Alyssa whimpered then bowed before her while closing her eyes.
“Yes, my grace, I understand.”
Daniel looked at her with remorse then to Charlotte as the alpha scoffed and turned away with discontent.
“My grace,” he humbly pleaded. “Should Alyssa help me with my quest, to bring about peace between witches and humans, could that help absolve her for her mistake in the past? She’s not a bad witch, she just couldn’t control her magic. Isn’t there any chance of redemption for her?”
Charlotte glanced to him for a moment then to Alyssa, the frightened witch backing up a bit with a quiet squeak as the alpha and twin sisters watched her with harsh glares.
“She’s a letchyask, Daniel,” Charlotte condemned. “There is no path to redemption for her.”
“Never say never, my grace,” Daniel reminded hopefully. “After all you yourself once believed a human could never love a witch.”
Charlotte smiled slightly and looked to him with a simple amused murmur.
“Daniel, I dare say the odds of you succeeding with your radical dreams are greater than her ever being forgiven for what she did. If you truly care about that witch, keep her far away from my land,” she reasoned before turning to walk out of the home. As she got to the door she stopped and glanced back to Daniel with a raised eyebrow.
“By the way,” she mentioned. “I have a little favor to ask all of you. Should you come across any of those fragments of Eden, bring them to me. I’ll be sure to reward you handsomely for each piece you find.”
Daniel’s group looked to each other then to the alpha with curiosity.
“My grace, what exactly are those things anyway?” Triska asked.
“Nothing for you to be concerned about,” Charlotte replied with a shrug. “You have enough to be focused on, what with Daniel’s quest and all.”
“My grace,” Specca said softly as she stepped forward. “May I please ask you one more thing?”
She got down on one knee before Charlotte as the alpha just waited for her to speak while still facing towards the door. Specca looked down for a moment then to the witch with a cautious expression.
“Last night, you called Jovian and Jacqueline ‘gemini’. We have a record book of many monsters in Eden that we travel with, however I found no entry regarding that monster class within it.”
“We had nothing in our book about them?” Daniel asked.
Specca looked back to him with concern and slowly shook her head.
“No, and what’s worse, I found a page missing from the book. Somebody tore out an entry, and I know that we’ve never done such a thing before.”
“A page was missing?” Triska asked.
“Oh no,” Daniel said looking down, with everyone looking to him as he shut his eyes and slowly shook his head. “On the night Jovian and Jacqueline slept with us, during Squeak’s night, Jovian took my book to read for the night. She wanted to look through it.”
“What?” Triska shouted out.
“She must have ripped the page about their entry out then,” Alyssa said nervously.
“She didn’t want us knowing what they were,” Specca reasoned worriedly before looking to Charlotte again. “Please, my grace. You know what they were, don’t you? Tell us, what in Eden are they?”
Charlotte turned to her with a solemn expression then to Daniel as everyone listened carefully.
“They are Darker Ones, most foul as Darker Ones go. However, they are a Darker One, not two,” she said cryptically, with everyone just staring at her with confusion.
“I don’t get it,” Luna said shaking her head.
“Don’t feel bad, neither do we,” Triska mentioned.
Charlotte smirked and looked down as Apoch and Astreal closed their eyes and listened to their alpha, both knowing fully well just what the gemini really were.
“They are a special kind of Darker One,” Charlotte explained. “A monster with two bodies, but only one soul. You cannot kill one without killing the other, and you cannot kill either by normal means. There is only one way to kill a gemini. Though I suspect you’ll never be able to, right now nobody can.”
“They survived all manner of harm the other night,” Specca worriedly said. “How can they be killed? How can they truly be stopped?”
Charlotte walked up to the girl and held her wand to the nixie’s heart, with Specca looking to it then to the witch as she showed a grave expression.
“The only way to kill a gemini,” Charlotte warned. “Is for each to be struck through the heart by the hands of heaven and hell, at the same time.”
“I still don’t get it,” Luna whined.
“None of us do,” Triska groaned holding a hand to her head. “Please, you’re not making sense. How can we put those bitches down if we come across them again?”
Charlotte rolled her eyes then looked to her with a dull stare.
“I just told you. There are supposed swords of legend, one forged from the heavens above and another cast from the fires of hell. One must be struck through the heart of a gemini while the other’s heart is pierced by the second mythical blade. Only then will the Darker One truly die.”
Specca looked at her curiously then jumped with a gasp.
“The Archlight’s Blade! That’s where I’ve heard that name before, it’s a sword made by angels themselves!”
“The Archlight’s Blade?” Triska asked. “Wait, you mean that sword Daemon was using last night?”
Specca nodded as she recalled the magical sword that the mysterious traveler wielded, how it was able to fight against both a succubus and a deathmare while being capable of unleashing magical spells of bright light.
“That’s one of the swords,” Specca said with wonder. “I heard tales about it belonging to the angels in heaven, but those were just stories. I had no idea it was actually a real weapon.”
