"Hey, you doing alright?" she asked. The ant girl's antennae twitched a bit and she tilted her head slightly. Triska smiled and glanced back to seeing another ant-lioness emerging from the ground while screeching at her.
"If you're getting tired you can stop, I can handle the rest of these things," Triska said before charging the monster. She swung her blade and sliced off a hand as the monster clawed at her, then swung back around and sliced off the two front legs. The monster howled and stumbled down before Triska struck down and pierced her blade through the skull and into the dirt with a crunch. The monster twitched a bit then lay still as Triska glanced down the tunnel. There were still more pincers sticking up from the ground, and more ant-lionesses emerging from the cries of their comrades.
"I won't stop, no matter what I won't stop. I won't stop until you're all dead, I won't let Daniel's chance at forming new allies for us slip away," she vowed as she gripped her sword with both hands. Beside her the ant girl slowly walked up and faced the ant-lionesses that started skittering towards them. Triska glanced to her friend who had a forced look of determination.
"You don't have to fight them you know, you've already done your part. Leave this to me," Triska said looking back ahead. The ant girl glanced to her then ahead as two ant-lionesses rushed towards them, the monsters skittering across the ground as they had their mouths opened wide. The ant girl gripped her pickaxe tightly and squeaked, watching as the monsters that killed her kind ran towards her with loud screeches and wide eyes. The ant girl shut her eyes and shook her head, squeaking repeatedly as the Triska looked at her worriedly.
"Hey, don't worry about this, I can handle it. Just get back," she said before the two ant-lionesses skittered up to them. Triska yelled and struck her blade into the mouth of one of the beasts as the other reached out for the ant girl.
"Get back!" Triska shouted as she yanked out her blade from the monster that dropped down dead, then geared back to swing her sword at the other ant-lioness. Before she could move the ant girl squeaked loudly and darted forward, tackling her foe down to the ground. She started whacking the pickaxe into the skull of the ant-lioness repeatedly, squeaking loudly as tears were starting to form in her eyes. Triska watched with surprise as the ant girl struck the skull again and again, smashing the head of the monster into bloody pieces as she seemed to be lost in her moment of adrenaline. With each squeak she struck harder into the bloodied corpse, her strength more than evident as her digging tool decimated the monster relentlessly with powerful strikes.
"Holy… shit," Triska breathed out as the ant girl shakily got up to her feet. She dropped the torch in her hand, the light falling onto the corpse of the monster below and igniting it as the ant girl gripped her pickaxe with both hands. She had tears in her eyes as she kept squeaking with discontent, glaring at more ant-lionesses that were crawling out of the ground.
"How many of these things are there anyway?" Triska grunted looking down the tunnel. The corridor lit up brightly as the corpse of the antlion started to burn, the human looking to see the ant girl next to her shakily walking towards the roaring ant-lionesses with frustration and teary eyes. Her teeth were bared, tears were dropping from her cheeks, and her hands were trembling while holding her bloodied digging tool.
"What… what are you doing? Get back here with me," Triska called out as she started to run up to her. Before she could get close the ant girl squeaked loudly and rushed towards the ant-lionesses, gearing her pickaxe back as she ran towards the predators. Triska ran after and watched as the ant girl swung down and spiked an ant-lioness into the ground, the digging tool going right through the skull with a loud whack. The pickaxe struck into the dirt with a mighty strike before the ant girl yanked it back up and struck out to the side, spiking her weapon into the shoulder of another ant-lioness and pinning it to the wall. Triska ran up and swung down on another ant-lioness’s head, slicing it into two, and then looked over to see the ant girl repeatedly yanking her pickaxe out of the monster she was squeaking loudly at before striking into the skull of the creature again. She went wild with rage for the monsters, her strikes becoming furious and swifter as she squeaked louder and louder with each swing.
"Wow, somebody's angry," Triska noticed as the ant girl continued to strike at the predator. Even the other ant-lionesses were staring with surprise as the monster they all used to hunt down was mercilessly destroying one of their own with a pickaxe. She swung down again and again, the weapon smashing in and carving up the body as the head was now completely destroyed. The body slumped down against the wall as the ant girl continued to vent her rage on it, hacking the body into bloody pieces as she squeaked loudly with each strike. Triska watched with awe as the ant girl reduced the body of the ant-lioness into a pile of blood and bone. After a while of hacking the corpse to shreds the ant girl backed up slightly, squeaking softly while she was breathing heavily. She clutched the pickaxe in her hands tightly as she had her eyes narrowed, glaring at the remains of the predator she despised so much.
"Um… I think you got her," Triska said simply. She then glanced to the other ant-lionesses, all of them staring at the ant girl with their wide eyes and open mouths.
However none of them were charging forward. None of them were making a sound. They were just staring in silence at the ant girl that decimated one of their own.
Triska turned to face them with her sword drawn, glaring at the monsters as the body of the dead ant-lioness behind burned brightly. The other ant-lionesses looked to her as she glared at them, the fires behind her flaring up as she held her sword at the ready.
