It took six hours, before Drew finally made a movement that was different from the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest as he breathed... His fingers twitching slightly.
His eyelids trembled slightly, before they fluttered open, and quickly clamped back shut in reflex, due to the bright light that flooded them.
"You're awake" he heard from the side.
Turning his head to the direction of the voice, he slowly peeled his eyes open, squinting to adjust to the light.
There sitting on a desk, was young man with blonde tousled hair, and bags under his eyes.
Even as he spoke to Drew, he didn't seem to stop for a second, his eyes and fingers dancing around multiple holographic screens depicting different kinds of beasts and some complicated structures that Drew had no clue about.
"What a unique evolution result, from a unique beast." The man mumbled on, as though expecting Drew to catch and follow up with what he was saying.
"Andrew Cane... Mist affinity, with dormant mana cells rather than dead ones. Now awakened due to a successful genetic enhancement."
"However, due to the nature of genes used, is now attuned, though not completely to fire, due to breaking the limits of potential gotten from mist affinity, to directly touch on and control combustible gases... Particularly, hydrogen peroxide, to create flames."
"Fascinating truly fascinating"
Drew stared at him, completely lost, and failing to understand a word from what he said, yet somehow understanding the general meaning.
"Wait, so you mean... You mean I awakened my mana cells? And... And my... My affinity is not normal?" Drew asked, excitement and shock rippling out from him, and tears almost flowing from his eyes.
The young man frowned from his lack of professional conduct, but replied.
"That is exactly what I am saying."
"Your life is a pleasant surprise, as with the superb benefits you got from awakening with the genes of a beast that while slightly compatible, is very different from you... The probability that you'd have died, is as high as ninety two percent"
Drew's face quickly paled at his words.
'I was this close to dying?' he muttered dazedly in his mind, not knowing that he had actually escaped death not just once, but twice!
And not only did he escape death, he was rewarded with basically two elements, when he had affinity for only one.
"This is a result of mutating from an evolved beast form, from a taxonomy of small animals called wild insects in the past, particularly, the bombardier beetle" the young man continued, oblivious to the fact that Drew was no longer following.
"Although I have heard of something like this, happening once in a green moon... Basically almost never, and is said to be possible in theory, this is the first time I am seeing one. And I must say I'm pleasantly surprised.
"You must be a lucky bastard" the man nodded in satisfaction, hands and eyes still dancing rapidly from one protection to another.
Drew coughed softly at his remark, partly bashful, and partly uncomfortable at being called a bastard, because it reminded him again, that he was an orphan.
Though he was already used to it, it was weird hearing somebody state it just as plainly and professionally as the man did, as though it was a fact, rather than with the pity, or ridicule that he was accustomed to.
"What about Sean? What did he get?" He asked, feeling hopeful, as he brushed the bitter thoughts away.
For the first time, the young man stopped, and finally spared him a glance.
"Who?" He asked in confusion.
"Sean!" Drew repeated with excitement as though expecting him to already know who he was talking about. "The other guy that succeeded before me" he completed, his grin practically becoming very wide at the end.
The young man tilted his head, feeling more confused. "You're the first and only person, to have finished a successful enhancement." He said, as though teaching a child what he should know.
Drew's smile froze on his lips.
"E... excuse me?"
The young man raised a brow at his reaction.
'Why is this kid acting weird?' he questioned internally.
"Only you had a successful enhancement" he clarified again.
"That's impossible!" Drew flared jumping up from the bed. "I saw Sean! Right before I started mine, and he was doing well! He was taking it better than everyone else, how could he fail?!"
The young man furrowed his brows at his outburst, and opened his mouth, only for Drew to cut him short.
"You're joking right? Right?! It has to be a joke. He can't die, he lives in the inner sector, and his sister is powerful. I was the one that convinced him to do an enhancement since he didn't want to continue being a burden. God, I... I will be arrested? Would they kill me? She..."
"Enough!" The young man snapped. "Quit making noise" he grumbled softly as his fingers found its way to his ear, rubbing it as though hurt.
"He is dead. I am sorry about that, but please, no noise"
Drew collapsed back unto the bed, feeling as though his life was over. One moment he was feeling happy, the next death was breathing down on his neck.
'No, they won't kill me. I'm still a minor, and... And I awakened my mana cells, plus I have a variant affinity, that has been mutated. Yes, the government would see me as an important resource. And I just need to apply for the academy in Elysium, they would protect me'
Drew pulled one plan after the other, trying to protect his life. Years of experience from living in the slums from as little as a toddler, showing forth in full might.
He gritted his teeth, 'His corpse... Maybe she'd feel better if his corpse is intact. That way she can pay for a sealed chamber to bury him.'
His eyes shone. 'Yes, that would work!'
"His corpse... Where is his corpse?!" He asked again, almost shouting as he clung desperately to this last line of life.
The young man looked at him with a frown again.
"Disposed," he answered coldly... Drew's constant distraction finally rubbing him off.