Aeon slowly regained her composure while keeping her cold glare locked onto Daemon. Saffron glanced down to her then to Daemon while rubbing her hips against him eagerly.
“Fine,” Aeon reluctantly hissed. “I’ll leave you be if it makes you feel better. Though you do know I already know what you’re going to say and what will happen here, right?”
“Be that as it may, I don’t want you upsetting our guests here. Please leave.”
“As you wish,” Aeon mockingly retorted. She smirked at Daemon with a slight chuckle before vanishing instantly. Daemon looked around at the pond for a moment then noticed Saffron still nudging against him with a bright smile.
“Please stop that.”
Saffron pouted and squeaked at him while rubbing her rear before clinging close to him and squeaking happily as she nuzzled against his shoulder.
“I only did that to get the Dark Queen to leave us be,” Daemon explained as he pushed the girl off him. Saffron gave him a dull stare then smiled sternly at him and shook her head with a few squeaks. “Teasing you was not the intention. My only goal was to test the Dark Queen’s weakness and have her retreat into her city. That’s all.”
Saffron crossed her arms with a promiscuous smile and shook her head slowly, the girl eyeing over the swordsman while her antennae twitched now and again. Daemon lightly drummed his fingers on the sword’s handle as he wondered if he created a bigger problem than the Dark Queen being near them then looked around carefully as there was still no sign of anyone else in the cavern.
“Where are you?” he called out. “Show yourself, guardian.”
He and Saffron searched the surrounding area while listening for the voice again, their eyes then resting on a large flower bud with light purple petals slowly rising up from a pond near a shimmering waterfall. The petals slowly shifted about then opened up, revealing bountiful locks of violent hair clumped in the center. The swordsman and ant girl watched as the hair slowly lifted up along with the woman it was attached to. She was completely naked, her body being joined to the center of the flower at her knees while thin green tendrils slowly rose up around it from the spring. The light amount of pubic hair she had matched that of her violet locks while adorning the side of her head was a bright blue flower that seemed to grow there rather than placed as an accessory. She slowly lowered her hands down from her large breasts, the monster leaning back with a relaxed sigh while one of her tendrils opened its snapper-like mouth to pour water down her front that she tenderly rubbed on her fair skin. Opening her eyes they were revealed to be a deep blue with a violet shimmer to them, the gentle smile she had complimenting the tranquil aura she gave off.
“You’re the guardian?” Daemon questioned.
“Yes,” the woman spoke with a gentle nod. “I’ve been watching over this City of Eden for as long as it has been.”
“You’re an alurane,” Daemon realized. “There haven’t been any alurane in Eden for centuries. Only fluugher remain as your descendants.”
“We’re still around, here and there,” the alurane giggled with a shrug. “We tend to hide in this world very well, though I do assure you we’re not quite extinct yet.”
The alurane gently ruffled her hair and glanced around at the cave then smiled kindly at the newcomers as she held her hands together peacefully.
“Allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Nuciferyne; I am the guardian of the City of Eden here in Koskaysil, and the keeper of the chronofly.”
“Nuciferyne?” Daemon repeated. The alurane giggled softly and nodded before holding a hand over her chest with a curious smile at him.
“Yes, but feel free to call me Nuci for short.”
Chapter 13
In the Face of Evil
In the world of Eden there were many dangerous monsters throughout the lands. Some would openly walk in broad daylight while others preferred to stalk their prey at night. There would be those who traveled in groups for overwhelming numbers and then there were some whose mere presence alone was enough to instill fear in those before them. When confronting these lustful creatures, whether they were marching towards you from the distance or patiently waiting to strike from behind a barrier, it would take a strong nerve and a sense of bravery to keep one’s wits about them. For even if they were right in front of you or slowly creeping closer like an ominous cloud one thing always remained true.
Only the courageous would stand between them and anarchy.
