Chronicles of Eden - Act VI (3 page)

Daniel jumped as heard her loud voice and quickly opened his eyes, the lights around his arm and wrist flickering before fading away. The casting ring below him glowed brightly then slowly died down while the markings remained burned into the grass and dirt with a few patches glowing slightly still. As the lights faded away the wind died down and vanished, all the magical power that had been flowing through the air disappearing as Daniel returned to his senses.

“Triska?” he asked looking around quickly before seeing her turning to him with a jump. “What’s wrong? I heard you shouting.”

“Oh, Daniel,” she nervously said with a weak smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin your concentration.”

The other girls slowly regained themselves and began to sit up, their minds still reeling from the experience as the world gradually came into focus for them again.

“Wow,” Specca breathed out as she adjusted her glasses. “I didn’t expect Daniel learning to use magic would have such a… profound effect on us like that.”

“Oh, I want him to practice every day,” Alyssa wearily agreed with a smile forming on her face while she used one hand to feel how wet she had become.

Squeak blinked a few times while squeaking with her antennae twitching before she looked to her hand curiously which had a crushed stone in it. She then flicked the pieces and dust off with her fingers before wiping her gloves off with each other.

“That was fun,” Luna giggled softly while she lay on her back in the grass.

“I
love
helping Daniel now,” Falla purred while she stretched out on the ground next to her sister.

“That was amazing,” Kroanette said as she slowly sat up on her legs, her eyes wearily focusing on the group again. “I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

Pip slowly fluttered up off the grass in an erratic rise before rubbing her eyes with her hands. She shook her head a little then looked around at the other girls.

“That felt funny. I kind of liked it though. Let’s do it again!”

Daniel looked around at seeing the girls slowly getting up again then back to Triska as she was watching him with a worried smile while Clover was just eyeing him with a dull stare.

“Triska? Why did you shout like that? Was something wrong?”

“Um, well…” Triska said looking down to the casting diagram with concern.

“Look at the ground, dumbass,” Clover dryly stated.

Daniel looked at her with puzzlement then down before he jumped as he saw the large casting ring he had created. The other girls gathered closer as they too saw the branded diagram he had forged with his magic.

“Daniel, that’s amazing,” Specca praised with a smile.

“It burned the ground again,” Alyssa said with wonder. “It had to have been a powerful one this time just like before.”

“Wow, you’re doing so well with this, Daniel,” Luna said with a few joyous hops.

“Well he does have all our love fueling that magic of his,” Falla mentioned with a slick smile at the boy along with a wink.

“Does he?” Clover chuckled. The group looked to her as she tilted her head with a cocky smile on her face. “I don’t think he does.”

“And just why would you say that?” Kroanette demanded.

“Refresh my memory,” Clover mockingly requested before pointing to the inner ring and symbols near Daniel. “What do those mean again?”

“Those are the emblems representing each of us that he shares a bond with,” Specca clarified in a proud tone. “Each one of those markers is a sign that we have a connection with him and that he has drawn upon our spirits and love to amplify his magic.”

“Oh, oh, that one’s mine, right?” Luna asked pointing to one of the wind emblems.

“I thought that one was mine and the other was yours,” Falla questioned pointing between the two markers for wind with confusion.

“I know that one is mine,” Alyssa boasted, looking to her fiery crest with a proud smile.

Squeak nodded and squeaked as she pointed to her insignia of the four stones.

“Water of course would be my element,” Specca agreed as she admired her symbol that was made with Daniel’s love for her.

“I’m going to assume this one is from me,” Kroanette pondered with a curious smile at seeing the horse emblem burned into the ground.

“What’s that one?” Luna asked pointing to the crest with the question mark and the eye in it.

“That one doesn’t make any sense,” Alyssa said shaking her head.

“It’s Pip’s then,” Falla dryly said as the group glanced to the fairy, the tiny monster’s eye looking at the emblem with confusion.

“I don’t get it,” she said scratching her head.

“You’re looking at it upside down,” Luna said spinning her finger around.

Pip nodded then flew over to where Daniel was and looked at her emblem from that point of view, then shook her head with confusion.

“I still don’t get it.”

