Chronicles of Eden - Act VIII (9 page)

“I’ve got one more with your name on it, bitch!” Clover yelled as she brought out her last arrow.

“Kroanette!” Daniel called out in shock of seeing his mate dropped to the ground with an arrow in her flank.

“Quit it!” Milly barked as she elbowed Triska in the gut then pushed her aside. “I’m trying to save you, dummy!”

The hunter swung around with her axe and knocked Squeak’s tool aside with a clang before following around with another. Before it could strike into the ant girl’s face it stopped as a magical force halted the weapon in place.

“How dare you attack them,” Alyssa cursed as her eyes glowed purple.

“Filthy witch,” Mika growled as her hand gave off a dark green glow. She held it out and formed a triangular casting base in the air, the air distorting around the spell as it spun horizontally and phased through the hunter’s body. It gave off a loud crackle before exploding outward with a bright flash, a distorted wave of air rippling out in all directions and zapping Alyssa as it passed through her.

“
AHHH
!” the witch screamed as she dropped back against Daniel.

“That’s a counter spell!” Specca called out. “She’s a caster!”

“
Ow
, my head!” Alyssa whined with eyes shut tight.

Mika spun her blade around and struck down towards the butterfly sisters. They quickly pushed away from each other and rolled to the sides before the claymore hit the ground and carved into it.

Milly yanked back with her axe as it was released from Alyssa’s control, the weapon striking against Triska’s sheath as she blocked the attack just before it went into her face.

“Sorry!” Milly apologized before rushing towards Squeak and swiping at her. The ant girl parried the axe with her digging tool, deflecting it up then swinging down and spiking it into the ground. The hunter didn’t falter or hesitate from her axe being forced into the dirt, instead she quickly backhanded Squeak and knocked her around before grabbing the girl’s pickaxe by the handle and swinging down with it. The tool hooked around Squeak’s neck and dropped her back to fall down towards the axe before Triska grabbed her hand and stopped her, the ant girl gripping the metal tool and trying to pull her head free while it was now both choking her and trying to yank her down to sever her head with the axe’s blade.

“Stop it, Milly!” Triska yelled as she kept Squeak from falling down and losing her head.

“Fucking whore!” Clover yelled as she took aim at Milly. She fired the arrow only to have Mika quickly block it with her blade, the loud clang echoing out as the bolt flew over and struck into the carriage.

“We’re on your side! Get out of here, girl!” Mika ordered before swinging down at Falla, the girl rolling to the side while screaming to avoid the hit. The butterfly tried to crawl away before Mika grabbed her leg and yanked her back, kicked the girl over, then lifted her sword up to strike again.

“Say bye-bye,” Milly grunted as she pulled Squeak closer to her axe.

“Damned monsters,” Mika cursed as she glared down at the frightened butterfly girl.

From atop the carriage Mae quickly leapt onto the front seat and took aim at Kroanette with her crossbow, the tip glistening in the sunlight as she glared at the wounded centaur while Lucky neighed and bucked about in a panic.

“Time to die,” the hunter said while her finger tightened on the trigger.

“STOP!” Daniel shouted out, with everyone freezing and turning to him in surprise. He stepped forward while Alyssa held onto Specca for support, his gaze going around at the three hunters as they halted with their assault.

“Let her go,” he ordered Milly. The girl gave him a confused stare before he marched towards her with a fierce glare. “I said let her go. Don’t you dare harm Squeak.”

“Squeak?” Milly confusedly replied.

“LET HER GO!” Daniel yelled, with Milly jumping back and dropping the pickaxe onto the ground. Triska pulled Squeak over and held her as the ant girl caught her breath with a weary glare at her attacker.

“Mika,” Daniel spoke towards the other hunter. “If you harm Falla, even with a slight cut in her wings, I will kill you.”

“What are you saying?” Mika snapped at him. “That witch has you under her spell, doesn’t she? Wake up, we’re trying to rescue you!”

“How can Alyssa have him under a spell?” Specca argued in discontent. “You cast a counter spell, you dissolved all magic in the area, remember? Daniel can’t be under a spell right now. What he’s saying is really from him.”

Mika looked at her bewilderedly then to Daniel as he walked up towards her.

