by Shane Cogan
The queen pulled back and moved an arm away, to prop her body up. Who are you really…? She slid her face over him, and her tongue grew from her mouth. Tiuus watched it lick its lips and swallow. Moving to his ear, she licked his lobe. Tiuus forced his eyes to close. She whispered in his ear. He opened his eyes to her words as he listened. ‘You are the male that was promised. No one has lasted this long with my Naiads. Ever. And I have not tasted anyone for such a long time,’ she whispered. He heard the other female voices echo her words and feel their hands and fingers move up and down him. The queen’s hands were moving around his throat and chest. ‘Manith. You are now part of us. We are yours. You are me. And I am you. You are he. The Prince of the Water World,’ she said aloud. He closed his eyes and felt no more movement on his body. Stillness. Silence.
******
She stopped, bent down and rubbed her lower legs. Kassobra looked at her guide and companion and then looked back at Samarth with a smile. She started to laugh. ‘What are you finding so funny?’ he said. His left hand firm on a stick, as he shifted his body to his right. Samarth pulled on a branch and heaved his weight on up to the next ledge. ‘Your friends and the company you keep,’ she said laughing. ‘This is a serious mission and these are serious guides,’ he said as he looked back at her. But I caught that smile, the faintest of one. ‘So the royals can laugh,’ said Kassobra. He merely nodded and asked the guide to his left whereto next. The creature with the long beak motioned them both to turn right. He let off a low noise and Kassobra laughed some more. ‘I would never have thought that you, the prince, would be so involved with magic and talking with animals that act as guides. You must admit, it is quite the story. Even for this strange planet of ours,’ she said as her laughing stopped. ‘I am full of surprises. You don’t know most of it,’ he said as he gestured to the bird guide.
‘These creatures that you speak of…,’ he composed himself, but she caught the faintest of smiles, ‘they are like my family. I trust them. No one else knows this dense forest as much as they do. Nothing or no one. Now we must quicken our pace as the night is upon us and in this forest there are other creatures that are soundless and faster. Quicker,’ he said sharply. ‘I believe you,’ she said. They walked and chatted as they followed the guides. She glanced at the thick canopy above and thick ferns under her feet. Everything is so lush and green and unspoilt. She thought back to her last time in the Singing Forest. She brushed the sides of the larger ferns in her hands as it provoked some childhood memories and she smiled. She felt the green fern’s tinniest buds slip through her hands. She stopped to feel its touch and texture. She watched as her skin change. Brown to silver…not since!
She remembered her father’s words now and the exact day, as she touched the ferns more closely. It’s the exact same ferns, the colours are the same. Even the same faint ray of sunlight. The child that I was then. A mere 40 years old. The sunlight hitting dad’s head as he bobbed his way through the forest. He looked back at her. I am skipping. Singing a song and admiring the plants, the insects and bush willow singing trees that are everywhere. But he has spotted me and is pacing back to me. He touches me on the face. Gently. She kneels down closer to the ground and closes her eyes. She grips the fern in her hand even tighter, with the image of her father in her mind. You know they speak to me. And to you too, soon my daughter. And the mongoose too? Ah, your favourite creature and we know why, he says. Of course. All the forest creatures. But how can they speak when they are but animals? I learned that these creatures do not have the ability to think or be rational, she says. Ah, now I see the young adult, rather than the child with such words and knowledge. Indeed. You are right. But these are no ordinary animals. They are the creatures of the Singing Forest. But why are they so special? It is but a mythical name this Singing Forest, and can see her father’s look down on her. Smiling. She stroke a blue and white petal of a wild forest flower. She holds its buds in her hands, while listening to him. Well, the great trees of Atis have protected us all and protected us from the dark forces that frequent the west of the country. Where the grey spirits live and the underworld princes of destruction lay dormant. We have been over this in our own practices. She nods her head and releases the petal from her hand. Still intact, she glances down and sees it bounce back into position.
