Spirit Realm and Human Realm (3)
Uluru's spirit user bowed his head and crossed through the passage. His height was imposing enough on its own, but the feather headdress atop his head made him seem even taller.
Thud.
Uluru's spirit user tapped the ground with the staff he carried. His heavy, steadfast eyes swept over us.
[Welcome!]
Uluru smiled warmly as she greeted her spirit user.
"It's been a while, Uluru."
Uluru's spirit user spoke in a language I'd never heard before, yet I understood him perfectly. A glint caught my eye—a necklace around his neck, its design clashing with his attire. No doubt an artifact enchanted with translation magic.
"My name is Kupar, the spirit user contracted to Uluru."
Kupar offered no further introduction, but my studies at the Academy had taught me plenty about him. He was an Australian Aboriginal—an Aborigine—chief of a tribe that clung to traditional ways.
[Kupar, I'm sorry to call you when you're so busy.]
"Uluru, what you do for us dwarfs this small favor. Has the matter with the Fire Spirit King been resolved?"
[Yes. Thankfully, it ended peacefully.]
"Call upon this old body anytime you need aid, without hesitation."
Listening to their exchange left me with a strange feeling.
So spirits and their users can have a relationship like this.
Every spirit-user pair I'd seen so far had been protector and protected. But not Uluru and Kupar. Their mutual respect shone through in every word and gesture.
They see each other as complete equals.
This wasn't to say other spirit users disrespected their spirits. No, it just highlighted how unique their bond was. It might seem a touch dry at first glance, but it was forged on unshakeable trust—like a rock standing firm against the ages.
"Hm."
Having finished greeting Uluru, Kupar scanned the faces seated at the table.
[I'm Aqua!]
Spirit Affinity maxed out, Aqua was the first to greet him, stretching out her hand as if for a shake. Knowing her short reach all too well, she leaned forward across the table as far as she could.
"Heh heh heh..."
Kupar smiled and clasped her tiny hand. His stern expression softened into that of a kindly neighborhood grandpa.
Aqua pumped his hand up and down eagerly.
[Why are you so black? Do you drink a lot of cola?]
It was Aqua's bold question upon seeing a Black person for the first time. It might've been rude, but Kupar chuckled indulgently.
"I've received too much of the sun's love, and my skin got burned."
[Ooh! Is that how it is?!]
Aqua nodded innocently.
"Hello. I'm Kang Hyunwoo, Aqua's spirit user."
"Hm. Pleased to meet you."
Kupar carried the dry scent of sunbaked sand. Sia, Niagara, and Pompeii exchanged greetings too. Kupar took the seat beside Uluru.
[Then, shall we continue?]
Uluru resumed the meeting.
* * *
Uluru recapped Pompeii's story and why we'd gathered for Kupar's benefit.
"Hm."
Kupar nodded curtly, deep in thought.
Uluru glanced around at us. It was time for someone to speak up.
Niagara looked to Sia, Aqua to me—as if their users' views were their own.
Spirits and users moved as one. But not here. Not now.
"We should hear your thoughts first."
All eyes turned to me.
"You've spent more time in the Spirit Realm than any of us humans, and you treasure it far more. Your opinions as spirits should come first."
Uluru nodded slowly, a gentle smile playing on her lips.
[Mm! As expected of my spirit user!]
Aqua beamed and turned to Niagara.
[So, what say you, Niagara? What do you think?]
Niagara paused in silence. Lifting his gaze, he stared toward the Sacred Mountain.
Aqua and I waited for his words. This mattered to us too.
[There are reasons and merits to both opening and closing the Spirit Realm. Whichever path is chosen, I will support it.]
Niagara continued deliberately.
[But I have no intention of sharing my view. My thoughts no longer matter.]
Niagara turned to Aqua.
[Aqua, that burden is yours now. What matters is your thinking.]
[Huh?]
[Are you not the Water Spirit King, not I?]
He was right, of course. Aqua's face said she never saw this coming.
[I'm grateful for Uluru's consideration in summoning me to spare the young Aqua. But I believe this is the place where Aqua must take her first step.]
Niagara bowed slightly to Uluru, who simply smiled serenely.
[Aqua, now you must lead me and the undines. Sometimes, you'll stand as Uluru's equal. If your thoughts aren't clear in moments like this, the undines will waver.]
Niagara's eyes burned with uncharacteristic gravity. Aqua straightened unconsciously.
