All characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyrighted to Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. I've taken the idea for the Unseelie Court from the TGS. Characters and concepts from Star Trek are property of Paramount and created by Gene Roddenberry. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of SN.

Note: I'm disregarding the events of the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. Also, I am altering large sections of the Star Trek storyline, especially concerning events like WWIII and the Eugenics Wars, which without the Cold War as a backdrop probably wouldn't happen the way Roddenberry wrote them, if at all. This story takes place one week after "The Last Place One Looks".

Deciphering Clues

By SN/TVfan

Email: Sam_Nary

The Skiff

"Do you think the scrolls and stuff that we 'liberated' will help?" Rachel asked as they floated through Avalon's mists on the way to wherever they would be sent to next, "I mean, I can't make heads or tails of any of it."

"It will take a practicing sorcerer to decode them," Merlin sighed as he set one scroll down, "Some of these scrolls hold spells, which won't help us. Some hold prophecies which could help us, and one or two hold reference material that might help us. The problem is that most of these are in languages older then Latin or the Celtic languages of the people of Britain during the its time as a Roman province, and there are a few that are also in modern Arabic, which I'd need magic to interoperate easily, which for the time being will mean Una."

Rachel then leaned back against Una's kneeling stone form as they moved through the water. She sighed as she did so, knowing that the journey hadn't done much to help them fix the goals that they had set out to achieve so far. While they had learned that a magical powder and a the correct incantation might reverse Merlin's situation, but they still needed to either find the powder, or find out what the powder was made out of. And so far, they had failed to do that. They had also managed so far to insure that the Illuminati would remain on their tail, and it was only the 'randomness' of traveling through Avalon's mists that kept them ahead of their 'pursuers'.

"I hope they help," Rachel said after a few minutes, "We haven't had much luck up to this point."

"I'm sure they'll help in some way," Arthur spoke, "possibly not in the way we expect them to, but who knows, all we need is a library or something like that to study the scrolls."

"It'd need to be one that isn't controlled by agents of the Illuminati," Merlin cautioned, "I'd almost prefer a more secretive location."

It was then that the mists began to clear and they found themselves on a river floating through a what appeared to be a fairly large city. The city was clearly European, and judging by what they could see, Merlin guessed that the architecture was Germanic in nature.

"Where are we?" Arthur asked as they kept floating down what was a fairly wide river.

"I'd assume somewhere in Central Europe," Merlin answered, "given the architecture of the buildings, either Germany or Austria."

Then as they continued to float down the river, Rachel managed to spot a lone flagpole just barely standing above the buildings near them. On it was a flag, of which she could only see the top part of the flag. It was made up of a red bar and what looked like a white bar underneath it. The rest of the flag was blocked by the buildings.

"I think we're in Austria," Rachel commented after seeing the flag.

"Then this should be the Danube," Merlin nodded, "I don't know of any other rivers in Austria as wide as this."

"We'd best find a place to dock the skiff," Arthur then nodded, "I doubt Una will want to awaken in it while we're on a fairly major river way."

They ended up pulling in near a small river dock under a bridge on the river, and Rachel and Arthur worked to move Una's statue onto the landing while Merlin tried to tie the skiff to a nearby post.

"So what do we do now?" Rachel asked.

"I suggest we wait until sunset," Merlin sighed, "that way Una can move with us. Right now, if we leave her, she is likely to be endangered."

Arthur and Rachel then sighed and nodded. They then all sat down to wait for dusk.

Elsewhere

A lone man sat quietly in a darkened room staring intently at a silver plate with a map of the city engraved into it. Along the edge of the plate were silver magnets placed along the edge that resembled the head of a wolf. A small glowing sphere ran along that edge where the end of the wolf magnets met the map of the city. He sat patiently watching it for a few moments before the sphere started moving into the map part of the plate. The magnets also began to move around the edge of the plate.

The man then studied it intently as though he had great interest in the results of the moving sphere as it began to spiral around the map of the city before finally settling down at a spot along the river. This made the man smile.

