cHApTEr 8. THE DATE (2 of 3)

On the next day the news broke about the Cursed Blade of Avalon being stolen. It completely overshadowed reports about the Dismantler and the terrorist attack on the university. Speculation ran wild about who had taken the ancient relic, for what purpose and how was the stunt with rats pulled off. The most popular theory was that thieves intended to sell it on the black market to the highest bidder. Mioray might have thought the same, if he hadn’t already know the truth. After all, he was directly involved in stealing the blade.

The lack of progress in locating Impact Corpse’s whereabouts was frustrating. Mioray was considering returning home, exhausted from pretending to be under the protection of International Investigations. The fact that the detectives hadn’t detained him meant they didn’t have much evidence against him in the first place. If they came after him again, he would handle them, one way or another. However, now that Reyna Kayree had seen him at the museum, things became more complicated. She shouldn’t have noticed him holding the blade, but she might still grow suspicious about the coincidence of his presence at the museum on the same day the blade was stolen. Who knew what she might tell the police? For now, it was safer to keep living at the storage facility until the commotion subsided.

That didn’t necessarily mean Mioray couldn’t go out, though. On this Sunday afternoon, he sat in a classroom alongside Farah, Matt, and other attendees eager to learn sign language. Since Mioray didn’t get tired anymore, he figured he might as well take courses to learn the language and properly communicate with Mia. It would only benefit him.

The class was covering more advanced topics, unsuitable for a beginner like Mioray, but Farah had persuaded the teacher to let him study at his own pace. She agreed on the condition that he wouldn’t disrupt her main class. And so, Mioray sat at the far end of the room, starting with letters and common phrases.

After class, they headed to a nearby park to meet up with Mia. She worked as a graphic designer and had a meeting scheduled with a client, which was supposed to wrap up around this time.

The park greeted them with bronze and gold leaves scattered across the ground, gleaming under the sun. The weather was pleasant today, unlike yesterday, when it had rained. The air was chilly, and the clear sky shone a crisp and vivid blue. The park’s benches were still wet from the rain, but after wiping one down several times, they sat anyway. And all the while Matt was bombarding Mioray with questions.

"Was it terrifying? Is the blade really cursed? Did it possess anyone?"

Mioray patiently answered the boy’s rapid-fire inquiries. Farah was listening too, though she pretended not to be interested, idly scrolling on her newly bought phone.

In all honesty, there wasn’t much to tell. After they escaped from the museum, Erinel had taken the blade with her bare hands, and that was it. She wasn’t possessed or anything. In her opinion, the blade’s curse only affected humans. Since she wasn’t one, it posed no danger to her.

Still, seeing the Cursed Blade up close, Mioray agreed that it exuded a malignant aura not captured in the photos printed in newspapers. The crystal forming the blade was translucent, yet it looked as if black smoke had been frozen inside – smoke that was said to be the very essence or soul of Avalon.

The silver hilt, shaped like a twisting snake, evoked images of supernatural symbolism. Silver had long been believed to hold mystical powers that protected against evil spirits. The snake, however, was more complex. It was often a symbol of luck and health, yet also a representation of temptation and ultimate evil. The latter interpretation suited Avalon well, given everything written about him in religious texts.

To Matt, though, Mioray downplayed it. “Although the blade is a striking artifact, it’s really just an extravagant decoration,” he said. Nobility in the past often commissioned such ornate creations to display in their estates and impress guests. Then, he shifted the conversation to other notable relics throughout history, captivating Matt’s attention. The boy listened with his mouth open.

Mioray continued entertaining Matt until Mia finally arrived. At the sight of her, Matt jumped up cheerfully and hugged her. Watching them, Mioray realized how easily the boy attached himself to people. To Matt, Mia was like a mother, and Terry was a father figure. Mioray himself was the big brother, and Farah, his sister. It was Matt’s way of coping with being unable to reunite with his parents.

