“Why do you want to put that burden on yourself?” Daemon asked. “Once you see the truth of something you can’t un-see it ever again.”
“I know,” Mika agreed looking to his gloved hand. “And that’s why I need to know the truth. The Sisterhood is a threat that needs to be taken out, and I’m not saying that just for the sake of my people. I’m saying it because my little brother is in danger with them being out there. He’s the reason I’m going to put an end to that group of monsters. Not just to avenge my fallen sisters but to make sure none of them lay a fucking hand on my little brother!”
Everyone saw Mika becoming noticeably tense with a small blush on her face, the girl struggling with keeping in control as her emotions were pushing her anxiety to the edge.
“So start talking! What you are, where you came from, how gemini and legendary swords can exist, and also what the fuck could be worse than Darker Ones in this world! Someone here start making sense of all this shit!”
Saffron whistled loudly, silencing everyone as she stood up with a hand held out to halt Mika. She then looked over Daemon and started squeaking while waving him over. He watched her for a moment then turned to Mika as she was keeping a close eye on him while obviously being stressed.
“It would be best for both of you not to know anything more,” he warned, with Mika and Saffron exchanging quick looks from that. “It’s not your problem to deal with anyway. The burden is not yours to bear.”
“Don’t give me that shit,” Mika threatened. “I want answers and I’m not leaving until I get them. I don’t care what horrors you think you’re sparing me from, not knowing the truth after seeing what I’ve seen so far would be worse.”
“Wanna bet?” Rulo flatly replied.
Saffron eyed over Daemon while her antennae twitched slightly, the girl blowing the bangs away from her eyes with a short puff before tilting her head curiously and squeaking something at him. Before he could answer her a few sharp squeaks were heard from the crowd. The group looked to seeing three ant girls rushing through the gathering up to Saffron while squeaking wildly in a panic. They hopped about and waved their hands around in weird patterns while Saffron listened to them with a puzzled look on her face.
“What’s going on?” Scay wondered.
The rattled ant girls squeaked wildly for a while before Saffron clapped her hands to get them to stop. She squeaked at them a few times, they quickly squeaked back, and then she scratched her head in confusion to what they were telling her. With a few more squeaks she waved on the ant girls to continue, the three again squeaking frantically while pointing back behind them.
“Is something the matter?” Hollia questioned.
Saffron listened to the strange story of the three workers then noticed Daemon was now watching the ant girls very closely with heightened alert.
“Say that again,” he sternly ordered. The ant girls looked at the man with puzzlement before squeaking at Saffron while pointing to him. “I said say that again. Right now.”
Saffron glanced to him then waved the ant girls on with a few squeaks, the girls confusedly repeating what they said while eyeing over Daemon. He watched them very carefully, something the other girls noticed as he rarely ever showed caution to something.
“Master, what is it?” Sasha asked standing up with her sword.
“What are they saying?” Forrus wondered.
“Take me there now,” Daemon ordered. The ant girls looked at him curiously as he showed a stern glare. “Show me that place immediately.”
“Show you what place?” Hollia asked. “What is it they’ve been talking about?”
Saffron started to squeak with a cautious tone before Daemon turned his cold blue eyes onto her, the girl halting for a moment then squeaking a few more times while shaking her head.
“I need to see what they saw, and I need to do so right now,” Daemon told her. “Your diggers may have found something they shouldn’t have. For your own safety and that of your nest, show me where they found it.”
“What did they find?” Sasha inquired as she kept a close eye on the ant girls.
“Very curious myself,” Tabitha added.
Saffron looked at the girls for a moment then nodded at Daemon with a squeak. She turned to the workers and squeaked at them in a commanding tone while Daemon’s group got up and came closer.
“Care to fill us in on what’s happening for once?” Tabitha asked.
“What did they uncover down here?” Forrus inquired.
Saffron waved them to follow and started heading out with the workers. Daemon, Rulo, and Sasha followed after before stopping to look back at the other girls who were all watching them curiously.
“If you really want to know then see for yourself,” Daemon said. “Just remember that it’s you that’s placing that burden on yourselves should you learn something very unpleasant, not me.”
The girls looked to one another in question then to Daemon as he ran after Saffron with Sasha and Rulo staying at his sides, the surrounding ant girls watching them go in puzzlement before squeaking at one another in wonder of what was going on.
“Should we go too?” Scay asked the girls.
“Why not?” Tabitha reasoned with a shrug. “We’ve already learned quite a lot that’s keeping us up at night, no reason not to add to that.”
“Something was troubling my lord,” Forrus worried. “I’ve never seen him show such a serious expression before. Something is gravely wrong here indeed.”
“What is going on?” Mika softly asked. The girls turned to her as she had a troubled frown on her face. “Am I dreaming all this? Did I even survive Nibelvale’s attack? Am I dead?”
“You’re very much awake and alive, Mika,” Hollia informed her. “Funny, I remember questioning the same things when my world was turned upside-down by all this.”
“And what answers did you get for those questions?” Mika asked as Tabitha, Scay, and Forrus ran after the others. Hollia glanced to seeing them rushing through the crowd of ant girls then turned to Mika with a solemn expression.