“You and me both,” Charlotte commented. “The swords are that of legends, nobody has ever actually seen them before. When I saw that he did indeed possess that weapon, that was the single most surprising moment of my long life.”
“But wait,” Triska said with confusion. “If you knew that gemini were real, then surely you had to have known the swords were real too. How else could anyone have known that such weapons were needed to kill them?”
Charlotte breathed out and turned to her with a solemn gaze.
“Because the way to kill a gemini is also a myth,” she answered. “Nobody has ever slain a gemini before, ever. They don’t breed, they don’t die, rather they seem to appear out of nowhere and then vanish again after killing all those they come across, commonly brushed off as folktales of the insane and confused. However, their eyes are the giveaway of their true appearance, what reveals them for what they really are. That is how I knew what they were, how I knew that a gemini had arrived here.”
“So the only supposed way of killing them,” Daniel pondered. “If it’s even possible to kill them, is to strike them both through the hearts at the same time with each of the swords of legend.”
“If that is indeed true,” Kroanette cautiously questioned. “And that other swordsman from last night possess the sword from heaven, what is the other needed, the one cast from the fires of hell?”
“The Hellfire’s Edge,” Charlotte solemnly replied. “A sword forged from the demons and dark spirits of hell, the opposite of the Archlight’s Blade.”
Specca thought for a moment then looked at the alpha carefully.
“My grace,” she mentioned. “I do remember reading about that sword as well, how it was only in tales told by humans. A sword capable of using the most powerful of dark magics, and… there was something unique about each blade as well, how only certain people could use either one. Though I question whether or not those were just silly conditions made up by humans.”
“Yes,” Charlotte confirmed with a smirk. “What you read about those two legendary swords was true. The Archlight’s Blade can only be used by a virgin, while
the Hellfire’s Edge can’t be used by a virgin.”
“The swords are limited by whether their wielder is a virgin or not?” Daniel asked with confusion.
“So, wait,” Triska said with puzzlement. “You’re saying that if I had the Archlight’s Blade, I couldn’t use it now?”
“That’s right,” Specca replied to her with concern. “Only a virgin may wield that sword. You’re not a virgin anymore, Triska. Should you try to hold the sword it’ll set you ablaze with the fires of heaven. It’ll kill you.”
“It’ll kill me?” Triska exclaimed with disbelief.
“Should you not drop it right away, yes,” Specca reasoned. “Only a virgin may wield that sword. The same goes for the Hellfire’s Edge. The legend for that sword states that if a virgin tries to use it they shall be burned alive by the fires of hell.”
The group looked to each other curiously then to Charlotte as the alpha turned to walk towards the door again, the witch thinking about Daemon from the night before as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
‘So you’re still a virgin, my dear Daemon. I promise to help fix that next time we meet.’
“That’s not good,” Daniel said shaking his head. “The only way we can kill Jovian and Jacqueline is to have those two swords to strike through their hearts.”
“And none of us can even use one of the swords now,” Triska pointed out shaking her head.
“Not to mention there’s no telling where the other one may be,” Alyssa added with concern. “Or if it’s even real as well.”
“What will we do if we come across the gemini again?” Specca asked nervously.
“You’ll die,” Charlotte said carelessly as she got to the door, and then glanced back to them with a smirk. “I’d stay away from the wastelands to the east, that’s where we sent them off to. You cannot kill those two. You can only run or die from them. Now then, Daniel, my generosity with you and your companions has ended this morning, so please leave my land. Or else we’re going to have a problem.”
Daniel jumped a bit then smiled nervously and nodded a few times.
“Yes, of course,” he stuttered out. “We just… um, need to figure out how we can do that first.”
“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Not to dig Alyssa in deeper,” Triska mentioned. “But she sort of broke our caravan getting us here.”
“It was an accident,” Alyssa whined while looking down with closed eyes.
“You are the accident,” Apoch and Astreal hissed at her.
“Hey,” Daniel reassured holding his hands up defensively. “We’re not blaming her for what happened. She just made a little mistake, that’s all.”
“Mistakes that cost lives often come from her being nearby,” Charlotte retorted. “Are you sure you wish to travel with that witch while on such an important quest as yours?”
Daniel showed a firm expression and nodded as he stepped closer to Alyssa, holding her close at his side as she looked up to him with wonder.
“I couldn’t imagine going on without her, none of us could,” he declared. “No matter what may have happened in her past, or what the future holds for her, I will never cast her away.”
Alyssa smiled happily and nuzzled against his side while the other girls smiled gently at the witch then looked to Charlotte while nodding in agreement. Charlotte just watched Alyssa with question then simply shrugged.
“Your choice. However I want you all out of my land right now, so off you go.”
“Aren’t you listening to us?” Triska argued. “We’ll gladly leave, but first we have to fix our ride or find a replacement for it here in town.”
Charlotte stared at her with a blank expression for a moment then glanced outside into the street at something.
“You mean that ride?” she asked gesturing out into the street.
