Chapter 10: The Vessel

By the next evening Ishikawa was just as stale and vacant as ever. I should have been gone by now.

Ino insisted I stick around for Yamato’s burial. I still couldn’t believe he was gone; just like that. What good was all of this power in my veins if I still can’t save anyone that mattered to me?

Now I’m starting to worry about Jaff. I’ve been away for too long. He’s probably wondering what’s happened to me.

After the burial, Ino and his son were loading up a wagon. I didn’t believe it when Isuko told me Ino was leaving Ishikawa, for good. They were going to join his mother and brothers who moved away a while ago. That’s what Ino wanted, anyways.

His friend murdering their leader must have hurt him worse than I could imagine. He was more somber and quiet than I knew him. Painful reminders of what happened were criss crossed over his torso. He politely declined my offer to heal his wounds, though.

The poor guy. He looked so defeated.

Isuko wasn’t too keen on moving so far away from Ramla. Before they left, he promised her he’d come back to see her again. If it were me, I wouldn’t have left her at all.

“Stay safe, Isuko! Mister Ino!” Ramla urged as the pair departed.

Seeing the emotions swell in her eyes, I couldn’t help but ask her, “Why didn't you go with them?”

She looked down and twisted her toes into the ground. “Oh, I’m obligated to stay here with Bara.”

“Sounds awful.”

“Aiden, I spoke to her about your troubles. I think she wants to help you.”

“Define help,” I said, arms fully folded.

“I’m serious!” Ramla ran up the path leading out of town then stopped and turned to me. “Come speak to her before you return to your homeland!”

Against my better judgment, I warped part of the way to Bara’s place, fully prepared for whatever the looney old woman intended. The closer I got to her property, the more my mouth began to water; in a bad way. When I saw her standing on her porch, waiting for me with that accusing look in her baggy eyes, I started feeling worse.

Did the sight of her really make me sick to my stomach? I wasn’t about to let her know it. She might twist it as proof of me being evil incarnated.

“Still standing, huh?” she said with disappointment in her voice.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because I placed Sanskrits-Be-Gone all along the path here! There’s even one above my head!” She pointed to a paper talisman affixed to the house above her. Like the one Ramla shot Matsuo with. “You should be dead!”

Say what!?

“THAT’S IT!” I exclaimed, summoning a sword big enough to slice that old fool in half with. Hell, why stop there?!

“Aiden, don’t!” Ramla urged, throwing herself in my way. “She’s only trying to help you!”

“That’s not what she just said!” And if you don’t move out of the way....!

“Bara, would you please explain!”

“Listen, you hot head! If you were a Sanskrit I might know of a way to rid you of the evil in your blood. But you passed through all of the talismen, unscathed. Clearly you’re something else, entirely.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, simmering down a bit. “The Pardoning of Sin?”

“Hmm? You’ve heard of it, have you?”

“Yes, that’s why I came back to Nihon.”

“Sanskrit occupied the island for centuries before vanishing one winter. During that occupation they multiplied, mixing their sinister blood with ours. The Pardoning of Sin was created as a way to cleanse us from them.”

“What do I have to do?”

“You got dirt in your ears?? You’re not Sanskrit. It’s not going to work on you.”

“I’m not too sure about that,” I admitted, dismissing my weapon. “I felt nauseous on my way here. I kinda still do. Your magic paper must have had some effect on me.”

“Interesting,” Bara declared, rubbing her chin.

“Puzzling,” Ramla said, almost mimicking Bara’s actions. I think she’s been hanging around that woman too long. “Your family is from Midaharia, correct?”

“As far as I know.” Which wasn’t much. Now I wish Jaff were still here.

“Bara, did the Sanskrit invade his land as well?”

“I’ve never heard of it happening.”

Maybe someone in my family had Sanskrit in them. I’ll have to ask Jaff when I get back home. I have more important things on my mind right now. “Nevermind all of that. When can I get started with the ritual?”

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“You want to stick around until midnight?” Bara asked.

“Of course!”

“Fine! Ramla, show him the way to the pool.”

“Yes, Bara.”

“Thanks, Ramla,” I said.

Ramla smiled, playfully and started skipping. “I told you she was going to help you.”

“And don’t go swimming in it either” barked Bara as Ramla and I were on our way.

Yes! Yes! Yes!!

I almost couldn’t hide my excitement following Ramla up to a shrine. She said it was the entrance to a cave where the ritual was to be conducted. The pool wasn’t far behind. Something good was finally -FINALLY - going to come out of this rotten trip!

“I can’t remember the last time someone was here,” Ramla said, looking into the dark dwelling. “The ritual was popular a long time ago. According to Bara, long queues of people would be here for days. She said she once thought about charging them.”

“Why did everyone stop coming?”

“I don’t know. I guess, maybe everyone that wanted to be cleansed had it done. Can I bring you a meal while you’re waiting?”

