It all began as a lie, the wizard who burned everything, the one who had the power to destroy dark wizards, someone who pretended from the start.

In an ancient village, nestled between mountains and surrounded by a green forest, there was a warm and welcoming tavern that hosted the best friends and adventurers: Cedric Thornfield, a highly talented but, as his companions claimed, somewhat "lazy and womanizing" wizard; Theron Frsheart, a crazy companion who followed him in his madness; Freya Stormwatcher, an energetic and wise healer; and Magnus Shadowlock, a mystical and wise wizard in arcane secrets. Evangeline Silverleaf, the most powerful mage of the group, who had graduated before her companions and worked in security, and Caspian Sunfire, the most focused and boring mage of the group.

The cold winter had given way to a fresh spring, and the sun descended among the village houses as friends gathered for a glass of wine at the "Enchanted Star" tavern. The table was filled with bursts of laughter and good humor, interspersed with anecdotes about past adventures and challenging tetrágotos that Cedric had solved.

"Why don't you use your magic to help others more instead of sitting here every day drinking?" Caspian asked, with a kind but concerned fatherly look at his friend Cedric. "There's much to do in this world."

"Caspian," Cedric replied, smiling and raising his glass for a sip, "magic is like medicine: it must be used at the right time and for just needs. Right now, I feel happy among my friends, enjoying this beautiful night."

"It's true, Caspian. At least Evangeline doesn't try to impress anyone with her intelligence. She just enjoys the moment. If she were with us, she'd agree that you're a bore," defended Freya.

The conversation continued as friends shared their food and stories, surrounded by the charm and joy found only in good company.

After several more drinks and immersed in the festive atmosphere of the "Enchanted Star," Cedric, who had until then maintained a relaxed and calm attitude among his friends, felt a sudden impulse that led him to rise and carefully observe a table in a corner of the tavern. There, seated and surrounded by darkness, was a beautiful woman who caught his attention from the moment he saw her enter the door.

The woman was stunning, with flowing reddish-brown hair and deep blue eyes that shone with wisdom and intrigue. Cedric felt his eyes locked with hers, as if they were the tip of an arrow crafted by the gods to unite souls.

With the impulsiveness that characterized him when he was drunk, Cedric didn't hesitate for a second to use his smile to unleash his greatest charm and capture the attention of the beautiful woman. To the tune of a magical melody that emanated from his hands, her blue eyes widened with surprise, followed by a seductive smile.

"Are you the one they talk about in rumors? Cedric the wizard, who hides the power of the dragon?" the woman asked in a soft, low voice like a spring breeze, staring at Cedric. "My name is Evelyn, and I am enchanted by the charm you just displayed."

Cedric couldn't believe what he had done: to enchant a beautiful unknown woman solely with his reputation, in a moment of drunkenness.

After leaving the tavern, surrounded by darkness but with the light of the stars shining on their faces, Cedric and Evelyn separated from the group to find a more private place. There, they felt liberated by the joy and charm that had led them to cross paths at that moment, while enjoying conversation and Cedric's magical music.

"Why didn't you approach my table earlier?" Evelyn asked with a charming smile. "I echoed your reputation, and I loved the rhythm and chords that emanated from your hands."

"I was enjoying the company of my friends," Cedric replied, "but upon hearing your voice and seeing your face in the darkness, I felt enveloped by a magical force that I needed to share with you. And here we are."

They began to walk slowly to a place beyond the reach of the tavern's candles and torches, where the moonlit and starry light illuminated their path. Arriving at a secluded corner away from the outside world, Cedric unleashed another charm that harmonized with the faint sound of the sea in the distance.

"It's okay for us to grant ourselves this joy," Evelyn said, slowly falling onto a blanket of fresh grass and held by Cedric's arms. "I too have been drawn to your charm, and to find out if the rumors are true."

As time passed and the stars shone upon them, Evelyn's soft moans were heard amidst the magical music and Cedric's laughter. Although no one could see or hear them from the outside, at that moment, the magic of love bound them in a bond that would last forever.

As time and stars passed, Cedric and Evelyn surrendered to magical pleasure and the joy of companionship that enveloped them. However, as the night advanced and the hours passed.

