SO RUNS THE WORLD AWAY’

Some must watch, while some must sleep; So runs the world away. - Hamlet, III,ii,279

The Fifteenth Story Of the Second Season of Clan SteelClaw Chronicles

Written by: Kahreen & Ed

Edits by Vashkoda

Illustrations by Kahreen.

Prologue

One year had passed since there had been any kind of activity in this small corner of America. One year since an explosion had destroyed many parts of this once dig site. A little over a year since something more powerful here had robbed a small clan of two of its members. One year, one full turn of the seasons, since people had abandoned this place.

But what man had abandoned, nature gladly took over. Fast growing shrubs and opportunistic plants had sprouted over many of the surviving temporary buildings. Animals had claimed their own niches of the site as their home, somewhere in which to carry out their own life and death struggles.

Over one particular pile of rubble a family of rats had chosen to make their nest, drawn by something that only they could see. However, tonight those rats sensed that the area was no longer safe. As the sun slowly sank behind the trees surrounding the site, the rats began to leave. By the time full darkness had encompassed the land, only one rat remained. It sat on its haunches just yards from the rubble. Eyes bright, ears alert, nose twitching--it sat and watched as small lines of electricity snaked across the surface of the rubble, some diving deep inside as if drawn to something there. Seconds passed and the air around the site grew thick and heavy. The rat raised its head and sniffed. The scent of sulphur, steel, and blood filled the air. The rat’s ears twitched as voices floated on the wind; voices that were raised in anger, fear, pain, and grief.

It seemed as if the air around the ruins was a bubble that was rapidly filling, and like all things even this unseen bubble had its limits.

In a flash of light the bubble burst. The rat fled, its shadow stretched to unnatural proportions by the light washing over the entire site. Two seconds later, the light, scents and voices had vanished. Darkness and silence reclaimed the site. Shortly after, the rats returned as if nothing had happened.

***

Previously in the Clan SteelClaw Chronicles…

At that moment, Shaiya and Sirius were making their way determinedly towards Newbridge, and to what for all they knew was their doom. Sabrina crouched under a mountainside in the storm, clutching her egg as lightning struck nearby. MadBrook lay bloody and beaten in his cold stone cell. Llewelyn was writhing as the vampires’ spell engulfed her with flames. Ansalong and Gigi marched possessed in the vampire army, herding Cairo and the injured Malachi along with them. Cesar was slowly bleeding to death in a ditch. Vashkoda was lying dead in Mord’s offices in Newbridge’s prison complex. Silver lay helpless on a train bound for another state as her son had been kidnapped.

Ed did not know any of this as he asked to stop the taxi outside the ruins of the Mansion. He could not even say what had become of the others he had been asked to look out for - Flynt and Kahreen; or of his employer, Thaylog. He had done his duty, as he saw it; he had directed the clan to a safe home. Joining a fight with a powerful corporation that set light to your home was never part of his deal.

He stepped into the ruins of the Mansion, and looked around. He had never seen most of the inside before it was blown up, but somehow it seemed to be the center of everything that defined the clan.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Legacy. I’m sorry I couldn’t do a better job. The clan helped me, and I’ve helped them, and now… well, now I’m going. This job isn’t for me. They’ll do okay. I resign.”

He paused, and turned to go, muttering, “They’ll be ok-”

But he did not finish his sentence as a huge hand grabbed his arm and a gruff voice in his ear threatened to rip his head off.

***

And now the conclusion…


Slowly, Ed found himself being led back through the ruins and shoved against a post. His assailant moved in front of the exit. He was a gargoyle, seven-feet tall with prominent horns and ears and a mass of hair reflecting white in the moonlight. On his left shoulder and across half his chest was a tattoo. He looked familiar. Behind him, Ed noticed a far smaller shadow, this one silent, hunched, and detached. She did not react. Both were dressed in ripped and dirtied clothing, as if they had just come from a fight. The cuts and bruises the gargoyle wore added to that appearance.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“You’re a gargoyle. Are you… you’re Flynt, aren’t you?”

Flynt’s eyes shone with fury, highlighting his horns and ears. For a moment, Ed realized why the Quarrymen hunted gargoyles.

“How do you know my name, human? Answer me!”

