Eryas stood outside a florist's shop, where many beautiful flowers were on display. He examines each flower thoroughly while casually rubbing his chin. The florist then came and greeted him.
"Excuse me, sir, are you interested in buying some flowers?"
"Ohh, yes, I am."
"Have you decided which one?"
"Yes."
"Well then, let's head inside, sir."
After a few minutes had passed, Eryas emerged from the shop, a bouquet of flowers in hand. He scrutinized the bouquet of pristine white roses, ensuring every petal was in place. He then took a moment to smell the sweet fragrance of those flowers, making sure they were perfect. However, during payment, Eryas faced some kind of trial. In this modern era where everything is cashless transactions, Eryas's manaless condition posed a challenge.
Frostreign, the name of the family that founded Veloria, is not only the ruler of its city but also the face of the leading advancements in Sorcertech. They had a company named Frostreign Inc., which specialized in developing and creating new things that can improve the well-being of its citizens. Over the last decade, they have introduced a new device that can help people communicate with each other even when they are far away from each other. This unusual device is shaped like a small rectangular block and features a glass screen on top.
When it is first released, one of its key functions is that it can send messages to the recipient instantly. A week or even months' worth of traveling to send letters was simplified using this device called Sorcerfon. People can send messages back and forth, learning about their friends' or families' well-being at that right moment. The other function of this device is that it allows users to call someone and hear their voice as if they were right beside you, even when they are far away. The creation of Sorcerfon marks a significant leap in the advancement of Sorcertech.
Throughout each year, Sorcerfon's features evolved. Now people could see each other through their screens. Another groundbreaking feature was its ability to facilitate cashless transactions. The rapid advancement of Sorcertech was truly mind-boggling. Sorcerfon had become a societal norm in Veloria, with almost every individual owning one, a testament to the world's technological progress.
From the looks of it, there is only one person in the city who doesn't use it, and it is Eryas. The technology in Sorcerfon itself is mind-blowing, making custom modifications for Eryas seem impossible. Its build is so intricate that even customizing it to use a runestone battery is not possible. Another reason is that each device had a biometric identification system, which could only be operated by a living being. The fon itself scans the owner's mana and can only be operated by its owner. This is one of the security measures for the Sorcerfone in case it is missing or stolen. So even putting on a battery won't help Eryas to use it.
In the end, Eryas manages to pay it using cash, but he has to pay more because of the inconveniences he caused. However, he didn't mind it much because he had a lot to spare.
'Huh, I worked hard earning all that money, but in the end I couldn't really use it.'
After a few minutes of walking, Eryas finally arrives. On his left lay a beautiful crystal lake. Some families were having a picnic nearby, while others strolled along the edge of the lake. Right in front of him stood a beautiful cafe facing the lake. This is the first stop of his date. Enjoying delicious food with stunning scenery. Eryas scans around the cafe looking for his girlfriend, but it seems she hasn't arrived yet. He sighed.
People can easily text each other nowadays, asking where they are or when they will arrive in just a few seconds. But that benefit does not apply to Eryas. Both he and his girlfriend are still using an old method to contact each other, which is sending letters. The problem with this old-fashioned method is that it takes a considerable amount of time for the message to be successfully delivered. Even when he wants to receive a reply, it could take a whole week. Currently, he has no way of knowing when his girlfriend will arrive. Eryas takes a look at his watch.
'10 : 00 A.M.'
"Guess I'm the first one."
The meeting is at ten, and his girlfriend might be a little late. With that, he seated himself at the outside table with a huge patio umbrella in the middle covering him from the sunlight. He lifts the cup of coffee from the table and brings it close to his mouth, sipping it slowly. His eyes wandered around at people who were enjoying themselves, while sometimes searching for his girlfriend. The cup is then carefully placed back on the table. Eryas looks at it and chuckles.
"It's true what people say, ignorance is bliss. Everybody is just enjoying their own daily lives without realising that the world is about to end."
He sighed.
Despite the technological advancements that he cannot fully embrace, Eryas finds solace in the simple joys of life. He sips his coffee, acknowledging that he, too, is just another person enjoying his daily life, despite the impending doom.
As he sips his coffee, Eryas's thoughts drift to the past. He suddenly remembered a scene where he learns about the impending doom of the world. Learning that knowledge, he feels a sense of powerlessness, knowing that as a mere human, he cannot change the course of fate.
He continued sipping on his coffee until he eventually heard footsteps hurriedly jog up to him.
