True Love for a Maniac
The second hardest thing I could ever do. I lost two teachers in barely a year. I must be being punished. I have lost five people who meant so much to me. My parents…my one true love…my village healing woman…my first teacher…and now my second teacher who would rather die at his pupils hands than at the hands of time. As I summoned the Spirit Of Fire I closed my eyes. I could hear his mind scream in anguish though through my minds eye I could see him smile as his flesh was incinerated into ashes. Opening my eyes as a rush of wind blew I watched the ashes scatter themselves over the river he had spent the majority of his elderly life
I trekked over the hot desert sands. I had passed the preliminary round, but only just, the first two shaman were easy, weak and blinded by glory…it was almost sad the way they'd cried at their loss. I'd burned them. It was cruel and I hate myself for it, but it was the kindest thing I could do after destroying their hope. Beating two meant that I qualified for the second round, but formalities said I had to fight the third.
He was a psychic, everything I tried to do ended up in ruin. The only way to defeat him was to cut off his psychic connection, his ghost. I felt remorse for draining the soul of the ghost, it would never find peace, only be burned in hell for eternity, but it was its own fault for following a shaman. The risks are always there. The man gave up as soon as the Spirit of Fire swallowed his ghost. Pitiful, he wasn't even worthy of death, so I let him live, a constant reminder of the pain and humiliation he'd been forced to suffer.
A few days later and the only thing I had left to do, besides fight other shaman, was find my way to Dobi Village. A few others had crossed my path and tried to fight me, but they were no threat, so I eliminated them. Their power absorbed into my beloved. She was always with me, protecting me, keeping me safe.
It was night; it felt as though I had walked every inch of the desert. The temperature was far colder at night, a time I was relieved for my own fire abilities. I was about to give up, after all, there was no chance of me finding the village! I'd been searching for so long! I just dropped to the ground, my white cloak covering my body even as the smallest breath of wind whipped around me. I was only 26 years old, was this really to be my final resting place? I had gotten so lost in this sand trap. There was nothing here! A nudge at my side…my faithful and beautiful spirit…
My fist clenched grabbing a fist of sand. No. I vowed to become Shaman King. I had used my power to transform her…to keep her…if I gave up now then what would the point of that be? My healing woman, kind and gentle yet stupidly naïve. I was never going to see her again, I had accepted that. My teacher, strong and powerful in his own way had willingly sacrificed himself to keep me going, to help me unlock that final piece of the puzzle. My parents…I could barely remember them…but they were the first lives I had taken…the reason why I had been treated as an outcast. Tears burned in the back of my eyes but I wouldn't let them fall. Everything that had happened, that I'd sacrificed…it would only be worth it when I completed my goal. I remember getting to my feet, stroking the small flame that had never left my side and walking onwards.
My kindness in death had become legend, when I eventually reached Dobi Village, with an hour left to spare before the time limit, the shaman that had gathered before me avoided me. It was my village all over again. The fear of death had caused my own fellows to exile me. It was just I and my spirit. I could walk down the crowded street only to find it empty of inhabitants, both spirit and human.
Most shaman had split into teams, but I was too feared. I was only 26 years old, socially stunted and confused. I had never felt more vulnerable and alone. I couldn't bear to be near these people, their thoughts overwhelmed me. Fear, anger, pain and sadness…it brought back my own. The village appeared as a mirage, but once it appeared it seemed to expand. Hills and forests, lakes and a river. It was had to believe it was the same place I'd spent day after day hunting for!
One of these hills overlooked the lake and so I moved out of the inn room I'd been given. I didn't need anything to keep me warm in the desert night chill. I didn't need protection with a spirit that refused to leave my side. I learnt a lot about the stars in that time. Watched as new constellations were created…even naming a few of them myself.
Animals ran around my make shift campsite, wild yet tame. Rabbits that wouldn't survive the desert heat appeared from holes on the grassy hill. I had to wonder whether they were really here or if it was all in my mind. Every night I gathered wood, put it in a pile and lit it. Every night I sat staring at the fire until it burnt out. When that happened I lay back watching the stars. Away from anyone except the wildlife and my spirit…I had time to think. Time to meditate. Time to understand.
My mother…sweet and kind. My father, stern and jovial. They had been loved and liked in the village; the villagers hated me for taking their friends away. They saw me as a demon. My love, pure and innocent had gotten caught in the crossfire. They'd only wanted to kill me, she hadn't been their target. I killed them in retribution, cold blooded revenge. My healing woman…she hadn't wanted to leave me. She'd wanted to save me. But I didn't want to be saved.
I ran my fingers over the spirit nestled in my lap, cool as she slept. It would be a lie to say I'd never cried over what I'd done. It was by my own hand that I'd been left alone. Abandoned. But no one else wanted anything to do with a murderer…especially not a murderer who hadn't even got a reason for killing his victims.
We were supposed to be in teams for the second round but no one would come near me. In my first fight, I fought alone against a team of three. It didn't matter, they were weak and I easily defeated them. I could hear the thoughts all around me as I stood, not even short of breath, not a bead of sweat on my skin.
Will he kill them?
He's cold and cruel!
He's a murderer!
I wanted to scream at them! Demand to know what I had done so wrong! Did I ask to be made of fire? Did I ask to set my house alight killing my only family? My mother who had that day been out and fetched me some flowers because she knew how much I loved nature? Did I ask to be hated? Did I ask for my true love to be killed by people who I should have trusted? Did I ask to be consumed by revenge? Did I ask to have to kill time himself to reach my goal?
Their screams reached me before I'd left the stadium. They were weak, but they deserved to die honoured. I was only 26 years old…but my hands were stained by blood, the stench of death followed me in my wake. The screams forever etched into my memories, haunting me in my dreams. I was 26 years old and I was labelled death itself.
TO:
Snozboz
Thanks for reviewing. Only 3 years between chapters!
Tala Is Shining
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Anyone reading:
Thank you for reading my story. I've been stuck in such a deep hole that I've struggled to even think of my stories. I'm going to try and finish all of them off. Thanks for supporting me by actually reading it. I may not know who you are, but you guys/gals really help.
