Well, I still don’t have a computer, but that shouldn’t stop me from writing. Seriously. I’ve actually begun a new story over at Wattpad. If you’re into action and anime, you should check me out on Wattpad. I’ll definitely follow you back. My username is Hedekira16.
But anyway, I thought I’d write a post about what kind of things you should expect from my series. It’s been a while since I blogged about my book, so I thought it’s about time that I gave all of you some more inside information about Elithius, the fantasy series I’m writing.
A few things have encouraged me to post this actually. The first is having finished the fifth Harry Potter. Great series, everyone. I know I might sound dumb because I’m only reading this series now, but if you ever get the chance, read Harry Potter.
The other thing that encouraged me to write about this was the “heart to heart” I had with my little sister last night…about our books. It was actually an awesome experience, it’s astonishing how much my sister has studied Elithius! And her own story has impressive depth and creativity, despite her age!
So, having read Harry Potter 5, and talked about my series with my sister, I realized that there is A LOT to talk about concerning Elithius.
Expect Something Like Harry Potter
First of all, I’m really starting to realize how close the THEMES are between my series and Harry Potter. One major theme in Harry Potter is the “mirror image” theme; Harry and Voldemort (the antagonist) are both extremely similar in their personalities, but they oppose each other for reasons of good and evil. What’s more, Harry and Voldemort have a mysterious…connection. They are able to be inside of each other without the other knowing, but, even though they are somehow magically connected, they cannot survive with BOTH of them alive. Crazy, but interesting, right?
Harry and Voldemort, mirror images of each other
Well I was surprised to find that my series is quite similar. John Hedekira, the main protagonist of Elithius, encounters his dark mirror image in multiple antagonists…but one antagonist is literally the embodiment of John’s darker self. The interesting thing is, this embodiment of his darker self is always depicted as more glorious, powerful, beautiful, and seductive. I can’t say too much without spoiling anything, so I’ll stop.
So basically, you can expect themes revolving around characters encountering their mirror images…and yes, oftentimes having a unique connection with them.
Another popular theme in my series is the notion of relying on something stronger than yourself to fuel your power. Yes, this can include sorcery for the bad guys, and magical/supernatural assistance for the good guys. Make no mistake, my characters don’t just have evil spirits and good gods doing battle for them; but, depending on whose side you’re on, one of these will fuel your power.
Other themes include revenge, redemption, forgiveness, the meaning of life, the meaning of battle, true unity among mankind, family, romance, and yes, many more.
Expect Something Like Bleach (Anime)
One of those themes listed above has always been very interesting to me: the meaning of battle. Have you ever thought about why we find action and (basically) violence so exciting and interesting? To a certain degree, isn’t this rather bothersome to acknowledge how violent we are as a society?
Why do we desire battle? Why is it “cool” when we watch movies where people kill each other in epic, creative, or even dark ways?
Although I don’t consider Bleach to be a very philosophical anime, the question of desiring battle and why you should fight DOES come up. Particularly when Ichigo is trying to defeat his inner Hollow: he is told that he needs to have a “killer instinct”…which means he SHOULDN’T have a reason to fight. He should fight simply to be powerful. And that means defeating more and more enemies. For a brief moment, we see Ichigo have this sense of “killer instinct”…because, well, he defeats his inner Hollow thusly.
I never liked those reasons for fighting. I refused to believe that our love for fighting is so misplaced that it only revolves around a desire for power over others. It seemed wrong, and selfish.
So, one major theme in my series is determining WHY you should fight, if it’s for good reasons, etc. The way you fight and what you’re fighting for determines the way your magical abilities will express themselves.
Yup, a little complicated, but in a good way.
So these are just a few things to expect from my series…but many more, of course 🙂
I really hope all of you find my series interesting, or at least give it a chance. I know an author testifying about his own work is kinda lame, but that’s all I can give you right now (besides reviews from readers, of course).
Note: this will contain LOTS of spoilers. And if you already know the story of FMA, feel free to skip to the section entitled “The Truth”.
Introduction
Fullmetal Alchemist, created by Hiromu Arakawa, is a great manga and anime for a few reasons:
1. Great character development. It’s hard not to feel for the characters in all of their struggles, hopes, triumphs, and defeats.
2. An exciting, elaborate plot, filled with complicated military strategies and rebellion, as well as a world of magic that could present a plot twist at any moment.
3. An incredibly realistic world, with scientific explanations for the “magic” upon which the series heavily focuses on. Not only are the scientific explanations, well, scientific, but even philosophical.
On that last remark of reason #3, we find why so many people appreciate Fullmetal Alchemist. It’s so philosophical in a way that touches the hearts of its viewers, encouraging and even enjoining them to contemplate the actions or principles of the main characters.
Hiromu Arakawa has created both a world and a group of characters that take on moral dilemmas and complex, ethically-blurry situations from a philosophical dimension. One of the most prominent philosophical themes/questions that Fullmetal Alchemist focuses on is that of Equivalent Exchange, or rather, as it is called most officially, “The Law of Equivalent Exchange”.
Alchemy and the Law of Equivalent Exchange
Edward and Alphonse Elric activating a transmutation circle
Alchemy is the type of “magic” used by “alchemists” in Fullmetal Alchemist. Actually, it’s a mixture of science, art, and magic. It’s not like the alchemy performed by the “pre-chemists” of Medieval times–although there is obviously a heavy relationship between the alchemy of history and alchemy of Arakawa’s world. Alchemy in Arakawa’s world is performed by first drawing a “transmutation circle”. The transmutation circle enables both the “alchemical power” of the earth and all matter to be harnessed and a manifestation of the alchemist’s transmutation to be formed. Once the transmutation circle is drawn, the matter or objects that the alchemist will use in his transmutation are placed within the circle. Next, three basic actions must be performed by the alchemist:
The alchemist must understand the atomic or molecular structure of the matter in question.
He or she must first use the alchemical power/transmutation circle to break down the matter.
He or she forms something new from the broken down matter.
In other words, the three basic actions are Comprehension, Deconstruction and Reconstruction.
However, there are two “laws” that apply to alchemy, and ultimately to Equivalent Exchange. One of them is the Law of Mass Conservation, a law that exists in the real world, outside of the universe created by Arakawa. The Law of Mass Conservation, as it applies to alchemy, means that the amount of matter going into the transmutation will equal the amount of matter once the transmutation is finished. The second is the Law of Natural Providence, which means that if you are transmuting something made of steel, you can only produce something with the characteristics similar to steel; for instance, you couldn’t transmute steel and create water.
Both of these laws form the basis for the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Put simply, the Law of Equivalent Exchange states that:
In order to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost.
For instance, a transmutation cannot be performed if no matter is placed within the transmutation circle; the circle must be “given” the matter it will transform.
The Law of Equivalent Exchange relates directly to alchemy; it is seemingly a scientific principle of the alchemical arts. However, in Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward and Alphonse (Ed and Al) take Equivalent Exchange further and (in a most philosophical manner) seek to apply it as a moral code: a principle to be followed in the face of every complexity and endeavor a person could work through and towards. Thus, Equivalent Exchange is applied to actions. Many would agree that, perhaps, this “law” certainly makes sense. Equivalent Exchange technically states that if you want something, you need to put in the necessary amount of effort to get what you want.
