Leonard

(AUGUST'S POINT OF VIEW)

I walked down the broad corridor, leading to Christian's office. The man has shared with me that he is my father, also sharing that the overuse of my Dark Magik in the war against the Forbidden Empire, a large percentage of my memory had been lost due to the Revival Ritual automatically taking over. With Christian's help, I was able to locate Kyra and Graceona, but, it was Darin who revealed my relationship with both women.

Not going into important details, he had shared that Graceona is my wife and the one who dealt with Cryptika. Even to his best abilities, I felt as though I cared for Graceona in a respective sort of way, a part of me enjoying the embrace and the kisses we shared, Graceona was real and honest, it felt like an all-time, all too familiar feeling.

Feelings like someone else had taken over me while I was with her, a man willing to kill, to keep her and Kyra safe. The man felt like though even in peaceful times, he had both eyes open and sharp hearing, this was something I needed to bring to Darin and Chrisitan's attention.

Even as I walked this faintly lit hallway, the man's presence still seemed to linger, not just on the inside of my soul, but I can feel an aura, like eyes watching me in the shadows or some larger picture, their eyes are his gateway to my location.

"Coward, did you honestly believe that you could have a real woman like Graceona. She is already suspicious of you. Graceona knows me well enough to know that she can tell when I am lying to her face, did I forget to mention Graceona is a mind reader, you made yourself look like a bigger idiot than I could ever make you look, congratulations. "

I looked seeing a man who looked at me, his face like mine, but his hair long and black, his attire that of a long sleeve dark red shirt, black leather pants, and steel-toes black leather boots. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" the man wore a face of stone.

"Who am I ask, you ask August, you may be able to fool those who don't know me, but this game is going to come to an end, you are not going to drag my name down, the Shepherd name is not one for being mocked. I know Christian is for you, looking at you as some innocent child, but I know who and what you are, and I promise you this August, everyone who has tried to keep me from my family, don't live to tell the tale."

"You're Leonard Shepherd."

The man smirked, "The one and only August, Graceona made the mistake of allowing her doppelganger run amok, but me, you picked the wrong person to steal their identity, shapeshifter."

"Are you-"

Leonard got a dagger from its sheath twirling it around his fingers, "August Rowles, Prince of the ShapeShifters, and individual who led his people to slavery, running like the coward you are to safety. I've been following you for a while now. Unlike you, I am no shapeshifter, or am I vampyre, I am everything you have tried to be, and wished that you could be." He stopped twirling the dagger pointing it in my direction as a red aura glowed, "Graceona, sees through your mask, you have failed August, I'm here to expose your lies, and I will do it one piece at a time."

(Leonard's Point of View)

I looked at August as my dagger glowed and started to lengthen, "Oblivion even knows something is not right, for you see, this weapon only comes to the one who created her if you were the real Leonard Shepherd my sword would be quickly coming to you. She senses your fear, she can tell a lie and a snake when they come from hiding, Oblivion is not pleased, it's time to reveal your true self Rowles and maybe Oblivion may show you a hint of kindness."

"You're talking about a sword Leonard, we need to get you back to civilization."

I watched as the sword reach its maximum length. It was touching August's boot. The red glow growing stronger, "Foolish little ShapeShifter, Graceona is the same with her lovely scythe, she can, and has brought great pain and suffering, when she summons the souls hidden within." I glared at him, " You may think we're two crazy creatures with our magical artifacts, but you must realize this is a world full of supernatural relics, you do realize this fact, right? If not, what rock have you been hidden under all your life? There is nothing human in these Realms." I looked at the creature before me, "Christian wants order in his kingdom August. Though I can't make you leave for, I don't feel like answering many unnecessary questions, but I am willing to make your existence more miserable than it is now. Just a friendly warning, cut out this bull of being me, no one is falling for it any longer. Save yourself the efforts, you're looking and smelling like a wet dog, you have lost all respect."

I put my dagger that was now at its regular size back into its sheath, leaving August and started walking towards Graceona's room. Upon arriving, I opened the door to hear the shower running I walked over to the bed seeing a tiny crib at the foot of the bed walking over to it, I looked to see a newborn looking up at me, with glowing lavender eyes. Dressed in a white frilly dress with pink roses and a large pink flower on a large pink bow with lace and a pink gem in the middle of the bow. She looked up at me, laughing, chewing on her tiny fist.

"Seems like she likes you." I heard Graceona say from behind me.

I turned around as Graceona looked at me, shocked, "Leonard? Is that you? Or another imposter."

"Is it too late to renew our wedding vows, I may be a year behind, but better late than never, right?"

