How did I become a God ?

9.You are a magnet for trouble

Shi Shuan stopped and threw off his back a large basket full of fruits to rest a bit. Tasks he was assigned to were simple things he was able to handle but they were at the border of his strength all of the time, so he had to give in his all.

Shi Shuan passionately drowned in his own thoughts crouching at the side of the road.

'So mage becomes useless if they can't use their hands ? But cutting a hand off would leave those veins openings at the end of the stub, so they can still release...'

__________

He lived in the hamlet for long enough now to get to know most of the people here, and they knew him too calling him by his name, buddy-buddy patting his back and most importantly they were no more afraid of him and talked when he was around. When he just got to work with his white robe, golden hair and milk-white skin he looked like a divine being walking earth and the worn-out dirty sack on his straight back didn't ruin the saintly image. He couldn't possibly look more out of place, and so wherever he passed gawking and silent awe would follow. It was awkward for commoners to chit-chat with him around back then, for him receiving this much attention as well. Every time someone stared he felt as if he had two left hands and couldn't focus.

'YOU ARE SHAMELESS !' Well's ghost roared certainly too loud and close to his miserable ear. He hissed in displeasure, 'Can't you respect me at least a bit and pay attention for more than thirty seconds when I'm talking for once ?! You anti-knowledge iron head ?!' He was furious.

'I have an attention spam worse than that of a cat.'

'Yes, yes. My bad. You can continue.' He said without much sincerity in his words.

Well's ghost flared ready to kick him deep into the mud in a child-like fit with the difference being the curses too vulgar to hear. In the end he let out a long aight and forced his anger down returning on the right track.

'Spiritual energy usage has three ways. A person specialises in the one way of his choosing. First is control of inanimate matter, second the manipulation of natural forces and third, the art of exorcism. Each one has-'

'I heard that. I turned off at the tales of ghosts and demons.' Shi Shuan interrupted throwing him a slanted glance.

He was half listening, half minding the route. The delivery he was taking care of right now was a bit different from his usual tasks and required focus. He was going to deliver the goods to the old hunter living deep in the forest and trade them for animal skin. He got the directions where to go, but with his luck and sense of direction, he would likely never find the right place.

Well's ghost was lost for a moment before he found the right topic, 'Ah, indeed. Ghosts are made of pure spiritual energy, and are no more than an image with no physical body. That doesn't mean it prevents them from interfering with the physic world. They can still do so using the energy they literary are. Take the possession for an example. Mixing ghost energy with matter, such as your human body gives them the right to control the object.'

'Can ghost posses a chair ?' Shi Shuan couldn't help asking.

Well's ghost chuckled, 'You grasped the matter right. Every 'thing' is possesable, but no one want's to be a chair. Unless they want to haunt some nice house and make humans leave it with lighting speed. Back on track, ghosts can't create energy themselves. They can only draw it from a well-'

'Fountain.' Shi Shuan automatically corrected.

'Fountain, well, whatever ! Means renewable source.' He said annoyed, 'Such as your spiritual fountain. We use spiritual power to maintain our consciousness and shape. The ball of fire l currently am is not coincidental. Maintaining this form is easy and requires the smallest amount of energy. It's commonly used and it became a must that a bodiless soul is seen as a light. When our energy runs out we disappear.'

'Funny. Here even ghosts can die.' Shi Shuan smiled bitterly. There's no rest even after death here.

'The other race are demons. The are extremely rare case of a ghost with mortal body. They are half-ghost and half-human.'

'How this even came to be ?'

'I dunno. Folktales say it's a monster born from the appalling relationship of a human and a ghost. Such a being is calamity personified and brings chaos and fear among ghosts. Best if slaughtered at birth. I've never met any ill blood like that and I hope I won't in the future.'

'Why are they believed to be a calamity ?'

'Can it be determined at birth ? Can someone be born a calamity ?' This was a novelty to the otherworldly him. He knew that some can be born unlikable or with a bad luck but to be born a calamity ? Isn't it too much ? Is it that easy to be a threat to the world ? You just have to be born one ?

'HEY, are you listening ?!' Well's ghost caught him red-handed.

'Yes, yes~' He said lightly.

Well's ghost smirked and demanded, 'Then repeat what I just said.'

'Hey, are you listening ?!' Shi Shuan shouted in a most squeaky voice he could muster up.

Well's ghost fire erupted angrily to the sky, 'LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE-'

'I'M !' He said distinctly to shut him up, 'So get to the point.'

Well's ghost puffed in displeasure but didn't waste more words.

'It's actually a simple, quite funny story. More of a way of thinking. The birth of a demon is a mistake from the beginning. It's ugly and impure, so it should he exterminated. If a demon is still, then why is that ?' He made a dramatic pause to let Shi Shuan think, but that was rhetorical question, 'It's because it was strong enough to neither defeat who wanted to kill it, or break free and run away. A being that powerful can move mountains, travel the sky, wipe out a nation. Thus it is a calamity.'

'So are they the strongest ? I mean among humans, ghosts and demons.'

'Demons can be weaker than an average human or mightier than any ghost. That should be the case, but if they are weak they can't escape the fate of being slaughtered. So the only ones left are those with the power, thus all demons are a calamity. It's an endless cycle.' He said plainly.

'And what about a child born from human and a demon ?'

Well's ghost took some time to think.

'I dunno. There has never been such a case. If you try one day tell me what happens.' He snickered.

Sudden noise among the trees interrupted them, before Shi Shuan bombarded him to death with his inquires.

'WHO ARE YOU ?! STATE YOUR NAME AND MASTER YOU SERVE UNDER !' Succinct, shouted command got them from behind the bushes and a man revealed himself, in the wake of him his companion. They soundlessly excited from the shadows. They both wore the same hooded black robes with high collar and tingling high boots.

'I f*cked up.' Shi Shuan thought immediately. There was no saying about meeting soldiers on the road to the hunter's hut, 'But I went left from the white stone... wait, wasn't it right ?'

'I'm just a lone, wandering priest !' He yelled back occupying his hands in front of him in greeting.

'LIAR ! I HEARD YOU TALK EARLIER !' The man's shorter companion pointed soberly. They kept the distance for him and were on high alert.

The next moment a cold curved knife touched his throat. The third person jumped off the tree, silent like a ghost and ambushed him from behind.

'COME WITH US.' The man commanded sharply in a deep voice and Shi Shuan had nothing to say in this situation.

'You know what, you are seriously a magnet for trouble.' Said well's ghost calmly.