Chapter Text
The emperor of Rivendell flew in on his Elytra and crashed through the second floor of his castle, shattering the glass of the window. Usually he would have landed outside and walked in, and if Scott had been in his right mind, he would have apologized at the very least.
However this was not like usual, nor was Scott in his right mind. He raced down the hallway and slammed the door to his quarters, leaving a trail of confused and worried servants in his wake. Scott leaned on the door and breathed heavily, he let out a small sob and ran his hands through his hair. Aeor’s antlers, this was all wrong… Scott had gone to Geminitay, the Crystal Cliffs’ resident wizard, to ask her about his rampant ice powers, only to nearly freeze her to death. How could he have been so stupid and ignorant? Of course something was going to happen! Scott should have just stayed quarantined in his room with his out of control powers.
His powers… Why on earth were his powers acting up? They had been a gift from Aeor, the heavenly ice stag who was worshipped by the elves and the patron god of Rivendell. The powers had been a gift from Aeor after Scott and his allies had sealed away the demon Xornoth and the corruption that influenced them in a crystal that Scott now wore around his neck. In recent days, the powers had been acting up, leaving permanent ice in Rivendell, as well as Rivendell’s embassies in the Codlands and the Undergrove. Aeor didn’t do that, did he? Was he purposely making Scott’s powers go haywire? Scott prayed that he wasn't right, but there was only one way to know for sure.
Scott tried to steady his breathing as he got up from the door and shakily knelt at his bed. He laced his hands together and bowed his head as he took a deep breath and began to pray. “Oh mighty Aeor… please hear my plea. I must talk with you, the gift you have given me has started to sour. It's been hurting my friends and Rivendell. I have to ask you… Why? Why are you allowing this?”
Scott waited, sometimes Aeor took a little to reply, but Scott felt that this was a concerning amount of time to wait, eventually Scott could hear Aeor’s familiar hum in the back of his mind as the stag created the connection between champion and god.
“Hello my little fawn…”
Oh, oh no. Aeor’s breathing was labored and Scott could hear the pain in his voice as he whispered to Scott. “Aeor..? A-Are you alright?”
“I am sorry my fawn.”
“What do you mean?”
“Exor, he has found me…”
Scott stared at his bed in horror, “He… he found you?” he asked quietly, “Is that why my powers are going crazy?”
“You are losing control of your powers? Oh dear…
Aeor let out a soft and sad sigh, making Scott’s stomach churn. “Aeor..?” he whispered.
“It is as I feared then… Exor is using his corruption on me to get to you… I am sorry my fawn, I would have never done this to you willingly.”
“What?”
“He wants you Scott, I do not know why, but he wants you. You need to sever the connection between us.”
“Aeor-”
“Scott please… you have to before he-”
Scott gasped and winced as his head seared with pain, Aeor’s final words lost in the noise as Scott cried out in pain.
Greetings champion.
I have seen your power. I now realize that I have chosen the wrong brother.
Submit to my will and we will usher in an age of prosperity. Do not resist. It will not end well for you or anyone else.
Scott could hardly think as Exor’s words boomed in his head. He wearily got from his bed, he needed to leave, but where would he go? He had already pushed everyone away because of his ice powers, hadn’t he? Heavens above now no one would know, or possibly care, about Scott’s predicament.
Good. Now let the corruption make you whole.
Scott blinked, where would Exor get corruption from? Scott had sealed it all away in the Xornoth crystal, and Scott knew the crystal wasn't shattered, after all it was around his neck.
Oh. It was around his neck.
Scott’s panic rose as he felt the crystal burn through his clothes and brand his skin, allowing an entryway for the corruption to bury itself into Scott’s skin. The elven king’s mind raced as he let out a low moan of pain. He grabbed the crystal and tore it from his neck, ignoring the searing pain and the corruption burrowing into his palm as he threw the crystal against the opposite wall. Scott watched the crystal shatter, the magic keeping the writhing mass of corruption and Xornoth inside it spilling out, creating massive vines of corruption and slowly materializing a body for Xornoth.
Scott couldn’t bear to be here anymore, with the corruption in his chest and hand, his ice powers starting to produce icicles, and Xornoth’s crystal broken, he needed to leave. Scott stumbled away from where Xornoth’s form was slowly regenerating to the window that looked out over the western part of Rivendell. He managed to undo the latch and push the window out, taking in the crisp clean air. He could hear Xornoth’s groan behind him, so Scott took one last deep breath before pulling himself onto the ledge and unfurling his elytra as he took flight.