Alexis was so deep in thought that she didn't pay attention to where they were going exactly but she had so many questions. Where should she start? She knew some about Hexenbiests but she had only run across them a few times. In keeping her voice down so as not to raise suspicions she would ask questions when they were mostly alone.

"I have so many questions." She thought about it and murmured. "Maybe I should have asked my mother before I stormed out." Her frown was indication that she realized that he might not be able to help her much. "Why haven't I woged before and how do I even do it? Will I have all of the powers or only some of them and what should I expect? Why do I get headaches when someone tried to enter my head? Is that a normal Hex thing or just a me thing?"

Alexis' mind was reeling with so much information. Trying to recall all she knew about them was frustrating her. She was so full of anger, fear and impatience that she couldn't think straight.

"Wayne, do you really think I can live above or will I have to go below like my mother did? Will it ruin my life? Is it different for me than it was for my mother because she wasn't born this way and I was?" Alexis' voice wavered a little. "I truly hope that Elias can handle this and that he doesn't try to kill me. I think at this point I might let him if he tried."

@December

@Wick

---

Alexis' internalized racism grated across Wayne's nerves, causing a small scowl to form on his lips before he intentionally dispelled it; Hexenbiests were among the most hated by the Grimm, as their magic and cruelty were both powerful and unprecedented. No other populous race had such an affinity for combat magic. However, it still irritated the Wesen as she rambled on about hatred based on heritage alone.

"Unfortunately, Hexenbiests aren't entirely gratuitous when it comes to sharing information about themselves," Wayne commented, glanced down at the woman beside him. "I'm uncertain of when your mother was turned, or if that had any effect on your heritage. My guess is that the fact that you have been previously unaware of your heritage has impacted your ability to Woge or access your abilities. Typically, one only Woges during any feat of physical, mental, or magical exertion, as well as during emotionally charged moments. Grimm's can see through our human disguises... Elias has either been blinded to your true identity, or for some reason, he is incapable of viewing your true form."

Unless he has been aware of your true identity this entire time... The thought troubled Wayne, however, he kept it to himself. Such a situation would be highly improbable.

"As for your headaches whenever magic is used on you, there's two explanations- Agh!" Wayne continued, grunting in frustration as a rather large Bauerschwein jostled into him, resulting in the larger Wesen to turn to Wayne with a sneer.

Before he could speak a word in his garbled English, the Bauerschwein locked eyes with the Avian Wesen. Instantly, he dropped his gaze, mumbling a soft, congested apology before moving away, disappearing into the drift of traffic. His large form was easily discernible through the crowd, however, Wayne took no interest in him, returning his gaze to Alexis and continuing their conversation without skipping a beat.

"Either you were being assaulted by a young, unlearned Hexenbiest, which I find highly unlikely, as they aren't typically allowed to roam beyond their Coven's walls until they are highly competent," Wayne said. "Or you have an affinity for resisting magic. Unless you are Grimm, a Hexenbiest can often probe your mind undetected. Only skilled hunters, other magic-capable beings, and Grimms are capable of detecting them. Whether you are fully Hexenbiest, fully human, or some form of hybrid, you have developed an affinity for magic."

Alexis nodded. Her mind was so overwhelmed she didn't want to even think any longer. Frustration evident in her impatience she looked at her feet for a moment. "Can we just go do this thing and get back home? I need to talk to Elias." She followed Wayne and soon they were standing outside the building that the pearls were in. Now all we have to do is get inside and steal them without getting caught and get them back to Johann. She thought to herself.

She casually walked up to the door and tried the lock. When it didn't give she walked on and turned down the alleyway towards the back of the building's entrance. Putting on her gloves she wasted no time. Once there she picked the lock and opened the door ever so softly and waved Wayne forwards as she entered the building. She was aware that there would be tighter security in the room where the pearls were kept so she was careful about what she touched and where she stepped. The building seemed to be empty of people.

Alexis couldn't help the adrenaline rush that soon made it more exciting than it really was. She shot Wayne a grin as she pointed to the room near the end of the hall on the left. She could see the case that the pearls were in.

@December

@Wick

---

The moment before Alexis crossed the threshold of the room, Wayne's arm shot out and grasped her forearm, freezing her before her foot could touch the ground. His eyes flicked between Alexis' face and the floor, gently easing her backwards out of the room.

Wayne gently pressed his lips to Alexis' ear and spoke in voice softer than a whisper, tickling her skin with his breath. "Wards." Pulling back, the Wesen lifted a finger to his lips to demonstrate that she should speak as quietly as he was. Leaning back in, he continued.

"These pearls belong to some kind of spell caster," Wayne said, eyeing the prize. "I don't know how many there are, or what they do, but my guess is, if you speak to loud, touch the ground, or try to move the pearls without disabling them, you'll be roasted like an armored knight in a lightning storm."

