Scotland 994. A.D.
Castle Wyvern, sitting near the edge of a cliff overlooking the water, is under attack by a band of Vikings. Catapults hurled huge boulders into the battlements, and the Castle's defense is failing.
"Stand fast! We can hold them back!" The Captain encouraged his men as they fought.
"Aye, and catch boulders with our teeth while we're about it," One of the soldiers disagreed.
"It's your choice, then, me lads. The catapult," The Captain draws his sword, "or me? Back to your posts," the two soldiers rush back to their posts, "In a few more minutes, the sun will be down, " He glances up at the stone gargoyles perched on the tower, "And then we'll see some fun." He chuckles.
"Indeed we shall, Captain," Athena said as she walked his side and aimed an arrow at the Vikings, "And those Vikings will rue the day that they ever dare attack Castle Wyvern."
Another boulder was launched from the catapults by the Vikings, throwing back some soldiers as it hit the Castle.
"Attack!" The Leader of the Vikings shouted.
The Vikings did as their leader told and stormed the Castle. They overrun the defense and ascend the tower. Athena races to the top of the tower, and as the sun sets just as she and the leader reach the gargoyle at the top of the highest tower. He stares unbelievingly as the statue's stony exterior cracks and falls away, revealing a living, breathing gargoyle underneath. The Vikings backed away in fear as the other gargoyles came to life. Goliath, the Leader of the gargoyles and named by the humans, notices the Viking Leader and picks him up by one arm.
"You are trespassing," Goliath said to the Viking.
Undaunted, the Viking Leader swings his sword at Goliath, who catches it. A slow trickle of blood oozes from Goliath's palm.
"Fight men! They are not invincible!" He shouted down to his men.
The Vikings swung their swords and shot their arrows at the gargoyle, but they were unsuccessful and missed. The Viking Leader managed to get a footing and lean back while he held onto Goliath, causing them to fall over.
"Father!" Athena shouted. She ran over to the edge and saw the Viking Leader swinging away on the rope, and Goliath was gliding down to the battle.
Knowing that her father was safe, Athena rushed over to the next towering, and when she arrived at the top of the tower she saw three gargoyles watching the fight. The first gargoyle was red with long white hair and a beak for a mouth. The second gargoyle was small, green, and bald, and his wings were attached to his arms in a web-like structure. The third gargoyle was large, round, and bluish-green-skinned.
She walks up behind them and says, "Are you just going to sit there and let your brothers and sisters have all the fun, or are you going to join in, Uncles."
The three turned around and looked at her. The Red Gargoyle then jumps off the tower and glides down to join the other gargoyles in defeating the Vikings.
"Not afraid, are you?" The Green asked the Blue.
"Afraid? Me? Huh. Why, all of nature trembles at my passing," The Blue Gargoyle said before he pushed up his stomach, making it look like part of his muscular chest, but it didn't hold long.
"I can see why," The Green Gargoyle joked as he poked the other's stomach before gliding to join the others, and soon the Blue one jumped off and joined the fighting.
"No matter how many years will pass, those three will still act like hatchlings," Athena said before running off to fight the Vikings and defend her home. With each Viking that passed her, she defeated them. Athena then spotted the Elder Gargoyle fighting a Viking as another was sneaking up behind him until Goliath picked the Viking up and tossed him aside.
"Watch your back, old friend," Goliath advised the Elder Gargoyle.
"Watch your own," He said back.
"Why don't I watch them both for you," Athena said as she joined them and threw a bolas at a Viking that the two did not see. The three then carried on with the battle.
Athena fought every Viking she crossed paths with until she came across the Leader of the Vikings running away from the blue-skinned dog-like Gargoyle, who is like a pet to her. When the Viking Leader reached the doorway, he saw a female Gargoyle with light blue skin. She had hair and eyes as red as blood.
"Face me, human, if you dare," She hissed as she revealed her fangs.
The Viking Leader turned around only to have the end of a sword in front of his face, and holding the sword was Athena.
"Not so fast, Viking," Athena said.
The Viking Leader was now surrounded by the female Gargoyle, to his right, Athena, and the dog-like Gargoyle, to his left, and a stone wall behind him, and soon Goliath glided down in front of him.
