As the summary says, this was my entry for the second edition of Writeathlon Contest. It participated in the Rookie Section and came out in second place. Considering this piece of fic was written quite fastly and didn't undergo any proofreading, I was quite surprised when it came out in the top three. Going over it again, I see a lot of silly mistakes and ways to improve the general writing, but oh well. Maybe I'll post an updated version with most of these mistakes corrected, and maybe expand some parts that I felt they were rushed, but for now, here's the entry as how it was submitted, with no edits. Enjoy! And as always, reviews are always appreciated.
"Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Sabbe Satta Anigha Hontu."
Amidst the dark seas in the middle of nowhere, the monotonous voice of the nun filled the empty surroundings. Her small fishing boat, unfit for sailing on deep seas, weaved through the water, dangerously heaving over at the mercy of the big waves and the strong wind, but this did not faze the monk, who kept reciting the mantras. She couldn't tell how long she had been sailing, or how close she was from her destination, for the skies above her were completely covered in grey clouds. The only way she had to measure time was her prayers, but she had lost the count long ago.
"Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayuh Punya Jñana Pustim Kuru Svaha. Sabbe Satta Abyapajjha Hontu."
After what seemed hours to the nun, she spotted a rock formation consisting of several spiky mounts, standing tall and impervious against the constant and violent clash of the sea. The wind had picked up noticeably and the waves had grown strong and tall enough to flood the small embarkation. The nun took a hisaku –a wooden ladle- from the only box the boat had and started to pump water out, all the while reciting the same prayers over and over again, as if the storm that was approaching wasn't anything to be worried about.
"Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Sabbe Satta-"
Her orisons were suddenly interrupted when she saw, stuck between two rocks, a couple of broken planks floating helplessly amidst the sea foam. Not too far ahead, a long and cylindrical wooden trunk was split in half between another rock formation nearby; what was before the mast of a brig. Anywhere she laid her eyes on the rocky hillocks, she spotted evidence of several other shipwrecks floating around: a rigged piece of fabric; a barrel surfing with the current; remnants of a merchant ship's prow with its siren figurehead covered in moss and mollusks… All those who did not heed –or willingly defied- the warning issued by the ever present storm, the strong winds and the tall waves met their end at that place; the broken pieces of their ships left there as a final reminder of the sure demise that awaited the next embarkation that dared to venture forth.
But the monk knew better than that. The people who captained all those ships were smart enough not to sail through the storm and the rocks. That place had gained an infamous reputation, to the point that new sea routes were made just to circle that particular area. Sailors had already learned to avoid going there, for any ship that tried to cross was never heard of again. Yet there were still reports of ships going missing recently. It was rumored that an angry god or spirit resided there, and used its divine powers to lure any ship that came nearby. Since there were no survivors from any of these shipwrecks, nobody could confirm them, but professional sailors and fishers dismissed those rumors, saying that it was the captain on duty's fault, or just bad luck with the weather.
However, the eldest people at the closest harbor still believed in the legend of the marine ghost that capsized ships out of anger and envy of the living. They were the ones who asked the nun to inspect the zone, just in case there actually was a funayurei haunting the place. If it wasn't for them, she wouldn't be there in the first place, stranded in a fishing boat, fighting the implacable waves, and performing Buddhist exorcism rituals. And the only clue she had about the exact whereabouts of the ship cemetery where the spirit dwelled was only a fragment of the tale from the elders:
"Where unrecorded names and navies rust; where untold hopes and anchors rot; where in its hold the rocks are ballasted with bones of thousand of the drowned. T here, in that awful water-land, there is its home."
Despite having only such an unreliable source, it seemed like the nun had luck and found the place relatively soon. There was one gloomy mystery about those rocks and those shipwrecks in the middle of the sea, whose awful stirrings seemed to speak of some hidden soul beneath.
