“I told you… I’m not going down… without a fight,” Daniel said wearily. He watched them stare at him for a moment before they both ran off into the woods. After a pause he dropped to his knees, his breathing heavy as he was in incredible pain. He shook his head slightly then looked over to Alyssa, the girl having her eyes closed as she was curled into a ball. She was trembling and whimpering as she lay there on the ground, seeming to be traumatized by the wolves. Daniel looked at her for a moment then around at the dark forest. Slowly he kneeled down by one of the dead wolves and wiped the blood from his dagger on its fur, then sheathed it back into his shirt. He grunted a bit as he slowly got back onto his feet, and then walked over towards the girl. She didn’t seem to even notice the wolves were gone as she continued to tremble and murmur quietly to herself. Daniel glanced around slowly then sighed quietly, his eyes resting back down on the witch that tried to rape him earlier.
*****
Alyssa slowly opened her eyes, peeking around timidly as she regained her senses. She looked up to see Daniel looking ahead with a dull expression. She was being carried in his arms bridal style, with her head against his shoulder that wasn’t bleeding. He was holding her staff in the arm that was holding her legs up while he slowly and shakily made his way through the woods. Alyssa just stared at him with wonder as he walked with a weary expression, his eyes never meeting hers while he remained quiet. She slowly closed her eyes as she was carried by the human, the human that just couldn’t bring himself to let a monster die alone in the forest.
‘Daniel…’
She felt him hold her in his arms securely as he walked through the dark forest, her mind slowly coming back to its senses after her trauma had gone away. After a while she looked to see Daniel carrying her into her home and over towards the red chair. He set her down gently on the chair then stood up, shaking his head a bit to clear his vision. Alyssa just stared up at him with wonder as he wavered slightly, the boy then looking to the staff he held in his hand. After a moment he set it beside the chair and then just looked to the witch without saying anything. There was a long silence as he just watched the witch with a weary expression, the girl looking at him curiously then slowly shaking her head.
“Why…” she said softly. She looked over the boy who was injured with disbelief.
“Why did you…” she said quietly. He wavered then dropped down to a knee, his mind starting to blur as he felt lightheaded. Alyssa jumped up and looked at him with worry as he dropped back onto the floor.
“Daniel!” she cried out. She knelt down beside the boy and held his head up slightly.
“Why did you do that? Why did you… why…” she said in disbelief.
“Because… I didn’t want a young girl to die alone in the forest,” he said quietly. She looked at him with concern then at his injuries.
“But I’m not a young girl. I’m a witch, I’m 72 years old,” she said softly.
“72 years… young,” Daniel corrected with before he passed out. Alyssa looked at him with worry then started shaking him.
“Daniel? Daniel! Wake up! Daniel!” she cried out. He lay there unconscious, not making a sound as the witch kept shaking him. Alyssa shook her head fearfully then dashed towards the door to the side and opened it, quickly running into a storeroom with shelves lined with bottles and boxes. She franticly searched through several containers and jars then around the shelves.
“No… no… no!” she yelled out before running back out into the living room. She looked around franticly as she bit her lip.
“I don’t have any healing potions ready… no… no!” she yelled out looking to the boy. She showed a pained expression as she saw him lying there on the ground unconscious, his clothing bloodied and torn. He risked his life to save her, and now was on the verge of death because of it. Alyssa looked at him with worry then up towards the ceiling where the staircase led up to. She shook her head then showed a determined expression as she held out her hand, the staff off to the side flying over to her and being gripped tightly. Aiming her staff towards the ceiling her eyes gave off a soft purple glow as she focused her magic.
*****
Triska was sitting on the grass with her sword struck into the ground next to her, holding her legs to her chest as she buried her face down into her arms. She was trying not to cry as the wind gently rolled by, her hair flowing slightly behind her.
“Daniel…” she said softly. She trembled then looked up at the clouds that were gently rolling by, her eyes trying to hold back her tears.
“I’m sorry… I failed in protecting you. I failed to save you. I’m so sorry,” she said softly before looking down at the ground and closing her eyes.
“We were going to make this journey together, just me and you. You were going to help change the world, Daniel. I just know it,” she said sadly. Wiping a tear from her cheek she looked towards the horizon with watery eyes.
“I never got a chance to tell you… I never could say it to you. I’m supposed to be the tough one, the strong one. And yet I was scared. Scared of what you might… if you didn’t…” she said before shaking her head and looking back down, holding her legs close to her.
“Daniel… I lo-”
Suddenly the ground she was on blasted up, the girl being thrown off with her sword as large green vines carved up and around through the soil. Triska rolled off into a tumble as her sword bounced around next to her, both coming to a stop as dust and dirt shot into the air from the blast. She looked over with surprise as the vines whipped around wildly in the air. Slowly she sat up as she grabbed her sword, her eyes narrowing as she watched the familiar weeds move about.
From the ground Alyssa ran up out of a new opening and looked around franticly. Triska’s eyes widened with surprise then glared at the girl with fury.
“You!” she yelled out as she held her sword towards the witch. Alyssa merely glanced over to see Triska charging towards her with her sword held up high.
