by Shane Cogan
‘There is no way to stop them. Nothing conventional,’ Kassobra added. ‘Well, that is why you are here. I have not asked for your military response, as we clearly have none. Look around you; it’s a weapon less palace and planet. We are above that kind of thing. No thanks to your tribe,’ the King said. Kassobra started to get up, but Samarth quickly reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, so she sat back down slowly, her eyes squinting and staring at Fareth across the table. ‘We are getting nowhere here. We, the Yarracullan and Tarracullan have our differences, but we are all here in this room. And you are a valuable member of the Vanguard,’ Samarth said as he pointed his small finger at Kassobra. ‘Well, my opinions are rarely listened to in that group. So why should they be here?’ she asked. Her voice began to quiver on each word. ‘I have always listened to your council. But when was I ever needed? We have not had a crisis. Nor any crime in 300 years and suddenly in the space of a lunar month all of this,’ the King said while waving his hands in a circle. She nodded her head. It was true; the kingdom had not faced any real threat or crisis. ‘And…’ the King added. His tone changing. ‘As I said, there is nothing conventional. But we can use the old world. I can summon a creature to help us and protect us until we find a solution,’ she said. And she paused before looking at the brothers. Samarth gave a gentle nod in her direction. ‘If they are what I believe them to be, then they would have been summoned by a creature they call the Balor, in the forest. A foul creature of death and destruction. But he can only be summoned by an Atisian, a living being of this world. So it is clear you have living enemies. But now dead ones too,’ she added.
‘The Balor!!! I have not heard of that thing since my young studies. It is but a myth and superstition of the old world, surely,’ Fareth said. He interlocked his hands and touched them with his head. There was silence in the room. He brought his head back up. ‘And how to defeat this thing they call the Bal…or,’ he said ever so slowly. Kassobra’s body shifted slightly in the chair. The King is indeed listening to my every word and taking it all in. ‘Only the Hungry Ghosts, as they are known, can help us now. But they will want a prize in return,’ She said. ‘And what might that be, Kassobra lady of magic?’ the King asked. ‘You,’ Kassobra replied.
C H A P T E R 33
Life
Her stare could not leave its presence. Aluum watched as it used its large orange beak. Its wings flapped furiously as it caught her gaze. The creature’s eyes only glanced at the sky in front of it, occasionally. It seems to be focused on me. The bird did not tire, nor stop. Its purpose is to guide me, the voice had said. To help me, and to save me, but from what? Below on the ground, Aluum struggled to move her feet. Bending down, she could see that the blisters had developed into open wounds. And each step covered it with more dust and grit that filled each and every hole in my feet. And the heat around me was getting worse. And my nakedness exposed to all the elements again.
The bird flew closer to Aluum’s head and let off a few sharp squeaks. Aluum flapped her hands at the bird. She thought back to the words from her last dream. Something or someone is helping her. She stopped and looked at the bird. The bird flew around her head in a fast circle and yelped in her ear. ‘I know. I am coming,’ she shouted out.
I know that the bird is a guide of sorts. My only companion on the desolate planet. I feel it understands every word I say. And even can read my thoughts. ‘Where are you leading me to and to whom?’ Aluum asked. The terrain around her had barely changed at all. She thought back to when she had first seen and heard the bird. Maybe 7 stone marks or 7 daylight units. Her pace was slow as she looked at her feet. It had been a few days since she had last washed her feet and drank any water. ‘If only you can show me some more food and drink. I am desperate,’ she said to the bird, but it motioned her to keep walking. She walked on, each step slower than the last. If only we can find those berries again. The bird is teaching me what to eat and what was good and what was bad. Not the yellow berries, but the red ones. The bird had been clear. Aluum licked her lips at the image of the berries. The bird landed on her shoulder and let out repeated noises. ‘I understand. But it has been days since we last came across a water pool. The nights had been warmer and the days were getting drier and more dusty. We need to find water and soon,’ she said to the bird. Its yellow beak nipped at her ear. Its eyes flicked rapidly. ‘I trust you. We walk and fly together,’ she said, her voice spluttering each word.
