~ The Wyvern's Own ~
by MKang


Disclaimers: The usual stuff...


Chapter One

The Elven Tragedy

Connor James McKnight was half elven from the start, his mother was full elven as his father was full human. He inherited immortality and magical gift from his mother, and from his father he got tolerance to alcohol. That was a plus since immortals up to elves could get drunk easy, and the only type of immortals that could never get drunk were the ancient gods. Another thing that which made this important was the fact the Guardian Spirit Wyvern of the village was looking for his own apprentice to who he could pass on his position, title, and power. And since the fact that the Guardian Spirits specified half elven/human child who could never get drunk, Connor's parents were shocked that the child drank a jug of the strongest alcohol secretly, surprised that he was not at all drunk one bit, pleased that they could sponsor their boy as the Wyvern's own apprentice. The proud parents even hoped that his twin sister could join him in that capacity, but Kyana unlike her brother would be dead drunk after one sip of even the weakest alcohol.

"We don't understand," Lilyranna, Connor's mother pardoned the Guardian Wyvern. "They are twins, they both should be tolerant or both intolerant. How could one be tolerant and not the other?"

"Love," Samuel, Connor's father tried soothe her feelings, which mirrored his own. "We should be grateful at least one fits the requirement. Besides, what kind of home would it be if we didn't have any child to raise? Be grateful that we are keeping one while making the other great. And I have no doubt Connor will be able to visit us."

"Lilyranna, princess of the Celtic Star Elven tribe." Intoned the Wyvern. "Your husband made some good points which you should listen to. And I am pleased to have just one of your children as an apprentice. And he will visit you every six years for a whole month starting now." And since the boy was six years old, it meant he could start his education right away or stay with his family for a month. Connor and Kyana having to listen to Wyvern and their parents whispered back and forth until he made up his mind. "Father," the young boy spoke as he stood facing the adults. "I will stay and begin my education now."

Everything was fine until Connor's third and what would be his final visit, a tragic incident on his 24th birthday. He arrived landing a winged lion on the outskirts of his village, as he got off the animal's back, he felt a sharp pain all over his body. He felt this only once before, when he killed an elf by mistake when he was hunting a deer for his meal. Of course that elf was a dark elf, elves so evil, that they were about kill his mother who came visit him, so in the end of it all he rescued his mother. But this was different, his village was being attacked. Connor raced down the hills and hurried to town at least save his family.

But that was not meant to be, everyone lay dead before him including the......elves? How was this possible? The elves weren't beheaded by other elves or half elven like him, and that was the only way for elves to die, otherwise, they be immortal and ready to come back to life. But the one bit spark of immortality that he sensed in elves who were not fully dead was not there, those who were soon to be revived by immortality had something in them he could sense.

However, the elves and other half breeds were just empty shells. He would not find his parents among the dead, a relief, since they were both beheaded by dark elves two years after his second visit. All he hoped was that his lovely sister with his nephews and nieces were not among the dead as he dreaded. The more he searched for survivors, the more he was losing hope. He found all his nephews and nieces among the dead along with his brother in law, what assurance did he have for finding his sister alive......he felt it, a spark of immortal life, could it possibly be, he dare not hope, but it felt like his sister's. Connor ran to the direction as fast as he could.

She was lying on the ground next to a pool of blood that surely must be hers, he knelt down at the sight of her broken body. He scooped her up in his arms and shook her to get a response. He lost his parents but he was not going his sister after losing more of his family. "KYANA, DON'T YOU LEAVE ME, DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND. YOU'RE ALL I GOT LEFT, DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE YOUR BROTHER."

"Brother.....," she was coming to, a sign for the better. "Where are my children?"

"They...are dead, as your husband is." He wished he had better news to tell her. "Who did this, tell me Kyana."

"....said his...name was...Patrik ..Kueros. Would not let the Wyvern's Own destroy him. Looked for you...calling you the Highlander......." And with those words she too was now an empty shell like all the others, dead in her grieving brother's arm.

"KYANNNNNAAAAAAAA."

That was a thousand years ago, Connor had been suicidal since then, but every time he tried to take his own life, they would be there in his mind. Then he heard of Connor and Duncan McLeod were nearly killed by Kueros when they each were children over the centuries. Now, the two were in more danger from Kueros more than ever.

