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Preveiously on Gargoyles

"All this worry about the Unseelie and demons and the gifts Goliath recieved."~ Hudson

"We are going to destroy one city. Destroy every structure, burn it to the ground and kill everyone. Use as evidence to get the world to sway to us."~ Thailog

"All you have to do is pledge to me."~ Loki

"We pledge to you and to our lord and Jesus."~Poco Campo elder

"Those who my queen sent out to watch over the world may go now to help fight the fight."~ Oberon

"After I give you your powers you may practice them in anyway you see fit. Just remember to come when I call you."~ The Cubus (The Gathering of Clouds)

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The explosians caused by mortar shells had come to an end when the leader of the uprising, dubbed the Holy Rebels due to the fact the main leader had possesed an etheral beauty and angelic wings, had flown into the government building. All was quiet while the angelic being known as Lucas had his discussion with the Argentinan president. An order for a temporary cease fire had been given out and everyone involved, except for the strange creatures that had accompanied the Holy Rebels, were tense.

Things were not completely silent. The Cubus had arrived at the time Loki flew in through the top window. No one had noticed who or what he was due to the simple human glamour he had donned for himself when he arrived. He was able to hear the whispers that were exchanged between the villagers and the gunshot that was heard from within the building. He hoped that none of the bullets were able to touch Loki.

An hour had passed before Loki exited the mains doors of the building. He had chosen to walk out instead of fly out. His eyes beheld the twinkle of somone who had succeeded and the smirk underneath his near perfect nose had affimed the message of the twinkle.

"I take it the things went down smoothly?" The Cubus had addressed the disguised fae. To any human who was watching them it would have appeared that he was simply the first human to ask what had happened.

Loki blinked and sniffed. "Your not human," he whispered. His golden eyebrows knitted as he tried to reember where had smelled the scent charred flesh and brimstone before.

"It is I," The cubus bowned before him. "The Cubus."

"Ah," the golden feathers of Loki’s wings rustled before the fae had uncaped his magnificiant wings. "I was quite convincing in both my holy presence and promises." His eyes glossed briefly, indiciating, without a doubt, that he had used a little mind control magic to aid in his persuasive talk. "El Presidente is speaking with the officials within before he annouces that the nation is now part of the Angelic Empire."

The demon grinned at the good news. "Well done. You are the first of your kind that has conqured an entire country."

"The first?" Loki’s smile grew even larger. "I am finding that a bit hard to believe."

"Believe it. I feel your comrads in Chile, Namibia and Taiwan are close." The Cubus paused to frown. "Things are a bit rocky in Australia and England." he had witnessed the acrnage at first glance. The English army, along with the authorities had fought back against The Lhiannaon Sidhe’s forces with a gallant effort. The man known to the public as Arthur Pendril had roused up several citizens to fight back against the monsters as well. The most powerful fighter was the halfing welp of Oberon, Merlin.

"One country down and hundreds to go."

"I know you can do it, but there is something I have to warn you about," the Cubus raised a finger. "There is something coming from the north, something of great power." He thought instantly of Merlin and Arthur as well as Hecate and the Outcasts.

"Sensing a disturbance in the force?"

"You can call it that. I may investigate it further, after I finish checking in on you bretheren." The man sank beneath the soil, his dusguide fading even before his head went underground.

"A presence," Loki glared towards the direction of the north. It could have been a witch or a sorceror, possibly an Outcast. It couldn’t have been one of Oberon’s ilk. Loki pushed that thought out of his head and waited for the Presidente to make his announcement that the angel is a true messenger of God and the country has been called together to right for good.

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The strange woman had leaped from the headless monster and landed on the ground before the body even came into contact wit the dirt. She allowed the blade of her scythe to drop to the ground. .

"Gracius," Juan approached her. "You are quite brave and admirable warrior, if not a bit foolish." He paused when he was only a few feet away from her and nearly did a doubletake. She was not human. A closer look had revealied what he had mistaken for a helmet turned out to part of her forehead, a crest of flesh covered in bumps. Sharp spikes covered her brows. Her legs and were not burned, the gnarled leather appearance was her natraul skin.

With a heavy sigh she leaned against the handle. "You are welcome," the creature said while she slipped the handle of her scythe back into it’s hilt. She paused when she had noticed the way he was staring at her. "What is it?"

"You are not human."

"I was," her eyes were cast to the ground.

"What are you?" He stared past her, at the demon. Did it just move.

"A demon slayer," she pounced onto her lost spear and turned around just as the demon was rearing back up again. She rolled closer to the body and shoved her weapon forward. The sharp head of her spear plowed through the flesh and bones. "Missed."

"Missed?" Juan repeated what the slayer had said. He watched the monster thrash back and forth. A pale greenish liquid bubbled and foamed at the end of it’s neck where the head was, the same color of blood that leaked out of the monsters legs before they regrew. What oozed out of the injury in it’s middle was dark, almost like oil. "Aim your arrows for the wound the slayer had created." He shot forth another arrow. The projectile met it’s mark just above the spear hole. The monster thrashed back and forth so violently it appeared as if it had almost jumped several times.

The slayer grinned in approval at Juan’s shot and was ready to strike again. She waited until two more arrows had come in contact with it’s flesh before raced forward and struck again. The spearhead shoved against the shaft of Juan’s arrow, forcing it even further into the demon. She did not stop until the base of the spearhead was imbedded into the demon. With one last grunt she shoved once more, forcing Juan’s arrow to slice through the demon’s back.

She stepped back as the wound widened while the body of the monster seemed to drawing into the wound.

"Keep firing," Juan commenced.

Arrow after arrow kept fired into the oozing pit, increasing the implosion process until there was nothing left but an oozing pile of flesh. Hundreds of arrows surrounded the blob.

"Burn it," the demon slayer commanded. "Scatter ashes and all is gone."

"Thank you for your help." Juan said while several members of his clan and a few humans from the neighboring village approached the pile with lighters in their hand.

"It was you who helped me. This was my fight." She turned around and walked.

"Your fight?" Juan bit back on his mouth. If it was her fight then why wasn’t she there sooner before members of his clan had their bones drained from their bodies. "Why didn’t you help sooner?"

"I fought another." She pointed to a the bruises on her shoulder. "More monsters to go before I rest."

"Did she fight the others alone?" Juan watched her as she disappeared into the rain forest. He ignored the rancid stench of the monster remains burning and turned to his clan. They had several sick members to treat and three bodies to bury.

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The door to Maria Chavez’s office kept out most of the sounds of telephones ringing and feet scuffing against the tile. The scent of stale coffee and fresh donuts were also kept out when the door was closed shut. The only sound the captain of detectives could hear was the gentle ticks of the over head clock and here own heels clicking against the ground, She didn’t hear any sound from her two guests.

"You have wished to see me," Maria glared at the shadow approaching her door and didn’t relax until it had shifted it’s direction. She did not like having people barge in on her when she was meeting with her detectives.

"It’s about the news in Australia," Elisa Maza straightened her back. She had kept her hands folded in her lap. Her partner had his arms folded across his chest. Their solemn looks matched each other.

"You believe we might be attacked, again?" Maria asked. She wanted to wait until Elisa affirmed her suspense before she could make any accusatory statements.

"Not just a terrorist attack this time," Elisa nodded. "We believe it’s the Unseelie court."

"Unseelie court?" Maria raised her eyebrows. "What had sent that, that...thing to terrorize the subway system? They are behind the terrorist attacks?"

"It’s the worst case scenario we have warned you about," Matt spoke up. He was too tense to relax his arms.

"Are you certain?"

"I checked the Network this morning." Matt stared her in the eye. "Not only did we get messages about the attacks in Australia we also received information that something woke up in Egypt and is affecting a friend of the London clan Arthur and Merlin would be with him if it wasn’t for the chaos going on in the city."

"The attacks in London that have been on the news." Maria said and nodded.

"There is an uprisal in Argentina and the Weregoyle clan in Peru has come across some kind of monster."

"We think something has disguised the true threat plaguing Australia as a military invasion," Elisa said.

"I’m going to contact the mayor and the police commissioner," Maria grabbed her phone from her desk. "I won’t mention the Unseelie. I’ll just tell them that I received a tip the attacks in Australia will be duplicated here."

"Thank you, Captain." Elisa said as she rose out of her chair. She had already called her brother, Macbeth and several other of the clan’s friends, even called Prometheotech and spoke with Jon Canmore. Matt had informed several coworkers and the news was traveling fast. All the two of them could do now was return home and get ready for when the battle will arrive at their doorstep.

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Light droplets began to rain down from the thick clouds hanging over the town and the box shaped mansion belonging to the Donnelley siblings. Sunlight could not find a break in the clouds. It left the world below to be cast over in gray.

The precipitation greeted the pale man who appeared out of no where, materliazing by the pure power coursing through his body. The small droplets pelted his pale skin and began to weigh down on his hair. The color had darkened even more after he had murdered his servant, shifting from a deep gold to a light brown.

"Donnelley," Mystic hissed out the name with dripping venom. "You stole what was rightfully mine from me." He stared at his hands, knowing full well what he was able to do. "However I no longer need your precious family. I am now able to perform all their tasks at once. I’m just here to give you your just desserts."

The statue that was Logan Donnelley said nothing.

"This isn’t fun at all." Mystic apparated next to Logan, creating a small cloud of black smoke around him, just cause he wanted to try the effect. "How the hell am I going to make you suffer if your going to be asleep all day." He brought a finger to his bottom lip and pretended to look like he was deep in thought. "I know. Lets see if I can reverse what you have done to yourself." He pointed at the statue and spun his finger around in wide circles.

Cracks formed across the statue’s body growing thicker until they had connected in a map like formation. The thin paint chip like pieces fell from the bewildered form of a young man with light brown hair. Logan stared in shock at his human hands, his bare feet, at the stone chips that once covered him and finally at his clan and Scherezade.

"How?" He couldn’t remove his gaze from his still sleeping clan. His human flesh had felt the chill of the icy rain. "That spell was supposed ta be permanent."

"Sleep well my lovely?" Mystic clasped his hands together. A crack of thunder echoed across the plain. "That’s quite a nice effect."

"Alphonse Mystic?" Logan only halfway recognized the man who stood before him. The other man had stopped trimming his nails and seemed to have shun sunlight for a long time. His hair had been dyed brown and he had work done on his face to remove his scars.

"Do you like the new improved me? I know I do."

"Yer eyes," Logan blinked. He had no idea where Mystic had found the dark contacts that made his eyes appear black. He stared back at his hands, his flat feet and ran his hands over his head, feeling the lack of horns. "What have ye done ta me?"

"I just made you the way you used to be," the powered up wizard pointed to his face. "Like I did the same for myself."

"How?" Logan searched the ground for the whereabouts of the scrawny man who followed Mystic around. He was sure to find him standing not too far off with a pile of books and other magical ingredients to help his master perform the spell.

"Don’t go searching for Rusty," Mystic seemed to have read his mind. "I’ve turned him into a crispy critter now that he has outlived his usefulness."

"What?" Logan felt a great a danger rising, no towards just him, but also to the clan. "What have ye done ta yourself?"

"And they seem to have grown in number," Mystic rubbed his chin. He remembered buying fifty statues, the number of gargoyles were close to seventy. "Did you discover some more or are these new ones like you, or should I say the way you were?"

Logan clenched his jaw. "Leave them be." He hoped his eyes or body movements did not betray the exact origin of the latest addition to the clan.

"Now I know what you are thinking. You are thinking why I turned you back into a simple human fool." He paused when the rain began to pick up around them." I’ll tell you why. I want you to suffer for stealing my clan. You are going to watch me kill each and every one. Now won’t that be fun?"

"Ye insane bastard," Logan charged forward, pushing his body against Mystic’s and shoving the powerful man over the top railing.

Mystic allowed himself to fall a few feet before he righted himself up. "Now that won’t get us anywhere." He floated to the ground. "Not like what this will do." He snapped his fingers.

