“Hmm, that spirit was bigger than I thought… and there’s still traces of spiritual aura in the area…” The man muttered to himself as he tidied his hair and adjusted his watch.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAkOU3yJcaNt
“Who… who are you?” Mark muttered, his body still numb.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAgzcIU4BEmf
“Oh fuck, you scared me there kid…” the man jumped back, genuinely taken aback by Mark’s sudden comment.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAHRj4fTl0BH
“My name’s Shen. 30 years old, single, no family members. Hobbies include reading, bird watching and occasionally thrift shopping.”
66Please respect copyright.PENANAWfLIoAmubU
The man dusted his shirt and tried to look presentable while introducing himself. However, Mark could only stare at the scar over his left eye, which had remained closed this entire time.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAw4ZZ24mFzy
Was this guy mafia? The scar certainly screams that… and what the hell happened to the creature?
66Please respect copyright.PENANAOQIOyLnyMv
“I know, you’re probably looking at my tidy attire and you're thinking, how did this honest office worker dispel that spirit so easily? Well, I’ll have you know… I’m not an honest office worker! And I dispelled the curse easily… because I’m just that good.” Shen smirked as he picked his sword up, The sword was clean, unlike the surroundings.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA0AWB50OjJH
“But still, something’s off… Why is there still so much residual spiritual aura? It should have dissipated by now…” Shen stroked his chin as he looked around for something.
66Please respect copyright.PENANApeRvYwAQWV
Then, Shen's right eye widened as he abruptly turned his head towards Mark.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAHZRKwFVbKg
“Get away from the memorial site!” Shen yelled, but it was too late. A shadowy hand reached out from the shadow of the photoframe and grabbed hold of Mark, the creature began re-emerging from the shadows, the black body bits began to assemble together.
66Please respect copyright.PENANApXb9SyEWxo
“Fuck! I should have noticed the memorial site earlier! The spirit has a tether!” Shen yelled as he immediately got into a fighting stance with his sword.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAHi8qoI6poR
Spirit? Tether? What is this man talking about?
66Please respect copyright.PENANAG0aWE3lTJf
Mark struggled in the palm of the so-called spirit, the spirit began taking on a new form, instead of the blob of darkness, it now wrapped itself into a tighter shape with its tentacles. It almost looked like a mummy, but its eyes still popped up from between the gaps of its tentacles. The spirit’s new form looked like that of a woman wrapped in bandages. The tentacles moved in a fabric-like manner around the spirit’s body, with some tentacles weaving together to produce two arm-like forms, protruding from the spirit’s back, one of the arms held onto Mark, while the other arm launched at Shen.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAkrWFcFuSAu
Shen dodged the arm, and readied his sword. The sword began to glow yellow as Shen striked the spirit’s arm, slicing it cleanly off.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA3H19b96ScE
Shen weaved through the several arms that protruded out from the spirit after that and made a beeline for the arm holding onto Mark. At the same time, he moved in a manner that allowed him to place small cuts throughout the several arms of the spirit, though none of the cuts were deep enough to sever any of the arms.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAzHpewmNNm1
“17, 18, 19, 20,” Shen muttered under his breath, seemingly counting the number of hits he managed to land on the spirit.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAJ53klGK1Av
When Shen reached Mark, he pulled off a clean and deep cut to the spirit’s arm, freeing Mark. Mark collapsed onto the floor, still unsure of what he was seeing.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAasiWSV44mf
What the fuck just happened?
66Please respect copyright.PENANAlTCbiLu8iE
Mark couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The spirit was back? How was this Shen guy going to defeat it if the spirit could just keep coming back? Mark kept watching as Shen continuously kept cutting the spirit’s arm’s off, dodging and weaving through the barrage of attacks the spirit was throwing at him.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA8nivtIVKc4
Even though Mark was impressed at the fact that Shen had not taken a single hit, he couldn’t help but feel like something was off. It was the eyes. The eyes all over the spirit's bandaged body. They were calling to him. Those hazel eyes.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAz3Ae4orVql
Shen was starting to tire out. Sweat dripping from his forehead, his shirt was drenched in sweat. “198, 199, 200, time… for … a … break!” Shen exclaimed as he backed off from the spirit.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAK1K7P1YvSR
“Hey kid.. What’s your name again? You need to leave now, this guy’s stronger than I expected.” Shen said, standing in between the spirit and Mark.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA0VUtmNNhHE
“No… something about this spirit feels off. Shen, sir, you mentioned something about a tether? What’s that?” Mark asked.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAblHbZZb9av
Shen dodged another one of the spirit’s tentacle arms, slicing it off before it reached Mark.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA0grDpgOd9A
“You seriously want a lesson now? Well, sure, I’d satisfy your curiosity, but, I’m serious, you need to leave after I tell you alright?” Shen yelled at Mark in between dodging and jumping over tentacles, giving cuts on each arm.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAoHk6i20Be0
“A tether… is a special object that certain spirits latch onto… it gives them a stronger foothold on the physical world. In turn, they become stronger and won’t get exorcised unless the tether is destroyed…” Shen dodged yet another strike and deflected one more using his sword. His movements were getting slower as he spun and leapt over the arms. His breathing was getting heavier and heavier.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAGh31WXWsAA
“ 300, 301, 302… I need more…”
66Please respect copyright.PENANASuWiOWQbGo
“A tether…” Mark began to digest what Shen said to him… So this spirit was bound to this area. But why now? Why did it only show up now?
