Under the cold fog, two people were walking at a rather slow pace. A young man carried a backpack and an elderly man, a cane. It could be said that both walked like this to avoid stumbling over a bump in the dirt path which they were moving.

"Let me get some air. To understand this story, you can't tell its events lightly."

Very slowly, pausing his steps to lean on the cane, the elderly man walked with the ravages of his illness directly on his back.

"And don't worry about my health. I still have the faculty to walk. At a slow pace, but I can."

However, the lack of visibility caused by the fog that covered the Oyogue Path prevented them from advancing at a constant pace. Still facing these conditions, apparently both had walked long enough to lose sight of Aaron and his group, who were unconsciously tied to a tree. The fog on the path, however, didn't allow them to confirm that.

Everything will be fine. No one else is hiding in the fog ...

Leaving behind his concern in the confidence of the strong rope knots that they made, the curiosity of what was to come overcame Saulo's concerns.

…

The elderly man cleared his throat with a cough...

... and after a silent for a little more than half a minute, the story that he wanted to told began.

"Since the first man and woman existed, we were created in the image and likeness of our creator. But it wasn't always like this. This earth was inhabited long before by the beings we know as creatures."

Creatures.

The species opposed to humanity.

Individuals of a power superior to humans and formed by beings of many races. Both in physical, magical, defensive, and agility attributes; in general, creatures were superior to humans in the power they possessed. Moreover, unlike humans, who possessed different races (ethnicities), but with a similar biological and morphological constitution; the creatures were the opposite. They possessed an immense quantity of different races, types, variants and subgroups; but of biological and morphological constitution quite different from each other.

With wings, claws, scales, tail, gills, hair, fur, feathers, vertebrates, invertebrates. Such was the variety of animal species that each year the number of beings discovered never seemed to end.

"The space was large enough for the two species to coexist without disturbing each other too much, beyond ensuring their survival. With the passing of the years, the growth in their numbers forced both to seek new and greater resources for their subsistence. The confrontations between the two species became more common until they normalized day by day. Destruction, wounds and deaths were the reality of that time. And so, it didn't take long for resentment, fear and hatred to accumulate strongly in the hearts of both species."

With the wind blowing strong, Saulo brought his ear closer to hear more clearly above the noise that the air current caused.

"The war didn't take long to happen."

The war between humans and creatures.

A war between species that Saulo learned in the history classes of his community's school.

"However, humanity was not capable of fighting creatures. These beings (known by humans as animal species) were born with the capacity to symbolize a color in their abilities, fight with summoned weapons, and use the power of the elements. They were users of powers alien to men and women. This was called the 'Principle of Three' or 'trinity' as it's now popularly called. Added to the morphological constitution in general superior and their different groups with particular racial capacities that this species possessed, the massacre exploded in detriment of the humanity; that only possessed a capacity of intelligence greater than the creatures to face them."

The elderly man stopped a few steps to recharge his strength and, after confirming that he was without problems to continue advancing, he continued again with the breath that the brief rest gave him.

"Nevertheless, this intelligence wasn't enough to stop the creatures. On the brink of extinction, and after years of shedding blood and tears, and pleading for salvation; a miracle of life occurred. The humans suddenly acquired biologically the same power capacities that the creatures had to fight."

"Sir, when you say that humans suddenly acquired biologically the same power capacities that creatures had to fight, you mean this: born of a color, summon a weapon and use an element. In other words, what we know as the Principle of Three or trinity: a color-a weapon-an element."

The elderly man nodded to what Saulo had just added.

The young man was living proof of a trinity: gray- halberd-shadow; while Aaron was living proof of another: lead-sword-smoke.

"Yes, it was so. A color-a weapon-an element. Those characteristics which humans and creatures have possessed since then were called as the Principle of Three or trinity. Thanks to this divine intervention, the first human users were born... People who from then on obtained that capacity of power that we needed so much to survive. Little by little, humanity fought in better conditions against the creatures, recovering their territories and finally, after centuries of war, they managed to make them go back to their original domains. Humanity, after much suffering, was finally safe."