That makes sense, right?
The Taboo and the Quest
Ed and Al fail to apply the Law of Equivalent Exchange when they try to resurrect their mother. At this point in their lives, Ed and Al are only children, and–having been abandoned by their father–their mother meant everything to them. After their mother dies, the brothers begin studying alchemy in earnest in order to learn how to perform a Human Transmutation. However, Human Transmutation is strictly forbidden by every alchemical authority; it is impossible to accomplish, and extremely dangerous. You cannot resurrect someone from the dead.
Ed and Al are reckless, however. They will try to bring back their mother no matter what. They gather every elemental component of the human body, and then each of them contribute a drop of blood. Thus, the brothers believe that they themselves will lose nothing as a result of Equivalent Exchange; they have provided the means to make a body (via the elemental components), and their drops of blood are for creating their mother’s soul.
Try as they might, two drops of blood don’t equal the value of a human soul. The transmutation fails, and Edward’s leg is taken from him as Equivalent Exchange tries to make up for creating a human soul. Alphonse loses his entire person. Shocked by their failure, Edward quickly sacrifices his arm and manages to bring back Alphonse’s soul and bind it to a suit of armor. It would seem like, after the transmutation, Edward and Alphonse have given so much to resurrect their mother. Surely they have given enough to bring her back.
Unfortunately, they are rewarded with a creature that isn’t even human.
Edward looks upon the creature that he and Alphonse created
The plot of Fullmetal Alchemist then becomes Ed and Al searching for ways to fix their bodies. Ed has vowed to return Al’s soul to his body, and Ed would also like to get his arm and leg back. Both of them understand that fixing their bodies will require another Human Transmutation. But, egged-on by stories of the legendary Philosopher’s Stone, a super alchemical-amplifier, they believe that returning to their bodies is still possible. Ed and Al still believe that if they sacrifice enough, if they try hard enough and put enough effort into their quest, they will be rewarded in the end.
The Truth
A cover of the 2003-2004 Fullmetal Alchemist anime
Although the general plot is the same as Arakawa’s manga adaption of Fullmetal Alchemist, the animeFullmetal Alchemist, which aired between 2003 and 2004, mostly contains episodes that are different from Arakawa’s original story-line. This version of Fullmetal Alchemist, in spite of how it lacks authenticity in its relation to Arakawa’s version of the story, heavily focuses on the internal and emotional struggles of Edward and Alphonse, as well as the credibility of the Law of Equivalent Exchange.
The anime Fullmetal Alchemist displays Ed and Al’s quest not only as an adventure, but a search to discover the truth–the truth about alchemy and the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Ed and Al have religiously believed in the laws of alchemy, and especially in Equivalent Exchange. As stated previously, the brothers believe that if they give enough effort to their quest, they will succeed in the end. According to the Elrics, that’s how life works; if you persevere and work hard, it will pay off. It’s Equivalent Exchange.
It’s hard to ignore the fact that there is a certain beauty to the Law of Equivalent Exchange, if it is indeed real. In the anime Fullmetal Alchemist, it’s difficult not to identify with the reasoning of Ed and Al (but specifically Ed). The Law of Equivalent Exchange makes every action that we take towards a certain goal worth something. There is also a beautiful sense of simplicity in regards to the logic of Equivalent Exchange. Edward seems especially connected to this part of Equivalent Exchange; the peace and confidence of mind that comes with knowing that he’ll be rewarded for all of his struggles. The audience of Fullmetal Alchemist finds themselves hoping that Ed and Al are right; hopefully, Equivalent Exchange is real.
Dante, the antagonist of the 2003-4 Fullmetal Alchemist, confronts Ed about the Law of Equivalent Exchange
The truth about Equivalent Exchange finally comes to light when Ed confronts Dante, the main antagonist of Fullmetal Alchemist. Dante is a powerful alchemist that has survived for centuries, using the power of the Philosopher’s Stone to transport her soul into a new body each time she starts growing old. However, as Ed points out, every time she “jumps” bodies, she loses a part of herself through Equivalent Exchange. As a result, her soul can’t remain in the bodies she uses for very long.
But then Dante replies: Equivalence? Don’t tell me you still believe in that naive theory.
And the following discussion ensues…
Ed: It’s no theory! It’s the absolute law of alchemy! No, of the whole world! To obtain anything, something of equal value must be lost. You couldn’t have gotten anywhere without knowing that.
Dante: A beautiful story, told to the oppressed and to make children do their lessons. The truth is, the Law of Equivalent Exchange is a lie.
Ed: Impossible!
Dante: “To gain, something of equal value must be lost”; conversely, if you give something up you will always gain a prize of equal worth in return.
Ed: Exactly. That’s why people work hard at anything they do, because it pays off.
Dante: Wrong. People work because they believe it will pay, but “equal effort” doesn’t always mean “equal gain”.
Ed: …Like what?
Dante: Consider the State Alchemy exam, which you passed with flying colors. How many others took the test that day, spent months, years preparing, some working much harder than you, but you were the only one who passed? Where was their reward? Was it their fault that they lacked your natural talent?
(Later in conversation) Dante: People can say there’s a balance, a logic that everything happens for a reason, but the truth is far less designed. No matter how hard you work, when you die, you die. Some spend their lives trying to scratch their way to the top, but still live in poverty, while others are born into wealth without ever working at all. It’s a cruel and random world, and yet the chaos is all so beautiful.
And their debate ends there. Ed doesn’t seem entirely convinced with Dante’s reasoning. But he’s obviously discouraged, able to think of no reply to Dante. He can see the truth in her words. No argument is needed to reaffirm Dante’s words. Equivalent Exchange, it seems, has been proven wrong.
Faith
Ed’s father, Hoenheim, leaves Edward after confronting him about Equivalent Exchange
An episode later, Edward is once again told that Equivalent Exchange isn’t real, this time by his own father, Hoenheim. Hoenheim leaves without giving Edward an opportunity to argue, but as Ed watches his father leaves, we hear his thoughts, cast out to Hoenheim and the audience.
Ed: I can’t agree with you. I know that if I try my hardest, I’ll be rewarded, and I believe that applies to all of us. It doesn’t matter who you are. If you work hard, it pays off. I know Equivalent Exchange is true.
And, as if he can hear Ed’s thoughts, Hoenheim replies mentally: But this world…
Ed: If it’s childish to believe in this, so be it. I’d rather be a child than follow a doctorate of cynicism and chaos…apathy. I thought that I didn’t care, Dad–that I didn’t need to believe in things. But I was wrong.
It is interesting to note that now we have a popular contradiction, insofar as recognizing Truth goes. Hoenheim and Dante both believe that Equivalent Exchange isn’t real. Their argument is based on reason. Edward’s argument is a bit more personal, but still authentic all the same. Ed’s argument is based on faith.
When it comes to dying in the 2003-2004 Fullmetal Alchemist, things can get a little complicated. In order to complete this discussion, I need to lay out, in an orderly fashion, what happens:
Edward is sent by Dante over into our world through “The Gate of Truth”. He has an alternate-self living in London during World War I. He, as his alternate-self, dies when a German zeppelin crashes.
