THE GARGOYLE
The night was filled with a lovely fog of peace and quietness. The streets were all silent like a funeral, and the moon was shinning all over France's streets. Running steps are heard within Marseille's Streets. A man is running from his shadow carrying a bag filled with metallic objects on his shoulders. He runs alone crossing the streets, and what he finds on his right eye is a dark alley to hide. He runs towards the alley swift, after a long run he jumps into the alley to hide in the dark. Breathless, he throws the bag onto a dark and rusty brick wall. He kneels down to the bag to open it with his smudged fingertips, and what he sees is gold and silver objects. Gold chalices, silver crosses, necklaces and miniature statues, everything seemed like church decorations. He laughs joyful for such a treasure to be had, playing with his new stolen objects with greed. Suddenly, the night shows that it was too good to be true, something gained his attention. A shadow that moved from the rooftop was creepily aiming at him. He felt threatened. He reached into his pocket while standing up, then took out a gun from his pocket as he lifts the bag of thievery gold. He aims at the wind, looking for something to shoot at, but nothing is there. The burglar takes a heavy breath and then decides to move forward. His hands grab onto a window and start climbing upstairs the alley. He jumps to a balcony with stairs and agitated follows the stairs to the rooftop.
The burglar reaches the roof as he lays down on the ground exhausted. He looks around taking a full scan turning his head right and left, over and over, again and again. Nothing is found on his sight, and so he relaxes putting down his bag and gun. All he sees around are statues and small pillars. He catches sight of the four statues around the roof on every corner. One statue looks like a kid holding a spear in position of "Hail", the other statue over the counter corner is nothing but an eagle opening its wings, the third corner is decorated by a naked woman holding an arrow that's aiming at the sky, and the last statue looks like a monster, just a gargoyle in a pose like it was scaring little kids. The thief takes a breath and starts to feel the golden treasure with his face against it. He enjoys the smell of gold and silver, but then a voice rises from the emptiness.
-"What a spineless greedy piece of scum you are"-
The burglar shook into surprise and grabbed his gun. He swung his gun spinning around in circles to aim to whoever spoke.
-"Your kind only threatens the temples we guard, and yet you keep coming and coming. You should all stay in the pile of trash that you were born from"-
The burglar twitters as he speaks in fear, asking for an answer.
-"Where are you? Show yourself coward, so I… I can shoot you!"-
Screams the burglar with fear. Suddenly one of the statues moves. The Gargoyle stands up while the moonlight is covered by a dark cloud making the Gargoyle seem like a dark shadow. All the burglar sees is a shadow moving towards him. The shadow's wings wrapped in on his back and his arms thin and long to touch his knees. He walks slowly towards the burglar as the burglar shakes in horror. The beast covered by the night comes closer and closer to the man. The thief takes a hold of himself and takes a shot, he hits the creature, but the creature just stands still. The burglar, covered in fear, takes a few steps back. The shadow keeps walking like nothing happened, as he comes hither to the thief he grabs the Thief from the neck. The burglar just gags in fear and tries to shoot the Blackened monster on the face. The creature holds the man and stretches his right arm getting ready to let him fall down to the ground. The man keeps shooting to the monster's face, sadly the gun gets empty, and the creature shows a small grin. The creature grabs the gun with his left arm and smashes it with his bare hand by just squeezing it like a cardboard toy.
The man keept struggling to get away, but the monster was much too strong for him to even try anything. The monster growled in anger to the sky, then he stares at the man's eyes in grudge. His red eyes with black bladed pupils glare at the man's shaking black eyes.
-"What are you?"-
Asks the burglar in horror with a low aphonic voice.
Then the moon gets uncovered by the clouds and shows the true form of this creature. His arms long and thing with scales, his legs talonned like a beast's, his chest seemed all bony and weak, his feet and hands with dark, long, thin, and sharp claws, and his face covered in gloomy scales, dragon features, and fangs like no other, his fangs were sharp and well sharpened, threatening, and over his head had spikes around two long pointy horns. He seemed like a demon, a very angry one. He answered to the man with a very grave dark voice:
-"A Gargoyle"-
And so he roars to the sky spreading his rocky wings making the roofs tremble. The people go outside in fear, saying the heard some sort of screaming or roaring. The police arrived to the place with a lot of red spark lights. A Helicopter takes watch over the roofs with their huge light, they finally find a man laying on a huge bag on a roof. The man was laying on the ground motionless. After a lot of struggle to get to the roof, the policemen arrive to where the burglar was resting. They find the burglar and check him. They also take a look into his bag, but the bag was empty, somebody took the treasures. The burglar was still alive, but he was traumatized. He was shaking on the ground crying in pain, broken mentally and spiritually. He had lost his sense of sanity. From far and high the Gargoyle was watching with glare from the top of another building. He turns around and disappears into the night.
The next morning, the city of Marseille was covered in warmth. The streets were filled with walking noise with hurry. Cars covered the sound with their mechanic sound and honks, and a few groups over the city were just stopping to watch the news on the TV display screens.
"A thief was caught last night after escaping the police. We were told by the authorities that the man had taken religious idols from a church, which is also profanity. The idols were not found inside the burglar's bag. When they caught the burglar they found an empty sack. Even though the church was trespassed and attacked, the idols were back into their places. Officer Freihg tells us that the situation is all under control. On the other hand, the burglar named Edward McCall, was apprehended without any scars or sign of fighting. Mr. McCall had a mental breakdown, or so we were told. The authorities told our reporters that the idols stolen by the Mr. McCall were returned to where they belong in the same night. We'll be right back with more after these messages."
