“You’re too slow, and you ask too many questions! We will have plenty of time to talk once we get to the hospital!” Milliard said as he beamed them through a mirror. James passed out.
They zipped through the hospital doors in a beam of light and skidded to a halt in the lobby. James regained consciousness and vomited violently.
A receptionist gasped. “Oh my goodness, Milliard! What happened to you?! I've never seen you this beat up!” She funneled Spirit Energy into a small device. “We have a code gold! Archigos, plus one injured pervert!”
Two soldiers burst through a set of double doors as they grabbed James and Milliard.
He gave them a thumbs up. “Hey friends! It’s great to see you…”
SLAM!
The soldiers tossed them onto a pair of hospital beds, lifted them off the ground, and zoomed through the double doors.
I woke up and I was being swarmed by nurses in a hospital. Thankfully, I was fully clothed for once. They were treating the dark wounds on my arms where that spirit grabbed me. I hadn’t noticed, but the skin in those spots was completely burned and withered. In all the commotion I had been numb to the sensation, but once I saw the wounds, they throbbed with searing pain. Milliard was in a bed next to mine and the nurses were treating similar wounds on the right side of his body. I was about to air my grievances with that bastard when my stomach was overwhelmed by nausea. I vomited everywhere, again.
The nurses stared at me in disgust. “Ugh, the pervert is awake.”. “I was hoping he was gone for good…”. “I’m glad Milliard captured him, but why do we have to treat him…”
Milliard wiped his brow. “James! I’m glad you’re with us buddy! I thought we might have lost you for good there!”
I glared. “What the hell are you talking about?!” I turned to the nurses. “And I am not a pervert! Why do people keep…” I sighed. “You know what, never mind, I don’t even care anymore. Are you finally going to give me some answers, Milliard?”
He gave me a damn thumbs up. “Sure! We have plenty of time while we get treated. I’m an open book!”
“Finally. Now first, where in the world are we? What country are we currently in?”
“You are in a hospital in the capital of the Union of Tribal Nations. Central Spirit City, or CSS for short.”
“Ok, I guess…but what continent is this? Asia? Africa? Europe?”
Milliard glanced at the nurses. “I don’t know what you mean. We all live on one giant landmass, except for the Flame and Ocean Tribes of course.” He winked.
I rolled my eyes. “Alright fine, I really don’t care about any of that anyway. What did your brother say about the device that can send me home?”
“Yeah, about that…He said the device is done for. It could take him years to design another one. But don’t worry, now you get to hang out with me and I’m sure you’ll make a lot of other great friends…”
I stood as my heart sank. “YEARS?!”
Everyone around us stopped to spectate. After an awkward pause, I sat back down, and they resumed working. They murmured spitefully. “How dare he speak to the Archigos like that…”. “He must be from the slums…”. “Anyone else would know to show some respect…”. “I hate him even more than I already did…”
I cleared my throat and whispered. “Years, Milliard. What the hell do you mean years? I have a playoff game NEXT WEEK!”.
“Relax, relax. You didn’t let me finish bro!” He said smoothly. “Before I forget, Akri also said something about the condition of your spirit being unstable, but I have no idea what he was going on about. Anyway, the principal of the academy should know how to help you though. He’s our nation’s top scholar and he pretty much knows everything. It’ll probably take him like five minutes to figure out how to send you home...”
“Awesome! When can I see him?”
Milliard chuckled nervously. “That’s…the thing…He’s kind of on a dangerous excursion in the northeastern jungles to find a long-lost tribe and we have no idea whether or not he will make it back alive!”
My heart plunged even further.
Milliard rolled his eyes. “I wanted to go with him, but my dad said no. Otherwise, I’m sure we probably would have been back by now. He was exploring near the Wind Tribe, and I visit there every day. I wonder if three truckloads of roses will be enough this time…”
“I don’t care. When is he supposed to be back?”
“Before he left, he said…” Milliard spoke in a stuffy, educated voice. “…If I am not back by the end of the school year, consider me long dead. If my remains are found, donate my body to SCIENCE!” He cleared his throat. “So…yeah, I would assume if he isn’t back by like, May…He’s probably dead...”
My heart thudded as it hit the bottom of my gut. My mind spiraled as I was hit by the gravity of the situation. So let me get this straight. I am stuck in some alternate dimension with virtually no hopes of escape. My dreams, gone. My career, gone. My family, gone. My friends, gone…
He gave me a, fucking, thumbs up. “Hey, stop that. Everything is gonna be alright. It will just be a few months, and you’ll get to experience a new place and meet some great people. Then you’ll be on your way back and you can get on with your life. No bad vibes around here!”
