Scotland A.D. 895
"Matalari?"
The Queen of the Gargoyles turned to face her friend as she approached. The tan colored gargoyle landed next to the queen, folding her wings around her shoulders.
"Yes? What is it my friend?" Matalari asked.
Her friend pushed back a piece of her black hair behind her ear. Her golden eyes shining in the faint light from the moon above.
"Where are you headed?"
"To get my egg." Matalari turned away. "I know it sounds selfish but I want to raise my child on my own. Teaching them what their responsibilities will be when they take over some day. Being raised by the whole clan, as tradition dictates will not teach them that."
The other gargoyle nodded. "True. Some of the elders may criticize you for it but I think it is a good idea."
Matalari nodded and continued towards the large wooden building where the eggs of the clan were kept. A larger and much safer rookery was being constructed beneath Castle Wyvern. A majority of the eggs had already been moved into the almost completed home for them where the elements of the outside world would no longer do any harm. Many creatures roamed the night and would jump at the chance to steal an egg for dinner. But there were many that would come during the day while the parents were asleep so Matalari was glad that the humans who lived in the castle helped protect the eggs.
A crack of thunder sounded off in the distance. The wind started to stir the dust on the ground as the two gargoyles reached the ledge to glide down to the building.
The black haired gargoyle looked up at the sky, watching the clouds. "My queen, we better hurry. This storm is fast approaching."
Matalari sighed, watching the clouds as her own sun-gold hair blew in front of her eyes. "Don't worry Seleta. We'll be back before the rain even begins."
Seleta nodded as they glided down. She and Matalari were the only ones within their clan that had names. She only had her own because Matalari had given it to her as they were twins. Not that anyone could not already tell them apart because of their skin and hair colors.
The wind howled past them as they landed a few feet from the entrance to the building.
"Hurry Matalari!"
The queen nodded and ran into the building keeping the left door open so the wind did not close it on her. She ran towards the back of the building where her egg was laying on the warm straw. Gently picking up her egg, she glanced around the building to see if any more were left. Matalari did not want to take any chances that an egg would be left behind and not hatch with the others.
A bright flash of light shot through the sky being closely followed by a loud boom. Matalari fell, clutching her egg as a bright reddish-gold light filled the area around her where the egg had been moments before.
"Matalari!" Seleta cried.
Matalari ran towards the door, feeling the heat on her back as the fire slowly spread. She could hear the rain falling outside but even that would not be enough to stop this. Another crack of lighting sounded outside and fire slowly took over the front of the building as the wind quickly changed direction and slammed the door, locking it from the outside.
"Matalari!" Seleta cried again running forward. She dodged the flames and grabbed for the latch to try and help her sister escape. The fire blazed and swirled around her hand making her pull back before her hand got too close. She tried again and again but each time the fire pushed her back. Frustrated Seleta roared to the sky after another thunderclap past, praying that someone at the castle heard her cry.
…………
The workers on the rookery exited out the door for the night as the sun was close to rising. Their work was almost finished. There was just a few more feet of rock to dig out tomorrow night and the room would be spacious enough for the hatchlings to run around and play without hurting themselves too badly.
The head worker, a tan gargoyle with silver hair picked up from another rock the emblem of a gargoyle head that would top the archway door and placed it where it belonged.
Another worker looked up at the sky just as rain began to fall. "Brother, where do you think this storm came from?"
The silver haired gargoyle looked up as the rain pounded on his skin. "I don't know. But it is a lot stronger than any storm I have seen so far."
A loud roar echoed through the air, reaching them as they started heading back to the castle courtyard.
"What was that?!" one of the others asked.
But the silver haired one didn't need to ask, he knew. "Seleta," he turned to the others. "Hurry! She needs our help!"
…………
Seleta roared again as she tried to reach the clasp. Her sister roared in response as Matalari tried to look for another way out inside before the fire got any closer to where she was against one of the building's walls.
"Seleta!"
She turned to see her brothers glide down to her as they fought against the wind.
"What happened?!" the silver haired one demanded.
"We, we came down to get the last egg from the building! We wanted to be sure that it was the last one. But then the storm came and lightning struck and… and..." Seleta tried to explain over the thunder.
"We? We who?"
"Matalari!"
The silver haired one gasped as Seleta spoke his mate's name. "Matalari's inside!"
Matalari gasped and choked as the smoke slowly took over the upper part of the building. Clutching her egg she crouched down to the floor by the wall, watching the fire as it danced just a few feet away. She looked up as she heard the roar of her love outside the building as well as others as they tried to reach her through the flames.
The fire then seemed to take on more of a life of its own and grew stronger. The blaze outside the building, despite the rain, grew in height to the roof of the building blocking any attempt to get at the walls or the latch on the door.
Matalari watched in horror as the fire inside grew as well and shot towards her. She cringed against the wall, waiting for the end. She opened one eye as the fire didn't touch her. The fire swirled above her and another light flashed and something came through the light and dropped into her waiting hand. The object was a beautiful medallion of gold and turquoise with a carving of a phoenix on it against the turquoise background.
She looked up as the roof started to crack. The medallion in her hand grew hot and a bright light shot from it, surrounding her and her egg. In another flash both were gone just as the roof above them caved in, letting the fire and rain from outside in.
Those outside froze as they heard the roof crack and saw it collapse as the building toppled in on itself.
"Matalari!!" the silver haired one.
Seleta held him back as he tried to run to the building. "No brother! It's… it's too late." She stated, hanging her head.
The silver haired one shut his eyes as tears started to fall. Clenching his fists he fell to his knees before the burning building, slamming them into the ground.
"MATALARI!!" he roared into the sky as the storm raged on, swallowing his shout in its thundering blast.
