The ride to the barracks was not too long, but he needed to satisfy his need for information again, so while sitting quietly in the back of that taxi, he took out his mobile phone and spent several minutes checking the Dakunaito website. Latest news, enlistment requirements, ranks and hierarchies... and so on. When he couldn't think of what else to see, he looked for that card in his pockets, to check that he hadn't forgotten it, then he looked at it for a while...
''Visitor's Pass''
It was the one that Captain Kassian left on the hospital bedside table. Only high-ranking Dakunaito had it, and it was given to important visitors so that they could identify themselves as eligible for entry into the barracks. If you didn't have one, you couldn't get in, even if you were the president of the country.
The Dakunaitos, a non-governmental institution completely outside the government, have their own rules, their own functioning and their own laws. Not all the countries in the world have barracks, in fact there are exactly 24 countries that have them. The way they work is simple, they are paid by the state to act as an elite force and protection within the territory. They could be activated for extreme cases such as terrorism, national or international conflicts, etc.
That famous case 15 years ago was a large-scale intervention approved by OTAN after an extraordinary council to prevent an imminent nuclear war. In principle, they have not been able to act on their own for more than 100 years. During the first world war the warring states used dakunaito clans as mercenaries to gain advantage... It was a massacre and as expected, this was forbidden in that peace agreement ''the treaty of Versailles'' and publicly they have not been used in such conflicts, although some accuse Hitler of having carried out raids with members, it is not confirmed.
Leaving the main area of Barcelona, the whole route was practically countryside and then some secondary roads. What Yariel had forgotten was that he would pass through a ghost town. An old town known as a former capital, but now completely abandoned. Even youtubers who do video blogs go into their houses to show what it was like. The construction and layout has nothing to do with modern cities. Some areas around here were over 1000 years old. Still, they were sturdy.
It is known that it was one of the most populated cities in the country. At the beginning, like everywhere else, it was a normal population that was born and died there, they were merchants, travellers, painters... there were also thieves and criminals that the dakunaito police were in charge of capturing... with time the locals started to move away and little by little it became more desolate. There was a time when only the families of the dakunaito themselves lived there. Now not even their own families want to be around. It is a ghost town. The old 'Tarraco'.
The taxi driver glanced in the rear-view mirror at Yariel as they passed through its streets on their way to the barracks.
—Are you going to join them?.
—What? Uh... no, no, I'm just going to pay a visit. —He replies.
After a brief pause, the taxi driver comments.
—You seem like a nice guy... and you have a job, don't you? looking at your uniform I mean... and not that I want to pry, kid, but you're young, I'm sure you can find a wife and have a family of your own... Going in there should be the last thing a person wants to do in life, you know?
—No, no... if I'm not going to enlist...
—That's what they all say... but whoever goes in there, doesn't come out... I've brought many young men like you, even my own son, I haven't seen him for years... they wash your head... and you stop seeing them.
Yariel was thoughtful, but did not answer him, in part his opinion was not so different. He doesn't think they are waste, or useless. They have their function, but to a certain extent, it is true that the dakunaitos are not integrated into society, they live there, in the barracks, far from their families and the vast majority never see them again.
After some time, we leave the city behind us and the taxi driver starts to slow down in front of some very long stairs.
—We have arrived. —He said.
Yariel gives him a ticket and opens the door to get out, the taxi driver rolls down the passenger window and says.
—Hey, if you need me to pick you up, just call, okay?.
—Thank you sir.—Replies Yariel.
—Yeah, yeah... well, bye.
Then he turns around and leaves. Yariel stares at him briefly until he turns around and sees the size of the walkway he has left to climb... They are quite wide and go up several meters, I'd say it's at least three floors of a normal building.
About halfway up there is a landing, a space with a fountain in the middle where right in the middle is a statue of two knights fighting. Well, one knight knocking down another rather...
<
And that was just to access the entrance of the barracks... After a few minutes, when he is climbing the last steps, he begins to glimpse the entrance, this time yes. You could perfectly see the huge metal doors with dragon patterns decorating it. They ascended 15 metres... They were colossal.
After he finishes climbing, in the distance, he sees a small hut and some security fences forming what looks like an access control. As he gets closer, he watches as a human figure comes out of the booth and stands there, probably waiting to greet him. He walked until he reached a white line that delimits the access, right next to a fence that prevented access. Then the person walks a few metres forward and approaches him.
—What do you want, boy? —says one of them.
—Hello, well... I've been asked to come.
—Who asked you to come?.
—Well... —After a brief pause, he thinks about what he is about to say, and although it sounds like a joke, it was not.
—Kassian asked me to come.
—Captain Kassian says?.
—Yes, sir.
—Wait, you're saying the captain asked you in person to come here?.
—Yes...
—And why would the captain ask him that... wait a second... are you... are you the one in the videos of that fire? ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, what's up kid? don't tell me you want to be a dakunaito now? —he says while laughing, mockingly.
—No... I just... —He tries to answer, until someone interrupts him.
—Go away, you're not doing anything here. —Says the other one from the hut.
Yariel turns his face to look at another boy. But he couldn't see his face. He was leaning, with half his body covered by the shadow. There was a glaring sun that accentuated the shadow, and he was wearing a cap. Yariel frowns, making an effort to see who it was, the voice would say it was familiar.
After a few seconds the shadow moves slightly closer, revealing his face, his features and his deep grey eyes.
She recognised him instantly. It was Caleb, an old childhood acquaintance. He was younger than him, but his brother had been a close friend of his when they were in elementary school. In fact, he stayed at his house countless times. They were inseparable friends, the closest of friends, like brothers, and though Caleb was younger, he occasionally played with them in the house, though his mother wouldn't let him go with them when they went on their adventures.
