The Light of My Hearts

After sufficiently dealing with Farley and his men, Kendrick, Helia, and Gillam left Gerrymin into the countryside under the cover of darkness. Helia thought they might be pursued, but luck was on their side. (or most likely fear of the Gray Shadow)

They’d traveled a few miles when Helia glanced up at Kendrick from her spot in his shirt pocket, “I’m honestly surprised.”

His eyes moved down, “Surprised?”

“You didn’t kill him.”

He grunted, “Probably should have. But...he won’t be able to do any slaying with that injury and he’s out of giantsbane.”

Helia could still hear that stomach-turning cracking of Farley’s shoulder and arm bones in her memory. In a manner she almost felt bad because it reminded her of how her father had been injured on the job and had to retire. It had been tough for him to quit and accept that he had to quit. Farley would be no different.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt the cloth behind her start to grow damp. She squinted in the dark and saw Kendrick’s wound was still filling his shirt with blood as he walked.

“Kendrick are you still bleeding?” she asked.

He didn’t sound concerned, “It’ll heal.”

Helia shook her head, “No...I don’t think so. We need to stop and get that bleeding under control.”

“I’ll be fine.” He insisted.

She frowned then shouted down to Gillam on the horse, “Can you heal him, Gillam?”

The fae gave a disappointed look and shook his head, “Probably not for several more hours.”

Kendrick gave a huffy sigh, “I said I’m fine. It’s not the first time I’ve been shot you know. Besides, I need to get to the Parliel Realm and rejoin Twillow as soon as possible.”

“Have you ever bled that much?” Helia had a challenging lilt to her voice.

He shrugged.

With a firm hand she hit his chest, “Then let me tend to that...at least get the bleeding stopped.”

“When we get to Sig’s he can fix it.” The giant insisted.

“That’s still half a day away! You’ll be in trouble by then if you wait and walk that distance with a hole in you.” Helia sounded exasperated with his stubbornness.

“She’s right, Kendrick.” Gillam agreed. “That looks pretty bad. Helia knows what she’s doing.”

The giant frowned, seemed to think, and finally rolled his eyes, “Fine.”

He continued to walk until he found a low spot amongst some trees and hills that would provide some cover and was away from the main road. There was also a small stream nearby. Kendrick sat, his face betraying the pain he was feeling when he bent his torso.

“You are hurt.” Helia confirmed.

“So, I’m not invincible.” Kendrick grimaced, sounding annoyed even saying it.

Helia moved a bit in his pocket, “Well help me out of here, you wash that, and I’ll see what needs to be done.”

Gently, he removed the woman from his pocket, set her down on his leg a moment, and gingerly removed his bloody shirt. He hissed then growled as the puncture was aggravated by the movement. His whole chest was tinged with blood stain. He reached over to the stream and scooped up a few palm-fulls of water to rinse the wound. He growled some more. When he finished, he offered his hand to Helia. She stepped over into it and he raised her in front of his injury. However, it was dark and Helia couldn’t see with just the moonlight.

“Damn it’s too dark. I need a torch or something.” She griped.

Gillam eagerly flew up and landed next to her. Though he seemed weak he was able to make his hands glow brightly so she could view the wound.

“Oh...thanks.”

She peered at the puncture marring Kendrick’s massive torso. It was just above and to the left of his belly button. She frowned, noting how wide the opening seemed. It looked like she could easily bury herself inside it. How deep it was she couldn’t tell but it was flowing like a red creek down his side and below his belt.

“Looks deep.” Gillam commented.

She grabbed his glowing hand and moved it closer to see if she could find the leaking blood vessel. Seeing a wound that massive and bloody even made her a bit unsettled.

“Ok. Can’t stitch a puncture...it’ll get infected. Not sure I could get through your skin anyway.” Helia spoke as she looked. “Gonna have to cauterize this. That’ll stop the bleeding and stave off infection. Leaves a scar though.”

Kendrick snorted, “Add it to the rest.”

