After a lingering glare, 'Angel' moved her gaze over the scroll quickly. "As I said before, Roman antiquity. It says,(Silver bell rung four times by gold ring) Cum aescerat argentum et aurum involare, (Feather blown into mirror) Postea ad speculum Titania penetrare!

Which means, 'With fire, silver and gold combined, Summon to pass through Titania's mirror.'"

The Archmage was already was nodding quickly. "Yes, yes. Well done, pupil. Do you know what this is?"

'Angel' looked cautiously at her teacher. "It is a summoning spell..."

The Archmage rolled his eyes. "Yes. Obviously. It is not just any summoning spell, but the oldest and most effective one. It used to be a page in the Grimorum, but was ripped out haphazardly by Merlin himself."

"Why would he-"

"It is a summoning spell for the third race. Can't you keep up? Merlin was a halfling, therefore his magical powers were augmented. He found it disheartening, apparently, to see his brethren being summoned against their will and forced to serve the rightful human masters."

"But now you intend to use it to summon a fairy?"

The Archmage curved his lips into a smirk. "First, I need you to copy the spell back into the Grimorum. Write it carefully on a blank page, and don't mess it up! I need to find a way to borrow Prince Kenneth's mirror..."

"He has Titania's mirror? But how-"

"He doesn't know. I found that some of the servants talk of it being haunted as it doesn't always move with your movements. It's enchanted to say the least. Get to work! We don't have much time before you have to go to your stone sleep."

"Master?!" She cried as he started to descend the steps.

"What!?" He said as he leaned his scowling face back in the room.

"Why don't you have the Magus help you with this?"

The Archmage didn't skip a beat. "Because he's a halfling too. He'd never agree to what we are about to do."

The Archmage had managed to procure the mirror, and by what means 'Angel' didn't ask. After she had copied the page into the Grimorum, he had told her to find some spare iron chains in the currently unused dungeon. She had dutifully done so, not knowing what they were for.

"Master, how will the spell find a particular fairy if it is not named in the incantation?"

The Archmage was in a particular good mood, so he answered without any retort, "We will have to use a name. A name I picked up from my master years ago.

"Puck."

"Puck?" 'Angel' asked incredulously. "What a strange name. Why that fairy?"

"He's apparently one of the stronger fairies, but he also harmless. We would not want to summon a god-like figure..."

"How did your master get the name?"

The Archmage started to fiddle with the mirror, tilting it back and forth before he found what angle he wanted. "He came across it in his travels to lower Italy. He found a manuscript detailing the accounts of this spell without actually naming it. It mentioned that most of the other fairies did not like humans (or mortals) that much, but it recorded the ones he had called that had been benevolent in the past.

"Now, be ready. The spirit will come out of the mirror and you must place the chains on him quickly, else he will not be ours to control."

She gulped and nodded, already afraid of what was going to pop out of the mirror at any moment.

The Archmage picked up a silver bell and rang four times by gold ring. He took a deep breath and with a deep voice said, "Cum aesceratargentum et aurum involare," then he blew a piece of goose down against the mirror, and to both of their slight surprise, it flowed into mirror. "Postea Puck ad speculum Titania penetrare!" He shouted, wincing from the light as it enveloped the room.

Demona squinted as a green light swirled in the mirror. Then she noticed the spiraling ball coming towards them turn into a figure. It solidified into a creature that both looked young and old at the same time. It sat there dazed on the castle stone floor staring at the Archmage with disbelief.

The fairy and held itself for a moment as if he was extremely cold. "Merlin promised..." He started to say, with a lamenting tone. Demona noted that he sounded like a child, or a hatchling who had been betrayed by an unjust parent. She pulled herself together and quietly grabbed the fairy with both of her arms holding the iron chains, locking them around him. He yelped and struggled before he noticed he could not move his arms.

He was chained.

He gave an exasperated sigh. He stopped struggling but was tense in the gargoyle's arms. She glanced at the Archmage who nodded; she put the fairy back down on the stone floor and stepped back.

The Archmage was gleeful. He was smiling evilly, and Puck gave him a look of disgust. "I have the strongest feeling that I am not going to like you..." He said demurely.

