Disclaimer: I own the elves and the plot, not anything else, oh and the poem

A/N: LikeI said after this chapter things will start a moving even faster, but in this chapter features Malchior's thoughts and explanation on his part for why he halved his heart with Rorek. Even it features a bit of his past ... or what he remembers of his mother.

Enjoy chapter 3, please review ... please?

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Let It Pour

Only 6:00 in the evening and it was already raining …

Tis the season for the rain to come, it was the spring … but it was gloomy, dark, creepy. It wasn't the happy-go-lucky-I-found-love spring, but the dank, wet, and very moist kind of spring. Where you could feel the heat of the ground come up at you and without even having a heightened sense of smell the city air was humid and nasty to breath. After all, living in a polluted populace did have its defaults.

Like big business factory corporations.

Never sleeping, never resting, always working and always making money for the greedy masses … it never really smelt so good in the city when it rained. That is of course unless it was cold … then the smell of the city went away and the smell of fresh water produced from a healthy hydrogen bomb in the sky with the thunder and lightening and all that good stuff. It was only then did it really smell like spring … and Malchior at the moment wasn't caring.

Nope … the Red Sea Sapphire was gone, the police didn't have I otherwise it be all over the news, and the Red X didn't have it otherwise Malchior could have tracked it down in the black-market. It wasn't hard to coax snitches into … well … snitching. So after wasting all his efforts on trying to find the Red Sea Sapphire all in a matter of a day that was coming to a dark end, Malchior found himself once again drenched. Walking in said rain, in the middle of Jump City Central Park, only slightly sheltered by the large trees that covered the long walkways.

Malchior sighed and looked up, his water protective eyelids covering over to shield his eyes from he rain as he stared up into the cloudy sky. His wings had yet to retracted and so not he was walking around looking like he was wearing a large trench coat, which was fine with him. His wings provided good cover from the rain, and looking that he was alone in the park he used it to his advantage.

Up over his head he cupped his wings to act as an umbrella the downpour of the skies beating rhythmically against his sensitive wings. Malchior sighed and started to try and dry himself off the best he could while thinking, Let us see … the Red X is not the culprit to the disappearance of the Sapphire, the Titans are clueless to it's ware bouts thinking that it would be one of us to have it … but I do not possess it … so where is the damned thing?

He sighed and shook his head running a clawed hand through his long longs to try and untangle the pour strands, If I were to take a wild guess … I'd say … it was transported somewhere else … due to the malfunction on the Red X and myself part. The teleporting belt the thief had had probably separated it from us … but where would it have been sent? No doubt it would be somewhere between the warehouse and the Red X's destination … so where would the Red X choose as his base?

All questions and no answers … Malchior was hating that.

In fact he hated everything in this time, the reeking smells that nearly knocks him out, the loud noises that threatens his sensitive ears to bleed to death. There was only so much for a majestic, and powerful creature could take. Forced to cower away and hide in a human form to keep from arousing any suspicion was killing him. He felt so helpless! Sure he knew how to defend himself and his dragon blood allowed for him to heel fast and easy.

However the point was … he was playing human!

Something that he always despised and thought was too weak to even consider sparing a pacing glance! They were cattle! That's all they were! They were useless, ungrateful, stupid, immature, weak-minded THINGS that deserved to be put to death! Humans … where a joke! What good were they? What made them so special that they had been the species to outlast and dominate the times?

Malchior's thoughts?

Their strength in numbers and pathetic petty fears of dieing, of what laid on the other side of life, that's the two reasons why humans were able to stay alive. Because they feared everything, and within everything they feared they destroyed, and because of their unhealthy urge to reproduce every single waking second of the damned morning star and moonlit nights. Malchior growled, just thinking that he had to be disguised, as a damned human was more then infuriating.

It was disgusting!

So as he heard his heart beating, feeling it pump through his chest Malchior felt so dirty. In his desperate revenge tactic Malchior had shared his heart with Rorek … a human sorcerer … the only one strong enough – and brave enough – to go up against him … and live to tell the tale. Of curse he would have otherwise the book wouldn't have been made. The curse of eternal life … his own burden since birth, Malchior balled his hand into a fist; I'd give my own heritage to undo the era of my stupidity … sharing my heart with a human? Why? Why did I do it? How could I have done it without any regrets or second thoughts of the future? Why did I doubt myself?