“Very dire ones.”
*****
A rumbling was heard through the wall of stone and dirt, followed by another and then another before a powerful explosion blasted through. Debris and smoke was thrown out while the thunderous boom echoed within the underground cavern that had a soft green light blooming inside it. From the haze and newly formed tunnel a few ant girls walked out, both brandishing pickaxes while being on alert with sharp gazes and twitching antennae. The monsters looked around carefully then squeaked behind them as the dust cleared. Saffron and her workers walked out and looked at the sight before them with caution, the girls squeaking quietly to one another before Daemon walked past them. The swordsman carefully eyed every detail of the monument in the center of the cave, the three statues of women with their neon glowing green lights being something he recognized all too well.
Behind him from the tunnel more ant girls came through along with those in his group, all of them quickly showing looks of awe and surprise at seeing the cenotaph amidst its eerie jade light as they gathered behind Saffron and Daemon.
“What in Eden?” Mika breathed out.
“What is that?” Hollia carefully asked.
“Pretty lights,” Scay said with eyes of wonder.
“Never seen statues like that before,” Tabitha commented.
“Something about this place,” Forrus warned. “It’s making my fur stand on end.”
“This can’t be what I think it is, can it?” Rulo cautioned while holding her large hammer.
“Master,” Sasha softly said. “Is this…”
Daemon slowly stepped over onto the metal floor, his eyes watching the pulsating green lights running through the indentations while his hand gripped his sword. Slowly he turned his gaze up at the statues, all of them standing tall without a single scratch or marking on their steel while they gave off a chilling aura from their expressionless faces.
“So this is where it was hidden,” he spoke as if to himself.
“What is that?” Mika asked pointing to the monument. “What are we looking at here?”
Daemon looked around at the three statues then to the pedestal standing between them. After a moment he slowly looked downward as he realized what had been discovered by the ant girls and what was located far below them still within Eden itself.
“It’s a City of Eden.”
Chapter 10
Bursting With Love
In the world of Eden there were some things that sparked a wonderful emotion from within. The sight of a sunrise over the horizon with loved ones near, holding someone you cared about in a tender embrace, or even cradling a young child in your arms. These moments could create an amazing sensation inside someone, filling them with love and energy that would seemingly come from nowhere. Sometimes it was clear what manifested this feeling in one’s soul while other times it was a mystery. Of course how much it affected them could vary as well. It may be enough to draw a smile onto someone’s stoic face or perhaps bring a tear of joy to their eye.
And sometimes it could be strong enough to drive them absolutely crazy.
*****
Leaning against the banister overlooking the lower floor of their library Clover was watching her co-mates that were gathered around a table below her. She saw Cindy gently petting Snapper’s head while the swarm sat atop the counter, the youngling then viciously snapping her hand while grabbing hold of it with her arms and legs. The wraith laughed and smiled at the young swarm that was chewing on her while around them Luna, Falla, Star, and Doku were watching with troubled looks.
“Aww,” Cindy cooed as she watched the youngling tearing apart her arm. “She loves me so much.”
“How can you tell?” Falla asked shaking her head. “She’s trying to eat you.”
“Snapper loves me and I love her,” Cindy giggled holding the swarm close to her chest, something the youngling quickly started mauling like a wild animal. “She loves it when I hold her like this. See?”
“Well, that’s very… sweet, Cindy,” Doku said with a weak smile.
“Do you want to hold her too?” Cindy asked her.
“I really don’t think so,” Doku quickly insisted shaking her head. “She appears to want you to hold her instead.”
“I want to hold her,” Luna said raising her hand.
“Are you crazy?” Falla shouted as she pulled her sister back. “Look at what Snapper is doing to Cindy. Why would you want her to do that to you?”
“But she doesn’t do that to Daniel,” Luna reasoned. “She only does that with Cindy. Plus she looks so cute when Daniel holds her. I want to hold her like that.”
Cindy held the swarm out to Luna with a happy smile, the youngling snapping her teeth and flailing around with tiny growls while the other girls watched her nervously.
“Luna, perhaps you shouldn’t,” Doku warned.
Star shook her head and meowed while waving her hands before her.
“Luna, don’t you dare,” Falla ordered.
Luna slowly stepped around the table towards Snapper, watching as the swarm turned its eyes onto her while snapping and waving her claws around. Falla quickly grabbed her from behind and tried to pull her back before Luna looked to her with a small smile.
“I want to do this,” she assured.
“Why?” Falla demanded in disbelief. “What possible reason could you have for wanting to hold her?”
“I want to know what it’s like,” Luna said looking to Snapper. “I want to know what it’s like to hold a baby. I’m going to be holding my own soon, I want to practice.”
All the girls stopped and watched her in wonder as she slowly approached Snapper, the swarm growling and snapping her teeth repeatedly while the butterfly showed a nervous smile.
“Please,” Luna softly said, holding a hand out towards the youngling before quickly drawing it back as Snapper nearly bit off her fingers.
