Princess Ashanti 3.0
Denigoddess2001@aol.com
08/21/01
DISCLAIMER: GARGOYLES DO NOT BELONG TO ME. THEY BELONG TO DISNEY. ALL ORIGINAL CHARACTERS ARE PROPERTY OF DENIGODDESS2001. NO INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.
Not so long in a reflective realm very unlike our own, two individuals found themselves in a kingdom where eternal darkness fell over the land. An evil war mage held the dominion hostage in endless night and it's monarch in a deep, unending slumber. From the Temple of Skylaris, it was prophesied that the Dragon Goddess's Sojourner and Champion would walk upon the face of the Realm. They would solve the ancient riddle and reawaken the quiescent Princess Ashanti.
They were in the dominion of Ainran for many days, yet their travels seemed to be no more than a night in their world. Demetrius and Wren knew it wasn't the last time the Annulus of Avalon needed their aid in putting things right in realms gone wrong.
All this had happened in the early spring. The leaves upon Caledon Isle were no longer vibrant and green with the promise of a new season. The leaves upon the branches covered the expanse of the island in a vivid mosaic of scarlet, vermilion, cadmium, gold, and amber. The warm summer breezes came now as the cool breezes of early autumn. Long had had it been since Demetrius and Wren had joined the other Gargoyles before the bonfire and sipped mead and ate roasted venison.
Wren reveled in a return to a world she thought lost to her. Never in all her hopes did she dare pray for a homecoming to those halcyon days of innocence. Now, Destiny blessed her with a beloved mate and a group of beings that were like family and much closer: they were clan. Nothing in the world felt as good as the warm suede cloak of her mate's wings cloaked about her to stay the chill from her bones.
"It's not right that cold or heat doesn't get to you." She gingerly sipped her mead. "You have better sight, better agility, and better strength."
"We cannot see the sun, Milady nor we have a human's imagination. You think in your own way and we Gargoyles can merely acclimatize and emulate. We can create such marvels without a template." He leaned forward and rested his chin playfully upon her head. "I envy your lively, inspired nature, Wren. You know the feeling of simply thinking of something new and making it reality. I am only able to use what I have."
"Then we compliment each other." She replied warmly. She looked into the distance at Atalanta. She saw that the Golden blacksmith sat alone and apart from the clan. "She loved you, Demetrius. Is there nothing that can be done for her?"
"Barely Time can mend her heart. There is no other way for her healing to finish its course." Demetrius embraced Wren just a bit tighter. He pulled to the side to look into the hazel eyes of his ladylove. "You wish peace for her?"
"I do." Was the sincere reply. "I know what it's like to have no love in a life and to be truly alone. Humans and Gargoyles are both social animals that work best within groups. To be without a boyfriend or loved one is bad. To be without friends, family, or clan is worse. Why won't someone reach out to her and take her under their wing?"
"You speak like a Gargoyle." He planted a kiss on his Wren's cheek.
"Taking someone under wing is a HUMAN phrase." She jabbed him playfully in the ribs.
"Oooffff." His breath was knocked from him. His pride still stung from being outwitted by his human mate. Genetically they were the same now because of an alternate dimension and that dimension's Owen.
[It's so confusing. The Owen of that universe wasn't held by Oberon's restriction. There, Elisa Maza was alive. The Gargoyles found some peace and acceptance. In this universe, Quarrymen have hunted Gargoyles to the edge of extinctions. Mutants like myself are hated and misunderstood. Elisa Maza is dead and a Kiari fairy is Goliath's mate. It's so much to internalize.]
"My Love, let us call this place a name that will easily reference our world." Wren felt Demetrius' large hands gently turn her to face him. She never grew accustomed to him knowing and hearing every thought and feeling that went through her mind. "Let us call our world Terra Prime."
"Doesn't sound very original." She mused.
"I watched the Sci-Fi chancel recently." He brushed a stray tendril of chestnut hair from her eyes. "It may not be original, but it is an apt description. Any other place is an A.D."
"A.D.?" She raised one brow.
"Alternate dimension." He explained. He took the stick beside him and poked at the glowing embers of the fire. The flames leapt to life as he tended the dying bonfire.
"I don't think I'll be doing any traveling anytime soon." Wren leaned back between his sleek, muscular thighs. She cheerfully took another sip of her sweet mead. "I locked the Annulus away in my room. There's no way we're going anywhere unless I recite that incantation."
"Wellmet!" A voice called to them on the edge of the darkness. A tall, broad figure strode into the light. Wren jumped to her feet and away from her mate's strong embrace. She rushed forward and nearly tackled the form with a bear hug rivaling the strength of Hercules.
"KIRN!" Her cheerful greeting nearly knocked the wind from his lungs. His look of startled astonishment amused the ebony Gargoyle behind them. "It's good to see you."
"Aye, Sojourner, as it is you." He replied carefully. Looking for silent permission, he cast his gaze to the Sire sitting near the fire. Demetrius gave a slow nod of his head. Kirn immediately wrapped his arms around the diminutive human and returned her friendly hold. "It has been too long since I have seen you last."
"What is going on with you these days?' Wren motioned to a spot beside her and Demetrius. "Join us and tell us how you like life her on the Isle. Have some mead."
"Thank you, Lady Wren." He made himself comfortable upon the soft, cushy grass. He took the wineskin that Demetrius offered him and drank heartily of the mead. "Kellen makes good mead."
"Agreed. That Gargoyle has a way with anything alcoholic." Wren agreed. "How do you like life here?"
"Well, Lady Wren, it is much to my liking." He enthusiastically took another mouthful of drink. "The soil is good to me. I raise sheep on the Southern part of the isle. I grow good barley that Kellen turns into fine ale and beer. I've planted some apple trees on the northern portion of my farm. The air is fresh and the sun is bright."
He gazed outward to the sea. It's dark waters reflected the brightness of the moon above them. The late September chill had little effect upon him. He capped the wineskin and set it beside him. His dark brown eyes lingered upon the still waters. "Goddess Skylaris has always watched over my people as she has yours. Yet, I miss the violet mountains of Ainran. I miss the forests. I miss the dryads, naiads, centaurs and dwarves. I miss dancing with the satyrs under the light of the moon. I miss my sons. I miss serving my goddess."
Wren remembered that Kirn had been a devout cleric of Skylaris. She knew that on Sunday evenings, he gave prayers and offerings to his Goddess. It was beginning to catch on with the Gargoyles. A few joined him in singing and chanting their love for their long-lost goddess brought to them compliments of Kirn's recounts and oral recitation of Ainran texts.
"A stranger in a strange land." His dark brown eyes mysteriously misted over. "Lady Skylaris told me that life here would not be easy. It has been good to me. Yet, my heart longs for my homeland and a mate to call mine."
Demetrius understood his loneliness well. [I longed for a love to captivate and inspire me. I wanted a lover foreign and exotic from all other Dames I knew. How was I to know that I'd find love with someone not of my race? How was I to know that an austere, inhibited researcher would fill my senses and stir my spirit in such ways. I thank Goddess each night for bringing Wren into my life. It is a burden to not know love. ]
"I know your plight well, brother." Demetrius nodded in agreement. "Yet, if I remember not more than three nights past you were spending much time with Atalanta."
"She attacked the Sojourner." He growled. "That does not sit right with me, Demetrius. Lady Wren is an oracle and sibyl of Skylaris. She carries her kiss upon her brow and knows her blessing. I've no wish to be near one who disregards the goddess' chosen."
Wren felt the tension between them thicken like overcooked oatmeal. Demetrius and Atalanta once loved one another. Atalanta's hatred for humanity tainted her in her views regarding Wren. The golden Gargoyle reviled Wren for taking a Gargoyle mate. Kirn expressed a growing interest in the blacksmith.