A church was having a school tour at the same time. A girl was watching the news in her technological cell phone. A group of high school students, which the girl follows, is taking a tour in one of the most appreciated churches of Marseille. The guider was talking about how the church was a refugee place for the fallen in battle in the years of swords and barbarians. She was explaining to the students that the church was long ago named St Michelle's Temple. The place where an angel had come to guard the church from any kind danger or so tells the legend. The girl from before lifts her arm and questions in a soothing kind voice:
-"What happened to Saint Michelle (Michael in french)?"-
The Guider answers politely
-"The archangel and his fellow mates fought the great war between heaven and hell, which took in our place, but after the war the archangels stopped coming and disappeared. No one has ever seen an archangel since the dark ages, except for statues."-
The guider pats the girl on the shoulder and tells the rest of the group to move on. The girl observes the whole inside of the church, she aims her imaginative stare at one of the statues in the pedestals. A statue of an angel kneeling down while holding up a crown on his both hands. She notices that the statue has a mark from claws. She opens her eyes wide being shocked by what she sees, she looks away in shock and keeps following the group.
After a long tour, the group goes back to their respective buses. The same girl gets into the bus, but as she walks inside she stares at the roof of the church. She sees the bottom of a statue, just the feet. As she finally sits on her place, she aims her observative eye onto the only thing that seems not to belong in there, a statue of a Gargoyle in a creepy pose. The Gargoyle seemed like it was watching from the roof. His face aiming at the street, his hands were grabbing the small squares from the rooftop, and his pose just as if he was readying to fly. The girl was still starring at the statue with awe, she turns and reaches inside her backpack for a camera. She aims her camera immediately to the statue focusing with delicacy, and before she could even take a picture of it, she is scared by the unexpected call from her friend that just sat next to her.
-"Maria! Wake up girl, I' not going to talk to myself all along the way"-
-"Oh… sorry Aline, I was… just looking at that creepy statue. How do you call it?"-
-"Gargoyle?"-
-"Yes, that thing. –sighs- what I would give to see it move, wouldn't that be cool?"-
-"Yeah, well I wouldn't be there to watch it, besides, that thing looks like a freak show"-
Maria just lowers her face in dissapointment, looks up to her friend nother conversation.
-"What's tomorrow's homework?"-
-"I believe it's aaaah… I don't remember"-
-"Alina, you are lost without me"-
-"Psh, I can take care of myself, as if school was needed for your future. You just take pictures dear."-
-"Yeah… but I love to do it"-
The night approaches again, the church is shaded by the night, and the silence makes the echoes sound horrific. The statue glows in red before the twilight. The sun falls letting the night take over, and so the statue's eyes glow red. The statue arises in life and stands up straight. The same one monster that took down the burglar from last night. He takes a deep inhale to the night wind and exhales a small, cold fog from his mouth. He walks away from his place as he disperses into the night. The Gargoyle covers himself on an old looking cape and starts to walk outside the church. He takes a few steps to the edge of the road, and stops still. He sees the cars coming and going, as he waits. He stays still until there are no more cars to run over him, or see him. He passes through the road and stops to the middle of the road, he raches for a man-hole and opens it with his thin and long tail. He gets inside the hole into the sewer, and with his tail closes the man-hole before going any further.
The Gargoyle walks further into the sewers on the smelly and wet floor. He finds a wall with a symbol of a square and a compass on opposite sides. He touches the symbol, and words in latin appear around the symbol forming a circle. He reads the words outloud.
-"Semper veritas, virtus, valoramque sapientia"-
He puts his hand on the symbol and turns it like if it was a door-knob. The wall opens transforming into a cave hole, and the Gargoyle gets inside as the hole closes. He follows a dark hallway that leads to a wide and round room with only a few other gargoyles.
One of them, which looks more human-like and his wings looked thorn apart, smashes a hammer on his table and calls a reunion. The Gargoyles take a circle, and then the discussion begins.
-"We are here to announce our monthly recording of our temples. I, St. Peter's Gargoyle, have had no tainted dangers to pass through my doors. The priests have baptized another kid, and my streets have been clean and safe"-
Says the One with the hammer, as he raises his head to let the other know that he's done. The turn has passed to the next gargoyle to his left, which looks strong and buff, but with smaller wings.
-"I, St. Uriel's Gargoyle, have had two attempts of stealing. Both were never accomplished, and both were taken and punished by the law. Nothing new from the church itself, and all idols are on their rightful place"-
He then rises as the smaller Gargoyle next to him with wide thick wings starts.
-"I, St. Daniel's Gargoyle, have had no thief attacks, the church was finally remodeled, and the idols are safe and guarded by myself."-
The next one starts, one with strong arms, but small lower body.
-"I, St. Zalaphiel's Gargoyle, have had one attack from a group of gangsters, but they were back fired right away. One new family was converted to the church, and the idols on place."-
The next one with dragonic features starts.
-"I, St. Gabriel's Gargoyle, have had no attacks of any kind, my streets were taken care of right away, the church needs a little cleaning, and the idols are well guarded."-
A big pause filled the room as they approached to the last Gargoyle. The same one from before, giving a silent sigh. As St. Peter's Gargoyle demanded to hear from him, the Gargoyle spoke.
-"I, St. Michael's Gargoyle, Have had a resent attempt of burglary, which went too far. The problem was taken care of by my own punishment and the law's. The idols were taken back to their rightful place, and the streets are well guarded. No news from the church."-
St. Michael's Gargoyle lowered his head as he just kept staring at the ground. The discussion continued.
