When Demona looked around she noticed they were standing on a castle terrace. It took her a moment to recognize they were in Scotland.
They find themselves overlooking a stone keep. Down below they saw a group of armed soldiers awaiting an attack. The soldiers appeared nervous and some paced back and forth.
Demona groaned inwardly, she knew what was about to happen and she wasn't thrilled to have to relive it. What twisted thrill is he getting from this anyway?
They heard the gargoyles gliding quickly from the trees catching all of the soldiers in a wide net. After they capture the soldiers the gargoyles quickly raid the stone keep that the soldiers had been guarding.
"The Hunter will wipe your thieving kind off the face of this earth!" one of the captives yelled out to the gargoyles.
"Silence" The older gargoyle said as she picked up a mace and used it to smash the captives face with a sickening crunch. The captive immediately crumpled to the ground.
"Anyone else feel like talking?" She asked waving the blood stained mace at the stunned captives. They all shook their heads and the gargoyles took their loot and glided away.
The gargoyles arrived at their hideout, and the leader of this new clan began to ration out the food that they had just stolen. As she gives the food to a big gargoyle he begins to look upset.
"We shouldn't be acting as thieves. We should attempt to find peace with the humans and resume our duty as protectors."
The leader effortlessly threw him against the wall. "We have no place among the humans any longer or them with us."
Demona was ashamed of those words. She hated herself more and more as Puck showed her what all she had long forgotten that she had done.
Suddenly they were interrupted by three gargoyle females who entered the cave. They were all green in color and had peculiar hair colors. One had white hair, one had black, and the third had a bright yellow hair color.
"Are you the new queen?" The newcomer gargoyles asked simultaneously.
"I am, I'm glad to see more of our kind has survived the onslaught from the humans." She approached them to welcome them in, but they stayed standing by the entrance.
"We don't have time to stay we're afraid. We've come with a message. We have seen the destroyer of the gargoyle race. He who calls himself hunter can only be stopped with the help of Macbeth and his armies. You must go to Castle Moray and help Macbeth battle this hunter tonight to save our kind." The sisters again said in unison.
"We don't need the humans. I will kill this hunter myself." she scoffed.
"If you do not heed our advice you will bring about your own destruction." They said as they turned and left the way they had come.
"I'm going to Castle Moray." The gargoyle leader said suddenly.
I thought you didn't want to work with the humans." A big blue gargoyle said suddenly.
Her eyes flared red. "I'm not going to them for help. The Hunter will be there and I'm going to kill him." She left the entrance and glided off of the cliff headed for the castle.
Inside the dining hall of Castle Moray a young noblewoman sat playing a game of chess with Findlaech, Lord of Moray and Macbeth's father. Macbeth had fallen in love with her from the moment he saw her. She was about three inches shorter than the six foot tall Macbeth, but she made up for it with the heels she always wore. She had a cream complexion and her eyes were a bright blue, and were what originally drew Macbeth to her. She had black hair that came down to her middle back. Also on this night she chose to wear a silver gown that clung seductively to the young woman causing Macbeth's eyes to wander over her whenever he passed near.
Macbeth didn't know it at the time but the young woman had grown fond of him as well. She made excuses to be near him whenever she could, and when her father advised her he could go alone to speak with Findlaech she begged him to allow her to go along. She told him it was so she can brush up more on the countries politics but it was only an excuse to see the boy once more.
"I believe that is checkmate, my lord." The young woman said as she grinned at Findlaech.
"I believe your right. Hey Bodhe you never told me your daughter was such an excellent strategist." Findlaech smiled as he went to pour himself some wine.
When he got close to Macbeth it was amazing to the young woman how alike the two truly were. They both stood six feet and had a tan complexion. They both had about shoulder length brown hair with a well groomed beard. The only difference between the two was that Findlaech's hair had some white in it.
"Why don't you play with someone your own age, Gruoch?" Bodhe suggested as he tilted his head towards Macbeth.
"An excellent suggestion Father, would you care to play?" She said looking directly into the young man's eyes.
"I would love to." He said sitting and beginning to replace the pieces on the board. As they were both working their hands touched over the board and they both flushed a deep crimson and they continued to setup the game.