Logan turned around at the sound of cracking behind him. To his horror he watched as the stone form of the clan leader shattered into several pieces and formed a pile of rubble. Words were caught in the former gargoyle’s throat as he approached his leader and dropped to his knees. It only took a snap of Mystic’s fingers to murder the life of a noble hero. Logan did not want to think about what he could possibly do to his sister, or Scherezade. He had to find some way to stall the insane wizard, there was less than an half hour to go before sundown.

"How was that?" The wizard ‘s hair had darkened to a deeper shade of brown. The whites of his eyes had turned a darker color.

"Ye monster!" Logan raced to the edge of the roof and glared down. "Ye disgusting bastard!"

"Now, now language." Mystic wagged his finger. "Or I may do something like this." He snapped his fingers.

"No!" Logan turned around at the sound of cracking worried about the rest of the clan and Scherezade. "No!" His cry of horror came out louder when he saw the eight hatchlings crumble before his eyes. "Not the hatchlings."

"I hear the beatuiful music of a once proud man sufferning."

"I thought ye wanted them," he felt the tears developing at the corners of his eyes. "Alive."

"I don’t need them anymore-" He paused when a young woman raced from the house and tackled straight into the wizard to the ground. The kerchief that had been tied across the top of her hair to keep it back had flown off the second she came in contact with the mage.

"Carrie!" Logan called down to his sister as she began to pummel Mystic with her fists. "You don’t know what he is capable of."

"Off!" Mystic commanded. Carrie flew off his body and was sent back a few feet. "How sweet. Now you can all die together."

"I think not!" Clancy shouted. The only servant employed by Logan and Carrie ran up to the back of Mystic and struck him in the back of his head with a gold club. The nine iron flew off the club. Mystic did not even flinch. "Impossible."

"Nothing is impossible," Mystic pointed at Clancy. "Now chill." the balding man was instantly encased in ice. "You too." He trapped Carrie in the same fashion.

"Carrie!" Logan cried out and looked like he was about to leap off the building to get to Mystic. "I’m going ta rip out yer dark heart!"

"Oh, quit your melodrama," Mystic stared up at him. "They are not dead, just trapped." He rapped his knuckles on top of Clany’s fortress. The entrapped man’s eyes rolled up to stare at his hand "You might not tell but he’s looking at me. I don’t want to kill them... yet."

"Ye are not going ta kill them at all," A third man raced out of the house. He stood as tall as his friend, Logan. His bright red hair was a beacon that drew Mystics eyes toward him. "Not when I’m around."

"This is quite exciting," Mystic clapped his hands. "We just don’t know who is going to come out next." He looked up at Logan and then again at Rory. "How many more mystery guests are we going to see tonight?"

"Just one," Rory felt the energy gather around him. His bangs defied gravity, teased by an unseen wind. He wanted to be with Aruthur during England’s time of need, but Arthur told him to stay in Irleand."I and one other are the only guests here tonight."

"That is true," Mystic pouted. "I have seemed to drop my invitation."

The only response from Rory was a deep battle cry. Golden light surrounded his body as transformation took place. His meager outfit of jeans, T-shirt and vest melted and reshaped into armor. Boots shifted into sandals while muscles bulged out on Rory’s limbs. A helmet covered his head and a long mustache formed.

"I like this. I might get an actual challenge." Mystic sent out a ball of dark energy. Cuchulain deflected it with a swing of his glowing lance. "Nice." Mystic threw more blasts at him, each one was deflected.

Cu Chulain roared out his cry again and threw his Gale Bolga at the overcharged wizard. Mystic deflected she spear with a single swipe of his dark glowing hand. The glowing weapon boomeranged back to it’s owner.

"Impressive," Mystic stared at his hand. "You actuality managed to break a nail, but no more going easy on you. The dark energy cackled around his fingers. The magnitude of the light encased around his fist.

"Ye are trespassing’." A cold hand grabbed onto Mystic’s wrist from behind, sending the sphere to be released too early.

"Who interferes?" He turned around. The woman who grabbed him was as pale as he was and was transparent. Her long purple hair floated around her head while her eyes were completely illuminated. A tattered green dress hung from her limbs.

"I do," her eyes narrowed at him. "Ye are on my land."

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The tall wooden demon lurched forward, his detached head bobbed as his strange legs spun. Kiyamei could spend hours and days draining life energy and spreading famine through out the woods. The cooler land was warming up, but he preferred a warmer climate an he would get to warmer climate by traveling southwest, besides there was a huge desert in Mongolia. There was more life in China.

The dark green forest beckoned to him. A target that was prime and teeming with life. A demon such as he could not resist a chance to wither it to nothing. He headed straight for the trees ignoring the staring craft flying over head, coming straight from the same direction as the woods.

A sharp pain burned into his shoulder. Kiyamei turned his head briefly towards his shoulder were a four pointed metal weapon stuck straight out of his thick shoulder. He plucked the throwing star out of his body while his head rotated completely around trying to find out who dared. His eyes spied a pair of long ears sticking out of the grass while the throwing star rusted away to mere nothing.

A tiger like roar cried out behind him as a swipe of a blade struck his back. Kiyamei turned to see something large leaping over him. The bulk of the creature’s body was round with a curved back like a turtle, but it had a long neck like a snake. The large creature landed a few inches away from him. Kiyamei was aware that both the huge creature and the long eared one were not alone.

"Clever," the demon commented in a dry crackling voice before he spun around rapidly, going into a full bezerk mode. He sprayed two different forms from his arsenal: blazing spheres of fire and an acidic mist. "Yet stupid." He stopped to see the damage he had caused. To his disappointment he could see that the fire did not touch anyone but the ground and his acid had only struck one of the creatures.

The creature seemed almost humanoid at first with feet that ended in three curved talons, a long tail and a pair of feathered wings on his back. A crimson crest of flesh ran down the middle of his head. His mouth ended in a sharp beak that was parted to allow his screams of pain to radiate out. The acid had struck the end of his tail and foot, completely covering his talon and didn’t end until it reached his ankle. The burning acid had boiled away the flesh and the first layer of muscle tissue.

"You are a monster without any honor," the long eared creature stood by the beaked gargoyle side. She was a female member of the species. Spiny quill like spines kept her dark hair from falling in her eyes. Her long ears were the ears of a rabbit.

"Gargoyles," Kiyamei was aware of the other two. Both stood away from the flames. A quick rotation of his head he could find the large bulky one and a muscle-bound creature with the horns and hooves of a bull. "I should have known. I did not know there was a clan nearby."

"We were sent," the rabbit gargoyle said as she pulled out a sword.

"Took you a while to get here," Kiyamei jumped around and tried to shift directions as both the large males came charging for him, both were brandishing weapons similar to the sword Rabbit Ears carried. He avoided the sword of the bull like gargoyle, but was stabbed in the middle by the large and bulky one. He punched the bulky gargoyle in the chest. The force of his strike was enough to send him flying. The gargoyle held onto the hilt and took the sword away with him as he flew back.

The bull like gargoyle swiped the blade again the edge cut against the palm of Kiyamei’s hand. The demon reached out and grabbed the gargoyle around the throat and squeezed, smoke curled out from his fingers as he concentraighted on burning the creature with one hand and reached out to grab the female who snuck up behind him with his other hand.

"You haven’t won," the female told him.

"Oh really? What makes you say that?"

The answer to the question came in the form of glowing red light that struck down from above. The force of such a beam was enough to knock Kiyamei on his back out of sheer surprise, and causing him to release the two gargoyles he had a strong hold on.

"Who dares?" He stared up at the air ship. "An armored vehicle that flies through the air." He rose back up to his wheel shaped legs. "It doesn’t matter." He sent forth two more fire balls at the vehicle, each one took on the shape of a large bird.

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The assignment that was given to Vinnie Gregarino was pretty simple. He was instructed to fly the Redemption Squad’s airship to the to take care of something described as a powerful monster. He had to make a small stop to pick up a few more gargoyles. He had been taught by Robyn on how to fly the ship. She did not stop giving his lessons until after he had learned to fly it smoothly through a storm.

"Oh man!" Vinnie cried when he picked up the two bird like missiles coming striate forward to the ship. He could see they were made of nothing but flames as they grew closer. "That thing finally spotted us. He’s attacking."

"Christ!" Harry "Dingo" Monmoth rose from his seat. The tanned Australian was already suited up in his dingo suit. "Fall out everyone."

"Gotta keep away," sweat began to bead across Vinnie’s face as he turned the ship away from the flames.

"Keep it steady," Robyn instructed. She was suited up in her Hunter uniform. Her golden ponytail hung out from above her mask. She held on to the handle of her lazer rifle. "We’ll get rid of the birds."

"They are not birds," Vinnie’s hands clamped on tightly to the steering wheel. "They are made out of fire."

"We’ll take care of it," Robyn repeated before she left the cock pit.

"What are the plans?" Fang asked once Robyn and Harry had reached the rear hatch. The cougar mutate had flexed his muscles.

"Vahril and Matrix will take care of the fire power attacking he ship," Dingo instructed. "The rest of us will take care of the demon." He boarded the aircycle already occupied by Robyn. "Yama, open the hatch."

The dun gray gargoyle waited until Vahril had boarded another air cycle along with the liquid metal entity before he pushed the button that opened up the rear hatch.

"Let’s go!" Fang was the first one to leap out and allow hi wings to grab onto the air. He was followed by both Yama and Gawain, both who carried swords. The air cycles left the craft at the same time.

A second cycle follwed them followed, piloted by Ryoma. The man who lived his life as a schoolteacher was a the reincarnated form of Jubei. He had already altered his form to that of the hero. Modest suit was replaced by robes of strong material and laquered armor. A the large helmet with curved edges and dome shape top had long and curved hrons adorning the top. His hair had grown longer and a shock of hair hung over his face, parcially covering his eye and the scar.

Vahril held onto the controls of her and Matrix’s cycle. The blue alien searched the sky for the fire birds. It had only taken her a few seconds to find them. Vahril rode her cycle towards the nearest bird as it spun around to attack the ship again. Vinnie was trying his hardest to keep the vehicle away from the fire, but the attack seemed to have a mind of it’s own.

"A little closer," the Matrix requested as they neared one of the birds. The matrix shifted his humanoid form, looking like a surfer trying to balance on his board. "Try to fly over it." He waited until Vahril had managed to get them to be a few feet above the bird before he jumped off and allowed his body to spread out like a sheet. His liquid like form covered the bird and took on it’s avian shape before he flew towards the other bird. Once again he lost his shape and formed into a basic liquid sheet before he wrapped himself around the bird.

Fang was the first one to attack the demon. He sent forth an electric charge.

The wooden demon held up his hand to ward off the electricity. His hand and arm shook while a sparkling blue light surrounded his fingers.

The female gargoyle with the long ears attacked from the back just as Yama glided down and sung his sword down on the top of his head and Gawain tried to stab him in the side. The demon managed to swipe at the green gargoyle’s hits and duck from Yama’s blade, but he received a deep cut in his back from the female’s blade and his destruction was enough for the Mutate to throw another electric blast at the demon. The demon was only pushed back by an inch.

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Alphonse Mystic’s hair had darkened to a complete shade of black, matching his eyes, during his battle with both Cuchulain and the Bin Sidhe. The Sidhe rose higher in the air while an impenetrable shield was created around her, summoned by the power of her singing.

Several bolts of black lighting shot forth from the hands of Mystic. One hand was constantly aimed at the Bin Sidhe and the other was pointed at Cu Chilean. He sometimes used both hands for the fae but only one to deflect to Gae Bolga from injuring himself.

Logan Donelley watched the battle from the roof where had hung. The constant downpour of the cool rain made holding onto the edge of the roof slippery. He missed his talons. With them he would have had an easier time holding onto the edge of the building while sliding closer to the third floor balcony. Logan let go of his hold and aloud him to drop a few feet,. He landed with a simple slide that was halted when he grabbed onto the railing. If he was a still a gargoyle he would have had a better landing, of course if he was a gargoyle he could have glided to the ground, that is if it the sun had set.