-"The humans have brought only madness"- Said St. Uriel's Gargoyle -"We should just let them be and leave them at their own mercy."-
-"I agree"- Said in a wild voice St. Daniel's Gargoyle -"We have only put ourselves in danger by guarding these temples which seem unworthy for these spineless people. I say we stop protecting them."-
-"We can't my brothers"- Said St. Patrick's Gargoyle -"We are bound to guard until we are called again. Yes we may have had our days of glory, but our Father doesn't need warriors in these times. His winged watchers are on the move every day, but we keep a watch deep between the human communities. If we just let them be, their nature will bring madness. We have been called legends, demons, monsters, aliens, and even the authorities have been investigating our uncommon sights by people that later turn insane by our glare. We need to endure. We have endured for more than 2000 years. We can endure a little more, just be patient my brothers. There are only a few of us left after our reckless human encounters. We need to be more careful my brothers and keep our word with our Father. This session is ended, everyone who has to speak do it now with liberty."
The silence filled the room again, and so St. Patrick's Gargoyle smashed the hammer to announce the end of the reunion.
And so the Gargoyles agreed on the old sage's decision. Every Gargoyle went to his own hole. St. Uriel's Gargoyle went away with his "Stalone" walk. St. Daniel's Gargoyle, which had features like a feline, walked on four legs onto his exit wrapping his wings around his shoulders and hips. St. Patrick's Gargoyle just limped his way through. St. Zalaphiel's Gargoyle had a triangle pointy end on his tail, his legs were more human like, his arms long and stretched, and his head covered in spikes. He walked his way like an animal, curving his movements and swinging his tail with amusement. St. Gabriel's Gargoyle looked exactly like a Nordic dragon. His feet were long and talonned to the legs, his knees and elbows with spikes, his face like a lizard's, his wings rusty with some scratches, and his eyes with a purple glow.
St. Michael's Gargoyle just walked in the way his legs made him look like, a monster. He was hunched down in curve, and his head always looking straight ahead while he looks up. A hole opened again from the wall of the sewers, but before St. Michael's Gargoyle took a step he kept a lookout around the place to make sure there were no humans around. He crept his way crawling on the walls further to his own man-hole.
The next day, Maria was taking a walk around St. Michael's Church. She wanted to take pictures of the statues. She walked around in her overcoat and camera on her hand. She aimed the first snapshot at the statue of an angel holding a book. The second snapshot was at another angel holding a feather on its right hand and on its left a scroll. She was amused by the pictures she had and smiled with joy. She knocked on the door and talked to the priest. She asked to go inside, and the priest let her inside. They began to spoke as they walked inside and she was taking pictures.
-"What do you plan to do with the pictures you take young girl?"-
-"I don't know, I just enjoy snapshots, they make me feel complete"-
-"That one is Saint Michael"- The priest pointed -"He is the one who the church is named after"-
-"He sure looks angelic"- says Maria with a kindly grin.
The statue was a young looking boy with a thin skinny body with some muscle. His hair was curly, not so long. His face with Scandinavian features, thin and with a small chin. His body covered by chest armor and a gauntlet on his left arm. His other arm held a thin and long sword, holding it pointing to the sky.
Maria was very surprised by the picture she just took. She turned to the priest and asked him if she could see the statues on the rooftop. He agreed and took her to the stairs. He gently spoke to her afterwards.
-"I cannot go any further, only the bishop can watch the rooftop statues at night, if you could come back as fast as you can, it will be good enough."-
-"I'll do my best"- Says Maria and walks stairs up to the door that leads to the rooftop.
She finds a few Statues that are similar to Cherubs, and one Statue of a female angel holding a baby. She takes a snapshot to the female statue and walks to the other side. There she finds the other statue she saw before. She comes closer to the statue and starts walking slower and slower. She aims her lens to the Gargoyle and takes a snapshot. She looks at the picture she just took, but what she sees in the image isn't a Gargoyle. She sees an angel with ripped wings and scratched armor. He looked almost the same as the statue of Saint Michael, so she thought. But when she turns to see the statue again she walks closer to it. She walks around it to see it from a profile view. She drives closer to the statue and raises her hand. She touches the Gargoyle's head with her hand and caresses it. Before she could reach the Gargoyle's face, the creature stops her arm with his clawed hand.
She walks away from the statue, and returns to the stairs. She stays outside till it's late enough for the sun to stay in the perfect position. Maria holds her camera and aims at the Gargoyle when the sun hits the Gargoyle with its scarlet shine. She takes a picture and takes a look to it, she realizes that this time the statue looks like a Gargoyle. She decides to climb from the alley next to the church towards the roof. She then arrives to the place where the Gargoyle rests. She keeps taking pictures, but as she sees his face she walks closer to it. Her hand rises to touch the face of the Gargoyle. The sun finally falls leaving the night come, and as soon as she is a slight centimeter to touch the Gargoyle's face, she is stopped by his arm. Shook by the unexpected surprise, Maria walks backwards. She falls down shaking in fear, and starts to try to stand up to run. She gets up, but the Gargoyle's tail reaches her and makes her fall down again. She starts to run, the Gargoyle chases her on four legs, but then she realizes her camera is not with her. She looks to where the Gargoyle was standing and locates the camera. The Gargoyle jumps over her passing to her other side. Maria runs to reach her Camera, slides on her body to grab the camera, and stands up. She turns around fast ready to run. The Gargoyle appears in front of her, then she shocks in fear and trips down beginning to fall from the roof.