*****
The gentle splashing of the nearby waterfalls echoed quietly in the underground grotto as Daemon and Saffron met the guardian of the City of Eden in their land. However the one they saw who was in charge of keeping a dreaded Dark Queen sealed away from destroying the world wasn’t one they had expected to find.
“An alurane is this Dark Queen’s guardian?” Daemon questioned.
“Guilty as charged,” Nuci admitted with a shrug.
“How is it that you have come to be this Dark Queen’s keeper?”
“I’m the most suited to watch over Aeon,” Nuci replied looking down at the spring. “She’s a handful at times and can be quite troublesome, however I think we get along alright despite that. She may be a Dark Queen but she’s not so bad to talk to now and again. I think she likes having someone to speak to while trapped within her city, and I’m quite happy to be that someone.”
“You speak fondly of her,” Daemon pointed out. “Not at all how I expected her keeper to behave.”
Nuci remained silent for a while as she gazed down into the pool, a quiet sigh escaping her lips before she turned to Daemon with a solemn expression.
“She and I… know each other very well. However all personal matters aside I am the proper guardian for this Dark Queen, I assure you. She’s well-hidden down here, nobody will ever find her or her city. And even if they should stumble across it her key is safe in my possession, nobody will be releasing her from her prison.”
“How did you collect her key fragments if you’re confined to this cave?” Daemon asked.
“I’m not exactly confined here, I just choose to stay. Aeon would be lonely if I left,” Nuci reasoned. She hesitated for a moment then glanced around at the underground cavern. “Even so, I do have some reach in this world. My roots grow farther than you’d give them credit for. As such I have my eyes, ears, and hands out in the world above.”
Daemon and Saffron looked around to seeing some of the vines and tendrils within the cave shaking a little with a low rustle, showing that Nuci was directly controlling them as they were part of her very being.
“Still,” Nuci continued. “My reach isn’t everlasting, so I have some helpers to assist me. I believe you met them up above.”
“The desuwraiths,” Daemon recalled. “They really are helping you?”
“They’re such good little girls,” Nuci praised.
“They wanted to rape me to death upon first seeing me.”
“…well they are monsters,” Nuci reasoned with a nervous smile and shrug. “Sorry about that, I have tried teaching them self-control with their… urges. I suppose that needs a bit more work.”
“I would imagine so,” Daemon said raising an eyebrow at her. “So how exactly did you enlist the aid of desuwraiths to assist you?”
“I found them above one day,” Nuci distantly replied looking up. “They were on the verge of death. Apparently some very unsavory monsters used some horrible magic on them, withered their bodies and left them for dead in The Outerlands. I helped them recover, not because I wanted them to assist me in return but simply because I couldn’t stand to see them in such a state. The girls were so happy that they practically insisted to aid me however they could. They just wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“I’ve heard aluranes were skilled healers,” Daemon remembered.
“I can cure anything but death itself,” Nuci giggled. “My plants and their nectar are able to heal wounds of all sizes. I was able to get them back on their feet rather easily, they
were just fortunate my roots reached up to where they were at the time.”
“We’re very far underground,” Daemon mentioned. “Just how far of a reach do you have from here?”
“It varies,” Nuci answered looking around. “My roots can grow far and wide. From here I can reach out to many places in the region, not all of course, but many. My flowers and vines act as my eyes and ears. With them I’m able to see… quite a lot out there…”
She lowered her head and sighed before glancing to Daemon with remorse.
“Although I do not like what I’m seeing up there. The soil is being sullied with so much blood lately.”
“You can see The Sisterhood’s handiwork, can’t you?” Daemon asked. Nuci nodded while remaining silent. “Can you see where they are now?”
“They have occupied the forest of Green Haven,” Nuci sadly replied. “The elves there… they cry out in sorrow from being enslaved. Their priestess… has fallen.”
“The elven leader is dead?”
“She’s become one with the forest,” Nuci whimpered. “I can see her so clearly. The elves cry for her just as I did when she fell.”
Saffron growled and clenched her fists from hearing that while Daemon shook his head slowly.
