~ The Wyvern's Own ~
by Myung Kou Kang


Chapter 1: 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 that 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 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."

To Be Continued...

MKang65183@aol.com



The Athenaeum's Scroll Archive