"Something is only impossible until someone doubts and decides to prove otherwise."

Albert Einstein.

The young wizard was sitting, leaning against the tree when the bird appeared in a dive, so violent that it only stopped the dive at the last second and landed.

"Wow, dude, do you intend to be a kamikaze?"

"Igor, there is a huge army coming in this direction about two days' walk away. Right now, they are setting up camp, maybe to spend the night, but they are too much for these people to face" said the bird that patrolled the surroundings. "There is no other city nearby for them to attack, so the target can only be the village where we are. I think your assumption of having come to the past is very correct."

"So they come with the intention of attacking such an innocent and peaceful village!" he thought aloud. "I'll warn these people, but I think that, except for Ailin, the rest don't like me very much."

Igor got up and Gwydion flew to his shoulder, quiet. He went to the center of the village and only then did he pay attention to it. The region was formed by a huge circular square, which had a large oak tree in the middle and well-kept gardens around. There were tables scattered all over it because it was where the Gauls fraternized. Then, a circular street bordered the square and the most important huts were located there. Next, several perpendicular streets, more precisely radial, led to the citizens' houses and, on the outskirts, the river passed. The village had no type of wall or fortification and an attack by well-prepared soldiers would be a massacre. He knew that Ailin had gone in that direction, but had no idea where.

He stopped in the central square and looked around. Several people passed by, but nothing of the girl. He called a boy and asked:

"Hello, I need to find Ailin, the chief's daughter, very urgently," he asked. "Do you know where she is?"

"In the chief's hut, with the sub-chief" he pointed to a hut right in front of him.

"Thank you" he smiled and started walking there.

As the door was open, Igor went in, but, when he approached, he heard a discussion and it was Ailin's voice somewhat altered. He stood still, waiting and listening.

"I've said a thousand times that I don't want you, Marlon," she claimed, very irritated. "I don't want to have to repeat my warning again. The next time you treat me like that, I'll kill you and I don't care about your condition as sub-chief."

"You're saying that because you fell in love with the warlock, aren't you?"

"To begin with, Marlon, I did fall in love and you have nothing to do with it," she retorted, without denying. "And then he is a good druid and not a warlock."

"I'm going to kill him," he said spitefully. "Warlocks have to be killed. Just let him be careless and you'll see."

"You're nothing but a coward, Marlon." She laughed. "If he were a warlock we would all be dead, such is his power—"

"You will all be dead in two days," Igor said, entering the hut, "unless you know how to fight an invading army. How ugly, Marlon, to attack a man by treachery!"

"Why did you say that, Igor?" Ailin asked.

"Gwydion saw a very large army coming here. They are about two days' journey away."

"And who is Gwydion?" Marlon asked, annoyed at being caught.

"The bird," he answered, pointing to the dragon with his finger.

"And you still come to say that you talk to the birds?" Marlon laughed, mockingly. "Besides everything, you are a charlatan."

"Really?" Igor laughed and made his sword appear on the ground, between them. Threatening, he continued. "Do you want to try to steal it again?"

"Can you show where the invading army is?" Ailin asked, ignoring the discussion.

"Beyond the river, by the west of the hill about two days' walk away" explained the bird, without waiting for Igor to ask. Gwydion descended and, with his beak, scratched a simple drawing on the ground.

"For the Goddess," Marlon said, "it's true!"

Igor looked at the man and said:

"So now stop antagonizing me and cooperate." He thought for a few moments and asked. "How many men can fight, here in the village?"

"About two hundred and fifty and we can call another fifty from the nearby fields. If our chief doesn't come back, we'll be unprotected."

"They are very few." Igor thought aloud. "And I can't be everywhere at the same time."

"My father went to find and gather all the druids he could. Now, I hope he arrives in time."

"Very well." Igor transformed himself once again, right in front of the two, wearing the guardian's clothes again. He extended his hand and the sword flew to him, holding it at his waist. Meanwhile, he said. "We need to create a defensive line."

"How will we do that?" asked the sub-chief, disoriented.

"Is it possible to gather the whole village here in the center?" Igor took control so naturally that Marlon didn't realize it, obeying.

