A Simple Job, Part 3

The Abyss. Civilization’s bane of existence. Its sole purpose? The corruption of any living being whether it be of the body, mind, or soul. It exists on a separate plane from the mortal realm of Albion but that doesn’t stop it from attempting to influence our world. The masters that dwell within that nightmarish realm are called Empyreans. There isn’t a single depiction out there of these Empyreans. Makes sense. These beings are beyond mortal comprehension.

The presence of an Empyrean in our realm can be dictated by the number of incursions that occur and how close they are together. An incursion is a breach of our realm by the Abyss. Too many incursions and then — boom — you have an otherworldly being trying to merge into our realm. It starts small with cultists amassing followers. Then it grows like a festering wound infested by maggots until next thing you know, you have a portal with all sorts of hellspawn spilling through. 

I would know. I lived through one.

But an incursion here? I looked at my lantern again. There was no reason to doubt it. It was there at the beginning anyway. But it didn't glow when we arrived at the caves nor when we were leaving. I thought the heroes already cleared this area? Perfect beings? What a joke.

Stella’s face told me she had many questions. I mean I was panicking in the middle of a quiet forest distraught over a glowing lantern. But there was no time to answer them.

The dead bodies of the men began to convulse as if something was reshaping them internally. Their bodies began to bend in directions a spine wouldn’t allow. Whatever was inside was too big, as the skin of the bodies began to stretch, bursting the armor they were wearing. Until an arm, or what looked like one emerged from the mouth. Then another. It grasped both ends of the corpse's mouth and pulled open. It sounded like a butcher hacking away at meat. Allowing more of it to spill through until finally it broke free from the shackles of its human prison.

A hellspawn. I called this one a chimera.

Its lower half was a mockery of a horse. Its hindquarters were built of bones that slithered around the entire body. Its hooves were talons of decayed flesh. The upper half was a scaled man and woman melded together. Faces were etched onto them moaning in pain. Six arms. Bladed, of course. Held together by veins. Because the Abyss just wanted to pile more nightmares onto us. But its head. The best way to describe it was like an oversized brain that was riddled with eyes.

I raised my fists prepared. Stella activated blades from her gauntleted fingers, but it didn’t mask her fear. Her trembling arms gave her away, yet she still chose to stand by my side.

Heat radiated from the side where my lantern was beginning to glow even brighter as purple orbs began to leave the confines of the lantern and surround me.

I froze. My vision was beginning to get blurry, and I could feel my pulse racing.

I could feel an eerily cold presence encasing my entire body. I could feel arms latch on to my face obscuring my vision until everything was black.

Darkness. Pure Darkness.

All sense of smell, taste, feeling, gone. A familiar place.

Free me.

Save us.

They came back.

The whispers.

“Shut it,” I said out loud.

They only came back when the Abyss was present, waiting to drown me in the same place, every time. Soon enough I was surrounded by shades of darkness. Their writhing, ethereal forms finally took shape. Pulling me into their embrace.

My clan.

The White Bamboo.

And with a flash of light I was in a familiar place.

It couldn’t be. I looked around. The serene forest, the humble wooden lodges, the sound of low hum of wind through bamboo. The area was filled with distant chatting. It felt alive. I looked down at the jade floor. Inscribed onto it was the familiar mark of a horned wolf. Resplendent in all its glory. There was no doubt about it.

Setsunai.

My home.

This was an illusion. It had to be.

Before I had time to gather my bearings a familiar childish voice echoed behind me.

“C’mon Yamato!” The monk ran ahead of me, then turned around. Her feet wouldn’t stop moving as if she didn’t want to miss anything.

“Hinata?” I couldn’t form the proper words. “How are you here?”

“What are you on about? I ran here! We said we were going to meet by the horned wolf, remember? But c’mon we’re going to be late!”

“Late for what?”

“Did you get hit in the head? Master Rhyu’s teachings!” Hinata said in a panicked voice.

“Master Rhyu?!” My master was giving a lecture? What was the lecture?

“I knew it was a bad idea to stay up late. We’re finally going to learn the first form! We don’t want to miss it!”

Before I had a chance to say anything, Hinata dashed away but her figure vibrated as she ran. For a second I thought I saw a charred corpse. Regardless, I ran after her. If Master Rhyu was teaching Hinata and presumably other members the first form, then this means this was ten years ago.

