They all arrived at Mat's house after a while.

  "Sam, come in," Mat said. "You four, hmmm... stay here for a while. I'm going to tell my mom I'm going to introduce her to some friends."

  "Okay, Mat," Sam said and went in first.

  "Yeah, but don't take long," said Blocky. "We don't have much time."

  "Yeah, okay, okay," Mat replied and went inside.

  Once inside, Samantha sat down on a chair in the hall, and Mat went to find his mother. He told her that he was going on a trip with some friends and that he was going to introduce them. Her confused mother agreed to meet them. He took her into the living room, where Sam was; she greeted her, and they had a brief chat while Mat went to open the door to let TRX and the others in.

  "These are the friends you're traveling with?" asked Mat's mother, worried.

  "Yes!" answered Mat. "And so... about that..."

  "Mathias," said TRX in a low voice, while pulling his clothes. "Your mom sees us as kids right now."

  "She does? Well, that's okay... What?"

  "Yeah, that's... that's right," said Roundy, who hid behind him. "Normal people can't see us in our real form?"

  That was true; depending on who was watching them, they changed shape. If a cat saw them, they looked like cats and their actions changed to resemble what one would do, even though they were doing something else like flying. In this case, they looked like children of about six years old (because, for their species, they were that age), wearing strange clothes.

  "So how can I do it?" asked Sam, who managed to overhear the conversation. He meant that he could see them in their real form.

  "H-hey, youngsters, what are you talking about?" asked Mat's mother, confused.

  "Ah, ma'am, wait a second," said Pointy. And at that... they showed their real form.

  Mat's mom almost fainted. She didn't, because Roundy healed her... but she fainted again at the sight of him. This depressed Roundy, who healed her again to wake her up, and they told her the situation, though not before reassuring her.

  TRX and the others began to tell almost the same thing that the previous Hero had told Mat, although... they mentioned other things, including how they unsealed the world and such. They explained that, using the six orbs, he was going to have to go up to one of the highest areas of the planet and summon the Ancient Serpent. They also mentioned that a new cult that emerged almost half a century ago was created by a particular individual important to Mathias. Martin K?hn was a man who managed to remain conscious during the entire time the world was sealed and, under the influence of the Evil One, was now giving his all to gain access to the Sacred Continent and destroy the Tree of Life, thus merging all layers of reality into one, so that everything that exists would disappear.

  Ah yes, "layer of reality" is something like... worlds in which the laws of physics are different, or there are more of them. Universes of two dimensions, four, more. I mean... other planes of existence, something like that. Each one is positioned one above the other, and they are independent, though at the same time, they depend on each other. In these live creatures of more or fewer dimensions than those of the known universe. If these merge, well... they eliminate each other, something like that.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  They also told him about the Luminic Blade and that its parts, having lost their bearer, returned to the temples. Additionally, they were to be on the lookout for attacks by the cult at any time. Those appointed to do that were apostles. There were twelve of them. The latter was known only to the high command of that religion.

  Despite everything, he believed everyone's words, but he still asked, "Is that true?"

  "Of course it is, or would you like us to call our other friend?" said Blocky.

  "Hey, no," TRX interrupted, just as Mat's mother did.

  "It's okay."

  "Ok!"

  At that, suddenly, an aberrant creature appeared in the middle of the room. Everything around it began to warp. The little that could be described about it was that it had several wings, two rings covered with eyes, and its appearance was like fire, though... at the same time it was not. Its flames looked like water at times and changed color. Inside those flames were mouths and eyes. That creature suddenly began to speak, but... its voice was not as one would expect. It was something normal. The words it said were:

  "That's right. Mathias is the Hero chosen by the Almighty, the Messiah. Then I'll retire, won't I, Blocky? I hope He won't say anything to me for running away from work."

  "Yes, of course you can, Ophany. And I don't think He'll say anything since you came to see the Hero of His own choosing."

  "I guess, then... goodbye! But don't call me out of nowhere, please. Oh, by the way, did you tell him?"

  "Told what?" TRX asked.

  "About that wish. That he'll be able to make one after he's done his job, and that it can be anything, more or less."

  "W-wish?" Samantha, astonished.

  "Ah, no," TRX replied.

  "Well, now you know. Goodbye, then."

  He disappeared. Sam and Mat's mother were frightened by what they had just witnessed.

  "Wow, that was... unbelievable," Mat said. He wasn't fazed by the sight of that creature.

  They reassured Mat's mother again. They also reassured Samantha, but... Samantha started to feel dizzy and... she collapsed. Roundy examined her but could not heal her, so they took her to Mathias' bed to rest. Mat's mother stayed in the living room with Roundy. Mat was concerned about Sam's condition, but they explained to him that the shard that went through her shoulder had... made her more compatible with her soul's power, or something like that.

  "What, really?" Mat asked.

  "Yes... that's why... errr... that's what wasn't supposed to happen," said TRX.

  "That meteorite fragment that pierced her arm caused this," Pointy added. "It was supposed to be shot toward you, but because you already had powers, it went towards that nearby creature with lower spiritual power and... that's what happened."

  "I see..." Mat said.

  At that, Blocky approached Pointy and said quietly, "So that's what it was, I guessed right. Good thing you came up with a good excuse."

  "Don't even think of saying that out loud," Pointy replied.

  "I don't know what you're talking about, but... is she going to be all right?" Mathias asked.

  "If she survives," Blocky said.

  "WHAT!?"

  "She will," said Roundy, who had just come in with the lady. "So don't worry..."

  "I-I understand... but no, I can't stop worrying after hearing that."

  "It's okay, Mat," said his mother. "I'll take care of her too, so go."

  "Okay, Mom," said Mathias. "So... I'll see you!"

  "Take care of yourself, son, and do your best."

  Before he left the room, his mother stopped him and said, "Mat... I... I knew you were going to do great things, but this is... wonderful." She became a little more emotional. "Mat... I'm so happy... From the moment I found you, I knew you were special, and even more so when you showed you had those powers... I was scared, but... I knew that someone like you wouldn't use them for evil, but... to help."

  "Mom..."

  "Now, Mat, go," she said as she approached Mat and hugged him.

  After that scene, the five of them left Mat's room. As they were about to leave, Mat said, "I wish I could say goodbye to Samantha before I leave..."

  "But it's not going to be possible," Pointy said. "She's passed out..."

  "Besides, it's getting late. Let's hurry, now, now, now!" exclaimed Blocky, thinking, "We were sent too late... but it was fun at least."

  "Wait."

  "Huh?" Mat.

  "There's something there..." TRX said, serious and a little worried.

  "Let's see."

  "What?"

  Mat opened the door and saw that, in front of his house on the sidewalk, there was a man who looked very familiar to him: he was overweight, a little hunched, with short hair streaked with some gray... It was the guy he had met when he was a child, but... his face was charred. He seemed to have regenerated, but... he looked horrible. On top of that, he didn't have an eye. It was covered in... skin. His mouth also had no... it had no lips per se; it was exposed. You could see his gums and teeth. In short, it was horrible.