by: Spacebabie

Email: LadyAndromeda@smstars.zzn.com

reviews can be found at http://pub17.ezboard.com/bgargoylesx

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Deception

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Two gargoyles stood on one of the cliffs that overlooked the ocean that surrounded the magical island of Avalon. The emerald green male was named Gawain after the noble knight, He stood at nearly seven feet making him the second tallest of the clan. His large golden three clawed tipped wings folded across his silver breast plate. The belt of his loincloth had a sheath which held his sword.

The gray female stayed close to his side. Cecilia’s golden waves flowed down behind her strange horns that seem to just out straight forward and then curve back. Her wings were yellowish green and had only one claw. Like Gaiwan she kept them folded across her chest. She wore a black halter top with a braided leather strap over her left shoulder. Around her neck on a simple chain was her calliope. She noticed the movement near the beach that peeked around the lower left corner of her vision. She gently tapped her rookery brother and pointed.

"Lilac is going to the beach again," He nodded with a smile. Cecilia rolled her eyes at him and sighed. There was no question on to who was the most beautiful of all her sisters. Lilac who’s skin was the same color of the flower she was named after. Four small vestigial horns that were even shorter and more pointier than Angela’s vestigle horns were along her browline. Behind them was long wavy white hair that nearly touched the ground. Her most striking feature was part of her wings. They were almost like the wings of an angel with the way they were shaped, except for the curved claw on each. The ends of her wings ended in diaphanous feather like fringes. The end of her tail ended in the shape of a feather and was as translucent as her fringes.

"I’m smiling at her curious nature and her love of both learning and the sea," Gawain explained. "Because of that I think she might end up with either Solomon or Raphael."

"Methinks she might end up with Glaucus since he is the best swimmer and fisher."

"That may be true," He pulled her closer. "Such a quiet and still night."

"It’s a lovely night," She stared into his eyes. They were locked into each others stares for a whole minute before he descended for a kiss.

"Hope I’m not intruding," They separated at the sound of a voice. "but Vestia had been baking such tasty treats and I thought it would be nice to share."

"What kind of treats Mercutio?" Cecilia smiled. Despite the fact they were all rookery siblings some felt closer to each other. When they had gotten old enough run around outside the castle they factioned off into trios and quartets. Gawain and Mercutio were the two she felt closest with. The smaller gargoyle hopped closer. He was a bright red webwing with a shaggy black mane. Above his eyes his forehead formed a triangle that jutted up and backwards.

"Popovers," Mercutio smiled and reached into the wool sack that he carried with strap hung around his neck. He pulled out a round golden brown pastry.

"What is a popover?" Gawain asked as he suspiciously took it.

"It’s a pastry," Mercutio explained. "That has an eggy flavor to them." He handed another one to Cecilia before reaching into the sack for a third. "They are very good." He bit into the pastry.

Gawain stared at the puffball like bread roll in his hand before he sniffed it.

"Don’t be silly brother," Cecilia said and bit into hers. Gawain took a bite out of his. It was light and fluffy inside and it did have an eggy flavor.

"It does taste good," Gawain agreed.

"What fools these mortals be," Mercutio’s eyes narrowed into slits as he rubbed his talons together. Gawain had his teeth deep into his popover as he stared at Mercutio. Cecilia just rolled her eyes.

"Your the fool," Cecilia sighed. The red gargoyle doubled over with laughter.

"These jokes are getting old," Gawain said after he had swallowed.

"Ip, ip, ip." Mercutio jumped around like a frog. "The world needs laughter, and laughter is one of the language’s of the soul."

"If only you were actually funny," Cecilia ran her fingers through her hair. The webwing stopped hopping.

"Are you saying I’m not?" his eyes turned up sadly before he puffed out his chest. "I’ll have you know Oberon says I’m hilarious."

"Well you are funny looking," Gawain smirked. Mercutio stuck his tongue out at him. The smaller male noticed the movement down at the beach.

"Is that Lilac?"

"Who else could it be?" Cecilia asked.

"I’ll go see if she would like a treat." He stretched out his arms and glided down.

"I hope he does not try the same routine on her," the gray female shook her head. "Lilac wouldn’t put up with such nonsense." She felt Gawain hands on her shoulder.

"Where were we?" He asked.

"No," She pulled away from him.

"Why not?" She lowered her eyes.

"Cause I haven’t truly decided yet."

"We were about too."

"And I realized I love you both too much to choose between the two of you." She walked away from him and stared out at the sea. "I will make my choice someday, but not now." Her head lowered. "I’m not ready."

"I don’t want-" She cut him off.

"What is that?" With his hand on his hilt he joined her side and stared out at the sea. An triangular object was moving across the waves at a high speed.

