The clock struck twelve, and the Candado group remained motionless in their place. It was the perfect opportunity to attack, but without Dockly's eyes and Jane's command, they couldn't do anything. Among the trio was Isabel, a spoiled girl to the core who did nothing but complain repeatedly. Then there was Guz, or at least that was his pseudonym, sitting in meditation, and finally, Joel, whose needles seemed to be his only concern.
"I'm getting tired of waiting. Where the hell are those two?" Isabel exclaimed.
"Relax, Isabel. You don't want to anger Desza," Joel said while playing with his needles.
"No, I'm tired of being in this damn forest. All we've done is watch how Candado plays with his companions."
"What do you suggest we do?" Guz asked.
"Let's attack since they're too busy to do anything. Come on, we kill Candado and go back."
"And then what?"
"What do you mean, 'and then what'? We go back and report to the house about our success."
"It's a stupid plan. If we want to kill Candado, we have to do it at the opportune moment and from a distance."
"What's wrong with you, mask-wearer? Are you scared?" Isabel mocked.
"No, I had the inconvenience of fighting against him and lost. He knocked me out."
"You're weak. He wouldn't have even touched a single hair on me."
"Then why don't you go alone if you're better than us?" Joel asked while polishing his needles.
Isabel didn't answer and changed the subject.
"When are those two coming?"
"They should have arrived more than ten minutes ago," Joel said, checking the time on his phone.
Guz looked up and said, "They're here."
At that moment, two figures emerged from the depths of the forest: one was Jane, and the other was Dockly.
"They've finally arrived when the polar ice caps have already melted, and here I am suffering," Isabel complained.
"Don't be so melodramatic, Isabel. We had some issues getting here. Addel, one of the Drafters, was following us, and we had to shake him off. It took a lot, but we did it," Jane explained.
"Damn, it's my fault. I should have been more careful."
"Don't worry, Jane. We all make mistakes," Guz reassured.
"It's time. Candado is over there distracted. It's time we end this now."
"Isabel is right. We should finish this now," Jane said, crouching down. "Come closer. This is the plan: we are ten meters away from Candado. What we're going to do is this: we all go from one end forming a star. Once positioned, you attack. Candado will focus on you, and when he's distracted," she pulled out her sword and thrust it with all her strength into the ground, "I'll pierce his back and destroy his heart."
"I like your thirst for revenge," Guz said.
"Alright, let's begin," Jane ordered.
The team split according to the plan. Jane positioned herself behind Candado, about ten meters away. Due to his skill, Candado didn't sense her presence. Using the cover of tall grass and trees, Jane began to approach stealthily, taking step after step until reaching an optimal point, neither too close nor too far. She observed the trunk blocking her line of sight and calculated the exact spot where she would launch her deadly attack. Slowly, she stood up, with a smile on her face and unwavering determination, ready to carry out her lethal strike. But then, something changed.
As she was about to run towards her target, she saw a sweet girl running right to where she planned to execute her attack. For a moment, this didn't bother her; she planned to wait for the girl to move away before striking. However, something unexpected happened: Candado headed towards the girl instead of advancing towards Jane. Observing this puzzled Jane, who, although momentarily scared that Candado had discovered her, remained firm with her sword raised.
But Candado didn't approach Jane; instead, he headed towards the girl and, to Jane's surprise, embraced her tenderly. A torrent of emotions flooded Jane at that moment. Her feet trembled, sweat soaked her forehead and face, her breathing became forced and erratic, as if she were on the verge of an asthma attack. Her hands and sword trembled uncontrollably, and her anger and rage mixed with a strange and bewildering sensation.
Jane didn't understand what was happening to her. She couldn't attack in this state. Seeing the girl embracing Candado paralyzed her. While desperately trying to regain control of her body, a memory flooded her mind: an image of herself hugging her father in the same way she now watched the girl. Jane shook her head to try to shake off those thoughts, but the feeling persisted. Furious with herself, she tried to focus on her goal, but her attempts were in vain.
Finally, she sheathed her sword and fled the scene at full speed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She wondered what was happening to her and why she was running away from the mission she had planned herself.
