chronicles of eden - act I

by Alexander Gordon

  "What's it going to be, Alyssa? If you want to kill me you're going to have to reduce this city to ashes, which is going to be very soon if you don't stop the spell!" she called up with a slight laugh. Alyssa growled with frustration as she waved her hand towards Tora again, creating a wave of fire that flared from the torrent and slammed into Tora's barrier. The dark witch struggled to remain standing as she coughed and shielded her face from the heat, and then looked up to Alyssa with frustration.

  "I'll never surrender to you, Alyssa, not when I'm part of something greater than you'll ever realize. Your fire will soon die!" she said with malice.

  Outside in the streets Daniel and the others were watching as bright flames were shooting out from the windows and broken entrance of the library building. Specca watched with worried eyes as the whirring and crackling sound of the firestorm grew louder while Daniel watched the sight carefully.

  "What is going on in there?" Triska asked nervously.

  "Is it just me, or is the fire growing… larger," Specca said shakily.

  From nearby a large serpent hissed loudly before charging towards the group. Triska glanced to it then ran towards the monster with her sword drawn to her side, watching as the serpent closed in on her with an open mouth. She darted to the side then sliced through the head and neck of the monster as it went past her, the sword cleaving through the scaly hide of the beast as she ran alongside it. Daniel pushed Specca back as Squeak ran forward and leapt into the air with her pickaxe held high, the girl flying down and spiking her digging tool into the head of the beast with a powerful strike. The serpent jerked down and slammed into the street as Triska stopped and spun around. Squeak geared back and swung down, then again, and again, carving up the head of the monster with loud squeaks as she showed a frustrated expression. Triska watched her friend tear apart the monster's head then smirked, seeing her friend once again pushing through her fear with a big boost of adrenaline. Four armed guards of Ashwood stared at the ant girl who was striking down repeatedly at the serpent that now lay still in the street with black smoke coming from its many wounds and cuts.

  "Never seen… a pickaxe used like that before," one of the women commented. They then turned to see two serpents on the other side of the street near them, with one coming from around the corner of the library while another was coming straight out of a wall above it from a tall building. The one above hissed loudly then shot down towards the guards, snatching one up in its mouth with a sickening crunch. Blood splattered out from the sides of the monster's mouth as it yanked back and snapped up its prey.

  "No, Elena!" another guard yelled as she watched her comrade be devoured. The monster shook its head around then flung the remains of the woman it had crushed and torn apart off to the side, the bloody remains splattering against the side of the library building while the monster looked back towards the other three guards with blood dripping from its mouth. The serpent near the library raced towards the women with a loud howl, its body seeming to stretch and expand out as it closed in on them.

  "Goddamned monsters!" one of the guards yelled as she ran forward and swung down with her blade, striking the nose of the monster as it snapped at her. She swung to the side before another guard ran up and struck down on the head with her sword as well, the women slicing across the monster's face causing more wounds that let off puffs of black smoke. The third guard ran over and picked up her fallen comrade's blade, then threw it towards the serpent above them with a sharp throw. The blade spun around with a whistling sound before it struck into the neck of the serpent with a slick crunch. The monster howled then raced down towards her, the guard darting to the side as it crashed into the ground next to her. It then swung its head to the side and struck the woman and smashed her into a building, her armor caving in as she coughed out blood before being crushed through the brick wall.

  "No!" Specca cried out as the large serpent flailed around with a blade stuck in its throat. The remaining two female guards of Ashwood struck down their beast then looked over to the other one as it howled loudly while looking over towards them. One of the women yelled out with anger and ran toward the monster with her blade held to the side, swinging it towards the beast with a fierce roar as she raced up to it. The serpent darted up, then swung down with its head and smashed the woman into the ground. Triska and Squeak looked at the bloodied crater in the ground with surprise as the serpent raced toward the last guard, opening its jaws wide as the woman watched with a stunned expression. She blinked then darted off to the side, the monster just missing her as she rolled over and onto her feet.

