Chronicles of Eden - Act 2

by Alexander Gordon

  “Don’t let another witch be the end of my sister. Please find her and get her out of here,” Falla pleaded. Kroanette glanced to the others in the cage then nodded slowly.

  “I’ll see if I can locate her, and hide her from the alpha. However I’m not going to abandon you here, I’ll be back, I promise,” she offered before walking away from the cage.

  “So, I’ll just be going now, pleasure doing business with you,” she said kindly with wave to Charlotte. The alpha merely waved her off as she watched her pillar of blue light healing the three other monster girls. Kroanette glanced back to Daniel and his friends then took off down the street further into the village, slowly vanishing from sight while Falla watched her with worried eyes.

  “Please find her, please,” she said softly.

  After a while the blue pillar of light dropped down and splashed away from the monster girls, revealing them to be healthy and fit once again. Sasha and Rulo looked over their bodies with a careful eye while Forrus held a hand to her head and brushed it back through her hair, all of them finding themselves to feel perfectly fine.

  “Well?” Daemon asked glancing back to them. The girls looked to him and nodded, with Sasha then holding her sword out at her side with one hand while Rulo hoisted her hammer up onto her shoulder like she always did, neither showing any signs of fatigue.

  “I feel fine now, thank you for having her do that,” Sasha said with a small bow.

  “Yeah, I think I’m ok now,” Rulo added with a shrug.

  “Minus losing sight of those accursed monstrosities that were sent away, I am alright. Thank you, my lord,” Forrus said humbly. Daemon nodded then turned to Charlotte as she watched him with a knowing smile.

  “No problem for someone like me, they’re as good as new again. But they won’t remain that way for long unless you start talking, them and yourself. So, start talking,” she reminded expectedly. Daemon nodded then knelt down in front of her, leaning over to her ear as she giggled and glanced to him with a sultry smile.

  “That’s it, whisper those sweet nothings into my ear,” she coaxed.

  Everyone watched as Daemon whispered into Charlotte’s ear, the alpha witch looking past him at the three monster girls who had serious expressions on their faces. After a while Charlotte’s smile slowly faded, the alpha then glancing to Daemon while thinking she was hearing incorrectly. Apoch and Astreal watched as Charlotte looked to the artifact then ahead again as the boy continued to whisper to her. Daniel and his group looked to each other then back to the mysterious swordsman, all of them growing more curious about what the big deal was surrounding this strange relic. After he finished speaking Daemon leaned back and watched Charlotte with a blank expression, the witch just staring at him with a careful eye.

  “Ms. Charlotte? What did he say?” Apoch and Astreal asked.

  “Yeah, kinda curious over here too,” Triska spoke up with.

  “Just what is that thing anyway?” Specca asked.

  Charlotte looked to the relic in her hand for a moment, tilting it around and eyeing it closely, then turned to Daemon with a cautious expression.

  “You lie,” she accused.

  “He does not,” Sasha argued.

  “We’ve seen it ourselves,” Rulo stated firmly.

  “My lord speaks the truth, you would be a fool to ignore his words,” Forrus contended.

  Charlotte looked to the relic and shook her head slowly, watching as the engraved lines on the artifact glowed with a soft blue light briefly.

  “That is indeed quite a grand tale, however its utter bullshit, there is no reason for me to believe any of that,” she argued before looking back to Daemon with a scowl. Slowly her expression changed to concern as the boy’s piercing gaze at her remained unwavering and firm.

  “That can’t be true, it can’t be,” she said shaking her head again, this time her words having less confidence than before.

  “Tell me, what do you believe this artifact will bring you? What have you heard about it?” Daemon questioned.

  “It’s said that the key will unlock true power unlike any other, that it will…” Charlotte trailed off before her eyes widened. She then quickly shook her head and backed up a step.

  “But not like that, that’s not what it will do, it’s not,” she argued.

  “Who are you trying to convince of that, me or you?” Daemon asked. Charlotte looked to the artifact with a careful eye then glanced back to Daemon as the boy slowly shook his head.

