Willow sat on the edge of Lexington's work table, her legs kicking in excitement. She looked over at him every now and then, watching him as he tinkered with the robot arm she had used as a weapon against the Steel Clan not too long ago. He had promised to fix it so it would work better for her, and he was almost done.

"Are you done yet?" she asked for the seventh time that night.

"Not yet." Lexington replied, understanding her impatience. "Just give me one… more… Got it."

Willow leapt off the table and was practically jumping up and down in glee. Lexington handed her the robot arm, which was now a bit smaller, completely black, and had lining inside to protect her arm better. She slipped in onto her right arm, and was happy to find it was a perfect fit. More than that, the top part twisted and closed around her forearm so nobody could forcefully pull it off.

"It looks great." Willow said with a smile, testing to see if she could move her new metal claws. "Fits like a glove too."

Lexington then held up a strange earpiece.

"Put this behind your ear." He told her.

Willow looked at the piece, then slipped it behind her ear.

"It's a mental interface I found built into the robotic arm." "My guess is that Xanatos was originally trying to build some kind of living armor. It was disabled, but I enabled it. Now, you can control that arm with your thoughts. It will loosen on command, and fire as well."

Willow gave it a test, mentally commanding the arm to loosen, which it did, then tighten again. She then had the gun come out of the arm, then go back in.

"Thanks Lex." She told him. "I owe you some serious tech for this."

"Don't mention it." He told her.

Hudson, who was watching the exchange, just shook his head, his claw absentmindedly stroking the scar over his right eye.

"Controlling machines with your mind…" he muttered, "It's too much like sorcery if you ask me."

Willow went and sat down on the rug next to the old gargoyle.

"You don't like magic do you?" she asked.

"Let's just say, magic users tend to become corrupted by their own power…. Like the Archmage was a long time ago..."

"The guy who froze you guys in stone?" Willow asked. "I thought he was called the Magus."

"No lass." Hudson corrected. "The Archmage was the Magus' mentor, and the original Royal Magician. That is, until he attempted to use mind control magic to steal the throne of Prince Malcolm. He was banished from the castle for his crime, but he returned seeking vengeance."

Intrigued, Willow scooted across the rug until she sat in front on the old gargoyle.

"I haven't heard this story before." she said, "To be honest, aside from the Tale of the Magus, I've never heard any stories about your past."

"This was long before the Massacre, back when I was the leader of the clan." Hudson told her.

Now Willow was thrown back.

"You use to be the leader of the clan?" she asked.

"Aye, but I stepped down about ten years before the Massacre, letting Goliath take my place." Hudson explained. "He didn't have that name yet. He was nameless like the rest of us, but he was my second in command, and the obvious choice for leader."

By now, Willow was curled up in front of Hudson, like a little kid getting ready for story time. Hudson saw this, and found himself smiling.

"You want to hear the tale, don't ya lass?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright," he relented with a smile, "where to begin…"

Scotland, 984 C.E.

A stormy night in castle Wyvern, one of the worst the castle had seen. Lightning cracked and thunder roared as the wind howled like wolves at the moon. Inside the castle's solid walls, Prince Malcolm, lord of the castle, was trying to get his young daughter Katharine to go to bed.

"But father, I don't want to go to bed." The little girl protested. "I want to stay up for the feast. I'll miss the troubadours and the jugglers."

"Hush now." Malcolm insisted, tucking his daughter into her bed. "The gargoyles will getcha if you don't behave."

It was at that moment that a strike of lightning lit up the room, revealing an older gargoyle in full clothing, carrying a small sword. Katharine gasped in fear, only for the gargoyle to step forward.

"It is only me Princess." He assured her. "We must speak, Prince Malcolm."

"Of course." Malcolm told him.

He left his daughter's bedside, walking out of her room with the gargoyle.

"You should not scare her with threats of gargoyles, my liege." The old one said. "We would never harm a child."

Malcolm gave the old one a smile, chuckling.

"Oh, you're too sensitive." He told him. "But I take it this is not why you wanted to speak with me."

"Aye… I'm concerned about the Archmage." The old one admitted. "I'm not sure banishment was enough to end his threat."

"He attempted to use magic to usurp my throne." Malcolm angrily replied. "Let him dare to return and I'll-"

"You will die, pompous fool!" an old man's voice proclaimed from behind the pair.

