Kengo's Spirit - Epilogue

When Kengo was cognizant of reality, and free of the ecstatic trance, he looked around the pond for answers. It was daylight again. Minoru’s spell had lifted. So too had the fog. The forest, green and bright, greeted Kengo like a new friend. And if not for the pool of water in front of him, or Mr. Wheeler standing over him to make sure he was alright, Kengo would have thought he’d been transported somewhere else entirely.

“You okay there, champ?” Mr. Wheeler said, waving a hand in front of Kengo’s face. He tugged down on his long sleeve shirt, covering his cursed arm. Kengo noticed the black-purple skin had dulled. Without needing to confirm, he knew Mr. Wheeler had been cured.

Someone had draped Kengo’s robe over his lap, making sure to cover up the essential bits. Kengo assumed Mr. Wheeler had done this (which also meant he saw him stark naked). No matter. At least Kengo hadn’t been aware of it. He looked down at his fist, at the object he clutched in his palms. The tear-drop shaped stone was bright citrine, flecked with silvers and blues. It was like a holding a live coal, yet cool to the touch. Kengo felt the power inside the stone, and he knew Minoru was with him.

The young spell breaker exhaled. “I am very tired,” he said to Mr. Wheeler, patiently waiting for the young man to get up on his feet. His stomach growled at him—he almost mistook it for Minoru’s roar. “And very hungry, I guess...”

Mr. Wheeler smiled, patting his left arm for surety. It was hard to tell—and maybe it was just sweat—but Kengo thought he saw a wetness around Mr. Wheeler’s eyes. Tears of relief.

“All is good on this mountain today,” Mr. Wheeler said, rather poetically. “You did good today, kid. There aren’t enough words of gratitude in any language—Japanese or English—that I could use to express myself. I hope you are very proud.”

And for the first time in Kengo’s life, he was.

“Well, I’m not surprised!” Minami shouted, running into her son’s arms from across the tatami floor. Her hugs were as nearly potent as his!

Kengo squirmed. “Thanks, mom.” He sighed. I just wanted to get some food, not deal with all this fussing over me...

Rai, trying to make himself seem smaller, nodded from the far end of the sitting room. “Nice to see you're not dead,” he mumbled, refused to meet Kengo’s stare. Instead, the experienced spellbreaker looked over at the object in his rival’s hands. His jaw dropped. “Kengo…is that…a soul magatama?”

Poor Reverend Ikari, who had been observing this reunion with a solemn but distant approval, suddenly whipped his head towards his apprentice. His prayer beads rattled across his wrist as he grabbed his ward’s hand and forced them open, like the blooming of a flower.

His eyes went wide. A million thoughts processed, yet none showed themselves on the Reverend’s impassive face. “Well done,” he said plainly.

It was unreal. Kengo thought he might melt. Of course, this was a temple matter, and so after checking for Mr. Wheeler’s wellbeing, the Reverend had politely dismissed him. However, even the old priest couldn’t disguise the joy in his voice when he gladly told the man that, by his professional and spiritually sound opinion, the spring had lifted his deadly curse.

This left Kengo’s three closest allies to crowd around him in the sun-dappled sitting room, like children gathered in the shade of a large tree.

Rai suddenly shifted his demeanor, resuming his cocky persona. He slapped Kengo on the back. “Ah, I see I softened that old bear up for ya!”

Kengo stared at him, blankly. “No. You ran.”

“Hahaha! I would call it a tactical retreat.” He shrugged, ignoring Minami and the good Reverend’s disapproving looks—which said all they needed to say. “Well, you’re alive, so I guess everything worked out. Yep! No reason to hold this against Rai, good buddy! Always got your back! Hahaha!”

Minami’s withering stare lingered on the proud spellbreaker a moment longer, before she beamed up at her son again. “Mr. Wheeler told me he needed a seven day nap! Those Texans and their exaggerations are so amusing, aren’t they? What a kindly man. And so polite!”

The priest clapped his hands. “Ah, of that matter. Kengo, we shall have a small dinner to celebrate. But for now, you are still on the job, and we must attend to our guest’s needs. If you could bring him so fresh towels and green tea, that would be great.”

Kengo sunk into his shoulders. It all felt so...anticlimactic. The most important day of his life, and now it was back to chores. And what’s the deal with a small dinner? he thought, pointedly. 

Kengo found Mr. Wheeler sitting cross legged on the floor of his guest room, surrounded by his suitcases. Everything was packed and in place. It looked as if the man had been in meditation, or contemplation, as Kengo drew the screen door back. The young attendant bowed deeply to his friend.

“Are you going to be leaving us tomorrow?” Kengo said, sitting the basket of towels next to the door.

