Accidental Ascendance

Oliver and Lily stood before Cedric, their presence commanding attention and curiosity. Cedric's eyes flickered with a mix of excitement and intrigue as he greeted the familiar faces before him. "Hello..."

Lily gave Cedric a menacing glance. "Hello? That's all you have to say?" Lily brushed her hair to the side and walked away. "I knew it. He's just as stuck up as that jerk Adrian..."

Oliver turned toward her, slightly annoyed. "If you knew that, then why did you beg to come along?"

Lily's face turned flushed red. "I didn't beg..." She exclaimed, desperately trying to deny Oliver's words.

Oliver smiled and then, with fake realization, said, "Oh, that's right! You said you wanted to meet the awesome guy from the debut and maybe even suggest a marri..."

Lily's fist smacked into Oliver's face, stopping him short from finishing his sentence. As Oliver fell to the ground unconscious, Lily let out a nervous sigh. "I-if you'll excuse me, I'll be finding my room now."

Lady Isabela chuckled softly. "Of course, my dear. If you would just follow me."

Cedric, dumbfounded, looked to his father. "Umm, what just happened?"

Lord Montclair nodded silently before picking up his glass of tea. "Listen very closely, son..." Cedric, now nervous, leaned closer to his father. "There are some lines you just don't cross, especially with a woman. Sadly, that boy saw that line and crossed it. Do you know what he saw, son?"

Cedric shook his head, almost scared. "No, father..."

Lord Montclair shakily put his glass down and looked at Cedric with traumatized eyes. "He saw the abyss and found it looking back at him. Then the poor boy blinked! Never blink, Cedric! Do you understand me, son? NEVER BLINK!"

Silence fell upon the room as Cedric nodded, thinking to himself, "Mom somehow, someway must've traumatized him..."

Later, as the sun fell and the moon rose, Oliver woke up in a cold sweat, jumping to his feet.

He looked around, disoriented, only to see Cedric, slightly startled, sitting at his desk. "Hey...." Oliver said, being the only word he could seem to find.

Cedric took a deep breath and gave Oliver a soft smile. "How are you feeling?"

Oliver stood there, pondering for a second before he answered. "Oh, Lily knocked me out again, huh?"

Cedric's eyes widened as he said, "Again?"

Oliver sat down on Cedric's bed, rubbing his sore cheek. "Yeah, our families are close, so ever since we were little, she would sometimes throw a haymaker or two... or three..."

Cedric chuckled softly. "Why do you keep messing with her if you know you could get knocked out?"

Oliver nodded twice before giving Cedric a serious look. "Because, it's insanely fun to see her get mad and flustered, at least up until she decks me and I wake up in a strange place...."

Cedric now laughing out loud says, "At least you have fun, 'at least up until that point'."

"I'll admit that it has put me on an odd sleep schedule," Oliver said, nodding somewhat proud in his own way.

Cedric's laugh turns into a wheezing giggle. "Why do you look proud of that?"

Oliver softly smiled at Cedric. "So this is how you are, huh?"

Cedric wiped away his tears, still chuckling. "Yeah, why? Were you expecting me to be like something else?"

Oliver nodded. "Well, given your reputation, I figured you'd be more high and mighty."

Cedric tilted his head, confused. "Reputation?"

Oliver quickly grabbed his own mouth as he thought to himself, "This guy doesn't know what everyone thinks of him? Not only that, he doesn't know he doesn't have magic. What world is this guy living in to be so dense?"

Cedric came to a sudden realization. "Oh, you mean my father's reputation..."

Oliver thought to himself, "No, that's not what I mean at all..."

Cedric looked disheveled as he spoke. "I know my father has a lot of standing. People look at me differently because of it. Most of the time, I think people are secretly scared of me and are only polite out of fear for my father."

Oliver thought to himself, "Are you freaking kidding me? The world thinks you're some kind of god. This is awesome..."

Cedric let out a heavy sigh. "To be honest, I've never been able to make a friend due to it."

Oliver's eyes widened as he jumped at the opportunity. "I'll be your friend!"

Cedric looked at Oliver, shocked. "What?"

Oliver tilted his head with playful glee. "What are you hard of hearing? I'll... be... your... friend..."

Cedric smiled a bright smile that looked absolutely terrifying. "Then let's be friends."

Oliver tried his hardest not to burst out laughing as he thought, "Oh gods, even his smile is hilarious." After taking a deep breath, he put his fist up as a sign of friendship. "Then it's official, Cedric Montclair. I will be your first friend."

Cedric bumped his fist to Oliver's and nodded. "Thank you..."

The next morning, as the sun ascended over the Montclair garden, its golden rays cascaded through the lush foliage, casting a vibrant tapestry of light and shadow. Cedric stood amidst a terrifying situation.

A giant shadowy beast stood towering over Cedric, its eyes glowing with an eerie intensity. Ara screamed, "Look out, big bro!"

Cedric's heart raced, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins as fear tightened its grip upon him. The monstrous paw of the beast loomed above, its sheer size casting a menacing shadow that engulfed Cedric. His entire body felt paralyzed, muscles tensed, unable to respond to his desperate urge to flee. But despite the tumult of emotions raging within, Cedric's face bore an eerie calmness, a mask of serenity that betrayed the terror that churned within his being.

As the beast's paw descended, Cedric's mind screamed with a single harrowing thought that echoed through his consciousness. "I'm so dead..."

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