by G L Rathweg
I tipped the mug back and drank the last bit of the slightly effervescent delicious green tea and then set it down as I thought about the answer. I actually felt really damn good. I closed my eyes and saw that my Ki bar had filled and that my Ki Soul had changed to a bright piercing white with an onyx colored light in the center. I was a little worried at first, but then when I concentrated on it there was nothing malignant or bad feeling from it. I willed my being closer and realized it was super dense Ki.
I opened my eyes and looked at Kumwa who was giving me a knowing side grin.
“You have learned new skills and have progressed on the path of the Martial Realm. You are still a White Soul, but you are now a One Star First Stage White Soul. The super dense Ki inside your Ki Soul is the result of your training and increasing your Ki control, body control, and learning the Beongae Dangye. It is the first of five Ki Stars that you will need to earn before you can move on to a Second Stage Blue Soul.” Kumwa explained.
“Yeah, I could definitely tell that I’ve grown stronger and there were quite a few changes in my Ki Soul. If I concentrate, I can feel the new abilities and I can even sense my health, stamina, and Ki more clearly.” I replied, closing my eyes and seeing an unread message.
SKILL LEARNED – LIGHTNING STEP (Skill Level – Novice)
LIGHTNING STEP
Also known as the Beongae Dangye, the Lightning step allows the Martial Cultivator to send Ki to his legs and feet allowing him to move faster than the eye can see. As the Cultivator grows in skill and ability so does the speed and power of the Lightning Step.
I closed the message and refocused on Kumwa who was talking to me.
“As you progress along the path of the Martial Cultivator your abilities will grow each time your Ki Soul progresses. That is enough for tonight though. You need your rest as you’ve completed the training, there is nothing more for me to teach you at this point. Tomorrow you will be going to Sin Seonbi and the journey is arduous.” Kumwa said, getting up and beginning to put things away for the night.
I wanted to ask him more questions. But, although he was an attentive and patient teacher, he was also stubborn as a mule. When he said something that was it and there was no arguing. It’s not like he got mad, he just ignored you. Even though I’d only been here for a day I felt like I got to know Kumwa pretty well in the short time. Instead of asking futile questions I went back to laying on my back and concentrated on getting some rest.
“Thanks, Kumwa.” I said, closing my eyes and regulating my breathing.
Exhaustion consumed me and I began falling asleep the moment my eyelids were shut, barely hearing his reply.
“Don’t thank me yet boy.” He said, softly.
MEANWHILE BACK IN THE HUMAN REALM…
“Fuck, ever since the moon went down the Celestial Grapefruits have lost their power. This fucking run and each god damn exercise are hell now!” Dave whined.
“Mmhmm.” Steve replied, still stoically running though now Hiro’s body was completely covered in sweat and he was breathing in deep full breaths.
“I mean you know we are tired as fuck. How are we going to keep this up another eight hours? Shit, I can barely concentrate now and I’m not even controlling the body.” Dave said.
“Mmhmm.” Steve said, dropping into Mountain Climbers and performing them just as diligently as he had the first time, even though he was exhausted.
“Look at you. You can barely do it anymore. Let’s just take a break and rest a bit.” Dave suggested.
“No.” Steve replied, getting up and beginning the run again.
“Holy fucking shit! You finally said something besides ‘Mmhmm,’ I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Just hearing you say a new word even if it is no is enough to energize me. Let’s keep it going Steve-O!” Dave said, his tone filled with renewed vigor.
“Mmhmm.” Steve replied, a slight grin on Hiro now and more energy in his movement.
“Woohoo! I wanna go fast Steve! By the way, I wonder how Hiro’s doing in the Spirit Realm, he has less than eight days left there and those Sannin, they’re rough. Not to mention the mountain trial itself. He may not even make it back on time, if at all.” Dave mused.
“Mmhmm.” Steve replied, concern evident in his tone as he continued their speedy run.
