Nervous!

That was the emotion Jon Trant felt for the last week. From the moment he invited Adrius Caseo to his home. At first he thought it was only nervousness to meet his sister, after all she didn’t know that James died 2 months ago.

Jon was devastated by his brother’s death, they were always close.

James died by an assasination, they still don’t know who ordered the kill. But they knew that they had a lot of enemies, and James was like their Father, only he didn’t have their Father’s unbreakable honor. He wasn’t honorless, but he will do what he wants without caring about honor.

And Jon had a theory, he didn’t say it to anyone even his mother. That the person who ordered James’ death, thought that Jon can be controlled, unlike James who was a full grown man. Jon was still a ‘child’ in the people’s eyes.

But he reckons that he had proved them wrong, after all James has been Lord for almost 5 years, and had taught him almost everything about managing the family and managing their lands.

So he was not a child of 10, he may be physically 10 years old. But his mind is far beyond that.

Now waiting for the arrival of Adrius and his sister, he felt like a 10 year old. The nervousness that overwhelmed him was just too much, he felt like a baby again. He wanted to hide behind his mother, like he used to do when he was still 4 years old.

But he can’t and won’t do it, he was now the head of a family and a lord.

But he knew that the person he was to meet in some minutes didn’t care about his family and status. Because he was after all a mortal.

He really wanted to become a magus, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the talent for it. In fact his sister was the only talent in the last 20 years.

Which was kinda weird because the Trant family is a magus family, lower level. But still a magus family. So when the family doesn’t have someone with a magical talent for 20 years it would be very odd.

A loud sound took Jon out of his thoughts. A sound of something descending, he looked up and saw it. It was an airship, it had the symbol of the Raven academy engraved all over the ship.

After some minutes the ship landed, and the door opened. Coming out of the door was a figure familiar to him, he didn’t see her for almost five years. But he still remembers her face. She was taller now, and carried herself like a magus.

There was an air of superiority around her. Illyan looked beautiful in her black magus robes.

Illyan came running at them, she first hugged their mother, and then she turned at him. She hugged him with such force, he thought he would die from it.

After putting him down she looked around her and asked. “ Mother, where is James?”

Their mother’s face fell, he knew how hard it was for her to tell her only daughter that her older brother was dead.

“Dead, he was assassinated 2 months ago” Jon spoke before his mother could answer.

Illyan’s face was filled with sadness and grief. “ First Father and now James. I hate this world” She murmured quietly. But the words didn’t escape Jon’s ears.

Jon’s attention was drawn by a white mask coming toward them, Jon knew who it was. But he still gulped. He was tall, not monstrously tall, but tall enough. He wore the same black robes Illyan wore, but what drew Jon’s attention was the mask. A white skull mask, it had fangs instead of teeth.

But the most terrifying thing about him was his eyes. Oh god, they were all black. They didn’t have any white in them.

Jon now knew why they called him The Dark Eyed Demon. It was not just his personality, but his looks too.

When he spoke his voice was gruff and thick. “Lord Trant, it is nice to meet you. And this must be Lady Trant, I have to say the rumors and stories have failed to describe your beauty.”

His mother blushed at the compliment, but Jon saw that her eyes were impassive. He then looked at the man that called himself Adrius. The man’s eyes had no emotions when he spoke, it was like he was just saying things and not meaning anything.

James has warned him of such people, people that say things they don’t mean. Even if they swore an oath, they will break it in a second if it means they get what they want.

And from what Jon can see, this Adrius was one of those people. He doesn’t care about his word, he will back on it if it means he will get him something.

He has to be careful around him, and not show him any weakness. Because Magus or not, seeing weakness will make a person ambitious.

And Jon doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of a magus’ ambition.

His mother’s voice broke him out of his thoughts. “ You are too kind, Your Highness. Let me show you to your room”

It was customary to call a person who is rank 3 magus apprentice, Your Highness. As for Official magus, it is Your Grace.

Magus are not humans, maybe they were once. But the moment they start to cultivate they are something more than human, more noble. They are the rulers of the world, hell, the world was named after them.

So it is only polite to call them by such names. As for rank 1&2 magus apprentice, the correct term to address them was Lord.

But as everybody knows, rank 3 magus apprentice is the peak of humans, and one step will get them into the official magus realm. So it is only right to call them Highness.

Seeing Adrius walk behind his mother, Jon turned to Illyan. “Sister, did that monster do anything to you?”

Illyan looked at him like he was crazy. “Shhhhh, are you crazy, if Adrius heard you say such things about him he will flay you alive. And believe me he will do it, he flayed a friend of mine called Mark, Mark was stupid and kidnapped Adrius’ maid. And the maid is a mortal, imagine what he will do to you who insulted him. And don’t think the magus in our family will do anything to prevent it. Adrius is backed by Magus Croft, and by default the headmaster of the Raven academy. A rank 2 official magus, so don’t say such things again.”

Illyan looked terrified when she spoke about Mark, and he couldn’t control himself. “ How do you know he really flayed that Mark? Maybe it is a rumor”

At that Illyan laughed, but it was not a lighthearted laugh, but it was dark and full of fear. “ Because I was there watching while he paled the skin of my friend and then made a skin suit out of it.”