Disclaimer; Gargoyles do not belong to me. They are the property of Walt Disney.

Summary; Thailog is torn. Something inside him is changing. Anger rises and redemption is promised. The outcome is unexpected.

Captured

The Black Realm

Thailog watched as the barrier surrounding the island dropped. The outbound strike forces surged outwards, racing for the portals that would take them to Manhattan, Japan, England and anywhere else a clan was located. He knew of a few that had been hit the hardest during the Unseelie attacks and would suffer terribly once the dragon men found them. He grinned at the thought of impending victory but frowned when he remembered the encounter so many hours ago. He was still thirsting for the water of the lake.

He turned as the last strike force cleared the barrier. He needed to return to the castle and meet with Constantine to plan their attack, but he didn't have the desire to go. He massaged his shoulder subconsciously. He'd run his wings ragged the last few days. It felt so good to have them working properly and he was terrified of losing what he'd gotten back. Yet he knew what it was that had given his life back and he didn't like it.

Growling, he opened his wings and glided towards Hells Castle. It was the last place he wanted to be. His room there was spacious and rich enough, but the feeling in it was, well . . . He couldn't describe it. It was oppressing and lonely and certainly full of anxiety. He was used to that. He created it in others himself and he was really quite proud of that. How better to control someone than with fear?

So why did it feel so wrong?

He wanted to sleep, but sleep terrified him. He saw things that were foreboding like glimpses of the future. He saw a part of himself that he denied. There was a goodness inside him that was burning to be free but he didn't know if it came from him or someone else.

He growled and made an abrupt change of direction. Was it really true? Was another warrior's soul embedded within his own? Why? Who had caused such a thing to happen? He wanted answers. He wanted the truth. The only place to get it was the lake.

". . . yes . . . come . . ."

Thailog started and looked around. There was no one else around for miles.

"Tanner . . . beloved . . ."

He looked ahead of him and was suddenly consumed by a strange light as he crossed the Black Realm's barrier. "What is this!" he snarled and found himself staring at three figures he didn't recognize. They were all gargoyles, had his skin coloring and were as unique as every star in the sky. Two were males and one was female. The eldest of the three looked most like him with the same white hair only with streaks of red almost like a candy cane. The female was in the middle age wise and looked exactly like his 'sister' Angela, only older, sassier and with a slightly riskier taste in clothing. The youngest male had strong features but he still looked different from his older siblings. He had the strong jaw, the dark skin and the large wings but his hair was a startling red and he had the same knee spikes as the female but with nubs and other things on the tail he couldn't quite make out.

Who were these warriors?

He shook his head and the illusion was gone.

Or so he thought.

His surprise was so great he nearly collided with the cliffs of Guardian's Mountain. He stumbled to a landing on a ledge several feet below him and stared at the figure floating in the air a meter or so away bathed in a soft light. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She looked like . . .

"Delilah!"

The female blinked serenely at him and then faded. A moment later he realized it wasn't Delilah. She was too old, her hair too blonde, and her style of dress mid-evil. Yet he'd known her somehow, recognized her . . .

He shook his head and moved on. He had to reach the lake and fast! Someone was toying with him.

A moment later he was at the lake's edge. He glared into its depths wondering if this had really been such a good idea. What could he learn from the lake that he couldn't learn on his own? He had the power to spy on Goliath but that could take hours. Anything could turn up in their conversations and he didn't want to stay away from Hell's Castle for too long. Constantine would be expecting him soon and a prolonged absence could rouse suspicion and lose him the power he'd regained – not including the magic, although he did appreciate the extra strength.

He knelt on the bank still glaring into the water. What did he expect to see? What did he expect to find? Something about this place was . . . he couldn't really describe it, but something here seemed to want him to stay. He was tempted. The feeling of genuine charity was strong and somehow he wanted to embrace it rather than squash it. He didn't really know why but he suspected it was because of the second soul – if there really was one.

The face that stared back at him was his own; handsome, hardened, red-eyed and lonely. Wait. Lonely? He shook his head and looked again. He saw a different face, still his own but happier. There was a glow about him that had never been there before. He was genuinely happy, but why? How? He was happy now!

Wasn't he?

