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by Kristafori {i.d.wilson@top.monad.net} and Krystiana
{krystiana@geocities.com}
[Krissie] {Krystiana}
A note from Krystiana:
{I have now idea how long this took to write. Oh, well.
Gargoyles belong to Disney/Buena Vista, not us. Don't try to
sue me, sue Krissie! [HEY!] You just might want to read my
other stories (Music Says It All, To Live Again, Parts I &
II, Echoes of the Future.) Also wrote something named
"Temptation, which is not even in this universe. Krissie?}
A note from Kristafori:
[Ok, my turn!! Gargoyles are the property of Buena Vista and
Disney. All terms, names, concepts, themes, ect. ect. used
in Mage: the Ascension and Vampire: the Masquerade are
property of White Wolf gaming studios. All the songs I
quoted are property of the artist and owners. All the above
named are not mine, I didn't make them up. But the rest of
it is all mine, mine you hear me MINE!! I would read The
Third Cycle (my first fanfic) before going any further
because if you don't be lost. I apologize for the amount of
prerequisite reading suggested but, oh well. This story
takes place about two weeks before Blessed Reunion of
Souls.]
**********************************
Previously on Gargoyles...
[Echoes of the Future]
Demona: She's our daughter.
Brooklyn: OUR daughter?
[Music Says It All]
Brooklyn: DO you remember the coven?
Demona: Yes.
Leader: We have certain...talents that others do not.
Good enough? I might think of something else sooner or
later. But probably not. These are the only
important things I can think of right now.
[The Third Cycle]
Krissie: I sort of have this thing for guys with long white
hair.
WARNING!!!!!!! ADULT LANGUAGE
*******************
The Gate
by Kristafori and Krystiana{Slinky}
__________
Darkness.
It's all around me, haunting me, teasing me, torturing me.
That foolish gargoyle banished me to what he thought was an
eternal pit of
hell. I can see all time, alter it to suit my needs.
The gargoyle-what was his name? Goliath, that's it. Goliath,
the fool.
All because of a dream a Child of Oberon gave him, _I_ was
banished here,
without any choice, without any reason. He didn't realize
the truth, though.
I can break free from this realm of darkness, the realm of
shadows.
I can be free of the darkness and that Gate that Oberon
imprisoned me in.
I can be free once more.
I can live again.
The Phoenix shall rise again!
* * *
"Brooklyn?"
"Mmm?" Brooklyn said, not bothering to look up from the
book he was reading.
"Goliath told me to tell you that you're in charge,"
Angela said. "He's going away for a few days."
Brooklyn looked up and raised an eye ridge. "What for?"
Angela smirked. "Something with Elisa."
Brooklyn rolled his eyes and went back to his book.
Angela, still grinning, walked out of the library.
"Brooklyn?"
"What?"
"Have you seen Angela?" Broadway asked, straining his neck
to see what Brooklyn was reading.
"Yeah. She just left, don't know where to," Brooklyn said,
growling at being interrupted from reading.
"Oh. Thanks anyway." Broadway sighed and left.
"Brooklyn?"
"What?" Brooklyn said, growling.
"Did you put my computer disks anywhere?" Lexington said,
ignoring Brooklyn's frustration.
"No, I never touch your stupid techno crap."
Lexington scoffed. "Well, gee, thanks," he said
sarcastically. He turned and stalked out of the library.
"Brooklyn?"
"NOW WHAT?!" Brooklyn yelled, jumping up. He looked around
the library. There was no one there, at least who he could
see.
"I'm here," came a familiar voice from behind him. Demona
came out of the shadows, wings cloaked around her shoulders,
head down.
"Demona?" Brooklyn asked, as if he wasn't really sure it
was she or not.
"No, Pope John Paul," Demona said, rolling her eyes.
Brooklyn blinked and grinned, surprised at Demona making a
joke, or at least an attempt to.
"So...what are you doing here?"
"Do you know what today is?"
"Yeah, the summer solstice." Brooklyn looked down.
Demona held something out to him. It was a metal pendant
of the moon, with a familiar shape carved into the moon. It
was the same shape as Demona's golden tiara. The sign of the
Early Hatcher's.
"I had these made especially for us," Demona said as
Brooklyn took the pendant and studied it.
"What for?" he asked, holding it up to the dull light.
"We should remain as loyal as we can to them, in my
opinion at least," Demona said, holding up her own pendant,
identical to his own.
"Tonight was the most sacred night for us," Brooklyn said.
"Because tomorrow the nights will start getting longer."
"Yes."
"Last solstice I was still too mad at you," Brooklyn said,
sighing.
"I know," Demona said, looking down as well.
Brooklyn looked at the pendant once more, then pulled it
over his head and around his neck. Demona watched him.
"Is that wise?" What if the clan asks questions?"
"Let them ask," Brooklyn said calmly. The pendant wasn't
very big, about the size of a quarter, but it made him look
older, wiser. Demona could only smile weakly.
* * *
"Mother?"
Demona turned sharply, spotting Angela. "Yes, my
daughter?"
"What are you doing here, Demona?" Goliath came out of the
shadows.
"I...I came to..."
"Yes?"
"To tell you I've considered rejoining the clan," Demona
said, looking down, almost shyly.
Goliath looked at her with no expression on his face for a
moment, then realized what she said. He noticed something
that she had never had on before- a strange metal pendant.
It was shaped into a moon with the shape of Demona's tiara
carved into that. He shook his head and then frowned.
"Of course, you know that this is only giving you a
chance," he said. Demona nodded. "Stay out here while I
discuss this with the rest of the clan." Goliath turned and
left the turrets, motioning for Angela to follow.
Demona turned and looked out into the city, sighing.
* * *
Krissie was zipping along at a usual high speed. Brooklyn
was about ten feet behind her. They had been play tag for
most of the night. Krissie was in a playful mood. They were
in the village now and all the abandon buildings were
zipping by under them. Krissie shot straight up and watched
as her love flew right under her. Laughing she landed on the
top of one of the buildings. Brooklyn, realizing that he was
no longer in pursuit of anything, looped around and landed
next to Krissie, who was perched on a
railing that enclosed a small roof top garden.
"Doesn't that make you dizzy?" Brooklyn said, wrapping a
wing around her.
"No," Krissie said simply and hugged her love. Brooklyn
ran his fingers through her hair and sighed.
"It's windy tonight," Brooklyn said, holding her. He was
finally happy with life, with his love.
"I know, and I'm not doing it. That's strange," said
Krissie. A strong gust of wind came up and sent shivers down
both their spines.
"Something's not right." Krissie's body suddenly tensed
up.
"Kris, what is it?" Brooklyn said, looking in his love's
eyes.
"I don't know...like..." Krissie stuttered. "I just don't
know."
"Is your hand cramping up, too?" Brooklyn asked, flexing
his right hand.
A scream came from the small shed on the other side of
the roof top garden. It sounded like a really big cat was
getting it claws torn out but it was more shrill. As the
scream ripped through their ears Krissie and Brooklyn saw a
bright flare of yellow and orange come from the windows.
After a minute there was only silence.
"Well, that was weird," Krissie commented casually.
"Let's go take a look and see," Brooklyn said, and started
off toward the shed.
* * *
Inside the shed, there were pots of soil, some terra-cotta
pots and a big blue shimmering thing. Brooklyn was
immediately mesmerized by it. It was like the water's
surface, rippling and moving. It was round and went from the
floor to the ceiling. Brooklyn began to circle it.
"It's so beautiful," he said, mouth open.
"Brooklyn, do you remember what happened the last time you
were mesmerized by something blue?" Krissie said, hands on
hip. Fox had been giving her pointers. Brooklyn wasn't
listening. He stuck his finger into the rippling surface. It
did not come through the other side. Brooklyn smiled and
stuck his hand in. He was instantly gone into thin air.
"Brooklyn!" Krissie yelled half scared half pissed, "What
the frick!" She passed back and forth for a minute then
stopped and looked at what ever the hell was in front of
her, "Brooklyn of Wyvern, you owe me!" Krissie yelled and
jumped through.
* * *
Krissie landed with an OMF! then realized that she didn't
go OMF. It was the soft fleshy thing she landed on.
"Brooklyn, you goober!" she said, but Brooklyn didn't hear
her. He was looking at the roof. There were no flowers and
no shed.
"Um, Kris," He said, "I don't think we're in the village
anymore."
A shadow caught their attention and they looked up to see
the figure of a female gargoyle. A female gargoyle with red
hair.
"Uh oh," Brooklyn said, "Red haired bitch alert."
Krissie growled and with a silent flap off her wings she
was air born.
* * *
Demona spotted something grayish-blue out of the corner of
her eye. She turned to see, but it was gone. She turned back
to the outside...
And came face to face with an angry looking female
gargoyle. Demona took a few steps back, gasping.
"Who are you?" she asked after she had regained her
composure.
"You know exactly who, Demona," the gargoyle snarled, eyes
lighting up.
But her eyes didn't light up the normal red, like female
gargoyles eyes should. They lit up a terrifying greenish
color, creating an interesting effect with her gray skin.
Demona blinked and took another step back in shock.
"I'm sorry, I don't know you," Demona said, unconsciously
putting a hand on the metal pendant she was wearing.
"I told you that if you ever came back I would kill you,"
the gargoyle snarled, and leapt at Demona.
Demona was knocked backwards, thrown into the wall. She
turned to the entrance of the castle and opened her mind.
*BROOKLYN!!!*
* * *
Brooklyn looked up and towards the door to the turrets,
squinting.
The call came again. *BROOKLYN, HELP!* Brooklyn recognized
it, and started to the door.
"Brooklyn?" He turned to face Goliath, who was looking at
him, along with the rest of the clan. "Where are you going?"
Brooklyn didn't answer as another pain-filled call came.
*BROOKLYN!* He ran out the door and looked around.
He spotted Demona wrestling on the ground with another
female gargoyle. The new one was winning by a long shot. She
was on top of Demona, scrabbling to get a hold of her
throat.
Brooklyn growled and leapt at the new gargoyle. He knocked
into her as she punched Demona one final time. Demona moaned
and slipped into unconsciousness.
"What the frick?" the gargoyle yelled. She turned and
pushed her attacker off her and got a good look at him. It
was Brooklyn, but it wasn't. It wasn't her child, the one in
front of her had brown eyes. He wasn't elementalist. The
blood drained from Krissie's face. "What the... Brooklyn?"
"What the-" Brooklyn said. "Do I know you?"
"What is this, what happened?" Krissie yelled. Her hands
began to shake and she looked like a crack addict. "What the
hell did I smoke? I didn't...anything... I would have
remembered that, but what if I forgot? Why don't you know
me?!?!"
"Gee, I don't know," Brooklyn said sarcastically. "Perhaps
it's because I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE?!"
"What do you mean?" she yelled back. Then a look of peace
and shock at the same time was on her face. "I've lost my
mind, it finally happened. I've snapped! I've gone
completely bonkers!" Back at the door, the clan was watching
with gaping mouths, which looked pretty funny on Goliath. "I
know you know me!"
"Says who?" Brooklyn yelled.
"Says me," came a voice. To Brooklyn's surprise, somebody
very familiar stepped out of the shadows.
It was Brooklyn.
Goliath's mouth dropped even farther than it already was.
Krissie smiled when she saw that this Brooklyn was an
elementalist, and had blue eyes.
"Who the hell are you?" Brooklyn yelled at his twin, eyes
flaring up.
"I'm Brooklyn," the newcomer Brooklyn said dangerously.
"Well, sorry, that position has already been filled,"
Brooklyn said.
