“No way,” Clover argued shaking her head. “I don’t see any elven guards but I just know something is lurking about in those woods other than my kin. The main road into Green Haven isn’t one we should travel, we’ll be spotted for sure. There are a few hidden paths that go through the forest into the village, hopefully The Sisterhood doesn’t know about them. We’ll use those to sneak in and find out what’s going on in there.”
“Then let’s go,” Daniel said holding a hand to his blade’s handle. “Alyssa, stay hidden and when Pip wakes up have her join us with spreading the word to the elves. We’ll keep watch for your signal and get every elf onboard with the plan as fast as we can. Hopefully we can pull this off without The Sisterhood catching on before it’s too late.”
“Good luck,” Alyssa voiced. “I’ll see you all later. And, Daniel? Seriously, be careful with that sword. It’s packing more power than you realize.”
“I’ve got a good hunch what it holds,” Daniel remarked as he felt a dark aura resonating through the blade into his arm. He and his group quickly took off towards the elven forest, veering to the right away from the main entrance as Clover led them towards a less conspicuous way into the grove.
“Take care, all of you,” Alyssa spoke to herself as she saw the others heading off. She looked around to make sure nobody was watching them then slowly stepped closer to the tall grass while taking hold of her staff.
“Okay, Alyssa. They’re counting on you. The elves are counting on you. Daniel is counting on you. He believes in you. So for the love of god don’t fuck this up.”
She blinked then quickly looked up, catching sight of what appeared to be a few lingering cinders floating up from the top of the cliff beyond the field of grass. Blinking a few times and rubbing her eye she then peered more closely, this time only seeing the afternoon sky past the rocky ridge with nothing making a sound around her.
“Keep it together, girl,” she quietly said to herself. “Don’t lose your focus now. Triska will never let you hear the end of it if you screw this up.”
She looked off towards where Daniel and his group had vanished then down to the sleeping fairy in her hand, a slow breath being made as she focused heavily on her critical role with their risky plan.
As the witch went over her role repeatedly in her mind and Daniel’s party ventured into the elven forest on their mission they were unaware that a certain individual had already spotted them, the same certain individual that quickly raced across the prairie in black heels with nine fox tails rustling behind her with cinders floating off into the air. She sprinted over hills and empty fields before finally rushing up a knoll and lunging at her sister who merely held out a hand to catch and halt the temperamental girl by the face.
“Flarah!” Kindra screamed as she frantically tried clawing her sister, just missing each time as her elder kept her at enough length while merely glancing to her with an amused smile.
“Is something the matter, little sister?” Flarah playfully asked. “You appear to be upset by something.”
“What the hell is Daniel Sorres doing here?” Kindra demanded as she knocked away Flarah’s arm and charged her, this time being grabbed below her shoulders and held in place by her stronger sibling. “You promised he wouldn’t get involved in this any further! You swore he wouldn’t be put in danger! So why in Eden is he here with the Hellfire’s Edge and going into that forest where the gemini are?”
Flarah merely watched Kindra shaking with furious snarls, thrashing arms, and rustling tails that let off smoke and flames in her rage while showing a curious expression with a slight twitch of her ear. After a pause she glanced over to Aeon who was still keeping her glowing eyes ahead at the elven forest.
“Aeon?” Flarah asked. “Is this true? I was under the impression that Daniel Sorres’ girlfriend held the Hellfire’s Edge in her possession. Triska Raylight was her name I believe.”
“She normally does,” Aeon answered with a shrug. “Though today the poor dear isn’t feeling too well, so it seems Daniel Sorres has borrowed it.”
“I thought you said she and Daemon Warrick would be bringing the swords here to dispatch the gemini,” Flarah recalled as she shoved her sister back. The two kitsunes watched the chronofly closely as the Dark Queen merely chuckled and glanced to them with a raised eyebrow.
