SWNOVELS Chapter Shadows of Confinement
Chapter Five
Shadows of Confinement
“He has taken the bait.” She whispered. “Has our eldest son departed?”
“He has. He will not return for at least three hundred years, making him unaware that this one has been placed in the correct host.”
“I told you to punish him for his interference.” The woman growled.
“Is him not being sent to hunt the shadow fiend with Hachiman not punishment enough?”
“In my opinion, not even a thousand years of torment is enough for what he did to our second son.” She scoffed heatedly.
Takamimusubi chuckled. “One day, my love, you will have your chance to set our oldest on the correct path. You know he has some foul agendas for our children.”
Kamimusubi scowled. “I think you should chain him up and punish his insubordination while our second son watches.” She crossed her arms.
Takamimusubi shook his head. “It will come, my love. We must be patient or we set things in motion that the world is not yet ready for.”
Kamimusubi rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the watcher’s fountain. It pained her to know that she and her husband had set this trap for her second son just so they could place him with the right host. The pain and suffering Taizo was about to endure caused her heart to ache. “It is done.” She whispered brokenly.
Takamimusubi nodded and released the chains of restraint. They would bring Taizo back to the halls, where he would be placed until his host was ready.
* * * *
Taizo whirled around in shock and surprise when his arm was caught in an iron shackle. He tugged at his arm, trying desperately to free it, when another flew out from the darkness and gripped his other arm around the wrist tightly. His eyes widened when two more gripped his legs and then choked when one wrapped around his neck.
He was pulled down to the ground, bound hand and foot helpless. Taizo watched the shadows dance before his eyes for a split second before a brilliant white flash blinded him. In the next instant, he was bound to a metal chair in a large round room. Books filled every shelf, but he couldn’t move.
A large dark shadow filled the room, but as he searched with his eyes, he couldn’t see the owner of the shadow.
“Do you know why you are here?” The voice boomed in the room.
“Who are you?” To Taizo’s surprise, he heard his voice echo in the room. “Where am I?”
“You have been brought to the chamber of suffering for your transgressions.” The voice snapped loudly.
Taizo squeaked when the iron shackles around his wrists tightened. “Ow! What transgressions?” His heart beat nervously in his chest.
“You trying to steal your host’s physical life.” The voice boomed.
Taizo swallowed and winced. “You saw that?” He shivered instinctively. Was this just a horrible dream?
The shackles around his neck tightened slightly, creating an uncomfortable pressure on his throat. “You will remain here until you realize your mistake. You will then be sent back to the mortal plane if you have repented for the crimes you set in motion!”
Taizo swallowed uncomfortably. “How do I do that?” He felt so helpless. Taizo couldn’t move, could barely swallow, nor did he know where he was. On the verge of tears, he knew he shouldn’t have listened to that voice. It had been a trap.
“It was a test you failed!” The loud masculine voice yelled, causing Taizo to wince.
Taizo lowered his head in shame. “What happened to Hiroji?”
“You cared not for your host. Why should I tell you what happened?”
Taizo closed his eyes, defeated. “Did he die?” He whispered.
A door slammed, and Taizo was left in deafening silence. Lifting his eyes, he tried to adjust his position, but the chains tightened every time he moved. Gagging against the iron around his throat, Taizo stilled instantly. He could move his eyes without setting the chains off, but nothing else. With a sigh, his mind wandered back to his host.
Truthfully, his host had grown over the years but still immature. Maybe it had been his fault for not guiding Hiroji enough. With a sigh, Taizo looked at the walls surrounding him. Thousands of books were lining the shelves, and he squinted his eyes to read the names in the dimly lit room. Some book titles were etched in gold, others in bronze. It was an exciting array of books, and he so wished he could reach out and read one.
He sat there trying with all his brain power to convince a book to fly off the shelf and hover in front of his face, which he knew was impossible. For however long he was to remain there, he was sure he would die of boredom. Blowing air out his nose in frustration, Taizo scanned the room, looking for anything he could use to unshackle himself. But to his chagrin, the room was barren except for the tall candle sconces, bookshelves filled with thousands of books, and the lone chair he was bound to.
Growling in frustration, Taizo clenched his teeth together. “Hello!” He called out to anyone listening. “Helloooooo…”
Silence was his only response.
“Oh, come on!”
He jumped when a loud bang echoed in the chamber, and he held his breath anxiously. “Hello?” He whispered.
There was no response from whoever entered the room, but after several minutes of silence, Taizo blew out the air in his lungs. He felt the shackle around his wrist loosen, and a plate appeared in his lap.
