The Castrator by Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov (short books for teens txt) 📕

TO HELP HER SPIRIT MENTOR, AS SHE CALLED HIM. THERE WAS A NEED TO PERFORM SOME RITUALS.

- "THERE IS AN INTERESTING CONCEPT IN INDIAN BELIEFS,' GUS BEGAN, 'THEY DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS AN AFTERWORLD, JUST THAT SOULS INHABIT THIS ONE IN A MORE SPECIAL WAY[2]. EACH OF US POSSESSES A 'NAGI'," GUS CONTINUED, "OR IT IS A SHADOW. IT IS TRUE THAT THE INHABITANTS OF THIS RESERVATION ARE NOT OF THE GREAT PLAINS, AND THE VIEWS OF THE TRIBES DIFFER SOMEWHAT. BUT IF BLUEBIRD SURVIVES, YOU WILL HEAR MANY INTERESTING AND USEFUL THINGS FROM HIS OWN LIPS."

 

[1] In fact, the U.S. equivalent of the Department of Justice implements similar authorization for all Indian tribes within the United States.

[2] This concept of death is characteristic of Western Sioux.

SINGING SHADOW

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SINGING SHADOW

 

THE MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE HAD LEARNED JUST WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO BLUEBIRD, WHO WAS HARVESTING A SOUL, AND SOME OF THE MOST EMINENT HEALERS AND SHAMANS EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO HELP HIM.

THE REGULAR INDIAN SHAMANS SOMETIMES HAD A MOST ORDINARY OCCUPATION. THE TIMES HAD LONG BEEN QUITE MODERN.

- "MUST"- ONLY TO DIE, MUTTERED THE OLD INDIAN WISDOM TO THE ARRIVING WOMAN SHAMAN.

ZONARA ALMOST CRIED OUT - SHE WAS THE SAME ONE WHO SENT US AWAY AND DIDN'T REVEAL HER VISION OF THE GREAT SPIRIT, AND THAT WAS HARDLY JUST A COINCIDENCE. IT'S LIKE THE PARABLE OF THE TWO WOLVES[1]- THE ONE YOU FEED WILL WIN.

THE WOMAN WAS FROM THE CAYUGA TRIBE, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING WHAT SHE WAS DOING ON A RESERVATION OF A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MENOMINEE INDIAN GROUP.

- "OUR TRIBE, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS, HAS UNITED UNDER THE GREAT LAW OF PEACE, BUT APPARENTLY THERE ARE THINGS BEYOND OUR CONTROL," THE SHAMAN SAID SADLY.

- "MY NAME IS SINGING SHADOW," SHE SMILED, "AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT MY AGE DOESN'T MATCH MY APPEARANCE. WHEN YOU MAKE AN ALLIANCE WITH THE SPIRITS, THEY CAN DO MANY THINGS FOR YOU AND YOU CAN SEE WORLDS - UNAVAILABLE TO MOST." AND SING A STRANGE SONG:

''WHEN THE ROAD CLOSES,

WHERE WILL YOU RUN, YOU WEIRDO,

THY SOUL IS NOT HERE,

LIFE IS HARD TO REACH.''

ARLO - AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HIPPAR CULTURE AGREED THAT THE LYRICS WERE DEFINITELY NOT CANONICAL TO THOSE OF MOST RELIGIONS, BUT STILL PATIENTLY WAITED FOR THE FEMALE SHAMAN TO SHUT UP.

- "WE SHAMANS COMMUNICATE WITH THE SPIRIT WORLD THROUGH THE EARTH SPIRIT," THE OLD WOMAN EXPLAINED.

WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO LOOK AT THE FACE OF A BLUEBIRD. SHE HAD A FEVER AND PROBABLY WOULDN'T JUMP OVER THE GANGPLANK. HOWEVER, ZONARA ASKED THE OLD WOMAN IF SHE COULD HELP HER IF SHE HERSELF COULD NOT SAVE HER SON. THE OLD WOMAN WAS NOT TOO APPROVING OF THE SUGGESTION, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND SHE SAW ZONARA'S WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE REAL HELP:

- "THE DEMON WORLD CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS, BUT THE PATH OF ALL OF US IS TOO LONG - WHETHER WE SEE IT OR NOT!," THE OLD WOMAN FOLDED HER ARMS STRANGELY, GIVING HER PLACE TO ZONARA WHO DECIDED TO TRY HER POWER AND BRING THE DYING MAN TO LIFE.