I sobbed as I was overcome with fervent, passionate fury. Darkness flashed in my eyes and black energy swirled around me. “Yeah, whatever! You're not the one who had everything they worked for their entire lives unjustly whisked away! AGAIN! I gave up everything for a chance to play professionally, have a family, and leave a legacy that would make my father proud! Now it’s gone…YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I HAVE SACRIFICED!”
Milliard stood and crimson energy spiraled around him. “You know what James? You’re right. And what I am about to tell you will probably make you even more furious. I haven’t sacrificed a single thing. I don’t know what you have been through, but I haven’t been through anything at all. I was adopted by the king of the entire world. I’ve had everything I could have ever wanted and more. I’ve only eaten the finest diets. I’ve had personalized training built to maximize my strengths and eradicate my weaknesses. I received the finest education from the best academy in the world. I worked hard and I have become the strongest warrior this world has ever known. I AM THE LIGHT ARCHIGOS! I HAVE NEVER ONCE TASTED DEFEAT!”
FWOOSH!
The swirling energy became a tempest. “And despite all of that, it would all be worthless if I was not where God wanted me to be. If I was not accomplishing the purpose He has set for my life, it would all have been a waste of time. We are called to serve wherever we find ourselves according to God’s will. I don’t know how you got here, or why we ran into each other out there, but I know that it has only happened because God allowed it.” He clutched his silver cross necklace. “I saw those chains you’re wearing. I hope that they mean something to you and are more than just a fashion statement.”
A dark aura erupted around me that raged against his. “WHAT’S YOUR POINT, YOUR HIGHNESS! YOU DON’T HAVE A FUCKING CLUE ABOUT MY LIFE!”
His energy expanded and raged, blowing papers off desks as it decimated the hospital room. “The point is that if God allowed this to happen to you, you should take advantage of it. Every setback is an opportunity! Use this one to be a positive influence on others that you may have never met otherwise. Use it as an opportunity to broaden your horizons, so that you can be better equipped to serve the people God has placed in your life. Use it as a chance to get some of those positive experiences I feel in your soul that you desperately crave.” He gestured to the nurses cowering behind the counters. “All of these people in this hospital have seen you, and what are they supposed to think of your behavior? You’ve shown yourself to be nothing but an entitled, whiny brat! Your feelings are valid, but this is not how believers are supposed to act! If those chains mean anything to you, pick yourself up and be who Christ made you to be! Reflect God and reflect greatness! And remember that you are always someone else’s light. Your radiance can either help them grow toward who they are supposed to be, or your poor example will lead them further from it”.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
His words sliced me to my core, and I was flooded with conviction. He’s right. I was deluged in guilt and shame. I’m so, so angry. But Milliard isn’t the person I’m angry with. I felt terrible for displacing my emotions onto him. I was indignant because in almost every category of my life things had been reduced to shit as a result of events that had nothing to do with me, were not my fault, and there was not a damn thing I could do about it. My pity party is wholly justified in my eyes, and I am completely ok with it. I sighed. Despite that, the truth of his words remains. Wallowing and arguing with the only person who gives a damn about me here isn’t going to get me any closer to fixing things.
I looked up and did my best to smile. “You know what, almost everything you said about yourself are the things I hate the most.” I extended a hand. “And yet, I really like you, Milliard. Thank you.”
His swirling energy dissipated as he took mine. “I really like you too James. I’m sorry I had to get all serious there for a second. I can’t stand seeing people in despair. It's my life’s mission to spread as much joy and hope as I can until I’m gone.” He punched me on the shoulder and smiled. “Can’t save em’ all though!”
“That’s probably the last thing I thought I would hear come out of your mouth. Mr. ‘I’ve never once tasted defeat,’” I laughed. “But anyway, it looks like I’ll probably be staying here for a while so I guess I might as well get to know about this crazy place.” I raised an eyebrow. “One thing that I have been utterly confused about since I got here is how Christianity exists in this world too. Like do you guys know Jesus and go to church and all of that?”
He saluted the sky for some reason. “Of course! It wouldn’t be Christianity if it wasn’t for my dawg big JC! But I don’t really know how to answer that question because it was surprising for me to see you wearing those chains as well. I’ll have to do some research on the similarities between our worlds once I get past the next set of traps Akri sets for whenever I try to visit his office, but Christianity is the standard here. Every tribe is run by an Archigos whose job is to maintain the nation’s Chrisitan values, though some do that better than others.” He looked distressed. “I’d say this is another question that we can both ask the principal when he returns because thinking about it makes my head hurt.”
What the hell is going on between him and his brother?
“Alright, I guess. Hopefully you guys do the whole Christian thing better than we do it on my side. But I guess it's rude that I haven’t asked anything about you yet. Do you have any siblings that don’t try to kill you?”
