I am still receiving messages from artists and I keep saying no, but the message does not seem to be getting through. I'm trying not to be rude, so please don't ask and when I say no, I mean no. Thank you.

Chapter Three- The Eclipse

Elisa's eyes fluttered open and she blinked sleepily as she worked to rouse herself to wakefulness. Her headache was gone and, as she eased herself to sitting, she found that she wasn't dizzy anymore. However, there was now a dull ache that spread through her body.

"Elisa," Matt said, getting her to look up.

"Matt?"

Xanatos invited me here for the eclipse and told me about the attack."

"Has he found out anything about that dart?" she asked as she gingerly got out of bed.

"Uh, yeah. It had a formula designed to activate once it's dark. It's irreversible and has no counter."

"Dark!? That would mean that the eclipse will trigger it!" Elisa had reason to be alarmed. The effects of the formula were unknown and there was no way to keep it from activating.

Matt did not tell Elisa to calm down for he didn't know what it did, either. If it kills her, I will try to have Maxwell arrested and have Castaway charged with conspiracy to murder. "Let's head outside. Maybe the eclipse won't trigger it."

"Yeah, okay," Elisa said, feeling a little calmer. She, for no reason she could explain, removed her jacket and got the glasses out of her inside pocket before she and Matt headed outside.

It was still bright and sunny, however the moon was visible as a round black object that was slowly moving toward the sun. Elisa went back inside to climb the stairs that led to Goliath's spot, Matt right behind her. They emerged from the stairs and donned the glasses to look up at the moon as it moved closer to its goal. Elisa felt her heart pounding as she watched this event and knowing that she was not the only one watching; yet she also dreaded what would happen to her once the eclipse occurred. She slipped off her glasses and looked around; it was advised to only wear the glasses for a few minutes at a time to protect one's eyesight and she heeded that advice. There were glasses for the clan and each one was in a protective box behind their sleeping spots.

"Here it comes," Matt said and Elisa put her glasses on again to look up. Matt was right: The moon was starting to move in front of the sun. The sky was starting to darken and Elisa gasped as her dull ache sharpened and she went to one knee while her hands gripped her head.

Her actions did not go unnoticed. Matt had whirled around upon hearing Elisa's gasp. "Elisa!" he exclaimed as he went to her side and knelt down. "Elisa?"

She began to breathe hard as she planted her other knee and hands on the floor. She squeezed her eyes shut as pain shot through her body, therefore she did not see the changes to her body, though she certainly felt them.

But, Matt did see the changes and while they were startling, he took comfort in the fact that she was not dying. Her skin darkened to a shade he would call dark brown sugar and her fingers went from five to four and became claws. An elbow spur grew from both elbows and her ears became long and pointed.

Elisa gasped, moaned, and groaned in pain as her body continued to alter. It was obvious to Matt that the formula was changing her into a gargoyle, but why? It made no sense. He grimaced as Elisa groaned from her muscles growing bigger and, in some places, thicker. He heard cloth tearing and saw that her shoes had ripped open, revealing two three-toed feet with the heels up and sporting a heel spur each.

Elisa gave an ear-shattering scream that drowned out the first cracking of stone. Her legs popped and cracked into a different shape and a tail burst from her jeans, and a pair of wings tore out of her shirt. Her eyes glowed red for a moment as the roars of the clan faded away.

Goliath resisted looking at the covered sun as he had been warned about looking at it without a special pair of glasses. He heard the awed sounds of the trio as they clearly wasted no time in donning their glasses. He turned to jump down and grab his pair but paused at seeing Matt crouched beside an unknown female gargoyle, but her skin tone, hair, and clothes told him who she was.

He jumped down and crouched in front of her. "Elisa," he said gently. She lifted her head and he saw there was still slight pain in her eyes. "Goliath," she replied softly.

She planted her feet on the floor and pushed herself upright, staggering a little from her legs' new formation. She looked at her hands and then back at the wings on her back. I really am a gargoyle, but why would Castaway have me be a gargoyle? It makes no sense.

"How…?" Goliath asked.

"I was stuck with a dart by a Quarryman as I left my parents' place. He works for Margo Yale and that's how the Quarrymen knew about the train. He claimed that he was going to be rewarded at the next meeting which, of course, didn't happen. I think he sent the note because after he attacked, he said that my punishment has been dealt."

"But, why a gargoyle?" asked Goliath.

"It be Castaway's idea of a nightmare," she said. "It also fits the part of the note calling me a traitor to humanity." She knelt down and retrieved her eclipse glasses which had survived her change and slipped them on which prompted Goliath to grab his and put them on as did Matt.

Goliath looked up and a breath of air escaped him. "Amazing," he said. "Better than I dreamed."

"And a total eclipse like this won't be visible from Manhattan the next time one comes around," Matt said.

Elisa watched the eclipse in silence as her thoughts were on her transformation. Was this a one-time change? Was she a gargoyle from this point on? If she had to guess from the note and what Maxwell said, she would say yes.

She then began to think about what changes she would have to make to her life. She knew she would not sleep in her bed as she doubted it would support the weight of her stone body. She also would lock her bedroom door to insure safety. She thought of her pet and would need to put out food and water so he didn't go hungry.

Her job was her next consideration. She suspected that Chavez would be accommodating but would the force and the city be equally so? After all, only a week had passed since the people accepted the clan. There were still people who were wary of the gargoyles or still sought their destruction. Her life in general had altered in terms of safety.

Goliath looked away from the eclipse and lowered his glasses to see Elisa had done the same but seemed lost in thought as her gaze was on the floor. No doubt she is thinking of how different her life will be now. She cannot go out in daylight as she will turn to stone. Going out in public at all may not be possible doing any shopping will be difficult.

Her job…I can't say if she will be allowed to keep it or not. It would be nice if she can. The loss of her job can lead to the loss of her home and no food to eat. Goliath clenched a fist as he thought of how Castaway had disrupted Elisa's life. He knew he would stand by her as her life changed around her. There wasn't much he could do to help with her human life, but he can help her in adjusting to her gargoyle form. The most obvious one is teaching her to glide.