CHAPTER FOUR

Dubois

Something like this called for immediate attention. A boy in Acadia designated a late bloomer—there was no such thing. Our elite council at Organization VII fabricated the possibility of giftless humans acquiring a meta-power before they turned eighteen. Unless the council found a way around the requirement of forging the purest of souls, then someone like Nero Aldeon shouldn’t exist.

I sighed at the thought of them leaving me out of their developments, their excuse of me being a high school principal as old as the realms themselves.

After long hours on campus, I looked forward to going home. On my desk in my pure white office, beneath reports of misdemeanors and applications, was a tall wine glass waiting for me. Freshly squeezed as always. I dropped my briefcase along the armchair, undid my tie, and sat in front of my laptop ready to indulge. The glass bottle sitting in a bucket of ice had a label on it—F/17/AB-. I smiled at the rare find, paying my respects to my supplier.

“Tastes sweet, just how I like it.” I pressed the intercom button on my phone and contacted my waitress. “Olivia, would you be a dear and raise the bid on model F/17/AB? Negative.”

“Yes, Master Dubois….”

Pulling out my phone, I searched for the picture I’d taken of Aldeon, and then I opened my laptop and made a phone call. Only two of the six other members answered, their faces and bodies blacked out, where the only object I could see were their silhouettes along a bright blue background.

“Dubois, long time no see,” Lady L sang in a seductive voice.

I grinned. “It’s a pleasure. Lady L, Predemcer.”

“Dubois,” Predemcer grunted in a deep raspy baritone. “You better make this quick.”

I chuckled. “I am quite offended, my cranky ol’ friend. You don’t sound very happy to hear from me. How long has it been now?”

“Exactly five days.”

“Correct. Five days too long. I miss listening to your deep, gravelly voice. Gives me goosebumps every time,” I teased, earning a sigh from Predemcer.

“Cut the pleasantries, Dubois,” he commanded, his silhouette shifting on the screen. It was difficult to make out his expression, but I could feel his impatience through the line. “Why’d you call us?”

“Yes. To what do we owe the honor?” Lady followed.

I paused for effect, pulling up the photograph I’d taken of Aldeon on my phone. I sent it to my laptop, sharing it with both of them. For myself, I clicked on the picture, and asked the two, “Recognize him?”

“No, should we?” Lady L said.

“Looks familiar….” Predemcer followed.

“Who is he?”

“A student in my institution.”

“All right, are you going to keep us guessing or are you going to spill it? What’s so special about him? Besides his innocent charm?” Lady L asked.

I smirked. “Predemcer, Lady L, I want you to take a good look at him, would you? I want you to never forget the anomaly.”

“Anomaly?” Lady L asked.

“Has the recipe remained the same?” I asked them.

“Of course,” Predemcer confirmed.

“As I expected. Then he is in fact an anomaly. This man here has been gifted at the age of 18.”

“That’s impossible,” Predemcer huffed. “There is no appointing that happens beyond the womb. Otherwise, the entire formula is compromised.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Which is why he has become a great concern. Not only has he been gifted, but his gift triggered a phenotype alteration. Here, I have taken a before and after. Please confirm receipt.”

“Oh yeah, a real noticeable change,” Lady L said, Predemcer remaining quiet. “I do like the new hair better. Looks like such a sweetheart. What’s his name?”

“Nero Aldeon. He’s a senior at Acadia.”

“Run that name by me one more time,” Lady L requested.

“Nero Aldeon. He lives in District 1 Xion with mother Nataly Aldeon and adopted sister Sophie Lynhart. But today, I’ve had him reassigned.”

“Where?” Predemcer asked.

“Utoro, Japan. On the same conditions as another student of mine.”

“Why did you have their prelims waived?” Pred asked.

“Good reasons,” I said, folding my hands together. “Reina. The child’s father is a benefactor.”

“All the more reason to not send his daughter into the lion’s den,” Lady L said. “He sounds like a man with deep pockets. What’s his real reason for wanting her to be a hunter then, Dubbie?”

“I did not inquire further. While it seemed outlandish to me, it isn’t my business to pry into human affairs. Not that I care much for it, anyway. But this human here, he has my undivided attention….”

