3 The Man who named Zoren

"Chief, we found another drug pusher on that same street we are investigating in." the policeman said and brought Lucas inside the Police Station, "We caught him in doing the said act."

"No, Sir! I was just accused! I do not posses any of those drugs." Lucas explained. "We found six packs of unsealed drugs on one of his pockets, indicating that he is involved in the selling and using of drugs within that same area." the policeman added and get him to be seated in front of the Chief's desk. "Sir, please. I didn't do that. I don't have the courage to do such!" Lucas said begging for the Chief to hear his side, "I am just taking the nearest shortcut on my way home—and that is the street. I know that it was dark, but there was a drunken man who approached me---"

"Enough for that insane reasons, boy! Chief, what are we going to do with this young man?" the policeman said and held Lucas' shirt. The Chief has no reaction and just stared at Lucas' face. "Don't hold him on his shirt. You won't know the consequences if you keep on treating him that way. Just let him, I'll handle this." the Chief said calmly and seriously, "It's better, if all of you will leave me as I talk and counsel this man."

"Yes, Chief." the policeman said and left the Chief together with Lucas. "I would ask you some questions but I want you to answer me honestly. Is that all right?" the Chief asked. Lucas nodded and looked into the ground. He knew that Aunt Layda will be worried if she would know that he was on the Police Station right now, and he doesn't want it to happen. "I need to get out of here as soon as possible without any conflict." he thought, "but how could it be?"

"What is your full name?" the chief asked in a curious manner. Lucas looked at him, "I am Lucas, Sir. Lucas Ford Parker is my full name." he said. The Chief leaned over his table to put more attention on him. "You are Lucas Ford Parker... Young man, may I ask you if there are any meaning behind your name?" he said. "I don't know, Sir. But my Aunt Layda said that there was a letter found beside me when she found me and my brother back when I was a baby that says, I should be named after it." Lucas responded. "Who is this Aunt Layda that you're talking about?" the Chief asked. "She was the one who adopted me and my brother, Sir. She said, she found me and my brother crying for the need of assistance in the midst of war."

And for a moment, the Chief was struck and was astonished to the things which he has heard. "How could--- I can't believe this." the Chief said as he analyze and summarize the things he know, "May I know how old are you?"

"I'm 19 years old, Sir." Lucas replied. "You are 19 years old... Lucas, the policeman who brought you here said that you were caught on act, selling the drugs, and six packs of unsealed drugs were found on your pocket. Is that true?" the Chief confusingly asked. Lucas looked straight into the Chief's eyes, "No, Sir. My Aunt didn't raise me that way, I just do not know how they found those drugs in my pocket and said they had caught me on act." he said, "Please, Sir. I need to go home right now. Just let me go."

The Chief took his deep breath and tried to think of the ways he could do for this young man in front of him. "I think this was controlled by the person I know. He don't even informed me about this incident that would take place. I didn't expect that this is the right time for what we've planned. That person really get into my nerves sometimes." the Chief said to himself.

"You can't go back to your house, Mr. Parker. I will only let you go for one condition. Later on, there will be someone who will come here and you should stay with him from this night forward." the Chief said and dialed someone on the telephone. "Wait, WHAT?! Why? I need to go back, my Aunt is waiting for me. I can't leave her alone!" Lucas exclaimed. "Then you have to stay with that person if you really want to get out of here. We will be sending the kind of support your Aunt needs, even the very smallest detail on why you can't go to her house. The most important thing here is that your safety will be safeguarded and that you should be with the person who could secure you this time! You might not understand right now, but please just follow what I'm saying. Your life will soon be at risk and if you continue being in touched with your aunt, her life may also be affected. You are so vulnerable right now. Don't ever think I was just mistaken because of the things I've mentioned." the Chief firmly said, "I have to warn you, young man. Never try to escape from the presence of him who will be there for you. You're too weak to think you're so strong."

The Chief stood up and turned his back from Lucas to call someone. On the other hand, Lucas was left shocked and confused for what he heard. He didn't know about the kind of vulnerability he has. "How did I become so vulnerable?" he wondered, "If almost all of my life I was just working for our small flower stand?"

