The Purple River

by Shane Cogan

He heard her hiss at the birds. The dancing shadows stopped. Her body was twice that of himself, he could see. Tiuus looked into the fire. He thought he could see Samarth and the woman in his dreams in the fire’s flames. Impossible. My mind is no longer in control. Fear has taken over. He felt its metal tear into his skin. He tried to scream. He looked down and saw the creature cutting pieces of his skin from his legs and arms and throwing them to the birds. They greedily ate the scraps. The pain. The pain. Yet I cannot hear my words - only my thoughts are screaming.

  ******

  Kassobra could see the male and could make out that the creature was walking around him. Its presence appeared huge to her. The woman in the circular room was holding her hands tighter and chanted some words in her ear. She felt the room spin around faster. I know what I must do. She entered to the other world with her inner mind and saw them dance. They are all here. The good and the evil. Father too. He handed her a stone and she took it. Kassobra walked to the woman. Is this the Balor? Or Zirva, or both. Am I too late? Can they sense me? Kassobra placed the stone against her throat. She could see that woman was almost the Balor. His eye is emerging in his head. Yet, I alone cannot stop him. Only Tiuus could. That was the Atis prophecy. She reached down and untied him. Tiuus felt her presence. He shook his hands loose as the straps fell to the floor. How? He struck the half woman, his fist punching the shadow. He struck her again and pulled himself up towards the looming shadow. Something else is taking over my body. A new strength.

  Kassobra pulled her arms around Tiuus. Send him your energy and power. ‘Find the knife,’ she whispered in his ear. Kassobra saw her father. His eyes on hers. He was holding out his arms, creating a circle around them and the fire. Her spirits cannot get in. But her mind is focused on the final transformation. We need to move fast. She covered Tiuus further, her hands on his. They reached the fire and pulled at its metal. ‘You will not feel the heat or the pain. Grab the knife and force it into its centre,’ she said. They both plunged it deep into the chest of the looming dark shadow. Tiuus heard the birds screaming and saw the moving circle swirling faster and growing brighter. Tiuus pulled the knife out and swung at the creature’s throat. A black substance spurted from its throat. The Balor fell to its knees. Its screams are inside my head. The pain. He heard a whisper close to his ear. ‘Burn her!’ shouted Kassobra. Tiuus dragged the creature to the fire and threw her in. Kassobra’s spirit appeared in front of him, his eyes blinking rapidly and seeing her image flicker. ‘The Balor is no more. Zirva is dust. I am no longer in you. But my light will lead you,’ she said, her voice echoing all around him. Kassobra could see her father though the light circle. He clapped his hands and she blinked upon hearing his final words. Tiuus saw the light fall and the birds turn to dust. There was no image of her. He collapsed to his knees, with his head bowed. He held his hands to his ears and opened his mouth and heard his screams.

  ******

  Kassobra pulled her hands away. The woman was still in the room. She was breathing heavy, holding her chest. ‘Was that him?’ Kassobra shouted, panting heavily and holding her chest. ‘That was death and destruction. The Balor, from the underworld. He has been destroyed!’ she said. ‘And the planet saved?’ Kassobra asked. The lights began to flicker violently in the room. The naked woman’s face turning colour. ‘The timeline has been broken. I will be taken now. And you will be returned,’ she said as her body began to quiver and merge with the light. ‘Who are you and where are you going?’ asked Kassobra. She reached out to touch the woman. Her body began to shake faster but Kassobra heard her last words before she vanished from the room. Her words echoed around the chamber, again and again. ‘I am Aluum. I am you and Tiuus’ daughter from the future. The only survivor on Atis…,’ the words echoed as she vanished. Kassobra looked around and saw she was on mountain summit with the man she had just helped in her trance.