I was eighteen. My clan had a rule that monks who came of age were ready to begin their journey as followers of the Guardian Wolf. The first form was a technique that every monk of the White Bamboo knew.

We finally reached the jade temple. Anshin it was called. It was where the monks were taught general knowledge of the world, but also a place where Masters passed down the techniques of the Guardian Wolf. The Guardian Wolf wasn’t a god in the literal sense. It was more like an ideal that every disciple should strive to be. A protector.

“Hinata and Yamato. You are late… Again.” Master Rhyu’s voice was calm and soothing. “On the first day as well. Are you not eager to finally learn the first form?”

Master Rhyu was in the middle of the amphitheater surrounded by monks I hadn’t seen in so long. I remembered all their faces. Their joy, eagerness, pride. All of it. It was as if I was truly back home.

“Yamato?” a soothing voice called out to me. “Surely being late is no reason to shed tears.”

The entire class began to laugh.

I wiped the tears I didn’t realize had arrived. I followed Hinata into the group of monks waiting to learn their first ever technique. Master Rhyu continued where she left off before Hinata and I interrupted.

“Now class, do you remember our path’s three core tenets? The path to the first technique lies in between those words.”

In unison the monks began to answer. Hinata’s voice was louder than the rest.

“Abandon the weak, lest it cost you everything.”

“Meet order with chaos.”

“No sin goes unrewarded.”

Wait. Dread filled my entire body even though I was supposed to be in a temple.

Something wasn’t right.

What the hell were they saying?

That was wrong in every sense of the way. I raised my hand, confusion pulsing through me now. Those were not our tenets. How could that be the right answer?

“Master?!”

“Save questions for the end of the class!” Master Rhyu shouted.

The amphitheater went still. Somewhere in front of me, someone’s beads shattered against the wooden floors as they impacted. Nobody moved.

She never shouted. Not ever.

She continued to proceed with her lesson.

“Very good. You see the first form is built on our tenets. We are the weak flock and we must abandon ourselves if we are to truly attain true peace.”

“Order is a shackle that prevents us from reaching true ascension so we must rebel against it. And Sin? Sin empowers us.” 

“To use the first form you must absorb all frustration, angst. Stir the mind and reach within. Feel the primordial elements that created this world, the heat, the chill, the shock, the earth. Feel it ruin your body until you are nothing. Only then can you materialize it. The power of the—”

“Lies!” I shouted, unable to take this blasphemy. I finally reached the center of the amphitheater.

“Silence!” Master Rhyu yelled back. The entire class continued to look at me but their faces betrayed nothing. They looked like dolls.

“I refuse! You are feeding your own students with lies!” I strode toward her now.

“The three tenets of our clan are to shelter the weak, though it cost you everything! Meet chaos with order! And no sin goes unanswered.” I stood face to face with my master. My fists were clenched, almost on the verge of drawing blood. But that pain was nothing.

“How dare you twist our true beliefs!”

“The gall—”

“To use the first form you have to release all frustration and angst.”

I began reciting what I was taught.

“Calm the mind and reach within. Feel the primordial elements that created this world, the heat, the chill, the shock, the earth. The power of Ki.”

“Feel it course through your body until you become one with them.”

“Only then can you materialize it. The power of the Guardian Wolf.”

“You.” I paused. “Are not Master Rhyu.” She was Master Rhyu no doubt, but only in looks. Her eyes betrayed her. My master’s eyes were so filled with passion and fire that every time I looked in her eyes I was filled with a sense of peace. As I looked at this imitation, its eyes were empty. Like the students, she was also a doll.

“And this? Is not real.”

I could sense its panic. I hated myself for realizing it too late.

“White Bamboo, first form!” The primordial elements, now surging inside me, urging to be released. I focused my Ki into my hands until they were glowing golden bright, but a trickle of purple began to spill through. Now was the time.

“Shattered Storms.” My fists ignited, releasing a wave of Ki that burned the students’ shades around me, but they simply dissipated, all but one.

Master Rhyu.

No, this cowardly hellspawn, now attempting to flee.

Its true form flashing in and out of its illusion. I centered my Ki into my feet and launched myself forward, one fist ignited by golden fire, the other by azure frosts.

“Begone. Hellspawn.”