Three wishes

—Greetings, master  —came a voice from the thick smoke that took the form of a woman bowing to Laerte. She was good looking, long eyelashes, long straight black hair and wide hips, but what stood out in her was her pink skin color that in some angles seemed purple.

Both young men were impressed with the appearance in front of them and could not react instantly, but as soon as they were able to be master of themselves, both shouted in terror.

—Get rid of it! —Valerio shouted, terrified and backing away, because he wanted to flee, but he still had enough selfcontrol to wait for his friend who was wearing the ring.

Laerte also took several steps back as a first impulse of his fear, but if at any point he had the doubt that this apparition came out of the ring, with that movement he noticed how the cloud joined the woman who had no legs. As soon as he heard Valerio, he wanted to remove the ring and throw it as far as possible, but as much as he struggled to get it out of his finger, it did not move a bit.

—If you insist on pulling my ring, you will hurt yourself, —warned the woman, who since her appearance kept her eyes closed, —I understand that you are impressed by my appearance, but try to control yourself.

Suddenly, a stone flew to that woman, it was Valerio trying to harm the apparition but the stone simply pierced the woman who was frowning with the act of the twentysomething.

—Take off the ring! —Valerio shouted, on the verge of panic that prompted him to flee.

—I can not! —He exclaimed desperately pulling harder and harder despite the fact that he was already in pain.

The woman, who appeared to be similar in age to the youth, let out a heavy sigh before materializing full body in front of them, standing in front of Laerte and disappearing the cloud of smoke. Likewise, his skin tone became crowded, taking on a natural tone.

—Watch out! —Valerio shouted.

—Get out of me! —Learte exclaimed, and the woman took a few steps back.

—Could this help my master stay calm? —I will not harm anyone if you do not want to.

As soon as he said these words, the door of the house opened, it was Airlia and Aldo, who had woken up after hearing the screams of their companions outside the house.

—What happen? —Aldo asked, looking from side to side, hoping to understand the reason for his friends' panic.

—That woman is a ghost! —Valerio exclaimed, running towards his companions to feel more secure.

—Did they smoke weed? —Aldo asked, annoyed that he had been awakened by hallucinations, but at that moment he paid more attention to that young woman who dressed as an odalisque despite the fact that the night was cool and she didn't have a sweater on. —Who is she?

—Do not put strangers in the house, remember that we are here to work, not to ... have fun, —Airla continued, making a suggestion that she did not dare to say directly but that showed annoyance.

—I've lost my way to the house of a relative in the town, I come from a costume party in the neighboring town, but it's very dark here —said the girl in a friendly tone— I went to ask for directions, but both have begun to shout .

—I think these two have been drinking or smoking weed and freaked out, —Aldo snorted to approach the girl. —We are not from this town, but perhaps we can help you get where you need to be.

—Thank you, you are very kind, but I would like to speak to my master alone, —the woman smiled, making a movement of her hand in front of Aldo's face and repeating the action in front of Airlia, —Why don't you go back to sleep and forget what happened? They are very tired.

—Yes, I am very sleepy, —Aldo yawned, turning to go back into the house, —Until tomorrow

—Don't forget to lock the door, —Airlia said, yawning before entering the house.

—What did you do to them ?! —Valerio shouted, about to lose his mind when he realized that with magic or hypnotism, he had made his companions leave.

—This will not progress like this, —the woman murmured, making a movement with her hand in the direction of Valerio and he wanted to scream in terror, not knowing what he would do to her, however, no sound came out of his mouth even when he insisted on screaming. I was you, I would stop trying. Even if we don't hear your voice, the more you scream, the more you will hurt your throat —he warned before heading to Learte, who took several steps back, scared and helpless— Don't be afraid, master, as I mentioned, I won't hurt you or anyone that you don't ask.

—What are you? —Learte asked when she was finally able to control her impression.

—My name is Kalila and I am an Ifrit. —He bowed again to Laerte.

—An Ifrit?" What is that? What does that have to do with me? —Laerte asked, confused and still scared.

—They call us Geniuses if I remember correctly, but the movies have made popular the idea that we only find ourselves locked in oil lamps. In fact, I was hoping that dressed like this would help lessen the impact, but you and your friend have mistaken me for a ghost.

—Genius? OMG I'm sure I didn't drink today. I must be dreaming or someone wants to play a very practical joke on me. —He looked at Valerio who had heard everything and was trying to speak, but he just couldn't. —This is yours, isn't it? You were the one who insisted on putting on the ring.

—I think you are not understanding, master. This is real —Kalila spoke without rising from her reverence and even with her eyes closed, because in all that time she had not opened them a bit —You can make a wish to verify it.

—If this is a joke, it is not funny and it is better that they stop with this once and for all, —Learte insisted, trying once again to remove the ring and threatening Valerio with his eyes. —I have more important things to think about, instead of this little game.

—My lord, I must caution you not to continue trying to remove the ring. This will not come out until you have asked for your three wishes.

—Three wishes? Couldn't they be more original? —Learte grumbled even as Valerio tried to explain that he had nothing to do with what was going on. —If they don't end this matter now ... —Valerio tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. —I'm talking seriously about Valerio.

—Don't make any effort Valerio, even if I let you speak, I don't think my master believes it, —Kalila spoke. —But if he makes a wish, maybe he will believe it.

—I will make a wish and when nothing happens, they will end this theater, —Learte snorted, irritated as Kalila's smile widened. —I wish a shower of ... —Valerio covered Learte's mouth and they struggled until he could escape— What's wrong?