After staring on for a moment, Wayne bit his lip and turned, looking Alexis up and down with curiosity in his eyes. After briefly considering how stable she was, he leaned in once more, whispering in her ear. "Almost every ward erected by a magician for personal use is fairly easy to dismantle. Direct manipulation of magical energies is incredibly rare, and almost no species outside of Hexenbiests are capable of casting at will. Therefore, if one were to be... Magically inclined, it wouldn't be too hard to dismantle them on her first try."

Alexis looked at Wayne as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head and turned purple. Was he serious? Could she really dismantle it. She had no idea what she could do yet, let alone how she could dismantle a spell put there by another. She looked at him and chewed on her bottom lip, a nervous habit she'd had since childhood. She stepped backwards into the hallway and rolled her shoulders to loosen them from the tension that was suddenly tightening her body. She took a deep breath and concentrated hard on the pearls and in her mind she demanded the wards be dropped and she started to feel something stirring in her but it was taking a lot of energy, akin to waking from a coma. After a moment she dropped the attempt and she looked at Wayne unsure of herself. She took another deep breath and nothing.

Alexis felt bad and leaned against the wall in the hallway. Tears of frustration came to well up in her eyes. She could hear Elias' voice in her head telling her to push forward and that she could do it like he had so many times before. Feeling more confident she stood up and walked to the door. When she opened her eyes there was a distinctive look of determination about her and she pushed her palm outwards focusing the outward flow of mystical energy into the room. Alexis felt the magic burst forth and she could actually see the wards fall away. Alexis's eyes had darkened while using magic and they went back to normal afterwards. As soon as the wards fell she walked into the room and picked up the pearls and walked back handing them to Wayne. "Wow, what a rush that was!"

On their way back to Johann Alexis couldn't help but think that Johann had to know what she was and that she could use magic. Why else would he send them to do that particular task? Alexis had more questions than ever and she wondered if Wayne, Elias and Sophie were going to be able to help her figure out the answers. Once again entering the cool caves she felt Johann's presence and this time she could sense him and block him from her mind. Once she had tapped into the magic in her mind she could do it almost instinctively now. She stayed back and let Wayne deliver the pearls.

@December

@Wick

---

Wayne watched with a small smirk as Alexis dispelled the magical defenses on the pearls. Spellcasters were so incredibly rare, and they were almost entirely devoted to the Hexenbiest order. To have one on his side... That opened up an entire new host of possibilities.

"Well done." Wayne took the pearls from her and eyed the woman up and down. Compliments weren't his forte, and if Sophie were to hear that he had given one to someone he had met that day, well, she just might have a stroke.

As far as Wayne could tell, the pearls were enchanted, however, they weren't setting off any alarms. Once they had returned to Johann's cave, Wayne motioned for Alexis to remain outside before entering the room, striding to the second platform in the room, careful not to approach the central stone ring on the bridge.

Without his enhanced vision, the Wesen wouldn't have been able to discern anything in the darkness. Johann's presence was... Absent. In previous encounters, Wayne had always been able to detect the Tintenfische's mind poking at his own, subtly intruding on his thoughts. Yet this time, the cavern was devoid of any life.

Frowning, Wayne cleared his throat. "Johann? Are you there?"

Silence greeted his question, echoing faintly on the stone walls of the cistern. The mystery tugged at the edges of his mind, pushing him to take a hesitant step forward. If Johann wasn't here, he might finally have a chance to look down into the cistern and see the Johann's lair.

Taking a deep breath, Wayne quickly strode forward, closing the gap between himself and the edge of the bridge. When he came to the end of it, he was standing directly above the center of the water, gazing down into the black abyss beneath him. Even with his glowing eyes, Wayne's gaze was unable to pierce the depths.

Frowning once more, Wayne turned to return to Alexis, but instead of seeing the exit, he was met with a looming wall of water before him. In his curiosity, he had neglected to hear the soft sounds of running water as the liquid surged upward from the cistern and blocked his escape path. Before he could even shout to Alexis' for help, the water surged forward, pushing him off of his feet.

Landing back first on the bridge, Wayne sputtered water out of his mouth before inhaling deeply, coughing out the water he had inhaled. Struggling to his feet, Wayne looked around the room, his heart dropping into his chest when he realized the water had climbed the walls and ceiling, surrounding the entire the room in a bubble of water.

In eerie unison, the water shifted forwards and threw forth aquatic tentacles from every angle, seizing Wayne and hoisting him into the air.

Through the haze, Wayne saw Alexis' struggling to get in, but the water filled the passageway and repulsed her, magically preventing entrance to the cistern.

