The next morning, in one of the dining rooms set up for the crew, Sigurd found himself staring blankly at the landscape. Unlike the people who started arriving for breakfast, he had been sitting in the same place since the night before. He tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol without much success.

He had traveled to Morgrum with several of his companions. They were the strongest men in their town and had volunteered to participate in the war against the invasion of the wraiths of death. Almawarth's most dangerous battlefield would be his great moment of glory. That he though.

Who would say that the glorious adventure they imagined would end in tragedy? The horrifying creatures on that dark island were much more terrifying than anyone could imagine. And after a week Sigurd couldn't take it anymore and decided to escape, leaving behind his companions who still survived.

Dishonor, cowardice, fear, and shame had consumed him. And in the last few days, he had thought about ending his life on more than one occasion. Sigurd was beginning to see death as the only way out of his torments.

It was while contemplating those dark thoughts that a small hand-pulled the sleeve of his shirt.

“Sir, sir.” A young human brought him out of his trance.

Turning his head Sigurd could see how those big golden eyes looked at him with fascination.

“What do you want little one?”

His voice denoted how tired and distressed he was, but for some reason, he felt that he must at least give the boy a small smile.

“You are amazing!” said the boy exited. His eyes seemed to shine.

Sigurd sighed, he no longer deserved to be called that.

“Did you kill people with those horns?”

The little boy pointed to his antlers. Sigurd gave a little laugh for the first time in a long time. The antlers on his head were not for attacking, although they were strong as his bones in any situation it was better to use a weapon.

“I have not killed anyone with my horns.” Sigurd played along.

“Why do you ask?”

The human baby showed an expression full of pain lowering his gaze and with a soft voice he replied:

“If I had horns on my head I could have protected Shimu.”

Sigurd was able to infer a little from what the boy was talking about.

“Being strong is different from having courage,” Sigurd answered speaking from his own experience.

“But, but I am not strong or brave ... When the monster attacked us I pee myself,” said the little boy, clenching his little fists tightly, his face had turned red and his eyes were beginning to fill with tears.

Sigurd did not know what to answer for a moment. He, a coward who abandoned his friends was only a waste of the great power he possessed.

Seeing how the little boy tried to contain his tears an idea crossed his mind.

“What’s your name little one?” Sigurd asked picking up one of the tears that had escaped the boy with one of his fingers.

“Teo ... Theodor,” replied the boy looking up.

“What would you do if you had great power?”

“I would protect my parents and my sister,” replied the little kid without hesitation.

Sigurd meditated on the little boy's words. The boys’ reason for wanting power was opposite to the reason why he had gained the power he had. Was this perhaps a sign showing him that his goals so far were wrong?

" No, no, no, I would also protect Mushi and Lutza, " the boy corrected his answer.

Sigurd opened his eyes when he heard how the little boy began to add names to the list of people he would protect.

" And as I don’t want them to be sad, I would also have to protect their parents, " said Theodor, placing a hand on his jaw.

“And Mushi has his brothers.”

“And his brothers have friends. And I would not like Eli to be sad.”

“So I have to protect Mushi’s brothers’ friends that have their parents and brothers.”

“And they have more friends, and more brothers and more parents.”

Theodor's head started to overheat with all the connections he was starting to make.

“Hahaha! You want to protect everyone.” Sigurd burst out laughing. He knew people who seek to protect others. There were all kinds of people seeking their vision of what justice was. But wanting to protect others so that no one felt sad was a beautiful way of seeing the world.

“Theodor Pralefur!” The voice of a woman boomed in the dining room.

“You can't run around by yourself!” Frigglene admonished Tod lifting him into her arms.

“Sorry, mommy.” Theodor apologized.

Frigglene sighed. She was going to scold him but the first thing he did was apologize.

“You have to be more patient. When your dad finishes grooming himself we will all have breakfast together.”

Theodor nodded, embarrassed for having opened the door, and run to the dining room.

“Excuse ma'am.”

A Nerthus spoke to Frigglene. Its appearance could be said to be similar to that of a faun or a deer quinoid combined with a werewolf. Three pairs of antlers protruded from his head: the largest pointed skyward majestically; the second pair, traversed the back of his head protecting his nape and neck before aiming at the sky; and the third pair, of a smaller size, covered his face and jaws from the sides pointing forward. It had four eyes and two large ears. Its coat was black and orange. His well-built body exuded the great power it contained, he seemed to be at the highest levels of the second magnitude.

" Sorry, it was not my son's intention to disturb you. " Frigglene apologized trying to avoid problems. The man in front of her seemed violent and the vampire did not want to attract attention while traveling.

" The young Theodor has been no trouble, " replied the Nerthus, and kneeling before the mother and son, declared in a solemn voice.

“Rather, his words have taken me out of the darkness that overwhelmed me. If my lady allows it, this coward wants to teach Theodor everything he knows. Although I am not worthy, I want to follow the young Theodor for the rest of my life and be present when he achieves great feats.”

Frigglene looked like a statue, she didn't know what to say or what to think. The shock of the Nerthus' words was so great that she nodded unconsciously.

Seeing the woman nod the Nerthus continued with his words.

“I Sigurd swear for my life that I will treat Theodor as my lord and master.”

Then he cut off the palm of his hand and offered his blood to the mother and son.

While the shocking scene was happening in the dining room, Elizabeth was alone in the room. Darthañan was showering, Theodor had escaped and his mother had gone out to look for him.

She had been sitting looking outside the window at the clouds and birds that occasionally appeared, but soon this activity became boring. Jumping onto the bed of her parents, she went to the cabinets and began to search among their things, making a big mess. In the compartment of one of the suitcases, she found a box that was shaped like a book.

Grabbing the box, she had to use all her strength to move it to the bed. Examining it carefully, she soon found what had caught her attention: the magic lock. The strange device hanging from the box looked like a puzzle. Her dad had always congratulated her every time she solved one of the difficult puzzles he sometimes handed her.

Imagining the same with the box and the possible treasure inside a toy or delicious sweets; She began to move the gears of the puzzle, trying to decipher the curious artifact.

It was not more than five minutes since the little girl began to play with the lock that an enormous amount of energy was felt throughout the boat. But as quickly as it happened, it disappeared.

Darthañan, Frigglene, and Sigurd were the only ones to feel the location from where the energy came from being the only ones of the crew in the second magnitude.

Sigurd would not have investigated that energy because whatever it was, it could only bring problems, and with his broken spirit, he was afraid of many things that previously would have caused him laughter. But seeing Frigglene run off in the direction where the energy came from, carrying Theodor, he used all his willpower to follow them.

The moment Frigglene reached the room she breathed a sigh of relief, Darthañan and Elizabeth were fine. And when she saw for the second time, she could see how Darthañan, who was with a towel on his waist, was gaping at his daughter. Following his gaze, Frigglene was able to make out what was in her daughter's arms: the magic lock.

The object that no one had been able to open had been solved by a three-year-old girl.