  "To hell with you!" she yelled as she struck her blade into the side of the beast as it raced past her, carving through the body as the woman braced herself with both feet. She grabbed the lodged blade from her comrade’s throw that traveled near her, the woman then swiping out her own sword to the side before spinning around and swinging down with both blades. They carved two gashes through the body as the snake coiled back and raced towards her. She swung her blades outward as the monster charged her, with both of them going into the roof of its mouth and piercing up through its head as it knocked her back and pushed her across the street. One of her boots skidded against the cobblestone street while the other was pushing down on the beast's lower jaw to keep it from closing on her, the woman trying to stop the monster's charge as it kept trying to bite down on her. As they neared the side of the street and raced towards a building the woman darted off to the side into a roll, the serpent then crashing into the building as the guard stumbled back to her feet. The monster thrashed around then pulled back out of the destroyed building and hissed loudly, the face of the beast smoking as it had two swords protruding up through its head.

  "It's still not dead?" Daniel exclaimed, jumping with surprise as the serpent howled loudly before racing towards the Ashwood guard. She stumbled back onto her rear as it charged towards her with a loud hiss, the woman watching with wide eyes as the beast closed in. Before it could open its mouth a pickaxe whipped by in a wild spin, striking into the monster's eye. It howled in pain as it wavered to the side, crashing through the sides of a few buildings and barrels. The woman looked to her side as Triska and Squeak ran past her and towards the serpent, with Triska yelling loudly as she struck her blade into the side of the monster and continued running alongside it with her sword carving a large gash through it. Squeak jumped up onto the monster's head and grabbed her pickaxe, held on tightly, then hopped off and landed on the ground while yanking the tool to the side. The serpent made a sharp turn as it was yanked to the side while the Ashwood guard stumbled back onto her feet, the woman watching with wonder as the ant girl and teen were taking on the monster.

  "Just die already!" Triska yelled as she swiped her blade out of the body of the serpent, having carved a large gash through the extended neck of the monster. Squeak yanked her pickaxe out of the monster's eye then struck down again, the powerful spike causing the head of the beast to jerk down to the ground with a thud.

  "Wow… who are those girls?" Specca asked with wonder.

  "Triska and Squeak, they're the ones that I mentioned would be coming with me on my journey in case I ran into any trouble,” Daniel said smiling at his two friends. Squeak yanked her pickaxe out of the monster and watched it with discontent while Triska walked up to her. The Ashwood guard walked over to them as they all looked down at the serpent's head, the monster hissing weakly while smoke was coming up from all its cuts and wounds. The woman looked at the serpent then over to Squeak with a curious eye. The ant girl glanced to her then spiked her digging tool into the serpent's head, then reached down and pried open the mouth with her foot and hand. She reached into the mouth between the rows of teeth while Triska and the woman watched her curiously, then they saw one of the swords wiggling around slightly. It was pulled back into the mouth before being brought out by Squeak. She let the monster's head fall back down as it started to dissolve into black ashes then held the sword's handle out towards the guard
. The woman looked at it for a moment then to Squeak.

  "What… manner of monster is she?" she asked as she slowly took her blade back.

  "She's an ant girl, her name is Squeak," Triska said glancing to her friend with a smile. Squeak nodded with a squeak and smiled at the guard. The woman looked at her curiously then over towards the library as a loud crashing sound was heard inside. Everybody looked over to see the walls of the building starting to crumble and wither away while a bright red firestorm was seen inside. The flames were seen flowing around inside the building wildly like a whirlwind of fire.

  "What… what the hell is going on in there?" Triska asked as she and Squeak backed up a bit. The Ashwood guard backed up towards Daniel and Specca as they were watching with concern as well. The front of the building collapsed down into the firestorm as the flames whirled around in a torrent. As the rubble and debris fell into the fire a figure dropped down into the firestorm, the flames swirling around and enveloping it as it vanished into the torrent.

