You were always special ~ A Grian fanfic

They are Watching

"What's going on?"

Grian held his voice steady, full of curiosity yet a smidge of fear lingered in the air. No one spoke, no one moved besides the two figures standing beside him. They grabbed him by his wrists, as he felt an icy cold bracelet piercing his skin, he had no time to react before, he was being dragged, dragged to the center of the strange circle, all eight figures tossing back their hoods to reveal white masks all marked with the symbol on the front of the building. One of the forms pulled out an old scroll and read as follows:

The angels have long stopped,

watching over me,

listlessly flying.

Mocking too, maybe.

Meanwhile I climb up the spiraling staircase,

Trading my Wings for a step or two.

"Do you confess that you are indeed the key to the staircase?"

... This was the most freaky, messed up, stupid thing Grian had ever been a part of. Never in all his days would he have thought he would run into a group of cultists trying to convert him or something. He wanted to get up, roll his eyes and walk away with a smirk on his face, though the bracelets placed over his hands were now attached to a chain, snaking around the circle, stuck to the floor.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're on about."

The Masked beings all looked at one another, or so he assumed. It was hard to tell given the masks over their faces. Soon enough he would distract them and run away. He would go to Pearl and his mother and tell the tale of the insane cultists who tried to take him, he would tell the story and laugh about it with them over tea. Though the masked man taking a step forward didn't seem to take his defense very well. He grabbed Grian by the collar, his icy grip deepening into the soft fabric.

"You are to tell us that you do not know of your great significance?!"

All he could do was stare back blankly and blink. People had told him he got his wings for a reason that may come in handy someday, but that was just pity talking.

"Xander stop! Can't you tell he doesn't know what is going on?"

"Oh Please Xena! He could very well be lying."

The female now identified as Xena grabbed the mysterious and angry Xander by the shoulder and pushed him back. She bent down to meet Grian's gaze as she looked into his eyes. Grian couldn't see her face but you could tell from the fierce sense of discomfort and awkwardness that she was staring right into his obsidian black eyes, examining every speck of purple.

"You really don't know what's going on do you kid?"

Her voice was low and soft. He almost felt safe and comforted by the essence standing in front of him, although he still did not appreciate being called Kid. he managed to let out a nod as Xena Turned back to the others.

"Go prepare the ritual, I'll explain."

She turned back to him as she said the second part, Grian didn't know if it was menacing or comforting. Either way, he wanted out!

____________________

All the entities were gone; it was only Grian and Xena sitting on the cold marble floor.

"I guess you deserve an explanation"

She didn't wait for a response before she opened her mouth to explain all that had brought him here.

"We are listeners. We follow the rules and teachings of three ancient beings called the Watchers. Years ago the third Watcher overused his power and fell from the sky. It is to be believed that he died that day, but his magic and his spirit still linger, protecting, cursing and giving gifts to unfortunate species. It is believed that he fell on his back, breaking his wings and staining them a deep scarlet red. He landed in the desert draping the bloody wings in yellow sand. He passed away shortly after he fell, dying in a puddle of his holy tears, tingeing his wings in a deep lapis."

Grian looked at his back noting the colours of his wings. Scarlet red, sandy yellow and lapis blue.

"He was the trickiest of the Watchers, he would be reckless with his power and grow attached to the beings on earth, giving them gifts, knowledge and materials. We believe that in order to spite the other two watchers for shunning him, the third watcher used the last of his strength to give his power to someone else. Hoping that someday the three watchers would be complete and the world can be pushed back into harmony. They called him Xelqua: Watcher of Trickery and The Sun. He would often take the form of a parrot, giving gifts to the mortals on earth; breaking the Watcher oath to only ever watch and never intervene.

But, as luck would have it, there happens to be a boy in a small desert village with bright red, yellow and blue parrot wings. Named Grian... Meaning sun."

Was this it? Was this the full explanation that Grian was ever going to get regarding his distinctive wings and their gorgeous colour.

"So... why do you need me here?"

"The Poem my friend read earlier is taken from a prophecy located at the end of a book we were gifted by the ones who Watch. We think that you are the key to that staircase. We can finally take our places as the Watcher's faithful servants and you, using your powers: can use the part of you with Xelqua inside to bring him back to life."

"I- I don't know how to do any of that."

It was true. Grian was perfectly average at Elven Magic, he had never brought anyone back to life before, he could barely practice in his room without Pearl's wings catching fire. Even if she wasn't in the room.

"You'll know."

Grian couldn't respond before the other masked figures had entered and taken their place in the circle.

"It can begin."

Xena said it with such strength in her voice, enough to make the room's rafters quiver. A man who was probably Xander took a cautious step forward to the shaking avian boy on his knees, on the floor, scared but curious as to what may happen. The entity reside as such:

The angels have long stopped,

Watching over me,

Listlessly flying.

Mocking too, maybe.

Meanwhile I climb up the spiraling staircase,

Trading my Wings for a step or two.

"Do you confess that you are indeed the key to the staircase?"

Grian gave a desperate look at Xena. she gave him a quick nod, edging him to say something.

"I do?"