by Shane Cogan
Zirva had decorated the rectangle diagram with lights, shrubs and smoke. She held the small bottle in her hand. She felt her hands getting warm from its contents. It was settled in my hand and body. She opened its cap and dropped one in each corner of her creation on the floor. Walking to the centre, she stopped and looked up. Her eye caught sight of the sun now almost completely covered by the moons shadow. ‘Almost,’ she whispered. She held her hands out. Her head arched and face fully open and looking at the sky above her. The last light of the sun brushed her face with its dim rays and over the landscape, as its lights went out. Atis was in a complete darkness. The 200-year wait was over. Zirva began to speak.
‘Followers. Connectors. Creators. Survivors. I call on the prince of the shadows and creator of the old world to emerge. Our time has arrived,’ she said aloud as she stood in the centre of the diagram. A rectangle of small flames flickered around her on the ground. She remained static. She emptied the bottle around her. Her hands specked with its liquid. The remnants had splashed on the ground, catching her ankles with its fine drops. Its purple colour trickled down her feet and met the other remaining drops on the matt.
Zirva knelt closer to the ground, with the candle flame her only light. The liquid flowed and danced as each drop morphing and joined a new path along the diagram. It is joined as one liquid. She glanced up at the moonless sky. Zirva picked up the flickering candle light and followed the purple liquid, as it travelled towards the centre point. Her heart beat the only sound in the darkness. She held her breath. It has reached the point and stopped flowing. She watched as it formed its own small pattern and vanished within the centre point. ‘With the blood of the new world. Mixed with the blood of the old world. And my own blood, I gave you your rebirth potion of return. The ancient king of the old world. The leader of the mountains, the storms, the wind and the rain,’ Zirva chanted. Her lips flowing. And her eyes closed. All around her nothing but darkness. She continued to chant. ‘The chosen one. The creator of the spirits. Prince of the shadows. I call on you to return and be one with me,’ she said.
Zirva opened her eyes after the final words had been chanted and felt the emergent sun on her back. Its orange gaze hitting the environment. She returned her arms and feet to their natural standing position. She looked at the diagram below. The liquid is gone. She stepped back off the matt. Looking at her feet, she saw they were clean. She reached down to get the matt. A fine dust blew off. My diagram is gone, yet there is no breeze. Zirva gathered the matt and walked away from the area. Atis was returning to daylight. The 200 year waiting was over. She returned inside the cabin.
Zirva removed her black robe and placed it on a door handle. The sun’s rays caught her nakedness. She stepped into a steam less pool and let out a sharp low yelp. She held her breath under it for some minutes, thinking about the ceremony. The sun eclipse. The cleaned matt. The words, the chants. I must have missed something. Remaining still under the water, her feet turning a pale blue, her mind focused. I have practised this for years. Where is he? Why was there no sign? No appearance by him. Her eyes twitched. She stopped her thoughts and came up. Gasping for air. Her mouth gulped greedily at the oxygen. Her lungs devoured its contents. Zirva remained under the water, except for her head. Her eyes closed. She returned to her underwater thoughts and questions. She stood to get out, but her body would not move. She glanced around and saw its hands splash the water. Zirva could not open her eyes, but slowly her lips moved. Her body was motionless as she was pulled out by its force. She did not kick her legs or move her arms. Her lips moved more as she said: ‘It is you, my prince. The shadows have returned…’ she whispered. Silence. It moved around in the water under her. She felt its force and its hands brushing her chest. Its head rising up from the water in front of her. ‘You have summoned me. And now, I, the Balor have returned,’ a deep voice said. Zirva opened her eyes as the shadow in front moved around her. She looked into its face and smiled. ‘We are together again, my love. My one,’ she said.
