The Girl Who Loved the Black Stallion (Part 4)
The fight began, and it dragged on like a boring afternoon movie marathon. The moon had sunk low, and the first hints of dawn were starting to creep in, yet the battle showed no signs of ending soon. Achilles' spear, crafted from the sacred wood of the myrtle tree, had already begun to warp at the tip, and at that exact moment, she sensed something was terribly wrong.
‘I just want to drive my spear straight into that flank, but there’s no gap! And stabbing it head-on? That thing’s harder than a rock—its tip is so sharp it could split the air itself! What the hell is this? It’s supposed to be a spear forged in the waters of the Styx, yet it feels like it’s made of solid steel! How is this even possible?!’
She’d started out full of swagger, charging forward like a true hero, but the longer the fight went, the more her energy drained. She remembered how the legendary Heracles had needed plenty of time to take down that Nemean lion, so this creature must be every bit as tough. But unlike the heroes of myth, she was born a girl, and without the raw power to shatter such unyielding defenses, this was an impossible mismatch.
‘I’m not about to whine about being born female now, but this is just so unfair!!!’
If she had the strength, things would have been different. Like the Nemean lion tale, she could have choked the life right out of Epeitrophos’ neck. But even Achilles, stronger than most adult men, lacked the heroic power of those legendary warriors. That part stung the most—she resented her very existence.
“Hiiiiiiiiiiiaaaah!!!!!”
THUD! THUD! THUD!
She slammed her shield into the ground over and over, her anger pouring out with every strike, but Epeitrophos barely flinched. His head still ringing from the blows, he pressed forward without a scratch. Lightning-fast and as powerful as a charging bull, the beast charged like a stallion, and Achilles—proudly leaping in—had no time to dodge because there was no space to retreat. The ground split open with every stomp, and the sheer force made it impossible to evade.
“Running away like a scared little girl—that’s so very Achilles!”
“Grrrrgh?! You little—!”
Epeitrophos taunted her, poking right at Achilles’ pride, but she refused to let her temper slip. Even though she felt her own panic rising, the creature charged with equal desperation, like it sensed the same breaking point. ‘Even now his body feels stronger than mine—why is he moving so recklessly?’
BOOM! BOOM!
Each stomp was like a walking stick of dynamite, cracking the earth and sending shockwaves that rattled her bones. Physically, the beast should have been the stronger one, but his pattern was annoyingly repetitive. The way he’d once charged through clouds of dust had been terrifying, but repeating the exact same move started to feel almost… welcoming. Like a broken record she could learn to dodge.
‘Again?’
WHISSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!
The spear hurled like a ballista bolt, straight and true, but as the smoke cleared, Achilles could already see the arc and adjusted her dodge. The whistling trail grew predictable the more she dodged; she didn’t need the sound of the weapon itself—she could hear the whistle and slip away before it even reached her. Only when she finally locked eyes on something did the fight feel truly interesting.
‘He’s circling me while attacking?’
WHISSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!
She leaped onto a branch to dodge the next charge, and the sight that greeted her was ridiculous.
‘Whoa—plowing right through the field like a broken plow… ──huh?’
The two horns dug into the ground, then lifted away, leaving a perfectly smooth, tilled furrow behind them—like someone had carefully plowed a field. The sheer power startled her, but she hadn’t climbed the tree to escape; she hadn’t even tried to get away from those horns. If the beast could destroy entire forests with a single charge, why the hell was he treating the trees like they mattered? That single thought lit Achilles’ fury like a match.
‘Aaaaaah?! That’s it! He’s protecting the dryads and naiads! Even now, while we’re fighting!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! That goddamn monster!!!!’
She dropped to the ground, shield raised, spear spinning in a wide arc around her body. The wind howled, swirling the dust and dust into a perfect circle, revealing the full battlefield for the first time.
“……huh?”
His short groan told Achilles she’d read him perfectly. In return, her own anger surged, veins bulging on her forehead. ‘Is that really it?! Is that really it?! Is that really it?!’
She’d always prided herself on her spear, but once the dust settled, she realized how foolish she must have looked. The mythic battlefield she’d envisioned had been trashed to hell, yet the surrounding grass and trees stood untouched. Even her mother’s dryads and naiads were calmly watching the fight unfold like it was a picnic. She didn’t want to imagine what they thought of her ridiculous display.
“Youuuuuuuu!!!! You dared to underestimate me!!!! You dared to underestimate meeeeeeeeeeeeeee?!?!?!”
The beast had the blood of a bull, but the moment the bull’s role had switched to hero, everything changed.
“I’ll kill you!!!!!!”
CLANG-!
This time Achilles stopped the charge in its tracks and spun around it like a whirlwind. Her storm was fast enough to match the beast’s own speed, and the resulting dust cloud was thick enough to hide it completely. ‘It feels so different when you’re on the receiving end, doesn’t it?! You little shit!!!!’
“Mh?!”
