by G L Rathweg
I brushed his jeering off, focusing on the two enemies in front of me.
The water began to churn and small waves began to form on its surface. My momentary distraction cost me as the twin Imuji chose that moment to attack. I quickly discovered they were both well versed in the Lightning Step. As they disappeared and reappeared, one on either side of me, each still over twenty feet away. The distance was intentional, as they both pulled back their fists and blue Water Ki flowed up from the lake and shot forth. Like super hi-pressure water cannons firing right at me.
I was expecting something like this and immediately changed my stance and dropped into the Tai Chi form Parting the Horse’s Mane quickly followed by Repulse Monkey. My left and right hands respectively flared with my white Void Ki. I spun in place, smacking each water attack off course so they passed harmlessly by.
“This one isn’t worthless brother.” The twin on my right called.
“You are correct brother, let us step things up and show him some real fun.” The twin on my left replied.
The Imuji gestured and two towering walls of water flew up, forming on either side of me. Then the ten foot high walls rushed forward. The two waves peaked and they started to crash in on me, each only a dozen paces away. I flexed my knees and bent down, then flared my Ki and jumped up as high as I could. My new body was way stronger than before and with my Ki enhancing my leap I flew upward. I kept going until I was fifteen feet in the air, easily clearing both waves.
They waves hit the water and it exploded outward, showering me with drops as I came down and landed back on the submerged rock platform. It bobbed and sloshed in the erratic waves, but I held my balance and readied for another attack. It came from two directions like before. I used the same defense and deflected the attacks but didn’t stop there having prepared to counter.
I activated my own Lightning Step appearing next to the twin on the left and striking out with four fast strikes. I started with Grasp the Brid’s Tail into two Single Whips followed by a Carry the Tiger Over the Mountain. The last attack took the twin on both sides of its head with open glowing Ki palm strikes.
Both attacks connected and my Void Ki canceled his Water Ki defense. My blows striking so hard his head burst and his brains shot out. I jumped back surprised by the result of my attack. And to not get any of the fountaining blood from his mashed head on me.
“Brother!” The other twin screamed in rage just as his brother died.
“Don’t worry you will join him soon!” I called, over the quickly rising waves.
“Die!” The twin screamed, his countenanced changing to more draconic features as he flared his Ki to full and gestured around at the surrounding water.
The waves had already been growing, but now they were close to twenty-five feet high. They swirled and spiraled around faster and faster creating a wave whirlpool. The stone discs began to move with the water, mine included. I held my balance as I surfed around the waves and growing whirlpool.
Shots of water came at me every now and then and I barely deflected them as I spun around and around. On my third time around the whirlpool that was rapidly growing in speed, I saw the remaining Imuji twin in between the troughs in the waves. I counted down the timing so that the next time the twin fired a water blast I Lightning Stepped behind him, then repeated my Carry the Tiger Over the Mountain from the back.
This time I wasn’t as successful at stepping away in time and his exploding head, with its greenish blue blood and foul smelling viscera covered my upper torso like a paint grenade.
TRACK 20 – WHITE LINES – DURAN DURAN, GRANDMASTER FLASH AND THE FURIOUS FIVE, MELLE MEL
After the second twin died the water settled and the waves flowed away. Eventually, the unfathomably large lake was just an empty building floor with nothing in it. One positive was that I had enough time to wash myself and my clothes off before the water all dissipated now that the twins’ Ki had faded.
As their Ki went away so did the twins bodies and in their place was left two small round jewels, each the size of a golf ball. I picked up the jewels and held them to the light for a better inspection. The second I did, my dragon pendant started to glow white and the two balls started to glow blue. The pendant matched the balls energy and then two glowing lines shot out from the pendant connecting with the two balls. The energy flowed up to my pendant and the balls crumbled to dust. Then an errant breeze came and blew them away.
My pendant continued to glow for a moment, then a feeling came to me and I closed my eyes.