Amanda was not expecting any guests of the immortal kind when Methos and the two infamous McLeods with Joe Dawson came in. Nick Wolfe and Lucy were told of what kind of visitors were coming by the look on her face.

"Maybe you should get your sword and take the head...." Lucy was interrupted as the door opened suddenly, while Nick was agreeing with her.

"Now what kind of friend would she be if she did that?" Duncan asked. "Amanda, I heard you went to thieving again only to team up with an ex-cop."

"Duncan, how nice to see you. Uh- where are my manners?" She turned to her mortal friends. "I should begin, shouldn't I? Nick, Lucy, these are my friends Duncan and Connor McLeods, this is Methos and Joe Dawson. Guys, these are Nick Wolfe and Lucy Backer. Nick, Lucy, they all are immortals except for the old cheese. He's a mortal, a Watcher in fact."

"So I finally meet the infamous McLeods," Nick said just as Joe was saying "Old cheese?"

"This social gathering maybe hazardous to your health," said a new voice, the group turned to see who had spoken. There was nothing there... then out of nowhere Connor James McKnight was standing there. "I am Connor James McKnight, son of Samuel and Princess Lilyrana of the Celtic Star Elven tribe. And the McLeods are in danger from a madman named Patrik Kueros. We must travel back in time to ancient Greece to prevent the extermination of elves by enlisting the help of Hercules and a woman named Xena.

"Before you start asking questions, let me tell you that the elves were real and numerous. They were, as I am now, immortal. If they and half breeds were beheaded by another elf or half breed, they died, and that was the only way for elves can be killed, or so we thought. That changed a thousand years ago, when I was still a young lad. I was learning many great things from a Guardian Spirit known as the Wyvern, and I could only visit my family only every six years for an entire month. I was six when I began my education. It was on my third visit, my village was destroyed with all the elves dead with their heads still attached to their shoulders. Kueros was the cause of it all, he feared that I would be his undoing. My sweet sister, Kyana told me that Kueros sought me out while he called me the Highlander. Connor and Duncan, you did not know it then, but he tried to kill you each when you were children. Now enough this, we go NOW." With his final words, he flung his arms wide open and let a leaf drop from his hand. He and the McLeods vanished leaving the others behind.

Chapter Two

The Voyage to Ancient Worlds

Xena and Gabrielle were relaxing in the Amazon village while Lila, the younger sister of Queen Gabrielle was making pest of herself, and her parents were scolding or making life miserable for Ephiny. Eponin, Solari, and Xenon were having a laugh riot. The rest of the village merely had the look of school children being punished for tormenting the teacher. They have asked Ephiny, their queen and Xena if they would bring some villagers from both Poteidia and Amphypolis. The poor Amazons did not know that it also mean Gabrielle and Xena's family would come.

"Next time," Ephiny cried to the pensive Amazons, "you will all scrub the......"

She did not finish her sentence because there were three strangers among them, one moment ago they were not, now they were, all very handsome to say the least. Of course one of them looked really odd, and that may have something to do with his pointed ears. They wore odd clothes except the one with pointed ears, he was wearing tight fitting buckskin trousers and shirt. The other two were having coughing fit. "Hey, elven one." The darker of the other two spoke, but what did he mean by "elven" and apply it to the one not coughing? "Does it usually leave one coughing when you cast a time travel spell?"

"I have no idea it would affect you so, after all, you are immortals like me. Now, Duncan, if you are done coughing, have Connor search for this Xena woman, unless you two wee little boys of the Clan McLeod are actually cowards and wimps despite your reputations."

"Now, you listen here, Connor James McKnight, we may be immortal, but we are not elves, and you are only half an elf." That was the one was a shade lighter than Duncan.

"Details, details, details." Connor James McKnight was not amused by the younger immortals. "When in blazes will you two stop pointing out every wee little details?"

"Alright," Xena was getting tired of the bickering between the three. "What do you want from me, boys?"

"It's not us," Connor McLeod detested, "it's him." And he pointed Connor James McKnight. "He is the one responsible for us being here."

