Myths Reawakened

Basement, cabin.

Wayne sat cross-legged, striking the Silver Cross in his body to repeatedly break his balance, breaking the god component into small particles before integrating them into void and self.

God was faith, chosen at the Silver stage to determine a mage’s future path. Proper mages had singular faith. Improper ones, like the free mages, might not have a singular faith, but their faith component was still usually far from complex due to the constraints of their talent and the resources available in the environment.

Many free mages began with one faith during the Silver stage, only starting to let loose at Gold, believing that following more gods wouldn’t hurt, just like how knowing multiple languages would only open up more paths.

Following a god didn’t cost anything anyway, so following more couldn’t hurt.

Wayne was a spectacular anomaly even among free mages. He’d stuffed five faiths into his god component at once, including Nature, Sun, Moonlight, Darkness, and Death. Moreover, he was at the level of the chosen knight for each faith. There were also parts of Heaven and Hell. One could only imagine how solid his god component was.

Thankfully, he had connections to the chosen knights and had built quite a good relationship with each of them, or it would’ve been far too difficult for him to advance further.

An hour later, Wayne stopped his training, panting. He failed to rank up yet again today.

A good beginning would lead to a good ending, but the process could be full of twists and turns. He made a mental calculation. Given that the god component was falling apart faster and faster, showing signs of the Golden Triangle forming, he should succeed in ranking up in three to five days as long as he pulled a few all-nighters.

A fair hand reached over, wiping his sweat with her sleeve. The beautiful hand did not have a single flaw.

Sensing the pressure on his back, Wayne bluntly said with a twitching eye, “Senna, you know that this isn’t love.”

“It isn’t. This is worship and desire, far more devoted than love.”

Senna embraced Wayne from behind, rubbing her face against his. The hug was enough to make her breathing quicken.

Smells good! x2

Little Wayne was getting agitated, but Wayne rejected it. He stood up and said, “Just hold on a little longer. Once we return to Londan, I’ll get rid of this problem for you.”

Senna frowned deeply. “Master, I don’t need much. I’m not asking for your love!”

Please stop talking.

Wayne turned around and saw the tears brimming in her eyes. Searching her mind, he realized that she wasn’t acting. She truly felt hurt.

He sighed and raised his hands. “I’ll let you hug me for two minutes, but let’s be clear, you’re not blaming me for taking advantage of you once you regain your sense of self.”

Senna didn’t say anything. Having received permission, she buried herself in his embrace, clinging to him with both her arms and legs, as if she would like to shatter herself to merge into him.

She didn’t shatter, but she did melt.

With Wayne’s help, she managed to maintain her human form, but she started getting naughty as the contact continued.

Such was how desire worked. It intensified over time, and when one got what they wanted, they only wanted more.

Senna wasn’t satisfied with only an embrace. She wanted to get more intimate.

Wayne’s face darkened as he suddenly remembered Cushing, Vera’s father. What if—and he did mean ‘if’—there came a day when Cushing abandoned his wife and daughter just to get a hug from him? Geez, that would be too typical for a hunky Londaner working at a gym!

In the cabin’s living room, Veronica looked at the basement with alert. She had an active imagination and could already conjure many scenarios.

Her fiancé was training hard, his concentration so absolute that he became blind to the outside world. Taking advantage of that, the old hag grinned wickedly and crushed the red roses beneath her feet, covering Wayne’s face with a white cloth and throwing herself at him.

Thud!

“What are you thinking about? You look ready to murder someone.” Silvia delivered a hand chop to Veronica’s head. Knowing what her daughter was worried about, she assured her, “It’s okay. Although Master... but... with Wayne, she is really... Anyway, she won’t mess around at a time like this.”

“Is that supposed to reassure me?”

“Um, that’s my best.”

The two blonde women stared at each other. Veronica grew increasingly annoyed. It was because her mother found herself a shameless master that she had to live in worry and fear every day.

With a huff, she said like a model daughter, “Yesterday, I saw the Darkness Knight practicing combos with the black dragon, going up and down and up and down. In the end, they supported each other as they returned to the house. Who knows what they did then?”

Brat, is this how you talk to your fiancé’s mother?

I’ll make my son break up with you!

Silvia huffed, pinching Veronica’s face and kneading it. “I don’t know what the Darkness Knight and the black dragon were up to. It’s none of my business. The High Reverend of the Church of Nature and the Darkness Knight are sworn enemies. Once we return to Londan, I’ll beat him to death.”

“Hmph!”

“Ha!”

Someone knocked. The two blonde women frowned at the same time. Silvia pointed at the door, and Veronica went to answer it while fuming.

She had no choice. After all, Silvia was her fiancé’s mother. She still had to keep up the appearance until she and Wayne got married. Then she would pour foot-washing water into her cup!

Veronica opened the door and respectfully invited the guest inside. “Holy Maiden, are you here for Master Senna again?”

