WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE [4 OF 4] - (Revised on 6/22/24)

Eve leapt high in the air, sailing at the Purifier like a cheetah pouncing on an antelope. Her speed was a dizzying blur of thrashing arms and legs. Nothing was going to get in her way. The time had come; his head would finally be hers.

As she sailed over Kearyn's head, he shouted, "Don't." But it was too late. There would be no stopping her.

A split second before Eve clamped down on Purifier, he vanished, leaving behind a pop/whoosh sound Dahl knew well. Kearyn had used the same maneuver on her minutes earlier. Eve hurtled past the now empty spot, back peddling wildly, and struck Kearyn's protective barrier, arms outstretched. An ear-piercing screech escaped her lungs as a gruesome popping sound exploded out of both dislocating shoulders. Dahl winced and shuddered. Eve's face slammed off the force field like a bowling ball bouncing on concrete. Stars filled her eyes as her limp body struck the ground hard, air exploding from her lungs. Murky darkness drew her down into an unknown abyss as the prey defeated the predator.

Purifier blinked back into existence, took a boastful bow of victory and turned towards Eve. He hadn't lifted a finger to defeat her. So much for 400 pounds of muscle.

"You bastard," Dahl screamed, trying to shove her way around Kearyn to attack him. Kearyn grabbed her wrist and held himself between her and Purifier.

"Hold that thought," Purifier said, turning his back on them. He went to Eve, lying on the ground, leaned down carefully and gently touched the side of her neck, feeling for a pulse. To both Dahl's confusion and growing disgust, he sighed as if glad Eve was still alive. Why would he care? She thought. He stood up, turned back to them, and said, "I suppose that didn't go as she expected. Sadly, however, it was a necessary evil." 

"Bastard," Dahl muttered again. 

Purifier shook his head disapprovingly at Eve. Then turned to Kearyn and said, "Bravo, future me. It would appear we have injured Eve yet again. I hope that in the future, this type of incident will not become a thing with the three of us." 

"As do I." Kearyn replied, staring at Eve lying unconscious on the ground. "You know, you could have let her strike you. She could not have actually killed you."

"Au contraire, but she could. Unlike you, I am still very much alive. And even though I can come back. I would very much like to remain as I am now." Purifier replied, offering a purposely irritating grin. "But what of you, Kearyn?" he added, tone darkening. "If her safety was of such great importance to you, why didn't you drop the field and let her fly past?"

"You mean drop the barrier, hoping to raise it again before your forces reach us," he said doubtfully. "I think not."

Purifier shrugged. "Pity. I believed you would… for her."

"You let her miss you to force me to lower the field?"

"The thought may have entered my mind." Purifier admitted in a gloating tone. "Pity it didn't work."

"You will never change."

"We." Purifier replied emotionlessly."I believe you meant to say we will never change. Because we let her strike the barrier. The fault is not just mine."

"You blame me?" Kearyn replied.

"I do," Purifier answered, gesturing at Eve. "But if you need proof. I'm certain you can sift through the almost infinite amount of memories stored in the dried out turnip you call a brain. If you search long enough, you will eventually come to the moment where you are on this side of the conversation, looking through these eyes." Purifier pointed to his own face. "And then you will see it was you who let her hit the barrier. And you did it not once; but twice. The first time here as me in the past, and the second time, over there as you in the future. So, don't bullshit yourself, future me. You can delude yourself, but we both know we are to blame for Eve's current condition." He paused long enough to give Kearyn the chance to deny his allegations. When Kearyn said nothing. He gestured to Eve. "And by the way, while we are pausing for a moment of civility. Perhaps you could explain something that just occurred to me." 

"Must I?"

"Oh, yes. I think you must," he said, anger rising in his throat. "How is it our dearest is so quick to forgive you for what the Necromongers did to her? What we did to her, and clearly so unwilling to extend me the same courtesy? I mean, we are the same man. Are we not? So, why is she so happy-happy joy-joy with you and so slash-slash kill-kill with me? Are we not both-"

"Because," Kearyn shouted over him. "You are still with them and I am not." He didn't want Dahl to hear more than she already had. The time for such revelations had not yet come. That time was still years away in the future. And besides, Dahl was neither ready to hear the rest of that sentence nor willing to believe it if she did.