He pawed the sand at his feet. It was strangely cool to the touch, much better than the strange oppressive heat of the Black Realm – and the island too, for that matter. Constantine's magic was indeed very strong. It rolled in the skies above in the form of strange, dirty clouds and fell upon him without remorse. He even started sweating which was strange. To his knowledge gargoyles didn't have sweat glands. They didn't need them.

He shook his head when the heat became unbearable. He was getting dizzy and thirsty. Without really thinking of the consequences, he submerged into the lake. He held his breath as long as he could and then broke the surface. He wasn't too surprised to find the air around him bearable. The lake truly did have power. He stooped to take a drink after shaking the excess water from his wings and found that he'd never tasted water so sweet.

The more he drank, the more something inside of him changed. He could feel the other warrior's soul more clearly now and some part of his mind and heart was changing, opening . . .

He stopped drinking. He didn't like the idea of someone messing with his mind. Constantine was bad enough. Still, he didn't think he'd ever seen things so clearly in his life. Those who created him had wanted to control him, to use him. Not even Constantine was exempt from that and he was starting to believe that if it hadn't been for the sorcerer he would never have existed, regardless of Xanatos's cloning technology. Some form of Goliath's twin brother still needed to exist in the world because Constantine was not all powerful like he thought. It made him wonder what would happen once the time stream was restored. Would he disappear completely? Where would he fit in?

Was he even needed?

The thought alone startled him, even infuriated him. Of course he wasn't needed! He was a clone, an abomination. Goliath had made that clear the first time they'd met. He had to admit he was still terribly disappointed. That was his first act of kindness, a spark of himself that had never fully ignited. Since then he'd cared only for himself and only tolerated the presence of others while it suited his goals. He was just like Constantine, really. He wondered if that had been the point from the very beginning.

What to do, then? He wondered irritably. I am at an impasse. I have no love for Goliath or Constantine, but . . . He shook his head. The only reason I am not a cripple now is because of Constantine's sorcery. If I betray him I am a cripple again, or worse. He growled and looked at the lake. What am I thinking? Is this more trickery? I cannot ally with Goliath!

"Thailog."

Thailog turned in surprise as a figure appeared on a stony ledge a few feet above him. He knew who it was without having to look.

"Of all people, you were the last person I expected," he growled out.

She shrugged. "I had a feeling I should come out here. Now I understand why."

"What do you want?"

"To help – if you are willing to accept it. I am aware that you carry a second soul within you and that defeating Constantine may be the only way to free him – and you."

He frowned at her. "You are very observant."

She shook her head. "My mate and my son both had visions which were confirmed when they confronted you here by the lake. Some things are still unclear but we all know what must be done. Still, I must admit I am surprised that you came this far. Enchantment or no, greed or no, you have a strong will. The deal Constantine forced you into was not warmly received, was it?"

"Does it matter?" Thailog countered acidly. "I will fall apart again if I betray him. I will be battered, broken, useless . . .!"

"No, not useless," she corrected gently. "Misguided, savage perhaps, but not useless. Every soul has a purpose . . . and a choice."

He glared at her. The wisdom in that horse-like face was inspiring – in an irritating sort of way.

"Thailog, when you were in the cloning chamber, you underwent extensive brainwashing and severe programming to the point you are mentally bred to be the warrior you are now," the Lady Dragon told him. "I suspect that if Xanatos hadn't used his twisted views on you then you might have turned out much different. You have begun to feel the same way, yes?"

He turned away. "I don't know about that yet," he hissed idly.

She frowned. "I think you do," she said. "You're here, aren't you? You seek answers, don't you? Think, my son," she pleaded and he glared at her. "You've had the opportunity for years to choose a better path, yet you didn't. Your own greed often got the better of you and now you suffer for it."

Thailog looked away again, but he didn't know why. It wasn't like he felt guilty or anything.

"Still, it is my belief that Constantine's tampering is partially to blame," Lady Dragon said. "You are infused with his magic now, not just your own. He foresaw your 'birth' centuries ago and planted steps to ensure you became a puppet he could control, a puppet who would work his own destruction." She sighed. "I think you have done just that. You have attempted to destroy our clan many times and have made a mockery of our proud race."

Thailog frowned. "So having ambition is wrong, is it?" he scoffed.

"Oh do stop," she chided patiently. "You know it isn't. Too much ambition to the point of selfishness is wrong, but you still have the strength to change that if you so choose. The only thing that remains to be seen is if you have the courage to make that choice."

"At this point I would say no," Thailog spat.