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The mist had finally cleared. Felicia kept her hands on the steering wheel and focused on the dark sliver on the horizon. Fang who had been clutching the bottom of the speedboat since they had set out sat up and stared at the island that was getting closer.

"Land ho!" He shouted, felt his stomach lurch and crumpled to the ground.

"Remind me to thank Vlad and Ursa," Thailog grinned from his place in the boat. The British couple had gotten the enchantment to reach the magical island from two of their clan members that operated a magic store. "Try to find a good beach or a dock to pull us into Felicia."

"Aye aye captain." The blue haired woman gave him a salute

"Not going to recruit the whole clan right?" Fang mumbled.

"No just the best fighter." He looked down at the mutate who seemed to be hugging the floor for dear life.

"Not going too take long?"

"Not long at all."

"Good," He lifted his head weakly. "Winter told me she believes that she is expecting."

"Our clan is growing," Thailog smiled. He returned his focus to where they were heading and saw that a handful of gargoyles had gathered at the beach they were approaching. Felicia gunned the motor till the bottom of the boat grazed sand and stopped.

"That’s as far as we are going to go," She said and turned it off. She placed the keys into her pocket before sliding out. "Son of a bitch." She sighed as the water came up to her knees. Thailog leaped over the back off the boat and pushed.

"Fang we are going to need your help," He said before pushing.

"Okay," The cougar mutate crawled over the side and joined the black gargoyle in the back.

"Goliath?" The voice belong to the male green gargoyle that stood out in front of the others. His long blond hair flowed past his shoulders. He had long curved horns. There were small growths on his chin and his brow ridges were the curved fleshy protrusion that was similar to what Hunter had in his gargoyle form. "Is that really you?"

"It is me," Thailog sighed and frowned. "An impostor changed my color and convinced the clan that I was an evil clone. Felicia and Fang have been helping me."

"Tristam, Michael, Teresa, Ferdinand, Rosalynd help us bring this boat onto the sand." Five other gargoyles that were as young as the one who spoke splashed through the waves and grabbed onto the sides of the boat and pushed it out of the water. "A few feet more brothers and sisters. We have to make sure it is too far inward for the high tide to pull it out." Once they had stopped Fang fell face first into the sand.

"You big baby!" Felicia kicked sand into his face. "Your a hell a lot stronger than me and I’m fine." She turned away in disgust while rubbing her arm. A blue female with long raven colored tresses and tall horns that jutted up behind her head and curved back raised a browridge at her. "I’m fine." Felicia spat.

"Mrgmph," Fang was still lying on the ground.

"You should not mistreat your clan member like this," The blue female said. "Nor should you lie about your injuries." She approached Fang and helped him to his feet along with the large bronze male that was as tall as Thailog. "Are you all right?"

"hmmff," He muttered before spitting out mouthfuls of sand. "My eyes,"

"Raphael has said that tears are the best way to clean out eyes," The bronze male helped brush some of the sand out of Fang’s furry face. "I am Michael, and she is Teresa."

"I’m not used to the sea," He tried to support himself on his legs but they still felt as if they were filled with jello instead of bones and muscles.

"Lean on us," Teresa said.

Thailog looked back on Fang and shook his head. He shouldn’t have asked the mutate to come. His mate was expecting and he voiced his wariness about being out over water.

"What is this commotion?" The black gargoyle turned back to where the Avalon clan was gathering. Parting through the sea of gargoyles was a human male dressed in armor. The image of a gargoyle was across his chest. He removed his gargoyle like helmet to reveal a man in his early fifties. His eyes widened at the sight of Thailog. "Goliath can it be ye?"

"It is," The male who first greeted them. Most likely the clan leader, had said. "A spell had altered his coloration."

"Who has done this to ye?" He made his way to clone. "Gabriel had told me a spell, but to make yer eyes the color of blood?"

"It is true," Thailog sighed. "An impostor has taken over my clan. He lead them all to believe that I am the fake, even Angela, my own daughter." He lowered his shoulders and sighed again. The human rested his hand on his shoulder.

"Do na worry yerself Goliath. Ye still have yer other clan. Gabriel and the rest shall help ye rid of that usurper."

"Thank you friend."

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They were called the death gods. Their presence on Avalon caused the rest of the fey and the immortals to be uncomfortable. They only made their presence at the courts once world year. There was the jackal headed Anubis, Hel who’s comely half of her face had a half crown of shimmery white hair and her hideous half a greasy black mass, Coatlique the Aztec goddess who had talons sharp as a gargoyle’s. Her skirt was made of slithering snakes that crawled over each other. The hearts on her necklace wwere still beating, and of course Hades. His head topped with sable curls wore a crown made of black pears, shining black armor was over his tunic. His well toned arms with muscle tone like well oiled springs crossed his chest while his black cape flapped in the breeze.