"She and I have made our peace." She crossed her fingers behind her back. She silently prayed her voice didn't waver as she spoke the words. She locked her gaze with the dark brown eyes of the Minotaur before her. "I harbor no grudges and keep no. ...acrimony for her."
[Wren you lie like a cheap Persian rug.] Demetrius admonished his mate and opened his mouth to protest. She raised her brows at him in a silent beseechment to remain quiet.
"It is wrong for the clan to shun her. It is wrong to withdraw the support and love of clan from her." Wren knew not from whence the words came, but they sounded right to her ears as she said them. "Only one with innocence can chastise and judge iniquity."
"You speak wisely, Lady Wren." Kirn's head hung low in shame. "I will take your words to heart."
[Wren, beware the words you speak.]
{Demetrius, I'm no more an oracle or sibyl that there is a man that lives on the moon.] She scoffed at his disapproval. [Kirn obviously cares for Atalanta and this isolation imposed by the clan is silly. We need to get over and move on. If me saying a small fib will bring peace, then I'm for it.]
"Hi guys!" A cheerful voice greeted them. They turned to see a lovely lavender Dame smiling at them. "How are you tonight?"
"Angela! Come join us, sister." Demetrius welcomed her. "We have much mead and roast deer to offer you. I'm surprised you're not with the others celebrating the success of the Breeder's Moon."
"Broadway and Kellen are on patrol. I'm waiting for their return." She found a place on a log to sit with wings folded about her. "Broadway and I are going to watch "Superman" when he's finished."
"It's a good movie." Wren remembered the many nights alone in her apartment with only her computer and VCR for company.
"Why don't you join us?" Angela took Wren's hand in hers. "Goliath and Adrienne will join us. Kirn, you've never seen a movie, have you?"
"A Moooo-vie?" He sounded suspiciously bovine at that moment. Wren let loose a giggle and Demetrius gave her a stern look.
"A form of entertainment." Angela explained. "Much like watching a play except that it's on film."
"It sounds intriguing." Wren watched the Minotaur's eyes glow crimson in interest. "I find many of these world's marvels most interesting."
""We should stop by our room and pick up some popcorn." Wren suggested. "You can't watch a movie without popcorn."
"Agreed." Demetrius swept her into his arms.
"Can't we walk?" She looked upwards and shrank in his embrace. "I hate heights."
"Trust me, Love." He whispered softly. "I shall not let you fall."
"I know, I know. But Demetrius, can't we walk?" She looked at him with frightened eyes. "Please?"
Demetrius knew he was lost. He felt her fear tear at his heart through their empathic bond. He smelled fear upon her brow and thought he heard her pulse quicken. His sadness at them not being able to enjoy the night skies tugged at his heart. He quickly brushed away the melancholy thoughts and wished only to please his consort. One talon found its way to caress her cheek. Without a thought, she instinctively turned her lips to press a kiss into his palm.
The heat of her tender affection brought an avalanche of passionate sensations to the powerful Gargoyle. He turned his head away and growled in resignation. He folded his wings about him and offered her his hand. "Oh, all right. We shall walk."
"Should we invite Atalanta to join us?" Asked Angela.
Wren bristled at the thought of being in that close of proximity with the golden gargoyle. Demetrius looked at her with lavender eyes gleaming with mirth. [Milady, remember your words that you harbor no acrimony against her.]
"Don't use my words against me, Demetrius." Her words came out more with a growl. His wings flared in disbelief at the ferocity of her response.
"Never, My Love." He responded with contriteness.
"Where is Atalanta?" Angela interrupted looking over to the dying fire not so far from them.
The trio looked in the same direction to find the fire still burning but unattended. Kirn looked to his friends. "That's odd. Why would she live the fire unattended? She is not usually so careless."
He walked the short distance to the campfire. Kirn kicked several piles of dirt upon the smoldering embers. He placed the hearthstones surrounding the pit upon the final flame to extinguish them. When the last flame died out, he returned to join his friends. "Let us see if we can find her. I owe her an apology for my shortness this past fore night."
They searched the beach where other gargoyles enjoyed the bonfires. A large gargoyle of forest green coloring and frost white hair walked toward them. He wore it in the long, flowing style traditional of Gargoyles expect his was loosely bound near the end where it hung to the middle of his back. Wren noted that Kellen was one of only a few Gargoyles that wore any form of armor. Upon his shins he wore vambraces. His kilt was of the same tartan as that worn by other members of the clan.
"Kellen, have you seen Atalanta?" Demetrius approached his rookery brother.
The verdant Gargoyle nodded. "She said that she wished to watch television in the castle."
"Thank you." Demetrius nodded. The group continued to the castle. They searched for the Golden Gargoyle without success. It was decided to invite her another time.
"Well, let's go get the popcorn and we can settle in and watch a good movie." Wren opened the door to their room. "Come on in, guys. No since waiting in the hall."
Her lowlight vision allowed her to view the room clearly in almost complete darkness. She noticed that furniture had been overturned. Clothing was strung about the chamber. The mattress had been ripped to shreds. She heard Demetrius growl, Angela snarl, and Kirn snort. She heard a roar in front of her and saw two glowing crimson beacons moving in the darkness. Wren used her slender, agile tail to find the light switch and to illuminate the destroyed bedchamber.
A Dame stood before them with annulus tightly in hand. Metallic gold shimmered in the artificial light. Her tail flicked violently. She crouched in a defensive posture ready for any onslaught the other might partake. Atalanta's eyes never left Wren Summers.
"Atalanta! What in the hell do you think you're doing in here?!" Wren's brows came together in anger. "Why have you invaded our chamber and destroyed our room?"
"You and your influence have contaminated my clan." Atalanta sneered. "My brothers and sisters lie around on the beach drinking mead and singing when they should be patrolling. You have stolen one of the few good males left in our clan and turned him into a human-lover. You steal my finest work and then portray your blunders with it like they were great adventures. You sicken me."
"That doesn't answer my question." Wren flexed her talons and advanced. "So, you have a problem with me being here. I can understand that. That doesn't give you the right to invade my private space, destroy my home, and steal my annulus."
"Don't make the mistake of EVER think it was yours, Human." The Dame moved slowly toward the window. "The Magus commissioned it in 980 on behalf of Oberon. It was a gift for Queen Mab of the Fae and never meant for human possession. I am taking back what is rightfully that of Queen Mab."
"The Annulus chose me. Skylaris has chosen me to wield it."
"Only because you've seduced her son. She is our goddess but far from omnipotent." The Annulus glistened in the moonlight. "She will soon see you for the vermin you are once she finds out that you've reduced our clan to a bunch of Drunken sloths instead of great warriors."
Wren whipped her tail in a rapid blur and wrapped it tightly around the circlet. "It has chosen me. Give it back."
"Atalanta, Wren has helped our clan." Angela stepped forward.
"Stay where you are, young one. I've no quarrel with ye. Nae it matters to me that ye're Goliath's daughter. If ye interfere, I'll set ye right as I will any other." The warning from the Golden Gargoyle caused Angela to crouch defensively.
"I don't like your tone of voice."
"Young one, some day you'll understand that humans can't be allowed to live. They destroy our kind at every opportunity." Atalanta's eyes gleamed scarlet.
Wren felt Atalanta's superior strength gaining victory as the Dame attempted to wrest it from Wren's grasp. "I think not, vermin. You were bad enough as a human and now look at you. You're neither human nor gargoyle with your deformed tail and your talons."
"Atalanta, cease this fruitless warfare." Demetrius cried out to his rookery sister. "Milady Wren, I beg you to leave this matter be."
