Cara wandered along the shadowed path, the twilight looming like a terrible hateful spectre. The sky was burning orange, but the light was more than she needed. She didn't need the path anyway. In fact, it was a detriment. So, Cara wandered off, listening to whispers. Not one, but many. Hundreds and hundreds, nature herself, every plant and every animal voiced themselves to Cara.
It was deafening. It was maddening. It was wonderful and marvellous and it enchanted her to the point of obsession.
Cara kept moving, deeper into the forest. She was being led somewhere. Even if only a few floral voices wished to draw her away, they were enough. They were concerned and they were weary and they spoke to Cara for they had seen something terrible and red. Not red like roses or red like blood but red like hate and red like feasts. They felt the presence of demons. Hateful, ravenous demons. And so it was that they spoke with the one being that could hear them, the Druid prodigy, Cara.
She drew ever closer to this thing that she was being told to go to. But she didn't know. She didn't know. If the demon was preparing a trap, she'd be walking right into it. With her verdant and green soul ripe for the picking.
On the tree branches, the first thing Eve noticed was how dark it has gotten. Orange skies were in the air, and the smell of the forest was breathed in.
Her last kill has yet to corrupt the pure smell of the forest. The wind started to pick up, bringing the smell of dirt and sounds of creatures from ahead.
Smiling, Eve grabbed an apple she found on the woman's body that was unfortunately, or was it fortunately deceased the day Eve was hungry. She started to become oblivious to everything around her as her main objective was to fulfill her ravenous hunger of her stomach.
Blending in the shadows of the trees created by the orange and red skies, stood, Spellie. Keeping watch over for his oblivious and young keeper. It wasn't until five short minutes after that he started to see a figure walk into and his eyes turned red to glare. And whatever Spellie sees, Biggie can see as well.
'Don't say a word, Biggie. Let's wait to see what is person gonna do,' Spellie secretly spoke to Biggie.
As the figure walked closer, Spellie is surprised to see another young maiden, an elf perhaps, walk closer to them. Biggie is also surprised at this revelation.
'Eve dear, we got company', spoke Spellie.
At this Eve looked towards where Spellie was looking...still munching on the remains of the apple.
Cara blinked. She stared. She was quite surprised. It was shown upon her face, her working eye an utterly shocked thing. Her wooden eye stared out, blank and dead as is its way. Her gaze trailed down to the corpse. "...you killed that person!" She accused, pointing forwards.
As Cara pointed, the woods around her festered and changed. They heard the call of their master, and they seemed to shift, if only slightly. Cara was filled to the brim with Druidic energy, the inheritor of the Ovun name. It was a stark contrast to the fallow power of the thing she saw. She didn't feel it, but the forest hadn't lied to her, and it wouldn't lie to her, and she trusted it with every fibre of her being.
"...where's the demon?! They're telling me there's a demon!"
Eve stared blankly at the accuser who looked not much older than she was. However, she is confused about who told the girl that Spellie is within the area, still standing from the shadows of a tree near Eve.
"Tsk, you think that I would kill a person for no reason? I just want to live my life, but people like the dead body near us, wants to either harm or take me like I'm some sort of p-pet!" growled Eve.
She then goes to the corpse and pulls an item from their lifeless hand. A metal chain that connects each end to make a circle. A yellow glow brightens from this item.
"I want to live as myself, I am Eve, not a slave! They wouldn't take no for an answer and decided to chase me. As me killing the person. No it is not me. That credit belongs to my protector. Come out Spellie!" Eve ordered while snapping her fingers.
Said demon walked from the shadows and stood behind Eve. Spellie growls out conjuring a ball of fire on the palm of his ashen-ed, grey hand.
"I killed this pitiful mistake of a human being. Not only did the woman say to my keeper she wanted to enslave her to do her bidding, but she had the AUDACITY to bring out the collar to put on Eve's neck," Spellie deeply growled out.
Spellie gently took the collar from Eve's small, bloodstained hands from touching the corpse and threw it towards the other girlish figure.
"Eve has been through so much pain. The neglect from her parents. The beatings from strangers. Now some mortals want to claim my-OUR KEEPER to control us. Tell me little girl, which is the worst demon. Me? Trying to protect my precious Eve. Or THEM...Whose side are you on?" Spoke Spellie.
Meanwhile, Eve tried to fight back tears from listening to Spellie tell the brief story of her past and brings her small fists to wipe out any excess tears
Cara watched and stared, eyes wide. And then, as she was accused, the very forest seemed to loom up, as if an extension of the child. She was angry. Livid. HATEFUL. Hate burnt through her, for the forest was not loving nor caring nor kind. It was violent and angry and it had the capacity to hate.
But there was no hate towards Eve, no. It was hate towards demons. Those things that were anathema, the presence that made her skin crawl and her blood boil and her organs seems to churn and writhe.
However, she was pulled. Pulled against her nature and her morals. For, Cara, not so long ago, perhaps, had been in a similar position. She was at a loss for words, but all around them, did roots writhe and churn, moving from the ground as Cara was quite conflicted.