66Please respect copyright.PENANAKOSa8Am28Z
Mark’s thought process was interrupted by a loud scream. The spirit opened its ‘mouth’ a gap in the bandages, to reveal what seemed like a million sharp teeth.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAEsfx8GeYU7
“ARGGHHH”
66Please respect copyright.PENANAGXL8XyGVFY
The piercing shriek paralysed Shen, his eardrums began to bleed. Mark held onto his ears, the sound felt like it was piercing into his brain, he felt like his mind would explode.
66Please respect copyright.PENANApVMYPMTK3n
“Fuck,” Shen spat out blood as he stpped forward, trying his best to resist the effects of the scream.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAieYNaI7JFi
“S.. Ss..SsuuUREEE!!!”
66Please respect copyright.PENANA3A3vG1ce3w
The spirit screamed out in its grating voice.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAmDYjBEhW33
Shen raised an eyebrow, surprised.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAFg8P8NgrSr
“Did this spirit speak? Fuck me, I’m not equipped for this!” Shen yelled as he reimagined his composure.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAllOz35ui21
Mark started to connect the dots in his mind. He realised what had seemed off. He let go of his ears, blood starting to trickle down.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA2KyVNJHFOG
“LLl…LEnd it TO ME! When… WhEN You… YOU’Re DONEEE”
66Please respect copyright.PENANA4X24KkxPFo
The hazel eyes of the monster stared straight into Mark’s soul. The tether…the book Mark had brought it suddenly made sense why the spirit appeared now.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA1bRNQcBXWe
Mark stood up… His eyes stared into the spirit’s.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA9Cm6RYP9bS
“Ruby?” Mark muttered.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAKxB49F0S7B
The spirit stopped attacking Shen, and froze in place.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAuclf9jNteE
“MMAARRKKK!!!!” The spirit yelled, almost as if in excitement, as it launched a tentacle towards Mark.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA8TRLubaWzl
“Fuck!” Shen jumped in the way, throwing his sword at the tentacle.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAdQDjTLVDrD
“[Serpent’s Tail]”
66Please respect copyright.PENANARTANjSgu6Z
Shen’s voice boomed and the sword glowed a bright yellow, the tentacle aimed at Mark began to get shredded from the inside out, it was as if the sword was ripping the tentacle apart, slicing it up from within. The tentacle was sliced to pieces, the damage travelling all the way up to the spirit’s main body. But it wasn’t enough.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAXhU6brVSHk
“I get it now… So she’s the spirit of the girl who died here huh… this makes things a whole lot tougher… A wandering spirit is easy enough, but a vengeful spirit who speaks, and has a Tether? This is above my pay grade. And I just spent my Serpent's Tail.” Shen said, as he wiped his brow.
66Please respect copyright.PENANABXrX4KVH6x
“My book, the book. That’s the tether…”
66Please respect copyright.PENANA5T2yuSDPGP
“You sure?” Shen glared at the book on the floor next to the photo frame. It was possible.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAt1SmwYMHxy
“Kid, you should run. Don’t make me use another move to protect you. You’re getting in the way.” Shen spoke with a seriousness that struck Mark, Mark could tell Shen was putting his life on the line. Shen’s confidence no longer shone through his words.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAddbnr5L9Li
Mark slowly backed away from the scene, not wanting to be a burden. His slow steps back turned to full sprints, he was getting the idea.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAEleCaQN0IX
Shen turned back to the spirit, his eyes now on the prize.
66Please respect copyright.PENANATASN7bt4ts
“I don’t know what relationship you had with that kid, but the past is in the past. And the dead should stay dead.”
