Season Two, Part Five of the SteelClaw Chronicles

Fragile Alliances

A SteelClaw Story

By Vashkoda 
Story contributions and edits by Ed
Illustrations by Kahreen and Vashkoda

WARNING:  This story was written prior to the tragic events of September 11th, and some of the descriptions contained within may be distressing.

***

"Demon!" shouted Thaylog, taking a step towards the field.  "I offer you an alternative.  Take me in her place!"

The Oni headed straight for the gargoyle, and he felt its evil surround him and seep into his skin.  His vision blurred and his body burned like it was on fire.

Now the world will know fear.  I will bleed the life from its heart and revel in its cries of pain.

"I don't think so," said Thay, still in full control.  "My people come from a different dimension.  Demons like you have no power over us.  Now you are trapped in my body, where you can't harm anyone else."

Thaylog could feel the demon resisting, trying to escape.  

You are only half Alkyrian.  I will find a weakness, and I will control you and your power.

-- "SAMURAI"

“Listen, I won’t keep you longer than needs be,” said Thaylog. “I heard that you’re recently unemployed.”

Ed was surprised; he had only been fired the previous evening. “Yeah… how did you-”

“Well, you see I have a job opening. It’s in -ah- public relations. Well, not-all-that-public relations might be more accurate. The pay is good, and there’ll be a lot to investigate. You will have to get used to working nights. There is a chance, a good chance, that it will become dangerous at that point; but there is also a chance that it could change your life.”

***

“On the subject of Flynt and Kahreen. A few nights ago they went on a mission to investigate an archaeological dig site, to seize an uncovered item recovered around sixty miles from here by the University of Newbridge. It seems that they reached the dig site, because there was evidence of a break-in and the artefact in question has - it would seem - gone missing.  But Flynt and Kahreen have to all appearances vanished.”

....

“I don’t understand,” said Sabrina as they travelled. “Why is Thaylog lying to us? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Maybe he’s just having trouble keeping his clan life and business life separate?” mused Llewelyn.

“Or maybe, IDE’s a bigger priority for him,” said Silver grimly,

“Well that’s his business,” said Sabrina, “and after all, he does pay for the Mansion with it. I just want to find Flynt and Kahreen.”

“It doesn’t make sense though,” said Llewelyn. “Just recently there’s something… strange about him. I wonder what he’s hiding…”

***

Ed stepped back, holding the folder up in defence . “Wh-what… or who, are you?” he said.

“I am Tetra, of NOIR - the New Olympian Isolationist Regiment. I have been ordered to find you, and kill you for crimes against New Olympian secrecy. My condolences.”

“What? Wait! Why?”

Tetra held up a weapon of some kind; it was odd-looking and futuristic, with a strange luminous orange coloring. It resembled a gun, although the end was flattened.

“You left New Olympus despite the dangers to our people. If the human world finds out about us… our technology is strong, but no match for the world at large. You must not be found, and there is only one way to ensure that happens.”

“Look, you’ve got the wrong guy! I’ve never even heard of New Olympus!”

“Tell me about your childhood.”

“I… I don’t know. I can’t remember anything about my past, not since twenty-nine months ago.”

***

Thaylog nodded.  “Thank you, Professor. With the Talisman of Earth, I will now be able to cause a rift such that one individual may between worlds and heal you, father. All I need to do is…”

But in seconds, Thailog had leapt from the sofa and violently pushed Thaylog into the wall, which still glowed white with the vision of the Alkyrian world. The Talisman smashed and Thaylog, the portal and the talisman all disappeared.

Thailog smiled.  "Well, now that he’s out of the way, I’d best see about my - ah - inheritance.”

***

“I picked it up to give to that human. It… it says something. You should see.”

“That’s private, Chaz!” said Sabrina firmly. “You shouldn’t go nosing around in his work.”

...

“Chaz, do you know what these are?”

“They’re maps. Maps of the mansion.”

“Yes, they’re called blueprints. And these here are notes, writing - it looks like the same as…”

She stopped herself. Doubt was quickly vanishing from her mind that the handwriting was that of Ed Robinson, the reporter the clan had encountered a few nights previously. She would need to study the other paper, but there was little doubt.

"Was this all that you hid from your mother?"

Chaz blushed. “Well, no, there's also the picture. I thought it was kind of neat, so I kept it. It's right over there.” He pointed to a small table. Vash picked up the picture and examined it. It showed Llewelyn and Sabrina in a room she recognized as Thaylog's office. Something about the picture struck her as odd. She decided to hold onto it.

“Ah, Thaylog. I wonder what other secrets have you left behind? Well, it seems that there’s only one place to find them, if only his Newbridge office isn’t too heavily guarded. I can go quietly, and I can go unseen. A clan could hardly better perform the job than one lone infiltrator. I shall go tomorrow night. All my life I’ve hunted truth. Tomorrow perhaps, I’ll find it.”

-- "PIECE BY PIECE"

***

"What now?"

The four gargoyles exchanged looks, and saw only worry and dismay reflected in each other's faces.  It had been several days since they had last seen Thaylog, and so soon after the disappearance of Flynt and Kahreen, it was a matter of great concern.  Until now, they had held to the hope that their leader was out searching for their missing friends, and would soon return.  But after so long without word from any of them....

"I think we should start considering the possibility that none of them are going to return," said Vashkoda grimly.

"Maybe they've abandoned us," spoke Silver softly, looking down at her feet.  "Maybe they've all joined up with Daiya and Diamond somewhere."

Sabrina slowly shook her head back and forth, as if trying to deny what was happening.  "I knew it--I knew that it was all too good to be true!  Thaylog made us go through that big ceremony and then says we're all family, but the truth is that they still consider us outsiders.  We've all noticed how secretive--even hostile--Thay's been around us lately.  I guess they've finally found a way to get rid of us."

Llewelyn frowned.  "That doesn't make sense, though.  What about Shaiya?  Why would Thaylog leave her behind?  I thought those two were close."

"And they wouldn't abandon the mansion," nodded Silver, looking relieved.  "I guess that means we'll just have to be patient a little longer.  I'm sure Thaylog is doing the best he can to find Flynt and Kahreen.  In the meantime, though, we have a few things that need taking care of.  Like how we're going to keep this place running without Thaylog 's help."  

"What do you mean?" Sabrina frowned.

Silver waved a hand to encompass the rooms around them.  "The mansion must cost a lot to maintain.  I remember when I used to live among humans, almost my entire paycheck went into paying the bills for my home, and the rest went into buying food for Chaz and me."

"Speaking of which, our fridge is getting awfully bare," remarked Llewelyn worriedly.

Silver's face lit up.  "Well, there's plenty of game in the forest we could hunt.  If you guys want, I can bring back some juicy bunnies next time I go out!"

Llewelyn hastily broke the silence that followed Silver's offer.  "What about the internet?  Thay was always saying what a great thing it was, because he could buy things without anyone ever knowing who he was.  All we'd need are is credit cards--whose location I just happen to know-" she winked, "and we could pay the bills and buy food!"

"And do you know how to do all that?" asked Vashkoda doubtfully.

The long-horned gargoyle shrugged.  "No, but Shaiya might.  I've caught her once or twice on the computers by surprise.  She tried to pretend she was just playing and didn't know how to use them, but I knew better."

"Shaiya's always hiding things," growled Vash disapprovingly.  "I don't trust her."  She suddenly noticed the others exchange glances.  "What is it?" she asked them warily.

Sabrina cleared her throat.  "Vash, while you were downstairs, we just happened to start talking about how...uh... in Thay's absence, we thought that, well...."

"We've decided that Shaiya should lead the clan," blurted Silver, averting her gaze but still watching for Vash's reaction out of the corner of her eye.

"Shaiya?" repeated the golden-furred gargoyle in disbelief.  She looked around and saw the others nod in confirmation.

"She's been with Thaylog the longest out of those of us left," explained Sabrina.  "And she was always hanging around him.  Maybe he showed her where important things are stashed, or told her the password to his secret vault, or something..." she finished lamely.

"Why, were you hoping to be leader?" asked Llewelyn in an innocent voice, although the look in her eyes told Vash that she already knew the answer to her question.

"Wh-I-me-no," sputtered Vashkoda, stunned and feeling slightly betrayed.  She noticed that everyone's attention was on her, so she quickly shifted it elsewhere.  "What about Silver?  She's been on her own for most of her life, and knows what's needed to survive.  And as she's pointed out, she knows more about humans and their ways than any of us."

