"But…" he said weakly.
"No buts!" she yelled as she moved forward, the boy backing up nervously against a wall. She held the blade to his throat as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"I'm not going to just let you go out there alone and get raped and killed, no way!" she shouted out.
"I'm not going to be… Triska, could you please put that away?" he said looking at the blade with nervous eyes.
"You're not a fighter, you're a thinker; a thinker who would be taken away without any problem from the weakest of monsters. You need somebody to help with the dangers along the way, you said so yourself," she said sternly.
"But… why you?" he asked nervously.
"Why not me? You don't want me to go with you? Is that what you're saying?" Triska demanded as she held the blade closer to him.
"No no! I didn't mean that! It's just… why… I mean…" he stammered nervously. Triska growled then whipped the blade around, spinning it in one hand before sheathing it behind her. There was no doubt about it; she was a skillful fighter as most women of the world were. Seeing as how their men were always in danger it wasn't uncommon for women to take up the roles of fighters and soldiers.
"Then what? Give me one good reason why I can't go with you," she demanded. He just looked at her for a moment then down.
"Well… you are the daughter of the village chief; I don't think your mother-"
"What my mother thinks or says doesn't dictate my life. I've been training to become a fighter here anyway, I'm ready for this. It's my choice where to go and what to do with my life, and I'm choosing to do this," Triska said sternly. She growled quietly and looked away with clenched fists.
"There's no way some wretched disgusting monster is going to take you away to be her mate. Not when I saw you first," she muttered to herself, out of earshot of Daniel. He watched her say something quietly then tilted his head slightly.
"What was that?" he asked curiously. She jumped a bit then looked away with a slight blush.
"Nothing! I'm just saying, you need somebody who can fight, and nobody else in the village is going to give you a hand with this. It may as well be me," she reasoned with quickly. After a pause she looked to him again with a focused expression.
"I'm your guardian on this journey. You're a man, you should get used to women telling you what to do. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a monster or human, men don't get a say in the matter," she said sternly. He just looked at her with bewilderment as she glanced to his backpack on the ground. Before he could speak out in protest she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Is that all you’re bringing? That can't be enough supplies to last you," she said curiously. He glanced to it then nodded.
"Well, it's all the food and clothing I really have. And a few other books along with my monster guide," he reasoned.
"You're kidding right?" Triska said shaking her head. She sighed then nodded to herself.
"Yeah, you definitely need me and my expertise on this trip. No doubt about it," she said simply.
"I know how to gather food in the wilderness, I'm not helpless you know," he said tiredly. She shook her head and walked over to her bag.
"Yeah, you are actually. But don't worry, you have me with you. I'll take good care of you," she said proudly as she undid the top flap to the large bag. She looked through it for a moment then nodded with a thoughtful expression.
"I've got plenty of food I can cook for you, medical supplies for when you're seriously hurt, some blankets and pillows for us to share together under the night sky, a fold-out stretcher for when I have to drag your unconscious hide back to civilization, equipment for trapping smaller animals and fishing for later, my allowance to cover lodgings, a map of our surrounding lands, plenty of clothing to change into after I get dirtied up saving your life from those things, and a new swimsuit I had made for when we just need to relax in the water together," she said with a smile, forming a small blush at the end of her rant. She stood up and smiled proudly at her friend.
"And a few other necessities for when we're on the road of course," she said with a shrug. Daniel was just staring at her with wide eyes before looking down to the bag.
"And you're going to carry all that with you on our journey? That's a lot of equipment," he said skeptically. She laughed and shook her head.
"Of course not," she said with an amused smile.
"Did you get a horse and carriage for our trip as well?" he asked hopefully.
A few minutes later the two were walking down the cobblestone road towards the gate that led to the rolling plains. Triska had a bold smile on her face as her sword was behind her in its sheath. Her hair flowed gently behind her while she glanced to the side with a small giggle.
"Ok, see, this isn't what I call helping me," Daniel groaned as he was carrying her large duffel bag in his arms. He had his own backpack and supplies behind him, and was walking with annoyance and heavy steps. Triska was indeed more physically fit, even if her appearance didn't show it. The way she had casually handed him the bag with one hand was a bit of misdirection to how heavy the item really was, with the boy having been dropped to the ground instantly from taking it from her.
"Again, you're the man and I'm the woman. Besides, asking you to carry my stuff isn't much given that I'm going to be the only thing keeping you alive out there. If anything you should be grateful," Triska said calmly as she walked with him down the road. Daniel groaned quietly while glancing to her.
‘Grateful my back's going to snap like a twig? I suppose there are worse ways to die in this world, but still.’
The two made their way through the village to the gate, the large wooden entrance being controlled by two women in armor at the top of the wall. The gateway doors had steel belts and supports as they were locked shut, and were only opened from the top of the wall by the guards. The women looked to the two teens that approached them then glanced to each other. Daniel and Triska walked up to the gate, with the boy dropping the large duffel bag onto the ground with a grunt. He stretched out his back then looked to Triska with confusion.
