Chronicles of Eden - Act 2 (113 page)

“And we’ve come to realize that… we really don’t want to say goodbye to one another. If you had picked one of us, we would have had to, and we would have been sad,” she reasoned. Daniel stuttered some form of response, which wasn’t anything coherent, then shook his head before showing a bewildered look on his face.

“But… I thought me picking
all
of you was a cowardly and pathetic thing to do. I mean, couples in love normally don’t involve more than two people, right? Isn’t the man supposed to just choose
one
woman to love in his life?” he asked nervously.

Squeak started squeaking something at him, with the group watching as she showed a saddened smile and gestured around at all the girls one by one with strange and indecipherable hand signals before she motioned to Daniel and shook her head with a shrug as she kept saying something in her own language. After a while of silence passed Daniel just showed a nervous smile at the girls.

“Am I tripping on Squeak’s pheromones still? Is this a dream?” he asked, with Squeak showing a puzzled expression as she failed to see how her reassuring words didn’t reach the boy at all.

“No, Daniel, you’re not dreaming. This is how we really feel. And you’re not cowardly with picking all of us, it’s actually what we wanted all along,” Specca said with a small laugh while gesturing around at all the girls.

“We love you, and we love each other, this is what we want. You made the right choice,” Alyssa agreed with a small hop.

“You said you loved us all equally, that you couldn’t pick among us because we were all so special to you. Well, Daniel, we’re fine with that, but you’d better take responsibility,” Triska said with an accusing smile as she shook a finger at him. Daniel looked at her worriedly then around at the other girls as all of them showed promiscuous smiles.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked nervously.

“You’d better love us all, Daniel, just like you said you would,” Specca replied before all the girls tackled him down onto the bed together, the boy shaking his head a bit before looking up to seeing all four girls smiling down at him with loving eyes.

“We’re all yours, Daniel, so you’d better take good care of us,” Alyssa giggled.

Squeak nodded and squeaked something that was presumed to be in agreement.

“This is all your fault, Daniel,” Triska said softly. Daniel looked at her curiously as she gently rested a hand on his cheek.

“You’re just too desirable.”

*****

As the morning light slowly crept across the land a few rays from the sun pierced through the leaves and branches of a small woodland, the sounds of birds chirping before flying off from their nests in the trees being heard as a calm breeze blew by. Lying on the grass in a small clearing Forrus was on her back while her tail twitched slightly as the warm sunlight rested on it. After a while the lycan slowly opened her eyes with a quiet yawn, her arms stretching out slightly as she awoke from her slumber. Almost instantly afterwards she quickly sat up and looked around, seeming to panic for a moment before seeing Sasha sleeping against a tree nearby. The reptile girl had her sword struck into the ground at her side while her arms were crossed in her lap, her tail resting next to her while her chest moved only slightly with each quiet breath she took. Cradled in her arms was the artifact that had been entrusted to her, with Forrus slowly standing up and watching as Sasha seemed to hold the relic close even in her sleep. Glancing around the lycan saw no sign of Daemon or Rulo, a quiet nervous whine escaping her lips as she seemed troubled by something.

“My lord, where did you go?” she asked looking around quickly. Turning back to Sasha she slowly approached the reptile girl, watching as her fellow companion remained perfectly still while holding the artifact close to her. As Forrus got closer Sasha’s eyes snapped open, seeming to pierce right through the lycan’s with a cold stare that caused the monster to halt instantly.

“You’re awake,” Forrus said curiously. Sasha merely stared at her while remaining silent, with the lycan looking around quickly then back to her with concern.

“I just awoke as well, where is-”

“He’s around, just as she is, calm down,” Sasha interrupted as she looked down to the relic in her arms, her hands slowly moving to hold the object with a gentle touch.

“Did he sleep last night? I remember him standing guard nearby while I drifted to sleep, but that wasn’t too long ago,” Forrus questioned while looking around again with confusion.

“He sleeps when he wants to, never before,” Sasha replied, seeming very cryptic at the least as she just examined the relic in her hands. Forrus looked back to her curiously then over to seeing Rulo walking back towards the clearing with her hammer held over her shoulder while dragging a dead bear behind her, the large animal trailing blood behind it from where its head was smashed in from the orc’s weapon.

