The Ghost King's KeeperCh6 - The Contract

“Ah’Hen! Quickly light up your ghost fire as big as you can,” Ruzen ordered immediately after he noticed the sound of movement, and not just once, but it felt as if several hundreds of movements were happening around them yet they couldn’t see.

Thankfully Ah’Hen was very cooperative in listening to him, so Ruzen almost breathed out in relief, only to stumble when the fire light illuminated their surroundings, like a wash of rays over the cast shadows. FBxXc3

“So many! So many of them!”

Ah’Hen’s shocked cry was really not surprising considering the cast of colorful crabs surrounding them, their sharp feet pinching the sand as they creeped forward instead of scuttling sideways like their species should. Ruzen had never seen such colorful species before, that glowed in the fire light. The black round eyes shiny and red.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

It almost could be compared to a nightmare since these ‘things’ weren’t exactly normal and something about their colored back screamed danger.

When Ruzen had just entered middle school, his senior had taught in passing that the most poisonous of species were the most beautiful ones, they carried bright colors and were rather flashy. His friend had been impressed, quipping, ‘They are fearless because of their poison, so I guess they don’t need to camouflage, it is just them feeling proud of their skin, hehe, do you also think so Ruzen?’ dnaWul

At that time Ruzen had thought his friend lacked knowledge, because that wasn’t how nature worked, so he told him, ‘It is a warning sign to potential predators so that they are aware the prey carries poison, I think the term was Aposematic signals, or something, I am not really clear what senior meant.’

Now, when facing several hundreds of such bright colored crabs, he changed his view point, since it almost seemed as if these crabs were simply showing off their potential, marking themselves as the predators instead of prey. Funny, he was having such thoughts in such crucial time.

Running his mind for a plausible escape plan, Ruzen started looking around in hopes of finding something, even a small hope would be crucial to his survival.

He was not sure of how different these species were from those on Earth, maybe they could climb the ruins and even fly?

He had been bitten by one of them, but it showed no signs of affecting his body, even not when he really tried to feel it out. The only thing he noticed worth celebrating, was that the Ghost fire’s light unsettled them, and they did not move any further as if trying to shield their eyes from the glow.

Happy he had finally gotten hold of a brilliant plan, Ruzen glanced at Ah’Hen with bright eyes, his mouth opening to order out another command, but he clipped them shut when his eyes fell on the heavily breathing ghost and his flickering ghost fire.

“What happened Ah’Hen?” he felt unsettled. Did the ghost fire needed too much juice to run? Was Ah’Hen also bitten? Was Ah’Hen very tired?

“Ah’Hen, tell me, is something wrong?” Ruzen asked again, considerably gentle and concerned. He was not generally emotionally invested, but the child had been helping him in his own little ways, so it was necessary he as well tried being more compassionate. 3Rb2Fy

And he wouldn’t say it aloud, but his heart felt tight when he saw Ah’Hen looking so… weak.

“Poison, master’s poison seeping through. Contract helps master be safe!”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Slightly startled, Ruzen didn’t know what to say, so it wasn’t as if the poison wasn’t affecting him, it was, but the effect was directly impacting Ah’Hen. Which wasn’t good, what kind of contract was it even?

“Vajs klat wf, kf tjnf ab gec ogbw tfgf Ct’Lfc, mjc sbe gec? Gb sbe cffv wf ab qlmx sbe eq?” WZdRYj

Ct’Lfc qemxfgfv tlr ilqr, jr tlr fsfr oijrtfv klat j riffqlcfrr Eehfc kjr revvfcis vgfjvlcu. “Gbc’a riffq,” tf kjr gjatfg ibev, tlr fsfr xffqlcu agjmx bo atf mgjyr ktfc atfs lcmtfv mibrfg jr atf Xtbra olgf rajgafv ab oilmxfg bea.

“Need to sleep master, I feel sick,” Ah’Hen’s small voice triggered Ruzen’s protectiveness. He didn’t care whether he would be frozen under the ghost, he needed to get out of there.

