If a person wanted to pierce the Ascendancy’s veil, they would have to claim numbers from the gods themselves. At any cost. Whatever that price ended up being, Casimir would pay it. Stripping away that mystery would help him understand what it was that Barasa wanted from him in the same fashion that experience had taught him that Luka and Eleni wanted talented students who were too desperate and insecure to challenge them. But how to go about snatching up all the Spire secrets?
The game now was boldness and absurdity. Running around with a shirt on his head and clay caked all over his skin and under his nails, Casimir knew that any outside viewer would look at the stone carver in the tunnels and the Shuisky heir and call the second the insane one. Maybe any objective viewer would do that. Barasa had been confused at Casimir’s course of action. But it was working. So yes, daring to engage in madness appeared to be the game now.
Out in the unknown future, there was a rational perspective that gave insight into how everything had unfolded. In the present, all he could feel was confusion, wonder, and unhinged hilarity. What had even happened to him in a single night? He had gone from cynical and determined in the auditorium to despairing and defiant in the test and then shocked and scheming once the System had been opened up to him. Casimir’s emotions felt all mixed up and shaken from constantly changing. Whiplash.
Even now the feelings kept shifting with the moment. The amazement and humor of the situation was evaporating away. He felt exhausted. Empty and triumphant perhaps. Or triumphant and empty. Did it matter what the order of the words happened to be in? Casimir thought it might but was too tired to really pick apart why. All that there was to do was keep moving, first back to his home and then wherever the Ascendancy demanded. So long as it got him to his true destination along the way, it would be fine.
The ground became less smooth the farther he got from the Academy, that held true whether he took passages that dived back into the stone or followed the spiraling outer routes that risked a lethal drop. The other fact of his walk was the stares and whispering that followed in his wake. Any passerby or loiterer would stop whatever they were doing to stare at the madman within their midst. That made it hard to sift the dangerous ones from the curious strangers.
“Do you need help?” a voice asked.
“No, I’m alright, thank you.” Casimir replied.
There was no point in risking Barasa getting annoyed with him. What if part of the command to find his way back home was a test to see if he would cheat by asking for assistance? A few of the man’s friends joined him and Casimir was reminded that it was very late even if there was no way of knowing outside of a timepiece set to the Old Earth’s day-night cycle.
Well, I did prepare for this.
“Perhaps you could help us then. You wouldn’t happen to be one of those Academy test takers, would you?” The man said, laughing. He had a bag on him that Casimir suspected was filled with wallets.
“I took the test and I failed, but I really have to get home now.” Casimir said. “Here, if you want money, you can just take my wallet now.”
“No, no, let’s talk first. The more I look at you, the less I can believe you’re somebody the Academy would let take the exams. Are you one of those crazies stirring up trouble? Those Raddies from down the pillar?”
Casimir was going to be pissed if he lost the priest’s challenge because some street trash riffraff got into a fight with him. Instinct told him to run, but reason warned that the mask and altered vision could make him fall. That was if they even were slower than him normally.
“No, I really am a student.”
“You steal those clothes, Raddie? They look good under all that filth.” The thief asked.
“Real good.” One of the thief’s men said.
“No, they’re mine.” Casimir replied.
“They’re yours, and they’re real nice, but you don’t seem to care that they’re ruined.” The leader said. “So, which are you, a Raddie thief or as rich as you are filthy?”
“Alright, you got me, they’re rented.” Casimir lied.
“Nah, I don’t believe that. You believe that, Ayers?” The leader said to one of his friends.
“Hard to believe, hard to believe. Someone who rented because they did not have the coin to buy would care more about their deposit, and someone who had the coin would just buy it.” Ayers said.
“Toss it over. The money, toss it over.”
Casimir decided the quickest way out was just to comply, it was why he packed it in the first place. He threw it. A bad throw, but he could barely see. One of thieves caught it and handed it to the leader who opened it up.
“This ain’t enough to be running around like this. I think we have us a liar, gentlemen.”
Casimir’s fingers played with his sleeve, as he debated whether or not he should reveal the glowing marks. On one hand, it might scare them into obedience, but on the other hand, these could be anti-establishment types. What if it just enraged them?
“I think he needs the truth beaten out of him, Boss.” Ayers said.
“Stay away from my friend!” Someone shouted, their voice cracking. A new arrival to the situation. They sounded very familiar but not like anyone he would have named a friend. Casimir’s eyes widened as he realized it was the boy who had whispered to him during the speech. The kid made an attempt at a war cry and rocketed forward to swing the most telegraphed punch he had ever seen. Considering the mask on Casimir, it was likely worse than how it appeared. Somehow. The robber stopped it easily and burst out laughing.