“No, I’m too excited to eat.”

“Ah, okay. Isuko would never turn down a plate. He eats so fast, I swear he’s going to choke one day.” She turned and stared over the lush canopy of treetops. Her silence was a lot louder than the bird songs.

Maybe it was the glow the sun made on her skin and on her dark hair that I couldn’t get over. “Want me to send you to him?”

“What? No, I couldn’t leave Bara right now. She needs me.”

“Uh, If you say so.” How would she react if I morphed into him? ♫She’ll love it♪

No, Aiden, what are you thinking?!

She spun around and waved. “Well, good fortune Aiden. I’ll see you when your burden has been lifted!”

I waved and watched her sprint down the path. Probably was looking a bit too hard at her. Isuko, if you’re not careful someone’s going to come along and she’s going to forget all about you.

I don’t know what time it was when Bara finally got here. Felt like I had been waiting for her for days. She dumped a bunch of powders in a big bowl of liquid like she was fixing some find of brew. I bet it’s poison.

“I know you must think I’m making a poison potion,” she said with her back to me. Can she read minds now? “In a way it is, but only for the Sanskrit in you.”

“What’s in it?”

“None of your business! Now get over here and take three sips of this!”

“If you say so...” I swear if she’s still trying to kill me...!

I took a sip from the bowl not knowing what to expect. It was the most lightest, tasteless water I’ve had. Kinda sweet too. Hmm. I wonder what she put in it. Three sips was all I’m supposed to take? I could drink the whole bowl.

The third sip was still in my throat when I felt the pain, twisting, horrific pain. In my stomach, chest, my head; my blood was on fire! Was this supposed to happen?

My knees buckled and I was on the floor at her feet. “I...knew it... trying to...!”

I can’t take this!

Can’t pass out..

Don’t pass out, Aiden....!

Don’t...pass...ou...

***

“..are you feeling?” Bara asked, followed by hitting me over the head with something hard. “Wake up there! It wasn’t that bad!” “Stop hitting me..!” I insisted, brushing her aside. How would she know how bad it was? I felt like I was dying. But I’m alive. I’m..alive? Did it work??!!

I jumped up and grabbed the old lady’s wrists and checked her palms. No runic symbols. I didn’t create that damn rune while I was out! Great! That’s great! That’s wonderful!

“Get your wet hands off of me!” Bara exclaimed, shoving me back into the water.

Hey, wait! When did I get in the pool?! “How long was I unconscious?”

“You were unconscious for six hours and twelve minutes. Those Sanskrit runes you were harboring almost never shut up!”

“Wha...? You mean the Rebirths..? You heard them..?”

“Sanskrit runes! They were created by those fiends and yes, I heard them! Every last one spoke through you and threatened my life if I continued with the ritual!”

I couldn’t conceal my surprise. Those runes..they..spoke through me? All of them?? “Even...even Damnation?”

“That one was the most annoying.”

I let myself float as I stared up at the jagged ceiling. Everything seemed so much clearer now. I felt lighter than ever; like I had been weighed down before. But now, now I feel...born again. It must have worked.

Damnation was gone and my reflection in the water was all the proof I needed. My eyes were normal; no crescent, no waning/waxing phases nonsense; just a pair of normal looking irises. “This is the best day of my life!”

“Hurry up, get out of that pool and put your clothes on!” demanded Bara.

“Huh??” I am naked! I didn’t even realize! Now when did I get undressed??? “Why’d you take my clothes off?”

“O, don’t act so shy! I’ve brought 10 boys into this world; 10! And each one of them was as naked as you are right now!”

“I’m not your sons, lady.” I dressed as quickly as I could, anxious to be done with this place and ornery Bara. “Thank you so much! If you only knew how much this meant to me!”

I couldn’t stop smiling. I was ready to warp back to Khalm. Things are going to be different when I get home. I think I’ll move to Nabiil, find a good job, and settle down with...with..

???

..... Hmm. Why am I not feeling the Rebirths’ power like I used to? Why can’t I warp??

..?

I’ll try something else; levitation.

....?

....?

...nothing...

“....no!..”

“Something wrong?” Bara asked, curiously.

“You..you said all of the runes spoke to you during the ritual...?”

“That’s right.”

“What else happened?”

“They were purged from your soul and they almost blinded me on their way out!”

Twenty-two Rebirths were at my command before. And now...?

.....Wait a minute... “You saw them leave my body?”

“I did.”

“But, that means I...Damnation is out there! If someone finds it...!”

“Calm down. They didn’t get far.” Bara pointed to a figure outside. A familiar figure. “She’s keeping them safe.”

“R..Ramla?!”

“I told you Bara would help you, Aiden.” She smiled and waved at me like nothing was different; like everything was normal. As if she didn’t just become host to nearly two dozen runes; including the worst of them all.