[That's what being king means. Ponder it deeply—for the sake of the undines who look up to you and follow.]
With that, Niagara fell silent, as if he'd said his piece.
Sia smiled softly and pulled Niagara into a tight hug.
Aqua looked up at me, eyes wide with surprise and a hint of unease. I smiled reassuringly.
"If you're not ready yet, you can speak later."
[Yeah... Got it.]
Aqua's shoulders slumped under the sudden weight, like a wilted flower. I wrapped an arm gently around them and turned to Uluru.
"What about you, Uluru? Still neutral?"
[Yes. Like Niagara, I'd like to leave it to the young Spirit Kings.]
Uluru smoothly passed the turn to Pompeii.
Pompeii spoke with resolve etched on his face.
[I've learned so much thanks to you all. Until now, I was father to the salamanders in name only—I never truly led them. If anything, my own turmoil sowed confusion among them.]
Pompeii nodded firmly, as if steeling himself.
[So, I believe we must open the gates of the Spirit Realm. For the salamanders who've stagnated because of me.]
Pompeii's words sounded natural at first—logical, even, after what he'd been through. But to me, they rang like self-inflicted wounds.
He still hadn't overcome his father's death or his hatred for humans.
"Pompeii."
I called his name as gently as I could.
"You don't need to punish yourself for past mistakes."
Pompeii wasn't ready to face humans. Opening the gates now would just tear open old scars and rub salt in them. This was atonement, nothing more.
"Making a mistake doesn't mean you were wrong. Those are two different things entirely."
Pompeii stared at me in surprise, then slowly nodded.
[...Give me a little time.]
Uluru and Niagara looked my way. I knew what their gazes meant without asking.
With Pompeii's input, all the spirits gathered here had spoken. Now it was our turn—the humans'.
* * *
Kupar spoke first.
"I oppose it."
He advocated closing the gates.
"I don't trust humans' goodness. The moment the Spirit Realm opens, they'll carve it up however they please."
Kupar spoke with unshakable conviction.
"It'll become a tourist trap, spirits reduced to zoo animals. Fences will go up, buildings sprout. Even 'wild spirits' will be a term used here."
He was certain the realm of wild freedom would become a world ashamed of its savagery. A radical view, but understandable.
Kupar was Aborigine—Australian Aboriginal. His ancestors' suffering at settlers' hands made it inevitable.
"I agree."
Sia backed him.
"Living in the Amazon, I saw how quickly and severely humans destroy the environment. The Spirit Realm should be preserved for spirits alone."
Come to think of it, Sia carried the blood of a people displaced by settlers too. She was of mixed Native American descent—Clearwater was an Indigenous surname.
Kupar and Sia bolstered the case against opening the realm. They turned to me.
My turn.
"I agree with you both."
People often call me optimistic, but I'm no fool who blindly trusts human goodness.
"That said, I think it could be fine to open it just to spirit users. No—we must."
There were no bad spirit users. Spirit science proved it.
"Hm. True enough."
Kupar nodded.
"Ah... right."
Sia caught on a beat later.
And there was another reason we had to open it to spirit users.
We three had already set foot here. Barring others could breed hierarchy among spirits.
Spirit users had ranks—awakener grades, Spirit Affinity levels.
But spirits don't.
Low spirits or Spirit Kings, they shared respect and affection as equals.
Let only Spirit Kings' users enter while blocking others? Disaster.
"It might sow discord among the spirits."
Spirits were kind and pure—if their kings said so, they'd accept it. But they'd grieve not sharing their realm with their own users. Pouting lips were heartbreak just to imagine.
"Of course, even if we open it, most spirit users won't be able to come."
Spirits lacked the power. Low spirits could cross to the human realm alone, but opening a 'passage' for humans took immense spirit power.
If it were easy, Sia wouldn't have trained five years in the Amazon—she'd have grabbed any spirit and crossed.
Only Spirit King level or their heirs could manage it—unless guilds or corps developed new tech.
"But just knowing they can come would spare the spirits any sense of division."
We Spirit Kings' users could open passages for others ourselves. Details could wait for a decision.
"That's my take. Anything to add?"
Kupar and Sia shook their heads.
All eyes returned to Aqua and Pompeii. The humans had spoken.
We'd shared our views. But the Spirit Realm's future rested ultimately in the spirits' hands.
Aqua, thrust into deciding all spirits' fate, swallowed hard with a tense expression.