Chapter 6: Genesis Conclusion

From behind Wulfgang, Ehimus stuck out her tongue and opened her right eye with her index finger:

"Killing! Just like you said it would be the best option for the liger that Fang let go. What that head of yours doesn't know of another method to solve something?"

Katherine said nothing at the childish comment from the elf, who was shielding herself behind the lycanthrope so she could speak her mind.

"Kat" Maryam took the floor using a cold tone of voice, "it won't be necessary, my sister. I can, perfectly, be selfish as you think, but I know my limits, as well as I know a mother's compassion."

Rey could interpret that her mother was speaking in a threatening voice. An offensive passive threat from a vampire who could put on a cheerful face while giving her warning and making her territory known. Katherine, on the other hand, could look frustrated at her sister's clarification. With eyes that seemed to yearn for something her sister had had and she hadn't, the muscular vampire, who surely had nothing nice to say, decided to remain silent.

Silvia tossed a comment into the air:

"Why not let the couple be able to rest in peace?"

The maid's words defused the situation and defused the tension. Rey could also notice how, with the exception of Ehimus, the rest of the members gave their consent and, one by one, took their leave to leave the place.

Wulfgang, Maryam, the elf and the babies were the only ones left in the room. With the situation as it was, "Is it even worth it to stand around and watch?" wondered the little boy that no one could see as he looked at the two individuals he didn't recognize as parents.

Rey was more than sure that, for the rest of the day, the wolf and the little green girl would satisfy the vampire's whims. Turning around, he walked through the door that had just closed. The little boy, on his way out, noticed Katherine standing outside the master bedroom, biting her fingernail, while the rest of the group came down the stairs.

Being curious, the little one that no one saw ignored the behavior of the muscular vampire and decided to follow the tanned-skinned guy, the one who in such a delicate moment had raised his finger and gave a carefree smile. The same fellow who was his teacher at present.

After descending the stairs, the little guy walked down the hallway behind Heroclades. Rey looked at the leather pouch hanging from the golden belt at his master's waist; there he kept both his book and precious objects. A book as large as it was enigmatic. "Books harbor power, the Great Wise Wizard told me not long ago. I would like to know what kind of power is knowledge," the young boy said to himself.

Heroclades opened the door of the room that was his and entered using elegant and fine movements. The same movements that someone made when he was happy, something that did not fail to attract the attention of the little one who was so thoughtfully pursuing him.

As soon as he reached the front of the room where Heroclades had entered, Rey went through the door and saw something he had not expected. The bed, walls, floor and ceiling were nothing out of the ordinary, but somehow his master looked out at the landscape beyond a window. The house, which on the outside had no windows or any form of entrance other than the front door, fireplace or secret passage, appeared to have a window. Rey also noticed that the window looked out onto a beautiful landscape, but not like the one he remembered being outside. Looking at everything in detail, he also noticed that the frames seemed to float in the air. And on those wooden railings, with the airs of an old man, Heroclades was lost in the distant landscape like someone thinking of something profound, as intricate and distant as what was before his eyes.

With a relieved face, Heroclades not only seemed to enjoy the wind smeared with the scent of flowers, or the light that brushed his face, but under his hands he touched that which he always carried with him. As if it were a butterfly with open wings, the immense book rested on his legs, almost as big as the two outstretched hands of the little boy.

Rey remembered it being half the size when it was closed. Now that he thought better of it, it was the second time he had seen an open book. Far from being like the first time, this book lacked things that floated or pictures that moved. Instead, it had static drawings, many tipped and untipped figures, long and short dashes, pronounced and almost invisible strokes, thick scribbles and very thin ones. The book had many leaves, all dark gray like his master's hair, painted blood red.

The little boy was very attentive to the book that looked almost as old as the one who carried it. One that was untouched by the tan-skinned fellow, unless he was alone or his sister was mentioned. Rey was curious to keep looking at the pages whose images did not float. "What kind of lore does a book like this have?" wondered Rey.