‘Come. Follow me, Kassobra. Who are you talking too?’ he asked. She could hear his words, but could not make out what they were. She released the fern from her hand. Someone is behind me. Samarth was beside her, tapping her on the shoulder and asking, ‘Where do you go to? I think we really need to move fast,’ he said as he pointed at the fading light. The guides were skipping ahead and making new noises. She shook her head in a few small motions as she thought of her father. She re-joined the group as she heard the large animal let off a long screech. Is it the one with the acute hearing? Snap out of it. They all turned as the noise came closer. Kassobra swung hear head around sharply and saw a bush break open, with a chasing pack coming through it and towards them.
C H A P T E R 40
Lemuria
He rubbed his hands along its texture and pulled it closer around his waist. Like everything else around me, it has an aquarium feel to it. The colours. The texture. Everything. He touched the glass again. Slowly, he popped it with his large finger and watched as the bubbles rounded and raced after each other. Even the mirror is liquid. The Nymphs have left me be, for the first time in days. Alone. But I need answers. He popped the mirror again with a different finger and smiled at the liquid racing reaction. My mind is rested, and I need to get back on my mission. For the King and Samarth. Time has become infinite here. He moved away from the mirror display, the robe slapping against his feet with each step. He thought back to the conversation he last had with the princes.
It has been many months since I left the palace, I think on Glow Mountain. Yet I have not seen or trekked a great distance, but only witnessed great stories and strange beings. And what madness lies next for me? Tiuus walked to the bowl, away from the mirror. He brushed the facial hair he cut off and washed it down the water hole. He walked from the washing area and left the room. He sensed the light vanish behind him as he stepped out of the room. He glanced around and saw it change colour and light. He reached the large door. It must be locked, surely. It was open and he stepped outside into a long hallway. The lights behind him faded and went out. In the hall, the lights flickered and he heard a slight dimming noise. He stopped and the noise faded. He walked a step forward and it started it again. Tiuus placed his foot on the next tile, as he looked down and saw its shade change colour and the noise above him increased.
He looked down and saw it move to the sides. Is the passageway surrounded by the blue water or am I walking on water? But no octopuses. Where are the Nymphs and the Queen? Was she rested? Was she real? Is this real? He continued to walk on, his robe touching the coloured tiles, but the noise stopped. He looked straight ahead and saw a dim white and yellow light leading him to a new room. He stopped outside the entrance. No door this time but an eerie silence. Tiuus stepped inside. A large circular room, but there is no water on the other side of the walls. And no more glass walls. A light came on as he entered the circle room. Its light hit the walls and its green colour filled the room. He looked up and saw that the ceiling was the same colour. But almost breathing. The ceiling has vegetation on it. Growing and breathing. He tried to touch it and jumped at it, but only hit the air. He moved towards the walls and touched its surface. Normal and not breathing. He turned as he heard her voice. I can never forget her tone. Her words. Her voice in my ear and now my mind. ‘Finally. And with clothes on, I see,’ she said. The other Nymphs were behind her and laughed at her words. The queen stepped forward into the light. For the first time, Tiuus could see her beauty. Her true colour. Her body. Her Kingdom. The light above her head dimmed and showed off her light blue skin. His eyes transfixed and scanning every part of her. She is the colour of the water. Yet, she not like the other water c
reatures. Her body and skin was like most Atisians, but something is very different.
She moved forward towards him. Her robe flowed around her body. Only her arms and ankles and feet showed off her pale blue aqua skin. It sparkled as the light above her caught its light. But he was focused on her eyes. They are now a different shape from our recent meeting. She stepped closer to him. He could not move his gaze away. Her eyes were upon him, showing off its vertical slanted pupils, surrounded by a green. Like the walls that surround us. She has also changed her hair. She brushed a hand on top of her head and pulled its pin out. And he watched as her hair crashed down and flowed around her face. I want her so badly, again. His mind was racing. I feel her power. Her presence. Her sheer physical aura. Snap out of this trance, she knows all this. She can read my thoughts. She barely touched him as she circled him ever so slowly. Tiuus could not stop staring. That colour and shape. Why have they changed? ‘You know the answer to that,’ the queen whispered. Finally his eyes glanced elsewhere in the room. He shook his head a few times. One of the smaller Nymphs was sitting beside the door and another was braiding her hair, its long golden knots being carefully untangled and brushed. The queen caught his glaze elsewhere and asked him to be seated.
