The city of Serras, despite its many colors, felt gray. The afternoon daylight still lingered, yet somehow it had lost everything that made Serras special. The room where he and Jhoel stood had gone quiet. The plate sitting right in front of Pathos reminisced with some pieces of meat. The only ones speaking were the flames flickering on the many candles in the center of the table. Neither of them was capable of mustering another word; everything that was meant to be said had already been told. Pathos didn't want to go into further detail—his face already spoke for him. His heart was torn to shreds, his mind clouded with thoughts, most of them memories of his late father—his smile, his habit of smoking cigars in the house, and his large yet gentle hands.
In a way, he felt at fault. He shouldn't have disobeyed one of his father's few wishes. His father had never asked for anything, only that one simple request—a request Pathos failed to fulfill. His eyes were already sore; he had spoken through tears about his past, and now, after finally reaching the end, he was left only with sorrow. That one mistake haunted him, leaving him unable even to look at Jhoel—a man he had never known, yet to whom his father had entrusted his son's life.
«Pathos» I should have listened to. If only I had listened…
«Jhoel» Pathos. Look. There is much to be said.
The word father made Pathos look even more pitiful than before. His gaze turned toward one corner of the table, his teeth clenched tight.
«Jhoel» It's not your fault, kiddo. Everyone makes mistakes. The reason you went into that bunker was because of your friend, right?
Pathos nodded but said nothing.
«Jhoel» And what would have happened if you hadn't gone into that bunker, Pathos? Who would have helped your friend carry the other friend of yours out of there? You never knew what you were going up against, yet you still did it.
But Pathos refused to acknowledge this. He was still convinced everything was his fault.
«Jhoel» You're still not convinced?
Pathos shook his head.
Jhoel began to notice something about Pathos throughout their entire conversation. He felt as though Pathos himself was a puzzle—or rather, the broken pieces of a shattered vase—and all Jhoel wanted was to help put that vase back together so it could shine once more.
«Jhoel» You know, your father and I go way back—back before you were born, when we were both veterans of war. Well, he was a veteran; I was just a slave from a village raided by the city your father lived in—Sentencia. That's where I met him for the first time, when we both stood on the same battlefield to fight the same enemy.
Pathos shifted his gaze toward his legs, a bit curious now. That alone encouraged Jhoel to continue his story.
«Jhoel» Back then, not many respected me—for reasons that, to this day, I still don't understand. I wasn't the only slave there, but the difference between me and the others was my skin. But there was one man who never judged me for what I was, only for who I was.
Jhoel let out a quick chuckle, lost for a moment in the good old times.
«Jhoel» That son of a bitch would always ramble on about his future and all the things he wanted to experience. And for some reason, he always came to me to share those dreams. At first, I thought he was either trying to annoy me or that he was just being genuine. Turns out, your father was a good man.
Jhoel looked at Pathos, who still wouldn't meet his eyes. Leaning forward on the table, his elbow resting on the thick, smooth wood, Jhoel tried to catch a glimpse of what the boy was feeling—but Pathos's gaze didn't change.
«Jhoel» Kiddo, your father was a good man. His heart was made of the purest gold. I'm sure both of us can agree on that.
Pathos nodded, though his eyes remained fixed on his lap. Jhoel then made a decision—something perhaps even Pathos's father had never wanted his son to know. But Jhoel felt the stakes were high enough for the truth.
«Jhoel» Your father and I fought in the same battle, the one near the town of Arieste. As you may already know, Arieste isn't the kindest city despite its appearance. Our camp decided to attack because many of our comrades had been trapped there years before. Our chances of victory were slim, yet we charged forward without hesitation. We saved countless lives but. The battle was lost quickly. Some managed to escape, but many were captured—including your father and mother. In truth, I wanted to be taken instead of your father, but he refused. At that very moment, your mother chose to stay with him. The horse meant for them was given to me while they stayed behind to fight.
Pathos raised his head slightly, his eyes now fixed on the melting wax of the candles.
«Jhoel» After many long months without news, a letter finally arrived—from your mother. She wrote that Arieste had given them a place to live. At first, I thought she must have been drunk. But what she wrote next sent chills down my spine.
