Part 4 - The Talk

The gang step back, because the presence of magic was obvious, not to say scary. However, nothing happened.

- Very clever. – Igor kept the smile while he turned to his hand. After that he suddenly turned his eyes to the party, fixating in Jean their thrilling energy, due to his joy and malice. – Very clever.

Igor laughed again.

- Really clever. I can move him, however, nothing more. Well, almost nothing. – Igor giggled and started touching on his bracelets, but took his hands away as soon as he found he couldn’t break them. – You had some extra components in the mix, or else, I wouldn’t even be able to speak.

Igor kept smiling in a false welcoming way, with his head slightly tilted to the right and his eyes jumping between his friends. Maybe looking for the most terrified one.

Jean was frightened. She had imagined this moment so many times in her head. Times where they did what they went there for, times where Igor’s fate were the same as the plain, times where they couldn’t pull Igor away from that place. Hundreds of talks in her head, but this one was the worst. Because this one was real. Because this one wasn’t Igor. Igor was just a vessel for a very powerful magic creature. Just puppet. And his absence was frightening. That arrogant victorious open smile, but at the same time kind, relaxing and welcoming, and those glowing vibrant eyes weren’t his. And all that entangled Jean's head and made it hard for her to think.

- This was an amusingly risky act. You must really want to speak to me.

While Igor laughed again, Jean gave a step ahead.

- We need your help.

- Help? – Igor tilted his head to the other side and his smile became even more cunning. It looked like he was thinking if he was going to help or not. As an answer, he simply let out a laugh. A different one. A loud laugh. Strong enough to make him bow, while holding his belly with his eyes closed.

- Please – John also gave a step ahead, but not getting himself closer than Jean – There have been a lot of problems over the last years and our parents are desperate. – John was happy that his fear wasn’t stopping him from talking – Please help us…

- Yet, how can I help you… - Igor stretch his hand forwards, but the air became solid, stopping him from going any further than the border – ...If I can’t even cross the frontier mankind has built?

Igor was smiling with joy and malice again, but deep down, we could see somesadness and nostalgia.

- they needed to! According to the book you were going to destroy everything!

- How do you know?

- It’s written in the book?

- And? …

- And we just need to take a look over that dead plain! – Jean added.

Igor looked amused with the conversation.

- But remember that not everything that looks, it is. – For the first time Igor gave some steps. Where he had been standing and where he had put his foot it grew greenish-blue grass, boiling with life. – typical of humans, judging something without further details. The world can’t die. Nothing grew only because I kept the energy locked in the grown. Over the last century I have waited and stocked energy. It’s all in the grown, waiting for its time to grow. – Igor stopped, turned away and gazed upon his hands. – I was going to change the world. Make it more beautiful. I had plans for the all mighty mountains and for the everlasting ocean. – He became gloomier while his presumptuous smile faded away. – And now I’m here… locked. It looks like you humans are not so incompetent as I thought…

Igor was still smiling without looking to the group, but in a such sad nostalgic way. He wanted to hide his face, so he turned himself a little more. Then he let out a small giggle.

- I was going to built a whole new word… and now… all this power locked in such minor space!! – Igor let out a scream with his imposing voice. – Like an ocean locked inside of a tea cup!!

- Even though, your domain is bigger than the whole Region of the Three Villages . – John decided to join the conversation once again, without knowing if it would actually help or not.

Igor let out another laugh, a hysterical one this time, with the group still on his back. It was like he was laughing at that entire situation, or maybe at himself. Then he slowly turned again to the group.

- You know, honey, I think I can help you, but I need something in exchange.

- WE’RE NOT GOING TO FREE YOU! – That was probably the first time Teófilo had opened his mouth since Igor had crossed the salt carpet.

As a reply, Igor touched his cheek and tilted his head once more, after he had turned it over the boy who had just spoken.

- Don’t worry. Freedom is not what I most seek at the moment. I also know that’s not a price you’re willing to pay. – He looked so innocent and harmless. And when, once more, he gazed upon Jean, he froze her blood. But for a different reason: she could feel, on that smile and on those eyes, what he was going to ask.

 - I want him.