The monk was so focused in maintain her balance and getting the water out of the boat that she didn't notice the thick fog setting in, obscuring everything further than ten meters away from her. A smart captain would've ordered to turn around or anchor by then, for the risk of hitting a rock or grounding was too high. But the nun, against all common sense, let her fishing boat to be guided by the strong current and the erratic wind. If there really was someone –or something- causing shipwrecks, her boat was already on its turf with no chance to escape. Nonetheless, that kind of spirits like to sink their victims personally, so the nun had confidence in that the funayurei wouldn't lead her to a rock.
"Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. Sabbe Satta Anigha Hontu," the monk kept reciting the mantras over the loud sound of the wind. "Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayuh Punya Jñana Pustim Kuru Svaha. Sabbe Satta Abyapajjha Hontu."
After a couple of minutes of aimlessly wandering through the unnatural fog, the water became calmer and calmer until its surface was almost as flat as a puddle, and the hurricane-like wind died down until it was but a mild gust. The fog, however, got thicker, to the point where the nun couldn't see anything past her ship's bow. The monk stopped her prayers and began to observe her surroundings intensely. She had arrived to her final destination, where the marine spirit was probably awaiting. Soon enough, a dim green light flashed in the distance, like a ghostly lighthouse guiding the lost ship in the storm. Taking a deep breath, the monk took the sculls and began the row towards the light.
"Greetings, lone traveler!" a woman's voice reverberated from several directions at once, startling the nun. "What brings you to this godforsaken place where hapless ships come to die? Has the storm swerved you from your way?"
As the fishing boat got closer the light, the nun could see its source in more detail, despite the fog being thicker than before. Sitting atop a small rocky hummock, there was a girl in her midteens with short black hair, pale skin and teal eyes. Her whole body was emanating the ghostly green light, and she only wore a ragged white sheet that made her look like a beggar, or more appropriately, a castaway. She must be the lingering spirit of a victim, thought the nun.
"On the contrary: they've led me to my goal, though the trip wasn't exactly pleasant," she answered.
"Is that so? It's been so long since someone came here by his own accord. What you could be searching for in this place, I wonder?" the ghost leaned forward, pondering the question with interest. "Let me guess: you must've lost an important person in any of these shipwrecks, and you're searching for his body to give him a proper burial, right? Or are you one of those treasure hunters who're willing to risk their worthless lives to steal whatever treasures these ships might hold?"
"I've lost my brother in the seas, but not here. And my religion forbids me from taking what is not given to me."
"So you're one of those votaries, then. What is a servant of God doing here? Did you come to commend our souls to your saints? How thoughtful of you!"
The last sentence was filled with sarcasm, which indicated the nun that this particular spirit could be holding a grudge against God and religions.
"I serve no god; I merely follow the way of The Awakened One," she corrected.
"'I'm not interested in your deity; I'm asking about you, the person standing in that boat right now," the girl pointed at the nun.
"The Buddha is not a deity: he was a man who- !"
The ghost made an exasperated pout when the nun attempted to explain the true nature of the Awakened One. The monk didn't take the spirit's disrespect well, but she shut her mouth and refrained from answering in an equally rude manner, for the ghost was her only lead to the funayurei.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you! Lately the numbers of ships disappearing in this area has increased a worrisome lot. Some people suspect it's the doing of a funayurei who dwells here, and I've been asked to find it and stop it," explained the nun.
"Ah, I see. So they finally decided to send an exorcist, huh? About goddamn time!" The ghost shot an apologetic glance at the nun when she realized her bad choice of insult. "Um, you don't mind if I use that word, right? It's just my way of speaking; I don't intend to insult your beliefs or anything."
"No offense taken," lied the monk, for the sake of not starting a pointless argument. "I already told you I worship no god. Anyway, could you please point me to where the funayurei is?"
"Yes, I could. But should I?"
"Don't you wish to get your revenge on the maleficent spirit who took your life, spirit? Isn't that why your spirit is attached to this world?"
The ghost girl chuckled.
"So that's how it is, huh?" she murmured. "And what makes you think you can take on that 'maleficent spirit'?"
