Page 34 of The Other Side

As the thoughts began to calm me, I could feel my shoulders relaxing and joints easing. The familiarity of showcasing my magic, fueled by Cypress’ power, settled in as I slowly raised the walking stick, my eyes closed. I tapped it against the platform three times. Each tap echoed like thunder as the third rolled into a crackling sound, burgundy smoke consuming my body. The crowd gasped, the sound of their surprise filling my ears as I breathed it in, feeling the essence of their energy flow through my veins. My body spun as I blew the smoke away, revealing the very bayou witch they had all come to know. The conjuror of shadows. The infamous Iris-Marie.

My elegant black dress hugged my body and flared from my waist to the ground, the large slit allowing more than enough room for my bare legs to move. My limbs were adorned with numerous pieces of jewelry, matching the beaded crystal and bone accents that hung from my ears and trailed around my neck. I flourished my hand, my all-too-familiar top hat lined with burgundy velvet appearing as I gracefully placed it on my head, the matching coat forming from magical fire as it ruptured into existence. For the first time since Cypress reappeared into my life, I felt empowered and unstoppable. I felt like my real self. The real Iris-Marie.

“Ahhh,” I exhaled, opening my eyes to see the stunned faces of the crowd. “What? Cat got your tongue?” I flicked a brow as they whispered to themselves. “Oh, don’t be shy.” I extended my arm, my magic crackling from it like electricity as it spread to the hands of all present, wrapping around their wrists. “Now, show me the respect I deserve, the respect you have all kept hidden from me all these years!” As the words fell from my mouth, I swayed my hand, conducting theirs as they began to clap, applauding me. “Oh, thank you. You are too kind!” I offered a bow, my eyes meeting Cypress’ as she grinned with delight, slowly clapping, her blue mask concealing her pale human face. My head tilted as my own grin grew, pleased to see her so enamored with my performance.

My body rose, and my smile instantly dropped as I caught sight of him. He too was hidden within the crowd, in his human form to blend in, just like his sister. But it was no use. Even out here, amongst the entire town, Ozias reflected perfection and looked like a god. I turned back to catch Tuft’s gaze, moving past me to him, his face dropping at the sight of his lover’s father. Our eyes met once more as Tuft nodded, telling me to do what needed to be done.

Showtime.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” I swirled back, returning to the façade of my performance. “Boys and girls. Creatures of the bayou and souls of the damned!” Bastien snapped his jaw in excitement. “You have all ventured deep into this swamp, to the very home I once resided in, to witness the impossible, risking your lives to watch as I call upon the heavens above and hell below, using my power to summon the very thing we all know and fear.” My eyes met Cypress’, energized by her anticipation, burning in my chest. “The goddess of death, the keeper of souls, and the ruler of the Underworld!” I raised my walking stick, preparing myself for whatever she had planned.

Please, don’t fucking mess this up!

“I summon you, oh mighty Cypress! I call upon you to slither from your cave and step onto the world. To break through the veil and join me here, on the other side!” I slammed my walking stick onto the platform as it hit with a thundering boom, burgundy smoke blasting from the impact as it rushed the entire crowd, blowing away hats and flyers while rusting the trees. My eyes moved to her, watching as she too blew away like smoke before my magic could touch her body.

Where did she go?

Everything settled, the bayou falling into a cricketing silence as the crowd glanced around, murmuring and waiting. Seconds turned to minutes as we waited in anxious and eager anticipation. The townspeople began to make faces, pointing as they shouted their distaste.

“Liar!”

“Trickster!”

Come on, Cypress.I turned to look at Tuft, equally freaked out as he shrugged his shoulders.Fucking hell! Where are you?

The crowd became more unsettled, spitting insults and shouting obscurities. I began to panic, unsure of what to do. Cypress promised she’d be here, that she would appear. Why would she lie? Why would she vanish just when I needed her most? Was Ozias right? Was she—

The ground began to shake and rumble, the wind suddenly increasing as it whizzed by my ears and a storm began to brew in the evening sky. The clouds gathered until the bayou was drenched in a cold darkness. Blue lightning cracked from the menacing sky, striking at my feet, nearly missing me. My body fell back as Tuft caught me, the ground quaking and splitting as blue light began to glow from the torn platform—a blue I immediately recognized.

Cypress.

Shadow demons screeched, climbing from the hellhole as they slithered into the swamp and rushed the crowd of humans trying to escape. They corralled them, keeping them in place as more shadows joined them. Giant, black smoke tentacles shot from the tear, wrapping around the townspeople’s feet, holding them prisoner as the horror ensued. More pitch black smoke poured from the torn platform, flooding the bayou like a frightening fog of death as it clouded the air. Menacing laughter and unnatural growls echoed as the ground continued to quake, Cypress’ shadow-like arms extending from the crack as if a monster of hell was crawling through. Tuft and I leaned in closer, both traumatized to see her reveal the glimpse of her true beastly form here in front of the whole town.

“Who dares summon me? Me! The goddess of hell!” Cypress hissed and snarled, her shadow body emerging from the splintered earth. As she climbed out onto the platform, the crowd screamed and cried, shouting in fear of the god—no, the monster before us.

“Iris!” Tuft screamed to me, the sound of the wind and oncoming storm drowning our voices out. “She’s doing it! She’s performing! You need to stand up and perform alongside her!” I nodded, mustering all my strength as I stumbled back to my feet, blocking the wind from my face as I approached the devil herself.

“Cypress!” I screamed as her monstrous form whirled in my direction, growling. “I am the one who summoned you, and I command you contain your wickedness!” Her eyes flickered, her unnatural mouth curling into a smile as a deep roll of laughter ruptured from her essence.

“Make me,” she grumbled.

Was this part of her act? Or was she truly challenging me?

“Cypress!” She ignored me, striking her blue lightning all around the bayou as Ozias tried to help the frightened people.“Cypress!” Nothing. “Soul eater!” The goddess whipped her head around, disgusted by the name. “I said, contain yourself!” My fingers curled as I used my magic like a lasso, wrapping around her, pulling the shadow demon down. “Be still and listen to me!” I grunted, commanding her with my power. “Enough!”

Cypress fell to the ground, her shadow-like form blowing away like smoke as the air calmed and settled into a simple storm. Darkness surrounded her. I retrieved my magic, watching as everyone fell silent and watched in a curiously fearful anticipation.

“Cypress?” I whispered, cautiously approaching her shadows. “Cypress?”

A hand reached from within it, grabbing my wrist as the entire town gasped, watching as Cypress slowly rose, now in her ethereal form. Her naked and ashen body glistened like the night sky as I helped her to her feet. I leaned close and whispered into her ear, all eyes wide and glued to the two of us. “Are you alright?”

She grinned, whispering back to me. “Forgive me, my love, but I couldn’t help but put on a show.” Cypress winked, adjusting her posture as she became her usual delicately deadly self.

Leave it to Cypress to make an exaggerated and fucking ridiculous entrance. I chuckled to myself.Always so dramatic.

“Goddess of death,” I addressed her as the town listened, hanging on my every word. “I have summoned you here to show the bayou the extent of my power, to witness the impossible.” She watched me, her flames dripping from her hair in anticipation. “But that is not the only reason I have called them here. You see,” I turned to the crowd. “We are not in the presence of one god, but two. And he is here among you, watching my spectacle all the same.” Everyone gasped, searching and scanning the sea of faces.

Cypress looked out, spying his face immediately as she grinned, her power flickering from her fingertips. Ozias didn’t seem pleased. He had a stone cold look plastered across his bronzed face, flaring back at his older sister.

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