Chapter 3

Answers

Dante's POV

Sophie immediately started to research when we woke up the next morning. She came to the conclusion that that elf we saw was the hobgoblin, Puck. Lok wondered if his magic felt like pranks. Zhalia warned the kids that he was most likely very protective of the Xanatos children, especially Talia for whatever reason, since he was in their service and not to do anything that would upset him. Den resented the fact that she glared him while saying it.

When we got there, Owen led us to a tall tower where Xanatos, his wife, and Talia were waiting along with a woman. She had dark hair, little like Zhalia's, and brown eyes. She wore a red jacket and jeans.

"What's going on, Xanatos? It's almost sundown." She asked angrily.

"Elisa, I can explain." Talia touched her arm and they locked eyes.

Elisa fell into a trace for a moment and blinked as she came to. "I don't approve of this, Xanatos."

"I've done my research, detective. The Huntik Foundation is of a good reputation." He smiled. "In fact, their headquarters are right here in this city if you'd like to visit."

"I'll do my own research, thank you very much." She muttered.

"Hi, Dante." Talia waved.

"Hello, I don't suppose you'll tell us why we're up here, will you?" I asked.

"When the night is through, you'll have your answers true." She smiled impishly.

I smiled back. So, this had to be seen to be believed? "Alright then."

"The view's pretty." Lok looked out at the sunset.

"Yeah." Elisa agreed.

"Just wait a bit longer." Xanatos smiled.

As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, it started to rain heavily. I heard stone cracking and watched as the gargoyle in front of us flared its wings; shedding its skin while roaring. It turned and walked toward Elisa and Talia.

The gargoyle was taller than Xanatos and very muscular. He had purple skin and black hair and was wearing a brown loincloth.

"Good evening." He smiled.

"Hey, big guy. Apparently, you have visitors." Elisa jerked her thumb at us.

"It was David's idea." Talia told him. David? "Dad made me go to bed before I could see you." Dad? Why were Xanatos and Dad two different entities?

He frustratedly growled at him. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I can show you what happened." Talia told him.

"I do not like sorcery, but I trust you, Talia." He said.

"Alright, now look in my eyes." She instructed and he did.

He went into a trace just like Elisa had, but his eyes glowed. After a minute, he blinked hard and shook it off.

"Dante Vale." He looked at me and I felt a little intimidated.

"That's me." I said. "Nice to meet you…"

"Goliath." He told me.

"Sorry we broke into your home. We really need to get those Amulets to safety." Lok told him. "We just really didn't think he'd give us them if we told him."

"Speaking of Amulets, here." He tossed the bag of Amulets and Zhalia caught them. "Now, come inside. I'm sure you have many questions."

"I will be there shortly, Xanatos. I must inform the clan." Goliath told him.

"Alright. We'll be in the Great Hall." Xanatos called after him.

We went to the Great Hall and we sat the table again.

"Who wants to go first?" Xanatos asked.

We thought for a moment.

"Where be that shrewd and knavish sprite called Robin Goodfellow? Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck, You do their work, and they shall have good luck. Are you not he?" I paraphrased.

"Thou speakest aright; I am that merry wanderer of the night." Owen recited before a whirlwind of magic over took him and in his place, Puck appeared. "Hereeeeeeee's Puck!"

"You were here the whole time?!" Lok asked.

"Of course I was, Junior. What kind of father would I be if I left my little trickster all alone?" He cooed, kissed Talia's cheek.

"Daddy, stop." She whined.

"Daddy?" Zhalia raised an eyebrow.

"Talia is Puck's Halfling, half human, half Fae." Xanatos interjected.

"So, her mom's human?" Lok asked.

"It's a bit more complicated than that." Puck stopped doting on his daughter.

"What's that mean?" I frowned.

"It'll be easier to show you. But I better start the beginning." He said and dimmed the lights before projecting an image on the wall in front of us.

It was of a dark nursery. It snowed outside. I heard a baby crying. Her mom, she defiantly looked like Talia, came in with a bottle and creamed coffee before giving a frustrated sigh and going back out because the phone rang. The baby or Talia was still crying in the crib.

Puck appeared in her nursery. "Someone has left something for the Puck to reward his work. Which is to feed their young babe… Why not? I've got nothing better to do."

