Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

For a moment the call went unanswered, but then the white void replied, "What is it Grimm?"

There was a sense of annoyance being projected by the white void, called Luz. This tonality brought joy to Grimm\'s \'face\' and if he actually had one, it would be taken over by a toothy grin.

"How much longer you going to hold back? I know you\'ve been getting in the way of the kid\'s ability to use his mark." Grim questioned.

"It is for his own good. As long as I can\'t make a move, neither can you."

"Oh, come on, you know I followed the rules. You let him borrow power first and collected your toll. What was so wrong in me doing the same? Fair is fair, right? That\'s what we agreed on after all." He whined.

It was true. When they felt a window into their space open for the first time in a millennium, they both felt elated at finally being able to break this stalemate between them. Unfortunately, the window was small, weak, and unable to really accept their power.

Over time this window grew bigger, stronger, more stable, until one day they were able to cast their voices through it. On the other side was a boy, young and weak, fighting for his right to survive. Grimm of course saw an opportunity, though it was risky. As per the rules they set, they could only move in turns, at least until the boy could call on them on his own.

Grimm and Luz played a waiting game to see who would be the first to make the opening move. The second one to make a play had the advantage of responding to the opening gambit, so Grimm waited and waited.

The boy drew closer to death, fighting against a weak beast. Grimm felt the urge at the time to keep this window open, but then he realized something. If the window opened once, it would open again. It could be millennia before it did, but it would. With that realization he settled in to watch the show and see if Luz had come to the same conclusion.

Luckily for him, his counterpart was a softie. It was likely that Luz realized the truth the same as he had, but Luz also knew that this window was connected to a life and for the white void, life was important.

"I know you are keeping me from talking to him, Luz. Afraid of what I\'ll say?" Grimm teased.

Again, he was met with silence.

"You know, he\'s discovered that I was the one responsible for his father\'s death. That his death was my price…and yet, he doesn\'t blame me. Instead, he realized something much better for me…the fact that he was the one who made the choice." Grimm laughed. "He did not have to take the deal. He could have run, or died, something other than taking my offer.

"Yet he did not. He took it, happily. After all, it was his fault for misunderstanding the kind of pain I desired from him. But I never lied to him. I told him what would happen. That there was a price…just like you did!

So even though he knows I took this as my price, he won\'t blame me…"

"You are talkative today." Luz growled. It was clear the white void was extremely irritated, which brough pure joy to the black void.

"But hey…Luz…will he feel the same way about you? After all, you are blocking his mark and by extension his growth. You did not let him make a choice in this. No, you made it for him. Will he be happy to learn that you are making him weak? That you are putting him at risk of needing borrowing power he cannot afford to pay for?"

Grimm smiled to himself once again at Luz\'s refusal to answer. "You know, Luz…after that battle in the forest, I couldn\'t help but notice your light dimmed a little. Sure it became brighter for a while…but all in all, it\'s a net loss. You still have enough to hold against me, but will it stay that way?"

"Shut it, Grimm. You talk too much." Luz sighed. "He needs to make his own choices, grow his own strength without relying on us…I am sure that once he is able to realize that…"

"At least until he breaks through on his own that is."

"What?"

"Oh, come on! Don\'t tell me you didn\'t realize it? If he\'s filled with enough anger…enough hatred…I can just slip right on by your little blockage."

"The same could be said if he has a strong enough desire to save someone…to protect them." Luz countered.

Grimm smiled once again. "Sure, that is true…however…what do you think is more likely in this world? He\'s a boy marked by \'demons\' and is the son of a human and a beastman…he\'s a commoner in service to a noble. A weak child stuck in the Novice Rank…do you really think that he won\'t be struck down by the negativity and cruelty of the world first?"

"You don\'t know for sure, Grimm."

"Of course…but it\'s a risky gamble you are playing, old friend. I do enjoy seeing you play it though…time will tell. Oh hey, did you notice?"

"Yes."

"I wonder how they are doing that. Watching…so interesting! I don\'t know who they are…where they are…but to think, someone can peer in here…can they hear us…do they fear us? Hey Luz…want to make another bet?"

Once again, Grimm was met with silence. Luz\'s power and concentration at the moment were split between holding him back and blocking his path to the window into the earthen plane. The realization that someone else was able to look into their void made him wonder if there was another exit to use, but he discarded the thought.

After all, even if there was a second window, he probably would not want to use it. This one seemed so fun and the game he was playing with his counterpart was just oh, so enjoyable.