Cinderfella 2: A New Life - 55. Chapter 54

Things were not just tense in A’Dore, they were practically coming to blows! There were rumors as well as fact. People were reporting deaths and that fueled more intensity and panic. Now the line in front of the palace was getting crowded. No one wanted to become sick and that fear was adding even more panic. Supplies for the little warriors were falling short. The blood liquids were growing less and as we tried to make more. There just weren’t enough men or women willing to give the blood liquid to make more. I knew there would be violence. The same would be true in Blethos, but this was the starting place. Why? Was A’Dore more important? According to whom?

We worked side by side with those that worked to produce more of the little warriors ready. Christian, me, Seth, Ella all made our blood available, but we could only give so much. The process was tedious and slow, but it was getting done. We taught many that came from other towns and provinces how to do it. How to make the Seers, Spinners and needles. It was happening quickly, yet still agonizingly slow. Storage for what we had was limited and the containers to put the blood liquids was also hard to come up with. Carelessness cost some batches that went bad because someone forgot the ice in the cooler to keep the new batches cold. Tempers were becoming short and often men came close to fighting even among us in the work room that were trying to help.

Seth and I returned to Royal Valley exhausted as we were too tired to do anything but collapse on the bed.

I felt Seth roll over encompassing me in his arms. “I almost wish she’d attack and be done with it.”

I nodded. “We’ve stopped the worst she could do.” I said logically. “Enough people have the little warriors now, there will be survivors. Enough people will survive if necessary to repopulate.” I smiled. “Maybe she will see that her plan has failed and give up.”

Seth sighed as he drew me closer his breath on the side of my face. “I hope so, but I don’t think she’ll be satisfied with that. She’s worked too hard to give up.” He sat up and lifted an arm to sniff himself. “I need a bath.”

I chuckled. “Do you have enough energy?”

Seth smiled. “Cleanliness and Godliness.” He reminded. “We’ll sleep better.” He got up with a groan. “I’ll light the tank.”

It did relax us even further, but Seth was right. It did help us sleep better.

Royal Valley was coping far better than the capitals of both kingdoms. We had men and women who had been given the little warriors and were happy to add their blood liquids to make more batches, but then other people from the outer towns and areas were coming in. They were the problem. The guards assigned to us to protect Seth, Toby, Dennis and me were busy enough, but now were having to try to keep this new influx of people under control. As the days progressed, the death tolls were growing higher. The panic was increasing and there was a movement where people were claiming both Christian and Samuel were overstepping their authority. To which both Christian and Samuel said the choice was the peoples. If they didn’t want to die, then get the little warriors, if they didn’t that was their decisions. Then the was the claim that Christian and Samuel wasn’t doing enough.

The carrier pigeons we finally got going proved the best way to communicating with Samuel.

It was during one visit with Christian in A’Dore that things became much clearer. While Seth and I worked to make more of the little warriors with the Dr. Warren and others that there was a great wind through the work area. All the candles were blown out and the sky outside got dark with clouds that seemed to roll in from nowhere. Thunder clapped outside as well.

A woman’s head appeared in the room, like Demetrius had done when defending Seth and me against Candor, the man that was stealing for Arthur Thorne. She was old, from what I could see she looked about seventy or more with long white hair that billowed in the wind that rushed through.

“You think you can stop me!?” She screeched. “You, the sons of Eve will be destroyed! My wrath will not be stopped! You will destroy yourselves. Look at what terror has struck the hearts of the children of Eve.”

The men that worked with us were now hurrying to get away out the door, which was being pounded on by guards that had been posted to keep men out! But the door would not open.

Suddenly Demetrius was there facing her. “Stop this, Len Na!” He shouted to her. “You will not harm these men! I will stop you.”

Then Dara was there and Lukus and one by one there were others that appeared who I had never seen before until there were at least twelve people I assumed were like Demetrius and Dara.

“We will stop you!” Dara said angrily coming beside her husband.

“You can’t!” Len Na said with a laugh. “It’s already begun. The children of Eve will die.” Then she shook her head. “I never understood your affection for these creatures. It was their kind that got us thrown out of the Garden! Our lives could have been paradise, yet, because of their mother, we were all cast out. They are destroying us, the true mankind that God intended. We should have killed them when we could, but no, you played with their lives for entertainment.”

