“Um, Grace?” Max carefully asked again.
“I thought elves were supposed to be gentle spirits of the forest,” Lelu fearfully mentioned. “And also much better shots with their arrows.”
The two remained still while watching Grace vent her obvious rage on the dead copycat’s body, both being thankful the elf had saved their lives while also wondering if they were safe near the volatile girl. After she smeared the head of the copycat on the floor with her boot Grace finally stepped back while breathing heavily, the girl glaring at the corpse with anger that didn’t appear to be vanishing yet. She then glanced to Lelu and Max, the two jumping a bit before smiling fearfully at her.
“Th-thank you,” Max said. “Thank you, Grace.”
“You kept him from being raped,” Lelu breathed out in relief as she held Max close. “Thank you so much.”
“I didn’t kill this fucking whore to save him,” Grace snapped as she turned her head away. “I just hate copycats so much. The second I heard you say that name I saw red. These fucking animals needed to die.”
“Still, thank you,” Max said. “And… nice shot with her.”
“I always hit my mark,” Grace snootily replied. “I am an elf after all.”
“Really?” Lelu dryly asked while looking around at the many arrows in the room that clearly didn’t hit their mark. She shook her head then quickly looked over Max in urgency.
“Are you alright?” she feared. “I was so scared she was going to rape you.”
“I’m fine,” Max promised her. “Really. A little shaken up still, but I’m okay.”
Lelu hugged Max tightly while crying a little, the boy slowly holding her as well while feeling amazed she cared for him that much. Grace watched them out of the corner of her eye for a moment then scoffed and looked to the bow in her hand.
“This is an elven bow,” she commented. Looking back she saw Max and Lelu watching her curiously before she glared at the boy. “You monster hunters killed my sisters, didn’t you? Took this from them like some fucked up trophy. Isn’t that right?”
“Grace,” Max spoke up, then fell silent as he knew there was no defending that statement.
“I shouldn’t have saved you,” Grace hissed. “I should have let that copycat rape you to death before gutting her like the animal she is. You fucking murderer.”
“Max didn’t murder anyone,” Lelu defended. “His sisters are the ones who are monster hunters, they-”
“Why are you defending him?” Grace demanded. “Why are you friends with him? He’s a fucking human and his sisters have murdered our kind! Look over there on the wall, that’s a centaur’s spear, isn’t it? They’ve killed centaurs before, why do you care what happens to him at all?”
“Because he’s my best friend!” Lelu shouted out. Grace looked at her curiously as the centaur hugged Max close while trying to hold back her tears. “I lost everything to those horrible monsters. My home, my mother, everything. I was going to die out there, I was going to die alone, until he saved me. He took me in, fed me, pitied me, and made me feel safe. He cares about me and I care about him. So much.”
“He’s human,” Grace stressed while waving to the boy.
“I know,” Lelu whimpered. “His kind have killed mine and my own have raped his. If anything Max should have killed me, he’s had every reason and opportunity to end my life. But he hasn’t. He doesn’t want me to be sad or alone. He really cares about me. I’m so thankful to have met him.”
“Lelu…” Max quietly said.
“I don’t care if he’s human and I’m a monster,” Lelu snapped at Grace. “I’m happy with him! I want to stay with him! He’s not like other humans who would only despise and curse my existence, he treats me like I’m a normal girl even though I look like this. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me!”
Grace stared at her in bewilderment as the centaur buried her face in Max’s shoulder and cried. The boy held her with a look of wonder on his face, surprised that she felt so strongly about him like that. He then noticed Grace watching him with a scowl, the elf gritting her teeth slightly as she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Grace… I-”
“Why do you care about monsters?” she snapped. “If your family hunts us then why are you being so nice to us?”
“I… don’t really know,” Max sighed shaking his head. Lelu stepped back while he took a moment to really question what he had been doing. “The truth is I’m a bit surprised too. I’ve always hated monsters so much. They took my parents from me, they hurt humans and prey upon men, and my sisters always risk their lives fighting them to save others from being hurt too.”