The wind on the Oyogue Path stopped for a few moments, as if it were a living entity that also wanted to hear the story. After that, it blew again with greater force.

"Thus concluded, after an enormous bloodshed and destruction of the earth, the war between two species. Humans and creatures, beyond certain conflicts and minor wars, remained settled in their territories. Precisely because of this, humans had to adapt to live in the ecosystems created after such a bloody war."

"They formed what we know as triads."

Who said this piece of information wasn’t the elderly man.

"Yes,"replied the man to Saulo's intervention. "The association of individuals according to the continent where their Principle of Three originated is known as a triad. That is to say, humanity, once safe from the threat of creatures, formed five triads according to the continent where their trinities originated. As there have been five continents in the world, five triads were formed as a result. Each one of these triads was named according to the elements so as not to make the names too long."

With this in mind, the five triads that made up the world were the following:

The shadow-blood-aura triad located in the North Continent.

The smoke-poison-sound triad in the Central Continent.

The rock-fire-water triad in the Northeast Continent.

The sand-crystal-plasma triad in the Southeast Continent.

And finally, the triad to which Saulo belonged, located in the West Continent: the metal-air-ice triad.

Of general culture was the knowledge that the five triads were divided according to the continent from which their trinities arose. As around the world, after the divine miracle, three trinities (one color-one weapon-one element) were granted to humans on each of the five continents, in total, humanity possessed fifteen Principles of Three or trinities. The same amount as those counted in creatures.

With globalization, the presence of different races became common in other continents. Thus, the biological and cultural encounter of the races took place. As a result, miscegenation brought with it the normalization of the existence of users with trinities not originating from the continent they inhabited.

So, even though I have ancestors of the shadow-blood-aura triad located in the North Continent, I belong to the metal-air-ice triad because this is where I was born, in the West Continent.

As a reference, in order not to make the names too long, it was decided worldwide to name the triads according to the place in the world where they originated, although they were popularly named for their elements. In the end, both ways of naming were correct. With what Saulo could say that all his life he had lived on the Western Continent or the triad metal-air-ice.

"The creatures, on the other hand, occupied territories that humanity wasn't in a position to inhabit because of their nature. Depth of forests, mountain peaks, depths of the oceans."

Saulo imagined all those inhospitable ecosystems that the person next to him referred to. Places that a human couldn't easily survive.

"With the passage of time, the next generations of both species adapted to live in a more peaceful environment than that which preceded them. Both species evolved to live in society. This peace with regard to previous generations led to the Principle of Three given to the two species also to change... An evolution in pursuit of the tranquility of the world."

"The Principle of Three evolved then."

"Yes, but in different ways,"said the elderly man, refusing to cough. "With humans it adapted to a more peaceful life in society which implied a decrease in power, but at the same time an increase in intelligence. The creatures also evolved by acquiring greater intelligence to be less aggressive among their groups and those of other subgroups, but at the cost of also seeing their power reduced."

"So,"Saulo said, recapitulating the information, "in the beginning humans had the capacity of intelligence while creatures had the capacity of power. Thanks to the divine miracle, humanity acquired the power capacity of the animal species known as Principle of Three or trinity to defeat those creatures that had cornered them until the danger of extinction. After the war and in order to adapt to peaceful times, humans and creatures saw their capacity of power diminished as their capacity of intelligence increased. In different ways, but all this happened so that the world wouldn't repeat a war between species."

"That is correct... The same mistake couldn't be repeated twice."

As if he'd been a part of that time, grief accumulated in his words. The elderly man murmured with disdain a phrase that Saulo didn't understand; but quickly, seeing his confusion, he explained what he meant. "And so we continue to change to this day. With the Principle of Three adapted to a more peaceful era in which the devastation of the world is limited by the evolution of the capacities of two species. In similar values these capacities evolved, but favoring more notably intelligence to the humans and more power to the creatures."

"I-incredible."

Saulo knew this story from what he was taught in school. But when told by another person, one that gave the appearance of having the truth of reality, a feeling of being stripped of what he believed to be the truth took possession of him.

"Which brings us to that substance I showed you."

