The Light of My Hearts
Defense

A/N: Must apologize for leaving you guys hanging for so long...(a month to update? What’s wrong with me?! Hopefully my next ones won’t be that hard to write...

In the gardens...

Twillow walked beside Kendrick through the garden paths as they had done several times before. Kendrick was acting on edge though. He kept looking around as if expecting some sort of surprise attack. That wasn’t too uncommon for him in the past weeks. It was a bit strange that he wanted to go walking at this hour if he felt so paranoid. She reached over and gently took his hand to soothe him. Much to her surprise his hand was cold. His hands were never cold.

He looked down at her and smiled.

“Are you ok?” she asked, “Your hand is cold.”

“Yes. I’m fine.” He assured her, still looking around.

As they moved deeper into the thick of the garden Twillow was touching some of the plants, making them glow. She glanced up at Kendrick and noticed something dark running up the length of this throat. At first, she thought it was just a shadow but it had texture to it.

“What’s that on your neck?” she pointed.

His body seemed to go ridged for a second but he touched his neck.

Before she could inquire about it further, her keen ears picked up a voice shouting back at the house. She turned her head.

It sounded like...Kendrick?

The fae squinted and looked back at her mate.

CRACK!

A white light exploded behind her eyes when his hard hand swung and bashed her against the face. She fell down on the path, gasping. Her senses spun as pain threatened to steal her consciousness. The wetness of tears ran down her cheeks and neck.

“K-Kendrick?” her delicate voice was raspy, dazed.

He was standing over her now, head cocked at an odd angle. A strange noise that sounded like a huge insect chittering in the trees clicked from him. Before Twillow could sit up more he surged down upon her, pinning her to the ground. She gasped when his eyes disappeared and looked like black pools of tar. It wasn’t Kendrick.

“No...NO!” she screamed.

Somehow, through her dazed head, her magic found clarity through the path of self-preservation. Her hand arched back on her wrist. Pink light exploded from her palm and hit the thing that looked like Kendrick in the guts. The impact threw it off of her and into the bushes with a loud ungodly noise. Twillow scrambled to her feet and ran back down the path. Her wings were up but there wasn’t room to fly. She had to get out of the thick of the garden.

With a loud voice she called out for the guards who were undoubtedly nearby. “HELP! THE KRASKOL! THE KRASKOL! IT’S HERE! GUARDS!”

Behind her she could hear branches snapping and vegetation being stirred. A panic surged up her throat, spreading to her chest. Her wings buzzed begging to fly despite the restriction of the terrain. Twillow turned quickly down the path. She knew the Kraskol was chasing her but she didn’t dare slow her pace by looking back.

A thundering of hooves through the garden signaled the arrival of their pair of centaur guards. Relief filled Twillow seeing them ahead of her.

“Mrs. Twillow!” the dark-skinned centaur Dax shouted, holding a spear at the ready.

Twillow ran to them and the pair skidded on their hooves to a stop. They placed their bulky equine bodies around her.

“It’s chasing me! The Kraskol is behind me!” she told them frantically.

The lighter-skinned centaur with the reddish-brown coat brandished his spear and placed himself ahead of his comrade and Twillow, “Get Mrs. Twillow to the house. Now.”

Without hesitation Dax bent down, grabbed Twillow under her arms, and sat her astride his smooth back.

“Hang on to me.” He commanded, wheeling around.

Twillow gripped his long, silver, braided mane, folded her wings, and clenched his sides with her knees just as he galloped away down the path. At first a relief filled her. That is until a horrible commotion tore through the trees behind them. Spine freezing screeches coupled with the violence of snapping branches bounced through the garden. Twillow looked behind them but couldn’t see anything other than the glow of a few plants. And then a loud screech followed with silence. All Twillow could hear was the pounding of the guard’s hooves beneath her. Nothing was clear except the fear tearing into her.

From behind both she and guard heard a second set of hooves galloping behind them.

Dax called over his shoulder, “Rafeen?”

Through the trees came Rafeen, sprinting after them. His spear was in hand and he wore an intense expression.

“Rafeen! Are you alright? Did you see it?” Dax called out, still galloping.