"Brooklyn!" The new female yelled and ran to him throwing
her arms and wings around him.
"It's ok, Kris," Brooklyn held her and stroked her hair,
"You haven't lost your mind."
Behind them, Angela had spotted Demona on the ground.
"Mother!" she said, running up to her. Brooklyn looked down
and the glow died away. He bent down and put an arm under
Demona's neck, propping her up.
Demona moaned and came to, finally. She saw Brooklyn first
and smiled. It was then that Goliath saw the matching
pendants they wore. He had noticed Demona's earlier, but not
Brooklyn's. It seemed the one identical to Brooklyn had
noticed as well. He was looking, no, glaring at them.
Goliath shook his head and finally spoke up. "We will
figure this out later. We need to tend to Demona's wounds."
Krissie's mouth practically fell out of it's socket.
"WHAT?!" she yelled. "You're helping the BITCH?"
Brooklyn growled and picked up Demona. "Of course. She is
part of out clan." He turned sharply and muttered, "And she
is no bitch." He stalked into the castle with the weakened
Demona, who seemed delighted just be there in his arms.
Krissie and the identical Brooklyn turned to each other
with a look of shock on their faces. Krissie just hugged her
love and her love hugged her.
* * *
"Where the hell are we?" Krissie asked Brooklyn.
"How the hell should I know?" Brooklyn replied.
"Why did you have to go touch that stupid thing of yours?"
"Of MINE?" Brooklyn yelled. "It was not MINE."
"Why do you like the color blue so much anyway?" Krissie
was getting scared and Brooklyn knew it. Krissie didn't know
what was going on. All she knew was this was all wrong.
"It'll be ok." Brooklyn was getting scared too.
An exasperated sigh came from the sidelines. "Uh, excuse
me for interrupting , but will you please come inside?"
Angela said.
Krissie sighed. "Sure, Ang."
"-ela," Brooklyn finished, grinning. Angela glanced back
at them with a strange look on her face.
"What?" they asked innocently in unison. Angela rolled her
eyes and walked into the castle.
* * *
*Brooklyn?*
*You know, we should probably tell the clan about this.*
*About...the Early Hatchers? But Brooklyn, the covenant-*
*Is long gone. I know we made a promise and all that, but
we can't keep this a secret.*
*I know that.* Demona looked up at Brooklyn precariously.
*But how would they take it?*
*I really don't know. But that isn't important right now.*
Brooklyn turned to see his double and Krissie coming in.
Suddenly, Puck appeared in the middle of the room. He
turned to Brooklyn and Demona. "Well, now, that was an
interesting conversation-"
"Shut up!" Brooklyn and Demona hissed at the same time.
Puck rolled his eyes . He turned around and jumped.
"YOW! Now, this is even more interesting!" He said to the
other Brooklyn and Krissie. "Where did you come from?"
"Antinoge, and Manhattan," Krissie answered. Puck squinted
at Brooklyn, seeming to focus on something. His eyes widened
for a moment.
"Well, I know you don't belong here," Puck muttered. "For
one thing, there shouldn't be two Brooklyn’s and one isn't
supposed to be an elementalist."
"We must have really fucked the balance if you're here,"
Krissie muttered under her breath to Puck.
"What do you mean, elementalist?" Goliath said. "What is
an elementalist?"
"That is a long story, and as far as I know, I thought
there were no more elementalists," Puck said, scratching his
head.
"Well, I know we don't belong here," Brooklyn's twin said.
"I know I don't have a twin brother, I know that I still
hate Demona, and that she is still a bitch." Brooklyn sat up
and growled. Demona put a hand on his arm and pulled him
back, although she also had an angry look on her face.
"What I don't get is how we got here," Brooklyn's double
said to Krissie.
"It had something to do with that weird sound we heard
before we found that funky-looking blue crap..."
Puck immediately looked alert. "What blue crap?"
Hearing Puck kind of swear made both the Brooklyn’s laugh.
Puck glared at them both, and they stopped. An angry Puck
was not a good thing.
"It was this strange blue thing, a portal of some sort,
because one moment we were in a shed and the next we were
here," Krissie said.
"What did it look like?"
"Kind of like water, but kind of not," Brooklyn said.
Puck's eyes widened. He actually looked worried about
something.
"What is it?" Goliath asked.
"The Phoenix has escaped!" Puck yelled. "Goliath, you're
going to be it's first target, and it's either going to kiss
you or kill you."
"What do you mean?" Angela said. "What did he do to the
Phoenix?"
"He imprisoned it, but when he did that it allowed it to
escape from the Gate and then escape from where you put it."
"Oberon will be number two on the list," Puck said, almost
to himself. "But I can't get onto the island."
"Just wait a fricking minute!" Krissie interrupted. "What
Phoenix are you talking about? Like the Phoenix Gate?" Puck
nodded.
"And that's how you came here. You two are what you
mortals would call a different dimension," Puck said. As
looks of confusion came from several faces, he continued.
"Another world similar to our own, but different in many
ways. Like elementalists have survived in their world."
"Hardly," Krissie pointed out. She glared at Demona and
let her teeth grow out of her mouth.
"You still haven't explained what that is," Goliath said,
crossing his arms.
"That isn't important right now!" Puck yelled, losing his
cool. "Don't you get it? The Phoenix is more powerful that
Oberon himself! It could destroy this world with a thought!"
"Then why don't we put it back in the Gate?" Demona asked.
Krissie and her Brooklyn looked at her with slight surprise.
"We can't," Puck said. "It was probably destroyed when the
Phoenix escaped from it."
"THAT IS CORRECT, PUCK."
Puck's eyes got even wider than they were before as a
strange voice echoed throughout the room. In the middle, a
ball a flame was starting to grow. They could only watch as
it took shape. It formed a head, and what appeared to be two
wings. It was done, and a bird made out of fire now stood in
the center of the room.
"Phoenix!" Puck said. "Um...so good to see you again..."
"Flattery will get you no where, Puck." The voice sounded
female, and the bird seemed to have a female impact on
everyone. "You know what I am here for."
"Are you the Phoenix?" Krissie asked.
"I am."
"Put me back!"
Goliath looked at the bird, who was standing up straight.
It looked like a raven forged from flames. "Why _are_ you
here?"
"Goliath, you helped me be free from the eternal bindings
of the Gate, and for that I am grateful. But you did try to
imprison me, like Oberon had with the Gate, and for that you
shall pay."
The bird opened it's beak wide and a terrifying hawk-like
screech filled the air. The flame got wider and a bright
light flashed throughout the room. When it faded, the
Phoenix and Goliath were gone.
* * *
"Hey, Brooklyn! Where's Goliath?" Brooklyn turned and
looked at Elisa. "We were supposed to go upstate tonight."
Brooklyn stayed halfway in the shadows so she wouldn't see
his eyes. Krissie stayed all the way in the shadows.
"Elisa, uh...I'm not exactly the Brooklyn you know..." he
said, scratching his head.
Elisa rolled her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"He's the alternative Brooklyn, from a different
dimension." Puck appeared in the middle of the room, with an
apparently stuck look of worry on his face.
"Huh?"
"Never mind, I'll explain later," He turned to Brooklyn
and Krissie, still hidden. "Oh, come out and show her," he
said, annoyed.
"Puck, you short excuse for a Fay you better get that
Phoenix back here because I WANT HOME!!!" Krissie shouted
from the shadows.
Brooklyn stepped all the way out of shadows, "Puck, this
has been a most confusing night out, and if you don't mind I
think it would be better if me and Kris just got back to our
dimension because we're really upsetting the balance here."
"What are you talking about?" Elisa said. "And I thought
that Demona was going to come by. Have you seen her?"
"That's right." Krissie stepped from the shadows, "Bitch
doesn't remember me. This might just be a fun dimension
after all!"
* * *
*This is so completely stupid!*
Demona turned and looked at Brooklyn, who was glaring at
his alternative self from across the room. They were all in
the library, waiting for Puck to show up after "teaching"
Alex how to communicate with Oberon.
*Brooklyn?* Demona asked warily. *Something wrong?*
"Oh, you might say that," Brooklyn growled out loud,
ignoring the looks everyone gave him. Demona elbowed him.
*Careful!* she warned him mentally.
*I don't care anymore. With that...that _thing_ that looks
like me...* Brooklyn looked back at his twin and growled.
*He hates you beyond any reason. Krissie, too.*
Demona blinked. *You didn't act so different for a long
time,* she pointed out to him. Brooklyn looked at her and
gave something like a mental sigh. *I know.* Brooklyn
glanced back over at them. He noticed, for the millionth
time, his other's self's blue eyes. *This gives a whole new
meaning to the name, `blue-eyed monster.'*
Demona laughed out loud, and then quickly slapped a hand
over her mouth. She looked over at the rest of the clan and
Krissie and her Brooklyn.
"All right, that's it!" Krissie yelled, sitting up. "I've
known you two for about three hours, and I noticed that you
guys just anonymously say things sometimes, for no damn
reason." She stopped and glared at them. "What the fuck is
it all about?"
Demona bit her lip and turned back to Brooklyn. Hudson
stepped forward.
"They're right, lad, lassie," He said, crossing his arms.
"We've been noticing it, too."
Brooklyn looked around the room and sighed. *Now is a
better time then ever.*
*I know. We'll never get a better chance,* Demona said,
touching Brooklyn's metal pendant that was resting against
his chest. She turned around again to face the expectant
clan. Brooklyn began.
"Well, you remember what happened with Coldsteel...the
second time around?" He said, avoiding everyone's eyes but
Demona's.
"No." Krissie crossed her arms, still holding a hard
glare.
Brooklyn rolled his eyes. "Well, to sum it up, Iago
possessed my body _again._ I won't get into how, but he told
everyone about..."
Lexington was immediately alert. "Early Hatchers?" he
said, not really asking, but reassuring himself.
Brooklyn gave a faint look of surprise. "Yes...how did you
- never mind."
Demona continued. "Anyway, it was all true."
Hudson gasped. "You mean, the Coven really existed?"
Brooklyn nodded, head down. "Do you two realize that would
be considered betraying the clan?"
"WHY DO YOU THINK WE KEPT IT A SECRET?!" Brooklyn
exploded. "Did you think we _wanted_ to be banished from the
clan, like our ancestors were? For no good reason?"
"It was a good reason!" Hudson insisted. "The Elders back
then were wise. They would not make a mistake like that."
"What, just because we were following our heritage?"
Demona said, her eyes getting a red tint. "It was our
nature, as much as it was to protect the castle."
"Yes, well, you gave up that instinct pretty quick, didn't
you?" Brooklyn's blue-eyed self spoke up, at last. Demona
turned and glared at him.
"You don't know how the humans treated me. No one ever
did. They made me do terrible things, or else they would've
killed Brooklyn and the others..." her voice trailed off
with pain. She looked down as her eyes filled. Brooklyn put
a reassuring hand on her shoulder, but wore a look of
puzzlement on his face.
*You never told me about that,* he said mentally. Demona
smiled up at him with tear-filled eyes.
*It doesn't matter anymore.* She blinked and cleared her
eyes.
"But why do you suddenly say things aloud?" Broadway said.
"That doesn't make sense."
"Well...if we concentrate, we cam communicate
telepathically," Brooklyn said, scratching his head. "All
Early Hatchers can, if they're trained."
"And if we combine our thoughts, we can communicate with
outsiders," Demona added. She looked back at Brooklyn, who
looked embarrassed.
A thought echoed across the room. It sounded like both
Brooklyn and Demona's voices, but in everyone's minds. *Like
this.*
Bronx whimpered and bent low to the ground. Demona bent
down next to him and scratched him on his head. "It's all
right, boy," she said reassuringly.