Malcolm and the old gargoyle both turned to see the Archmage standing on the stone steps of the castle. His long white beard nearly touched the ground, and his spell book, the Grimorum Archanorum was clutched close to his chest.

"You thought you could banish me!" he snarled, the storm swirling around him. "I'm not so easily disposed of, Prince Malcolm!"

The Archmage then pointed his bony hand at the gargoyle and shouted out a spell.

"Fulmenos… VENITE!"

Lightning shot from the Archmage's hand, striking the old gargoyle straight in the chest. He went flying back, hitting the castle wall hard. Malcolm walked forward, facing the Archmage boldly.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Why, revenge of course." The Archmage replied cruelly.

The Archmage produced a blowgun, which he aimed at Malcolm. He blew out a small dart, which struck Malcolm right in the chest. The older gargoyle attempted to stop it, but he was a second too late. He looked down at Malcolm's fallen form, then at the Archmage. The old warlock cackled in vile glee, then leapt off the steps and disappeared into the storm.

The old gargoyle quickly ran to Prince Malcolm's side, gently cradling his head. He could see the dart sticking out of Malcolm's chest, and the pained expression on his face.

"Father…" Katharine's voice suddenly called from her room.

The old gargoyle turned to see the young princess, dressed in naught but a night gown walking out into the storm. She saw her father on the ground, the gargoyle standing over him, and her eyes instantly went wide.

"Father!" she cried, running to his side.

"Lass…" the old gargoyle tried to warn her, "It's not safe for you-"

Katharine turned to the gargoyle, angry tears streaming from her face. She began beating on the old gargoyle, her childlike fists pounding on his arms and chest.

"Get away!" she ordered. "Leave him alone!"

The old one accepted this small beating, then gently stepped back, watching helplessly as the young princess cried over her father's prone form in the pouring rain.

"So that's why Princess Katharine never trusted you guys." Willow surmised. "The horror stories of gargoyles as a kid mixed with that, it would make anyone weary."

"You can say that again." Lexington replied, having taken a seat next to Willow on the carpet.

"I can't believe you never told us this, Hudson." Brooklyn commented, also having joined Willow on the carpet.

"Well, I'm telling you now, am I not?" Hudson replied. "Now, where was I?"

Prince Malcolm was still alive, but for how long was anybody's guess. The poison was unlike anything the royal healers recognized. Desperate for answers, Malcolm sought out the one person who could help. The Magus, the Archmage's former pupil.

"It is poison, made far more potent by a magical spell." Magus explained. "By sunrise, you will die."

"Can you cure me?" Malcolm asked.

"If I had the Grimorum, yes." Magus replied solemnly. "The antidote would be written in its pages, of that I have no doubt."

"This is all your fault!" Katharine exclaimed, glaring at the old gargoyle. "You caused this!"

The old gargoyle's face fell and he looked down at the ground. Malcolm then turned to a lady in waiting, telling her to return Katharine to her bed. The princess went reluctantly, not wanting to leave her injured father's side. As she walked past the old one, she glared at him with a look that would have reduced his form to bone if it had the power.

"We know you are not to blame." Malcolm assured the old gargoyle, weakly placing a hand over his claw. "She doesn't understand."

"No…" the old one interrupted, "She's right. I failed you, but I shall not do it again. I will find the Archmage and take the Grimorum from him. You will be cured, my liege. You have my word."

The old one waited atop the castle's highest tower for his second in command and his mate to join him. The pair of gargoyles landed on the roof, wrapping their wings around themselves like cloaks.

"You called for us?" the second in command asked.

"Aye." The old one said with a nod. "I need your help."

"We are at your command." The female told him.

"Good." The old one remarked with a small nod. "We must find the Archmage and take from him is magic book, and we must do it before sunrise. If we don't, then Prince Malcolm's life is on my hands."

He turned towards the castle walls, spreading his wings and taking off into the night. His two companions went to follow, the female turning to her mate with concern.

"Perhaps it's time he stepped down." The female commented, giving the old one a worried look. "I've never seen him look so old."

"His age brings wisdom." her mate replied. "That's why he leads."

He then took off into the night, following his mentor. Not long after that, the female joined them as well.

"Manipulative, even from the beginning…" Brooklyn snarled. "Can't believe I never noticed that before."

