Chapter Eight
Plan B
The winds ran fast across the ocean, carrying a red spirit as the setting sun glittered on his smokey aura. His face shone up as he spotted the vast planes, the red desert rocks and the canyon which, for some reason, had grown so close to his heart. As he landed he grasped into the fine sand, wishing he could feel their touch.
A bird cry echoed through the sky, and he looked up just in time to see the sun disappear behind the stone towers. Hao lifted to the top of a nearby rock, looking around to find his way. Some stars have already come up and looked back at him.
Hao passed quickly across the winding canyon, following a path well known to him, ever deeper into the seemingly empty desert. As he saw an inclined cliff with sharp, narrow holes, he took a long breath and stepped inside.
The canyon was filled with maze-like caves, some small, some enormous. Hao knew this well and he also knew what they were used for. The silence and the scent of death lingered heavy in the air. It was where members of old tribes, and nowadays fallen contestants were buried. The frail remnants of ghosts fled from him as Hao crawled inside the darkness. There was a narrow pond, engulfing the way. He dipped and dashed through, into the even more empty darkness waiting on the other side.
On the islet, piles of tiny rock surrounded a bigger stone heap, arranged to form occult symbols. Hao hovered above the center, shaking his head slowly.
"Looks like Goldva made sure to give me a proper burial. Isn't that cute?" He frowned and looked to the side. A sandy fox spirit emerged from the shadows, and nodded as if agreeing with his comment. The ghost then scratched the tomb, and revealed a perfectly reserved body. It was his small newest body.
Hao made a painful smile.
"Well done. Now, let's get out of this hellhole."
—-x—-
A half-abandoned town and an empty motel. The sunglassed owner yawned big and often as he was just about to close for that day. Then the front door flung open and a tall man with red skin and a sharp face walked hurriedly towards him.
"Two more months? Aye… sure, however long ya wanna stay if ya have the price."
The pouch of coins tinkled as the owner ran through them, and the tall man walked out without wasting a single second.
He took a glance around the empty road, stretching into the calm night, before entering the last door of the long building. As the door swung back shut, the tall man grunted in an otherworldly voice, then fell to the floor. Only to stand up as the sand-colored fox. It sniffed around and sneaked across the small corridor. Its feet splashing quietly on the cold floor.
As it arrived at the bed it made a worried sound. The blankets were all tangled up, dark spots of blood on the white fabric were visible as just a narrow beam of moonlight reached it through the thick curtains. The fox sniffed and dashed to the other side to find Hao laying on the floor. Eyes closed, yet rolling under the eyelids. All curled up and shivering even though much of his body was wrapped in gauze. His breaths were weak and hoarse, he murmured something without a voice. And a limb shivered slightly every now and then as if he wanted to move but then realized how painful it was. The spirit managed to drag the blanket on top of him with its mouth, then shifted to a bigger form and lay protectively beside him.