^^ Marcus Tender ^^

--- Jacob Argos's POV  ---

'And he who walks amongst demons, yet lives, is dangerous. For who is feared by those who cannot die? And who is Unafraid of beings that cannot be killed? Such a man is dangerous, but not because of his strength, power, or fame... but his fearlessness.

And yet, so many find themselves with stories of this man, killing things that cannot be killed, saving people who cannot be saved. That is why he is dangerous, as well... for what can stop a man who can do the impossible?'

I set down the journal, rubbing my temples. "What is this supposed to teach me, Father?" I grumbled.

He raised an eyebrow. "Patience. Fortitude... Stubbornness." He answered in clipped words, as usual.

I sighed and leaned my head back. "Do you think that man exists?"

"Which one?" He lowered the eyebrow he'd raised.

"The one who walks among demons?" I clarified.

"Ah... yes." He nodded, and looked back down at his own book.

I snapped my gaze to him. "Have you met him?"

"Every night." He turned a page.

I huffed. "Figures. Dreams."

He looked at me over his glasses. "Memories." He corrected, and went back to reading.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, confused now.

He sighed and looked at me crossly. "Memories. I see him in my memories. That was clear." He snapped.

I grinned. "So you have met him!"

He nodded.

"What's he like?"

"Cross." He grumbled, and went back to reading.

I blinked, and the wheels turned in my head. "Are you kidding me? You can't be him, you're a scholar, not some wizard/warrior!"

"Neither are you, yet." He smirked.

"Wait... cured the incurable, okay, so that's knowledge, you find cures... killed the unkillable, what, did you find a poison that worked?" I tried to reason through the words.

He nodded. "Correct. A Phoenix. I fed it poisoned meat." He turned another page.

"What poison did you use? Did I learn it?"

"Yes." Another page turned.

"Which one?!" I grinned.

"Atropos Apoxia." He looked up briefly.

"Time Plague? But that isn't a poison, it's a potion of timelessness that Lich drink to stay young forever! How would that kill a Phoenix? Don't they just regenerate?" I asked.

He snapped his book shut. "Not if their time is shut off with Time Plague, and you toss them into the ocean. The water does the rest." He reopened his book.

"Why'd you kill a Phoenix? They don't harm anyone, really."

"It was eating children. It couldn't find a mate, so it was losing its mind." He turned a page with savage patience.

"Why is talking about this making you angry?" I asked calmly.

He looked up. "I'm trying to read. This document is highly interesting. It is a list of demons, and their habits. An... encyclopedia, almost, of Demons."

"Oh! Cool. Maybe we'll study it, then?" I asked.

He paused, then nodded. "Yes... we will. Max wrote it, it's not published yet. He wants my input, any inaccuracies only I could find."

"So why did you go into the Ether, anyway? Wasn't that, I don't know... not very smart? You're not a Magee mighty wizard, you're human, unlike me." I asked.

He slowly closed the book. "Jacob Argos... If you don't let me read this book?... I'm going to throw you into the Ether Myself, and watch you scream like a little girl before I fish you out." He growled.

I smiled. "Awe. Knew you loved me, pops. Fine, but we're talking about this later. This isn't some aspect of your life I can just ignore."

He nodded and opened his book again. One of several next to him, I noticed.

I sighed and opened my book again.

---

"So. Can you explain why Atropos Apoxia kills Phoenix's?" I asked.

He sighed. "It doesn't, it just stops them from regenerating. Which means they're in a constant state of almost-death. Forever." He looked at the board in front of him, and nodded. "Alright... let's go. Keep your dagger hidden, you don't want to antagonize any of the demons we're about to meet." He said, shrugging on a long leather duster.

"What? Meet? I thought we were studying!"

"We are. First thing. Most demons aren't going to try anything in the Ether. Main reason being, they can't actually eat you there, so the more bestial ones won't even try or care. The smarter ones will just be curious about us, and then leave us alone, unless we mess with their young. As long as we're far away from a Demon Prince, we'll be fine." He spoke the most in one sitting I'd ever heard, staring at me expectantly.

I nodded. "Okay. So we're just taking a jaunt through the Ether? Nice. Sounds great." I said sarcastically.

"Actually the place we're going is rather pleasant." He shrugged.

"What's that?"