Silver looked embarrassed.  "No, leadership's not for me.  Besides, Shaiya's a survivor too, and...well, I trust her," she said, her gaze almost challenging.

Vash exhaled slowly through clenched teeth.  "So be it."  

She turned away from them and left the room, trying hard not to let her anger and disappointment show.

Shaiya?  They knew next to nothing of that gargoyle-who-was-not-a-gargoyle!  Sabrina had mentioned how they had been considered outsiders in the past, but in Vash's opinion, it had only strengthened the bond between them.  Among the five now left at the mansion, it was Shaiya who was the outsider.  And yet the others had chosen her to be their leader over one of their own.

Vashkoda found that she had retreated to the library without realizing it.  It was the one place she favored when needing refuge or a place to think.  Before he had disappeared, Thaylog had given her a few lessons in how to read the modern English language that she had so quickly grown accustomed to speaking.  She had been putting his lessons to good use, and when a new word or expression plagued her, she would grab the nearest clan member and ask them for help.

Thaylog's library was extensive.  Until recently, she had been one of the few who'd known that there was a hidden back room where the ivory gargoyle kept his magic texts.  In the past, Thaylog had brought her and Flynt there to help him translate passages in ancient languages with which they were both familiar.  Recently, however, the gargoyle had revealed its existence to the rest of the clan, so that they might search through the books for any reference to the magical device that may have zapped Flynt and Kahreen.  The Book of Zeroth had provided useful information, but said nothing about how to reverse the artifact's spell. 

"Hello Vashkoda."

The scorpion-tailed gargoyle froze in surprise as she spotted Shaiya sitting in her favorite chair.  Vash dug her claws into her palms in an effort to keep herself calm.

"They've chosen you as our new leader," the gargoyle said, managing to keep her voice steady and neutral.  They, not I, she thought to herself.  Let there be no mistaking that she had been in favor of the decision!

Shaiya smiled, and Vash wanted to throttle her.  "That was nice of them, but really, there's no need. Thaylog is still our leader."

Vashkoda raised an eyeridge in doubt.  "It's been days since he vanished.  Can you be so sure that he'll return?"

Shaiya's eyes flshed angrily, and the gargoyle took a step back in surprise.  "Thaylog would not abandon us!  We must have faith and trust that he will return.  He will be back!"  Her last words were almost a shout, and when she heard herself say them, a look of embarrassment quickly crossed her features before her face returned to its usual passive expression.

"I apologize--that was no way for your mentor to react."  She pulled another chair closer to her own.  "Come, sit next to me."

Vash instead moved closer to the doorway.  "I have nothing to learn from you," she said, still seething inside.  "You may have freed me from the spirit in the sword, but if you think that act has given you any power over me, you are greatly mistaken."

The silver-haired female said nothing, studying her with her large yellow-green eyes.  Vashkoda growled in frustration.  

"Fine, sit here and wait for him.  I'm going to search the city."

"He isn't there," Shaiya replied, almost without thinking.  But if Vashkoda heard her, she gave no sign as she stormed out of the room and escaped into the night.

Ed glanced down at the papers on his desk and sighed.  If someone had told him that the reclusive head of Inter-Dimensional Enterprises would one day single him out and pay an enormous sum for him to sneak into a high-security mansion and watch over a group of mythical creatures, Ed would have...well, it would have made an interesting story.  After all, he was a reporter--or used to be--and he had spent his life seeking out the bizarre and unusual.  Until last week, such matters were simply part of his job, and kept strictly apart from his personal life.  But with the appearance of Thaylog Legacy, the run-in with a supernatural assassin, and his surprise encounter with Legacy's charges, his life had been anything but normal.  Too frightened to return to his apartment, Ed spent his nights and days camped out in Legacy's own office.  The company executive had arranged for Ed to receive a large collection of keys and pages of photos and instructions, which included detailed maps and security codes.  Ed thought the information and precautions were exaggerated, but when he had tried to enter the Inter-Dimensional Enterprises building, he found himself challenged by guards and locked doors at every turn.  The level of security only further intrigued the ex-reporter, and helped silence the voice of caution that would have otherwise had him running out of that place as fast as his legs could carry him.

But now it was too late to run, and besides, Ed had nowhere else to go.  At least for the time being.  Thaylog had provided Ed with a large monthly salary that could easily pay for a place anywhere in Newbridge city.  Even a mansion.

Ed looked guiltily at the pictures spread out before him.  The creatures' mansion was well hidden in the thick forests encircling the town.  Even with the maps, he had had a hard time finding it--and he prided himself on having a goods sense of direction!  The number of traps and security cameras in the surrounding area astounded him, but thankfully he had been able to transmit the codes that temporarily disabled each one.  Yesterday he had arrived just before dawn, as the instructions told him to, and used the secret passageways Legacy recommended.  Although he'd briefly seen them in person a few nights back, it had still been hard to accept that there was a clan of the mysterious creatures living in his own town! The biggest surprise of all was seeing them turn to stone.  The papers warned him, however, that a few had the ability to stay awake during the day, so Ed continued to be careful as he snuck through the passageways and explored their home.

Originally he had thought his job was to gather information on the clan for Mr. Legacy, who was no doubt as intrigued by their species as he was.  But when the video arrived and the CEO was revealed to be one of them, Ed no longer knew what to think.

Take care of them?  How?  On top of that, he was supposed to do so secretly, since some of the creatures--gargoyles--wouldn't appreciate his help.  That suited Ed just fine, since he wasn't sure how safe it would be to interact with them directly.  His mouth turned dry every time he thought about his first encounter with the clan, who had materialized out of the darkness and attacked a strange creature who threatened to kill him.  Ed wasn't exactly sure what had happened in the fiery chaos that followed, except that at some point, the assassin had thrown herself off the building as her head exploded.  The security guards forced the gargoyles to flee, which was probably for the best.  Ed had had about as much craziness as a man could handle in one night.

He continued to gaze at the pictures, though he had looked at them so often that the images were practically burned into his memory.  

It was unfair that all this responsibility now rested on his shoulders.  He had been trained as a reporter, not a secret agent or a nursemaid or whatever it was he had become.  And if the stranger was still out there, Ed was in a great deal of danger.  He had to take care of himself, first and foremost.  After all, even if he wanted to help out those creatures, he would be no good to them dead.

Realizing that he'd reached a decision, he gathered up the papers on his desk and tucked them into a folder.  It was a Sunday night, so he wouldn't be running into those annoying secretaries who pestered him with questions on when Mr. Legacy was coming back.  Ed never knew what to tell them, though from the video, it didn't seem like it would be any time soon.

All he had to do was get past the security guards.  That would not be a problem, since Thaylog had left explicit instructions to allow him in and out of the building any time he chose.  

Ed froze as a ceiling tile went crashing to the floor, followed by the large and predatory form he recognized as one of Legacy's charges.  A name came to mind from the CEO's files, and Ed realized after it was too late that he had spoken the name aloud.

"Vashkoda."

The gargoyle didn't seem at all surprised that Ed knew her name, which was a little worrisome.  As she approached him, Ed tried to hide the incriminating folder behind his chair.

"Where's Thaylog?"

Ed's thoughts were racing.  It was true that he had been at the building the night Thaylog went missing, but surely...surely they didn't think he was responsible!  

"I don't know where he is," he insisted, managing to hide the fear from his voice.

In reply, Vashkoda dropped a picture onto his desk.  Ed recognized it as one of those that had flown away from him during his flight from the assassin.

"That picture shows several members of my clan in Thaylog's office--this office, I believe.  Strange that I now find you here, as I was told that Thaylog took great pains to keep out unwanted visitors.  So how did you come here, and how was this picture taken?  Either you are a master thief or spy..." the creature gave him a look that showed how little it found that option likely--Ed was tempted to reveal how he had indeed managed to break into their home, but decided against it--"or Thaylog had these pictures secretly taken and wanted you to have them, and to have access to this room."

Ed snorted in amusement.  "So if Legacy and I are such good friends, why would I have anything to do with what happened to him?"

Vashkoda seized his words.  "And what exactly did happen to Thaylog?"

Ed heard a loud chuckle, and looked around for the source.  The gargoyle looked similarly startled.

"Heh heh heh heh.  Why all the fuss?  I'm right here."

