Goliath nearly broke Owen's desk in two when he slammed his hands down "DO I LOOK TO BE IN A GAMING MOOD?"

The human promptly realigned the pencils on the tabletop "Goliath, Oberon's terms of Puck's tenure in the mortal realm were clear. Clear and non-negotiable."

"Do not cower behind that pitiful excuse, Puck. You were more than capable of bending the rules of your magic restriction when the subterfuge amused you!"

Owen restacked the papers Goliath's had indirectly scattered "While I am permitted to tutor Alex in the magical arts, Oberon is not one to be so easily deceived with a loophole. I cannot just use the child as a conduit to cast spells whenever it is convenient. Alex's magic lesson with Coldstone was a rare exception: Mr. Xanatos is his legal guardian; and because he ordered me to teach Alex that night was I able to bend the rules."

"Then FIND a reason to bend them again." Goliath snarled, his sweat had caused his usual neat, ebony hair to now fall in clumps over his face "You claimed that night was Xanatos repaying his debt for saving his son; yet your debt to ME for convincing Oberon to extend your time is yet to be settled!"

Owen nearly showcased emotion with his sudden pause. He glanced to the side, rubbing his chin.

"I only ask for the most basic of spells!" Goliath rumbled with almost a plea "Please! I've seen you locate individuals a city-length away with but a touch of your finger! I simply ask you to do it once more to show me Brooklyn! I only ask you to find where he is!"

Owen's eyes closed with a shake of his head "I'm afraid a level of sorcery that precise is beyond Puck's organic power. Those feats were done through the assistance of Titania's Mirror and sadly, Demona saw to its destruction."

"But there must be SOMETHING you can do!" Goliath shouted. His talons nearly sunk into the table, he loomed over the human with splayed wings. His breathing was quick, his pupils were shrunken, his haggard form looked all the more gaunt with the weight he's been losing.

"...Goliath…" Owen's stoic voice almost showed a hint of empathy "...Perhaps you should take a seat. We might discuss options availab-"

"I'm OUT of options, Puck." Goliath yelled "I have turned this island inside and out, I have chased every lead that did and DIDN'T exist… Magic… Magic is the only option I have left… You must have a price…" his hand raised and pressed itself into his bare chest, his expression dire. "...name it, name anything, and I shall pay it."

"Golia-"
"ANYTHING…"

Owen was silent. The entire floor was dead quiet, that was until the distant sound of running talons grew louder, followed by the throwing open of the doors.

"OWEN!" Lexington called out as he nearly tore both Italian maple doors off their hinges, but then froze immediately. His urgent expression soured instantly at Goliath. The patriarch's heart sank a little when he saw the gargoyle almost turn around and leave just at the sight of him.

"Lexington." Owen acknowledged, beckoning the shorter one in.

The olive gargoyle's feet clicked off the tiles and onto the carpet "Owen…. I-I want to make a deal."

"I suspected as much, but I must apologize. I am currently in a consultation with Goliath f-"

"No." Goliath dismissed with a raise of his hand. Goliath's enormous form turned to the side and stepped back to give Lexington access "Please Lexington; speak freely."

Too bad Lexington didn't give Goliath the courtesy to finish his sentence "I need your help to find Brooklyn."

"Well I am sorry to report this, but as I was explaining to Goliath, I am not per-"

"I know, just listen!" he interrupted, the still panting gargoyle sped walked in "I know I know, you've got all sorts of restrictions and regulations. I get that, I had plenty of time to brainstorm that on the way here! BUT, you CAN use magic in the defense or tutoring of Alex."

"Correct sir, but-"

"Just lemme finish!" Lex stopped him, he ticked off points on his fingers "Using your magic to find Brooklyn WOULD count as you recruiting more security personnel to defend the building that's magically recognized as Alex's domicile! And and AND in addition to that, you can be prompted into tutoring Alex IF you're asked to by someone recognized as his guardian." he gestured to himself with open palms "Well? Check it out, right here!"

Owen cocked one of his trimmed eyebrows "You presume much in your claiming of that title."

Lexington twitched in offense "ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME?" he boomed, slamming his hands onto the desk (Owen rolled his eyes as the paper and pens he'd just finished reorganizing were flown everywhere again) "After everything Alex and I have been through you SERIOUSLY got the guts to s-"

"PEACE, Lexington." the human said with raised voice and hands "Peace… You have made your case."

