Denigoddess2001 @aol.com
07/13/01
"More Than Words"
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN GARGOYLES, XENA, OR X-MEN. THEY BELONG TO DISNEY, RENAISSANCE PICTURES, AND MARVELS. THE LYRICS TO "MORE THAN WORDS" BELONG TO THE GROUP EXTREME. PLEASE DO NOT SUE. I WRITE THIS FOR LOVE AND NOT MONEY.
Bracketed words indicate thought or mental transmission.
Sojourner and Champion 5.0
"More Than Words"
Saying I love you
Is not the words
I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say,
But if you only knew
How easy it would be
To show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do
To make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say
That you love me
'Cos I already know
What would you do
If my heart was torn in two
More than words
To show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say
If I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you.
More than words
Now I've tried to
Talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do
Is close your eyes
And just reach out your hands
And touch me
Hold me close
Don't ever let me go
More than words
Is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn't have to say
That you love me
'Cos I already know
What would you do
If my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say
If I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you
More than words....
The music played quietly in the bedchamber where Wren Summers remained injured and infirmed from Thailog's savage attack. The silvery shower of moonlight illuminated her pale, delicate skin and gave her an appearance of ethereal otherworldly innocence. Wren neither moved nor spoke during the past week. Each night, Demetrius came to her and sang softly songs of love and recited cherished poems of the heart to his Ladylove.
"Milady Wren, please, come back to me." His strong voice wavered as the words seemed wrenched from him. He held her small hand in his large hand. The blackguard, Thailog, would pay dearly for reducing Wren to this fragile shadow of her strong and able self.
"How is she, Demetrius?" A quiet voice broke the Gargoyle's reverie.
"She rests, Goliath." Demetrius shook his head sadly. "There is no change."
"The Dragon shall hear your prayers, brother." Goliath laid a reassuring hand on the young warrior's shoulder. "Warrior's of Wren's caliber are not allowed to leave this world so easily. The Dragon won't have it."
"I pray you are right." The darker Gargoyle let his talons trace the lovely contours of his Songbird's cheek. "I have never known love to be so true and right as that which my heart knows for Wren."
"She is very special to you." Goliath surmised.
"More than special, I'll will be her mate if she will but have me." Demetrius placed her hand beside her. He placed a sweet, lingering kiss to her alabaster skin. "I want no other than her at my side."
"You wish for this human to be your mate?" Goliath asked in amazement. His wings flared in surprise at the younger Gargoyle's words. "Does she know of your ...intentions?"
"Aye, brother, indeed. I have known her in the most sacred sense and have given myself freely in offering." Demetrius' lavender eyes met the dark onyx scrutiny of the Clan leader. "Wren is as much a part of me as Wyvern or my heart. Without her, I am without life or purpose."
"What did this one human female do to inspire such love within your heart?" Goliath asked quietly.
"She brought me from an age of darkness, Goliath, into an age of love and enlightenment. She gave me my name. She taught me to read and write in her tongue. She gave me a sense of belonging I nae before knew. She became my superior. She later became my friend and confidant. Then she asked for my heart with her tender ways and love for my clan. She marked me with her devotion. She branded me with her kisses. She tamed me with her blind faith in me."
"That is an incredible declaration."
"She is a blessing to know." Demetrius stared down at her. "If she doe not find good health then this life is but a shallow death. I would sooner walk in the shadowlands again then endure living without her."
"The sun is soon to rise, brother." Goliath motioned to the east window of Wren's chamber. "It is time for sleep. We will speak of this later this evening."
"Agreed, Goliath." A solitary tear more rare than sapphires and more precious than rubies fell from amethyst eyes. A butterfly kiss caressed her lips and lingered there. "Until Twilight descends, Wren. I beg you to haunt my dreams and preoccupy my thoughts as I sleep this day. Wake to me, Milady."
The two Gargoyles left the room to find their places at the top of Castle Wyvern's highest tower.
A finger twitched.
Ares screamed his rage as he watched the annoying mutant and her bestial lover disappear in a burst of sound and light. He channeled his abilities to follow through the gateway created by the mysterious weapon the woman carried. She had bested him by stealing his birthright complete and utter sovereignty over Earth. The black-winged beast had aided the in her escape. They would both know agony and torture before their lives ended.
The god of war found himself in the nebulous nether region that existed between the worlds. It was a place that neither knew time nor change. It was always constant and forever eternal. It was a short travel from this world to the one where she and the beast arrived.
[This won't be difficult. Go in, get the annulus, get my revenge, kill them both and be back home in time for dinner.] With a thought, power surged from the deity to open the gate between the realms. He had done it before to visit the realm of the Sovereign. It would be no different now. He felt the curtains parting between the realms. He felt the flow of motion and continuum surge through the tear between the veil of his world and the next.
He let the energy engulf his being. It surrounded him. It filled him. It became one with him. Ares knew triumph was eminent. He would find Rensumeres and her fiendish lover and withdraw every modicum of life from their pathetic mortal shells. The swarthy war god reached to push aside the final veil. He needed only one final step to step into their new realm.
"Not so fast, war god." Words came from behind him.
Ares turned to see a diminutive woman of mature age standing only a few yards from him. Petite and slender with her sterling silver hair coifed perfected into a chignon, she hardly seemed a match for the utterly masculine, leather-clad god of war. His gloating smirk mutated into a contemptuous snarl as he eye old bitty.
"Who in Hades are you?" He barked.
"Someone who likes those two young people you're so eager to trouble." Her cheery replied only infuriated Ares further. "You're not going to cause any more mischief today."
"Mischief?" He shrieked incredulously. "MISCHIEF?! Woman, do you know who I am?" The old woman's bruising of his ego did nothing to change his volatile temperament.
"Oh, yes, my boy. I believe you're going to tell me that you are Ares, god of war. Well, la dee da." She whirled her index finger in a circle to indicate her lack of thrill. "Tight leather pants and a bad case of five o' clock shadow do little to impress me, boy."
"Oh, you just signed your death warrant, old woman." His hand blazed brightly with a violet aura forming in the midst of his palm. It blossomed into opalescent sphere of pure god-energy. Ares brought back his arm and let the orb fly in the direction of the beldame.