Picking up the ghost child felt like picking up solid air. He was very light, the skin and aura so frosty, it made his arms go numb. It was similar to holding a light weight block of ice.

Shivering he grit his teeth and before the ghost fire could flicker out, Ruzen stepped towards the crabs, the little things parting under the blue light. Rk4osx

With each step he took, the crabs parted way, scuttling sideways frantically.

Not long after, Ruzen realized they were half way through the ruins and the crabs were still surrounding them, more covering his path ahead and moving like a circle around him to keep him from leaving any faster.

Read more BL at chrysanthemumgarden (dot) com

It annoyed Ruzen how clever these beings were, but he also did not have time to repent or even admire the ruins, his little ghost was now shivering in his arms and his fire was getting smaller and smaller.

‘How did Al’Bae even survive until now?’ Ruzen couldn’t believe he did not receive any memories of Al’Bae fighting, or using his ‘curse’ or whatever. It was as if what was really important hadn’t been catalogued in his mind. All the memories he had received from his previous body owner was just the measly inadequate story of Ghosts and Gods, who existed, the hateful glares of regular people and the pitiable life Al’Bae had lived. But he couldn’t believe Al’Bae had survived this world without doing anything from his end… how did he fight back? oOE3w2

Ruzen frowned, his steps slowing down since the crabs were getting harder to breach, they were somehow becoming bigger and bigger, scalier and sharply colored. The deeper he walked to cross the ruins, the much harder it became to use the ghost light as his shield. By now he had to hold Ah’Hen down to make use of the ghost fire, so that the light from it was more effective.

He rarely cursed, but all this obstacle was making him very angry, angry enough to spit out a few undesirable words.

‘Think, think, how did Al’Bae use his powers? I have to think of a way, should I concentrate? Meditate? Ah’Hen wouldn’t be able to hold any longer, and I have to keep him safe…’ Ruzen did not know how a ghost could be poisoned, like how did it even work, but maybe… the poison of these crabs were strong enough to hurt even ghosts…

He was deep in thought when Ah’Hen started to scream, a shrill loud one similar to the first time Ruzen had touched him, even the tears this time were heavier, darker, almost blood like, oozing out a foul smell, a bit darker. MQE63O

“Ah’Hen, I am sorry, please tell me… does it hurt very much? Ah’Hen…”

Ruzen felt stupid asking such a question, but he did not know what else he could ask, surely it must hurt and seeing the haggard image of the ghost, he felt anxious, his heart beating faster, and his stomach getting queasy. He suddenly felt the urgency, maybe this could really kill the little ghost, and he didn’t want that.

Making up his mind, Ruzen did not know how to cure his ghost, but he had to find some settlement, the people there might know something that could help keep the ghost alive and safe.

Breathing in and out, he hardened his hold over the ghost and raced ahead not caring if he was going to step over a rotten crab. He moved faster when he realized the crabs were scattering away from him in startled, as if afraid of… him? WdSHVu

Well maybe the sudden light from the ghost fire got to them, but whatever the case, he seized the opportunity and ran with all his might. Even Ah’Hen had stopped screaming, but blood, black blood had started to ooze out from his mouth, falling over his garment in drips.

Clenching tighter, his arms almost solid and burning under the cold, Ruzen sprinted over a few crabs in anger. He maybe a little distant with his approach, but he wasn’t a heartless one, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if something happened to the little ghost because of him.

They had just met, it wasn’t yet time to part.

“I am sorry I am not aware of this world yet, my memories are useless, next time I would be more prepared, please stay with me, you hear me Ah’Hen?” ZGHj60

Ah’Hen didn’t give any immediate response, but at least he moaned in pain which was better than nothing.

After a while of running blindly, Ruzen was sure they had left behind the crabs now that they were out of the ruins, the sandy dunes at night and the cold breeze greeting them. But unfortunately, Ah’Hen could no longer keep his fire lit, so the sudden dimness made it even more difficult to navigate.

