chronicles of eden - act I (78 page)

"But… you need to feed too, mas-… I mean, you need to eat too, Daemon," she said softly. He glanced to her then over to Rulo, the orc looking at him with gentle eyes while she was digging into the deer face first. He then walked over towards her while unsheathing his blade, his eyes narrowing a bit as the orc showed a worried expression and whimpered. Sasha watched him with wonder while Rulo trembled in fear, shakily looking up to him as he stood over her and the deer with his blade in his hand.

"Um… master?" she squeaked out.

"What did I just tell you?" he asked as he slowly geared back his blade. She oinked and looked down, shutting her eyes in fear, while Sasha watched with slightly widened eyes.

"I'm sorry, Daemon!" Rulo cried out. He struck down and into the deer with a slick crunch, his blade reflecting some sunlight as he held it firmly. Rulo slowly opened her eyes and looked up to him, breathing quietly while her mouth quivered. He slowly pulled out his blade with some of the meat stuck to the end, lifting it up and taking a bite out of it. Rulo looked up at him as she was trembling still while Sasha stared at him with wonder. He turned and walked back towards the tree and glanced to the reptile girl as he held the meat skewered on his blade.

"You have some deer blood on your cheek, please clean it off," he said before walking over toward the tree and leaning against it again. Sasha slowly lifted a hand up to her cheek and wiped off the blood with her reptilian hand, slowly licking her fingers and cleaning them as she stared at the boy with awe. She blinked then looked over to Rulo with a stern expression.

"Hurry up and finish eating, do not make him wait any longer," she ordered firmly. Rulo jumped a bit then resumed eating with a quickened pace as Sasha looked back to Daemon, the human casually taking another bite out of the deer meat on his sword. His cold blue eyes seemed to watch the horizon closely while he held his sword with his gloved hand. Sasha licked her lips slowly as she watched him stand there, keeping her focus on him as her hair swayed in the breeze.

"Master…" she said quietly to herself.

*****

Running along a worn dirt road Lucky was moving at a quickened pace, the single horse pulling a larger caravan behind him with relative ease. As the horse made its way along the path Alyssa was sitting in the front with Daniel next to her, the boy looking around at the surrounding landscape of the outerlands with wonder while the witch was humming a happy tune to herself as she held onto the reins. Sitting inside the cabin Squeak was leaning against the wall with her insect abdomen sticking out to the side while her legs were laying beneath her, the ant girl looking ahead out the entrance at Daniel with a curious eye. Across from her Triska was sitting against the wall while looking at the map they had of the area, wondering what types of monsters near them they would encounter, and whether they would be up for even listening to Daniel rather than trying to get his pants off. Next to her Specca was sitting against the wall with her legs and tail laying in front her, reading one of Daniel's books with a calm smile.

"Alyssa, are you sure Lucky can't just run all night like he did before? The elven forest is really far off and we need all the time we can get to talk to them and any others we find along the way," Triska called up to Alyssa. The witch shook her head as the others looked over to Triska.

"I'm double sure, Triska, this isn't the safe zone behind Ashwood you know. We don't want Lucky running into trouble or have us asleep if trouble runs into us," Alyssa said while looking around the area with a calm glance.

"She's right, Triska, there are humans
and
monsters out around us now, and we need to be alert when we're moving around out here. In the outerlands there's no law enforcement from human civilization," Specca added looking to over to the girl. Triska looked up with a groan and shook her head.

"We would make so much more progress if Lucky traveled during the night though, and we haven't seen anyone or anything out here ever since we left the city," she complained looking back over to Alyssa. The witch didn't look back to her as she kept humming a happy tune to herself.

"Maybe we should listen to them on this, Triska, they have been out here before," Daniel reasoned with a shrug.

"But we need to find support for this and fast; Squeak's nest is in danger if it moves any closer to Ashwood," Triska said looking over to the ant girl. Squeak merely squeaked a few times with a worried expression before Daniel looked back over to her.