Aluum was lost in thought about the previous night’s dream and the guide’s words. Her thoughts began to come more easily as she walked and tried to remember the latest dream. Aluum did not hear the bird’s frantic noise, as she was focused on recalling the latest dream. ‘What was this path and key that the guide keeps talking about and who are my people?’ she whispered with one eye on the terrain in front of her. The bird’s sounds were getting louder and louder. It flew down and landed on her. It gave two sharp taps with its peak to her head. Aluum felt its sharp jab. ‘What did you do that for?’ she shouted. The bird merely flew off and landed on a rock. Aluum walked over. That is not a normal rock formation. She tried to see over it, standing on her toes. The bird was yelping frantically, perched on the top of the rock. ‘I realise there is something important on the other side. You can see. But I can’t,’ she said as she arched her neck up at the bird.
Aluum tried to climb on the rock, but slipped back down. Yet more mud marks on my skin; more dirt in my wounds. She felt her feet twitch as she sunk into the soil. It was soft and cold. Her feet now grey in skin colour. She continued to climb up. Forget the tiredness. The hunger. The thirst. You need to get to the top. Reaching the top, Aluum tried to see where the bird went. Her hands and feet held on to the rock’s narrow ledge, and she leaned forward to peak over. Her toes losing their grip. Her knees slapping the edge of the rock. Aluum was sliding fast on the other side. ‘I can’t see,’ she screamed out. She hit the other side with a bang.
Her eyes watched as bubbles formed around her face. Her mouth closed. Her head quickly came up and she saw the bird on a nearby patch of vegetation. ‘Water,’ Aluum shouted at the bird. The bird was making a new sound. Aluum smiled and then laughed. Louder and louder. She kicked around in the water and washed the dirt and mud from her body and drank from it. It is the same feeling I had at the sea. Happiness was what the guide had called it. She continued to splash and laugh in the water. She drank from it.
Aluum laughed and the bird responded, its black wings flapping as her laugh grew louder. With each higher tone, the bird responded with its own whistle. Bird and woman. At one with each other. In nature. Happy. And laughing. This is a rare feeling. Aluum felt the surface becoming softer under her feet, as the water came up to her neck. It’s much softer than the sea. She pushed her feet down in to substance and kicked about. I like the feel of its new texture on my feet. She drank a few more mouthfuls of the water and then she inspected her surroundings. Silence. There was no bird whistle. Aluum called out. The bird was gone. Aluum began to splash around in the water and then she walked out of the water. The small stones under her feet on the dry surface jagged into her feet. Yet, no blood or scratches. She picked up a stone and watched as it rolled gently around in her palm. Aluum shouted out for the bird. No answer. No whistle. Nothing.
The light was fading as Aluum walked around a large tree. It likes to hang on the tree branches when it sleeps. Something I tried once, but fell off during the night. Its branches were thick. She touched one of the fruits and it quickly released its liquid onto her finger. Aluum shouted out a few more times for the bird. Alone again. ‘Was this bird a test?’ she asked, learning against the tree. It will return. She walked away slowly.
Aluum rested close to the shoreline. While looking at its stillness, she noted the tiny creatures jumping in and out of the water. The daylight was almost gone, yet they still are active, unlike me. What are they? She held her hands up in front of her face and opened her fingers to count the creatures on the water through
the gaps. Ever such a faint light, but I can see you. ‘The days seem endless. Daylight has begun to turn into darkness quicker lately,’ she said, as she continued to scan the water’s edge. ‘It was pointless to keep being silent, while walking,’ she shouted out. She reached beside her and picked up the rounded stones. Again, marvelling at their rounded motion in her open palm. She closed her fist, forced her hand back and released them forward into the water. Its quick fire-popping sound made her smile. Unlike me, they won’t come back up.