Skylaris became a shimmering cascade of silvery dust as the orb flew at her at incredible speed. She appeared a millisecond later in a New York Yankees uniform and catcher's mitt. There was a solid smack as the energy orb found it's way into the glove. She took the orb in her hand and let it blaze across the space between them. "Not bad, Sonny. Batter up! Swing batta batta wing."
It streaked across the nether region. It radiated its brilliance as it collided with the dumbfounded war god. The solid smack of the energy orb cause Ares to soar through the air and land soundly on his leather-clad rump. The elder woman's titter of glee further bruised his already-injured ego. "You're outta heeerrre..."
"You're gonna die for that." He promised.
"Listen here, Sonny." The old woman danced and swayed like a mirage in the middle of the Sahara. She blurred and faded until her humanoid for became supple and serpentine. Talons replaced fingers and scales replaced skin. Rosy cheeks became verdant and a well-rounded derriere grew into a sleek thunder tail. Instead of an old woman's titter, the deafening roar of a dragon greeted Ares ears.
"Ares, god of war." The voice lost its humanity. The gargantuan serpent stretched several dozen feet across the nether world. "Harm my children and I shall hunt you until the last star dies. If you truly wish to know Hades, I'd gladly introduce your soul to Tiamet. Leave them be."
"And who's gonna stop me, lizard?" He glowered at the slithering serpent.
"I am sufficient for that task." The dragon leaned toward the god of war. Tendrils of smoke wafted from her nostrils. "Don't test me."
"I don't have time for this." He waved his hand in dismissal of her. He turned his attention to the luminescent vortex that led to Wren and Demetrius. He walked into a wall that promptly set him resolutely on his backside.
"Bitch." He screamed at the dragon.
"Oooh, temper, temper. Tsk Tsk." She shook her head at the smaller being ranting before her. "Just remember, Ares. Stay away from my children or became the main dish at a barbeque."
She shimmered into a thousand silver shards. Each refracted the brilliant luminosity of the gateway. The chiming of fine crystal echoed throughout the void. The singing of glass resonated throughout the cosmos. A warmth and light filled the nothingness surrounding them. Ares remained alone in the blackness when all became silent.
He reached forth to vortex. His fingers met a resolute wall of force. He pushed against it. It neither gave nor wavered in its strength. He let forth another yowl of frustration as his fist pounded against the unyielding barrier of containment. That blasted reptile had barricaded the door to this world with her accursed powers.
[I will not be denied that which is rightfully mine.] His mind cried out in protest.
It brought him no pain to touch the invisible wall that blocked his entry to that particular world. His presence was unable to pass forth into that facet of the multiverse. What was there to prevent his influence from inflowing into the cordoned dominion? [I need only a suitable conduit and bodda-boom, bodda bing, I'm in.]
"Show me an avatar with the strength and the might of warrior. Show me a worthy vessel to be the conduit of my power and the instrument of my will." Ares' smooth baritone crooned to the powers of the cosmos. The edict that cannot be defeated can indubitably be thwarted.
The gateway of gold slowly changed its hue to that of argent sapphire. The first person that appeared in his provisional scrying device was an ebon-skinned warrior held down on a gurney with iron restraints. Ares felt his mind and searched his soul. His mind was cunning and conniving. His body possessed great prowess for battle and superior agility. Yet, his impatience blinded him to options and possibilities. This creature's greed prevented him from true victory.
"Not good enough; try again." Ares waved his hand. An older man of formidable demeanor became visible to Ares' gaze. With that gray beard and regal stance, he seemed an unlikely candidate. Yet, Ares watched fascinated as the life of a Caledonian king became immortal. He watched as he fought relentlessly in battle. Yet, he possessed integrity and honor. Ares shook his head in disappointment. This warrior was far too much like a particular warrior princess.
"Surely there must be one warrior that thirst for blood and vengeance against this hell-fiends and humans." Ares growled. He impatiently pounded on the impenetrable wall that prohibited his entry to the realm. "Show me the world's deadliest threat. Show me one that will stop at nothing to acquire power and vengeance. One that won't let conscious or law stand in the way of ultimate victory."
The image melted away into blackness. Nothing showed in the portal. Ares' temper grew shorter by the moment. A silhouette showed in the last golden rays of the setting sun. A voluptuous feminine figure yawned and stretched as the sun sank beneath the Western horizon. Ares' felt his virility harden as he watched her fluid movements. She was a woman of power and grace. He could tell by her office and by the expensive style of her clothing.
[A businesswoman? I need a warrior, not some corporate whore." Did the old woman prohibit his powers from functioning normally as well?
He continued to observe the alluring redhead removing her business suit piece by piece until she remained in nothing more that a sheer silk camisole and a white lace thong. As the last resplendent beams descended beneath the skyline, the woman let forth a fierce primal shriek. Her svelte body contorted into a tight ball. The golden hue of her skin drained away until replaced by a shadowy green. It deepened until it became a vibrant cerulean. A smile crossed his features at this new and bizarre display. The woman's mane of vibrant auburn tresses reared back in agony as strange appendages sprouted from her back. Her fingers ceased being five and became four talons. Her luscious rump became a prehensile tail as long as the creature was tall. Wings unfurled to reveal cerise folds within blue struts.
"Well, well, well. what have we here?" His despair became glee when he saw the pure hatred burn within her. He watched the timescape from 938 when she hatched on the cold, lonely shores of the North Sea. He nodded in satisfaction as she betrayed her own kind in a bid to rid her home of meddlesome humans. In the late 20th century she fought against her own kin and all humans to rid the world of humankind. "Oh, you'll do, Demoness. You'll do just fine."
He watched her take some roughshod clothing from a locked door in her desk. It was a primitive top covering and belted loincloth. He scoured the timescape for her name. He chuckled at the appropriateness of this bewitching vixen being called 'Demona.' Her uncanny beauty caused his masculinity to twitch with need. Oh, he'd enjoy having this sweet morsel do his bidding. Now, it only took the right temptation to lure her to his beck and call.
Demona meticulously hung her suit on a hanger and placed it in the closet behind her. She learned early on the inconvenience of shopping for a new wardrobe each week. With some planning and preparation, she rarely lost a suit these days in her transformation from Human to Gargoyle.
"Demona...." Her name erupted from the silence.
She snarled and crouched ready for battle. "Who is here? Show yourself?"
