Chapter 9: Master of the House

The darkness was suffocating, constricting as if reality itself was being contorted into a twisted shape impossible to sustain. But that's what the house had become in a short hundred years. hundreds of phantoms flocked to the one sanctuary they could count on. To lend their strength and ensure their salvation. In a world where death was a matter of clout, all those obscure phantoms like the key wrangler that moved your house keys when you weren’t looking, or the battery muncher that left you chronically low on spare double AA, were at the constant risk of oblivion. While the likes of the infamous toilet-bound Hanako san and bloody Mary lived in lavish luxury in their golden throne of fame. Never having to worry about being forgotten, for they have become cultural milestones that will be passed down for generations. But the immense density of spiritual energy was becoming too much to manage for the master of the house. The sanctuary had become a place of torment as it had to expand further and further and grew closer and closer to hell and by extension the spirit world. it became a bridge to the afterlife that many unwittingly crossed into. Like a platform shrinking with too many people on it, those at the edge were always the first to fall off. No matter how hard we try to hold onto everything that matters, almost everything will fade, only the most prominent marks, the deepest of slashes will show in the bare skin of the collective unconscious. Those that lay buried in obscurity are destined for a brief but bright day in the sun just before disappearing to languish in the bowels of the forgotten.

Chapter 9

Aki took a drag from his cigarette then let out a big sigh as he mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do.

“I can’t believe I have to do this”

He was standing at the front gate of his last resort, the only person he could count on to back him up on such short notice. He didn't want to but there was no other way to save Kaiji's life.

He opened the gate and walked up to the front door. He rang the doorbell and the door swung open and behind it was Alice

“Well, didn't expect to see you back so soon. What? Did you forget your favorite lighter or something?”

“Hey sis…I need your help ”

Kaiji had finally regained consciousness after his fall into the abyss. He took a look around and saw he was in an attic impossibly huge. So big he could just barely make out the ceiling; it made him feel like an ant. It was shrouded in darkness, with only the moonlight shining through a small circular window at the end of the room.

“nnnuhg where am I?”

his locket was going haywire as it vibrated like crazy on his chest.

“Aurora must be calling me”

He grabbed it and twisted the head for the projection to show

“Kaiji? Kaiji?! Are you okay? Where are you”

“Yeah aurora what’s wrong?”

“you disappeared from my radar! I thought something happened to you and I’ve been calling like crazy and you weren’t picking up! What happened back there?”

“I’m not sure, I was with Kairi and I got on the rafters to get across this big whole and then… Kairi… WAIT, WHERE’S KAIRI?”

“Kaiji calm down, I don't know where she is but she didn't disappear from my radar like you did, so at the very least she’s still alive, they must have taken her and locked her up in some dungeon somewhere. We’ll find her later but first, tell me what else happened.”

“I guess I must have lost my footing and I fell in. it felt like there was this pressure building up in my chest and just before I lost consciousness I felt like I was gonna drown… and then I woke up here.”

“well I hope you’re feeling better after your nap because you've got bigger problems to worry about, the core of the house, it's right in front of you”

“what?!”

Kaiji's head was still in a haze when he saw what was right in front of him. A big purple throne with golden accents, and on it sat a dark ominous figure with a stone mask.

Kaiji shook his head to clear the haze and got into a defensive stance

“My, my, I was beginning to think you would never wake up. What kind of a host would I be if I didn't take the time to properly meet my guests?” the man said as he took off his mask and got out of his chair. He was tall, had a muscular physique, and had long blond hair with an air to him of grandeur and self-importance. He trotted forward towards Kaiji with no regard for protecting himself from a possible attack. He held his hand out to the boy. “My name is Jonathan Brando, I am the master of this house.”

...

“Do you think the master will be pleased?”

“I think the master will be very pleased with you Igor”

“will I get a treat?”

“only if you behave yourself when the time comes, now leave me be while I interrogate the new girl”

Kairi could hear them talking through the door to her cell. That spirit referred to as Igor covered her mouth with a cloth soaked in chloroform when Kaiji wasn't looking. She then woke up chained to a wall in a dungeon that looked straight out of the middle ages.

restraints locked around her wrists so tight she could barely move her fingers.

The wooden dungeon door creaked open as a tall woman garbed in black from head to toe walked in

“my, my, you sure were troublesome to catch, the servants have been looking for you all night. We were beginning to think that you two would become residents before we ever got to introducing ourselves” the woman said

Kairi turned her face away.

The woman then let out a sigh and walked closer, squatted down, and grabbed her face forcing it forward

“you know, it's rude not to look someone in the eye when they’re talking to you”

Kairi tried to pull away but her grip was too strong.

