THE LIE
A thick, unusual steam rose from the pot, shifting colors between blue, green, and black.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop suddenly, though the pot still boiled furiously. Baba stretched his hands over it, his fingers trembling slightly as he began another chant, louder and fiercer than before. The walls of the shrine seemed to pulse with each word, resonating with the dark energy filling the space.
Ogadima, submerged in both body and spirit, could feel his awareness split. The physical discomfort of the boiling water mixed with the icy stillness of the spiritual realm.