December

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Elias

---

Elias was silent as he processed the new information. At the mention of their Grimm oath, a stray thought about the validity of the oath traced through his mind as Elias considered if she was even a true Grimm. Before it could affect his facial expression, he quelled the thought, moving past Alexis to peer outside of the barn. Once he had ensured that no other entities lurked outside, and that all interested parties had entered the house. he turned back to face his steed.

"Hundar, Wächter, in den Wald!" Elias spoke in a foreign language as he commanded his mount to guard Alexis in the woods. Locking eyes with Alexis, Elias motioned for her to mount Hundar, aware that she was unable to speak the language Hundar understood. It was a foreign and ancient dialect, taught only among Elias particular immediate family. "Go with Hundar, he'll watch over you for the time being. I don't want you near anyone that will agitate you until we can get your powers under control. I'll handle the situation for now; I'll tell them you're out with a potential suitor."

Before Alexis could get a word in edgewise, Elias immediately left the barn, quickly climbing the side of the house in the afternoon light and slipping into his room window, calling for a bath to be drawn for him immediately. Within fifteen minutes, he was soaking in a tub of warm water, washing away the dirt, blood, and grime of the day's events. If he were to present himself to the Broussards, it would have to be without any sign that he had been in combat. It would alert them to any sign of danger and make them highly suspicious.

Elias had barely begun to relax into the water when the door opened without so much as a knock, revealing Nathan's arrogant face as his form strode into the room, glancing around the room before his eyes settled on the Grimm. A servant boy was behind him, clearly displeased that he hadn't been allowed to properly warn Elias, however, his eyes flashed a sign of relief when Elias raised his hand, signalling him it was okay.

Nathan practically begged for attention as he strode into the room, his haughty air failing to garner the respect he craved. Stepping up towards the tub, but careful not to get close enough to get wet, Nathan stared down his nose at Elias, failing to be stealthy as he gave Elias more than one glance over. Without any clothing to inhibit Nathan's view, the vast amounts of scars covering Elias body were clear signs of his combat victories. The Grimm also took the liberty of tightening his muscles, attempting to intimidate the other man. Nathan gave a haughty scoff before locking eyes with Elias, not speaking.

After a long pause, Elias chuckled dryly, looking away from Nathan and returning his attention to cleaning himself. "Broussard, what a surprise. Come to size up the competition?"

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

Wayne allowed his body to mold into Sophie's, the pair fitting together like a glove. His golden eyes were troubled, peering deep into an invisible storm only he could see. Vision and sight were the specialty of his race without question, and insight had always accompanied those two abilities. However, the future was now uncertain to Wayne, something that brought him great unrest. The Wesen and human worlds were on the brink of colliding. Something was moving, something powerful. It wasn't just Alexis, but something far larger. More elaborate. More... sinister.

"I fear that if he does not choose her, great misfortune will befall more than just the Grimms." Resting his chin atop of Sophie's head, Wayne gently rubbed Sophie's back as he continued to think. Alexis was special. She was the pivot point of a far grander scheme. Her dual nature was... unprecedented, and if it ran unchecked, it would likely be the spark that starts a wildfire.

Elias

---

Crack!

The tree branch practically exploded under the impact of the fist that collided with it, splintering into a hundred different pieces as it flew across the forest. The shrapnel lodged itself in various different plants as Elias shook his hand, dispelling the pain in his knuckles. Without another though, Elias whirled around and brought his elbow down onto the thick oak tree behind him, causing a significant dent and forcing the bark into the tree, creating a small crater.

The Grimm's breathing was ragged and erratic, aptly reflecting the man's mental state. Everything about the past few days agitated him, from their new Wesen friends to Sophie's true nature. The emotions whirled around inside Elias like a hurricane, tearing apart any sense of rhyme or reason.

Uttering a guttural scream, Elias slammed his open palm into the tree once more, causing an audible crack to ring through the quiet woods as the oak fractured more, tearing his skin in protest.

"Why can't I just have a single, simple day?" Elias groaned, pounding his other fist into the bark. "First, it's Taric."

Snap!

"Then, surprise, it's time for you to go meet your bastard Uncle in the East!"

Crunch!

"But oh no, oh no no no! That's not enough! Then, you meet this bitch who's not even related to you!"

Crack!

"Then it's off to the city to get her ungrateful ass married!"

Slam!

"But could I just lie around and sleep with the wonderful city women? No! Then, these random Wesens show up inside the mansion!"

Bang!

"And as if two Wesen weren't enough, suddenly, Alexis is both a Grimm and a Wesen because why the fuck not?!"

Thump!

"And on top of everything else, the woman who I think I'm in love with-!"

Thud!

"-Doesn't even know I love men!"

Lifting his leg into the air, Elias slammed it into the heavily damaged tree, his eyes widening in shock as the entire structure exploded. Wood, bark, and leaves filled the air as the raw, unchecked brutality was unleashed. Taking in deep, ragged breaths, Elias looked down, shocked that he had entirely demolished what had to be an over 100-year-old oak with his bare hands. Grimms had special abilities that placed them above other humans, and Elias had always been exceptionally strong, however, this was a new high for him.

