Sachihiro van Damage

  I wake with a start, jumping to full alertness with my hand-axe Kata brandished before me with practised speed. I look around with all my senses wild-eyed turning this way and that lest there is an ambush waiting in the deep darkness. Nothing, not a sound besides my own breathing; I sag with a sigh, exhaustion pulling me into a stupor on the floor. A groan escapes me as pain fills my entire body.

  I groan again stretching myself out on the floor as the most painful pins-and needles I’ve ever experienced work themselves through me. I feel wrung out, like an invisible giant wrung me like a wet clothe and laid me here to wake in pain. Memory of what happen comes to me, I was like a feral beast in my hunt of the creatures living here but at some point I must have just passed out reverting back to normal state.

  Honour in Death in its sheath lies an arm’s length away, immaculate as ever. Quiet. Did I kill them all, did I just pass out after a while, what happened? With a tendril of mana cast into my ring a water skin is pulled into my shaking hand. Bringing it to my lips I sip, coughing I breath then sip again until it goes down smoothly. I lay my head back down gently to wait out the spinning of the world.

  I wake with a start Kata coming up ready to swing, nothing, I sigh and sag back down listening to my body. The world isn't spinning as fast, full body pain is now only a dull ache; I coalesce mana into my chest, push it through my extremeties and cast it out as a puff of mist around me, my magic works. Taking a breath I unleash Spirit Aura, awashing in inner strength and clarity that slowly strengthens my body, restoring it even as it strains the ‘spirit valve’ within me. I grimace at the burning pain within me then quickly shutting down that connection. Okay, I seem to be in relative working order; I get to my feet carefully.

  Kata goes back to a loop on my belt and Honour is again harnessed properly on my back. I stretch a bit getting the kinks out of my body. I can’t recall Honour reverting back into its nodachi form, that was a cool shikai though, and the way I cut through those things... How long has it been, I look around impotently then push a tendril of spirit into my other ring producing 9 blood red crystals on my palm, each representing the lifeline of one of my children. Aurora, Ikigai, Nikita, Rayna, Kira, Orochi, Serenity, Anya and Lysandra all alive and still in the same direction. A direction I take unerringly with a limp further into the darkness. 13 children, I've actually fathered 14 children but 13 are left now that Hannah is gone. Saya, Dishna, Anadi and Wind have no blood crystals though, they've been living their lives far from me for the most part. If I die here at least I least something of myself behind...

  I have absolutely no sense of time but it must have been at least 40 hours since I woke the second time and finally I reach a smooth wall. I walk along it, feeling it with my hand as I do. Dust collects under my fingers, old dust that thickens quickly, like taking a deep breath I coalsce mana then sprinkle the dust away with motes of cast water. Since I woke I haven’t had that creepy feeling I got before about this place, that cold aura of the grave has lifted. I wonder if I killed all those creatures... I notice a door a few faces ahead, reaching for Honour-

  I look over my shoulder though my awareness already tells me there is no-one behind me holding me fast. I yank again and again but accomplish nothing but make the harness ride up in an uncomfortable position. Better to investigate this immediately, I think to myself but I can hardly keep still thinking about the possibilities that might lie behind that door. I leave the stuck nodachi unsheatheing Kata and Razor tapping my razor sharp o-katana on the brass handles on this side of the double door, moving back I take a guard stance interpreting what the vibrations tell me about this door.

  It’s taller than I can perceive sextupling me in height, made of wood with brass and iron workings holding the whole thing together. All seemingly mundane but everything else in this place is broken or half dead, how does a mostly wooden door last the ages?

  I back away until I’m satisfied I’ll be able to arm myself against anything coming out quickly enough then take a knee removing my zanpakutō from my back. Bound weapons are comfortable to wear never getting in the way of movement and my hand always finds the hilt even in the heat of battle. My zanpakutō is even more so a part of me than my spirit-bound items so being unable to draw my soul-weapon is alarming on multiple levels.

  I check my weapon for any damage, anything that doesn’t belong. I run my vibrational, mana and spiritual perceptions through it. I sit down place it on my lap and concentrating on her aiming to connect delving into my zanpakutō but nothing happens. I concentrate on our connection clearing my mind fully opening the spiritual connection we... It shouldn’t be this hard to draw my blade from its sheath.