The human stood up, pushing his chair away while he loosened his tie. He removed his glasses and neatly folded them to stow them in his breast pocket "Your points are valid and founded. But Alex is currently asleep for the evening, if you wish t-"

"It's 5:58 am on a Thursday." Lexington's words rattled out emotionless and lightning fast. "He's been up for the past 28 minutes."

Goliath could only blink.

Lex shrugged his shoulders defensively "What? I know his sleep schedules - he's an earlier riser in the later half of the week."

Owen closed his eyes and cocked his head, almost like he was trying to hear something "...You are correct." he confirmed, his brow furrowing intensely as he audibly grunted in contemplation "Hmmmmmm… Usually Puck would prepare in advance for a tutoring session… but considering these circumstances…"

Owen tucked his rolling chair beneath his desk and undid his cufflinks "Gentlemen - your distance please."

Then it happened: the familiar spinning in place, the whirring of wind, the flickering of lights, the rush of magical energy crackling as it coalesced from nothing.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's PUCK!"

The trickster of the third race exploded out like a firework, ricocheting off the walls before cartwheeling into the center of the room "OOOOOH does it feel good to be OUTTA THERE!" he cried as he floated in mid-air. He bent over backwards (quite literally), poking his head through his own legs as his spine cracked like a string of fireworks "UGH! I simply can't STAND how stiff a mortal form can get after a while!" he groaned and stretched his arms "Honestly, I don't know how you two deal with this all the time!"

"Puck." Goliath tried to grab his attention.

"Hold on, holdonholdonholdon." he shushed with a raised finger, twisting his head in a full circle before knocking himself on the crown of the skull, causing his eyes to spin "WHOOOF! Ah, much better! Honestly, Lexington my dear boy, you should have played that 'guardian' card earlier, I've been itching for an excuse to stretch my legs once again!"

The elf rolled onto his belly in midair, crossing his legs and arms, his long hair dangling beneath him "So! Didn't have any luck with finding your stray gargoyle, hm? Might I suggest slapping his picture on milk cartons?"

"PUCK." Lexington stated flatly.

"Mmmmm, you're right, those things have an awful rate of success." Puck muttered with a drumming of his fingers against his cheek "Maybe try those new broadcasts they invented back in February this year, AMBER Alert's if I recall? I'm betting money they're gonna be big in the future~"

"We do not have time for these games, Puck!" Goliath snarled with a stomp of his foot "Dawn approaches!"

Puck zipped over to the scowling gargoyle with the sound of an RC Plane "Oh Goliath, out of all the gargoyles in the world - I get stuck with the one who doesn't have a sense of humor." he poked him a few times on the forehead "It's no wonder that stick in the mud, Demona, fell for you."

Goliath's perturbed swat missed him completely when he zipped right back the way he came and settled in mid air with his legs crossed "But since I can tell you're both in such a rush. I'll gladly be of lightning fast service~" he sang.

"GOOD." Lex said firmly… though the frantic relief was unmistakable "Now… You've got pretty much every spell in the world memorized. I don't care how you do it, I don't care what you want in return. Please… You can find him, right?"

Puck contorted his lips as he pondered "Hmmmmmm, well Yes and No. Could I find him? Absolutely I could. Can I do it while cut off from Avalon? Absolutely not. All the conduits needed to find your proverbial needle in a haystack, hay-FIELD more like it, are kept lock-and-key with dear old Daddy Oberon. And any spell that we WOULD use needs to be simple enough for a rookie like Alex to perform."

"Alex was able to transfer souls if I'm not mistaken." Goliath rumbled "Surely he is skilled enough."

"Goliath, sweetie" Puck smarmed wryly "The kid could only transfer one soul at a time and ONLY with express voluntary participation. A true sorcerer can swap a village's worth of souls back and forth like he was shuffling a deck - no consent needed. That little prodigy's got talent, but he's still an infant."

"Well then what options do we have?" Lex raced.

"Hmmmmmm…" the elf tapped a finger to his lips "Been a while since I've had to crack open the beginner spell sets. Perhaps I could…. No. No, that wouldn't work. Oh! Maybe the… hmmm, no that's no good either. But maybe…"

Puck snapped his fingers "OH! I know!" a sly grin spread over his lips "Before our red-headed tenant went toodles, I couldn't help but notice him and the Ringmaster's daughter getting all friendly." he waggled his eyebrows and rolled his shoulders playfully at Goliath "Owen barely pays attention to the relationships of your clan and even HE noticed it."