She gestured and he set her down. The woman went for her saddlebag and pulled out her flint and tinder to start a fire. Gillam had already rushed off to find some wood and in no time brought it back. After some work a steady fire was burning. Helia took out a dirk with a wide blade and set it to heat in the coals.

Kendrick frowned, not liking the idea of a glowing blade being willingly stuck into a wound of his. Most of the time his wounds stopped bleeding on their own. But he couldn’t remember a wound caused by humans that was this painful and deep.

They were getting more dangerous.

“Have you ever done this before?” Kendrick asked with some reservation.

Helia glanced up at him, “Several times.”

To illustrate she lifted her chainmail and then her jerkin to show her side and back. A row of four pink scars marred the spot, wrapping around from her waist to her back. Gillam leaned closer with concern.

“I did it when I got this.” The woman stated.

“What did that?” Gillam asked.

“Banshee lion.”

Banshee lions were oversized, black creatures that resembled lions in the body and eyes but their mouths were something designed in Hell. When it screamed its eardrum-shattering call the whole lower half of the head would fall away and a larger, tooth-filled mouth would appear down the length of the throat and onto the chest. And they were also armed with razor edged claws. Rare, but extremely deadly and not to be trifled with.

“You fought a banshee lion?” Kendrick lifted an eyebrow.

Helia nodded, “My dad and I were hired to kill one when I was nineteen. We killed it but didn’t realize there was a second one. Got the drop on us and damn near gutted me with those claws. Had to cauterize this wound so I wouldn’t bleed to death.” She gave him a quizzical look, “You know what a banshee lion is?”

“Sure. I used to catch them when I was a kid. But when they’d start screaming, I’d let them go. Hurt my ears...and they bite.” He admitted.

Helia shook her head. While she was nearly killed by a banshee lion...Kendrick was catching them like exotic bugs.

Gillam was listening and she pointed to his wing which had a cloudy section near the top, “Since we’re talking scars, I’ve always wondered, is that a scar or a birthmark?”

Gillam glanced over his shoulder, “Oh. I got in a fight and accidentally tore my wing when I was a boy. My mother healed it, but it just went cloudy. We never knew why.”

“Huh. So, you were the Hell-raiser of the family?” Helia jibed with a smile.

The fae laughed lightly, “I guess so. Twillow was the baby, Elmry was the helper, Hugo was the eccentric, and I was the fighter.” He smiled, “Seems you are too.”

Helia stirred the coals a bit more, “Yeah. You could say that.”

“You said you have a sister?” Gillam clarified.

“Yeah. My little sister Sessinae is more of a pretty girl...boy crazy. I was the ‘wanted to be like dad and make him proud’ girl.”

Gillam nodded, “I look forward to meeting her and your parents.”

Helia huffed with a lower voice, “I’m sure Sessinae will love to meet you.”

If she knew her sister, Sessinae would waste no time trying to get to know Gillam with his good looks and tall, fit stature. She would probably follow him around like a love-sick puppy the moment she glimpsed his face.

“You never had siblings, Kendrick?” Gillam asked.

“No.” Kendrick stated with a disappointed air. “No siblings. My mother died when I was very young and I was the only child she bore.”

Helia frowned with thought, “I’m kind of surprised your father didn’t find another female. You giants are so long lived after all?”

Kendrick shook his head, “No. I once asked for a little brother or sister but he said he never wanted anyone else after mother died. And...I don’t think there were any giants like us left anyway.”

“Surely there are some of your kind somewhere? Perhaps far away?” Gillam asked.

Kendrick shrugged.

“Kinda seems odd a long-lived species like yours would just die out.” Helia took out the glowing blade, “You’re not easy to kill.”

“Pop said the sickness that killed my mother was partly to blame. And he said our kind wasn’t very numerous to begin with.” He explained grimly.

“Sorry you...had to lose your mother.” Gillam offered his sympathy.

Again, Kendrick shrugged, “Too young to remember her really.” He thought a moment, “I do remember she sang to me, but that’s about it. I...I don’t remember her face anymore.”

