“She was rather insistent on being punished with Specca,” Alyssa answered with a shrug. “She even asked to go first.”
“But she didn’t do anything wrong.”
“She wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“She’s Luna,” Daniel tiredly said as he rested his head back and gazed up at the ceiling. “Did you at least take it easy on them, Alyssa?”
“Sure, let’s go with that,” Alyssa replied before walking over to the bed and watching Triska sleep with Squeak sitting beside her. The ant girl was holding the human’s hand and gently brushing her hair, watching as her friend appeared to be recovering with her rest. Pip zipped around in the air before landing down on Squeak’s bosom, with the ant girl glancing down to her with a small squeak before they both watched over Triska with relieved smiles. Sitting on the couch together Daniel held Falla with one arm as she rested against his side, her wings tucked back and lying on the sofa as she slowly breathed out and gently held onto him. She then shuddered and held onto him more closely, earning a curious look from him as she had a troubled smile on her face.
“Falla? What’s wrong?”
“Just thinking about the idea of Triska turning into one of those cambion things,” she said before holding a hand over her eyes tiredly. “Half-human, half-demon. That’s a messed up thought.”
“Well don’t think about it,” Kroanette reasoned while leaning forward on the floor and propping herself up on her elbows, although her large breasts obviously helped keep her upright on their own. “I’m sure trying not to, and not just because I care about Triska. It just seems so unnatural and troubling to imagine something such as that existing.”
“Specca said they’re just fictitious monsters from storybooks,” Daniel assured them. “She would know about that sort of thing. If she says they’re not real then they’re not real, so you don’t have to worry about them.”
“Triska’s proof they’re not,” Alyssa mentioned with a glance back to Falla. “That succubus used her magic on her and that didn’t change her at all. The only thing that was too much for her was Specca’s cooking, and even that she’s recovering from.”
“I know, just gives me the shivers thinking about it,” Falla said with a shrug.
“I’m hungry,” Pip called out. The group looked to her, with Squeak glancing down to the tiny fairy on her chest, as Pip was holding a hand over her stomach. “Juices of life, please?”
“How about cookies and milk?” Alyssa suggested with an amused smile at the fairy.
“I wouldn’t mind some of your cookies, Alyssa,” Daniel mentioned with a hopeful smile.
“Same here,” Kroanette added raising her hand. “Some nice sweets would be wonderful right now.”
“I don’t think I’ve had them yet,” Falla said as she and Daniel stood up together. “Luna kept eating them all whenever you gave them to us.”
“Not to mention you were tied up all those times,” Alyssa quipped with a smirk at her before walking towards their pantry.
“Yeah, I was a bad girl then,” Falla admitted with a coy smile at Daniel, winking at him then walking over towards the witch. He chuckled lightly as he saw the butterfly purposely swaying her hips more than usual while fluttering her wings once then noticed Squeak looking down at Triska with a curious expression.
“Come on, Squeak,” Daniel said, her eyes turning to him as he waved her over towards the table. “She’s going to be fine, let her rest. Join us for dessert tonight.”
Squeak nodded slowly then looked back to Triska with some concern as Daniel headed over to the table where Alyssa was setting out plates and napkins. Everyone helped get the snacks and drinks ready while Kroanette patiently waited with a smile on her face, with Pip zipping around from Daniel to Alyssa then to Falla constantly, and none of them seeing Squeak showing unease as she stared at Triska’s hand which she was holding.
Or rather which was holding hers, very tightly. Squeak flinched and squeaked quietly as the teen’s grip had suddenly become stronger, and was starting to cause the ant girl discomfort despite the high dexterity of her own hand. Squeak grabbed Triska’s wrist and grit her teeth while she had to use a great deal of strength to slowly pull her hand free from the girl’s vicelike grasp. With one final yank she got her hand back, the feeling gradually returning to it as Triska had clutched it with more power than Squeak remembered her having. The ant girl flexed her hand and wiggled her fingers while seeming confused about what just happened then looked at Triska with wonder as the teen remained still with a serene expression on her face.