Brooklyn gave an exasperated sigh. "Any other questions?"
He sat back and leaned against the wall.
"What else can Early Hatchers do?" Lexington asked.
"Well, sorcery comes to us more naturally than others,"
Demona said. "It doesn't take as much training."
"And we are really hard to lie to, plus we can do a few
other things that aren't that impressive," Brooklyn said
impatiently. "Where is that stupid Fay, already? It's been
an hour."
"Oh, keep your loincloth on." Puck's voice came before he
did. He appeared
sitting on the chair with Alex in his arms. "That lesson
took a while."
"Did you get a hold of Oberon?" Krissie asked.
"We have contact!" Puck yelled. Alex giggled and waved his
hands around.
"He's on his way. He needs to `tie up some loose ends.'
Probably his nerves."
"So we're just supposed to sit here while the Phoenix does
God knows what to Goliath?" Elisa yelled. Puck sighed.
"I suppose so," he said. Alex cooed at Puck as Brooklyn
rolled his eyes. Puck looked over at Krissie and her
companion. "He is going to need your help greatly," he said
with a raised eyebrow.
"Why?" Brooklyn's look-alike said.
"Because that's how we got the Phoenix trapped last time.
With a couple of elementalists' help."
"But..."
"No Buts. If you want to get back to your world, you have
to help."
Demona looked at Krissie and the blue-eyed Brooklyn. "We
explained our secret, now tell us what an...what is that
word again?"
"Elementalist."
"That is," Demona finished.
"Why should I tell you?" Krissie hissed. "You are a b-"
"For all you know, you could not exist in our world!"
Brooklyn said. "She doesn't know you! This Demona isn't the
same Demona as in your world! YOU DON'T KNOW HER!"
Krissie still glowered at Demona, but she relaxed, a
little.
"Now will ye tell us what ye are?" Hudson said soothingly.
"I am one of the last elementalists in my world, Brooklyn,
my child is the other one." Krissie was getting frustrated.
"Elementalists draw their power straight from the elements
without a book or chants."
"That's imposs - wait a minute...we learned about that!"
Brooklyn said and looked at Demona for conformation. Demona
just stared at the floor. "Except they weren't called
elementalists. And it was still impossible to do draw it
directly from the elements."
"No, it's not," Demona said after a minute, "The
Atlantians had that power, but then Atlantis sunk and it was
lost. Oberon sank Atlantis, he killed the last elementalists
because some started to rival his own power."
"I was sired when I was very young, the only reason I
survived is because of my brother," Krissie said and glared
at Demona, "I went through your memories and you were there,
you were in that church at the Antinoge cross roads!"
*Brooklyn,* a voice that wasn't Demona's echoed in
Brooklyn's head *Move now!* Brooklyn looked at his blue-eyed
double who was gesturing with his head for him to move.
*No,* he answered telepathically.
*Your funeral.* Brooklyn answered.
Demona's jaw hit the floor and her eyes widened as
Krissie's pendent flared blue. "You, you're," she stuttered
and started to get up.
"I am Krishana of Antinoge," Krissie yelled eyes flaring
an ominous deep purple and snarling showing her teeth's full
length. Her pendant glowed purple and a moment she looked
like she was fringed with purple. During all this Krissie's
Brooklyn was crouching down ready to pounce for something.
Demona's Brooklyn was looking at Demona.
*SHE'S Krishana?* he yelled mentally. Demona cringed and
then looked at Krissie again.
Krissie made a fist and pulled back, like she was throwing
a ball. In a way she was. Forming around her fist a was ball
of black and deep purple energy. Her fist came down and the
wad of energy went flying towards Demona and her Brooklyn,
who was still looking at Demona. As Krissie was throwing her
ball the blue eyed Brooklyn sprang forward and tackled his
twin, bringing him to the floor beside the couch he was
sitting on.
Demona was hit head on by the blast. The force knocked her
back off the couch and onto the floor. She landed and didn't
get up. The two Brooklyns were on the floor.
"WOW!" Puck said with delight "Just what we need, a shadow
mage!" Alex promptly threw up on Puck shoulder.
"Get off of me!" Demona's Brooklyn shouted and pushed his
twin off of him and ran to Demona's side. The blue eyed one
rolled to the floor and slowly tried to get his feet.
Brooklyn's whole body hurt, that last blast had upset the
balance so much he couldn't see straight. Standing on
shaking legs he saw his double standing over Demona shaking
her. He turned to make sure Krissie was alright. She was
kneeling on the floor, bent over with her hands on the
floor. She was breathing in short gasps.
"Kris?" he whispered, "You alright? You cast shadow."
Krissie looked back at him, she pale as a ghost. She
closed her eyes and shook her head from side to side. Then
she got to her feet and half stumbled, half ran out of the
room. The wrenching pain in his gut convinced him to sit
down. Brooklyn walked over to the chair and fell into it.
His twin was lifting Demona onto the couch. There was a
big burn on her shoulder where she had been hit, she was
dead.
"Demona?" his twin kept saying as if she could hear him.
"Demona?"
"Save you breath," Brooklyn said doubled over in the
chair, "She'll wake up soon enough."
"If you don't mind me butting in," Puck said, annoyed,
"But aren't you going to get that shadow mage back here?"
"Are you kidding? I don't want to get my..." Brooklyn's
voice tapered off, "Never mind."
"Is she going to wake up?" Angela asked.
"Yes, and believe me, she is going to have a worse
headache then I have," Brooklyn said in a calm and smooth
voice.
Puck cleared his throat. "The shadow mage," he reminded.
"She isn't a shadow mage," Brooklyn corrected, "I'm
guessing that she tapped into the power stored in her
pendent and to cast that spell."
"If that blast," the Brooklyn by Demona said seriously.
"Were to hit me-"
"You would be dead before dawn," Brooklyn with blue eyes
answered.
"I think I should apologize," the twin said seriously, "I
haven't really given you a chance."
"Hey, it's alright," Brooklyn said, "Just don't call me a
blue-eyed
monster anymore, okay?"
The Brooklyn by Demona cringed and shut his eyes. He
slowly opened one to look at his twin. "You heard that?" he
asked, horrified. The blue-eyed Brooklyn nodded. Demona's
Brooklyn smacked his forehead.
Demona moaned and began to wake up. Brooklyn kneeled at
her side. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked softly.
"I think I will," Demona said weakly. Looking at the other
Brooklyn in the chair. "I remember what happened to her."
Both Brooklyns glanced at her, and then Demona continued.
"I did kill her brother, and I did lock her in stone. I was
followed by the Hunter and he found them... smashed them."
Brooklyn sighed and nodded, "I haven't been able to go
through Krissie's memories very well, she has a very strong
mental wall on them. From what she has told me and what I
was able to see, this is what happened in our world......
* * *
The dim candle light of the church was making the shadows
dance on the walls. A young gray blue female gargoyle was
hopping from rafter to rafter, another one, a male and older
was reading in one of the pews. There came a draft as the
door opened in the back of the church. A young Krissie
crouched down on the rafter and watched in silence as a tall
figure walked towards her reading brother.
"I told you last night, I will not use my power to wage
war on an entire species," Archon said getting out of the
pew.
"I didn't come here to grovel for your help, but I will
give you one last chance, " the figure took her hood off. It
was a female gargoyle, the first gargoyle Krissie had seen
besides Archon. Krissie could sense that she was hiding
something under her long cloak.
"And I told you that I would not," Archon answered
sternly.
"Very well, then you have sealed your fate!" The red hair
of the gargoyle burned it's self into Krissie's memory. The
stranger pulled something from her cloak, put it to her lips
and almost instantaneously a dart was in Archon's chest.
"ARCHON!!!" Krissie yelled and leapt from the rafters and
landed beside her fallen brother. The stranger ran, laughing
from the church. Krissie pulled the dart out, but she could
tell that the poison was of the Grimourum. Frantically she
cast every heal spell she knew, which wasn't a lot.
Archon sighed, "Oh my Shana, it's too late for that," he
began to breath funny. Archon took a stone from his pocket
that had a string tied around it. Cupping it in his hands an
eerie purple light surrounded him and seemed to go into his
hands. It was gone in an instant.
Slowly, he put it around the little gargoyle's neck, "One
day when you are ready, you will gain the gift of shadow."
Tears were streaming down Krissie's face, "You can't leave
me."
"I will always be with you, my sister, my Shana."
Archon resigned to his fate laid back on the floor and
closed his eyes.
"NO!" Krissie cried, "Please, don't," she throw her arms
around him crying. Krissie laid next to him crying for a
moment. Then his body disintegrated into a purple, blue,
gray mist that surrounded Krissie. Krissie looked up at, and
swore she could feel Archon's hand wipe away a tear and the
wind whispered, "I will always be with you." Krissie laid
down on the spot and cried there where her brother had been
for the rest of the night.
The stone skin of sleep cracked and Krissie was once
again awake. She didn't move, she had seen the scene over
and over in her sleep. A draft sent shivers up her spine,
numbly she looked back to see the red haired gargoyle
walking towards her. Rage was all that Krissie was, leaping
at the female she snarled. But she wasn't a fighter and the
tall gargoyle caught her by her wrists.
"You witch!" cried Krissie, "May Caine take you, you
wench!"
The red haired gargoyle threw Krissie to the floor. She
saw the pendant and knew immediately that Archon with his
last bit of strength had sealed his power in that pendant.
That also meant that only this little gargoyle that was
kneeling on the floor was the only one that could use it. In
disgust she started to chant. The little one just looked up
at her with tears rolling down her face.
Krissie felt at peace, she listened to the words the
stranger was saying and understood what was happening. She
felt tired, and the world went to stone.
* * *
...and she woke up 900 years later in a Berkeley storage
room," Brooklyn finished.
"I can't blame her," Lex said. The rest of the room nodded
in agreement.
"Puck," Blue-eyed Brooklyn said. "I will help you in
anyway I can."
Demona was looking down at the ground, hiding her face.
Brooklyn noticed and bent down. He put a single talon under
her chin and drew her face up.
It was tear-streaked and her eyes were red and full of
guilt. "I...I...tried to start over, Brooklyn...b-but..."
"Oh, Demona..." Brooklyn put a hand behind her head and
drew it down to his shoulder. Demona sat there, sobbing.
"I wanted to start over, forget my past," she said in
between sobs. "But every time I try to wipe the slate clean,
my past just comes back and haunts me." She lifted her head
again with fresh tears. "Why can't I forget my past?"
"Ye cannot forget yer past, lass," Hudson said, shaking
his head. "Ye can only try to make amends."
"Hudson, I killed her brother, and her!" Demona said,
shaking her head. "How is a simple apology supposed to heal
that?" She stood up and walked away from the window.
"Brooklyn..."
"Yeah?" Both Brooklyns answered at the same time. They
looked at each other and the brown-eyed one put a hand to
his head.
Demona didn't seem to notice. "The story you told was
basically the same here, in our dimension, but there are a
few differences." She looked up at the high moon, her eyes
almost glazing over in memory. "It's true I wanted Archon to
help me....."
* * *
"I am not using my powers to suit your needs, like I told
you before," Archon said, shutting his book. "I told you
that last time. Why do you still pester me?"
Demona brought down the hood and looked at the gargoyle
before her. "I was hoping you changed your mind."
"No, I did not. Now leave," Archon said, pointing towards
the door.
