Disclaimer; Gargoyles is the property of the Walt Disney Company. Kenshin is the brain child of Nobuhiro Watsuki.
Summary; Constantine is alive again, and now the clan must deal with the consequences. New and old questions need answering and the key may lay in old legends.
Note: Mild RK cross-over.
Author's Note; Kaoru-himura-chan; Nope, you're not alone! I love gargoyles and Kenshin too. I think I've seen you on DA BTW. Check me out here; .com/
Lea: Now that I actually found your name .....:P No, the two different spellingsin Constanine name were . . . well, almost intentional. I wanted his name to be different from the norm but got a lot of complaints on it. In the first three fics I left his name as is but in the rest I've attempted the correct spelling. It's not altered for accent purposes either and sometimes I just plain forget to do stuff. :P
But yeah, there ya have it. Hope that helps. And everyone PLEASE send me more reviews. They're very encouraging.
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Revelations, Part One
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Avalon
"I am FREE!! Free at last! Vengeance will be mine!"
His terrible laughter was alive again. His monstrous, death-like face swam before her after seventeen long centuries of absence. After years of peace, Constantine lived again.
She'd always known that somehow he would return but she'd always hoped he wouldn't. She'd always prayed that he would remain sealed away and forgotten, but he wasn't. A fool among fools had set him free.
Titania sat up, too anxious to sleep. She'd witnessed the event leading to Constantine's freedom in her dreams and she still couldn't believe what she had seen. It was impossible! Demona, once a member of Goliath's clan, had fulfilled an ancient prophecy and released her ancestor. Now the world stood in peril and the gargoyle race more so. He would destroy them before he took control of the world, something she could not allow. Strange as it was, Goliath had a destiny to face and Alexander needed nurturing and protecting. She would not allow him to be sacrificed to some demon-possessed fool.
"A demon . . . is truth indeed," Titania muttered shakily. She glanced at Oberon who lay at her side resting peacefully, obliviously. Sighing, she climbed out of bed and approached her favorite mirror, which stood against the opposite wall. With a wave of her hand an image of her grandson Alexander swirled into view. He played on the floor under Owen's watchful care with Lexington, Arianna and Graeme close by, but Fox was nowhere in sight. Another wave of her hand called to life another image, but she was surprised to see Goliath and not Fox. There was also something different about him, something she had to look hard to see. Her eyes widened when she realized he was dressed in full armor; the armor of the Blue Guardian, the ruler of all gargoyles.
Titania sighed and stretched out a hand to touch the glowing image. "You will be in great danger, my powerful young warrior," she said softly, a strange feeling coming over her. Only in recent months had this feeling come to her, and with it old memories. Some of those old memories unlocked secrets and truths she hadn't even thought on for centuries, and some of those secrets brought startling revelations. It seemed she and Demona shared a similar ordeal; both shared relations to a race not their own.
"Whatever all of this may mean, I must find a way to protect you so that you may continue to offer your protection to Fox and my grandson, Alexander," she turned and walked over to a window. "But these dreams, these strange and troubling dreams reveal much. It seems that even you may be my grandson. Your mother . . . a daughter of mine from so long ago."
She basked in the glow of the silvery moon and closed her eyes. The night was peaceful but her heart was troubled and her mind consumed with majesty and mystery of new unfolding adventures.
"Still, one must wonder if it is all true," she muttered to herself. "It will be a difficult matter to discuss if it is. You are already so troubled by what is around you. How am I to approach one so proud? How do I tell you who you are, when even now, I am still not sure myself?"
She sighed and opened her eyes, glancing at the glowing image as she made her way to the bed again. "We must find a way, and soon. The time nears when gargoyles must be united again, lest they fall and vanish completely. You may be the only one with the strength to keep the whole mess of us together, friend Goliath. Let us hope we all do our parts wisely, whatever they may be."