"So, what have you heard about this Prince Duncan?" Findlaech asked as he sat near his old friend. Bodhe turned to his old friend and has he did he realized how weary his friend appeared from his travels. Bodhe stood at a little over five and a half feet tall but he weighed a good twenty pounds more than Findlaech. His hair was also a mess and his mustache and beard looked as if they had not been combed through in days. He also wore a green tunic and traveler's leg guards and boots. The true telling sign that something was wrong was the fear in the man's eyes. Something Findlaech had never seen in the twenty years they had been friends.
"The man is a lunatic Fin. He doesn't care who he hurts or what he destroys." Bodhe sighed as he spoke the last.
"What are the other nobles saying about this?" He asked gulping down his wine and pouring another.
"Nothing, the only lords who have dared say something against him has disappeared." He said finishing his own wine. Findlaech offered another but Bodhe just shook his head.
"What do you propose we do?" he asked pouring himself another glass.
"We need to depose him, and we need to do it carefully. With our armies combined we could crush him."
Findlaech thought on this for a moment. "Alright Bodhe, say we do this. I think we should have a lasting bond between our two houses."
"What would you suggest?" He looked at him curiously but was unable to read his expression.
"It's no secret how your daughter feels for my son, and how he cares for her. I propose that we arrange for the two of them to be married and unite our two houses for good." He drained the last of his wine and then awaited an answer from his friend.
"That could be arranged, I don't even think it would be difficult to convince Gruoch of that." He just smiled at his friend as they shook on the agreement.
"Well my friend, it is getting late and we both have business to attend to in the morning." Findlaech sighed as he put the wine bottle away.
"Aye that's true, come Gruoch bid Macbeth goodnight and help me to my chambers." He stood and began to leave the room. He stumbled for a second catching himself on the table. "I think I may have had too much to drink."
"Thank you for the game my lord. It was a pleasure as always." Gruoch said as she stood to go to help her father.
"The pleasure was mine Lady." He said as he stood to help her walk her father down the hall.
Without realizing it he instinctively grabbed her hand. She just smiled and didn't pull away which caused Findlaech to smile. Bodhe was still unsure whether or not Macbeth was a suitable match. He seems like a good boy, but I just don't know if he's good enough for my daughter.
As the three walked down the hall Findlaech sat back in his chair. Feeling hungry now he called for the kitchen boy. When he turned he saw The Hunter as he was about to attack. Findlaech barely had time to sweep up a silver tray before The Hunter lunged at him. Findlaech parried The Hunter's sword with the tray, but the struggle brought the two onto the battlements outside.
Macbeth returned to the hall, only to see his father fighting for his life. He quickly grabbed a pair of swords from the mantel. As Macbeth came onto the terrace The Hunter knocked away Findlaech's tray.
"Father, catch" He yelled as he threw a sword to Findlaech.
As Findlaech reached for the blade The Hunter quickly batted it with his own sword causing it to fly over the battlements and to the ground below. Macbeth then lunged at The Hunter with a ferocity that surprised not only The Hunter but his father as well.
Macbeth began to get the upper hand as he caused The Hunter to stagger with a well-timed pommel strike. He leapt in for the kill and was quickly knocked back by The Hunter, causing Gruoch who had come to the window to see what was happening to cry out. The cry from Gruoch caused Macbeth to look up in concern and he saw Bodhe and Gruoch's worried looks. He turned back just in time to see The Hunter knock the sword from his hands.
Findlaech then grabbed The Hunter from behind. As The Hunter struggles to get free Gruoch comes onto the battlements to help anyway that she can even with her father screaming for her to come back inside. Worried for everyone's safety Macbeth lunges at The Hunter and quickly disarms him by knocking the sword from his hands. Findlaech let go of The Hunter for a moment to retrieve the sword and went to strike a mortal blow to The Hunter. The Hunter quickly dodged out of the way and then lunged at Findlaech and using all his strength he shoved him. The suddenness of the attack caused him to drop the sword and he then fell over the edge of the battlements. The Hunter quickly grabbed the Sigil of Moray from around his throat before he fell.
Macbeth looked on helplessly as his father fell to his death. Macbeth was in shock and couldn't move for a moment. The Hunter seized the opportunity and picked up the sword and advanced on the boy with the intent of finishing the battle.