Demona felt rage building up inside of her. ~Why doesn't
this gargoyle understand that the humans will betray him?~
she thought, pulling out her dart barrel. She saw Archon
step back. "You will regret that in the future, friend." She
raised the barrel to her lips and aimed for his shoulder,
where the poison would only harm him enough to teach him a
lesson. He would heal at sunrise.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a second
gargoyle, a young female. She was so startled that her aim
was knocked off and the dart flew. Demona watched, as if
almost in slow motion, as the dart went into Archon's
stomach.
Horrified at what she had done, she back up a few steps,
covering her mouth. She heard, faintly, a yell. She saw the
young gargoyle run up next to her brother and fall to his
side. Demona put a hand to her mouth as she felt faint. She
turned away and ran to the window, bursting through it.
Ignoring the pain from the glass, she glided away into the
night, fighting tears.
* * *
"And I fled, like the coward I am," Demona said, still
looking out the window.
"Then how did Krissie get cast in stone?" the blue-eyed
Brooklyn asked.
"I was horrified that I had caused the death of another
gargoyle, but I blamed the humans, like I always had..."
* * *
Demona wanted to return to where she had left Archon and
his young friend, but she couldn't bear to face them.
She finally got up the nerve to go see if he had survived,
although she was sure he hadn't. She glided up to the window
the next night, peeking in. She saw the young female
gargoyle, sitting on the ground and staring at nothing.
Beside her, was the body of Archon.
Guilt washed through Demona, but was replaced by concern
for the young girl. She now had no one to turn to, no one to
look up to. Demona had taken her entire life away.
Demona wanted to make up for what she had done. She walked
into the room, wanting to take in this young gargoyle, raise
her. But to her horror, the young one noticed her and leapt
at her. Demona held a hand out, wanting to tell her to stop,
but she found she couldn't speak. She caught the young one
by her wrists, still trying to say something. She then
noticed the pendant the young girl was wearing. Demona
pushed her back.
As if in a dream, Demona started chanting. She didn't
understand why, but she felt as if something was speaking
through her, forcing her to cast the spell. She knew what
spell she was casting, and she wanted desperately to stop,
but by then it was too late.
The girl was frozen forever in stone.
"No..." Demona finally found her voice. "What have I
done?" She turned her back to the girl, horrified. Once
again, she fled from the scene.
She landed on a nearby rooftop. She brought her knees up
to her chest and stared pointlessly at the stars. "What have
I done?" she asked again. She didn't know how long she sat
there.
"DEMON!"
A thickly accented voice ripped through her mourning. She
turned around quickly to spy a man with a black mask on.
Across the front were three slashes, a memory from long
ago...
Demona growled and leapt at the Hunter. Her guilt was
feeding her rage focused on this human.
The Hunter kicked Demona in the stomach. "You and your
demon race will perish at the hands of the Hunter!" Demona
backed up a few steps and gasped at something.
~I've already done his work for him.~
She shook her head and leapt off the building. She caught
an updraft and glided up. She looked back and saw the Hunter
running off the roof and dive into a window.
She decided to follow him. In a haze, she saw him find the
young girl's statue, almost a memorial to herself and her
brother.
The Hunter raised his weapon...
* * *
"And he smashed her to dust, probably not caring if she
was a real gargoyle or not," Demona finished. The clan
looked at her, half in sorrow, half in contempt. Except
Brooklyn, who was watching her carefully, looking ready to
run to her side at any signs of collapse.
"Interesting story, Aurora." The voice came before the
being did, and Oberon appeared in the middle of the room.
Both Brooklyn and Demona gasped.
"Why did you call me Aurora?" Demona said. "Only the coven
called me that!"
"I paid close attention to your certain coven," Oberon
said. I remember when both of you were initiated into it,
given your names..."
"Lord Oberon!" Puck smiled nervously. Oberon turned to
face his old servant.
"Yes, Puck?" he asked, almost tiredly.
"Well, Alex basically told you the whole story, right?"
Puck said. Oberon nodded. "Well, now you're here!'
"And where are the elementalists?" Oberon asked, crossing
his arms. Puck pointed to the Brooklyn in the chair. "And
where is the other? I was told there were two."
Brooklyn slowly got up, testing the strength in his legs.
"I'd better go find her. I didn't mean to let her away for
so long, but I kind of couldn't move." He turned toward the
door the Krissie had fled out of.
"We'll help look," the other Brooklyn offered, standing
up. Demona walked over to him and looked down at his metal
pendant, then at her own.
"Hey, uh..." Brooklyn looked at his blue-eyed twin. "Oh,
may as well say it - Brooklyn, do you think she'll still be
in the castle?"
The blue-eyed Brooklyn thought a moment. "Most likely, but
I really wouldn't know."
"Okay, let's split up and look for her," Brooklyn ordered
the rest of the clan. Everyone walked out of the room.
* * *
"I wonder what they act like in their world," Brooklyn
said, walking next to Demona.
"What do you mean?" Demona peered curiously at Brooklyn.
"I wonder how they act in their own world, without all
this...stuff...going on," Brooklyn continued thoughtfully.
"I mean, they can't act like this all the time."
"Brooklyn?"
"They seem a little too...serious," Brooklyn explained.
Demona grinned a little. "Brooklyn, I can't imagine even
your alter self being serious."
Brooklyn looked at Demona with pretend hurt on his face.
"You think I can't be serious?" he asked.
"You're like...the clan jester!"
Brooklyn grinned broadly. "Lookie, folks, it's Brooklyn,
the royal Clan Jester! Here to entertain Princess Angela and
her royal highness, Queen Demona!" Brooklyn bowed
elaborately before Demona, giving an exaggerated swoon. "Oh,
my Queen, I am not worthy to be in your presence!"
Demona laughed. "See what I mean?" Brooklyn, still
grinning, started walking again. Demona put a hand on his
arm.
"Okay, I was wrong," she said. "You're not Clan Jester, at
least if I am Queen." Brooklyn stopped walking and looked at
her with a raised eye ridge.
"If I am Queen," Demona said, pulling him closer. "Then
you are King." She smiled and laid a single kiss on his
beak. She then turned and began walking again, leaving a
stunned Brooklyn.
He grinned and followed.
* * *
Brooklyn was standing in the middle of the library. He was
told that this was were she went the night he touched her
pendant. He heard singing, so he knew his sire was here. It
was a place where magic came easily.
"I will remember you, will you remember me? don't let your
life pass you by, weep not for the memory."
"Kris?"
Krissie continued to sing, "Weep not for the memory,
weep..."
Krissie was hidden in the shadows of the upper level
bookcases, but Brooklyn knew she was there. He hopped up to
the next level of the library and saw her on the ground,
curled up.
"Kris, I know you must feel strange around Demona-"
"It's not that, Brooklyn," Krissie interrupted. "I cast
shadow, that's what's bothering me."
"Kris, you knew what Archon told you- you would gain the
gift of shadow when you were ready," Brooklyn said, putting
a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Krissie curled up in his wings, "But I didn't gain
anything, once Archon looked like me, but then he was given
shadow and well you saw, he got purple. Brook, you can just
go through my memories any time you want, I really don't
mind that you're looking at my most private moments, so you
go right ahead."
"You went through Demona's memories-"
"That's different."
"How is it different?"
Krissie could only look at him.
* * *
"Well, what do we know about the Phoenix?"
Brooklyn and Demona had managed to get back on track after
a while. Brooklyn looked at Demona, hoping for a good
answer.
Demona shook her head, to his disappointment. "Absolutely
nothing."
Brooklyn heaved a sigh and then veered to the left towards
the library doors. "May as well check in here," he said,
pushing open the door. They walked inside.
"Well, what's everything that's in relation with the
Gate...that we can remember?" Demona asked.
Brooklyn stopped walking and started counting the points
off on his talons. "Well, there was when you got the halves
together and went back in the past, the Archmage fight on
Avalon, Puck and that funky dream that he gave Goliath,
Krystiana...oh, God..."
Brooklyn and Demona looked at each other "Krystiana," they
said at the same time.
"She has got to be the answer!" Demona insisted. "She came
back here with the Phoenix Gate. And she is from 47 years in
the future, so we have to get the Phoenix Gate sometime in
between now and that time." She put a talon to her cheek.
"But how did we get it?"
"Who is Krystiana?" They both looked up to the next level
of the library to spot the other Brooklyn and Krissie.
Krissie was curled up in a ball in Brooklyn's lap, asleep.
Brooklyn was sitting in one of the big posh chairs Xanatos
kept around.
"You found her," Brooklyn said, and jumped up to the
second level. Demona followed hesitantly. She saw Krissie
curled up in a ball and could only think of that little
gargoyle back in the church crying for her brother.
Brooklyn smiled and shook his head. "Don't feel bad,
Demona. She's been through a lot and has always came back
for more. The best thing to do is let her sleep."
"Are you sure that the right thing to do?" the other
Brooklyn said. "I mean, Oberon's here."
"May I ask you a blunt question?" Demona said.
"Go ahead."
"You seem so serious, not like the Brooklyn here," Demona
said and looked at Krissie. She really felt pity for her, an
emotion she hadn't felt this deeply in many centuries.
Brooklyn sighed, "I don't normally act like this, I'm
scared."
"Why?" the other Brooklyn asked.
Krissie scratched behind her ear with her foot.
"Why? Besides from the obvious being sucked through a
portal and ending up in a different dimension? I was only
brought across a couple weeks ago, I don't know what I'm
doing. And Kris is rather mixed up by the present
circumstances," Brooklyn finished. He started to
unconsciously stroke Krissie's side as she slept.
"Mixed up, or screwed up?" Brooklyn asked.
The Brooklyn with Krissie in his lap had to smile, "Back
there she was just confused, but as psychologically, she's
screwed."
Krissie smiled in her sleep, "I heard that," she said,
eyes closed.
"Are you going to behave?" her Brooklyn asked.
"Okay," Krissie answered.
"Then lets go meet up with Oberon," Demona said.
* * *
Demona tried to stay as far away as possible from Krissie
as she could. When Krissie walked in first in line, the two
Brooklyns followed, then Demona came last.
She could barely look at Krissie without getting floods of
memories. They bore down on her, teasing her, haunting her.
They swirled around her, trying to tell her that she was
evil and could never reform.
~Oh, shut up,~ she told her brain.
Brooklyn, her Brooklyn, was watching her carefully. He and
Angela were the only ones who truly trusted her for all that
she was worth. She trusted all of them. She even trusted the
Detective, Elisa Maza, a little. She could now understand
why they considered her part of the clan. She was like
family, and she would have made a good gargoyle. Demona
would have liked her for a rookery sister, someone to talk
to. She now thought of Elisa as her sister, despite her
appearance. She still would never fully trust humans again,
but then, neither did the rest of the clan.
"Hello? Space cadet!" Demona blinked as Brooklyn waved his
talons in front of her face.
"Huh? What?" She shook her head to clear it. "Oh, sorry, I
was just thinking..."
"`Bout what?"
"About Krystiana," she said, half-truthfully. "If there
was some way we could contact her..."
"You still haven't told us who that is," came Brooklyn's
voice from in front of them. The blue-eyed Brooklyn and
Krissie were looking at them.
Brooklyn and Demona looked at each other, then back at
Krissie and her Brooklyn.
"Well, Demona's future self and Krystiana came from the
future, just a few weeks ago," Brooklyn began. "They had the
Phoenix Gate, so we must have gotten it back somehow."
"But who _is_ Krystiana?" Krissie asked.
Demona and Brooklyn looked at each other, not bothering to
communicate silently because they knew they had to tell
them.
"She is...supposedly...our daughter," Demona said.