“Have you seen the ones who lead this group of monsters?” Daemon asked. Nuci looked to him curiously as the swordsman narrowed his eyes. “I’ve been told there are two who command this army of monsters. Two who appear to be gemini.”
“Gemini?” Nuci gasped. “The Dark Queen?”
Saffron turned to Daemon in question as he nodded.
“Last I heard of the gemini they were still sealed away in the region of Eylanatia,” Daemon explained. “However recently there have been a growing number of witnesses to a pair of monsters baring a striking resemblance to them. I’ve seen them myself. Their eyes… their apparent immortality… I question if they are indeed the Dark Queen herself.”
Saffron showed a puzzled expression and looked to her hand, holding up two fingers then one before two again as she wondered if he was counting right.
“They couldn’t have been freed,” Nuci worried as she held a hand to her cheek. “It couldn’t be possible. Aeon never spoke of such a thing, and she would be one of the first to know if a Dark Queen was released. I’m certain she wouldn’t stop talking about such a thing if it were really true.”
“Maybe they weren’t,” Daemon speculated. “Maybe the gemini really are locked away still. Either way I’m going to find out what these two monsters are soon enough. My quest of collecting all the fragments to the reaper’s key has been slowed down too much thanks to their meddling in the world.”
“You’re still trying to find them?” Nuci wondered. “Are you having trouble locating them?”
“They’ve been difficult to track down,” Daemon replied with annoyance. “The reaper’s semblance extends to her key.”
“Magic,” Nuci remembered. “The reaper’s magical capabilities are unmatched in this world.”
“Her key fragments only reveal themselves to me if they’re close enough. Otherwise they’re masked entirely from any detection spell I use by a powerful cloak.”
“So you’ve had to travel the world blindly in search of them,” Nuci empathized. “I’m sorry it’s been so difficult for you.”
“I have three in my possession, the others will soon follow. It may be difficult to find them but it will be done.”
“I trust you won’t fail,” Nuci praised. “If you were chosen for the role of guardian I’m sure it was for good reason.”
“The choice wasn’t mine so I can’t comment on that,” Daemon replied glancing away. “Still, it’s my duty and I won’t fail.”
Nuci nodded then noticed Saffron staring at her in wonder. The ant girl slowly looked to Daemon then down to the pond before back to the alurane while appearing to be speechless.
“Are you alright, dear?” Nuci softly asked. “I’m sorry if all this is a bit much for you to hear.”
“She was warned not to come down here,” Daemon said to the ant girl. “She chose to regardless. She wanted to know what was buried in the world.”
Saffron looked to him while remaining silent, her mouth opening as if she wanted to squeak something yet nothing came out. Looking back down to the pond she ruffled her hair anxiously before turning her gaze upward. She squeaked a few times then turned to Daemon and squeaked more while pointing back to the lift.
“Oh dear,” Nuci worried. “Um… I’m sorry, but… that won’t be possible for you now.”
Saffron looked to her in shock and stepped back, squeaking a few times and shaking her head in disbelief.
“What? Oh, no no. I’m not saying you’re not allowed to leave, of course you can go. It’s just you… I’m afraid you can’t quite speak to your queen about this place.”
Saffron squeaked at her confusedly while Daemon watched the alurane with a careful eye, seeing how the woman was showing a troubled frown now while her tendrils curled up around her.
“My dear, what is your name?” Nuci gently asked. Saffron squeaked while walking up to the pond. “Saffron. That’s a lovely name. Listen to me, Saffron. I thought you were already aware, but it seems you haven’t been told yet. I’m afraid I have some… upsetting news for you.”
Saffron showed a worried expression while the alurane quietly sighed.
“I’m afraid your queen… has fallen as well.”
Saffron stared at the alurane in stunned silence, not moving or blinking as Nuci wiped a tear from her eye.
“Her queen is dead too?” Daemon questioned.