The last vestiges of the dark night was starting to give way to the beginnings of the day. The inky purple black changed to the lighter colors of the dawn painting the world in the colors of the coming day. And the newly rising light started to cast shadows of the exhausted yet determined runner across the quiet neighborhood streets.
BACK IN THE SPIRIT REALM…
That night I had crazy dreams. It was like having a dream inside a dream being in the Spirit Realm and I had to send the existential implications to the recesses of my mind. I had heard of fever dreams and the things that my subconscious were touting were one hundred percent of that kind.
Giant Kaiju crabs and lobsters chased me up and down idyllic beaches that rotated back and forth between pristine white sand and black volcanic rock. These alternated to dreams of beautiful beast women from Ja Cheongbi’s island who would switch from beautiful women to half beast half frog. Yeah, it was pretty fucking disturbing to say the least. The fact that I found both types attractive in my dreams was the worst part. I just thank all the gods, goddesses, and other beings above that they weren’t the wet kind.
I sat up and looked around. Judging by the light or lack thereof, I figured it was predawn and the colors appearing in the sky confirmed my guest. In the growing light I caught sight of Kumwa and Jecha standing a fair distance away. I stood up and stretched languidly. Even with the crazy dreams I still slept soundly and that combined with the tea’s effect, I felt pretty refreshed. After my stretch I made my way over the pair, the dawn grew as I approached. By the time I was next to Kumwa and Jecha the shining emerald green sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon.
The three of us sat in companionable silence as the day began and the sun made its way into the sky.
“Let’s have some breakfast and I’ll tell you what you must do next. Even though you have learned skills from Ja Cheongbi and me you are still running out of time.” Kumwa said, then turned and headed back to his camp home.
“He is right, the mountain trial is no small feat. Now go eat with him I must rest more, good night.” Jecha said, then closed his huge eyes and settled his massive bulk already snoring loudly before I had even turned to go.
I chuckled a bit at the giant frog as I made my way back to Kumwa, who was already frying up something that smelled and looked like eggs and potatoes. He added some more Celestial Spirit Green Tea when the food was done and dished out two plates and cups. The two of us ate in silence except for the chewing and swallowing of our food and drink. We both finished about the same time and after some satisfied belching and belly patting, Kumwa got on to the business of explaining my next training task.
“You have spent three days with Ja Cheongbi and one with me. Now it is day five of your training here in the Spirit Realm. That leaves you with only five days left to complete your last training trials with Sin Seonbi and then the last fourteen days to traverse the mountain trial. It will take you at least one full day to make it to Sin Seonbi’s on foot even with your new skills.” Kumwa said.
“I don’t suppose you and Jecha could give me a lift?” I asked, hopefully.
“This is with me giving you a lift to the edge of Sin Seonbi’s lands. He and I don’t get along. If I set foot inside his lands or he in mine, the battle would be disastrously bad to say the least.” Kumwa explained, shrugging in a what can you do gesture.
“Ah, what happened between you guys anyway?” I asked.
“That is a story for another day. It is almost time to go now and I have prepared a few gifts for you on your journey.” He said, pulling out a few items and setting them on table between us.
Even though I was disheartened that I had to travel so far to Sin Seonbi�
��s lair, I was cheered by the idea of gifts and studied them eagerly.
“Here is a pouch of Celestial Spirit Green Tea and a tea set for camping. Along with that are a Gossamer Blanket to keep you warm and a bag of snacks. They and the tea should keep your Ki and stamina full during your journey. The Gossamer Blanket will keep you warm as well as hide you at night since you will be traveling alone.” He explained, pointing to each item as he spoke.
The tea set was basically a brown leather fanny pack with a lanyard for the snack pouch. The Gossamer Blanket was the size of a folded handkerchief but when I picked it up it unfolded till it was ten feet by ten feet in size. It was also completely transparent but felt extremely durable. I refolded it and tucked it into the fanny pack, then gave a slight bow to Kumwa.
“Thank you Kumwa, for everything.” I said, solemnly. Folding my hands and ducking my head in a mimic of bows I’d seen in countless martial arts movies.