"We must return," Cedric said, feeling a sense of parting, "I am very grateful for this magical night with you, Evelyn, but I must take care of my friends and fulfill my obligations."

Evelyn offered him a passionate kiss before Cedric disappeared along with the magic that kept them together. On the way home, although filled with joy and memories of that magical encounter, Cedric couldn't help but reflect on his future and how this episode might affect his reputation among friends and the magical community. He didn't care; he just sang to the tune of the birds as he staggered from side to side.

As he adjusted to his surroundings and tried to overcome the weight of the nocturnal memory, Cedric noticed a package at the door. He approached it, and upon opening it, he found a basket full of attention: inside was a baby just three months old with a red tuft of hair similar to his own, as well as eyes that reminded him of his coloration. Also, he found a note next to the child that said, "This is your son, his name is Lysander."

At that moment, excitement and surprise completely took over Cedric, making his drunken state fade away in the innocent gaze of the little being given to him as his punishment.

After facing the reality of becoming a father and discovering the magical note that announced this new stage in his life, Cedric was forced to find a balance in his life.

Instead of spending the rest of his time alone reflecting on his situation, Cedric decided to return to the tavern where he had spent much of the previous night. There, he met with his friends and tried to share with them what he had discovered upon waking up: a basket with a three-month-old baby, whose origin and meaning were mysterious.

Cedric's friends, understanding the unusual situation he now found himself in, began to mock him. However, when he attempted to feed the baby without much success, his actions were exposed in front of his companion Theron, who taunted him.

"Finally facing consequences. Now you have to take care of someone other than yourself," mocked Theron.

"I'll find the mother and return Lysander," Cedric said without showing much enthusiasm for taking responsibility.

Amid Theron's pressure and limited understanding of how to care for such an unusual being, Cedric couldn't hide his hopelessness that this situation wouldn't last long. But as his thoughts oscillated between the fear of failure and uncertainty about why and how he ended up with the baby at home, Freya entered.

Freya looked at Cedric with hatred and repulsion as she saw him holding the little baby. Then, without further words, she approached the child, taking him in her own hands to demonstrate how to feed and care for him effectively. At that moment, the baby smiled again, as if recognizing Freya as a loving and secure figure.

As Freya brought the baby a little milk to his lips to feed him, she stopped and looked at Cedric with a friendly smile mixed with a hint of reproach. With a voice full of admonishment, Freya said:

"I see you have some common sense about feeding a baby, my foolish friend. You can't abandon your responsibility so easily and think of finding his mother."

While Freya spoke, Cedric felt whipped by his lack of attention to Freya. She continued talking, not missing a chance to insult him with every word. His gaze reflected confusion and sorrow for having overlooked his duty as a father. However, when he saw how Freya took on the task of feeding the baby calmly and effectively:

"Thanks for your help, Freya," Cedric said, appreciating how she fed his son without any apparent problem. "I knew I had to do it right, but in my desperate defense, I forgot how to feed a child."

Once Freya had finished feeding the magical baby and returned him to his arms, Cedric told her with an effort to maintain his optimism:

"Don't worry, Freya. All this will normalize again; I'll return the baby to his mother, and you won't have to worry about him."

Freya made a disdainful face.

"You're an idiot; he could be anyone's child. I don't think you keep a list of all your adventures."

"Maybe you have a point, Freya, but I do remember each of the girls. For the age of Lysander, the list is narrowed down to ten girls."

Immediately, everyone's eyes turned to Cedric and other friends who had been listening silently. Some remained silent, while others couldn't help but smile at the conversation and the reduced number of candidates.

As the conversation between Cedric and his friends continued, they heard the noise of someone entering the room. They looked up to see Evangeline, who walked in with visible fatigue on her face. Her abrupt entrance caught everyone's attention, and she found a place to sit with her friends.

"We've been working too long trying to control the problems caused by dark wizards, and I feel exhausted to the bone," she said, leaning forward and asking someone to bring her a cold beer. "I haven't had a moment to relax and forget my troubles for a long time, so I hurry to take advantage of this opportunity while I can. Cedric, sorry, but I don't have time to hear about your adventures."

