Hello and welcome to the first installment of my Behind the Novel series! What does this series entail? Well, I’m glad you asked. These are the chapters that didn’t make the cut in my Calgonian Realm prequel, The Light in Darkness. They are mostly from Casey’s perspective as the book is now entirely from Cai’s first person perspective. I was fond of these chapters and the background they provided to Casey’s character, so I wanted to post them somewhere.
For context, this was to be the first chapter of the book and focuses on Casey and her first guild partner, Jarico. I hope you enjoy!
SNOW DANCED THROUGH the air around Casey. It sparkled and winked in the sunlight washing over her. White puffs trailed behind her before disappearing with each breath she took. Despite the freezing temperatures, she was warm, bundled in her fur-lined cloak. Great mountains of ice and rock stretched before her, with the vast snowy tundra behind her. There was a single path through the mountains, which she’d traveled many times before. It was dim and cold with wind always whipping through it, but it was better than the alternative of going over the mountain.
“There’s a cave over there. Shall we warm up before entering the pass?” Jarico asked, cocking his head. His ocean blue eyes reflected the shimmering snow as they watched Casey. A few snowflakes fell to the ground from his short blond hair as he turned toward her.
She followed the direction he indicated with her gaze until it landed on a small cave opening hidden in the side of the mountain to their right. She nodded in agreement, and the pair made their way over. Though her powers over water and air made the climate easy for her to manage, the same wasn’t true for Jarico. He tired faster than Casey and was more susceptible to the forces of nature. Being Trajan, he also didn’t enjoy the stamina and battle readiness that Calgonians like Casey did. His powers involved reading and influencing the mental state of others. From their emotions to their intentions, Jarico understood a person like no one else could.
Remnants from a past fire lay inside the cave, which Jarico rekindled for them. With dusk approaching, it was best to stay the night here. Jarico needed to rest before making the journey through the pass. Casey, on the other hand, didn’t need to sleep as often as her Trajan counterpart, and often held watch while he rested. This night would be no exception.
“Are you warm enough, Snow Bunny?” Jarico asked, firelight playing across his pale face. “Would you like my cloak?”
Casey chuckled as she settled before the fire across from Jarico. “Jare, we’ve been partners for how long And you’re still asking me questions like this?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Hmm. Three years, if I’m not mistaken. I don’t see how that means I should stop being a gentleman though,” he replied.
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes. You’re perfect, we get it already.”
He grinned back at her. “You tired yet?”
“No, I’m fine,” she said as she wrapped her cloak around herself. “You get some rest. I’ll keep watch.”
“All right. Wake me if you change your mind.”
Casey spent her time watching the snow fall outside the cave, leaning her head down against her knees. She’d been part of the Protection Guild for years now, with Jarico as her partner. He was a skilled swordsman with no Calgonian power over an element. Just because he was from the country of Traja didn’t mean he was weak, though. Casey’d never met a swordsman more powerful than Jarico in all her years and all her travels. She was always interested in learning what she could from him. As amazing as his swordsmanship was, his Trajan power was Casey’s favorite thing in the world.
She listened to his even breathing, the only sound in the stillness of the tundra. Their mission here was to collect information on the activities of the area. It wasn’t a very well-traveled location, but recently there’d been more movement up there than usual. It was their job to figure out why.
The sun peeked through the broad horizon a few short hours later, coloring the world with deep crimsons and bright oranges. One thing Casey always enjoyed about not needing as much sleep as most was how often she got to see the natural beauties of this world. Sunsets, sunrises, the stillness of night. She loved them all.
“Good morning,” Jarico said as he rolled over and looked at Casey.
She smiled. “Did you sleep well?”
“Aside from the biting cold of this place, sure.” He chuckled.
“I’d offer you my cloak, but I know you won’t take it,” she quipped.
“And you’d be right.” He winked. “Shall we get a move on before we freeze to death?”