“No, that’s not what I said, Flarah,” she slyly retorted. “I said the two swords would be making their way here today, that’s all. I never once said Triska Raylight herself would be bringing the Hellfire’s Edge. You just assumed as such.”
“So Daniel Sorres was the one destined to slay the gemini alongside Daemon?” Flarah mused. She looked to her sister curiously as the younger kitsune was staring at Aeon in surprise.
“Is that true?” Kindra wondered. “Daniel Sorres is going to… wait, hold on. You said earlier something’s been changed here. What did you change, Aeon?”
Aeon chuckled with a dark grin as the two kitsunes watched her carefully, the chronofly merely shrugging before looking ahead again.
“Just a few things, that’s all. Calm down and see for yourselves. As I said earlier you will enjoy tonight’s performance, just not in the way you were thinking.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Kindra shouted out. “Tell me what you did! Goddammit, Daniel Sorres is walking right into the middle of that mess! I’m not going to let him die all because of-”
Almost instantly Aeon burst out laughing, silencing the kitsune who glared at the amused chronofly that was now holding her sides. The Dark Queen shook her head and wiped a tear away while slowly regaining herself then turned to smile playfully at the two women.
“Oh don’t worry, I don’t want him to fall either. It would be quite unfortunate for him to perish today after all, and it would simply break my heart to see any harm befall him. Have no fear though, he’ll be just fine down there, so long as you don’t do anything reckless and interfere with the festivities of course.”
“Why do you care about him?” Kindra hissed. “What the hell are you up to, you bitch?”
“That will all become clear,” Aeon cryptically answered as she turned her gaze back onto the forest. “Trust me, everything will become clear in time.”
Chapter 18
Reunion (Part I)
In the world of Eden not everyone remained in constant contact with one another. Some would move away to start new lives for themselves or perhaps travel the world in search of lost and mystical treasure. Maybe they joined their kingdom’s militia and lost touch with old friends or perhaps they had been sent to prison for committing a crime. These different paths of life could be walked by all at any time, and where they would lead wasn’t always certain. Though sometimes they would again meet with those they split from, either in a fleeting moment of reminiscence or to join their divided fates once more.
These reunions could be cause for celebration, or perhaps only misery.
*****
“Okay, seriously,” Kindra said with a bewildered expression on her face. “What the hell is going on here?”
She and Flarah stood together atop a hill near the elven forest while both watching someone nearby experiencing some slight nausea and discomfort. The same someone who was keeled over on her knees and vomiting extremely loudly into a bush while her wings flinched with every heave she made.
“Don’t mind me,” Aeon groaned before throwing up again, the two kitsunes behind her exchanging puzzled looks before watching the Dark Queen spewing into the shrub while on her hands and knees.
“You okay over there, Aeon?” Flarah asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Just dandy,” Aeon gurgled before continuing to drench the shrub with her bile. “Just a little dizzy, that’s all. Everything is oka- RRRHGLGHGLGH!”
Kindra glanced to her sister while having a stunned expression then back to the chronofly who appeared to be hacking up her internal organs by the sound of it.
“Is… is she dying?” she hopefully asked.<
br />
“No,” Flarah answered shaking her head. “The poor dear must be a little sick from the fates being changed. She always experiences a little… discomfort when that happens. It appears whatever she altered is creating some rather large disturbances in the future that she’s prone to.”
“So she’s weakened now?” Kindra wondered. She blinked then started to dash towards the chronofly with rustling tails and flames rising up from her arms before one of her tails was grabbed and yanked back by Flarah, the younger kitsune yelping loudly and landing on her rear with a painful cringe.
“Dammit, Flarah! Don’t pull my tail like that! What gives?”
“Don’t piss her off otherwise she’ll kill you,” Flarah lectured crossing her arms. “She may be weakened in this state but she’s by no means vulnerable to being slain. All you’ll do is provoke her should you attack her now.”
