20TH century — Botswana, Africa

The clock spun, shortening the time that fate separated the hunter from his prey. Klaus continued to live in his castle, thirsty for wealth and power, looking forward to the moment when he would finally meet his enemy: Philip. He looked at the black mirror he kept in his chamber. The image showed someone walking in its depths, as if they were coming out of a tunnel.

"Who can it be, master? Besides me, no one has ever come out of the mirror."

"It seems to me that I already know whose image it is."

"You're making me curious."

As the image got closer, the entity revealed itself. It was Silene. She was trapped on the other side in the pitch darkness.

"What is she doing in the spirits realm? I've sent her to the world of the living."

He conjured up a passage reciting words he had read in the Book of the Dead closely. Fratello watched him.

"I command you to free yourself now and come out!"

A dark mist formed at the entrance to the mirror as it appeared to materialize.

The image before them became more and more real.

"I thought I'd never come back... Master, thank you for taking me out. I'm getting used to living on this side again. I really like it here."

"No more talking, Silene. I want to know right now why aren't you in the future where I sent you."

She started to tell him everything that happened and why she came back. After listening carefully to the words of the Basnet witch, Klaus was angry.

"There is only one explanation for Juan being alive. I personally finished him off. No one could've escaped the blow I struck. The reason for him still being alive is that he also performed the immortality spell on himself."

"Master, that's the only explanation. He owned the Book of Souls and it was the one that gave the master the power to live forever. Had it been me, I wouldn't miss the chance to use such a powerful spell."

"Juan is the only wizard that I know of who has the knowledge on how to create portals of time. That's why went to the future to help his pupil. More reason for me to go there. I'll kill them both and whoever gets in my way."

Klaus, Fratello and Silene laughed enjoying the warlock's wicked words.

Silene continued to tell him about the monks and the young wizard's new love. They didn't know that Alexia could be Verena. He commented:

"To get rid of Philip will be as easy as it was in the past. If he loves someone, he clearly has a weak spot that I can attack. As for Juan, even if he has some power, he is an old man and I can end with him again. And the monks, they're nothing but ants, and I'll step on them." Klaus looked at the creature smiling and showing its fierce pointed teeth. "We already did that, and we're perfectly able to repeat it, right, Fratello? It'll be a piece of cake..."

"May I have another chance to accompany you when the time comes, Master Klaus?"

"You're lucky to be dead, Silene... So, I can't kill you again. That's what I do with those who fail."

"I promise I won't fail again. Besides, I have my powers, which can be of great value, my lord."

"Fine. But I'll summon more Basnets to prepare my path in the future."

"Can I lead them?"

"Of course not! I'd rather have you around. I want you to tell me everything about my enemies."

At that moment, the crystal pyramid emitted a red glow indicating that there was magic in the 20th century, where they now lived.

One of the castle's servants, listening to the conversation, knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Fratello and Silene hid themselves with magic.

"Mr. Klaus! I heard a noise and thought you might be in need of something."

"Worthless peasant! If I needed anything, I would have ringed the bell. Get out of here. And take a bath. You stink like a skunk."

Alessandro sniffed his armpits to check and then vanished quickly, fearing his boss's anger.

After that, the warlock placed both hands on the pyramid to channel the object's energy. Immediately, he saw a black woman doing a ritual inside a cave. In her hand, there was a python-headed staff with sharp fangs curved inward. She lived in an African country and her greatest power was alchemy. Surrounded by the men who worshiped her, the woman wore a colorful skirt and a red blouse. She wore gold necklaces placed as juxtaposed rings around her neck. She put her hands on several stones. Then she sprinkled a liquid in a brown ceramic bowl filled with herbs.

Klaus could see when she lifted one of the small rocks and put it amongst other stones and mixed them by rubbing her hands. Then she said a few words in a language he had never heard. After that, she had a rough diamond in her hand. A man came over and picked up the gem. He calmly placed it in a large glass jar where there were other gems like that.

"I can't believe that there is an African alchemist witch..." Klaus said with bulging eyes.

Fratello and Silene were right behind Klaus, thrilled by the discovery.

"She's such a valuable prey, isn't she, master?" Fratello asked. "She's really beautiful!"

"A woman in charge. I do like it," Silene said with excitement.

"Not for long. I shall force her to turn simple gravels into diamonds for me. I'll become even richer... And I will have the thing that I want the most... Power!"

"Is it time to travel, master?"

