Cedric pulled a low-grade mana stone from his pocket, the faint blue light humming in his palm. He dropped it onto the counter with a dull clink, then reached over and plucked one of the tomatoes from the wooden shelf.
Cedric sank his teeth into the tomato with a sharp crunch. Juice burst out, running down his throat in a messy streak.
"Well?" Alric muttered beside him, arms crossed. "It is a normal tomato, right, Cedric?"
Cedric smirked, about to agree, but then his words stalled. His brow furrowed. He blinked once. Twice.
The chatter of the shop seemed to quiet in his ears. His breathing evened. The faint restlessness he hadn't noticed before and the scattered thoughts that always tugged at the edge of his mind were suddenly gone. In their place was a sharp clarity, like someone had wiped clean a fogged glass pane.
He exhaled slowly, realizing the change, though his pride resisted admitting it.
Alric leaned closer. "Cedric?"
