MaRa: Dark Spirit Of The Painted Neko: MaRa, #1

By John Mills

The first book in the electrifyingly funny psychological thriller sure to rattle your bones and make you spit out your morning coffee. Full of lore and laughs, John Mills's conversational masterpiece and debut works introduces you to the world of Gaia. A supranational political eco-system co-habited by Spirits and Mortals.

 

When the newly wed couple Ben Nevis and Liu Yang return to the United Kingdom to begin their life anew, their lives are upended upon the arrival of a mysterious celestial azure cat, heralding an elephant that falls from the sky. It's all down hill from there. 

Soon they are thrust into a fiendish and bizarre enigma of paranormal death, parallel realities, consequence and misfortune.

 

At the behest of an ambassador to the Gods able to manipulate the Waters of Time, the work of an ambitious Detective Sergeant and the antagonisation from a clandestine agency, amongst a cast of zany, unforgettable characters, Ben will discover he has been harbouring an archaic entity in his living room.

 

A destructive, tormenting spirit interned within the paint of a Maneki-Neko. Able to manipulate the will of humans and create bizarre, obscene havoc of all types.

 

With nothing but his wit, and the occasional fart up his backside, Ben will understand his place in a destiny thousands of years in the making. Hopefully before it's too late. A lesson to be learned that Divine Intervention might not always be a good thing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Mills
• Release date: Apr 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201436865

Book preview

Tome I

宇宙守护神

Guardian Spirit Of The Universe

Legend Tells of A Spirit.

A Bored Spirit.

From Heaven.

Advised to make A Great Cosmic Journey.

To reach the many Worlds of Mortal Beings.

To further Its knowledge.

Understand Its place.

The Spirit will exit beyond The Gates of The Cosmos.

And travel. To explore.

This Grand Void.

To search for many millennia.

Visit many Planets.

And seek joy.

But found none.

Only Greed. Only War.

Only the Dark. The Cold.

The Depressed.

Lost one day.

The Spirit happened upon a small blue Planet.

Alone in a White Galaxy.

A New Mortal World.

Unnoticed.

Gaia.

This untapped World. Rich. Free of taint.

Not like the others.

The Spirit admired this World.

Admired the Life.

This Naive. Simple species.

Curious Humans.

Take pity on them.

Observe their struggles. Their plight.

Now watch over them.

Guard them.

O’ Spirit enrich the Rivers.

The Lakes.

Give waters for Purification. Healing.

Deliver rain.

Drown Lands where none fell.

  Now burn.

Renew these pastures.

And devour the earth to recycle the World.

You shall spit more to make anew.

This Spirit.

Guardian of Gaia.

Praised by Humans.

A simple species. With great potential.

If nurtured correctly.

Such harmony will remain for Ten Thousand Years.

During this period Gaia will grow.

Now many Cultures.

Many more Humans.

Such presence more noticeable.

More Spirit’s begin your journey.

  Beyond the Gates of the Cosmos.

To visit this neophyte Planet.

A New Mortal World.

To unite with their prodigal.

Such visitation displeased The Guardian.

Arriving in droves.

Tourists.

How dare they.

Tome II

天使的诞生

Birth Of Angels

These Migrant Spirits.

Now at Home.

To become Great Deities.

Great Entities of Folklore.

In this Mortal World.

This Guardian Spirit. Friends of the Human.

So too will Other’s enjoy the company.

Curious Natives.

Happy. Playful.

Spirits will manifest at behest.

Aid these Mortals.

Not all Spirits your friend.

Prefer your harm for their gain.

Much competition.

Some will attain Great Power.

To Bend Space.

To Control Time.

With more Worship.

Will come more Strength.

Spirit’s will you sabotage.

Tempt the Humans more.

Rise will you, Great Conflict.

For generations.

Pity The Guardian.

Powerful no more.

Weak.

This Pariah. Ridiculed.

To not take advantage.

Many resources. This Mortal World.

O’ Troubled Spirit. Angry.

