Light Against Shadows

Chapter 37

What a fool Wei had been, acting alone like that, so irresponsible. Sure, he wasn't completely alone, he had his ghosts with him, but did he really think it would be enough? He should have told someone, he should have talked about it with Yunlan. It probably wouldn't have changed anything, but right now he was scared, and he just wished Yunlan was here with him. No, Yunlan would have been in danger, it was better this way.

His thoughts were interrupted when his mind was assaulted and a startled cry forced its way out of his mouth. He felt incredible pain when all those Shadows tried to take possession over his body. How many, he couldn't say, but there were a lot.

He had let them taste his energy, and they had been driven by their greed to take more. It was distressing. The pain was all emotional, involving his mind and soul, but it was also overwhelming.

He remembered when it had happened to Hong and Yunlan: two very different circumstances, after all Liling had no bad intentions and was not a Shadow, but they had experienced something similar: both had lost control of their bodies, their eyes had lost focus, and once again Wei wondered why for him it was always different.

He was still him. No new conscience to push him to the back of his mind, no foreign will using his body like a puppet. His own was still the only consciousness in charge, he was winning the battle inside his mind, but inside his soul the fight against them was raging on.

He cried out and his friends all tried to help, but it was a hard battle, so few of them and so many Shadows...

Then something happened. Something that he didn't quite understand. Other... souls? had joined the battle inside him, but they weren't Shadows, nor they were the usual friendly ghosts, he understood that much. What were they?

The newcomers were strong, very strong, and they were warm, and apparently on his side because they pushed all those uninvited guests out of him.

Wei heard himself cry out even louder than before, then he felt his body falling, but he was too exhausted to do anything about it.

His eyes closed, but he kept seeing things. Maybe it was more of a feeling, but it was as if he could see them in front of him.

You are safe now, they are not in you, your body is yours only.

Did he hear those words in his head? Was he dreaming?

We are sorry for all that has happened, we were unable to prevent it. Your powers... we did not expect that, and it confused us.

What powers? Confused them how? He didn't understand.

So many interactions between the human world and the spirit world, we were unable to detect the work of the dark spirits in time.

Interactions? Was that his fault, because he interacted with his ghosts on a daily basis? So it really was his fault, like he always knew it was, like Hong had told him...

It was our fault, and our fault only. We did not know what would happen, we were the first, you are the first, and we were not prepared.

Wei's mind couldn't offer anything in response to those words. He was still trying to understand. He forced himself to take a better look at them, if that was the right word given that his eyes were still closed shut.

Two bright figures, one beside the other, were watching him with a warm aura about them that was welcoming, encouraging him to go to them.

"Mum..." he called to one of them, yearning to reach her.

Am I dead? I never saw you before, I must be dead to be able to see you now...

You are not dead, nor are you in danger at the moment. Your body has been brought to safety, but your soul is still connected to us. We wish to talk to you.