"Cut yourself some slack Brooklyn." Broadway told him from his place on the carpet. "You can't still be angry can you?"

"And why shouldn't I be angry?" Brooklyn asked, his tone hard.

Willow quickly got between the two.

"Alright guys settle down." She insisted. "We're here to listen to a story, so please, shush."

"Sorry Willow." The two said in unison.

Hudson couldn't help but chuckle as the two young gargoyles were quieted by a few words from Willow. It was a bit of sorcery that even Hudson could appreciate. Eventually, Willow settled back on the rug, using the sleeping Bronx as a back rest.

"Please continue." She asked.

Hudson nodded, then continued his tale.

The three gargoyles searched the barren landscape from which the Archmage had come. Luck must have favored them and their quest, for soon, the old one spotted the Archmage's trail leading away from the castle.

"He's not even trying to disguise his trail." The old one remarked. "He favors speed over stealth. That could mean he is expecting pursuit. It could also mean he is laying traps."

The three gargoyles looked to where the tracks led, which was a small cavern hidden in the rocks. As the older one examined the tracks in case it was a false trail, the female turned to her mate.

"You're stronger, younger than him. He should be following you." She whispered.

"You're wrong, my love." Her mate insisted. "He is the best one to lead us. In any event, now is not the time to argue the point."

The older one, having overheard the entire conversation, elected to ignore it. He continued after the trail, with the other two gargoyles following behind. They approached the mouth of the cave cautiously, not wanting to alert the Archmage to their presence.

"He's gone underground there." The older one proclaimed quietly.

He then took a sturdy piece of wood and wrapped a long brown leaf around the end. With a few precise strikes of a rock against his sword, he managed to light the leaf, making a small torch to light their way. With light to see the path ahead, the three gargoyles made their way through the winding tunnels of the cave.

"Our wings will be useless in here." The female complained. "And the Archmage has powerful magic."

"I did not track him this far to give up now." The old one told her. "I will not fail the Prince again."

"And I won't let him do this alone." The second in command added.

The female watched them continue down the path, the sighed in frustration.

"I don't know who the bigger fool is." She growled. "Him for going, you for following, or me for not leaving you both."

She quickly caught up to her comrades, and the three continued their trek. As they did, the cavern transformed from a small winding tunnel into a large underground temple. The walls were carved with many ancient runes, pulsating with power. They rounded a corner, surprised to see the sudden transformation.

"Did the Archmage build this place?" the second in command asked.

"No…" the old one replied, "This place seems older… Much older."

They made their way down a long hallway in the temple, where large grotesque statues lined the walls. The faces set the three gargoyles on edge, and they found themselves constantly looking over their shoulders for anything that may try to attack them. The female examined some of the carvings along the base of the walls, depicting some sort of ancient battle between man and a hideous monster.

"What do you suppose it all means?" she asked.

Suddenly, the path leading deeper into the strange place ended, revealing a long, deep canyon. The three gargoyles looked down into the foreboding darkness of the canyon, then looked forward towards a small path leading to-

The trap door to the clock tower suddenly opened and everyone turned to see Elisa climbing the ladder.

"Sorry I'm late." She called, closing the trap door behind her. "I finally got off my shift, and I had to ditch Matt. That guy's nosier than a bloodhound."

She then looked to see the gargoyles, as well as Willow sitting in front of Hudson's chair. Willow was leaning against Bronx like a pillow, with Brooklyn and Lexington beside her. Broadway was right behind her, and even Goliath was standing against the wall.

"Did I miss something?" she asked with an amused smile.

"Hudson's telling us a story about his life before the Wyvern Massacre." Willow explained.

"Aye…" Hudson agreed. "The lass convinced me to tell her the tale, though I didn't expect my audience to grow so rapidly."

"You're welcome to join us, Elisa." Goliath told her, gesturing to the spot next to him against the wall. "I'm sure you would enjoy the story."

Elisa shrugged, then leaned against the wall.

"So what's the story?" she asked.

"Well, so far, Prince Malcolm has been poisoned by the Archmage, and Hudson, Goliath, and a good Demona have gone after him to steal his magic book and find the antidote." Willow replied.

"Yes, now where did I leave off?" Hudson thought aloud, tapping his chin before remembering. "Oh yes. We had just come to a large canyon cutting deep into the rocks, with naught but a single path across. And on the other side of that path was none other than-"

"The Archmage!" the old one called out.

