Cas eyed the strange man suspiciously. "What do you mean by you've been looking for me?"
"I believe all has been said in my previous statement? I have been searching for you for some time now." Venrui adjusted himself on the desk to sit more comfortably. Cas's eyebrows furrowed as he looked his visitor up and down.
"You seem rather ornately dressed for someone that's been searching for a lowly slave like myself. And I don't recall having any sort of infamy that could have brought forth any bounties? So, I ask again..." Cas activated another flaming chain spell and gripped the chain tightly in his hand. His skin sizzled at the touch of it but Cas seemed unperturbed by it.
"What is the meaning behind your words?" Cas's voice dropped a pitch as he tried to come off as threateningly as possible. Venrui lifted his brows and let out a small laugh.
"Are you trying to threaten the information out of me? Oh Cas, there's nothing that you can currently do that would cause me even the smallest amount of fear. Though I will admit..." Venrui, in a single move, leapt up from the desk. He soared across the room and landed in front of Cas with their faces almost touching.
"...You do look rather intimidating." Venrui spoke in a low voice. "But that is far from enough to scare me, young one." Cas felt a shiver go up his spine and jumped back to get some space from the man, leaving the room in the process. What just happened? He watched the man jump but felt like he didn't have enough time to move or do anything. And now his body was trembling.
'Who is this strange man?' Cas stood before the strange man clenching his chain tightly.
"No need to be afraid, Cas. I did not come here to kill you." Cas looked back up at Venrui in shock. "Did that surprise you? I apologize if I gave off the wrong impression but I did not come here looking for any sort of trouble."
"Then...why?"
"I came here with a proposition! One that I wish for you to consider accepting." Cas disabled his spell and stood more comfortably.
"You came here to ask me for something?" Venrui frowned a bit as he searched for the right words to say.
"Not for something necessarily. Here, let's go have a seat in the office. This conversation is one that is between you and I and I would like to ensure it stays that way." Venrui stepped to the side of the door and gesture for Cas to enter. Cas hesitated for a moment, meeting eyes with Oris as he did so.
Oris shrugged his shoulders as if he were saying, "I don't know, Cas. This guy seems pretty untrustworthy. If I were you I'd watch my back." Cas nodded to the rat and entered the room. Venrui smiled and followed Cas in, closing the door behind them.
Cas walks over to the desk and sits behind it while Venrui pulls over a chair and sits on the opposite side of the desk. "Enough with all of that vague speak. Tell me what you want from me!" Cas orders with a growl in his monotone voice.
"As you wish." Venrui respectfully replies. "Some months ago I was told by a friend of mine that I should seek you out. That you, Cas Plavoc, have the potential to be something great in the future." Cas's eyes narrow skeptically.
"You mentioned that you were looking for me earlier. Who is this person that told you about me? How do they know me?" Venrui smiled as he listened to Cas's rapid fire questions.
"My friend happens to be a prophet." He took a sip of what from a small waterskin. Cas stared at the man with disinterest.
"And what might a profet be?" Venrui choked on his water.
"You're kidding, right?" Cas shook his head.
"Is that supposed to be something that I know? A high position in nobility or something?" Venrui's bemused expression told Cas that his ignorance was unexpected. Venrui recollected himself.
"Ahem! No, it's alright! A bit surprising but fine nonetheless, excuse me."
"If its fine then explain it to me! What's a profet?" Cas asked forcefully.
"Right. You see, a prophet is a person that has the ability to see segments of the future, put most simply."
"Really?" Cas raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Venrui chuckled.
"Your reaction to this information is so intriguing!"
"Why? Is there something strange about my reaction?"
"Not strange, per se. Just...unexpected. It's difficult to even imagine anyone in the modern world that doesn't know what a prophet is. Especially with how prolific they are in religious texts as well as in the legends and myths of the past."
"Well, I've never been one to care about history nor am I a religious man so I guess I'm an outlier in your calculations. Now, what did this future seer of yours tell you about me?" Venrui took Cas's words as meaning that he was sick of the constant mocking and returned to explaining himself.