"We will, we won't let her nest be wiped out. I promise, Squeak," he said gently. Squeak looked at him with concern as the others looked over to her. He smiled a bit then looked down with a focused expression.

"But we can't rush this, if we travel during the night and run into trouble while we're unprepared then we'll be even more likely to fail in getting support or even reaching Rockhelm to talk to the queen. We need to be smart out here, and travel carefully. I trust Alyssa and Specca's judgment that it's too dangerous to travel during the night," he said assuredly. Specca looked over to Squeak then down as Alyssa nodded in agreement. Triska showed a worried expression then looked down to the map in her lap with a sigh, eyeing the incredible distance between where they were and where they wanted to go. Daniel watched Squeak as the ant girl was looking down with a worried expression.

"We have time everybody. Even if Squeak's nest does keep moving it'll take them at least a few months to slowly move their entire nest within Ashwood's surrounding area. We can do this, we just need to make sure to be careful and not make foolish mistakes," he said assuredly.

"Daniel's right," Specca said softly, with everybody then looking over to her. She smiled timidly and looked back down to the book she was holding.

"Even though the elven forest is far away we still have time to reach it and even make the lengthy trip to Rockhelm as well. As long as we take the proper precautions and travel safely we'll be just fine," she agreed softly. Triska looked at her with concern and shook her head.

"But we not only need to reach Rockhelm but also figure out some way to talk to
and
convince the queen of this region that certain monsters can be our allies. Not only is she most likely going to think we're crazy but even if she does approve of such an idea it'll take time to implement it and even send word to Ashwood, where they'll also have to arrange some sort of way of coexisting with the ant girls near them," she argued before looking over to Squeak. The ant girl looked at her worriedly as Daniel showed a troubled expression. Triska glanced around at the group before continuing.

"Plus, in order for the queen to even believe Daniel in the least we'll need support from more monster races. We have an ambassador from the ant girls’ nest who can't speak on her own, a witch who can't talk to her own people about this, and a nixie who doesn't have any support from her own race. Even if the elves agree to aid us we don't have enough to make a strong enough voice with this, we still need more help," she said before looking down to the map with frustration. Specca looked at her with concern then down as Alyssa closed her eyes while looking forward still. Silence filled the cabin as the only sounds heard were Lucky trotting ahead while the wheels under the caravan rolled over the dirt road.

"Then we'll get help," Daniel said with determination. The girls looked to him as he had a focused expression while looking down at the floor.

"But from who? The elves are far off from here, and even if we do go after the bovinettes and harpies it sounds like they won't add much if anything to our cause," Triska asked shaking her head.

"We'll have to search out others around the region, even ones that may be more dangerous to approach," Daniel reasoned.

"But… Daniel," Specca said worriedly. He looked over to her causing the nixie to jump a bit, the girl seeing the sheer determination in his eyes.

"I know, Specca, those three are the only safe ones remotely close to us. But we have to try with others as well. I know it's dangerous and you're trying to help by having us steer clear of them, but we need all the help we can get," he said assuredly. Specca looked at him with wonder then with a bit of concern.

"But… what if they don't listen? What if they try to take you away? You said it yourself that we needed to travel carefully and not make foolish mistakes, well taking you right into talking distance of most of the monsters out there is something I would consider a foolish mistake," she pointed out.

"That's why we're out here with him, Specca. I'd die first before I would let any monster take Daniel away from me," Triska said firmly while looking at the map, meaning what she said about both the monsters around the world as well as the ones in the caravan.

"I'm certain many of the hostile monsters in the region would be just fine with that, Triska," Specca commented with a glance to her. Alyssa sighed and glanced back to them.

"Hey, this is Daniel's call remember?" she asked simply. The group looked to her as she smiled at the boy with a cute expression.

"I'll keep you safe no matter what you come across, I promise. Wherever you wish to go Lucky and I will take you there without question," she said gently. Daniel smiled as the other girls looked at the witch with dull expressions.

"Hey, what do you think
I'm
here for?" Triska barked out. Alyssa looked back to her with a raised eyebrow.