  The firestorm flared up brightly as it rose higher into the air, and then collapsed into itself with a loud crackling boom. Black smoke billowed up from the scorched ruins as the flames slowly died out, with clouds of smoke rising up into the air. The sides of the building crumbled down and collapsed into ash and smoke as the group watched with wonder.

  "Oh my, the library… it's been incinerated," Specca said worriedly.

  "Alyssa? Alyssa!" Daniel yelled out. He looked ahead as a figure was walking out of the smoke cloud inside the ruins of the building. Alyssa slowly walked out from the haze towards the group, seeming to be in a daze as she was stumbling a bit to the side. However her clothing appeared perfectly fine, with no burn marks or ash on it at all.

  "Alyssa? Are you alright?" Daniel called out.

  “How did she survive that?” Triska asked with disbelief.

  Alyssa looked to them and smiled weakly as she regained her balance. As she raised her hand to wave to Daniel a swift strike to the back of her head echoed out with a crack, knocking her forward and onto the ground with a thump.

  "Alyssa!" Triska yelled out. Tora walked out from the smoke cloud with her staff in one hand, her clothing having ash and black marks on it as she coughed. She glared at the other witch as she held her staff out towards her.

  "You… are so dead!" she yelled out as she held out staff out to the side.

  "Alyssa!" Triska yelled as she ran towards the witch with her sword held to the side. Tora glanced to her then waved her staff forward, causing the teen to fly back and crash into Squeak. The two girls flew back into a tumble as Tora glared down at Alyssa.

  "How terribly sad, the famous Wildfire Witch dies amongst her own filthy ashes. Good riddance!" she yelled out as she brought up her staff over her head. Alyssa grabbed her staff and rolled to the side as Tora struck down with hers, the relic striking into the ground as Alyssa rolled over and aimed hers up at Tora. The ashes around blew up in a fierce cloud into the dark witch's face, the girl screaming and coughing as she backed up. She swung her staff around to clear the air, the relic coming to a quick halt as it was grabbed by Alyssa. Tora looked to seeing Alyssa standing before her, holding the staff to the side, and having her own facing Tora.

  "My fire never dies," Alyssa said coldly. Tora was thrown back by a magical force, the girl then halting in the air before Alyssa swung her staff up and over her in an arc. The group watched as Tora followed the same motion, screaming as she was tossed over Alyssa and slammed into the ground. Ashes flew up around from the impact as Tora bounced once then dropped limp on the ground next to her staff. Alyssa wavered slightly then looked down at the dark witch who seemed to be knocked out.

  "Alyssa!" Daniel called out as the group ran over to her. Alyssa looked up to him then smiled slightly. She wavered to the side then fell forward, being caught by Daniel as he quickly dropped down to a knee to catch her.

  "Alyssa? Are you alright?" he asked as he held her up.

  "Yeah, I'll be fine, Daniel. Really," she said softly, smiling softly as she took a few deep breaths. She then looked down to Tora as the witch was out cold at her feet.

  "So she's the one responsible for all these monsters appearing in our city," the Ashwood guard said with discontent.

  "Just who is she anyway?" Daniel asked.

  "Her name is Tora; she's… an old acquaintance of mine. She likes summoning monsters from the netherworld, ones that do her fighting for her. Necro magic is her specialty," Alyssa muttered as she stood upright again. She looked down to Tora then kicked her in the side, the unconscious witch jerking to the side slightly and remaining motionless.

  "That and she's a bitch," Alyssa grunted with discontent.

  "We noticed," Triska said glancing around the area at the destroyed streets and buildings while screams and yells were heard nearby from the guards of Ashwood battling the remaining beasts that were brought forth by the dark witch. The group looked around as the sounds of chaos were still echoing out, as even with the witch out cold her monsters were still running loose in the city.

  "So which one of you was doing that with the fire, because that was unbelievable," Triska asked looking around at the destroyed remains of the library. Alyssa smirked and glanced to her.

  "Wildfire Witch?" Specca asked. The group looked to her as she was watching Alyssa closely.