"You read my mind, Fratello. Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow morning we'll leave for Botswana where a great treasure awaits me."

Far away, over in the African continent, the next target of the evil warlock, the alchemist sorceress, was in charity work in a community with many sick people. She and her followers were there to distribute food and medicine free of charge. Children played happily in the neighborhood. They had gained toys that cheered them up. The community had an educational program running which had been developed with the financial resources provided by the diamonds.

"Thank you, Black Diamond, for all the good you have done to our people," said a young woman from a tribe that benefited from the assistance programs developed by the sorceress.

"I am nothing but a human being like all of you. I believe that what we do defines our core values. Everything I do, I do out of love for my people."

"Long live Shamma, our Queen of Generosity!" The chief of the tribe shouted, and everyone followed him.

Despite it was already the 20th century, it was not common for an African woman to be so empowered. But the sorceress did not care about it. All she aimed for was to use her magic to lead the people of her tribe, especially about contraceptive methods that prevented the disorderly growth of the population. By using those methods, the quality of life would increase. She also sponsored health programs to cure and prevent diseases that plagued the population of her country.

At Gaborone, the capital city, Klaus, Fratello and Silene arrived through the portal that the warlock had created.

"I saw on the map that the woman, called Black Diamond by her people, lives in a nearby tribe. We're heading there as soon as possible."

They took a cab and headed to the tribe. They were anxious to meet Black Diamond.

As soon as they got there, they searched for information on how to find the woman so famous for her social achievements and so respected by her people. The people in the tribe could not imagine that Klaus had very obscure goals.

At the top of the mountain, inside a cave, Shamma was performing an alchemy ritual. The intermittent beats of African drums announced that there would be more blessings for the people. Some followers danced to the rhythm while others brought stones to be transformed during the grand ceremony. This time, a large diamond was produced out of a rock. It weighed about 500 grams and three thousand carats. She took the heavy precious object and handed it to one man that watched the ceremony.

"Which tribe do you belong to? I've never seen you here before..." she asked the strange man who was beside her and handed the gem.

The black man smiled at her showing his white teeth that looked like ivory. A gray smoke carried by the wind entered the cave hissing. Shamma looked at the security guards who protected her and they ran towards her with their weapons ready.

Holding the diamond with his left hand, Klaus resumed to his real appearance. Then he raised his right hand and froze all men and women that were ready to shoot the warlock with their guns. Only Shamma could move.

In that instant, Fratello and Silene appeared beside him. The sorceress realized that she was in a tremendous mess. She uttered some magic words in an ancient language to neutralize those strangers. But her magic had no effect on Klaus.

He passed the gem on to Silene. Then he simply raised his hand and blocked Shamma's magic with his power.

"There's no point in reacting, Black Diamond. I've seen your work and I like the way you exercise your power. I want you to turn stones into diamonds for me, and for me only."

"Never... You're a filthy worm! How dare you to subdue me? I am Shamma and I fight for my people."

"You can do whatever you want. I'll even consider allowing you some freedom. But I need you to perform that alchemic operation for me."

"I'd rather rot in this cave than serve you."

"As you wish. This diamond that I've taken from you already fulfills my needs. Though I wanted more stones like this one, there'll be other opportunities to be explored over the centuries... But if that's the way you want it, then it shall be. Die, you bastard!"

Before she could get a knife out of her waist, Fratello was already aiming her jugular to slash it.

"Hold on, Fratello! I want to give her a second chance. So, what do you say, Shamma?"

"As I said, I'd rather die than serve a man like you, warlock of darkness!"

"Then, let us fulfill your wish."

Klaus drew out a dagger that he always carried on his arm and sank it in the brave woman's chest. He listened to her heartbeat gradually slowing. It pleased him. He waited until the beating ceased completely.

"I have many things to do during my eternity. I don't want rebels around." He took the diamonds out of the container while he kept his eyes at the giant nugget that was in Silene's hand. "It was such a rewarding trip. Let's get out of here..."

Before leaving, he put his hand on the sorceress's chin and brought his mouth close to her lips. He sucked her magical energy and satiated his soul.

After Klaus, Fratello and Silene left, the paralyzing spell ended, and people resumed to their senses. When they saw the generous sorceress inert on the ground, an immense weeping echoed in the cave expressing the pain of such an irreparable loss. Shortly after, the news spread throughout the region. The honorable woman was buried like a heroine.

How far would Klaus go to satisfy his desires for greed and power?

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