Chapter 26 Finding the Kappa

What's a guy gotta do to get a review around here huh? I know you are out there readers, I do. "I can smell your bubble gum!" (based off of the quote by Ma Fratelli in "The Goonies."

Ann was fine, just a little overwhelmed by what she had just seen. Something which I strongly believed was a symbol of hell. What this meant, I didn't know. Perhaps it meant that this island was in the hands of the devil. Perhaps it was foreshadowing some act of evil which the servants of Satan were about to perform. I didn't know. All I knew was that what we had seen wasn't normal, and surely was of supernatural origins. Darkness was beginning to cover the sky as I walked on. As I walked, my mind was filled with wonder, amazement, and above all, worry. I couldn't shake the idea that something evil was working when we had been at the lake. Perhaps this had something to do with the Right Hand. What that green, slippery lake creature was doing now, I didn't know. But why would the Kappa set its own lake on fire?

When I arrived home I immediately pulled out my laptop and got on the Internet. I looked up the word Kappa. Surprisingly enough, I found a website with a picture which looked not unlike the creature that had attacked my boat. I immediately brought up the website, and began reading the article.

"The Kappa is a creature from Japanese Mythology," I stopped here, surprised at this news. "In mythology, it is described as a frog like aquatic creature which lives in freshwater bodies of water. In some legends, it is said to drag children the water, and drown them to death. Other legends say it is a harmless beast unless it is treated badly. Then it will prey on humans. Yes, the legends go from innocent to just plain frightful. In some stories they eat children, and kill men. It is said that you can make friends with a Kappa by giving it cucumbers, it second favorite food. Its first favorite is, of course, human meat. The Kappa is also said to have a hole in the top of its head which is filled with water. The Kappa is said to get its strength from the water in this hole. If one were able to get the Kappa to spill the water out of this depression, then it will be rendered helpless. The legends say a Kappa will always return a bow, even if it means spilling out its water."

I stopped there. The creature I had fought had long claws extending out of its fingers, and the site said nothing about claws. I sighed, and continued reading.

"The Kappa is said to kill its victims by sucking out a person's entrails, blood, liver, or lifeforce, through the anus. The legends differ, so it could be any of the four." That shocked me.

Lifeforce was often a word used in eastern mysticism to describe energy which existed in all humans, giving them life. This was different than the belief in a soul, but in the same way, similar. The Spirit I had defeated had tried to kill me by tearing my soul from my body. I could see the connection between the legend and what was happening here in Mineral Island. But I still had questions. The Kappa was in Japanese mythology. Mineral Island was closest to the United States, so what was a mythological Japanese creature doing here? I stopped reading. That was enough for me.

Clearly, this Kappa was a very dangerous creature, and probably had killed many in its life. How had this Kappa become an accomplice of the Harvest Goddess? Suddenly all power in my house died. I immediately froze. Darkness was beginning to become a symbol of evil. Why? I didn't know. Why did the demons of this island always insist on attacking under cover of darkness? I immediately drew my sword, and listened. When I heard nothing, I began groping around for a flashlight. I found one, and flicked it on. I opened the door to my home, and looked out into the darkness.

I aimed the flashlight out the door, penetrating through the overwhelming darkness. The knife like light cut through the blackness, revealing a still, and quiet farm. Not a creature stirred, and no sound was made, except for the cold wind which blew the autumn air in. I felt a chill. Sure, it was almost winter, but this chill didn't feel like it was caused by the air. I felt something tug at my soul.

'The darkness desires your soul.' I slammed the door shut against the cold, against the wind, and against the night.

But I knew there was little chance a door could protect me from a Spirit. I was all too correct. Soon I found myself flat on the floor as the demon attacked my soul.

"Back demon!" I shouted. "In the name of Jesus Christ!"

'Do not say that word!' The Spirit tugged and grappled at me, trying to drag me away from my body, but I fought on. It was stronger than Spiritloosener had been, and clearly demonstrated this in the confidence of its words.

"What is your name Spirit?"

'Soulthrasher! And I am not afraid to tell you my name. I am stronger than you are!'

