"My ability is super strength, endurance, and... I'll fight you..." Benito smiles slightly, he takes out a white glove from his right pocket, looks me in the eyes and throws the glove in my face, "Come on, I challenge you to a duel!!"
"Wow, someone has really gotten into the role of hero, however...", I smiled slightly, letting the glove fall to the ground, "This is not the Spanish kingdom, this makes no sense...", I smiled at him. to Benito while I lightly lick my lips.
Before Benito can do anything, I took several steps forward, approaching this bastard in just the blink of an eye, my hand lightly touching Benito's neck.
A strong wind lifts my hair, caused by my sudden movement, Benito opens his eyes in surprise, seeming unable to react in time.
"I'd love to have an answer, you know?" I said.
There was a moment of silence, however, despite all this Benito simply smiles slightly.
"You talk too much... I know you would be the first Simp who would go out and risk his life for Caero if you could do it... Or am I wrong?" Benito suddenly smiles widely, it's almost like he's trying to smile from ear to ear.
...
My other companions behind Benito don't say anything, it's almost as if they were spectators, simply observing.
...
"Your silence is music to my ears... Qua... yes... way...", Benito starts laughing lightly, this damn bastard.
*Crash*
"You're wrong, I...", before I can even begin to speak there is a light thud of a cane hitting the ground, this sound quickly catches the attention of everyone present.
In the direction of the sound I can see Firenze standing like a tower, observing me and looking at Benito with stern eyes, "Is enough for now!, Fighting is prohibited in this place for the rest of the day... come on ladies, go back to your studies..." Firenze starts walking after shouting, I put my sword down, and gave a formal greeting to Firenze before continuing with my training
There wasn't much drama after that incident, however, what happened reminded me that I am no longer welcome anywhere near my former companions, although I never really was.
The days go by at cruising speed and it is already Sunday.
During these days the sun has not come out even once, the rain is constant, the atmosphere is tense, nobody has mentioned anything about Caero after what happened with Benito, it is as if we were all afraid of something.
The day goes by normally, I get to my bed and, again with Kamila waiting for me with her sweet smile in the middle of the darkness, I go back to bed, but, this time I don't have the need to sleep.
Anxious, worried, something might go wrong.
...
I open my eyes, it should be midnight, Kamila is snuggled against my chest, sleeping, slowly and surely I get out of bed without making any noise, I grab my clothes and dress quickly, my sword always present.
My steps are soft and quiet, even though it is the middle of the night I can see easily because my body has improved itself thanks to the primordial energy.
The corridors at night look slightly gloomy at this hour there are no maids walking around, and the guards are only watching the outside.
With steady steps I make my way to the dining area, the cold wind hits my face, it feels damp, the atmosphere is a bit peculiar.
Arriving at the dining area, I can only see an empty place, the table tidy and a little moonlight coming in through a window.
In a chair, sitting while eating something is Huanca.
"You came, that's good...", Huanca swallows before standing up, he turns around to watch me, though I doubt he can see in the dark like I can, he certainly seems very capable of knowing where I am.
"That's good, you know, I've been trying to communicate with you but, there are too many people watching, it's impossible, luckily today is the day...", Huanca smiles brightly, quite lucid and apparently sane, "the day for what?", I answer with some curiosity.
"Today there are no guards watching us from the shadows..." Huanca smiles slightly, his expression somewhat serious, "Eh... I... I mean... thank you for coming, it's something important to me.", I don't understand what Huanca is trying to communicate to me with those last words.
"Sacrifice", Huanca's simple words, "I have discovered the reason why we were summoned to this place, though I do not fully understand it", Huanca approaches me with a grinning smile, he raises his hand to show me a specimen of a seal, like a coin, a coin with strange engravings.
"It happens every year, although I don't know the reason for the sacrifice, I know it exists", Huanca pauses, squinting and observing his surroundings, "I...", Huanca pauses again", "There is something that motivates them, something that makes us have a similar destiny, listen to me", Huanca approaches.
My senses become alert, the primordial energy covers my whole body, my right hand touches the hilt of my sword ready to kill Huanca if he tries to do something to me, it doesn't matter if he is my friend or best friend, if he threatens my life I will kill him.
"There is a pattern in all this, something has triggered this destiny... then, tell me, Do you have something to do with this?", a few centimeters away from me Huanca asks, suddenly changing his tone of voice and observing me with bright eyes, his slightly squeaky voice demands, demands a response..