"And yet you drink from the lake, you're in turmoil over your identity and you seek a possible allegiance with our clan."

Thailog snarled. "Where do you get off -!"

"Thailog, it is the only natural assumption," Lady Dragon told him. "It might be your only chance to get out from Constantine's shadow."

He huffed and looked away.

"The past cannot be altered now but the future has not yet been written," she continued. "Who knows what you will choose after all is said and done. For all we know you might go back to being what you were, but a small part of you might remember something you learned, something you ignored." She shook her head. "But that is your own story, not mine." Her face hardened. "But mark me, Thailog, if you should attempt to harm my clan or my son, I will be there to stop you."

"You can try," he cooed with a smile, but it faded in an instant. For some reason he didn't want to get this woman angry.

"What will you do?"

Thailog shook his head, feeling torn. "I don't know," he answered truthfully and looked at his hand. "Constantine gave me my life back, and yet, he holds me in the palm of his hand. If I do anything that contradicts his desires, I will become a cripple again. I don't want that!"

"Of course not," Lady Dragon said sympathetically and jumped down to join him. "No one likes being a prisoner, whether to themselves or someone else. But even you have to admit that the world as Constantine sees it is not a world for anyone. Even you know there will be no life in his fanciful realm, only death. He will have nothing and no one to rule in a very short time. I dare say that will only increase his insanity until he overloads. He will destroy himself."

Thailog thought a moment. "Will I follow the same path?" He'd meant it sarcastically but was surprised to find he also meant it.

"Yes, if you do not start making better choices."

He frowned and looked away. He'd figured as much, so why bother? He wasn't the weak one.

"If there is an answer to be found, it must be found later," Lady Dragon told him urgently. "Right now, we must use this common ground. Constantine must be stopped."

Thailog didn't like where this deal was going, but was there really a choice? He wanted to live, but he wanted his freedom too.

"What is your choice now, my son?" Lady Dragon asked him and he hesitated. The air crackled with magic he knew came from her but it didn't set him ill-at-ease as did Constantine's.

Thailog sighed and glanced in the general direction of Emerald City.

Emerald City -

Goliath sighed and opened his eyes. Moments of peace like this were rare now. Everyone was scrambling for battle.

He sat up and swung his legs over the bed and looked out the window a few feet away from him. It was dark outside. The clouds left a strange brownish hue on the earth. It was not a peaceful sight. Yet that wasn't why he studied the view. He'd felt a disturbance near the lake and sensed his mother's presence returning from wherever she'd gone, accompanied by someone else. He hadn't known she'd left the palace.

He stood and left the room and extended his senses to the surrounding island. Who was with her? To say he was shocked that it was Thailog would have been an understatement. He was the last person he would have considered. He was still the same old Thailog yet something inside him was changing. But why was he coming here?

Whatever the reason, he'd be here soon. It was best the others were prepared too.

His family minus Lady Dragon were in the living room. Titania was the first to greet him. It looked as though they'd been viewing schematics of the island and Constantine's realm.

"Send out a notice," he growled out before anyone could greet him. "Thailog approaches but he does not come as a threat."

Hudson stood at once. "What do ye mean, lad?" he cried. "He is working with Constantine!"

"I know," he replied. "But something has changed. Just do as I ask and be quick. Lady Dragon accompanies him and it isn't long until the battle begins."

"I was wondering where mother had gone off too," Nassiah muttered.

"Goliath is right, though," Odomus sighed as he folded the maps. "If the guards are alarmed by the sight of him they could open fire and my mate may be caught in the middle of it."

"Mother could avoid it easily," Nassiah noted as she stood.

"Aye, but I still say we warn them," Odomus told her as they followed Goliath from the room. "I think Thailog may have news for us."

"A threat from Constantine?" Hudson snarled suspiciously and Odomus shrugged uncertainly.

Thailog landed on the ballroom balcony a few moments later. Goliath stood in front of what he could only suppose was his welcoming committee, consisting of Odomus – who stood to his immediate left, Hudson, a female gargoyle he'd only seen from a distance and a human-looking woman he could only assume was the fairy queen, Titania. He frowned indifferently at them and they frowned right back.

"Welcome, Thailog," Odomus greeted civilly. "I trust the flight was – comfortable?"

"If you are referring to the ridiculous heat wave, no," Thailog drawled. "Otherwise . . ."

