Voen
I was one of the few who stayed at the academy during break. A much-needed time for myself
I spent most of my time honing my astral affinity for restoration and visiting Mira in the medbay. It was a shame what had happened to her. Despite our rocky relationship, I knew losing a member of our cluster would only make passing the final Rift exam that much harder.
So I took it upon myself to help her wake up sooner. I started with the idea that the Restoration affinity's cosmic energy was fundamentally tied to returning things to their optimal state. Then I combined that with everything I'd learned from herbology, medicine, alchemy, and my understanding of frequencies.
During that time, I made great progress in understanding what it meant to be a vitalist, and I unlocked my second node.
This allowed me to copy any sound I heard.
This advancement allowed me to hear the frequencies plants gave off, and I learned through herbology research that plants grow faster with certain types of music or sounds.
So I learned to match the frequency with my flute.
My entire trough sprouted and reached full maturity within days. So for a week straight, I grew astral herbs and plants that would aid in cosmic energy absorption and cosmic vein repair.
It felt good to slowly start to understand more about myself and my powers after being alone, with no one to show me the ropes.
But despite all of that, Mira still wasn't waking up, or even showing any signs that she would soon.
Maybe the rumors were true. Maybe Cyrus and Mira fought something with this ability. It doesn't seem like anything that Cyrus could manage himself.
Then my communicator rang. It was an Arbiter named Max. Since everyone has come back from break, word got out that I could grow plants faster. So I began gaining inquiries for my services.
Max had ordered rhodisandra berries. I agreed, but under one condition. He would have to give me the contact info of a few arbiters in exchange for the sale. Otherwise, I would charge him triple.
So I met him at the rec center for the exchange.
Max had dark circles around his eyes, and his hair looked ragged. His heart raced nearly one hundred eighty beats per minute.
The need for these berries was great.
"Do you have the berries?" Max asked.
"Depends, do you have what I require?"
It feels good to be the one demanding things.
"Yes, but what do you plan to do with them?"
"Client outreach. Now send the contacts and the credits over."
Max pulled out his communicator, swiped a few times, and then I heard a ding from my communicator.
I saw two notifications, then tossed him the small satchel of berries I'd grown.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you."
Max ran off, leaving me in the rec area.
These kids grew up with so much money that they have no idea they are being scammed.
I sat in one of the plushies next to the TV and began saving the students' information into my communicator.
The first was a girl with straight brown hair, pale skin, and a scar across her face. Her name was Lauren, and the other two I wanted were Jack and Rob—students who originally kicked my housemates and me out of the rec shortly after the Totem Games.
They were about to learn that just because they were stronger than me, it didn't mean they were safe from me.
I grew up in the frozen wasteland by myself; they have no clue how treacherous things could get.
I made my way back to my shabby wooden dorm and plopped on my tattered mattress. Taking out my communicator, I activated an app that concealed my number and made me untraceable.
A perk I received from an armament tech for supplying him.
I called them one by one. But not with my own voice. I used a voice that they respected, and they feared even more now that the person had reached the adept stage.
The voice I used was Stavros's.
This new ability is so handy.
To each of them, I pretended to be Stravos and asked them to train. Each of them was excited by the idea that Stravos thought highly enough of them to enlist their help.
While pretending to be Stravos, I also asked them to pick up rhodisandra berries and other herbs to aid the group's recovery after their training session, and to get them from the poor vitalist on scholarship named Voen, because he has a great deal. I also added that Stravos would pay them back for picking up the supplies.
I can't wait to hear about the chaos.
I pushed the order through when they contacted me.
The next day came, and I met them at the rec center.
When they all came in, I could hear the excitement in their pulses.
Right where I want them.
"You got the stuff?" Lauren asked, her scar shiny from the sweat rolling down her forehead.
"I sure do. But hey, do you guys remember when we first met?"
The three of them looked at each other, their faces squinting with confusion.
"No, we don't, and we don't care really; just give us the stuff and take our payment."
Oh, to be rich and proud.
"Ah, no worries, then my mistake. Here are the berries and herbs you asked for, and I even threw in some extra for you guys, being first-time customers."
"Yeah, whatever, thanks," Lauren said as my communicator dinged, signaling I'd received my payment.
We all went our separate ways, and later that night, as I played my flute to my own personal stash of plants in my room.
I was interrupted by my communicator obnoxiously ringing. It was a school-wide message: Please make sure you all are practicing good hygiene. House Obalex has three documented cases of a bad stomach flu causing explosive diarrhea.
I let out a small chuckle.
That's the price of doing business.