“Squeak?” Daniel called to her. The ant girl looked over to see him and Falla seated at the table while Alyssa was bringing a plate of cookies and a glass of milk over to Kroanette. “Did you want to join us? Triska’s going to be fine, she just needs to rest.”
Squeak glanced down to Triska, seeing the girl slowly turning her head slightly while still asleep, then to her hand which was feeling better now that it wasn’t being crushed by the teen, then nodded slowly before getting off the bed and heading over to the table. She sat down next to Daniel and smiled weakly with a few squeaks while he and Falla started eating their cookies.
“I know you’re worried about her,” Daniel said resting a hand on her leg and gently rubbing it. “But she’s going to be fine. She’s a strong girl after all.”
Squeak nodded slowly and looked down to her plate of cookies as she reached out to take one, her eyes shifting to her hand then over towards Triska who was sleeping quietly on the bed. She then shook her head with closed eyes and started eating her snack with the others as Alyssa got her plate and sat down with them. Pip flew around above them a few times then landed on the table, eyeing the cookies they were all eating curiously before Squeak held one out in front of her. Everyone watched as the fairy sniffed it before quickly nibbling it up while keeping her eye on Squeak. After she ate it she blinked then licked her lips with puzzlement.
“Hey, what is that? Is there something on my face?” she asked before she started wiping her mouth with her hands. The others laughed a bit as the fairy looked at her hands confusedly and smacked her lips and tongue together. “How come I taste something now? Something sweet and yummy. What is that?”
“Still can’t figure her out,” Alyssa commented before biting another cookie.
“And we probably never will,” Falla added.
“Here, Pip,” Daniel said as he held out a cookie for the fairy. “Try to keep your eye on it this time.”
While the fairy looked at the snack curiously and the group watched her with amused smiles Triska slowly turned her head the other way in her sleep. Her breathing was calm and steady, her face showing no discomfort or distress, her body appearing relaxed.
And her hand had a faint blue wisp of light rolling along it off her fingers for a brief moment.
*****
Running through a darkened forest Sasha kept a focused gaze before her as she swiftly made her way past trees and fallen logs, feet moving without tire, tail waving sharply behind, sword steadily held in one hand while the other was holding the black bag tied to her hip. Although her vision wasn’t enhanced by any racial benefit or ability she had grown accustomed to traveling just as well at night as she had during the day, her eyes picking up even the slightest difference in shade or depth of what was in front of her as she had trained herself to be as sharp and aware as the one she followed tirelessly.
A fleeting glance was made to her side, spotting Rulo running at her pace with more heavy steps as she usually did. The orc held her giant hammer back over her shoulder with one hand while keeping up with the reptile girl, her method of knocking aside shrubbery and trampling over logs not being as graceful and quiet as Sasha’s but working well for her all the same. Her vision was as fair as Sasha’s if not slightly less attentive, though during this run just as all the others before she was staying as focused as she could while keeping her sights on the same one her fellow comrade was.
; The two ran through the woods together while ahead of them Daemon was running just as fast, his eyes keenly set before him while he kept one hand on his sword’s handle and the other held before him. Sasha and Rulo had come to understand a few things about him during their time together, one being that he seemed perfectly capable of navigating a forest even in pitch darkness. His cold blue eyes remained focused as he weaved around trees and over bumps on the ground, his legs seeming to never tire as someone running behind them was completely baffled by.
“How the hell can he run like this?” Tabitha asked herself as she followed behind Sasha, her gasps for breath showing she was struggling to keep up with the group. She proved to be as agile and light on her feet as neko’s were known to be, running along the forest floor swiftly while her tail swayed about behind her with its silent bells, however it was apparent her endurance wasn’t up to the same level as the others as she saw with her nocturnal vision that everyone had no trouble traveling like this for a very long period of time.
