“How did this happen?” Triska shouted at Reiko. “How did that devil flower get the drop on her like this? Weren’t you with her, Reiko?”
“Don’t you yell at me, human!” Reiko shouted back. “You’re not the one who watched my poor Star getting stuffed with those fucking seeds! We were only separated for a minute, just a single minute! She ran off ahead and I lost sight of her. When I finally found her again… when I found her… she was… she was being…”
“Star,” Clover sniveled, slowly brushing the cat’s hair while struggling with seeing her ravaged body.
“It was raping her senseless!” Reiko cried as she buried her face in the harvester’s dress. “The way she screamed, the fear in her eyes, the sheer amount of seeds that damned flower was forcing into her… I’m going to have nightmares about it forever! And not the good kind of nightmares, I mean the completely horrible ones you people always bitch about having!”
Triska held in her scream as she grabbed her hair in distress, eyes shakily going over the noticeable bulge in Star’s belly and the sight of her having been raped in multiple ways to the point of exhaustion.
“For fuck’s sake, what do we do now?” Clover growled. She shook her head then looked to Calam with anger and tears in her eyes. “What the fuck do we do now? How do we help her with this? We need to do something!”
“She needs medical attention right away,” Calam said, rushing over to the girls and looking over the jinx. “It’s more than apparent she’s been pollinated by that fluugher. We have less than a day before they permanently take root in her. If that happens… we won’t be able to save her.”
“We need to get her back to Doku and Alyssa,” Clover told Triska. “They’re our best hope of helping her before it’s too late.”
“Way ahead of you,” Triska growled as she trembled with frustration. From her back demonic wings began piercing through her skin, the monstrous limbs extending outwards while from above her pants a demon’s tail began slinking out behind her. Her eyes started to glow with a cerulean light while her aura quickly turned colder and grew in strength.
“What in Eden?” a goblin exclaimed.
“What is she?” a harvester questioned.
“She really is part demon,” Jezzele breathed out, herself along with everyone watching as the girl transformed before their eyes. The cambion let out a powerful yell into the air with wings stretching out behind her, her focus becoming noticeably sharper and returning onto Star as a serious look came over her.
“No way is my master losing another one,” Kitten argued, lifting the jinx up into her arms. “I’m taking her straight back home this instant.”
“Wait!” Calam called out as the demon began to flap her wings. “You must take her to Stonegate at once. Only there can she-”
“Absolutely not!” Kitten shouted at her. “Our conviction of you is already strained enough as it is, but I’m not placing the life of my master’s property on a gamble that you can be trusted with it! I’m taking her back home where she can be treated by those I know for a fact won’t try to kill her!”
“If you take her back to your home you’ll kill her,” Calam warned. “I do believe you have a talented shaman and witch living with you, I’m by no means discrediting them as capable healers in their own right, but I’m telling you right now they cannot help Star with this.”
“Give us one good reason we should believe you,” Kitten demanded. “It’s been nothing but mysteries and secrets with you ever since we met. Until we learn what the hell you’re hiding from us and why you’re all acting way out of character for monsters of Eden, I’m not about to trust this cat’s life with any of you!”
“Our doctor is the only one you can reach in time who can help her,” Calam asserted. “We have the proper tonics to heal her, we have the proper medicine to remove what’s been flooded inside her, and we have the proper experience with treating this lethal condition. Those seeds are buried in her anus, vagina, and stomach; hundreds of them. If just one of them takes root inside her it will grow uncontrollably, it will destroy her from the inside out and use her corpse as compost to flourish in. I’m telling you now, I swear upon my life, she must be taken to our doctor in Stonegate or she is doomed.”
“Alyssa and Doku know how to treat others,” Clover argued. “They’ve saved lives before when they were thought to be doomed as well, mine included. They would be the ones we trust to help Star.”
“That jinx is dead meat unless Doc tends to her and quick,” Jezzele warned. “Don’t be stupid, your friend isn’t going to make it unless you take her to Stonegate.”