With the world turned upside down, Mioray didn’t always have time to reflect on the strangeness surrounding him. Even if he did, there were no clear answers. Would he and the other undead live forever? Would Matt remain a ten-year-old for all eternity, never aging physically or mentally? Or did it work differently?

Then, there was Farah’s stab wound from the Soul Collective. Normally, it should have been fatal, yet she now sat beside him on the bench, looking perfectly healthy, wrapped in her new black winter puffer coat. Who would have thought corpses could look so normal?

And she wasn’t the only one. Terry’s leg had fully healed, leaving no trace of its former injury. Mioray had experienced it firsthand too. His torso had been half-blown apart thanks to Impact Corpse, yet here he was, whole. Well, except for his left arm, but that was a different matter.

How was it possible? His flesh, bones and blood – everything that had splattered across the university’s corridor had somehow been restored. If his body parts had physically moved to reassemble themselves, someone would have noticed. Had Kevin or Erinel collected what was left of him? That seemed the only reasonable explanation, unless his flesh had been reduced to microscopic particles, too small to be seen.

Mioray shook off those thoughts when Mia and Matt approached. He wanted to surprise Mia, so he greeted her using sign language. He raised his hand to his forehead in a salute, then signed nice to meet you. It was tricky with only one arm, but still doable. He slid his hand through the air and then pointed his index finger toward himself. Mioray also attempted to sign his own name, but he’d already forgotten some of the letters and fumbled through it.

Still, judging by Mia’s reaction, he had made an impression.

“Mia appreciates your effort,” Matt interpreted her signing, “but she says it only counts for today. Next time, you’ll have to do better to earn her approval!”

“Sure thing, and I intend to do just that.” Mioray placed his hand on his hip, holding his head high.

Farah scoffed and jumped up from the bench.

“I get it now. You’re an attention seeker,” she said.

“What?” Mioray replied, confused. “Where did that come from?”

“You’re always trying to get on everyone’s good side.” Farah folded her arms, smirking. “I read the news. You’re a star. People are talking about the Cursed Blade being stolen, but they’re also talking about a man who saved a woman from falling to her death. Supposedly, his arm shot out like a harpoon, and, according to some, it was his only arm. Sound familiar?”

“It’s not like I did it on purpose,” Mioray said. “She would have died otherwise, and that would be on me.”

“Oh? So, you’re saying the whole thing happened because of you?”

“Of course not!” Mioray faltered. “But, you know, if I hadn’t agreed to help with the heist, maybe it wouldn’t have happened at all.”

“Oh, please. Erinel could’ve grabbed the blade from the glass case without your help, and nobody would have batted an eye.”

That wasn’t entirely true. Claire had seen Erinel. Maybe there were others like her. If they had witnessed Erinel stealing the blade, they definitely would have sounded the alarm.

“Come on, just admit it.” Farah patted Mioray on the back. “You love being in the spotlight.”

“Why would I?”

“Because it always happens! First, you’re the victim of the Dismantler, then you’re caught up in the university attack, and now this. You’re an attention seeker.”

It was getting annoying.

“Again, it’s not like I did any of that on purpose.”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Farah smiled mockingly. “It’s a shame no one recorded your little act of heroism and uploaded it on the internet. I’d give it a like. But don’t take that as a sign that I’d go on a date with you. And keep your hands off Mia as well.”

Mioray snorted, not understanding what Farah meant. He looked at Matt, who was chewing on a lollipop he just took out, then at Mia. She didn’t react in any way, though Mioray was sure Farah was talking nonsense and everyone would agree on that.

“Don’t play innocent.” Farah threw up her hands. “We all know you’re going on a date with Erinel.”

The color drained from Mioray’s face. How did they find out? It didn’t take long to figure it out. Terry. That trickster must have given him away!

“Why would you think that?” he tried to deflect, knowing full well it was a weak attempt if Terry had already spilled everything.

“Well, I don’t know. Maybe because Erinel asked me to help her with clothing again?” Farah shook her head. “She’s taking my services as a stylist for granted. First, she needed help picking out a dress for the charity event, and now it’s for your date. When I heard about it, I couldn’t believe it. What’s wrong with you two? She’s not even human.”

