Chronicles of Eden - Act IV

by Alexander Gordon

  “I’ve heard that name before, I know I have.”

  Charlotte looked at the strange blade with wonder then to Daemon as he slowly withdrew his sword and sheathed it at his hip again.

  “Who in Eden are you?” she demanded. “That sword shouldn’t exist, what you say about this relic can’t be true, this isn’t-” She then stopped as she saw Daemon just staring at her with a cold gaze. Slowly Charlotte glanced over to the three monster girls behind him, all of them giving her the same cold stare as well.

  “We’ll only tell you once more,” Sasha stated.

  “Give him the artifact,” Rulo ordered.

  “It belongs to him and him only,” Forrus finished.

  Charlotte looked back to Daemon as the boy slowly drummed his fingers on his sword’s handle, his eyes just staring at the witch as he remained silent. She looked at him carefully then with wonder.

  “What manner of human are you?”

  Daemon didn’t say a word as the witch eyed him over with disbelief before she looked to the artifact in her hand. After a moment she glanced back to Daemon as the boy slowly shook his head.

  “You don’t want the trouble that thing will bring down upon you or your sisters,” he reasoned. “I can assure you of that much. Give the artifact to me, or I will resort to using force to take it.”

  Charlotte toiled the artifact around in her hand as she watched the boy with a sharp eye then looked at the relic with a quiet sigh.

  “I don’t know,” she mused to herself. “This is all so hard to believe. After all, you wield a sword that shouldn’t exist, you speak of such dreadful and terrible tales about this artifact, and you have the audacity to still try to order me around. None of this sits well with me, not at all.”

  Daemon remained quiet with a hand held at his sword’s handle as everyone waited to see what would happen next. After a while of uneasy silence Charlotte smirked and turned to face the boy while tossing the artifact up leisurely and catching it again.

  “But, you do raise a good point that this thing does attract some rather unsavory attention. I mean first a Darker One comes after it, and then even Alyssa the Wildfire Witch is brought back upon this land like a returning plague. Who knows what tomorrow will bring should it remain here.”

  “Oh c’mon,” Alyssa whined quietly. “Don’t put me in the same lot as a Darker One.”

  Charlotte looked at the artifact and hummed a playful tune before looking up thoughtfully.

  “But then again,” she remembered. “I did already pay a good healthy human to get this thing. It would be such a waste for me to just let it go all for nothing.”

  Daemon continued to watch her without expressing any concern about what she said, with Charlotte glancing to the relic then back to him again with a smirk on her face.

  “I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you a chance to get this from me, but just one chance mind you,” she said with an innocent frown while shaking her wand at him. Daemon raised an eyebrow at her as the witch walked closer to him, the girl swaying her hips with a sultry smile on her face.

  “You, Daemon, are indeed a very special human,” she complimented. “You wield a sword of legend, you can resist my charming magic, you stand before Darker Ones and the likes of myself without fear, and you claim to have a noble quest above all else imaginable. My word, it’s almost as if you are a knight of sorts. So strapping and handsome too, I must say you have my interest in more ways than one.” She held the relic and wand back behind her while leaning closer to his face.

  “I don’t know if any of what you said is true, there’s just no way for me to know for sure after all, but I’ll be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt since you’ve entertained me so well tonight. Still, if you want this relic, then you’re going to have to prove yourself as a true knight of this land to me.”

  “And just how do you expect me to do that?” Daemon asked flatly.

  Charlotte giggled then winked at him.

  “You can resist my charming magic with your fortitude, but can you resist my kiss as well?”

  “What?” Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus yelled out at her with anger.

  Apoch and Astreal giggled and watched Daemon with playful smiles from either side of Charlotte.

  “Ms. Charlotte’s kisses are known to be as powerful as those from a succubus,” Apoch said with a purr at the end.

  “Oh my, should you kiss her even your fortitude may not be enough to resist her charm,” Astreal warned innocently.