She sat down and looked at her sleeping husband. She envied her lord's ease of sleep, but she also understood that he desperately needed his rest. The Gathering had not ended since it had began. Their children's rejoicing filled the air with music and laughter night and day. The resident clan had also participated and had most gracious and noble. Yet, Titania herself was laughing less and less. The Heart Stone gave Constantine enough power to wipe out the most powerful of beings including Oberon himself, and the thought of losing her husband was terrible indeed.
"We must find a way," she breathed as she took his hand. "We WILL find a way."
She lay down, still grasping Oberon's hand, and was soon fast asleep.
*******
Manhattan Island
Darien waited anxiously as the crate containing the golden case and heart stone was lowered to the ground. He was eager to get inside the warehouse where Goliath and Hudson rested peacefully in stone hibernation and store the crate. He didn't want to take a chance of them getting stolen, or worse, having Constantine show up and destroy everything. He still had a hard time believing what had happened, but was not about to doubt it either. He could very easily believe that the demon that rose out of the case could destroy the world.
"Okay Darien," a voice called from behind him, and he turned as an Italian approached him. It was Carlos, an old friend and fellow Xanatos Enterprises Employee. "Let's get this stuff moved into the warehouse. Mr. Xanatos will be here soon to look it over, and I want to be ready for him.
Darien sighed. "Yeah," he agreed and followed Carlos to the fork lift. He climbed on to the side and held on while Carlos started it up. He watched in anticipation as Carlos carefully guided the fork lift and gently lifted the crate off the ground once all the cords and rigging were removed. He didn't start to relax until the fork lift had passed through the bay doors.
"Y'know," he added as the bay doors groaned to a close, "It's a shame we lost all those other artifacts. We could have made a mill off of 'em."
Carlos shrugged and lowered the crate into position, then he shut the fork lift down and both climbed out. He hadn't seen the incident in Scotland and he was hard pressed to believe it, but he knew Darien was no liar. If there was any truth to what had happened, he'd see it for himself.
******
Realm of Darkness
Everything was dead and dry. Dust covered the ground. The trees were now no more than ancient husks, dried out and gouged of nutrients long ago. Only the toughest of grasses and prickly weeds hung on to survival now, yet even some of those were dwindling. With so little rainfall and a little too much oppressing heat not much of anything hung on to life in this dreary place.
A few sparse creatures, some great but most of them small, darted about the ground searching for food. Vegetation leant no substance and neither did the rotting meat that lay scattered about.
Bodies from battles fought long ago were scattered across an ancient battle field. Most were stripped clean of all meat but a few were left to rot under the eternally dark, but oppressing heated skies. Those that were left were almost like mummies and many of the surviving animals tried to dig out what they could from them. It was a hellish scene indeed and not a place for the faint of heart.
Occasionally, large humanoid bipedal creatures would cross the great plain. Their wings sagged on their bags. They had no strength to fly.
They wandered aimlessly about looking about them as though they did not recognize their surroundings. Indeed they had awoken from a deep, magic induced sleep. As their strength grew, some took to the skies but most remained on the ground with other strange beings as they gathered in a deep crater-shaped dip in the earth no larger than a concert hall. Each being that awoke and rose from the brown mist that drifted out of the realm soon found their way into the crater and waited there.
A huge castle rose before them like some monolithic fortress. Its twisted walls and gnarled towers sported sharp spines and hooks and all manner of strangely carved figures. No part of this place possessed any light. Everything was kept in shadow and in those shadows waited hellish beasts no man would dare face.
Inside the castle, activity buzzed like a hornet's nest. Beings of all shapes and sizes darted through the halls or whizzed through the air performing errands no one could fathom. It would seem strange that a place of chaos and darkness could hold some form of order, but it did. Everything was being cleaned, rebuilt and reorganized. It was as though they were preparing for the arrival of someone great and powerful.
