WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE [4 OF 4] - (2025)

Eve leapt high in the air, sailing over Kearyn's head like a cheetah pouncing on an antelope. Her speed was a dizzying blur of thrashing arms and legs. Nothing was going to come between her and the Purifier. The time had come; the monster's head would be hers.

"Don't," Kearyn shouted. But it was too late. 

A split second before Eve bit down on the Purifier's throat, he vanished, leaving behind a familiar pop/whoosh sound Dahl knew well. Eve sailed past the empty spot and struck Kearyn's protective barrier with a sickening thud and an ear-piercing screech. Dahl winced and shuddered as Eve's face slammed off the field like a bowling ball bouncing down a concrete lane. Her twitching body crumpled on the ground. Exploding stars filled her eyes, giving way to a murky darkness that drew her down. The not-so- helpless prey defeating the predator with ease.

A split second later, the Purifier blinked back into existence, took a boastful bow of victory and turned towards Eve with a sad face. He hadn't lifted a finger to defeat her. So much for 400 pounds of muscle and teeth.

"You bastard," Dahl screamed, trying to shove her way around Kearyn to attack the Purifier. Kearyn grabbed her wrist, shielding her from the Purifier.

"Hold that thought," Purifier said, turning his back on them without a care. He went to Eve, lying on the ground, leaned down 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 expected. But it was a necessary evil." 

"Bastard," Dahl repeated. 

Purifier shook his head disapprovingly at Eve. Then he 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 for us." 

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

"Au contraire. Unlike you, my mummified friend. I am very much alive. And would prefer to get something for such sacrifice," Purifier replied, offering an irritating grin. "And what of you, Kearyn?" he continued, 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 could have raised it again."

"Before your forces reached us," he said doubtfully. "I think not."

Purifier shrugged. "Pity. I believed you would… for her. But I see now, there is no getting through to you. Our darker side will always prevail. "

"So you admit it. You let her miss you to force me to lower the field?"

"I had my reasons. But worry not. All shall come to light in due time," Purifier admitted in a gloating tone. 

"You will never change."

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

"So you say."

As Dahl struggled to free himself, the Purifier asked, "Did he hit you with the two sides of the same coin metaphor?" He shook his head and spit at Kearyn's feet. "He loves that one. Of course you realize it is a steaming load of horseshit?" He glared at Kearyn, mirrored eyes flaring. "There are no sides. There is only the coin. And to believe otherwise is folly." He touched a gloved finger to his temple. "I will always be here. Whispering in his mind."

"You blame me," Kearyn replied. "For enhancing her. For undoing what your people did to her."

"I blame you for lying to her. For filling her mind with the belief I would tear her body to pieces. You lied to bend her will to you," Purifier answered, gesturing at Eve. "If you sift through the infinite memories stored in the dried out turnip you call a brain. You will come to when you planted the images of me butchering her. For that reason alone, I would give anything to kill you. She hates me because of your lies."

"I did what I had to."

"You did what was best for you. With no thought to her safety." He gestured at her unconscious form. "I took her out of this nonsense. Placed her in a stasis pod where no one could harm her and you had to fuck it all up by rescuing her."

"Wait," Dahl blurted, forcing her way around Kearyn. "You're the one who butchered Eve?"

"No one butchered Eve, goddammit!" The Purifier screamed. "Those are false memories this lying fucker planted in her mind. I placed Eve in a stasis pod, locked in the memory of the happiest moment of her life. She was safe and out of this nightmare! And this asshole comes along, steals my research, injects it into Eve, turns her against me and creates a weapon. She's not a weapon. She's …" He paused, fixing Dahl in a dark stare and jabbed a finger in her direction. "Why are you here? What did he bring you here for?"

"He didn't bring me. Lilith sent me."

Purifier laughed in her face. "Lilith. That bitch is always getting in the way. Don't bullshit yourself, Dahl." He gestured from Keary to himself. "We know who is to blame for this mess." He paused long enough to give Kearyn the chance to deny his allegations. When Kearyn said nothing. He gestured to Eve. "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 that our dearest is so quick to forgive you and so unwilling to extend me the same courtesy? If I'm not mistaken, it is your two sides of the same coin bullshit that says we ate the same? So, why is she so happy-happy joy-joy with you and so bang-bang kill-kill with me?"

