“We’re going to need to do some meditation exercises,” Ana said.

  “I want you to spend the entire day practicing an exercise called Cernunnos. You’ll sit with your legs curved in a C-shape and your arms raised in a V-shape while focusing entirely on everything happening around you—the air, the sea waves, the birds, the sounds of nature.

  If negative thoughts invade your heart, bring your focus back to what’s around you until those thoughts fade away.”

  Ana demonstrated the pose so Rodrigo could understand.

  “How long should I do this?”

  Rodrigo asked.

  “Do it all day, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow,”

  Ana replied.

  With a wave of her hand, she dissolved the alternate dimension, the bright spark reappeared, and she quickly caught it, tucking it back into her pocket. The damage on the ground caused by Rodrigo’s quakes had vanished completely.

  “Let’s see if your tree-hugging pagan techniques actually work,”

  Tania said sarcastically.

  Ana and Rodrigo left the cave and headed toward a cliff overlooking the sea. Rodrigo adopted the pose, and Ana helped him adjust it correctly. Once he was steady, Ana told him she would see him again the next day at the same hour.

  The view of the sea was stunning. Some reefs could be seen in the distance—making it clear that ships couldn’t pass through that area—and the cliff was hidden behind the cave, ensuring no villager could see it. The heat was intense, though a gentle, cool breeze provided slight relief. The salty scent of the ocean filled the air as seagulls circled overhead.

  Rodrigo meditated, though his mind wandered and his arms grew numb. Still, he refused to give up. He listened to the wind, the birds, the waves. Whenever thoughts of rage and hatred began to creep in, he refocused on the sound of the sea and the wind until they dissolved.

  “You give some pretty good speeches,”

  Tania said to Ana as they shared a glass of wine.

  “I just repeated the words of my teacher,”

  Ana replied, taking a sip.

  “Ironic, isn’t it? That I talk about forgiveness and letting go of hatred when it’s the only thing that keeps me moving forward,”

  Ana added softly, her eyes lowering with sadness.

  Tania placed an arm around her back and gave her a few comforting pats.

  “I understand you perfectly, Ana,”

  she said.

  The next morning, Ana got up around eight. Still half-asleep, she went to check on Rodrigo—and was stunned. He was floating in midair, radiating divine energy—not violent, but peaceful. Birds fluttered close to him without fear. Luckily, the spot was behind the cave, invisible to anyone from the village.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “Incredible… less than twenty-four hours,”

  Ana whispered.

  Tania came out of the cave and stared in awe. Ana called Rodrigo’s name, and he opened his eyes, losing concentration and falling to the ground with a thud.

  “Good morning, Ana. I heard your footsteps from afar—actually, I’d say I felt them, and your energy too… and Tania’s, still inside the cave,”

  Rodrigo said with a smile.

  “Amazing, Rui. I knew you could do it,”

  Ana said, smiling back.

  After breakfast, they descended once again to the lower chamber of the cave. Ana reactivated the pocket dimension.

  “All right, Rui. I want you to relax—just as you were earlier,”

  Ana said.

  Rodrigo nodded.

  He calmed his mind, and a tranquil aura of energy enveloped him—not violent, but soothing. Slowly, he began to levitate a few inches off the ground.

  “Perfect,” Ana said.

  “Now, focus that feeling in your hand.”

  Rodrigo opened his right hand, and a white sphere of energy formed.

  “It’s a Venus,”

  said Tania, who was observing them again.

  “No doubt about it,”

  Ana agreed.

  Rodrigo dispelled the sphere and landed softly.

  “A Venus?”

  he asked.

  “Yes,” Ana replied.

  “Gods are divided into eight groups according to their elemental affinities.

  Sun—like Tania—control fire.

  Saturn—like me—control darkness.

  Venus—like you—control sacred and telekinetic forces.

  Moon—control water and cold.

  Mercury—control air.

  Earth—govern life and the inner energy of planets and stars.

  Mars—specialize in combat techniques and the control of metals.

  And finally, the most powerful—Jupiter—command light and thunder.”

  “It’s said that El himself is a Jupiter. Imagine how powerful they are,”

  Tania said with a grin.

  Ana, then, cleared her throat.

  “However,” Ana added,

  “there are gods who can wield more than one element—or possess abilities outside any of these groups. They tend to be the most powerful among us.”

  “Incredible,”

  Rodrigo said, amazed.

  Then, Ana smiled as she made a sword appear again with her dark energy.

  “Good. Then we can move on to phase two: combat.”