Either I had done it right or Kumwa just went with it, because he nodded in return and then clapped me on the shoulder.
“Come, let us wake up Jecha so we can leave. The sooner we go the sooner you are finished.” He said, with a smile as he stood up and walked over to Jecha.
I grinned at his back and then scooped up the items and attached the bag around my chest like a bandolier. Just because it was a fanny pack didn’t mean I couldn’t try to look cool carrying it. When I was adjusted and ready, I headed over to the man and his frog at a slight jog.
“Ah you boy, you’re the reason my sleep is interrupted. I have to take you over to that damn snake’s territory.” Jecha growled.
“Don’t let him fool you Hiro. He is just sad you’re going and is worried about you. The giant is actually a real softy.” Kumwa said, throwing me a wink.
“Oh, just… just… hmmph!” Jecha said, eventually quieting down and settling on just glowering at us.
I patted him on the side and tossed him a thank you between just the two of us which seemed to mollify him a little. Kumwa laughed and then mounted the Kaiju and I quickly followed. Once we were both on top of Jecha’s head, Kumwa gave me a nod and I nodded back that I was ready. He gave Jecha a command and the Kaiju gave a loud earth shaking ribbit, then stood up shaking his massive body awake and getting it ready.
“Hold on!” Jecha roared, then pushed off with his hugely muscled legs and we flew up into the sky.
We rocketed thousands of feet up in seconds and contrary to the first time I rode Jecha, this time I was loving it. It was still scary, but exhilaration and excitement completely outweighed the fear. Once we hit the peak of the jump Jecha threw his arms and legs out, spreading his webbed feet like sails. He rode the wind currents like a bird not a Kaiju frog.
We flew through the sky on Jecha, laughing at the scurrying beasts of the air that fled from our path. A few minutes went by and then we’d cruise to the ground and leap off again, continuing our amazing flight. From travelling with Dangun, Ja Cheongbi, and now with Kumwa and Jecha, it felt like I had traversed the whole of the Spirit Realm.
When I said this to Kumwa he laughed heartily and explained that I had yet to see one-one millionth of the Spirit Realm. He explained that the Spirit Realm was hundreds of times larger than the Human Realm and way larger than Earth in particular.
I thought about this as we flew through the sky and then Jecha notified us that we were reaching our destination. I refocused on the travel and our surroundings. As we left a particularly dense cloud bank of sweet smelling yellow clouds, I saw that we were coming down on the edge of a vast desert. The purple sand stretched as far as I could see and there didn’t seem to be anything else.
I refocused on where we were landing and saw that we were headed down to the edge of the sand where it met a river. The whole scenario reminded me of something you’d see in Egypt. Somewhere where the desert stretched all the way to the water’s banks.
A few moments later we landed with a soft but large splash in the water. Jecha swam and then walked out onto the riverbank. He squatted down for Kumwa and I to hop down. The Kaiju maintained his vigilance the whole while looking for any sign of danger.
“Welcome to the Desert of Sin Seonbi.” Kumwa said, gesturing across the barren landscape.
“Yeah, thanks.” I said, dejectedly.
I looked out at the barren landscape and realized that I was in for a real difficult challenge now. I touched the gifts that Kumwa had given me and said thank you to the man once again.
“Goodluck Hiro.” Kumwa said, then turned and ran back to Jecha, leaping up in a single bound landing on his head.
“Watch out for snakes!” Jecha roared, and then the pair took off into the air. Soon, nothing but a tiny speck in the sky.
“On my own again.” I said, as I watched where Kumwa and Jecha disappeared, then returned to scanning my immediate area.
I pulled out a handful of food, it was like chocolate covered popcorn, but not quite chocolate or popcorn. It was delicious nonetheless and replenished my energy levels to full. I recalled all the things Kumwa told me, but I realized he never told me where I would find Sin Seonbi exactly. He just said that he was in the desert and would take a long time to reach.