Jhoel recalled that letter vividly. Happiness had struck him at first, knowing they were alive, but as he kept reading, his joy turned to worry.
«Jhoel» That "safe place" for slaves of war wasn't what it seemed. There was something happening there that your mother couldn't quite understand, but over the months, many families in that village went missing. She swore she saw soldiers dragging people toward the cornfields. Then she told me something that made me happy again—she was pregnant with you. I tried countless times to find a way to get them out of that so-called "heaven." I sent letters, but all correspondence was checked. I even thought of traveling there myself, but she asked me not to. They had already found their own way to escape. After that, I only received two more letters, both from your father. In the first, he wrote that once you were grown, they planned to escape with their comrades and fellow slaves. He said the first thing they wanted to do once free was introduce me to their son. But judging from your story, I think that in a way you actually saved them. The possibility of them being taken next were high and if they had waited any longer, you wouldn't have ever found me. But the last letter was different. It contained only one sentence—one that shattered me to the core: "Please take care of my son if anything happens to me or my wife." And I—didnt know what to do nor how to find you. I could only hope for them.
As Jhoel trailed off, he opened his eyes and froze. Pathos was looking back at him. His face was still wet with tears, but there was something else—something shining through.
A smile.
It warmed Jhoel's heart to its core. He had succeeded. The pieces had aligned, and the result was better than he could have hoped for.
The boy was smiling.
The pain of losing his father still lingered, but the realization that he wasn't to blame brought him peace. He had always believed that his family's departure from their village was his fault—that he had failed to keep a promise, that he had been discovered by one of the doctors. But now he finally understood: that village had never been a safe place, and it never would be.
He spoke his voice shaky, as if he were on the verge of tears once more, but this time, they weren't tears from sadness.
«Pathos» You—you're saying it's not my fault?
Jhoel sighed in relief, his mission finally complete.
«Jhoel» Why would you ever think it was your fault? You saved them and yourself.
Pathos started chuckling, and soon it turned into laughter.
«Pathos» I'm so stupid aren't I?
He was at peace. His face quickly became covered with tears as more and more continued to fall. Now his elbows rested on the table, and his hands reached for his face to hide it. Jhoel, on the other hand, shared a big smile with Pathos, and for a moment, he could have sworn he saw the figure of someone hugging him from behind. Perhaps his father came back to embrace his son one last time.
The soul had returned to embrace Pathos one more time.
«Jhoel (thinking)» Your father never left your side, Pathos. He was always there, even when you didn't notice.
Pathos was once more shaken but overjoyed.
«Pathos» I–I—Thank you. Thank you.
«Jhoel» There's no need to cry, Pathos. For now—
Jhoel rose and walked to Pathos, who wept like a fountain. Jhoel patted Pathos's back, and in doing so, Pathos jumped from his seat.
Pathos hugged Jhoel.
Jhoel returned the hug as Pathos began screaming through his tears. Once more, Pathos spoke:
«Pathos» Thank you!
Pathos's embrace became tighter and tighter the more he cried. That wasn't just a hug from him. All the pain he felt—the loss of his family and friends—it was as if, finally, after two long days, a burden had been lifted by someone else. The weight he had carried alone for so long had finally become lighter.
«Jhoel» Everything is okay now. You're safe.
Outside that very room, Ruem was leaning against the door, his back facing it as he listened. His eyes were fixed on the ground, and slowly, he too began to tear up. The story touched him deeply. Despite their relationship, he couldn't help but feel bad for him.
Time passed.
Pathos had finally stopped crying. His face had completely changed. His mouth was relaxed, his eyes were wider than ever, and most of all—his pent-up anger was.
Gone.
It was then that Serras regained its colors.
Jhoel sat back down, while Pathos remained close to the chimney, the fire warming him from the cold ambiance. Pathos grabbed a piece of wood and tossed it in, making the fire bigger and fiercer.
«Jhoel» Is it warm enough for you?
Pathos quickly turned around and nodded.
«Pathos» Mhm!
«Jhoel» If you want, you can stay here for now.
