Queen's note: Welp, was not intending this chapter to turn into this, but let's go with the flow of the muse and pop in where it's a wee bit too hot.

Garnets

Chapter Ten:

Gorgon

The ebb and flow of power in hell was an ever changing thing. That was such an ingrained fact about the realm as was Immora's ever unmoving walls. That it took something impressive or just different enough to attract attention. Even when it did those that still had their untainted Blessing Of The First Father, would not risk coming out of their ruby gem of city. Or its territory for that matter.

That was what their stronger, noble demons subjects were for. The eyes and ears of the hidden Blessed, as well as their teeth and claws to deal with too much of an uprising or chaotic powers.

When more than whispers started to filter in of the birth of a new noble demon it did get some attention. Not just it was the first life to erupt for the Howling Canyons in a long time, but what it was.

For the first time in an age a gorgon had come back to hell.

The whispers told of her birth out of the canyon walls with acidic water. Her size was also spoke of to draw attention from some in Immora. Yet the confirmed facts of what was happening in the Howling Canyons kept them from trying to reach out.

The new gorgon that had spawned into existence, did so on the wrong side of awareness.

She was raging within her first breaths. As if her hidden egg pocket had been disturbed before it was ready. Though her size spoke of being almost too long in sleep.

The new gorgon screamed with her third breath in hell, her anger almost drowning out the siren call that spread.

With each scream over the days it lulled the lesser creatures into coming to the canyons. The unclaimed creatures were so hypnotized by her call they fell right off the edge, and most were indiscriminately eaten by the gorgon. Only stronger mid level demons lingered on the edges of the canyons, watching with wide eyes as this new being raged, thrashed, ate and grew in the confines of the deep canyons.

Black claws scraping at the rusty colored walls she could not climb. Her second tail had either not formed properly or had been burned away in the acid she was born into the realm of hell.

It took almost two months in their realm before the raging screams started to die down. For a long day there was silence that caused those lingering to become restless.

Then the first true, pure voice rose through the Howling Canyons. The siren call in the rage was nothing compared to the honey that called. Only interrupted when the gorgon stopped to feed on the broken lesser creatures that fell like offerings.

One lone form stood near the edge of the canyon walls watching intently. His attention had been drawn in almost from the start. The being had found a place to sit and keep watch. Fascinated to say the least as the gorgon had to heal from her birth into hell.

He was perhaps the only one to see how the massive scales shed and smooth out as she grew. Shedding off the burned hide in wide swaths, how the shed crystalized and spread like sea glass across the earthy tones of the canyon floor.

For the first time in ages, the corrupt Sentinel was reminded of the untainted beaches of his homeland. Where he had been born to silver seas and glittering beaches.

It hurt for him to open his eyes and see the contrast between the memories refreshed in his mind's eye from her song. The reality of the realm around him, even if it was considered the greater wastelands… It was so painful, yet he felt the need for more.

It had been eons it seemed since he had any purpose, since he failed to help his old War King. Or even get back to his Lord, wade through hell and warn him of an impending trap…

The once Sentinel opened his eyes, to be sure his body was still firmly in his own control. Still able to listen to the honey song but not fall blindly after it. He could see that the gorgon was watching something on the canopy wall hungrily.

The demon was watching her back, kneeling as he was only partly enchanted. Not so enthralled to fall into the pearly white hands below.

The warrior glanced between the creatures lingering on the edges of the Howling Canyons. Down to the pale gorgon, noting how her face was refined, not some mask or illusion.

It took half a day to get over to the stronger demon. Taking his time so

not to alert the potential threat. He had to use what charge he had in his old suit to help charge at the demon's back. Hitting it feet first with full momentum and still launched himself backwards to the safety of solid ground.

The pure tones of the gorgon's delighted trill was an unexpected reward for the corrupt Sentinel. He pulled himself up to look down, watching the demon still falling down until it was finally in reach. He could see the delight as the gorgon grabbed the demon out of the air to bite. Sinking fangs into the struggling demon, to flood it with clear venom. Only starting to eat when it was safe too, proving intelligence.