Heroclades, with his right hand, delicately skimmed. Also, from his left hand, he smelled a flower made of the material, thin, fine and delicate, that composed the pages. The flower was perhaps a rolled-up leaf from the book. It had the same color, almost the same size and, of course, also scribbles, writings and stripes formed by blood, so "why not?" said Rey to himself. Moving closer he could perceive in more detail the various ribbons, the numerous markers and page doublings that made up the book, making him look fat. From that distance, the paintings did not require any colors other than red or gray. Fixed colors that didn't lift or float like the other book I remembered seeing. They looked boring, very boring to the little boy.

The words of the tan-skinned gentleman made themselves heard:

"What more have I to want? Being patient brings its rewards."

Heroclades turned another page. On this one, depicted in wise and serene strokes, was a glorious black wolf howling under the full moon. Pausing in his words, he prepared to turn the page, but not before sniffing the paper flower he held in his opposite hand.

"Ummm. I have you by my side, my precious sister."

Another page: the illustration, drawn with strong, detailed lines, conformed what was a bear standing on its two legs.

"I have the whole world that hurt you locked up in this sacred book you created before you left us. With my hands I carry your legacy wherever you go."

Next page, looking almost invisible: one could identify a colossal, creepy winged monstrosity; its dragon head above the stars of a black sky, its torso above the horizon and, spread between its legs, on the ground, a large number of snakes.

"The other one who tried to seduce you continues to breathe, he lives under the perpetual torment of my curse... when will you die? he asked me."

The tan-skinned lord paused, put his hand to his face and cast a bitter smile.

"Heroclades, to live in those bad times you must no longer. Better think of that which lies ahead" he claimed to himself: "the incarnation of white eyes and infinite pentagram. That one who in his first life had the potential to be the patriarch of all the gods and fucked Mnemosine under the nose of Zeus is now my future disciple... Rey, worthy name, isn't it? I have to train him, make him strong and give him what he needs, I am willing to kill his parents and every member of this pack if necessary. Yes. He will make the Olympian gods tremble and our father perish, I am sure."

Returning his gaze to the paper rose and running his hand over the whitened page of the book, he said:

"He will be a better tool than Typhon. Did I forget to tell you that the last son of Gaea is the curse that haunts that wretch who tried to sully your chastity? That's something we'll talk about later. Forgive me, but it's time to enjoy the pleasures of the night..."

Rey, was interested by his teacher's words, but, with discouraged eyes, watched as he closed the book whose title was hidden and torn on the page behind the cover. Just below the title, he could also see more writing that was not so heavily laden with scribbles, strokes or figures. One thing was certain: no more pages that Heroclades pretended to turn for him to see, no more words. Thereupon, the older man put the grimoire away in his scarsella. With that, the window through which the sun and a cool breeze were coming in disappeared.

The little boy was still puzzled by the attitude of the tanned-skinned gentleman. He didn't understand how to interpret it, if perhaps it was good or bad. Especially the part where he was willing to kill his parents and every member of this pack if necessary. Was it good for him? Was it bad for his parents? Was it necessary? Suddenly, Rey was taken by surprise as two lumps moved under the bed sheets behind his back. As soon as he turned to look, two women were crawling across the sheets on all fours.

Turning his face back, Rey saw how Heroclades, by simply unbuttoning the button at his shoulder, caused his garments to fall to the floor. The sound of silky fabric accompanied by the clinking of golden metals could be heard.

"Right? Damares mine..." finished the tanned-skinned fellow.

As soon as they crossed the bed, the two women with Heroclades-like skin and features came out to meet the naked man. One went straight for his mouth, the second knelt in front of him as he spread his hands and spread his legs. Rey heard how between the three of them they laughed and made wet sounds. The little boy understood that they were laughing because they knew well of "the pleasures of the night," the last phrase his master had said.

Rey didn't think anything more interesting was going to happen, nor that his questions would have answers. It was true that there were three unclothed seniors in a room alone, but it would do the little boy no good to learn of "the pleasures of the night" if he was not yet a senior like them.