  “You’re just like that succubus, only wishing for the legend to grant you such power, never stopping to consider just what that power is that you’re unlocking,” he stated.

  “Ok, seriously, what the hell is that thing?” Triska called out shaking her head.

  “If you’re going to kill us then at least tell us too, this is actually quite torturous,” Specca mentioned.

  Charlotte examined the artifact carefully then looked at Daemon with a sharp eye.

  “That succubus is after this for the same reason as us?” she questioned.

  “No, she’s after it for the same reason as you. I have no intention on opening it, I only wish to make sure it remains closed forever,” Daemon said strongly, his voice grabbing the attention of Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus for a moment before the trio looked back to Charlotte. The alpha witch glanced around at them then smiled slightly as she turned her focus back to Daemon.

  “You are a unique human indeed. Tell me, what is your name?” she asked.

  “Daemon Warrick,” he replied. Charlotte nodded slowly then glanced to his sword.

  “I see. And, Daemon, may I see your sword for a moment, if you don’t mind?” she requested while pointing her wand towards the boy’s sword.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “I’m very curious, I know it is not a normal sword from what I’ve seen, that and if we are to dispense with the pleasantries tonight I’d like to see what you plan on threatening me with. So, if you would, please indulge me,” Charlotte said with a smirk. Daemon hesitated then grabbed his sword and slowly unsheathed it, the metallic ring echoing out slightly as he held the blade out to be seen by the witch. Charlotte eyed it curiously as she stepped closer, examining the markings and finely polished steel as it seemed to glow all on its own.

  “I must say it was rather interesting how you managed to use this to… to use this… to…” she said before trailing off, her eyes going from puzzlement to wonder then awe as she leaned closer to the blade.

  “No, it couldn’t be,” she breathed out. Apoch and Astreal walked over to see as well then gasped as they eyed the sword, the three witches leaning closer to it while the group watched them curiously.

  “My grace, is that…” Apoch and Astreal said softly together. Charlotte looked to Daemon with surprise then back to the sword.

  “This sword should only be a myth, not real, how is it that you possess it? Where did you get it?” she demanded.

  “Ok, really getting curious over here about what you’re all talking about,” Triska spoke up with.

  “I think they’ve forgotten about us,” Daniel said tiredly.

  “That’s the Archlight’s Blade!” Apoch cried out.

  “No it isn’t, it’s just a fake, it has to be,” Astreal argued shaking her head.

  “The Archlight’s Blade?” Daniel asked as he looked around at his friends.

  “What’s that?” Triska asked. Specca’s eyes darted around in thought, her mind trying to recall that name is it sounded familiar to her.

  “I’ve heard that name before, I know I have,” she said softly.

  Charlotte looked at the strange blade with wonder then to Daemon as he slowly withdrew his sword and sheathed it at his hip again.

  “Who in Eden are you? That sword shouldn’t exist, what you say about this relic can’t be true, this isn’t-” she argued before stopping as she saw Daemon just staring at her with a cold gaze still. Slowly Charlotte glanced over to the three monster girls behind him, all of them
giving her the same cold stare as well.

  “We’ll only tell you once more,” Sasha stated.

  “Give him the artifact,” Rulo ordered.

  “It belongs to him and him only,” Forrus finished.

  Charlotte looked back to Daemon as the boy slowly drummed his fingers on his sword’s handle, his eyes just staring at the witch as he remained silent. The witch looked at him carefully then with wonder.

  “What manner of human are you?” she asked softly. Daemon didn’t say a word as the witch eyed him over with disbelief before she looked to the artifact in her hand. After a moment she glanced back to Daemon as the boy slowly shook his head.

  “You don’t want the trouble that thing will bring down upon you or your sisters, I can assure you of that much. Give the artifact to me, or I will resort to using force to take it,” he ordered. Charlotte toiled the artifact around in her hand as she watched the boy with a sharp eye then looked at the relic with a quiet sigh.

