"I think ninety-nine times and discover nothing; I stop thinking, dive into deep silence and behold, the truth reveals itself to me."

Albert Einstein.

They appeared in the middle of the room, right behind someone.

Valdo, who took care of the plants and kept the house clean for his friend, turned around when he heard a noise behind him. As he did not expect to see Igor and a sizable hawk on his shoulder appear out of nowhere, he took a big scare and jumped back, letting out an involuntary scream. When he made sure who it was, he opened a smile and ran to hug him.

"My God, Igor," he said, relieved. "I swear I was losing hope that you would come back."

"It was close, my dear." Igor smiled. "That demon defeated me again."

The young man took a glass of water in the kitchen while the bird settled in a corner, looking like a statue. The next sentence from Valdo left him quite astonished:

"I know," he said, "and I was very afraid of what could have happened to you, especially after all this time."

Igor sat down on the couch and pointed the other one to Valdo. He looked at the glass for a few seconds and asked:

"How about you tell me what has been happening in this period, please. It seems that it was not little, from what I see."

Valdo looked at the bird, remembering that his friend had a special affection for animals and in college he always had some around. He wondered what had happened in the meantime and where he had gotten that beautiful hawk. When Igor snapped his fingers, as if to snap him out of a trance, he began to tell:

"Sorry," Valdo began. "Well, after you left here for Santa Catarina, two things happened: first I was sure you rescued Duda because that monster Samuel showed up furious and worse, with your face. He wanted to know where you were and even threatened to kill me. One time he touched me and I thought I was going to die because a cold thing went up my arm and everything started to get dark. The doorbell rang and I think that's what saved me because I found out he had disappeared in the air. When I opened the door, it was none other than the police, who are also seeking you. Every week they show up here and don't give up for anything. I thought you had rescued Dudinha, but after that, I concluded that I was wrong."

"I had, Valdinho, but that black daemon got her back. I spent five long months trapped almost two thousand years in the past, trying in vain to return to the 21st century." Igor told the whole story. As soon as he finished, someone rang the doorbell.

"It must be the police, dude," Valdo said. "Every week more or less at the same time they show up here. Disappear that I'll talk to them."

"I can't keep running away, my friend." Igor got up and opened the door, coming face to face with his well-known policemen.

When they saw him, they opened their mouths, but they didn't take long to react: they raised their guns, pointing at him, who turned around and returned inside.

"Stop!" shouted the superior.

"Do me a favor: don't scream and come in." Igor continued walking calmly to the couch. Close the door, but leave that damn cigarette outside."

Still astonished, they threw away the cigarettes and entered, keeping the guns in their hands.

"Sit down," Igor ordered. "I believe you should present a warrant before pointing a gun at me in my own house. After you say whatever it is, I would like to report the kidnapping of Eduarda Vargas and find out what you intend to do about it."

"Your fingerprints were found at a crime scene in the city of Santa Sofia," began the first policeman, lowering the gun, but keeping it in his hand and unlocked, "what do you have to say about that, young man?"

"I was in Belém for a few months, delegate, and I arrived a short time ago, on the first plane today." Igor shrugged and pointed to the newspaper on the table. "Look at the newspaper up there and you will see that it is from there and today's date." At the same time, Igor transmitted to the dragon: "Gwydion, go behind them and, at my warning, return to your form, but leave half of your body outside, in the yard, otherwise you will blow up the whole house."

The policeman did what Igor asked and confirmed that the newspaper was from that day.

"It's true that the newspaper is from there and it's today," he muttered, agreeing, "but that doesn't prove anything, my young man. Your wife was with her father at the police station and asked for a restraining order. You are going to accompany us for interrogation, otherwise we will take you into custody."

"Do you remember the story of the monster at the college, delegate?"

"Of course," he replied. "Thank God never again—"

The scream of terror from Valdinho, who shrank in the chair terrified pointing to the backs of the law enforcement agents was so authentic that the policemen turned around and saw what looked like the biggest winged lizard in the world, if it weren't for the fact that it blew a strange smoke through its nose.