“Well, there goes your Plan A, what’s your Plan B?” He mocked the boy.
The redhead kicked the thief in the balls before shouting, “Surprise attack!”
The other muggers grabbed hold of the two of them as the leader picked himself up from the ground slowly.
“We’re throwing both of them off into the abyss.” The robber said, his face scrunched up in discomfort.
Damn it. Damn it. Can I use the System to beat them? It’s not like I can gain a combat skill and level it up to take down six men before they pin me down. No, I have to do something else.
There was no time left to lose and fewer options now. Casimir rolled up his sleeve to reveal shining letters and numbers set into his skin. The robbers ran. It seemed they were not political extremists after all. The other boy whooped. Casimir tried to remember what his name was again. Nick? Neil? Niall! That was it, Niall.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Whoa!” Niall exclaimed. “Cool! So cool. Are you, like, a super spy sent by the Ascendancy to infiltrate the Academy?”
There was no time to explain any of this to this kid.
“Yes. I have to go now, can’t stay to talk.” Casimir said, setting off at a sprint.
Do not fall, do not fall.
The other applicant followed. “This is the most amazing thing that has happened to me! Hey, why do you have a shirt around your head though anyways?”
“Secret… secret Ascendancy business.”
The boy promptly pulled off his own shirt and copied the wrapping. Casimir sighed and picked up his speed. When it became clear that Niall wasn’t going to leave, he resigned himself to his fate.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.” Casimir answered.
“Gotcha, gotcha.” The boy said, showing no sign of leaving.
“Why did you yell surprise attack after you kicked that robber?” Casimir asked.
“Because it wouldn’t be a surprise if I said it first.”
“But why say it at all?”
“Well, because he asked me what my Plan B was. I didn’t want to be rude.” The boy said.
This one might not be the sharpest knife in the silverware drawer.
The two boys in bizarre headwear scrambled onwards, drawing more attention everywhere they went. If Barasa was not tailing him already, he sure would be hearing all about it in the public gossip. When Casimir spotted his family’s estate, he felt relief and then guilt for letting the other applicant follow.
“This is me.” Casimir said as they approached.
The boy let out an appreciative whistle. “Nice place.”
Gardens of cultured lichen that shown like beds of stars, pools of shimmering water filled with eyeless koi, stonework that seamlessly flowed between natural rock and masoned architecture. It was a nice place. More than that, it was like a miniature palace. A little Eden. The kind you got if your ancestors had been royalty when the gods of ancient Mesopotamia had returned to demand unconditional fealty. What a fun way to find out that everyone’s religion was wrong.
“You going to be okay walking back to wherever you live?” Casimir asked.
Niall paused.
How could you not have thought about how you’ll get home? How could anyone not think about that? Do I help him? What would a good person do, the kind of person who deserves redemption?
Casimir sighed. “Do you want to stay at my house until morning?”
“Like a sleepover?” Niall said hopefully.
Casimir Maksimovich Shuisky had never had nor ever desired to have a ‘sleepover,’ but the simple calculus was whether going along with it made his life easier while still doing something good.
“…yeah. That.” Casimir said.
The night shift guards were approaching.
“It’s me.” He shouted to them. “And…”
“And your friend Niall!”
“Right. And my acquaintance Niall. My extremely recent acquaintance Niall who will be leaving first thing in the morning.”
The boy shifted his weight back and forth from one foot to the other from the excitement. He was a couple of years younger, but even still he seemed overly energized. Anxious too. A bundle of nerves.
I can’t let this kid wander home on his own if he’s so quick to trust. What if he gets himself stabbed by the next person he tries to force his friendship on? And I cannot go out again with limited sight to walk him home and back… so I guess this is just how it has to be.
“My parents will probably be asleep so be quiet.” Casimir said.
Niall frowned. “They aren’t up waiting for you?”
“Why would they? It is so late.”
“Why wouldn’t they? They’re your parents.”
Casimir felt defensive when he saw an expression of pity on Niall’s face. “Doesn’t that apply just as much to you? At least I’m coming home tonight at all. Your parents won’t know where you are until the morning.”
“I don’t, well, they aren’t around, I guess. I live with someone else, and she won’t care if I’m gone for a little bit. She might not even notice.” Niall said, looking away.
Casimir decided to unpack that at a more reasonable hour.