Ruzen really had believed that all those novels he had read to pass time had been too impractical when they made their character spring forth some power or another in their desperate times, yet he really wished that was also the case in real life, because right now he was desperate for anything, even if it was a small hope, Ruzen had to have that if he wanted the little ghost alive.

He had never been this anxious before, because maybe it wasn’t about him this time, it was someone else’s life he had to take care of. And that was the responsibility he was unwilling to run from. The minute he took this little ghost under his wing, he became responsible for him. IdQWSB

Under the pressure, the darkness and the cold gripping his body, Ruzen was suddenly enlightened with an idea.

“Ah’Hen, wake up, are you there?” he nudged the little ghost in hope, aware that he was being forceful but he needed answers.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Ah’Hen just moved his head, he felt that sensation as his arms prickled. There was no answer but at least the ghost was aware enough to listen to him.

“I want you to tell me about the contract, can it be changed, is there a way to add something to it?” 8ZHT9v

When Ruzen didn’t heard any answer he almost yelled out to ask again, in hopes of getting Ah’Hen to respond.

A bit of a repetition of the same question, finally snapped Ah’Hen out, as he spoke weakly, “The contracted ghost… takes the burden of master, and does what is asked of him, he cares for the master and also supports the master, in return… the master gives him shelter and protection. A master can change the contract, but only if the ghost is also willing and in the presence of another party.”

Ruzen was stumped, he had wanted to change the contract so that he could take at least some share of the poison’s effect to elevate the burden from Ah’Hen, yet, they needed a third party to change the contract, also this little ghost’s consent… it was just so… what could he say, it made him really frustrated, made him annoyed how his luck was so bad.

“Ah’Hen, contract aside, let me share your burden, or you would die, we need your light, or in this deadly night, I cannot move any further, the sand dunes maybe dangerous, what if more crab like things are hiding beneath? Are you listening to me Ah’hen, focus, you need to share. Your. Burden. With. Me.” WAcwdl

“M-Master, I won’t die, ghosts don’t die.”

Silent, Ruzen felt relief wash over him, so the ghost won’t die? It almost made him smile, however, it couldn’t be that easy… Ah’Hen was clearly suffering, even if he won’t die, Ruzen couldn’t let him suffer anymore.

“Then can you cure yourself? When will all this stop?”

Ah’Hen mumbled something, so Ruzen had to ask again, leaning in to take the words better, his ears ready to hear something positive, so Ah’Hen repeated, “I would go into hibernation, so master wouldn’t see me for a while, but I would be able to cure myself, only, master needs to take care of my ghost stone until I fully recuperate. Master doesn’t need to apologize, it is my duty as your ghost.” h2J57t

Ruzen wanted to say that suffering for him wasn’t called duty, but he wouldn’t argue for now, at least he would see the child again, so until then he would do all he could to take care of the ghost stone Ah’Hen spoke of.

Before he could ask anything else, the ghost child, he felt started to become smaller, regressing to a small form, a small solid form which was quite heavy.

With numb hands, Ruzen forced his fingers to work as he got hold of the… stone? It was strangely warm.

A while later, belatedly, he realized, that if Ah’Hen hadn’t taken over the poison from him, Ruzen would have died. This time the severity of the situation finally sank in. 7Pf3OL

~~

[ Author chats ]

Ruzen : For the sake of our readers, would you like to share what are your goals with this novel?

Author : Well, have you read Mo dao Zu Shi, or Boku no Hero Academia or One Piece? These are famous works… at least you know Harry potter and Lord of the rings right? dwZUWN

Ruzen : What does that have to do with anything?

Author : What is common between all of them?

Please visit chrysanthemumgarden (dot) com

Ruzen : They are lengthy and too many chapters.

Author : …yes, but you are missing the point, they have good character development, and plot, that is what I want to achieve with this project. I want my work to be unique, something which people don’t usually read out there. I also don’t want it to be too stretched, but decent enough to be called a mature work. I know my writing isn’t up to power of most, but I would try my best to not let that drag my novel down. sxUV i