  “I don’t know, this is all so hard to believe. After all, you wield a sword that shouldn’t exist, you speak of such dreadful and terrible tales about this artifact, and you have the audacity to still try to order me around. None of this sits well with me, not at all,” she mused before glancing back to the boy with a raised eyebrow. Daemon remained quiet with a hand held at his sword’s handle as everyone waited to see what would happen next. After a while of uneasy silence Charlotte smirked and turned to face the boy while tossing the artifact up leisurely and catching it again.

  “But, you do raise a good point that this thing does attract some rather unsavory attention. I mean first a Darker One comes after it, and then even Alyssa the Wildfire Witch is brought back upon this land like a returning plague, who knows what tomorrow will bring should it remain here,” she deliberated with a shrug.

  “Oh c’mon, don’t put me in the same lot as a Darker One,” Alyssa whined quietly.

  Charlotte looked at the artifact and hummed a playful tune before looking up thoughtfully.

  “But then again, I did already pay a good healthy human to get this thing, it would be such a waste for me to just let it go all for nothing,” she pointed out before looking back to Daemon while feigning a troubled pout. The boy continued to watch her without expressing any concern about what she said, with Charlotte glancing to the relic then back to him again with a smirk on her face.

  “I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you a chance to get this from me, but just one chance mind you,” she said with an innocent frown while shaking her wand at him. Daemon raised an eyebrow at her as the witch walked closer to him, the girl swaying her hips with a sultry smile on her face.

  “You, Daemon, are indeed a very special human. You wield a sword of legend, you can resist my charming magic, you stand before Darker Ones and the likes of myself without fear, and you claim to have a noble quest above all else imaginable. My word, it’s almost as if you are a knight of sorts, so strapping and handsome too, I must say you have my interest in more ways than one,” she complimented before holding her relic and wand back behind her while leaning closer to his face.

  “I don’t know if any of what you said is true, there’s just no way for me to know for sure after all, but I’ll be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt since you’ve entertained me so well tonight. Still, if you want this relic, then you’re going to have to prove yourself as a true knight of this land to me,” she requested.

  “And just how do you expect me to do that?” Daemon asked flatly. Charlotte giggled then winked at him.

  “You can resist my charming magic with your fortitude, but can you resist my kiss as well?” she asked curiously.

  “What?” Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus yelled out at her with anger. Apoch and Astreal giggled and watched Daemon with playful smiles from either side of Charlotte.

  “Ms. Charlotte’s kisses are known to be as powerful as those from a succubus,” Apoch said with a purr at the end.

  “Oh my, should you kiss her even your fortitude may not be enough to resist her charm,” Astreal warned innocently.

  “You’ll become her slave on the spot, forever and ever and ever,” the sisters said together before hopping around giddily. Daniel’s group looked to each other curiously then back to the alpha witch as she gazed into Daemon’s eyes, the girl having a piercing stare of her own. Daemon glanced to the witch sisters with a blank expression then to Charlotte as the alpha licked her lips lightly.

  “If you can kiss me, I mean if you can really kiss me, and resist my charm even then, you can have the artifact. But you have to really give that kiss some kick, show me just what kind of knight you are,” she dared with a confident smile.

  “He’s not a knight, he’s my lord,” Forrus argued.

  “And he doesn’t have to kiss you, we’ll just take the artifact from you after we break all your bones,” Rulo snorted as she brought her hammer forth.

  “Touch his lips and you shall die on this very night,” Sasha hissed as she brought her broadsword up at the ready.

  Charlotte glanced to them with a slick smile while her wand glowed softly, the three girls tensing up as Apoch and Astreal giggled and watched them amusedly.

  “My grace, shall we get rid of them for you?” they offered together. Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus got ready to charge before Daemon held a hand back to them, the girls then looking to him worriedly as he watched Charlotte with a sharp eye.

  “One kiss for the artifact, that’s your only price?” he asked carelessly.