"Demetrius, stay out of this." Wren never took her eyes from the Dame across from her.
"You've been tainted, brother. Ye've no right to speak until you rid yourself of the beast ye mate with." The Dame's Scottish burr thickened with the onset of battle.
Hazel eyes gleamed amber as the harsh words hit home with Wren. Atalanta smiled when she noticed that Wren seemed dazed. She pushed the smaller female backwards and sent her sprawling on her back. "Before you were an annoyance. Now you are an abomination. Your own kind will no longer accept you. Resign yourself to being the freak you are."
Wren charged the Dame and grabbed the Annulus. She took her smaller, thinner tail and wrapped it securely around Atalanta's wrist. She gave a wicked smile to the Gargoyle. "At least Demetrius loves me."
"You BITCH!" The Dame shrieked and leapt forward knocking Wren again to the ground.
Wren brought her feet solidly into the Gargoyle's midsection and used her new and improved strength to push her upwards. The golden Gargoyle flew toward the ceiling and impacted with the rafters above her. Gravity won out and brought her soundly to the ground.
Wren turned away once she saw the slack female lying unconscious on the ground.
"Atalanta!" Demetrius rushed to her side. He felt for a pulse and sighed heavily in relief. "She is unconscious, but she lives."
"Thanks for all the help!" Sarcasm dripped from Wren's lip like venomous acid. "You didn't do one thing to help me."
"Milady, you sought battle and was not about to distract you."
"You could have stopped her." She screeched.
"Wren, listen to me." He kept his words quiet and modulated. His Scottish lilt always became heavy when stress plagued him. "I knew not that she would attack. I could not respond because I was aghast by her behavior."
Wren's face turned pallid when he spoke those words. Her mouth went agape and her eyes widened. "Demetrius!"
A deep pain seared through the skin between where wings and back met. He arched in surprise and lavender eyes met hazel. He tried to speak but no words came from his lips. He reached out to his mate. Wren felt him slump forward in his arms. She gently lowered him in the ground and found the Annulus buried in his back.
"Ye weren't supposed to step in the way." A small whisper brought Wren back to reality. She saw Atalanta staring at the black Gargoyle lying lifeless on the floor. "I never meant for you to take the blow of the annulus."
"Demetrius!" Wren dropped to her knees and cradled his head in her arms. Tears rushed from her eyes as she stroked his thick, argent mane. She returned her attention to the Dame standing on the window ledge. "Begone from this island and never return. Pray that whatever deity watches over you keeps you hidden. So help me God, Atalanta! If he dies, I will hunt you and make you pay for what you've done."
"I'm sorry...." The blacksmith whispered brokenly. Tears fell freely from her blue eyes. "I never meant-"
"GO!" Wren roared and eyes gleamed. "This isn't your home anymore."
The beautiful golden gargoyle unfurled her wings and was swallowed by the night. Wren turned to Angela and Kirn. She sobbed while she rocked back and forth with her lover in her arms. The lavender Gargoyle bent down to extract the bloody Annulus from Demetrius' back.
"We need to get Goliath and a doctor." She said quietly. "He needs medical attention."
"He's not going to make it until sunrise." Wren cried. She felt the affinity between them fading. She no longer felt the warm, fiery presence of her lover dwelling in her mind. She sensed encroaching coldness and death claiming him. "We don't have that long."
"He can't die." Angela looked down at her rookery brother. She leaned forward until her lips were next to one dark pointed ear. "Hang on, Demetrius, just until sunrise. Then a stone nap will heal you."
"Have you no clerics or mages to heal him?" Kirn found his voice for the first time in several minutes. "Surely you have a healer on Caledon Isle?"
"No." Angela closed her eyes to stop the flow of tears. "We have a visiting physician once a month. You're the only cleric I know here. Can you heal him?"
"Alas, no. My powers are weak here and have no way of renewal." He examined the deep wound that slashed across Demetrius' back. "I guess she severed his spine and collapsed one of his lungs."
"What can we do?" Wren threw her hands in the air. "He doesn't have long!"
"Cast the spell on the Annulus, Wren." Kirn said. "We must return to Ainran. That is Skylaris' home realm. When we are there, I shall take him to the Temple and heal him upon her sacred alter."
"Are you sure it will work?" Wren knew there weren't any second chances.
"I am more certain we can save his life there than here."
"Then, we'll do it." She wiped the Gargoyle blood from the circlet on her jeans. Her hands trembled as she cradled his head in her lap.
Angela grabbed a blanket from the floor and draped it over Demetrius. She wrapped her tail tightly around Wren will kneeling over the dying Gargoyle. Kirn knew enough to hold tightly to Demetrius. Wren said nothing and wrapped her tail around the Minotaur's waist. They all held on to their fallen friend and brother.
Wren cleared her throat and forced herself to think clearly.
"Advent of a shadow realm
Cast by my hand this weapon made
Unloose this Magick unbolt this gate
To Skylaris' home realm do lead the way."
A mist of mint and saffron rose from the stone floor of the chamber and swirled around them. The Annulus radiated brilliance akin to the glow of a Gargoyle's stare. The mist rose until it surrounded them in a veil of hue and vapor. A brilliant column of gold light brightened so much that they closed their eyes from the brightness of it. There was a loud clap of something akin to thunder.
Had anyone else been in the room, that individual would have seen a Gargoyle, a Minotaur and two Nightkind vanished in a blink of an eye.
********
[I feel as though I'm being dragged over lightning and saltwater.] Kirn thought as he slid through the slipstream. The tendrils of lightning wrapped around him and tried pulling him in every direction. His limbs felt as though they had fallen asleep. He no longer saw Angela, Demetrius or Wren. Never before had he felt so alone and confused. Gone was the bedchamber that surrounded them. He prayed to his goddess that his death was quick.
Not more than a breath later, he found himself and his comrades in physical contact and breathing heavily. He saw that Wren's hair looked disheveled and her complexion pallid. He noticed Angela turning away and retching. He saw that Demetrius looked no different except that his eyes held a glazed expression.
Kirn gathered his wits about him and found that they were in a glen of some kind. Thick, heavy foliage grew about them. Branches poked him from all sides. The growth was so thick that it formed a canopy above them almost blocking out the light of the sun. [Sunlight! This will bring about stone sleep and heal Demetrius!]
Kirn jubilantly looked down only to find his friend still flesh and bone instead of rock and stone. He cast his gaze upon Angela and found her staring blankly at the sky. She pointed mutely through the trees at the brightness above them. "What is that?"
"That, Angela, is sunlight."
"Why haven't I turned to stone?" She whispered.
"If we're in Ainran, then the magick here keeps you flesh and bone all the time." He replied.
"Do you think that we have returned to Ainran?" Wren looked hopefully at Kirn. "I tried to focus my mind upon it."
"I've never seen Ainran by day." Kirn looked upwards at the pale cerise sky. "I only hope that we have found my home. I can't truly tell from here. The trees block my view."
"I'll glide above the canopy and see what I can see from there." Angela volunteered.
"Take me with you. I know the land of Ainran well." The Minotaur stood on his feed. Angela nodded in agreement. He took hold of her and she sank her talons into a nearby tree. Wren watched as the two scaled the side of the large tree that towered over them by several stories.
Angela launched from the tree and circled overhead a few times with Kirn in her arms. Wren watched them glide out of sight and returned her attention to her dying mate. The tears flowed freely as she felt him drifting away from their link.
"Please, don't die, Demetrius. I don't want to lose you. Hang on! You can make it." She wrapped the blanket more tightly around him to keep out the leaves and dirt from infecting the wound.
