Possession 3: To Hunt a Hell Hound

Tenshi was slumped over his desk, barely listening to the teacher drone on and on about some ancient war. He slipped a glance to Rei who sat beside him on a window sill. The priestess was paying close attention to the lecture. Tenshi sighed.

“So what was that you did to me this morning?” Tenshi whispered. “‘Possess’ me?”

Rei reluctantly turned away from the teacher. “Yes. When a spirit enters the body of the living and seizes control, it is called a ‘possession’. Normally, there are two kinds… a forceful possession which hurts the host—”

“Yeah,” Tenshi mumbled, “I noticed.”

“—And a possession done with the host’s permission, which is usually painless.”

“Next time, do me a favor and ask before you do something like that again…”

“Mr. Saishi,” the teacher called, “do you have something to add to the discussion?”

Tenshi bolted upright in his seat. “Er! No Akida-sensai!”

The teacher eyed him. “Then please be silent.” He turned back to the board and resumed his lesson.

Rei giggled as Tenshi slumped back down and turned to look out the window.

A shadow near a tree in the courtyard caught her eye. When she tried to get a better look, she realized that the shadow was actually an enormous black dog… one with red eyes and a stump for a left paw.

Rei’s eyes widened as she leaned forward. The dog glared at her, then slunk behind the tree. Tenshi saw Rei move and turned to see half of the priestess’ body outside the closed window.

“YAHH!” Tenshi jumped to his feet and tripped over his desk, falling in a heap. The teacher turned and scowled. “Mr. Saishi? I was unaware that the economics of ancient Japan excited you so.”

Tenshi just groaned.

Rei sat back and blinked at him.

Tenshi managed to avoid all the bullies on his way to lunch and was able to snag some fresh dumplings. Choosing a seat in a corner, he sat down to eat and wait for Kai. Rei sat cross-legged on the top of the table. Tenshi eyed her.

“Thanks for getting me in trouble…”

Rei crossed her arms. “If you were paying more attention to that interesting lecture your teacher was giving, you would have never gotten in trouble.

“‘I was unaware that the economics of ancient Japan excited you so,’” Tenshi muttered, quoting his teacher.

“History is very important, Tenshi. The failures of our ancestors serve to remind us what we ought not to do while their successes serve to inspire us. Does this not spark any interest with you?”

Tenshi huffed and bit into his dumpling.

Rei watched him, biting her lip. Ever since seeing that shadowy beast, a question had wormed its way into Rei’s mind. Unable to contain herself any longer, she decided to talk to Tenshi. “Ehm… Tenshi? May I ask you something?”

Tenshi took another bite of his dumpling and eyed Rei with apprehension.

Rei took that as a ‘yes’. “The other day… when you found me in the alley… how were you able to see the Hell Hound?”

Tenshi swallowed his food. “That giant dog thing? It was kind of hard not to see it… It took up half of the alley, after all.”

“Well yes… but normally, only one with a connection to the spiritual realm can see a Hell Hound clearly. And you even attacked it! The Hounds have an ability to inspire fear within any who behold them… but you overcame that with ease.”

“Ease?” Tenshi nearly choked on his food. “I was scared half to death! I was gonna die! It was just blind luck that scared that thing off.”

Rei nodded. “Alright. But that still doesn’t answer how you were able to see the—”

“Hey, Tenshi!”

Rei paused and Tenshi looked up as Kai made his way over, carrying a bento box from home.

Kai sat down across from his friend and opened his box. “Good seat. Hey, didn’t you have a black eye this morning? And your lip looks pretty good for being busted open.

Rei moved out of the way so Tenshi could look at Kai. He swallowed a bit and managed a faked laugh. “Eh, yeah…there was just some dirt around my eye…made it look bruised. I’m sure I looked much worse than I actually was. Eh heh…heh…”

Kai arched a brow then shrugged, biting into a rice ball.

Rei was about to ask Tenshi something when a movement in the corner caught her eye. She watched a large group of students ate their lunch. It seemed normal enough, but the thing that really caught her attention was a dark glow around them, a glow made of an intense, deep red mixed with the darkest shadow she had ever seen. The essence of darkness was engrained into the beings of these students. They were demons… and one among them had enough power to make Rei shudder.

