"So this is where you've been staying all this time?"
Evan asked curiously while looking around Lyran's spacious apartment. She had brought everyone back to her place after their surprise reunion in the restaurant.
"Yeah, believe it or not it's actually pretty easy to make a living here. At first we were struggling but then someone told us about the hunters association. We went out and took down a big monster and brought it back. Turned out to be some super rare catch and we got a bunch of money for it. If you guys are staying why not sign up for the job?"
"Oh that sounds perfect, we literally took out like a million of those things on the way here."
Cera was already counting the money in her head.
"By the way, just now you kept saying 'we' does that mean someone else from Neodeka is here with you?"
Evan was looking around for a familiar face but didn't see anyone.
"Sadly no…I haven't found anyone else yet. I had searched all through the wasteland hoping to find someone from Neodeka but I never saw anyone. I had lost all hope and thought I was the only one who survived until you guys showed up today."
Lyran was having mixed emotions, she was happy to see some old friends but still sad at how many are still lost. At this point they're probably dead.
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"Heyy whatsup, I see some new faces?"
An unfamiliar brown haired guy walked in the room, his giant wings made him stand out.
"oh yeah these are my friends Cera, Evan, Sadako (and her chicken named Basa), Avery and Jericho. Everyone meet Angel."
"Ooooooo I see what you've been up to Blueberry *wink wink*"
As soon as Lyran introduced Angel Cera began teasing her while laughing maniacally.
"What? It's not like that."
"Or is it? Mwahaha *wink wink*"
"What are you talking about, go be crazy over there or something."
Lyran was trying to shoe Cera away while Angel started snickering.
"Don't be embarrassed babe you know we got a love for the ages *wink wink*"
"Not you too…what is wrong with everyone today"
Lyran was just about to start sulking from being teased when she suddenly remembered something.
"Oh yeah, let's get you guys down to the hunters association so you can sign up."
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The scribbling sound of pen on paper as Evan and his friends signed up for their position as official hunters.
There is an association in the town of Selina that will hire anyone brave enough to venture out into the wasteland to hunt and collect meat.
There are several different monsters that fetch different prices depending on the quality of the meat. Most hunters band together in groups to take down bigger prey and then split the profits.
This is how Lyran and Angel have made a living for almost 2 years in Selina.
"You guys can sleep at my place until you can get enough money for your own places, it might be tight living quarters but it's better than outside at least."
"Or those crappy tents we had in Neodeka…"
With everything set up it seemed that everyone would be on to leading productive lifestyles from now on.
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"Oh yeah, so Evan let's head out and get some training done. You want to learn your new powers right?"
"It is imperative that he learns them, so yes."
Sadako chimed in. Evan and Sadako might have made up but she was the type of person that wouldn't forget what's important to her not even for a second. And so with that the group of four consisting of Cera, Evan, Sadako and Avery headed out to the wasteland.
"When will we be going on to use this key?"
Avery asked, a stern voice as he was growing impatient in waiting.
"Soon, with the time traveler business I still have to focus on these unforseen circumstances."
"How do you plan for us to get to Neodeka, it broke apart when I killed the dragon."
"That dragon was named Atsuko. She was my sister, and if Goliath is to be believed then that means that she was your half sister and so am I. With that being said, Atsuko was truly aweful though I think you should remember her name at least."
"- Okay…how do you plan for us to get to Neodeka when it broke apart after I killed Atsuko."
"Very carefully."
"That's not an answer."
"Well, first off I'm pretty sure Neodeka is still in tact. It's just a hunch though, and secondly with the key we can just open the gateway to Neodeka. That is how Atsuko and myself were sent there in the first place."
"Where is the gateways?"
"It's located in the ruins, there's an old temple north of the kingdom of flames."
"Isn't that the complete opposite direction of where we are now?"
"Exactly. That's why we will wait until this time traveler shows up. I'll kill the time traveler, take back Saika then lead you to Neodeka to retrieve fire girls lost soul. Sound like a plan?"
"As long as I see Blair again it will be worth it."
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"Okay Ev so first thing you need to do is visualize the magic flowing through you. Once you tap into your magic you will just have to flex it like a muscle until you can completely control your powers okay?"
"Well that's easier said than done, but I'll give it a try I guess."
Evan closed his eyes and focused on visualizing his magic. The wind was whipping by carrying bits of sand and the temperature was beginning to drop as the sun was setting beyond the horizon.
Evan was picturing a waterfall in his mind when suddenly a jolt hit him and he felt the magic that Cera described flowing through him.
"I'm just assuming you're a slow learner, unlike me. To be honest, I learned how to use my magic almost immediately. Jealous? Yeah you should be- hey? Space cadet are you even listenin- acccckkkk!!!"
Evan and Cera went from standing in the desert to suddenly swimming in an ocean of water. They were both confused and panicking as neither of them ever learned how to swim.
"Evvvaaaaannnnnn"
Cera screamed while flailing around in the water. After a few minutes they were back on the ground as all the water soaked into the sand.
Gasping on all fours Cera was terrified, drowning is one of her deepest fears after all.
"What…the heck….was that?"
"Did you teleport us or something?"
"I didn't do anything I was just waiting for your magic to activate…hm? Wait, when you were visualizing did you feel like something like energy?"
"Yeah…it felt like a jolt and then next thing I knew we were swimming…do you think?"
"I think your powers are going to be off the scale little bro…scary…"
Evan just laughed nervously in reply, there wasn't anything he could really say.
"I think that's enough excitement for one night. Let's start heading back before we freeze to death."
They were both soaked from head to toe, sloshing around in their boots.
"Screw that were teleporting back."
"Wait, you can teleport back there?"
"I can teleport anywhere I've been before, moving through dimensional space is one of my abilities yaknow. Oh, and I can control lightning, aren't I the coolest?"
"Not gonna lie that is actually pretty cool."