Mr. Wheeler shrugged. “’Fraid so. Got what I came here for. Going to go back to Texas this evening if I can catch a flight.” He nodded to himself. Then, “How would you like to come too? Not with me tonight, of course, but sometime soon?”

Kengo laughed. These foreigners were so big-hearted with their grand gestures. It reminded him how wonderfully different people were, the world over. “I couldn’t leave the temple,” Kengo said, honestly. “I’ll have to finalize the soul bonding, for one. Besides, I’ll need to take up Rai’s chores once he goes off to spellbreaking school with the GSA.”

The man cringed. Kengo was suddenly concerned he had something to offend him. “About that…” Mr. Wheeler began. “Rai isn’t going. He wasn’t chosen.”

“Oh?” That was a bit disappointing. Rai had really wanted it to go, too. “If you do not mind me asking, how do you know this?”

Mr. Wheeler laughed, and then slapped his knee, causing Kengo to jolt upright. “Hell, kid! Because I’m Colt the Bolt’s talent scout.” He blushed, and scratched the back of his neck, sheepishly. "And the head nurse at the training school's infirmary. I mentioned I had a background in sports, right? Neglected to mention which sport."

Before Kengo could process, Mr. Wheeler—who really was quite a beefy man himself—got to his feet, just as Minoru had towered over him the night before, and shook Kengo’s hand vigorously. All the while, the poor spellbreaker froze in stunned silence.

“I'm also a few other things on the side,” he winked—begging the asking of more questions. “And, as Colton Tamberly's esteemed representative, I am cordially inviting you to come train at his school with the Global Spellbreaking Alliance. When you’re ready, of course. Standing offer. No rush.”

Kengo's head spun. It appeared fate had more surprises in store for him. Kengo, deeply honored and not yet totally able to process what had just happened, felt compelled to give Mr. Wheeler a deep and respectful bow.

“I…” He choked. No. Enough tears. He smiled instead. “I am so grateful, sir. Yes! Of course, I will go.” It was easily the most impulsive choice Kengo had ever made, but considering a little daring had done him well over the last day or so, he decided to continue his streak. Fortune favored the bold, right?

“You saved my life kid; it’s the least I could do.” He patted the spellbreaker on the shoulders. “The road won’t be easy, but I think a guy like you can stomach it. You showed courage, kid, and with your newfound bear friend, I think you two might make one hell of a tag team.”

And no more of that dumb singlet, Kengo thought, already deciding on a course. I’m still a sumo wrestler, through and through. I’ll wear something to honor my culture… he blushed. Even if it means everyone will see my butt...

The evening wound down. The torches in the yard, extinguished.

The meal had been fine, but entirely too little for such a joyous day. The Reverend prized modesty, of course, so Kengo reluctantly understood. However, most unexpectedly, he invited Kengo to share some tea with him, alone.

Going into the Reverend’s private tea room was always a bit like being called not the principal’s office, Kengo felt, but tonight it was different. The man gently asked Kengo to recount what had happened eariler that day. Kengo told him, sparing no detail, and the Reverend pleasantly nodded—asking a clarifying question or two here—but otherwise said not a word.

Which was somehow even more concerning. In the back of his head, Kengo still felt he like was in trouble. He hadn’t mentioned Mr. Wheeler’s invitation to come train in North America.

As it turns out, he didn’t have to. “Mr. Wheeler told me about the offer,” the Reverend said. “It seems Americans and Texans ask for permission…yet do what they will regardless of an answer. So I believe him asking me to allow you to go to this GSA was but a formality.”

Kengo grimaced. Of course, it was all too good to be true. What was he thinking, daring to challenge fate like this, when the spirits clearly desired him to stay at the temple?

Kengo bowed his head in disappointment. “I understand if you do not want me to go.”

“I do not want you to go,” the Reverend said, firmly. A long pause followed. “But I will allow you to go.”

No. He had to have heard that wrong. The lamplight caught in Kengo’s watery eyes. “I…”

The priest respectfully cut him off. “No need. You have demonstrated all that it takes to be a spirit summoner. Discovering one’s destiny is but another aspect of our faith. And so, I shall not stand in your way.” Even rarer than seeing an enraged, guardian spirit smile, was seeing the Reverend grin. It was remarkably warm. “The temple will always be your home, Kengo. And it will always be here waiting for you”

“Reverend…I am honored.”

Enough sentiment. The Reverend clapped—his own way of announcing ‘enough’. “Well, that will do.” He pushed the tray of tea closer to Kengo, a hint that he should take it away. “Get to bed early, you. I am having the spirit inker coming tomorrow for your tattoo ceremony.”

“My…what!?”

The Reverend laughed, an unusual mischievous glint in his eyes. “If you thought Minoru was to be your only ordeal, then you forget how life works, little bear”

Once again, Kengo felt he might faint. Oh geez…needles!

The End