An unearthly wail echoed from the water around him as the tentacles snaked forwards, attempting to seize the pearls from Wayne's grasp. Fighting desperately against the liquid, Wayne fully Woged and screeched at the water, causing a visible ripple to run through the liquid as his magical cry repulsed the ocean's grasp.

The water released his form and dropped him onto the bridge, knocking the wind from his lungs. Shifting around their injured prey, the aquatic tentacles began to prepare for a second attack. The instant before they reached the Wesen, a deep, powerful blue light filled the room, banishing the ocean's spell in an instant. The water surged back into the cistern, wailing as it went.

Silence filled the room as Wayne struggled to breathe, leaving him alone in the soft lighting. Wayne looked to the exit to locate Alexis, but a gentle voice interrupted him.



For the first time, Wayne witnessed part of Johann's body as an enormous, black tentacle snaked upwards out of the water and pulled Wayne to his feet, leaving itself open to receive the pearls.

Shuddering, Wayne gently placed the pearls onto the flesh of the titan. "W-what was that?"

After receiving the pearls, Johann retracted his tentacle into the water, taking with it the sense of impending danger.



Instead of the typical prowess and prestige that Johann possessed, Wayne detected a sympathetic, gentle tone, as if the larger Wesen was grateful and caring. Shaking his head, Wayne looked over his shoulder, searching for the woman. [color-teal]"Alexis?"

Alexis replied, "Thank you!" She was truly proud of herself. She had done it with no training at all. She felt a little tingly and it felt good. She walked back with Wayne and she couldn't help but wonder what Elias would say if he'd seen her using magic. She followed Wayne into the caves once again.

Alexis had waited patiently outside of the room but when Wayne was knocked off his feet the water had pushed her back and held her at bay. She had been unable to move through the water at first. Her magic was instinctive and she had started to push her way through a little bit at a time but when the water realized it, it had flung her back out into the caves. She had hit her head and for a moment she saw stars. Getting to her feet she ran back to see Wayne being lifted to his feet carefully by Johann.

Upon entering the room Alexis looked at a frazzled Wayne and became protective of him instantly. Not bothering with whatever protocols she was unaware of, she walked up to him and looked him over. "Wayne? Are you okay?" After making sure that the bird man was alright she turned and looked at Johann.

"I think you should give us the answers we need now. Who hurt Sophie?" A small smile appeared and grew wider as she waited. "...and you knew what I am didn't you? Is that why you sent me after the pearls? Your magic couldn't reach there but you knew I had magic that I was unaware of. How very strategic of you Johann. Bravo!"

@December

@Wick

---

The odd care and affection for Wayne passed from Johann's presence as the Wesen turned his focus to Alexis.

The telepathic communication let the slight amusement of Johann seep into the two smaller Wesens' minds, hinting that he found her excitement slightly adorable.

As the tentacle of the Tintenfische retracted fully into the pool, Wayne braced himself on his knee and rose to his full height, nodding at Alexis in approval. It was rare, if not unprecedented, that Johann would choose to negotiate with anything short of a Konig Wesen (Means King Wesen. Some species of Wesen are inherently more powerful than others, kinda like royalty but not as set in stone. Wayne is a Konig Wesen, as in Johann, while typically Hexenbiests are a tier under them, known as Hohes Wesen [High Wesen]). Yet something seemed to pique his interest regarding Alexis.

Please be careful...

Realizing as he disappeared into the water that they still didn't have the answers as to who had attacked Sophie. "Wait! Johann!" When he didn't come back she turned and followed Wayne. "Did he tell you? He didn't tell me anything!" Frustration felt like a glowing hot coal inside her stomach. She had never been one for being patient. She followed Wayne out of the caves and to the exit of the underground city.

Alexis watched as he performed the pricking of his finger to unlock the door to the outside world and wondered if she would die or if she could do it since she was half hexenbiest. "Wayne? Am I able to get into this place on my own now or is my blood going to set poison on me if I am pricked by that thing?"

He seemed quiet so she left him alone to his thoughts while she felt the tension and the excitement in her own body. She both dreaded and couldn't wait to tell Elias what had happened. She knew this time she was not going to get scared and run off. She needed to talk to Elias and get his opinion and help. She wondered what Sophie would say and she had a ton of questions for her aunt. She wasn't going to let her off without getting some answers.

Once inside the manor Alexis broke off from Wayne and she went to Elias' room. It was night again. They had been gone nigh on 24 hours or so. It seemed like an eternity and she was suddenly exhausted. She couldn't tell if Elias was asleep so she kicked her shoes off and just crawled into the bed. Her eyes were closed before her head hit the pillow.

