Cass could tell the sun was starting to rise over the horizon. The thick overcast clouds radiated a cool ambient light over the world. He was fully kitted and ready to head into the fog; his belly full of delicious food. Misha's cooking was much simpler than that of the family chefs, but they couldn't compare. Something about it satisfied Cass like nothing else.
"Be careful, Cass."
Cass looked down and rubbed his head.
"It's fine. Nothing's happened the last hundreds of times. Just be sure to make something good for lunch. And make sure you eat it all. That's uh…an order."
She smiled slightly. Cass couldn't help but notice she looked a bit uneasy. Not sure what to do, his eyes drifted to the side and he said nothing. Before he knew it, her arms were around him.
What!? It wasn't the first time they'd hugged, but it was certainly the tightest. He remembered them all, for some reason.
That's one way to get a boost of energy. Better than any coffee I've ever had.
After a while, she pulled back. They smiled at each other, and without a word, Cass picked up his backpack, threw it over his shoulder along with the mana rifle, and headed to the woods.
Cass wandered the familiar paths through the forest. His family's property stretched as far as the eye could see; all the way to the scenic mountains lining the eastern border. There may be one or two horrible creatures beyond comprehension living there… but from a distance at least, they were very scenic. It was a picturesque day, as far as he was concerned. The overcast clouds blanketing the sky, a light mist of rain to keep him cool and make the vegetation vibrant, the mushrooms glowing a pale blue beneath the fallen trees, and the wisps of fog weaving itself between the massive tree trunks.
Damn it all! I should've taken a break today and invited Misha along.
As much as Cass wanted to believe that was possible, he knew it wasn't. Not if he didn't have a Blessing. Even the forest on a noble's property wasn't safe for normal humans. Especially given the amount of fog on his family's land. Many of the great houses hired Blessed guards to patrol their properties and keep things orderly. His family mostly relied on his siblings, who would venture out when they were bored to kill any stray beasts that may appear. Even then, it was still very dangerous once you left the main gates. Every once in a while, a guard would wind up dead or missing.
Perhaps skipping all those lessons as a kid wasn't the best idea.
Cass had always been a fan of his leisure time, so from the time he could walk, he'd always find a way to avoid the strict training regiment his family laid out for the children. No one seemed to mind. And what could those fools hope to teach him that he couldn't learn himself? However, escaping Cadeyrn was easier said than done. If he was home, Cass would always be found. Even then, he'd never scold him. And he always took the time to walk him through the important points of the lessons. In truth, his brother's lessons had already saved Cass's life on more than one occasion.
One such lesson was at play at this very moment: The forest was quiet, too quiet. If even the birds and insects were hiding, there had to be a good reason. Before he could mull over the possibilities in his head, he caught a glimpse of a tall figure standing in the clearing up ahead. He was easily over 6 feet tall, with pale, perfect skin that contrasted well with his long dark pants. And a lean, muscular physique that was perfectly still. His body emanated an intense golden glow, and even though Cass was a normal human, he could feel the immense energy flowing from the figure. If that wasn't enough, he could also see the surrounding trees bend and sway under the pressure. The man's black hair moved like drops of ink flowing through the foggy backdrop. It was a scene that would give pause to even the most seasoned Blessed warriors. But Cass was not scared. It was a sight he'd seen many times before. Even though he was well hidden, he knew he had already been noticed; well before he had seen his brother.
"It's a little early in the morning for a stroll, wouldn't you say, Cass?"
"I had come to do a little bird watching. But it seems some inconsiderate jerk has scared them all away. Now I have nothing better to do on this fine morning, so I might as well go walk into the fog and test my terrible luck further."
Cadeyrn smiled faintly, but his agitation bled through.
"Why didn't you have one of us escort you? You know how dangerous it is out here. When I arrived there was a large beast in this clearing hunting for food. That little mana rifle you're holding wouldn't have even tickled the thing."
Cadeyrn sighed and sat down on a large rock under one of the still swaying trees. Cass joined him and scoffed.