Both delegates reacted by instinct. They raised their guns and pressed the triggers, but instead of shots, they heard two squeaks and felt something soft in their hands, something that bit them. Terrified, they found out that instead of guns they had two sizable rats trying to free themselves.

They threw them to the ground and backed away slowly until they tripped and fell on their backs. The dragon raised his neck, stretching it a little, while the policemen, very pale, sweated with fear. With all the calmness, Igor walked the few steps that separated him from his friend from another world and stood by his side, stroking his neck. The policemen were even more frightened when the young man's clothes changed without transition because, at that moment, he was dressed as the Supreme Guardian he was.

"Very well, delegate," said the young man, very serious. "You are seeing something very real and it is not a drug or hallucination. I am what today is called a wizard and my little friend here is a real dragon. Of course he is a living being from another world, but he is a great friend of mine. Now listen carefully: an evil creature escaped from a very bad world and intends to destroy all life on Earth, perhaps even in the entire Universe, and it is this demon that impersonates me and also kidnapped my fiancee, not to mention that he married her in my name. I am not a criminal as you think. You will return to the police station and you will find out that all the evidence has disappeared without a trace because he was not going to make it easy, dropping clues for you. Forget about all this and get out of here that I am very busy, since you cannot be useful to me.

Igor bent down and picked up the two rats, turning them back into guns, while the dragon returned to the hawk shape. He returned the pistols, continuing to say:

"You can investigate whatever you want about me, but know that I am blameless and I appreciate if you warn me, if you find out anything about Eduarda, okay?"

"Y... y... yes," they answered, still trembling. Gwydion flew to his friend's shoulder.

"Now go, please, that I will visit my father-in-law."

The two got up and left quietly, still terrified. On the street, the boss took a cigarette from the pack, with his hands shaking so much that he was not able to light it. Igor closed the door, but still heard:

"Not a word about this at the station, man, otherwise we will never have peace for the next twenty years or more."

"Do you think I don't know, damn it?" asked his colleague, still with his legs shaking a lot and reaching out to grab a cigarette from his friend. "Dude, it's better for us to forget this and make up any excuse to file the case. Geez, man, I'm shaking so much that I can't even light the crivo."

― ☼ ―

Igor approached the door of that house that he met almost three years ago and the memory awakened a longing that was almost painful. He rang the bell, waiting and hoping that it was her father who would answer. He was lucky, to his relief.

"Good morning, Levi," he said as a greeting. "Sorry to bother you, but we need to talk in private and it's a very important and serious matter. It's something you should have known for a few months, but now it's imperative that I tell you."

"Come in," said the father-in-law, acting very dry. "Let's go to my office."

In the room, Levi pointed to an armchair and sat down in another, being the first to speak:

"We always treated you like our son, Igor, so I really wanted to understand what we did to you so bad to mistreat us like that."

"Sir, believe me when I say that I have no idea what you are talking about, but whatever it is, I know the answer, although I confess that it will shock you a little."

"Well, I'll do you the favor of refreshing your memory," Levi replied angrily, without paying attention to the son-in-law's words. "Shortly before your wedding, Eduarda became very sad without any explanation. Then, she didn't come back home anymore and, finally, when you got married, you dropped out of college and isolated yourself from everything and everyone."

Igor signaled that he was going to speak, but the father-in-law interrupted him with a rude gesture, continuing:

"Then, you stopped going to the company, but that was a blessing, because you, in a month and almost overnight, threw away four years of research and caused a loss of five million. After months of isolation, Eduarda showed up here three weeks ago, entered without saying anything, took some things and left, on top of that with four very bad-looking thugs."

"Oh, that—"

"Oh, that?" Levi exclaimed, almost jumping out of his chair. "Oh, that, you say? Isn't that more than enough?"

"Tell me something," he asked, keeping calm and somewhat disconcerting the father-in-law. "Did you go to the police station with your daughter to ask for a restraining order against me?"