Hallie looked at him with his deep smoldering eyes and sighed.

"Don’t waste your time," Hera waltzed up too her. "Unlike his brothers this one is faithful. Even thought he could have an army of lovers with his brooding good looks he won’t stray." She watcheds as Hades entered the courtroom first.

"I don’t blame Zeus for his wandering." She readjusted her mask. "If I were married to you I would stray as well." Hera’s gray eyes filled with rage as she slowly turned so that she could face Hallie

"What did you say?" Her voice was like ice.

"I said if I were Zeus I would find other lovers." The cold soft hand of Hera found its mark across Hallie’s face.

"Take that back." The Queen of the Greek gods snarled.

"No fucking way. It just proves my point that you are a domineering bitch." Hera struck her again Hallie’s form became transparent as she tried to float away. Her’s form dissolved into a cloud that surrounded the ghost and formed into a Grecian urn. A black rose sprouted out of the urn and the petals fell off before melting into a puddle of black goo. Hallie rose from the puddle.

"I love a magical battle," The Halloween fey smirked.

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The image of the two fey fighting rippled slightly before becoming glass like.

"Your daughter is quite the trouble maker," Luna looked up from the reflection pond at her dark haired sister. "She is giving Hera quite the challenge."

"All things are true," Selene replied. She tried to keep the same stoic expression as her sisters but the slight smile to her lips and way her eyes twinkled with pride gave her a way.

"There is more activity on our island," Phoebe touched the center of the pond. The water rippled and image dissolved into a scene of the Avalon gargoyles and Thailog’s group. "A great deceiver amongst the mortals who share their home with us."

"Not the true Goliath that came, but a copy created by science," Phoebe nodded. "That one will cause great mischief that will bring disarray to both clans."

"But we cannot interfere," Luna said. "We shall not tell them the truth."

"That is Oberon’s rule and has stood for thousands of years," Selene said.

The three sisters did not notice that she was watching them. Peasblossom sighed. She did not want them to know that she was eavesdropping. The small handmaiden of Titania gripped the side of the wall with her tiny fingers. Not tell anyone? How could those three be so cold and calculating? How could they not be concerned about the clan that lived with the grandson of their queen.

"I cannot sit by and let this deception be," She breathed. She couldn’t break the rules either. Perhaps if she had Titania’s permission? Well first she had to make sure the sisters spoke the truth. Peasblossom brushed a few of her pale pink bangs out from over her eyes before taking flapping her gossamer wings. She had some spy work to perform.

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Fang opened one lid a crack as a small stream of tears trickled out of the corner. He opened it fully and blinked a few times before doing the same process with the other eye.

"Are your eyes free from sand?" Teresa asked. The female held a pewter drinking flute in her hands.

"I can see again," Fang shrugged and held up his hand before he licked the back of it. He was in the middle of his third lick when he realized what he was doing. "Damn instincts," He muttered. Theresa handed him the flute. "What is this?" He looked at her quizzically as he accepted it.

"It’s juice crushed from the different kinds of grapes that grow on the island and has yet to ferment."

"Grape juice?" Fang grinned as he sniffed it before taking a sip.

"I guess you can call it that." She turned too watch Raphael place Felicia’s injured arm in a sling ade of linen that was dyed the same shade of green as the grass. He explained too her that she had torn a muscle when she helped push the boat out of the water. "Raphael had taken care of your mean friend’s arm."

"Felicia is not mean. She is just going through her bitchy time of the month."

"Bitchy?" She furrowed her browridges. Fang rolled his eyes and sighed

"Bitchy equals mean. All human women go through it once a month."

"All?" Teresa stated at Katharine who was speaking with the enspelled Goliath. The blue gargoyle can not remember the last time the princess has lashed out at her for no reason.

"It ends when they reach a certain age," Fang explained. "I forgot to thank you for the juice."

"I cannae believe this impostor corrupted one of m’ eggs," Katharine clasped her hands together. a small tear rolled down her lined face.

"My daughter," Thailog sighed, forcing his voice to sound like it was on the verge of crying. He opened his red eyes to see the princess weeping. He took a dark finger to under her eye and wiped a tear away. "You raised her. I do not know who this harder on, me or you." He closed his eyes again and pulled her into an embrace.

"Goliath whatever ye need to get yer clan back," She held onto his hand. "We will provide it"

"Goliath, Princess?" A beige web winged female with shoulder length ruby red hair hopped into view. "May I speak or am I interrupting?" Katharine smiled at her.

"Ye are ne’er interrupting Daphne." Katharine said as she stepped away from Thailog. "Now what do you have to say?"