Gaia. Now tainted.

Like the other Worlds.

Condemned.

Grow will this Tree of Faith’s.

With many Branches.

Unstoppable.

Such indifference. 

Misery. Many dead.

The happy Natives. Now gone.

These violent Societies.

Moral-skewed. Irrational.

Now loathe these Humans.

  All temptation. Desire.

Bitter Spirit.

Shall you wait.

Tome III

圣人之死

Death Of A Saint

Now near- forgotten Spirit.

Walk Gaia’s shadow.

Silent.

  Watch your fruits of labour.

  Devoured.

  Must you hide.

You have enemies.

These powerful Gods.

With Human disciples.

So quick to turn their back.

Their heritage. Lost.

Their Guardian.

Gone.

In the Dark will you wait.

  Shall you manifest again. 

Attain power once more.

Gain from Harm.

Sew their mistrust.

Amongst wretched Humans.

Use such Power.

And Weave discord.

Disrupt Human thought.

Evoke their action.

Murder. Theft

Rape.

These Puppets.

Soon will you contest Gods of Might.

No longer alone.

Now must you seek the Others.

Seek The Gods of Death.

Nurture this power of ruination.

Travel the regions of Gaia.

The Shinigami’s of Japan.

The Batara Kala of Java.

The Powerful Lord Yama. Ruler of All Eastern Lands.

O’ Evil Spirit.

You will be known.

This Tormentor of Man.

  Undo thy work.

Further the Destruction of the Planet.

It does not deserve your grace.

Only Your Darkness.

You will supersede their light.

And be Feared.

For no-one will laugh.

Only kneel.

Humans heed thy self.

The Gods are warning.

Such archaic threat.

You shall at last have a name. An identity.

For you are now MaRa.

The One Who Delights In Destruction.

Prologue

On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, December 30th 2003 Liu Akari - a modest Japanese woman and familial matriarch with mixed cultural heritage - was entertaining her visiting Chinese relatives from her retirement villa in upper state New York.

"A thousand years ago to this day, a terrible evil is said to have been lurking in the Greater Hinggan Forest’s, China.

This evil was said to have been living in a nearby lake, killing local villagers who dared visit the water.

Swallowing its victims whole from the shoreline. Man, woman and child alike - it did not matter.

It wouldn’t allow the locals to use the lake, and guarded it selfishly.

This was the only source of fresh water in the region, and was populated with many fish.

To not have access to this resource, soon became taxing on the locals whom were forced to find other means.

Local villagers who bore witness to these terrible events told tales of an enormous, black cat fish.

As large as a horse.

That would wait by the shorelines and stalk its target.

They said an evil spirit had taken the form of this monster, to punish them for their crimes.

They called it the Demon.

One day, the village Elder visited the lake in an attempt to banish this evil.

He told of how the Demon rose from the depths and spoke to him at the shore.

The Elder asked what it wanted.

The Demon instructed the Elder to bring one young girl each day for it devour.

If the Elder honoured this agreement - it would leave the rest of the villagers alone and would allow the people to use the water.

Unharmed.

The Elder, having decided this would be best for his people, humbly accepted.

He returned to the village to bare the good news.

The Demon was true on its word in return, and left the residents alone.

For the terrible cost of sacrifice. Each night a young maidan was bound, then carried to the lake shore.

She would be doused in sweet smelling oils, flower petals and spices, and would wear a white satin dress.

This was so the Demon would not be mistaken and would know that she was the chosen.

In the morning, this dress would be collected.

Always found in the same spot by the river and put on the next victim that very night.

This went on for too long, until the population of the village was starting to wain.

The people, although now able to use the resources of the lake, still lived in constant fear.

Mother’s would attempt to hide the genders of their babies, or their pregnancies all together.

One day, they all had enough and went against the village Elder.

The villagers tasked a renown local Fisherman and Sifu, known for his immense skill in T’ai Chi Chi Kung and superior knowledge of the waters - to capture the Demon cat fish, and bring it back to the village.

