The crack of thunder overhead shook the ground below his feet. A moment later the sky opened up and rain poured down in buckets, soaking through his clothes in an instant. But the child hardly noticed, frozen where he stood by the edge of his family’s barn as a shattering roar echoed through the night air.

There had been strange sounds coming from behind the house, and being a light sleeper with the misfortune of having a bedroom window that refused to close, he’d woken up instantly. Like any curious ten-year-old boy, KyuJong decided to investigate. Sneaking into the cold night with untied shoes hastily stuffed on, he grabbed a flashlight on the way out. It turned out to have dying batteries and only light up a couple feet in front of him, but that was fine. He knew his way around in the dark.

As KyuJong had approached the barn, the noises became more distinct. Snarling and hissing noises, coupled with the occasional yelp. Were there animals back there? Wolves? At that point KyuJong should have turned back and run inside, where it was safe. But a bright flash of light from behind the barn caught his eyes, and transfixed he couldn’t turn away. Creeping to the edge of the barn, he had peered around the corner.

A long, scaled-covered form the size of a horse slithered through the air, shimmering and ghost-like. The snake reared its head back with a rattling hiss. A blue shine pouring out of it’s scales intensified as the giant reptile lunged forward, jaws opening wide.

KyuJong flinched back as the snake’s fangs came together with an audible snap, catching only air. A lithe form bounded back out of the way before turning around. A lynx snarled at the snake twice its size, its own body the same ghost-like substance as the reptile’s. Only the lynx glowed green instead, the color shining out of it’s fur and blazing from clear eyes.

With a piercing snarl, the lynx leapt forward and sank its teeth into the snake’s body. The green and blue auras faded and flashed in the air around them, each struggling for dominance.

KyuJong could only stand there and stare, the flashlight dropping from numb fingertips to land softly in the grass. Mouth open, he watched the two translucent beasts fight, unable to look away until he noticed they weren’t alone.

A boy and a girl stood right in the middle of the fight, dangerously close to the brawling beasts. Only teenagers, KyuJong couldn’t recognize them from the small village and couldn’t remember ever seeing them around. They watched the fight happening, focused solely on the animals. Even from here, KyuJong could see the girl’s eyes shining a bright emerald green; she was turned towards him, but her gaze was locked on the lynx.

The snake lunged again, right for the lynx who had been knocked away. KyuJong realized with a jolt the snake was going to hit the girl, caught in between them. At the last second the girl stepped to the side and avoided the attack, hair blown about as the snake went by.

With a cry of pain the lynx was caught, body convulsing as the snake’s jaws locked around it’s middle. With a horrible screeching noise, the lynx disappeared in a burst of green light. The light swarmed the girl before disappearing as she collapsed soundlessly.

The snake hissed lowly, turning back towards the remaining boy. Human and reptile met gazes for a long moment, before to KyuJong’s amazement the snake bowed it’s head in submission. A second later the animal disappeared in a swirl of blue light, the light appearing to disappear inside the boy’s skin.

Hands shaking, KyuJong slowly stooped to pick up the flashlight and turn it off. The light disappearing caught the stranger’s attention, and brilliant sapphire eyes snapped to where KyuJong was. Hidden in the shadows of the barn, KyuJong froze again.

Finally the boy turned away, KyuJong holding back a sigh of relief. He watched as the stranger stooped to pick up the motionless girl, carrying her on his back as he slowly walked towards the distant road.

KyuJong could only watch them go, mind stuck on what he had just seen. The rain continued to beat down on him, but he could only think about the ghost-like animals, and the strangers that disappeared into the night as quickly as the beasts had. Little did he know that he’d just seen his first spirit battle, and the night’s adventure would be his motivation for years to come.