Myths Reawakened

Northwest of the outskirts of Londan.

The car drove out of the wide highway onto a secluded path lined with trees. After about fifty kilometers, one could see towering walls rising within the embrace of mountainous forests. Watchtowers stood guard at the four corners of the walls, with sentries posted twenty-four hours a day. Searchlights patrolled at night, creating the atmosphere of a heavily fortified prison.

After passing through three checkpoints, one would see an ancient castle surrounded by dense forests, built from wood and stone materials, adorned with vegetation that created the impression of harmony with nature. The harmonious beauty was surrounded by wooden villas built later in meandering lines.

Butterflies and bees weaved through flower beds. Breeze rustled the trees and dappled shadows, attracting birds to play and sing.

The place was warm and made every visitor feel at peace and comfortable, especially the rows of wooden villas that looked like vacation resorts for noble gentlemen.

It was the Red Leaf Asylum.

Sidney parked his car in the parking lot and went to the office to put on his white coat. Though he was no longer a priest, he kept his side job conducting research at the psychiatric hospital.

Red Leaf Asylum wasn’t your ordinary asylum. The doctors and nurses employed were all mages, and several attending physicians came from different churches, all powerful Gold-rank mages in their own right.

Sidney stopped outside the director’s office. After checking his attire, he knocked.

“Come on in. There are no nurses inside.”

Sidney pushed the door open and approached the director’s desk. There sat a bald elderly man with a greying beard and reading glasses. He was Planck, the director of the asylum.

Planck was an unkempt man wearing a greasy white coat, his beard tangled with hard knots hanging stiffly at his chest due to a lack of grooming, even making impact sounds when they hit the desk. He smelled of the odor unique to elderly people. Due to his unsavory habits, such as harassing female nurses and borrowing money from patients without repaying, he was frequently called in by human resources. Occasionally, he would act out and suddenly curse up a storm during meetings, making people seriously question his mental condition.

Perhaps the old man had gone mad long ago.

Sidney had secretly investigated the director. He was faithless—or rather, he believed in everything and had a little faith in every deity.

Planck came from the Free Mage Alliance. He was in office because the major churches all wanted their own people as director and ended up voting him in after nine failed votes. It was rumored that the old man was likely a legendary mage. It was probably true—after all, rumor was usually credible, wasn’t it?

Sidney held great respect for Director Planck. He had once witnessed him drive an attending physician to depression before treating him to death, all within two hours. A promising Gold-rank mage was gone just like that.

“Sidney, I heard you were dismissed by the Church of Nature,” Planck said with mirth. “What is it? Are you here to apply for a raise?”

Sidney smiled politely. “That isn’t the case. Without the position at the church, I can devote more time and energy to serving patients, which is a good thing. I swing by to request an increase in workload.”

“Are you sure? Aren’t you worried about going mad?”

“I’m not. My faith in the Goddess of Nature is firm and unwavering.”

“You should think again. Your master was more pious than anyone back in the day.”

...What am I supposed to say here?

“Alright. I’ll stop joking. Tell me, what exactly brings you here?” Planck opened his desk drawer and pulled out a large box of cream bread, devouring it while speaking, “Forgive my bluntness, but while you’re mentally healthy, you’re someone who never does anything without a reason. You used to avoid me and never come to my office without cause.”

Sidney smiled awkwardly. This was why he didn’t like the director—he was too straightforward and lacked any tact. There was an upside to interacting with people like him, though. No need to beat around the bush. Sidney could just speak his mind.

“This morning, several students called me,” Sidney said in a lowered voice. “Londan’s in a dire situation. Intelligence on the Death Knight’s appearance has been verified.”

“So what? You don’t think these old bones of mine can capture the Death Knight and lock him up in the asylum, do you?” Planck twisted his beard and licked off the cream. “Even if I could do it, the Death Knight isn’t crazy. Why would I capture him?”

(눈_눈)

True enough, the Death Knight wasn’t insane. Sidney had nothing to say about that.

“Moreover, who was the one to confirm the intelligence? Why would they think the Death Knight has come to Londan? He never leaves the underground catacomb in Palis—that’s common knowledge. We should trust science.”

