Past Changes
Demona
Written by Donald E. Fleming II
Story concept by Donald E. Fleming II
Disclaimer: All Gargoyles characters are the property of Disney and Buena Vista Studios and are being used without their consent or permission. Other Gargoyle characters are the property of The Gargoyle Saga (TGS) writing staff and also are being used without their permission. I am receiving no reward for this story other than the satisfaction of being able to share it with others as it is intended solely for my own entertainment and the entertainment of Gargoyle fandom everywhere.
Castle Wyvern, Scotland1194 AD, Late December
Demona landed on the topmost turret of the castle and approached the frozen form of Goliath. She ran her hand over his stone form to brush away the snow that covered the top of his head.
"Hello, my love," she said softly. "I'm sorry that I haven't visited in such a long time. But I swear that when I find a way to break this spell, we shall spend eternity together."
The stone visage of Goliath did not respond and she felt fresh tears begin to well up in her eyes. She quickly brushed them away as she continued.
"You'll see, we'll start anew. Start a new clan, raise a new rookery to replace the one that was stolen." She sighed then, thinking back to the day she had laid their egg in the now empty rookery. The coloring had promised a daughter...
"Step away from him," came a challenge.
Demona spun, mentally kicking herself for not hearing the crunch of footsteps on the fresh snow, and prepared to attack.
"Who are you to dare…" she started, but paused when she caught sight of the intruder.
He was human, she could see that, but he was dressed in the oddest armor she had ever seen. There was a symbol of a gargoyle emblazoned on his chest, and his helmet…
The faceplate on his helmet resembled Goliath's face!
He had drawn his sword as she took all this in and took another step towards her. "I said step away from him," he repeated. "Now before I…"
Now he paused as she took a step towards the parapet to glide off into the night. She didn't want to abandon the clan the mercy of this human, even though something inside of her said that he had no intention of harming them, but that little voice inside her had been wrong about humans before. She took another step, this time towards the human.
"It canna be!" he gasped. "Goliath's angel, after all these years!"
She had braced for the attack, but his words caught her by surprise. "Who are you?" she growled.
The human flipped up the faceplate and looked at her with warm eyes that were wide with recognition. "I'm Tom," he said as he sheathed his sword.
Demona looked at him in disbelief. She had encountered several 'Tom's' in the two centuries after the fall of Wyvern, but there was one that stood out in her mind. A little sandy blond-haired boy, who couldn't have been more than ten years of age, who had been at Castle Wyvern the night before Hakon and his Vikings destroyed the clan. The child had approached the Trio, the three gargoyles who always seemed to be in each other's company and, subsequently, usually got into trouble together, and had talked to them. Not in a threatening manner, as was usual of many of the humans who had taken refuge in the castle, but with curiosity and something that could have burgeoned into friendship. His mother had spoiled that moment, pulling him away and had hit the brick-red gargoyle with a stick. She would have torn them to pieces if not for Goliath's insistence of keeping peace with the humans. He had sent the Trio to the rookery as punishment before departing to chase down Hakon and his Vikings, ignoring her own suggestion that he take the entire clan with him. That had been their undoing. Hakon attacked the next morning, and seeing them approaching, she took refuge in one of the sea caves below the castle. When she had returned, she found the castle empty of humans and the clan destroyed. She fled after Goliath returned and found what he thought to be her broken form. She decided to return later, to surprise Goliath, so that they would be together again, but the surprise was hers when she discovered Goliath and the others frozen in stone at night. She remembered the anger she felt as, that night after she had returned, she had seen the boy and his mother leave the castle, along with Princess Katherine and the surviving humans, and they had taken the rookery eggs with them.
But that was two centuries ago, she thought. This couldn't be…
Tom took off his helmet, and Demona gasped at the sight of his blond hair.
"You can't be Tom," she challenged, quickly mastering her shock. "That was…"
"Two hundred years ago, I know," he finished. "I could say the same of you, Night Angel." He used the affectation Goliath had used for her and she scowled at him.
"Do not call me that," she hissed. "That is not my name, not any more." She did relax a bit, though. Only someone from Wyvern would have known that bit of information. If he had called her by the name she went by now, she probably would have gutted him right there on the spot, because then he would have either been one of Macbeth's men or worse still, one of the Hunters.
"What do you go by now?" he asked.
"First tell me how is it you are here," she challenged, crossing her arms. "And not long since dead and buried."
"I have been living on Avalon," Tom replied. "Along with the Magus, Princess Katherine and the eggs."
"What!" Demona gasped.
"'Tis true," he continued. "The clan's eggs survived. All thirty-six of them."
Demona felt her legs collapse under her. They live, she thought. My clan's eggs live!
She could feel herself being gently lifted to her feet. Tom had rushed to her side and was helping her back up.
"But how?" she whispered, surprising herself by not pushing him away. "I...I don't understand..."
Tom looked at Goliath's frozen form. "It doesn't look as though the castle will be rising above the clouds tonight," he said. "If ye'd like, I'll tell you all about it on the way back to Avalon."
Demona was suspicious, but more than that, she was intrigued, which overcame the suspicion. The eggs alive, she thought. She had to find out if it was true. If this human Tom were lying to her, she would kill him in short order.
But if he was telling the truth…
Avalon
Katherine watched as the skiff pulled up to the shore. Tom had been gone only a few moments, not long enough to justify going back to Oberon's abandoned castle and then trekking back to greet him, but she knew that just those few moments meant hours had passed in the outside world.