Odomus cleared his throat. "Of course. Won't you come inside? I'm certain we have much to discuss."

Thailog glanced at Lady Dragon and nodded. "Yes, of course," he said slowly and followed them inside. He really didn't know what he was doing. He wasn't even sure if he should do whatever it was he was going to do. All he knew was that he wanted to do something.

Black Realm

Constantine paced impatiently, the glow of the bon fire reflecting off his scaly face. Something was wrong. He couldn't feel Thailog and the link he'd established with him had dissolved. Something was interfering with his ability to control and monitor the clone. He couldn't decipher if the clone was on the island or on Crystal Moon.

On a whim, he walked up the steps to his tower-like throne and sat down while gazing into his giant cauldron. He waved a hand and a second later an image appeared as a dragon man returned from the search for Thailog.

"Sir," it growled, bowing stiffly. "We've searched the area. Thailog is nowhere within the vicinity."

Constantine frowned. His blood ran cold when the image cleared. Disbelief, rage and horror exploded from him like a storm. The dragon man leaped away in alarm, wondering if he'd angered his lord.

"How dare you, Thailog!" Constantine bellowed and blew a hole through a section of the ceiling.

"Wh-What is wrong?" the dragon man gulped.

"Thailog has betrayed us!" Constantine snarled. "He is with our enemies. There is only one thing he could be doing there."

The dragon man snarled. A second later Constantine was facing the dragon man with blazing eyes. The dragon man stood a little straighter and tried not to look intimidated.

"Signal our diggers and fetch me a small strike force," the sorcerer purred deviously. "We're going to bring him back!"

The dragon man swallowed, bowed and left the throne room in a flurry of wings. Constantine watched him leave and glared outside. He could not lose again!

Emerald City / Emerald Palace

Goliath was amazed by Thailog's story. There was no reason he should be here at all and yet he was. The pull to know the truth and free himself from Constantine's power was almost desperate. He could feel the soul of his brother pressing in on Thailog's conscious to the point where Thailog's personality was changing slightly. He had come to this decision a little too quickly and wasn't quite acting like the Thailog Goliath knew so well. In some ways that wasn't a bad thing at all, yet it was also disturbing. He couldn't help but wonder what Thailog would've been like with his brother's shadow constantly following him around. He shivered when he realized that instead of taunting Angela he might have outright killed her.

Or maybe nothing at all like that would have happened. If Constantine hadn't meddled in their lives so much who knows what kind of person Thailog might have become. He still might've become twisted by Xanatos's programming but he might also have turned out . . . oh, who was to say. Goliath would like to think Thailog could have turned out as an honest, peaceful warrior, but he was wishing for too much and if wishes were fishes . . .

Nassiah sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Your reasons are acceptable enough," she muttered. "A deal with the devil is never wise, anyway."

Thailog glowered at her.

"But where does that leave us?" Hudson pressed impatiently. "Constantine's forces are formidable. Even with what he's told us –"

He was cut off by the sound of a distant explosion somewhere in the palace and the warning cry of horns from one of the towers.

"He's here," Thailog snarled, realizing that he'd finally come to an impasse. He was going to have to fight his 'ally'.

"Rally the warriors!" Goliath snarled. "We'll find out where that blast came from."

Nassiah nodded and left the room with Goliath and the others following after her. Everyone went separate directions once they hit the main hallway. Thailog hesitated when he felt the presence of Constantine's magic. What if he didn't have enough time to talk to Goliath about the layout and booby traps in Constantine's realm? There had to be something he could do.

He spied a gold ball on a decorative statue in the hall. It was perfect. Gold could conduct magical energies well and he had an idea.

"Spread out!"

Constantine's bark echoed through the heavy air. A squad of at least fifty dragon men tucked in their wings and soared to separate parts of the palace. He road on the back of a winged black stallion, a demon horse, clad in armor with the heart stone sitting in a special compartment on his chest.

"Search every portion of the palace. Kill everyone you see until Thailog surrenders himself to our hands!"

Roars answered his command. He watched as they disappeared and sneered. "You'll regret your betrayal, Thailog. You'll regret it for as long as you live!"

Goliath and Thailog waited in hiding as several dragon men began filling the surrounding halls. Everyone in the castle, and hopefully throughout the entire city, had been hidden in what humans would call a bomb shelter. These shelters were larger and fitted with more comfortable surroundings. Though war, which was necessary for building these hide-aways, hit this hidden island rarely, the islanders were always prepared.