“Try resisting all you want, you’ll never get out of here. Your fate was sealed the moment you walked in the door, we’d all be better off if we just played nice and let the chips fall where they may.”

“that's what you think, but Kaiji said we’ll get out of here no matter what”

“Kaiji? oh yes, the boy wonder who didn't even know what he was walking into, yes I’m sure putting all your faith in a novice like him is a wonderful idea, after all, you've known him for a whole…oh, two months is it? you must have a strong bond to have so much faith in him”

Kairi didn't respond but rather changed the subject

“Why are you doing this? Why did you take our souls, why are you torturing us?”

“torturing? Oh, sweetie you kids are the ones torturing yourselves! It is You who refuses to accept what has already transpired. There’s no way you two are getting out of here with your souls intact.”

“no there is a way, if we take out the house's core-”

“the house's core? You are a delusional one aren’t you, in order to take out the core, you have to kill the master of the house himself. You’d have better luck sprouting wings. It seems you don't really understand the severity of the situation so ill break this down for you. You, and your little friend Kaiji are trapped in the house of a thousand walls. An infinitely expanding mansion that houses hundreds of spirits powerful enough to make even the most seasoned warrior tremble in his socks. Once you’re in, there’s no getting out.”

“you’re wrong! If the core is destroyed the whole building comes down with it.”

“even if that was the case, the core exists within the master, and no one has ever defeated him, it’s impossible”

“he hasn't fought Kaiji”

the woman looked down at the girl “your faith in the boy is shrouded in a cloud of naïveté”

she squatted down again to get closer, her face mere inches from Kairi’s “you don't even know... what you don't know.”

...

Kaiji looked at the master's hand with suspicion. But nonetheless extended his own hand to meet him.

“ah, I see manners are still not a thing of the past, true gentlemen shake hands no matter how serious the quarrel.”

“I guess it takes one to know one.” Kaiji said

“Indeed, you’re not like the others, I could tell there is an air to you. one of strength and confidence. You’re sure of yourself in the way most people your age struggle with.”

It was strange for Kaiji to hear this, he'd never taken the time to put some thought into it. But what he was saying wasn't untrue at the very least. But he felt like this guy was fishing, so he gave him something to catch and played along.

“you’re very perceptive,” he said through a cocky grin.

“ah, I knew it. I was the same. You and I, we’re not so different.”

“You know, I have to say, what you have going on here is a pretty sweet deal, first you butter up your guests with the music and dancing and the food, then you harvest their souls and send them on their way, they spread the world of the best night of their lives and the cycle continues, I gotta say I’m impressed.”

“I see you’re a perceptive one, alas, it is a necessary evil. I’m not happy about it, I never wanted to take people's souls away from them. You know what I used to call this place? Sanctuary. Huh, it must sound like a joke now, but I started this place as a home for those who could not fend for themselves out there and ran the risk of disappearing. I used to just provide the singing and dancing and would send them on their merry way, soul, and everything intact. But over time more and more came to feast on the mother's breast. And over time it became too much for me to handle by myself. So I had to resort to less virtuous means to accomplish what I set out to do. I give them the night of their lives, they give me their soul, I sustain the lives of all that inhabit my mansion. It's a win-win all around”

Kaiji heard all he said and couldn't believe what he was hearing, this phantom genuinely thought he was doing the right thing.

“yeah but it’s not really a win-win if they don't know it’s costing them their souls.”

“I understand how you feel. And I can’t say I like doing what I’m doing, but I have a responsibility to my people. And under no circumstances can I let them down.”

“I guess that means there’s no way you might be willing to let me and my friend go? Soul intact?”

“I’m sorry Kaiji, but I’m afraid that... is non-negotiable.”

The atmosphere shifted from that of friendly banter to a thick palpable tension only the most opposing of ideals can create.

“you know, you impressed me with what you did to one of my servants when you broke free from its claw grip like it was a typical day at the lobster house”

“yeah well, what can I say? I don't like crab”

“OH, HA HA HA HA my, you’re a lot more pleasant than the rumors make you out to be.”

Kaiji's smug demeanor melted away as he heard what just came out of Jonathan's mouth

“rumors? What rumors? What are you talking about?”

“Oops, it seems I said too much, don't worry, it's none of your concern, just things I hear in the echoes of Demon world. About the prodigal son with untapped potential just waiting to have his day in the sun. Which is why I’m gonna draw it out.”

