A/N: I noticed that somewhere down the line I screwed up the chapter numbering. Just so you know, I am not likely to fix that.
Chapter 13: Confrontation
It was well into the evening, but not quite dusk, when Xanatos and Owen arrived back at the castle. Xanatos had ceased asking questions of Owen, as his silence told him all he needed to know. Owen clearly had some idea what might be going on, but not enough information to give a definitive answer. Rather than risk being wrong, he just declined to say anything.
But he clearly knew something, or else he'd have admitted ignorance. With this knowledge Xanatos could only assume that this was some sort of machination gone wrong. If it involved Lexington getting hurt Owen was no doubt feeling terrible guilty. He and Lexington had found some sort of kinship through Alex and had become fast friends in the past year or so. So much so that Xanatos had to wonder if Lexington's involvement was intentional.
At the castle nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. It was as quiet and still as could be expected. Xanatos and Owen made there way to the roof to meet the gargoyles as the sun was setting. The very first thing of note was that Lexington was missing.
Xanatos and Owen stood back as the statues around them began to crack. After fully awaking Goliath spotted the two of them and immediately approached them. He looked determined.
"Goliath," Xanatos greeted. "I've been hearing some distressing news since getting back into the city this afternoon.
"Indeed." Goliath replied. "I was wondering if Owen couldn't shed some light on the situation." He added. Goliath had never been one to mince words.
"How may I be of assistance?" Owen asked.
"Not long before you left Lexington was heard muttering about some magical artifact. He later was seen with a necklace that has somehow possessed his body for it's own purposes. I rather suspect that this has something to do with you." Goliath stated plainly.
Owen was running the facts in his head and going through his options when Xanatos decided to chime in.
"Might this have something to do with the necklace you recently acquired?" Xanatos asked.
"Lexington said he found in on the ground in the city somewhere." Brooklyn informed them.
"Highly unlikely." Owen protested, deciding that some measure of truth was probably for the best in this instance. "I recently came into possession of a necklace with some magical properties. He saw me examining it and no doubt his curiosity got the better of him. While I was away perhaps he thought to take it and find out for himself what it does." Owen explained.
"You just left it laying around unguarded?" Xanatos asked.
"It was securely locked in my desk." Owen answered.
"This seems solved easily enough. Just explain to us what the necklace does, from there we should be able to find a way to reverse the effects." Hudson reasoned.
"I cannot." Owen said.
"You do not know what it does?" Goliath asked, an edge creeping into his voice.
"I believe the necklace is a vessel of some sort. But I've no way of knowing what sort of effects it would have on a mortal being." Owen answered.
"It's clearly a vessel for some malevolent being. The one that has taken over Lexington and proceeded to wreak havoc on the city and it's inhabitants while in HIS flesh!" Goliath yelled at the stoic man in front of him.
"Even during the day?" Xanatos asked. "It's strong enough to override turning to stone?"
"Eliza spotted him in the sky yesterday." Broadway explained.
Owen could see the wheels in Xanatos' head beginning to turn. Normally he loved that look, but just at the moment he'd rather not deal with it.
"Is there truly nothing helpful you can tell us about whatever is possessing Lexington?" Goliath asked. "No information to help rid us of it?"
"Lexington's situation is most regrettable, and truly I wish there was something I could do. But I do not have the ability to stop this." Owen answered.
Goliath growled under his breath and then sighed.
"Very well." Goliath conceded. He stalked away with an air of sullen agitation.
Xanatos stared at Goliath as the pack followed him away, then turned his attention to Owen.
"Are you intending to help them? This was all your doing, after all." Xanatos asked.
Owen just walked away.
A/N: This chapter was going to be longer, but the 2nd part of it is really difficult to write. So I'm breaking in up into two chapters.