Chapter 18: Talent.
Alan slowly walked in silence, holding Lee's hand. The latter already wondered whether his stepfather forgot about the question, when the man spoke, "One day you'll learn that life is complicated. Before my father, your grandfather, there was no position called royal healer ... Albert Green was the first one. I was born the same year as Valen was, I mean, His Imperial Majesty ... and so was General Strongheart, and Prime Minister Bates. While one was the crown prince at the time, the other two came from established noble families ... but the three accepted me into their circle and we became good friends."
Alan spoke, but to Lee it seemed the man was talking to himself, out loud, but deep in thoughts. He was clearly reminiscing about distant past, but it was hard to believe the old general, who looked over seventy years old, the prime minister and Alan – both looking they were closer to sixty than to fifty, and the emperor, who could be easily taken for a fit forty year old man in his prime, were actually born in one year.
"As the emperor said, we grew up together ... practiced together." Alan continued, "But we were destined for different things. Fortunately, no matter how powerful the emperor became, he never forgot us ... and we him. The true friendship between men is impossible to put in words, but it goes beyond anything else, women, families ... everything. That is why it's a little bit sad you don't have a true friend ... but trust me, one day you will."
They continued to walk in silence again. Lee actually never had such friends, in none of his lives. The gang members didn't count. And, in fact, Lisa was the first person he considered a friend, but she was the love of his life ... lives, so clearly the stepfather meant something else. He also talked about something entirely different from what Lee initially asked. It was annoying.
Fortunately Alan never really lost the train of thought. He continued, "Different people have different duties ... and sometimes they have to make sacrifices. And when a man makes a sacrifice ... he ages. That is why general looks much older than us ... but the emperor ... the emperor is very special ..."
"Is it the spark?" Lee couldn't hold back anymore.
"Mhm." Alan instinctively nodded, but then stopped, looked at Lee and said, "But it's too early for you to worry about it. And don't bring up the subject with your mother ... she'll be furious. Neither of us wants that."
"If you say so ..." The request didn't go well with Lee.
He understood that the concept of how to become a superhuman had to be kept secret. He never found anything mentioned about the subject in Alan's notes. But he really, really wanted to know.