"Look in the mirror." The silky baritone called to her. She slowly turned to face the looking glass. She gasped in shock when a leather-clad warrior replaced her reflection.
"Who are you?" She hissed. She picked up a paperweight to shatter the antique cheval.
"I am someone very interested in your abilities and I'd like to help you." His voice smoothed her hackles as though they were wrinkled silk. "I'm Ares."
"The Greek god of War?" Demona's skepticism was evident. "Which child of Oberon are you?"
"I am no child of some fairy." Ares assured her. "I am the son of Zeus and I have a proposition for you."
"Then come here and discuss it with me." She challenged the reflection.
"That might be a problem." Ares shrugged.
"Perhaps, not." Demona dared to step closer to the mirror. "Tell me what prevents you from discussing this with me in person. Are you not who you represent yourself to be?"
"Let's just say that a dragon goddess doesn't want me in your world." He mused.
"Dragon goddess?" Demona pondered the possibility that it might well be a long-dead deity. "What was her name?"
"Skylaris."
Demona froze in her advance. Her eyes glared crimson in the darkness of twilight. "You confront a great power, but she long has been dead for millennia."
"In your world, Demona, not mine." He frowned as he recalled the humiliation he suffered at the hands of the old lizard. "She's placed a wall of force to the doorway to your dimension and I can't get there on my own."
"Perhaps all you need is an invitation." Demona brought her hand to the glass. Her hand passed into the reflection and entered the darkness in surrounding Ares. "Take my hand, god of war, if that is who you are."
"How can I refuse an invitation from such a captivating enchantress?" He gave her that lady-killing smile and took her hand. She led him through the rippling reflecting. To his amazement Ares found himself standing beside Demona in her office.
"How can that be possible?" Ares stood there dumbstruck by the fact that she had brought him across when all his attempts had failed.
"Titania's mirror is a miraculous device." Demona sashayed across the room to the wet bar. "A woman always has more than one mirror in her house. Some adversaries of mine took the one I once had, but this is a suitable replacement."
"You are a ...Gargoyle with many skills." He nodded to her in admiration.
"Now, don't make this a waste of my time, Human."
"Correction, I'm an Olympian."
"Unless you have wings and a tail, you're just another human."
"Then allow me to oblige." He bowed gallantly. A shroud of stone skin built itself upwards from the floor entombing Ares within the rock. From the center of his abdomen it cracked outwards. Shards flew across the office and a charismatic crimson Gargoyle stood before here. With flowing black hair, full black goatee, and chiseled physique, Ares resembled an incubus from ancient legend.
Demona's gaze drank in the pure masculine perfection of the scarlet Gargoyle standing before her. He towered over her with broad shoulders. His massive chest melded with solid abdominal muscles. His lean hips tapered into sleek, powerful thighs contained in tight black leather pants that came to his knee. She looked southward just below his hips and appreciated the natural masculine endowments bestowed upon him by his transformation.
"I take it that I meet your approval?" He asked.
"Oh, yes. This is much better." Demona's purr caused Ares' endowments to expand inside their snug breeches.
"Why don't you tell me about your ...proposition while we get to know one another better?" Demona's low, husky alto left nothing unclear about her intentions.
"I think I'd like that."
Wren struggled to dress herself by 7:30. She knew the sun set within the hour and she wanted to be ready for when Demetrius awakened. She looked around her private suite for anything that would aid her in her quest for beauty.
She found most of what she needed. Yet, she was without cosmetics. She silently cursed as she rummaged through her purse for anything; lip-gloss, mascara. To her disappointment she had none of those things with her.
"This is not my day." She muttered. Xanatos had told her to ring Owen should she have need of anything. She rang the number given to her by the billionaire and hoped that this dimension's Owen came to work early and stayed late like his counterpart.
"Owen Burnett." The crisp clear reply was a symphony to her ears.
"Owen, this is Wren Summers. I know you're busy and I'm sorry to bother you." She said in a rush. "I have to ask a favor. I have no cosmetics to speak of. I was wondering if it was possible if I might be able to have some."
"I'll have some sent to your room within the half hour." He politeness assured her that some things were constant no matter the universe: death, taxes and Owen's unwavering efficiency. "Any particular brand or shade you prefer?"
"Mary Kay is wonderful...preferably cool tones."
"Consider it done."
A Xanatos employee brought the cosmetics as promised. It was the same woman that had escorted her to the interrogation room a week earlier. She said nothing as she handed Wren the bag of make-up. The woman in the burgundy blazer abruptly turned about and briskly walked down the hall. Wren giggled at the fact that the woman was uncomfortable around her.
She applied her make-up carefully and subtlly. She brushed her hair until golden highlights shone underneath the chandelier. She opened the closet and found clothing in her size. She dressed in a simple lavender summer dress of Egyptian cotton and made her way to the tallest tower of the castle.
She made her way to the tower roof and found herself not alone. A woman dressed in a read bomber jack and black jeans stood quietly staring at the statues. Shorter than Wren by a few inches, she seemed exotic with her caramel skin and long black hair. Wren felt quite plain. Lightly tanned skin and straight chestnut hair seemed rather blasé compared to the cafe-au-lait beauty standing beside her.
"Hi." Wren tried to overcome the squeaky shyness betrayed in her voice.
The woman turned and faced her. A warm smile greeted her. "Hi, I'm Elisa Maza. You must be Wren."
"That's right. How did you know?"
"Well, Xanatos told me your story and he thought it might be good if you someone to keep an eye on you." She laughed. "From what I hear, I don't think you need any help?"
"I don't understand?"
"I hear you gave Thailog a run for his money."
"I paid a high price for it." She wry response caused Elisa to quirk her head. "I tend to get beaten rather often."
"The one on the right." Elisa pointed to the gargoyle just below Goliath. "Is that one Demetrius?"
"I guess you haven't met him yet?" Wren asked.
"This is my first night off in a few weeks." Elisa admitted. "I haven't had a lot of free time."
"I can appreciate that." Wren nodded in agreement. She walked over to the statue lunging forward with fangs showing, wings unfurled, and talons curled. "He doesn't normally pose like this."
"Really?" Elisa seemed surprised.
"Normally, he is less ...frightening." She ran her fingers along the smooth jet and emerald colored stone.
"Why is he differently colored than the other stone statues?"
