"Thus, as you can see, once I was defeated and captured, I sent Silver to deliver the new scepter," Avocios began, his voice calm but heavy with melancholy. "As you know, Avocadolia is very far away, and by the time he arrived there, it was nearly the time when Paltio was about to be born, after many failed attempts by his parents to have an heir."
Avocios paused briefly, as if carefully choosing his words before continuing.
"When the boy was born, unfortunately, he came into the world lifeless… or perhaps clinging on with little chance of survival. His faint heartbeats were barely a whisper, as if he were desperately fighting to stay, but fate seemed to have decided otherwise. His parents were devastated; they had lost a child without ever getting to know him, and he would never have the chance to experience the world that awaited him."
But they did not give up. Rodelos possessed the collar with the wish-granting sphere that I had gifted to Maggus. And, by a twist of fate, they decided to use it. In doing so, they wished for Paltio to live.
Avocios's tone grew darker.
"But it wasn't going to be as simple as they thought. Not now that I was a prisoner and my powers were rendered useless. So, the only thing I could do was send the last remaining energy wandering through the skies: the sphere where I had placed Golden."
Avocios looked at Silver, who gave a slight nod before speaking.
"So I sent you to retrieve that sphere, Silver. Luckily, you found it on time. The parents were already on the verge of giving up; they were about to bury their son. Thankfully, thanks to some doctors from Hassdalia, they managed to keep the body preserved so it wouldn't decompose."
Silver smiled weakly, recalling that moment.
"I arrived just as Rodelos was trying to use the wish-granting sphere on Paltio. So, before he could activate it, I placed Golden's sphere in its place."
"And it wasn't easy to pull off," added Silver, scratching his head with nervous laughter. "You know, I'm not exactly… cautious."
Rodelos took the sphere with trembling hands, his eyes filled with a mix of hope and desperation. Carefully, he placed it over the fragile body of little Paltio, who lay motionless.
At that exact moment, something extraordinary happened. A burst of pure light emerged from the sphere, enveloping the newborn in a golden halo that illuminated the entire room. The energy vibrated in the air, like a celestial echo, as the sphere began to fuse with him. It was as if the universe itself held its breath, deciding to grant him another chance to remain in this world.
Paltio's faint heartbeats gradually strengthened, resonating like a drumbeat of life announcing his return. His tiny fingers twitched slightly, and a soft sigh escaped his lips, signaling that he had come back to life.
The scene was magical, almost unreal: where there had been only silence and sorrow, hope was now reborn.
"In other words, your energy, Golden, is what gave life to the boy," concluded Avocios, though he omitted mentioning that the sphere also contained part of his own power.
"So, when it was brought close to Paltio's seed, it activated and fused, causing Golden to enter the newborn's essence. And well, the rest you already know," finished Avocios, leaving the air filled with reflective silence.
Golden, visibly uncomfortable, broke the silence with a mix of confusion and unease.
"But that doesn't explain why, now that I'm out, he's still alive," he said, his voice trembling.
Avocios looked at him with an inscrutable expression.
"Well, I don't know that, lad. Even for me, there are strange things in the universe."
Krasper, always ready to tease, couldn't resist throwing a joke.
"So you actually did something good for once, kitty," he said with a mocking grin.
Meliradal joined in the fun, enjoying Golden's bewilderment.
"Wow, who would've thought you'd have a kid," she added with laughter.
Golden, completely red with embarrassment and confusion, tried to defend himself.
"What do you mean, 'kid'? Paltio isn't…! I'm not his father! That's impossible, right?" he exclaimed, looking around for support.
Kilibur burst into laughter, unable to contain himself.
"Maybe you are," he replied, wiping away an imaginary tear from laughing so hard.
Silver, always calm but equally mischievous, decided to add one last jab.
"See, now you won't be alone anymore," he said, winking at Golden.
The room erupted in laughter as Golden crossed his arms, muttering under his breath about how everyone was wrong.
"Fools, I'm not…!" he protested, clearly flustered by the jokes about his supposed parenthood.
Avocios interrupted calmly, his voice filled with gratitude.
"Calm down, lad. Thanks to you, that boy is still alive."
Golden nodded, regaining his usual determination.
"Well, it's time to go help him," he said firmly. "But first, we need to get you out of wherever you're trapped, my lord," he added, looking toward where Avocios manifested.
Silver quickly intervened, his tone resolute.
"Yes, that's right. With our lord's power on our side, we'll defeat the evil."
Krasper nodded enthusiastically.
"But do you have any leads?" asked Kilibur, his voice full of concern.
Everyone fell silent, their sad expressions reflecting the uncertainty of their situation.
"Wait a moment," said Golden, breaking the silence. "You mentioned that this Meloc guy was the one who imprisoned you. Maybe if we pay him a visit, we can find out where they're holding you captive."
Meliradal smirked slyly.
"Wow, looks like you're finally using that brain of yours."
Krasper seized the opportunity to throw another joke.
"Now I know why Paltio is the way he is… It's because of you, Golden!"
Kilibur raised a hand to stop the teasing.
