Sword of the Godslayer

The Invisible Boy

Lira was right, Minos knew this. She always had been. Ever since he was a little boy, the drow huntress was the reason he remained a straight arrow.

When he was then, his older sister was injured on a hunting trip and their father blamed him for it. He tried to deny it, pointing his finger instead to his elder brother, but nobody believed him.

His parents adore their firstborn. He was the favorite child, the legacy and pride of the family. They also doted on his older sister, and loved her more than anything, or anyone else. That left them with nothing but disdain and resentment for him, the third child, the second son.

Growing up, Minos tried to make his parents see how terrible their oldest son was. His elder brother pulled pranks that endangered people around them, he abused their household servants, and he would speak out his entitled and bigoted opinions to the embarrassment of their family. However, they always turned a blind eye. To them, he was the perfect golden child, and Minos was just a jealous boy hungry for attention.

After that accident in the woods, their father finally had enough so he hired three prominent individuals to be their personal mentors. To keep him, along with his two elder siblings, in check.

Lira was the one assigned to Minos.

She was already famous for being a skilled bounty hunter, ranger, and mercenary; in fact, she was regularly recruited by a number of noble families to be part of their retinue, or as a bodyguard whenever they needed to travel outside the city. She was trustworthy and dependable; and despite being a drow, she had earned the regard of the upper echelons of society.

At first, Minos frowned upon the idea, there's nothing wrong with me, he's the one they should look after, he would often complain, referring to his older brother. He was quiet and reserved during his younger days, with his nose always stuck in one book or another. He was practically invisible; that is, until something terrible happens in the household, then he becomes the scapegoat.

Lira's assignment as Minos' mentor ranged from honing his martial skills, to horseback riding and hunting, as well as teaching him basic discipline and moral standards. He was proud to say that he excelled in each of those areas. More importantly, Lira became, not only just a mentor, but also a friend and personal confidante. She ended her tenure when he came of age, but they remained in constant communication.

Nevertheless, out of everything Lira taught him, the one thing he cherished most was her lessons in humility. When his older brother was being lauded for his achievements, Lira helped him not feel envious. When he himself would make shortsighted decisions, Lira pushed him to apologize and take responsibility. If not for her, Minos would probably turn out the same as his older brother: narcissistic, arrogant, and selfish.

Still, he was no paragon of virtue. He wasn't perfect, he knew that. More often than not, his ambitiousness and stubbornness would get the better of him, and he would momentarily forget Lira's teachings. That was exactly what happened with his interaction with Cassana earlier that night.

After Lira, he took on another mentor, Minos of Copper Road. The old bard and grifter taught him the art of manipulation; and in spite of the questionable skillset, he learned all about the power of words, and how to harness it to one's advantage. How to control what you say, and how you say it.

Minos would jest, but he never intends to be mean with his words. He would push the envelope, but he would never cross the line. Every lie is measured; every truth, deliberate. That was his second mentor's most important words. Looking back at it now, he felt regretful that he lost control of his mouth, and he ended up saying things he didn't intend to say.

Ever since he met Cassana more than a week ago, he had been trying his best to be patient with her. He did find her amusing, but she had a measure of impertinence that made her quite irksome. He was fascinated by her skill, and how she overcame the challenges of becoming a wizard in spite of her station; but at the same time he was annoyed by her over-confidence and self-righteousness.