Author's Note: Gargoyles and everything associated with them belong to Buena Vista and Disney.  They do not belong to Clan LeFemme and we make no claims to them.  This is done purely for fun.  The characters of Shaylyn, Storm, the egg, and Sunshine do belong to Clan LeFemme and may not be used without permission.  The characters of Skydancer, Lisette, Byrdie Fae, Firedancer, and Shadow belong to each of the authors respectively and may also not be used without permission.  Feedback is welcomed, just be constructive please.  This is the next segment of the Clan LeFemme Series.  Enjoy! :)

Also, please visit the Clan's homepage to see pics of some of the characters as well as the authors' own character descriptions, floor plans for Janua Caeli, and another peak at the Clan's fics at:  http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Study/7118/index.html

Description:  Over the course of a few months, some new friends and old enemies surface for the Clan Le'Femme.

New Orleans

    Sssshhhnnnkkk. Ssssshhhhnnnnnkk. Ssssshhnnnnkkkk.

    "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were bored my dear."

    Firedancer sighed and set her sharpening stone down as she looked up at the Guild Master.  "You know I hadn't expected to stay this long.  I mean no disrespect, sir, but I just don't think that I should keep hanging around here under your feet any longer. We don't know when those scum will turn up."

    "Oh I wouldn't say that," he told her with a grim smile coming to his lips.

    Firedancer froze.  "You found them so soon?"

    "We've discovered only three of the infiltraters so far.  But there's a bonus in the pot that I think you personally might enjoy."

    "Bonus?" Fire asked, her heart hammering in her throat.

    "Care to join me as I 'question' our prisoners?"

    Fire nodded, her hope and curiosity building with every second.  The Guild Master led her past the crowded and bustling main halls of the Under City, to a wing that she had never been in.  Mainly because it was under heavy guard and she had not bothered pushing her explorations while under the generous hospitality of her former father-in-law.

    Here the walls were plain and undecorated, and a guard stood at every juncture.  Maybe it was her mind playing tricks, but the lights seemed to grow dimmer, and the air became a bit more stifling.  They descended several flights of steps and Fire felt like they were descending into the dungeons of the Under World.   The illusion took on an even stronger reality as they pulled up in front of a heavy wrought iron gate that had a guard on either side of it.

    Upon seeing the Guild Master, they moved to unlock the bolts on both sides of the gate and then swung it open with a loud squeak.  "Nice touch," Fire muttered as a chill ran down her spine when the gate slammed shut behind them with a solid, definitive clang.

    "Do forgive me if you are uncomfortable, but the effects upon any fool who finds himself being led down here against his will is most satisfactory.  The mind is a powerful thing, and it can be easily manipulated when one knows just how to apply the right kind of pressure."

    Fire said nothing, but she nodded in agreement.  She may have been traveling down here of her own accord, but her surroundings left her feeling cold and trapped.  The walls reeked of death, and a sense of foreboding filled the very air.  They finally came to a stop in front of a sturdy looking metal door that was guarded by two men.

    They nodded to the Guild Master and pushed the thick door open handing him a key as he went inside.  Fire followed him a couple of paces behind and then froze just inside as the Guild Master turned to shut the door.  She didn't freeze at the sight of the five metal chairs firmly anchored to the floor in the middle of the room.  She didn't freeze at the sight of two of the men who were strapped into the chairs- which bared a remarkable resemblance to the electric chair.  No, it was the third man who looked up and sneered at her as soon as she came inside the door.

    His dark hair, cruel features, and icy blue eyes bore into her mind as memories she had long thought buried plowed to the surface.  "You!" she snarled out.

    He merely spat on the floor in contempt and the Guild Master chuckled humorlessly behind her.  The click of the door locking snapped Fire out of her surprised daze and her eyes flared red in fury.

    "Well, I see you two don't need introductions," the Guild Master remarked dryly.

    Fire advanced on the man, her talons going around his throat.  "How does it feel to be on the other side, you unimaginable bastard?" she hissed in his face, her teeth bared and a low constant growl issuing from her throat even as she spoke.  Her eyes flared intensely enough, that for a brief second, flames crackled around them.

    The captive had the good decency to look worried for a moment before his stupidity took over and he grinned right in her face.  "Bring it on baby.  You're way out of your league here."

    The Guild Master raised an eyebrow as Fire's talons loosened on his throat and quickly caught him across the face leaving deep gashes in his cheek.  The two other prisoners winced at her roar, and the guards shifted, a little surprised themselves.

    Fire laughed as the man lifted his head, surprise registering in his own eyes for the first time as well.  It was a cold, heartless, and almost insane laugh that immediately alarmed the Guild Master.  Maybe bringing her down here wasn't such a good idea.

    "You should be more careful of what you ask for John.  Don't forget, I'm not the same gargoyle that went into your sick little project.  What came out was much worse than you thought."

    He snorted, though it wasn't with the bravado he was showing moments ago.  "You could never live with yourself if you killed me."

    Her talons were splaying across his chest and she noted the increase in his breathing.  "Maybe not. Maybe I could just let you experience what I went through.  I could live with that at least.  I know you enjoyed watching me scream and writhe in agony as I was held strapped to that table.  I saw your face when I lost my child," she whispered harshly as her talons began to prick into his flesh.  "Sevarius was pissed as hell... but you..... you were enjoying every moment of my pain."

    The Guild Master was watching the whole thing, torn whether to step in or let her continue.  There was no sanity left in her eyes.  A year of sadness, anger, and hatred had taken over, and she was caught up in its emotional grip.  There was no way to know if she would merely repay him for what she had endured at his hands or go the whole length and actually kill the man when she had finished with him.  Firedancer led a much darker life now, and walked a very fine line with the law.  But he could not allow her to cross that line and kill a man in cold blood.

    His eyes drifted to the two captives sitting next to John.  Their faces had gone pale and one of them swallowed nervously as Fire sank deeper into her past memories, resurrecting her hatred for the man restrained before her.  The Guild Master, although putting on an air of casual and bemused observation, decided to keep a close eye on the situation and let Fire continue.  The more she went on with John, the more likely the other two would be willing to talk.

    "That abomination didn't deserve to live, and quite frankly neither did you, you defiler of the human ra-" his words were cut off by a meaty thunk that caused the rest of his breath to escape him in a rush.  He looked down in surprise to see that Fire had just sunk her talons into his chest and was now holding them there.

    The Guild Master tensed, but he realized there was no intent to kill him-just yet at least.  Her head leaned forward until her lips were brushing his ears.  "Well I've already experienced one kind of pleasure that a human can give me.  Why don't we find out if you can help give me another?" she purred as her talons twisted a bit causing him to gasp.

    "Did you ever wonder just how much agony I was in as the serum made my blood boil?  Well here's your chance to find out," she promised as her eyes flared and John's mouth opened in a silent scream.  Then it went slack, his eyes began to roll, and his body went stiff as convulsions began to set in.

    The Guild Master had to admit it was a nice touch.  Definitely original.  But as the strong stench of urine greeted his nasal passages he stepped forward.  "Fire perhaps-"

    "NO!" she roared, her free hand sending a burst of flame landing in front of his path.  It was not meant as a threat, merely a warning, but the Guild Master had to quickly wave his guards down before they attacked her.

    "I have waited two years for this and NO ONE will take away what I owe this man!"

    "I was merely going to suggest that you slow things down a bit so that you might be able to get some information from him before you cook all his brain cells," the Guild Master responded calmly.

    Her body was tense and a muscle in her jaw twitched but after a minute, John seemed to be slowly coming out of his convulsion, his eyes taking on a terrified new light.  His breath was now coming in a high pitched noise that sounded half like a scream and half like a whimper.

    "Where is Sevarius?" she demanded, not giving him much time to recuperate.

    He stared at her silently.  Her talons moved in slightly deeper and he stiffened once more, his face bunching up in pain.  "Let me make it clear to you.  Right now I could slowly break each of your ribs that are now between my talons.  Then I could rip your heart from you and the last thing you will see as you die is your heart in my hands and a smile on my face," she threatened coldly.

    "You don't have the guts to do it," he gasped.  Her talons slid even deeper and then there was some movement in the muscles of her forearm.

    "Do you feel that?  That's my talons tickling your heart.  Now where is Sevarius?"

    "E-Europe!"

    "Have to be more specific than that John."

    "Germany."

    There was a loud cracking noise and John screamed.  "Germany is a whole damn country!  Give me a specific city, worm!" she growled.

    "B-Berlin I think!" he cried out.  "His base was just moved the last I heard, but I think h-he's in Berlin.  He won't be due in the states for another six months.  Then he has to be back here for another project," he practically sobbed.

    "Who put him up to this?"

    It took the breaking of the two remaining ribs for him to finally scream out that the Illuminate had funded the project.  "They have.... always been interested in your k-kind.  You are the perfect w-warriors and... they wanted to m-m-make you stronger... more invulnerable...."

    By now one of the other two captives had puked, the third was trembling visibly in his restraints and the Guild Master knew that they would sing for him now.  He shifted to intervene finally.

    "I want names."

    Despite having her talons pricking his racing heart, John laughed.  It was a high pitched squeak of hysterics.  "There are no names in the Illuminate!"

    "Too bad for you," Fire snarled.

    "Fire no-!" the Guild Master snapped as he leapt forward, but it was too late.  He had let his wariness lapse for a second and that was all it took.

    Fire felt something inside her snap as she looked into the face of the man who helped destroy her life two years ago.  She had gotten what she could from him and he was now useless.  Images of her murdered family ran across her mind in a millisecond and a wave of rage ran through her, nearly blinding her as she snarled and plunged her talons deep into his now boneless chest. His heart beat like a rabbit's as her fist closed around it and he let out a high pitched scream as a ripping noise filled her ears and blood sprayed everywhere.

    A grim smile met her lips as she watched the light slowly leave his eyes, his last expression that of horror and excruciating agony.  For almost a minute no one moved.  Then one of the other two prisoners whimpered.  And as her anger fled from her, Fire looked down at the gory mass she held in her talons and felt her mind and body go numb.  Dear God, what had she just done?

    The Guild Master stared at the gargess in stunned surprise.  He cursed himself for letting her not only take the man's life, but not being able to stop her from doing it so brutally.  But he needed to use the leverage she had given him now, and worry about the consequences later.  Turning to the other two men, they all but begged for him to ask anything he wanted as long as he gave them a swift death.

    It only took ten minutes to drain all the information out of them before the guards slit their throats.  When the Guild Master turned back to Firedancer, she was still standing in the exact same spot, her eyes staring unfocused at the mutilated body before her.  Removing the wet mass of John's heart from her open palm, the Guild Master steered her across the hall and into a washroom where he gently began to scrub her clean from the blood that had begun to dry over a good deal of her body.

    She finally seemed to come out of her shock and he stepped back as she took over cleaning herself up.  As he handed her a towel to dry with, his hand caught hers.  "I'm sorry," he apologized quietly.  "I let you and Alec down. I should have never brought you there, much less let you go as far as you did."

    Fire looked down and for a brief moment as tears shimmered in her eyes.  But then, just as quickly, they were replaced by a hardened look.  "You have not been around me these past couple of years.  My innocence was lost the moment I stepped off that table.  Don't regret that I killed that man in there, because I don't."

    She had raised her head and was now looking him in the eye, and he saw that at least for the time being, she truly meant what she said.  But that was now.  He knew that what she had done tonight would come back to haunt her for many years to come, but that had been her decision.

    With a nod, he looked back across the hallway.  "The rest of the infiltrators should be rounded up by morning.  Why don't you change and then find your friends to tell them they should expect a gift wrapped package waiting on their doorstep tomorrow evening when they wake up."

    Fire nodded and then without another word, she left.  The guards across the hall nodded and gave her impressed smiles as she went by them and the Guild Master sighed.  The Firedancer was his now.  After all this time, her resources and loyalty were now at his disposal.  But somehow, the victory seemed hollow.  He wondered if the acquisition of her services had really been worth the price she would pay later.  Only time would tell.

************************************************************************************************

Castellum deGens

    The night was quiet around the dark visage of Janua Caeli.  The damp autumn mists swirled around it, making the house disappear from any who dared to look at it from the road beyond the gate.  Trees lined the fence, helping to further hide the house from the lonely road in which it sat.  There, branches, except for a few lingering leaves rustling softly in a rising night
breeze, were bare.  The trunks reached out, upwards toward the sky, creating forks from which great branches rose, their boughs twining away into the black velvet tapestry overhead.  All around, the treetops rose out of the pale mists shrouding them, ghostly gossamer nets through which bare, skeletal branches slipped to shiver in a sudden, stiffening breeze or point mutely at the crescent moon hanging low in the sky.  A few visible stars were distant pin points of frozen, white light.

    Watching these small cold beacons twinkling at her through the thick fog that surrounded the house, Skydancer wondered absently how long they had been there.  She had often watched the sky from her mountain lair, but had never really taken much notice of them until now.  Caping in her wings and turning, she went back through the tower room and out into the stairwell.  Spreading out her wings, she began her spiral descent to the bottom of the tower as had become her custom.  Landing lightly at the bottom, she reigned in her extensive wings again and opened the door that led out into the living room.   Seeing no one and noticing that the place was dark, the gargess wondered what was about.  "Lisette!  Byrdie!" she called out, her voice echoing around the shadowy room.

    And then, as if the quiet elves that worked their magic in the night beyond had heard her demanding cry, the music of the night was broken by a single, definitive.... crash.  "Owww!!" Lisette's voice echoed from the room beyond, accompanying the loud crash from before.  "Mon Dieu!  Zût alors!" the voice continued from the direction of the library that lay beyond the darkened foyer, inevitably cursing whatever had befallen her in her native tongue.

    Hearing what  sounded like Lisette coming from the library, Skydancer quickly crossed the darkened living room, through the foyer, and into the softly lighted library to find Lisette sitting on the floor.  "What on earth?" the gargess started to say as she pushed a tendril back behind her ear.  At the same time, their resident fae came bounding into the room from the other direction.

    Screeching to a halt at the library door, Byrdie Fae gave the magically inclined blonde that was sitting on the floor a surprised (and a bit disapproving) look.  "What in Oberon's name are you doing on the floor, Lis?  What happened?"

    Sighing softly, Lisette slowly picked herself off of the hard wooden floor and began dusting off her faded blue jeans.  Looking up, she turned her sheepish blue eyes to her friends and shrugged her dainty shoulder.  "I was trying to reach that book," she murmured as she pointed to a chair that was tipped on the floor beside her, displaying her means of reaching the highest shelf, "and Sky's very loud greeting startled me," she explained, mock-glaring at her winged friend.  Smiling impishly, she quickly shrugged her shoulders once again and lifted her finger, bringing the book that she was searching for into her hands instantly by way of her magic.  "I suppose that was my punishment for trying things the 'normal' way," she laughed.

    The gargess widened her emerald eyes in surprise at the mage's statement.  "Oh!" she commented, smiling apologetically at her friend.  "I didn't mean to startle you, Lis.  I was just wondering where everyone was since the living room was dark."  Tossing her long braid back over her shoulder, the Skydancer walked across the room to stand next to the young woman.  "Which one were you after?" she asked, nodding towards the yellowish book in Lisette's hand.

    As the impish smile crossed her lips once again, Lisette slowly displayed the book that she had been reaching for.  "Um... poetry?" she squeaked as a bright blush covered her features, showing to everyone just how often she read poetry and what a change it was for her to be reaching for a book that was crammed full of it.  In order to save herself from the embarrassment that she knew was about to ensue, she had contemplated magically changing the cover to something more suiting towards her personality, whether it be a book of dusty old spells or a horror and suspense novel... such parlor tricks no longer worked when you had two other magic-wielders in the manor.

    Ignoring the blush that had crept up on her friend's cheeks, the Skydancer reached over and gently tugged the poetry book from her hand.  A delighted smile popped up on the gargess's face as she began flipping through the pages of the old book.  "The Completed Works of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge!" she exclaimed, casting an emerald glance at the young woman.  "Why didn't you tell me you enjoyed the Romantics, Lis?  I have tons of books on them back at the mountain."  Smiling, Skydancer handed the poetry book back to Lisette.

    Quickly grasping the opportunity to "terrorize", Byrdie, levitated over to the blushing Lisette and gazed over her shoulder at the works of romance, a wide grin on her impish face. "Oohhhh..." she cooed in a teasing tone as she looked over the cover of the aging book.  "When'd you become a softie?  Hee, hee, hee..."  The Faerie winked, "Lookin' for anything in...particular?"

    Instantly Lisette blanched as she flipped open the old book and glanced down at its aging pages.  "The Completed Works of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge?!?" she gasped in surprise as her wide blue eyes shot up to meet those of her friends.  "Why, I must have been reaching for the wrong book!" she laughed as yet another book popped out of the shelf and magically replaced the one she held.  "I was really looking for this one," she laughed as she displayed the book.  "It contains poetry by Yevgeny Yevtushenko, a modern Russian poet.  "It is very... interesting work, especially Almost a Kiss."

    "Oh," said the Skydancer with a look of disappointment crossing her emerald eyes.  "For a moment there I thought you enjoyed some of the 'greats' of old literature as well."  Reaching up, the gargess pushed a few stray pieces of her bangs out of her eyes.  "Is this Yevtushenko of yours great as well?" she asked.