"Dahlia doesn't know, does she? You still haven't told her who we are?" He stared at Dahl. "But I sense she is remembering. Aren't you Dahl?" 

"When the time is right. And not before." Kearyn replied.

"If you are waiting for the right time to deliver that kind of news, you may wait a long while, indeed." Purifier let out a mirthless laugh and said, "Kid yourself all you like, Kearyn. In the end, she will learn the truth. You will always be me. I'm sorry. But I will always be the voice inside that head of yours. And someday, when your little friends least expect it, I'll get out again. And when that day comes, oh baby, you just bet your asses. It will hit the fan, and I will make sure you all pay for getting in my way."

Kearyn laughed and said, "Don't take it personally, past me. Even an asshole like us can make the right decision once in a thousand years. And if you are still in here." Kearyn tapped his head. "Then you know the things I have nothing to do with you and everything to do with the one who created us."

Purifier's face turned beet red. He gestured at Eve and said, "Fool. Look what happens when you think you can defy him? Must everyone we care about die because of a vendetta you cannot win?"

"Vendetta," Kearyn said. "Definitely. I will never submit or forgive what they did to us. I will defy him every day. And I strongly suggest you try the same. I think you will find it quite liberating, and cathartic. I know it was for me. And once his hold over you is gone, you too will be free to choose your own path."

"I will never defy him."

"What was it you said? If you cannot see the truth for yourself, I will drag you to it."

"You can try." 

Kearyn laughed and gestured to his withered form. "Take it from me. You will meet your true maker sooner than you think."

"I choose my path." Purifier blared.

Kearyn touched his temple. "Now, who is trying to kid himself? You no more choose your path than a river of molten lava chooses what it consumes."

Dahl glared at Purifier, thinking how Eve's attack had been nothing more than an uncontrollable need for vengeance. A need she was understanding better with every smug word that came out of Purifier's mouth. Just the sound of his voice made Dahl want to punch him in the face. Add to that the condescending tone that made Dahl wish she still had her rifle. I'd like to see you try to dodge a speeding bullet. She beamed an evil grin, thinking of exactly where she'd like to shoot him. He saw her peeking around Kearyn and smiled back at her. Dahl's blood boiled.

"And what of our precious Dahlia Johns?" Kearyn asked. "Have you told her who we are, who she is? Is she as ignorant to the truth as Eve?"

"You don't know me," Dahl blared.

Purifier ignored her. "I hadn't planned on killing you today, Kearyn. But if you leave me no choice. I will do what is necessary to achieve my goal. I offer you this one opportunity to gather your team and leave." He smiled an evil got you under my thumb grin and Kearyn imagined punching him in the face, too. "You think yourself beyond harm. But they are not. Perhaps I should murder all of your friends while you stand by and watch. Most of them are here, or coming soon, aren't they?"

Kearyn darted forward, raised his hands as if ready to throw something. But Purifier only threw up a warning gesture in response.

"I wouldn't do that," Purifier warned, redness in his face replaced by a sadistic smile. He held still, maintaining eye contact with his equally matched opponent. "Remember the rules, Kearyn. Kill me; kill you. And the time stream is a fickle thing, and we are so very close now. If we kill one another, where would your band of merry cohorts be without their molding leader? And what would become of all the tragic sacrifices you have endured in the selfless pursuit of enacting your so-called grand plan to save the universe? It would all be for not without you. A house of cards toppled in the breeze."

"Perhaps," Kearyn replied.

"And what of your return trip? I do not have to repeat the mistakes of my future. I do not have to create you. So, be a good little boy and fuck off back to whatever hole you crawled out from beneath and let me take what I came for."

"It is true. I could vanish for good. Unlikely, but if you and your master may get lucky." Kearyn stopped in his tracks. "But know this, if it happens, it will be because of no choices made here. Destiny has fated you to become me. Like it or not. Our paths are the same. I wish they were not. Not even God can take the cup from our lips." Kearyn gestured for Dahl to remain behind him. "So… I suggest you weigh your next actions carefully. As they may be our last."