Goliath's lip twitched, showing fangs. It took a terrible amount of self control to calmly state: "My daughter and Brooklyn were not… pledged… if that's what you imply, Puck."

Puck immediately deflated "UGHHHH, and here I thought you batch were finally having some juicy developments! Well there goes that plan!"

Lex waved his hands "Whoa whoa whoa, what, why?"

Puck rolled back as if reclining on a chair and crossed his legs "Well, there is ONE basic spell able to be performed by even the most rookie of magical users." the elf had an uncharacteristically wicked grin "...Back in the days of old, things such as electronic-emails, telegrams, and the technological wonder that is the modern Car Phone did not exist. So when armies left home for months, even years, at a time, soldiers would miss their wives so terribly."

"Get to the point."

Puck clasped his hands together and shook his head in a mock pity, not even registering a response "Oh those poor, poor souls. To be wed to a fair maiden and sent to the battlefield without getting to see them for so long - what anguish it did to a lovestruck heart. FORTUNATELY!" he snapped a finger up "There was a simple spell that was forged and perfected over the years to bridge the physical gap between lovers. Before a soldier deployed, he and his beloved would have a spell cast upon them that would link their dreams. So that no matter how far away they might be, no matter what laid between them in miles: every night when they slept, they'd be able to reunite in their shared minds!"

Puck grinned "Haven't you ever wondered where the phrase 'I'll see you tonight in my dreams' came from~?"

Goliath interrupted, "Well, Brooklyn was unmated… that would not be an option."

Puck glared at him "...Jeez, not a romantic bone in any of your bodies is there?" he muttered "That's not what I mean! What I'm trying to tell you is: the spell is beyond basic and doesn't require any actual romantic connection or anything! Don't you remember? I used the spell on you in Avalon to slip into your dreaming mind - even with a skull as thick as yours, I was able to hop in with ease!"

Goliath audibly tensed, the mix of resurging horror on his face, immediately backed up by fury made even Lexington take a timid step back. The youngest looked back and forth between the two "Wait… Dream? Avalon?" he said out loud "What are you talking about."

"NOT. IMPORTANT." Goliath snarled at his clanmate, eyes still drilling into Puck with an unhidden rage. Lex recoiled slightly - having gotten so accustomed to the leader walking on eggshells for the past month, he had forgotten how intimidating he was when angry.

Goliath managed to keep the glowing-white eyes at bay. He exhaled in a vain attempt to calm himself "...What are you proposing?"

"Well it's quite obvious isn't it, big fella?" Puck hummed with hands on hips "I link one of your minds with Brooklyn's. You go to sleep. Brooklyn tells you in your dreams where he is. Bing-Bang-Boom."

"IT'S THAT EASY!?" Lexington blurted out.

"Well hold on, hold on, bring it back for me, pint sized." Puck reeled it in "In case you haven't noticed, I said we needed BOTH parties to be here for the casting of the spell. If I was doing it, I could easily do it with just one of you, but with Alex… it's going to need a bit of help."

"The stronger the bond of the two individuals, the more reliable the connection is: typically lovers are the best choice." He explained "Buuuuut, I'm guessing he was lacking in that department~?"

Lex's shoulders prickled, he could feel the white in his eyes almost shine "DON'T YOU DARE MOCK HIM LIKE THAT."

Puck giggled "Well I guess that's a 'yes'." he zipped over to Goliath "Well then, the next best option would be the bond of parent and child but… Sssssssssss…" he cupped the back of his hand to his lips as if to whisper to him, but he still spoke at full volume and with a voice dripping in amusement "-I'm getting the impression THAT bond is a little more than frayed right now~?"

Goliath swung a punch this time. Puck barely dodged it with a squat in mid-flight "Hey hey hey! I was talking about DEMONA as the parent!" he laughed coyly.

"YOU DISGRACEFUL, LITTLE-"

"What about me?!" Lexington blurted out.

Goliath froze his intent of assault. Puck turned to face him slowly… the smirk that crept over his lips chilled Lexington to the bone. It was all too knowing.

But that knowing smirk quickly evaporated into a too cheerful smile "Oh my! Now what an idea that is! I never would have thought to suggest YOU! Of course! The bond of two life-long FRIENDS should be plenty sufficient." he sang and popped over in a flash.