    At her friend's look of hurt, Lisette instantly felt a wave of shame consume her.  "Oh.. oh yes," she stammered as she blinked back tears of shame.  The last thing that she ever wanted to do was hurt her friends.  Stepping forward she placed a small hand on Skydancer's bare, slender shoulder.  "Yes, Monsieur Yevtushenko is great in his own way, from what I have read of his works in Gaul, er, France," she amended, "but I am sure that I would enjoy some of the 'greats' of your old literature as well!" she added with a hesitant smile.  "Perhaps one eve you could bring some of these books down from the mountain?  I would love to read them!"

    A wide smile crossed the gargess's face, bringing a twinkle back into her eyes.  "I'd be happy to show them to you one eve, Lis," she said, glancing back down at the other book the mage now held in her hand.  "I'd also be interested in reading this favorite poet of yours.  I do not have much experience with the authors of this century, which is sad considering we are on the dawn of a new one."  The Skydancer then looked back over at the Avalonian fae that hovered opposite them.  As usual, Byrdie's dark eyes were dancing with mischief.  "How about you, Byrdie?  What do you prefer to read?"

    "Actually..." the Fae started with a smug grin, "I'm really into the more... fantastic range of reading. Things like The Sword of Shinarra by Terry Brooks or The Redwall Series by Brian Jaques. And satires like Animal Farm by George Orwell..." She then turned to Skydancer. "But also, as you might expect, I like the poet and playwrite Shakespeare.... and a morose old writer the humans call Edgar Allen Poe."  She hugged herself in a little burst of enthusiasm. "The Raven and The Bells have got to be my FAVORITES!"

    The gargess's eyes lit up like two twin cauldrons of emerald fire.  "Animal Farm!!  I've read that!!  And Poe's The Raven, is one of the best!!" Sky exclaimed, grinning at her two friends.  "It would seem that this library suits all of us with its contents.  I wonder what else is here?" she murmured, walking over to the high shelves as she began to scan them for other titles.

    Sighing softly, Lisette slowly closed her eyes as she thought back to one of her most favorite of poems, one that she had stumbled across just recently.  "'It was many and many a year ago in a kingdom by the sea that a maiden there lived, whom you may know by the name of Annabelle Lee,'" she quoted, her eyes glowing a bright green as she quickly turned to her friends.  "Now that is a wonderful poem, by your favorite poet no less!" she said happily as she clapped her hands together, nodding at her fae friend as she turned back to the Skydancer.  "And the book is right..." she trailed off as she trailed a slender finger across a row of books on one of the higher shelves, smiling happily to herself until she reached one particularly aged novel.  "Tomes of Majik?" she murmured in growing curiosity, snatching the aged book from the shelf.

    "Tomes Of Majik" the gargess echoed softly, walking over to look at the book the mage held in her hand.  The mellowed patina of the library walls gleamed off the tooled leather of the book's spine, showing its yellow contents that glowed softly with age.  Raising an eyeridge in curiousity, the gargess pushed a stray tendril of brown hair behind an ear as she glanced over the mage's shoulder, watching as the young woman scanned through the book.  "What does it contain?"

    Shrugging her small shoulders, Lisette scanned the pages with an experienced eye as she flipped through the book, stopping when the words of one page caught and held her attention.  "Just what I have been searching for," she murmured in delight as she poured over the old words with a bright smile.  "It is a counter spell to my spell of protection!" she exclaimed, her smile growing even brighter, if possible.  "Listen," she commanded as she held up the book for all to see.  "'Undo the magic that binds me here--release me to my own will,'" she read aloud.  "Once I translate this in French then I shall be able to unde the spell of protection before it becomes a problem!"

    The gargess's eyes lit up in a delighted emerald gleam.  "Oh my stars!  That's wonderful, Lis!!  Now we won't have to worry about you being injured if Shaylyn or Storm ever attack Janua while we are away again!!" Skydancer gushed excitedly.

    Nodding her head slowly, a mysterious smile lit up Lisette's face.  "A very wonderful thing indeed," she murmured, the translation already at work within her as she closed the book with a soft swish of aging pages and turned slowly to face her friends, ready for the new night to dawn upon them and bring forth the mysteries of the night.  "Very wonderful...."

************************************************************************************************

New Orleans

    "Taren, look."

    The Clan Leader looked off to the west where her patrol partner was pointing and shook her head.  "Any hatchling knows that you should glide low and fast or high and out of firing range.  She's setting herself up for target practice."

    The pair angled their wings and quickly closed in on the crimson gargess.  "She's heading towards the Cathedral," the male noted.

    "Yes, but she doesn't even realize we're right behind her."

    "Perhaps we should wake her up."

    "Don't forget she can wield fire Jean Paul.  Never play with fire unless your willing to get burnt."

    "Then what are you doing?" he asked as the Leader began to speed up.

    "It's my job to play with fire," she said with a dark grin.

    Jean Paul pulled back a bit shaking his head and sighing.  Taren had grown almost suicidal at times since her mate's death. The chances she was taking lately were not only putting herself in danger but the Clan as well.  Like her vendetta against the Guild two weeks ago.  He knew that if it weren't for the Firedancer's timely arrival, Taren would have killed the Guild Master before he could speak, and they would have all been dead mere seconds later.  Now she was setting out to torment the very individual that had saved their lives.

    "Greetings Firedancer," he called out just before Taren could swoop down and surprise the other gargess.

    Fire pulled up to hover and then blinked as Taren swooped down in front of her.  The look Taren gave Jean Paul made him swallow but he tried to ignore it.  He was more concerned with the look Fire was giving Taren.  It was obvious what the Clan Leader had been up to, and the red gargess was very displeased at the moment. Her arms folded across her chest and her eyes glowed brightly as fire crackled around them in suppressed anger.

    "So.  I come to tell you that the Guild will be delivering the murderers of your mate tomorrow night and this is the sort of welcome I'm to expect?"

    "As an elder, I was about to give you a lesson on gliding, Firedancer.  The gangs have been actively seeking to kill us lately and I was merely going to emphasize that you were a rather easy target," Taren explained evenly.

    "Your generosity is overwhelming, Leader."  The sarcasm was thick and the tension was even thicker.

    "Our deepest apologies, Firedancer.  You say the Guild has captured the ones responsible for the attack on our Clan?" Jean Paul broke in, trying to steer the conversation to a more neutral subject.

    "Yes.  We just finished..... questioning three men that the Guild Master turned up.  The rest are being rounded up as we speak and those personally responsible for killing your two brothers, including your mate will be delivered to your roost in the belltower tomorrow night at sunset.  You may do with them as you see fit."

    Jean Paul looked at Taren who had not missed the hesitation in Fire's voice before using the term 'questioning'.  Nor did they miss the extremely troubled look in her eyes, despite her efforts to suppress it.  Moving closer, Jean Paul finally placed the strange metallic scent that had been teasing his senses for the past couple of minutes.  It was blood.  Human blood.  And its
stench clung heavily to the Firedancer.

    "You were there weren't you?" he asked gently as his talons rested lightly on her shoulder.

    Fire's head bowed and her eyes closed briefly, tears shimmering between her lids.  But they did not spill as she lifted her head and looked over to Taren with such sincerity, it caught the Leader off guard.

    "Whatever you do, don't face them alone, and don't loose control of your hate and anger.  Believe me when I tell you that I know what you are going through right now, Taren. I have dealt with it the past two years, wondering if I would ever be able to see justice served to the men who did this to me and my family.

    "You are starting down a dark path, Taren, and you are taking your Clan there.  I can see it in your eyes, and I can see it in the way you lead them.  That attack on the Guild was poorly planned and if I hadn't shown up you all would have been dead. Turn back from that path before it's too late."

    Firedancer's eyes had lost their intense blaze and were only glowing dimly now in sadness.  Her face seemed to have aged decades in a matter of seconds as the weight of whatever she had just done rested its heavy weight on her shoulders.  Taren was speechless.  Jean Paul felt his heart go out to the young female.

    "Fire, whatever you have done-" he began.

    "I killed a man with my bare hands tonight.  I tortured him and then ripped his heart out.  Don't try to comfort me with false words my friend."  She pulled back from his hand and shook her head.  "There is no redemption for what I did tonight and I must live with that fact.  I can only hope that you both will heed my words and not repeat my own heinous crime against the very foundations of our existence.  When you face those men tomorrow night, remember that we have sworn to protect all life. Whatever you chose to do, let it be merciful."

    Now Jean Paul was speechless.  Fire took that as her cue to leave and with a nod she spun away.  Taren blinked and then went after her, motioning for Jean Paul to stay put.  Taren called out after Fire who paused and the two females faced off once more, but with none of the hostility of before.

    "Fire, I realize that you have blood ties with the Guild.  But you must get out of there before its too late."

    "It's already too late, Taren.  I crossed the line tonight, and there's no going back.  Besides the Guild is all I have left," Fire sighed.

    "You have others, Fire.  There are the Clans."

    Fire snorted and shook her head.  "Come on Taren. Let's be real here.  I'm a loose cannon right now and you know it.  As a Clan Leader would you really let me into your clan and not be worried about me?"

    Taren opened her mouth but Fire's eyes made her bow her head and shake it.  "Perhaps I would be concerned if you were a member of our clan, Firedancer.  But you would be welcome to join us. And if you do not wish to, I'm sure there are others-"

    "Yeah, maybe that psycho bitch in New York, Demona," Fire commented with false enthusiasm.  Then she shook her own head. "I'm sorry Taren, but there's nowhere else for me to go.  Nowhere else I can fit in."

    Taren watched as the younger female's jaw tightened and her eyes glistened once more at the prospect of being stuck in the dark world she had created for herself.  Her wings trembled ever so slightly.  It could have been mistaken for a ruffle of the wind or strain from hovering minutes on end.  But Taren saw the inner turmoil the gargess was waging with herself and silently prayed that she would one day find peace.

    The Clan leader hugged Fire tightly, and for a brief moment she felt the tears release.  But the moment was indeed brief as Fire brought her emotions under tight check once more.  "There are others out there who would welcome you with open arms, Fire.  And you will always have a place here if you need to get away for awhile from the Guild," Taren told her firmly.

    "Thank you," Fire whispered.

    "No, thank you.  You helped me to remember who and what I was.  The others were too afraid to approach me, but your honesty made me realize that it is time for me to be the true Leader of my Clan once more.  We owe you our lives Firedancer."

    Fire bowed her head in brief acknowledgment and then headed off back towards the Guild once more.  Taren let her go and watched her for some time before she sensed Jean Paul pull up next to her.

    "It would seem all of us have something to learn from her," he noted quietly.

    "Indeed.  Come, let's return home so we can discuss what is to be done with the men that are to be delivered to us tomorrow night.  And maybe a few other matters as well."

    "Like asking Fire to join our Clan?" Jean Paul asked with a half smile.

    "She herself has admitted to being a loose cannon. But the first step to overcoming a problem is recognizing your weakness."

    "And the second step is to seek out the help of others to regain your balance."

    "We owe her our lives and we owe her a debt of gratitude for mediating our problems with the Guild. I intend on seeing that we repay her somehow."

************************************************************************************************

Castellum deGens

    Humming softly to herself, Lisette slowly swept her long mass of pale blond hair into a simple French twist that allowed the soft tendrils to frame her smooth face.  Turning, she regarded her image in the full-length mirror that stood against the wall in her bedroom, checking to make sure that her tan khaki pants were smooth and unlined while her warm gray sweater, which ended slightly below her waist, matched the ensemble.  Smiling, she nodded her head decisively as the cold sunlight brightened the room and snapped her fingers, causing a warm, fleece lined coat to appear in one hand as she slipped into its downed warmth.

    As of late, the days had begun turning as cold as the dark nights, making her human form vulnerable to the wind's sharp bite.  Thus, it was now necessary to forgo the usual skirt and blouses that she wore when heading to town and business for the smarter fashion of pants and sweaters that she saw evidence so often while on patrols in the nights.  Suddenly, she turned on her heel, her eyes growing wide as a noise reached her sharp ears from behind her.

    "Byrdie, what are you doing here?" she cried out, her small hand fluttering against the soft material of the heavy jacket as her blue eyes locked with the smaller fae's dark eyes.

    Giving the smartly dressed woman a smug smile, Byrdie began to levitate into the air as she shrugged her shoulders.  "I'm surprised you even heard me--I'm usually more unnoticeable than that. I guess my years must be catching up with me. But..." The Faerie poked at Lisette's small nose, making a little fun of her, "The real question is 'What're YOU doing here?'" She circled around Lisette in the air a few times, checking her over. "What're you all dolled up for?"

    Laughing softly, Lisette quickly shook her head, her long blond hair swirling around the soft jacket as she eyed the faerie quizzically.  "Dolled up?" she asked in confusion as she snapped her fingers, a small black purse appearing in her hands.  "I am afraid that I do not understand.. I am just heading into town to meet with a.. a lawyer," she murmured, testing out the unfamiliar word.

Byrdie gave the young mage before her a small chuckle. "'To meet a lawyer', she says. Might as well go to a car salesman and see just how MUCH trouble you'd get into."  At Lisette's look of bewilderment at her comments, the Trickster started again. "Anyway, what for?  From what you told me, you had enough from that 'realtor lady'..."

    "While that is true, Ms. Higgens had one good point--we need someone that we can trust to handle any and all finances that deal with Janua Caeli," Lisette replied, shrugging away Byrdie's puzzling words.  Just what in the world was a 'car salesman' anyway?  "I am all too willing to admit that I am very.. ooh.. what is the word," she murmured as she slowly tapped a single long finger against her chin.  "Um... na.. nai.. um, naïf?" she asked, a small frown on her face.  "Tu comprends?"

    The Faerie scrunched up her nose and gave the young woman before her a "You-Slipped-into-French-Mode" look.

    Catching the faerie's confused expression, Lisette's nose scrunched up as she wracked her brain for the word she was searching for.  "Ah, naieve!!" she crowed, a delighted smile lighting up her face as the elusive word finally came to mind.

************************************************************************************************

New Orleans

    The Guild Master found Fire sitting in her room on the edge of her bed, staring at a picture of Alec on the dresser.  Walking into the room, he sat next to her and looked at the picture for awhile before reaching out and laying it face down.  "I know how much it hurts Rachel.  But you must let him go."

    "I know," she whispered.  "It's just that for two years I dreamed of the night I would face the men responsible for what had happened to me and my child, and Alec.  Now that night came, and it's become a nightmare that I will never be able to escape from."

    "You will always remember your first kill Fire.  Even after all this time I remember the first man I killed.  The thought of how I felt back then still causes a chill to run down my spine today.  But like all things, it will dull with time.  Right now, what you need is to keep busy, find a purpose."

    "And let me guess, you have just the thing," she said with a wry smile.

    The Guild Master nodded.  "I brought you a present."  He held out a small bundle he had tucked under his arm.  Fire held up the two pieces of black cloth and raised an eyebrow.  "I've never seen material like this before."

    "Its the finest in the world.  The Guild has every resource at its disposal, many of them based right here within the Under City," he informed her with a broad gesture to the walls.  "This is a variation of the same clothing the thieves wear.  It serves as body armor, as the material is knife resistant.  It allows for excellent maneuverability, is breathable, and just for you, fire proof up to fifteen hundred degrees.  The harness here was whipped up by one of my gifted leather workers.  It fits around your torso to secure your axe against your back without interfering with your wings in any way."

    Fire blinked and looked the new clothing over.  "I-I don't know what to say."

    "Why don't you try it on?" he suggested.

    He wasn't prepared for what happened next.  Fire stood and after merely turning her back, did as he suggested, stripping off her present shorts and top.  Clearing his throat, he turned his head away politely, and sighed when there proved to be a mirror right in front of him.  He tried to avert his eyes, but he could not resist occasionally glimpsing back at Firedancer's reflection.  No wonder Alec had fallen in love with this beautiful creature.  She was what most young men dreamed of.... a number of older men as well. Fire was beauty, excitement and danger all rolled into one package.

    When she finally turned around dressed, he cleared his head of his musings and looked her over with an approving gaze.  The dark outfit went well with her coloring.  The material clung to her lithe figure, and accented every toned muscle and curve of her body.  The harness fit perfectly, giving her a more dangerous look. But he held up one finger.

    "Something's missing.... ah I know."

    He pulled from his pocket a silver necklace and let the pendant drop to the end of the sturdy chain as he held it up in front of her.  It bore the head of a fox with a knife clamped in its jaw.  Two diamond like eyes stared out from under a mask, and written in Latin along the edge was an all too familiar inscription.  ~Control Power Wealth Family~ Fire swallowed as she recognized the Guild's insignia and slowly reached out a talon to inspect it more closely.

    "Firedancer, it would be an honor for us to have you join our family officially," he stated formally.

    Fire noticed that her name was already inscribed into the back of the pendant and knew she would not be able to turn him down.  "What do you want from me?" she asked quietly.

    "All I want is to give you a home amongst people who will accept you openly and without question.  I'm giving you a chance to be with a family that will not fear you, but respect you for who you are.  You are my daughter Fire.  Maybe not by blood, but you were my son's mate, and you are the only person right now that I know I can truly and unquestionably trust."

    "Are you asking me to take Alec's place?" she asked him directly, her eyes meeting his.

    He paused and then shook his head.  "Right now, no.  There is much you need to learn yet my dear, and I could not ask such a grave responsibility of you.  But perhaps in time you will see how much it would mean for me to be able to name you as my successor."