"Ixia Forest. Very calm place... usually. My friend and I have a cabin there." He grinned.

A deep voice behind me made me jump. "Friend? I think you mean colleague. Friends talk more often... and not just for jaunts into the Ether. And why didn't I know you had a son?"

I turned to find the biggest man I'd ever seen, my nose just barely past the bottom of his ribs. He looked down, and stepped around me.

"Marcus! Good to see you! This is Jacob, my eldest son." Father nodded to me, also having to look up, even if he was fully grown, unlike me.

He hummed. "Eldest? You have several?"

"Another son and a daughter. My younger children are with my wife in Germania." Father nodded.

"Ahh. Yes. I remember the divorce... my apologies. How old is this one? Do you think he's ready for the Ether?" He rumbled, his voice vibrating my ribs.

"Well, he has to learn sometime. Besides. He's 18, a Wizard-Elf, and he has us to look after him. Worst comes to worst, he hides in the Cabin." Father shrugged.

"Dante... I'm not sure that's wise, but he's your son. I will do my best. Would you like to depart?" Marcus began drawing something in a book he pulled out of his pocket, then replaced it.

"Yes, it's early enough, the nocturnal beasts will still be asleep. Let's go to Ixia Forest, start him off easy." Father nodded.

"If that's what you want." Marcus shrugged and dropped a small hex bag into a pit in the floor, with steps down into it, and it flared up. He dripped pure magic into the fire from his fingertips, and said in a loud, clear voice, "Coordinate -112-22-7, by 44-36-2. Name of reference, Ixia Forest."

The flames went out, and were replaced by a small pool in the pit, made of what looked like oil.

"Perfect." He nodded, as a few red leaves drifted up from the bottom of the oil.

"What type of leaves are those? It's not fall..."

"The Red Oak glows in the dark. It's red because it's stained with the blood of its kills. Young ones are more of a maroon color, and saplings are green." Father grinned, and walked down the steps, followed by Marcus.

He paused. "Ah! Marcus, he doesn't have the Antidote to the Mist in his body. You have some?"

The man nodded and drew out a small bundle of leaves, plucking one, and holding it out to me. "Eat this. The air in the Ether is poisonous to humans and even some mages. Most magical folk, especially Elves, aren't bothered, but it can't hurt to be prepared."

I nodded and chewed the leaf, swallowing, and father nodded, stepping down the steps and into the inky portal, with Marcus right after him.

I followed, and steeled my spine when he stepped into the pool, and his foot traveled further down than it should. I breathed deeply, muttered a prayer to Hecate, Loki, and Odin, and then followed him into the portal.

My sight was quickly adjusted to the dark, and I gasped at the ethereal beauty around me.

Marcus chuckled. "Go ahead, drink it all in, we have a few minutes."

I nodded and took a step forward, just in time for a projectile to slam into the ground behind me, throwing me forward.

I rolled over my shoulders, popping up to my feet and drawing my dagger, but father held my wrist. "Put it away. It's just Anorak."

An elderly Irishman with tiny horns on his head like a satyr grinned at me, and lit a pipe. "Sorry, boi, did'ne mean teh startle ye!" He exclaimed, laughing.

I nodded and sheathed my dagger. "Ahem... yes, my apologies as well. This is my first time in the Ether... my first time meeting a Demon, as well."

He nodded. "Ach, ye. Dante, ol'boi, ye've taught 'im 'is manners, eh? Humhum..." he puffed on his pipe, and blew smoke towards me.

I raised a finger, and it turned into a small tornado, but stopped where it was as I looked at its contents at a molecular level. "It seems to be a mutated form of Tobacco, red in color, and the components hold considerably less carcinogens and carcinoma than normal processed tobacco, but still holds impressive quantities of Nicotine." I commented.

Father chuckled. "It's got a magical property, allows you to speak his language for a bit. He's getting tired of speaking in English."

I nodded and separated the magical aspect, and added it to a Skin Rune, then branded my tongue with it temporarily.

He chuckled and switched languages. "Good, good. Very good work you've done with this boy, huh Dante? And Marcus, good to see you!! What brings you all to Ixia today? Not your usual hunting grounds, is it?"

"We're teaching my son a bit before we throw him into the big leagues." Father responded easily.

Marcus grinned. "And I'm here to make sure they don't die."

