CROSS ROADS

Near dawn as the moon bathed the trees that seemed to be swallowed by darkness, a beautiful gold-striped carriage was pulled by two black horses that were speeding through a storm that seemed to follow their pace. Through the window of the carriage, you could see how a beautiful lady with black hair and skin as white as snow was crying, she said: how long will we have to flee? Why does this happen to us? Was all this suffering always linked to our destiny? To which the man with fair skin and messy hair said, it will soon pass, trust me, I know how to fix it, if only I hadn't been so greedy.

It was about a feudal lord and his queen who came from a distant kingdom, traveling with their newborn daughter, just the three of them.

At one point lightning began to strike near the carriage and forced him to lose the path, until he fell off a cliff, when they met on the ground, miraculously none had been seriously injured, but it was not so for the steeds who lay frighteningly broken on some rocks, because they cushioned the fall of the carriage.

Without feeling any of them, everything fell silent and a voice whispered: "Even when they thought they could run away, this was not part of the deal, perhaps your word means nothing, cowardly king replies."

- You never said that she would be the price,

- I need to say it? What price has a kingdom that does not know a whole night, nor the end of the day?

- Take me, I was the one who asked you

- His soul belongs to me and I will not accept any other in exchange.

Even so, your kingdom will perish as water rots mud and rivers carry it with their current, you have no escape, give me what belongs to me, your daughter, a pure soul, is mine.

The queen with a frightened face looked at the pale king and between tears she said:

- I knew it, everything is your fault, your damn greed, your desires, all the hardships of our people, all the hunger, all the spilled blood, even your daughter, what you got justifies that you have betrayed us, tell me are you happy with the result?

The king fell silent, he knew that she was right.

From the darkness of the bushes came a slim figure, with a somewhat questionable outfit, through the harlequin costume you could see his bones, the fangs in his mouth as well as his claws were prominent, the sunken eyes looked like those of a thirsty snake to hunt.

The pact of riches and power had consumed the life of the demon and now he demanded payment back, initially he did not even have the power to offer what had been asked of him, however, the reward he had in mind was even greater. to wear out his own life, he felt that there was something different in the little girl who lay within his reach, he wanted to take her, just as a dying man yearns for water when he sees an oasis, he almost drooled and smiled in a macabre way.

He began to approach the baby and his mother, the king, got in the way, but he fell stunned to the ground.

When his disgusting hands were about to touch the little girl, the demon's eyes began to widen, they enjoyed happiness that stirred him with ecstasy inside, because he would finally fulfill his ambition, however, in a blink he began to feel a chill that invaded his body, even more stunned than his victims, he looked around at the plants and trees that began to dry to ashes everything was dying except them.

Out of the collapsing forest came a huge figure about eight feet tall, on his head he wore a crown of steel thorns that burned without being consumed in a dark red flame, his yellow eyes like the sun shone through the helmet he wore on his head. head, his black armor gave off darkness and seemed not to touch the ground when he walked.

Soon everyone realized that that silence was not due to the presence of the demon, but to that presence that had been observing them for some time.

The young man who slept soundly hidden in the tree that was quite far from the place of the event felt a deep pain in his chest, right there where he was stabbed in his dream, he soon woke up and felt the chilling presence in the environment, however, his great courage allowed him to approach the place.

A voice emerged like a wind that rumbled everywhere, but they couldn't conceive what he was saying, it seemed like an ancient language.

However, the young man did understand what the voice that seemed to come from all directions was saying:

You have the nerve to claim one of my possessions, insect., Dusk Ruin will be the last thing you see with those foul eyes.

Immediately the sky cleared and all the storm disappeared, high in the sky rose a city so large that it seemed to be lost on the horizon, surrounded by a dense fog, and the little light that bathed the object of colossal size revealed what seemed to be ruins, the demon looked trembling at the mysterious being and said:

- I Parcibal Kougar of the Illusory Order of Chaos, demand that you do not meddle in the legitimate pacts of a Shadow Reclaimer.

The king and his wife looked at the scene with bewilderment while a terror ate up their bones, not even the hideous clown escaped from feeling a fear that chilled his blood and did not stop bristling his skin, a cold breeze flooded the forest while the dumbfounded place was a witness to what was happening there.

The mysterious being turned his gaze towards the demon, his penetrating gaze was like an imminent judgment that only led to a single outcome "death" this knee callus.

The "specter" seemed higher and higher as he spoke the unintelligible language said:

- After so much time I have finally found her, but I get up from my throne and all I see is a jester, because I should meet someone more insignificant than an insect the lowest form on earth, now you will pay for your imprudence scum.

Kougar astonished and with courage, still not understanding what that colossus was saying, desperate with a shrill voice exclaimed, "claimer, do not interfere, they have a debt with me and they must pay."

To which he replies:

- Go dead.

Suddenly the air was torn as if it were a glass breaking and a huge sword fell through the poor bastard who did not know how the plan that he had executed perfectly for so many years had taken an unexpected turn.

- No, not here or this way, damn, don't think they'll get away with it. At least she will go with me.

Suddenly, with the little strength Kougar had left, he attacked the baby with a dagger, ending his life and leaving his mother on the verge of death.

- "laughs"

laughter between babble of blood, joy and satisfaction were drawn on his dying face when his life finally came to an end.

The king, bewildered by what had just happened, crawled on the ground until he reached his burned daughter and his dying wife who lay unconscious, he looked at the "reclaimer" which was what Kougar called him and spoke:

- Help me, I'll give you anything, without them I have nothing, all this is my fault. They don't deserve this.

A deep silence anticipated the answer, he just prostrated his hand on both parents and absorbed their energy until there was no trace of his existence.

He now carefully observes the little girl who lost her life, and says:

- Now you will walk in the middle of both worlds, my awakening is due to your arrival, and that means that he is also here, he extended his arm and an enormous force attracted the young man who was observing in the distance what was happening, he held him the cloak while carefully observing his eyes.

The young man in a struggle without being able to let go says;

I know you, you are the one of my dreams, because you follow me, what do you want from me?

The colossus replies:

-So, you've been seeing me, this is unexpected, and it shouldn't have happened now either. "It's too soon"

It seems that this was the last thing the young man heard, suddenly his eyes began to close and he became unconscious.

As for the baby, he began to come to life and his wounds were healing, he held her in one of his arms, while he looked at her with special detail, strangely she did not cry, but slept peacefully, white as frosty snow and a hair as black as the moonless sky, his eyes seemed the reflection of the moon, when he woke up and saw the strange being, it smiled at him, he touched his forehead with his finger and went back to sleep.

-It's still too early, he said again, we need more time, and it's the least we have.

It was what he pronounced as he punched the air with his fist and seemed to break a glass, he took her while walking towards the city by some stairs that emerged from the city, and when the fog disappeared that city had simply disappeared.