"Good question," she said flatly. Triska growled as she reached for her sword. Alyssa narrowed her eyes and reached out for her staff before Daniel took hold of her hand, the witch and girls all looking to him instantly with a bit of surprise.

"She's out here for the same reason you are, Alyssa, to help us with our journey. She risked her own life to help save you against that succubus back in Ashwood, remember?" he asked gently. Alyssa looked at him with wonder as he held her hand with his, and then glanced down to them.

"But… she didn't… I was the one who…" she said before looking up at him again, losing her trail of thought as he held her hand.

"And she was the one who showed Squeak's queen that humans can help them, not by being breeders but by helping them clear out those ant-lionesses," Daniel continued, with Triska looking at him with a soft smile. Alyssa held his hand gently and slowly leaned closer to him.

"But I've provided you a ride for your journey, as well as offered to be your
personal
bodyguard out here. I'm all the protection you really need out here, much more than her sword," she said softly. He smiled curiously and slowly held his other hand on her waist, the girl blushing as she jumped in surprise. The other girls watched with shock as he leaned in closer to her.

"Daniel…" Alyssa breathed out as her heart started to pound steadily.

"Daniel? Daniel!" Triska cried out.

"What's he doing?" Specca asked fearfully as Squeak watched with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth.

Daniel smirked then quickly swiped his hand up and grabbed the witch's necklace, yanking the trinket off of her neck with a quick snap. Alyssa looked at him with surprise as he held the focuser off to the side while he smiled knowingly at the witch.

"Daniel? What are you doing?" Alyssa cried out as she tried to reach for it. He grabbed her hand and held her back, the girl looking at him with surprise as the other girls watched him carefully.

"You know, if I were to take Triska's sword or Squeak's pickaxe away, I'm pretty sure they would still be able to kick my ass," he pointed out with an amused smile. Triska and Squeak glanced to each other then looked back to Daniel as he looked at the crystal focuser in his hand.

"With a witch however, no matter how powerful they are or experienced with their magic they may be, taking away their focuser renders them defenseless," he continued. Alyssa looked at him with wonder as he gently brought over the crystal and placed it in her hand, closing her fingers around it as she stared at him with a blush. He was right, without her focuser she was powerless, as frail as a young human girl. Without her magic even Daniel would be stronger than her and be able to overpower her without trouble.

"If something were to take that away from you, Alyssa, then
I
would need to defend
you
, and as much as I would desire to do so, I may not be able to guarantee your safety from everything out there," he said gently. She looked at him with loving eyes then down to her focuser. He smiled a bit then looked over to the other girls as they were watching him curiously.

"You would need them to defend you, to help you just as I would need their help as well," he said kindly. The other girls smiled at him as Alyssa slowly put back on her necklace, the witch looking at him with wonder. He looked back to her then to her necklace as he slowly reached out and held it gently, leaning closer to examine the relic.

"You may be the famous Wildfire Witch, but if this is taken away you become another little girl out in the world," he said looking up into her eyes. She stared into his eyes as he was so close to her, slowly nodding in agreement.

"Uh huh…" she said quietly, only partially listening to what he was saying.

"And if that happens, Triska's sword may be the only thing that could protect you," Daniel reasoned. Alyssa blinked then glanced to Triska, the teen smiling arrogantly while leaning back against the wall with her arms crossed. Daniel let go of the focuser and sat back upright as he looked at the witch with a gentle smile.

"We're all out here together, to help each other. To coexist. That is something you believe in, isn't it, Alyssa?" he asked. She looked to him and nodded eagerly. He smiled a bit at her as she looked down at her focuser crystal.

"And it's because of who I'm traveling with that I feel brave enough to seek out the more dangerous monsters in the world. Without all of you with me I know my journey would come to a quick end, hell it almost did back at the ant girls’ nest," he said with a shrug and a small laugh. The other girls looked at him with slight smirks then glanced to each other. Alyssa watched a glimmer of light shine from her focuser, and then looked back up to Daniel with a gentle gaze.