The Paradox Web (Snippet)

“On Every Rose, There Must Be a Thorn.1

In Every Sky, There Must Be a Cloud.2

In Every Heart, There Must Be a Break.3

In Every Light, A Shadow Is Born.”4

The Lily Maiden sat elegantly in her lotus, a fine silk fan covering the lower half of her distinctly Asian feature. She held it delicately, and kept her eyes demurely lowered, but the intricate embroidery that twitched every so often in her creamy white hand hid her true nature—the carnivorous smile behind. Around her, great green stalks of vegetation shot up from the shallow yellow water, which was beginning to turn a curious color—something that was a cross between orange sherbet and cat piss. She sighed delicately, yet inside brimmed with anticipation and dread. “Brothers!” she called out into the vast plain around her, the words bouncing off the plants and plunging into the waters depth. Soon they emerged and she laughed with relish. The were hideous, as always. Great, bubbling masses of sharp teeth and bulging eyes, all dripping with blood and what looked suspiciously like a man’s fingers. She frowned and let the fan drop. Immediately, what can only be called as creatures, dropped to their supposed knees, cowering. “You were feasting, yet thought not to invite your beloved sister?” her tone was light, but her face betrayed her mood. Wrath. One of the creatures kowtowed even further, yet chanced raising his head. 5

“Forgive us, Radiant Sister, but we knew his taste was not to your liking.” His voice was a deep, fierce rumble, yet he alone was the most human looking of the group, with arms and legs emerging from a torso that was slashed cruelly open down the spine, so that flesh and useless organs dangled like decorations, and you could see the bones move as he walked. However, the legs emerged from the sides of the horrid mess, so he was crouched much akin to an animal. His head was sunken back, his eyesockets hollow, his mouth and nose elongated, and his teeth ruthless. A monster. But the Lily Maiden gave this no mind as she processed his words.6

“A traitor?” the words hissed past her painted lips, which were fast becoming a frightening black. Her eyes began to glow green with fury. The one who had spoken began to tremble. 7

“We believe so, Rapturous Beauty. We did not want him near your wondrousness.” She calmed, lips returning red, eyes becoming brown. Relaxing in her flower, she mused for a moment, staring up at the lavender sky. Then she smiled. 8

“Altrisk,” she called gently, and the speaker looked up hesitantly, not used to being called by his name. “Bring the man to me.” Lightning fast, he dove back into the depth of the yellow pond, not wanting to disappoint the sister to whom he was owned. Moments later, he surfaced with a nearly devoured body in his mouth, but he held it carefully, so as not to damage the flesh any further. Altrisk set the body down on the water, leaving it there for the Lily Maiden to do as she pleased. She scanned the condition of the corpse. Both arms were chewed off at the elbow, and he only had one undamaged leg. His head was gone, she noted with dissatisfaction, and bit at the corner of her cheek. He was as dead now as he was when he died. Even in Hell, he could not live. She sighed yet again, and fanned herself, about to instruct her horrendous siblings to dispatch of the corpse after all, when something impossible happened. The body moved. Using its stumps of arms and one good leg, the decapitated corpse stood up unstably. And remained standing, despite being on one foot. The brothers were silent. She smiled, and held the delicate fan up to cover it. In the other hand, she held out a lemon.9

“Do you wish to live, Traitor?” a stump reached out for the fruit. “If you take this gift, you will be under no man’s protection, no God’s protection. You will live life where you left it, but if you die again, you may not even rest in this place.” The ‘arm’ still held out. “Very well then,” with a flick of her wrist, she turned her hand upside-down and squeezed the lemon. He was gone. Altrisk was the only one who dared speak, 10

“But Resplendent Being, why him? Why use a gift on a traitor?” she closed her eyes briefly, and when they opened, she was looking directly at him. There was no time for a scream, he was no more.11

“Because,” she said in the sweetest voice possible. “I felt like it.” The others sank back into the depths of the yellow pond.12