“And that’s why it’s yours,” Falla replied with a smirk.

“Oh, I get it now,” Clover said with a small smile. “So each one of those symbols represents one of you that shares his love, right? If you love him, and he loves you, then that’s where the mark comes from.”

“That’s correct,” Specca answered.

“And the reason I don’t have a mark on the ground is because he doesn’t love me, right?” Clover asked with a small pout.

“Yes, and we’re all thankful for that,” Alyssa commented with a nod.

“So tell me, how many markings
should
there be on the ground?” Clover asked with a grin.

The group looked at her curiously then down to the casting ring while Triska glanced away with a worried frown.

“There should be eight of course,” Specca answered as she started counting around the ring of symbols. After she finished she paused then showed a confused expression. “Wait… seven?”

“That can’t be right,” Alyssa said scratching her head. She took a moment to realize her hat was gone and looked around for it then back down to the markers as she eyed each one curiously. “There’s mine, and Specca’s, then Squeak’s, and then Luna and Falla’s, that one has to be Kroanette’s, and we’ll easily assume that one there is Pip’s, and…”

Slowly everyone turned to Triska as she kept looking away from them with closed eyes and Clover smirked while watching Daniel with a raised eyebrow.

“Who’s missing here, Dan?” Clover knowingly asked.

“Wait, where’s Triska’s?” Specca asked looking down to the ring with growing concern.

“She doesn’t have one,” Luna said shaking her head.

“Why not?” Alyssa asked as all the girls looked to Daniel, with him showing surprise at seeing emblems for each of the girls except for Triska.

“Daniel?” Kroanette slowly asked. “You
do
love Triska, right?”

“Of course I do,” Daniel said in disbelief as he saw there was no crest with anything for Triska. “I don’t understand, how is this possible?”

“Didn’t you see her spirit when you were concentrating with the spell?” Alyssa asked. “You saw all of us, you had to have, we could feel it. Didn’t you see anything for her as well?”

Daniel closed his eyes and held his hands to his head, trying to remember every detail about what just happened while Triska looked back to him with worried eyes.

“I only saw seven lights in my mind. I was pretty sure it was all of you. I could very well guess which light belonged to who, but… I don’t remember sensing Triska’s after that. I don’t understand, did I just not notice hers?”

“Did you feel anything like we did, Triska?” Specca asked the girl. “Anything at all?”

“I didn’t feel a thing,” Triska said shaking her head. “I saw all of you dropping to the ground in ecstasy, but nothing happened to me.”

“That’s not right,” Alyssa said with concern. “We all know he loves you, there’s no doubt about that. Why didn’t the spell affect you like it did with us? Your love should have been added to the spell along with all of ours.”

“Is it possible seven was his limit?” Specca deliberated. “I mean the aura sharing spell has never been known to be used with so many spirits at once. What he’s doing with this is unheard of as far as we know. Perhaps he just didn’t see Triska’s because it was too much to handle an eighth one.”

“Well,” Daniel pondered as all eyes turned to him. “It was feeling a little difficult to concentrate on everyone like I was, but… I still feel like I should have seen Triska, or at least noticed her in some way.”

“It must have been my fault, Daniel,” Triska insisted with a worried smile. “I got upset at Clover and yelled too loudly, I ruined your focus. You were probably going to touch me with your magic just as you did with them before that happened. I’m sorry, I should have kept quiet.”

“You don’t have to say sorry for anything, Triska,” Daniel said shaking his hands before him. “I’m the one who feels bad for what happened.”

“Let’s just blame Clover,” Falla suggested with a shrug. “She pissed off Triska, no surprise there, and Triska got mad and started yelling at her, also no surprise there. It’s the elf’s fault, end of story.”

“Works for me,” Alyssa agreed with a nod.

“I agree as well,” Specca added.

Squeak nodded with a squeak.

“That does make sense,” Luna said looking down at the casting ring.

“Much more believable than Daniel not loving Triska,” Kroanette concluded with a nod.

“Boobies!” Pip cheered as she flew into Squeak’s tunic and down in between her breasts, with the ant girl squeaking and flailing her arms around as she hopped about.