“By what right do you do this, Len Na?” Lukus asked loud to be heard over the wind.

“I do this to save us, Lukus.” Len Na said. “Our numbers are almost up, if I don’t, we will be gone.”

“Maybe that’s what God intended.” Dara suggested. “Instead of killing our mothers and fathers when Lilith refused Adam as the angels said would happen, we were given a new role in the lives of Eve’s children. To guide the Children of Eve to a new position in life.”

“By granting wishes!?” Len Na all but spit. “Taking a girl that was nobody and making her Queen!? By making what men of Eve thought was perverse and evil as two men marrying? How is that guiding men?”

Demetrius shook his head. “We’ve had this discussion before and without a positive result. There’s no need to rehash it now. I’m telling you. Leave these men alone. The others, the children of Lilith will do whatever we must, to protect them. You’ve already broken a most sacred law! Thou shalt not kill! You’re bringing this new attack has cost the lives of hundreds of people. We will do whatever we have to, to stop this…” he took a deep breath. “…even if that means killing you!”

Len Na looked shocked at that statement. “You would become like the children of Eve if you do. No man or woman born from Lilith ever killed one of our own. It was a son of Eve that committed the first murder.”

“We will not have a choice.” Dara said standing closer to Demetrius. “Please.” She begged hoping Len Na would at last give in.

“We will kill you.” Lukus said firmly. The others there moved closer to each other standing between Len Na and the rest of the men in the room who were listening and watching. “You’ve given us no other option.”

Len Na screamed and I mean she let out a bellow that shook the very foundation as the giant head slammed into the outside wall, sending stone and debris down into the courtyard, where dozens of people were lining up to get the little warriors. Now, with the gaping hole in the side of the building we saw people below scatter away as they could as this “thing” flew down over them as Len Na screamed rushing above them. Then she was gone. The sky lightened, the wind died and except for the damage to the building, all was as it was.

The door to the work room suddenly opened as the guards who were trying to get in had no more resistance and nearly fell over themselves getting in. Behind them was Christian.

“What the HELL!?” Christian asked us all. He saw Demetrius, Dara, Lukus and the others I didn’t know. “What happened?” He shouted.

“That.” Demetrius said with a sigh waving to the huge hole in the wall. “Was…Len Na.” He smiled sadly at me and Seth.

The men with us were now calming down as the spoke to each other quietly as they were confirming with each other that what they had witnessed had really happened.

I was shaking, but Seth came to me as he hugged me in relief it was over for now.

“You said you would kill her.” Seth said also shaky. “Why didn’t you do it now?”

Dara frowned. “Because that wasn’t her.” She explained. “She could have been anywhere on this world, she allowed you to see her for effect.”

“We have to have her personally here to do it.” Lukus frowned.

Demetrius nodded. “We found out what she used to attack the others of Eve’s children. It’s the venom from the Serpent that tempted Eve in the garden.”

My eyes grew. “More from the Garden of Eden!? That’s true, too?”

Demetrius shrugged as he hugged Dara. “Again, I don’t know. Just as I didn’t know about the source of the little warriors is really from the Forbidden Fruit, but that’s what’s supposed to be the source of the attack.”

“Can we get some?” Seth asked.

“No.” Demetrius said. “Where or how she got it, I also don’t know. There is no way it will survive outside of the Serpent. It had to be given by the Serpent himself.”

“She’s in league with Satan!?” Christian asked in disbelief. “How in God’s name does she think that’s okay? How would working with Lucifer make things right again?”

“She’s insane.” Lukus admitted sadly.

“But, if the venom doesn’t last outside of Lucifer himself…he’s attacking all these people!?” I tried to reason it out. “This is such a blatant attack.”

Demetrius nodded. “Or she could have the help of the fallen angels.”

I watched as the others the came with Demetrius, Dara and Lukus vanished.

Dr. Warren was the first to recover enough to speak to us. “I don’t believe what I saw, but how can I not? It happened right in front of me.” He looked at Christian. “The story about you and Ella are true?”

Christian nodded.

“And about you two?” Dr. Warren asked me and Seth.