66Please respect copyright.PENANANplR0gKrTw
Shen sprinted for the book, but his tiredness showed. Ruby’s spirit regenerated her limbs and launched a tentacle at Shen. Shen tried to dodge, turning away to the side, but he was too slow. The tentacle impaled his abdomen, spraying his blood on the car park wall.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAUEsQob8Tpj
Mark turned and saw the man that protected him just now impaled and struggling.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAziD5PnsKKj
“Fuck! Ahhh that hurts. Yeah, I didn’t think it’d hurt this much, but here we are.” Shen stabbed the tentacle, using all his strength to slice it. But the tentacle grew in thickness, regenerating from any damage Shen was causing. Shen yelled in pain as the tentacle grew in size.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAkp9fQsvf45
Mark stood there and watched as Shen screamed in agony. He stood there helpless. Like with Ruby, he couldn’t do a thing.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAS8z76l7ZmL
Fuck… fuck… he’s gonna die… he’s gonna die and I’ll have to live with it. No, I'll be next. Ruby… She's coming for me. I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I should have been a better friend… I should have… I should have died instead. Is that what you want Ruby?
66Please respect copyright.PENANAzhUgLoMLMV
Before Mark knew, he began running towards Ruby’s spirit. His legs carried him closer and closer, faster and faster, in his mind he still wasn’t sure why he was running towards his death. Maybe it was an atonement. Either he managed to reach the Tether, or he died trying.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA8ojeFBiCcA
Ruby’s spirit turned her many eyes onto the rapidly approaching Mark. Her bandage tentacles lunged toward him. Mark ran behind the pillars of the car park, using them as cover. He ran as fast as he could, he could feel his feet burning, the muscles in his legs screaming as he pushed them past their limits.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAhjNR0PtQw8
Mark got closer and closer, but Ruby’s spirit was getting quicker and quicker too. She launched another fast moving tentacle at Mark.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAkNMIfuhiQZ
“Watch out!” Shen yelled, still impaled, his complexion getting paler.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAr8uU697ctD
On instinct, Mark jumped and leapt over the tentacle, sliding on contact with the floor. He skidded and slammed right on the wall where the memorial was placed. He lunged at the book, grabbing it tightly.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAfG1kC450At
“I’m sorry Ruby! I wished I could have been a better friend… I wish I could have helped you… I wish I could have been there, to shoulder your pain… your loneliness…” Mark as he grabbed the book and prepared to tear it apart.
“Wait… kid…” Shen muttered in agony. He had noticed something was wrong. There was an aura forming around Mark, the aura of Ruby’s spirit.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAn5V5V5k2vo
“I wish I was strong enough to help you fight back against everyone who pushed you down this car park! I wish I had the strength to save you… but I’m sorry! I can only do this much…” Mark yelled as he began to tear the book in half.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAvBzp5bIBCQ
“ARGHHHHH!!” Ruby’s spirit screamed in agony.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAKdhodD7D9X
She let go of Shen, causing him to crash onto the floor with a thud. His body was pale and shivering from losing blood. His hands pressed down on the wound in his abdomen, he focused his remaining spiritual energy into healing and keeping himself alive. But even in his weakened state, he could tell something was wrong. The black aura around Mark had not disappeared. In fact, it was stronger.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA2czDxnhHNt
“MARKKKK, YOU'LL HelP Me???”
66Please respect copyright.PENANALvVFhdE7M3
Ruby’s distorted voice echoed and boomed.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAOJGjRA1tKx
Mark was visibly confused, he thought the spirit was supposed to disappear.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAhzX40GfTXj
“Shen! What’s going on?!” Mark yelled, he could feel himself enveloped in the spirit’s aura.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA6t9p985iyp
“No… we’ve got it wrong… the Tether… It wasn’t the book… I didn’t think it was possible… but the Tether … it’s you Mark…” Shen grimaced as he spoke. He was in no position to fight anymore.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA9dHknJFYzf
Me?? What am I supposed to do?
66Please respect copyright.PENANAmfeZ6Oeopz
“YoU SAiD You’LL HELP ME??!?!” Ruby spirit screamed again demanding an answer.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAdk2rovuvDD
Mark glanced at Ruby’s spirit. For a moment, beneath the bandages, shadow and tentacles, he saw Ruby. Her hazel eyes, her dark hair, her hurt smile. There was a reason she couldn’t leave this world. THere was a reason she clung to him. If he could, he wanted to help her. Even though he had failed her while she was alive, he wanted to help her at least in death.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAjwk3dg85lP
“Yes, Ruby… I’ll help you…”
66Please respect copyright.PENANAw5OXES4Lr4
When Mark uttered those words, the black aura surrounded both him and the spirit. Mark’s vision went completely black.
66Please respect copyright.PENANA0rWeWGY4k2
“[Then… will you accept my contract?]” Ruby’s voice boomed.
66Please respect copyright.PENANAW54MGMeZ44