Julius's dagger flashed in the dim light as he retrieved it, slamming the hilt against Rudolff's skull with a sickening thud. The old man staggered, then collapsed to the ground like a wounded animal, gasping for breath.
"You are past your prime, old man," Julius taunted, stepping closer, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Rudolff, still determined, pushed himself up, the weight of his scythe dragging against the dirt as he staggered forward.
"Code 329 of the Reapers Assembly: Protect your subject at all costs, even with your life. Code 570: responsibility shall be taken for any consequence, even in death." His voice was strained but resolute.
With a smirk, Julius replied, "Code 300 of the Reapers Assembly: no emotional ties must exist or be formed with the subject. That's the one decree Hades forced you to go against."
Ignoring the taunt, Rudolff continued, his voice growing stronger despite his pain. "Code 661: exterminate any threat to the subject."
Suddenly, he thrust his scythe into the ground, a brilliant, powerful aura enveloping him, the kind that warriors often harness in their final moments. Julius braced himself, expecting a desperate charge.
But nothing happened.
Instead, Rudolff vanished, leaving behind only a swirling black mist. Tension filled the air as Julius began to pace, his senses heightened. He didn't notice as the mist morphed into solid vines, creeping silently around his legs, binding him in place.
Then, without warning, Rudolff's foot struck out from behind him, delivering a powerful kick that sent Julius crashing to the ground. He groaned at his own foolishness; how could he have fallen for such a cheap trick?
"Is that all you've got?" he chuckled, wiping the blood from his temples, though the pain was palpable.
Rudolff, visibly weakened, pressed a hand against his chest, blood seeping through his fingers. The adrenaline coursing through him kept him standing, but it was clear he was fading fast. Despite the hopelessness of his situation, his thoughts were consumed with protecting Christopher from Julius. Surrendering the boy to his would-be killer was not an option, regardless of the grim future he foresaw.
Maybe Julius was right. Maybe he had formed too strong an emotional bond with the child.
"Christopher. Run."
The boy stood frozen, fear evident in his wide eyes, sweat dripping down his face as he struggled to comprehend the urgency of Rudolff's words.
"What about you?" he dared to ask.
"I'll be right behind you. Now go!" Without waiting for a response, Rudolff leaped forward, swinging his scythe with fierce determination, aiming directly at Julius.
With a moment's hesitation, Christopher whispered a short prayer before sprinting toward the tunnel's entrance. Just a few steps away, he heard a sharp slice—an ominous sound that froze him in place. He craned his head back, dread washing over him as he saw Rudolff collapse, lifeless, onto the ground.
"Rudolff!" he screamed, instinctively rushing to his uncle's side, cradling his barely conscious face in his trembling hands. "You can't die here!"
Julius observed the scene with disinterest before letting out a sigh. "Child of the prophecy, huh? Looks more like a bore to me."
"You bastard!" Christopher yelled, anger igniting within him. "I swear I'm gonna kill you!"
In an instant, a gust of wind swirled around them, and before Christopher could react, he felt the cold steel of a dagger pierce his neck, warm blood trickling down to his collarbone. He met Julius's chilling gaze, filled with satisfaction.
"Would you now?" Julius mused, a sinister smile creeping across his face as he absorbed the fear radiating from the boy. With a casual flick of his wrist, he adjusted his overcoat and began to walk away, a predator unfazed by its prey's suffering. "The gods can be irrational, can't they now? Asking me to kill a bloomer, that's an embarrassment on my profile."
He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder. "If you truly are the child of the prophecy, then I'd give you time and opportunity. Grow stronger. Find me, and have your revenge." He paused, looking ahead. "Until then, Christopher, I'll be waiting."
And with that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a chilling silence, and a boy on the brink of despair.
"Christopher. . ." Rudolff's strained whisper called for his attention.
He met his uncle's eyes, bagged and bloodred, slowly being enclosed into perpetual death. The once red glow in it was now dim and faded. He gripped Christopher's arm with the last of his strength, coughing strenuously as he tried to form words.
"Don't move," Christopher ordered, scrambling around for his cellphone. "I'll call a paramedic."
"There's no point," Rudolff said beneath a sigh. "This is my punishment for failing to protect you."
"Stop trying to sound so mysterious, jerk. I'm not losing you."
Rudolff ignored him and continued. "I'm sorry Christopher, I should've just told you the truth. That could've protected you better than my insecurities."
"Let's get you to the hospital first, then we can talk about that later—"
Before Christopher could finish, Rudolff shoved a bracelet into his hands. It had a cross pendant with an intricate structure that was held by a black string.
"What's this?" He asked.
"It's a safe key. Your mother wanted me to give this to you, but I couldn't bring myself to." Rudolff groaned amidst his words. "But now, I have no choice. This is the only way I can resort to protect you—"
"Really? What am I supposed to do with a damn key?!" Christopher tensed, swinging the bracelet in his fingers.
"Find the truth." Rudolff forced in a deep breath. "Pantheon Academy. . . School for demigods. You'd find the answers there."
Rudolff's eyes shut. He breathed out a peaceful passage of air and stopped moving. His pulse stopped. His body turned heavier.
"Rudolff?"
Christopher shook the man, but he didn't respond. At that moment, he didn't persist. He closed his eyes for a second, as if trying to take in the momentum. And when he opened them up, rage flared.
RING! His phone buzzed from a distance. He pulled away and reached for it, peeking at the screen for the caller. Tori. He swiped the receive icon and slowly brought it to his ear.
"Christoph, are you okay?! What happened? I called you a thousand times." Tori's voice rushed in with concern.
Christopher didn't flinch, didn't react. Rage filled his eyes as he stared towards the mouth of the tunnel.
"This demigod academy. . ." He started. "Where is it?"