Where they would cook and devour the monster in a great feast of celebration.

The Fisherman agreed to undertake this momentous task, and took his boat onto the lake where he waited patiently seven days and nights.

Only bringing some bait along with his wooden rod and reel.

However, try as he may, the Demon was too clever, and never fell for the Fisherman’s lure and even taunted him.

The Fisherman was not about to give up so easy though and decided to head back to the village on the eighth day.

For he had a cunning plan.

That night, the Fisherman took the satin dress, doused himself in fragranced oils, rose petals and spices and went back to the lake.

Carrying his harpoon.

He waited by the shore, and sure enough. . . .the Demon soon came to claim its meal.

It was said to have been very angry at first, demanding to speak with the village Elder for breaking their agreement.

For there had been no sacrifice for the previous seven nights.

That is when the Fisherman is said to have struck, and mightily drove the harpoon into the cat fish’s heart, casting out the Demon inside.

For this was no ordinary harpoon - it had been blessed by the village Shaman.

Fearing possession by the evil spirit, the Fisherman is said to have used his great mastery of Chi to channel the evil into the wax pot he carried with him and he -"

Suddenly interrupting the story came the query of her young grand daughter.

What wax pot? Asked Liu Yang all a sudden, the small girl’s feet kicking as she laid on her belly.

Somewhat bored by her grandmother’s story.

Then came a whispered response from her older brother, Liu Bao.

For the Line...  Fishermen used to wax their Lines as a form of uhh - water proofing.

Boooring. Groaned Liu Yang with a roll of her eyes. Hands pressed into her cheeks.

The tedious details of this story now waining this seven year olds attention.

Yang! Zunzhong! Boldly spoke her brother in dual dialect whilst nudging her with his elbow. Nanna Akari is telling the story!

Returning the shove, Liu Yang retorted. "She always tells us this story, and besides - I thought the Fisherman was supposed to be dressed as the sacrifice?"

Ahhh - but he was. Then replied their grandmother.

This prompted further response.

Well... Then why did he have the wax - Liu Yang’s words became muffled, her brother having placed his hand over her mouth.

Smiling respectfully toward their senior family member.

"Because he is Fisherman - they all carried wax - right grandmother?" Liu Bao asked in rhetoric, teeth on display with a white smile.

Grandmother Akari nodded with closed eyes and a smile, in apparent confirmation.

Liu Bao glanced at his sister, gesturing with his index finger pursed into his nose. Shhh.

This prompted yet another eye roll from his not so amused sibling.

Then Grandmother Akari continued her fable, hunched into her faux leather recliner, fingers interlocked across her stomach.

"And then, the Fisherman is said to have channelled the evil into the wax pot, trapping it forever inside.

With the evil now banished, he brought the remains of the cat fish back to the village, where they had a mighty feast and celebrated in his honour.

They doused the enormous fish with fragranced oils, rose petals and spices then devoured it.

The Fisherman never told anyone about the wax harbouring the evil and hid it away.

Afraid that if it ever broke, the evil would surely one day return.

Guarding the wax inside the pot until his eventual passing, the pot was handed down to his sons, his lineage eventually becoming the sole guardians."

Liu Yang at this point now had her Grandmother’s old Maneki-Neko in her hands, playing with it gently.

She pinched the rotary arm and gave it a few tugs, still confused as she spoke.

So - how like, did it end up in here again? She quizzed.

"No, the wax is not inside the Maneki-Neko, Liu Yang." Interrupted her brother.

The wax was used to paint it with.

Ohhh. Whispered Liu Yang, entirely unconvinced. Further asking.

"Why did they use wax - why not, like...  actual paint?"

Then, a much older male’s voice resonated from the other side of the room.

Because they used to mix bee’s wax into the colour pigments as part of the formula for the actual paint - helped with longevity and as Bao said, weather proofing. Came the sage wisdom of their father.

He was sat on a decking chair in the corner, right knee folded over left, newspaper in full spread between hands.