She screams for help, but immediately the monster reaches for her jumping to follow. He stretches his tail and reaches for a small stick. He stops the fall and holds her on is arms. He jumps fast to a place where he can hide in the shadows, and tries to leave her on the ground. Maria shaking in fear cries on the Gargoyle's chest. He tries to comfort her with his arms around her. The Gargoyle frees a breath and starts to speak in his grave voice while Maria cries in her broken voice.
-"Shhhh, everything is fine, you don't have to worry."-
-"No, get away from me you freak!"- Maria screams while struggling off the Gargoyle's arms.
-"No need to worry little girl. I'm not your enemy"-
-"You… you saved me? But… why?"-
-"No Gargoyle should ever let a human life be taken. I did what was right, and I hope you are more careful from now on."- Points his finger to her and starts to walk away.
"W…w…wait! What's your name? I want to know who you are."
The Gargoyle stops, he takes a turn and speaks to her in a more gentle voice. Well, as much as he can.
-"I have no name… anymore. They call me St. Michael's Gargoyle."-
The girl shivers as she answers to him -"Will I see you again? Mr. St. Michael's Gargoyle? Or can I call you something else? Because… the name is too long, and I don't wanna make it longer… and I want to name my hero… savior… Gargoyle in a better way, and I will maybe say your name wrong…" Says Maria gibberish.
The Gargoyle comes closer to her. His face shows he's been annoyed by the girl's non-stop talking. He raises his hand and with one finger shuts her down.
-"You talk too much, and that's because you're nervous and shocked. Just call me… Pendry"-
She reacts in awkwardness as she speaks -"Pendry? O…k. Then I'll call you Pendry, my name is Maria."- She gets her hand up still shaking.
The Gargoyle shakes her hand. Her body still trembles as she stands straight.
-"You need to go home, your body won't endure such excitement for one night"- He reaches a wall and starts to crawl up.
-"Wait!"- She says in a demanding voice -"When can I see you again? Wait, it's wrong, you're a… well… can I see you?"-
-"My doors are open. I will tell the bishop that I'll allow you to come see me. You need to say your name first if you want to be allowed to my church"-
-"You know the priest?"- Asks Maria amazed.
-"Sure do, I was his teacher."- Answers Pendry gently as he plays with his free hand when he talks -"If you come, I'll see you, Maria"-
The Gargoyle goes away, and Maria does the same but still shaking. Pendry reaches the roof and then stares at the streets once again. He notices that on his tail he has a small bracelet. He holds onto it and puts it on his right wrist. After a few hours, a man comes close to him and lies on the small pillar of the roof.
-"After 4000 years you decide to show yourself to a human. "-
-"I have showed myself before"- Answers the Gargoyle.
-"But only for their last breath. This time you save her, and my question is this. Why?"-
The Gargoyle pauses staring at the sky and answers slowly. -"Well, Why not?"-
The night has ended and the day is now filled with more noise and people. The news were now announcing something disturbing to the human ear.
-"Last night the authorities found 5 bodies slain and cut down to smitherings, but none of the identified bodies had hearts. The Officers told us they believe it's an assassin, a psychopath. But how did a person kill 5 people from distant areas in only one night, cannot be explained easily. We'll come with more after these messages."-
Maria was walking around when she heard the news. She was going to Saint Michael's Church afterschool. On her way she felt like something was following her. She turned around, but nothing was at sight that seemed uncommon. She kept walking on her way and arrived to the church's gates. She knocked slightly and went inside. While she was inside someone actually was watching her. Two figures were on the street in front of the Church, they had black overcoats and gloves, their heads and faces covered by wide black hats and scarves. They were starring at the Church's Gargoyle just standing still. These two men just stood still watching the creature on its pedestal.
Maria had the doors opened for her, then she turned back to see the black figures, but there was no one there. She came to the bishop. His office was filled with religious books, and other doctrines from other religions. His desk was clean and had a compass on the desktop. Maria began to speak, and the subject got into Pendry.
-"Sir, or Mr. I just want to talk to Pendry, your Gargoyle."- Asks Maria gently demanding.
-"Now he has a name? Well my dear. He can't talk to you"- Answers the Bishop turning his chair.
-"But… I know he can't, he is real, he can…"-
-"I mean, you can't talk to him right now."- Interrupts the Bishop. -"He can't move during the day."-
-"And why is that?"- Asks Maria while she takes off her overcoat.
-"It's a curse on the ones of his kind. They can't move while being on sunlight. They are nocturne, they hide in the shadows, and they keep their word as the knights they were before."-
"Knights? Now that you mention it. When I took a picture of him I noticed that in the picture he looked like the statue of Saint Michael."
-"He was a knight, he used to defend this temple long before it was a cathedral and then a church. He was the strongest of his elite. Seven were chosen to slay evil in the name of our Father. No warrior, beast, monster, or even demon, could stand up against them. But it all ended after our age started. When our years started, theirs as Gargoyles began to start. More than 2000 years they have been Gargoyles, and more than seven were chosen to become guardians. But today only just a few remain. They are weak, they can't fight like before, and they are getting old. The only one that has been able to stand up against any danger is…Pendry, but he still is just a Gargoyle."-
Maria dropped a tear while listening to the Bishop's story. They both took some hot tea and waited for the night to fall. The sun was shinning red, the bishop took Maria to the rooftop, and The Statue was now awakening for his nightwatch. Maria arrived to the rooftop, and there was Pendry still stretching like if he was preparing for athletics. She came closer and started to talk to him still afraid.
