The Possessed

When even gods bent knees, one stood. From ancient leaves emerged the man, like a viper in winter. Outsider, reflector of the sun. The moon. His spear a glossy song. His shield, a beating heart. To what man is the machine a relic? Boots of steel crushing black mud; unyielding. Time itself paused, saluting in ready — as world eaters starved.

*****

A menacing purple aura twice his height glowed around Isamu.

“Now, let’s begin.” he said.

Isamu started walking towards Kanji. His steps hastened into a run.

He looks strong! I need a way to defend myself.

Kanji hit the hammer against the ground; the asphalt rose around him, enveloping him like armor.

Punch, as hard as a car crash against his temple; Kanji rolled on the ground and hit his back against the concrete box’s wall.

The asphalt and suit crumbled around Kanji as blood trickled down his nose.

“That won’t work. This style of defense is long out of class.” Isamu said as he walked towards Kanji again.

Out of class? He means… The best defense is offense, right? I’m not a fighter though. I need a stronger material for armor first.

Kanji hit the concrete wall, enveloping himself again. He stood, and rushed heavily at Isamu.

If I land one clean hit, I can do a lot of damage!

Kanji swung his hammer towards Isamu’s head.

His forearm landed lightly on Isamu’s backhand, as if he swung a feather.

“Weak.”

Three imperceptibly fast, heavy kicks hit Kanji’s thigh, stomach and torso, sending him flying through the school’s wall. Kanji rolled and slid on the ground.

Not a bone in his body left unaching. He coughed blood.

“Is that all you can do, hammer bearer? I’m suddenly disappointed.” Isamu grinned.

How did he get here so fast?

Kanji trembled as he struggled to his feet. He’s toying with him, like a cat and a songbird.

I can’t die here, not like this. That’s right, Yuki was fighting on the other side. He had to get to Yuki. Kanji’s eyes went blurry. My intuition! What should I do? What am I feeling?

He focused all his attention on the hammer.

But all he could feel was fear.

Isamu dashed towards Kanji, punching up his chin, sending him flying upwards, breaking through four layers of ceiling until he landed limp on the roof. Kanji couldn’t move, blood pooled around him. It could very well be that his cervical vertebrae broke. His heart raced uncontrollably as his body went cold.

“So that’s as far as you go? What a shame.” Isamu appeared next to him, seemingly out of nowhere, “you should’ve taken the deal when you had the chance.”

I was defeated so easily?

I’m… going to die now?

Kanji couldn’t speak.

Flashbacks of mother. Otaro. Chipsie, the old cat he fed in third grade.

The hammer dragged on the ground. Getting closer and closer to his hand, until they touched.

Darkness.

*****

Kanji gasped. He laid on a brown rock, the infinite red sea on the horizon.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Dr Sollenberg stood in front of him, screwing at an array of screens; the rock beginning to look more and more like the old lab.

Kanji sat up and started quivering.

“I assume your journey was… eventful?” Sollenberg said.

Kanji stayed silent.

“I see. My stay here was quite eventful as well. I have learned many things since our last meeting, so many things…”

“Am I… am I dead?” Kanji said, looking at him with wide eyes.

“Unlikely. You’re no magic user, and you’re still holding it, after all.” He gestured at the hammer, “Have you been in a fight?”

“Yes. There were armed men, and then there were three strong mages, wearing Kaginus like yours, but orange.”

Sollenberg put aside his screwdriver as he chucked. “Well, well… They did not spare a moment did they?”

“Who are they? Do you know how to beat them? Please tell me!”

“It doesn’t matter who they are, all that matters is what they serve. They’re not free spirits like me or you, they’re possessed. They will pause at nothing to destroy the hammer.”

“Possessed? Free spirits?”

“The possessed are those who bow down to an idol, receiving certain benefits in return for obedience. Free spirits are those who bow down to no idol.”

Kanji gulped. They are possessed. Does that mean… Yuki is also possessed?