"Finally," the man smiled, "One has come into the city and has stopped long enough to be detected. Time is short though."

He then turned to a phone that sat nearby and dialed a number.

"Yes?" a rough voice answered on the other line.

"One has come into the city," the man answered, "Gather everyone together we will need to move fast if we are to capture it before the moon is at its height."

You're certain it won't leave the city by nightfall?" the voice on the other end of the line asked, "It could only be moving through."

"My tracker wouldn't have picked it up if it was only moving through," the man answered roughly, and sounding frustrated that the man he had called was arguing with him, "If it was just passing through, my tracker would not have detected it. Now get everyone together. Our plans will advance forward tonight."

"Very well," the voice answered, "We'll be at your sanctum at dusk."

"Good," the man answered and hung up.

He then turned back to his 'plate'.

"Soon, everything I've planned for will be mine," the man said with a smile.

Danube Riverbank

The day went by rather slowly for Arthur, Merlin, and Rachel. They did manage to read through one or two scrolls that they had found that were written in Latin or English, but they contained nothing more then some basic spells that might be helpful to them should they get into a fight, but revealed nothing about what they were searching for. After awhile Merlin ventured up to the streets to see if he could procure some food to save their rations and get a better clue as to where they were. When he returned, he confirmed that they were in fact in Austria, and specifically Vienna.

"Have you ever been in Vienna before?" Arthur asked to Merlin, hoping his mentor had some experience with the city.

"At the end of the Napoleonic wars as a minor secretary," Merlin answered, "I doubt that would be enough to understand the Vienna of today. And our reasons for being here may not necessarily involve something in the city."

"I'd think we'd come out closer to where we're needed," Rachel commented, "I mean, didn't you say something about the skiff appearing in any body of water?"

"It can, but that doesn't guarantee you will emerge in the closest body of water," Merlin answered, "If someone was using the closest body of water, the mists would take us to where we wouldn't be seen on arrival. And with Una currently asleep, we'll have to wait until dusk to either search for why we're here or take some time to study the rest of the scrolls."

Rachel glanced out to the west and saw the sun setting below the western horizon. She then turned to look toward the stone statue of a kneeling winged unicorn-like gargoyle before them. They couldn't leave Una to get smashed, and thankfully now, the sun was setting and they could get moving soon. As she nodded she then noticed a different celestial object in the sky and gave a heavy sigh.

"What is it?" Arthur asked curiously.

"You three might have to handle much of the mission yourselves tonight," Rachel commented heavily, "I'm afraid, I'll need to find some safe place for the night."

Both Merlin and Arthur glanced up to see the full moon rising in the eastern sky and sighed heavily.

"Your abilities have helped us before," Arthur commented, "and I'm sure you avoid being noticed when you transform."

"Yes, but so far, those have been on nights with no full moon," Rachel answered with a sigh, "I could shift back as soon as possible. I can't do that tonight, and someone is bound to spot a seven foot tall wolf woman running around Vienna. Una can glide up to the rooftops to avoid danger. If I was at ground level, I'd be trapped there."

"And we'd have a hard time explaining to the locals the existence of a werewolf and the fact that she isn't like the ones they've probably seen in movies, or told old legends about," Merlin sighed and nodded, "You'll wait until Una has woken up so that we can plan for tonight and tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah, I mean, dusk isn't too far away," Rachel nodded, "it'd be easier then just running off."

It was then that Una's stone form began crack and splinter as the female gargoyle under the stoneskin began to wake up for the night. A moment later, Una shot up and flared her wings out, sending small bits of stone everywhere. She soon found that they had come to a stop and were now out of the mists.

"Where are we?" Una asked as she shook the last bits of stone off of her.

"Austria," Merlin answered her, "Vienna specifically."

Una gave a soft sigh.

"If the reasons for us being here weren't so important, this might actually be an interesting visit," Una commented, "seeing sites as old as many in England but coming from a different culture."

"We might get a chance for some sight seeing," Arthur commented, "at least until we know why we are in Vienna."