Thailog looked around at his new possessions with smug satisfaction.  Inter-Dimensional Enterprises was his--he had finally forged the documents that would make the merger with his own company official.  He had decided to pay the building a long overdue visit, so that he could plan how to redecorate it to suit his particular tastes.

That, and he hated to admit it, but he had yet to fully break into Thaylog's computer systems and access the files he needed to run his son's empire.  He might have been proud of his son's ingenuity--if he had any sense of family whatsoever.  His own twisted origins taught him how little such things as family or clan mattered.  After all, he had had no compunctions in exiling his flesh and blood to another dimension.

There isn't room in this universe for two Thailogs, he thought to himself with a smile.

He decided to give the computer hacking another try.  Slowly but surely, he was gaining access to those files. 

After an hour of frustrating attempts, he finally managed to break into another system.  "Building security," he grumbled to himself.  "Hardly a prize worth my efforts.  Although..."  Thailog remembered that his son had a particularly vicious streak in him that rivaled his own.  "This may prove interesting.  There should still be a few humans in the building."  Thaylog checked the sensors.  There were two guards on the first floor, and six more making rounds on the upper levels.

"And what's this?"

In Thaylog's office was a gargoyle...and a human registered as having the highest level of security clearance.

"Interesting indeed."

"Why all the fuss?  I'm right here."

The human looked up at Vashkoda in surprise.  "That's not Thaylog's voice," he whispered.  As if Vashkoda herself couldn't have told the difference.

"Very astute," they heard it chuckle.

Vash noticed that the camera in Thaylog's office had been activated, and that the voice was coming from a speaker just below it.  She swept her tail upwards and smashed the camera.  She heard a laugh in response.

"Do try to be gentle with my property,  Not all of it is as replaceable as you two."

"Prop- what?  We're not you're property!" cried the human, sounding indignant, but still afraid.  

"And neither is this building," growled Vashkoda, heading towards the door.  When she found out who the owner of that voice was....

"Really?  What a pity.  I thought the two of you were here for my amusement."

Vashkoda gasped as a heavy iron slab fell directly in front of her, blocking the exit.  "As for this building, considering my son's unfortunate accident, I believe it is my duty to assume responsibility of his fortune and property.  Soon, this company will become a permanent part of Legacy Enterprises."  After a chilling pause, he added, "which means that the two of you are trespassing--at your own risk, of course.  And what a risk it is!"

"What did you do to Thaylog!" Vashkoda shouted.  'My son'?  Could this really be Thaylog's father?

"You can't do this!" Ed cried, desperately searching for another way out.  "You'll never get away with it!"

"And who would dispute my claim?  His protégée?  His clan?  I'll be rid of the rest of them soon enough, but at least I know I won't have to worry about you two."

Vash heard the human cry out, and turned to see a thick yellow gas ooze out from under the door.

"I would love to stick around and listen to you choke and scream, but I have preparations to make for my big day tomorrow.  Au revoir!"

Either the Oni's assault had finally taken its toll on Thaylog's judgment, or the gargoyle had deliberately allowed himself to be sacrificed.  Had he feared what would happen if the demon took over his mind?

Yet the gargoyle had not died after all--a shame, since the Oni could have still controlled his body even after death.  Instead, Thaylog had passed through a portal to a place where the demon could not follow.

Outraged at being denied its prey, the demon had tried to take over the father.  Powerful energies swirled around the creature, similar to those it had sensed in its last host.  But whereas Thaylog had willingly let the Oni enter, it seemed unlikely that this gargoyle would let down his defenses.

The only other person in the room was a human who had been killed shortly afterwards.  He didn't seem worth the effort to revive.

Since then, the Oni had wandered around the building, searching for a new host.  But the place was populated entirely by humans, and after tasting the raw energy that gargoyles possessed, the Oni would be satisfied by little else.

It was about to give up when it heard Thailog's laughter and noted the two he had trapped downstairs.  The Oni decided to investigate, and drifted through the floor and walls to better observe them.  It recognized the human, who it had seen a few times but never bothered to examine.  Yet now, to its surprise, the demon could sense a rich supply of energy inside of him.  And standing there next to him was a gargoyle!  It was a feast that the Oni could not pass up.

If Thailog had his way, the two would be dead in minutes.  Worse, the gas that now filled the room would melt the flesh off their bones, and though death itself was not a problem, it would be impossible to drain away their energy if they no longer had actual bodies to possess.

It needed them alive.  The Oni sensed a plan beginning to form.

Ed inched away from the strange yellow gas and looked around for another exit.  The moment the gargoyle had moved towards the doorway, a thick iron slab had slammed down in front of her.  The windows and ceiling were similarly blocked--Ed could see the metal gleam through the space where the tile had once been.  He wouldn't be surprised if the floor and walls were also sealed.  Vashkoda must have come to the same conclusion, and had given up clawing at the walls.  Instead, Ed was surprised to see her drop to one knee and begin to pray aloud.

"Great Merlin, I have given my life to you and our cause.  I have served you honorably without question or fear.  I now pass on the duty-" a look of doubt and disappointment crossed her features before she continued, "I now pass this duty to another more suited than I, who will continue in my place until the day our task is done."  She traced a symbol on the ground with her finger, and pressed her forehead against it.

"Forgive me," she whispered.

Ed looked at the gargoyle worriedly.  "I hope you just cast a magic spell or something, or we're going to be in a whole lot of trouble soon."  The gas was taking its time, slowly making its way towards them

"Perhaps not."  

Ed yelped as a misty figure passed through the wall and appeared before them.  

"I have a proposition that I believe will benefit us all.  Allow me to show you a sample--otherwise I fear you will not live long enough to hear my offer."

As it spoke, and before either could protest, the figure had taken them both by the hand.  Ed felt dizzy for a moment, then realized that all three of them had become transparent.  He flinched as a wisp of yellow vapor reached out...and passed right through them!  The chair where he had been sitting only moments before began to sizzle, then in seconds, it collapsed and turned into dust.

"Who...what did you...what just happened?!" Ed cried.

"We have been merged.  In this state, I can alter our substance so that it can pass through other matter.  I can return you to the way you were if you wish...."

The reporter glanced miserably at the thick clouds of yellow gas swirling around the room.  "You aren't exactly giving us much of a choice, here."

"I ask very little in return," it replied, sounding sincere.  "I am but a poor spirit, lacking the strength to leave this place on my own.  I need someone to help me reach the outside--acting as a host, if you will.  In return, I will share my abilities with you, so that we may pass through these barriers safely."

The gargoyle frowned.  "Why can't you leave this building yourself?  

"When a soul is separated from its body, it sometimes gets trapped in a nearby object, or is bound to the location of its death.  In such cases, it requires outside help in order to escape."

Ed was puzzled.  "You mean you died...here?  But no one's died in this building, not unless....oh geez, Mr. Legacy, is that you?!"

"No, I am not he, but I do know what has happened to him."  Vashkoda's eyes lit up, but the spirit forestalled her questions.  "I will reveal all I know, but first I beg of you to agree to my offer.  I need your help."

Ed shivered as he watched Thaylog's desk slowly disintegrate before his eyes.  "I've sort of grown attached to my skin, so...uh, I guess you have my vote."

Vashkoda hesitated.  "I have been a host before, and I don't fancy relinquishing control of my body again."

"You need have no fear of that.  When we are merged, we will equally share control.  Our minds will also be linked, so that through my memories you will learn what happened to your friend."

That seemed to satisfy the gargoyle.  But another thought occurred to Ed.  "You'll leave us once we're all out of the building, right?"

The spirit paused before answering.  "Yes, of course.  I'll have no more need of you, then."

"All right, then we both agree.  Let's get this over with quickly, before I change my mind," Vashkoda grimaced.

Ed looked down in surprise as the spirit's hand merged with his own, physically linking them together.  Otherwise, he felt no different than before.  He noted in disappointment that his feet were still planted firmly on the ground.

"Hey, how come we aren't floating?"

"You aren't ghosts," the spirit patiently explained.  "I only separated your molecules so that you could pass through solid objects, but your mass remains the same.  That mass is weighing us down, so that I must concentrate to prevent us from falling through the floor."

"Wouldn't that be a faster way to get out of the building?  Falling through the floor, I mean," Ed suggested hopefully.

