| SORCEROUS SIGNALS |
| Written by Robert E. Keller / Artwork by Frank Harper |
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| The Rage of the God Heads |
It was a sight stranger than anything Tashi Lan had ever seen or imagined. Before him on the Road of Sorrows stood
the ragged soul of a man, naked except for a black loincloth, phantom mouths opening and closing in his flesh.
Sometimes the mouths drooled a dark liquid that evaporated into thin smoke.
“I am bitten!” the ghost screamed. “I must return to earth to roam for eternity, never to find rest.” He fell to his knees
and wept. A huge, gaping mouth opened in his belly, and a hiss arose as black steam billowed out.
Tashi Lan shuddered. “Your wounds are strange to me, and I fear I can’t help you. But I’ve only just begun to learn
the ways of the dead.” He introduced himself, and then asked, “What’s your name?”
In life, the ghost must have been a sorry sod. His bald head was covered in scars and his left eye was missing. His
long, crooked nose looked like it had been broken many times, and lash scars covered his torso. “My name is Hassan
Yu, but that no longer matters. As for the ways of the dead—they are the ways of despair. I was a slave in life, but
better off than I am now.”
“What happened,” Tashi Lan asked, “to cause your flesh to be covered in the mouths of demons? What crime did you
commit in life?”
Hassan Yu cursed him. “I committed no crime, you fool. I was an honest man made to suffer at the hands of a cruel
master. The fate that has befallen me wasn’t caused by my own doing.” His eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard of you. You
were a Warspine in life, and a famed gladiator who won many battles. Did you finally fall in combat?”
Tashi Lan glared down at the ghost, rage and sorrow seizing his heart at the memory of his death. He still held his
oak trident and was still protected by a breastplate of bark armor. “I died in the arena,” he admitted in a cold
whisper. “I’m not sure exactly how long ago, for time is foggy here. I think it was not very long ago...I had defeated
my enemy, who lay bleeding on the ground. I spared his life, thinking he’d be grateful. Swept up in the glory of my
victory, I made a foolish mistake and turned to the crowd to celebrate. The coward rose up behind me and speared
me through the back of the head.” He reached back and rubbed his skull, but now that he was among the dead, no
wound could be found—just a large scar. It made no sense to Tashi Lan, and he wished he could understand it.
“Yes, you were a mighty warrior,” Hassan Yu said. “Your trident and bark armor are made from the devil oak—magical
weapons that cross with a warrior to the other side. You are very lucky to have them, for the Road of Sorrows has
become overrun with peril. Yet like me, you otherwise wear only a black loincloth. In spite of your earthly fame, you
are just a shade of a man, and if you dare try to cross over to your eternal rest, you’ll be bitten as I have been and
suffer greatly.”
“Your wounds don’t look like bite marks,” Tashi Lan said.
“The dead aren’t wounded like the living,” Hasson Yu said. “A wound inflicted on a soul becomes a sort of magical
abomination. I was indeed bitten. In fact, I was bitten into pieces and spat into the mud. My body fused itself back
together—only it was not entirely healed, as you can see.” He rubbed his belly and moaned. “The mouths cause me
burning pain, and darker feelings I cannot bring myself to speak of.”
“Who or what bit you?” Tashi Lan said. “I’ll find this creature and slay it. I fear no man or monster.”
“Do you fear the Shenjishi?”
“I’ve heard of him,” Tashi Lan said. “The warlord who once ruled three-fourths of the world. No, I don’t fear him. I’m a
Warspine. The Shundo needles pierced my back, removing my ability to feel fear. I know only combat.”
The ghost hissed at him. “Fool! The Shundo arts don’t apply to the dead. You’re no longer a Warspine. Now, you can
feel terror, and if I’m not mistaken—that’s what you’re experiencing right now.”
Tashi Lan grimaced. He couldn’t deny the truth. He was terrified of the figure before him. Tashi Lan stood more than
seven feet in height and was heavily muscled, and he was still armed for battle. Yet the sight of the dastardly specter
before him turned his blood to a river of ice and made his body tremble from head to toe.
“Yes, I’m afraid. I’ve never seen anything like you before. But it changes nothing. I’m still the warrior I was in life. I
can feel it. And why do you see fit to mock me or point out my weaknesses?”
“I’m trying to warn you,” Hassan Yu said. “Don’t continue along the Road of Sorrows. Return to earth with me, and we’
ll roam forever as lost souls. If you continue on, the Shenjishi will inflict terrible wounds on you that may never heal.”
“As I said, I don’t fear the warlord.”
The ghost clutched his face and wailed in despair. “Do you fear a god, then? Or perhaps three of them? The Shenjishi
is no mortal man. He now bears three heads and has the power to tear holes in worlds. He guards the Twilight Pool
and will let no soul pass that way. I tried to run past him and dive into the pool, but he was much too quick for me.”
Knowing instinctively the ghost spoke the truth, Tashi Lan’s eyes widened. “Three heads? But how can this be? He
was just a man in life.”
“The Shenjishi was never just a man. No mere man conquers and enslaves three-fourths of the world. The Shenjishi
is more like a demon. Please, Tashi Lan! Save yourself from my fate—or worse—and return to earth.”
