731PM: The night of the raider attack on the Carter estate
Nica and Allan Cusnir saw smoke coming from where the Carters lived, and in order to make sure everything was alright they decided to hurry to their home. Once they arrived all they saw was the once beautiful home the Carters lived in was in rubble and engulfed in flames. Dawn was the only survivor of the incident, and since he was like the child they were never able to have, they took him into their custody. After filing papers for about 2 months, they finally had custody of him. They did everything to make up for the family Dawn lost, taking him on trips and paying for the best possible education. In order to do so, the couple started to work a lot more, and sometimes their work took them all over Somniet. The amount of traveling only picked up as they got deeper into their work, but they did it all for Dawn.
741: Present-day
Allan and Nica both turned their heads to where Dawn was standing once they heard his voice. They looked exhausted, and it was clear they had stayed up to make sure Dawn got home safely.
Nica: "Hey Dawn! We missed you." She said, rushing over to Dawn, giving him a hug. To Dawn, this was the closest thing to a true motherly embrace. The one that he took for granted back when he was just a kid.
Allan: "Sorry we got back so late Dawn, the road back here was blocked so we had to take another route." He said, walking over to Dawn as well.
Dawn: "No worries, I ate with the Sharpe's tonight anyways." He said as Nica let him go.
Allan: "Yes that is right, it's Friday." He said as if he had lost all sense of time.
Nica: "How is Rhys doing?
Dawn: "He's well. We have our final exam on Monday."
Nica: "Are you two feeling prepared?"
Dawn: "Well about as prepared as we will ever feel I guess." He said with a soft chuckle.
Allan: "As long as you pass. You have done too well to fail the final exam."
Dawn: "Yeah, I'm not worried about my score. Rhys on the other hand... he might need to kiss someone's ass for extra points."
Nica: "Dawn! Language!" She frowned.
Dawn: "Sorry! I meant it in a non-literal way." He scratched the back of his head.
Allan let out a yawn, and the two looked at him with concern.
Nica: "Allan, why don't you go lay down?"
Dawn: "You should rest Allan, and you should as well, Nica. You two had a long day."
Nica was obviously struggling to hold back her own yawn.
Nica: "A-are you sure? You've only just gotten home." She looked almost guilty.
Dawn: "I am positive. Both of you should get some rest. I'll be okay." He offered a smile.
Allan and Nica were very good at distinguishing between Dawn's fake smiles and his real ones. This one was neither.
Allan: "We will all go get breakfast together in the morning! How about that?"
Nica: "Sounds good to me!"
They both looked at Dawn, awaiting his response.
Dawn: "Sure. I'll make sure to wake up a little early then."
After their brief exchange, the couple went off to sleep. As for Dawn, he made a little trip.
7:50pm: Old Carter estate
The house Dawn grew up in, was now just a pile of untouched rubble in the middle of an overgrown field. The graves of his parents in the middle of their old Winterberry patches. Dawn often visited their graves, and he always came alone. This was the only time he got to spend with his real parents. He never spoke a word when visiting, he only came to pray, although he never knew who or what he was praying to.
7:51pm: Chief's estate, Solart City, Upper First
The Chief of Solart City, Oliver Kauko, was known for his overwhelming popularity when it came to the people who lived in the city. Another thing he was also known for, was holding his son in very high regard.
Oliver: "Dusan!" He said as he stepped into the doorway to his son's room.
Dusan quickly reacted, turning to face his father.
Dusan: "Yes father?"
Oliver: "May I come in?"
Dusan gave his father a nod.
Oliver: "Thank you. How was school today?" He said as he took a seat on Dusan's bed.
Dusan: "It was good. I ran into Elliott today, I made sure to give him the letter you sent with me this morning."
Oliver: "Very good, thank you Dusan. Anything else happen?"
Dusan: "Other than a normal day.." He thought back to his run in with Rhys in the practice room before shaking his head. "Nothing rings a bell."
Oliver: "I trust you will be passing the final exam on Monday with flying colors?"
Dusan: "Of course I will. I am the third highest ranked in my class." He said proudly.
Oliver: "I thought you were second? What happened?" His tone changed.
Dusan: "It was because of the situation with Nadia. She said some false things about me to her friends and-"
Oliver: "You dropped from second in your class... to third? Because of some dumb bitch my son dropped to third?" He stood up.
Dusan: "Dad relax. I'm third out of 100 students in the third year."
Oliver: "But you were second. How can you be proud of losing that to some bitch who lives in the Lower Third?" Oliver was now standing in front of Dusan.
Dusan: "Don't call her that. You know nothing about her, mostly because you never made an effort."
Oliver: "You do not tell me what to do in my own home. Especially after I find out my son is only third in his class. How pathetic." He shook his head with disappointment.
Dusan: "Can you ever treat anyone with real respect? I'm your own son for the sake of the gods."
Oliver glared at his son before smacking him across the face.
Oliver: "I will speak to my son however I please. You have amounted to essentially nothing in your life! You couldn't even get to first fucking place and you're supposed to be the popular guy, aren't you? How can my son, my son, the fucking son of Solart's Chief, get ranked third in a school full of middle-class peasants?"
Dusan did not move his face from where it fell after he was hit. Instead, he just accepted what had happened as this was far from being the first time. He was used to disappointing his father.
Oliver: "Do you know what I had to do to become the most important person in this city? I had to kill people, Dusan! I KILLED PEOPLE!"
Dusan was now starting to flinch at his father's words.
Oliver: "You remember what happened 10 years ago at the Carter estate. It wasn't easy, but I did what I had to do. I did what I had to do for my family, and you want to be such a disappointing piece of shit! You are lucky I still keep you as a son. You better pass that final exam." Oliver said before walking out of Dusan's room.
Dusan then decided to lay on his bed, and for the first time in his life he thought to himself that maybe, just maybe, it was time for him to do something for himself.