"You picked the wrong nest to infest. Now you're going to pay with your blood," she threatened with a growl. The monsters looked at her as she prepared to run forward, all of them remaining perfectly still. The crackling from the flames behind was all that was heard as the corridor glowed brightly with the fire. The ant girl looked down with her hair covering the view of her eyes, baring her teeth slightly as she gripped her pickaxe tightly.
"You're all going to hell for attacking them like this," Triska growled as she tensed up, eyeing the monsters carefully as she gripped her sword. One of the ant-lionesses slowly took a step back, right before a pickaxe flew through the air and spiked into its head. The monster wavered then dropped down with a thump as the other ant-lionesses looked to her with surprise. Triska blinked then slowly glanced over to see the ant girl glaring at the monsters with teary eyes, with one arm still outstretched from her throw. She squeaked in a low tone as she glared at the monsters, her eyes filled with rage rather than fear. Triska smirked then looked back to the monsters.
"Like I said…" she said before she ran at them. She jumped into a downward strike towards an ant-lioness’s head, the monster looking at her with surprise as she yelled out.
"You're all going to hell!"
*****
Inside the queen's chambers the leader herself was seated at her throne, watching a human boy with a slightly curious expression. Daniel was looking down in thought, having one arm crossed before him while his other hand was resting against his chin. A few ant girls with swords sheathed at their hips were standing before the queen, yet parted slightly so the queen and human could talk about his belief that they could all coexist peacefully together. Alyssa was standing next to Daniel, looking at him worriedly as he was thinking about a question that the queen had asked him, a question he didn't have an answer for.
"Well?" Victoria asked expectantly. Daniel looked to her again then shook his head.
"I'm not sure, I haven't really thought about that part in full detail yet," he admitted before looking down again.
"You come here wishing for us to make peace with your kind, to coexist peacefully. Then answer the question, Daniel, how are we to continue breeding should we accept this alliance, and then the humans decline us men to breed with? I need to mate with human males regularly in order to provide eggs for my nest, the same as any queen would have to for her nest. So the question remains, w
hat will your people do about this?" Victoria asked again.
Daniel continued to look down in thought as he pondered that. The ant girl race would need to keep breeding to keep their numbers from dropping, the same as any monster race would have to. That meant if mankind did choose to coexist with the ant girl race, or any monster race for that matter, then the human men would have to voluntarily mate with the monsters to keep them from dying out. Even Alyssa was curious about this question as well; as the witch and her race would have to have men willingly mate with them should they ally with mankind.
"Well, perhaps if they are given the option to do so on their own accord, rather than being taken by force, it would be more acceptable," Daniel suggested while scratching his head.
"Let me ask you this, Daniel, what exactly did you intend to propose to our race with this deal of coexistence? Or any monster race for that matter? Your little witch friend, the one that wishes to control her nature to stay with you on your journey, will need men to mate with along with her entire race. Have you even contemplated in the slightest how to arrange it so that their race, our race, or any monster race that decides to ally with you will be allowed to continue to breed?" Victoria asked with a raised eyebrow. Alyssa looked at Daniel as he showed a concerned expression.
"Well… I haven't quite… figured that out yet," he said softly. Alyssa looked at him worriedly then to the queen.
"But Daniel did say he would consider me as a mate, willingly even. If he could do that, maybe other humans could too," Alyssa said hopefully. Daniel nodded and looked to the witch.
"Is this true human? Have you honestly considered mating with this witch on your own accord?" Victoria asked curiously. Daniel looked at the young witch standing next to him. She looked like a young girl at first glance; however he knew she was far older than she appeared. Still, she was a monster, one that had hexed and used men for sex just like the rest of her kind. A monster that, despite her nature, was fighting her urges to help him and to be with him. She watched him with hopeful eyes, waiting for his answer.
"Daniel…" she said softly. He looked at her for a moment then nodded with a gentle smile.
"Yeah, I have," he said softly. Alyssa smiled brightly and walked up closer to him.
"Really? You mean that? You'll… really mate with me still?" she said eagerly.
"What?" Triska's voice yelled out from nearby. Everybody looked to seeing the human and rescued ant girl walking into the chambers, with Triska staring at Daniel with shock. She had her sword sheathed behind her while the ant girl was holding her bloodied pickaxe still.
"Triska, you're back," Daniel said with a smile.
"I take it you were successful in ridding my nest of those accursed ant-lionesses then?" Victoria asked curiously.
"Never mind all that right now, what the hell do you mean you'll mate with her?" Triska yelled out while pointing to the witch. Alyssa smiled happily and hugged Daniel tightly around the waist.
"It's all in the interest of coexistence of course, that and we're so perfect for each other after all," she said sweetly. Daniel jumped a bit at that and looked between the two girls nervously. Triska growled and then ran over and yanked the witch off of the boy, the monster being tossed back as Triska glared at her.
"We've already been through this, Alyssa; you are not going to be mating with him! Not now or ever!" she yelled out.
"Hey, he said he would do so on his own free will, you can't get mad at me because I'm the girl he wants. He's made his choice, deal with it!" Alyssa yelled out.
"Wait, I never said that exactly," Daniel said weakly.
