The Laughing Swordsman

The woman's head turned around, looking for Apollo. However, he wasn't there.

When she turned back around, she stumbled and fell into the snow.

Apollo was standing in front of her, smiling.

"Hmm? Why have you given up already?"

The woman clenched her fists.

"Please... don't kill me."

Apollo put a finger on his chin and laughed.

"Oh! I am a reasonable person, so I won't kill you!"

A faint flicker of hope appeared in the woman's heart. She slammed her forehead into the ground repeatedly.

"Ah, thank you, thank you."

Apollo then gasped, followed by a giggle.

"Wait, that's not right!"

The color left the woman's face.

"What? No, no..."

Apollo's eyes were widened and bloodshot. He fell to one knee.

"Who was it again?"

Apollo put his hand at the bottom of the woman's chin and raised it.

"See, someone called me the devil."

Tears formed at the corner of her eyes and flowed down the woman's cheeks.

"I... I..."

Apollo brought his face right next to the woman.

"And the devil is far from a reasonable human! Sorry, my mistake!"

A grimace formed on the woman's face.

Apollo slashed his bokken, leaving another corpse to rest in the snow.

He then looked at the woman who ran away.

She made it quite far. It seemed she stood a real chance of escaping.

Apollo closed his eyes and let his lungs fill with air.

His smile became a small frown as he raised his bokken.

Apollo's eyes opened a crack and the corner of his lip turned up.

Abruptly, his eyes widened all the way and his lips formed a wide smile.

Apollo's bokken flashed.

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The snow around Apollo scattered high up in the air. Along with that, the snow in front of him parted ways and soared.

It was like a path was rapidly being formed straight towards the woman. Once this 'path' reached her, it suddenly stopped.

And she split in two.

Apollo used his free hand to clutch his face. Deranged laughter escaped Apollo's mouth and his whole body was shaking.

It made one wonder, how did his lungs have so much air to keep laughing like he was?

His head slowly tilted to face where Maya was.

She was gone.

Apollo walked over to where she used to be and scanned the area.

He found Maya's father dragging Maya down an alleyway.

Maya's father was sweating profusely and still bleeding from his stump. He was using his remaining arm to forcefully drag Maya away.

As for Maya, she was not too different from a corpse. Her limbs laid lifelessly and the expression on her face made it seem like her soul had left her body.

Apollo walked over with a giggle.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Maya's father frowned.

"Stay back fiend!"

He proceeded to wrap his arm around Maya and continued pulling her backward.

Apollo walked closer, easily catching up.

Apollo giggled.

"Say... Maya."

Apollo crouched down and rested his forearms on his knees.

"What do you think of your dad?"

Maya did not respond.

Maya's father frowned.

"Shut up! Stop talking to my daughter!"

Apollo cackled. His laughter was getting raspy.

"Maya... tell me right now. Do you want your dad to live?"

Maya's father cringed.

"...Maya, tell him to let your father live."

Maya slowly took a small breath.

"I... don't know."

Maya's father trembled.

"Maya? What do you mean you don't know?"

Apollo's neck twitched as he laughed with mockery.

"I will give you ten seconds. If you don't decide by then, I will decide for you, Maya."

Apollo suppressed his laughter.

"Ten..."

Maya remained silent.

"Nine..."

Maya's father trembled.

"Maya?"

Apollo raised his bokken.

"Eight..."

Maya's father shook Maya by her shoulder.

"Maya tell him! Tell him now!"

Apollo took a step forward.

"Seven..."

Maya's father began breathing unsteadily.

"Maya, please. This is your father talking to you!"

A giggle seeped through Apollo's lips.

"Six..."

Maya's father furrowed his brows.

"Maya? Do you hear me?"

Apollo's pupils shook.

"Five..."

Maya's father frowned.

"Maya! Your father is giving you an order!"

Apollo's neck twisted to the side.

"Four..."

Maya's father began yelling.

"You unfilial daughter! How could you abandon your father!"

Apollo pressed his lips together as a muffled laugh escaped him.

"Three..."

Maya's father shuddered.

"...Damn you, Maya! I curse you to rot in hell!"

Apollo smiled.

"Two..."

Maya's father fell on his rear.

"No..."

Apollo intentionally paused for a little longer.

After a few seconds, Maya's lips parted ever so slightly.

"You know..."

Maya's father blinked a few times, doing his best to register the situation.

"Yes Maya, tell him!"

Maya sucked in a breath of air as if it took all of her power to do so.

"I was really happy in this village."

Maya's father nodded enthusiastically.

As for Apollo, he got right next to Maya's face.

"Hmm?"

Maya licked her lips.

"We didn't have much as it was a humble village. But that didn't bother us."

Maya's father laughed.

"Yes, exactly!"

A small smile formed on Maya's face.

"I remember playing with every single person here. It was so fun."

Maya's father shivered with excitement.

"Haha, you remember playing with your father, don't you? Keep going, that's a good girl!"

Maya didn't seem to notice the ramblings of her father. She wrapped her arms around her legs.

"Everyone was so nice... you know?"

Maya's father pointed at Apollo.

"Hear that fiend? Now back off!"

A teardrop cascaded down Maya's face.

"But once the snow fell, it was like everyone changed."

Maya's father froze.

"What? Maya stop!"

Maya started to sob.

"Everyone began fighting over food..."

Maya's father trembled.

"What? No Maya, it's not like that at all."

Maya choked.

"I tried to stop them, but they redirected their hatred to me. It was like I caused winter to come one year early."

Maya's father shook Maya by her shoulder.

"No! That's not true!"

Apollo ignored him and looked deeply into Maya's eyes. An eerie smile crept onto Apollo's face.

"So... what is your decision, Maya?"

Maya's father shuddered.

"Tell him to let me live, Maya! ...Maya?"

A bitter smile emerged on Maya's face.