Aluum pulled her body further away from the water and under the thorny tree. She brushed its fallen pieces away and lay down on the spot she had cleared. She pulled some larger leaves over her body, feeling its coldness on her skin. Lying flat, with her eyes wide open, she could see the sky above her through the gaps in the branches. Its thick branches will act as shelter in case water comes from the sky. I like it when the water falls from the sky, but not tonight. Why does this happen? I love the feeling of the drops on my skin. But there had been no water from the sky for a very long time. Aluum sighed.
She patted the ground around her and felt its dryness. But now that I have found drinking water, I need to stay close to this large water pool. She looked out at it, as the daylight was all but gone. The dimmest of light allowed her to see the dark water area. A light breeze caught the tree and shook it. Aluum brushed some new thorns away from under the tree with her hands. I miss the cave. It had been much warmer and less cold. But it had been a long time since I have seen a cave. This is my new home. Aluum started to drift asleep, but then heard a sound from behind her. A familiar one. She could see that the bird had returned with something in its mouth.
The bird landed beside Aluum as she spun around. Her face lit up with a huge smile as she saw the bird. It dropped the contents of its mouth beside her and its tail hit Aluum’s bare foot. She jumped back as the new creature’s body felt different. Should I be cautious? The bird jumped up and down and pointed its head at the woman. Whatever it was that the bird has brought, it was for me. The bird motioned Aluum to follow. The light was all but gone, but Aluum could make out the shoreline. The bird hovered over the water. She could see that its wings were moving faster. More rapid than before! And then the bird vanished into the water. Aluum tried to focus on the part of the water where the bird had vanished. The bird is under the water for a long time. I hope it comes back up, unlike the small stone. ‘Come up,’ she shouted.
Aluum began to run up and down the water’s edge. A large splash appeared and the bird re-emerged. And again with a same creature it had given me earlier. But what is it? This time the bird landed beside her on the shoreline and dropped the contents from its beak at Aluum’s feet. The bird did not wait and began to peck at it. Aluum could see that the small creature was jumping and trying to get back into the water. The bird paused momentarily and yelped at Aluum. It shook its head rapidly and blinked its eyes. ‘I understand,’ she said. Aluum left the bird and returned to the thorny bush. She hit a rock and yelped as her foot stuck on a fresh thorn. Aluum dropped to the floor. ‘Where is it?’ she shouted. She crawled around under the bush, her hand hitting its contents and sliding off it. Found it. Aluum looked back at the shoreline and the bird, but could not make anything out. How did he do it? She copied the bird and sunk her teeth into its flesh. Each bite pierced its skin. She heard its bones snap and coughed heavily as she chewed on the contents. Her stomach heaved, as its contends slid down inside her. Spitting some out, she digested more. I can feel its blood running out of it. But copy the bird. Focus on the white part of the water creature. She heard her stomach grumble some more as she ate its flesh. I have lived off berries, roots and bits of trees until now. This is a new taste. And a welcome one. But it’s a far worse taste than the berries, but I trust the bird.
The bird had stopped eating. Aluum watched as the light in the night sky caught the bird’s body, as it flapped the last of the water from its wings and showed off its colours. What is that circle of light in the sky? Aluum could see the bird more clearly now. It looks like a blue and yellow stripe across the bird’s head. I had not noticed it before. Maybe the water had trigged it off or the light in the sky. Aluum stopped eating and looked at the bird as it flapped, chirped and showed off its blue and yellow colours to her.
C H A P T E R 34
Nymphs
He felt his body was being held down by something strong. I’m being forced down. He tried to open his eyes. Nothing but darkness. Something is placed over my eyes. He tried to move his arms and hands so he could remove the blindfold, but they were also being held down by something. He tried to kick his feet. Still the same feeling. His screams came out as muffled moans. Whatever it is, my entire body is being held down or tied down on a table. Where was I last? Am I am being held captive by that thing I last saw? He kicked and screamed in muffled words. He could not budge his feet and his arms. Nothing moves. He jerked his head to the side as he felt a breath on his ear. And then he heard some soft words. It’s the same voice from the sea.
