Chapter Text
Far and wide, everyone knew the name Wong Yukhei.
Revered general.
Blessed by the gods.
Champion of the god of victory.
No general that faced him ever came back victorious. Yukhei was not only a formidable foe to any enemy but also the dream husband of every aspiring wife. Even amidst the many wars he has fought, Yukhei remained charismatic in the eyes of many. His looks could even rival the sun god’s. He would entertain aristocrats, monarchs of allied countries, and those who were working their way to the top. However, not many people knew what was under the shell of a man who had fought countless battles and battled with himself for so long. His facade was thicker than the armor he wore in battle.
Only a few people knew who Wong Yukhei really was. The general only picked a handful of people to see through him. One of which was the god of victory himself, Renjun.
10 years ago
“Yukhei, come back you coward!”
As a child, Yukhei was known as the son of a fruit seller in the marketplace. At the age of twelve, his body wasn’t as developed as the kids his age. He was scrawny and always had rags for clothes since his father couldn’t afford new clothes for him and his siblings. It made him the easy target for the children of swordsmiths who had better clothing and bulkier physiques.
They would chase him out of the city and would even follow him just so they could add more bruises to his skin. Yukhei was used to running away, even discovered new places because of it. Only this time, the kids were relentless. It took him a while before he finally got rid of them.
His feet felt sore when he arrived at a secluded waterfall where a bunch of baby elks was getting their water. With them was a handsome boy, sitting on a big rock and just staring absentmindedly at the view. Yukhei would have been lying if he didn’t feel entranced. The boy looked slender, and it was like an aura of light made him almost ethereal - otherworldly. That was the term would have described him.
“Who’s there?” the boy asked, making Yukhei’s heart stop.
“I’m sorry,” it was Yukhei’s habit to just apologize without knowing what he was apologizing for. He stepped forward, showing himself in front of the handsome boy and trying to hide how nervous he was feeling in front of the boy. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
The handsome boy’s face shifted into a look of concern, examining Yukhei’s state from head to toe. “What happened to you?” his tone almost sounded concerned.
“This is nothing,” Yukhei replied, embarrassed of the scratches on his face and the bruises that were evident on his arms. He didn’t want to feel weak in front of the stranger, even his own father paid no mind his scars because ‘men have to fight their own battles.’ That’s the way it was.
The boy walked towards Yukhei and reached out his hand to him. Yukhei stood frozen as the boy placed his palm against his cheek, and suddenly, a rush of power flowed through him. It was like some unknown essence was taking over him, and he noticed the bruises on his arms were disappearing. Fear washed over him and he quickly stepped back, “Wh-who are you?”
“Renjun, the god of victory,” the boy replied.
“N-no, you’re not,” Yukhei stuttered. He couldn’t be the Renjun, god of victory.
Renjun was mighty, muscular, and looked powerful. This boy was slender, almost ethereal in a sense that he was more beautiful than the statues that were supposed to represent him. He couldn’t be the god of victory. “You’re lying. You’re a witch.”
“I’m Renjun, son of Kun, god of good harvest. It doesn’t really matter if you believe me or not,” the boy, Renjun, replied. “What’s your name?”
Yukhei was hesitant to answer. And yet, he really had nothing to lose. He was the mere son of a fruit seller. What was it going to change if this person really was a witch and used him for dark magic? It didn’t matter anyway.
“Wong Yukhei”
There was a small smile curled on Renjun’s face. At that time, Yukhei didn’t know what it meant, but the next thing Renjun was about to say would change his life forever.
“I’m going to make you my champion.”
“Congratulations on another job well done, General Wong,” Renjun greeted Yukhei as the young god tackled him to a hug. There was a huge smile on Yukhei’s face, a smile he usually only spared for Renjun. When they pulled apart, there was a look of pride in Renjun’s face, and heavens, did Yukhei missed it after a whole year in the battlefield. He missed Renjun in general, and their time together. After years of being Renjun’s champion, of being with Renjun, he felt nowhere else was home but the arms of the deity who had given him so much.
And yes, right now, he was home.
“Thank you, I wouldn’t have done it without your blessing,” Yukhei smiled in response. Renjun pecked his cheek and grinned back, making Yukhei weak. He always felt weak in the midst of Renjun. Before, he never believed that the god whom his country folk worshiped and visualized as some all-powerful, muscular entity was someone this beautiful and elegant, less domineering and felt more like solace.