"I see you've met our watchdog. And my second-in-command and daughter, as well," Goliath said before he grabbed the Viking Leader by the collar," I grow tired of this. Take what's left of your men and begone." He then throws him into a cart of hay.
As the Viking Leader gets out of the cart, he is covered in hay and shouts, "Argh! This isn't over, monster, I'll be back." He and the rest of his men flee from the Castle as arrows were shot at them. When the Vikings were far enough, the soldiers at the Castle cheered in victory, and all of the gargoyles gathered at one of the towers, and the second-in-command banged Goliath's injured hand.
"Goliath, we owe you our lives," The Captain thanked.
"As we owe you ours, every day," Goliath told the Captain before turning to his daughter and placing a hand on her shoulder," And I am very proud of you, my daughter. You showed great courage tonight."
"Your father is right. You have the spirit of a gargoyle," The second-in-command told her.
"Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Father," Athena said before hugging her parents.
"Goliath, I want to invite you, your second-in-command, and daughter to the celebration tonight to be recognized for your bravery," The Captain offered.
"We are honored," Goliath accepted.
Later that evening, there is a celebration in the dining hall. Goliath, his mate, and Athena walked through the halls of the Castle and to the dining hall. The door to the dining hall opens. Goliath, his mate, and Athena enter. The attendees at the banquet are outraged by the appearance of the gargoyles.
The Captain approached the Princess and said, "Your pardon, Your Highness. I took the liberty of asking them to appear and be recognized for their bravery."
"Captain, we are most seriously displeased," She scolded.
"To allow beasts in the dining hall. You speak wisely, Princess. These are unnatural creatures. No good can come from associating with them," The Magus agreed.
The three walked up to them, the Princess backing in fear of the gargoyles, and Goliath folded his wings into a cape and bowed to the Princess.
The Captain walked up to him, "Goliath, we named you well, it seems. You are as good a soldier as the Philistine giant who fought David."
Kathrine stood up and spoke, "You would do well to remember, Captain, that the biblical Goliath was also a bully and a savage."
This causes Goliath's mate and second-in-command's eyes to turn a bright red and growl at the Princess, but she is soon calmed by Goliath.
"If you will excuse us, Your Highness," Goliath said before he led his mate and daughter out of the dining hall. The Captain follows them down a hallway.
"My apologies for this, Goliath," He apologized.
"No apologies needed. We are what we are. Her opinion will not change that," Goliath told the Captain.
"Have you no pride? No sense of justice? We saved their lives, and they repay us with contempt," His mate argued.
"Mother is right, Father," Athena spoke, "You deserve better than this. You have protected them night after night, and they still treat you so ungratefully."
"These cliffs were our home ages before they built their stone fortress. They should bow to us."
"It is the nature of humankind to fear what they do not understand. Their ways are not our ways," Goliath took his mate's hand.
She sighed, "There are times when your patience astounds me, my love."
"It's almost sunrise, Goliath. You all could use some rest after tonight's festivities," The Captain informed them.
"Come, my loves," Goliath said. He led his mate and daughter up to the tower. After saying their parting words before all of the gargoyles took their places and were turned to stone by the rising sun. After Athena finished watching her family enter their stone sleep, she returned to her room and fell asleep in bed, waiting for the moon to rise.
Moments before sunset, Athena awakens and rushes to the top of the tower to watch her family awaken from their stone sleep. When the sun sets, each of the gargoyles' stone skin cracks, and each roars as they awaken.
"No matter how many times I witness this, it never ceases to amaze me," Athena said.
Goliath comes down from his perch, while his mate gilds up, and hugs their daughter, but it is soon interrupted by the Captain.
"Goliath, we need to speak," He said.
Goliath unwraps the bandage from his claw, which has healed from the previous night, and flexes it.
"Those Vikings may return at daybreak, Goliath. I say, take all your gargoyles and make sure they're gone," The Captain insisted.
"I agree," The female gargoyle said, "Let us go out in force and put an end to these pigs once and for all."
"Too dangerous," Goliath told them, "I don't want to leave the castle unprotected."
"Their leader swore he'd be back," The Captain argued, "It's best to hurry them far away now and not take that chance."