The Archmage turned to see the three gargoyles, and quickly pointed his hand at them

"Fulminos Venite!"

Lightning shot from his fingertips and the gargoyles all scattered to avoid getting hit. They rolled into a hard landing off to the side of the cavern. However, the Archmage was far from done. He shouted the spell a second time, aiming for the older one. He missed by scant inches as the old one tried to get closer.

"We've come for the book!" he proclaimed. "And we won't be leaving here without it!"

"Then your corpses shall rot in these caverns for all eternity!" The Archmage promised.

Another lightning bolt was shot, and this time, it hit the old one right in the chest. The female went to run to his side, only to be blasted as well. The second in command, however, was far luckier. He leapt across the canyon, spreading his wings and gliding through the cave. He landed directly behind the Archmage and tackled him to the ground.

The Grimorum went flying out of the warlock's grasp and began to fall down the canyon. The second in command quickly dove after it, catching it as quickly as he could. He soon began climbing back up the canyon walls, the female meeting him at the edge in order to pull him to safety.

"Are you alright, my love?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied, showing her the Grimorum, "and so is the Prince now."

The Archmage suddenly screamed in anger, lifting a large stalagmite into the air.

"Filthy beasts!" he screamed. "Give it back!"

The old one intercepted the man, the tip of the stalagmite striking him in the eye. Howling in agony, the old gargoyle lifted the Archmage into the air, hurling him down into the endless dark of the canyon.

"Mentor?" the second in command asked.

"I'll be fine lad." The old one replied, covering his injured eye with his hand. "It'll leave a scar, but nothing a day's rest won't heal."

He looked at the book in his second's hand and smiled.

"Come…" the old one declared. "We have a prince to cure."

They returned to the castle with a few hours to spare, and the Magus was soon able to find the antidote. He brewed it as quickly as he could and administered it to the Prince. The effects were instantaneous, much to everyone's relief. Color returned to the Prince's face, and the pain etched into his features began to subside.

"You will recover, Milord." The Magus told him. "You'll just need some rest."

"Thank the stars you were able to bring back the Grimorum in time." The Prince said. "But at such a cost."

The old gargoyle gently patted the bandages over his eye. The healers had told him that even with a day of rest, he would remain blind in his right eye. He accepted this, seeing it as a fitting punishment for failing the Prince.

"The cost was but a pittance." The old one assured him. "Besides, it was not me who recovered the book."

Outside of the Prince's bedchamber, the second in command and his mate stood talking.

"All I'm saying is the clan needs a young leader." The female insisted.

"You're wrong." Her mate insisted.

"No." The old one countered, walking out onto the balcony. "She is right lad. It is time for me to step down. And for you to lead."

"It was your skills that led us to the Archmage." The second argued. "I cannot take command now."

The old one placed his claw on his second's shoulder.

"It is time my friend." He told him.

The second looked at him for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"Then I will, but on one condition." The second insisted. "You stay by my side as my mentor. I will need your wisdom to guide me."

The old one accepted this with a nod and a knowing smile.

"Just because I'm stepping down as leader, doesn't mean that I'm no longer your mentor." He declared. "Besides. I'm still got a few decades of fighting left in me."

The two smiled at each other, then gripped fists like good friends.

Hudson finished his tale, leaning back in his chair.

"So that's how you lost your eye." Elisa said surprised. "I'd always wondered why you were half blind if sleep rejuvenates you."

"Sometimes wounds of such caliber cannot be fully healed, even with a day of stone sleep." Goliath told her. "But, even with one eye, Hudson is still a formidable fighter."

"And one hell of a story teller." Willow added.

"Thank ye, lass." Hudson told her. "Now, I do believe that show we like so much is about to start."

The gargoyles all stood up and walked off to do their own thing as Willow settled down next to Hudson's chair. Elisa looked at the two, a small smile on her face.

"You know, if Willow was a gargoyle, it wouldn't surprise me if Hudson was like a grandfather to her or something."

"Her species is of no consequence." Goliath countered. "Willow is part of this clan, and this clan stands together through any kind of obstacle."

Watching Willow lean against Hudson's leg, and his claws gently petting her head, Elisa couldn't help but agree.