure projects that were never carried out. One day, a teacher raised the fee and requested a donation of two hundred and fifty pesos from each student to install an air conditioner, the same one they had promised more than three times. On the day the donation was due, the teacher stopped the class and asked for money from the students. Candado was the first on the list, but instead of giving money, he and Clementina brought in a brand new air conditioner and placed it on the teacher's desk. The students were fascinated with the gift, but the teacher was not. Despite hiding his disgust with a smile, his displeasure was evident. From that day on, the teachers realized that getting money from Candado Barret would be completely impossible, and every time they asked for donations for something, Candado handed them the object they supposedly would buy, ruining their little scheme. There were many anecdotes about Candado, as numerous as the stars in space, countless.
Forgetting a bit about his exploits with the teachers, Candado sat at his desk, which was next to Hammya, when the class came to a halt. No one knew why until the principal walked in, stood in front of everyone, and said:
"I know this is somewhat unusual, but today we have another student, although most of you already know him, so there's no need for introductions. Come, step in."
When the principal announced the arrival of a new student and the door opened, a girl with short black hair entered, carrying a sports backpack on her back, similar to the ones tennis players or footballers use. She was dressed in men's clothing, with dark pants, black shoes, a black frock coat, and a white scarf elegantly wrapped around her neck. She also wore a light blue and white hat on her head, and unusually, a yellow chick rested on her head.
Most of the students were surprised to see her, as some were new to the school. However, Candado, upon seeing her, covered his eyes, showing his displeasure. The girl looked at everyone and said:
"Hello, Viki Tonrrial Cortez Arín has returned once again to her beloved town."
Candado muttered as he held his temples with both hands:
"Well, I'm done for today, go and take a seat, miss."
After that, Viki took a seat next to Héctor and began to pay attention to the class as the teacher gave his lesson. During the class, Hammya approached Candado and asked:
"Candado, who is she?"
Candado looked up from his book and turned to Hammya.
"Are you deaf or what? She said her name five minutes ago."
"I didn't mean that, but who is she to you?," Hammya clarified.
Candado turned around and continued reading but answered Hammya's question.
"She is one of us."
"From the Roobóleo guild?"
"Of course, she is part of our guild."
"Wow, does she have powers like you guys?"
"Sure, if you look closely, she's a vampire."
"A vampire? But it's daytime."
"That's from movies. If you want to know more about her, you'll have to ask her during recess."
After the conversation, Candado returned to his reading without interruptions, while Hammya looked at Viki with curiosity. Viki, in a friendly manner, greeted her classmates with a smile.
When the recess bell finally rang, all students went out to the courtyard, except Candado and his friends, who approached Viki. They gave her hugs and congratulations, as after a year and two months, their guild friend had returned. While everyone was talking to her, Candado and Hammya approached.
"Oh, Candado, it's been so long."
"Yes, so long," he said sarcastically. "Why are you back? You were supposed to be away for three more months."
"Heh, the truth is, I got bored."
"You got bored?"
"Yes, Candado, I got bored. I got bored of feasting on cattle."
Anger ignited in Candado's eyes.
"You're a... I sent you away so you could control yourself, and it seems you didn't. What the hell have you been doing for a year?"
"Sleeping, playing, and eating."
Candado made a frustrated noise, but Declan placed his hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"I sent Pio with you to prevent you from doing that, and speaking of that, where the hell is Pio?"
"She's at home, said she wouldn't come to school today. Could we visit her if you'd like?"
"Yes, I'm going to visit her, so I can scold her with my own hands. I sent her with you to keep you in check, and you bring her back the same. Without any CHANGE!"
Viki laughed at Candado's provocations, enjoying making him angry. But after he calmed down, she turned to Hammya and started a friendly conversation:
"Who are you? I've never seen you around here before, but I like your hair color."
Hammya replied:
"Oh, thank you. You're the first person to say that without calling it weird."
Viki stood up and shook her hand:
"I'm Victoria Tonrrial, but everyone calls me Viki. You can call me Viki too."
"Pleasure, Viki."
"What's your name?"
"I'm Hammya, Hammya Saillim. Nice to meet you."
"Wow, what a beautiful name."
"Thank you. Is it true that you're a vampire?"
"Yes, I am. That's why my eyes are red, but don't worry, I won't bite you. I don't bite my friends."
"Doesn't the sun harm you?"
"No, although blood has water."
"Oh, does silver harm you, or the cross?"
At that moment, Viki pulled a crucifix from her scarf and said:
"I'm Christian, and this is silver. There's nothing more blessed than the cross of Almighty Jesus."
"The stake through the heart?"
"Tell me, Hammya, do you know anyone in this world who wouldn't die from a stake through the heart? No one. Who wouldn't that kill?"
