Page 17 of The Other Side

Chapter

Fifteen

TUFT

“ T onight only! Bayou witch to summon the goddess of death! Come see the infamous Iris-Marie as she conjurors the keeper of souls herself! Yes, that’s right, the goddess you all know and fear: Cypress, the soul eater!” I shouted. I had spent hours handing out colorful flyers to the inhabitants of this measly bayou town as they passed Iris’ shop. “Feast your eyes upon the soul eater of this world! Tonight only!”

The shop bell rang as Iris stepped into the street, watching Bastien and myself proclaim our plan. The beastly alligator had a stack of flyers in his mouth, hissing at those who refused to take one. They would jump and screech at him, reluctantly taking one from his teeth before rushing away. It was entertaining to watch, especially since I knew he was mostly all bark and no bite. Mostly.

“I really wish you wouldn’t call her that,” Iris huffed as she crossed her arms.

“What? A soul eater?” I made a face, handing a flyer to a small child who rushed to show his parents. “Isn’t that what she is?” Iris frowned.

Things between us had been different since her return, but despite our differences of opinions, I was determined to do all I could to help gain our freedom.

“Look, sparing Cypress’ feelings isn’t exactly my priority right now. Our plan is. And before you say it, I’m not saying these things to upset you either. You humans know her as a heartless soul eater, you said so yourself. What better way to lure everyone to the bayou than to use that version of her from the stories you all hear as children. That fear and curiosity is exactly what we need to draw everyone out, including Ozias himself.” Iris exhaled at my words, knowing I was right.

“You’re right,” she sighed. “I just—”

“It’s fine. Once you summon Cypress and expose her to everyone, how do you plan to get Ozias to drink her potion?” She adjusted her grip on her walking stick, tracing the smooth surface of the hellfire crystal.

“I’d be lying if I said I had it all figured out.” Iris pinched the skin between her eyes.

“Iris,” I groaned as I dropped my arms. “You are performing for the entire town tonight , summoning the god of death, and yet you don’t even know how you’re going to get Ozias to drink the potion?” Fuck me.

“I have ideas, okay! I just…I just need a moment to think!”

“Well, the clock is ticking, witch! It’s all happening tonight! We don’t have time for you to decide things on a whim! Ugh! Just go and do whatever you must to figure this out. And remember, if this plan fails, both our souls will end up in the Abyss. I’ve spent far too many years trapped in the Underworld. I’ll be damned if my soul resides there for eternity.”

“You don’t need to remind me.” Iris flared her nostrils, muttering something else under her breath as she snatched the shop door open and rushed inside. I knew she was trying her best, but after seeing her with Cypress, something felt different about her, and that uncertainty scared the shit out of me.

Bastien grumbled, dropping a few flyers as he glared up at me.

“Relax. She’s fine. We’re fine. And soon, one way or another, this will be over for all of us. Now, stop dropping flyers! Humans have destroyed this world enough. We don’t need to litter it with paper.” The alligator rolled his eyes, snapping his jaw as he secured his grip on the stack. I watched him, eyeing the passersby, pitying how he ended up here.

“Do you miss it?” I asked him. The beast simply grunted in response. “Way to stay brave. Just think, if Iris succeeds, we all get to go home.”

IRIS-MARIE

“ W here is it? Where is it?” My eyes frantically scanned the cabinets beneath the shop counter, searching for the very thing I knew I couldn’t lose yet somehow did. “Fuck!” My body twisted and turned as I moved throughout the shop and examined every shelf and cabinet, knocking over displays and destroying the shelves in a frantic desperation. “Where the hell is it?” My heart raced as my brain ached, trying to scrape through my memory to recall where I had left it. “Where is that fucking vial? I just had it, and now it’s gone! Vanished!”

Fuck, fuck, fuck! As if I wasn’t stressed enough, now this happens. Tuft is going to kill me.

An odd, golden light that resembled sunlight began to glow beneath the floorboards of the shop. I wasn’t sure what was stranger: seeing light glow from beneath the wood, or the fact that it was so bright. I bent to my knees and placed my hands against the floor as I leaned close, peering through the highlighted cracks. The near white beam seared my irises, causing me to pull back and flinch, grabbing my eye as I groaned in pain.

“What the—”

The floor snapped as my body dropped with it, falling into an endless hole of sunshine and golden light. I tried to cover my eyes, but it was no use. The light only grew with my screams the further I fell. Despite falling down in the direction of the earth, I somehow ended up in the sky high above it. Clouds began to appear and form, one of which caught me as I bounced about like a rag doll. My heart was pounding with absolute shock and petrified fear, unable to move. Before I could even process what the hell happened—or even blink—a familiar voice greeted me.

“Bonjour, Iris-Marie.”

I whirled around the cloud to find myself not only seated in the sky, but in what I could only assume was the very heavens Cypress longed to return to. It was as if a grand and elaborate city of gold rested on a blanket of clouds and sparkled in the sunlight as celestials of every shape and color fluttered about. Every surface of the kingdom glistened in platinum and gold, the sky painted in warm and vibrant tones of bliss. For a moment, it took my breath away.

