Chapter 88: You’re a dead man

"Damn it... Kristian must also be in danger..." Daemon murmured.

Gelius let out a short laugh. "You should rather worry about your own face. Lord Kellen will personally take care of the Sword Clan heir right now. I was told that Kristian was already in a bad spot before we came down here."

"You!?" He took a step forward...

However, before he could commit the irreparable, a hand firmly rested on his shoulder. The prince was signaling him with a nod toward the debris.

"Lord Daemon’s father was very close to the Imperial family... I cannot stand by with my arms crossed in the face of such a situation," declared the second prince, straightening his frail frame.

"This pathetic prince really thinks we’re afraid of him... You’re just going to suffer the same fate as that bastard Dagon, idiot!" On a nod from their leader, a lancer lunged forward, his iron tip aimed directly at Daemon’s heart.

Daemon reacted with the speed of a snake. He abruptly lowered his torso, bracing himself on his bandaged right hand against the cold ground, and with a powerful swinging motion, he projected a mass of massive rubble toward Siegfried. The prince didn’t lose a fraction of a second... He drew the sword Gram in a gesture so fluid that it seemed unreal for someone considered mediocre.

< Slay >.

Siegfried’s murmur was followed by a silver flash that tore through the darkness. "Watch out!" Gelius shouted, instinctively stepping back, convinced that a shockwave was going to pulverize him.

Yet Siegfried’s blade wasn’t aimed at the Spear Clan men. It sliced the debris projected by Daemon in a fraction of a second, turning them into a fine dust that instantly invaded the room, creating an opaque and stifling smoke screen.

"This is the moment to get out of here!"

Daemon, short of breath, turned to him as he was about to leap into a side corridor. "And you?"

"I’ll take care of bringing Lady Victoria back to the Magic Clan... Don’t worry about me, even if I’m useless, I at least have the merit of being fast," Siegfried answered with a corner smile, while lifting Victoria, still unconscious.

"I owe you one!" Daemon exclaimed with a final nod.

The two allies of circumstance quickly slipped away in opposite directions, disappearing into the labyrinth before the dust settled.

The Spear Clan Chi Users spent dozens of minutes searching the surroundings, howling with rage, but their prey were already far away, concealed by the unfathomable darkness of the third level.

’Prince Siegfried Dragonslay... Even if he has dubious hobbies, he was a great help to me,’ Daemon thought as he ran through the narrow tunnels. ’It seems that by chance, I’ve made an unexpected ally in these Catacombs... He doesn’t seem as useless as he likes to pretend; he simply hates training.’

Daemon activated his < First Sense: Sight >. The world became a map of vibrating Chi, allowing him to perceive the monstrous silhouettes of the Daugrs through the walls. He charged into the bowels of the earth, avoiding unnecessary confrontations at all costs, because every second counted to reach Kristian and Katelyn.

***

After about thirty minutes of uninterrupted running, he finally managed to rescue Katelyn and Kristian in extremis. Daemon was exhausted because he had been using his Chi without the slightest rest for hours. Ordinary Chi Users would have fainted long ago under such strain, but Daemon possessed an extraordinary Chi and a physique forged by Luna’s relentless training, with a special mention for his good genetics.

But the latter didn’t have time to complain about his condition...

Kellen roared and propelled himself forward, his spear tracing a trajectory aimed at the heart of Daemon who had just interposed himself. < First Sense of Spear: Range Reading >.

Kellen evaluated the perfect distance, calculating every millimeter so that his strike would be unavoidable for a swordsman. Nevertheless, Daemon waited until the red tip was a few centimeters from his chest to pivot on his supports with serpentine fluidity.

The spear grazed his tunic, tearing the fabric without however cutting into the flesh. Daemon took advantage of his opponent’s momentum to deliver a devastating punch with his powerful right hand, aiming directly at Kellen’s face. The impact was partially blocked by his forearm, but the raw kinetic force was such that Kellen was forced to retreat several steps.

"Tss..." Kellen growled, wiping a trickle of blood that beaded on his upper lip. "I expected nothing less from Persephone’s son... But know that from now on, I will no longer need to hold back!"

He withdrew the spear from his guard, his fingers gripping the cloth that wrapped the weapon... he removed the bandage... Instantly, the atmosphere of the room changed. Daemon felt his own Chi being sucked toward the blade by a vortex, a sensation of glacial cold invading his energy center.

’Wait... this spear isn’t normal! It devours the surrounding energy!’ Daemon thought, feeling the Mark of the Beast stir under his own bandages.

Before Daemon could analyze the threat further, Kellen was already in front of him. "I’ve been waiting for this moment for years!"

Daemon blocked the first assault with extreme difficulty, Lancelot’s katana vibrating violently under the shock. The power of the relic was such that he was sent flying far away, crashing against a stone pillar that cracked under the impact.

"You didn’t even try to take the Pandora’s Box... It’s me you’ve been waiting for from the beginning, isn’t it?" Daemon asked as he got up with calculated slowness, spitting a mouthful of blood.

"You’re a dead man, Daemon Shaytan Dagon, just like your father Lloyd!" Kellen retorted, pointing the Spear of Destiny at him. "I’ve lived every day of my miserable life solely for this moment, to see you crawl in the dust!"

Daemon adjusted his guard. "I don’t know why you want to kill me so much, and to be honest, I don’t give a damn... But know one thing, Kellen Strain: I’m not that easy to kill."