"But you drink blood."
"Yes, because it's my food. Without it, I can't live."
"So, have you killed to get it?"
"No, because nowadays you can go to a hospital and ask for blood, that's all."
"You're very strange."
"Look who's talking."
"And that chick?"
"She's Sío, she's my pet. I've had her since I was three."
"But she hasn't grown."
"Because I cast a spell on her to prevent her from growing."
"Something that almost cost you your place in the guild," added Héctor.
"Well, at least nothing serious happened."
The conversation continued, and everyone was happy that their friend had returned after a year, except Candado. Although deep down in his bitter shell, he was also glad she had come back, or so he thought.
Shifting to another topic, after recess, while Candado leaned against a classroom window reading his book, Erika, his friend, returned from break and warned him:
"Candado, get down now!"
Without hesitation, Candado dropped to the floor as Erika had instructed, and at that moment, tentacles emerged from the ground, shattering the window. Not only that, but they also knocked down benches and chairs, spreading panic among the frightened students. The tentacles seemed to be looking for someone, and Candado signaled to his friends to help those trapped in the chairs and tables. Anzor and Declan unsheathed their swords and began cutting the tentacles, while Héctor, Germán, and Lucas assisted the children. However, a tentacle struck Germán in the chest, sending him flying toward the exit door. Fortunately, Germán quickly got up and transformed into a werewolf before returning to the classroom to confront the tentacles. Candado, on the other hand, remained on the ground, out of reach of the tentacles, and shouted:
"ERIKA, LUCÍA, GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE SCHOOL NOW!" Candado yelled as he fought against the tentacles emerging from all directions.
At that moment, Ana María entered the classroom and punched the tentacle blocking Candado's path. This allowed him to stand up and use his flames to burn the tentacles in his way. However, the tentacles kept emerging from the windows and the ground. At that moment, Tínbari appeared and joined the fight.
"Tínbari, I'm blind, I don't sense any magical power, I need your help NOW!" Candado exclaimed.
Tínbari's eyes glowed yellow as he responded:
"It's behind you, approximately eighty meters away."
Candado looked behind him and saw a window, but more tentacles emerged, preventing his escape. Armed with his facón, Candado gave the order to his friends:
"The enemy is out there; I need your help to break through and catch it."
All his friends responded in unison:
"AT YOUR COMMAND, CANDADO!"
Declan and Anzor cut tentacles, Clementina shot others, Germán uprooted them with his strength, Lucas set them on fire, the twins petrified them, Viki cut them with her sharp nails, Matlotsky struck them with his hammer and shot them with his nail gun, and Héctor used his cards to stop the tentacle attacks on his friends. They worked together until they finally managed to create an opening in the window.
"NOW, CANDADO, JUMP!" Declan shouted.
Héctor wrapped Candado in a sphere of cards and jumped through the window, taking Candado outside the school. Tínbari stayed behind to help Candado's friends in the fight against the tentacles.
Candado, outside the school, faced the individual causing the chaos. The person raised their hands and moved them strangely. Candado threw his facón at him, but the person dodged it, causing the tentacles emerging from the ground to deactivate. Candado confronted him and punched him in the chest, causing his hood to fall off, revealing a wooden mask. Candado was surprised to see that the individual seemed to be his age, dressed in a light green tunic and a wooden mask concealing his face.
"Who the hell are you?" Candado asked, keeping his gaze cold on the mysterious individual.
The person didn't respond and remained silent, staring fixedly at Candado.
"I'll ask you one more time: Who the hell are you, and what do you want?" Candado insisted, approaching the individual and pulling out his facón, which was embedded in a tree.
"You don't want to talk, do you? Judging by that mask, I can assure it's not to hide your identity, but rather a mark on your face, isn't it? Witness." Candado provoked a reaction from the mysterious individual, who opened his eyes in surprise. Candado seized the opportunity and lunged at him, landing punches while the person could barely defend himself. The individual seemed perplexed upon hearing the word "Witness," indicating a connection to the matter.
"You're one of those who stay silent when they discover their dark secret, aren't you?" Candado continued while continuing to attack the individual.
Finally, the mysterious person prepared to fight Candado, and both of them remained on guard, waiting for one of them to make the first move. Candado decided to take the initiative and lunged at the individual, who summoned three tentacles from the ground to pursue him. However, Candado acted cleverly and ran toward the person. As he was about to strike, Candado jumped to the side, causing one of the tentacles to fall onto the person, injuring him.
"I thought you were smarter, man of few words," Candado mocked.
"Do you believe that, don't you?" a voice was heard behind Candado.
Candado turned around and saw the individual with the mask partially broken, revealing part of his face.
"You spoke. Not bad for a newcomer like you," observed Candado.