“Doc knows how to treat anyone with just about anything,” Velm promised. “And that includes jinxes. She’s tended to them before, she’s practically an expert.”
“Yeah?” Clover scoffed. “Well Star’s not even a full jinx, she’s part vampire. Does your doctor know how to treat those too? Doku and Alyssa are the best healers we trust, and I know our family is more skilled with helping others than you people are.”
“You have no idea how mistaken you are about that,” Calam solemnly said as she shook her head. “And her being part vampire only makes me feel worse for her. If it is true that she has vampire blood in her and has the ability to regenerate more quickly than a normal jinx, all that will amount to is a prolonged and painful death as the fluugher inside her continues to destroy and eat what her body recreates until she finally succumbs and dies from it. She will suffer more than any other victim would if left in your care.”
Kitten and Clover looked to each other in rising frustration then to Star as the jinx remained unconscious in the cambion’s arms. The sight of the fluugher’s seeds and liquid dripping out of her mouth and off her rear only brought a pained expression onto Clover while Kitten shut her eyes and discussed with Triska on what to do.
“Please,” Calam begged. “I know you don’t trust us and I understand that. I want to tell you why you can, I want to explain to you what you wish to know, but I cannot. Not yet. You have to see for yourselves, it’s the only way.”
“My master has already felt heartbreak from losing someone close to him,” Kitten harshly replied. “He and his family have suffered more than enough. We cannot lose another, that is not something we can ever allow.”
“Then you need to trust me,” Calam insisted. “If you don’t, Star will die in a horrific way. You do not have time to take her anywhere else but Stonegate. Please believe me. If you fly her back home, you’ll seal her fate.”
“And if I take her to Stonegate, what guarantee do I have that she will live?”
Calam glanced to the smoking remains of the woodland next to them for a moment then gave Kitten a knowing look while gesturing to what the cambion’s counterpart had done earlier.
“We certainly would not want to provoke someone capable of such destruction. It would be in our best interest not to upset you by letting your friend die. Not to mention it would seriously harm the chances of Daniel Sorres becoming our friend in the future. That aside, I give you my word that she will live if you trust us. And if I fail you and we’re unable to save her, my life is yours to do with as you see fit.”
Kitten kept her eyes on Star while remaining silent, her scowl doing a wonderful job covering any personal fears or concerns for the jinx’s life if she did have them. After speaking with her internal passenger for a while the cambion turned her chilling gaze onto Calam with her lip flinching slightly as she made her choice.
“Alright,” she carefully agreed. “You’ve mentioned your precious doctor handling these cases before, and we have no room for mistakes in saving this cat’s life. We’ll trust that you’re telling the truth. But mark my words, Calam. If this jinx does not survive to return to my master in one piece, you will suffer ten-fold what she does. Am I clear?”
“Crystal,” Calam said with an empathetic smile. “Don’t worry, I assure you Doc can help her without any trouble.”
“For your sake she better,”
Kitten scowled.
“Can we just take her somewhere already?” Reiko complained hopping up and down. “If my Star dies I’ll personally kill everyone here and in that stupid city all by myself! If my soulmate dies because of them I’ll show no mercy at all, no mercy I tell you! So enough talking, we need to get going! We need to save my Star!”
“You’re staying with the elf,” Kitten ordered.
“What?” Clover and Reiko exclaimed.
“I don’t need you slowing me down,” Kitten scoffed at the little harvester. “Nor do I need to hear you crying and moaning about what happened to this cat the whole way. You’re staying with Clover and you’re going to make sure she gets to Stonegate in one piece. If anyone or anything tries to harm her, Calam included, reap their soul before they can blink.”
“I’m not leaving my Star’s side!” Reiko argued. “No way, no way, no way!”
“This whole mess happened because you did!” Kitten yelled at her. Reiko cringed and drooped low with a whine from that. “Stay with Clover and meet us in Stonegate! Do as I say or I’ll hack you into pieces just like I did before, you got that?”