"And would you attack me?" Purifier asked doubtfully. "I think not? We both know better." He did not shield himself from attack. In fact, he walked forward a few steps as if he didn't have a care in the world. He peered around Kearyn, smirking at Dahl. When Kearyn blocked his view, he turned to look at Eve again. "Odd you would say such things, knowing our father is out there waiting in the ether. Waiting to restart his vendetta again. You know as well as I, he will never let either of us die. It would not suit his purposes."

Kearyn lowered his hands, covertly gestured for Dahl to stay hidden. "It's good to see you too, old me. I have missed your fatalistic wit and wisdom. Where would I be without your esteemed counsel?"

"You pierce me, Kearyn." Purifier said, placing a hand over his heart and feigning sorrow. When Kearyn offered no apology, Purifier opened his cloak, pulled his shirt collar down, exposing the bare skin above his heart. "Here then," he said in a sarcastic tone, conceding defeat. The phony act of surrender made Dahl hate him all the more. "If you must take my life. Then let me make it easy for you." As he leaned towards Kearyn, his face became a squinted mask of loathsome hatred. "All you have to do is take your little friend's knife and jam it straight through our heart." He didn't move when Dahl stepped out, holding her knife at the ready.

"How about I do it for him?" she said, raising the knife and stepping forward with a loathsome mask of her own.

Not only did the Purifier not step away. He actually leaned in closer, grinning maniacally at Kearyn as if daring him to let the little bitch strike him down. "Ah yes. So eager to cast the first blow." Purifier drew an invisible x on his bare skin just above his heart. "Dahlia Jane Johns, how nice to see you again. It has been far too long. Although… In this timeline, I believe we have only met once. But we will soon become good friends. One might even call us family."

"Fuck you, monster."

He looked up in contemplation and added, "But now that I think of it, our first meeting was hours before you came here. A brief encounter. But I'm certain if you search your mind, you will remember where we met." When Dahl said nothing, Purifier continued, "It will come to you, eventually. Even a weak mind stumbles over the truth, once in a while."

"Listen, ass hat," Dahl blared, spitting her words at him. "I don't know what game you're playing. And I hope I never do. And between you, me and whoever else in this bat shit crazy universe is listening. If we only met in passing, I suggest you keep your sorry ass moving on down the road. Because after this shit is over, I never want to meet either of you again. You're both fucking crazy."

Purifier expelled a throaty, sarcastic laugh and said, "Always with the razor sharp comebacks and sarcasm. I see why you and he make a good team. Oh well, I blame your uncle. He was always too kind. You know, spare the rod and all that nonsense." 

"Give it time." Kearyn agreed with a shrug. "In Dahlia's defense, this has been a grueling experience. It's not every day one finds out-"

"Oh, come now." Purifier cut in mockingly. There were things he didn't want coming to light, either. "Things haven't come close to becoming difficult yet. This is still the fun part. It is what comes next that is truly horrific. And speaking of what comes next, shouldn't we get to it? All this talking is becoming so tedious."

"Who the fuck are you two wack-jobs?" Dahl demanded, staring at them.

"X marks the spot, love." Purifier repeated, goading her on with another giant step closer. Any closer and she thought she wouldn't even have to work for it. She could drive the knife in without even trying. He saw her eyeing the spot and said, "And may I take this opportunity to suggest your aim is true. The consequence of a faulty strike at this point in time could be truly dire for everyone involved. I do not take betrayal well."

Dahl lunged forward, driving the knife downward in a long sweeping arc, and Kearyn threw out his hand. The knife pierced the top of his glove, drove through his hand and stopped a fraction of an inch above Purifier's chest. Kearyn closed his fist around the blade and yanked from her grasp. Dahl screamed in rage and lunged forward.

"Wait," Kearyn said, holding her in an iron grip.

"Let go," Dahl raged, struggling violently to get away. But her efforts went in vain. It was no good. For a withered corpse, he was stronger than most men twice his younger self's size. After a moment of being subjected to the Purifier's mocking grin of amusement, Dahl gave up the struggle in favor of spitting at him.