“Eat. Then you will begin your retraining.” The voice boomed.
Taizo jumped despite himself, and the iron around his neck tightened more. Gasping and wheezing, he tried to say he was choking. However, the shackle around his neck loosened before he could say anything.
Coughing, Taizo nodded gratefully. “Retraining?” He asked as he scooped some food into his mouth.
“You will use this time to study and refresh your memory about your purpose with your host. This will allow you to understand the significance between host and sentient spirit.”
Taizo furrowed his brow. Was he going to be able to read some of the books? “I understand the coalition between host and sentient being. I was lured by a voice to enhance my life with that of my former host.”
“Which was a test you failed.” The male said.
Taizo winced. “I understand that now.” He scooped another morsel into his mouth and chewed.
“You are to observe and grow with your host. Understand his life and your own. Face challenges together and form a bond so you can merge your powers with his and guide him. We set out this test for all, such as yourself.” The male said.
Taizo lifted a brow. “So boredom is my punishment?”
The male laughed then, a deep guffaw of a laugh mockingly. “Boredom?” There was a moment of silence before the male grunted. “No. Boredom is the least of your worries.” A loud thump to Taizo’s left caused the bound man to glance over.
There sat a thick ledger filled with paper. Turning to face the male voice’s direction, Taizo lifted a brow again.
“You are to rewrite every scroll in this place into that ledger, word for word.” A mound of scrolls appeared before Taizo, and he gaped. Thousands of tightly bound scrolls rolled off the mound in all directions.
Lifting a wary gaze to the high railing, Taizo saw the shadow move. “A bit difficult to do that when I am chained to this chair.”
Again, the male chuckled. “Oh, you won’t be bound to it when you do your task. Instead, you will be chained to the floor.” As if on cue, two large iron rings appeared from the floor right before the mount of scrolls. “You will be served three meals a day, and you are to rewrite the tattered scrolls before you. When that is finished, you will be given the next task.”
Taizo eyed the scrolls. “Please tell me you are joking. This will take years to sort through.”
“Then it will take years to accomplish. I suggest you organize them by year and organize them into categories.” Without another word, the signifying boom of the door closing echoed in the chamber as the male left.
“A bit more light would be nice!” Taizo growled after the male. Right on cue, the dimly lit room brilliantly flared with candlelight, which caused Taizo to flinch. Grunting, Taizo finished his meal, but instead of relaxing after his dinner, he was jerked up into an upright position and dragged to the iron clamps on the floor. His chains magically attached to the iron hooks, and he was pulled to the floor. Taizo watched a wooden box with ink and a wooden pen magically appear before his face, and he sighed heavily.
He had some wiggle room to reach for the sizeable bound book on his left and dragged it over. Every page was blank. Assuming he was to write what the scrolls contained in the book, Taizo pulled the first scroll over and unrolled it. Frowning, the scroll contained a simple remedy for muscle aches. It was detailed and even had images for easy harvesting.
Taizo lifted his eyes to the towering pile of scrolls and groaned. Perhaps he didn’t have to copy each word from the scrolls into the book. Some of the information seemed redundant.
The voice barked as if on cue. “You must copy each scroll word for word, image by image. Any discrepancy will result in you having to restart from scratch!”
Taizo’s mouth dropped open. Grumbling under his breath, he said, “You haven’t seen my drawings.”
“Get started!” The voice said louder, which caused Taizo to jump.
“Grump.” He whispered. Taizo gagged when the chain around his neck jerked back, and his hands flew up, trying to lessen the pressure on his windpipe. Closing his eyes, he waited until the chains loosened before he glared in the direction the voice had been. It was clear even his thoughts were not private in his prison. Sighing, he pulled the next scroll from the pile and yelped when the mound tumbled into him.
“Oh, for the love of-” He started but bit his tongue. Sighing, Taizo pulled out each scroll, sorting them into different piles, begrudgingly placing herbalism in one pile and alchemy into a different pile. It was going to be a long while until he could complete the task laid out before him.
* * * *
Taizo had no idea how long he had been on the floor sorting scrolls, eating food, standing up to stretch his legs, writing everything into the large ledger, and carefully placing completed scrolls in a neat pile against the wall.
Once he had completed the scroll documentation, he was set upon rebinding books so old the binding was cracking. His fingers ached and cracked with stretching the leather binding. The sticky substance he was provided for the binding stuck to his pant’s hands and was even in his hair.