    Fire nodded and then took the pendant from the Guild Master and fastened it around her neck.  "I accept your offer, sir."

    "Good, your first order is to call me Cal from now on.  The 'sir' business is beginning to wear on me.  As of now you are my daughter, both as a Guild member and through your ties with Alec.  In public you will, however, address me as Guild Master, Master, or Father as the rest do.  The second order of business is to have you take the Oath in one hour before the Council."

    Fire nodded, her back straightening, and her head lifting a bit higher.  "Thank you.. Cal," she said quietly.

    The Guild Master smiled and stepped forward to hug her.  "Thank you, my dear," he returned as his strong arms squeezed her shoulders.  He felt her breath catch as his arms tightened around her, and then she hesitantly returned the gesture.

    "I shall see you in the Council Chamber in an hour."

    Fire nodded and then he left her to meditate over the next chapter in her life that she was about to step into.

************************************************************************************************

Castellum deGens

    Shaking her head, Lisette smiled softly as she walked down the crowded sidewalk in the downtown area of Castellum deGens.  The time was nearing the mark of the end of the day and already she had to sidestep pedestrian after pedestrian, all hurrying home and away from the dark chill that pervaded the fading day, the sky streaked with the dying colors of the sun.  But it was in fact this hustle and bustle that caused the smile to light her face.  She was here, on the sidewalk amongst humans... these were her people, in a way.  She was part human and in a way just being able to share in something that they all did, as now, caused her heart to warm.  While it was true that she would never forgo the life that she now lived with her clan sisters, she still longed for something more... something more like the feelings that she possessed during her time in Paris.. her time with Joshua.  She longed to be apart of something more, to have bonds that stretched further than sisterhood.. she longed for love.

    Scolding herself for the very thought, Lisette quickly ducked her head in embarrassment, breaking into soft laughter as she realized that none would care of the very blush that she hid.  Shaking her head, she quickly glanced up at the people that surrounded her.  They were all so hurried, believing things that were of importance to them, hurrying to get them accomplished.. things that Lisette could never share in.  She had something more and in so many ways, so very much better.  She protected this city with the aid of her clan sisters.. she shared bonds of friendship, first with Skydancer, and now with their fae friend.

    But instantly thoughts of the small waif of a sprite brought yet another smile to Lisette's lips.  Byrdie Fae had certainly livened things up at the manor since her arrival from the smallest of pranks to the more interesting ones.  Yes.. life was indeed interesting when one of the Fair Folk was invited into the fold.  Yet the little escapade at Halloween also showed her that such a person was indeed needed in the clan.  Even though she was loathe to admit it, she and the Skydancer knew very little of this modern world and the consequences of that could put them into the most interesting of situations.. like trying to destroy all of the candy in Castellum deGens in order to save the little children who were dressed as goblins and such from the very thing that they desired.  Naive.. yes, they were that, but at least their heart was in the right place.

    And then all thoughts of the past and present were pushed aside as Lisette came upon her destination.  With a solid smile she stepped away from the sidewalk and stepped back until she was standing at the base that marked the border between the busy street and sidewalk and stared up at the old building that stood before her.  "So this is where Monsieur Blake Adams, lawyer extrordinaire and his business call home," she murmured as she arched her long neck up until she could take in the whole building.  She wasn't lying when she had told Byrdie that she was off to see a lawyer... despite her realtor's nosiness, the woman had made a great point in the fact that the assets on which the clan resided needed to be put into the correct hands.  It was true that magic could handle a good deal of their problems, but for the rest, money always came in handy in this world and this man, hopefully, would know what best to do with it....

    As her eyes narrowed on the roof, all thoughts of Blake Adams, money, or investments fled her mind.  Ignoring the throng of people that surrounded her and jostled past, Lisette's bright blue eyes slowly narrowed on what appeared to be a slim stone hand that trailed over the edge of the roof.  "A stone hand?" she murmured in confusion even as she slowly faded away from sight in a flash of light, lost to all who may have noticed.

    A moment later she was standing on the hard roof of the investment firm's building, the cold wind biting at her face and hands as she drew her warm jacket tighter around her.  Turning, she felt her breath catch in her throat, only to be stolen away by the wind at the sight that was before her.  It was a gargoyle statue.. a statue of a small gargess that lay on the barren roof, her features revealing a young one, probably a good three years younger than herself, with long straight hair framing her face that was twisted in pain.

    "Oh, mon Dieu," she murmured as she shuffled forward brokenly, her eyes tearing up.  The poor thing appeared to be injured as her small stone arms were wrapped tightly around her small waist, clasping around her stomach even as her large eyes were scrunched tight in what could only be described as agony, her small mouth frozen in a painful scream.  "What happened to you, mon ami?" Lisette whispered as she dropped to her knees beside the frozen statue, ignoring the painful bite of the cold through her thin pants as her hands tentatively stretched out until they rested on the cold stone cheek of the gargess.  "You are real, no?" she murmured as she slowly reached out with her tendrils of magic, searching for some sign of life even as the large sun dipped down behind her, casting her into the dark night.

    As the sun dipped disappeared into the night sky, tiny hairline cracks formed on the statue.  Quickly, the cracks became larger and covered the statue.  The stone quickly fell to the ground and a female gargess was left amongst the debris.  She was about to stretch her cramped wings when she noticed she wasn't alone.  She scrambled to her feet with a speed she did not even know she possessed.   Shadow quickly hopped gracefully backwards onto the edge of the rooftop, still studying her audience.  "Who are you, Human?"

    Surprised by the awakening of the gargoyle, Lisette slowly climbed to her feet, having fallen back and away from the statue as the gargess awoke from her stone slumber.  "I am Lisette," she murmured as she brushed off her pants and met the young gargoyle's large eyes, bright blue clashing with the somber dark eyes of the gargess.  Sighing, Lisette instantly recognized the haunting pain that marked the gargess's eyes, a pain that she knew all to well.  "Are you alright?" she murmured softly, stepping forward slowly as she reached a hand out tentatively, ignoring the cold wind's bite as her compassion was portrayed in her soft movements and expressive eyes.  "Were you injured last eve?" she asked as she gestured to the empty rooftop around her.

    Shadow watched Lisette carefully while pushing back a few strands of hair whipping about in front of her face.  She shifted uneasily to her other foot while contemplating whether to answer or leave.  In a quiet voice she responded while carefully choosing her words, "I am.  And I was."  After speaking the sentence she spread her long velvety wings, preparing to leave.

    "Wait!" Lisette cried out quickly, sensing the stranger's intent.  "S'il vous plaît, do not leave!  I will not harm you!" she pleaded as she took another hesitant step forward, her hand reaching out to the empty air that stood between them.  "Do you have a name, gargess?"

    Shadow sighed softly, "I have been told the exact same thing before.  And then it did not matter.  Why should I trust you?"

    Biting her lip slowly, Lisette contemplated the gargess's words.  The pain that was plainly shown in the gargess's dark eyes was obvious enough to her and she knew that at this moment she must word her answer carefully.  "Because I have been hurt in the past as well, but have learned that without trust I will be alone in this cold world forever," she murmured as she finished off the distance between them and gently took the gargess's tan, taloned hand into her own.  "My clan would love to meet you, mon ami.  S'il vous plait.. do not leave quite yet."

    Shadow listened quietly.  Slowly she looked to Lisette, "My name, the name that the humans gave me, is Shadow."  She glanced to the corner where Tuffy sat and then turned back to Lisette, "I.. will not leave.  I'll stay and meet your clan."

    Sighing in relief, Lisette tightened her hold on the gargess's tanned arm and pulled her gently away from the ledge.  She couldn't believe how easy it had been to convince the gargoyle to stay, yet she thanked her lucky stars that it had been that easy.  She had been expecting immediate trouble with the mention of a clan.. after all, it isn't every 'human' that could brag of one.  "Thank you.. Shadow," she murmured as she released the gargess.

    Tuffy chose that moment to slink forward, staying behind Shadow.  Hiding behind her tail, close to the ground, he watched Lisette with curiosity.  Shadow looked to Lisette, "What is this talk of a clan?  There is one around?"

    Smiling, Lisette quickly nodded her head as she wrapped her warm, down jacket tighter around herself, the wind tearing wisps of her long blond hair out of the tight French twist.  "In a way... there are three of us who work together to protect this city, Castellum deGens, from the evil of the world as well as from.. others," she murmured, thinking back to the thundering couple that haunted her dreams.  She would wait until later to reveal word of Storm and Shaylyn.  "If you..." she trailed off as her bright eyes settled on the sleek head of a cat that peeked out from behind the gargess.  "Oh, un petit chat," she murmured as she dropped to her knees, a small smile lifting her lips as she held out her hand and gently beckoned to the small feline.

    Shadow glanced behind her to see who Lisette was talking to.  She smiled, "Oh that is Tuffy."  Tuffy glanced up at the mention of his name but then returned his attention to Lisette.  Cautiously he stepped over Shadow's tail and craned his head forward to sniff Lisette's fingers.  Quickly he pulled his head back, satisfied, and watched her.

    Smiling softly, Lisette slowly climbed back to her feet, her kind blue eyes moving back to the face of the young gargess.  "Well, he is a beautiful feline," she murmured as she placed her hands back inside her jacket pocket.  "He is yours?"

    Shadow smiled, "No, he is not mine.  He wanders around for himself.  He has just followed me around since I was a hatchling."

    Shaking her head, Lisette couldn't help but share in the gargess's light smile.  The simple expression seemed to change the young one's face so that ages lifted off her shoulders.  "Well, Tuffy is more than welcome to meet my clan as well," she finally said, her warm smile growing at the thought.  Somehow she knew that Skydancer and Byrdie Fae would not mind the stranger... there just seemed to be something special about the young gargess.

    Shadow glanced down to Tuffy, "I'm sure he would enjoy it."  She looked back to Lisette, "Where do you stay?"

    "We live in a manor on the other side of Castellum deGens, just at the base of the mountain," Lisette explained as she gestured towards the general direction of her home.  "The manor is called Janua Caeli," she added, almost as an afterthought as she turned back to the gargess.

    Caping her wings upon her shoulders to block out the cold wind, Shadow looked to Lisette in surprise, "You live there?  In that mansion?  I wondered who lived there!"

    Surprised, Lisette drew back as she regarded the stranger with wide eyes.  "You know of Janua Caeli?" she asked, her brow drawing together in confusion.  "How did you..."

    Shadow smiled, "I came to this city that way.  Came down the mountain."

    Shrugging her shoulders, Lisette accepted the answer as another strong blast of air caused her to cower beneath the warmth of her jacket.  "Destiny or Fate is strange in that way," she murmured cryptically, remarking aloud on her private thoughts, that out of all the places and ways to enter Castellum, Shadow had just happened to enter upon the route that would lead her to Janua.  "What does bring you to Castellum?"

    Shadow sighed, not wanting to talk about it.  She looked back to Lisette again, deciding to talk, "I am just wandering around.  Trying to start over.  I had a.... bad experience.  And I guess in a way... I am running.  I came from up north.  Originally from around Montreal.  Since then, I have been traveling south.  This city just happened to be one of my stops."

    Pausing as the haunted look returned once more to Shadow's eyes, Lisette nodded slowly, instantly upset with herself for posing the question.  "Well, it does not matter now.. all that matters is that you are here," Lisette she replied firmly as she gently squeezed the gargess's tanned hand, careful of her sharp talons.  "Are you ready to go to Janua?"

    Shadow smiled at Lisette's words.  She looked down to Tuffy, "Hey Punk Head, you ready?"  At the mention of the familiar nickname, Tuffy looked up to Shadow.  Shadow smiled and bapped the cat gently with her tail, "Yeah."

    "Bon!" Lisette cried out, grinning broadly as she wrapped herself in a cloak of magic, feeling the tingles as the powerful spell did its work, lengthening her lean body, causing wings to spring from her back and talons to grow on her feet and hands, and as her skin lightened to a pale blue hue to match the color of her eyes.  Opening her eyes, she felt the cold wind ruffle her thin halter and loin cloth, but no longer did the wind bite through her thick skin.

    Shadow looked to Lisette in surprise, "You're... you're..."   Shadow thought for a moment before responding, "What are you?"

    Shaking her head, Lisette felt her laughter tinkle around her as she smiled at the gargess, feeling her sharp fangs poke from behind her lips.  "I am a halfling," she answered honestly, "half human and half.. something else," she added as she stretched her wings out, luxuriating in the feeling of the muscles flexing out and trying to catch the stiff wind.

    Shadow uncaped her wings.  "Well at least I am not the only one.." she murmured quietly.  Tuffy glanced up at her, annoyed that she had moved her wings.  Shadow smiled and moved her arms, giving him room to jump.  Swiftly, he hopped into her arms, glad to have some cover.

    Thrown off, Lisette tilted her head and regarded the gargess through narrowed eyes, the strong wind pushing her hair around her in a golden wave.  Shrugging her shoulders, she realized that there would be time for more questions later, when all of their clan was present.  "Follow me," she called out as the moved to the edge of the roof and dove off into the dark night sky, letting the wind currents carry her away.

    Shadow stretched her wings, letting the wind rustle through them.  Quickly, she ran towards the edge of the building and hopped off.  Her wings, immediately extended to their full length, the wind pulling her up.  She smiled as she followed Lisette, "Perhaps, Tuffy, this trip may not have been so bad after all...."

************************************************************************************************

~Janua Caeli~ a few minutes before

    The late afternoon sunlight slanted through the foliage surrounding the house and dappled the uneven stones of the balcony beneath her feet.  A soft breeze danced about the branches of the trees, whispering a strange siren's song that her stone ears could not hear.  Browning green fields and shady paths separated her balcony from the dense forrest, allowing the golden rays to cast twisted shadows upon the house.  Slowly, the fading sun sank lower below the horizon, until at last it sought escape from the vast visage of the old mansion.  The darkness came then, creating an oasis of calm and an illusion of space around Janua Caeli.  Cracks appeared across her granite surface and with a roar, the gargoyle sprang to life.  The Skydancer had awakened.

    Yawning rather loudly, Sky turned and walked through her still-bare room.  She loved the view she had from the tower room, but she really didn't know what to put in it.  A gargess didn't need a bed like humans--or mages--did.  Still, it was her room, and she felt like she wanted to put something in it.  Something to proclaim that it was her own.

    Shrugging her shoulders, the gargess skipped out into the tower itself.  Spreading her tan wings wide, she spiraled down the tower to the bottom, much preferring that to walking down the narrow staircase.  Caping in her wings upon landing and throwing her braid back over her shoulder, she opened the door and entered the living room.  Mindful of the surprise she had given Lisette some time earlier, she called out, rather than yelled, her clan sisters' names.  "Lis.... Byrdie.... anyone around?" she said into the shadowy room.

    There was a fiery-metallic sound as a black Astral portal of some sort formed abruptly in front of the Skydancer, catching her by surprise.  A moment later, Janua Caeli's resident Trickster popped out, landing perfectly on the floor on her booted feet. Brushing herself off, Byrdie Fae looked up at her she-goyle friend, smiling as she asked half-humoredly: "You called?"

    The gargess jumped backwards at the materialization of the astral portal and put a hand to her fluttering heart.  "Oh my stars, Byrdie!!" the Skydancer exclaimed, her green eyes wide as saucers.  "You gave me a fright!  Do you always make such entrances?!"

    The little Faerie woman laughed out loud at Skydancer's bewildered gaze. "Ha ha! How trite! Shouldn't a Trickster always make a surprising entrance? You should see the look on your face!"

    Letting out a chuckle, the gargess grinned at the Fae.  "I suppose you have a point, Byrdie," she said, her eyes twinkling with laughter, "but could you be a bit less dramatic about it in the future?  I'm not used to portals appearing instantaneously in front of me and people stepping out of them--albeit them being fae or not.  You'll end up having me or Lis scared to death, literally."

    The Skydancer paused then, glancing around the room.  "Speaking of our mage sister, by the way," she said, turning her emerald gaze back to the Fae, "where is she?"

    Byrdie shrugged her shoulders, giving her she-goyle friend a half smile. "I dunno. She left to meet some lawyer guy some two--three hours ago. She could be anywhere by now." She then frowned, her nose scrunching up in distaste.  "Not that I approve of it. Lawyers are rat-finks."

    "Well....." said the Skydancer, cocking her head to one side to swing her long braid over her shoulder, "I don't know too much about lawyers, but Lis seems very attentive to this human... perhaps he isn't all that bad.  At least, I think we ought to give him a chance!  And who knows, he may prove to be useful."  The gargess raised an eyeridge at the Faerie.  "We don't know all
the legalities of this world, we may need some advice."

    Groaning inwardly, Byrdie rolled her eyes. "Touché."

    The tan gargess chuckled at Byrdie's muted admittance.  "All I'm saying, my Fae friend, is that we should give the lawyer a chance," Sky said, her green eyes sparkling with knowing.  "He may prove to be useful.... perhaps even a friend eventually."

    Still looking a bit doubtful, Byrdie shrugged her shoulders again. "Let's not go there just yet, Sky. We haven't even met him y--" She was cut off by a sound coming from the foyer. Two of them.  "What was that?"  Not taking any chances quite yet, a small ball of fire-light appeared in the Faerie's right hand. "Who's there?"

