Chronicles of Eden - Act V (48 page)

“I hope that fairy blows you all to pieces,” Clover snapped before she left the cabin and jumped onto the ground. She stumbled with her footing at first then started walking off while yanking her cowl over her head and holstering her bow around her shoulder. Kroanette watched her go then hopped back onto the front seat and smiled weakly at Daniel.

“Well, it was a pleasure to have met her,” she quipped with a shrug.

“What a bitch,” Alyssa said shaking her head.

“I’m still amazed elves really are so… vulgar,” Specca mentioned while finishing getting dressed.

“Guess we can cross them off our list,” Triska mused as she put her pants on.

Daniel nodded then noticed Falla was just watching him while remaining silent. One by one all the girls realized this and turned to Falla as she stared at Daniel curiously.

“Falla? Are you feeling better now?” Daniel asked, getting only a nod out of the girl while she didn’t move to get out of bed or even brush away a few locks of hair that dropped over her eyes. After that got nothing else out of her Daniel smiled a bit and looked to Complica while she was still holding onto Triska.

“And how are you feeling now, Complica?” he kindly said. Complica glanced to him then looked up to Triska with eyes of wonder as she seemed to hold her closer.

“Why did you save me yesterday like that how come you came after me who are you where did you learn to fight with a sword like that that was so amazing I’ve never seen anyone fight like that before actually I’ve never seen anyone fight at all before you were so cool the way you were swinging and shouting I couldn’t believe someone like you came to find me who are you your name’s Triska right I like that name I’ve never heard that name before where did you come-” she rambled all in one go before frantically gasping for air as she clung to Triska’s side. Everyone just stared at her with wide eyes as the young princess tried to catch her breath while keeping her eyes on Triska.

“Um…” Triska slowly said.

“There wasn’t a single comma in that entire statement,” Specca marveled with disbelief.

Complica gasped for air a few times then hopped in front of Triska while holding her hand with hers as the teen just stared at her with stunned silence.

“Where did you come from why did you come here why were you in that spooky village anyway was that just to save me did you really come to save me from those monsters that was so cool you were just like those heroes told in storybooks only you’re real and they’re not and you have that cool sword can you show that to me again that was so amazing is it heavy it didn’t seem heavy with you using it but I bet its heavy where did you get it?”

All fell quiet in the cabin as everyone just watched the obviously energetic butterfly hopping around on her feet while she held onto Triska’s hand.

“She talks funny,” Pip mentioned before she landed down on Daniel’s shoulder.

“Why is she doing that?” Alyssa asked looking to Luna.

“She always talks a lot when she’s happy or curious about something,” Luna said with a smile at the young child. “That just shows she’s feeling better now.”

“She really seems to like you, Triska,” Falla mentioned. “What happened with you two in Rackleholm?”

“I just kept her safe from some of the swarm,” Triska unsurely said with a shrug before Complica started bouncing around the room giddily and spinning about.

“She killed so many with that sword she was like
whack slash boom
and they died left right center up down sideways all over the place it was amazing she fought off a gazillion of those things she was so brave and cool nothing made her cry or feel scared it was amazing it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen and she-” she rambled on and on before dropping down face first with a thump. Everyone jumped at seeing the young girl gasping loudly on the floor as she wearily tried to get up again.

“Good lord,” Specca said holding a hand to her chest. “She just doesn’t know when to stop.”

“Is she going to be alright?” Kroanette asked from the doorway.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine,” Luna said waving it off. “She passes out a lot every day. It’s normal for her.”

“She what?” Daniel asked in disbelief.

“That’s normal for her?” Alyssa questioned.

Complica staggered over and dropped onto the bed, clinging to the sheets before she looked to Triska with a big gasp and a wide smile.

“You’re so amazing!”

Triska stared at her for a moment with surprise then slowly showed a curious smile.

“Well, thank you.”

“Looks like you won her over, Triska,” Daniel said with a smirk at her.

