The Gatekeeper

Prologue

He didn't look as deadly as they all said he would.

His green eyes, which reminded the governor of the parks he used to visit with his daughter, were focussed at his.

"I'm giving you a chance, boy. Tell me what you were doing on that location at that time and I'll let you go".

Instead of an answer the governor was greeted by a smile, one not as friendly looking as the eyes of this living weapon.

"Please..." The governor almost whispered. "You maybe are the key to what we all want. We promise we can end this all. The hunger, the war, the deaths, all those innocent people... Even the shortage, boy. We can end the shortage. We can take care of our people and our world. But we need to know - why?"

The governor knew he was wasting time.

Asterx, or however the boy named himself, wasn't talkative today. He wasn't talkative any day, but boy, he knew... He knew some information the American government would kill for. Sadly this isn't the American government, or any earthly government. No, the governor himself was part of another government, the one which is trying to keep Refskaya, land of the extraordinary, alive. He was part of GOSEGOR, the Global Official Society of the Extraordinary Government Of Refskaya. And he would certainly not die for this information. Not because the governor thought his life was too import for it, no. His life had the importance equivalent to an ant compared to what the boy in the chair in front of him knew.

But the governor had a talent in truth manipulation after all.

He kneeled down, so he could look the boy straight into his green eyes. The boy looked back, not showing any fear. His black, slightly curly hair almost was in front of his piercing greens, but still - the governor could feel a connection, and that's all he needed for his manipulation to work.

"Alexander".

His eyes betrayed his surprise, not expecting the governor to know his real name.

"I know you've been talking with several Arcos lately. I know you have been doing some business with them because you are one of the best manipulators in this world. But listen to me, Alexander..."

The governor made sure the boy was still listening. Now he noticed the governor knew who he really was, he showed something else than his normal  confident act: fear.

"You are not a part of the Arcos. You are not a part of that, of that..." The governor tried to avoid the word radical, since he knew Asterx, or Alexander, saw himself as independent, even though he did spend a lot of times with some Arcos lately. And those Arcos... The governor despised them. They were known as a group of sketchy people who didn't like the rules about the use of Sefiotine, the key to manipulation. Or, how the ordinaries called it: magic. The Arcos were known for supporting Deimortos, but since Deimortos was destroyed they were back to being loyal citizens, kind of. At least... that's what's in the history books. That's what the entire world thinks, every resident of Refskaya.

Deimortos, the most evil person to ever have walked this planet.

The best at being the worst.

Deimortos was known for changing appearance, so no one, not even the Arcos, knew who Deimortos used to be before the wicked villain became the way everyone in Refskaya feared the manipulator. It was many years ago when the mighty Saints of Fallona defeated the villain after a war. Not even a corpse was found. But the governor had access to secret files not everyone had access to, and the behavior of some groups in the country is changing drastically. Not to mention the shortage of Sefiotine. There just was too much going on, with the war and every other problem. But if they just find the information which could solve it all, the almighty tool... That would solve a lot. And this teenager, this kid in front of him... He knew something.

The governor said one last thing to the powerful boy when he still didn't get an answer.

"You can keep your secrets, kid. But this is a matter of life and death for not only our world, but also the one of the ordinaries. What was your business at Falonna?"

Alexander Olkenstein didn't smile this time. He just looked, and slowly said: "That what you fear shouldn't be the most feared phenomenon this day. mister Warnold".

He smiled, blinked, and then something happened governor Warnold never expected: the boy started to puke blood and was dead in a few seconds.

He manipulated his own organs to burst from the inside, killing himself.

The governor looked at the poor boy for a few more minutes. Stupid kid, he thought. Obsessed, power-hungry, stupid kid. Another victim of Sefiotine. Then he spotted something in the neck of the boy, something he couldn't see before since he was sitting straight up. The governor leaned forward to get a better look, but as soon as he saw what it was he could barely stop himself from screaming.

A dramatic shiver left his body.

In the boys neck was a piece of solid Sefiotine, shaped like a diamond, framed with shiny metal. It was a sign he hadn't seen since many years.