The conversation between Carlos and Nia was interrupted by the arrival of the guard, who had come to take them to an isolated area for the demonstration of the firearms used against Jorge. Spotting them, Tassi approached silently and joined the group without ceremony.

  They walked for a few minutes until they reached a remote clearing in the mocambo, where only low brush and tree stumps bore witness to human activity. The air carried the smell of damp earth and dry leaves. There, Espectro, the military leader of the quilombo, and Aqua, the chief of Mocambo do Tatu, were already waiting for them. Two twin guards, with nearly identical faces and rigid postures, completed the group. Both wielded similar spears and shields, distinguished only by the gem embedded in the center of each protection: one white and milky, the other black and opaque.

  "Good afternoon. So you must be the famous Carlos, is that right?" asked Espectro, his voice a deep bass that echoed slightly in the clearing.

  "Yes, sir," Carlos opted for formality, unsure of the local etiquette. As the man showed no reaction, he assumed he had gotten it right.

  "And I am Tassi, Chief," said the warrior, lifting her chin. "I regret refusing your invitation to join the army, but I have a debt to Carlos. As long as he needs me, I will help him. Of course, if the quilombo suffers an attack, I will be on the front line. I am proficient with earth and grass gems and have military training."

  "Normally, a refusal would not be accepted," replied Espectro, crossing his arms. "But, as we are in a period of peace, we will make an exception this time."

  "Chief Aqua and the warriors Okoro and Amadi will observe the test," he continued, gesturing to the twins. "One of them can invoke divine defense, the other, physical defense. We will see if your weapons are capable of breaking them."

  "There is also an archer with a fire bow aimed at you, in case you try anything against us," added Espectro, his serene voice contrasting with the message. "Don't take it the wrong way. It's just a precaution."

  "I understand," Carlos nodded, feeling a chill down his spine. "But, with all due respect, someone experienced with these weapons could easily kill everyone here. In my case, I am not yet skilled. Next time, I suggest more caution."

  Espectro frowned. He killed two gem users and overseers, and now he claims inexperience? Either the weapons are formidable, or he is too humble, or the story was exaggerated. We shall see. And if he thinks someone could defeat us so easily, he underestimates our warriors. Even Aqua, at her age, is a force with a magical weapon.

  "I appreciate the advice, but I think you are underestimating us," the leader retorted.

  "Excuse me, Chief," Tassi interjected, her tone flat but firm. "I fought in wars in my homeland, and I also witnessed the power of these weapons and I can confirm that they are more powerful than any magical weapon I have seen in a war. It doesn't take much skill to cause damage. A warrior, no matter how experienced, can do little against these projectiles. Your archer would be hit by several bullets before even launching his magical arrow. And, if a more trained shooter wielded them…" She pointed to a specific spot in the woods where only dense foliage was visible. "...he would aim there and eliminate the only threat. Easily."

  Espectro suppressed a reaction. She pointed exactly where the archer is. He is very well camouflaged… Does she have sharp senses or was it a guess?

  Wow, I taught her 'projectile', 'shooter', 'ammunition' and she memorized them right away, thought Carlos, impressed. I talk about my world and she forgets, but when it's about weapons, she becomes a sponge.

  Their words were met with looks of skepticism and disdain. Amadi, the warrior with the white shield, couldn't contain his irritation.

  "Don't get cocky just because you killed a fat old man who never left his plantation!" he vociferated, his knuckles white as he gripped his spear. "We, from the Jabuticaba Quilombo, go on expeditions every year, we kill masters and free slaves!"

  "And how many men do you take on these expeditions?" Tassi countered, impassive. "Carlos killed the master alone. The old man used defense and divine defense gems. As for the overseer, who had a whip with a wind gem, he needed help, but it only took me and one more for Carlos to kill him easily."

  "You know nothing!" shouted Okoro, the brother with the black gem, taking a step forward.

  "Enough!" Aqua's voice cut through the air, firm and calming. "Both of you, calm down. Let's begin the tests. The truth will come with the results."

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  "The Chief is right," Espectro agreed, regaining his composure. "Let's get to the facts. First, we will see if your weapon breaks magical shields. Amadi and Okoro, take your positions. You will shoot at that stump between them. They will raise their defenses and we will see if the bullet penetrates them."

  Carlos looked at the stump, then at the surroundings, and couldn't help a pang of worry.