“But you don’t hate us?” Grace asked.
“I don’t,” Max answered with a small smile at Lelu, the centaur smiling brightly in return while wiping her tears away. “The truth is I’m glad I got to meet Lelu. Maybe I was just alone too long out here, or maybe I felt sorry for her because of all she lost, but I was happy to have her here to talk with and keep me company. She may be a little… unique, in quite a few ways, but she’s not a demon. She’s not a monster to me.”
“Max,” Lelu managed to get out while feeling choked up by his words.
“And you,” he continued turning to Grace, the elf watching him curiously now. “I don’t understand how you got here or what happened to you, but after you fainted you had such a sad look on your face while you slept. I could tell you went through your own troubles, though I didn’t know how bad it really was at the time.”
“That’s why you put me in your bed?” she wondered.
“I wanted to be nice to a girl in need,” Max reasoned. “I mean, I already crossed that line with Lelu, what harm was there in doing so with you as well?”
“I’m still upset you put her in your bed,” Lelu mentioned looking away with a pout. “But… she did help us, so… I guess I can forgive her this one time.”
Grace slowly walked up to Max and eyed him over before shaking her head with a puzzled expression.
“I don’t understand. Your family hunts monsters, elves even. Why would you want to help me?”
“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” he answered with a shrug. “Even though you’re an elf… I wanted to help. I guess I’m a little crazy in the head, aren’t I?”
“Yeah,” Grace answered with a nod.
“No,” Lelu insisted at the same time, the two girls then glancing to each other before watching Max smiling weakly to that. Grace looked away for a moment then sighed heavily and walked over to the curtain.
“Fine,” she muttered. “You wanted to help me, I get it. I don’t get why you wanted to, but… you at least tried to. I’m not going to thank you for it though, your family still killed my people and I don’t exactly want you as a friend.”
“That’s fine,” Max empathized. “I understand how-”
“You’ll do as my servant though,” Grace continued with a careless glance back at him.
“Servant?” Max and Lelu questioned.
“Yes. My servant,” Grace factually said looking ahead. “I saved your life, the least you can do is put it to good use in my name as thanks and atone for what your family has done to my people.”
“He is not your servant,” Lelu snapped while glaring at the elf.
“I saved your fat ass too,” Grace reminded her.
“Fat? Fat?” Lelu shouted with a deep blush.
“But I don’t really want a cow as my servant,” Grace casually continued while examining her fingernails. “A human would do however.”
“Cow?” Lelu yelled out in rage. She charged the elf with a scream before Grace merely jumped aside, the centaur blindly rushing past and running into the curtain that quickly tore off above and covered the girl. Lelu screamed while running forward before crashing into a wall and dropping to the ground with a thud, boxes and tins falling around her from the shelves while the girl’s feet twitched a bit from under the blanket. Grace scoffed at her then turned to M
ax with a sharp glare, the boy watching her nervously while keeping his tattered clothing held over his waist.
“You’re in my debt,” Grace told him. “Both because I saved your life and you owe me that much at the very least for all the elves your sisters killed. You. Are. Mine. Got it?”
“Um…”
“Unless you properly answer with ‘Yes, ma’am’, I’m going to fucking beat the living shit out of you and make you say it,” Grace snarled. “You got that? Well?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Max quickly agreed nodding.
“Good boy,” Grace scoffed looking away. “Now get me something to eat. I’m starving.”
Max watched her nervously as the elf glanced to him before she growled with fire in her eyes.
“What did I just say? Listen up when I’m talking to you!”
“Uh, can I at least get some new clothes first?” Max weakly asked.
Grace looked him over then rolled her eyes with a huff.
“Fine. But hurry up, I’m hungry.”
