Master Cael

The corridors stretched out before them. Each of their steps echoing softly against the marble flooring. The walls, painted a pale grey, warded off the harsh fluorescence that hung overhead. The hallways were separated by thick steel doors. Every single one of these doors were fixed with an advanced electronic lock that would only grant access to those that had a high security clearance card.

Once they crossed the final steel door, the atmosphere shifted. The monotonous corridors gave way to an expansive opening that revealed an atrium.

The atrium was marvelous.

The atrium featured soaring ceilings and floor to ceiling glass pane windows that allowed the space to be filled with natural light. Sunlight poured in, casting long shadows that stretched across the polished marble floor. Numerous potted plants were strategically placed to add to the modern design.

The people present resembled a well-organized colony of ants, moving in cluster that merged and diverged. The crowd was dressed in sharp suits and various forms of formal attire.

But Zerin's focus was more fixed on the world outside, specifically the snow-covered landscape and the crisp, pale sky. Here, the colors were muted yet striking.

The scent of food wafted through the air. Suddenly, a deep hunger stirred within him. His stomach growled audibly through the bustling crowd even drawing the attention of Cael.

"Hungry?" Cael laughed.

"We are almost there, hang on."

They traveled through the chaotic crowd. Unlike the last time, Zerin paid close attention, making sure that he stayed close to Cael to avoid getting lost in the masses.

Once they cleared the shifting crowd, they got in line in front of the elevator. The small line outside of the elevator grew shorter as groups of people in front of them gathered inside the car.

The elevator was constructed from transparent glass panels, with interior lights, reflecting off the metal framing and the polished stone floor. Zerin watched as the glass doors shut and the elevator car rose smoothly to the higher floors.

Eventually, the elevator car descended, signaling it was their turn to board the car. Stepping inside, Zerin was greeted by the fresh air in the compartment and a pleasant tune playing softly in the background.

The elevator reached its stop, and they exited. The smell of food grew stronger on the second floor, causing Zerin to momentarily stray from Cael.

Cael called out to him.

"It's over here. Once we get you situated, we can get something to eat."

Zerin would have to hold out, though it was becoming increasingly difficult.

Eventually they arrived in front of Zerin's new residence. Cael pulled something from his pocket and, with a flick of his wrist, slid a keycard into the digital lock. The mechanism responded with a beep and whirred softly as it disengaged.

Cael pushed the door open and stepped aside, mocking Zerin with a grand bow.

"Welcome to your new abode, my lord," He declared.

Others would have considered this funny, but to Zerin, the remark was uncanny, striking much deeper than mere humor. The words lingered in his mind unwelcomed.

With a deep breath, he shook off the lingering feeling and stepped into his new room.

The room was small, at least by his standards. Perhaps, living in a castle had raised his expectations exponentially.

The bed was a narrow twin sized bed, pressed tightly against a wall, its mattress appeared to be much less comfortable than the large, luxurious bed, he slept in previously. In another corner there stood a narrow desk, positioned beneath a tiny window that framed a bleak view of the outside world.

And in corner beside the bathroom, a small closet took up the space, its doors were opened slightly, revealing a few articles of clothing hanging on the racks.

The walls were practically bare, devoid of any personal touches or warmth, expect for a single motivational poster that seemed out of place. The poster read: 'Save the Children!

For some unknown reason, he felt drawn to tear the poster down, but was distracted by the light that filtered through the tiny window. Even though the room wasn't exactly to his liking, the window allowed him to gaze out at the world beyond. Through the pane, he could see the treetops swaying in the breeze, their bare branches dusted with snow, moving in a rhythm that seemed almost inviting.

For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine a different scenario.

Cael spoke out, taking him out of the scene.

"Well, while you are stargazing over there, I'm going to get something to eat. What do you want?"

"Stew..." Zerin muttered without peeling his eyes from the small window.

"Stew? What are you, a peasant?"

Zerin turned back his eyes furrowing at his comment.

"Oh, right! You don't have your memory," Cael added with a sigh, palm against his forehead.

"Don't worry, I'll get something you'll enjoy for sure!"

Instantly without warning, Cael disappeared in a mist, bolting out the door at an incredible speed, causing papers to flutter and small items to topple over within the room.

Zerin was astonished by how fast he moved; in the blink of an eye, Master Cael was gone.

He went to shut the door he had left open, "He could have at least closed the door.

Zerin sighed as he picked up the mess.

Standing up, he brushed his knees. Glancing around the room to see the fruits of his efforts, he was drawn to the window once again. Leaning closer, he peered through, observing the gray sky and the flurries of snow. The cold light of the winter sun was unexpectedly intense, causing him to shield his eyes. As he did, a shadow casted over the window, and he noticed a heavy snow cloud had momentarily obscured the sun.

