The ghost rider relaxed his stance, resting the edge of his sword on the ground. Scratching his beard, he looked at Ebony while raising an eyebrow.
"What do you mean rock, paper, or scissors? I want a real fight, a proper duel. Besides, I'm the one being challenged, I deserve to set the rules," the bearded man said, his pale lips complaining in a gruff tone.
"Well… it's a shame, sir, but you're mistaken… You are the challenger…" Ebony replied politely, holding back the fear she felt.
"What did you say, miss?... Are you questioning my basic capacity for understanding, like any other living being?" the rider said as he stepped forward until he was inches from Ebony, his two-meter height completely overshadowing the small blonde.
His presence was freezing, and the anger on his face was unmistakable. After all, ghost riders were famous for being partially insane, believing themselves still alive. Any reminder of their undead state was a death sentence.
"Y-you…" Ebony swallowed as she struggled to keep her composure. "You, sir, are the challenger because you threatened my… husband… Technically, you were going to kill him whether he accepted the duel or not…" the blonde said, then pointed at the green-haired elf.
"Just look at him, he's a weakling compared to you, and even so you were going to kill him without mercy or justice. Worst of all is that, ummm…" Ebony tried to think of a decent trick to save her life, but it was hard to openly acknowledge her forced marriage.
"We're on our honeymoon! Yes!... You, sir, have offended me, and that gives me the right to defend my honor under my own conditions, as the offended party…" the blonde said, embarrassed to say all of that out loud.
"Hmmm…" the undead thought for a second as he stroked his thick beard, now white from all the centuries he had spent in that forest. "I see, a peculiar situation, but… that still doesn't justi—"
"You already accepted, sir! Take responsibility for your word as a knight!" Ebony shouted, interrupting him and pointing at the rider, her voice breaking with every word.
At that, the elf could do nothing but swallow hard.
"(THIS DAMN CRAZY WOMAN! SHE'S GOING TO GET US KILLED! HOW CAN SHE TALK LIKE THAT TO A GUY WHO CAN DEVOUR OUR FUCKING SOULS?!)" Lucian thought.
"Hmmm… I admit you're right. I accepted the duel without measuring the circumstances… Fine, why not, very well. What is this game?" the rider asked, shrugging in resignation.
"Great!" Ebony's forehead was completely soaked with sweat from fear, but now she had a chance. "It's played like this, look. You make shapes with your hand, a fist is rock, and—"
The blonde did her best to explain the rules of the game, every detail accompanied by gestures and energetic words to convince the deranged rider.
But after several minutes of explanation, the rider scratched his beard again and said, "Honestly, I didn't understand anything. This seems like a game for nobles, I don't think I'm capable of understanding it. Wouldn't it be better if we just dueled?"
The girl who, in her previous life, would have started screaming in frustration at having to teach something so simple, swallowed that rage this time and explained it again kindly to the monstrous being in front of her.
Ghost riders, despite their overwhelming reasoning and magical power—enough to wipe out entire squads of knights on their own—were, deep down, just old souls barely clinging to their memories.
If they went too long without consuming souls, they began to lose their memories and slowly became unstable from the frustration of losing their identity.
"Oh, I see now. So that's how it works. I think I get it now. Let's do it then, I'm ready, miss!" the undead shouted happily as he slammed his fists together, assuming a combat stance without his sword.
"O-okay, good… here we go… best of three!" Ebony also took a combat stance in front of the rider, both of them pulling their right arms behind their backs.
"Hey, kid, to make it fair, come here and tell us when to start," the bearded man asked kindly while looking at the elf.
Lucian, unable to escape without abandoning his companions, began praying in his head as he positioned himself between the duelists and shouted firmly, "Ready? Rock, paper, or scissors!"
Both contestants moved their arms quickly, ending up showing rock at the same time. It was a tie.
"Again! Ready? Rock, paper, or scissors!" Lucian shouted again, trying not to tremble under the rider's icy presence.
This time, the hands revealed rock and paper. The first point went to Ebony, who sighed in relief.
The rider, on the other hand, smiled happily, showing his worn teeth. It had been a long time since he'd had this much fun.
"Point for Ebony!" Lucian shouted, his voice more relaxed and full of hope.
"(Perfect, this bastard can't beat me. He's too dumb, he probably thinks he should keep throwing rocks!)" The girl thought, underestimating her opponent.
"Again! Rock, paper, or scissors!" The elf was already feeling freedom within reach.
After another quick motion, their hands were revealed: paper and scissors. The rider won this time.
"Ho ho ho ho! Now I understand the game. It's not just luck, it's predicting your opponent's thoughts and getting ahead! And thanks to my eyes, I can see your hand is so slow it's easy to anticipate! How exciting!" the undead shouted enthusiastically.
"(SHIT!)" both the elf and the human thought at the exact same time.
"Again!..." Lucian could no longer keep his composure, his face filled with concern. Meanwhile, Ebony sharpened her gaze, her life on the line.
"(Damn old man! This time it won't be so easy… Don't think your high-level eyes will help you here!)" she thought as she prepared her next move.
"Rock!..." Lucian raised his hand like a proper referee.
At that moment, the old rider began releasing such an intense amount of freezing magical energy that the particles could be seen like vapor pouring from his armor.
"Paper!... (Shit… please don't lose, idiot!)" the elf thought one last time before closing his eyes.
Seeing the rider's enthusiasm, Ebony couldn't contain her own excitement despite the risk of losing. Her life magic began to pour out like a cloud of steam rising from her body with intensity. It was a declaration of war.
"OR SCISSORS!" Lucian shouted, then dropped his hand, signaling the start of the final round.
Both contestants moved their bodies at the fastest speed they could muster.
The old rider shifted his eyes rapidly to see what shape the girl's fist would take—but at that moment, something diverted his gaze.
Ebony wasn't just moving her right fist. She used her free hand to tear open the dress she was wearing, revealing her pale white legs and her white lace underwear.
Faced with such a bold move, the rider couldn't help but look at the young blonde, keeping his fist closed until the very end, while Ebony formed paper with her hand and flashed a smile.
"..."
Silence fell over the scene as Lucian and the rider stared at Ebony's lower half in disbelief, both unaware that the girl had already won.