The Farewell

Young Lucas, for the first time in his life, felt a sense of curiosity and dread. The boy, who had already lost faith in the gods, stood before an entity, paralyzed.

"Let me guess... You're feeling paralyzed, right?"

Lucas was so perplexed by what he saw that he couldn't utter a word. He felt like a grain of sand in the universe.

"I'll take that as a yes. I don't have much time to talk to you. My brothers need me. Boy, I want you to retrieve the core of my beloved world."

Upon hearing this, Lucas felt irritation and managed to overcome what was holding him. It was as if the chains binding him to the ground broke.

"How? Are you idiots? Aren't you gods? You can do this; you created the world. You made everything. Since the moment I was born, everyone has been against my existence, I've never been important. So... What's the point?"

The hooded being, upon hearing this, walked a bit closer and, upon reaching him, responded.

"I understand your dissatisfaction, boy. But not everything is under my control. You are intelligent beings, and that's the problem. Your greatest positive trait is also the greatest negative. I'm dealing with a big problem, they are getting stronger."

Lucas reflected a bit on everything he had said and thought, and after that, he responded:

"How do you want me to help?"

The hooded man took another step and handed him a book.

"Boy, I don't have much time. I need to help Dante. Read this book. You will be able to use some magic; I've given you a bit of my power. Restore this world before it's too-."

At that moment, the man disappeared from in front of him. When Lucas looked around, he noticed that the clouds had stopped forming, and the sky was a beautiful blue. And then, he saw Mayke at the village entrance, sitting in a chair.

"What the hell is happening?"

**Lucas's Vision:**

I need to immediately rethink my ideas, to do something first. This book he gave me, maybe it's interesting to start with it. Before anyone appears, I'll stay behind the big tree. I quickly go around the tree and look to see if I see anyone.

"No sign of anyone, great."

I sit down and immediately open the book.

[Magics of World One]

On the first page, all types of magic ever invented are listed.

[Before any reading in the book, remember that each magic user has their unique affinity. There are cases of prodigies who can master two, three, or even four different affinities. Most affinities are concepts that develop throughout your life, like your personality. If you are a calmer person, you are prone to calm affinities. The same goes if you have a short temper, where your affinities will be something totally opposite to calm.]

Well, following that, mine would be something more neutral, not too far to one side or the other.

[There may be people whose affinities are not related to their personality. In these cases, their discovery occurs through moments of adrenaline-]

"Look what we have here, Lucas, Lucas."

When I look to the side, I see Mayke, with a club ready to beat me. If last time I was saved by the bell, this time I won't be able to escape.

"I was already going to your house, but it's good to see you here. I can throw your body in the forest right away."

It seems something erased his memory, but I don't have time for that, I need to escape somehow. Without waiting much, he doesn't even care about the book, grabs the club, and tries to hit me.

"Take this, you bastard."

But for some reason, I feel as if for a few seconds he was slow, in slow motion. At the same moment I think that, I get hit by the club and thrown away.

"What the hell, Mayke! What's your problem? All this because of yesterday? I'm sorry for saying your father is an imbecile and didn't deserve to be praised."

As I say that, Mayke comes at me, who was still getting up, and starts hitting me repeatedly with the club. Each blow made me spit blood.

"Repeat that, go on, repeat. You and trash are the same."

I was already debilitated, almost without strength, but without noticing, while still lying on the ground, I was hiding his view of the book. Even if he had seen it before, he can't put his hands on it. For a moment, he stops hitting, probably believing I was unconscious.

I get up, trying not to make much noise, and try to go towards him. The moment I do that, he looks back and tries to punch me, which would surely hit me.

"You want to get beaten more, don't you? No problem, come on."

Surely, I should have died with that blow. I don't know what happened. In my whole life, I've never been good at fighting, but my reflexes were better, and again I see time slow down.

"I'll make you keep your father company."

Taking advantage of the slow time, I dodge the blow and land a punch straight in his face. The punch sends him flying away.

"How did you do... That?"

Mayke was toothless, with a lot of blood coming out. I've always been a person who, in some moments, is dominated by feelings. The feeling I had was anger and a sense of justice being served.

"That's what your father's crap deserved. She didn't deserve to die, but he did. If justice isn't served... I MAKE IT."

I stayed on top of him and started hitting his face. I don't know how long I stayed there, punching his face. At the village entrance, each punch felt better.

"MURDERER!"

When I look to the side, I see the villagers looking horrified at what I did. When I look at Mayke, he was no longer the same. He was completely different. I killed a man, I took a life.

I get off him and, when I try to explain, I see Liz in the middle of the crowd, crying, seeing what I did.

"Calm down, it's not like that. I just... He started it, he hit me first."

As I say that, everyone looks at me with disgust, and I see Liz running away in fear.

"Leave here, you monster. You're a demon, we should never have accepted you here. Get out of here. Poor Mayke, such a kind boy."

The injustice happened again. I can't stand living like this anymore. I take my book and head into the forest, while I hear thousands of insults and offenses about me.

"She died because of you. You killed her."

Honestly, there are moments in this life when anger is indeed a blessing. Hearing that, I look back.

"I killed her? I KILLED HER? I'm tired of all this shit happening to me. Everything that goes wrong, it's me. Do you want to know what I think of this? Mayke was a bastard and paid the price. His father was a bastard and died. And guess what? He became a saint to you! I'm helping you. Make Mayke a saint too, and when someone asks about him, say he died to an assassin who made sure to rip every member of his face. And to prevent the same from happening to others, he asked not to get in his way."

I see the scared faces of everyone when I say that, see them tremble with fear. Whatever, I'm leaving. I'm tired of this crap.

I keep going through the forest with only the book. And nothing else, just the book.

***

After some time walking, I come across a big city. The city seems extremely large, very different from the place I was. Everything here is incredibly beautiful, from the houses to the streets. It even feels like I'm in paradise. I don't know how long I walked, but while walking, I took some breaks and managed to read a bit more of the book. It seems my affinity is time, but I can't control it perfectly. With some practice, I can improve it. But I have no idea how to do that. The book only explains about affinities and how to discover yours. I need a book that delves a bit more into that.

"Hey, you."

As I enter the city, I see a 2-meter-tall man approaching me.

"Hello, what do you want?"

As I say that, I see him staring at me as if I were provoking him.

"Look at the mess of your clothes, boy. Do you need help?"

When he says that, I immediately notice the state of my clothes, which, even though they are black, can't hide the reddish color and the smell of blood everywhere. However, to get the book I want, I'll need money, so it's good to ask him how to get some here.

"No, relax. It's fine. Can you tell me where I can get money?"

He frowns but soon responds.

"Look, boy. You can get it in several ways, but the main one is doing missions. Since we are short on warriors, your arrival would be interesting."

Well, with the theft of the Primordial Life, that's expected.

"You know what? I'll give you 200 gold coins if you bring me the head of the Count of the East. I asked someone else too; she'll meet me in the woods in 30 minutes. Come with me."

This is extremely interesting; I don't know if it's a trap. Considering that I'm covered in blood and going to a place at night with a person covered in blood-stained clothes isn't very smart.

"Just warning you. Don't try anything funny."

He clenches his fist and I feel pressure on me, almost making me fall to the ground. This man controls gravity!