Chapter 10

Reviews

TwinstarDragon: thank you. Her weapon isn't built yet. She was talking about her forelegs. Interesting idea, except that whips are INCREDIBLY difficult to use to attack, as well as master. Same, true, it WOULD take up space. Glad i was able to surprise you. You mean the idea where a body is built, then the parents just have to add their DNA to the body, and the child becomes theirs? While still somewhat interesting, izumi had all the children that she could want or need, with her eggs in her nest and eri.

Previously

"Thank you," merazophis said, taking the bottle. He proceeded to feed sophia.

Now

"If that elf came down from the top floor, it's entirely likely that the body that potimas was using killed the lord and lady of this city," izumi stated. Merazophis and sophia started to cry, as merazophis gently held sophia to his chest in a hug.

"So, since we've got a LONG way to go till we're in demon territory, let's gather some supplies that'll last at least a good portion of the trip. At least until we get to the next town," ariel said. Izumi nodded and, with eri in her arms, went back to her pavilion to get her stuff that the people gave her, while merazophis went into the kitchen to gather food and drink, before going to sophia's room and gathering her baby clothes, before grabbing a few toys for her.

Once they gathered all the stuff that they could conceivably need, the group of five started on the journey for demon country. After two weeks of traveling, they reached an area that was a short distance from the city. On the way, izumi had started to teach the language of this world to eri. Although, there was now a bit of a problem.

"No, i want mama," eri stated. Ariel groaned. She had been trying for 10 minutes to get eri to let her carry her into the city, so she'll be able to get some actual food, instead of just fruit, and get her to be able to sleep in an actual bed.

"I realize that you want her, but she cannot come with us, as it would most likely cause a panic," ariel tried to explain to eri. Eri's response to that was to cling to her mother's sports bra and pout. Seeing the problem, izumi decided to speak to her daughter.

"Eri, i will still be here when you four come back. Until i can somehow get a human form, i will be unable to join the four of you in towns or cities. After all, almost no towns or cities are like our last home, where people loved my form," she said.

Eri pouted even more, and started to cry. "Mama…" she tearfully said. "Baby, you need to do this. I will still be here when you come back with them," izumi promised. Eri reluctantly nodded, before izumi kissed her forehead and handed her to ariel. "You BETTER not take her into danger, AGAIN, ariel," izumi threatened.

Ariel smiled. "Come on, there's no battles going on," ariel said. "Good. if ANY harm comes to her…" izumi trailed off, an aura of darkness covering her, and ariel got the idea, without izumi saying the ending. "I understand, izumi," she said a bit fearfully.

The aura of darkness disappeared, and izumi was smiling. "Good," she said as she smiled at ariel. Ariel left, eri in her arms, to the city. Once they were out of sight, izumi had a thought. "Huh, it's been a while since i was all alone," she said in a curious voice.

"I'll sing a song before i go to sleep," she decided. She took a deep breath, and started to sing.

Play potc davy jones

(i don't own this song, and i never will, sadly)

Cruel and cold, like winds on the sea

Will you ever return to me?

Hear my voice, sing with the tide

My love will never die

Over waves and deep in the blue

I will give up my heart for you

Ten long years I'll wait to go by

My love will never die

Come my love be one with the sea

Rule with me for eternity

Drown all dreams so mercilessly

And leave their souls to me

Play the song you sang long ago

And wherever the storm may blow

You will find the key to my heart

We'll never be apart

Wild and strong, you can't be contained

Never bound nor ever chained

Wounds you caused will never mend

And you will never end

Cruel and cold like winds on the sea

Will you ever return to me?

Hear my voice, sing with the tide

Our love will never die

Once izumi finished, she was crying, and went to sleep. Over in the city, the group of four were sitting at a table, waiting for food to arrive. "I want mama," eri complained. Ariel sighed, before she said, "little one, you will return to her shortly. You need proper food, and a proper place to sleep," to eri.

Just then, dustin sat at the table with them. "Hello there, ariel," he said kindly. "Oh, hello dustin. What can i do for you?" ariel asked, as the food arrived. Before he could answer, eri spoke up. "Who's creepy old man?" she asked. Merazophis froze, sophia was appalled, ariel was laughing and had a hand slamming on the table, while not spilling their food. And dustin? He was pale as a ghost, stiff as a board, while a comical sign pierced his heart, through his back, that said 'creepy old man' on it.

Ariel breathed heavily, before she managed to calm down. "Eri, that wasn't very nice," she said. Eri pouted and crossed her arms. "Sorry about that, dustin. This little one wants her mother, so she's acting out," ariel said. Dustin pulled himself together, before he gave a gentle smile.

"It's fine, ariel. All children her age want their parents," he said calmly. He then looked at merazophis. "My, what happened to you? You look like a vampire," dustin said in surprise.

Both merazophis and sophia began to cry a bit. "Elves attacked, killed my master and mistress, but not before my master gave me one final order: take sophia and run. Run, and live. The elves then tried to kill the young miss and myself. I can only guess that the young miss turned me into a vampire, as it was the only way to survive long enough for help to come," merazophis said.