“We’ve been running nonstop since we left the town, and he didn’t even have any pie with us. How can he keep going like that?”
“You underestimate my lord,” Forrus growled while quickly running alongside her, keeping a close eye on the neko while she showed no difficultly with keeping up with the group. Her tail wagged about behind her while her bolas clacked together as they swayed at her side, the lycan’s movements being nearly as graceful and smooth as Sasha’s as she easily navigated the darkened woods. Although her vision wasn’t as keen as Tabitha’s during the night her other senses were just as sharp, being able to keep track of both the neko beside her as well as the others nearby while weaving around and past the trees.
“Underestimate him?” Tabitha repeated with disbelief. “I’m not underestimating him; I’m questioning how the hell he can keep running like this for over an hour straight! How can any of you? And why didn’t we get a horse and carriage back in town? Why did we have to just run out here without even a plan as to where we’re going?”
“We’re going this way!” Scay cheered as she quickly slithered along the forest floor beside Tabitha. Even though she had no actual feet the naga proved to be extremely agile and fast, evidenced that she was zigging and zagging around trees and stumps in a wide arc while still keeping up with the group and not showing any fatigue at all. Her dagger was sheathed in her belt while her hands were mostly clean from the pie she ate and the baker she butchered when she bought said pie, the naga having taking a few quick seconds to wash them when she dove into a shallow stream and raced along through it before hopping back out and joining the others as they kept running along.
“Quit your whining, neko,” Forrus snapped with a grunt. “If you’re so insistent on serving my lord to earn your petty gold than silence yourself and keep up. It’s unbearable enough that you’re accompanying us but I can’t stand hearing your voice for more than a few seconds.”
“Okay, first off, fuck you,” Tabitha shot back at her while breathing heavily. “Second, I’m not serving him; I’m following my orders from Charlotte and merely helping him with this one quest of his, that’s it. Third… where are we going anyway? Seriously, do any of you know where he’s leading us?”
Daemon dashed through the woods ahead of the girls, making his way around trees and past boulders and fallen timbers before suddenly exiting the forest and coming to a halt, boots skidding on the ground for a moment as he stopped just before running straight off a steep cliff. Sasha and Rulo ran out from the woods behind him and quickly halted as well, with Sasha skidding a bit before stopping next to Daemon while Rulo stomped her foot down and anchored herself with the ground cracking from the force. Forrus nimbly darted out from the woods and stopped next to them while Tabitha stumbled out from the tree line as she tried to catch her breath.
“Hi, Tabitha!” Scay joyfully called out as she raced past the neko, gliding along the ground at high speed before flying by the others and shooting off the cliff. Before Tabitha could shout out the naga’s name Daemon quickly reached out and grabbed hold of Scay’s tail at the end, stopping her instantly as she stared with wide eyes at seeing there was no more ground below her. Tabitha’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she saw Daemon having caught the monster girl with one hand while not wavering off-balance in the slightest. With a hard yank from Daemon and a loud yelp from Scay the swordsman pulled her back and dropped her onto the ground behind him.
“Impossible,” Tabitha breathed out, staring at Daemon with a stunned expression while the other girls merely looked at Scay with dull glances. The naga blinked then looked to Daemon with wonder as she slowly sat up, the swordsman merely gazing around at the large valley before them while the moonlight from above illuminated The Outerlands enough to show the forest and hills ahead.
“Um… how did you do that?” Scay asked tilting her head curiously.
“Don’t you watch where you’re going?” Rulo scoffed at the naga.
“Honestly, these two are just slowing us down,” Sasha hissed as she glared at Scay then over to Tabitha who was slowly walking towards them with unblinking eyes.
“I don’t understand why we must take them with us,” Forrus scorned with a harsh glare at Tabitha. “They are of no use to my lord at all.”
“How did you do that?” Tabitha slowly asked as she walked up next to Scay. “How… how are you doing any of this?”