«Pathos» I–I can?
«Jhoel» Of course. Did you think I wouldn't let you stay here after you made such a trip?
«Pathos» Then I will gladly accept.
Jhoel smiled and quickly replied
«Jhoel» Welcome to my residence, then. You're free to stay here as long as you wish.
Then someone knocked on Jhoel's door. Pathos's gaze remained fixed on the fire while Jhoel got up and slowly approached the door, already knowing who it was. As he opened it, Ruem came in. His eyes were fixed on the boy as he slowly made his way into the room. Jhoel was still unsure of him because of what he had done. Ruem knew how bad his position was in that situation; however, a hand slowly rested on his shoulder. It was Jhoel's hand.
«Jhoel» And you...
«Ruem» I know... I'll give them back
«Jhoel» Actually you can have them.
Ruem's gaze shifted toward Jhoel, while Jhoel looked at Pathos. A bit surprised he asked once more.
«Ruem» Are you sure? I came here with the intent to do the opposite.
Jhoel patted Ruem's shoulder twice.
«Jhoel» Really now? I didn't expect that from a thief like you.
«Ruem» How thoughtful of you.
«Jhoel» But no, there's no need. You can keep them. That boy has gone to hell and back and it is thanks to you that he arrived here.
«Ruem» I think I have been more of a burden to him really.
«Jhoel» And why is that?
«Ruem» Well, where can I start? We got attacked by thieves and survived. Some soldiers tried to capture me. Oh and Pathos almost got stabbed
Each memory he spoke of was counted by finger, Jhoel on the other hand was completely dismayed, Ruem spoke of each scene like it was a good memory.
Jhoel quickly shut him down before he could regret is decision
«Jhoel» Just don't steal from me anymore, okay?
Ruem blinked, then lowered his eyes. A quiet understanding softened his grin. Jhoel was giving them to him—it was Jhoel's way of thanking him for keeping Pathos safe, even if it was just for a day. Jhoel didn't know that Ruem had been listening to their conversation.
«Ruem» Alright.
Ruem's tone shifted—from warm to his usual jokester one.
«Ruem» You remodeled, I see. This place looked far worse back then.
To which Jhoel proudly replied
«Jhoel» You're lucky the clothes you took were worth less than others. Maybe I didn't really need those clothes to begin with.
«Ruem» Same goes for that thief we stopped earlier?
«Jhoel» Absolutely not. The money she would've taken could've made me broke. Ain't no way I'm letting her go.
«Ruem» Lucky me, then. By the way, where is she now?
«Jhoel» Probably behind bars.
«Ruem» mhm! I really am that lucky.
Jhoel chuckled at his comment before searching for another chair for Ruem to sit in.
«Jhoel» Now that you two are here, there's something I wanted to discuss with you both.
Both Pathos and Ruem turned toward him, Pathos leaning his head back, not wanting to leave the warmth of the fire.
«Jhoel» From what I understand, the boy has the gift of Prometeo. Is that right?
«Ruem» Yes.
Jhoel finally found another chair, slowly pulling it open for Ruem to sit.
«Jhoel» I assume you do too?
Ruem nodded, to which Jhoel mumbled under his beard
«Jhoel» That explains a lot.
«Jhoel» So, I wanted to talk to you two about someone I know who might be able to help both you, Ruem, and you, Pathos.
Ruem looked confused and spoke to himself, not understanding how anyone could help him right now.
«Ruem» Me?
«Pathos» Really?
«Jhoel» Yeah. He also has the gift of Prometeo. He came to my shop two weeks ago and has been a regular customer ever since. He looked wealthy, so I took my chances to strike a fine deal. But one moment we were talking about clothes, and the next he kept going on about his own Prometeo and his annoyance toward his grandfather. Of course, I had to listen. I didn't know a damn thing about Prometeo yet, but I let him talk so I could get on his good side. Later, he went on his way and started coming here regularly. He goes by Simon Shugo
Pathos turned around, sitting up before asking
«Pathos» Is there a chance he might come today? We could ask him for some detailed information.
«Jhoel» I doubt it. I closed my shop for today. You'll have to wait until tomorrow.