Ariel then began to feed eri, while merazophis did the same with sophia. While sophia ate eagerly, eri was reluctant. An act that dustin noticed. "If i may ask, who is that little girl's mother?" he asked ariel, as he motioned towards eri. "The spider monster that keren county was worshiping as the divine spider," ariel said simply.

Dustin was surprised, before he began to think back to when he last met with the spider monster in question. He remembered meeting it, but then he remembered the little bundle that she was always carrying. "Ah, i think i get it now," he said, as he had a look of realization on his face.

He looked at eri, before he decided to ask his question. "You were the little bundle of cloth in her human arms, when i met her around two weeks ago, weren't you?" he asked kindly. Eri simply nodded a bit.

Dustin smiled a bit. "It's nice to actually meet you, little one," he said kindly. Eri whimpered a bit, before starting to cry a bit, out of fear. "Mama… mama… mama…" was all she was saying, as tears were starting to fall from her eyes, and down her cheeks.

"Uh, oh. Looks like she's going into a panic attack," ariel said in worry. She picked eri up, paid for the food eri ate, let them know that she was coming back inside in a bit, before she ran out the door back to izumi. upon hearing something moving fast towards her, izumi blearily opened her eyes, a few moments before ariel slid to a stop in front of her.

"What happened?" izumi asked in concern. "It was going somewhat well, at first, but then eri started to go into a panic attack," ariel said. With that, izumi was instantly WIDE awake. "GIVE HER HERE!" izumi demanded.

Ariel complied in an instant., izumi began to hug eri close, and began to sing to her.

Lonely mountains and tragic spells

Forbidden potions from haunted realms

Seas of stardust, lightyears apart

Feel the dragons that'll rip your heart

I faced them all, and i survived

To get right here, as you arrived

And when i heard your voice and song

I knew that i finally belonged

Now i know we'll never part

Cause your magic lives inside my heart

And we'll always be together

Cuz your magic lives inside my heart forever

And ever

Eri began to relax when izumi began to sing, and was asleep by the time it was half over. Ariel was fighting sleep herself. "Nice singing, izumi. Now, i'm gonna go back, preferably BEFORE i fall asleep outside, when i have a bed waiting," ariel said, after complimenting izumi's singing.

After ariel left, izumi yawned, and joined her daughter in the land of dreams.

Once ariel got back to the tavern, she sat down where her food was, and began to eat. "What took you so long?" dustin asked, as he was genuinely curious. "I was listening to izumi singing. She has got some great vocals to do that. Apparently, the little one has a special song for her to relax and fall asleep to. It almost made ME fall asleep," ariel said.

"Well, people relax in different ways, and children are the exact same," dustin said agreeably, as he nodded. After that, they all ate in silence, then they all left. Dustin left to who-knows-where while ariel, merazophis and sophia went to their room.

Once merazophis placed sophia on the bed, she was out like a light in an instant. Ariel went to bed, as did merazophis, and they were both out as soon as their heads hit the pillows. The three of them had pleasant dreams.

In the morning, ariel and merazophis woke up, paid the bill and left, with merazophis carrying sophia against his chest. after they left the city, to return to izumi, they saw that izumi was awake, with eri lightly snoring in her sling, against her mother's chest.

Izumi noticed them, held a finger to her lips in a silent sign to keep quiet, and then they continued on their journey to demon territory. And so, after they stopped traveling, when they got to cities or towns, eri was left behind, much to her joy. Things were going SOMEWHAT smoothly.

Bit into the past

The 11 yr old hero, julius, was in the remains of keren county. He looked around sadly, before he asked himself a question. "Why did we even invade them?" he questioned. Instead of getting an answer, he was given some fruit, as it was time for food.

Julius was confused. "I gotta ask: why are most of our meals mostly fruit?" he asked the person he got the fruit from. "Apparently for two reasons. First, is that this is apparently the time of harvest for them," they said. "And the other reason?" julius asked, as he took a bite out of the fruit. "Apparently, the spider monster they were worshiping as their divine beast loved fruit. It even cared for a little girl, as if ithe girl was its own daughter," the person said.

That caused julius to accidentally swallow some drink down the wrong pipe, and he started coughing, as he tried to clear his lungs of liquid. He'd seen that spider monster once. It had a regular human torso of a beautiful woman, and a green spider body. To hear that it liked FRUIT was shocking, by itself. However, to hear that it took a little girl in, and started to raise it as its own daughter was DEEPLY shocking.

After he managed to get his lungs clear of liquid, he asked the same thing he did himself, earlier. "Why did we even decide to invade this territory?" he asked sadly. The person shrugged, before telling julius what they heard.

Apparently, the kingdom of ohts were appalled at the fact that keren county not only worshiped the goddess, which they consider heretic, but they also worshiped a spider monster as a divine beast. The same spider monster that destroyed the fort guarding their entrance to the elroe labyrinth.

Julius was shocked. "We seriously INVADED our neighbors over mostly petty reasons?!" he asked incredulously.

Back to the present

After journeying for a few more weeks, ariel went in to the nearby town, and came back with three LARGE barrels of alcohol.