Frederin stood at the train station, motionless in front of the tracks.
Frederin:
— This station is always crowded… always restless.
Frederin's hands began to tremble. He looked down at them, shaking uncontrollably. A voice echoed inside his head.
"So many people… so many deaths."
Leonardo's voice reverberated in his mind.
The train whistle sounded, announcing its arrival.
Frederin's hands stopped trembling, and Leonardo's voice faded away.
People avoided getting close to Frederin. They boarded the train far from him, using other doors.
Once inside, Frederin relaxed into his seat. Even so, people sat as far away from him as possible. They stared at him with fear.
— Is that him?
— One of the demons who almost killed us.
— Those damn demons should all die…
They whispered among themselves, keeping their distance.
Frederin looked to the sides, saddened. Without saying a word, he turned his gaze to the window.
The train began to move.
Luis arrived at the station shortly after.
— No… I'm late! Damn it.
He looked at the train in the distance.
— Well… I can still make it.
And he started running along the tracks toward the train.
The people nearby watched and murmured.
— The First Sentinel?
— What is he doing here?
Frederin remained silent, his eyes fixed on the scenery rushing past the window.
Damn it… he thought. I couldn't even give my mother a funeral… not even my little sister. That monster… it devoured everything.
The images came rushing back.
Screams.
Blood.
Emptiness.
He clenched his fists on his lap.
How is Grandpa doing, I wonder…?
Suddenly, the train shook.
A sharp jolt ran through the cars.
For a moment, panic spread. People grabbed their seats, voices rose, luggage fell.
The attendants rushed through the aisles.
— Please remain calm! — one of them announced. — It was just a light impact. Probably tree branches on the tracks. Everything is under control.
Little by little, the noise faded. People calmed down, though still uneasy.
Frederin looked back out the window.
— I have a feeling… — he murmured softly — that those weren't trees.
On top of the train, Luis was standing.
The wind slammed against his face, pushing his hair back as the steel vibrated beneath his feet.
— Yeah… — he muttered. — Jumping wasn't a great idea. Hope I didn't scare anyone.
He looked ahead, following the tracks.
— Which city are you heading to, Frederin…?
Time passed.
Afternoon slowly gave way to dusk, painting the sky in orange hues.
The train slowed down until it came to a complete stop at the next station.
The doors opened.
People got off quickly, keeping their distance from Frederin. Some avoided eye contact. Others stared at him for a few seconds, eyes filled with fear.
Better wait until everyone leaves… he thought. Yeah… that's it. I'll be the last one.
When the car was empty, Frederin stood up and stepped outside.
— Yeah… — he said quietly. — This station is still crowded… just like I remember.
Then—
CRANG.
A metallic screech echoed through the station's ceiling.
People froze.
Another sound.
CLANG.
Everyone looked up.
— MOM! — a child shouted from farther back. — LOOK! THERE'S A MAN ON TOP OF THE TRAIN!
Shock spread instantly.
— Is that the First Sentinel?
— Luis… Luis Clent Dinark?!
Before anyone could react, Luis jumped.
He landed right in front of Frederin, steady, as if the ground had never been an issue.
— Finally caught up with you, Fred — he said with a grin. — So… what city are we in?
Frederin blinked, surprised.
— Uh… — he replied. — This is Arlok. But… why are you here? And where's Augusto?
— I came to see what choice you made — Luis said simply. — A day has passed, remember? And besides… I can't let you wander around alone.
— You said I had two days to decide — Frederin shot back. — There's still one left. And Augusto's not coming?
Luis made a face.
— Screw Augusto… — he replied. — He had a romantic commitment and couldn't come. Now move — he said, grabbing Frederin by the shirt. — Let's get out of this station.
People silently made way.
No one dared to stop them.
No one dared to speak.
The sun was no longer in the sky.
The moon illuminated the land with a cold glow.
Luis and Frederin walked along a narrow path surrounded by dense vegetation, deep within the forest.
— You're here to train me, right? — Frederin asked.
— Yes — Luis replied. — Even if you said you didn't want to cooperate with us, I was going to force you to come. We can't waste this chance.
Frederin looked at his own hands as he walked.
— The chance that someone might be able to resist Leonardo…?
— Yes — Luis confirmed. — You're different. I like that. That's the only reason I won't kill you if you absorb all of Leonardo's rings.
— You know… — Frederin murmured — I don't know if I'm going to help you with that.
— Why not?
— I don't know. Let me think a little longer.
