Chapter 23 – Three days
Three days had passed.
Three days of nonstop training, not even allowed more than three hours of sleep before the twins came into his room to wake him in their own particular way.
A way he had thoroughly learned to hate…and fear.
Three days of pure agony where Cassius genuinely questioned whether his siblings loved him or despised him.
They were merciless. And even that felt like an understatement, being generous for lack of better vocabulary.
His arms had been broken multiple times by Lucian's strikes. His face crushed and bloodied under the assault of Lilien's long legs.
He had lost count of how many times he passed out from pain and bone-rattling fatigue. Too many. Far too many.
In the first day alone, he lost consciousness more than nine times.
The only reason he could keep going was the multiple alchemical potions he was ordered to gulp down, healing his body and refreshing his mind.
But they did nothing for the exhaustion burrowed deep inside him, nor for the frustration festering toward his siblings.
He had simply learned to live with both.
Did he have a choice?
By the third day, after the constant process of being destroyed and rebuilt, his bones growing stronger, his reflexes sharper, his body coordination more precise…
Cassius had no choice but to admit the twins knew exactly what they were doing.
Especially now, as he fought Lilien.
CLANK—!
"Argh."
Cassius growled, his cane parrying the dreadful swing of his sister's scimitar, locking the two weapons in a standstill. Their eyes found each other through the gap.
"You are hitting harder today, Lilien." He hissed, pushing with more force to gain ground.
Lilien didn't budge. "You've improved, haven't you." She said, not a question, and her left leg swirled toward his flank.
Cassius pulled his blade free and covered the side just before impact.
A clank erupted as talon met blade. The bones in his arms shook, he winced, and the defence held for only a moment before he staggered several steps back, putting distance between them.
He exhaled, both hands trembling slightly.
Lucian was lounging at the far end of the training ground, lying on his left side watching the duel with a wide grin. Beside him sat a bag of popcorn and a drink.
He was clearly enjoying himself.
[And mocking you in the same breath.]
'I know. Don't need to spell it out.' Cassius rolled his exhausted eyes.
"I am fighting at your level, Youngest." Lilien said, pointing her shadow-dripping weapon at him. "All you need to do is land one hit. Just one. And we will be satisfied."
"Easy, right?" Lucian added from across the room with a laugh.
"Easy my bloody ass." Cassius grated. "There is no way you are using my level of power."
"What did I teach you about complaining, Youngest?" Lilien's voice went colder. "A Desdemona doesn't complain. Either you touch me or you lose consciousness. And this time…"
She smiled emptily.
"…I will make sure you still feel the pain after you wake up."
"Do you hate me, sister?"
"Are you going to keep talking?"
'Damn you!' Cassius cursed her inwardly, then closed his eyes briefly and settled into his stance.
He had learned much in these three days — how to use his body, how to handle his weapon, even if he was still awkward with it.
The cane worked as both sword and staff. Strangely versatile, which also meant it demanded more effort and time to truly master.
Three days were clearly not enough.
However, he had stumbled onto a discovery that had made both siblings and Ananke watch him with quiet, hidden awe.
His talent for essence manipulation.
Just three days in, his control over Bloodflame was truly…
[…abnormal. Yet somehow expected.]
'I know, right?'
He grinned as he activated his skill. Crimson flame tore open reality and coiled around his body like a snake around its prey.
He gripped the blade in his right hand, the sheath-staff in his left. The flame moved through him, down his arms, and into both weapons.
They lit up as fire licked their edges causing a mesmerising sight.
Cassius spread his feet slightly, hunched his body, then burst toward his sister without hesitation, the explosion of fire beneath his feet amplifying his speed.
A crimson blur crossed the training ground.
He appeared in front of Lilien in an instant.
His left hand rose and chopped down toward her shoulder.
She sidestepped, letting the staff whistle past, while her hand flashed to bar his sword with her weapon.
Sparks crackled from the impact. The hot wind of the fire slapped her face, yet her expression didn't move.
