Matías, a former Christian who had renounced his faith after discovering corruption within some churches, wandered the dark streets of the city. The night breeze rustled his cloak as his thoughts tangled in bitterness and rebellion.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows. He was a man of elegant bearing, with a cunning smile that gleamed under the dim light of the street lamps. His eyes burned with a reddish glow, almost hypnotic.
— What do you need, master? — Matías asked, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Lucifer took a step forward, his voice laced with malice.
— I have a plan, my dear. — Lucifer said with a mischievous grin.
The gloom seemed to thicken around them as the demon outlined his idea. Lucifer would disguise himself as a helpless old man, and Matías would pretend to kidnap him, thus drawing the attention of José and César. The goal was to sow discord between them, making José lose control and causing César to distrust his friend.
Meanwhile, in a small temple lit by flickering candles, César received a divine signal. A chill ran down his spine, accompanied by an unshakable certainty.
— José, we need to go. An old man is in danger. — César said urgently, gripping his sword with determination.
José, feeling an inexplicable weight in the air, kissed his wife Eliana on the forehead before following his friend. The night seemed denser than usual as they arrived at the abandoned factory, a skeleton of iron and concrete covered in graffiti and cobwebs.
Inside, the gloom barely allowed them to see the figure of an old man tied to a chair, his expression reflecting fear and desperation. The sound of water dripping from rusted pipes and the echo of their footsteps broke the ominous silence.
— Help me, please! — the old man cried, his voice trembling. — What are your names?
José stepped forward, his gaze filled with determination.
— I'm José, and this is César, my best friend. Don't worry, we'll rescue you. — César spoke with conviction.
Lucifer, with impeccable acting skills, pointed with a trembling finger toward the shadows.
— The kidnapper is there! — he screamed, the old man pretending to be terrified.
José and César immediately turned. Matías emerged from the darkness with a defiant smile, his demon sword reflecting the dim glow of a broken lamp.
— You can handle him; he's a satanist. — Lucifer whispered, feigning distress.
César raised his sword firmly.
— We are Christians! We are not afraid! — César declared.
Matías laughed arrogantly, bowing his head in a mocking gesture.
— Draw your swords, gentlemen! — Matías shouted.
The tension was palpable as José took an offensive stance and César readied himself in guard. With a shout, both charged.
Matías moved with the agility of a shadow, dodging every strike with inhuman precision. In the blink of an eye, he disarmed César with a fluid movement. José attacked with fury, landing a blow to Matías's stomach.
The satanist took a step back but quickly retaliated, pushing José and knocking César unconscious with a precise blow to the neck.
José's breath became erratic. His anger grew with every second, his vision clouded by a desire for vengeance.
— The angrier you get, the easier I am to defeat, — Matías mocked, relishing the game.
But José's rage gave him strength. With a powerful blow to the stomach, he made Matías drop his sword. A kick to the knee sent him crashing to the floor.
José, holding his enemy's sword in one hand and his own in the other, placed the blade against Matías's neck.
— This ends here. — José declared, his voice filled with contained fury.
From his chair, Lucifer smiled, his disguise as an old man barely concealing the satisfaction in his eyes.
— Kill him! — Lucifer said with a serpentine laugh.
Matías froze at those words. José clenched his jaw, his thoughts in conflict.
— I can't do that; it's not right, — José responded, his hand trembling slightly.
Lucifer growled, his patience running thin.
— Don't be a fool! Kill him now!
José's eyes darkened. In one swift motion, the sword descended, severing Matías's head. The sound of the body hitting the floor echoed in the empty factory.
The silence was unbearable.
José took a deep breath, feeling relief but also a strange weight in his chest.
— He was a threat. Thank you for your help, old man, — José said, looking at Lucifer with some confusion in his eyes.
The demon hid his satisfaction behind a humble expression.
— You did the right thing, my son, — Lucifer whispered, his voice dripping with venom disguised as comfort.
José lifted César and walked away with him, not noticing the shadows stirring behind them. Lucifer remained in the gloom, his laughter echoing softly in the desolation of the factory.
He had planted the first seed.