Emerald green eyes looked up, focusing on the once Sentinel for the first time. Not the same hungry look as before, but calmer. She was seeing him as not food but as a… person. Almost looked grateful, not just that he gave her a powerful meal but just that he was there.

That night, the pearl colored gorgon sang to him.

Not at him to lure him, though the magic of her casted illusion was seen, it was not all consuming.

The once Sentinel could see everything clearly in his new camp. With one eye he clearly saw the red streaked brown stone under foot. The other eye he could see what the gorgon was trying to show him, a sprawling beach.

It was a blue sea, not silver like his birthplace. With pebbled beaches on an island instead of sands. Yet it was marvelously cool on the beach and island.

He had to be careful not to get lost in the illusion. Making sure to kneel and keep the eye to reality open.

But the once man watched as a home formed, hazy and indistinct but felt comfortable. He was suddenly aware of being someone else, the illusion. Not himself but someone that was impossibly strong. He looked down as slender hands touched his chest, closing his arms around the wonderfully soft, slender form with emerald and golden eyes.

He was standing where the gorgon's husband had been. Feeling how strong he was in her eyes and memory. Able to feel the flood of real love she had for him and…

With his right eye, the one seeing the illusion sewn together with song, the man could see movement. A small dancing figure that had hem almost lurching forewarned after. Almost standing to grab the little one from the cliff edge/water line.

The Marauder knight gasped, gripping tight to the slender woman in the illusion. He all too keenly felt as much as heard the sparrow in the gorgon's voice as she cried below in the canyon. He could understand now why she has raged, screamed and cried after her rebirth in hell.

She was a mother, had a husband that felt as strong if not stronger then the war king he failed to protect.

The gorgon had a mortal daughter somewhere that was lost like her husband.

A family that had been happy beside cool, blue seas was torn apart by some unrelenting storm.

The gorgon sat back against the other canyon wall, looking up at him with half lidded eyes. Her coils moved around her like a shield, picking off and flinging away surviving lesser, as she shared her last memory of her child. Her song was heavy with sorrow and guilt.

Showing the once Sentinel how she tried to humm to her small child. Who was overhead from where she was spawned, able to sense the fear of the storm raging outside. Sending her husband who was still the same size as their child despite his own gorgon blood, he kept checking on the restless girl. She had rubbed the ceiling and tried to sing softly to reassure she was there to protect against the storm that scared her child.

And then the storm itself seemed to manifest to break their home apart. Sweeping first her child and husband away into the hurricane.

She was all too keenly aware they were alive, could sense that as much as her own beating crystal heart.

But she was pulled into the Howling Canyons to be reborn in hell. A possible new inheritor to this territory, but her own beloved heir and husband left behind.

The once Sentinel found himself grieving for the fate of the first 'pure' being he had found in hell. Restlessly pacing the line of the canyon, fighting not to kill for once in the endless centuries past, but to pick out the strongest to lure to the edge and fight over it. Watching the still young gorgon eat and grow stronger.

Still young enough to have only one set of arms. But he watched as she grew spiked that would be the next set of arms later. He could see how her dark claws grew only a little longer but hardened as her upper body toned in muscle. Thick plates of sea glass color crystal growing and hardening like diamonds over her chest and back to protect the more vulnerable heart.

The once Sentinel watched as the gorgon became strong enough to start to properly climb up the steep canyon walls. An abyss of a drop that took great effort for the new gorgon to climb up. Having to learn as she went to master the full length of her body. As big as she was, able to fit most lesser creatures in her mouth to feed, the new gorgon was not titan sized.