As a result, Ed comes back into the world of Fullmetal Alchemist as himself. However, he is soon after killed by the Homonculus Envy. Ordinarily, he would go back into our world to his alternate-self…but his alternate-self has already died. Thus, Ed will seemingly really die.
But then Alphonse, who’s been turned into a Philosopher Stone himself, sacrifices himself in an effort to bring Edward back. He is successful; in this case, Equivalent Exchange prevails, since a life is traded for a life.
Once Edward returns, he immediately proceeds to drag Alphonse back, body and soul, as an eleven year-old boy. And from this action the ultimate fulfillment of Equivalent Exchange occurs.
Edward should’ve died. Having sacrificed himself for Alphonse, and having no alternate-self to go to once beyond the Gate of Truth, it is seemingly impossible for Ed to survive. But then he finds himself back in London, as himself, with his father once again. And Edward is, rightfully so, confused. Why did he survive? He traded a life for a life. Why is he still alive?
It is Ed’s father, who, having rebuffed the notion of Equivalent Exchange earlier, provides an answer for Edward.
You boys had a long journey. All the people you helped along the way, all the hardships, the pain of losing friends you loved, the determination, sweat, blood…don’t you think that might’ve been the price you paid?
And so it seems that, in the end, Equivalent Exchange really came through for Edward after all.
The Answer
Is Equivalent Exchange real? Reasonably speaking, no. Unfortunately, the world just doesn’t work that way. However, it is definitely good when we are able to work for something, and be rewarded in the end. Perhaps it is straight-up idealism, and perhaps belief in Equivalent Exchange is childish, but it is a “law” to be respected, and in some cases, encouraged. To believe in Equivalent Exchange requires faith…even if you’re an agnostic, science-loving, 4’11 alchemist!
I guess I don’t really have an answer. What do you think?
Sometimes we see this when the main character of a story is fighting against an enemy of seemingly unsurpassable might; with no other power to turn to, the main character resorts to teaming up with evil in order to defeat evil. And maybe, maybe, he’ll even draw his strength from this person or source of evil.
BACKGROUND OF BLEACH
(If you already know all of this, I would encourage you to skip to the section in bold which reads “The Question”)
Ichigo Kurosaki is such a main character. The manga and anime Bleach is easily one of the most popular Japanese comics and television shows out there, particularly in the shonen (boys) category. The story follows the adventures of fifteen year-old Ichigo Kurosaki, who becomes a Soul Reaper in order to protect his family from the hunger of a Hollow: a fallen soul/spirit of the underworld.
Ichigo as a Soul Reaper battles a Hollow
Ichigo is plunged into a life of protecting innocent souls from Hollows, as instructed by Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper that gave him his powers as a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers have the duty of saving souls from Hollows, sending those souls to the Soul Society, and purifying the Hollows so that they too may be admitted to the Soul Society.
THE ZANPAKUTO
Every sword that a Soul Reaper has—called a “zanpakuto”—possesses a spirit in itself. This spirit, in both its form and personality/countenance, is a reflection of the Soul Reaper that wields the zanpakuto. There is also an element of mystery encompassing the nature of the spirit which is within every zanpakuto.
The spirit of Ichigo’s zanpakuto, Zangetsu
These spirits have minds of their own; and although they cooperate with their Soul Reaper in order to further the advancement of power their Soul Reaper is able to unleash, sometimes the spirits might endeavor to control their Soul Reaper.
Once a person becomes a Soul Reaper and possesses a zanpakuto, his soul becomes intertwined or merged with the spirit that fills his sword. The Soul Reaper draws strength from his zanpakuto, and the spirit of the zanpakuto teaches the Soul Reaper how to wield and unlock the power that the spirit possesses. This bond between Soul Reaper and zanpakuto is intense.
Which is why, if a Soul Reaper isn’t careful, the spirit of his zanpakuto might turn on him.
THE HOLLOW WITHIN
Ichigo’s inner Hollow is exactly like Ichigo but all the light and darkness of his appearance is reversed
Ichigo’s zanpakuto, and the spirit accompanying it, is named Zangetsu. Originally unknown to Ichigo, there is another side to Zangetsu—a darker side. Zangetsu is one with a Hollow; they are the same person, but one side is good while the other is evil.
The evil side of Zangetsu was said to have been “born” when Kiskue Urahara—Ichigo’s hippy-of-a-mentor—forced Ichigo into regaining his Soul Reaper powers by using a method called “Encroachment”. Encroachment caused Ichigo to run the line between turning into a Hollow himself, or becoming a Soul Reaper (since he had lost his power as a Soul Reaper). The result on the surface appeared to be that he became a Soul Reaper again—clean, plain and simple. However, underlying his transformation was the merging of Zangetsu with Ichigo’s inner Hollow, who was brought about by Encroachment—as a side effect, so to speak.
Ichigo’s Hollow mask begins to form as he undergoes Encroachment
Yet, it proved to be a much bigger “side effect” than Ichigo expected. When Ichigo battles Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of Squad Six of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, in order to save Rukia from being executed, Ichigo is suddenly possessed by his inner Hollow. The Hollow saves Ichigo’s life, but states that Ichigo is too weak to be using Zangetsu/himself. At the time, Ichigo is unaware that the Hollow and Zangetsu are the same person.
Ichigo is possessed by his Hollow as he fights Captain Kuchiki
Ichigo regains control of himself. But ever since his battle with Captain Kuchiki and his possession by his inner Hollow, Ichigo is now always subconsciously aware of the Hollow within himself. And the Hollow wants to come out—to control and possess Ichigo. The struggle to maintain control of his own body and soul steadily grows more intense for Ichigo.
At the same time, Ichigo’s enemies become greater too. After Ichigo saves Rukia from being executed in the Soul Society, Captain Aizen of Squad Five rebels against the Soul Society. Aizen is incredibly powerful, and he plans to completely wipe out Ichigo’s hometown and kill the king of the Soul Society. Aizen is also surrounded by an army of Arrancars—Hollows with the abilities of Soul Reapers—and the Espada, who are high-ranking, super strong Arrancars. These Arrancars, along with Aizen himself, present a huge threat to Ichigo, his friends, and both the members of the Real World and the Soul Society.
Aizen in all of his evil glory
Ichigo knows he isn’t powerful enough to defend everyone he cares about. What’s more, whenever he fights and uses more of his own spiritual power, the chances of him being possessed by his inner Hollow skyrocket. His resolve being torn down by the emergence of his inner Hollow, and the threat of exceedingly strong enemies, leaves Ichigo confused and unsure of how he can protect his friends.
THE VISOREDS
Shinji and the rest of the Visored crew
Shinji Hirako, along with his team of rogue Soul Reapers, invite Ichigo to become a Visored; a Soul Reaper that learns to subdue, control, and use the power of his inner Hollow. They are called Visoreds for the Hollow masks they wear, which are the center of their power. If Ichigo learns how to control his inner Hollow and use its power, he’ll gain an immense amount of spiritual strength. Without the knowledge of how to maintain his inner Hollow, and facing the danger of Aizen and his Arrancars, Ichigo turns to the Visoreds for assistance.
