J?rgen Czacki walked down a dimly lit hallway, his footsteps echoing in the silence. In his hands, he carried a bouquet of white flowers. He reached the door marked “9-D” and placed his left hand on the doorknob, opening it.

  Inside, Ocho and R?sse?s sat by the bed where Desza, the Profaner, lay in a deep sleep.

  “Good evening, ladies,” J?rgen greeted.

  R?sse?s gave a slight nod, while Ocho stood up.

  “Good evening, Czacki.”

  J?rgen moved to the nightstand, removing the withered flowers and replacing them with the fresh ones he had brought.

  “You can go to sleep, girls. I’ll stay here.”

  “Did you tell Isabel?” asked R?sse?s.

  “I didn’t, Andrea, because I know she doesn’t like the idea of me doing this.”

  “This?” Ocho asked, her curiosity piqued.

  “It’s been a month since Chief Desza fell unconscious. We don’t have proper facilities to treat him, so I’m taking care of giving him energy to keep his body functioning.”

  “You don’t have to do this. We all...” Ocho began.

  “No, Ocho. I’m the only one who can do this. No offense, but your powers can’t feed Desza. You don’t know how to transfer energy from one body to another.”

  “I’ve told you once, and I’ll say it again,” R?sse?s intervened, her gaze stern. “You need to sleep.”

  “No, I won’t. Now leave.”

  R?sse?s stood and raised her hand to slap him, but J?rgen reacted quickly, grabbing her wrist.

  “I don’t blame you for your anger, but you know I’m right,” he said coldly. “Or are you going to tell me you didn’t miserably lose against that dryad?”

  R?sse?s’s anger intensified, her skin beginning to heat unnaturally. Noticing the change, J?rgen gripped her by the neck firmly.

  “Don’t do something stupid here. We were lucky enough that Pullbarey gave us this room for him. Don’t complicate our situation, Andrea. It’d be smarter to channel your anger into something productive, like training so you don’t lose so miserably again.”

  “Enough, please, stop!” Ocho intervened, her face tense.

  J?rgen let go of her and backed away from R?sse?s, looking somewhat alarmed.

  “I’m sorry... it’s just... I’m sorry.”

  “No, I’m the one who’s sorry,” R?sse?s murmured before leaving the room, filled with both rage and sadness.

  J?rgen ran a hand over his face and looked at Desza.

  “What am I doing...? This is my fault. I failed again. I couldn’t do anything.”

  Days earlier.

  Desza charged at Ramiro, the Champion, a man known for his immense strength. Machete against fist. Madness against sanity.

  “Why don’t you stay still?” Desza taunted.

  Ramiro’s eyes gleamed intensely before he caught Desza’s wrist and violently pulled him toward him, slamming his forehead into Desza’s.

  “The games are over, Profaner.”

  Desza was stunned. A moment later, J?rgen ran toward them, but it was too late. Ramiro had broken Desza’s neck. Desza fell to the ground instantly, his eyes filling with blood.

  A shadowy figure appeared behind Ramiro and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “You won’t defeat him. Let’s go.”

  Ramiro looked at J?rgen, who was approaching with fury on his face.

  “Blood for blood. I’ve done my part. Let time decide his fate,” he said, then glanced at his companion. “Let’s go. Let the world know of this.”

  Ramiro and his companion vanished before J?rgen’s fist could reach them.

  “Desza is dead,” he whispered.

  He knelt beside his fallen comrade and cradled him in his arms. His face twisted in pain, and he let out a sob.

  Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

  “Not again... Why? Why couldn’t I protect him?”

  “Wow, this is a disaster.”

  J?rgen quickly looked up to see Pullbarey, accompanied by Greg.

  “I’m gone for six days, and I come back to this. Wow, you guys sure are better at losing than winning.”

  “Please! Save him!” J?rgen shouted desperately.

  Pullbarey sighed.

  “Greg, take his body to the car.”

  “As you say.”

  The elderly man lifted Desza’s body and walked away. J?rgen tried to follow, but Pullbarey stopped him with a finger to his chest.

  “There’s something I need you to do, Czacki.”

  “I need to be by his side.”

  “You will. But first, investigate this person.” Pullbarey pulled out a photograph and handed it to him.

  “Hammya Saillim...”

  “She recently piqued my interest, especially her name. I want you to follow her.”

  “I’ll do it, but with one condition: let me stay by Desza’s side this week.”

  “Fine. You have one week.”

  Present.

  “I’m sorry, sir.”

  J?rgen bowed and kissed Desza’s forehead. Then, he took a wallet from his pocket containing a syringe, removed it from its case, rolled up his left sleeve, and injected himself, drawing his own blood. He didn’t blink as the needle pierced his skin. With calculated movements, he proceeded to inject it into Desza.

  Moments later, he suddenly knelt and began to cough violently. With the little strength left in him, he lifted his right arm and took Desza’s hand.

  “You have to open your eyes...”

  At that moment, the door opened, and Isabel entered with a plate of food. Seeing him on the floor like that, her hands trembled. Slowly, she lowered the tray onto a table, spilling some of its contents outside the plate.

  “J?rgen!”

  She rushed toward him and held him against her body.