“What is his talent?” Lady L asked.

“Super strength for now. I suspect there’d be more.”

“Why?”

“A hunch, and a pretty good one. So tell me, what does it all mean? A boy with no special characteristics acquires a meta ability, possibly without our influence?”

Lady L sighed. “I didn’t even think it was possible….”

“It’s not,” Predemcer growled. “This isn’t one of ours.”

“What do you mean?” Lady L asked.

“I mean exactly how it sounds. He isn’t one of ours. And before he becomes a problem, we should deal with him.”

“Hold on, I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves here,” Lady L chimed in. “We should monitor him for a little while. We aren’t savages. Not like those humans who resort to destroying anything they don’t understand. We watch him for a while, and see what kind of powers he develops. If he does develop more, then we figure out what we are up against.”

“That’s an idiotic idea,” Predemcer protested.

“Says the one who’s quick to say he’s not one of ours with zero evidence. Just because he’s now showing signs of meta human strength, doesn’t mean that he isn’t part of our census. There’s still a possibility that his powers were really dormant.”

“I find it hard to believe that a boy his age never had the opportunity to tap into a power as common as super strength.”

“Trust me, Predemcer. Let’s not send the hounds on him just yet. Unlike you, some of us want to understand this, not just bury it.”

Predemcer grumbled under his breath, but he knew Lady L was right. Our kind thrived on knowledge and understanding, as well as development and research. We wouldn’t be where we are today if we acted like those revolutionaries, with no guidance and no mission. Rebellious and no consideration of consequences…. The very thought made my stomach churn. Order had never been an optional element in any realm. Our very existence depended on it. From the smallest seed to the grandest galaxy, everything functioned within a set of rules, a delicate balance that ensured the smooth running of the cosmos. Chaos was simply not acceptable.

If the universe had to obey orders, so would they. Across the vastness of space, a symphony of stars and galaxies obeyed the cosmic order. Each star in its designated place, each planet orbiting with precise calculations. There were no anomalies, no digressions from the set course. All elements under submission to the unyielding rules that governed existence.

There was nothing that irked me more than those mindless monsters disobeying code….

The boy presented a conundrum, one that was as intriguing as it was unnerving. In the face of such ambiguity, the most suitable course of action was to study it, not stifle it prematurely out of irrational fear or lack of understanding. I agreed with Lady L. If such a case were not a breed of our own then it was up to us to figure out where someone like him came from.

“So then, what’s the plan?” Predemcer asked grudgingly.

“It’s simple,” Lady L said. “We watch him, stay in the shadows and observe his movements. We monitor how his abilities manifest, how they grow and morph. We see what triggers them—whether it’s emotion or circumstances or something else entirely. The fact that our H-Tec devices are calling it a meta ability only means one thing. I am sure all of you would agree that the source is related. It’s really the how and why that we are concerned about.”

“You make a good point, Lady L.” I smiled. “Same source, different route. I don’t like exclusions. Gives way to too many possibilities.”

“So who are we assigning on this?” Predemcer challenged.

“I will volunteer,” Lady L said.

Predemcer scoffed. “You?”

“Well, I don’t see why not! I control the Eastern Asia sector, after all. And since he will be in Utoro, it only makes sense that I investigate.”

“I couldn’t think of anyone more suitable for the job.” I snickered. “Please Lady L, try your best not to interfere unless absolutely necessary.”

“Don’t you worry, I won’t scare him!” She giggled.

“We need to process two possibilities of concern here,” Predemcer asked. “That one, he is in fact a threat to us, and refuses to cooperate, or two, he is a threat and becomes too powerful to control.”

“I like how both possibilities are against us,” Lady L gleamed. “So pessimistic, Pred.”

“Those are the only two realities that bother me. Regardless of what Lady L finds, we should implement a plan to exterminate accordingly.”

“Under those two outcomes, if we simply must kill Nero Aldeon….” I paused, unfolding my hands into a steeple. “Then we will.” I grinned. “Like I said, I am not a fan of anomalies. Especially ones that refuse to play by the rules.”