"Guardian's back," one of the gargoyles with her shouted excitedly. Katherine smiled at the small, lavender female. Angela and Gabriel, the other gargoyle with her, had begged to come with her this night, and Katherine had given in. After all, she didn't know how long Tom would be gone. His last journey through the mists took several hours, and he had returned with a three days growth of beard after leaving clean-shaven.
"There's someone with him," Gabriel said. "Could it be Goliath? Is he awake already?"
Katherine watched as Tom landed the skiff and helped his passenger out of the craft.
"Nay, I dinna think so," she said. The form was too slight to be Goliath's, and she could see that the hair was the wrong color. It almost looked like…
"Princess," Tom called out. "We have a guest."
Katherine's jaw dropped when she saw who it was.
Demona took a step forward, her eyes beginning to glow red when she caught sight of Katherine, the wretched woman who had stolen her clan's eggs away, but the sight of the two gargoyle hatchlings caused her to pause. They were tugging on Katherine's arms to draw her closer, but eventually they let go and bolted towards her.
She looked down at the two. They were both hatchlings, either one of them couldn't have been more than ten years old. They looked up at her with eyes wide in wonder. Aside from their clanmates, neither one had seen another gargoyle in their lives, and certainly not a full-grown adult female. The young male grabbed her around the leg and glared at his rookery sister. "She's mine," he stated. "I saw her first!"
"Did not," Angela shot back. She latched onto Demona's hand and tried to pull her away from Gabriel.
"Did so!"
"Did not!"
Demona looked at Tom, who was amused by the odd tug-of-war before lifting her leg and shaking the tiny gargoyle loose.
"Off!" she snapped.
Gabriel landed on his rear and looked on as Demona grabbed Angela and picked her up to look at the small female.
"And you…" Demona then turned and dropped her next to her rookery brother. "Sit! Both of you. Or you'll be sent to the rookery!"
"But we don't have…" Gabriel started, but then received a quick jab in the ribs by his sister. He rubbed his side as he glared at her.
Demona couldn't help but smile inwardly at their antics. Hatchlings, she though. They weren't eggs, they were hatchlings. Now she was wondering if she should have stayed where she was, thinking back to the mischief the Trio and their rookery siblings had caused. She looked at Tom and then Princess Katherine and felt her opinion of the two humans go up several points. It took an entire clan of gargoyles to handle a full rookery, and here were three humans trying to deal with thirty-six hatchlings.
Suddenly, she didn't feel anger towards the Princess anymore; she felt sympathy, not to mention a little bit of respect.
Katherine took a few steps towards Demona as she realized that the azure gargoyle was smiling at her.
"It canna be!" she said in shock. "We thought ye destroyed with the rest."
Now her anger returned and she took a quick series of steps towards the princess.
"Is that why you took the clan's eggs?" Demona said low. "Because you thought no one would come looking for them?"
"Nay, that wasna what happened," Katherine said. "Goliath asked us to care for the wee bairns."
"Was that before or after you trapped him in stone?"
"Demona!" Tom said, grabbing her by the shoulder, intending to pull her away. Demona shook off his hand and grabbed Katherine by the arm, her talons digging into the princess' skin through the cloth of her dress.
"Let her go!" she heard the female hatchling shout just before she felt the two grab her in an effort to tackle her. She almost snarled at them, but stopped herself. It was obvious that they cared for the princess, and her actions had upset them. She quickly let go of the princess.
"Gabriel, Angela, let her go," Katherine commanded, rubbing her arm.
"But she was hurting you," Angela said. She was not about to let this strange gargoyle hurt her beloved princess.
Katherine looked at Demona. "She was angry, and I am afraid that she has good reason to be."
"And I feel I'm also due an explanation," Demona added.
"And ye shall have one," Katherine said as she looked at the gargoyle. "And I'm certain she has some things to tell us as well."
Angela let go of Demona's leg and Gabriel dropped as he released his grip on Demona's waist. "Of course, princess." She looked at the two hatchlings. "Where are the others? Tom said that you brought all the eggs to Avalon. Surely these are not the only two that hatched."
"Nay, they are all hatched," Katherine said. "The rest are at Oberon's castle."
"Oberon!" Demona said, shocked. "You left them alone with the Fae!"
"Nay," Tom said, reassuring her. "Oberon and his get have not been in Avalon for quite some time. Indeed, the island was deserted when we arrived."
Katherine looked at the horizon and realized that the sun would be up soon. "Demona," she said. When the gargoyle looked at her, she continued. "That is what Tom called you, isn't it. The sun will be up soon. Perhaps this is a discussion that can wait until tonight."
"Of course," Demona agreed. She looked at the brightening sky. "Is it far to the castle?"
"Not too far," Tom said. "But I doubt that we'd be able to get there before sun-up if we walked."
"She can take us there," Angela said, looking up at Demona.
"Could ye take them?" Katherine asked. "I'd rather not leave them out in the open like this."
Demona looked at the two hatchlings. She could carry both of them with no trouble.
"Of course, princess," she said. "As long as they show me the way."
"I'll show her the way," Gabriel said.
"Will not!" Angela countered. "You'll just get her lost."
"Will not!" Gabriel protested.
"Will too!" Angela shot back.
"If the two of ye don't stop," Katherine snapped. "I'll have Tom build that rookery so Demona can send ye there!"
That quickly brought the argument to a stop and Demona voiced a quiet "Thank you" to her. They weren't too sure what being sent to the rookery meant, only that it was some form of punishment, and that was something they wanted to avoid.
