Marked Ones: Advent of the Demon Prince

Natali and Lylah stood side by side in the front of a classroom full of about twenty or so students. The professor of the class called them in to introduce them. While most students at the Arcadios Royal Academy did not start attending in earnest until they were older, there were still those who started around the age of thirteen or fourteen as part of an undergraduate program.

Lady Adellia had worked alongside Lord Carmichael, or rather, Wally, to allow the two girls to attend the Academy earlier than intended. Natali was unsure if this was an okay thing to do as she was still practicing with her fighting techniques at home and training would occur less frequently now, though Lylah had assured her that this was the best course of action.

Lylah normally told Natali everything, but over the last several months she had grown more mysterious regarding her visions relating to Lucius and events around him. She would say things like "don't worry this is best" or "we should do this for a better outcome" but never told her what the outcomes were. Lylah also refused to use the memory cube in front of Natali.

She used it with the help of Wally so that it might make his research regarding the Mark of Prophecy easier, but Natali was not allowed to watch these experiments. When she asked her friend why, the only answer she would get was, "It is better if you don't see what I see."

Such behavior was vexing to say the least, but there was nothing she could do about it. The only thing she could do was go along with it and continue to stay by Lylah's side.

The other infuriating that that had happened was she learned that Lucius was spending a great deal of time with the beautiful red-head known as Rena. Apparently they were inseparable as children and Wally predicted the same still held true, since he only last saw them a short time ago.

Thinking of the boy she had developed a crush on spending such quality time with a cute girl who was absolutely into him…was terrifying. On top of that, Lucius was quite handsome. He was almost exactly as she had envisioned and the ferocity hidden in his eyes were exciting.

"Miss Natali, if you could please take your seat now?" the professor asked, breaking her out of her own little world.

She quickly apologized and hurried to sit down next to Lylah who was giving her a smirk.

"Daydreaming about my brother again, huh? I knew he was your type. He's about as handsome as I am cute, isn't he?" Lylah giggled quietly.

Natali put her finger over her lips and shushed the incorrigible girl next to her. They were being stared at quite closely. Though the Academy has been allowing Marked Ones as students for quite some time now, and it has become a norm, Lylah being the Oracle's daughter and next in line to inherit the title made her quite the interesting subject for gossip.

It also helped that both young ladies were extremely beautiful, so it gathered a little extra attention from the male classmates, and a few female ones. Though the ones that did not sport marks tried to feign some form of disinterest when they remembered what the two girls were.

According to Wally, the curriculum at the Academy included classes on mathematics, language, Arts, Magic, combat, etiquette, and many other things in the form of electives. When they signed up for school they were required to list their Compatibilities to give them access to certain electives that would help their specific specialties.

There was no need to attend a lecture on fire magic if you could not use it after all.

Since Natali was also registered as an attendant and bodyguard for Lylah, Lylah was given exemption to attend the Arts and Magic courses for Natali's Compatibilities so that they may always stay together. This arrangement was also thanks to the influence of Wally, whom most of the Academy leadership were terrified to anger. Thanks to their fear of him, he got away with many things.

"Say, you look rather familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" a handsome man came up to the pair after class was dismissed for a short recess. He had short, red hair and green eyes, very similar to the Rena girl that spent time with Lucius.

Lylah smiled at the boy, "No, I can't imagine you do. I am the daughter of the Oracle, so until now I have had little in the ways of interaction with members of the nobility."

The boy smiled back, "Ah yes, that is right. Then as someone whom I am sure you will see many visions of for my heroism on the field of battle, I shall introduce myself. I am Thomas von Petra. In line to inherit the House of Petra and former adventurer. I have been at the Academy for a few days now and if needed I can show you around some time as an escort?"

Natali maintained an expressionless face and said nothing. She simply waited for her charge to answer. In a conversation like this it was improper for one in the position of a servant to interact with either party.

Lylah smiled again, though Natali noticed a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. "I thank you, Sir Thomas. You know, I believe I remember having a vision about you in the past."

"Oh, my greatness has already made itself known to the next Oracle. Do tell, which of my heroic feats were you witness to?"

Lylah's smile turned cruel. "One set in a dark forest where you watched your relatives devoured by the very concept of darkness itself."

Thomas' face turned pale and he quickly turned around and walked away, however before he left completely, he warned, "I'll be watching you… Oracle. I do not take embarrassment lightly, and I will find a way to make you pay."

After he had left them alone, Natali turned to the girl. Her silver eyes seemed to flash from the amount of anger she felt. "Lylah, was that wise to anger a member of a powerful family on the first day?"

"It doesn't matter. He has a part to play as one of the many pieces on the board. I will say, I did not expect him to play it so well." The girl mumbled. "Though he is necessary, it does not mean I will forgive him. Disgusting trash…"

Natali let out a small sigh. She was no longer as excited for attending the Academy as she was, because if this was any indication of Lylah's future behavior, then they would not be making many friends in their time here.

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