“Pronga to mon cher. These clouds are not made to hold humans.” I glanced over to see Ozias, sitting on his own golden throne perched from another cloud. Only, he did not appear as his mortal self like he did before in my shop. He was much more built, his dark skin plastered in golden flakes and jewelry. His eyes burned like the sun, his entire appearance only heightened and somehow even more beautiful than before. He had this eternal glow that emanated from his body as glistening sunlight sparkled around him like glitter falling from the sky. He smiled, warmth dripping from his godly essence as he spoke.

“Allow me to introduce myself. Mo pele—”

“I know exactly who you are. Your name isn’t Elias, it’s Ozias. And you are the younger brother of Cypress.” The god pressed his lips together and scoffed.

“Indeed.” He bowed, redirecting me. “It is something to behold, is it not?” He stretched his arms out, motioning all around. “What do you think of my kingdom, Iris-Marie? Is it not the most magnificent thing you have ever seen?”

It was magnificent, but even sitting there in awe of it all, I truthfully preferred the damp and fiery Underworld Cypress resided in. Ozias watched me, waiting for a reply. I simply blinked, staring back at him. He sighed, standing as he placed his hands behind his back and puffed his chest.

“You must be wondering why I have brought you way up here to my kingdom.”

“Indeed I am, Ozias,” I hissed his name.

“Oh, my what a temper you have, Iris-Marie. It is no wonder Cypress has taken a liking to you.” My facial expression gave away my shock as he only laughed. “Oh yes, I know everything. Pray tell, were you scuffling around your shop searching for this ?” He flourished his hand as a small glass bottle suddenly appeared from it.

The potion .

“How—how did you get that?”

“I am a god, Iris-Marie. You cannot hide things from me.” I lunged forward to snatch the small bottle, but he pulled it away before I could.

“Give it back!” I snarled.

“Enough.” His voice boomed as the cloud beneath my feet constrained me, holding me still, allowing only my head to move. I tried to fight it, grunting as I tried to wriggle free, but it was no use. My magic sputtered, useless as Cypress’ power failed me too.

“What—”

“Much like your weak magic, her darkness is powerless here. You cannot use it.” My eyes shot to his as he twirled the vial before me. “It is always so interesting to watch you humans fall for her tricks. You all think you are so special, so worthy to be loved by a god, but truthfully, you are all the same. Let me guess: you made a deal with my sister long ago in a time of need or desperation. Cypress then presented herself to you, dazzled you with her powers, and promised you everything you have ever wanted. Your heart’s desire—which, by the looks of you, I am going to assume was power. That is how you, bayou witch, can conjure the souls of the fallen.” He tsked. “But you see, she did all this in return for what was guised as a single favor. Now, she has called upon you to give her that favor, only, it is not so simple. It is the very thing she cannot do. Cypress has given you this potion, which will drain me of my godly abilities, making me human, so you could then kill me, granting her my throne so she may rule the heavens just as she has always craved to do. Am I correct? All of this, of course, levied against you by the threat of stealing your very soul, leaving you no choice but to obey her.”

I glared back at him. “Why even ask me if you already seem to know everything?”

Ozias ruptured in laughter. “Perception is reality, mon cher. I am simply trying to clarify what it is you perceive to be true and weigh it against the facts. For example, you believe Cypress is the true ruler of the heavens, but my dear sister was never promised the throne.”

What? But she—

“Ah.” He waved his finger, hearing my thoughts. “She is the firstborn, that I will not deny, but she lost her claim long before the crown was ever bestowed upon me.” I didn’t want to hear his false truths. “Everything she has told you is false, Iris-Marie.”

“Lies. It’s all lies! You stole her birthright and decided to imprison her in the Underworld, ripping her soul away so she could never return or challenge you.” Ozias’ face darkened as the heavens began to turn gray, the clouds souring with his anger. “You knew that was the only way to protect yourself from her wrath.”

“Do not speak to me in such a way, Iris-Marie. I am a god.” I sucked my teeth as he grabbed my face, forcing me to look upon his light as thunder rumbled in the distance. His veins bulged, glowing golden beneath his dark skin as he tightened his grip. His light branched along my face and pierced my flesh, seeping into my blood and searing my thoughts.

