Cass was standing at the intersection right across from the Surfside Diner; a 24/7 place that served a really good burger.
If only it were a little closer.
He double checked the package tucked inside his jacket.
Shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. That's plenty of time.
He was stalling. He'd been standing there for over 5 minutes for no other reason. He took a deep breath and pushed himself over the threshold. Instantly his body began to ache…within a few steps the cold sweat started…Every part of him was telling him to go back. By the time he reached the dive bar, his vision and hearing were being affected. Cass sat at the bar, resting his head on his hand.
"What'll it be?"
"All the *bub* you got, berk. And a glass of milk."
The large, bald bartender stared for a couple seconds then grinned and took the package.
"Comin' right up."
The minutes passed by…Cass glanced around the bar.
Where is this lumbering dolt? It's been over 45 minutes…
Cass suspected that at around the 2 hour mark he'd be unable to move from the pain, which essentially meant death. He tried to preoccupy his mind by cursing every miserable object that came into view.
"On the house tonight."
The bartender flopped an envelope on the table and gave him another grin. Without saying a word, Cass grabbed the envelope and left. By the time he reached the intersection he was in agony. Crossing back into Tindra's range was pure bliss. He collapsed on a bench, his breathing labored. He hadn't even counted his money. Tindra paid him well, for the slums that is, but his apartment wasn't cheap. She had offered to let him have a room in the Dogface Doxy, but he needed his own space.
How did she put it? "Only nutcases use sorcery"? Close enough.
In truth, Cass had heard about sorcery from Cadeyrn's lessons and began researching it as soon as his trial ended. When receiving a Blessing, the physical boosts and magical boosts you gained were a gamble: They may compliment your Blessing or be totally incompatible with it. Even those that received only physical boosts usually had some sense of magic, if only the ability to create tiny lights or sparks. It was all Blessed energy in the end, just different forms. Cass had none of this, unsurprisingly. He was Cursed, after all; the arcane of the divine had forsaken him. Sorcery was his only option to access the magical arts. He needed some extra cash to afford materials and a place to safely practice it. Well…safe for Tindra and the girls, at least. After a couple of minutes, he staggered to his feet and headed home.
"Home sweet home."
Cass always felt like a lunatic when he looked at his apartment. Books stacked all over the dinner table and floors…some that were open, others stuffed with bookmarks. Notes scrawled and pasted to various objects around the small living room and kitchen area. An old-timey tv he'd found, complete with rabbit ear antennas. His raggedy couch and coffee table combo. Oh yeah, and there were the runes carved all along the floors and walls. The warm light of dawn streaming into the room was wasted on such an appalling scene.
It'd be tough having any guests over. I suppose I could cover them with wallpaper and rugs? Hmm…Not having people over would be easier. Thank god I never told anyone where I live.
Cass grabbed a small rock from the box and placed it in the center of a freshly carved runic circle in the middle of the floor. His goal was simple: Turn the rock into a perfect cube. A simple task for sorcery. He knelt at the edge of the outer circle and placed his hands within two smaller circles contained within, completing the circuit. Sorcery used mana, which was different from Blessed energy. As the name implied, only Blessed possessed Blessed energy. Mana on the other hand was everywhere. It could even be concentrated down into mana crystals, like the ones in the spider's den. This ability to exist outside of living things made it very useful; the abandoned observation facility made that apparent. Fuel, medicine, transportation, and of course, the bulk of the research was in weapons. It was also rumored that demons were born out of mana…but Cass didn't care about all that. He wanted magic, that was it. If mana and sorcery gave him that ability, he'd use it.
Maybe there's a way to mitigate some of this horrible curse. Or even better, a way to kill that treacherous curr.
Cass grinned. Delusion was a potent medicine against hopelessness. The mana flowed into the circle.
Huh, my control has improved over the last month.
Just then the rock exploded, sending shards flying throughout the apartment. Cass wiped the bits off his face.
Well that's new. At least something happened this time.
His rate of growth wasn't stellar. But unlike his curse, he could actually make progress with sorcery.
Being "Dead" is a pain in the ass.
He grabbed another rock and continued on into the early afternoon.
