The sun was barely beginning to peek over Bastion's citadel when Nephis of the Valor clan opened her eyes. As every morning, her body woke before her mind—a routine etched into the deepest layers of her being through years of training and survival.
She rose from her bed with the precision of clockwork, her bare feet touching the cold stone floor. The flaw that had accompanied her since birth—that damned inability to feel physical pain—had been both her greatest strength and her greatest curse. Without pain, there was no warning. Without warning, there was no limit. And without limit, she had fallen many times.
But it also made me stronger, she thought as she stretched, her muscles tensing beneath her pale skin. More resilient. More dangerous.
As every morning, she dedicated the first hours to honing her skills. She practiced combat forms with a sword that wasn't real, moving through the empty rooms of her quarters with the grace of a dancer and the ferocity of a predator. Every movement was precise, every breath measured. Then, meditation: hours of silence and concentration, facing her flaw head-on, learning to live without the warning that pain provides to others.
But today, her mind couldn't focus.
Something isn't right, she told herself as she rose from her meditation position. And I don't know what it is.
For a week now, she had noticed the change. A subtle shift, almost imperceptible, but unmistakable to someone who had known Cassia for so long. The seer of the Valor clan, her best friend, the woman who had shared with her the harshest trials of Ariel's Tomb, had been... different.
It wasn't that Cassia had changed drastically. No, it was more subtle than that.
Her friend was still the same as always: serene, calculating, always one step ahead of everyone else. But there was something in her demeanor that didn't fit. A slight distraction in her eyes when people spoke to her. A smile that appeared on her lips for no apparent reason. A glow on her face that Nephis hadn't seen since... since Uriel's death in the third nightmare.
'Oh, no...'
Nephis felt a knot in her stomach. She remembered clearly how Cassie had changed after that tragedy. How she had withdrawn into herself, how she had grown colder, more distant. How she had immersed herself in her work as the clan's seer, accepting every task delegated to her, avoiding contact with others.
But that had changed. Cassie was now more animated. She smiled more often. And most concerning: sometimes she would get distracted in the middle of a conversation. Cassia, the seer who always knew what was going to happen before it did. Cassie, who never lost the thread of anything.
'Something is happening' Nephis thought, clenching her fists. 'And I'm going to find out what.'
She could have asked her directly. It was the most logical option, the simplest. But Nephis knew Cassie. She knew that if she asked, her friend would skillfully deflect the conversation, change the subject, distract her with some cryptic prophecy or observation about the future. Cassie was a master at the art of saying nothing while speaking volumes.
No, Nephis decided. I'll investigate on my own.
She waited until night covered Bastion with its dark mantle. She dressed in black, form-fitting clothing that made no sound when she moved. She added a dark cloak over her shoulders and, as an extra precaution, activated an anti-divination memory she had acquired precisely for situations like this. I don't want Cassie to know I'm following her. If her gift detects anything, this whole plan goes to hell.
She followed her friend from a distance, staying in the shadows, moving with feline agility. Cassie seemed not to notice her presence, which was a good sign. The seer moved with clear purpose, her step lighter than usual.
'Where are you going, Cassie?'
The route took them outside the main citadel, toward the quieter areas of Bastion. Nephis frowned as she watched Cassie enter a neighborhood she didn't remember having visited before. It was a pleasant area, with clean streets and well-maintained buildings. A place where people lived quiet, carefree lives.
'What is Cassie doing here?'
Finally, Cassie stopped in front of an establishment. Nephis hid behind a tree, watching from a distance. It was a wooden café, with a cozy aesthetic and a large storefront that reflected the light from the lamps inside. Above the door, a sign painted in golden letters.
Nephis watched as Cassie approached the door, and her heart skipped a beat when the entrance opened. A man came out to greet her. He was young, with a striking appearance: short black hair, smooth white skin, dark eyes that gleamed with intelligence. His expression was pleasant and amiable, and his smile... 'Why does his smile seem so familiar to me?' Said Nephis
The distance prevented her from hearing clearly, but Nephis sharpened her ears, catching fragments of the conversation.
"—We'll continue where we left off last night," Cassie said, her voice tinged with an emotion Nephis didn't remember hearing in her for years.
"Of course," the man replied, his tone warm and playful. "Do you think you'll be able to handle it?"
"Are you underestimating me?" Cassie asked, and Nephis could have sworn there was a smile in her voice.
"Of course not. But you know I never lose."
"We'll see about that."
Nephis's mouth fell slightly open at that. Her eyes widened as she watched Cassie and the man enter the establishment together, the door closing behind them.
What... what did I just witness?
Her mind began working at full speed, connecting dots she didn't know existed. Cassia. A guy. Together. At night. Boyfriend? Lovers?
When? Where? How?
And why didn't I know anything about this?
A torrent of emotions flooded her. First, surprise. Then, confusion. Followed by a wave of... Is this what parents feel when they discover their daughter has a boyfriend?
And then, anger.
I have to kill him,) she thought, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. That Awakened who's getting close to Cassie... I'll reduce him to ashes. I'll turn him to dust. I'll make him disappear from existence so Cassie never gets distracted in the middle of a conversation again.
Her hand moved instinctively toward her sword hilt, but she stopped halfway.
Wait. What am I doing?
Nephis took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. I need to think things through calmly. I can't act rashly. Cassie is an adult; she can make her own decisions. If she's seeing someone, it's her right.
But she's still my best friend, a little voice added in her mind. And I have the right to know. To protect her. To make sure that guy isn't some bastard who'll take advantage of her.
What if he's using her? What if he only wants her position in the clan? What if...?
Nephis rubbed her temples, feeling a headache forming.
I'm overthinking this. I need information first. I can't do anything without knowing what's really going on.
With a resigned sigh, she turned and began making her way back to her citadel. Each step was measured, her mind still processing what she had just seen. Cassie was seeing someone. Cassie, the seer who had always said she didn't have time for relationships. Cassie, who always kept everyone at a distance. Cassie her best friend, who now had a secret.
'I need to talk to Effie,' Nephis decided as she walked. 'She's the only one who can give me advice on this. Although...' She paused, reconsidering.
'Knowing that woman's personality, her advice will be questionable. Or bad. Probably bad.'
A mental image of Effie advising her to kidnap the guy or plant false evidence to incriminate him passed through her mind. Nephis shook her head.
'Definitely bad. But Effie is Effie. And if anyone can help me understand what's going on in Cassie's head, it's her.'
The night closed in around her as she continued on her way. The moon shone over Bastion, a silent witness to Nephis's new mission.
'I'm going to discover the truth, Cassie. Even if I have to follow you every night. Even if I have to investigate that guy down to the last corner of his life. And if it turns out he's not worthy of you...'
Nephis clenched her fists, a dangerous smile on her lips.
Well. I'll decide that when the time comes.
The detective Shifting Star had begun her investigation.
After all, if that was her will, who would dare stop her?