Souls Whispering by Arian Williams

Chapter 1. Bin

December, 2013

Cheonsin, cheonsin...

Sky spirit, sky spirit. Aid me in helping my friend.

Sky spirit, sky spirit. Give me enough strength.

Sky spirit, sky spirit. Help me drive out the evil that’s making my friend suffer.

I chanted softly under my breath as I shook the bell gripped tightly in one hand and opened the fan in the other. As the clanging sounds spread through the air and the fan wafted its soft breath, my spirit eyes only saw the translucent space that connected me with my sky spirit.

Child... All you have to do is ask.

My body trembled as the spirit came down and merged with me. Although I’d melded many times with my beloved spirit, it was never something I could take for granted. The energy that infused me vibrated through every organ. My heart beat faster. My chest opened wide. Every sense heightened. The tips of my fingers and toes tingled as my body moved effortlessly through the ritual dances to keep the spirit in harmony within me.

“Evil spirit, I call on you to answer me now. I, the direct descendant of the first great shaman king, Dangun, call on you.”

With my sky spirit’s power, I observed aggwi, the dark spirit that had insinuated itself into Wyn’s soul. It was sucking on Wyn’s spirit, growing stronger on the fear it generated. I projected the sizzling power toward and around it. The evil spirit flinched where the energy touched it but didn’t show any sign of backing down.

“Why would I answer you when I have such a feast before me? You have no power over me, mudang. Why would I go anywhere?”

Although it spoke no words aloud, I clearly heard the evil spirit’s message. We were on a metaphysical plane of existence. There was no physical body. No sound. There was only an ebb and flow of different spirit energies. Yet I felt aggwi and Wyn as though I were seeing them right in front of me. Wyn was in pain. His fear was palpable.

“Wyn.”I gently wrapped my aura around him. “Are you there?”

“Yes... Yes... I’m Wyn.”Amidst sobs, he grabbed on to me, clinging tightly.

I embraced him. “I’m here to get rid of the evil spirit that’s hurting you. Follow my voice, okay?”

“Yes.”

Wyn’s spirit flashed briefly, coming alive with hope, then retreated as aggwi dug into him. Wyn was strong, but he was unused to battle on the spiritual plane. No doubt he was also tired from being drained by the evil spirit, but I needed him to fight. I could forcefully remove the darkness invading his soul, but without Wyn's cooperation, the spirit might inflict extensive damage as I dragged it out. Wyn needed something to fight for.

Saem!

Why hadn’t I thought of him before? Wyn and Saem were mates. Wyn would fight for him.

“Wyn. Wyn. Reach out to Saem. Can you feel your bond?”

“Saem? He isn’t dead?”Wyn asked, sobbing.

“The evil spirit is lying to you. Saem is fine. You just need to reach out.”

“I don’t know.”Wyn’s voice was faint, like he had very little hope left. But I was sure the bond between Saem and Wyn was strong enough for him to draw strength from it.

“You need to try. Reach out to Saem. He’s waiting for you.”

Wyn’s spirit pulsed to life.

“Saem. Wyn needs you.”

I gently maneuvered Wyn’s spirit energy and directed it toward Saem’s vibrant one. Saem’s spirit energy was easy to recognize. Saem had twin flames—the dark yellow flame of his tiger and the forest green of his own. Saem and the tiger responded quickly to Wyn, and as the mates connected, Wyn’s purple aura revived, flaring brightly. Using that opportunity, I grabbed the dark spirit and pulled.

Aggwilaughed. “You think you’ll get rid of me so easily? Even if I go, I will take a piece of him with me.”

Wyn screamed.

I froze. “Wyn? What’s going on?”

“It won’t let me go.”His voice trembled.

“Fight it. Hold on to Saem. Be strong.”

I pulled on the sticky darkness, but it clung tightly. The tug of war between me and the evil spirit felt endless.

“My host gave me such power. You know I’m too much for you.”

Instead of responding to the taunt, I focused all my energy on the fight. The spirit was clever and tried to manipulate others with crafty words. It was trying to confuse me now. I knew once I expelled it from Wyn, I could call on the spirit lord to take it away. To avoid such a fate, aggwi wanted me to think I wasn’t strong enough to remove it on my own.

Gwi, the spirit or ghost of one who died, usually passed from the plane of the living to the other side with the guidance of a reaper called jeoseungsaja or chasa. However, if gwi has too much wonhan, resentment after death because they were mistreated in life or had a wrongful death, they lingered. These gwi wronged in life often haunted the ones who killed or tormented them.

I usually took pity on them and listened to their stories. And if I could, I helped them move on. But aggwi were the extreme cases. The longer gwi stayed in this world not meant for them, the more they lost who they had been as human beings. Gwi became aggwi when they lost all their humanity and crossed the line from resentful spirit to evil. There was nothing I could do for them except call on the spirit lord.