-"Hi… Pendry, it's me, Maria. You remember me… don't you? Please tell me you do"-
-"I may be old"- Answered Pendry in a soothing grave voice. -"But I still have all my 5 senses sharp and ready."-
Maria laughs a little and starts a conversation -"So… Pendry. Where are you from?"-
Pendry points to the sky -"Up there, I'm one of them, but then I became a fallen. I became this after what you call year 1 started."-
-"Why did you turn into a Gargoyle?"-
-"We weren't needed as knights anymore. The new ages were meant for the human race themselves. They did pretty quite well, but still the majority still holds into their second nature"-
-"Their second nature?"- Asked Maria uneasy.
-"Humans are born with two natures, Instinct and Thought. They need both, but most of the time they follow their Instinct more than their thoughts."-
While the two were still talking, the bishop was guarding the lower floor. He was praying in front of the sacramental. But then someone opened the gates. The Bishop stood up and looked at the intruders with might.
-"Who dares to come into the House of The Lord when it shouldn't be tainted?"-
There were three people who just stood in there. They began to come closer and closer to him. One of them showed a machine gun, the second had two pistols, and the third one had a riffle. They aimed at the bishop and came closer to him.
"We want your gold Father, for we are poor and needy."
They began to take everything that seemed shinny. They ripped apart the golden idols, and took the little statues of the saints. Only the one with the riffle stayed with the bishop to guard him. While they were stealing the church, Pendry and Maria were still talking and enjoying the night.
-"Why don't you fly if you have wings?"- Asks Maria curiously.
-"I do have wings, but I will use them only when the time is right. My wings are made of hard scaled stone, and they won't fly easily unless there's a good reason to break them free."-
-"What if there is a fire in a house?"-
-"The humans can take care of that. I can only act when it's really needed. I cannot break the balance between My Father and his sons."-
They stare at each other. Maria wraps around Pendry's right arm to warm herself, and Pendry wraps his wings around her to cover her. Suddenly Pendry heard a noise. He goes hither to the lower level, and Maria follows
-"Stay here"- Says Pendry to Maria in his grave voice.
The thieves were almost done with the place. The one with the riffle was playing around with the bishop's garment. The one with the machine gun had broken one of the long resting chairs of the church. The other one was pushing the bishop from the back. As they began to walk away the bishop held a stick from his garment and hit one of the thieves on the head. He wasn't strong enough, and the thief was now angry.
-"You bastard. You think you can get away with this?"- Said loudly the thief with the riffle.
-"You will take those idols over my dead body"- Said the bishop with might.
-"Your wishes are my commands"- Says the thief and hits the bishop with his riffle.
Maria was looking from far away. She have had enough and decided to do something about it. She grabs a metal stick and comes to hit down one of them.
-"Please leave him alone. He is just an old man"- She said in emotion.
-"Yeah, but you are some good looking biscuit"- Said the Riffle thief. -"What do you think eh?"- Asks pointing at the one with the machine gun.
"Just finish fast, we have to go before the Blue uniforms get a hand on us." Says the thief with the machine gun.
The thief who is with Maria starts to rip her clothes apart as she fights back with her stick. She cries in tears and pain.
-"Pendry!"- Screams Maria with all of her soul.
"What kind of a name is that?" Says the thief laughing. "Maybe it's how she says she likes it."
Before the thief could touch Maria again, a hand reaches for his arm and stops him. The thief stares at the figure that stopped him with anger. Pendry growls and just says one phrase.
-"That, was the name of your nightmares."-.
Pendry then pulls the thief's arm and kicks him with a horse-like kick. The thief falls on the guy with the machine gun. They all stand up and aim at Pendry. Pendry opens his wings and covers Maria and the bishop with them. The thieves begin to shoot maniacally, but Pendry's skin was only scratched by the bullets flying against his back and legs. They run out of bullets, then Pendry turns around slowly and glares at them with his red eyes. He opens wide his wings, gets his claws ready and roars to the fight. He swings is claws with the flow of the wind, cutting through skin and metal. He jumps and jumps around still swinging his claws like a dancing beast. He slashes his victims with no stop until they are all on the ground. Pendry just stands up with some spills of blood on his body. Maria walks towards Pendry and asks with fear.
-"Did you kill them?"-
-"No"- Answers Pendry in a grave exhausted voice. -"I didn't hit any of their vital points. They will be in pain for a few weeks, but they will no longer come back here."-
Pendry Grabs his victims with both his arms, the other one is lifted with his tail around the guy's neck. He holds them up and stares at them while they open their eyes. His eyes then shine red as he throws them out of the church. He walks back limping, grabbing himself from chair to chair. Maria runs towards him making him hold onto her.
-"Please don't. I need to do it on my own."- Says Pendry exhausted.
-"You are wounded, besides, I owe it to you."- Speaks Maria with a smoothing voice.
-"You used your Hell's Glare at them?"- Asked the bishop to Pendry.
-"Just a little."-
-"Like always"- Answers the bishop with a laugh.
Maria walked Pendry all the way to his pedestal.
-"You can't stay alive with that many wounds"-
-"Don't you worry. As long as the sun rises I will still stand up strong. Resting under the sun will heal me."- Says Pendry and puts one knee down to rest. -"Let's just wait for the sunrise"-
Maria holds Pendry tight and stays with him till the sun shows its light once again. She watches as he turns into hard stone and becomes a statue again.
The morning, Maria is in school. She talks to her friend Aline about what's a Gargoyle, but Aline is just freaked out by the subject. They both are don with school, it's afternoon, and they walk around the mall. After a few blocks they notice a black figure following them. Maria says that they can lose him by taking a bus. They walk faster, but man following does too. They arrive to the next bus stop and get into the next bus that they see. The guy just stands there creepily and watches the girls go.
