"Yes, they're traveling with me and my friend, they're not malicious I assure you. I don't mind at all that they touched me, really," he assured.
"I just wanted to protect Daniel, honest. I'm sorry for using my magic in the city, I just wanted to help him," Alyssa said nervously. Squeak waved her hands around while squeaking something at the guards with a worried expression, pointing back to the fallen serpent then shaking her head while squeaking some more. The guards looked at them cautiously then back behind them as screams from people and the howls of the other serpents were heard nearby.
"What's happening? Where are these things coming from?" Specca asked fearfully.
"I have no idea, what sort of monsters are they anyway?" Daniel asked as they saw a few serpents down the street crashing through buildings while nearby guards were trying their best to slay them.
"They're not normal monsters, they're summoned beings," Alyssa glancing around carefully at the rooftops of the nearby buildings.
"Summoned beings?" Daniel asked looking back to her. The guards looked to her cautiously as she nodded.
"Yes, they're created from a magical spell, and I know who summoned them. Another witch is here," she warned looking back to Daniel.
"A witch is behind this?" a guard asked narrowing her eyes. Alyssa looked to her and nodded with a worried expression.
"I've seen these things before, she tried to kill me outside of Ashwood a little while ago with one of them," she said before glancing around quickly.
'But why is she using them here? Is she doing all this just to draw me out?'
"She tried to kill you?" Daniel asked with surprise. Alyssa looked over to him and nodded again while the guards were watching her carefully.
"She and I… don't really get along too well, sort of a rough history between us. She tried to kill me before I fled here, I thought that being in a neutral city she would have to back off," she explained with worry.
"So it's your fault those things are here? This is all because of a blood war between you and another witch?" a guard accused, gripping her sword tightly. Alyssa shook her head then looked around quickly, trying to catch any sight of the other witch.
"She was already here before I arrived, she… she said she was here for some great purpose before she attacked me," she said worriedly.
"What other purpose? Where is this witch, what does she look like?" a guard demanded. Alyssa looked to her then glanced up, then pointed up as she saw a figure standing on the edge of the library roof.
"Tora!" Alyssa yelled out as everybody looked up to see the raven haired witch looking down at the group, her ring glowing a deep red while she had her eyes set in a glare.
"Well, well, well, you're still here. How fortunate, seems I've been given another chance to spill your blood," Tora said with anger.
"What are you doing, Tora? This is a monster-neutral city; you can't attack them like this!" Alyssa cried out. Tora laughed and tilted her head amusingly as the crowd pointed at her with surprise and fear.
"You think you have any right to lecture me on killing humans in a monster-neutral city? You, the witch that got all witches banned from Cyllidon, dare to tell me that?" Tora yelled out with anger. Alyssa glanced away as everybody looked to her.
"Alyssa? What is she talking about?" Daniel asked curiously.
"Wait, Cyllidon?" Specca asked carefully. Alyssa looked over to her as the nixie pointed at her.
"It was you? You killed those humans in that city?" she asked nervously.
"What? Killed humans?" Daniel said looking back to Alyssa. She waved her hands in front of her with a nervous expression while shaking her head. Specca looked at Alyssa closely as she adjusted her glasses.
"I heard from travelers that witches aren't allowed in Cyllidon anymore, not after a witch drowned some humans there by hexing them. That was you?" she asked cautiously. Alyssa trembled then looked to Daniel with fearful eyes.
"It was an accident, Daniel, I swear! I… I didn't know those humans couldn't swim, I didn't know! I just wanted them to leave me alone, they were teasing me in the market; I never meant to kill them!" she pleaded loudly. Daniel looked at her with wonder then up towards the other witch.
"Please, stop this, why are you attacking this city?" he called up. Tora laughed and shook her head.
"I don't need to explain anything to you, human," she stated before looking back to Alyssa.