Luis didn't answer.
He simply turned his face and looked at the sky.
Whatever your decision is… you're coming with me, he thought.
Suddenly, the path was blocked.
A gigantic stone wall rose before them — a towering mountain, imposing, hidden behind the forest.
— And now? — Luis asked. — Where's your grandfather's house, huh?
— Up there.
— Up there…?!
Frederin approached the rocks.
— Yes. Up there.
He gripped the stone firmly and began to climb, slowly ascending using only his hands, feet, and technique.
Luis watched, impressed.
— He's climbing without any equipment… just brute strength and technique. Incredible.
A faint blue light surrounded Luis's body. He lifted into the air, floating until he reached the top.
— Man, I'll see you up there — he said. — Try not to take too long.
— Damn… — Frederin muttered. — He's flying. I want to do that too.
Leonardo's voice echoed in his mind.
"Frederin… I can give you that help. I just need something…"
— If you're going to talk about a pact and then demand your freedom later — Frederin replied in his thoughts — I'll set conditions.
"You damn brat… how do you know about that?"
— My father used to say — Frederin replied — that hosts are always tempted by their own demons.
He sighed and kept climbing.
— Then let's do this. You give me your battlefield knowledge and abilities. In exchange, you get one hour of freedom. During that hour, you can't kill anyone. After that, I take control of the body, no matter what happens.
"You're not as stupid as you look…"
— I might be naïve. Stupid, I'm not.
"Since I have no other choice… I accept."
Frederin stopped climbing, fear suddenly crashing over him.
— Hey, hey, I was kidding! I didn't think you'd actually accept! No… this can't happen. You're a demon. You could be lying!
A wound opened on his cheek.
The flesh tore.
It transformed into a mouth.
Leonardo's voice came from it — confident, cold, egocentric.
— Idiot. A pact only exists when both sides want to gain something important. And neither side can break the contract once it's made. I cannot violate your conditions.
Frederin exhaled.
— Ah… that's better.
— Shake my hand in the subconscious — Leonardo said. — Come on. Seal the pact with me.
— You almost destroyed an entire kingdom…
— Come on, we're friends now — the mouth laughed. — Let's do this.
— Well… — Frederin swallowed hard. — This pact is going to restrain you a lot.
The mouth smiled.
Frederin closed his eyes.
Silence consumed everything.
When he opened his eyes again—
— So… did it work? Is the pact done?
— Yes, boy — Leonardo replied, laughing grotesquely. — Enjoy my abilities.
The mouth on his cheek closed, sealing like a healed wound.
Frederin resumed climbing.
Then—
A blinding flash filled his vision.
The world spun.
And he fell.
Everything turned white.
There was no ground.
There was no sky.
There was no sound.
Frederin tried to move, but couldn't feel his body. He tried to breathe, but felt no air entering his lungs. It was as if he didn't exist there. Only white. Infinite. Empty.
Then… something began to emerge.
At first, they were distant stains. Shapeless blurs, trembling like reflections on filthy water. Gradually, the white began to tear apart, ripped by dark, gray… and red tones.
Sound returned.
Screams.
Desperate screams.
Frederin's chest tightened painfully. Burning houses appeared before him. Stone and wooden buildings collapsed, swallowed by flames. People ran aimlessly, tripping, being shoved, crushed… burned alive.
— No… — Frederin's voice came out weak, almost a whisper no one could hear.
The ground was covered in bodies.
Men.
Women.
Children.
Some were still moving, reaching out, begging for help that never came. The air was heavy, suffocating. It smelled of blood, ash, and fear.
Explosions echoed in the distance. The sky was red, swallowed by thick smoke. Lightning split the clouds, but brought no rain — only more chaos.
Frederin tried to close his eyes.
He couldn't.
The images advanced, as if being forced directly into his mind.
A woman screamed, clutching the lifeless body of someone she loved.
A man was impaled in the middle of the street, blood spilling over still-warm stones.
Children cried… and then, suddenly, silence.
Everything stopped.
The fire continued to burn, but the sounds ceased all at once. At the center of that devastation, a figure stood out.
Tall.
Motionless.
A man… no.
Something beyond that.
Four arms hung along its body, muscular, covered in stains of dried blood. Its skin had a reddish tone, like flesh exposed to heat for far too long.
Six eyes opened slowly.
Three on each side of its face.
All focused on Frederin.
The creature turned fully toward him. That gaze pierced space, pierced time… and found his.
