chronicles of eden - act I (52 page)

"If you know this then why are you intending to go out into the world
looking
for them? This book here was put together to warn you where these monsters are and how to avoid them, not to go seeking them out," she explained with concern. He nodded then glanced to her.

"I know it seems crazy, but I have my reasons," he replied with a shrug. She looked at him curiously then down to his book.

"What reason would you have for wanting to find them? Are you some sort of monster hunter?" she asked looking back to him. He chuckled and shook his head.

"No no, nothing like that. It's… well, you wouldn't understand," he said looking back down to his book. She examined him with puzzlement then put her hands at her hips with an annoyed expression.

"What do you mean I wouldn't understand? I'm not stupid you know, I can handle information of any caliber. I can read and understand any book here in this library, so don't think whatever you're doing is beyond my comprehension," she stated assertively as she adjusted her glasses. Daniel glanced to her then looked back to his book with a small smirk.

"I see, I didn't mean to insult you in any way. What I meant was you may understand what I say, but you'd still think it's crazy regardless," he said with a shrug. She looked at him curiously then sat down next to him.

"Ok, now you've got my curiosity piqued. If you're not a monster hunter then why are you looking for them? Are you a researcher or something?" she asked. Daniel glanced up in thought then shook his head.

"Not quite. More like… an ambassador," he mused with a small chuckle.

"Ambassador?" she asked curiously. He nodded then looked over to her with a small smile.

"You see, I'm not looking to start a fight with any of them that I meet. I'm looking to see if… if they would be willing to give peace a chance between us," he said gently. The girl stared at him for a moment then raised an eyebrow.

"To give… peace a chance?" she asked slowly. He nodded then looked back down to his book with a sigh.

"I told you you'd think I was crazy," he said simply. After a pause he glanced back over to see the girl looking at him curiously still.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" he replied confusedly.

"How do you intend to do that?" she asked tilting her head curiously. He smiled slightly then looked back down to his book as he turned the page.

"The only way I know how. I'm going to travel the lands looking for them, and try talking to them," he explained calmly. After another pause he glanced back over to see the girl still looking at him curiously. She just sat there, not laughing or making any kind of odd facial expressions at his plan. She glanced down to his book then back to him with a small smile.

"You're just going to travel the outerlands looking for these monsters, and hope that when you meet them they'll just talk to you rather than rape you to death?" she questioned, her words although sounding curious having no hint of ridicule or judgment in them. Daniel nodded and smiled with a slight amount of self-amusement.

"Yeah, that's my brilliant plan," he answered. She looked at him curiously then shook her head while her smile remained.

"Well, you're certainly the first person I've ever heard of that thought of such an idea before, but that seems like you're throwing your life away in doing so. What if you come across a monster that doesn't want to talk and instead wants you just for your seed?" she asked curiously. Daniel nodded slowly then looked up as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, that is something to be worried about I suppose," he said softly.

"Well yes, it is. Yet you don't seem worried at all," she commented as she observed him. He chuckled and shook his head in response.

"No, I guess I'm not. After all I've had good luck so far… sort of," he reasoned.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked puzzled. He glanced to her and then turned a few pages in his book, showing her the listing for a monster class. She looked to it curiously as she adjusted her glasses.

"I've already met two monsters before coming here," he explained as she read the listing regarding the 'Witch' monster class. She looked to him with wide eyes and a small jump.

"Wait, you have?" she asked as she tried to keep her voice down. He nodded then turned the page and showed her his entry regarding the 'Ant Girl' monster class.

"Yeah, sort of ran into them on my way here. At first they were going to do what monsters do, try to take me away by force and have their way with me. The witch was about to charm me and keep me in her home and the ant girls were going to keep me with the other men they've collected in their nest. But…" he said before looking down. The girl watched him with wonder as she waited for him to continue. He smiled then set his book back down on the table.

"But they proved my theory right," he said softly.

"Your theory?" the girl asked curiously. Daniel nodded then looked to her with a calm smile.

"That they can fight their inner nature, that they can remain in control of themselves. That we can coexist together peacefully in this world," he explained. She looked at him with wonder then down to his book, remaining silent as the hushed voices of other people were faintly heard around them.

"Coexist? You think humans and monsters can… coexist?" she asked quietly. Daniel nodded as he looked at his book.

"I know we can. That witch and ant girl I met, they fought their nature for me; they stopped themselves and their own kind from using me as a breeding tool. They're fighting their nature right now while they travel with me on my journey," he said calmly.

"What? You're traveling with… two monsters? Really?" she asked looking to him with surprise.

"That's right, they offered to come along with me as both proof to my belief and to help me in case I run into any trouble out there," he replied. After a pause he looked over to see the girl staring at him with wonder still.

"You're serious, you think humans and monsters can live together?" she asked quietly. He nodded then looked down with a solemn expression.

"I know, you think it's outrageous, that I'm crazy. I don't expect you to understand," he said softly. Glancing over to the side he saw the girl still sitting there, not moving or laughing at him at all.

"How come… how come you want humans and monsters to coexist? I've never heard of anyone preaching such… unique beliefs," she inquired curiously. Although she seemed surprised by his intentions, she didn't make any comments questioning his sanity at all.

"Well, for one not all monsters are evil at heart. Sure, there are some out there that are truly malicious, the real Darker Ones of the world. But not all of them have to be our enemies. Some have weapons and magic beyond what we can make, and others have medicine that's more effective than our own. We can help each other, become allies in the world against the real monsters out there, the ones that would kill both man and monster alike," he reasoned as the girl watched him closely. She just stared at him, not moving or saying a word. After a while she looked down, the light against her glasses causing a soft glare that hid her eyes.

