CHAPTER 24

As they had suspected, Lÿarah and Alex managed to climb to the floor where the Hvergelmir hall was without any problems or raising suspicion.

“We made it here without incident. Amazing, isn’t it?”

Lÿarah looked around suspiciously.

“Yes, but don’t let your guard down. I feel like we’re being watched.”

“What do you mean? How do you know that?”

“Instinct. When you hunt for many years, you learn to think and feel like a predator.” She said, looking around.

“Let’s take a break. I need to catch my breath.”

“Of course, let’s stop for a minute or two.”

“Okay,” Alex said, trying to catch his breath after climbing so many stairs. “I was thinking... is my mom okay?”

“Your mom? But you said she was a fanatic who preferred faith over her own son?”

“Yes, but she’s still my mom. I’m worried about her... I’d like to know if she’s safe and doing well.”

“I understand... Sorry for the way I spoke about her just now... I need to be more respectful; after all, she’s my mother-in-law.”

Alex smiled at Lÿarah’s comment.

“Thanks, Lÿarah. But I’ll tell you right now, if you happen to meet her, you won’t like her. I can guarantee that.”

“I face snow beasts. Do you think I’m worried about your mom’s scoldings?”

“You should be. I worry.”

“Alright then... I’ll be ‘careful.’ Unfortunately, everything happened so quickly that we didn’t have a chance to look for her.”

“Let’s leave that for later, because if Muspelheim explodes completely, there won’t be a place to look for her later.”

“Let's go to Hvergelmir right away then.”

“And once there, do you know how to shut it down?”

“No. I have no idea. I hope my pendant will tell us.”

“I suspected as much from the way you were walking.” Said a voice approaching. “The posture of someone sneaking around corners, hiding, not letting themselves be seen... ignoring many wounded along the way. It doesn't match a priestly doctor. Looks like we've met again, haven't we, Lÿarah?”

“That voice... Fenrir? Did you follow us here?”

Fenrir appeared from behind a column in that gap.

“Might I have the honor of one more dance?” He said, drawing his black sword.

Lÿarah sighed resignedly.

“Yes, with pleasure.”

“Lÿarah, I...”

“Back off, Alex. He's no match for you. Step back.”

She calmly approached the opponent.

“May I ask you a favor?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Turn a blind eye to my partner, in case I fall...”

“He's a curious specimen. Knows how to use the same enchantments as you, not with the same finesse, but has potential. It's a shame to let him go alive, but you have my word.”

“I'm glad to hear that.” And with that, Lÿarah dropped her medical tunic to the ground.

“What a fascinating woman. It's a shame this will be our final battle. I could easily fall in love with someone like you.”

“Huh? Two flirts in the same week? For something that hasn't happened to me in my whole life... this is becoming routine. But thank you, I’m already married.”

“Really? To whom?”

“Lÿarah pointed at Alex.”

“Is this a joke?”

“No, I really got married.”

“Hey! Why is that a joke?” Alex shouted, annoyed, even from a distance, hearing the conversation.

“A woman like you? Why?” Insisted Fenrir.

“He's trustworthy, called me beautiful, and cooks well. He's also hardworking.”

Fenrir looked at Alex for a moment.

“Did you catch her with your stomach? Great strategy... you're right, sharp young man. You deserve to live.”

Fenrir sighed disappointedly.

“What a shame, I was looking for an excuse not to kill you and maybe make you mine, but oh well... things don’t always go the way we want, do they? Anyway... nothing will hold me back now. I’m going all out.”

“Then go all out.”

Like a lightning bolt, Fenrir drew his sword and almost hit Lÿarah, who dodged at the last millisecond.

“Too bad there’s only one witness, because our fight will be epic!” Said the swordsman.

•••

Inside the hall of Hvergelmir, the Mathematician found himself alone, surrounded by his enemies. Those who were loyal to him had already fallen.

“Foolish! They leave me no choice!” He shouted.

Ivan moved his arms in a series of motions, and soon his orbiting spheres began flying through the hall at incredible speed.

“What is he doing?” One of the Mother of Logic’s guardians shouted, frightened.

Red laser beams started cutting through everything and everyone in the hall. Not a single square meter or corner of the place was out of reach.

Shouts were heard in succession. The Mathematician remained unmoved in the center of the hall.

When the last opponent fell, the hall floor was soaked in blood. Hardly a spot went uncovered by a scarlet puddle.

The spheres returned to him and slowed down. He stood still for a few seconds. Tears streamed down his face, washing over his cheeks.

He found himself alone in the middle of that senseless slaughter.

Then he entered the Hvergelmir’s room and found Lady D’Art and her son Lúcio.

The woman tried in vain to hide him behind her.

“My lord... my lord... I... I... was forced, I was coerced to... I had nothing to do with what happened to Prince Lucas... I am not to blame. I swear by...”

One of the spheres struck her head with such force that it decapitated her.

Her body fell lifeless into one corner of the room.

Seeing that horrific scene, Lúcio ran toward the wall.

“Get away, get away, you monster!” the boy shouted.

He pulled a knife from his waist.

“Step back, I said.” He started shouting again.

“Son?” Ivan said incredulously.

“You... you are a mistake! Grandma said you're a mistake. You heretic! You apostate! Fake Mathematician.”

“Is that what you think of me, my son?”

“Grandma said you killed Mom and Lucas. She said you killed Uncle Igor.”

“And you believed her?”

“I saw you kill Grandma just now in front of me!”

Ivan took a deep breath.

“You don’t understand...”

“I really don’t understand. The world is falling apart. Grandma said it was a butterfly effect, caused by your sins. The plans were flawed because your original mistake caused it. If the matrix is contaminated, everything else suffers.”

“Do you see things that way?”

“She was going to make me the new Mathematician. I should be the Mathematician. I will fix everything. I will... I will...”

And the boy collapsed onto his knees and started crying and sobbing.

“Sorry, son, but you won’t be the next Mathematician. If I allowed it, your grandma would beat me in the end.”

Hearing that, the boy roared with hatred and charged at his father, using his knife.

He disarmed him with a single strike and then knocked him out.

“I will not allow you to sin by rising against your own father. You’re just a child; I won’t leave this burden with you.”