Shaking visibly with a mix or terror and determination, Tashi Lan shook his head. “I won’t be a lost soul. I deserve
better than that, and I’ll find my rest.”
The ghost gave a strangled scream and ran past Tashi Lan down the Road of Sorrows, to disappear behind some
gnarled devil oaks.
Tashi Lan fell to his knees, overcome with dread, sorrow, and regret. He himself was a ghost now, and even though
he could return to earth, he could never be with his wife and children again. It was over for him. And if he wanted to
find peace, he’d apparently have to get past a tyrant with three heads who could mutilate the souls of the dead.
At last Tashi Lan summoned the will to resume his journey. The Road of Sorrows was a foreboding place. The only
trees that grew in this plane of existence were devil oaks—extremely rare on earth but abundant in the afterlife—and
aside from some other strange plants, only cliffs and boulders could be seen. The devil oaks were dark and twisted,
with crimson leaves, their roots crisscrossing the road and splitting through rocks. An aura of gloom hung over
everything, made stronger by the mighty presence that waited ahead. The Shenjishi’s power radiated over the land
like waves.
“So that’s what I’ve been feeling, ever since I arrived in this realm,” Tashi Lan whispered to himself. “The power of
the Shenjishi.” He shuddered, barely able to force himself to keep moving.
Other souls, some wounded and screaming, fled past Tashi Lan, crying out warnings at him to turn back. His body
shook with terror, but he pushed on, determined that someone must put an end to the Shenjishi’s evil.
The Road of Sorrows turned swampy and foggy, with murky pools on either side. Thick vines hung down from the oak
limbs, and gray moss covered everything. Serpents slithered over the water and through the mist. Tashi Lan waved
his trident at them to warn them away. He didn’t know if they could harm him, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
“Come forward and perish,” the Shenjishi cried from somewhere up ahead. His voice was a thunderous echo. “The
Twilight Pool is forever closed.”
Rage building in his heart, Tashi Lan quickened his pace. The Shenjishi’s boasts only hardened his resolve and dulled
his fear.
Tashi Lan’s body seemed exactly as it had been in life. He was hungry and thirsty, and he could grow tired. But could
he die? It seemed unlikely a soul could be killed. After all, Hassan Yu claimed he’d been bitten into pieces, yet still
lived. But if indeed a spirit could be killed, what became of it afterwards? Tashi Lan sighed in frustration over his lack
of knowledge concerning the dead. If he didn’t know his own strengths and weaknesses, how could he prevail in
combat?
The Shenjishi stood knee-deep in a black, misty swamp pool facing Tashi Lan, all three of his heads gazing at the
former gladiator. His body was that of a huge man holding an oak staff in one hand and an oak sword in the other,
covered in some type of scaly suit of armor bearing fins like an aquatic creature. But where one neck should have
protruded from that armor, there were instead three long ones that led to menacing-looking heads. One head was
that of an ancient man, with silver hair and beard, his eyes burning with sorcery. Another head was fat and troll-like
and adorned with a spiked helm, with a wide, leering mouth full of pointed teeth. The remaining head—the one in the
middle—looked somewhat like a devil, with a long nose and a pointed chin, and a thin, wispy mustache that hung
down several feet.
Tashi Lan’s breath caught in his lungs, and his knees almost buckled. But he somehow found the heart to remain
standing before the monster.
“So, you’ve come to suffer,” the Shenjishi said. It was the devilish-looking head that spoke. “As you wish. Which foe
shall you face?”
Confused, Tashi Lan said nothing.
“I’m three beings,” the Shenjisji said. “Myself, and two others. But three against one isn’t fair. So only one of us shall
battle you. Which one do you choose?”
“Why are you doing this?” Tashi Lan said in a shaky voice that revealed the whirlwind of emotions within him. “All I
seek is my eternal rest. I feel I’ve earned it. I’ve been torn away from my wife and children, from my life in the arena.
There is nothing for me now. Let me sink into that pool and go to sleep.”
“Never! There will be no eternal rest for you, or any other soul.” Using his sword, the Shenjishi motioned to the pond
around him. The fog swirled like groping fingers over the dark waters, beneath vine-laden tree branches. “This is the
gateway that all souls, from all worlds, must pass through in order to sleep. Therefore, I now have the entire
universe by the throat. I have done what no man has ever dreamed of doing—putting thousands of worlds at my
mercy. They must all answer to me now.”
Tashi Lan gazed at the warlord in disbelief, sickened to the core. “You’re the worst kind of tyrant. You would allow the
dead to suffer for eternity, just to serve your own massive ego.”
“Don’t condemn me,” the Shenjishi said. “We are from the same world, and that makes us brothers. Doesn’t it make
you proud to know a man from your own world has been able to cause so much chaos? The Road of Sorrows is but
one of ten-thousand roads that lead here. You cannot see the other roads because you’re too weak and your sight is
limited to this realm, and you cannot see the souls from other worlds that have been turned away by my wrath. But I
assure you the numbers are staggering—millions and millions of souls who dare not face me in combat because they
know they would stand no chance. And those few who have faced me have all been defeated easily. And if you battle
me, you’ll share their grim fate.”