"I spent days with nothing to eat and drink, I surfed the fiercest waves in this small boat, I fought the strongest winds and currents deviating from my path. The funayurei is nothing but another façade of Death that I must confront," replied the nun, determined.
"Those hardships you speak of are insignificant compared to the power the spirit holds. I'd tell you to leave this place if you hold your life dear, but what can a pitiful soul like me do to stop you from heading to your sure demise, if nothing else could?"
"Tell me where the spirit is, for example," said the nun, pressing the point.
"It was a rhetorical question…" the ghost sighed. "Ah, alright. Who am I to stop people from losing their lives pointlessly, when I was one of them before anyway? I'll tell you, but at least let me treat you to your last drink."
"I'm sorry to turn your offer down, but my religion forbids me from drinking alcohol."
"Seriously? Oh well, your loss," the girl shrugged her shoulders. "I shall serve myself, if you don't mind. My memory gets clouded sometimes, and rum helps me remember."
"Go ahead."
After an approbatory nod from the nun, the ghost shook her hand in an upward movement. Close to the rock, a small barrel of wood surfaced from the water and floated to the ghost's side, who took it between her translucent arms. This didn't escape the monk, who pondered if the girl she was talking to was really a ghost, or if the barrel itself was only an illusion.
"Oh, that's right. Do you have a cup or a glass with you?" asked the spirit.
"Don't you have one?"
"It's… I don't like borrowing things from the ships. Makes me feel like a lowly graverobber, stealing from the place where the dead rest," she said.
"And the rum isn't from the ships?"
"There was a time when I did take food from the ships. It's not like they need it anymore, after all. Then I remembered I don't either, so I quitted," explained the ghost. "But sometimes I find a barrel of rum adrift, and I keep it for old time's sake. Or for special occasions like this."
"Taking the afterlife with a grain of salt, a slice of lime, and a shot of rum, eh?" joked the nun, which made the spirit laugh. "I have a hisaku here, but it's drenched in sea water."
"So is the rum. And I'm not picky with flavors, anyway."
As she handed the wooden ladle to the ghost, the nun noticed a slight mischievous grin on the girl's face, but it quickly disappeared. However, it was enough to make the monk feel unsettled. "I have a bad feeling… Was this a bad idea?" she thought, while she watched the spirit inspecting the spoon intensely.
"Yep, this will do, thank you. Now…" Using the ladle's handle as a crowbar, the ghost opened the barrel's top, and then introduced the hisaku on it, filling it with the dark liquor.
"This one goes to this valiant woman, who in her foolish pride decided to challenge the evil spirit, and for that she will join us by its hand! Cheers!"
The ghost raised the ladle up and titled it, skillfully letting the beverage cascade from the spoon to her open mouth as she gulped it down nonstop. The ghost let out a satisfied sigh, and the nun took that moment to repeat her query:
"I'm afraid I don't plan on staying here for long. Do you remember now where did you last see the funayurei?"
"Mmm, no, not yet." the ghost said, helping herself another spoonful of rum. "You see, wanderer, I have seen many things, for I have been where bell or diver never went. For example…"
The spirit waved her free hand to her left, prompting the nun to look in that direction. Another green light, this time of much bigger proportions, began to shine amidst the fog in the distance. As it got closer, the nun could distinguish the distinctive shape of a merchant barquentine of the 16th century. Although the sea and the wind were calm, the ship was violently swaying to its side, as if it was in the middle of a storm similar to the one the nun fought a few minutes ago. She spotted some human figures running in panic on the deck, but her attention got caught by the one standing still on the bow – the captain of the ship, she guessed.
"I saw this barquentine, smuggling an illegal shipment of… spices, was it? Doesn't matter. Apparently they were several days late, and the captain decided to recover time by taking a shortcut here, despite the storm threatening to vault the vessel over. His crew knew it was suicide, but he wouldn't listen to them. This was going to be his last trip; he was going to spend the money he'd get for the cargo to retire and to buy a house for his wife and son, but he had to arrive to his destination in time to get paid."