Other books that the paper was so fine had to be rescripted on vellum and sewn with cord. There was a hot plate he had to rebrand the binding of the books. He had pierced his hands and fingertips so many times he no longer felt it when his hand slipped.
He had papercuts on his arms and hands, and they hurt more than sticking himself with the needle, and he cursed every time the paper sliced across his flesh. The only benefit to his working on the books and scrolls was that he could read everything and commit it to memory.
Now, he was sitting back in the metal chair, not by choice but forcefully dragged to it by the iron chains still attached to his wrists. Now he was bored. Taizo had to wait to see if there were anymore punishments lined up for him. He remembered the first scroll he had pulled off the pile and the ingredients needed to make up the salve to ease muscle aches, but there were none of the ingredients around to make it.
His fingers were cramped and stinging from the amount of times he had poked them with the needle, and now they were bound tightly in the shackles. When he had tried to wiggle them, the clamps around his wrists had almost cut the circulation off. He wanted to cry. Taizo’s wrists ached, his fingers hurt, his legs numb from lack of movement, and his throat was so constricted that it was an effort even to swallow. To put it lightly, even his ass hurt from having to sit in the same position for such a long time.
His eyes lifted to the candles he could see from his position, and he noticed several candles were low and burning out. Taizo wiggled his nose. “The candles need changing.” He said to the empty room. “I’m hungry.”
There was absolutely nothing for him to do. Growling again, he spat out in frustration. “I am going to die of boredom!”
His eyes caught a slight movement on his right, and immediately, his eyes snapped to it. It was a small spider crawling across the floor. “Hi.” Taizo croaked through the tight clamp around his neck.
The spider stopped and remained still.
“I couldn’t hurt you even if I wanted to.” Taizo wheezed.
The spider crawled forward, staring at Taizo as though curious.
Taizo sighed and watched as the spider crawled up his pant leg and perched on his knee. “I think you’re safe. You’re the first living creature I have seen since they brought me here.”
The spider whipped around and stared at him while it cleaned its legs.
“I am losing my mind. I’m talking to a spider.” Taizo rolled his eyes and gave a soft chuckle. He almost jumped when a loud bang echoed in the chamber he was shackled in. The spider ran up his leg and into his shirt. Lifting a brow, Taizo waited with trepidation for that large shadow and deep voice.
Holding his breath, Taizo waited a long time until he exhaled out of need. He felt the chains loosen, and he took a long, desperate breath. “Are you hungry?” A female asked.
Taizo jumped slightly. He knew that voice. “I heard your voice before.”
“Yes, you did.” The female laughed. “Are you hungry?”
“I am. How long have I been here for?” Taizo asked the strange woman.
His hands and neck were freed, and a plate appeared in his lap. His mouth began salivating immediately, and he grabbed the hunk of meat off his plate and dug in a hunger fury. He had no idea just how hungry he was.
“Breathe, Taizo.” The woman laughed.
Nodding, he slowed down his frantic devouring of the food, looking around for the woman. “Who are you?”
The woman did not answer.
“How long have I been here for?”
“How long do you think you have been here for?”
It didn’t even occur to Taizo that the woman had spoken his name. The more concerning part of the conversation was his length of stay. “It feels like only a few months.”
“You have been here for almost a hundred years.” The woman said. “Do you not remember?”
Taizo lifted a brow. “I remember that scary shadow.” He was shocked that that much time had passed and didn’t even realize it.
“You do not remember the conversations with-” She giggled, “The scary shadow?
Taizo lifted a brow. “No.” He eeped when the spider crawled down his shirt against his skin.
“You cannot take the spider with you when you return to the pools.”
“I am being sent back?”
“Yes, soon. I trust your punishment was successful and should prevent you from trying to take over your hosts in the future.” She said.
“Your voice is the one I heard that encouraged me to do so.” Taizo accused.
“Indeed. You were not supposed to be in that family line. You had been chosen for another bloodline.” The woman said.
“Oh? So you encouraged me to take over my host’s life, to punish me for what? A hundred years just to send me back to the right host?” Taizo growled. “Why not just pull me from the wrong host and place me in the right one?”
“It would have dishonoured you, and your spirit would have been sent to the spirit realm.” She explained. “It was the only way to save your soul and ensure you are reunited with the correct host.”
“So you messed up and had to fix your screw-up? That is fantastic. Why am I being punished for your error?”
“We didn’t make a mistake; someone interfered with the spell to send your soul to the host you were destined to be with. It resulted in your being sent to a lesser being.” The woman explained. “You had the choice to follow through with that enticement or to ignore it.”
