LENALEE THE FĒILÓNG

"Are you sure?" Allen stands nervously behind the tree line.
"I'm sure." Lavi nods. "It's not like we can take him with us."
Allen glances down at Jasper in his arms. "I guess so."
"Then, let's go!" Lavi tries to pull Allen forward, only to be pushed back.
"But what if they don't want him back!?" Allen demands. "Not everyone likes having a dead cat around!"

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Lavi reassures. "And we won't know until we try."

"T-Toby!?" An old woman cries out at the sign of the fat cat.
"M-Mister magician!" The mayor appears out of nowhere. "T-The necromancer-"
"Has moved out." Lavi reassures. "Permanently."
"T-Thank you!" The mayor cries out in relief.
"But what about Toby!?" The old woman stares at the green glow.
"I assure you, your cat is fine." Lavi says. "See? This vial around his neck, it's keeping him alive."
"W-What happened to him?" The woman asks as the cat jumps into her arms.
"He had a nasty fall." Lavi glances towards the trees, where Allen's watching on anxiously. "And he's perfectly fine now."

"Thank you so much." The woman bows slightly. "I'm so glad that Toby is alright."
"And here's your reward." The mayor holds out a bag of gold. "For everything you've done."

"That's a lot of gold." Allen stares at the large bag.
"Heh, they were really desperate." Lavi grins.
"Hmph." Allen glares at the bag suddenly. "Thanks."
"Uh…" Lavi shoves the bag away quickly. "Anyway, where do you want to head first?"
"I have no idea." Allen admits with a grin. "I never made a plan to leave."
"Then…" Lavi smirks. "I have an idea."

"Wow." Allen stares up at the enormous town.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Lavi grins proudly. "This is my home, when I'm not out and about."

The town, more like a city, stretches over a small mountain, built into its crevices and spires. The impressive stonework runs up cliffs and over the web of streams and rivers running through and under the streets. All the buildings are bathed in multi-coloured light from the hundreds of stained-glass windows reflecting off of each other. The paleness of the buildings themselves almost blinding Allen as he tries to take it all in.

"C'mon." Lavi starts forward, down the dirt path. "It's still twenty minutes to the gates."

The gates, unsurprisingly, are over twenty meters high, with impressive looking guards standing at the entrance.

"I've never seen a city this big." Allen admits.
"I'm not surprised." Lavi replies. "As far as I know, Barkensaw is the largest in the known world, for every race."
"There are other races here?" Allen asks incredulously.
"Of course." Lavi grins. "I mean, those that can get along. It's not like its full of dragons and goblins."

"There's so many people…" Allen stares at the crowds of colourful people walking past.
"You sound surprised." Lavi smirks.
"Shut up." Allen mutters, pulling his hood further down over his face.

"We're almost there." Lavi tries, pointing down the large street.

"We're almost at the place you're not telling me about." Allen corrects.

"Almost." Lavi skips forward. "It's just down here."

"Oi, Komui." A scruffy looking man looks down on another as he lies face first on a desk.
"Hm?" The second man, looks up drowsily, a small trail of drool dripping down his white robes.

"Lavi's outside." The first man says. "And he's brought a friend."
"A friend?" Komui slowly sits up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"He's rather excited about it."
"I'll be down in a minute, thanks Reever."
"Just get going already."

"Oh, I forgot to ask." Komui stops by Reever's desk on his way down.
"What?" Reever looks up from his papers.

"Has Lenalee returned yet?"
"Nah, she's still out."
"…Damn."

"Looks fancy." Allen notes as he and Lavi stare up at the blackened cathedral.
"It's great on the inside too." Lavi adds.
"But why are we at a cathedral?" Allen wonders.
"It's not a real cathedral." Lavi explains. "It's being used as a magician's guild."
"A guild?" Allen stares at Lavi. "You've taken me to a magician's guild!?"
"Why not?" Lavi shrugs. "There's high chance that there're necromancy books here."
"B-But…" Allen looks conflicted. "I'm a necromancer. An Underwalker to be exact. Have you forgotten what that means?"

"Hello!" The cathedral doors fly open at Komui's touch, revealing Lavi and a hooded figure.