  "Is that what she called you? You're… the Wildfire Witch?" she asked carefully.

  "Wildfire Witch? That name sounds familiar," the Ashwood guard said looking at Alyssa closely. Alyssa looked at Specca with remorse and nodded.

  "Yeah… that's… sort of my nickname in the monster world," she said softly.

  "So that fire display was from you? I never knew you could do anything like that," Triska said looking at the witch curiously. Tora groaned and started to slowly open her eyes. She blinked a few times then looked up to see the group looking down at her. Triska and the Ashwood guard held their swords down towards her neck as Squeak held her pickaxe back, ready to strike down at a moment’s notice.

  "Don't move. Don't even blink," Triska ordered sternly. Squeak merely squeaked something in a firm tone while waving her pickaxe behind her in a threatening manner.

  "This is the end of the line for you, witch, any last words?" the Ashwood guard declared with anger. Tora looked at them carefully then to Alyssa.

  "You brought this on yourself, Tora, you're a disgrace to witches everywhere," Alyssa said with discontent. Tora chuckled and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

  "Really? I'm a disgrace? I'm not the curse of the witch world, Alyssa, I'm not the one hated amongst our kind," she hissed. The group glanced to Alyssa as she showed concern from that.

  "Alyssa? What is she talking about?" Daniel asked. Tora laughed and looked over to him.

  "Yes, Alyssa, tell your pet all about who you are. Tell him how you're a mistake to all witches everywhere, how the Wildfire Witch is anything but a proud name," she said with a smirk. Everybody turned their eyes over to Alyssa as she was looking down at the ground with worry.

  "What is she talking about, Alyssa?" Triska asked.

  "It is you," Specca said softly. Alyssa looked up to her as the nixie pointed at the witch with wonder.

  "The Wildfire Witch," Specca said as she examined the girl.

  "Specca? You've heard of her?" Daniel asked. Specca nodded as she examined the witch curiously.

  "She's famous in the witch world; her power over fire is extraordinary. She's from a line of witches that are actually immune to fire. I've heard the stories from other witches that came through here in the marketplace," she said with awe. The group looked to Alyssa as she still had a worried expression, not seeming to be proud of that fact about her.

  "You can control fire?" Triska asked curiously. Tora laughed as the group looked back down to her.

  "Control? You stupid human, this girl can't control fire, that's why she's called the Wildfire Witch," she chuckled.

  "And just what do you mean by that
?" the Ashwood guard asked carefully. The group looked to Alyssa as she trembled, trying not to cry as a few tears were seen.

  "Alyssa? What's wrong?" Daniel asked gently.

  "I'm… sorry, Daniel," Alyssa whimpered, looking down with closed eyes. She choked back a sob and shook her head.

  "But… I'm…" she said shakily. After a pause she looked back up to him with watery eyes.

  "I'm actually not liked by any of my kind, not if they know who I really am," she said softly.

  "Who you really are?" Daniel asked.

  "You're an outcast in the witch world? Why?" Triska asked with a curious eye. Specca glanced to her then back down to Alyssa with a sympathetic expression.

  "She destroyed an entire forest in the eastern region, the home to many witches," she said softly. Everybody looked over to her with surprise as Tora laughed amusingly, the dark witch laying back casually while she had two swords being held close to her. She had her arms crossed behind her head as she listened to the group, not seeming to care about being detained by them at all.

  "She what?" Triska asked. Alyssa held back in her tears as she trembled. Tora chuckled and glanced to her with a cold smile.

  "That's right, your friend here is responsible for the great forest of Ritherwood to be reduced to a decaying and scarred graveyard of its former glory," she said with a bite. Daniel looked at Alyssa with surprise then jumped with a realization.

  "Wait, the forest, outside of your home," he said softly. Alyssa nodded shakily before looking up at him.

  "That's… Ritherwood," she said nervously.

  "You mean what's left of it," Tora added flatly.

  "That place was once a live forest? But, everything's dead now," Triska said softly. Tora laughed and nodded in agreement.