chronicles of eden - act I (10 page)

‘My god, they scared her out of her mind.’

His shoulder and arm continued to bleed as he felt his strength beginning to fade. He wavered slightly while the wolves kept trying to get close before backing up to avoid the staff that was being swung around. Daniel looked to the young witch then to the vines around his legs. He didn’t have a choice; he had to free himself in order to save anybody. He swung the staff and knocked a wolf away, the animal whimpering as Daniel threw the staff at another. It missed and the three remaining wolves raced towards him as he reached down and grabbed hold of the vines around his left leg. He yanked up with all his might as the animals lunged at him, the boy bracing for the onslaught.

“Alyssa!” he cried out.

Alyssa blinked then screamed out as she shut her eyes, her voice echoing out into the woods. Suddenly the vines around Daniel’s legs recoiled and vanished back into the ground. He rolled to the side as the wolves pounced at him, with one biting into his leg. Daniel yelled out as he dove over towards the staff and grabbed hold of it, then looked back to the wolf that was biting hard into his leg with a loud growl. He then jabbed the staff at him hard, the wolf’s head being cracked open as the relic jammed into the skull. Daniel kicked the body off of him then stumbled to his feet as four more raced at him.

“Alright, let’s go!” he yelled as he swung the staff wildly, knocking one wolf away before another jumped up and tackled him to the ground. It snapped at him as the boy used the staff to hold it at bay by the throat, the animal snarling and trying to bite him as it was held back. Daniel growled then rolled over, then pushed all his weight onto the staff and crushed in the throat of the wild animal. As he did another leapt onto his back and bit into his shoulder again, the boy yelling out as the animal chewed into his flesh. He elbowed behind him and knocked the wolf off then swung the staff behind him, knocking another wolf away with a hit to its head. Daniel yelled out as he swung at the other predator and knocked it away before the third wolf raced up to him and bit into his arm. He cried out as he dropped the staff while the other two wolves regained themselves and charged. They tackled him into a tumble, the three wolves snapping at him as they all rolled over towards the witch. As they came to a stop Daniel grabbed the bloody dagger near his head and jammed it into the skull of one of the animals. It jerked about then dropped dead as the other two wolves snarled at him. He knocked them back then shakily got to his feet and held the dagger towards them, his eyes struggling to focus as he wavered slightly. The two wolves growled then slowly backed off, seeing this prey wasn’t so defenseless after all.

“I told you… I’m not going down… without a fight,” Daniel said wearily. He watched them stare at him for a moment before they both ran off into the woods. After a pause he dropped to his knees, his breathing heavy as he was in incredible pain. He shook his head slightly then looked over to Alyssa, the girl having her eyes closed as she was curled into a ball. She was trembling and whimpering as she lay there on the ground, seeming to be traumatized by the wolves. Daniel looked at her for a moment then around at the dark forest. Slowly he kneeled down by one of the dead wolves and wiped the blood from his dagger on its fur, then sheathed it back into his shirt. He grunted a bit as he slowly got back onto his feet, and then walked over towards the girl. She didn’t seem to even notice the wolves were gone as she continued to tremble and murmur quietly to herself. Daniel glanced around slowly then sighed quietly, his eyes resting back down on the witch that tried to rape him earlier.

*****

Alyssa slowly opened her eyes, peeking around timidly as she regained her senses. She looked up to see Daniel looking ahead with a dull expression. She was being carried in his arms bridal style, with her head against his shoulder that wasn’t bleeding. He was holding her staff in the arm that was holding her legs up while he slowly and shakily made his way through the woods. Alyssa just stared at him with wonder as he walked with a weary expression, his eyes never meeting hers while he remained quiet. She slowly closed her eyes as she was carried by the human, the human that just couldn’t bring himself to let a monster die alone in the forest.

‘Daniel…’

She felt him hold her in his arms securely as he walked through the dark forest, her mind slowly coming back to its senses after her trauma had gone away. After a while she looked to see Daniel carrying her into her home and over towards the red chair. He set her down gently on the chair then stood up, shaking his head a bit to clear his vision. Alyssa just stared up at him with wonder as he wavered slightly, the boy then looking to the staff he held in his hand. After a moment he set it beside the chair and then just looked to the witch without saying anything. There was a long silence as he just watched the witch with a weary expression, the girl looking at him curiously then slowly shaking her head.

