Spirit of Fire has had many Warriors over eons. But he will always have only one master.
Author Note: So this is fic focusing on minor character that is very much featured in story of Shaman King- Spirit of Fire, Hao's guardian spirit. It's mostly attempt to give him ( it? them?) some characterization. I think I don't need to say that he is more than little biased. Read, hopefully enjoy and please review and comment.
They say so many things, thinking he doesn't hear. So many bad things about his dear master, so many lies. Small lies and major lies. But for now, he will care only for major ones. For top three of them.
Lie one, his master is monster. Lie so grand that they all deserve to burn and die. Don't they see what master is? How smart and wise he is? How kind and nice he is? How beautiful and strong? Most moral of them all is his master.
Lie two, his master wants to destroy world. Selfish, dumb lie. Master doesn't seek to end life or blow out stars or rip away space. He concentrates only on this planet, and seeks to free it of parasites and abominations. If he truly wanted to end the world, he wouldn't be Spirit of Fire's master.
Which brings them to the last lie. Lie three-his master stole him. Foolish lie, made by foolish guardians, tribe who couldn't fathom the truth.
He is not thing to be stolen and taken away. Master didn't use any force or trickery. Spirit of Fire follows him willingly.
And so he will forever, till the end of time, and after that too.
Once, there was nothing. And then there was him.
King of Spirits, Source of all souls, the Great One, the Progenitor willed him in existence. Shaped him from their own soul, brought him into existence by their endless power.
He was young and small, for time has just begun, and he and his siblings dwelled within their creator, for universe has not yet been created.
There were five of them, as there were now, but they were not mixed and connected as they are now. Small flame, spark of light, that was all he was. Others were small and weak too, less than atoms- proud Thunder was but charge of electricity, strong Earth but grain of sand. Mighty Wind was but small particle of gas, floating in void, and wise Rain was less than a drop.
That was what they were, at beginning. They didn't have aspects, nor were they materials that existed now. They were still prototypes, a states of matter and energy. Solid, gas, liquid. Electricity and heat and light, that was all they were. That was enough.
Then, after who knows how much time, King of Spirits made new creation- space. It too was small back then, smaller than centimeter. but it grew and became what it was now, and so did they.
They were forces of nature, pure, undiluted elements. They were whole and powerful, mighty enough to tear universe apart. Spirit and element, distinction wasn't so important back then.
But they joined, bonds no creature has ever known before, bond exceeded only by connection to King of Spirits, to whom all things owe existence. Body and soul melded, as they joined, becoming connected on some primal level, becoming something new, more powerful, more sacred.
Becoming nature.
Universe in chaos for some time. There were no borders, no gates. Whole universe was an ocean, and within water, they all were contained. but time came for that to change.
Once again, King of Spirits stated their will, and so it was. for first time, they were separated ( He doesn't know if it hurt, if it was strange. He could not feel, back then). Chaos was subdued, and Rain had to retreat, as they were broken in pieces.
From him and Wind stars were formed, and he and Earth became planets. They changed and grew, gaining many different aspects- he was light and fire and heat and dryness and warmth, Earth was stone and soil and metal and gravity, Wind was oxygen and sumpour and so many other gases, and sky and atmosphere and air. Water became sea and rivers and ice and clouds and thousand other liquids, while Thunder became static and lighting and magnetic fields.
They were broken, but connected. It was beautiful, what they could do together.
New souls came next, shaped from them. Small spirits and mighty gods, creatures that could think and know and learn. But they had no body, and could not interact with them. Some remained in universe. Other departed for King of Spirits, and shaped world in them, bringing pieces of him and his siblings back to point of their origin.
And then one day King of Spirits made new thing. Something that had body but could think and move of it's own accord. It's body was shaped from Rain and Earth, fueled by Wind and Lighting. And at end, he was placed inside it, joined with power of King of Spirits.
They called it life.
They weren't made with mind. Weren't gifted with intellect and sentience. Dull, stupid things with no will or thought of their own.
Progenitor gave it to spirits and gods, to pieces of their soul and power they took from them. they gave it to living, to microbes and plants and animals. Some more, some less.
He can't be sure why they haven't been given same gift. Why pieces of them would receive minds and hearts, but not whole. Maybe Progenitor forgot? Maybe they never intended to do so. maybe they did, but ( as rumors claim) a Shaman King, afraid of nature turning against humanity for their sins, took their minds away and made it so they never had them, and progenitor did nothing.
