Chapter 4: Souls and Revenge
"A body? But you have a body." Without thinking, Kyle began poking Gramp's body.
"It feels real to me." He carefully inspected the old codger in front of him as he assessed him.
"Stop poking me, kid! This isn't my body; it's my spirit body." Gramps shooed Kyle away, retaking his serene and intimidating lotus position.
"What's a spirit body?"
"What are you? Fifteen?" Gramps frowned as he inspected the boy in front of him.
"Yes, sir."
"Then all you need to know because all a dumb rugrat like you can understand is that kids should be seen and not heard. A spirit body is a spirit body. What use is it to explain it to you?"
"I knew you were lying."
"Oh, you knew I was lying? Such big words from a little boy. Tell me, kid, where are you?"
"Where am I? What do you mean?"
"You have all the answers, weren't you just in a forest, and now you're here with me? Where are you?"
"I don't know."
"Are you in the forest?"
"I don't know."
"How did you get here?"
"I don't know."
"It seems like you don't know anything, so why should I waste my time explaining something complex to someone who doesn't know anything?" Gramps smirked at Kyle, who was now perplexed.
Kyle searched the environment, and all he found was endless darkness. Except for the lights shining on the old man, there was nothing else.
Moving felt weird; it was like he was moving with his mind and not his body.
Touching and poking himself, Kyle noticed that he felt like he was there. But the feeling he experienced wasn't like he usually experienced feeling something.
Utilizing the deductive skills, he learned in school, Kyle quickly eliminated several possibilities. He tried using his powers, but they didn't work the way they usually did. It was like he was there, but at the same time, he wasn't there.
"Are you a ghost?" Kyle asked.
"No."
"Am I a ghost?"
"NO, listen, kid, I've got a busy day doing something vague, and you're keeping me from it. Spirit bodies and numerous other things you don't know anything about can be learned later.
I'll make it simple for you, understand it or not, I'm not wasting my time on this after I tell you this.
"Every person has three souls, life force, spirit body, and the divine soul. Lifeforce is what keeps a living body living. Once it disappears, a body dies.
The divine soul is the divine part of every person that can never be destroyed, but it's tied to the life force by the spirit body.
The spirit body allows the divine soul to connect with a living body. Once the body's life force is gone, the body dies, and the spirit body eventually becomes untethered from the material world and disappears.
With no other ties to the mundane world, the divine soul goes to wherever souls go to.
"I don't understand."
"I told you, this is over your head. You're just a stupid kid. Can we move on?" Gramps said, getting more and more grumpy.
"I mean, I don't understand that if what you're saying is true, then you shouldn't have a spirit body."
Gramp slightly raised his eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"You said once a body dies, the spirit body disappears, but you told me the reward for training me is that you get a new body. If what you said is true, then it's clear you have lied to me. You can't exist.
Without a real body, a spirit body cannot exist. You do not have a real body, and therefore you shouldn't have a spirit body. Your contradiction proves you're lying.
Gramps' slightly closed eyes opened almost halfway as if he were looking at Kyle for the first time.
"Not bad, kid, that's some sound reasoning. Unfortunately, your conclusion is wrong."
"How is it wrong?"
"I just told you the way things usually are, but like everything else in life and death, there are exceptions. I've cheated death, or my employers have cheated death for me."
"How?"
"No, that's enough; at the very least, you should understand that you are in a peculiar situation. You admit that much?"
"I suppose I must," Kyle replied thoughtfully as he looked around his environment.
"Then, I would like to get on with it, young man, so stop wasting my time, and let's get on with it!"
"Ok, Gramps, show me what you can do." Kyle wasn't satisfied, but he was feeling anxious. He wanted to get home before his mother so that she wouldn't worry about him.
The school probably called her and told her about the suspension.
He didn't know where he was, how he got here, or how to get out. Instead of satisfying his curiosity, he decided to let the old codger get on with it.
"Great," the old man clapped and had a smile on his face for the first time since they met. It sure was a lot of work getting this brat to listen to him.
"I'll begin by giving you a welcome gift."
A voice sounded in Kyle's mind. It sounded like an electronic version of Gramp's voice.
