Torre Proibita

Cassio's Capture

Many years ago, the animals that lived in the dark forest would have noticed a hooded figure carrying a small bundle, and those with sharp hearing would have heard soft cries from said bundle. Even though the stranger was quite a caring gentleman, the great wizard Cassio had his moments, and tonight was one of them: while he was in one of the nearest villages, he thought he heard the sound of a baby crying. Being known as a wonderful babysitter thanks to his combined regular abilities and magical powers, he approached the house and knocked before being greeted by a tired-looking mother with a babbling infant in his arms.

After finding out the baby was a 1-week-old named Elio, Cassio tried to help but both the mother and father refused, and this didn't go over well for him. Although his temper wasn't known to be quick, Cassio snapped his fingers in rage before the couple momentarily paused, giving him time to take the child and flee before they could come to life again. Once he reached a clearing deep in the forest, the wizard used his magic to build a cottage for him and Elio, who grew up with no memories of his birthplace. Cassio taught his ward everything he knew about the world around him, and as Elio grew up, Cassio was impressed by how fast he was learning. From memorizing complicated equations by the time he was ten and singing in 4 languages by his 13th birthday, Elio was a wonderful pupil and son.

When he saw how charming his "son" became over time, Cassio predicted that all the girls in the land would go crazy for him, which was something he didn't want. He cared for Elio so much that he wouldn't want to lose him to any possible dangers like romance, so he did the most overprotective thing known to mankind: on Elio's 16th birthday, Cassio stood outside the cottage and used his magic to turn it into a tower that almost stretched into the clouds, all while his "son" was asleep. When Elio woke up and found his room connected to a main room with a large window, it took him a while to realize what was going on.

That was when Cassio appeared in a puff of smoke, complete with a birthday cake in his hands, and they each shared a slice for breakfast. As the two of them ate, Elio learned about the tower being built to protect him from the rest of the world, and he agreed that it was a good idea. Even so, Elio knew that he would need a friend at some point, but he didn't want to upset his father by bringing that up. Sensing his ward's concerns, Cassio smiled and promised to be his best friend, and Elio nodded before they cleaned up from breakfast. When the topic changed to how often Cassio would visit the tower, they arranged for him to come every few days so Elio could experience being alone, and Elio agreed to that plan.

As Elio's days in the tower turned to months before changing into years, his feelings about being away from the rest of the world changed over time. He was originally thrilled to be in such a secure place, but the passage of time and the lack of friends made him lose some of that excitement. Almost five years had passed since the cottage was turned into the tower, and even though he didn't want to upset his father by making such a request, he really wanted another visitor. Little did he know that his wish would come true after his 21st birthday.