“But we’re from the same world,” said Tashi Lan. “And like you, I’m a warrior. I carry a weapon made from the devil
oak. Perhaps you underestimate my chance for victory.”
The Shenjishi shook his heads. “You have no chance. My weapons too are made of the devil oak. You obviously don’t
realize the extent of my power. Behold! I have bitten through the layers of the worlds, so others might come forth
and challenge me—not just the dead, but the living as well. Soon you’ll see what I mean. They send their best
fighters against me. I’ve already slain dozens, and their corpses lay deep beneath this pool in a web of shadows like
flies trapped by a spider. But more will come. And they too will fall.”
Even as the warlord finished speaking, the air beside him shimmered as if warped by heat. A figure appeared as if
from nowhere—a creature that seemed to be made of tube-shaped, armored holding tanks resting atop centipede-
like legs. It was covered in small, dark protrusions that looked like hairs. The hairs crackled and sparked with
electricity.
Despite its obvious heavy bulk, the ugly creature wheeled on the Shenjishi with blinding speed, discharging a bolt of
blue lightning at the warlord. The Shenjishi was ready. The ancient, wizardly head expanded, the mouth gaping wide,
and sucked the lightning into it. At the same time, the Shenjishi drove his staff down on the creature, rupturing its
tanks.
Steam hissed out from the damaged tanks, but the creature tried to attack a second time with its lightning—only to
once again be thwarted as the wizardly head devoured the electricity. The Shenjishi smashed his staff down on the
creature again, and this time the monster exploded into smoking pieces. A whirlpool appeared and sucked the
remains down into some unseen depths below the mud.
The Shenjishi—all three heads—grinned at Tashi Lan. But as before, only the devilish-looking head spoke. “As I said,
they’ll continue to attack me, and they’ll continue to fall. I was a man in life, but I’ve become something much greater
in death—perhaps a demon. Look upon my face, and the faces of my two servants. Do these look like the faces of
men? We have become mighty entities—perhaps even gods. We did this by defeating lesser souls and stealing their
energy. Once we grew strong enough, we were able to merge into one being. What you see before you is something
new and not easily explained; a spiritual evolution at work. I’m a new creature never before seen in any realm.
“Now—you have three choices. You can turn back, you can join me in my cause, or you can try to get past me. What
say you, my brother?”
“I have only one choice,” Tashi Lan said. He was shaking so hard with terror he could hardly hold himself together
and face the warlord. “Defend yourself!” he cried, and he thrust his trident at the monster’s chest.
The Shenjishi knocked the trident aside with his sword. “A good attempt. I see you indeed are no stranger to
combat.” The warlord waved his sword and staff menacingly. “I could defeat you in mere seconds if I wanted to. But
you’re an interesting man. I like you already.”
Tashi Lan lunged and drove his weapon at the Shenjishi’s throat with vicious speed. The Shenjishi staggered, and
just managed to bring his sword up to deflect the blow.
“Perhaps,” Tashi Lan said panting, “you will come to hate me.”
“Since you have refused to choose your opponent, I will choose him for you.” The Shenjishi’s eyes went dark, and he
bowed his head. The troll-like head also bowed. That left the ancient, wizardly looking head. Its eyes suddenly
glowed blue with power.
“I am Caras Gan,” the wizard said. “I was the Right Hand of the Shenjishi when he conquered most of the world. As
his loyal servant, I continue to stand by him in the afterlife. I was the most powerful and feared sorcerer in all the
land. You have no hope of defeating me.”
“Your words fail to intimidate me. But what’s your wager? If I defeat you, may I then go on to my eternal rest?”
“It shall be done. If, that is, you can defeat me.”
With a cry, Tashi Lan swung his trident in an arc at the wizard’s long neck. The tines of the weapon were edged—
long, razor-sharp blades that could cut through flesh as if it were not there. (The devil oak could be made sharper
than any metal.)
But the wizard deflected the trident with his staff. Oak struck against oak, magic against magic, and nothing gave
way.
Smiling, the wizard raised his staff, and energy waves blasted forth, knocking Tashi Lan off his feet and pining him in
the muddy water so that his head was just above the surface. Caras Gan advanced on him, his face as dark as a
thundercloud, sorcery smoldering in his eyes.
“I could drown you, or bite you deeply!” the wizard hissed. “But this is no fair fight. You’re a warrior, not a sorcerer.
I’ll let the Shenjishi’s Left Hand deal with the likes of you.” With that, the wizard’s eyes went dark, and he bowed his
head.
In that instant, Tashi Lan summoned all his strength and skill and thrust his trident into the Shenjishi’s chest. With all
three heads inactive for an instant, Tashi Lan was able to land the blow. His trident struck the scaly armor and
managed to piece it, but in spite of all the skill and brute force behind it, it was a disappointingly shallow wound.
The troll head’s eyes opened wide, and he smashed the trident away with his sword. “Good effort!” he growled. “But
only a scratch. Your blow was weak—not a direct strike. Perhaps you’re not worthy to face the Shenjishi.”
