It was late in the evening, after a fascinating, eventful ceremony conducted by each of the guild for newcomers as hunters… though, not blissful for everyone, as it also served as a cruel truth of one's innate talent and worth which, in some cases also comes with denial of hunter application by the guild and might as well get dumped like the trash they were to the hunters community.
And it was really, really not going well for these two as they were asked to live after the revelation of their true worth which were rendered useless.
Deep in the avenue lined up with rows of street lamps, some blinked as though losing the energy that powered them, while some others had already died of low power expenditure in the street, which left few to shine their bright radiance in the shadows.
Along the sidewalk, moving in somewhat solemn tension, two persons passed along the street lights with one of them supporting the other, whose body shaked with muffled sobs with her head buried to his chest as they walked alone slowly.
Avander, the young man with dark hair, and quite a coldly calm expression, held and supported Sarah, a young girl with long red, curly hair was trapped in deep sobs on him, clutched to his chest.
And before you'd guess… they were one, or likely to be, the only people who were denied by their intended guild: the Golden Talon guild, after the awakening analysis in the hunter ceremony that occurred annually.
Avander was ranked as an E-class, after he had awakened a weak elemental ice talent… if that's the correct term to use for the supposed talent that could barely even freeze a meal to start with.
And as for the worst, Sarah was an F-class, a rank beneath the threshold of hunters power ranking, with nothing but heightened intuition which was comparably barely different from that of mundane humans.
And it was her dream to become a good, brilliant hunter who would contribute greatly to the society… not that it wasn't his dream, either.
As she wept with convulsive gasps, tears trickling down her eyes to his black jacket, he patted softly at her back, as he escorted her through the coldly silent, and almost empty street.
But deep down, he was struggling and suppressing the chains of emotional breakdown like hers, but still clouded it with a calm demeanor.
By now, workers are already finding their way to their precious home.
After a while of silent mourn as for him, and wailing cries as for her, a sudden thought appeared in his mind as he lingered at it for a moment, then sighed and said dully:
"It has been an awful day, hasn't it? Well guess what? I'd recommend we head to… the Sooth 'n Chills cafe, a sip of soothing shakes, beverages or a good dessert like sundaes would do the trick, right?"
Sooth 'n Chills, a fantastic cafe in the Starlight city known for its magnificently warming and refreshening drink and satiating desert when people are in a bad mood, most especially the workers, families… and in rare cases, failed hunters like them, had been popular in the city long ago.
It was like a place of solace.
She ignored what he said, still drowned in waves of sob, as Avander looked indignantly at his right hand which crystallized slightly with specks of frost at his finger tips.
'An incredible aspect made useless by its rank… pathetic.'
It didn't take long before they had reached the cafe with a tall lopsided standing post bearing its prestigious name that gleamed with flashy electric light in the shadow of the night.
The building was like a full large block of a brick house with broad glassy windows, and beautiful vase plants standing around the front entrance. Already some people were bustling out of it with newfound emotions.
Avander took in the sight and tightened his grip around her body, as she buried deeper like a lost cat, and then whispered to her:
"See, I told you it magically transforms the worked up and drained emotion to high jubilant spirits."
She muttered what sounded like —"Fuck! I never… agreed to… this shit." But was still caught on sniffing wistfully.
Ignoring her subtle protest, Avander slowly directed her into the shop. And as if to accompany, or depict the morose tension that hung between them, a tiny drop fell over his head, as he was soon to realize that it was starting to drizzle.
It was going to rain soon.
After he found a nice position for their desert, Avander sat her on the seat as she bent over to bury her head with clutched arms to the table, before he settled his shoulders down with a deep huff, not only of carrying her, but also of his inner emotional burst.
Avander lingered for a while, still with the cold nonchalant demeanor before he asked slowly:
"...Uh, which drink would you like? Or should I pick the best I know to your surprise?"
After a while of convulsing rhythmically on the table, she reluctantly raised her head, slightly enough for him to catch her weakened eyes from the burden of endlessly flow of tears, but was piercing at him with burning intensity.
"I never came for any drink or to munch on some useless dessert… I'd rather die than to do that, idiot!"
She sank back but was done crying this time; instead, she remained in silent bitterness. Avander wasn't surprised by her reaction as it wasn't the first, and probably won't be the last. She was always with some kind of bad-ass girl and arrogant behavior, so Avander was already accustomed to it.
"Okay, I'll take that… as a yes, I guess."
He muttered as he turned and stepped towards the countertop where a portly old man stood behind it, humming as he cleaned a large glassy mug with a piece of cloth.
The man, seeing him approaching, smiled and when Avander was close enough, the man leaned forward and whispered:
"I can see that your girl isn't having a good day, what happened?"
Avander frowned slightly, then sighed.
"It's just something that had to do with not being approved by the guilds, you know. That's why I've come here for its magical treatment of emotions."
The portly man's smile widened, and he said jovially:
"Ah! What can I get for you and your girl, lad? Is it strawberries, bananas, or pineapples? Which one?"
Avander remained thoughtful for a while without showing any hint of interest, and then answered with none of the options:
"Hmmm, I'd like the Mango caramel smoothie, the soothing one."
The attendant grinned, leaving the large mug on the surface of the counter as he darted off to the compartment behind, and then after some minutes, came to view with two red lidded plastic cups emblazoned with a kiddy letter 'sooth yourself, gold.' With a pair of long striped straws.
Soon, Avander walked across the countertop towards their table, when a deep rumbling sound of suppressed storm boomed through the gloomy skies.
He ignored the storm and went on.
Reaching the table, he managed to force out a cheering smile, the two cups on both his hand, then said:
"Sarah, get ready to witness the magic of the—."
The remaining words got stuck into his throat as he saw with bewilderment that Sarah was sitting upright and staring at nothing right in her front with a dazzled expression. Her green eyes darted like she was watching an invisible… whatever, it was, but seemed to elate her mood.
The corner of her lips curled into a slight smirk as he reached out to wake her from whatever delusional she had gotten into.
"Uh… Sarah?"
But then, he was wrong about the delusion, when he froze in utter shock as a screen flickered to life from thin air before his own face with a soft chime.
[♦ Ding! Weak host found! ♦]
[♦ Ding! You have been offered the status of a player to the power, that lies on your choice ♦]
[♦ Ding! Upon leveling up
, you awaken a legendary aspect that carries you above all ♦]
[♦ Do you accept it? ♦]
[Y/N]