Max slowly nodded then made his way around the dead copycats and the volatile little elf before running up the stairs. As he did Grace peeked over and saw his naked rear as he ran, the girl raising her eyebrow curiously for a moment then shaking her head and walking off towards the kitchen. As she passed Lelu who was pulling the curtain off herself she stopped and glanced to the girl with a sharp eye.
“Although I don’t want you for a servant or even a friend you do owe me your life,” she hissed. “Remember that before acting so rashly, otherwise I’ll put you down just like I did with those copycats.”
“You insufferable girl,” Lelu growled. “Max does not belong to you, he’s-”
“He’s my new servant,” Grace argued before stomping her boot against the centaur’s chest. “I saved his life even after his family killed my people, this is the least he can do in reparation.”
She grunted while pushing off the centaur then walked over to the kitchen doorway, the girl stopping for a moment before glancing back to Lelu who got up on her feet while glaring at the elf.
“I’m not going to rape him,” she said, with Lelu then watching her cautiously. “I just… could use an extra hand.”
“With what?” Lelu questioned.
“Getting revenge for my mother,” Grace answered before walking off. Lelu watched her go then grunted with a stomp of her front hoof. She looked to the staircase with worried eyes then trotted over to it to await Max’s return and also to distance herself from the elf that she wasn’t too keen on becoming friends with either.
“I’m honestly wondering if we were better off with the copycats instead of her.”
*****
Inside a grand hall there wasn’t much light, except for the ominous green glows that came from etchings in the floor that appeared to be indented in the sleek metal ground. Standing within the dark jade hue a figure was seen, the silhouette showing that of a woman with large monarch wings behind her that lightly fluttered. From the floor under her large green and blue triangular casting bases formed, the markers crossed through one another and slowly spinning while searing green emblems bled upward from them into the air around the woman.
“The timeline has shifted,” she spoke distantly. “I did not anticipate such a large change would be made by saving that little elf. I do wonder how much of a mess this will make of things.”
She mumbled to herself while the neon glowing symbols floated up around her, the lights slowly fizzling out as they reached higher into the darkness while the woman’s wings fluttered once more behind her with silent movements.
“Oh dear,” she softly said. “Such a clouded clutter this has created. So much uncertainty now. I simply hate that. If I had known helping Flarah with her little plan would have dirtied the timeline such as this I would never have-”
Stopping suddenly the woman took notice of something that halted her words. With an intrigued murmur she gazed ahead into the darkness as if seeing something beyond what was there that she peered closely at.
“Oh my,” she mused with a heightened tone of interest. “This… this could work out well for me. Yes… with the proper corrections… oh yes. This could be just what I need. How lovely, this horrid mess of fates is actually my golden ticket. How twisted and divine.”
The woman laughed while her wings fluttered behind her, the surrounding green lines in the walls and angular ceiling above lighting up with an energy surge pulsating in the hall as her power resonated greatly for a moment.
“Oh, Flarah,” she kindly spoke. “Thank you so much for allowing fate to benefit me for a change. I am truly pleased by this gift. It almost makes up for the messy timeline you’ve helped create. Such an eyesore is a small price to pay for this lovely opportunity.”
She chuckled and looked off to the side, her glowing green eyes being seen amidst the darkness and lime hues of the hall’s lights.
“I don’t normally like my precious timestream being clouded with uncertainty, but in this one instance I’ll make an exception.”
*****
Tabitha slowly opened her eyes as she regained consciousness, the dusty smell she picked up causing her to cough before she realized it was difficult to breathe. With a sharp gasp she quickly awoke and noticed she was wrapped up tightly by a familiar snake tail.
“Tabitha!” Scay cheered as she nuzzled against the neko’s cheek, her long body twisting slightly while completely wrapped around her friend. “Yay! You’re awake!”
“Scay?” Tabitha gasped before struggling to breathe again. “Too tight! Too tight, Scay!”
“I’m so happy you’re alive!” Scay dearly said while constricting her tail. “I was so worried about you! I’ve been waiting forever for you to wake up! Are you okay now? Are you?”
