Download App
1.48% Warrior Training System / Chapter 4: Scarlet castle : New home

Chapter 4: Scarlet castle : New home

"Shhh, my head hurts..." Cassian's first thought emerged as his consciousness began to return. His hand and body felt bound, making it hard for him to move. He tried to open his heavy eyelids, looking at his limbs. Turning his head to the side, he saw his arms raised and bound with iron chains. "Why am I in chains?" His legs and the rest of his body were similarly restrained, making it impossible to move an inch.

He couldn't recall how he ended up here. The last thing he remembered was his second leg being cut off as his hand was nailed to a wall. Thinking about that painful memory, he looked around. His intact limbs made it feel like it hadn't happened, but the pain was too real to dismiss as a dream. "What the fuck is happening?" he asked himself, remembering the three who tortured him for the necklace Master Russell had given him.

He looked down at his chest and saw only the black thread where the necklace had been. "Where is it?" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

He was clearly in some sort of confinement room, given the iron bars in front of him and the damp smell. The ones who confined him must be nearby. Wanting their attention, he began to shout loudly, "Where are you, fuckers? Give me back my necklace!"

As he was yelling, he suddenly heard a voice, completely devoid of emotion.

[Trainee Cassian Van Dyke, I am within you.]

"Who spoke?" Cassian asked, straining to look around but unable to move much due to the chains. He could feel the walls close on either side, and ahead of him were bars, but no one stood there—just darkness, with light streaming in from above, casting its glow upon him.

[Don't be startled. I am the warrior training system that was housed within the necklace you wore. Currently, I reside within your heart.]

This alarmed Cassian even more as he scanned his surroundings with fear. If he was correct, this could be a mage—a concept he had heard about. Mages could speak directly into one's mind. Thinking one of the three who attacked him was playing a cruel prank, he shouted, "Don't play with me... come out... give me back my necklace!"

Before the voice could respond in his mind again, he heard a door creak open. He turned towards the bars from where the sound came, squinting as the light flooded in—he hadn't seen light in a while, and it stung his eyes. Footsteps approached, more than one person. Startled, he shouted, "Who are you? Where am I? Where is my necklace?"

But he received no answer, and the footsteps halted in front of him. His vision slowly returned, but he could only keep his head down due to the chains, his eyes fixed on the person's boots. They were crafted from leather with intricate carvings, some adorned with gold. He had seen similar footwear worn by nobles in the market before. It became clearer now that he was confined by someone of noble or wealthy status, which puzzled him further—why would such a person need a small silver necklace?

"Where am I? Who are you?" he asked again.

Still, the person did not answer directly. Instead, they commanded, "Release his chains and bring him outside." The voice was authoritative and masculine, and the accompanying men obeyed without hesitation, starting to undo his bindings as they escorted him out.

Cassian cooperated without resistance as they released him from the chains. He knew he couldn't outrun or fight them, and he still needed to retrieve his necklace. Massaging his sore wrists, he walked towards the narrow exit of the confinement. Stepping out, he looked up at the men standing at a hill looking at what was the biggest structure Cassian had ever seen in his life, it was the dark red Castle. 

"Where the fuck am I?" Cassian exclaimed inwardly, his shock palpable. He had braced himself to encounter a low-ranking noble, but the sprawling castle before him hinted at a far grander captor—the royal family themselves. Only they could command such a colossal structure that resembled more a bustling city than a mere fortress, so Cassian thought.

Turning to survey the building from which he had just emerged, Cassian noted its modest dimensions: a single-story edifice with a low ceiling, its ground floor adorned with a solitary line of doors. Despite its unimposing stature in comparison to the grandeur of the castle, Cassian's attention quickly returned to the impressive sight that lay ahead.

The soldiers who had released him now stepped into view, their presence marked by the authoritative clank of well-maintained iron armor and the comforting weight of swords at their hips. One of them, their leader, gestured curtly and said, "Walk..."

Despite their seemingly non-threatening demeanor, Cassian remained cautious. The three attackers from earlier had nearly left him for dead, so he approached the person standing a few meters away from the soldiers warily. This individual didn't wear armor like the soldiers but had a sword at their waist—a finer weapon than those carried by the armored men.

Having seen high-ranking officers who guarded the city he once lived in, Cassian recognized the attire. It was clear this person was of significant rank, likely a noble, as not all officials wore such well-crafted boots and carried such quality swords. What intrigued him more was the person's slightly dark red hair, similar to his own, sparking his curiosity.

He walked towards the person, mirroring the soldiers' approach, and stopped a short distance away. Cassian eyed the individual closely—it wasn't one of the three who had tortured him for the necklace, but there was no telling if this person had ordered the attack. He remained cautious, saying nothing. After a few moments of silent contemplation, the man finally spoke, his gaze fixed on the castle.

"I've always loved admiring it from here. Quite the view, don't you think?" he asked. Confused, Cassian nodded as the man turned towards him.

The man was handsome, with slightly almond skin and a striking facial structure that would charm any lady. But Cassian's attention was drawn to his eyes, which, like his own, were red. A connection sparked in Cassian's mind, and his guess proved correct when the man spoke again.

"Well, good for you. It's your home from now on, Cassian Van Dyke. Welcome to Scarlet Castle of the Van Dyke Duchy."


Chapter 5: Aunt lucy

Cassian stood outside the door in the corridor of the enormous castle he had seen a few hours earlier. His clothes had been changed from his bloody, ragged ones. Upon seeing the blood-stained rags, the squad captain, Tyron, had insisted he change into clean garments. This made one thing clear: the torture he endured in the alley was not a dream; it had really happened.