Taizo scoffed. “I hope he suffered a worse punishment.” He grumbled.
The woman laughed a musical laugh. “Oh, my dear Taizo, your young life is just starting. There are more challenges far worse than this that you will have to face before you are reunited with your family.”
“So when do I return to this mortal plane?” He asked curiously.
“Soon. Once I have made certain it is safe to do so.” She said.
Taizo’s eyes moved to the books on the shelves, “Can I at least read something while I wait? Or am I still being punished?”
“I suggest reading book 10,983 on the fourth shelf from the bottom.” A shadowy hand appeared and pointed to the book she recommended.
“Seriously, it doesn’t matter what book I read, so long as I can do something besides sitting here. My ass hurts.” Taizo grumbled.
The woman laughed again, and the chains around his ankles fell loudly. “No exit from this room exists, so I wouldn’t try to escape. Your little companion will ensure you remain here until it is time for you to be sent back.”
Taizo’s eyes drifted to his shirt as he gingerly pushed to his feet. “This tiny thing?”
“It is my pet. My way of ensuring your safety while in our care.” She said.
Taizo lifted a brow as he watched the spider emerge from his shirt and crawl to the ground. He scrambled back when it grew and towered over him. His mouth dropped open in shock. “That’s your pet?” He exclaimed. The spider’s fang was as long as his arm, dripping with venom. Shuddering, he swallowed nervously. “Point taken.” He mumbled.
A joyous laugh echoed in the large round room, and he heard the distinct sound of a click, indicating a door hidden somewhere. However, not willing to suffer another hundred years of boredom, Taizo walked to the bookshelf and seated himself against the shelves, opening the book as he made himself comfortable.
Why would the woman want him to read this particular one? It hadn’t been the first on his list, but he could always read this and grab the other later. This one appeared as though it were being told as a foreshadowing of what would come for the mortal realm. As he scanned the pages, he realized this was more of a prophecy than an actual ledger. Now, he was fully invested in what it had to say.
The woman had mentioned he would return to the mortal realm once his punishment had been completed. Lifting his eyes momentarily, he wondered if he would be allowed to remember what he was experiencing now. Scoffing and lowering his eyes again, he knew that was an improbable event. But if he could commit this to memory, he might remember.
A small movement caught his eye, and he turned his eyes warily, watching the spider as it slid in his direction. “I am only reading. I am not planning some grand escape.”
The spider stopped, and in a puff of blue smoke, it was now a tiny specimen. It inched in his direction slowly, then hopped onto his leg and began cleaning.
Taizo rolled his eyes and once again continued reading. There were warnings of battles, viscous enemies that would target powerful monsters and phantoms, and devastating events that would affect the lives of the mortals they would reside in. He shivered as he read. Losing track of time, he must have been reading for hours or even days because he heard the distinct click of a door.
Lifting his gaze, he noticed the large, dark shadow. “It is time.” The male voice boomed loudly.
Taizo jumped despite himself and almost dropped the book. Gulping, he gasped, “Alright.”
“Come.”
Nervously getting to his feet, Taizo noticed his legs shaking, although he could not understand why. Perhaps there had been more to his punishment, and he didn’t remember it. He placed the book back onto the shelf and walked into the center of the great room. Taizo lifted his head to the shadow. “So, do I come up there?”
“You don’t. I will send you back from here.” The voice said. “There will be no further chances if you attempt such a thing again. You will not end up here, but in the spirit realm where lost and malicious souls go. It is an endless torment for the spirits there.”
Taizo gulped. “I understand.” Every inch of his body reflected his word as truthfulness. There was no excuse for what he had attempted to do, but he had followed the whim of that voice. He had failed that test and yet succeeded in it as well. This time, he would go to the proper host, not the one he had previously. “I won’t remember anything, will I?”
“No, although we cannot erase your memory, there will be instances where a flash of events reminds you. We have high hopes for you, Taizo; do not disappoint us.”
He jerked slightly as he realized that the male knew his name. As he thought about it, the woman had also known it, and it just dawned on him. “Wait, how do you know my name? Isn’t it a great secret that would be dangerous should anyone else know it?”
“Your mother and I, of course, would know your name, my son.” He said. “Your name is for your host only. I would recommend you keep it strictly between you and whatever host you reside in. Should anyone else know your name, it makes you vulnerable and your host.”
Taizo’s mouth dropped open, but before he could respond, he was engulfed in a bright white light, which caused him to clench his eyes shut tightly. When he opened his eyes, he was once again standing in a large white field beside his tree of life.