“Absolutely! I have two siblings, my brother Akri who you just met, and my other brother Epios who is generally much more agreeable!” A smile crept onto his face. “You might have seen him in the throne room as you choked on your own vomit!” He slapped his knee as he doubled over in laughter. “Damn that was hilarious! I mean who does that? I thought your intestines were coming up next.” I narrowed my eyes at him, and he cleared his throat. “But anyway, they are my pride and joy. I would gladly give my own life for their sakes.''
“Ha. Ha. Ha. I’m so amused. I didn’t see your other brother in the throne room, but I hope he’s less of a dick than Akri. He seemed like a very pleasant individual.” I mocked as I channeled my inner Benjamin.
For the first time Milliard slumped into his seat a little bit. “He has been acting as though he resents me for some reason recently. I don’t know if it is…teenage angst as they call it, or if I have done something to truly upset him. It seems like no matter what I do I can’t get through to him.”
“I’m sorry about that. I can unfortunately relate. The good news is that I’m pretty sure it's just angst because my seventeen-year-old brother is the same way. I’m sure it will pass. I’m happy if I get a greeting from my brother once per week!” I laughed.
“That comforts me. Hopefully he can grow out of it so we can joke and laugh like we used to. Epios is much more expressive and assertive than Akri is. A bit too much at times…but he will one day grow into a fine warrior and a man who is respected by all.”
“I look forward to meeting him. Speaking of which, what exactly is it that you ‘warriors’ fight. If there is anything dangerous going on here, you need to let me know so I can steer clear.”
He flexed and started excitedly monologuing in a superhero voice for some reason. “YOU AMUSE ME, JAMES! THAT IS NOT THE WARRIOR SPIRIT! COMBAT IS A PRIVILEGE THAT ALLOWS US TO SHOW OFF THE SKILL WE HAVE SPENT OUR LIVES CULTIVATING! IT IS ALSO A GREAT EMOTIONAL OUTLET, AND IT BRINGS OUR NATION TOGETHER! I CANNOT WAIT FOR NEXT FALL’S TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS! I MAY HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM COMPETING DUE TO DISCRIMINATION, BUT I CAN’T WAIT TO WATCH MY COMRADES AND THE NEXT GENERATION TAKE CENTER STAGE! IT WILL BE RIVETING TO SEE WHO WILL EARN THE RIGHT TO BECOME THE NEXT ARCHIGOS!”
“That’s our Archigos!”. “He’s always inspiring the next generation!”. “He’s so hot when he shouts like that…” The nurses cheered.
I sighed. Why do people keep yelling at me even though I’m right in front of them?
“That’s cool and all but you never answered my question. As a fellow black man, you should know why I’m asking this! Are there any dangerous things that I need to be aware of? I’m not trying to die again!”
He stopped flexing. “Oh, right. There are a multitude of dangerous things in this world. Spirits can appear and attack anytime based on a variety of factors. In most cases they manifest as an embodiment of the predominant negative emotion residing within the people who live in a certain area. Here we deal with a lot of lust, apathy, greed and gluttony spirits, but our security system is so advanced they generally are killed instantly upon conception inside the walls. If a Pride Spirit forms, I have to come take it down and they can be quite the handful. The spirits outside can’t get in because of the technology in the walls though.” He spoke far too casually for me. “There are also terrorists, underworld gangs, cults, and raging feminist assassins, in some of the other tribes, but you don’t really need to worry about them. They’re all too scared of me to show their faces here. I could explain more, but I’m sure you’ll learn all that you need to on your first day of class tomorrow.”
“Class? What exactly do you mean by class?”
He started flexing and shouting again. “CLASS MEANS CLASS AT THE PRESTIGIOUS PRISM ACADEMY! MY FUTURE ALMA MATTER! YOU HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS SO I’M GOING TO ASK MY FATHER IF WE CAN GET YOU ENROLLED ON THE DOUBLE!”
I narrowed my eyes. “I have a lot of questions because I just got here moron. And I ain't going to no school. I was just finishing up my twenty years of school in my world and you want me to start over? Hell no! I was a month away from getting a PHD! Do you how long that takes…”
“FEAR NOT! I’M SURE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RESUME YOUR EDUCATION AT YOUR CURRENT LEVEL ONCE YOU TAKE A FEW REMEDIAL COURSES ON THE SIDE TO CATCH YOU UP ON THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUR WORLD!”
“Why do you get so excited about school and fighting? Where I’m from, those are two things to be avoided like the plague.”
“EDUCATION AND COMBAT ARE THE PILLARS OF OUR SOCIETY! THEY ARE CRITICAL TO ANY YOUTH’S UPBRINGING!”
“Why do you people keep calling me a youth and boy? You and your brother can’t be that much older than me?”
