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Chapter 7
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2022-07-03 16:21:27Related chapters
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 8
A couple years earlier...The sky was peaceful, a veritable watercolor of pinks and oranges as the sun set. Not a breath of wind could be felt as the dusk shadows grew long. That all changed when a yellow spark popped out of seemingly nowhere. In an instant the spark grew and mutated as it branched off into a crackling ball of electric energy. The writhing electric fingers grew in size, creating a windy disturbance that whipped the trees violently beneath it. A shiny golden colored substance began raining down in thick globs as the violent disturbance suddenly opened up. A golden white light poured out of the opening as if heaven itself had opened to the mortal world. A form fell through the opening, plummeting to the unforgiving earth; an angel cast out. Then, as if it never happened, the portal closed and winked out of existence.Twillow fell and crashed hard through the branches of the trees below until she managed to snag a branch and stop her descent. She winced, tears rolling do
Last Updated : 2022-07-03Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 9
It was the afternoon and luckily it was warm, so Twillow set out to find food. She finally found a blueberry bush at the edge of a clearing and began eating the sweet offerings. Suddenly, a twig snapped and just before she could turn, something sharp pierced her shoulder muscle. She cried in pain, falling to her butt and scooting backward, eyes wild. Stuck in her shoulder was a sharp looking object no bigger than a twig. The end sported a bright red feather. It almost resembled a tiny arrow. Fearfully she tugged the piercing object from her shoulder and threw it away. But in seconds it felt like her senses were stuck in sap; slow and sticky. She tried to fly but she couldn't get her wings to flutter in sync so she merely buzzed along the ground like a wounded dragonfly. Finally, she felt her muscles go limp and she collapsed, unable to move or tap into her magic.She could still see and hear, but whatever that dart was had rendered her muscles immobile. As she laid on the ground, thre
Last Updated : 2022-07-03Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 10
Kendrick couldn't help but smile darkly to himself, anticipating the brief fun he was about to have.Red bandana snarled, "I said shut up! It's probably a bloody deer or somethin'. It ain't the Gray Shadow.""And then again, it might be." Kendrick injected into the fearful conversation.Of course, they spun around, weapons ready.Kendrick smirked. He liked this game. He poised his hand like a striking snake just out of their sight."You know...poaching carries a very high penalty in this part of the forest." He said offhandedly, "Are you three willing to pay for it?"With a quick strike, Kendrick reached out and snatched two of the poachers in a fist, pulling them back before the third even realized what happened to them. Of course, they screamed and struggled with panic...they always did. A simple, strong squeeze ended that swiftly. He tossed the broken bodies back to where the guy in the red bandana stood."Well what do ya know? You're two-thirds of the way paid." He announced omino
Last Updated : 2022-07-03Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 11
Almost a week later...It had been a beautiful sunny afternoon when blue gray clouds began to boil in the sky. Rain was on its way. Before the storm came, Kendrick went into his orchard and garden to check the plants he'd grown over the past five years. It always brought him great pleasure to walk amongst the trees that actually towered over him. He never thought such a thing would be possible but here it was; an orchard and garden of his size to tend and use.He checked the berry bushes first, finding several ripened fruits which he ate right on the spot. As he savored the sweetly tart berries a sound tickled his ears. He paused. It was singing...ethereal yet sad sounding singing. Kendrick's head perked trying to pinpoint the sound but his nose told him more.That electrically floral scent...it was her. She was in his orchard.For the past few days, he'd caught whiffs of the little winged girl's unique scent in his forest. Her fear scent was always intertwined heavily with it. But gi
Last Updated : 2022-07-03Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 12
After a few moments she began to see light peeking through the spaces of his fingers and the hiss of the rain dulled to where she couldn't hear it anymore. His walking movement slowed to a gradual stop. She heard him rummaging around, muttering deeply in his chest. Then she felt her stomach drop as he knelt down. Without much warning, his huge hand opened and she was dropped atop a pile of light-colored cloth. She flopped down into massive pile helplessly.He pulled his hand back and gestured to the fireplace before her, "There you go; nice and warm."He stared down at her, the firelight bouncing off his large, amber colored eyes and creating harsh shadows across his masculine features. Even kneeling he was positively enormous as he loomed over her. Unable to fly, Twillow was completely at his mercy and shes wasn't so sure he had any mercy in his heart to offer her.What did he want? Why had her brought her to...where was she?Abruptly, he rose up like a great monolith and moved away
Last Updated : 2022-07-03Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 13
Morning...Kendrick awoke slowly, not immediately rising up. He was facing the wall with the fireplace and the rest of his home to his back.Was she still there? Did she stay or did she leave last night?Kendrick wanted to roll over and look but for some reason he dreaded it.Why?Very slowly, Kendrick rolled over, eyes tipped all the way over in their sockets as if trying to peek over a wall with a sniper on the other side. He looked to the darkened fireplace and the piled-up shirt he'd set Twillow on. He could see the fae's wings glistening atop it. He quickly put his head back down.She's still there!His mind scoffed at his optimism, "What are you so excited about? You woke up before her. That's all. Just you watch. The moment she wakes up she'll try to sneak out the door without waking you."Kendrick laid back down and stared at the wall for a bit. If she was going to leave he'd at least pretend he was asleep so she wouldn't have to endure the fright or awkwardness of leaving whi
Last Updated : 2022-07-03Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 14
He stared at her sleeping form a moment, marveling upon her petite beauty. He'd seen many attractive human women in his life, but the beauty of this fae seemed so unreal to him.Just then she was beginning to rouse herself, stretching her little feet and slowly flitting her wings. Strangely, Kendrick had done this to humans before: sneak in close while they were sleeping and it scared the Hell out of them when they woke up. Conscious of that knowledge, he quickly stood up and took a couple quiet steps backward so he wasn't looming over her. Humans were always terrified by that too. She probably wouldn't like it either.+"What exactly are you doing?" his mind asked, "You act as if you actually care that she'll be scared of you. WHY? She'll be scared of you no matter what you do!"Twillow sat up and flinched when she saw him standing nearby. He froze in place as she stood up on his bed.They stared at each other a moment until Kendrick stated, "You...you're still here."The fae nodded.
