“So, we can't go out? How long will it take?” Ewan asked, pocketing the pouch crammed with Crelith coins—about five thousand, he traded all his Sols for it. A single coin of this transparent metal might be light on the fingers, but five thousand of it pulled his thin jacket down, almost ripping his pocket. He couldn’t wait to get alone and put it inside his claw-ring.
“We’ve been waiting for days now and still nothing,” A semi-sober customer said, joining in on the conversation. “My saving’s already running thin.”
“Then stop drinking,” the barkeep said, sliding a pitcher of brown ale on the counter to Ewan. Less than a quarter spilled when the glass braked before him.
“That can't do.” The customer grinned. He gulped the last bit of alcohol in his glass, shaking it to get the drops, and slammed it on the counter. “Another one!”
Did the situation worsen that much already? Ewan wondered, sipping the ale. It was spicy and burned his throat, but also had a syrupy smell to it that he couldn’t taste.
“If you want to wait for more information, you can rent a room in my inn. It’s the best around here and won’t cost you much, only one Sol per day,” the barkeep said. “I also take Crelith coins.”
“I’ll rent one then,” Ewan said. “And keep me informed of any developments here, I’ll pay for it.” He slid a Crelith coin to the barkeep.
The speculations in the report he read in the hub worried him. If it became reality, it would drag him into a torrent. He needed to pay the hub a visit to check the current situation, and he needed a quiet and safe room for it.
…….
Inside the room.
Orange jumped out of the vortex and stood guard as Ewan connected to the hub, lying on the creaking bed with the sheet and pillow smelling sundried.
His shop was the same as always, devoid of anything to sell, and so were the streets outside. The clamor from the Airadia’s advancement countdown had already settled, businesses were back to normal.
Ewan checked the information screen, there was nothing new on Obria. The announcement screen had something related though, and it was heating up by the minutes. An ongoing auction with the ‘Ashevagord’ stamp listed the colony as its finale. The confirmation of his suspicions deflated Ewan, worries and concerns tormented his mind. Were the bids for the colony alone? Or did it include its inhabitants too…
He sighed. The sky-high walls that once gave him a sense of security now caged him inside. Unless the gates opened, he couldn’t go anywhere. The damn wall was unclimbable.
Back in the room, Ewan took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. He came here only for two purposes, never to stay for long. One he’d accomplished while the other looked bleak…
If he was the new owner, the new Crown, he would never open the gates until he controlled the colony and established a stable rule. If he assumed the worst, chaos was inevitable. Nevertheless, his reason for staying on the outskirts ended with the new information, it was time to go back.
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……
The return journey remained uneventful, save for the jeers and the curses people threw at him, which fell on deaf ears. The heat from the news still raged about, he was still the number one enemy of the public. But no one attacked him, no one came for his Crelith coins either, contrary to his worries. Either the hunters in the tavern were all Severynths and didn’t care for this currency, or they were all prudent and vigilant enough to not attack someone they knew nothing about. Regardless, it saved him some time and effort.
His one-day adventure ended as he opened the door to his home and stepped into his courtyard with freshly grown grass that healed the scorched earth. The next order of business was to increase his strength as much as he could before the chaos descended. And his target was
……
Down in the basement.
Ewan sat cross-legged in a corner with the
He twirled this blood thread around his finger then made random shapes with it. His control was still amateurish, but he was getting better. When he’d played enough, he absorbed it and sent it to his blood rune. This marked the success of the
Yet, the fact conflicted him. Even though he already killed several, using death to practice a spell didn’t sit too well.
“I’m such a hypocrite…,” he murmured.
…..
The auction ended after a day, Obria had a new owner now. Ewan hoped for the best but was ready for the worst, or so he thought.
On the third daybreak after the auction, the horrors of reality far surpassed his worst imagination.
He stood on the chimney, gaping at the erupting mushrooms of fire in the distance while the sirens blared in the air. Gusts of wind smacked his face, his clothes fluttered, his hair danced. The chimney shook with every shockwave, chipped concrete fell off. Horrified screams echoed in the block, children wailed, dogs howled, birds flapped away in panic, and the deafening alarm smothered them all. Everyone was out on the streets today; terror and fright ran amuck.
And then, the walls came crashing down.
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Status: Healthy
Step-0 [3rd Awakening]
Name: Ewan Ayres
Species: Human
Vitality: 1.4
Spirit: 6.6
Anima: [Fire – 6.6 | Ice – 6.6 | Blood – 6.6]
Astylinds: 4 [Potential: 0]
Rolling Cat [Toast]: Step-0 [3rd Awakening]
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Fire Monkey [Orange]: Step-0 [Level-3] [Grade-C]
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Imp [Frost]: Step-0 [Level-3] [Grade-C]
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Blood Lotus [Iris]: Step-0 [Level-3] [Grade-C]
Equipment: Common Clothes.
Storage: Journal; Elementalist—The Path of Anima [Subtype-Book]; Spellbook; Bloodlust [Spell]; Transmute [Spell]; Anima-Crystals; Obsidian Dagger; Hub-Connector; Ingredients.
Novas: 290
Crelith: 4984