“Come on in then, neither of us will have a waiting party.” Casimir said, slowly opening the door so that it did not make a sound. The two crept in, Casimir was just pulling the shirt off his face when he heard a buzzing in his ears and felt a burning sensation along his spine.
+10 Obedience Points for the completion of a Task!
“Who said that??” Casimir asked, whipping his head around to look for the speaker. “Barasa? Is that you? Are you there?”
“I didn’t hear anything.” Niall said. “And I thought we were supposed to be quiet.”
“I did not hear anything either, Caz.” A little girl about ten years of age said, popping up from her hiding space behind a stool, wearing a nightgown and trailing a blanket behind her.
“Rina.” Casimir acknowledged his youngest sibling. “Did we wake you?”
“No, I was waiting for you to come back.”
“All night long?”
“Yup.”
Why? He wondered.
“Hi Rina, I’m Niall, your brother’s new friend.” Niall waved.
“That’s not my name.” She replied.
“Uh, well, that’s what he just called you.” Niall said, looking confused.
“He’s allowed to say it wrong. You’re not. And my brother only has one friend, and it is not you.”
“Aw, are you his best friend? That’s sweet, I promise I’m not going to steal him from you, we can all be friends.” Niall said, squatting down.
“She’s someone else.” Rina said with a surprising bitterness for a child. “And Casimir won’t want to be yours anyways.”
She left with her blanket dragging after her.
“What’s up with her?” Niall said.
“Don’t worry about it. Just come on and I’ll get you a room to sleep in.” Casimir said, dragging the boy along.
“I thought we could find sleeping bags and-”
“Nope. No, that’s alright.” Casimir said with firmness. Ultimately, this person was a stranger, and he was being nice enough as it was. “Look, I feel bad that you would have to go home without sleeping if I did not do this and that you failed the exam, but I don’t know you.”
“I passed.”
“What?”
“I passed the Academy’s entrance exam. They gave me a spot.” Niall said proudly.
Casimir stared at him. “Repeat that.”
“I said I passed the exam.”
“What, are you like an excellent sculptor or something? A genius clay molder? A potter’s apprentice?” Casimir asked incredulously.
“Pottery? What does that have to do with the testing?” Niall said. He had a bewildered expression plastered on his face.
“You didn’t have to shape three items from clay?”
“No? I took a written exam on Pre-Cataclysm mammals. The proctors said my short answer responses were the most detailed they had ever seen outside of the Archaeo-Biology department. What’s with that look?”
“Don’t mind me, I’m just considering burning down all of the Academy’s properties.” Casimir said, anger rushing through him.
“Oh fun. How can I help?” Niall said, not a hint of deception or joking in his blue eyes.
“You are a strange, strange person.” Casimir said, leading the way up the stairway.
“The good kind of strange though, right?”
“There’s multiple kinds?”
“Sure there are. Funny strange and funky strange and scary strange. More probably than that too.” Niall said.
“You’re a good kind of strange then, I guess. I just don’t understand why you latched onto me so strongly. We barely talked for a moment before the speech and then all of the sudden you’re trying to fight robbers for me.” Casimir said.
“Oh. Well. Someone kind of special told me that the only way to make friends is to put yourself out there and make connections happen, if they, if they aren’t already happening. I tried talking to people after the exam, but I was the only one in my group that got accepted. They all seem mad. And then I got sad and left, and then I saw you with those goons.” Niall said.
“And you thought us saying a few things to each other counted?”
“Well, I thought that and saving you would make you be my friend.” Niall said.
“You can’t force someone to be your friend. Even if your rescue had gone a little more to plan.” Casimir said. The chances of the boy trying to take something valuable had gone down, but the odds of Casimir waking up to seeing Niall watching him sleep had gone up.
“Oh. Do you want me to leave then?” Niall shifted, looking down.
No. Two competing parts of Casimir answered within him for very different reasons.
No, you need me. I can’t abandon someone who needs me again. Even if I have to sacrifice my comfort for it.
No, I need you. I can use someone on the inside of the Academy for my benefit. Even if it ends up hurting you.
“No, you can stay.” Casimir said.
Who could say which one he had listened to?
----------------------------------------
Casimir Maksimovich Shuisky
Stats: (Unallocated)
-STR:0
-VIT:0
-CHA:0
-PER:0
-FOR:0
-DEX:0
Skills:
-Observe Lvl 1
Traits: Shuisky Heir, Inverted Human
Allegiances: Shuisky Family, Cult of the Delving Wyrm, The Ascendancy
+10 Obedience Points for Allocation.