The Archmage smirked. "Whether you like me or not is none of my concern. The fact is, you are mine."

"Only until you make a wish. Then poof," a slight smoke poof sounded in front of the fairy, "I'm gone." Puck smiled as he said this, and the Archmage coughed a little, waving the smoke out of his face.

'Angel' coughed a little too, alerting Puck to her presence. "And what do we have here? A gargoyle! How unexpected! I had thought that gargoyles did not like magic."

"They don't," The Archmage replied, angered that Puck was ignoring him. Puck eyed 'Angel' who crossed her arms, not used to so much attention. She was much more unsure of herself than her older self would become. But of course, Puck didn't know that. At least, he didn't act like he knew.

"A common misperception," the gargoyle replied. "Gargoyles don't name things; that is a human custom. Magic is all about naming... Naming a thing or an act into being. I have been named, so I can begin to understand the concept."

Puck whistled. "She's good. Probably better than you, long-beard."

The Archmage grabbed Puck roughly by the chains that trapped him. "You go too far, fairy. I hope you have been amused, because I will not allow that kind of behavior further."

Puck rolled his eyes. "I know I've been out of the whole serving humans gig for a few hundred years now, but I doubt anything has really-"

The Archmage interrupted him to say a magical incantation. He concluded with the word:

"Aurum."

With that, Puck lost his ability to speak. He slowly shut his mouth, his glare intensifying. The Archmage sneered as he dropped the fairy back on the ground. Puck made like he was going to yell as he dropped, but no sound came out. The fall obviously hurt and the fairy could only wince to express it. "As you have most likely surmised, "Aurum" will silence you, and should I deem you worthy to speak, "Argentum"will allow you to speak once again." Puck's eyes glittered with deceit. Obviously, this old coot was going to be fun to mess with- already he had said the word that set his voice free.

The Archmage stepped back and eyed his prize. Power was surging through the vessel of the fairy, he could almost feel it. Puck cocked an eyebrow. "Trust me, I'm not your type."

The Archmage flared his nostrils in anger and shouted, "AURUM." He roughly picked the chained fairy off the ground and threw him against a wall. The fairy was surprised, but not afraid. Puck fell in a heap, but manged to lift his head to glare at his silencer and master.

"It is almost daytime, gargoyle. You had best take your place with your brethren."

She looked to Puck with a slightly conflicted air.

The Archmage seemed to misinterpret the slight concern she held. "Don't worry. I won't do anything with him while you sleep. You won't miss anything."

She glanced at the human. When he had turned around, she sneered with disdain. Already she had begun to hate humans for their insolence towards the other races. She turned to leave, without noticing the two bright blue eyes watching her every move with interest.

"Argentum."

Puck sat up from his estate on the floor and leaned against the cool stone. "You would do yourself a favor by leaving her out of this process, Archmage."

The human glanced sideways at his pet. "And what makes you say that, slave?"

Puck bristled slightly at the word, but said nothing on it. "She reflects the same loathing you have for her. She is slowly growing an idle hatred for you... but it is only a matter of time before that idleness becomes action."

The Archmage closed the Grimorum and started to put away the objects he had used to summon the fairy. "You could gather all that from merely looking at her? I've known that since I took her on as an apprentice!"

Puck's brow furrowed. "Then why do you keep her around?"

The Archmage turned and attached the chain to a locking mechanism on the wall. "Because she hates me, because she is not human, because she is quick to critique and rail me- because of all these things, she can keep me on my toes. I'd rather her find fault in me and tell me than someone I supposedly trust and then betrays me."

"So you know she wants to take me for herself...?"

"I could suppose as much. I would not expect any less from a pupil of mine."

Puck leaned his head against the wall. "Then I suppose you should make your wish soon so that I don't fall in the wrong hands."

"On the contrary."

Puck's eyes snapped to stare at the Archmage. Had the Archmage been paying attention, he might have seen the murderous glint in the fairy's eyes.

"I will keep you around as long as I see fit. It is just a matter of making sure you are unusable by anyone else..."

Puck's mouth twitched. He turned his head to look out the window at the approaching sunrise.

