"Music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common."

Sarah Dessen, 'Just Listen'

The Beginning:

The legend of the sirens began long ago. The tales said that Sirens were half bird, half human, and able to lure men to their deaths with the sweetness of their song.

Sailors were a superstitious lot and as such, whenever the sound of singing at sea was heard, they would hurry to direct their ships away from the sound.

Little did they know, the siren song that they heard had saved their lives with their superstitions and fear.

And if they occasionally saw something in the night skies with wings? So much more reason to turn the other way and go around.

The clan of gargoyles, living amongst the castle ruins and cliffs near Ardmore, had heard the tales from the sailors. Over the centuries, the clan had honed their singing skills and used their voices to direct the sailors and fishermen away from the large rocks at the base of their cliffs and the coast.

Even after the lighthouse had been built, the Emerald clan kept their vigil. When the wind rose, and the seas were rough, or even in cases of dense fog, they would go out and sit on the rocks.

They had saved many lives in this way, from the large shipping vessels to the small fishing boats.

Even as time went on and technology changed, they continued on in their way.

Ship instrumentation changed, navigation and sonar making it easier on sailors to plot their routes and avoid the ship damaging rocks.

And still, the gargoyles kept watch.

Their presence was not unknown to those in the area, and had become something of a local legend amongst the inhabitants of the small fishing village. They suspected that the "sirens" lived within the cliffs nearby, but they did not seek them out.

A lighthouse had eventually been built, a shining beacon to let sailors know of landfall.

Since its completion, the same family had been in charge of the lighthouse there for generations. They kept the lighthouse clean, the glass polished and the flame burning at night.

They weathered the storms, famine and unrest, yet they held onto their duties there.

This one family, the one known as O'Shea, knew of the gargoyles.

According to O'Shea family lore, one night in the middle of a harsh storm, the original lighthouse keeper found an injured gargoyle. He had approached the being cautiously, a shovel raised as a weapon in case it turned on him, only to stop when the gargoyle spoke. The man, startled, dropped the shovel and listened in shock as the gargoyle continued to speak.

The man, trusting that the gargoyle was speaking true, had dragged the gargoyle to the lean-to where his horse had shelter from the storm and helped to bandage the gargoyle's wounds. The man had watched in shock as the gargoyle had turned to stone as the sun rose, and despite the storm continuing through most of the day, the man had made the trek to and from the lean-to several times to check on the gargoyle.

At sunset, he stayed inside with his wife, his knees shaking as he heard the frightening howl that the creature made upon waking.

Later that night, once the storm had finally passed, he went outside to find the creature there with a pair of females. They had thanked him for the care he had shown, and offered him a basket of the finest fish for his dinner.

From that time, the O'Shea family had taken it upon themselves to care for the clan. They provided a safe haven for the clan when needed, protected them from the frightened villagers and helped the clan as they continued to watch over the sailors and fishermen.

They shared their food, companionship, and information.

The town eventually gifted the land that the lighthouse was on to the family, aiding them in their work when they didn't have to worry about being asked to leave. With the help of the clan, the lighthouse was well kept, repairs made and fresh paint applied every few years.

The young couple in charge now, a black haired beauty named Shannon O'Shea and her husband Flynn, were the newest generation in charge of the lighthouse.

Even though technology had advanced and the light was mostly run with electronics and automation now, the family stubbornly adapted and held fast. The light keeper's house had been turned into a small museum, chronicling the long line of the family and displayed everything from the original tools needed for the lamp's upkeep to old photographs.

It was Shannon who had first brought the clan the news. Making her way to the edge of the cliffs at the base of the lighthouse, she used her family's method of calling to the clan. With an old, borderline antique kerosene lamp in hand, she swung it in the air to get the clan's attention.

As a few of the youngest members landed beside her, Shannon excitedly told the clan what she had discovered.

They were not alone. They were not the last of their kind.

A clan of gargoyles had just come forward in the United States, and were in the news coming from New York City.

Over the next few months, the clan had spoken often of if they should officially make their presence known to the humans of Ardmore. For no other reason, they had thought, than to hope that the news got to the clan in New York that they were not alone, either.

Then, one evening, the clan awoke to voices and lights. The waving light on the lighthouse cliff called to them, and they answered the call. Soaring away from the caves and up to the lighthouse, they found Shannon all but dancing in place.

"There are more," she said. "There are more clans, all over the world. There have been stories from all over the world today. America, Japan, China, Scotland and other places. Honestly, I've lost count," she said with a laugh. "There are reporters here. They want to talk to you, take some pictures and video to let people know that you are here. You can go talk to them, introduce yourselves, or you can go to the lighthouse and wait them out."

The members of the clan looked to one another, indecision on their faces.

"The news stations have come, all the way from Dublin and farther away," Shannon admitted. "As more and more clans became visible throughout the day, a few people in town contacted them. Your secret may already be out, but I will help you in whatever way I can…"