"Well, now that we have our candidate, we'll just need a conduit. Since we'll be making this a one-way synchronization of minds, we'll need something of Brooklyn's to search him out. Something small, something insignificant.. Anything of note will suffice!" Puck's tone was overtly cheerful all of a sudden.

"...Such as?"

"Well, DNA is always the best option. Do you have a clump of his hair perhaps? Maybe even a baby tooth? I know humans here collect the teeth of their children….. Odd."

Lex mutely shook his head.

"Well, no issue." Puck said, unfazed "A picture should be sufficient. But not one of those grainy security feeds! I'd need a very clear picture for Alex to use."

'Lexington aimlessly flipped over wooden boards and stone slabs, hoping to uncover... well, ANYTHING. One of their comic books? A video game they had forgotten? SOMETHING that belonged to them? He didn't even bother looking for a photograph of any of them... no such thing existed; Goliath only existed on Kodachrome because he and Elisa had their picture last Halloween. The rest of them existed only in memory of one another.'

Lex shook his head "...No…" The irony of it all… thanks to Hollywood's scrapbooking hobby, there WERE pictures of them all finally… just not one of Brooklyn.

Puck harrumphed "Well… Okay, getting a little tricky now. But does he have anything he claims as 'his'?" Puck said with fingers drumming on his arms "When you gargoyles turn to stone, anything you 'claim' as part of you, turns to stone with you: Your clothing, Hudson's Sword, The Phoenix gate when Goliath had it. Is there anything like that laying around?"

Lex shook his head grimly again.

Puck pinched his nose and shook his head "For the love of - OKAY!" he snapped a hand up "Then do you have ANYTHING of Brooklyn's laying around? Anything at all? A sword? A Hat? A watch? Two-sponges, a rubber glove, and a Pringles can?"

Goliath spared Lexington "We Gargoyles do not carry possessions, nor do we take up residence in anything more complex than a perch on a castle - we are a non-materialistic people."

Puck exhaled dramatically and fell backwards, his back bending at an impossible angle "FIGURES. You got the most expensive rental property address in Manhattan on your Tax Returns and not one of you owns so much as a toothbrush."

Lexington's eyebrows suddenly popped up "WAIT!" he exclaimed "I think I got something that might count!" no time was given to ask what, because he was already out the door "Wait here, I'll be back with Alex! Just wait!'

"So eager to begin." Puck chuckled whilst materializing two cups of tea "Early Gray~?" he offered "I know you're the strong/silent type, but I can't stomach you just standing there brooding while we wait ar-"

"I have questions." Goliath stated directly.

"Then you shall have answers! The secret to my beautiful hair is 40/60 shampoo to conditioner ratio-"

"You brought up the terrible dream you conjured up in Avalon again just now."

"...Ugh, you are just NO fun, tonight…"

Goliath flared his wings "I've seen enough in the time since then to know it did not prophesize the future… but it is not that which vexes me…" he glanced behind him, listening intently to ensure Lexington wasn't returning "Why…. Why did you make Lexington the one behind all of it?"

"Huh?" Puck gave an unamused sound.

"You did not choose Xanatos as the real mastermind of the horrors - you chose Lexington… WHY?'

"Wait THAT'S what's disturbing you? Honey, I pulled him as the rabbit out of the hat just cause I had run out of characters! I was killing off illusions so quickly, I literally had to make up everything on the fly! And let's be honest, I didn't have much to work with based on what little I knew about all of you." his irritation soured further with a pouting cross of his arms "Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if Demona was actually more fun to mess with than you…"

"Demona…" Goliath echoed her name. He glared at Puck "...She summoned you through Titania's Mirror, yes?"

"The very one!"

"...I am familiar with some of its powers spoken of in legends…. But before that, I need to ask: why did you seek out Elisa? Did Demona demand it?"

"Oh that~?" Puck sang, "That wonderful furniture piece could do all sorts of things! One finger touch of the mirror with her reflection in it and I instantly learned all there was to know about your lovely ex. Her whole backstory (Yech, what a nasty piece of work she was), what she loathed, what she wanted, what she loved (VERY spicy secrets in that category~), even her favorite color! - It's Burnt Sienna by the way."

"But why did that lead you to-"

"One of the things she wanted the most was you~ Buuuuuuut she took one look at Elisa and blew a gasket. So out went THAT quaint moment." his hand swiped across his chest with the sound of a prop-plane.