Whatever the reason, Spirit of Fire remembered. Remembered and never forgave.
There was no sound, no color ( but no dark either). None of senses he had, back then. he could not even sense other souls, hear their songs and taste their power.
Sometimes, he can watch through pieces of him scattered over world, worshipped and served if strong and divine, or bound and bargained with if not. But not then, and for that he is thankful ( too many places and times, too many beings and forms, he can't watch through them all, can't remember all personalities they have. Too painful too strange).
He had nothing back then, nothing bur burning and hunger. And pain. horrible, tearing pain that shook his entire soul. It started when humans came, made strong by him ( he made them warm and taught them how to cook and fight, he saved them from dark and cold and things that go bump in night, and that is his sin). At first it was small, but as he and his siblings gave more and more, humans stole still, their greed never satisfied.
They tore Earth and shaped her into homes, took metal from his bowels. They poisoned Wind and Rain and killed trees and animals, upset very balance of spirit world, all in span of less than lifecycle of one star.
They were connected and bound beyond measure, five of them, siblings by soul. They felt each other's pain. Soon, humans would enslave them all, and then they would reach for other planets and mutilate them too, and then they would grab towards stars for fuel and power and…
If he had mind, back then, he would have let them all freeze.
Shamans were to be links between two worlds. Between living and dead, spirits and men, mortals and gods, civilization and nature. They were to care for balance, and to protect it.
There must never be too much or too little of anything. Life and death, order and chaos, destruction and creation, preservation and ruin. They must exist side by side, aiding and complimenting each other, one unending cycle, the eternal dance.
Disbalance leads to discord- an evil, blasphemous and dangerous thing. When this happens, it is job of shamans to correct the balance. That can be done by allying with opposing force, one that is weakened. But this is dangerous, and often unpractical. Some could even call it toying the line between right and wrong.
What must be done is this: you must use them in tandem, bringing by another. Save life by killing. Preserve by ruining. Create by destroying.
Shamans should have acted. Should have stood against humans and their greed, and helped him and his siblings. But they fell prey to that same corruption, same wickedness inherent in humanity. Caring for ''good'' and ''evil'' as humans knew it, caring for money and life and small differences humans invented ( what nation are you from, what ruler do you side with, what religion are you) and joined humanity, living side by side with them.
Some claim that they still serve balance. Don't they plant trees and nurse animals, don't they clean rivers and lakes and advise humans how to live together with nature? Choosing the second option, toying the line, and even then it is too small, too minor to make difference. Only torn kingdoms and seas of human blood and ashes, ashes raining down from the sky as their cities are ground to pieces and woods reclaim what they lost will make it all right.
Shamans learned greed, and they learnt mercy. They betrayed them. Spirit of Fire forgets and doesn't forgive ( and sometimes-this he never tells master- he thinks that shamans too are far gone, that they all deserve to burn, and that only things left on planet should be beasts and woods and his beautiful, kind master).
If he had mind, back then he would have despaired. Were it some other planet, some other species, spirits would have fought back and gods would mete out punishment for their sins. But this is humanity, and Shaman Kings see themselves as part of it, though they are shamans and bound into one with King of Spirits ( he prefers not to think what it means, what it may be. Better abandonment and carelessness then disdain and condemnation. Better to think, our Creator doesn't care for us and only watches time unfold then to think that they agree, that they allow humans to do this, that they find this right) and no god, no matter how powerful, can hold but a candle to such power.
Fate of nature rests in hands of shamans. They need king, not king of men and mercy and greed, but king of leaves and rocks and truth, king who would correct this disbalance.
And one day, thousand years ago, hope is born. A creature that could feel their pain, that could channel their power, shaman who could control all aspects of nature ( impossible, they would say, foolish mortals. Such powers only gods can possess. They don't stop to think, that if after death, ghost can be made into nature spirit and saint and god, perhaps with enough power, enough truth and humanity's hatred, process can start while soul is still alive).
They could not think, not yet, but something about that soul pulled them, as magnet calls iron, pulled them towards this soul who can understand that which doesn't think, prompting them to grasp him and channel their power and pain through him, and take his loyalty and love for themselves ( voices, master later tells him, silent voices that had no words but screamed and begged and sang and cried and thanked, voices that were soft and quiet unlike thoughts, unlike hearts, voices that comforted and loved him, that showed him past and future, and he knew what he had to do).