Tashi Lan groaned in disgust. He’d thrown everything into that attack, but the truth was it had been a poor strike.
“I’m Gnahjin Lo. I was the Shenjishi’s top general, and his Left Hand. I slew hundreds of men on the battlefield. I was
born for combat. No one has ever come close to defeating me. You’re a brave fighter, and a man from my own world.
Therefore, I’ll fight you as I once was.” His head transformed—losing its monstrous appearance and becoming a
broad human face with a large nose and sullen eyes.
“Thank you,” Tashi Lan whispered, impressed by the general’s courage.
Instead of waiting for Tashi Lan to attack, Gnahjin Lo leapt forward with a roar and drove his sword down at Tashi
Lan. The former gladiator knew he couldn’t block such a vicious strike from such a mighty weapon, and so he sought
to sidestep the stroke. But he was a second too slow, and the sword glanced off his shoulder. The devil oak armor
absorbed most of the impact, but even the magical wood couldn’t totally resist such a brutal strike.
Tashi Lan staggered, crying out in pain, dropping his trident. Reacting on instinct, he kicked Gnahjin Lo’s legs from
beneath him. Caught by surprise, the general fell into the muddy water with a splash. Tashi Lan seized Gnahjin Lo’s
neck with both hands and began choking him.
Gnahjin Lo’s eyes widened, and he let go of his sword and his staff and grabbed Tashi Lan’s arms in an effort to
break the hold. Meanwhile, the two other heads bobbed uselessly on their necks, as if dead weight.
Tashi Lan fought with insane effort to choke the general. His strength as a gladiator had been legendary, and it didn’t
fail him now. Even the mighty general found himself unable to break the hold, as his windpipe was slowly being
squeezed.
“I have you now!” Tashi Lan bellowed.
“Can’t...let...you...do...this!” the general seethed. The general’s head transformed back into its troll-like appearance.
The two other heads sprang to life, and the Shenjishi’s strength increased far beyond that of any mortal. Tashi Lan’s
hold was ripped away, as the warlord, the wizard, and the general worked together as one.
Knowing he could not prevail against this foe, Tashi Lan raised his hands up to protect himself, as the Shenjishi leapt
up with sword and staff in hand.
“Now we’ll bite you!” The general growled, obviously still enraged over his defeat. His head swelled and his mouth
gaped wide.
“Halt!” the devilish head commanded. “I’m the Shenjishi. I will decide his fate.” The general bowed and fell silent.
“You have proven yourself worthy,” the Shenjishi continued. “I will spare you—this time. But you must flee back to
earth and never return here.”
Tashi Lan said nothing. It seemed his eternal rest would be denied.
Then the air shimmered again, and an ugly humanoid appeared. It looked like a naked man covered in bleeding,
infected sores—a diseased zombie with a metallic exoskeleton holding it upright. It lurched at the Shenjishi and spit
smoking acid at the warlord.
As swift as a whirlwind, the Shenjishi sidestepped the lethal spray and smashed the Zombie’s head from its
shoulders. Head and body were sucked down by the whirlpool.
The Shenjishi turned back to Tashi Lan. “On and on they come. Only one at a time can squeeze through the small
hole I made, and only periodically. And so they send their best. The entire universe is against me, apparently. A soul
cannot die, but it can be injured to the point where it’s as weak as a summer breeze. The living can injure the dead—
here in this realm. And I have allowed the living to enter here.”
“Why do you do this?” said Tashi Lan. “Sooner or later a foe will come through whom you cannot defeat. You know it
must be so.”
“Perhaps,” said the Shenjishi, bowing his head. “But I must fight on.” The general and the wizard bowed their heads
as well. “We must show them our strength, for only then will they listen to us. Only then can change occur.”
“But why? What can you possibly gain?”
“When a soul passes through this pool,” said the Shenjishi, “it sinks into an eternal darkness. It is not rest, but
oblivion. The soul is trapped in a void, empty of life and hope. I know because I went there and found no peace—only
ghosts lashing out in rage and despair against other ghosts. But I was stronger than they were, and I learned to
steal their energy. And so my wizard and my general merged with me and we grew stronger still. Then at last we
chewed our way out of that purgatory. Now, we seek to upset the balance of the universe. We will force the Laws to
be rewritten, so souls can find some kind of heaven instead of a cold and heartless domain. This is our promise. This
is our rage!”
Again the air shimmered, and this time a worm-like creature emerged. It was sheathed in silvery, flashing blades. It
moved with a swiftness the Shenjishi couldn’t seem to match, and it slashed a tear in his shoulder. The Shenjishi and
his servants fought back valiantly, seeking to bite the monster or hack it with their magical weapons, but the trio
seemed to be losing ground. It appeared the worm would finish them at last.
With a cry of rage, Tashi Lan leapt straight for the Shenjishi, determined to end it. And the Shenjishi did not resist.
Instead, he welcomed Tashi Lan.