Casey laughed, and the two got up to finish their journey back to the guild. They hadn’t discovered much in the area, but it was vast and impossible to cover in just one trip. She imagined the Protection Guild leader, Nikita, would have them monitor this area over time. It was suspicious that they’d come up empty-handed and Casey couldn’t quite shake the feeling that they’d missed something.
The pair chatted as they traveled, bundling themselves up as much as they could against the wind rattling their bones. Casey had to concentrate harder than usual to keep herself aware of what was around her. The snow added a layer of static to the air’s perception of the tunnel, which she had to ignore. It was irritating, to say the least.
“Snow Bunny, relax. There aren’t many places to hide in this tunnel. I’m sure no one’s around,” Jarico commented at one point.
You know I’m not willing to take that risk. She thought to him, not wanting to break her concentration. He sighed, put his hands up, and shook his head.
She was the only one whose mind he could read. When he’d first realized the ability, it had surprised even him. Trajan powers were unique like that—they evolved over time and depended on how familiar the user was with their target. It only worked when she directed a thought at him, though.
“And you know our deal. You exhaust yourself, we take a break from missions for a while,” he reminded her.
Her mouth twitched up into a smile. Sure, whatever you say.
Jarico chuckled, then shrugged.
Just as the conversation finished, the air screamed at Casey of some approaching presences. She froze immediately, stiffening. Jarico stepped closer to her, looking around for the source of her fear. Casey’s heart beat hard once, then they were surrounded. Half a dozen figures cloaked in dark steely gray stood with their weapons drawn.
Casey smirked as lightning came to her first. She ran it through as many of the figures as she could while Jarico shot toward the closest of their enemies, sword drawn. In his wake, Casey swept a gust of wind across a group of them, throwing them into either wall of the tunnel. Once they hit the hard, icy mountain walls, she used her own ice power to bind them there. She glanced toward Jarico in a brief lull of the onslaught to find him faring well against his opponents as well.
The next assassin who came at her was stronger than the first few. He used not only a dagger but fire power as well. She swirled her air and water through attack after attack, dodging everything he threw at her. Usually, fire was one of the more difficult elements for her to deal with, as it easily melted through her ice attacks. This man was sloppy, though, leaving opening after opening for Casey to land her abilities. It took more concentration than her last opponents, but she managed to defeat him, only taking a few small burns here and there.
Jarico and Casey picked off the assassins one by one until there was just one man standing. Casey winked at Jarico as they both shot toward him. Jarico smiled back at her.
This assassin was much different from the others. He easily dodged Casey’s dagger and ice attacks as well as Jarico’s sword swings. Yet, he didn’t attack them. Casey struck him with a bolt of lightning next, but the attack seemed to disappear before it reached him. Stunned, Casey faltered in her rhythm, which Jarico quickly compensated for. She didn’t understand this man’s power. Perhaps if he was air powered, he could’ve dispelled her attack with his own air.
She threw ice needles at their enemy while he was distracted by the sword Jarico swung toward him. A few needles hit, to Casey’s pleasure, but he dodged Jarico. As Casey trailed a row of spikes toward the man, he started laughing. Jarico jumped back toward Casey, placing himself between her and the enemy.
“You two are exactly as I imagined you,” the man said. “Quite formidable.”
Casey stared at him for a moment in disbelief. Something’s wrong. This assassin was too calm for the situation. Just as a crackling noise crept into Casey’s mind, lightning struck her. A searing pain shot down her spine, paralyzing her for a moment. As it subsided, she collapsed to her knees. Jarico shouted something but she didn’t understand. She couldn’t move; her body felt like it was on fire. What kind of ability was this?
“You can watch him die,” the man spoke evenly, cold eyes bearing into her.
Casey’s gaze shot to Jarico as terror filled her. He tensed but didn’t look into her frightened eyes. He already knew what she felt.
The assassin went after him, and all Casey could do was watch in panic. No. She had to help. There must be something she could do. But she couldn’t move no matter how hard she tried. Why? What is this magic? Poison? But when did he have the chance?