Triska watched with awe as Complica scrambled across the bed and hugged her tightly again. She slowly held her arm around the young butterfly and looked to Daniel with a small shrug. Complica nuzzled against Triska’s side then watched as a blue light streaked around them before stopping in front of her, with Pip smiling curiously at the girl while her wings fluttered quickly behind her. The young princess smiled in wonder then tried to hold the fairy before she zipped to the side with a giggle. Everyone watched as Complica giggled as well and chased after her, the two flying and running around the room in circles together.

“She’s so sweet and adorable,” Specca praised while watching the butterfly run about with her wings waving behind her.

“I’m glad she’s alright,” Triska said before showing a saddened smile as she saw Complica stumble and fall before she got up again and ran after the giggling fairy. “Still, I wish we could have gotten to her before those men cut her wings.”

The group looked to Falla as she watched Complica running, her sorrowful frown and quivering lip showing she felt devastated at seeing her princess crippled.

“What happened to her?” she asked looking to Triska. “What happened to her, Triska?”

“The humans that kidnapped her did so because she lied to them about what she could do,” Triska explained remorsefully. “They cut her wings so she couldn’t get away from them. After that the swarm killed them, leaving her trapped in Rackleholm all alone and unable to fly away.”

Falla whimpered and looked down while closing her eyes. She wiped a few tears away and sniffled then saw Complica standing next to the bed watching her with worry.

“Complica,” Falla shakily said. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry about what happened to you.”

“It’s not your fault, it’s mine,” Complica said looking down with remorse.

“No, it’s not,” Falla desperately insisted. “You didn’t know lying was bad, you were taught to do so. You didn’t know what else to do.” She watched as Complica looked back to her with saddened eyes before the child watched Pip as the fairy fluttered closer to her. The princess smiled softly and turned to look at the fairy with wonder, her wings remaining limp and swaying about behind her causing Falla to hold back her scream.

“It’s not fair,” Falla whimpered. “She’s just a kid, she didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve being grounded for life for doing what she’s been told.”

“Falla, I’m sorry,” Daniel gently told her.

“You need to talk to her mother, Daniel,” Falla ordered him with urgency. “You need to tell her what we think is wrong. Dammit, we can’t live like this anymore! Don’t let any more of my sisters get hurt because they think this is the only life we can have!”

The group watched as Falla broke down crying with her hands held to her face. Luna sniffled then tugged on Daniel’s arm to get his attention.

“Don’t let us be bad monsters anymore. Please.”

Daniel nodded and looked to Triska as she put her boots on and stood up before she grabbed her dagger and holstered it at her hip, the girl nodding in agreement to that.

“We won’t,” Daniel promised as he turned to Falla. “Triska and I will talk to her. She will see reason, especially after what happened to her daughter.”

“Let’s all get something to eat for breakfast,” Specca suggested. “Then we’ll all head out to finish what we started yesterday.”

“Got that list?” Alyssa dryly inquired.

“I remember what to get,” Specca quickly defended while holding her hands up.

“Breakfast?” Complica asked.

“Of course,” Daniel kindly said as he walked over and knelt down to face the girl. “Let’s all eat together and then we’re taking you home. Sound good?”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Daniel, and I’m here to help you.”

“Why do you want to help me? I don’t even know you,” Complica said shaking her head.

“He’s here to help all of us,” Falla softly said. The group looked to her as she was watching Daniel with a deep gaze and a faint blush on her cheeks. “Listen to him, Complica. We’d be lost without him.”

Daniel saw the girl staring at him with adoring eyes then smiled a bit before turning to Complica, the young princess looking at him curiously now while her antennae twitched slightly.

“I’ll explain who I am and why I’m here to you and your mother, Complica. Just know that I’m here to help you.”

Complica nodded and looked down timidly before Triska walked over and took her by the hand. The butterfly quickly followed her over to the table where she was offered a seat. Daniel watched as Specca and Alyssa sat down at the table while Squeak walked over and stood near them by the wall.

“You too, Luna,” Triska mentioned as she glanced to the butterfly girl while kneeling down next to her duffel bag. “Have a seat.”