Purifier pop/whooshed, and the spit flew through the space where his face had been. Then he pop/whooshed back and spit directly into Dahl's face. As the spit ran down her cheek, he asked in a cold, mocking voice, "How do you like it, little bitch?" He turned his eyes back to Kearyn and added, "Because little Dahl here is slow on the uptake. Maybe I'll start by drilling a permanent loop of being attacked by a raptor into her brain."

"Screw you," she fired back, kicking him in the knee as she wrestled against Kearyn's steely grip once more. This time, he paid her no attention.

"He can't let you kill me, silly child." Purifier said, leaning in uncomfortably close. "Because if he does, he dies too. We all die." He gestured at Eve lying on the ground and added, "And where would she be? Because without him, she'd be nothing at all. And if you knew anything about dear Kearyn, you would know he would allow nothing to happen to his precious little Eve. And what of all the tens of millions he has saved without even knowing it? They'd all be gone, too."

"Fuck you." Dahl raged, not caring about anything he was saying. "Like you care about anyone but yourself."

"Oh, I care a great deal," Purifier said, leaning even closer with a sneer that made Dahl's blood boil.

Dahl considered punching him in the face, but heard Kearyn's voice in her head, warning her off.

Purifier jammed a finger in her face. "Every time I think I'm getting close to achieving my goal and that this nightmare will finally be over. This piece of driftwood pops up and screws everything up again. Then, we are all hurled back in time to the beginning and it all starts again. So, yeah, you little shit. I fucking care. I care because I'm right and he's wrong. Because they killed everyone I love. Because fuck you, that's why. "

Dahl turned to Kearyn and asked, "Is that true? Are they gone?"

He nodded.

"How did it happen?" 

"He murdered them to turn me into him."

"That's awful."

"Oh, boo hoo." Purifier said. "After all these years, you still going on about that?"

Dahl turned to him with a disgusted glare that screamed volumes about how much she thought he was a sick bastard.

"You know what the best part of him not being able to kill me is?"

Dahl sneered at him.

"I don't share the same problem. I can kill him and it won't affect me in the slightest. Sure, it will alter future events on his timeline, but not mine. Win. Win. For me."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Come now, we simply do not have time for that. Suffice it to say, my family has more than its fair share of monsters hanging from its branches, and their sins have had a cumulative effect on all those who followed."

"Blaming others for your sins?"

"I blame only one person for those sins." Purifier raised a hand and pointed. "I blame him."

"Kearyn," Dahl blurted.

"Abso-fucking-lutely," he replied. "Did our friend ever regale you with the tale of how he got this way?"

"Shut up," Kearyn said.

"My grandfather did this to me, but it was our father who did this to him. If not for those opposing forces, my future self and I could have lived quite normal lives. One… quite normal life. But normal is not our family's way. So, here we are again. At each other's throats, trying not to end us all."

"Don't pretend like you care for anyone other than yourself."

Purifier looked down, closed his eyes and screamed, "I CARE!" The words left his mouth, striking the ground like a psychic grenade exploding between them. The shockwave lifted Dahl and threw her against Kearyn. He caught her, holding her fast, and then set her on a pair of wobbly feet. "Don't you get it. Our story has no beginning or end. They trapped everyone in an endless circle of life and death. In an eternal war of good against evil. With no way out." Purifier threw an angry gesture towards Kearyn and added, "And all they want is for it to go on and on and on. Well… I'm sick of it. I just want it to end. And fuck anyone who impedes me stopping it." 

"Is he telling the truth? Can he kill you?" Dahl asked.

"Many have tried." Kearyn replied. "But as you can imagine. It is difficult to kill a corpse. We corpses are, if nothing else, resistant to physical trauma. Although, no one is truly beyond spiritual death."

"How touching," Purifier said, parting his cloak again. Only this time, when he reached in, he didn't pull down his shirt. He drew out a long, twisted knife that glowed with a pulsing blue energy. He looked it over and pointed it at Kearyn. "While I have enjoyed our little chat. I'm sad to say the time has finally come to say goodbye."

