• Chapter 6
    Battle for the soul within




    It was early the next morning when Kiobi was awoken by Rin, She was playing with his ears and whispering “ It's time to get up!” He yawned and sat up in bed “ It's 6 am, why are you waking me up so early?” He asked her. Rin smiled “because I have school today” she replied. “ But why does this involve me? Kiobi asked rubbing one eye. “ I want you to walk with me to school.” she said tugging on his arm. “ Ok ok” he said “ Just let me get dressed and I'll meet you in the kitchen.” Rin nodded and ran happily down the hall.


    Kiobi got dressed and headed down the hall toward the kitchen, He noticed that he wasn't feeling well but he ignored it he thought maybe he was just catching a cold. “ I'm here.” he said taking a seat at the table. “ I made breakfast!” said Rin placing a plate in front of kiobi. “ I didn't know you could cook.” Kiobi said looking at the plate in front of him. “ I learned to cook after my mother left” she said. Kiobi looked up at Rin solemnly “ Your mom just left you?” He asked “ yes” she replied her tone was low and sad sounding “ She left us when I was three, the stress from me being so sick got to her. So she just packed her things and left, she never came back.” “I’m sorry” said kiobi “ I shouldn't have said anything.” “Oh no it's Ok” said Rin waving her hands back and forth.

    “ I've gotten along just fine without her, and besides I still have my father and now I also have you! So that just makes everything better!.” She explained. Kiobi finished his breakfast “ That was pretty good.” he said placing his dish in the sink “ You really liked it?” Rin asked excitedly “ Of course I did.” said Kiobi with a grin. Rin blushed “ Thanks” she mumbled. After breakfast they headed out for school, Kiobi still felt a little under the weather but he still ignored it. “ Your father asked me to be your body guard last night.” said kiobi Rin looked up at him with wide eyes “ what did you say?” she asked “I told him if he trusted me, Then I would be your body guard.” He said.



    “ So he trusts you?” asked Rin her eyes even wider than before. “Apparently” Kiobi replied. “ I took up his offer, and I promise to protect you no matter what happens.” He told her. “ Thank you” said Rin “ I always did feel safer with you around.” Kiobi smiled and blushed a little “Your welcome” he said. They kept walking and Kiobi noticed he was feeling worse than before. “What's happening?” He thought to himself “ This doesn't feel like a cold.” He propped himself up against a nearby wall and held his head in his hands. “ Kiobi are you alright?” Rin asked. “ I'm fine” he said rubbing his face “ I'll be fine.” He tried to take a step forward and stumbled. “ Wait” he thought “ I know this feeling, I'm being pulled into the void again!”



    “ Kiobi?” Rin went to his side “ Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked but he didn't answer. Kiobi looked down at his left hand and noticed a faint light glowing from under h is glove. “ No...not now.” He thought then suddenly he collapsed. “ KIOBI!” Rin shouted and ran to his side. Before long Kiobi was back in the guest bedroom at Rin's house. “ Why didn't he tell me he wasn't feeling well?.” Rin asked “ I would have let him stay home.” she sat next to Kiobi's bed and stared out the window. “ It's not your fault.” said Rins father entering the room. He had another man following him, “ I brought the priest from the shrine.” He said “ I'm hoping he might see something that the doctor didn't.” The priest sat down next to Kiobi's bed on the opposite side of Rin. “ Mr. Takasu do you know what’s wrong with Kiobi?” Rin asked the priest. He waved his hand over Kiobi and chanted some sort of incantation, “ He's been pulled into a void.” said the priest “A void?” asked Rin. “ There are many voids in this world” Mr. Takasu began “ But there are three main voids, The void of reality which we are in, the void of dreams which you enter when you sleep, and the void of death which the souls of the dearly departed go.”

    “ I see” said Rin “ So which void was he pulled into” she asked. The priest looked up at her “ He's been pulled in to the void of the possessed.” he said his voice grave. “What’s that?” Rin asked “ It's a void where the souls of those possessed by demons go.” He told her. He lifted Kiobi's left hand and removed the glove “ You see this mark?” asked the priest. Rin nodded “ yes.” she replied “ This mark means that he was possessed by a demon.” Rin was speechless, she did not know what to say about this. “Is he going to come back?” she asked finally finding her voice. “ I do not know” said the priest “ It seems he has been in battle for his mortal soul for many years.” “ What does this mean?” asked Rin concerned.



    “It means he's been battling this demon to keep his soul from being devoured.” said Mr.Takasu “If his soul becomes devoured, Kiobi will die and the beast within will take over.” Rin felt her grip tightening on Kiobi's blanket. “ He can't die!” Rin cried tears forming in her eyes “ There must be something we can do.” The priest looked down at her “ all we can do is wait and pray.” He said “ and hope he is strong enough to win the battle for the soul within.”