"Other than the protection of my keeper, or being enraged towards strangers who seek to harm or control my Eve, I rarely kill...doesn't mean i don't enjoy it, I do though. I am not following justice, nor do I seek peace. But look at Eve, she is worth killing for, even if it means for little things for food. I do not show love, I don't show empathy or compassion. I only show anger, calmness and only kill for her. Although it does make me evil and who I am as a demon, if Eve wants me to kill. I will do so for her."
Eve stares at Spellie in awe after listening to his speech. At first she was fearful of the forest and the mysterious girl, but now knowing that she won't harm Eve. Eve smiled and brought out an apple and held it out towards the stranger, not being cautious that she might get harmed. Only wanting to give the clean red apple to her.
At this, the taller demon, Biggie appeared from the shadows behind both Eve and Spellie.
"She is just a child after all...and the one who freed us from our prison," both demons spoke softly, showing an emotion they haven't shown to Eve or others before...affection.
"...I don't need the apple." Cara mumbled, staring at the apple. She tilted her head, looking to it. The forest grew around her, and from her feet sprouted a wonderful berry bush, filled with the most vibrant fruits imaginable. They were blackberries and they looked delicious.
Cara then turned her gaze to the demons. "You're evil! You're demons and demons need to die and be sent back to the Red Realm they came from! Father told me all about you!" She accused, pointing at them with a very angry finger. But, she didn't seem like she was going to strike. She wanted to wait for their response to this.
Both Spellie and Biggie looked down towards Eve, who was instantly disappeared. Rotating their bodies to find their keeper, they found Eve crouching next to the conjured up berry fruits in awe.
Both demons facepalmed at the scene and waited for Eve's orders like they usually would unless she was attacked, but actually started to look worried at Eve's reactions to what the girl accused.
Tears filled Eve's eyes at the girl's statement. In an instant, Eve put her short arms as tight as she could around the strangers hips, due to being shorter than her and started to beg.
"Bwahhh! P-Please *sniffle*, they not do anything wrong! *sniff* They try to protect me. T-they always have, my parents hate me, my home h-hates me too. D-dont send them away...I-I will be alone again," cried Eve, not letting go the stranger, "Here apple, b-but please don't send them away*sniff*."
"Wow, she never cried like this before. You handle it girlie, we don't know how to handle this situation. We only attack if she is hurt or she is ordering us to. She won't listen unless she is surprised about something," Spellie spoke while covering Biggie's mouth who was gonna protest.
Cara was promptly hugged. She blinked, down at Eve, seeming very surprised. Her righteous rage and her proclamations of the glory of nature had melted away in an insult, and she was left as a very confused child.
"W-what are you doing?" What a strange question. A strange question, from one strange person to another strange person. Cara seemed to have sort of frozen up, she was quite surprised. Shocked and terrified, perhaps?
Cara was at a loss for words.
Eve didn't reply back, she only hugged more deeply and pushed her face into the stranger's stomach in an attempt to ignore any protests.
"Please, don't send them away," spoke a muffled Eve.
Both demons did nothing but looked at the scene, mildly shocked that Eve cared for them that much. After all, they would do anything for Eve, even if it means leaving for her safety, which should not be anytime soon by the attention she keeps getting.
Still holding onto the apple and the stranger, Eve gently grabs the stranger's hands, placed the apple on the hand, feeling the softness of it and then placed it in between them while hugging.
"G-gah!" Cara got out, moving to push at Eve and stagger back, eyes wide. A few roots sprung from the ground, for Cara had prepared to fight and fought she was ordained to cast out the demons. So, she was controlling them.
So, in her fear, they acted afraid as well. It was rather bizarre.
Cara took the apple, regardless, staring at Eve. "I-I duontneedtheapple!" She got out. "W-what're you doing?! They're evil! We need to kill them and then it'll be good cause the demons will be dead and it'll be good!"
Eve, curled into herself, hands hugging her knees, face on the top her thighs. The only movement shown is the shaking of her head and shoulders, and the only sound she made were sniffles.
Slowly and quietly, Eve moved her head up and stared at the other girl. The usual who colour of grey in her eyes turned three quarters grey and red is starting to fill the other quarter.
"You said that demons are evil, even though they protect me. If they are gone and I am alone who else will be with me? To protect me, to help me grow. I am still wanted by others, if they come and my guardians are not here, will I die, or will i get caught and become a slave to be beaten because I can't follow instructions to bring out the demons?" questioned Eve, "Even if I hide with you, what if they somehow find us. Bandits and others of evil with harm the forests, me and you. I don't want to be a slave. That is why they are here, to protect me for releasing them out of their prison."
Biggie, not necessarily being needed anymore, started to sink into Eve's shadows while Spellie crouched near Eve and patting her head. By patting Eve's head, Spellie shows the signs that he will follow Eve's next orders straight and through.
