Chapter 8: Strife of Liberation

The crowd roared as William and Crazy Horse sized each other up. 

However, William looks at his opponent in confusion as he sees that Horse doesn't have a weapon.

"Oi, where's your weapon? I mean, without one, my claymore will cleave you through."

Crazy Horse smirks as he replies, "I have no need for weapons. The spirits will allow me to become a weapon on my own."

"Spirits, you say?" William replied before grinning excitedly.

"Well then, show me what your spirits are capable of!"

With that, William rushes toward Crazy Horse, preparing for an arching strike. Crazy Horse raises his hand to block the attack, to William and the audience's shock.

"T-this is astonishing! Crazy Horse was able to stop Wallace's powerful swing with his hand," Hermes announced with disbelief.

'What the hell!? How did he block the attack with his hand? In fact, why is his hand not even bleeding?'

As William's thoughts race, Crazy Horse snickers with glee.

"Surprised? My body is honed to perfection by the spirits."

Crazy Horse began to launch a barrage of hand-spear thrusts while Wallace tried to deflect them. 

"Crazy Horse goes on the offensive with a barrage of hand strikes. William is on the edge of the ropes as we speak!" Hermes announces

As the audience cheered, two individuals watched with curiosity.

"Wówaŋke, this William is holding his own against our former student. What do you think, Sitting Bull?"

The first man is a Native American in his mid-forties with shoulder-length blackish-grey hair, orange eyes, and two black-tipped feathers in his hair. He wears a buckskin jacket, buttoned shirt, leather pants, and brown cloth shoes.

Lakota Tribal Chief

Spotted Tail

"I agree, Spotted Tail. However, I don't know if he's prepared for what Crazy Horse has in store."

The other Native American is an elderly yet muscular man with long grey twin braids, brown eyes, and a scar across his face. He dons native garbs, a stone necklace, and green wire goggles.

Hunkpapa Lakota leader

Sitting Bull

Spotted Tail nodded in agreement.

"Quite true, this William is doing well so far, but it's only a matter of time before Crazy Horse finishes this fight. After all, we, the Lakota, are masters of our martial arts. Nanissáanah."

Meanwhile, William pushes back Crazy Horse to get some distance.

"Huh...I must say, Crazy Horse, you're a lot stronger than I thought."

Crazy Horse sneers with malice as he says, "Don't tell me you're winded already? Perhaps I should put you out of your misery."

Crazy Horse then stretches out his arms to an insane degree. William readied himself for whatever his opponent had planned. Once Crazy Horse brought his arms forward, he summoned a large serpent-like blast of pressurized air toward the Scottish rebel.

"Oh shat!" William Wallace yelled as he tried to block the attack.

Unfortunately, the wind currents were too much for him, and he suffered some cuts from the pressure. After the attack disappeared, William Wallace was on one knee with mild lacerations on his arms and chainmail armor.

"Crazy Horse has brought the Son of Scotland down to one knee after using such a potent attack!" Hermes said in awe.

The audience was speechless at the surprising power that Crazy Horse possesses. Meanwhile, the people of Scotland tried to rally William back into the fray.

"C'mon, William! Get up!"

"Don't lose to this bastard!"

"You are the pride of Scotland! Come on!"

In the skybox, Nike is amazed at the technique Crazy Horse has just performed.

"This is insane! I have so much power with that physique. Lady Athena, can you make sense of it?"

Athena thinks about this and comes to a possible conclusion.

"It seems he distributes a significant portion of strength into his arms. By stretching them, Crazy Horse compresses his muscle to build strength and release in a powerful burst. In fact, he can compress his hands' muscles to be as deadly as any weapon."

Then Heyoka laughed, which caught Athena's attention.

"Incredible insight, Athena. That attack my champion did was called Unhcegila. Curiosity to his people's fighting style."

"Fighting style?" Lugh questioned

Heyoka nodded, "It's called Nanissáanah, also known as the Spirit Dance."

The Spirit Dance

With the US Frontier Army driving their people off their lands, the Lakota and other Sioux tribes deliver The Spirit Dance, allowing one to fight like hundred spirits. Strength one's body and soul as one.

Crazy Horse approaches William, looking to end the match with a hand thrust.

"Begone, Wašíču."

However, instead of his hand piercing Wallace's chest, Crazy Horse only punctures the chainmail.

"What?" Spotted Tail and Sitting Bull said in unison

"Impossi-" Crazy Horse yelled before being struck in the chin by William's pommel.

Crazy Horse stumbles back, only to get booted in the face. 

"Oh, Brutal! William Wallace is now giving Crazy Horse a beatdown!"

As Crazy Horse tried to get his bearings, William launched himself in the air for an arching cleaving attack. The Lakota warrior caught the blade with his hands but felt the newly immense strength of William.

"W-what is...this? Did you get stronger?!"

"You see Crazy Horse. I don't depend on the spirits to motivate me because my home and people fuel my drive to fight!" William grinned confidently.

Crazy Horse's face twist into a demonic rage as he rapidly attacks with slashes while William deflects with great concentration.