The Marauder knelt on the edge of the edge of the canyon edge, speaking words of encouragement until he stepped back as the first hand grasped the edge. He could see the concentration on the smooth face, it was not corrupted or burned like even his own visage. He moved out of the way as the gorgon grasped at the top of the canyon, dark claws digging into the bedrock and flexing to pull and push herself with her full body length until enough of her serpent body was over the edge to get a better grip.

There were more than a few iridescent pearly scales that had been ripped out in the climb. Most scales turned into a mix of clear, blue and green sea glass even up here. Some stayed thick and hard, flashing with a rainbow shin that would be desired by those Blessed in Immora.

It was the most beautiful thing that the lost Marauder had seen since his imprisonment in hell. Even with parts of her stained by dirt and bloody mud on the surface level. Since he had been separated from the very different kind of beauty of his war king. She was gasping for air that was not as thick as it had been in the bottom abyss of the canyons. Trying to recover as she worked more of her coils up over the edge. Some of the watching mid their near, those that had been fascinated now becoming hypnotized. Clawed hands gently, reverently reaching to touch the pearly scales as the long serpentine body was now fully along the edge. Some get the shed crystalized dust on them and growths of sea glass.

Emerald and gold eyes took a long look at the wastelands around her. As well as the towering ruins farther into the Howling Canyons where gorgons like her had resided in the past, some the same size and some bigger. Then her gaze scanned around the ground, finding the lone being standing still.

Large, but slender hands reached for the marauder, the once Night Sentinel. He tensed, not sure if he had the heart or spirit to fight or even summon his wolf against the pale gorgon. The hands that closed around him where surprisingly gentle as he was picked up. Fingers as big as he was cupping and supporting as he was drawn up and close. He could see a few of her digits on the left hand had been broken, and healed somewhat crooked, her ring finger missing but a scarred stub.

The new gorgon did not open her pretty maw to eat him, but instead hummed a low comforting rhythm. The closest person to a companion since her rebirth in hell, the only once to sympathize and mourn with her. He was gently pressed against the side of her cheek, shown a gentle kindness back that the corrupted Sentinel found addicting.

Even as the pad of a finger that ran down the broken armor of his back was soft. He could see her claws were not just black but obsidian like. Forming plated crystals that harden, but not the infecting type to control. A gift to give just him, for the encouragement and for finding what was needed to feed her to get strong enough.

All too soon he was being pulled away from the everlasting moment of peace. Being lowered back to the ground, and grasping one slender digit to keep her from pulling away. Despite how she now had the strength to do so, her hand remained as he held the edge of a talon like nail.

"Please… I need to find them," her voice thrumming from the size difference, but unlike anything else in the realm of hell it was silky smooth to the Marauder's ears, with that undertone of siren honey. There was still worry there, as she knew her mate and husband would always be strong enough but... "My daughter… she's too small and needs protection."

"Then," the Marauder stopped as he became all too aware of how broken his own voice was now. Looking down and up again at the bright green eyes. "You need… you need to find what world spawned you my lady. Where the storm was. The old gorgon kingdom will help. Stay away…from the ruby city."

He points to the distant ruins in and above the Howling Canyons.

"...I lost my King to a trap from Immora. Will you let me aid in your search, my lady?"

Distantly, several in the hell lifted heads, listening as the normal dull roar from the Howling Canyons changed. Singing out pure tones like winds to remind the oldest of what it was like in the past of Jekkad, before the change and rage of the First Father.

It was distant enough to not influence any but the weakest possessed and worthless. Drawing attention not just from the Blessed within the walls of Immora. But some that lingered in the great harvesting towers, and another lost Sentinel that lingered in hell.

The Betrayer too had lifted his head, pulling his hammer out of the demon he had caught off guard. Frowning as he listened, and worried for the first time for something that was not the broken promise he was given.

The confirmation of a new gorgon in hell made Valen very uneasy, he could only imagine how a part of the tide of power would soon flow into the Howling Canyons. Hell would be disturbed as her voice would only gain power. Valen needed to start making something to block out the siren call before it could reach him.