In the end, Ichigo goes within himself and battles his Hollow, defeating the dark form of Zangetsu and therefore being able to harness his energy. The Visoreds continue with his training, and Ichigo gradually learns to control and use his inner Hollow. The more he battles, the more power he possesses, and the more he relies on using “Hollowfication” as the source of his might.
THE QUESTION
Is it right for Ichigo to resort to using the power of his inner Hollow for the sake of fighting Aizen and saving his friends? Zangetsu, or the dark side of Zangetsu, is clearly something evil by nature. His appearance, his motives, his methods—everything about Ichigo’s inner Hollow possesses some sense of malice and morbidity. Ichigo fights his Hollow and conquers it. Nonetheless, the Hollow doesn’t go away; instead, he allows Ichigo to draw power from him. This power is clearly something dark; Ichigo joins with the evil-side of his soul in order to produce intense spiritual attacks.
So, what’s wrong with this picture?
In order to answer the question of whether it is right to use evil to fight evil, we need to look at the situation from a logical perspective. All of this can be simplified by this basic moral truth:
The end doesn’t justify the means.
This logical statement works could be explained with this example: Say a man wants to become rich. Becoming rich is the “end”. Let’s say further that the man’s “means” of achieving his “end”—becoming rich—is robbing a bank.
The example with the man is similar to Ichigo’s: both ends are good. Ichigo wants to protect his friends and save the world; the man wants to become rich. Nothing is wrong there. But if we say that “the end justifies the means”, then, according to that statement, any means found necessary is “okay”. Why? Because the end, in-and-of-itself, is something good. However, we can see that this is flawed from a moral perspective. Just because the end is good, that doesn’t mean it’s right to reach the end using immoral means. That’s a problem. We could win all wars by torturing the enemy’s citizens until the enemy surrenders—winning a war: good; torturing people to do it: bad. (#lameexample…I know)
So here’s where the truth comes in: The means justifies the end.
This is a logical/moral principle that encourages people to build good upon good. A good means should bring about a good end. Let’s go back to the man that wants to be rich, but make the example different; now his means is getting a job and working hard, and watching his everyday budget: good. The end? He becomes rich: good. That’s the way it’s supposed to work. Not everybody will become rich, of course, if they work hard and watch their budget. But you get the idea.
But then, what’s wrong with Ichigo? What’s wrong with his means?
The main thing wrong with the story, in that Ichigo obtains his source of strength from his inner Hollow, is that the line between what’s good and what’s evil becomes blurred. Ichigo takes on the form of something evil, bringing down his own good character, for the sake of something good. This can lead some people into confusion: is that what heroes do? They join themselves with evil to do good? Do heroes turn into monsters or evil spirits for the sake of what’s right?
The answer is simple.
And ah: monsters and evil spirits don’t do what’s right.
“No, but Ichigo does.”
In a sense, Ichigo does do something good. After all, his end is pure. But his means is not. Evil doesn’t produce good. We can become stronger through dealing with a form of evil that surrounds or threatens us. But evil is never the producer of good.
This might sound like a story from the Bible, to some viewers. Joseph, the son of Jacob, (the one with the swagged-out, colored-cloak) is sold by his brothers into slavery to the Egyptians: bad. However, he rises through the ranks of Egypt to become second-in-command and help his family in a time of famine: good. The “bad” stuff—being sold into slavery—didn’t produce the good—Joseph becoming second-in-command and helping his family. In the story, God gave Joseph a way to react to the evil, so to speak; a loophole. But the evil didn’t create the good.
Nevertheless, Ichigo clearly endeavors to do the opposite. He draws upon the power of evil and assumes an evil form itself. A flaw, or falsity, therefore, corrupts the nature of the story of Bleach. Bleach, whether or not the author Tite Kubo intended this, preaches that we can reach into ourselves and pull out our “inner Hollow” and use it for good.
If we think about it, we can see how this negatively morphs society’s perception of heroism. If Ichigo is equated with being a hero—the one who “defeats the bad guy”—and at the same time is merged with a form of evil, isn’t there a chance those people that look up to Ichigo will think it is right to merge with evil to produce good? To the people of the anime world, Bleach is saying, in however an indirect way, that the face of a hero…well, may indeed look like this:
Ichigo in his “Hollowfied” form
The face of something good is portrayed using the face of evil…doesn’t this seem twisted in any way? Doesn’t that bother you, or seem wrong?
Ichigo’s means? Using evil.
Ichigo’s end? Saving his friends and the world.
Logical? No.
Moral? No.
The means justifies the end, not the other way round.
Tell me what you think and share your thoughts…I’m really looking forward to hearing your take on this!
Dom
P.S. My first book in my series The Golden Lands (fantasy/anime based) is still free at Smashwords.com!
P.P.S. Just a shout-out to my really smart dad who helped me with all of this logic and philosophy 🙂 You know your stuff, Dad!
Sometimes we see this when the main character of a story is fighting against an enemy of seemingly unsurpassable might; with no other power to turn to, the main character resorts to teaming up with evil in order to defeat evil. And maybe, maybe, he’ll even draw his strength from this person or source of evil.
BACKGROUND OF BLEACH
(If you already know all of this, I would encourage you to skip to the section in bold which reads “The Question”)
Ichigo Kurosaki is such a main character. The manga and anime Bleach is easily one of the most popular Japanese comics and television shows out there, particularly in the shonen (boys) category. The story follows the adventures of fifteen year-old Ichigo Kurosaki, who becomes a Soul Reaper in order to protect his family from the hunger of a Hollow: a fallen soul/spirit of the underworld.
Ichigo as a Soul Reaper battles a Hollow
Ichigo is plunged into a life of protecting innocent souls from Hollows, as instructed by Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper that gave him his powers as a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers have the duty of saving souls from Hollows, sending those souls to the Soul Society, and purifying the Hollows so that they too may be admitted to the Soul Society.
THE ZANPAKUTO
Every sword that a Soul Reaper has—called a “zanpakuto”—possesses a spirit in itself. This spirit, in both its form and personality/countenance, is a reflection of the Soul Reaper that wields the zanpakuto. There is also an element of mystery encompassing the nature of the spirit which is within every zanpakuto.
The spirit of Ichigo’s zanpakuto, Zangetsu
These spirits have minds of their own; and although they cooperate with their Soul Reaper in order to further the advancement of power their Soul Reaper is able to unleash, sometimes the spirits might endeavor to control their Soul Reaper.
Once a person becomes a Soul Reaper and possesses a zanpakuto, his soul becomes intertwined or merged with the spirit that fills his sword. The Soul Reaper draws strength from his zanpakuto, and the spirit of the zanpakuto teaches the Soul Reaper how to wield and unlock the power that the spirit possesses. This bond between Soul Reaper and zanpakuto is intense.
Which is why, if a Soul Reaper isn’t careful, the spirit of his zanpakuto might turn on him.
THE HOLLOW WITHIN
Ichigo’s inner Hollow is exactly like Ichigo but all the light and darkness of his appearance is reversed
Ichigo’s zanpakuto, and the spirit accompanying it, is named Zangetsu. Originally unknown to Ichigo, there is another side to Zangetsu—a darker side. Zangetsu is one with a Hollow; they are the same person, but one side is good while the other is evil.