The lighter centaur kept racing after them, not appearing to hear the question. Without any warning, the spear was thrown. It grazed Twillow’s arm and embedded in Dax’s back. The centaur cried out in pain, his hooves clamoring out of his gallop. He couldn’t maintain his footing and crumpled. Twillow wasn’t prepared for the forceful jerk and was unseated straight onto the ground. Pain shot through her wings when she rolled and came to a rough stop. She winced and pushed herself into a sitting position. A small gasp escaped her lips upon seeing her shimmering, almost clear blood leaking out of her arm. She cupped her hand over the wound, focused and healed it.

The fae knew her centaur guard was in far worse shape and needed help too. Dax was nearby clearly in pain, his front horse legs knelt in the dirt as the spear protruded from his back. Twillow was up, took two steps toward him and then Rafeen...or rather...the Kraskol that appeared to be the guard caught up.

“LOOK OUT!” Twillow cried.

But it was too late.

The Kraskol in the centaur form reared up high over Dax and slammed its front hooves down onto Dax’s body. He cried out. Bones snapped audibly. Twillow screamed when the hooves became pointed claws and began piercing rather than battering weapons. Blood showered the lawn.

“STOP!” Twillow screamed when her shock let go of her senses.

She lifted her hands and shot two powerful bolts of defensive energy at the Kraskol centaur. They hit the bulky horse body and sent the creature stumbling into an awkward roll. Dax was barely moving and bleeding profusely. Twillow almost ran to him but then the Kraskol centaur got up, shifting its form. Her heart threatened to erupt from out of her chest when she saw the horrid creature she’d only seen illustrated in books shift with a towering sway on unnaturally long, spindly legs. Its dead, black eyes were huge like a bug’s and its skeletal, sharp-toothed mouth gaped like a long dead corpse.

The Kraskol in its true form.

Twillow was shaking and terrified but it didn’t stop her from bringing her defensive magic into her hands again as well as creating a shield of magic in front of her. Pink light bounced off the plants around them. The Kraskol hissed and stalked forward.

“Stay away.” Twillow warned through her teeth.

Its head swayed before it rushed at her on all fours like a ravenous wolf. It was fast. Twillow flared her fingers, thrusting her hands to fire her defensive magic like bullets at the attacking monster. It dodged the first two but was caught in the body by a third and fourth bolt of pink light. It landed roughly, and righted itself a few yards down the path, claws scraping the ground.

Twillow turned with it, her hands still glowing. She wanted to fly away. But when she tried to buzz her wings, a horrible pain shot through her back. Not an option.

Again, the creature attacked. It leaped high and slammed its claws into Twillow’s shield. Much to Twillow’s horror, the shield was breached and the Kraskol knocked her to the ground. She hit hard and at first she didn’t understand how her shield had failed. Then it occurred to her: the Doorway Tourmaline was able to breach barriers as well as shields. Though she didn’t see the precious crystal the creature must’ve had it somewhere.

The Kraskol pounced but Twillow’s quick hands shot a bolt of energy. She hit it in the body and threw it a distance. But the Kraskol seemed to get up faster than before. It came back again and again, pushing Twillow back. All Twillow could do was keep firing her magic to keep it at bay.

A fatigue tingled through her body. She couldn’t use her defensive magic for very long since she was pregnant. If the Kraskol kept up its persistent attacks she would wear down.

“OVER HERE! OVER HERE! KRASKOL!” she called out loudly, hoping and praying the other guards or Kendrick would arrive before her wore down.

“Give up.” the Kraskol said with Kendrick’s voice in her head.

Twillow’s face scrunched with anger, “Don’t you use his voice, demon!”

Its bony neck cracked as it spoke telepathically again, “Your energy will be mine soon enough.”

Outrage filled the normally calm fae as the magic in her hands responded to her emotions, glowing more intensely bright. She took two steps forward and slashed her arms in a downward “X” motion. The bolts of pink magic arced through the air, whistling as they tore up the ground under their path toward the Kraskol. The black demon leaped nimbly as a frog and flipped over, barely dodging the assault. It had little time to evade before Twillow unleashed a second barrage. With unnatural agility it avoided serious injury until finally:

THWICK!

One bolt hit its mark, slashing clean through the creature’s upper arm, severing it from the gangly body. Black blood splattered against the ground like burnt oil. The Kraskol snarled, cringing with its bleeding stump up against its body. Twillow dug deep and shot another surge of magic toward the now injured creature, hoping to put it down.