"If we lose cohesion and begin to fall, it would take time for me to reassemble your molecules to a solid state.  Meanwhile, we would continue to accelerate as we got closer to the ground, until-"

Ed knew enough physics to predict the inevitable outcome, and it wasn't pretty.  "Ok, forget I asked."  He tried experimentally to take a step forward, eager to get moving, but discovered that it was no easy feat.  His body lacked substance, and moved almost as slowly as the gas had flowed from under the door.

"I am more accustomed to this form, therefore allow me to direct our movements."  Ed relinquished control, and noted that they were swiftly making progress towards the door.  In alarm, he realized that they weren't slowing down, and braced himself as they were about to crash through it.  When he didn't feel the impact, he cautiously opened both eyes and saw that they were already in the next room.  They had phased right through the door!

He was sure the spirit was laughing at him.

Ed knew that they were in the secretaries' office, but only because he had passed through it so often.  It was barely recognizable now, with only scattered piles of dust as evidence that there had ever been anything there at all.  Because the gas had entered Thaylog's office from under the door, Ed knew that it must have struck here first.

This time Ed was ready when they phased out of the room.  He made a disgruntled sound as he remembered how long it usually took for him to physically open that door, due to the multiple security devices attached to it.  He was certainly beginning to appreciate his new form.

They were in a long corridor, covered on all sides by polished white tiles that gave the place a cold and barren feel that had nothing to do with the gas.  He had always hated walking down it--staring at the tiles too long was disorienting, and if he wasn't already standing, he'd start to doubt which way was up.

Ed looked down as he felt an odd sensation across his midsection.  He caught a glimpse of something red before it vanished, and he wondered if he had imagined it.  The spirit kept them moving forward as if nothing had happened.  But then Ed saw it again--red streaks of light that crisscrossed through their nearly translucent body.  He thought at once of lasers.

But the light passed right through me, he thought, trying to reassure himself.  Surely there's nothing to worry about-

In response, Ed heard the click of a latch being released, and quicker than he could possibly react, the floor dropped out from under him.

*     *     *

At first, Vashkoda didn't know what was happening.  She sensed that she was moving, but saw only darkness.  Then a candle was lit, and the area was illuminated by a faint glow.  Vash now recognized her surroundings--it was the exercise room in the mansion.  She was sitting on the floor, with a candle directly across from her.  Lying atop her knees was an unsheathed sword carved with the symbol of the dragon.  Thaylog's sword. 

The blade glowed blue as a voice began to speak.

"Hello, Thaylog-san.  It has been a while since we've spoken."

Vashkoda heard Thaylog reply, and realized that she must be seeing through his eyes.  But how was that possible?

"Master, I did what you asked--I've made peace with my father.  But he is gravely ill, and has asked for my help."

"Ah, so that is what troubles you."

Vashkoda could feel Thaylog grimace.  "Yes, though perhaps not in the way that you mean.  He's asked me to bring him items--very powerful and dangerous artifacts--in an effort to cure him.  He claims my mother's gift of immortality has been taken away, causing this illness in him.  Unfortunately, she is nowhere to be found.  He would like me to use the items' magic to establish a link to her people's dimension and ask them to restore the gift."

"You do not think you will succeed?"

Thaylog sighed.  "Master, you don't know my father.  Even in the state he's in, I suspect he is up to something."

"Have you mentioned these fears to the rest of the clan?"

"No!" he replied, instantly and without hesitation.  "I approached my father because you asked me to, despite the danger.  But I will not get the others involved.  If something happens to me, so be it, but if something were to happen to them-"

"If something were to happen to you, who would watch over the clan?"

"I've made arrangements.  Hopefully the man has already had a chance to 'watch over' them.  And I believe he can be trusted."

Vashkoda realized in surprise that he was referring to the human reporter.  So Thaylog really had hired him to spy on the clan!

"You should not go alone.  If you will not speak to the others, then at least allow me to come with you."

"Not all dangers can be faced with a sword," the gargoyle reminded him.

"You may not need a weapon, but you can certainly use a friend.  I will be both."

Thaylog nodded at last.  Vashkoda felt him rise to his feet and blow out the candle, plunging them once more into darkness.

*     *     *

He realized after a moment of panic that the floor was still there, but had broken down the middle to form two pieces slanting sharply downward.  What lay between them was hidden in shadows, but Ed thought he could see light glint off multiple metal points.

The spirit had immediately reacted and latched their body against the slope, but the white tiles were smooth and slippery.  As they began to slide closer to the pit, Ed saw that there was something else down there.  He recognized the gray and blue colors of the IDE guard uniforms.

"There's someone else down there!" he cried in horror.

"Remain calm," the spirit said, its voice sounding strained.  "Nothing can be done for him, but we might still get out of this alive."  Ed wasn't sure how that was possible, until he noticed what the spirit had done.

"Wh-what happened to my arms?" he asked, shaken.  He could no longer see them past the elbows, at which point they seemed to disappear into the tiles.

The spirit paused a few moments before answering.  "I have re-solidified them into the floor.  They are keeping us anchored here."  Ed realized that it was true as he began to feel the strain in his shoulders.

"But my arms!  We aren't just going to stay here like this-"

"Be patient."

With a loud creak and a rumble, the floor slowly began to right itself.  Ed's arms were pulled free, and the spirit hastily guided them to the opposite end of the corridor.  The floor finally slammed shut over the pit, blocking Ed's view of the guard's body.  Unfortunately, the image of what he had seen was still vividly clear in his mind.

What kind of a monster would devise such traps, and then have them installed where they could hurt innocent people?

"A true monster indeed," agreed the spirit, reading Ed's thoughts.  "After all, you know who this building belongs to."

Thaylog.  Were these traps a clue to his true nature?  Was this dark side a part of all gargoyles?  Their kind was still a great enigma to Ed.  "We are a peaceful people" Thaylog had told him.  Had that been a lie to gain his trust?

"Why don't you find out?" offered the spirit.  "The gargoyle is busy searching through my memories.  She won't even notice if you go into hers."

Ed realized that Vashkoda had been silent ever since they had merged, and now understood why.  The idea of intruding into someone else's mind didn't greatly appeal to him, but he couldn't deny that it would be a useful learning experience.  And if it could keep him distracted so that he didn't have to think about that guard, or risk seeing other grisly sights as they made their way through the building....

"All right, but not for too long, and I want to wake up right away if-"

Ed's voice faltered as he was suddenly overcome by a rush of color and sound.

*     *     *

He found himself in a great hall.  Guards armed with medieval-looking weapons stood watch at every doorway and along the raised platform at the center of the room.  Banners and tapestries lined the stone walls, portraying various heraldic beasts and emblems.  But although the room was richly decorated, the colors were dark and somber.  The flickering torchlight could scarcely hold back the deep shadows creeping from the ceiling and far corners of the chamber.

It was in one of those corners that Ed stood, enveloped by the darkness.  He realized that he could not move, but he could still watch and listen.

A barbarian chieftain entered the hall, accompanied by two of his men.  They approached the golden throne resting upon the dais and bowed to its occupant, but Ed was not at an angle where he could see who sat there.  

"Lord Duval--as you have asked, we have done," spoke their leader, keeping his eyes respectfully lowered.  "My tribe has raided the outlying villages, burned the crops, and blocked off all trade with the neighboring kingdom.  The people are now starved and frightened, and should be easy to conquer."  The man's eyes gleamed wickedly.

"Yes, you have done well, Yleric," spoke the lord.  He gestured towards a servant, who brought forth a bag that took two hands to carry.  Ed heard the clinking sound of coins as the bag was passed to one of the barbarians.

Yleric eyed the bag greedily.  "Thank you, thank you, my lord!"  He led his men back towards the doorway from they had entered.  As he was about to leave the hall, he hesitated and turned around, bowing once again.

"Lord Duval, if you would like, my men could continue the raids.  It would soften the villagers and make them easier for your warriors to control."  His men grinned, almost licking their lips in anticipation.

The man on the throne waved his hand in dismissal.  Yleric looked disappointed, but bowed again and hastily returned to his men and his reward.  

Duval called out to them as they were about to cross the threshold.

"Yes lord?" asked the chieftain, hoping that Duval had changed his mind.

"Be careful on the road back to your tribe.  Strange creatures are known to roam these mountains at night."

The barbarian's face went pale, then he made one final bow and rushed his warriors out of the hall.

A richly dressed man stepped into the room and casually approached the throne.  The look of disgust was clear on his face.