Planck shrugged and continued, “You could have the church try firearms. Times are changing. Don’t limit themselves to using magic against enemies only. Ordinary people’s imagination is also changing the world.”

“Take you as an example. You’re a Gold-rank mage, but before fighter aircraft and cannons, you’re only flesh and blood. Once you step into an anti-magic domain, a handgun could end your life.”

Why would I enter an anti-magic domain for no reason?

Sidney was exasperated. He knew that if he didn’t interrupt Planck now, the old man would ramble for an entire day just like he usually did during meetings. “Director, I—”

“Don’t interrupt me. I’m not finished.”

Half an hour later, Sidney stared at Planck in exhaustion, his mind thoroughly tormented. He deeply regretted his recklessness. Had he known what would happen, he would’ve taken out the Lord of the Void himself even if it killed him.

“Oh, right. Where were we? The Geocentrism Sect?”

Have I mentioned that?

Sidney’s head was a complete mess. He pondered and concluded that he had brought it up, and it was the reason he visited Planck. He picked up the thread, “Director, my former master, Marshall, the evil Lord of the Void the cult worshipped, is still in the Chosen Land. His mind hasn’t lingered in the Astral Plane. I smell conspiracy. A disaster that will sweep the Chosen Land is about to arrive...”

“Continue.”

Planck lowered his cream cake, his expression growing serious.

“The Death Knight leaving the underground catacombs is a sign. I can’t find the source of the disaster, but the Lord of the Void must know something...” Sidney’s eyes glinted. “I’m not powerful enough to investigate where the evil god is, so I came to ask for your help. I want to personally sever the tie between me and my sinful master.”

“Alright, but I alone am not enough to locate the Lord of the Void. I’ll contact help and get back to you.”

“I’ve troubled you, Director.”

“It’s nothing. If I don’t treat you, you’ll go mad soon. This is only what I should do.” Planck pointed at the door, dismissing him. “When you pass the nurses’ station, call Jenny over. Tell her that the director has a magic that grows bigger to demonstrate to her in private.”

Sidney was happy to escape. Thanking Planck again, he left the office.

Standing outside the door, he let out a sigh of relief. The old man was not to be trifled with. If the questioning techniques he used weren’t outdated, and if Sidney hadn’t been on guard and given himself mental suggestions beforehand, he probably would’ve confessed everything just now.

He straightened his clothing and headed to the nurses’ station. He remembered the nurse named Jenny. She was from the Church of Heavenly Father, said to be an illegitimate daughter of a bishop. An unusual preference among his peers.

Inside the office, Director Planck finished another box of cream bread and shook his head at the door. “I respect fate’s choice and am willing to help you once. You better not go mad, or I’ll have no choice but to personally put you on an operating table...”

He opened the file cabinet behind him and took out a wooden box painted with a golden triangle. Opening it, he rummaged through the items inside. Heavenly Father’s cross, Death’s pendant, Sun’s emblem, chalice for blood, and an ancient five-pointed star with a single eye...

All perfectly ordinary trinkets!

Finally, Planck pulled out a ring for Darkness and held it tightly in his hand. His eyes turned pitch black as he murmured, “I need to confirm whether the Death Knight is truly here. He’s too dangerous.”

“And there’s Marshall. Why does he keep harassing Sidney? Is there something in Londan that keeps him coming back?”

“He regained his sanity? Did he discover the truth of balance?”

“He shouldn’t be smart enough to...”

***

Sewers.

The undead warhorse galloped back and forth as Wayne rode it like a cavalry charging into the fray. His training partner was Do, who wagged her tail happily as she got chased around.

There was a spectator on the side, Snow.

The white owl stared wide-eyed at the three bouncing idiots, finding the scene so ridiculous that it couldn’t wrap its mind around it. Were this the true face of the Death Knight, all those who had died tragically under his blade would scream in humiliation.

“Snow, come here.”

Wayne raised his arm from atop his mount, having an idea. Snow didn’t want to get too close to the Death Knight, but the six eyeless sockets staring it down left it with no choice.

The white snowy owl landed on the Death Knight’s armored arm, getting scritches on its head. It closed its eyes and opened its beak in enjoyment.

