Nazo No Taberu No Saigo No Tatakai

The air was cold and sharp like a mad man with a dagger of ice incising your visage, my soul shook as I looked to the petite derelict hotel that stood tenaciously before me. My coat whipped around as the wind picked up and the winter night pressed on, the snow compacted under my feet nearly throwing me off balance with every step. As I finally staggered to the door frame I noticed the smell it wasn’t a repulsive smell like that of a bog or a river city at low tide, but a pleasant one like the scent of your mother as she kissed your sweaty, fever ridden forehead while you quavered under the covers, a war raging in your innards. The inside was abnormal to the outside it was clean and spacious. A small desk backed by a wall of shelves and each one labeled with a number in a glossy black paint looking from side to side I saw only two hallways leading off into the unlit abyss. A bell stood lonely on the desk shinning as if almost smiling at me. Tapping it lightly it made a pang of pure crystal a woman came rolling from beyond the corner of the wall. Her dull black hair pinned up neatly in a bun and she wore a grey kimono thick and lifeless like the town outside. Some misfortune had befallen this place you could smell it in the air.

“Is there something I may help you with?” her dark eyes never leaving my face.

“Why yes…do you have an open room for the night?”

She stepped down not making a sound and elegantly walked to the desk where she ran a finger down the notebook.

“We do. Whatever room you like is yours for the taking. I must warn you though watch the fires at night if your room does not stay the same temperature as it is now then you must leave and pray that they have eaten before this night. It’s no longer safe here no one is.”

“If I may be so bold as asking what is here?”

Another pair of footsteps came pounding in from the other room. A girl no younger than I short though with bright orange hair and pitiful grey eyes that looked as if she was to burst out into tears.

“Grandma! What are you saying there is nothing here! You’ll scare off all our customers like that!”

“And who might you be?” My eyes locked upon the girl cold and curious.

“My name is Airi my grandma and I own this hotel and who might you be? You look like a frozen rat.”

My face unchanging while hers was wrapped in anger and frustration,

“Eiji, Eiji Suo, I was listening to your grandmother tell me about these strange fires I think I can help you.”

“How? No one can help us. Everyone has tried and failed it’s not what you think it is Spirit master... it’s far worse.”

Never the less my mind was set I was staying here to figure out what horrors plagued this town. Taking my room key from the old woman I began my way down the hall without another word to Airi. The hall way was cold and dark almost uninviting to the senses. My room was the last door just before the stair case on the left side room 24. The number on this door looked different from the others it looked almost alive…like the number was shaking. Brushing it off as a mere ploy of the light I placed my key into the door and twisted. It made a horrid shriek and groaned when I thrusted it open. Looking about I noticed a single ink painting decorated the wall just above the bed. Frightfully uncomfortable as it was, the sheets were thick and the pillow soft but the room was…sad alone if one may say. A knock at the door whipping around a soft voice echoed from the far side.

“Eiji? It’s me Airi I…may I…have a word?”

Not thinking twice I opened the door and allowed the small girl in; her face annoyed me somehow always looking as if the world was such a cruel unforgiving place.

“What do you require of me? That is what you came here to pester me about is it not? I’m guessing it has to do with your grandmother?”

Her face was shocked, but what about? Not like this was the first time she had seen a Spirit master before. Let alone see one that is skilled as I? She is trash…disposable and irrelevant.

“Yes your right I do need to ask a favor of you. It concerns this room not my grandmother, You see that painting?,  Her hand lifted as she pointed with a shaking finger “It holds a spirit in it…it’s name is Nazo Taberu he is over four thousand years old and has come here only a week ago through that painting. Try as we may to destroy it so long as he remains undefeated then the painting remains in the same condition and he can eat anyone in the hotel who dares to rent a room. Somehow a painting has appeared in every room and there is nothing we can do about it. But you…you can help us.”

“Nazo no Taberu you say? Well that changes everything. This won’t be an easy job and I do expect payment to say the least.”

