Page 10 of Dark Shaman: The Lost Treasure
Tim's expression grew greedy. "Do you have another assignment for me?"
"Not at the moment." Kian leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "But I'm sure I will have many more in the future. That wasn't what I meant, though. Your talent isn't normal," Kian said bluntly. "You know that, right? The way you can capture perfect likenesses from verbal descriptions alone and produce photo-realistic depictions that can trigger facial recognition, that's a talent so unique and so unparalleled that there is no way an ordinary human can do that."
"Of course not. I'm one of a kind—" Tim stopped and frowned. "Ordinary human? Did you mean ordinary guy?"
Evidently, Tim possessed not only a sharp eye for detail but also a sharp mind that didn't miss much.
Kian just looked at him, letting him absorb the implications.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Tim asked.
"It means that you might be more than human." Kian smiled. "It means that you might have godly genes. I'm sure the thought has crossed your mind from time to time. You seem like the type to have a little bit of a god complex, only in your case, it's justified."
"Naturally." Tim stared at him for a long moment. Then he laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. "Okay, you got me. Is this some hazing thing? Or a reality show? Where are the cameras?"
"No cameras," Andrew said. "No joke. We're completely serious. You might be a dormant carrier of special genes, and we have a way to test that hypothesis."
Tim snorted. "What if I do? Does it make me royalty or something?"
"Not royalty, just someone with the potential to become immortal."
Tim's face went through a series of expressions—disbelief, fear, and finally, something that looked almost like hope.
"Immortal," he said flatly. "Like, live-forever immortal?"
"Yes," Kian confirmed. "I know you've wondered about Andrew's transformation and how he became taller and younger looking. The story about the rejuvenation spa and spinal realignment was obviously fabricated. He was a Dormant, and we activated him." Kian waved a hand over everyone present. "All of us here are immortal."
"This is insane," Tim said, but he didn't sound like he disbelieved them. Instead, he sounded like someone whose world had just shifted on its axis. "You're telling me that you are all immortal, and that I might be one of you?"
"Potentially," Kian said. "The only way to know for sure is to test it."
"How?"
"You'd need to fight one of us," Anandur said. "Get our aggression up enough to produce venom, then get bitten. If you're a Dormant, you'll go through the transition."
"And what if I don't?" Tim asked.
"If not, nothing happens," Kian said. "You remain human, and we can make you forget this conversation ever happened."
"Make me forget?" Tim's eyes narrowed. "How? And did you say get bitten? And venom?"
"We can make you forget by thralling you," Andrew explained. "Which is a form of mental influence. It's not dangerous if done right, and we can tell you more about the getting bitten and venom parts after you confirm that you are on board with the testing."
Tim was quiet for a long moment, processing. "Why tell me now?" He asked the question Kian had been expecting. "You've known me for years."
"We weren't sure, but the more of your creations we see, the more evident it becomes that your talent is supernatural, which is often an indicator of the presence of godly genes. You are not getting any younger, and the transition takes a toll on the body. The older you are, the more difficult it gets. It can even be deadly, but we haven't lost a transitioning Dormant yet. I just need to tell you that so you can make an informed decision."
Tim narrowed his eyes at Kian. "What's the catch? There's always a catch."
"No catch. After you transition, you will move into our secret village. You can continue working for the government just like Andrew does, or you can quit your job and devote yourself to art. All living expenses are covered, and you'll even get a small allowance. What you earn from your art is yours to keep."
A grin spread over Tim's face. "Where do I sign?"
4
ELUHEED
Present Day