  Groaning hinges and falling dust has me on my feet Honour in hand held like a bludgeon against any oncoming attackers. The only thing that could have made that sound is the door opening. Rethinking my strategy I discard Honour grabbing both Kata and Razor in either hand, nothing comes at me. I strain to hear, to feel, to scent something but get nothing.

  ‘’I do not have the patience to wait all day, stay trapped if you prefer I can come again in a few more months.’’ A raspy voice reaches me making me instinctively flinch, no discomfort. I relax slightly, hopefully this is someone I can pry answers from, there is absolutely no need to make more enemies than I need to. I squat dropping Kata quickly harnessing Honour on my back again then I head towards the source of the sound armed but none threatening, hopefully I won’t spook him.

  Carefully I make my way forward assess my surroundings as best I can, I need to get out and I’m not letting anyone stop me whatever else may come. As I face the door I coalesce mana within, ready to cast a shield at a moment’s notice. A man in black and white shoes meticulously shined, leaning forward on a dark walking stick with gold ornate handle, a dark patchy coat over threadbare woollen jersey stands within. What surprises me most is that I can clearly see the man with my own eyes though nothing else.

  ‘’Who are you?’’ I get out shaking off my surprise moving through the door watching my flanks lest I get ambushed.

  ‘’I am the Acolyte, you may refer to me as Wilson. Who are you?’’ his voice is raspy like an old smoker but his tone is crisp brokering no none-sense. Should I trust this stranger with my identity?

  ‘’Sachihiro, I’m just passing through actually. I would appreciate being directed to the way out.’’ I try to be as casual as I can be but I’m moving carefully. Angling myelf such that I can zip past or through this Wilson any moment.

  ‘’Unfortunately I’m your only way out of here but you’re in luck-‘’

  I launch myself at him with explosive speed, my sword cuts through billowing darkness where the man was standing. Feeling a presence to my left I cast two Water Bolts through my weapons without even turning, I run ahead. My mission is to get out of here-

  The floor is yanked out from under me, literally. A surprised scream escapes me as I fall through darkness losing my breath as I collide with a floor I didn’t see or feel coming, I’m up a moment later unleashing my Spirit Aura. I launch forward now clad in aura enhancing my body even as it exerts my influence on my surroundings. Releasing me from any influence that may be over me-

  WAM!

  I blink picking my head up from the stone floor not having seen where that attack came from, is this an illusion? I get to my feet looking at my foe staring at me from 40m away, in two steps I can get to him but it must be an illusion. How could I possibly be able to see him without any light in the room.

  ‘’Ready to listen? Good. I am the Acolyte of Phosphorus the entity that saved you from forces beyond your understanding when you trespassed into the spiritual. Do not look so doubtful, did you really think there would be no cost to what you did or that you’d ever belong to yourself again? You have joined the game of gods now and you will be useful pawn in my Lord’s plans.’’

  I look at him trying to feel any connection with Honour so I can cut this man down but with every word he speaks a sinking feeling weighs heavy on my stomach. What is this guy saying, but I'm also moving, getting ready for another lung.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  ‘’What the fuck are you talking about?’’ I ask worry already gnawing at me.

  ‘’A number of powerful enteties have a claim on you,’’ he sniffs at me with that upraised noise without much change in his facial expression. ‘’Some a stronger claim than others but either way all will exert their claim on you as is happening across the 7 worlds as we speak. Ah... someone already has a claim on your children, a pity. You would have been good breeding stock, I see by your reaction you know something of what I speak.’’

  I can’t help the seriousness that shows on my face and voice, ‘’what the fuck are you talking about?’’ I am not yet sure how I will do it but this guy will give me answers or I swear by death itself I’m going to cover the floor in his blood. The rage rises with a bubbling boil to the surface easily, I don’t need my zanpakutō or a shikai to protect my family.

  I open myself to the spirit within me, uncomfortably but easily subsumed in what I perceive as smokey wisps of golden flames in the Spiritual Sphere of Influence layered over my awareness. Kata goes back to my waist loop but I keep Razor in my left as I move forward towards this stranger. He isn’t an illusion I discern as he comes under my a sphere of influence, I can feel his body, I can tell that something watches me through his eyes.