The throne room was the only place bathed in true light. Everywhere else what little light existed came from candles and torches, but every bit of it was needed. Equipment most of these creatures had never seen before sat in the center of the room. A large metal table sat in the middle of the equipment, all of which hissed, beeped and hummed with its own life. Strange displays monitored the condition of the figure laying on the bed while two other stood and monitored the equipment, occasionally checking the figure whose identity remained unknown.
A strange alarm sounded and the nearest figure, a tall man with straight shoulder length blonde hair, glanced at a monitor and then at the figure in the bed whom had begun to stir. The farthest figure, a female gargoyle with deep blue skin, luxurious blonde hair and a body to drive most men loony placed a hand on the bed ridden man's head. She closed her eyes and chanted. A soft green light covered the wounded man's body and after a moment his eyes fluttered open. His pale green skin grew darker as the moments ticked by. His yellow eyes focused on the two standing over him and he sneered.
"Who are you?" he hissed, his voice too weak for speech.
"You'll know soon enough," the tall man purred. "For now, it is enough that you live. After all, you've been medically dead for nearly a millennia now."
The scowl deepened. "What are you babbling about?"
The tall man just grinned. "Explanations can wait, father. You need to recover your strength. Constantine has been set free. It is beginning."
The scowl turned into a confused frown. "Constantine? My father? Is the battle won?"
The tall man and the gargoyle looked at each other. "Perhaps certain explanations are in order after all, dear brother," she purred as she stroked the sick man's oily head. "Father's last memories may only be of the battle."
The tall man considered it a moment then nodded. "Very well. Are you strong enough to listen to a long winded tale?"
"I have strength enough for chat."
The gargoyle touched a button on the side of the bed and the headrest rose several inches, much to its occupant's surprise, before stopping. "Strange magic," he muttered, glancing around at the equipment that surrounded him.
"Hardly," the tall man said. "It is science blended with magic."
"Science?" the other sneered. "Man's alchemy has no merit. It is useless."
"It was the beginning of what modern man calls chemistry, father," the tall man corrected coolly, earning him a dangerous glare from the man on the bed.
"Who are you to call me father?" he snarled tiredly. "I am An-Dominion, the Tyrant, warrior son of Constantine, the lord of darkness! I have no son. I have no daughter, especially . . ."
He glanced at the female gargoyle who regarded him coolly. "I am Aden, father, and this is my elder brother Sues Van Poachay. We are your children."
"Do you not recall your mistress, the Siren?" Poachay inquired. "Her name was Aldeana and she was a Halfling; half gargoyle and half siren. She was your 'fling' as they call it now for several years. Your frequent meetings resulted in two offspring; myself, the most human of the lot and my twin sister, Aiden, born in gargoyle form."
An-Dominion frowned thoughtfully and then grinned devilishly. "She was divine, that one. Dark and sensual. She made pleasure very . . . addicting." He glanced at Aiden and studied her closely. "Perhaps you are her daughter. I see much of my pet in your eyes. You even share . . . other desirable traits."
Aiden smiled dangerously and hissed through her teeth, as though proud of the compliment.
He glanced at his son. "You, however, look nothing like your mother. Other than the hair and the deep color in your eyes you like . . ."
"You."
An-Dominion sighed and looked at the ceiling. "It is as I remember it, save for this equipment that you brought here." He frowned again and looked at his children. "How did you come to be here? And what has happened? The last thing I remember is Odomus."
Aiden snarled softly and stepped away from the table.
Poachay watched her before explaining. An-Dominion listened carefully.
"When you were wounded, mother fled with us to the outside world. We found out recently that several of your most loyal warriors had brought you back here and preserved you with magic. They left you in a hidden chamber beneath the castle. It is my belief Constantine didn't have as strong a hold on his magic as he claimed otherwise he would have healed you himself. You were not dead yet, after all, but your wounds were serious enough to cause death. I think mother knew this. I think she was preparing for the day the Constantine family returned to power."
An-Dominion scowled.
"It was in the modern world where Aiden and I grew up. We were raised in a quiet place away from people. I was carefully instructed in medicine, science and all forms of magic in order to revive you, which I have. You've been recuperating for several days now."