A deep battle cry came from the field. Cu Chulain kept flickering back between his heroic form and the civilian form of Rory Dogan. Logan knew it was taking a lot of strength for his friend to keep up his heroic form for so long.

The Bin sidhe howled at her loudest pitch she could possibly achieve as Logan carefully placed one leg over the railing. He wanted to move at a quicker pace, but with his weak human hands and short fingernails he had to move at the speed he was crawling at. He watched as Mystic fashioned something that resembled a horn. The large funnel shape gathered the Bin Sidhe’s howl’s and reflected it back to her.

The shield the Bin Sidhe had created was shattered by her own battle cry and she was toppled back a few feet and nearly was thrown down to the moist earth.

"Damn it," Logan snapped as he swung his other leg over the railing and slowly bent his knees. He was going to have to pick up his pace soon. He grabbed onto the thin bars that held up the top beam and slid his feet over the side. He allowed himself to slide until he grabbed onto the cement.

"You’ve hurt me," Mystic stared down at his hands while the Bin Sidhe steadied herself. The backs of his hands had been turned a bright pinks with a few patches of crimson. His palms were blistered and bleeding. "It’s supposed to begun and now it isn’t. You are going to pay for that." He held out his hands in front of him. More black lighting shot out from his injured fingers. The veins on his face darkened until they matched his eyes and hair while more veins formed across his face and arms, making him appear to have been carved out of marble.

Logan landed on the second floor walkway with no slipping. He wasted no time in grabbing the railing and climbing over the side.

The Bin Sidhe was ready for Mystics attack. She gathered all her energy into her voice and sang out against the lightening. The force of her own voice slowly drove back the lightening.

Logan slipped down on the otherside of the balcony and held by the cement rafters. His feet dangled from the ground. He closed eyes and allowed him to drop to the ground. His ankles and calves absorbed most of the painful shock from of the landing. He did not feel any lingering pain and tried to take a step. Nothing was broken and nothing was pulled.

Mystic sent forth more of his electricity while the Bin Sidhe sang. He could sense he was giving it all she had in her. He wasn’t giving it all he had. With an smirk on his face he stared at the ground and back at her. Large clods of dirt and rocks flew straight towards the Bin Sidhe.

The Irish fae was only bluffing. The chunks of land had only begun to strike her form when she had changed her shape, growing longer, cloths dwindling. Her form became more opaque and her jaws branched out like those of centepied.

Logan raced over to where his sister was trapped. "Don’t ye worry," he placed his hands on the ice’s surface and closed his eyes. "Faveo purus tui carcer. Faveo purus." The ice didn’t crack so much as it vaporized into a cool mist.

"Logan," Carrie moaned out her brother’s name as she fell forward.

"Carrie," He caught her in his arms, wishing he had a jacket or a blanket to wrap her in. "Are ye cold?"

"Not the least bit." She shook her head.

Mystic did not seem to notice that one of his prisoners had been freed. He was too preoccupied with the large worm that was reigning down on top of him. He had only one idea spring to his mind on how to deal with the beast.

The sorceror shoved his foot deep into the ground where it stretched and lengthen, reshaping itself into a tendril. His lengthened appendage tore out through the ground underneath Cuchulain as the last ember of his heroic energy flickered out and wrapped around Rory’s neck.

"Rory," Logan gasped. He felt like he had been torn into several different directions. He wanted to hold onto his sister, but he also wanted to free Clancy, rescue Rory and protect Scherezade and the rest of her clan.

"He should have been here by now," Carrie said.

"Who should have been here?"

"I’ve never tried this before," Mystic chuckled. He never turned away from the Bin Sidhe. "It feels kind of strange that my foot is cold and wet and my leg is covered with dirt. It’s kind of itchy." He watched the way the Sidhe just glared at him. "Don’t worry, he is not in any pain."

"Let him go." The Sidhe ordered

"Him?" Mystic stared back over his shoulder. "A mortal? You actual care for a mortal. I know he is got that super hero thing going for him, but the fact that you actually care about him?"

"Let him go. Its me that ye wantin ta be battalin’ wit."

A whirling disc of silver shot through the air and cut the part of the tendril inches above the ground. The small metal disc sliced through the flesh and cartilage. Rory fell to the ground while the part of the appendage that was wrapped around his throat shriveled up. The bleeding stump was retracted through the ground.

"Son of a fucking bitch!" The dark-haired man howled out in pain as his oft returned to normal. The only thing missing were his toes. He pointed at his foot. The blood dried up while new toes had sprouted. "Who the fuck dared?"

"I do," The voice was deep and carried a course London accent. "I’m the one who gave a fuck." The man slowly descending towards the ground appeared to have been in his late twenties. Pale hair that was tied back blew back and forth in the wind. He had chosen to dress casually, in a black shirt and a pair of denim pants.

"Him," Carrie answered her brother’s question. "We called him." The mere presence of Merlin brought a smile to her face.

________________________________________________________________

Broken cars littered the streets of the town. All were damaged from colliding into each other, creating a maze of cars with crumpled up hoods and shattered windshields. There was no one around. Everyone had ran off from fear and anger. Lillebarn had cleared the section of town. She would have cleared the whole town if that hybrid hadn’t shown up.

Xyl ignored the pain from the healing cuts and bruises from her body as she danced around the street. The warrior was lucky with the last demon she had slew. This time there was no one to help her, no army of warriors to lend her a hand. She did not need them. Xyl had heard of Lillebarn from Hecate. She knew of her weaknesses.

The bottom of the demon’s pink gown was tattered and was splotched with mud from her travels. Her ivory white legs ended in small feet coated in mud. A few pieces of grass stuck to her skin and in between her toes. Lillebarn’s golden hair was tangled. She had the appearance of a lost little girl. No one would have thought she was demon if it hadn’t been the over seized teeth that protruded out of her mouth. The teeth did not look like it would fit in her mouth and more like she was biting down on a set of monstrous set of teeth more fitting for an angler fish.

Lillebarn opened her mouth. The large jaws looked like the were about to split her head in two. Sliver like white teeth broke off from the back and launched out of her mouth.

Xyl was ready for the demon’s artilliary. She stepped back and swung her sword. The edge of the blade deflected the teeth, sending them to scatter into different directions across the asphalt. Another group of teeth came her way and she ducked behind a car.

Lillebarn stretched out her hands. Her small fingers grew longer, adding new joints until they were three feet in length. She bent forward, bracing her weight on her fingers and raised her feet. She ran towards Xyl on her extended fingers.

Xyl rolled out from her hiding place when she heard the tapping of Lillebarn’s fingers grow louder. She kept her eyes focused on the long jaws and the spider-leg like digits of the creature and fought to resist the long fingers as the tried to wrap around and grab her.

Lillebarn lowered her jaws and tried to snap at the Hybrid. Her eyes darkened to a deeper shade of blue and then black. She could feel her claws dig into the thick skin of the slayer and her jaws snapped around her hair. She spat out the dark locks and bent down to snap again.

Xyl grabbed onto the ground and four of Lillebarn’s fingers while she kicked up with all her strength. Her thick and strong feet came in contact with Lillebarn’s collar bone, shoving her back. Xyl took the opportunity to grab onto one of Lillebarn’s wrists and the hilt of her sword. Just as the child like’s head and jaws came back down she raised her sword and brought it against the demon’s teeth.

Lillebarn hissed her eyes had became vacant dark pits. She spat out the broken pieces of teeth as she grabbed Xyl by the neck, her long fingers wrapped around the copper hued throat and squeezed as hard as she could. Her other arm struggled with Xyl’s firm grip. The only thing she had to fear was Xyl sword ands wouldn’t have to worry if the warrior was lost in a sea of despair. Lillebarn increased the force of her grip as she pulled Xyl’s head closer to her own and tired to stare into the hybrid’s eyes.

______________________________________________________________________

"When did you call him?" Logan asked.

"I didn’t call him," Carrie answered. She watched as Rory sat back up still trying to catch his breath. " Rory did."

"You," Mystic seethed. He recognized the voice the second he heard it. "You have caused me enough pain for a lifetime."

"Looks like I caused a bit more," Gray shrugged. "That is an interesting new look. You were going for the demonic zombie, right?"

"You just don’t get it," The Sorceror chuckled. "I can crush you like a bug. I am far more powerful than you."

"It’s a downright pity you didn’t ask for more brains when you got your powers, mate."

"Go ahead and make your jokes. You are going to die laughing."

Merlin held out his arms. "That is one of the best ways to die." He lowered his arms and raised a single finger. "Except for dying from a good orgasm. You do remember the last time you had sex, Mr. Mystic?"

"Merlin!" The Bin Sidhe snapped. "Now is not the time nor the place fer yer blarney mouth."

"Bin Sidhe?" Merlin addressed in a tone of voice that said he didn’t notice up until that moment. "Were you two fighting and I interrupted you." He spun back to face Mystic. "Sorry It looks like I’m going to have to wait for my turn."

"It’s fine by me. I’m going to be able to kill that faerie faster, knowing that I will get a chance to finally murder you."

"Well it will be a bit of a long wait for me," The halfling checked his watch. "I might as well give this broad a good luck kiss."

"Ye are too calm," the Sidhe whispered a Gray approached her.

"Just close your eyes and relax." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her. A bolt of lightening struck the ground right behind them, casting a falsh of illumination over trhe couple "Good luck." He stumbled away from her. He no longer looked the virbrant and confident warrior he was seconds before. His lids were drooping and gray circles were noticible under his eyes.

"Okay, playtime is over."

"Aye," The Bin Sidhe opened her eyes widly. The light that radiated out seemed brighter than before. Her pale lavander color had returned to her body, limp hair turned lush and full, the tears in her dress became mended and the faded glow that surrounded her body had returned. She had felt rejuvenated from the force and power of his kiss. "Its time." She cried out at the top of her lungs as she instantly became the worm once more and charged straight forward into Mystic.

"Shit!" Mystic sent forth dark blast after dark blast. Each charge only caused the worm to pause a few times before it continued forward nonstop. Mystic created a large shield made out of the dark energy. The worm continued forward pushing against the barrier until it shattered.

Gray watched as Crom Cruach tried to slam itself against Mystic and would have if the wizard hadn’t flown from the worm’s jaws.

Merlin walked with a weak gait towards Carrie and Rory as the young woman helped the injured man to his feet. "We don’t have much to worry about," he grinned.

"Nothing to worry about?" Carrie checked Rory’s necks for any injures. A smoke-gray bruise developed across his skin. "What do ye mean?"

"Just look at her." He watched as the worm did it’s best to try to snap up Mystic. The sorcerer tried dodge her jaws and form of attack.

"What did she do?" Rory spoke with a weak voice while gingerly touching his neck. "Did she eat the third race’s version of a power pellet?"

"I kissed her."

"I saw that," Carrie turned toward her brother. Logan had his hands on the frozen from of Clancy. "What did kissing her do?"

"Lend her my power."

"Ye lent her yer power?" Carrie blinked. "All o it?"

"Most of it. I have as much power as your brother."

"You look exhausted." Rory pointed out.

"Fighting goblins and manticores in London." Merlin explained in the same tone one would use if they were telling someone they would be over for tea after they had taken out the trash. "That was the reason I couldn’t arrive sooner. It’s almost sundown."

"Ye donae even know if she will give it back." Carrie said.

"She will," Rory said softly. He turned back to his childhood friend who held his servant in his arms. "Ye’ll be able ta turn him back into a gargoyle?"

"If he wants," Merlin wanted to sit down, but he did not want to sit on the soaking wet ground. He watched the battle between the two powerful forces.

Mystic transformed himself into a large dragon just as Crom Cruach clamped it’s jaws down on his back. She came up with a mouthful of wings.

The dragon pulled himself way and breathed fire onto the worm. It’s effort was futile the flames did nothing to the thick hide of the worm.

Corm Cruach threw her whole body against Mystic, her jaws clamped around his neck. They kept writhing and struggling when they both disappeared.

"What happened?" Carrie was the first one too speak. "Where did they go?"