Maria arrives to her house safe and sound, but then as she reaches for her keys a black figured man appears on her back.
-"Stop stalking me you creapo. What do you want?"- Asks Maria as she holds a small pocket knife.
He looks her and talks in a soft voice. -"You saw a Gargoyle"-
He floats in speed toward her and touches her forehead making her faint. He holds her and walks carrying her. The neighbor sees them and tries to stop the suspicious man, but the dark looking man just kicks him with a superhuman strength. He walks away with Maria on his arms like nothing happend.
The night arrives, and Pendry's night watch starts. After a few hours of night watch he is called.
-"Brother."- An exhausted voice calls from behind. It is St. Gabriel's Gargoyle.
Pendry walks to him and holds him strongly. -"What happened?"-
-"We… are no… longer… his sons."- Says the Gargoyle as he becomes ashes on Pendry's arms.
Pendry goes away into the sewers as fast as he can. He arrives to St. Daniel's Church, but what he sees horrifies him. The church in flames being consumed by fire and wind. The Firefighters try take out the fire. Pendry disguises himself as homeless person. He covers his face and tries to find St. Daniel's Gargoyle. Pendry walks around the church when finally he finds him in a dark alley covered in wounds.
-"What happened brother?"-
-"Oh brother… *Coughs* we're no longer the guardians."-
-"What do you mean?"- Demands in anger Pendry.
-"The ones… who slain me… and our other brothers… are no others… than the newborn Archangels."-
The knowledge that pierces Pendry's ears makes him shake in pain. He grabs and squeezes his own head in frustration.
-"They have a girl"- Says in pain The Gargoyle to Pendry.
-"A girl? What was her name?"- Asked Pendry careless.
-"Maria."-
The name made Pendry stop his shaking. He held his brother on his arms and took him down to the sewers. He arrived to the place where the Gargoyles meet, but all he found was ashes. All of his brothers were killed mercilessly. He lets his brother lay down on the ground gently, and then he goes back to the city. In St. Michael's front street, the cars follow their flow; but then something brakes through the ground. A hand comes out, and the cars screech and hit the brakes to stop, all surprised by the sight. Out of that hole, Pendry comes out in rage. Showing himself to the humans that stare in awe. He hunches himself and then blasts out of his fetal position to unleash his strongest roar. Pendry raises his wings wider than ever and lets his body transform. Spikes come out of his knees and elbows. His claws grow a little longer, his horns and fangs grow sharper, and his shoulders grow thin spikes. He roars once again and jumps to the wind. He opens wide his wings and starts to flap them once again. He goes through the wind at the speed of the wind towards St. Patrick's Cathedral.
The people scream in fear when seeing such a monster taking flight around the city of Marseille. The police officers try to chase him as so the helicopter follows him too. Pendry filled with rage stops suddenly and takes a boost that unleashes a wind wave around him. He rushes against the helicopter cutting it in half with his. He then keeps going on his way.
In St. Patrick's Cathedral, Maria was tied up against the statue of a saint. Her face was facing the long fall that she would take if she was untied. She screams for help, but then is interrupted by someone. An angel with white wings appears on her right side.
-"There's no need to be scared. You will be back with our Father."- Says the angel with a molesting sarcastic voice.
His hair was shinny orange, his body seemed young like the statue of Saint Michael, his eyes were blue like the sea, his nose like a pointy triangle, and his hands held two long swords.
-"I'm sorry that we have to do this, but we can't afford a human to know about Gargoyles if that human is not chosen by our Father. Besides, their age has ended. We will take care of the humans, and we will rid of the unholy."-
-"Why? What? Why can't you just let them live? They are people. What are you going to do to them?"- screams in tears Maria.
-"We'll take them to our newborn heaven"- Says the angel. -"My name is Ethel by the way. My brother in your left is Eiviel, and the other two who are flying right over here are Ariel and Ithubiel."-
Two more angels arrive to the place and wrap their wings. Ariel, a female angel with long black hair, long legs and green eyes arrives. She holds a katana on her left hand. Ithubiel had long straight hair. He's tall and skinny. His eyes were light brown, and he was holding a Spartan sword on his left hand. Eiviel had not so long blonde hair, his face with asian-like features, he seemed the strongest one, and he was holding an ax on his right hand. They all had wide and long white feathered wings and they were all barefoot. Their nails were black and short, and they had white clothes and pale skin.
The Four newborn Archangels were getting ready for the sacrifice. Eiviel crashed his palm against the ground to make what seemed like an alchemy circle. Ithubiel Held his sword and flew to Maria flapping his wings. He cut her neck slightly and took some blood from her. He then came back, clashed the sword to the center of the circle, and flew out of the circle. Ariel flapped her wings strongly making wind flow against the statue that was holding Maira. The statue begins to brake, and Ethel just beings to say some verses in latin out loud. The statue began to fall, but then something stopped the statue. Pendry had arrived in the right moment. He freed Maria and took her to the street and held her tight.
-"Are you ok?"- Asked Pendry.
-"Yes, I am now that you are well."- Says Maria in tears of joy.
Arrives Ethel mockingly -"Well, well, well, we have here our old brother the Gargoyle, but not any ordinary Gargoyle. Am I right? Michael?"-
Pendry then turns to the Archangels and glares at them in anger. -"That was my name, back when I was and Archangel, the strongest, but now I am just a mere Gargoyle."-
-"Well say hello to your replacement. I am Ethel, the strongest Archangel chosen by our Father."-
-"It can't be, you look the youngest from all of them. You can't be the strongest."-
-"Just try me"- Says Ethel challenging Pendry.