"Daughter?" the Blue-eyed Brooklyn asked, interlocking his
hand with Krissie's. Demona nodded.
Brooklyn suddenly opened his eyes wide with an idea. "I've
got it!" he yelled, grinning.
Demona looked at his. "Got what?"
"We can communicate with her!" he said, still grinning
madly. "All we need to do is send her a letter."
"I'm not quite following you, there," Krissie said.
"Like Xanatos did. He went back in time and sent himself
the coin to his younger self. It took a thousand years, but
not as long to him - what we need to do is get someone to
give her a letter in about forty-seven years!"
Demona smiled and looked back at Krissie and her Brooklyn.
"It's worth a shot," Krissie's Brooklyn said.
* * *
"Be sure this gets to her," Dominique Destine ordered.
"Yes, ma'am," said the young boy, who was called Jeffery
Smith. He had a thick accent, probably Texan. "You're paying
me enough for it, one little delivery twon't hurt me."
Ms. Destine sat back, looking somewhat satisfied.
"Remember, forty-seven years to the dot," she reminded him
as he got up to leave.
"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll mark it on all my calendars,"
Jeffery said, putting on his hat. "G'day, Ms. Destine." He
turned and left.
* * *
Brooklyn awoke with a crash. He turned to Demona, who was
looking at him, smiling.
"Did you get someone?" he asked.
"Yes, and he is reliable," Demona said, walking up to him.
"We better get back to the castle," he said.
* * *
Castle Wyvern
2044 A.D.
"I have a letter here for a Miss Krystiana."
Demona turned to face an old human. He looked to be about
fifty, maybe older. She remembered something faintly, but
she couldn't grasp it.
"Krys isn't here right now," she said. "Do you want me to
take it?"
The human shook his head, completely oblivious to the fact
that he was talking to a gargoyle. "I was told to give it
directly to her."
"I'm right here, Mom," Krystiana said, coming out of the
shadows. The human held out an envelope that looked old to
her. She took it and turned it over, studying it.
"Uh...thanks..." she said. "What did you your name was?"
The man smiled. "Didn't. It's Jeffery Smith."
Demona gasped, and then quickly ran into another room.
Krystiana looked to where she had fled and then glanced at
Jeffery.
"Thanks again, sorry to run, but..." she ran into the room
after Demona.
"Mom?"
Krystiana looked around the room, not seeing anyone. She
spotted the open window and sighed.
Krys plopped down in a nearby chair and then looked once
again at the letter in her hand. It had been sealed old
fashionably, most likely from the `90's. She opened it,
rather bored.
Krystiana-
We are in need of your help. It seems a bit awkward, but
come into the past
again with the Phoenix Gate. We have a slight problem with
the Phoenix, and
we need to know how you got the Phoenix Gate.
-The Manhattan Clan
July 23, 1997
Krys sighed and opened the pouch at her side. ~Well, there
goes my night,~ she thought as she pulled out the Phoenix
Gate.
* * *
Castle Wyvern
1997 A.D.
Oberon watched the two Brooklyns with interest. They were
in an arm wrestling contest, and of course they were evenly
matched.
Everyone was watching and cheering, trying to keep their
minds off Goliath. Even Demona was smiling and rooting for
her Brooklyn. The arms hadn't even moved one inch because
each Brooklyn was at even strength.
The blue-eyed Brooklyn finally did something. "Oh, dear
lord!" he yelled, pointing at something to the left. The
other Brooklyn turned, letting his guard down.
The blue-eyed Brooklyn took the chance and slammed the
other Brooklyn's fist to the table. Krissie smiled and
hugged her Brooklyn.
"That was mine," Krissie whispered to Brooklyn.
"Where do you think I got it?" Brooklyn whispered back,
running a talon through her hair.
Krissie grinned and put her head on Brooklyn's shoulder.
She watched the clan, smiling, laughing. One disturbed her.
Demona was laughing.
And it wasn't evilly, not anything like the laugh she had
heard when she killed Archon. It was sincere, good-natured
laughter.
"She really isn't anything like the Demona in our world,"
Krissie whispered to Brooklyn.
"Yeah," Brooklyn whispered back. "I wonder what would
happen if they would meet-"
His words were cut off, as was the laughter, when a globe
of fire ignited in the middle of the room.
"So, what's up?" the female gargoyle said, that was now
standing where the globe of fire was.
"Hello, Krystiana," Demona said. "Thank you for coming."
"So _this_ is Krystiana," Krissie said, and looked her
over. She next looked Brooklyn over. "At least she didn't
get your nose," she said to her Brooklyn.
"Oh, will you shut up about my nose?" Blue-eyed Brooklyn
said. Brooklyn promptly grabbed Krissie, pinned her on the
floor and started to tickle the life out of her.
Krys just looked at her father and back at her father's
twin. "Uh...huh..."
"Just think dimensional warp," Brooklyn said. He looked at
his twin tickling his sire and telling her to say mercy. All
he could do was shake his head. He sighed and regained his
train of thought. "Anyway, the Phoenix is out, stole
Goliath, and is really mad."
"Do you have the gate with you?" Oberon asked, in his
monotone.
"Yeah," Krys said, still looking at the tickling war.
"MER-CY!!!!" Krissie cried in between laughs. "Mercy, I
give!"
Krissie and Brooklyn sat down in one of the chairs.
Actually, more like Krissie sat down on Brooklyn who sat
down in one of the chairs.
"Good," Oberon continued in his bored indifferent voice,
"We can use this gate as a forge to make a new one. We shall
go to Avalon so we will have access to proper materials."
"What about the Phoenix?" Lex asked, "I don't think she
wants to go back."
"What about Goliath?" Angela asked.
Oberon sighed. "Elementalists do have a talent for travel
on Gia's plain, so that could be a problem."
"What do elementalists have to do with the Phoenix?"
Demona asked.
"Didn't you figure that out?" Puck said, "The Phoenix was
an elementalist."
Elisa looked confused for a moment. "But...what about the
Greek myths?"
Oberon turned to Elisa. "They are true. The Phoenix was
worshipped as a god in those ancient times."
"She was a fire elemental, which doesn't exist in our
world anymore because the element died when Oberon sank
Atlantis. She died, but was resurrected from the ashes, and
the Greeks began worshipping her. In that form she could
travel through time with a thought," Krissie finished.
"So big daddy Oberon panicked and locked her in the gate,
which his now loyal Fay children helped him make," Puck
continued, "But all of them had lost the skill need to trap
the Phoenix so he called on the elementalists."
"Yes, they were very cooperative," Oberon said, "One lured
her into the gate and got out before the Phoenix realized
that it was a trap."
"What a minute," Brooklyn piped up. "You mean you want one
of us has to revert into element form, travel in flesh on
Gia's plane, and go into an artificial realm?"
"Yes," Oberon said, "Put first we must travel to Avalon to
forge a new gate."
"First?!?" Krissie yelled, both her and Brooklyn were
white as ghosts.
"Maybe this place isn't that bad," Brooklyn said, looking
at the floor.
"What? You're just giving up?" Krys asked.
"Why don't I just shoot myself and save the time?" Krissie
said. The tip of her tale was starting to twitch. Brooklyn
wrapped his arms and wings around her but she was already
shaking.
"Is what you have to do hard?" Lex asked.
"You could say that," Brooklyn answered in a calm voice.
"Well, are you or aren't you going to do it?" The other
Brooklyn asked. He didn't understand most of what they were
talking about.
"What Oberon wants me to do is very hard." Krissie glanced
at Demona and the other Brooklyn. ~I didn't belong here,~
Krissie thought. ~We don't belong here.~ "But I'll try."
"Krishana, you can't be serious!!" Krissie's Brooklyn
said. "You can't travel on Gia's plain in flesh, and what if
something happens? "
Krissie took Brooklyn's hand in hers and caressed the back
of it. She gazed deep into his eyes, "What if."
"You guys should be on the soaps," Puck said with a
sniffle and a fake tear.
"Now that we have that settled," Oberon said, "On to
Avalon."
There was a flash of light and as the glare died everyone
could see that they were standing on the bluff that
overlooked the beach. They all looked in the direction of
the castle.
"No!" Angela cried as she fell to her knees. "No."
The landscape was burnt, the orchard was a field of
smoldering ashes. The castle looked like it had been under
attack by the Quarrymen. Bits of the parapets were
everywhere. A few stray gargoyles stood around the remains
of the tower.
"What happened here?" Elisa said, mouth open.
Everything was in ruin.
Brooklyn glanced at Oberon, who, for the possibly first
and last time in his life, looked shocked. But what more,
Oberon looked panicked. He opened his mouth and yelled one
word before disappearing.
"TITANIA!!!"
Brooklyn looked down at where Oberon had stood. "He's
scared for his wife,~ Brooklyn thought. ~He's scared that
she might be dead...~ He looked down at Demona, who was
looking around the land.
*Where are we?* Demona's voice came into Brooklyn's head.
*I guess on Avalon,* Brooklyn replied. He thought he heard
someone moan somewhere near. The voice sounded vaguely
familiar, but he couldn't place it.
"My brothers, my sisters..." Angela was sobbing, ignoring
all comfort Broadway tried to give her. "Where are they?"
Brooklyn heard the moan again. *Did you hear that?* he
thought to Demona. Demona took a moment before answering.
*Yes.* She turned her head towards the sound as it came
again.
They both walked over to a pile of stones, away from the
group. Together, they removed the heavy stone on top.
Beneath, was a sight that amazed everyone's eyes.
Brooklyn searched for a name. "Luna?"
It was the white-haired Weird Sister, covered in debris.
She was scratched and bleeding in numerous places. There was
dirt smeared across her face, her dress ripped here and
there.
Brooklyn picked her up and brought her back to the group.
She was unconscious and actually looked weak.
A muscular gargoyle came out of the shadows. Angela looked
up with tear-filled eyes. "Gabriel!" she yelled, looking
relieved. She stood up and threw her arms around his neck.
Broadway sat back, looking slightly jealous.
"What happened here, Gabriel?" Angela asked.
"I wish I knew," Gabriel said. He looked back at the
destruction, sighing.
The blue-eyed Brooklyn bent down and looked at the scorch
marks on the ground. "I think it's pretty much obvious," he
stated, running his hand along the dirt. "The Phoenix."
Demona looked at her Brooklyn with a sharp turn of her
head. "But how..." She turned her head again as a single
sentence was said, one filled with horror, but almost
fascination.
"I'm bleeding!" Luna had a hand to her head. "Immortals do
not bleed." Her voice had the usual contempt within it, but
it did not have the echo that everyone remembered. She
looked around. "Where are my sisters?" she asked, standing
up. "I cannot sense them...I can't sense anyone!" Her eyes
widened with shocked realization. "I...I have no powers!
They are...gone..."
"Can you tell us what happened?" Krystiana asked, putting
a comforting hand on Luna's shoulder.
"The Phoenix came, and I remember her looking at me and my
sisters..." Luna shook her head, trying to remember. "And
then I...blacked out. That has never happened to me before."
Brooklyn thought a moment, then bent down next to Luna. He
reached out and gave her a sharp pinch in the arm.
"OW!!" Luna yelled, clutching a hand over her arm. She
glared at Brooklyn, then gasped. "I felt real pain!"
Brooklyn nodded in conclusion, standing up. "Guess what,
Luna. You're not immortal anymore. Welcome to the land of
mortals."
"Mortal?!" Luna looked shocked. "But how can it be?"
Gabriel watched with interest. "It was like this when we
woke up. That was only a few minutes-"
He was cut off by a yell that came from the castle. Angela
gasped. "That sounds like Guardian!"