@December

@Wick

---

As Johann's tentacle receded from the bridge, a flood of telepathic images, thoughts, sounds, and smells poured into Wayne's mind, transferring memories of Johann's scrying to the lesser Wesen's mind. The telepathic message completely consumed his senses until-

Wayne staggered backwards, shaking his head as he assessed his surroundings. Alexis' voice was echoing faintly in the background, however, her words made no sense. Johann's tentacle was gone, and Wayne was unable to sense his mental presence permeating the air. After a long moment, Wayne shook his head, troubled by the visions he had received, and left without a word.

The journey back was silent, and by the time they had departed from the underground, night was upon them. As they emerged from the earth, exhaustion hit Wayne like a Manticore, seeping into his bones and tearing at muscles, urging him to sleep.

After delivering Alexis to her homestead, Wayne blended into the night, quickly traversing the city to a large tower. The old structure was made of burnt red bricks and dulled iron, towering over the city like a beacon. After slipping in through a hidden entrance, Wayne wound his way up the spiral staircase and reached the pinnacle of the tower. It was quite peculiar to Wayne the scientific advancements the city had made in particular areas, such as clocks larger than mansions that sat atop towers.

The gigantic metal cogs slowly turned on, causing the clock's hand to tick as the time changed. Turning to the gears, Wayne nimbly shifted among them, reaching the top of a metallic cylinder that rotated ever so slightly every hour. Curling into a ball, he nestled into the blankets set atop the gear, burrowing into the warmth they provided before he let sleep overtake him.

Alexis woke up with a start. She was fully dressed and on top of the covers but she was in Elias' bed. She had crawled in next to him as he had slept. However he was clearly not in bed with her now. Frustration and exhaustion fought for control of her tired body. Exhaustion won out and for a time longer she slept. Her dreams were frought with dreams of Elias' rejection and hate. Tears rolled down her face as she slept.

"Elias!" She screamed in her dream. He was chasing her and his intent was clear. She was now the enemy and he was determined to kill her. Alexis refused to kill him and she was doing everything in her power not to hurt him in her own defense. She felt the blood running down her shoulder from his blade and she screamed in her sleep again. "No! Elias please!"

Alexis woke up to find Elias sitting on the edge of the bed looking at her strangely. What she didn't know was that while in her panicked state her powers had awakened and she was sending out sparks in her sleep. She sat up and pushed herself far away from Elias and then she dove into his arms and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"Elias, I have to tell you something. It's bad and ...and I'm afraid that you won't want to be with me anymore. You might try to kill me but it's not my fault. My mother...I saw my mother and it unlocked some kind of magic in me." With tears running down her cheeks she said, "I'm half hexenbiest."

@December

@Wick

---

Waking slowly, Elias attempted to roll over, seeking cooler covers in the nighttime heat of the summer. As his body turned, he encountered another form passed out beside him. For a brief moment, a flash of guilt shot through his body as he couldn't even remember who he had taken to bed, however, as his sleep-drunk mind awoke, he recognized the fully clothed form of Alexis. Relief washed over Elias as he shifted slightly closer to her, glad that she was safe in his arms. His concern had grown over the day, worried that she was in trouble. He had vowed that if she wasn't back by dawn, he would go out searching for her.

---

The first light shone through Elias' window as his tired eyes blinked open, looking around the room. The sunlight slanted in, illuminating the ceiling and part of the wall, stopping just above the door frame. Elias stirred gently and allowed himself to be at peace with Alexis, their breathing patterns syncing together.

By the time he chose to get out of bed, the sunlight had reached the foot of the bed, illuminating his covered legs. Extracting himself slowly, he quickly dressed, glancing over his shoulder to ensure that Alexis was still asleep, unable to see his uncovered form. Once he has pulled on a pair of soft trousers and a loose tunic, he quietly slipped out of the room, making sure to lock it on his way out. With the gossipy nature of the entire manor, Elias was concerned any servant entering his room would see her and make assumptions, ruining her chances of a suitor.

The prospect of Alexis marrying a stranger was becoming less and less appealing to Elias as each day passed, making him wonder about his own relationship with her, or lack thereof.

An hour later, Elias had eaten and strolled about the manor, searching for any hint of danger or magic. Once he was certain his daily security check was satisfactory, the Grimm returned to his room to see faint illuminations peeking under the door. A danger note went off immediately in his head as he hurriedly unlocked the door, extracting a knife from the waistband of his trousers. He slipped through the door warily, ready for combat, but not the sight that met his eyes.

Alexis' was sprawled across the bed, thrashing uncomfortably in her sleep. The hunter's breathing was harsh and erratic, betraying distress as her eyes flicked about wildly from underneath her eyelids. Grasping the sheets tightly, Alexis' fists twisted the fabrics as her nightmare continued, however, despite his concern, Elias was unable to move as he noticed the source of light.