"I must admit it's the first time I've been attacked and hurt," replied the mysterious individual.
"Who are you?" Candado asked again.
"You're not my target for now." The person didn't reveal his name but shared his alias. "I'm Guz, and I represent the Witnesses. Soon, this world will be ours."
After saying this, Guz ran into the forest, leaping from tree to tree like a monkey.
At that moment, the gaseous figure that Candado had encountered yesterday appeared.
"You, what are you doing here?" Candado asked.
"I was having breakfast when I heard a commotion at the school. I peeked and saw you entering the forest, so I followed you here. But I must be grateful; that guy gave me a clue. They want to kill Esteban, and I won't allow that."
With that, the gaseous figure launched in pursuit of Guz, while Candado remained in place without taking any action.
When Candado finally returned to school, he found his friends removing the tentacles they had cut and Matlotsky repairing the damaged windows, chairs, and tables. His friends rushed to him, concerned about what had happened. Héctor was the first to ask.
"What happened? Did you encounter the person who started all this?"
Candado looked at Héctor seriously and responded:
"Yes, I found him, but he wasn't interested in me. His target was Esteban."
"Esteban?" all his friends expressed their surprise.
"It can't be, was he a mercenary?" Anzor asked.
"No, he was a... a Witness."
Everyone was stunned upon hearing the dreadful word "Witness." If a Witness had tried to kill Esteban, that meant their assumptions were correct: someone was trying to start a war. The events of that day and the day before had reached Candado's brain, fitting the last piece of the puzzle.
The day before, three individuals had attacked him with a clear goal: to end his life. It wasn't because Candado was strong and fearsome, but because he held the position of president of the W.G.A.B. (World Guilds Adjacent Bernstein). By killing him, the attackers would try to blame the Circuit, and vice versa, triggering a conflict. However, what the three individuals didn't know was that Candado had been previously sanctioned for hitting a fellow guild member in the convent. This action had led him to lose the presidency, replaced by the representative from Japan, Yuuta Aikawa. Candado had kept this information secret, not to protect himself, but to protect Yuuta and the organization's morality.
Candado's theory was confirmed, and the shadow of war loomed over the world. He knew that another conflict would lead the planet into chaos, regardless of who won; the result would be total destruction. However, Candado changed the subject to avoid worrying his friends.
"Hey, are you going to keep standing there or are you going into the school?" Candado asked.
"Sorry, Candado, but the principal gave us the day off. Three teachers were injured, but their injuries are not serious," Hammya replied.
"Seriously?" Candado asked.
"No, Candado, they're just superficial wounds. They'll be fine," Héctor said.
"I have an idea. Why don't we celebrate Viki's return in the Roobóleo brotherhood?" Matlotsky suggested.
Lucas looked at Matlotsky disgusted, but surprisingly, Candado agreed.
"I think it's a good idea," Candado said.
"But, sir...? Well, as you wish," Lucas conceded.
"Are you going to organize a party?" Matlotsky asked excitedly.
"No, just celebrate," Candado clarified.
"You're so boring, Candado," Matlotsky commented.
"And you're an avocado, so don't complain," Candado replied.
Then, Candado and his friends headed to the guild to celebrate their friend Viki's return. It was the first time Candado had organized something like this for one of his friends. Along the way, some of them noticed a slight change in Candado's attitude, especially Héctor, Viki, Ana María, Clementina, and Lucas. Since Hammya arrived, Candado had been acting differently, but they preferred not to draw conclusions about his change in personality.
Finally, they arrived at the guild. Anzor opened the door, and everyone entered. Candado closed the door, turned on the lights, and they scattered around the place. Matlotsky turned on the music system and mentioned that it was the first time they had a day off to use the house. Hammya took the opportunity to ask about what exactly they did.
Candado was about to answer, but his Irish friend replied.
"The Roobóleo guild, like any other guild, is dedicated to solving problems for other people, such as stolen items, murders, mysteries, escapes, and more," Declan said.
"Wow, I had no idea."
"Of course not, because you're nothing more than a dreamer," Declan added.
"Listen to me, now I'm part of this guild, and I would appreciate it if you stopped being so unpleasant."
Declan stomped his right foot hard and stared at Hammya.
"Don't raise your voice at me; you're nobody to speak to me that way. Maybe you're part of this guild, but I've been in it longer than you, so be very clear about that. If you plan something strange in this guild that harms us, or I suspect you're betraying us," he unsheathed his saber at that moment, placed it at Hammya's neck, and continued, "your head will roll at my feet."
"Declan, lower your weapon, you know what the rules are, right?"
"Yes, Candado, I know."
At that moment, Anzor and German came and took Declan away to prevent further problems between the two of them.