Daemon merely glanced back to her while remaining silent as the other girls continued to show nothing but discontent for the two newcomers. Scay looked Daemon over with a curious eye, seeing that while he did look fit and healthy he appeared just like most humans did and shouldn’t have been able to stop her so suddenly and effortlessly as he had.
“Really, how did you do that?” she asked again.
“Okay, I think I need a few more details about this job,” Tabitha said pointing to the swordsman. “Mainly just who are you? You had an entire monster village scared of your presence, you completely annihilated that cyclops and her tavern with a single swing of your sword, you have more stamina than a normal human should possess, and you just stopped a full-grown naga from flying off a cliff using only one hand. I feel as though I haven’t been told everything here.”
“There is much you don’t understand,” Forrus derided while crossing her arms.
“Just go away,” Rulo snorted. “You don’t belong here with us.”
“Find another way to earn your gold,” Sasha snapped while looking away. “This job is not one that you should have taken.”
“Oh hell no,” Tabitha argued with a stern expression. “Job or not now I’m really curious as to how this guy is doing all this. None of this is right. He’s not acting like any human I’ve ever heard of, he’s got all of you wrapped around his finger, and you all just ran a marathon through the forest and none of you are tired at all! Just what the hell is going on here? Who are all of you anyway?”
“My name is Scay,” Scay politely said with a twitching smile at everyone. “I’m 25 years old and I- nrrghmmm want to have a man someday. Actually if I can buy two that would be even better because then I can have a threesome with them, that way I can have sex with one and stab the other so much! HAHA- nrrghmmm… I just want to have a daughter- stab- and a loving family- stab- and be happy. Stab stab stab! Also my right breast is really sensitive but I can’t feel my left one too much. I don’t know why.”
Everyone just stared at her in silence, with Daemon and his companions showing absolutely no interest in the naga’s introduction and Tabitha questioning where to begin commenting on her future interests. After a taking a moment to realize that she was surrounded by those that both confused and worried her Tabitha then turned her sights back onto Daemon as he was merely glancing back to the girls while still facing the valley ahead.
“See, her I understand. She’s out of her mind, I get that. But you, I don’t get you at all. Now normally I don’t ask questions when given an assignment, but I’m wondering ju
st what it is I got myself into with this one. So would you kindly explain yourself?”
Daemon drummed his fingers on his sword’s handle while watching the neko, not saying a word or showing any change in expression while the other girls glanced to him to see what he would do. Scay twirled her hair with one hand and held her face with the other, a wide smile and a strained murmur coming from her which made it hard to tell whether she was even paying attention to what was being said around her. After a period of silence with Tabitha keeping a sharp eye on Daemon he turned his gaze back onto the valley before them.
“You keep saying you’re just doing your job,” he spoke distantly. “So are we. Unlike you however we’re not doing so for riches or glory, if anything it would be best if nobody knew about us or our deeds.”
“What are you talking about?” Tabitha asked. “You’re going through the trouble of finding all those fragments for nothing?”
“No, not nothing,” Sasha corrected, earning a confused look from the neko. “For something far greater than any material reward you could dream of.”
“Are you sure? Because I can dream of quite a lot of money,” Tabitha quipped with a smirk.
“He isn’t seeking those artifacts for any amount of gold,” Forrus snapped. “Such things as that mean nothing to him or to us.”
“You’re all crazy then,” Tabitha said shaking her head. “Quit playing around here. Just who the hell are you and what’s the big deal about those artifacts anyway?”
Daemon looked around at the valley below then started walking off to the side away from the girls.
“Hey, where are you going?” Tabitha called out as she ran over to him. To her surprise he stopped and looked to her while pointing to the ground.
“I’m going to survey the area, you rest here,” he stated. “Since you’re so in need of a break like you were complaining about take a moment to recover yourself. And while doing so feel free to ask them anything you wish.” He then glanced to Sasha and nodded once.
Chronicles of Eden - Act VI Page 26