"Emerald field is ripe with wild boar," The words exploded from her mouth. "I want to know if Goliath would like to join us in the hunt." Thailog grinned and approached her.

"That sounds like a lovely idea," he frowned when he tried to remember her name. "Daphne is it?" The female’s head looked more like it was vibrating than shaking. "You go and round up the best fighters and meet me in the courtyard." He turned to the princess after Daphne had scampered off. "I need to ask your best fighter to join me in the main world to help defeat the usurper and convince Angela and the others I am the real Goliath."

"I understand," Katharine nodded. "Whoever ye ask has m’ full permission."

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Fang remembered the time he went to a Medieval Times in New Jersey when he was still Warren Barkiss. He wore a paper crown, slurped soup out of a bowl, ate the rest of his meal without any utensils, drank mead (except it was Pepsi), and watched a bunch of pretty boys ride and duel each other on horses.

Here it was different, not quite though. He didn’t exactly drink mead, but it wasn’t manufactured soda pop, and he was given a spoon for his broth, and a knife to cut up his quail. Except he kept it aside and ate the birds with his bare hands. The rest of his meal he ate with a fork (Tom brought them back after his fourth visit into the world), except for his bread which he also ate with his hands.

He was chowing down into his third bird when he noticed that four of the gargoyle youths had sat down at the long table with him. His teeth were stuck in the meat as he glared down at them and felt the juices dribble down his chin.

"Are you guys hungry?" Fang asked while lowering the quail.

"No not at all," said the sand colored male with small horns and a beak.

"So you just want to watch me eat?" He wiped his mouth with a cloth. All four of them looked at each other before the red web winged male with the big stupid grin spoke.

"Well not quite," He glanced back at the other three before continuing. "We are curious about, well, to put it politely." The beaked guy and the orange male with the crown shaped spikes around his head were all chewing their bottom lips and rubbing their heasd. The female. A pale bluish purple with golden hair and tufts of hair on her elbows, knees, tips of her ears and tail rolled her eyes and sighed.

"We are wondering what you are," She said. The other three nodded. "Forgive us for our rudeness." She bowed her head. "I am Isoude and they are Solomon," She indicated the orange male with spike crown. "Raphael," The beaked one, "And Mercutio." The red web wing.

"You want to know what I am?" Fang stared at them.

"We know you are not a gargoyle cause you don’t have a tail," Raphael held onto his.

"And you have five fingers and four toes," Mercutio added while pointing at Fang’s hand.

"Mercutio it is not polite to point," Isoude glared at him.

"I’m sorry," The red gargoyle stared up at the ceiling. "Next time I’ll grab his hand."

"You didn’t have to do anything," Raphael said. Fang felt the tension stirred up between those three. He noticed the one called Solomon also felt it. He curled his hands into fists and brought them down onto the table hard.

"It is very rude to quarrel in front of our guest," He spoke slowly. "Especially when he has been asked to speak." He sat back down. The others returned their focus onto Fang.

"I’m a mutate." He knew that was going to generate more questions, but they did ask.

"What is a mutate?" Raphael was the one who asked it. Fang drummed the table with his claws before speaking.

"Well it’s hard to explain." He scratched the top of his head while trying to think of the right words. "It’s an animal that is spliced with certain traits of other animals creating a new kind of species."

"What kinds of animals?" Raphael asked.

"I would like to know what splicing is," Isoude smiled at him.

"Let him speak," Solomon said after clearing his throat.

"Ah man," Fang sighed. "Splicing is really hard to explain." He took a gulp from his flute. "I guess it’s like this. You take the blood of an animal and craft it so that it would bond with the blood of another animal and you inject, which means put that blood into the other animal. I started out as a normal human named Warren then I was spliced with the blood of a cougar, which is a fierce cat like creature, a bat and an electric eel.

"Electric?" Mercutio furrowed his brow ridges.

"Like lightening. Watch." Fang aimed towards the ceiling and fired a weak bolt.

"My word," Isoude gasped and stepped away from the table.

"Like Zeus," Raphael stood back up, stared at the spot the bolt fired into and sat back down.

"That was impressive," Solomon said. Mercutio nodded in agreement.

"Can you do it again?" The web wing asked.

"Maybe later," He picked up his quail and sank his teeth back into its flesh

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Felicia did not know why the two females were following her through the grassy front yard of the castle but it was getting annoying. This whole trip had been nothing but one disaster after another. Thailog had asked her to come because he didn’t know anyone who can drive a boat. She didn’t want to leave Jeremy behind, but if Fang was going to leave Winter then she guessed she could be strong as well.

She hated dresses and skirts but she had to wear one of the princess’s old floor length skirt while her pants, socks and expensive sneakers dried. None of the princess’s shoes fit so she had to walk around bare foot. Her arm stopped hurting but she did not want to risk injuring it more and kept it in the sling.