"Of course not, she left—"

"In that case, Mr. Levi," Igor interrupted, "the first shock you will suffer is that Eduarda did not marry me."

"What?" the father-in-law exploded. "Are you going to make jokes now? I handed her over to you myself, funny guy—"

"Sir, calm down," Igor insisted. "Think carefully, please. Eduarda is the most precious thing that exists for me and everything I did was just to please her. We were very happy and I got along very well with you and your wife, not to mention that I loved my job, even though I didn't need it. Don't you think that a change of attitude on my part, especially such a radical one, would be something irrational and incompatible with me?"

"That's exactly why I don't understand what's going on, Igor, and that's why we're still talking."

"What I have to say, Mr. Levi, may seem very crazy, but it is the purest reality," Igor said. "I have been in a declared war with a demon for some time, who is also responsible for what happened to my parents."

The father-in-law widened his eyes, tilting his face and looking at him without believing much. Igor continued:

"I really need to find Eduarda and your help can be important, besides I fear for your lives—"

"What do you mean find Eduarda?" Levi asked. As soon as he finished saying that, her mother appeared and, when she saw Igor, closed her face, muttering:

"So the scum showed up, the man who turned my daughter into a stranger to us... and a thief!"

"Calm down, Fátima," said the husband. "Sit down and let's see what he has to say."

Very reluctantly, she obeyed.

"Mrs. Fátima, believe me that I have nothing to do with this and I can prove it, but I also need information because her life may be in danger."

"WHAT?!" The parents almost jumped out of their chairs, staring at the son-in-law.

"That's exactly what I said: her life is in danger and maybe yours too," Igor repeated. "You know your daughter well, so you know that no one would change her personality to the point of making her a thief. What did Eduarda steal?"

"A jewel from my family, a unique and valuable jewel," Fátima replied. "I don't even know why she did that, because it's our tradition to pass the jewel to the daughter at twenty-five years old since time immemorial."

"Well, I have no idea what she could want with that, but the rest I can explain to you. However, I need you to have a very open mind and prepare for some shocking revelations. This is something I was going to tell Eduarda on the day she was kidnapped from my house and I was almost killed.

"Kidnapped?" The two jumped out of their armchairs.

"Let's go by parts," Igor said, always calm. "Do you remember her telling about the monster that saved her at the freshmen party?"

"Obvious," the father replied. "I even gave her a scolding not to use drugs again, not even as a joke—"

"Well, it was the purest truth. The monster was me trying to save her from being raped, her and the other freshwemen at the party. Sir, I am what today is called a wizard and formerly was called a druid. Some human beings are born with spectacular gifts and that's what happened to me." Igor made a globe of light appear in the middle of the room. "I can do things that some call magic and others miracle, you choose."

"This to me is nothing more than a parlor trick, something that my daughter said you were an unparalleled expert," the mother-in-law retorted.

"Mrs. Fátima, didn't you ever notice that the flowers I gave to Eduarda never died?" Igor asked. "Do you think parlor tricks would prevent flowers from dying?"

"But they all died—" the mother-in-law fell silent, thoughtful. Then she continued. "And that was the day she started to get very sad, shortly before you got married."

"That was when that monster defeated me and deceived Eduarda, manipulating her will. That devil can imitate my physical form perfectly and that's how he fooled you, because he is obsessed with me. It was him, Levi, who pretended to be me and destroyed the research for the simple reason that he did not have my knowledge. In fact, not even all your scientists combined have it. I just had not finished that whole research before and alone, because of appearances."

"Look, Igor, I think you need—"

"Wait, Levi," interrupted Fatima, "this makes some sense because my family has a history of people with special gifts. I myself can feel and do a few things, but I always attributed that to chance."

"It is likely that you can, Mrs. Fátima, because when I rescued Eduarda I discovered that she has special gifts and I managed to awaken some, but that demon took her again, that five months ago."

"And why did you only show up now, Igor?"

