Chapter 14: A Day Without Rest

After a long and dreadfully cold day, Casimir finally could enjoy the warmth of the fireplace in his dorm. The soft crackling and pleasant smell of cedar made him want to rest his eyes from his pattern books. His lids lowered, and his chin slumped further down into his hand. It was so peaceful until another loud cackle from Merritt snapped him out of his daze. 

“Wow! Why couldn’t I have more classes with this guy?!” Merritt squatted in front of the fireplace, toasting a marshmallow on a stick.

Conelius and Casimir lounged on the couch behind him, a coffee table between them.

“It’s probably for the best.” Cornelius reached for a marshmallow from the bag Merritt brought with him and popped it into his mouth. “It was amusing in the beginning, but now it’s getting annoying.”

Merritt howled with laughter. “No kidding, you guys almost drowned because some fool could not handle one measly toad!”

“Will you quiet down!” Alistair’s voice boomed.

Everyone’s attention switched to the incensed blonde sticking his head out of the workroom, set behind the lounge area they were sitting in.

Alistair further stepped out of the doorway when he noticed Merritt smirking at him. “I can hear you in the other room, and some of us are trying to study!”

Merritt cocked his head. “This is the common area. If you wanted peace and quiet, you could have stayed in your room.”

Alistair turned up his nose. “You don’t even live here, peasant.”

Merritt feigned shock by clenching his collar. “I’ll have you know that my father is a baron. I could have stayed here if I wanted to, but he was cheap.”

“Hello, friend,” Cornelius greeted him with a subtle smile.

Alistair briefly glanced at Casimir before returning his gaze to Cornelius. “What got the hyena wailing?”

“Casimir and I were just telling him about our day. We had an incident in our Alchemy class.”

Alistair’s iridescent eyes narrowed into slits, and he hissed. “Let me guess, the walking liability almost killed someone, again.”

Casimir frowned. “To be fair to him, bogs are known to be treacherous, especially with those mutant creatures roaming around. I’m still skeptical that it was a toad?”

Merritt glanced over his shoulder with bewilderment. “Oh, come on! What else could it have been?!”

Casimir folded his hands into a steeple and pondered. “The Aether was in the shape of a human.”

Merritt sighed. “Didn’t the professor say that you could not sense it properly because of material distortion? Stop making this more than it has to be.” He took the marshmallow off the stick and ate it. “You are beginning to sound like my cousin. Remind me to never let you meet him. It took us forever to convince him that the radio won’t fry his brain.”

“So who do you think it was? Why would anyone attack that commoner?” Cornelius asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t know, but I saw what I saw.” Casimir shrugged.

“I heard enough,” Alistair turned to leave in the direction of the door.

The determined look in his eyes made Casimir concerned. “Where are you going?”

Alistair exited the dorm without a word.

“He probably got sick of you defending that guy.” Merritt licked his fingers. “This Bryson sap seems hopeless. I feel bad for his friend, dragging around dead weight. ”

Cornelius gave Casimir a weary glance. “In all honesty, friend, it is getting annoying.”

Casimir sighed.“Alright, when will be a good time to collect the toad poison?”

“Saturday. ”

Casimir nodded.

At ten, Damian sent Merritt away, and they all retired for the night.

***

Several hours later, Casimir awoke and found himself waist-deep in a bog. The cool night air nipped at his bare chest, while the water numbed his legs. He crossed his arms and shivered.

“How did I get here?!”

A familiar cackle entered his ears, and he turned to see Jett in his rich green cloak squatting on the bank.

Jett’s lips twisted into a disturbing smile that glimmered underneath the shadow of his hood, and he asked in a playful tone, “Oh, is that where you were hiding, cur?”

“Jett!” Anger rose within him, and Casimir swiftly launched an Aether Arrow, but it whizzed past him.

What! He tried again, but the same thing occurred, a shameful miss. Blast it! How!”

Jett laughed. “Is that all you can manage? A pity, Sageman will be disappointed that he wasted an Aether heart on you. I must take it back.” He stepped down into the bog.

Casimir weaved a circular pattern, but it resulted in a miscast that knocked him backwards. He went under, water filled his nostrils as he struggled to regain his footing. Frantically, his head went above water again, and he waded towards the bank.

Casimir looked over his shoulder and saw Jett quickly gaining on him. He tried to run faster, but his feet sank into the mud with each step, and the resistance of the water forced him to move at a snail’s pace.

This doesn’t make any sense. I must be in–

A streak of red shot up from the water before him, and a cold, dry hand crushed his neck. He looked up to see Sageman squeezing the life out of him. “Where are you going, kid? You have something of mine.”

Sharp pain pierced his back as Jett tore into it with his teeth. Another wave of pain washed over him as Sageman ripped into his shoulder blade. Together, they pulled Casimir under, and he slid deep into the bog with darkness engulfing him.

***

Casimir groaned. What happened? It feels like I slept in a barrel that was hurled down a mountain. He sat up and attempted to shake the thick fog from his mind.

Eventually, he registered that someone was banging on his door and his alarm was going off. Casimir ripped his face from his pillow, which was glued to it with a layer of drool.

He shut off the incessant ringing from his alarm. Drat, it is 6 am. I overslept, but at least I won’t be late for class.

He shuffled to his door and found an annoyed Cornelius waiting for him outside.

Cornelius’ anger seemed to subside after he observed Casimir’s appearance.“What happened to you? Your alarm was going off for almost an hour.”

Casimir placed his hand on his forehead and drew a blank. “My apologies, I guess I underestimated how physically intensive yesterday was. ”

Cornelius frowned. “You do seem out of it.”

After a yawn, Cornelius’ hand disappeared underneath his sleeve. “Yeah, I get it. Awldriver is beginning to be a cruel taskmaster. Doesn’t she know we have other classes?”

A chill ran down Casimir’s spine when his memory of his dream from last night returned to him.

Cornelius tilted his head. “Casimir, are you okay?”

What is wrong with me? Cracking up over a nightmare. Casimir forced a smile. “I’ll be better with some coffee.”