I'd like to thank Kellie Fay for her permission to use her character, Aster. And for being kind enough to check my work! Many thanks!

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Somewhere Over New York;

Short Time Later:

It looked down and observed all that was before it…

The Entity watched all the tiny cars below pass by with their occupants inside of them, barely giving them a full glance. It was the same as on any other earth that he had gone to. Despite all their differences, there was one thing that each earth had in common, and that was their apparent obsession with poisoning their ozone layer with all that carbon dioxide and such.

'What is it with humans and poisoning themselves?' the Entity wondered. 'If it's not cigarettes, it's polluting their own air. They even cut down their main forests, which supply most of their planet's oxygen.'

The Entity chuckled out loud. "These Humans are without a doubt one of thee most stupidest breeds I've ever faced… They cling so much to life, yet they worsen it for themselves by destroying their own world. If I… " The Entity, paused and listened…

There was a strange sound quickly approaching him. The Entity could feel the occupying magical force that was with it, so it was definitely something mystical.

"Visitors?" the Entity wondered out loud. "Well then, I must be polite."

It watched and waited until the intruding small vestige of magic approached, which was within the next minute.

It appeared to be no more than a tiny orb of light, as it quickly sped up to him. The Entity had seen thousands of these orbs on countless other worlds. They were nothing more than information gathering tools that sorcerers sent to learn more about their enemies.

"How quaint," he muttered. "Well then, might as well see who the curious stranger is then." He raised his hand, or something that closely resembled one anyway, as he was now in a sort of dark-cloud shimmering form. "Let's see where you come from, my little friend, shall we?"

His eyes glowed, as he stared at the floating orb, and highlighted the trail that it had left behind. There wasn't anything to see, nothing that was noticeable to the naked human eye anyway, but then again… the Entity wasn't human.

As it observed, the trail of the orb lit up like a thousand candles, leading back all the way from whence it had come.

The Entity smiled, and followed the trail back to its source…

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Bedford Hotel:

"So what exactly is supposed to happen?" Thailog said, bored.

"Patience, Thailog," Cecile ordered, but also gave him a small grin. "Why? Do you have something planned for tonight?"

Thailog looked at her, a bit startled. "Um, no, I…" Before he could finish however, someone else intruded…

"Good god," a voice sounded. "Is this a world where every human female has a male gargoyle for a mate or something?"

Cecile and Thailog turned, and saw a dark floating shape just hovering above the rooftop, seemingly spying on them curiously.

"Any who can afford them, that is," Cecile said slyly, still eyeing Thailog, making him blush fiercely.

The Entity didn't reply, and just studied them uncaring. "Who are you?" he finally asked.

Cecile bowed shortly before the trans-dimensional being. "Cecile Vene at your service," she introduced herself. "And this is my servant, Thailog."

Thailog glared at her briefly for the 'servant' remark, but kept his mouth shut, and just bowed politely before their new guest.

"Forgive my spying," Cecile continued. "But I sensed that there was a new kind of presence on our world, and I was curious. Please tell us, exactly who and what are you, stranger?"

The Entity barely gave them a glance. "If I was at all interested in revealing myself to you, don't you think I would have done so already?"

Cecile smiled thinly, but Thailog swore he could see a tiny flame of anger crept up into her eyes. "Forgive my abundance," she said politely. "My family and I make it a habit of ours to investigate any new power in this world, and whether or not it can be used to our benefit."

"You or your family, or even your sex toy there are of no importance, or even any interest to me" it said, pointing to Thailog. "I have crossed worlds with beings more powerful than your whole family could ever hope to be. Do you honestly think I would want to share anything I have with the likes of you?"

Cecile started to grind her teeth, a task not unnoticed by Thailog. "You cannot hope to find anyone or anyones with more power than us on this world, sir!" she hissed.

The Entity scoffed. "Then obviously I have nothing whatsoever to fear on this world, or even anything to take pity on."

That was apparently more than even Cecile could take. She yelled at the Entity, and raised her own hands in retaliation, but before she could even utter a single word in Latin…

[ZAP!