Demona lead the two hatchlings to a high ledge where she could launch herself and leapt into the air, holding onto the two gargoyles. Katherine watched as Angela pointed towards the castle and Demona followed her directions. When she and the two hatchlings were away, Katherine turned to Tom. "Where did you find her?" she wondered. "And how? Goliath thought…"
"We all did, princess," Tom said, taking her hand. "She told me some of what happened to her since that night, but I suspect that there are some things she held back. Perhaps, when she sees the rest of the eggs safe and well, she'll tell us the rest."
"But Tom, she looks the same. After all these years, I canna believe that she would not have changed."
"She didn't tell me how," Tom said. "But I hope she'll trust us enough to tell us."
The Magus watched in wonder as Demona landed in the castle courtyard and set Angela and Gabriel on their feet. The other hatchlings immediately swarmed around her, throwing questions at her so rapidly that she had little time to breathe.
"How are you?"
"Who are you?"
"Where did you come from?
"Where is your clan?"
"Has Goliath waken up?"
"Are you part of his clan?"
Demona was trying to answer them all when the sun caught her in mid-sentence.
The Magus walked up and examined her frozen form as closely as he could with all the hatchlings clustered around her like a wall. Was it she? he wondered. The Archmage's former apprentice? He looked towards the gate as Princess Katherine and Tom walked into the courtyard. He could see them holding hands and sighed miserably, as he walked towards them to find out about the new arrival.
Demona sat in the main hall of the castle, relating her story about her years of hiding after the fall of Castle Wyvern, her alliance with Macbeth, the loss of her second clan to the Hunter and her dealings with the Weird Sisters. The Guardian snorted in disgust at the mention of the Sisters. They had tried to prevent them from reaching Avalon and it was only the Magus' quick thinking that saved them, though he had to reluctantly give up the Grimorium Arcanorum because he would be unable to bring it to Avalon.
After Demona had awakened that night, Katherine had told her what had happened following the departure from Wyvern. Demona had heard about Constantine's grab for power, but decided not to interfere in human problems. Had she known that Katherine had taken the eggs to King Kenneth's castle for safety, only to have Constantine threaten them to force the princess to marry him, Demona would have forgone her years in hiding and gutted the upstart herself.
Demona had let go of her anger towards the three humans. They had risked and lost much in order to protect the eggs. Tom had lost his mother, who had returned with Katherine's cousin Finella to the outside world in order to hide the Grimorium from Constantine. The Magus had lost his powers when he was forced to surrender the Grimoram. And Katherine. Katherine had lost her uncle.
But what they had gained was priceless. They had the love of her clan's children, and now they had gained her respect. She looked at the hatchlings playing around her. The love the princess had given to the eggs had more than made up for her earlier prejudices.
Katherine approached the azure gargoyle and knelt down in front of her. "Demona," she said. "I know that words canna make up for the wrongs I've done to you and Goliath, but I'm hoping that you can find it in your heart to forgive what was."
Demona took Katherine's hands and looked into her eyes. "I do not know if I can for what was said and done to both myself and Goliath, but for the sake of these young ones, I will try."
Avalon
Fourteen years later (Avalon Time)
"Can't catch me," the lavender female taunted as she darted back and forth across the sky.
"Yes I can, Angela" Ophelia said.
Demona smiled as she watched the two juvenile gargoyles race across the sky in a game of aerial tag. Their rookery mates were cheering Ophelia on; so far the only one that had not been tagged had been Angela.
Angela dived into a plunge that took her out over the lake. She checked her dive almost at the last second, swooping up in a tight climb that Ophelia unfortunately couldn't duplicate. There was a loud splash as she went into the water.
There was a great deal of hooting and hollering as Angela landed on the shore triumphantly. Ophelia came up sputtering and charged her after she gained the shore, but Angela deftly jumped out of the way. She bowled right into Demona.
"Easy, young one," the elder gargoyle said. "I'm not part of this game."
Ophelia paled as she realized she was dripping water on Demona. "I…I am sorry, Demona," she stammered as she backed away. "I didn't mean…"
"It's all right," she said. "But you should learn to control your temper," she added. "In battle, that could cost you your life."
"I shall try," Ophelia said.
As the young female turned to congratulate Angela on a fine win, Demona could sense Princess Katherine walk over to her.
"She did well," Katherine said.
"Are you referring to Ophelia or Angela, Princess?"
"Angela, of course," the princess said. "She bested all the others."
"But she takes too many risks," Demona said. "Look."
Katherine looked and saw Angela rubbing her right shoulder. She had apparently strained a muscle in the winning maneuver.
"Ach, she does at that," Katherine admitted. "She becomes more and more like her mother each day."
"What?" Demona said in shock.
Katherine looked at her in surprise. "Surely ye have eyes, Demona. Can ye not see the resemblance? After all, she does have Goliath's color."
Demona looked at Angela. Her daughter, she thought. The coloring of her egg had promised a daughter…
"All the more reason not to make her my second," Demona said. In the years since her arrival, Demona had taken on more of the responsibility of raising and teaching the gargoyle hatchlings, which had helped to ease the burden of the three humans, and now they regarded her as their leader as well. All of this sat well with Guardian Tom, who watched over the clan during the day.
"Then who would you choose?" Tom asked as he approached. He had his eye on Angela as second, but he had to agree with Demona's assessment of her own daughter, even though this would be the first she had heard about it.
"Gabriel," she said. "He's intelligent, quick, strong…" She hesitated as the object of her discussion did a quick turn in front of his rookery kin and tripped unceremoniously over his own tail. "But it's still much too early to be choosing a second," she continued. "They are still juveniles, and they need to mature before any of them can handle the responsibility of leading the clan."