“You’ve worked hard, Yukhei. I don’t deserve a lot of the credit. All of this wouldn’t have been possible without your efforts,” Renjun told him.
But there wouldn’t have had been an effort if Renjun hadn’t believed in him then or chose him. If Renjun didn’t bless him and arrange his fate to become the man he was now, he probably would have never done the things he had been doing. He would have continued his father’s work and sold fruits or vegetables at the marketplace, raising his sons to bow down his head because they were at the bottom of the social class.
Renjun did way too much more than Yukhei had originally imagined.
“It wasn’t my efforts alone, you really did so much for me,” Yukhei reached for the god’s hand and squeezed it softly, and his heart made a flip, seeing the earnest look on Renjun’s face. It was like Yukhei had a place in this world.
Renjun held back a laugh. He always pointed out how Yukhei was never one to accept the praises or credit people gave him. His humility remained even after he was rewarded with gold and titles. He was never hungry for the power that came with the leadership, only accepting his rank as a general when the one before him died in battle. Yukhei was the only one that stepped up. “Alright,” Renjun said, “Enough of the flatteries and tell me about your victory.”
Yukhei spent the whole afternoon talking to Renjun about his year-long battle. He kept it short, providing only the important pieces of information about the events. Both of them took shade under an oak tree where Yukhei sat comfortably with his back against the trunk and Renjun lying down comfortably and resting his head on Yukhei’s lap.
These were the moments that Yukhei wished would last a lifetime. Being trapped in his very escape and stay with the young god forever. But there was never a chance that a mortal and deity could ever be together. It was the rule of the world that was always hard for Yukhei to accept. And yet, he can’t help but hope.
“Won’t you get in trouble?” Yukhei asked, stroking the strands of Renjun’s soft hair.
“Get in trouble for what?” Renjun murmured.
“For doing all this for me, for a mere mortal,” Yukhei replied.
The expression on Renjun’s face was a look Yukhei couldn't read. He reached for Yukhei’s hand, kissing the young general’s palm. “You’re not just a mere mortal to me, Yukhei.” No matter how many times Yukhei’s heard that line before, he can never believe it. “I missed you so much.” Renjun lifted himself up and moved to wrap Yukhei in a warm embrace.
The gods weren’t allowed to enter the battlefield. It was a treaty they had made to never interfere. They were able to bless their champions, give clues or nurture the skills of a hero before a battle. But they weren’t allowed to use their powers during actual war combats. Going against the treaty would mean exile in Tartarus and a fate worse than death for their champion. Renjun explained this to him a few years back while he was still training for the army. He told him that he could only help Yukhei get the help he needed from the connections he had from other gods, like having Sicheng the wise chronicler help him with education because Sicheng was Jaehyun’s, god of the sea’s, champion, and Renjun and Jaehyun were on friendly terms; and also, he got the combat lessons from Taeyong the master swordsman of the east because Doyoung, the god of wisdom, was his uncle and good friends with Renjun’s father, and Taeyong was Doyoung’s champion. These were the little boosts Yukhei got over the years and the rest was all his hard work, his determination not to let Renjun down.
He couldn’t let Renjun down.
He couldn’t because he’s never loved anyone or anything else in this world the way he did for the deity.
“I missed you too,” the realization that one full year without Renjun had been lonely. And although he knew the deity could hear him whenever he prayed every night, it was different. It was so much different. He couldn’t handle the one-way communication. “I love you, Renjun” he held onto the deity a bit tighter, locking a secure hold on his petite frame. Renjun leans comfortably against him, murmuring his response quietly with an “I love you too.”
If only the circumstances were different.
If only they didn’t have these responsibilities laid down before them.
If only Renjun wasn’t a god and Yukhei didn’t have to hold back just because underneath his status he was only a mere mortal.
If only.
“Let’s run away together,” the proposal had come up before. Before Yukhei was going to leave for his first war, Renjun had proposed they left everything. Renjun would leave his duties as a god, and Yukhei would never have to face the tragedies of death and bloodshed. They’d turn away from the reality that laid before them and never looked back.
“Can we?” Yukhei asked him with a grin. He really was considering it. He actually hoped Renjun was being serious.