And thank the heavens for that, thought Goliath as he carefully watched the dragon men. Thailog twitched beside him. "What is it?" He asked in a whisper.

Thailog glanced at him. "I smell trouble," he replied, growing nervous. He pointed to the closest dragon men, and the canisters tied at the belt of its garment. "You see the canisters?" He saw Goliath nod. "Constantine was going to use them to take over the cities. He has more than enough, and the gas itself is very potent. Only those with magic might stand a chance against it - if you've had a chance to make yourself immune to it."

Goliath growled nervously. "And unfortunately, I haven't," he said as he watched the dragon men continue to search. He glanced at Thailog. "Have you?"

Thailog nodded. "A little. But I won't stand a chance alone against all of them," he told Goliath uneasily. "Especially Constantine. He helped me gain my powers, and he could easily take them away."

Goliath nodded, knowing full well that he could easily defeat every beast present with just a thought. Yet, after casting such a spell he would be easily detected, and the castle would turn very quickly into a hornets' nest. He turned to Thailog. "What do you suggest we do?" he asked.

K - Blam!

Thailog and Goliath were flung backwards from the explosion. They hit the floor with a heavy thud and lay still a moment as the smoke and dust cleared. Thailog coughed and staggered to his feet. He felt for his gun while the dragon men advanced. He found it just in time and opened fire.

"Goliath!" he shouted between shots. "Get up! Goliath?"

Goliath lay unconscious behind him, a bleeding wound at his temple. Thailog snarled. "Useless, worthless . . .!" He stopped when he heard a tell-tale 'click'. He stared as several dragon men tossed several canisters of sleep gas to the floor. A green gas hissed from the openings. He stumbled backwards, trying not to inhale too much of it. If he fell asleep they might kill Goliath!

Normally such a thought wouldn't have bothered him, but at the moment he needed Goliath.

And, that small part of him he suspected as the second soul didn't want him to die.

Though he fought against the sleep gas, he began to cough uncontrollably. He could just make out a possible escape route somewhere behind them. He didn't think they'd seen Goliath but just to be safe he opened fire again and took a few of them out, which left him an opening. He charged through the remaining ranks and headed for a distant tower. He remembered something about 'diggers' and wanted to check something out. Besides, it would draw the creatures away from Goliath and give him time to recover.

He rounded a corner several meters off and found the doorway he was looking for. It opened to reveal a stairway which lead to the top of the tower. If he really wanted to, he could use it a vantage point for take off and escape, leaving everything and everyone behind. But he decided against it. He was committed now and wanted to ruin Constantine. The world didn't need three super powers anyway.

He fired off a few more rounds without noticing if he hit anything and dove into the doorway closing the door behind him.

Hudson collapsed with a cough and a groan. The gas was spreading throughout the palace. Odomus, Lady Dragon and Titania were able to ward off the effects by weaving a window of pure air around them. Nassiah fared no better than Hudson. She didn't have the same magical abilities as her parents and brother.

"We must leave them," Titania muttered urgently. "Quickly! We must find Goliath and Thailog."

Nodding, they followed her through multiple corridors hoping their son, or sons, were alright.

Thailog yawned and stumbled. The gas was spreading quicker than he thought. The canisters must've had a large capacity than he'd first thought and the gas itself was a stronger dose than the one he'd experienced in the training fields. It was following him through the cracks in the door and walls and sapping his strength. It took all the willpower he had just to ascend the last steps. He knew something was amiss in the tower but with his senses so fogged by the gas he couldn't decipher just what it was, but he hoped it was the 'diggers', whoever or whatever they were.

He pushed the trapdoor open with a grunt and growled at his own weakness. I wonder if this how Goliath felt the first time we met? He wondered idly, thinking back to the gas Anton Sevarius had created in order to completely drain Goliath's impressive strength. It was strangely quiet in the tower. He heard the occasional grunt and roar of dragon men as they soared by outside and hid in the shadows to escape their sharp eyes, but there was no literally signs of battle.

He paused when he heard a crash somewhere to his left. Someone was struggling against something. He squinted into the darkness but saw nothing. He frowned. Gargoyles possessed the best night vision of any creature alive. Shadows should hide nothing from him – unless they were shielded by magic.

