Author's notes:
<>.
— I use this for dialogue.
BEEP, BEEP... - BEEP, BEEP...
The windows revealed that he was still inside the castle, a place that looked more like a fortress of ancient mysteries than a simple hospital. The dim light from the monitors cast a glow on his face. Slowly Yariel opened his eyes.
—This is the second time I've seen you in a hospital. Are you getting used to this? —Kassian joked, his tone light in contrast to the seriousness of the moment.
Yariel sat up easily. This time he was uninjured; his body was healthy and recovered. It had only been a few hours. Yariel listened to him and took a few brief seconds to respond.
—So... everything you've been telling me...
—I know, it's hard to take in. —Kassian admitted.
—Why are you keeping it a secret? Why are you allowing this fight to go on in silence?
—Our duty is to protect the world from evil. —Kassian replied gravely. —We cannot allow the innocent to be caught up in this battle. Humanity must move forward without restraint, and we... we bear that burden. We face the burden of battle so that others may live in peace.
We cannot allow the innocent to be caught up in this battle. Humanity must move forward without restraint, and we... we shoulder that burden. We face the burden of battle so that others may live in peace.
Yariel was thoughtful. In part he understood. Everyone was happier living their lives without fear of the unknown. Those with powers could face dark forces and demons, but those without would live in fear, waiting for others to save them. That burden prevented humanity from advancing as a society and living in peace. That was what it meant to be a dakunaito, and now... he understood.
—So... My gift is fire? —Yariel asked, trying to grasp the extent of his ability.
—Not only that. —Kassian replied calmly. —You also possess immunity.
—How is that possible? There was never any sign of it...
—It was always in you. But the seal that kept it dormant has been broken.
—So, does that mean I can control it?
—No, not exactly.
—You'll have to learn to master it in less than three months.
—Three months? —Will it disappear if I don't?
—By touching that weapon, a part of the power has begun to flow unchecked. Every day it will become more intense. —Kassian explained. —It's like a dam starting to overflow. If you can't control the flow, your body won't be able to resist and...
Yariel listened to Kassian's words with growing concern and swallowed.
—Your body will explode like a firecracker in San Juan.
—Huh?
—Bom....
The tension was broken by Kassian's joke, and the atmosphere relaxed a little.
—Wait, you're saying I'm going to die?!
—Only if you don't control it. You have three months.
—Actually, it's two months and three weeks —Wyte interjected lightly.—It took one to get here —he added with a playful grin.
—And if I don't come, what if I don't? Are they going to let me die?
—Who are we to judge God's designs? —Kassian replied with a touch of solemnity.
—You will be...! —Yariel shouted, squirming as Lieutenant Wyte held him down.
The scene became comical with Yariel in his dressing gown, held by Noah. The laughter eased the tension as Kassian continued his banter.
—Yariel, we'll be by your side through the whole process, but you'll have to undergo special training... here. You won't be going back outside for a while. —Wyte said firmly.
<
—I can't just disappear like this.
—Don't worry about them. —Kassian reassured him. —Right now, two men are at your house reporting that you'll be gone for a while.
—But how can they just accept that?
—Relax, we haven't told them anything about your real situation. Just that you're going on a course.
—A course?.. What kind of course?
—A course in... Self-defence.
—Self... defence...
—And we'll also take care of your salary. It'll be paid into your grandmother's account every month. —Wyte added.
—You'll stay here, train here, eat here, and over the next few months, we'll see how far you can go. It's your only option. —Kassian said with determination.
—Fuck... This is serious.
The impact of Kassian's words felt like a direct blow to the heart. A mixture of fear and excitement intertwined in his chest. All around him, the walls of the barracks seemed to close in. For the first time in his life, Yariel felt the throbbing pulse of being truly alive, as if every beat of his heart set the rhythm of a destiny that had been sculpted especially for him.
<
Every fear became a certainty. That day, under the intense, expectant gaze of Kassian and Wyte, Yariel found her place in the world. A memory with his friend Jacob came to his mind.
<
—Why now? —Yariel asked.
—Possessions have increased at an alarming rate in recent years, and in the last few months they have doubled. —Kassian replied, with uncharacteristic gravity.
—You mean the case from before? —Yariel replied.
This time his tone of voice felt different. More confident, more... decisive.
—Exactly. —Kassian confirmed, his countenance changing from joking to a more serious tone. —There is a secret society, the Lucifer Worshippers. Though they operate in the shadows, we have been fighting them for a long time. Recently, they came into possession of a tablet we have been seeking for millennia. We don't know how... but information about its location reached them and... they managed to find it. What you saw in that room is the result of a forbidden... arcane ritual.
—There are many things you do not yet know, Yariel. You will know them in time. —Noah replied.
Yariel, though surprised, his mentality was different, not like before when he looked at it with scepticism, now everything he was told he assimilates and internalises at a dizzying speed.
Kassian takes a few seconds to think about what he is about to tell her. One of humanity's greatest secrets, something hidden that normal people have no knowledge of, nor imagine.
—On earth there are several portals that take you to the between worlds. We dakunaitos are the custodians of them, we make incursions throughout the year. With these portals going to and from the betweenworlds is as easy as entering this room. However, with the tablet they are opening windows to this world... fortunately only small demons can pass through... But tell me... what do you think would happen if the worshippers got hold of just one of them?
