DEMON?

Kai awoke at dawn the next morning, sunlight streaming in through the window to land on his face. He looked at it with a single eye, and resolutely shut it again.

"Go away," Kai muttered, shifting his face back to the shadow. It was a temporary relief. The rays of the sun found his face again, insistent and stubborn. Kai pushed his head under his pillow, and with a voice muffled, snarled, "Ugh! Go away, damn it!"

But the sun had done its job, leaving him awake and angry at being woken from the best sleep he'd had in ages. Sighing, he clambered out of bed, and got ready to start the day. He showered and dressed, his gaze on his completely unmarked hand. He remembered some parts of the peculiar dream, and they still made him nervous. He headed to the main hall after snagging a piece of bread from the kitchens, sure that it would be vacant this time of the day.

As he was about to emerge from the alcove that hosted the staircase, his uncle's quiet voice made him stop again. He hadn't caught what his uncle had said - he seemed to be in conversation with someone - but the other person's reply was clear. They were probably seated near the door themselves.

"....it is a threat and must be dealt with." It was a man's voice Kai almost recognized.

His uncle's voice was hushed, but the steel in it was unmistakable.

"Remember who you're speaking to," Philip said quietly, "And he is a he, not an it."

"I'm sorry, Master," his companion responded, "but you cannot ignore the facts-!"

"I do not ignore anything," Philip cut him off, the finality in his tone palpable.

There was a minute of silence, then his uncle spoke again.

"Did Azmia tell you about the seal?"

"Seal? What-?"

The man stopped speaking as the door to the inn opened and the early customers started to make their way inside. Kai understood that he'd get nothing out of further eavesdropping. Trying to look inconspicuous, he started to walk straight towards the inn door.

But of course, his uncle saw him.

"Kai! Come here for a bit!"

Sighing, Kai turned and saw that his uncle was smiling, even though he had been in a heated conversation only moments before. He realized why his uncle's companion's voice was so familiar. He was a dark-haired man, well over seven feet in height, his build so muscular that it was intimidating. He wore a heavy brown overcoat that was patched in several places. But Kai knew that for all his intimidating features, the man was one of the gentlest people who'd ever lived. Kai couldn't help but smile as he walked over.

"Kai, you remember Azul, don't you?" Philip said.

Azul was an old friend of his uncle's and used to work in the inn until a year ago. He had left on some business out of the village. Kai had grown up around him, and he considered him one of the best people he knew. Azul was not human, and although Kai knew what race he belonged to, it always managed to slip his mind.

Azul gave him a wide smile, his pointed features as familiar as home, his face scarred on one side.

"Been a long time, Kai!" he said in his deep voice, "You look well! I see Ma- ister, Philip's been taking good care of you."

"Azul! If I didn't know any better, I'd tell you that you've grown taller, if that were even possible!" Kai gave him a wide grin, pulling up a seat at the table. "What brings you back here? I thought you'd forsaken this God-damned inn."

"Heavens forbid, Kai," Azul replied, eyes twinkling, "With Mr. Philip in charge, even thinking of leaving is taboo, let alone abandoning the inn. That would be a crime punishable by death!"

Philip cleared his throat in mock disdain as Kai broke into laughter.

"Boys, I assure you that old age has not yet weakened my hearing," his uncle said, the words angry, but his eyes shining with amusement.

"Sorry, Uncle."

"Sorry, Sir."

But they were still grinning as they said it.

They caught on with each other for the next few minutes, laughing and exchanging stories about the village. Kai noticed that his uncle did not seem hungover and tried to shake off the feeling that he was driving himself insane with things that seemed to not have happened at all. The conversation veered to current occurrences, and Philip told Azul about Kai's cursed hand.

"You really don't need to worry about it, though," Philip said, smiling reassuringly at Kai, "It'll be gone by the end of the month."

"Oh, it doesn't matter, Uncle," Kai said, returning the smile, "It's disappeared now, you see."

"That's highly unlikely," Philip replied, straightening up with a frown, "Show me your hand."

Kai extended it towards him, and his uncle's frown deepened as he confirmed what Kai had said. Philip lifted it, examining it as closely as he had earlier, and then released it, face thoughtful.

"Mind if I have a look?" Azul asked, sipping his drink.

"Sure," Kai said, turning to him. Instead of looking at the palm, Azul flipped it to look at the back of his hand. The moment he turned it over, he dropped it back on the table, eyes widening in shock. Azul turned to stare at Philip who met them in silence.

Kai withdrew his hand, confused. "What's the matter?"

Philip nodded at some unspoken question in Azul's eyes. Azul turned to Kai.

"How did you do it?" he asked quietly.

Kai was starting to get annoyed. "I don't know," he said with a shrug. It really did not seem like that huge a deal. Besides, it was a good thing, wasn't it? "I woke up this morning, and it was gone."