The evil side of Zangetsu was said to have been “born” when Kiskue Urahara—Ichigo’s hippy-of-a-mentor—forced Ichigo into regaining his Soul Reaper powers by using a method called “Encroachment”. Encroachment caused Ichigo to run the line between turning into a Hollow himself, or becoming a Soul Reaper (since he had lost his power as a Soul Reaper). The result on the surface appeared to be that he became a Soul Reaper again—clean, plain and simple. However, underlying his transformation was the merging of Zangetsu with Ichigo’s inner Hollow, who was brought about by Encroachment—as a side effect, so to speak.
Ichigo’s Hollow mask begins to form as he undergoes Encroachment
Yet, it proved to be a much bigger “side effect” than Ichigo expected. When Ichigo battles Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of Squad Six of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, in order to save Rukia from being executed, Ichigo is suddenly possessed by his inner Hollow. The Hollow saves Ichigo’s life, but states that Ichigo is too weak to be using Zangetsu/himself. At the time, Ichigo is unaware that the Hollow and Zangetsu are the same person.
Ichigo is possessed by his Hollow as he fights Captain Kuchiki
Ichigo regains control of himself. But ever since his battle with Captain Kuchiki and his possession by his inner Hollow, Ichigo is now always subconsciously aware of the Hollow within himself. And the Hollow wants to come out—to control and possess Ichigo. The struggle to maintain control of his own body and soul steadily grows more intense for Ichigo.
At the same time, Ichigo’s enemies become greater too. After Ichigo saves Rukia from being executed in the Soul Society, Captain Aizen of Squad Five rebels against the Soul Society. Aizen is incredibly powerful, and he plans to completely wipe out Ichigo’s hometown and kill the king of the Soul Society. Aizen is also surrounded by an army of Arrancars—Hollows with the abilities of Soul Reapers—and the Espada, who are high-ranking, super strong Arrancars. These Arrancars, along with Aizen himself, present a huge threat to Ichigo, his friends, and both the members of the Real World and the Soul Society.
Aizen in all of his evil glory
Ichigo knows he isn’t powerful enough to defend everyone he cares about. What’s more, whenever he fights and uses more of his own spiritual power, the chances of him being possessed by his inner Hollow skyrocket. His resolve being torn down by the emerging of his inner Hollow, and the threat of exceedingly strong enemies, leaves Ichigo confused and unsure of how he can protect his friends.
THE VISOREDS
Shinji and the rest of the Visored crew
Shinji Hirako, along with his team of rogue Soul Reapers, invite Ichigo to become a Visored; a Soul Reaper that learns to subdue, control, and use the power of his inner Hollow. They are called Visoreds for the Hollow masks they wear, which are the center of their power. If Ichigo learns how to control his inner Hollow and use its power, he’ll gain an immense amount of spiritual strength. Without the knowledge of how to maintain his inner Hollow, and facing the danger of Aizen and his Arrancars, Ichigo turns to the Visoreds for assistance.
In the end, Ichigo goes within himself and battles his Hollow, defeating the dark form of Zangetsu and therefore being able to harness his energy. The Visoreds continue with his training, and Ichigo gradually learns to control and use his inner Hollow. The more he battles, the more power he possesses, and the more he relies on using “Hollowfication” as the source of his might.
THE QUESTION
Is it right for Ichigo to resort to using the power of his inner Hollow for the sake of fighting Aizen and saving his friends? Zangetsu, or the dark side of Zangetsu, is clearly something evil by nature. His appearance, his motives, his methods—everything about Ichigo’s inner Hollow possesses some sense of malice and morbidity. Ichigo fights his Hollow and conquers it. Nonetheless, the Hollow doesn’t go away; instead, he allows Ichigo to draw power from him. This power is clearly something dark; Ichigo joins with the evil-side of his soul in order to produce intense spiritual attacks.
So, what’s wrong with this picture?
In order to answer the question of whether it is right to use evil to fight evil, we need to look at the situation from a logical perspective. All of this can be simplified by this basic moral truth:
The end doesn’t justify the means.
This logical statement works could be explained with this example: Say a man wants to become rich. Becoming rich is the “end”. Let’s say further that the man’s “means” of achieving his “end”—becoming rich—is robbing a bank.
The example with the man is similar to Ichigo’s: both ends are good. Ichigo wants to protect his friends and save the world; the man wants to become rich. Nothing is wrong there. But if we say that “the end justifies the means”, then, according to that statement, any means found necessary is “okay”. Why? Because the end, in-and-of-itself, is something good. However, we can see that this is flawed from a moral perspective. Just because the end is good, that doesn’t mean it’s right to reach the end using immoral means. That’s a problem. We could win all wars by torturing the enemy’s citizens until the enemy surrenders—winning a war: good; torturing people to do it: bad. (#lameexample…I know)
So here’s where the truth comes in: The means justifies the end.
This is a logical/moral principle that encourages people to build good upon good. A good means should bring about a good end. Let’s go back to the man that wants to be rich, but make the example different; now his means is getting a job and working hard, and watching his everyday budget: good. The end? He becomes rich: good. That’s the way it’s supposed to work. Not everybody will become rich, of course, if they work hard and watch their budget. But you get the idea.
But then, what’s wrong with Ichigo? What’s wrong with his means?
The main thing wrong with the story, in that Ichigo obtains his source of strength from his inner Hollow, is that the line between what’s good and what’s evil becomes blurred. Ichigo takes on the form of something evil, bringing down his own good character, for the sake of something good. This can lead some people into confusion: is that what heroes do? They join themselves with evil to do good? Do heroes turn into monsters or evil spirits for the sake of what’s right?
The answer is simple.
And ah: monsters and evil spirits don’t do what’s right.
“No, but Ichigo does.”
In a sense, Ichigo does do something good. After all, his end is pure. But his means is not. Evil doesn’t produce good. We can become stronger through dealing with a form of evil that surrounds or threatens us. But evil is never the producer of good.
This might sound like a story from the Bible, to some viewers. Joseph, the son of Jacob, (the one with the swagged-out, colored-cloak) is sold by his brothers into slavery to the Egyptians: bad. However, he rises through the ranks of Egypt to become second-in-command and help his family in a time of famine: good. The “bad” stuff—being sold into slavery—didn’t produce the good—Joseph becoming second-in-command and helping his family. In the story, God gave Joseph a way to react to the evil, so to speak; a loophole. But the evil didn’t create the good.
Nevertheless, Ichigo clearly endeavors to do the opposite. He draws upon the power of evil and assumes an evil form itself. A flaw, or falsity, therefore, corrupts the nature of the story of Bleach. Bleach, whether or not the author Tite Kubo intended this, preaches that we can reach into ourselves and pull out our “inner Hollow” and use it for good.
If we think about it, we can see how this negatively morphs society’s perception of heroism. If Ichigo is equated with being a hero—the one who “defeats the bad guy”—and at the same time is merged with a form of evil, isn’t there a chance those people that look up to Ichigo will think it is right to merge with evil to produce good? To the people of the anime world, Bleach is saying, in however an indirect way, that the face of a hero…well, may indeed look like this:
Ichigo in his “Hollowfied” form
The face of something good is portrayed using the face of evil…doesn’t this seem twisted in any way? Doesn’t that bother you, or seem wrong?