C H A P T E R 31
Whistle
Aluum leant back to admire her physical cover. But my new green leaf dress is no longer green. She poked her finger in one hole and then another. Some of the vegetation fell away. She rubbed its exterior and more fell away. She frowned. On she walked. It seems forever. Looking around, Aluum could see that the terrain was a mix of dark thorn bush growing between all of the rocks. The rocks seem permanent in this place. ‘Whatever it is,’ she said aloud. She stopped and turned to face the blankness behind her. With her own eroding footprints the only sign of life. ‘You have led me here. You have brought me here!’ she said aloud. During my real time, it never spoke. It has never directed me. ‘But, why?’ She looked at the instrument in her hand. And stroked its fine shape, its narrow point on one end. Its fine blue scales but hard when she tried to squeeze it. So different from the other rocks.
Looking at the sky, she noted its change and moved to a large stone that was facing her. She grabbed the sharp stone with her right hand and forced its point into the large rock. No response on the first attempt. Nor on the second. She continued to rub it deeper and straighter. She made another mark. And another. Standing back, with the sharp stone in her right hand and with fresh red marks on her palm, Aluum looked at the large slab of rock. ‘There,’ she said. ‘That’s how many daylight days I have been stuck on this desolate and lonely planet. I’ve learned, listened and remembered how to use those numbers you told me about,’ she shouted at the large facing rock. The guide has taught me well.
She turned to leave, but took one last look at the insertion of 267 she had imprinted on the rock with her tool and moved away.
‘You have taught me to see, to hear and to think. You have taught me pain. Taught me to cry. Taught me to create. Taught me to feel sad. Taught me to feel fear. But where are you now when I want to know what is all of this for?’ she asked. The light around her was at its full darkness. The sky a similar tone. Aluum continued to shout out words of anger. Questions. But there was no answer. The guide did not respond. It was pointless. She sat vertical against a tree trunk, its exterior all flaky. Aluum sat on the loose bark that the tree was shedding. It crunched under her broken green leaf cover. She closed her eyes. This was not a dream state. She remained in the same position. The light touched her head, yet she did not open her eyes. Aluum was visualising back to the garden she had encountered and the array of colours, species and plants that was present. Her smile stretched across her still face, yet she did not move her lips or her body position. Its hand guided her to a place to meet. The entities guided her to them. One of them spoke. The same voice, but speaking softer and calmer.
‘Too many questions my travelling friend,’ the voice said. ‘My mission has been hard, long and fraught with pain and sorrow. I have seen no joy or happiness,’ Aluum said. ‘You still have many lessons to learn. You have barely been there for a year,’ it said. ‘Where is there?’ Aluum asked. ‘Of course, all in time,’ the guide said. Aluum glanced around at her surroundings as she listened to the guide. So many different kinds of species here. Aluum watched attentively. She could see some birds in a nearby tree. Their yellow and white wings flapped and created a breeze. Its fine breeze caught the newly emerging butterfly, as it escaped its cocoon and then it swung over and landed on Aluum’s ear. ‘Distractions are something you need to work on. The garden is indeed beautiful, Aluum but you should be focused on us.’ Aluum barely answered as her left ear felt its gentle flaps, as it caught her ear a final time, as the creatures breath blew into her eardrum. Aluum felt its soft block of air, but caught a different noise. A word. She heard it clearly. She glanced around at the butterfly, but it was gone. She was back on her planet and the darkness. She slid her body onto the hard dry surface and lay on her back and remembered its final words. ‘Follow the birds whistle,’ she repeated again and again, before closing her eyes again. There is no water. There is no food. I have not eaten or drank fresh water in days. Her thoughts w
ere now focused on what the butterfly wings had passed through her ear and its meaning. What bird whistle? She repeated the words over and over again, the same words and same question.
Aluum glanced down at her green leaf outfit, and pulled at its holes. The green colour had all been replaced by a dirty greyness. She brushed the dirt off. The only bird I have seen was in my dreams, when I flew through the sky. Its wings had almost touched me. Its piercing look upon my eyes, but it would not speak back or lead me to anywhere new. I remember now that dream, or whatever it was!!! ‘Follow the bird’s whistle?’ she asked again. ‘What is a whistle? Is that what that creatures use to speak with me and others on this planet?’ she asked. But Aluum stopped speaking. There is no one else on this planet. Aluum dropped her head. I am alone. I feel sadness. And utter confusion. There had been no sign from anyone, not even a proper dream for weeks. Nothing. Her head bowed, deep in thought. ‘Is this madness?’ she said. ‘A new feeling has taken over my mind of late. Could it be this madness that the guide once mentioned?’ she whispered. Aluum remembered the guide’s words clearly now. There will be times, in solitude, when you are totally alone, that a feeling has taken you over. Do not confuse this feeling of loneliness with that of madness. ‘Is this that feeling?’ she asked.