Tenshi glanced at the priestess then carefully looked back down at his plate. “What’s the matter?” he mumbled.

“Tenshi… who are those students over there? The ones at the corner table…”

Tenshi glanced at the group. Kai looked over as well. “Looks like the seniors are at it again…”

“Yeah,” Tenshi agreed. “They’re probably worse than Izumi’s gang…”

Rei frowned. She would have to be careful around those people.

The alley was empty after school, making Tenshi’s trip home much easier. Izumi probably got scared off after this morning, he thought. Gently prodding what had once was a wound in his ribs, Tenshi sighed. It’s only one day, he convinced himself. They were only scared off for a day. They’ll be back tomorrow…

Pulling himself from his thoughts, Tenshi looked at Rei, who was lost in her own. Amazing. Not even a day has gone by since I saw her die yet I’ve already grown use to seeing her… I guess believe in ghosts after all…

Tenshi turned forward again and halted his steps. Had he just seen a large dog duck behind the end of the alley? Impossible… dogs never grew that big…

Rei kept floating but paused when she realized Tenshi wasn’t beside her. She turned to look at the puzzled boy. “Something wrong?”

“I… I thought I saw something. Must have been nothing…” That’s been happening a lot lately…

Rather than shrugging it off, Rei gazed intently at Tenshi. “What did you see?”

Tenshi blinked. “Er… a big dog, I think. Why?”

“It is hunting us!” Rei hissed. “I should have realized it earlier…”

Tenshi paused. “…What’s hunting us?”

Rei turned to level a steady gaze at him. “The Hell Hound. You did cut off its paw, after all. They tend to remember those kinds of things.”

The color drained from Tenshi’s face. “That… that monster? It’s after me?”

“I do believe that’s what I said. Don’t worry though. It can’t strike in direct light. It attacks either in deep, dark places or at night.”

Tenshi hurried his steps, suddenly in a rush to get home. “So this thing can get to me anywhere?”

“Well no, not exactly. It can’t enter your home uninvited, of course.”

“Wasn’t that vampires?”

Rei waved her hand dismissively. “No. Vampires are much more difficult to deal with than Hell Hounds.”

Tenshi stared at her. “You… you mean… vampires… exist?”

“Naturally. They’re spiritual creatures. They prefer to be left alone, so they invented all those myths you hear about. Don’t worry thought, most of those are false.”

“So they really aren’t as bad as they seem in those old stories? Like Dracula?”

“Oh no no no. They’re much worse.”

                Tenshi gulped.

                Rei smiled grimly. “Like I said, don’t worry. Chances are you’ll never meet one, so let’s focus on the Hell Hound.”

                “Yeah, right. So I’m only safe in my house?” Tenshi turned onto his block. “So I can just stay there for a while. Right?”

                “Don’t be such a coward,” Rei scolded. “Besides, it wouldn’t work. If it can’t get to you personally, it’ll find a way to draw you out. Attack your friends. Loved ones. Anything to draw you into the open.”

                The teenage boy stopped walking. He lowered his eyes and clenched his fists. Rei watched, surprised. I can feel it, she was thought to herself. I can feel something… different…

                “…So if this thing isn’t dealt with, it could hurt my dad?”

                Rei frowned. “Well… perhaps…”

                Tenshi looked up, a quiet determination in his eyes. “How do I fight this thing?”

                Rei blinked, surprised. Those eyes… like there’s nothing else that matters to him… “Well, I can beat it. I know how to.”

                “Then how come you died before?”

                “It was unexpected,” Rei huffed as she crossed her arms. “I was unprepared for such a beast in this city. I felt a strange aura and when I went to investigate, it was on me. If I knew it was coming…”

                Tenshi moved past her and walked up to his house. He paused at the door, one hand tightly grasping the doorknob. He looked over his shoulder at Rei. “You better be right. Or I’ll be the one haunting you.” Tenshi twisted the knob and went inside.

                Rei hesitated for a moment. Then she smiled softly. Saishi Tenshi… it seems there’s more to you than I thought.

                It was a clear night, a night where you could see almost all the stars in the sky. It wasn’t long after sundown when Tenshi slipped out of the house, a long, clothe-wrapped package under his arm. Rei drifted along beside him. Tenshi quietly locked the door behind him, then turned and made his way onto the street. Once at the curb, he looked around. “So… how do we find this thing?”

