XCII.

  The silence persevered for a most unsettling duration

  Of time. Each heartbeat taking longer and longer, it seemed.

  Droplets of sweat running down her temples which all now gleamed

  In the low candle light. She was struck again by hesitation.

  After an eternity’s wait, a low rasp spoke: “Proceed,

  If you have courage, if not, you best turnabout with speed-”

  A capricious tone cut these imposing words short in their narration

  “Yet, knowing the stakes, we both know the cause of thy migration!”

  XCIII.

  Her hair stood on end as she mustered her valorous tune

  From within. After all, this had been her idea all the while.

  With slowed steps, the doorway lurked closer and the once hostile

  Flow now caressed instead, dancing round in its humming croon.

  Her entry greeted her with a tragic image of a man

  That was the Tsar. He stood turned away from her, rather than

  Show his face; indeed, he appeared gaunt and could likely swoon

  At any exertion. His hooded rags were across his body strewn.

  XCIV.

  Though of imposing stature, he seemed to not possess an aspect

  Of which their kin was oft renowned. His voice was filled with languor:

  “Do not be afraid now, for you’ve all but been warned! Our fate assured

  And mutual, felicitous for a demigod’s respect!”

  Thus, turned the ghastly image, presenting himself before

  The girl, who felt Aurianne herself turn away at the odious eyesore.

  This repulsion surprised the goddess, for she knew the prospect

  Of survival leaned on her talent for this fate to deflect.

  XCV.

  He was an aberration of two worlds, wickedly tangled.

  High horns were finally revealed, the symbols of his holiness:

  Malformed – gleaming in two separate shades of ghostliness.

  One deeply blue, the other lightly violet and mangled.

  So too, his eyes: one blue, the other in purpurate flames.

  An errant curse ate at the side of his face on which the veins

  Of divine flow appeared, carving out his gaunt features. Spangled

  By chaotic deformities, The Tsar was by this bane entangled.

  XCVI.

  Then his voice crackled into an upbeat sputter: “Delight!

  Incredulity! Thou’st come! Thou’st come!” He gushed vociferously

  Over the demigoddess: “I knew thou’dst come eventually!”

  Bemused, she wished to inquire, yet Aurianne scoffed with spite

  Before the girl could speak: “The Tsar has utterly declined!

  Don’t even seek the quest of sense that might be in his sick mind!

  Though I foresaw this narrative, his state does me affright,

  His souls discordant and dissonant, his time closest to midnight!”

  XCVII.

  Still, Ríona was not so easily swayed and after a beat,

  She inquired the Tsar: “You had forecast my arrival?”

  A low groan came again along the attitude’s revisal:

  “Do not listen to the damned old fool! He hath lost all his wit

  Many a moon ago. Of course, he did not expect you,

  Alas, I did, for seventeen years, have I!” Such ire he spew

  Out, before letting out a breath and made his souls retreat.

  The perilous prospects of her dest’ny were now laid at her feet.

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  XCVIII.

  She finally made her retort: “Balthazar… then you must know

  Why I have come?” He grinned sorrowfully: “Indeed, wee damsel;

  And I regret to inform-” the god couldn’t start his counsel

  As he was cut short by the true, maddened, spirited bellow

  Of the Tsar: “No need for sad tales! I stand on the precipice

  Of a breakthrough! If only I had more of time’s blessedness!

  If only thou werst the Orb Maven which time could bestow

  And not a wretched warlord! Thence, I’d have something to show!”

  XCIX.

  All this tension and commotion caused a slip and error grave

  In the mind of Ríona, for up till now, she hadn’t considered

  That a divine could take over the body unhindered.

  Yet, Aurianne knew this fact well, and waited to outbrave

  Her host when the occasion to act would finally appear;

  Albeit, for the time being, her mind was still not fully clear.

  The daze of dread which the sight upon the wretched Tsar gave,

  Still took hold and reminded her of the deal with the Grim Margrave.

  C.

  “What breakthrough?” Ríona asked, who dared but creep slowly t’wards

  The raving man. He looked at the table behind him and smirked:

  “Break through Eternity itself! Years of research, of work,

  Of suffering: but not for nought! Gaze at my labour’s rewards!”

  With a slow shuffle, she neared the table before which he stood.

  There laid notes upon notes which studied every likelihood

  And ramblings on the very nature of all flow’s accords;

  Glyphs which channelled the power of all known holy records!

  CI.

  Alas, before she could react, the souls swapped their control

  Again, and with unpredictable swiftness he caught her wrist.

  Surprised, she tried to pull away in order to resist

  Balthazar’s grip over her, though this effort required great toll

  On her body. In fear, she cried out: “What trick is this? Let go of me

  Or face my riposte! I know not your game, yet I beg you hear my plea!”

  The god replied in sinister glee: “Regrettably, young foal,

  I have a grudge to settle with your vessel’s other soul!”

  CII.

  Aurianne; enraged, began to furiously tug at their reigns,

  Which were loosening from Ríona’s grip, as she wrestled with

  The other demigod. The goddess hammered words like a smith:

  “Thou mustest give to me control, surrender me these chains

  For but a time brief or else he shall crumble our wrist,

  I beg of thee, Ríona!” Unsure and under high mind mist,

  She let go, as the goddess crashed in like torrential rains

  Of Lonesome Eye! A mighty burst of terror shot through their veins!

  CIII.

  “I knew, I never should had let thee breathe another breath

  The moment I had trialled thee; alas, we meet again!”

  Spoke wildly Aurianne; no single soul could her wrath contain.

  Still left in place, the old god of war began laughing at length:

  “And there art thee, finally! Long time since our last meeting, dear?

  I see the girl hast not tamed thy ferocity, that much is clear!”

  The two gods wrestled relentlessly, showing their mastery’s wealth,

  Right there and then, the witch did win! Ready to deal him death!

  CIV.

  At that moment, Ríona grabbed their reigns again and regained

  Control of her figure. The goddess screamed for the girl to leap

  Out of the way, yet it was too late to evade the flow’s sweep

  Which ruptured from the god’s palm. She made an effort constrained,

  To stop the flow with a shield of magick matter, yet could not block

  The sharp brunt of the attack. This bolt of energy did knock

  Her back into the wall. Her head now felt heavily strained

  As it hit the cobblestone, leaving her soul’s vigour drained.