"What's happening to me? Why am I running away?" Jane questioned herself as she distanced herself.
Upon realizing that her companion's spirit was retreating, Joel informed the others that the plan had failed. With great disappointment, the remaining team members withdrew from the area, disillusioned by the operation's failure.
Meanwhile, Candado did feel her and did discover her; in fact, he had his hands on his facón while hugging Yara and discreetly watching the mountain. When he felt the threat had retreated, he calmed his instincts.
Joel ran with all his might following his sister's spirit. He was worried about her. After a while of frantic searching, he finally found Jane lying next to a tree, looking at her sword with tears in her eyes. He quickly approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder and concern in his voice.
"Jane? What happened to you?" Joel asked as he crouched in front of his sister.
"I... I... I saw..."
"Whom did you see?" Joel asked, filled with frustration and concern.
"I saw Dad."
After those words, Jane broke down. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her mind was engulfed in a storm of uncontrollable emotions.
"What are you saying? Dad is dead; you, I, and Rose saw them being killed."
"I saw his face in my mind, Joel. I couldn't believe it; this has never happened to me before."
Joel opened his mouth to say something but didn't utter a word. Instead, he embraced his sister tightly.
"I know what you're feeling; I miss them too." He then pulled away from her and, with his hands on her shoulders, looked into her eyes. "That's why I promised to take care of you two, no matter what happens, no matter what occurs, I will always be by your side."
At that moment, the other team members arrived, most of them with angry expressions towards Jane for her inability to carry out the plan.
"Can you explain what that was, Jane?" Isabel demanded authoritatively.
"Nothing, Candado noticed our presence," Joel lied.
"You weren't asked," Dockly replied.
"Jane is in a very delicate situation; please, leave her alone for now," Guz intervened.
"Delicate?" Dockly said skeptically. "Just because she saw Candado, she's crying."
"She didn't explain it to me, but please, leave her alone until she recovers," Joel insisted.
"I think she'd better tell us what happened," Dockly added as he approached Jane.
Joel stood between his sister and Dockly.
"I said she's very delicate, so stay away," Joel warned, visibly angry.
"Are you threatening me, Joel? You have no chance against me."
"ENOUGH!" Guz intervened. "It's clear that we've lost, and it has left a bad taste in all of our mouths. But I understand her because I was the one who fought Candado and lost. You, on the other hand, have never faced him, Dockly."
"Seems like everyone is an expert on Candado. Which one of you 'experts' will inform Desza that we have failed? Because I'm not going to take the fall for you." Dockly added.
"I'll do it." Joel volunteered.
"Fine, tell her, and we'll see how she takes it," Dockly said, walking away from them towards an uncertain destination outside the forest.
"Joel, forgive me, I..."
"Don't say anything. I'll take care of this."
!
ChatGPT
"Are you sure? Desza has been very impatient to kill Candado in these last days, and saying that the plan has failed will be enough to make him explode in anger towards you," Guz warned.
"I know, Guz. I know, but I'm not afraid of him," Joel replied.
"You should be, as he possesses the Monstrous Power," added Isabel.
Joel helped his sister to her feet, and both began to walk, accompanied by Isabel and Guz. During the journey, an overwhelming silence took over the group, and Jane remained in a state of shock due to the recent events.
Joel was deeply concerned for his sister, but Guz, on the other hand, couldn't stop looking at his watch. Guz was an enigma to his comrades. No one had seen his face, and he never spoke about his past. He had no family or parents, and when they were not on a mission, he disappeared without a trace, locking himself in his room to rest. He always wore the same clothes and a wooden mask that hid his face. Despite all the mysteries surrounding Guz, his hatred for the guild was monumental, although the reasons for this hatred were a mystery.
In contrast to Guz was Isabel, an unbearable, arrogant, and bossy girl. She always dressed in elegant clothing: black leggings, red boots, a green tailcoat over her black shirt, and her short dark hair was held with a diamond rose-shaped clip. Beyond her difficult personality, Isabel had an uncommon power called "Bloody Fury." This power made a person lose control of their body and succumb to hatred and rage, turning them into a formidable force. Isabel was known for her unpleasant attitude and her willingness to confront any enemy, whether circuitists or guild members. Even Candado himself was not someone to be taken lightly.
