White Soul

by G L Rathweg

  My consciousness and the Celestial Emperor Dangun’s spirit had a type of metaphorical standoff. Time seemed to stretch forever as the ancient spirit just stared at me. He didn’t have any eyes he was just an amorphous cloud of transparent blue energy, but I could tell he was looking at me hard.

  Suddenly, the amorphous cloud morphed before my eyes and took on the countenance of an old Asian warrior. He was tall at least a few inches over six feet. His hair was done up in a warrior’s topknot and he had the classic Korean style beard and mustache. His clothes were in the style of the ancient warriors I had seen in K-Dramas and such. They really did a good job with those costume designs. If I had to guess he was probably in his late forties or early fifties. I couldn’t quite tell because he was still that opaque bluish color.

  “Fine, you win.” The apparition said.

  “Wait, what?” I stammered, pretty surprised that my gamble had worked.

  “You win. I can see that you would really rather die than give up control of yourself and I don’t want to be stuck in this shitty amulet anymore. Ok, I propose a new bargain. You will retain control of your body and mind, but I will stay on within your consciousness as a passenger so to speak. I will help you defeat these enemies and then we can discuss future arrangements. Do we have a bargain?” He asked.

  “Well…” I started, hesitating before answering.

  “I said hold her down! Quit moving you bitch or I’m going to make it hurt worse!” Nick yelled, his voice, the sound of a slap, and Tiffany’s scream adding to my burden and reminding me time was of the essence.

  “Let’s fucking do it.” I told the ancient apparition.

  He nodded once, closed his eyes, and bowed his head. I was about to say something but then I blinked back to reality and opened my eyes. The coffee shop materialized around me again and then the pain returned to me all at once in a body and brain numbing rush. It was as if the whole time I had been talking with Dangun the pain had been waiting and gathering itself into a waiting trap. When I woke up it I sprang it and it hit me all at once with an all-consuming blanket of agony.

  And then I screamed…

  TRACK 3 – UNTIL THE DAY I DIE – STORY OF THE YEAR

  “Fuuuccckkkkkk!” I screamed and screamed until my throat was raw and my breath was gone and still, I screamed.

  The pain was all encompassing and I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t know where I was, what was going on, or even how to breathe. My whole body was one morass of constant hurt. I couldn’t move or think as I continued to scream. Then all at once it just stopped.

  Quit being a baby and get up. I have temporarily mitigated the pain. You must grab the pendant first thing. This is all I can do with our limited connection. Hurry!

  Dangun’s voice reverberated in my mind and I immediately realized the pain had stopped but I was still screaming. Everything hurt but it was as if it was pushed back into the recesses of my mind. I quit screaming abruptly and sat up, scanning the coffee shop’s main room for the box with the dragon pendant.

  I looked to the counter where I had set it, but it was gone along with all the coffee paraphernalia that had been there before Nick had thrown me into it. I looked over the ground hectically scanning the area for the black box.

  Time seemed to fly by, and the seconds felt like they were moving at lightspeed. Finally, after an eon of time had elapsed, I saw the box and I ran, walked, leaped, and crashed over to it, and grabbed it from the ground. Of course, the pendant wasn’t inside.

  “What the fuck are you doing up? Nick didn’t hit you hard enough yet?” Travis said.

  I glanced up and saw the soulless ginger twin standing at the door of the girl’s bathroom.

  “Hey Nick, the little shit is up.” Travis called, over his shoulder and into the room.

  “Go fuck him up! I’m a little busy at the moment. Bite me again bitch!” Nick yelled, followed by loud smacking sounds and Tiffany sobbing.

  Nick’s goons filed out of the girl’s bathroom and fanned out in front of me. I looked around at each of them, really seeing them all for the first time. My mind took in all their details in horrid fascination. There were five of them. The twins, Travis and Dave who were both gingers and soulless fucks, really looked the part now. They had leering evil grins and their teeth look pointier than normal. Even their eyes seemed to glow with a sinister red light. The other three were Charles, Ramon, Ian. They all basically looked the same with the exception of Charles being a plain brunette white guy, Ramon being Latino, and Ian being black.