  I stop a sword stroke away watching him, ‘tasting’ him under my Spiritual Sphere. Old copper and rust, that’s the taste but it isn’t unpleasant, almost like blood. ‘’You are just a vessel aren’t you?’’ I can tell now that this man is possessed by a spirit, this Phosphorus maybe and with the realisation of what I’m dealing with comes calm.

  Without warning I open myself further to the spiritual digging deep from my bottomless cloud unleashing a Spirit Oppression all around me. Razor cuts through the air with a zing, getting stopped cold on the walking stick. The follow up swing is caught in a fleshy hand an inch from his face, I kick-

  [WAM![

  I get back to my feet quickly this time alarmed by the situation, how is he that fast? How best to deal with spirits? One of the threads in my spirit comes to the forefront of my mind. I know I can use that to summon my contracted spirit creatures, I could leave Kier to fight while I make my escape. If he’s not enough I’ll have to summon the Lilithian creature Zillah-

  ‘’I do not have the luxury of the time paying attention to you costs me,’’ he says casually not having moved from where he now stands unruffled.

  ‘’What do you think is happening outside this hole you’re in?’’ The man moves in an impossible way covering the distance suddenly placing a hand on my shoulder. Visions blear before my eyes.

  Twisting unstable rifts in space are spread throughout what I perceive as a rounded world, spewing different beings and creatures, choking mists and raging fires. Is this Gaia, is this now? Large and swift creatures flood through a countryside slaughtering everything in their paths in a tide of feasting that hardly leaves a native creature alive. A city is overrun by a single band of rogues that overrun the defending mages like they are children, a country sinks into the ground as a volcano erupts and spreads outward, cities burn as cults take governing powers from their previous rulers.

  An isle with a population in the hundreds of thousands shakes uncontrollably before it sinks into the ocean, spouting flipper like legs and a reptilian head it peddles deeper into the ocean towards a portal in the depths that has the water churning above. The civilization that has called its shell home drowns with their home. A mountain explodes upright with a rumbling roar that shakes the ground kilometres around, unfurling it stands breaking the clouds in its height. Then starts stomping at the forest that had grown around it, killing everything within kilometres with the first stomp, the huge mountain creature is visible from days away. Its stomps and rumbling roar reforming the landscape around it.

  I stumble back into myself finding myself in a burning world of colour with an impossible creature standing before me; stumbling again I’m back in a dank cave looking at an impossibly handsome man in a penguin suite leaning his hands gently on an ornate walking stick.

  My mind is racing as I take everything in, this isn’t real. Could this be real, why should I even doubt having already been transported from the undine isle as abruptly as I was. But that didn’t feel like this, that was accompanied by me gaining substantial power plus I got Honour back, which is one of the most real things that has happened to me recently. Could those be illusions though?

  ‘’You think you ever belonged to yourself to begin with?’’ Visions blare before me.

  Before I am born I inherit the curses of my people, growing up I am tied spiritually to my people and land we call home. As a child that declares his dream to the heavens for the first time I tie myself to something, a witch steals something vital from me. In the Titan Mountain Range on at a hidden temple of combined cults I tie myself to something, at the Hito village of Shimane my lifeline is cut in two pieces that grow together but independently of each other.

  My spirit is tied to Saya then Didi, Kuyoki, then Ingwe, Mira ... to my last child who is .. lost.. without a name.. forever.

  I shake myself from these disturbing dreams as twisted ever–hungry creatures latch themselves onto me as time passes, leeching something vital, creating spiritual bonds of karma that tie me tighter and tighter into some form of debt that now weighs me down. I find myself facing a man of fire in a land of fire that doesn’t burn up even though engulfed in golden flames.

  ‘’I do not ask for your worship though it would be appreciated,’’ the burning being says, its voice all around me. ‘’Strike a bargain with me in which I use you, your flesh body from time to time and you will have secrets to power and riches beyond your wildest dreams.’’