    "Calm down, Byrdie," said the Skydancer as she placed a restraining hand on the Fae's shoulder.  Taking a step towards the door, the tan gargess narrowed her eyes as she tried to make out who was in the darkened foyer.  "Lis?" she called out, her voice echoing throughout the blackness.  "Is that you?"

    "Oui, mes amies, and I have brought a surprise for you both," Lisette's voice responded as she stepped into the room, a large and mysterious smile lighting her face as she eyed her friends.  "And Byrdie," she cried, her eyes narrowing on the flaming ball of fire that sat on the fae's hand, "enough with that!" she continued as a small bucket of water appeared above the fae's outstretched hand, tipping quickly and smothering the flame in a downrush of cool water.  "You'll scare our guest."

    Startled, Skydancer drew herself up short.  "Guest?" the gargess echoed, quirking up an eyeridge over puzzled green eyes.  "What guest?" she asked, looking behind the mage into the darkened foyer.

    Tuffy quickly hopped to the ground at the sound of voices and hid as close as he could, behind Shadow.  Shadow slowly stepped forward, stepping out of the shadows that almost completely hid her form.  Nervously she glanced at the gargess and fey, "Um.... hello."

    Skydancer's eyes widened in astonishment as a dark gargess stepped out from behind Lisette.  The blackness behind her made it difficult for the Skydancer to see her form.  "Why.... hello," she responded, casting questioning green eyes at the mage.

    Smiling broadly, Lisette quickly swept her arm and indicated the shy gargess, laughing softly at her friends' startled expressions.  "Mes amies, I would like for you to meet Shadow, a gargess that I... stumbled upon, this eve," she said, nodding at the gargess.  "And Shadow, this is Skydancer and Byrdie Fae," she introduced, pointing at each in turn.  "And this is Janua Caeli," she continued as she gestured to the building that they now occupied.

    Not quite knowing what to make of the whole situation, but deciding further explanations could wait until later, Skydancer stepped forth and held out her hand.  "Welcome," she said, smiling her offer of friendship towards the new gargess.

    Shadow smiled, "Hello Byrdie, Skydancer.  It's nice to meet you both."  Her tail twitched softly, sending Tuffy jolting forward in surprise, "And this is Tuffy."  Tuffy glanced up towards the others and quickly slunk back behind Shadow.

    Smiling, Lisette quickly glanced back towards her friends.  "When I got to the lawyer's building I noticed Shadow's stone form on the roof," Lisette explained, noticing the look of confusion that was evident on her clan sisters' faces.  "I arrived beside her just in time for sunset!" she laughed, remembering all too well the shock she received when the young gargess awoke.  "And somehow," she continued, a puzzled smile crossing her full lips, "it seemed only right to bring her back here."

    Skydancer stooped down and held her hand out towards the cat, making a crooning sound as she listened to Lisette's explanation.  "What a cute cat!" she whispered with a smile as Tuffy looked at her from behind Shadow.  Smiling, Sky stood back up and turned her emerald gaze back towards the mage and the younger gargess.  "You did the right thing, Lis," she stated, turning her full attention to the darker she-goyle.  "Where are you from, Shadow?  I wasn't aware of any other gargoyles in the area.  As far as I knew, I've always been the only one."

    Shadow nodded, "You are correct.  I am not from around here.  I am originally from around Montreal.  I moved south to the states to get away.  Somehow, I ended up in some small town and staying with a family of humans.  They took me in and they gave me a home."  Shadow sighed, her dark eyes becoming darker with sadness as she turned her head away, "What happened was my fault, and I've been running from it since.  I'm never going back.  I can't."

    Surprised at the wealth of hurt that shined forth from the young gargess's eyes, Lisette quickly stepped beside her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.  Earlier that evening, she had guessed that a world of hurt surrounded the gargess... apparently she was correct.  "Whatever it is that you were running from, you do not need to run any longer.  You are amongst friends and are welcomed to stay here at Janua with us for as long as you desire," she stated quietly, her blue eyes probing into the gargess's eyes before she turned and regarded her clan sisters.  "Is that not right?"

    Concern for a fellow gargoyle filled Skydancer's emerald eyes as she nodded her agreement with Lisette.  "Definitely," the tan gargess said, coming over and putting out a comforting hand on the younger gargoyle's other shoulder.  Pushing her bangs out of her eyes, Sky focused in on Shadow.  "You are welcomed here, my friend," the Skydancer told the dark gargess, giving her a
look of compassion, "would you like to talk about it?"

    Shadow smiled softly as she looked at her new friends, "Thank you."  She turned to look to Sky, "No, Sky, that is okay.  I'd rather not talk about it right now.  I guess it still bothers me.  I still don't feel alright talking about it."

    The tan gargess nodded her understanding, sure that when she was ready the younger gargess would reveal what pained her so much.  "Well then, Shadow Gargoyle," the Skydancer said with a smile, "Welcome to Clan LeFemme!"

************************************************************************************************

New Orleans - Three months later

    Spin, duck, whirl, jab, retreat. Sidestep, spinkick, attack, kill.  Barely out of breath Fire stepped back from her tutor, who stood and grinned at her.  "Excellent," he complimented.

    Fire grinned back, her adrenaline pumping, and then bowed respectfully to him.  "I have learned only from the best sir."

    There was clapping from near the door as the Guild Master entered into the room with a smile of his own approval.  "Very nice my dear.  If you will excuse me I wish to borrow Marcus for a second."

    Fire nodded and walked over to the water fountain while the Guild Master led Marcus out into the hallway out of earshot.

    "Well?"

    "She has progressed extremely well, Master.  I only wish all my students learned as fast as her."

    "As I told you when you began.  The speed, agility, and skill was there.  It just needed to be honed.  And that is why I hand-picked you to train her Marcus.  Of all my thieves, you have made our work an art that only a few such as Fire can be taught.  You have done well my son, and you shall be rewarded handsomely."

    "I appreciate your generosity sir, but teaching Fire has been a reward all in itself.  Not that I wouldn't mind a little extra bonus," he added with a lopsided grin.

    The Guild Master chuckled and clapped the man on the back.  "And a bonus you shall receive.  Now I'm afraid something has come up and I must steal your student for some field work."

    "Already?" he looked disappointed.

    "You yourself have said that she is ready.  Besides, I believe that this mission is one that only she can take care of."

    "Ahhhh, the Tengau Medallion."

    "You are too perceptive Marcus," the Guild Master noted with a bit of steel in his tone.  Marcus merely shrugged.

    "Word gets around when an entire stronghold of our men is wiped out by unknown forces.  Besides I was stationed up there for awhile.  I knew some of those men and I know about the amulet's supposed powers.  Obviously there must be some truth to those tales if the Guild had the thing locked up in their vault.  Though I don't see what's too dangerous about a medallion that can supposedly control only animals."

    "Tsk tsk.  Even you should realize that humans are sophisticated and somewhat civilized animals.  Any fool could control the animals with that Medallion, yes.  But in the wrong hands, that small piece of jewelry could cause more than a little trouble.  It has been the Guild's responsibility to keep it safe, and it was until now. Fire's unique abilities may be our only way to track where the amulet went.  She may deny it, but somewhere deep inside her, she still retains her Fey powers.  And those powers will at the very least draw out the individual or individuals who attacked our stronghold last night."

    Marcus nodded.  "Well, physically she's prepared. Mentally she's still dealing with a lot of ghosts.  But perhaps she needs some time away from here to clear her head, and spread her wings so to speak."

    "I was thinking along the same lines.  When you are finished send her to my quarters and I will brief her for her trip."

    "Yes Master."  With a formal bow, the thief turned and trotted back into the gymnasium to continue with his training exercises.

************************************************************************************************

New Orleans

    "So do you feel ready to accept?" the Guild Master asked Fire after explaining what he needed her to do.

    She grinned, her teeth flashing, and nodded.  Fire had been eager to get out for some time now.  After only a brief hesitation, she had finally given herself in completely to the training the Guild Master had offered her.  But in doing so, she did not get a chance to go out often.  Once a week she would take a break to glide half the night.  Every now and then she would run across the Clan or go visit them.  They repeatedly asked her to join them the first several visits, but as time wore on and she became more deeply ingrained with the Guild, Taren finally stopped asking.

    Now, after six months of intensive training, Fire was honed and ready for action.  Not only was she being sent out on a mission alone, showing the Guild Master's trust in her abilities, but Fire was being sent on a mission that only she could hope to fulfill.  And it was one that would not compromise the small sense of morality that she still clung to.

    "When do I leave?"

    "There's still half the night left if you'd like to get a head start.  Quite frankly, the sooner you get up there and find out what's going on, the better."  Cal stood and beckoned her into the next room.

    "I have already seen to it that your gear has been prepared for travel and you have any equipment you might need. I'm sure you are familiar with most of this equipment."  He held up a belt and began pointing to several of the compartments.  "Lock pick kit, smoke balls, stim tabs, your basic first aid kit, and a throwing knife.  A tracking device has been installed inside the buckle so that we can keep tabs on you.

    "Now, I've had my people design a specially fitted pack for you.  Included in it are a GPS locator, a transmitter that will reach anywhere in the world, some rations, a tidy amount of money, two extra sets of clothing, and a couple of your personal belongings that I thought you might want to take," he informed her as she looked into the pack and saw Alec's half melted fire shield laying on the top of the pile.

    She gave the Guild Master a half smile and shook her head, amazed that he could be so cold with his enemies, yet so thoughtful with those he cared for.  She clipped the belt around her waist and then picked up the pack and slipped her wings through the harness.  "Then I believe I shall be off, Cal."

    "Good luck my dear, and be careful.  If you need anything, the Guild will provide for you once you have reached Castellum deGens.  I'll await to hear your report."

    "Yes sir... and thank you."

    The Guild Master smiled and then nodded a farewell to her as she turned and left.  Her eyes were slightly aglow with anticipation and he, too, was interested to see how well the Firedancer would do on her first excursion out for the Guild.  It would not be an easy one, but he knew she was finally ready.

************************************************************************************************

Castellum deGens

    Fire pulled the GPS out from the pouch in her belt and checked it over.  The bright lights up ahead were finally those of Castellum deGens.  It had taken her nearly three nights of hard gliding to get up to the wooded areas of Pennsylvania, but she had made it ahead of schedule.  The night was well along and she had only stopped to eat a scarce meal of rations once that evening, so Fire decided to set down and rest the remainder of the night.  She would begin her search tomorrow night after she had awoken, fresh from a day's sleep.

    Pulling up, she scanned the area around her and spotted what appeared to be an abandoned house roughly half a mile away. Strangely, her senses were picking up strong magical currents in the area.  But as her wings began to tremble with the effort to hover, she knew she would have to let it go until tomorrow evening.  Right now she needed to land.

    About a half mile from the house there was a small clearing where a lake shimmered in the moonlit night.  Fire angled towards it and set down at the edge of the trees.  Her eyes scanned around her, making sure no one was around as she stretched out with her other senses as well.  When she was satisfied that everything was okay she walked to the lake's edge and poked her foot into it.

    Her belt, pack, axe, and clothing were quickly shed as she jumped into the cool water and nearly moaned.  The waters surrounding New Orleans were not something one wanted to swim in, not to mention she hadn't had much opportunity to go anyway.  Being raised along the beaches of California, she had begun to miss her almost nightly swims in the ocean.

    Three nights of dirt and grime washed away, and sore muscles and tired wings began to relax as she floated lazily around the lake on her back, looking up at the brilliant expanse of the stars above.  She was far enough from the city that the bright lights didn't hide half the sparkling jewels in the heavens above.  She could even see the Milky Way for the first time in months.  It was funny though.  During her stay in the Rockies, she felt like she could just reach up and touch all of it.  Here, in the lower elevations, even though the night was clear, it all looked so far away.

    When her stomach grumbled, Fire was drawn back to the present and was forced to remember that she had only eaten one meal so far.  Using her tail to propel her back to shore, she stepped from the waters and stretched out her protesting muscles a bit before kneeling next to her pack and pulling out some of the dry rations she had been provided.

    With all the Guild's wealth and influence, they still couldn't come up with a decent dry meal supplement that didn't taste like cardboard.  Thankfully, her Father-in-law had included some jerky that had quite a kick to it to help liven up her tasteless meal. Tomorrow night, she would definitely make it a point to seek out her fellow Guild Brothers and maybe land a decent meal.

    When she had finished the last of her small, but supposedly nutritious dinner, she took a long swing from her canteen to wash it all down.  "Bleh.  Definitely going to see about some real food tomorrow night.  I'd rather starve than force another bar of that stuff down," she muttered as she straightened up her gear.

    Something fell out of her pack and she reached down to pick up the twisted metal.  Turning Alec's shield over she sighed and rested it against her head.  "I hope you understand that I had to do this my love," she whispered as her eyes closed.

    She could imagine the hell Alec would have given her if she had even thought of joining the Guild while he was still alive. Maybe it wasn't all she had left, but besides the half melted twisted piece of metal she held in her talon, and the ring she now wore with her Guild pendant around her neck, the Guild was all she had left of Alec.  She had all but thrown herself into her training the past six months, learning to ignore the small fragment of her conscience that just would not die.

    Truth be told though, she was actually growing comfortable in the Guild.  She was surrounded by society's outcasts and misfits, and for the first time since her transformation, Firedancer had found acceptance and respect amongst her peers.  Cal had been very pleased by her progress and had already taken her on several 'outings'.  Fire knew he was gearing her for the next and more intensive lessons.  She had mastered the physical skills in just a few months, what lay ahead would take a few years, and Fire knew that she would not back down from what he was offering.

    The first time she had met him, her lip curled in disgust as he casually brushed her feelings off.  The Guild Master had explained that she was looking through narrow eyes, but that if it weren't for the Guild, the world would be in utter chaos.  Now, as she began to see things from a new perspective, and with an open mind, she was beginning to realize that he was right. If the Guild did not traffic things with the precise and controlled means that it did, the governments would not be able to maintain the fragile control they held over the general population.  Gangs would run rampant, drugs would be sold on every street corner in the world, and countries that relied on receiving aid from the underworld because they could not get medicines or food from the normal channels, would disappear completely.

    It was not easy to rule, but Cal had chosen her to take his place, even if he had not formally asked her yet.  The Guild Master had already been grooming her in ways of politics, diplomacy, and bartering.  This mission was her testing, her rite of passage.  If she succeeded, Fire knew without a doubt that Cal would ask her to train as Alec's replacement, and she would accept.

    A sigh escaped her lips as she thought about that.  She would gain quite a bit but she would loose just as much when she made her decision.  Stuffing the shield back into her pack, Fire leaned back and danced a small flame back and forth across the tips of her talons.  It would be nothing new really.  She had been through this same situation before, and she would live through it again.

    Fire tried clearing her mind of such unhappy thoughts, and realized that only one thing was going to really help her relax. Within twenty minutes she had gathered a large pile of wood and stacked it in a circle.  Holding out her palm, she ignited the pile and then willed the flames into a roaring bonfire.  Hanging her pendant and ring on the branch of a nearby tree she looked at the roaring fire eagerly.  Stepping into its warm embrace, Fire felt her knees go weak as she became completely engulfed by the flames for the first time in months.

    She wasn't really in the mood to dance tonight, she just wanted to be comforted.  Fire knelt on the ground, where the heat was most intense, and leaned forward until her forehead rested against the hot coals.  She closed her eyes as hot ash tickled her nose and smiled.  No, she realized.  The Guild wasn't the only thing she had left.  She still had the fire.  The heat sank deep into her muscles like no massage could, and as her sore and tired body began to relax, exhaustion took over.

    Fire curled up on her side, her wings pulling over her, as she dozed off with the flames as her blanket.  On the outside, the body of Firedancer was invisible as her namesake kept up its steady burn, protecting her from the outside world and its troubles.

************************************************************************************************

~Library of Janua Caeli~

    A small fire was dancing in the grate, burnishing the brass fittings of the screen set before it, chasing bright patterns of orange and gold across the smooth globes of the andirons which cradled it.  Crackling with the small, sharp explosions of countless evergreen needles, its flames sent the smoky tang of burning pine drifting about the room.

    The gargess watched the flames from where she sat on the couch.  They danced amongst the timber, teasing the wood mercilessly, daring it to defy its heated touch.  Set before the carved plaster supports of the marble mantlepiece above the hearth, a low, wide sheet of intricately etched glass rested on a fragile looking lattice piece of platinum.  The deep teal and silver tones of the plush carpeting flowed through the delicate tracings, capturing the radiance of the fire, and created the illusion of a fairy net flung upon swirling waters.  The muted sea-tones sparkled throughout the room and brought out the deep green of her emerald eyes, giving them an unearthly-effect.

    Smiling, Sky glanced down at the worn leather book she held in her hands.  Obviously older that many of the books on the surrounding walls, the gargess had taken down the well-thumbed and yellowing book and had spent the first hours of the evening paging through it.  The Skydancer loved books.  They had been her sole key to the outside world when she had lived alone on her mountain hideaway.  The love for the leather-bound items still continued now even though she was no longer alone.

    Thinking of her clan-mates, Skydancer glanced up and out into the foyer as she heard a noise, wondering which of her sisters was nearby-- Lisette, Byrdie, or their newest addition, Shadow.  "Enter at your own risk!" Sky called out, parroting a phrase that she had recently heard on the contraption known as the TV.