“How dare you take him from me like that! I’ll kill you, Alyssa!” she roared as she closed in. Alyssa held out her staff towards the teen as it glowed orange, causing Triska’s sword to veer off and strike down into the ground with Triska flipping over it and crashing into the ground as well.
“I don’t have time to play with you now girl,” Alyssa said as she looked over to the charred remains of her carriage. She ran over towards it as Triska scrambled back to her feet.
“How could you? You bitch!” she screamed as she ran towards the witch with her sword drawn back. As Alyssa looked around at the smoldering remains of her carriage she held the staff behind her towards Triska, once again causing the teen’s sword to yank down along with her. Alyssa searched around the burnt remains of her carriage then growled with frustration. She raised her staff up then stuck it down onto the ground with a mighty thrust, sending out a ripple through the ground from her magic. The burnt pieces of wood and steel from the carriage’s remains shot up and hovered in the air above the witch as she franticly looked around at the ground. Triska scrambled back up and started to yank her sword out of the ground.
“I’m going to kill you, witch, I’m going to hack you into small bite sized pieces and feed them to the dogs! How dare you take Daniel like that! Where is he? What have you done with Daniel?” she yelled out before she finally freed her sword from its resting spot. She looked to see the witch searching around as the wreckage of her carriage floated above.
“What… what the hell are you doing now?” Triska asked, shaking her head as she saw the pieces of burnt wood and steel just floating up in the air. Alyssa waved her staff to the side and the remains of the carriage above flew off and crashed into the hillside as she knelt down and started sifting through the ashes and burned remains that still lay on the ground.
“Please… there has to be some left... just a drop… please,” she said desperately as she ran her staff through the remains. She looked back to see Triska swinging her sword towards her, then jumped back and held h
er staff out towards the girl. The sword stopped in place as Triska growled with frustration, the teen quickly unsheathing her dagger then lunging forward with that as well. Alyssa focused her magic and stopped the blade in place, with Triska trying to push forward with both weapons while growling furiously.
“Would you knock it off?” Alyssa barked out at the teen.
“Me? You’re the one that kidnapped Daniel to have your way with him!” Triska yelled out as she struggled to push her weapons towards the little girl. Alyssa growled then pushed the teen away with a burst of her magic, glaring at her with frustration.
“I didn’t do anything to him for your information, now back off! He needs me!” she shouted out. Triska roared as she swung towards her with both weapons again, both being stopped once more by the witch’s magic.
“Needs you? You’re the last thing anybody needs! You’re just like all the other monsters out there; only wanting to use him to make children with! You’re despicable! All he wanted to do was to make peace with you, and what do you do? You try to rape him!” Triska yelled as she tried pushing the two blades towards the witch.
“I told you I never touched him, he’s still a virgin!” Alyssa yelled back. Triska stopped in place and blinked, then looked at Alyssa curiously.
“He’s a virgin still? Really?” she asked in wonder. She shook her head then resumed trying to push forward with her weapons.
“If anybody’s going to change that about him it’s going to be m-” she started before her weapons were yanked to the side then down to the ground, the teen crashing down with them with a yell. Alyssa shook her head then looked back down to the remains of her carriage.
“I don’t have time for this, Daniel needs me,” she said with frustration as she waved her staff around. The loose bits of wood and ashes around the area flew up in a circle then over to the side wildly. Triska looked to seeing the witch digging around the remains of the carriage franticly.
“What are you talking about? Where is he? What the hell are you doing?” Triska yelled as she got to her feet with both weapons in her hands. Alyssa sifted around the remains then picked up a broken bottle, the bottom half all that remained in one piece still. Inside there were a few drops of a red liquid that the witch looked to with hopeful eyes.
“Please let it be enough,” Alyssa said softly. She looked back to see Triska running towards her with fire in her eyes. The teen yelled and swung her sword towards the witch who ducked back and darted around her. Alyssa dashed towards the entrance in the ground as Triska gave chase with her sword drawn to the side.
“Get back here so I can slaughter you!” she yelled out.
Alyssa hopped down into the entrance and skidded down the wooden steps on her boots, holding onto the broken bottle desperately as she raced down the stairs. She ran over to the injured Daniel then quickly kneeled next to him, watching him with worry as she held the broken bottle towards his mouth.
“Daniel! Please, drink this, you have to!” she cried out. Hearing footsteps she looked over to see Triska racing down the stairs. Triska looked around with wide eyes as the house a mess all over along with the scenery outside having changed drastically compared to earlier.
“What the hell happened here- AHH!” she screamed as her eyes rested on Daniel, the boy lying on the ground bleeding and motionless. Triska stared at her friend with shock then towards Alyssa with murder in her eyes.
“You! What have you done to him?” she roared as she ran towards her. Alyssa held out her staff as it glowed orange and Triska stopped in place in front of her, her sword and dagger being held in place once again.
“I didn’t do anything to him, wolves did this!” Alyssa yelled out.
“Wolves? Give me a break! I can’t believe you would go this far just to have him all to yourself! He trusted you! You monster!” Triska yelled as she struggled to break free from the witch’s magical hold. Alyssa shook her head and looked back to Daniel with worry.
