"Paragon?" Claw muttered softly as his brows creased into a frown. Why would they seek him out? He groaned and got off his bed. There was no use thinking about it, it wasn't like he could refuse.
He rubbed his bandaged shoulder that still ached terribly and proceeded towards the door. With a slight buzz, the reinforced door parted and Claw stepped out.
His right eye didn't glow with the usual red glint, as they prevented him from charging his cybernetic parts. He could only see from his left eye.
He walked along the enclosed corridor with the warden, his eyes lingering on the other cells. Overseers stood at various intersections, maintaining order.
"Right here," The warden led him through a corner, then into an office. This was the warden's personal office. After all, he couldn't let someone from Paragon wait in the visiting section.
Claw had to bend his head, so as not to hit the top of the door frame. When he set his eyes forward, he saw a stern-looking man with glossy black hair, thin face and wearing a monocle.
"Councilman Jacob, I have brought him as per your request." The warden said, before stepping out.
After the warden stepped out, Claw cautiously walked to a chair and sat. The Councilman sat across from him, his eyes fixed on a screen.
Silence descended, and it remained that way for a few minutes.
"What do you want?" Claw was forced to ask. Even though he was pretty intimidating, the man before him gave off a very unsettling aura.
Councilman Jacob Azrael finally looked up. He asked with a smile, one that further intensified Claw's apprehension, "How's your stay at Armageddon?"
"What is it you want?" Claw wasn't buying the nice act.
Councilman Jacob's smile faded and his eyes appeared darker. He tapped on his wristband, projecting a scenery around the office. He slid his finger across the air, changing the projected images. The images were of the half-destroyed Ajax region.
"I'm sure whatever that loud shriek was, it affected those of you here too."
Claw didn't respond, but he subconsciously rubbed his right ear.
The Councilman continued, "We faced an attack from an alien species unknown to mankind. Funny, this devastation was caused by a single creature. It took the collective effort of three Marshalls and the entire Middle Ring's Enforcers to take it down."
Claw stared at the images. One of them captured a colossal octopus-like creature hovering in the air. How terrifying.
He looked at the councilman and raised his left brow, "And why are you telling me this?"
Councilman Jacob tapped on his wristband and the projections disappeared. Then, he looked at Claw and said in a chilling tone, "There is no doubt we'll be facing more threats like this. A new Division is being created, and the leader of the Division is the very man that put you in here."
Claw made a guess, "You want me to be part of this, let me guess, suicidal division?"
"Oh, no," Jacob Azrael chuckled. "You must've heard about the Inceptors?"
Claw nodded. This was a very secretive Division in the Overseer force. They were only used for the most important things, and most people have never once encountered them.
Claw suddenly had a thought; Such a powerful alien had appeared, almost destroyed an entire region, yet the Inceptors hadn't been mobilised? What scale of importance was higher than half an entire Ring being destroyed?
This was the reason a lot of criminals in the Lower Ring felt the Inceptors were but a mere myth.
The Councilman adjusted his monocle and spoke after a few seconds, "What I'm here for, is to personally recruit you into the Inceptor division."
"Why?"
"Why?" The Councilman chuckled. "Because you have potential."
"Bullshit." Claw sneered.
The Councilman's lips curved into a chilling smile. "Being an Inceptor comes with certain…downsides. But, you'll find out later. Think of this as a chance at reforming yourself."
"And if I refuse?" Claw asked with a solemn expression.
Councilman Jacob suddenly burst into a rapturous laugh. He sighed and rose from the chair, walked over and stopped next to Claw. He said in a tone that commanded authority, "I'll send someone to pick you up in a few days."
Then, he stepped out.
As the door closed behind him, Claw suddenly felt like the air was breathable once more. He smacked his chest a few times and clicked his tongue. "Terrifying bastard."
…
Adam stood in front of the mirror, shirtless. He stared at the tattoos engraved on his chest and his oddly bulging muscles. Adam had never taken the time to workout or get any exercise done. Matter of fact, he had quite a lean body.
However, he had suddenly become muscular ever since the runes bored into his chest.
Behind him, both girls stood. Nana's gaze lingered on everything but Adam's exposed chest, finding the situation quite flustering. Nina, on the other hand, seriously observed the tattoos.
"What do you think they represent?" Adam asked.
"Strength." Nina suddenly said. "The hand represents your uncanny strength. The eye refers to your ability to see the future in a dream state. So, Foresight?"
"Eye-zen, but no foresight…"
"Hm?" Nina and Adam turned to look at Nana.
"Ah, don't mind me. Just a song I heard somewhere." The girl quickly said and cleared her throat awkwardly.
Nina and Adam returned their focus to the conversation at hand. Adam said with a contemplative tone, "You do have a point."
Nina added, "We can't be sure. Besides, what's this last tattoo? A mirror? The first time I saw it, I felt myself in a distant realm and I saw various versions of myself."
Wow, she's talking more than usual… Nana noted inwardly. She had noticed that Nina talked more whenever she was near Adam, completely unlike her usual solemn and gloomy nature.
"Various versions of yourself…" Adam muttered. "So, I guess it's a mirror. But, I haven't displayed any abilities relating to such a concept–"
He suddenly paused.
"What is it?" Nana asked.
Adam frowned slightly and said, "I just remembered. When that alien attacked me, it threw daggers towards me, but they passed through my body like I was intangible or something."
Although remembering that moment was very painful for him, Adam shook the pain and continued, "The Alien also said something about me glitching."
"Glitching… Intangibility," Nina repeated softly.
Nana finally looked at Adam's chest. She tilted her head slightly and said, "Hold on, this could be a door."
A door? Adam looked at his reflection in the mirror and suddenly noticed that the third tattoo, indeed, looked like a door.