Just for Alex.... But why?

As soon as Alex entered the interview room, he saw a handsome man with brown hair in the topmost seat and beside him a girl with auburn hair. It was Kai and Nadia. Seeing them, he felt nervous. After all, they were students of the Cadmus Academy, geniuses in their own right. But before he could greet them, he noticed something strange. Their eyes changed. To be more precise, their pupils and irises changed to different colors, and their pupils took on the shape of vertical slits, much like a snake's. This wasn’t what frightened him, as such changes were common in individuals who underwent the Gene Optimization programs. He had seen such people in entertainment and news channels. What scared him was the guttural growl that erupted from their throats, a language far removed from human speech.

"KhhhK@&#Y@&##_#&#O," they rasped, the sounds sending shivers down his spine.

A primal instinct to flee surged through him, but before he could react, a wave of dizziness swept over him. The room blurred, then dissolved into darkness. Or so he thought. In reality, his body remained frozen in place, a human statue amidst the chaos.

"Hu…! As we suspected… This backwater planet can't produce a dr—" Nadia rasped, her voice distorted. But mid-sentence, she convulsed, collapsing to her knees with blood streaming down from her mouth.

Kai, his reptilian gaze locked on Alex, mirrored her actions. His own body contorted in agony, blood trickling down his chin.

"W-what's happening?" Kai stammered, his voice raspy. But before he could get an answer, a new presence filled the room.

The air crackled with sudden energy as a sleek, silver spaceship materialized outside the window, descending with impossible speed. From the balcony overlooking the interview room, a woman materialized. Her sharp features, framed by salt-and-pepper hair, were etched with a mixture of concern and longing.

It was Dr. Evelyn Walsh, a renowned professor at Cadmus Academy who was supposed to interview Alex today. She entered the room with an effortless grace that belied her years. Her gaze, however, settled on Alex with an intensity that if his mind had been clear, it would send a tremor through him. It was a look of recognition, warmth replacing the usual coldness anyone had witnessed in interviews and news reports.

Ignoring the groaning figures at her feet, Dr. Evelyn crossed the room in a few quick strides. As she approached, Alex started to regain clarity. To his utter surprise, she enveloped him in a tight hug, the gesture radiating a warmth he had never felt before. Sure, he had been hugged by his mother, little brother, and best friends, but this somehow felt different. It was as if he had found a missing piece he had been searching for, giving him a sense of satisfaction and warmth.

A jolt of surprise shot through him, momentarily breaking the trance-like state he was in. He stiffened, unsure how to react to this unexpected physical contact. Dr. Evelyn Walsh, a renowned professor at Cadmus Academy, was hugging him. Her appearance, a youthful woman seemingly around 25 years old, stood in stark contrast to her formidable reputation as one of the best Gene-Optimization Scientists and a powerful Ascendant.

(A/N: Ascendants were mutants enhanced and developed by gene alterations and optimizations. Will be explained in later Chapters.)

Alex didn't have to think much about this, as an inexplicable sense of calm washed over him with her arms wrapped around him, tighter than before, as if she were afraid he would escape her grasp. Only then did he register her voice, a low murmur in his ear,

“My beloved, it's been too long. Your time is near, but you must awaken gradually.”

His thoughts ran wildly, confused at why she was saying this. But then again, remembering her words was like a balm to his rising panic. Slowly, he felt his tension and unease seeping out of his body. He then leaned back, finally meeting her gaze. Her eyes, a deep blue, held a wisdom that belied her age.

Unbeknownst to him, as soon as he was hugged, a white and dark aura mixed with silver and gold that surrounded him and the room miraculously receded back into his body, allowing him to move.

Slowly, Kai and Nadia moaned softly, regaining consciousness. Dr. Evelyn released her embrace and turned back to Alex, her expression shifting slightly. Her eyes glowed briefly, and her voice took on a deeper, almost reverent tone.

She took a step back and looked at Alex. "You have much potential, Alex. There is greatness within you. The time will come when you understand."

Alex, still dazed, barely registered her words. He blinked, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Why had he felt such power, and why did her words resonate so deeply within him?

Dr. Evelyn straightened, her demeanor returning to its professional coldness. "Apologies for the theatrics, Alexander. The interview process can be… unconventional at times."

She had switched back to her professional mode, as if the warm embrace and conversation just now had been an illusion. But that wasn’t what mattered.

"Interview?" Alex echoed, his voice hoarse. "What’s going on?" Alex asked again, looking at the two students who were slowly recovering. "What happened to them?"

"They'll be fine," she assured him, gesturing towards a small medical kit retrieved from the spacecraft. "Just a minor setback. Now, shall we begin?"

Dr. Evelyn gestured towards the vacant seat across from her, her expression professional but her eyes holding a curious glint. Alex sank into the chair, his mind racing.

The questions that followed were unlike anything he'd expected. No queries about engineering or gene optimization, the academy's forte. Instead, Dr. Evelyn delved into a bizarre realm of forgotten lore – dragons, creatures of myth and legend, forgotten fragments of Norse sagas.

"Tell me, Alexander," she began, her voice cool, "what do you know of Jörmungandr, the world serpent?"

Alex frowned, his mind struggling to grasp the connection. "Jörmungandr? The Midgard Serpent in Norse mythology? The one destined to battle Thor at Ragnarok?"

Dr. Evelyn's lips quirked in a smile. "Precisely. And what about the Ouroboros, the serpent eating its own tail, from Egyptian mythology?"

A bewildered silence hung in the air. Alex answered each question honestly, providing details gleaned from his years of devouring books and pursuing knowledge. But with each question, the confusion deepened. What was the purpose of this unorthodox line of inquiry?

"Why are you asking me these questions?" Alex finally asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

Dr. Evelyn’s eyes sparkled with a hidden meaning. "Because, Alex, knowledge of the past can guide us to the future. Sometimes, the answers we seek are hidden in the most ancient of stories."

Alex was left pondering her cryptic words as the interview concluded. As he stood up to leave, he glanced at Kai and Nadia. They were visibly shaken, exchanging glances filled with a mixture of awe and fear. They had seen something extraordinary, something that had shaken them to their core.

"One last question, Alex," Dr. Evelyn said, her tone softer, more personal. "Do you feel lonely, Alex? Do you ever feel like there's something you need to fulfill, and as if you've forgotten something important?"

Alex blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. The tablet in Dr. Evelyn's hand vibrated, and a calm female voice emitted from it, repeating, "ERROR. ERROR."

Despite the interruption, Dr. Evelyn continued, her gaze unwavering. "Do you?"

The questions seemed to pierce deep into Alex's mind, stirring feelings he couldn't quite grasp. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he struggled to focus.

"Why are you asking me this?" Alex managed to whisper, his head spinning.

"Sometimes, the answers we seek are hidden within ourselves," Dr. Evelyn replied cryptically, her expression softening momentarily.

With that, Alex stumbled out of the interview room, her final words echoing in his mind. Dr. Evelyn watched him leave, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination. This interview had been unlike any other, and she had come here today specifically for Alex. Not for Sophia, not for anyone. Just for Alex. But why?

This question will remain with us for a long time.