Author's Preface
Casimir exited the backway of the main building and looked towards the direction of the tower. He could not see it past the vast trees of the forest. The weather was fair today, no snow, no wind, and just clear skies as far as his eyes could see. It was chilly, but that was a given. Thank God, no mist.
“Casimir?” Tristan called behind him.
He turned around and saw Tristan dressed in work overalls and carrying a wooden toolbox and a map. His cheek had a streak of oil smudge on it.
Did he have to report in earlier than me? “You are heading out, too?”
Tristan looked at his map and pointed at a tiny shack surrounded by trees. “Yeah. I have to help fix the floor for one of the guard booths east of here. ”
That isn’t too far from the lake where Aetherseeker and I sparred at. “I’m heading in that direction too, but it is further out.” Casimir pointed at the tower on the edge of the map.
Tristan whistled. “Shoot, what is all the way out there?”
“Aetherseeker said something about senior classes.”
“You would not mind if I tag along.”
“No, it would be the wise choice due to the treacherous environment and people…” Casimir’s voice trailed off, and he frowned.
They followed the eastern trail away from the main campus and cut through the forest.
Casimir felt Tristan’s gaze on him.
He probably wants to say something. Casimir glanced at him and smiled. “How is the duplication project going?”
Tristan scratched the back of his head and sighed. “ I only managed to perfectly recreate ten. The rest were failures because I kept running out of Aether. How about you?”
Only ten, maybe I went overboard. Casimir smiled at him, pretending to be embarrassed. “I…I am still recovering. I did what I could, so I’m not sure about the quality.”
“Right!” Tristan slapped his forehead. “It should be fine, we will meet up tomorrow.”
Casimir nodded and looked away. I shouldn't mention the extras.
“It is so weird, I assumed that only Bryson and I would be sent to work on these dirty jobs. Just him and me versus the arrogant snobs who go here.” Tristan’s gaze seemed to look far beyond the trees, and he had a sullen and wistful expression on his face. “But here I am with you.”
Casimir frowned. “I get it. It has been years, but there are moments in my life, like when lilies first pop open in late spring, when I realize that my mother is gone and I wish that she were here.”
Tristan lowered his head. “Oh.”
They silently walked down the path with only the rhythmic tune of boots plodding in the five-inch deep snow.
“How did she pass?”
“Aether disease.” Casimir’s mood soured after he said it.
“Oh, my dad went the same way too, so did Bryson’s.”
Casimir raised an eyebrow. “You two didn’t come from a family of farmers?”
“No, our dads were drafted to fight in the Grand Continental Conflict. They were quickly trained and put into the Weaver division on the front lines. Both of our dads suffered from cell damage from extensive regenerative procedures during the war.”
Casimir rubbed his chin. “Right, I heard about that from Uncle. It was a scandal that the Sublime Weavers tried to quietly fix.” Like they always do.
A sudden realization flashed in Casimir’s eyes. “Is that why your families end up in Quinen?”
“Yes, our dads were compensated and relocated to Quinen for a fresh start. ”
“But Quinen does not have as many resources as the other provinces.”
Tristan chewed the inside of his lip.
“Did the recruiter know about your father’s service?”
Tristan shrugged, but by his sharp tone, Casimir could tell he was getting frustrated. “I don’t know why it would matter. Everyone fought, even Non-Aetherians!”
“That is so.” I’m going to have to tell Sully about this.
Eventually, they came across an old wooden shack built up on stilts. The creaky stairs led up to a short balcony. Casimir could not sense anyone inside.
“This should be it!” Tristan turned to Casimir. “Thanks for keeping me company. ”
“No problem. I should get going.”
After exchanging goodbyes, Casimir weaved a square pattern, and a gust of wind carried him through the trees.
***
His Lightstep improved enough that he no longer experienced near misses like before, but he still had to take two breaks. He was not going to risk damaging his Aether heart again, especially out in the middle of nowhere and without a trustworthy nurse on site.
He finally spotted a rectangular tower, constructed from steel and glass, with a shiny dome on top. The building was surrounded by a steel gate, manned by an olive-haired warden with a full beard.
The warden looked at Casimir quizzically. “What are you doing all the way out here?”
“Mr. Aetherseeker told me to deliver a letter.” Casimir raised the envelope to the gate, showing Aetherseeker’s seal.
The warden nodded and opened the gate. “He could not have sent a senior or another warden to deliver this for him?”
