3.5

The shadow moved closer to the outskirts of the forest. Calm and unhurried. Step by step, it made all present wait, raising the tension of the moment, until words in a language understandable to those present were heard.

The wise man shouted. Rey could understand that the old man was still far away, if he spoke normally, they might not be able to hear him and the faster he lowered the tension of the visitors, the better it would be for him to be able to interact with them.

"I am at last filled with joy! Welcome be passengers of life! Fragments of the transcendent spirits of heat and cold created in the Heavens, the place to which you are destined to return! You! Entrants from the gates of heaven are the ones who this time will grant three miracles to this sacred spot! Fear you must not, feel privileged to have the right to step on the ground you tread. Before me, at this instant, your most despicable actions will be interpreted as the noblest."

A little closer and the voice became less loud.

"Sorry for the delay, it was a last minute change. I did not expect to be the one to welcome you. If Miguel had been in this place, they would have avoided the confrontation against the animals he cares for and appreciates so much. I am sure that, if you see him, he will be considerate of you, just as you were considerate of the huge beast."

There he stood, a lanky, almost bone-tight old man with a long, fluffy beard, closing his eyes to give a smile and look friendlier to visitors. "Hmm! Still their looks are wary," the long-lived old man with the calm face and closed eyes said to himself.

Katherine, wary, raised her motive:

"The parchment we used was part of a family legacy left by Lord Ambrogio Priovam Of-Byron, who is in our family tree and who was supposed to welcome us. Not you, nor this Miguel fellow."

"Ahh. I can understand that. It makes sense. You were expecting Ambrogio to welcome you, or at least someone with blue eyes. Unfortunately, that may not be the case. He's busy doing his job. Let me introduce myself. I am known as the Great Wise Wizard."

He pointed his finger at Ehimus and quickly said:

"You don't waste your breath, be considerate of me now that I speak. On the other hand..."

The green elf had even said something and everyone looked at her with confusion, as if she had done so, for they perfectly believed her capable.

It was true: Ehimus, despite being the smallest in stature, her behavior was not at all like that of adults. Her hair was green, long enough to be able to be pulled into a ponytail on the right side of her head. She was wearing a large hooded garment that seemed to serve as a raincoat that reached all the way to the ground, which she would trip over if she tried to run. She was barefoot and all the other undercloths were composed of rose petals and delicate leaves. Rey believed that, if green represented life and nature, she was the representation of green and, even if someone tried to kill, cut or burn her, she would re-emerge with even more strength and experience than before.

But Ehimus had not spoken so that the Great Wise Wizard would tell her to shut up. Even more: it could be said that the old man had restrained her for no reason or motive. Rey, as an outsider, noticed something odd in those words so rarely uttered by the old man in his rebuke against the elf. Thinking back, no one ever called the Great Wise Wizard by his real name. And now that he was introducing himself, he was using a distraction not to say it. Or maybe he had said it, only it had to be reconstructed between those words of off-key pronunciation. Either way, it was a lot of work trying to deduce someone's name if you could refer to them in any other way.

"Michael" continued the Wise Wizard, whereupon everyone returned their attention to him, and Ehimus, the only one of the group who was actually curious to know the old man's name, kept quiet just so the others wouldn't give him the same look again for interrupting, "that one I told you about earlier, he is the guardian of this circle and it seems he has yet to finish guiding those who have been previously reaching out to you."

Katherine articulated her mouth showing distrust:

"What particular work is Lord Of-Byron doing that he cannot welcome the most illustrious descendant of the Priovam clan, if you can tell?"

"One that Zeus personally commissioned the original user of the body to do," said The Wise Wizard, "if you know what I mean. But since the mind ceased to be who it was, I asked it to continue the work that the doomed body was willing to do as it had been commanded. Instead, I granted it the opportunity to leave hell for a brief period of time and that it would also carry with it an express ticket to the interior of the safest place on the three planes."

Although the words sounded convincing enough for those listening to relax, among so many questions that haunted Ehimus' immature mind, Ehimus was able to formulate the two that seemed most important to him.

"So, do you know Maryam's grandfather? And were you the one who gave her the scroll?"

The Great Wise Wizard turned his gaze to the little green girl.

"Indeed. When he stopped being Minos and his vampire heart finally took control of the doomed body, it was I who gave him that seal they used. I can prove it. The scroll was headed by the following writings: "Without sword, but with the palms of their hands and this scroll on the ground, will fight a battle the persecuted who wish to rest in peace, so as to come to see a new place in the warmth of a dream, within a sky with no stars to chase," and many other metaphors that really make no sense. The scroll, itself, is the seal and not the writings that come inside.