“Okay. My name is Ed, I’m a former journalist. In the spring, I was contacted by a Thaylog Legacy of Inter-Dimensional Enterprises. He offered me a job linking a group of creatures to the outside world and managing a budget he had allocated to ensure their security and well-being. That group was called Clan SteelClaw, and I have tried to do my best for them… but so many have disappeared, or I’ve lost track of. And Mr. Legacy has long since vanished. I’ve set the others up in a cottage nearby.”

“I must get in contact with them. Immediately.”

“Okay. Look, I can just call them and-”

Flynt’s eyes flared again as he watched Ed take out his cell phone, but he did not say anything.

Ed dialed the number and soon started to frown.

“Nobody’s there. It isn’t even ringing. How-”

Flynt grabbed the telephone and listened, then crushed it in his hand and threw it into a corner where a rat scampered along to give it an experimental sniff.

“I am not satisfied with your story. Tell me of the clan. Tell me everything you know. Why has this mansion been razed to the ground? Why is Thaylog gone? Why is the clan thus scattered?”

“I think we should get over to the cottage honestly, because if something is wrong then-”

“Human, my mate and I are tired, hungry, hurt from battle and gnawed by grief. I have killed not long ago and I promise you, double-cross me and I will kill again. Tell me what you know.”

***

Ronald Carter felt heavy-limbed and dejected as the train he was driving thundered along the dusty wilderness away from Newbridge City. He realized that his skin had been pressed against the Velcro lining of his coat, and went about vigorously disentangling himself from the garment. Ronald thrust the coat away and returned his eyes to the track. The faintest hints of dawn were clear, but other than that - nothing. He fidgeted. If only, he thought, if only -

He shifted his hands, wringing the sweat off each by turn on the coverings of his seat. He hummed but his hums were absorbed by the sound of the engine. He disciplined his mind to focus on what he was doing and in moments found himself trying to jerk back the tears.

He jumped as his phone beeped. It was against regulation to have a mobile telephone, he knew, but -

He opened it and pressed a button.

“Mr. Carter?”

“Yes.”

As he listened, a compartment near the back of the train had its door smashed open from the inside after half an hour of desperate struggle.

“I am pleased to inform you on behalf of the medical staff that the operation was a success. Mrs. Carter is sleeping now.”

A female gargoyle threw herself out onto the side of the track, where she curled up bleeding as the train sped past her.

“Oh, thank God. I’ll be there soon, I’ll be there before she wakes up. Thank you, thank, thank… thank God.”

Ronald laid the telephone down and blinking away the tears in his eyes turned to face the dawn, laughing with relief

***

Silver found herself sprawled and grazed by the side of the track. A spasm of pain shot up her arm and across her shoulders. She took a few deep breaths and gradually got up. She was not far from the track, but the distance had been marked into the dust with drops of blood that she could just about make out in the first traces of dawn. For a few moments she tested her leg, moving it forwards and backwards. One worked at least; her other leg was gashed by Rakaar and still was painful. Dawn was close but she knew that it also meant that she could not hunt Chaz for another twelve hours. At least, she thought, the wound was not deep and might heal in only one night. Her wing was more damaged, however, and as she folded it over her shoulder she winced. It was clear that there was no way she could fly on it for the rest of the night.

She looked towards the horizon: she reckoned there to be almost an hour before dawn. Getting onto all fours to relieve the pressure on her wounded leg, she began to run along the side of the track back towards Newbridge City. As she went, her face creased in pain.

“I’m coming, Chaz,” she panted. “I’m coming…”

***

Madbrooklyn wailed as he tried to pry open the bars. A cattleprod was poked through the slot on the door and he fell back sharply in pain. Slowly, he recovered his breath and looked around. A single window exposed the night, already lightening with the colors of dawn. The cell was quite large, with sturdy stone walls and a high ceiling. He doubted he could fit through the window even if he could remove the bars, and the wall might be too thick to claw his way through. The window was very deep and as he judged it, he decided that it was at least a foot thick. He threw his fist against the wall experimentally, and recoiled. It was not stone in any event, but rather some enforced material. This room, it was clear, had been built for containing unusual creatures.

At this point, the door swung open and two guards dashed in with cattleprod devices. They shocked MadBrook and he fell again to the floor. Two others were thrust inside the cell with him. He rose to his feet, but the guards stepped outside quickly.

“Bastard’s making a hell of a racket in there,” one of them sneered.

A female voice was heard. “Ansalong and I will take over now. We are more familiar with his like than you.”