    "At my own risk?" Lisette asked in confusion as she stepped warily into the large library, eyeing each fiery shadow as they danced upon the tall bookshelves that composed the cozy room.  "What is the risk?" she asked slowly as she turned and regarded the gargess sitting upon the couch with narrowed blue eyes, absently brushing a stray strand of pale blond hair from her face.

    The gargess looked up and met the mage's suspicious blue eyes as she walked into the room.  The fire from behind her lit up her face, giving it a golden glow that showed off her tan skin.  Grinning, the Skydancer shrugged her shoulders.  "I don't know, Lis," she said sheepishly.  "It's just a phrase I heard on the television the other night and it sounded good.  So I used it."

    Shrugging her shoulders Lisette moved further into the room, eyeing the brightly roaring fire.  "Ah, a laid back night with the fire and a good book?" she asked as she moved over to plop beside the gargess on the large sofa, stretching her arms out before tucking them behind her head.

    "Something like that," Skydancer said, grinning as she scooted over to make room for the mage.  "It's not for long though.   Weren't we going to take Shadow on a tour of the other side of Castellum and my mountain home?"  With that, the gargoyle female turned her head again and glanced out into the foyer at another noise.  One of the other occupants of Janua Caeli was about to make her entrance into the room.

    "Shadow?  Byrdie?" Lisette asked, responding to Sky's movements as she too turned expectantly towards the entrance to the room and the dark foyer beyond.

    Shadow stepped into view, followed close behind by Tuffy.   Shadow looked to her two new friends, "Did someone call my name?"

    Smiling, Lisette quickly jumped up from the couch and moved beside the newest member to the clan.  "Shadow!" she called out in greeting as she bent down to gently ruffle Tuffy's soft fur.  "Sky and I were just talking about the tour that we were going to go on tonight to see her home," she explained as she nodded back at the tanned gargess.

    The Skydancer grinned at the dark gargess who had just entered the room.  Like her name implied, Shadow was very quiet, tending to keep to the shadows of a room, but the tanned gargess liked her and enjoyed having a fellow gargoyle in Janua Caeli besides herself.  "My cavern lair is about halfway up the mountain, Shadow," Sky said, twirling her long braid with one finger as she laid her book down, "but it's a beautiful sight.  You get a good view of the city from the other side of it."

    Grinning, Lisette eagerly clapped her hands.  "Ooooh, this is going to be so much fun!  Our first trip as a clan away from the manor and 'egg-sitting,' as Byrdie has so fondly dubbed it!" she laughed, her pale blond hair twirling around her shoulders, not noticing as Tuffy backed away from her and shook himself.

    Yawning, the cat glanced over to the couch.  Slinking slowly he walked towards the couch, stopping to yawn, and then quickly jumped on the back of the couch.  Slowly he lay down and rested his head on his forepaws.

    Shadow smiled as she looked to Tuffy, "It seems he is happy."  Caping her wings she looked to Sky.  "A cavern?" she asked.  "Ooo... how exciting," she giggled, "No offense but I am kidding.  Tuffy and I, long ago, used to live in one of those.  Not the most inviting of places.  I suppose this might be a good 'learning trip', though."

    The tan gargess grinned, her smile lighting up her emerald eyes.  "Oh, trust me, Shadow, my cavern is MOST inviting!"  Getting up from the sofa, Sky made her way around it so that she could stand with the others.  "It was inhabited by human at one point, but whoever he was, he had long since disappeared before my time.  It is my belief, judging from the books of spells that line the shelves, that the human was a wizard or mage of some sort."

    Shadow shook her head, "Books of spells... ugh what a pain.  It is so easy to just leave them around and have them fall into the wrong hands.  I personally think it would be easier to memorize the spell and get rid of the book.  But then again, they might forget the spell..."  Shadow sighed, "Sorry, I'm talking too much.  Habit."  Shadow became quiet once more as her friends eyed her quizzically before responding, "If humans were meant to cast spells, they wouldn't need books.  Yes, they would need them for learning, but surely they could make them disappear or make them invisible or something."  Shadow shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know.  Humans confuse me."

    Surprised, Lisette listened quietly to the young gargess's words as a small smile lit up her face.  Sadly, it wasn't very often that she heard her friend talk making such a long monologue from the newest member a pleasant surprise.  Smiling, Lisette quickly grasped one of Shadow's tanned arms in friendship as she nodded to Sky.  "Speaking as a mage who was raised by a human wizard, I can understand your views about the importance of protecting tomes of magic, but I can also defend the necessity of having such books."  Shrugging her shoulders, Lisette laughed quietly.  "But then again, it is only my own opinion."

    The green-eyed gargess nodded her head in understanding at the mage and the younger gargoyle.  "I do not have much experience with humans, myself," Sky began, brushing her long bangs out of her eyes.  "Most of my time until recently was spent on the mountain.  I also do not have much knowledge of Fae or Human Magic.  My own magic, or power, centers from Mother Nature and the strength of the storm."  Skydancer paused for a moment then, thinking about what she wanted to say.  "What I do know, however, is that without the books that are contained within my library, I would never have known that such things existed.  Worlds that are real would never have existed for me.  Most of the knowledge that I possess, came from those books.  I would hate to think how ignorant I would have been if not for their teachings. In that, I am glad for the books."

    Smothering a small laugh, Lisette slowly backed away from her friend.  "Despite the knowledge that your books had given you, mon amie, it obviously was not enough to prepare you for this world... All Hallow's Eve for example?" she questioned as she quickly danced back and behind the couch, her eyes twinkling with mirth even as Tuffy startled at her sudden movements.

    "You're darn tootin'!"

    Before any of the three clan sisters could even question where the voice had come from, the sight of Byrdie Fae flying in as she phased through the other side of the library wall greeted their eyes--they didn't think that there was an entrance that the Faerie had made twice. Letting out a small chuckle, she circled around them, her hands giving off the traditional yellow and green "pixie dust" that made her arrival a little more colorful. "Lis' got a point. That Halloween fiasco really says a LOT."

    The Skydancer grinned sheepishly at Byrdie at the aforementioned 'Halloween fiasco.'  "Granted, books do not teach you everything, my Fae friend, however I would also like to point out that my books also happen to be a hundred years old and not in-tune with this century completely!" she responded with mirth.

    Chuckling, Lisette quickly shook her head.  "Then again, I do not suppose that I can really say much... I was as much a part of the trouble as was Sky," she laughed as she snapped her finger, a finely woven midnight blue cloak appearing about her shoulders, falling down to cover her clothed arms and drape casually around the lighter blue gown that she was now wearing, both reminiscent of the time of her birth.  "But now that we're all here, are we ready to go see Sky's cavern?"

    Turning, the gargess then smiled at her mage friend.  "And yes, Lis, I do believe it is time we head for the mountain.  It has been a while since even I visited!" the Skydancer said with excitement.  Uncaping her wings, the tan gargess headed out into the foyer of the mansion.  Opening the huge door, she stepped out onto the porch and into the night air followed closely by the others.  "Shall we?" she asked, turning to the others with a twinkle in her grass eyes.

    "We shall!" Lisette instantly replied, a mischievous twinkle sparkling in her deep blue eyes as she quickly bounded over to her gargess friend, answering for the others as she skipped out into the bright night, grateful for the warmth that her heavy cape provided.

    The Skydancer spread her wings wide as she drank in deeply the tangy taste of pine on the crisp autumn breeze.  Glancing over at the others, she gestured up towards the starry night.  "I suggest we take to the sky, my friends," she said with a wave of her hand.  "It'll be faster traveling."

    Nodding her agreement, Lisette reveled in the cool night air as she turned back to Byrdie Fae and Shadow.  "And I do not know about you two, but I think I shall travel as is tonight," she added as she indicated her human form as she begin to levitate into the dark night sky.  "Are you both ready?"

    Shadow uncaped her long velvety wings and nodded, "Yes, I am ready."  She stretched her wings a moment before turning back to look at Tuffy, "Hey cat, stay here and stay out of trouble."

    Tuffy blinked sleepily and looked over to Shadow.  His eyes flashed green before he yawned and lay his head on his paws.  He flicked his tail twice before falling asleep.

    Smiling at Tuffy, Byrdie shook her head--she liked that cat already. "Heh heh. I guess that's an order that will easily be obeyed." She then turned back to her friends and to the dark night. "Yeah, I'm ready, too."  Flying out ahead of them, Byrdie did a twisting barrel-roll in the air. "C'mon. We haven't got all night, do we?  Let's go!"

    Casting a huge grin at the sleeping cat and then shaking her head in amusement over Byrdie's antics, the Skydancer leaped up onto one of the porch railings and launched herself into the black velvet night.  Spreading her wings wide, Sky caught an updraft and soon found herself gliding easily alongside of Byrdie.  A cool autumn breeze blew tendrils of her long brown hair back behind her as she turned her emerald gaze back towards Shadow and Lisette.  "Come on, you two!" she called, echoing her Fae clan sister.  "It's lonely up here with only two of us!"

    Shadow smiled, "Yeah yeah... I'm coming."  Shadow quickly hopped up onto the porch railings and jumped off, her wings easily catching an updraft.  Shadow glided up towards Sky and Byrdie, "Ok, I'm here now."

    Smiling, Lisette watched her clan further up ahead with a gentle smile.  Things were indeed finally coming together as one by one the empty rooms of the manor were filled with laughing and happy voices.  Their clan was growing.  Shaking away the thoughts, Lisette looked down upon the dark manor and began concentrating on the magic that she controlled.  "Guard all those who lie inside and wrap them within a cocoon of warmth," she murmured, feeling the warmth of her magic wrap around her and fight out the chill of the dark night, thankful once more for her heavy cloak as the night wind gently tugged at her long dress.  "Protect them until my return from all evil outside and all those within.  I will return when needed," she whispered as she felt the drain of the magic, not as bad as before, but still enough to leave her feeling weak for a few moments.  Closing her eyes, Lisette concentrated on maintaining her position in the sky before her blue eyes snapped open, barely able to discern a soft green field that covered the manor before disappearing into nothing.  Nodding, she could feel the fine threads of magic that connected her to the manor and knew that all would be safe until their return.  And then, with a large grin, she quickly turned away and hurriedly flew up to her awaiting friends.  "Which way, mes amies?" she asked, smiling broadly as she indicated the massive forest that spread out below them.

    "Well," said the Skydancer as she began towards the multi-colored foliage before them, "the most direct way to the mountain is over the forrest and then the center of town."  The chill wind blew sharply against the gargess as she flew, but thanks to her thick skin, she barely felt it.  "It's almost in a straight path with Janua."

    Shadow grinned, "Over the river and through the woods to... Sky's place we go..."  She giggled softly, "It sounds like a bad song."  Shadow brushed a few strands of hair from her face as she continued on her path, "I won't sing anymore.  I'll save your precious hearing."

    Laughing softly, Lisette moved amongst her clan sisters as the cool breeze pushed her hooded cape away from her head and allowed her pale blond hair to trail behind her as the trees whizzed by below.  "No my friend, now to hear true torture you would have to listen to...." she trailed off as her eyes narrowed on a site below, causing her to halt in her tracks quickly, her friends passing on without her before noticing her absence.  "Smoke?" she asked, her eyes turning off to their right, narrowing on a thick, billowing cloud of black smoke that billowed up beside a crystal lake, sheltered in the trees.  "Sky, smoke," she quickly called out as her gargess friend glided up beside her, obvious puzzlement shining in her grass-green eyes at the mage's abrupt halt.

    "Oh my stars!!" the Skydancer exclaimed as she came up along side of the floating mage.  "It's a fire in the forrest!!  And it's in direct line with Janua Caeli!!" she cried out, calling the attention of the others.  Without missing a beat, the tan gargess raised her hand to the night sky. "Rain cloud form!!" she commanded, calling forth the elements of nature.  "Lis, I think I'm going to need your help with this one!!" Sky called out.  "Think you can make this bugger put out our little flame before it goes any further?"

    Nodding her head in response, Lisette quickly looked up at the dark and stormy cloud that had formed at the gargess's bidding.  Biting her lip, she slowly closed her eyes and concentrated on the cloud, using her magic to move it forward until it was centered above the flame.  Opening her eyes once again, Lisette glanced down and saw that the smoke emanated up from a large bonfire that someone had built on the sandy beach to the lake, a pile of garments and a bag lying a short distance away.  Obviously, whoever had created the flame had also abandoned it, leaving it to burn whatever it wished... although oddly enough, the flame seemed to burn in a controlled manner.  Shrugging away the thought, Lisette felt her clan sisters gather on the ground beside her, alighting before the massive flame as she slowly raised her hands above her head, concentrating on the cloud as she brought her hands together.

    And then, with a clap that rang throughout the trees the cloud burst in a flash of light, instantly releasing a torrent of water that fell in rainy heaps, dousing the flame and sending a billow of black smoke flying in all directions, causing the clan to jump back, their hands shielding their eyes as the gagged on the noxious fumes.

    Somewhere deep in her slumber, Fire sensed a sudden build up of magical energies.  That was just before she was awoken by a torrent of water that soaked her completely and killed the warm flames around her instantly.  With a long and loud string of oaths in three different languages, Fire rolled to her feet and stood in the wet mushy remains of her bonfire.

    "Damnit I HATE when that happens!" she swore as she looked for the source of her rude awakening.  Chest heaving, eyes crackling, and fists clenched she saw no one at first and that infuriated her even more.  Looking upwards, through the steam and smoke, Fire saw a single raincloud that had somehow mysteriously formed right over where she had been sleeping not
moments ago.  And was raining only on her spot.

    The crimson gargess moved out from under the rain and smoke, looking and feeling much like a wet cat would. In a disgusted gesture, she threw her fist at the ground, fire exploding around her and drying her off instantly before it dissipated. "Can't I have peace for one friggin' night?!"she called up to the sky as she moved towards her clothing and gear.

    And then she saw four figures hovering in the dark sky and crouched defensively a flame instantly curled in her hand ready to be released.

    Shadow watched the scene below her, "Uh oh.  I think that we just woke someone up..."  She made no threatening moves, but was ready to move if anything happened.  "What do we do now?"

    Hovering closer to Shadow, Byrdie frowned as she, too, watched the crimson gargess down below. "I don't know... but she looks REALLY mad..."  She then looked over at Lisette, whom was staring at the sight in slight amazement.  "Lis... do you think...?"

    Skydancer continued to circle around the spot where the billowing smoke of the distinguished bonfire continued to drift into the night sky.  Much to her surprise she heard a string of what sounded like curses being voiced through the wispy fingers of the choking formation arising with it.  Caping in her wings a bit as she heard Shadow's comment about waking someone, the tan
gargess dived down a bit in the air for a closer look.  In amazement she quickly saw herself coming face to face with a dark-red gargess, a flame dancing in the palm of her taloned hand.

    Instantaneously, Sky's eyes flashed in threatened warning.  Immediately her taloned hand charged with lightning electricity in the event of an attack as the she-goyle gestured to the stranger below them.  "It would indeed appear that we have awakened someone!" the Skydancer called out for all to hear.  Looking back down at their visitor, Sky captured the red gargess's gaze with her own.  "Who are you?!" the tanned gargess demanded to know, her green eyes flashing again in warning.

    "And why are you naked?" Lisette asked, finally answering the Fae's question as she slowly clambered back to her feet, the only one of the clan who rested on the soft grass that the gargess had actually built her flame in.  Shrugging away her own question, Lisette quickly stepped forward and slipped her cloak from her shoulders, offering it to the stranger with a soft smile.  It didn't take a genius to see that tension was flying high beside the lake, what with the Byrdie and Shadow poised above, electricity crackling from Sky's hand, and a matching pile of fire in the strange gargess's outstretched hand--a tension that she tried to dispel with her open friendliness.  "My apologies, mon amie," she continued quickly, her soft French accent gliding over the words, "for the water... we did not know that you were sleeping.  I am Lisette, and this is Skydancer, Byrdie Fae, and Shadow," she added as she pointed to each of her clan sisters in turn.

    Fire had quickly scanned over the mixed group, a bit surprised to find not only a human but a Fae of all beings in their company.  All four had an aura of magic around them, but of it was tainted with the dark evil she had sensed earlier.  But even if this group was friendly, they had not only awoken her in a manner that she despised the most, but they had caught her with her pants down.  Or in this case off was a more correct word as the human named Lisette so tactfully noted as she held out her cloak.

    Fire forced herself to relax and merely wrapped her wings about herself, declining the human's cloak.  "And let me guess, that's Smokey the Bear and you're all her forest friends," she asked sarcastically nodding to the tanned gargess who glided silently only a foot away, poised to defend if the need arose.

    But just as quickly as she said the biting words, she wished she hadn't and silently cursed her temper.  After all, this wasn't the first time this had happened and she knew that they had honestly meant no harm.  "I'm sorry," she sighed.  "It's been a long week and I really needed to get some rest before dawn.  For obvious reasons I am called the Firedancer. As for my current state of undress, well I think you can figure that out for yourselves, seeing as how I was resting inside the fire."

      Having answered their questions, Fire turned away and reached down to pick up her clothing and pendant.  Then she stood and faced the group who was still staring at her.  "Now if you ladies don't mind, I'm feeling a bit drafty under these wings here and would like to get dressed so I can kick back for the rest of the night... peacefully," she couldn't help but add.  "So good luck being superheros and all that, and I promise not to torch you woodlands here."