Sparks and other vague illuminations curled brilliantly into the air, expelling from Alexis' hands and forearms. The magical lights danced wildly about, casting all sorts of odd shadows on the walls, despite the presence of direct sunlight.

Elias slowly let the dagger drop to his side as he watched, confused, concerned, and cautious all at once as he slowly approached his partner, allowing himself to perch at the foot of the bed.

He sat there for quite some time, watching the magic spiral out of her arms without inhibition. Was she Wesen? Was this perhaps some form of undiscovered Grimm ability? But Alexis wasn't a Grimm by blood, but by name alone. What was her heritage? Perhaps the encounter with the Hexenbiest had sparked this in her. But Hexenbiests couldn't give an individual magical powers, could they?

Elias was jerked back to the real world as Alexis scrambled backwards away from him, pressing up against the headset of the bed. After a brief moment, she suddenly lurched forwards, embracing his violently.

The knife fell from his hands and clattered to the floor as Elias caught her sobbing form, worry and concern racing through his expression. His embrace was weak and hesitant as her words filled his thoughts, revealing dark secrets kept in the night.

"You... But..." Elias paused, swallowing hard before continuing. "Hexenbiest?"

The revelation was exotic and disorienting, stagnating his train of thought for a moment.

"Um..." Elias stood and strode away from the bed, running his hands through his hair as he spun on his heel and walked past Alexis, to the window as he paced in a repetitive pattern, trying to understand the situation. "Your mother... You met her. She's alive."

The entire puzzle clicked into place when he saw her on the corner of the bed, sobbing uncontrollably, alone and uncomforted. Alexis was half Hexenbiest. Alexis was a Grimm. Alexis could use magic. Alexis' mother was still alive. Alexis was in pain. Alexis needed him. Alexis felt rejected. Alexis felt abnormal. Alexis felt like she was an abomination.

Inhaling deeply, Elias slowly walked over to her. He understood what it was like to feel unnatural, even if it wasn't to such an extreme as being half of a magical race you had spent your life hunting. Growing up being destined to fight in a magical war against non-human creatures simply because of one's blood felt alienating enough, and to add to that the horrific moment when Taric had discovered that many of Elias' nightly exploits never involved any women... Taric had been there for him when he found out, and Elias couldn't have been more grateful. He needed to be there for Alexis like Taric was for him.

Gently wrapping his arms around Alexis, Elias pulled her form into himself, slowly sinking to the ground next to the bed as his larger body enveloped her. Leaning his shoulder against the side of the bed, Elias softly rested Alexis in his lap and curled around her, completely surrounding her with his warmth.

"I don't love you any less."

Alexis cried in Elias' arms until she was out of tears and felt dehydrated and had the hiccups. She wasn't ready to move from his embrace though so she kept her head on his shoulder. Something important rang in her mind. Elias had said that he didn't love her any less. he loved her "I know my normal first instinct is to run from you but... this was -I need you. I need you to tell me that you won't hate me." She could see the softness in his eyes and knew that she had a lot of answers to give him. Alexis gave him a deep and tender kiss. "I love you too Elias. I have for a long time now." Shuddering from her reaction to that kiss, she sat on his lap looking at him.

"Wayne and I were underneath the city in a whole other city of wesens. I had to stay quiet and hidden from the others down there so they wouldn't try to kill us. I'm going straight to the part about my mother. We are connected by the hex in us. My mother was apparently fatally wounded while pregnant with me by a hex. The only way to save us was for her to receive a blood transfusion from the hex that did the damage, that naturally effected me. My mother apparently turned into a hex and she killed my father accidentally. When I was born she hadn't learned how to control it fully so she told my aunt Jean and my uncle Marcus to keep me safe so they put me at Marcus and Elenora's as their adopted daughter." She stared at him for the meaning to sink in.

"It means I am a true Grimm, on my mother's side." Alexis stopped and she felt so weak and exhausted. "I need to speak to Aunt Jean. She'll have the details. I now know my grandmother was Elizabeth Grimm. I just didn't realize that Maggie was my cousin."

Dehydration started to get to Alexis and she looked around for water in the room. Crawling off of Elias' lap she went to the pitcher and poured a glass of water. She guzzled it down and poured another.

"I've already been using my powers but I haven't woged out yet. I don't know how strong my powers are or what they are yet. What if I can't control it, my mother couldn't and she killed my dad." She looked scared and like she might run. "What if I-?" Her voice heavy with feelings broke. "I can't let you get hurt by me." She looked at him with all of the pent up feeling in her and hoped he would understand it. With tears in her eyes she headed for the door to the bedroom. Alexis was determined that she wouldn't do what her mother did. If it meant she would never see him again then she would make that sacrifice. The more helpless she felt the more her powers started to act up and that scared her.