“Right, no complaints from me. Still, mind you don’t rough ‘em up too much. They’ll be needed fresh for the sacrifice tomorrow night.”

“I’m sure we’ll manage,” said another female voice, which MadBrook presumed to be Ansalong.

“And mind that one of ‘ems a clone. I don’t know why you’re deciding a-sudden not to treat him like the others but I don’t question it. Mind though, they breed ‘em funny, clones.”

“Right. Now disappear before I get pissed off.”

“And no sampling them.”

“I said-” there was a loud scream and the sound of a vampire dying. “-Disappear. Thank you.”

“Did you have to kill him?”

“Relax, Gigi. You worry too much. Nobody’s going to miss a few spares.”

It went quiet outside for a while, and MadBrook turned to look at the newcomers: both were gargoyles. One was a bearded male in a battered leather jacket and jeans cut short at his horned knees. The second was female, deep red and apart from various decorative clothes she was notable for a long tail resembling that of a scorpion.

“I’m Cairo,” spoke the latter. “And this Malachi. You’re a prisoner too?”

“Yes… my name is MadBrooklyn, or MadBrook. I was captured tonight. Long story.”

“We have time,” Malachi observed dryly.

Cairo looked puzzled, however. “I have heard of some of the gargoyles and residents in this area, but your name does not fit any of them.”

“I arrived a few months ago with my mate to join a clan, but their home had been invaded and most had fled.”

Cairo breathed deeply. “Clan SteelClaw.”

***

A hairy hand clasped the edge of the ditch. Struggling to pull himself up, Cesar rested against the side of the embankment. He reached into his pocket, gasping, and took out his cell phone. He tried to move his thumb to key in a number, but the device slipped from his hand and landed in the mud. Cesar cursed and reached to pick it up, but a spasm of pain crossed his mid-section and down his arm and he let it drop. The blood felt warm down his back.

Who could he call in any event? The police or ambulance services would have him for study, probably locking him up and subjecting him to medical experiments. His newfound family, Clan SteelClaw, it seemed were now in league with his old family, Zentech. Even if he had an idea where to contact the clan, he did not want to return. If only, he thought…if only the sun would rise. He wheezed and fell.

“Just a few more minutes, just a few more minutes, just a few… a few… just…”

He coughed and blood dribbled from his mouth. He knew that dawn would allow him to turn to stone and heal himself, and so he clutched his wound tightly, willing the dawn to arrive.

***

Stop…please stop.

Llewelyn crashed to the ground, pushed to the limits of her physical endurance. The flames brought on by the vampires’ powder still burned, bringing on a pain that Llewelyn had never thought possible.

Was this what it felt like to burn to death? Was this the pain her rookery brother - now long since dead - had felt when her powers had shown themselves for the first time? She didn’t know, and it was a thought quickly pushed aside as another wave of agony washed over her body.

She couldn’t let it end like this. Slowly, she got to her feet and stumbled. She had lost all sense of direction, but something was drawing her on. Towards what? Again she didn’t know. The only thing that she knew was that she wanted this to stop. She needed help and no one had come.

She collapsed against a tree and looked up as flames raced up its trunk and towards the night sky. A symbol, something the clan had seen before - perhaps that would bring them to her.

Screaming, she used what little control she had over her powers and pushed a column of fire up into the air above her. There it unfurled into the shape of a phoenix and hovered in the sky for a few precious seconds.

It was more than she could stand. Her connection to the phoenix symbol was washed away by pain and she stumbled on. Suddenly there, beneath the roar of the flames and her own cries came a welcome sound.

Water. Running water.

As dawn swept across the land, Llewelyn leapt into the river. The water around her began to boil, angry at the intrusion of an opposing element. Then it was over, as suddenly as it had begun, and the river resumed its normal course.

A new day had arrived and Llewelyn’s exhausted body turned to stone and sank to the bottom of the river.

***

“Llewelyn… it must be,” said Ed slowly.

“It is some token of your truth that you recognize the phoenix symbol,” said Flynt. “But it does not prove you worthy of trust. Still, blazing a sign across the sky took great risk and she must be in dire need.”

“It looks like it’s over by the farmland area - the phone at the farm was down and if Llew is in trouble then odds are Silver, Chaz, Ans and Gigi are too.”

“Ans and Gigi?” Flynt pronounced slowly.