Through the swirling dust storm, Achilles’ spear thrust out. It was the first time she’d been attacked this way, and his reaction was slow. One eye nearly got pierced, but she managed to dodge at the last second.
“How about this?!”
“───?!”
The next strike again aimed straight for the eyes, so Epeitrophos slammed his heavy eyebrows down, covering both eyes. Even his eyebrows were as hard as his horns or skin—when the spear tip scraped them, it still made a loud clang. Achilles didn’t bother hiding her annoyance in the dust.
“You monster! Fine, I’ll poke you everywhere! Come on, show me your weak spots!!!”
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The spinning storm made her spear work with expert precision, targeting the exact spots she assumed were his weaknesses.
Just then—SQUISH!
The flesh gave way under her spear, and pure joy flooded through Achilles’ rage.
“Ha, ah, a-?!”
“Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!”
She’d stabbed his eyebrows, nose, jaw, neck—every weak point she could find. Especially the nose. It was the fatal blow. With both eyes covered, there was no way he could chase her, so she lined up for the next strike to finish him.
“C, u, grr, you think you’re hot stuff… did you really think I’d aim for your nose and eyes?!”
“There’s no next move for you!!!!!”
She screamed as she charged, daring him to regret it later. But that was a mistake. She remembered the beast was smarter than any human. She’d forgotten it in the heat of the moment.
“Yeah, there’s no next move. ──You stupid girl! You’re too cocky for your own good!”
“H-heh? Eh, woah?!”
BOOMMMMMM!!!!
“URRRRAAAAAAGGGHHH!!!!”
She’d heard Epeitrophos’ footsteps through the dust and guessed his attack pattern. He’d heard her scream and guessed hers in return, driving his horns straight into her. She’d only realized it was a trap when it was already too late. Her shield was ruined.
“G, hrr, gah~?!”
She skidded across the ground, then tried to rise and spin a fresh storm, but he didn’t miss the opening. His eagle wings spread wide, sweeping the dust away in a single motion. Once the cloud cleared, blood streamed from her nose as her red eyes reopened. The nose strike had pissed her off more than she expected—Achilles’ forehead veins stood out again.
She finally regained her footing. Epeitrophos lowered his neck and scratched at the ground. She knew exactly what that posture meant. She’d been mocked with it before, and the memory fueled her rage even more.
‘That again?!’
She spat curses while refusing to drop her spear. The shield was broken, so she gripped the weapon with both hands, but it felt heavier than ever. Still light on her feet, she remembered every charge she’d taken and started laughing. The hero of this age—the battle maniac—was alive and well.
“Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!”
The beast’s roar was a signal. It charged forward like a runaway locomotive, enough to freeze even ordinary people in terror. Humans today would see a speeding car and freeze, but this thing was on another level.
‘I can’t keep up with that smart bastard much longer. I figured out where his body has a weak spot, so this final strike ends it.’
Knowing defeat meant death, she still thrust her spear forward as he charged. She knew his head was as hard as a boulder, yet she aimed anyway. His horns slammed into the wind like twin tornadoes.
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!
This was nothing like the earlier clash—far more powerful. His eyes lost focus, rage taking over, so there was no holding back. It was almost… perfect.
CLANG!
“What?!”
The moment the spear tip touched the horn, it wrapped around the blade like a hook and launched Achilles high into the air. Her body floated like she was riding a circus trapeze, landing perfectly in the saddle of his back. Even a smart monster froze in confusion.
“Hah! Who the hell thought I’d fight one-on-one with you?! I was aiming for your flank the whole time!”
Achilles grabbed the saddle with one hand and the spear with the other, just like always, and struck at the side.
“In my entire life—!!! I’ve never been pierced like this anywhere else in the world!!! Taste my full-power strike!!!!”
It was the same pattern she’d used since entering this forest. She’d punched holes in the flanks of every enemy that charged, finishing them in one blow. The weak point was obvious—his eyes were closed, and he couldn’t aim at the nose from this angle, so she aimed straight for the neck.
“This is my victory—!!!!!!!”
“Grrrrgh?!”
They both screamed like they were ready to die, but that sound was completely out of place.
Both bodies froze.
CHING-!
““?!””
The spear tip aimed at his flank had struck a soft spot—his inner thigh. Epeitrophos let out a startled sound, but the long fight had bent the tip slightly. Now it was completely shattered.
“A-?”
The last thing Achilles said was the stupidest thing she could have uttered. In her two eyes she saw the once-proud myrtle-tree spear tip curving gracefully as it slammed into the ground.
‘My spear… forged in the waters of the Styx…?’
She hadn’t even had time to make an excuse before her vision went white.
“What a pity.”
THUD!
Whatever had hit her sent Achilles flying. She didn’t even know what had struck her before the world went dark and her eyes closed.
‘Oh no… this is bad…’
The last thing that crossed her mind before consciousness faded wasn’t a final wish or her mother’s face. It was the words Epeitrophos had said to her: “I’ll enjoy you.” She didn’t need to be a girl to understand exactly what he meant. And Achilles regretted it more than anything that would happen next.