She looked up at the murky sky, yet she could see that her body was covered in fresh droplets. Bubbling out of my skin. And the air was thin today. Aluum rested under a small bush, its shade covering her body. Looking at her feet, she saw more scratches. Some fresh from this morning’s walk. Some were old and were gaining an extra layer of crust. She picked at one of them and it bled. She stopped. It hurts. Rubbing her feet with her salvia, it removed a layer of dirt. Yet, my once light skin was now a new colour. Aluum thought back to the water and its splashes on her body. I loved its feeling on my skin, especially my open wounded feet. I wish I could again see and touch it and swim in its clearness. ‘A distant memory,’ she whispered. But we will meet again, and soon. She looked around at her resting place. Sheer nothingness. She moved her dry tongue around in her mouth and spat out. Very little came out. I need to find water and soon. I do not need any voice or dream to tell me that. My body is yelling at me. She got up to start walking again. She glanced back at the bush and its shadow with a smile and a nod.
She did not notice or hear it at first. Nothing, but silence. Aluum felt its eyes staring at her exposed figure. Its stare fixated on her face. She returned the gesture. I feel no kind of fear. It is much smaller than me. The only noise it made was when it flapped its small wings. Aluum counted to three. She remained seated and still and watched the creature. The noise is ever so subtle, almost in synch and each motion the exact same time and position. Aluum was hooked on its movement. She noted an orange pointy thing that came out from his face. Its body was similar to the one in my dream. The creature moved its orange point. It made a noise that Aluum had never heard before. ‘It’s the bird with the whistle,’ she said as she smiled and wriggled her body. The bird responded with more whistles. The branch it was sitting on suddenly snapped after the bird jumped and danced on it. Rather than falling it flew to the rock close to Aluum. It whistled some more. Aluum tried to respond, but only air came out of her mouth. She smiled at the creature. The bird jumped and whistled more. It landed on Aluum’s left shoulder. It whistled softly into her ear. Aluum got up. The bird jumped off and flew into the air. She watched as the bird circled around her. It flew away and then returned and flew around her again. Aluum stood up and straightened her body. I understand. She walked on the surface. The bird in the air above her head. One was whistling. One was humming.
C H A P T E R 32
Lunas
Samarth asked her to sit down. She looked around the room and shook her hair, with some drops still falling to the floor around her feet. The room had the smell of old age and a sense of authority to it. ‘It was custom in Atisian culture to stand when one of authority has entered in a room, but you know that,’ Fareth said, walking through the door. Kassobra hesitated and half stood up. ‘Too late. It’s fine. Please sit,’ he said and gestured with his hands. Kassobra’s eyes watched as this long thin figure walked towards her. He is very close to me. Is he reading my thoughts? She stood up, despite his gestures, and greeted him. They locked on eye contact. She made two long blinks to make her eyes wide shut. Fareth turned to find his own seat. She sat down again. ‘So we are done with the formal pleasantries. You know why we are here, Kassobra,’ Fareth said. She watched as he slowly moved around the large desk, his robe caught the sides of its wooden legs seat. His hands touched its surface. Did his hands create that circular light? His eyes locked on to hers. He gently sat down, smiled and nodded in her direction. He can… Fareth motioned his brother and Kassobra to do likewise and to face him.
