Astro had his eyes widened while hearing what the master was saying. After a while, his facial expression returned to its usual look but then he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly. He then had a sudden revelation after that last statement from the master.
"Is that the reason why they are after Ezio?" Astro asked with his eyes focused on the man who had his chin resting on his palm.
"I'm guessing that it was Constantine who sealed her own son's power and Jagan was in-charge of taking him away. Now that Ezio can use his magic, I'm sure that they forcefully broke the seal. Breaking a seal that was engraved in the body would take a toll on the body and would cause a lot of pain." Cygnus explained with his eyes focused on the mage. There was a grin on his face as he spoke those words.
"Why do they want to open dimensions and explore other worlds? Is there a big reason for it or is it just because of greed?" Astro couldn't understand why the elders would willingly sacrifice human lives just to open a gate.
"They must have read some silly records about the other worlds and were fascinated by it. Then they would use the reason that they are doing this to advance humanity when in reality it is just a cover that they use to hide the real reason why they are interested in dimensions. Whatever is it, they're all the same." Cygnus shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on his seat.
The look of certainty in those eyes made Astro believe that the master must have experienced similar things in the past. It was no wonder that he hated the tower even though he hid his scorn so well behind his smile and nonchalant attitude. He was right though, no matter what their reason was, the fact that they used humans would not change.
"May I ask how you got the power to open gates to other dimensions or worlds?" His curiosity has gotten the better of him once again and he did not hesitate to ask.
Cygnus's lips twitched at the question that he even closed his eyes and sighed. Once he opened them again, his eyes that were already black seemed to have gotten blacker and colder. Astro got the impression that the master was more serious than the previous times he had seen him.
"Do you really want to know?" The question took Astro aback because of the coldness from his tone.
He felt that if the master would speak and tell him right there and then, he wouldn't be able to back out from everything and that he would learn a big secret. He was not sure if he could handle it. He gulped and looked at the man before he slowly nodded.
"You really had the courage. Don't be too shocked though." Cygnus smiled a little bit before he continued speaking, "I killed a lot of people and absorbed their mana cores."
The way he spoke those words in a relaxed manner made Astro shiver. The aura around him also changed and he got the feeling that the surroundings became gloomy and dark. It was not an answer he expected the master would say.
It was something difficult to believe but at the same time believable because it was something the master had said. He took several deep breaths before he could finally look at him again.
"If that's the case then, I won't ask anymore. I feel like I won't be able to process it once I learn more about it." Astro bowed and left the room because he needed to cool down for a while.
"You are really blunt," Ignius's voice echoed in the room.
He had been listening from the very beginning and when the mage left he showed himself. The dragon sat on the bed and looked at Ari who was silent on the side and on Cygnus who was also silent for some reason.
"What? Should I tell a lie? It's not in my veins. Heroes are the people who like to lie just to pacify people and I'm no hero." Cygnus shrugged his shoulders once again. "Astrophos, he is not that talented but he has a shred of loyalty in his bones. Easily swayed, easily anchored just show him the reality and he will make his own decision. What he needed is the truth not some petty lie just to gloss over things."
Ignius laughed out of the blue while slapping the bed in the process, "When have you been so good at reading people and how can you be so sure that he is as you have described him?"
"I'm a good judge of character. Look at the people around me, they're all people whom I can use. They don't even complain!" Cygnus defended himself and even waved his hands in a grandiose manner to show his confidence.
"Good judge of character? You've got one that only talks about data, another one who lacks any human emotion, one crazy woman, one coerced by a contract, one attractive dragon and now you are poaching a wishy-washy person. Great! Your messy gang is having more and more members." Ignius enumerated as he used his fingers to count the people who were supporting the master.
"Well, it is better than none." Cygnus did not refute the dragon's word but he did not fail to tease the dragon, "Attractive dragon?" he laughed, "one hell of a messed-up dragon you say."
Ignius frowned at the description and averted his head like a child. He refused to look at the master. "I'm not messed-up because I am perfectly fine."
Cygnus let a minute pass before he answered, "If you say so but to those who know you, you are not perfectly fine."
Indignant, the dragon left the room and went to roam around the city instead. It was better than staying in that room with the master. He looked in the sky and sighed before he continued on his way.
Everything was proceeding smoothly when a sudden announcement was made by Archmage Argus. They were all gathered inside the biggest room in the Hall of Songs and waited for this announcement. The archmage did not waste time as he stood in front of them all.
"Most of you know that the tower has another disciple who we sent to the Magic Academy and we've decided to bring him back. We believe that he had learned whatever he needed to learn in that place so from now on Ezio Constantine will be joining the rest of the apprentices at the Hall of Time." The audience started to whisper but he ignored them all.
They were dismissed after that. Some were envious while the others were unhappy and the others uncertain of what they felt. They've all heard about him but they did not have any idea what he looked like. Even what he did during the royal ball was widely spread amongst them.
"Ezio will be coming back. This only means that they are starting to move. Once the young man is here, I am sure that they will create circumstances just to let him use his power." Astro spoke while they were walking in the garden at the back of the tower.
"They must have rushed the experiment because of what happened to their laboratories. What we should once he returns would be to assist him and reveal the tower's dirty deeds." Cygnus has no problem with Ezio coming back because they can use him to infiltrate the dungeon.
"Will you still pretend not to know him?" Astro asked because he needed to know how he should act.
"Yes but we'll have more time to interact with one another though," Cygnus nodded. His identity still needed to be hidden, when he deemed it the right time, he would introduce himself to the whole kingdom. "I'll also let him meet Isaiah."