  "Sir, I just want to confirm… There is no one in this direction, right? A stray bullet can kill from a considerable distance."

  "Don't worry," Aqua assured him with a reassuring gesture. "As the chief of this mocambo, I know this place like the back of my hand. People used to come for firewood, but ever since a man was bitten by a jararaca snake, no one ventures here anymore. Espectro's guards have already combed the area. It's uninhabited."

  "Good. Then we can begin," said Carlos, relieved.

  Espectro handed him the bag with the weapons and ammunition. Carlos set to work carefully, loading the magazines while explaining the process.

  "I'm putting the bullets in the magazines. Not all of them work like this. This revolver, for example, is loaded directly into the cylinder…"

  He finished loading, inserted the cartridges into the weapons, and prepared himself.

  The process is quite slow, Espectro observed mentally. They'd better be really powerful.

  "I want to see the impact on the divine defense first. Amadi, raise your shield and protect yourself and the trunk. Okoro, stay near the target for the next test."

  Carlos aimed at the stump, about ten meters away.

  "Alright. But it's dangerous. I don't fully trust my aim, although I was at roughly this distance when I killed the master. These weapons, however, have a much longer range."

  Good thing they are far from the target, he thought, relieved. Their shields are larger than Jorge's. And, from what I remember, bullets don't ricochet off magical defenses; they either pierce them or fall harmlessly.

  "Firing!" he warned. "The noise is loud. Don't be alarmed."

  Tassi covered her ears with her hands, an almost imperceptible smile on her lips. I could say the divine shield is useless, but it's better to let the surprise speak for itself.

  Boom!

  The gunshot echoed through the clearing, violent and sharp, startling birds in the vicinity. The bullet hit the stump almost instantly. Carlos, wanting to make the firepower clear, fired five more times in rapid succession. What left everyone gaping, however, was the fact that not a single bullet had been repelled by Amadi's brilliant white shield. The bullets simply ignored it, as if it didn't exist.

  He said there was no magic… but it's hard to believe until you see it, thought Aqua, observing intently.

  Amadi was pale, his lips slightly parted in silent shock.

  As soon as the shots ceased, Espectro ran to the stump. He inspected the deep holes where the wood was splintered, with no sign of the bullets at the bottom. His eyes, for the first time, showed incredulity.

  Carlos allowed himself a discreet smile of satisfaction, overshadowed by Tassi's open and triumphant smile, who puffed out her chest with pride.

  Hey, why are you so proud? I'm the one who shot! thought Carlos, amused. You just came to watch and cause trouble.

  The stories weren't exaggerated, Espectro pondered, recomposing himself. If they did this to wood, what would they do to flesh? Tassi might be right. Someone with these weapons could decimate us. I can turn invisible, not intangible. If they shoot in my direction… But, calm down. Perhaps Okoro's physical barrier will hold.

  After Espectro returned to his place, he looked at Carlos.

  "You may shoot," the leader ordered, and Okoro, understanding what he had to do, raised his black, translucent barrier.

  Carlos emptied the remaining bullets from the magazine. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Each shot shattered the defense easily, marking the trunk once again.

  Jorge's barrier was more resistant, Carlos reflected. Maybe his artifact was of better quality, or he had more mana. Or perhaps larger shields are more fragile.

  A new shock took hold of the group, but Okoro was not ready to concede.

  "Of course it breaks at this distance!" he protested, his voice laden with frustration. "We have to test at a greater distance!"

  Espectro considered the suggestion.

  "Okoro has a point. I would like to see the performance at longer distances."

  "Alright, sir. But I can't guarantee accuracy. The bullet might veer off."

  More tests followed, with progressively greater distances, focusing on Okoro's physical barrier, since the divine one had proven useless. Carlos repeated his warnings about the danger of stray shots, but confidence in Okoro's defense persisted—until it was broken, time after time. The stubborn warrior insisted on increasing the distance. His mana, however, dwindled with each destroyed barrier, forcing him to reduce the size of the shield.

  At fifty meters, as always, the shield shattered. This time, however, a bullet, due to Carlos's mistake, grazed Okoro's leg.

  "Oww!"

  The cry was more of shock and terror than pain. Okoro fell backward, landing on the ground with a dull thud. The wound was superficial, little more than a bloody scratch, but the psychological impact was profound. When Espectro approached, he heard the warrior mutter, his eyes glazed over, staring into emptiness:

  "My shield… it was useless. Useless…"