Cecile felt her body get rocked backwards, as she felt the energy from the Entity zap right into her. It was like having a thousand electro volts going through her, but fortunately, being a Vene, she was prepared for such attacks, no matter who or what they were from.

"Perbibo," she hissed, reciting the Latin word, and felt her strength slowly return, as her body absorbed the Entity's energy, fuelling her own. "My turn," she said in return. "Luminous Venito!"

Her own magic, combined with the same energy that the Entity had shot her with, shot out of her hand, aiming straight at the Entity. But the invading creature simply shimmered out of existence for a few moments, as the energy past through him, and then reappeared.

"Is that the extent of your powers, little one?" it asked, bored.

Cecile hissed in frustration. "Elements of nature, from earth to air! Come and sweep this intruder from my lair!"

A strong gust of wind, equal to that of a typhoon, swept up all around them, and Thailog had to dig his claws into the concrete to keep himself from being blown off the building. But alas, it did no more damage to the Entity than a single man could do to an entire mountain.

Fortunately, this was not all that Cecile Vene had in mind to do…

"Luminous venito!" she repeated, and once again zapped the Entity.

This time, the Entity had been distracted by the small typhoon to not notice Cecile's second attack, and did not fade away in time.

"AAAARRGHHHH!" the Entity cried. The way he screamed, it was obvious that he was not used to pain, in whatever form. He glared murderously at the female Vene.

Cecile just gave him a smug grin. "Like I said," she explained. "My family are the most powerful, and the most learned people on this planet. You would do well not to make enemies of us."

The Entity never ceased in its glare on her. "You will regret this," it said simply, and then faded away again, and this time did not return.

Thailog dusted the concrete debris off his talons, as he walked over to his mistress. "Happy now?" he asked.

Cecile didn't answer at first, and just looked where the Entity had been for a while. "For now," she replied. "But I have some further questions now, questions that need answers. If our guest isn't going to be too forthcoming, then I'll just have to find someone who is."

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Lincoln Plaza Apartments:

A shadowy figure slouched out on the leather sofa near the fireplace, enjoying its warm glow, when the telephone rang...

"Hello?" the figure answered. He waited a few minutes, listening to whoever was on the other end. "Very well. Where shall we meet?" He waited another few seconds, and then confirmed the time and place with him/her. "Can't wait." he said, and then hung up.

"Who was that?" a voice called out to him from the other room.

"Another job," he called back.

A moment later, a Goth-clothed girl came looking out, a towel around her head. "You're not going after those winged freaks again, are you?"

Lightning, aka Brent Maza, looked at her briefly, shrugging. "Might do," he said. "Don't know yet. I'll find out more about the job when I meet the employer in a few days."

Sash chewed her lower lip, but then seemingly shrugged off her worries. "If you say so," she said, accepting his reply. Brent had never let himself get taken by surprise before, with the exception of the Gargoyles from his last job, so she wasn't too worried.

Brent didn't answer, and just went back to staring at the fire… until a shattering noise sounded out of one of the bedrooms, followed by the sound of a child crying.

Just as Sash was about to go answer the crying sound, Brent got up first. "Don't bother, I'll go."

Sash nodded gratefully, and left him to it.

"Hold on, Hannah," Brent said, as he hurried to his daughter's room.

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Eyrie Building:

Angela walked over to the battlements where their newest 'guest' was now seemingly brooding. At Goliath's insistence, Xanatos had gotten one of his doctors to collect a DNA sample from Aster, so they could test it to see if his story checked out.

They had performed a simple PCR test first, compared it to Angela and Brooklyn's, and so far they seemed to check out. Their DNA matched, meaning they were quite possibly related, but Xanatos had ordered an official test, just to be sure, because the PCR test only meant that there was a 60 chance that they were Aster's parents.

Unfortunately, the official test would take a couple of days for them to do, and Aster wasn't willing to wait for their help in tracking down this 'Entity' of his. So for now, the clan was willing to help him, but kept watchful eyes constantly on him.