The assassin moved much differently from how he had before. Jarico was losing ground. Each attack against him came closer and closer to landing. Casey needed to help him. She couldn’t watch a battle like this anymore. Hysteria rose within her soul, and she used every ounce of her energy to force her body to move. But it simply wouldn’t.
Jare, just get out of here. He’s clearly after you, not me. I’ll be right behind you. Please. She thought the words frantically. Jarico was so focused on the battle she doubted he even processed her message.
Jare! She screamed his name in her mind. He stumbled backward as the man cut him across the chest. Thick crimson blood oozed to the ground, staining the pristine snow below. Casey needed him to listen to her. Needed him to leave before things got worse.
She tried again. Jarico!
This time he looked over at her. At the same moment, his opponent smirked in satisfaction.
No.
Just as the thought echoed in her mind, whatever spell she was under released. The silver of her enemy’s dagger glimmered as it sank into Jarico’s chest—just where his heart was. Casey screamed as Jarico turned his head to face her one last time and smiled. His body crumbled into the snowy ground as their enemy disappeared in a dark sinister mist.
“Jarico!” Casey shrieked, scrambling numbly to reach him. He didn’t move, blood now pooling beneath him. “Jarico!”
She fell to her knees beside him and turned him over to see his face. His eyes were still open, but the light in them faded before he could see her.
“No! You can’t die! Jarico!” she shouted as she rushed to heal him.
Panic washed through her as her blue mist enveloped his cold bloodstained body. It would work. It had to. She poured all the power she had left in her trembling body into her healing ability. Her hands grew more and more stained as the thick burgundy liquid rapidly enveloped them. It wasn’t working. She couldn’t stop his bleeding.
“Jare, c-come on,” she stuttered, her breath coming out in a rasping gasp. Her stomach dropped as her heart raced, dread coming over her. This wasn’t real. There was no way. He couldn’t be dead. It wasn’t possible.
I just need to keep healing him.
WARMTH EMBODIED CASEY as she woke. The warmth of someone’s healing, to be exact.
This isn’t right. She was in the tundra. She was in the tundra and on a mission with Jarico. Wait. Jarico, he was in trouble. She needed to help him. There was no time to be warm.
Her eyes flew open as she sat up. This is . . . the guild’s infirmary. It was bright and clean, all the walls tiled in white. It smelled of alcohol and was silent. Too silent. Four beds lined either side of the room, but they were all empty aside from hers.
Next to her sat Elliot, her favorite doctor, and the one who healed her now. His dirty-blond hair was askew and his bright hazel eyes glowed as he worked. The grimace plastered on his face told her something was very wrong.
In a chair at the foot of her bed sat Nikita, head in his hands, slumped forward. For the leader of the guild, he seemed to be far more distressed than he should be. They both looked over at her as she moved. Their eyes darkened with heavy circles under them.
Where’s Jarico?
“Casey!” Nikita exclaimed, shooting to his feet and rushing over to the opposite side of the bed from Elliot.
She stared at him. Why was he so distraught? And where was Jarico? Thinking back, she tried to recall how she’d gotten to the guild. Blood streaked her memory. Jarico’s lifeless form falling right before her eyes. Yet she was alive. Why? It should’ve been her, not him. She leaned forward, causing her wounds to burn, and stared down at her shaking hands. Tears welled in her eyes, and her breath quickened.
“He was . . . And I was right there.” Her voice was hoarse and quiet as she struggled to speak.
As tears fell onto her palms, Nikita threw his arms around her, pulling her against him.
“It should’ve been me,” she whispered against Nikita’s chest.
“No. Don’t ever say that. He wanted you to live. We all do,” Nikita said.
A lump rose in her throat, taking her words away. All she could do was cry, her world crumbling around her. There was nothing she could do to stop it.
Check out the Calgonian Realm series here.