Chapter 1: And So It Begins...
Rain poured relentlessly on a night when the moon was shrouded by an overbearing amount of clouds. The stars were absent, and all that remained to provide light in the populous city of Mospria were flickering street lamps that did not do nearly enough to illuminate the way for citizens returning to their homes, at least in these parts of the large city. In the wealthier districts lighting was not an issue and neither was activity as under the rain carriages moved seemingly undisturbed by the downpour. The capital of Cestane never slept especially on nights like these where important people had important nights, varying from simple dinners to business meetings with executives, and on the most rare occasions political gatherings between powers of the mighty nation. Casimir had always thought life was unfair but never bothered to do anything about it. He believed what he was going through was a result of heinous crimes he must have committed in his previous life. Letting a sneeze slip by as he weaved his way through the crowd of the more fortunate folk, he turned his head in an attempt to catch sight of those pursuing him. He assumed he lost them, why not? Not a single uniform was in sight.
"Watch it you brat."
Casimir collided with the lower half of a man who was more annoyed than angry it seemed.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the man continued. Awakened folk usually never had patience with street rats especially those that entered the wealthier districts. As he stood, he felt something clamp down on his wrist.
'Cold.'
The first word that came to mind described what he felt on his wrist.
Almost instinctively he clawed at the object to no avail. He was caught, not like he didn't expect it but he did nothing to hide his disappointment.
"Listen here you little runt, if you try to run one more time ill gut you myself, and I couldn't care less about what the law says."
The threat from the officer who was in charge of this time of the year's batch of potential awakeners fell on deaf ears as he fastened the metal cuffs on the youth's wrists. When approaching the age of sixteen, people would awaken abilities if they had any, and for the sake of public safety all who were eligible for awakening would be brought to centres where the process would take place. Casimir knew his chances at a better life would be guaranteed if he was to awaken, even more so if he was to awaken with a high-rank origin. He knew this based on the lectures they had been receiving back at the orphanage but also knew the possibility of awakening with a high-rank core was low especially since he was a nobody. Bloodlines usually had the greatest effect on one's core rank, or so they were told but he didn't believe that was entirely true.
They trudged along the busy street back toward the large structure that the populous simply knew as the awakening centre. As they moved the two officers that were in charge of Casimir began to chat.
"Say… you never told me how your awakening went."
"I didn't? well, what is there to say?"
"You know the location, how you folks reacted, what officials said… hell you didn't even mention being drafted for training under the house of Cochester before being admitted to Mospria University."
"Well, it doesn't matter anymore since I'm stuck here playing babysitter for a bunch of street rats."
"What did you even do man? punishments don't usually get this petty, especially for the more talented people like you."
"Let's just say I was caught in the wrong bed, at the wrong time, by the wrong people."
As the two awakened went on Casimir listened in and wandered off mentally occasionally. He found out one of the officers, the more talented one, was named Michal and the other was Francis. He often considered what he would do with his life if he didn't awaken, but he knew not much awaited down that path.
'Maybe I'll look for a cleaning job to raise enough money to use the warps and enter into Nen, I heard life is pretty cheap in their capital.'
Pondering on possible outcomes, Casimir did less to escape than he had initially planned when he was caught. He had resigned to this fate. They approached the gate of the awakening centre and much to his surprise, the people that manned the gate seemed to be absent.
"Where did they go?"
Michal let the question hang as it was directed at no one but rather at himself. However, the gates slowly parted inwards a carriage exited. Both of the officers stood at attention and Casimir was caught by surprise. If he had to make a guess, he assumed the carriage held important people. He wondered how the seemingly simple machine worked if it was not being drawn by any beasts.
'Probably those ether crystals they mentioned.'
As he quizzed himself mentally one of the things they called "windows" slid down to reveal a middle-aged man. Although it was drizzling, Casimir could see the man's striking features. A house lord was the first thing that came to mind.
"Greetings Lord Cohen."
The two stooges acknowledged the man as Casimir remained silent. He decided to use his youth as an excuse to be rude to this important man.
"Hello there young man."
Lord Cohen's gaze landed on the unkempt youth. His tawny brown and dirty hair that ended crudely at his shoulders, his unremarkable face that every plain human seemed to have, and his dirty rags didn't bother the esteemed house, Lord. It was the young boy's cosmos grey eyes that shone like diamonds under the light, they irked him… they irked him to no end.
"Where is the boy's Guardian?"
The Lord asked after being met by silence to his initial question.
"He is an orphan Lord Cohen, his documents state he has been an orphan from birth and that his mother died during childbirth."
"And the father?"
"Estranged lord Cohen"
"I see… ."
After the last answer, the window went back up as the carriage proceeded. Casimir was sure now more than ever that he needed to live. At least for his mother's sake. He knew the truth, they didn't and he was so sure of it now he needed justice.
'Your truth is not mine, and my truth you shall dread.'
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