WATER KI AQUIRED…
KI BAR – 177/400
WATER KI BAR – 12/100
“Holy shit! Dangun I have Water Element Ki!” I called out, running over to the elevator’s entrance.
“Yes, I thought this might happen. The Celestial Dragon Amulet has many unique attributes that only reveal themselves when the right parameters are met. One of those is sucking up different Elemental Ki and giving the power to the wearer.
“That’s fucking awesome.” I said, staring at my amulet in awe.
“Push the button Hiro.” Dangun said.
“What?” I replied, still staring at my glowing blue amulet.
“Push the damn button fool!” Dangun roared, snapping me from my stupor and I shook my head pushing the button for the next floor.
My Ki mostly recovered during the ride and the elevator played another song, this one Do You Really Want To Hurt Me by Depeche Mode I think. Then came the familiar ding.
The door opened and this time I was staring into a flaming hell. Freak had jumped onto my shoulder and the moment the door opened he growled deeply in his tiny throat, his Ki flaring around him. From the black and red lava strewn landscape monsters appeared. Not just any monsters, but five massive coal black mastiffs with red flaming pits for eyes and short gouts of fire shooting from their sharp canine lined maws. Burning lines of red lava covered their bodies like fucked up varicose veins lining. Each Kujo looking monster was over five feet tall on all fours. If they stood on their hind legs, I’m sure they would be over ten feet tall.
“Looks like Wiman has himself some Bulgae, think of them as dogs from the pits of hell.” Dangun said.
“It’s ok buddy, I’m here.” I said, patting my buddy Freak on the back as I stared out at the hellish landscape and the five giant monster hellhounds.
Freak growled at my petting and nipped my finger.
“What the fuck man?” I yipped, sucking on my bruised index finger while Freak gave me an outraged growl.
“Ok, I get it, you weren’t scared you were angry. What do you want me to do about it? I’m sorry.” I told the little lion.
He growled again and roared at me. Suddenly, I knew what he wanted.
Freak leaped off my shoulder and flew to the lava rock covered ground of the room. He landed softly and roared a pitiful little roar at the five massive hellhounds that were just a few dozen feet away. The monster dogs looked at the tiny kitten sized lion and then at each other bewildered. They shrugged at each other and began advancing toward Freak.
I closed my eyes and concentrated. Aa moment later a pure blue line of Ki energy shot out, enveloping Freak in its light and infusing him with Water Element Ki. I watched entranced as my little lion grew by the second until he was as big as he had been in the Spirit Realm. The difference here was he glowing with soft blue rippling light instead of white. The hellhounds stopped advancing and this time shared a different look, one that spoke volumes and basically said, ‘oh fuck.’
Freak roared again and this time it was a lion’s roar, full of bass and almost tangible in it’s volume. The hellhounds shrank back for a second at the fierce ten-foot-tall Celestial Lion. Then the largest of the five barked loudly in rebuke renewing the monster’s courage and they rushed in at Freak. He was already waiting in anticipation for the attack and met them tooth for tooth and claw for claw.
I remember seeing videos on YouTube of a tiger in India fighting off a pack of hunting dogs. Now, th
ose dogs are bred to hunt big cats because the local Indians have problems with them eating people, facts, look it up. But this big cat was a massive man-eating tiger and it fucked all those dogs up like the proverbial fox in a henhouse.
The hellhounds were smart, strong, fast, and lethal. They used tactics similar to those of a wolfpack. They surrounded and attacked Freak from all sides, some going for hamstrings others lunging for the throat or back, all together a well-coordinated attack. It didn’t matter. Freak was faster, stronger, and more dangerous than all the fiery pooches going at him. The Water Ki he was bursting with helped immensely as it was the antithesis of the hellhounds’ Fire Ki.
Two hounds attacked from the front darting in and snapping at Freak with fire spewing jaws. My lion was ready for them and struck out with both front paws. Once right and once to the left, catching both hellhounds open jawed with Water Ki covered clawed paws. The attacks sent both dogs flying and they hit the lava rock hard and kept rolling. Freak wasn’t done yet, but the hellhounds were. They just didn’t know it yet.