“So the mutt’s finally awake, about time,” Rulo said dryly before she dropped the bear down next to Sasha, the reptile girl merely glancing to it briefly before looking back to the artifact.

“You brought us a
bear
for breakfast?” Forrus asked with wonder. Rulo scoffed and dropped her hammer down to the ground with a heavy thump.

“No, I brought
myself
a bear for breakfast, go get your own food,” she snapped before she looked to the large animal with a hungry smile.

“Rulo, you know how you get when you eat bear, go find a deer or even a horse if you’re that hungry,” Sasha commented dryly. Rulo rolled her eyes then knelt down by the bear as she ripped open its side with her bare hands, blood and small pieces of flesh pouring onto the ground and her hands as she licked her lips in anticipation.

“Weren’t any around, besides, I’m hungry,” she replied causally before she just stuck her face into the animal and started eating with heavy grunts and oinks.

“When she eats a bear she does so like a pig?” Forrus asked flatly, with Rulo glancing back to her with a loud oink and a glare before resuming with her meal. Sasha stood up while holding the artifact in hand before she grabbed her sword and yanked up from its resting place sharply, taking a moment to glance to Rulo with a dull look then walking away.

“If you think an orc smells bad to begin with, I wouldn’t recommend being around her when she eats bear meat,” she mentioned as she walked out of the clearing. Forrus watched her go then looked to Rulo with an uneasy frown, the orc just eating her meal like a wild animal. Not wishing to find out just how foul the air around Rulo would get soon Forrus quickly followed after Sasha, the reptile girl walking out of the wooded area and stopping next to a boulder as her eyes slowly gazed around at the rolling fields before her. Forrus slowly walked up next to her before the reptile girl leaned back against the boulder while looking to the artifact in her hand, seeming to guard it as if it were her own newborn daughter.

“Have you nothing to carry that treasure in? We shouldn’t let something as important to my lord be seen in plain sight,” Forrus asked curiously.

“If I did I would, however we travel with only the necessities, nothing more,” Sasha replied simply. Forrus looked at the artifact with a careful eye, seeing the relic’s indentations giving off a faint blue glow briefly.

“So that’s part of the key to the City of Eden, it’s quite unsettling to know what that accursed thing will unlock,” she mentioned cautiously. Sasha just kept looking at the artifact in silence before her eyes quickly snapped over to the side, with Forrus then turning to see Daemon walking towards them. He had his hand resting on his sword’s handle while he was glancing around the area with a casual eye, the two monster girls watching him closely as he walked by them in silence. After a few more steps he stopped and glanced back to Forrus, the lycan then smiling gratefully with a small bow.

“My lord, it’s good to see you on this morning. When I awoke you were gone, and I feared that… well, never mind,” she said before turning her head away with a worried smile. Daemon just watched her for a moment before looking ahead at the nearby woodland.

“You won’t be abandoned out here with us, if that’s what’s concerning you. However, you slept longer than needed, we should have been on the move by now,” he said calmly, with Forrus jumping with a small gasp before shaking her head with pleading eyes.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware of-”

“I know you’re not aware of our ways, so I let that slide and had Sasha watch over you until you woke up. From now on though we do need to keep moving, our rest stops during so are limited, keep that in mind,” Daemon said simply, with Forrus looking at him with wonder then to Sasha, the reptile girl still just keeping her eyes on the boy without even glancing to the lycan.

“Master, Rulo found a bear this morning, I wouldn’t recommend going in there for her,” Sasha warned shaking her head.

“Sasha,” Daemon said expectedly. Sasha flinched then looked down with remorse.

“I mean, Daemon,” she said softly. Forrus glanced to her then to Daemon with a curious eye.

“My lord, may I ask you a question?” she inquired. Daemon merely nodded while slowly gazing around at the area, remaining silent while Forrus watched him carefully.

“How is it you can keep going each day without resting? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you sleeping once since I’ve joined you and your companions with your quest. Aren’t you tired at all?” she asked.

“I’ll rest when I need to, and not before,” Daemon replied while still keeping his eyes away from the lycan.