"Are you okay?", I take a step back, Huanca looks at me with two slightly glowing red eyes, "I'm okay, I'm okay, do you know why... I mean... Why did Miss Bett love you so much?", I squint. eyes before Huanca's change of subject, What the hell does he want to achieve with all this?
"The pattern has already been completed, I mean, this is yours..." Huanca suddenly changes his tone of voice again, his serious and serene voice returns, he quickly puts in that "coin" with a small seal written on both faces in one of my pockets.
"I don't understand what you mean...", I mutter under my breath, Huanca smiles almost nervously before touching his hair lightly, "I've been thinking, these are assumptions but, for now, at least for now we are in the same situation, Quasi..." , Huanca calms down and extends his hand to give me a handshake, his intentions clear.
"Have I ever told you that you're crazy as a goat?" I paused to look at his outstretched hand, "Your... mind isn't working properly, well... I shouldn't be surprised, Right?, You little bastard...", I smile while looking at Huanca."At least for now we have to work together...", Huanca repeats, I, not wanting to say it, but ashamed, I look at his hand and slowly direct my hand to shake his hand.
"We have to hurry, today is the night of the twilight...", Huanca feels with his head before starting to walk to a specific direction, A slight feeling that I shouldn't do this passes through my mind, but I ignored it, then, I quickly walk behind him, ready to enter in combat at any moment.
"You know something Quasi, I've never forgotten her, hehehe", Huanca laughs lightly as he leads the way quickly, "I hope you don't mind me going after her, Diana...", Huanca says something that makes me doubt her sanity.
Isn't Diana dead according to the prince?
Well, it's not that I blindly believe Charles's words, but, I certainly can't just trust Huanca's words either.
"Charles is lying, soon, soon you will see it with your own eyes..." Huanca murmurs in a low voice, I can't see what expression he has because I only see his back.
After passing through several corridors and doors we finally arrive to a door with a sign that says "Kitchen", Huanca moves slowly takes out some kind of pmetal sticks from his pocket and starts trying to pick the lock.
"I found out where Diana is....", Huanca's words make something inside me move, "Hey, do you really want to look for her?" I ask skeptically, I, "Maybe you should continue alone", I narrow my eyes in doubt, I don't even know why I'm here, I wouldn't risk my life for Diana, not to save her.
I take a step back, ready to retreat and ready to draw my sword if Huanca tries to stop me. "Caero is with her...", Huanca suddenly says, he turns around to look at me, his eyes expectant, hesitant somehow and just plain sure of himself.
"Bitch, I don't know why you think I'm going to risk my life for... her", I take another step back, ready to escape.
"You won't escape, Quasi", Huanca's white teeth become visible, "I'm not going to stop you, but, you owe her, you owe Caero, I'm sure she needs you...", Huanca's smile grows wider, wrinkles forming on his face due to his macabre smile, he almost looks like a horror painting, "You won't escape, I know it".
"I don't owe anything to anyone...", before I can continue speaking Huanca interrupts me, "Yes, you owe it to her, Don't you remember who saved you when Miss Bett kidnapped you?, Don't you remember who almost lost her life rescuing a certain Quasimodo who jumped into the sea to commit suicide?", Huanca makes a slight sneer, "Or maybe you really are still the same ungrateful one... who knows..."
There was a slight silence, everything Huanca said is true, but, I also saved Caero's life once, although, maybe, and just maybe, it wasn't enough for what she did for me.
I want to tell Huanca that I don't care, that Caero could die and I wouldn't even shed a tear for her, but, Why can't I even utter a word?, Why is it so difficult?
I clench my fists in anger, I look at Huanca, we make eye contact, what he means I already know.
"Miss Bett doesn't exist, it was all a...", Huanca's slightly contained laughter interrupts my words, "It was all the effect of... What?, That shit you were consuming when no one was watching you, or maybe the alcohol... or maybe it was the work of aliens, ha", Huanca snorts before turning around, somehow, that act of Huanca's was enough to make me understand one thing, I can't fight against this, my fate is sealed.
With a movement of Huanca's hands a slight sound is heard before the door opens, inside a dark room, it is gigantic, it almost seems to have no edge and a lot of eutensils and things necessary for a kitchen are spread neatly in rows, in the center there is a table too long and many of the things that shine slightly with a golden hue.
