The Threat

Jean walked straight to where Natalie was seated and lowered himself in one of the coaches that sat across on the opposite side of the fancy table in the leaving room.

When Natalie saw the boy join him in the leaving room, she immediately knew that he had come to ask her some questions. So, she immediately gave him a curious look, as if trying to read his mood.

When the boy noticed this, he timidly looked down. Just at that moment, Natalie took the initiative to kickstart the conversation.

"Why are you here?"

Natalie asked, clearly pretending not to have a clue on why Jean had joined her in the leaving room.

with a feigned cough, Jean looked up and smirked.

"I was asking If you could allow me to ask you some questions on what we had discussed earlier while in the forest?"

Raising her chin and crossing her hands over her chest, Natalie blinked for a couple of times as her expression turned serious.

"Okay. Go ahead and ask I'm all ears."

Lingering for a moment, Jean glanced at Natalie with innocent eyes.

"I know you already told me that the guy that was responsible for the mysterious spot was one of those individuals that wielded supernatural powers. But if I may ask, did the guy create this spot using his mysterious powers or perhaps inherit it?"

Jean was very specific with his questions since he didn't expect his mom to allow him to ask her that many questions, he chose to ask about what concerned him the most. And that was the mysterious spot, since it was the only thing that he had the chance to interact with from all the things that they had previously discussed.

Shifting in her seat, Natalie sighed.

"If you could remember very well, I had told you that this information I am giving to you was obtained from your grandpa. So, you have to know that some of the information was omitted by him for his own reasons. What I am trying to tell you is that I can't provide you with a detailed information since it was your grandpa that met this guy and not me."

Natalie stated in a gentle tone.

As soon as Jean heard this, he immediately cursed from the inside, but immediately promised himself to ask some of these questions his grandpa – Natalie's father.

"So, if I can understand you well, you are trying to tell me that you don't know how this mysterious spot came into existence?"

Jean asked with a sullen face, clearly indicating that he was annoyed.

Leaning forward, Natalie glanced at Jean.

"I had asked your grandpa the same question but he made it clear that he couldn't share the information with for some unknown reasons."

Natalie explained in a serious tone.

From Jean's deductions, he could easily sense that she was telling the truth.

"But just to ask. Why do you think grandpa inherited this place knowing very well that it harboured such a dangerous spot?"

When Natalie heard this, she almost flinched but quickly composed herself before responding.

"I must say, that is a brilliant question."

Pausing for a moment, Natalie pondered.

'This kid's questions are now getting out of hand. I must come up with a something to stop this from continuing.'

Jean on the other side was dying to hear Natalie's response.

a minute later, Natalie continued.

"The reason to why your grandpa inherited this place was because he was only interested in this place because of the forest since it reminded him the countryside kind of life. By then, the central part of the forest was the only one present.

What you don't know is that, the powerful guy gave this place to your grandpa only in the sense that your grandpa will not share information about him to the public since he was the only one that was able to notice him. By the time your grandpa was being handed over this section with the forest, he didn't know of the existence of the mysterious spot. By the time he was finding out about it, the powerful guy had already been killed."

Pausing for a moment to allow Jean digest the information.

Just as Natalie was about to continue with her narration, Jean intervened.

"Don't get me wrong, mom. I would like to ask you something. You had told me that the death of the powerful guy was schemed by his friend. The friend that he used to share his information with, isn't it?"

Nodding in agreement, Natalie increased her concentration.

'What is this boy up to?'

Natalie pondered.

"At the same time, you told me that grandpa had a close relation with this guy. And I don't think I will be wrong to refer the two as friends."

Immediately Natalie heard this, she frowned as her face turned distant.

'I don't like such kind of questions, but if this is what is what I have to face day in day out for the sake of his safety, then I am ready.'

At this point, Natalie was almost cursing the idea of mentioning the existence of these powerful individuals to Jean, but since she was still confident in her decision, she kept hoping for the better ending.

"Yes, that's true."

Natalie said with a nod.

Lingering for a moment, Jean continued.

"If I am not wrong, you also told me that it was Grandpa that was able to notice him, which made the guy to gift this forest section to him, isn't it?"

Instead of answering immediately, Natalie lingered as she bit on her lower lip.

A minute later, she responded.

"I get your point. In other words, you are trying to link the friend that schemed the killing of the guy to your grandpa, isn't it?"

Natalie said in a serious tone as she glared at Jean with a questioning look.

Jean on the other hand just lowered his head to evade Natalie's gaze but raised it almost immediately.

"It is not like I am saying that grandpa was a betrayer, I was only trying to say that there are some similarities in these two scenarios."

Jean tried to refute Natalie's statement but deep down, he knew very well that Natalie had gotten his point. He had done this intentionally in order for him to get Natalie's opinion on the matter for some clarifications.

"Fine. What you need to know is that the information that the guy was killed by his friend didn't even come from your grandpa. It came from one of his family members. This was after your grandpa had passed away. If it was your grandpa that schemed for his killing, do you think we would still be alive? Of course not, since his family would have sought for revenge since they already knew the two as close allies. And since we don't offer any threat to them since unlike them, we are just mundane individuals."

With that, she went mute.

Not wanting to waste this moment,  Jean decided to ask another question.

"Thanks for the clarification. If I  may ask, what was the name of this guy and where is does he come from?"

With a scoff, Natalie lingered.

"That was one of the most sensitive information since it could result into the government and his enemies hunting by using his family as bait in case the information fell into the wrong ears. So, such information was never disclosed to me by your grandpa. So, your grandpa could have been the right person to answer this question of yours because at least he could have had a tip of the information that you are seeking. But unfortunately,  that won't be happening since as you know, he is no more. "

Up to this point,  Jean was still unsatisfied with the feedback he was receiving from Natalie. He had tried so hard to understand the mysterious spot in the forest,  but all his efforts hit a wall the moment Natalie dismissed the idea of her having the information about the origin of the mysterious spot. Although he could understand her reasons, he still considered it important to find out the information about the spot since it seemed to pose some threats to him.

Since he wasn't sure if the spot could be dangerous to only himself or anyone,  he decided to ask Natalie about the matter.

"If I may ask, mom. Why is it that grandpa went ahead to buy the land next to thos forest and built a house there knowing very well that there was a dangerous spot within the forest?"

Jean asked in a serious tone.

Straightening her dishevelled hair, Natalie blinked severally.

"What you don't know is that your grandpa was attached to the forest after spending some of his time in it after it was handed to him. Besides the attachment, the spot couldn't cause any harm to him, which was strange considering that it paused some dangers to every other person that came in contact with it including your dad and I. Now that you were also affected, I can also add you to the list.

The one thing that I discovered about the spot, is that it only has this effect at a certain time. Since it's pattern has been irregular, I have not been able to master it. But since this only happens once in a year, the spot isn't always dangerous.  That's why I even had the confidence to send you to inspect it the first time we were here."

Natalie explained in  details as she maintained a serious face.

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