"But...you dun need to hide!" Cara proclaimed. "I'm not hiding! I'm seeking!" She said, the glory of nature filling her. It was a ravenous, virulent, volatile and green glory. But it was glory, nonetheless. She was a green augur and she was as primal as the earth. "If you're afraid...I can take you to Father! He's the best at killing demons! And he'd surely help cause he's nice and he needs friends cause all the other friends got killed by the Colourless." Cara explained. Was she speaking in poetry, or did she simply not understand?
Regardless, Cara wandered over towards Eve not really feeling afraid. Around her followed roots, looming up behind her like snakes, coiled and ready to strike. She wasn't directing them, but they did seem to be protecting her, in some instinctive way.
"I don't care about other demons. I care about the ones who have been protecting me in these cruel lands. You are loved by your father, but me...I am loved by no one. You have the everlasting woods and forests to protect you, I have my guardians. To me they are not demons. They are my friends and they are the ones who protect me from the bad demons in human skin," Eve cried out in anger, "They don't hurt me, look at Spellie. When I hugged you he didn't move knowing you won't hurt me, when you pushed me away, he didn't do anything because he knows you won't hurt me. They don't make me feel alone, just like how the forests don't make you feel alone."
From the side, Spellie was watching the two tell their own feelings about demons.
Tap, tap , click, tap, rustle
'Hmm, is someone coming this way?' Spellie looked towards the two girls then back to the sound, 'I will head back into the shadows of the tree, see what might be coming.'
Spellie walked towards a tree, and blended into the shadows as he crouched and became aware of the surroundings as well as continuing to listen to the dialogue of the two girls.
"But-but they're evil!" Cara justified, scowling as Eve failed to see her point of view. "Demons are an affront to everything!" She said, clearly mimicking something that someone had told her once upon a time. Cara didn't notice the creature leave, nor did she care. The roots around her shifted and moved, twisting as she pointed to Eve.
"W-why're you supporting them?! Are you a warlock? Warlocks are evil."
Eve tilts her head in confusion. Warlock? What is a warlock? And so, Eve voiced her confusion of what a Warlock is.
Meanwhile, Spellie left the scene towards the noise, knowing Biggie would protect them, even though is starting to get annoyed at the other girl.
'I get that she hates demons, but is she willing to risk Eve's safety just to rid of us. What will happen to her then?'
While crouching and looking past the bushes, Spellie saw the group. It was the same group that fled after he killed that woman leader. Now they are back, twirling another collar like it was a miniature hula hoop. Shouldn't that nature girl sense them? Spellie knows she is somehow connected to the forest.
'Better head back quick, as much I am annoyed with the other girl, she won't be able to stand against the mages coming for us, even when they notice the girl's strange power.'
"Father told me about warlock's! They're evil people and they make deals with devils. They like fire and they burn the forest. Fire's bad cause it burns the forest." She explained, nodding.
Cara's presence began to shrink, roots and such collapsing into the ground. She had discarded her power. She didn't need it. Regardless, she was oblivious to this group of slavers. Perhaps she was more focused on demons. Perhaps the forest couldn't see them. Perhaps she didn't even care.
"We can get rid of the demons, then they wont hurt you anymore!"
"Well I'm not a warlock. I don't have any powers at all. Spellie and Biggie only show up to protect me or when I call them out when I'm alone...Where is Spellie?" wondered Eve.
Immediately afterwords, Spellie ran out of the bushes and spoke quickly to the two girls, but mainly Eve.
"Eve... The same group that tried to enslave us are back, with another collar as well," Spellie huffed out.
Eve looks up in shock, no one ever came back after they failed once. She stared at Spellie before looking towards the stranger.
"You better leave if you don't want to see them die. You may hate me and demons even more, but please understand. They will always come for me, they will never stop and my guardians are different from other demons. They will always and forever protect me," Eve bluntly spoke, "Remember what you said if the demons leave, they won't hurt me. What if they capture me only to kill me after telling them that I don't have them anymore or they hurt me since they won't believe me...Spellie!"
At Eve's command, Spellie stood infront of both girls and started his own demoncraft magic. Conjuring a red, hot fireball hovering over his palm, holding a lightning shaped staff and created by lightning in the other, and having the dark orange skies colouring Spellie and facing towards the hostile group that would be coming soon, making him look like the demon he is...in order to protect his keeper and her mildly annoying companion.
"I'm ready, Eve!" Spellie growled out.
"I always wanted to feel love from another, you could've been a sister I never had...I'm sorry," whispered Eve as she started to tear up and she hugged the girl for two seconds before letting go and replying, 'You should leave...sister...'
Eve then walked towards Spellie's feet and looked towards the direction the group would be coming from, and not looking back.
Cara had one question. One, singular question, after all she said. That question was very strange.
"...what's a sister?"
Regardless, Cara didn't leave, staring forwards as the roots receded into the ground. She watched and waited, seeing no threat. She was the forest, and she was the green augur and she was the Ovun scion. Nothing could stop her. Then, she saw the fireball.
"...don't...cast that! No fire!" She demanded, roots suddenly bursting from the ground once more, priming themselves, readying to strike and bind and attack, looking like snakes in the ground.