‘I feel somehow different,’ Tiuus said slowly to her. He pulled his legs over one cushion and rested his back on another, still looking at her. Her eyes. I am hooked. ‘They are quite special, aren’t they?’ she said. He merely nodded and touched his stomach. I am getting aroused again. ‘That will not happen again. So you can put it back in your male pouch. You passed the test of the Naiads. No man. No beast. And no spirit has lasted so long and with so many of us,’ she said as she joined him on the cushion. Tiuus tried to say a few words and interrupt the queen with questions. She reached forward and placed her first finger on his lips, blew on her hand with a slow circle of air. He felt her warm breath as she spoke and blew into his face. He could see her nails flash its golden colour texture on his lips. ‘Call me Lemuria. I am no longer your queen, Tiuus,’ she said.
‘You creatures above the water call us the Nymphs. Down here, we are the aquarius creatures called feline water goddesses,’ she said as she looked at Tiuus. Lemuria got up and moved around the room. She moves like a normal Atisian, yet her feet stick to the floor, almost without lifting off the tiles. Her every move is in sync or tune with her surroundings. As she walked away from him, she motioned him to follow her. He could see the robe at the back was touching the ground. He watched as the two sides met each other to form a long cloth tail, as it changed into an S-shape when she moved down the hall outside the main circle room. ‘Out there, we used to rule Glow Mountain. But after the last Great War we were banished like all the spirit people. Good and bad. Some forever. Others had to adopt. Evolve,’ she said as she turned around to face him. ‘Face extinction or resurrection, as you can see. We are water people. We merely took cover and spend more time under the water, back to our aquatic roots. I can see that you look confused,’ she said, now with her back to him. ‘No need to reply either. I understand and all in good time, Manith man,’ she said. ‘It is Tiuus, your ma…jesty,’ he stuttered. ‘Lemuria, please. Such distinctions and labels no longer exist down here. We have simple names. No titles like you land people. We place no meaning on face, name or shape,’ she said as she swung around to meet his fixed gaze. Her movement is almost like a dance. He slowly spun around to meet her and touched the sides of the hall with his arms. Yet, she does not touch the walls. He watched as she he moved back to meet him with the most perfect of moves. Tiuus half stumbled as he met her face and those eyes again.
Lemuria composed herself and pointed up over his head and behind him. He turned expecting to see a procession of the other nymphs behind him. Where are they? It was only the queen. Lemuria and he stood face to face in the narrow hall. Its transparent walls allowing the water light and water creatures to see in. He heard its ping as he caught sight of a large octopus letting off its electric show towards the queen as she moved closer to the wall. Other creatures joined in the show. ‘You have quite the power over them,’ Tiuus said as he pointed at them. ‘They are part of us and our shared kingdom of water life too. Come with me. Let me show you something. Actually, our mission. Our life,’ Lemuria said. He walked behind her slowly and watched her every move. He brushed the sides of the narrow hall with his elbows and arms. Yet Lemuria, nor her body or robe even touch the walls, unlike me.
‘This is who we are and what we are,’ she said pointing at its large reflection. Tiuus shook his head. They had walked into another room off the main long narrow hallway. In front of him stood a large clear jagged formation that he had never seen before. ‘You can touch it,’ she said. He walked over to it and touched its texture. It felt smooth in his hand. The black and blue colours are mixing as one to form a giant crystal shape. ‘We had this one made into something that resembles who we are and where we come from,’ she said. Tiuus ran his hands along its face, legs and back. It felt smooth under his fingers. It blinked each time he rubbed its hard surface more. He could touch the crystal formation of its head. Its eyes I have seen before. I know them. A familiar stare. He glanced around as she turned on the overhanging light. It lit up the entire room to reveal larger glass walls. The familiar eyes are now looking in on him and Lemuria, but they were not looking at them. It is looking at the crystal statute that I had touched that was in the middle of the room. The creatures outside were looking at them and he could see the light shining on the crystal statute. It sparkled in black and blue as she waved at the light.