“Told you,” Sasha mentioned flatly as she looked to the lycan with a dull stare.

“But, my lord, you haven’t even eaten anything since we first met, aren’t you hungry at all?” Forrus asked worriedly. Daemon paused for a moment then slowly looked to her with a blank expression, the lycan eyeing him over curiously as she felt something wasn’t normal about him.

“A human, and even a monster, would need to feed and rest to keep their strength up and mind sharp. You have done neither for so long, yet you show no signs of fatigue or wear, I don’t understand how,” she questioned. Daemon turned to face her before slowly walking towards the girl, with Forrus then showing a nervous expression as the boy’s cold blue eyes seemed to pierce right through her.

“I’m sorry if I’m speaking out of line, I just don’t understand how you’re able to-”

“Forrus,” Daemon interrupted, with the lycan halting and trembling slightly in fear that she may have angered him. Sasha merely looked back down to the artifact in her hand while Daemon lightly drummed his fingers on his sword’s handle.

“I’ll eat when I’m hungry, I’ll sleep when I’m tired, and not before, is that understood?” he questioned. Forrus slowly nodded as the human turned to glance up at the sky behind him, watching as a bird flew out from a tree into the air with a few chirps.

“If you are hungry I suggest you find something to eat quickly, we will be moving out again very soon,” he said, with the lycan watching him curiously as he waited for a while before turning to her with a raised eyebrow.

“What?” he asked.

“I’d much rather hunt something for you, and not for myself. Are you sure you are not in need of anything this morning?” she asked kindly. Daemon merely shook his head, the lycan then smiling and giving a polite bow to him.

“Very well, I shall return shortly,” she said before quickly taking off along a field of swaying tall grass. As Forrus ran off with her tail wagging behind her Daemon glanced to Sasha as the reptile girl was watching the artifact in her hand carefully.

“Sasha, I trust you won’t drop that while it’s in your care,” Daemon mentioned simply. Sasha shook her head then looked to him with a proud smile.

“I would die before ever letting
anyone
take what belongs to you, not even that succubus shall pry this from my hands,” she promised, with Daemon nodding once before looking up at the sky again with a distant gaze. Sasha then looked at him curiously while her tail slowly shifted around on the rock she was leaning against.

“If I may ask, why did you entrust it to me and not the others?” she asked.

“Because I chose to at the time, that’s all there is to it. Don’t make me regret that decision,” Daemon said simply. Sasha watched him with longing eyes then nodded with a small smile.

“I won’t, I promise,” she assured. Her eyes then slowly glanced to his sword, the smile on her face fading into a frown before she looked down at the relic she had been entrusted with.

“I do wish we could celebrate our finding and securing this piece for you,” she said softly. Daemon slowly glanced over to her as she tilted her head slightly while shifting her hips over to the side a bit, her tail slowly sliding along the rock and into the air before she looked back to him with a saddened smile.

“I would gladly do anything you asked of me.
Anything
,” she said with a small shrug.

“Sasha,” Daemon said expectedly, with the reptile girl nodding and lowering her head with closed eyes.

“I know, such a thing is out of the question, you have your duty to fulfill above all else, that cannot be put aside for anything. Just know that…” she said before slowly looking to him with longing eyes as a faint blush formed on her cheeks.

“I
am
yours, now and for all time,” she vowed, with Daemon watching her for a moment before he looked away while remaining silent. Sasha closed her eyes as she tried to control her feelings then looked to his sword that he had sheathed at his side, a feeling of pride for who she served coming across her along with a sense of spite for that magical blade that he wielded, for she knew the legend behind it quite well.

And she knew how it was always going to be between her and the one she wished to mate with.

In the world of Eden, there were three ways that could help convince others to believe the words of an idealist. One was if the doubters experienced the horrible consequences of what the visionary warned them about, showing that the message they questioned was real. Another would be for them to witness the speaker standing in the face of danger for them with his beliefs, proving that he wanted to help even at the cost of his own life. And finally there was the direct approach, with the idealist demonstrating their beliefs firsthand, letting their actions speak louder than words so they would not be ignored. However they managed to get themselves to be heard, all that mattered in the end was that they were heard by those around them.