A shimmer returned in her eyes. Those stupid eyes of hers now full of hope the hope she never had.

“Don’t get all mushy with me we still have to discus payment in return for this little task you so easily bestowed upon me. Be warned if I lose it will be the last time he will need you to ring in his food, he’s stronger not long now and he can break free from this form and mutate. If that happens run…leave everything and just run. A life is worth more than a trinket.”

A smile whipped across her face and she began to weep. My eyes widened at the sight of this.

“Thank you Eiji thank you…as payment the night stay is free of any charge and we will help you get supervisions at the local store, I’m sorry but that’s all I can offer you.”

“I’m afraid that won’t do at all…you see I need something personal of yours how about that ribbon your wearing?”

Her eyes widened and she began to sob kneeling down to her I whipped the tears from her cheek I unraveled the ribbon and placed it in my pocket.

“I can’t win this fight alone, thank you Airi.”

She stood and left the room without a sound or a passing glance to me the door shut quietly behind her. Dropping my pack on the floor along with my coat I flopped onto the hard bed smacking my head against the joint that thrusted out from under the measly mattress. Rubbing the back of my head I looked to the painting and noticed the ink was quivering as if enraged. Walking to it I saw that the actual paint itself was beginning to move and take form of a face. Could it be happening this fast? Has the sun set already? Looking to the window it had in fact set the last rays of light died behind the arid mountain and night finally fell. I had little time to work; time waited for no man that much was true. Running for my pack I pulled out a blank sheet of parchment along with my brush and ink. Four candles I set out lighting them left to right, sitting parchment in front of me brush in hand I waited for him, patiently waited. Suddenly a black mass formed in front of me.

“So you decided to show up did you?”

A cocky smile ravaged my face as I looked to the black mass that began to take shape of a man but suddenly changed. What sat before me was a creature with jeweled yellow eyes and a man’s body covered in a thick black layer of hair, long twisted goat horns protruded from its head and its face was half man half goat, its fingers long and slender it sat there smiling at me it wore the same smile as I did.

“Was there any doubt?”

He licked his teeth and chuckled eyes glimmering with a hunger, a hunger that would never be satisfied. Looking down at the paper he broke out into a laugh and slashed one of the candles that instantly went out as it hit the floor.

“You are brave Eiji but you’re a fool the only way to seal me in that pathetic spell of yours is to beat me at my own game. And that is impossible. Do you think you’re the first to try this? Many masters have come here to do the same thing you are and none of them have succeeded.”

“Tonight will be different…”

His smile grew and his eye flashed and flickered like a fire.

“Fool! What makes you any different than the others? Is it because you have her faith? She trusts you she even gave you her ribbon…HA! You think she will help my dear friend it is her that brought me here in the first place!”

“You look puzzled master?  Never mind it makes no difference I have already won!”

“Let us begin…What has a mouth but cannot chew?”

He looked at me that same smile on his face. His expression unwavering he knows I am only toying with him.

“I thought you better than this honestly do you hope to beat me with this pitiful sham of a riddle. You insult me Master; in any case the answer is a river that’s one mark for me.”

He looked to the empty floor in front of him and scratched a line in the floor.

“My turn master. It I say ‘everything I say is a lie’ am I telling you the truth or a lie?

“A lie…My turn, when is it bad luck to meet a white cat?”

“Simpleton! When you’re a mouse of course! Black within, red without, and four corners round about.”

“A chimney…my turn; Old Mother Twitchett had but one eye, and a long tail which she let fly; and every time she went over a gap, she left a bit of her tail in a trap.”

“A needle and thread…you bore me master. But I’ll beat you anyway just to show I am superior to you.  Thirty white horses upon a red hill, now they tramp, now they champ, now they stand still.”

“For your complex of yourself you play small cards it’s your teeth. Little Nanny Petticoat, in a white petticoat, and a red nose; the longer she stands, the shorter she grows.”