"Tom?" Elisa said. Angela and Gabriel began running
towards the castle. Everyone looked at everyone else, and
followed.
* * *
They found Tom bent down, beside a crumbled pile of
stones. Angela sat down beside him, and slowly picked up a
piece of the stone. She gasped and dropped it. Gabriel
looked at the dropped piece of stone. "No..." Bronx
whimpered and laid on the floor.
"Boudicca..." Tom shook his head in sorrow. "I never knew
how much she meant to me...to all of us..."
Luna staggered in. "There are a few more outside, smashed
as well," she said. "I believe their names are...were...
Melissa, Jordan, Christopher, and William." She stopped for
a moment. "I am sorry."
Tom looked up and saw Lex, Broadway, and Brooklyn. "You
three! I remember you!"
"You do?" Lex asked.
"I met you three the night before...the Vikings attacked."
Tom stopped. He looked over at Brooklyn. "My mother hit you
with a piece of firewood."
"TOM?!" Brooklyn exclaimed. "Jeez..." He noticed Tom
looking over his shoulder, at his twin.
"Why are there two of ye?" he asked.
Krystiana spoke up, after keeping silent for a long time.
"I want to know that, too."
Brooklyn looked at his twin and Krissie and sighed. "Its a
long story..."
* * *
"So how are we to defeat this Phoenix?" Tom asked.
"Oberon said he must forge a new Gate," Lex said.
"My sisters and I did that the last time the Phoenix was
out," Luna said. She looked up at the sky. "I cannot do that
now. I have no powers."
"Once we find your other sisters, you can," Krissie said.
"Yes," Luna agreed. "Together we have our powers. But
separate..." she stopped and looked down.
"Hey, where is Oberon, any ways?" Broadway said.
"Right here." Oberon appeared off to the side. "I had to
make sure my Queen was safe."
Luna kneeled before Oberon with a pleading look on her
face. "My lord, do you know where my sisters are?"
"Luna, I can only tell they are somewhere on the island,"
Oberon said. "But I think one is inside the castle." He
looked down at Luna with a little sympathy. "We will find
them. You three helped me forge the Gate the last time."
Other surviving gargoyles gathered around the crowd. A few
of them peered at Brooklyn and the other newcomers. Many of
them edged away from Demona, remembering the last time she
had come to Avalon.
Brooklyn turned to the clan he knew. "We should probably
try and find the other two sisters. We should split up in
teams and search the entire island."
Gabriel raised an eye ridge at the red gargoyle giving
orders. He turned to look at Angela to share his concern,
but she seemed to be listening to him. He elbowed her in her
side to get her attention. She turned and glared at him.
"What?" she whispered.
"Who is he to give orders?" he whispered back.
"Father's second-in-command, that's who," Angela said
quietly.
Gabriel paused. "Father?"
"Goliath." Angela stood up and walked over to Broadway.
Gabriel stared after her in shock. ~Goliath is her
father?~ he thought to himself.
* * *
Elisa was getting impatient, and it showed. She was
searching the castle, or at least the remains of it.
Katherine, who had been out in the forest at Magus's grave
when the attack took place, had shown up and saw what
happened. She helped Elisa search for the lost sister.
Ophelia accompanied them, lifting up the heavy stones and
pushing away the large pieces of furniture.
Elisa threw a few loose rocks over her shoulder. ~Goliath
could be dead, and we're looking for an old enemy to help
us,~ she thought. She wiped a single tear from her eye at
the thought of Goliath not being there for her.
She thought back over the last few years that she had
known him and the rest of the clan. Bronx had been the first
one she had seen, and he had almost given her a heart
attack. Goliath came in next, and then she fell off the
building. But Goliath dove down and caught her.
~The first catch,~ she thought. ~The first one of many.~
The memories were many, but all priceless. Brooklyn, at
first, seemed to be the one who least trusted humans. But
then Demona showed up. The first words that Demona had said
directly to Elisa were, "You've just been poisoned."
Elisa couldn't believe how much Demona had changed. ~And
for that matter, Brooklyn, too,~ Elisa thought. ~He was the
one who had least trusted Demona, now he was the one who
trusted her the most, even more that Angela.~
Elisa sighed as she helped Ophelia push a heavy rock over.
There was still no sign of one of the other sisters.
"Over here!" The Princess shouted. "I've found her!"
Ophelia and Elisa ran over to her.
Sure enough, there she was. It was the black-haired one,
Phoebe. Unlike her leader, she was conscious, but still
badly hurt.
Ophelia turned to Elisa. "What would you have me do?" she
asked. Elisa blinked.
"Since when did I become...never mind." Elisa sighed. "We
should take her to Oberon and Luna."
"Luna?" Phoebe said, almost excitedly. "Selena - they are
alive?"
Elisa looked down at her with pity. "We don't know about
Selena, but Luna is." As Phoebe's face fell, Elisa offered
her hand.
"We'll find her," Elisa said, helping the Fay up. Letting
Phoebe lean on her, they staggered to the outside.
"I wonder how the others are doing..."
* * *
Booklyn split everyone into groups of five. The Manhattan
Clan separated because they didn't know their way around the
island. Everyone seemed to accept him as the leader in
Goliath's absence. Demona had ended up going with Angela
because she felt uncomfortable about the stares coming from
the other gargoyles.
All the gargoyles had been spilt up, or so Brooklyn
thought. Two had slipped away in the confusion and chaos.
Brooklyn had gone with Gabriel and another gargoyle.
"That other red one," Gabriel said, "The one that looks
just like you. Which group is he in?"
Brooklyn slapped his forehead. "He isn't in a group. I
lost sight of him. We have got to find him."
"Why should we?" The female gargoyle with pale gray skin
and black hair asked. "He probably went out looking with
that other one with the purple hair."
"Eva's right," Gabriel said. "They are most likely looking
too."
"You don't get it. They are the elementalists. I have to
know where they are."
* * *
Brooklyn sat at the grotto. The water here was rich and
clean. It was alive. The water around Manhattan was always
stagnant and dead. The stone gazebo with the looking pool
was in front of him. Brooklyn sighed and dipped his feet in
the water. It was warm. Despite all that had happened he
felt calm and relaxed now. Brooklyn could feel the energy
flow freely in the water. He felt what had happened, the
balance shifting back and forth like waves. Brooklyn
listened to the water splash on the shore behind him. It was
so peaceful here. This was where the water element was most
potent. Krissie told him to find oliath and that was just
what he doing. He concentrated on a memory of Goliath, one
from before the massacre. He remembered when the leader of
the clan had taken the time to teach a small, and somewhat
scrawny, red beaked gargoyle how to use a sword. Goliath did
know how to use weapons, he just chose not to. While
concentrating on this memory, the water in the pool began to
swirl and foam.
"Hey, Brooklyn!" Gabriel called from the beach, the other
Brooklyn and Eva close behind him.
"Where did you go? Where's Krissie?" Brooklyn demanded,
none of them noticed the image in the pool at first, but
once they did they were silent.
The image showed Goliath in a cage. It looked like he was
in a hall of some sort. A reddish-orange hall that resembled
all tales of hell. Beside the cage was a throne, with the
Phoenix sitting on it. There was a small fire in front of
her. Behind the throne were columns with fire spiraling up
them. It sent shivers down the back of all the gargoyles. On
the other side of the Phoenix was the third sister, who also
was in a cage and was bound by chains. Iron no doubt.
Suddenly the image shifted and went to a close up on the
Phoenix's face. Her eyes popped open and flared bright
yellow. She roared, but the three onlookers couldn't hear.
But the Brooklyn that was making this possible cringed and
covered his ears with his hands as he fell back with a small
yelp. The water stopped moving and the image was lost into
darkness.
"That bitch!" Brooklyn said, shaking his head.
"What happened?" Eva asked.
"Where was that?" Gabriel asked.
"She's in the fire node, and she saw what I was doing.
Oww," Brooklyn said, rubbing his jaw.
"Where's Krissie?" Brooklyn asked.
"The wind node," Brooklyn answered.
"How do we get to the fire node?" Gabriel asked.
"I'll take you there," blue eyes said and got up.
* * *
Four gargoyles stood at the rim of the volcano. The light
given off by the molten rock gave their faces an ominous
glow. A warm wind whistled pass and made them all shiver.
"There." One of the Brooklyns pointed to the small cave
across the lava field. "In there."
"But that's just an old cave," Eva said and swallowed.
"Goliath is really in there?" Gabriel asked. He sounded
unsure about what they all knew they had to do.
"Yes, and the missing sister," Brooklyn said and looked at
the lava.
"Can't live forever," the Brooklyn that had become the
leader in Goliath's absence said and flew off towards the
small cave. One by one the others followed. They all flew
into the cave, it glowed orange and was hot. The small group
walked through a small hallway with carving on them. Eva
stopped and looked mesmerized at the murals.
"What do they mean?" she asked running a hand over them.
"It tells the story of the first elementalists," Brooklyn
said, "More like the enslaving of the elementalists."
"Come on," The other one said, "I want to get Goliath and
get out."
"We should get the other sister first," Gabriel said. "At
least then we can make another Gate."
"Good point," Blue eye Brooklyn said.
"Where did the Phoenix go?" Eva said.
The three males wandered cautiously into the hall that
they had seen in the water.
"Brooklyn! Gabriel!" Goliath said from the cage. "Get her
out first."
"Shhhh," Brooklyn put a finger to his beak. "She's here."
"Let's get this over with," Eva said, "This place doesn't
feel right."
The four crossed the hall as fast as the could. Gabriel
smashed the door of Selena's cage in.
"My sisters?" Selena pleaded.
"They're fine," Brooklyn with blue eyes said. "We gotta
get out of here!" The Brooklyns started to break the chains,
but they were hot. Even with the two of them working they
had to break them one at a time. Gabriel looked over his
shoulder at Goliath watching from the other cage.
"I can't just leave him here," Gabriel said and started to
run across the hall.
There was a flash of light and a high pitched roar. Eva
looked up and saw the Phoenix, flying down from the ceiling.
She was in a vaguely human form, but still made of flame.
She had a large knife in her hand and she was heading
towards Gabriel.
"NO!!" Eva cried, and ran fast on four legs. She reached
Gabriel and pushed him out of the way just as the Phoenix's
knife came down on her. Eva's eyes went wide as she fell to
the floor. There was an moment of silence and shock as the
Phoenix pulled the knife from Eva's back. Blue eyed Brooklyn
ran to where Eva had fallen and stood over her body. Gabriel
fell beside his sister.
"Eva!" he began to cry as he took his sister in his arms.
Brooklyn snarled and his eyes flared blue. The Phoenix
laughed and held the knife to his neck.
"Foolish child," she said.
An ear piercing scream made them all turn. Krissie came
hurling into the hall and knocked Phoenix on her tail.
"Leave my child alone," Krissie said snarling and flaring
her eyes green.
The Phoenix only cackled as they began to circle each
other, Krissie on all fours and the Phoenix hopping on two.
"Take Selena and leave," Krissie ordered.
Without a word, the two Brooklyns took Selena and Gabriel
picked up Eva's still body and left Krissie and the Phoenix
in a face off.
* * *
Goliath tested the chains around him. They had been
weakened by the Phoenix's heat when she rushed past him.
Using all his strength, he pressed against the chains. They
silently started popping open.
Unnoticed, Goliath slipped out of his cage.
* * *
Krystiana looked around as a scream echoed across the
hills. She narrowed her eyes.
"Helena, wait," Krystiana said, filling her wings to
hover. The blue female in front looked back.
Don't order me around, child," she said.