"Good Evening. No... You should come here at the Police Station immediately. I've found him... Yeah, as what I've expected, you would do things like that." the Chief said and ended the call, "He will be right here within 10 minutes."

"Sir, may I ask... How did you say that I'm vulnerable, that I'm at risk?" Lucas said. "Well, young man... Some things are meant to be understood at their own right time. You will soon find answers to your deepest questions." the Chief replied, "I am happy that things seem to settle at their own proper places at this time. I hope it will just continue to do so."

"Chief, you have a visitor." one of the policeman said as he entered Chief's office. "Well, let him in." Chief responded calmly. There, the man went inside of the office. He was clothed with modern all black outfit with his coat and suit in black. "You really like to arrive before the said time, Zoren." the Chief jokingly said. "I don't want to be late." the man responded and sat on the chair in front of Lucas.

"By the way, young man. This is Zoren. He will be---"

"You don't need to do that, Walter. He'll soon come to know me more." the man said cutting what the Chief would like to say, "So what's the matter around here?"

"Don't joke me around, Zoren. I know you have done something to make this incident happen. Just like what we've planned before, he will be staying under your supervision... for what will happen tomorrow. I bet you better give him some foods to eat before doing what you've said that should be done." the Chief suspiciously said. "I'll do what I think is right, Walter. By the way, thanks for being true. We better go now. Lucas, just say goodbye to the Chief. We're going to leave." the man said as he stood up. "Y-Yes, Sir. Goodbye, Chief." Lucas said as he bid goodbye. "By the way, I'm Chief Walter. Nice to meet you, my maj--- oh! Lucas." the Chief said. The man glared to the Chief for what he had said, and left the police station with Lucas.

Using the man's luxurious modern car, they took their way as the man drove off his car. As night slowly approaches, the people tend to rest on their houses, leaving the streets and roads wide and vacant, with the vintage look of the streetlights and the shining decorations that were set up for tomorrow's event. On the other hand, they still remain silent while they are taking their way.

As Lucas admires the beauty of the night, he can't help himself but to think of the different questions that are bothering him about what's really happening. "If I was really caught with those six packs of unsealed drugs, how come does the Chief just talked me on that manner and said I'm in danger? How come he really trusted me that I didn't do those things? Why did he bid me to just stay under the supervision of this man that I don't really know? How come he just trusted me to this person? Who is this person? How did he know my name a while ago?" he wondered, "If I'm going to ask this man about these things, is he going to provide the answers I need?" he sighed, he knew that he should take courage to ask the man beside him.

"Sir, if you don't mind... May I ask you some questions?" he said hesitatingly. The man didn't react to his question. Still, silence occupies the space between them. "Okay, I'm embarrassed." he thought.

"Yes, you can ask. I can tell you everything except things about myself." the man said as he focused himself on driving the car. Lucas was motivated about the man's response, but he should choose the question that would satisfy him. "May I know who you are, Sir?" the man did not respond immediately but after a couple of minutes he replied, "You will only know my name for now, Lucas. I can't tell you who I really am. Later on, you will understand everything. There, you will come to know me then." Lucas began to be puzzled about the things he discovers little by little. It seems like everything becomes so suspicious and mysterious—especially when he thinks that there is something that's going on and yet he can't manage to know and handle those.

"I am Zoren, and from now on you will stay with me. Soon, you will understand why." the man added. Lucas sighed, he don't really know what's happening to himself right now. "Honestly, I don't really understand the meaning of these things. Can just somebody rescue me right now? I feel like I'm legally kidnapped." he thought and took a deep breath.

After 5 minutes, they had already arrived to their destination—on a white rest house away from the city of Anthica. Zoren parked the car at the garage and they get inside of the house. "Woah. This house is like a mansion, but I think it has no neighborhood outside. I haven't seen any house like this before." he thought to himself.