A blood-curdling scream and a sickening crack ended the scuffling and a thick silence fell. He lifted his rifle and aimed it at the darkest shadows. There was something there. He could feel it.

He cursed when a coughing fit seized him. If whoever was up here hadn't noticed him before they had now. He shook his head to clear it and gasped when a male gargoyle's body was dropped remorselessly to the floor. He wore the armor of a palace guard and his neck rested at an unnatural angle. He'd died quickly but who had killed him?

He opened fire at once when two huge dragon men-type beasts thundered out of the shadows. They were huge! He'd seen two creatures like these in the palace just hours before all this madness had begun. Those claws looked terrible and sparked with magical energy. He did not want those claws touching him!

Snarling, he lifted his rifle. As big as they were they weren't invulnerable to a straight shot to the head.

Screams! Dragon men! Pain and fear!

Death!

Constantine's face loomed above him in the shape of a great, black cloud. Dragon men danced crazily before a raging fire where Thailog flailed helplessly, unable to escape.

Goliath jumped and woke to darkness. He distantly heard voices and sat up, trying to place them. Hands reached out to steady him. He blinked when light flooded his vision. Something had been removed from his eyes.

"Easy lad," Odomus said as steadied his son. "It's us."

"What happened?" Lady Dragon asked urgently as she brushed her fingers against his skull. The throbbing ache of impact with an unknown object vanished almost immediately. "Where is Thailog?"

Goliath groaned and stood slowly. He looked around, trying to remember what had happened. He noted the bodies of dragon men warriors and suddenly remembered.

"Someone's been killed," he stared numbly. "We must get to the tower!"

"Which one?" Lady Dragon asked, following after her son.

"Follow me!" Goliath snapped, not exactly sure how he knew where to go. "Thailog is in danger."

Only minutes passed as the small group raced up the stairwell towards the tower, and when they arrived there, a gruesome sight greeted them. A male gargoyle, one of the tower guards, lay sprawled out on the flower. His neck rested at an odd angle. Three other huge bodies resembling dragon men were scattered in various areas of the tower. The nearest two looked as though they'd been shot in the skull at short range. They'd dropped dead instantly while a third had risen from behind. But he lay somewhere across the tower. Deep grooves were dug into the floor, several pillars and the walls. This beast was bloodthirsty.

Goliath looked around anxiously. Where was Thailog? Had he abandoned them? Was this whole thing nothing but a fluke to catch them unaware?

"What happened?" Lady Dragon gasped and approached the fallen warrior. "Oh, this is Nebek's son. Oh dear! The first death!"

Dread filled Goliath. He looked more closely at the third bulky dragon men. All around him was a pile of rubble and light from the sky pooled on the floor. As far as Goliath knew there was no skylight there.

He approached the mess and gasped. It looked as though this section of the ceiling had been torn down by the dragon men's huge claws – and Thailog's hand protruded from the debris, the gun still held fast.

"Thailog!" Goliath cried and dug the clone out.

Thailog coughed and sputtered once freed. He shook his head and regarded his rescuers warily. He seemed surprised they'd actually help him. There was a deep gash in his arm and near his left temple. Though dazed, he was otherwise alright.

"Are you alright?" Goliath snapped and Thailog winced.

"Don't snarl so loudly! My ears are ringing!"

"What happened?" Odomus prompted, ignoring Thailog's indignation.

Thailog pointed at the huge dragon men. "They happened!" he snarled. "Diggers! Or so the dragon men call them. There were mutterings about them, some sort of secret force among the ranks during training sessions."

"A secret force Constantine neglected to tell you about?" Goliath asked doubtfully, but Thailog nodded.

"Thank heavens I had my armor . . . and magic!" he gulped and coughed again. "There were four of them. I killed the first three. The forth disappeared down the hole."

"A hole?" Lady Dragon asked, pausing in her examination of the dragon men bodies to look around.

"I think it's a hidden passageway they dug out," Thailog told her.

"How did they avoid your detection?" Goliath asked his father, but Odomus shook his head. "Tunnels of that sort could bring them straight into the city!" He turned to his mother. "Search the tower for any unauthorized tunnels in the floor. It might be hidden by magic."