Second later, it is gone but remains, dead but bound to them as they are bound to each other. Still powerful, still magnificent and raw and wild, promising to return.
Centuries pass in eye blink, foreign power humming softly. And then one day it is back, stronger than ever, closer. Close to place where their main souls rest, where spirits and essences of their primal nature are, tools and weapons to be used by Warriors chosen by fate.
Sometimes nearer, sometimes farther, presence is there, pulling at them, seeking. And one they it comes.
It comes and comes ( and speaks, asks, that is what master told him, he spoke from beginning, confessing to doubting tribe's legends, doubting them, for how could they be mindless if he ehard their voices in back of his mind? If he felt their soul caress his own?) and one day, Spirit of Fire hears.
Word, you, spoken in tribe's language, a personal pronoun. Hears word and tone and understands meaning, knows it's directed at him.
They don't think, not yet, but soon they will.
Master comes and comes, grows each day, on years for end, never giving up, never faltering. He speaks- songs and poems and stories and chatter and plans, and with each word Spirit of fire takes piece of mind, takes concepts and feelings and ideas. maser's mind and will flow through five of them, and they take it and transmute in their own.
And one day, Spirit of Fire feels texture of brother/sister Earth, feels sibling Wind around him, and sees world- in red shades, and only shadows and bent shapes, and master, giant and shining and with soul that sings with million notes and thousand melodies, and it seems that all of world's laments are contained with it.
'' Well, that is enough for now. Goodbye.'' He says- he knows what he says, understands what he means, feels him around himself- and goes to sneak out, back to bed and his current family.
Spirit of Fire, for first time in memory, moves of his own accord. Moves his grand arm and opens his wide jaws and roars. he speaks to master, not with words but with bare meanings, pure ideas that fill him.
Stay. More.He demands,, and master laughs and says something and Spirit of fire feels pride and victory and joy coming from creature that shares their pain.
He likes those feelings. And he likes them on this being.
They learn. they grow. they know. They plan. They wait.
They knew pain. Now they know what rage means, what betrayal is. They know fear but also hatred, they know sorrow and resentment, but they know hope and stubbornness as well.
They find love in these words, words and minds that have been denied to them. He learns about different languages, about different ways to say word, different rules. Wind demands songs and Earth feasts on children's tales, as Thunder consumes ancient dramas and legends and works of art ( tale of Genji is master's favorite, or so it seems) while Rain is satisfied with tales of normal people and their lives.
He can smell and touch now, as well and even better than mortal. He can even taste, bitter and sweet and saline.
Master's soul is grand and shining, pillar of light and power rising far above, singing it's magnificent melody, but Spirit of Fire still treasures first moment he laid eyes upon master's body of flesh and blood and bone.
He still maintains that it was prettiest thing he ever saw ( aside master's current body, of course).
In darkness, he and his siblings converse. master gave them mind, and they can stretch it far beyond beginning of this world, to see everything that happened to them, to flames and winds and rocks and drops and lightings since time began.
They feel so young, and so old at same time.
'' Can we trust him? He isn't one of our souls.'' Lighting speaks through bond they have, speaks in images and feelings and intentions, but this is what she means. Bright she blazes and slightly crackles, white and purple storms threatening to emerge and char whole village to coal.
'' And that is why we must trust him. He is shaman, and our chance to be free. With him as the King, we would be unbound.'' Slow and cold is rain's voice, as cutting as that of glass, though also follow. Today, Rain is she and trusting and cold ( water is element of change, and so she changes day by day, in form and mind, though it is always wise, always omnious and filled with strange secrets).
''How can you be sure that he will keep his promise? That he isn't using us?'' Thunder almost growls, and were it not for patience of all of you binding her as her anger binds you, she would have gone out and tore world apart and fought against humanity.
'' He gave us mind and words. You felt it, how he is bound us. And yet he isn't a Warrior.'' He says, ready bite if needed, and there is shine of rage in Thunder's eyes before she retreats. That is true. Master can manipulate them in way none before could so, first shaman on the planet ( Earth, they called it, and his brother-sister growled) to master pentagram. He is connected to them, in way others are not, and still he isn't Warrior, only shaman to be granted control over them ( as if they were weapons, toys for some foolish children).