"The young lads do not appreciate what I am trying to do." McKnight sighed heavily. "For a thousand years I have watched a madman, possibly a demon, destroy the elven kind to a very close extinction. If he drives the elves total annihilation, then he will regain his immortality with it his demonic powers, which could destroy the entire universe. I need your help because you have fought demons and won. Kueros must be defeated now, when his powers are still developing."

"Okay," That came from Gabrielle, "you got our cooperation. When do we start, how many people do you need-."

"I need Xena and Hercules, not you." Connor was getting a headache.

"Where ever I go, she goes." Xena stated flatly.

"This could really get very ugly, fine, the little brat can come along, but if she becomes in any way a liability, she comes back here." Connor hated working with the beer bottle types. "Now, where do we find Hercules?"

"Why are you looking for him?" a feminine voice in either Irish or Scottish accent inquired from behind. "We did hear your all of your story, I doubt you need both this Xena woman here and Hercules to defeat this Kueros."

"If he regains even just a bit of his dark powers, not even the gods can stop his very existence from destroying the universe. Now, shut up or get out of my way. You are one weird person I ever encountered, Morgan of Eire." Connor always had gift of identifying the person he was talking to, especially when they either irritated him or was so silent for so long. He turned to her companion, a very tall muscular man with long brown hair. "Well, Hercules, are going to help us or not? Even with his full powers or immortality, Kueros is a threat. Oh, don't be surprised. I had always the gift of identifying a person on two counts. One, they irritate me the way Morgan did. Two, when they are silent for so long as you were. Otherwise, I really need introduction."

Chapter Three

Meanwhile, on the Other Side of the Coin

Kueros the Dark Elf was gathering an army that put shame to all the great wars in history of the past, present, and future. By scores of thousands they came to support this great evil. It was a pity that the one evil named Dahak was exorcised, and that meant he would not return for several thousands of years from now. Of course the source of Dahak's existence Ahriman could return to the mortal world every ten centuries, then again even he was recently defeated. Still, Kueros was greatly impressed by his army of the dark powers.

"Greetings to all ogres, goblins, trolls, and all other creatures of the dark. I am Kueros the Dark Elf. Once I regain my powers and immortality, we will rule supreme as the human kind and their pitiful gods are forever extinguished from existence."

But among the crowds of evil were Gabrielle's true parents, Bacchus and a creature known as a lamia. Her kinds were human on the top, and some other creature on the bottom. All of her kind were clawed and sweet smelling as they were extremely beautiful. Her bottom half was that of a giant snake. These two were worried that their child would be killed for her human nature and appearance. The other lamias cared not of Gabrielle or her mother, they celebrate the deaths of these two. Quietly the proud parents slipped away to warn their little girl.

They managed to reach the Amazon village without incident until the guards spotted them, they of course surrendered instead of fighting. The guards, not knowing what to do with their willing captives, took them to the Queen's quarter, where a battle strategy was taking place. Connor James McKnight felt the presence of two supernatural beings, his hand went to a metal rod at his back. The others saw his instinctive reaction and his intense gaze at the door, which opened to reveal the guards and their captives. The McLeods leaned back from fright, while Xena and the others reached for their weapons. McKnight's metal rod telescoped a long and narrow blade.

"Bachhus and a lamia from the look things," Connor spoke acidly. "What brings you here?"

"Our daughter," Bacchus was too quiet for others to hear. "Herodotus, tell Gabrielle the truth of her heritage. The one you and Hecuba hid all these years. Her survival depends on it, Kueros has a vast army that only one man of an extraordinary heritage can stop."

"Gabrielle," Herodotus sighed heavily. "Your were a foundling, Bacchus and that lamia with him are your true parents. They left you at our doorsteps when they found out that some of his followers were going kill you, not to mention every lamia except your mother as well. We are seeing the other side of the coin of both of them."

"A man of Atlantian descent who is also a half-elf can defeat the dark army of Kueros can stop him, where Kaemos the younger brother of Kueros had failed." Hecuba knew that would be a stunning blow to McKnight.