"And don't call me child!" Krys shot back. "Something is
going on. I'm leaving. I don't care what my father said. I'm
'separating.'" She glided a few feet away and then looked
back. "Oh, and might I add, you have the most shocking
bossiness ever!" With that, she glided towards where the
scream had come from.
Helena turned to her companions. "'Shocking?'"
* * *
Krys hurtled towards the cave at top speed.
"Krys!" She looked down and saw her father and his party,
plus three extra charges. The other Brooklyn, the third
sister, and Goliath. Krystiana landed on silent feet. "What
happened?"
Blue-eyed Brooklyn looked at her with a worried look on
his face, "Krissie is back there facing the Phoenix by
herself."
Krys's eyes opened wide suddenly. "No!" she whispered
quietly.
"Krys?" Brooklyn peered at his daughter-to-be. "What it
is?"
"That's not supposed to happen yet!" Krys started running
towards a tree.
"Oh, no you don't!" Brooklyn said, grabbing her tail.
"Oh, yes, I do!" Krystiana said with heated contempt. She
glared at her father's younger self. "Let me go. Now." When
Brooklyn still held on, she growled, her eyes lighting up
red. "NOW!" she roared. "I don't have time for this!"
Surprised by Krystiana's explosion, Brooklyn dropped it.
Using the moment to her advantage, Krys dashed for the tree
again, this time no one moving to stop her.
Goliath glanced at Krystiana's retreating form. "It seems
she will inherit both your and Demona's tempers." Brooklyn
glared at Goliath.
"That's not funny."
"I know. It's a fact."
* * *
Krystiana landed silently in a pile of brush near to the
cave. There she saw Krissie and the Phoenix circling each
other.
~I can't let anything happen to either of them!~ Krys
thought with her brow furrowed. ~Without either of them...~
Krystiana closed her eyes. She concentrated on the Powers
that she had trained with all her life. She focused on the
sky, the clouds...the water. She only mouthed the words, but
it was enough.
"By the Watchtower of the West
May the Powers of Water
Help me douse this flame of jest."
* * *
Thunder crackled across the sky, causing the Phoenix to
look up. Krissie decided to use the distraction. She
resorted to physical combat, knocking into the Phoenix with
all her weight, hoping that the Phoenix wasn't expecting it.
She wasn't. The Phoenix fell to the ground just a rain
began to fall.
"Are _you_ doing this?" the Phoenix screeched.
"No..." Krissie said, back in the same position as she had
been when they were circling each other.
"It never rains on Avalon!" the Phoenix said, puzzled.
"Someone else is the cause of this."
The Phoenix suddenly let out a screech that could have
rivaled the Banshee's. She whipped towards some bushes and
glared at them. Krissie crouched down to spring again, but
the bushes suddenly caught on fire and Krystiana leapt out
of her hiding place, knocking into the Phoenix herself.
"Krys!" Krissie hissed. "What are you doing here?"
"What does it shocking look like?" Krystiana growled. "I'm
helping you."
"Get out of here."
Krystiana ignored the order. The Phoenix got up and sprung
at her.
"YOU!!!" The Phoenix yelled, throwing a ball of flame.
Krystiana was hit squarely in the side. She roared and fell
to the ground.
"You..." the Phoenix repeated.
"Never expected to see me again, did you?" Krystiana got
up and dusted off her arm. She swung out with her leg and
connected with the Phoenix's head. "Miss me?"
* * *
"GOLIATH!!!" Elisa practically threw herself at Goliath.
"You're alive!"
Goliath had never been more happy in his life to see
someone. "So are you!" Goliath laughed, all his dignity
forgotten for a moment. Everyone watched their reunion with
a smile on their face, even Selena.
Selena spotted her sisters, laying side by side. She
limped over to them. "My sisters!" she cried joyfully. "You
are alive!"
Brooklyn glanced at his blue-eyed twin. "`You're alive!'"
he mocked. Blue-eyes managed a smile.
That one expression traveled across the plain. But the
Princess noticed the gray female in Gabriel's arms.
"Eva!" Ophelia yelled. "No!"
Angela ran to Gabriel's side. She clasped Eva's cold hand
in her own, crying into it, "Sister..."
The rejoicing quickly died away. A single tear ran down
Gabriel's face.
* * *
The Phoenix was down for the moment. Krissie turned to
Krystiana.
"What are you doing here?" Krystiana didn't answer. She
only sat, rubbing her side where the Phoenix had hit her.
"This is not your fight," Krissie said.
"It's more my fight than anyone else's," Krystiana said
indignantly.
"What?"
"If the Phoenix doesn't get into the Gate, then I won't
exist." Krystiana glanced at the Phoenix, then down at the
pack at her side.
"How did a single kick bring it down?"
"Rain weakens it." Krystiana grinned. "It _is_ made of
fire."
"Where did the rain come from?" Krystiana fell silent
again.
"I...I called it," Krystiana said after a few moments,
almost shyly.
Krissie opened her eyes wide. "But you aren't an
elementalist!"
"I know."
"Then how did you do it?"
"You aren't the only ones who can tap into the elements,"
Krystiana said. She glanced around her. "I'll tell you, but
you have to promise not to tell anyone in this dimension."
Krissie nodded. "They
aren't allowed to find this out yet. It's the whole
explanation to the Early Hatchers."
Krissie looked at her with interest.
Krystiana cleared her throat. "Ever hear of the
Watchtowers?"
* * *
Krissie and Krystiana dragged the Phoenix back to the
broken down castle. Demona was the first to spot them.
"Miracles do happen," Demona whispered when she saw them.
Brooklyn glanced at her with a strange look on his face.
"Huh?"
"They're okay!" Demona started yelling. She pointed at
them, smiling. Despite the time difference, Krystiana was as
much her daughter as Angela.
Krystiana sighed and sat down on the ground when they had
reached the castle. The rain continued to drizzle down.
"We...have to get...her...tied up," Krissie said
breathlessly.
"The sooner...the better," Krys agreed.
The weird sisters were already looking better, although
they were still slightly smudged. Luna stood up. "We can
help forge the Gate now."
Krissie glanced at her Brooklyn and then Krystiana. "We
three will tie up the Phoenix."
Goliath nodded. "The rest of us had better get inside."
"The Phoenix has to stay outside or she'll wake up," Krys
said quickly.
Goliath nodded. "All right." Everyone left the scene
except Krystiana, Brooklyn, and Krissie.
"Welp, to work," Krystiana said, trying to get up.
Suddenly, she roared and fell back down, clutching her side.
"Krys?" Brooklyn asked. "What's going on? Is someone doing
something to you?" He glanced at the still unmoving Phoenix.
Krissie bent down to Krystiana. "No..." Krissie breathed
slowly. "This wound is older. This is from when the Phoenix
shot you with that fireball!" Krystiana nodded, gasping in
pain. "You haven't given yourself time to heal."
"There is no time to heal," Krystiana said. "Only...a
coward...would think to convalesce amid a crisis."
"Krys, this is bonkers!" Krissie interrupted. "You are all
but dying on your feet...pouring you life's blood out for
your purpose." Krissie propped Krys up, despite her
protesting. "I have to get you back
to the others before-"
"Before what, Krissie?" Krystiana glared at her. "Before I
die here, defending the only thing in life that has ever
been important to me?" She cringed in pain. "Is that what
you would do if you were in my place? Run away?" She sighed
and looked up at the sky. "Or would you stay...and
fight...with your last breath?"
Krissie looked at Brooklyn after Krystiana was through
with her speech.
"Kris," Brooklyn said, looking down at Krystiana. "Can't
you heal her?"
"NO!" Krystiana said, snarling. "I would rather suffer. I
want to heal on my own. I consider healing from magic
cheating."
"Cheating?" Krissie tried not to smile.
Brooklyn looked at Krystiana and smiled widely. Krissie
smiled the same smile and began to look at Krystiana's side.
"No," Krystiana said, "I won't allow it."
Then Brooklyn took the top part of Krystiana and Krissie
took the other and together they hauled her into the small
infirmary where most everyone was.
"Put me down!" Krys screamed.
"I wouldn't scream if I were you," Brooklyn said. "Save
your breath and maybe you'll live."
"I'd rather die," Krys snarled. "Put me down!"
"Ok," Krissie said. Brooklyn and she promptly dropped Krys
on her tail on one of the cots.
"What's going on?" Goliath asked he had seen the two carry
Krys in.
"She's feeling tired," Krissie said in a smooth, calm
voice. She looked into Krys's eyes and waved her hand in
front of her face.
"Sleep."
Krys's eyes slowly closed and her body relaxed as she laid
down slowly. Brooklyn started to examine Krys's burn more
closely when the rain stopped. There was an uneasy silence
as the princess looked at her eggs standing around her and
Tom and the sisters looked up from the newly formed gate.
There came a load roar from outside. The Phoenix was awake.
Brooklyn and Krissie hadn't tied her up as Krys wanted.
"Brooklyn," Krissie said softly, "Stay with her."
He looked into his sire's eyes and took her hand in his.
Krissie kissed his forehead as a tear rolled down her face.
She started to walk away towards the sound. Brooklyn let her
hand slip through his fingers as she left.
Gabriel looked up to see Krissie walking out the door.
* * *
"Phoenix!" Krissie called, she was standing by the grotto
facing the mountains where the Phoenix was gathering
strength.
A ball of fire can rolling down from one of the peaks and
Phoenix appeared in front of Krissie.
"What do you want child?" she asked with anger in her
voice.
"You took me away from my home, my life!" Krissie started
out softly then got louder. "I'm here to put you in your
place!"
"Really child." Phoenix stayed with her disapproving
parent tone. "You and who else?"
"Me."
The elementalist turned around to see Gabriel standing on
the crest of the hill.
"What quarrel do you have with me?" Phoenix asked, looking
down at him.
"You took the thing that meant the world to me. You took
my love away. " Tears streamed from Gabriel's eyes.
Foolishly, he jumped at the Phoenix, who flew straight up.
Gabriel fell to the ground, and the Phoenix came down on top
of him. She pulled her knife and held it strongly to
Gabriel's throat.
"Do you want to die?" she asked.
"Yes, for it would end my suffering and we will be
together forever," Gabriel said.
"Well, then." Phoenix slowly got off of him. "You shall
just have to live with misery."
Gabriel roared and pulled the battle ax he had been
carrying at his belt. Phoenix simply moved aside and let him
run past. Laughing she slashed the webbing of one of his
wings in half. Gabriel just turned and charged again, this
time the Phoenix just let him come. The ax and the Phoenix's
met in a blast of sparks. The heat from the Phoenix spread
through her knife in to the ax. Into Gabriel's hand. He
roared and dropped his ax. There was a burn on his palm, it
was the emblem of the Phoenix. Like the one the gate
carried. "Enough!" Krissie yelled, and slapped the Phoenix
across the face.
"How dare you!" The Phoenix's eyes flared red as she
forgot about Gabriel.
"I challenge you, you old and weak washed up nobody,"
Krissie sneered. As she did, she clenched her fists and
closed her eyes. Krissie folded her wings and floated about
a foot off the ground. Her legs and tail melted into one and
her skin turned a ghostly gray. She opened her eyes and they
glowed a deep blue. Krissie had turned to her elemental
form. This was going to be the final battle.
Krissie only hoped that the sisters had finished the gate.
* * *
Krystiana dreamt as she slept.
Even before the dream started, she knew what it was going
to be. The future. She hadn't had a dream of the future
since she had last visited. The night she had slept in the
past, she had dreamt of what
would happen that night, and she knew what to do.
She could only hope it would help here.