"You know… everything about her?"

"Sure do."

Goliath's mind turned its gears. "...But you just said that you created the illusio-"

Goliath pressed his knuckles to his lips, brow furrowing more and more. Before it clicked. His steely gaze thawed into a growing horror "...Puck! But that means-!… A-Are you meaning to say that-"

Lexington shouldered open the door again, Alex in one arm, a black leather jacket in the other.

"Oh goodie!" Puck chimed "A Lex and Alex!". The elf waggled his fingers to let magic crackle forth, levitating Alex away from Lexington "Oh how I've missed you, kid! I spend everyday with you as Owen, but it's just not the same, is it~?" he then cocked an eyebrow at Lex, tilting his head "...The heck's that?"

"It's Brooklyn's…" he clutched the shoulderpads and held it out: A black leather biker jacket "His first one got shredded, but he got attached to this one. I mean, I'd bring a pair of his sunglasses, but those things broke at least once a week… would this work."

Puck looked less than amused. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head with a sigh "Huuuuuuuuh, no, but what choice do I have?"

He tickled Alex's stomach with a finger "Well my boy! Are you ready for Soul Transference 102~?" while simultaneously shifting his attention to Goliath "Oh and by the way: Alex will still need another's body to possess in order to cast the spell. Think you can step up to the plate, big guy?"

"Fine. Do it. And Hurry."

"Right-e-o!" Puck cleared his throat into his fist, before: "For the spirit to be willing, the flesh must first grow weak. Just long enough for the soul in flight, to pass from cheek to cheek."

And it happened - a cloudburst of light blue exploded from Alex and consumed Goliath, the titanic gargoyle stumbling back slightly and clutching his head, before he blinked his eyes back to their senses.

"Wonderful!" cheered with praying hands "Take a second to get used to the body, kid. It's the first time a human's occupied THAT fat skull of his. And speaking of which~" he wiggled his finger around before tapping it onto Goliath's forehead "BOOP!"

Lex furrowed his brow "What was that?"

"Hm~? Oh, that. Nothing to worry about, just turned Goliath's conscience off for a little bit." he hummed, before floating over to Lexington "I thought you'd appreciate a little privacy for this conversation.

"Conversation?"

"Well, with you going in after your crush, I just thought you'd appreciate a little bit of a briefing."

Lex recoiled. ANGELA. He bared his fangs "SHE TOLD YOU!?"

"Who's 'she'?" Puck snickered "Whomever you're talking about, I didn't need them. Figured it out ages ago."

"W-WHAT?"

"Darling, puh-LEASE." Puck tutted "I knew you had feelings for him probably before YOU even did. You think you're the only bisexual under this roof?"

The elf pressed his hands together overhead and arched them down - a dazzling rainbow materialized with the motion "Being stuck to court only one gender is sooooo boring. Believe me, I know" he complained "I've been around for 4,000 years, you know. I just HAD to take a century here and there to experiment." He interlocked his fingers beneath his chin, idly kicking his feet "-believe me, honeybun, I can spot dead-giveaway signs a mille passus away."

Lex swallowed hard. He didn't like the idea of THAT piece of knowledge in the hands of one of Oberon's Children.

"Oh you can wipe that terror from your face, I won't tell a soul. Scouts honor." he crossed his heart "After all, seeing THIS play out will be far more fun to witness after all. The bookworm, tech scholar and the rowdy, compensating lieutenant. OH! The poets of Rome could not write a pair so entertaining if given a thousand attempts!"

"If you're going to spend what time we have left mocking me, then speed it up!' Lexington demanded.

"MOCK you? Oh no no no! Quite the opposite! I'm here in the helping mood, after all." he zipped around Lexington "Since it shall be YOUR mind linking with Brooklyn's I thought a fair bit of warning was in order."

"Warning?"

"Indeed! I'll be honest." Puck shrugged "I was going to turn Goliath away as Owen earlier, there really wasn't much I could do… but then YOU had to come in at the perfect moment as if in a play back in Greece! Cause here's the thing: I wasn't being entirely truthful earlier, the spell WON'T work on just anyone, not even a strong friendship shall do the trick. An INTENSE love and understanding of one another is a prerequisite to make this store-bought brand version of the incantation work. So you were quite literally the only candidate I could think of."