Since everywhere that I looked seemed the same I decided to try to see if I could sense where to go. I closed my eyes and went immediately into The Zone and flared my Ki letting it surround my body in a thin layer which helped me sense more of the world around me. In my mind’s eye I saw the world around me in a sonar like way and was surprised by what I saw.
The river behind me was rife with life, but what was surprising was that the desert in front of me was teeming with it as well. I remembered in school the teachers always talking about life finding a way and this was an example that really drove that point home.
Everywhere I looked in the desert were living things above and below the sand. A vast ecosystem of animals and plants that weren’t quite visible to the naked eye. But with my Ki activated and helping me extend my senses I could sense all the different living things. One thing I noticed right away was that Jecha was right. There were snakes everywhere.
I could sense all different types and sizes of snakes all throughout the desert area. I opened my eyes and looked again, and now I could just make out the shifting of sand all over the purple landscape. What I thought earlier was just the wind blowing was actually the snakes below and above the sand. This threw a wrench into my plans of just walking to where Sin Seonbi was and I needed to figure out a better way.
The first thing I did was sit down and take the Lotus position. I closed my eyes and focused all of my senses outward. I tapped into my Ki Soul and quested out into the desert. Even though there was life everywhere there were concentrations of more of it in certain places. I found those and followed them to the largest source of life I could sense. Eventually, I found it and when I did, I sucked in my breath and opened my eyes in shock. It had been huge and the only thing I could imagine having that much life force was Sin Seonbi’s Kaiju snake. I figured he would be where the snake was much like Kumwa and Ja Cheongbi had been with their Kaiju.
I recovered my focus, slowed then regulated my breathing and tried to formulate a plan. Since, I now had a destination. My estimate was about one hundred miles. This was pretty far. Thee fastest human had done it in eleven hours but that was on a treadmill. I figured I could go even faster. Especially, if I only slowed to eat and drink, maybe not sleep, I could cut that time in half. If I kept my Ki filled and stamina up, I could use Lightning Step the whole way.
I opened my eyes and nodded to myself then stood up. I wiped the sand from my butt then used my hand to shade my eyes as I scanned the horizon and pinpointed the direction. I found it quickly, stretched, cracked my neck, then checked that my gear was secure. When I was ready, I took off at a slight jog across the sandy ground. I glanced around and made sure no one was watching then cleared my throat.
“Lightning Step!” I called, then flashed forward a dozen paces reappearing a few
inches above the ground.
A grin split my face and I leaped back up as soon as my foot hit the sand.
“Lightning Step!” I called again, with the same result.
I kept going this way for a few hundred yards then I hit a large patch of snakes. It must have been some kind of birthing area or nursery because they weren’t that big, maybe a foot or so each. But there were hundreds of them, and they were all around me. I had flashed a few feet in the air because I had jumped up each time I used the skill. So, there was a moment before I hit the ground to search for a landing spot.
“Fuck!” I growled, as I scanned the area which looked like a scene from Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I found it and I angled my landing that way, a spot of six inches of sand where no snakes were. Suddenly, a movement from my periphery caught my attention.
“Oh shit!” I screamed, mama snake had just decided to show herself by striking out at me and she was not a one-foot long baby.
The mom was a fifteen-foot-long Cobra like snake and it flew fang first at my face. It’s fangs were four inches long and I could see the poison glistening on their razor-sharp tips. My foot hit the sand and I slipped a bit but didn’t even hesitate as I called out.
“Lightning Step!” I squeaked, fear in my voice as the snake’s head, only an inch from my fac,e disappeared as I flashed away.
This time when I reappeared, I was away from the nest of snakes but I had reappeared on top of a huge sand dune. Which would have been fine, if I hadn’t started the skill off balance because that made me finish the skill off balance. This had the result of me twisting my ankle upon landing and proceeding to fall down the huge mountain sized sand dune.
“Asssssss Youuuuuu Wisssshhhhh!” I cried, taking the chance to use the beloved movie quote even as I tumbled uncontrollably down the sand dune’s side.
TRACK 15 – SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL – THE ROLLING STONES