Azul and his uncle exchanged glances.

"Anyhow, What were you talking about, before I came in?"

Uncle Philip tore his gaze from his hand and looked at him. "All in good time, my boy."

Kai nodded, uncaring. "So, Azul, how was the year? Where did you go?"

"Oh, it was really tiring, but all things worked out," Azul gave Kai an apologetic smile when he looked at him expectantly, "Sorry, Kai, can't let you in on this stuff yet."

"That is so unfair!" Kai protested. He had no secrets from these two men; why should they keep things from him?

"Fairness or unfairness is a matter of perspective, Kai," Azul replied, maddeningly annoying, "Now, did you review the lesson from last time?"

"Yeah, yeah, I reviewed it all right," Kai brushed away, aware he was being deterred, "Did you at least get me presents?"

"Well, yes, but...." Azul trailed off, looking at his uncle.

"It's with me, Kai," Philip said, smiling, "I'll give it to you when the time is right."

Kai looked from one man to the other, aware that there was something they were hiding. The thought annoyed him to no end. There was a terse kind of silence, which Kai broke by scraping back his chair and standing up.

"Well, chores don't do themselves. It's time I got to work," Kai put on a smile, "It was nice seeing you again, Azul." Kai bowed a little, which Azul acknowledged with a nod. Then he turned and left.

They can keep their secrets. He thought

Noon turned to evening without much incident, and Kai left his uncle and Azul in hysterics as they listened to a traveler's tales about a strange maiden who he thought was a dragon. Kai didn't get much of it, but it was heartening to see his uncle in such good spirits. He nodded at Old Miriam, their 'house-keeper' by way of saying that he'd completed everything she'd assigned to him. She smiled in return. Shaking his head at his uncle, but unable to hide his smile, he made to the stairs.

He was on the first landing when he saw something at the back of his hand. Stopping mid-step, he brought his hand higher so it caught the light. A faint pattern became visible atop his skin, like a bizarre tattoo. Much to Kai's horror, it was a symbol he'd once seen in a dream. He would have been okay, if it was not for the voice.

"You sure kept me waiting long enough."

Kai spun, looking around wildly. It had come from right behind him, so close, that it seemed someone had spoken in both his ears at the same time. There was no-one else on the landing besides him. He made to walk, when it came again.

"What are you looking for?" it asked in a bored, derisive tone. Clear as crystal.

Kai took a deep breath.

"Okay," he whispered to himself, "Okay. Stay calm. You're not going mad. Calm down. You're just imagining things."

"Of course, you are not going mad," the voice mocked, and Kai felt his legs turn to jelly, "As for imagining things... meh... I am not so sure." There was a grin in the tone.

Kai felt he needed to take a seat and flopped on the step closest to him.

"There's only one reasonable thing I can do," he said calmly.

"And that would be?" the voice taunted.

Kai took a deep breath, and then shouted with all the power he had in his lungs,

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! THERE'S A VOICE IN MY HEAD AND IT'S MOCKING ME! HELP! AAAAAAARGH!"

"Hey, quiet, you!" the voice was saying, finally sounding ruffled, "OY! HEY! STOP!"

Kai heard footsteps running towards him and grinned widely. "Well, now, since that's done." He fell unconscious before he saw who had come to his rescue.

This time when Kai regained consciousness, he found himself by the warmth of the fireplace. He recognized the carved ceiling of his uncle's study. Azul's face swam into focus beside him. He turned, looking at someone behind him.

"He's up," Azul announced.

Sure enough, there was the sound of footfall and then Philip's keen blue eyes were scouring his charge's face. Kai slowly made to sit up.

"What happened?" his uncle demanded, "You were shouting about some voice."

"Whoa, you guys!" Kai rubbed at his temples. "Well, I was climbing the stairs, minding my own business, and this weird voice comes in my head out of nowhere." He swallowed. "So, I did what any normal person would have done under the same circumstances."

Azul regarded him curiously. "Which was what, exactly?"

"Well, I freaked the hell out, of course," Kai responded, matter-of-factly.

This was met by a stunned silence. Then his uncle's lips twitched upwards.

"Yes, of course, naturally,"

Azul rubbed his hand over his face.

Kai did not seem to notice any of this. He just looked at his uncle intently.

"Well," Kai demanded, "do you know what it is?"

Azul looked at Philip. All form of amusement had dissolved from his uncle's face, leaving behind a weariness that made Kai catch his breath. His uncle was very old, but for the first time ever, he actually looked it. The thought made Kai sad. He held Philip's somber gaze for a while, until his uncle looked away with a sigh.

"I still think it's early too early, Kai," he finally said, his tone resigned, "but the way things are progressing, it'll be better if you know."

"Know what?" Kai asked, quietly.

His uncle closed his eyes, the lines on his face casting shadows in the moving firelight.

"Something very important," he whispered.