“Oh really?” she questioned. “You’ll take it from me, will you? My my, and what makes you think you could even do that? Do you have any idea who you’re talking to right now?”
“From what I’ve overheard you’re Charlotte, the alpha witch of this region,” Daemon replied without a care. “And from what I’ve seen your magical prowess does indeed stand up to the reputation an alpha is known for.”
“That’s correct,” Charlotte said before giving a fanciful wave of her hand. “So please do enlighten me as to why I’ll be giving you this artifact just like that.”
“Because you don’t want it,” Daemon said shaking his head.
Charlotte looked at him curiously then laughed and shook her head as well.
“Oh, I don’t, do I? That’s funny, because I’m almost certain I do. Really now, you don’t know what you’re toying around with here, so I suggest you be quiet and-”
“I don’t take orders from anyone,” Daemon interrupted with narrowed eyes.
Charlotte paused for a moment then showed an annoyed smile at him.
“You’re beginning to irritate me, not wise, not wise at all.”
Daemon slowly moved his sword over to the side, with Charlotte and her helpers watching him carefully before he sheathed his blade back at his hip.
“And you’re beginning to bore me, so let’s cut the crap here,” Daemon replied. “You think you want this artifact, yes? Tell me, why do you want it? What do you believe it will bring you?”
Charlotte glanced back to the relic that Apoch held in her hand then looked to Daemon with a raised eyebrow.
“Do you know what it is?”
“Yes.”
“Really. Really really,” Charlotte mused softly while tilting her head the other way. She smirked then held a hand back, causing the artifact to float over from Apoch into her palm before she glanced to it with a curious smile.
“Then please, do tell me,” she requested kindly.
“So you have no idea yourself after all, no surprise there,” Daemon said flatly.
Charlotte showed a dull expression to that before she scowled slightly at him.
“I’m sorry, I believe I missed something here. Explain to me why it is a mere human thinks he can speak to me in such a manner.”
“He’s right, you have no idea what it is,” Sasha spoke up, with Charlotte glancing to her with annoyance.
“And that’s good for you, you don’t want to know,” Rulo said shaking her head.
At this point Daniel and his group were growing even more curious about the relic themselves, so much that they weren’t even brainstorming on a way to get free anymore, except for Falla who only had finding her sister on her mind at the moment as she kept looking around at the surrounding blades that were intertwined around and above them.
“And why is it I don’t want to know?” Charlotte asked.
“Because the truth can cause more nightmares to plague your sleep,” Forrus answered.
Charlotte looked at them with a bored glance then to Daemon with a sharp smile.
“I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to play here, but I’m growing impatient for my answer,” she mused before her eyes gave off a deep glow. “So let’s try this a different way. Tell me, what is this artifact?”
Daemon merely stared at her without responding, with Charlotte then showing puzzlement before snapping her fingers at him.
“I said, tell me what this is, right now.”
Daemon crossed his arms and shook his head, with Charlotte jumping back in surprise. She then growled and waved her wand at him, creating a bright trail of light behind its gemstone.
“Don’t you dare disobey me. I order you to tell me what this is right now!”
“I told you, I don’t take orders from anyone,” Daemon replied.
“Ms. Charlotte?” Apoch and Astreal asked together, with Charlotte looking to her wand then to Daemon with puzzlement.
“Hey, how are you doing that?”
The sisters behind her looked to Daemon with surprise as the boy just stared at the alpha.
“Why isn’t he charmed into being your slave?” Apoch asked nervously.
“Impossible, he’s just a human,” Astreal said shaking her head. “He can’t resist Ms. Charlotte’s magic, nobody can.”
“My lord is no mere human, how dare you!” Forrus shouted out at them.
The witches looked to her with confusion then to Daemon as the boy stared at Charlotte with a cold glare. The alpha watched him carefully for a moment then backed up a step.
“This isn’t right, you should have been hexed by now. How are you still you?”
“I’m not here to play games with you, I’m here to reclaim what is mine,” Daemon retorted while drumming his fingers on his arm.
Charlotte narrowed her eyes at him as Apoch and Astreal tensed up while gripping their staves. Daemon shook his head slowly then glanced over to Sasha and Rulo, the two watching the witches with dull glares while they held their bleeding wounds still.
“Do you want to know what that really is?” Daemon asked looking back to Charlotte. The witch watched him carefully and slowly nodded. “Do you honestly want to know what you’re holding, and why you would be wise to get rid of it?”
“Sure,” Charlotte replied with a sly smile. “Tell me just how bad this naughty artifact really is, I can handle it.”
Daemon nodded then held a hand to his chin with an inquisitive stare at her.
“First, you are skilled with many magical arts, are you not?”
“I am a master of many different crafts in this world, yes,” Charlotte answered arrogantly.
“Good, then use your magic to heal their injuries,” Daemon said while waving to the three girls behind him. Charlotte glanced to them then to Daemon with a dull expression, herself and her helpers remaining silent from that request. The boy paused for a moment then smirked slightly.
“Do that, if you can, and then I’ll tell you everything there is about what you’re holding.”
“What kind of trick is this?” Charlotte questioned. “Why should I help them with their problems?”
“Because you want to know what you’re holding, and I can tell you what it is.”
“And how do I know you can really tell me that?” Charlotte asked shaking a finger at him. “You could just be attempting some ruse on me.”