“But… I… she…” Reiko pouted. “You can’t… with her… rrrrrgg fine! I’ll watch the stupid elven bitch! But you’d better save my Star or so help me I’ll-”
“You’ll what?” Kitten roared, the glow in her eyes booming as she glared deeply at the harvester.
“I… will hate you forever,” Reiko hesitantly finished.
“I’ll make a note of that,” Kitten scoffed before turning to Calam. “You’d better prey your doctor can help her, or you will not enjoy our next encounter.”
“I’ll make a note of that as well,” Calam replied. “Now hurry, head to Stonegate at once. Do not fly into the city without checking in with the guards outside the city’s walls, otherwise you’ll cause more problems for yourself and Star, something you don’t have time to be dealing with. Meet with the guards outside the walls and tell them I sent you to see our doctor. Your visit is approved by Countess Eirene, they have to let you in. Listen to what they say, follow their instructions, and no matter what always remember-”
“To act like an asshole with the locals,” Kitten scorned. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to be smiling when I get there. I promise you that.”
“Perfect. Off you go then. We’ll reach Stonegate by daybreak, we’ll meet up with you then.”
Kitten nodded then took off into the air with a heavy flap of her wings. The group watched her quickly soaring into the sky before flying out of sight, with everyone’s focus then shifting back to Clover as she tapped her foot impatiently while having her arms crossed with a stern scowl aimed at Calam.
“I need a horse, now,” Clover demanded. “And, Calam? If you’re lying I swear I’ll shoot you dead before either Reiko or Kitten can get their hands on you. And you’re not going to like where the first arrow is going to hit.”
“Oh my,” Calam mused. “Seems my life has become dependent on Star surviving her ordeal. It’s a good thing I have the utmost faith in Doc otherwise I’d be very nervous right now.”
“We’ve got the horses all set to ride at the outpost,” Jezzele said pointing behind them. “We can set out immediately.”
“Don’t worry,” Velm assured. “Doc will take good care of your friend. She’s going to be in good hands.”
“She better be,” Clover and Reiko threatened together. Looking to each other for a brief moment they then raced off towards the encampment while the others watched them go curiously.
“Countess Eirene was interested in meeting these people?” a harvester questioned.
“Oh yes,” Calam agreed with a knowing smile on her face. She took a few steps ahead of the group and looked up at where Kitten had flown away, her eyes sharing a few glimmering specs in them from stars in the night sky along with momentarily revealing glowing white rings around her irises.
“The human they travel with is indeed a person of great interest to many.”
Chapter 11
Ancients of Eden
In the world of Eden there were very few scholars who could recount the oldest parts of history for man and monster alike. Much of the past was shrouded in mystery, lost to the ages and for some forgotten entirely. Others were mistaken as legends or fairytales, with what was true often being impossible to separate from fiction. Not many sought the truths of ages past and instead only focused on their own future, which wasn’t always a bad thing, as there were periods of history that some believed should remain buried and forgotten for everyone’s safety.
However, there were some remnants that refused to become ancient history.
*****
Gathered in the shade of a secluded thicket, Mika and her fellow companions stood in silence with dismal grimaces on their faces as Minos had finished explaining to them what sort of danger found its way into their land.
“And now you know,” Minos spoke, using her lowest voice while having her head humbly lowered. “Now you know why Minos has come here, why Minos must destroy these evils once and for all.”
“No, we don’t,” Mika argued shaking her head. “You only said that they are powerful monsters who need to be stopped.”
“That’s right.”
“You didn’t tell us shit about them!” Rulo yelled. “What we want to know is who these strange bitches are and why they’re here! We already guessed they’re freakishly strong! We just saw a centaur making fools out of everyone here but me and my master!”
“Just how fragile is that ego of yours anyway?” Hollia dryly asked her.
“You need to do a better job explaining this,” Forrus ordered the minotaur. “Just what was Cataclysm? What sort of monsters are these Ancients? Where did they come from? Just what has chased you into this region?”
