Edwin Lunar Chapter 1: The Boy Outside Vestella

Read chapter 1 of Edwin Lunar by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

The Boy Outside Vestella Rain fell endlessly over the outer sectors of Vestella. Not the clean rain shown in advertisements floating above the rich districts of the city. This rain carried smoke, dust, and the metallic smell of factory exhaust. It slid down rusted rooftops and gathered in the cracks of broken streets lit by flickering neon signs. Above the clouds, thousands of flying vehicles crossed glowing skyways between the enormous towers of central Vestella. The skyscrapers looked like giant pillars of light piercing the night sky itself. But none of that beauty reached the outer sectors. Down below, beyond the wealthy zones and polished hologram markets, old industrial buildings stood packed together like forgotten machines abandoned by time. Pipes leaked steam into narrow alleys. Security drones hovered lazily overhead, their scanners glowing blue through the rain. People here survived day to day. And so did Edwin Lunar. Inside a cramped repair shop squeezed between two damaged factory buildings, sparks burst across the darkness as a screwdriver slipped from Edwin's hand. "Careful!" shouted the customer. "You break it, you pay for it!" Edwin ignored the man's attitude. His blue eyes remained focused on the open hover-engine lying across the metal table before him. Thin streams of smoke rose from the exposed circuitry while tiny holographic diagnostics flickered above the machine. The engine was old. Cheap. Half the internal systems had been replaced with illegal parts. Honestly, it should not have still been functioning. But Edwin had seen worse. He wiped grease across the sleeve of his dark jacket and leaned closer toward the damaged power chamber. "There," he murmured quietly. The cooling wire was burned through. Most mechanics would replace the entire chamber. But replacement parts cost more credits than people in the outer sectors could afford. Edwin carefully removed a thin copper strand from a pile of broken electronics beside him and connected the damaged circuits manually. The customer folded his arms impatiently. "Well?" Edwin grabbed a small plasma tool and sealed the wire. For one second nothing happened. Then the hover-engine hummed back to life. Blue energy pulsed through the machine. The customer's eyes widened. "You actually fixed it." Edwin sat back quietly, exhausted. "It'll work," he said. "But don't overload the engine again. The stabilizers are old." The man laughed. "Since when do mechanics give advice for free?" He tossed a few credits onto the table carelessly. Edwin caught them before they slid off the edge. The man grabbed the engine and left without another word. The shop fell silent again except for the sound of rain hitting the metal roof. Edwin stared down at the credits in his hand. Not enough. Again. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment. His body hurt. He had been working since sunrise repairing drones, hover-bikes, processors, and damaged AI units. Most customers underpaid him. Some never paid at all. But work was work. And work meant survival. Outside the cracked window of the shop, a giant hologram advertisement suddenly illuminated the street. A smiling family appeared above the buildings. WELCOME TO CENTRAL VESTELLATHE CITY OF TOMORROW Bright lights flashed across the wet streets below. Edwin looked away. Tomorrow felt very far from the outer sectors. He packed his tools slowly into an old metal case before shutting down the repair table. The lights inside the shop flickered twice before finally turning off. The owner had stopped paying for stable electricity months ago. Edwin stepped outside into the cold rain. The streets were crowded despite the weather. Vendors sold synthetic food beneath glowing umbrellas while delivery drones raced overhead carrying packages toward the richer districts. Far in the distance, beyond layers of buildings and floating traffic lanes, Edwin could see the massive towers of central Vestella glowing against the dark sky. Somet