"You truly are the real Leonard, not some cheap knockoff. I've seen enough fakes since you passed. But now you're right here, and despite everything, you're asking me to renew a vow? For you, Leonard, it's never too late. Feels like a nice change, to be honest."

She looked at me, bursting into long-awaited tears as I held her close with a smile, "I have seen new human mothers, and Lupir mother's. I guess once it comes to childbirth, both are emotional during birth and after, it's funny how much pregnancy can bring out the beauty in even the most powerful warriors."

She looked at me confused, "I'm not crying because of childbirth, Leonard, this whole year without you, when I turned myself in this afternoon, I was prepared for death. I wanted to join you, I wanted more than anything to be with you.

I kissed her hair, "Shh, it's okay now, my beloved. We're together now, everything is going to be fine now, I'll carry you through this depression, as I always have. We'll get through this trial together, I promise. Just try to hang on a little longer, you will finally have your peaceful time as well as everything you deserve. Just keep fighting for me, you are the rock that keeps me fighting these battles, without you I would be nothing. Your family is together again."

She looked at me, her arms tightly around my neck, then she looked at the baby, "She looks just like you, her name is Kourtney," I watched as a smile came to her lips as she wiped her eyes.

"She's beautiful, my love, a happy child, full of laughter. Almost like Kyra." I looked at her as she got Kourtney from the crib handing her to me. I got her in my arms, looking down at her, fighting back my own tears. I stroked her hair.

"She's got your skin color, We're blessed with two beautiful girls." I smiled. "I'm the only male in this family, that hardly seems fair, my love." I looked at Graceona with a smile, kissing her lips, "Now I have three reasons for fighting. Three reasons to feel hope in this madness." I sat on the foot of the bed, holding Kourtney close.

(Graceona's Point of View)

I watched as Leonard whispered something into Kourtney's ear. As the child giggled. "What's the secret, I want to know."

Leonard looked at me then at the baby in his arms, "You think I'm keeping secrets from you, my love, me of all people?"

I looked at him with a smile, "Well, she's laughing about something."

He looked at me with a smiled, "True, I told her that I would sneak her some Dream Cheese Pie, it's not a crime, my love, children have to eat."

I laughed, "She can't have that, she needs milk, in a month, feel free to sneak her all the Dream Cheese Pie you want. She'd get sick if she ate it now."

"I disagree with you on that one my love, Kyra is my witness to that, when you were always gone I fed her Grand Mango and Pine all the time, she tolerated it well. It made her into quite the actress and the best secret keeper."

She looked at me, " Please tell me you're lying."

He looked at me, "I'm serious, like I said, best secret keeper, it's been nineteen years, and you just find our about it, not through her, but by me."

"I'm feeling tired now, with all this crying, bringing Lupir's into the world and sleepless nights, that's a lot for one person" she stroked my face, "Are you going to bed, right now?"

She looked at me with hopeful eyes, " Of course I'll lie down with you, our love isn't just for the creations of lives, it is for us to take care of one another through whatever madness this corrupt world throws our way, you sleep, I'll take care of Kourtney."

I placed Kourtney back into her crib as we lay on the bed Graceona smiled laying her head on my chest, I looked at her as she laughed a little, "Some things never change do they, Leonard. You may be a feared leader, but once it comes to us, you seem to melt in our hands."

I smiled, "I am sweet to everyone when they know their place. "

"You smell like pine and forest," I looked at her as she smiled, "it smells good, much better than fire, blood, and sweat." I kissed her hair.

"You smell like the exotic Pompetor rose, and the honeydew that covers the forbidden gardens in this realm, it suites you." I watched as she smiled.

"You can thank Rosalinda for that, she made the bath soaps I used earlier. She had picked out an outfit for me to wear, but it was long sleeves, I'm not much on long sleeve shirts, I put it on until I got in here, I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I just put on this gown, I need to bring some clothes. All I have here is an outfit for one day."

I looked at her, "Grace, one outfit is all you need. This realm is strictly based on creation, with one outfit you visualize an outfit, and whatever you imagine, the outfit will transform into the image. Pompetor is a realm that is 100% magik based, only royalty and warriors carry weapons, and even those work like the clothes, I was wondering if you had planned on sleeping in a servant's gown."

She was silent as I looked to see that she was deep in sleep. I smiled, kissing her hair, looking out of the massive dome that covered the roof of the room. The trees and purple skies mixed with hints of black and hot pinks, thousands of stars sprayed across the sky, the galaxy sky, the people of Pompetor always called it, as a shooting star flew by and the creatures outside relaxing me as I closed my eyes to take in the noises.