"All right," She stopped in her tracks, closed her eyes and spoke. "What do you want?"

"Your hair," The one of them spoke. "It’s very pretty." She turned around. The tallest of the two was aqua in color and had the curled horns of a ram with out the spiral. Her mouse brown hair was in a braid. The other was white as alabaster and had a long beak. Her greenish yellow hair hung freely.

"You think my hair is pretty?" She squinted one eye.

"It is such a bright shade of blue," The turquoise one said. "Some of have unique hair coloring. Like Viviane here." She took a few stands of Viviane’s greenish yellow hair into her talons. "But Katharine told us that humans don’t have hair like that."

"Not naturally," Felicia nodded. "I dye it."

"Dye?" Viviane asked. "Like what we do to get fabrics a certain shade?"

"Kind of. Viviane and what is your name?" She glanced at the other female.

"I am Rosalynd. Do you not remember I helped you push you boat ashore."

"Sorry," Felicia lowered her eyes. "I was too focused on my soaking wet shoes and my arm pain." She sighed. "I’m just having a crappy night and you two are being nice and saying I have nice hair even though it is not natraul and I’m being a total bitch."

"I guess you wouldn’t want us to brush your hair?" Viviane asked.

"You want to brush my hair?" Felicia forced herself to smile. "Knock yourselves out." she noticed their confused faces. "That means yes." She sat down while Viviane and Rosalynd left. They returned shortly with fancy looking wooden brushed that had images of flowers and birds carved in the back, A hand held silver mirror, satin ribbons that shimmered under the moonlight and a small handful of flowers. She folded her knees up to her chest and took a deep breath as she felt their hands massage her scalp and surprising gentle bristles run through her hair.

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Emerald valley, named after the gem because of the deep green grass that shimmered with the dew that was collected on the thick natural carpet that never dried out and never died. corpulent bodies of wild boars were dragged away by Daphne and a few others leaving the area empty except for Thailog, an assortment of weapons, and those who believed that they were the best warriors.

There was the bronze Michael with flowing bond hair and the horns of a goat, The huge dark beaked Ferdinand, Brown Hercules who wore an armored chest plate, green Gawain whose white hair was kept back by spikes that reminded Thailog of Lady Liberty’s crown, Teresa and Marigold who had a coloration similar to Maggie the mutate’s

The ebony gargoyle stared at the swords that were laid on the ground. Each one made out of the same non iron based metal, each one the same size. Next to the swords where quivers filled with arrows and bows, next to them were three wooden staffs.

"I know you all want to help my clan," Thailog stared off into the sky. "I wish I could take all of you with me but well you have seen how small by boat is, and your human parents still need you." He turned around. "I need the best fighter to come with me, that is why we are out here with the weapons," He bent down to pick up one the swords. "We shall duel with swords first. You will come at me one at a time and use your skills to try to knock my sword out of my hand. Gawain you are first." The green gargoyle selected one of the swords and Thailog could see that his spikes did not stop at above the eyes. He had three short spikes on each side of his jaw line.

"Get ready," Thailog ordered. Gawain gripped the hilt of his dueling sword and kept his eyes one the red eyed male. "Attack!" Gawain ran towards him with his blade held high and brought it down. Thailog blocked with his blade hat caused a scraping metallic sound. Gawain pulled back before swinging again. Thailog marveled his moves the way he twisted around and ducked to strike at him or block. The duel lasted for no more than twenty minutes when Thailog’s sword flew out of his hands. The white haired male bent down and retrieved Thailog’s lost weapon.

"Here is your sword Goliath," He bent down as he handed it back. The clone placed his hand on his head.

"You have done well Gawain," Thailog said and removed his hand. Gawain stepped back to his brothers.

"Michael you are next."

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The small crook in between the castle and small garden of Guatemalan plants was empty and whide. The only sounds heard were made by the grunting and quiet cussing of Fang as he nearly stumbled. The mutate sat by the ditch and watched a few gargoyles gliding in the distance before swatting away what he believed to be fireflies.

They were not. He stared at the naked female bodies of the fairys before he swatted at them again.

"Get away you Tinker Belle wannabes!" He kept swatting at them until a large butterfly net swooped them up.

"You naughty little things," the short man with the pointed ears and curly orange beard said. "You were supposed too have been at the waterfall ten minutes ago." He kept the open end of the net closed with his hands and dragged them away despite their shrill screams of protest.

"Un fucking believable," Fang rubbed his eyes. "This place is crawling with fairies, elves, hobbits, and munchkins."