"Because," Kearyn replied. "You are still with them and I am not. I am trying to change this mess. You are at the heart of it." He didn't want Dahl to hear more. The time for such revelations was still years in the future. 

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

"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. And someday, when your little friends least expect it, I'll seize your master's mind. 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 you can't seize my mind. But you can try." 

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. I will defy him every day. And I strongly suggest you try the same. I believe you will find it quite liberating. It was for me."

"I will never defy him."

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

Kearyn laughed and gestured to his withered form. "Take it from me. You will try and fail."

"I will not fail," Purifier blared.

Kearyn touched his temple. "Now, who's trying to kid himself? Only one of us has seen the future. And yours leads to me."

"Never."

Dahl glared at Purifier, wanting to punch him in the face. His condescending tone made Dahl wish she still had her rifle. I'd like to see him try to dodge a speeding bullet, she mused. She beamed an evil grin at him, and he smiled back. Dahl's blood boiled.

"And what of our precious Dahlia Johns?" Purifier asked. "How will coming events shape her future? Or perhaps, her past?"

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

The 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? And maybe you could save them. If you go back in time and steer their paths away from here. Away from us. What would it take? A thousand years? A million? And what could I accomplish with you out of my way?"

Dahl squinted a fiery threat and placed a hand on her knife. 

"I wouldn't do that," Purifier warned, redness in his face replaced by a sadistic smile. He held still, maintaining eye contact with his matched opponent. "The time stream is a fickle thing, and we are so very close to the source now. There is no telling what could happen to either of us this close to the obelisk. And where would your band of merry cohorts be without their molding leader? If his house of cards topples in an invisible breeze. You're all fucked."

"Perhaps," Kearyn replied. 

"I do not have to repeat the mistakes of my future. The ones that created you. So, be a good little boy and fuck off back to whatever hole you crawled out of and let me take what I came for."

"You forget the most important part. Only one of us knows how and when I became this thing. So… if there is any fucking off to be done, it will be you who is leaving empty-handed."

"I will not fail him."

"But you will," Kearyn replied. "Destiny has fated you to become me. Like it or not. Our paths are one. I wish they were not. But 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. 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. 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 leaned in closer, grinning 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 be in your company 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. 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. But 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 a rest," Kearyn said. "In Dahlia's defense, this has been a grueling experience. It's not every day one sees her friends killed."

"Oh, come now." Purifier cut in. There were things he didn't want coming to light, either. "Things haven't become grueling yet. This is still the fun part. It is what comes next that is 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 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 it from her grasp. She reeled on him, kicking him in the shin, and let out a primal scream.

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

"Let go," Dahl raged, struggling 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 placing a permanent loop of being attacked by a raptor into her brain."

Purifier jammed a finger in her face. "Every time I think I'm getting close to this nightmare being 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. And every time I have to watch my family burn again. I won't watch that again. So… fuck you. You entitled little bitch. I care."

Dahl turned to Kearyn with an unspoken question on her face, and he nodded. "They murdered my family to turn me into him. To turn me into a weapon."

"That's awful."

"Another tender heart who cares for you and so little for me," Purifier said.

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?"

"We 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." The 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 life. 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."

The 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 from 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 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 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 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, and threw her arms around him, trying to support him as he slumped lower by the moment. He collapsed on the ground and Purifier cackled 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 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. Eve bawled with grief and hugged him. He hugged her back weakly and kissed her cheek. Her tears landed on his leathery face and when she 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.

The Purifier laughed and said, "I warned you."

"You wanted us to let our guards down."

"No," Purifier said, coughing. "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."

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

"Because he made you hate me. He stole you for himself."

"You lie!" Eve raged.

The Purifier looked at Dahl and said, "I don't. Just ask your little friend. She'll tell you the truth."

"What truth?"

"Ask and find out. But consider this warning. Once you hear it, you'll never be the same."

Eve stared up at Dahl, eyes pleading, but Dahl looked away.

"Ironically, your savior could have just popped in, grabbed you both and popped out again before I knew he was here." He looked up at Dahl with a bloody mouth grin 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 before he popped out again. And then Eve had her little tantrum." He looked at Eve with an expression of pride and adoration. "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 a man that has used you. 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.