"Coming to see if I'm signalling my goons to attack?" Aster suddenly asked.

Angela moved forward, sitting on the battlement beside him. "If you are, then I suppose I'd better call Goliath and have you locked up."

Aster turned to look at you, his head cocked. "You know," he said. "No matter how many times I see you, in any parallel universe, I can never get used to seeing you this way."

"In what way?"

"Sooo…" Aster replied, seemingly unsure of what to say next. "So… young."

"Oh," Angela said, blankly. "Thank you… I think."

Aster shrugged. "Sorry, but my mo… I mean my Angela was middle-aged before I… left. It's hard getting used to seeing her, or you, during her youth."

Angela sighed. She was finding it hard talking to someone who claimed he was her son, even though he was as old as she was… and worse, when he wasn't even the son of her beloved mate, but one of her closest friends.

She mentally shook herself, trying desperately to shake those thoughts out of her head, but it was hard. Finding out you might have a son in the future was hard enough, but finding out he was the son you would have if you were someone else besides your mate, was another.

Even now, Angela couldn't figure out what she was meant to do now. If she were to have a child someday with Brooklyn, would it turn out exactly like Aster? And would she be able to?

Aster had said that his Angela had had him with Brooklyn because Broadway had been unable to bear hatchlings, which his Angela had desperately wanted. She could understand that, as she herself wanted hatchlings someday, but Broadway was in the peek of health (his weight not included). Then again, for all she knew, something might happen someday in the future, which could change all that.

As much as she wanted children, would she be willing to bear them with someone else besides her beloved… even if it was the only way, and the only way that the clan would have a future? Which was another part reason why she wanted hatchlings, not just because of her great desire for them, but also because the clan needed them to survive. There were so few of them left now. Even if each of the clan had children, there was no guarantee their clan would survive into the next millennium, considering how small the clan was.

"Are you all right?" Aster asked.

Angela shook her head. "Yes," she assured him. "I'm fine. I was just… thinking."

"About how difficult I'm making it for you for being here with you lot," Aster added.

Angela looked up, startled. "No, that's not…"

"Yes, it is," Aster said with a wry grin. "I know, because I would be too, if it was me in your shoes… or talons."

Angela smiled slowly, but then looked serious. "I admit that it is a little unusual," she tried to focus her words carefully. "I doubt it has made my mate happy, that's for sure."

Aster did laugh then. "Yeah, I can see how that would ruin any guy's day… Finding out that his wife might one day have a kid with someone else. But it's not as if my Ange and Brook had an affair or anything. They were close friends, but nothing more. She loved my Broadway more than anything."

Angela looked at him thoughtfully. "How close I am to your Angela?" she asked. "I mean, not just my appearance, but my personality and such."

Aster screwed the bottom bit of his beak, as he looked hard at her, as though looking for any inconsistencies. "Far as I can tell," he admitted. "You're as alike as two peas in a pod. I mean, I never had an in-depth conversation or anything with my Angela when she was a teenager… well, not for long anyway…"

Angela looked at him weirdly, wondering what he meant by that.

"Long story," Aster just replied, and carried on. "But as far as I can tell you, you seem the same. My Angela was often curious about everything in this world. She loved her kids, and the kids of the clan. She cared about anyone and anything…even when she shouldn't have."

Angela sighed, as she had a feeling what he meant by that little remark. "You're talking about Demona, aren't you?"

Aster growled a little. "I don't know what your Demona is like in this world, so for all I know she might be a saint compared to mine. But my Demona brought nothing to my mother but misery. She tried to hide it, but it hurt my mom every time when she had to face her own mother in battle, and it nearly destroyed her when she cursed Elisa and…" Aster paused momentarily, as ugly memories started worming their way back into his head.

Angela reached out and touched his arm. "I am sorry for everything you've been through." She told him truthfully.

Aster snorted. "You know, during everything I went through, the battles with Demona, my training, even the issues I had with some of the clan… I generally thought it would be all be worth it in the end." He smiled bitterly. "Some worthwhile, huh."