“Then how do we kill her?” Kindra raged as she got back onto her feet. “How the hell did you plan on killing her when she got out? How do you expect to slay this Dark Queen, Flarah? If she can just undo anything we try how is anyone supposed to kill her?”
“Haha,” Aeon weakly laughed while rocking her head back with a dazed smile. “Wouldn’t… wouldn’t you like to know ho- RRRHGLGHGLGH!”
The chronofly again vomited loudly into the now very drenched bush while the two kitsunes watched her nearby with slight grimaces. Kindra growled in frustration with her tails rustling behind her while Flarah merely shook her head a little at the sight of Aeon keeled over into the shrub.
“How very undignified,” Flarah sighed. She glanced over to the side as something caught her eye while Kindra was snarling and glaring at the chronofly with cinders coming off her shaking tails.
“We need to kill her,” Kindra cursed. “We need to do so quickly before she destroys this world. Think of something, Flarah. Now’s our chance. Flarah? Flarah?”
She noticed her sister was watching something other than the nauseous chronofly then turned to see three figures approaching from the southwest. Flarah showed a slight smile then chuckled as she started walking towards them and past the Dark Queen whose leg twitched as she continued to vomit uncontrollably.
“At least this hasn’t been changed,” Flarah mused with a playful glance to Aeon. “I was growing worried this had been altered as well with your little meddling. I’ll be right back, Aeon. Try to pull yourself together in the meantime.”
“Flarah!” Kindra shouted stomping her foot. “What are you doing? Focus here! We need to kill this monster while we still can! Hey! Where are you going?”
“Stay there, little sister,” Flarah called back. “This won’t take too long.”
“What the hell are you up to, big sister?” Kindra snarled. She looked to see Aeon wearily turning to see where Flarah was going before she threw up again with a loud hurl. “You’ve got to be kidding me. When is someone going to start making sense of all this shit going on around me?”
Flarah casually made her way down the knoll towards where the three newcomers had stopped at its base, her eyes slowly going over each of them while her carefree smile remained in place. In the middle of the trio a man was seen wearing a dark cloak and cowl that had white embroidery woven into ridged angular markings along its edges and into an irregular diamond crest in front of the hood. His eyes were hidden beneath the cowl but his stoic expression was the same as Flarah remembered. Wearing no shirt his well-toned physique was clearly shown along with his muscular arms which bared silver bands below his shoulders with black diamonds adorning them. His hands were clad in dark gloves with the same diamond crest woven atop them with white thread. Steel plated boots were worn below his baggy dark leggings which were bound to his waist with a silver laced belt. At his side a longsword was resting in its dark scabbard, the handle baring glowing neon white engravings that were etched into it down to the hilt while the sheath bared the same white diamond emblem on its side.
“Hello again,” Flarah greeted as she walked up to them. “I missed you, dear.”
She took one more step before stopping as two swords were quickly held out towards her face, the kitsune pausing for a moment before giggling as she saw the man’s companions were once again fiercely protective of his personal space.
“No closer,” the one on the right growled, the monster being a reptile girl with a very volatile aura around her. Silver leg guards were worn above her feet over her scales that matched the spiked shoulder plates she had on. Black underwear was seen that barely had enough fabric to hold onto her hips and cover the green scales around her pelvis, yet even that much was more than her upper body had as she wore no covering at all above her waist. The dark straps of her shoulder guards crossed in front of her exposed breasts which had silver rings pierced through the nipples, with her large bosom having a broken chain resting atop it that reached up to her spiked collar. Her green eyes were glaring, her long raven hair flowed freely behind and over her reptilian ears, and a shiny tiara was seen that had a white crest adorning its front in the same diamond design as the man she was defending had. Silver arm plates were worn below her elbows while in one hand was a large serrated broadsword that was held out towards Flarah in a threating manner. The blade appeared to be made of a strange type of dark steel that had glowing white etchings set all across it in odd patterns. Its handle also showed the unique markings while the end had a small spike pointed out from the bottom.