Suddenly, an orb of white light jumped from the seas and wrapped on the captain's arm. His silhouette fell from the bow like he was being pulled over by the light, and plummeted into the sea until both the orb and the captain's green light faded in the dark sea. Soon after that, the vessel finally vaulted to its board, making the rest of the sailors slip and fall to the water as well. As the ship began sinking, the light that it emanated flickered and turned off as well, putting an end to the ghost's illusion.
"What… What did just happen to the captain?" muttered the monk, confused. "The funayurei? The funayurei did it," she said, as realization struck her.
"Correct," nodded the ghost. "But it was him who brought this end upon himself. His greed and his over-eagerness proved to be their demise. The funayurei only shackled the weight that sunk him and his crew to the deepest nook of the ocean; but he was already headed towhere the final harbor lies, whence they'll unmoor no more."
"Why are you showing me this? How will this help me to find the spirit?"
"No, don't you see it? You're about to make the same mistake!" exclaimed the spirit, pointing at the nun with the ladle. "You're so determined and eager to complete your duty that you ignore all the warnings that are being issued to you. Keep it up, and you'll join that poor lad under the sea very soon."
"But he certainly wasn't expecting it. I do," the nun argued.
"Readiness doesn't necessarily determine the outcome of a conflict. There are some foes you just can't beat, no matter how prepared you are. Too many people have learned this the hard way…"
The ghost took another sip from the ladle, and then waved it to her right, where another ship-shaped light appeared out of nowhere. This time the vessel was much smaller, only slightly bigger that the nun's boat, and its crew members consisted of a man and a woman of apparently similar age. By the way they were so close to each other, it seemed that they were lovers or engaged. But what picked the monk's curiosity this time was another orb of light floating a few meters in front of the couple.
"Take this lovely couple, for example," narrated the ghost for the second time. "If I recall correctly, they were members of rival families, but these two were completely enamored. You know, the typical; both families didn't approve of their secret affair, and the two lovebirds decided to take a ship and sail to another place where their love couldn't be fettered. But destiny, fate, or luck decided otherwise, and they ended up here because of the storm. Matter is, unlike the guy before, they knew of the funayurei. And when it appeared, the two valiantly faced it, for they believed their love was true, pure and strong enough to fight their impending doom."
"How hopelessly romantic," conceded the nun.
"Indeed. You can imagine how it all went down."
The ghost chuckled at her inadvertently (in)appropriate choice of words. Meanwhile, the orb of light that represented the funayurei flashed ever so brightly, and a few seconds later, a green bolt came down from the black clouds and struck the boat's mast, setting the sails on greenish flames.
"The spirit, for some reason, was feeling benevolent, and decided to test their so 'unshakable' love," continued the ghost. "To put it short, it promised to let one of the two live if the other was willing to sacrifice his or her life."
"And that's being benevolent?" gasped the nun in horror. "That's outright sadist and cruel!"
"Considering it doesn't let any people alive, I'd say that offer was rather generous. But anyway, I'll spare you the melodramatic part and skip to the end."
The nun could see the two lovers share a last farewell hug, as the fire spread all over the boat. But, in a sudden turn of events, both of them jumped to the sea, still locked in their passionate embrace, and plummeted into the seas just like the captain from the first illusion did.
"Yes, they couldn't let their other half to die, so they decided to meet their death together. Now ain't that tragic?" the ghost drank another spoonful of rum. "Truly a senseless waste of lives. What's the point of dying to prove your love, if you can't be with your beloved one at the other side?"
"Who are you to question their feelings? You don't know what lies beyond Death, since you're stuck in this world. For all you know, their souls might have reunited in Nirvana."
"Ah, that's where you're completely mistaken, again. Their souls are still lingering at the bottom of the ocean, among thousands of others," the girl took another sip. "And for your information, I did see what awaits when you die. I have been where bell or diver never went, remember?"