"Yes, I know, but I had to hire these barbarians in order to convince the villagers that they needed my protection." Duval sighed.  "If only they could understand that I am doing this for their own good, and that these lands must be united under a single ruler if they are to truly find peace."

"You are a great man, my lord.  They do not deserve your kindness."

A few moments passed in silence.  Duval finally turned to his aid.

"Have I given him enough time?"

The man nodded.  "And you did give them warning."

Duval clapped his hands twice.  Ed was startled as he found himself suddenly racing towards the throne--on all fours, no less!

Two gargoyles emerged from the shadows and joined him.  Ed thought that something about them seemed familiar, and then recognized the dark blue hoods they wore as similar to the one he had seen on Vashkoda.  Of course! 

Ed finally understood what was happening--the spirit was allowing him to experience Vashkoda's memories.  He hadn't realized it before because he couldn't sense any of her thoughts or emotions.  Ed wondered if that was normal, but then again, he had no idea how any of this was supposed to work.  He hadn't even fully come to terms with the fact that he was actually in someone else's head.

He realized that Duval had been speaking to them, but his words sounded strange and unintelligible to Ed.  The man held a golden chalice as he spoke, waving it before their eyes.  

Suddenly the scene shifted, and Ed found himself outside in the middle of a storm.  He--or Vashkoda, rather--was moving quickly over the mountainous terrain.  The other two gargoyles ran silently beside her.  Ed could see torchlight not too far ahead, and heard the whinny of horses.

The animals had already sensed their presence, and the riders had to work hard to keep them from bolting.  The rain made the rocky path slippery, and one false step could send both mount and rider tumbling off the mountain.

The gargoyles wasted no time.  Each veered towards a different target, and with a swipe of their talons, took down the horses.  Ed recognized the men as the barbarians he had seen earlier in the hall.  But why would Duval send the gargoyles after his own allies?

Vashkoda's opponent managed to draw his sword, but was quickly disarmed as she spun her tail around to knock it out of his hand and leave a bleeding gash across his chest.  The man was too shocked to do more than stand there as she tore him apart with her claws.  Ed tried desperately to look away, but he was seeing through Vashkoda's eyes, and was forced to watch every second of it.

Ed's senses were overwhelmed by the sight of mutilated bodies, the smell of hot blood, and the screams of dying men and horses.  He felt a chill spread through his body, but it wasn't from the freezing rain that pounded against his skin. 

When his mind sensed the darkness come, Ed eagerly surrendered to it.

*     *     *

Vashkoda knew that she had returned to her own body, but everything was still pitch black.  Even with her gargoyle vision, she couldn't see where she was.

"Spirit?  Are you there?" she asked.

"Yes."

"You brought me back too soon.  I still haven't learned what happened to Thaylog!"  She paused before adding, "And...why is it so dark?"

"It has been like this in most of the places we've passed through.  Do not be concerned--I still know where we are."

Vashkoda thought at once of Thaylog's father, and the fact that Thaylog himself suspected he was up to no good.  "He probably did this to slow us down," she growled.  "I have to go back!  I have to see what he did to Thaylog!"

"I cannot do that right now," the spirit responded, sounding wearied.  "Giving you access to my mind disrupts my concentration, and I am still very weak.  I need my thoughts to be clear if I am to guide us through this building."

Almost as an afterthought, it added, "But if you'd like, I can still give you access to the human's mind."

The gargoyle didn't find the offer very interesting.  Until the spirit added, "After all, he is going through your memories right now.  It would only be fair."

"What?!" she cried, enraged that the reporter would dare do such a thing.  "All right, I agree, send me there so that I can-"

Her words faded away as she once again lost consciousness.

The Oni smiled, proud of its deceptions.  Its two hosts were so occupied that they didn't even realize what was happening, or where the Oni was taking them.

It phased through the wall and into another corridor.

The lights in the hallway immediately went out as the demon began drawing power away from them.  It had discovered that most of the traps required electricity to function, so the demon had found it simpler to deactivate them this way than maneuver around them.  The electricity was also a welcome supplement to the energy it drained from his hosts.  Soon the Oni would reach its fill, and then-

It sensed the human stirring.  The Oni cursed, not wishing to deal with the pest.  If all had gone as planned, however, the human and gargoyle would now be set against each other.  The ensuing conflict was sure to keep them distracted until the Oni finished its task.

"Ohhhhh, I think I'm going to be sick," the reporter moaned.

The Oni made a sympathetic sound.  "I apologize if the experience was...difficult for you.  But now you know what those creatures are truly capable of."

Ed made no reply.

"There is more for you to see.  Let me show it to you."

"No, I don't think so."

The demon frowned.  "No?  But...but even now, the gargoyle is going through your own memories.  You have every right to-"

"Then I hope she has better luck at seeing my past than I've had.  I can't remember anything past a few years ago, and no doctor's ever been able to figure out why."  The human reached out towards a wall to steady himself, but noticed in dismay that his hand passed right through it.

"Besides, I don't want to see any more of... of that.  I just want to sit here and rest a bit."  Ed lowered himself to the ground, preventing the Oni from pulling them forward.  "So how close are we to the exit?  And why are the lights all out?"

The Oni sighed in frustration.  "I am making progress, and do not need the light to see.  But we waste time  resting--the longer we wait, the greater the chance that we will be discovered."

The human frowned.  "Maybe you're right.  But I honestly can't take another step-"

"Then allow me to lead us out of here.  Your body can rest while your mind is focused elsewhere."

"I guess....  Wait--I'm not saying that I want to go back there!  Don't-"

The Oni didn't wait for him to finish.  After all, it could only bend the rules so far. 

It watched in satisfaction as the human's eyes closed and his control over their shared body was lost.  Finally the demon was free of him, at least for a while. 

But a while was all the Oni needed.  Then the human and the gargoyle would be powerless to stop it.

*     *     *

Vashkoda stood before a wall of solid earth, stretching a hundred feet or more to either side.  Unlike her experience in Thaylog's memory, this time she found herself in her own body...or at least a mental projection of it.  She could not sense Ed's thoughts or emotions at all.  

Had the spirit sent her to the wrong place?

Vash considered climbing the wall, but when she looked up, she couldn't even see the end of it.  Strange, she thought.  This must be here for a reason.  Maybe I am meant to discover its purpose.

She walked towards one edge of the structure to see what was on the other side.  As she approached, she heard a loud and steady wail, and felt a sudden drop in the temperature.  Cautiously, she inched her way around the corner-

-and was knocked back several feet by a powerful force.  Stunned, she looked up and saw a stream of turbid hurricane-like winds, erupting from the ground and shooting towards the sky.  The force of the stream was such that it formed a massive pressure gradient that repelled anything that even tried to approach it.  

Apparently, it was meant to act as a barrier, similar to the other wall she had found.  

She returned to her starting position, and decided to explore the opposite edge of the first wall.

This time, it was a stream of fire.  Vash had to squint her eyes to block out the intense golden light.  She noticed that the roiling, burning mass never moved beyond the edge of the barrier.  The dry heat was incredible, but if she ran, Vash thought that she might be able to make it to the opposite side.

She took a deep breath, folded her wings across her back, and dashed along the barrier as fast as she could.  The hot air made her eyes water and her skin gleam with sweat, but it didn't take long for the liquid to evaporate, burning her skin as it did so. 

As she neared the end, the air changed, becoming moist and heavy.  Now the heat was almost unbearable, and Vash could hardly breathe.  Thankfully, by this time she had made it past the flames, and dropped to the ground, exhausted.

A cloud of vapor surrounded her, so that she didn't immediately notice the nature of the fourth wall.  When she finally rose to her feet and approached, she saw that it was a sheet of flowing water.  Where it met the flames at the corner, the liquid boiled and turned to steam.

Unlike the other barriers, this wall was almost transparent.  When Vash came up alongside it, she thought she could see colors and movement behind the water.  She hesitantly reached out the touch the surface with her finger.  The moment she made contact, the water around the finger turned to ice.  

She drew back in surprise, both from the change and...something else.  When she had briefly touched the water, an image had formed in her mind, and she had sensed the presence of another consciousness.  Surrounded by mist as she now was, the experience reminded her of the Dreams she had when she was on Merlin's isle.

She had to assume that it had been the reporter's mind she had felt.  She didn't know why his memories were shielded behind the barrier, but she seemed to have found a way past it.

Vashkoda raised her hand to the water once again, this time pressing her entire palm against it.