«Ruem» Well, if we have to wait for a while, we might as well spend the time learning more about your abilities, Pathos. I can teach you something else.
Ruem slowly sat down on the chair, looking for an answer from Pathos. But what Ruem failed to realize was that Pathos hadn't actually used Ruem's suggestions to utilize his Prometeo. However, Ruem didn't know that.
Did he seriously think he managed to learn his powers thanks to his words? That was processed in Pathos's mind
«Pathos» Y–yeah, sure...
Jhoel joined them, sitting down in his chair, wanting to take part in the discussion. Ruem shifted his gaze toward him as the chair creaked with each movement.
«Jhoel» You can try, I guess. I don't know how much you can learn from a thief, though.
«Ruem» Ohi!
«Jhoel» Ptss.
With a brief yet sharp glance, Ruem closed his eyes, then opened them, pointing outside.
«Ruem» So… wanna go test your powers?
Pathos quickly nodded, but then realized something — where were they going to test his powers? Trying it on the streets would be too dangerous for bystanders, not to mention far too public.
«Pathos» Where, exactly? On the streets?
«Ruem» Oh right, we wouldn't want someone getting hurt here, so… mmm.
Ruem snapped his fingers after coming up with a solution. He slowly raised his hand beside him, channeling his own Prometeo to manifest his power. Reality itself seemed to shift as a wormhole formed right where Ruem's hand was pointing.
«Ruem» There we go. We'll train in an open field — no one can watch, and no one can get hurt.
Pathos made his way around the table to reach Ruem's wormhole. Inside, it was clear where it led, and just as Ruem mentioned, it opened to an empty field. There were no camps or villages in sight. Someone else, however, had grown curious about this wormhole too — Jhoel. Despite his limited knowledge about Prometeo, he seemed to be examining it through his tiny glasses.
«Jhoel» So this is how you escaped. Fascinating.
«Ruem» Yeah, I—
Ruem realized that once again, Jhoel had spilled the beans about one of his many thefts. Again.
«Ruem» Don't make me look bad…
Pathos, who had bent over to look directly into the wormhole, started to put his finger inside, testing it while Ruem and Jhoel argued. It felt strange — as his finger slowly entered, the air went from warm and cozy to freezing and chilling. The difference in temperature made it clear that this was somewhere far away. He slowly pulled it out, and the wormhole reacted like water rippling when you pull your finger out of a pond.
Ruem saw this, and while Pathos least expected it, he pushed him forward toward the wormhole, making him fall right in. The cold atmosphere rushed up his sleeves as soon as he left the house. Ruem burst out laughing as he got up from his seat and followed him through.
«Pathos» What the hell is wrong with you!
Ruem finally stepped through the wormhole and turned to Jhoel, as did Pathos. Pathos waved with his hand raised high, while Ruem simply lifted his hand in farewell.
«Ruem» See you soon.
«Jhoel» Alright, don't bring the boy back late.
«Ruem» I won't.
The wormhole closed. Ruem's gaze shifted from behind to forward, but when he looked for Pathos, he found him gone. He wasn't lying on the soft patch of grass anymore, which startled Ruem.
«Ruem» Eh?
Seconds later, however, a thunderous boom gave away Pathos's position — he was running circles around him, trying to catch him off guard. But thanks to that loud boom, Ruem spotted him quickly.
Pathos's movements were fast — not lightning-fast, but fast enough that even Ruem was struggling to keep up. Pathos ran across the open field, his body feeling free. The cold breeze brushed against his skin, mixing with the last warmth of the setting sun. The cloak around his shoulders flowed behind him like a flag. Without realizing it, he opened his arms, embracing the air around him.
Each step empowered the next — his arms, legs, and head crackled with electricity, strengthening his physical capabilities.
«Pathos (thinking)» I can't explain what it feels like to run with such power. My body is using the Prometeo as if the two were always made for one another. The air, the gentle breeze against my face… I love it.
