A New Member To The Family? (Ch. 9)

After having a hearty breakfast, the various guests said their goodbyes, and Eric and Samantha sealed themselves away again. At the same time, Umbra and Trinity wanted the two parents not to mention a word, creating a story for Ella and Eve to follow.

"Morning Ella, Eve, that breakfast you maid us was delicious. Thank you." Said Eric.

"Thank you." Said Sam.

Eve walks over and rustles the two children's hair while laughing heartily.

"I hope you two didn't fill up on all that because today, we will be making the last stretch of our first journey to Springfield." Said Eve.

"I wanted more, but Trinity stopped me..." Eric said as he kicks the dirt.

"Well, how about this Eric, if we run across a wild animal I'll let you and Sam fight it if you promise to hold back about ninety percent of your strength." Said Ella.

"But then it won't be fun..." Said Eric.

"Eric, hunting is not meant to be for fun. It is meant to feed yourself, as well as your family. In our case, the hunting we do today is to teach you how to hunt properly, and how to practice when it comes to the weaker animals so that you can gain the proper knowledge you will need when fighting stronger opponents." Said Eve.

"Fine, fine, but it better be something cool." Said Eric.

"Haha, that's the spirit." Said Ella.

Along their journey, the woods are pretty quiet. This quietness alerts the two mothers, to stay vigilant.

"Eric, Sam right now the woods are too quiet, no bird no crickets, not even leaves rustling against one another. I want you two to stay close to us, and pay attention to the surroundings as there may be something quite dangerous nearby." Said Eve.

Thirty minutes of travel goes by, and the quietness persists.

"Ella, this is very concerning, should we stop, or try to sprint out of this." Asked Eve.

Ella looks over to Eve and then in the directions of Umbra.

"Yo Umbra what's happening here, should we be concerned?" Asked Ella.

"With your strengths, no. For what's going on. A creature about thirty feed in front of you two is going under the nine heavenly tribulations of thunder." Said Umbra.

"Are you sure about that, I heard that whenever those tribulations happen, all people near them are pressed down to the ground under the heavenly pressure?" Asked Ella.

"In most cases, that would be correct; however, in this case, you all are quite literally gods. This means that if you wanted to, you could make it so that the tribulation fails." Said Umbra.

"How?" Asked Ella.

"Just by willing it." Said Umbra.

"So if I..." Ella mumbled to herself and tried something.

A path slits open in front of them. Exactly as Umbra had said, thirty feed in front of them is a monster going under the heavenly tribulation.

In front of them stand a large four-legged creature. Its legs look like they are made of wood, and its entire body looks like it is made of grass, while on its head are two large horns that also look like they are made of wood. If it was not standing but laying down, it would look like a small hill with some dead trees gather around it.

"It is interesting a woodland, Cheshire. Umbra, I thought you said this was a heavenly tribulation?" Asked Eve.

"It is." Said Umbra.

"But what I have learned from my people is that Cheshires, are demonic beings who feast on souls, and go through demonic tribulations if they escape for a long enough time." Said Eve.

"Ahh well about that, some are, some are not, you can think of this like human civilization. There are many ways to cultivate. Some heavenly, some demonic, some that stay off the pather, and some that are never meant to begin. Try to send your senses into that Cheshire, do you feal souls attached to it or something else?" Said Umbra.

"... I feel nature... what does that mean?" Asked Eve.

"It means that instead of feeding on normal animals, or humans or any conscious living thing, it instead fed on only nature. This allowed it to gather no negative karma or corrupted soul energy, allowing it to cultivate a heavenly dao." Said, Trinity.

When Eve pulls back her senses, she was a bit careless and accidentally alerted the Cheshire. The Cheshire snapped its neck to see this family. It slowly inspects the family before it. When it sets its eyes on Sam, it starts to walk closer to the family.

Ella and Eve instantly go on guard and step in front of the children.

"Ella, Eve, stop." Said Sam.

Sam walks in front of Ella and Eve and reaches out her hand to pet this giant creature.

