Destinies: Separate Ways

6th Fate: The Dimmed Flame

Anjas pov

It all started with the fire—the fire that destroyed our happiness and severed our bond—and, unfortunately, I ended up with powers related to fire. A month has passed since that accident and our separation. While the others have gone their separate ways, I’ve been working part-time at a cafe called Fogo. I took this job to distract myself from the past, and it has worked surprisingly well. I’ve begun to enjoy life again and have come to like this job quite a bit.

In this job, I get to meet a variety of people from different backgrounds who gather and chat in the same place. I work as a waiter at the cafe, though I really want to be a chef. However, the manager says I’m too young for that role, so I’m only a waiter for now. At least I can still go in and out of the kitchen and observe the conditions there, which fascinates me. I’m especially impressed by the chefs using the flambé technique. Watching someone control such a large fire to create a delicious dish is truly remarkable.

This fire is very different from the one that burned and killed our friend in that accident. That fire was wild and uncontrollable, unlike the calm and controlled flames used by the chefs. The fire here is managed so precisely, creating a perfect display of control. If only I could control fire as well, I might have been able to prevent the accident and save Fadli from having to sacrifice himself.
Anjas:"Sigh, I need to stop thinking about that accident"
Anjas:"Wait Even if I could control fire, it wouldn't change anything now"
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After working as a waiter at the cafe for about a month, I started to bond with the staff and some regular customers. I even became good friends with Jonas, one of the regulars who frequents the cafe 3 to 4 times a week. He always brings different women with him, and today was no exception—he arrived with a woman who looked like a journalist. As I delivered their order, the woman went to the toilet, giving me a chance to chat with Jonas.

Anjas:"A new girl again? What a playboy!"
Jonas:"Hahaha, come on, Anjas, we only live once, you should also do things that you find fun"
Jonas:"Especially since you're still very young"
Anjas:"I had my fun; I'm just not interested in playing with girls like you"
Jonas:"Hmm? Then do you already have a partner that makes you not interested in other girls?"
Anjas:"Even if I had a partner, I wouldn't tell you"
Jonas:"Awh, come on, buddy, I can't possibly take a partner from my own friend"
Jonas:"Introduce her to me someday"
I didn't answer what he said because we saw the woman Jonas brought had returned from the toilet, so I went back to my work serving other customers.

A few days later, on my day off, Jonas invited—or rather, insisted—that I hang out with him. I had little choice but to go along. Despite Jonas's tendency to flirt with numerous women, which annoyed me at times, I ended up having a good time. However, while walking through an alley, I didn't notice a hole in front of me and fell straight into it. Fortunately, the hole was filled with water, so I wasn’t hurt, but the water was thick and smelled like oil. Instead of helping me out, Jonas just laughed at my predicament.
Anjas:"Dude! Stop laughing and help me!"
Jonas:"Sorry, are you okay?"
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After helping me out of the hole, Jonas invited me to his house so I could clean up. It turned out that the puddle I had fallen into was oil, so not only was I soaked, but my body was sticky and smelled unpleasant. After washing up, just as I was about to put on the clothes Jonas had given me, my body suddenly burst into flames. Strangely, I didn’t feel any heat at all, but in my panic, I immediately shouted for Jonas.
Anjas:"Jonas! Jonas!"

Jonas immediately rushed to the bathroom, and he was shocked when he saw me.
Jonas:"What happened to you?"
Anjas:"I don't know! Help me!"
Jonas quickly grabbed a bucket of water and poured it over me to put out the flames. Over the next few days, my body frequently ignited spontaneously, but Jonas was always there to help extinguish the fire. Not understanding what was happening, I requested a few days off from work to figure things out. Fortunately, after a week, I began to control the fire emanating from my body and was able to return to work.

When I returned to work, the manager and staff immediately asked if I was okay. I reassured them that I was fine, even though I still didn't fully understand what had happened. After my shift ended, I went back to the alley where I had fallen, but I couldn't find the hole or even the alley itself; it seemed to have disappeared. I mentioned this to Jonas, and he confirmed that he couldn't find the alley either.
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A month has passed, and although I still don't fully understand what happened to me, I've started to accept this ability as part of who I am. I've managed to return to my daily routine and even use my fire ability to assist me. Today, while working at the cafe, I heard about an accident involving a ferris wheel nearby. Driven by curiosity, I decided to check it out. To my surprise, I saw Artha and Agus assisting the police in evacuating people trapped inside the ferris wheel.

Agus had turned his hands into stone to support a broken ferris wheel pole, while Artha worked on fixing the engine. Suddenly, another support pole broke, causing the ferris wheel to tilt and Agus to struggle with holding it in place. To make matters worse, bolts began to fall toward a group of nearby children. I ran to their location to assist, and out of nowhere, Ina appeared and created a transparent protective field around the children, shielding them from the falling bolts. Meanwhile, I raced toward the broken poles and shouted at Agus for help.

Anjas:"Agus, hold it a little longer!"
Agus nodded and covered his entire body in stone armor to support the ferris wheel, while I used my fire abilities to weld the broken poles. After I finished welding the poles, Artha managed to repair the ferris wheel's engine, and it started moving again. We quickly evacuated the people trapped inside. Once everyone was safe, Artha and Agus took Ina and me to a tower to chat. However, before we could say anything, a broadcast about Zalgo appeared on TV. Looking outside, I saw that the Soul Devourers were attacking and possessing the residents.

Artha tried to rush out to help the residents, but Agus quickly stopped him, shaking his head.
Agus:"It's already too late, Artha"
Artha pulled his hand away from Agus's grasp and, in frustration, punched the wall. Meanwhile, Ina and I simply lowered our heads in sadness.
Artha:"Shit!"
I also felt frustrated, much like Artha. Just when I thought I could use my abilities to make a difference, the opportunity vanished in an instant. Despite now having the power to control fire, I was left feeling powerless. Sadly, this fire is just The Dimmed Flame.