"Gift from one of the Fae to his clan. It's Kiarite; an indestructible stone that can only be shattered by magick weaponry." Wren turned to Elisa. "I take it your clan doesn't have the same ability?"
"Unfortunately, no." Sadness crept into her voice. A crackling sound of breaking stone filled the warm summer night. "You'd best stand back-"
"You don't have to tell me twice." Wren replied knowingly and scampered beside Elisa.
The women waited.
Each gargoyle broke free of the granite shroud surrounding them. Lexington was the first to awaken followed by Brooklyn, Broadway, and Hudson. Bronx shook away the last stray fragments from his back. Goliath's eyes glowed white beneath the layer of stone skin. The emerald-hued flecks in the glass-like surface of the Kiarite shot verdant beams outwards that showered the tower in a lightshow. Two roars echoed through across the tower. Two warriors broke forth of their stone sheaths and greeted the night with stretches and yawns.
"Hi Elisa." Lexington jumped from his position on the tower.
"Bye Elisa." Brooklyn followed suit.
"Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?" She asked him.
"There's a jazz festival in Central Park and we don't want to miss it." Brooklyn replied. Angela was the last to break free of the surrounding stone. The robust Gargoyle held a hand out to his mate and he helped her from her perch.
"Hello, you must be Wren!" The female Gargoyle greeted her. Her voice held such warmth and sincerity that Wren almost forgot that this was a counterpart of her home dimension's Angela.
"Yes, I am. It's a pleasure to meet you." The Gargoyle embraced the smaller human. Wren's brows flew upward in the onslaught of her friendly welcome. "Demetrius has told us so much about you."
"Do I get a chance to defend myself?" She quipped.
"If everything he says is true, you're a very special lady and he's a very lucky Gargoyle." Angela clasped Wren's hands in hers. "We're going to a Jazz festival in Central Park. Would you and Demetrius care to join us?"
"Thank you, but, perhaps another time." Wren regretted having to tell the young Dame no. Yet, she wanted to talk to her Champion and set things straight between them. Her encounter with Thailog had brought a rude awakening to Wren regarding their relationship. "I appreciate the invitation."
"All right then. I look forward to knowing you better." She gave Wren a final wave before she lept off the side of the tower.
"Elisa, it is good to see you." A deep, resounding baritone greeted the woman next to Wren. She turned to see a tall, striking figure she knew well. How long had it been since she had seen the gentle giant, Goliath? She remembered how many times his other-dimensional counterpart had explained to her the customs of the clan. She had blushed when he had explained the mating rituals and various courtship customs of Gargoyles. Now, she was glad that he had given her that precious information.
"Hey there, Big Guy." Came the soft, affectionate reply.
She watched them as he leapt from his perch and stood before them. He held out his arms and Elisa walked into his embrace. They held each other briefly. [So this is the first human to win Goliath's heart.... without any X-Men, there won't be any Adrienne Westfall. Funny, these two don't act like mates.]
"Milady Wren, you bring me repose with your presence." A lilting baritone greeted her from above. The striking form of Demetrius landed in front of her. "I missed you, Love."
Wren said nothing but ran to him. She felt his powerful arms hold her tightly to his powerful chest. Her arms found their way around his neck. His agile entwined about her waist and pulled her closer to him. His wings cloaked her in a protective haven of joy and love. He brought his lips to hers and branded her with his kiss. The tip of his long, slender tongue seductively teased her lips. She mewled and gently invited him to taste her. His growl of pleasure mixed with her sweet mewls of longing. Somehow she found the will to pull away from Demetrius. She looked up at him and saw two bright lavender eyes staring down at her with unshed tears.
"Milady, my heart shattered when I thought you lost to me." His silky baritone sounded ragged with restraint as he pressed a kiss to her brow. "Wren, I beg you nae to leave me thus as you did this past sennight."
"I had time to think about many things, Demetrius." She refused to cry in front of her lover. "I realize that most people don't get second chances with love. If you still want me... I'm yours."
"What do you mean?" He asked cautiously.
"I'll be your mate...I'll take that mating flight. I'll participate in the breeding season... whatever you want. I just don't want to live this life without you. I love you Demetrius and I can't make it without you." Amber and jade intensity met amethyst uncertainty. "That is...if you still want me."
"By the Dragon! Wren-" He cupped her face in his large dark hands. "I need you to love me. If you will but have me, I shall spend my days worshipping you and my nights loving you."
"Fiercely and well?" She asked shyly.
"Gently and completely. My heart will break from want of you. My body will express more than words can say."
"Ahem." A gentle cough brought the two from their private passions. They saw the human blushing a beguiling shade of cinnamon. There were two dark plum stains on Goliath's high cheekbones. Goliath seemed at a loss for words. "I did not know that you two were...uh...betrothed."
He stumbled to find just the right word. It was obvious that the ebony Gargoyle and the one he called 'Milady' had marked one another by scent. He had failed to notice it until now. How he longed for his beloved Elisa to be his love as Wren was to Demetrius. If these two freely declared their love despite the special difference, perhaps, there was hope for he and Elisa.
"I will be her mate if she will but have me." Demetrius turned his attention to her. "Will you be my mate for always?"
"Always and eternal." She whispered in response.
"Let us patrol the city together you and I." Goliath told the dark Gargoyle. "We shall speak of things ...warrior to warrior."
There seemed a private communication in those words that Demetrius acknowledged. "Gladly, let us be off."
Wren's heart twisted as her betrothed seemed to be leaving her so soon. She grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes. "Please, don't leave so soon."
"This is a matter dealing with the clan, Wren." He replied gently. "I need speak with Goliath about... certain things of importance. Be patient, my love. I shan't be long."
"I can wait a bit longer." She lamented. "Please don't make me wait too long."
"I intend to love you well into the night once you regain your strength." He whispered hoarsely.
"Don't let me stop you. Why not tonight?" She offered.
"Milady, you are not yet recovered from your injuries!"
"There are thousands of ways to make you roar and explode."
"And I shall find just as many to give you so much pleasure. If I might take my leave, Milady?" He glanced over toward lavender leviathan watching the two intently.
"Go." She urged him. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Remember that I cherish you with a Gargoyle's heart."
"And you've the love a human woman. Deal with it. Now, go on." She said gruffly. "Get out of here.
The two proud warriors leapt from the castle tower to patrol the streets of Manhattan.