"No fire! FIRE IS BAD! NO!" She heard the cacophony of screams. The anathema. The nightmare. The demonic flame immortal, that burnt and rent and was nothing but a blight that needed to be snuffed out forever.
Her wooden eye burst into a different flame. A cold, green flame that was not real. It was an outlet for the power that she could not contain, that if she clutched onto would tear her limb from limb. "NO HELLFIRE!" She roared, not understanding the situation.
Eve look back in shock of Cara's power.
'Oh no,' Eve thought, ' If the groups finds her power they won't stop at nothing to get both of us. Why, do I care about her?? My head hurts...Fire is a no no. Lightning can cause fire? So that is a no. I need something that won't burn down the forest to calm her down...Strenght? Biggie?? BIGGIE!"
"Spellie! Spellie!" Eve cried out getting said demon's attention," Swap with Biggie quick, or we are gonna have another problem."
Spellie nodded and sunk into Eve's shadows only to be replaced by a much larger and armoured demon.
'Hmph. That girl is getting on my nerves'
WACK!
"Don't be mean. There are bad people after me, stop them and I will try to calm her down," yelled Eve and she ran towards the girl.
"Sis! There is no fire! The forest will not be hurt, please calm down!"cried Eve, "Please look at me, you said what is a sister. A sister is someone who is willing to care for you and is part family!"
Eve charged through the primed roots, uncaring if they hurt her or cause injuries and pulled the girl, Eve called sister into another deep hug.
Meanwhile, Biggie just met the groups of bandits and magical slavers, who were thinking there were gonna fight the other, MUCH smaller demon. Nevertheless, the group charged and a mage stood behind to cast any supportive spells and damaging ice spells.
Cara is promptly hugged. She was very surprised, not expecting to be hugged by someone she thought was a warlock and an evil and a collaborator with the forces below.
So, her first instinct was flight or fight. Immediately, the roots around the two began to try and constrict and attack and bind them. But, when they tried to bind Eve they inadvertently bound Cara. "NO! NO!" She yelled, panicking, the roots bursting away and slinking into the ground, all of her magic fading from her. It was the quickest way to get rid of all the casting, but it had cost them precious seconds, and the oncoming enemies were likely relentless.
At least, however, they would be merciful, if they did win.
Eve felt most of the attacks of the roots causing pain around her, but she never let go of the girl. That is until Eve felt pain again once the attacks stops, this affects Eve she unknowingly bent her knees till it touched the dirt ground and went unconscious, not knowing what the young elf girl would do next.
Biggie's durability is starting to wear, making him more weary and cautious of his enemies. Hearing noticeable thud, he rotated right to see his Keeper on her knees before he fullyturned 360 degrees over his right shoulder and swung his long arms against his enemies, causing them to fly in the air and some broke their spinal cords and cracked their skulls causing disabilities and even death.
Biggie ran towards the two girls, bending kneeling on the ground with his left knee and holding his palm out for them to climb on.
"The reason I didn't just grab Eve and run is because she cares about you in some way. You are lucky, otherwise we would've attacked you long before these people came. Now quick, get on with Eve and point me to some place to hide both you and my keeper, else I run out of energy causing both of you to get captured," Biggie instructed, "Hopefully saving your life from slavery and being able to see your father instead of being sold off like cattle will show you that not all demons care about random killing and causing despair.
Behind Biggie, some of the group that are not dead, picked up their downed friends and ran the opposite way, however, it seems another group joined with them and those who are still able to fight started running towards the company of three.
"Quick! Choose your choice. Climb on with Eve and give us directions to hide, or I will just grab Eve and leave you here. Remember she cares about you girly, and it would hurt her emotionally when a girl she calls sister is no longer living."
"You're a monster-!" She accused, pointing a finger at the demon and grabbing Eve. "I-I won't let you harm her! I'll kill all the bad people." Cara declared this with fire and might in her belly. She thrusted a fist into the sky and roots tore out from the ground all around her.
Cara took the third option. She would not serve as a slave or let the demon take Eve. She would fight.
Now it was certain. She didn't understand or she was overconfident.
"*Sigh* Fine," Biggie sighed out.
He walked next to the girl surrounded by the deadly, primed roots and primed himself, boxer stance. Looking towards the enemy that is the group.
Meanwhile, Eve is still unconscious.
"Well girly, what's the plan to deal with them," Biggie spoke out.
At this point, the girl might even be more confused by Biggie's strange behaviour.
"I-wha'-I!"
Cara stared at the demon. "...go away! You're a monster and you're meant to be attacking us!" Cara couldn't wrap her head around the idea of a friendly demon. Not now, not ever. Ignoring this, she was definitely ready. Her power was welled up within her, and she felt as if she could fight for days and days. But, power was intoxicating, and the girl was always overconfident and prideful. It would be her downfall.
Cara opened by pointing at one of the people charging forwards, several roots surging forwards to wrap around the man and bind him to the ground. If all she could do was this, then they'd be doomed.
'Interesting, but is binding all she can do?' thought Biggie.
This scenario is starting to confuse Biggie as well. The girl accused Eve of killing, but she would kill...to protect Eve as well.
