(Planet Ixtal, Soronās Castle, Charlesās POV)
Charles and Soron sat across from one another in the dim chamber, the silence stretching between them heavier than words.
Gone was the radiant god who dazzled the masses with golden light and unshakable poise, for before Charles now sat the frail truth beneath the illusion.
The oversized drape that had once clung to Soronās broad frame now sagged from his shoulders like a funeral cloth, the fabric pooling at his sides as though even it had given up trying to hold him upright.
His skin, once bronzed with vitality, carried the chalky pallor of sickness, his features sharper than Charles remembered from his last visit, as if time itself had carved away the flesh to reveal the dying man beneath the mask.
Even the faint tremor in his hands as he poured the tea betrayed how far he had fallen, and yet his eyes, though ringed with fatigue, still carried that unbearable patience, as if he were not fazed by his current condition at all.
"The boy is experiencing āExistential Overloadā old man, he needs your help.
In the entire universe, Iāve never seen someone carry as many Green Intent lines as you do.
Please, Iām begging you, let him see it once." Charles pleaded, as Soron gently brought the cup of brewed tea to his lips.
He looked into Charlesās eyes, as if trying to see the extent of his desperation, before eventually putting the cup down as he smacked his lips.
"How much do you really know about the boy Charles? I can see that you care about him deeply..... but can you vouch for his true nature?" Soron asked, as Charles frowned at the question.
The way Soron framed the question, meant that he clearly knew something that Charles did not, and was hence deliberately setting him up for failure.
"What did he do?" Charles asked, as Soron shrugged in dismissal.
"So you donāt know..... Quite the mentor you are then. Your student is making quite big moves without you knowing." Soron teased, as Charles frowned even more.
"Your boy killed the Twelfth. The one parading as the Twelfth Elder, or I should say the Seventh Elder now, is actually a fraud.
Did you know about this?" Soron asked, as Charles turned ashen pale.
"Leo killed an Elder?" He asked, shock evident in his voice as Soron nodded in confirmation.
"With his own hands at that. Seemed quite angry when he did it too." Soron said, as Charles turned quiet.
He had not expected Leo to kill an Elder, and had also not expected him to keep something so important from him.
*Sip*
*Sip*
A few minutes passed, until he eventually regained his composure and said.
"If you knew about it, why didnāt you do something?" Charles asked, as Soron shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
"To be honest I donāt care..... I donāt approve of the current Elders Council, I donāt think you do either.
What the boy did was wrong, but he was smart enough about it to not let anyone else find out.
And hence Iāve let it slide.
As long as the masses donāt find out, I see no reason to take action." Soron said, as Charles let out a long sigh of disappointment.
On a personal level, he too did not approve of the Elders Council, however, he also understood that sneakily murdering them could not be the solution.
"Well, Iām sure the Twelfth Elder must have done something to deserve that death, but Iāll need to have a talk with the boy about his behaviour.
If he wants to uproot the Council, he should have the balls to start a revolution to do it.
And Iāll support him wholeheartedly along the way....." Charles said as he pinched the top of his nose.
"IāI donāt know what to say here, I still want you to help the boy.
But if you think he canāt be trusted, then Iāll have to think of something else.
But Iām running really low on time." Charles requested, as Soron gazed deeply into his eyes once more.
To be fair, he did not wish to show his weak side to anyone but Charles, because once it became public knowledge that Lord Soron, the protector of the Evil Cult was now a husk of a warrior he once was, the Cult would no longer be safe.
However, looking at the desperation in Charlesās eyes, he couldnāt refuse his request either.
"Why him? Whatās so special about this boy that you of all people are begging me to help him.
Because last time we met, you wanted nothing to do with him.
I practically had to force you to train him.
So whatās changed between then and now for you to behave this way?" Soron asked, as he saw the conviction in Charlesās eyes light up.
"The boyās special... I donāt know how else to say it, but heās truly special.
Heās got a stable mind over his shoulders.
He doesnāt get carried away by praise or fame.
He doesnāt care about petty things like how others perceive him, or whether something is beneath him or not.
And he has this unshakeable drive to become better thatās almost fascinating to watch...." Charles began, as his voice lit up as he described Leo.
"He has the most insane natural born talent Iāve seen, but also the work ethic necessary to make it count.
And Iāve never seen a kid have them both.
Youāve seen it with your own eyes.... Him defeating a warrior a full tier above him, and heās gotten at least twice as strong since.
Itās unbelievable almost.
Frightening even.
But, he makes me believe that the ancient prophecy might really be true.
If there was ever a kid who could become the next Timeless Assassin, itās got to be him.
But he wonāt get there if I donāt help him overcome this āExistential Overloadā....."
"You ask why Iām behaving this way.....
My answer isā Iām behaving this way because I need to do my part in helping him become this ultimate version of himself that I know he can be.
Youāre dying old man
And Iām never going to become a God.
I know youāre not one to pin your hopes on a single kid.
And I know you believe in the prophecy like itās an inevitable truth.
But for me, heās your only viable replacement.
If you can hang on for 200 more years.
I know I can turn him into a God in that same timeframe." Charles answered, as Soron chuckled at his response.
"Youāve grown soft you fool..... never thought Iād see the day when you care about someone apart from yourself to this degree..." Soron observed, as Charles blushed slightly at the remark.
He knew he sounded like an obsessed teacher who cared too deeply about his pupil at this moment, however, that was exactly how desperate he felt.
He wanted to help Leo at any cost and he was even ready to beg Soron for it.
"Very well then, old friend. If you think so highly of him, I wonāt deny your request.
However, I demand that you educate him before you bring him here before me.
And also that you confront him for his crimes.
I might have let one murder slip, but make sure to tell him that I wonāt let another one go unnoticed." Soron said, as Charles beamed at his approval.
"Thank you old man..... I wonāt let you regret this."