The slayer nodded, held up the red-hot dirk blade, and then looked up at Kendrick.

“I think...this would be safer if you lay down. I’d rather you not squish me when I hurt you.” She instructed.

Kendrick gave a short laugh but did as he was asked. His huge body sprawled out on the grass like a chiseled gray wall. He made a noise of discomfort but watched the redhead approach his side with the glowing hot blade.

“Just hold still... and don’t kill me.” Helia warned. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

The giant nodded and seemed to ready himself mentally. Helia also took a couple readying breaths while Gillam lit the area. With a quick, yet careful movement the red-hot blade went inside the flowing wound. The horrible smell of burning flesh coupled with the unsettling sound of sizzling were enough to make anyone rethink eating for a while. Kendrick’s side seized up. His muscles flexed and writhed, yearning to get away from the burning blade. A deafening growl thundered from him as his fingers plowed through the earth, tearing deep grooves into it. His promise to hold still was proving difficult.

“Easy! Easy! Almost got it.” Helia shouted, trying to keep the blade steady while watching the giant’s every move.

Agonizing seconds passed before Helia finally withdrew the blade. Kendrick exhaled and breathed heavily, finally relieved of the pain. Then he unleashed a deafening curse that made both Helia and Gillam cover their ears. He sighed, sweating a bit. Helia and Gillam both observed the wound. It was open but it wasn’t pouring blood anymore.

“You better have done it right the first time, Slayer.” Kendrick warned through his teeth.

“Well, you’re not bleeding like a stuck hog anymore so I think it worked.” She concluded.

Kendrick let go of the chunk of ground he had ripped up and slowly sat up with a pained wince. He washed his hands and splashed some water over his face before washing the blood off of his side. Helia did the same upstream from him. The ground beneath Kendrick was literally turned into a muddy swamp by the time he was sufficiently cleaned. His fingers touched the tender but rough edge of his cauterized wound curiously. It definitely wasn’t bleeding anymore, but it looked pretty nasty.

“Thanks...I guess.”

Helia scoffed with a sarcastic tone, “I could have let you bleed out and collected your bounty...but I guess you’re welcome.” She smirked at him, “Besides, you still owe me my gold. Can’t let you die when you owe me money.”

Kendrick laughed, “Sure, Slayer. It’s not like you like me or anything.”

...

The trio continued on their way across the countryside, walked through the North Woods, and arrived at Kendrick’s mountain home by daybreak. All three were exhausted and slept for the better part of the day. When Kendrick awoke, he made his preparations to leave for the Parliel Realm. He shut up the tunnels to his home with the immense stone slabs, gathered a large portion of gold to take with him (as well as Helia’s payment), grabbed a small outfit to wear when he was cursed, and gathered up the last bit of produce for Sig and his family to enjoy.

He surveyed his home for a moment to make sure he remembered everything. Honestly, he’d never been away from his home for such an extended period of time. It felt strange to him. But his hearts were already yearning to see Twillow again. It had been at least three days since he’d seen her and the faint whiffs of her old scent that lingered in their home only made that desire stronger. He needed her: to see her, to smell her, to gently touch her.

With a deft pull he opened his back door slab just a bit.

“Come on you two! Let’s get going!” Kendrick shouted loudly into the tunnel that led to Twillow’s tree home where Helia and Gillam had slept.

Several minutes passed by and Kendrick was growing all the more impatient. Soon, Gillam flew in carrying Helia, who still seemed a bit tired.

“Geez, you’re loud.” She griped at the giant.

“And I am a day behind. Let’s go.” he retorted, shutting the back entrance.

Gillam flew Helia down to her penned horse and soon they were departing for Sig’s home.

“How are you feeling this morning?” Gillam inquired, flying just to the left of Kendrick’s shoulder.

“Fine. Just eager to be with Twillow again.” Kendrick replied, “How about you?”

The fae held up his burnt wrist which looked dark green and the mark on his long cheek was distracting, “Sore. But I should be able to summon my magic.”

