Chapter 07: Kill me

A few days had passed since Kael was caught and thrown into the underground prison. The cells were still quiet and dark as Kael scribbled something in the dirt with a spoon.

Cursed Knife—Future vision—Death—Able to avoid death—Future Vision—death—Gate (Aura)

"Now that I am thinking about it, things seem clear. I only have a vision whenever a decision leads to my death… It also proves that if I survive, no matter how much things worsen, I will not get any visions. But I still don't have an idea—does this work if I survive but a person dear to me dies?"

He sighed, stretching his back while his handcuffs remained intact. Leaning his head lower, he suddenly found Cassandra standing there, looking down at him with narrowed eyes.

“Whaa…!” he cried out, falling onto his back from his sitting position.

“What are you doing? Making a plan to escape from here?”

“Why would I do that! I am in a maximum-security prison. If someone caught me escaping, they would kill me directly instead of asking me to surrender.”

“That’s true… Anyway, I have come here to ask you something.” Her tone was as flat and direct as usual as she brought something out in front of him, covered in a dusty cloth.

“This is…” Kael's eyes widened. The object was the rusted knife they had found after robbing the carriage.

“You know how to use this, right?” she asked.

“Huh? Use this… Well, this thing is……” He paused mid-sentence.

Safe. Thank God. If I tell her about the future visions, she is the kind of person who will clearly want to test it and cut my head off.

“A useless piece of junk,” he lied.

“Hmm… It seems it is useless to think you will answer me straight.” She covered the knife again, strapped it back onto her waist, and continued, “Then answer my second question. How were you able to kill a wanted criminal widely known for killing veteran soldiers?”

“Wh-What are you saying? How can I, someone who doesn't have any combat skills, kill someone like that? Didn't Valerius bring us here? He must be the one who defeated him. You should ask him.”

Her expression changed to one of surprise, but she quickly calmed down. “I see. So that is how it is going to be.” She grabbed the keys hanging from her waist and opened the cell gate.

“Huh? What are you doing?” Kael stumbled, taking a few steps back.

“I am offering you a chance to be free. If you land at least one hit on me, I will personally escort you outside the city walls.”

“Wait, didn’t I say I am not a combat type—” She caught him by his collar and began dragging him out without listening to his answer. “Wait! Waitttttt!”

As she dragged him to the practice grounds, the guards looked at them in confusion—and with a hint of fear. To them, she was one of the coldest and strictest of the Crown, whom everyone feared.

Reaching the grounds at last, she released him, walked a few steps ahead, turned, and threw the rusted knife toward him. Stumbling, he caught it.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a practice match? Why did you throw this at me?” he asked, confused.

She pulled her sword from her waist. “I never said this was a practice match, and I want to see something,” she said flatly, taking a fighting stance.

“I don’t understand… What are you talking about? But I—” Kael’s eyes widened as a blue, lightning-fast slash grazed his cheek. He touched it and found it bleeding. He lifted his head to look at her in terror.

“I just gave you a warning shot, so take this seriously.”

Kael, surprised, ground his teeth in frustration as he took a defensive stance, holding the knife in his hand.

“That’s good. Now…” She took a flash step, leaping toward Kael. Kael stumbled at first, trying to defend himself, but the direction of her sword shifted, slashing his gut. He dropped to his knees, clutching the wound as blood spilled out.

Damn it! That hurts! She really isn't joking around. If I don't land a hit on her, she will keep slashing me.

He stood up again and turned his face toward her, only for a spinning kick to connect, sending him flying backward into the distance as dust kicked up.

Cough.

Kael coughed, blood trickling from his mouth. Cassandra, looking as indifferent as ever, muttered to herself.

“It seems like it is not working. Then I have to…” She raised her hands to the sky as a cold mist appeared, freezing the moisture in the air into sharp-edged ice blades.

Kael, still on his knees and coughing heavily, felt his vision start to dull. As his eyes blinked, his brain echoed the words:

GLANCE INTO THE FUTURE.

“Huh?” Kael turned his head toward the sky, looking in surprise at the hanging blades. He looked at Cassandra just as she suddenly lowered her hand. The blades dropped at high speed, piercing his entire body—some through his back to his chest, some through his legs, and some even piercing his skull. His vision went completely dark.

Suddenly, with a violent throb in his head, he snapped back to reality. He turned quickly to the sky just as she signaled the blades to drop. He rolled forward, barely saving himself, yet his right leg was pierced by one of them.

“Aughh!!!” he screamed in pain, panting heavily. He grabbed the blade with his hand—it was so cold that it gave his fingers frostbite—and pulled it out, throwing it away.

“Haa… Haa…”

Cassandra walked over to him and stepped on the hand supporting his body.

“Whaa… Why… Why are you doing this?! What the hell were you babbling about with that offer back there? You are clearly trying to kill me!!!” he screamed as she punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

“It seems like you are still not using it…” she muttered, sitting on his stomach.

Kael’s eyes widened, his hands spread wide on the ground. Clenching the knife weakly, he watched as she began to punch him brutally—once, twice, thrice. She did not stop, and Kael's blood splashed onto the dirt.

Am I going to die? Why! What is she trying to do? I don't understand! I can't sense any motive from her at all...! Is she angry because I attacked the carriage? Is she angry that I attacked the guards, or is she angry because I didn't accept their offer?

If things keep going like this, I will...

I will...

I just have to think of something... If not, she will kill me...

Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me…! Kill me…! Kill me

Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me…! Kill me…! Kill me

Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me!… Kill me…! Kill me…! Kill me

Ahh… I know. I just have to kill her before she kills me.

His vision darkened, and he stopped feeling pain as his body went numb.

“Hm..?” Cassandra stopped, sensing an eerie feeling coming from Kael. She focused her eyes on him. A creepy, weird smile appeared on his face, his eyes wide and terrified.

“Hehe~” His voice changed, sounding like a eerie blend of a girl's voice and his own. He spun the knife and tried to stab Cassandra in the neck with a quick strike. She leaned back to avoid the knife, but Kael struck her with a headbutt.

She rolled back and took her stance.

“Now, I know who killed Markus back there,” Cassandra said, sensing an insane amount of mana emerging from Kael's body.

He stood shakingly, his eyes on the ground before he lifted his head, still wearing that same unhinged smile. “Araa… You know, bullying the weak is wrong… and people who bully others must be punished.” The mixed voice paused, licking the bloodied knife. “The punishment is death.”

“Huh…?” Cassandra was confused as Kael dashed toward her.

Using her magic, Cassandra froze the moisture in the air and shot sharp ice blades at him from behind her. He zig-zagged to dodge them, parrying several with his knife.

He leaped at Cassandra, targeting her skull, but she parried the blow with her sword. Kael quickly ducked and swept her legs, making Cassandra lose her balance. She fell onto her back, and before she could stand again, Kael jumped onto her stomach.

Cassandra struggled to free herself, her eyes searching for an opening as Kael giggled.

“Heheh… So let’s start with…”

“Huh…?” Cassandra's eyes fixed on the knife Kael had raised to the sky.

Zoom!

With a sudden roaring noise, a wave of flames erupted and struck Kael. He somehow managed to parry it with his knife, but the impact was so high that he was thrown back several meters. He slid to a halt as Cassandra looked toward the source of the flames.

“It seems like I was correct to patrol late tonight.”