GUS HAD REMAINED BY OUR SIDE AS AN INTERPRETER, NOT TO INTERVENE IF NECESSARY.

- "KAYLAN[2]," THE OLD WOMAN TURNED TO A DOG HOWLING ITS TAIL AROUND, "LET'S LET THEM DO THEIR JOB, AND IF HE'S MEANT TO LIVE, HE'LL JUMP THE GANGPLANK - AND THAT'S THAT. BUT IF NOT, HE SHALL HAVE A DECENT BURIAL!"

ZONARA STAGGERED BY THE DYING MAN - YES HE DEFINITELY LOOKED LIKE HE ALREADY HAD ONE FOOT IN THE AFTERLIFE. IT TOOK HER ONLY A MOMENT TO DISCOVER WHAT WAS REALLY HIS.

- JUST EXHIBITING SIGNS OF DEMONIC POSSESSION, WHICH I THINK MAKE THINGS SEEM NOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE. THE QUESTION IS, WHO HAD A VESTED INTEREST IN CAUSING THIS TO HIM? APPARENTLY THE CARTELS HAVE SNIFFED US OUT AND KNOW FULL WELL THAT SOONER OR LATER THEY WILL GET TO US AND WE WILL JUST SETTLE THE SCORE ONCE AND FOR ALL.

ZONARA'S FACE LOOKED MANLY AND SHE SPOKE WITH A CONFIDENCE THAT SEEMED TO INSPIRE EVEN ARLO HIMSELF. HE LISTENED TO HER INTENTLY AND SOAKED UP HER WORDS LIKE A DAMP SPONGE. HE COULD SEE HER DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF DEMONIC MAGIC AND HER DESIRE TO USE IT TO HEAL.

- "HE IS SPIRITUALLY DEAD," ZONARA ANNOUNCED, LOOMING OVER THE PALE FACE OF THE INDIAN. "HE HAS LONG SINCE PASSED INTO THE SHADOW WORLD. PLUS, RAISING A DEAD MAN WOULD HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR ME. BUT THEN AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IF WE WANT TO FIND FELISTER'S LEGACY! I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A PROCESS WHERE WE CAN OPEN TWO HOLES FOR TWO CREATURES FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD TO PASS THROUGH INTO OURS, BUT ONE OF THEM WILL MOST LIKELY BE A DEMON, AND THE TWO SPIRITS WILL BE CONNECTED IN A PARTICULAR WAY."

- "DO IT!" I SHOUTED, AMAZED AT MY OWN COURAGE. - "CAN'T YOU SEE THAT FELISTER HAS LEFT US NO LEGACY EXCEPT THOSE GRIMOIRES! IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THERE MAY BE NOTHING ELSE, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN BEG OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL A REAL SALVATION FOR OUR DAMNED SOULS!"

MY DESPERATE FACE AND TONE OF VOICE SEEMED TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE ZONAR, AND SHE SET ABOUT PERFORMING THE RITUAL.

- BUT FROM NOW ON, KNOW THAT IT IS TERRIBLY DANGEROUS AND WE CAN EASILY FALL PREY TO SOME MISTAKE IN MATERIALIZING THE DEMON!

ARLO WAS AS IF IN A TRANCE, AND I DISTINCTLY HEARD THE RUSTLING OF THE INDIANS, WHO WERE OUTSIDE THE HUT AND EVIDENTLY FORESEEING THAT SOME PARTICULARLY UNCLEAN POWERS WOULD BE CALLED UPON TO BREATHE LIFE INTO THE DEAD MAN.

- "SHADOW AND SOUL ARE DIFFERENT CONCEPTS," THE ZONAR CONTINUED, "BUT WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT NOW!"

THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RITUAL WAS UNUSUALLY COMPLEX, BUT ZONARA UNDERSTOOD MAGIC AS WELL AS FINANCE. THE DEAD MAN'S MOUTH SEEMED TO MOVE SUBTLY AND HE CLEARLY SEEMED TO CATCH HIS BREATH. IT ALMOST MADE ME LOSE MY OWN SANITY. THE ACTION ITSELF WAS LIKE A SIGH, WHICH WAS A KIND OF IMPACT ON MATTER - AS IF A BLUEBIRD WAS SIMPLY ASKING US TO LEAVE IT ALONE AND WAS EXPRESSING ITS ANNOYANCE IN THIS WAY.

HOWEVER, ZONARA WAS TOO BUSY SAYING THE RIGHT INCANTATIONS AND PRAYERS AND ALSO PERFORMING THE MAGICAL RITUAL ITSELF.

- THE FACT THAT THE DEAD MAN HAD NOT BEEN PLACED UNDER THE SO-CALLED "SPIRIT HOUSE" ALSO GAVE ME GREAT FREEDOM - IT WOULD HAVE MADE MY WORK EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT.

ARLO WANTED TO DRINK SOME WATER AND SOME OF THE LOCALS TOOK HIM OUTSIDE TO QUENCH HIS THIRST, BUT I CLEARLY NOTICED THE DEMONIC SHADOW THAT SEEMED TO APPEAR INSIDE THE INDIAN TEPEE.

- "WHY DID THE OLD WOMAN HAVE SUCH AN ATTITUDE TOWARDS A BLUE BIRD?," ASKED THE ZONORA BLUNTLY. "HER BEHAVIOR SEEMED UNNATURAL AND EVEN A LITTLE STRANGE TO ME - AS IF THIS WAS NOT ACTUALLY HER SON, BUT SOMETHING ELSE SOME UNBORN DEAD PERSON OR EVEN A DEMON."

THE SHADOW REMAINED LIFELESS FOR A WHILE, AND I CLEARLY FELT THE TENT FILL WITH NEGATIVE ENERGY.

- "YOU HAVE GREAT COURAGE, MERE MORTAL," THE DEMON SPOKE, "THOUGH I WAS CREATED BY YOUR MAGICAL INFLUENCE, NEVER FORGET SOMETHING IMPORTANT - I SEE AND FEEL THINGS YOU DO NOT. AND BLUEBIRD WAS NOT WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE."

- IN KAMALOKA[3], ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE - WELL, ALMOST ANYTHING. SOME PARTICULARLY CAPABLE SHAMANS CAN EVEN BUILD THEIR OWN ASTRAL WORLD. AND SOME DO INDEED - THERE THEY CAN MAKE THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, AS THEY PUT IT.

THERE SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING BETWEEN NOSTALGIA AND DERISION IN THE DEMON'S INHUMAN VOICE.

- "REVEAL TO US THE TRUTH," ZONARA COMMANDED, AND FOR FURTHER PROTECTION SHE HAD DESCRIBED A MAGICAL TRIANGLE TO KEEP THE SPIRIT IN CHECK, AND SHE HAD CONSTRUCTED A MAGICAL CIRCLE AROUND HERSELF FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ANY NEGATIVE INTERFERENCE OR SUDDEN ATTACK.

- "THE ASTRAL WORLDS ARE SO STRANGE IN THEIR NATURE," THE DEMON REPLIED LAZILY, "GEOMETRICALLY DISPROPORTIONATE, AND THERE IS SPIRITUALITY IN THE ASTRAL AS WELL. BUT YOU ASK ME ABOUT A BLUEBIRD!"

ZONARA WATCHED, SPELLBOUND, THE MYSTIC GAMES OF SHADOW ON THE CANVAS OF THE INDIAN TEPEE. ONE MIGHT EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR THINKING THAT THIS WAS MERELY A PLAY OF LIGHT, BUT TO THE INITIATED IT WAS ONLY A CONNECTION TO A MORE SPIRITUAL WORLD.