  ‘’Ah... no.’’ I’m still shaken seeing the things that have a claim on a piece of me and this thing wants me to add it to the tally of spirit beings to be beholden to. If I had a heart it would be beating outside my chest... I look down on my hand as I realise how strange that thought is of course I have a heart.

  I’m kneeling on the floor before the possessed man with the walking stick looming over me. My arms are laden, my legs jelly that can hardly support my weight; my tongue is heavy and sticking out of my mouth, I’m panting I realise; completely out of breath. In my awareness I can see the steam rising off my entire body, that wasn’t an illusion. I can still remember the taste of the feel of those ever-hungry spirits that I was shown just now.

  ‘’I can also protect you from those that would seek to claim you, conceal you from their sight.’’

  ‘’No spirits,'' I pant ''have a claim on me!’’ I say harshly still unable to rise.

  ‘’I know you are not blind enough to believe that, a being with your spiritual perceptions cannot afford to be so oblivious.’’ A shiver runs through me as I remember a witch that once blinded my eyes and had its way with my brother and Om and I.

  ‘’You have no power over me Spirit, get you gone from me...’’ I whisper leaning on my o-katana I push myself up. I stifle a grunt as I strain, even saliva is heavy in my mouth.

  ‘’If that were true you wouldn’t be here now would you?’’ the man tsks, his face changing in appearance. ‘’You are wearing my patience thin.’’

  So this thing brought me here and not my summoning gone wrong. Eros, the deity of lust and sexual healing. I got a glimpse of what that creature actually is, its every hungry depths, its hedonistic depravities. I shiver as phantom pleasure rolls through me at the remembrance of seeing it in the spiritual vision, the pleasure I felt as it wrapped sinuous tentacles sensually around me-

  ‘’Time is up,’’

  ‘’I cannot give you my body,’’ I say quickly as feel the presence within this man leave. I stifle a shiver of disgust as the thought of another spirit but my own within me. ‘’But I’m sure we can work something out!’’ I add quickly in a slight panic as the thing fades further, I can actually feel my heart beating now. A vague memory of Sapientia the deity of wisdom saying its abandoning me whispers at the back of my mind.

  ‘’You have nothing I value but your body,’’ it says dismissively the man turning away from me.

  ‘’You want to be able to manifest physically!’’ I say quickly then catch my breath as I notice I have the thing’s attention. ‘’I can make that happen for you, easy.’’

  I’m still physically and spiritually exhausted but my mind is a whirlwind as I try to organise my thoughts.

  What the fuck is this spirit pool I’ve landed myself into that has fish of this size and power. I’m cataloguing in my mind the number of times I may have inadvertently gotten myself within something’s debt but also I think some things are in my debt as well. Could it work like that, could I have a hold over one of these creatures too?

  ‘’I want you to help me get out of whatever karmic debts I have ensured, I want to know how I could get others out of this debt. I want those secrets to power and riches you mentioned and also-‘’

  Depth, endless depth, hunger, darkness without end, my awareness fractures ‘’You try my patience to its wick human.’’

  The aura fades as quickly as it had arrived, its all I can do to stop the shaking of my now clenched fists. With a shaky voice I speak, ‘’I will give you a body of your own to claim, if you can.’’

  No strange aura projected through this man comes to smite me, I swallow. ‘’What might that be worth to a disembodied being of spirit perhaps? Or do you thing you can rend my spirit from my flesh yourself?’’ I take a chance and bluff sensing an upper hand. I honestly have no idea how much wiggle room I have but I need to make sure my family is safe.

  ‘’Speak your bargain.’’

  *

  Phosphorus

  Even though it would be a waste I am ready to let this mortal go if it could deliver what it promises, should I even hope? To have a body would mean completely anchoring into this realm, they wouldn’t be able to pry me out without obliterating said body. Even then no spirit would be able to directly move against a physical body; who is this human?

  Could sister spirit Sapientia really have invested so much into this creature as to provide it with the means to do what it boasts, or brother Eros? Was is wise stealing away Sapientia’s investment if she has enough power and influence to provide these means so frivolously, or is this mortal more important than it seems? To have this wealth! The least I can do is hear it out and if it speaks empty words it will earn me my first aspect of torture.

  ‘’Speak your bargain.’’ I say ready to weigh every word it speaks.