“Your one to talk, it’s a candle ha! You’re going to have to do a lot better than that and you’re going to have to be faster your candles are almost out Master!! Flour of England, fruit of Spain, Met together in a shower of rain; Put in a bag tied round with a string, If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a ring.”

It was true my time was limited my first candle was cut and now my second one was almost out of wax, this can go on much longer I only have two left.

“Hmm…be that as it may your riddles haven’t improved much. The answer is a plum-pudding, Two legs sat upon three legs, With one leg in his lap; In comes four legs And runs away with one leg; Up jumps two legs, Catches up three legs, Throws it after four legs, And makes him drop one leg.”

“HA! Child’s play! A man, a stool, a leg of mutton, and a dog! You’ll never win now for my final riddle! Make three fourths of a cross, And a circle complete; And let two semicircles On a perpendicular meet; Next add a triangle That stands on two feet; Next two semicircles, And a circle complete. WHAT AM I MASTER?”

“Tobacco…now for my final riddle what is the difference between the king and his horse?”

“*Tuh* But how?! Hmm.. That’s easy master spirit talker…easy…its emotion.”

“You are wrong Nazo Taberu so wrong.”

Dropping my brush I launched my self over the candles dropping the beast to the floor, he squirmed and struggled to get away my grip hardend as his face filled with fear. Pulling my hand back I punched through his chest grabbing hold of his still beating heart, clutching it I used my other hand to grab hold of his tonuge that wriggled in his mouth. I began to recite the spell.  

“With all things that have ensnared the heart and tongue alike rip them forth and show them no mercy! Devour him! Seishin Shira! It’s all over now Nazo Taberu you’ve lost.”

A blast of blue light filled the room and Nazo taberu began to scream in agony as I pulled on and eventually  ripped his heart and tongue out before his eyes. The horrid shrieking lured Airi to the door.

“No! Don’t come in here you’ll be killed!! Whatever you do keep that door shut!”

Taking the ribbon I placed it in a circle on the paper, a black hole appeared on the paper sucking air into it like a flesh eatting disease. Quickly I shoved the heart and tongue into the void and looking to the demon screaming on the floor I continued the spell.

“With all the strength I give you Subete no koibito love this one and take him as your own in the cage of iron and steel. Guide his spirit onward into your love!”

“You haven’t won yet Eiji! Your forgetting the girl! She brought me here! SHE’S COMING WITH ME! AIRI!!! What will Soske think when you leave me like this the painting he loved so! He’ll never love you again Airi!”

The door swung open with trumendous force and Airi stepped in her body heavy and  her eyes filled with tears she broke into a sprint screaming at me. Pulling the brush from my hand she began to hit me again and again. Begging me not to do it, to spare his life.

“I don’t want him to leave I take it back! You can’t just kill him. PLEASE NO!”

“He’s not Soske, Airi! Don’t you see!? he’s faking you, he can never do anything he promises ever! He lies that’s how he gets what he needs! He’s been lying to you no one can bring back the dead! No matter what Soske will always love you! He’s never stopped! He wouldn’t want you to be sad and lonely for the rest of your life! That’s not how he was! I know this! Trust me!”

Her eyes filled again with tears huge heavy tears falling to the floor painting rivers of gleeming light down her cheek, she dropped to the floor and began to sob and cry out for Soske.  Kneeling to her and whispered in her ear.

“I told you before I can’t beat him alone.”

Standing with her hand in mine, I put them out before the beast and recited the ending line with her.

“Heal him! Subete no koibito!”

The room filled with light and the souls of all he had consumed flew past us in morning thanks to our sacrifice for them. Suddenly a familiar face came toward Airi, it was Soske he picked up her hand and thanked her for her bravery. The light flew into the paper rushing a cool breeze past our faces. A single cold clear tear ran down my face startling me, as I whipped it away the first rays of light rose from behind the mountain. It was finally over, all of it Soske and the others could rest in peace now and soon I would have to leave as well.

“Eiji!”

“Hm..”

“Do you think Soske will wait for me in heaven?”

“I think so Airi…I truly think so...”