Pendry tells Maria to stay behind him and gets ready for his first fight in ages. Ethel pulls out his sword saber and gets ready for the battle. The people watch from far away, the police officers watch in suspense the same goes for the helicopters who are recording the news for all of Marseille, and the others are watching in the news from what the helicopters record.
They both jump towards each other at the speed of the wind. Ethel holds his position as he pushes forward with his sword, but Pendry stays put holding his defense with his claws. They jump away from each other with a clash, spread their wings and start to clash against each other again. They both jump against the buildings' walls to reach and hit each other. Pendry slashes through with his claws, but Ethel swings his blade dancing and wounds Pendry on the back.
Pendry stomps on the ground grunting, but before he can stand up Ethel flies against him and crashes Pendry with his Fist against the ground. Ethel makes a big hole-scar on the street ash he walks up away from the hole and cleans his sword with his garment. Ethel laughs saying he is the strongest. Pendry stands up and opens his wings, he rushes around Ethel and attacks from behind biting his neck. Pendry punches Ethel's back with both fists at the same time again and again. The other archangels take action in the battle swinging towards them. Four Archangels against one Gargoyle alone. The fight begins again outrageously. The blades and claws clash together over and over. Pendry keeps on holding his defense and trying to harm at least one of the Archangels, but they result far much stronger than him. They all fly up, the Archangels chasing Pendry. Ariel tries to stab him, but Pendry avoids the attack and kicks her with his horse kick. Eiviel swings his ax wildly trying to get a chop from Pendry, but he avoids it and puts himself on the back of Eiviel. He holds Eviel from his shoulders, kicks his back with both legs slashing Eviel with his claws, and finally spins tossing him to the ground.
Ithubiel starts to clash his swords with Pendry's claws. He accomplishes to wound Pendry once more, and then Ethel takes another hit. He punches Pendry as strong as he can blowing him away crashing against the roof tops of several buildings. Ariel flies fast and takes a hold of Pendry. She throws him and then back kicks him away towards Ethel, and so Ethel punches him with both his arms down to the ground. Pendry Crashes to the ground, he tries to pull up himself, but before he can even get a grip Ethel lands with his feet against Pendry's back leaving another hole-scar on the ground.
-"And this is the Angel Closest to a God?"- Laughs Ethel mockingly. -"I expected much more from you. You disgust me, you are nothing than dirt!"-
As he walks away from Pendry's bad shaped body, Maria runs towards Pendry. She kneels down and holds his head close to her, but his head falls lazily. She holds his head against her chest crying in pain. Her tears clean the dirt from Pendry's scales, and her voice calms the rigid muscles of the fallen Gargoyle.
-"Please don't go, you saved me, you helped me, you opened to me, you… cared" Speaks Maria in a breaking voice.
Maria gets her face closer to Pendry's. She closes her eyes and slowly touches her lips with Pendry's forehead. Her tears fall on Pendry's eyes as she holds him tight on her arms. Maria approaches her face to Pendry's. She closes her eyes and opens slightly her lips, suddenly she is smacked by Eiviel against the ground. He holds her from her hair as she screams in tears. Eviel pulls her towards Ethel as stares in disgust.
The wind grows warmer and silent with a small wave. Pendry stands up slowly as smokey wind surrounds him. His wounds heal like boiling metal burning his skin leaving a smoke fog. His scales shine silver, he opens his wings breaking off the stone that was covering them. His wings look shinier than the Archangels'. Pendry then glares at the Archangels with his eyes shining scarlet red, a fiery bloody color that glows with pure rage. Pendry Roars strong and wild, he takes one step and in a flash he disappears into the wind. The smoke disperses from where he was. The archangels don't see Pendry, but as soon as Ethel takes a step, Pendry appears in front of Eiviel strangling him with all his might. His next words marked Maria's latest hopes.
-"I am Saint Michael, The Vergiel of The Lord, and your fucking worst nightmare."-
Pendry, Holds his arm above his shoulder's height and then liberates a strong fist blow asthat blows Eiviel away passing through several police patrols and crashing through a building's wall. Pendry walks towards Ethel's hole, Ethel stands up and walks towards Pendry. They both take long slow steps until they stop in front of each other. Face to face, Ethel and Pendry now stare at each other in grudge. Ethel's Sapphire blue stare against Pendry's Scarlet red glare, Ethel's long golden sword against Michael's silver claws. They both hunch down firmly, then jump to the sky in a boost. They fly fast and clash impacting with huge flashing waves. No such thing has been seen over Marseille's skies. Every clash shocks with a wave of wind that pushes the helicopters away. Pendry flies towards the streets and stomps down to stop. Ethel flies towards him and lifts his blade for a clash. Pendry pushes his arms and claws into an 'X' position to hold his ground with might. None of them can make the other fall back down. Suddenly, Eviel arrives and tries to slay Michael with his ax, Pendry catches a glance of him and swings his tail through Eviel's chest stopping him. Pendry then pushes Ethel away and flies back holding Eviel with his tail. Pendry holds Eviel's while flying, he grabs with other hand one of Eviel's shoulder and rushes scratching Eviel's face against the ground at his amazing speed. He stops with a flap, then glares at Eviel's bleeding face. Pendry holds him squeezing Eviel's neck with his right hand, Pendry then rises his left arm and unleashes it stabbing through Eviel's stomach with his claws.