She set to work immediately and it didn't take her long to find what they were looking for. It was huge in diameter and the walls were impressively smooth. There were grooves for climbing and small stones stuck in the walls to provide light. All of it had been hidden behind a wall of dark magic, putting everything in unnatural shadow. With a wave of the hand the illusion ended.

"I don't think they were undetected, lad," said Odomus and Goliath looked at him. "I've had several warriors investigating this all ready. Now I know why my suspicions weren't confirmed. My spies have been killed. AND Constantine has had spies living and working within our communities. There's been a double-edged sword at work here."

Goliath regarded him a moment.

Everyone turned when a large blue female beast bounded up the stairs barking anxiously. She bore a striking resemblance to Bronx. Behind her were two other gargoyles, both male. The first was taller and older and had a beaked face just like Brooklyn. His hair was long and white with long side burns sprouting into a sort of beard on either side of his face. The younger male was also blue but with a face vaguely reminiscent of Nassiah. Goliath knew these warriors very well by now. They were his brother-in-law and his nephew.

"Leader!" The first gargoyle cried in a voice not quite as gruff as Hudson's. "We came when we heard the commotion. Our beast can track the dragon men if there be any more."

"Soni!" Odomus greeted as he stood and clapped the first newcomer on the back. "Your help would be deeply appreciated. Get yer beast tae sniff around. I want tae make sure there are no more of those 'diggers'."

Soni quirked an eye ridge. "Diggers?"

"I'll explain later," Odomus sighed. "Just tell her tae be careful."

Soni nodded and glanced at his son, who nodded in return and muttered a command to the beast. Her name was Misha. She was tame compared to Bronx, but she was also older. She listened to the boy's voice with eager intent and knew what she needed to do. Goliath nodded appraisingly as he watched. Sonar was a good nephew. He liked the lad. He worked hard.

A moment later Misha began to growl. She snarled and dug at the rim of the tunnel, staring intently into the depths. It didn't even look like they'd ripped the lower flowers apart. It was like the tunnel was an illusion, a link to another place.

"Father, I think something's trying to come through," Sonar announced softly with a mild Scottish accent.

"Be careful," Soni muttered warily.

"Stand away, lad," Goliath growled, watching as shadows played on the walls.

Thailog growled and looked around. Something didn't feel right. He could hear voices coming up through the tunnel but he didn't sense the presence of enemy warriors in that vicinity. He sensed them behind him.

He shared a glance with Goliath . . .

. . . and nearly wound up buried again as the wall behind them exploded. A double shield of magic from the both of them prevented everyone inside from being harmed, but the concussion bounced off the shield and shot upwards, shattering the remains of the tower roof. Debris poured over them and mushroomed out over the balcony and fell towards the ground dozens of feet below. The dragon men responsible for the blast were swallowed up in their own arson.

Other dragon men flew in from the sky, concentrating on the area of most activity. Thailog opened fire on them, somehow more comfortable with his rifle than the powers Constantine gave him. Goliath forged a sword from thin air and wielded it expertly, much to Thailog's chargin. He'd never learned to use a sword. Odomus and Lady Dragon both used ferocious attacks which decimated the dragon men's numbers. Constantine's attack group was small.

Stresses from the battle had weakened the pillars and supports keeping the tower's topmost room standing. It fell in around the warriors. Misha was the first to dash out followed soon after by Sonar and Soni and then the rest of them. A few dragon men were trapped inside while others continued to scream overhead. One shot out of the sky and collided with Goliath full force, knocking the wind out of him and nearly sending him flailing helplessly over the edge. Another flew at Thailog while Lady Dragon grabbed a piece of stone and hammered the first dragon man over the head, crushing its skull.

"Thailog!" Goliath cried, watching in horror as Thailog was pelted viciously by a nasty looking club and knocked to the ground. And just as quickly, the attacking dragon men reached down and lifted a dazed Thailog into the air.

Roaring, Goliath gestured with his hand and sent out an energy wave that knocked the dragon men away like pins in a bowling alley. As they fell to the ground he rushed them brandishing his sword. Two flew away before they were beheaded. The other six weren't so lucky. Even so, as small a force as Constantine had, it was enough. Just as Goliath turned to help Thailog, Constantine appeared in the sky. Cackling wildly he waved his hand and a hideous green light ensnared Thailog in its clutches. Almost immediately he screamed in agony as his body was reduced to its previous crippled state and his powers removed.

"No!" Goliath roared.