Quite suddenly, the Kraskol dropped low to the ground, dodged the pink light, and skittered toward her with terrible speed. Twillow gasped and tried to erect the shield even though she knew it wouldn’t work. But her stamina was gone. The Kraskol slammed itself through her shield and Twillow was thrown back and fell to her knees.

Something sharp punctured the base of her neck next to her shoulder and a numbness seized her body. The huge black, bug eyes of the Kraskol dominated her vision. A pair of tears streaked down her cheeks. Unable to stop herself she collapsed on the ground. Every part of her begged to flee, to cry out, to fight, anything, but her body was deaf to such pleas.

The Kraskol deftly rolled her over to expose her belly. Twillow’s eyes were silent waterfalls as she felt something slimy slide across her body and prod at her stomach.

“Kendrick! Kendrick, help me!” her mind was screaming.

This had been her nightmare since hearing about the Kraskol. Everything she had sought to build and protect felt like it was at the precipice of destruction.

There was a brief moment of pain and suddenly a flash of pink lit up the dark. Twillow’s eyes were slow to respond but she saw the Kraskol shift away from her, ugly head trying to follow a darting pink light. It looked like Epi. The tiny fairy was relentlessly assaulting the Kraskol with fast, rapid-fire bolts of magic. A bold wren attacking a cat. Again and again, he struck, aiming for the eyes and the face as he flitted offensively. The Kraskol chittered and hissed, angered by the interruption and flashes of pain.

“TWILLOW!” Kendrick’s voice suddenly broke out from behind her.

In seconds he slid to a stop, scrambled desperately to her side, and lifted her up. Twillow still couldn’t move or cry out. Only tears were permitted to flow.

Kendrick was breathing heavily as he’d run from the house all the way across the Estate grounds. His eyes were fearful and earnest as he cradled her and took off running again toward the house.

“Twillow! Twillow? Speak to me! Are you alright?” he gasped.

Twillow could only blink her eyes slowly, washing out more tears.

Kendrick shook his head with gritted teeth, “You called me...I heard you.”

She wanted to smile at him. He’d actually heard her mind speak!

“Don’t worry. Don’t worry. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” He repeated as he ran. “Just hang on.”

He’d run several dozen yards before he heard the sound of something approaching behind him. Kendrick looked over his shoulder to see the Kraskol chasing after them on three gangly legs. He didn’t see Epi and cursed. Kendrick knew he couldn’t outrun the beast, not with the ground it was gaining.

Every piece of him wished he was his normal size again, then he could actually protect Twillow. He’d failed to keep her safe as he promised and now she was hurt. He snarled, vowing he’d rather die than let that demon get near Twillow and their Life Water again.

Kendrick held Twillow’s limp body tightly to his chest. He ran even though he could hear every long footfall of the Kraskol as it loped closer and closer. The hairs on the back of the man’s neck prickled. It was terrifying.

Finally, Kendrick skidded to a halt, ducked low, and placed Twillow on the ground very quickly. He kept himself in front of Twillow and whipped around just as the Kraskol leaped into an attack. Chest heaving with defensive rage, Kendrick met the creature head on. He swung a punch and connected with the Kraskol’s fiendish, hag head. The stringy hair of the beast flipped wildly as its head was turned from the blow. Kendrick kicked the Kraskol’s single front leg and dropped it to the dirt.

However, the creature was quick to recover and slashed vicious claws at the gray man, opening two gashes in his abs and across to his back. Kendrick snarled with pain but leaped atop the black abomination. Resembling a pair of battling Tom cats, Kendrick and the Kraskol wrapped up in a horrible thrashing mass of punching, slashing, and tearing limbs. Blood, both black and red, smeared the grass.

Twillow lay still and untouched nearby.

When the movement ceased, Kendrick was holding the Kraskol’s one front leg at bay with his right hand while his left gripped the gaping lower jaw. He tried to break its jaw by twisting it toward the skeletal chest. The Kraskol resisted violently. Despite its emaciated appearance it was very strong. In the blink of an eye its proboscis shot out and embedded in the top of the hand that gripped its jaw. Kendrick felt the sharpness and a cold, numb feeling began creeping up his hand and then his arm.

The paralytic venom.