"Apologize to Declan; he doesn't trust you, but he will someday. For now, give him time," Viki said as she handed her a glass of soda.
"What's wrong with him?" Hammya asked.
"He still hasn't gotten over Ocho's betrayal to the guild."
"Ocho?"
"Yes, she was like you, one..."
"Viki, wait, did you say she? Is she a woman?"
"Yes, she was one of us, but she betrayed us and tried to assassinate Candado. It hurt us a lot when she betrayed us, but it hurt Declan even more since she was his girlfriend. He always felt guilty about that, and he always thought that because of him, his friends almost died. That's why he's so distrustful."
"Wow, I'm sorry."
"He's tough and stubborn, but he's a good friend. He's the kind of person who would vouch for you if you're in trouble."
When Viki said that, Hammya headed towards where Declan was.
"What are you doing?"
"If I'm going to be part of the guild, it's better that I start working on gaining the trust of the others."
These words were etched into Viki and Candado's minds. Candado, who had his back turned, heard them. When he did, he showed a small, momentary smile, visible to Héctor's eyes.
Hammya approached a semi-closed bedroom, peeked inside, and opened the door. Inside, she found Declan sitting in a chair, back turned, cleaning his sword. Hammya walked towards him slowly. When she was close enough, Declan, without turning around, said:
"My intentions are clear; I won't talk to you. No matter what you do, I'm not interested in your friendship."
"Look, I don't want problems with you. All I want is for you to treat me with respect."
"Respect? That's not something easily obtained. In fact, I highly doubt someone like you can earn my respect."
"If Matlotsky could do it, then I can too."
"Haha, that guy is tough, but he would never think of betraying the guild."
"Well, over time, we'll be friends."
Declan said nothing more and continued cleaning his sword. Hammya, on her part, stepped away from the room and joined Candado, who was sitting in the middle of the table, reading a book.
"Hello, Candado."
"Hello, Esmeralda."
"What are you doing?"
Candado looked up.
"Girl, what the hell do you think I'm doing? Am I fishing? I'm reading, girl, reading."
"Sorry, Mr. Fancy, it was just a question."
"Yes, a very stupid and pointless one."
"Why are you so mean? I don't understand why people respect you so much."
"One, because I'm devilish, and second, why do you care?"
"You're a jerk."
"I don't care, as long as I do what is right, my attitude doesn't matter."
"Changing the subject, tell me, how many countries does the World Organization of Gremial Adjuncts Bernstein govern?"
"Today, there are ten countries, including Argentina, Paraguay, France, Germany, Kenya, China, Cuba, Japan, Iran, and Venezuela."
"Wow, it used to be seven before. Why are there ten now?"
"Because those three countries achieved incredible things. Cuba entered because Fernando Álvarez started a revolution against the Circuists. At that time, the cradle of the United Front of Circuits and Technomancers was Cuba, but Fernando expelled them with just eighteen guilds throughout the island, so he earned a space in our hall. Nowadays, the best guilds are in Cuba. In Iran, Alli Fereshteh reached a peace agreement with the circuits of the East. It was the first country to have a treaty with them after sixty-five years, inspiring other nations worldwide to have dialogue treaties to achieve peace. For that reason, it earned a place in our hall. Venezuela was a country heavily affected by foreign imperialism, to the point that there were no guilds in that country for more than sixty years. Then, a guy named Ramiro Solari created a guild dedicated solely to combat hunger and poverty. It earned a place in the W.O.G.A.B. because it was the only country that supported my mother in the GreenBlood case. When she was expelled, she sought help in that country and was warmly welcomed. When the case ended, my mother was elected president, and as a token of gratitude, she opened the doors to Ramiro, earning that seat in our hall."
"Wow, how is it possible I've never heard of that?"
"Because businessmen and imperialists took care of silencing us, talking about unimportant issues. Nowadays, the United Nations knows about our existence, but they don't know why we exist; they've never touched on the subject. Only a few countries are aware of our existence."
"It's a bit sad."
"Sad? It's not sad. In my opinion, I think it's better this way. If our name were known worldwide, they would use the organization for their own benefit—things like war, political and religious conflicts, promotion of imperialism, and a bunch of things that would damage Harambee's ideals. I'd rather die than allow them to tarnish its name."
"Heh, it seems like you admire an African a lot."
Candado closed the book and brought it down forcefully on Hammya's head.
"Don't you dare use her name like that. For your information, thanks to her, people like you don't go through life as slaves."
"That hurts, and a lot."
"So you don't forget, ever," said Candado, pointing at her with a book.
"Okay, okay, I won't forget."
"That's better."
"By the way, why would your mother be well-received in Venezuela? Was she hated?"
At that moment, Candado's expression changed; he became somber and calm, and his gaze weakened.