Spiritual Exchange

Kay stepped through the hanging silk curtain into the tent. A fire was burning in the center, smoke rising straight up out of a hole in the top. The fire obscured the figure sitting in the chair in the other side. The heat from the fire pressed Kay back, but she powered forward walking to the left side and towards the chair.

An old man sat in the chair, eyes half open watching Kay enter the tent. He had a cigar in his right hand, the ashes fell to the ground as Kay stepped up.

“Who are you?” the man’s lips moved, but no other part of his body moved when he spoke.

“I am Kay. I was told you can recall spirits to this plane. I need your help.” Kay’s eyes started to water. It had been many months of searching and finally this was her chance.

“Hmm. I do not think you need this.” The man’s cigar continued to burn in his hand, an orange ring glowing around it although he did not bring it to his lips.

“I have traveled a long way and for a long time. I need your help. You are the only one that can do this. I’ve looked for others, but no one remains with knowledge of the spirit arts. The doctors and medical community have only limited experience in the realm of spirits. Please, you have to help.” Kay struggled to keep her voice even. Her whole body wanted to shake, her mind wanted to explode in desperation. She kept herself in place and steadied her feet.

“There is a reason I am the only one that remains. There are great consequences to this art. Others have repaid their debts with violence and fear.” Ashes from the cigar fell as a log in the center fire shifted sending orange glowing embers up in the air with the smoke, like fireflies hiding the darkness.

“What will you do when your debt needs to be collected, little one?” The man shifted for the first time, his head leaning forward closer to Kay. His expression of lazy indifference did not change.

“I’ll do anything. But, I need to be here for the spirit you recall, we have unfinished business we need to tend to. Once that is done, I am yours.” Kay shifted on her feet uncomfortably, then planted herself with conviction as she uttered her last phrase.

“You’re conviction is nothing new little one.” The man leaned his head back against the chair. Kay caught a glimpse of the fire reflecting in one eye as he leaned back. The sight brought about thoughts of raging infernos and smoldering desolation. A feeling of intense fury quickly shifted to hollow emptiness, then was gone altogether.

The man tilted his head up at the ceiling of the tent and exhaled smoke. Although Kay did not see him inhale from the cigar. “This request has been fulfilled many times over. By me. By my peers. Still, the world is as it is. Our unholy skills break the spiritual order. Tell me of your ‘unfinished business’ as you say.”

“A prophecy has predetermined that my erstwhile companion and I must remove a great evil that has plagued our bloodline for generations.” Kay recited the prophecy from memory, she had repeated it so many times that it came out as a reflex.

“Do not mince words with my little one. Your ‘prophecy’ stinks of repeated scripture from any age from any people. An evil to one is an evolution to another. Your generations are mere blinks in the realm of spirits.”

The man sounded exasperated and his words became softer as he continued on.

Kay stepped softly closer as his voice became barely audible.

“It is doubtful the spirit you wish to recall still holds such a minuscule perspective. Tell me what this means to you or begone.”

“It means everything. There is nothing else left for me. Please bring her back. Our task needs to be completed by us together, the future generations depend on our actions. I cannot do it myself. Please…” Kay got down on one knee and bowed her head to the man. She kept her eyes up looking through her bangs.

Silence held the space hostage for a full minute. Even the fire ceased its crackle for a time. The man did not move or speak while Kay watched him the whole time. She slowly set her backpack in front of her and opened it. She took out a gold bar, a padded envelope, and a jagged purple crystal.

“I have gold, a notarized bank note and a twice-blessed amethyst. Please take any or all of these in exchange for your services.” Kay was careful emphasize ‘exchange’. Offering gifts has led to more theft than assistance.

The man did not so much as tilt his head towards the items. “Meaningless. These are nothing. The spirits require a price that is beyond you little one.”

Kay smiled in approval to herself as she gathered up her items. These were a test for a charlatan. She knew the true price.

“I offer half my soul.” Kay stood tall and said the words loudly. Offering her whole soul would defeat the purpose of her task and she knew from her research it was possible to recall spirits with a partial living soul.

The man’s head tilted towards her and leaned forward again. His cigar ash fell as the orange ring burnt through it.

“Half you say? And how would you know what ‘half a soul’ is?” Smoke puffed out of his mouth in spurts as if laughing, but no sound came out.

“I put my trust in you. For the love of my sister, I give you the power to destroy all of my soul, but trust you to honor the spirits in this act.”

“Well put little one. I accept this offer. You will owe me a karmic debt as a result, this will follow you into the spiritual plane. That we have all of time to settle, so no need to discuss further here.” The man stood up, bones cracking and smoke leaking out from tattered loose clothing. His face was remained obscured by a hood, his eyes glowed like fire. He ashed the cigar and the fire in the center climbed higher with a whoosh!

He brought out another cigar from a hidden pocket and held it out to Kay. It was dark brown like the other one, but had a shining silver band instead of a gold one. The band seemed to shimmer like a circlet of smoke around the cigar. Kay stood only up to the massive man’s waist, but her spirit stood as tall as him. She took the cigar.

“Let us begin little one.”