Ichigo’s means? Using evil.
Ichigo’s end? Saving his friends and the world.
Logical? No.
Moral? No.
The means justifies the end, not the other way round.
Tell me what you think and share your thoughts…I’m really looking forward to hearing your take on this!
Sometimes we see this when the main character of a story is fighting against an enemy of seemingly unsurpassable might; with no other power to turn to, the main character resorts to teaming up with evil in order to defeat evil. And maybe, maybe, he’ll even draw his strength from this person or source of evil.
BACKGROUND OF BLEACH
(If you already know all of this, I would encourage you to skip to the section in bold which reads “The Question”)
Ichigo Kurosaki is such a main character. The manga and anime Bleach is easily one of the most popular Japanese comics and television shows out there, particularly in the shonen (boys) category. The story follows the adventures of fifteen year-old Ichigo Kurosaki, who becomes a Soul Reaper in order to protect his family from the hunger of a Hollow: a fallen soul/spirit of the underworld.
Ichigo as a Soul Reaper battles a Hollow
Ichigo is plunged into a life of protecting innocent souls from Hollows, as instructed by Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper that gave him his powers as a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers have the duty of saving souls from Hollows, sending those souls to the Soul Society, and purifying the Hollows so that they too may be admitted to the Soul Society.
THE ZANPAKUTO
Every sword that a Soul Reaper has—called a “zanpakuto”—possesses a spirit in itself. This spirit, in both its form and personality/countenance, is a reflection of the Soul Reaper that wields the zanpakuto. There is also an element of mystery encompassing the nature of the spirit which is within every zanpakuto.
The spirit of Ichigo’s zanpakuto, Zangetsu
These spirits have minds of their own; and although they cooperate with their Soul Reaper in order to further the advancement of power their Soul Reaper is able to unleash, sometimes the spirits might endeavor to control their Soul Reaper.
Once a person becomes a Soul Reaper and possesses a zanpakuto, his soul becomes intertwined or merged with the spirit that fills his sword. The Soul Reaper draws strength from his zanpakuto, and the spirit of the zanpakuto teaches the Soul Reaper how to wield and unlock the power that the spirit possesses. This bond between Soul Reaper and zanpakuto is intense.
Which is why, if a Soul Reaper isn’t careful, the spirit of his zanpakuto might turn on him.
THE HOLLOW WITHIN
Ichigo’s inner Hollow is exactly like Ichigo but all the light and darkness of his appearance is reversed
Ichigo’s zanpakuto, and the spirit accompanying it, is named Zangetsu. Originally unknown to Ichigo, there is another side to Zangetsu—a darker side. Zangetsu is one with a Hollow; they are the same person, but one side is good while the other is evil.
The evil side of Zangetsu was said to have been “born” when Kiskue Urahara—Ichigo’s hippy-of-a-mentor—forced Ichigo into regaining his Soul Reaper powers by using a method called “Encroachment”. Encroachment caused Ichigo to run the line between turning into a Hollow himself, or becoming a Soul Reaper (since he had lost his power as a Soul Reaper). The result on the surface appeared to be that he became a Soul Reaper again—clean, plain and simple. However, underlying his transformation was the merging of Zangetsu with Ichigo’s inner Hollow, who was brought about by Encroachment—as a side effect, so to speak.
Ichigo’s Hollow mask begins to form as he undergoes Encroachment
Yet, it proved to be a much bigger “side effect” than Ichigo expected. When Ichigo battles Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of Squad Six of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, in order to save Rukia from being executed, Ichigo is suddenly possessed by his inner Hollow. The Hollow saves Ichigo’s life, but states that Ichigo is too weak to be using Zangetsu/himself. At the time, Ichigo is unaware that the Hollow and Zangetsu are the same person.
Ichigo is possessed by his Hollow as he fights Captain Kuchiki
Ichigo regains control of himself. But ever since his battle with Captain Kuchiki and his possession by his inner Hollow, Ichigo is now always subconsciously aware of the Hollow within himself. And the Hollow wants to come out—to control and possess Ichigo. The struggle to maintain control of his own body and soul steadily grows more intense for Ichigo.
At the same time, Ichigo’s enemies become greater too. After Ichigo saves Rukia from being executed in the Soul Society, Captain Aizen of Squad Five rebels against the Soul Society. Aizen is incredibly powerful, and he plans to completely wipe out Ichigo’s hometown and kill the king of the Soul Society. Aizen is also surrounded by an army of Arrancars—Hollows with the abilities of Soul Reapers—and the Espada, who are high-ranking, super strong Arrancars. These Arrancars, along with Aizen himself, present a huge threat to Ichigo, his friends, and both the members of the Real World and the Soul Society.
Aizen in all of his evil glory
Ichigo knows he isn’t powerful enough to defend everyone he cares about. What’s more, whenever he fights and uses more of his own spiritual power, the chances of him being possessed by his inner Hollow skyrocket. His resolve being torn down by the emerging of his inner Hollow, and the threat of exceedingly strong enemies, leaves Ichigo confused and unsure of how he can protect his friends.
THE VISOREDS
Shinji and the rest of the Visored crew
Shinji Hirako, along with his team of rogue Soul Reapers, invite Ichigo to become a Visored; a Soul Reaper that learns to subdue, control, and use the power of his inner Hollow. They are called Visoreds for the Hollow masks they wear, which are the center of their power. If Ichigo learns how to control his inner Hollow and use its power, he’ll gain an immense amount of spiritual strength. Without the knowledge of how to maintain his inner Hollow, and facing the danger of Aizen and his Arrancars, Ichigo turns to the Visoreds for assistance.
In the end, Ichigo goes within himself and battles his Hollow, defeating the dark form of Zangetsu and therefore being able to harness his energy. The Visoreds continue with his training, and Ichigo gradually learns to control and use his inner Hollow. The more he battles, the more power he possesses, and the more he relies on using “Hollowfication” as the source of his might.
THE QUESTION
Is it right for Ichigo to resort to using the power of his inner Hollow for the sake of fighting Aizen and saving his friends? Zangetsu, or the dark side of Zangetsu, is clearly something evil by nature. His appearance, his motives, his methods—everything about Ichigo’s inner Hollow possesses some sense of malice and morbidity. Ichigo fights his Hollow and conquers it. Nonetheless, the Hollow doesn’t go away; instead, he allows Ichigo to draw power from him. This power is clearly something dark; Ichigo joins with the evil-side of his soul in order to produce intense spiritual attacks.
So, what’s wrong with this picture?
In order to answer the question of whether it is right to use evil to fight evil, we need to look at the situation from a logical perspective. All of this can be simplified by this basic moral truth:
The end doesn’t justify the means.
This logical statement works could be explained with this example: Say a man wants to become rich. Becoming rich is the “end”. Let’s say further that the man’s “means” of achieving his “end”—becoming rich—is robbing a bank.