Last Updated : 2022-07-03Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 15
Five years earlier...Kendrick stood very still as he watched the male human just ahead in the trees. Dressed in simple attire and black leather boots, the human was kneeling at the base of a tree picking mushrooms. Kendrick had atypically gone to the southern most edge of forest territory and had picked up the human's scent. It was close to the border of his forest and the human territory. Long ago he had deemed the forest his territory and decided the humans would reside in the area beyond. He could and sometimes did cross that boundary but for the most part if humans stayed out of his forest he felt no need to invade theirs.This human didn't look like a poacher or a slayer due to the fact he didn't have any weapons on him typical of those professions. However, poacher, slayer, or not, Kendrick didn't tolerate human trespassers in his forest. With a careful step he inched closer, kneeling down in much the same position the man was in. Unaware, the man picked another mushroom and at
Last Updated : 2022-07-03
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Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 41
Kendrick looked completely unsure as he stepped closer to the horse and patted it very gently, almost too gently, "Hey...Hershel." He looked at the animal with doubt, "Are you sure I won't hurt him?""He weighs over one thousand pounds Kendrick." she gave him a look of visual assessment, "You're...maybe two hundred seventy plus? Believe me, he can hurt you worse than you can hurt him." Helia reassured truthfully.Taking a readying breath, he put his foot in the stirrup."Wrong foot, Kendrick."He sighed and switched, grabbing the saddle horn and seat."Now just stand on your one leg in the stirrup." Helia urged him when he hesitated.He did so shakily."Ok. Now just swing your other leg over his back and sit down."Kendrick did so, but Hershel decided to move nervously to the side which sent Kendrick flopping over the other side and onto the stone floor. He grunted with pain laying on the ground and Helia snorted a laugh at his expense whilst she reigned the horse.Eyes flashing angri
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 40
Kendrick's nose had been hit with a whiff of strong fear scent coming from his garden. Something was scaring Twillow. His first instinct was that he had been right all along and the slayer was responsible. Without hesitation he came charging down the tunnel and ran into his garden to see what was wrong.Twillow screaming "STOP! STOP THIS! PLEASE!" spurred him on.But what he saw sideswiped his expectations. He saw Helia battling what looked like another fae on the branch of the tree. Then there was a bright light that he couldn't look at directly it was so intense. But he could smell Twillow's fear and see her silhouette.Then Helia yelled at him, "Kendrick! They're taking Twillow!"A surge of protective rage crackled through him as he demanded she be returned. Whoever they were, they would not get away with this. He would destroy them until there was nothing left and Twillow was safe. Kendrick reached out toward the light and the silhouettes but suddenly the winged being wearing the
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 39
Twillow seemed to snap out of her funk, "Oh...nothing. I thought I sensed something." She shook her head, "Go on. Show me."Shrugging, Helia held her sword at an angle from her shoulder and put her feet in a stance, "Ok. This is something an old pirate taught me...bear with me though. It looks different when I don't have a sparring partner.Twillow watched Helia maneuver the blade, arching it low and then bringing it up in broad to short patterns that seemed built into her muscle memory. Despite her interest in the blade acrobatics she couldn't shake a sense she was having. It felt like there was strong magic nearby. She'd felt something earlier today too whilst reading but it was so brief and faint she wasn't even sure if she had felt it at all and dismissed it.And then she felt the presence of magic distinctly close along with the sound of wings that weren't hers. Her head whipped around and suddenly someone grabbed her through her wings and around her chest, placing a gloved hand
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 38
At a distance over the forest...The afternoon sun shone brightly over the Northern Woods, early summer in full flower. Then, the ideal setting was disturbed by a crackling of yellowish lightning and a sudden gale of wind whipping the trees. Golden liquid fell to the trees in thick globs as the portal opened with a bright flash that challenged the Lower Realm sun. The portal to the Parliel Realm was opened just large enough for two figures to fling themselves through before it closed with a violent crackle of energy. Then the day stilled, returning to pleasant normality....Earlier...Kendrick arrived back at his home a little over an hour later as Helia had been killing the spiders well beyond the border of his typical range. He traversed through his home to find Twillow in the garden. He placed Hershel on the ground, making sure his tiny reins were tied to one of his corn stalks so he wouldn't run away. The horse freaked out a bit but began calming, even sniffing and nibbling at th