"KAEMOS?" Connor James McKnight dropped his sword, which retracted. "But that can't be, he was my grandfather on my mother's side of the family." That made Kueros the uncle of his mother, and in turn…

"Yes, Kueros through your mother is to your uncle." Herodotus confirmed the immortal's worst fears ever. "You are on one side of the coin as Kueros is on the other. He is a not demon but is a Dark Elf, still his powers are great. I believe that your earliest ancestor is from Atlantis. That fact alone makes you the chosen one."

Chapter Three

The Blood Runs Thin

"I won't believe it." McKnight was in state of shock and confusion. He had retrieved his sword from the ground, but how can he bring himself about to use it on his own kin. "That is simply just impossible to be true."

He ran from the village, leaving the two younger immortals behind. Connor knew despite his denials, what he heard was true and he would have to kill his own kinsman.

Then he recalled what this uncle of his did to his family, especially his sweet twin sister Kyana. The lifelessness in her as died in his arms, the pain on her face when he told her that her children and husband were also killed. The agony he felt as the last of her spark dimmed, they all that was necessary to make his decision as to what to do with Kueros. "So the blood runs thin." He told himself quietly.

He felt a presence of something inhuman just that moment. He swung his sword as he rose, just as Kueros tried to take his head. That infuriated the dark elf, and so they exchanged blows most furiously. Although being caught off guard, Connor had the upper hand and was winning. That was until Kueros brought out a chunk of black diamond and tossed it on the ground. McKnight fell to his knees with look of sudden and great pain on his face. Immobilized and vulnerable, he could only feebly try to fend a thrust to his heart by his assailant. That, however, was useless, the enemy's blade pierced his heart.

Normally, he would feel his life force energy pushed down a little, before bursting up again to revive him, but not this time, as he felt his life force being drained. This must be how the Dark Elf killed so many of his kinsman, human and elven alike. The Dark Elf now stood over his foe for a beheading, but before the Dark One could deliver the fatal blow, his sword was knocked out of his grip by Xena's chakram. "You will pay for your interference, mortal." Kueros disappeared with a blaze of glory.

"The black diamond," the immortal croaked. "Get rid of it, it's killing me."

Hercules, seeing the dire state that McKnight was in, picked up the offending jewelry and with all his strength tossed it away as far as he could manage.

"Kueros has a weapon that drains away a person's life force energy," Connor continued. "It's how he was able to kill elves without taking their heads. I will soon be dead, unless I could get a bit of the energy from donors. That's what I really need Hercules, Connor and Duncan McLeods, and Xena for. From the McLeods, I will drain more than half their energy, from the others only a thousandth worth of energy."

As he told all this, he was moved back to the village. In the Queen's quarters, Ephiny, Eponin, Gabrielle, Hercules, the McLeods, the Irish woman Morgan, Solari, and Xena were present.

"We all will each give some of our life force energy, so that the draining of the two antiques won't be so great." Morgan told McKnight with a great deal of softness in her voice.

Chapter Four

Life and Death Struggle of the Immortal Kind

McKnight had his donors paint the middle of their fore heads with purple dyes, as he gave them a special green, lemon scented candles. He then chanted in Gaelic. "With all the gods above and the God as my witness, I call upon the elements to light the way." Those words caused the unlit candles to light up. Still in Gaelic he chanted. "Now, by all the gods of healing, of nature and of life, heal me so that I may live." The purple dyes glowed deep red, then a shaft of red light went to his pink dye on his chest. The dye glowed in dark blue as the life force energy from the donors undid the damage done by Kueros.

Somewhere, Kueros felt a sharp pain in his head. What no one knew was the fact that some of his life force energy was drained, and that went into McKnight.

"Now send the infant Highlanders back to where and when they came from." McKnight still chanted in his native tongue. Only three others in the room understood what he said.

The two McLeods vanished from sight, but not before a streak of lightning jumped from them into McKnight. Connor rose as soon as the other two immortals disappeared from sight. "Now I am ready to face Kueros for one last time, even if it means my own death."

"What?" Everyone was shocked hear this, they could not believe they just saved the man's life only to have him die. "Are you telling us that we just saved you so could die?" Gabrielle wasn't the only person who was disappointed.

"It's part of the prophecy, the chosen one must die, those five words are explicit about my very destiny. I've accepted my fate, since they are for the good of the world. How can I do otherwise? I have been chosen to destroy evil with my own death in combat, not the way I was going to die just moments ago."