  “You’ll become her slave on the spot, forever and ever and ever,” the sisters said together before hopping around giddily.

  Daniel’s group looked to each other curiously then back to the alpha witch as she gazed into Daemon’s eyes, the girl having a piercing stare of her own. Daemon glanced to the witch sisters with a blank expression then to Charlotte as the alpha licked her lips lightly.

  “If you can kiss me,” she dared. “I mean if you can really kiss me, and resist my charm even then, you can have the artifact. But you have to really give that kiss some kick, show me just what kind of knight you are.”

  “He’s not a knight, he’s my lord,” Forrus argued.

  “And he doesn’t have to kiss you,” Rulo snorted as she brought her hammer forth. “We’ll just take the artifact from you after we break all your bones.”

  “Touch his lips and you shall die on this very night,” Sasha hissed as she brought her broadsword up at the ready.

  Charlotte glanced to them with a slick smile while her wand glowed softly, the three girls tensing up as Apoch and Astreal giggled and watched them amusedly.

  “My grace, shall we get rid of them for you?” the twins offered together.

  Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus got ready to charge before Daemon held a hand back to them, the girls then looking to him worriedly as he watched Charlotte with a sharp eye.

  “One kiss for the artifact, that’s your only price?” he asked carelessly.

  “Yes, I’ll hand it to you personally should you win this little game and that’ll be it,” Charlotte assured. “Otherwise, if you prefer to fight me for it I’d be happy to oblige. I dare say you and your pets won’t fare so well against me and my little helpers.”

  Apoch and Astreal hopped to attention with their staves held out towards them with daring smiles, the twins giggling together as Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus remained on guard. The three monster girls glanced to Daemon as the boy just watched Charlotte for a moment before he spoke again.

  “I’ll do so, on one more condition,” he said, with his girls looking to him with surprise as Charlotte raised an eyebrow in question.

  “And what would that be?” the witch asked.

  “You will tell us where you sent those two girls who would not die,” Daemon requested. “It would make Forrus happy to have them finally be slain before her.”

  Forrus held a hand over her heart as she watched her lord with adoring eyes. Charlotte glanced to the lycan then back to Daemon while shaking her head.

  “I can tell you that if you wish, however you will not be killing them.”

  “That is not your concern.”

  Charlotte giggled then nodded while closing her eyes.

  “Very well,” she agreed. “Should you win this game we’ll tell you exactly where we transported those two. It makes no difference to me.”

  “Deal,” Daemon said before he grabbed the witch by the back of the head and pulled her closer, with everyone watching as he pulled the alpha into a deep kiss. Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus gasped with shock while Apoch and Astreal watched with eager smiles. Daniel and his group however just watched the sight with curious eyes as they wondered if this human really could resist such a powerful charming spell from the alpha. Charlotte stared at Daemon with surprise before her eyes fluttered and closed, the witch’s hands flinching before she dropped her wand and relic to the ground as she moved to hold onto Daemon’s shoulders. Sasha clenched her sword tightly in her hands while baring her teeth, her low hiss a
nd sharply whipping tail showing how angry she was with Charlotte very clearly. Rulo growled and snarled with bared teeth as she gripped her hammer, her face turning red with anger as she glared at Charlotte. And Forrus snarled like a rabid dog as she bared her claws, her eyes glaring at the alpha witch with fury as she saw the girl kissing her lord.

  After a while Daemon let go and Charlotte stepped back with a small gasp, her face having taken on a slight blush as she slowly opened her eyes again. Daemon just watched her with a blank expression while the alpha slowly held a hand to her lips and stepped back, her eyes going over the boy before her almost in a daze while everyone watched her curiously.

  “My grace?” Apoch and Astreal asked together.

  Charlotte blinked then pointed to Daemon.

  “Bark like a dog for me, right now.”

  Daemon merely shook his head, with Charlotte and her helpers gasping in surprise.

  “Impossible,” Apoch said in disbelief. “He should be hexed into being your slave forever.”