Thailog was pulled through the air and straight towards Constantine. Goliath leaped skywards, determined to save his son.

"Goliath!" Thailog roared, humiliated by his weakness and his sudden fright. Yet he still stretched out a hand to the only warrior who could possibly save him. But he climbed higher and higher, always just out of Goliath's reach as Constantine reclaimed his prize.

"Hold on, son!" Goliath yelled desperately and finally grabbed Thailog's hand. Something large, golden and simple in design fell into his palm. "I almost have you!"

Thailog snarled angrily. "Fool! Enough with sentiment! It's too late!"

Their eyes met for a split second. A sort of reckoning passed between them. A second later a green blast struck Goliath in the chest. He was sent crashing to the courtyard far below with a bone crunching thud and Thailog couldn't deny that he was horrified, even concerned.

"Poor, pitiful Goliath," Constantine sneered loudly astride his stallion. "Not fun losing an ally, is it? Especially when that 'ally' is a brother or a son."

Goliath snarled and sat up slowly. Something was broking. He glared up helplessly at Constantine as he urged the stallion on. He watched the green light leave Thailog and saw him drop a dozen feet before two large dragon men soared in and carried him off.

"Thailog! No!" Goliath cried and staggered to his feet.

"But Thailog is a bothersome 'abomination', isn't he?" Constantine laughed. "You should be grateful he is gone."

Constantine's maddening laughter continued to echo throughout the darkening skies, and didn't fade completely until rain started beating down on the gathering gargoyles with a clash of lightning and thunder overhead. They were gone now, every one of them.

Goliath fell to his knees with a gasp of pain, clutching his aching chest as he gazed in horror at the empty skies.

"Thailog," he moaned, and groaned with pain as his parents and friends gathered around to help him. Only then, when they began to lift him up, did he notice that he was holding tightly to something cold and metal in his hands. Curious, he opened his hand to take a look, and gasped.

"It is Thailog's – ah, whatever it is!" He cried, a bit breathless against the pain. "I must have latched onto it when . . ."

He was cut off by the sound of Thailog's voice. It seemed to be in their minds, but their eyes stayed focused on the strange golden globe in Goliath's hand. It almost looked like an old fashioned pocket watch just not as flat.

"Goliath, I suppose I should thank you for your efforts. It was noble of you, after all. But alas it was fruitless. I feared it would come to this so I prepared something for you." The globe opened up to reveal a holographic image of Constantine's domain complete with schematics, weaknesses, strengths and traps. "I've had plenty of time to memorize the fortresses weaknesses and the layouts of the surrounding valley. Even the mountain is covered. The dragon men converge there to mate or train or do whatever it is they do on a daily basis, but those cliffs are fortified, so if you attack, use caution."

There was a pause and Goliath sensed a change in mood. "It is strange," Thailog's voice continued. "All this time I've so enjoyed causing you grief. Or at least I thought so. Now I am so confused with who I am and where I belong I don't know what thoughts are mine. A part of me has always hoped for a father son relationship, but . . . there were more . . . important things to tend to."

Goliath snorted.

"Still . . . perhaps one day when the spell is broken we'll get to see who I really am and what I am capable of . . . and whether or not I am clan."

Goliath frowned. That definitely wasn't the Thailog he knew.

"I shall wish you luck, then, father. You're going to need it."

The image faded and the globe closed.

Black Realm / Hell's Castle

Thailog yelped as he was painfully tossed into a dark, damp and dirty cell. It was agony being back in the body he'd hoped was gone. To feel the metal cutting into his flesh again with each movement, to feel the sag of his useless wings . . . It was a bitter blow.

Constantine glared at Thailog with terrible coldness. "Such a fool, piglet," he muttered coldly. "You could have had everything! Now I see you for what you are; a back stabbing freak!"

Thailog winced and felt an odd but familiar pain stir within him.

"Enjoy your few moments of peace while they last, Thailog," Constantine hissed as he stepped out of the cell. "When I return, I will kill you."

The doors slammed shut and Thailog was left alone with his rage and despair.

The End.

A/N; I think a lot of the characters in this were a little too OOC. Thailog's characterization did come out a little better than I'd thought though, so it's a start. I've wanted to do him as a good guy for a long time so this is the first start on that. Once again, please review. I really appreciate knowing if I'm doing a good or fair enough job.

Thanks.