“Back off,” he ordered as she stepped away, with Falla and Luna quickly scrambling over and hiding behind his back. “Don’t you dare harm any of them, do you hear me?”

“But… why are you protecting them?” Mika asked in disbelief.

Daniel glared at her then glanced over to Kroanette as Clover pulled the arrow out of her thigh. The centaur let out a strained cry through her teeth while her rear leg twitched from the pain.

“Triska, Squeak, get Kroanette inside. Doku should be able to heal her wound,” Daniel called out.

Triska and Squeak made their way over to the centaur while shooting Mika and Mae fierce glares, the two hunters watching them in puzzlement as they helped Kroanette stand on her good legs. The centaur looked up at Mae in disgust as she was slowly guided towards the carriage with her rear leg flinching in each step.

“What the hell is wrong with you people?” Kroanette snapped before cringing as she was helped into the ride.

“Wait, we’re not the bad guys here,” Mae whined shaking her head. “What’s going on?”

“We were just trying to save you,” Milly insisted as she yanked up her axe from the ground with one hand.

“From what? My mates?” Daniel questioned loudly.

“What?” the hunters slowly replied.

“You shot Kroanette,” Daniel growled in anger. “You hurt Alyssa with your magic. You scared Luna and Falla to death with your sword. You nearly hacked off Squeak’s head. There’s only so much I can take before my forgiving nature is pushed too far.”

“
Owie
,” Pip squeaked as she slowly fluttered out from inside the carriage. She flew around off-balance before Specca quickly knelt down and caught her.

“Pip!” Specca exclaimed while holding the tiny fairy, seeing her body covered in black dust as she coughed weakly.

“That hurt… need boobies…” Pip wearily said before collapsing in the nixie’s hands.

“Oh no, Pip,” Luna whimpered.

Specca gently held Pip in her hands while Alyssa leaned on her for support, the witch looking down at the wounded fairy with remorse before over to Daniel with saddened eyes.

“Um,” Mika slowly spoke up. “Did we cross a line with you?”

Without a word Daniel spun around and punched her right in the face, the girl dropping back to the ground with a yelp while the others watched in surprise. The hunter held her nose with both hands while groaning in pain before looking up at Daniel who was glaring down at her with clenched fists.

“Get Pip and Alyssa inside, make sure they’re okay,” he called back while keeping his eyes on Mika.

“Right away,” Specca said as she helped Alyssa stand and walked her into the carriage while holding Pip in her hand.

“Luna, Falla, go with them,” Daniel added. The butterfly sisters nodded then quickly ran into the ride while Daniel and Clover watched Mika with discontent.

“Alright, I’m not sure what’s going on here,” Mika grunted as she got back up and twitched her nose. “Why are you protecting these monsters? What do you mean they’re your mates?”

“How did they all fit in there?” Mae asked confusedly as she looked around at the tiny wagon beneath her. She hopped down and peered inside the doors before jumping in surprise. “Um… what the heck kind of magic is that? There’s an entire home in this thing.”

“It’s our home, we live here together,” Daniel answered as he walked over and stopped in front of the entrance. “Mae, get in there and apologize to Kroanette.”

“What? Apologize to a monster?” Mae argued.

“Her name is Kroanette!” Daniel shouted at her, causing her to hop back with a squeak. “You shot her when she did nothing but protect us from your sister. You’re going to apologize for what you did.”

He then turned and pointed to Milly who was watching him with confusion.

“And you need to apologize to Squeak. You nearly killed her, what did she ever do to you to deserve that?”

“She’s a monster,” Milly replied with a shrug.

“The only monsters here are you three,” Daniel snapped before glaring at Mika. “And you need to apologize to Alyssa and Pip for hurting them, right now.”

“You can’t be serious,” Mika said slowly shaking her head.

“I guess we’ll have to let the world know what horrible merchants lurk in Trixton Pass,” Daniel reasoned. “They attack unarmed people without remorse and act no better than thieving bandits.”

“Hey, wait a minute here!” Mika barked back. “We were only trying to save you and your friends from those monsters!”

Clover pulled down her hood and glared at Mika, the hunters then staring at her in shock as they saw her pointed ears.