Suddenly, before The Hunter could strike an azure gargoyle with a bright red mane with some grey fell from the sky delivering a brutal drop kick to The Hunters back dropping him to the ground causing his sword to fly from his hands.
"Now, I will finally have my revenge." The Hunter declared as he got up to charge the gargoyle.
The old gargoyle just sneered at him as she swept kicked him dropping him back to the ground.
"Murderer..!" Macbeth called out as he picked up the blade and lunged for The Hunter. The blow would have taken The Hunters head off, however the gargoyle perceived Macbeth to be a threat and knocked him over the edge of the battlements. Macbeth barely caught the edge has he desperately hung on.
"Macbeth, Hold on!" Gruoch shouted as she ran to him. She grabbed his arms and tried to pull him up, but her attempts to save him were about to drag her over the edge as well.
The gargoyle began advancing on The Hunter with the intent to kill him, but as she advanced she noticed Gruoch was close to falling over the edge herself.
The gargoyle quickly grabbed Macbeth and hauled him up over the small wall, and turned back to face her enemy, but he had taken the opportunity to escape.
"There's something you should see here Demona." Puck said as he cast a quick spell and suddenly three girls became visible in the corner of the battlements. They seemed to be watching the events with great interest. Demona thought she knew them but couldn't place where she had seen them before. The girls looked identical they were each four and a half feet tall with very slender builds and pale complexions.
The only way she could tell them apart was from their hair color. The one on the left had hair has black has midnight, the one in the middle had bright blonde hair that was as bright as the sun, and the final one on the right had hair as white as fresh fallen snow. Demona thought they looked familiar but couldn't tell where she may have seen them before.
"What I could never understand was why the Arch-mage was drawn to you and Macbeth all this time." Puck said shaking his head.
"What does he have to do with this?"
"Well, it was he who first had my sisters guiding the both of you and twisting fate to get you two working together."
"That doesn't make any sense at all." She snarled at him.
"Oh, no?" Puck grinned at her and he waved his hand and before Demona appeared a vision of the three gargoyles who advised her about Macbeth.
Demona looked closer and gasped as she did indeed recognize the gargoyles. They had the same hair as that of the sisters.
"Why, why would your sisters play with us like this?" Demona demanded furious at having been made a fool of.
"I honestly don't know, but I think we should find out as soon as possible. I know they were working for the Arch-mage. I think I'll start there."
Another whirlwind came down, but this time it spun for a second and then immediately stopped.
"That's very peculiar…" Puck said clearly shaken.
"What is?" Demona was curious to know what he was going on about.
"I can't access any part of your memory that has to do with your dealings with the Arch-mage. That's very strange." Puck thought over it for a moment and then said "Oh, well. Let's carry on then."
Demona looked around and she didn't recognize this place. They were in the chambers of a king or some other nobility based on the lavish décor, but she did not know who it could be. She was about to ask Puck when the chamber door opened, and through it walked Prince Duncan.
The Prince began to pace up and down the floor of his spacious chambers. He was cursing under his breath and looked very concerned about something but Demona could not tell what was going on.
"Why did you bring me here Puck, and what does this have to do with me?" Demona asked beginning to sound exasperated.
"Just watch." Puck said as he conjured a bag of popcorn out of the air and as he absent mindedly began munching on it he offered some to Demona. She just looked at him in disgust. "Okay, your loss."
Suddenly they saw The Hunter enter the chamber. The Prince studied him for a moment and then smiled when he saw The Hunter was carrying the Sigil of Moray.
"So, I assume your mission was successful." The Prince said as he grabbed the Sigil.
The Hunter took off his mask, and then "No my lord, I only was able to kill Findlaech. Macbeth still lives." Gil said as he reported the details of his encounter and the interruption by the elder gargoyle.
"No matter, with Findlaech out of the way Macbeth does not pose a credible threat." He said as he twirled the sigil in his hands he smiled to himself because his crown was now secure with Findlaech being unable to support Macbeth's rise to the throne.
Just then Demona growled at seeing three serving girls come in to serve food to the Prince and his guest. Their hair was white, black, and blonde, other than that they were each identical.
"Gillecomgain, for your loyal service to the crown I grant you stewardship of Moray he said as he handed him the Sigil as they sat to eat and discuss their future plans.