“What the fuck?” Clover snapped at them with a scowl. “How is this my fault?”

“You provoked Triska into yelling at you,” Alyssa explained with a shrug. “I guess we can’t be
too
mad at you this time, it is very easy to set her off. Just don’t do that again, this is your only warning.”

“What the hell?” Triska snapped loudly at her. “What do you mean it’s easy to set me off?”

“Triska, you’re only reinforcing her point,” Specca mentioned with a weak smile at her.

Triska growled loudly at Alyssa then at Clover before turning to Daniel with concern again. He looked around at the casting ring he had created one more time before walking over and holding Triska close to him.

“Triska, please believe me that I do love-” he started before she quickly kissed and held him close. The other girls except for Clover who rolled her eyes with a quiet scoff and Squeak who dropped to the ground squeaking and rolling about with Pip wiggling about between her breasts smiled at Daniel and Triska during their tender moment with each other. After the kiss ended Triska smiled a little and shook her head quickly.

“I know you love me, Daniel. You don’t have to worry about that. Like I said it was probably my fault, I stopped you from going further with the spell. I’m sure you would have seen my spirit if you had kept going.”

Daniel nodded with a small smile that did little to hide his concern over what happened before the two looked around at seeing the others nodding in agreement to that, except for Squeak who finally managed to yank the giggling fairy out of her tunic and Clover who was looking away to avoid eye contact with everyone.

“Still, that was incredible how you were able to do that, Daniel,” Kroanette praised eagerly.

“Were you able to do anything with the power we gave you this time?” Specca asked curiously.

“No, not this time,” Daniel replied shaking his head. “It felt like I was close to forging the sword I did before, but I couldn’t quite grasp it when… well…”

“I’m sorry,” Triska insisted holding her hands up. “I’ll be quiet the next time you’re practicing. I promise.”

“Can you do it again? Right now?” Falla asked anxiously.

“Yeah, can you? Can you?” Luna giggled with a few hops.

“That felt so funny but I liked it!” Pip cheered as she zipped in circles around Daniel before stopping before his face with an eager smile. “Do it again! Please? Please?”

Daniel chuckled as the fairy flew around him before landing on his shoulder then covered his mouth to hide his yawn before shaking his head a little.

“I think that’s enough for one night. It’s a little draining to do this, and we could all use our rest for tomorrow.”

“I suppose that is true,” Specca admitted with a shrug. “We have a long way to go before we reach Ruhelia. Perhaps an early start in the morning would be best.”

“But Triska didn’t get to feel good like we did,” Luna said worriedly. “That’s not fair for her.”

“Oh don’t worry,” Triska replied while holding onto Daniel’s arm with an immoral smile. “I’m not tired just yet. And I think Daniel has a little more energy in him tonight.”

“He usually does,” Alyssa giggled.

Daniel smiled weakly to that and glanced around at the four girls who were watching him expectantly. Triska gently traced her fingers up along his arm to his shoulder with a twitch of her eyebrow, Specca lightly ruffled her skirt with one hand while loosening her tie with the other, Squeak slowly rubbed her abdomen with a lecherous smile at the boy, and Alyssa summoned her hat back over into her hand with her magic before putting it on and winking at Daniel with a smirk.

“I suppose the night isn’t over just yet for us,” he admitted with a shrug.

Pip watched them all curiously before Kroanette gently held her in one hand and rested her on her shoulder, the centaur winking at her before smiling kindly at the group.

“I’ll tend to Lucky and make sure he rests well before we turn in. Do sleep well, all of you,” she gently offered before trotting over towards Lucky.

“Wait a minute,” Triska called out, with the centaur stopping and looking back to her curiously. “Don’t be so rude to Daniel, Kroanette. Where do you think you’re going like that?”

“Rude?” Kroanette asked worriedly as she turned to them. “I thought I was being very polite. I mean he’s going to be tending to all of you I’m sure, so I thought the least I could do was-”

“You’re not even going to kiss him goodnight?” Specca asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kroanette froze in place with a quiet whine as the group watched her amusedly except for Clover who was looking down at the casting ring with a dull stare.

“K-K-Kiss him?” Kroanette stuttered with a blush.