“Get back,” the other snarled, this one also being a reptile girl dressed in the same revealing armor as her kin. For her the only differences were she had a small golden chain attached between her nipple piercings, her hair was a lighter shade of auburn while being much shorter around her neck, and unlike the other’s tail which sharply swayed in the air her reptilian limb had three silver bands fastened around it that displayed similar black diamond adornments that the man had on his. Her sword however was identical to her companion’s and was held in the same threatening manner towards the kitsune who merely glanced between the two of them before smiling amusedly at the one between them.
“Your pets are as charming as ever,” Flarah dryly said.
“What are you doing here, Flarah?” the man asked.
“Oh, this and that,” she playfully replied with a shrug. “Though I must admit I was looking forward to seeing you again. I waited ever so patiently for your arrival. I have missed you after all.”
“Have you now?” the man replied in question. He turned his unseen gaze towards the top of the hill, seeing Aeon starting to sit up before quickly lurching back forward and vomiting again while Kindra was staring at her sister in disbelief still.
“Is that the chronofly I see atop the hill?” he asked turning back to Flarah. “You let her out already?”
“No, I didn’t let that one out,” Flarah answered shaking her head. “Apparently some misguided human set her free. Don’t worry about her, I’ll take care of that one as well, I promise.”
“Your promises are hollow,” the first reptile girl snarled.
“Your efforts are pathetic,” the second scorned.
“Such sharp tongues,” Flarah mused with a smirk. “Do you two think you’re a threat to me simply because you belong to him?”
The two reptile girls snarled and prepared to rush the kitsune before the man snapped his fingers, the girls glancing to him before slowly lowering their swords and stepping back.
“You need to keep them on a tighter leash,” Flarah mocked with a wink.
“I could say the same for you,” the man replied with a slight tone of aggravation. “You were supposed to be collecting a few valuable treasures for me. Instead I find you here loafing about with your sister and a Dark Queen.”
“It’s being handled,” Flarah assured holding up her hand. “Don’t worry, I promise those artifacts will be in your hands soon enough. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
“Your carefree attitude towards this doesn’t leave me with much confidence in you,” the
man spoke shaking his head slightly.
“Aw,” Flarah pouted with lowering ears. “Don’t say you don’t believe in me. That hurts hearing you say such things. You’re going to make me cry if you keep doing that.”
“You arrogant little…” the first reptile girl hissed.
“You forget your place,” the second snarled.
“I’m sorry, did you two say something?” Flarah dryly retorted. “I don’t usually pay attention to lowly dogs who beg for a man’s bone.”
Again the reptile girls stepped forward while drawing their weapons, only for the man to hold a hand up and stop them instantly.
“You should treat them with more respect, Flarah,” he warned as he waved them back, the two reptile girls slowly drawing back and lowering their weapons. “You of all people should know better than to underestimate them.”
“I’m well aware what they can do,” Flarah mused with a shrug. “The better question is do they know what I’m capable of?”
“We couldn’t care less what you think you can do,” the man said walking up to her. “You don’t appear to fully grasp the severity of your situation, and you seem to fail in noticing who it is you’re speaking to with such assertive words.”
“Maybe if you didn’t hide that beautiful face of yours beneath a cowl,” Flarah purred with a sultry smile. “Come now, can’t we just have a nice little chat together? It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, I really have missed those eyes of yours. And that chest too, rawr.”
Without pause the man reached out and grabbed her throat, the woman jumping a bit before smiling weakly at seeing he was by no means amused with her words.
“Have you forgotten the deal we made?”
“No,” Flarah answered shaking her head a little. “Of course not.”
“I granted your wish, now you need to follow through with mine. I want all four pieces of The Well in my hands where they belong. You have a job to do, Flarah, you have a promise to keep. I don’t want to see you wasting any more time with your silly games. Get. To. Work.”
Chronicles of Eden - Act XI Page 62