GARGOYLES: Re-Awakening

Nameless: 2

The Elder was strolling through castle Wyvern's corridors, feeling at home, and yet not. It all looked the same. The gray stone walls were made of large, cold blocks. At regular intervals were torches lighting the way. Although, these were not the torches the elder was familiar with. There was a glowing light, but no flame. The sorcery of this new era was astounding, and he was both bewildered as well as a bit uneasy.

As he turned the corner, he found himself in a corridor that gave access to several smaller chambers. In the past, the humans had used them for various tasks—he didn't know what— and he was expected to stay out. Since he'd heard no such restriction now, he decided to have a look.

He somewhat timidly pushed the first door open but inside the room was empty, save a tapestry on the wall. Uninterested, he moved further down the corridor to the next room. Less intimidated this time, he pushed the door open. This room was quite different. It had an oval, dark blue rug in the middle. Against the wall was a long bench, but not like any bench he'd seen before. This one was cloth and looked very soft. There were pillows in it's corners. On the wall opposite was a large, black, square shaped thing. The elder entered slowly, looking around himself as if expecting some trap to ensnare him. When he looked at the black box head on he could see a dim reflection of himself, like a mirror, but not as clear. Odd way to fashion a mirror, he thought to himself. Out the window at the far end of the room he could see into the night air. It reminded him how far above the ground the castle was now. As if triggered by the floating in the clouds, all at once, the enormity of what had happened hit him. They were living a thousand years into the future. The rest of their clan was gone. It was like a world had died, and it overwhelmed him. Without thinking, he stepped slowly backward and dropped onto the soft bench.

In his state, he might not have budged from that position for quite some time, however, he was startled immediately to his feet. The black box on the opposite wall had suddenly jumped to life. There were people in it, talking loudly. He immediately drew his sword from his hip. "Who goes there?!" He cried. "How did you get inside the castle?!" He pointed his sword directly at these intruders, positioned to lunge, but there was no response. In fact, the people didn't even look at him. He slowly lowered his sword.

"Some kind of magic window, or sorcerers ball," he said aloud. "But I see no sorcerer here." He spun around, checking his own assertion. Suddenly, the noise from the box changed. Instead of talking people, there were explosions and loud music. He whirled back to face it, raising his sword. What he saw confused him. Flashes of different people and places, strange machines; odd scenes. The elder had never run from a fight, and his bravery was well known in the clan, but in this case he felt no shame in backing out slowly and, when one foot was out the door, rushing out and slamming the door shut. He wasn't sure he was going to like this world.

— —

Further inside the castle, Xanatos was sitting behind his desk with his hands folded neatly over a crossed knee. Goliath was standing in the center of the great hall, gazing out the window. Demona was across from him. Xanatos was waiting. He had learned long ago that when it came to critical conversations, it was often best to let the other party speak first. Finally, without turning, Goliath obliged.

"Yesterday, I and my brethren awoke, not in our world, but in a new one. In that time we have defended the castle, as Gargoyles must,"—Goliath turned suddenly—"but that is at an end. Neither of you have told the whole of what has happened—how we got here, what the meaning of all this is." He walked to Xanatos' desk and put both hands on it, leaning forward with a menacing look. "Tell me, now," he said.

Xanatos returned his glare, without wavering. Then, once again, that half smirk. "You're right Goliath. We've told you very little. To be honest, that's mostly because I had no idea how you would react. How you would behave. Of course, Demona told me much of you and your clan, but I've learned that when a man—or Gargoyle—has his world ripped from him...well, let's just say it changes a person, very quickly." He rose from his chair and strode around to the side of his desk. He wanted Goliath to be forced to change his posture. He didn't like to let anyone maintain a threatening position when interacting with him. "Seeing you leap to your duty has done much to raise my respect for you and your kind. You haven't let your unease interfere with the task at hand. That's a rare thing. Something I always keep my eye out for."