"I don’t know," Merlin left his jaw open as he stared at the spot where the Bin Sidhe was defeating Mystic.

"What do you mean you don’t know?" Rory grabbed him by his shirt. "Are you telling me you have nothing to do with this?"

"Lay off," the Britishman placed his hands on top of Rory’s arms. "I couldn’t have done anything. I gave her my power."

"Rory," Logan spoke with a solemn tone of voice as he and Clancy made his way over to them. "Let him go."

"He’s done something to the Bin Sidhe."

"Let him go lad," Clancy added. The older man was still shaking off the effects of his imprisonment.

"I didn’t do nothing," Merlin waited for both Carrie and Logan to pull Rory off him while Clancy stood behind him in case he might faint. "We don’t know what happened, but I assure you it wasn’t me."

"It could have been Mystic or the Bin Sidhe," Carrie tried to calm him down.

"Sorry," Rory grunted out his apology. "I’m still shaken up from what he did to me."

"We all are," Logan sighed and stared at his hands. He turned towards the house and the clan. He did not know how he was going to break it to Scherezade and Emer that their leader and the hatchlings was dead.

"We shouldn’t be stand-in around her in these wet clothes," Clancy said. "We should get back in the house have a warm showers change into somewhere arm and dry clothes and get some warm food into us."

"Aye," Logan lead the precision back into the house while the rain began to dwindle down. "Let me face them first." He watched as the statues had begun to move.

"I’ll stay with you until they heard the news," Merlin said with a somber tone. Once everyone was inside and grieving into their bowls of stew he would call the magic shop to see how everyone was holding up.

________________________________________________________________

Several Spriggan danced across cement walk ways of London, taking delight in every human they scared. Sometimes they would jump on the screaming humans and cling to their bodies as they ran. Their little hands groped into the pockets for money and, even better, sweets to snack on. So caught up in their activity they did not pay attention to those occupaying the shops and phone booths.

A shovel slammed down on top of one of the slender goblins as the raced by. "Got you," the man who wielded the shovel shouted in triumph. He was in his late twenties with strawberry blond hair cut short in an almost buzz cut. A short and thin beard circled around his jaw. He was dressed in dark slacks and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and a tie. The name tag from the electronics store he worked at was still pinned to his shirt. "Almost like a video game." He commented while slowly rasing the shovel to see how much damage he caused to the goblin. He smashed the shovel again on top of the goblin when the creature was still alive, and again, all the while imaging a digital score growing larger. "How is my mum?"

Another man around the same age stepped out of the phone booth his friend had been guarding. "She’s fine," he was corpulant and dressed in bleach splattered jeans and a t-shirt with faded logo of something that could have been from a video game or from a Science Fiction show. "Wants to know if we are coming over soon."

"Tell her we are trying to make it." The bearded man said. He raised the shovel a few inches to see how much damage had been caused. The goblin almost looked like a flattened cartoon character, except it’s eyeballs were smashed into the skull and blood was leaking out of the mouth and ears.

The other man nodded as he brought the reciever to his mouth. "Hullo Barbera? Shaun says we are tryin to make it? You are going to fix us your roast, and you have some beer in the fridge?"

"Let me talk to her, Ed." Shaun traded the shovel for the reciever and waited until his friend had stepped out. "Uh, Mum, about coming over-" He paused in midspeech when he heard the distinct voice of his step father on the other end. "Hullo Phil. I understand my mum is putting herself through a lot of trouble for his." While he had exchanged the phone with Ed his mother must have done the same with Phil. "We are stuck in the middle of London. No we are not at the Winchester, and it’s not traffic either." He watched in shock as Ed was preparing to fight with one of the red panther monsters with the scorpion tail. "If you turn on the telly or look out the window." He heard his stepfather’s repimand while he reached down for the only other weapon they took with them.: A wrench. "I have to go now." He hung up and bolted from the booth.

The decapitared head of the monster landed right onto his shoes, spraying him with some of the blood.

"Shaun!" Ed had the shovel raised above his head. "He just came out of nowhere."

Shaun didn’t answer his friend, nor did he look at the eerie human like face of the creature. He stared at the man before him, the one responsible for killing the beast. The strange man appeared to have been at the same age of Shaun’s mother and wore his brown hair in four pony tails. His hair was not what drew his attention, it was the man’s sword.

"Sorry if I had frightened you," the older man apologised. He was not dressed for fighting monsters. His attire of choice was a buisness suit, dark gray in color with a navy blue shirt and a black tie. "I didn’t really have much of choice of wich direction the manticore’s head would have taken."

"Is that what that thing was?" Ed pointed at the manticore’s body with a plump, sausage like finger. "What about that?" He nodded towards the remains of the goblin.

"A Spriggan," the older man answered in a matter of fact tone.

"You seem to know a lot about these things," Shaun finaly remembered how to talk.

The man nodded. "You both seem to be capable fighters, but the wrench in your hand is the only thing that can kill that spriggan, unless there is an abundance of iron in the shovel."

"Not certain," Ed answered wile rasing the shovel back up.

"They need more iron?" A voice called from above. The three men stared up at the sky. A large creature smiled, or it seemed that his beak was set in a smile, at them. He appeared humanoid in form with a body covered in a thin pelt of greenish brown fur. His lower feet ended in lion like paws and he had a lion like tail as well. He was dressed in what looked like a blue speedo and a leather jacket. A tuft of brown hair crowned his head. He was kept in the air by a large pair of feathered wings. "Got plenty of it." The creature dropped down and held a crow bar out towards the men.

"What the bloody hell is he," Ed asked. His eyes seemed to double in size.

"He’s not in league with the monsters is he?" Shaun asked. He had heard stories about strange creatures that fought criminals from America, the same creatures that many of the citizens in London have reported sighting. He had also played several games where the human heroes were aided by large creatures that some may have mistaken them for monsters. The creature that stood in front of them resembled Gar from the third Breath of Fire III. "He can talk."

"Been talking since I was four," the large creature replied.

"Don’t have to be afraid ," the old man told them before turning to the creature. "When did you wake up?"

"Sunset was minutes ago. Some of Merlin’s bandmates told us what happened."

"You are fighting the spriggans and manticores?" Shaun wanted some form of confirmation. "Like the American Gargoyles fight criminals?"

"Righto," the gargoyle nodded. "Also looking for fighters in London like yourselves and making sure they have iron weapons." He pointed towards Shaun’s shirt, where the manticore blood had stained it. "You might want to be a bit more careful there, chap. It looks like you already got some red on you."

"We’ll help fight," Sean smiled at Ed. What they engage would be dangerous, but they will have more fun than any video game.

________________________________________________________________

Huitzlopochth glared at the demon the moment he arrived on his part of the island.The bald man was the more wary of the Cubus’s presence than the other members of the Unseelie. He kept a short distance from the demon while the two walked through the short field of humans training in physical activity.

"You have set up your operation quite well," The Cubus watched as several men and women fought against each other using thick wooden staffs. "It’s nice that you have an army of mortals."

"You can call them cannon fodder if you want," the Mayan did not soften his expression. It was impossible for the Cubus or anyone to ses the true emotional displeasure expressed by the Unseelie. He wore a mask of gold across his face with a thin protective sheet of obsidian covering his right eye. Most of what he wore was gold. Across his chest he wore a metal breastplate, bands of gold were wrapped around his arms and on top of his head was gold crown with several feathers. The only non gold thing he wore was his loincloth, the belt that carried his knives and his leather sandals.

"Is that what you call them?" The Cubus raised his brows. "You are going to use them to attack the mainland?"

"After we fight the opposition on the north part of the island," Huitzlopochth spoke in a matter of fact kind of tone. "Its my people verses the Madagascar government."

"They side with their officials over a deity?"

"They claim to have a divine being on their side," the Mayan said.

"They have their own holy entity?"

"One that they claim is real."

"I see," the Cubus took note of the bitter tone in his voice. "It bothers you that you are not a real member of the third race, yet you are playing in the big league with the big boys. Don’t worry. There will be another like you. He can claim to be a deity like you and with two against one, well I no longer need to continue."

"Who is he and when is he arriving?"

"An American sorcerer full of bitter resentment. He should be arriving about now."

A giant white worm and dragon appeared before them. Several of the human warriors screamed at the sight of the monsters until Huitzlopochth told them to calm down and keep training. Both monsters were locked together in a deep hold as they wrestled around on the ground.

"This is him?" Huitzlopochth asked in disbelief. He had no idea if one of the monsters was the sorceror.

"The dragon," The Cubus answered.

Both monsters held on tightly to each other as they glowed in a brilliant white radiance and shrank back into two humanoid forms. The still ethereal Bin Sidhe pinned Mystic to the ground, one hand was around his neck, crushing his throat while he tried to shove her off.

The Bin Sidhe shrieked as she jumped oft sorceror. She waved her hand over him, from forehead down to his toes. The sorcery’s clothes and skin were instantly removed.

"The Bin Sidhe," the former mortal recognized her once she had regained her usual form.

"Demon," she glared not at Huitzlopochth, but at the Cubus.

"It appears Oberon decided to remove that gag after all," he scowled while she apparated out of the area.

"Gag?"

"You weren’t around to see her unjust punishment. She and Raven were both guarding Mab’s cage at the time of my arrival. She had a metal gag over her mouth."

"Quite the humiliation." He pointed at Mystic’s body. Flies had already began to swarm around the corpse. "What about him?"

"What a waste," The Cubus sighed. " He was undone by his arrogance. Right now we have more pressing matters. If the Bin Sidhe is not on Avalon that means other members of the Seelie court are around in the world."

"You don’t suppose the deity helping the government is from Avalon?"

"That is a most likely reason," the demon gritted his teeth. "I can no longer stay here. I have to inform the others and then meet up with my spawn." He sank below into the earth.

"Do try and hurry back," Huitzlopochth spoke, his voice dripped with sarcasm. The longer it takes to keep that Demon away from him the better.

________________________________________________________________

Xyl forced her eyes to stay closed. Even though she wasn’t staring into the dark hollow yes of the demons, the darkness had a way of seeping out and slipping underneath the eyelids and force them open. She cold feel Lillebarn’s fingers around her waist and neck, the sharp nails dug into her thick flesh. Her other arm was still fee, the hilt of her sword was still in her hand.

With her eyes still closed Xyl brought the blade of her sword towards her face. With a single swipe she cut through two of Lillebarn’s fingers and broke the rest. Xyl didn’t wait until the demoness had completely retracted its arm. She removed the spear from it’s sheath and opened her eyes. The world around her went dark, but not before she shoved her spear into it’s left eye.

The screams of pain were distant cries the shadow that poured out of Lillebarn’s good eye had completely enveloped the warrior. Xyl felt like she should kick herself for letting her become entrapped in Lillebarn’s specialty. She would not allow her to become a complete victim.

"Sinner!" Xyl hadn’t heard the voice in thousands of years. It was the voice of the men of law, the men who had hunted her down when she was still human. The man who’s horse didn’t slow down appeared before her. "You have escaped us once but not again."

"You are dead," Xyl ignored him as she marched forward. As long as she didn’t pay attention to them then she wouldn’t succumb to Lillebarn’s power.

"You murdered me." he was more bloated than Xyl remembered. His flesh had become clammy and turned from bronze to bluish gray. His clothes were soaked and clung to his body.

"You were too fat and you couldn’t slow your horse down." She shouldn’t be talking to him.

"You stole that horse," a second man of law appeared next to the first. He was the eldest of the three, the one Xyl had tried to save. Like the fat man his skin appeared clammy and puffed. His eyes were completely white and covered with a slick film. "You murdered me."

"I tried to save you." Xyl kept her eyes forward. Lillebarn was in front of her. The visions of the dead men could have been her claws coming for her.

"It may have been a lie," the third and youngest man of law appeared next to the others. His body had decomposed the most. Grimy gray flesh was stretched across his bones. Some of his skin hung in tatters and clumps. There was a distinct tear in his robes form where she had stabbed him. "You are a liar."

"I told the truth." Her grip tightened across her hilt.