Furrowing his brow, he looked around him curiously. If he was not supposed to remember certain things, he figured his parents had failed somewhere because he remembered everything in that round room. Even things he would rather have forgotten. Shaking his head vigorously, Taizo turned to his tree and stared at it curiously. It appeared to be the same, a bit brighter and more luscious. Taizo walked over to it, placed his hand on the trunk, and smiled at the recognition.
‘I know, I know. I was gone for quite a long time.’ He sighed as the tree vibrated against his touch. Taizo felt that strong pull from his host’s pools and glanced over his shoulder, now curious about his new host. ‘Do you know who it is?’
The tree hummed as though it were laughing at him, and Taizo snorted. ‘Fine, keep your secrets.’ Turning towards the pools, Taizo begrudgingly walked towards the darkness. Hopefully, this host was more promising than the former one. The last thing he wanted to do was to end up dishonouring himself and his parents. His father had warned that there would be no further chances.
Slipping through the wavering point that was the pool entrance, Taizo lifted his head at the thousands of twinkling stars that seemed to appear in the dark black above his head. ‘Well, that’s new.’ He said. Lowering his eyes, Taizo saw a still figure lying in the black depths of his host’s lifeblood, and he walked over to the sleeping figure.
It was a small boy, no more than twelve, with silver-white hair pooled around his face. On the boy’s face was a calm, serene look that made Taizo smile. Turning to the boy’s tree, Taizo placed his hand on the trunk, and almost immediately, the boy started coughing.
Taizo turned just as the boy sat up and looked somewhat disorientated. ‘You’re awake.’
The boy started, and his head whipped around to stare in awe. “Who are you?”
‘I am your spirit.’
The boy’s mouth formed an ‘o’ and blinked at him. “I had no idea you would be a physical being.”
Taizo furrowed his brow at the familiar face and features. They were similar to his own, yet different at the same time. ‘What is your name?’
The boy pushed to his feet and dusted off his pants with a large grin. “I am Sashiki.” The boy looked around him curiously, trying to figure out why he was not wet when he was lying in the liquid surrounding him. “I am not wet.” He finally stated
Taizo nodded. ‘This is your lifeblood.’ He swept his arm wide, indicating the large pools around them. ’Do you know why you are here?’
“My father said it was something special. He said that because I am an adult, I can finally meet my inner spirit who will guide me in life.”
Again Taizo nodded.
“Do you have a name?”
‘I do. If I tell you, you must promise never to tell anyone else what it is. If you do, it will make you vulnerable to any attacks.’ Taizo said. He recalled his father mentioning that sharing the name with any other besides his host could be detrimental.
The boy frowned but thought long and hard. “It is a special name, your name, and you are part of my soul, so if anyone were to know it, it would make you vulnerable, making me also prone to weaknesses.”
Taizo lifted a brow. It was at least refreshing to hear logic from one so small. ‘My name is Taizo.’
The boy frowned. “My father’s grandfather was named Keizo. It is very similar.”
Taizo’s heart skipped a beat, but he had no idea why. Something in that name caused him great anxiety and near panic. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Taizo turned from the boy. Why was that name so familiar to him? Why did his parents mention that this particular bloodline was the one he was destined to be with? Furrowing his brow, Taizo turned to his host’s tree. It had some serious explaining to do. ‘Best if you wake and go about your duties. I will call you again soon.’
Sashiki nodded and sat down in the pools. It was only a second or two later that the boy was gone. It wasn’t long before there was a loud thudding noise and a whisper in the pools. “Hey.”
Taizo snorted. ‘You can talk to me in your head. I can hear you just fine.’
‘Oh, good. Do you know what we are? I keep asking my father, but he just says we were outcasts and created by hatred.’ Sashiki said quietly. ‘I know we are not humans or animals, even though we have attributes like animals. We are certainly not rampaging monsters that the humans dub us as, nor do I think we are fae or elves.’
‘You are not human, elf, or faere kind. Honestly, the only thing I can say you are akin to would be a living spiritual being. You have attributes of a dog, such as a fantastic sense of smell, hearing and sight. We have yet to test your agility. The humans do not like what they cannot understand, so they mark you as a mysterious phenomenon.’ Taizo said. ‘Perhaps something more.’ Taizo furrowed his brow. How the hell did he know all this? It was like second nature.
‘The humans call us monsters or demons.’ Sashiki said.
‘That proves my point that humans do not comprehend what they do not understand. Let them believe what they will. You are you, and nothing can change anyone’s opinion, lest it be you.’
‘Thanks.’ Sashiki said.