The grin the ghost flashed at the nun made the woman even more uncomfortable, and a unsettling suspicion started to grow on her mind. Why was she telling her all those stories of fellow victim, and what does she accomplish with that? Was she honestly trying to talk the nun to stop her, or was she trying to buy time for the funayurei? Did she really know where it was? Or was she…?
"Tell me, sister, do you feel peaceful and relaxed whenever you contemplate the sea?" asked the ghost, after drinking yet another cup of rum.
"Yes, meditation and water are wedded forever, as they say," answered the nun.
"Have you ever wondered why? Surely this is not without meaning. Consider it; and then turn to the docile earth you left behind. Consider them both, sea and land. Do you not find a strange analogy to something in yourself? For as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of man lies one lone island, full of peace and joy, encompassed by all the horrors of the half known life."
The ghost stood up and stomped in the rock she sat on all that time, as if to make her point. The nun stayed silent, as the girl dramatically waved to the area behind her. Like the two previous illusions, a pirate galleon closed in through the fog. The ship wasn't particularly big, but its long beak, the four lateen-rigged mizzenmasts, and the beautiful crafting on the square gallery at the stern off the captain's cabin proved that the Palanquin –the name the nun saw engraved on the ship's freeboard- was amongst the finest boats ever made, even though the monk wasn't too knowledgeable about ships.
However, her attention was immediately grasped by the small girl walking the plank on the starboard. She was holding in her hands an anchor, strapped on her feet by a cord, and she was being forced to advance by the pirate captain's sword pressing on her back.
"That girl…" Despite being still far away from her, the nun noticed the cunning resemblance between the girl of the illusion and the ghost standing in front of her.
"Born and raised on the boat, shy yet proud, she aimed to become a pirate, for it was the only life she knew," the ghost's voice was filled with melancholy. "She was treated as nothing more than a slave by the pirate crew, for she was the unwanted daughter of the captain and one of the prostitutes they'd captured. Despite that, she kept on working for them, for it was the only life she knew. Until the day she was caught stealing food from the cellar, and the one who she called 'father' made her walk the Table of Death."
The slave girl lost her balance when she reached the end of the plank, which budged under the weight of the girl and the anchor combined, and fell to the sea head first. As the pirates on deck laughed soundlessly, the girl sunk and sunk at high speed in the ocean because of the anchor, but her light didn't fade out in the darkness unlike the other two illusions.
"As air escaped her mouth and water filled her lungs, she saw the infinite darkness that lied beyond. Rejected by those who she considered family, she embraced the darkness as she abandoned her previous life… And she understood. She understood why she always felt so connected to the sea, why did she see herself in the ocean every time she looked at its surface… the image of the ungraspable phantom of life. And she thought, 'This darkness is what there is after dying. This darkness is where we came from, and where will return to. This darkness if Life! I should show it to my family! And everyone else!'"
The ghost's voice was now tainted with maniac laugher, while at the same time, the silhouette of the drowning girl changed shape and morphed into the orb that appeared in the other two illusions. It was at this point where all pieces fell to their place in the nun's mind.
"You're-!"
"Finally! Do you get it now? I have been where bell or diver never went!I am Minamitsu, the marine spirit, and I will make you see the Darkness that waits before Death, the Darkness that envelops Life!"
As she revealed her true identity as the funayurei, the orb of light flied into the sky, revolving the clouds around it. Soon, the wind started to pick up again, the fog cleared, and heavy rain fell all of sudden.
"I now know you, evil spirit, and I now know that your right worship is defiance!" shouted the nun over the rising storm. "To neither determination nor love were you kind, and even for hate you can't but kill! The sea has kept your lingering spirit up, but drowned the infinite of your soul!"
"And so will yours, once I'm done with you, monk! Now fall out of your ship and bathe in the cursed oceans!"
Minamitsu, using the ladle she got from the nun, splashed some water into the monk's boat. At the same time, a huge wave approached from the East and swallowed the Palanquin ship whole, and it now got closer and closer to the nun's small boat. There was no way she could survive that, the monk realized. She had to stop the funayurei before it was too late.