"We a similar young one. You didn't like that we killed the woman planning to enslave Eve earlier, yet...you would kill to protect my keeper." spoke Biggie.
Biggie smiled as well as he could since he hasn't done i before. He then ran towards the group that focused on Eve and the nature girl.
Raising his bulky fist high. He slammed it on the ground, squashing some of the bandits and causing others to trip and fall.
Eve started to awake only to see a glint sword causing fear to strike her heart and making her use her link to her guardians and communicate.
'Help!' Cried out Eve telepathically, while grabbing onto the person holding her.
"On it!"Spellie replied as he appeared from the shadows and held the sword and pushed the owner of it so hard he slammed into a tree with a loud crack. Another act of protection by demons that defies part of what the girl knows.
Now both demons are out. The problem is, once both demons are out and the fights are over then Eve would go back unconscious due to her energy being sapped to let them come to mortal grounds instead of in shadows. The demon's power will definitely show these arrogant bandits and magical slave trader to know who they are truly screwing with.
The bandits and slave traders are now either scattered or dead. Barely rushing rowards them with the same motivation as earlier the longer the fight is on. Even the mage ran out of magical energy to heal and conjure the simplest of ice spells.
Things are not looking good now there are two demons on the playing field.
Cara's skin was crawling. Writhing and twisting and it burnt at her soul to even be in the presence of these demons, as they brought their might to bare. Cara clenched her fists, the man being squeezed and squeezed until he was let back onto the ground, panting and rasping. He wasn't dead, he wasn't even incapacitated, he was just stunned for a while.
She pushed her hands out towards a different one, sending an attack towards them, going to bind them. Even as she did this, more and more and more enemies grew closer. "Leave me alone..." She muttered to the demons, but they likely couldn't hear her above the crazed sounds of battle.
But Eve did hear her.
'What is wrong, is she hurt? I don't know. Is Biggie and Spellie doing to her somehow? Maybe...there is not another bandit near us,' Eve thought.
'Spellie, Biggie! That is enough. They are starting to retreat now.' Eve told them and they complied.
Those not dead are either retreating or being entangled by the girl's roots.
Eve gently took the older girl's hands and looked into her eyes smiling in an attempt to calm the older girl. It was a few long minutes of hearing the captured men struggle and grunt before Biggie spoke.
"Young one, can we trust you to look after our keeper as she sleeps? She will fall unconscious soon and we would usually hide her in a secret spot, but we are thinking maybe you stay with her. She needs you around."
Spellie questioned after, "May we have the name of who our keeper is gently holding hands with right now? Also know this, as long as Eve is with you, we shall also protect you against those who seek to harm or enslave."
Eve is still looking at the girl's, she calls sister, eyes. The pleading is shown in her normal grey eyes.
As the last few men died or retreated or trickled away, she then flung the last few away, glancing about the area, exerted and pained from the use of her power and presence of the anathema.
Cara panted and panted and panted. She stared at the demons. "Ummm...my name's Psaya. Yeah." She nodded, glancing at Eve. She blinked, wearily, then glanced at the demons. "...can you go away?" She asked, angrily.
It was very clear she still didn't like them, but at the very least, she didn't seem to want to attack them.
Eve, however, she didn't seem to mind. No, not at all.
'You think that's her real name?' thought Biggie to Spellie.
'I don't know. I ain't a mind reader. Let's respect her wishes. Our keeper is in safe hands.' Spellie replied back, heading down in Eve's shadows first.
Biggie stayed for the minute. Staring at Psaya and nodding in respect and showing the second smile he has ever done.
"Protect her for us...Psaya of the forest," Biggie whispered to the girl before following Spellie into Eve's shadow to rest and regain energy.
Straight afterwords, Eve slowly fell forwards onto Psaya's lap saying one last whisper,
"Sister...safe..." before falling asleep and unconscious, still holding onto Psaya's hand.
Cara stared down at Eve. She was tired, and weary, and annoyed. But, she had a plan. Her plan to free Eve! Yes! She would free Eve from the evil demons.
But, she was very tired, and while she had beaten back some slavers there were more likely closing in. She needed to rest, and when she shut her eyes it felt much better. Slowly, carefully, she went to take a seat, going to set down Eve as she did so. "Go...down..." She mumbled, beginning to take off her coat and set it on the ground, making a pseudo-bed. "...should be fine." She mumbled.
Eve is still unconscious, being unable to hear what her demonic guardians were talking to her about, still resting their bodies but being able to mindlink...
'Oi Spellie, you think we should tell the girl about the link between us and Eve? I mean when we get hurt, Eve doesn't feel anything...but if we do die, won't Eve go through the same pain she went when making the link...won't it be worse than initially??'Biggie thought.
'Eve would feel more pain than initiately yes...' Spellie thought back.
'So shouldn't we tell-' Biggie was cut off.
'No, just watch and see how both these girls get along,Spellie interrupted, 'Let Eve become a normal girl with Psaya for a while, protect them when we have too. And only when Psaya actually finds a way to rid of us, only then we tell her...it is time to rest for now.'