    Sky landed on the soft grass next to Lisette, keeping a weary eye on the red gargess the whole time.  Slowly she relaxed her stance and called off the electrical charge that was still glowing in her hand.  "Is your wit always as sharp as your tongue, Crimson One?" the Skydancer asked, a soft night breeze ruffling her long braid a bit.  "And your sarcasm is uncalled for...... though, I suppose it was rather a rude awakening," she finished, softening the reproach a bit.  The she-goyle knew that Clan LeFemme had to be at least partly responsible.  They had, after all, awakened the strange gargess surprisingly.

    Wincing at her friend's own sharp tongue, Lisette quickly nodded her agreement as she turned, giving the gargess some privacy as she dressed.  "Desolé, once more... Firedancer," she apologized, stumbling over the new name.  "We did not mean you any harm... um.. what brings you to Janua Caeli?  Perhaps we can help you with something?" she quickly continued, not wanting the gargess to leave.  Although her answers were short and her tone was sharp, Lisette found herself unwilling to just let the gargess go her own way.. not yet, at least.

    Fire redressed quickly, slipping her pendant over her neck and then tucked in down under the loose collar of her dark shirt. Her eyes glanced over to the tan gargess as she rebuckled her belt and picked up her harness which still held her axe. "It's an art for me to keep my tongue and wit as sharp as the blade of my axe. When weapons fail, all that is left in your defense is words. But your apologies are accepted. Actually," Fire said as she looked over the group thoughtfully, "coming across you guys may not be such a bad thing.  I'm in town on family business. An item of high value was taken by extreme force several nights ago and magic was involved. Have any of you noticed anything unusual going on around this area at all lately?"

    The first rule of attack was finding out information. Everyone who had been at the Guild stronghold that evening had been killed except for one man who had lived long enough to tell his story before dying as well. If anyone had noticed something out of the ordinary it was sure to be this ragtag bunch of magic-wielders. Fire was more than willing to use any information they gave, though she had no intention of revealing her true nature to them. With the exception of the Fae, they'd all probably call her a heretic and a disgrace to her race.

    Lifting an eyeridge at the red gargess, Skydancer's senses immediately went back on the alert.  The way Firedancer had spoken the question seemed too convenient, too obvious for the she-goyle's taste.  Suspicion filled Sky's emerald eyes as she narrowed her gaze at the stranger.  "What do you mean by.... 'unusual'?" she asked, unconsciously slipping back into a defensive stance.

    Not as observant as her gargess friend, Lisette shrugged her shoulders innocently, a little surprised by the tension that she felt emanating from Sky once more.  As far as she could see, the red gargess was merely asking about something that was taken from her family... and the sound of the use of extreme force and magic instantly brought a few suspects to mind.  "I am sorry, mon amie," she answered honestly as she gently put a soothing hand on Sky's tanned shoulder, "but I, for one, have noticed nothing out of the ordinary.  Actually, things have been very quiet... almost too quiet," she added beneath her breath before forcing a smile once again, "here in Castellum deGens."

    Fire gave them a 'get real' look and shook her head. "Ok YOU four are not normal in the human realm of things... especially her," Fire responded with a bit of impatience in her voice. "I thought all of you were supposed to be partying or something on Avalon anyways."

    Indignant, the dark eyed Faerie faded away and then reappeared down on the ground with Lisette, Skydancer, and the crimson smart-aleck called Firedancer, her hands on her hips. "EXCUSE me, but since when did you make assumptions about what MY race is doing? I'll have you know that Avalon isn't just 'fun 'n' games', thank you very much. Besides, that's totally irrelevant." She sniffed haughtily, pushing a stray tendril of hair from her face. "Also sounds kinda strange coming from a gargoyle that sleeps in a bonfire NAKED..."

    "Oooo-kay whatever. Now, I realize some of you don't look like the I-don't-get-out-much types, but you mean to tell me that in your patrols over the past few months you haven't noticed anything just a teency weency out of the ordinary.... say people with strong magical talents with not-so-nice intentions lurking about within the past few months?"

    The Skydancer's browridge raised even higher at the red gargess's last comment.  "Strong magical talents?" she echoed, looking at her clan sisters.  "Perhaps," Sky continued, turning her attention back to Firedancer.  "What does it mean to you?"

    Curious at the question, Lisette slowly watched the exchange between the two gargesses, both obviously wary of one another as the tension in the air grew thicker.  "'I don't get out much types'?" Lisette echoed in confusion, tilting her head to the side as she tried to ponder the gargess's question.  "Well, yes we do.  We go on patrols almost nightly," she added.

    The Skydancer turned towards her mage friend and smiled.  "Somehow, I don't think that's what she meant, Lis," she said, turning back to the crimson gargess.  "Yes, Firedancer, we go out on patrols nightly.  But, again I ask, what is it to you?"

    Shadow glided down and landed gracefully beside her two friends.  She grinned at Lisette's comment, but said nothing.  She watched the other gargess quietly while she listened to the conversation, waiting for Firedancer's response.

    "Yeah," Byrdie added, sending a supercilious look up at the red gargess.  "What's YOUR deal? You don't look to be the 'concerned-about-the-forest type, either."

    The Skydancer watched as her Clan sisters lightly came to earth, each of them standing along side the other as they confronted the strange crimson gargess.  A cool evening breeze buffeted around them as the group sized each other up.  Sky watched Firedancer with cautious eyes as she waited for her to respond.  She wasn't sure what to make of her and she wasn't taking any chances, especially with her clanmates.

    Still confused by the stranger's comment, Lisette quickly shook her head.  "And wait one second.  What did you mean about us four not being normal in the human realm?  How would you know?" she asked, curiosity shining in her bright blue eyes.  Usually, when one looked upon her all they would see was her human appearance shining through, unable to sense the magic that coursed through her veins.. but what made this gargess so special?  So different from the rest?  And then, the answer hit her even as her words left her lips.  "But of course... you are magic as well, no?" she probed as she eyed the gargess.  "You must be in order to have remained hidden within the hot flames of your fire," she continued logically as she felt Byrdie move to her side.

    Fire looked over the group and wanted nothing more than to slap her talons against her forehead. "Fuego.... patience de la paciencia....." she muttered to herself in Spanish. Taking a breath, she held it, counted to ten and then let it out slowly as her eyes traveled over the group until she came to the one called Lisette who had been the only friendly one of the bunch. And she knew French. 'Time to practice diplomatics' she thought as she searched for the right words in French.

    "Vous avez raison. Pardonnez-moi pour ma soudaineté, mais ma mission ici implique.... ummm.... beaucoup et certains de vos amis pas exactement endear ma confiance. Le Fey.... par.. part...  particulièrement leur sorte sont aimables sont unpredicatable."

    (You are right. Forgive me for my abruptness, but my mission here involves a great deal and some of your friends do not exactly endear my trust. The Fey especially- their kind are unpredictable.)

    "Shall we start over?" Fire asked, finally relaxing completely. "My name is Firedancer. I take it none of you watched the news much, so I'll give you a little background. I originally come from California where I was raised and became a firefighter. But the gifts I possess now are a warped mutation, of the gifts I possessed before. At one time I was a healer and a protector, and
then....." A hardened look came over Fire's face briefly, and then it was gone. "Well let's just say my transformation wasn't pleasant, and it cost me a great deal. I left California to be with some family down south in New Orleans and that's where I've been ever since.

     "As I said before... I am here on family business. A medallion of great worth and possible magical value, was taken by extreme force six nights ago. It was taken by one, maybe two individuals who displayed powerful magical talents. That is all I know. Because of my.... talents, I have been sent up to your city to locate and re-acquire the medallion. I've had a very long and hard flight to make it here in three nights, and was hoping to get some decent rest before I started my search of the city tomorrow night. I had not expected to be awoken from my rest by four magic-wielders. I hope now given my circumstances, you can understand why I am a bit...jumpy in your presence."

    Fire's eye's shifted to the human mage. "What I meant about you guys not being normal is that while our race," she began, including the two other gargoyles in her statement, "is starting to gain more acceptance amongst the humans, magic is not something they have yet to comprehend. Thus they fear it and it would do all four of you well to be careful of wielding your powers in front of others. All we need is for some new faction of Quarrymen to spring up and want to burn us as heretics and witches."   Her eyes shifted to the Fey and she felt her tail twitch a bit. "As for you Tinkerbell, you know nothing of who I am or my past. I know quite a bit more about the Third Race than you probably think I do. You should drop in on Puck every now and then... I bet he would love a visit," she added with a smirk. "Try any of your tricks on me though, and I've got a nice iron edged axe I could introduce you too," Fire warned with a wicked smile that almost dared the Fey to try something."

    Shadow continued to listen to the new gargess but the defensive look was gone.  She watched the gargess with a wary eye as she listened calmly.  Shadow heard the French words spoken and quietly translated them to herself.  She looked to Firedancer with a questioning glance, "Quarrymen?  What are these.... Quarrymen?"

    Shaking her own head, Lisette watched as her clan sister questioned the Firedancer, a puzzled smile playing across her lips.  So the gargess spoke her own native tongue.. an amusing fact that she quickly stored and pushed aside, focusing on the gargess's lengthy speech.  To be honest, she had been too shocked at the unexpected use of French to interrupt, but now her mind was buzzing.  All of the facts that the gargess had delivered were quickly trying to be sorted in her mind... a gargess with 'unusual abilities' from California... a state in these United States?  And her abilities were changed by... a 'warped mutation'?  All of these different words just served to confuse her even more.  All in all, the one thing that she could relate to was the deep pain that shadowed the gargess's eyes as she spoke of her life back in this California--a pain that was quickly buried away and hidden beneath a mask of cold indifference.  Obviously, like most of her clan sisters, this gargess had suffered much in her time... and the gargess obviously had a problem with Byrdie Fae, or her clan sister's race in general.

    But then there came the other questions.... and the mention of burning for people believing you to be something that you were not... while she did not understand the word 'heretic,' the use of the word and the way it was spoken instantly made its message clear. "Le feu," Lisette murmured quietly as her face drained of color, slowing backing away from the others as she swayed on her feet, painful memories quickly coming to surface as the remembrance of the thick smell of smoke filled her nostrils once again--the scalding heat consuming her clothing as it turned her skin red and hot...

    Fire frowned and looked the group in puzzlement. "Ok some of you look fresh off the boat granted.... but you mean to tell me you don't know who the Quarrymen are? I mean they were-" the red gargess broke off though as the young woman next to her began to sway, a distant look in her eyes. "Whoa... you ok?" Fire asked steadying her since she was the only one close
enough to reach out and grab her.

    Shaking away the troubling memories, Lisette's clouded vision slowly cleared as she focused on the gargess's concerned eyes.  "Ah.. oui," Lisette murmured distractedly as she straightened, pushing the hood of her long cloak back to allow the cold night air to snap her back to what was being said.  "Desolé, mes amies," she murmured absently as she nodded at the Skydancer, catching the understanding concern in her friend's eyes.  Turning back to the Firedancer, Lisette forced her emotions at bay as she nodded to continue.  "And my apologies, but I do not understand much of what you say.  Your use of this language baffles me at times... I do not understand this 'mutation', 'California', or what you mean by not being fresh off of the boat.... I traveled by airplane here," she explained as she shrugged her small shoulders.  "And what is this talk of... of Quarrymen?" she questioned, turning to the group as she awaited an answer.  "And who is this Puck?!?"

    Skydancer watched with worried eyes as Firedancer reached out and steadied her mage friend.  She knew the young woman was probably reliving her nightmare escape from the Roman soldiers ten centuries earlier.  She drew in a quick breath of relief as Lisette nodded and snapped herself out of the memory.  Turning, she brought her attention back to the strange crimson gargess, her demeanor immediately softening a bit when she noticed Fire's concern for Lisette.  ~Perhaps she is not so bad after all....~ the tan gargess said to herself, her green eyes narrowing in thought.

    Shadow watched the scene between Lisette and Firedancer.  She said nothing but her gaze softened.  "California, Lisette, is what the humans around here call another.. territory or state thing.  Just as there is a New York and this... Penn.. Pennsylvania."   She shrugged her shoulders briefly, "Do not ask me to explain.  I do not fully understand it myself.  No offense, Lis, but humans are weird."  She then turned to look to Fire, "Isn't Puck the fey trickster?  He is also known as Robyn Goodfellow right?  Off of Shakespeare's plays I think.. I know only a little about him."

    Amazed at her quiet friend's knowledge, Lisette hid her smile behind a small hand as she turned back to the group.  For some reason, she doubted that she would ever stop being amazed at her clan... they were a large group of people with many differences--differences that aided them for they brought with them different knowledge.  "Ah, oui.  Merci, Shadow," she replied, smiling kindly at the gargess that still managed to tower above her.

    Skydancer listened as Shadow explained a little bit about the strangeness of the human world.  Nodding her head in agreement with the mage's thinking, she turned her eyes back to the red gargess standing before them.  "And it is from this.... California.... that you come from?" she asked softly, her emerald eyes full of questions.  "And who stole the talisman that you are looking for?  Perhaps we can help..." the Skydancer offered in hopes of gaining a middle-ground that they could all work from.  She was still cautious around the stranger, but having glimpsed the softness underlying her hard edge, Sky wondered if perhaps Firedancer may be a friend after all.  Brushing her braid back from where it draped over her shoulder, the Skydancer awaited the answers to her questions.

    Fire blinked as she looked between the somewhat confused looking gargoyles, and their human companion. "Yeah, I'm from California... it's a state on the west coast of the country. Man you guys really don't know much about the outside world do you?" Shaking her head a bit Fire brushed off her amazement at their naiveté and tried to explain the answers to their questions.

    "Well, we--" Lisette broke off as the gargess cut her off.

    "Uh let's see.. the Quarrymen were a bunch of sledge hammer-wielding losers. Your typical hate mob that was based on prejudices and ignorance. But the police finally broke them up a couple of years ago.  It doesn't stop a few vigilante groups from rising up for a short period of time every now and then though."

    "Hate--"

    "Puck is an actual person, though I doubt any of you would like to meet him. He loves to play tricks and if you have a hard time understanding me, he'd have your heads spinning for the next century." Taking a breath she looked back the tan gargess who had finally relaxed completely now and nodded.

    By now, Lisette had learned that it was useless trying to get a word in edge-wise and instead waited patiently for the gargess to continue.

    "But getting back to business, I already told you what I know. I have no idea who this individual is.... or his companion. All that I was told was what was related to my father-in-law by a dying man. What he described was a man with dark hair and eyes that glowed. He used magic, and then a woman appeared at his side in the very end. I have no idea if that part was true, he was only half coherent and dillusional by the time someone found him. He only lived long enough to tell us that the man who attacked was powerful in a way that no mortal was. Even though it's been a few days, I can still sense the magics of this person lingering in the City which leads me to believe that either he or they are still around or have been back here recently."

    Not really surprised, Lisette slowly threw shielded glances at her clan mates at the gargess's words.  While Shadow had yet to experience the wrath of Storm and Shaylyn, Sky, Byrdie, and herself had become too accustomed to it.

    Fire looked from one face to the next and nodded slightly to herself. "Look I don't have much info, but some of you don't have good poker faces what-so-ever. I've given you my side of the story and from the looks of things you guys know more than you're telling. So why don't you cut me some slack here and help me find these scumbags. The quicker I find them, the quicker I can reclaim our medallion and leave you guys alone."

    Sighing, Lisette slowly shook her head, her gaze jumping back and forth between the gargess and her clan sisters.  Shrugging her shoulders, she finally turned towards the fiery gargess and nodded her head.  "Desolé, mon amie, mais while it is true that we may not be telling you everything, I have a feeling that you suffer from the same fate.  I do not believe that this is the whole story that you are sharing with us," she added honestly, lifting the hood of her cloak once again to hide her face from the cold bite of the evening wind.  "But then again, we all have our secrets and it is not my place to delve into yours."

    "Some secrets are best left unsaid, Lis.... at least for now," Skydancer commented quietly as she stepped closer into the circle the five of them were forming.  Brushing back a stray tendril of hair that seemed to like blowing in front of her face, the tan gargess nodded at the crimson one.  "Yes, Firedancer, we know of the two villains that you seek.  His name is Storm, and the woman that accompanies him is his witch-wife, Shaylyn"

    Skydancer met the blue eyes of the Firedancer with the emerald fire of her own head on as she allowed the information she had just revealed sink in.  It was becoming more obvious to her by the minute that the strange gargess meant them no harm, so the she-goyle decided to cut through the thick of things and hit the matter straight on.  Sky only hoped that she had not revealed too much too soon.

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    Storm entered the Realm of Earth with a burst of white lightning against the dark sky.  Narrowing his eyes, he immediately fixated his gaze upon the mansion called Janua Caeli-- the home of the strange tan gargess, the child of Oberon, and the now dead mage.  "There!!" he shouted into the wind to his wife, Shaylyn.  "There is our target.  We attack now while they don't expect it!!"

    Grinning ferally, Shaylyn nodded as she slowly lifted her hands into the air, the course energy crackling off of her fingertips as her Oriental-style burgundy shirt coat billowed out behind her like a cape, accentuating her shapely hips that were hid behind the matching pants.  "They shall die like their halfling friend!" she hissed in agreement, realizing that it had been far too long since she had experienced the simple joy of destruction.  Now that her husband was returned to his full health, their time had arrived.  Smiling coyly over at Storm, she reveled in the way the bright moonlight glinted off of the dark medallion that hung from around his neck, the band hidden behind his midnight black hair.  Now, they were truly ready.  "Die mortals!" she screamed, her words piercing the dark night as a single blaze of magic burst from her fingers and seared across the night until it collided with the dark mansion.

