True Love for a Maniac

I walked by the lake. Another spirit wreaking havoc in the village I resided. It took me a long time to defeat this one. At merely ten years old I was already the strongest Shaman in my hometown. I was still too weak…it annoyed me because I want to be a legend. Known throughout the land as the saviour of the people! It had been my dream…it still will be! I smiled and continued forward until I reached the outskirts of my village. I walked down the paths until I reached my home, stopping before I entered.

I chuckled and smoothed my hair down, leaning over the fence. I watched a young girl, about eight or nine, cleaning the clothes for her handicapped mother. She had been the one I loved, before I'd even taken an interest in girls. She was beautiful. Smooth, fair skin. Rosy lips and cheeks. Bright dancing blue-green eyes. Middle length blonde hair. She was like me. Poor. Deprived of normal things a kid would have. We were peasant class. The only thing that was different…I was a shaman whereas she was human. I didn't care. I loved her. I don't think she knew…not then. Sure, we'd smiled, exchanged words…pleasantries…we were neighbours after all.

She looked up as I shivered. What can I say? It was cold! I smiled at her and she smiled back. Gods she had a lovely smile. It was one of those that could make everyone smile. I went into her yard and sat with her, helping her to clean the clothes, and chatted. As usual she was shy. She didn't know much about magic, furyoku or spirits but she did know that I was one and could communicate to the other world. For that she respected me. Was nervous around me but she was impressed. She asked me many things about my life. I answered everything she threw at me as she listened in fascination.

She was the only one who could get me to talk freely. Normally I was a quiet kid. A loner. I loved fire you see. No one dared go near me for fear of being burned. She knew this and while others avoided me…she stayed. She made me feel whole. She was the only friend I had. But I loved her. She was more than a friend to me.

When her mother died I was there for her. I was the shoulder for her to cry on. Her mother was the only one besides her who lived in the house. I kept with her. Made sure she was ok. If she were scared I'd be there. I spoke with her mother once or twice and channelled her through me. Though it was my body it was her mother holding her. It made me feel special though. The fact I could hug her. She helped me as I helped her.

Even when I set my home on fire. She comforted me. She let me stay with her. She helped convince the people not to exile me. She told them she had lit a fire in her yard that had spread. She got in trouble for that…and asked that I stay.

When I was fourteen I started learning how to master all points of the Unity Star. It was important that I learnt to counteract the attacks of my foes. She supported me, though she knew nothing of it and with her help, I eventually managed it. I was nineteen at the time, she was seventeen. I was over the moon. It meant I could control my powers completely. It was then that I was asked to defeat two monsters. I knew them as Shikigami. Both humans and Shaman could see these creatures. They were unlike any other demon. Until I had mastered the five points I could never have defeated them.

It was then I realised I could hear their thoughts. I was a telepath. I didn't mean to listen to them. It was something else I had to learn to control. I would have…I wanted to…but then I heard them.

"He's so strong. We have to get rid of him."

"Who knows what he's done. He could have put a spell on us."

"We can't let him be around our women and children."

"He is a plague. He is here to kill us."

I couldn't believe it. The people I had wanted to save…the people I had grown up with. They wanted me dead. They didn't trust me. It broke my heart. I wanted to be here…to protect them. But they wanted to turn me away…treat me like a fugitive. I went back to my 'home' and sat down. I rested my head in my hands. There was nothing I could do.

She came to me. She had been working in the vegetable patch ready for dinner. She didn't say anything. Just sat next to me and hugged me. We watched the fire I had made…the flames licking at the logs. I could feel my rage slipping away. The fire soothed me.

It was late when I woke up. I couldn't remember falling asleep. The first thing I smelt was burning. My eyes bolted open as I sat up quickly. My home…her home…our home…damnit it was on fire!

My brain wasn't connected to my head. All I could think about was where was she? I was calling her name but she wouldn't answer. For that moment I forgot all about being a Shaman. I forgot I could get rid of the fire in the blink of an eye. I forgot everything. All I could think about was saving her. I think it was a wooden beam, but something hit me on my back causing me to pass out.

I came to in the healing hut. The medicine woman was bent double over someone else. I assumed they got caught in the fire because I smelt the burning of hair. I stood up shakily, much to the protest of the healing woman. I moved to the door and glanced back. What I saw choked me…I was never the same after that. Tell me…how many people can see their true love burnt to the bones…dead…

It took me a long time to get over that. When I finally ventured out, thanks to the village woman for letting me stay, I travelled back down the streets to my…home… I walked down the street with many staring at me. From all sides I could hear them. They blamed me…

"He lost his temper…he burnt it down!"

"We can't let him live…he killed her!"

"He could burn us all!"

"He must die!"

It's all I could hear. I couldn't take it. I whipped round and suddenly fire burned around me. The next thing I knew the people were screaming and running away from a giant fire spirit behind me. The village woman pulled me aside and warned me to be careful. You see…I hadn't told anyone besides the woman…I put my love's spirit into a fireball. She became my guardian ghost. I can't let her be dead. I have to keep her. She has been a part of my life for so long. I had only just thought about giving her a spiritual life that morning. She would be the strongest spirit of them all. I would give her the power to absorb furyoku…she will be impossible to beat.

This isn't the end…this is only the beginning of my story…

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Love Zekesbabe

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