Pendry throws Eviel to the ground, he flies against Ethel once again. This time both Ariel and Ethel rise blades against him. Pendry takes a turn on the wind and flies faster than ever. Ariel and Ethel try to catch a sight, but none of them can stand against Pendry's speed. Pendry slashes with his claws in speed the skin of Ethel and Ariel's. Pendry rushes towards Ariel and dashes around her in a swing. She Swings her Katana to slash him, but she misses. Pendry grabs Ariel's both wings from behind, then rips them apart by pulling them with his claws. Ariel screams in pain squealing, and Pendry holds both Ariel's arms. Pendry puts his foot on Ariel'sback and pushes, he pulls her arms hard enough to rip Ariel's arms apart from her body. Ithubiel flies back filled with rage and charges against Pendry. He gets ready his Spartan sword and swings it, Pendry swings his claws fast and stops him, then he pierces through his heart and pulls his arm until he cuts his way through his shoulder.
Ethel shakes in fear, horrified by Pendry's monstrous behavior. He starts to laugh maniacally and speaks in pauses.
-"You think you can defeat me? Me, an Archangel? Me, the Strongest in my Father's army? He ordered me to end the human's madness, and I will not be stopped by youl."-
Pendry answers deeply to Ethel -"You do what he wants, I do what he needs. That's why you are wrong, and weaker."-
-"I am an Archangel, what do you think you are?"-
Pendry pauses and then answers with a heavy grave voice -"I am The Gargoyle."-
Ethel screams in rage, as they both rush against eachother. They exchange punches, slashes, stabs, kicks, wounds, blood spills, and screams of pain fill the wind and smoke between them. They stop flying back away from eachother. They fly into the sky, and they clash against each other again. They both fall down to the ground leaving big holes on it. Ethel stands up straight and runs towards Pendry. He raises his saber and gets ready to slash. Pendry forms the shape of an "x" with his arms. Pendry jumps spinning over Ethel and slashes him on the back. Ethel stops and kneels down in pain screaming. Pendry walks to him, then holds Ethel's wings. He rips them apart like he did with Ariel's wings. Ethel squeals in pain and begs for mercy. Pendry grabs Ethel's saber and stabs his right arm with it. Ethel screams in cries for help with his tears shedding all over his face. Pendry walks slowly like a beast approaching Ethel. He hold's Ethel's neck and squeezes strong. He hisses and glares at him.
-"Look into my eyes"- Says Pendry staring at his eyes.
Ethel screams louder than ever and begins to cry more and more. His muscles compress, and his body doesn't stop to shake. Pendry rises his arm once more and stabs Ethel's stomach and rips apart his entrains by cutting his way through his head. He cuts his body in half brutally, then he throws Ethel's body to the ground. Pendry spreads his wings and roars with victory.
Pendry, covered in wounds and blood, starts to walk towards Maria. The people stare silently in shock and awe. Maria runs to Pendry's side and holds him, but then Pendry kneels down in pain and exhaust. Maria holds Pendry in fear.
-"Please, no no no no no, don't die, don't die Pendry, Michael, Please." Cries Maria in tears of sadness.
Pendry looks at her, he lifts her chin with his finger -"See? I told you I would fly when I was needed. You needed me, and I flew to your help. And I haven't been called that in ages."He coughs blood and stops talking.
-"I still need you"- Cries Maria in tears. –"I need you to be with me, stay with me. Be with me. I'll guard you. I'll be your guardian angel…"-
Pendry sighs in pain breathing a fog out of his mouth, speaks between fangs. -"My dear Maria, you don't need to be an angel to be a guardian… all you… need is… will."-
Pendry's breathing starts to worsen up more and more, the people around try to come closer slowly to see more of what's happening, the police officers come closer but hold their arms to stop people from getting too close, and the helicopters still recording the moment. Maria kisses Pendry on his lips, and he caresses her cheek. After touching her cheek he begins to transform. His head grows golden hair, his face becomes human and young-like, his claws become nails and his feet and hands become human. His wings now become black feathered wings, which wings start falling down. He transforms into Saint Michael. Maria still holds tight on toPendry's (Now St. Michale) clothed less body. His body glows golden. As Maria gives him a last kiss, he shatters into small golden sparks of ashes and is vanished by the wind. Maria cries to the wind as the people stare amazed around her.
A few weeks later, Maria decides to walk around Saint Michael's Church, but all that is left is ashes and rests of wood. She walks all along to her house in tears. She opens the door struggling in anger, then she walks into her home. She takes off her shoes and walks the stairs barefoot. She walks slowly into her room and lies on her bed facing the pillow in tears. She turns up to see out the window. The red sun now shines. It is dusk, but what it brings her is memories of the times she spent with Pendry. She then turns around facing down again cleaning her tears. She begins to whisper to herself in depression, then she hears a noise on her roof. She looks up to the window again, and notices a shadow that appeared on her window. She stands on her fit in a jump, desperate she looks out of the window. She tries to see what the shadow wast, but nothing's above her. She climbs up to see the sun from up high. She stares at the sun's ray with awe. Maria sees a few scratches that she felt on the roof with her feet and turns her head back to look. She is interrupted by Aline.
-"Maria, are you there?"- Says Aline loudly.
-"Yes!"- said Maria after a long pause –"Let's go to the mall?"-
-"I… ok… come down"-
Maria comes into her room, puts on some flip flops and runs to the door. She gets out the house with a smile, which scares Aline a little.
-"I… I thought you were… sad"- Says Aline confussed.
-"Why should I?"- Says Maria as Aline stares open mouthed –"Shall we go?"-
They both walk together away from Maria's home. Just when they are by a few feet away, Maria turns back her head to see her house's rooftop. There was a weird looking statue. A feather winged Gargoyle with a kneeling down pose, and a smile on his face.