"You murdered us," all three said in unison. "You stole, sold your body."

"I only murdered one of you."

"You are evil!" They cried out in unison.

"Enough." She stabbed each with her sword. One by one they faded away. Xyl cannot allow herself to be distracted. She knew in real life she was stabbing away at the fingers of the demon. The demoness was still in pain from the damage to her hand, teeth and eye to pose too much of a threat.

"Mother?" The new voice brought her to pause. Like with the men it was a voice she hadn’t heard in over thousands of years. It was the voice of her eldest son. "Mother turn around."

No, she would fall for such an easy trick. She continued cutting away at the solid mass with her long nails. Her fingers felt warm and sticky from an unknown substance.

"Won’t you look at us mother?" The voice of her daughter piped up next. Xyl did not care to see the illusion of her children.

"Please mama," the sound of her youngest caused Xyl’s heart to pause. "We miss you and may never see you again."

"We will meet once more," she continued clawing, even shoved her hands against the mass.

"No we won’t mother." Her eldest spoke in a solemn tone. "You are going to a very bad place."

"I will defeat the demons," Xyl said. "I will be redeemed."

"No you won’t, mother."

"Sorry mother," her daughter spoke again. "You are going to a very bad place because you are bad."

"You would have starved." Her clawing slowed. "I did it all so you would have food and clothing."

"You broke the law," her eldest two children spoke together. "You will be punished."

"I was promised."

"The promise won’t come true," Her youngest son spoke again. "You murdered an innocent man."

"He would have killed me."

"You are evil." All three said at once.

"No!" She plunged her hand deep inside the mass she had been clawing at. Her hand enclosed around something the size and shape of an egg and hard as a rock "I will be reunited with my real children!" She pulled her fist and the object out and squeezed as hard as she could and felt the material cracking.

The darkness that had surrounded shattered, returning it to the street and damaged cars. The howl of pain coming from Lillebarn increased to a high pitched squeal and was silenced almost immediately.

Xyl stared at the object in her hand. The crystal she had pulled out was covered in cracks and dripped the slick black substance onto the asphault. She starred back at the demoness and the gaping hole in the center of her chest. More dark blood oozed out. Xyl squeezed the crystal even further until it had shattered. She watched as Lillebarn fell backwards and broke into several pieces once her body came in contact with the ground.

________________________________________________________________

The Kiyamei paused for his breath for a mere second. The battle was far from over even though he had only sent the gargoyles who had attacked him first running back towards the more greener areas. He would kill them later. He had already burned them, sent whirling blades to lay deep incisions into their flesh and one of his acid bombs successfully burned off the taloned off foot of one.

"You fight well," the demon commented before breaking the sword of the Japanese gargoyle in half. The blade did not cut through his demon flesh as he squeezed with all his strength.

"My sword," Yama hissed. Shock washed over him, leaving him an empty feeling inside. Tha sword was a gift from Kai nearly thirty years ago for being the most skilled at Bushido from all of his rookery. He lost count of how many battles he had used it in. "My sword!" Anger quickly relaced the empty feeling as his eyes became illuminated.

"My sword," Kiyamei had revereted Yama’s anguished cry to a sniveling whine. He had both of his hands filled. One arm kept sending blades and acid at those fighting in the air while his other arm sent figures of fire at the others. The being made out liquid metal seemed to drink up most of those attacks "Are all you mortals such children these days?"

Yama answered with a deep roar and hurtled his body against the stooped back. His claws sank into the demon’s flesh and tried to ignor the brning and itchying feeling caused by the demon’s black blood.

Kiyamei hissed and turned around with enough force to send the gargoyle flying off his back. He formed an acid mist bomb in his hand and threw it at the gargoyle.

The yowling cry of pain was not the roar of the gargoyle and came only a second before rapid lazer fire struck Kiyamei. The demon ignored the surrering mutate. The dumb creatures had used one of his bat like wings to block the acid. He turned his foucus to the one who was constantly fireing at him.

It was the male human in the gold armor, and wearing a a helmet and mask that resembled a wild canine.

Kiyamei’s hand changed into skewer just as he turned and ploughed his arm through the man’s armor, through the chest and cursed the fact he had missed the heart.

"Harry!" The human woman cried as she ran towards them. Her own guns fireing more of the lighting like projectiles at his body.

Kiyamie slammed the armored man down and threw fire towards the woman. He scowled at the fact the liquid metal being had pounced on it instantly, but not without some damge inflicted onto the woman’s feet. He could not dwell on that fact when the others were attacking him.

________________________________________________________________

Screams from fear and pain were music to the Cubus’s ears. He was ready to visit with his son. He wanted to see how much progress the younger demon had caused. He wanted to check in right after his visit with Huitzlopochth, but the sight of the Bin Sidhe fighting the sorceror put a cramp on his plans. He had to travel around the world to give the Unseelie the news. The whole flight took an hour of his time.

He landed where the scent of his son was the strongest. "Where is my spawn?" He looked around. There were several decapitated heads lining the mortar covered surface of brick wall. Some of them were human. Others belonged to dogs, cats, cattle, chickens and pigs. The decapitated bodies were piled into a corner. Several humans were hanging upside-down from the rafters of a building in front of the Cubus. He drank in on their screams and crying.

"I’m right here," the smaller demon emerged from the shadows of an alley. He was dragging along a long rope chain that had the wrists of three other humans bound together. Two of them were men and one was a woman. All three had bruises covering their faces. There was no other sign of life. The rest of the buildings appeared vacant and the nearby well did not have any birds fluttering around it. The Cubus didn’t notice if there was water or not.

"You did all this?" The Cubus pointed at both the living bodies and the heads on the wall. "I am quite impressed."

"I didn’t do it all by myself," the younger demon shrugged. "Some of the dark beasts and goblins did their fare share of damage."

"Are any of them around?"

"They left over an hour ago," the spawn grabbed onto the back off one of the bound man’s neck and slammed his face onto the rock hard clay. "They needed to feed."

"We have a bit of a problem. It appears the Seelie are aware of our goals and are taking a stand against our forces."

"They are warning the others about how we are using them as pawns and for cannon fodder?" The younger demon spoke softly.

"Not so loud," he grabbed onto his spawns lips and looked around him. There was no sign of a goblin, troll or imp. "They are just fighting us. Even if they knew their brethren were just pawns they can do nothing about it. They can’t tell the Unseelie. Their darker cousins wouldn’t listen."

The spawn had noticed something in the well. "What is that?"

"What?" The Cubus turned towards the well just a headful of damp lifeless hair and seaweed ducked down. He swore under breath and raced towards the well. "Carry on."

"Becareful, my sire," the younger demon turned back to the hanging humans. His eyes fell on the wriggling form of a frightened twelve year old. "I shall carry on." He pressed one of his claws against the child’s chest and cut across. The child had been almost silent up until that point with just a few frightened whimpers. When the spawn’s claws dug into his flesh he let out a yowl. "That is what I like to hear."

"Monster," the woman right next to the boy spat at the young demon. "Devil child. I will send you back to hell."

"Is this your filho?" The spawn asked while grinning. He did not remove his claw from the boy’s chest. "I shall prolong his pain before I kill him."

The woman thrashed against her bindinings. "Beast! Monster, Demon. I’ll, I’ll..."

"You’ll what?" He noticed how silent the other humans where. Perhaps his father had taken care of the spying fae and returned. He would address his sire after he had finished his fun. "Swing like a pentulum with the mere hope you might tap me on the forehead?" He laughed, closing his eyes as he took in her suffering. He didn’t stop until he heard something crouching. He opened his eyes just as something struck his fur. "What is this?"

"Praise the lord, thank you lord, we are saved, thank you," the various pharses were exchanged amongst the prisoners.

The cubus stared up at what they were talking about. His eyes were met with the eyes of a man dressed in a camaflouge uniform. "More toys," the spawn grinned just before he felt a surge of electricity travel through his body. He felt the tingiling and burning all over, but it wasn’t quite a real pain. "You’ll have to do better than that."

More soldiers stepped out from where the were hiding, all of them were armed with water guns. They were the large plastic guns, equiped with pumps to enable them to release a long and powerful stream of water. All of them aimed and fired water at the spawn.

"What is this," the spawn hissed as he was hit with the sprays. The water was just ordinary water, not some enchanted liquid. It did cause him to have a slight burning and itching sensation. "Holy wat-" he did not get to finish. Another surge of electricty shot through him. The pain was magnified by the water.

"Now!" one of the soldiers shouted. A net was thrown ovr the head over the Spawn. "That should him."

Hold him? There is no net that could hold him. He studied the woven myterial, his eyes focused on the bits of metal woven in at certain places. He touched one of the pieces and instantly withdrew. It was silver, not just ordinary silver, silver that had been treated. There was nothing he could do except glare at his captors. His eyes were drawn to the lead soldeir and the strange tiny badge on his right chest. The eye and pyramid emblem was made out of polished brass.

________________________________________________________________

The Cubus had followed the movement of webbed toes through the underwater tunnel. He knew the humans could never have built such a contraption in their well and it was the fae’s way to travel from one watery area to another. He noticed fish before the tunnel widened and the webbed feet getting closer. He increased the speed of his swimming and reached out for a one of the woman’s ankle.

The female entity thrashed when she felt his hand grab onto her. "No!" Her scream was accompanied by several bubbles.

"You slick little spy." The Cubus pulled her closer until he could wrap an arm around her chest. He felt her rough armor of, skeletons, shells and barnacles cutting into his flesh, the fish scales were sewn together to create her cloths. "This is all your doing!"

Melusine continued to thrash even when the Cubus had flown up and carried her out of the water. "You already have lost."

"You think so?" The Cubus pointed at the water. Fire rained down from his hand and into the waves. Bubbles foamed on the surface and set up a geyser of stream long with the dead bodies of several dolphins, sea turtles, and sting rays. A dozen seagulls fell from the sky. "You will not get your message out now that I have killed your messengers." He enjoyed the way she stared at the animals in shock and sorrow. "I only killed the ones that were close enough for you to communicate with. Now for you." Both of them disappeared.

________________________________________________________________

The scent of various metals greeted the noses of the immortals once they had apparrated in the steel factory. The scent of iron was the largest. The Cubus had selected the place because it was still in operation and it was closed for the day.The late afternoon sun poured in through the windows

The demon headed straight for one of the machines that dumped liquid metal into vats to be mixed together. "Don’t worry my dear. There is no one to interrupt us." He sought out the one that had the strongest scent of iron. "I don’t really like my women this skinny, perhaps I will have to fill you up. He shoved her onto the pointed end, the force of his strenght caused the spout to break through her armor and cut into her belly, and used his tail to turn it on.

"Too late," Melusine choked out the words. She felt excruciating pain through her body when the liquid metal poured into her.

"Too late for you," the demon gloated. He watched as her body began to turn a darker shade of gray. Her skin shriveld like a prune. "I have waited far too long for this. I’m not going to allow you or any of your fellow out casts to ruin it."

Melusine’s body continued to wither and dry out. "Warned." It was nearly too painful for her to speak.

"Your little fish friends are dead. Unless you have another creature loyal to you and able to carry out your messages."

"Undine..." the last word was choked out before her body had shriveled to a mummy like state. Liquid metal bubbled up out of her mouth and trickled out of the corners of her eyes.

The Cubus turned off the machine and pulled her body off and set it down into one of the vats. He flipped the switch back on and covered her corpse in the molten lead before turning it back off again. There was going to be a small mess for the humans to clean up in the morning, of course there would be if the gates of hell hadn’t been open yet.

"I may come back and claim you as a trophy," he said to the lump covered in metal. He needed to take a brief nap before transferring his champion to the city of his choice.