<You have received The Immortal Body Forging Art>
<You have received $100,000>
A large amount of information enters his mind. Closing his eyes he discovered he was staring at a video game display in his mind.
All of the information about <The Immortal Body Forging Arts> was completely absorbed by his mind.
He knew what the art was for, how to use it, and he knew it better than he knew anything else in his life.
What a bizarre experience, is this what it feels like to completely understand something? He understood exactly how it should "feel" to make progress in the art, and he knew how to differentiate those feelings between levels.
That's not right, he could even tell how the sub-levels would feel. If he practiced while trying to match those feelings; he was sure he wouldn't have a problem making quick progress in the art.
The only thing that would slow him down is his body. Kyle was lost in his thoughts about the cultivation technique.
"How do you like to fight?" Gramps asked him.
"Fight? What do you mean?" Kyle was still trying to understand what this game terminal meant. Gramp's question startled him from his observations.
"When you fight, do you use a weapon?"
Kyle was so strong and invulnerable; why would he ever need a weapon?
"No, I've never needed one. I punch everyone."
"Unarmed combat, great, I have the perfect martial art for you to study."
"Martial art? How is learning how to kick and punch going to help me with controlling my power?"
"It's not; it's going to make your strength more effective.
It will also keep your strength under control.
With your strength under control; I will be able to fix the problem preventing you from controlling your powers."
"Something is preventing me from controlling my powers?"
"Sure as sugar, kid. You know that boy Ryan, the one who beat you up this morning?"
"Yes"
"How long has he been doing that Siphon thing to you?"
Kyle backed up a little and looked at his shoes, thinking about when this "relationship" with Ryan started.
"Since we were kids, in elementary school."
"You mean since his power and your power first activated?"
"Yes, why?" Kyle grew suspicious. Why was he so curious about Ryan.
"The reason you can't control your powers is that Ryan's Siphon ability destabilizes you. Over time, the destabilization of your power has become a defect in your body.
Ryan doesn't beat you up because he hates you; he does it because your power is what allows him to grow stronger.
He absorbs your energy and your powers and adds them to other abilities he's collected.
He didn't want you to know that taking your power was hurting you. That is why he usually beats you up after Siphoning your power.
That way, any problems with your body won't be connected with Siphon.
You'll blame your hurting body on the beating. He's been secretly using you all these years like his personal power piggy bank," Gramps cackled as he revealed Ryan's sinister actions.
At first, Kyle was shocked, then angry, and finally confused.
"Wait, if Ryan needs me so much, then why has he been trying so hard to get me expelled?"
"He doesn't need you anymore, and your power keeps growing. He's scared you'll figure out what he's been doing and eventually come looking for him.
Your threat this morning has completely convinced him he needs to get rid of you."
"What! He's been using me since we were kids, and now he wants to get rid of me?! I...I...I am going to kill him!"
"That's the spirit, nothing like a vengeance filled killing spree to train the body."
"What?" Kyle said with shock.
"Oh, did I say that out loud? I forgot we are in a world of law and order," Gramps said with a cynical laugh. Too many other things occupied Kyle's thoughts, so he didn't really think much of the comment.
"Gramps, can you teach me how to beat Ryan?"
"Ha-ha, easy!" Gramps said.
"Gramps, please teach me how to get stronger!" Kyle yelled emotionally.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
straythought
straythought In case you didn't know it, this novel is part of a writing formula challenge. I am writing this to try and win.
If the challenge ends and I don't rank high I'll stop writing this novel. The reason is, I'm trying to do writing professionally.
If people aren't contributing spirit stones; it tells me there isn't any interest in the book.
That's fine, I'm actually trying to grow my storytelling ability. Knowing people aren't interested in a story I'm writing is important to me.
However, I would hate to stop writing a story people are enjoying but oblivious to what spirit stones communicate and how useful they are to me.
I'm estimating I will need 200 spirit stones or more to win this challenge. If you enjoy this book let me know through spirit stones!
Let's work together to try and take this novel to the top ranks of the challenge and beyond.
Thanks, everyone!
*****************UPDATE********************************
This chapter is edited. If you find any mistakes, please let me know! Thank you.
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