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    "Yes, but--" Lisette cut off as an overwhelming pain shot through her midsection, instantly sending her crashing to her hands and knees, her breath leaving her in ragged gasps.  As a pain-hazed fog flooded her mind, Lisette sensed her clan sisters gather around her and knew that she must fight the pain.  If she blacked out now, then that could mean serious trouble.. her clan sisters had to know.  As the tears of pain clouded her eyes and dripped down her pale cheeks, Lisette's eyes clenched shut, her hands gripped the soft sand beneath her in clenched fists.  "Attack!" she gasped, fighting the waves of pain as she fought off the darkness that threatened her.  "Janua.. help," she whispered through clenched teeth as her strength left her and as she sagged against one of her sisters.

    "Lis!" Skydancer cried out as the mage sank to the ground.  Reaching out to support her clan sister as she gasped out her pain, the tan gargess's eyes flashed a vivid white.  "Storm!! AND Shaylyn!!" she hissed as she tried to give Lisette some support as agony crossed the young woman's face.  "They must be attacking Janua Caeli again!!

    Storm clouds began to draw in above the quintet as the Skydancer unconsciously drew upon the magic of Mother Nature.  Thunder flashed overhead, lighting up the black velvet of the night sky, sending out its booming voice as if in warning to the two who attacked the home of Clan LeFemme.  "We have to return!" the gargess exclaimed as she began to help the mage to her feet.

    "Whoa, wait a second there," Fire said firmly as old habit kicked in and she passed a hand over Lisette's neck, taking in her vitals quickly and looking into the young mage's agony filled eyes.  "What's happening to her?  She's not in good shape and if this Storm and Shaylyn are in the area, I don't think it's a wise decision to be dragging her into the middle of a fight," Fire told Skydancer.

    "That monster and his witch-wife are attacking Janua!!"  Sky stated in exasperation.  "Lis put a protection spell over our home.  She is linked to it.  When those two attack, she feels it."  Feeling panic rising in concern for her mage friend with her growing weakness, the gargess turned to their fae sister.  "Byrdie, can you do something?!  We've got to get Lis back to Janua so she can release the spell."

    Reaching down, Fire grabbed up her gear, and slipped on her belt and harness, checking the straps. "We only have a couple of hours before dawn, let's get this over with shall we ladies?"  Fire agreed as she nodded to the Fae.

    Lost in her own world of pain, Lisette could merely lean weakly against her friend, her strength almost leaving her completely in times.  This pain was so much more than the last time, and if she had time for a coherent thought, it would have been obvious to the mage that instead of the simple and inquisitive blasts that Shaylyn had sent the first time, someone was busy bombarding the manor, and her shield, in quick succession.  She didn't know how much longer she could hold on.  "Janua...."

    Shadow looked over to the fey. "Byrdie?  I don't mean to rush you but can you hurry it up?  I'd do it myself if I could but I think I should conserve what energy I have."  She looked to Lisette, and then back to the direction of the castle. ~Could these... Shaylyn and Storm... be one of these two, be the one I encountered a while ago?~

    Groaning, unaware of all that transpired around her, Lisette knew only one thing--if they didn't get back to Janua Caeli so that she could release the spell soon.. well, things would not be good for her.  Before the Fae had a chance to do as Shadow bid, the mage quickly used what little of her strength remained to wrap the group in a tight web of magic that constricted around them, drawing them all close before they disappeared in a flash of weak green, leaving the still clearing in their wake as a single plume of grayish smoke trailed up into the dark sky.

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~Janua Caeli~

    With stars sprinkling the velvet of the sky above them, Clan LeFemme and the Firedancer arrived back at Janua Caeli under the faint glow of a diaphanous moon.  The frost-crisp air blew around the group as the tattered remnants of Lisette's green magic died off into the charcoal black of the night.

    As the magic from the mage gave way, Skydancer found herself supporting her weakened friend even more as the young woman fought against the engulfing threat of unconsciousness.  Panicking, the gargess lightly shook her friend in an attempt to keep her going.  "We're back, Lis!  We're back!" she whispered fiercely, trying to keep the anxiety from her voice.  "Release yourself from the spell...."

    Skydancer's voice trailed off as she found herself drawn to the sounds of thunder booming just beyond the group.  Her emerald eyes widened in surprise as the cool, silvered radiance of starlight gave way to the glowing green visage of Janua Caeli.  The Avalonian shield that Lisette had erected around the house was holding steady against the blasting attacks brought on by Storm and Shaylyn.  The two villains hovered around the house, attacking  for all they were worth.  "Oh my stars...." Skydancer breathed, realizing why Lisette was losing energy so rapidly.  "Quickly!" she exclaimed gesturing to the others.  "We've got to support her enough so she can release herself and Janua from the spell!"

    Groaning, Lisette barely heard her friend's words as she leaned heavily against the tan gargess.  They were there... they were there at Janua Caeli and the main idea that rolled through her mind was that the manor was safe once more--Sunshine's egg would now be safe and she could release the spell.. she had to release it.  "Undo the magic that binds me here--release me to my own will," she murmured, feeling her magics gathering around her.  "Défairez le magique que m'oblige ici--délivrez-moi à ma volonté," she repeated, translating the words beneath her breath as she felt the iron link that connected her to the house break apart with a mighty shattering that sent her stumbling completely against the Skydancer.

    "Oh là là!" she gasped as her strength quickly began to return, the tension draining from her body as she sagged weakly against her friend.  Shaking her head slowly, her blond hair flaring around her shoulders, Lisette raised her head and felt her eyes narrow as they focused on the two evil beings that floated so high above them, their attacks having finally halted as they gazed down at her clan, obvious looks of confusion and amusement marring their alien features.

    The tan gargess followed Lisette's gaze as she took in the puzzlement lining the faces of their two enemies.  "I think," the Skydancer said, her green eyes flashing to a white glow of warning, "that it's about time we teach these two fiends a lesson."

    Fire spared the recovering mage a quick look. Satisfied that Lisette was going to be okay she turned a cold and calculating gaze back towards the couple that bombarded the mansion. The crimson gargess had no idea why the two were so intent on getting inside, but her lips twisted up in a smile as she realized they had been expending a decent amount of their energy trying to break through the spell.

    "I'll distract them, you guys hammer them from behind," Fire ordered as she leapt into the sky without waiting for their agreement. Gliding stealthily up behind the couple, she came within a few feet of them.

      "Yanno, where most of us come from it's more polite to knock on someone's door first," she called out to the evil couple as they spun around in surprise. Fire didn't even give them a chance to react. A ball of flame rested readily in each of her palms and she hurled them at the two the moment she saw their faces.

    Surprised by the sudden words, Shaylyn quickly turned to see twin balls of flame hurdling at her and her husband.  "Storm, watch out!" she cried out quickly before diving away from the flames.  As soon as she was safe, she turned back and watched with a cold smile as her husband alighted beside her once again.  Shaking her head, she then turned and looked back up through narrowed eyes at the crimson gargess that hovered on currents of wind above them.  "Like maggots to rotting food more just keep popping up," she muttered darkly as she tore her eyes away from the stranger and glanced back down at the group that still sat on the ground.  "Where at first there had been two, there then became three, only to fall back to two, or so we thought," she murmured distractedly as her eyes settled on the tan gargess and human mage that slowly stood tall and glared at them, then moving to narrow her eyes at the dark-skinned fae that stood with her companions.  "And now the numbers rise more to add yet another gargess, this one younger than the rest," she continued as she nodded at the other tan gargess that stood tall beside her friends, "and finally a bold stranger that dares attack us."

    "An intriguing group," Storm nodded, his dark eyes slowly moving back and forth between the group.  "But nothing that will prevent us from getting what we most desire."

    "Sunshine's egg," Shaylyn nodded as she moved closer to her husband and gently fingered the medallion that hung around his neck.  "My love, show them what demons they truly face," she purred, a wicked smile touching her lips.

    The Skydancer watched with muted respect as Firedancer took to the sky and distracted the pair attacking Janua Caeli.  In further amazement her emerald eyes widened briefly as the twin balls of flame sprang forth from the crimson gargess's  hands only to miss the witch and her evil mate.  ~There is more to this one than meets the eye,~ she thought, smiling in pleasant surprise.

    Spreading her wings wide, the tan gargess leaped  into the air and caught an updraft that placed her between the two and Janua Caeli.  "The only demons you two are going to be able to show anytime are your own ugly faces to each other!!" Sky exclaimed from behind them.  "Lightning!!" she called forth as a hot streak of white electricity went leaping forth from her hand through the dark tapestry of the night..  The Skydancer grinned gleefully in satisfaction as her lightning bolt found its target upon Storm's back.

    "ARGHH!!" the villain cried out in pain as the power of Nature's fury hit him from behind.  Twisting violently, Storm doubled over in pain as Shaylyn rushed to his side.  Through red-hazed eyes, he saw behind him the gargess with the green eyes.  The one capable of controlling the power of the storm, like himself.  "You'll pay for that!" he gritted out.

    Shadow blinked in surprise at Storm's voice.  ~I know him!  He is the one that attacked me the other night!~  A growl escaped her throat as her eyes blazed a crimson red.  A green ball of energy formed in her hands, as she watched Sky attack Storm.  Before Storm could retaliate against the blast from Skydancer, Shadow sent forth her energy blast.   She smiled triumphantly as her blast hit its mark, knocking Storm off balance.

    The dark villain writhed in pain from the second blast he sustained from Shadow.  Bolts of electricity and green energy blanketed him in their painful fingers as he started dropping through the black sky, his face aligned with agony.

    "Storm!!" Shaylyn screamed after her husband as the witch sent a magical blast after him, catching him right before he hit the ground.  Soaring directly at him, the she-witch drew a comforting hand against the cheek of her evil beloved as her magic dissipated the blows of the two gargesses.  "I think it's time to use the medallion, my love," Shaylyn stated, her violet eyes dropping down to the ancient necklace draped around her husband's neck.

    Sighing softly as his wife's warm magic poured over his aching body, Storm nodded slowly.  It was time indeed.. time for the meddling mortals to pay for all their trickery.  Smiling at his wife to show that he was better, he slowly rose into the dark night sky, lightning flaring around his form as his clothes billowed in the wind, thunder booming and rattling the very ground itself.  Turning, he glared down at the group.  Below, the mortal mage that they had thought dead was slowly climbing to her feet with the aid of the trickster faerie, the dark gargess who sent the last blast standing protectively in front of them as the two other gargoyles glided in the sky before the dark mansion.  "You all shall pay!" he hissed as his eyes narrowed and slowly focused on the trio that remained on the ground.  With a dark smile, he quickly called upon the magic of the ancient medallion.

    "Uh oh," Lisette murmured quietly, her bright eyes narrowed on the evil duo that floated above them.  It had taken her a moment to regain her bearings after the spell had been released... and not a moment too soon was she with it again.  Instantly her senses flared as a powerful magic began to surround the fae above them.  "I think that this may b--" she cut off as a low growl issued from behind her.  Surprised, she swiveled around only to come face to face with a large black bear that was slowly lumbering from the trees, standing on its two feet and towering over her small frame.  "Oh zût..."

    "And now for the gargoyles," Storm murmured with a small smile as he nodded his head over at the two gargesses that glided before him.  Instantly, the medallion flared a bright white color, responding to his unspoken request as the heavy beating of wings reverberated off of the dark night sky.

    Out of the vast tapestry of the night came a great horned owl.  It was black as coal and blended perfectly with the dark canopy overhead.  A strange mystic green glow sprang forth from its eyes, giving evidence to the magical control Storm held over it through the medallion.  Beating its great six foot wingspan, the bird screeched its challenge across the distance at the two gargesses that circled its master.

    "Oh my stars...." Skydancer muttered under her breath as she turned her attention from Storm to the creature that looked as if it were about to attack.  "Now we're in for it....."

    Hearing Lisette's words, Shadow turned around as well.  She jumped back in surprise at the sight of the bear, "Oh great.. the fun keeps rolling in.."

    She watched as the bear stared at them, while quietly thinking of a way to get rid of him.  Her eyes lit up at an idea, "Bear trap... might work.  The humans use it.."  She gently pulled Lisette back towards her before the bear decided to take a lucky swing, "Lisette, do you think it might work?"

     Shaking her head quickly, Lisette quickly raised her hand to still her friend.  "No, mon amie," she quickly argued, watching as the bear slowly began advancing on them, its eyes lit up with a demonic light.  "Even though  the animal is under Storm's control, it is still a real animal that would mean no harm... we cannot hurt it," she argued even as the bear let out a mighty roar, jumping forward and swinging at the two, causing them to duck and sidestep the attack.  "Although I am unsure if the bear means us the same respect."

    Smiling from up above, Shaylyn slowly nodded her head.  "With the animals of this primitive world distracting the mortals, taking the egg will no longer be of consequence," she murmured as an evil smile lifted her features.  Turning, she watched as her husband spun his magic with the medallion that he wore, using its vast powers to control the animals and keep the meddling mortals occupied.  Stealing the medallion had to be the best idea that she had for quite a while now.  Grinning ferally, she turned away from the rest and alighted on the ground before the large double doors to the manor... and Sunshine's egg.

    Shadow shook her head, "No, Lis, that is not what I am saying.  Some new bear traps don't harm the animal.  From what I know, it is just a green barrel-type cage.  It might work."  Shadow waited patiently for a moment, trying to keep a safe distance between them and the bear.  She took a quick glance around, "I take it that this is a spell of some sort?  And, where did Tuffy wander off to?"

    "Now's not the time!" Lisette hissed as she ducked yet another swipe, rolling away and wondering what had happened to their fae friend.  "If he's smart then he's gotten as far away from this mess as possible!"  Shaking her head, Lisette turned away from the large beast, only to feel her eyes narrow as they settled on the lithe form of Shaylyn.  "Oh, I think not," she murmured as she watched the woman slowly step onto the covered front porch of Janua.  "Hold it right there!" she cried out, sending a magical blast towards the evil woman, aiming more for a distraction then a full-out attack as Shaylyn easily ducked to the side and swiveled to face her.

     "Oh, you again?" Shaylyn murmured quietly.  "I would have thought that you would have learned your lesson from last time!" she taunted, her eyes flaring green as she her husband joined her.  Without giving the young woman another second, she quickly lashed out at the slim blonde, giving the halfling scant seconds to erect a magical shield of protection, sending her flying back onto the ground.

    Nodding his approval, Storm lovingly took his wife's hand in his own and used his magic to send the doors splintering into the foyer of the manor.  "Time to collect what should of been ours long ago," he nodded as he pulled her within.

    Fire had been hovering, watching the group attack the couple bent on getting into their home. ~Not bad~ she noted, but after her few years with Alec and her past months of intensive training with the Guild, there were definitely a few things she might point out when the party was over.

     She was about to join the fun again when she felt Storm draw on a power that was not his own. Fire's eyes narrowed as lightening crackled around him, and then gasped when what she had been searching for flashed with hidden power from around Storm's neck. It took a moment of rapid blinking to clear her eyes, but she was not entirely surprised by what greeted her eyes next. Shadow and Lisette were trying to handle Smokey the Bear with rabies, and the owl from hell was homing in on her and Skydancer.

    Sneaking a sideways look, her objective using the diversion to sneak away and scowled. "Prince charming and his wife are about to make an exit, Sky," Fire told the dark gargess. "I'm going after them and my Medallion," she said quickly before diving towards the house where the couple had just entered, leaving Sky to handle the owl herself.

    As the crimson gargess made a dash towards Janua Caeli, the Skydancer turned her attention towards the giant bird that was taking aim at her.  The dark owl screamed its challenge at  the gargess as it went into a steep dive after her, its eyes glowing like two twin cauldrons of green fire through the night.

    Emerald eyes narrowing with its sudden attack, Sky caped in her wings and hunched herself into a ball which sent her into a cannon-ball roll through the sky towards the ground.  Faster and faster she fell, all the while aware of the hellish bird's pursuit of her.  With its blackened claws outstretched in an attempt to snatch her, the owl began to screech out its triumph just as the tan gargess pulled out of her dive-roll by expanding her wings and bringing herself up short.  Clearly surprised, the owl continued on in its dive towards the ground, allowing the gargess to collect her bearings as she hovered above it.

    "Now," Skydancer exclaimed as she tried to catch her breath from the rapid plunge, "I think it's about time that someone taught you a lesson, bird-brain!!"  Drawing her fists together as her green eyes took on a familiar white-hot glow, Skydancer called forth her powers.  "LIGHTNING!!" she shouted as electrical storm clouds flashed strongly overhead and a shot of Mother Nature's fury sprang forth from her hands.

    The lightning bolt ripped through the sky, briefly lighting it up as it met its target.  The owl screamed its rage as Skydancer's magic hit it from behind and overcame it.  As quickly as it had arrived, the lightning dissipated, leaving only the smell of ozone and the charcoaled remains of the bird falling through the black sky in its wake.  "One toasted owl ready to serve," the she-goyle said grimly, wincing a bit at having killed the creature.  Shaking her head briefly, she turned her head towards the direction that Firedancer had gone.  There would be time to remorse about the bird later.  The red gargess may need her help.  Catching an air current down, she made her way towards Janua Caeli.