Kendrick frowned, “Sig has some potions he used on Twillow once for iron burn. Seemed to alleviate the discomfort.”

“That would be great.”

In about an hour, they arrived at Sig’s home. Leon and Fina were outside running around while their mother and father were working on various outdoor chores.

“It’s Mr. Kendrick!” Leon and Fina cried out with excitement, running toward them.

Kendrick halted his feet immediately and knelt, allowing the children to close the gap, “Hey, pipsqueaks.”

He set his open hand on the ground and Leon and surprisingly Fina hopped onto his palm.

“Are you here to babysit us?” Leon asked as he held them up a bit.

He chuckled, “No. I’m here for your dad actually.”

“Aww. But we want you to babysit us again!” the boy complained.

Helia overheard the statement and was giving an incredulous look as she rode her horse up to the knelt giant, “YOU babysit?”

He shrugged, “Once.”

“It’s Helia too!” Leon waved, noticing the slayer from Kendrick’s hand.

“Hi, Leon.” Helia waved back and then waved smaller to his sister who was shyer. “Hi, Fina”

The little girl waved back and then looked up with amazed eyes when she saw Gillam descending to the ground with flashing wings.

“Who that?” she asked with a point.

“That’s Twillow’s older brother Gillam. Remember? He was here last time and told us Twillow is gonna have baby.” Leon explained before anyone else could.

“Hello.” Gillam greeted.

The children waved back until Leon looked up at Kendrick again, “Is Twillow gonna have a girl or a boy?”

Kendrick shrugged, “We don’t know yet.”

“I want it to be a boy!” Leon declared.

“No! Girl!” Fina disagreed.

The siblings argued louder and louder until Kendrick flexed his hand slightly, jostling them a bit to break up the disagreement.

“Easy you little goblins.”

“I’m not a goblin! You’re a goblin!” Leon shouted at him and then laughed at the face Kendrick made.

“Watch it, kid.”

“You’re a day late, Kendrick!” Sig called out as he approached with Leida.

Kendrick put the two children on the ground, “Yeah. It turned out a bit more complicated than I hoped it would be. But we succeeded.”

“That’s great news.” Sig turned back toward the house with a gesture, “Let me go get my staff.” He waved at Gillam, “Are you going to take care of the shrinking?”

The fae nodded and reached into his pouch for a yellow curse stone he had been given, “And if you have something for an iron burn, I’d greatly appreciate it.”

“Sure do! Be right back. Don’t do anything until I get back! I want to see this.”

Kendrick, meanwhile, reached into his pocket and brought out the sack of gold he promised Helia, “Here.”

She blinked at the large sack, wondering if her horse could even bear that weight. Honestly, she might not have to work for several years with the wealth he was handing her. (She wondered how much gold Kendrick had hoarded away.)

“Thanks.”

“You completed the job to my satisfaction. You’ll get the next part once you’ve helped me barter a peace.”

Helia sighed, “I still don’t know how I’m going to do that.”

“I can assist you.” Gillam offered.

Kendrick nodded, “When I return in a few months, I’ll have Twillow send a message to you with a plan.”

“You have no idea what that plan is yet do you?” Helia leaned on her saddle.

“No…not really. But I’ll think of something.” The giant admitted. “Oh, here. Hold these for me.”

He handed her a human-sized outfit of clothes and boots which she took. This time he was prepared.

Sig returned, helped Gillam’s iron burn, and they then all moved to the field near his house so he could open the portal. Kendrick sat in the field patiently. He took out another sack of gold from his pocket and set it down, knowing it would probably hurt him if he shrank with something that heavy in his clothes. Though the benefits of being cursed were well worth the suffering, Kendrick still didn’t relish the process.

Sig and his family had never seen the magic curse so they watched from a distance.

“Ok, Kendrick. Are you ready?” Gillam asked, holding up the stone.

Kendrick took a steady breath, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Gillam tossed the stone toward Kendrick, raised his palms together, and a bright white flash shot out. It struck Kendrick and as before he disappeared out of his clothes which collapsed softly in a pile.