"But you are weaker than God! In the name of Jesus, I command you to leave my soul alone!" My vision blurred as I was pulled back away from my own body.

I had to hold on to my life, for if I let go, who would fight the evil which existed on this island?

"Back demon! I rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ!" The result was not at all what I had hoped for.

I felt something cold shatter my courage, like a claw slashing into me. I fought back, struggling to remain in my body, but the grip of the Spirit was strong.

"Do you see the Jesus in me?" I said quietly. The Spirit loosened its grip partially. It knew who I was talking about. "You are afraid of him, aren't you?"

'Silence mortal!'

"But you are. You are afraid of Jesus, and he dwells within us, and as such, you are afraid of me!"

'Lies!'

"No, it is you who are lying, demon!" The demon was upon me again, but I could tell it was with doing this with less enthusiasm as it had had at the start.

It truly was afraid.

"Oh God!" I prayed aloud. "Please rid me of this Spirit."

'Silence mortal!'

Suddenly the door swung open, and I saw a large bearded man standing before me. His eyes widened as if he could see the demon which was upon me.

"Back Spirit," he said sternly. "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave this man alone."

'It's you!'

"So it is," the man said. "Long time no see Soulthrasher. Now, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I command you to leave this man and go to the pit.

'Noooooooooooo!'


The Goddess heard the cry, as well as several of the Spirits of the forest. The mournful cry of the condemned spirit rose above all other noises that night. The cry grew louder, echoing on into the mountains, so even the Right Hand of the Goddess heard the cry. Karen awoke immediately, and sat up in her bed quicker than she ever had before. She nervously looked towards the windows, afraid that she would see the face of a spirit. When she saw nothing at the windows, she focused her attention on her closet. The door had swung open in the night, revealing its contents for all the world to see. Beads of sweat formed on Karen's head as fear gripped her heart. The calling of the Spirit.

She had heard it. Karen immediately fell back against her pillow, and pulled her covers over her head. Some would say that Karen had never gotten over her fear of the dark, and still imagined that monsters lurked in her closet, and under her bed. But Karen knew they were all wrong. This was real, all to real. This was no fake childhood fear. At the Inn, Cliff awoke, as he felt a chill run through his friend.

"What's going on?" he asked the darkness.

'Something has happened,' came the response.

"What happened? Why did I feel a chill?"

That was from me. Something disturbed me. I heard a spiritual cry. A cry which I have heard all to often. It was the calling of a doomed Spirit. One of the Spirits is in trouble.'

Back at the Beach, Won read from his large book. Suddenly the words on the pages dimmed a little.

"What?" Won said as he looked at the book quizzically. The words then returned to their normal color. The Spirit trembled as it looked upon the face. It was the face the demon knew too well.

"Leave this man alone!" the bearded man shouted. "In the name of God. You see the Holy Spirit inside me, and inside him. Back off! Now! In the name of Jesus!"

The demon shrieked, and clawed at Zach's soul, trying to force the image of Jesus back. But it remained. Soon the demon realized that the bearded man wasn't the only one telling him to leave. The demon could see, deep in the man's heart, a figure. It was Jesus, shining with the Glory of the Lord, rebuking the demon. Soulthrasher was horrified to see the presence of Jesus there.

'No! I will not leave! I must kill this man! I must kill this mortal! The master plan must commence! I must have prey of my own!'

"You will take no one!" the bearded man said. "Back down demon! I command you to leave this man, and go to the only place left. Go to the lake of fire. Go to Hell."

'Curse you Gotz! Curse you Jesus!' Jesus then looked the demon straight in the eye.

Soulthrasher cowered back, and covered his face.

'No! Aauugghh! I will say what I want! I will say what I... Aaauugghhh! I can't... no! Not... Him.' "Do not curse Jesus! You know you must obey Him!" 'AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!'

The demon let loose a mighty screech, and then fell from the earth. It fell down, away from the world of man. It fell to the only place that was left for it to go to. It fell into Hell. As the demon left, I could feel it leaving. Its evil grip on my soul had been released, and I was free. I then looked up at the man who had, essentially, saved me. The man helped me up to my feet, before shaking my hand.

"My name," he said, "is Gotz. I am the third disciple."