The Magus was feeling more and more useless each day. He watched from the tower as Angela bested Ophelia in aerial tag, and then noted the exchange between Tom, the princess and Demona.
Demona...How many years has it been since he first lay eyes on her? Most of his life actually, since that day long ago when he had arrived at the castle with his mother. He had been terrified of the gargoyles, but her in particular. When the Archmage had taken him under his wing and began to teach him magic, he had been eager, since he saw it as a way to protect himself from them...and her. What was it he saw in her that had frightened him so? he wondered.
She no longer frightened him; quite the contrary, he thought. Now he had a chance to make up for the mistake he had made that resulted in her lover and surviving clan members becoming trapped in their stone sleep for what could be an eternity. Now he had a chance to extend his powers in hopes of reviving them.
Unfortunately, while Demona seemed to have made her peace with Katherine and Tom, she had yet to fully forgive him. He couldn't blame her; he had yet to forgive himself. It had been his anger at the thought of losing the princess to the butcher Hakon that caused him to cast the spell that trapped Goliath's clan in stone. He had almost cast the spell out of anger again when Goliath returned to find his friends caught in their stone sleep, but the princess' presence stayed his hand. Eventually, he had cast it, not out of anger, but at Goliath's own request. He wondered what would have happened had Goliath remained as he was, instead of submitting to the sleep spell.
No sense in dwelling on it now, he thought. Even if Demona hadn't been immortal when Tom found her, he no longer had the Grimorium, so he couldn't cast the spell on her even if she wanted him to.
"Magus," he heard Demona say as she approached the tower, with Angela in tow.
"Yes, Demona," he replied.
"Angela has pulled a muscle in her shoulder," she said, then added, "Again."
"I am fine, Demona," Angela said.
"And how fine would you be if you were to finally dislocate that wing and find yourself spinning helplessly out of control," she said.
The Magus stood behind Angela and gently probed at the spot where wing met shoulder. Angela winced.
"Just as I thought," Demona said. "You will stay grounded for the next three days until that joint heals properly."
"But, Demona..." Angela protested.
"Not another word," she said. "Now off with you. Down to the training room. I will be there shortly." When Angela started towards the cornice, Demona grabbed her by the arm. "No," she said. "By the stairs."
Angela pouted but she complied. It wouldn't do to argue with the clan leader, especially if the rumors among her sisters were true that Demona was considering a second.
When Angela was safely out of earshot, Demona turned her attention to the Magus.
"I need to ask you something," she said.
"Of course," the Magus said.
"I want you to train her."
"What?" he said.
"Train her," Demona said. "Teach her magic."
"Demona, even if I could, I'm not sure how much I can teach her. She has to have the gift."
"Does she?" she asked.
"I..." he said, hesitantly. "I don't know. I don't know if any of the gargoyles has the gift. Aside from you."
"She does," Demona said. "Because her mother does as well."
"Her mother did, you..." the Magus started before he realized what Demona was implying. "You mean that Angela is..."
"My daughter," Demona said. "I should have seen it long ago," she continued. She looked at the Magus. "So far, only the princess, Tom and now you know about it. I don't want Angela to find out. Not yet. But I need her to be trained to use her gift. I suspect that the Weird Sisters are far from finished with me."
"What do you mean?" the Magus said.
"I know that the Sisters did not grant Macbeth and myself immortality on some whim," Demona said. "They are up to something and I may need magical help to fight them."
"It will be difficult," he said. "I no longer have the Grimorium and my own magic is of little use without it."
"You belittle yourself, Magus," she said. "You need to depend more on your own natural abilities and less on talismans. For myself, I learned to hone my abilities quite well during the last two centuries." She was tempted to show him just what she was capable of, but resisted the urge, unsure of what would happen if she were to cast a mortal spell in the Avalonian environment.
"Be that as it may, Demona," he said. "But you were always keener at the Arts than I ever was. Even the Archmage knew that."
"The Archmage was a fool,"
Demona said. "And a bully. You have no idea how much I hated
him."
"But there is still the fact that you are far
better at the Arts than I ever was," the Magus said. "It is you
who should teach Angela, not I."
"I cannot," Demona said. "I have far too many responsibilities. I have thirty-six hatchlings that need to be trained to defend themselves, and I cannot spare the time to teach Angela how to utilize her gifts."
"But I..." the Magus started.
"Magus, please," Demona said. "Don't make me beg. I hate doing it." She paused, then placed her hand on his shoulder. "Magus, I am asking this as a friend. Angela needs to learn how to hone her abilities, and I cannot think of anyone better suited to the task. I know that you've felt a little...useless...of late..."
The Magus' head shot up, and he glared at Demona as he knocked her hand away. "I have not..." he protested.
"Please, Magus," she said. "I can see it in your eyes. You may be able to fool Katherine and Tom, but not me."
The Magus turned away from her, sighing. "I am useless," he said finally.
"Nonsense," Demona said quickly. "You are still the Magus, the apprentice of the Archmage, and you still have the knowledge that enabled you to deliver Katherine and the clan's eggs from that villain Constantine. That makes you valuable."
"But I still needed the Grimorium for that," he said. "And without it..."
Demona silenced him by placing her finger against his lips. "Magus, you need to put the Grimorium out of your mind. There is no way of knowing where Finella and Mary took it when you parted company, so it is best forgotten for now." She removed her finger and set her hand on his shoulder. "I am asking you again. Will you train Angela in the use of her powers?"
"I...I will try," he said. "But I make no promises as to how well I will be able to train her."