"Just ring the alarm in the square," answered the Gaul, helpful.

"Gwydion," Igor turned to his friend. "Would it be too much to ask you to go back there to do a count and evaluation?"

"I think it's better to go at dawn to be able to see well. At night I might miss details" answered the dragon. "I'll be back in an hour."

"He's right, Igor," Ailin said, getting up. "I'll ask someone to call all the peasants from outside for tomorrow at noon."

Igor couldn't help but look at her as she left, such was the charm and the resemblance. Alone with Marlon, he said:

"Look, I never wished harm to you or anyone else and I'd rather we weren't enemies, but don't think I'm intimidated by threats."

"Okay, I think I owe you an apology. In part it was jealousy," the guy replied, though without convincing the wizard. "Do you think we have a chance?"

"If Ailin's father is good and brings some magicians to help, it's possible."

"Magicians!?" he asked, wondering. "What is that?"

"Druids," he explained. "Sorry, I used a term from my time."

"Time!?" he was surprised again. "Where are you from and why didn't you prove you were a druid from the beginning?"

"I was fighting a horrible demon and he caught me off guard, Marlon," Igor said, opting for the truth, to show that he didn't want to deceive him. "I suffered a small defeat and he made me be thrown here by a portal, almost two thousand years in the past. This interfered with my powers, which I only recovered in part this morning. And I hope, by the Goddess, that they are fully restored when the enemy arrives. At least I know how to use this weapon very well and you will need all the swords possible."

"We have few weapons," Marlon explained. "I think we should see the blacksmith."

The two men went to the blacksmith's hut, which was next door. They entered and Marlon said:

"This is Aodh, the blacksmith. Hail, Aodh, this is Igor, the druid. There is an army coming here and we need to know how many swords we can have."

"Hail. We have very few," answered the blacksmith, "about ten or twelve. Yours has no repair, it has to be forged again."

"It's very little," commented Igor. "Aodh, how long does it take you to separate the necessary amount of iron to make a sword a hundred times?"

"At most a day, maybe half, but what's the point?"

"It matters a lot, friend. Provide that and also plenty of coal, that my magic will do the rest. A hundred swords of the best quality I guarantee." Igor pointed to the broken sword. "Give me that one, please."

The young man took the damaged weapon and a piece of coal from a pile next to the furnace. With his hand he radiated an intense energy and purified the carbon to the maximum possible limit. Then, he joined a quantity of this compound and placed it on the blade, all this without touching it, using only the force of magic.

The two Celts did not understand what he intended to do, but they watched with all their attention. The wizard began to radiate pure energy with both hands and the metal shone to the point of dazzling. As this happened and the iron melted mixing with the carbon, the heat became very high, but the two did not want to miss that for anything in the world. They had difficulty seeing because of the brightness, but they could notice that part of the material was separated from the iron and discarded, while the rest, slowly, took the shape of a new sword. When he finished and the weapon was ready, Igor radiated a white, intense light. The brightness was so strong that several villagers approached to observe, looking from the door or window.

As soon as the light went out there was only one sword on the ground, but it was thinner and brighter. Igor pointed to it and said to Marlon:

"Take your new sword. Try it and see if you like it."

Marlon was afraid of going through another session of shocks, but he didn't like to look bad. Reluctant and very slowly, he bent down and picked up the sword, finding it too light.

"It's very light and it will break on the first clash."

"Are you sure?" Igor asked, raising his own. "Defend yourself."

He attacked the poor man by surprise, but he reacted quickly and defended himself with mastery. He saw that the weapon was much superior to the old sword and smiled, until Igor stopped.

"Enough," said the wizard. "This material is lighter and much stronger than common iron, so much so that your sword did not break in the clash with mine. Aodh, provide what I asked you for tomorrow. I can't make many, but I'm sure I can make a hundred."

"Thank you, Igor, the druid," Marlon said.

― ☼ ―

Ailin and Igor were in her hut, having dinner. To make it easier, the wizard raised a small globe of light and the girl couldn't take her eyes off the stranger.

"I saw the sword you made for Marlon and the test of it," she commented. "It was perfect, the best sword I ever saw, except for yours."