Wren felt his chest rise and fall. Alarmed, she put her hand upon his chest and listened intently. She noticed that his breathing was no longer rapid or shallow. Perplexed, she held her fingers only a few inches from his mouth. He was breathing at an even pace. She nearly jumped to the branches above her when two lavender eyes slowly opened and stared at her.
"Wren?" Came a hoarse, dry whisper.
"D-d-Demetrius?" Had the goddess heard her plea?
"Aye, Milady." He coughed. He turned his head to allow his throat and mouth to be free of the vile-tasting substance lurking within him. Wren took the edge of the blanket and wiped his face clean when he finished. "Where are we?"
"Ainran, I think."
"What are we doing here?"
"Kirn thought it best to bring you here. He thought his powers as a cleric would be strong enough to heal you."
"What happened? My back burns in pain."
Wren froze where she knelt. [What do I say? How do I tell you that your rookery sister tried to kill you with my Annulus?]
"Do you know what happened to me?" He pressed.
Again, Wren remained silent.
"Wren, I beg you to tell me if you know."
She turned away unable to face the intense searing gaze he gave her. She cradled him in her arms and tried to find the strength to tell him what happened.
"You were hurt." She studied the bark on a nearby tree.
"How?"
"You were wounded."
"How?" He tried to sit up but the pain stopped him. He growled and eyes burned.
"Atalanta tried to attack me with the Annulus but hit you instead." She whispered. She watched as the gravity of her words sank in. He began coughing violently. "It was an accident, Demetrius. I truly believe that! She'd never purposely hurt you."
Angela and Kirn landed and walked to them. Kirn made no attempt to hide his joy when he saw that Demetrius was conscious. Angela ran forward and knelt by his side. Wren knew that wherever they were, it saved Demetrius' life.
"You're alright!" The young Dame wrapped her arms around the darker Gargoyle. "You're alive."
"Aye, Angela. I am becoming well." He pulled the blanket around him to block out the chill. "I am thirsty."
"Understood." Wren nodded. "We'll have to find water."
She turned her attention to Kirn and Angela. Kirn cleared his throat. "To the west, are a sea and a beach. It looks like Caledon, but, the sand is white and the water is crimson like the sky. We saw some ruins that looked like a castle about a half a mile from here."
"That would give us shelter." Wren contemplated Kirn's report.
"Can't we return home now?" Angela asked.
"Not yet." Wren looked down at her lover's back and pointed. Kirn and Angela saw what she meant. The deep gash had scabbed over but was still fresh. "He needs water. It's as if he's severely dehydrated."
"There must be fresh water nearby with all these trees." Angela looked around the clearing. "We'll have to walk."
"No, you fly on ahead to the ruins." Wren turned to Kirn. "Can you find the ruins from here?"
"Indeed." He answered. It won't take us more than an hour to get there."
"Then, lead the way, my friend."
They made their way through a thick and impenetrable wall of briars, branches and brambles. Limbs impeded their progress to a slow crawl. Thorns embedded themselves in Wren's tender skin and clothing making the trek rather unpleasant. The sun grew brighter with each passing moment. Wren saw that the thick canopy of foliage cleared away to reveal three glimmering orbs shining in the puce and rose sky. The forest remained but now it wasn't an untamable beast to be conquered.
Angela appeared alone overhead with Demetrius in her arms. "There's a stream ahead. It's fresh water."
"Thank Skylaris." The Minotaur gazed heavenwards. He found renewed vigor to clear away the last of the brambles. Wren followed quickly behind him. Her thirst intensified when she saw the bubbling brook snaking it's way in front of them.
Wren forgot all propriety and dashed forward by the stream. Angela landed next to her. Wren cupped her hands and brought the cool, fresh water to Demetrius parched lips. The first sip seemed to restore him. The second sip seemed to heal him. The third sip caused him to dip his hands into the brook and drink enthusiastically from the clear waters.
After several minutes of drinking water, Wren took out her kerchief and dipped it in the rushing water. She dabbed it at the wound in his back. She gasped when she found that the scabbed gash was now just a very ugly raised white scar marring the ebony perfection of his back. She told her lover what she saw and said nothing.
After drinking their fill of the brook, they sat by its edge and contemplated their situation.
"Soon, I'll be able to recite the incantation and we can go home." Wren told them.
"I would like to investigate this land." Kirn interjected. "The sky is like home. The leaves are a dark blue and the river crimson. Yet, something is amiss here. Are we in Ainran or not? I think it wise for us to contemplate our current locale before attempting travel to another."
"That sounds wise. We need to rest."
"I'd like to enjoy the sunlight a little longer." Angela replied softly. "It feels warm on my back and I don't know if I'll ever get another chance to see again."
"Agreed." Wren laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's a rare thing for a gargoyle to know the sun. I say we head for the ruins you spotted from the air."
"We're not far, only a few more minutes walk." Kirn rose to his feet. "Demetrius, are you up for walking."
"I am not quite myself, friend." The Gargoyle said weekly. Demetrius knew that pride was his bane. He knew with this particular group better than to fight any of them. It was in his best interest to simply let them carry him.
The Minotaur easily carried his disabled comrade followed by Angela and Wren. They followed the winding curves of the stream for several minutes while dodging branches and heavy limbs from brushes and trees. Fatigue plagued Wren as she noticed that her talons were now fingers and her tail was gone. She looked to see if Demetrius became human but remained in his Gargoyle form.
Angela stopped and sniffed the air. She put a hand on Kirn's shoulder to stop him from walking further. Wren caught the sweet scent that hinted of an orchard. They looked upwards and hues of orange and marmalade greeted their weary sight. Above them was a branch with fresh, succulent nectarines dangling invitingly from the branch.
"I think we just found lunch." Wren's hand eagerly grabbed one of the luscious fruits from the branch. She washed it off in the stream and held it before her. She took one bite and chewed. The sweet and tart taste of the fruit flooded her senses and teased her taste buds. The thick, sweet juice caught on her lip and she quickly wiped it away. She held the fruit to her mate and let him take a bite.
Angela ran forward several yards and leaped into the air. The watched the Gargoyle glide gracefully overhead and circle several times. She landed shortly and smiled with excitement. "This isn't the only tree. There are all sorts of rows of trees ahead and they extend to the wall of ruins."
"Did you say rows?" Kirn persisted.
"Yes! It seems to be an orchard of fruit trees."
As the group ventured forward they found apricot trees, peach trees, apple and pear trees. Wren picked large, juicy cherries from the branches and popped the snacks into her mouth.
"This place must have been beautiful at one time before everything was allowed to run wild with the wood."
The group continued to follow the stream and eating the fill of the fruit. Demetrius found the strength to stand on his feet. With the help of an improvised walking stick, he slowly made his way with the others along the stream. They came across some grape vines crawling along a high wall of stone. It was an ancient structure by its appearance. Vines almost hide the stone from view. Moss covered it in a blanket of deep green.
The quartet followed the wall and walked between it and the stream. The fruit trees seemed to lessen as they walked along the fortification. They stopped when they noticed the rotting remains of a wooden gate dangling from rusted hinges. Vines overran the rotting planks of wood that rose almost twenty feet above them. Kirn and Angela ripped away the vines with ease.
They found themselves staring into an open space that stood surrounded by the ruins of the wall. Instead of being overrun by vines and trees, the clearing was only soft grass beneath their feet and rows of vividly colored wildflowers. IN the middle stood the remains of either a fountain or a well that had been filled in by dirt.
"It seems that this was a gorgeous place at one time." Wren surmised. "It's such a shame that it's fallen to ruin."
"Let's find out where we are." Angela's excitement was infectious.
"I think you are wise." Demetrius agreed as he leaned the walking stick against the wall and stretched his stiffened limbs.