The question now was how he had managed to regrow his leg and travel nearly four hundred miles to Scarlet Castle in just one day. Remembering the voice that had spoken to him in his mind earlier in the confinement cell, he looked around and whispered, "Are you there, voice?"

[Yes, trainee Cassian, I am here. You don't have to speak verbally; just thinking it will suffice.]

Cassian was shocked, but not as much as before. After all, more surprising things had happened to him recently—one being that the Van Dyke family had taken him back. When Cassian asked why they hadn't done so earlier, he learned the blame lay with his father, who had hidden his bastard son far away and died before telling anyone. As a result, no news of them had reached the duchy, leading to Cassian's difficult childhood.

Trying to control his shock, he asked in his mind, "Are you real? You're not playing a trick on me, are you?"

[I am real, trainee Cassian.]

The voice confirmed, and suddenly the door opened. Cassian stopped and looked up to see the man he had met earlier, the one who admired the castle. Cassian liked this man—he, too, was a Van Dyke and a bastard like Cassian. Despite the biases and hatred towards bastards, even in the Van Dyke family, this man had risen to the rank of squad captain in the Van Dyke army. For Cassian, he was a bastard from a low-ranking family member who wasn't even a baron, had also been accepted into the family because of this man.

Cassian was thankful to him. The man looked at the malnourished boy, who looked younger than his age, which wasn't good for growing children, and smiled. "Cassian, congratulations. You're now a member of the Van Dyke family," he said, making the young boy excited.

"Really?" Cassian asked, eyes wide with anticipation.

The man nodded with a smile, though it soon faded slightly. "But there's something you should know," Tyron continued. "In the Van Dyke family, there's a tradition that only useful members are allowed to rise above others. I hate it, but we still have to follow it." His smile nearly disappeared, replaced with a look of pity. "And you're deemed useless by the others," he said.

Seeing Cassian fall silent, Tyron hastily added, "But don't worry. I've arranged a job for you. It's a simple task, but it's important, especially considering who you'll be working for."

Cassian didn't mind if the job was considered useful or not; he was just happy to have a place. His main concern was figuring out how he had ended up here. Even Tyron had asked how he had managed to travel so far on his own, to which Cassian could only reply, "I don't know."

Tyron's expression became even more pitiful upon hearing Cassian's response. He knew life was tough for orphaned children, but it shouldn't be this hard.

"You've had a rough time, haven't you?" Tyron said softly, his eyes filled with sympathy. "It's not right that you had to struggle so much, but things will be different now."

Cassian nodded, trying to suppress the emotions welling up inside him. The thought of finally having a place where he belonged and someone who cared for his well-being was overwhelming.

Tyron placed a reassuring hand on Cassian's shoulder. "The eldest lady is kind. She'll treat you well. Just do your best, and you'll be fine. And remember, if you need anything or have any questions, you can always come to me."

"Thank you, Tyron," Cassian said, his voice filled with gratitude.

"Alright, let's get you settled in," Tyron said, leading Cassian down the grand hallway. The castle's interior was even more magnificent up close, with intricate tapestries adorning the walls and chandeliers casting a warm glow.

As they walked, Tyron continued, "The eldest lady's quarters are in the east wing. You'll be responsible for keeping her rooms clean and tidy. It's a simple job, but very important. She values cleanliness and order. You'll start tomorrow, but first, I'm going to introduce you to Lady Katherine's personal maid. She'll be your supervisor from now on. She's my aunt, so she won't make things hard for you. Just do your work diligently, okay?"

Cassian listened attentively, determined to make a good impression on his new supervisor. They arrived at a large, ornate door, guarded by soldiers. A woman in a maid uniform stood nearby. She appeared to be in her late thirties, with a mature figure, a motherly face, and dark hair. Seeing Tyron and Cassian approaching, she greeted Tyron with a smile. "How is our youngest squad captain doing today?"

"Busy, Aunt Lucy?" Tyron said with a smile as he hugged the beaming lady. "How about you? Is everything all right?"

Lucy's smile faded slightly, and with a bit of sadness in her voice, she replied, "You know how it is, child. Since your uncle left with that whore, I feel like I've aged decades."

Tyron's expression softened with empathy. "I'm sorry, Aunt Lucy. You deserve so much better."

Lucy sighed but managed a small smile. "Thank you, Tyron. But enough about that. Who is this young man with you?"

"This is Cassian," Tyron introduced, placing a reassuring hand on Cassian's shoulder. "He'll be working as a cleaning boy for Lady Katherine."

Lucy looked Cassian over, her motherly demeanor returning. "Nice to meet you, Cassian. I'm sure you'll do well here."

Cassian nodded, feeling a mix of nerves and determination. "Nice to meet you too, ma'am. I'll do my best."

"I'm sure you will," Lucy said kindly. "Let's get you settled in and show you the ropes."


Load failed, please RETRY

Gifts

Gift -- Gift received

    Weekly Power Status

    Batch unlock chapters

    Table of Contents

    Display Options

    Background

    Font

    Size

    Chapter comments

    Write a review Reading Status: C4
    Fail to post. Please try again
    • Writing Quality
    • Stability of Updates
    • Story Development
    • Character Design
    • World Background

    The total score 0.0

    Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
    Vote with Power Stone
    Rank 200+ Power Ranking
    Stone 57 Power Stone
    Report inappropriate content
    error Tip

    Report abuse

    Paragraph comments

    Login

    tip Paragraph comment

    Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

    Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

    GOT IT