"I have to go! I don't want to hurt you and I can't stop the magic!" Alexis looked scared to death. She stopped to give Elias a kiss but her emotions were so tattered that she was losing control of herself fast and when she looked down she saw claws forming where her fingers were. The pain in her head was so bad that she grabbed her head and screamed. Seeing Elias she knew she had only a couple of seconds. "I love you." She darted to the window at full speed and dove out.

Alexis went to the woods where they had encountered Hexenbiests before. She needed answers.

@December

(I'll find a face claim soon)

@Wick

---

Elias was barely able to get a word in edgewise before Alexis bolted, slipping through the doorway and down the hall without a trace. His mind was reeling, and he sat still for a moment, attempting to process the large amount of information running through his brain.

After a long pause, Elias stood, grabbing the knife from the floor and exiting the room, moving down through the servants quarters. A few female slaves bowed their heads in respect, but Elias ignored them, moving through the rooms until he reached what he recalled to be Sophie's residence.

Lightly rapping three times on the door, Elias leaned in close to listen. "Sophie? Are you in there? We need to talk."

---

The breaking dawn brought consciousness to Wayne's weary eyes, causing his body to stir as a groan escaped his lips. He had not gotten near the amount of sleep he wished, yet he was still fully operational, used to the energy-intensive lifestyle of renegades. Forcing himself into a sitting position, he looked around the insides of the clock tower, pulling his cloak off his bare shoulders to let the cool morning air seep over his hot skin.

Within minutes, he was dressed and ready for the day, moving through the cogs and down the spiral staircase that led to the first floor, quickly leaving the building and going out into the bustling morning streets.

Vendors, sellers, merchants, and more filled the streets, providing every form of stimuli possible, yet Wayne disregarded everything, quickly making his way to the manor the Grimms were residing in. Sneaking through a low window, Wayne stole his way into Sophie's room through an odd passageway that connected to the cellar, arriving just as he heard a sharp rap on the door.

Sophie was in her room and heard Elias at her door. "Elias? Come in." When he walked in he looked a little shell shocked to her. He was holding a knife and she furrowed her brow and asked. "Are they back? What has happened?" Sophie's injuries were almost totally healed but she was under orders by Jean not to get up. The distress on her face was clear. Her worries for her partner and friend were utmost in her thoughts.



Alexis ran until she got to the forest where she and Elias had fought with the hexenbiests and the other wesens.

By the time she got there she had woged and she looked enough like the other hexenbiests that they came out to meet her when she screeched of her arrival. Alexis felt like a totally different creature. The power felt amazing as it rushed through her veins. It was intoxicating. The others didn't look so happy to see her though. They looked at each other and nodded as if reading each others minds. Alexis was blocking them from hers. She didn't trust them with her knowledge.

The Hexenbiest who was obviously the one in charge shook her head and spat out the word, "Grimm!" Alexis glanced at all of the others and saw their eyes glimmer with rage.

"Yes I am Grimm but I am also Hexenbiest! I need your help! Please..." Alexis backed up slowly as the group started to encircle her...

@December

@Wick

---

Elias quickly slipped through the door, shutting it behind him. Moving forward, Elias vaguely gestured for Sophie to approach him as he spoke.

"Sophie, have you spoken with Wayne since they returned last night?" The Grimm's voice was hushed and urgent, beckoning Sophie to hurry her answer. "I fear something terrible has come to pass and I need Wayne to..."

Elias voice trailed off as he noticed the gruff man lurking in the corner, unseen by the Grimm. He was perched lightly on the edge of a chair, with his golden eyes trained directly on Elias.

"Oh, Wayne, you're here." Elias stuttered, disgruntled that he hadn't become sooner aware of the Wesen's presence. Glancing at Sophie, he continued. "What happened while you were gone? Who did Alexis see? What happened to her?"

Wayne silently observed the pair for a moment before exhaling through his nose, turning to Sophie. "I had hoped to speak with you privately on this matter first, but it appears I am out of time. What did you see, Elias?"

The pair briefly stared each other down, each unwilling to give forth information that they weren't certain the other person was already aware of. After a long pause, Elias spat out a single word. "Magic."

Wayne's face darkened as he took in the new information. "Her transformation's taking place far quicker than I had hoped it would. Sophie, get ready, we must go."

Moving towards the door, Wayne locked it to ensure that there would be no unwanted visitors entering. "While we were down in the Undercity, we spoke with a powerful Wesen. He, among other things, was able to discern Alexis' magical capabilities. He set us on a path that led to us encountering an individual claiming to be Alexis' birth mother, who spun a wild tale about her becoming infected by a Hexenbiest during the pregnancy. We weren't able to stay for long, but Alexis did cast a spell while we were still underground. I'm assuming her newfound revelation has sparked her Wogedon, the full transition into an adult Wesen. We have to find her immediately, before anyone else gets to her."