Angela continued holding her hand where it was, on his shoulder. "Perhaps you could stay here?" she offered. "I mean I'm sure my clan would gladly… "

"No!" Aster said forcefully, stepping back from her hand. "I can't, I won't!"

Angela looked at him worriedly, making him sigh in frustration.

"I'm sorry," Aster apologised. "It's not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but… Look, you guys may all look like my clan, and for all I know you maybe every bit like how my clan used to be, but the fact is… as much as I want to believe it… You are not my clan. And every time I look at you, or any of your counterparts on other worlds, I am constantly reminded of that fact, and that my true clan are all dead and gone."

Aster shuddered visibly. "It's like a blow to the head every time I remember that."

Angela looked at him in true pity. She couldn't help but notice that his story was very similar to her mother's, being the last of his kind and all, but had better sense than to say it out loud, as she doubted that he would find the comparison flattering.

"By the way," she suddenly asked, wondering about something else that had been bothering her. "I wanted to ask you, just how is it that you've been following the Entity across dimensions?"

Aster raised his beak to look at her.

" I mean, somehow I don't think the Entity would be willingly taking you along for the ride, considering that you're trying to destroy it all the time. So how do you do it?"

Aster reached into his loincloth and pulled out a shining talisman. When Angela saw it, she gasped, for she knew this talisman very well… It was the Phoenix Gate.

"How…?" she began.

"I got it from the first universe I went into after leaving my own," Aster answered for her. "Far as I know, in that universe, the Phoenix Gate was never thrown away into the flames of time. When I got there, I took the gate and have since then used it to track down the Entity."

"Took it?"

Aster looked at her indignantly. "I didn't steal it if that's what you mean. The inhabitants of that world offered it to me freely, when I told them about the Entity. They figured I would need all the help I could get, and this Gate isn't like the others in other worlds."

"How do you mean?"

Aster shrugged. "Near as I can tell, most of the Phoenix Gates in other worlds all seem to be limited to travelling in their own universe, and no one else's. But this one… this one somehow can travel not only through space and time, but also through alternate worlds as well."

"Seems pretty convenient," Angela said, looking suspicious. "I mean, the first world you go into, and you find a talisman that can help you track your worst enemy, when nothing else can."

Aster nodded slowly. "Yeah, I have often wondered about that… I sometimes wonder if it was maybe fate, or if someone knew I was coming and had it ready for me... "

"Or?"

"Or if maybe if it's all a trap," Aster finished for her. "I've never stopped thinking about it, but then again I've never really cared… " He held out the Gate for her to see. "This talisman is literally the only thing I have to help me track down my enemy. Without it, I can never hope to face him again, or achieve my ultimate goal to avenge my friends and family."

Angela looked at him sadly. "I know you've been through so much," she said. "Who knows? I might do the exact same thing you're doing, but… Aster, you shouldn't give yourself to hatred and rage so. It will gain you nothing but heartache."

Aster snorted in disgust. "Don't feed me that old line!" He went back to looking out over the battlements. "I've heard it before from countless other Angelas, and most of them are gone now, too… Killed by the very thing I am hunting. Do you want me to take the same risk here in your world, too?"

Angela gulped, but said nothing.

"Thought not," Aster said, but didn't look at her.

"So what are you going to do, when you eventually kill this Entity?" Angela continued. "Settle somewhere in the first descent dimension you get to?"

Aster still didn't look at her. "Maybe… or maybe I'll just put a bullet through my head and end it there."

Angela gave a small bubble of laughter, but when Aster didn't join in, she froze. "You're not serious?"

Still, Aster would not look at her.

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Destine Manor:

Demona jiggled Gem about, trying to calm her as she cried her eyes out.

"Come on, Granddaughter," Demona all but pleaded. "Enough is enough. Give your grandmother a break, and take a five minute break or something!"

Still, Gem continued her onslaught of childish fits and screeching cries.

Finally, Demona gratefully heard the sound of wings flapping, and the small thump as something landed on the balcony outside. A few moments later, her second-born daughter entered through the balcony doors. Griff was with her too, but had the good sense and politeness to remain outside until invited in.