He couldn't hold it … his wings slowly came down to his sides and began to drag across the ground once more as he glared at the sidewalk. The rain beat down on him, on the grass, on the trees and upon the earth itself. The rain … the rain … his rain … Why did I hesitate? What was the purpose for my lack of knowledge when I knew … when I knew … I knew I could escape a mere pathetic book curse. I knew … I knew I could escape it without a hitch, and yet … I feared … I feared … he stopped.

The rain … it continued to pour unto him … continued to beat down on him, soaking his clothes, his hair, his skin … virtually his whole body. Malchior just stood in the rain, wings on the ground and head still bowed, frozen … as if a stand-still pitch had been taken. Frozen in time and unable to move.

Malchior looked up again and let his extra eyelids close, I feared … loosing it all … completely … disappearing as if there wasn't a written book of my own existence … the Earth … the Fates … Destiny … my Destiny … my story … would vanish completely. Malchior wouldn't exist. Not in stories, not in books, not in life … not even in memory … because, my soul would have just … died … disappeared. I would be literally whipped off the face of all existence. That was my fear … my fear of vanishing.

For a while … for that moment, Malchior just stood there staring at the rain, letting it drench, drown, wash, and cover him from head to toe. Remembering the stories he had been told since he was a little hatchling on his mother's shelf. The stories of great and grand dragons that would live on in memory and in stories for all eternity and eons to come, warming his heart and lifting his spirits, Malchior never felt more safe, secure, and protected.

However, like any other moral story there came a warning and in the warning Malchior remembered clearly in her beautiful song:

Oh my little dragon

Be still ye beating wings

Let bygones be bygones

And come withme to sing

Spin tales of great triumph

The stories that warm the heart

These words that spill forth thy mouth

Me promise the truth from the start

Yet your laughter is much pleasant -

To mine ears, I smile

Let not evil taint thy presents

Because through the inch, my little hatchling, you shall go the mile

So that was why he gave his heart to the human sorcerer, because he – his instinctual inner fear at least – did not want to die without leaving a sure fool proof plan that he would not disappear. He would live, even if he had to share a beating pulse with a human, and his enemy. Malchior shook his head, By now the wizard should have figured out my coward's route … I guess, in the end … the dragon chuckled and he shook his body to get some of the rain off his body. Flicking his wings and cupping it over his head again to continue his walk still chuckling … I've been my own unbecoming … funny … real funny …

TAPTAPTAPTAP

Huh? Malchior stopped, the sound of the rapid movement, splashes of puddles, yet … he couldn't really be sure with all the falling rain.

TAPTAPTAPTAPTAP

Again! Spinning around and dropping his wings, folding them close to his body and around his neck like a cape, Malchior narrowed his black eyes to see through the mist of the downpour.

TAPTAPTAP – SHHHHHH! – THW-THW-THW-THWACK!

Out of instinct alone the dragon ducked down and rolled barely dodging four perfectly aimed daggers that were sent flying to his head. Back on his feet Malchior shot up in the air flipping into a tree and staying as quiet as a mouse. He growled low and warningly, Great … followed, and hunted, who's the new idiot that wishes to taste his own blood?

Through the rain scanning up and down Malchior gritted his teeth, fangs gutting out and claws growing ever longer the dark dragon sat silently on his perch waiting for the assailant to attack again. Or to – movement – down to his right he saw a figure run across the park, There you are, as silent as the grave Malchior shot down and broke in a sprint to catch his prey, however it was a smart one. Somehow he anticipated his chase and three back five daggers.

Malchior jumped, flipped and dodged them all, even catching one and never broke his sprint. Foolish mortal, thought Malchior wouldn't know for sure if the assassin really was a mortal because the rain messed up his sense of smell covering the trail all he had left was to go with his eyes and ears. Weapon in hand Malchior flipped it so the blade was in his hand and reared his arm back.