Liu Yang then commented whilst partially rotating the antique luck effigy, studying the painted design closer.

Wow, they used wax for like . . . Everything.

And do you know how they would’ve collected the wax? Further quizzed their Father.

Liu-Yang responded first with a head shake. Nuh-uh.

Ooh! I know! Then exclaimed Liu Bao, arm signalled high. Using a knife!

Their father simply chuckled behind his newspaper. Not quite what I meant Bao, but it will do.

Liu Bao beamed a chuffed smile over to his sister, whom by now just wasn’t paying attention to him.

Her attention transfixed on the Maneki-Neko. Enjoying playing with it.

Wasn’t the wax, like, supposed to be protected by people or something?

She further asked, whether genuinely curious or attempting to reveal more plot holes - anyone’s guess.

Her grandmother then spoke, pride baked in her tone. My grand father was a great artist. A painter.  He decorated that very Maneki-Neko did you know Yang?

Pausing, she then further revealed.

The wax was supplied to him by a rich materials merchant he knew, whom spoke of a curse on the object. He told my grandfather the very account I told you.

Didn’t answer my question, but oookay. Mumbled Liu Yang to herself quietly.

Story. Then interrupted the father, causing his mother and daughter to both look over to him, unsure of what he meant.

An account is a recollection of fact based truth. What great grandpapa told us all when we were kids was a story. He then continued, ending his sentence with a smile.

Grandmother Akari just sighed through her nostrils, not saying anything.

He then had the closing say on the conversation.

"And as Dad said - God rest his soul - great papa never believed a word of it. Just pleased to have gotten such high value material for a cheap price due to its inherent past. Makes for an interesting story though right? Which helped publicise some of his works back then."

He informed whilst folding the newspaper, resting it to one side, taking a final sip of chai, loud in slurp.

Where did he get it from then? Liu Yang then suddenly blurted out.

"Hmm? Where did who get what from?" Responded her father.

The Neko... you only said great-great grandpa painted it. Liu Yang remarked, then adding. "So like, where did he get it from?"

Then following her lead question, she further asked. And like - where did the mermaid guy who sold it get the wax from to begin with?

Unable to answer this barrage of questions, her father smiled, pitching them toward his mother with just a brief gesture of his hand.

To which Grandmother Akari then spoke, laughing softly toward her ineffably curious relation. "Haha - that - my precious Grand Child - is a story for another time." Ending her sentence she leant forward, and tapped the tip of her finger against Liu Yang’s nose.

Oookay, she doesn’t know then... Mumbled Liu Yang under her breath, vision now crossed as she attempted to follow her grandmother’s finger.

The father then interjected, gathering belongings and his daughter’s coat.

OK - OK, we have to go now and meet your mother at the hotel, we fly home tonight. Say goodbye now to nanna - we can ring her when we are back in Hubei. And be careful with that Yang. Put it back now. He further added, now making eye contact, spectacles tilted down toward her.

Yes papa. Replied Liu Yang, carefully returning the cat effigy onto the shelf she took it off of.

She gave it a final look, staring at the peculiar design, the aesthetics having always given her the willies.

With the two siblings saying their goodbyes, they left their grandmother’s retirement home, luggage in tow.

As they made their way through toward the car park, Liu Bao whispered in her ear.

"You know she only tells us this story is so you don’t accidentally break the Neko. Her dad’s dad painted that, it just means a lot to her. . . . you know?"

Liu Yang sighed, her response somewhat nonchalant. Yeah. . . .yeah. I know.

CH-01: Zen

20 Years Later

Ni zai, ganshenme! Harked Liu Yang all a sudden, seemingly mortified. Now an adult, living in Britain.

For there stood in the hallway was her husband Ben.

Now looking bewildered and rather unnerved.

Remaining statued.

His arms were clutched around a hefty pile of moving boxes, stacked precariously atop one another.

Wavering and flexing even with a well executed step.

Eh? He expressed aloud, looking around, bewildered.