An-Dominion looked at Aiden. "And what have you been doing these years, my dear?"
Aiden sat on the stairs leading up to Constantine's throne and crossed her legs. "Whatever suits me most," she purred.
"So much like your mother," An-Dominion hissed. "Have you done nothing to save your father? Or your grandfather?"
She just smiled. "You are here, aren't you? The spell Odomus cast on our land was strong. Those who were here when the battle ended were fated to remain. No one could leave, but folk could come in."
An-Dominion raised an eyebrow.
"Everything has been carefully orchestrated," he said as he paced around the bed. "We were able to open contact with those warriors still awake within the barrier set up by our enemies. Mother secured a great deal of riches while living in the outside world. My education and influence has enabled me to secure the necessary equipment for reviving you. We traveled here nearly six weeks ago. After locating the chamber, we performed immediate life saving surgery, and now you are awake."
"The timing couldn't be better," Aiden hissed as she stared out the balcony. "The Son of Odomus was located and his power is growing. The foretold descendant has freed Constantine and he will soon arrive."
"The only thing that needs to be done now is retrieve the heart stone," Poachay purred. "Constantine will be weak without it."
"And if you retrieve it," Aiden purred, "you will be healed and made strong again. Imagine the surprise on dear old grandfather's face when he sees you alive, father. Our family and our allies will be united again, and . . ."
"We can take the world, as we were meant too!" An-Dominion hissed, passion flaring in his eyes. "I shall own this world. All who resist shall be burned!"
Aiden and Poachay grinned at each other. "Have you the strength to stand now, father?" he asked.
An-Dominion grunted and tried to push himself up. Moving at this point in time would be impossible, but he had to. The heart stone could not be left in the hands of their enemies.
He felt the flesh of his stab wounds stretch with his movement. He felt his broken bones twist and pop uncomfortably, but with grim determination he pushed himself into a sitting position. He sat there a moment panting with exhaustion and closed his eyes. He could feel his power hovering somewhere in the back of his mind. It was so faint he wondered if it would grow strong again.
"I may need assistance," he snarled, furious at the thought. The great warrior prince An-Dominion NEVER requested help from anyone.
Aiden thrust a small vile in his face. "Drink this," she purred. "The magic in it is not overly strong but it will be enough to help you stand and fight until you find the heart stone."
"All you need to do is touch it and you will be whole," Poachay told him.
An-Dominion thought a moment, a dangerous gleam in his eye. "Where is it then?"
Poachay and Aiden glanced at each other and grinned.
*******
Wyvern Manor
He hadn't slept this well in a long while. The past week and a half had been terribly busy; two attempted robberies in the museum shops on the first level, little Kenichi had broken his leg while chasing the family cat down the stairs, Mr. Wyvern had flown to and from Paris for a one day meeting with an old friend and the students flocking to and from the dojo and dance hall had all brought a barrage of problems for him to muddle out. When an atmosphere of peace and quiet had fallen over the home, he'd taken the opportunity to rest.
"Kenshin."
His senses buzzed annoyingly.
"Kenshin, please, awaken."
The voice was familiar. He stirred and opened his eyes – then jumped in alarm when he beheld the figure standing at the end of the bed bathed in light. It was a female gargoyle of unsurpassed beauty dressed in the most exquisite robes.
"You!" he gasped, remembering who she was. He stood and bowed, showing his deep respect for one of the oldest warriors he had ever had the pleasure of encountering.
"Thank heaven. Please forgive me for waking you, my friend, but we are in desperate need of your help."
He regarded her. "What has happened?"
"Constantine is free again."
He gasped.
She nodded. "Yes. As foretold, he was freed by his descendant, but we were all dismayed when we learned who it was. We had suspected, but we had never been sure. And now she must live with the torment of what she has done for eternity."