The example with the man is similar to Ichigo’s: both ends are good. Ichigo wants to protect his friends and save the world; the man wants to become rich. Nothing is wrong there. But if we say that “the end justifies the means”, then, according to that statement, any means found necessary is “okay”. Why? Because the end, in-and-of-itself, is something good. However, we can see that this is flawed from a moral perspective. Just because the end is good, that doesn’t mean it’s right to reach the end using immoral means. That’s a problem. We could win all wars by torturing the enemy’s citizens until the enemy surrenders—winning a war: good; torturing people to do it: bad. (#lameexample…I know)
So here’s where the truth comes in: The means justifies the end.
This is a logical/moral principle that encourages people to build good upon good. A good means should bring about a good end. Let’s go back to the man that wants to be rich, but make the example different; now his means is getting a job and working hard, and watching his everyday budget: good. The end? He becomes rich: good. That’s the way it’s supposed to work. Not everybody will become rich, of course, if they work hard and watch their budget. But you get the idea.
But then, what’s wrong with Ichigo? What’s wrong with his means?
The main thing wrong with the story, in that Ichigo obtains his source of strength from his inner Hollow, is that the line between what’s good and what’s evil becomes blurred. Ichigo takes on the form of something evil, bringing down his own good character, for the sake of something good. This can lead some people into confusion: is that what heroes do? They join themselves with evil to do good? Do heroes turn into monsters or evil spirits for the sake of what’s right?
The answer is simple.
And ah: monsters and evil spirits don’t do what’s right.
“No, but Ichigo does.”
In a sense, Ichigo does do something good. After all, his end is pure. But his means is not. Evil doesn’t produce good. We can become stronger through dealing with a form of evil that surrounds or threatens us. But evil is never the producer of good.
This might sound like a story from the Bible, to some viewers. Joseph, the son of Jacob, (the one with the swagged-out, colored-cloak) is sold by his brothers into slavery to the Egyptians: bad. However, he rises through the ranks of Egypt to become second-in-command and help his family in a time of famine: good. The “bad” stuff—being sold into slavery—didn’t produce the good—Joseph becoming second-in-command and helping his family. In the story, God gave Joseph a way to react to the evil, so to speak; a loophole. But the evil didn’t create the good.
Nevertheless, Ichigo clearly endeavors to do the opposite. He draws upon the power of evil and assumes an evil form itself. A flaw, or falsity, therefore, corrupts the nature of the story of Bleach. Bleach, whether or not the author Tite Kubo intended this, preaches that we can reach into ourselves and pull out our “inner Hollow” and use it for good.
If we think about it, we can see how this negatively morphs society’s perception of heroism. If Ichigo is equated with being a hero—the one who “defeats the bad guy”—and at the same time is merged with a form of evil, isn’t there a chance those people that look up to Ichigo will think it is right to merge with evil to produce good? To the people of the anime world, Bleach is saying, in however an indirect way, that the face of a hero…well, may indeed look like this:
Ichigo in his “Hollowfied” form
The face of something good is portrayed using the face of evil…doesn’t this seem twisted in any way? Doesn’t that bother you, or seem wrong?
Ichigo’s means? Using evil.
Ichigo’s end? Saving his friends and the world.
Logical? No.
Moral? No.
The means justifies the end, not the other way round.
Tell me what you think and share your thoughts…I’m really looking forward to hearing your take on this!
Sorry, I know that all I gave you last time was a link to my new Bleach fanfiction. Here’s a way more convenient way to read it:
CHAPTER 1: DARKNESS, INSANITY, AND ESCAPE
The sirens won’t stop blaring throughout the building. I grip my head, feeling blood run down my face and through my fingers. I’m losing control. Losing sanity. What’s going on? Why am I here? Who am I?
The air is both cold and refreshing. But it is also harsh; I don’t feel comfortable in it. I’m naked. A shiver runs through my cold body, even as my head burns with pain from the hole in my forehead. The ground shakes beneath me as some explosion erupts somewhere in the building, jostling my cell. My legs are still adjusting to the hard, lifeless stone beneath me. The lights won’t stop flashing, the sirens won’t stop ringing. I’m so confused. What’s happening?
The last thing–or maybe it’s the first thing–I remember is pain running through my body. I was lying on an icy, metal table, and I noticed someone next to me. He was holding a long syringe, empty of whatever fluid it had previously held. I couldn’t see him; he was drenched in shadow. But he spoke to me, his voice rich and yet eerie, saying, “You are the final experiment, the most prized of my creations. Come, and I will teach you how to serve me.” And he put me in this cell.
That was only five minutes ago.
I was born five minutes ago.
I remember nothing before that; I don’t know if I ever existed before waking up on that metal table.
But then it happens for the third time: a flash of remembrance courses through my mind. “Ichigo Kurosaki”
I see a Soul Reaper with orange hair and a huge sword. I don’t know how I know he’s a Soul Reaper, or why I even know he exists. But this keeps on happening. “Who is he?” I wonder, lost and confused. Another image flashes in my mind. The Soul Reaper stands around a group of friends; two girls and three boys. “Ichigo Kurosaki”
And then after that, all that comes to mind is my own appearance. I raise my eyes, peering into the glass wall surrounding me, and I see my reflection.
Though mine is black, I have the same spiky hair. The same angry eyes. The same body. The same everything. I look exactly like him. “Ichigo Kurosaki”
But…why?!
The ground shakes beneath me again, and this time I am thrown from my feet. I land on the stiff stone, bruising my knees, and then another explosion occurs. The glass walls of my cell burst and shatter, thousands of shards clashing against the floor and rebounding off each other as they plummet. I raise my head, and through the demolished wall of my room emerges a dark figure. His long black hair flows behind him, held back from his face by white headpieces. He wears a long black robe, topped with a shorter white one. Thousands of small, black objects hover in the hair around him.
An image flashes in my mind again. It is of the same person. Only he is not so dark. He is surrounded by light and pink petals, which are sharp as daggers. This person is surrounded by a black cloud of tiny knives. “Who are you?” I shout.
He doesn’t answer.
Then a name comes into my mind. I don’t know where it comes from. I don’t know where any of this knowledge comes from! “Byakuya Kuchiki”
Then he speaks. “I am…your death.”
His army of petals sail towards me. And a pang of understanding rises within me.
“Ichigo Kurosaki”
I cry out. I don’t know how it happens. My battle drive is activated. I don’t know how I know, but I do. The knowledge has been with me since I was born. Now I know how to make sense of this knowledge. The knives fly towards me.
“Getsuga…Tensho!” I spread my arms out, like a dragon about to take flight, and a huge blast of power, whipping and dancing, black and wrathful, discharges from me towards the other Byakuya. He gasps.
The explosion destroys half the building.
For a few moments, there’s only dust, and confusion. Everything happened so quickly. And for the first time in what feels like forever, there is silence. I don’t know if anyone died. I don’t know if anyone survived. But I was able to escape.
I alight on the roof of the building, the building where I was born, deep within this dark world. I look upon what my power has wrought. I don’t understand. I don’t understand who I am. I don’t understand this power. Who am I? Why was I created? I clench my fists, my own confusion making me frustrated and full of rage. “Dammit!” I think.
I raise my head to the sky. “Who am I?” I say aloud.