“I prefer your rebellious phase. You look too silly now.”

The white light in Wayne’s empty sockets gazed at Snow. The power of death that represented tranquility and eternity coiled and slowly infused into the owl’s body. Snow instinctively tried to fight back, but it was too late. Death corrupted its white feathers and flesh, applying the skin of a withered, horrendous undead.

Snow let out a strangled cry, taking flight and flapping its wings in an attempt to shake off the aura of death clinging to it, terrified that it would never again return to the embrace of the Sun.

“Seems like you love it!”

Wayne laughed. Julia followed with whinnying laughter, and Do raised her head and howled to join the chorus. With the accompaniment of the skeleton owl flying mid-air and letting out piercing cries, it looked like a reunion of a family of villains.

Soon, Wayne’s second vengeful spirit answered his summons and found his way through the sewers. Seeing the scene before his eyes, Bo felt a great despair.

He had wanted to be a superhero, but what now?

“What’s that expression, Bo? Did you crawl out of a toilet?”

Wayne raised his arm, and Snow reluctantly landed on it, staring intently at Bo with its pitch-black eyes. It was getting a glimpse into the Death Knight’s inner circle. The Death Knight had cultivated numerous servants—it couldn’t be for nothing. He had to be up to something terrible, like slaughtering the nine million citizens in Londan and creating a second underground catacomb.

“My great master, Bo has come at your summons.” Bo came up to kneel on one knee before the horse.

Do growled lowly. She didn’t like Bo. He was an ungrateful man, only pretending to respect Master while harboring defiant thoughts. If not for the contract preventing betrayal, this seemingly honest man would certainly rebel.

Hmph, humans!

“How’s your investigation going? Did you get your brother locked up?” Wayne looked down condescendingly.

Bo responded in a bitter tone, “The evidence I collected six months ago has all been destroyed, and the witnesses have chosen to stay silent for various reasons. It’s difficult to find any proof. I may need more time.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Basically...”

Bo revered justice and fairness like a deity, but the world didn’t run on law alone; money and power also played major parts. Power, especially, was a commodity that the law chose to turn a blind eye to when being traded.

The investigation was progressing at a glacial speed, with evidence collection being especially difficult, bordering on impossible. Much of the decisive evidence had been erased, forcing Bo to start from scratch.

The councilor seemed to have been informed. Knowing that she would be haunted by an evil spirit, she spent heavily on hiring mages of unknown origin and dismissed the criminal organization that had been serving her.

“Wait, what did you say the gang was called?”

“Black Snake Gang. It’s a criminal organization that’s only risen in the past two years. Their boss is clever and has been serving the councilor from the beginning,” Bo said truthfully.

The backer behind the Black Snake Gang was Doreen Johni, a rising politician who had once been a reporter. According to Bo’s investigation, Doreen served someone else, and she rose to her current position by sending the young women the Black Snake Gang kidnapped to her superior.

How despicable!

White flames blazed in Wayne’s skull. Even with Shadow Nightmare in hand, he only dared to fantasize about what he would like to do with the magical girls, yet these beasts in human skin got way ahead of themselves just because they had gained a little power.

Do you think darkness will cover all your crimes? That there’s no superhero in the shadows?

“Bo, list me the culprits you’ve identified and lead the way. I’m paying them a visit tonight.”

“Master, you’re planning to...”

“Kill them all. My great sword hungers for blood. I will make crimson rivers flow.”

...Wonderful. At least he’s not planning to take over their business.

Bo smiled wryly and said, “Master, they’re not worthy of you intervening personally. Give me a little more time, and soon—”

“Soon, there will be more victims.”

“But, but...”

“The Goddess of Death appreciates these villains and plans to take them under her command. What I must do is to deliver them to the goddess,” Wayne interrupted Bo. “No buts. Don’t preach human laws to a god. Your conviction is yours. God doesn’t care.”

He huffed. His fantasy about the magical girls could wait. Tonight, the Death Knight would be a vigilante in the dark, using violence to fight... fight...

Hold up!

(꒪皿꒪)

He shouldn’t be the Death Knight, but the Dark Knight!