Daemon stood from his bed and he had left his apartment. He was heading toward the police station as it was obligatory to inform them of an awakening, but first he wanted to have for the first time in his life a decent meal.
As he entered the nice part of the city, people stared at him with strange expressions. Looking haggard in his cheap clothes, unhealthily thin and pale, Daemon was indeed out of place. Despite the stares, he was determined to spend his money. First, he would buy meat—real meat, not the cheap synthetic kind.
Daemon entered a nice bar, looked at the waiter, and said, "I want a steak... and 'The Coca-Cola'."
The waiter looked at Daemon like he was looking at an alien. "The Coca-Cola?"
Daemon felt a flash of shame, but he truly wanted to taste that specific drink. "Yes."
Feeling Daemon's slight discomfort, the waiter put on a superb act. "Today we have a marvelous steak at 30 credits, and a Coca-Cola is 3 credits. And if you wish to pamper yourself, we have coffee for 7 credits and dessert for 9, which will bring your total to 49 credits."
Daemon was tempted. "Does the coffee come in those cups that rich people carry to work in the morning?"
"Yes, of course. We can prepare it to-go.
Daemon's savings amounted to only 50 credits. One credit was usually enough to eat for a day, but if he was going to die today, why die with his money he can't take it in his next life, he would die happy.
"Then I want every thing"
He had not waited for long
Taking a bite from the steak, he gasped. "Ah! So good!" his taste buds were having a blast
"I should have bought a piece of real meat earlier. Who knew actual meat is so good, the difference between the real and the cheap synthetic? I don't even have words to describe it. Well at least I had tried."
Then he tried the drink. It was pitch black and filled with strange, dancing bubbles. He took a tentative sip, the carbonation stinging his tongue in a way that felt like a luxury.
They say that this drink was a very common drink before the war, and after all that he tried the dessert. He had waited so long because the waiter had told him this thing is to be eaten last.
And boy was he marvelled by "the dessert" it was something he had never thought possible, he truly did not have words to describe it.
As he left the bar with his coffee, Daemon felt rich. Enjoying the luxurious meal had cost most of his savings, but he had a new look on life, he wanted to survive, so he could just try that dessert one more time.
Giving the cup of coffee an intense look, Daemon was a little bit confused, he didn't even know if he should start drinking it yet; he hadn't seen anyone else drinking coffee on the road.
He was heading straight toward the police station when he noticed the rich people living in this part of the city rushing past a small park.
Curious about what could make them hurry, he asked a nearby person, "What's going on?"
"An Ascender will show his strength today in the central plaza."
"Really?" Daemon thought to himself. Since he was going to enter the Tower soon, it wouldn't be bad to see what an Ascender could do in person, rather than just on a broadcast. Plus, the police station was right across the plaza.
As Daemon reached the plaza, he saw two goons standing at the entrance. "1 credit for entry," one of the goons said to the person in front of Daemon.
"What do you mean, one credit for entry?" the person argued.
"If you don't have it, scram," the goon replied.
Daemon wondered if he should enter. Then, thinking how he had already spent most of his money for just one meal, he realized there was no point in saving the last bit. And he also had exactly one credit left. When his turn came, Daemon paid and entered.
In the plaza stood a giant of a man, easily over 190 cm tall. Beside him was a mountain-like stone boulder.
"Today, ladies and gentlemen, you will see an Ascender showing his strength! I am a level 19 Ascender and I have an E-grade Talent. Like everyone knows, it is the second lowest grade talent a human can awaken, but that doesn't make me weak it makes me helpful! If you don't believe me, that's okay, as I am going to show you what I can do and what other Ascenders of my level can do.
The Ascender took his position and struck the boulder. Daemon had his eyes peeled, and he saw it very clearly. He watched as the boulder cracked into a million pieces and he was amazed, but then, a severe pain hit him, complex runes symbols started to appear in each of his eyes and he saw the Ascender doing the same movement on repeat, down to the smallest detail.
"What was that?" said Daemon, in pain, his right eye felt like it was bleeding, a shadow of a man formed from runes, was taking shape deep with his retina almost touching something deeper.
"I know, impressive, to think Ascenders are so impressive." Responded a bystander
Daemon could not concentrate yet, as the severe pain was subsiding but his eye still felt alien to him.
"If you were impressed then you should, my attack was strong enough to kill an Orc in one strike." said the Ascender pride using out of him like water from a hydrant.
Daemon was amazed. Orcs were known for being at least E-Rank monsters, meaning they were at least level 20. They were notoriously hard to kill, yet this man was still an F-rank Ascender with only an E-rank talent, he showed such strength that Daemon didn't doubt his claim.
So what is the catch? Daemon wondered, then he saw the difference between the man that was standing in front of him, and the constant repeating movement in his right eye.
The Ascender was clearly exhausted, but he tried to hide it, and he almost got away with it.
"We all know what will happen at the end of the grace period. We only have less than three years, so if you have awakened, and want powers like mine, go to the tower. Don't belittle yourself, even a low talent can be useful in times of need."
The more Dameon heard the more he understood. This is basically public propaganda, Have the Guilds and Clans became so desperate for fresh blood?.