OF KAI

It was later in the night as Kai sat next to Azul in front of the fireplace, his stomach in knots, that his uncle returned with tea.

He poured without a word. Kai and Azul accepted their cups in silence. It was the kind of hush that felt too heavy to lift. Then Philip sighed softly and took his seat on the armchair in front of Kai. He smiled, and when he spoke, Kai felt as if it was just another one of the lessons, he had told him - stories about Illis. When his uncle spoke in this tone, Kai couldn't not listen to him.

"A few decades ago when I was, well, not younger - probably not as old as I am," Kai smiled. Philip continued, "I came across, in my travels, two of the most extraordinary people I had ever met. The first was a young man from the great desert of Alfana, and the second, a young woman, in the icy peaks of Morander. The man was a Lucanain, and a Pure-blood - a direct descendant of Lucian himself. Had the title not been demolished, he would have been heir to the Lucanain throne. I found him when he was a little younger than you, and he helped me traverse the vast desert. Such a strong young man he was, with no idea about the power that ran in his blood. I asked him to come with me for the rest of the journey, I was so fond of his company. His name was Elazar."

Philip's eyes got the faraway look of reminiscence, and there was such a fierce tenderness in his voice when he spoke that it was hard not to fall for the two people he was talking about.

"I met Azera when she was a young girl. Or rather, Elazar caught her trying to sneak away with one of our bags. I found it so unbelievable at the time, because Azera was also a Pure blood. An heir to the Seron throne. You only had to look at her to realize that she had Serrion' s blood in her veins, she was like a beacon of light in the darkness. She was so incredibly beautiful, with the kindest heart and the fiercest loyalty to those whom she called her own.

"I, who had lost my family, both my wife and children, took them in." he continued, looking at Kai's expression, "That is a story for another time." Philip gazed at the fire.

"Taught them, and cared for them, and for some years, this old man was able to live a life of peace and happiness," Philip smiled, but there was something broken in it, "Fate, Kai, is a strange thing. I used to think that after so many years of loneliness, they were given to me as a reward for perseverance. But now I think that I was just a door. A way for them to meet each other, because it was clear they were destined to be together." He grinned. "I remember Azera pushing Elazar through the door to my study, forcing him to finally ask for my blessing. How could I have possibly refused? They both held my heart so utterly." His smile faded, his eyes getting darker, "How was I to know what was coming? How..."

Azul shifted uncomfortably and Kai felt a chill slide down his spine as Philip trailed away. The smile was gone. When he spoke again, though, his voice was steady.

"A year after they were married, they were blessed with a child. Such a beautiful little child it was, pale-skinned and big-eyed. One could not help but fall a little in love, " Philip frowned, "And yet, there was something about the child that made me... uncomfortable. I couldn't put my finger on it. And after four years, I finally found out why.

"A few years later, the child fell Ill."

Philip straightened up; jaw tightened. Kai had the strange sensation of weightlessness. He felt like his mind was trying to tell him something, but he couldn't understand it. Something dark and venomous unfurled in his gut, but he waited in silence for Philip to continue. When he did, his voice was remote.

"It was a cursed Illness. Elazar and Azera did everything in their power to fight it, save their child, but it was all in vain. Heartbroken and desperate, they begged me for help. They'd always been far too intelligent. Far too gentle. They knew what it would cost them, what it would cost me, but they asked it of me anyway. For days, I stood firm against their tears. I couldn't bear to lose my family again. It was dark, dark magic that they asked of me, and the price would be too high. I'm now ashamed to admit it, but I loved them more than the child they had borne. I was selfish, and it required too monstrous a sacrifice."

He was quiet for a while. Kai opened his mouth in question, but Philip answered it before he could speak.

"They required the blood of two pure-bloods. And they, of course, were the only pure bloods at hand," his voice was bitter, "I searched and searched, looking for relatives, but to no avail. I was not going to sacrifice my only family!" He exhaled; eyes closed. This time, when he spoke, his voice was broken.

"On the day it was clear that the child was not going to last the night, Elazar and Azera implored to me once again. Proud, strong Elazar got down on his knees in front of me - I could bear it no longer. I agreed, it broke my soul, but I agreed. I kissed them both for the last time, as I took their child in my hands, my family. They were so grateful as they readied to lay down their lives, finally at peace that I would save their little baby.