  “We are going to fuck you up little man.” Ramon said with a sadistic grin, raising his hands, and advancing on me along with the others.

  I noticed then that his hands and fingernails ended in pointed claws, as did the others. What the fuck?

  These aren’t men they are demons. They are humans possessed by evil spirits. Hurry and find the amulet now!

  I began backing up slowly and the five of them advanced hissing like the demons I now knew they were. I glanced around frantically, looking everywhere for the amulet, now only a few feet from the back wall of the coffee shop. The five monsters were getting closer and closer each second. Then I spotted it, just a few feet to the left of Travis sticking out from under the counter.

  “What are you looking at meat? Is that a necklace?” Dave asked with a quizzical expression, following the line of my gaze, and seeing the amulet.

  Go now you must get it!

  Dangun roared, his voice sounding like a bullhorn in my mind but jarring me from my terror and causing me to spring into action.

  I somehow switched off the part of my brain that was always telling me no and I can’t do it. The part that was always telling me to go run and hide. That I wasn’t good enough and that there was no way I could win at anything. I turned that shitty part of my mind off and went completely on animal instinct. I went straight lizard brain and just dove at the counter and the amulet with no regard to my body or my wellbeing.

  I hit the floor hard and felt some parts of my body go snap, crackle, and pop but I ignored it as the pain was still in the back of my mind. My sudden forward movement took the five demons by surprise and gave me the few precious seconds I needed to snag the amulet with my bloodied hands.

  “What the fuck is he doing?” Dave asked, but it was too late.

  The moment I had the amulet in my grasp Dangun’s voice screamed in my mind and the same blue aura that had been in that blackness erupted around me.

  “Yes! We are alive again!” Dangun cried, but with my body and voice.

  My body began to move on its own volition and placed the amulet over my head and resting it on my neck and chest. The moment the dragon and yin yang shaped metal medallion touched my chest power started to roar through my body. I could feel it coursing through my veins almost burning me from the inside. I watched in awe as my body transformed from within then outward. I could see myself in the wall length mirror behind the five demons and was mesmerized by the transition.

  “Hold on tight boy, here we go!” Dangun said, his tone gleeful with my voice.

  He was right. My bones that had been broken and healed crooked all began to reform and grow straight. Beyond that my whole body began to pulsate with the blue energy then grow larger as muscles began to develop on my newly enhanced bone structure. Even my broken face with its cuts and broken nose started to heal and form to what my face should have looked like without having been smashed in at a young age.

  “Let the Ki flow through your body do not fight it. Let it fix your Chakra pathways and restore your physique to its rightful condition.” Dangun instructed, speaking out loud and causing the five demons to share a puzzled look.

  I did as he said and let the power flow through me. In fact, I welcomed it. I felt it hit all the different power points, or meridians or Ki channels or whatever, up and down from my toes to the tips of fingers and to the top of my head. I didn’t know how I knew what Ki was or what Ki channels were, I just did. I imagined i
t was knowledge from Dangun somehow. Either way, my body grew then formed and filled out. The aura started pulsating larger and brighter causing the demons to shield their eyes and shrink back from the flashing blue light.

  The energy flickered faster and faster becoming like a strobe light and then so bright it blinded the demons and me watching in the mirror. Then with the most blinding flash yet it stopped, and the blue aura began to dim and flow back into me until it was gone. I stared at myself in the mirror and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Standing there in the mirror’s reflection was me but not the me I knew and had been. It was the me I wished I had always been. I was tall, strong, and handsome even though my clothing was now undersized and straining at the seams. Not to mention still covered in my blood.