"It's true. Tomorrow I'll make more and I'll also make a special one for you," said the wizard. "I'll make one with the balance suitable for a woman."

"You could tell me where you're from and why you lost your powers, Igor. Thank the Goddess, they're coming back."

The young man told her some things, omitting many details because maybe she wouldn't understand. When he finished, Ailin got up and took off her clothes putting on the sleeping set. Igor tried, but couldn't stop looking at her. She laughed, liking to be watched by him, and commented:

"Better we sleep that tomorrow will be a busy day."

"It's true." Igor got up and used his powers to materialize shorts and a t-shirt.

When she saw him dressed like that, Ailin laughed and said:

"These clothes from the future are very strange, but you look very tempting in them. Come to bed, it's late."

In the dark, the girl made a move, kissing him. For a few seconds he even gave in, but ended up pushing her away.

"My sweet Ailin, forgive me, but I can't do this."

"Why?" she asked with a sad voice.

"Because my heart belongs to someone else and we druids, when we love someone, can't love another person. I'm sorry."

"I understand," she moved away, dejected. "I know how it is because my father is a druid."

"Thank you," he said. "You are very beautiful, even more so than my Eduarda, but I can't. The similarity between the two of you is so much that I feel like I'm wavering all the time, but it's wrong."

She kissed him and turned to the side. Igor had trouble falling asleep because of so many novelties, until he finally fell into a deep sleep and woke up refreshed, feeling that all his powers had normalized.

In the morning, while they were having breakfast and not being able to drink that low-fermentation wine, Igor materialized a coffee with milk, which Ailin tasted and loved. Gwydion had already left and should be back any minute.

After that, they went to the blacksmith's house.

"Hail, Aodh, the blacksmith," said Igor, using the most common greeting of the Celts. "How is the separation of the material going?"

"Hail, Igor, the druid," he replied. "By midday, you will have your ingots."

At that moment Gwydion and Marlon arrived almost at the same time.

"Hail, Gwydion," said Ailin, anticipating Igor, "any news?"

"Bad news," began the dragon. "A rough count gave about ten thousand warriors who wear armor and swords. They also carry some things to throw stones, very primitive, by the way. But the worst of all are my brothers and their captors."

"Your brothers?" Igor asked, astonished. "What brothers?"

"There are more than a hundred dragons captive of the so-called warlocks, about a hundred and sixty. This is an unbridled power and they are not to blame because they are slaves of the demons."

"How did you not discover them before, Gwydion?" Igor asked.

"Because they are disguised, just like me. I only found out now when one of the warlocks gave an order to one of them. Igor, we were thrown into the final war between warlocks and magicians."

"I'm understanding wrong," began Ailin, angry and grabbing her sword, "or is this bird a disguised dragon."

"It is, Ailin," Igor replied, "but Gwydion is not under the control of the warlocks and is my friend."

"Dragons must be killed," she said, with a voice of hatred and advancing to catch the bird. "They murdered my mother. No dragon is trustworthy."

"What the hell, Ailin." Igor got angry. "Haven't we given you more than enough proof of our loyalty and friendship."

He took a step forward, grabbing his own sword and handing it over.

"If you want to kill Gwydion so badly, then take my sword and kill us both, if you have the courage to kill an unarmed innocent."

She lowered the sword, but remained on guard. Serious and very angry she said:

"You lied, when I asked about your dragon—"

"We don't need help from dragons or warlocks," Marlon interrupted, raising his weapon. "Go away before I pierce you with the sword."

"You became very brave, all of a sudden," Igor said, hurt and angry at the same time. "I'm impressed by the kind of leaders of this village. Too bad that in two days there will be nothing left of it. Poor people who trust you. It would be better if they killed themselves now to avoid suffering."

He looked into the sub-chief's eyes and continued, sarcastically:

"Be careful not to cut yourself with that little knife because it never loses its edge. Let's go, Gwydion." He turned his back and started to leave the hut. "Let's go, we need to figure out how to move forward eighteen hundred years into the future. If they are so keen on dying, that's their problem."

Sad and without any hurry, Igor left the village, looking for a place to orient himself.

― ☼ ―