"Very well," Goliath reluctantly agreed, "But I shall do it. I can scare those cowards away without any help."
Goliath stretched his wings and prepared to take off, but his mate stopped him. She grabbed his arm and had a desperate look in her eye.
"That is too dangerous for you!" Goliath's mate pleaded, "Let me come along, at least!"
Goliath turns to her and puts his hands on her shoulders, "You and the others will stay here at the castle. You are my best warrior. I leave you in command."
"No. I cannot let you!" She argued.
"I won't go alone," He promised and hugged her close, trying to quiet her fears, "Remember you and I are one. Now and forever."
His beloved looked up at him sadly but said nothing as he turned away. Though his mate reached for him as he prepared to take off, she did not stop him.
The female gargoyle turns to Athena, "Why don't you go join the others and make sure they won't get into trouble."
"Of course, Mother," Athena nodded and walked down to the bonfire in the courtyard.
When Athena arrived, she spotted the Blue one eating, the Red and Green Gargoyles tossing the ham back and forth, keeping it away from the dog-like Gargoyle playing a game. Athena sits on one of the crates and watches in amusement as the dog-like Gargoyles catch the ham. A boy from the nearby camp walks over to them.
"I'm Tom," He introduces, "What's your name?"
"Except for Goliath and Athena, we don't have names," The Green Gargoyle replied.
"How do you tell each other apart?" Tom asked.
"We look different."
"But what do you call each other?"
"Friend," The Red Gargoyle replies.
Tom's mother, Mary, runs over with a stick in hand, "Tom! Get away from those monsters and the traitor.
"But they wouldn't hurt the lad, ma'am," Athena said, trying to reason.
"Keep away from him, you traitor," She threw the stick, and it hit Athena on the face making a small cut on her cheek.
Her mother glides down between Athena and Mary, her eyes filled with anger.
"How dare you harm my daughter!"
"Stay away, beast."
"You're the beast, not us."
"No," The Red Gargoyle stood in front of the second-in-command, "If they think we're beasts and monsters-"
"Then, perhaps we'd better live up to the name," The Green Gargoyle finished.
Their eyes glow, and they growl and advance toward the humans, who run away when the dog-like Gargoyles barks at them. Goliath and the Elder land in the middle of the foray.
"You three, down to the rookery until I return. I'll deal with you then," Goliath angrily said. He points at the dog-like Gargoyle, "And take him with you."
Goliath, his mate, and Athena followed the four gargoyles to ensure they would go to the rookery. The Green one pushes the doors open, and they look back before they enter.
"We meant no harm," The Red Gargoyle apologized. But Goliath was not swayed, and they sadly go down into the rookery.
"Are you blind?" His mate scolds him, "They were not at fault. The humans were. They harmed our daughter, her own kind, and called her a traitor." She pointed at Athena's injury.
"No matter who was at fault, I cannot condone fighting between their people and ours," Goliath said, "Our daughter may have been born a human, but she was raised as a gargoyle. She follows our ways, not theirs. I will make it up to them later. Now I have business to attend to."
Goliath then leaves his mate and daughter as he goes to finish the Vikings. His mate stood there in silence before turning to her daughter.
"I suggest that you get ready for bed, my daughter. The sun will be up soon."
"Of course, mother. I will see you under the pale moonlight."
"And I, you. My little starlight."
Athena leaves her mother in the rookery and returns to her room. She looks out her window and sees that moon setting before laying on her bed and letting sleep welcome her.
Athena was suddenly awoken by the screaming and shouting she heard. Athena looked out the window and saw that the Vikings were attacking, the sun was up, and her family was stone and vulnerable. She grabs her sword and runs down to battle the Vikings and protect her family.
Her heart raced as she rushed toward the tower where her family slept. When she arrived, Athena saw the Captain.
"Captain! Captain! We have to protect them!" Athena told the Captain.
"Don't worry, lass," He said, "They are safe."
"Not that I'm ungrateful for your help, but why? Why betray your own kind?" The Viking Leader asked.
"They're not my kind," The Captain replied.
"Captain, what is going on? Why is he here?" Athena said as she placed her hands on the handle of her sword. She then notices that the people of Castle Wyvern are in chains and led away.