"I would assume to study the scrolls we recovered in Saudi Arabia," Una answered.

"That may be part of it," Merlin sighed, "although for tonight and possibly the next couple of nights if necessary, our group will have do without Rachel."

Una turned to look at the other female in their group and then glanced at the moon rising above them.

"I could easily carry her to the rooftops," Una commented.

"No, it's alright Una," Rachel spoke up, "While I'm sure I could hide myself for a short period of time, with tonight being a full moon, it's too risky to have me being in wolf form and in the middle of another country's capital. You could easily glide away. I can not, and my wolf form would weigh you down if they spotted both of us."

"And with no present lodgings, it isn't like we can keep her in an hotel room and hope no one hears her howl through the walls," Arthur said with a sigh, "Rachel intends to head outside the city for at least tonight."

"They've also told me that we might not be near the reason why we are here," Rachel answered, "I can scout out things outside the city while you guys find some place quiet where you can study the scrolls."

"And where are we to meet again?" Una asked.

"I hoped to meet up again with Arthur and Merlin here, tomorrow morning," Rachel answered, "after I have changed back."

"And you're sure this is a good idea?" Una asked, "what you're attacked?"

"I don't know if it's a good idea," Rachel sighed, "I suppose I could get attacked by something, but I'd like to think I can defend myself. Besides, it's not like we have many options. Merlin and Arthur will need you to help them figure out what's in the scrolls we uncovered and look around the city for any reason why we're here. And even if no one notices my transformation, a seven foot werewolf shouldn't be that hard to miss in a busy city."
Una slowly sighed and then nodded, sensing this was an argument that she couldn't win, and sensing that Rachel did have a point. She would be difficult enough to hide, adding a fully transformed Rachel for the night wouldn't make things easier.

"Be careful," Una cautioned.

"I will be," Rachel answered, feeling actually somewhat proud that the gargoyle considered her a friend, "if I find anything that looks remotely big, I'll come close to the city and give several loud and long howls. Hopefully you guys will get to me before their animal control does."

Rachel then slowly began to head up the steps to the street level and leave the group for the night. That left Arthur, Merlin, and Una to discuss their plans for the night.

"So, where will we be deciphering the scrolls?" Una asked, "I doubt I can just walk into a library, and you would get arrested if I placed you on a rooftop."

"I'm sure we can find a public park somewhere that we can use," Arthur commented, "and I'd think that the either the trees or any monuments would give you a place to hide should anyone suspicious get too close."

"That might work," Merlin nodded, "I can't remember if Vienna's parks have any placed picnic tables in them, I wouldn't think so, but I don't really know for sure."

"It'd be best to look at the scrolls one at a time," Una told him, "As I'm sure my help will be needed while your magic is still 'weak', Merlin, trying to multitask on deciphering them is not a good idea."

"We're all a little anxious to make some serious progress in regards to getting the information we need," Arthur spoke, hoping to at least explain their answer, "and for the time being, there isn't that much else to do, unless Rachel does come across something outside the city."

"I'm just insuring that everyone keeps a sane head about them," Una answered, "especially since we've agreed to this idea of splitting up."

"Rachel feels what she's doing is necessary," Merlin reminded her.

"I know," Una answered, "and being in an unknown city, I'd prefer to be fairly cautious when it comes to moving around the city, but it isn't something that I really like. Splitting up nearly killed Griff in the War. I've always felt that people who are close through either working together or being family, they should always stay together."

Merlin and Arthur nodded, knowing the grief that Una and Leo went through when they thought that Griff had died in the Battle of Britain. Despite the fact that Goliath had saved the griffon-like gargoyle with the phoenix gate, they knew that Leo and Una had suffered.

"People grow apart as well," Arthur commented, "I mean, you and Leo became mates. Sir Griff appears to be headed down the same path with Octavia. Things won't remain the same forever."

Una nodded, "That will likely happen. But it has nothing to do with our current situation. Rachel could be attacked, and that is why I would prefer that we stick together."

"She can defend herself," Arthur reminded Una, "we'll have to have faith in her."

