Chapter 54

Aftermath

As Katarina shed more happy tears, the guest stood up and leaped towards Pasifae. After seeing her frozen state, he looked back at Daedalus. “My, my, my, Daedalus… You’re as coldhearted as ever.”

“It has to be done,” the red-haired man replied with a straight voice. “She had endangered the boy.”

“Even if it’s your kin?” The guest released a breath and grinned. “Your twin?” Without waiting for an answer, he pointed her open palm towards her and recited a short incantation. Slowly, the ice wrapping around Pasifae’s body began to thaw.

Shortly after all the ice melted, Pasifae opened her eyes, her breathing becoming more audible. She then jumped on her feet, not realizing the presence of the guest behind her. She scanned the clearing for Daedalus’s presence as she gritted her teeth. Bloodlust emanated from her eyes. “Daedalus,” she growled and sprinted. She punched him on his left cheek, but the man caught her fist with ease.

“Are you sure you want to pick a fight with me right now?” Daedalus warned sharply. She pulled her closer and whispered, “Don’t you already recognize the enormous force before us?”

Suddenly, the realization hit the red-haired woman like a thunderstruck. After Daedalus let her go, she spun ever so slowly. “Our Dear Sovereign…” Her facial muscles softened as she lowered her head. “Allow me to apologize for my impolite behavior. I didn’t realize-”

The guest raised his arm. “Drop the courtesy. More than me, there’s someone who deserves those words more than I do.” He eyed Katarina and lifted a brow.

Pasifae shivered as she followed his gaze. She could feel a deadly glare continuously stabbing her back.

If not for the boy who’s sleeping soundly between her arms, she was sure would have already pounded on her. Make her taste the ferocity of her wrath. Yet her hands stayed calm and gentle despite the anger. Because more than that, she’s holding onto someone more important.

As the atmosphere between the three old friends became more severe, the mysterious guest turned his attention to the Kordovan Queens, who stayed like a still statue to where they were since he arrived. He gave them a firm glance. “I will neither return nor create a new blessing for your kind. Condemn your lack of judgment for favoring the wrong empress.”

Kasheda raised her head, seeing that the other queens couldn’t find the courage to speak. “We’re deeply ashamed, O’ Great Lord,” she said. “We can never ask for such kindness. Beholding your magnificence is enough for us.”

He laughed, so hysterical that even Katarina and the twins looked at him. “I never thought I’d meet another Kordovan as well-spoken as you are, what’s your name?”

“Kasheda. It’s Kasheda of the Kordova’Sheda.” She then morphed into her human male form. She bowed. “But I also go by the name of Gaya, the tamed Kordoza of the fallen Pyloxian Hero.”

His brow rose. “Surely, this day is full of surprises. I thought you had already died.”

“Luckily, I survived.”

“How about your other friend?”

Kasheda remained silent, lowering her head.

“That’s unfortunate. But as I’ve said, I won’t return what was already taken.”

“Sares. ”

He nodded. “Well then, I shall bid my farewell now.” For the last time, he turned to the old lady. “Listen, Katarina. The seal will disappear when the boy turns eighteen, or if he becomes a Grand Wizard before then. Train the boy well.” His body began to fade into the darkness. The soothing sounds of lyre began to play in the background once more. “Perhaps, he’ll achieve greater heights than anyone I’ve seen in a hundred years.” He eventually vanished, the music became the only reminder of his sudden coming in the clearing.

Once the mysterious guest had completely gone and his melody stopped, Katarina turned to the twins. “Leave now, Daedalus,” she said, barely able to contain her anger. Her hand trembled as she reached over the direction of her staff. It flew onto her palm. As she grasped it, she inhaled only a shallow breath and then struggled for another. “Leave!”

“Are you certain that you’re not coming to Mondragon?”

“After all that happened, you still expect me to come with you?” She let out a laugh in disbelief. Her head shook slowly as she took another breath. “Know that I’m merely letting your sister live because you helped me save the boy.”

Pasifae was about to say something when Daedalus clutched her arm. He gave her a warning look as though saying, ‘Don’t you dare do nor say something, or I will kill you myself.’ “But isn’t it partly your fault too?” Daedalus raised his brow. “As the great lord implied...”

She swallowed air down her parched throat. “It is.” Her voice quivered. The tears wanted to fall, but she stubbornly refused to let them with Arthur so close. “But you don’t know what I went through for Arthur. You have no idea what I had to give up for him or what I have to sacrifice to save him.”