The Viking Leader walks over to one of the stone gargoyles and raises his mace, "Well, to work. There's little enough time for it."
Athena runs between the Viking Leader and the gargoyles. She pointed her sword at the Viking Leader, "Don't you dare."
"This is unnecessary," The Captain told the Viking Leader.
"Are you mad?" He questioned, "In a moment, they'll be flesh again and my men will be their prey."
"Once your band is out of sight, they won't follow. It's not their nature," The Captain explained in hopes the Viking Leader would leave the gargoyles.
"Ah, well. In that case," The Viking Leader knocked the sword out of Athena's hand before shoving her to the ground and the Captain out of the way and pinned him to the wall.
"Care to discuss the matter further?" He asked in a threatening tone.
"No," The Captain answered.
"I haven't lived this long by taking foolish chances," The Viking Leader said before he smashed all of the gargoyles to rubble.
"No!" Athena cried in honor before tears ran down her face as the Captain held her close.
After sunset, Goliath and the Elder return to find the Castle in flames. He alights on His mate's perch and picks up her crumbled remains.
"My angel of the night," He then notices a familiar sword out of the corner of his eye, and as he picks it up, he realizes that it is his daughter's sword, and he roars in anguish for his mate and daughter.
On the ground, The Elder examines the bowstrings and sees that they have been cut, "These bowstrings have been cut. There was betrayal here."
The four gargoyles come out of the rookery and gasp at the devastation. Goliath lands beside them with his daughter's sword still in hand, "Were any more down in the rookery?" He asks.
"None," The Blue Gargoyle replied," Only us."
The Elder walks over, "All the humans are gone. Taken prisoner, most likely, along with Athena."
"Then we will find them," Goliath's eyes glow with rage, "We will save my daughter and the humans. And we will have our revenge!"
They fly off, with the Gargoyle dog following on foot, to have their revenge on the Vikings.
At the Viking camp, a victory celebration is underway. Spirits were not bright among the prisoners, however. In a nearby cave, the Viking Leader and the Captain have the Princess, Magus, and Athena tied, who continue to mourn for her family.
"Hmm. The Magus is worth more alive than dead. Barely," The Viking Leader said.
"True," The Captain agreed before kneeling to the Princess, "but I'm sure your uncle, the king, will pay handsomely to see his niece returned alive."
"You blackguard. If I had my book of spells, l'd-," The Magus' threat was interrupted by the laughter of the Viking Leader.
"Might you be referring to this book, Magus?" He picks up the book, "Magic Spells. Ha! Makes me glad l can't read." He then tears out a few pages and burns them.
"No! My spells!" The Magus cried.
"Oh, traitor. I'll see you both hang for this!" Katherine shouted.
"True as that may be, Princess. But you and your people have called the most kind-hearted lass in the world a traitor, the same girl with which you grew as a sister," The Captain said before he pointed at Athena.
A terrifying roar, causes Athena to smile, and the frightened cries of the Vikings are heard outside. The Viking Leader and the Captain run out of the cave as the gargoyles attack the camp.
"You said they wouldn't follow us," He questions the Captain.
"If you hadn't destroyed the others," The Captain snapped.
The Viking Leader ran into the cave and grabbed the Princess, "Your precious gargoyles have come, Princess."
"The gargoyles? You're a dead man, Hakon," She told the Viking Leader
"Maybe," He agrees," But not before you," He draws a dagger. She breaks his grasp and runs off with Hakon and the Captain in pursuit.
"Let her go! Princess! Help! Somebody help! He's going to slay her! Princess!" The Magus calls before he tries to free himself.
"Magus, my family will help the Princess," Athena told him.
"All they've done is ensure her death," He broke free of the rope and picked up his spellbook, "Now I will avenge her."
The Magus runs out of the cave. Knowing her time was limited, Athena used the dagger she had always hidden up her sleeve to break free of the ropes.
"You fools! She'd be alive now if you hadn't come," The Magus shouted as Athena broke free and snuck up behind him, " They would have ransomed us both, but you invaded their camp, and now," He opened the book and flipped through the pages.
"What's all this? Where's the princess and our niece?" The Elder asked.