But just as Pathos was enjoying the sensation of his power, a wormhole appeared right in front of him. He tried to slow down, but before he could, he was already through it. On the other side, Ruem was waiting, hand outstretched to grab Pathos's cloak. As soon as Pathos passed through, Ruem's hand closed around it, stopping him in his tracks — his arms and legs swung forward while the cloak held his torso back.
«Ruem» Gotta admit, you're starting to get the hang of it pretty quickly.
Pathos, realizing how far ahead he'd gotten, rubbed the back of his head and replied with a warm smile.
«Pathos» Hehehe.
Ruem's amazement from Pathos's powers grew more and more as he spoke once more.
«Ruem» That was amazing. I could barely keep up with you! But you need to be careful when using the Prometeo, especially after our incident. As much as I'd love to tell you to run to your heart's content, there are some things you need to know about being a… a… mmm…
Ruem looked at the ground, trying to remember the word.
«Ruem» Exorcist? Yeah, that's it!
«Pathos» Exorcist? Why does that sound like the first name they came up with?
Ruem chuckled at his small comment before continuing.
«Ruem» So, as I told you — the Prometeo can't be used forever. Even that powerful flame has its limits. That's why I had to stop you; we don't yet know the extent of your Prometeo's limits. Unfortunately, there's no real way to measure them — at least, not that I know of. Another important thing to remember is that it works just like your body does. When you consume too much Prometeo, the flame weakens, and it's up to you — the owner of that flame — to feed it again. How? By eating, drinking, or sleeping. Basically, you need to take care of yourself.
Ruem slowly let go of the collar he had been holding all this time. Pathos's body lowered until his feet touched the soft grass.
«Pathos (thinking)» That's it? Just plain food? So much for a godly gift…
«Pathos» It's that simple? You know, for something so godly, I expected more from it.
«Ruem» Well, it's not like I have a full picture of what this flame is. Even after spending so much time with it, there are still things unknown to me.
Now that the word godly had been mentioned, Pathos briefly touched his Kindled-eyes wondering if those too were a gift of the gods. But the more he questioned, the more questions filled his mind. Why was he chosen? Does he have a precise purpose? Yet despite his questions he focuses on the present.
«Pathos» These eyes. I still don't know what their use is besides ruining my face. Can't even use them to see since there is literally nothing.
«Ruem» Nah kid, honestly you look cooler. Also avoid revealing that to others.
«Pathos» Ah? Why?
Ruem's gaze shifted from Pathos to a falling star that still painted the sky red. Before speaking, he sighed.
«Ruem» Us Exorcists… aren't exactly popular. Especially to churches.
«Pathos» Because, in a way, we're closer to angels?
Ruem nodded, his eyes turning back toward Pathos.
«Ruem» Yeah, that's mostly why. But churches aside, having powers makes us different from everyone else. Some might envy you for having them, others might be terrified by the difference.
The only one who knew about the Kindled-Eyes at the moment seemed to be Pathos, The family who accompanied him, Ruem and Jhoel. Yet, judging by the people he'd met before, these eyes weren't new to this world. He just needed to find someone who could explain everything — someone he could trust.
«Pathos» Yeah, I understand. These eyes, unfortunately, aren't from my Prometeo.
«Ruem» Kindled-Eyes? Right?
«Pathos» …Yeah. They somehow came from a droplet that burned those eyes into my face.
«Ruem» Eww… fortunately, Mister Tough Guy here managed to endure it, huh?
Ruem gave Pathos a quick jab on the shoulder.
«Pathos» It was bad… but it doesn't hurt so much anymore, fortunately.
«Ruem» But can you, like, open them at will? like at all?
«Pathos» No but if you want I can stick my fingers inside that eye socket and show you how empty it is.
«Ruem» I mean you can do it but I believe you.
Pathos reached out to touch the closed eyelids of the Kindled-Eyes. He pokes it, rubs it and opens it. Yet nothing, taking it a step further he sticks his fingers inside trying to figure out if anything changed. Just a plain eye socked, Pathos sighed annoyed.
«Pathos» Still nothing.
«Ruem» Well what did you expect it to just reveal itself so soon?
«Pathos: You're the one to talk, weren't you the one capable of controlling the Prometeo instinctively.