"I was thrown into a very remote past and it took me five months to return."

"Sorry, Fatima," insisted Levi annoyed, getting up, "but all this is hard to swallow."

"There is a legendary city," said the mother-in-law, signaling to her husband to calm down. "It is made of glass, secret and known only by a very select group of people, just a handful—"

"The Citadel, in the Crystal World," interrupted Igor, very surprised. "It is not glass but made of crystals of various types. How can you know that, which is one of our greatest secrets?"

"My family is very old and dates back to the times of the Celts, but I always thought that was just a legend. Wait a minute." Fátima got up and went to her room, returning with something in a small flannel bag. She handed it to Igor. "What is this?"

He looked at the bag, opening it and pouring the contents into his hand. Admired, he raised his eyes, asking:

"Where did you get this?"

"It's from my family for countless generations."

"The capsules are exhausted and only a first level wizard can recharge them again." He closed his hand, which began to glow. "They are planar capsules, which allow any wizard, or more sensitive person, to move between planes, as long as they know where to go."

Igor opened his hand and the small crystals had a faint red glow, the same color they were made of. He stretched them out to Fátima and continued:

"Now they are all well charged," he smiled even more when the mother-in-law took them. "You also have the power of a sorceress because the crystals only shine in the hands of those who have the gift. Keep them with you and use them in case of an emergency."

"How do you use this?"

"Hold a capsule with your hands and focus on the place you want to go. The capsule will glow stronger and when you feel its vibration throw it on the ground. A gap will open for about ninety seconds and just cross it."

"Igor, tell us everything from the beginning," asked Levi, calmer.

The young man told what he had already said more than once, speaking with all calmness and patience, until he clarified everything. He concluded by saying:

"I looked for you thinking that you kept some contact with her, but, if Eduarda did what you said, it is because she wants to keep you safe from that monster and she should no longer be under his influence. You will not be useful to me to locate her, since you know nothing, but I fear that you run a great danger."

"Is it not possible to use the capsules to get to her?"

"Yes and no, but the risk of being killed is too high. I think I will take you to a safe place until everything is resolved because I am very worried. Let's go to my house to pick up Gwydion."

Igor got up and opened a portal right in front of the eyes of his in-laws, who saw a piece of their room turn into the living room of the young man's house. He looked at the couple and said:

"Come on."

"Don't you use the capsules?" asked Levi, crossing the portal and trying to see if he felt something, but it was as if he had passed through a simple opening. The mother-in-law, delighted, thought it was great, saying:

"Wow, what a great gas saving, dude." She laughed happily. "No traffic jams or wasted time— wonderful."

"I don't need the capsules, Levi," Igor replied, kindly. "My degree exempts me from that."

All the hostility of the in-laws disappeared as soon as they saw the reality of things. In his room, while looking thoughtfully at his in-laws, the young man changed into his Guardian clothes, impressing them once again.

"My goodness," said Fátima, laughing, "I have to admit that Duda has very good taste, indeed. You look hot like that, with a sword and everything. A true Nordic god with that blond hair and beard."

Gwydion flew over the table and looked at both of them, when the wizard asked:

"Where is Valdinho, Gwydion?"

"He's in the back, near the pool, lying in the hammock. Can you please tell this woman to stop looking at me as if I were some kind of chicken to roast?" answered the bird. "It seems like it's becoming a fashion in her family!"

"A bird that speaks?" asked Fatima, approaching ecstatically. Gwydion, from his nose, let out a smoke and scared the woman, who jumped a step back.

"Talking bird?" Levi shook his head. "I didn't hear anything! Come here, dude, this bug let out smoke!"

"It's not a bird," Igor explained. "Gwydion is disguised and only very sensitive wizards can hear him if he doesn't speak directly to your mind.

"And what is he?"

"A dragon."

"I see." The father-in-law laughed. "Of those who spit fire?"

"Exactly Levi, so don't confuse him with a chicken." Igor also laughed. "I'm not sure which of the three worlds is ideal for keeping you safe."