Darkness enveloped him as a dark figure towering above both of them came closer and closer. “Cerberus, sick ‘em boy”

Six eyes, four legs, three heads, and six razor-sharp rows of teeth charged at Kaiji with all its might. Kaiji was stunned, petrified by the beast, he read Greek mythology and thought it was a cool idea, but it gets a lot less cool when you’re the one at the receiving end of its wrath. The beast was about to chomp down making quick work of the shell-shocked boy when Aurora's voice tore through his haze “Kaiji! MOVE!”

He snapped out of it and rolled out of the way at the last possible second. The beast just barely got his leg. It took a chunk off his pants but he remained unscathed… for now.

But there was no doubt about it, this beast was the strongest thing Kaiji had ever faced. And his confidence was beginning to wane.

“you got any ideas aurora?”

“don't get bit?”

“wow, it’s like you read my mind. I’m so glad we're on the same page.”

As Kaiji bantered with Aurora, he failed to notice the dog's tail whipping across the room heading straight towards him. All he could do was pull up his arms. But that wasn't nearly enough to soften the blow. He went flying across the room and slammed into the wooden wall leaving it in pieces. He was coughing up blood.

“oh c’mon, out so quick? You can do better than that, right?” asked Jonathan

“Kaiji, are you okay?”

“no aurora, I don't think I am on the count of the blood gushing out of my mouth”

“you have to get out of there!”

“What's the point? There's no getting out without this guy’s core right? there is no better place for me to be than here.”

he struggled but he finally got off the ground and on his feet. He wiped off the blood, cracked his neck, and put his hands up like a boxer.

“c’mon boy, show me what you're made of”

“Yeeeeees that's it, show me what you got!” said the master of the house.

The beast then dashed towards him at full speed. Kaiji surprisingly charged at the beast as well. It seemed like they were going for a head-on collision but just before, as the beast was winding its head back to go for a chomp, Kaiji threw himself to the ground sliding under the beast and grabbing its tail. The beast quickly lifted it up to slam it back down to punish Kaiji for attempting something so juvenile, but that's exactly what Kaiji was counting on, at the peak of the tails arch, just before it started going back down, Kaiji let go and he flew over onto the monster's back.

“What are you doing? Quit playing around and Fight!” Said Jonathan

Kaiji clearly had more important things on his plate to hear let alone listen to what Jonathan had to say. He was on the back of a rampaging hell hound, he couldn’t afford to get distracted. He grabbed the beast's collar and tried to steer it towards Jonathan. But the dog wasn't having any of it. One head turned to face Kaiji and went for a bite causing him to let go of the collar and back away, using this moment of weakness, the mutt swung its other head around, slamming into Kaiji, sending him flying across the room again. Slamming into the wall and making an imprint of his body on the wood.

“ugh this is getting boring, I thought you were a force to be reckoned with, turns out you really are just a kid.”

Kaiji's eyes were wide open as he looked at the three-headed demon dog. It started to sink in just how impossible this task would be. And there was no way around it, he was trapped, either do the impossible or perish. His heart filled with dread as he came to the realization

“I… I can’t do it, there’s just no way. It’s too strong.”

And that's when he saw Jonathan with his back turned, he was… he was walking away?

Had he finally grown tired of watching the boy get pummeled? But rather than being humiliated, Kaiji saw this as an opportunity. He remembered what his grandfather said “all the men who played fair, went extinct for their foolishness” Brando gave him his back, and that would be the last mistake he ever made. He tore through the wood that held him in place and rocketed across the room. His shining ray of hope was standing right in front of him. All he had to do was seize this opportunity and take out Brando and escape with his life.

He came so close, his hand was about to make contact with his skin when Jonathan turned around and grabbed Kaiji by the face.

He let out a deep sigh “I have to say Kaiji, I’m disappointed, I know how someone would act in a moment of desperation, but attacking a man while his back was turned, I thought better of you.”

Kaiji struggled to loosen the man’s grip, but it was like trying to pull the fingers off a stone statue.

“it seems this really is all you have to offer…”

his eyes started glowing red

“Pathetic” and then he tossed Kaiji across the room. First skidding on the floor as he bounced and tumbled his way back to Cerberus.

“do what you will, I have no use for him, his soul has been mine for hours.”

Kaiji looked up at the slobbering beast as it rejoiced for finally getting permission to finish him off. And as the monster reared its head back to go for a final and definitive chomp.

Just when everything seemed like It was coming to a gruesome, screeching end. The window that had been shining light onto the battlefield had shattered as someone broke through. Kaiji looked up and as the glass flew through the air he recognized the person that had brought him into this world of spirits, the person that came through the window… WAS ALICE! and with her, came a shining ray of hope that maybe things weren’t as hopeless as they seemed.