The Shadow of Beauty

Ch 20- A New Perspective

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 mask darted in front of his hand. There was a flash of light and then terrible pain exploded all through his body.

Everything went black.

When he opened his eyes again the pain was ebbing but still present, like a dull electric charge. He groaned, not sure what had happened or where he was. A surge of panic flew through him when he recalled Twillow being in danger.

"TWILLOW? TWILLOW!"

No answer.

There was something covering him. Cloth? He pushed himself up, lifting his hand to push away the cloth from over him.

Had it all been a nightmare and he was under the covers of his bed?

But no matter how he pushed the cloth he couldn't find the edges of it. He thrashed with frustration but the cloth imprisoned him no matter where he turned.

What is this? What's going on?

Suddenly there was a loud ripping sound, producing a slit of light near him.

What?

Eager to escape the heavy cloth that covered him, he reached through the opening and crawled out into the light. Moving hurt. It felt like he'd worked really hard an entire day and all of his muscles and bones ached. As his eyes adjusted he held his head.

Was he sick? Had he had some sort of fevered dream and he was aching all over from a sickness?

Then he looked to his left and there stood a woman... his size.

His eyes widened with shock as he breathlessly uttered, "What...the...Ff--?"

She seemed to have the same expression.

They stared at each other for a few more seconds before he asked, "Who...who the Hell are you?"

He had a feeling he knew who she was but his brain was refusing to believe it.

The redhead gave him a puzzled look, "You don't remember me?"

Kendrick very slowly rose to his feet and his head cocked like a cautious dog as he came closer to her. He smelled the air deeply and then his eyes got really big as realization hit him like a falling mountain.

His voice was a rasped whisper, "Oh shit...it IS you."

It was Helia... his nose didn't lie. How did she get to be his size?!

Then his eyes wandered past Helia to the surroundings and he stepped back, his expression awash with horror, awe, and disbelief at the same time. He slowly turned in a circle. Every tree was soaring higher than he'd ever seen into the sky. He fell back down onto his bottom.