Eisen Promenade, Astranvale City Center, Wintergarten Cafe,Wednesday Afternoon, August 1st, 2028
The Astranvale sky that afternoon was adorned with bright blue gradients and thin wisps of cotton-white clouds, promising a tranquil evening. For Cedric, it was the perfect moment to indulge himself slightly. After successfully gaining a small mastery over his light affinity, an achievement only he and Ivy knew about, Cedric decided to take the "small reward" he had long planned. Instead of going straight home and continuing his rigorous training as usual, he chose to stop by his favorite cafe – a place Chloe had once recommended, and now a phase of serenity amidst his routine.
The cafe's atmosphere that day was as usual, filled with the wafting aroma of coffee and the murmur of customer conversations. Cedric sat in a corner, enjoying the peace. Suddenly, from seemingly empty air, a small, transparent figure faded into reality. Ivy, his fairy-like Viriant, appeared beside his coffee cup.
"It's unusual for you not to go straight to training," Ivy asked, her voice only audible in Cedric's mind, "Or do you already feel strong enough?" There was a teasing tone in her voice.
Cedric smiled faintly. "This is a small reward for myself," he replied mentally, "Besides, a little rest is important, isn't it?"
In the midst of their mental conversation, understood only by the two of them, the cafe's doorbell rang loudly, drawing Cedric's attention. A tall man stepped in. With elegant long black hair and golden-yellow eyes that exuded a mysterious aura, the man looked like he had stepped out of an aristocratic fashion magazine. He surveyed the entire cafe with a calm yet thorough gaze. It was clear all the tables were full, except for one empty chair directly opposite Cedric.
The man approached Cedric's table. Politely, he asked after ordering his drink at the counter, "Excuse me, is this seat taken? It seems to be the only one left."
Cedric nodded lightly, inviting him. "Of course," he replied.
The man then took a seat. After a moment, he looked at Cedric with an unreadable gaze. "I find your face unfamiliar here," he said with a deep, calm voice, "Are you new to this cafe?"
Cedric shook his head. "Not really. I come here often, perhaps we just visit at different times," he replied, a little surprised by the direct question.
The man nodded slightly, as if accepting Cedric's explanation. "So that's how it is," he murmured. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Arashviel Varenhart. A native citizen," he said, extending his hand.
Cedric returned the handshake, feeling a strange warmth from the touch. "Cedric Glensrevins," he introduced himself briefly. In his mind, Ivy, invisible to Arash, seemed slightly surprised by the appearance of this stranger.
After some light conversation about the weather and daily routines, Arash changed the subject. "Are you interested in the history of this city?" he asked, his eyes seeming deeper. "You know, Astranvale is the capital of Eisenreich."
"Of course, that's common knowledge," Cedric replied, a little surprised by the direction of Arash's question.
"Are you interested in ancient monuments and other historical relics?" Arash continued, his tone showing genuine interest.
"Yes, I am," Cedric admitted. "But unfortunately, there's very little information about things that are ancient and buried by time. Eisenreich itself has only stood for 237 years, since King Alven declared himself emperor and unified all kingdoms."
Arash smiled faintly, a smile that didn't reach his eyes and hinted at something more. "True, the circulating information is limited," he said, his voice softer, as if only for Cedric to hear. "But, there are some things not recorded in general history books. Some old ruins, for instance, hold stories that far predate those 237 years... long before Eisenreich existed." Arash's gaze was now sharper, as if piercing through Cedric's thoughts.
Suddenly, before Cedric could respond, a faint tremor was felt. Glasses on the tables clattered softly, and the whispers of conversation in the cafe abruptly ceased. Outside, the wind blew fiercely, clearly audible even from inside the cafe, accompanied by a charred scent and panicked screams beginning to sound from a distance. Arash and Cedric simultaneously felt a surge of strong Neva energy, pulsating from a direction not far from the cafe.
"It seems your small reward will have to be postponed, Cedric," Arash said, calmly rising from his seat, as if he had anticipated this. "There's a disturbance."
Cedric, without hesitation, immediately stepped towards the cafe exit. In his mind, he spoke to Ivy.
"This Neva energy is erratic," Ivy whispered frantically. "It seems the Deviant with this wind affinity is losing control! If left unchecked longer, it will mutate into an Avenger and become even more dangerous!"
"Which way?" Cedric asked, his eyes sharpening, ignoring the crowd of people who were starting to panic.
"To the west," Ivy replied, "Esylia Park!"
As Cedric was about to step completely out of the cafe, Arash's voice stopped him. "What are you trying to do?" he asked, looking at Cedric's back with an unreadable gaze.
Cedric paused for a moment, then turned to face Arash. "I'm going to see." Without waiting for a response, he stepped out again.
Arash made no further comment. With calm but quick steps, he followed Cedric out of the now chaotic cafe.
As they exited, the scene on the main street became even more terrifying. Cars seemed to be flying, lifted slightly off the ground by an invisible raging wind, nearby shop windows began to crack, and small debris whirled wildly in the air. The air was filled with the terrifying howl of the wind, mixed with the panicked screams of citizens.