Demona smiled. "But you will try," she said. "That is all I'm asking of you right now."
"Yes," he said. "I will."
"You want...to teach 'me'...magic?" Angela gasped. She had been summoned to the Magus' tower for something important, but she never imagined that it would be this!
"Yes," the Magus said. "Demona has learned that you have a talent for the Arts, and she asked me to train you in utilizing your gift."
"But...how?" Angela asked. "I mean...I never..."
"It's dormant at the moment," Demona said. "But believe me, you do have the gift."
"Are you sure?" Angela asked.
"Very sure," Demona said. "It is rare in gargoyles, but when it does exist, it tended to run from parent to child."
"So, one of the other gargoyles at the castle had the gift?" Angela asked.
Demona looked at the Magus, a look of uncertainty on her face. Magus caught the hint of worry in her eyes. "There was one," he said. "She was exceptionally bright and clever." He paused as he considered Demona. "But I never got to see her realize her potential. We...weren't on very good terms then."
"I'm sorry," Angela said. "I wish I'd had a chance to know her."
"As do I, young one," Demona said.
"Can you tell me what she was like?" Angela asked.
Demona almost started at Angela's request. What do I tell her? she thought. I can't tell her the truth, not yet at least. "Perhaps later," she said, hoping to forestall the conversation for as long as possible. "After you've finished your studies."
"But..." Angela started.
"No buts," Demona said. "If you are to learn how to utilize magic properly, then you need to study."
"But, I was thinking that if you could teach me..."
"No," Demona said. "The Magus is the best teacher I can think of at the moment. He will teach you better than I ever could." She placed her hand on Angela's shoulder and sat the young gargoyle down on the wooden bench. "I shall return later to check on your progress." She turned to consider the Magus. "If I might have a moment of your time, Magus," she said.
"Of course," he said. He went over to the bookshelf and took down one of the books he had managed to bring with him to Avalon. It wasn't a book of magic; he would never have been allowed to bring it in if it were. It was merely a storybook, something for her to begin her reading lessons with. "Begin reading this," he said, setting the book in front of her. "I shall return shortly."
"Of course, Magus," she said. The Magus waited until she began reading before following Demona out.
After he closed the door, Demona turned towards the Magus. "I want to thank you again for agreeing to do this," she said.
"It is my pleasure," the Magus said. "Although, I am still unsure as to how well..."
"Magus," Demona sighed. "Please, don't start doubting yourself again. You can train her, I know you can. If necessary, I will help when I can, but this is primarily your responsibility. Don't let me down."
"I'll try not to, Demona," he said.
"Good," she said. "Now, your student awaits. I will check in on you in a little while. There are other matters that need my attention."
"Very well," the Magus said. He waited until Demona started up the stairs towards the tower roof before sighing and going into his workshop to check on Angela's progress.
Demona paused as she spotted Tom on the roof, looking out over the castle and its surroundings.
"Evening, Demona," he said, smiling. "How goes Angela's studies?" When she looked at him with a hint of confusion, he continued. "I had heard that ye intend to train her in the use of the Arts."
"She will make a fine sorceress one day," Demona said. "But I am surprised that you heard about it so quickly. I had only just discussed it with the Magus not more than a few hours ago."
"It is a small castle," Tom said. "Word travels fast around here." He paused. "In truth, 'twas Gabriel who told me your plans. He overheard you discussing it with the Magus."
Demona sighed. "He should not have been eavesdropping," she said.
"The lad said 'twas unintentional," Tom said. "He was following the two of ye back to the castle, and he saw ye and the Magus talking."
"I'm going to have to talk to him about that," Demona said. "He should have not listened in on our private conversation."
"Demona," Tom said. "Ye need to remember that there are very few secrets here."
"Except those that I myself choose to keep, Guardian," she said. "I haven't told you all that has happened to me over the past two centuries. There are...things...I did...those first few years after the destruction of Wyvern..."
"No one blames ye for doing what you could to survive, Demona..."
"Really?" Demona said. "Do you honestly believe that?" She paused as she turned to look out towards the horizon. Dawn was a little over an hour away. Her mind drifted back several centuries, recalling all that she had done. "I look back on what I did and even I...cringe at the thought of it." She looked back at Tom. "Am I really worthy of anyone's forgiveness? Can you answer me that, Guardian?"
"I think yuir letting your emotions get the better of you, Demona," Tom said. "Ye've changed a great deal in the time ye've been here. Dinna forget that I knew ye back when the castle was still standing."
"You were but a child then, Tom," she said. "Still clutching at your mother's apron-strings."
"True," Tom said, a little quickly, as if to cover a mistake. Demona didn't seem to notice. "But I saw enough of you to realize what a fearsome beast you were back then. Now..." He paused, then touched her shoulder. "Yuir not quite so 'fearsome'."
"Do not let appearances deceive you, Guardian," she said. "I may have changed somewhat from who I was back then, but I am still Demona. I doubt anyone in the outside world would be willing to put aside what I've done and give me a second chance."
"Are ye sure about that?" he asked. "There is no one?"
"Any I might have had a chance with have long since turned to dust," Demona said. "The only ones that are left are the Hunters, and they won't rest until I and all my kind are exterminated." She paused as she sighed. "Guardian, it is getting late. The sun will be up soon, and I need to check on Angela's progress." She reached out and touched his arm. "But still, I do want to thank you for what you said. You are a good friend."
"Then, as a friend," Tom said. "You might want to consider this. The Magus is right about the Grimorium. It does need to be found."
"Guardian..." Demona started, but Tom quickly silenced her.