Anorak sighed. "Bad timing, friends. The Demon King Walks here. He is in a foul mood, after being summoned recently. He is looking for the entrance to his grandmothers tomb. He seems to have lost it!" He laughed.

I blinked. "The Demon King is in this forest?!!? What's he like?! Can we meet him?" I asked excitedly.

He blinked at me slowly. "Dante, curb your son's enthusiasm before it gets him killed. The Demon King isn't someone you simply 'meet', boy. You stay out of his way, and pray he remains a myth to you." He warned.

Father nodded and gripped my shoulder. "Exactly. One should not invite the gaze of Argadh. It's suicidal, at your current level."

I sighed. "But so little is known about him!" I protested.

He sighed as well. "That's because he kills most who speak to him that are not higher Demons."

I hummed. "Fine, but-"

Giant footsteps echoed behind me, and I flinched turning around warily, my hands behind my back, filling with lightning to throw at whatever was coming.

Father grabbed my wrist. "Do not attack Agardh. No matter what. I'd rather not lose a son today." He hissed.

The Lightning dissipated as a giant man twice my fathers size walked into the clearing, his horns shaking to remove the vines that clung to them.

He spotted us, and hummed. "Odd... human... elf... and Demigod? All three... in one spot. Interesting... ah, just the man I was looking for! Anorak. I have need of your knowledges."

"I regret to inform you, I do not know where your grandmother's Tomb is, Master." He bowed his head subserviently.

The King growled. "Damn..."

"Might we be of assistance, King Agardh?" I asked before Father could stop me.

He blinked at me. "Hmm... an Elf... and a Wizard? You could be useful, yes. I would be prepared to forgive your trespass in my woods if you assisted me."

"King, I must interject... you've given us permission to-"

"You and Marcus, yes. I remember. But the Elf never had permission." He interrupted softly, not angry, simply informing him.

Father bowed his head. "Understood, King..."

I smiled. "So you're looking for a Tomb? That should be easy to find, if you have something of hers... you have her blood, I assume, so I should be able to track all of your blood relatives by a strand of hair or something similar." I said silkily.

He nodded. "Indeed." He snapped his fingers, and one of his claws fell off, regrowing instantly. The claw shimmered, and soon a Scorpion the size of a horse grew from it.

"A Scale!? Wow... my first time seeing Demon Magic in action..." I touched its carapace, and reached deep inside of myself for the knowledge my Wizard ancestor had gifted me.

I whispered the spell, and then hopped onto the Scorpion's back. "He should know where to go now. Would you like to follow?" I asked the King.

He hummed and nodded.

I kicked the Scorpions ribs, and his stinger tapped my neck as a voice entered my brain. 'I'm not a Horse. Kick me again, and I'll stab you in the throat, boy.'

"Sorry, I wasn't aware you were sentient. Please follow the Trail, then." I asked.

He huffed and darted off, skittering across the woods faster than I'd ever moved, but when I looked back, the King was easily keeping pace, as were my father and Marcus.

We soon reached the edge of the forest, and then the scorpion began burrowing, tearing through the dirt and roots without a second thought.

A second before we would've broken through, a hand plucked me up off the scorpion. Agardh set me aside, and nodded. "Very well. You've proven your worth. You may enter my lands, and remain unmolested by my peoples, so long as you do not disturb them and their kin."

I nodded and bowed my head, walking away with my father and Marcus, right before something laughed, a demonic sound if I ever heard one.

Agardh sighed. "Hello, Grandmother Ashkenazi. I've been looking for you."

"And you brought snacks? Wonderful..." she spoke with a beautiful voice, and then intoned my fathers True Name. "Come to me, Dante, Son of Sparda, He Who Walks Amongst Demons."

I blinked in shock and punched him in the jaw, making a split-second decision, choosing to knock him out before he could walk towards the Pit, and Marcus grabbed us both, sprinting away.

We dove into the portal, and clawed our way up the steps, before throwing my father into a Cage, in case the Demon's Influence continued.

I sagged against the bars. "Wow... well that was interesting." I laughed, the entire situation suddenly hilarious to me.

Marcus sighed. "Looks like I'll stick around for a bit, see if I can remove the Demons Influence. In the meantime, you'll go to The Great Library, and find someone who can help with someone True Named."

I nodded and slowly fell asleep, tired as hell.