Kendrick growled, eyes flashing with determination. Even though it opened him up for an attack, his right hand let go of the Kraskol’s arm, reached across, and snatched the invasive appendage in a crushing grasp. The Kraskol’s neck seemed to kink with pain as it tried to back away. But Kendrick only held on tighter, wringing the proboscis and yanking it out further. Appendage now free, the Kraskol began striking Kendrick repeatedly with its claws. More of his blood met the ground. The pain was beginning to overwhelm even the numbness.

He glared at the Kraskol, rasping, “You won’t touch her again.”

With harsh violence he jerked against the tube with all his strength. A sickening crackle and popping noise saw the appendage wrenched free as a fleshy lollipop. Waterfalls of black blood spewed between the demon’s teeth as it retreated backward along the ground, rubbing its face in the grass.

Bleeding from multiple punctures and gashes, Kendrick dropped the gory part and struggled to stand. He didn’t know if it was the paralyzing toxin or his bleeding but he was swaying dangerously like a beaten boxer. Kendrick’s injected arm had gone dead and he was feeling it creep into his neck.

Suddenly the Kraskol gave a shrieking roar and bulled into Kendrick, knocking him to the ground. All the man could do to defend himself was put his still functional arm in front of his face and neck. It wasn’t enough. The vicious front claws of the Kraskol descended for his throat.

“Twillow…I love you.” He thought instantly.

Much to his surprise her voice sounded far away but he heard her again, “Kendrick…!”

A flash of light and Kendrick thought he’d passed into the next life. Surprisingly, he still felt pain. The light died down and the Kraskol wasn’t over him anymore but the elegant form of a fae replaced it, fluttering just ahead of him. It took a second to realize it was Gelilah. Magic pink light was flowing down her arms and circling over her palms.

Painfully, Kendrick rolled into a sitting position to see the Kraskol several yards away. It looked much worse that before. It stood but collapsed as if more legs were broken. Part of its body appeared melted. The beast flopped around like a broken puppet, trying to stand.

Gelilah’s magic brightened, flashing as if agitated in her hands. She flew toward the Kraskol, moved her hands with a fast swipe, and unleashed a huge wave of magic. The ground tore behind the wave as if struck by a quake. It hit the Kraskol hard. Kendrick expected it to vaporize like the smaller one in the house, but it just seemed to resist destruction.

Even though he was hurt, Kendrick awkwardly crawled toward Twillow. He managed to reach her. Very slowly her eyes tracked him. More tears flowed silently from her eyes as she stared at him.

Kendrick placed his forehead to hers, whispering, “I’m sorry, my light. Forgive me.”

A second flash bright enough to rival the sun lit up the area. Kendrick laid his body over his mate, shielding her. Only when the light faded did he look back. Gelilah was hovering over a twisted black abstraction. It appeared the second blast of magic had done the Kraskol a fatal blow.

However, Gelilah began shouting with distress, “The head! Where’s the head!?”

Kendrick tried to get up but he couldn’t. All he could think to do was cling to Twillow and keep her safe. From across the Estate grounds several guards finally came running after hearing and seeing the commotion.

Gelilah gestured with insistent commands, “Quickly! We must find the head! It cannot escape! GO!”

Brun the minotaur bellowed orders, dispersing the guards to various parts in the area in the search as well as tending to the wounded. Knowing their mission, the group of guards scattered.

She gestured to a pair of flying guards, “You two! Go fetch Dr. Wentzel at once! Tell him we have several wounded here. GO! Fly!”

Nodding the pair flew with all speed out of the barrier into Marlayla.

Gelilah immediately flew over to where Kendrick was laying with Twillow, holding her head in his hands.

“Twillow?!” she was crying now.

Kendrick winced, “She’s paralyzed I think.”

Immediately, the frantic mother pulled up Twillow’s dress to view her stomach. She gasped a sob upon seeing a small dark mark marring the green skin. Kendrick saw it too and his stomach twisted into the tightest knot he’d ever felt.

“No…” he whispered.

Gelilah put her hands over Twillow’s middle. Her hands glowed faintly as she made slow passes over her skin. After a moment a sigh of relief escaped her.

“Her Life Water is still there.” She cried, touching Twillow’s face.

Kendrick felt tears sting him as his right hand covered his eyes. He gasped an exhale and felt himself collapse again.

