We were standing on the city walls, me and the old man with white hair, watching the horizon tinged with orange at the end of the afternoon. The breeze was light, but it still carried the smell of smoke and burnt stone—the aftermath of a turbulent day. I crossed my arms, taking a deep breath before asking:
"Do we have to let them go?"
My voice was low, almost contemplative. Not because I was afraid... but because I hated to let injustice go unpunished.
"The cost of attacking them is too high" he replied, his voice hoarse, firm, and with the weight of someone who knew the inner workings of power well. "Like it or not, there's still a wizard in that family. A real one"
I frowned. The wind gently blew my cloak behind my back. My eyes fell to the quiet streets of the city. Those bastards... they came, caused a disaster, and now they were going to leave as if nothing had happened.
"They come, cause a disaster, and leave like that" I muttered. "And I'm going to have to stay here, cleaning up the mess, taking the consequences"
"The nobles are already on alert for any outside invasion" he replied, taking a step forward. "They are uniting. If anyone from outside dares to cause trouble publicly, the result will be... ugly"
I nodded, albeit reluctantly. I understood. It was politics. I don't like it, but I understand.
"So your name is Felipe... why didn't you tell me before?" I asked, crossing my arms, curious.
He turned slightly toward me, with a half-smile that always seemed on the verge of irony.
"How did you know my name?"
"The merchants mentioned it before the court" I shrugged, trying to look casual. "You have a well-known name, it seems"
He let out a short, almost nostalgic laugh.
"Hmm... good ears" Felipe nodded slowly. "Yes, you can call me Felipe"
As he spoke, he walked over to a large rock nearby and sat down on it with a certain elegance, as if it were a makeshift throne. The evening light reflected off the golden details of the worn cloak he wore, as if to remind everyone that this man, however discreet he might seem, was no ordinary man.
"I need some help" he said, as if he had already decided that I would accept before even hearing what it was. "Of course, I don't expect you to do it for free"
"Help with what?" I asked, frowning, sensing that something more serious was coming.
He took a deep breath and looked at me firmly.
"I need a donation. Ten thousand gold coins. It's for my school. Can you do that?"
I was silent for a second. Ten thousand coins. It wasn't an insignificant amount, even for me. But the way he said "my school"... there was pride in his words. And more than that—there was purpose.
"Wow... that's expensive" I said, between a sigh and a crooked smile. "But yes, I got a good amount from the Spring people. I'll have it sent to your school tomorrow. Consider it done"
He raised an eyebrow, visibly surprised by my quick response.
"It's just ordinary money to me" I added, trying not to sound arrogant. "But I know that in the right hands, it can be a real army of resources"
"Well, I can take the next steps now" said Felipe, looking at the carriages disappearing on the horizon. "Gathering these resources is much easier with you around"
"I'll get things ready" I replied, feeling the weight of what it had cost to get here. "I'll need to reorganize my territory expansion plans because of this"
Felipe just nodded, his gaze fixed on the carriages.
Then, suddenly, the old man's voice broke the silence.
"Things would be much easier if you controlled the temper of your descendants" he said, staring at the torch flickering in the corner of the wall.
A spark flew from the flames, fell to the ground, and immediately ignited. For a moment, a small flaming silhouette formed, dancing in the darkness.
"She has talent, so she has priority" he continued. "I'll let her do whatever she wants with the mortals. Is your organization keeping an eye on the battle totems? That family carries that lost heritage. You are ambitious, but I doubt you have the complete collection. Otherwise, a war would have already broken out here"
I shook my head, aware of the truth.
"Of course it's not complete, but the remnants still have value for research. We will be the first organization to recover it in the near future" said Felipe, with a slight glint of confidence in his eyes.
"I think you should be more concerned with protecting your own treasure. The Dawn Alliance will not give up, no matter how long it takes" replied the figure, his voice laden with menace.
Felipe's eyes narrowed, becoming serious and relentless.
"Go home, child. Let us take care of our problem. I have already spared your descendant" he said, his voice firm as a decree.
For a moment, the flame that made up the silhouette hesitated, flickering.
"There's something bad inside that boy, Felipe. Even by your standards" warned the dark voice.
Felipe smiled, a satisfied, almost contemptuous smile.
"There's something bad in all of us" he replied, without losing his composure.
"You understand what I mean" said the silhouette, before slowly disappearing into the flames.
Felipe just shook his head, the smile fading as he remained silent.
—•—
School of the Full Moon
The grounds were vast, silent, almost sacred. A gray stone path stretched out before me, guiding my steps to a group of white buildings that rose imposingly—five, maybe six stories high. There was something ancient and dignified about the architecture of the Full Moon School, as if each brick carried the weight of history.
I walked slowly, without haste. For the first time in days, my body was not on alert, nor was it bruised or tested. Just... present.
Along the path, several white stone statues stood silently in a row. Some were covered in subtle moss; others looked freshly cleaned. On each one, words were carefully engraved. I approached one of them on impulse.
"Viscount Genesi first donated 2,000 gold coins to the school in the year 607"
I let out a soft whistle. Two thousand? I looked around and realized that all the statues I had seen so far mentioned similar donations—a thousand coins, a thousand five hundred, even three thousand on one. It was a memorial, of course. A garden honoring those who had contributed not only wealth but also influence and prestige to the school's name.