Myths Reawakened

“Why are you looking at me? I didn’t say I was hurt. Since I’ve just looked someone to death, I figure a little blood would complete the effect. Isn’t that how things usually go?”

Wayne shrugged. It would be unprofessional not to bleed from the eye after using it so much.

(♯⋋‸⋌(ᖛ_ᖛ(ờ‸ớ)σ

The three Holy Maidens were seething, but they couldn’t do anything to him.

“Don’t push yourself, Mr. Wayne,” Sukra said with a frown. “If something is wrong with your body, it’s not too late to treat it now. Please be honest with me.”

“Yes, Galen and I will heal you,” Corte chimed in.

The Holy Maiden of Sun was eager to give herself away, which translated into her proactiveness. She felt no goodwill for Sukra, who had come out of nowhere, worried that Sukra would steal Wayne away first.

“I’m not hurt. I just think it’ll be cooler to bleed a little.” Wayne shrugged. “I’m perfectly healthy. Forget four demons. Even if the Headless Knight shows up, I’ll—”

“Oh, he is here!”

He looked ahead at the Death energy flooding toward them along the dark tunnel. Grey fog morphed into a vicious skull, roaring silently at Wayne. From the fog emerged the Headless Knight, clad in black armor.

“Rognes...” Sukra’s eyes lit up. She raised her voice and said, “I’m Sukra, Holy Maiden of the Church of Death. We met before. Do you remember me?”

Rognes didn’t even spare her a glance. His thoughts locked onto Wayne instead, his voice booming from his chest cavity like a gale. “Wayne, I told you that you must not step into Palis, or I’d take Shadow Nightmare from you.”

“You’re right. You did say that, but I’m here.” Wayne walked up to him, ignoring the Death energy swirling toward him. “I promised Julia that once I gained the power to defeat you, I’d save you from the demons.”

“Julia...” Rognes stilled. “How is she? How has she been doing?”

“Good. She’s happy with me,” Wayne said honestly. “I keep her company every night. She’s stopped bringing you up.”

Rognes clenched his fists. “Thank you for taking care of her. Now hand her to me. She’s no longer your responsibility.”

“That won’t do. You kicked her out. When she talked about you, she told me that fairy tales were all lies[1]. She didn’t want to see you again.”

“Impossible!”

“Don’t you believe me?” Wayne raised an eyebrow. “How about I summon her and let her see you?”

“No, no...” Rognes staggered back, covering where his head should be. He didn’t want Julia to see him at his lowest.

“???” x3

The three Holy Maidens’ eyes widened. They didn’t know what the two men were talking about, but it sounded exciting.

Julia was the undead warhorse that the Goddess of Death had personally created and bestowed upon the Death Knight, connected to Shadow Nightmare. Whoever owned Shadow Nightmare would gain the authority to ride Julia. They were considered a set.

The Holy Maidens didn’t know Julia was the horse’s name; not even Sukra, Death’s Holy Maiden, knew. Since Wayne and Rognes had been referring to Julia as a ‘she’, the Holy Maidens’ imaginations ran wild, assuming that Wayne and Rognes were romantic rivals.

No wonder Wayne had been hung up on dueling Rognes. This was why!

Sukra panted heavily. Not even the bandages could hide the gleam in her eyes. The two knights were in a love triangle. Wayne had stolen Rognes’s lover, and Rognes, unwilling to accept it, challenged Wayne to a duel to take back his love.

That’s some juicy gossip!

The Holy Maidens quietly stepped back to enjoy the show.

Fight! Fight! x3

“You three, go away. I don’t care where to. Just don’t be in our way.” Wayne dismissed the three spectators with a wave. They shook their heads vehemently, each citing a good reason to stay.

Corte and Galen could summon their respective goddesses to descend as projections to buff their knights. Wayne would only be at his prime with them around. Sukra didn’t want to leave, either. The two generations of Death Knights were fighting for a woman—for their glory. As the Holy Maiden of Death, she had to stay and witness the sacred, honorable duel.

They would watch the drama unfold one way or another!

“Stop wasting time,” Wayne commanded. “Use your divine arts and go find Hestia and Mona. The reincarnated angels need you more. The demons have the advantage in number, so be careful.”

It was such a solid argument that they could not say no. The Holy Maidens groaned inwardly, walking away with great reluctance.

Not only did Rognes not stop them, but, prompted by Wayne, he even told them where the angels were. The two Death Knights were so locked in that they only saw each other, making this duel seem even more sacred. Thrilled, the Holy Maidens felt a greater urge to stay as spectators.

“Who do you think Julia likes better?” Sukra asked, turning back every three steps.

“Probably Wayne. Julia is with him now.” Galen’s attention was similarly drawn.

“I don’t think so. It should be Rognes. He’s her first, and first love is always difficult to forget.”

“Speaking as if you’re an expert,” Galen scoffed. “You’ve never fallen in love!”

“That’s what the books say...”

“Forgive my bluntness, but at the Church of Sun, real men only have other men in their eyes. I believe that Wayne and Rognes are manly men like those followers. Julia only gave them a chance to meet each other. Now, she is no longer in their hearts.”

“...” x2

Damn it, she makes a lot of sense! x2

“Ugh, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“It’s too complicated. I don’t understand at all.”