Rachel, meanwhile, walked calmly along the street, hoping to make her way outside the city before it got too close to midnight. She didn't know the city, and that was another reason for her wanting to be outside it when she transformed. Being in her wolf form through the night in city she didn't know, and therefore couldn't escape through easily back alleys and other parts of the city.

Even in early evening while there were still some people on the street, it was difficult for Rachel, although she was sure that her only barely passable German was the reason for that. Once she got onto a road that she was sure would take her out of town, she was approached by several middle aged men who gathered around fairly closely. Closer, in fact then she preferred.

"Excuse me, sirs," Rachel spoke and tried to get passed them.

"Hello, my lady," the apparent leader of the group spoke, "You appear to be rather lost. My associates and I are with the city's tourism office and we can not allow one such as yourself to be lost in our fair city."

"I'm not lost," Rachel argued, "I'm actually trying to get out of the city."

"Out of our fair city?" the man asked, sounding shocked, "Please tell me it wasn't something someone has said to you!"

"No, it's nothing like that," Rachel answered, knowing that she needed an excuse to get out of the city, "It's just… it's just that I wanted to get a look at the Austerlitz battle sight, for a paper I'm writing for college you see, and I have no car, so…"

"Austerlitz is in the other direction," one of the others said, pointing in the direction from which Rachel had came.

Rachel then growled to herself, knowing she'd been caught, but didn't want to let the 'wolf' out to thrash these people quite yet. She hoped she could find a way to avoid locking herself in wolf form before she had to change as much as possible.

"Look, I really need to get going," Rachel said urgently and checked her wrist watch, which displaced 7:30 PM on its digital display panel, "so if you blokes could just move along…"

"Come on now," the leader said, trying to through out as much charm as possible, "would it really hurt you to get a look at our fair city? There is a great amount of history in Vienna."

"You could get hurt if you don't know what's good for you," Rachel threatened, struggling to keep herself from transforming.

She then moved to shove the leader down and clear a path to get past him and back on her way. She was unsuccessful, however, for as she stretched her hands out to shove the man annoying her out of her way, the others grabbed her arms from behind, and despite beginning to use some of her extra strength, they held her back.

"I had hopped this part wouldn't have come to this," the man spoke in an almost remorseful tone.

"You're not as sorry as you're going to be!" Rachel threatened and felt herself beginning to change as she had to get away from them, even if it meant exposure as a werewolf.

"I'm afraid not, lycan," the man answered, "You're going to be of great help to us."

"What?" Rachel gasped as she was completely shocked.

These people knew she was a werewolf, but hadn't even changed enough to make it visibly clear what she was.

"How did…" Rachel then spoke.

She couldn't say any more as she felt something that felt like a hypodermic needle being injected into her neck.

"Hurry," the leader said as Rachel fell unconscious, "We must get her to a secure location before she transforms and before we are noticed."

Elsewhere

The man who had found Rachel sat quietly in the same room that he had detected the female werewolf in when his phone rang. He quickly answered it to receive the information we expected.

"Yes?" the man spoke.

"We got her," came the answer from the other end of the line.

"It's a female?" the man asked.

"Yes," his contact answered, "she was trying to get out of the city actually."

The man laughed slightly.

"We're on our way to your 'lab' now," his contact answered, "I will warn you, I do not think she is Austrian, so expect her to be angrier then what one would normally expect."

"Don't worry," the man answered, "silver will easily restrain her."

City Park

Arthur and Merlin carefully walked into a city park that was available to them. The only spot that they found that would provide enough room for Una to be able to remain largely hidden was a small spot occupied by a stone bench. There was an electric lamp not too far away, so lighting, wasn't an issue for them.

"This spot looks as good as any," Arthur spoke aloud to alert Una that they had found a place to stop.

They then sat down and waited for Una to land. As she landed, Merlin pulled one of the scrolls out of a small sack he had with him. He sighed heavily as he did so.

"Deciphering scrolls one at a time," Merlin sighed, "This will take all night."