TO BE CONTINUED...
07/13/01
"More Than Words"
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN GARGOYLES, XENA, OR X-MEN. THEY BELONG TO DISNEY, RENAISSANCE PICTURES, AND MARVELS. THE LYRICS TO "MORE THAN WORDS" BELONG TO THE GROUP EXTREME. PLEASE DO NOT SUE. I WRITE THIS FOR LOVE AND NOT MONEY.
Bracketed words indicate thought or mental transmission.
Sojourner and Champion 5.0
"More Than Words"
Saying I love you
Is not the words
I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say,
But if you only knew
How easy it would be
To show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do
To make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say
That you love me
'Cos I already know
What would you do
If my heart was torn in two
More than words
To show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say
If I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you.
More than words
Now I've tried to
Talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do
Is close your eyes
And just reach out your hands
And touch me
Hold me close
Don't ever let me go
More than words
Is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn't have to say
That you love me
'Cos I already know
What would you do
If my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say
If I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you
More than words....
The music played quietly in the bedchamber where Wren Summers remained injured and infirmed from Thailog's savage attack. The silvery shower of moonlight illuminated her pale, delicate skin and gave her an appearance of ethereal otherworldly innocence. Wren neither moved nor spoke during the past week. Each night, Demetrius came to her and sang softly songs of love and recited cherished poems of the heart to his Ladylove.
"Milady Wren, please, come back to me." His strong voice wavered as the words seemed wrenched from him. He held her small hand in his large hand. The blackguard, Thailog, would pay dearly for reducing Wren to this fragile shadow of her strong and able self.
"How is she, Demetrius?" A quiet voice broke the Gargoyle's reverie.
"She rests, Goliath." Demetrius shook his head sadly. "There is no change."
"The Dragon shall hear your prayers, brother." Goliath laid a reassuring hand on the young warrior's shoulder. "Warrior's of Wren's caliber are not allowed to leave this world so easily. The Dragon won't have it."
"I pray you are right." The darker Gargoyle let his talons trace the lovely contours of his Songbird's cheek. "I have never known love to be so true and right as that which my heart knows for Wren."
"She is very special to you." Goliath surmised.
"More than special, I'll will be her mate if she will but have me." Demetrius placed her hand beside her. He placed a sweet, lingering kiss to her alabaster skin. "I want no other than her at my side."
"You wish for this human to be your mate?" Goliath asked in amazement. His wings flared in surprise at the younger Gargoyle's words. "Does she know of your ...intentions?"
"Aye, brother, indeed. I have known her in the most sacred sense and have given myself freely in offering." Demetrius' lavender eyes met the dark onyx scrutiny of the Clan leader. "Wren is as much a part of me as Wyvern or my heart. Without her, I am without life or purpose."
"What did this one human female do to inspire such love within your heart?" Goliath asked quietly.
"She brought me from an age of darkness, Goliath, into an age of love and enlightenment. She gave me my name. She taught me to read and write in her tongue. She gave me a sense of belonging I nae before knew. She became my superior. She later became my friend and confidant. Then she asked for my heart with her tender ways and love for my clan. She marked me with her devotion. She branded me with her kisses. She tamed me with her blind faith in me."
"That is an incredible declaration."
"She is a blessing to know." Demetrius stared down at her. "If she doe not find good health then this life is but a shallow death. I would sooner walk in the shadowlands again then endure living without her."
"The sun is soon to rise, brother." Goliath motioned to the east window of Wren's chamber. "It is time for sleep. We will speak of this later this evening."
"Agreed, Goliath." A solitary tear more rare than sapphires and more precious than rubies fell from amethyst eyes. A butterfly kiss caressed her lips and lingered there. "Until Twilight descends, Wren. I beg you to haunt my dreams and preoccupy my thoughts as I sleep this day. Wake to me, Milady."
The two Gargoyles left the room to find their places at the top of Castle Wyvern's highest tower.
A finger twitched.
Ares screamed his rage as he watched the annoying mutant and her bestial lover disappear in a burst of sound and light. He channeled his abilities to follow through the gateway created by the mysterious weapon the woman carried. She had bested him by stealing his birthright complete and utter sovereignty over Earth. The black-winged beast had aided the in her escape. They would both know agony and torture before their lives ended.
The god of war found himself in the nebulous nether region that existed between the worlds. It was a place that neither knew time nor change. It was always constant and forever eternal. It was a short travel from this world to the one where she and the beast arrived.
[This won't be difficult. Go in, get the annulus, get my revenge, kill them both and be back home in time for dinner.] With a thought, power surged from the deity to open the gate between the realms. He had done it before to visit the realm of the Sovereign. It would be no different now. He felt the curtains parting between the realms. He felt the flow of motion and continuum surge through the tear between the veil of his world and the next.
He let the energy engulf his being. It surrounded him. It filled him. It became one with him. Ares knew triumph was eminent. He would find Rensumeres and her fiendish lover and withdraw every modicum of life from their pathetic mortal shells. The swarthy war god reached to push aside the final veil. He needed only one final step to step into their new realm.
"Not so fast, war god." Words came from behind him.
Ares turned to see a diminutive woman of mature age standing only a few yards from him. Petite and slender with her sterling silver hair coifed perfected into a chignon, she hardly seemed a match for the utterly masculine, leather-clad god of war. His gloating smirk mutated into a contemptuous snarl as he eye old bitty.
"Who in Hades are you?" He barked.
"Someone who likes those two young people you're so eager to trouble." Her cheery replied only infuriated Ares further. "You're not going to cause any more mischief today."
"Mischief?" He shrieked incredulously. "MISCHIEF?! Woman, do you know who I am?" The old woman's bruising of his ego did nothing to change his volatile temperament.
"Oh, yes, my boy. I believe you're going to tell me that you are Ares, god of war. Well, la dee da." She whirled her index finger in a circle to indicate her lack of thrill. "Tight leather pants and a bad case of five o' clock shadow do little to impress me, boy."
"Oh, you just signed your death warrant, old woman." His hand blazed brightly with a violet aura forming in the midst of his palm. It blossomed into opalescent sphere of pure god-energy. Ares brought back his arm and let the orb fly in the direction of the beldame.