Time sped up as several things happened in the blink of an eye. Kearyn threw Dahl to the side. Purifier lunged forward, knife raised above his head, and Dahl struck the ground hard as a horrifying scream unlike anything she had ever imagined exploded not in her ears, but inside her head.

Dahl lay there gasping and trying to focus. In the near distance, she thought she heard laughter and knew it was too late. Purifier had killed Kearyn. She leapt to her feet, reeled around and saw Eve standing both behind Purifier and in front of him. At first, she didn't understand what her eyes were telling her. Kearyn knelt down before them, grabbing his chest in shock and pain. Torrents of black blood poured down his chin. But that couldn't be right. The glowing knife, not buried in Kearyn's chest, lay on the ground at the Purifiers feet where he had dropped it. So why was Kearyn coughing up blood?

Then her mind connected the dots. Eve had run up behind Purifier, punched a giant black fist through his chest to save Kearyn. And in doing so, killed them both. The only reason Kearyn wasn't already dead was because the Purifier still clung to life. But as soon as he died, Kearyn would be gone forever.

Dahl ran forward, fell on her knees in front of Kearyn, threw her arms around him, trying to support him as he slumped lower by the moment. He collapsed on the ground and Purifier crackled with glee.

Purifier reached up, grabbed Eve's fist and snapped her wrist as if it were nothing but a brittle twig. She screamed in agony as he twirled her grinding bones in a savage circle. Eve yanked her arm from his chest and he fell forward, landing on his knees beside Kearyn, laughing hysterically and gagging on blood.

He turned to Eve and said, "Good, girl. I never could have done this without you." Then blood exploded from his mouth and he gagged out, "The knife was a prop. A little window dressing to set the scene. I knew if I kept you two fools blabbering on long enough, Eve would eventually wake up and play her part. And she did."

Eve ran to Kearyn's side, fell on her knees, cradling her twisted hand and sobbing uncontrollably. She looked around as if wanting to scream for help, but realized no one would come. There was nothing any of them could do. Kearyn was dying.

Kearyn reached up, touched her white face with a blood drenched hand and said, "It wasn't your fault, my child. Promise me you'll remember that."

"I will," she sobbed. "You can't leave. We just found each other." Eve rocked back and forth, ranting in a barely discernible voice that cracked and hitched.

Kearyn took her good hand, touched it to his chest, and then placed their clasped hands over her heart. "I'll always be right here," he said, and Eve howled with grief and hugged him. He hugged her back weakly and kissed her cheek. Her tears landed on his leathery face and when she finally sat up again, Dahl thought it looked as if Kearyn were crying too. It made her sick to her stomach, and she cried.

"It was all a trick," Dahl said dumbly.

Purifier laughed and said, "I warned you."

"You wanted us to let our guards down."

"No," Purifier said, coughing violently. "I needed to keep you on guard long enough for Eve's guard to fall. Don't you see? It was Eve that gave me the idea. Only one of her kind can kill one of us. I needed her to kill me here in the past, so my death could move forward and kill him in the future."

"You bastard," Eve raged, tears streaming down her dirty face.

"Ironically, he came here to save you both. He could have just popped in, grabbed you both and popped out again before I knew he was here." He looked at Dahl and added, "But you got him talking. Oh, how we both love to talk. And that's all the time I needed to sense him nearby and get in here before he popped out again. And then Eve had her little tantrum." He looked at Eve with an expression of pride and adoration and said, "I couldn't have planned it any better if I had tried. I am so proud of you."

"You're a monster." Eve whispered.

"He is." Dahl agreed.

Purifier looked at Eve, eyes watering, and said, "It's unfair you weep so for him. But have only poison in your heart for me. Have I not loved you, too?" Then he fell face down in the dirt as his last bloody breath leaked out of his gaping mouth.

"And it's unfair you used that poison against him." Eve replied and turned back to Kearyn, already knowing he was gone too.

The force field fell, and gunfire erupted in the near distance. Both Eve and Dahl ran into the cover of trees, followed by half a dozen well-armed juggernauts with rifles.