"Nothing else to do really though," Una answered, "I doubt there is much that we would be needed for here, unless there's some criminal group out and about that their police can't stop, and if there is, I'm sure we'll find out about it one way or another."

Arthur nodded in agreement.

"It'd still help if we knew the language written on these scrolls," Arthur commented.

"I think this one is Aramaic," Merlin spoke, "but without my powers as a fey halfling, I can't translate the words naturally, and I doubt my ring is strong enough to compensate."

"I would have thought you had the time to study a lot of these old languages the old fashioned way," Una commented with a slight chuckle.

"I did, and I did study," Merlin answered her, "problem is, I've probably forgotten a fair bit, it'll take some time to figure everything out."

"Then we'd best get started," Una spoke, "I know a fair bit about languages myself, so I'm sure we can at least get the basics of these scrolls down."

Arthur then stood up while Una and Merlin began to read though the first scroll.

"I'll keep an eye out about the park," Arthur answered, "make sure no one gets too close."

Elsewhere

Rachel awoke to the quiet ticking of an old clock and found herself in what looked like an old stone cell from a castle. She also found herself shackled to the wall. She immediately tried to pull herself free, but recoiled immediately as she felt a burning sensation in her wrists. She then took a close look at the shackles that were restraining her, and gave a heavy sigh as she saw them.

"Silver," Rachel gave a heavy sigh.

"Yes," a voice cut her off, "and shortly, they will be reminding you that they are silver rather firmly."

Rachel looked up to see a man dressed in monks robes standing before her. Next to him was the old clock, which read eleven thirty. She would be transforming in thirty minutes, although she was sure that the man already knew what she was, considering that he had used silver to restrain her.

"How do you know what I…" Rachel began to ask, letting her curiosity get the better of her.

"Sorcery," the man answered, with a fairly confident smile, "everything has a unique 'biorhythm'. The fey give off a great deal of raw power that shines like a beacon. Humans give off a dull hum that in a city can be overpowering considering the number of humans living here. Werewolves, however, give off two simultaneous signals. One is clearly human, but the other similar to that of the grey wolf. Once you entered the city, you were rather easy to find."

Rachel then only glared at the man, assuming that he was up to no good.

"And what could you possibly want with me?" Rachel asked.

"Just you," the man answered, "You are very important to our cause."

Rachel then looked at the man nervously as he moved over to a door and opened it, allowing a group of men in, which Rachel guessed to be the men that had prevented her from getting outside the city.

"You needn't be too concerned," the man answered, "I have no intention of directly harming you in any way, so long as you cooperate."

"Then why the silver?" Rachel shot back.

"Just to restrain you long enough for me to make my offer," the man replied, "that is all. If you cooperate, I'll even release you from your shackles."

"And just what is it you want me to do?" Rachel asked, hoping she could get the man to blab his plans.

"Merely a scratch or two," the man answered, "Even a slight nibble if absolutely necessary."

"You want me to…" Rachel gasped realizing what the man was getting at.

"Yes," the man answered with a smile, "I would think that my associates and I have earned the privilege."

"Privilege?" Rachel asked, sounding shocked and disgusted.

"For years the werewolf has been a symbol of power and might," the man answered, "and my bad has dedicated their lives to following that path."

"Werewolves were created to be protectors," Rachel answered.

"Of course," the man replied, "One has to protect one's assets in a region after one conquers it."

That frightened Rachel to say the least. These guys weren't some secret society that supposedly controlled the world, or some crook out to make money. They were some sort of supernatural cult that sought take over the world, or at least part of it. And they wanted her to turn them into werewolves.

"I'm not going to help you in any way," Rachel answered firmly, "I am a protector, not some stupid cult out to conquer the world!"

"World?" the man asked, "no, just Vienna. The world has fallen on hard times because there are no strong to rule the weak, and powers of a sorcerer are limited, especially considering the jumps man has made in technology, but those jumps have destroyed the Earth. The Danube was once a clean river. No it's full of industrial pollution and dangerous."

