"I want to ask, are you interested in becoming my disciple?" Aleron asked directly, without any preamble. His demeanor was firm, with no sign of hesitation. He felt no need to hide his intentions in front of this girl.
Aleron glanced briefly at the sky. Far above the Sky Tower, he sensed two powerful presences watching him. Although he couldn't confirm their identities, he felt their auras were only slightly stronger than Lein's. One thing he was certain of—they were not Lein himself.
What Aleron didn't know was that the two powerful figures above the tower were merely two of Lein's clones playing chess.
Two simple chairs flanked a small table with a chessboard on top. The two clones sat leisurely, focused on their game. Beside the table was another filled with fresh drinks and snacks. Occasionally, one of them reached for a cracker or fruit without taking their eyes off the chessboard.