“So what now?” Scathach asks. “We have three days to prepare.”
“Technically it's three and a half days, since the duel will be at midnight, child,” Hades says as he enters the infirmary. “Marethyu, I know you have already set things in motion. What's your plan? Was it your intention to get Father Chaos involved?”
“Actually, no. I thought he had died in his sleep years ago. Cortana, are you awake yet?”
A hologram of a woman, the color of her skin a very pale blue almost white, her hair is black, and the constant stream of data that covers her body makes it look like she's not completely naked, appeared in the middle of the room, “I woke up the moment you reawakened your nanobots, Master. Very risky, mind you. But you did design it so that I would wake up and help stabilize the connection.” She smiles at me, “It's good to have you back, Master Marethyu. Everything is being prepared now; Daedalus will need to see you before he starts actually working on anything.”
I turn to face Hades with an eyebrow raised, “Is that an answer enough for you, Father of the Underworld?” He chuckles and nods.
☆☆☆
“I've told you countless times, Seraph, I will not-.” Daedalus sat dumbfounded when he looked up and saw me standing before him. Daedalus had not aged well, balding, his eyes didn't have the light they once did, but seeing me did help a little bit. Being paralyzed from the waist down wasn't doing him justice either. Anger hardened my expression, “Who put you in that chair, Master Inventor Daedalus?”
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He sighed, “Seraph; and he broke the work bench so I wouldn't be able to fix my spine. Even went so far as to “forget” to tell Lilith until it was too late to heal it.” Daedalus did the air quotes when he said the word ‘forgot’. “The only one able to repair the work bench at this point would be…” His voice trailed off what my return meant. “Cortana, is my work bench functional again?”
“I am actively working on it, Master Daedalus. He did a surprising amount of damage.” Cortana appeared on the arm rest of Daedalus’ chair.
“Cortana, I need that work bench functional ASAP.”
“Of course, Master,” she says then disappears.
I close my eyes and take in a calming breath of air, then let it out slowly. I do this several times before opening my eyes and looking at my old friend Daedalus. Lilith took hold of my hand while I was calming myself down. “Wrath is not useful right now. I'll pull that out later when I tear Seraph apart in the Arena. Now, Daedalus my Ole friend, what do you have for me?”
His eyes started gleaming, “I've just the thing…”
☆☆☆
Several hours later, my scythe is repaired, Daedalus’ spine is fixed, and Lilith and I made a pill to restore Aoife’s sight.
I go to the training room with my loyal Death Dealers. I look at all of them, “No holding back. I have to be back in my prime shape to face Seraph.” All nine of them nod and take a fighting stance surrounding me. Scythe in hand, I relax and smile; my signal to nine of the closest people I have ever worked with. They attack me in unison.