"...But in the meantime, I think you and I shall have a little talk."

Puck glanced sidelong at his captor. "Is that a wish, mi'lord?"

"Nonsense. It is going to be a few questions I put forth about your race and Avalon, with the most dire of consequences should you refuse to answer me."

With that, he pulled out an iron dagger.

Puck paled. He said barely above a whisper. "I can't... I can't answer everything."

"Well, I suppose I will know when you are lying or not. Hopefully for you."

"Where is Avalon?"

"I don't know."

"How do you get there?"

"By magical skiff, by flight, or by magic."

"Could you take me there?"

"If that were your wish."

"Could I reach it on my own?"

Puck looked at him appraisingly, with his tired blue eyes. "Not in your current state."

"What would I need to get there?"

"Help."

The Archmage shifted in his chair as he interrogated his prisoner.

"Elaborate."

Puck sighed. "You would need to absorb a large amount of energy, but also have the ability to wield all of that power. Your human body could never hold such power. You would need some serious help."

The Archmage contemplated this for a moment before breaking from his reverie to continue his barrage of questions.

"When were you born?"

"I don't know."

"Who were you born to?"

"I don't know."

"What happened to the lost race?"

"They obviously became lost."

The Archmage pulled out the dagger menacingly.

"No! I'm serious! I don't know what happened to them except that they suddenly disappeared. They took most of their technology and secrets with them."

"How do I summon other fairies?"

Puck stared incredulously at him. "I can't tell you that."

The human stood indignantly and grabbed Puck by his neck. "Why not?"

Puck managed to choke out, "In order to do that, you would have to wish for the missing page of the Grimorum that has all known fairy names on it. And even then, Merlin tore up the page with each piece bearing the name of a different fairy. Exactly to prevent you and other like you from wishing for more wishes. Therefore you could wish for one piece of the page to get you the next fairy. Even if you asked for that, you would have a wish wasted in me."

The Archmage threw him down roughly. "Why one wish?"

"Because that is the standard agreement. One capture, one wish. One happy mortal, one free fairy. It's always been that way."

"Is there a law-"

"Yes, there is a law."

The Archmage smiled wickedly as he saw the Puck's eyes look away.

"And what happens if I disobey this law?"

"Then you run the risk of me getting free and wreaking havoc on you for revenge!" Puck shouted vehemently.

The Archmage actually chuckled. "Then I guess I just can't ever let you go, then, can I?"

Puck bit his tongue. He hated when they did this. But they invariably did. His crestfallen face only goaded the human on.

"What did you mean when you said that 'Merlin promised'?"

Puck's face changed from sadness to almost terror. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Oh yes. What does it mean?"

"It means I am not supposed to be here." He started to wriggle in vain in his chains. "None of us are! We are supposed to be in Avalon, enjoying ourselves." Puck stopped struggling and looked at his captor. "You know this already. Why ask?"

"I was genuinely curious to see if you would add any more information."

Puck sighed. "I find it only fair to warn you that you will sincerely regret it if you do not let me go once you have made a wish."

The Archmage laughed. "Consider your message delivered, but unheeded."

Modern Day, 1994

"Owen. Do you have a moment?" Xanatos asked as his desk chair faced the window. Here he could look over New York like a king in the sky. Owen stood attentively at the side of the desk, looking at the reflection of his employer in the window.

"Yes sir?"

Xanatos's face darkened a little. "I do not like to be played Owen. Not only do I know you are secretly meeting with Demona, but you know I know. Now that I have established that everyone knows-"

"Not everyone, sir."

Xanatos turned in the chair.

"Demona thinks I am in debt to her for keeping my secret. I thought would be prudent not to correct her."

David cocked his head. "And when where you going to tell me about this little subvert operation of yours?"

"When I felt you could best use it to your advantage, sir."

David eyed his assistant. Owen had changed sides from Cyberbiotics to Xanatos Enterprises six months ago. It had taken Puck two weeks to manifest himself to David and give him that fated "choice." Yet still, Xanatos seemed wary. There were only so many ways that Owen could prove his loyalty, and David didn't seem satisfied with any of them.

"I'm not sure I quite like you taking matters into your own hands like that, Owen..."