The large Cheshire leans down and lays in front of Sam, and looks into the eyes of this child and says in a deep earthen tone. "Child, I sense much pure, innocent strength in you. Can I ask of you a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?" Asked Sam.

"Hahaha, actually, I don't have much strength left to resist the tribulation. My two children are too young to be left alone as their mother has already ascended, can you take care of them for me until they are strong enough to look after themselves?" Asked the beast.

"Hmmm. Mom, what do you say can we get some pets?" Asked Sam.

"Pets? Hahaha to consider evil creatures such as us as pets. You indeed are innocent, so what do you say to your daughter's request. Will you take my children in and care for them, as if they were your pets?" Asked the beast.

"I want to say yes, but I honestly don't know how to raise one of your kind." Said Eve in all honesty.

A bird flies down and lands on Eve's shoulder. "But I do, and I think it would teach the two some responsibilities if they raised them." Said, Trinity.

"I don't mind if you teach us, but I can't say for Ella." Said Eve.

"Don't all families need a few pets for the young ones? Of course, I agree with it. I was thinking of getting them puppies in Springfield, after talking to you about it." Said Ella.

"Good, Good young ones come to me." Said the beast.

Two small balls of fluff poop into existence in front of Sam and Eric.

"The one in front of you girl if my son, he is a cloud Cheshire, while the one in front of you boy, is my daughter a shadow, Cheshire. Take care of them well, the last of the tribulation is coming soon, and I must ascend, or I will die today. Thank you for appearing when you did." Said the beast.

A few hours go by, and the last of the heavenly tribulations pass, and as the Cheshire is ascending, he says one last thing to the family.

"I have yet to name the two little ones because of the tribulation if you can ever find it in yourselves please name them one day." Said the beast.

A bright light flashes and the Cheshire disappears from their view.

Behind the family, Umbra and Trinity are standing next to each other.

"Are those what I think they are?" Said Umbra.

"Yea, I don't know how they got on this planet, but their parents, aren't the same breed." Said, Trinity.

"This might be all apart of the plan, for all we know, but can we take care of the Vasca?" Asked Umbra.

"Their loyalty can't be questioned. I know that, once you earn their trust, it cant turn its back on you even if you decide to kill it. We can also feed it ourselves until it grows up. However, the one I'm worried about is the Venari. Khora is not here, and she won't appear for quite a while..." Said, Trinity.

"Why the Venari, should it not be like the rest?" Asked Umbra.

"No, it feeds off the soul energy the host provides." Said, Trinity.

"Is that not a good thing?" Asked Umbra.

'It may age them a bit, but no, it will drain their power greatly." Said, Trinity.

"What if we feed it wild animals?" Asked Umbra.

"That may work, but I'm not sure." Said, Trinity.

"Do we have to wake them again, to see?" Asked Umbra.

"No, for now, lets secretly feed them." Said, Trinity.

After the family witnessed the surprising assertion of the Cheshire and acquiring two new companions, they resume their journey towards Springfield. In the back of the carriage, Sam and Eric are playing with their new pets. While Ella and Eve resume their extremely delayed journey. About thirty minutes into their journey Sam and Eric are past asleep in the carriage with two balls of fluff curled up on their bodies.

"Do you smell that?" Asked Eve.

"No, what are you picking up?" Asked Ella.

"Heavy iron..." Said Eve.

"Blood. That's not good, can you tell how old it is and how much?" Asked Ella.

"I'm only getting faint traces here and there, but I can tell whatever happened, happened last night." Said Eve.

Another ten minutes go by, and Eve's face is extremely dark.

"Is it that bad Eve?" Asked Ella.

'Yea, I can tell a variety of races, and people were slaughtered by one another, but what doesn't make sense is that they were traveling together, then turned on each other. It is odd, very odd." Said Eve.

"Then let's go another route." Said Ella.

