As the first round drew to a close, only a dozen participants had made the cut for the next round. However, none of them particularly stood out to me, except for Ezekiel. Intrigued, I extended an invitation for him to meet me at a fancy restaurant in Silverglade. With the pricey private room booked and ready, I patiently waited for his arrival, hoping he wouldn't be a no-show.
Before extending the invitation, I asked Andrew to contact the Bishop for some intel on Ezekiel. According to Bishop's findings, Ezekiel was highly religious and possessed a hatred towards his father. His father had a history of infidelity and had fathered both legitimate and illegitimate children, with Ezekiel being one of the former. Not only that his father wanted to 'start over' and wanted to kill every one of his children and wives, He succeeded but Ezekiel was allowed to live since his talent was satisfactory.
He turned to religion as a way to cleanse himself from the guilt he carried, which was commonly known as survivor's guilt. As I pondered over the information, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of fascination toward Ezekiel. It seemed that he had endured a lot of pain and hardship in his life, yet he still managed to stay strong.
One thing that's been on my mind is the fact that Ezekiel's father's barony is located in the North, yet Ezekiel himself is all the way down here in Silverglade.
As we heard a knock on the door, I signaled for Andrew to open it. A waitress bowed and addressed him, "Sir Andrew, Master Lucas's guest has arrived." Andrew acknowledged her with a nod and said, "Let him in."
In walked Ezekiel, the man I had invited to the expensive restaurant. He had a rather plain expression on his face as he made his entrance.
I stood up from my seat and greeted him, "Ezekiel, thank you for coming. Please, have a seat."
He sat down across from me and looked around the room with curiosity. "This is quite an impressive place you've chosen," he remarked.
"Thank you, I'm glad you think so," I replied with a smile. "I wanted to treat you to something special, as I find you quite intriguing."
Ezekiel raised an eyebrow at my statement but said nothing.
"I must say, I was quite impressed by your performance in the first round," I continued, trying to make small talk. "It's not often that I see contestants with such a strong display of power."
"Thank you," he replied curtly, seeming uncomfortable with the praise.
I leaned forward, trying to establish a connection. "Ezekiel, I have a proposition for you. You see, I believe that you have the potential to be something greater than just a contestant in this competition. I believe that you have the potential to be a loyal follower, someone who can help me achieve my goals."
Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. "What kind of goals?"
I smiled slyly. "Ambitious ones, my friend. Goals that require powerful and devoted individuals such as yourself. I'm willing to offer you resources, protection, and influence, in exchange for your loyalty and assistance."
Ezekiel looked at me skeptically. "And what if I refuse?"
"Well, then I suppose we would just have to part ways. But I have a feeling that you won't refuse, Ezekiel. You see, I know a thing or two about you," I said, leaning back in my seat.
Ezekiel's expression turned guarded. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that I know about your father, and the pain that he caused you," I replied, my voice dropping to a low murmur. "I know that you carry a deep resentment towards him and that you seek revenge."
Ezekiel's eyes widened in surprise. "How could you know that?"
I shrugged. "Let's just say that I have my ways. But here's the thing, Ezekiel. I believe that it is fate, the will of God, that has brought us together. You have the power to make a real difference, to make things right. And I can offer you the means to do so."
Ezekiel seemed to be considering my words, his brow furrowed in thought. "I don't know. I don't want to do anything that goes against the will of God."
"Of course not," I said, smiling reassuringly. "But who's to say that God doesn't want you to seek justice for the wrongs done to you?"
Ezekiel looked conflicted, but I could see that my words had struck a chord. "What do you want from this? I'm curious, what do you truly believe? It's hard to imagine that you're doing this solely from the bottom of your heart."
"But I am, I want justice, Ezekiel. Justice for you, justice for the citizens of your father's barony who suffered under his rule. I want to make things right and bring peace to those who have been wronged," I replied, my tone sincere.
Ezekiel's expression softened slightly, and he seemed to be considering my words. "I...I don't know if I can trust you," he said hesitantly.
"I understand your skepticism, but I assure you that my intentions are pure. I want to make a positive difference in the world, and I believe that God put both of us in this world to accomplish this very thing," I replied, reaching across the table to place a hand on his.
Ezekiel flinched at the touch but didn't pull away. "I'll...I'll think about it," he said, still sounding uncertain.
"Please do. Take your time to think it over. In the meantime, know that I am here for you, Ezekiel. I want to help you in any way that I can, whether or not you decide to join me," I said, withdrawing my hand and leaning back in my seat.
Ezekiel nodded slowly, still looking thoughtful. "Thank you, Lucas. I appreciate your offer"
Ezekiel stood up from his seat and gave me a polite nod. "Thank you for the meal, Lucas. I'll be in touch."
"Of course, Ezekiel. I look forward to hearing from you," I replied smoothly, I planted the seed and now I just needed to wait for the harvest.