Zalan, perched in Amanda's arm, left the train and followed the leader through the station.
Under tower 4 was a single platform at which the train stopped. As soon as the doors opened, Zalan grimaced as a soft scent of lavender flooded his nostrils.
Since the platform was underground, the dimly lit lights lined along large marble pillars that indicated the direction to various buildings and facilities.
Various workers around greeted them politely with a bow. Strangely, even those who were busy with work hastily set it aside and stood up to show their respect. Most of workers stood up and moved towards them making two orderly rows.
Despite the people lined up on each side, the leader didn't entertain their display and strolled through the hall. On the contrary, he even furrowed his eyebrows and frowned a bit. Letting out a grunt and side-eyeing the people around, his three men held onto their fedoras, upheld solemn faces, and hastened their pace as if knowing what came next.
"Hurry up you shits!" The leader yelled at the group behind. Changing back to his vicious personality, Zalan noticed the nearest workers looking down like how the other three men that came to his house did.
'Is this the same guy on the train with us just moments ago?' Zalan couldn't help but wonder.
Finally, after passing through a series of facial and retinal scans, the cohort finally made it the base of tower one. Leaving the train station behind, the scene in front was the complete opposite of a gloomy underground terminal.
Stepping into a hollowed out section of tower 1 from the first floor to the 20th, even Alex let out a gasp from the scene. From the floor to ceiling windows that tinted the sunlight forming a mosaic of colour, to the various polychromatic plants that lined the walls overlooking a dark wooden set of furniture beneath, Zalan stared wide-eyed and quickly sucked in a breath. The scene in front was something out of a fairytale.
How can this be someone's living space? Maybe this is prize for protecting humanity against Chasm-Born Calamities? Zalan didn't know, but certainly wanted to live here.
However Zalan only lingered on the scenery for a second before resting his eyes on a man facing the mountain and valleys in the distance.
Although he looked ordinary, he was no doubt the one and only tier 9 clan leader: Castor Vermont.
'What would the stats of a tier 9 being look like?'
Zalan couldn't hold in his excitement. After all, this man was at the pinnacle of power in the human world and the embodiment of everything Zalan aspired to be. The strongest awakened on earth were simply ants in this man's presence. Who wouldn't be star-struck?
Feeling the familiar sensation run over his eyes, Zalan expected to see golden interface appear right in front of him displaying all the little secrets. Feeling giddily, Zalan waited patiently. But…
Zap!
'What the hell happened?'
Abruptly startling Zalan, rather than the screen showing, his vision was somehow deflected. But Zalan's mind temporarily turned blank when Castor snapped his head and glared at the cohort. Or more specifically, at Zalan.
Although the clan leader didn't release his aura, the predatorial stare was more than enough to send shivers even down scar-face's back.
Finally showing his chiseled face and well toned body, Castor appeared to be in his 30s but awakeners aged incredibly slowly upon reaching adult hood and could live to be around 500. He could easily be somewhere around 350 years old if not older given the time it took to advance through each level.
But what shocked Zalan the most were the 2 streaks of crimson red fluid dripping down the corners of Castor's mouth. After all, no one ever saw these beings even slightly hurt unless they fought against someone of the same calibre.
"Uncle what happened?" The leader bursted out. Earning incredulous looks from even his three subordinates who clearly wasn't aware of this fact, the leader hastily ran towards Castor.
'Uncle!? Is this guy Castor's nephew?'
Zalan only laughed internally.
Well that explains a lot of things. Namely, why they weren't bothered by security or annoying secretaries and greeted in such a respectful manner when they strolled through the station. But how did he receive his scars? Who would ever do that to the nephew of a tier 9 entity? Who knows.
"Xavier" a deep voice resonated around the area.
"Bring me that child now." Castor pointed right at Zalan not taking his eyes off the poor kid even once.
"But what ab—"
"Now!" Castor demanded, raising his voice slightly.
Using his his sleeves, he wiped sides of his mouth and turned back around to stare out the window again.
Xavier did what he was told and dragged Zalan away from the panicking Amanda to Castor.
"Here he is uncle" Xavier said with a slight bow.
"Leave now. Come back when I call."
Castor didn't turn his head or move his body at all. But just stood there beside Zalan who was closely studying him. He wore a green suit that looked like a living and breathing organism that perfectly highlight his dark green iris. Zalan could swear that parts of it moved upon closes inspection, making Zalan wonder if his ability had to do with nature. It wasn't hard to make that connection from the colour of the Vermont clan and location beside mountains and valley.
'Can he control plants and get them to attack people?'
Not before long the door behind clicked leaving the two of them silently standing in the room.
"Hi?" Zalan spoke first deciding to break the silence.
But quickly regretted it when Castor started scrutinizing him. Zalan felt very vulnerable standing his gaze, and being in the body of a three year old clearly didn't help him ease his worries.
"What did you do to me?" Castor asked.
"Nothing"
Castor raised his left eye-brow.
"That mental attack clearly came from you. Are you a mind awakener? How can you possess such a powerful brain at only three years old?"
"I didn't attack you" Zalan spoke trying to change the topic fearing that his secret will be revealed. However that seemed to anger Castor even more when he felt his questions being ignored.
"Answer the questions I ask you if you want to live. If it weren't for your little antic I would've have killed your family and punished Xavier for wasting my time".
"I—I'm not a mind awakener sir"
"But are you an awakened?"
Zalan inadvertently gulped. This was the question he had been fearing. If he decided to lie then his family would have to face the repercussions. Which mean death or possibly torture. But if he told the truth, then he would most likely be taken away to be enslaved. Neither situation being one Zalan wanted to experience. Castor wasn't making it any easier to think.
"Answer me now!" Castor threatened. Releasing a minuscule amount of his aura, Zalan already felt suffocating.
"Huuuu.."