Heroclades nodded at the Great Wise Wizard's assertion.

"Therefore, as I gave the scroll to Ambrogio and suggested that he not neglect his work, I also told him I was going to take responsibility for you... I hope it doesn't take you by surprise, but the three blessings I spoke of are due to the fact that the vampire carried in the arms of her leader will bear multiple children" said the skinny black-skinned man to turn his attention back to another subject.

Rey had never seen the elders talking to each other for so long. They were serious and tense, as if they were preparing to attack at any moment. Rather, as if they were preparing to be attacked, except for Wulfgang and Heroclades. Wulfgang was surprised and his face showed the expressions of someone who did not know what to say in the face of the revelation. On the other hand, Heroclades, who wore the same robes with buttons and gold threads, was the one who was most impressed and concerned. Unable to contain himself, he asked a discordant question, since the future father could not manage to find a concordant one:

"But the predictions say it's one! What do you mean, multiple! It can't be. What, wasn't he the incarnation of...?"

Rey noticed that everyone in the group almost took a step back. They knew that such an ambiguous comment by the tan-skinned lord was not going to be taken well by the lycanthrope. And indeed, the werewolf replaced his emotion of sadness with an explosive, gut-wrenching anger, the product of the emergence of that lacerating comment, which caused him to angrily shout words of warning:

"So that's what you think. And I suppose you have a good reason?"

Wulfgang ran his hand over his head and flattened his long hair back so that only a few strands were left sticking out of his face.

"What is your reason, son of Metis! Is it that you think my descendant will finish what you gave up on finishing after what happened to your sister!"

Heroclades did not know what to answer. Like a father who feels ashamed at the claims of a son, he averted his gaze. He forcefully placed his hand on the book hanging from his belt and, despite having lived many years, could not help but look emotional when his sister was mentioned.

The awkward situation seemed to affect Maryam, who lost the strength to continue supporting herself on her feet. Wulfgang stopped confronting his master and quickly held his wife and then examined her with worried eyes and ended up carrying her in his arms. Like one carrying something as delicate as a baby, the lycanthrope was careful to make sure to settle his wife properly.

"You mustn't worry so much. I'm just a little tired," the vampire said almost using the same methods of distraction that the Great Wise Wizard used.

Rey was paying more than a lot of attention to everything. Heroclades didn't seem to have grim intentions, but it was the first time he had touched the book that carried crystallized rabbits. His father seemed to be hurt, but he wasn't wrong either. Ehimus was letting the air out as if she didn't know who to defend. Mijan folded his arms as if hiding his discomfort at being so close to the muscular vampire. Katherine was making herself look on Heroclades' behalf, as one who was waiting for an opportunity to speak.

"Don't worry...let me be your feet from here on out."

With words the lycanthrope soothed the vampire who couldn't even show her belly, or her tiredness. Then he glanced apologetically at the tan-skinned older gentleman:

"Ummm, Hero. I was wrong to have mentioned your sister knowing how much she hurts you."

Heroclades replied valuing a disguised sadness:

"No hard feelings."

Before the eyes of the fascinated little one whose presence no one noticed, the vampire gave a discreet smile and then closed her eyes where she felt safe, in the arms of her beloved. It was no wonder that both the master and the pupil, there present, had a whole great past for which they could argue and end up fighting as they had done so many times, but Maryam managed to dissociate the attention with her almost silent words and weak acts. Katherine was the only one to show her disagreement.

The Great Wise Wizard, after patiently waiting for the group to resolve the internal conflicts, continued speaking:

"If you will excuse the clarification, the tan-skinned gentleman is not entirely wrong. The lives of those who die are apt to follow the natural course of their existence, even after death. This course may be delayed by unfinished business of parents or acquaintances. Even so, the reincarnated are consecrated to follow the same path. If they failed in a previous life to fulfill the path, whether for good or for evil, they will be obliged to reincarnate again and again, regardless of whether they attain spiritual wisdom or succeed in finishing their task."

"But, although they have the need to reincarnate to fulfill a basic function, as basic as revenge, the reincarnated lose the memories of their past experiences. These are locked up so that the individual can live a new and full life. The possibility of one of the little ones being the reincarnation of someone is present, and more so in this sanctuary. Which of the three coming is the one chosen to reincarnate? No one knows, it could be all three. It will only be known when they grow up and find the path to which their powers and gifts belong," said the old man trying to explain the delicate situation that was taking place in the place.