"How… did you even fit all that stuff in there anyway?" he asked with annoyance. She smirked and just shrugged.
"Wasn't so hard, just had to use a bit of force," she said simply. Daniel looked at her with wonder then to the large bag on the ground that weighed far more than he did. Triska waved up to the two guards atop the wall with a calm smile.
"Hey! Open the gate!" she called out.
"On whose authority?" a guard called down.
"The council's authority, not to mention my own," Triska said arrogantly. The women nodded quickly then started turning the large wooden wheels at the top to open the doors. As they started to creak and budge Triska winked at Daniel.
"Hold it right there!" a voice called out. The two looked back to seeing Triska's mother walking up to them with narrowed eyes, the chief escorted by two armed women with swords at their hips. The chief walked up to them then crossed her arms in discontent as the two guards at the top of the gate stopped what they were doing.
"Just what do you think you're doing? I never said you too would be going out there to die from this foolish journey," she said sternly. Triska looked at her with annoyance as she held her hands to her hips.
"I don't need your permission to go with him, it's my choice, mother," she said sternly.
"Have you lost your senses? Return home at once, I'll deal with you and your attitude later," the woman said with anger.
"I'll do no such thing. I'm going with him to be his bodyguard out there, and that's final," Triska said firmly. People started to gather around as the chief narrowed her eyes at her daughter.
"You will be doing nothing of the sort, Triska. I won't have you killed out there all because of his misguided thinking. Now return home and wait for me while I'll send this boy out of our village as was his request," the woman said sternly. Triska growled and shook her head with anger.
"Dammit, I'm not a littl
e girl anymore, mother; I can handle myself just fine. I've been training to be a fighter ever since I could hold a sword," she said with frustration.
"A fighter that can help protect our homes, not throw one's life away for nothing," the chief argued.
"I'm not throwing my life away mother, I'm living it. I'm using it for the very reason I took up the blade, to protect those worth protecting. This journey isn't for nothing, I believe in him!" Triska shouted out. Daniel looked at her with wonder and a bit of surprise while the chief growled with annoyance. People around the area started whispering among themselves as they pointed to the two villagers who so desired to leave the protection of their village. Triska took out her blade and held it out to the side.
"I've learned to wield this sword to defend our men from the monsters of the world. And that's just what I'm going to do," she said proudly.
"You can't be serious, Triska, this isn't why I allowed you to take up the role of a fighter. I wanted you to defend our people with the sword you so desired to wield, not those that speak insanity," the chief said shaking her head. Triska sheathed her sword then looked at her mother with discontent.
"My sword, mother, my choice on who to defend with it. The role of a fighter in our village means defending those who can’t fight back from the harsh world around us. He needs somebody, he won't survive out there alone," she said gesturing towards Daniel.
"Again, I'm pretty sure I can manage just fine on my own," he said with a weak smile. Triska glanced to him quickly then back to her mother again.
"I believe in him, I really do. That's why I persuaded you to listen to him today. If he's going to risk his life for this cause, than so am I!" she declared. The chief looked at her as she was taken back slightly by her daughter’s persistence, then over to the boy who was glancing around nervously. After a moment the chief looked to her daughter with a calm expression.
"Is that so?" she asked. Triska nodded and looked to Daniel.
"Yes," she assured. He smiled at his friend then looked to the chief with a bit of worry again. People around the area were talking about the two while looking at the chief with concern. The woman quickly glanced around at the crowd then to the boy again.
"A fighter in our village is to defend those that cannot defend themselves," Triska said assertively. People looked around at each other than to the boy who the chief's daughter was so keen on protecting.
"Seriously… I'm not that weak," Daniel said tiredly. Triska glanced to him then back to her mother without commenting on that. The woman walked up to her daughter and rested her hands on the girl’s shoulders.
"And you're sure that this is what you wish to do, daughter? Having faith in your friend is commendable, however misguided it may be. Is this really what you want to do?" she asked gently. Triska nodded with a bold smile.
"Yes, I'm sure, mother," she said proudly. The woman looked at her for a moment then glanced to Daniel with narrowed eyes. The chief walked over to him and crossed her arms before her. Daniel chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head.
"It seems my daughter wishes to follow you in your… quest," the woman said with an annoyed tone. Daniel nodded slowly and glanced to see Triska looking at him with an amused smile.
"Yes… um, sorry, I couldn't talk her out of it, ma’am," he said nervously. A long uneasy silence followed as he watched the chief with worried eyes while trying not to tremble before her. After a while the woman merely nodded then looked up at the gatekeepers.
"That makes two of us, boy," she said flatly as she waved to them with a solemn expression. The women nodded and resumed opening the large gate to the village. The wooden doors creaked and groaned as the gate was opened to show the dirt road leading out across the rolling fields. The chief looked out at the horizon then over to Daniel again.
