Fate of the Marked

Marked

"Did we... Did we win?" Katsuro managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper as he struggled to sit up, wincing with every movement.

Roderick was by his side in an instant, helping him to his feet. "I think so," I replied, still watching the lifeless body of Lavael on the floor, half-expecting her to leap up at any moment. I could feel the lingering tension, the sense that this was only a temporary reprieve.

Roderick gave a low chuckle, glancing at the massive axe still clenched in his hand. "Didn't think I'd end my night by hacking myself to bits, courtesy of my lovely sister."

"Just trying to keep things interesting for you," I shot back with a grin, catching my breath.

Katsuro grinned despite his injuries, his face etched with exhaustion but his spirit unbroken. "You sure did, Thalia," he said, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. "Though next time, maybe warn me before letting the demon wear your brother's face."

"Hey, you were holding your own, too," I said, giving him a nod of respect. "Even if you did let her toss you around like a rag doll."

Katsuro winced with a dry smile. "It was a strategy. Just a... painful one." Roderick laughed, clapping Katsuro on the back.

We shared a collective sigh of relief, the tension draining from the room. But just as I turned my back to the remains of Lavael's body, a low, rasping whisper echoed from the other side of the room.

"Thalia..."

We all froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up as I turned to see the impossible. Lavael's head, severed and lying detached from her body, stared up at me, her hollow, dark eyes gleaming with a faint, unearthly light.

"You killed me," she rasped, her voice as cold as death itself, cutting through the room like a blade. "My kind will not let you live in peace. You are now... marked."

With that, her eyes dimmed, and her head crumbled into dust, her body following suit, disintegrating into nothingness until the floor lay bare.

"Marked?" I muttered, more to myself than anyone else, still staring at the empty space where Lavael's body had crumbled to dust. Her final words echoed in my mind, unsettling in a way that even her borrowed strength hadn't been.

"What does that even mean?" Roderick asked, frowning. "I've heard of curses, hexes... but this?"

Katsuro looked pensive, his brow furrowing as he seemed to piece something together. "In my clan," he began, his voice low, "there is a tradition, a vow of vengeance. If one of us is killed unjustly, our kin will take up the fight. They won't stop until the one responsible is gone or... avenged."

"So... it's like a blood feud," I murmured, realization sinking in. "But with demons."

Katsuro nodded. "Something like that. Except this isn't just any clan seeking revenge. These are demons—Lavael's kin. And if she's marked you... they won't stop coming until they've settled the score."

Roderick snorted, though his attempt at humor was strained. "So, what, now you've got a whole demon clan aiming to put you six feet under?"

"Not just her," Katsuro corrected, his tone somber. "All of us were involved in her death. They'll come after any one of us, but it's Thalia they'll want most."

I felt a shiver run down my spine, but I pushed it aside, trying to focus. If I was marked, there had to be some kind of sign—some trace of the curse left behind. I ran my hands over my arms, my neck, even tugging at my collar to look down, checking for anything unusual, but my skin was unmarked, no strange feelings, no lingering aches. Just the usual bruises and scrapes from the fight.