_______________________________________________________________________

Robyn kneeled next to Harry, ignoring the sharp pain from her cracked armor where it stabbed into her side. She knew about Harry’s injuries but she could no longer fight. The main charge for her lazer rifle had been spent, her long knife broken in half and she was out of her other throwing knives. Both her boots were deformed, covered with dark burn marks. She peeled them off with her left hand to discover the first and second degree burns covering her feet, ankles and calves. Her right arm was broken from the fight

"How are you holding up?" Vahril asked. She was having trouble seeing out of her right eye, due to the fact the lids were swollen closed. Most of her other cuts were dressed. Her one broken hand was wrapped in an ace bandage and she limped around the injured. Her hand was broken after she and Gawain had cut of several of the demons wheel like spokes, hobbling it

"I’ll be fine," She answered. She hoped she would not have to speak much longer. The cut on her mouth was caked with blood. "Hope they can make it." She refered to Harry. He was out cold due to the force of his head striking the ground. Robyn had removed his armor and applied pressure to the chest wound the Cubus had inflicted. Vahril had dressed his wound with several sterelized pads and wrapped enough gauzed to cover up his chest.

The other injured and unconcious man was Ryoma. His own sword had gone entirely through the demon’s mid section before the monster used his own blades to slice off some of Ryoma’s armor and throw the man down. The final blow was rollowing over the human, right before he lost part of his one wheel to Vahril and Gawain. It was enough to cause the hero to revert back to the school teacher.

"Hell finish it," Vahril nodded at the wall of silver and turned around for the others. Her mate, Gawain had his tail and legs covered in second degree burns, the tip of his tail and two of his talons one his left foot were charred. His wings were completely swathed in bandages. They were nearly tattered from the battle and his right arm was broken.

Yama looked like he wanted to remain fighting, but the minor breaks in both legs prevented him from standing. Several sterile pads covered his wings. He had burns and cuts on his arm, three long slashes down his chest. One of his horns was hanging by a thread before Vahril healed him. It was almost a blessing dawn had come and sealed both him and Gawain in a healing stone slumber.

Fang was in a worse shape. He suffered from a compound fracture in his left leg. Vahril had to push the bone back before wrapping it up. She applied gauze to the mutate’s bleeding head wound and completely covered the remaining stump that was Fang’s right wing. The acid had burned half of it off and she had to cut off some more flesh to keep the acid from crawling even higher. The bandages came from Vinnie who landed the air ship half an earlier so the other gargoyles could climb inside to rest. Both Yama and Gawain insisted on battling until dawn and were willing to rest out in the open.

"I hope," Robyn nodded. She was almost certain she was correct. As they fought the demon his color grew darker. It went from bright reddish brown too a deep mahogany and the flames on the top of it’s floating face had dwindled in size.

The small explosion brought their attention to the Matrix. The tower of silver had shattered into a million of droplets that showered into every direction. The droplets that struck the Redemption squad did not sting and actualy felt cool to their burns.

Kiyamei was still standing. "I win," his coloration had turned black. The flames on his head were mere embers. "It was a good try," he brought his hands weakly together to applaud them. "That thing covered me and weakened me, but I defeated him, and by the looks of things I have nearly defeated you."

"You are the one who is almost dead," Vahril claimed. She stood up, ready to fight him a little further. She could hear the electricity gathering around Fang.

"We are not defeated yet." Robyn ignored the pain in her feet as she stood up. Her machete might be broken, but she still would be able to get a few strikes.

"You all have such determination," Kiyamei smiled at them. "It is quite admirable, but already I feel my strength returning." He stared at each mortals, pausing at the mutate and alien. There was something behind them, something running towards him at a fast pace. "No!"

"No?" Robyn turned to where he was staring at. She wasn’t sure what she was seeing. It appeared to be a copper hued woman running towards the demon. She could not make out the woman’s’ appearance side from the glint of the light on her armor, her dark hair and her eyes.

A wooden harpoon shot out from his hand straight for the woman. "I will not allow you to strike me again.

The woman kept running. With one swing of her sword she cut the skewer in half and continued even those he kept firing off more skewers she kept running. She kept running. she either jumped over them or struck at them with her sword. One struck her thigh causing her to stumble, by that time she was in front of Kiyamei.

"Stubborn," He created a acid bomb in his one hand and was ready to throw it down on her. a bolt of electricity struck him in his floating face. The acid slipped from his clutch and fell on his oddly shaped leg. "That won’t hurt me."

Xyl swung her blade with one arm as she pulled the skewer from her leg. She wasn’t able to cut into his wood like flesh. His other hand blocked her strike. She was only able to cut a little bit into the palm of his hand.

"Nice try," his other arm grabbed her by neck and lifted her up he ignored the stab of his own skewer into his arm.

Robyn pulled back on her rifle and fired the last shot at Kiyamei’s arm, carefully avoiding the strange woman. The blast met it’ mark on his arm, enough for the demon to release his hold on the warrior.

As soon as Xyl landed she pulled out her spear and shoved into the middle of Kiayemei’s chest.

The last embers on his face dyed away one spark at a time. With one shaking arm he reached towards the spear and snapped in half. "Broke your toy and two to go" His words were like the rustle of dead leaves. The last spark faded into smoke as his body turned to more of a gray color and crumbled into ash, taking the part of the spear in his chest with him.

Vahril was the one to approach Xyl. "Is he dead?"

"Yes," Xyl nodded.

"What does he mean by two more?" She was the least bit afraid of the strange woman. Robyn had gathered that the new comer was an alien herself. A being from a planet that was part of the same galactic alliance as Vahril’s planet.

"I have two more demons to kill," Xyl explained as she slid her sword back into it’s sheath.

"What about your spear?"

"It’s okay," Xyl pointed to her sword and scythe. "I still have more." She nodded towards Vahril. "Thank you for your help."

"You were the one who killed him," Fang pointed out.

"You weakened him," Xyl said before she turned and ran off towards the west.

"She’s fast," Fang blinked at the speed of the strange woman. "What planet is she from?"

"I don’t know," Vahril shurgged. she turned to where the Matrix had reformed.

The liquid metal being had formed into a large vehicle the size of a fishing boat and flat as a raft. Inside, parts of him had formed into three gurneys and two seats Both femals were secure in the seats while the mutate and men were strapped down on the gurneys. The two statues were secure in the middle

"Becareful," Robyn said. She felt the craft begin to move, heading towards the direction of the air ship.

"Matrix is always careful." Varhil said. She knew the mass of nanotechnology would not allow further injuries come to them, nor would any of the statues chip

"Are we going to get the good drugs in the ship," Fang asked.

"We will get better care on the ship," Robyn answered. "And even better care at the nearest hospital." Some people will object to the site of Fang and Vahril being emitted and she will move heavens and hell to see them get the treatment they need.

________________________________________________________________

Everytime Elisa exited the stairs and stepped onto the top of the tallest tower of the old Scottish castle she would pause to enjoy the setting sun. She didn’t even look at the sky and even if she had she wouldn’t have seen much because of the developing clouds. It already felt dark, almost like night despite the fact the clan was still trapped within their stone slumber.

Tiny cracks developed across the stone forms of Hudson, Goliath, and Brooklyn, creating beautiful cob web pattern as it spread across their bodies. Six pairs of eyes of pure alabaster lit up the area while the statues moved. Deep roars were emitted from the three males, roars that were echoed from the smaller tower beneath them and another tower from another part of the castle.

Elisa waited until her husband had finished stretching before she approached him. "Goliath." She breathed his name as she marveled as his over seven foot lavender body.

"My Elisa," He wanted to take her in his arms and run his talons through her bluish black hair. The expression on her face held him back. "There is something wrong." He did not even have to form it into a question. He just knew by her face.

"All three of you need to hear this," she looked both Hudson and Brooklyn in the eyes. The elderly gargoyle was still standing on his perch. The sword he held out to complete his frightening and protective pose was placed back into his sheath. Brooklyn was halfway across to the steps when Elisa had asked them to stay.

"What is this bad news, lass?" Hudson asked. He lowered himself on his perch until he was seated on his rump and had his feet hanging over the floor. He had a feeling something was about to happen the evening before.

"Everything," Elisa summarized what she wanted to tell them in one word.

"Everything?" Goliath repeated in a weak tone of voice. Did something happen at work or with Elisa’s family. Were the H.A.M. members who were arrested released? Whatever it was he was going to help his Elisa with the problem, that unless he was the problem.

She noticed the look in her husband’s eyes. "The Network is going crazy. The Weregoyle clan in Peru fought against a strange monster. A similar threat is approaching the Sanctuary clan in Africa. There are small wars breaking out in South America, South Asia and Africa. The London clan is fighting the Unseelie. The Redemption Squad and some of the Chinese clan are are going after another monster. Australia is under attack."

"A war is breaking out," Hudson rose to his feet. "Its what we have feared."

"Are there any signs they are coming here?" Brooklyn asked. He had stood tall instead of his usual slouch.

"We are bracing for the worst," Elisa said. "The National guard is here. We have sent messages to the Labyrinth, to Macbeth, to Canmore and to the commissioner. Xanatos has several steel clan robots built."

"We may need them," Goliath felt his hand being held by his beloved Elisa. "Hudson, I want you and Brooklyn to go into the castle and tell the others."

"We’ll summon them to the living room and tell them t' gatherthe weapons they have beentraining with," Hudson said as he followed Brooklyn down the stairs.

"How many Steel Clan robots?" Goliath asked.

"I don’t know." Elisa shrugged. "I didn’t ask. I know he also has his iron clan and Lexington robots ready."

"The Children?"

"They are in the rookery with Jam and Kitty. Alex will create a shield around the room if he needs to."

"What about Puck?" Goliath ran his talons against his loin cloth pocket. He felt the familiar bulge of the dragon statue he had placed there. "Why isn’t he protecting the children?"

"He will protect the castle," Elisa explained. "He is going to place a protective barrier around the castle and the tower once we leave."

"Once we leave?" Goliath raised his brow ridges.

"When we’ll are going out on patrol."

"The rest of the clan will go out on patrol. You will be staying in the rookery."

"No, Goliath." She shook his hand away from her. "I’m coming with you."

"It’s too dangerous to carry you around."

"I’ll be in a suit like Xanatos."

"You are staying and that is a clan order."

The command was a slap to her face. "What?"

"You heard me. I can’t risk loosing you."

"I can’t just stand around worrying. Don’t you remember how you were about to die and I shot Thailog?"

"We are against something much worse," Goliath turned his back to her. He could not let her see how frightened he was. "I have to focus everything on the enemies. I will not be able to fight my best if I have to worry about you."

"Then don’t worry."

"I have to. Part of me wants Angela to stay. I don’t want to risk loosing anyone that I care about." He felt the moisture gather at the corners of his eyes. "And I want Rowan and Rebecca to at least have one parent."

"Goliath don’t talk like that," she brushed her fingers against the back of his shoulder. "Goliath?"

He turned to face her as a tear ran down the side of his face. "Please stay."

"I can’t." She had to swallow deeply before she could continue. "Chavez wants to me work crowd patrol. I’m working with Cross and Gamble to help the citizens get home in a quick and steady matter."

"I see," he stroked her hair. "Then why did we go through that argument?"

"I wanted to see your reaction."

"As long as you are not directly fighting the evil."

"I’ll be on the ground. Unless you get hurt and then I’m using the suit Xanatos loaned me."

"My Elisa." He pulled her close. No much how much protesting he would use she would not accept the order to not join the battle or try to protect him.

________________________________________________________________

The air of New York’s underground felt cold and clammy to the Cubus. The change of the environment a only a minor shock towards him after he had teleported himself and the large party from Isle Imbri. He not only brought himself and Thailog but the other half of the dark race and several ghouls and Redcaps.The Cubus wanted to inhale deeply. He still felt a slight fatigue from the combination of the teleportation, little sleep, and his world travels. Soon it will be worth it.

"Can we go now?" One of the Redcaps had asked. His cap was covered with a crusty reddish brown substance. It thirst to be dipped in fresh blood. His fingers hovered over the hilt of his tiny sword

"Patience," the demon held up a claw. It was a word he had been saying a lot recently. He had told the same thing to his champion when he told the large creature to wait in the sky over the water near the city. Several more goblins and crawlers were perched on the Champions back. Several fliers surrounded the large creature.

