The Scourge (Mature!! LSU's accepted)

[Weasel Overlord]

I’m sooo sorry this is so late guys! Buut it’s longer than I was expecting, which makes up for my horrendous business-hindering-my-role-playing, I guess. Hooray! Character development! Hope you’re ok with this, Denny and Rio.

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--* Hippogriff // Leucetius Daithi Íomhar // Lightning *--

The battles had been intense and especially tiring and Leucetius’ arms were aching like lumps of lead would ache if they could ache from pulling the string of his longbow so many times. He’d dropped it to the floor as soon as they’d landed at Kiina’s flat and there it had stayed, propped up against the burnished brown hatstand cluttered with coats right next to the long quiver of arrows, some still stained with ichor at the tips.

He had helped as best he could with the injured, and then agreed to take a watch…just in case anything came back for desserts. Although he had no idea what he’d actually do, even if anything did come back. His arms hurt far too much to use the bow again, and he didn’t think that hand-to-hand combat was his forte, oddly enough.

Covering a huge yawn with his hand, Leucetius closed his eyes enough to still allow sight to filter through his lashes, and dug deep within himself, searching for that elusive but electric presence that inhabited each and every corner of his mind.

-Daithi?- He attempted, feeling a flicker of recognition from the proud beast. –Daithi…I am…unsure…I…can I rely on the power of my bow forever? I’m afraid that it will fail, no, I’m sure it will… and then what? Daithi…I think I’m just…afraid.-

-Leucetius Íomhar, you are my chosen one. You shall prevail, even if others do not. Do not doubt your powers, for soon will come the day when you will unlock all that lies within. Do not fear, for I can help you in more ways than what meets the eye…- The Hippogriff almost seemed to chuckle at this thought, something which startled Leu. Daithi didn’t seem the type to laugh; his personality mirrored his own so perfectly that Leucetius would swear to anyone that Daithi was a part of himself, and not in fact, some external force that just happened to choose him to save the world.

Daithi had relayed to Leucetius that he’d been around since the beginning; when the Scourge had first come to pass. He’d chosen a champion then, as now, and they had fought together, finally going to rest once the earth had been cleared of the Scourge which tainted it. And although the Scourge itself was under a different guise today, it was still the same evil, and Daithi, he had admitted, was a little scared too.

For if they managed to penetrate the defences of the chosen ones and their beasts then the world was lost.

Leucetius had promised fervently to never let that happen, and although he didn’t say it out loud, both knew that this was to the death, for it was not worth living on if the Scourge prevailed.

And so Leucetius had practised. Practised until his palms and fingertips bled from the bowstring and until the smell of the beeswax-coated string and the tang of lightning was the only thing he could sense, filling his mouth, nose and spirit until he lost himself to battle and the storm. He could feel slight changes overcoming him as he fought. Almost imperceptible, they lingered on the edge of his consciousness, begging to be found, and yet still elusive. Maybe he needed more training. Leu shrugged; the memories of his and Daithi’s promise served to dispel his fears as he watched over the girls in Kiina’s little flat with no little nervousness.

He’d managed to snatch a few hours of sleep, deep in the night, so he didn’t feel so rough when he was jolted fully awake in the morning by the smells of cooking and the noises of a stirring flat.

The group sure were a strange mix. They amused Leucetius a little. Especially sulky, moody Ivan. Leu knew that he shouldn’t be amused by the guy, but nevertheless he was, inexplicably, much to the chagrin of Ivan himself, who seemed to take personal offence if anyone even looked at him.

Leu had grabbed a piece of toast and some of the chocolate that Joey had managed to pilfer before being knocked out by a large bag of sugar, and scarpered. Retreating to the top of the building for some air and a quiet think, he was shocked to find Kiina at the top of the stairs, sitting at the edge of the roof, her legs dangling over the little wall she was perched on.

“Hey.” Leu grunted, unsure of what to say in this new company when he had been expecting solitude. He took a bite out of his slice of toast, grimacing at the coldness of his breakfast before devouring the rest in two more bites. “Nice toast Kiina…” He made an attempt at conversation, unsure of what to say. She looked distant, staring off into the morning mist pensively.

“Leucetius…”

“Call me Leu…please.”

“Okay, Leu. What dya think we can actually do with these…powers we’ve got? I mean… surely our Beasts wouldn’t leave us defenceless…” She trailed off, as if unsure of what else to say and Leucetius took the moment to sit himself down on the wall next to her, legs hanging off the edge comfortably.

“Daithi told me to be patient…I don’t know what else we can do, but I’m sure that there’ll be something else. Dunno what, mind…” Leu chuckled and smiled at Kiina, sat so nervously on the edge of the wall. “I don’t know about you, but I just felt like I had to get somewhere high up… not entirely sure why though…” Leu broke off with a wry grin. “Daithi hasn’t told me yet.” Kiina gave a little snort of laughter, her eyes widening slightly.

“I felt like I should he high up too, you know. Weird…” She turned to stand and go back inside, grabbing Leucetius’ arm to steady herself on the little wall. Reaching up with her foot, she got a hold on the morning-damp bricks. A little bit of mortar crumbled away as she put weight on her foot to pull herself up, but as she straightened, more mortar crumbled away, leaving a perilous gap between the brick she was standing on and sweet fresh air.

Uttering a little shriek, Kiina fell backwards, he foot flying up in the air and her grip on Leu’s arm tightening, pulling him with her as she toppled from the roof.

“Shit!” Leu yelled, holding onto Kiina as he slipped off the wall. Trying to protect her from the fall as best he could, he gathered her in his arms, legs flailing, as thunder cracked above their heads and the tang of lightning rushed to fill his nostrils.

Screaming inarticulately, Leucetius squeezed his eyes tight shut as a ripping sound filled his ears. His shirt tore apart at the shoulders, and magnificent wings spread to either side, catching the thermals as Leu dared to open one eye. The falling sensation had stopped… but now there was a wrenching at his shoulder muscles and a beating sound in his ears.

Gasping, he looked around at the wings which stretched to both sides of his vision, beating strongly almost without his bidding.

“Kiina!” He called, leaning down so he could speak into her ear. “We’re not dead! Look!” She opened one tightly shut eye and then exclaimed in shock.

“What the… You’re flying Leu!” Beaming from eye to eye, Leucetius lowered himself and his precious passenger to the ground in relief, staggering at the poor landing and then collapsing to the floor in shock. Shaking with adrenaline, he grimaced at the pain in his shoulders and the tears in his shirt before catching Kiina’s eye. She was smiling broadly.

“You can fly Leu!” Her smiles were infectious, and Leucetius burst into laughter, tears forming at the corners of his eyes as his wings draped across the ground, one of them flopping over Kiina as she dissolved into helpless giggles.

“And I thought we were gonna die…I wonder if everyone can do this…” He eyed Kiina, who settled herself, although a giggle still passed over her face occasionally as the import of what had just happened hit her. “How about we throw Ivan from a tall building and see if he flies?” Kiina snorted with laughter, helpless in the throes of excitement and relief.

“I wanna try…” She managed to say, once her laughter had been mastered with a few deep breaths. “And ooh, but your wings are pretty Leu-Leu. All grey and nice! I wonder what mine will be like… if I can fly, of course… let’s go try Leu! Come on!” She leapt up, disentangling herself from the yellow-veined feathers of Leu’s wings and reaching down to grab his hand. Hauling him upright, she dashed in through the front door, intent on trying out her own flying skills before the others could find out about this new ability.

Leu smiled as he was tugged through the building. Daithi had said that his powers would be revealed in time. He just hoped that he didn’t have to almost die every time the Hippogriff wanted to teach him something new.