«Ruem»I mean yeah but it's not like it came to me out of thin air.
Ruem stops for a moment recalling his thoughts.
«Ruem» Well yeah, it did. But it's just me!
Pathos chuckled for a bit, his mind concerned towards the falling sun painting the sky and warming the ground.
«Pathos» Did you hear my conversation with Jhoel?
Ruem gets surprised, quietly turning his head to look at Pathos. Immediately he tried to cover up for himself
«Ruem» Did I?
«Pathos» You did, I saw your eye peeking out of the door.
Ruem scratched his cheek embarrassed
«Ruem» So you saw me…
«Pathos» Be glad it was me on that side of the table, imagine if Jhoel was there.
«Ruem» He would have probably shut your eye in between the doors.
«Pathos» Since you already know my story. Could I ask you something
Ruem nodded. While Pathos gathered his strength to muster a sentence. A question that could well be his only wish.
«Pathos» Could you accompany me on this journey? I know what I'm asking is a bit too greedy from me but, you have already saved many times. But I beg of you to satisfy this selfish wish of mine. I want to learn more about the Prometeo, about the Kindled-eyes and I—I want to save my mother.
Pathos's question lingered into his very mind, it was a question he wanted only one answer, his eyes closed hoping from the bottom of his heart. Ruem without hesitation as if the question had already an answer
«Ruem» Of course why shouldn't I?
Thanks to Ruem's response, his mind calmed, he couldn't have wished for a better response. Ruem's lightness and honesty were the second best things he had ever heard to this day.
«Pathos» I see.
«Ruem» Mhm?
Pathos let himself fall back into the patch of grass, sitting with his arms behind him to keep his back straight. The sun's light hit his face as his eyes fixed on the red sky, darkening with every passing minute. The view, however, was soon blocked by Ruem's head.
«Ruem» What are you doing?
«Pathos» Just enjoying the sunset.
«Ruem» Yeah, I know, but we still have powers to test, no? Cooome on.
«Pathos» But I just sat down…
Ruem held out his hand, waiting for Pathos to grab it. Shaking his head, Pathos took Ruem's hand, and Ruem helped him to his feet.
«Ruem» Since you're a beginner, we're just going to do some muscle exercises — to test how much the Prometeo has strengthened your body. We'll test endurance, stamina, and strength. Try lifting this.
He raised his hand, channeling his Prometeo — reality bent as a wormhole began to form. dropping a box filled with various items. The box fell straight into Ruem's hand, but he caught it effortlessly with one arm. He lowered it onto the grass and gestured for Pathos to give it a try.
«Ruem» All yours.
Pathos approached the box, crouched down, and grabbed it with both hands. To his surprise, he lifted it with only a bit of struggle — far lighter than expected.
«Pathos» What's in this box?
«Ruem» Roughly forty-five kilograms of food. Why?
«Pathos» Wow. For forty-five kilos, I barely feel it.
«Ruem» Good! That means we can load it up with more stuff to test your limit.
«Pathos» Sure, let's do it.
Moments later, both of them stood inside Jhoel's house, with a wormhole still swirling behind them. Pathos was exhausted after the long training session. His clothes were drenched in sweat, and his breathing was heavy. Jhoel sat on the couch and raised an eyebrow as soon as he saw them enter.
«Jhoel» What the hell did you put him through?
«Ruem» Some basic training — well, more like testing, really.
«Pathos» Yeah… basic training.
«Jhoel» Jesus, he looks like a wet puppy. Come with me; I'll lead you to the bathroom.
«Pathos» Yeah… that… that would be nice.
Jhoel stood and walked toward Pathos, who was still panting. He quickly looked him over for any wounds but found none.
«Jhoel» Come on.
Pathos followed Jhoel to the bathroom. It was spotless — shining from every angle.
«Jhoel» Hit the shower. In the meantime, I'll find something for you to wear.
Pathos turned around just in time to see Jhoel leaving. On the other side of the room, Ruem stood by the fire, warming himself.
«Pathos (thinking)» Today was nice…
Slowly, Pathos closed the bathroom door behind him, finally earning his long-deserved shower.