“Why…” she said softly. She looked over the boy who was injured with disbelief.

“Why did you…” she said quietly. He wavered then dropped down to a knee, his mind starting to blur as he felt lightheaded. Alyssa jumped up and looked at him with worry as he dropped back onto the floor.

“Daniel!” she cried out. She knelt down beside the boy and held his head up slightly.

“Why did you do that? Why did you… why…” she said in disbelief.

“Because… I didn’t want a young girl to die alone in the forest,” he said quietly. She looked at him with concern then at his injuries.

“But I’m not a young girl. I’m a witch, I’m 72 years old,” she said softly.

“72 years… young,” Daniel corrected with before he passed out. Alyssa looked at him with worry then started shaking him.

“Daniel? Daniel! Wake up! Daniel!” she cried out. He lay there unconscious, not making a sound as the witch kept shaking him. Alyssa shook her head fearfully then dashed towards the door to the side and opened it, quickly running into a storeroom with shelves lined with bottles and boxes. She franticly searched through several containers and jars then around the shelves.

“No… no… no!” she yelled out before running back out into the living room. She looked around franticly as she bit her lip.

“I don’t have any healing potions ready… no… no!” she yelled out looking to the boy. She showed a pained expression as she saw him lying there on the ground unconscious, his clothing bloodied and torn. He risked his life to save her, and now was on the verge of death because of it. Alyssa looked at him with worry then up towards the ceiling where the staircase led up to. She shook her head then showed a determined expression as she held out her hand, the staff off to the side flying over to her and being gripped tightly. Aiming her staff towards the ceiling her eyes gave off a soft purple glow as she focused her magic.

*****

Triska was sitting on the grass with her sword struck into the ground next to her, holding her legs to her chest as she buried her face down into her arms. She was trying not to cry as the wind gently rolled by, her hair flowing slightly behind her.

“Daniel…” she said softly. She trembled then looked up at the clouds that were gently rolling by, her eyes trying to hold back her tears.

“I’m sorry… I failed in protecting you. I failed to save you. I’m so sorry,” she said softly before looking down at the ground and closing her eyes.

“We were going to make this journey together, just me and you. You were going to help change the world, Daniel. I just know it,” she said sadly. Wiping a tear from her cheek she looked towards the horizon with watery eyes.

“I never got a chance to tell you… I never could say it to you. I’m supposed to be the tough one, the strong one. And yet I was scared. Scared of what you might… if you didn’t…” she said before shaking her head and looking back down, holding her legs close to her.

“Daniel… I lo-”

Suddenly the ground she was on blasted up, the girl being thrown off with her sword as large green vines carved up and around through the soil. Triska rolled off into a tumble as her sword bounced around next to her, both coming to a stop as dust and dirt shot into the air from the blast. She looked over with surprise as the vines whipped around wildly in the air. Slowly she sat up as she grabbed her sword, her eyes narrowing as she watched the familiar weeds move about.

From the ground Alyssa ran up out of a new opening and looked around franticly. Triska’s eyes widened with surprise then glared at the girl with fury.

“You!” she yelled out as she held her sword towards the witch. Alyssa merely glanced over to see Triska charging towards her with her sword held up high.

“How dare you take him from me like that! I’ll kill you, Alyssa!” she roared as she closed in. Alyssa held out her staff towards the teen as it glowed orange, causing Triska’s sword to veer off and strike down into the ground with Triska flipping over it and crashing into the ground as well.

“I don’t have time to play with you now girl,” Alyssa said as she looked over to the charred remains of her carriage. She ran over towards it as Triska scrambled back to her feet.