She was no longer aware of the wall or her body.  Her mind was filled with thoughts and images and feelings that were not her own.

She was watching the sunset from a beach, and somehow knew that she was on an island.  As her head turned, she saw a great city, glowing with both magic and electricity.  The sight was familiar to Vash, but it was not something that would be seen in the human world for at least another century.  Where...or when, was she?

Figures approached.  Vashkoda couldn't believe her eyes.

Although a few were humanoid, none of the strangers could be called human.  Some had wings, others had scales, and still others had bodies that looked half-animal.  Vash even spotted two or three gargoyles among them.

She expected that the human would be frightened by these creatures and flee.  She was surprised when instead, she detected warmth and a natural acceptance towards them.

The reporter extended his hands in greeting.  Vash's mind focused on those hands... there was something not quite right about them.

A searing pain jolted her out of the memory and back to the barrier.  She saw that her hand was now fully coated in ice, and had to use all of her strength to tear it free from the wall.  The skin on her right palm was raw and bloody, burned from the intense cold.

She glanced back at the wall, and was surprised to see that the structure had vanished.  

Then the whole world turned black.

*     *     *

Ed once again found himself on the mountain, racing towards the chieftain and his men.

"Oh no, don't you dare send me here again!" he cried, though he was unable to physically speak the words.  "Oh please-oh please-oh please let me wake up now!  I can't take seeing that again, I haven't even recovered from the last time."

The horses whinnied as they approached.  Ed closed his eyes, but it had no effect--he could still see everything.

"I can't take it, do you hear me?" his mind shouted.  "STOP!"

Ed sensed something change...as if he'd just been freed from some kind of restraint.

The world around him tumbled and twisted, with colors and sounds blending in and out of each other.  Now I know what my laundry feels like, Ed thought to himself, wondering whether it would have been better for him to have remained on the mountain after all.

Finally the spinning stopped.  Before Ed had time to readjust, he felt a hand pressed over his mouth.

"You aren't going to cry out, are you?"

Ed stared at the speaker dumbly, wondering why she was asking him such a question. After his previous experiences, it didn't even faze him to see that it was another gargoyle.  This one had long golden antlers and a small horn sticking out from the middle of her forehead.  She also wore the deep blue hood that he had seen on the others.

Ed shook his head in reply, and the hand was removed.  "Are you feeling all right?" she asked.

"No, I feel like I'm having the hangover from hell," he answered.  But what actually came out of his mouth was, "Golden, is that really you?"

The gargoyle smiled.  "It's good to see you too, my sister.  Especially now that you have been freed from Sir Percival's spell."

"He calls himself Duval now," said Vashkoda, rising to her feet.  Ed suddenly felt a rush of emotion from the gargoyle, which was all the more startling due to the fact that he had felt nothing from her earlier.  The mention of Duval's name had triggered a great deal of rage which she fought hard to suppress, but mixed in with these feelings was shame, and more than a little fear.

"How did you get here, and how did you escape the spell?"

Golden fingered the fabric of her hood.  "Getting in was simple enough.  As for why I wasn't affected, it seems my body's own magic was able to counter it.  When I saw that you and the others had fallen, I knew that there was nothing I could do to help--I needed to research a counter-spell."  A look of guilt passed over her face. "So I fled."

"You did the right thing," Vash reassured her.  Glancing at herself, she added, "You were obviously successful."

Golden nodded unhappily.  "Yet it took me almost two years to find all the ingredients I needed.  I didn't dare use the Island--if I had, I might not have been able to come back for you.  And even so, I was only able to make enough potion for one dose."  She showed Vash what remained of the shattered vial.

"Then I am grateful that you chose me," said Vashkoda, still awed at her efforts to free them.

The other gargoyle blushed.  "Well, to be honest, you were the first one I came across."  Her expression suddenly turned grave.  "But we cannot stay here--we must flee before he realizes that you've escaped."

Vashkoda stared at her in surprise.  "But our brothers...and the Grail!  Surely we aren't going to leave them behind!"

Golden looked worried.  "Vash, I would have to make more potion.  And we can always return later to retrieve the Grail."

Vashkoda shook her head.  "Golden, I know where the Grail is being kept.  We may not have this chance again, especially once Duval discovers that I'm no longer under his control."

The antlered gargoyle sighed, then nodded her assent.  By unspoken agreement, Vash remained visible while Golden donned her own hood, allowing her to follow unseen.  Vashkoda entered the great hall, noting in relief that the guards didn't challenge her.

The grail was still where Duval had left it--lying across the cushions of his throne.  The man himself was thankfully absent.  She approached the platform.

The guards would be watching her now.  She had to act fast, and grab the chalice and slip on her hood before they could stop her.  Golden would be waiting at the entrance to the hall, ready to disable the guards if there was need.

She wasted no time, leaping onto the throne and grabbing the Grail.  But as she dropped from the dais, now invisible, she heard a malevolent laugh.

"So the fourth returns at last.  And it seems you've corrupted one of my creatures--how inconsiderate."

Vash spun, looking for the source of the voice.  Through her thoughts, Ed was able to identify the speaker, even though he had never before caught a glimpse of his face.  

Duval walked causally into the room, followed by the other two gargoyles Ed recognized from the mountain.

"Run, Vash!  Remember, he can't see you!"

Vashkoda needed no prompting.  She raced to where she knew Golden was waiting--the two guards there were already knocked unconscious.

She heard a loud hiss behind her, and a second later, a bright flash illuminated the room.  The light pierced through the shadows created by her hood, making her visible once again.

"You have fallen right into my trap.  I knew that the fake chalice would draw you here."  Duval motioned at the other gargoyles.  "I want both of them brought to me alive!" he ordered.

Fake? realized Vashkoda in dismay.  She angrily tossed the cup aside, and braced herself for the gargoyles' charge.  Hearing the sound of wings, she saw that Goldenhart had joined her--her expression grim.

Ed watched as the four gargoyles fought each other.  The one facing Vash looked reptilian, with dark green scales and a snout full of teeth.  Golden's opponent looked older, with streaks of white in his golden mane.  Two horns jutted from his head, and his tail ended in twin spikes that looked almost like fangs.  He used both as a weapon, forcing Golden to retreat again and again.

Vash circled her opponent, looking for an opening.  She didn't want to hurt her brother, but neither did she want to lose and be placed once again under Duval's dark spell.

He rushed her suddenly, knocking her down.  Through Vash, Ed could feel the gargoyle's hot breath on her face, and felt the pain in her wrists as he twisted them mercilessly, keeping her pinned.  Then suddenly, Vashkoda jerked sideways, freeing her tail, which she whipped around to strike at the gargoyle's side.  He roared in pain and began to thrash wildly.  After a few moments, the motion stopped, and Ed felt the hold weaken.

Vash rolled out of his grasp.  The gargoyle remained on the ground, seeming unable to move.

Ed heard a roar of pain, though he couldn't tell if it was from Golden or the one she fought.  Vash ran to where she had last spotted them fighting, and saw Golden lying on the ground.  She dashed to her friend's side.

"I'm all right, I'm all right," she assured her.  Vash looked around for signs of the other gargoyle.  She saw a dark mass on the floor on the opposite side of the room.  She was about to go investigate, when Golden reached out and stopped her.

"No, don't look.  It..." Golden trembled, and tears began to well in her eyes.  "I thought he going to kill me, and I just...reacted.  I've never used that spell before, and had no idea of its power...."

Ed sensed a deep pang of sadness in Vash--a feeling more intense than any he had felt in her before. 

"What of Saur?" asked Golden, trying to dry her tears.

Vash took a deep breath to steady herself.  "I had to use my poison.  It will wear off shortly, unless I give him another dose."

"He's still under Duval's control," sighed Golden miserably.  Her eyes fell on the discarded chalice, and she reached over to pick it up.  "The spell was ingenious.  It was tied to our oath to protect the Grail, extending it so as to force us to protect the Grail's master as well.  And hence, he became your master."

An idea began to form in Vash's head.  "If he was made to break that oath, do you think it might also break the spell?"

Golden considered her question.  "Perhaps.  But you know that our oath cannot easily be broken."

Vashkoda smiled.  "Not consciously."  She took the chalice from Goldenhart and snapped it into pieces with her claws.  She told Golden her plan, and the gargoyle's eyes widened in surprise and hope.