Caleb awakened the gift when he was about twelve years old and started hanging out with other boys, bullies essentially... he took advantage of his abilities to pick on others, showing off his strength. He was constantly fighting with other kids from other schools. Even his own new friends turned their backs on him. He was very confrontational.
<
—A shit like you could never get into the dakunaito, you'd better leave. —Caleb told him.
He was partly right. He didn't have the body, he didn't have the power... he didn't even have the intention. He was there simply out of curiosity, because he couldn't get that conversation with Kassian out of his head.
—Fuck Jacob, don't be so hard on him.—Replies his companion. —Hey boy, how about if I take a picture of you and you take it as a souvenir, huh? What do you think? ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. —He says with a mocking tone.
I treat him like a simple fanboy. Then Yariel takes that card out of his pocket and hands it to him...
—Huh? What's this?. —He asks as he picks it up.
—Kassian gave it to me.
—A vissit pass card?. —He asks in surprise.
—Let me see that. —Caleb intervenes angrily, taking it out of his partner's hands. —How did you get this? —he demands as he grabs his shirt, trying to intimidate him.
—Levine, let him go, he's a simple civilian. —The other says in surprise.
Yariel fixed his gaze on Caleb, he wasn't confronting him, he was simply looking at him, as if they were having a conversation, only he didn't say a word, until he tells him.
—Captain Kassian gave it to me.
—Kassian gave this to you? Don't make me laugh. —He answers her, bringing his face much closer, as if to provoke her. —Get out of here before I get angry, you idiot. —Then I let go, pushing him back slightly.
But the other one intervenes.
—Calm down Caleb, we'd better notify him, whether it's his or not, it's original.... —This time in a serious tone.
—Tsk...do what you want. —Caleb replies.
His full name was Caleb Levine. He was about 1,75cm. Completely black hair, grey eyes. He looked exactly like his brother, Yariel's old friend.
As they checked that business card over the phone, inside the booth, Yariel stood at the entrance slightly behind a white line marking the entrance area, just in front of Caleb. The two of them standing face to face, face to face... Just like 12 years ago.
***
17/12/2013
About 12 years ago.
Once upon a time in a big city, two inseparable friends were running around and having adventures all the time. For as long as they could remember, their days were full of adventures, exploring the mountains, building forts with branches in the river and sharing dreams under the starry sky. With those fantastic stories of the dakunaitos. They were like brothers, two soul mates who understood each other without the need for words.
One was an extrovert and brave boy, with an infectious laugh that would light up any room. The other was more introverted and thoughtful, with an overflowing imagination that always found a way to turn the everyday into something magical. Together, they were the perfect balance, completing each other.
One winter, when they were 9 years old, there was a big festival in their neighbourhood, a popular festival that everyone was looking forward to. The two friends were excited and decided that this would be the time to carry out their biggest adventure yet: to build a raft to navigate the river that ran near the village. They worked for weeks, gathering materials and designing the perfect raft. Every afternoon after school, they gathered at the river and worked tirelessly, laughing and dreaming of the freedom of sailing the waters.
Finally, the day of the festival arrived. The raft was ready and the two friends couldn't wait to try it out. They walked away from the hustle and bustle of the festival and headed to the river, where their creation awaited them. With hearts full of excitement, they climbed into the raft and started paddling. At first, everything was perfect. The water was calm and the sun was shining overhead.
But soon, things began to change. A stronger than expected current caught them and the raft began to wobble. In the days leading up to the festival there had been a lot of rain on the mountain and there was an old reservoir that could not hold any more, all the water that there was was rushing down the river frantically and fast, sweeping everything in its path. The flow of the river became as unstable as the water level rose rapidly.
One of them, with his usual bravery, tried to keep calm and guide the raft, the other... scared, lost his balance and fell into the water. Without a second thought, his friend jumped in after him, but the current was too strong. The screams of the children were drowned out by the roar of the river. The two friends struggled against the current, trying to stay afloat, but the river was relentless. Finally they managed to grab hold of a log that was stuck in the middle of a bridge. Barely able to hold on, they used all their strength but one of them was swept away by the current.
A group of people passing nearby, alerted by the screams, ran to the river. But they could only pull one of them out of the water, who was struggling between sobs and despair, pointing to where his friend had disappeared. They searched tirelessly, but the river did not return the boy. Tragedy struck the village with devastating force. The boy's family was devastated, his friend, consumed by guilt and grief, withdrew into himself, his laughter disappeared and his bright eyes became dull and empty.
The festival, which should have been a celebration of life and community, became a reminder of loss and fragility. The boy's absence left a void that could never be filled. The survivor moved with his family to another city a few months later. Years passed and scarred by the tragedy, he became a lonely man, unable to form deep connections with anyone, always carrying with him the shadow of that fateful day. The boy who survived was named Yariel and the one who died was Jacob, Caleb's older brother.
The river, witness to so many lives and secrets, held in its waters the sadness of a friendship cut short and the dreams of two boys who only wanted to be free. Caleb returned every December 17th, waiting for his brother to show up, apologising for taking so long. But it never happened.
One day, several years later, Yariel decided to return to the river, the place that had marked the end of his childhood and the loss of his best friend. When she arrived, she found Jacob staring at the water that had witnessed the tragedy.
With tears in her eyes, Yariel whispered her brother's name to the wind, hoping for some kind of redemption or peace. But he remained indifferent, turned away and with those same tears in his eyes, kept his gaze on Yariel, who could not hold it.... In that moment, he understood that some wounds never fully heal and that some losses are too great to overcome.