Castor gestured to Zalan with a curl of his fingers. Turning in the direction of the giant glass panel, Zalan stared ahead to see the majestic view of the lush green forest in the distance beneath the tall jagged peaks of the mountains. Calm and collected, he took a step forward to stand alongside Castor.
'What does he want me to do?' Zalan wondered.
Knowing that his abilities was already exposed, Zalan didn't feel the same fear initially since he was now a potential valuable asset to the Vermont clan. Additionally, the fact that Castor won't dissect him made Zalan more intrigued by his true motives. After all, it must have a much higher profit compared to sharing the information with other clans.
"Come with me, I need to know the extent of your capabilities before sending you off to the frontlines. After all, you are a reflection of me and I hate when others ruin my image" Castor spat at Zalan.
"But first, you have to make an oath so I know you won't betray me or the Vermont Clan".
Not taking his piercing green eyes off Zalan's tiny figure, Castor put his hand on the glass panel in front.
*Whiz
Zalan took head on a heavy gust of wind before the the twenty story high glass panels opened and a rift appeared right in the middle where the duo was standing. Surprisingly, the scenery in the distance moved along with the glass panel, as if the entire thing was a painting rather than a window.
"Was that entire thing an illusion?" Zalan couldn't help but ask with a stupefied look at the panels receding into the wall. Looking beyond the white portal like rift, there was only darkness.
Castor walked forward as he began talking.
"Yes. There aren't any mountains in the distance or valleys with lush trees. It is a grave yard for all the fallen from the Vermont clan hidden under an illus—"
Passing through the rift, Castor abruptly stopped. Zalan curiously glanced at Castor in wonder before turning to gaze in the direction he was facing. An entire field of various graves baring the Vermont crest stretched on for kilometers. Despite the numerous bodies buried in the ground, the plants growing around the area made it so a lingering sweat peach scent was present around each grave that alleviated the misery to some degree.
Big or small, each headstone was organized in a circular pattern facing an extraordinarily tall tree in the middle. Being almost as tall as tower 1, it blocked out the sun and casted a dark shadow on the ground beneath, veiling the area in a sense of gloom as how a graveyard should be.
'There must be at least a hundred thousand in here' Zalan noticed glancing around.
However, what shocked him the most was Castor, or rather, the expression Castor was currently making. Never in a thousand years did Zalan ever expect to see a powerful figure break-down like he did. After everything they have gone through to gain power, those at the very top should have the highest mental resilience. So it came as a shock to see castor…crying.
Staring at a giant memorial standing above everything else at the base of the tree was a carved out section of the trunk with an intricate weave of various flowers embroidering a picture of two women.
Tears dropped from the clan leaders eye as various branches flew out to wipe them away hastily. Zalan could hear Castor mutter softly under his breath with a shaking voice:
"Ann. Christy"
Zalan gave Castor the space he needed and looked behind them. Expecting to see the rift, Zalan was slightly disappointed there were only more graves. Not that he had a chance outrunning castor, but now Zalan couldn't even escape by some miracle.
"That's my wife and daughter" Castor began slowly. "I loved them both to death. Every time I stand here, I'm reminded of my inability to save them from the Chasm-Borns. This is what fuels me to give it my all to crush those pest!"
Castor clenched his fist until blood started dripping down his palms. After a moment of silence, he continued:
"At the time they were taken from me, I have dedicated myself to training and perfecting myself to be a weapon of mass destruction. Even though I am very powerful, the Chasm-Born colonies have hidden monsters that are stronger than me."
With a tinge of red still lingering around his eyes, Castor turned to Zalan.
"I am reaching my limits. So I hope you can one-day surpass me. After-all, I awakened when I was eight. I can only imagine how far you will reach".
Since Zalan already met Aktatin, he didn't press on the hidden monsters Castor mentioned and paused before asking a question.
"What about your descendants and or other family members?"
"I don't have any."
"Why?" Zalan couldn't help but wonder.
Normally large clan heads would have numerous children and heirs to succeed their place one day. So why didn't Castor?
"I can't bare sending my family to fight in the war after what happened to Ann and Christy" Castor spoke softly. "If I see any more people I care about die, then I will never forgive myself. And I can't have love as a distraction to my true goal anymore."
"That's why I'm on the look out for talented individuals such as yourself to and I'll chose a heir from that pool".
"I'm sorry" Zalan responded trying his best to do so in a solemn tone.
Zalan could only sympathize with Castor. From Zalan's experience with his previous family, he would never even acknowledged his mother and siblings, let alone create a memorial for them if they died. Being said, Zalan could possibly even go as far as killing them himself for all the hardship they put him through for a meager sum of money.
However, from the three years in Amanda and Alex's care, the steel wall around his heart softened and deteriorated gradually to the point where Zalan would be devastated if anything happened to them. He simply couldn't bare it if anything remotely bad happens to his care-takers.
'Maybe this is what Castor's feeling right now?' Zalan wondered. He could only imagine the devastation of seeing the two people you care about the most die.
Contemplating it for a second, he quickly thought of something else. How many talented individuals did Castor come across to chose his heir from? Given that he is the leader of one of the Great-8 clans, the amount must be no small number right?
As if reading Zalan's mind Castor replied:
"Hundreds. I have hundreds of potential heirs."
"Do you personally train them as well?"
"No, my associates do that and filter out the very best for me train." Castor replied truthfully.
"So how many other children did you send to the front lines then?"
This time, Castor looked straight into Zalan blue eyes and utter a single word that came crashing down on Zalan's little brain.
"None."
"What!?"
But before Zalan could ask why, Castor spoke:
"Because they wouldn't dare lie to me".
Zalan only stood there with a blank face accepting that he screwed himself over big time. Castor didn't entertain Zalan's cry before dragging him away.
"Anyways, enough of that. Lets go." Castor spoke in a hurried manner.
Guiding Zalan to the mega-tree, Castor put his hand on the base of the trunk and started chanting in an unknown language. Zalan suspected it had to do with plant communication because veins started protruding off the trunk that softy illuminated the area around with a golden colour.
"Put your hand here.' Castor said gesturing to flat section close to the ground.
Zalan did as he was told and stuck his hand on the tree trunk like how Castor was doing.
"This is an oath. Never betray or bring harm to the Vermont clan, listen and carry out my commands to the very best of your ability, and never side with Chasm-Borns or betray humanity. Zalan Caddel, do you accept these terms?"
"I accept"
"Good, then I won't have to kill you"
Right after Castor finished, the gold light temporarily blinded Zalan as an inscription appear on his right arm. Displaying the Vermont crest with its giant tree and two shields on both sides, the new tattoo like inscription glinted a deep shade of green.
"So what happens if I break it?" Zalan asked out….but immediately regretted doing so.
Castor didn't respond. His eyes only shone darkly before he released an aura that made Zalan suffocate and kneel. Almost like Castor was insulted at the very saying of breaking the oath, let alone actually doing it.
*Cough
"Ugh. Alright!" Zalan could only reply in a strained voice through his agony.