"What do you mean?"

"That I want to take you away from the creature's reach, because he knows how to move between planes, although without skill. Let's go to the eighth plane and I'll leave you with Ezequiel. There, you will be safe even against a horde of these monsters."

Valdo appeared and greeted the visitors. Igor looked at him and said:

"Dude, you're also going with us. I intend to save Eduarda and I'm afraid he will kill you if I manage to rescue her again."

"Where to?"

"Another planet," explained the wizard. "Ready?"

"Wow, dude," said Valdo, "I don't have a spacesuit or those things and what am I going to wear there? Is there any handsome guy?"

"No, just dragons and a two thousand year old sage," replied his friend, laughing. "Let's go."

Igor did not wait for an answer and opened the portal, while Gwydion climbed on his shoulder.

In the middle of the gap, they saw the courtyard of a huge castle. He signaled them to follow him and crossed the opening, closing the portal right after.

"The creature will never be able to come here and not even we wizards have enough power to destroy the dragons," Igor explained, calmly. "Ezequiel should appear soon because an alarm sounded for sure."

Gwydion left his shoulder and landed on the ground, starting to metamorphose. Levi gave an involuntary scream and commented:

"For the God sake, I thought it was a joke, as if it were a metaphor!"

Seconds later, Ezequiel appeared and Igor said:

"Hail, Ezequiel, these are Eduarda's parents and our friend Valdo, who need to be protected from the creature."

"Welcome to the Castle of Ancestral Wisdom," he said, with a theatrical gesture. "Here you are safe from everything and everyone."

"Ezequiel, they must be hungry," said the young man. Continuing in Celtic, he said. "I need to go back to save Eduarda, but we have a lot to talk about when I return. Please try to awaken her powers."

"All right. I'm glad you managed to return, son, and I never doubted that you would. Go save her, but leave my hut whole."

"Guys." Igor turned to his in-laws and his friend. "I will try to find and save Eduarda. You stay here and enjoy. Goodbye. Come on, Gwydion, you can keep your current form that I will go through the Citadel."

The young man, accompanied by the huge winged being, opened a new gap, this time to the Citadel, and crossed, disappearing from the sight of his in-laws. Fátima looked at Ezequiel and commented:

"You look so much like my great-grandfather that for a moment I thought it was him resurrected. I had to make a great effort not to run and hug you."

"Well, my dear, considering my somewhat advanced age, I could not be your great-grandfather in any way."

"Advanced!?" She wrinkled her forehead, looking somewhat like her daughter. "You are not old!"

"I am over two thousand years old, my young lady," Ezequiel replied, bursting into laughter when she widened her eyes. "But come on, let's eat something. Igor asked me to try to awaken your powers, so later we will see how you do as a sorceress. And you too, sir, since the most common thing is for wizards to marry each other, even without knowing."

― ☼ ―

Igor entered the palace and left the crystal of the fourteenth plane in a safe compartment. Then he sat down in an armchair and summoned the computer.

"Computer." The virtual globe materialized right in front of him and the young man looked at something that looked like a crystalline image of a wizard's face. "How can I identify the location of a person?"

"Ask someone who knows where they are," the machine promptly replied.

"Reformulating the question: the whereabouts of this person is unknown, but the planet is known. There is no possibility of asking someone who knows where they are. Is it possible to build a device capable of locating them among a few million?"

"Is the person known to the seeker?" the machine asked. "If so, what is the degree of intimacy between them?"

"I am looking for a person who I know as well as myself," said Igor, knowing that the machine was one step away from elucidating the question. "It is someone who shares my life, but was kidnapped by a malevolent creature. I even know the model of the thought waves."

"Wait," the machine asked, "processing information."

Igor got up and grabbed a drink, waiting with all the patience in the world. He had no idea how long it would take, but the important thing was that he achieved his goal.

― ☼ ―

Crivo is a slang term for cigarette, especially a cheap one. It literally means sieve or filter.