The group left the tavern and walked through the poor streets of Barcelona, full of beggars and garbage. Finally, they reached the main gate in the north of the city.
Outside, several caravans were being prepared by merchants to sell their goods in other cities. One of them, a small caravan, was being prepared with horses. Upon seeing Anpiel, the man gave him a greeting. It was the caravan that Anpiel had purchased.
—It's ready, sir— the man said as Anpiel handed him a coin and bid him farewell, entrusting them to God.
The caravan was ready, hitched to two horses, one brown and the other white. Inside, there were provisions of bread, fish, lamb meat, cheese, and spices.
Anpiel offered to drive while the goddesses rested in the wagon. As Ana and Epona continued to argue, and Tania seemed uninterested in talking, Rodrigo approached Anpiel to have a conversation with him.
—These girls never let you rest, Mr. Rodrigo, right?— the angel asked.
—Yes, I never thought they could behave like teenagers, to be honest, Mr. Anpiel— Rodrigo replied as he settled into the co-pilot's seat.
—Anpiel, my lord. At your service!— the angel responded.
—Oh, I see... and tell me, Anpiel, what exactly do you do? Ana and Tania haven't explained much about angels to me— Rodrigo asked the malak who kept his eyes on the road.
—Of course, Mr. Rodrigo— the angel said.
—The Malakim, or angels as you usually call us, are the intermediaries between Lel and the gods established on Earth; you could say we are their supervisors. We assess the work of the Grigori, and depending on those evaluations, they will receive certain privileges— he concluded.
—And is it true that there are warrior angels too?— Rodrigo asked again.
—Yes, sir. Any Malak can lead human armies or initiate a military conflict; although our power does not compare to that of the gods, we are also capable of using elements— the angel replied.
—Do you have any element?— Rodrigo continued asking.
—The wind, sir. I am a Malak capable of communicating with birds— the angel replied as he raised his hand and several swallows arrived and perched next to him.
—And does that ability come in handy for fighting? I've seen those girls destroy mountains— Rodrigo asked intrigued.
—It all depends on how the abilities are used, Mr. Rodrigo. In any case, it's not so much about being able to use birds to fight, but rather what can be done using their energies— Anpiel replied.
Then, the Malak pointed inside the caravan to Epona.
—The girl over there, Epona, is quite strong despite being a goddess of horses. Like me, she can also harness the energy of equines for herself. It would be difficult for me to explain, but I suppose you'll soon see the use of our abilities— Anpiel concluded.
—Well, I honestly don't understand anything— Rodrigo said.
—On the other hand, Mr. Rodrigo, you shouldn't underestimate us Malakim— the angel said.
—Certainly, the two goddesses accompanying you are exceptional, but let me explain that there have been Malakim who have far surpassed the power of gods like them, even cases of Nephilim and mere humans who have become threats to the gods through training and perseverance— the angel continued.
—Oh, I didn't know that— Rodrigo replied.
—One of the supreme commanders of our king's great enemy, Elyon, turned out to be a Malak, and his power was so high that not even the Elohim were able to defeat him. He was also the one who commanded the Tannin— the Malak continued.
—Tannin?— Rodrigo asked, intrigued by the new word.
—Serpent gods, Mr. Rodrigo. Gods with serpentine abilities who can wield the element of death at their will—
—They were the great rivals of our lord Elyon and his commanders, the Elohim. However, upon being defeated, the Tannin were banished from Lel and mostly sealed in Sheol— the angel replied.
—Sheol? Sorry, there are many terms I'm not familiar with— Rodrigo acknowledged.
—Don't worry, my lord. Sheol is what you call Hell or the Abyss. The serpent gods, the enemy of Elyon, and their supreme commander were locked away there. I'm sure you must have heard about it from the Malak Helel— the angel explained.
—Actually, no— Rodrigo responded.
—Oh, I see. In this world, he is commonly referred to by his Latin name— the angel said, and for the first time, he turned to look at Rodrigo.
—You call him 'Lucifer'—