  Not only was I taller, more muscled, and way more handsome but even my hair had grown out and gotten longer. It now went all the way down to the middle of my back. I had to admit it I didn’t know what happened exactly, but I looked good, damn good. I’d not even hesitate to say I was hot as fuck even with the blood and clothes thing. I may have been admiring myself a little too much but hey it’s not every day you turn from a hunchback of Notre Dame looking mother fucker into a handsome hero type.

  “Who the hell is that? Is that Hiro?” Ramon asked, taking my attention from my transformation and back to the situation at hand.

  “It doesn’t matter get him!” Travis called, as he jumped forward and launched a flying kick at my chest.

  I had regained control of my body again, but I was frozen in fear as they attacked.

  “Let me take control again for the moment.” Dangun said.

  “What? No, we said…” I began, but too slow as Travis’s kick connected dead center on my newly broadened chest and sent me careening through the air into a pile of chairs and tables.

  “Dammit you stupid boy! We already agreed that you’d be in control, this is just temporary till you can train and master my abilities. Your body is new but can still be hurt and killed. Now hurry give me the reins!” Dangun said, this time with more urgency.

  I just nodded internally and then something changed. I was still seeing through my eyes, but my body wasn’t under my command. It was like I was riding shotgun or something. My arms moved and pushed upright extricating me from the chairs and table I’d crashed into. I stood up and took what I knew was a martial arts stance, facing the five demon boys. They were now even more demonic looking and surrounding me in an ever tightening half-circle.

  “Yes, come get me. I’ve been waiting a thousand years to beat something’s ass.” I said, or at least Dangun said with my voice.

  Ramon and Ian attacked first quickly followed by Charles. The way the three attacked even my untrained eye could tell they were used to fighting together. Each one approached from a different angle and were spread out far enough so as not to impede one another. They even staggered their attacks so they wouldn’t fumble either of the other’s strikes when they attacked.

  I was sure their attacks would’ve worked on a regular person. But Dangun used my body like he had been born to it. He moved like water and flowed around the attacking demon bullies. Each movement was perfectly timed, so that each punch and kick thrown at me missed by just inches. In less than a second, Dangun had weaved through all five attackers and maneuvered behind them. Before they could react, he sprung onto the offensive.

  He used my body and shot forward with a two-handed palm strike into the back of Travis, launching him into his twin and sending the pair careening away. Using the momentum from his attack Dangun spun and turned his move into a spinning roundhouse. It took Ramon in the back of the head with a wicked heel axe kick knocking him to the ground.

  Not finished Dangun kept us moving and brought his leg down while twisting and grabbing onto both Charles and Ian with all four of his limbs. He gripped Charles by the head with both hands and then used both feet to latch onto Ian’s dome all without stopping his momentum. My body now horizontal kept spinning and in turn caused both Charles and Ian to spin as well. Then Dangun using my body pushed out with all four limbs sending both demon boys crashing into more tables and chairs.

  “What the hell is going on out here? I’m trying to enjoy myself with this bitch and all I can hear is you fucks grunting and playing grab ass!” Nick yelled, kicking the bathroom door open and striding into the main room dragging a half-naked bruised and bleeding Tiffany behind him by her hair.

  “Let the girl go.” Dangun commanded, standing tall and facing off with Nick the prick.

  “Who the fuck are you and what did you do to my men?” Nick growled, taking the scene in.

  “Watch out Nick that guy is tough.” Travis said, slowly rising to his feet and holding his side in pain.

  “I said let the girl go.” Dangun repeated again.

  “Hiro? Is that you? You fucks let that pussy beat you all up? Ha! Ha ha!” Nick swore, then began laughing maniacally.

  “He’s different now man, just look at him.” Dave said, also now on his feet quickly followed by Charles, Ramon, and Ian offering similar statements.

  “Shut up you fucking bitches. I’ll handle this. You will just have to wait a minute slut.” Nick cooed, tossing Tiffany to the side and into the wall with a hard thump and sobbing cry.

