While the city remained shrouded in that somber atmosphere, in a kingdom that
theMortals could not see; the heavens trembled. It was a place without time,
without light or shadow, a space where only eternity existed. There, a circle of fire
burned without consuming anything, a divine boundary that no fallen creature
could cross without permission.
And facing that unattainable radiance, a dark figure awaited.The
Adversary.
Its form was ever-changing, like smoke twisting in an invisible wind. Sometimes it
resembled a man, other times a beast with gleaming claws, and still other times
simply emptiness.The absolute that devoured the light. Its presence would break
any human being in an instant. But there it remained, steadfast, observing the
limits of eternal fire.
A deep sound resonated from the heights. It was not a human or angelic voice,
butan echo that vibrated in the very substance of the cosmos, as if the stars were
speaking.
—Why have you come?
The Adversary smiled, a smile so cold it would make the sun itself tremble.
"I've come for the man," he replied. "For Jacob, the last son of Job."
The flames flickered as if the universe itself trembled at that name.—You know the rules.
"Of course," said the Adversary with feigned humility. "That's why I'm here. I don't
take anything without permission."
A silence thousands of years long fell over space. A gigantic shadow crossed the
skies, like the wing of a colossal creature.
—You speak of a righteous person.
"I know," whispered the Adversary. "But the righteous of this time are weak. I
need to prove it. The lineage of Job must fall, so that men may understand that
there is no true faithfulness. That there is no faith that can withstand the fire."
The darkness that was him stirred.
—Let me try it.
The flames within the circle seemed to rise, as if a decision were being deliberated
on a plane no creature could comprehend. Finally, the infinite voice spoke:
—Jacob has been protected for generations.
"And so has humanity," replied the Adversary. "But that has created an illusion.
Their blessings have not been the fruit of their faith, but of your mercy. Let me
touch the righteous one… and you will see their true nature."
The word "touch" echoed like thunder.
—If it falls, it won't fall alone.
"Exactly," said the Adversary with a hideous smile. "That is the goal." The
eternal kingdom fell silent once more. Finally, the verdict was delivered.
—It is granted.
The Adversary bowed mockingly.
—As always, your justice is perfect.
The flames opened like a portal, and the creature descended to earth, dragging
with it an ancient chill. As it descended, its voices—for there were many within it—
murmured in dark harmony:
"The test returns.
Faith will be broken.
The last righteous person will fall."Jacob didn't know that the fate of the world had just been sealed in the sky. He
could only feel an indescribable weight on his shoulders, a pressure that seemed to
come from both inside and outside at the same time.
After Robert's unsettling visit, the house became silent, too silent. Even the wind
seemed to avoid passing nearby. Daniel had locked himself in his room, trying to
ignore what he had seen the night before, while Sara watched over Rebecca as if
she feared the child might have another seizure.
Jacob went out into the small backyard, looking for a moment alone. The air
smelled damp and metallic, as if a thunderstorm were about to break, even though
the sky was clear.
"Lord..." she whispered, her voice breaking, "what's happening? Why now?" It
was a question she had kept in her heart for years.
Job's descendants had lived with a constant whisper in their minds:
Some day, the proofwill return.
But Jacob had never imagined that it would happen in his life. Much less in aa
world that already seemed to be collapsing without the need for divine
intervention.
The sound of footsteps made him turn around. Rick had come out the back door, his
face tense.
"We need to talk," he said bluntly. Jacob
nodded.
—I know. Something's going on with Robert… and Rebecca… and the whole city.
"No," Rick interrupted. "Something bigger. Deeper. This morning I went to the
temple to talk to Father Samuel. I told him about last night. His reaction… Jacob,
I've never seen a priest tremble like that."
"What did he
say to you?"
Rick swallowed.
He asked me to leave before explaining anything. He said that "something was
released" and that the church wasn't ready to deal with it. He said it was a matter…
of heaven.Jacob felt the ground seem to tilt.
—From heaven?
"Yes," Rick replied. "And when I pressed him, he said something that chilled me to
the bone: 'The"The adversary walks among men again."
Jacob closed his eyes for a moment, as if the world were spinning too fast.
"Rick…" he whispered, "last night… Rebecca spoke of 'the Adversary.' With that
voice that didn't
It was his.
Rick took a step back, pale.
—So it's real.
A clap of thunder rumbled in the clear sky.
Jacob and Rick stared up, bewildered. It was impossible. There was nothing.clouds.
The sound echoed again, as if something immense had struck the sky.
Sara ran out into the yard.
"Jacob! Look!" He
pointed to the sky.
A red glow, like an open wound in the atmosphere, pierced the celestial vault. It
wasn't lightning. It wasn't a meteorological phenomenon. It was a fissure of bloody
light.
And from that crack, a dark smoke descended slowly, expanding like gigantic wings.
Rick fell to his knees.
—My God… it's a sign…
Jacob felt a tremor in the ground beneath his feet. It was minimal, almost
imperceptible, butenough to make the neighborhood dogs start howling in unison.
Suddenly, the air turned icy. A voice echoed in Jacob's mind, so clearas if someone
were speaking right next to his ear.
"Jacob, sonof Job…"He jumped, startled, searching for the source. But the voice wasn't coming from the
yard, or the house, orfrom the sky.
It came from within.
"…the trial has been granted."
The courtyard seemed to darken. Sara hugged Rebecca, who began to cry for no
apparent reason.
Rick stood up trembling.
—What… what was that?
Jacob's gaze was fixed on the sky, where the red crack was slowly beginning to close.
"A sentence," he whispered. "Someone... spoke."
"Anyone?" Sara looked at her husband in terror.
"Who?"Jacob felt like the words weighed tons on his tongue.
"The one who gives permission to test the
righteous." Rick stepped back.
—So… what you saw last night… what Rebecca saw…
Jacob clenched his fists.
—This is just the beginning.
A freezing wind swept through the yard, extinguishing all the lights in the
house at once.Time. From the darkness emerged a whisper that twisted the
hearts of those present.
"I'm here…"
The Adversary's presence had just entered the
world.And he was looking for Jacob.