Mioray’s mind raced, feeling overwhelmed. So it wasn’t Terry who had let it slip. It was Erinel herself. But had she actually called it a date? He was still trying to process that when he noticed a flicker of shy embarrassment in Mia’s eyes. Was she judging him for being interested in someone non-human? He waited for her to explain herself.

“Mia’s asking if you like older women,” Matt said, pulling the lollipop out of his mouth.

“Much – much –older,” Farah added, emphasizing the word as she repeated it.

Mioray screamed internally. What was happening?! This was supposed to be a normal afternoon. How had his date with Erinel suddenly hijacked the conversation? They were messing with him. Of course! The first time he allowed himself to acknowledge his feelings for someone, and this was the result. He should have just stuck to his studies.

But how could he? The image of Erinel in that wine-red dress would never fade. Her tender smile had captivated his heart, soothed his mind. He wanted to get closer to her. He hoped she shared at least some of his feelings.

“Okay, guys, that’s enough,” he said, trying to sound indifferent but failing miserably. “No need to make such a fuss. It’s not even a date. We’re just going to the movies.”

That somehow made things worse.

“The movies?” Farah bent forward, laughing and clutching her stomach. “Wow, such a classic move. So, there really isn’t much for you two to talk about, huh? Mia, this relationship is doomed.”

“It’s not a relationship!” Mioray cried, panicked. Gosh, what is wrong with this woman?! Why did she twist everything he said? “We were just talking about how she’s never seen a movie before, and I offered to watch one with her, that’s it!”

Mia watched the exchange like she was witnessing two kids bickering. She signed something, and Matt translated.

“Mia says not to worry. Farah is just teasing you,” Matt relayed. “She also says you made the right move.”

Mioray groaned. “The right move?” He had a bad feeling about this.

“Yes. Mia says you saw an opportunity and smoothly turned the tides for your bidding. She never thought you were such a…” Matt hesitated, searching for the right word. “I don’t know what she meant.”

“Seducer,” Farah said dryly, her voice edged with sarcasm. “Mia wants to say Mioray is a seducer.”

“Seducer?” Matt echoed. “What does it mean?”

Mioray dragged a hand down his face.

“Guys, you’re corrupting Matt! Don’t taint his pure soul! Please, let’s stop this here.”

“Stop here? No way, we’re just getting started.” Farah grinned. She sat back down on the bench and patted the empty space beside her. “Come, Matt, sit next to me. You’ve got a lot to learn from Mioray, master of flirting. Isn’t that right, Mia?”

Mia, whom Mioray had once considered an ally, nodded. She was enjoying his suffering.

That was it. The end. Mioray had no one on his side. Even Matt was on the verge of being corrupted by these two women. He had lost. He was doomed to an eternity of shame and humiliation.

“So, tell us, Mioray, what exactly are you hoping to achieve here?” Farah pierced him with a sharp, amused gaze. “Are you planning to hold hands? Maybe give a goodnight kiss? Or do you think it’ll go further than that?”

“Mioray wants to sleep with Miss Erinel like Mom and Dad did?” Matt asked innocently.

“Umm… let’s call it that,” Farah agreed while Mia turned red. Matt clearly wasn’t implying anything inappropriate, but Farah knew exactly what she was doing. “So, Mioray, is that your endgame here?”

Mioray had never met someone so bold and shameless. Well, maybe Juju. That one also spoke without a filter. Now that he thought about it, Juju and Farah had a lot in common. Both were relentless bullies.

It was just a movie, and Farah was blowing things out of proportion. Mioray had no ulterior motives. Did he want to sleep with Erinel? Actually, considering he was dead, was that even possible? Mioray shook his head. No, there was no point in thinking about that! Curse that Farah, clouding his judgment! She could at least have the decency not to talk about this in front of Matt!