"You are the last person I expected to ever have read the Lord of the Rings," He turned when he heard the grating voice of Felicia, ready to cuss her out, but instead gaped.. Her hair had small flowers woven in and braided with a shimmery ribbon securing it. The hair that flowed down in between her ears and her temples were woven into smaller braids. She narrowed her green eyes at him. "What are you staring at?"

"Except for your shirt and flannel vest you could fit in here," Fang crossed his arms and grinned. "Who did that to your hair?"

"Two of the local she gargs." She raised an eyebrow. "So you are Tolkien fan?"

"No I don’t read that high fantasy geek literature."

"So how did you know about hobbits?" She walked closer to him. He lowered his head and mumbled incoherently.

"What was that?"

"I said I used to play Dungeons and Dragons." The answer caused Felicia to laugh. "What is so funny?"

"You are a role playing geek!"

"Shut up, Where is Thailog?" Felicia looked around her making sure no one was listening before she spoke.

"Training with the best warriors and finding one to take with us."

"Can’t believe they are that dumb to believe that Thailog is really Goliath."

"They are not dumb," Felicia shook her head gently. "Just naive. They have lived their whole lives on this island and have been stuck in the tenth century."

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The spell of invisibility is one of the more handier spells to use, specially when one wants to spy on someone. Peasblossom fluttered her wings and lowered her body till she hovered a foot above the heads of the furry gargoyle like creature and blue haired lady. Her little smile turned up into a frown as her large pointed ears picked up their conversation. The Weird Sisters were right.

‘I have to tell the mortals,’ She thought with a determined look on her face. ‘But not with out Titania’s permission first.’ Another ability that she had was the ability to teleport. With a blink of an eye she disappeared leaving behind nothing except for the sweet fragrance of the flower she was named after.

Felicia stared at Fang strangely. The mutate had stopped talking with her and his nostrils wiggled.

"What?" She asked with a slight petulant tinge to her voice. She was annoyed that he paused in the middle of his sentence.

"Don’t you smell that?" He paused from his sniffing to ask. She closed her green eyes an inhaled through her nose.

"I don’t smell a thing."

"It’s smells sweet." She opened her eyes and mumbled.

"Flowers dumbass flowers." She spread out her arms. "They are all over this island." Fang nodded and scratched his head.

"But these are different."

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Peasblossom knew better than to reappear in Titania’s private chamber with out the queen’s permission. She materialized outside of her majesty’s chambers and rapped her pale pink knuckles on the large doors.

"Who is it?" Titania’s velvety voice inquired.

"Your majesty it is I Peasblossom your humble loyal servant who wishes that she may speak with on an important matter."

"You may enter." The white haired fey walked through the door as if it were made of air. Inside Titania sat on a pile of satin floor cushions in front of one of the many mirrors of the island. Her three other servants sat near her, ready for any request she might ask. Golden skinned Mustardseed whose knobs on the end of her antenna resembled seeds was handing Titania a glass of rose nectar. Feathery antenna and slightly furry Mote was brushing her long pink tresses and spindly limed and long fingered Cobweb was fluffing up some more cushions.

Peasblossom fluttered over to where Titania sat and bowed before her.

"Your majesty I need to make a request," The pale pink fey asked.

"And what is that?" The queen asked before taking a sip of her nectar. "Very good Mustardseed it is the right temperature."

"Well, I have eaves dropped on a conversation between two of the visitors," She looked up. "They are planning on deceiving the Avalon clan and plan to use one of it’s members as cannon fodder against Goliath and his clan." Titania took one of her tiny hands into her own and lowered her head.

"You wish to speak with the mortals who share Avalon with us?"

"Yes," the response brought a snort out of Cobweb a sigh from Mustardseed and caused Mote to roll his eyes.

"You know we are not allowed to get involved with the lives of mortals."

"But," Peasblossom grabbed on to her hand and looked up at her with pleading eyes. "If we don’t they will attack Goliath’s clan. Your daughter and grandson live in the same castle as they do."

"That is why I wish you can tell the others," The Fey queen sighed. "But you cannot."

"I understand," Peasblossom said weakly and stood back up. Titania spoke again.

"There are other ways than the direct approach." The white haired fey nodded causing her flower tipped antena to bobble. She whispered her thanks before disappearing.

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Thailog watched as Hercules and Gawain battled each other with wooden staffs. The other events have been completed :dueling, archery and wrestling. He had dwindled his choices down to Michael, Gawain, and Hercules. Only the two latter were able to defeat the clone with staff fighting and were now battling each other. He barely moved except to walk around them and marvel their forms as they battled.

The possibility that he might have to bring both of them entered his mind when Gawain’s undercut brought Hercules’s staff flying across the grass.

"Do not despair," The red eyed gargoyle stared into the white horned youth’s eyes. "You have fought well. In fact I was about to declare a tie." Hercules smiled at him before retrieving his staff and leaving.