"Click-clack"
The sound of heels clicking on the marbles caught his attention. Eryas turned his head slightly and saw a woman in a white blouse and long black skirt approaching him. She had long, raven-black hair, and her eyes were concealed behind sunglasses. Eryas rises from his seat and pulls the opposite chair back. He then pushed it back once she finally sat down. He sits back on his chair before greeting her.
"Hi, Helena."
She took off her sunglasses, revealing a pair of beautiful, obsidian-black eyes. She looked at Eryas before replying.
"Hi… Eryas."
Suddenly, his heart ached. His face hides those feelings, but he could feel something. Eryas felt something weird about Helena. There is no excitement in her face; she doesn't even smile. Her face looked serious and scared, but at the same time, a doubtful expression could be seen. But Eryas tried not to think of it too much.
"How was your trip here? You must be hungry. Let's order some food. What do you want? You like pasta, right?"
She didn't answer. Not even a single question. Eryas looked into her eyes; he noticed that she sometimes avoided eye contact with him. When he sees those eyes, he can feel a faint tremor in those pupils.
'I don't like where this is going.'
He forced a smile.
"Helena, are you okay? What's wrong? Is it too hot, or do you not like eating here?
There were a few moments of silence before she replied.
"No… no, it's not that."
She lingered for a moment and finally looked at Eryas directly into his eyes. She inhaled one deep breath before talking.
"Eryas… I'm sorry. I think we should end this."
Eryas was stunned. He was frozen in place for a few seconds, trying to digest what he had heard.
'She wants to break up? Why?'
"Why?"
She took a deep breath.
"We're just… cannot be together. You know… we... Both live in a very different world. I'm sorry. I tried, but I couldn't. I just can't. Both of us would get hurt in the end if we continue this relationship."
For a moment, Eryas felt like he forgot how to breathe. He tried to calm himself and leaned back on his chair, and crossed his arms.
"Wait, that is your reason? I'm not convinced. You're saying that you would rather one of us be hurt now?"
"Yes, I would rather hurt myself than let everything be too late. I'm really, really sorry. But this is for the best... for both of us."
"So everything is all about you. What about me? What about my feelings? Did you even stop a moment to think about it?"
"I do. Because I do think about it, that is the reason why I choose to end this. This is just how things are, Eryas. Even if we try, the future for us is impossible. No matter how hard we try, my future with you is impossible."
His head started to feel dizzy. His heart felt like it was about to explode. He tried to suppress his emotions because he didn't want to cause a scene. Eryas moved his hand onto his forehead and slowly massaged it. He is sweating even when he is protected from the sunlight by the patio umbrella.
'Why does it feel so hot today?'
"So just like that? You want to throw everything away? Just like that? What about all those memories that we create, all those promises we make? You said that we would figure things out together. You said that my condition won't stop you from loving me. Does any of that have any meaning for you?"
In an instant, without even replying to Eryas's questions, Helena rose from her seat. She put her sunglasses back on, trying to avoid eye contact with Eryas.
"I've got to go. Please don't bother looking for me anymore after this. I'm sorry all of these had to happen. I don't mind if you hate me… bye."
She walked away in a hurried step. The sound of high heels clicking on the marble road slowly dissipates. Eryas froze in his seat. His mind went blank. He wants to go to stop her, but his body feels numb, heavy, as if the force of gravity is crushing him to the ground. Things that were supposed to feel like a dream suddenly turn into a horrendous nightmare. He placed his hand on his heart as if trying to relieve the pain he felt. But those actions seem useless as the pain never subsides. The only thing he could feel was that his heartbeat was increasing in speed. In those painful moments, his eyes suddenly turned towards the left side of the table where the bouquet of flowers was placed.
'I didn't even get to give it to her.'
He tried to massage his temples next, but ended up brushing his hair, which caused it to become terribly messed up.
"Arghh! What the hell, man?!"
Eryas closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He tried to gather his thoughts and assess the situation rationally. His eyes linger on those flowers from time to time. His mind suddenly came up with an idea.
'That might work. Yeah, it should work. I think I'll go with that. I should go with that.'
With that, he took the half-finished cup of coffee earlier and gulped it down.
"Uhh, it's cold."
Somewhere deep and dark, in a place where there is only darkness in space. Four large black chains, coming from each side, were tightly wrapped against each other, binding something in the middle. The motionless chains suddenly sway lightly as if it was blown by the winds. On the four ends of the black chains, a small crack can be seen forming.