"So you're gonna take over a city and force people to make it better?" Rachel growled at them.

"We will right the wrongs that have been done," the man answered, "and you will provide us with the means to do so!"

"I will…" Rachel began to answer as the clock struck twelve and she was soon engulfed in the pain of transforming.

"You're already helping," the man smiled as Rachel screamed in pain.

Rachel looked up angrily as she felt her body growing larger and more and more wolf-like. The men were beginning to gather closer to her, as her claws grew out and her teeth begin the sharpen. The leader grabbed one of her arms and then reached for her hands. Rachel responded by clenching her fists and covering up her thumbs. She tried to pull her arm back as well, but the wall behind her, and the fact that her growing arms were now beginning to truly feel the burn of the silver shackles, she felt weak there.

"That silver must burn," the man commented, "I'll release you from it if you agree to cooperate."

Rachel shook her head as she felt her face begin to push out into her muzzle. She was determined not to let these people become werewolves. The fact that at least one of them was already a practicing sorcerer made them dangerous to both her and the city already. The last thing the city needed was a pack of werewolves lead by a megalomaniac. Despite her determination, she found herself howling as her tail pushed out behind her.

The man then swung his hand quickly toward her jaws and fangs, trying to cut his hand on them. Rachel only barely moved her muzzle away and closed it before he could succeed.

"You are trying my patience," the man growled, "You will empower us, one way or another. The shackles are tight against you now, and eventually the pain of touching them will break that spirit of yours. If not, I have other ways of making you cooperate."

Rachel only growled back.

"Very well," the man sighed and turned to the other men, "It will take awhile before we can be sure the silver isn't enough of a persuasive factor. We need to watch her until she agrees."

The man then left the room with three of the other men. The remaining two stood guard watching Rachel intently. Rachel stared back, knowing she needed to get free somehow and defeat these goons and their wizard goon, and she had to do it quick as the silver shackles were testing the limits of her endurance. She whimpered slightly as she tried to think of a way to free herself, which made her guards laugh.

"Some werewolf," the first man snickered, "can't endure a little pain."

The other man only snickered, which pushed Rachel over the edge. She wasn't going to stand there and let some thug mock her as silver burned her wrists and ankles. She then quickly began to pull down with her wrists, snarling as the pressure of her pushing against the shackles burned even more, but the wall they were chained to wasn't strong enough, and soon the chains themselves had been pulled out of the wall.

That made the two men stagger back in surprise, as they didn't expect her to free her arms. They immediately screamed for help while Rachel set about freeing her legs. The shackles burned her hands as she ripped them from the walls as well, but that had freed her from being chained to wall.

"Now you're all going to pay," Rachel growled once she was fee of the wall and advanced on the two men.

One man pulled out what looked like a tranquilizer gun, but his shot was wide, and Rachel quickly landed a strong blow on him which sent the first guard flying and taking his weapon with him. That guard was soon out cold and laying by the far wall. The other guard fled out the door screaming for help. Rachel followed, only to be hit by a lightning blast that sent her flying back into the room. The leader and all four of his followers followed, although the one who had alerted them looked very fearful and clung to the rear section of the group.

"I really didn't want it to come to this," the leader spoke, "I really didn't, but it would appear that you are totally uncooperative. I'm afraid you'll have to be terminated."

The leader then fired a blaster much like Macbeth's sending a wave of electricity at Rachel while the others prepared some sort of weapon. Rachel dodged the blast and rolled underneath a large wooden table. Once underneath it, she stood up and threw the table at her opponents. The leader ducked under it, but the thrown table did take out three men following him. That left Rachel alone with the leader and a man armed with only a knife, which she guessed would likely be made out of silver.

The leader fired another blast of electricity at her, which Rachel dodged. Rachel then moved forward quickly and kicked the blaster out of the leader's hands. She then quickly pivoted on one foot and grabbed the front of the man's robes and gave him a hard shove. The man stumbled backward quickly and fell over the table that she had thrown earlier and landed hard on his back.

