Doubt

The old man led Xzavier through a series of back doors and hallways as they trudged on in silence. Xzavier couldn't help but be wowed by just how elaborate such a seemingly boring structure could be. They glided through halls and took a few more turns before they finally arrived at a great wooden door. The old man produced a key from his robes, and Xzavier watched as he effortlessly inserted it into the lock and opened the door. The younger man didn't expect the sight that greeted him on the other side.

This case a perfect lesson of the proverb; 'Do not judge a book by its cover.' It turned out that the outward appearance of the door was simply a misleading tactic as the office on the inside proved to be much more elegant. The first thing Xzavier noticed was the multiple artifacts that were organized neatly all over the office. They varied in sizes, appeal and astonishing aesthetics. There were eye catching sculptures, a fountain that spilled wine instead of water, a pair of enormous extra-large ivory elephant tusks, crystal balls and a whole bunch of other stuff that Xzavier couldn't recognize. They were all laid out at strategic positions. There was also a ton of books arranged beautifully in shelves that ran horizontally from wall to wall. The cushions, exotic rugs and fine furniture also added to the office's appeal.

Xzavier was surprised.

The old man offered him a seat and he himself sat down behind the fine desk in an enormous chair that looked more like a throne. He cleared his throat and introduced himself properly;

"Pardon my discourteousness, I am Kadin. The proprietor of this establishment known as the underground exchange."

Xzavier was still unsure as to whether he could trust this strange old man or not. He recognized power play when he saw one, and he knew that this whole scene was designed to act as an architectural intimidation. Also, Xzavier hadn't missed the fact that he had subtly dropped the fact that he was the owner of this place when he 'introduced himself.'

Xzavier wasn't entirely sure why he had chosen to bring him here instead of questioning him outside. But he suspected that he had called him down here to interrogate him away from the others, in a place where he felt powerful. With all these deductions, Xzavier knew that he couldn't afford to relax around a man like this. He replied the old man curtly and introduced himself as well, making sure to keep his answers short and simple.

I am Xzavier."

"Interesting name Xzavier. You're not from around here are you?"

Xzavier simply mouthed one word;

"No."

The old man was intrigued by just how cagey the stranger was. His clothes, his accent, his composure and the ridiculous blood-red mana about him suggested that he was a completely different breed. The old man tried flattery.

"So Xzavier, I learned that you killed a Cheetah all by yourself…"

The old man had dealt with a lot of egocentric youths in his past. From experience, he knew that most young men never shied from espousing their own greatness and glory days. Hoping Xzavier would take the bait and expand more, he threw the topic of the Cheetah to him.

Xzavier simply shrugged and grunted. The old man was impressed but he didn't give up there. Feigning interest, he encouraged Xzavier to tell him more.

"Well, is it true? Come on, tell me. No need to be modest here!"

Xzavier could usually tell people's angle. But he was finding it extremely difficult to read this old man. Did he want a piece of the Cheetah? Or was he simply toying with him? Not completely sure, he towed the cautious path and answered warily;

"It is true. I killed the Cheetah."

"Wow, that's something isn't it?" He leaned forward on the desk and asked his follow up question;

"So tell me, how did you do it? Did you set a trap? Was it dying already?"

Xzavier was starting to get irritated with the old man's incessant questions. He answered sharply;

"I lured it in and killed it."

The old man tried and tried but he couldn't get the youth to open up about anything. The old man didn't give a damn about a bloody dead Cheetah. He was simply interested in obtaining any information that could explain the terrifying aura around the strange young man. However, no matter how much the old man tried to poke, he couldn't get anything tangible out of Xzavier. So, outmaneuvered and outmatched, the old man resorted to something a little bit more direct.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, totally unprovoked and with an unnatural quickness, the old man struck out his fist at Xzavier's face. Any normal person would have received the blow to their face because it was totally unexpected given the fact that only a few seconds ago, the old man was all smiles and conversational. There had been no warning whatsoever and because of how sudden it was, the tiny window of time to react was very small.

But Xzavier wasn't just anyone. He very easily countered the punch, not by dodging or by deflection, but he stopped it fully with one hand. He raised his eyebrows questioningly at the old man, and in a very cold voice, he asked him;

"Old man, just what do you think you are doing?"

Words couldn't capture Kadin's shock! He was completely astounded.

"Just who is this guy exactly?"

The way and manner with which Xzavier had effortlessly stopped Kadin's punch confounded the old man. Xzavier's speed was something else! And the way he had calmly executed it was the crowning achievement of it all! Even now, as Xzavier held Kadin's balled fist in his hand, the old man could feel Xzavier's extraordinary strength. Kadin was a magician, physical strength wasn't his forte. And yet, because he augmented his punches with magic, it was extremely rare and hard for an ordinary person to escape his punch, talk less of stopping it!

The old man smiled a fake smile and answered Xzavier's initial question;

"Don't mind me please. I was just curious about your true strength you know."

Trying his best to mask his fear, he continued;

"I mean, you did claim to have killed a Cheetah, and yet, I do not detect any trace of mana in you."

Xzavier eyed him warily before releasing him arm. Then he replied him coolly;

"That is a personal matter. It doesn't concern you."

Kadin noticed that this statement was the longest sentence Xzavier had said since they began their conversation.

In addition to being a magician and the owner of the underground exchange, Kadin was also a diabolical genius. One of his uncanny gifts was that he was adept at discerning people's needs as well as their desires. That was one advantage he discovered that he had in life and he used it shamelessly to get ahead. His shady mind went to work immediately as he assessed Xzavier and thought about what his wants were at the moment.

Xzavier wasn't an easy one to read. People like Xzavier were the old man's personal nightmare. He reminded Kadin of an impenetrable iron gate. Once Kadin couldn't tell what a person wants, he had no power over them. Kadin knew he was already at a great disadvantage with Xzavier. So, the old man's diabolical mind went hard at work at analyzing Xzavier.