With that Spellie cut off the mindlink and the conversation, Biggie stayed up a bit more to keep an area lookout for the cute girls sleeping comfortably and for any hostiles in the area.
Eve only just curled up a bit more against Psaya, putting her head on the girl's stomach and cuddling her with one arm holding Psaya across her stomach and hip.
Cara didn't seem to notice Eve. She was silent. She was sleeping. She had collapsed immediately, and had found that having to fight while feeling sick to her stomach was not good for her health.
Cara simply slept. Around her, flowers began to grow. It was agonisingly slowly, but it was happening. She was asleep and she was peaceful and she was entirely disconnected from the worries of Eve or her demons.
And, of course, she was vulnerable. Painfully so. Were the slavers to come upon them, they would most certainly be captured now.
It took a while for Eve to awake from her slumber, feeling warmth she hasn't felt before, she rapidly turned away from it, standing up and turned only to face the sleeping Psaya. It seems that she didn't arise from her sleep yet, even when Eve moved away from her.
As Eve stared at Psaya for another few moments, remember the attack from the rogue and scruffy bandits and magic slavers made her guilty for putting sister in danger. Eve sat back near Psaya and stared at the variety of flowers in numerous colours that grew around her.
She wouldn't move from her spot next to the sleeping girl, wanting her presence to be there when she awoke...The demons did not take any course of action from Eve's shadows, still regaining energy from the last fight.
It took a while, but eventually Cara would awaken with a yawn. She would stretch out, pushing herself to a seated position. She looked about the area, blearily blinking. "L'd nqumf..." She mumbled under her breath, going to rub at her working eye.
She focused for a little while, turning her gaze to Eve. She blinked once. Then twice. Then confusion registered on her face. Then thrice. Then realisation registered on her face. "Y-you! I-I gotta take you to Father! So we c-can kill your demons!"
Again with the demon killing. Eve is confused why should they die if they were the only reasons of why she is living at the moment and not imprisoned. So she asked one simple question. Even though she felt a bit sluggish.
"What if I don't want them to die?"
Eve wanted to know Psaya's answer to that question. Looking back at her past and remembering last nights battle made Eve know, she wouldn't still have her freedom if they die...and Eve never wanted them to leave.
Cara tilted her head, sincerely confused.
"W-why wouldn't you want them to die...?" She asked, utterly bamboozled. "Th-they're demons! They're from the Red Realm and they're mean and bad and should be killed. My Father can kill them for permanents, don't worry! It'll all be good!" She said, nodding quite definitively.
Slowly smiling, Eve gently took Psayah's hand and placed it on her left cheek.
"Psaya, they saved my life. What if i told you...without these demons...I shouldn't be here or even be alive," Eve softely spoke, "just like how they helped save you and me, we shouldn't even be here...we would be in a metal box and I won't be able to see you again and maybe you can't see your father again as well...because we would be slaves."
At this statement, Eve began to have tears slowly fall down her cheeks.
"W-would y-you please let them stay with me? They won't hurt you. They won't come out unless I tell them to or to protect you and I. You would be safe from them, and anybody else," Eve stated, still tearing up and placing Psaya's hand on her lap.
Meanwhile said demons: ZZZ *Snores* in Eve's shadows, unheard by the girls.
Cara simply stared and blinked, her confusion remaining total and utter. She coudln't understand, not for an instant. She blinked and blinked and blinked, trying to process even the idea that Eve would, for a single second, want to allow a demon to exist for anything more than an instant.
Regardless, Cara pointed into what seemed to be a fairly arbitrary direction. "My father is that way. We can get rid of your demons, if we go that way." She said, with an affirmative nod.
Eve stared at Psaya in shock. After she spoke her feelings of whatever part of her broken heart is left, Eve didn't accept that answer. Slowly standing up, body stumbling from the energy, Eve lets go of the druid's hand and just turns away from her.
"I told you how they saved our lives, I told you how they saved my life...why would I want to get rid of those that protect me. I don't want to be hurt again without them," Eve slowly said.
Turning away from Psaya, Eve stared at the path towards the opposite direction the druid was pointing at, looking at how lonely it will be to travel without another mortal being.
"Good bye..." and Eve was off. Aiming to go back to her old ways of surviving, with or without Psaya.
"No! You can't leave! I can't let you leave! Y-you're full of MONSTERS!" She accused, pointing her finger at Eve accusatorily. She trumped on after her, her coat dragging along behind her as she kept speaking. "Father can banish them! He has to! Demons aren't natural!"
Cara clenched her fists, anger welling up inside of her. She couldn't understand. She couldn't understand. This girl was in the presence of terrible, awful things and they were going to one day tear her to shreds.
She just couldn't understand.
Eve stopped, but she didn't turn back towards the other girl. She heard her feet stomping behind her and accusing tone from right behind her.
"I don't see them as monsters, just like I don't see you as a monster for controlling nature," Eve spoke in a dull tone, "Are you stopping me because you just hate Demons naturally or do you actually care for me?"