Owen didn't flinch. "Mr. Xanatos, part of my existence as your assistant is to try to predict your next move without you telling me to act. If what I have done has displeased you, I will try to make amends in the best way that I can."

Xanatos marveled at the slight emotion that Owen managed to use to punctuate his words. Even the slightest emotion from Owen was more dramatic than the loudest outburst a man could give. But even so, David was not swayed. The man sighed as he looked away from his assistant.

"I can appreciate that, Owen. I suppose I just can't give up any of my control just yet."

"I assure you sir, I'm only trying to anticipate your wishes."

David smiled at the poignant use of words. "What have you learned from our friend Demona?"

"It seems she held a bigger role in the purge of the Castle Wyvern gargoyles than we had originally thought. She feels guilt over this and does not want to meet them when they first wake up."

"Interesting. Tell me, what do you know of her relationship with...with..." He rolled his hand in the air, the name escaping him.

"Goliath."

"Yes, Goliath. Regale me the stories of their youth."

Despite himself, Owen smirked. "You act as if you think I was there."

"I read the Archmage's account of how he summoned a being, but he regretted it later and revised his entry. I pulled my own conclusions."

Owen tried to keep impassive, but he was obviously impressed. He smoothed back his blond hair with his hand. "It's a long story, sir."

"Good," David said. He leaned forward on his desk. "I'm all ears."

Owen took a seat. "As you have probably surmised, Demona, known as 'Angel' at that time, and Goliath were mates..."

Goliath woke as the sun dipped below the horizon. He clenched his fist of stone and shook off the flaking skin. His leader, the Wise One, roared to life beside him. On the other side of him was his mate, his 'angel of the night.'

She awoke with a screech that warmed his heart.

She went to him and wound her arms around his waist, gently touching the small of his back where his wings connected. She purred her greeting as her tail swept back and forth in back of her.

Goliath too wound his arms around his lover and mate. He smiled generously as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I hope you have slept well."

"I did. I dreamt that it was perpetually night so that we could be together always."

Goliath smiled. "I'm not sure how practically that would work," he said, moving from her forehead to her hair, to breath in her scent, "as most of the plants would die without sunlight."

She chuckled slightly. "That is how you are, my love. Always so unromantic."

He purred agreement into her ear, a smile creeping upon his lips.

"Aye, lad! I need yer to train the hatchlings... Ah, sorry," The clan leader said, obviously flustered at the sight. Goliath sighed.

"I'll be along in a minute."

"A minute?!" Angel said, in mock fury. She was smiling as she playfully pushed her love away. "You should be embarrassed!" She laughed as she dove off the castle parapet into the night, leaving his jaw agape and the older gargoyle stunned. "When you have more time and... endurance, let me know!" She called back, grabbing her sides with laughter.

Goliath blushed slightly but smiled wryly. "How can I be of service?"

The older gargoyle smiled slightly. "She's a feisty one..."

"That she is."

"Have you kept in mind what I told yer about the Archmage? Even Prince Malcom is asking me to watch their relationship."

Goliath felt his anger flare up, but he managed to control it because he respected his leader so. "I trust her implicitly," He said simply.

"No doubt about it," He replied, eying his second in command. "I need you to help the trio with their flying maneuvers. They're too fast for me and cause too much mischief for me to pay them no heed."

"Gladly."

"Keep in mind what I said, lad."

Goliath set his jaw, but nodded all the same.

Angel crouched down as she walked the small ledge leading to the Archmage's study. She listened at the window, and upon hearing nothing, entered silently like a cat.

The fairy was still attached to the wall where the Archmage had placed him twelve hours ago. He looked rather bored as he sat there staring at the fire in the hearth.

"Where is the Archmage?" She asked. She was surprised to see him jump a little at her voice.

He smiled when he saw her, which made Angel feel all the more uncomfortable. She frowned and folded her arms.

"Well?"

"He was here an hour ago, but who knows where he is now? How big is this castle, anyway? Where am I?"

The gargoyle seemed taken aback at this string of questioning. "You're in Castle Wyvern. It's rather big by human standards, so I am told."