And then a fourth head emerged from the Shenjishi’s body—a head with the face of a fierce gladiator whose crimson
eyes smoldered with power. Two more arms sprouted from the Shenjishi’s torso, with fingers that ended in barbed
claws. Standing no chance at victory, the bladed worm was torn asunder.
the ragged soul of a man, naked except for a black loincloth, phantom mouths opening and closing in his flesh.
Sometimes the mouths drooled a dark liquid that evaporated into thin smoke.
“I am bitten!” the ghost screamed. “I must return to earth to roam for eternity, never to find rest.” He fell to his knees
and wept. A huge, gaping mouth opened in his belly, and a hiss arose as black steam billowed out.
Tashi Lan shuddered. “Your wounds are strange to me, and I fear I can’t help you. But I’ve only just begun to learn
the ways of the dead.” He introduced himself, and then asked, “What’s your name?”
In life, the ghost must have been a sorry sod. His bald head was covered in scars and his left eye was missing. His
long, crooked nose looked like it had been broken many times, and lash scars covered his torso. “My name is Hassan
Yu, but that no longer matters. As for the ways of the dead—they are the ways of despair. I was a slave in life, but
better off than I am now.”
“What happened,” Tashi Lan asked, “to cause your flesh to be covered in the mouths of demons? What crime did you
commit in life?”
Hassan Yu cursed him. “I committed no crime, you fool. I was an honest man made to suffer at the hands of a cruel
master. The fate that has befallen me wasn’t caused by my own doing.” His eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard of you. You
were a Warspine in life, and a famed gladiator who won many battles. Did you finally fall in combat?”
Tashi Lan glared down at the ghost, rage and sorrow seizing his heart at the memory of his death. He still held his
oak trident and was still protected by a breastplate of bark armor. “I died in the arena,” he admitted in a cold
whisper. “I’m not sure exactly how long ago, for time is foggy here. I think it was not very long ago...I had defeated
my enemy, who lay bleeding on the ground. I spared his life, thinking he’d be grateful. Swept up in the glory of my
victory, I made a foolish mistake and turned to the crowd to celebrate. The coward rose up behind me and speared
me through the back of the head.” He reached back and rubbed his skull, but now that he was among the dead, no
wound could be found—just a large scar. It made no sense to Tashi Lan, and he wished he could understand it.
“Yes, you were a mighty warrior,” Hassan Yu said. “Your trident and bark armor are made from the devil oak—magical
weapons that cross with a warrior to the other side. You are very lucky to have them, for the Road of Sorrows has
become overrun with peril. Yet like me, you otherwise wear only a black loincloth. In spite of your earthly fame, you
are just a shade of a man, and if you dare try to cross over to your eternal rest, you’ll be bitten as I have been and
suffer greatly.”
“Your wounds don’t look like bite marks,” Tashi Lan said.
“The dead aren’t wounded like the living,” Hasson Yu said. “A wound inflicted on a soul becomes a sort of magical
abomination. I was indeed bitten. In fact, I was bitten into pieces and spat into the mud. My body fused itself back
together—only it was not entirely healed, as you can see.” He rubbed his belly and moaned. “The mouths cause me
burning pain, and darker feelings I cannot bring myself to speak of.”
“Who or what bit you?” Tashi Lan said. “I’ll find this creature and slay it. I fear no man or monster.”
“Do you fear the Shenjishi?”
“I’ve heard of him,” Tashi Lan said. “The warlord who once ruled three-fourths of the world. No, I don’t fear him. I’m a
Warspine. The Shundo needles pierced my back, removing my ability to feel fear. I know only combat.”
The ghost hissed at him. “Fool! The Shundo arts don’t apply to the dead. You’re no longer a Warspine. Now, you can
feel terror, and if I’m not mistaken—that’s what you’re experiencing right now.”
Tashi Lan grimaced. He couldn’t deny the truth. He was terrified of the figure before him. Tashi Lan stood more than
seven feet in height and was heavily muscled, and he was still armed for battle. Yet the sight of the dastardly specter
before him turned his blood to a river of ice and made his body tremble from head to toe.
“Yes, I’m afraid. I’ve never seen anything like you before. But it changes nothing. I’m still the warrior I was in life. I
can feel it. And why do you see fit to mock me or point out my weaknesses?”
“I’m trying to warn you,” Hassan Yu said. “Don’t continue along the Road of Sorrows. Return to earth with me, and we’
ll roam forever as lost souls. If you continue on, the Shenjishi will inflict terrible wounds on you that may never heal.”
“As I said, I don’t fear the warlord.”
The ghost clutched his face and wailed in despair. “Do you fear a god, then? Or perhaps three of them? The Shenjishi
is no mortal man. He now bears three heads and has the power to tear holes in worlds. He guards the Twilight Pool
and will let no soul pass that way. I tried to run past him and dive into the pool, but he was much too quick for me.”
Knowing instinctively the ghost spoke the truth, Tashi Lan’s eyes widened. “Three heads? But how can this be? He
was just a man in life.”
“The Shenjishi was never just a man. No mere man conquers and enslaves three-fourths of the world. The Shenjishi
is more like a demon. Please, Tashi Lan! Save yourself from my fate—or worse—and return to earth.”