‘My brother places a great deal of trust in you. And I think you already know why you are here, due to this…’ Fareth hesitated as both Kassobra and Samarth exchanged glances as he spoke. He added, ‘the situation that we now find ourselves in and these creatures who have destroyed the palace and killed some of my…sorry our people is quite ominous,’ Fareth said. Kassobra caught a look. Fear. He is scared. ‘Stop. There is no fear in me. Next time, please turn off your mind-reading abilities in my presence,’ Fareth said. ‘I am not…,’ Kassobra was interrupted by Samarth, who had remained quiet during the conversation. ‘There is no need for us to accuse one another and who is reading whose mind. We need to work together…,’ Samarth said but paused as he tapped his foot a few times under the table. ‘The existence of our great planet is at stake. My brother needs our…. no, your help. I also have news from other forces at play. And we three need to act swiftly,’ Samarth said. The King stood up and walked around the table. He patted his brother affectionately on the shoulder. ‘If I may be candid, I am sceptical of what Samarth has told me, of what you possess, if anything at all. We have fought against such forces before and defeated them for the good of this planet. We survived. We are here today, because of me and my father’s decisions,’ Fareth said. And he looked around for a response. Both were focused on him and his words. ‘I have survived this long, as my people believe in me. Believe in what we have done and what we are trying to do. If we must, then I will listen to your views and your ancient practice of…,’ Fareth held a hand to his mouth and rubbed his face and brow. It was dry. He rubbed his eyes and counted its lines under it. I feel her mind scanning my every facial move.
‘As I was saying, your ancient worship of the old gods. If need be, I am willing to compromise and use these tools.’ Fareth went back around the table as his words echoed around the room. He stopped and slammed his hands down on the table’s metal surface. A hum filled the air. He slammed his hands down again. His voice rose as he looked at them both, his back bent and his hands still on the table. ‘The creatures that attacked our palace are not of this world. They flew with evil intent. An evil disguise. And an even more evil presence formed when they saw me and my eyes drew into contact with them,’ Fareth shouted. Kassobra shifted in her seat. But her eyes didn’t leave the King’s face. Samarth remained still.
The slight ring from the table was still resonating in her ears. She pulled at her outer lob and rubbed it. ‘It won’t hurt you,’ the King said as she continued to rub her ear. Fareth was pacing the room with his hands behind his back and it bent over. All eyes were on him. ‘So, tell me about these Kelpie creatures,’ Fareth said but he continued to walk in circles around the room. Kassobra shifted in her seat and tried to follow him around the room, but he was back around in front of her, before her chair. She began to speak. Block the inner thoughts. ‘They breed on fear. They live in the forest and they will eat our flesh and drink the blood of our hearts,’ she said. The King stopped his pacing and looked down on her, his shadow covering her whole face. Samarth interrupted. ‘Please be more practical and subtle in the King’s presence. Your curtness is legendary in the palace circles. But not now and not today, Kassobra,’ Samarth said. H
e gave her a look. Behave yourself, please. The King started to walk around the room again, with his shadow following him. Fareth closed his eyes and slowed his walk to a pace. ‘Apologies. I was merely pointing out…’ She pauses, taps her feet under the table and adds ‘…that we need to come up with a definite projection plan to be prepared for the next attack. They are fearless, my King and they will come back,’ Kassobra said. ‘Indeed. But what are they and where have they come from?’ the King asked.
‘I would safely say they were summed by someone, or more so something far greater than us, no offence Your Majesty…,’ she said. ‘None taken,’ the King said. He motioned for her to continue. ‘As you have seen with your own eyes, they can morph into a larger creature or even something smaller too. Even a being that resembled you and I. The Kelpie are not merely a cluster of angry insects seeking nectar,’ she said and smiled at the words. ‘Now is not the time…,’ Samarth said. She looked back at him. ‘The Kelpie are shape shifters, Your Majesty. They have been summed by a force that is not of our world but of the underworld. The ancient one. The old one, as you call it. And for better or worse, it has happened,’ she said. ‘Shape shifters you say,’ as he stopped his walking and again rubbed his hands over his face. He rubbed at his eyes and felt the stickiness in his fingers. ‘But these dark energy entities have not been seen since before the last Great Mercury Wars. Who and what could have summed them back here?’ he asked. He was standing closer to Kassobra, but standing straight. His voice had dropped and the words were a mere whisper. He moved around the room and sat in his chair and looked at them both.