"Give not yourself up to Darkness! There is a wisdom that is woe; but there is a woe that is madness," exclaimed the nun. "Even if your time in the Saṃsara has ended, I can still show you there's another thing besides Sunyata after death! I can show you the way of Light!"
"Oh please, spare me the mystical crap! Say your last prayers, priest! Harbor Sign: Eternally Anchored Ghost Ship!"
Illusionary anchors made of magic appeared around Minamitsu and shot forward towards the nun, surrounding her and pinning her down with their not-so-illusionary chains. The nun had no way to defend herself against the incoming tidal wave. When it finally came, her ship vaulted over violently, hopelessly sinking the monk, who was dragged down by the weight of the multiple anchors.
"Can you feel it? The air escaping your lungs? The water crushing your limbs from the inside?" Minamitsu was diving at the nun's side, keeping up with her speed, all the while flashing a mischievous smile. "Don't worry, it'll be over soon. Soon you'll be freed from the shackles of your body, and you'll embrace the Darkness that lies at the bottom of this sea. And then you'll understand…"
The spirit stopped midsentence when she saw the nun's face. It was not a pained expression, nor a pathetic pout to try and hold as much air as possible. It wasn't the horrified face of someone who knew his life was going to end, neither the resigned look of someone who accepted his fate. No, the face the nun was showing was that of absolute tranquility and focus, totally unfitting for someone about to drown.
"What's with that face? Don't you see you're about to die!? Stop, I don't want to see it! Disappear already!"
After strapping more anchors to the nun's body until she couldn't sink faster, the funayurei left her and 'swam' upwards. Once she surfaced from the water, she sat on the stone for a little while, contemplating the storm she had created. Her mind was still confused; it was the first time she ever saw that peaceful look in one of her countless victims, and it left her with a rather strange feeling. Shaking her head to dispel those thoughts, she took a last sip of rum, before sinking it down as well.
At that moment, Minamitsu noticed a white light shining under the sea, just where the nun's boat was a few moments before.
"What the…"
The light grew brighter and brighter, while the waves started to shake violently. By some sort of divine force, the wind calmed down, and the clouds cleared, revealing a circle of light blue sky above them. From the raging seas, three long masts started to surface, and soon after the rest of the ship floated in the sky, releasing a bright and pure light like a sun. Minamitsu could do nothing but stare with the mouth agape, for the ship's long beak, the four lateen-rigged mizzenmasts, and the beautiful crafting on the square gallery at the stern off the captain's cabin were recognizable at first sight.
By a miracle, the Palanquin Ship had resurfaced from its place of slumber, brighter than ever. And standing in the top of the main mast, the Buddist monk spoke to the funayurei:
"Oh, the world of Dharma is filled with light," she said in a clear yet clam voice. "I have brought you the proof that there is Light in the unending Darkness, that there is Redemption even in the infinite Emptiness. Now come in your lowest form of love, marine spirit, and I will kneel and kiss you; but at your highest, come as mere supernal power; and even if you send thousands of full-freighted storms, I'll still remain indifferent."
Minamitsu kneeled over, for she knew her powers had been utterly defeated by the light of the monk.
"There is something beyond you, woman… Through you, your bright self, my scorched eyes do dimly see it," muttered the spirit. "With your foundling light and that inconceivable feat you have given me an incommunicable riddle, a small hope. But please, at least tell me your name first."
"I am Byakuren Hijiri, a humble follower of the way of the Buddha. If you follow me, I can show you the way to obtaining the answer for that riddle you speak of, but ultimately it's a road that you must walk on your own."
"Yes, Master Hijiri! Leap up, and sail the skies! I'll leap with you; I'll worship you, if you can show me how wrong I was!"
"Very well, Minamitsu. But first…"
"Yes?"
"We must find you new clothes. A captain shouldn't be wearing a torn out sheet, right?"