With little to no hesitation at all Malchior threw the weapon fast and hard, the human never saw a thing coming and before Malchior could think the dagger impelled itself into the man's back and down he went. Skidding to a halt due to the rain that softened the park grass, Malchior stood over the now dead body of his attacker and sneered, Is that all?

Gun cocked, finger to the trigger, and barrel pointed to his head. Malchior's sneered turned to a dry look, I had to ask.

"Hunting a Dragon I thought would have been even harder then I supposed … seems like I've underestimated you creatures. I guess the Queen was right to saying you're all nothing more than a bunch of over grown pet iguanas that've grown wings."

Malchior suppressed a dark evil growl, What in the blazes ever gave these humans the permission to think that us dragons are related to damn iguanas? We're NOT!

"Isn't it a little damp for you humans to be out at this time in season?" Malchior turned his head to snarl at the human male that dared to crack the "lizard" joke and frighten him away from his "hunt". However when he did turn to face him what he found was not a human … no … but something even Malchior himself was hesitant to face at one point in his life … an elf.

As tall as he was, and a bit older than expected with light blonde hair that was dark and soaked to his face from the rain, his blazing green eyes and pale moonlit skin with long, tattooed, pierced, and signature of every elf. The ears. Yet … the point of the matter was the one that was hunting him was a damn elf!

A smug grinning one at that, "I wouldn't know, now, let's make this as painless as possible …" trailing off to look down at the man that was lying dead in the middle of the rain he snorted and shrugged, "well … as painless for the both of us as possible. Now, my lady has sent me out to retrieve what rightfully belongs to her … and it's not there, in fact I have been studying up on it's possible ware bouts and surprise, surprise a hoarding dragon had to come around and steal it. You just had to have the Red Sea Sapphire didn't you."

Malchior raised a brow, "The Red Sea Sapphire? It belonged to the Queen of Elves herself? How'd she lose it in the first place dare I ask."

"Silence!" the elf growled, "Enough talk where's the Sapphire? This has dragon written all over it, and I'm not leaving until my lady's Sapphire is returned!"

"Dragon huh?" Malchior scratched the back of his head and shook it flapping his wings to flick the water off it he gave the elf a scanning look and snorted, "Not that I care what your name is … but my name isn't "dragon" – crazy I know, but just bare with me here Quick, because the name's Malchior."

Faster then the elf could react, Malchior snapped his hand to the gun, grabbing it and letting it go off on the "dead human's" head watching him twitch and the concealment spell drop. To show that he was an elf all the same as the one that had himself twisted and twirled onto to the ground. Malchior now with the gun in hand shot twice into the back of his tracker's head with no remorse in his black eyes. "So … you've all found a way to cheat the change in the times too huh?"

Giving the gun a scrutinizing look Malchior tossed it to the side and huffed, throwing his wings over head again to shield him from the rain he left the two beings n the middle of the field to sink into the ground, never to be seen of by human's prying eyes. Malchior cupped the bottom of his chin, "Interesting … very … interesting."

If Elves are still alive – and hunting me down for that matter thinking that I was the one to steal their precious sapphire … even if I didn't I would have so gladly done so. But … the Red Sea Sapphire … was owned by the Queen herself hmm? Well … that really is an honor … but how did the thing escape her hide out in the first place? he stopped and turned to stare at the spot where he had easily disposed of the elves that were nothing but trackers. Malchior sighed and continued his walk, Elves … what ever did start the feud between the dragons and the elves? What was the cause of our DNA encoded hatred for one another? Either way … that Sapphire is beginning to cause quite a stir … at least it'll make an interesting ride …

((--Titan Tower--))

((--Middle of the night--))

Everything …

Was …

Quiet …

Nothing … no one was up or stirring, granted Raven would be the only one up at this time of night, but with the work she exhausted herself with over the day she had to remind herself that she was only a half-breed. Maybe her demon side was strong enough to go through the whole night without even batting an eye of sleepiness, but the point was that her human side wasn't. She was tired and thus plopped onto her bed without even bothering to change or pull the covers over her body.

However … her window mysteriously opened … just a tiny crack to allow for a tall male figure to quietly, soundlessly, and generally undetected slip in and close the window into her bedchambers. The white book on her bed, having been set to rest behind her since her movement was the one to stir up the sheets went unseen by the sneaky man who slinked right around her strange bed and headed for her bookcase. About to reach out and try to find the opening that lead to the archives he knew was behind it.