Gawian was still catching his breath when Thailog approached him.

"You are avalon’s best warrior," Thailog held out a hand and helped the white haired gargoyle back to his feet. "I have already expressed the fact that I need your help. Gawain," He paused for a minute. "Will you leave Avalon and come back with me?" Gawain breathed in deeply before responding.

"I grew up here and it has been the only home I know, but the world," He looked off at the great distance. "There is so much to it, I have been tempted to explore the world, now I know that I must." He returned his focus to Thailog. "Goliath I want to help."

"Good. Do you have any possessions?"

"Just my sword." he fingered the hilt.

"Then we must leave at once."

"Don’t I get to say good bye first?" He turned to look at the castle and knew that his brothers and sisters would want to wish him well before he left. The princess to give him a hug and Tom to place a hand on his shoulder, but most important to say fare well to Cecilia and Mercutio.

"I’m sorry," It was the black gargoyle who placed his hand on his shoulder, not Tom’s. "We don’t have time." With his eyes turned down Gawain nodded.

"I understand."

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The music from Cecilia’s calliope filled the air as Mercutio was telling those who were within listening distance what Fang actually is. Marigold tensed as Ophelia cleansed her scrapes and applied home made medicine. The bronze maned gargoyle was disappointed not that she was one of the final three, but because she did not push herself hard enough. Marigold had always prided herself on being a warrior. She had be training profusely even before The Archmage’s attack She was rarely seen with out her trusty spear White Shale and had asked Tom to teach her how to use a bow, but her archery skills were not the best of the best and she did not have the greatest physical strength.

"You are still one of Avalon’s best warriors," Ophelia said as she wiped some salve on a small cut on her wrist. "You are even stronger than Gabriel."

"I still wasn’t good enough," Marigold snarled. "I have to become stronger, I need to push myself more."

"And have myself and Raphael spend all our waking hours taking care of you?" A small smile formed on the yellow female’s beak. She will become one of Avalon’s greatest warriors one of these days.

"You are right," She said while removing a small petal that had fallen on her shoulder. More petals of the same kind of flower fluttered towards her. Some landed on Boudicca’s muzzle. The green dog like gargoyle cocked her head to the side and stared at the direction the petals were coming from. Her nostrils wiggled a few seconds before she took off.

"Boudicca!" Gabriel stood up and shouted. Their beast would not just take off like that unless she sensed something. "Mercutio, Cecilia, Ophelia come with me." He dropped to the ground and raced after Boudicca. The Avalon clan leader caught up with the beast before she leaped over the edge off a short cliff. Staring down he saw Fang and Felicia a few feet below him.

"What time is it?" Fang asked.

"Hours or days?" She glanced at her watch. She looked up to see his pained expression. "What?"

"My child has aged a few days."

"Oh," she raised her eyebrows. "Why did you come? You seem to have a problem with boats."

"Not boats," Fang lowered his head. "The ocean, and I came because Thailog asked. He didn’t treat me like an idiot or bully bossed me like Talon and Goliath did."

"He probably has the kid selected. Let’s go to the boat. I have my pants and shoes there."

"Fang does not like Goliath," Mercutio whispered. "Yet he came with him." He glanced at his rookery siblings. "I do not understand."

"He called Goliath Thailog," Ophelia added before her eyes widened. "What if they had been lying to us all this time, and the one we called Goliath is the fake?" Gabriel’s eyes lit up as he breathed through clenched teeth.

"Mercutio I want you and Cecilia to go to Emerald Valley and tell Hercules and Gawain to return to the castle.," His voice was tense. " Ophelia you and Boudicca are going to return to the castle. I’m going to speak with those two personally."

The steady stream of petals continue to flow from a nearby tree. Standing in a branch and clutching onto a handful of petals of the flower that bears her name Peasblossom smiled at the sight of the gargoyle listening in on the two interlopers.

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Hercules, battle worn and tired was gliding back towards the castle with the hope that either Ophelia or Raphael would be there when he saw two forms gliding towards him.

"Mercutio, Cecilia?" He noticed their frantic expressions. "What is s the matter?"

"Where is the one that calls himself Goliath?" She asked in a cold and flat tone.

"He is heading towards his boat with Gawain," Hercules glanced over his shoulder. "They are preparing to leave Avalon."

"Gawain?" Cecilia’s voice was pained. "No."

"What is going on?"

"I think it would be best if you went back to the castle," Mercutio said. It was strange hearing his rookery brother using a serious tone. "Ophelia will explain."

__________________________________________________________________________

It was hard to run in such a long skirt and trying to get the boat into the water would also be a hard task for Felicia who not only had to deal with superfluous article of clothing but also her sore arm.