  Nick stalked forward and stopped just a foot from me, grinning and pausing for a second. Then out of the blue he took a swing at my face. Dangun swayed slightly to the side and the punch slid just by my head, so close that the air brushed my ear. Nick scowled and began throwing punch after punch to which my body and Dangun blocked and dodged with ease. Panting and out of breath Nick stepped back sucking in lungful after lungful of air and staring daggers at me.

  “What the hell is going on? You aren’t Hiro. Who are you?” Nick asked, catching his breath and standing up right.

  “That’s right. I’m Dangun, the Lord of Koryo, the Celestial Emperor, and the Son of Heaven. Rejoice that you get to bask in my presence.” Dangun said, proudly as if he said the line all the time and they should be impressed.

  All five of Nick’s boys had gotten up and all six of them shared incredulous looks and then in unison burst out laughing and pointing at me. I started laughing as well but it only sounded out in my mind. Dangun looked around perplexed not sure why everyone was laughing at first. But when he heard me snickering in my mind, he got the gist and my body’s countenance went flushed.

  “You silly fools, you dare mock me?” Dangun hissed, glaring around at the six boys.

  “Yeah, yeah we do. You may be some old dude in Hiro’s body, but we are mother fucking demons you dumb shit. Now you are going to get fucked up.” Nick roared, his face turning more demonic as fangs sprouted from his mouth and his head elongated along with his body and hands.

  Not to be outdone the rest of them did as well and long talons formed on their hands. Their arms, legs, and torsos became more muscled and weirdly disproportioned to the rest of them. Soon, all of them had three-inch talons for hands, blazing evil glowing red eyes and mouths full of sharpened fangs. They began to move more animalistically with their longer muscled limbs and bodies.

  All of them were full on demons and I was sure that if I were in charge at this moment, I’d have shit my pants. Dangun to his credit just laughed loudly and clearly, his earlier spirits restored by the demons.

  “Thank you for revealing yourselves as the hellish spawn you are. Now I have no doubts and can destroy with impunity.” Dangun said, cheerily.

  “You think you are going to get out of this alive human? I’m going to tear you limb from limb and then drink your blood as you die.” Nick snarled, backed up by the growls of his demon crew.

  Dangun laughed again and Nick and all five demons attacked. But the crafty old spirit was prepared for the sneak attack and the familiar blue aura burst out around my body like fire. All six demons jumped back and shrank from the burning light. Dangun dropped down into a new stance, the blue aura still flaming around his body and the smil
e still on his face.

  “You are fortunate that I am the one to slay you puny demons. You are blessed to be put out of your misery by my divine flames. May you pay for your sins with your eternal slumber.” Dangun intoned, then as he finished the last word he flashed forward and struck his first blows.

  The blue flaming aura condensed from around my whole body down into my right fist. Which, Dangun used and struck out in rapid succession, hitting the twins almost faster than the eye could see. The main way I could tell he was striking them was the after trails left by the blue aura. They were like the glowing neon after images at a rave. Both demons reacted the same and it was almost humorous.

  Their eyes bulged and their mouths opened wide revealing their fangs and forked tongues as they screamed soundlessly. Then they both grabbed at the place where Dangun had struck, their chests above their hearts, and crumpled to the ground. Suddenly, a dark reddish black fire erupted from both demons causing them to go up in flames.

  The black demonic fire flared causing the bodies to turn to ash. The ash began to pulse and glow then turn into a cloud of the same colored aura. The aura coalesced and then sped towards me and disappeared into my right hand which Dangun had just held out.

  Nick and his remaining followers stared at the spot where their friends had just been and then back to me where the aura had gone.

  “You are going to pay for that. Get him!” Nick commanded, and his remaining three demons hesitated, looking scared from their boss to me and back to their leader again.

  “But you see what he just did the others…” Ian said, his voice trailing off as Nick glared at him.

  “Attack him now or I’ll kill you myself.” Nick threatened.