"I want t’ kill," the Redcap pulled out his sword. Several of his kind were already brandishing theirs. "I want t’ cut through flesh, spill blood-"

"And paint your cap," the Cubus finished for him. "Yes we all know what your desires are. He turned towards the ghouls. The pale green Unseelie were about the same height as The Redcaps and appeared to weigh half as much. Their arms and legs no more than mere sticks. "And I know you wish to feed."

"We hunger," the lead ghoul’s mouth dropped. The jaw extended far more that it seemed possible, his chin hung only a few inches above the ground.

"Soon," the demon wasn’t sure if he was telling them or himself. His whole body tingled from the excitement he felt. His main purpose would have been full filled. He placed his hand against the wall. "There are many paths to take. We need to separate. Go though the tunnels till you find the stairs that lead to the surface."

"Now?" The Red cap he had spoke with asked.

The Cubus nodded. "Now."

Two of the ghouls struck their heavy metal clubs against the brick wall, smashing away sections to form a hole that was large enough for them, and for some of the redcaps and the crawlers that agreed to travel with them.

"Attack!" The bloodthirsty goblin lead the brigade. He was followed by five others of his kind, the two ghouls who broke the wall and several of the rat like crawlers.

"I hope they are happy. I did sense life." The Cubus ducked his head into the hole to watch whatever ruckus the creatures would cause.

They had already found their first victims, further down the tunnels. Three sewer line workers were checking the pipes and looking for anything that might have caused blockage. Not one of them turned around or could hear what was approaching them.

"Surprise!" The lead Redcap shouted out before he leaped for one of the workers. There was no time for his victim to run and by the time he had turned to see what was behind him it was too late. The Redcap had stabbed his blade through the worker’s neck. "Fresh blood."

The other two workers had managed to run only a few yards before they were slain. One was stabbed twice by the knives of two other Redcaps and the third was attacked by the Crawlers. The small beasts covered his body and tore out large chunks with their sharp teeth.

"Blood and victory," The lead goblin said. He grabbed the head of the human he just killed and removed his cap. He pressed the material against the stab wound and blotted up as much blood as he could.

"Foolish," The Cubus bit back against all the insults he wanted to use against the unseelie. It was only because there were more patient members waiting beside him that he held his tongue. "They shouldn’t shout out when they are going to attack. Who knows where the gargoyles of this underground terrain are."

"Gargoyles," A ghoul moaned out the question. "Down here?"

"A small clan," he was thankful for the information he had acquired when he was bonded with that foolish immortal, Jason Canmore. "They are not the brightest."

"We know they are here now,"one of the more patient Redcap’s said.

"Good." He turned around to face another direction in the tunnel. "Now divide and conquer." He ran as soon as he gave the command.

________________________________________________________________

"I wonder if I did the right thing," Talon muttered the words, more to himself than anyone else. He left the entertainment area of the Labyrinth after watching Winter lead several of the children on a treasure hunt. The game was her and Maggie’s idea. Maggie created the clues and placed them in different parts of the center and Winter lead the children, allowing them to find out where each clue was.

"You seem to be lost in a large sea of doubt," the soft words came from Talon’s side, surprising him in his steps. He turned with a jump and saw the woman standing only a few feet from him. "Didn’t mean to scare you."

"You didn’t Natalie," Talon ran his hand over his head before staring back towards the fun center. "Just disturbed my train of thought."

"What was on your mind?" Natalie asked. She kept her brown hair tied back into a pony tail. She looked like she had been washing the dishes. An old dish towel hung from her pants pocket and Talon could smell lemon scented dish soap on her hands.

"Still wondering if Winter’s early release was a good idea." He thought back to when the snow leopard mutate first came into the Labyrinth. She was still injured from her battle with the clan and had a medical collar around her neck and an arm in a cast. After they had closed the door on her glass cage he imposed her punishment: five years within the Labyrinth prison.

"I believe she has been punished enough," Natalie lead him down the hall towards the kitchen. "She was never a problem and deserves her early release."

"Just doesn’t fit in with what I believe. I remember how my father was a stickler for criminals serving their full sentence. Elisa was and is the same way too. Whenever she found out a perp she helped put away was about to get out early she would argue with Chavez."

"You were the same way when you were a cop?"

"Pretty much," he sighed. "The only reason I agreed to let Winter out was because the rest of the clan voted for it."

"It’s only a year early."

"Not even a full year early."

"You have to remember you are not a cop anymore, Derek. You have mentioned it several times that even though you became a cop like your father you were not into it the same as your father and sister."

The bricks on the left wall cracked as a loud booming from within walls echoed through out the tunnels of the Labyrinth. The bricks exploded outward, showering the mutate and woman in a spray off rubble.

"What?" Talon had only managed to get out before a large creature stepped out of the hole it had created. The cloven hooves and legs covered fur gave Talon the impression the newcomer was a mutate. The long tail tipped in an arrow shaped spur and the spiraled horns told him otherwise.

"Talon?" Natalie could not remove her gaze from the beast.

"Run," the mutate grabbed onto the woman and ran down the opposite direction from where they had came from. "We are under attack. We are-" Talon did not finished his warning. A couple of fireballs flew straight towards them and struck the mutate in the backs of his legs. Both Talon and Natalie cried out, but their cries went unanswered. The over head ceiling crumbled above and fell onto the two of them. Large chunks rained down onto the two of them until they were buried in the rubble.

"Now , now," The Cubus wagged a clawed finger back and forth "We can’t let you go off and announcing we are here." He turned to his company behind him. He had two of each underlings. Two Red caps who kept their blades sheathed until they were about stab and two Ghouls who were equipped with large wooden hammers instead of clubs. There were two dark human creatures, similar to the Watcher in every aspect. His team was rounded out with four canines and four carolers.

"Dead?" One of the Redcaps pointed to the pile of rubble.

"Not dead," a ghoul responded in a disappointed tone of voice.

"We can’t go down that way," the Cubus pointed in the direction the mutate and woman were running towards. "This is the exact home of the underground gargoyles. They live with the mutates. It won’t be long until they answer their leader’s cries." He pointed to the newly formed hole in the ceiling. "Follow me." He leaped through the opening.

He lead them down through the tunnels. The fact there wasn’t much in the way of human life was a slight disappointment to him. He was certain the others wanted to kill, to cut through bones and feel hot blood spray against them. The Cubus knew they would not have to wait much longer when they found the tracks of a subway.

They raced along the thin platform against the wall. The Cubus wasn’t sure how the four members of the Unseelie or the dark race would fare if they were struck by a train or if it ran over them. He wasn’t sure how it would affect him. He was certain he wouldn’t die, nor would it be a pleasant experience for him.

"Monsters!" The first frightened shriek came from a woman in business attire. She was the one who reached the steps first when the Cubus and the rest of his part ran onto the platform.

The canines were the first to succeed in bringing down humans. Each one tackled a different person, the force of three bodies were enough to tackle them to the ground.

The redcaps each were able to stain their knives with blood from two more.

The Crawlers ganged up on a single victim and the ghouls clobbered two more people. They were at the stairs when the struck their hammers against their legs and suck again when they had fallen forward. Their hammers struck against the back of their heads. The pale green fae would wait a few minutes after the bodies were dead before they begin to eat.

The Cubus was the last to ascend the stairs. The cries of pain from the humans were his battle song. He allowed his underlings to attack first, help create an entrance before he stepped out into the open. More screams greeted his when he surfaced. Cars immediately stopped when the drivers has sighed him and the people ran in different directions.

The demon sent fire balls straight ahead into the buildings infant of him and the buildings on each side of him. "Surprise." He grinned before sending his attack onto several of the cars.

________________________________________________________________

The order was everyone to leave the castle. When Goliath gave the command he expected some form of protest, but nobody said anything in disgust of his command, not even Demona. His former love nodded solemnly and stood tall. She was poised for battle as were the rest of the clan. All she requested was to give her children a kiss. It was an understandable request. Goliath gave everyone permission to hold their sons and daughters. Marle and the female gargoyles went into the rookery to spend some time with their eggs.

"Looks like we found our piece of the trouble," Lexington glided ahead of Goliath. He had requested to be on Goliath’s patrol group. The clan leader wondered if it was because of Lexington’s outburst from a few months ago.

"Aye," Goliath nodded when he had nodded the smoke and turned back to face the rest of the team. Both he and Lexington were joined by Angela, Othello, Matt and Frank who carried Boudicca and several of Xanatos’s robots. A dozen of both Steel and Iron clan robots followed close behind and ten of the smaller steel clan robots, all structured after Lexington, surrounded the mechanical party.

They dove down towards where the Colums of smoke where the thickest and swirled around the burning buildings. Goliath had to resist the urge to check the buildings to see if there was anyone alive. There was a familiarity to the area and Goliath knew where it was even before Angela spoke up.

"We are near the Labyrinth," Angela’s voice weighed heavy on the clan. They had just taken flight when they received the transmission from Elisa. Candy had called Wyvern with the news of their attack. Something had dropped a section of the tunnels onto Talon and Natalie. Both were brought into the Labyrinth medical room.

"Five to one that’s the cause," Matt glided closer to his leader and pointed at the ground. The orange-red creature that was running around had stared up at them when they arrived. "What is that thing?"

Goliath dove down before the others. "It is familiar." He had seen it before. The color of the creature’s skin, the cloven hooves, the horns and the tail. "Cubus," he hissed out the name of the demon, the same creature that possessed Jason Canmore.

"Hello Goliath," The Cubus grinned his rows of ivory fags at him. "I’d love to stay and disembowel you but I’ll leave that task to my champion. I have places to go and certain faces to see." With a curtesy bow he sank beneath the asphalt.

"Where did he go?" Frank asked. Boudicca stirred in his arms. She looked like she wanted to leap down and investigate where the demon once stood.

"He didn’t go back down to the Labyrinth?" Angela asked. Her eyes were on Othello who wore the communicator set.

"No," the dark gargoyle frowned. "I’m not getting a message from the Labyrinth. It’s from Brooklyn."

"Brooklyn?" Goliath raised in brow ridges in concern. "Did the demon travel to him?"

"He says we have to come to Time’s Square. It’s urgent."

_________________________________________________________________________

The long hours of hunched over a computer going over figures and numbers were over. Seneca Sevarius was free from her lab work. She loved being able to test and develop a new product, but she hated having to type and record everything. After work she was able to focus on spending time with her friend.

"Checkmate!" Gwyhena Sidhe shouted after she moved her plastic piece. The child like faerie had forgone her usual hovering and sat down on a well padded chair. Her black nails were at the length of a normal child’s. Between her and Seneca was a red and black checkerboard. Each of them had a glass of milk and a plate of minature Oreos. The bite sized cookies were chosen for the fact they cound not be confused with the black game pieces.

"Another for the coronation," Seneca removed the red plastic disc from the pile she had removed and set it on top of Gwennys. She had explained to the faerie that only in chess could they call out checkmate, not checkers, but after a while she gave up trying to correct her. "Looks like you are going to beat me this time."

"I’m winning," Gwen grinned widely and placed another miniature Oreo in her mouth. She longed for the afternoons when Seneca had finished her labwork and could play games and eat milk and cookies.

"Oh yes you are," Seneca smirked. "But the game is not over yet. She reached for her own glass of milk and paused when she noticed the way her friend just sat there with her eyes wide open and mouth set into a frightened frown. "What’s wrong?"

"Someone’s coming."

A burst of white light erupted above their heads before Seneca could even ask what was coming. Seneca shileded her eyes as she waited for the mily white radiance to dwindle.

The light faded, leaving behind a woman dressed in a leather and metal bra, a short skirt and hooded cloak. Bulky shoulder pads poked from under the maturely, revealing the muzzles of goat skulls.

"Who the..." the question faded from Seneca’s mouth as quickly as it formed. She had to figure it was one of the third race and looked to Gwenny for any answers.

"Hi Hecate," Gwen chirped. "Do you wanna play with us?"

"Not right now," the woman said. She took no notice of the mortal. "I’ve got some bad new for you and your sister."

