Demonbound

15

Over the next week, Lumi learned the art of disappearing.

He slipped out of the mansion at odd hours, always careful, always quiet, moving through places no one thought to watch. Burnt plains. Rocky clearings. Abandoned training fields half-swallowed by weeds.

Ashen guided him when he felt like it.

Mocked him when he didn’t.

On one particular evening, Lumi snuck out as usual, the sky already bruised with dusk.

The clearing was wide and empty. Wind brushed through tall grass. No hunters in sight.

“So,” Lumi said, rolling his shoulders. “What are we working on today?”

[I want to come out.]

Lumi froze.

“No.”

[It’s boring as hell in here.]

“You know why I can’t allow that,” Lumi said firmly. “This is hunter territory. If you come out, you’ll be attacked. And it’ll end with either you killing them—or them killing us.”

A pause.

Ashen sighed.

[Damn humans and their fragile bodies.]

Lumi waited.

“…So do we have training today?”

Silence.

Ashen didn’t respond.

Lumi frowned.

“Fine, since you want to be like that,” he muttered. “I’ll just train myself.”

He stepped forward and thrust his palm out.

Fire bloomed—controlled, tight, curling through the air before dissipating harmlessly.

Again.

And again.

Sweat gathered at his temples. He had already mastered fire affinity.

He drew in a breath and pushed once more—

But to his surprise, Nothing burned.

Instead, the air moved.

A sharp compression blasted outward, bending the grass, kicking dust and stones away in a clean arc.

Lumi staggered back.

“What the—?”

He stared at his hands.

Tried again.

Another burst of compressed air.

Again.

Again.

His heart slammed against his ribs.

“…No way.”

A memory surfaced—clear and vivid.

His elder sister, Lyle.

Her palm raised.

The invisible force that had sent training dummies flying without ever touching them.

“Force manipulation,” Lumi whispered, remembering.

Calder magic.

His breath hitched.

How did he have Calder magic? He thought it was impossible for him to get powers after everything that happened.

He looked at his wrist, there was no sigil there. He searched his body frantically but didn’t find any sign of the sigil.

He looked down at his chest and then grabbed his shirt with shaking hands and tore it open.

Light flared.

A sigil was forming on his chest—slow, deliberate, glowing with pale silver-blue light.

Interlocking lines like a fractured crest, sharp-edged and symmetrical. At its centre, a circular core pulsed softly, as though breathing.

The Calder family sigil.

Alive.

Lumi laughed.

Then laughed harder.

“It appeared, it actually appeared,” he breathed. “I have the Calder family sigil.”

Before sense could catch up with him, he ran. Away from his hidden training ground and to the mansion.

---

Corvin was in the training ground, fists wrapped, movements precise and measured.

He sensed Lumi before he saw him.

Panting.

Sweaty.

Eyes wild.

“Lumi,” Corvin said calmly. “What’s going on? Who chased you?”

“I—I have—” Lumi bent over, gasping. “I have—”

“Speak,” Corvin said. “What do you have?”

“…a sigil.”

Corvin blinked.

“That’s not possible,” he said gently. “I know you want one, but it doesn’t—”

Lumi yanked his shirt aside.

The sigil glowed.

Corvin stepped closer.

“…Wow,” he murmured. “It’s real… but how? It shouldn’t be possible anymore.”

Lumi nodded rapidly. “I don’t know how it happened. I was just doing my daily chores and then—”

“Does it come with an ability?” Corvin asked. “Can you use Calder magic?”

Lumi grinned.

He stretched out his arm and pushed.

Tables skidded backward.

Grass flattened.

Corvin’s eyes widened.

“But this shouldn’t be possible.”

“I know,” Lumi said breathlessly.

Corvin smiled.

“Let’s test it.”

He stepped fully into the training ground.

“Attack me.”

Lumi stared. “What?”

“I’m serious,” Corvin said. “Calders were among the top five families in power. Blackwells didn’t even crack the top eight. I want to see it. The Calder power in action.”

“There are other Calders. I’m sure you’ve met them,” Lumi protested. “Why me?”

“They’re all too careful,” Corvin replied. “Too proud. Go on. Attack me.”

Ashen scoffed in Lumi’s head.

[Just say yes and beat him already. Your hesitation is painful.]

“I can’t,” Lumi whispered. “I don’t even understand force manipulation yet.”

[So? It doesn’t matter one bit. Just take him down and be over with it. If force manipulation doesn’t work out well, just use fire subtly to land heavier punches and you’ll be fine.]

Lumi swallowed.

“…Alright.”

Corvin discarded his daggers and raised his fists.

“Come on. Show me what a Calder can do.”

Lumi lunged.

Punch.

Blocked.

Another.

Dodged.

Corvin pivoted and kicked him lightly—just enough to send Lumi skittering back.

[Embarrassing.]

“Shut up,” Lumi hissed.

He charged again, fists flying.

Still no force.

Corvin parried lazily.

“I’m waiting,” he said calmly, punching Lumi in the stomach.

Lumi flew backward, rolling across the dirt.

“I didn’t even use my sigil,” Corvin continued. “Come on. Are Calders really this weak?”

Something snapped.

Lumi surged forward again—this time his punches hit.

Not fire.

Not flame.

Force.

Corvin grunted, blocking with effort now.

Lumi feinted right—

Then struck left.

His fist connected with Corvin’s cheek.

Corvin stumbled, then steadied.

He touched his face.

Blood.

He smiled.

“Now we’re talking. You’ve shown me the power of a Calder so now allow me show you the power of a Blackwell.”

Dark energy coiled around Corvin’s fists—

“Corvin, what are you doing?”

Scott’s voice cut through the air.

Corvin froze.

“…Oh,” he said lightly. “Didn’t see you there.”

“What are you doing?” Scott asked.

“Demonstrating,” Corvin replied. “Nothing serious.”

“Dad sent for us.”

Corvin glanced at Lumi.

“We’ll continue later,” he whispered.

They left.

Lumi exhaled shakily.

“So?” he muttered. “How was that?”

[Manageable.]

[Let me out tonight. I’ll show you how to fight.]

“Not happening but I will be going on a hunt by myself tonight.”

[Sure you’re ready for that? There are no Blackwells to save you this time.]

“As you said, the demons are weak. I can handle it.”

Ashen chuckled to himself. At least when the demon knocks Lumi out, he’ll be able to resurface and actually kill humans this time. He hadn’t killed in a while and it really bothered him.

---

The Patriarch’s voice shook the room.

“What do you mean you can’t find any trace of the fire demon that hurt my sons?”

“It hasn’t used its power again,” the voice on the phone replied. “There’s nothing to track. It’s as if it vanished. I personally think we should go back to the initial plan we had for the demons. This grudge you have is getting in the way.”

“Until that demon is dead,” the Patriarch snarled, “there is no other plan. Find it. Kill it.”

A knock.

“Enter.”

Scott and Corvin bowed.

“Sit.”

They did.

“I have a mission for you,” the Patriarch said without hesitation. “A village beyond the estate. There has been multiple demon sightings, a lot of dead humans. The hunters there couldn’t handle it so we’re withdrawing them and sending you two.”

“Just us?” Scott asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “We’re low on men.”

“When do we leave?”

“This afternoon.”

“That’s very soon.”

“The sooner the better. We can’t afford any more panic amongst the humans. The more fear present, the more demons that will appear.”

“Understood. We’ll leave right away.”

They stood.

As they turned—

“And Scott?”

“Yes, sir.”

“…Be careful.”