Her mind traveled outside her body, outside the building.
She Krissie and the Phoenix. Krissie suddenly started
floating and she seemed to turn into a fog. It was still her
basic form, but...
~I'm seeing the present,~ Krys thought. ~This is what is
happening now.~
The scene changed suddenly. She looked down. The entire
ground had lightened. The Phoenix and Krissie were nowhere
to be seen. Krys bent down to the ground and touched the
soft sand. When she had come here earlier tonight, the
island was close to dead. She could sense no life coming
from the ground, the trees, or anything. Even a desert was
alive all the time. But the Phoenix's attack had destroyed
it.
Now the island was alive again. Krys scooped up a handful
of sand and let it run through her fingers.
This was the future. Now if she could only figure out how
to do it. Around her, the scene changed again. She saw the
Gate looming in front of her. She reached out to touch it,
and when her fingers brushed the emblem, it disappeared.
Krys cried out in protest. She looked around, searching.
But now she was no longer on Avalon.
Or was she?
Krys let out a cry of frustration. This dream made no
sense at all. A cry of pain echoed her own. She turned
around and saw...something...curled up. Krys gasped.
"Phoenix," she whispered. She was INSIDE the Gate!
She understood.
The dream ended.
* * *
Brooklyn watched Krystiana with his blue eyes. As she
slept, her expression changed. Apparently Krissie hadn't
konked her out enough to keep her from dreaming. Krystiana
suddenly opened her eyes. Brooklyn gasped silently. Her eyes
weren't brown like her mother' and father's anymore. They
were a honey-gold, and for a moment she almost looked like
an elementalist, but they gave off a strange yelled
glow.
Krystiana moaned and closed her eyes, putting a hand to
her head. She opened her eyes up again, and they were back
to normal. She looked into the face of her father.
"Dad?" Krystiana voice cracked. Brooklyn shook his head.
Krys squinted at Brooklyn. "Oh," she said, letting her
head rest back on the pillow. "Sorry."
"It's okay," Brooklyn said. He suddenly wondered if he and
Krissie would ever have a daughter or son.
"I have a question that might sound stupid," Brooklyn
said. Krystiana waved him on. "Why were your eyes a
different color when you woke up?"
"When I woke..." Krys suddenly started laughing. Brooklyn
looked confused.
"Sorry," Krys said. "It's not really that funny, I guess.
But they do that whenever I dream..."
Krys suddenly gasped and sat up straight, ignoring the
pain that shot up her side. "Shock!" she swore. "Shock,
shock, shock," she muttered as she got up off the cot.
Brooklyn tried to push her back down. "Hold on. Where are
you going?"
"To save your girlfriend," Krys snarled. She slipped away
from Brooklyn and walked over the Weird Sisters. She held
out her hand.
"Give me the Gate," she ordered.
Tom looked up at her. "What?" The sisters looked at her as
if she was mad.
"Give me the shocking Gate!" she repeated with more force.
"I know what to do."
Luna almost reluctantly held the Gate out to her. It did
not have the Phoenix emblem on it like the old had, but it
had the same colors. Krys reached out and took it. "Thank
you," she said more truthfully than anyone had ever spoken
to them. Clutching the Gate, she ran out of the
room.
Brooklyn took only a moment to think, then ran after her.
* * *
Krissie floated over the ground, staring at the Phoenix.
"This will end tonight," Krissie said. Her voice didn't
sound as it should. It sounded like a ghost's, echoing,
almost like a Child of Oberon.
"Yes, it will," the Phoenix said mockingly.
"Hold it, time out, cocoa!"
Both Krissie and Phoenix looked and saw Krystiana. She was
holding the Gate. Brooklyn ran up behind her. The one with
the blue eyes.
"Get out of here," Krissie hissed.
Brooklyn pointed at Krys. "You told me to watch her,
that's what I'm doing."
Krystiana shook her head and took a step back, raising the
Gate to her shoulder, looking like she was about to throw it
like a frisbee.
Which is exactly what she did. The Gate sailed right
towards the Phoenix.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Brooklyn yelled.
The Gate sailed through the Phoenix and she let out a hawk-
like screech that filled the air. Krystiana rose her hand,
and the Gate suddenly turned around and came back towards
her and Brooklyn. Krys caught it in her hand and glared at
Phoenix.
The Phoenix fell to the ground. Krystiana turned to
Krissie.
* * *
Krissie felt a crackle in her mind. She felt a presence in
her mind, and she could scarcely believe who it was.
*Krys, if that isn't you I'm gonna-* she thought.
*Yeah, it's me.*
*Krys, what have you done?*
*Krissie, you need to do something. You're in the right
form now.*
*No shock.*
*You need to go inside the Gate.*
*That's the idea, but I don't know if it will follow me.*
*The Phoenix will follow you there. You can get out faster
than it now. It's slowed down now.*
*What-*
*Please. I can trap it from there.*
*Krys, what if-*
*Krissie, this is the only-*
Krissie's mind was suddenly filled with images of war,
blood, and pain. Phoenix had managed to crawl over to Krys
and blast her with some form of magic.
*Go.* Krystiana's mental voice shimmered and exited
Krissie's mind. The images faded.
Krissie's form flickered in decision. It was the only way.
She concentrated and prepared to travel inside the Gate.
Krissie stared at the Gate in Krys's hand. With on flap
she flew towards it. In her mind's eye she saw the Gate, but
it was different. It was a gate like before going into a
house and it was made of fire. Krissie concentrated on the
gate and then in her mind's eye it opened. Opening her eyes
she saw the Gate right in front of her, then blackness.
Krissie looked around but saw only shadows and faint
twinkles of light. She felt herself float. She could feel
currents running through this place some warm some cold.
Some made her feel at home and some made the hair on the
back of her neck stand on end. It was peaceful. She heard
what sounded like the ocean, but she couldn't find the
source.
"When is this?" Krissie thought.
"The end of time," the voice of the Phoenix said.
Krissie looked and saw not a fiery bird, but a woman. She
was young-looking but a master elementalist rarely age past
thirty or so. She was tall with blond hair and honey golden
eyes. She was wearing an reddish orange dress that flowed to
the floor.
"Thank you for taking my place here," she said and looked
towards a fiery gate. On the other side was a bright light,
"I will enjoy this form again."
"I don't understand," Krissie said.
The Phoenix looked over her shoulder. "There is no time
here, this is the void. When all is dead and turned to dust,
this is what will remain."
"But there isn't anything here," Krissie flew up to the
Phoenix.
"This is the void Krishana, paradox. A place where there
is no time, there is no space, there is nothing but
darkness." The Phoenix turned once more towards the light
beyond the Gate.
"No," Krissie said and landed in front of the Phoenix.
"You are the source of this darkness. I hear the ocean I
feel the currents. I can see beyond the shadows."
"That is impossible!" The Phoenix yelled. "I have been
stuck here for all time and all it is, is nothing!"
The Phoenix took a step toward the light towards freedom.
Krissie stood in front of her. "You are the controller of
time. You must stay here."
"I must?" the Phoenix roared. "Controlling time is a gift
I don't want. Let me go in peace."
"No," Krissie said simply.
The Phoenix screamed and made a fist. Fire began to swirl
around it, she pulled back and-
Krissie's eye's flared purple. Her pendant glowed. Krissie
pointed at the Phoenix and shot an orb of blackish-purple
energy though her. With a scream of defeat the Phoenix sank
to her knees and turned back into the fiery bird.
Krissie turned and flew into the light.
* * *
"Krissie." Krissie's mind wandered back to her as she
awoke. "Kris, wake up."
Slowly, Krissie opened her eyes and saw Brooklyn standing
over her. She looked to the west and saw the lingering light
of day sinking into darkness.
"Man, did we spend the whole day here?" Krissie said
rubbing her head and getting to her feet.
"I guess so," Brooklyn said and flicked aside a bit of
stone skin from the ground. "Goliath is gonna have my head
on a plate if we don't get home soon."
Krissie looked around. They were on the roof top. The one
with the flower garden and the shed. Krissie remembered
herself and Brooklyn out flying then-
"Hey Kris," Brooklyn broke her train of thought, "You ok?
you look a little pale. We should get back to the castle."
"Yeah, I'm ok." Krissie said and watched her child jump of
the edge. "Just had the strangest dream."
* * *
Epilogue
Krystiana held the Gate in her hand and stared at it. The
elementalist had did it.
True, her father's other self wouldn't remember a thing
due to the rip in the space-time continuum... (Krys grinned
at the usage of the old century Star Trek), but Krissie was
better trained, and she might remember.
~Nah.~ Krystiana shook her head and turned around and
walked inside. ~She couldn't remember.~
"Could she?" Krys whispered out loud.
"Could who what?" she turned and saw her mother and
father's younger selves.
"Nothing," Krys said quickly. She took a breath to steady
herself. "Krissie and Brooklyn are back in their own
dimension," she said crisply. "The Phoenix is back in it's
rightful place." She held up the Gate. "Now I have to get
home." She took out the Gate from her own time and held out
the new one to her father.
"Wait a moment, Krystiana." Krys turned and saw Oberon
walking towards her. She stiffened.
"You have just brought a great amount of responsibility on
yourself," Oberon said.
"What the shock are you talking about?" Krys snarled. She
had never cared for Oberon.
"You have just destined yourself to be the Keeper of the
Gate," Oberon said simply. "You are to make sure that what
happened tonight will never happen again."
"I intended to do that anyway," Krys growled. "While I'm
at it, I may as well take the clan back to Manhattan."
"Less trouble for me, I assure you," Oberon stated. He
turned and walked stiffly away. Krys snarled at his back
quietly.
Brooklyn walked up to his to-be daughter. "Not now," he
whispered. "You shouldn't mess with him."
Krys looked blankly at Brooklyn. "Shock that."
* * *
Brooklyn watched the flame disappear as Krystiana returned
to her own time. He turned to Demona.
Demona looked at Brooklyn wistfully, thinking. "Brooklyn?"
"I'm still here," Brooklyn stated in a joking manner.
"I have something to tell you."
"Do you?"
"I love you."
Brooklyn whipped around and stared at her.
"I know...it's too early," Demona said. "I-I'm sorry. I
shouldn't have brought it up."
"No, it's not that," Brooklyn said, running a hand through
his snow-white hair. "It's just that...I was thinking of
just telling you the same thing."
Demona gasped inwardly. "So...we're agreed?"
"Why do you make everything so official?" Brooklyn
laughed, and suddenly picked her up, like they were at a
wedding. Demona smiled.
"I like official," Demona said, resting her head on his
chest.
"Leave official for one moment," Brooklyn said, and simply
kissed her. Demona's eyes sprung open, the she closed them
and let herself sink into Brooklyn's arms.
* * *
"Would ya look at that?"
"What?" Lex looked up from the TV. Broadway pointed out
the window. "Wow," Lexington said, his mouth agape. "I've
never seen Demona looked so...happy!" Broadway promptly
jabbed Lex in his ribs.
"Oww!"
* * *
Demona drew back from her new-found love with a look of
pity on her face.
"I...I can't stay. I've learned to forgive humans, now I
must learn to forgive myself."
"I'll go with-" Brooklyn started desperately.
"No." Demona shook her head. "I have to do this alone."
She turned and hopped up onto the parapets and took one last
look at Brooklyn. She reached out and touched his cheek.
"Goodbye, my love." She turned and glided off the castle,
not letting Brooklyn say one word of protest. Brooklyn let
out a silent cry of anguish. He had found love, then lost it
in under five minutes. He
looked up at her diminishing form.
"Goodbye."
END
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