"But… Broadway… HUDSON!" Lex defended "They're close with him!"

"Oh Psh-awh! Friendship doesn't do the trick. We'd need something stronger than that, so zip your lip and take the win. I'm helping you out here." he giggled slyly. He then clapped his hands together "NOW THEN, back to my sagely word of warning: when I say you'll be sharing dreams… I literally mean it."

Puck flutter kicked away "And as you know, dreams rarely make any sense OR cooperate. This won't be as simple as you making a phone call to Brooklyn and asking for an address - you'll be linking his subconscious with your own."

Lex made a confused sound "...Meaninnngggggg?"

"Meaning you'll be able to make very little rhyme or reason of it all. You'll both be dreaming together, so logic and understanding will be out the window. All things considered, with how low quality this spell is going to have to be, Brooklyn may not even recognize you as the REAL you projecting into his dreams. He'll think you're just another figment of his imagination."

"So… You're saying that I'm not even going to be fully conscious? Neither of us are? I just have to HOPE something in his brain will be of use?"

"Heyyyyyyyy! Now you're catching on!" Puck beamed "And it only gets better! Remember, you're not linking just your minds. You're linking your consciousnesses. Meaning NO filter or self control! What's in your mind is what's gonna come out! No chance at hiding all the juicy details!"

Lexington's face went pale.

"And with that~?" he poked Goliath's forehead again "Ah, there he is! Sorry Goliath, looks like you got stunned when Alex took hold, it's all fine now. Now then Lexington, ready to get started~?"

Lex blinked himself back to reality. *'Prick'* he immediately thought - Puck had left him no time to weigh the options. He nodded his head "...I'm ready."

"Good, now then, keep a good grip on that jacket…" Puck held out his hand "...Close your eyes..."

"Think about Brooklyn… Think about your happiest memories of him. Think about your worst memories of him… when did he make you smile? When did he make you rage? What does he do that makes you miss him? What does he do that makes you want to chase him away? Good… imagine him - his voice, his touch, his scent."

Lexington's talons gripped the leather until it audibly creaked.

Puck bowed to 'Goliath' and slid away "Floor is all yours, kid!"

Alex raised Goliath's hulking arms, rotating them in the air as magic sparked and clouded around his forearms.

"For when lovers are parted by conscription to fight, let their hearts maintain their steadfast might. For let it be known that all is not as it seems- rejoin these two passionate souls now, in the safety of their dreams."

The magic hit Lexington with a burst, sending him stumbling backwards. He recoiled as suddenly everything felt numb, his head going fuzzy as he could feel the room ripple beneath him. He braced himself for whatever it is that awaited him, to be sucked into the illogical realm of dreams.
He opened his eyes

…Nothing. He was still standing in Owen's office with Goliath and Puck.

Lexington looked expectantly at the elf.

"Well don't give me THAT look!" Puck harrumphed "The spell's not gonna kick in until you go to stone sleep at sunrise!"

As if cued, the clock on Owen's desk beeped, sunrise was upon them. "UH OH! And speaking of which-!" Puck showed a hint of panic as he instantly reversed the soul exchange spell, Goliath spitting out Alex's soul before he turned to stone with the human trapped as a passenger.

Goliath returned to his natural state and regained his bearings. He rose his voice "Lexington, you go ahead, I need to-"

But Lexington had scrambled out the door already - whether it was from urgency to get to sunlight as fast as possible, or complete lack of respect for Goliath's commands was a mystery.

"You're WELCOOOOOOOOME!" Puck shouted down the hallway, before pouting "HMPHF! See if I ever include YOU in Alex's lessons again!"

The elf stopped in his tracks. Goliath's attention was drilled into him "My final question has yet to be answered, Puck… I must know."

Puck rolled his eyes "Whatever it is, it can't be worth this droll of a conversation: honestly, I'm getting a headache from this." he mumbled "Besides, what's fun with having all the answers?"

Goliath put his arm out, stopping Puck as he tried to walk by "Answer it… and I will consider your debt, settled…"

Puck sighed and quite literally rolled his eyes "Oh, very well." he threw up his hands into another bored shrug "What great mystery does that small mind of yours ponder?"

Goliath's jaw clenched. He swallowed hard. He was debating if the knowledge was something he could stomach knowing… The words he let out in a haggard tone made Puck's tired grimace lift into a flabbergasted gawk. The elf stood in silence, frozen like a deer in headlights. Goliath held his breath.