'' Shamans betrayed us.'' Rain speaks, and in her voice there is sorrow, sorrow unfitting personality she bore moments ago, sorrow that could drown universe thrice over.'' They turned us and betrayed us for humans, and refuse to keep balance. But he thinks as we think, and seeks to remove the contagion as we do.''
Right. It is so obvious. He knows not where Thunder got idea that master could be using them for sake of humans from.
'' He is nice.'' Wind whispers, poor, innocent Wind that couldn't bear pain and betrayal of humans, so they retreated and remains fearing what they will unleash upon them all.
'' He hates them almost as much as we do.'' Earth, mother of strength and form, father of life and food speaks, and they are convinced. Of them all, Earth was most giving and so suffered most. Earth's hatred runs deep, seeking nothing less than complete annihilation of humanity,and for moment he wonders if Earth didn't gain mind much earlier, if Earth didn't seek out young shaman and whisper poison against mankind in his ears and heart.
Plan is made, between six of them. When time comes for fight, and when as one of ten priests master oversees all contestants, he will enter the Fight himself ( so many holes in rules, so many things their guardians never thought about), taking one of them as his guardian spirit.
Spirit of Fire hopes it will be him. He has no reason though.
Thunder is brave and angry, and will fight down to last of her souls. She is warrior, fighter by her very nature, fast and strong as durable. She would be fantastic ally.
Earth may be slow and silent, but his/her hatred is greatest, and it shall not hesitate in slightest. It will turn weapons against master's enemies, it will crush them all to pay for price of children it lost, woods and animals humanity destroyed. earth is everywhere, and so easy it would be to manipulate it for master.
Wind is childish, and innocent and scared, but they are element as well, and have no mercy in their heart. Like Earth, they surround this planet, and are fast and hard to hurt. They like master, see him as mentor and surrogate brother, and master would surely be happy with them.
Rain is most like master, even though it changes so often. but it is always wise, most old and least young in mind of them all. Like master, it plans and adapts and cannot be surprised. Rain is wise and calm, but those who rouse it's rage shall all drown, for it shall not be conquered and chained.
What does he have to offer?
''You are best when it comes to killing. Fastest, most painful, most efficient in eating.'' Rain explains.'' You are also element that has been interfered with least, and will remain so in future.'' Not considerate today, Rain is, and he is right. Fire gave humans chance to arise, fire must fix it all.
'' They fear you most because of that. And in case that we require contingency'' he growls and snarls, for master surely won't die, but Rain makes him go quiet with glare '' you are best suited for travel across hell.''
'' Not to mention, you have greatest connection to him. In case he faces off against true warrior, you will be hardest for them to overtake. '' Spirit of Fire would have blushed if he were human.
'' So, Spirit of Fire, will you be mu guardian spirit? Will you aid me in my quest to win Shaman Fight, till i reach Great Spirits? Will you help me create utopia?'' Master really likes to make it all formal.
Spirit of Fire accepts, his approval like storm raging at master's senses.
And no, he didn't squeal.
Escape is surprisingly easy. Master takes him and they run, routes and shifts memorized, spells disabled, spirits consumed.
One from tribe faces against master, so full of faith and belief that he is one who can control heat and light. It takes second for Spirit of Fire to tear through him and burn his soul.
Master feeds him well. Ghosts and nature spirits and demons and even some gods. He thinks no shaman ever gave him such meal.
He is light and heat, and all life is part of him, his gift to these creatures. they owe him that. Their souls are his right.
Transformation techniques, the yin-yang jutsu. Shamans shouldn't be capable of that.
Shamans shouldn't be capable of many things, yet his master can do it all.
It is strange feeling, as he transforms in one of his siblings. Bonds between them are even tighter in those few moments, for this is his essence, his primary soul, and yet element surrounding him is one of others.
It is perhaps similar to Hyoi 100%. two wills in one body, melding into one. Or two souls bonding into new being, as gods and demons can be born.
He thanks master for that, and master graces him with his smile.
The two tailed cat is there.
Master told him, about friend and servant who betrayed him alongside his first family, who delayed salvation of nature for five hundred years.
How dare he? He was graced with master's presence, with his friendship, and he refused it to help humans? Foolish spirit, mangy traitor. Hate fuels Spirit of fire in way thousand souls could not.
Master talks about him as enemy, as traitor who shall burn. But Spirit of Fire sees hesitation in master's limbs, sees surprise and longing in his gaze, knows that master wants to scream and cry.