"This is all your doing? You'll pay the price for using your magic in our city like this, your race will be banned from Ashwood forever and you shall be beheaded for your crimes!" a guard shouted out. Tora glanced to her then around at seeing the streets filling with more of the armored guards from the city while people were scrambling to get away from the area. Two serpents dropped down as they were dismembered from their bases on the street while another was pelted with arrows and spears before collapsing back, the fallen beasts dissolving away into black smoke as other serpents hissed and howled nearby. Tora smirked then looked back down towards the Ashwood guard.
"Go ahead and ban us, like I give a damn," she said pointing her staff towards the guard. The woman’s sword flew out of her hand and whipped around, swiping back before stopping short of cleaving her head clean off. She stared at it with surprise then over to see Alyssa holding her staff out towards her.
"Stop this, Tora, you're making all witches look like real monsters!" she cried out before swinging her staff over and throwing the hovering blade down into the ground with a sharp strike. The guard looked at the witch then to her sword that nearly took her own life with wide eyes. Tora laughed as she narrowed her eyes at Alyssa.
"Oh, I'm making witches look like real monsters? You have no right to say those words, Alyssa, you have no right!" she yelled as she swung her staff towards Alyssa, creating a magical wave of power, knocking Alyssa back into a tumble with a scream.
"Alyssa!" Daniel called out as the witch rolled back onto the street. She stumbled back onto her feet as the crowd watched her with stunned expressions, steadying herself with her staff, then growled with frustration and aimed it up towards Tora. The dark witch aimed hers at Alyssa before a pulse of distorted air and a shockwave erupted between them in midair.
"Enough, Tora, call them off!" Alyssa yelled out.
"Make me," Tora said with a glare.
From the side of the library another serpent monster slithered out of an alleyway, hissing loudly as it turned to face the group on the ground. Its body coiled back slightly while it opened its mouth to reveal its teeth, the monster's red eyes staring at Alyssa as she held her staff tightly while backing up a few steps.
"This time you won't get away!" Tora yelled as the serpent shot towards Alyssa, its body seeming to stretch and expand forward as it raced towards the witch while keeping low to the ground. Alyssa waved her staff to the side, throwing the large serpent off balance and into a building with a magical force. It struck through the front of the building then raced towards her again with a loud hiss, shaking off the hit as it screeched at the witch. Alyssa tensed up before a pickaxe flew past her with a sharp spin and struck into the eye of the monster, the serpent howling as it jerked back and flailed around. Alyssa blinked then looked back to seeing a girl dashing through the crowd and running past her.
"Triska!" Alyssa said as the human raced past her and towards the serpent, the human having her sword drawn back with both hands as she let out a powerful yell. Triska swung her blade and sliced across the face of the serpent, the monster howling as it staggered to the side before Triska sliced around again and through the monster's lower jaw. It arched back and screeched loudly as black smoke leaked out from the cuts.
"Who's that?" Specca asked, watching the human girl swinging her blade and slicing through the serpent's long neck, the razor sharp blade giving off a gleam as it carved through the beast's body with a slick crunch. Triska swiped again and again, then darted to the side as the serpent dove down towards her with its head. It crashed into the road before Triska sw
iped around and carved a gash across the monster's other eye. It howled in pain as it staggered back before Triska cut another large gash through the neck, the monster screeching again before dropping down onto the street.
"That, Specca, is a fighter from Edgewood," Daniel said proudly as Triska glared at the summoned beast, the girl then dashing forward and driving her sword into the skull with a slick crunch. The monster twitched and let out a hoarse screech, then dropped dead as Triska yanked her blade out. She pulled the pickaxe out of the serpent's eye then tossed it towards Squeak, the ant girl catching it as she stared at the monster her friend had slain with awe.
"What the… who the hell are you?" Tora yelled out. Triska glanced up to her with narrowed eyes as she gripped her sword in one hand tightly.
"I'm Triska Raylight, and if you want this witch then you'll have to go through me!" she declared firmly. Alyssa just stared at the human with surprise then looked over to the dead serpent. Triska glanced to her then pointed her sword at the witch.