  “How can he resist your charm like this, it’s not possible,” Astreal added with bewilderment.

  Charlotte slowly nodded and watched as Daemon remained in control as he stared at her with his piercing blue eyes.

  “You truly are a remarkable knight,” she said softly. “I’ve never felt such a powerful kiss before.”

  “I am no knight. Now, the artifact,” Daemon replied while holding out his hand.

  Charlotte smiled a bit and glanced to it before she held her hands out behind her, causing her wand and the artifact to float up into her grasp. With a reluctant sigh she handed the artifact over to him, holding onto it while he grabbed it as she glanced to him with a raised eyebrow.

  “Tell me, is there any chance I could invite you back to my village for the night?” she asked coyly. “Perhaps I could help you rest up before you leave this land to continue your little quest.”

  Daemon shook his head and pulled the artifact away from her, the witch watching him with a curious smile as he stood up and looked at the relic with a sharp eye. Charlotte nodded slowly then glanced to the three other girls who were glaring at her with fury.

  “Ah, I see,” she mused. “You already have company to sleep with tonight.”

  Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus jumped at that before looking down and away with frustration. Daniel’s group exchanged glances in question for a moment then looked back to those before them.

  “Ms. Charlotte?” Apoch asked curiously. “Are you really going to let him take your artifact away?”

  “Yes,” Charlotte said before licking her lips. “A deal was a deal, and frankly that kiss was worth it.”

  Daemon’s girls glared at her with anger and low growls from that comment. The alpha glanced to them then smiled smugly with a twitch of her eyebrow.

  “He just took my breath away after all,” she added smugly.

  Daemon eyed the artifact over then glanced to Charlotte with a raised eyebrow.

  “And the location of those you sent away?”

  Charlotte nodded and waved to Apoch and Astreal, the witch sisters looking off to the east with a peering gaze.

  “We sent those two to the highlands in the east,” Apoch announced. “Far, far away from our village.”

  “They should be at least a week’s time away from this location,” Astreal added. “The only company they will find out there are ravenous goblins.”

  “I’m sure they’ll be making friends with them soon enough,” Charlotte mentioned with a laugh.

  Forrus looked to the east then back to Daemon with urgency as the boy nodded and walked back over to his group.

  “Should we come across them, we’ll make sure they are not heard of again,” he stated coldly, then glanced to the girls as they all watched him with troubled expressions. The boy eyed each one then shook his head slowly.

  “Had we killed her we wouldn’t have learned the location of those that Forrus seeks.”

  “So what you’re saying is that we should blame Forrus for you kissing that witch,” Rulo growled as she and Sasha turned to Forrus with deep glares. The lycan gulped then shook her head nervously.

  “Wait,” she pleaded. “I never wished for him to kiss her either, honest.”

  Before the girls could say anything Daemon tossed the artifact to Sasha, the reptile girl catching it then looking to him with wonder as Forrus and Rulo turned to him with surprise.

  “Calm yourselves,” he ordered. “That alpha is able to detain all of those travelers over there without any effort and still use the bulk of her power to attack those she wishes, including a succubus. None of you are ready to fight against her.”

  His girls looked over to seeing the travelers still imprisoned against their will then to Charlotte as the witch was just now watching Daemon with a promiscuous smile.

  “Be that as it may,” Sasha hissed. “It still makes my blood boil to see her kissing you like that.”

  “I’d rather have taken my chances on flattening her than have to watch her kiss you,” Rulo said shaking her head.

  “I’d rather give her an empty kiss than watch you all die,” Daemon replied before walking by them down the street. The girls looked to each other curiously then to him again as he walked away from them.

  “Doesn’t he believe we could have handled those bitches in a fight?” Rulo asked worriedly with an oink.

  “He took no chances with our safety,” Sasha reasoned looking to the artifact in her hands. “He knew this alpha witch would have been dangerous to fight against.”

  “He wanted to protect us,” Forrus said softly with admiration. “He bared such a burden as kissing that unworthy witch to do so.”