"I'm actually very skilled at hiding, you know. The only person who's ever caught me is you. I hope you know it's exceedingly annoying."
Well…When Cass was younger, there may have been one or two times where he accidentally walked in the bathroom while Misha was showering and got caught. But Cadeyrn didn't need to know that.
He laughed.
"I'm not sorry. You needed training, Cass. Even if you're never Blessed. Basic survival is important for normal humans as well. Plus, you wouldn't want mom and dad to worry about you, would you?"
"Please, give me a break! They've already written me off. I'll be pushing papers at Ravenrock from sun up til sun down. A disgraced noble, hiding for the rest of my life."
Cass paused for a moment.
"They're content to never see me again."
"Cass, you may not believe me, but mother and father want you to succeed. I believe all parents want their children to, on some level. Even the most heinous among us."
Cass shifted his gaze towards him.
"You're in luck though. Mother and father are only slightly heinous. All seasoned warriors are, in my estimation. They may appear cold and callous to those who haven't been exposed to as much bloodshed; but try to understand, to survive as long as they have, mastering one's emotions is key. So while they may not break down crying or shower you in comforting platitudes, I believe that they care. In fact, I'd say it's a certainty: mom and dad love you, Cass."
Cass shifted his body and averted his gaze.
"Look at you. A regular family man. I guess all those beautiful women the great houses have been throwing at you have you thinking about family, huh?"
Cadeyrn ran his hand through his hair.
"I suppose so. They certainly weren't lacking in allure."
"Well, if you want my opinion, Lady Islay is the best. But if you keep procrastinating, they'll all be snatched up."
"We Blessed age very gracefully, so there's no rush. You, on the other hand, have less than a week."
Cass scowled.
"There's a dense area of fog a couple miles east. Shall I escort you there?"
"Lead the way."
Not long after, they arrived at a dense wall of fog. The trees seemed like they were being sucked into its surface, but it was only an illusion. At least, Cass thought so. There was still surprisingly little known about the fog and how it worked. One thing everyone knew is that sane people avoided it at all cost, Blessed or not.
"Ready?"
"Obviously."
"I'll stand guard out here, but if you get selected for a trial, I won't be able to reach you. You'll be on your own."
"I know I know. I didn't skip that many lessons."
Cass braced himself and plunged headlong into the fog. All he could see was the path beneath his feet. A pale gray veil had been draped over his eyes. As far as anyone knew, where you were or what you did in the fog didn't matter. If it wanted to bestow a trial on you, it would regardless. Some people thought you had to find certain spots, others believed that incantations or spells could trigger it. Cass's approach was to wander aimlessly and curse the fickle fog under his breath for inconveniencing him. As valid of an approach as any. Other than the abhorrent moan of some distant terror every now and then, Cass's several hour journey was uneventful. He drug himself out of the haze with a dejected look in his eyes. Tendrils of fog still clinging to him.
"Curse this miserable fog! I'm heading back."
Cadeyrn frowned.
"No luck, huh."
"It'll have to come to me if it wants me! Perhaps it's unable to conjure a trial worthy of one such as myself."
"Must be it."
"Damn it all…"
This too was part of Cass's usual routine.
"I'll come back after I eat something."
He had packed enough rations for the day and even more for emergencies. But Cass's mood had sunk lower than usual. He really wanted to eat lunch with Misha today. That would reinvigorate him better than filling his belly with rations, or any pep talk Cadeyrn could come up with. Cass swung his mana rifle over his shoulder and headed towards their palace.
"Cass."
Here it comes. Cass clicked his tongue and turned around.
"Listen! I'm hungry and not in the mood right now."
Cadeyrn's eyes were downcast and his face was somber. Cass raised an eyebrow.
"Relax, it's not that serious."
Suddenly, Cass felt pain radiating from his chest. He looked down and took a couple of seconds to process what he saw.
Wait…that's not supposed to be there.
A blade was plunged deep into his chest.