“Demetrius here made it possible for Erik and me to meet.” Seth grinned. “It’s true.”

Demetrius smiled as he let go of Dara to hug me and Seth. “We’ll talk tonight.” He smiled at Christian. “And you. I think we’d better go for now.” And with that Dara, Lukus and Demetrius vanished.

Seth and I shared a meal with Christian, Ella and our children that evening. It was after the meal had begun, Christian smiled at Ella, but it was a sad smile.

“I got word today.” Christian said softly. “I don’t know how to tell you, but Anastasia is dead.”

Ella actually looked a little sad. “Was it this new attack?”

Christian shook his head. “No, she killed herself. It seems she developed a nasty habit with some powerful drugs. She took too much.”

Ella nodded. “It’s a shame, she wasted her whole life.”

Then a chair beside Seth slid out and there she was, like she’d been there the whole time. “But…” Dara said appearing at the table suddenly. Now, because Seth, Ella, Christian and I had seen them appear like this before, we didn’t panic, but Ella’s and Christian’s children were…not scared, but surprised. Toby was signing to her immediately knowing who she was and even Dennis was excited. Dara waved at Toby and Dennis mouthing hello to Toby and looked to the other children. “Hello.” Dara waved to Thomas, Ada, Ana and Edward. Edward still preferred his Uncle Seth and was sitting beside Seth during the meal. Toby was between me and Seth with Dennis in a highchair next to me. “My name’s Dara. I’m your mother’s fairy godmother.”

Suddenly Demetrius was also at the other end of the table. “And I am Demetrius, Erik’s godfather!” He looked over what we had on the table. “That smells wonderful!” He said standing over what was left of the roasted chicken. “Do you mind if I have some?” He asked Christian.

“It’s no longer hot…” Christian chuckled waving his hand at the chicken. “But, help yourself.”

A plate slid across the table making the children Ooh and Ahh. Demetrius used the utensils to serve himself. “Don’t worry about it not being hot.” And suddenly the roasted chicken was steaming again on his plate.

“Really, husband?” Dara groused. “We came to talk to them, not eat.”

Demetrius nodded. “We’re talking! I’m eating. We’re doing both! Does that mean I can’t eat while we do this?” Dara rolled her eyes at her husband.

“What’s going to happen?” I asked.

Demetrius shrugged. “There will be a lot of trouble until we catch Len Na.”

“The danger is that she did break a very sacred law.” Dara nodded. “We don’t kill, but she has.”

Demetrius shrugged again. “Well, technically the Serpent did, but…”

“Demetrius.” Dara called her husband down. “It is her plan to destroy these people. Her plan; her kill.” She smiled sweetly at Ella. “Your family is fine. You’ve taken the little warriors and she will not just come in and kill you. She’s not that brazen.”

I had been thinking about what Demetrius had said in the work room. “You said you were to guide us to a new position in life. What position?”

Demetrius munched as he nodded. “Sure.” He sighed as a goblet slid toward him and he took it, drinking without thought that it was Seth’s goblet. “When man first was created and began to flourish, they were pretty simple.” He held up his hand to stop arguments. “They were simple farmers and shepherds at first. But as man progressed they began a new journey of discovery and logic. Their minds needed developing, so we…others of Lilith’s children could keep our ability to tap the magic of the world and help shape your very minds.” Using his fork he pointed to Ella and Christian. “And none more successful that you two. Your story will be known by millions that have yet to be born and for thousands of years.” He winked at me and Seth. “And one day, yours will be, too. You have all given young girls and boys something to dream about and shape their thoughts. Your stories, as well as others, will be spread across time and become tales that will be cherished for a long, long time.”

“This isn’t quite over, but in a way.” Dara smiled. “Len Na is helping that come about. Now, people will hear about what she did today and know we’re real, at least in story. That’s why we came like we did and will for a while yet.”

Demetrius shook his head. “Damn, this is good.” He munched again making the children giggle.

“Language, Demetrius.” Dara warned.

Demetrius looked at the children. “Sorry, but this is very good. What did they add to make it this way?” He proceeded to put more in his mouth and chewed happily making the children laugh at his antics.

Dara sighed. “I can’t take him anywhere!”

The attack had begun.