  The three girls then glanced back to Charlotte as the witch waved to Daemon with a sultry smile on her face.

  “Come by Rystone and see me sometime, Daemon! Pretty please!” she called out sweetly before laughing, with Apoch and Astreal smiling curiously at her then to Daemon as the boy kept walking away without saying a word. Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus growled at the alpha then quickly followed after Daemon, all of them making their way down the road with the burning buildings lighting up the area on the side of the road near them.

  “If we ever see that bitch again I’m smashing her into the ground,” Rulo grunted with discontent.

  “No arguments here,” Sasha agreed.

  “Allow me to assist you,” Forrus added as the three girls walked after Daemon down the street. As they passed by the battle-scarred street from earlier Forrus glanced down to her broken bolas on the ground, the lycan merely swiping up the severed rope and rocks while the two other girls glanced to her.

  “Not much of a weapon if it breaks so easily,” Sasha commented.

  “I can make another very easily. Despite its frailty it serves its purpose well,” Forrus replied before looking ahead at Daemon, with the other two girls watching as he kept walking without glancing back or saying a word.

  “If you’re really going to tag along with us you’d better hope you’re not as weak as that dumb thing is,” Rulo grunted with an oink.

  Forrus merely whipped one of the flails of her bolas back behind her and struck Rulo’s ass, the orc yelping before looking to the lycan with a heavy growl as Forrus casually spun the rock and rope around at her side.

  “I’m not,” Forrus replied while keeping her eyes on Daemon, with Rulo gearing back with her hammer to strike at the girl before Daemon glanced back to them, the girls jumping a bit then watching him with unease as Rulo slowly rested her hammer back down onto her shoulder.

  “Ladies, is there a problem?” he asked dryly.

  “No, master,” Rulo said with a weak smile.

  Sasha whacked the back of the orc’s head while Forrus again whipped her bolas over and struck the girl’s ass, with Rulo yelping with a loud oink before looking down with a cringe.

  “I mean, Daemon,” she said softly, then glanced to Sasha then Forrus with a scowl before Daemon looked back ahead and shook his
head slightly.

  As the four travelers all headed off together to leave the village Daniel’s group watched them go from within their bladed prison.

  “What the hell, they’re just going to leave us here like this?” Falla asked with disbelief.

  “They didn’t come here to save us, they just wanted that artifact,” Specca said, slowly shaking her head as they watched Daemon and his three companions heading off without so much as glancing back to them once.

  Charlotte watched the four travelers with a curious smile then giggled and glanced back to the witch sisters.

  “Apoch, Astreal, I want the other fragments of that relic,” she ordered.

  “My grace?” Apoch asked curiously. “I thought we didn’t want to have such a thing in our possession anymore.”

  “Yes, isn’t that why you gave that human your piece just now?” Astreal questioned.

  Charlotte nodded with a smirk and looked to her free hand as she slowly curled and uncurled her fingers.

  “I don’t want the artifact anymore, I want him, and if I have the pieces that he seeks then he’ll come back to me.”

  “You want that human?” Apoch asked. “Then why are we letting him go? We can still capture him for you, my grace.”

  Charlotte chuckled and shook her head as she looked off to where Daemon and his group were faintly visible further down the road.

  “Now now,” she said holding a hand up to silence her helpers. “Using force with that one won’t end so well. His pets may be weak but he certainly isn’t. Besides, I can’t charm him, but I can certainly bargain with him for those fragments. Yes, I believe giving me one daughter for each piece, that sounds fair.” Apoch and Astreal giggled before Charlotte turned to point at them with a daring smile.

  “Spread the word to the other witches of this region. I want those fragments brought to me as soon as possible. My knight will be sure to come here after them, and he’ll get them just as soon as he gives me the most powerful daughters I’ve ever conceived!”

  “Yes, Ms. Charlotte!” Apoch and Astreal cheered in unison.

  Charlotte closed her eyes and tried to hold back her shudder then gave the sisters a dull smile.