He almost forgot. Because he was focused on listening to the words of the elderly man and taking care that he didn't stumble, it was logical that he overlooked the existence of what he kept in the bottle. The man, after all, had put it back in his pocket.

"From this multicolored substance originated the Principle of Three or trinity: a color-weapon-element. The fact that you, that man you say is a former commander of the army, those two young men who accompany him and I each have a trinity is due to this substance. This is the Trivalence, the origin of that Principle of Three or trinity that we all know."

"You mean that my gray-halberd-shadow trinity came from this."

"That's right, and that of all the world's users. It didn't come only from this Trivalence that I possess in this bottle, but from the Trivalence itself."

Unexpectedly, confirming the conclusion he reached after hearing the story, made Saulo feel a cramp on the top of his head. It was a familiar sensation, but it hadn't trapped him in that spiral of pain since a long time. In the midst of these small pains, he was very aware of one thing.

This is how he usually reacted to a constant state of impressions.

"But wait, please... You also mentioned that what you call Trivalence is the beginning, the end and the truth of all creation. What about that?"

He hadn't forgotten.

Between the cramps that increased in his head and the confusion in which he entered after the revelation, there was no way he could forget what this unknown substance called Trivalence meant. The elderly man had said two things: That Trivalence was the beginning, the end, and the truth of all creation; and that, moreover, it was the origin of the Principle of Three.

"That's what I wanted to get to. We have talked about Trivalence being the origin of the Principle of Three or trinity... What I'm going to tell you has to do with the second part of what Trivalence is. One that the world also doesn't know."

After listening to the elderly man's words, Saulo let his gaze wander in the visible stretches of the path that the fog had not yet covered. Confirming that he didn't feel danger in the surroundings, he returned his attention to the one who had been talking.

"I really want to understand more what this is. I'm intrigued to keep hearing about the Trivalence, but at the same time, I want the one who tells this story to be in a stable condition. Sir, do you want us to stop and rest?"

"It's not necessary. As long as I have my cane by my side, I'll be able to keep walking."

Saulo could only see one side of the elderly man's face, who was on his right side walking. But when a decided expression appeared in the form of a slight smile, he understood that he shouldn't worry about it now.

Instead, he had to pay attention to the obstacles ahead. After a quick review that the faint visibility of the fog allowed, he confirmed that the path didn't change in the environment of stones and dirt that they had ahead. There were certain bumps to avoid, but the ground was flat. Seeing that the path to follow was favorable to continue the conversation, the elderly man indicated that he agreed to continue talking.

"I want you to understand this."

Suddenly, leaning harder on his wooden staff, the elderly man breathed hard and continued.

"The truth of the Trivalence is that of a substance as ancient as the creation of the humans and creatures. To a time beyond what science can study, and religion interpret. A beginning in which nothing existed and an end in which nothing will exist. That is the truth of this world."

…

"W-what do you mean?!"

Saulo resisted the urge to babble again out of astonishment and tried to understand in words what he had just heard.

"You mean that this precedes the creation of humans and creatures."

"Hm,"said the elderly man, closing his eyes a little. "I'm not sure if this precedes or arose at the same time as humans and creatures. However, I'm pretty sure it belongs to a fairly close time to that."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"There are some secrets that the governments of the world don't know and the few individuals who possess that knowledge keep it in reserve... or are silenced in the worst case."

It wasn't illogical to think that. At school and in the stories told of the past, he had never had in mind that the name of Trivalence was mentioned. But even so, this lack of knowledge wasn't due to the fact that his community was located in an area far within the national territory. Simply put, such an important substance should have been part of general culture or one of the first knowledge taught at school.

But no matter how hard he tried, Saulo didn't remember any mention at all.

"The reason why I believe Trivalence is of a time close to the creation of the humans and creatures is because of the records left by the first human beings in certain rocks and caverns. In some of their drawings there is a set of colors that cannot be overlooked."

"The Trivalence... in a cave painting?"

The answer and question escaped his lips.

"But drawn in quantities that make us believe that the passage of time diminished its existence... What I mean is that, apparently, the Trivalence is one of the first elements that appeared in our world. Do you realize what that means? In a time before the divine miracle that saved humanity from being exterminated by another species, before the first humans, before the first creatures. The Trivalence is close to all those times in our history!".