"Constantine is dead," he said. "And that means Katherine is no longer in any danger from him. Now would be the best time to go looking for it."
"Where?" Demona asked. "The Grimorium could be anywhere. It would take an eternity..."
"But isn't that what you have?" Tom asked. "You are an immortal, Demona. And while it may take a few centuries to locate the book, at least ye have a chance of finding it in that space of time."
"And what of the hatchlings?" she asked. "I can't just leave them..."
"I have done a fairly good job of watching over them already," Tom said. "Ye do not have to worry about their welfare while Katherine and I are around."
"And the Magus," Demona said.
"Of course," Tom said. "But I think it best if the Magus were to go with ye. The two of you together would have the best chance of locating the Grimorium and using it to free Goliath and the others."
"I'll have to think about it," she said. She turned and saw the first hints of the new dawn. "I must be going," she said. "I will speak to you later this evening." She turned and headed down the staircase.
"I'm certain you will, my dear," Tom said, smiling as he watched her leave. He clutched at his chest and then disappeared in a ball of fire.
"Are ye sure about this?" Katherine asked.
"Yes," Demona said. "If we are to break the spell that binds Goliath and the others, we need the Grimorium."
"But must the two of ye go?" she asked, looking to the Magus.
"Princess, I am of little use here without the Grimorium," he said. "Once I have restored my powers and freed Goliath, I'll return with word."
Katherine's shoulders drooped. "Very well," she said. "But, please be careful. I don't want to lose either of ye."
Demona took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, princess. I'll take good care of him. I swear to you."
The mists parted, and they found themselves at the base of the cliff below Castle Wyvern. Demona looked up towards the castle as Tom handed the Magus the pack Katherine had prepared for them.
"I want to have one more moment alone with Goliath," she said, digging her talons into the rock wall. "I'll meet you up there." She turned and began climbing upwards towards the castle.
"It seems so strange to return here after all this time," the Magus said. "Has the castle changed much?"
"A couple of walls had collapsed the last time I was here," Tom said. "But it's still sound. I suspect that there may still be a few items left in the kitchen the two of ye could use."
"I'm more concerned with what I can find in my own workroom," the Magus said. "I was not able to take much with me when we fled the castle."
"Then we'd better get a move on," Tom said. He looked up and had one last fleeting glimpse of Demona as she neared the castle. "Demona will be wondering what happened to us if we take too long." He secured the skiff and headed up the trail to the castle.
He watched her as she approached the gargoyle. There was something different about her, something in the way she walked, but he brushed that aside. All he saw now was the creature who had betrayed him, who had cost him his kingdom, his son, his wife. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword as she approached her love.
"I'm back, Goliath," she said. "And I have wonderful news. Our children have survived. All of them."
Their children? he thought.
"I have seen them," she continued. "They are safe, including our daughter. And once we find a way to break this curse, we can be reunited with them all."
"Aye," the Watcher said. "Reunited in death."
Demona spun and caught sight of him. "Macbeth!"
Macbeth stepped into sight and drew his sword. "I was wondering if ye'd return here."
"What do you want?" she hissed.
"I think that would be obvious, Demona," he said. "I have hunted you for quite some time. I want an end to this."
"I have no time for this," Demona said. "And I suggest you leave. I am not here alone."
"Really," he said. "I had thought the Hunters succeeded in killing off the last of the gargoyles in this land. Save for these six." He stepped closer to Goliath's frozen form and placed the point of his sword to the gargoyle's neck.
Demona's eyes went wide. "No, please!" she cried out.
Macbeth withdrew the sword. "Please?" he said. "That's a word I've not thought you capable of, Demona." He looked at her and saw the anguish in her eyes.
"I've changed," she said. "Please, Macbeth. I don't want to fight you. If you'd just forgive me..."
"Forgive you?" Macbeth snapped. "You cost me my life, Demona. My son, my kingdom. My wife! You betrayed me, Demona! And you dare beg forgiveness now?"
Demona flinched at his words. "Yes," she said quietly.
Macbeth growled at her and raised his sword. "I don't think so," he said and swung at her.
Demona dodged and the sword struck the cornice behind her. She had to draw him away from Goliath. She took a quick look around as Macbeth turned and advanced on her. Where are you, Guardian? she thought.
Tom's ears perked at the sound of sword hitting stone.
"Magus, listen," he said. He heard the sound repeated. Then he heard Demona snarl in anger.
"Demona!" the Magus said.
"She's in trouble," Tom added. He quickly drew his sword and rushed towards the sound of the battle.
Demona managed to get Macbeth sufficiently away from Goliath, leaping from the top of the tower to the battlement below, and then turned to face him. She jumped at him as he charged her and drove him to the ground, causing him to lose his grip on his sword. It spun away across the stones. Angered, he drove a fist into Demona's stomach, knocking the wind out of her. He 'whumphed' as he felt the pain of the blow hit him, but recovered quickly and shoved her away from him. As she staggered to her feet, he got to his and hit her again, this time striking her across the jaw. He quickly shook off the pain and kicked her in the stomach, driving her back to the ground. He retrieved his sword and turned to face her.
"Now we end this, Demona," he said.
Demona gasped as she saw him raise his sword over his head for the killing blow.
Suddenly, Tom slammed into him, knocking Macbeth aside. The former king went down hard and lost his sword over the edge as the Guardian stepped in front of her.
"Demona, go," he said. "I'll handle this blackguard."
Macbeth got to his feet and took in the newcomer. "This is of no concern to you," he said. "If yuir smart, ye'll let me finish her."