"That friend told me that it was up to me to find you and lead you on the path of greatness. To take you to lands that you've never seen before, to allow you to meet people that you'd never meet otherwise. They told me that I am to be your guide in this world." Cas's eyebrows creased and he grabbed his own chin deep in thought.
'This man's words are quite intoxicating. If I am to believe them, then a person that can see the future has predicted that I will be something great and this strange man is be my guide. The type of words many with low standing likely dream of hearing!' Cas looks up at Venrui who is sitting patiently waiting for Cas to speak to him.
"Did the profet tell you what I'm going to do in the future that is so great?" Venrui shook his head.
"Prophets are never that specific. They merely get minor visions and feelings of events. They'll get an event but not the cause of it or see someone's prosperity but not the reasons as to why they prospered."
"That sounds vague and inconvenient?" Venrui laughs.
"It is quite inconvenient, isn't it? Sadly, that is how their ability works and the information that they give is still useful to us as it tells us to be looking out for anything that may lead to the event. But that's enough explaining of prophets work for now." The man leans in close, meeting eyes with Cas.
"Are you willing to come with me? It's to your own benefit, after all!" Cas thinks for a moment before stoically responding.
"No, I don't think I will."Venrui sits up nodding.
"I expected you to say that." Cas frowns.
"Did the profet tell you that I would?"
"No, he didn't. I just understand that your mistress taught you to chase things with your own power, did she not?" Cas's eyes widened in shock then narrowed in suspicion.
"You know my Mistress?"
"But of course!" Venrui sounded slightly offended. "How could I not know the great Alix Deminal? She's the most driven and powerful young woman in the current world! Anything she wants she takes with her own hands. If she doesn't like someone she doesn't even give them the time of day as they will only hinder her path! She is the epitome of destined for greatness!" Cas listened to the man's words intently.
"To have a role model like that, I understand why you would feel the need to chase power alone just as she does. Though you must keep in mind young one..." Venrui stands up from his chair moves around the desk to lean close to Cas's ear and whisper.
"...You are not your mistress!" Cas's eyes shot open and he shoved Venrui off of him.
"I've never believed that I was my Mistress! She's far beyond anything that anyone could comprehend. None will ever be able to mimic her! You'd best stay your tongue, stranger!" Venrui held his hands up in surrender.
"I understand all of that, but your wrong that you believe yourself different from Alix." Cas clenched his fist tightly.
"What are you implying?"
"Do you honestly not see it? The way you hold yourself, the way you walk and talk to people. It's all reminiscent of her! Not that it should be taken as any sort of offensive statement but to act as though you are not is just childish!" Cas felt attacked.
Though he was denying it, he had to admit that he found himself mimicking his Mistress in the recent months. But that was just in her poise! Her way of exuding herself held such confidence and power that he naturally started to copy her. There wasn't anything wrong with wanting to appear more confident than you really are. So, why did he feel so upset?
"Do you think this is what Alix wants you to do?" Cas shot his gaze back to Venrui but it no longer held any animosity. Only curiosity.
"She'd never want you to spend your days copying her and you know that! She would want you to carve forth your own path, Not follow her fading footsteps trying to be like her. And you know why that is, don't you?"
"It's because only the weak copy the strong in hopes of chasing there might." Cas said with a dejected tone. How had he fallen so far from his Mistress's teachings without realizing it? He'd let himself grow complacent. Something his Mistress was very adamant that she'd never stand for! Cas slammed his hand on the desk as a sudden rage took over his body.
Venrui walked over to the boy slowly. "That is why you should come with me. So that I can guide you toward your own path. The path that Alix, your Mistress, would want for you to take. The path of the strong instead of the path of a mind slave." Cas stood in deafening silence. Venrui gently turned Cas's head to his.
"Come with me Cas. If you really want to become the person that Alix wants you to be you know that this is your best chance." Cas's eyes, that were normally dull, gained a glow. A glow that he had never had before in his life. He felt inspired!
Deeply inspired by the words he was hearing. By the memories of all the times that his Mistress told him to not be a mind slave, to not be weak!
She saw something in him that he'd never seen in himself!
Cas slowly nodded his head.
"Okay." He said with eyes filled with determination. "I'll go with you. To carve my own path."