"It must be tough; there have been too many attacks by dark wizards in the area. Controlling the whole city must be chaos."

"These days have been the worst," Evangeline pointed out. "They gather like bees, organizing, attacking carriages and homes from a distance. They never leave witnesses, although strange things always happen. My superiors theorize that they are looking for something in the area, something so powerful and devastating that we have to stop them. But we can't even capture one alive; they all prefer to die before revealing anything."

Cedric walked through the city, pondering all the possibilities. His first step had been to consider old friends and girlfriends, and Clara Rodcliffe was his top choice. She was an attractive and intelligent girl but also quite unstable. She had a childlike charm that Cedric had always found irresistible. Many happy nights had been spent with her. But that was all he knew about Clara at that moment.

As he walked, Cedric held the baby in his arms, carefully not to wake him and cause silent cries. The little one was expressing distress over the situation and a desire to go home, but Cedric also knew he was too young to grasp the true gravity of the matter. Lysander was born with a special charm that made everyone drawn to him, allowing Cedric to carry him without arousing suspicion. But he knew it couldn't last much longer.

When he reached the end of the street, he stood in front of Clara's house. It was a small wooden house with a backyard parking lot and a garden on the left side. As Cedric approached, he could see Clara through the living room windows.

Cedric knocked on the door with a certain hope on his face; it was the first opportunity of ten, he could have good luck at that moment.

Clara had changed a lot since the times they had been lovers. Now 17 years old, she had short curly hair, and her eyebrows met in a continuous line over her nose. She had a slim figure, and her face seemed empty, as if there was nothing inside it. When she saw Cedric, both repulsion and anger were expressed in her gaze.

"Clara," Cedric said, "I apologize for coming here. But I need to talk to you."

Lysander started to cry quietly in his arms, and Clara approached to observe the baby. She then said, "Finally, karma did something good. Now you'll have to take responsibility for this, Cedric."

After that statement, Clara closed the door in his face without Cedric being able to say a word.

Cedric walked to the nearest square and sat on a bench. There, while Lysander played with his hands, he looked at the list of old girlfriends inside his jacket. He crossed out Clara's name with a hint of reproach. She couldn't be Lysander's mother, not after being caught off guard.

As soon as he crossed out Clara's name, his hand moved to another old girlfriend named Camila Lancaster. She was a charming and sexy girl with long, wavy hair and bright green eyes like pearls. At 28, she owned a nightclub called El Sátiro in the city center. Camila had a life full of men and was prone to maintaining relationships without emotional commitments. She seemed perfect for the situation, given her aversion to responsibilities.

When he was with Camila, he had felt a kind of captivity, as if she attracted him and kept him in her sphere of influence. That feeling reminded him of being the prey of a spider, which is why he ended things with her. And at that moment, Camila was at the top of his list.

Suddenly, an explosion echoed in the distance. Smoke began to rise, and people started running in the opposite direction of the smoke. Lysander started crying more intensely. Cedric hugged him and said, "Don't worry, little one. We're close to home."

From the beginning, Cedric blamed the dark wizards.

"These lunatics are starting to attack during daylight," he said, standing up and carrying Lysander on his chest as he ran toward his home, seeking to protect the baby from any danger.

Cedric felt internally guilty for Lysander. If it weren't for the baby, he could have fought the dark wizards and saved the city. If his mother hadn't left him in a basket on his doorstep, he wouldn't be running away like a coward.

When he reached his home, he stood in the backyard and looked up. Smoke continued to billow from the bombed building.

Cedric looked outward, where the smoke began to dissipate and formed patterns in the sky. His hands were tied behind his back. He would be reproached at the Wizard Academy and reproached by his friends.

There was an agreement among all wizards: if a dark wizard attack started, everyone had to go and help. That was the code, that was the rule. Now Cedric couldn't follow it because if he did, he would lose Lysander. He had to find a way to resolve the situation without endangering the baby.

He thought of Camila and El Sátiro. That was where she probably was. Maybe he could talk to her and unravel something about Lysander.

Cedric thought about his pending tasks: finding Lysander's mother and defending the city against the dark wizards. He had to choose between one and the other, but he couldn't decide which was more important.