Alexis was shooting off sparks without control and her fear was making her more dangerous. "I'm not here to hurt anyone I need your help!" Alexis was on the verge of tears, her frustration and need for answers was worse than ever in the past. They were bombarding her mind trying to get her to open her mind so they could get in but she wouldn't. Finally she yelled at them once they had encircled her and they were all just out of her reach.

"Get away from me you ugly bitches!" With that she opened her mind and thrust her hands out from her sides with her palms flat out to them. Her hands shot out a pulse of sorts that immediately stopped them from using their magic. Unaware what the magic that she was using was doing she kept it up as her frustration fueled her anger and soon the hexenbiests grabbed their heads and some collapsed while others attacked her with weapons or fists.

Scared they would kill her she just went on her instincts and followed what felt right. She screeched as she pulled her hands in and shoved them back out with great force. That telekinetic push flung them away from her. The rest of the hexenbiests ran off or disappeared into the trees. Exhausted, Alexis collapsed onto the ground. Her body woged back to normal and she was just Alexis Grimm again. Alexis was surprised to realize that her face did not change the same way the other witches did. Maybe it was the Grimm blood that kept her face looking almost normal. Her hair had turned white and her teeth had elongated and her nails had turned into claws. In her mind she was still on high alert so her body slept but her mind listened for anyone that might sneak up on her.

An unknown amount of time later Alexis woke and crawled to a nearby tree and lay with her back to it. Wrapping her arms around her entire body she hugged herself. It was cold out but she didn't feel it. Her mind was too preoccupied trying to understand what she did. Reliving the moments in her head she continued to realize that she could do more than she had originally thought. She didn't know whether or not to feel happy or afraid. One thing was for sure, she was a force to be reckoned with if she could repel or at least mostly repel an entire coven of witches all at once. She smiled softly at her accomplishment and then she spoke softly to herself, "What if Elias can't accept me like this? What about the rest of the Grimm family? What will Uncle Marcus and Elenora say? If they knew this could happen why didn't they say anything to warn me? What if they want to kill me?"



Sophie looked incredulous. She swung her legs out of the bed adjusting the bottom of her dress as she did. Slipping her shoes on she started getting things around her room and looked at them. "Well hurry up, If I were her I'd go straight to others of my kind to find out what being a hex is and what it means. Who else can teach her that?" She reached for her coat. Looking straight at Elias she said, "Where were the last Hexenbiests that you fought off?"

Sophie stopped and looked at Elias. "You'd better figure out now how you feel about this. If you can't accept her like this there is no good outcome....but if you can, she could be the biggest help when fighting wesen."

@Wick

---

Elias locked eyes with Sophie before speaking his words in a quiet voice. "Just help me get to her."

Without another word, he left, immediately heading for his room. After suiting up, he emerged from his room wearing a thin cloak that obscured the heavy weaponry he now wielded, meeting up with the other two at the stables. In less than a minute, the three were making their way at a breakneck pace into the woods, Elias at the front with a Wesen on each side.

Hundar's legs pounded powerfully into the earth, throwing up clods of dirt and gouging the ground. The horse bore Elias towards the grove where they had battled the Hexenbiest, figuring Alexis would start there.

Before he reached her, Elias heard a shout from Elias. "Let me lead the way, Grimm."

Elias opened his mouth to inform the Wesen to piss off, but the look Sophie was giving Wayne silenced him. It was clear the pair had done recon missions like this dozens of times, and Wayne appeared to be in control.

Dismounting, he prowled forward, moving stealthily through the underbrush with Sophie directly behind him. Wayne's eyes flicked wildly about, taking in every detail, while Sophie's nose twitched with fervor, processing the scents of the area.

Elias struggled to keep pace, his heavy form disrupting the woods. After a short period of time, Wayne motioned for Elias to stop, nodding to Sophie as the two Wesen continued. Cursing under his breath, Elias ignored the two hunters and moved forwards after them, earning him a disdainful glare from Wayne.

The bushes made way into a gentle clearing, showing a wearied Alexis slumped against a tree. Wayne took up a sentinel position and kept a lookout while Sophie and Elias rushed forward.

The Grimm pulled her gently into his lap, cupping her face as he looked up to meet Sophie's eyes. "How's she doing?"

Alexis caught their scents before she felt Elias pull her into his arms. His warmth surrounded her like a blanket and she sighed and snuggled into him. She felt him cup her face and ask Sophie "How's she doing?"