“THEY DID NOT CHASE ME!” Minos roared back. “WE ARE THE ONES WHO CHASE THEM! THEY ARE PREY AND WE ARE NOT!”
“Shut up!” Tabitha yelled covering her ears as did everyone else. “What did we tell you about talking in a smaller voice? We don’t need you shouting right next to us!”
“Got any more of those?” Mika groaned with a tired look at Saffron. The ant girl merely shook her head as she lowered her earmuffs and gave a small puff to blow away her bangs.
“What are Ancients?” Hollia demanded. “That centaur who challenged us, she was no ordinary centaur. She did not come from my kingdom, and I hardly doubt she came to be from natural creation. What was she?”
“Remnant of past,” Minos told her. “Part of past that need be forgotten. But they do not stay forgotten as they should. They come back.”
“You’re only raising more questions for us,” Mika complained. “Just tell us this, what is an Ancient? How was that centaur so abnormally strong?”
“I already tell you. Remnant of past.”
“That doesn’t tell us anything!” Rulo argued with a stomp of her foot. “You’re not making sense here! What are they?”
Minos rubbed a hand down her face with a tiresome sigh as nothing said was being understood. Setting her axe down beside her against a tree, which buckled and toppled the timber into another with a loud crash, the minotaur held her hands together as if in prayer, summoning a radiant golden light between her palms while those nearby cautiously backed up. Holding her hands out in front of her they created swirling wisps of blue and golden light beneath them, ripping the grass away in a wide circle before the minotaur while the dirt began sifting and rolling around in strange shapes. Slowly the girls drew closer, watching as the dirt began siphoning into small figures from the minotaur’s magic.
“Before minotaurs,” Minos sagely explained. “Before guardians. Before monsters such as us. Before any existed, there were only the Ancients.”
From the gravel and loose soil nine figures began taking form, with a tenth slowly morphing into a rippling blob of dirt that didn’t appear to take on any specific shape. Kneeling closer the girls witnessed the small manifestations taking
familiar shapes and even stepping forward as if they were alive.
“These were the true monsters of this world,” Minos solemnly spoke. “The first monsters to have life breathed into them.”
“Are those…” Forrus wondered.
“Yes,” the minotaur agreed, gesturing to each of the familiars. “You may recognize them. They are predecessors of monsters you already know. Horse woman. Bug woman. Fish woman. Bird woman.”
“The way you categorize monsters is simply incredible,” Tabitha flatly remarked. “Let me guess, you call yourselves bull women?”
“We are minotaurs,” Minos growled back. “What you say is bullshit.”
“I know these monster classes,” Mika said peering closely at the figures. “At least I think I know what they are. There’s a centaur, an ant girl, that looks to be a nixie, that’s a harpy, and I think that one there is a succubus.”
“Those two look like Sasha,” Rulo said pointing at two identical dirt dolls. “So there are two Ancient reptile girls?”
“What is that one?” Forrus asked carefully while pointing to one of the familiars.
“A manticore,” Hollia gasped.
“You know of those monsters?” Mika wondered.
“I do indeed,” Hollia said, peering closely at the figure. Even though it was comprised of soil and loose pebbles, the centaur was able to recognize its shape and formation rather well. Legs of a lion, tail of a scorpion, wings of a demon, hands of a cat, and large feline shaped ears atop its head; there was no mistaking its appearance for the centaur princess who felt a cold chill running down her spine from the mere sight of it.
“We know of such monsters quite well,” Hollia scorned. “The centaur kingdom of Uylassia was destroyed by those creatures long ago.”
“I’ve read about them and their power,” Mika added. “Never seen one in person before, and I’m thankful for that. It’s said they can drain a man’s life away through sex and their mastery of the demonic arts surpasses that of even succubi. They’re elite Darker Ones in Eden.”
Chronicles of Eden - Season II - Act I Page 34