Elias leaned back in his chair, sipping the last of his coffee as he stared out the window. The café was a quiet place he'd found near his apartment—a perfect spot to clear his mind. He had so much to think about. A month. That's how long he had until the next round of the Beast Tamer trials.
The last fight against Wyrm had left him drained, both physically and mentally. In a way, it also gave him a taste of what he could do. The power inside him was growing, but it was wild, uncontrolled. He had to find a way to harness that.
"Guess I don't have much time," Elias muttered to his empty cup.
A waitress approached. "Would you like a refill?" she asked, smiling amiably though clearly distracted.
"Yeah, sure," Elias nodded absently. He was hardly aware when she tipped more coffee into his cup. His mind was racing with thoughts of the trials. He could not afford to be unprepared this time.
Elias didn't notice the faint silver glow in her eyes.
---
A week after the trials, Elias came to a decision that he just couldn't put off any longer. He stood in his little cramped apartment staring down at the resignation letter he'd written the previous night.
"This is it," he told himself, taking a deep breath. "No more delaying."
He folded the letter, put it into an envelope, and slipped it into his coat pocket. Today was the day he'd officially quit his job.
As he walked down the streets of the bustling city, the noise of traffic and the distant murmur of people barely reached him. His mind was preoccupied with one thing and one thing alone: giving all to become a Beast Tamer.
It was exactly how he had remembered it: small, full of cubicles, and humming with the clacking of keyboards. Elias walked to his boss's office, the weight of his actions heavy upon him.
"Mr. Johnston?" Elias called, knocking lightly before turning the doorknob and slipping inside.
His boss looked up from his paperwork. "Stroud, what brings you in? Shouldn't you be out there dealing with clients?
"Actually, sir." Elias hesitated a second, but clenching his fists steeled himself. "I'm here to hand in my resignation."
Mr. Johnston raised an eyebrow. "Resignation? What's gotten into you? You've been one of our most reliable employees."
Elias held out the envelope. "I've got something I need to focus on. Something important. It's time for me to move on."
Mr. Johnston stared at him a long moment, then blew his breath out. He knew Elias had suffered all the time from his own employees, out of jealousy. He knew he was bullied so much and he was frustrated with himself, not doing anything other than turning a blind eye. "Well, it's your choice. But if you ever need a job, the door's always open." He finally felt relieved that this poor fellow would never have to suffer again.
"Thanks, sir," Elias said with a small smile. He turned and walked out, feeling lighter than he had in years.
---
That evening, Elias sat at his usual café. It was almost deserted, with only a few regular faces. He ordered his usual black coffee and sat in his corner seat, staring at the steam rising from his cup.
"Two weeks to figure this out," he muttered. "How do I control this power?"
As if in answer, a familiar presence came into view before him. The air was suddenly filled with a soft, radiating glow, and Celestia came into view; her white hair highlighted in the dim light of the café.
"Celestia!" Elias almost spilled his cup in surprise. "You. How did you.?"
She smiled softly, her eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement. "I have my ways, Elias. It's good to see you."
"Yeah, same here," Elias replied, still in shock from her sudden appearance. "What brings you here? I thought you'd be busy with… whatever it is you do."
Celestia slid into the seat across from him, folding her hands on the table. "I sensed that you were troubled. Your energy… it's fluctuating wildly."
Elias let out an irritated sigh. "Yeah, you could say that. I've got no idea how to use this power. And with the next trial in two weeks."
Celestia inclined her head, studying him. "You are pushing yourself too hard, Elias. Sometimes, in order to move forward, you have to take a step back."
"Easier said than done," Elias muttered. "I only have two weeks. If I screw it up…"
"You won't," Celestia interrupted him, her voice firm and warm. "I believe in you."
Turning back to her, his face was puzzled. "Why would you? You hardly know me."
Celestia's face took on a gentle look. "I see something in you, potential that even you don't see. But tell me, how have you been? What has been on your mind of late?"