"I canna let ye do that, sirrah," Tom said. "Now declare yerself, and state yer business."
"I am Macbeth," he said. "And I have unfinished business with this traitorous creature!"
Tom looked slightly at Demona. "This is the Macbeth you spoke of?" he asked.
"Yes," she said, getting to her feet. "I'm afraid so."
"If she's told ye about me," Macbeth said, stepping forward. "Then I'll assume she's not told ye about how she betrayed me to Canmore and the English."
"She has," Tom said. "And she regrets doing it."
"HA!" Macbeth barked. "I find that hard to believe."
"It's true, Macbeth," Demona said. "I know you don't believe that, but I do. If I could go back and change what happened…"
"But ye can't," Macbeth snarled. "I doubt ye would even if you could. Ye'd find some other way to betray me." He looked at Tom. "Just as I'm certain ye'll betray him, too."
"Watch what ye say, sirrah," Tom warned. "Demona is my friend."
"Just as she was mine for thirty-seven years," Macbeth said. "How long have ye known her?"
"I've known her since the fall of Castle Wyvern," Tom said.
"That's not possible," Macbeth said. "This castle fell more than four hundred years ago. Who are you?"
"I am Tom," he said. "Guardian of the Eggs."
"Gargoyle eggs, ye mean," Macbeth said.
"Aye," he returned.
"And where be these eggs?" Macbeth asked. "I know they are not here, not after all this time."
"They are safe on Avalon," Tom said. "Princess Katherine watches over them at the moment." He noted that Demona looked at him in shock, probably upset over his revealing their secret, he thought. It can't be helped.
"Princess…Katherine?" Macbeth started. "Malcolm's Katherine?"
"Aye," Tom said. "Prince Malcolm was Katherine's father. I was not yet born when he passed on, but…"
"Ye're lying!" Macbeth snarled. "Katherine has been dead and gone since that bastard Constantine overthrew her uncle King Kenneth!"
"Nay," Tom said. "Katherine escaped to Avalon to avoid marrying that usurper. I should know. The Magus and I accompanied her there."
"But that still doesn't explain…" Macbeth started.
"For each hour that passes on Avalon, a day goes by in the real world," Demona said. "Twenty two years have past on Avalon since the fall of Castle Wyvern, while over four hundred years have gone by for the rest of the world."
"And how long were ye there, Demona?" Macbeth asked.
"Fourteen years," she said. "Long enough to make a new start. I don't want to fight you, Macbeth. I have a new life, a new purpose. And I've learned that Goliath was right about humanity. If Princess Katherine could learn to accept us after her past bigotries, then perhaps there is hope for all of us."
"Nice sentiments, Demona," Macbeth said. "But that still doesn't forgive what ye did to me and mine."
Demona sighed. "If that's how you feel then," she said, stepping between Tom and Macbeth. She snatched Tom's sword out of his hand and gave it to Macbeth, setting the tip of the sword against her belly. "Finish me, then. If that is what you truly want."
"Demona!" Tom snapped, grabbing her by the arm. She quickly pushed him away and turned to face Macbeth.
"If you're going to do it, then do it," she said. She grabbed the blade and pressed the tip against herself. She felt it start to penetrate. I'm sorry, Angela, she thought sadly, and a tear fell down her cheek.
Macbeth was stunned, not only by her willingness to end her own life, but also by the tear that ran down her cheek. He hesitated, and in that moment, a wave of sadness passed over him. He let go of the sword and it fell to the stones.
"I…I cannot," he said. He stepped away from her. "I don't know why, but I can't. Not like this."
Tom quickly rushed forward and scooped up his sword, holding it before him while pushing Demona behind him. "Stay behind me," he said.
"Do not worry," Macbeth said. "Ye have nothing more to fear from me." He stepped forward and looked at Demona. "I still canna forgive ye, Demona. Not now at least. But for now, I no longer hate you. Don't ask me why."
"At least that's a start," Demona said. "We've both lived with our anger for too long, Macbeth. Maybe in time, you'll learn to let go of yours as I have."
Macbeth looked at her, gazing into her eyes. The anger that had lit her eyes long ago was gone, replaced by something that he recognized but couldn't identify. Compassion, perhaps, he thought.
"Perhaps, in time," he said. He stepped back and turned to leave.
"Macbeth," Tom called out. When the former Scot king turned, he found Tom extending his hand to him. "Would you do me the honor of returning to Avalon with me? I'm certain Katherine will be pleased to see you."
"Another time perhaps," he said. "Right now, I've had my fill of magical beings and mystic islands and such. I need time to think about where my life is headed. And I doubt I can do that on Avalon."
"At least consider the offer, milord," Tom said. "If ye do accept, get in touch with Demona or the Magus. They'll know how to reach Avalon's shores." Then he smiled. "At least ye wouldn't have to deal with those three harpies again."
Macbeth actually smiled at that thought. "I may consider it in that case," he said. He turned to look at Demona. "But I will still need some time."
"Of course," Demona said. Stepping away from Tom and the Magus, she did something that surprised all three. She hugged her former enemy. "Take care, Macbeth," she said as she released him. "Hopefully, we will see each other again soon."
Macbeth gulped soundly as she stepped back. "Perhaps," he said. He looked at Demona's companions for a moment, then slowly turned and walked across the battlement.
"Do we follow him?" Tom asked.
"No," Demona said. "He needs to work this out on his own. But for now, we have one less enemy to worry about." She turned towards the Magus. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," he said, looking around. For a fleeting moment, he could have sworn he sensed something familiar. Probably old ghosts, he thought.