"And I'd better not hear another word out of you about my sword being worthless, got that?" she demanded. Alyssa just looked at her with wonder while Squeak examined her pickaxe, the digging tool seeming sharpened and well-polished from its time at the blacksmith’s. She gripped it tightly then looked up towards Tora as the witch was drumming her fingers on her staff with annoyance.
"Incredible, she took it down all by herself," Specca said with wonder. Daniel nodded with a calm smile as he saw his friend standing there in the street, her hair flowing gently behind her as she was looking up at the dark witch with a focused expression. There was no doubt about it; she was a fighter through and through.
"Let me guess, you're the one that was after Alyssa earlier. You've got a lot of nerve setting your damned snakes loose in this city all to come after her," Triska called out with anger. Tora looked at her with a raised eyebrow then smirked.
"You flatter that witch by saying such things. As much as I would love for her blood to soak the street, I didn't go through all the trouble of bringing forth my lovely pets on her account. I actually thought she would have fled from this city like the rat she is long before now," she said glancing to Alyssa.
"Stop calling me a rat!" Alyssa yelled out.
"Just why are you here anyway, what great purpose are you here for that has you attacking a human city?" Daniel called up. Tora scoffed at him as she shook her head.
"I told you I don't need to explain myself to you, human," she said with discontent as she waved her staff towards him. Alyssa held up hers quickly before a shockwave and distorted ripple erupted near the boy. Daniel watched the rippling effect from the magical wave veer off to his side with surprise then looked over to Alyssa as the witch was glaring at Tora with fury.
"Don't you dare touch Daniel, you bitch!" she yelled thrusting her staff towards the witch. Tora held hers in front of her as another eruption was seen in the air between the two witches, the magical shockwave letting off a low bang as the crowd of humans watched with wonder. Tora glanced to Alyssa then back to Daniel with a sly smile.
"Daniel. Oh yes, that's the name you called out as you ran away from me outside the city isn't it? Is this boy special to you, Alyssa? My my, have you adopted a pet in your travels?" she mused with a laugh. Alyssa growled with anger as she clutched her staff, her eyes giving off a soft purplish glow. From the ground over to the side another serpent started to sift up through the cobblestone street, its black scales and red eyes taking form while its head rose up into the air. The crowd looked over to see another serpent slithering around the nearby corner while another one shifted out from a tall building across the street above it.
“Clear this area at once, now!” an Ashwood guard called out as the armed women brought their swords to the ready. The citizens of the city started running away in a panic while Triska and Squeak looked around cautiously. Tora laughed as she struck her staff down onto the roof of the building with a sharp thrust. The clacking sound echoed out as the serpents hissed loudly and looked up to her.
“Tear that human apart slowly, I want to see Alyssa’s face as she watches her pet be devoured,” she ordered out with malice. Daniel and Specca backed up towards the side of the street while Triska and Squeak kept close to them. Alyssa glared at Tora with narrowed eyes then held out her staff to the side, the witch letting go of it as it remained hovering in the air.
“Triska, Squeak, get Daniel out of here. I’ll handle her,” she said hopping up onto her staff, standing on it while facing forward. Triska glanced to her then towards a nearby serpent as she held her sword at the ready.
“We’ll keep him safe, take the bitch down,” she said sternly. Alyssa crouched down as she pushed her rear foot down, angling her staff upwards as she clenched her fists.
“I intend to,” she said before shooting up towards the roof. Tora aimed her staff towards her as Alyssa held out a hand, the two creating another powerful eruption of distorted air with a shockwave between them. Alyssa raced up and swept her staff out from under her, swinging it towards Tora. The dark witch darted back and swung her own staff towards Alyssa, the blonde haired witch gripping her staff while dropping to the ground and quickly swinging around to block the strike. The two witches locked into a struggle as they pushed against one another with bared teeth and glares.
“You filthy rat, you won’t be running away this time,” Tora hissed with hatred.
“You want me? You got me!” Alyssa yelled as she pushed Tora back and gripped her staff tightly. The two witches stared each other down while black smoke and flames flared up from the broken windows on the roof near them.