"The royal kitchen, here... "Huanca murmurs before taking a few steps forward, his body sways slightly, observing the table and then the neatly arranged pots, the huge rectangular boxes that seem to be some kind of refrigerators and the lipid knives, I move calmly behind him, observing my surroundings in detail.
After walking straight ahead for what seems to be several hundred meters, we come across a slightly large window through which the moonlight enters, Huanca hurries to observe stealthily through the window.
"This is it, Can you see it?, the meeting...", Huanca murmurs, his body trembles slightly, his voice is a little raspy and his breathing is almost too agitated.
I looked out the window, not too far away at a slightly considerable distance of about half a mile there is a meeting in the distance, it is in one of the courtyards, about ten or twelve people are gathered, there are no servants with them, they seem to be talking happily while some lights illuminate them.
Among them I can make out Charles, there are some beautiful women surrounding him, they look very similar to Charles, perhaps his sisters, and not far from them several men are chatting amongst themselves, it seems like a fairly normal family gathering.
An instant, a second, suddenly my body is invaded by an unprecedented fear, a dangerous sensation, it was as if something will going to happen the next moment, almost automatically I grabbed Huanca's shoulder and pulled him away from the window along with me,
...
Silence, the rain outside still lingers, Huanca is breathing heavily, his body is shaking, his hands are cold and he seems to be on the verge of collapse.
"Huanca...", I muttered in a low voice, Huana's hair is slightly wet for some reason, "I, I...", Huanca seems to be trying to find the words to say, he swallows saliva, "I saw it ...no, I don't think so, I don't think so, it's too hard ...", Huanca clutches his sword with one of his hands, I can't see his expression but if I don't do something, he is just going to collapse mentally.
"Quasi, Quasi... please... you have to fight them, them, black-haired demons, ancient warriors, me...", before Huanca can finish speaking I quickly wrap my right arm around Huanca's neck and with my other hand I start to squeeze.
Immediately after Huanca's body squirms, his hands begin to claw at my breastplates, then his elbow begins to hit my abdomen, the air slowly leaves his body as Huanca does everything he can to free himself from my grip.
His body moves like a fish out of water, his life seems to slowly escape from his body.
The next moment I stop squeezing and pull away from Huanca, no matter how he try, no matter what he do, Huanca's strength is so inferior to mine that he simply can't give me a single scratch.
Huanca falls to the ground breathing heavily, I can see that his trembling is gone and as he bends down to spit, he slowly begins to calm down.
"You're okay now, ...", I pause, I approach and look once more through the window, everything is as before, there's nothing strange, but, What did Huanca see?", Why did that strange feeling of danger invade me?, Huanca quickly stands up, turns around to look at me and swallows saliva before sighing.
"I, I'm really sorry, I lost control a moment ago..."
"Forget that, better tell me what you saw", I interrupted Huanca's words.
"Damn inconsiderate son of a bitch, hehehe, you really, really know how to do things", Huanca sits on the ground and his slightly unpleasant face looks at me.
"We've been saying too many rude words lately, Don't you think it's bad for our health?", A smile forms on my face as I watch Huanca regain his breath, "Hehe, no, it's not necessary..."
"I haven't told you what my special ability is, the one I awakened...", he observes me with curious eyes, I understand, I understand what he wants to communicate, "I can control the primordial energy from its pure state, I don't need to refine it to use it as magic or to strengthen my body, the primordial energy strengthens me naturally...", I nod, Huanca's eyes open with disbelief, his face almost pale observes me without saying anything.
"That, that's too powerful...", he smiles slightly, "I mean, controlling primordial energy like that is too advantageous...", Huanca scratches his head as he begins to move his neck.
"My ability, well, I don't know if I should call it that, maybe it's like a profession or something, but after consuming that thing... I became an Astrologist, more specifically I'm sort of blessed by the power one of the twelve constellations", Huanca grimaces happily as he sticks out his tongue slightly.
"Those bastards only know that I control some sort of derivative of magic that has to do with nature, the truth is no, that's just a part of my abilities, I'm sort of blessed by Capricorn, thanks to this I can get revelations about the past, present and future, though it are not very precise nor very detailed", Huanca shakes his head slightly before scratching his neck again.
"From time to time I receive some gift from the constellation, for example, the coin I gave you, that was my third gift to be precise", Huanca looks at me seriously.