The woods were quiet today. Now more than ever. Xavier had noticed it as well as the guards and had made sure to put out reinforcements at the walls in case anyone managed to find the well-hidden location.

It almost felt like the calm before the storm, where all creatures hid away with baited breath, waiting for the storm to unleash its fury.

The Deprived, as sensitive as they were, obviously felt it too. If they had been inclined to stay inside before, now they didn't even dare to tread over the doorstep of their room. A distant rumbling sounded in the sky, clouds twisting and churning.

A few soft white clouds sped away on the wind, as if fleeing the oncoming storm. Xavier shivered, eyes flicking towards the nearly black skies ahead that were fast approaching, forks of lightning enhancing its dangerous aura.

This is no ordinary thunder storm.

Xavier nodded towards Fabian as the Hellhound growled lowly before speeding off in a puff of smoke. The entire compound was to be put on high alert, as Fabian had warned Xavier of the approaching storm, as the man had sensed it.

Or rather the magic that caused it.

They all felt it, that ominous pressure unlike any thunderstorm as it sparked through the air in suffocating layers. The shocking thing was that part of said magic came of one of the Deprived. All the guards that possessed magic had tried and contain the storm but it seemed as if Jesse's anguish was bleeding into the weather as well.

A trait of his Elven bloodlines.

Because of that, Xavier was forced to send out messengers in an attempt to find any of the illusive elves in their forests, but so far he came up empty handed. Nobody knew of a way to contact the elves and none of the elves were even aware of Jesse's existence.

Xavier jumped as lightning forked through the air, the thunder clap that followed resembled more an explosion as it rumbled through the building, rattling all the glass panes in their windows. The Improba could feel the spikes of fear each time the booming thunder rolled through the skies, spooking the Deprived even more.

The scent of damp soil filled his nostrils as rain started to pour down in vicious torrents, assaulting the window panes with sharp taps of water. The breeze turned cold as trees swayed in the wind, the forest groaning under the abuse.

"Any news?"

He looked to his right, where several guards were watching the weather warily, almost hesitant to approach the windows. Xavier shook his head, frowning as he heard a door open further down the hallway and spotted an Incubus looking left and right before spotting them.

The man closed the door behind him before approaching quickly, glancing over his shoulder a few times as if anticipating someone to chase him down. Before Xavier could open his mouth to question the man, Fabian stepped up behind him, a worried frown on his face.

"Lucca? What's going on?"

Ah, so this was Jesse's closest friend. Lucca seemed agitated, rubbing his fingers together as he looked over his shoulders again, perfect eyebrows pinching together in a frown. "I... Its Jesse. I-I've stopped him several times but I think he wants to go outside."

They all gawked at the man in shook before looking over their shoulders to make sure that they weren't actually dreaming. "Jesse wants to go out? Have you seen outside?" As if to emphasize Fabian's words, a clap of thunder resounded so sharply, a few of the Deprived screamed in fear.

As guards rushed to settle the Deprived down and ease their fears, Xavier frowned, catching sight of the small figure in the oversized sweater. Lucca turned as well, sadness clouding his eyes as Jesse dragged his feet, eyes set on the door that led outside.

The pixie ignored the congregation of guards in the hall completely, slowly making his way towards the entrance as everyone was torn with letting the boy be or grab him to gently guide him back to his room.

At the risk of shoving him back into his memories of neglect and abuse.

Xavier stiffened when Jesse's eyes slid over the Improba, anticipating terrified screams of horror to fill the hallway. Instead, all he got was a blank look as if the pixie saw through him. A shaking hand lifted up to push the greasy strands of hair out of his face before he stumbled ahead.

"Jesse, its too dangerous out." Lucca murmured softly, holding a hand out without physically detaining the boy. Fabian shot the incubi a look that Xavier didn't fully understand but they all flinched and ducked as a loud shriek of wood protesting resounded through the air.

But it sounded wrong. It sounded too deep to be natural. Too animalistic.