Valerio made different signs to try to prevent his friend from formulating his wish and when he realized that it would not amount to anything, he turned to Kalila to demand that he remove the spell.

—Well, well, I will take the spell from you, —Kalila said, understanding that Valerio was warning him that he would not allow his friend to ask for anything if he did not let him speak, so with a snap, the young man regained his speech.

—Moron! This is real! Or so I think ... —Valerio exclaimed, zapping his friend and then doubting for a moment what was happening, so he addressed Kalila. —We need a sample that this is real without spending a wish.

—I'm getting tired of this little game, —Learte said about to enter the house.

—Listen, I'm not sure what's going on, but if I could play a joke on you, how do you think I could make a woman come out of nowhere from the ring? —Valerio said— Besides, if it's true that you have three wishes, you're going to waste one checking if it's true."

—I gave a light show, there's a ring jammed with magic, I hypnotized those humans from a while ago and left this man speechless, —Kalila pointed out.— How else can I prove this to be real?

Valerius said, "I can believe there is magic, but I doubt you are a Genie. Geniuses come in lamps or bottles, and they give you rules about wishes."

—She said that the lamps are a thing from the movies, that's why I don't believe him, if he were a Genius, she shouldn't know modern things, —Learte pointed out.— And I don't know how they made the effect of it seem like it came out of the ring. Maybe someone drugged us.

—If you want, I can explain it.

—Don't want it! —Valerio exclaimed when Learte was going to speak.

—Don't scream, I understand, —Learte said, then looked at Kalila again. —I request the explanation of this matter."

    Kalila let out a heavy sigh evidently unhappy with the request that had not been formulated as a wish, however she was required to give it if required by the ring bearer. Without moving from his reverence and without opening his eyes, he began with the explanation.

—As I mentioned, I am an Ifrit, a being with great powers who remains captive in a container. Unlike what the movies dictate, the Ifrit can be prisoners of any iron object regardless of its shape or size, in my case, I am captive of the ring that you wear —Kalila explained addressing the wearer completely— I know the modern world , because although I remain locked in the ring, I can hear what happens around my prison and unlike the containers of other Ifrits, mine has fallen into many human hands, so I have seen some of the changes in the world when I come out.

—When was the last time you went out? —Valerio asked curiously.

—I only answer to my master.

—Answer the question, —Learte asked.

Kalila clicked and a scroll appeared in her hands, which she spread. It was at that moment that for the first time he opened his eyes to read the content and once he finished, he closed them again and the document disappeared.

—Twenty years ago.

—Why do you keep your eyes closed? —Valerio asked without receiving an answer, so he nudged his friend, who still doubted what was happening.

—Answer any question Valerio asks, —Learte asked.

—I am a slave and as such I cannot look at or address my master without his consent.

—And can you really grant any wish? Or are the rules of the movies real?

—The rules on wishes are that only three wishes can be granted to the same person, therefore, no wish can be used to ask for more. Any wish that is made can be fulfilled, as long as it does not go against the free will of free beings. And finally, you cannot attempt against the soul of anybody, that wants to remove it, separate it or change it. In short, the rules of the movies are true except for the resurrection of the dead.

—Seriously? That sounds great! —Valerio exclaimed.

—If what you said is true, you have violated the rule of going against the free will of people when you sent our companions back to the house, —Learte pointed out, believing to find the lie.

—No master, they wanted to sleep, so they went out to see what was preventing them. All I did was increase their tiredness and make them forget what they saw.

—But you took my speech away!

—I only lowered the volume of your voice to a frequency not noticeable to the human ear, I did not eliminate your voice, —Kalila replied, dismissing it.

—That sounds more like you twisted the rules,—Valerio pointed out.

—Rules and laws don't always cover all possible variables, so as long as they're not mentioned in them, any action is possible, —Kalila smiled.

—Can you use those loopholes against me? —Learte asked, although he was still not entirely convinced, he gave the situation the benefit of the doubt.

—My position as a slave is to be obedient and my bondage as Ifrit, prevents me from betraying him even if this is my wish. However, I cannot avoid all the ills that arise from our contract if you are not specific in your orders. Desires and their consequences are the responsibility of those who ask for them.

—This doesn't give me much confidence, —Valerio said quietly to Learte.

—Neither do I, —Learte whispered to him to be thoughtful for a few moments. —What happens if I don't want to take wishes?

—To do this, you would have to declare that you are giving them to someone else. As I said, there are three wishes for every person in the world that comes out of my magic, they cannot just be removed.

Learte was thoughtful analyzing the words of the Ifrit, he did not trust her but if everything was real and if there really was magic that could help him or his family, he did not want to get rid of her easily. However, his thought was interrupted by the town watchman who announced midnight.

—I need to think about it. For now, we need to sleep.

—Better not accept, it can be like in those movies where wishes are granted to the protagonists and they all go wrong because of whoever fulfills them, —Valerio whispered.

—I can hear you even if you speak in secret and I think I already made that part clear, —Kalila spoke— Every action corresponds to a reaction.

—Return it to your ring, I don't want to hear it anymore ... although can you go back to the ring? In the movies the Genie live in the lamps or the bottles getting small but the ring does not seem to have space.

—Iron objects are only seals, we don't really live inside the object, —Kalila explained— We actually live within a limited dimension.

—It's fine with discussions. I will think about what I will do with this tomorrow, now if you can really do it, go back to your dimension —he addressed Kalila— We will return to the house to sleep. I will call you if I need you.

—Yes, master, —Kalila replied, and immediately transformed into the cloud of smoke in which she arrived and entered the ring again. It took a few minutes of it for Learte and Valerio to get the impression that this had happened to return to the house.

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