"Alright, alright, enough of these silly jokes. We need to act fast; there's no time. Paltio has only four days to reach Tejod with the scepter."
"That's right," Silver agreed. "We should head to Hassdalia, where that rat might be hiding."
Krasper extended his hand decisively.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Grab my hand."
Everyone took each other's hands, preparing to leave. Before they vanished, Avocios sent them one final message.
"Good luck."
The five arrived in Hassdalia, a place that remained as desolate as ever. The magically gifted people were imprisoned, and the streets seemed lifeless, devoid of movement or energy.
"Maybe we can stir things up a bit here," suggested Meliradal, observing the surroundings carefully.
"Remember, they can't see us here," reminded Silver, ensuring everyone understood the rules of the realm.
With a flash of magic, they all shrank to the size of ordinary beings, blending into the shadows.
"I know where he might be," said Golden, leading the group with confidence.
Krasper nodded, quickly organizing a plan.
"Great. We'll go interrogate that rat, while you and Meliradal free some of the citizens."
The guardians decided to split up, tackling two problems at once.
Silver, impatient as always, broke through a wall instead of entering through the main door.
"This is how we stay unnoticed," he muttered sarcastically as the dust settled.
Kilibur, on the other hand, used his magic to transform them into blue shadow soldiers. Together, they entered the laboratory, but the place was completely empty. There were no signs of anyone.
"And now what do we do?" whispered Krasper, carefully inspecting the area.
At that moment, they heard footsteps approaching from above. The door burst open, and someone entered loudly complaining about the tasks they were performing. Without hesitation, Silver moved quickly, grabbing the intruder before they could notice their presence.
The person struggled, trying to break free.
"Who are you?! Why have you captured me?! You're not blue shadow soldiers! Let me go, I'm a scientist!"
When the light came on, they discovered it was a young scientist: Chiro. His face was filled with terror as he tried to comprehend what was happening.
Krasper pointed a sword at him.
"Well, kid, you're going to give us the answers we need."
Chiro swallowed hard, feeling fear overwhelm him as he realized he was tied up and threatened.
"Calm down, boy. We won't hurt you," said Silver calmly, though his tone turned more menacing as he added, "That is, unless you don't give us the answer we're looking for."
Chiro trembled even more, his ragged breathing revealing the complete terror consuming him.
"Hey! You two are crazy!" interjected Kilibur, stepping in front of Chiro with a mocking half-smile. "Leave this to me. This kid might've already peed his pants by now."
Silver and Krasper exchanged glances but decided to step back, letting Kilibur take control of the situation.
Kilibur leaned toward Chiro, his voice firm but calm.
"I'm going to remove your gag so you can tell us what we want to know, but if you make any noise… These two," he gestured casually toward Silver and Krasper, "can do something to you."
The young man nodded quickly, unable to utter a word. He knew he had no choice but to cooperate with these three strangers who seemed ready for anything.
Carefully, Kilibur removed the gag covering Chiro's mouth. The young man swallowed before speaking, his voice barely a trembling whisper, as if he feared his words might trigger something terrible.
"What do you want to know?" he asked, attempting to mask his nervousness, though his bound hands trembled slightly, betraying his fear.
Kilibur, aware of the tension in the air, decided to start with something simple to gain his trust.
"First, to build some trust," he said calmly, his tone kinder but still firm, "what's your name?"
The young man looked at him suspiciously for a brief moment before responding.
"My name is Chiro," he finally said, his voice a bit clearer, though still heavy with uncertainty.
"Good, Chiro," continued Kilibur, gesturing casually toward his companions. "These two with me and I are guardians of Avocios."
Krasper immediately interrupted, visibly annoyed.
"Hey! Why are you telling him who we are? It's supposed to be a secret!" he protested, crossing his arms indignantly.
Kilibur ignored him and, with an elegant wave of his hand, dispelled the illusions hiding their true forms.
Chiro blinked in astonishment as he saw them for who they truly were. Before him were no longer blue shadow guards, but three imposing figures whose presence radiated power. They were not ordinary humans; their energies were palpable, almost overwhelming.
"In truth… you really are guardians," Chiro thought, feeling a shiver run down his spine. He could sense something powerful and ancient surrounding these three beings—an energy he couldn't ignore or fully comprehend.
Kilibur crossed his arms, adopting an authoritative stance, his gaze fixed on Chiro.
"You're an assistant to someone named Meloc, aren't you?"
Chiro nodded slowly, his mind racing as he tried to decide how much he should reveal.
"Yes… I'm one of his collaborators," he replied cautiously, his voice barely louder than a whisper.
"Good, this is going smoothly," said Kilibur, glancing at his companions with a satisfied smile. Then he turned his attention back to Chiro, his expression growing more serious. "You seem calm. I don't sense any darkness in you, but I need to ask you something—this is why we're here: do you know where Avocios is?"
Chiro's face paled even further. He was caught between two fires: if he revealed Avocios's location, he would be considered a traitor by the blue shadows; but if he refused, these three strangers would likely kill him without hesitation.
The young man lowered his gaze, his mind working furiously. What was he going to do?