“Me?” Luna asked softly.

“Squeak’s offering you her seat,” Specca pointed out as Squeak waved to the empty chair while nodding. “Come sit with us.”

“But what about you, Triska?” Luna asked worriedly.

“Don’t worry about me. Just sit down with your princess.”

Luna glanced to Daniel then slowly walked over and sat down at the table. Complica was looking around at everyone curiously before Pip fluttered over and landed down in front of her. The young butterfly smiled and waved her fingers around at the fairy, with Pip grabbing onto one and shaking about with a playful giggle, while Daniel watched them all with a caring smile.

“We need to get more chairs,” he spoke up, with the girls looking to him as he walked over and stood behind Complica then winked at her. “So many lovely ladies here, and not enough places to sit.”

Complica giggled and resumed playing with Pip while Alyssa and Specca smiled amusedly at Daniel. He glanced to them and shrugged as he knew it was a corny line to say before seeing Luna looking down at the table with a saddened face.

“We won’t take up your room after this,” she softly said, with everyone watching as she closed her eyes and lowered her head.

“It’s
our
room,” Daniel corrected. “It’s yours too, Luna.”

“No, it’s not. It’s just for you and the ones you love, Daniel. My sister and I are just getting in your way.”

The other girls looked to Daniel with concern while Triska was slowly taking out tins of food. Daniel saw all the girls watching him while Luna kept her head hung low, glanced over to see Falla looking down and away while a tear dropped from her cheek, then over to Kroanette as the centaur was leaning her upper body to the side against the doorframe while having her arms crossed and a saddened look on her face as well. He then turned his head down and away as he didn’t know what to say, or rather how really felt about the subject again.

“Daniel?” Triska spoke as she stood up and glanced to him while shaking an empty water bottle. “We’re a little low on water, can you come with me and help get some more?”

Daniel looked to her curiously as she grabbed two traveling containers for their water and walked over towards him. As she did she glanced to Specca with a slight smile.

“You and Squeak can start getting everyone set with something to eat, we’ll be right back.”

“Oh, sure,” Specca said softly while glancing between the two in question before Triska led Daniel out of the cabin. Kroanette backed up from the ride as they jumped down to the ground together then waved them off with a small smile. Triska merely nodded once in acknowledgment as she walked past with Daniel before Kroanette popped her head back into the caravan where everyone was looking towards her now.

“Did she seem mad about something?”

“Don’t know,” Alyssa replied with a shrug. “She has that look in her eye more often than not. It’s kind of hard to tell when she’s upset.”

“She’s so cool,” Complica giggled before playing with Pip using her hand at the table some more.

Triska walked along the trail before heading off to the side towards a small stream, with Daniel following her and growing more concerned as she didn’t make eye contact with him and was remaining silent.

“Triska?” Daniel asked. “Is something wrong?”

“What happened last night, Daniel?” Triska replied as they came up to the stream. “Why are Falla and Luna so upset now?”

She knelt down and opened one of the containers before letting the clearly flowing water in the stream pour into it. Daniel looked down with regret as Triska waited for him to answer, trying to think of how to tell her what happened. After Triska filled the first container she set it down and began filling the second before shaking her head a little.

“Let me guess. They both confessed that they love you.”

“How did you know that?” Daniel asked as the girl kept facing away from him.

“I’ve been waiting for that to happen,” she replied with a small shrug. “I figured it was only a matter of time. So, how did it happen?”

“Well, after I used my magic for the first time last night I collapsed from the strain. When I woke up all the girls were around me, and explained what had occurred.”

“What did happen, Daniel?” Triska inquired as she finished filling the second container and set it down next to the first. She remained down on her knees by the water with her back turned to him, waiting for him to continue.

“The magic I did, Alyssa said it was an aura sharing spell,” Daniel explained. “The power it channeled for me to use came from those I share a bond with, it draws upon their own energy and gives it to me. With it was able to make the sword appear in my hand, I even destroyed a lot of trees with a single swing with it. It was so powerful it even burned its casting circle into the ground.”