The alpha and her two helpers walked outside with everyone following after, all of them then seeing with surprise that their caravan was parked outside in the road with Lucky already hitched up to it. The wheels looked as good as new and even had black steel rims covering the wood for added durability, with the cabin itself having a bright yellow and red paintjob and looking as good as new. The four corners of the caravan seemed reinforced as well, being slightly larger and having stainless steel covering molded around the edges.
“Wha… is that our caravan?” Daniel asked in surprise.
Charlotte nodded as Apoch and Astreal slowly walked around the ride in opposite directions, the sisters examining the wagon from all sides to make sure nothing was out of place. It appeared to be in perfect condition now, although there was no longer any open window in back.
“Consider this a small gift, Daniel,” Charlotte said casually. “For providing me such entertainment with your visit.”
Daniel and Specca walked up to the side of the caravan and looked around at the wagon with wonder while Squeak just rubbed her eyes to make sure she was seeing correctly. Alyssa ran over and smiled happily at seeing her horse again while Triska hopped up onto the front seat and looked inside, the girl then gasping with even more surprise as she noticed something drastically different.
“Oh my god!” she exclaimed, with everyone looking to her as she poked her head into the cabin.
“Triska? What is it?” Daniel asked as the others walked over towards the front.
“What did you do?” Triska asked looking to Charlotte with shock.
“Just added a little fine touch to the inside, a witch’s flair if you will,” Charlotte replied with a shrug.
“What? What do you mean?” Specca asked as she quickly hopped up and looked inside, right before she gasped in surprise.
“Dear lord,” she said before entering the ride.
Daniel looked around at the girls with growing curiosity then followed after into the cabin with Triska, Alyssa, and Squeak while the other girls watched from outside.
Inside the caravan Daniel and his girls noticed something very different indeed, mainly the fact that the living space inside was far larger than it appeared from the outside. They could all now easily stand up with room to spare above their heads as the cabin was as spacious as a small house. Walking around together they saw that the floor was a polished black wood while the walls were a soft white with crimson floor molding and corners. The ceiling above had some wooden rafters and support beams crossing overhead while the roof was pointed upward with slanted sides rather than having a curved top as the caravan appeared to have from the outside. Their belongings with their bags and blankets were set off to the side near the front corner, all neatly folded and arranged, while now there was a large bed set against the rear wall with a gray carpet below it, the bed having white sheets and pillows set on it with enough room for Daniel and all four girls easily to sleep together in it. The back corners had flower beds with blue and white roses growing out of them to provide a nice touch to the interior. There was no longer any window in back; instead the only light being cast inside the living space was by two lanterns hung from the ceiling near the bed. An elegant couch with red cushions was on the right side of the room while on the left there was a table with four chairs set around it along with a glass vase with a bouquet of wild flowers set on it.
Specca walked over and sat on the bed with a look of wonder on her face, feeling that it was soft and comfortable to sit on, while Triska rummaged through her duffel bag to find that all her belongings were still in there. Squeak looked around with bewilderment as she couldn’t understand how the inside of their caravan was now so big yet from the outside it looked the same as before. Alyssa slowly walked around inside the living space while words failed to form in her mouth, seeing that this amount of dimensional magic was above even her own ability.
“What… how is this possible?” Daniel asked with wonder.
“It was no trouble actually,” Charlotte mentioned from behind, the group looking to seeing the alpha looking in through the entryway while smiling a
musedly at Daniel. “When we saw your ride had such a small living space we thought this would make it easier for you to travel with your girls.”
Daniel blushed then looked around to seeing the girls smiling at him, none of them about to argue with that. Charlotte nodded then looked around at the interior with a casual eye.
“The living space in this little ride of yours has been extended, however it will only remain as such as long as the four tethering beams are not moved or damaged,” she explained while pointing to each of the four corners of the caravan. The group looked to each one then back to Charlotte as she lightly shook a finger at Daniel.
“Should any of the corners be damaged or removed,” she warned. “The spell extending the living space will collapse, and everything will be forced together when the cabin reduces to its true size.”
“That sounds like it could be bad,” Triska said worriedly.
“In other words,” Charlotte clarified as she held her hands together forcibly. “Everything will be crushed together, and you along with it if you’re inside at the time.”
“That sounds very bad,” Specca agreed nervously with a nod.
“We’ll be careful with that,” Daniel assured. “But thank you so much, this is amazing what you’ve done here. I can’t believe it even when seeing it with my own eyes.”
Charlotte giggled while watching him with an amused smile.
“Don’t thank me, Daniel. Thank Apoch and Astreal, this was their doing,” she mentioned before hopping off of the ride.
Daniel and the girls looked to each other then quickly headed out of their new living space, each of them jumping down off of the front seat as Apoch and Astreal finished walking around the ride with their inspection.
“Everything is in order, Ms. Charlotte,” they said together in perfect sync.
“Thank you, both of you,” Triska praised gratefully. “For what you did to our ride, it’s just amazing. How were you able to make it so big in there like that?”
Charlotte smirked and gestured to the sisters as they smiled arrogantly at the travelers.
Chronicles of Eden - Act IV Page 46