“How then? How do I stop them?”

“How then, how then… How should I know! Kanji, maybe you’re suggesting I’m hiding the hammer’s manual in my back pocket? Think for yourself for once!” Sollenberg picked up the screwdriver testily, and returned to his work.

Kanji raised his eyebrows. “Please… I know time passes quickly here, my friend is in danger, I beg you…”

Sollenberg sighed. “That’s not how it works. Time relativity is decided by that.” He pointed at the double helix tower. “From my calculations, the current ratio is 2.57 days here for a second on earth for the next month or so before the next recession. You should have plenty of time.”

“F-for a second? I’m not sure I have even that long to live.”

“Then, more a reason to hurry.” Sollenberg said.

*****

Kanji walked across the red sea. A cold, menacing wind blowing on his skin.

I nearly died just now. No, I can’t assume I won’t die at any moment.

Kanji clenched his fists. He brought the hammer in front of him. If you’re so powerful, I’m sure I am the problem. I don’t know how to use you properly. I listen to you, I feel you… but I still know nothing about you. Thinking of which, I know almost nothing about anything. What the hell even is this place? This red world… A place you get into either dead or napping, a sanctuary of big monsters and bad weather… I thought I was knowledgeable, but every day just proves me stupider and stupider, and the more I learn the more lost I feel.

He reached a red sand island with blunted rocks laying on it; in its center emerged an object that looked like a red palm tree twisted like a screw.

Kanji sat down on the warm sand. He examined one of the rocks. My body is fully healed here, but I can’t assume the same for my state in Japan. I don’t know if it's even possible to heal myself. Actually… that sorcerer we fought at Awaji, he somehow sealed his gun wound with snakes, right? Maybe it is possible to heal my injuries too. But then… how would I defeat them? I couldn’t even land a single hit on one of them.

On the red sea, a black, long, wolf-like arm floated across; wobbling. What could this be? Kanji stepped closer. He lifted the arm, up close it was more scaly than furry.

I never really tried to use the hammer on a corpse yet, have I? There are so many experiments I haven’t done. I should make the best use of the time I have left.

Kanji laid the arm on the sand. He lifted his hammer, and hit a rock. The rock morphed into a long rocky needle, which broke easily when Kanji pulled on it. So it works here too.

He turned his attention to the arm. It could be dangerous to do this, but I don’t have a choice. He hit the arm as hard as he could with the hammer, trying to think about Yuki herself as the inspiration. Nothing happened.

Do I need to see the original creature before? I don’t really understand how any of it works. Wait, wait, I need to map this out.

Kanji took one of the rocks and started writing on the sand. Yuki can use intuition, and she’s likely possessed. I can use intuition while touching the hammer, so it seems it's possible to use it by interacting with a magical being or object that provides it. Didn’t that sorcerer in Awaji have tattoos? I don’t know about Sollenberg… With intuition and inspiration you can use magic. I used it to modify the structure of rocks, and also make the hammer explode and come back on impact. Then why couldn’t I modify this?

Wait. Kanji started walking back and forth frantically, if an intuition source is needed to cast magic, maybe a corpse needs… intuition to live? Is the soul a magical artifact?

Oh. There’s one thing I haven’t tried yet. Kanji looked down at his blooded school uniform and gulped.

He decided to try it on his left pinky finger first. His heart raced as he placed his palm open on a nearby rock. Come on… Three… He lifted the hammer, shaking, Two… One…

Slam. He groaned as intense pain shot down his hand, if just for a moment. He looked at it shakily. It’s gone. His pinky finger was gone. There was no blood at the base, it was as if he never had that finger at all. On the stone was a rock-shaped ball of skin and fingernail. Kanji picked up his now transformed pinky finger. “So it does work. And what if I…”

Kanji placed the pinky finger at the base of the wolf-like arm.

He slammed down his hammer.

The previously motionless arm started convulsing frantically, as if it’s being electrocuted.