Puck picked her up and sat in the rocking chair and gave her her bottle. "You're hungry, aren't you, little one?" He smiled a little.

He drank the coffee while he fed her. He complained that the cream had a strange taste to it. After feeding time, Puck burped her and put her back in her crib. She yawned, but refused to close her eyes. They were brown.

"Maybe a lullaby will help you sleep." He took out a flute and started playing.

"I know that song…" Talia frowned.

"I'm not surprised you remember it. You loved that one." He smiled at her.

"What are you talking about?" She looked at him.

"Keep watching." He nodded toward the screen.

I watched as Puck kept coming back throughout her childhood, at first on his own, but it slowly stopped until she learned how to get him to come back because she wanted him to play the lullaby again. Puck was impressed that a little 4 year old learned how to do that. As time went on, he encouraged her to play pranks, gave her tips, and comforted her when she asked. His visits slowed as she got older though.

Then all the sudden, Talia was sitting on a bedroom floor. She was bleeding out from two long cuts on her arms and she looked very close to dead. I heard it rain and thunder.

"What a pitiful sight. Tell you what? I'll grant you a wish." Puck's voice asked.

"N-no…" Talia's voice was so weak. So much like Metz's had been.

"Oh, don't be so modest. You must have something you want." He had a slight undertone of urgency to his voice. Like he didn't want her to pass so soon.

"I wish… for sleep." Talia mumbled.

"As you wish." Puck casted a spell and green magic landed on her. Her eyes, still brown, closed. "Please don't die yet, Talia. There's so much you haven't done."

Puck picked her up and teleported her to a hut of some kind where an old woman was. She was mixing something up.

"Puck, why do you bring me this mortal? It is against Oberon's law to interfere in their lives." She told him.

"Teach me, Grandmother, teach me how to heal. She would be a great trickster someday." Puck set her down on a bed.

"She will not live to morning, Puck. Let her rest." Grandmother shook her head.

"No!" He cried.

"I know you have watched over this child, cared for this child since she was a babe. You have already done enough for her." She smiled sadly.

"She is too young! She has so much potential." Puck's eyes glowed green. "Before this life is left behind, I now bind this body, soul, and mind!" The power washed Talia's body.

"What have you done?" Grandmother asked him, shocked.

"Help me heal her, Grandmother." Puck pleaded again.

"She is your responsibility now, trickster. Do what I say and she will live." She got out some things and began to start teaching.

Puck spent months getting her back to full health and making sure her soul stayed in her body. She had a lot of his magic poured into her and Grandmother warned him that it might do something to her. When she was well enough, he took her to Manhattan and dropped her off in a park.

"Waken young child at morning's light, for you have slept a long night. When the time is right, come to the castle high by moonlight." Puck recited and his magic settled over her, he looked over a piece of paper and put it in her pocket. "I'll see you soon, Talia."

As the sun rose, Talia woke up and her eyes were the green they are now.

"Ta-da, I'm not supposed to be alive!" Talia smiled with forced cheerfulness.

Puck smacked her upside the head. "Say that one more time, Talia, and you're in trouble."

"That's nothing new." She mumbled.

"Talia, I know you misbehaved in the past because we weren't paying attention to you, but it's different now." Xanatos told her. "I know I wasn't the best."

"I ran away multiple times and you didn't think dig a little deeper?! Puck was a better father 16 years ago than you were a year ago!" Talia's eyes glowed with magic.

"Talia, you don't know how lucky you are to have a father to yell at, let alone two. All of my rookery brothers are dead! And there is nothing - NOTHING more important than family." Goliath glanced at Xanatos. "You gave him second chance; let him prove he is worth it. Don't hang his mistakes over his head. No matter how numerous they are."

Talia sighed and calmed down. "You're right, big guy."

"Th-" Xanatos started to say.

"I did it for her, not you." He gave him a scathing look that only old enemies could have.

"So, the Fair Folk are real?" Sophie asked.

"As real as I am if the stories be true, lass." An older gargoyle chimed in.

"And that's an old title. You mortals call us the Children of Oberon now." Puck added.

"The clan wished to see these "Seekers."" Goliath explained.