"However, I trust you won't let anything happen to her, will you?" she said with a raised eyebrow. Daniel jumped a bit and looked back to Triska, the girl examining her dagger before sliding it back into its sheath casually.
"Well… I…" he said nervously.
"You're doing this for mankind, are you not?” the chief asked expectantly. Daniel looked to her and nodded with a slightly curious expression. The chief eyed him for a moment then glanced over to Triska.
"Then you should know how stories used to describe men being protective of women, caring for and shielding them from the dangers of the world. Not the other way around," she said. After a pause she glanced back to the boy.
"If you really intend to help mankind, make an example of yourself, and protect my daughter," she said with a commanding tone. Daniel looked at her for a moment then over to Triska. Ever since they were childhood friends she was always the rough and fiery one of the two while he was the thoughtful and creative one. Her strength and courage were certainly higher than his and many other boys in the village, the girl having been training to be a fighter for a long time. She could wield a sword with ease while he would have to use both hands to merely hold the blade upright and pray his opponent was about to die from some previous illness before attempting to fight.
Daniel looked down in thought for a moment then over to the chief with a confident smile.
"I promise, I'll make sure she'll be safe out there," he said assuredly. The chief nodded then stepped back from him. Triska walked over to them, casually handing off her duffel bag to Daniel who once again staggered and struggled to keep his balance from the weight.
"Don't forget, Triska, you will always have a home here. You may return here at any time," the chief said gently. Triska nodded and smiled at her mother.
"We'll be fine, mother. With my sword and his brain, there's nothing we can't handle," she said with a small laugh. The chief smirked slightly then looked over to the boy who was struggling to carry her daughter's duffel bag. Daniel grunted quietly and wavered before regaining his balance, his arms trembling slightly. After a pause the chief just looked back to her daughter with a dull expression.
"I'll try to remain optimistic about that. I wish you luck, both of you. Don't forget that I do love you, daughter, that will never change. Please, take care out there," she said with a small smile.
"I love you too, mother. You'll see me again, I promise," Triska said softly. She smiled at her mother then over to her companion. Daniel smiled a bit then looked to the plains that extended out near the village. He had his wish; venturing out in search of monsters that could indeed be their allies, ones that could help them survive in the world. And he had Triska with him, a capable fighter and faithful to his wild theories. Why exactly she believed in him so much was still a mystery to him, but he was still thankful she was with him nonetheless.
"Well then, let's be off," Daniel declared with confidence.
He then started taking heavy steps as Triska walked casually beside him, the two heading out from the gate and on their journey together. As they did the gatekeepers started to close the large wooden doors behind them, the creaking and clacking of the mechanism echoing out as the chief watched her daughter leave along with the boy that had the courage to follow his beliefs despite how suicidal they seemed. As the door closed all the way the chief looked up at the sky with her black eyes as the clouds gently rolled by, praying that her daughter would be ok out in the real world.
The girl known as Triska Raylight.
And her companion, who saw the world differently than the rest of his kind. He was determined to prove that some monsters could be their allies in the world, and that coexistence may be the only way to survive the Darker Ones that roamed the world. He already had quite a few entries in his book of known monsters, his guidebook of sorts, and was looking forward to expanding it as their journey progressed. Studying and learning about these strange creatures had always fascinated him, and during his time collecting any scraps of information related to them he started to wonder if they all really were 'monsters'. He was aware of their inner desires and natures, however stood confident with his belief that the cre
atures of the otherworld could control such urges. There had to be some way of taming them or befriending them so not to fall victim to their desire to breed.
As he struggled to carry the heavy duffel bag of his companion without seeming like he was going to collapse in front of her, he looked ahead with a determined expression. He had his quest, his goal, his purpose. He had his guidebook, and his best friend with him. He was ready to help mankind regain its place in the world.
The boy known as Daniel Sorres.
The two travelers walked along the path that stretched out across the rolling fields as the wind gently rolled by. The sun was shining from above as their journey had begun, and the two glanced back one more time at their home as it slowly disappeared behind them in the distance. They had grown up there together and, although had different lifestyles and paths they followed, remained close friends through all the good times and bad. There was no turning back now, they were starting their quest together; to find and hopefully recruit peaceful monsters in the interest of survival in this savage world.
A world called Eden.
Chapter 2
First Encounter
In the world of Eden monsters of many forms roamed the lands, all having appeared mysteriously long ago. They were all female, and because of this their way of reproducing became dependent on finding others for use with breeding. Some would use brute force and try to rape their victims whenever they could, or use pheromones and 'poison' to make their prey vulnerable to them. Others would use charms and sexual allure to draw in potential mates, while some would use magic to bewitch men into mating with them. There were many methods these strange creatures used to catch their prey.
And there were very few that could escape them.
*****
It was a particular sunny day as a few clouds gently passed by overhead. The tall grass around the rolling plains swayed slightly as a cool breeze rolled by, a few birds flew out of a tree into the air, and the groaning and complaining of a human was easily heard.
chronicles of eden - act I Page 3