“I see,” he hissed. “My sister’s lies have taken deep root in you, bayou witch. Her venomous words have spread like a poison, tainting your blood with her falsehoods. Non, non, non. Allow me to offer the antidote to your misery.” His light pressed harder and his words continued. “Cypress was heir to the heavens long ago, this is true. But her jealousy of me and hatred for our father darkened her heart and led her to do the most unthinkable thing. In her impatience to be crowned, she decided to take fate into her own hands. She used this very same potion on our father, ripping away his godliness. Without it, he was nothing but a weak old man, no match for a god like her. Cypress tortured our father. She slithered beneath his flesh and tore him apart from the inside until his human heart could bear it no longer. And just as his soul began to ascend from his human flesh, she ate it, ensuring he would never know peace.” My eyes began to water, remembering the very torture he described. “Ah, yes. You know the very pain, having tasted it yourself. And yet you still fall prey to her deception. You may think she loves you, but I can guarantee she does not. Cypress loves no one. You are but a pawn in her endless game, just like all the others before you. And when you fail to deliver to her the one thing she desires most, she will cast you aside like all the rest.” Tears rolled down my cheeks to his hand. “Spare your tears, Iris-Marie. That demon does not deserve them.” Ozias released my face, recalling his light from my blood as his clouds cleared and my body fell from his grasp. Thunder continued to rumble in the distance, rolling through the heavens as the wind began to pick up.

“She’s not using me. I am nothing like the others.” I wiped my face, standing to face him. “Cypress loves me, and I love her.”

“She loves only herself. Herself and her revenge.”

“You speak as if you are any better.” I laughed through the pain. “You are no different, Ozias. Just as self-centered and uncaring as your sister. At least Cypress can own her faults and admit her mistakes.” Lightning struck nearby, causing me to flinch. “See? You two are the same! You both drag me through the veil and tear me from my world, threatening me with your powers and words, dangling my life before me all the same. You gods are all the same! Why should I believe anything you say? It wasn’t you who saved me that night in the swamp. It was Cypress. She protected me and offered me a better life. She made me who I am! Not you. All these years, you sat up here in these clouds and indulged yourself, watching all us humans suffer. You say you imprisoned her for our sake, but my world has gotten no better since you did. For a god who claims to protect and love us humans, you sure have a poor way of showing it.” His nostrils flared as he glared at me, restraining himself.

“No human has ever spoken to me in such a way.”

“I imagine that’s a difficult thing to do when you neglect them. But if you gave them even a minute to tell you how they really feel, I bet you’d be so familiar with my words, you could repeat them back to me!” The sunlight behind his eyes flickered in a way that reminded me of Cypress' flames when her temper rose, her own anger reflecting his. The two of us stared at one another, heated by our argument. I was terrified he was going to kill me, but strangely, I welcomed it. If I were to die, then at least I would die in possession of my soul. Unlike Tuft.

Tuft.

“Ah, the Pegasus.” Ozias’ mood shifted. “You have a soft spot for him. And he you.”

“You don’t get to speak of him,” I growled as my magic weakly flickered on my fingers. “You are the reason he is her prisoner.”

“Non. He is the reason, not I. If he had done his duty and protected my son, then neither of them would have endured such a treacherous fate. He was too weak, and it cost my son his soul, even just for a moment!”

“Tuft traded his soul for your son’s! You owe him everything!”

“I owe him nothing!” The sky turned black, lightning crackling in all directions as I tried to remain composed. “He is the reason my son died in her Underworld! Had he not traded his soul for my son’s, I would have rained all my might down upon that dark hole and ripped it from his body, replacing it with my son’s just as I did my sister’s!” Thunder roared. “That weak, pathetic celestial has caused nothing but trouble, a thorn in my side. He has aided my enemy for over a century, claiming to love my son yet spending every moment in defiance of him, of me. I have no pity for him.” His anger slowly soothed as the brewing storm began to lighten. It made me sick to hear him speak about Tuft in such a way. “I can see we will not agree on this matter.”

No shit.

“Despite your foolishness, I am offering you a chance to change your perception of the truth, mon cher.” Ozias extended his arm, offering Cypress’ potion back to me. The gesture took me back as my eyes bounced from his face to his hand and back. “Go on, take it.”

“Why? Why are you giving it back to me?”

“Because I am also offering you this .” He retrieved a second vial, nearly similar from thin air. “Unlike Cypress’ potion, mine is harmless.” I carefully grabbed the delicate vials, examining their thin glass closely. The only difference between the two was a small sun charm hanging from the neck of his, barely visible to the human eye.

“I don’t understand.”

“I am offering you a choice, Iris-Marie. You may use Cypress’ potion against me and hand her the throne she desires so deeply while you fall for her false love. Or, you may listen to reason and switch it with mine. All I ask is you find a way to give her the first potion, taking away her godliness so I may restore peace to all. Either way, you and your Pegasus’ souls will be returned to you.” My eyes snapped up to him. “Wi. If you choose to stop my sister, I promise to free you both.”

“What about Tuft’s wings? You can’t retrieve them from Cypress if she’s human, can you?” Ozias smiled at my question.

“Tanpri, I am a god. I can do anything.”

“Except this .”

He laughed at me. “Indeed, except this. Call it a cosmic joke—two siblings fated to destroy one another but never by their own hands.”

A sad joke.

“Adyeu, Iris-Marie. I look forward to your decision and seeing you tonight. You and my sister.”