Sweat beaded on my forehead, gathered, and dripped down, but I maintained my even breathing. My focus had to be absolute, as this aggwi was formidably strong. Even with the aid of the sky spirit’s power, I was having difficulty pushing the darkness from Wyn’s soul. But thankfully, with Saem and his tiger aiding him, Wyn was rallying and fighting the darkness.

All throughout our fight, aggwi sneered at me, trying to weaken me with his denigrating comments.

“You’re losing control. I’m too strong for you. But maybe I’ll leave if you ask nicely. This one is getting weaker, anyway. I can find another victim who’s stronger to sustain me.”

Ignoring him, I continued.

“Oh! How about the one sitting next to you? He’s not a believer, is he? But he’s got such power inside him. His spirit is ripe for the taking. He’s got no defenses.”

Jee...

My heart gave a lurch. I knew the evil spirit was talking about Jee. But how had it known Jee was vulnerable? He’d been under my protection for many years. I first met Jee when we were young, and I’d immediately known he needed my help. With his innate power, his spirit stood out from the average people around him. Someone with his level of soul energy was usually born to a family like mine, who trained them early in life about the intricacies of the spirit world. On the rare occasions when someone not a member of a shaman family awoke to their power and started seeing the spirits, they either ended up in a mental hospital or, if they were lucky, a shaman discovered and trained them.

Strangely, although Jee’s soul had the power of a shaman, he seemed completely unaware of the spirit world. Having power without being awakened was dangerous since one can’t fight off an enemy one can’t see. Unfortunately, awakening to the spirit world is not something that can be taught. One must be born with power and also open one’s eyes to it naturally.

Having seen my first spirit at four, which was, even for a powerful shaman, a tad early, I’d been baffled by Jee. He had so much potential, but he was forever likely to become a victim of spirits who gathered near him to leach his power. Unfortunately, the spirit realm was not something I could lightly discuss with anyone outside the family, especially with those who did not know of its existence. That’s why after consulting my father, I’d given Jee a gift of bujeok, an amulet, disguised as a necklace to protect him. Since then, he’d ceased being a buffet for the spirits who needed every bit of energy they could absorb to remain in this world.

Jee always carried my bujeok. The evil spirit shouldn’t have been able to target him. I rapidly scanned my friend. His spirit energy was easy to recognize among the glowing ones of those around him. Warm, thick, dark brown, like liquid chocolate. His energy burned brighter than others. I gasped as I felt the weakened amulet. Its power needed to be renewed periodically. So much had happened in the last months—Jin’s kidnapping, our battle with Imugi, time traveling, another battle. I had completely forgotten to strengthen the amulet.

The evil spirit hastily retreated from Wyn, too fast for me to grab hold of it, and advanced toward Jee.

No, no, no!

I could not let it take Jee. Unlike Wyn, Jee had no mate bond. He’d have no one to help him fight aggwi while I pulled it off. But I couldn’t call on the spirit lord to take aggwi away unless it was unattached to a living being.

“Come to me now! I command you to come and take me.”I pushed all my power into the words.

Sky spirit. Give me strength. Please,I pleaded.

The sky spirit heeded my call. He poured his power through our connection, then into me. Until now, I’d only been a conduit of his energy, but now he was with me. My body shook as his strength burned through it. My metaphysical energy expanded rapidly. I was like a black hole, except I was only there to suck in the darkness. One with my spirit, I didn’t need to call on the lord of spirits to take away aggwi. The evil spirit screeched as my light burned through it, protecting all the other souls around me.

I lost myself in the bliss of being one with the sky spirit, the only being I’d ever felt this close to. And my focus on the darkness vanished as I forgot why I’d called on the spirit to begin with. I sighed softly as the perpetual loneliness and anxiety that lived inside me washed away with a surge of pure happiness.

Cheonsin. Be with me. Be with me always.

Binmi, my child, you are loved. We will always be a part of one another.

Yes! Yes, naui modeungeot, my everything.

I was where I belonged. My spirit was with me, closer than ever before. My arms wrapped tightly around my body. I wanted to remain exactly as I was. But my spirit’s energy ebbed, leaving me with his tender touch caressing every part of me.

No, no,I whined.

Please stay.

Naui sarangseuleon geot, my lovely one, your human body cannot contain me.

I don’t care.

My spirit only responded with a flood of blissful energy through our connection.

Take me with you.

Is it what you truly wish? You will no longer exist on this plane.

I...

I hesitated. Even five years ago, I might have agreed. I’d never fit in this world. To be with my spirit meant to belong, and I wanted that. The world of my spirit was exhilarating. There was no need for pretense. He loved me for all that I was. Even though I loved my parents a great deal, I would have said yes to him if I had not become part of Sanang. If I hadn’t felt responsible for the world. And if I hadn’t grown close to Jee.

Live. Your mortal life is but the blink of an eye for me. I will be here for you when you are ready to be part of me.

A gentle warmth grazed my cheeks.

I shuddered and let out a long breath.