Then there were the Wandering siblings, a nickname they had earned on some missions. Despite joining the group recently, they had gained the respect of the other members, although some still doubted their abilities.
All of them were under the leadership of a man named Desza, known as "The Profaner." It was said that Desza had been a fervent follower of Harambee, but his radicalism and thirst for blood had led him to be expelled from the World Organization of Guilds and Brigadier Alliances (W.O.G.A.B). His whereabouts had been unknown for days. Desza believed that world peace could only be achieved by eliminating anything that opposed it, even if it meant killing innocents. This belief became a bloody reality in the city of Cecilia, where Desza was involved in the death of seventy-two people. Upon learning of these horrors, Candado summoned Desza to answer to the leaders of the organization, and his poor defense was not enough to save him from being ousted and expelled from the guilds.
His trial began at nine in the morning and lasted until five in the afternoon, taking a total of nine hours. During this process, the accused repeated over and over that the deaths he had caused were necessary for peace. Candado, with an encyclopedic knowledge of the regulations, consisting of officially ten thousand laws, remained steadfast in his stance. At no point did Desza show remorse; he was convinced that those lives had to be sacrificed for the sake of peace.
Candado was exhausted from hearing the same argument over and over. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Desza used Harambee's name to justify his actions. This act sparked fierce anger in both Candado and everyone present. Candado stood up from his seat and pronounced an immediate sentence of expulsion and imprisonment for Desza. Feeling betrayed, Desza freed himself from his shackles, eliminated his guards, and set out to kill Candado. However, he turned out to be inferior in skills and lost not only the fight but also his powers. Candado made sure that Desza would never pose a threat again, depriving him of his abilities.
That day, Desza lost two crucial things: his powers and his sanity. Since then, he vowed to destroy Kanghar, determined not to leave anyone alive and not to leave a single structure standing.
The doors opened with a deafening noise as the team returned from their mission to assassinate Candado. Desza was sitting on a broken armchair, cleaning his machete, which still dripped blood, while the decapitated body of a black-clad teenager lay at his feet. The victim's severed head reflected the horror of his death. How much fear had that poor boy suffered?
As the team observed the scene, they were petrified, except for Guz, who remained impassive throughout.
Desza, with his back turned, was next to a nightstand with a mask on it. Upon hearing the door open, Desza took his mask and put it on before turning to face his followers. His appearance was both imposing and terrifying: a mask that covered his entire face except the chin, a shiny chest armor, black pants, and a black tunic that partially hid his body.
"Tell me, did you succeed?" Desza asked with a smile.
Joel, visibly frightened, took a step forward and answered hesitantly.
"No, the mission failed."
Desza showed a sinister smile to the group and then looked down at the lifeless body at his feet with indifference. He displayed no remorse or guilt. With a cold and threatening voice, Desza commented on the corpse:
"This piece of meat you see here was utterly useless."
Guz, defiant, spoke without flinching:
"If you keep killing our comrades, eventually, they will abandon you, and take that off; we already know what you're like."
Desza removed the mask and looked at Guz with a mocking smile, seemingly enjoying doing so.
"You've been showing a lot of rebellion lately, Guz. I wonder if that rebellion benefits our cause or if you're just doing it to irritate me."
"Think what you want, but I'll tell you something: What good does it do us to kill our comrades? These days, being a Witness is dangerous, and almost no one comes to our aid. Besides, you're eliminating the few hands we have."
"Those who cannot meet the necessary requirements must be eliminated. Weakness is not welcome here."
"If you don't want your followers to be weak, why not train them instead of beheading them?"
Without changing his expression, Desza looked at a group of people to his right and ordered:
"Take this useless one away and throw him into the fire."
Three individuals approached, carried the decapitated body, and left the room, leaving Desza alone with the group.
"Well, I'll be merciful. I must admit it was a challenge for the newcomers. Rest, comrades; tomorrow is a new day."