  “Yes, I’ll hand it to you personally should you win this little game and that’ll be it. Otherwise, if you prefer to fight me for it I’d be happy to oblige, I dare say you and your pets won’t fare so well against me and my little helpers,” Charlotte boasted with confidence. Apoch and Astreal hopped to attention with their staves held out towards them with daring smiles, the twins giggling together as Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus remained on guard. The three monster girls glanced to Daemon as the boy just watched Charlotte for a moment before he spoke again.

  “I’ll do so, on one more condition,” he said, with his girls looking to him with surprise as Charlotte raised an eyebrow in question.

  “And what would that be?” she asked.

  “You will tell us where you sent those two girls who would not die, it would make Forrus happy to have them finally be slain before her,” Daemon requested, with Forrus holding a hand over her heart as she watched her lord with adoring eyes. Charlotte glanced to the lycan then back to Daemon while shaking her head.

  “I can tell you that if you wish, however you will not be killing them,” she pointed out carelessly.

  “That is not your concern,” he replied with. Charlotte giggled then nodded while closing her eyes.

  “Very well, should you win this game we’ll tell you exactly where we transported those two girls, it makes no difference to me,” she agreed with.

  “Deal,” Daemon said before he grabbed the witch by the back of the head and pulled her closer, with everyone watching as he pulled the alpha into a deep kiss. Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus gasped with shock while Apoch and Astreal watched with eager smiles. Daniel and his group however just watched the sight with curious eyes as they wondered if this human really could resist such a powerful charming spell from the alpha. Charlotte stared at Daemon with surprise before her eyes fluttered and closed again, the witch’s hands flinching before she dropped her wand and relic to the ground as she moved to hold onto Daemon’s shoulders. Sasha clenched her sword tightly in her hands while baring her teeth, her low hiss and sharply whipping tail showing how angry she was with Charlotte very clearly. Rulo growled and snarled with bared teeth as she gripped her hammer, her face turning red with anger as she glared at Charlotte. And Forrus snarled like a rabid dog as she bared her claws, her eyes glaring at the alpha witch with fury as she saw the girl kissing her lord.

  After a while Daemon let go and Charlotte stepped back with a small gasp, her face having taken on a slight blush as she slowly ope
ned her eyes again. Daemon just watched her with a blank expression while the alpha slowly held a hand to her lips and stepped back, her eyes going over the boy before her almost in a daze while everyone watched her curiously.

  “My grace?” Apoch and Astreal asked together. Charlotte blinked then pointed to Daemon.

  “Bark like a dog for me, right now,” she ordered. Daemon merely shook his head, with Charlotte and her helpers gasping in surprise.

  “Impossible, he should be hexed into being your slave forever,” Apoch said with disbelief.

  “How can he resist your charm like this, it’s not possible,” Astreal added with bewilderment. Charlotte slowly nodded and watched as Daemon remained in control as he stared at her with his piercing blue eyes.

  “You truly are a remarkable knight, I’ve never felt such a powerful kiss before,” she said softly.

  “I am no knight. Now, the artifact,” Daemon replied while holding out his hand. Charlotte smiled a bit and glanced to it before she held her hands out behind her, causing her wand and the artifact to float up into her grasp. With a reluctant sigh she handed the artifact over to him, holding onto it while he grabbed it as she glanced to him with a raised eyebrow.

  “Tell me, is there any chance I could invite you back to my village for the night? Perhaps I could help you rest up before you leave this land to continue your little quest,” she offered coyly. Daemon shook his head and pulled the artifact away from her, the witch watching him with a curious smile as he stood up and looked at the relic with a sharp eye. Charlotte nodded slowly then glanced to the three other girls who were glaring at her with fury.

  “Ah, I see, you already have company to sleep with tonight,” she mused, with Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus jumping at that before looking down and away with frustration. Daniel’s group exchanged glances in question for a moment then looked back to those before them.

  “Ms. Charlotte, are you really going to let him take your artifact away?” Apoch asked curiously.