"You don't understand Ella, we have. Ever since I sensed the blood in the air, I started changing routes, but no matter where we went it fallowed. I even tried to leave this area a few times, but it pulled us back. I think theirs an illusion barrier around this area we wandered into." Said Eve.

"Why did you not tell me sooner?" Asked Ella.

"You didn't ask." Said Eve.

"Well, I trust you either way." Said Ella.

"Hey Umbra, can you check out what's going on?" Asked Ella.

"Nothing to worry about, just continue going straight." Said Umbra.

"So, you know what's going on?" Asked Eve.

"Yea, its nothing to worry about, the barrier should break down in three days, and the blood you smell is part of the illusion." Said Umbra.

"And how do you know all of this?" Asked Eve.

"I sensed this a while ago when you tried changed routes." Said Umbra.

"And why did you not say something?" Asked Eve.

"Because you never asked." Said Umbra.

... Eve smacks her face.

"After this illusion, there is a clearing, probably a group of guards, to investigate this area, and then the city of Springfield." Said Umbra.

"Guards, does that mean we get to sell our stuff to our first customer?" Asked Sam.

Ella, Eve, Umbra, Trinity all snap their heads, back to see a smiling Sam.

"How long have you been up, Sam?" Asked Ella.

"Just now, when Umbra said we there is a group of guards, and then after we pass them Springfield. Why?" Asked Sam.

"No reason, but yes, if they want to buy something from us, they will be our first customers," Ella says as she ruffled Sam's hair.

"Go wake up your brother." Said Eve.

"I can't..." Sam looks back at the sleeping Eric, then looks back to Eve, and locks eyes with Ella.

"Don't wake him for now. The Cheshires are feeding, and if they are startled, they make eat more than they need." Said Sam.

Trinity looks surprised at Sam.

"So you know whats going on, what about Eric, does he know?" Asked Trinity.

"Yea, he warned me before going to sleep." Said Sam.

"As long as he knows what he's doing, it should be fine." Said, Trinity.

Sam walks back into the carriage and gently lifts Eric's head up and lets him lay on the thighs.

Ten minutes go by, and they get past the illusion, and right when they pass, they are blocked by many knights.

"Holt, this area is restricted. How did you get here." Said the Knight.

"We traveled through the forest, on the path to Springfield, from Fairview. To sell healing goods, potions, and remedies. Would you fine knights like to be our first customers?" Said Ella.

"Murmer, murmur, murmur, murmur." murmured the KnightsKnights.

"We are good, but the people in Springfield can use your goods. We can let you pass as long as you promise to help them." Said the Knight.

"We can help them, but I want to know two things first. Number one, what happened behind us, we were trapped in an illusion for quite a while? Number two, why do the people of Springfield need our help?" asked Ella.

"Murmur, murmur, murmur, murmur." murmured the Knights.

"We don't know about what happened to cause someone to set up that illusion barrier, or what died in it. However, the people of Springfield need your help because they are suffering from a demonic bite." Said the Knight.

Ella asked, "But that does not make any sense, for a demonic bite to occur to a town..."

The knight cuts Ella off.

"The town is made on the corps of a deceased ancient dragon that lived well past ten thousand years, and the church who resided within the city, to prevent the bite, died off long ago, and the churches refuse to rebuild here." Said the Knight.

"We can help them, that's our job," Eric said while popping out of the carriage with a bird perched on his shoulder.

"Thanks, lad." Said the Knight.

"Oh and one more thing, be careful when you get to the city, your pets may act violent, because of the large amount of dragon energy the land holds." Said the Knight.

"Thanks for the warning," said Ella as the carriage moves forward past the knights.

Another ten minutes go by of quiet travel.

"Will you and Trinity, be ok in that city?" Said Ella.

"Yes." Said Umbra and Trinity.

"What about those two balls of fluff." Asked Ella.

"There is no need to worry about them; they are too young to want power." Said, Trinity.

"What if they do want power." Asked Eve.

"Then you have to remember they are children, can you with all your strength stop a child?" Asked Trinity.

"Haha, I guess your right." Said Eve.