She pivoted sharply and kicked at his stomach. But before it connected, the staff he had swung downward struck the floor, and Cassius poured essence into it at the last moment, detonating a burst of fire outward.
The flame swallowed Lilien in a smoky cloud.
In the same breath Cassius ducked, his mind working overdrive, spun and swept his leg toward Lilien's footing. His foot crashed into a small shadow beast instead — shaped like a turtle — that had appeared in front of her leg.
His eyes went wide, heart skipping a beat.
He tried to pull back immediately. The turtle was faster. Its shell transformed into a wall of spikes and fired them at his legs.
Most of them hit.
Cassius screamed, the sound giving away his position. He rolled desperately to get away, burning the spikes with his fire as he went.
But the opportunity of respite never came. Overhead, dozens of scimitars rained down at blistering speed.
"Fuck!"
He raised both palms toward the incoming weapons. Bubbles of fire sputtered across them like boiling water before he channelled most of his remaining essence into a wall of flame to meet the blades.
Fire raged.
[On your left!]
Far too late.
His shadow was frozen to the ground. Looking left, he watched Lilien's leg descending directly toward his head — faster than anything, like a boulder dropping from the sky.
His heart dropped.
"Game over, Youngest!" Lucian cackled from across the training room.
The strike landed. Cassius's face cracked, and blood gushed. He lost consciousness instantly, his final thoughts a long string of curses aimed at both of them.
His body went limp, twitching occasionally.
[So cruel.]
Ananke whispered, looking at her Blessed with something that couldn't quite be called indifference.
She shook her head.
[So cruel.]
Somehow, she didn't like watching him get hurt.
"He was better, wasn't he?" Lucian approached his sister, looking down at Cassius's bleeding face with a smile.
Ananke listened.
"Much better."
"How will he fare against others his age?"
"You already know, brother."
"Want to hear you say it." Lucian crossed his thick arms over his chest.
Lilien shrugged. "He will suffer." She admitted. "Didn't you hear? The next year's incoming first-years are packed with elites. The spot for Palatine will be hard with all of them. He's one of them, but—"
"—he started too late." Lucian finished her thought, nodding.
"Only at the beginning, though." She smiled.
Cassius would have been stunned to see it. That warm smile…she never wore it in front of him.
But Lucian knew how much Lilien loved their youngest brother.
She crouched down and sat beside Cassius's unconscious body. She took his head gently and laid it across her lap, caressing his bloodied face without caring one bit about the staining. She even licked the blood from her fingers each time, unbothered.
Lucian was not disturbed by the sight. He watched it the way someone watches something they've seen many times before.
"Youngest is extremely talented." Lilien continued. "Especially in essence manipulation. He just needs a bit more time, and even the elites won't be able to compete."
"And he has the will." Lucian grinned. "You saw him. He complains constantly, but gets it done."
"Aye."
Lilien smiled wide. She leaned down and pressed her lips to Cassius's forehead, her mouth red with his blood.
"He is the best." She whispered. "Let's heal him."
"Completely?"
"Just enough for him to walk back to his room. He still needs to get used to pain."
"Aye." Lucian smiled, and crouched beside his brother to begin.
All while Ananke watched.
It wasn't the first time she had seen this. But each time, the same fact settled in on her with more certainty.
[They are truly mad.]
This family was madness made flesh.
…
"Damn them both!" Cassius bellowed, then groaned immediately as the outburst sent a stab of pain through his head.
He gripped his skull, grimacing, cursing even more as he eased himself into the bathtub.
No amount of curses would ever be enough for his siblings. He would have happily spent the whole night on it, even, but he had more important things to do.
Three days had passed. Two remained before the fated meeting with Isolde.
But there was something else happening today. Something he had been waiting for since all of this began.
Today was Saturday.
And Saturday meant…
"Let's see what I get!"
…Origin Store Day!
DING!
[Origin Store is now open!]
—End of Chapter 23—