“You’re an elf,” Mika breathed out.

“If it wasn’t for Dan cooling me down back there I would have skinned you bitches alive for what you did to my sisters,” Clover hissed at her. “Though now I’m seriously considering ripping your fucking head off and shoving it up your ass regardless of how much blood I get on my clothes.”

Mika stared at her in disbelief then turned to Daniel as he waved them over.

“You hurt Clover by selling her something you took from killing another elf. All of you owe her an apology as well. Now hurry up and say you’re sorry to my family and then get out of here. We were just about to enjoy a peaceful lunch and then be on our way before you three came here and caused nothing but trouble.”

“But we were only trying to help,” Milly whined hopping up and down.

“You failed with that,” Daniel retorted before waving them in. “Let’s go. Make amends for what you did or else we’re giving your little trading post a bad mark on the map.”

“That’s not fair,” Mae complained as she folded her crossbow up and put it back in her satchel. “We were only trying to do what was right.”

“You shot Kroanette in the ass and broke her whip,” Daniel reminded her. “None of that was right. Now get going and apologize to her.”

Mae looked at the carriage doorway then to her sisters while failing to form any words, the two other girls exchanging confused glances with each other while questioning what they were hearing. Slowly Mika sheathed her claymore behind her back and walked over to Daniel, opening her mouth to speak before falling silent as he watched her with a sharp eye. Milly came closer while holding her axe down at her side and rubbed the back of her neck with a worried frown.

“If we do apologize to… them,” Mika spoke with a careful glance into the carriage. “Can you please enlighten us as to what the hell you are doing with them like this?”

“I can, yes,” Daniel agreed with a nod.

“We’re not really going in there are we?” Mae questioned shaking her head. “It’s a trap, they’re going to try to kill us if we go in there.”

“You were the ones looking to spill blood here, not us,” Daniel pointed out. “All I want is for you to say you’re sorry to them for your horrible behavior and then for you to leave. I’m not looking for anyone else to get hurt today.”

Mika observed the grand hall inside the doorway then glanced to Daniel with a careful eye. She then slowly walked in while keeping on guard, with Mae following after along with Milly. Daniel watched them step into the front hall and gaze around in wonder at seeing how large the living space was then turned to Clover as she walked up to him with her bow slung around her shoulder. She started to pass by him then stopped as she smiled a little.

“I have to say, seeing you punch that bitch in the face made me feel a little better.” She glanced to Daniel and raised an eyebrow curiously. “I didn’t think you had it in you to do something like that. You surprised me.”

“She had it coming. Frankly they all did, but that was enough for now.”

“You really are protective of those other girls, aren’t you?”

“Not just them,” Daniel answered as he reached out and picked off some grass she had in her hair. “I gave Mika that hit for you as well, Clover.”

“For me?” Clover softly repeated.

“She made you feel hurt and sad,” Daniel reasoned before heading inside the carriage. “I didn’t like that at all.”

Clover watched him go and guide the three confused hunters across the hall while a faint blush came across her cheeks. She shook her head with a grunt and looked around with a quiet scoff before seeing Lucky watching her. He had calmed down now and appeared to be just staring at the elf in silence.

“Like I care what he thinks,” Clover snapped with a flustered tone. She marched into the carriage while Lucky grunted softly and shook his head.

Further away in the woods where a few of Clover’s arrows had struck into the trees a rustling sound was heard in the shrubbery. Peeking out from the shadows a figure watched as everyone went inside the small carriage. A soft meow came from the bushes while two eyes were faintly seen from the hidden creature.

The left eye being blue, the right green, and a wide smile on her face.

In the world of Eden the line between adversary and ally could blur from time to time. Those in question may have been able to be friends, but had conflicts of interest which made it difficult to forge that bond. Perhaps they shared similar joys in life, wished for the same promising future, or were able to smile and enjoy laughs with one another. Though either out of disagreement of important beliefs or being compelled to follow their inner nature, they ended up straying onto the side of being an enemy rather than a friend. This wasn’t to say there was no chance of them coming together in the end, only that the sides they had taken weren’t naturally welcoming of one another. Maybe they could work out their differences with each other and become united.