Daemon narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to the witch, the girl holding her wand up towards him on reflex as it glowed softly.
“Two paths lie before you,” he stated. “Either I explain to you what it is you’re holding and take the artifact with me, or I kill you and take the artifact with me.”
“You dare threaten Ms. Charlotte?” Apoch and Astreal demanded with anger together.
Charlotte chuckled and tilted her head while eyeing over Daemon.
“Very interesting,” she mused playfully. “A human who is not only immune to my charms but also dares to challenge me in a fight with such confidence. Either you’re completely mad or you’re hiding something from me.”
Daemon held a hand to his sword’s handle and drummed his fingers on it, watching the witch closely as the girl remained on guard with her helpers eyeing over the boy carefully. After a moment Charlotte laughed and lowered her wand.
“Alright, I’m actually finding some entertainment in this, so I’ll play along,” she declared. “I shall heal their wounds, not like it would be any trouble for me anyway. But then you’d better have one grand tale to tell about this relic or else you and your pets will be buried here on this very night.”
Daemon merely motioned towards the monster girls behind him with his head while watching Charlotte, the alpha holding in her scoff before waving her wand down at the ground towards the girls. A trail of blue light flared up and raced towards them, the three monsters watching as it circled around and created a ring of glowing blue and white light that then bloomed into a wavering pillar that glowed around them. Bl
ue waves of light rolled upwards like water against the girls, the magic washing against their bodies and creating sparkling bits of light that glistened around their injuries. Slowly their wounds healed from the alpha’s magic, the missing pieces of flesh that had been ripped out by the gemini regenerating again while the bloodstains on their clothes vanished as well. Their clothing still remained ripped in places from their fight, however their bodies healed completely to show no sign that anything had ever harmed them. Even Forrus felt better as her headache from having her skull nearly crushed vanished as well.
“Just how powerful is an alpha witch anyway?” Triska asked carefully.
“I’d say a lot since this one scared away a succubus,” Daniel reasoned with growing concern for them.
Specca nodded as she looked up at the sky, not seeing any trace of Katie near the village now.
“She only managed to ward off that Darker One by knowing how to use such strong holy magic,” she pointed out. “The succubus would have been able to overpower her otherwise. But still, this is exactly why they are considered leaders of the witches. Her power is greater than an ordinary witch by far.”
Kroanette slowly walked over to them then leaned closer towards the pen while watching Charlotte worriedly.
“Excuse me,” she quietly spoke. “But, what should I be doing now?”
“Get out of here, run,” Daniel urged.
Kroanette hesitated then shook her head and looked to him with a worried smile.
“I can’t just leave you here, I did make a deal to assist you with meeting my mother, remember?”
“Don’t be stupid,” Triska argued. “You may have those bracelets but I’m willing to bet an alpha witch will still be able to harm you. Look at what she did to us.”
“She’s right,” Specca quickly agreed. “You’re immune to magical spells, but summoned objects such as these will still kill you. Run while you can.”
“I don’t want to leave you here like this,” Kroanette said shaking her head. “My nobility wouldn’t stand for it. Is there nothing I can do to help?”
“You want to help? Then find my sister,” Falla urged desperately. Daniel’s group looked to her curiously as she put her hands together in a pleading manner. “She’s here somewhere, that other witch was with her before. Please, find her and make sure she’s okay, get her the hell out of here.”
Kroanette looked around at the darkened village then back to Falla as the butterfly girl whimpered with growing anxiety.
“Don’t let another witch be the end of my sister,” Falla begged. “Please find her and get her out of here.”
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 said before walking away from the cage. Taking a slow breath she then fluffed her hair and stretched out her arms as she feigned a sigh. “So, I’ll just be going now. Pleasure doing business with you, my grace.”
Charlotte 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.”
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 feeling 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,” Sasha said with a small bow. “Thank you for having her do that.”
“Yeah, I think I’m okay now,” Rulo added with a shrug.
“Minus losing sight of those accursed monstrosities that were sent away, I am alright,” Forrus mentioned. “Thank you, my lord.”
Daemon nodded then turned to Charlotte as she watched him with a knowing smile.
“No problem for someone like me,” she boasted. “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.”
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,” she coaxed. “Whisper those sweet nothings into my ear.”
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 sharply.
“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,” she admitted. “However its utter bullshit. There is no reason for me to believe any of that.”
She looked back to Daemon with a scowl, however her expression slowly 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,” Daemon questioned. “What do you believe this artifact will bring you? What have you heard about it?”
“It’s said that the key will unlock true power unlike any other, that it will-” Charlotte said 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.”
“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.”
“Okay, seriously,” Triska called out. “What the hell is that thing?”
“If you’re going to kill us then at least tell us too,” Specca added. “This is actually quite torturous.”
Charlotte examined the artifact carefully then looked at Daemon with a sharp eye.
“That succubus is after this for the same reason as us?”
“No,” he corrected. “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.”
The alpha witch watched him carefully for a while smiled slightly.
“You are a unique human indeed. Tell me, what is your name?”
“Daemon Warrick.”
“I see
,” Charlotte said before glancing to his sword. “And, Daemon, may I see your sword for a moment, if you don’t mind?”
“Why?”
“I’m very curious,” Charlotte replied with a smirk. “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.”
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?”
“Okay,” Triska spoke up again. “Really getting curious over here about what you’re all talking about.”
“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.
Chronicles of Eden - Act IV Page 19