“Two gargoyles from New Orleans. Also, I think they’re vampires. But anyway-” he moved on quickly, “dawn is fast approaching. You can’t go marching over there now; if there’s danger you’ll just be smashed to rubble.”

Flynt glanced at Kahreen, whose face did not register. “You may be right. We need a place to hide and I know where to find it. Come.”

He picked up Kahreen in his arms and swept off at a fast pace. Ed had to run to keep up, and even then, often lingered behind. In a few minutes he reached a mound of rock on the far corner of the Mansion gardens. As he stepped closer, Ed realized that it was not a rock at all and did not even look like one - it was some kind of alien spaceship.

“It does not look like much from a distance, does it human? It cloaks itself, and to be sure of its safety from intruders, a spell was added while it lay still. All the same, we should secure the doors lest anyone pursues us.”

Placing Kahreen inside, Flynt followed into the ship itself, squeezing with some difficulty given his great height. Ed climbed up slowly, stumbled and felt Flynt’s hand grabbing him by the arm and up into the body of the vehicle.

“Thanks,” he said, but Flynt had already turned to the job of enforcing the doors.

Kahreen took a seat in the engine section. Ed gave her a long, curious glance. Whether Flynt noticed this and wanted to stop the human from becoming too curious, or whether Flynt had finished his task, Ed did not know. But just as he began to wonder if she was the alien creature that he had seen on Thaylog’s video - she certainly looked older and more battle-weary now if she was - Flynt grabbed Ed and thrust him into a small cell and locked the door.

“Security,” he explained gruffly. “Ours.”

He locked the door and glanced at the readings on the ship. He kissed Kahreen tenderly on the forehead, as if dealing with a small child, and took his position. He froze to stone, but Kahreen did not.

Ed slumped down in the cell and felt something in his pocket. A plane ticket, he remembered.

***

“A sign,” said Cairo with awe as she stared out of the small window. “The sign of the Phoenix.”

Malachi considered. “The gargoyle that Vashkoda was charged to protect was the daughter of the Phoenix, and had his powers. Perhaps she is in danger.”

“Damn,” growled MadBrook. “Finally we have leads to the find the clan and now we’re trapped here. It’s nearly dawn.”

“We must wait and see what tomorrow brings us,” said Cairo. “Have faith, MadBrook: the sign may bring others in the clan together.”

***

Cesar looked up at the sky. He must be imagining it, surely it couldn’t be - but no. It was the shape of a giant bird, a bird made out of fire. He smiled. Was this death? Maybe, he choked, maybe it won’t be so bad after all.

***

Silver stopped, and looked down into a valley. Very far away she saw the distant twinkle of the city lights, dulled with the morning gloom. And then, she gasped - over the horizon a firework lit, but it was pure flame and exploded into the shape of a phoenix. Silver recognized the light and felt at the same time a surge both of rage and hope well within her.

“Llewelyn…”

Cradling her arm, she sped forward quickly now, taking a straighter route towards the city in the moments before dawn rose, and finally she was petrified until dusk.

***

Sabrina was crouched shivering in the mountains, hugging her egg tightly to her, when the light of the phoenix image rose over the horizon. She drew a deep breath and realized its significance: Llewelyn was calling for the clan to gather to her. She rose to her feet but felt a pang of doubt. It was too close to dawn. She placed the egg in a hole at the back of the cave and covered it up with a boulder so that no one should come across it. Then she prepared for dawn so that come nightfall, she could set out to find Llewelyn.

***

Shaiya looked up at the sky as the phoenix crossed it.

“That is Llewelyn’s mark,” she said to Sirius. “It is not too far away - come, let us go!”

And the two dashed towards the source of the symbol.

***

“So…umm…hey. Where have you guys been anyway?”

Ed leaned against the bars of his small cell and tried once again to get some kind of response out of Kahreen. For the past few hours he had tired to talk to the red-haired female…whatever she was, but every inquiry had been either ignored or met with a blank stare before she turned her back on him. In fact the only thing he had seen her focus on was a small scrap of cloth that she held tightly in her hands. This time was no different. He swore and slumped back down on the floor. He’d have more luck getting a response out of a brick wall.

“Thanks a lot Flynt,” he grumbled. As if in agreement, his stomach began to rumble. Oh wonderful, now hunger was going to come around and say a cheery hello.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, he really needed to go to the bathroom.