Turning his eyes from the sky, Zerin saw the dim reflection of himself in the window. His hair and eyes were darker, and to confirm his suspicions, he fled from the window and looked in the bathroom window.

The sunlight streaming in from the outside illuminated the open bathroom, highlighting his new appearance. He lifted his hand to his head, feeling each strand of his hair—that were now tainted black. His eyes had also changed to a dark black, replacing his former blond hair and blue eyes. Unsettled by his new look, he felt more like a mere imitation of himself.

In a state of foolishness, he turned on the facet, testing the water with his fingers. The icy chill made him pull them back quickly. He waited impatiently for the cold water to eventually turn warm, hoping for a different result. He dunked his head into the sink and began scrubbing in a futile attempt to wash away the inky blackness from his hair.

The feeling of foolishness only truly settled once he looked at himself in the mirror. With a brief sigh, he grabbed the towel from the rack and began drying his hair before walking out of the bathroom.

HIs hunger soon reminded him of its presence as his stomach growled again. He wondered when Cael would arrive.

A knock sounded at the door.

Speak of the devil.

Cael's voice called through the door, "Hungry?"

Zerin quickly opened the door, and Cael was met with the sight of Zerin with a towel on his head. Zerin, in turn, was surprised to see Cael carrying a mountainous number of bags, to the point it was inhuman.

"Can I come in?"

Zerin stepped aside, allowing Cael to enter the room.

Cael set the bags of food aside.

"Don't you think that's a bit too much?" Zerin asked, puzzled.

"There were too many options, so I just got a little of everything," Cael replied.

"Plus, we are sharing." He added.

Zerin felt almost sick to his stomach hearing those words.

Cael continued, carelessly digging through the bags, searching for which meal to sink his teeth into first.

"Well, let's get eating. I'm almost certain that since I'm in town, I'll be ordered around like a dog."

Zerin's sudden queasiness finally settled, and he spoke.

"Did you get in trouble too?"

"In trouble? How cute," Cael taunted.

"To answer your question, no, I didn't get in trouble. I chose to work for the government, but taking orders bothers me." Cael added with a more serious tone.

"But you have five years, right?"

Zerin nodded.

"Damn, they are strict over here, huh?" Cael said surprised.

Cael fished a piece of fried chicken out of a bag and took a bite.

"I guess it's because this continent is currently a bit short on spell carriers in general, so there is no one to protect the districts."

Zerin reached into the bag Cael was holding and grabbed a piece of chicken, taking his first bite.

"Oh, how I would love to experience eating chicken for the first time again," Cael said with almost a hint of nostalgia.

The chicken was good, but Zerin found that regaining his memory felt far more important. Without it, he felt out of place.

They continued eating together, engaging in casual conversation as they did. Zerin even opened up a bit about his experience in what they called the "First Nightmare," Though he glossed over the details this around and skipped some parts.

In the middle of their meal, a distinct tune began playing in the room, coming from Cael's pocket.

Cael pulled out a device that lit up briefly before he stuffed it away again.

"What's that?" Zerin asked, his mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Oh, nothing... They can wait a bit, " Cael replied.

Cael deftly changed the subject

"I'm planning to stick around here a little longer and endure being ordered around like a dog, just to train you. I've read your file—you have a divine aspect."

Cael shoveled more food into his mouth. "Only a few of those exist, you know? You could be something special, so I won't miss this opportunity." He pointed at Zerin as he spoke.

As soon as he finished speaking, a sudden knock sounded at the door. Cael set down the bowl of macaroni, jumping to his feet.

He swung open the door, and on the other side there was a gentleman in a suit and tie.

"Cael, we have another."

"You're kidding..." Cael replied.

"Nope, we just got a call."

"They are awake?"

"Yes."

"Oh, so I can take my time?" Cael said with a slight smile.

"We don't need you being late."

"I am never late." Cael said in a colder tone.

"I'm never late..." He repeated.

"Just get it over with, Cael."

Fine..." Cael grumbled, turning back after shutting the door.

"Well, kid, it looks like there's another brat like you who's been hit with the spell, so I need to head out."

Zerin continued eating, his face stuffed. The sheer variety of food was a luxury he'd never experienced before, and he wasn't about to a waste a single bit of it.

"Not going to say goodbye? Anything? Thank you for the food?"

Zerin waved without lifting his head from his plate, his focus entirely on the food.

"Ungrateful kids..." Cael said with a chuckle as he shut the door behind him.

Left all alone with such an abundance of food, Zerin dug in with gusto.