"Komui!" Lavi grins and waves.
"It's nice to see you back again." Komui steps forward before looking a the figure beside Lavi. "And this is…?"
"Oh, Komui, this is Allen." Lavi introduces.
"…Hi." Allen raises his hand in greeting.
"Ah, Allen, don't be so worried." Lavi flicks at Allen's oversized hood, knocking it off his face.
"Lavi!" Allen protests, slapping Lavi's arm.
"Um…" Komui tries, awkwardly interrupting the two. "How about you come inside?"

"So, Allen, was it?" Komui sits on a bench across from Allen and Lavi.

"Yes, I'm Allen Walker." Allen nods.

"I'm assuming you're a magician." Komui glances towards Lavi.
"Yup." Lavi confirms.

"And what is it that you specialise in?" Komui finishes, looking back at Allen.
"Oh…" Allen looks nervously at Lavi.
"He's a…" Lavi leans in close, next to Komui's ear. "A necromancer."
"A…" Komui stares at Allen. "…I see."
"We were hoping you might have something to help." Lavi adds. "He's still an amateur."
"Why is it that you've chosen to be…what you are?" Komui asks.

"I was born with it." Allen shrugs. "I've always had the ability but I was hoping to actually do something with it."
"Then…I think we can help." Komui smiles. "But, I have just just one question: what style of…necromancy do you use?"
"…I'm an Underwalker." Allen all but whispers.
"An Underwalker?" Komui looks confused and he looks over to Lavi curiously.
"Underwalker, a form of necromancy involving direct connections to spirits and physical travel to the underworld." Lavi recites monotonously. "One of the most dangerous but is the most powerful form of dark magic found naturally in magicians at birth."

"…If there's anything, it's in here." Komui gestures proudly to the ridiculously high bookshelves coating the walls. Floating candles hover and fly through the maze of shelves. Colourful books of all sizes shine and glow in the light while bronze tipped scrolls hang on every bare space.
"…And I'm guessing you're a fan of this place." Allen turns to Lavi, who's grinning widely.
"How'd you guess?"

"…As great as the first impression was, this place is the worst." Allen collapses on a stray couch, staring up at the towering bookshelves.
"Aw, I'm sure we'll find something." Lavi calls down from a teetering ladder as he scans the book titles.

"How many books are even in here?" Allen wonders.
"…Few million? I have no idea."
"Great."

"Lavi!"
A call from the entrance, causes the older magician to start.
"What!?" Lavi slides down the ladder, hitting the ground with a loud thud.

"You're meant to tell me when you return, junior."
Allen stares at a very old man. As he starts reprimanding Lavi, his few strands of hair bob about wildly. His loose robes mimic Lavi's with the paper scrolls and such tied into his clothes. Long and thin needles are stuck into his sleeves, weaved expertly into the fabric, Allen doesn't question how much they'd hurt.

"Allen!" Lavi calls the necromancer over.
"Yeah?" Allen nervously heads over, aware of the fuming older man.
"This is Gramps- uh, my teacher: Bookman." Lavi introduces, gesturing lazily to the man.
"Uh, it's nice to meet you." Allen sticks his hand out, which Bookman quickly shakes.
"You're Allen Walker, then?" Bookman stares at Allen analytically.

"That's right." Allen nods, watching Lavi out of the corner of his eye.
"If you're looking for necromancy books, they're on the right-hand side." Bookman points down one of the isles of shelves. "By the other dark magics."

"Shit." Lavi swears quietly.
"What?" Allen looks away from the almost completely black shelves of dark magic texts.

"I needed to tell Gramps something." Lavi grabs his staff from it's place against a bookshelf. "Think you can survive a few minutes without me?"
"Sure." Allen nods.
"They're serving lunch in a minute." Lavi adds. "Just head to the entrance hall."
"Oh, alright." Allen watches Lavi go, weaving past the shelves and leaving Allen alone in the library.

"Hm…" Allen grabs a rather thick volume titled 'Necromancy of the Underworld: Ways of the Under Walkers'.

"This must be it." Allen mutters, prying the book open.

Just as he starts the first page, a loud voice distracts him.

"She'll be back soon."
"Stop freaking out!"
"But-"

"Look, we've done this a million times before, just act casual and avoid her like the plague."

Allen creeps down the aisle, book tucked under his arm.

"This is nuts. She's crazy!"
"Well, there's nothing we can do."
"But she's a-"

"Don't say it."

"…Right, she'll know."
"We're leaving tomorrow, so just deal with it for a few hours."
"Where should I hide it?"
"Somewhere she won't sense it…Keep it in your room for now."
"Alright, alright."