With these words, the group nodded and left the room, leaving Desza alone with his thoughts.
They walked through a dimly lit corridor. Isabel separated from them and headed to her room. Guz and the siblings entered their respective rooms. Rose, worried, was sitting on her bed. When she heard the door open, she ran towards her brothers and hugged them. Guz lay on his bed and expressed his frustration:
"What a damn day."
Joel headed to Guz's bed after thanking him for what he did in the confrontation with Desza. Guz, looking at the ceiling, responded with some indifference:
"I didn't do anything, just said what I think."
Joel, however, was determined to better understand his companion and asked about his hidden identity:
"Tell me, why do you hide your face?"
Guz looked him directly in the eyes and replied firmly:
"What are you talking about? This is my face; there's nothing beneath this mask."
Joel continued his interrogation:
"You never told us your name."
Guz again averted his gaze to the ceiling and sighed:
"Name? I forgot that years ago."
Joel could sense the melancholy in Guz's words and expressed his concern:
"That sounds sad."
Guz, dismissing it, advised Joel:
"You worry too much, Joel. Don't get entangled in those feelings; they are poison to oneself."
With this, Guz hinted that he didn't wish to delve into his past or reveal more about himself. He turned away and sank into sleep. Joel, understanding the hint, stepped back and lay on his bed. From his position, he observed Jane playing with Rose. Initially, he smiled at seeing his sisters enjoying themselves, but that smile quickly faded. Joel knew that as long as Candado was alive, no one would be safe. Uncertainty and danger were constant in their lives.
Meanwhile, Desza experienced a sinister joy as he cleaned the blood off his machete, a weapon that had claimed countless lives. To him, each death was necessary in his quest to eliminate those he deemed corrupt and harmful to world peace. Desza was convinced that his cause justified any sacrifice, and he cared not at all for each life he took.
While Desza was immersed in his thoughts and madness, Jørgen, one of his soldiers, appeared with a suitcase in hand. Desza greeted him and stood up from his seat. Jørgen noticed the blood on Desza's machete and joked about it:
"The air is somewhat dirty, just like your machete. Have you killed someone?"
Desza responded with indifference:
"Yes, garbage, nothing more."
Jørgen revealed that they had buried the body in the mountains of Tibet, although they still lacked a key for their purpose. However, Jørgen had good news:
"We know what the key is to bring Thanatos back to our world."
Desza showed interest and threw him a bottle of sugary water, listening attentively as Jørgen revealed the key:
"Harambee's spear."
Desza laughed and sat back in his chair. He drank his sugary water enthusiastically before speaking:
"The cages have opened, wolves howl, eagles hunt, tigers attack, and the lion is devoured. The Witnesses have risen from their ashes to avenge the heirs of infamy. Thanatos will return."
Then, Desza stood up and raised his machete in the air, proclaiming his determination:
"GET READY, GUILD MEMBERS, IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO SEE TERROR IN PERSON! THE WAR HAS BEGUN, AND YOUR BLOOD WILL BE MY NOURISHMENT!"
Jørgen applauded excitedly. However, at that moment, two unexpected individuals appeared behind Jørgen, a child and an elderly man. Desza and Jørgen eyed them cautiously.
"Who are you?" Desza asked.
The elderly man, identified as Pullbarey, spoke calmly:
"Well, I just want to help you."
Jørgen, still wary, asked:
"Why?"
Pullbarey explained that he had bewitched a young man named Candado years ago and wanted to reclaim something he considered rightfully his. He offered his services and proposed a deal:
"Believe me, Desza the defiler, it's more than interesting."
Desza, intrigued, asked how he could trust them. Pullbarey offered a gift and revealed a condition:
"I've noticed it's challenging for you to move underground, so I'll give you a gift."
Desza inquired more about the gift, and Pullbarey gave a hint:
"It's a machine, very powerful."
Desza showed his willingness to accept, but Pullbarey had one last request:
"Would you give me a clue?"
Desza, smiling sinisterly, responded with determination:
"What do you prefer, his head or heart?"