The sudden exclamations perplexed Saulo as much as the content of what he heard. First, when the elderly man raised his voice, he conveyed the characteristic emotion of a young person. That was an unexpected surprise coming from someone who recently coughed up blood. Second, and what made his eyes widen, was to hear the conviction with which he affirmed the importance of the Trivalence.

The beginning, end and truth of all creation.

"This would rewrite what we know as history. So many books, so many creeds, so much that scientists and believers have discovered and believed what has happened in our world... so much of all that would be created, modified or ended by knowing this truth."

The elderly man's back straightened as his staff trembled. Saulo, on the other hand, reacted differently to the emotion that the person at his side carefully conveyed with his words.

Saulo felt that, if it weren't for the effort to support the disproportionate weight of his backpack, the weight of the revelations would have already overcome him. After all, his backpack had remained like an accordion after mysteriously activating itself to save him.

"But as they say... there are truths that are best hidden."

"What do you mean? Saulo said, encouraging himself to endure another revelation. If it weren't for the genuine trembling in his skin that hearing about the Trivalence was transmitting to the depths of his soul, he would take the elderly man's explanation as a well-told story.

"In due course you’ll understand. But the impact of discoveries like these can have a different influence on how people react. After all, what they believed to be reality would become an illusion."

"How do you know all this?"

There was no immediate answer. Saulo looked at the elderly man with some unease. It seemed that the man wanted to catch his breath, but he didn’t stop.

"I'm not a scientist who has made a discovery through study or a believer who was given a divine revelation by faith... But I have come across clues which agree with the history of this world... and some more truthful than the information I need to stop my torment."

The energy of uttering every word was held in the elderly man's chest in a constant sensation of effort that his face reflected. The personal defeat of being voiceless would not yield this time to his illness.

"And those clues wouldn't have strength if there were no physical evidence."

The man took a hand inside his clothes.

And suddenly...

This is the truth that the world didn't know.

The greatness of the revelation contained in a small bottle.

A liquid that follows its own flow.

A multicolored substance formed by colors that don't get in the way of each other.

This is the Trivalence.

"Now..."

Pausing a bit to catch his breath, the elderly man stopped with a last blow of his cane on the floor. That one word addressed to Saulo was enough for his vision to set aside the Trivalence and focus on who was speaking to him.

"Maybe I didn't use the right words, but I want to make an exchange with you about this multicolored substance. May you be the one to discover what my health and my time in this world doesn't allow me... I want you to carry the Trivalence."

"I with?! But ... what could a young man discover what scientists and believers could not?"

Saulo was startled by this intention. Whatever the explanations were, it was absurd for him to discover what more specialized people didn't achieve.

However, an opposite reaction to his shock caused him to want to continue listening.

"The knowledge and faith of those to whom I entrusted this secret remained in mere illusions of a truth that they couldn't discover. These people... didn't manage to turn the unknown into the known... And neither did I."

The elderly man couldn’t help but look away, as if he were reflecting on the last thing he had said.

"It took time and resources... power temptations and broken friendships... But in the end, a path of discovery was investigated and revealed."

"Did you discover anything then, sir?"

"Yes..."

The man was paralyzed in reflection. In those moments of silence, he could be heard as if he was struggling to let out those words which were written in his mind and which for some reason were difficult for him to say.

"The path to discover more about the Trivalence... is by drinking it."

The weight of that last word swallowed Saulo's will to keep asking.

In a blink of an eye, a mixture of confusion and surprise invaded him, without any resistance ahead.

Saulo looked away, remembering the moment when the elderly man and he were tying Aaron to the tree. That was the beginning of what really began to surprise him.

Now that he realized it, the elderly man's words were never out of context.

"That's what he meant when he said he wanted to invest in me... Literally using my body as a vessel."

"Yes, just the way it sounds."

What the young man thought he heard became a terrifying confirmation.

At that moment, Saulo wondered if a hidden danger didn't come with the person he released.

His intentions were clear.