The night at the Dogface Doxy was uneventful. All the girls had been warned about weirdos asking if they needed work. None of them reported anything strange. Cass also kept closer watch on the patrons, even the regulars. At the end of the night, he carried the last of the girls' groceries upstairs and then went to check on Tindra in the main room. He could hear her before he even reached the stairs.
"How many times I gotta tell ya, slick!? She ain't feelin' well!"
"Didn't mean nothin' by it, madam! I was gonna fix her somethin' to eat. Did I mention how lovely you look today?"
Rudy was a guy who never met a stranger. He had slicked back auburn hair and a long, angular face that sported signs of a few fights. His outdated suit was too big for him and always unbuttoned. Though Cass had to admit the color matched his olive skin tone well. The gaudy, faux gold jewelry was a bit much though. In short, Rudy couldn't look any more untrustworthy if he tried. Still, he had helped Cass get set up in the city and find work. He was sure Rudy wouldn't forget that little fact either, if the time came.
"Yo, Cass! Need help taking the groceries up?"
"How uncharacteristically kind of you. Already finished. Have to find another way to sneak in."
He looked aghast.
"I can't believe my best buddy Cass would say such a thing about me!"
He ran his hand through his hair.
"How's Daniella?"
Cass glanced at Tindra and back to Rudy.
"Didn't I already tell ya!? You slow or somethin'? Deaf maybe?"
"Let's go, Rudy. Before you get yourself killed."
The air outside was cool. A few wisps of fog were slowly floating down the long empty road. Not enough to pull people in, but enough to scare them off. The streets were rarely this empty. Not all fog was THE Fog. But to most it might as well have been. The actual Fog just felt…off. It was too hard to see through and almost glowed. If you looked close you could see the edges distorting the light around it. Rudy whistled.
"Looks like the machines are actin' up again. Fog's comin' through."
"Yeah, I guess so. Hope the exhaust fans in my building are working."
Rudy was eagerly looking at him. Cass sighed and pulled the envelopes out of his coat.
"Here ya go. Two of them, in fact."
Rudy could hardly contain his excitement. He peeled the envelope flap open.
"Aren't you going to wait until you get home?"
He stopped and composed himself.
"A-hem, yes. Thanks buddy! How is she?"
Cass looked away.
"She's fine. You know how protective Tindra is though."
"A damn shame. I even offered Tindra to pay for her time. Do I look that sleazy?"
Cass didn't answer.
"Don't leave me hangin', buddy!"
Cass shrugged.
"If you can figure her out, let me know. I've been trying for months."
Cass rubbed the back of his head. Rudy sighed.
"Ah well. As long as you're our loyal courier, we can at least keep in touch with each other."
Rudy yawned.
"Have you been working late?"
"Yeah, gotta save for Dani's contract! Once I buy it out, we can spend as much time as we want together!"
Cass smiled.
As poor as she performs at work, I'm surprised he can't get a discount.
"Hey! Didja hear the latest news?"
"I haven't heard much of anything in the last month or so. I've been preoccupied."
"Lady Islay is gettin' hitched! First time in a while that the Great House Inannthas is forming an alliance!"
"Oh."
The affairs of nobles meant little to Cass before. Separated from it…well, he was shocked he was able to care less than he had.
"Kinda surprising really. Can't even remember the other house name. Lord Cadeyrn is something else though. Snaggin' him alone is probably worth it."
Cass's stomach knotted and his scar ached.
So he went with my pick, huh? Why do I feel like that's just him twisting the knife?
"Whoa, you okay, man? Didn't mean to bore you that much. No need to get upset."
"Don't worry about it. I just heard a lot of nasty rumors about that Cadeyrn guy, is all. Turned my stomach a little."
"Really? First I've heard of it. He seems like humanity's beacon of hope. There's always some lowlife skulking in the gutter wanting to see a hero fall. Course, they're usually the ones moochin' off their hard work more than anyone!"
Rudy laughed. Cass turned just in time to hide his visage. It was twisted and contorted in a way he'd never experienced before. He controlled himself.
"I'm sure you're eager to read your letters. I'll see you around."
"You bet. Take 'er easy, Cass!"
Cass waited for a while before going inside. Down the opposite direction, a wall of Fog was rolling in from the docks.