- HE TRIED TO SAVE HIS OWN PEOPLE, BUT HIS CAUSE WAS LOST! HIS PATH HAD TO STOP THERE! HE WANTED SOMETHING THAT WAS BEYOND HIS POWER AND NEVER WAS. IT MAY ALSO BE SAID THAT HE OVERESTIMATED HIMSELF TO SOME EXTENT.

- "AND WHY DID THEY KILL HIM?,“ ZONARA ASKED GENTLY.

- "MURDER ISN'T THE RIGHT WORD," THE DEMON SPOKE WITHOUT BEING AT ALL IMPRESSED, "WE SHOULD ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHO HAD A STAKE IN LURING THE BLUEBIRD AND HIS DEMISE. YES, YOU HAVE A SPECIAL POWER THAT WILL KEEP HIS SOUL IN YOUR WORLD, BUT I'LL BE AROUND TOO - AT LEAST WITHIN THIS RESURRECTION AND UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. DEMONS CAN'T HEAL," THE SHADOW CONTINUED, AND YOU LIED TO YOUR COMPANIONS ABOUT IT, AS WELL AS THE SHAMAN, WHO IS CLEARLY NOT AS INITIATED INTO DEMONIC MAGIC AS SHE SHOULD BE. 'BUT YOU WALK A THORNY PATH, ZONARA, MY CREATOR, MY LINK TO YOUR WORLD, WHICH IS ALREADY RATHER DULL - AND EVEN SOMEWHAT POINTLESS. THE DRUG CARTELS WILL FIND YOU, AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME, BUT THE SECRET YOU WANT TO KNOW, YOU MUST SUFFER - REMEMBER FELISTER'S WORDS THAT THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY LIES IN HIS HERITAGE."

THE GHOST THEN FELL SILENT - CLEARLY NOT WANTING TO CONTINUE WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS AN UNNECESSARY CONVERSATION.

MORTALS WERE SOMETIMES BIG ASSES, REFUSING TO ACCEPT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE OBVIOUS, WHICH ONLY CREATED PROBLEMS FOR SUPERNATURAL ENTITIES - EVEN THOSE THAT WERE ARTIFICIALLY CREATED THROUGH ENERGY.

ARLO WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED, BUT HE COULD SEE THE EFFORT ZONARA HAD MADE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. AS MUCH AS HE HATED TO ADMIT IT - HER ABILITIES AS A MAGE WERE IMMENSE - AND SOMEWHAT COMPLETELY UNPREDICTABLE.

- "EVEN IF THE DEMON HEALS YOU, IT WILL DAMAGE YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL," ARLO GRUMBLED, DOING HIS BEST NOT TO LET ZONARA HEAR HIM OR UNDERSTAND HIS THOUGHTS, "AND THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS THE DEVIL - THE ENEMY OF MEN!"

THE INDIANS ON THE RESERVATION HAD THE STRANGE FEELING THAT TROUBLE WOULD SOON BE LOOMING OVER THEIR OWN HEADS, AND SO THEY WERE NOT VERY CHEERFUL.

THE RUMOR THAT BLUEBIRD HAD BEEN WOUNDED AND SUBSEQUENTLY DIED OF HIS OWN WOUNDS SPREAD RAPIDLY AMONG THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MENOMINEE TRIBE.

- "THOUGH HE WAS NOT ONE OF OUR OWN, THIS CAYUGA HAD HELPED US A GOOD DEAL, AND PROMINENT POLITICIANS OF INDIAN DESCENT HAD STOOD UP FOR US," MUTTERED AN OLD INDIAN WITH A WRINKLED FACE, "WE TAKE OUR NAMES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORLD AROUND US."

THIS INDIAN'S NAME WAS BIG BROTHER, AND HE RAN A CONSIDERABLE GAMBLING OPERATION ON THE RESERVATION, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND BLUEBIRD HELPED HIM WITH SOME ADMINISTRATIVE FORMALITIES AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE AUTHORITIES BECAUSE OF HIS MORE SERIOUS CONNECTIONS WITH THEM.

BIG BROTHER HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO BECOME BLUEBIRD'S APPRENTICE AND