Ed watched as Vashkoda--masked by the hood's powers--slipped the fragments of the Grail underneath Saur's body.  The gargoyle was beginning to stir, the effects of the poison finally fading from his system.  Golden then approached him, causing Saur to growl in warning.  She wore an expression of astonishment, and pointed to the shards of the goblet.

"Saur, you destroyed the Grail!  How could you do such a thing?  How could you break your oath?"

The gargoyle looked under him in surprise.  The fragments were spread about to look as if Saur had rolled right over the Grail and crushed it.  Vash was almost pained by the expression on Saur's face, knowing that they were playing the cruelest possible trick on their friend.

"I...my...Oath," he whispered, still in shock.  Then he unleashed the fiercest howl of rage and pain that any of them had ever heard.

Vash removed her hood, overjoyed at seeing that their plan had succeeded.  "Saur, you're free!"

She reached out to embrace him, but the gargoyle shoved her aside, still overwhelmed by conflicting emotions.

"I broke my oath.  And Duval...Duval will pay!"  He screamed once more, then dashed madly out of the hall.

"Saur!" they shouted after him.  The commotion had alerted the guards, and they began spilling into the room.  Vash wanted to go back to retrieve the body of their fallen friend, but Golden urged her forward.  

"There's no time!  We have to get out of here now!"

The two donned their hoods and slipped past Duval's men.  Goldenhart guided them to the window she had used to sneak inside.  As she undid the latch, Vash stole one last look towards the hall.

"Yes, Duval will pay," she promised.  

Ed wanted to cry out as they dove from the window, terrified by the great height.  He waited desperately for their wings to catch the air and rise out of the dive, but the gargoyles continued to fall.  Ed screamed as they plummeted down the mountain and into the darkness below.

*     *     *

"Where did you send me?"

"Why, was it not what you had hoped?"  

Vashkoda thought the spirit's voice sounded different--it was deeper and more resonant than before.  

"The memories were blocked by a barrier," she frowned.  "I was only able to watch a few moments before I was pulled out."  Vash could still feel her hand throbbing, and wanted to pull it towards her to nurse the injury.  Then she realized that it was the same hand that she was using to connect to the spirit.  She decided she would just have to ignore the pain.

"Perhaps the human does not wish you to see what is there," it suggested.  "Although that doesn't sound quite fair, considering that it is now his second time going into your mind."

Vashkoda growled.

"I can send you back.  You might have better success this time."

The gargoyle shook her head.  "No, I am not interested in his memories.  I will deal with him myself when he awakens.  But you did promise to show me what happened to Thaylog.  Are you strong enough now?"

The spirit hesitated.  "I suppose it is safe to do so at this point.  The critical moment has passed."

Vash felt her consciousness slip away.  The process felt more draining than it had the previous times, and more forceful.  But she could only wonder at it briefly before she found herself in another place.

Ed awakened with a start, having felt like he was falling only moments before.  Suddenly, he realized three things.

First, the lights were back on.  Although this could be considered a good thing, it also implied that something had changed since the last time he was conscious.  Since the spirit had never explained to him why the lights went out in the first place, he wasn't sure about its significance.

Now that the lights were working, he could also see where they were in the building.  With a start, he realized that they had not been moving closer to the exit after all, but had rather been walking in circles.  They were still at the top floor--as far away from the building entrance as possible.

A sharp pain in his hand drew his attention, and gave him his final realization.

The spirit was no longer there.  In its place was a large white mass that looked very much like a cocoon.

Ed's hand was trapped inside of it.

"Spirit!" he cried, but he didn't really expect an answer.  He looked at the gargoyle for help, but she was still in a trance.

"Vashkoda!  Vash!  Can you hear me?"

*     *     *

Thaylog pressed a button on his desk and a computerized voice asked for the code.  Friend, he said, and the entire room began to descend.

Eventually he arrived at a dimly lit parlor, where a human stood watching over a shriveled, blue-skinned gargoyle.  Thaylog approached them.

"Hello, father.  We're ready. We're going to make you well again."

Vashkoda watched in shock.  Father?  So this was the one who had tried to get her and the reporter killed?  Had he done the same to his son?

The ivory gargoyle began to chant and cast a spell.  A glowing humanoid shape appeared and spoke to him, asking Thaylog about a talisman.  He replied that it would arriving shortly, and begged him to wait.

What was the old gargoyle going to do?  He looked like he was close to death, and far too weak to physically attack his son.

"Vashkoda!  Vash!  Can you hear me?"

She looked around in surprise.  The voice sounded like the reporter's, but how was he able to be in Thaylog's mind with her?  In fact, now that she thought about it, how was she able to be in Thaylog's mind at all if he wasn't merged with them?

"Vash, you've got to snap out of it!  I don't know what the spirit's up to, but I think it's been lying to us.  In fact, I'm not sure it's even a spirit."

She cried out in alarm as the memory began to fade.  No!  I was about to learn what happened to Thaylog!  Oh when I get my hands on that human-

The scene suddenly shifted, and she found herself floating in a blue energy field.  She was surprised to see Silver lying on the grass below her, and Thaylog watching her from the opposite side of the field.

That meant that she couldn't be in Thaylog's mind.  But then in whose mind was she?

She gasped as she saw a giant white claw pass into her field of vision.  The hand looked transparent in a way that was very familiar....  

"What a pity; that human and I shared some memorable times together.  Oh well, I'm sure this new host will be a lot more fun."

Vash's heart froze.  That voice was unmistakable.  

"Demon!" shouted Thaylog, taking a step towards the field.  "I offer you an alternative.  Take me in her place!"

Demon! she realized, almost fainting from the shock.  She had allowed herself to be joined to a demon!

Then she watched as Thaylog made a bargain to set Silver free, and in the process, became its new host.

That's why Thaylog's been acting strange ever since we found those swords, she realized.  He was possessed the entire time, and didn't want any of us to know it!

But Thaylog had apparently tricked the creature, because his alien heritage allowed him to resist its influence.  Vashkoda could sense the demon's rage and frustration.  It was stuck with Thaylog as its host, not because of the gargoyle's claim that his magic could contain it, but because the demon--Oni, Vash realized it was called--had agreed to accept him as its host.  Apparently, demons were required to obey certain rules, one of which was to honor all agreements.

"Dammit, gargoyle, if you don't wake up now, we're both going to die!"

That got her attention.  She tried to pull away from the memory, although it took a great deal of effort.  Somehow she was able to use her link to the reporter to guide her consciousness back.

She blinked in surprise at seeing the lights finally back on.  Then she backed away in fear when she saw the repulsive mass on the ground, but it was attached to her hand and thus prevented any escape.

"What is that thing!?"

"The spirit, I believe," sighed the reporter.  "Though as you can see, it's grown a lot more solid than before.  We're the ones who still look like ghosts."

Vashkoda saw that it was true.  The Oni must have been feeding off of them somehow--thus the pain she felt in her hand where they were joined.

"But it said it would leave us once we're outside.  We have to get out of this building quickly!"

The human shrugged, looking defeated.  "I don't think we can trust anything the spirit said.  Besides, it never planned on helping us escape.  We're still on the top floor; it was leading us around in circles."

Vashkoda shook her head.  "That isn't a spirit, it's a demon.  But one thing I learned when I was in its mind was that these creatures must do everything they've agreed to do."

He looked hopeful.  "Then it has to help us get outside!  That was the agreement!"

"No, don't you remember?  It only agreed to allow us to pass through walls so that we could escape the traps.  It never said it would actually help us leave."  She looked around to get an idea of where they were.  "Unfortunately, even if it does let us go when we reach the outside, we still have to get there.  Perhaps with the elevators-?"

The man grimaced.  "I don't think that's a good idea.  The electricity in this place has been going crazy.  If we suddenly lose power, we'll be trapped inside the lift. But wait," he said, suddenly getting an idea, "we just have to leave the building, right?  The roof is still considered as being outside."

Vashkoda smiled in relief.  "And we're already on the top floor.  We just have to find the exit to the roof."

"The stairs it is, then.  Follow me!"

But when the two tried to move, they found themselves anchored to the spot by the Oni's cocoon, which was now much heavier than either of them.

"It doesn't want us to leave."

"Well I don't want to wait around until that thing hatches," shivered the human.  "Maybe if we concentrate on making ourselves heavier, or at least making the demon lighter, we can move it."