Freak kicked out with both back paws smacking both the lunging hellhounds that were going for his hindquarters. Each monster flew away one hitting a spewing geyser of lava and the other rolling into a lake of the burning smoking liquid. The remaining hellhound, the largest and meanest of the bunch squared off with Freak. Without warning, the two of them launched themselves at each other and collided midair, claws and teeth ripping into one another.
The pair hit the ground hard, but it didn’t stop them. They were a whirling tornado of tearing dagger like claws and gnashing razor-sharp teeth. Everywhere they touched steam hissed and roiled like a living thing. It cloaked the pair in a mist that made their roaring, screeching, and howling even more wild and dangerous sounding.
And then it was over. The steam dissipated and standing there triumphant over the dead body of the Alpha Hellhound was my Freak.
He raised his head high and let out a massive earsplitting roar that shook the fiery landscape, then bent down and began gorging on his downed foe. Even as he ate, the monster began to disintegrate along with the other hellhounds and the room itself. Soon it was just as the water room had become, but now there were five smaller size balls of glowing red energy scattered in the normal abandoned high-rise floor.
I entered the room and patted Freak on the head just as he turned back to his normal kitten self, but now he was about twice the size as before. He had been about six inches in length and the same in height. Now, he was a foot long and two inches taller. I retrieved the five glowing red balls, Freak hopped back on my shoulder as I did so.
When I had collected them all I held them up in both hands. As before, the pendant did its thing and when it was done the balls crumpled to ash. I brushed my palms off together with a wide grin and headed back to the elevator checking my Ki info while I walked.
FIRE KI AQUIRED…
KI BAR – 350/400
WATER KI BAR – 27/100
FIRE KI BAR – 15/100
“Great job Freak, you whupped their asses!” I said, praising my lion who preened under the attention.
“Yes, yes, good kitty, now press the button.” Dangun said.
I did so and listened to Girl From Ipanema by Dean Martin for a few seconds. Then the elevator arrived did the familiar ding and the doors opened. This time we stared out at an endless barren sand strewn desert that reminded me of Sin Seonbi’s, but this one was the normal color not florescent purple. All three of us stepped out and the elevator doors closed behind us, disappearing and completing the desert appearance. If I didn’t know I was in an office building in Lake Mary, Florida I would have been none the wiser.
Suddenly, just as I was about to relate to Dangun that there was no one here dozens upon dozens of little monsters rose up out of the sand and surrounded us.
“Ugh… Sand Dokkaebi, I hate these guys they are so disgusting and a pain in the ass to kill. You can think of them as goblins.” Dangun said, his nose crinkled as if he smelled something bad.
Which, now that he said that they stunk like shit, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it as they all rushed forward and attacked at once. I Lightning Stepped out of the trap and right behind the encircling line and lashed out at the three-foot-tall sand monsters with limbs covered in Void Ki. Two punches and a kick exploded three of the little fucks and I jumped back resetting my stance with a cheering fist pump.
“Take that you little goblin fuck wads!” I called, taking my stance while the rest of the goblins refocused and came at me en masse.
I was about to take them on all on when Dangun called out.
“Run you fool!” He cried.
I was about to tell him that he had no faith in me when I noticed that the three sand goblins I had so recently exploded were reforming before my eyes.
“Oh fuck…” I whispered instead, Lightning Stepping out of range again.
I bought myself some breathing room and decided to rethink my tactics. As I was doing so, three sand goblins appeared behind me and I attacked them with three quick strikes. They exploded as before but this time reformed even faster. Fuck… My… Life…
The next few minutes were a scene of such ridiculousness that I still get embarrassed thinking about it. It started with me running around dodging little sand fuckers and Dangun laughing hysterically at my antics. He had the luxury as both him and Freak were floating safely above the fray in the air. He was safe no matter what being a spirit and all, but that is neither here nor there.