"Instead, I took the child to a demon's temple, praying to the heavens that it works. Demons are mercurial and cruel, but they are also immensely powerful. There was no other choice. I laid down the baby, its breath shallow, tiny hands bawled into fists - and I invoked the demons, using the power of the blood of Lucian and Serrion flowing through the child's veins. I offered up the names of Elazar and Azera, the two beings I cared about most in this world and waited."

His breath caught. "I can never quite forget what followed. I waited for a few minutes before I realized we were no longer alone in the temple. I met an elder demon that night." Philip looked down at his hand, but he was seeing something that had long past, "It is said to be quite impossible to meet an elder demon and live to tell the tale, because they are very secretive about their own identities and only show themselves to mortals as they tear out their souls from their bodies. And yet, I met him that night. I remember staring into eyes as dark as the abyss as the demon looked up at me, and then stared at the child. Then he told me that Lucian and Serrion had once saved his life."

Kai shuddered.

"The Elder demon waved a dark hand over the child's face and told me that the deal was done. But he also said that this meeting would mark the child's soul for as long as he lived. He held that child's hand, creating an imprint on the pale skin. I did not understand his motives. At that moment, all I knew was that I had kept my promise to my children and helped them destroy themselves to save their legacy."

Philip finally turned his blue gaze to Kai. Kai felt as if he had been coming towards this moment his entire existence. Flexing the hand that held a cursed mark that had seemed so impossible only a few hours ago, he returned his guardian's gaze.

"It was me," he whispered, "wasn't it?"

Philip nodded at him. "I apologize for keeping this from you. I was trying to protect the hearts of the two people who broke mine."

Kai's heart was a mess. A few hours ago, he was just a boy with strange dreams and half his memory. Now he knew his parents' names. Now he knew that he was the reason they were dead. Kai exhaled a shuddering breath. He couldn't bring himself to look at his hand, at the symbol that was evidence for all the insanity he had heard.

"Why now?" he asked when he could speak without his voice shaking, "What's changed?"

"I don't know. But we can be sure that it has something to do with that fated night. That is, after all, the Elder Demon's mark."

"So, the voice I heard, that was the demon, too?" Kai asked.

"I think so."

Kai did not want him to think. He wanted to know. He wanted straight answers, for once! There was far too much anger inside him, He took a second to calm himself. Because if he spoke, he'd regret what he said.

"Why is the voice so quiet now, anyway?" he asked again.

Philip gave him an apologetic look, "I'm afraid I don't know, Kai. But there's more. It's not the only thing that I've kept from you." He glanced up to exchange a look with Azul over Kai's head.

"There is an ancient order that your parents belonged to. I am a Master in that order, and I am the one who brought Elazar and Azera to the wolf. I wanted to wait a few more years before I told you, but I'm afraid we don't have much time. I can't give you the answers you want, the things you need, but the Order of the White Wolf can."

The Order of the White Wolf.

Kai felt the hair on his arms rise at the familiarity of it all as he shaped the name in his head.

"THE WHITE WOLF?" Kai's eyes widened as he exclaimed. The white wolf was this grand organization that governed and maintained peace throughout parts of Illis.

Philip settled back in the armchair in front of him, his blue eyes gentle, the storm in them settled.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore unless you swear fealty to it," Philip fixed him in an unblinking stare, "Will you, do it? Carry on your parents' legacy? Will you follow in your father's footsteps?"

Kai's mind raced.

"Kai?"

"Yeah, in a minute," Kai said, swallowing, "A lot has happened, okay? I need... I need to think."

He was drowning under the weight of everything he'd learned that night. His insides were a mess. Kai was used to processing emotions one at a time, organizing his mind, moving on. But this was too much. His mind wanted to crash.

But he also wanted answers. He wanted to know. What was that mark? Why did the elder demon want him?

Will you follow in your father's footsteps?

His thoughts racing.

Kai hadn't even known he had a father who had given up his life for him. He didn't even know what he looked like. He had no memories of him. Nothing. He was a man that had not even existed in his mind until tonight. So, Kai looked up into the wary eyes he knew so well. Kai didn't trust many people, but he trusted this old man with his soul. This man who'd taken care of him, made him the person he was. He made up his mind.

"I do not know about the White Wolf, uncle, I swear nothing to it," he said firmly, "But you, I will follow. I swear fealty only to you."

Philip's eyes widened with surprise for a second. He had not expected this. Then he nodded, with something that was very akin to pride in his eyes. "I accept."

Azul finally spoke. He came forward and clapped a hand on Kai's shoulder.

"Tonight, the demon child Kai's journey to joins the ranks of the White Wolf begins."