“WHOA!” Leon’s mouth fell open.

“W-Where Mr. Kendrick go?” Fina asked with concern in her voice.

Gillam lowered his hands, sighing with exertion.

He looked back at Fina and said with a reassuring tone, “Don’t worry, little one. He’s in there. He’s just our size now.”

Soon, a much smaller form rose up out of the neck hole of the shirt, acting dazed. Helia walked her horse toward him and tossed the pile of clothes to him, which he caught. Kendrick got dressed. His expression seemed pained though with every movement. When he was dressed, he found the large sack of gold he had put down and tried to lift it. Something he could do with two fingers moments ago, now took most of his strength to shoulder. He grunted.

“Think you brought enough gold?” Helia joked.

“Apparently.” He groaned.

Helia unexpectedly reached her hand down to him. At first, he didn’t seem to know what she wanted until she moved her hand up and down to pantomime the gesture. He took her hand and shook it.

“Take care of yourself and Twillow over there. And tell her hello for me.” The woman requested.

Kendrick nodded, “I can do that. And…you do the same.”

He bid Sig’s family and Gillam a brief goodbye and soon he was walking over to Sig who still seemed awed by the visual of Kendrick being shrunk in person. (He’d have to ask Gillam how that spell worked.)

“Are you…ok?” Sig asked. “You look in pain.”

Kendrick winced, “Always hurts when I get cursed. But it will pass.”

“Oh. That’s good. Let’s get you to Twillow then.”

Sig adjusted his stance and began incanting. The orange and green stone atop his staff glowed intensely. The wind whipped up and lightning crackled out of nowhere around them. It seemed to take a little longer than before but the portal to the Parliel Realm opened.

“Come visit and as soon as you get back!” Sig called out, sweating as he held open the portal.

Kendrick gave a smile and patted him on the shoulder, “I will, Sig. Take care.”

And with that he traversed from the Lower Realm into the Parliel Realm.

…

Kendrick stepped through the portal and much to his surprise he was at the Birchwood Estate. Hugo was nearby holding his portion of the Sunfire Topaz. They appeared to be in in the ballroom with the musical tree. Once Kendrick was clear of the portal, Hugo waved down his hands and it closed.

“Hello, Hugo.” Kendrick greeted him.

Hugo, dressed in a bright orange jacket with a high, fluffy collar, gave a sigh, sounding inconvenienced, “Honestly, can I get a little more warning when you Lower Realmers are planning a visit? Who knows who could’ve seen this?”

Kendrick gave a quizzical look, “How would we warn you?”

“[Sigh] I need to commune with Sig so we can come up with a signal of some sort. This isn’t actually legal you know?” Hugo gestured.

“Didn’t Twillow tell you I was coming?”

“Oh yes. But she didn’t know when. Thank the gods I wasn’t in the middle of a big gathering. My sister mind spoke to me through the stone before she came through so I had more warning. With you the stone just started crackling and glowing.” He huffed and then glanced around, “So, my older brother didn’t bother to show himself?”

“Uh. No. He stayed behind.”

“Is he really chasing monsters in the Lower Realm… or is he chasing that fiery human woman, I suppose?” he smirked.

“Something like that.” Kendrick agreed.

Hugo giggled to himself, “Goodness. The scandals never stop!”

Kendrick gave a confused look. Scandals?

The tall fae finally greeted, “It’s good to see you again, Kendrick.”

Kendrick nodded and then began to make his way to the doors that would lead out of the expansive room and toward the stairs.

“Are you going upstairs to Twillow’s room?”

“Isn’t that where Twillow is?”

“Yes. But that’s where mother is too.” Hugo warned him.

“And?” Kendrick raised a brow.

“I wouldn’t…” Hugo began but perked his head as if he heard something.

Quite suddenly a squall of wind surged up from nowhere and the ballroom doors flew open with a chaotic bang.

Before Kendrick could register what was going on a flash of bright pink light shot toward him as a distorted thundering voice screamed, “YOU!”