“Luna, don’t do it!” Falla cried out holding her sister. Luna pushed her back and held her hand out towards Snapper again, this time hesitating for a moment before quickly moving forward and resting her hand on the swarm’s head. Snapper latched onto her arm and screeched with a wide smile, the other girls holding in their frightened gasps while Cindy continued to smile happily at Luna.
“Please,” Luna gently said again. She slowly brushed the swarm’s head while the tiny monster held onto her arm, feeling very nervous whether the swarm would bite her hand off or maybe even lunge forward and tear into her bosom.
“Please,” Luna quietly said.
Snapper growled and snapped her teeth two more times before looking at Luna curiously. The butterfly girl gently brushed the child’s hair then slowly reached out and took Snapper from Cindy. Falla opened her mouth to protest before falling silent as all the girls saw Luna tenderly taking Snapper into her arms and cradling the youngling. Snapper continued to watch Luna curiously while her wings buzzed below her a few times, the child’s hand resting on Luna’s breast yet not digging into the girl with her sharpened claws.
“Snapper,” Luna gently cooed. She watched Snapper just staring at her with a curious look in her eye, the swarm’s antennae twitching slightly as she was cradled by the girl while she remained motionless.
“Luna,” Falla breathed out.
“She’s… behaving herself,” Doku realized.
Star tilted her head with a small mew.
“She likes you!” Cindy squealed excitedly.
“She does?” Luna wondered. She smiled softly and held Snapper close, coddling the youngling and pressing her into her bosom.
“Luna,” Falla squeaked with a jump. “What are you doing?”
“This is what it’s like,” Luna gently said closing her eyes. “To hold a baby. To hold something so precious close to you. It feels nice. I like this so much.”
The other girls watched Luna carefully, seeing her keeping Snapper close with a loving smile on her face.
“I can’t wait to hold my own daughter like this. It feels so good.”
“Luna?” Falla wondered.
“I’m so happy,” Luna softly said with a tear forming.
“Luna, are you crying?” Doku asked.
“What’s wrong?” Cindy said with a curious look.
“Nothing,” Luna assured shaking her head. “Nothing’s wrong at all. My heart… it just feels so warm holding Snapper like this. I’m so happy, this feels amazing. I want to hold my own daughter just like this with Daniel. I really do.”
The girls watched Luna with gentle smiles as the butterfly held the swarm close. Even though it was a swarm she was holding Luna still felt a great warmth growing inside her from cradling the infant, almost like holding the child sparked an incredible feeling within her that she longed to experience with her own daughter someday. Luna held in her tears while gently cradling the swarm, the girl lost in her dreams of being a mother before she suddenly jumped with a gasp. Everyone watched her worriedly as the butterfly remained still for a moment, the girl then slowly looking down to see Snapper purring softly while actually holding onto her chest. The swarm had her eyes partially opened while seeming to be perfectly at peace in the arms of the girl.
“Snapper,” Luna said in awe.
“She’s completely docile,” Falla marveled. “I don’t get it. The swarm that attacked us in Flairwood were ravenous creatures through and through, yet this one is acting like an innocent child in Luna’s arms.”
“She likes you, Luna,” Cindy praised. “She really does.”
“She’s behaving so well in your care,” Doku complimented. “I’d say if you can keep a swarm under control like this you’re going to have no trouble raising your own daughter.”
Luna watched Snapper purring into her chest then smiled softly and held the child close. The others saw the butterfly standing before them with the youngling securely cradled in her arms, the serene sight and peaceful quiet that followed
making them wonder what it would be like holding daughters of their own like that.
“Um… can I try?” Falla slowly asked. Luna looked to her curiously as her sister was watching Snapper with a troubled expression. “I mean… do you think I could? Would it be alright?”
“You want to hold her?” Luna asked with a small smile.
“I want to practice too,” Falla reasoned looking away. “I’m going to be having a daughter with Daniel, I need to… know how to hold my own baby properly.”
Luna nodded and looked down to Snapper with loving care while Falla slowly walked up to her. The butterfly carefully reached out to take the youngling before Snapper’s eyes quickly turned to the girl. A low growl from the swarm halted Falla in her tracks, a nervous whine escaping her lips while the other girls grew worried about the child’s sudden mood change.
“She doesn’t seem too happy with you, Falla,” Doku warned.
“She’s going to bite me, isn’t she?” Falla quietly said.
“She won’t if you’re gentle with her,” Luna promised.
“She’s looking at me like she doesn’t want me to touch her,” Falla feared as Snapper growled at her. “Did I do something wrong?”
“It’s okay, Falla,” Luna assured. “Don’t be afraid of her. Daniel isn’t. I’m not. You shouldn’t be either. Show her you’re a good girl, it’ll be okay.”
Falla gulped then slowly reached out and took Snapper from her sister, the youngling snapping her teeth loudly while shaking a bit with buzzing wings. The other girls nervously watched while Cindy continued to have a happy smile on her face as always, all of them seeing Falla shaking a little while keeping Snapper held out away from her.
“Snapper,” Falla shakily said. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Snapper screeched and flailed her arms around, her claws scraping Falla’s arm and drawing blood as the butterfly cringed and held in her scream.
“Falla,” Doku gasped with a wing over her mouth.
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