"I’ll push," Fang said. "When we are knee deep you get in and turn on the motor." The blue haired woman bent over and tore of the lower half of the skirt. The jagged ripped edge stopped a few inches above the her knees.

"I can still push," She bent her knees and pressed her back against the boat. Summoning up all her strength into her calves and thighs she pushed against the sand. The mutate waged a finger at her.

"Push with your legs not your back." She stared at him red faced

"I am dumb ass! Now are you going to help?"

"Yeah, yeah" He muttered and bent down next to her.

"Deceivers!" Gabriel’s voice boomed from overhead after the two managed to make the boat crawl a foot and a half. The both looked up to see the blazing white eyes of the clan leader.

"How the hell did he find out?" She grunted.

"I don’t know." Fang stood back up. "Keep pushing!" He ran towards the sea oats and beach side greens. "Hey Blondie! Is there something bothering you?" Gabriel swooped down to pounce on him. Fang felt the electricity build in his hand before he shot it out against he gargoyle. Gabriel barely dodged it.

"How dare you gain out trust only to betray us!" Fang shook his head.

"Man Felicia is right, you guys are naive. Sorry bud, but the rest of the world is like that." Gabriel paused before his eyes even grew brighter.

"More lies."

"Kid its a dog eat dog world out there. Everyone is only looking out for number one." He shot out another bolt this time it didn’t miss. "You’ll be out for a half hour." The mutate raced towards the beach where Thailog and another gargoyle had joined her in pushing the boat. The three of them were ankle deep in water and with the fourth figure helping them they made a little more leeway.

___________________________________________________________________________

Mercutio wanted to let out a breath of relief when he saw that the deceivers had not left the island with their brother but tensed up once more when he noticed they were about to climb into their boat.

"To the skiffs," Cecilia shifted her wings and circled around to where the long boats of Avalon where tied up. She grabbed two paddle poles and leaped in one of them. Mercutio followed and cut it loose from the rope that held it fast with a dagger similar to the one the princess owned. The gray gargoyle pushed their skiff away from the rest and paddled with all her might towards the speedboat. Mercutio grabbed the other and joined his sister despite the difficulty he had with paddling with his wings.

"Great," Felicia muttered and turned the key again. The boat rumbled to life before the motor began to sputter. She turned it off. "Come on baby don’t fail me now." She turned again. The motor rumbled to life and did not choke

"The sorcery that makes the boat move did not fail?" Gawain asked.

"Not sorcery," Thailog smiled at him. "Energy, electricity, science." He turned towards Felicia. "Take her out to sea."

"Aye aye captain," Felicia said.

"Now young Gawain," Thailog began. "The world is not governed by magic alone. It is mostly a world of science and technology." The green gargoyle nodded as he tried to understand what Goliath is telling him.

"Gawain!" The voice sound like Cecilia’s. He looked up and saw both her and Mercutio paddling closer to them in a skiff

"Cecilia and Mercutio?" He sat up. "What are they doing?"

"Maybe they want to say goodbye?" Felicia sounded worried.

"Or maybe they want to come with us," Gawain smiled.

"Ah jeez," Fang crawled towards the back of the boat and looked over the edge. He saw the skiff a few feet behind them and both gargoyles looking quite pissed. He stuck out his tongue.

"Felicia more gas," Thailog ordered. "Fang you better sit back down be-" The boat lurched forward with the increase of speed. The jolt caused Fang to fall forward with his chest striking the edge and knocking the wind out before another small jolt caused him to fall into the water. The mutate’s arms and legs thrashed widely as he tried to keep his head above the waves.

"I can’t swim!"

"We need to save him!" Gawain gasped.

"Your friends are going to save him," Thailog said as a dense fog built around them.

"Help!" Fang yelled as he continued to thrash.

"Spread out your wings and try to lie on your back!" A female voice shouted.

"Hold your breath!" Another voice added. Fang gulped in a mouthful of air before trying to lean back and spread his wings. His legs kept kicking but he felt himself floating.

‘No wonder they called those little inflatable floats they put on little kids arms wings,’ He thought. He opened his eyes to see a gray female gargoyle extend her arm towards him. He reached out and grabbed her hand.

Mercutio held onto Cecilia’s waist and pulled back as she pulled the mutate out of the water and into their boat. The former human clutched the bottom and breathed rapidly.

"I thought I was going to die," Fang said between gasps. "Why did you save me?"

"We just couldn’t let you drown," Cecilia said and stared out into the sea. The air around them became thick and white.

"What is with the fog?" Fang opened an eye and noticed the mist.

"Not fog," Mercutio shook his head. "It is mist."

"Does that mean something?"

"Avalon is about to send us to where we are needed," Cecilia explained. "I hope that is where Gawain will be."