“How could you? You bitch!” she screamed as she ran towards the witch with her sword drawn back. As Alyssa looked around at the smoldering remains of her carriage she held the staff behind her towards Triska, once again causing the teen’s sword to yank down along with her. Alyssa searched around the burnt remains of her carriage then growled with frustration. She raised her staff up then stuck it down onto the ground with a mighty thrust, sending out a ripple through the ground from her magic. The burnt pieces of wood and steel from the carriage’s remains shot up and hovered in the air above the witch as she franticly looked around at the ground. Triska scrambled back up and started to yank her sword out of the ground.

“I’m going to kill you, witch, I’m going to hack you into small bite sized pieces and feed them to the dogs! How dare you take Daniel like that! Where is he? What have you done with Daniel?” she yelled out before she finally freed her sword from its resting spot. She looked to see the witch searching around as the wreckage of her carriage floated above.

“What… what the hell are you doing now?” Triska asked, shaking her head as she saw the pieces of burnt wood and steel just floating up in the air. Alyssa waved her staff to the side and the remains of the carriage above flew off and crashed into the hillside as she knelt down and started sifting through the ashes and burned remains that still lay on the ground.

“Please… there has to be some left... just a drop… please,” she said desperately as she ran her staff through the remains. She looked back to see Triska swinging her sword towards her, then jumped back and held her staff out towards the girl. The sword stopped in place as Triska growled with frustration, the teen quickly unsheathing her dagger then lunging forward with that as well. Alyssa focused her magic and stopped the blade in place, with Triska trying to push forward with both weapons while growling furiously.

“Would you knock it off?” Alyssa barked out at the teen.

“Me? You’re the one that kidnapped Daniel to have your way with him!” Triska yelled out as she struggled to push her weapons towards the little girl. Alyssa growled then pushed the teen away with a burst of her magic, glaring at her with frustration.

“I didn’t do anything to him for your information, now back off! He needs me!” she shouted out. Triska roared as she swung towards her with both weapons again, both being stopped once more by the witch’s magic.

“Needs you? You’re the last thing anybody needs! You’re just like all the other monsters out there; only wanting to use him to make children with! You’re despicable! All he wanted to do was to make peace with you, and what do you do? You try to rape him!” Triska yelled as she tried pushing the two blades towards the witch.

“I told you I never touched him, he’s still a virgin!” Alyssa yelled back. Triska stopped in place and blinked, then looked at Alyssa curiously.

“He’s a virgin still? Really?” she asked in wonder. She shook her head then resumed trying to push forward with her weapons.

“If anybody’s going to change that about him it’s going to be m-” she started before her weapons were yanked to the side then down to the ground, the teen crashing down with them with a yell. Alyssa shook her head then looked back down to the remains of her carriage.

“I don’t have time for this, Daniel needs me,” she said with frustration as she waved her staff around. The loose bits of wood and ashes around the area flew up in a circle then over to the side wildly. Triska looked to seeing the witch digging around the remains of the carriage franticly.

“What are you talking about? Where is he? What the hell are you doing?” Triska yelled as she got to her feet with both weapons in her hands. Alyssa sifted around the remains then picked up a broken bottle, the bottom half all that remained in one piece still. Inside there were a few drops of a red liquid that the witch looked to with hopeful eyes.

“Please let it be enough,” Alyssa said softly. She looked back to see Triska running towards her with fire in her eyes. The teen yelled and swung her sword towards the witch who ducked back and darted around her. Alyssa dashed towards the entrance in the ground as Triska gave chase with her sword drawn to the side.

“Get back here so I can slaughter you!” she yelled out.

Alyssa hopped down into the entrance and skidded down the wooden steps on her boots, holding onto the broken bottle desperately as she raced down the stairs. She ran over to the injured Daniel then quickly kneeled next to him, watching him with worry as she held the broken bottle towards his mouth.

“Daniel! Please, drink this, you have to!” she cried out. Hearing footsteps she looked over to see Triska racing down the stairs. Triska looked around with wide eyes as the house a mess all over along with the scenery outside having changed drastically compared to earlier.

“What the hell happened here- AHH!” she screamed as her eyes rested on Daniel, the boy lying on the ground bleeding and motionless. Triska stared at her friend with shock then towards Alyssa with murder in her eyes.