For the past two weeks, Anastasia had been visiting Senna every two or three days. Well, she didn’t so much visit but came to look for entertainment. Every time, she left satisfied.

Senna had made no effort to hide her feelings for Wayne, not even in front of her old friend and rival. Whenever Anastasia mocked her, Senna would laugh especially sweetly.

Oh, yeah. You’re right. I’m shameless like that.

Today, Anastasia visited again. Veronica guessed that she had come to enjoy the drama. What else could she be here for? A magical puppet wouldn’t come over for free meals.

“No, I’m here for Wayne today.”

Veronica fell silent. She vaguely remembered Silvia whispering to her that the Holy Maiden of the Church of Darkness was after Wayne, that she should be more careful.

Veronica had not tried. Senna alone had left her exhausted. Where would she find time to worry about Anastasia? Moreover, Anastasia almost never talked to Wayne, and her sarcastic remarks were always directed at Senna. Thus, Veronica had been unguarded, even secretly considering her an ally.

Great, another one playing mind games.

Veronica rolled her eyes. Now getting numb, she pointed at the basement and said, “Wayne’s down there, and your good friend Senna, too. They’re just waiting for you. Remember to set up a soundproofing barrier and keep it down!”

Such resentment! Finding the girl cute for the amusing outburst, Anastasia couldn’t help but tease her, “Wayne is your fiancé. Aren’t you angry that he and Senna are alone?”

“None of your business!” Veronica turned around and returned to the living room.

She was more than angry. She was furious, enraged, and livid! But what could she do? Wayne was at a critical stage of advancing to the Gold rank, and Senna was crucial in this process. Even if Veronica was angry, she had to endure it.

Cute! Anastasia didn’t take her rudeness personally. After nodding at Silvia, she walked to the door leading down to the basement at the end of the hallway.

Knocking twice gently, she sensed the soundproofing barrier and waited outside. Five minutes later, the door opened.

Senna stood guard on the other side. Pursing her lips, she narrowed her eyes and said, “Why are you here, Anastasia? I don’t have time for you today. If you’re looking for entertainment, go to the Sun Knight. The Darkness Knight is getting beaten up right this moment.”

I can smell the sarcasm!

Anastasia didn’t say anything. She silently took two steps back. Although the information captured by the puppet was a false signal, she could still sense the lingering smell coming from Senna’s mouth.

She fell silent for a moment.

Time was a ruthless sculptor. It had hacked away Senna’s pride and haughtiness until Anastasia couldn’t even recognize her. In the past, she wouldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams that Senna would turn out like this.

“What got your tongue?”

“Don’t talk. You’re disgusting.” Anastasia took two more steps back under the assault of the foul smell. “I came to see Mr. Wayne... Forget it. I’ll wait for him at Death’s seal site. Tell him to clean up first. I’m a germaphobe.”

“I’ve already cleaned him up.”

...You’re mad!

Anastasia turned around and left. Hearing the soft laughter coming from behind her, she felt deeply sad for how far Senna had fallen. She much preferred the unruly woman she had known in the past.

***

Death’s seal site.

Perhaps it was because Death was Nature’s counterpart that the area the Death Knight was supposed to guard looked like the antithesis of the Nature Knight’s post.

It was a desolate and silent marsh with gloomy grey mist and weak, pale light. The depressive tones looked like death itself. Everything exuded a suffocating heaviness, and stepping into it, even breathing became difficult.

Death had no scent, but vision affected smell. From above, the entire swamp of death looked like a festering wound oozing with grey pus, emanating a suffocating stench.

Smells good!

Wayne tread the land, taking a deep breath. It hit the spot. It felt like coming home.

Under the weak light, he found Anastasia beside a black mud pool. It was covered in dead branches and rotten leaves, bubbling occasionally. Its deathly appearance was like a mirror to Anastasia.

Wayne frowned. Anastasia was still alive, but he saw death in her. She desired the liberation that would come with death.

There’s still beauty in life, Sis. Don’t be so pessimistic.

He had tried to persuade her, but failed. Not wanting to waste more breath, he went up to stand behind her, maintaining a safe distance to avoid making the lady uncomfortable.

“Holy Maiden, you were looking for me?”

“Mr. Wayne, Mr. Moula must have told you. I’ll assist you in guarding this place for the time being.”

Anastasia turned around. Her porcelain-like pale skin and rigid face looked particularly eerie in this grim setting. There was a grotesque sort of beauty to her that made the spine tingle.

“Originally, the Death Knight should be guarding this place,” she said. “But he never returned and left behind only some of his divine power. I’ve studied the faith magic of Death, so I can barely take his place.”

“As expected of Darkness’s Holy Maiden, you’re reliable.” Wayne nodded in approval. “Have you met the Death Knight?”

“No, the Death Knight left a long time ago.”

How lucky for you to meet him in person right now, and it’s even a Death Knight with a head.