***

As good as new, if not better. Mord paused at the door to his office and examined his once injured hand. There were definite benefits to being allied to Zentech, an excellent healthcare program being only one of many.

“Mr. Mord, sir!”

An information network that was second to none was another. Mord turned as a tall yet skinny man with rat-like features hurried towards him.

“Ah, Mr. Piper. To what do we owe the honor of this visit?”

“The gargoyles, sir. You asked me and my children to keep watch over the places they have been known to haunt.”

“I remember.”

“Well we kept watch, just like you asked, and the big one appeared at the old dig site.”

“Big one?” Mord sighed. “Piper, they’re gargoyles, more often or not they are ‘big ones’. I wish you’d be more specific, or would you like me to send someone to get the information?”

Piper blanched. “No, no help needed. Him and a red haired female…she wasn’t a gargoyle. They hung around for a bit and then got into this ship and flew off.”

“And where did they go?”

“That old mansion. There was a human there too, he got into the ship with them. Don’t think the big gargoyle was happy about it.” Piper’s face brightened as he remembered something. “Oh, there was something else,” he said, rummaging around in his pockets. “One of my children found this at the dig site. S’got the big gargoyle’s scent all over it, so I think it belonged to him. Ah! Here it is!” Withdrawing his hand from the pocket, he dangled a pendant in front of Mord.

The human took it from him and held it up to the light. The item was made up of a thick gold chain, and on the end of it was the pendant itself--a vial filled with red liquid. Curled around the glass vial was a gold dragon, its claws clasping the chain.

“What exquisite craftsmanship.” Mord tapped the vial and watched the liquid flow within it. “Is that…”

“Blood?” Piper nodded. “But it ain’t the big gargoyle’s.”

“Really?” Mord smiled. “Well thank you, Mr. Piper.”

The rat-like human nodded and scuttled away, leaving Mord alone.

He looked at the pendant for a few seconds longer with a thoughtful expression on his face. Well, this was something new and definitely worth looking into. But that would have to wait until later. By now the sun had set and there was someone he had to talk to.

***

Vashkoda looked straight up at the ceiling, but all she saw was a bright light. She blinked and waited for her vision to adjust. Experimentally moving her arms, legs and tail, and feeling her head begin to throb and her wound ache, she realized that she wasn’t dead.

She was in quite a large office, laid out on the desk. A few cactus plants dotted the room and she noted the sun setting outside. She looked down at her waist where Mord had stabbed her. The dagger was lodged in. She pulled it out and briefly screamed before she could get a hold of herself. But as she looked down, the wound closed. The dagger’s blade disappeared.

“What is this witchcraft?” she muttered.

“This is life going on, my dear Vashkoda,” said Mord as he entered the office briskly.

Vashkoda leapt into a defensive position, but he gave her a long look.

“Please. If I wanted you dead, you would never have woken from that wound I gave you.”

“If I have failed in all other aspects of my quest, then by Merlin I shall still kill you. You are Mordred, my sworn enemy, reincarnated!”

“Well, yes, I am rather. But then, reincarnation’s a funny thing. You never know what life might throw at you at the best of times--and a whole new chance to live? Well, there we have it. Take last night, for instance. There you were, lying dead, a dagger sticking in you. Anyone would have thought that you were pushing up daisies. But here you are, making death threats. What’s up with that, I wonder? The fact is, nobody knows for sure how things will turn out. You make mistakes, get into a fix, hit your lowest point and then, would you believe it? You bounce back up again. You never lost your quest, Vashkoda, you only thought you did; you’ve just found a new home, new allies. Like the ones who are going to be executed in a couple of hours, for instance.”

“What?”

“Cairo, Malachi, Chaz and MadBrooklyn. At least three of whom I believe you have already met.”

“Don’t you dare hurt them!”

“Now you’ve got a choice here. You can fight, or you can die. Which is it to be?”

“You already know the answer. I will fight you whatever it takes!”

“Good. I’m glad you’re finally getting over your ‘woe is me, I’ve failed’ stage. Oh yes, I know all about what you and the others have been up to, thanks in some small part to the rank incompetence of the human assigned to protect you - his diary and notes were a good start and not too difficult to obtain. Together, your clan can be a force in the world, Vashkoda. Whether it’s a force for good or evil, or something quite different, I cannot say, but you certainly have a role to play. I want to help you fulfil this role.”