He swallowed. He didn't know much about this warrior Constantine as the lady before him, but from what he had been told he could expect more chaos than he'd ever experienced during the Bakumatsu if he wasn't stopped. He'd already dealt the clan a great deal of it; a spell which had drastically altered time and memories.
He looked out the window, his jaw set with resolution. "What would you have me do?"
She sighed. "Go to the Xanatos Warehouse tonight. The heart stone has been moved there and the clan is sure to guard it. Constantine himself or any of his allies is sure to attempt to steal it and they must be stopped. At least we must try. If we don't the battle to defeat him may be more difficult than it needs to be."
He considered her request and looked at the clock. He was surprised to see it was already very late in the afternoon. Evening was nearly upon them. He would have to leave now and fight his way through traffic to reach the warehouse.
"Did Goliath-sama not heed the warnings you sent him?" he wondered, concerned.
She sighed. "He heeded them, and he tried, but I don't think he completely understood until it was nearly too late." She looked at her hands. "We had contemplated appearing to him long ago, but . . . Part of the curse Constantine placed on us kept us apart from our son. It is like there was a barrier. One thousand years ago we found a loop whole in it and were able to live with him in Scotland until the massacre when were sucked back into Crystal Moon. The spell was refortified by his eager minions and until recently it was very strong, holding us prisoner on our own island. We've had to rely on chance and cunning just to send him the small messages that we have. After today, that will all be unnecessary. The barrier will break and the task of restoring the damage Constantine has done can begin."
"Can you break the spell as things are now?" he wondered.
"Constantine must be defeated first," she replied. "And Goliath must be schooled on his destiny and the magic that flows in his blood. I have foreseen that he shall be the one to face Constantine."
"Alone?"
She shook her head. "No, not completely."
"Good."
Her image wavered and he took a step closer to her. "Lady!"
He reached out a hand to touch her, but his fingers fell through cool air.
"I must go. Please do what you can to help my son. One of us shall join you. I only pray we can break the barrier in time. Good luck, friend Kenshin. We will call on you again."
"I will be ready."
He watched as she disappeared and was left staring at the wall a few feet behind the spot she'd been standing in. Soft footsteps in the room made him turn but he knew who it was before he saw her.
"Koishii."
His wife, Himura Kaoru, stared at the same spot the lady gargoyle had occupied no more than a moment ago, a frown on her face and fire in her eyes. "Another battle?" she asked softly, clutching tightly to their little shihzu, Mika.
"Hopefully not, but unfortunately it is unavoidable, especially if want to restore the time stream."
She regarded him and set Mika down. They kissed. "Be careful, Kenshin. I wish I could go with you."
He smiled. "I know. You've always been strong. But someone must look after Kenichi and the dojo. Something tells me that a much larger battle is on the way."
"There usually is, and you get hurt every time. It makes me feel so helpless!"
"Suman, Kaoru-dono," he said and held her close. "But don't worry. I will be alright. Nor should I be gone long, whenever the real battle should start. Tonight is just a preventative measure, but . . ."
"You don't think it'll work."
He sighed and shook his head. "Iie."
She sighed, smiled and they kissed again. It was a long kiss, the sort they always shared when they knew something dangerous was about to happen.
"Gambate, anata."
He nodded once, squeezed her hands and then turned towards the dressing room near the large balcony doors. He appeared a moment later dressed in a velvety black gi and dark grey hakama with his sakabato at his side. Kaoru had to hold her breath when she saw him. The style of dress of the modern world was strange, but Kenshin could pull of jeans and dressy black slacks off very well. He had a dancer's body and it the jeans he usually wore were very flattering, and yet, there was something about that good old fashioned gi that just made her swoon. This was the way she had met him, the way she had known him; as a samurai, a wanderer, a hero of Japan.
Kenshin caught her stare and smiled. "I will return soon."
She nodded and offered him a smile, the kind that gave him strength and let him know that she and those he would leave behind were safe. He held her gaze a moment and then left the room.
To be continued . . .