She shifted …

He stilled …

Silence hung in the room …

The only sound that was really heard was the sound of her rustling sheets and moving body turning to … he blinked and stared at the white book that she now clutched in her arms. Possessively. He tilted his head and looked back at the shelf then back at the bed, forgetting about the archives behind the shelf he slowly and even more cautiously stalked to her side of the bed. His shadow loomed over her as the rain pelted her window.

A debate ruthlessly going on in his mind:

Too take the book … or not to take the book … that was the question.

It was his target, it was what he was looking for and it'll be the only thing that'll lead him exactly to where his bane of suffering was walking. Breathing, living a life that he so did not deserve. The book … was his – no … it was their book. It belonged to him, because it told of his life … yet it belonged to the other because it was his home for a near thousand years. Yet now … he began to wonder as he stared at the young maiden innocently, obliviously sleeping comfortably on her bed.

The book … the cause of all his madness in her hands – no – in her arms … as if the pages within where the only things that sustained the very air she breathed. So precious … so beautiful … no wonder he went after you … he couldn't help himself. She just looked so fragile, like such a weak glass where if held the wrong way could break at any minute. Reaching a hand down not to grab the book from her, but to grab the cape that chocked at her comfort.

He unclipped it gently and easily pulled it out from under her, getting her to roll and open her mouth to produce a low moan of discomfort or whine … but no sound. She was a mute … or was muted, by a certain someone he knew. Cape in his hands he spread it open and was glad that it was big and long enough to cover her still form. Tucking her in he looked up and took in a sharp intake of air when he released how close he had suddenly come to her face.

The feeling … no … they weren't his feelings … they were his … and yet it still affected him. Like an infections dieses, Rorek found himself hovering not a hair width away from a kiss. A kiss that he'd be stealing if he even tried … even thought of … but it was so tempting. The feeling in his gut … it wasn't his that much he knew, it was the dragon's. A dragon's lust for a taste of succulent and forbidden treasure … she may not have been silver or gold … not even copper or flimsy metal, but something more valuable and hard to obtain.

She was the treasure of flesh … everyone was if looked at a curtain way … and Rorek training his hand to stay at the side looked away from the girl that hadn't a clue about his near promising position. No … they are his desires, a dragon's craving … I will not taint such a girl that deserves none of this. You bastard Malchior … Rorek growled inwardly as he sighed quietly and walked to the window prepared to leave and never return. The book … he figured … was safe with her … just as long as Malchior didn't think he could get anything from it … it was safe … she was safe … for now.

She's so young … so foolish … how could you even think to harm such a maiden? It was sickening to him … he didn't understand it, but then again he still didn't understand the reason why dragons fear loosing their souls so much? He found it funny … yet sympathetically and ironically he had also found himself believing. Turning back to Raven he held out a glowing hand and mutter a few chosen words to gently lift her curse, why let her suffer?

"Breeh gon simthox," he felt his magic disperse upon her, but frowned when it sparked and he felt a barrier of sorts. Looking at his hand and back at her with much inquiry he thought curiously: A curse that can only be broken by emotion … what are you up to Malchior?

Curiosity is curiosity, but as much as Rorek would like to stay and see what it was that Malchior meant by doing such a thing. Rorek had cracked open the window and slipped out into the cold raining night. Never noticing the violet eyes that watched him disappear with an inquisitive look of her own as she looked down at her cape that was draped over her body.

Raven sat up and looked down at the book, Why? Why would you come to take it away? Why would you hesitate and leave? Wait a minute … Raven's eyes shot back to the glass, even though she knew he wasn't there anymore memory was pulsating through her mind in confusion. Were you wearing a Red X battle suit?

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Ooo ... Rorek with the Red X suit? Elves? This is getting weirder and weirder as the chapters progress ... does Rorek playing the theif? Hmm ... something doesn't sound right about that ... (gasps) and Raven knows! But did she know that he was oh so close to kissing her? Maybe? Maybe not ... but it all gets better in the next chapter.