“Looking at you, I know.” Daedalus scanned her from head to toe before peeking straight into her eyes. “Still, you have no other choice other than to leave the island. The protection of the Ancient Dragon won’t last.”

“How much time?”

This time, it was Daedalus who laughed. “As always, you always cut to the chase,” he paused. His face became devoid of any emotion. “Seven years. That’s as long as I can give. But it could be shorter, you have to be ready. Always.”

“Long enough, now leave.”

“Before that…” He approached the demon girl and placed his palm over her right shoulder. “Get stronger and protect the boy, Vlanca. I let you live for that purpose alone.”

Vlanca smiled back and curtsied. “I promise, my lord.”

Now, he turned to the Queens who’ve been discussing something since the guest left. “It seems you have now learned your place, beasts.”

They hollered and threatened to open their wings, but Kasheda immediately stopped them. “We already lost two of our kind today, we can’t afford to lose another one.”

“For someone who just lost their Ancient blessing, you seemed pretty calm, Kasheda.”

“Lost?” She smiled smugly, shaking her head. “Not yet.”

His forehead furrowed as he laughed again. “Then protect your new master. Perhaps someday, he’ll return what rightfully belongs to your kin.” Finally, he glanced at Katarina before turning back. “I don't particularly care if any of you die, but you have to protect the boy at all costs.” Not a second later, he and Pasifae leaped into the woods and they soon disappeared out of their sight.

“We shall leave too, human,” Kasheda announced as she transformed back to her beastly form. The queens gradually opened their wings and soared into the air. “We shall come back once the boy wakes up.”

Thus, only Katarina, Vlanca, the sleeping Arthur, and the unconscious serpent staff remained in the clearing. The intruders and the guest were no more. The elderly woman could finally breathe out in relief. She looked up into the moon, and then into the clearing - the only vivid reminder of the boy’s rampage.

Half of their house had been incinerated. Not a single grass could be seen on the charred ground. Even her garden had completely evaporated into ashes. The trees around the clearing had also burned further into the forest. Corpses of Hazus laid on the ground. Her heart stung after seeing that not a single Hazu survived.

“Vlanca,” Katarina called. “Could you hold Arthur for me for a minute?”

The demon girl raced to her side and clasped the boy between her arms. “My brother is alive, Granny,” she said. Tears rolled down her cheeks as a smile curved her lips from ear to ear. She even let out some nervous and happy waves of laughter. “He’s alive. I can feel his heart beating.”

Katarina grinned as snots came out of the girl's nose. Then her expression hardened again, “Duliri! How long are you gonna stay unconscious?” A few seconds passed and still no answer. “Duliri!”

The serpent staff twitched upon hearing her voice. Not a moment later, he hovered into the air. “Arthur! Arthur!” he yelled with a shaky voice. “Just calm down Art-” He stopped and slowly turned around. He could almost jump in joy when he felt his mana. Immediately, he flew towards the boy and scanned his whole body. “Just what happened, Lady Allegia?”

Katarina snorted. “I should be the one asking that.” And then she disappeared out of thin air. A second later and she came back with a golden necklace in her hand.

“Isn’t that?” Duliri blurted out.

She stretched her arm without even looking at Duliri and raised the necklace. “Proté!” she declared.

Hoots, specks of dust, and soil rose from the ground. Some clung to their broken home, the burnt trees around the clearing, and the bodies of the Hazus. Others became suspended into the air even when the wind started blowing. Gradually, faint light shone from each dust.

Katarina and Vlanca closed their eyes after some time as the collective radiance of millions of them became unbearable for mortal eyes. Once the light died down, what welcomed them was the clearing in its original state - the house, the grass, the garden, and the trees standing in all its glory. The Hazus’ bodies were also restored, yet all of them stayed still and lifeless.

Katarina sighed as the necklace turned to dust. Too bad it’s its last use now. But that’s alright, she had already deciphered much of its secrets anyway and even recreated her version of it. Proté, a magic that can restore inanimate objects to their undamaged form. Still, however powerful the magic was, it wasn’t enough to return one’s soul to its body.

Duliri enthusiastically raced to the door and opened it. “It’s been a loooong day! We should rest now, your ladyship.”

Katarina glanced at Vlanca and they exchanged smiles. “Shall we?”

Vlanca only nodded, before looking back at Arthur, who’s resting his head on her shoulder. Like them, a smile marked his lips. He rested in peace, now that the nightmare had finally stopped.