“But I didn’t-”
“He trusted you! He was the only human that did and you tried to rape and kill him! How could you, Alyssa? The only human that was willing to trust you and you stab him in the back!” Triska yelled out with tears forming. Alyssa looked at the boy then towards the broken window out into the forest.
“How could you, you monster! He wanted to trust you, to be friends with you! He wanted nothing more than for monsters and humans to live together, and you threw that all away just to hump him!” Triska yelled as she started crying. She let go of the weapons that remained frozen in place then lunged towards the witch, tackling her to the ground quickly. The bottle rolled off to the side with the drops of red liquid just barely remaining inside as the two weapons dropped from the air onto the ground. Triska started shaking the witch violently as the girl looked up at her with surprise.
“You monster! You monster! How could you take him like that, how could you take him from me?” she cried out. She growled then started choking her, the witch grabbing her arms while kicking around underneath.
“I’ll kill you… how dare you do this to him! I’ll kill you!” Triska yelled out with tears and anger.
“Stop… I’m trying… to save him…” Alyssa coughed as she gasped for air.
“Save him? He tried to save you… he tried to save all of us, and look at what you did to him!” Triska raged. Alyssa looked at the girl with weary eyes as she choked loudly.
“Please… he needs… to drink… that potion. Quickly…” she coughed as she started blacking out. Triska glanced to the broken bottle that was nearby then over to Daniel.
“Please… don’t let him die…” Alyssa said as her arms started to weaken. Triska looked to the witch then back to the bottle.
“Please…” Alyssa said as she slowly closed her eyes, her arms dropping to her sides. Triska growled then got up off of her, the witch then gasping and holding her throat as she could breathe again. Triska picked up the broken bottle and eyed the red liquid inside carefully. She looked to Daniel then back to Alyssa accusingly.
“What are you trying to pull here?” she asked quickly. Alyssa slowly stood up and leaned against the wall coughing as she looked to Daniel.
“Please… he needs it. It’ll help with his injuries,” she said softly. Triska looked at the bottle then to her friend. He was seriously wounded, and they were far from their hometown. Not even her medical supplies would help with his injuries.
“If you’re lying… if you’re lying to me, Alyssa…” Triska threatened with anger, looking over to the witch with a deep glare. They walked over and knelt down beside Daniel as Triska examined the bottle. She lifted his head gently and poured the red drops into his mouth. The girls watched him with worried expressions as he remained motionless, his breathing ragged and slow.
“Please let it be enough,” Alyssa said softly.
“Can’t you make more? There was hardly any of that left,” Triska asked glancing to her.
“Not now, not fast enough. That was all I had to help with,” Alyssa said with remorse. Triska looked at her friend then up at the opening. She carefully lifted Daniel into her arms then headed up the stairs.
“Where are you going with him?” Alyssa asked out loud.
“I’m getting him out of this place. You’ve done more than enough to him already, witch,” Triska said with a bite as she carried Daniel out of the witch’s home. Alyssa stood up and looked towards the opening then out towards the woods.
Outside in the plains where daylight was shining down from above Triska ran over towards her duffel bag. She gently set Daniel down on the grass then started to rummage through her bag quickly. As she did she glanced to the side to see Alyssa jumping out of the opening with her staff in hand. The witch ran over towards them and looked down at Daniel with concern.
“What are you-” she started before Triska growled loudly at her.
“Shut up, witch, this is all your fault! Just go back into your hole and let me take care of him!” Triska barked ou
t. Alyssa looked at her with worry then to Daniel. Triska resumed going through her bag, quickly pulling out a sleeping blanket, some bandages, ointments, and a pillow.
“What all do you have in there anyway?” Alyssa asked curiously as she watched all the items being pulled out of a simple duffel bag. Triska didn’t reply or even give the witch a second glance, having a focused expression as she quickly scrambled to get her supplies out. She unfolded the blanket and laid the wounded Daniel down on it, looking at his bloodied clothing with remorseful eyes. Her heart ached at seeing him like this as she blamed herself for not being there to protect him. She rested his head on the pillow then started taking off his shirt, then paused and glanced to Alyssa.
“I’m only taking off his shirt to treat his wounds, don’t get any ideas,” she hissed. Alyssa nodded slowly as Triska took off the bloodied shirt. She looked with sorrow at all the bite marks and blood that were on his body, holding a hand to her mouth with a quiet gasp.
“My god… you were telling the truth,” she said softly as she saw that wolves did indeed cause this, the bite and claw marks being seen on his arms and shoulders.
“He saved me,” Alyssa said quietly. Triska looked to her with surprise as the witch was watching Daniel with gentle eyes.
“He could have left me out there… out there with those things. He could have fended them off and ran away… but he… he didn’t,” she said shakily. Triska looked at her then to Daniel.
“Even after he chased them away… he still carried me back. He could have left me out there…” Alyssa said looking down with closed eyes.
“He’s too kindhearted that way,” Triska said softly as she started to wrap the arms and shoulders with bandages. She sighed and glanced to the witch.
chronicles of eden - act I Page 8