Sophie went to speak but Alexis' eyes fluttered open and she spoke softly. "They tried to kill me." Her eyes kept trying to shut from her exhaustion. She grabbed Elias' shirt and pulled herself up more hoping it would help her to wake up. Reaching over she kissed Elias softly on the lips and then she looked at Sophie too tired to blush. Feeling ashamed she looked into Elias' eyes. "I'm sorry I probably scared you earlier. I had to leave through the window or I might have hurt you and I would die inside if I had done that."

Alexis was dirty and her clothes were torn and she had some scratches Sophie noticed. "What do you mean they tried to kill you? Who rescued you?"

Alexis sat up more in Elias' lap and hugged his arms around her. Looking around for Wayne she made sure he could hear her and then told them what happened. When she was done the look on Sophie's face was surprise and she looked toward Wayne for his reaction. Alexis felt Elias' arms tighten around her and she hoped beyond everything that he wouldn't be afraid of her and that he would stay with her. Alexis looked at Sophie. "What did I do to cause them to stop using magic? Isn't that their signature move?"

Sophie nodded. "It sounds like you have a power negation of sorts. It should affect all magic in your immediate vicinity. It is a rare power in Hexenbiests but it is a known power of theirs. The second power would have been telekinesis. That is how you used it to shove them all off of you."

Thinking to herself Alexis looked confused. "...but I don't know how I tapped into them. It had to be fear and instincts." She laid her head back on Elias' shoulder. "All I know is that my body isn't used to handling magic and it's exhausting me. Can we go home?"

Since her kiss she had avoided looking Elias in the eyes and she wasn't looking at him when she asked this either. She was shaking inside at the thought that he might not be able to handle this. She turned into his chest and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

@December

@Wick(Not sure about the tattoo, couldn't find a good picture with the faceclaim without it; maybe we can incorporate it?)

---

Eilas gently held Alexis close to his chest, his lips unresponsive to her kiss. Up until this point, he had been wondering if perhaps she was just magic adept or cursed. But this confirmed that she was a Hexenbiest. Regardless of what king of person she was, if anyone else ever found out, it would ruin her. She would never be perceived as anything else. Perhaps she really was cursed.

Hugging her tighter, Elias kissed Alexis and buried his nose into her hair. "You shouldn't have run away. It was stupid, and running straight into a Hexenbiest coven was even worse."

He knew she probably more than regretted her choices, but Elias primary reaction to that level of panic was to force up a harsh, icy exterior.

Reaching under her legs, Elias prepared to grab her, but paused when he noticed Wayne's head snap sideways, the Wesen's head tilted as he peered into the woods. A tension filled the air as Sophie immediately followed suit, allowing her ears to woge. The pair allowed their partially transformed bodies to perceive the woods, focusing on the woods to the east. Alexis' exhausted head rested against Elias' body, unaware of the situation, but Elias entire body was rigid as he glanced towards the woods, returning his gaze to the Wesen.

"What is it?" He hissed, keeping his voice low to avoid alerting any potential enemies. A long moment of silence stretched out, and Wayne began to relax, his face slowly transforming back. He turned to Elias and opened him mouth, but a sharp cry interrupted him as Sophie lashed out, spinning backwards and driving a hidden dagger into the air behind her.

A sharp cry echoed out from the empty space behind Sophie as her dagger hit some kind of solid form, forcing the invisible creature back. As she engaged the creature in combat, Elias instantly took to his feet, carrying Alexis away from the fight. "What the hell is that?!"

Wayne produced two slim blades and allowed his head to fully Woge, his eyes flashing a brilliant gold as he gained magical eyesight. Retreating with Sophie, he growled. "Luftkobolden!"

Spinning around, Wayne slid past Elias, engaging another invisible creature that Elias hadn't noticed. Looking to the west, Elias shouted a command word to summon Hundar as he spun around wildly, looking for any more assailants. "The fuck is that?!"

"Sky goblins!" Sophie barked, nimbly scaling the invisible creature and sliding her dagger upwards, sinking it what appeared to be hilt deep into its head. As she fell backwards, the Wesen twisted backwards, landing on her shoulder before spinning onto her feet in a single fluid motion.

"Invisible goblins!" Elias muttered to himself, gently setting Alexis down before reaching into his cloak, producing his scythe and swinging it in a wide arc past Wayne, successfully wrapping the chain around what he was pretty sure was the neck of a Luftkobold, yanking the chain back as the blade sank into flesh. The creature reeled forward, indenting the grass as its body landed.

Wayne quickly darted down to the ground, planting his daggers roughly four feet away from the chain. A gurgling screech echoed out from the point of impact, implying he had punctured the goblin's head, meaning it was at least nine feet tall.

As Elias frowned at the size of the creature, Wayne jerked his head up, his gold eyes shifting quickly between multiple points. Elias briefly wondered if Wayne could actually see the creatures, but his thoughts were interrupted. "We have a hell of a lot more coming!"