*************
TO BE CONTINUED....
Denigoddess2001@aol.com
08/21/01
DISCLAIMER: GARGOYLES DO NOT BELONG TO ME. THEY BELONG TO DISNEY. ALL ORIGINAL CHARACTERS ARE PROPERTY OF DENIGODDESS2001. NO INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.
Not so long in a reflective realm very unlike our own, two individuals found themselves in a kingdom where eternal darkness fell over the land. An evil war mage held the dominion hostage in endless night and it's monarch in a deep, unending slumber. From the Temple of Skylaris, it was prophesied that the Dragon Goddess's Sojourner and Champion would walk upon the face of the Realm. They would solve the ancient riddle and reawaken the quiescent Princess Ashanti.
They were in the dominion of Ainran for many days, yet their travels seemed to be no more than a night in their world. Demetrius and Wren knew it wasn't the last time the Annulus of Avalon needed their aid in putting things right in realms gone wrong.
All this had happened in the early spring. The leaves upon Caledon Isle were no longer vibrant and green with the promise of a new season. The leaves upon the branches covered the expanse of the island in a vivid mosaic of scarlet, vermilion, cadmium, gold, and amber. The warm summer breezes came now as the cool breezes of early autumn. Long had had it been since Demetrius and Wren had joined the other Gargoyles before the bonfire and sipped mead and ate roasted venison.
Wren reveled in a return to a world she thought lost to her. Never in all her hopes did she dare pray for a homecoming to those halcyon days of innocence. Now, Destiny blessed her with a beloved mate and a group of beings that were like family and much closer: they were clan. Nothing in the world felt as good as the warm suede cloak of her mate's wings cloaked about her to stay the chill from her bones.
"It's not right that cold or heat doesn't get to you." She gingerly sipped her mead. "You have better sight, better agility, and better strength."
"We cannot see the sun, Milady nor we have a human's imagination. You think in your own way and we Gargoyles can merely acclimatize and emulate. We can create such marvels without a template." He leaned forward and rested his chin playfully upon her head. "I envy your lively, inspired nature, Wren. You know the feeling of simply thinking of something new and making it reality. I am only able to use what I have."
"Then we compliment each other." She replied warmly. She looked into the distance at Atalanta. She saw that the Golden blacksmith sat alone and apart from the clan. "She loved you, Demetrius. Is there nothing that can be done for her?"
"Barely Time can mend her heart. There is no other way for her healing to finish its course." Demetrius embraced Wren just a bit tighter. He pulled to the side to look into the hazel eyes of his ladylove. "You wish peace for her?"
"I do." Was the sincere reply. "I know what it's like to have no love in a life and to be truly alone. Humans and Gargoyles are both social animals that work best within groups. To be without a boyfriend or loved one is bad. To be without friends, family, or clan is worse. Why won't someone reach out to her and take her under their wing?"
"You speak like a Gargoyle." He planted a kiss on his Wren's cheek.
"Taking someone under wing is a HUMAN phrase." She jabbed him playfully in the ribs.
"Oooffff." His breath was knocked from him. His pride still stung from being outwitted by his human mate. Genetically they were the same now because of an alternate dimension and that dimension's Owen.
[It's so confusing. The Owen of that universe wasn't held by Oberon's restriction. There, Elisa Maza was alive. The Gargoyles found some peace and acceptance. In this universe, Quarrymen have hunted Gargoyles to the edge of extinctions. Mutants like myself are hated and misunderstood. Elisa Maza is dead and a Kiari fairy is Goliath's mate. It's so much to internalize.]
"My Love, let us call this place a name that will easily reference our world." Wren felt Demetrius' large hands gently turn her to face him. She never grew accustomed to him knowing and hearing every thought and feeling that went through her mind. "Let us call our world Terra Prime."
"Doesn't sound very original." She mused.
"I watched the Sci-Fi chancel recently." He brushed a stray tendril of chestnut hair from her eyes. "It may not be original, but it is an apt description. Any other place is an A.D."
"A.D.?" She raised one brow.
"Alternate dimension." He explained. He took the stick beside him and poked at the glowing embers of the fire. The flames leapt to life as he tended the dying bonfire.
"I don't think I'll be doing any traveling anytime soon." Wren leaned back between his sleek, muscular thighs. She cheerfully took another sip of her sweet mead. "I locked the Annulus away in my room. There's no way we're going anywhere unless I recite that incantation."
"Wellmet!" A voice called to them on the edge of the darkness. A tall, broad figure strode into the light. Wren jumped to her feet and away from her mate's strong embrace. She rushed forward and nearly tackled the form with a bear hug rivaling the strength of Hercules.
"KIRN!" Her cheerful greeting nearly knocked the wind from his lungs. His look of startled astonishment amused the ebony Gargoyle behind them. "It's good to see you."
"Aye, Sojourner, as it is you." He replied carefully. Looking for silent permission, he cast his gaze to the Sire sitting near the fire. Demetrius gave a slow nod of his head. Kirn immediately wrapped his arms around the diminutive human and returned her friendly hold. "It has been too long since I have seen you last."
"What is going on with you these days?' Wren motioned to a spot beside her and Demetrius. "Join us and tell us how you like life her on the Isle. Have some mead."
"Thank you, Lady Wren." He made himself comfortable upon the soft, cushy grass. He took the wineskin that Demetrius offered him and drank heartily of the mead. "Kellen makes good mead."
"Agreed. That Gargoyle has a way with anything alcoholic." Wren agreed. "How do you like life here?"
"Well, Lady Wren, it is much to my liking." He enthusiastically took another mouthful of drink. "The soil is good to me. I raise sheep on the Southern part of the isle. I grow good barley that Kellen turns into fine ale and beer. I've planted some apple trees on the northern portion of my farm. The air is fresh and the sun is bright."
He gazed outward to the sea. It's dark waters reflected the brightness of the moon above them. The late September chill had little effect upon him. He capped the wineskin and set it beside him. His dark brown eyes lingered upon the still waters. "Goddess Skylaris has always watched over my people as she has yours. Yet, I miss the violet mountains of Ainran. I miss the forests. I miss the dryads, naiads, centaurs and dwarves. I miss dancing with the satyrs under the light of the moon. I miss my sons. I miss serving my goddess."
Wren remembered that Kirn had been a devout cleric of Skylaris. She knew that on Sunday evenings, he gave prayers and offerings to his Goddess. It was beginning to catch on with the Gargoyles. A few joined him in singing and chanting their love for their long-lost goddess brought to them compliments of Kirn's recounts and oral recitation of Ainran texts.
"A stranger in a strange land." His dark brown eyes mysteriously misted over. "Lady Skylaris told me that life here would not be easy. It has been good to me. Yet, my heart longs for my homeland and a mate to call mine."
Demetrius understood his loneliness well. [I longed for a love to captivate and inspire me. I wanted a lover foreign and exotic from all other Dames I knew. How was I to know that I'd find love with someone not of my race? How was I to know that an austere, inhibited researcher would fill my senses and stir my spirit in such ways. I thank Goddess each night for bringing Wren into my life. It is a burden to not know love. ]
"I know your plight well, brother." Demetrius nodded in agreement. "Yet, if I remember not more than three nights past you were spending much time with Atalanta."
"She attacked the Sojourner." He growled. "That does not sit right with me, Demetrius. Lady Wren is an oracle and sibyl of Skylaris. She carries her kiss upon her brow and knows her blessing. I've no wish to be near one who disregards the goddess' chosen."
Wren felt the tension between them thicken like overcooked oatmeal. Demetrius and Atalanta once loved one another. Atalanta's hatred for humanity tainted her in her views regarding Wren. The golden Gargoyle reviled Wren for taking a Gargoyle mate. Kirn expressed a growing interest in the blacksmith.