Elias leaned back, exhaling more slowly. "Honestly? I quit my job today. Decided I'm going all in on becoming a Beast Tamer."
Celestia nodded gravely. "That's a bold choice. But a necessary one, I believe."
"What about you?" Elias asked, hunching forward. "How have things been in… your realm?"
In a flash, the gaze in Celestia's eyes was a thousand miles away, as if she peered into some faraway place. "It's been… difficult," she conceded. "We fought them off."
"You mean those… creatures… What did you call them again? Dark…?" Elias ventured carefully.
She nodded. "Yes. The Dark Hunters. The forces seeking to invade my realm have been relentless. But with the power of a Realm Lord, I've been able to hold them off… so far."
Elias couldn't help it-the awe in his voice at her serene strength managed to break free. "I don't get it. You're so powerful, so confident. How do you do it? How do you manage to control it all?"
Celestia gave him an almost wistful little smile. "Years of practice. And… sacrifices. Power comes with a price, Elias. One that you've got to pay."
The weight of her words hung in the air, and Elias found himself wondering just how much Celestia had gone through. "I'm… not sure I'm ready for that," he confessed softly.
Hearing that, Celestia leaned forward towards him, looking directly into his eyes. Her eyes glowed with gentle warmth along with kindness which he hadn't felt for a long time. "You are stronger than you think. On a beast tamer's path, emotions are the ones that rule over the strength. Pure strength can't tame a beast, no?"
Elias looked down at their hands. "Mmm, you are right!" he admitted.
"Then use these three weeks, without wasting even a second" Celestia said, backing away from him. "Focus on your training. But you don't have to rush it. Let your positive emotions do the work. Controlling power is nothing but controlling your own emotions. Remember that"
Elias nodded slowly. "Got it."
Celestia rose, her presence filling the small café with a sense of warmth along with an ancient yet calm aura. This depicted how controlled her emotions were. "You're on the right path, Elias. Keep moving forward."
With that she turned away from him, and began to walk towards the exit.
Turning for the door, Elias called out, "Celestia, wait."
She paused and looked back at him. "Yes?"
"Thank you," he said simply. "For believing in me. And also for pouring me coffee!"
A soft smile touched her lips. "So, you figured that out, huh! Don't expect it again"
And with that, she was gone, leaving Elias all to his thoughts. Now, the café felt emptier, the warm glow dulled by her vanished presence.
Elias sat there for a very long time, staring into his coffee cup. He had two weeks to prepare, three weeks to get his powers under control.
But for the first time in a long while, he felt a spark of hope.
---
The Next Day
Elias didn't waste any time. He found this old gym on the outskirts of the town where he could train, without being bothered by anyone. It was run down, but it had all he needed: space, concealment, and silence.
"Alright, let's see what I can do," Elias muttered to himself.
He concentrated, trying to tap into that energy he had used against the Wyrm. Instead of the smooth surge he wanted, though, it came out sputtering, flickering and fading.
"Come on," he grunted, pushing harder.
Nothing.
Frustrated, Elias punched the wall, leaving a small dent. "Damn it! Why can't I control this?"
He sank onto the floor, exhausted. Maybe Celestia was right. Maybe he was pushing too hard. But he didn't have time to relax now.
---
For the rest of the week, Elias hardly stopped training. Building his stamina, practising reflexes, trying to harness his powers-it was slow, frustratingly so, but he refused to give up.
Every evening he went back to the cafe, in the hope that Celestia would reappear. She didn't.
Instead, he had her words to go away with: Let your emotions do the work, and your powers will follow.
What was his problem? He harnessed too much negative emotions? Is that it?
He pondered for a moment.
I guess that should be the reason.
The end of the week he was stronger, more able to centre himself. He still didn't have full control over his powers, but they felt more responsive.
Two weeks. That's all he had. But now, he was more determined than ever.
The next trial was coming, and this time, he would be ready.