The tavern was packed with people, all excitedly waiting for the storyteller to start one of his tales.
"What story shall I tell today?" mused a man sitting at a table near the center of the tavern.
"How about a story about the gods!"
"Hmmm." After a few seconds, the storyteller smiled secretively. "I have never told this story in other towns. I have just heard of this news from my cousin's friend's son who is studying in the temple of order." He stopped dramatically. "The god of order has ran away."
The tavern broke into a huge uproar.
"That's not possible! Why would he run away?"
The storyteller placed his finger in front of his mouth and everyone stopped talking. "The temple of order received a sacred letter from the god. He said he had resigned."
"But why?"
"Some said because the god of order was disappointed," the storyteller continued. "A few hundreds years ago, around midnight of winter solstice, non-stop rain and thunder befell the continent. It lasted for three whole days. After that, it was said that many temples around the continent fell into ruins. The priests and priestess of those temples all lost their powers. Only a few temples were left untouched. The temple of order being one of them. Surprisingly, the temple of darkness was also left untouched."
"Then maybe the god of darkness is responsible for it!"
"The priestess of darkness denied it. She said it was because rules had been broken. It was all a judgement from god."
"Judgement?"
"As we all know, only the god of order can give out judgments. The god of order was disappointed in the other gods. That's why he resigned," the storyteller stopped to take a breath. "But of course there's another saying." The storyteller smirked.
"Don't hold back!"
"Words have it that the god of order had a lover. But the other gods believed the girl too lowly to be a suitable match for the god of order. Guess what?"
"His lover was killed by the other gods?"
"Exactly. On winter solstice hundreds of years ago, the gods captured the lover of god of order. They asked the girl to leave god of order. The girl refused. In the end, the gods killed the girl."
"And the god of order was angry?"
"Of course, he was furious. But the other gods were just protecting the god of order. You see, the girl was not a mere mortal."
"No?"
"She was a monster. The offspring of a mortal and a beast," the storyteller whispered secretively. "Some said she had the mouth of a fish and even fins!"
There were collective gasps among the listeners. "The other gods were right to kill her off."
"I don't believe in this version. You made it up! Why would the god of order fall in love with a girl like her!"
Suddenly, laughter as clear as bells rang out from among the listeners. "What a nice story," a lady said as she brushed away tears of laughter from her eyes. "I am thoroughly entertained."
She took out a bag and threw it to the storyteller. "Your tips." The lady then walked out of the tavern with a man in tow. When she pushed open the tavern door, the man following her immediately put up an umbrella for her. However, it was not even raining outside the tavern, it was a sunny day perfect for picnic.
"I don't need it," the girl under the shadow of the umbrella complained.
"Are you sure?" He removed the umbrella on top of her head. She immediately grasped his hand and pulled the umbrella back to its original place.
"I hate this form," she mumbled. "If you have to revive me, can't you do a better job?" She poked at the man next to him with her finger.
"A retired god of order cannot protect a revived beast, I am sorry about that," he said calmly. "Or do you want to be killed off again?"
"You aren't even stripped of your power. You just gave up your title!"
The man stared at her in silence.
"Just saying," she pouted. "This ghost form is unbearable! You did a horrible job! The god of light made Rachelle a wonderful mannequin for her soul! And she isn't afraid of the sun!"
The man next to the girl stopped. He placed his hand on her cheeks. "The god of light needed to make a mannequin because his lover is a pure ghost. A transparent, floating ghost. What about you?" He raised his eyebrow in question.
"Well..." she pursed her lips again.
"Or do you want me to put you in a mannequin? Your voice might not sound exactly as it is now, but at least you aren't afraid of the sun..."
The girl smiled sweetly to try to appease the guy.
The guy next to her returned her smile. He leaned down and whispered something in the girl's ear.
The girl's lips widened into an evil smile. "Telling me your real name? Aren't you afraid I'll use your name to order you around, former god of order?" She curled her hair with her finger.
"I'll just do the same," the guy said coldly. "Don't forget you're currently a ghost."
The smile on the girl's face disappeared as she stomped away in anger. The guy, heaving a sigh, had no other option but to follow her with the umbrella in tow.
"Walk slower!" taunted the girl stomping in front of the guy. "Then you'll have to revive me again."
The guy heaved a huge sigh.
"Thinking why you have to revive such an annoying ghost?" chided the girl.
"Why, you do know me," he teased.
"Then why?" the smile of the girl's face disappeared as she asked solemnly.
"Someone owes me a song." He answered as he gently brushed a strand of hair from the girl's face.
"Aren't you lucky. I have many songs composed these three thousand years."
"I'm all ears."
She replied with a bright smile.
Finally not the smiles she wore as a mask, but one stemming from joy. Pure joy.
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Author's note
Here's your special chapter!!
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After the Villainess Failed to Overthrow the Gods
Fantasy'In every story, there is a villain who has been defeated. What happens to the defeated villain?' After Lorelei's plot to overthrow the gods failed, she was stripped of her power and voice. She became a mermaid bound to a lake, with her enemy (the...