                “Oh don’t worry,” Rei responded bleakly. “I’m sure that it will find us.”

                “Not the kind of encouragement I need,” Tenshi muttered. What am I doing, he thought to himself. I could get myself killed… but… I can’t loose dad… “Well, maybe we can choose the place to fight it off.”

                Rei arched a brow. “Yes, that’s a good idea. Where did you come up with that?”

                “I get picked on by bullies all the time. I learned to choose the best way to avoid getting too messed up. Location is a big part of that.” He began to move down the sidewalk.

                Rei hovered after him. “I see.” Interesting… he has an eye for tactics… “So where do you suggest we meet the Hell Hound?”

                “The park,” Tenshi replied over his shoulder. “It leads off into the forest. Plenty of cover and plenty of room to run. We won’t get boxed in anywhere. Are you sure you can beat it?”

                “Yes, I am. It sounds like the best place to fight. But at night? The beast will find us wherever we run. And its night vision is much better than ours.”

                Tenshi shrugged. “If you can beat it, then we won’t have to run.”

                “Ah. Good point.”

                Tenshi shivered as he looked over a deserted playground in the center of the park. Some streetlamps were still on, but most of the area was cast into deep shadow. Tenshi felt a tinge of fear. Why did I choose here, of all places? The Hell Hound will kill me in no time if we fight here!

                Rei glanced over at Tenshi. “Having second thoughts?”

                “Yeah,” he admitted. “Maybe we should just go home…”

                “Oh no. Remember, you chose this time and place to fight the Hell Hound. You have to see it through. And besides, you have me to protect you, remember?” Rei smiled. “It’ll be alright, Tenshi. You’ll see.”

                Tenshi sighed. “I hope so. I don’t want to have to worry about this monster every time I go to bed… with bullies, the worst they can do is put me in the hospital… but they would never kill me…”

                Rei drifted down the path that winded through the park, Tenshi right beside her. They passed a dirt side path that lead into the dark trees when the priestess stopped. She stared down the path, concentrating. Tenshi paused to look at her.

                “What are you doing?”

                Yes… I can feel him… “The Hell Hound… he’s down this path. I can feel his aura.”

                Tenshi looked down the path and shuddered. “I have a really bad feeling about this…”

                “So do I… but it can’t be helped, can it? I think it’s time to unwrap the bokuto.”

                Tenshi held up the wrapped weapon and untied the cords that bound the cloth covering together. He then pulled the cover completely off and tossed it into a nearby trash can. The wooden blade seemed to glow softly in the night.

                Rei floated down the path. “Time to do this, Tenshi.”

                “Yeah… I know.”

                “Scared?”

                “To death.”

                Rei winced. “Don’t say that word.”

                “Oh… right.”

                The path led into a darkened clearing where no light reached. The light from the moon and stars were just bright enough to reveal a monstrous shape crouched in the center of the field. Two dull, red eyes glared at spirit and mortal and a low growl rumbled through the night air. Tenshi could almost see the beast’s teeth glistening.

                Rei paused, eyes narrowed. “Don’t make any sudden movements, Tenshi…”

                “I c-can’t m-move at all,” he chattered. I’m gonna die!

                “Stay calm,” Rei murmured, her eyes still on the enormous shape. “I’m going to borrow your body now. Don’t panic. Just relax. Clear your mind.” She had already begun to take on a mist-like appearance.

                Tenshi stared at the Hound as it began to rise to its paws. “I c-can’t do this… I can’t beat this thing… I… I can’t… Dad… I’m so sorry… so sorry…”

                Rei’s mist felt cool against Tenshi’s lips. Rather than gagging as he had done that morning, Tenshi let the odd sensation trickle down his throat. He was actually aware of what was happening this time. It feels… warm… relaxing… His eyes glazed over. No… numb… I can’t feel anything… I can’t feel…

                Hush, said a reassuring voice in his mind. Sleep.

                Tenshi closed his eyes.

Rei opened them.

                “Alright, you overgrown poodle,” she taunted in Tenshi’s voice as she crouched, holding out her bokuto. “Let’s see what you got.” I won’t let you down, Tenshi. This is how I will repay you.

                The Hell Hound roared and lunged.