"They look like normal humans." A red gargoyle said.

"They're not." Elisa told him. "You wanna introduce yourselves?"

"Aye, lass. I'm Hudson. This lad right here is Brooklyn." Hudson clasped Brooklyn on the shoulder.

"Hello, I'm Angela and this is my mate Broadway." A purple female gestured to her potbellied mate.

"And I'm Lexington." A small olive green gargoyle said.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Dante. This lovely woman here is Zhalia, that's Sophie, the sleepy ball of sunshine is Lok, and the grump is Den." I introduced them. Cherit cleared his throat. "And Cherit, he's a Titan. The only one of his kind without an Amulet."

"Can I pet him?" Talia asked.

"Of course, child." He flew over the table to her and the gargoyles looked a little jealous.

"Where's the dog?" Sophie asked.

"Dog?" Zhalia repeated.

Then the blue beast made its presences know by growling at Cherit. He did not the new animal on his child. "Easy, Bronx. They're not the enemy." Goliath soothed.

"There's the dog. That's Bronx." Talia told us, scratching his ear.

A baby giggled and we focused our attention on Puck. He was holding Alexander Xanantos. "I didn't forget kiddo. Wave to the nice Seekers." He told the red haired baby and he waved.

"Hey, Xander." Talia tickled his tummy. "Got tired of waiting for Dad to teach you?"

"What's that mean?" Sophie furrowed her eyebrows.

Fox cleared her throat. "I'm a Halfling, but I don't have powers. My son does."

"That's not fair. Your family's like 90% Halfling." Lok frowned.

"What can I say?" Xanatos smiled.

"Even if I wasn't-" Talia started to speak, but Puck cut her off with a glare. She pouted, but it broke when Puck nuzzled her shoulder. She halfheartedly pushed him away.

"So, you're gargoyles?" Den said.

"Yes." Goliath said.

"What do you do, at night? You're stone during the day, right?" I asked.

Goliath nodded. "We protect the city. It is our home."

"Can you fly?" Lok asked.

"We glide." He answered.

"Is that all you do? Protect the city?" Den frowned, puzzled.

"Gargoyles protect. It is our nature, our purpose; to lose that is to be corrupt, empty...lifeless." Goliath explained.

"I have a quick question: Could a Halfling become a Seeker?" Talia asked. "Ow! Daddy, why?" She rubbed the back of her head.

"No, Talia. I don't know how it will affect you." Owen scolded her.

"A Seeker's power comes from their will." Sophie said and that was not the right thing to do. "But it takes constant vigilant and focus as we require perfect concentration to control both our powers and the Titans."

"Do you think having these powers, powers I shouldn't even have, is easy, motherf-" Talia growled.

"Talia." He said sharply and she winced, the magic building in her eyes extinguished. "Don't swear in front of Alexander. And this does not change my stance. Your magic is tied to your life." He said in heated tone.

"Owen, I'm her father too. We should at least let her try." Xanatos told him.

"But sir-" Owen looked his boss incredulously.

"I agree with David. This is too good an opportunity to learn from." Fox said.

"We will talk after the children's lessons." Owen said and took Alex and Talia away as Puck.

Cherit flew back to Lok's bag and we left after that. We would back in a couple days. Xanatos offered us a room, but no one wanted to be in the middle of family stuff.

Dante's POV End

Talia's POV

"But Dad!" I whined.

"I'll ground you if you keep bugging me." He threatened.

"I'm already grounded!" I reminded him.

"You still have magic lessons." Puck told me.

"… Fine." I sighed and went to my room.

Talia's POV End

Puck's POV

"You know I'm only doing this for her safety, don't you, Alex?" I asked. "I don't like punishing her."

"You smacked her twice. And Owen got so mad, his voice changed." Alex told me.

"I know and I regret that. But I hate hearing her talk about herself like that. She's just had so many close calls this year. I can't lose her. Why can't she understand I'm not doing this to be mean?" I sighed.

"I dunno. Maybe she doesn't really know how bad it's been." Alex pointed out.

"That's enough about Talia. Let's get started." I smiled.

"Okie dokie." He paused. "Tell Talia sorry."

"I will." I nodded.

Puck's POV End