Shaking visibly with a mix or terror and determination, Tashi Lan shook his head. “I won’t be a lost soul. I deserve
better than that, and I’ll find my rest.”
The ghost gave a strangled scream and ran past Tashi Lan down the Road of Sorrows, to disappear behind some
gnarled devil oaks.
Tashi Lan fell to his knees, overcome with dread, sorrow, and regret. He himself was a ghost now, and even though
he could return to earth, he could never be with his wife and children again. It was over for him. And if he wanted to
find peace, he’d apparently have to get past a tyrant with three heads who could mutilate the souls of the dead.
At last Tashi Lan summoned the will to resume his journey. The Road of Sorrows was a foreboding place. The only
trees that grew in this plane of existence were devil oaks—extremely rare on earth but abundant in the afterlife—and
aside from some other strange plants, only cliffs and boulders could be seen. The devil oaks were dark and twisted,
with crimson leaves, their roots crisscrossing the road and splitting through rocks. An aura of gloom hung over
everything, made stronger by the mighty presence that waited ahead. The Shenjishi’s power radiated over the land
like waves.
“So that’s what I’ve been feeling, ever since I arrived in this realm,” Tashi Lan whispered to himself. “The power of
the Shenjishi.” He shuddered, barely able to force himself to keep moving.
Other souls, some wounded and screaming, fled past Tashi Lan, crying out warnings at him to turn back. His body
shook with terror, but he pushed on, determined that someone must put an end to the Shenjishi’s evil.
The Road of Sorrows turned swampy and foggy, with murky pools on either side. Thick vines hung down from the oak
limbs, and gray moss covered everything. Serpents slithered over the water and through the mist. Tashi Lan waved
his trident at them to warn them away. He didn’t know if they could harm him, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
“Come forward and perish,” the Shenjishi cried from somewhere up ahead. His voice was a thunderous echo. “The
Twilight Pool is forever closed.”
Rage building in his heart, Tashi Lan quickened his pace. The Shenjishi’s boasts only hardened his resolve and dulled
his fear.
Tashi Lan’s body seemed exactly as it had been in life. He was hungry and thirsty, and he could grow tired. But could
he die? It seemed unlikely a soul could be killed. After all, Hassan Yu claimed he’d been bitten into pieces, yet still
lived. But if indeed a spirit could be killed, what became of it afterwards? Tashi Lan sighed in frustration over his lack
of knowledge concerning the dead. If he didn’t know his own strengths and weaknesses, how could he prevail in
combat?
The Shenjishi stood knee-deep in a black, misty swamp pool facing Tashi Lan, all three of his heads gazing at the
former gladiator. His body was that of a huge man holding an oak staff in one hand and an oak sword in the other,
covered in some type of scaly suit of armor bearing fins like an aquatic creature. But where one neck should have
protruded from that armor, there were instead three long ones that led to menacing-looking heads. One head was
that of an ancient man, with silver hair and beard, his eyes burning with sorcery. Another head was fat and troll-like
and adorned with a spiked helm, with a wide, leering mouth full of pointed teeth. The remaining head—the one in the
middle—looked somewhat like a devil, with a long nose and a pointed chin, and a thin, wispy mustache that hung
down several feet.
Tashi Lan’s breath caught in his lungs, and his knees almost buckled. But he somehow found the heart to remain
standing before the monster.
“So, you’ve come to suffer,” the Shenjishi said. It was the devilish-looking head that spoke. “As you wish. Which foe
shall you face?”
Confused, Tashi Lan said nothing.
“I’m three beings,” the Shenjisji said. “Myself, and two others. But three against one isn’t fair. So only one of us shall
battle you. Which one do you choose?”
“Why are you doing this?” Tashi Lan said in a shaky voice that revealed the whirlwind of emotions within him. “All I
seek is my eternal rest. I feel I’ve earned it. I’ve been torn away from my wife and children, from my life in the arena.
There is nothing for me now. Let me sink into that pool and go to sleep.”
“Never! There will be no eternal rest for you, or any other soul.” Using his sword, the Shenjishi motioned to the pond
around him. The fog swirled like groping fingers over the dark waters, beneath vine-laden tree branches. “This is the
gateway that all souls, from all worlds, must pass through in order to sleep. Therefore, I now have the entire
universe by the throat. I have done what no man has ever dreamed of doing—putting thousands of worlds at my
mercy. They must all answer to me now.”
Tashi Lan gazed at the warlord in disbelief, sickened to the core. “You’re the worst kind of tyrant. You would allow the
dead to suffer for eternity, just to serve your own massive ego.”
“Don’t condemn me,” the Shenjishi said. “We are from the same world, and that makes us brothers. Doesn’t it make
you proud to know a man from your own world has been able to cause so much chaos? The Road of Sorrows is but
one of ten-thousand roads that lead here. You cannot see the other roads because you’re too weak and your sight is
limited to this realm, and you cannot see the souls from other worlds that have been turned away by my wrath. But I
assure you the numbers are staggering—millions and millions of souls who dare not face me in combat because they
know they would stand no chance. And those few who have faced me have all been defeated easily. And if you battle
me, you’ll share their grim fate.”