Cedric moved forward, facing the increasingly strong gusts of wind. The winds were so sharp, slightly cutting his cheeks which he had already protected with his hands as he approached. The faint sting did not stop him. His bluish-purple eyes focused on finding the source of the chaos. In the distance, in the devastated city park, a Deviant was seen surrounded by a vicious swirling vortex of wind, shouting incoherent words.
"He's becoming more unstable, Cedric!" Ivy exclaimed in Cedric's mind. "Look at his Neva energy! It's about to reach the mutation point! We have to stop him before he becomes an Avenger!"
Cedric nodded mentally. He couldn't use his Fluxbringer Key, and without a weapon, he had to rely on his speed and adaptability in combat. He tried to find a gap in the wind vortex, moving nimbly to avoid flying debris and deadly gusts of wind. Every attack he aimed at the Deviant was blocked by a strong wind shield.
Behind Cedric, Arash simply stood watching from a distance, his golden eyes intensely following Cedric's every move. There was no surprise or anxiety on his face, as if he was evaluating or even testing the extent of Cedric's abilities and courage in facing this situation.
Seeing Cedric struggling to penetrate the defense, Arash exhaled softly. An invisible ripple spread from him. Instantly, the wind vortex protecting the Deviant fluctuated slightly, as if an invisible wave had disrupted its flow. A very thin, almost imperceptible gap opened for a fraction of a second.
"Now, Cedric!" Ivy shouted in Cedric's mind, realizing the gap that had suddenly appeared thanks to Arash's help. "His Neva core is in his chest! Hit him there!"
Cedric didn't waste the opportunity. With incredible speed, he broke through the gap Arash had created. Using his momentum, he launched a precise punch to the Deviant's chest. The punch, though without the aid of his 'Key', was enough to strike the Deviant's already highly unstable Neva core.
The Deviant growled in pain, the wind vortex around him wavered, then shattered. His body flickered, his Neva energy dispersed, and slowly he disappeared into particles of light, leaving destruction in the city park.
After the Deviant vanished, an ink-like shape resembling an emerald emerged from the remnants of the defeated Deviant's characteristics. Ivy, Cedric's Viriant, immediately explained it. "That's Esylium, Cedric! The residual Neva core energy! You can absorb it! But it might be useful to keep it for now."
Cedric approached the Esylium, feeling a familiar energy pull, but this time he didn't absorb it immediately. Instead, he picked up the Esylium, holding it in his hand, a warm sensation spreading through his palm. The residual Neva energy from the Deviant's explosion, still floating in the air, suddenly rushed towards Cedric as if absorbed by him.
After that, he felt something strange within himself. He re-examined the writings he usually saw in his vision, as if there was an information interface only he could see. His focus was on the word "affinity" which now expanded to include light, wind.
Wanting to confirm what happened, Cedric tried to focus his Neva into his palm. Soon, wind began to gather there, faintly swirling over his skin.
"You... you absorbed the Deviant's ability?" Ivy uttered, her voice in Cedric's mind filled with shock and astonishment.
Arash, who had witnessed the entire incident from a distance and now stood near Cedric, observed the change in Cedric with a calm, unreadable gaze. Police and ambulance sirens began to sound, approaching from afar.
"We'd better leave before they arrive," Arash said expressionlessly.
Cedric nodded. With the Esylium in his hand, he followed Arash back to the cafe, leaving the devastated city park behind. The cafe's patrons were still panicked and whispering, but Cedric and Arash managed to return to their table without drawing too much attention amidst the chaos.
After they sat down and the atmosphere in the cafe began to calm slightly, Cedric looked at Arash, confused. "How can you be so calm?" he asked, a hint of astonishment in his voice. "As if what just happened... is normal for you."
Arash merely smiled faintly, this time his smile a little more real, yet still holding mystery. "It's simple, Cedric," he replied, his voice soft and full of secrets. "I am like you. A Deviant. And I can see your little Viriant." His golden-yellow eyes glanced slightly towards Ivy, who was invisible to others, making Ivy in Cedric's mind instantly fall silent in shock.
Both of Arash's statements stunned Cedric. "You... a Deviant?" Cedric couldn't hide his surprise. All this time, he thought he was the only Deviant he knew. And about Ivy... only high-level Deviants could see Viriants. This meant Arash was far stronger than he had expected.
"True," Arash affirmed, his gaze now serious. "And your ability, Cedric, is an anomaly. It's very rare for a Deviant to absorb the affinity of another defeated Deviant. That's a special power, but it can also attract unwanted attention." Arash leaned forward slightly, "This world is far more complex than you imagine. There are more Deviants out there, and not all of them are balanced like the one you just saw. Furthermore, your ability... could become a target."
Arash leaned back, resting against the back of his chair, letting his words hang in the air. The cafe's gradually returning normalcy contrasted with the weight of the information he had just conveyed. Cedric looked at the Esylium in his hand, then at Ivy who was still silent in his mind, and finally back at Arash, with thousands of questions swirling in his head. He realized that this meeting at the cafe had opened a door to a completely different world, a world full of secrets and dangers, and he was now an inseparable part of it.