“Can’t breathe,” Tabitha hoarsely got out before feeling her lungs straining for air. “Scay… let me go.”
Scay blinked then noticed Tabitha turning blue while her eyes began rolling back into her head. The naga quickly let go of her friend with a yelp, her tail hastily unraveling and spinning the neko around in place before dropping her onto a bed with a thump. Tabitha gasped and finally caught her breath before looking around as her world slowly stopped spinning. She was inside a small underground room, the walls and ceiling being that of stone while the ground was smooth dirt. A lantern was lit on a hook near a wooden door, illuminating it, the two beds inside, a table with cups and a water pitcher on it, a large wooden crate set against the wall, a nervously smiling naga, and a lycan who was sitting on the adjacent bed with a dull glance set on the neko. The wolf had her bolas hooked to her belt while Scay had her dagger sheathed in hers again.
“Sorry, Tabitha,” Scay said while pulling her hair over her face. “I was just- nrrghmmm happy that you were okay.”
“Where am I?” Tabitha asked.
“We’re in part of the ant girl nest,” Forrus explained as she sat up on the edge of the bed. “My lord was gracious enough to heal your wounds after you nearly got yourself killed with that reckless fighting of yours.”
“Reckless?” Tabitha hissed at her. “I saved all your lives by helping you in that fucking pit, and you know it!”
“I hate to admit that, but it’s true,” Forrus reluctantly agreed. “I still can’t bring myself to say any words of gratitude to you however.”
“I don’t need your gratitude,” Tabitha snapped with a clenched fist. She then looked around quickly before turning to her with a deep glare. “And where are my prized weapons I loaned all of you? There had better not be so much as a scratch on those things or else you’re dead!”
“That’s all you have to say now?” Forrus scoffed as she stood up. “No thanks for my lord saving your life or questions as to why we’re down here, just ‘where’s my gold’ or ‘where’s my treasure’? That’s all you nekos ever think about, isn’t it?”
“Where are they?” Tabitha yelled standing up and growling at the lycan.
“They’re in that b
ox,” Scay answered pointing to the crate. Tabitha instantly ran over and opened the lid, her eyes quickly examining all the golden weapons that were set inside along with a few brown bags. Her sheathed katanas and belts were also lying inside, something that drew a small smile across the neko’s face.
“Everything’s there, along with some gold the ant girls have offered in penance for their mistreatment of you,” Forrus mockingly added. “Are you happy now? Does that make everything better for you?”
“Hold on,” Tabitha warned as she picked up the sack of gold and shook it. “This is all those sneaky misers offered? They’re way richer than this, how dare they try to offer a single petty bag of gold to pay off their debt to me!”
“It’s never enough for you, is it?” Forrus flatly said.
“They can offer more than this!” Tabitha yelled at her while pointing to the bag. “With the amount of bombs they were just throwing away with us they’ve got plenty more gold hidden down here than this little sack!”
“Actually, they’re not rich,” Scay said with a shrug. “Daemon talked with them about those bomb things. They apparently make them down here from rocks they dig up. The gold you have there is all this part of their nest has.”
Tabitha blinked, glanced to the bag while shaking it, then looked at Scay questionably.
“They make bombs down here? Well then they could sell them for plenty of gold to anyone they wanted, they could pay me far more than this stupid bag!”
“That’s all the gold you’re getting down here,” Forrus barked out. “Take it or leave it.”
Tabitha growled and looked at the sack while jiggling it then tossed it into the crate with a scoff.
“Fine,” she muttered as she began rummaging through its contents. “I’ll take this much as their first payment, but they’re getting charged for more still.”
“How unfortunate for them,” Forrus flatly replied.
“It will be if they don’t pay up later,” Tabitha plainly said as she took out the spear and examined it. She glanced back to Forrus and then Scay for a moment before turning her eyes back down to her possessions. “So then, mind explaining why we’re still down here?”
Chronicles of Eden - Act X Page 31