‘Tiuus. Be calm. You are our guest,’ the words were whispered slowly into his left ear. He gulped for air greedily as he felt a hand remove the cloth. Panting heavily he shouted: ‘How can I be your guest if I am tied up?’ he asked. ‘Yes. But it is for your own protection. You came here to seek us. To even destroy us. We need to protect ourselves,’ the voice whispered. They can also read my mind. He felt two hands slide over his face. They caressed his cheeks and his forehead and his face in a gentle circular motion. Tiuus stopped moving. His gulping of the air now a panting reflecting his heartbeat. Each breath deeper than the previous one. Yet they will not remove the blindfold. ‘Speak more freely, Manith man. We have released your tongue. Tell us what harm you have planned for us. And why you are here?’ a female voice asked. Yet, in a soft tone and still whisper. ‘Where am I?’ he responded. Still gasping for air. The air was clean, yet there was a strange taste to it. And a smell in the air I had not sensed before.
‘You know where you are. The Kingdom of the Naiads,’ she said. This time her voice raised on the word Naiads with the N being drawn out longer. ‘Nymphs. Nymphs. Damn you water demons,’ he said as he tried to kick his feet. He heard other female voices cackle with laughter at his words. Others sniggered. There is more than one in the room, if it was a room. But what is that strange smell? ‘You Atisian godless heathens know nothing of us. Of our beauty. Of our power. Yet, you call us mere water nymphs. Soon you will see what we can do. Bring him to the inner room,’ the main female voice ordered.
Tiuus moved his hands and feet freely. He scanned his body and saw that he was fully robed. How did they do that so fast? He examined the room. It seems to be a pod. His eyes drifted to the sound of a repeated thud. He caught sight of a large fish that was head-butting the surrounding pod. It seems it was made out of plastic, or foam or something. But we are still clearly under the water. With one eye on the head banging fish, his other eye caught the attention of the other occupants in the room. Six of them - all around the same size. They were all smiling. The first female stepped forward. Tiuus followed her as she walked towards him. She glows with each step, but how? She punched his chest slightly, and he fell backwards. She leant over him with her eyes moving and fluctuating different colours. ‘Manith man. The time has come,’ she said. It’s a different voice to the one I heard earlier. He looked around. The other five remained where they were, but had the exact same bodily glow. The same eyes, colours and skin pigmentation. She placed her hand on his forehead. He felt each of her five fingers fit perfectly on his entire face. Tiuus remained static.
Her eyes were glued to his. She glided her hand in between their faces, brushing slightly against his nose. He watched her blink and with it they changed from bright blue to green. She arched her head around at the others, yet her hand remained on his face. Tiuus glanced down. Her long arms are the same as mine, yet more toned. And her skin is hairless. He brushed a hand over his arms to compare, and watched the hair stand
up. She made a new noise as the others moved a few steps closer to them. The noise came from her nose. Almost a whistle sound, yet I caught the faintest of a word. He opened his mouth to speak. She held her hand over it, gently and made the noise again. The others moved closer. Tiuus watched as they moved closer to where he lay. The head female returned her gaze on him. He could see her teeth now for the first time as she moved her mouth to smile. Almost a jelly colour, like the electric sea creatures. She leaned closer. Her skin brushed his shirt. He felt her tongue run across his left ear. He moved it away, as she tried to enter it. She grabbed his whole ear in his mouth and he felt it moved around in her mouth. Her tongue is so soft. He could hear his heartbeat increase. He felt a hand move to his feet and another to his back. I need to resist. Yet I can’t. The green-eyed female pulled her tongue out and whispered some words on the way out. ‘There is only one way to leave here. And that is death,’ she whispered.
Tiuus jerked his head and forced his eyes away from her gaze. The hands from one of the other females held his feet down. He kicked at one of the hands and one was thrown back. He kicked the other hand and heard a low moan. And then slight laughter echoed around the chamber. Another female’s hand held his chest down. Don’t look at her. He watched as her eyes changed from a blue to a red colour. This female is more aggressive. She leapt from the floor and landed on his chest. His eyes on her skin. Yet her organs are aroused. Are they a different species?