To Eve, this was an important question. One that can make a third path in the fork that lies within her heart. Friendship or sisterly bond, a path of rivalry of what they believe in...or Eve's hatred. However, that is the irony itself, Eve is conflicted to become angry at the other girl since Psaya was the only other person of mortal life that cared about her, or that is what Eve thinks, but now she has her doubts.
"Do you know what would happen to me if the Demons are killed? I created a link with them when i was younger and felt pain in doing so. If the link is forcibly frozen...what would happen to me?" Eve questioned, clenching her small fists and tightening her mouth and curling downwards.
Wheeesh
The wind started to pick up, blowing the bright green and orange leaves around the two girls, making Eve's brown coat start to blow upwards and it seems the trees seemed to move left and right slowly in response to the wind.
Rotating her head to the left shoulder, Eve stared at the young elf to see her reactions.
"You'll be fine. Father's done it before! He rips demons out and kills them. Then we helped the people get better and they either left or joined us." Cara babbled, recounting something from when she was younger. "Then you'll be better! It'll all be better!" She said, smiling as it seemed she sincerely believed this.
And then, her smile faded, as the wind billowed through the area. Cara frowned, stepping back and going to move defensively. "Y-you wouldn't attack me..." She mumbled, quietly and surely.
Eve was fully turned to face Psaya when she finished talking, however she was taken back when she thought Eve was gonna hurt her.
"W-Why would I attack you?" Eve questioned.
Stepping forwards towards Psaya, Eve showed no movements of hostility until she was in front of the other girl's defensive stance.
"Is your father close to us or would we have to travel far?" Eve whispered,"I would like to talk and see him, would you like that Psaya?"
Eve offered her hand towards the other girl.
'Are you getting rid of us Eve,' Spellie thought to Eve.
'No, I want to see the man who rips demons out of their hosts, Psaya never said what happened to the hosts. Did they live or did they die? I am planning to find out the answer, maybe the father can offer both you demons an exception for being my guardians for a while," Eve thought back.
'And if he doesn't?' Biggie questioned, saying the real question in case everything goes down badly.
A moment of silence...
'We run...'
Cara nodded, grinning. "He lives in this very forest! He's just asleep now. But I'll go and awaken him! He's not very far! C'mon!" A new light seemed to brim within her, and she was oh so very happy about the idea that the demons could be annihilated.
With that being said, Cara spun around on her heel dramatically, her long coat swishing around and she promptly marched off. "Father's really nice! But he just doesn't like demons. Or undead. Or colourless. Or fire men. Or anyone that would hurt the forest. Or me. Or him." She explained, rambling mostly to herself and not really to Eve. "And once he's saved you, and your demons are dead, everything'll be good!"
Eve just blinks at the quick mood change of the elf. Nevertheless, she just kept her mouth shut about the other girl being too ecstatic about killing her guardians and followed her.
'I wonder what does he look like?' Eve mused, 'Psaya acts really cute when she is happy and talking about her father...something I never felt with my past or parents.'
With that gloomy thought in mind, she follows the girl.
Cara marched on and on, apparently not really that tired. She showed Eve paths that she hadn't realised were even there, and opened them using her magic, but and sang songs in an alien and harsh tongue, that was jagged as teeth and red as blood.
But it seemed it would take a while for Cara to lead Eve to her father, the hours ticking ever longer. Surely, they were nearby? Surely.
Eve would've complained about the journey due to the length however, she was starting to feel fatigued from the journey so she decided to voice this and another concern.
"Psaya, can we stop for a break? I thought it wasn't very far but we walked for so long. A-are you sure your father is here?" Eve shouted at the still moving figure, "You moved for quite a while, you should be tired!"
Eve was very sluggish at this point, the distance between the two girls kept getting longer as Psaya marched on. Leaning against a tree, she stared at the other girl hoping that she was able to hear her tired voice.
Cara turned around, blinking. She sighed, exasperated, wandering over to Eve. "Okay." She said, nodding and going to sit down. "Sorry. Sorry. I forgot. Sorry." It then seemed to wash over her that yes, indeed, she should be tired.
Cara blinked. And yawned. "W-whadda ya mean? I am tired. I-I am tired." She explained, wearily. "F-father's just nearby. We're nearly there. I promise this time. I promise. Promise."
"If we are tired we should sleep!" Eve exclaimed,"I would make Spellie make a fire to keep us warm, but I don't want you to become angry agian soo..."
Not finishing her sentence, Eve used the rest of her energy to crash into Psaya's stomach, making both girls tumbe and lay on the ground with Eve laughing.
"Hugs make everything warm!" Eve said, smiling at the other girl, before turning her head to yawn then lay her head on the other girl's chest.
"Sleeeepp...zzzz" Just like that, Eve was knocked out from their walk.
Cara was promptly tackle-fallen-overe-d. "Gah!" She got out, as she struck the ground. Before she could complain, Eve was asleep. She went to push her off of her and moved to then begin growing some soft plants as if to act as a bed.
She would have done this for Eve if she wasn't so rude as to collapse onto her. Regardless, Cara would fade to sleep rather quickly.