"She and I have made our peace." She crossed her fingers behind her back. She silently prayed her voice didn't waver as she spoke the words. She locked her gaze with the dark brown eyes of the Minotaur before her. "I harbor no grudges and keep no. ...acrimony for her."
[Wren you lie like a cheap Persian rug.] Demetrius admonished his mate and opened his mouth to protest. She raised her brows at him in a silent beseechment to remain quiet.
"It is wrong for the clan to shun her. It is wrong to withdraw the support and love of clan from her." Wren knew not from whence the words came, but they sounded right to her ears as she said them. "Only one with innocence can chastise and judge iniquity."
"You speak wisely, Lady Wren." Kirn's head hung low in shame. "I will take your words to heart."
[Wren, beware the words you speak.]
{Demetrius, I'm no more an oracle or sibyl that there is a man that lives on the moon.] She scoffed at his disapproval. [Kirn obviously cares for Atalanta and this isolation imposed by the clan is silly. We need to get over and move on. If me saying a small fib will bring peace, then I'm for it.]
"Hi guys!" A cheerful voice greeted them. They turned to see a lovely lavender Dame smiling at them. "How are you tonight?"
"Angela! Come join us, sister." Demetrius welcomed her. "We have much mead and roast deer to offer you. I'm surprised you're not with the others celebrating the success of the Breeder's Moon."
"Broadway and Kellen are on patrol. I'm waiting for their return." She found a place on a log to sit with wings folded about her. "Broadway and I are going to watch "Superman" when he's finished."
"It's a good movie." Wren remembered the many nights alone in her apartment with only her computer and VCR for company.
"Why don't you join us?" Angela took Wren's hand in hers. "Goliath and Adrienne will join us. Kirn, you've never seen a movie, have you?"
"A Moooo-vie?" He sounded suspiciously bovine at that moment. Wren let loose a giggle and Demetrius gave her a stern look.
"A form of entertainment." Angela explained. "Much like watching a play except that it's on film."
"It sounds intriguing." Wren watched the Minotaur's eyes glow crimson in interest. "I find many of these world's marvels most interesting."
""We should stop by our room and pick up some popcorn." Wren suggested. "You can't watch a movie without popcorn."
"Agreed." Demetrius swept her into his arms.
"Can't we walk?" She looked upwards and shrank in his embrace. "I hate heights."
"Trust me, Love." He whispered softly. "I shall not let you fall."
"I know, I know. But Demetrius, can't we walk?" She looked at him with frightened eyes. "Please?"
Demetrius knew he was lost. He felt her fear tear at his heart through their empathic bond. He smelled fear upon her brow and thought he heard her pulse quicken. His sadness at them not being able to enjoy the night skies tugged at his heart. He quickly brushed away the melancholy thoughts and wished only to please his consort. One talon found its way to caress her cheek. Without a thought, she instinctively turned her lips to press a kiss into his palm.
The heat of her tender affection brought an avalanche of passionate sensations to the powerful Gargoyle. He turned his head away and growled in resignation. He folded his wings about him and offered her his hand. "Oh, all right. We shall walk."
"Should we invite Atalanta to join us?" Asked Angela.
Wren bristled at the thought of being in that close of proximity with the golden gargoyle. Demetrius looked at her with lavender eyes gleaming with mirth. [Milady, remember your words that you harbor no acrimony against her.]
"Don't use my words against me, Demetrius." Her words came out more with a growl. His wings flared in disbelief at the ferocity of her response.
"Never, My Love." He responded with contriteness.
"Where is Atalanta?" Angela interrupted looking over to the dying fire not so far from them.
The trio looked in the same direction to find the fire still burning but unattended. Kirn looked to his friends. "That's odd. Why would she live the fire unattended? She is not usually so careless."
He walked the short distance to the campfire. Kirn kicked several piles of dirt upon the smoldering embers. He placed the hearthstones surrounding the pit upon the final flame to extinguish them. When the last flame died out, he returned to join his friends. "Let us see if we can find her. I owe her an apology for my shortness this past fore night."
They searched the beach where other gargoyles enjoyed the bonfires. A large gargoyle of forest green coloring and frost white hair walked toward them. He wore it in the long, flowing style traditional of Gargoyles expect his was loosely bound near the end where it hung to the middle of his back. Wren noted that Kellen was one of only a few Gargoyles that wore any form of armor. Upon his shins he wore vambraces. His kilt was of the same tartan as that worn by other members of the clan.
"Kellen, have you seen Atalanta?" Demetrius approached his rookery brother.
The verdant Gargoyle nodded. "She said that she wished to watch television in the castle."
"Thank you." Demetrius nodded. The group continued to the castle. They searched for the Golden Gargoyle without success. It was decided to invite her another time.
"Well, let's go get the popcorn and we can settle in and watch a good movie." Wren opened the door to their room. "Come on in, guys. No since waiting in the hall."
Her lowlight vision allowed her to view the room clearly in almost complete darkness. She noticed that furniture had been overturned. Clothing was strung about the chamber. The mattress had been ripped to shreds. She heard Demetrius growl, Angela snarl, and Kirn snort. She heard a roar in front of her and saw two glowing crimson beacons moving in the darkness. Wren used her slender, agile tail to find the light switch and to illuminate the destroyed bedchamber.
A Dame stood before them with annulus tightly in hand. Metallic gold shimmered in the artificial light. Her tail flicked violently. She crouched in a defensive posture ready for any onslaught the other might partake. Atalanta's eyes never left Wren Summers.
"Atalanta! What in the hell do you think you're doing in here?!" Wren's brows came together in anger. "Why have you invaded our chamber and destroyed our room?"
"You and your influence have contaminated my clan." Atalanta sneered. "My brothers and sisters lie around on the beach drinking mead and singing when they should be patrolling. You have stolen one of the few good males left in our clan and turned him into a human-lover. You steal my finest work and then portray your blunders with it like they were great adventures. You sicken me."
"That doesn't answer my question." Wren flexed her talons and advanced. "So, you have a problem with me being here. I can understand that. That doesn't give you the right to invade my private space, destroy my home, and steal my annulus."
"Don't make the mistake of EVER think it was yours, Human." The Dame moved slowly toward the window. "The Magus commissioned it in 980 on behalf of Oberon. It was a gift for Queen Mab of the Fae and never meant for human possession. I am taking back what is rightfully that of Queen Mab."
"The Annulus chose me. Skylaris has chosen me to wield it."
"Only because you've seduced her son. She is our goddess but far from omnipotent." The Annulus glistened in the moonlight. "She will soon see you for the vermin you are once she finds out that you've reduced our clan to a bunch of Drunken sloths instead of great warriors."
Wren whipped her tail in a rapid blur and wrapped it tightly around the circlet. "It has chosen me. Give it back."
"Atalanta, Wren has helped our clan." Angela stepped forward.
"Stay where you are, young one. I've no quarrel with ye. Nae it matters to me that ye're Goliath's daughter. If ye interfere, I'll set ye right as I will any other." The warning from the Golden Gargoyle caused Angela to crouch defensively.
"I don't like your tone of voice."
"Young one, some day you'll understand that humans can't be allowed to live. They destroy our kind at every opportunity." Atalanta's eyes gleamed scarlet.
Wren felt Atalanta's superior strength gaining victory as the Dame attempted to wrest it from Wren's grasp. "I think not, vermin. You were bad enough as a human and now look at you. You're neither human nor gargoyle with your deformed tail and your talons."
"Atalanta, cease this fruitless warfare." Demetrius cried out to his rookery sister. "Milady Wren, I beg you to leave this matter be."