Allen spots the two speakers, a man and woman both in red cloaks. Small, wooden wands sit in their hands, carved with various symbols and spells. The man holds a small, bright blue orb, it's surface swirling with water-like ripples.

"Just…keep away." The woman sighs. "Or we'll be busted."

Allen wanders into the entrance hall, ten minutes later than he'd hoped.

"Allen!" Komui appears beside him, smiling brightly.

"…Komui." Allen nods. "Lavi told be to come here."
"Yes, you'll be looking for lunch." Komui says. "Just head through that door."
Allen follows Komui's gaze to a large door, already half open, where a bright light flickers beyond, casting large shadows of people milling about.

"Where's Lavi?" Allen frowns when he doesn't spot the eccentric red head among the crowd.
"He'll likely be here soon." Komui reassures. "Just take a seat somewhere."

"She's coming!" A man loudly whispers to his friend, barely in earshot from Allen's table.
"Now!?" The other man looks startled.
A wave of whispers course through the room as people nervously shuffle closer together.

Allen can't imagine what they're worried about, but it's probably the same person the people in the library were talking about…

The door fly open and the first thing Allen sees is a familiar head of red hair.
Lavi grins happily at a girl, probably a year or so younger.
Her green hair shimmers in the candlelight, matched by the metallic gleam of her mismatched armour. Metal plates cover her legs, shoulders and forearms, with smaller pieces scattered over a short, green and black dress. The most startling things about her, however are her eyes and skin. Dotted across her face and bare calves are tiny green scales, like a lizards or snake. They almost completely cover her ankles and seem to collect around her bright violet eyes.

"Shit." Allen recognises the woman from the library, who's quietly swearing a few meters away.

"Let's go." Another woman appears beside her, a few years older, and pulls the first away, matching the scowl on her face. They merge into the crowd of others receding, giving the girl as much space as possible.

"Allen!" Lavi waves to Allen as he and the girl come over.
"Uh, hi." Allen looks over to the girl.
"Allen, this is Lenalee Lee." Lavi introduces. "She's kind of a magician too."
"Nice to meet you." Lenalee smiles brightly at Allen, catching him by surprise.
"Nice to meet you too." Allen nods as she and Lavi take a seat.
"Something up?" Lavi notices Allen's hesitation.
"Everyone seems to be scared of you." Allen explains to Lenalee. "Sorry, I don't know what I expected."
"Oh." Lenalee smiles. "It's a long story."

"Apart from the terror that is her protective brother…" Lavi starts. "They're probably scared of how tough you are, Lena-lady."
"You think?" Lenalee looks thoughtful.

"By the way, what did you mean by 'kind of magician'?" Allen asks Lavi.
"Well, Lenalee does use magic." Lavi explains. "So she's technically a magician, but she's way cooler."
"Heh." Lenalee giggles. "Lavi…"
Lavi leans over the table to whisper to Allen. "She's a fēilóng."
"…Should I know what that is?" Allen stares at the two.
"She's a dragon." Lavi grins. "A flying storm dragon, actually."
"Half dragon." Lenalee corrects. "My mother was one."
"That's…really cool." Allen smiles. "So, you can fly?"
"Yup." Lenalee nods. "But, my brother doesn't like me doing it inside. I'd fly everywhere if I could."

"Your brother?" Allen asks.
"Komui." Lavi explains.
"So he's-"
"No." Lenalee shakes her head. "I'm the only one who got it. Big Brother is a normal human, as far as we can tell."
"Oh." Allen mutters.

"Anyway, I'm starving!" Lavi exclaims. "Where's the food!?"
"You just ate." Lenalee points out. "You were eating a sandwich outside just now."
"That was just a snack." Lavi grins.
"Well, Jerry doesn't look too busy." Lenalee looks over to the other side of the hall, where there's a small serving window.
"Jerry?" Allen cranes his neck to take a look.
"He's the chef." Lenalee explains. "Come one, I'll introduce you."


hey guys! Thakns for all the support so far! I'm loving writing this and even though i said i wouldn't be updating this week, I've pulled this thing together for you :3
anyway, thanks to melovecats (Guest) for reviewing and pretty much spoiling this chappie. :p but its ok. I really liked ur ideas and i might've used them if i hadn't already figured this stuff out.
Thanks again for reading!

-Cheese Wizzard (•̀o•́)ง