“Hey, get yourself together you old bastard! I’m running out of Ki energy here, what should I do?” I cried, Lightning Stepping away again after being circled for the twentieth time.
My Ki Bar was dropping fast with each use of the Lightning Step. Dangun finally got his laughing under control and cleared his throat loudly.
“You have to use your Ki to destroy them. Use your Water and Fire Ki in sync to attack them.” He called out.
Use my new Ki types at the same time? What a novel idea, why didn’t I think of that? I used another Lightning Step and got myself a few seconds of breathing room. Then I closed my eyes and focused, holding my hands up and accessing my Ki Soul. Inside it was the familiar glowing white ball with the four stars, but now there were two other glowing balls encircling the white one, each about half their size. It was like staring at a little atom of Ki.
I held my wonder and quickly accessed both the new Ki Souls activating one on each fist. My right hand burst out in burning red Fire Ki while my left did the same with cooling blue Water Ki.
“Hell yeah, it’s on!” I yelled, rushing forward at the incoming sand goblins.
As soon as my fists flared, I had an epiphany and I decided to see if I was right. I decided to forgo the Tai Chi this time and go with straight Pugilism. The first monster that came into range got a one-two, first water then fire. The moment the Water Ki hit the goblin the sand turned to mud and then when the Fire Ki followed up, it hardened and became clay that immediately shattered.
This time when the sand goblin exploded all the sand dispersed, except the tiny shatter pieces of clay which scattered across the desert. I jumped back and waited a second, but the monster did not reform and get back up. The other monsters saw this and hesitated in their attack for a second. I didn’t waste the precious reprieve they gave me and rushed into them swinging with vengeful abandon.
It was over in minutes. As before, the endless desert sands turned to abandoned building floor and on it were a dozen glowing sand colored balls. These ones were each about the size of a marble. After gathering them up I held them in my hands and my amulet sucked them up. I checked my Ki now.
EARTH KI AQUIRED…
KI BAR – 223/400
WATER KI BAR – 25/100
FIRE KI BAR – 37/100
EARTH KI BAR – 19/100
I blinked away the image just as the elevator doors opened. I headed over and went inside with my companions. I pushed the button right away before Dang
un could get snippy and the doors closed bringing us up to the next floor.
The song this time was Rage Against The Machine’s Do What They Tell You which was interesting for elevator music. The elevator arrived, the faithful ding happened, and the doors opened revealing nothing.
Well, not quite nothing it was just open sky. Right where the elevator ended was open air. I could feel the wind blowing and for as far as I could there was just empty sky.
“This poses a problem.” I said, looking at Dangun for an answer.
Three specks appeared in the distance and as they came closer, I could see they were some type of flying monster. They were huge monster crows with three legs and three eyes with huge beaks that looked like they were made of sword blades. I could feel the malevolence radiating off of them and for a second, I was scared. Then I took a deep breath and steeled my resolve.
“Those are the spawn of Samjoko, the three legged sun crow. They are tainted by evil Ki and need to be destroyed whenever encountered. I can’t believe Wiman has fallen so low to harbor these taints against life. Kill them Hiro, kill them with extreme prejudice.” Dangun commanded, his tone deadly serious.
“Ok, but how?” I asked.
Dangun sighed and shook his head before giving me a dirty look.
“You are staring at an endless sea of Ki. You have the ability to manipulate Void, Water, Fire, and Earth Ki. What do you think you should do?” He asked, as if to a child.
“Um… manipulate my different Ki somehow so that I can fly and attack the evil Samjoko spawn?” I replied, in the form of a question.
He nodded like I was special, the short bus kind, not the other.
I looked out at the incoming birds so as not to have to look at Dangun’s stupid face and thought for a moment. I had beat the sand goblins by combining Ki so I could do that to beat these guys. The problems was the open sky, more specifically, falling through it. I closed my eyes and reached my senses out, seeing the unending sky with my mind’s eye. As soon as I did, I realized what Dangun meant. The Ki that flowed everywhere was the wind itself and I could see it’s currents swirling all through the air.