"Demetrius, stay out of this." Wren never took her eyes from the Dame across from her.
"You've been tainted, brother. Ye've no right to speak until you rid yourself of the beast ye mate with." The Dame's Scottish burr thickened with the onset of battle.
Hazel eyes gleamed amber as the harsh words hit home with Wren. Atalanta smiled when she noticed that Wren seemed dazed. She pushed the smaller female backwards and sent her sprawling on her back. "Before you were an annoyance. Now you are an abomination. Your own kind will no longer accept you. Resign yourself to being the freak you are."
Wren charged the Dame and grabbed the Annulus. She took her smaller, thinner tail and wrapped it securely around Atalanta's wrist. She gave a wicked smile to the Gargoyle. "At least Demetrius loves me."
"You BITCH!" The Dame shrieked and leapt forward knocking Wren again to the ground.
Wren brought her feet solidly into the Gargoyle's midsection and used her new and improved strength to push her upwards. The golden Gargoyle flew toward the ceiling and impacted with the rafters above her. Gravity won out and brought her soundly to the ground.
Wren turned away once she saw the slack female lying unconscious on the ground.
"Atalanta!" Demetrius rushed to her side. He felt for a pulse and sighed heavily in relief. "She is unconscious, but she lives."
"Thanks for all the help!" Sarcasm dripped from Wren's lip like venomous acid. "You didn't do one thing to help me."
"Milady, you sought battle and was not about to distract you."
"You could have stopped her." She screeched.
"Wren, listen to me." He kept his words quiet and modulated. His Scottish lilt always became heavy when stress plagued him. "I knew not that she would attack. I could not respond because I was aghast by her behavior."
Wren's face turned pallid when he spoke those words. Her mouth went agape and her eyes widened. "Demetrius!"
A deep pain seared through the skin between where wings and back met. He arched in surprise and lavender eyes met hazel. He tried to speak but no words came from his lips. He reached out to his mate. Wren felt him slump forward in his arms. She gently lowered him in the ground and found the Annulus buried in his back.
"Ye weren't supposed to step in the way." A small whisper brought Wren back to reality. She saw Atalanta staring at the black Gargoyle lying lifeless on the floor. "I never meant for you to take the blow of the annulus."
"Demetrius!" Wren dropped to her knees and cradled his head in her arms. Tears rushed from her eyes as she stroked his thick, argent mane. She returned her attention to the Dame standing on the window ledge. "Begone from this island and never return. Pray that whatever deity watches over you keeps you hidden. So help me God, Atalanta! If he dies, I will hunt you and make you pay for what you've done."
"I'm sorry...." The blacksmith whispered brokenly. Tears fell freely from her blue eyes. "I never meant-"
"GO!" Wren roared and eyes gleamed. "This isn't your home anymore."
The beautiful golden gargoyle unfurled her wings and was swallowed by the night. Wren turned to Angela and Kirn. She sobbed while she rocked back and forth with her lover in her arms. The lavender Gargoyle bent down to extract the bloody Annulus from Demetrius' back.
"We need to get Goliath and a doctor." She said quietly. "He needs medical attention."
"He's not going to make it until sunrise." Wren cried. She felt the affinity between them fading. She no longer felt the warm, fiery presence of her lover dwelling in her mind. She sensed encroaching coldness and death claiming him. "We don't have that long."
"He can't die." Angela looked down at her rookery brother. She leaned forward until her lips were next to one dark pointed ear. "Hang on, Demetrius, just until sunrise. Then a stone nap will heal you."
"Have you no clerics or mages to heal him?" Kirn found his voice for the first time in several minutes. "Surely you have a healer on Caledon Isle?"
"No." Angela closed her eyes to stop the flow of tears. "We have a visiting physician once a month. You're the only cleric I know here. Can you heal him?"
"Alas, no. My powers are weak here and have no way of renewal." He examined the deep wound that slashed across Demetrius' back. "I guess she severed his spine and collapsed one of his lungs."
"What can we do?" Wren threw her hands in the air. "He doesn't have long!"
"Cast the spell on the Annulus, Wren." Kirn said. "We must return to Ainran. That is Skylaris' home realm. When we are there, I shall take him to the Temple and heal him upon her sacred alter."
"Are you sure it will work?" Wren knew there weren't any second chances.
"I am more certain we can save his life there than here."
"Then, we'll do it." She wiped the Gargoyle blood from the circlet on her jeans. Her hands trembled as she cradled his head in her lap.
Angela grabbed a blanket from the floor and draped it over Demetrius. She wrapped her tail tightly around Wren will kneeling over the dying Gargoyle. Kirn knew enough to hold tightly to Demetrius. Wren said nothing and wrapped her tail around the Minotaur's waist. They all held on to their fallen friend and brother.
Wren cleared her throat and forced herself to think clearly.
"Advent of a shadow realm
Cast by my hand this weapon made
Unloose this Magick unbolt this gate
To Skylaris' home realm do lead the way."
A mist of mint and saffron rose from the stone floor of the chamber and swirled around them. The Annulus radiated brilliance akin to the glow of a Gargoyle's stare. The mist rose until it surrounded them in a veil of hue and vapor. A brilliant column of gold light brightened so much that they closed their eyes from the brightness of it. There was a loud clap of something akin to thunder.
Had anyone else been in the room, that individual would have seen a Gargoyle, a Minotaur and two Nightkind vanished in a blink of an eye.
********
[I feel as though I'm being dragged over lightning and saltwater.] Kirn thought as he slid through the slipstream. The tendrils of lightning wrapped around him and tried pulling him in every direction. His limbs felt as though they had fallen asleep. He no longer saw Angela, Demetrius or Wren. Never before had he felt so alone and confused. Gone was the bedchamber that surrounded them. He prayed to his goddess that his death was quick.
Not more than a breath later, he found himself and his comrades in physical contact and breathing heavily. He saw that Wren's hair looked disheveled and her complexion pallid. He noticed Angela turning away and retching. He saw that Demetrius looked no different except that his eyes held a glazed expression.
Kirn gathered his wits about him and found that they were in a glen of some kind. Thick, heavy foliage grew about them. Branches poked him from all sides. The growth was so thick that it formed a canopy above them almost blocking out the light of the sun. [Sunlight! This will bring about stone sleep and heal Demetrius!]
Kirn jubilantly looked down only to find his friend still flesh and bone instead of rock and stone. He cast his gaze upon Angela and found her staring blankly at the sky. She pointed mutely through the trees at the brightness above them. "What is that?"
"That, Angela, is sunlight."
"Why haven't I turned to stone?" She whispered.
"If we're in Ainran, then the magick here keeps you flesh and bone all the time." He replied.
"Do you think that we have returned to Ainran?" Wren looked hopefully at Kirn. "I tried to focus my mind upon it."
"I've never seen Ainran by day." Kirn looked upwards at the pale cerise sky. "I only hope that we have found my home. I can't truly tell from here. The trees block my view."
"I'll glide above the canopy and see what I can see from there." Angela volunteered.
"Take me with you. I know the land of Ainran well." The Minotaur stood on his feed. Angela nodded in agreement. He took hold of her and she sank her talons into a nearby tree. Wren watched as the two scaled the side of the large tree that towered over them by several stories.
Angela launched from the tree and circled overhead a few times with Kirn in her arms. Wren watched them glide out of sight and returned her attention to her dying mate. The tears flowed freely as she felt him drifting away from their link.
"Please, don't die, Demetrius. I don't want to lose you. Hang on! You can make it." She wrapped the blanket more tightly around him to keep out the leaves and dirt from infecting the wound.