Puck's eyes immediately flickered with wicked delight, his lips slithered back into a horrible grin.

0000oooo0000oooo0000

Lexington was on his perch in a flash, the light blue dawn of winter was conquering the waning moments of night. His foot was bouncing on the stonework fast enough to dislodge a brick "Come on, come on." He willed the sun to rise faster.

He had run so fast he hadn't even noticed Hudson had been leaning against the wall with his arm crossed… odd to not see him inside enjoying the TV. "WHOA Lad!" he called out. His face went pale as he saw Lexington sprinting for the edge "LAD!?" lurching forward to try and grab him. The last time someone threw themselves over the edge hadn't ended well, after all.

Hudson only halted when Lexington planted his feet on the ledge "I got a spell from Puck!" he yelled "No idea if it'll work, but it might be worth something!"

"Spell? Lexington. PLEASE do not tell me you permitted that fiendish little elf to wave his powers over yee!"

"It'll be worth it! Trust me! Just gotta wait for stone sleep." he continued to try to force the dawn sooner by force of will "Come onnnnn."

Hudson's old bones popped as he mounted the perch beside him "But have ya heard from the others, lad? Broadway, Angela, and Bronx are nowhere to be found. I do-"

"GUYS!" Broadway shouted, coming over the wall with Bronx in tow. He stumbled forward, soaked in sweat and gasping for air "Guys! Guys!"

"What? What is it? And for heaven's sake, catch yer breath first!"

The blue light turned to yellow as the sun ascended over the horizon.

"BROOKLYN!" he managed to shout between wheezes, doubling over and planting his hands on his knees "We have a lead! Bronx and I found drops of his blood in a warehouse by-"

The dawn's light covered them, their skin groaned and creaked as they hardened to stone.

It was a shame Elisa had not been there and Goliath had kept Owen inside. Had anyone sentient been present, they'd have seen the green light burst from Lexington's statue and shoot in the air; just as they'd see, a few moments later, a red one shoot back down and illuminate the little gargoyle's statue.

0000oooo0000oooo0000

…

…

…

"….Ngh…."

Lexington opened his eyes. Something horrid in the darkness made his stomach drop. A vile sixth sense made him feel one command scream in every corner of his mind: "HIDE."

The primal horror only found in nightmares.

But this wasn't a nightmare. Something about this felt real, very real. Something was watching him.

Something was going to hurt him.

His feet quivered as he took a step forward in the void, black tiles aporated beneath his feet with every shivering stride. He hugged his sides, suddenly wanting to creep very low. Dim, bloody lights hummed out a hellish red in the endless oblivion overhead. Distorted, static sounds groaned in all directions.

He wasn't supposed to be here.

He wasn't a warrior anymore, he wasn't strong. He wanted to just collapse to the ground… It was too overwhelming. Something in this darkness was just… evil. The reality of what laid beyond the shadows was closing in on him, it suffocated him. He sank to his knees, covering his ears - there was barely any noise at all… but it was deafening.

Weeping.

Lexington uncovered his ears and snapped his eyes open in a flash. The voices and cries dulled to background noise - one sound took over everything. Brooklyn's voice heaving.

"BROOKLYN!?" Lexington screamed.

He dashed forward, throwing away the terror that was dragging him with it with every passing second. He shouted his rookery brother's name as he sprinted into the black oblivion, then he screamed it, then he shrieked it.

He skidded to a halt as the murky darkness was illuminated by a dim, flickering red light far in the distance. Brooklyn's shape was on the floor, facing away and curled up in a fetal position - soaked in blood and viscera. He heaved and choked despair, his shoulders shaking.

"BROOK! BROOK, I'M COMING!"

Caution into the wind, he sprinted for him like his life depended on it. Tears stung his eyes as he screamed his name over and over again. The black smog dissipated. They were deep underground, pipes and circuitry lined the concrete ceiling overhead. Blood soaked the floor. Lexington skinned down to the ground, he reached a claw out for Brooklyn, barely touching his shoulder. "Brook-"

*SCRAWWW!*

Brooklyn's body instantly was in mid-air. His eyes were black, his chest was now ripped open, organs spilled out on the floor. Screaming a disembodied screech in Lexington's face.

Then he was gone, disappeared into thin air like he was never there in the first place. It hadn't even been a full second, but his demonic scream rang in Lexington's ears.