‘These are our existence. Yes, the octopuses, as you call them,’ Lemuria said as she walked around the giant crystal. But she was not looking at the statute. She pointed outside. ‘So you evolved from these sea creatures. Is that how you can live and breathe down here?’ Tiuus asked. ‘Kind of…,’ she said but stopped and snapped her fingers and bright aqua lights came on outside in the water to reveal where her real gaze fell upon and where she was pointing. ‘That is who we are and why we are here,’ she said. Tiuus was staring as its formation moved. A long ray of yellow lights lit up its trails. It is almost like the octopus’s legs but it was solid and not like the other creature. She stood by the glass window and faced Tiuus and held out her hands and arms in a greetings motion. ‘The last of the Atis life nectar. We are here to protect this,’ she said as she pointed outside to reveal its full formation. Tiuus moved closer to her. I know what that is now. ‘But I thought it had all been destroyed on the instructions of the first Tarracullan ruler. We destroyed it after the long great wars,’ Tiuus said. ‘Almost. Nothing is ever truly destroyed. This is the last of it and we are here to protect it forever. From you. From them. Everyone,’ she said. Tiuus placed his hands on the glass wall for the first time and held his face to the structure. It feels like glue, rather than glass. But he was fixated on the sight outside. ‘The last of the Crystal Mercury,’ he whispered.
C H A P T E R 41
The Edaark
The singing forest was quiet. Its dense array of green trees had fallen silent. Chipper monkeys looked down from the highest tree canopy. Soil creatures had burrowed back into their holes. Nigh time had arrived. Kassobra and Samarth were screaming at the guides to run. ‘Run fast! The pack are closing in,’ screamed Samarth. Its leader let off a noise that pierced the air. It was the only noise to be heard in the forest. The Eappi had flown up high and circled around the chasing pack for a closer look. The bird had spotted that two of the pack had broken away from its group and began to circle the group trekkers. The Eappi let off a series of louder noises close to Samarth. He increased his running. The other animal guides understood and looked at the bird and back at the chasing pack. Samarth had thrown off his robe and was running at full speed. His lower legs were exposed to the forest foliage. He tried to swerve around broken advances and felt the blood flow from his lower legs. His eyes were focused on the main guide.
I trust her but the light is fading and fa
st. The creature had helped me before. They know this forest but I have not seen such a chasing pack before. But only of their tales and what they chased, and I don’t want to find out if it was true. He continued to run, but glanced back at Kassobra. She was keeping up with him easily, he could see. She’s incredibly agile. She threw off her outer cloak and ran close beside him. ‘What are they?’ she panted out to him. Her breath beginning to heave and spit. ‘They are the mud cats. They hunt like dogs and are as fast as any wild cat. Run faster!’ he shouted back to her. But Kassobra had already passed him and was sprinting behind the main guide. The Sloua hissed at back at her, its whiskers brushing the side of the encroaching ferns and nodded its head at Kassobra.
The creature suddenly took a sharp right turn. Kassobra followed suit, while glancing back to see the prince follow. She saw that he slipped as he took the corner too fast. He regained his balance and caught up with her. He heard its approaching footsteps. One of the mud cats was gaining on them and hissing. ‘Its screech is piercing my brain,’ she shouted at Samarth. It was gaining. It was closer to Samarth now. Its eyes focused on the blood spilling from his foot. ‘Faster!’ Kassobra shouted out. She saw that the animal guides had stopped. It’s the Eappi creature. Kassobra and Samarth flew past the feathered creature. Kassobra caught a brief look as the creature prepared to receive the fast mud cat. She heard its signal. It was mimicking the Mud Cat hiss, but louder. The mud cat slowed but continued to hiss and scream and spit as it encircled the Eappi. The bird flapped its wings. It hissed some more and then took off. Kassobra and Samarth had caught up with the main guide. ‘The Eappi is a remarkable creature. It worked, but we need to move faster,’ shouted Samarth. He caught a glance of the nearest mud cat and saw that it was looking around for the bird. The hair on its back was standing up. Its pitch black eyes dripping with water. Its mouth foamed as the other mud cats caught up with it and the pack snarled at the lead cat. They sniffed the air briefly. Two mud cats followed the forest intruders and the other two again cut off into angles to run a different route. The fast one was the only one to make a different sound, with the others hissing back.