“I’m joking,” Renjun chuckled, slightly pulling away from Yukhei and planting a soft kiss on his cheek. “Although it’s tempting, you know we can’t.”
“Yes, you’re right. It was foolish of me to think otherwise,” he responded with a sad smile.
“Maybe, next time,” Renjun would eventually add.
Like there was going to be a next time.
“That young general Wong Yukhei has looked quite handsome lately,” Jungwoo, the god of the sky, looked in interest as an image of Yukhei was displayed on his fountain of fates. He had watched the young general ever since his first battle and took an interest in him as he progressed in the army.
Jungwoo has had many different prospective lovers before, all of which who had bowed down to his will. But Yukhei seemed like a hard catch, especially since he seemed like he was head over heels with that minor god, Renjun.
“What are you planning, Jungwoo?” his brother, Donghyuck, the god of the sun, asked. “You keep looking at Renjun’s champion.”
“I’m going to make him my champion,” Jungwoo told him, a coy grin forming on his lips. He sipped his wine on a chalice as he replayed Yukhei’s fight scene on the fountain. Without the blood and scars on his face, Yukhei was indeed beautiful. His big doe eyes still looked like it was filled with childish wonder but a hint of his stare had years in them, a kind of jaded look you can only develop being exposed to battle.
“You’re going to cause trouble, Jungwoo,” Donghyuck warned. “The last time you tried to steal another god’s champion, you raged a war between nations. You made your own son ravage the champion’s kingdom.”
Jungwoo was known by the gods as someone who would rage wars between eras. Lately, he hadn’t been doing that. No one really knew how he functioned. Why he did the way he did. Unfortunate to many, the fates kingdoms held and the lives people cherished were all just a speck of dust to him. Nothing more than renewable life forms he could toy with every now and then. Some deities would disapprove of his actions, but none ever stepped up to put him in his place.
No one dared.
“Mortals are disposable. They come and go. That’s how new civilizations are made and how the world adapts. If it happens, happens. But for now, I’ll have my fun.”
The next day, Renjun and Yukhei had planned to meet back at the waterfalls where they’d spend more time together before Yukhei had to go to the neighboring kingdom to attend a peace treaty. Instead, he was met by another man who had the same aura of majesty as Renjun. However, the presence he had was almost all too powerful that it slightly intimidated Yukhei.
He had fought countless intimidating foes before, one that had stood at a greater size than the man before him. Yukhei had been their downfall and made them bow down on their feet in surrender. Those men didn’t faze him one bit. But this man was different. His presence exudes power unlike any being Yukhei’s ever laid eyes on.
“Who are you?” Yukhei asked, but before he could answer, Yukhei suddenly grew weak. The energy slowly being drained from his body.
And then everything turned pitch black.
Yukhei was nowhere to be seen. Renjun had waited at their usual spot since noon and now, the sun was setting and there was still no sign of his champion. He thought about disguising himself and entering the kingdom, but his father had warned him countless times not to get too involved with mortals. Going inside their kingdom and exposing himself too much in their world was going to spell trouble.
But he was worried. Yukhei never made him wait this long.
He was sure nothing devastating happened to Yukhei because then he’d sense it. When a god gave his blessing to a mortal, they would have a bond that would tie up the mortal with the god. The god would know if the mortal was dead or alive or was praying to them in the hopes for better fortunes. It was called an essence. One Renjun had continuously provided Yukhei for years they have been by each other’s side.
So, yes, Yukhei was alive. He was sure of it. And Renjun hoped his essence would remain in Yukhei until he’s found him.
Yukhei woke up feeling heavy in a bed that felt lavish, more comfortable than the one he owned back in his home. The last thing he remembered was his encounter with the individual who managed to make him pass out without even doing anything. It was already night time. The room he was in looked like it was owned by some aristocrat. Expensive furnishings filled the room, and there was a balcony on one side of the room where the moon’s light passed the through the thin curtains that were saying in the breeze. Yukhei could hear the ocean. So, he was far from the kingdom. The ocean was way beyond the kingdom, meaning he would have to fight his way out of the place before he could return to Renjun’s side.
Heavens, Renjun must be worried sick by now.
“Well, hello there, General Wong,” an unfamiliar voice greeted him. A silhouette moved towards him, making its way on the spotlight displayed by the moon, revealing the man he had met at the waterfalls.
