During the early days in the new era wherein Energy Refiners were still being produced in labs, every colonized and terraformed planet had them close to the government and military.
They would be given positions as well as benefits that would tie them down into becoming the guardian of the human settlement.
And that was because of how they're the only shot at defending against the Dimensional Rift that would devastate the settlement or worse destroy it completely.
With their ability to harness and refine the Dimensional Energy and their ability to strengthen themselves through that, Energy Refiners became the most sought-after career in every planet and World Zone.
However, it's still not always the same rainbows and butterflies for them.
Because of how they seemed to be endlessly growing, leaving behind the realm of humanity, some paranoid government officials or military commanders created a dark history for every Energy Refiner at that time.
It was called The Refiner's Purge.
In every planet that had eventually stabilized the settlements and the technology grew to the extent of even a normal soldier could fight against Rift Monsters with the aid of the improved Metadomes and other weapons that utilized Dimensional Energy, they began hunting the Energy Refiners.
They were all given a choice, to become thoroughly tied to the government, much like a dog, or to die.
Because of the small population of Energy Refiners back then, some of them succumbed to the threat and became government lapdogs while most chose to flee or die.
With that extremely disgusting move from government officials, the world came back in order just like the old times when every human was still on Earth.
However, that only lasts for less than a decade.
Years later, the Energy Refiners who fled returned, even stronger than before.
They dismantled governments, freed the Energy Refiners they could free from government control, took over the laboratories producing new refiners and installed themselves as the new governing bodies in each planet and human settlements.
And thousands of years later, the Human Civilization gradually became distinctly divided into three gigantic factions where nations or planets rallied under them and made up their territories.
Each faction was established by Energy Refiners who built them from the ground up.
The Aldea Federation
The Stiletto Council
And the Gambia Republic
With the joint effort from the three factions, the Refiner's Association came to be through a tripartite agreement.
It was established as a universal organization aimed to regulate every Energy Refiner that was either made, born or awakened by themselves.
Even the ruling and the strongest Energy Refiners from the three factions were registered in it to serve as role models for every Energy Refiner to follow.
To avoid conflict, the selected Head of the Association wouldn't be just one. There would be three of them, one from each faction. They would be the main decision-maker in the association and every move or regulation they would propose needed to be voted by the three Heads or Representatives. The decision would only be considered a pass by unanimous vote. If the decision is split then it could be revised and be presented again.
The main purpose of the association was to make sure that every Energy Refiner is accounted for.
In truth, they could be said to be the 4th Faction but true to their purpose, they seldom enter a conflict unless it involved the unaccounted Energy Refiners or the balance that was created by the three factions was on the verge of breaking.
-
-
After their lunch, Renissa and Aldrin began their move as the former guided the latter towards the Refiner's Association located in Lonewind City.
Compared to the City Hall and City Hall Guards that were located in the middle of Central District in what they called the City Hall Compound, the building of the Refiner's Association was humbly located next to it.
From the outside, it was a 10-story building with its exterior designed like an embedded sword on the ground. The logo of the Refiner's Association that was a crossed Sword and Gun with a planet behind them could be clearly seen at the hilt of the sword-like building.
When they reached the main entrance of the building which could be instantly noticed as not-that-busy, Renissa lifted her phone which contained her Energy Refiner Identification issued by the association to show it to the man guarding the entrance to the establishment.
"He's here to register." Renissa introduced Aldrin who's currently standing slightly behind her. "He awakened yesterday, amidst the disaster in the Southern District."
Aldrin, whose eyes wandered around the interior of the building that he probably never dreamed of stepping foot on, straightened his back after Renissa's introduction.
The man guarding the entrance wore something like a business suit but parts of his body were adorned with armor. His long sleeves and black pants were covered with silver arm guards and leg guards. Moreover, hung around his hips was a belt where a handgun was holstered as well as a baton one could often see amongst police bodies.
Judging from the fluctuation of Dimension Energy that Aldrin could faintly detect, he concluded that the man in front of them was stronger than the two of them combined.
"Follow me." The man ordered after scrutinizing Aldrin's appearance.
Given that he didn't utter any other response, Renissa told him that he was already confirmed to be an Energy Refiner.
Energy Refiners could identify themselves after all unless one had the ability to conceal the fluctuations of Dimensional Energy that was minutely being absorbed by an Energy Refiner.
As they followed behind the man, they then arrived at something like a reception desk with a beautiful woman that also exuded a sense of extraordinariness.
"Renissa, isn't your departure today? Did you miss something or did you want to personally bid farewell to me?" The woman instantly addressed Renissa with a big smile plastered on her face without even giving a single glance to the two men.
"Janet. There you go again. Haven't you seen them?" Renissa almost facepalmed but restrained herself as she pointed to the two.
And as if she only just noticed that there's two more people crowding around her, Janet put on a surprised expression.
"Oh! I apologize, I got taken in by this chick's icy charisma. What can I help you with?"
"The usual... How many times will you ask that every time I will bring a new Energy Refiner?"
"Don't be so grumpy Gordon, I'm just following protocol. It says here to always ask about the purpose of your visit."
In response to the somewhat irritated tone of the man called Gordon, Janet pulled out a pile of papers from her side and pointed at the line she mentioned.
She was extremely prepared for that rebuttal. She even had a satisfied smile on her lips as she watched her colleague's reaction
"I'm your colleague, for f*ck's sake! Anyway, I'll go back to my post!" Gordon snapped.
"Take your coffee, Gordon, you need that to calm down!"
"Shut up, hateful woman!"
Janet laughed as she watched her colleague's fuming back.
"I must say... that's an eye-opener." Aldrin couldn't help but mutter.
Through that, the woman finally cast her gaze on Aldrin. "Is it? By chance, are you... Renissa's boyfriend?"
"Janet!" shouted Renissa. If not for restraining herself, she would probably lunge at the woman and cover her mouth.
"I'm afraid that's not the case. I'm a former classmate. And like her, I just got lucky to awaken as an Energy Refiner." Aldrin answered calmly while giving Renissa a nod.
However, that's not enough to stop the woman.
"Oh? Don't you know, that's how my parents meet. Former classmates. They're now in their 50th trip across the entire Federation for their honeymoon--"
She appeared to be prepared to talk about her parents' life and love story if not for Renissa interrupting her.
"Janet. Can we get to the official thing?"
Unfortunately, that was also ineffective.
"Oh? You wanted to make it official? I had no idea that the shy Renissa when she was first brought here could grow into this... courageous and passionate woman."
Watching Renissa continued to be embarrassed and their conversation going in circled, Aldrin, who was trying to be patient with this unexpected show that's happening in front of him, finally decided to stop Janet.
"Miss Janet. Can you register me? Please."
"I'm sorry, Aldrin." Renissa apologized, perhaps thinking that she failed to warn Aldrin
"It's fine. With just a few minutes of standing here, I get why even that man from earlier looked as if veins would pop in his forehead by interacting with her. That's a great talent, I must say."
"Heh. Thanks for the compliment. Alright. Jokes aside... let us first see how your Energy Quintessence turned out during awakening. Can you please step on this platform?" While flashing a very satisfied smile, Janet stepped out of her desk and pointed to a circular platform next to her.