It was worth a try.  They both focused, then on the reporter's signal, pulled with all their might.  Their feet felt much more solid against the ground, and the Oni did feel a little lighter.  But despite their efforts, their progress was frustratingly slow.  By the time they reached the door to the stairs, their muscles ached and they could barely move.

"I...don't know how...we're going to lift...it up the stairs," spoke Vash between breaths.

The human looked determined.  "We have to try.  The longer we wait, the weaker we get.  C'mon, I'll pull and you push."  

When he phased through the door, Vash felt a strong tug pulling them forward.  She was about to shove the cocoon after him when she heard the man scream.

"Pull me back!  Don't come in here!  Pull-" his words were suddenly cut off.

"Human!" she shouted.  Something was dragging her through the doorway.  She planted her talons into the floor and fought back with all her remaining strength.

Ed noticed as he was passing through the door that the cocoon had suddenly become very easy to move.  It was almost as if something was lending him a helping hand, pulling the heavy mass forward....

And then he realized why.  The entire stairwell was under vacuum.  The air was being sucked through giant vents above each landing, with sharp propeller blades that looked like they could easily cut a body to shreds. 

When the Oni had guided them, Ed hadn't needed to worry about the traps spread throughout the building, and thus he had quickly forgotten about them.  Their present situation was also alarming enough that they hadn't thought to wonder what else might go wrong.  If they had, they would have realized that the stairs were an obvious place for a trap, since they gave the illusion of escape.  No doubt the elevators were also rigged to be deadly.

Suddenly he remembered the gargoyle, and that she was about to follow him into the stairwell.

"Pull me back!  Don't come in here!  Pull-" Ed coughed, realizing that it was getting hard to breathe.  The vents were sucking out all the air.  He decided to take a deep breath and hold it for as long as he was able.

"Human!" he heard Vash shout over the noise of the vents.  Amid that noise, he also heard a strange flapping sound coming from above

Don't look, Ed, he warned himself.  You know you'll regret it.  But being a reporter had put him in the habit of searching for the truth behind everything, and his curiosity was a force he couldn't resist.

He looked up at the vent overhead.  There was something stuck between the blades, which was being whipped back and forth as the propeller turned.  It seemed to be a piece of fabric of some kind, colored blue and gray...

"VASH!" he screamed, using his last breath of air.  At that very moment, the gargoyle succeeded in pulling him through the door.

They both collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.  

"I never...said you....could...call me...Vash," she panted.

"You...never said...I couldn't."  He paused a few moments to catch his breath.  "And you can stop calling me human.  My name's Ed...or have you forgotten?"

The gargoyle's grimace told him that she had.  He tried not to feel too offended.

"So do we simply sit here and wait for that thing to open?" she asked, motioning towards the cocoon still stuck to their hands.  Something was clearly writhing below the surface, ready to come out.

"The stairs were our last hope of escape," he answered somberly.  "The elevator is also out of the question."  He leaned against the wall, bracing himself for the inevitable.

"We're so close to freedom," he sighed, closing his eyes.  "I can almost feel the cool city breeze on my skin."

Something jerked his arm.  At first he feared that it was the creature awakening, but then he saw that it was Vashkoda, grabbing onto him with her free hand.

"Are you all right?  You almost fell through!"

Ed did a double take, then experimentally passed his head through the wall.  He could see the buildings across the street and the cars parked ninety-five stories below him.  He quickly pulled his head back before he might faint.

"It's one of the building's outer walls," he explained, still a little dizzy from the view.  "This could be our way out!"

Vash looked back and forth from the wall to the cocoon.  "If we go through, this thing will drag us down.  We won't survive the fall."

"We will if the demon keeps up its end of the bargain.  Once we're outside, it should set us free, and then you can use your wings to carry us down.  Damn, I can't believe we didn't think of this sooner!"

Vashkoda didn't look quite as confident in his plan as he was.  Yet even she should be able to see that they had no other choice.

By unspoken agreement, they began to push the Oni's cocoon towards the wall.  The white mass resisted passing through it, however, having become almost fully solid.

"Concentrate on making it lighter!  Together, we should have more control than it does and can counteract its change!"

The two continued to press the cocoon against the wall.  The mass was truly pulsing now, and Ed worried that by squeezing it, they might make it open that much faster.

He and Vash were jerked off their feet as the cocoon finally passed through and began to fall, pulling them along with it.

Ed had never been so scared in his life as they dropped at a rate of six stories a second.  In dismay, he saw that they were still connected to the Oni.  If it was going to die, it probably wished them to join it.  

"Demon!  You have to follow the agreement!  You said we'd be free once we're outside!" shouted Vash.

There was no response.  The wind whipping against Ed's face caused his eyes to water and his skin to feel impossibly tight.  It was an effort just to open his mouth.

"Spirit!  Let us go!  Let go let go let go-"

Suddenly he felt something grasp his shoulders and pull him up.  His continued to look down, following the cocoon with his gaze as it plummeted and finally disappeared far below.

Looking up, he saw that the gargoyle had grabbed him with her claws.  She caught a draft of warm air and rose back up, but rather than return to the IDE building, she glided over the city, keeping close to the rooftops.

"So where are we going?" she asked him urgently.

Ed noticed the rim of light on the horizon, and realized that shortly she would have to land so that she could sleep. Thinking quickly, he gave some directions. The gargoyle spread her wings to catch the updrafts and Ed’s stomach clenched as they soared through the dawning sky.

*     *     *

“And what exactly is this job?” asked the gargoyle, narrowing her eyes.

“Well… uh, Thaylog – the friendly one – or I think he’s the friendly one – hired me to watch out for you and your clan in his absence. Make sure you don’t get ripped off, or forget to pay the gas bill. Or get a flock of reporters nosing around your door. Stuff like that."  His smile faded as his features took on a more serious, sincere expression.  

"Honestly, I don't mean you or your friends any harm.”

"Then I'm supposed to trust that you won't kill me while I sleep?" she asked, turning to face him.

At this remark, Ed began to laugh. "After all we've just been through, you can still ask me that?" 

And the gargoyle turned to stone, a smile frozen on her lips. 

In other news, the business world was in shock when Thaylog Legacy, CEO of Inter-Dimensional Enterprises, was announced dead earlier today.  Workers say that the man had been gone on vacation for several days, without revealing his location to anyone.  However, police received an anonymous phone call at five-twenty this morning, alerting them to the site of a car crash in the nearby San Marcus mountains.  The car had apparently skidded off the road and exploded upon striking the rocks hundreds of meters below.  The body was too badly charred to identify, but the car was registered as rented to Mr. Legacy.

The deceased's father, Alexander Legacy, is himself the head of a multimillion dollar company--Legacy Enterprises.  Still grieving over his loss, the man refused to answer questions, but his lawyer held a press conference in his name.

"Is it true that Legacy Enterprises will be taking over IDE?"

The man calmly adjusted his tie. "Thaylog Legacy willed that the company stay in the family upon his death.  My client is his only living relative, and therefore IDE now legally belongs to him.  Whether he decides to merge the two companies or leave them separate has not yet been decided."

"Do you think there is any connection between the death and the white substance found on the ground in front of the IDE building this morning?"

The lawyer waved the matter aside.  "The police think it's the work of local kids.  The material itself was found to be harmless."

"But what about the witness reports of a giant beast seen rising out from it?"

He stared at the reporter silently a few moments, long enough to make the man blush as he realized how silly his question sounded.

"I have a serious question," announced a different reporter.  "Leah Daunton of the Newbridge Telegraph," she introduced herself.  "Have the authorities learned anything more about the six IDE security guards that have gone missing since last night?"

"Regrettably, no.  My client would like to assure their families, however, that he will be doing everything humanly possible to find them."

More reporters raised their hands, but the lawyer stepped down from the podium.  "No more questions, please."

And there you have it.  So was Mr. Legacy's death an accident, or could it be foul play?  What happened to those six security guards?  We interviewed some IDE workers to learn more.  Some report seeing a strange man enter Legacy's office around the time he first disappeared.  Others claim that Legacy himself had authorized the man's access to the building, but had never explained why.  Although we do not have his name, this sketch drawn from the descriptions of several eye witnesses may prove to be the key in tracking him down.  If you have any information on this man, please call the number at the bottom of the screen.  He is currently wanted for questioning.

And now to New Orleans, where preparations for the Mardi Gras carnival are already underway.  John Mackay has this report....

THE END

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