“Who are you?” Yukhei asked, groaning as he struggled to lift himself up from the bed.
“I’m Jungwoo, the deity that reigns the skies,” the man replied.
“What do you want from me?” Giving up on trying to move an inch with his body feeling like a magnet to the bed he was laying on, he decided to make sense as to why his captor was doing this to him.
The way Jungwoo moved as he strides toward the bed was almost as graceful as Renjun’s. He moved as if everything, everyone was watching him closely. There was condescending smile curled on his face as he sat on the bed. “You misunderstand, Yukhei. I don’t want anything from you. What I want is you.”
“Why?”
Jungwoo only looked at him, the grin on his face never fading. Eventually, Yukhei could feel the heavy weight on his body growing lighter and now he was able to sit up on the bed. He knew better than to run away and escape. It would be a fool’s tactic to think irrationally in this sort of situation. Yukhei has had way too many brushes with death to think of running away without a concrete plan. Jungwoo could sense that Yukhei was nothing like the others he had kidnapped from the other gods. Usually, they’d go running the second Jungwoo relieved his spell and ended up striking them with lightning before they could go any further. But no, Yukhei didn’t even look fazed as he stared eye to eye with the god of the sky.
“Because General, I want you to be my champion. And if you don’t, I’ll make sure your kingdom suffers and your precious god of victory will lose the people who revere him. And you know what happens when a god no longer has believers.” Blackmail. So this is what it was. Yukhei has heard countless stories of the god of the sky being notorious for causing mayhem just because it amused him. He would be generous to kingdoms here and there, but chroniclers have told it was merely just another ego boost of a deity so drunk in his own power. The very being that held the world in his hands had very little heart for the people that believed in him, only thought of them as something disposable.
This was why Yukhei was always so weary of rituals for Jungwoo. He was never a firm believer in his frivolous graces.
“Specifically, I want to know why you want me to be your champion out of all the generals or men who are your firm believers,” Yukhei’s voice was leveled, always so calm even in the midst of what people would normally fear.
“Because I don’t want to be with firm believers. I want you,” It was a selfish reply. One Yukhei expected from someone entitled to be labeled as the supreme being of the very land he walked in.
“My people need me. They need me to fight battles for them,” Yukhei knew that Jungwoo wasn’t going to sympathize. Why would he when he already put his consequences on the table? And yet, Yukhei wished that a part of him actually cared about the mortals who cherished him.
But no, it wasn’t going to be that way. No one ever comes back alive, sane, or the same whenever they are held captive by the king of the gods.
“I will return you to them, but you have to stay with me here for the time being,” It was a firm proposal. The time was indefinite and if he stayed here long enough, his bond with Renjun might slowly disappear. He might never see the deity again. And even if he did escape, Jungwoo would bring chaos to his kingdom and who knows what might happen to Renjun.
It was hopeless. There was no other way around it. This is how he was going to spend the rest of his life, with inevitable misfortunes already awaiting him at the end of the road.
“You’ll get bored of me,” Yukhei decided to play his game. What other choice did he have? If his indignance was going to anger the god, so be it. There was no way around his situation anymore.
“Oh no, I don’t think I will.”
Renjun eventually found out that Yukhei had been held captive by Jungwoo from his father. It was like his whole world had collided and everything else was crashing down. Everyone knew that if Jungwoo held you champion captive, it was already hopeless. No mortal came back the same, everyone’s fates ended badly. And now, Yukhei, his Yukhei, was going to suffer the same fate as the ones before him.
“Don’t do interfere with Jungwoo’s affairs Renjun,” Kun, his father had told him. They were in his fields in the outskirt of his father’s blessed kingdom. His father had requested to meet only to warn him and tell him what was happening. “I already told you not to get too invested in mortals, but you didn’t listen.”
“But father, Yukhei’s not just a mortal-” Before Renjun could go on, he was stopped by the stern look on his father’s face. Kun was never one to get furious. He was always slow to anger. And Renjun understood that his warnings were only for his sake. But he can’t stand by and watch the man that he loved waste away with the fate that the egoistic supreme being had in store for him. Yukhei’s worth more than anything, any riches, gold, or victories, in this world. If the consequences of fighting for him are going to cost him his title, his life? Then let it be done.
“I’m sorry, father.”