"The gargoyles are coming back?" the Sidhe frowned.

"You mean Goliath’s clan?" Hecate raised an eyebrow. "He’s busy right now. Everybody is busy."

"Everybody is always busy." The small fae pouted and smiled at Seneca

"They are busy fighting your mother’s friends and the Cubus."

"Cubus?" Seneca had thought she had heard of everything. "What is a Cubus?"

"It’s a demon." Hecate didn’t even bother to look at the human. "He’s a harbinger sent to the mortal world to take over it and open the gates of hell."

"Hell?" Gwennys eyes widened. "My mother doesn’t want the world to go to hell. She wants it to go to her."

"That is what this Cubus had told her and her friends." She stared deep into the Sidhe’s eyes. "He is using her."

"Using my mommy?" Gwenny warbled. She looked up at Hecate for an explanation and saw that she had gone.

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Goliath ignored the cramp developing in his wings. He can’t remember gliding that fast before. The smoke and fire he and his group had seen near the Cubus was only half the amount of the buildings that were burning and damaged near Time’s Square. The famous building itself was half it’s original size. Rubble topped the jagged edges like crumb cake. The large screen gone, possibly several pieces lining the street below.

"Brooklyn," Lexington shouted when the second in command navigated his way around the turrets of smoke towards them. "What caused this?"

"Something big," Brooklyn replied. "We received the message first from Elisa and only arrived a few minutes ago. Hudson’s team is on their way."

"Have you seen it?" Goliath asked. He could hear the beating of several helicopter blades approaching them.

"Just before it flew towards the sky." He pointed towards the canopy of pure black sky.

The laughing was what greeted them first. The same laughing that had unnerved Lexington ten years earlier. It belonged to a gargoyle they hadn’t seen in over three years. They had thought he was near death when he was dragged from the castle by the upper half of Coldsteel. The only difference in this laugh was that it sounded like it had doubled.

The solid black creature that dropped beneath the clouds of smoke was twice as large as Goliath when he had donned the Eye of Odin. Enormous wings ended in jagged edges and were lined the same shade of crimson as the monster’s eyes. Long, thick horns curved back from the top of his head, above his spiked brow ridges. Silvery white hair flowed from the back of his head, the hairline ran down his long neck.

"That can’t be him." Brooklyn blinked at the sight of the creature.

The beast’s long snout parted for him to speak. "Hello, Goliath."

"Thailog." Goliath spoke the name of his clone. All doubt of what the dragon like creature was when he had opened his mouth.

"Yes, it is me." Thailog’s voice boomed out from his snout. The transformation process had fused his nose to his upper jaw and extended his mouth outward by few inches.

Goliath had so many questions for him. "How?" The sound of helicopters was getting louder and he could see one of them approaching the area. It was still to far away to se if it was a Police helicopter of if it belonged to the National Guard. "How did this happen?"

"You happened," Thailog answered. His blood red eyes narrowed, the pupils had turned into narrow slits. "You and your whole clan did this to me."

"What does he mean?" Brooklyn asked. His eyes kept darting between the dragon like creature and the sky. A small bit of relief came to him when he saw the familiar tan form of Hudson gliding towards him along with his patrol group. "We didn’t transform him."

Thailog turned to glare at the second in command "You nearly killed me." He flapped his wings a few beats. The had grown to thrice their original size. The arms of the wings and the outer edge had become covered in spikes. "I had to escape and heal."

"This is healing?" The questions Goliath wanted to ask were asked by Brooklyn.

"I have been healed and saved," the former gargoyle stretched out his arms. His nub like elbow spurs had become long and curved with two more behind them. His knees had the same three spurs. "I have been chosen to be the Champion. I have been changed by my savior to become the one to help usher in a new age."

"New age," Goliath repeated. Thailog had sounded like a person who had gone to a traveling tent of a miracle healer, healed of whatever malady had plague him, and devoted his life to God.

"What is he talking about?" Othello glided closer to his leader. He had his halberd out and ready to attack.

"I am connected," Thailog answered. "I was healed and chosen by the dragon. I am connected to him. A part of him is coursing through my veins."

"The dragon?" Othello’s words were echoed by Brooklyn and Goliath. The same creature that his love was trying to learn more about, believing that he was their spiritual leader. "You are lying."

"If he claims to look like the dragon then we know he is lying," Goliath thought of the statue in his loin cloth pocket, similar to the statue Desdemona often carried around. The Creature Thailog had become did not resemble the slender figure carved out of alabaster and into the doors of the Ishimuran clan’s doors of their meeting hall. "Or he was fed these liess and believed it."

"What does he want?" Brooklyn knew what the answer to the question was going to be even before he finished asking it. "Vengeance."

"I want every miserable creature in this city to suffer. I want it to become a burning pile of rubble." He flew towards on of the few nearby buildings that was still in tack. Green flames sparked to life around his talons and extended down towards the building.

"No!" Goliath glided straight towards his clone, unsheathing his sword in the process. He thrust the bronze blade down, only to have it blocked by Thailog’s wings. Despite his strength and the sharpness of the blade, he had only left a small nick on Thailog’s wing arm.

Golath was stunned. The sword he carried was supposed to be part of the dream of Both the London clan and Fox. Was he not the Yin’s chosen warrior?

Both Brooklyn and Othello followed after their leader. Othello struck his halberd against Thailog’s arm and Brooklyn lashed his lead chain against the back of his head. It was like striking against solid steel. Only a few droplets of blood seeped out of the shall cut caused by Other’s halberd while Brooklyn’s chain.

Thailog turned to them. His eyes were filled with fiery light as he roared. The ear-splitting cry was not the roar of a gargoyle. The force was enough to cause the three gargoyles to loose their equilibrium and be sent tumbling backwards through the air.

Brooklyn maintained his balance first. His wings maintained control of the thermals in time. One of the flyers had slipped past the others and attacked him, it’s sharp beak speared Brooklyn’s shoulder.

The beaked gargoyle cried out in pain. He was half tempted to use his own beak to snap the bird like creature’s head off. He swung his chain towards the flyer’s head. The metal links wrapped around it’s throat in a single swing. Brooklyn pulled his wrist back, the links dug in and caused the neck to snap.

Another Flyer had sought out Othello. It’s beak had bit out small chunks of flesh in the resurrected gargoyle’s tail, left wing and left leg. It’d claws had left bleeding red scratch marks on his left arm and stomach.

Othello roared once he had regained his orientation. He swung out his halberd, first to block the Flyer. The second swing cleaved through it’s neck in a clean slice. The bird like head fell to the streets first. It’s body flew around in bezerk a few seconds before it followed.

Othello studied the ground for a few seconds. Six members of the clan were on the ground, fighting against the other beasts Thailog had brought with him. They were aided by several soldiers in the national guard. He turned his attention back towards Thailog. His leader had reached him first.

Goliath had glided back to his clone after he had finished tumbling back. He could not give up, not allow another building to be destroyed. He didn’t waste any time or make any sound when he struck the creature in the neck with his sword, using all of his strength. The blade only made a small cut, slightly larger and deeper than the cut in his wing.

Thailog allowed the fire to dissipate from one hand before he brought his fist back and struck Goliath in the chest. The building was completely engulfed in flames, not the eerie green and aqua color of the flames Thailog was able to create. They were the same bright orange as the sun. Thailog glided a few feet back away from the towering inferno and released his roar.

The building could not take the full sonic blast. The flames did not die down , but towered even further, sending up a thick column of smokes and tiny embers that gradually rained down towards the streets below. A few pieces of the building tore loose and fell.

Goliath glided back towards him. "You do not want to do this."

"Yes I do," Thailog answered before he turned and roared again. Larger pieces shook loose.

"You want to destroy the whole city?" The lavender gargoyle grabbed onto the back of Thailog’s wing and held tight when Thailog tried to shake him loose. His claws, despite the fact they could not completely tear into his flesh, held fast. "Even the clones you have created. You even wish Delilah to be injured?"

"Injured? I want her and everyone to die." He pulled Goliath off his wing. "Everybody here is my enemy. Everyone shall suffer." He threw Goliath towards the direction of the nearest helicopter and returned to the building.

Two roars and he had the building destroyed half way. The top half of the building was rendered into smoldering sections on the ground, like a birdhouse that had been stepped on and set a blaze by a simple lighter.

A single arrow shot towards his back and bounced off, no sign of penetration had been made. Thailog did not even notice.

A small bullet struck his hardened skin. Only the pointed end of the bullet had penetrated his flesh. The surrounding area had raised into a welt and blood seeped around the edge.

Thailog turned around as the second bullet was fired into his skin and two more arrows were fired towards him.

Desdemona was the closet towards him. Her well toned body was kept a float by a pair of her copper hued wings. Her bow string was pulled back with an arrow ready to fly. She had selected one with less feathers and an arrow head made out of iron instead of stone. She didn’t want to waste one of her stronger arrows too early.

The second source of arrows came from the crossbow mounted on the mahogany colored arm of Jerry. He was not as skilled as Desdemona, yet he knew when to fire which arrow.

The gun wielder was his wife. Gloria wielded two .42 caliber pistols in each of her clawed hands. Unlike Desdemona her eyes were lit up with a crimson light.

The other clan members carried short range weapons in their hands. The old gargoyle, Hudson had his sword. Goliath’s daughter, Angela, was armed with a spear. Broadway carried two maces. Marle had an hallow weapon, shaped like a bat and made out of iron. Cecilia had her staff, Othello his halberd and Brooklyn had his whip

Matt and Demona had finished slaughtering the last of the flyers and glided closer towards the draconian gargoyle. Both of them were armed with automatic weapons. They were joined by the two odd members of the steel clan, most likely people in cyber suits. The red steel clan member was most likely Xanatos. The more lithe shaped one most contained a woman, Fox without a doubt.

"You don’t care about anyone but yourself," Angela’s eyes lit up. "You are selfish brat who didn’t get his way." She ignored the protests from her parents and mate and dove distraught toward him.

Thailog was ready to anticipate one of their attach. He stretched out his arms and puffed out his chest when Angela glided towards him. The sharp tip of the spear jammed against his skin and only pierced him halfway before the head broke off.

Thailog grabbed the female around her shoulders. His large hand grabbed her wing and folded it backwards. He tossed her to the side like her father. She flew through the air, only to be caught by her mother. The eyes of Demona matched the burning glow of her daughters.

Thailog had only seconds of time to react after throwing of Angela. Both Goliath and Broadway flew towards him ready attack at once. With one hand he was able to back hand the fat gargoyle across the face, receiving only the small pain of the maces when they struck against his wrist. With his other hand he was able to strike Goliath in the chest with his fist. The lavender gargoyle was caught from behind by Xanatos and Broadway was caught by both Fox and Matt.

The rest of the clan struck him at once. He did not feel any pain from the whip that wrapped around the center of his neck nor the thick metal weapons of Marle’s bat and Ceceilia’s staff. He was not a member of the third race and was not embedded with their abilities.

He swatted at each of them with his large hands, trying to force them down . He only used a little bit of muscle and was not careful if he used his claws or not.

The sharp stings of the metal tipped arrows and bullets were actual pain that he felt. It was not even a real pain, tiny pricks. It was the same level of pain he received from the blade of Hudson’s sword and Othello’s halberd.

Thailog soared up towards Desdemona. He ignored the stings of the arrows from her bow and Jerry’s crossbow. He wasn’t phased by the weapons of the others either. He grabbed the bluish gray female by her tail, pulled down far enough so he could swat her with a single hand.

He dove towards the walkways beneath him, trying to shake off the minor nusiance that was Goliath’s clan. The altered creature growled at the sight of the camouflage jeeps and tiny figures running around. They would provide even more frustration. He pumped his wings with fully strength and flew straight a head, continued moving at his increased speed until he saw a familiar building. A smile formed across his snout as he turned towards it.

Goliath realized where he was headed and shock and horrow filled him. He wanted to cry out, but it was Fox’s voice that reached everyone’s ears.

"He’s heading for the Eyrie!"