Chapter 177: A Thousand Year Plan

Ezra looked around as he parked on the curb and stepped out of the hovercar. The villa had been easy to notice on the street.

When Olivia had told him about the young, old man who looked like him, he had found it hard to believe here. Now, he was here to check things out for himself.

He strode to the gate and froze, almost stumbling. A teenager was walking out of the house with a duffel bag and he looked exactly like him.

That was how he looked when he was younger, albeit without the expensive clothing.

The young old man closed the door behind himself, turned and caught sight of Ezra. He froze, before laughing softly, his shock morphing into awe.

"Oh my God." He whispered. "I never thought I would see you in my lifetime."

What?

Ezra was brought back to reality by his words, frowning at him.

"Don't mind me." The young old man laughed, waving a hand. "Is that your car? How about we grab a cup of coffee."

Ezra nodded slowly and in a few minutes, they were both sitting at a corner table in a cozy coffee shop.

"What's your name, young man?" The young old man asked after taking a small sip of coffee.

"Ezra Matten." Ezra answered. "And yours?"

"Matten, huh? Figures." The young old man laughed. "Just call me, Adam."

Ezra studied Adam. The teenage looking old man looked human and yet his heartbeat was very slow. He could only hear four beats of his heart every minute. A sign he wasn't an ordinary human.

"What are you? How do you look like me? Why have I never seen you?" Ezra couldn't hold back his questions anymore. His curiosity burned. He had to know. Why?

Adam dropped his coffee gently on the table, sighing softly. "So many questions. I'll do my best to answer some."

He caught the look in Ezra's eyes and raised a hand to forestall any comments. "No. I can't answer all your questions, Ezra. Some things I don't know while others are for you to discover yourself. However, I will answer what I can."

Ezra sat silently, coffee untouched. Searᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"You asked what I am?" Adam hummed. "I'm an Eternal. I am part of a race of humans who have transcended their mortality through one way or the other while retaining my human soul. That is also what you've become. I can see that your soul wasn't originally yours but now, it is yours. You're no longer a vampire.

You're eternal."

Ezra frowned. "What? I'm not a vampire anymore?"

"Well," Adam sighed. "How do I explain it? Okay. You, Ezra, are an eternal first and foremost and a vampire second. You're both but you're more eternal than a vampire. After all, you still possess your humanity.

You, Ezra, are the..."

Adam paused before bursting into brief laughter.

"You have no idea what you are, do you?" He grinned openly at Ezra. "Don't worry. I won't spoil it by telling you. You have to discover what you are for yourself. All I'll say is that you're the result of a plan laid a thousand years ago, Ezra. You're the result of a person's hopes and dreams.

A carefully orchestrated future that is coming to pass."

Ezra stared. He had no idea how to take that. He was the result of a thousand year plan? That can't be true. But as he watched the young, old man, none of his words reeked of falsehood. Besides, he had no reason to lie to Ezra.

"You won't elaborate if I ask, will you?" He tilted his head, staring intently at Adam.

"No, I won't." Adam chuckled. "As for your second question, how do you look like me? Isn't it obvious? I'm one of your ancestors."

Ezra nodded. That had been his theory. But he had questions. If he had a rich ancestor, why did he grow up in poverty? Having to fight for every scrap he got in the slums?

"I can see the question in your eyes." Adam leaned forward, his tone serious. "When you've lived for as long as I have, you learn a few things. First, I still have my humanity. It is not easy seeing the humans I love waste away and die every few decades."

"Vampires have been changed by their new souls. They can bear the pain with the cold dead heart within them but ordinary eternals? No. I almost broke. To keep my sanity, I had to distance myself from all that I knew. That is why you never knew me, Ezra Matten.

Besides, you're not my direct descendant."

Ezra's brow shot up on his forehead. "Then, why do we look so much alike?"

"I had a twin brother." Adam smiled softly, his eyes gazing into the distance as he remembered fond memories. "That's who you look like. And the name, Matten."

"What's wrong with my name?" Ezra asked, defensively.

"There's nothing wrong with it." Adam laughed. "It's just not the name we were called before. After I was chosen to be caretaker of the Ascension well, I urged my brother to change our last name. To keep him safe."

"And what were we called before?"

"That," Adam laughed, "is one of the things I can't tell you. You have to learn it yourself or the gravity of what it means will be diminished."

Ezra leaned back, thinking of what Adam had just told him. He'd come with so many questions and yet, he would be leaving with just as many questions.

"One piece of advice for you, Ezra Matten." Adam spoke, drawing his attention. "You have been placed on a path to greatness but it's left for you to walk on it. I can see you've taken the first step... prince Ezra."

"How do you know all this? My soul and my relic?" Ezra frowned. "Isn't this the first time we're meeting?"

"This is in fact, the first time we're meeting." Adam smiled. "But remember. I'm eternal, not powerless. I've got power of my own."

Ezra was silent.

"As I was saying, if you want to take a big step on the path, Ezra Matten, when you see the Ascension well, drink from it. Drink and open your eyes. You will receive some answers. Not all but some."

Adam stood, grabbing the duffel bag on the floor. "I've told... your wife? The clue to finding the well. That's the help I can give to you."

Ezra stood, eyeing the duffel bag. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes." Adam laughed, the sound carefree. "I've been in First City for too long. It's time for me to see the world. Maybe one day, we'll meet again, Ezra Matten."

Adam raised a hand, waving before walking away. "See you, my prince!"

And with that, he was gone.