Wren felt his chest rise and fall. Alarmed, she put her hand upon his chest and listened intently. She noticed that his breathing was no longer rapid or shallow. Perplexed, she held her fingers only a few inches from his mouth. He was breathing at an even pace. She nearly jumped to the branches above her when two lavender eyes slowly opened and stared at her.
"Wren?" Came a hoarse, dry whisper.
"D-d-Demetrius?" Had the goddess heard her plea?
"Aye, Milady." He coughed. He turned his head to allow his throat and mouth to be free of the vile-tasting substance lurking within him. Wren took the edge of the blanket and wiped his face clean when he finished. "Where are we?"
"Ainran, I think."
"What are we doing here?"
"Kirn thought it best to bring you here. He thought his powers as a cleric would be strong enough to heal you."
"What happened? My back burns in pain."
Wren froze where she knelt. [What do I say? How do I tell you that your rookery sister tried to kill you with my Annulus?]
"Do you know what happened to me?" He pressed.
Again, Wren remained silent.
"Wren, I beg you to tell me if you know."
She turned away unable to face the intense searing gaze he gave her. She cradled him in her arms and tried to find the strength to tell him what happened.
"You were hurt." She studied the bark on a nearby tree.
"How?"
"You were wounded."
"How?" He tried to sit up but the pain stopped him. He growled and eyes burned.
"Atalanta tried to attack me with the Annulus but hit you instead." She whispered. She watched as the gravity of her words sank in. He began coughing violently. "It was an accident, Demetrius. I truly believe that! She'd never purposely hurt you."
Angela and Kirn landed and walked to them. Kirn made no attempt to hide his joy when he saw that Demetrius was conscious. Angela ran forward and knelt by his side. Wren knew that wherever they were, it saved Demetrius' life.
"You're alright!" The young Dame wrapped her arms around the darker Gargoyle. "You're alive."
"Aye, Angela. I am becoming well." He pulled the blanket around him to block out the chill. "I am thirsty."
"Understood." Wren nodded. "We'll have to find water."
She turned her attention to Kirn and Angela. Kirn cleared his throat. "To the west, are a sea and a beach. It looks like Caledon, but, the sand is white and the water is crimson like the sky. We saw some ruins that looked like a castle about a half a mile from here."
"That would give us shelter." Wren contemplated Kirn's report.
"Can't we return home now?" Angela asked.
"Not yet." Wren looked down at her lover's back and pointed. Kirn and Angela saw what she meant. The deep gash had scabbed over but was still fresh. "He needs water. It's as if he's severely dehydrated."
"There must be fresh water nearby with all these trees." Angela looked around the clearing. "We'll have to walk."
"No, you fly on ahead to the ruins." Wren turned to Kirn. "Can you find the ruins from here?"
"Indeed." He answered. It won't take us more than an hour to get there."
"Then, lead the way, my friend."
They made their way through a thick and impenetrable wall of briars, branches and brambles. Limbs impeded their progress to a slow crawl. Thorns embedded themselves in Wren's tender skin and clothing making the trek rather unpleasant. The sun grew brighter with each passing moment. Wren saw that the thick canopy of foliage cleared away to reveal three glimmering orbs shining in the puce and rose sky. The forest remained but now it wasn't an untamable beast to be conquered.
Angela appeared alone overhead with Demetrius in her arms. "There's a stream ahead. It's fresh water."
"Thank Skylaris." The Minotaur gazed heavenwards. He found renewed vigor to clear away the last of the brambles. Wren followed quickly behind him. Her thirst intensified when she saw the bubbling brook snaking it's way in front of them.
Wren forgot all propriety and dashed forward by the stream. Angela landed next to her. Wren cupped her hands and brought the cool, fresh water to Demetrius parched lips. The first sip seemed to restore him. The second sip seemed to heal him. The third sip caused him to dip his hands into the brook and drink enthusiastically from the clear waters.
After several minutes of drinking water, Wren took out her kerchief and dipped it in the rushing water. She dabbed it at the wound in his back. She gasped when she found that the scabbed gash was now just a very ugly raised white scar marring the ebony perfection of his back. She told her lover what she saw and said nothing.
After drinking their fill of the brook, they sat by its edge and contemplated their situation.
"Soon, I'll be able to recite the incantation and we can go home." Wren told them.
"I would like to investigate this land." Kirn interjected. "The sky is like home. The leaves are a dark blue and the river crimson. Yet, something is amiss here. Are we in Ainran or not? I think it wise for us to contemplate our current locale before attempting travel to another."
"That sounds wise. We need to rest."
"I'd like to enjoy the sunlight a little longer." Angela replied softly. "It feels warm on my back and I don't know if I'll ever get another chance to see again."
"Agreed." Wren laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's a rare thing for a gargoyle to know the sun. I say we head for the ruins you spotted from the air."
"We're not far, only a few more minutes walk." Kirn rose to his feet. "Demetrius, are you up for walking."
"I am not quite myself, friend." The Gargoyle said weekly. Demetrius knew that pride was his bane. He knew with this particular group better than to fight any of them. It was in his best interest to simply let them carry him.
The Minotaur easily carried his disabled comrade followed by Angela and Wren. They followed the winding curves of the stream for several minutes while dodging branches and heavy limbs from brushes and trees. Fatigue plagued Wren as she noticed that her talons were now fingers and her tail was gone. She looked to see if Demetrius became human but remained in his Gargoyle form.
Angela stopped and sniffed the air. She put a hand on Kirn's shoulder to stop him from walking further. Wren caught the sweet scent that hinted of an orchard. They looked upwards and hues of orange and marmalade greeted their weary sight. Above them was a branch with fresh, succulent nectarines dangling invitingly from the branch.
"I think we just found lunch." Wren's hand eagerly grabbed one of the luscious fruits from the branch. She washed it off in the stream and held it before her. She took one bite and chewed. The sweet and tart taste of the fruit flooded her senses and teased her taste buds. The thick, sweet juice caught on her lip and she quickly wiped it away. She held the fruit to her mate and let him take a bite.
Angela ran forward several yards and leaped into the air. The watched the Gargoyle glide gracefully overhead and circle several times. She landed shortly and smiled with excitement. "This isn't the only tree. There are all sorts of rows of trees ahead and they extend to the wall of ruins."
"Did you say rows?" Kirn persisted.
"Yes! It seems to be an orchard of fruit trees."
As the group ventured forward they found apricot trees, peach trees, apple and pear trees. Wren picked large, juicy cherries from the branches and popped the snacks into her mouth.
"This place must have been beautiful at one time before everything was allowed to run wild with the wood."
The group continued to follow the stream and eating the fill of the fruit. Demetrius found the strength to stand on his feet. With the help of an improvised walking stick, he slowly made his way with the others along the stream. They came across some grape vines crawling along a high wall of stone. It was an ancient structure by its appearance. Vines almost hide the stone from view. Moss covered it in a blanket of deep green.
The quartet followed the wall and walked between it and the stream. The fruit trees seemed to lessen as they walked along the fortification. They stopped when they noticed the rotting remains of a wooden gate dangling from rusted hinges. Vines overran the rotting planks of wood that rose almost twenty feet above them. Kirn and Angela ripped away the vines with ease.
They found themselves staring into an open space that stood surrounded by the ruins of the wall. Instead of being overrun by vines and trees, the clearing was only soft grass beneath their feet and rows of vividly colored wildflowers. IN the middle stood the remains of either a fountain or a well that had been filled in by dirt.
"It seems that this was a gorgeous place at one time." Wren surmised. "It's such a shame that it's fallen to ruin."
"Let's find out where we are." Angela's excitement was infectious.
"I think you are wise." Demetrius agreed as he leaned the walking stick against the wall and stretched his stiffened limbs.
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TO BE CONTINUED....