“Jerks. You two know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Because of the shared topic—a dramatic one at that—the three girls huddled together and chattered away, quickly getting closer.

***

The three Holy Maidens walked away. Wayne and Rognes looked at each other quietly, unmoving.

“Headless Knight, since you haven’t taken Shadow Nightmare from me, I take it that you still retain your rationality. Am I right?” Wayne asked.

“I’m not the Headless Knight!”

“Headless Knight, what do you say about joining me to take back your head?”

“I can’t do it. I only manage to maintain rationality because of you!”

“Because of your honor as a knight?”

“Because of Julia.”

“...”

What kind of answer is that? Are you actually into her?

Wayne’s eyebrows jumped up. He was surprised by Rognes’s inclination. In that case, the Headless Knight would have really been cuckolded.

Wayne wouldn’t mind the Headless Knight seeing himself as a victim of cuckolding, but Wayne believed in true love and had never wanted to be a homewrecker.

“I understand. I hope that you’ll remain sane in this duel...”

“I’ll do my best to give you a satisfying fight,” Rognes said.

“You don’t have to try your best. I’ll help keep you sane!”

Wayne’s lips quirked up. It would be safer to take on Rognes as the Pale Knight, but based on Rognes’s unusual kink, he thought of another way—a wicked way.

It would be more efficient!

To finish this fight as soon as possible, to take care of the demons, to maintain world peace, he could only reluctantly play the role of a homewrecker this time.

Clang!

Wayne reached into the void and drew Shadow Nightmare. Death energy enveloped his entire body, but he hadn’t turned into the Death Knight’s skeletal form. After receiving Death’s divine power, his mastery over the divine artifact had deepened, allowing him to wield Shadow Nightmare freely without transforming.

“My sword...” Rognes raised his hand before lowering it. Slowly, he said, “Don’t make me see the sword, Wayne. If I succumb to the compulsion of my thoughts and take the sword, you can’t win.”

Then, the Divine Realm of Death will be doomed!

“I don’t think so.” Wayne’s eyes flickered with Death energy. Clutching Shadow Nightmare, he swept a black line in the air. Following hurried clip-clops, an undead warhorse leaped out, breathing out purple flames.

The dark portal closed. Julia nuzzled Wayne’s head affectionately before staggering back, noticing the Headless Knight at a short distance.

“Master?!”

“I’m not him. You’re seeing things...”

Rognes lifted his cape to cover himself, unwilling to let Julia see him in this state.

“It is you. I recognize—”

Julia took two steps forward, but had to stop when Wayne tugged at her reins.

“Master...” Julia said ruefully. “Master, my previous master is miserable. Would you help him?”

“Yes, but you’ll have to do as I say...” Wayne explained the plan to her telepathically. “I’ve come up with a solution. Just do this... then that... This fight could be won without a fight, and you’ll be able to return to his side.”

“Master, you misunderstood. I want to stay with you, too. You’re both wonderful,” Julia hurriedly explained. She wasn’t an ungrateful mare who would just cast one master aside. She wanted both of them!

“As expected of my horse. You’re just like your master...” Wayne grumbled, continuing the conversation telepathically. “So, have you memorized everything?”

“Wouldn’t it be too embarrassing?”

“Do you want to save him or not?”

“I do want to save him, but he’ll be sad, which will break my heart...”

“A temporary pain is better than a prolonged torture. You’ll be doing this for him. Believe me.”

“Oh.”

Wayne easily convinced her. Tugging at her rein, he nuzzled Julia’s head right before Rognes.

The grey cape in Rognes’s grip was full of holes bigger than the gaps between his fingers, so there was no way it could cover up his sight. Moreover, he had been sneaking glances at Julia. The sight made him tremble.

“Julia, tell me,” said Wayne. “Who’s your favorite master?”

“It’s you,” Julia said without hesitation. “I’m happiest when I’m with you.”

“How happy?”

Julia nuzzled him again. “The joy of being with you for one day is greater than the joy of being with him for a year. You’re my favorite.”

“Between us, who is the better rider?” Wayne asked with a smile, doing everything a homewrecker would do.

“You are. He’s not good enough. I feel nothing when he rides me.” Julia tilted her head, throwing Rognes a judgmental glance.

“Good girl.” Wayne patted her head. “I’ll give you a good ride tonight.”

“Three,” Julia urged coquettishly.

“Greedy girl, I can’t say no to you.”

Wayne patted Julia. They had thoroughly riled Rognes up, so it was time for her to stand aside to witness the fight.

Rognes hadn’t uttered a word, but judging by his trembling legs, he was far from calm.

“I picked a gift for you before coming here...” Wayne took out a faucet from his personal storage, disintegrating it into metal scraps with Death energy[2]. “Now it seems you have no use for this. Your defeated image is one of a loser...”

“Julia won’t return to you. She prefers a powerful rider!”

“Bastard!”

Rognes couldn’t take any more. Conjuring a greatsword of Death energy, he charged at Wayne.

Radiating raging Death energy, he bellowed a vicious, bone-chilling curse like a wraith.

“I’ll kill you!!”

1. A reference to Fairy Tale by Michael Wong. The original line is “You tearfully told me that fairy tales were all lies.” ☜

2. Possibly a reference to how plumbers are commonly the homewreckers sleeping with married women in porn. ☜