Beyond the Veil

Chapter 29

As days passed, Sera noticed a shift in her life that she couldn't have anticipated. For the first time in her life, things were good. She was happy.

As the attacks increased in frequency, Saul had become a constant presence in her life. In the face of unseen dangers, it was Saul, her unyielding guardian, who stood as the barrier between Sera and all that sought to harm her.

As the threat of the supernatural loomed larger, Sera found herself seeking his reassuring presence, and she, in turn, was his unwavering support. He grounded her in the most intimate and vulnerable way she had ever experienced. Saul's wisdom, and his knowledge of the dangers and trials in the world became a necessity for Sera that she relied on in the face of uncertainty.

The trust between them was palpable, and he had grown to rely heavily on her. Unbeknownst to her, Saul carried burdens and fought silent battles in the depths of his forest, yet in her presence, he found solace and deeply yearned for her healing touch and rejuvenating spirit. She offered him a glimpse into the world of the living—one that he had long detached himself from.

The days that passed were wonderful, as they both rejoiced in the tender friendship and the intimate feelings that had blossomed between them.

Saul had begun walking her to classes every day, and generally stayed with her until he was sure she was safe in her home. Saul was disgusted by the hoard of creatures that followed after Sera, waiting for him to make a mistake and leave her alone for a second and let her fall into their grasp.

He would never.

Saul watched with interest as students flooded the open sidewalks, all scurrying in different directions, rushing to meet their timelines, each living their individual lives, and he saw the spirits that existed amidst them. Haunting entities that lingered in the shadows under their nose, waiting, watching. They were twisted creatures, malformed, humanoid in shape, and marred by an otherworldly darkness. Their skin was ashen and pallid, their limbs elongated, and their eyes, hollow and void of emotion, gleamed with an eerie luminescence. They kept their attention on Sera. It upset him deeply.

He figured he would have gotten used to it by now, but it was impossible. Watching them roam this plane, driven by their instinctive desires, salivating over her and her scent. It angered him in a way he wouldn't have thought possible. The pathetic creatures would take the first opportunity they could get, had he not kept them at bay. The laws of nature were unyielding, it was raw and primal, they would consume her completely without a second thought, and she would be defenseless to fight back.

He would never let that happen. In the end, none of them would ever approach her as long as he is here. He was still in disbelief that she wanted to open her eyes, she couldn't possibly want to see the entire plane of lifeless beasts who crawl timidly after her, craving her for sustenance.

He felt the urge for violence swell through his chest. Spending decades by himself, destroying insidious spirits as they crept through the gate made him think he was beyond such human things. But she awoke so many things in him that he realized he had forgotten. He forgot how it feels to be so desperate to keep someone safe, that everything else ceases to matter. It wasn't just keeping the evil spirits from coming out of the gate anymore, everytime he removed the energy that animated them, he saw it as one more fiend that will never lay its eyes upon her.

As much as he disliked it, his options were either to destroy everything that ever hungered for her, stay with her and keep them at bay... or mark her. All the options were nonoptimal. Every being that saw her wanted her, she was a beacon for monsters and it wouldn't be right to take them all out. There must always be balance.