Skylaris became a shimmering cascade of silvery dust as the orb flew at her at incredible speed. She appeared a millisecond later in a New York Yankees uniform and catcher's mitt. There was a solid smack as the energy orb found it's way into the glove. She took the orb in her hand and let it blaze across the space between them. "Not bad, Sonny. Batter up! Swing batta batta wing."
It streaked across the nether region. It radiated its brilliance as it collided with the dumbfounded war god. The solid smack of the energy orb cause Ares to soar through the air and land soundly on his leather-clad rump. The elder woman's titter of glee further bruised his already-injured ego. "You're outta heeerrre..."
"You're gonna die for that." He promised.
"Listen here, Sonny." The old woman danced and swayed like a mirage in the middle of the Sahara. She blurred and faded until her humanoid for became supple and serpentine. Talons replaced fingers and scales replaced skin. Rosy cheeks became verdant and a well-rounded derriere grew into a sleek thunder tail. Instead of an old woman's titter, the deafening roar of a dragon greeted Ares ears.
"Ares, god of war." The voice lost its humanity. The gargantuan serpent stretched several dozen feet across the nether world. "Harm my children and I shall hunt you until the last star dies. If you truly wish to know Hades, I'd gladly introduce your soul to Tiamet. Leave them be."
"And who's gonna stop me, lizard?" He glowered at the slithering serpent.
"I am sufficient for that task." The dragon leaned toward the god of war. Tendrils of smoke wafted from her nostrils. "Don't test me."
"I don't have time for this." He waved his hand in dismissal of her. He turned his attention to the luminescent vortex that led to Wren and Demetrius. He walked into a wall that promptly set him resolutely on his backside.
"Bitch." He screamed at the dragon.
"Oooh, temper, temper. Tsk Tsk." She shook her head at the smaller being ranting before her. "Just remember, Ares. Stay away from my children or became the main dish at a barbeque."
She shimmered into a thousand silver shards. Each refracted the brilliant luminosity of the gateway. The chiming of fine crystal echoed throughout the void. The singing of glass resonated throughout the cosmos. A warmth and light filled the nothingness surrounding them. Ares remained alone in the blackness when all became silent.
He reached forth to vortex. His fingers met a resolute wall of force. He pushed against it. It neither gave nor wavered in its strength. He let forth another yowl of frustration as his fist pounded against the unyielding barrier of containment. That blasted reptile had barricaded the door to this world with her accursed powers.
[I will not be denied that which is rightfully mine.] His mind cried out in protest.
It brought him no pain to touch the invisible wall that blocked his entry to that particular world. His presence was unable to pass forth into that facet of the multiverse. What was there to prevent his influence from inflowing into the cordoned dominion? [I need only a suitable conduit and bodda-boom, bodda bing, I'm in.]
"Show me an avatar with the strength and the might of warrior. Show me a worthy vessel to be the conduit of my power and the instrument of my will." Ares' smooth baritone crooned to the powers of the cosmos. The edict that cannot be defeated can indubitably be thwarted.
The gateway of gold slowly changed its hue to that of argent sapphire. The first person that appeared in his provisional scrying device was an ebon-skinned warrior held down on a gurney with iron restraints. Ares felt his mind and searched his soul. His mind was cunning and conniving. His body possessed great prowess for battle and superior agility. Yet, his impatience blinded him to options and possibilities. This creature's greed prevented him from true victory.
"Not good enough; try again." Ares waved his hand. An older man of formidable demeanor became visible to Ares' gaze. With that gray beard and regal stance, he seemed an unlikely candidate. Yet, Ares watched fascinated as the life of a Caledonian king became immortal. He watched as he fought relentlessly in battle. Yet, he possessed integrity and honor. Ares shook his head in disappointment. This warrior was far too much like a particular warrior princess.
"Surely there must be one warrior that thirst for blood and vengeance against this hell-fiends and humans." Ares growled. He impatiently pounded on the impenetrable wall that prohibited his entry to the realm. "Show me the world's deadliest threat. Show me one that will stop at nothing to acquire power and vengeance. One that won't let conscious or law stand in the way of ultimate victory."
The image melted away into blackness. Nothing showed in the portal. Ares' temper grew shorter by the moment. A silhouette showed in the last golden rays of the setting sun. A voluptuous feminine figure yawned and stretched as the sun sank beneath the Western horizon. Ares' felt his virility harden as he watched her fluid movements. She was a woman of power and grace. He could tell by her office and by the expensive style of her clothing.
[A businesswoman? I need a warrior, not some corporate whore." Did the old woman prohibit his powers from functioning normally as well?
He continued to observe the alluring redhead removing her business suit piece by piece until she remained in nothing more that a sheer silk camisole and a white lace thong. As the last resplendent beams descended beneath the skyline, the woman let forth a fierce primal shriek. Her svelte body contorted into a tight ball. The golden hue of her skin drained away until replaced by a shadowy green. It deepened until it became a vibrant cerulean. A smile crossed his features at this new and bizarre display. The woman's mane of vibrant auburn tresses reared back in agony as strange appendages sprouted from her back. Her fingers ceased being five and became four talons. Her luscious rump became a prehensile tail as long as the creature was tall. Wings unfurled to reveal cerise folds within blue struts.
"Well, well, well. what have we here?" His despair became glee when he saw the pure hatred burn within her. He watched the timescape from 938 when she hatched on the cold, lonely shores of the North Sea. He nodded in satisfaction as she betrayed her own kind in a bid to rid her home of meddlesome humans. In the late 20th century she fought against her own kin and all humans to rid the world of humankind. "Oh, you'll do, Demoness. You'll do just fine."
He watched her take some roughshod clothing from a locked door in her desk. It was a primitive top covering and belted loincloth. He scoured the timescape for her name. He chuckled at the appropriateness of this bewitching vixen being called 'Demona.' Her uncanny beauty caused his masculinity to twitch with need. Oh, he'd enjoy having this sweet morsel do his bidding. Now, it only took the right temptation to lure her to his beck and call.
Demona meticulously hung her suit on a hanger and placed it in the closet behind her. She learned early on the inconvenience of shopping for a new wardrobe each week. With some planning and preparation, she rarely lost a suit these days in her transformation from Human to Gargoyle.
"Demona...." Her name erupted from the silence.
She snarled and crouched ready for battle. "Who is here? Show yourself?"
"Look in the mirror." The silky baritone called to her. She slowly turned to face the looking glass. She gasped in shock when a leather-clad warrior replaced her reflection.