"Oh my fucking god..." One of the guards murmured, gaining everyone's attention as Jesse didn't even respond to the sound, bare feet tapping softly over the tiles towards the forest.

And the creature that was waiting for him just inside the trees.

Xavier's eyes widened, heart palpitating in pure fear at the massive Spriggan that stood a few feet away, eyes fixed on the group before they slid towards the uncaring Pixie. Fabian jolted forwards, managing to grab a hold of Lucca as he bolted forwards with a startled "Jesse, don't!"

The Spriggan shrieked, enraged as it charged forwards, leaping out of the forest and grinding to a halt in full view of the men. And Xavier was horrified to realize this was no ordinary Spriggan. From all the woodland creatures that could've headed Jesse's misery and woe, it had to be this particular shapeshifting Spriggan, known as a Leshen.

And while a Spriggan was hostile and territorial, it was considered to be a docile pet compared to a Leshen.

Twisted hooves clawed at the soil, cracking it open as the creature swayed, its movements accompanied with groans alike protesting wood. They couldn't do anything to provoke the mythological creature very few had met and even fewer lived to tell the tale.

It was a guardian spirit of the woods with a violent temper and an everlasting thirst for vengeance. It wouldn't have mattered if Xander had ordered his men to guard the borders of their domain or to attack this creature.

The Leshen might be outnumbered, but they were painfully outmatched. The trees outside proved their point as their roots twisted, churning up soil when it passed. Its deformed quadruped body resembled an elk, in a very twisted and vile way.

It twisted its head towards them, snorting as the weather eased up a tiny bit, allowing them to see it past the torrents of rain. The creature was entirely made up from whatever what was found in the forest; wood, moss, animal bones... Its spine was a painful mix of wood and bone, sticking out of its back in a grotesque fashion as the Leshen tilted its head to the approaching pixie.

Jesse paused in front of the monstrosity, watching with dull eyes as the Leshen clawed at the dirt and shrieked, the woods and weather churning violently. Xander's mouth dried up as the Leshen stood on its hind legs, transformed until it stood in front of the pixie, towering over its lithe form.

Xavier knew this form was faster, deadlier with bone claws that could rip through flesh, the decayed elk skull on its head a lethal weapon, along with its ability to influence the animals and woodlands around it.

Curiously enough, it didn't attack the boy at all. It merely crouched in front of Jesse, antlers grazing past Jesse's cheek as the creature leaned in with an audible snort. Clawed, wooden fingers tilted the boy's head back, making Lucca struggle in Fabian's arms, desperate to get free, to try and save Jesse from this abomination.

And everyone was stunned when Jesse reached up, a single hand pressing against the Leshen's cheek. The deepest and loudest clap of thunder was so vast, the windows of the foyer exploded in a shower of glass as the creature shivered, a roar rumbling through its chest before Jesse approached and hugged it.

Hugged it.

The storm quieted instantly as the downpour halted in the blink of an eye, the men inside too terrified to move. Xavier's sensitive nose could even detect one of the men actually wetting itself, whispering soft prayers while the Leshen didn't move a muscle.

Slowly, it stood up, grabbing a hold of Jesse and much to the horror of everyone inside, moved towards the group. It ducked down, unable to fit through the doorway and placed Jesse down inside before transforming back to its animalistic form.

Yet, halfway through its transformation it paused, hands clinging the doorway as golden eyes glanced at each and every man in the building before flitting back towards Jesse.

It reached towards the boy and pressed its clawed hand gently to the boy's cheek before pulling back with several threads of Jesse's hair. They watched as the creature bound it to its antlers, a deep wooden groan rumbling through its chest as it finished its shift before cantering into the woods.

Xavier stumbled back and fell to the ground in relief, eyes tracking Jesse as the boy rubbed against the barely visible mark on his cheek before heading back to his room in complete silence.

It didn't escape Xavier's sharp eyes that the skin on Jesse's cheek had formed in an Elven rune and he shivered when he realized the creature's intent. He only hoped that the Elves would be able to handle the horrific messenger that was on its way towards them.