"Both combatants are giving everything they got! It's clear no one to lose in this high-risk bout!" Hermes announces as the Scottish people cheer on their hero.

"Let's go, Wallace!"

"Beat the crap outta him!"

"Show him why we Scots refuse to die!"

In the skybox, Heyoka watches the action on the monitor and notices an angel butler carrying a round silver tray.

"Hey, Lugh, did you order something?"

Lugh looks at the tray placed on the table and eyes it suspiciously.

"No, I didn't."

They stare at the cautiously until Heyoka slowly lifts the lid to reveal a rotting, maggot-filled head of Leonidas.

Lugh sighed in frustration while Heyoka shook his head.

"This girl always does this! Zeus, she's at it again!"

Zeus lets out an annoyed growl as he knows who Lugh is referring to.

"Hera, you deal with this. I'm trying to have a good time."

"Melinoe," Hera said in a tone that could freeze blood.

"Stop your with these infantile pranks, or do I have to call your father?"

Then the decaying head of Leonidas sighed pitifully and spoke in a honeyed, airy feminine voice.

"Oh geez, auntie. Why must you always have an icky attitude?"

Then the head floats up and changes into a young, stunning ethereal woman. She has pale skin, wavy black and white hair with long bangs on the left side of her face, black eyes with light blue pupils, black glossy lips, and a silver laurel wreath crown. Her attire consists of a velvet semi-buttoned lace ruffle coat, a necklace of small bones and flowers, black floral laced fingerless gloves, sequin flare-up pants, and leather cross-strap flat heels.

Greek Goddess of Madness and Nightmares

Melinoe

"Oh great, not her," Bia groans.

"Seriously, can't you old gods just take a joke?" Melinoe cooed as she softly landed on the ground.

"I'm afraid your idea of a joke considers what I find funny," Odin said sternly.

"Sure, Eye will remember that, Odin!" Melinoe said, which got a snicker from Loki.

Melinoe starts to float towards a throne and sits next to Athena. 

"Hi, cousin!" Melinoe said while giving a flirty wave.

"Melinoe," Athena said flatly.

"Ooh, where is the enthusiasm? Aren't you happy to see little old me?"

Athena sighed, "Forgive me, but If you weren't so...adamant with your pranks and jests. Maybe I would be warmer to you."

Melinoe whines, annoyed in a room with boring old gods and goody-goodies.

"You're so lame! Honestly, my Nemey is more fun than you. ~Heh, especially in bed~."

"You can please not bring vulgarity while I'm enjoying the fight?" Bia grunted

"Fine. I'll limit my fun. I must say that the last fight and this one are entertaining, but I doubt any of these mortals could beat my champion." Melinoe said

"Yeah, why's that," Nike said with a hint of curiosity.

Melinoe's grin stretched as he said darkly, "Because...what is a warrior to madness!"

Back at the fight, Crazy Horse backhands into Wallace's blade as they have an intense staredown. All the while, the cheers of the Scottish people assault Crazy's ears.

"Why...why won't your people shut up!"

William gave a hearty laugh.

"Because, my good fella, my brothers and sisters of Alba are counting on me to win! Therefore...I WON'T LOSE!"

William Wallace forces the Lakota warrior back once more. Crazy Horse growls as he leaps in the air and prepares to bring his feet down towards the Scotsman.

Spirit Dance: Thunderbird's Descent

"Die!"

William quickly changes his grip to hold his sword on the blade. William disrupted the attack as Crazy Horse spun in the air with a mighty swing. Then William changed his grip back the handle and landed a slash across Crazy Horse's chest.

"Ack!" Crazy Horse coughed as he was sent flying back.

"Unbelievable! William Wallace has landed a fatal blow to Crazy Horse! Has this match already ended?" Hermes said as the Scots in the audience cheered

"Holy crap! He won!" Nike said in awe.

"No, this battle is over yet," Athena stated

As Crazy Horse is about to hit the ground, he lands on his feet.

"W-what?" A Scottish maiden said in disbelief

"N-no way? Somehow, despite the wound, Crazy Horse is still in the fight?!"

While the onlooker couldn't believe what they saw, William smiled.

"Not bad, fella! Before the strike, you kick off the air to propel yourself back to lessen the damage. You have my prai-!"

"I hate you."

William was slightly surprised by the statement from his opponent.

"I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you! I hate you!! I hAtE yOu!!! I HATE YOU!" 

Crazy Horse speaks with gritted teeth. Every vein bulges and twitches from his body. The eyes dilate and become bloodshot. 

Meanwhile, Heyoka sighed.

"Oh boy, here we go."

Lugh looked a little frightened at Crazy Horse's behavior.

"Heyoka, w-what's wrong with him?"

"Oh, yes. Well, this is to be expected from Crazy Horse. For you see, out of all the Native Americans who have been wronged, none hold an undying hatred like him."

"WALLACE!"

Crazy Horse breathed out smoke as his rage-filled eyes glared at his foe.

"The tears of your beloved people will flow as I kill their hero!"

The Malice of the Spiritwalker is unleashed...!

A Tragedy That Turns This Man into a Demon...