"Who are you?" She hissed. She picked up a paperweight to shatter the antique cheval.
"I am someone very interested in your abilities and I'd like to help you." His voice smoothed her hackles as though they were wrinkled silk. "I'm Ares."
"The Greek god of War?" Demona's skepticism was evident. "Which child of Oberon are you?"
"I am no child of some fairy." Ares assured her. "I am the son of Zeus and I have a proposition for you."
"Then come here and discuss it with me." She challenged the reflection.
"That might be a problem." Ares shrugged.
"Perhaps, not." Demona dared to step closer to the mirror. "Tell me what prevents you from discussing this with me in person. Are you not who you represent yourself to be?"
"Let's just say that a dragon goddess doesn't want me in your world." He mused.
"Dragon goddess?" Demona pondered the possibility that it might well be a long-dead deity. "What was her name?"
"Skylaris."
Demona froze in her advance. Her eyes glared crimson in the darkness of twilight. "You confront a great power, but she long has been dead for millennia."
"In your world, Demona, not mine." He frowned as he recalled the humiliation he suffered at the hands of the old lizard. "She's placed a wall of force to the doorway to your dimension and I can't get there on my own."
"Perhaps all you need is an invitation." Demona brought her hand to the glass. Her hand passed into the reflection and entered the darkness in surrounding Ares. "Take my hand, god of war, if that is who you are."
"How can I refuse an invitation from such a captivating enchantress?" He gave her that lady-killing smile and took her hand. She led him through the rippling reflecting. To his amazement Ares found himself standing beside Demona in her office.
"How can that be possible?" Ares stood there dumbstruck by the fact that she had brought him across when all his attempts had failed.
"Titania's mirror is a miraculous device." Demona sashayed across the room to the wet bar. "A woman always has more than one mirror in her house. Some adversaries of mine took the one I once had, but this is a suitable replacement."
"You are a ...Gargoyle with many skills." He nodded to her in admiration.
"Now, don't make this a waste of my time, Human."
"Correction, I'm an Olympian."
"Unless you have wings and a tail, you're just another human."
"Then allow me to oblige." He bowed gallantly. A shroud of stone skin built itself upwards from the floor entombing Ares within the rock. From the center of his abdomen it cracked outwards. Shards flew across the office and a charismatic crimson Gargoyle stood before here. With flowing black hair, full black goatee, and chiseled physique, Ares resembled an incubus from ancient legend.
Demona's gaze drank in the pure masculine perfection of the scarlet Gargoyle standing before her. He towered over her with broad shoulders. His massive chest melded with solid abdominal muscles. His lean hips tapered into sleek, powerful thighs contained in tight black leather pants that came to his knee. She looked southward just below his hips and appreciated the natural masculine endowments bestowed upon him by his transformation.
"I take it that I meet your approval?" He asked.
"Oh, yes. This is much better." Demona's purr caused Ares' endowments to expand inside their snug breeches.
"Why don't you tell me about your ...proposition while we get to know one another better?" Demona's low, husky alto left nothing unclear about her intentions.
"I think I'd like that."
Wren struggled to dress herself by 7:30. She knew the sun set within the hour and she wanted to be ready for when Demetrius awakened. She looked around her private suite for anything that would aid her in her quest for beauty.
She found most of what she needed. Yet, she was without cosmetics. She silently cursed as she rummaged through her purse for anything; lip-gloss, mascara. To her disappointment she had none of those things with her.
"This is not my day." She muttered. Xanatos had told her to ring Owen should she have need of anything. She rang the number given to her by the billionaire and hoped that this dimension's Owen came to work early and stayed late like his counterpart.
"Owen Burnett." The crisp clear reply was a symphony to her ears.
"Owen, this is Wren Summers. I know you're busy and I'm sorry to bother you." She said in a rush. "I have to ask a favor. I have no cosmetics to speak of. I was wondering if it was possible if I might be able to have some."
"I'll have some sent to your room within the half hour." He politeness assured her that some things were constant no matter the universe: death, taxes and Owen's unwavering efficiency. "Any particular brand or shade you prefer?"
"Mary Kay is wonderful...preferably cool tones."
"Consider it done."
A Xanatos employee brought the cosmetics as promised. It was the same woman that had escorted her to the interrogation room a week earlier. She said nothing as she handed Wren the bag of make-up. The woman in the burgundy blazer abruptly turned about and briskly walked down the hall. Wren giggled at the fact that the woman was uncomfortable around her.
She applied her make-up carefully and subtlly. She brushed her hair until golden highlights shone underneath the chandelier. She opened the closet and found clothing in her size. She dressed in a simple lavender summer dress of Egyptian cotton and made her way to the tallest tower of the castle.
She made her way to the tower roof and found herself not alone. A woman dressed in a read bomber jack and black jeans stood quietly staring at the statues. Shorter than Wren by a few inches, she seemed exotic with her caramel skin and long black hair. Wren felt quite plain. Lightly tanned skin and straight chestnut hair seemed rather blasé compared to the cafe-au-lait beauty standing beside her.
"Hi." Wren tried to overcome the squeaky shyness betrayed in her voice.
The woman turned and faced her. A warm smile greeted her. "Hi, I'm Elisa Maza. You must be Wren."
"That's right. How did you know?"
"Well, Xanatos told me your story and he thought it might be good if you someone to keep an eye on you." She laughed. "From what I hear, I don't think you need any help?"
"I don't understand?"
"I hear you gave Thailog a run for his money."
"I paid a high price for it." She wry response caused Elisa to quirk her head. "I tend to get beaten rather often."
"The one on the right." Elisa pointed to the gargoyle just below Goliath. "Is that one Demetrius?"
"I guess you haven't met him yet?" Wren asked.
"This is my first night off in a few weeks." Elisa admitted. "I haven't had a lot of free time."
"I can appreciate that." Wren nodded in agreement. She walked over to the statue lunging forward with fangs showing, wings unfurled, and talons curled. "He doesn't normally pose like this."
"Really?" Elisa seemed surprised.
"Normally, he is less ...frightening." She ran her fingers along the smooth jet and emerald colored stone.
"Why is he differently colored than the other stone statues?"