Rachel had no time to see if the man had fallen unconscious, however, as the other aide had recovered the leader's electric blaster and fired on Rachel, and by dumb luck hit the silver shackles around her wrists. The electricity was magnified by the metal, and combined with the fact that the metal was one that she was currently 'allergic' to, it hurt even more so, and the force of the impact sent Rachel flying into the wall that she had earlier been chained to. Thankfully the aide then rushed to check on the leader of the group, buying time for Rachel to recover.

She then looked over to see both men standing near the thrown table and preparing to strike again. Rachel quickly wasted no time and leaped at two men. She quickly grabbed each by the throat and took them to the ground. While they struggled to free themselves from her grip, she then threw them in opposite directions. They each flew into the stone walls opposite Rachel and fell unconscious.

Rachel then breathed a sigh of relief at that, but found she had no time to celebrate or even remove the shackles from her wrists and ankles as she heard sirens outside and footsteps approaching from the hall. She quickly moved into the hall and listened to the sound of the approaching footsteps and then quickly moved in the opposite direction.

The Park

Translating the scroll took a fairly long time for Merlin and Una. Mostly because it had been so long since Merlin had studied the language that the scroll was written in, and Una because she had little contact with the language before. But they were making progress in decoding it.

"Ah ha," Merlin commented as he and Una got to the end of a sentence.

"What is it?" Arthur asked from his position, where he had been keeping watch.

"It's nothing much, really," Merlin answered, "this scroll appears to be a sort of history of the Illuminati's activities, not all of which is entirely relevant to us."

"Like what?" Arthur asked.

"For one thing, it lists that the Mage had prophecies of his own that he left with the Illuminati after they came to him," Merlin explained, "this scroll doesn't contain those prophecies, only the information that there are prophecies."

"And they may be a real clue as to why the Illuminati has been so interested in stopping you and Merlin," Una added.

"Could be," Arthur nodded, "Have you found anything that relates to finding your cure?"

"The only thing we've found so far is some information relating to a site 'Alpha and Omega' but not much else," Merlin told him.

"Any hint at where the site is?" Arthur asked.

"No," Merlin sighed, "at least, not yet. I'd still say that what we've uncovered has been helpful. We at least know we can recover the powder needed to restore my powers and we've gained at least a hint as to why the Illuminati is so intent on stopping us."

Arthur then nodded in agreement. Merlin and Una were about to go back to their translating when they heard a sudden rustling noise coming from some nearby bushes. Una and Arthur quickly turned to find it was Rachel, fully transformed and with shackles on her wrists and ankles. Una could tell they were silver as she could smell Rachel's burnt fur as the female werewolf emerged from the bushes.

"Rachel!" Arthur gasped, "are you alright?"

"Fine, largely," Rachel answered and then held up her shackles, "except for these."

"Silver…" Arthur gasped in surprise while Una quickly cut through the shackles with her talons.

"Yeah," Rachel sighed, "I got jumped and tranquilized before I could even get out of the city."

"Who has done this?" Arthur asked, sounding very concerned.

"Some fools who thought I was going to help them conquer the city," Rachel answered, "wanted me to turn him and his followers into werewolves. Come tomorrow, they'll be looking at bars."

"Well, at least they've been stopped then," Merlin nodded.

"But this is why I insisted we stay together," Una said in an almost motherly voice, "It will be tomorrow night by the time your burns heal after being kept in direct contact with silver for so long. We could have helped you."

"I was concerned that someone would see me," Rachel replied, "and they jumped me by surprise. You all could have been knocked out too."

"And Rachel defeated them in the end anyway," Arthur cut in, "let us be grateful for that and that she made it back to us."

"In the meantime, did you guys find out anything?" Rachel asked.

"Some possible clues as to why the Illuminati has been after us," Una answered, "and at least the name of a location where we can get what we need to cure Merlin."

"That's good," Rachel gave polite smile, "It would appear that we've accomplished everything we're needed for."

Arthur and Merlin nodded.

"We'll only know for sure in the morning back at the skiff," Merlin commented, "but I believe you're right."

The End…