The house has large spaces for its rooms and furniture which are all colored with plain white. "Better take your rest. There is a food prepared on the refrigerator, fill yourself with fruits and water. Make sure you won't make yourself weak and hungered later on." Zoren said as he drank water and took his seat on the living room. "This is the place where I stay. Therefore, you will also stay here." Lucas slowly get himself a glass of water and sat on the living room near at Zoren.

"Tomorrow, will be the first day for the celebration of the festival. And I want you to contend on the competition to the palace, for the search of the Last Appointed Searcher." Zoren said seriously as he looked straightly at Lucas' eyes.

As a part of the Royal Festival event, there is a competition made to look for the Appointed Searcher. This Appointed Searcher will be the one who will find any of the lost family line of the Canlas wherever he may be assigned by the king. It was a goal for the kingdom to bring back any member of the lost family line since the Canlas are the ones who truly possess the power to rule, to reign, and to execute judgement and justice over all the land. They believe that as soon as the Canlas will be brought back, the war between Anthica and other kingdoms will be stopped and everything will be put on peace and order. The said competition was filled with obstacles that a normal person could rarely bare. And the one who will win the competition will become the Appointed Searcher.

On the other hand, if a man ever was appointed to be one, he could lose himself on the process of searching for the lost family line, making himself weak, that would cause himself disabled upon returning to Anthica. While others even loose their lives.

Too dangerous act of service other people thought, but this is the only way they could take back and restore peace they had experienced 30 years ago. And tomorrow will be the 21st year since Anthica started this kind of tradition, where this will be the last time that the kingdom of Anthica would look for its rightful majesties. For after it, the people will be convinced that the lost family line of the Canlas were dead.

"What?" Lucas confusingly said. Zoren sat properly on a serious manner and put his attention to Lucas. "I said, I want you to be on the competition tomorrow, Lucas. You have to win on that competition." Zoren said seriously. Lucas was more puzzled with the things Zoren asks him to do including the reason why he was brought on his situation. "Are you serious? Do you want me to be there?" he said. "Yes, I'm serious. AND YOU HAVE TO WIN THERE." Zoren asserted. "But why me? I'm too weak for that. I'm just a man who works on a flower stand and I don't even know if I will be able to---"

"IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS A HEART LIKE YOURS, LUCAS!" Zoren explained with a loud voice as he stand in front of him. He took a deep breath and took his seat, "21 years ago, I lost my family on a war. I was assigned to be a king's soldier before, but because of the service we have to render for the king and his family, I was unable to protect them not knowing that the enemies would come in our area and burn every house that they might encounter. After that tragic event, I didn't see them anymore." Zoren said as he calmed himself down, "That war, it almost torn Anthica and the peace we used to have since the royal family of Canlas disappeared and ceased to rule this place. It is not impossible that a more tragic event would occur if they will never be found."

For the second time, Zoren looked straightly at Lucas' eyes. "In order for someone to find their lost family line, that person should have a pure heart and real intent. 'For as you search for something good, there should be something good within yourself first.'" he said calmly, "And I know that you have that 'something good' within yourself and in your heart. If you will be the one who will be appointed to search them, it is not impossible that you will find them, Lucas."

Lucas felt a warm feeling inside of him because of the things he heard, a feeling that impacted his soul. "But it will only happen... if you will trust me and yourself." Zoren concluded. Lucas became speechless of the mixed emotions that he feels right now. "Why am I feeling like this? Why does it affect me as if like I was struck by something within my heart?" Lucas thought, "Should I do what he's asking me to do?"

"The decision is yours. I will not force you to be involved on something that's seems risky for you." Zoren said as he walk away and made his way towards the stairs. "WAIT!" Lucas shouted as he tries to stop Zoren from walking. Zoren stopped and turned to Lucas. "I agree, Sir. I'll contend to the competition tomorrow." Lucas said as he looked at Zoren.

Zoren smiled and thought, "I know you'll choose what is right, Lucas. I'm glad that the woman who raised you and your brother is so good. I'll be forever grateful for that person."

"If that's your decision, then rest and prepare yourself." Zoren said as he continued walking upstairs, "I'll train you later on."

"I'll never forget the feeling I had a while ago, that it seems like there is something that urges me to decide about this thing." Lucas said to himself.