Chapter 44

Daedalus's Wager

Katarina knew that she was gradually losing the duel. Even though she was forcing Daedalus to use Segure, she still had to use it more often. The man had more mana than her and dodging his skills required her to use the ability. Any attack was considered fatal since she didn’t have much energy to use her barrier spell.

“Are you willing to listen now, Katarina?” Daedalus asked mockingly.

Not a word came out of her. Despite her trembling knees and weakening attacks, she didn’t want to entertain the man. The silence continued until a piercing clang resonated when their weapons clashed again.

“Come back to the Kingdom, Katarina…” Daedalus said in between his heavy breaths. A drop of blood flowed from the corner of his eyes and below his nose. He retreated a few meters back and wiped them with the back of his hand. “If you truly wanted to protect the boy, then come back.”

“Shut it, Daedalus!” she cried out, blinking numerous times to clear her blurring vision. She tasted a metallic liquid inside her mouth. A large part of her arm and legs began to turn bluish. “Stop with the bullshits!”

Katarina lunged forward, quickly sprinting towards Daedalus. As she came closer, she swung her staff diagonally. Daedalus raised his sword to parry the attack, but the old woman quickly spun and sidestepped like a sword dancer. In reflex, he twirled his sword and swayed it to his right to protect his waist.

Daedalus then quickly turned around while moving behind Katarina. He placed his left arm around her neck and pointed the tip of his sword below her chin. “You cannot protect the boy alone,” he whispered. “Even if you deny it, I know that deep inside... you are fully aware of it.”

“Such baseless claims, Daedalus…” she answered in a low voice before blinking less than a meter away from him - their faces level. Their eyes briefly met. She bent her knees and thrust her staff forward.

“Los’seijis.” Daedalus declared as he used Segure. He surfaced behind Katarina and pushed her, causing her to tumble ahead, to where seven ice swords formed. Left without a choice, she blinked once again to dodge the projectiles. Her heart ached as she tasted more blood inside her mouth.

Before she could recover, Daedalus sprinted at her. He jabbed his weapon forward in an attempt to stab her heart. “My claims aren’t without basis,” he said as Katarina jumped backward. “The demon girl is proof.”

More wrinkles lined on her forehead as one of her brows rose. “Vlanca?”

A brief mocking chuckle came out as Daedalus dashed a second time. “Didn’t you save her to help you protect the boy?” He lightly slashed his sword which Katarina fended off easily.

“Another nonsense you’re spouting.” Katarina’s grip to her staff tightened as Daedalus’s push gradually grew heavier. She pressed forward to match his strength.

“Then why did you save her?” Daedalus smirked, inching closer and pushing even harder. “And not the other five human,” he emphasized, “children that came before her. What makes her different? Her race? Her strength? Her talents?”

The old woman didn’t speak. She held her staff with both hands and jolted so strongly that Daedalus was swept away, a few meters away from her. Her eyes narrowed. Enormous bloodlust emanated from them. “So you’re the one who sent them… Daedalus!”

“Huh?” Daedalus sighed for a moment, though it immediately turned into a smile, seemingly amused at Katarina’s reaction. “I may play dirty tricks, Katarina, but I won’t stoop that low…” He shrugged. “Or maybe I did-”

Katarina began to sway her staff before she vanished, appearing behind Daedalus. Once the staff landed heavily on his shoulder, Katarina spun and appeared again in front of him and hit him with a powerful kick on his waist. Within a second, Katarina executed a combo since she already began the attack before using the ability. Though as a recoil, she coughed more blood and her stomach hurt as though she had been punched there.

“What a scary lady,” Daedalus said laughingly as he teleported away before she attacked for the third time. His nose started to bleed again. His corneas turned more reddish. He met her eyes, while gently wiping the blood. “Make no mistake, Katarina. It wasn’t I who sent those children. Vlanca is the only one I brought here,” he paused and grinned. “As a test, of course.”

Katarina refused to listen to any more of his ramblings. She slowly approached Daedalus who also did the same. After a few moments, they jumped forward. Sword and staff clashed yet again, releasing a booming echo that sent the ashes, hoots, and dust in the air.

“The kingdom isn’t your only e-”

Katarina pushed, interrupting Daedalus. She then sent a series of short jabs and slashes, leaving no room for him to counterattack. Once she found an opening when he parried, she aimed a stab to his heart. In reflex, Daedalus grabbed it with his hand.

“Listen, Katarina,” Daedalus said, hard and full of authority. Ice began to form from where he gripped the staff, which slowly spread through its body. Before it reached her, he let go and leaped away. “The Dorc Empire has started moving again. Even the Demons and the Demihumans from Piatmos and Arba are also in motion.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

A wry smile curved his lips. “A New Great War is brewing, Katarina. Before this century ends, the Sixth World War is almost sure to arise.” His expression disappeared, his face became devoid of any emotion. “With your magical knowledge and inventions, the king is willing to accept you back in the kingdom.”

“To serve the king who betrayed his own brother?” Katarina laughed humorlessly. “No, thank you.”

“I know you’ll say that. But then again, when the war broke out, how are you supposed to protect the boy?” He then vanished and reappeared behind Katarina. “Even if you are dead by then,” he whispered. “With your knowledge and power, your legacy could help protect the boy and so much more.”

Katarina turned around and swung her staff, stopping a sliver of hair before it hit Daedalus’s cheeks. “How could I trust you and the king when you betrayed us before?”

“You don’t, Katarina, you don’t.” Daedalus smiled widely, knowing that she was being lured in. “That had already been taken care of. The preparations are underway and the seed of rebellion has been sowed.”

“Daedalus…” Her eyes widened. “So all this time, what you wanted is to use Arthur for your political agenda.”

“Call it what you will.” His lips flattened, his stare sharpened. “But you should know that more than anything, isn’t it a throne that could ultimately keep the boy safe?”

“This is ridiculous, Daedalus. I will not let you put Arthur-”

“It isn’t.” Daedalus raised his chin. “Aside from the potential breaking out of a war, the tyrant king is restless because of the nobles and the people alike. That’s why he wants your magic to strengthen his army and silence everyone. We’ll use that same fear to infiltrate the Kingdom from the inside. And when the anger of the people bloomed, we’ll harvest back the throne for the boy. We’ll give him back what rightfully belongs to his father.”

“So you’re going to betray them like how you did to Leon?”

“I never betrayed him. My conscience is clear.”

“You didn’t? Yet now, you’re trying to kill an old friend. You’re contra-”

“I told you, you don’t need to trust me because I am never your,” he emphasized, “or the king’s ally to begin with. My loyalty only lies to Leon and him alone.”

Katarina laughed scornfully. “And you think that this is what Leon wants?”

“Leon is dead, Katarina. What he wants doesn’t matter, his child does. I’m only ensuring that his family lives on...” His eyes sharpened still as he raised his sword and pointed it on Katarina's neck. “Even if it excludes you.”