“But we’re from the same world,” said Tashi Lan. “And like you, I’m a warrior. I carry a weapon made from the devil
oak. Perhaps you underestimate my chance for victory.”
The Shenjishi shook his heads. “You have no chance. My weapons too are made of the devil oak. You obviously don’t
realize the extent of my power. Behold! I have bitten through the layers of the worlds, so others might come forth
and challenge me—not just the dead, but the living as well. Soon you’ll see what I mean. They send their best
fighters against me. I’ve already slain dozens, and their corpses lay deep beneath this pool in a web of shadows like
flies trapped by a spider. But more will come. And they too will fall.”
Even as the warlord finished speaking, the air beside him shimmered as if warped by heat. A figure appeared as if
from nowhere—a creature that seemed to be made of tube-shaped, armored holding tanks resting atop centipede-
like legs. It was covered in small, dark protrusions that looked like hairs. The hairs crackled and sparked with
electricity.
Despite its obvious heavy bulk, the ugly creature wheeled on the Shenjishi with blinding speed, discharging a bolt of
blue lightning at the warlord. The Shenjishi was ready. The ancient, wizardly head expanded, the mouth gaping wide,
and sucked the lightning into it. At the same time, the Shenjishi drove his staff down on the creature, rupturing its
tanks.
Steam hissed out from the damaged tanks, but the creature tried to attack a second time with its lightning—only to
once again be thwarted as the wizardly head devoured the electricity. The Shenjishi smashed his staff down on the
creature again, and this time the monster exploded into smoking pieces. A whirlpool appeared and sucked the
remains down into some unseen depths below the mud.
The Shenjishi—all three heads—grinned at Tashi Lan. But as before, only the devilish-looking head spoke. “As I said,
they’ll continue to attack me, and they’ll continue to fall. I was a man in life, but I’ve become something much greater
in death—perhaps a demon. Look upon my face, and the faces of my two servants. Do these look like the faces of
men? We have become mighty entities—perhaps even gods. We did this by defeating lesser souls and stealing their
energy. Once we grew strong enough, we were able to merge into one being. What you see before you is something
new and not easily explained; a spiritual evolution at work. I’m a new creature never before seen in any realm.
“Now—you have three choices. You can turn back, you can join me in my cause, or you can try to get past me. What
say you, my brother?”
“I have only one choice,” Tashi Lan said. He was shaking so hard with terror he could hardly hold himself together
and face the warlord. “Defend yourself!” he cried, and he thrust his trident at the monster’s chest.
The Shenjishi knocked the trident aside with his sword. “A good attempt. I see you indeed are no stranger to
combat.” The warlord waved his sword and staff menacingly. “I could defeat you in mere seconds if I wanted to. But
you’re an interesting man. I like you already.”
Tashi Lan lunged and drove his weapon at the Shenjishi’s throat with vicious speed. The Shenjishi staggered, and
just managed to bring his sword up to deflect the blow.
“Perhaps,” Tashi Lan said panting, “you will come to hate me.”
“Since you have refused to choose your opponent, I will choose him for you.” The Shenjishi’s eyes went dark, and he
bowed his head. The troll-like head also bowed. That left the ancient, wizardly looking head. Its eyes suddenly
glowed blue with power.
“I am Caras Gan,” the wizard said. “I was the Right Hand of the Shenjishi when he conquered most of the world. As
his loyal servant, I continue to stand by him in the afterlife. I was the most powerful and feared sorcerer in all the
land. You have no hope of defeating me.”
“Your words fail to intimidate me. But what’s your wager? If I defeat you, may I then go on to my eternal rest?”
“It shall be done. If, that is, you can defeat me.”
With a cry, Tashi Lan swung his trident in an arc at the wizard’s long neck. The tines of the weapon were edged—
long, razor-sharp blades that could cut through flesh as if it were not there. (The devil oak could be made sharper
than any metal.)
But the wizard deflected the trident with his staff. Oak struck against oak, magic against magic, and nothing gave
way.
Smiling, the wizard raised his staff, and energy waves blasted forth, knocking Tashi Lan off his feet and pining him in
the muddy water so that his head was just above the surface. Caras Gan advanced on him, his face as dark as a
thundercloud, sorcery smoldering in his eyes.
“I could drown you, or bite you deeply!” the wizard hissed. “But this is no fair fight. You’re a warrior, not a sorcerer.
I’ll let the Shenjishi’s Left Hand deal with the likes of you.” With that, the wizard’s eyes went dark, and he bowed his
head.
In that instant, Tashi Lan summoned all his strength and skill and thrust his trident into the Shenjishi’s chest. With all
three heads inactive for an instant, Tashi Lan was able to land the blow. His trident struck the scaly armor and
managed to piece it, but in spite of all the skill and brute force behind it, it was a disappointingly shallow wound.
The troll head’s eyes opened wide, and he smashed the trident away with his sword. “Good effort!” he growled. “But
only a scratch. Your blow was weak—not a direct strike. Perhaps you’re not worthy to face the Shenjishi.”
Tashi Lan groaned in disgust. He’d thrown everything into that attack, but the truth was it had been a poor strike.