“Queen Belanarious,” Nuci said carefully. “Ruler of the red ant girls in this region, and whose home nest resided in Breakfell Gorge to the south. I’m sorry to say that your nest there was… wiped out.”
Saffron shakily shook her head and faintly squeaked something under her breath.
“I have roots growing there,” Nuci sadly informed her. “I can see and hear everything that goes on in those tunnels. They’re usually quite loud, much squeaking amongst the ant girls and explosions echoing through the corridors with their digging. The nest is normally very lively, very lively indeed.”
Saffron gulped as she held her hands over her mouth.
“But now I’m afraid nothing makes a sound there,” Nuci whimpered. “Only the ghosts of your kin reside in those halls. I’m sorry, but The Sisterhood… they broke through your barriers. They killed your queen.”
Saffron squeaked and shook her head in anger, tears forming in her eyes as she squeaked loudly and waved off the alurane.
“I wish I was lying,” Nuci lamented. “I truly do. I’ve had to watch so many deaths across the land as of late, so many times I’ve watched humans and monsters being horrifically slain. I really wish I was lying or that I was only seeing things. I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. Your queen has fallen, Saffron.”
“You’re certain of this?” Daemon questioned.
“I saw it all happen,” Nuci recalled. “They swarmed the queen’s halls, killing all the ant girls and stealing the men they had in their dens. Your royal guard fought bravely to protect the queen, Saffron. But there were too many. Her last act in life was detonating a bomb while being swarmed by goblins. I’m so sorry.”
Saffron squeaked loudly and covered her ears, the girl shaking her head and squeaking frantically as she tried not to believe such things. She then ran back towards the lift, stumbling up the mound and rushing over to the dais where she started pounding on it with her fist. She looked up and squeaked desperately while hitting the alter then turned to Daemon and screeched at him.
“I believe she wishes to see for herself,” Nuci worried. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything, I should have kept quiet.”
“You’re not the one who took her queen’s life,” Daemon told her. “You’re not at fault.”
“Still, I feel sorry for her,” Nuci lamented. “I thought all the ant girls above knew, but it seems tha
t information hasn’t reached this part of their nest just yet. My heart aches for all of them.”
“You really are too kind and benevolent. I’m not certain if being a guardian for a Dark Queen is right for you.”
“If anyone were to watch over Aeon it should be me,” Nuci reasoned looking away. “Don’t worry about her, she’ll remain here for all time just as she needs to. I’ll be with her every moment of that sentence. You just need to focus on keeping the reaper sealed away.”
“That, among other things,” Daemon agreed as he saw Saffron hitting the dais repeatedly with her gloved hand, obviously forgetting how the lift worked in her hysteria. He started walking back towards her then glanced to Nuci as the alurane smiled worriedly at him.
“Well done,” he complimented.
“Well done?”
“Whether you’re fit to be a guardian or not, you’ve done a great job so far with it. I wish you luck with continuing to do so.”
“Thank you, Daemon. I wish you luck with your quest as well. And also thank you for visiting. I don’t get many guests down here.”
“I’ll remind your helpers above how the lift works,” Daemon mentioned. “They’ve been trying to come down here to see you for some time.”
“Oh dear,” Nuci sighed. “Did they forget how to use their hands to control it again?”
“Among other things,” Daemon answered as he walked off. Nuci rolled her eyes then waved at Daemon with a gentle smile. The swordsman climbed back up to the platform and stood beside the dais, watching as Saffron was holding her hands to her chest while trying to steady her breathing. She glanced over to see Nuci waving with a sad frown at her, the ant girl then looking down with closed eyes and turning to step closer to Daemon. She trembled then quickly hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder as she squeaked shakily.
Daemon watched the ant girl struggling with the news of her queen then rested his hand on the alter, activating the lift with its glowing symbols again appearing between the monuments. The platform rose up into the shaft and out of sight with a low drone while Nuci waved them off, the alurane then breathing out softly as she looked down in remorse.
Chronicles of Eden - Act X Page 45