"You really believe that? You really believe that humans and monsters can live together?" she asked quietly.

"I know we can. I was saved by one when I was a little boy; I remember it clear as day. A monster saved my life, how could something that would save a young boy be evil? And the witch and ant girl I've come across, they've agreed to give peace a chance, to hopefully sway their own kind into talking peacefully with humans. They're not evil, not at all," he said shaking his head. The girl looked back up to him with worried eyes, her hands fidgeting a bit in her lap. He looked at her with remorse then back down to his book.

"I know what you're thinking, what everybody would think if they heard this. That it's crazy, that I'm crazy. Well I don't think it's crazy, not at all. I've already found two monsters that are willing to give peace a chance, two monsters that fought their inner nature to help me. There must be more out there, I just know it," he said softly. She looked at him for a moment then down to the book from the library with a gentle gaze.

"You're not crazy," she said quietly. Daniel looked over to her curiously as she turned a few pages in the book.

"But you are wrong regarding the monsters you found," she said shaking her head. Daniel sighed and looked back down at the table.

"I know you think they're going to take me away, that they can't be trusted, that they're just lustful monsters like all the others out there. But I trust them with my life, I know they believe in us coexisting as much as I do," he said closing his eyes. The girl glanced to him as she turned to another page, and then gently pushed the book over in front of him.

"That's not what I meant," she said looking to him. He glanced to her then down to the book, reading the entry that was in front of him.

Monster class: Nixie. Found in rivers and large bodies of water. These water spirits are generally peaceful and reclusive in nature, however can become hostile if threatened or provoked. They are capable of breathing underwater and using unique magical spells, including the ability to charm men they come into contact with. Although rare to find, they are considered dangerous and to be avoided at all costs, especially if they are in the water.

Daniel examined the entry then glanced over to the girl who was looking at him with gentle eyes. They sat there in silence for a moment before she smiled at him.

"I mean you've found
three
that wish to coexist," she said softly. Daniel stared at her with a curious expression then slowly showed surprise as he realized what she was getting at.

"Wait, you… you're a-" he started before she quickly held a hand over his mouth and shook her head worriedly.

"Please be quiet, don't let anyone hear you," she pleaded quietly. She looked around quickly as the boy stared at her with wide eyes. Slowly she removed her hand as she looked back to him with a timid expression.

"You're… a monster too?" he asked quietly. She glanced around to make sure nobody was nearby, then slowly lifted her hands up and brought her hair back around her ears. Daniel saw that underneath her brunette locks she had teal colored hair that went down to her shoulders, being concealed completely by her wig. And behind that were her ears, which were light green reptilian fins, the ridges being pointed as they stuck out a bit from her head. She looked at him with worried eyes and nodded slowly before dropping her hair back down, covering the sight of her unique features.

"Please don't tell anyone, they would never let me stay here if they knew," she said quietly. Daniel looked around then back to the girl with curious eyes.

"You're a monster? What are you doing here though?" he asked quietly. She looked down with worried eyes as her hands fidgeted in her lap.

"I'm afraid that I'm a rather poor specimen of my race. All the rest of my kind stay near the water, waiting for men to wander by, and living quietly while hidden from the world. But… I…" she said before she bit her lip slightly. She breathed out then looked around at the library they were in.

"But I love being here," she said softly, her eyes seeming to gaze around with an adoring expression.

"Here? In a library?" Daniel asked curiously. She smiled and shook her head amusingly before looking back to Daniel.

"No, I love being around humans. Not just men, but woman and children too. I love the cities you build, the art you create, the music you play, and I absolutely love the books you make. Such vivid and creative stories, so full of life and wonder, it’s amazing," she praised gently. Daniel stared at her with wonder, surprised to hear a monster talk about mankind in such a way. She sighed and looked down with a remorseful expression, her eyes seeming to be fighting back tears.

"You think you're crazy for wanting us to coexist? I don't think so, not at all. I wish I could stay here and not have to hide what I am, to be free to see the world of man without being feared or hated. I'm not a bad monster, really. I've never even charmed a single human in all my life, I’m still a virgin even," she said before looking back up to him with worried eyes. Daniel looked at her with wonder then to the book showing the monster entry about her race. She sighed then looked down with a saddened smile.

"You're not crazy to want us to coexist. I want that as well," she said gently. Daniel looked at her with amazement, stunned to hear that a monster had the same dreams that he did.

"You do?" he asked softly. She nodded and looked at him with a gentle smile.

"I do, I don't want to leave your world, it's so beautiful here," she said appreciatively.

"Specca," a voice came from nearby. The girl jumped with a squeak then looked behind to seeing an older gentleman standing there, the human dressed in finer clothing with a monocle over his left eye.

"What are you doing, you're not here to talk to our patrons, get back to work," he said crossing his arms with a scoff. Specca nodded quickly as she hopped to her feet.

"Yes, Mr. Ritmore, right away. Sorry, Mr. Ritmore," she said nervously. The man nodded then looked to Daniel with a small smile.

"I apologize if this one was bothering you, she normally keeps to herself while working," he said kindly before glancing to the girl. Daniel glanced to him then back to Specca who was looking down with worried eyes, her hands fidgeting together as she kept them in front of her.

"No, not at all. In fact she was assisting me with something very important, she's being very helpful," Daniel reassured with a smile. Specca glanced to him with a curious eye as the older man nodded.

"I see. Very well then, however you need to get back to work, young lady, and pick up those books on the floor," he said glancing to the books that she had dropped earlier. Specca nodded then quickly scrambled to pick them up with haste.

"Yes, right away," she said quickly. The man glanced back to Daniel then walked off as Specca finished picking up the books. She watched him walk away then looked back over to Daniel as he was smiling gently at her.