Puck smiled as she said this. "Good old Scotland. Not so bad a place once the Romans left it alone."

She furrowed her brow at the reference. "You knew it before the Romans invaded?" She went over and sat on a stool, her wings folding contentedly around her shoulders.

"Yes," He replied, flashing his white teeth in a grin. "But that's not the question you want to ask me, is it?" He said sagely. Even in the low light of the fire, the gargoyle could tell his eyes were dancing with amusement. This was all a marvelous game to him, dallying amongst mortals.

She was slightly stunned by his obtrusive statement. She did have a different set of questions to ask, but she was afraid that the Archmage might come it unexpectedly. Then he might figure out why she was inclined to learn magic in the first place. And he would not be happy.

"You need not fear the Archmage, he'll not be back for another hour or so."

She stood, her eyes glowing white. "Are you reading my thoughts?" She said angrily.

Puck flinched slightly, but was not afraid. In fact, he seemed even more amused. "No, but your feelings are somewhat plain to see on your face. Perhaps you should work on hiding your emotions," The fairy replied, half laughing.

She stared at him for a moment longer, then slowly and silently sat back down on the stool. "Is there...is there a way..." She started, but faltered.

Puck cocked his head to the side. He watched her hands ball in to fists with anger, but he said nothing. A few minutes passed. "Is there a way to what?" He said softly, coaxingly.

"Is there a way that we would not have to turn to stone anymore?" She relaxed a little after she had finally said it.

"And why would you want to-"

"Because I am sick and tired of being reliant on the humans. Can you imagine... CAN you imagine the SHAME I have for my race... WE PROTECT THEM, but they don't CARE at ALL what happens to us! I hate them for what they have reduced the once GREAT GARGOYLES of the coast to mere GUARDS!" Her eyes had flashed white again as she was yelling. She had stood and her wings flared out as she shouted the last of her statement. Her chest heaving, she stared at the fairy.

"Oh. Is that all."

She ran to him and throttled him against the castle wall. The stone slightly dented where she had pressed him into the wall, and he closed his eyes at the pain in the back of his head.

"That is more than you can understand, fairy!" She hissed scathingly into his face.

He opened his eyes droopingly, and he was obviously not amused anymore. "What, being reduced from a great courtier to Lord Oberon to a slave to a deranged human isn't similar at all? Forgive me for thinking that gargoyles were capable so low a human emotion as sympathy," He spat. His pupiless eyes bored into hers.

She avoided his gaze, planting him back on his feet. "So is there a way?"

His scowl softened a bit as he looked down. "Gargoyles use that time to recharge in the sun's rays. There is a way with magic, but I doubt the Archmage will let you have a wish from me," He said quietly. She turned away with anger, but in doing so, missed the fairy's fleeting grin.

"What are you doing in here?" Said a suspicious voice from the doorway. The Archmage had opened the door and was staring at the gargoyle with a sneer.

"Wondering where you are. What will happen if he is discovered? Don't you think there will be pandemonium amongst the humans if they find out he is here? Won't they all want to get a wish from him? You should be more careful with leaving him alone."

"And I suppose your race would want nothing from him..." The Archmage said, stepping into the room and quietly closing the door behind him. He eyed the fairy in the corner to see if he could gather any more information about what was going on before he came in, but he wasn't getting any.

"Most of them already have more sense than humans do to stay away from magic, master," Puck said, inspecting his fingernails. The Archmage's face darkened, but he said nothing.

"I have my first wish, slave," He said.

Angel had a confused look on her face at the word "first," and she looked to Puck to see if the Archmage was merely being insane. She noticed he had been watching her, and she narrowed her eyes. He switched his gaze back the human.

"And what would that be, master?" He folded his arms.

"I wish I take over the castle. I want to rule it."

Puck smiled. "Of course master. So could I infer that you want to take Prince Malcom's place?"

"Yes, yes. I want his life!" The Archmage declared.

"Of course master. If that is what you desire, that is what you shall have." Puck gathered himself up and breathed deep. He began his spell:

"My master greatly desireth to rule,

So let me haste to make him no fool;

Prince Malcom's being is at stake,

Let the Archmage his life take!"