A gentle chortle sounded behind him as a warm snout nuzzled against the crook of his neck, goaded Elias to turn around to face Hundar. The horse met Elias eyes with unnatural intelligence, bowing his head against his master's to place their foreheads together.

Sighing heavily, Elias reached up and rubbed Hundar's snout, smiling weakly. "You're right, I am dramatic. But only a little. It's been a shit week."

After mounting Hundar, Elias returned to the mansion within half an hour, trotting into the stables to find Alexis waiting in Hundar's stall, a look of panic on her face. Quickly hiding his hands from her view to avoid revealing the extent of the damage the bark had dealt to his unprotected fists, Elias frowned, urging Hundar to trot quickly. "What's wrong? Where are the Wesens?"

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

As the four moved through the underbrush, Wayne constantly cast a wary eye behind them, searching for any sign that they were still being pursued. After roughly ten minutes of walked, it seemed the Goblins had peeled off and returned to the Coven, however, the Wesen still continued to watch for any danger.

The male Grimm beside him walked in silence, eliciting a slight about of concern from Wayne. Was he refusing to acknowledge the situation, or was he simply thinking of it? He had made it fairly clear he had lost no love for Alexis, however, he was still raised for the sole intent of killing Wesen, and now his love interests were intertwined with an abomination. While Alexis' dual nature didn't bother Wayne, there was no arguing past the questionable morality of that union of Grimm and Wesen.

"We will guide you through what we can, however, me and Sophie are not the most magically inclined," Wayne spoke quietly. "Our magics are far more natural and primal than yours. Where we use instinct and intuition for our channelings, Hexenbiests perfect an art."

After a long while, the group finally made it back to the manor. Alexis quickly split off while Elias mounted Hundar the instant she was inside and galloped off, exiting the area and making his way off towards the northern woods.

Turning to Sophie, Wayne wrapped him arms around her waist and pulled her smaller form into his, taking a deep breath as he relaxed his body into hers. "It's been quite the hectic past few days. I'm glad you're safe."

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

Golden ichor pulsed through the veins in the Wesen's eyes, fueling his vision with magical insight. Inhaling deeply, Wayne fluidly spun under the claw of a Luftkobold and brought his lusting blade upwards into the fleshy underpart of its neck, grimacing in pleasure as his weapon met the resistance of bone, colliding against the top of the skull with a sharp crack.

Pulling back, he spun around again, flinging his blade into the beast approaching Alexis' unconscious body. The knife sailed towards the goblin's eye with deadly accuracy, but a quick bash of its elbow knocked the blade from the air, eliciting a triumphant roar from the creature.

Wayne barely had time to process that as another creature leaped at him, forced him to dive with the creature to avoid being slashed to pieces. Tumbling across the ground, Wayne twisted his leg and wrapped it around the creature's neck, giving it a brief stab to the bicep before flinging his second dagger at Alexis' attacker. The creature's hand was stayed as the knife plunged into its wrist, forcing it to jerk back instead of finishing her off.

Turning back to the creature at hand, Wayne grappled with it for a moment before reaching down to his belt, feeling his daggers magically materialize back in his grasp as they transported across the clearing to him. Within seconds, he had gutted the goblin he battled at the cost of a large gash across his chest.

Turning back, he barely had time to shout as the goblin brought its heavy arms down on Alexis. An instant before it pulverized her head into a sickly mess, a glowing blue chain snaked out from the woods with lightning speed, wrapping around Alexis' leg and pulled her across the field. The unconscious Grimm literally flew through the air into the arms of a battered man with blood pouring down his face. Wielding a now-glowing chain-scythe, the Grimm growled ferociously and swung Alexis around, tossing her onto the back of a horse sprinting directly past him.

Growling in pain, Wayne shouted out a quick Wesen command to Sophie before sprinting forwards, letting his knifes sail through the air at the Goblin Sophie was engaged with. Before they had the chance to make it halfway to their target, Sophie darted forward with lightning agiilty, placing her blade directly into the eye socket of a creature she was unable to perceive.

Wayne quickly jerked his hands into a short, curt motion, summoning his blades back to his belt before sprinting after Elias with Sophie in quick pursuit.

The four creatures quickly made it through the woods, with Hundar quickly outdistancing the three on foot. Wayne was surprisingly almost unable to outrun Elias. Despite his Wesen blood, Elias was thrusting his legs forward with unparalleled endurance.

After almost ten minutes of sprinting, Elias shouted a brief command in a language Wayne didn't recognize. The horse slowly emerged from the woods in the distance, trotting towards the three on foot.

Gently reachign up, Elias brought Alexis down from the saddle and laid her form on the ground, looking her over. "Alexis? Wake up. Now."

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

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

Elias

---

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!"

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Elias

---

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?"

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Elias

---

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."

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

(I'll find a face claim soon)

@Wick

Elias

---

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."

Wayne

---

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.

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Elias

---

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."

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

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.