Yariel swallowed.
—They're low-level demons now... it takes them a while to take over a mortal's body... we can control them, but if they were to go through a portal with their own body... —Wyte replied. —It would be fatal to our current society.
—And what can be done?
—We fight on two fronts... between worlds and the known land —Kassian declared, his voice charged with epic determination. —Wyte, you're in charge —Kassian ordered.
—It's all right. —Wyte replied.
—Yariel, one more thing... never reveal to anyone about your immunity to fire...
Yariel looked expectant at the request.
—...Enemy forces might want to get hold of you and use your power —he replied. When the fire shines, the shadow has nowhere to hide.
<
—And another thing... —said Kassian with his back turned. —There are those who are sceptical, but I trust you. Prove them wrong.
—I will! —Yariel said with determination.
After a few moments in front of the mirror, he stepped out into the hallway where Lieutenant Wyte was waiting to escort him to his new quarters. They walked down a series of corridors until they stopped in front of a door at the end of a long corridor.
—This will be your room from today. First thing tomorrow morning I'll be waiting for you outside, we'll go to the library, I'll teach you the basics about our world, the hierarchies and the other clans. You will also begin your physical training.
Wyte handed him a card with the last name printed on it.
[Yariel Wang - Recruit]
<
—This will be your new home —Wyte said. —Rest today, check your belongings, and explore the area if you wish. Call home, and tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of your life.
Yariel felt a mixture of surprise and determination as she settled into her new surroundings.
That same night Yariel decided to call home. She used an old cable phone, as her mobile phone had no reception or internet.
—Hi, mum —said Yariel when his mother answered. —I'm at a vigilante seminar.
—I can't believe how seriously your company is taking this... some people came to brief us, it was so sudden. Are you OK?
—Yes, yes, yes, of course, don't worry, I forgot to mention it... I had it planned...
You can't be so absent-minded, you know? You've got a hard head, just like your father! Just like that!
—I'll put you through to Grandma —said his mother, and Yariel soon heard his grandmother's voice on the other end of the line.
—Dear —said her grandmother in a warm tone.
—Grandma, I'll be back in a couple of weeks....
—... I know you are facing big challenges. I just want you to do your best, and you will get through this....
—... Y-yes...—Yariel replied quizzically.
Yariel hung up the phone, feeling the weight of his family's words and the responsibility he now had on his shoulders. He was determined to prove that he was up to his destiny as a dakunaito.
***
In the gloom of a room lined with carved stone murals of ancient battles, Kassian stood before the General, whose commanding presence commanded absolute respect. He stood waiting for him beside a throne. It might as well have been an ancient throne room where kings discussed with the court. But now it was a dark place. Shadows danced across the reliefs of the walls, weaving a backdrop of history and mystery.
—General, I have come to tell you of a matter of extreme importance. —Kassian began, his voice ringing with solemnity.
The General was a man whose face was weathered by countless battles, his eyes had witnessed the birth and fall of eras. His silhouette, outlined by the dim light of the torches, seemed an extension of the darkness in the room.
He nodded for me to tell him:
—It's about a new recruit, the son of a former member. —Kassian paused, making sure he had the General's full attention.
—It is not uncommon for the sons of our warriors to choose to follow the family legacy. Why should I be interested in this one in particular? —asked the General with a sternness that echoed in every word.
—This recruit is special. He possesses an immunity to the fire element.... —Kassian let his words float through the tense air.
The General frowned, his irritation palpable at the mention. She turned abruptly and fixed her gaze on him.
—Explain yourself now, Kassian.
—His gift has been awakened... by me.
The General restrained himself, despite his first instinct to the contrary. He walked over to a mural on the wall depicting the figure of a man fighting bravely against legions of demons.
—His only wish was to keep his son out of all this. Are you telling me that you are now deliberately endangering what he protects? —His voice was a thunder that filled the room.
Kassian bowed his head, acknowledging the rebuke.
—I understand the consequences of my actions, and I accept full responsibility —he replied with his head bowed. —But let me assure you that this was not a decision taken lightly. The threat is imminent...
—You're back to your theories again!
—They're not theories, they're facts, even if you don't want to see them.
—Be careful, Kassian, you are facing your general.
—I am also before my brother.
The General walked slowly towards the mural on the wall, contemplating the carved figures of ancient warriors of the Dakunaito clan. His hand came to rest on the image of a warrior wielding a flaming sword against a welter of shadows. Then he turned to Kassian with a piercing gaze.
—His gift and lineage make him unique, you say. They also make him extremely vulnerable to the manipulations of our enemies. If the Yazidis discover his existence...
—I will protect him with everything. I will do so even at the cost of my own life. —Kassian spoke with steely determination, his words filled with an almost palpable fervour.
The General nodded slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
—Very well, Kassian... I hope you're not mistaken.
—Yes.—Kassian bowed respectfully.
The General stared at Kassian, his gaze as piercing as that of a hawk.
—Keep your true identity between us; the secrets of the Holy Order must be preserved, especially now.
—So be it, General. I will take all necessary measures.
With a final nod of assent, the General walked away. As he withdrew, Kassian knew that the weight of expectation was now heavier than ever. He must protect it from those who would seek to exploit or destroy that very power.