Chapter Five

Who Really Wants to Live Forever Anyway?

"How can you just calmly accept that you will have to die to get rid of this demon?" Xena, like the others wouldn't let this issue pass.

"I have been an immortal for a thousand years, not counting the twenty-six years of normal life before I became what I am now. That is too long a life span for anyone, it's a surprise that none of the gods went crazy. Than again I should take back that remark when I'm talking about the so empty headed goddess Aphrodite." Connor's remarks first shocked everyone, including the gods, then they drew laughter just about everyone.

Just about everyone except the goddess of love herself. "I don't see what's so funny about what he said, and he did say we all should be crazy by now." That only served to make the other gods laugh even harder.

"Besides," Connor continued dryly as before. "Who wants to live forever at all? I can't see a reason for immortality among anyone. I have watched many of friends grow old, all of my lovers die, buried my children, friends, lovers more than I can care count. All life must end eventually, even immortal life. The other two immortals have it easy compared to me, they and their kind fight one on one, dies after being beheaded, where as with me, I cannot die no matter what. So it is easy for me to know that even I will be dead. Is immortality really worth the price of being an outcast as the other two were, or watching your friends or lovers grow old and dying, or having a witch hunt on your tail where ever you go, or being alone after all the normal humans have died out? Is immortality really worth it? I welcome death."

"So you are just going let yourself die?" Gabrielle was starting to like this man.

"Yes, it is the only thing to do." Connor did not know why the others could see it his way. "As for defeating Kueros, we must find his hideout. That's where Xena comes in handy. Hercules is to follow her close behind to take care of the assassins the Dark Elf may have brought along for his plans of world conquest. I will deal with Kueros myself. Through the centuries, I have hunted him down so we could get the final conflict over with. This near eternal hunt ends right here."

Chapter Six

The End of Time

(The Final Conflict Between Good and Evil)

Xena moved silently as she followed a near giant of man Connor said that Kueros calls Tiny. Of course, Connor told her to look for an eight feet tall, heavyset man with balding head, feet small for a man his size, puny nose, and a constantly drooling large mouth. Hercules was busy with the assassins Kueros sent to intercept them. These were men like creatures with heads of hyenas on their shoulders instead of human heads, and they were predictable because of their laughter. Still, at least Connor could've warned them about how ugly both the assassins and Tiny were or else she and Hercules would not have puked out their dinners. And they thought they have seen the ugliest face anyone or anything has to offer.

Gabrielle did her best in sending what Connor said were scout raiders to tartarus, before they could kill her. These creatures looked like a cross between ostriches, hippos, and tyrannosaurs. For the purpose of killing these beasts, Connor had given her a metal rod identical to his own. He had locked in staff mode, of which she was dubious, and told her one touch from the lent weapon could kill hundreds of these creatures when they were physical contact with each other. At first, the scout raider charged at her in such close formation. Connor had not lied about the weapon, just one well placed blow killed two hundred of these things. She was also glad he had given her a magic pendant that protected her physical harm.

Connor knew that as long as Kueros lived, that his companions could never defeat their foes. He knew his own death would be their victory and Kueros' defeat. So as he fought Kueros sword to sword, he let the Dark Elf have an opening to his heart. He let loose a scream, not one of pain but of victory, that everyone heard. The assassins that Hercules was fighting all dropped dead on their feet, Tiny weakened so that Xena could take his head, and the scout raiders just vanished into thin air.

The stab caused lightning spark from Connor's chest to Kueros' own. The lightning slowly bore a hole in him. The Dark felt sensation of being electrocuted, being set on fire, and freezing all at the same time. Connor took the evil one's head with his sword. Kueros exploded as his head fell off, taking the cave that in which they fought.

From outside the cave, everyone else saw the explosion and ran to the cave. But when they got there, all they found were the remains of the cave, and Connor lying on the ground before them with a sword in his chest. Gabrielle knelt next to him and gathered his head in her arms.

"So, you did it," she said softly. "After you die, when will you come back to life?"

"I am not coming back," was his near faint reply. "This sword in my chest is what Kueros used to kill elves without beheading them. I will be joining my sweet sister soon enough, good bye." And with those words he was dead for good this time.



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