The Arcane Trilogy: Sins of the Past - Book 2

Chapter 20: The Monster Within

10 years earlier...

A thick and expansive sea of fog clung to the rooftops of Piltover, with only the distant towering frames of the high end districts and the council building breaking through the waves of mist. A cold chill hung onto the city, with the woods outside the city submerged beneath a thin coat of snow. Small pockets of earth were splattered between vast sheets of snow, which all rested beneath the bony fingers of the trees, with the misty shroud that hung over Piltover seeping its way through the woods. Upon the edge of the forest's domain, the snow began to melt away, with the splatterings of dirt below slowly reclaiming their territory. A similar trend was seen near the sole source of heat, light and noise that emanated from the woods.

A white marble staircase rose up high into the hills, parting the densely packed forest. At the peak of the rising stairs, the density of natural trees dwindled, with only a handful of auburn-leaved trees remaining, and in their place were carefully trimmed and shaped replacements that pointed their thin green tips into the grey sky. At the very top sat an octagonal summer house, with each of the eight panes of glass broadcasting a soft orange hue and warm toasty embrace onto the cold marbles that encased a Kirraman funded social event.

The event was densely packed, with every noble clan and family from the city being represented in one way or another. They were all spoiled by the wealth of the Kirraman's, with exquisite champaigns from all corners of the world always within arm's reach, the finest culinary snacks laid out across a beautiful crafted table that was draped in the finest silk, the most sought after musicians providing a soothing ambience worthy of such a sophisticated gathering, and the delightful company of the highest of Piltovian society, with even a few guests attending from overseas.

Brynden had been dressed in the finest clothes a boy of his age and station could ask for. The attire may have been a simple white shirt and a deep blue trouser and waistcoat combination, but the expert stitching, the radiance and shine of the pristine buckles and the quality of the fabric was of the highest standard, fitting for a noble ward of one of the most prestigious names in Piltover.

The young boy had excused himself from Tobias' side and from the mingling for a few moments. Tobias was very keen to bring Brynden along to the event, and enjoyed including the ten year old boy into the many enthusiastic conversations he shared with other Piltovian nobles. Cassandra was more than happy to accommodate. Brynden had been living under their roof for four years, and even if she wasn't initially fully onboard with Tobias idea of taking the boy to ward, he had been dutiful in his learning and had acclimated himself very well into Piltovian culture. At the very least, it would give Brynden a good chance to apply his historical studies in a practical setting, due to the close proximity of practically all of the Piltovian nobility. As well as that, the young boy was also a walking reminder of the generosity of the Kirraman family. Even if that was not the primary reason for welcoming the young boy into their home, to Cassandra, it was a welcome and additional benefit.

Brynden could feel the clutches of fatigue clawing into him. He was almost in awe by how long Tobias could maintain his attention on so many of the other guests for so long, especially when Brynden found lot's of their anecdotes to be very boring. However, he was determined to not let Cassandra and Tobias down in such a public setting, remaining as dutiful and polite as he could manage in the many conversations he was a part of. He was happy that he recognised most of the family sigils and names that he came across. Clan Arvino, Tariost, Giopara and Holloran were names and sigils that the young boy was able to identify relatively quickly, to which Tobias was very happy with. His positive reactions and jovial nature only served to motivate Brynden to try and identify all of the families present at the event. However, the young boy reasoned that his mission could wait for a few moments.