“I AM 24 YEARS OLD, JAMES. HOW OLD ARE YOU?!”
“He’s in the prime of life…”. “That’s marrying age if you ask me”. “I wonder if I can face swap with his fiancé…” The nurses said.
“Could you cut it with the screaming already! And besides, we’re the same age, so quit speaking to me like some kid!”
“WOW! IT IS APPALLING THAT WE ARE THE SAME AGE GIVEN HOW WEAK YOU ARE! YOU CAN’T EVEN HOLD YOUR LUNCH DURING A SIMPLE MIRROR DASH! YOUR MUSCLES, CHARACTER AND CONSTITUTION ARE INCREDIBLY UNDERDEVELOPED!”
“What the hell do you mean weak?! If we are talking strength, I am the strongest on my team by far! I bench pressed 500 pounds as a junior. I’m the strongest player in the country! And if we are talking character, I’m the most moral person on my team! I run a weekly Bible study for my teammates. I mentor and train a lot of them as well. I have an incredible moral compass…”
“CHILDSPLAY! THESE ARE FEATS THAT I ACCOMPLISHED IN MY YOUTH! HERE’S MY LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS!”
Our conversation raged until our treatment was completed and we left the hospital.
“There’s just no way that you did all that stuff! You became the nation’s top warrior when you were 12? You bench pressed 500 pounds when you were 15? These are preposterous claims!” I shouted.
“It’s all true. I give all the credit to God for the way I was raised. That’s what allowed me to accomplish those things.” I was sick of seeing his damn thumbs up. “But don’t get me wrong, your accomplishments would be outstanding in this world too. I was just joking around. Most so-called high achievers are only impressive on the surface. I can tell that it runs deeper with you.”
His praise surprisingly meant a lot to me. “Thanks. But if I’m just a whiny entitled brat, why do you think you see so much good in me?” I sighed. “I haven’t accomplished anything of note...”
He squeezed my shoulder. “I can tell you’ve been through a lot. Whether the circumstances were as bad as you think, or if the trials were more mental than they were severe, they are real to you, and I can tell they have had a significant effect on your wellbeing. I would love to hear about your experiences and support you in any way I can.”
“I appreciate that, but the tragic story of my life is a tale for another day. We would certainly run out of daylight.”
He laughed. “That’s probably true. But come along now. It’s time to beam to the palace.”
I stepped away. “Hell no! We aint doing that again! I would like to keep the few intestines that I have left inside of my body please and thank you! And besides, now that we’re alone you owe me answers to the questions you didn’t want to answer in front of the nurses. Like who was that guy that you were fighting? For someone who is supposed to be the ‘ultimate warrior’ he certainly put a number on you.”
Milliard burst into laughter. “Not even close! Like I said, you should have seen what he looked like afterwards!” He stared into the sunset. “I really didn’t get serious until the end, and he certainly had to push past his limits to try and even keep up. I was just having fun sparring against a competitor who was at least in the same solar system as me. It’s been years since I felt the rush of a real battle.” He smiled. “I could tell that he had a kind spirit as well. Hopefully he will grow into a great Archigos one day.”
“I can relate to wanting a challenge in your craft. I run circles around my teammates at practice every day. I don’t know about the kind spirited part though. He looked evil as hell to me. Who exactly was he?”
He gestured toward the shadows behind a nearby building. “For the sake of national security, you cannot speak these words to any other. There are certain things we just don’t discuss here. You never know who could be watching.” He covered his mouth. “I believe he is a part of a terrorist group who has recently become emboldened by our nation’s lack of solidarity. He has been caught making numerous trips between worlds over the past several months. I was a part of the one-man strike team tasked at investigating their operation and capturing him for questioning. My plans were thwarted at the last moment by a spirit that resembled the one who assaulted you.”
Thanks for reading Spirit Warriors by Caleb James!
If you’re enjoying the story, here’s how you can stay ahead and support the series:
New chapters drop every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Want to read this week’s chapters + next week’s chapters early?
?? Join the Patreon for just $5 and get early access before public release:
https://patreon.com/cjcreates
Prefer binge-reading?
The full novel is available now on Amazon as an ebook for $9.99:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/YOUR-LINK-HERE
A full comic adaptation of Spirit Warriors is launching soon.
Follow the official socials to see character reveals, art, trailers, and updates:
- Instagram: @cjcrcreatezz | @spiritwarriorsofficial
- X (Twitter): @thecj95 | @spiritwarriors0
- TikTok: @cjcreatez | @spiritwarriorsofficial
- YouTube: @cjcreatess
If you’re loving the story, a favorite, follow, rating, or comment helps more than you know. It pushes the story to new readers and keeps the world growing.
Thank you for being part of Spirit Warriors. ??