Frederin felt his heart stop.
The presence was overwhelming. There was no hatred in that stare. Only certainty.
A slow smile formed on the entity's face.
And then, Leonardo's voice echoed inside Frederin's mind.
— "They didn't defeat me. They only delayed me. They forced me into sleep. And I always wake up."
Leonardo's cold, bizarre gaze was the last thing Frederin saw.
Darkness consumed everything.
— Wake up, Fred… wake up.
The voice came from far away.
Frederin opened his eyes, confused, trying to recognize the place. He was lying in a bed.
— Where am I? — he asked, still groggy.
— At your grandpa's house — Luis replied.
— Where is he? — Frederin asked immediately.
Behind Luis, an elderly woman appeared.
— Hello, Mr. Fred… do you remember me? — she said, with a restrained smile.
Frederin's eyes widened.
— Mrs. Rosa! It's been so long! Are you doing well? — he spoke too fast. — Where's my grandpa? He's probably sleeping like he used to, right…? — he added, almost as if trying to convince himself.
Rosa, however, lost her smile. Her gaze turned sad.
— Frederin, my child… your grandpa passed away a few weeks ago.
Frederin's smile vanished instantly. His eyes filled with tears.
— That's a lie… right? Say it is…
— No, it's not a lie — Rosa replied softly. — He wanted to see you before he left, but unfortunately, fate didn't allow it.
Tears began to roll down Frederin's face.
— No… it can't be… — he said, already crying.
His body started to shake. The tears fell faster and faster. Rosa lowered her head in respect. Luis sat on the bed beside him and pulled him into a hug.
— Calm down… things like this happen — Luis said. — And prepare yourself… worse things may still come.
— Your grandpa didn't want you to be sad — Rosa interrupted. — On the contrary. He asked me to give you this.
She pulled an old golden pocket watch from her pocket and placed it in Frederin's hands.
— My grandfather's gold watch… — Frederin murmured. — He protected this more than his own life.
Luis frowned.
— Why? It's just a watch.
— To him, this was much more than that — Frederin replied. — This watch has been passed down through generations in our family… always to the last one of us still standing.
Luis nodded slowly.
— Now it makes sense.
Suddenly, Frederin got up abruptly and left the room.
— Frederin! — Rosa shouted, trying to stop him.
— Let the boy be — Luis said. — He just went to think… he'll be back.
Rosa stared at Luis for a few seconds, then asked:
— By any chance… are you Luis Clent Dinark? The First Sentinel of this kingdom?
— That's me — he replied.
— Please wait here for a moment.
Rosa began rummaging through the cabinets in the room, searching urgently. Then she approached Luis holding a letter.
— Here — she said. — This letter was written by Mr. Antônio, the owner of this house… and Frederin's grandfather. He asked me to give it to you, if you ever came.
Luis took the letter, intrigued, and began reading it silently.
"Hello. If you are reading this, it means you are the First Sentinel. The pleasure is mine. I am the grandfather of the boy you are accompanying. I wanted to say these words to you in person, but unfortunately my time is coming. Please take care of my grandson. He is the son of a human — in truth, a being half human and half demon — and I fear that after the death of his loved ones, he may become someone just like his father."
Sincerely: Antônio Nekyun.
Luis folded the letter and put it in his pocket.
— Excuse me, ma'am. I'll be leaving now — Luis said as he walked out the door.
A short while later, Luis and Fred were walking through the forest.
— Do you think it was right for me to leave the house and give it to Mrs. Rosa? — Fred asked thoughtfully.
— Absolutely. Your grandpa would've liked that you shared his belongings with her. Now focus. Let those thoughts leave your mind.
Luis cleared the path, pushing branches aside.
In the trees, large-winged lizards slept.
— Your mission begins now — Luis continued.
— Pterodactyls? — Frederin said.
— Your mission is simple. Kill all of them and bring me the leader's head. That's all — Luis said.
— What? How? — Fred asked, confused.
— You made a pact with Leonardo. He told me when you were unconscious. If you have his abilities, all you need is to learn how to use them — and now is the right moment — Luis replied.
Frederin didn't even have time to answer.
Luis shoved him forward, pushing him out of the bushes.
At that exact moment, a blue aura sphere burst out behind Frederin, slamming into one of the pterodactyls. Trees shook as all of them woke up.
Fred turned around, terrified, and realized Luis was no longer there.
— Shit… he wasn't kidding — Frederin said, trembling with fear.