“Thank you…thank you…” he whispered to whatever deity had smiled down on him and Twillow this night.

After a moment he felt a soft hand touch the top of his head. The warm familiar tingle of magic swept through him and the pain of his wounds waned. He still felt numb across his arm and shoulder but that was it. Kendrick lifted his head abruptly, wondering how Twillow had recovered so quickly and healed him. But it wasn’t Twillow’s hand.

He stared at Gelilah as she removed her healing hand. His expression was disbelief.

“You were very brave to protect Twillow like that.”

Kendrick blinked again, “You…you saved my life. Another second and you would’ve been rid of me.”

Gelilah closed her eyes and shook her head, “No. No, Kendrick. You are who Twillow needs. She can’t be without you.”

His eyes looked at Twillow, “Nor I without her.”

“Mrs. Birchwood!” one of the female centaur guards came running over.

“Did you find it?” she demanded.

She shook his head, “No…but…” her hands were cupped in front of her as she held them down toward the fae.

Laying limply across her palms was Epi, barely glowing.

Gelilah gasped and took him with gentle urgency, “Oh! Epi! My sweet little rose!”

Kendrick sat up with concern. Though the little fairy was kind of a pain toward him, there was no doubt he’d saved Twillow’s Life Water since he beat Kendrick to the spot of the attack. He’d attacked the Kraskol without fear…but paid the price.

“Is he…?”

The fae mother held the tiny fairy close, stood up, and used her magic to levitate Twillow from the ground, “Tanya, take Twillow to the house for me. Please hurry but be gentle.”

“Yes, Mrs. Birchwood.” The black coated centaur held out her hands when Gelilah’s magic floated Twillow into her arms.

With a loud buzz of her wings, Gelilah flew to the house fast. Kendrick wasn’t sure if Epi was alright, but Gelilah’s urgency seemed to suggest there wasn’t much time for the little guy. He looked up at the centaur, Tanya, carrying Twillow. He himself wanted to carry her, but with his deadened arm it would be nearly impossible. (He honestly was surprised it was just his arm that was paralyzed. Twillow went full body paralyzed almost instantly. Perhaps he was more resistant to the toxin?)

“Can she heal him?” Kendrick asked the centaur.

Tanya shifted on her hooves, “Fairies can heal fae…fae can’t heal fairies.”

“Why?”

She shrugged, “Not really sure. Just how it is. Come on. Let’s get Miss Twillow to the house.”

Holding Twillow close to her humanoid torso, Tanya galloped away. Kendrick held his arm and jogged after her. Part of him wanted to help find the Kraskol’s detached head, but his instinct to stay with Twillow and protect her was far stronger.

As he ran a bright glisten in the night sky over the mansion made him look up. It was Silky “swimming” through the air with Marci astride her long snaky back. He thought the Quetzal dragon had been locked up. But it seemed in light of what transpired, she was freed.

Now the attack from earlier that day and the strange “old death” scent on Callun’s body made sense. This was all triggered by the two Kraskols.

As Silky flew overhead she circled a few times before descending quickly and disappearing in the garden nearer the wall. With any luck they would find the Kraskol before it escaped.

…

Nearby…

Being able to detach its head from its torso and regrowing a new one was one of the abilities a Kraskol possessed. Granted, it took some time and lots of magic energy, but it could be done. However, without a functional feeding proboscis the process would take even longer. Perhaps requiring a few years of hibernation underground to regenerate one and a body. It had been so close to gaining the fae’s Life Water and energy, but too many complications arose.

Had it not detached its head when it did, it would’ve been destroyed by the older fae female. The bright light of her magic, though meant for its destruction, had been a perfect cover to escape unseen. Using the tentacle-like fibers of its neck flesh it scurried through the undergrowth. Now the magical stone it had taken would be very useful for its escape. All around it could hear the Estate guards searching. If it could get to the wall and slip through the barrier it could disappear into the nooks and crannies of the city, perhaps even leave all together to recoup a new form.

The grounds were expansive but the Kraskol’s head reached the wall. It used the bushes for cover and proceeded to find an adequate section to escape over. Like an octopus on land, the Kraskol slithered up the wall to disappear and regenerate.

A faint breath of wind was its only warning. The last thing its eyes beheld was razor sharp dragon teeth lunging down from the sky.

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