“I was able to manage.” Casimir entered.
“I see, I just assumed he would be more cautious due to the recent incident.”
“Right, do you know where Professor Shears is?”
“He is on the second floor.”
“Thank you.” Casimir crossed a stone courtyard decorated with statues of screeching rocs. He opened the glass doors into the building and entered a small lobby of polished wooden floors. Two seniors lounged on chairs with their books sprawled across the glass coffee table. The students and the guard at the desk looked confused to see him. The guard warmed up when Casimir showed him the seal on the letter and also directed him to go upstairs to room 209.
Despite its far-off location, the interior of the senior classrooms looked well-maintained. Casimir walked into the open door of Professor Shear’s room. Three students were dressed in white smocks, fussing over the solution brewing in their beakers. An older man with salt-and-pepper hair stood behind them.
The professor acknowledged Casimir at the door. “We have a guest.”
“Mr. Aetherseeker sent me.” Casimir presented the letter, and the professor took it.
“That’s odd, he could not call me? I hope it was worth the trouble.” He placed the letter on his desk and returned to his place, observing the other students. “Well, thank you.”
He smiled and shooed Casimir away.
Well, time to head back.
***
While returning, he was forced to slow down because a mist crept in through the forest.
“When did this show up?” Casimir sensed his surroundings. My Aether is not being sapped, but there is a large pool of Aether floating in the direction of the guard post.
“Shoot, Tristan.” Casimir Lightstepped toward the guard post, and the mist grew thicker like smoke. I can’t sense Tristan anywhere. Hopefully, he got out of there in time.
Suddenly, he heard a crack to his right, and a large hand came into his peripheral vision. Casimir narrowly dodged and fell into a stance. A chill pricked his skin when he caught a glimpse of the malformed creature slinking back inside the mist, its hands eerily human-like.
Casimir launched an Aether arrow at the shadowy form of the beast.
The arrow of light illuminated it with a flash and brought its form into view. Its body was like a spider made of the flesh of a corpse.
Casimir couldn’t get a good look at its face when it skittered away and disappeared. His eyes darted around. Why can’t I sense it? Don’t tell me that thing learned Aether suppression before me .
He heard another creak behind him and a loud howl of gale-force winds. Casimir threw himself out of the way of the wind blast that ripped up the underbrush and the bark of several trees that were in its path.
Skittering through the snow, it returned, and Casimir prepared himself. He closed his eyes and listened for any shifting in the snow and whistling in the wind.
There. He weaved an Ice bolt and fired it to his right. Massive pillars of ice erupted out of the snow towards the creature, and Casimir heard an ear-piercing screech, then silence.
After a few tense moments, Casimir determined it was safe enough to check. He inched forward, holding his breath; the sound of his heartbeat was the only thing keeping him company.
“What the devil is that!” Casimir’s mind reeled, and when the initial shock passed, he looked at his catch with morbid curiosity.
Trapped in the ice was a humanoid creature with leathery, greyish skin. It was top-heavy with six arms and a thin translucent belly. Its youthful face was distorted in a scream, and on the right side of his forehead, a scar from a puncture wound. Casimir pulled out his camera and took several pictures. This is beyond my depth.
BOOM!
Casimir’s head snapped in the direction of a loud blast that shook both him and the trees.
No, that is where…
Before he could finish that thought, the familiar numbing pain of a nerve bolt struck him through his chest and threw his nervous system in a loop. His body went rigid, and he collapsed face-first into the dirt.
Come on! Come on! Blast it! Casimir cursed his joints to move.
He heard light footsteps approach him and two fingers touch the side of his neck. Following that action, a needle was driven into it, and the area was burned, but nothing else.
He closed his eyes and played possum. Several minutes later, Casimir was rolled over. After experiencing the sting of two slaps on the cheek, he sensed the stranger’s hand fishing around in his inside coat pocket.
The weight of the camera was no longer on him, and he heard the metal twist and crack. The remains of it were scattered upon him.
When he sensed the stranger rise, Casimir cracked an eye open. He saw a figure cloaked in all black, the stranger’s face obscured by a black mask.
Casimir gritted his teeth. His gaze darted around his assailant, taking account of any identifying feature. He listened to the black-clad figure walk away from him and in the direction of the frozen beast. A crack and the sound of rushing water soon followed.
“Shh,” said the black-clad figure.
Soon, silence returned, and Casimir was left alone in the mist.