Lex was on the floor, quivering in the void, eyes frozen open in horror. He was too scared to move. The black was closing in on him… it was moving, constricting him. Brooklyn's sobs began again behind him.

"RUN." his body commanded him.

His fragile mortality screamed for him to run away. That thing was not Brooklyn. It was a fake.

The disfigured sounds coming from his mouth, the sheer death in the vision he just saw would make a rotted corpse look alive by comparison. But he struggled to his feet, quivering in terror to the point he nearly wanted to vomit. He sprinted towards the sound of Brooklyn's heaves. His back was turned to him, kneeling and clutching his head - a head that was bald of its usual white mane.

"B-Brooklyn-" he dove for him

"GAAAAHH!"

Instantaneous. Brooklyn disappeared. A skinned carcass of him screamed at Lexington, eyes and tongue removed. His voice was like a gunshot. The imagery of scalpels, surgical tools, and thrashes of pain flooded his impish mind.

Lexington collapsed to the ground as the golem disappeared. The darkness around him now surged forward, it was chasing him. It'd take him too. Lexington didn't wait to hear more howls of anguish before he trembled back to his feet. His feet shifted directions once he heard the weeping again.

Lexington ran as fast as his aching legs could propel him, he was being sucked down into the floor. The hellish void snapped at his back as he raced forward to Brooklyn - now on doubled over and shivering silently.

He was terrified.

Not Lexington. Brooklyn.

Both those demonic images were depraved and terrifying… but they emanated a despairing feeling of pure, unadulterated horror. They were afraid - a wild animal screaming as it was cornered.

He dove forward "BROOKLYN!"

He didn't care when the image disappeared into a sunken, starved, bloated creature that screamed at him - Lexington did not recoil. He snapped his arms around his rookery brother "I got you Brooklyn! I GOT YOU!" he cried, clutching him tight.

He could feel the dread, it infected him from every direction "I won't let you go!" he promised the madly thrashing creature "I'm here!"

Brooklyn fell backwards, dragging Lexington down with him. Lexington closed his eyes and braced what horrors this decision sealed his fate for.

But no pain came.

*SMASSSSHHHHHH*

They shattered through the tiles below, free falling through the air of the night sky. The wind forced Lexington's eyes closed, something ripped his brother from his arms, he barely managed to blindly snap onto his wrist, finding it with his flailing.

Their wings snapped open, slowing their descent. His eyes took in the scenes of… home? The Scottish Highlands. Castle Wyvern was in the distance with its walls illuminated with the lights of the nightly feast. Their taloned feet settled into the soft, tall grass. His feet clenched into the soft, wet dirt…. Lexington had almost forgotten the feeling of it.

His split second attention away from Brooklyn got its discipline again, he snapped his head to the direction he had last felt him.
He braced himself to see another hellfire abomination… but that wasn't what was on their knees and shaking.

Brooklyn.

His handsome face, his wild mane of white, his strong body, and his flawless body of crimson. He was on all fours and shakily sucking in air as if he had just escaped death by drowning. The red one's eyes snapped open, he jerked his baffled head back and forth- as if he was desperately trying to make sense of what was happening. Lexington almost went to take a step forward to see if he was real… but-

Brooklyn's attention snapped to Lexington while recoiling away. The glow of the Feral State burned his eyes a merciless white. Silence was the only word to be communicated between the two of them.

But then the falcon-beaked warrior blinked, forcing down the primal instincts that were demanding his priority. Lexington hadn't noticed it, but the world around them felt so blurry and merged - Brooklyn's haggard breaths were coming from within his very ears. He could feel their frantic heartbeats steadying as their minds were freed from adrenaline. The foggy distant shape of the castle sharpened into the clarity of their home, the muddled green beneath their feet became distinct blades of cool grass.

All the senses kicked in, Brooklyn's breathing was his. His breathing was Brooklyn's.

His red quads and calves flexed as he stood up. A voice he had almost forgotten the sound of called one name "...Lex?"

"B-Brooklyn?" he warily hoped.

Brooklyn stumbled over his own two feet. Two pairs of arms shot forward; red and olive entangled with one another. Their talons locked over the other's back, their bare chests snapped together, they banished all distance that could possibly be between them.

"L-Lexington!?" Brooklyn's shaky voice pleaded for his presence. He leaned back and held his olive face in both hands "...I-Is that really you!?"