Knows that master still misses damned cat, that he trusted him and told him things Spirit of Fire will never know.
He wonders if cat will burn, if master will allow that.
He hates cat even more.
Master dies. master dies. master dies.
He wasn't good enough, wasn't strong enough, didn't do his job well and master is dead and then his oversoul breaks and he is without body, without form.
Master gazes on cat and descendant ( does he see failed friendship? Does he see his lost children, turned away from him?), and allows himself to die. he could have healed himself, but he lost and victory is more important than his life.
With last remaining strength, Spirit of Fire descends upon master's body and cremates. he deserves at least this much, and now his lying families will never have it.
He knows it is foolish, but hopes that cat felt his hatred, noticed his glare through fight.
Hell isn't so bad. There are demons and nightmares and his strength is bitten away, but his mater's will is strong and his powers are that of god, and Lords of hell fall before him.
Five centuries, spent training, spent learning and waiting, with only each other for company.
He likes it.
There are bad days.
Master's will and mind are great, but what he faces is powerful and thoughts of humanity… Spirit of fire would shudder if he had body.
Master tries to keep it in, to smile and look healthy. But reishi hard curse and hard destiny, and it wants nothing more than to exist and torment it's host.
Sometimes oni come out. Some try to destroy master, and are destroyed in turn, either by master himself or by him. Sometimes they do nothing, and master lets them go away, to other Hells. And sometimes they bark and purr and play like dogs and cats, asking master to pet them, and he does, before he takes them back in himself.
Sometimes he locks down. Lies, curled like child, too much thoughts and feelings and desires, and locks himself in, to avoid attack of so much information ( sounds, sound and screams and words are worst of them all, so loud, master says once), and Spirit of Fire cares for him as much as he can, taking him away to somewhere lonely and silent, coaxing master out of his shell, to avoid burnout.
Sometimes, he breaks. He screams and cries and lashes out at nothing and everything, tearing very fabric of hell with his power, his might, force enough to shatter mountains and part seas, and cries until he collapses ( Matamune ran, once master whispers, and it pleases Spirit of Fire so much).
They tell nobody about this. Nobody can know. Master won't allow any to know about weakness ( falter in strength, more like), about weapon to use against him.
Spirit of Fire is silent.
People wonder what gives his master such power. Spirit of Fire knows.
Each person is born with limit, a maximum amount of power they can posses. Ultimate furyoku they can achieve. And once they get near it, they notice that ceiling is cramped, too low. They fit their home.
But master doesn't have ceiling, doesn't have home. He is far too wild,far too fond of freedom to be chained and trapped like that. He is mighty and unconquerable, and his home isn't part of any city or country. He is of wide woods and open sky, of proud mountains and sharp lodes of metal, of fast lighting and scorching, boiling aspect of Spirit of Fire that dwells in planet's core, of stars and blizzards and ocean's dark depths. he has no place amongst humans.
Lonely power, he heard somebody say it. Spirit of Fire finds it magnificent. master agrees ( but his eyes are lost and far away).
Master's soul breaks and separates, strain of too far many oni contained within. A new being is born from it, as gods and spirits came from fire and his siblings.
Master is truly like god. But his brother…
His brother isn't wild or powerful or bound to them as master is. He is shaman, one of those annoying, idiotic ones who think they do good by helping humans. And he sin't connected to master, but seems to be much more, his own person. And dares, dares oppose master ( and fakes being kind), master from whom he came. He is so much like damned cat whose necklace he wears.
He should burn.
But master laughs and tells Spirit of Fire to let it go ( always too easy on family, his master, should have let him kill the man who now wears bird mask, but that would have made problem for his sibling. Should have left him kill his disloyal wife and son, but let them live and join guardians. Should have killed his first children, but let them live and sire children of their own and form army to face him).
He knows what will happen when master takes throne. Will send him away, for he no longer needs him. It bothers fire not, for finally true King will reign, king who will right injustice, and Progenitor will care for something else but humans, and world will be filled with only peace and balance and shamans using their powers for something else then fighting and helping humans, keeping balance as they were meant to.
He could go back to his Warrior. He could fight against master, and they all know it would be useless against power he can unleash now.
He will still visit master. His pretty, perfect, kind and wise and brave master. And whatever master demands him to be- cat or mouse or snake or pet or parent or lover or friend or servant- Spirit of Fire will make himself into that.