Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 122: Frenzied

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Two: Frenzied

The next morning, after everyone had eaten, packed, and readied themselves to depart, the faerie girls said their farewells and Krishna gave Xaphile a tight hug, all the while making sure to avoid touching his hair. When she pulled back, her amber eyes were gleaming.

"I look forward to the day when you return with your brother, Vadil," she said. "May the wind speed you along your journey in good favor."

Xaphile nodded, pulling away.

Once he was done he grabbed his pack and put it on, realizing that it had been forever since he'd been able to wear it. His wings were tucked firmly against his shoulder blades, so the pressure being set against them didn't really bother him all that much.

"Where to now?" he asked.

"The barrier separating Calcoon from the Mortal Realm is that way," Vordt pointed into a sparse section of the forest, then leapt atop his buck and tossed his hair. "We will reach it quite shortly since we made camp close enough for me to feel the vibrations of its magic."

"All right," Ella snipped, walking over to her mount. "Let us be off then."

"Do not mount your horses," Vordt barked, halting her in her tracks. "Instead, lead them by those reins you humans are so fond of, for the easiest way to get through this unscathed will be by walking through the barrier in pairs of two."

"If you say so," Ella muttered, furrowing her brows.

"Also, before we go," Gus instantly piped up, "there's still the issue of concealing your true nature with illusion magic. Same goes for Vrael and Xaphile."

Vordt stared at him, then closed his eyes with a snort.

With little fanfare, he let loose a sharp set of musical notes, belting them out harshly.

The air around his body immediately began to ripple like water, and before the eyes of everyone present, his horns began to disappear, his long ears grew round like a human's, his tail dissolved with a ripple, and the claws on his hands and feet were replaced by normal fingernails.

When he stopped singing and opened his eyes, round pupils met everyone's gaze.

Xaphile gawked at him with his mouth hanging open.

"Y-you look like a human!" he spluttered. "How did you do that?!"

"Like this," Vordt snorted, then raised a hand and began to sing again; a chilly sensation washed across his skin and he gasped, closing his eyes as the feeling spread up and down his spine in cool waves. He shivered slightly for a few moments... then it was over.

"Whoa!" Vrael suddenly squawked. "What did you do to him?!"

Xaphile whirled around to see Vrael pointing at him with wide eyes, but a fair amount of shock flooded through him when he realized that the halfling's sharp ears had been replaced with round tips, and instead of seeing the usual glossy silver hair, his tresses were a dark shade of blonde. His eyes, similarly, were no longer their unique reddish brown, but a natural hazel.

"Holy shit!" Xaphile breathed. "Vrael, you look totally different!"

"What?" Vrael asked, blinking. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you look like a human, too! Even your ears, hair, and eyes!"

"Your point?" Vrael scoffed, touching his hair in confusion. "Asgrog's forge, Phil, nothing that changed on me could be as profound as the changes that he made to your appearance! You look completely human!"