Off to Valor mansion! 048 messes up.

That makes more sense. Why would the manager try to kill me?     

 “I am Axel. This is only my third mission. I started a week ago. Kind of eventful, don't you think? Well, Master Cora asked me to escort you to the valor mansion. You'll be safe there.” 

 “Escort me?” 

 “The proximians won't be the only ones coming after you. Wait till we get to the mansion. Master Cora will help you understand.”

He helped Yuri get up from the chair. His body felt surprisingly heavy and agonizing.

“Your body might feel numb for a day or two. It's the after-effect, but the good news is that your powers won't lash out anymore.” Axel picked up the staff that resting next to the walls. He took one of the books that were laying on the table and signaled Yuri to exit the room with him.

Yuri almost went blind from the brightness that shone outside the room. It had the same stone build, and the hallway was lit with a row of fireplaces, which were burning bright white. He was greeted by 048's horrid smile. His one-eyed forehead and yellow crooked smile did not get along with each other.

“Our introductions were a bit lacking earlier. I'm 048, the only sizaxian assigned to the valors.” He extended his gigantic arm with a proud look on his face.

Yuri shook it. “Daro Yuri.”

“Always a pleasure meeting a valor. Your initial gave us a bit of a scare there.” He chuckled. 

“Valor? I am a Valor?” he asked in awe as 048 delivered him the news.

“Yuri.” A foreign voice spoke from behind. Yuri could recognize that voice at any time of the day.

Uncle?

He turned around to find a soldier, who looked like he hadn't slept for days. He was holding his beret cap in his hand.

“I'm sorry about this week. The military and master valor filled me in. There are talks of another...” He stopped himself.

“Well. You must go along with these gentlemen. They are the only ones who can help you. I wish I could.” He couldn't meet Yuri's eyes.

“What about Sayu?” Yuri finally asked.“She can still stay with me. The military promised to keep the information to themselves.”

A beeping sound filled the room from the soldier's pocket.

“That's me. Here. I took the trouble of packing things for you.” He handed him the bag that he was holding in his right hand.

“Thank you.”

“I'll see you again kid.” He nodded to Yuri and exited the corridor.

He looks more stressed than usual. Something must be going on. Well, other than me melting down a statue and being hunted by a proximian.

Axel came closer and held Yuri's shoulder reassuringly. “The mansion is a good place. You will fit in with the other kids.”

The last couple of hours felt like a fever dream to him. Proximians, awakening, Valor mansion. He did not know what to make of it.

“What do we do now?” Yuri put the strap on his shoulder.

“We should've been leaving right now, but our friend here made a bit of a mess before running into you,” said Axel as he pointed his thumb to 048.

“Sorry.” He apologized with a guilty smile, not better than the one before.

“You don't mind coming along to fix it before going to the mansion, do you?” Axel put on a cheerful face to appeal to Yuri.

“No, I don't mind.” He was curious to see what kind of businesses a Valor and a sizaxian attended.

Yuri eventually realized that he was inside the frostier government building. The rest of the floors were vastly distinct. They looked royal but were designed as normal office floors.

“So. Where did you drop it?” Axel asked 048.
“I swear I was resting it here. I forgot about it after the kid bumped into me.”

Yuri could still recollect the taste of metal from Intersection 12. Without the rain and the overwhelming crowd, It looked peaceful.

“Such a pain.” Axel raised his hand in the air. He did an odd but confusing gesture with his raised hand. He summoned a book from thin air, it was burning with purple energy. He tore out a page and the book vanished back into nothingness.

“Whoa. How did you do that?” Yuri couldn't help being impressed.

“I use the Kregia technique. This paper will lead us to the closest object having a hint of Gia.” He released the purple blazing paper into the air, it levitated for a few seconds and started swaying forward.

Yuri didn't the chance to ask what Gia was. They were busy chasing after the paper that was speeding past each block.

“You can't make it go slower?” asked 048, who was already sweating after a few minutes.“Trouble keeping up?” He asked mockingly.“No...”

Yes.

Yuri would have preferred passing out rather than running another minute with his numb body.

“There.”
They gladly stopped at the sight of the paper that came to a halt. It levitated again for a few moments and entered one of the nearby sheds.

They were in the shadier parts of the city. The streets were illustrated with stones and garbage. The dry-painted buildings that were starting to fade didn't fit in with the rest of the city's aesthetic either.

“Block 16 as expected.”
“Let's just get this over with.” Axel gripped his staff.

“I assume that the paper was your doing.” The shirtless man said as he walked out of the shed with an axe on his shoulder.
“IT BURNED OFF INTO MY NEW WEAPON, YOU IDIOTS!” He roared into 048's face.

“I'm sorry. Your weapon? I left it at the intersection yesterday. Could you give it back to me?” 048 kindly requested.

He stood up straight and tried to make himself as intimidating as he could.
“Well, I found it. It belongs to me. You want it? Fight for it.”

“That's okay,” Axel spoke with finality. He knelt and bounced into the air within the blink of an eye. He smashed the staff end at the opponent's head before he had the chance to react.

All Yuri could make out was a thumping sound and Axel walking back with the axe in his arms. He tossed the weapon at Yuri.
“A training axe for one of our second years. Give it to him when we get there.”Yuri nodded with fascination.

“I was supposed to deliver it yesterday. They are starting Xetsgia this week.”
“It'll be fine. We will get there in a few hours. The woods are close anyway.” Axel settled the staff on the back of his shoulder.
“The woods?”
“The mansion is in the woods. We can enter after crossing the 18th block. It's fun.”

Fun? What's so fun about the woods?
“YOU JERK. WAIT TILL MY BOSS GETS HERE.”
They ignored the cry.

048 offered to carry the axe after reaching the woods. Yuri couldn't put his finger on it, but he was certainly amused by the polished metal head of the axe.

“So. When did you awaken?” Yuri asked him.“When I was fourteen. Dreamt of a giant goldfish chasing me around. My old man was proud when I short-circuited his swiftzer with my Gia. Said I could serve my plane. He just wanted the yearly cassian pension on my behalf.” He walked without looking back.
“Wait, you short-circuited a swiftzer? That's all you did?” Yuri regripped the axe to his left arm.“Yes. I didn't burn down a statue. I'm not a primal.”
“A primal?”

“I'm not supposed to say. Master Cora would do a better job at that, but you'll find out soon enough. We are close.”

The woods felt lively. The canopy of trees blocked the sunlight from completely hitting the leaf-painted grounds. Nothing could disrupt the tranquility of the forest apart from Yuri's mind.

I have got to clean that shoe.

“Look out!” Axel pushed Yuri and 048 into one of the trees.
“What?” 048 cried.

A spear landed on the ground with a whooshing sound. It was flaming with blue Gia.
“What is that?” asked Yuri, who was panickingly hugging the axe while laying next to the tree.
“Throwable practice.” He helped Yuri and 048 to get up to their feet.

048 plucked out the spear from the ground and continued to move forward.