“Yeah, okay, okay, I’ll back off,” Farah sighed after Mia signed something to her. Maybe she had finally taken pity on Mioray and decided to support him. “For now. We’ll see how their so-called date goes. I never thought Erinel was interested in romance. I mean, she’s a greanrip. Isn’t their whole purpose to guide souls to the afterlife? Since we joined her, I don’t remember her taking an interest in anything else.”

“Miss Erinel often spends time with Kevin,” Matt remarked.

“That’s true.” Farah snapped her fingers. “Sorry, Mioray, but you’ve got some strong competition, and I’m afraid it’s not looking good for you. But seriously, what is it that you men see in her?”

“Miss Erinel is pleasant to be around,” Matt said. “She lets me play with her pets in her garden room.”

“Not you too, Matt!” Farah gasped, playing along. At least when talking to the young boy, she held back her usual sass. Then, with a smirk, she turned to Mioray. “It’s always about the woman letting play with her pets, isn’t it, Mioray?”

Nothing she said could surprise Mioray anymore.

More importantly, he wanted to know more about this supposed competition with Kevin. He already knew Kevin was Erinel’s go-to guy, but he had hoped their relationship was purely professional. Was there something more going on between them? If there was, no way in hell Mioray was going to ask Farah about it. That would only lead to further humiliation. No, right now, his only option was to endure her mockery and not take the bait.

“The bigger mystery here is what must be wrong with someone to be into you,” he muttered.

“What was that?” Farah frowned.

“Nothing,” he replied quickly. “Just thinking. None of us seem to have anyone special, huh?”

“Well, duh. We’re dead, remember?” Farah shrugged. “It would be weird to start a relationship now. Imagine getting invited to dinner. Then what? You’d offend your date by not eating or drinking anything. Except maybe water? Being dead already complicates a lot of things, and for the dead like us? Even more.”

They chatted a little longer, then Mioray and Matt played catch-up on the lawn while Mia and Farah sat on the bench, watching them. When Matt got bored, Mioray asked Mia if she knew martial arts. She did. As it turned out, athletics hadn’t been the only thing she focused on during her school days.

For the rest of the day, Mioray had no plans except waiting for his date tomorrow. He considered training a little more. Without overdoing it, of course. It would be a disaster if he accidentally lost consciousness and couldn’t meet Erinel. That would be the end of something that hadn’t even started yet.

They were about to head back to the storage facility when Mia signed something, looking curious.

“Mia’s asking what you’re going to wear for the date,” Farah translated.

Mioray glanced down at his clothes. Jeans, sneakers, sweater, coat. Pretty standard. Nothing wrong with that.

“I think what I’m wearing now is fine,” he said. “Erinel told me she likes my style.”

“Nah, that won’t do,” Farah said, nodding in agreement with something Mia was signing. “After all the effort I put into helping Erinel choose her outfit? You should put in some effort too.”

“What are you suggesting? That I wear that suit again?” Mioray winced. He was sure he’d never wear a suit again after yesterday.

Both women looked at him in horror.

“What are you, a weirdo?” Farah asked. “Who wears a suit on a date? I mean, maybe if you were going to the opera or the theater, but even then, that’d be overkill. You don’t have to go that far, but you should at least try to dress up a little to show that you care.”

She paused, listening to Mia, then continued, “Mia says we should go to the shopping center and get you something new. But only if you’re paying. Not just for the clothes, but for my services too. If I’m gonna be everyone’s personal stylist, I’m not doing it for free.”

“I thought you didn’t care,” Mioray blurted. “You said you didn’t believe in us.”

“Well, I also don’t believe in life after death, yet here we are, aren’t we?”

And just like that, it was decided – not by Mioray – that he was getting new clothes for his date. He tried to fight it, but both women were serious about the idea. Mia, surprisingly, was even more enthusiastic than Farah. Then Matt joined in too, using the opportunity to visit the video game store. Mioray didn’t get a say in the matter.

Well…

He wasn't entirely against the idea. If Kevin was his competition, he had to do whatever it took to get Erinel to notice him. He supposed his outfit was a good place to start.