"It's about time!" Demona all but accused her. "Where have you been?"

Darlene cocked her eye-ridge at her. "And a very pleasant evening to you, too, mother," she said, reaching for her own youngest daughter.

Demona gladly handed over her littlest granddaughter, sighing mildly in relief.

"How's everyone else?" Darlene asked, trying to soothe her child.

"Well, Jarred's in the middle of a little…" Demona began.

[BANG!

Demona closed her eyes briefly, hissing slightly. "Correction, he WAS in the middle of a little spell lesson that I had given him."

A few seconds later, Jarred came rushing through the door.

"Man, Gran!" Jarred yelled excitedly. "That was awesome! Could I do that spell again, cos it would be perfect to play a prank on…"

"Jarred!" Darlene suddenly said warningly.

The young male hatchling, seemingly having just noticed his mother in the room, gulped and immediately lost his smile. "Oh, hey, mom. Had a good night out?"

Darlene just stood staring at him. "We hit a few snags, but other than that it was quite a memorable evening," she explained.

"Why? What happened?"

"Later. Now mind telling me what that big explosion was all about?"

"Oh, well…" Jarred shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Well, you see, I wanted to try something new. Gran said the spell would…"

"Have you been playing about with potion ingredients again?" Darlene deduced.

Jarred lowered his head, his ears dropped low.

"Jarred!" Demona snarled. "Isn't it enough you blew up my lab last time you tried casting a spell, now you have to do it once every week?"

"Mother," Darlene held out her claw to halt her mother. "Jarred, you know you're not supposed to play about with the spells of whatever potion you're working on. Each spell requires precise ingredients needed for it to work. If you don't follow the spell to the letter, there's no telling what will happen."

"Sorry, mom," Jarred apologised. "I just wanted to see if I could spice the spell up a little."

Darlene scoffed. "Well, you certainly did that, that's for sure."

"Spiced?" Demona growled. "This isn't a recipe for Mexican chilli that you're doing, Jarred! This is a magic spell, plain and simple!"

"Mother!" Darlene felt a headache coming up. "Not now." She looked back to her son. "Jarred, take your sister up to her bed, and then got to your room. I'll deal with you then. Mother, would you please go with them?"

"What?" Demona began, but then saw the look on her daughter's face. "Ohhh, very well." Demona headed after her grandchildren when Darlene handed Gem over to Jarred, pausing slightly at the door. "Oh, Darlene… When you're finished here, I need to talk to you about something important. Please be quick."

Darlene nodded, and once Demona had left the room she turned back to the balcony door. "You can come in now, you know," she told the English gargoyle.

Griff came in, smiling. "Ah, alone at last," he said, coming up close to her.

Darlene however held up her claw, keeping him at bay. "Not so fast," she said. "Griff, we need to talk… now."

"About what?" he said, confused.

"About why for some reason I am suddenly your mate," Darlene told him, her eye-ridge raised at him.

"Oh… that," Griff said, looking nervous.

"Griff, correct me if I'm wrong," Darlene continued with her arms crossed. "But I seem to recall talking to you about taking things slow… Now, all of a sudden, I am your mate?"

"Now wait a moment," Griff said defensively. "I fully agree with you about taking things small… What I said, I just said in the heat of the moment. It doesn't have to mean anything."

Darlene's eyes sparked red for a second. "Oh, so I don't mean anything to you then?"

Griff waved his claws. "No, no, no! That's not it at all!"

"So what is it then?"

Griff gulped, worried about what to say next, considering that everything he had say up to now had gotten him into more trouble.

"I think you'd better leave, Griff," Darlene said after a couple of minutes when Griff still wouldn't say anything.

"Wait," Griff tried. "Let me explain… "

"I believe I just gave you the opportunity, didn't I?" Darlene said emotionlessly. "Come back when you've had a chance to think up some better lines. Oh and next time, you might want to think up a better strategy."