“Ichigo Kurosaki”
Then I suddenly know where to go. Another image flashes in my mind. This time, it’s of a town. And I don’t know how, but I know it’s name: Karakura Town.
Just a reminder that my book The Golden Lands, Volume 1 is now a free download for a limited time at Smashwords.com (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/535151). Please consider taking advantage of this opportunity! You WON’T be disappointed!
This is the first chapter of a blog series I’m doing set in the world of Terra (which holds the three worlds, The Golden Lands, The Gray Lands, and The Dark Lands). You may not hear from me directly for a long time, because my fantasy world is about to take over. Instead, you will hear the voice of many different characters. Enjoy!
Copyright 2015 Clare Sceski
World: The Gray Lands
Subworld: The Passageway
Protagonist: Urdar the Merciless
Profile:
Age: 116
Race: Ultra Malam
Height: 7’0
Eye Color: Red
Hair Color: Black
The Knight cuts through my band of Evil with astounding speed. He knows how to move just as quickly as he needs to. And the placement of his strokes is impeccable. Nothing catches him by surprise. He lithely dodges two slashes for his head and counterattacks by leaping into the air, slicing the throats of two of my Evil in a single motion. He lands on his feet, and instantly parries an attack, and then another, and another. He’s good.
But he’s hiding something.
I have fought and killed hundreds of Knights and Beloved. Several have I encountered that possessed zoecharia in their souls, but those that I did encounter fell also to the power I have been given. My fire burns. None can quench it.
But this Knight…he is strong, stronger than he lets on. He’s hiding something. He’s holding back. But why? I squint, watching him slay another four of my beasts with ease. I need to test him. My Malam are no match for him. I need to know who or what this Knight is before I kill him. Before I watch him burn.
He cuts downwards, severing the head of one of my beasts, and then spins, cleaving another Evil in two. He’s getting closer. I don’t know why I’m feeling nervous. This human will be no match for me. I am Urdar the Merciless. He is a pathetic—
He steps closer while engaging my Malam, and I stiffen, grunting with alarm. “Dammit!” I growl in my thoughts, “What the hell is this Knight!?”
Perhaps he hadn’t been close enough yet, but now I can feel it. And I realize that I have to strike while he’s still fighting my other beasts—before he can attack me.
I rise to my full height, roaring, my voice echoing in the dark tunnel we are skirmishing in. With ease, I summon my fire, the flames materializing in my palms. I stare at the Knight. And just as he stabs the last of my Evil, he raises his eyes to meet mine. Now is my only chance. But I falter for a moment, my anticipation rising. I feel it again. I can’t believe it. I’ve never felt this before.
The zoecharia in his soul, its presence is fuller and more powerful than I’ve ever felt before in a single human. Though he is only a human, and I an Evil of terrible strength, I hesitate, wondering if I should challenge him. Wondering if I should execute my strike.
He turns towards me, and he brandishes his blade. His sword begins to glow blue with charis. I’m too late. He’s already accepted my challenge, before I even proposed one, and I am the only Evil that remains.
Then at least I will strike before he can.
I release a huge, monstrous roar, so loud the walls of the cavern shake. My anxiety is great, but I will not let myself be undone by a lowly human, at least before I’ve fought him…before he’s felt my fire! I swing both my arms forward. Red flames explode out towards the Knight. In my fear of him, I’ve accidentally released an exceptionally large blow. But I’m glad; no one could survive this. There’s nowhere to run or to hide. My fire fills the tunnel from top to bottom, shooting out towards the Knight.
The moment I think my flames are about to consume the man, a white light flashes around him, and then a blast of wind surges in every direction from the Knight. I am knocked off my feet, sent crashing onto the ground. I groan and curse, arching my back. Then, after a moment, I slowly rise, glowering furiously at the Knight, and then I stop, amazed and terrified at what I see.
The Knight is standing twenty yards away, garbed fully in armor, a helmet on his head, and a shield in his left hand. He had none of these when our little fight began. Around him, multiple torrents of wind spiral and twirl, and the air itself glows blue. His sword gleams like starlight, and his whole being seems to vibrate with power. But it’s more than that. There’s no impediment any more. I can feel it in all it’s fullness. And it’s extraordinary. His body is humming with—no, exhuding—both charis and zoecharia. And his armor—only a certain type of Knight can summon his armor and shield so quickly. And to have his armor to that degree of brilliance—
It can only mean one thing.
He relaxes his release of power, and the wind dies down gradually. But the brilliance of his blade and his armor still remains. He steps towards me. “Now I know what you are!” I say through my teeth. “I tested you, and I got what I asked for.”
He’s doing it again. He’s bizarrely calm. Instead of obliterating me in the moment that he fully reveals the level of his charis and zoecharia, he checks how much strength he puts forth and keeps only what he needs; charis ready for dispense at a moments’ notice, in case I suddenly attack.
“But what would one of you be doing in this place?” I question him.
“A Knight should be where the people need him most,” he returns, continuing towards me.
“But you’re not just any Knight!” I say. I grin. Though what he is is the source of his power, it could also give me an advantage over him. “You’re a Soul Bleeder, aren’t you?”
“And I would use my power to free you,” he replies, “but I see that you’re are one of those Evil. I will only send you back to your master.”
“He can tell what kind of Evil I am?” I think, alarmed. What if he’s more than just a Soul Bleeder? He has the Eyes. What if he’s—
He stands right in front of me, his sword hefted at chest height. “This will be quick,” he states, as if it will comfort me.
He’s more than just a Soul Bleeder; I’m certain of it! “What are you?” I shout at him. But I can’t raise my eyes to meet his. I’m too afraid. He can see me.
And then I’m certain of it. Slowly, I lift my head, and I stare at his heart, from which I can feel zoecharia flowing like blood, and then I begin, “You’re—!”
“Be quiet,” he commands, “and threaten the souls of the Passageway no more!”
His sword flashes downwards, and I depart from the Passageway.
As I’ve mentioned before, I want The Golden Lands to be something long-lasting. When I first thought of the idea behind the series, I thought it would be awesome if the The Golden Lands was never-ending. That’s obviously impossible, because I’ll die someday (surprise, surprise!), and it’s just very hard to do. And besides, a good series will end at the right time, and not go on unnecessarily.
the awesome image is not mine
Inspired heavily by Bleach—an anime series that certainly seems everlasting (366 episodes)—I figured it wouldn’t be too hard for me to keep a series going. My goal is to reach at least twelve volumes…and that actually doesn’t seem to hard, seeing how I already know what’s going to happen up to volume 6.
And there’s no rush. I’m a high-school student, so I’ve got a decent amount of time before I have to start interacting with the real world (BOR-ing).
Haha…
Since my fantasy series of novellas will resemble manga, I’m hoping to release each volume at a “mangaish” pace. A lot of manga’s come out pretty fast (once a month), and while I don’t think a new volume of The Golden Lands will come out every month, you can probably expect a new volume every three to four months (I produce these things quite rapidly!).
Expect lots of fast-moving, heart-stopping entertainment, epic combat scenes, moral struggles, emotional struggles, and flat-out silliness! Not to mention a display of my writing skills and the artistic awesomeness of my sister/illustrator.
Stay tuned, dearest followers! The first volume should be ready soon!
The Golden Lands 