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 37
The queen spider had pulled Helia closer until she was but a leg's length from it; just out of its reach. Its glossy black fangs, which were as long as Helia's forearm, dripped with the promise of venom. Helia knew she wouldn't be able to cut the webbing in time so she readied herself to stab the beast when it gave one last tug. Quite abruptly the spider seemed to freeze.And then, Kendrick's voice was directly over her, "Ugh. I hate these things almost as much as I hate slayers."His huge boot came up, hovered over Helia a moment in debate.Helia froze. Was he going to step on her?But then his boot passed over her and came down on the queen spider with an abrupt, gooey crunch. His action was so casual despite that fact that Helia herself had been mere meters from death. For him it had been as simple stepping on a regular spider. The simplicity made her feel very small and inadequate...that pissed her off.Kendrick removed his boot from the slimy pile of ooze that used to be the spid
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 36
A few days later...Kendrick was returning from the daily patrol of his territory, as was his routine. It had been a quiet day; no poachers, no trespassers. However, this also left him alone with his thoughts, which as of late had been consumed with Twillow. A little over a month had passed since he had made the difficult decision of burying his feelings for his fae friend in lieu of admitting them to her. He, in essence, sealed up his hearts' desires behind metal plating and doors to ensure they would be contained and their friendship safe. At first he was convinced he would be content with that choice.However, little things would pick and probe at the metal doors of his hearts, searching for weak points. Her soft, demure smile, the quick flutter of her wings when she was amused, the way her skin would light up when she was happy, the musical sound of her laugh. And the gods help him if she ever kissed his cheek; it was like setting off explosives against those metal doors. They buc
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 35
Back to the PresentPresent...Twillow had explained her and Kendrick's year and a half relationship to Helia in just a few minutes, even though there was so much to tell about that time. The redheaded slayer listened as she dried off in front of the fireplace. It was certainly an interesting way for two completely different beings to meet, if not slightly familiar."So...did this wizard, Sig, ever figure out how to open a portal to your realm?" Helia asked.Twillow shook her head, "He's gotten a bit closer but we're missing a key ingredient. Parliel Ichor is what he called it."Helia made a face, "Sounds...disgusting. What is it?""When the portal was opened to this realm there was a golden goo that was present when the barrier was breached. Sig says we need some of that to render down to use with the Sunfire Topaz." She sighed, "But...if the portal doesn't open again then there's no Parliel Ichor for us to collect. So..."Helia nodded with understanding, "Well...if I ever see any 'o
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 34
The next day...Twillow had been excited about the invitation to see Sig and Leida. Kendrick, on the other hand, was feeling sick to his stomach. He couldn't eat his breakfast and he hadn't slept much the night before since his brain wouldn't quit torturing him with all the 'what-if' scenarios of the next day's plan. Most of the situations always seemed to end up in the worst way; the worst of all being Twillow felt so appalled by the idea that he loved her that she left and he never saw her again. Every time he thought of that his guts clenched painfully.Surely it wouldn't end that badly?"You're quiet today." Twillow mentioned in his ear, "Are you ok?"Kendrick jerked slightly, jostling her, "Oh. I- I don't mean to be."The fae moved her wings a bit, staring at him, "You seem...nervous."He made a scoffing noise but didn't say anything because he knew he'd have to lie."She's on to you dummy...she's going to keep at you until you fess up and ruin everything!" his mind warned him om
Beauty Behind The Shadow Chapter 33
Kendrick gestured down the path, stood up, and then stepped aside, "We can talk on your way home.""Uh. Ok." Sig agreed, taking the reins again and urging his horses forward.The animals weren't so keen on passing Kendrick's boots as they shied away but once they were past him they resumed their gait. Kendrick waited a moment and began lightly, treading behind and off to the side of Sig's wagon...or at least as "lightly" as a giant could tread. The horsethes didn't like that much either but gradually they kept pace."So...what questions did you have?" Sig asked, watching the huge boots swing and settle next to his cart with giant's steps."How is Leida and your children?" Kendrick asked."Good, good. How's Twillow?" Sig returned the question."She's...uh...she's good too.""She didn't come with you?"Kendrick shook his head, "She doesn't approve of what I do when I'm patrolling my territory...so no.""Ah. I-I see." Sig read between the lines of what he meant.The giant was quiet for a
