The Forgotten One (GARGOYLES-- Goliath X OC)

CHAPTER FOUR

Goliath had rounded up his clan and they were off within the hour. The night air was cool and crisp, and the sounds of the city blended together to create white noise. Goliath led the pack over the skyscrapers, his eyes scanning the streets that seemed to be so far down below him. The dark-skinned creature let out a soft growl under his breath. His mind raced as his eyes flickered left and right. That statue indeed looked real enough but . . . how can there be a Gargoyle in new york?  The only ones were Goliath, his clan, along with Angela and the mutants that lived in the old Subway station beneath the city. 

Down on the streets, Elisa followed the gargoyles in her car. She glanced over into the passenger side seat where the picture of the statue lay. She sighed and looked ahead. In her mind, she prayed that this gargoyle was alive, but . . .  there was just no telling how long that beast had been asleep. She could be . . . well, dead. 

It wasn't long before the reached the entrance to the dig site. Elisa pulled her car to a stop as Lexington, Brooklyn, Hudson, and Angela landed beside her red car. Goliath dropped down before the entrance to the tunnel. Goliath had ordered Broadway to stay behind with Bronx in case any other trouble showed up in their absence. 

Elisa pulled her pistol and a flashlight. She then walked up beside Goliath and spoke softly, "Just don't get your hopes up." She said, looking at him with worry, "For all we know she could be long dead." 

Goliath wore his usual stoic expression as he gazed into the darkness, "If she were dead, then she would be shattered.  Come, move with caution." He advised as he walked into the tunnel. 

As the gang followed suit, walking through the tunnel's entrance and across the damp, river-soaked dirt and rock. It wasn't too long into the silence that  Hudson spoke up, "How do ya suppose this lass got stuck down here?" He said as he brandished his blade, looking around with his one good eye. 

"Could be anything," Lexington said with a shrug, "maybe she was put here, or maybe she's under some kinda spell like we were!" 

"I believe what Hudson is getting at is that how is a Gargoyle here, in New York, Lexington." Goliath cut in with a soft growl. "It goes without saying, how this Gargoyle came here is far more important than the why." 

Elisa walked forward as the tunnel opened up into a huge cavern. The roof was about thirty feet high, and the chamber was about forty feet wide. Man-made columns of stone stretched up into the dark, supporting the chamber.  The rock was dark and covered in a layer of river water.   Brooklyn stared in awe before he walked over to the wall and ran his clawed hand over the stone. "Someone built these . . . under the city." 

"Actually, we're directly under the Hudson River." Elisa corrected, "Whoever built this . . . didn't want it to be found." 

"Someone actually dug a chamber under the river, then sealed it back up?" Goliath asked softly. as he walked around. 

"Based on the rocks," Lexington said, "Whoever did this didn't do it recently. It's older. Older than most of the city." He deduced. 

"That's  what the geologist said." Elisa quipped, shinning her light around, "The specialists placed the age of the rocks that make the pillars around three hundred years old, maybe more." she said. 

"Uh . . . Guys?" Brooklyn spoke, his voice trembling, "I think you need to see this. . ." 

Goliath turned and walked over to where Brooklyn stood, "What is it--Oh. . ."  his voice dropped off as his dark eyes widened in shock and horror. Before Goliath and Brooklyn sat a statue of a female gargoyle in a crouch, messy, short hair was pulled back in a messy poney tail. Pointed ears pinned back and eyes closed. Scars wove across her muscular arms and legs. Huge wings were slightly flared out and the impressive tail with the bludgeon on the end lay around the Gargoyle's feet. 

Huge claws and fangs, powerful body, large stature. . . this Gargoyle made everyone's jaw drop. Goliath slowly lowered to his knees and reached out with a hand. He touched her resting face of the female Gargoyle, "This is a Gargoyle, not merely a statue." he turned to them, "We must free her." 

Hudson leaned down and sniffed the statue, "Ahh, it's night, why is she still stone?" 

"Hard to say." Goliath rubbed his chin, "Perhaps . . . an enchantment? Maybe Lexington was correct."

"Hey,  Goliath!" Elisa called, standing over a slab of stone, shining her flashlight on it. Goliath stood and tramped over to her. He gazed over Elisa's shoulder at the stone, "There's an inscription on there." he said, "What does it say?"  

Elisa squinted, "I think it's in Latin." she said softly.  

Brooklyn walked forward and leaned. down, "It is Latin." he said. 

"Can you read it?" Goliath asked softly. 

"Yeah . . ." Brooklyn replied softly, "It says. . .Here sleeps the Strong One. An Angel of the Night. Crimson of kin shall crack the stone, and the Titain shall rule the night again."