It wasn't long before the antagonizing being which was the sun would rise over the two girls.
Feeling the heat, Eve scrunched her face before turning to her right, feeling the soft flesh in her hand, she buried her face deeper into it, not seeing where she grabbed, nor where she put her face. Just wanting to cuddle and hide her face from the sun.
Cara remained asleep, apparently. She babbled in her strange language. "Irnphz. Ykp biym arl vmwzcbvx uh? Ecnv ox. Zimh lj. Edsg xg. Dcvb...ydby cs." She implored, likely in dream.
Awaking at the strange dialogue, Eve did nothing but sit up and stare right into Psaya's sleeping face.
Thinking it was fine, Eve wiped away stray hairs from Psaya's face and caressed her cheek
It was then, that Cara awoken quite suddenly. She did not jolt awake, but rather stirred with a soft groan and began to move to sit herself up.
Eve rushed pulled her hand back to her chest at Psaya's sudden awakening, she gently laid her hand on Psaya's back to assist her sitting up.
Grinning widely at her Eve spoke, "How was your sleep sis? Did you dream about anything good? I only have nightmares. Wait what are we gonna eat?
Oblivious to everything, Eve just ranted towards her only companion.
'Ugh I hate her morning rants...' both demons thought at once.
"So what are we gonna do today sis!!!" Eve basically squealed, finishing her rant and jumped forward, aiming to tackle the other girl into a hug like she did last night.
Cara rubbed at her eyes, pushing herself up groggily as she was tackle-hugged once more. She was very annoyed as she thumped to the ground, letting out a few mumbled protests. "G-get off me!" She requested, nearly demanded.
Quickly, Eve gently detached herself from the other girl. Quickly apologising as she did.
"I'm sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?" Eve whispered to Psaya.
Eve then went back to her side and placed her hand on Psaya's back to assist her in sitting up and the other hand to gently rub the place Eve tackled.
Cara shook her head, as she sat up. "No. No. I'm...fine..." She sounded a bit tired, but otherwise looked perfectly fine. "I'm okay. I'm okay. We-we should go. We should move..." She mumbled, looking about, disoriented.
Eve looked at Psaya, her face scrutinising at how Psaya sounded tired and looked disorientated.
"No! I don't know why but you still don't sound good! Sleep for bit more," Eve reasoned with the still disorientated girl.
Eve decided to try and pull the other girl back down to the soft grassy bed that Eve didn't notice before.
"You walked longer than me and I am still tired, rest is what you need," Eve comforted the protesting older girl, "Your father isn't going to leave, he can wait."
"No. You're gonna grow corrupted and rotten. It wont be good. We need to move..." She got out, as she was suddenly pulled down, hitting the ground with a soft 'thump'. She grumbled in annoyance, but evidently Cara was far too tired to do any thing about this.
So, instead, she did the thing that most children did when faced with something they disliked and couldn't stop. She complained. "L-let me go...we gotta move..." She whined.
"And we will, I am still the same girl that you found. I am not getting corrupted at all!" Eve comforted the protesting girl.
Shaking my head at her stubbornness, Eve placed her body on top of the other girl, head on her chest and facing the sky.
"Sleep Psaya, I am not going anywhere and neither will your father,"Eve told the other girl, grabbing her hand and putting it on her own chest. Slowly, Eve's tiredness returns as she closes her eyes and enter the calm slumber, still holding Psaya's hand...
Cara did not do as Eve asked, for she while she was tired, she was also worried. As Eve seemed to slip into sleep nearly instantly, Cara took it upon herself to watch and wait. Perhaps in nervousness.
She sat up, moving to push Psaya away and onto the ground. Then, she would begin to puppet some plants from the ground, roots mostly. After she had done this act, so simple to her mind, she sat down and quietly watched, a groggy mood hanging over her.
However, one thing didn't want Psaya to be alone that night...
Popping from the shadows behind Psaya, Spellie sat down harmlessly and decided to talk to the girl facing away from her.
"Is something wrong...little lamb?" Spellie spoke in his deep voice but with a touch of a soft tine as well.
Cara blinked. She slowly looked to the demon, narrowing her eyes. "G-go away! Stupid demon. You'll be dead soon and I wont have to speak to you." She threatened, angrily. She then focused on the plants she was puppeting. No longer were they mere puppets or mere entertainment, they began to thicken and grow in a caustic manner. She was making a weapon.
"Sigh...Do you even know what would happen if we were to seperate from Eve, little Lamb?" Spellie stated, not blinding an eye at the creation of weapons from nature.
"Tell me, do you care about Eve like she cares about you?...She never had a sibling and cares for you...wanting you to sleep, yet you hurt your body to stay awake when we demons keep you both safe at night." Spellie spoke honestly.
The night is high and the moon is shining down on then as the demon and nature's controller sat together.
"I'm not listening!" Cara responded, as he began to speak, covering her long ears with her hands. She simply stared and stared as nature twisted, being turned to a virulent and hateful purpose. As the moonlight pierced the trees, dancing upon Cara's skin, it gave her a near otherworldly appearance.