Down in the street Triska and Squeak gripped their weapons tightly as they watched the summoned serpents around them. The Ashwood guards readied their swords as well while Daniel and Specca were looking around with worried glances.
“Oh dear, Daniel,” Specca said softly.
“What is going on here, why is this happening?” Daniel asked himself quietly.
*****
Inside the rounded temple in Ashwood the people inside the artifact wing were running towards the windows out in the hall as the sounds of shouting and monstrous howls were heard. Gathering over at the windows they saw the armed female guards down in the streets running towards the block in the distance that had smoke and fire seen coming up from it.
“What is going on out there?” a man asked adjusting his glasses.
“It sounds like a monster attack, monsters are attacking our city,” a woman said with fear.
“We should get out of here. All of you, secure the artifacts and your research in the hall then return to your homes. Hurry,” a man said, quickly motioning the group back. The researchers all ran back into the artifact wing then stopped suddenly as they saw another figure standing inside.
“Hey, who are you? What are you doing here?” a female researcher called out. Inside the hall was a woman dressed in a blue fine silk cloak with a purple gemstone in the middle as the button. She turned back to face the people as she lowered her hood, revealing her brunette hair that went down past her shoulders. She slowly glanced around at the researchers with eyes that were light green with blue specks in them, giving the people a simple shrug along with a chuckle.
“Don’t mind me, I’m just stopping by to pick up something,” she answered with a slight smirk.
“This is a restricted area, how did you get in here?” a man demanded. The woman laughed and glanced around casually.
“It wasn’t so hard, all of your guards seem to be a bit distracted at the moment,” she said as she searched the area with a careful eye.
“You can’t be here, you need to leave at once,” the man said walking up to her and grabbing hold of her arm. She glanced to it then looked at him with an amused smile. She let out an intrigued purr as she leaned closer to him, her eyes gazing into his as she tilted her head curiously.
“Don’t worry, dear, I’ll be leaving very soon. But first could you help me, I’m
looking for something very precious to me,” she asked softly. The man watched with a stunned expression as she held up her other hand to his cheek. She leaned in closer to his face while tracing her fingers along his cheek to the back of his head.
“It’s something very important to me; I just can’t leave without it. Please?” she asked sweetly.
“Uh… um… what are you… looking for?” he asked unsurely as the other people watched cautiously. The woman pulled him closer and leaned over to his ear while her hand gently held the back of his head.
“It’s part of a sphere, a unique trinket I’ve been searching for. You know what a sphere is, right? It’s like a ball,” she said pushing her breasts against the man’s chest. He gulped and glanced down to them as the woman smiled slyly.
“Like a ball that bounces, you know? Have you seen anything like that here?” she asked innocently. The man shakily glanced back to her then looked down again as she pressed against him gently again.
“Um… a part… of a sphere?” he asked slowly.
“Yes, that’s it. I heard your diggers found something like that recently, tell me it’s true,” she pleaded softly with an innocent smile. He looked at her for a moment as her eyes gave off a faint greenish glow, his eyes staring deep into hers as he felt a strange feeling bleeding into his mind. After a pause he nodded and smiled lovingly at the woman.
“Yeah… we did. It's right over there, would you like to see it?” he asked as he pointed over to the side. The woman glanced over to it and smirked as she saw the artifact lying on the table, its etchings giving off a faint bluish glow before going dark again.
“That’s the one, thank you so much, my handsome fellow,” she said looking back to the man with a coy smile.
“Sure, no problem. Is there anything else I can do for you, ma’am?” he asked with an eager smile. She looked him over with a casual glance then leaned in closer to him.
“Just one more thing my dear,” she said holding his head gently while she slipped her other arm around his neck. She got close to his lips as she partially closed her eyes, the woman’s warm breath being felt by the man as she kept from kissing him by an inch. After a moment she leaned back and smiled slyly at the man.
chronicles of eden - act I Page 45