  “I told you not to do anything reckless.”

  “I’m sorry... I truly am.”

  With effort, Isabel managed to sit him in a chair.

  “You need to rest. You can’t keep doing this.”

  “I have to do it. It’s the only way to save Desza.”

  Isabel sighed, resigned.

  “You’re so stubborn.”

  “I’m sorry for being like this...”

  She softly laughed.

  “You look awful. Try to sleep a little.”

  “No... I can’t do that.”

  He shifted in the chair, fixing his gaze on the wall.

  “Not until I’m sure you’re safe.”

  “Ah, J?rgen... even if you say that, it’s not good for your health. You look terrible. Your skin is rough and cold, and your eyes... Ah, your eyes. They’re still beautiful, but they’re exhausted under those dark circles.”

  Tenderly, she drew him against her chest and stroked his head.

  “You don’t have to go through this horrible situation alone. We’re strong, and we can defend ourselves.”

  “Isabel...”

  J?rgen slowly closed his eyes, but as soon as he did, his mind filled with violent images. Screams, pain, blood... Waves of despair flooded his head.

  “NO!”

  He screamed and woke up abruptly, pulling away from Isabel, his heart pounding. His eyes welled up with tears, and he covered them with his right hand.

  “I can’t do it. I’m terrified of losing consciousness. I don’t want that. Not again... I couldn’t help Desza when he needed me the most.”

  Isabel gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

  “One day, I’ll make you sleep. I’ll show you that you can be safe.”

  J?rgen, still covering his eyes, placed his left hand on Isabel’s.

  “You’re important to me. You all are. You need someone to watch over you. And now that Desza is in this state, I’m second in command. I have a greater responsibility to this family.”

  Isabel hugged him tightly.

  “I won’t force you... but please, don’t overexert yourself.”

  J?rgen removed his hand from his face and looked directly at her. Despite his exhaustion, his eyes still shone. For the first time, Isabel kissed him on the lips.

  That same night, Isabel slept with her head resting on J?rgen’s lap. He watched her in silence, stroked her forehead, and carefully stood from the chair, placing her delicate head on a cushion. Then he took a nearby towel and covered her. He walked over to Desza’s bed and took his hand. He looked at the heart rate monitor on the screen, steady.

  “I swear I’ll protect this family.”

  He was leaving the room when he saw Chesulloth leaning against the wall.

  “Again?” she said with a sly smile. “You’re going to patrol the perimeter again.”

  “No, this time will be different, Amasai.”

  “In what way?”

  “It’s for work.”

  “Do you want me to help?”

  “It won’t be necessary, but if you really want to help, take charge while I’m gone.”

  “Me?”

  “Why not Guz?”

  “Because you’re third in command, Amasai. You’re a Witness, do your duty and don’t slack off.”

  “Of course.” She bowed elegantly.

  J?rgen left the hallway and stepped outside, where the moonlight illuminated the landscape. In front of him, Pullbarey stood with his back turned, hands clasped behind him, staring at the miles of water surrounding the area. J?rgen inhaled deeply and exhaled.

  He walked over the dead leaves from the trees. Each step caused the dry vegetation to crackle, alerting Pullbarey to his presence.

  “Mmm… quite a beautiful moon and a disturbingly calm river.”

  “How do you call it on your planet?”

  “Mmm… it’s called [Distorted and unintelligible voice]. Translated to your alphabet, it would be ‘Oruma’ or simply ‘Moon’.”

  J?rgen fell silent. He had never heard anything like it before. Was that a word? Or worse… a sound?

  “It’s not common to see you alone here.”

  “You’re not obliged to follow me. I’ve already given the instructions for your work.”

  “I see…”

  “And?”

  “And what?”

  “I thought you were going to ask me something. I highly doubt you came all the way out here just to admire the moon with me.”

  J?rgen exhaled slowly.

  “Is your planet like this one?”

  “Mmm… more or less. It’s much larger.”

  “How large?”

  “This planet could fit inside mine and it would barely be more than a mountain.”

  “I can’t imagine that.”

  “I understand. It’s also strange for me that something so small like this is considered a ‘planet’.”

  “So, are you an alien?”

  Pullbarey smiled with a hint of mockery.

  “That’s a catchy word… Is that the limit of your imagination when it comes to describing us? I don’t blame you. Your ancestors shaped your concept of space based on your own biology... a foolishness. But yes, back to your question: you could say that I am.”

  “What’s the sky like on your world?”

  “Violet.”

  “What about the water?”

  “Similar to here, but with more intense shades of blue.”

  “And the trees?”

  “Various colors.”

  “When you get what you’re looking for… what will you do?”

  “I’ll return home and finish what I started.”

  “I see… I see.”

  Silence stretched for long, uncomfortable, tense minutes.

  “Mr. Czacki…” Pullbarey broke the silence. “I know these questions have a purpose. Instead of skirting around the topic, I’d rather you be direct. Speak your mind already.”

  J?rgen kept his gaze fixed on him. The wind blew strongly, carrying his words into the night. But Pullbarey heard them clearly.

  The alien sighed and looked at him intently.

  “I see…” he murmured. Then he smiled disdainfully. “You’re a disgusting human.”