"Gift from one of the Fae to his clan. It's Kiarite; an indestructible stone that can only be shattered by magick weaponry." Wren turned to Elisa. "I take it your clan doesn't have the same ability?"
"Unfortunately, no." Sadness crept into her voice. A crackling sound of breaking stone filled the warm summer night. "You'd best stand back-"
"You don't have to tell me twice." Wren replied knowingly and scampered beside Elisa.
The women waited.
Each gargoyle broke free of the granite shroud surrounding them. Lexington was the first to awaken followed by Brooklyn, Broadway, and Hudson. Bronx shook away the last stray fragments from his back. Goliath's eyes glowed white beneath the layer of stone skin. The emerald-hued flecks in the glass-like surface of the Kiarite shot verdant beams outwards that showered the tower in a lightshow. Two roars echoed through across the tower. Two warriors broke forth of their stone sheaths and greeted the night with stretches and yawns.
"Hi Elisa." Lexington jumped from his position on the tower.
"Bye Elisa." Brooklyn followed suit.
"Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?" She asked him.
"There's a jazz festival in Central Park and we don't want to miss it." Brooklyn replied. Angela was the last to break free of the surrounding stone. The robust Gargoyle held a hand out to his mate and he helped her from her perch.
"Hello, you must be Wren!" The female Gargoyle greeted her. Her voice held such warmth and sincerity that Wren almost forgot that this was a counterpart of her home dimension's Angela.
"Yes, I am. It's a pleasure to meet you." The Gargoyle embraced the smaller human. Wren's brows flew upward in the onslaught of her friendly welcome. "Demetrius has told us so much about you."
"Do I get a chance to defend myself?" She quipped.
"If everything he says is true, you're a very special lady and he's a very lucky Gargoyle." Angela clasped Wren's hands in hers. "We're going to a Jazz festival in Central Park. Would you and Demetrius care to join us?"
"Thank you, but, perhaps another time." Wren regretted having to tell the young Dame no. Yet, she wanted to talk to her Champion and set things straight between them. Her encounter with Thailog had brought a rude awakening to Wren regarding their relationship. "I appreciate the invitation."
"All right then. I look forward to knowing you better." She gave Wren a final wave before she lept off the side of the tower.
"Elisa, it is good to see you." A deep, resounding baritone greeted the woman next to Wren. She turned to see a tall, striking figure she knew well. How long had it been since she had seen the gentle giant, Goliath? She remembered how many times his other-dimensional counterpart had explained to her the customs of the clan. She had blushed when he had explained the mating rituals and various courtship customs of Gargoyles. Now, she was glad that he had given her that precious information.
"Hey there, Big Guy." Came the soft, affectionate reply.
She watched them as he leapt from his perch and stood before them. He held out his arms and Elisa walked into his embrace. They held each other briefly. [So this is the first human to win Goliath's heart.... without any X-Men, there won't be any Adrienne Westfall. Funny, these two don't act like mates.]
"Milady Wren, you bring me repose with your presence." A lilting baritone greeted her from above. The striking form of Demetrius landed in front of her. "I missed you, Love."
Wren said nothing but ran to him. She felt his powerful arms hold her tightly to his powerful chest. Her arms found their way around his neck. His agile entwined about her waist and pulled her closer to him. His wings cloaked her in a protective haven of joy and love. He brought his lips to hers and branded her with his kiss. The tip of his long, slender tongue seductively teased her lips. She mewled and gently invited him to taste her. His growl of pleasure mixed with her sweet mewls of longing. Somehow she found the will to pull away from Demetrius. She looked up at him and saw two bright lavender eyes staring down at her with unshed tears.
"Milady, my heart shattered when I thought you lost to me." His silky baritone sounded ragged with restraint as he pressed a kiss to her brow. "Wren, I beg you nae to leave me thus as you did this past sennight."
"I had time to think about many things, Demetrius." She refused to cry in front of her lover. "I realize that most people don't get second chances with love. If you still want me... I'm yours."
"What do you mean?" He asked cautiously.
"I'll be your mate...I'll take that mating flight. I'll participate in the breeding season... whatever you want. I just don't want to live this life without you. I love you Demetrius and I can't make it without you." Amber and jade intensity met amethyst uncertainty. "That is...if you still want me."
"By the Dragon! Wren-" He cupped her face in his large dark hands. "I need you to love me. If you will but have me, I shall spend my days worshipping you and my nights loving you."
"Fiercely and well?" She asked shyly.
"Gently and completely. My heart will break from want of you. My body will express more than words can say."
"Ahem." A gentle cough brought the two from their private passions. They saw the human blushing a beguiling shade of cinnamon. There were two dark plum stains on Goliath's high cheekbones. Goliath seemed at a loss for words. "I did not know that you two were...uh...betrothed."
He stumbled to find just the right word. It was obvious that the ebony Gargoyle and the one he called 'Milady' had marked one another by scent. He had failed to notice it until now. How he longed for his beloved Elisa to be his love as Wren was to Demetrius. If these two freely declared their love despite the special difference, perhaps, there was hope for he and Elisa.
"I will be her mate if she will but have me." Demetrius turned his attention to her. "Will you be my mate for always?"
"Always and eternal." She whispered in response.
"Let us patrol the city together you and I." Goliath told the dark Gargoyle. "We shall speak of things ...warrior to warrior."
There seemed a private communication in those words that Demetrius acknowledged. "Gladly, let us be off."
Wren's heart twisted as her betrothed seemed to be leaving her so soon. She grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes. "Please, don't leave so soon."
"This is a matter dealing with the clan, Wren." He replied gently. "I need speak with Goliath about... certain things of importance. Be patient, my love. I shan't be long."
"I can wait a bit longer." She lamented. "Please don't make me wait too long."
"I intend to love you well into the night once you regain your strength." He whispered hoarsely.
"Don't let me stop you. Why not tonight?" She offered.
"Milady, you are not yet recovered from your injuries!"
"There are thousands of ways to make you roar and explode."
"And I shall find just as many to give you so much pleasure. If I might take my leave, Milady?" He glanced over toward lavender leviathan watching the two intently.
"Go." She urged him. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Remember that I cherish you with a Gargoyle's heart."
"And you've the love a human woman. Deal with it. Now, go on." She said gruffly. "Get out of here.
The two proud warriors leapt from the castle tower to patrol the streets of Manhattan.
TO BE CONTINUED...