Luke Castus

In the country of Vale seventeen years ago a child was born to Grace and Melancthon Castus, two young lovers abandoned by their families and forced from their sight out of shame. The young boy, now named Luke, meaning light, was not but two years old when the light of his mother’s life sputtered in the dark and and faded like untended embers over a fire to a terminal illness she had contracted. Luke’s father, devastated by the loss of what he cared for most, went into a deep depression and found himself unable to care for young Luke any longer. He had no idea what raising a child required, and he further doubted having those skill within himself. Out of desperation, he went to his brother-in-law, a successful upper middle class  forge worker, for help.

Without much of a word or warning, Luke was left with his uncle, Thomas, and his father left apologizing to the boy, who was not yet old enough to know what was happening. Thomas cared for the young boy with his wife and raised him as his stepson for many years to come. Though Thomas had agreed to take care of him, he still saw Luke as his father’s son, and though he’d never say it, he partially blamed Luke and his father for his sister’s death. He was never supporter of their relationship in the first place, and taking care of what he called “the baggage” of that relationship weighed heavily on him. With this belief, he would make sure that this baggage did not weigh down his blood son, whom he always favored over Luke blatantly from everything to Christmas gifts, to schooling, to chores.

When he was old enough he began his schooling. Luke went to a regular city school while his step brother, Evan, was sent to a hunter’s academy. When he was ten, his uncle made it clear to him that after school it was his duty to go to work with him in the business he ran. Thomas was a successful dust and weapon merchant, running his own forge with his hired artisans to craft weapons and cut dust crystals. While Thomas would never let his stepson handle something as refined as cutting dust crystals, he did allow him to assist the blacksmiths. He was put in the charge of a talented craftswomen named Elaine.

At first Elaine was upset that she had to babysit but eventually she found Luke to be a good assistant. She mainly used him as a gofer, grabbing her tools and running errands around the town. Eventually she took enough of a liking to the child to start teaching him how to craft weapons and armor. She even gave him a small allowance from her own wages after finding out that Luke’s uncle didn’t pay him. She taught him the basics at first. He quickly picked up the new skills and began making weapons and armor by himself. Hoping that his uncle would be proud of him, he showed some of the weapons and trinkets he’d made. His uncle quickly passed them off as amateurish and went about his business without looking at them. Oddly enough, by now his skills had reached the level of an advanced hunter academy senior in weapon crafting.

Luke continued to hone his crafting skills, however eventually he started using the items he made. He practiced with a sword frequently and sometimes would cut his classes to observe the outdoor training of the hunters and huntresses at his local school, Sigil Academy, the school his brother attended. He picked a few skills from observing but he wanted to learn more. His cousin wasn’t the most studious person in the world, so Luke found no trouble “borrowing” his text books. He read through every one of them and learned many new talents, including the use of his aura and semblance.

Eventually Luke stopped trying to impress his uncle. He became very short and reserved around his family, caring only for his personal projects and for his mentor Elaine. If he wanted someone to be proud of him it was Elaine he’d go to. One day, his step brother was practicing his combat skills in the backyard of his home in front of his father and asked jokingly if Luke wanted to spar as he was passing by. Luke agreed and grabbed a practice sword. His step brother laughed as he through a nonchalant attack at Luke, thinking that it would take him out without a problem, but before he knew it the wooden blade of the sword was at his neck. His uncle and step brother were completely shocked. Thinking it was a fluke the fought again, and again, Luke winning every time.

“Maybe I should be the one going to Sigil.” Luke said holding out his practice sword to his fallen step brother. His uncle, aggravated by this yelled at him,

“No one needs baggage like you holding them down at Sigil!” as he helped up his son. Luke, appalled by his uncle’s response threw his practice sword and left the property. He went to Elaine’s home and she happily let him stay the night. A week later Luke returned home but those would be the last words he spoke to his uncle for awhile.

Luke continued going to Sigil to watch the hunters and huntresses. Moreso now than ever before that his step brother was keeping his books under lock and key. Eventually the headmaster began to notice. One day, he came to Luke disguised and pointed out a better area to watch the hunters train from. Luke thanked him, and the headmaster asked his name and why he was watching them. Luke said that he wanted to be a hunter. That he wanted to help and defend people who were in need. The headmaster liked his answer.

Every day for a week, Headmaster Wyllt would talk with Luke about hunters and huntresses and the monsters of grimm. Luke eventually caught on that he was talking to someone who was on the inside of the school. He thought he was maybe a professor or something  but he just kept talking to him casually as he did before. Eventually the headmaster revealed who he was to Luke and offered him a spot at his school. He said that Luke would have to work hard to catch up to everyone else but he believed he could do it. Luke quickly and thankfully accepted.

From that day on Luke lived at the dorms of his new school. Elaine had basically become his best friend and an odd sort of mother figure to Luke. He would work for her at her personal forge, now that she had quit his uncle’s business due to them not recognizing her talents. She now crafted custom high quality weapons for hunters and had many interested buyers. Luke was happier than ever, training to be a hunter and working with Elaine. In a lot of ways he finally felt appreciated and loved. When he turned seventeen he graduated Sigil and moved to Syne academy where he studies today. Only time will tell what adventures await him in this new school. And what new challenges. As a graduation present, Elaine gave Luke his sword, Nyneve, what she said was the most powerful sword she had made yet.

A cut here. A bruise there. A gash there. The young raven haired boy wrapped up his arm with some white bandages after dropping a red soaked towel to the floor. He circled around his forearm with the bandage has he recalled what happened. “An ursa?” he thought, cringing as he put pressure on another wound of his. “A beowolf maybe.” He had suffered much worse than this before, however the pain was getting to him. He alternated between cringing from the pain and smiling, laughing to himself about how he got himself into another big mess.

He finished wrapping his wounds, bandages now covering the majority of his chest, his shoulder and his forearm. He through a shirt on and put his gauntlet over the bandage covered hand, moving his fingers around to see if he could move the metal plates in the armored glove. “This’ll need a little repair.” he thought to himself, running his other hand up the gauntlet. “I’ll deal with that later.” He said picking up his sword and standing up, brushing the dirt off his pants. “Looks like its time for round two.” he said as he clutched his blade and looked around at the dark beasts surrounding him.