“I’m Gnahjin Lo. I was the Shenjishi’s top general, and his Left Hand. I slew hundreds of men on the battlefield. I was
born for combat. No one has ever come close to defeating me. You’re a brave fighter, and a man from my own world.
Therefore, I’ll fight you as I once was.” His head transformed—losing its monstrous appearance and becoming a
broad human face with a large nose and sullen eyes.
“Thank you,” Tashi Lan whispered, impressed by the general’s courage.
Instead of waiting for Tashi Lan to attack, Gnahjin Lo leapt forward with a roar and drove his sword down at Tashi
Lan. The former gladiator knew he couldn’t block such a vicious strike from such a mighty weapon, and so he sought
to sidestep the stroke. But he was a second too slow, and the sword glanced off his shoulder. The devil oak armor
absorbed most of the impact, but even the magical wood couldn’t totally resist such a brutal strike.
Tashi Lan staggered, crying out in pain, dropping his trident. Reacting on instinct, he kicked Gnahjin Lo’s legs from
beneath him. Caught by surprise, the general fell into the muddy water with a splash. Tashi Lan seized Gnahjin Lo’s
neck with both hands and began choking him.
Gnahjin Lo’s eyes widened, and he let go of his sword and his staff and grabbed Tashi Lan’s arms in an effort to
break the hold. Meanwhile, the two other heads bobbed uselessly on their necks, as if dead weight.
Tashi Lan fought with insane effort to choke the general. His strength as a gladiator had been legendary, and it didn’t
fail him now. Even the mighty general found himself unable to break the hold, as his windpipe was slowly being
squeezed.
“I have you now!” Tashi Lan bellowed.
“Can’t...let...you...do...this!” the general seethed. The general’s head transformed back into its troll-like appearance.
The two other heads sprang to life, and the Shenjishi’s strength increased far beyond that of any mortal. Tashi Lan’s
hold was ripped away, as the warlord, the wizard, and the general worked together as one.
Knowing he could not prevail against this foe, Tashi Lan raised his hands up to protect himself, as the Shenjishi leapt
up with sword and staff in hand.
“Now we’ll bite you!” The general growled, obviously still enraged over his defeat. His head swelled and his mouth
gaped wide.
“Halt!” the devilish head commanded. “I’m the Shenjishi. I will decide his fate.” The general bowed and fell silent.
“You have proven yourself worthy,” the Shenjishi continued. “I will spare you—this time. But you must flee back to
earth and never return here.”
Tashi Lan said nothing. It seemed his eternal rest would be denied.
Then the air shimmered again, and an ugly humanoid appeared. It looked like a naked man covered in bleeding,
infected sores—a diseased zombie with a metallic exoskeleton holding it upright. It lurched at the Shenjishi and spit
smoking acid at the warlord.
As swift as a whirlwind, the Shenjishi sidestepped the lethal spray and smashed the Zombie’s head from its
shoulders. Head and body were sucked down by the whirlpool.
The Shenjishi turned back to Tashi Lan. “On and on they come. Only one at a time can squeeze through the small
hole I made, and only periodically. And so they send their best. The entire universe is against me, apparently. A soul
cannot die, but it can be injured to the point where it’s as weak as a summer breeze. The living can injure the dead—
here in this realm. And I have allowed the living to enter here.”
“Why do you do this?” said Tashi Lan. “Sooner or later a foe will come through whom you cannot defeat. You know it
must be so.”
“Perhaps,” said the Shenjishi, bowing his head. “But I must fight on.” The general and the wizard bowed their heads
as well. “We must show them our strength, for only then will they listen to us. Only then can change occur.”
“But why? What can you possibly gain?”
“When a soul passes through this pool,” said the Shenjishi, “it sinks into an eternal darkness. It is not rest, but
oblivion. The soul is trapped in a void, empty of life and hope. I know because I went there and found no peace—only
ghosts lashing out in rage and despair against other ghosts. But I was stronger than they were, and I learned to
steal their energy. And so my wizard and my general merged with me and we grew stronger still. Then at last we
chewed our way out of that purgatory. Now, we seek to upset the balance of the universe. We will force the Laws to
be rewritten, so souls can find some kind of heaven instead of a cold and heartless domain. This is our promise. This
is our rage!”
Again the air shimmered, and this time a worm-like creature emerged. It was sheathed in silvery, flashing blades. It
moved with a swiftness the Shenjishi couldn’t seem to match, and it slashed a tear in his shoulder. The Shenjishi and
his servants fought back valiantly, seeking to bite the monster or hack it with their magical weapons, but the trio
seemed to be losing ground. It appeared the worm would finish them at last.
With a cry of rage, Tashi Lan leapt straight for the Shenjishi, determined to end it. And the Shenjishi did not resist.
Instead, he welcomed Tashi Lan.
And then a fourth head emerged from the Shenjishi’s body—a head with the face of a fierce gladiator whose crimson
eyes smoldered with power. Two more arms sprouted from the Shenjishi’s torso, with fingers that ended in barbed
claws. Standing no chance at victory, the bladed worm was torn asunder.
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