    Storm and Shaylyn landed in the foyer of the mansion and grinned at each other with wicked intent gleaming in their dark eyes. "Shall we, my dear?" Storm asked his wife, holding out his hand and gesturing towards the stairs leading to their final goal. Outside the lovely sounds of animals gone made and struggles from the pathetic mortals raged on, causing him to smile even further.

    "Lead the way, my love," Shaylyn purred, viscous excitement growing in her eyes.

    "Sorry to spoil your fun, but I really don't think the girls want you in here," a voice called casually down to them from above.

    Fire didn't miss the anger that flashed in their eyes at her intrusion. But she continued to smile infuriatingly down at them from the banister she was perched upon.

     "You are not part of that ragtag bunch of misfits, are you?" Shaylyn discerned her head tilting to the side. "What concern is this of yours, gargoyle? Let us pass," she demanded as she hurled a glowing sphere of unpleasant magic at the crimson gargess.

     Even with her quickened reflexes, magic was a lot faster than muscle and Fire just barely avoided getting creamed by the sphere. As it was, the backlash from it hitting the wall just behind her, unsteadied her a bit. "Your right, I'm not part of their merry little bunch, but you have something that I don't believe belongs to you."

     Storm chuckled, as her eyes drifted to where the medallion rested against his chest. "Well, well. Who would have ever guessed that one of your kind would also be in the employ of the Thieve's Guild. Not for long," he shrugged as he called upon the magics of the medallion and gathered it in his hands. "Did you know that humans and gargoyles are nothing more than sophisticated beasts? No?" he asked as her eyes widened. "Too bad," he said without any remorse as he directed the medallion's controlling powers at her.

     Fire tried to get out of the way, but could not evade the grip of the medallion that dropped her to the ground, fighting an overwhelming urge to be completely submissive. Nor was she able to defend herself from the double attack of magical energy from the couple as twin orbs of magic slammed her through the wall and into a room. With a groan, Fire tried to rise to her knees, hoping the others would decide to come in soon.

    Groaning, Lisette slowly climbed to her feet from the soft grass, her eyes flaring green in anger as she brushed off her dress.  Turning, she watched as the Skydancer alit beside her and as one they turned towards their manor.  "The egg," she gasped in sudden realization as she darted within, knowing that her friend wouldn't be far behind.  But once inside, she instantly froze in her tracks as her eyes narrowed on the couple standing not only a few feet in front of her.

    Both Shaylyn and Storm were smiling as though they were the proverbial cat that swallowed the canary--a thought that instantly caused a frown to pull at Lisette's lips.  "You are not welcome here," she declared loudly as she formed a barrier with her magics in between her and the Skydancer and the two villains that stood before them.  "As we have stated before the egg is not for you to take... you will never have Sunshine's egg."

    "Oh, we shall see about that," Storm chuckled as he gently probed the shield that surrounded the gargess and mage.  Surprisingly enough, the magic was stronger than he expected.

    "Stop," Lisette called out quickly, sending the fae stumbling back a step as she slapped at him with her magic.  "Why are you even here?  What importance is a dead gargoyle's egg?  Why was her egg so important that you killed her?!"

    Shaylyn turned to face Lisette directly, totally ignoring the Firedancer.  Narrowing her violet eyes, a look of disbelief crossed her face.  "You cannot honestly have us believe that you do not know the magic the egg possesses, mortal?!"

    Taking a step forward, the Skydancer sent Shaylyn a look of disgust.  "Maybe we do, maybe we don't.  Suppose you just tell us, witch!" the gargess hissed, narrowing her own emerald eyes to match those of the she-devil.

    At the Skydancer's angry words, a small, satisfied smile crossed Shaylyn's violet lips.  "So maybe you do not know the full story behind the egg you do possess," she murmured, feeling her husband's strong arm drape casually across her shoulder.  "But if that is the case, why do you expend such energy to protect it?" she questioned, nodding at the two, the ones that had fought them from the start.

    "Because it is in our hearts to protect the innocents from people like you," Lisette stated slowly, her voice cold as she waved her hand at the duo, her long and now tattered gown flowing around her agitated movements.  "It is who we are and what we stand for..."

    "Pitiful," Storm interrupted, a look of contempt lighting his eyes as he pulled his wife closer to his side.  "These ancient beings still possess feelings of duty and care towards one another... how primitive!" he mocked.

    "The day we lose sight of our compassion and honor is the day I hope Mother Earth swallows us whole," Skydancer declared to the mocking villain.  Emerald eyes flashing white hot fire the gargess took on a defensive stance, readying herself to lunge at the two.  "NOW, get the devil out of our home!!!"

    Fire shook her head, trying to clear it from the cobwebs. Downstairs she finally heard the others shouting at Storm and Shaylyn. Rolling to her feet she went for the door and looked down to see Storm calling upon the power of the medallion once more.

    "Look out! The medallion can effect us as well!" Fire tried to warn. But it was too late.

    The group was engulfed by the magic and then Storm looked up at Fire with pure malice in his eyes. "Kill her," he commanded the two.

    "Well doesn't this bite," Fire muttered, backing away from the door.

    Even as Fire called out her warning, Lisette knew that her words came too late.  Before she could even throw up a shield to protect her and Sky from the works of the medallion, she felt the powerful magics swirl around her and wrap her so tightly that her breath came tightly.  "No," she murmured quietly as her eyes slid shut, dropping to her knees as she felt the forces try to take over her mind and body, pushing her consciousness away, urging her to harm the strange gargess that they had encountered so shortly ago.  "No," she murmured again, fighting for control.

    For all of her life, control was one of the things that she treasured most above all.  In Gaul, that control was threatened when she was bound in iron and forced to watch the destruction of those she loved... even then she vowed for something like that to never happen again.  She would never be out of control of herself again and be forced into something she didn't want.  "No," she gasped again, feeling her resolve strengthen as she began to fight back the confining chains that tried to ensnare her.  And even as she did this, she found strength in the knowledge that her friend battled the same demons that tried to constrict her.  Slowly, Lisette's eyes slid open and turned towards the Skydancer, hoping for the best.

    The tan gargess whirled around as the air surrounding her thickened into a suffocating blanket.  Wisps of her brown hair swirled around her face as the heated atmosphere engulfed her, threatening to claim her as its own.  "Great Mother Earth.... what is happening??" the Skydancer gasped, as the dense air made it difficult to breath. Sweat began to bead upon her face.  Her breathing became ragged.  Images began to appear in her mind.  Pictures... dreams... nightmares flashed in her unconsciousness.  The need to strike out.  To kill.  To bring death upon those around her.  The destruction of her friends and home.

    "NOOO!!!!" Sky screamed against the thought.  With her eyes flashing the blinding light of the lightning energy she commanded, the she-goyle fought against the evil commands that Storm was trying to force her to obey through the medallion.  Calling forth the very magic that she had always reveled in, Skydancer shouted the one word that would release her from the bondage that now encased her.  "LIGHTNING!!!" she screamed.

    Instantly, bolts of electricity sprang forth from her clenched hands and went skyrocketing upward towards the ceiling.  The thunderbolt slammed into the chandelier that hung above the foyer, releasing it from its chain, and sent it crashing down to the marble floor between Shaylyn and Storm, causing the husband and wife to jump apart.  With beads of sweat dotting her face, the gargess collapsed to her knees gasping for breath as the thickening air began to dissipate.  Anxiously she glanced up, searching frantically for Lisette and the Firedancer.

    Shadow quietly entered the room and glanced around for her friends.  She growled as her eyes found Storm and Shaylyn.  "Great... these two bozos are still here.." she muttered to herself.

    Shaking her head to clear the webs of magic that slowly slipped away, Lisette lifted her head slowly and focused first on the tan gargess that just entered into the mess that they had encountered.  With a small smile, she realized that Shadow had somehow dealt with the bear that had been attacking them, perhaps with the 'bear-trap' that she mentioned.  Turning further, she was relieved to see that Sky seemed to have been able to push away the magic as had she.  Smiling in determination, Lisette slowly climbed to her feet.  She had always known that her clan was strong, and this had just helped to prove her point.

    "Je pense que c'est l'heure que vous partez," she murmured, her eyes flaring green as her magic flashed around her, her blond hair flowing freely around her shoulders.  "Your tricks and your medallion will not work here and this place is not your own.  I think that it is time for you to leave," she repeated as her usually warm blue eyes raked icily over the duo.

    Shaking his flowing cloak to clear the fragments of glass from the fabric, Storm turned his stormy eyes on the group.  Perhaps they had underestimated this group of mortals.  Perhaps their victory would not be so easily won.  "My love?" he asked, holding his hand out, palm up, towards his wife.

    Fire let out a sigh of relief when the others fought the medallion's control, but she watched from above as the couple began to assess their situation. They had not come prepared to deal with this many, and Storm's use of the medallion's powers were obviously new and unskilled. Fire knew that if he truly knew its power, there was no way any of them could have fought off the medallion's magic. She had to get it back now before they retreated. If she failed they would come back more prepared, and much more dangerous.

     Knowing the attack was reckless, but driven by desperation, she leapt over the rail and dropped down onto Storm, her talons closing around the talisman and yanking it from around his neck as they both slammed into the floor. Storm gagged, and then Fire was rolling away from him.

     "No!" he croaked, and his wife responded swiftly sending a bolt of magic towards the red gargess as she tried to stand.

     Her fall had not been calculated, and as Fire tried to stand she realized somewhere along the way she had twisted her ankle and bruised some ribs. She was definitely not in the position to dodge another magic bolt as it slammed into her and seemed to cut through her like a knife, before hurling her into the group that had gathered in the foyer.

      All she could do was watch in dazed frustration as the talisman was plucked from the ground by Shaylyn's power and returned to her hand as she helped her husband stand. "We shall return," Shaylyn promised with an icy gaze flicking over the struggling pile of bodies. Then her eyes fixed with Fire's. "And once we have our egg we shall teach the Guild a lesson they shall never forget.... starting with you."

    Then there was a brilliant flash and they were gone.

    Skydancer stiffly got to her feet as the duo disappeared.  Breathing heavily, the tan gargess glanced around her.  Though there was a jumble of hands, talons, and feet, it looked as if all five were in one piece.  Pushing some escaped tendrils of hair behind her ears, she straightened and took note of Firedancer hugging her ribs.  "What are our injuries?" Sky questioned, nodding towards the crimson gargess.  "Anything serious?"

    Groaning, Lisette slowly pushed a taloned foot aside, not knowing or caring to which of the three gargesses it belonged.  "Ugh.." she muttered as she slowly staggered to her feet, feeling a trickle of warm blood on her face from the last collision, no doubt caused by someone's sharp talon.  Shaking away the cobwebs that clouded her thoughts, Lisette turned back to her friends as a worried frown instantly flitted across her features.  "Is everyone alright?" she asked quickly as she hurried forward and began helping them to their feet, mirroring the Skydancer's concern.

    Fire slowly got to her feet and stoically fought the urge to throw-up. That would just make her ribs hurt worse now. Something was definitely fractured or broken- that last blast from Shaylyn dealt her a serious physical blow as well as magical. Hanging her head in shame, the Firedancer limped outside without a word and located her pack that she had dropped just outside before entering the house.

    Stumbling she dropped to her knees, hissing quietly as the movement jarred her whole body and pulled out a cell-phone. Her father-in-law picked up immediately. "I have located the Medallion. First attempt to acquire it has failed, but I have learned a lot more about our enemies."

     "Are you ok?"

    "I'll live. I have to go, I'll try contacting our people tomorrow night and give you a better report. Firedancer out." Folding the phone, she slid it back into the pack cursing herself for her stupidity. She should have never gotten involved in this fight tonight. Her own powers had been low, and her body tired. The first rule of fighting is to know when to fight. She could have gotten herself or one of the others killed.

    "Jeez, what the hell was I thinking?" she whispered furiously, as another wave of nausea washed over her, making her regret her decision even more.

    Shadow looked to the sore spot on her wing, "Dumb bear wouldn't cooperate with me..."  Shadow sighed and brushed a strand of hair back from her eyes.  She glanced up to Fire, "Are you okay?"

    Skydancer allowed Lisette to help her up as she turned her head to the object of Shadow's question.  The crimson gargess had stepped outside and was kneeling in the grass.  "That is one battle I do not wish to repeat," the she-goyle commented as she continued to watch Fire.  "Is she alright?" Sky continued, nodding towards the red female.

    Sighing, Lisette gently brushed at the wet cut on her forehead before turning to take in the gargess.  "I think not," she murmured, her voice filled with concern as she turned away from the group and stepped lightly into the cool, dark night, her tattered skirts swirling around her lithe form.  Slowly, she knelt down beside the strange gargess and gently rest a small hand on the stranger's crimson shoulder.  "How bad are your injuries?" she questioned, turning as the rest of the clan slowly filed out and into the night.  There were cuts and bruises amongst them, but just from watching the last blow from Shaylyn, Lisette knew that the stranger had received the brunt of the attack.

    "I've had worse," Fire answered softly, trying not to wince as Lisette's hand rested on her shoulder. "Listen, I was way out of line pulling a stunt like that, and now I got you guys hurt. It's just.. there is a lot riding on me getting that medallion back.  I hope you understand I had to try... for your sakes as well as mine."

    Her eyes slid sideways to meet Lisette's for a brief moment and then she struggled to her feet, pack clenched tightly in her hand. Though her face was tightly controlled, her eyes betrayed her pain, and sincere desire to lay down and finally get some much needed rest. "I think I have crashed your party long enough girls. I'm sorry I was more of a hindrance than a help. Now if you'll excuse me, dawn is only an hour away." The Firedancer looked the group over briefly and then turned to limp off into the forest.

    "Wait," the Skydancer said as she walked over and grasped Firedancer's arm in her hand.  Looking off into the distance she saw the golden hues of the dawn beginning to filter their way above the horizon.  A soft morning breeze blew in from the forest, rustling the escaped tendrils of her long brown hair.  "The forest is not a place of safety," the gargess said, pausing, "especially for those of us that turn to stone.  Anyone can come along and shatter you-- namely that monster and his witch-wife."  Sky raised an eyeridge, not sure if the red female would accept her coming offer.  "Why don't you stay here?"

    Smiling, Lisette nodded her head quickly as she moved to stand before the two gargesses.  "I agree," she said, her eyes twinkling with warmth.  "It is now apparent to us all that we share a common enemy... Storm and Shaylyn want nothing more than to get a hold of the egg that is in our care and you want nothing more than to get the medallion that they possess... why not work together?" she asked, shrugging her small shoulders.  "Janua Caeli is large and we have more than enough room for another."

    Firedancer was about to respond to this soft-spoken offer from the blonde mage when there was a somewhat chilling shift in the air, the wind blowing the leaves around them in colorful swirls.  Tensing up, Clan le Femme and the red gargess made themselves ready for anything--but how could Storm and his witch-wife be back so soon? But, still, there was no point in taking any unnecessary chances...

    The leaves continued to swirl together until they seemed to melt together and create a black portal to and from the Astral Plane, its private star clusters shining brightly. They then heard a tiny yelp and Byrdie le Fae popped out of the dimensional warp, landing on the ground hard on her bottom.

    "Huu..." she groaned as she began to levitate into the air, brushing herself off to save whatever sliver of face she had left.  As she saw the tension in her clan sisters melt away, she put up a small hand to stop them from speaking.  "Okay... before you berate me and ask me 'where the hell have you been', I just wanna say that I'm sorry for taking so long. But actually I had been helping Shadow with that demented bear that Storm and Shaylyn threw at us. Shadow can tell you that."

    She then sighed.  "But I probably missed a lot after that.  The reason for taking so long with the bear was that I didn't have my pendant so I couldn't dish out any big whammy spells.  After that, I went to pick it up.  What'd I miss?"

    "Me getting my butt kicked," Fire mumbled unhappily. "Nice of you to drop by finally," she added with a bit of acid in her tone. How convenient that the Fey had disappeared when things started to get really rough.

    Shrugging off the Fey's sudden entrance Fire looked over the rest of the group and sighed to herself. They are so innocent she thought to herself. If they knew who you really were, they'd be throwing you into the woods in a heartbeat. But she needed to get that medallion back and she knew she would not be able to do it alone. And then there was the matter of the egg. She only caught some of what had been said in the foyer, but there was no way in hell she was going to let Storm and Shaylyn walk off with that egg either.

    Her conscience tugged at her as she weighed the decision to stay with the small Clan for the night. Deep down she would feel like she was using them, of course that was what the Guild generally did. But they would always return the favor and so would she. Vowing to herself that she would see the couple dead before she left she decided to stay.

    "I... will accept your offer," Fire finally said.

    Smiling broadly, Lisette quickly nodded her head.  There may be trouble yet between Byrdie and this new gargess, as the Firedancer held obvious dislike for the third race.  But at the same time, she felt that Fire's presence was a needed thing in the manor.  While she knew that as of yet, they had not seen the true extents of the Firedancer's powers, she somehow sensed that her prowess, while in different areas than the rest, was also equal to that of the prowess of each of the clan sisters.  This clan, composed of so many different individuals with so many different powers, complemented each other with equal forts of strength... while alone they could do damage and help the innocents, together there would be little to oppose them.  If only they could all finally learn to truly work in sync with one another....

    Shaking away the thoughts, Lisette smiled at her group of friends.  "In that case, mon amie, we hope you'll enjoy your stay at Janua Caeli."