A Piece of Advice

"Have you been here all morning?" In front of the grave of the old man who ignited in Anton a desire to eliminate as much evil as possible in this world, he simply stood up, observing the sunset.

Sebastián looked at his son, who had just turned twenty-one, and asked, "What do you think exorcists do?"

"Eliminate evil..."

"Be more specific, son. What else?"

Anton turned to look at his father and said, "Exorcists usually come into conflict with dark entities known as supernatural beings of different forms, types, and characteristics. We take on the task of eliminating them to safeguard human peace."

"And what methods do we use?"

"The exorcist usually employs exorcism formulas with enchantments to make contact with the supposed demon and finally persuade it to leave the body, with or without its consent. As for physical entities, we eliminate them with brute force."

Sebastián didn't look at his son anymore and said, "You're a complete mess if you think that killing drug traffickers is making a damn difference in this world. What exactly do you want to achieve?"

"Eh?" Anton was confused about what his father was talking about.

"Killing at night and being an exorcist by day won't make you a guardian of peace. You won't be someone who will be respected when you die, and I'm sure you're not at all happy killing. You won't make a damn change doing this, Anton; you're the descendant of our family, and you keep disappointing me."

Anton smiled faintly and said, "Some people just need to be dead."

"Yes, but it's not your damn duty to go and kill those people... Don't you understand? You won't make a noticeable change by doing it."

Those words may have some degree of truth, but the girls who were now nuns didn't reflect those words from his father. They now eat well, live safely, and believe in a religion that protects them. If Anton hadn't helped them, all of them would probably be dead by now.

In a long silence, Sebastián looked at his son and said, "Listen carefully, son. Evil in humans is a complex phenomenon explored from various perspectives, such as psychology, philosophy, and sociology."

"On a psychological level, factors such as environmental influence, genetics, and traumatic experiences can contribute to the development of malevolent behaviors. From a philosophical perspective, the nature of good and evil is discussed, as is how morality can vary according to cultures. Socially, evil can manifest through unbalanced power structures, discrimination, and conflicts."

Taking a pause, Sebastián, who was giving his son another lesson, clarified, "Some theories argue that there is an inherent balance between order and chaos, where evil can arise as a force that challenges or redefines established norms. Of course, our job is to promote morality and cooperation to ensure stability."

"What do we get from all this? The supposed benefits of evil, they say with data, are that competition and conflict can drive social and technological evolution." Sebastián pointed at the gun on Anton's waist and said, "Have you ever heard that the company that manufactured that weapon had a competition that it ended up crushing over the years and improved so much that now it's one of the best in the world?"

Anton, who was beside his father, simply listened in silence. It's not that he had nothing to say; it's just that there was no possibility of being understood.

The motives that drive him are caused by a second chance at life. He feels he owes life a certain degree of justice, but this is different for each person who experiences it.

"I'll be traveling abroad soon. I need some time to clear my mind," Anton said, staring at his father.

Sebastián, better than anyone, understood that his son had grasped his words, so he asked, "Is it tough?"

"Lately, people have died on my job. I feel that, in part, it's my fault because I didn't do much better." Anton shared this secret with his father.

"Visit your fiancée; at least you'll clear your mind with something that will serve you in the future." After saying this, Sebastian walked away.

"Thanks for your concern." Anton turned toward his father with a slight smile.

"Make sure you're not killed before having children; it would be the end of our family."

"All for the family..."