Neurones fired signals to every corner of his brain. He quickly tried to identify what possible error that could have been made between the hallway, and the forty steps taken from the car.

Xiao bai lian! Liu Yang further scoffed, her tone inflected with insult whilst she stormed down the recently carpeted flooring, fists balled.

She then contested her husbands near six and a half foot stature, her forehead barely making it above his chest - even with the lilt of her tip-toes.

Ben, feeling resentful to the comment, began refuting.

Hey! Way - wait a minute - tha - that’s not very nice - pausing mid sentence, he was further beguiled by his wife’s behaviour.

Forced to succumb to her as she reached her arm past his face, causing him to rear back.

Her finger tips now loomed above the top box like a claw machine.

She then clasped the top rested bubble wrapped object, gingerly manoeuvring it back down.

Now obtaining a secure two handed grip, she all but shoved it in his face thereafter as Ben stared at it.

Ohh - the uhh .... the uhm... He paused again mid-sentence.

Ben could see the challenging look on his wife’s face, her head cocked to an angle, now about to scrutinise and aggressively analyse his words.

He could detect her patience sifting away like fine granules the longer he remained in quiet.

Ma... Nee, Ki? Ne - Nee... Ko? Ben uttered with little confidence, facial expression now pulled into a grimace - seemingly awaiting wrath.

However, there was momentary calm in the air as Liu Yang simply stared at him. Blinking once.

Ben felt like he was caught in a time hole, everything seemingly coming to a standstill around him.

Her temper soon flared. The eye of the storm had passed.

But to his relief.

She pointed to the hand finished cat effigy peering through the frosted wrapping, words spoken fast and loud.

That right! My grandmother’s! Which was her grandfather’s! And he -

OK - OK - I know. Was a painter... you - you’ve told me already. Interrupted Ben.

He then further quizzed. But aren’t these supposed to be Japanese?

Nana Akari was from Japan - married into Chinese family. Quickly responded Liu Yang, further adding. She then move to America after War.

"And this was the only thing she left you in her Will?" Ben enquired, somewhat baffled, eyebrow aloft.

Staring at it. Finding it rather peculiar, and ugly. 

Yes! Very old! Rare! So why you stick it on top like that? It fall - will break, dummy! She chided, then turning about, she stormed off toward the kitchen.

Stripping the protective wrapping off, she gently placed the Maneki-Neko on a wooden unit sitting in the hallway, uttering more loud profanity in Chinese dialect as she continued hastily unpacking.

Phew. Ben sighed in relief.

His stature sagged under the influence of calm, suddenly having to adjust and re-balance the box pile - now dangerously close to toppling over as result.

Stupid, bloody, cat - thing! He angrily grumbled to himself, heaving the stack on the floor, giving his back a quick bend.

The emergence of a loud click then resounded from the base of his spine.

Eyes now widened he mumbled with surprise under his breath, nursing the area with nursing rubs of his palm.

Oooh that did not sound good.

Aiming to rectify the problem, he lurched forward, stretching down toward his toes, fingers outreached.

It was then his eyes dead locked onto the old mechanical black and gold Maneki-Neko.

Now sat in view down the hallway.

Painted expression beaming happy smiles at him, its lucky paw autonomously beckoned back and forth.

There was something quite bizarre about this particular effigy.

Namely so its markings and colour. Ben had seen many in his lifetime being sold in local market squares by retailers of oriental descent, yet not one quite as unusual - or scary - as this one.

Larger than usual, it was about the size of an average bowling ball and fairly heavy in the hands.

At two and quarter kilo’s - or three libra’s - it had some heft.

Painted in dark jet pigments, yet not true black - as when light caught its coating there was a jade shimmer that glistened its body.

Gold bands decorated the animals anatomical features and its colour scheme bore resemblance to a bee with colour inversion, rather than cat.

Even its expression was wry, terrifying almost.

It had a wide grin that stretched nearly ear to ear with human teeth, and two