"The Princess is dead, And could l but wield a sword, l would send you all to join her. But this will have to do instead. Dormiatis-," As Magus began the spell he was cut off when Athena jumped on his back in hopes of bringing him down.
"Niece!" The Gargoyles exclaimed with great joy, but it was soon ended when the Magus knocked her off his back, and she fell to the ground, and he grabbed her by the throat.
"You will not interfere with my revenge," Magus throws her down. She rolls the hill up the cave before landing near the gargoyles, whose eyes glowed with anger at the Magus, "But you will not be left out," He flips to another page and begins to recite the incantation, "Aterenae iuventutis, vitam aeternam, et ego maledictum nunc te ut aeternum hoc ambulare terra et nunquam iungere interitum!"
As the Magus recited, winds surrounded Athena, causing her to lift into the air, and a bright white light soon emerged, blinding the gargoyles. When the light faded, the gargoyles saw Athena lying unconscious on the ground, and they ran to her aide.
"What did you do to her, sorcerer?" The Elder asked with anger in his voice, and his eyes were still glowing.
"I cursed her to forever walk this earth, and now it's your turn, beast!" The Magus said as he returned to the page he was on and finished the incantation, "Dormiatis dum castellum super nubes ascendat."
Goliath soon returns to the camp and finds the others turned to stone at night.
"Stone at night? What sorcery is this?" Goliath thunders.
"Sorcery indeed," The Magus tells him, "And now you shall join them," The Princess walks out from behind Goliath," Princess?" He sees her and drops the spellbook.
"Oh, Magus, what have you done?" She asked.
"l l-l thought you were dead, your Highness. l was mad with grief," He answered.
Goliath picks him up, "Reverse the spell. Bring them back!" He demanded with a roar.
"l-l cannot. The page with the counterspell was burned.'
Goliath drops him and hangs his head, "Now all I have is my daughter," He looks around, "Where is she?"
They soon heard a moan and saw a hand behind the rock. Goliath walks around to find his daughter lying on the ground unconscious. He picks her up bridal style and holds her close in his arms. Her eyes flutter half-open.
"Father..." She lightly said before falling back into unconsciousness.
Goliath walks back to Katherine, Magus, and Tom, with his eyes glowing and his daughter, whom he held close to his chest, "What have you done to my daughter!" He roared.
"I cursed her to forever walk the earth. She is immortal. I'm sorry," The Magus said with a heavy heart.
"You turned them to stone forever?" The Princess asked about the gargoyles.
"The terms of the counterspell were that they would sleep until the Castle rises above the clouds," The Magus replies.
On their journey back to the Castle, Athena fully regained consciousness. Goliath told her with a heavy heart what had happened to the rest of their family. Athena cried in her father's arms and apologized that she could not do anything to stop it, but Goliath said that there was nothing that could have been done.
After returning to the Castle, Goliath gently places the rest of his Clan on their perches.
"We have done you a great wrong, Goliath," Katherine apologized.
"l know that no apology can be enough, Goliath," The Magus apologized for his actions, "l wish there was something l could do."
"What will you do now, Princess?" Goliath asked.
"I'll take my people to my uncle. It's no longer safe for us here."
"And you, my daughter?" He asked.
"I will use my immortality to help others, and I make this vow to protect, for it is a gargoyle's nature," Athena told her father.
"l have a request," Goliath said.
"You have but to name it."
"The eggs in the rookery will soon hatch. They will need guidance," Goliath told the Princess.
"Never fear. We will watch over them as if they were our own," Katherine promised.
Goliath turns to the Magus, "There is something you can do for me, Magus. Cast your spell one more time."
Goliath, the Magus, the Princess, and Athena walk up to the top of the tower to Goliath's perch. When they reached the top, Athena and her father hugged goodbye.
"I will miss you, Father."
"Do not worry, My daughter. We will see each other again, until then, we will always be in each other's hearts. This isn't goodbye it is farewell, my daughter."
"Farewell, father," Athena said as a tear ran down her face, and Goliath wiped it away.
Goliath takes his place on his perch before the Magus recites the incantation. The full moon shines over Goliath, sleeping until the Castle rises above the clouds.