"He didn't choose you! And like hell he's going to mate with you!" Triska yelled out loudly.
"But, Triska, I never said that was my final decision, only that I would consider it, just like I did before," Daniel reasoned worriedly. She looked to him with pleading eyes and shook her head.
"But, Daniel, you can't mate with her, you just can't," she begged.
"And just why can't he mate with this witch?" Victoria demanded. Everybody looked to her as she crossed her arms with an accusing stare.
"Are you saying that he can't merely because she's a monster? Is that why he can't choose her as a mate?" she asked sharply.
"What? No, that's… I mean sort of… but…" Triska stammered as she looked back to the witch. Alyssa growled and glanced to the queen.
"Shut up, Triska, we're trying to show them that men can willingly choose us monsters as mates, you're not helping Daniel’s cause here," she growled out in a hushed tone. Triska blinked and looked back to the queen as she scoffed at her.
"This is why coexistence will not work, Daniel. In order for us, or any monster race, to ally with you we will still need men to breed with. That can never be avoided; it's the only way we can survive. Should we ally with your kind that would mean your men would have to willingly choose to mate with us, something that obviously would be too much to ask of. The men alone would likely not agree to such a condition, and it's more than apparent your women would never allow it," she said firmly. Triska jumped a bit and looked to Daniel, the boy looking down with worry.
"Wait, that… that's not true," Triska said looking back to the queen.
"Way to go, Triska, why can't you ever stop talking? Just once, shut the hell up!" Alyssa yelled out at her.
"But wait, that's not it at all. I didn't mean it like that," Triska pleaded.
"Then what is the problem with Daniel choosing a witch for a mate? Or any monster? Are you saying that you would be ok with him choosing a monster as his wife?" Victoria asked with a raised eyebrow. Triska looked to Daniel then back to the queen with worry.
"Well… I'm… it's just… he's…" she stammered as she fidgeted.
"He's perfectly fine choosing a monster like me as a mate, isn't that right, Daniel?" Alyssa asked looking to Daniel with hopeful eyes. He looked between the two girls nervously as the queen watched him carefully.
"Well… I mean, I did say I would consider it," he said rubbing the back of his head.
"Consider it?" Victoria asked with a scoff. Daniel nodded and looked back to her.
"Well yes. The truth is, human or monster… I would be fair in picking a mate in life to either of them. I know that some humans can act like real monsters, and some monsters can have a heart like peaceful humans. I told Alyssa that I would consider being her mate, just as I would consider being any kindhearted girl's mate in life," he explained. Victoria looked at him curiously while Alyssa smiled happily at that. Triska however showed frustration and looked down, wishing to speak her feelings on the matter yet not able to bring herself to do so.
"Interesting. So you would really choose to mate with our kind… provided they show 'heart'?" Victoria inquired curiously. Daniel looked down for a moment then nodded. Alyssa smiled and walked back over to him, shooting Triska a quick glare before looking back to Daniel with caring eyes.
"Yes, just because your kind are monsters, it doesn't mean that we cannot coexist together, or feel deeper emotions for each other," he reasoned looking back to the queen. She watched him carefully then leaned back with an intrigued expression.
"So you're saying that if one of my workers showed you 'heart', and could control herself properly in your presence, then you would consider her to be a future mate in life?" she asked. Triska and Alyssa looked to Daniel as he jumped a bit.
"Well… I suppose if you put it like that…" he said glancing back to the group of ant girl workers behind him. The rescued ant girl was among them as they were all watching him curiously. Alyssa and Triska glanced to each other worriedly then back to Daniel as he shrugged slightly.
"I suppose if… we felt something more for each other, that would be a possibility. To tell the truth though I haven't really thought about them like that," he said with a nervous smile. The queen nodded with a curious expression then held a finger to her chin.
"I must say, human, you are indeed a unique thinker. And what does your own kind think o
n this matter? Do they share your beliefs?" she asked. Daniel looked down with concern and shook his head.
"I'm afraid they are difficult to reason with. I've tried to tell them that your kind could be trusted, but they don't see that. They only see the monsters that have been kidnapping and raping our kind for so long," he confessed with regret. Alyssa looked at him worriedly then down while Triska showed concern for her friend. The queen nodded with a blank expression then tilted her head slightly in wonder.
"Then what are you doing out here if your kind has already spoken against such an idea?" she asked. He looked back to her with determination.
"I'm out here to prove my beliefs to the world. To find those that are willing to join us as allies, and to show my race that you're not just lustful monsters. I'm out here to find those like you that would be willing to give peace a chance," he stated. Victoria looked at him with a slight amount of surprise.
"You mean you chose to go out into the world alone in hopes that we would accept your ideas, with no support from your own kind?" she asked.
"Hey, I'm here with him. I believe in Daniel, that's why I'm on this trip with him," Triska spoke up. Daniel glanced to her with a smile then looked back to the queen.
"Somebody from my kind has to try to talk to your race and to others as well. The mere fact that we're even having this conversation is proof that my theories are correct," he said assuredly. The queen looked at him with wonder for a moment then smiled curiously.
chronicles of eden - act I Page 26