Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

After confirming that all the goblins were gone by visiting each one of the known sites, everyone ended up returning to the central village. Rena would still occasionally glare at Zira, but Simon remained sure to stay between the two.

He could not allow his cousin's momentary anger deprive him of his friend and party scout. Zira was an extremely talented member of the party and they had grown close over the nearly year that they had been partied together.

When they finally returned to the village, they had the chief sign off on the paperwork for the guild to mark both party's quests as completed. After that was said and done, he asked if he could borrow a spare room in the chief's house to handle some personal matters.

Seeing as how they had saved the villager's livelihoods, the chief was quick to agree to help Simon with such a simple request. When he was alone, he gathered some paper and a quill to write a letter back home.

Though Simon was not on good terms with the Petra family anymore, at least on paper, he was still personally close with them. After all, it was not uncommon for members ineligible for the House Head position to find other lines of work, such as adventuring or joining the military.

Simon no doubt had countless relatives kicking it around at various guild halls around the world due to how numerous there family actually was as well as the fighting and adventuring spirit that seemed instilled in their very blood.

It was because he maintained a close personal connection to the family that he had to send a letter home to his father. As he had told Rena before, if she was just messing around with Lucius, then he would have no problem. Let her do what she will… but if she actually had fallen for him and was going to be with him… that was a different story.

He had feigned acceptance at the possibility in the beginning because he thought it was an act on Rena's part, but in the fight with the goblins, it became clear that it was no act. She truly did seem to love the boy.

Such a thing could not be accepted. Even if she forsook the rights to the family and gave up the family name, were she to actually have children with that… creature… it would taint the Petra family blood regardless of their eligibility for the house.

There would be cretins with demon blood gallivanting around the world and staining his family's legacy. It was hard enough feigning acceptance during battle, but if anything it got worse after actually interacting with the boy. His behavior and lack of morality as it came to planning only cemented in Simon's mind that the boy was not fit for Rena.

Simon did not dare to presume he could simply write a letter to Rena's father directly, so instead he addressed this letter to his own father. There was no doubt in Simon's mind that his father would take advantage of this information to help instill Thomas as the heir to the house.

Thomas was better suited to it after all, and any additional resource that could bring that possibility into reality was fair game for their father.

Simon sighed to himself when he finally finished the letter. He would not be able to mail it out until they returned to Lelvern, but he would make sure to send it. The door behind him then opened and Zira entered slowly.

"Everything okay boss?"

"Yes, it will be. What do you think of him? He looked stronger than I last met him, but I was not able to watch him fight as closely as I wanted." He asked while rubbing his temples.

Zira placed her hand under her chin as if thinking how best to answer. Simon could almost see her brain working overtime in order to provide him with an accurate assessment of the boy's abilities.

"With what he showed me… I would believe you if you told me he was Intermediate Rank. Honestly, I don't think there are any Beginner Ranks that could hold a candle to him. It would be courting death." She finally answered with a solemn tone.

"Is that so?" Simon mumbled. "That strong, huh?"

"I think he's stronger though."

Simon's spit caught in his throat. "Stronger?"

Zira nodded her head. "Yeah… I made my assessment based on what I saw. He never used his mark in the fight. If it is anywhere near as lethal as the stories you heard from your brother, then this Lucius kid is going to be quite the power player in the future… if he isn't considered one now."

"And they want to go on the Grand Raid, do they? What kind of monster might he turn into if he gets stronger in that dungeon. It's not uncommon for experiences there to trigger breakthroughs…" Simon was developing a headache thinking about it now.

Zira walked up behind him and threw her arms around his neck. She whispered into his ear. "Simon… come on enough talking about the boy… we have things to do you know?"

A sly grin came to his face as she teased his neck with her breath. His heart began to beat a little faster and he felt a heat rising in him. It was true. It might be time to relax a little.

His only responsibility was to report these happenings to the family. What they did with the information was none of his concern. They could choose to act and cut down the weed threatening to grow in their garden, or they could choose to let it flourish and see what kind of eyesore it becomes.

"Yes, Zira…I think you are right. Let's not worry about the boy… or the girl that chooses to cavort with such a creature. Our time is precious after all." Simon grinned at her.

Both of them slipped out of the chief's home and away from the village.

*****

Jen sat on a log on the outskirts of the village simply enjoying the evening air before they rested for the night to head back to Lelvern. They could have left earlier, but Lucius needed to rest.

Her mind was still plagued with thoughts of that time against the Mark of the Mist and what she had seen. Neither Paul nor Lethen were awake to witness the incident as the pressure emitted by Lucius was more than their minds could handle.

She could not blame them. It was like an otherworldly force had descended in front of them. Every second in his presence was as a battle against conscious thought.

It was impossible to think that he had such potential, let alone the fact that he was able to harness it the way he did. Somehow, he had combined the power of Arts, magic, and the mark into a singular energy… honestly it was not something that should have been possible.

While she continued to think about their party member and what had happened, an arrow sunk itself into the ground near her feet. Attached to it was a small piece of paper. When she opened it, she immediately recognized Paul's handwriting.

She did not trust the warrior who claimed to be Rena's cousin at all, so she had Paul… pay close attention to them…

After reading the letter he had written, telling her of the conversation Simon had with his scout, Jen felt a smile coming to her face.

"Interesting, Simon…So this is what you want to do with that information… well… far be it from me to interfere with the business of a noble family. Here's hoping they don't move while Lucius is with us. That would not be fun."

The woman took out a match and struck it against the log and lit the letter alight. She watched it burn until the flames licked the tips of her fingers and she allowed it to drop to the ground, turning completely to ash.