Griff looked as if he was about to say something further, but the hard look he got from Darlene was enough to make him pause him in his tracks. With his tail drooped, he backed out of the room, onto the balcony, and glided away.

Darlene sighed. "I thought females were supposed to go through these type of things when they were still Lana's age. How come I'm going through them?"

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Bedford Hotel:

"Vigil, nigra Regina!" Cecile chanted. "Vigil et venio facesso meus licitatio!" (Awake, dark queen! Awake and come do my bidding!"

A spark of dark-coloured flames suddenly sprouted up on the roof, its fire's roar making music louder than a choir.

"Here we go again," Thailog muttered.

The reptilian head of the dark Goddess, Kauket, appeared, and she did not look pleased.

"Why do you summon me again?" she demanded. "I have given you all the help I am willing to give you so far. How dare you ask another favour!"

"Forgive me, my dark queen," Cecile apologised. "But something new has recently come up. A new problem, of which I am unfamiliar with."

Kauket cocked her head. "Intriguing," she simply said, but nothing more.

"A stranger has entered our world," Cecile continued. "I know not who he is, but I do know that his power is not of this world, or the next. I tried to track his aura, but my spells could not find any information of him."

Kauket seemingly frowned. "One moment," she Goddess said, as she shut her thin slit eyes.

Thailog and Cecile remained where they were, waiting patiently. Thailog stood by, idly twitching his feet-claws, while Cecile just stood perfectly still.

Finally, Kauket's eyes opened and stared straight at them. "Your time maybe coming to an end," she announced.

"What do you mean?" Cecile demanded, forgetting for one to show respect for a Goddess.

Fortunately, Kauket didn't seem to notice or care. "The being that has entered your world," she hissed at them. "Is a being from a world unknown to even us Gods. It has no name, nor any true form of its own, just an insatiable hunger that drives it to its goal."

"Which is?" Thailog interrupted, earning a slap from Cecile, as she glared at him, mentally telling him to be quiet.

"To feed!" Kauket simply said. "To feed on souls from those who will or will not give willingly. Souls that will give it strength, nourishment… power!"

"And it's come here, to our world, to find some new souls on which to feed?" Cecile asked.

"The being does not exist within the same timeframe as you mortals. It exists outside… As such, no laws of time or space apply to it. It can change the course of history… but at a price."

"What price?"

"Complete and total destruction!"

Cecile frowned. "What spells are needed for its destruction?"

Kauket suddenly laughed, making Cecile cock her eyebrow at her.

"No mortal spell can contain this being! It exists outside time and space, and as powerful as you Venes may think you are… You have no power beyond those limits."

"I refuse to accept that," Cecile said arrogantly. "We have always succeeded in one way or another to defeat our enemies. This one is no different."

"Like your precious King Arthur's sword?"

Cecile looked at Kauket emotionlessly, but underneath her soul seared with rage.

"There is no way to defeat the being," Kauket carried on, but as she spoke, her vision started to fade. "But not being able to kill your enemy does not mean you cannot contain them. But to do that, you will need allies, those who have what you do not have… "

"What things?" Cecile demanded, but by then Kauket had vanished. "Cursed snake!" she swore.

Thailog stared at her. "What now? Do we forget about it?"

"I would have allied myself with this stranger, but not now," Cecile explained.

"Why not?"

Cecile scoffed. "You heard Kauket. He destroys entire worlds by just being in them. As much as I crave power, I do not wish to risk destroying the whole world, myself included with it. No… this being, entity or whatever he is, is obviously too dangerous to continue to let loose. If we can't destroy him, then we shall find a way to render him harmless."

"How do we do that?"

"Kauket said we need allies who have something we don't, something that will aid in our capture of the stranger," Cecile said thoughtfully. "There is only one people who have something we don't have, and that is the Manhattan clan. Their King Arthur, and his sword Excalibur… they must be the items that can destroy this thing."

"And you really think they'll just let you come up and take the sword from them?" Thailog said bemused.

Cecile gave a small dark smile. "If they want to save their precious world, they'd better."

To Be Continued…