"What is it, Magus?" Tom asked.
"Nothing, I guess," he said. "Just some...bad memories, that's all." He adjusted his hold on the pack. "I think it best if we were to leave this place at once. This place has far too many bad memories for my liking."
"Just a moment," Demona said. She walked back to the tower and scaled the wall. As soon as she reached the top, she walked back to Goliath's stone form.
"Do not worry, my love," she said, kissing Goliath's stone brow. "I will find a way to free you. And no one, not the Hunters, or the fae, or even those three screech owls are going to stop me." She stepped away from Goliath's frozen form and went to join her companions.
After she left, three forms appeared on the tower.
"Did you hear what she called us?" the dark-haired Selene said.
"Such impertinence," Phoebe said.
"She needs to be taught a lesson," the white-haired Luna said.
"And she will," another voice said. "But now is not the right time."
They turned and saw the Archmage appear out of the fires of the Phoenix Gate.
"And when will it be 'the right time'?" Luna asked.
"After Demona has secured for me the Phoenix Gate, the Eye of Odin and the Grimorium Arcanorum," the Archmage said. "And when she has done so, then you may see to her 'lesson'."
"Are you certain she will do as you ask?" Selene said. "I doubt very much that she will do so willingly."
The Archmage smiled. "Oh, of one thing I can be certain, it will be that she will do this task for me. For if she doesn't, something she will soon hold very dear to her heart will suffer the consequences."
The Weird Sisters looked at each other in confusion as the Archmage disappeared from sight.
Southern FranceFive years later (1535 AD)
The Magus looked over the text Michel had given them. It had been five years since their return from Avalon, and in that time, they had searched as far as they could without success. For a time, the two had become separated, Demona leaving one night several months ago to lead off one of the 'Hunters' she had spoken of, but when she didn't return, he grew worried. He went off in search of her and found her at the home of a physician, a healer named Michel de Nostradame. While the healer had been unable to help them in their search, he did give them some rare books he had recently acquired that could help them end the stone sleep of her clan. "I still don't see how we'll be able to accomplish this," he said. "It is going to require more power than either of us is capable of." He still lamented over the loss of the Grimorium. If he could find that again, then perhaps that coupled with the power of the Eye of Odin, they could finally free Goliath and the others.
"If there were some way to physically merge our powers," Demona said.
The Magus looked up. "Yes, that could work. But there is no way to fully combine magicks from two different races."
"Why not?" Demona said. "Merlin is of the Second and Third Races. If he can combine the magicks, why can't we?"
"It isn't possible," he said.
"I can't accept that," she said. "We can combine the two if both of us are willing."
"Willing to do what?" he said, then realized what she was hinting at. "We can't do that!"
"Why not, Magus?" Demona said. "You said it yourself. We need to combine the magicks of our two races. What better way than through a child?"
"It can't be done," he said. "I don't think it's even possible."
"Magus, you know as well as I do that nothing is impossible," she said. "And even if it is, it couldn't hurt to at least try."
"But…" he started to protest.
Demona stepped away from him. "You love Katherine," she said.
"Is it that obvious?"
"I've known since before the massacre," she said. "It was even more obvious after I came to Avalon. That's the real reason you want the Grimorium." She took a step towards him and rested her hand on his shoulder. "You feel that if you had the Grimorium, you could win her love."
The Magus couldn't meet her gaze. "Yes," he said. "I know that it can't happen, that she has picked Tom. But I still hope that I can."
"You're a hopeless romantic, Magus," she said. "You know that."
"I know," he said. "It comes from spending so much time on Avalon." He pulled away from her and sat down at the table. Demona waited for a moment before walking over to him and resting her hands on his shoulders.
"Magus," she said. "I would not ask this of anyone else. But you and I both know that we have limited options. If we hope to revive Goliath and the others, we need to be willing to take a few risks."
"Risks?" the Magus asked. "You are talking about the two of us trying to produce a child together. I don't know if it's even possible."
"We can at least try, Magus," Demona said. "As I said, I would not ask this of anyone else. Even if we were to fail, we would at least know that we made the attempt." She sighed. "And the truth is..."
The Magus turned to her and saw the uncertainty in her eyes.
"You haven't been with another male of your kind in centuries," he said.
"No, I have not," she said. She took her hand off his shoulder, knowing what he must be thinking about. "And since there are no other gargoyles in the area, I was hoping that...if it were possible..."
"Demona," he gasped. "Are you..."
"A gargoyle enters a breeding cycle once every twenty years, Magus," she said, turning from him. "I...haven't been keeping track of the passage of time as well as I probably should have, but my immortality means that I will have to endure this 'inconvenience' far longer than any gargoyle female in history."
"So this is not merely just an attempt to combine our powers," the Magus said. "You also seek to..."
"End a long cycle of loneliness," Demona said. She turned to face him again. "I have been without a male's company for a long time, Magus. If I could, I would go back to Avalon and seek some comfort there, but I cannot. They are but children, not mature enough to even begin to understand what would be asked of them." She took a step towards the Magus. "I am not trying to seduce you, Magus. I know that deep down in your heart, you will always love Katherine. But I need your help, Magus. I need...you."
The Magus gulped as she reached up and carefully removed her halter, then let it drop to the floor.
"Demona," he gasped. "I...I can't. I don't..."
"I understand," she said, realizing that this would be the Magus' first time with any female, human or gargoyle. She carefully took him by the hands. "Don't worry," Demona said as she led him towards the bed. "I will try to be gentle."
Try? he thought.
To be continued in Chapter Two: The Archmage.