“Why?”

“Why not? Is it not enough to know that I defeated you and did not kill you, and that I now will help you find your friends?”

“My code of honor leaves me indebted to you. I do not like being in debt to my enemies.”

“Really? It has been such a long time that I had forgotten about that. How delightful.”

“You forgot honor? That does not come entirely by surprise.”

Mord cleared his throat and looked out the window. “A minute or so before dawn, a signal was launched into the sky: the image of a phoenix.”

“Llew!” gasped Vash, before she could check herself.

“Yes, it was Llewelyn. That will be a rallying cry for the clan. The wheels are being set in motion.”

“But if she needed to use that symbol for help then she must be… she…”

“May live yet.”

“I swore to protect her.”

“You swore to kill me.”

“Why are you doing this? You work for Zentech!”

“I work with Zentech. They are a means to an end. You are one end, and in the future you may be the means to a new end. That’s then. This is now. I have obtained information that a gargoyle, a human and an alien being have taken refuge overnight in a ship.”

Vashkoda thought a moment, and spoke slowly. “Flynt, Kahreen and… Ed? And the ship must be Kahreen’s ship.”

“Can you contact them?”

“The communication devices are alien, but last December, Thaylog, Dayia and Kahreen spent some time updating the ship so it could use human technology.”

“New analogue signal or a digital trace?”

“New… I think. It was a new system. It had a contact code.”

Mord motioned for Vashkoda to follow and strode into an adjoining room filled with equipment. He indicated the far corner where a computer station lay.

“Type in the code and speak your message. Our location information will be sent along with it so they can track us. Quickly, before Zentech detects the transmission.”

Vashkoda paused. “I still don’t trust you. But I will do what I must to help my clan.”

“The end justifying the means. I like the way you think, Vashkoda.”

Vash sat down and typed in the security code and pressed the button. The readings squeaked loudly and there was some crackling. Suddenly, she heard Flynt’s voice.

“Who is this?”

“It is me, Vashkoda. I cannot speak long, Flynt - are you well?"

“I live - where are you, and are the others with you?”

“Some, but - listen, Flynt, we are in a Zentech base, and some great evil is brewing here. Can you see coordinates detailing my location?”

“Yes, in-”

Mord pressed a button and the connection was severed. “That is sufficient,” he said.

Vashkoda glared but slowly rose to her feet. “What now?”

“Now you must join the rest of your clan. If your salvation is meant to be, you will be rescued. If not, you will be sacrificed and your death will bring about the ruination of the world.”

He called for the guards and a group of vampires appeared. Vashkoda snarled and readied herself to fight.

“You don’t have to fight them,” said Mord. “You could go quietly.”

“I don’t think so.”

A vampire charged her, and she darted aside, using its weight to overbalance it and knock it out against the nearby computer equipment. Another two vampires leapt on her, and with claws and teeth bared, tail swinging ominously, Vashkoda battled. More vampires appeared from outside, ready to secure the prisoner.

“That’s my girl,” Mord said, shaking his head with a grim smile as he poured himself a cup of water from the cooler.

***

Eventually, Vashkoda was pulled out of the room struggling and screaming all the way down the corridor. One of the remaining vampires stayed behind for orders.

“Tritz, arrange the transportation of the prisoners. And have the close circuit recordings of tonight’s event transferred to my private address. I want to witness this.”

“Yes, sir,” said Tritz and scuttled off.

Mord watched the vampire leave. He collected some papers from his desk, straightened one of his cacti and went along the hall and entered the elevator, humming quietly.

***

“Clearly,” said Malachi, “SteelClaw connects us all. We must find some way of escaping before this… sacrifice.”

The door to the cell where Malachi, MadBrook and Cairo were being held was opened suddenly, and in stepped Ansalong and Gigi, followed by a trio of vampires.

“Prisoners stand. I am Tritz, and I am in command here. Prisoners march.”

The gargoyles relaxed their battle-ready stances as they looked at the weapons carried by their vampire guards. Reluctantly, they marched. MadBrook led the way. They walked the length of a bleak corridor and down some steps towards a large platform in what looked to be the edge of the complex. A tall dome spread overhead, which looked like the ceiling of the structure. At length, they were lined up next to a wall where Cairo gave a cry of delight.

“Vashkoda!”

Vash smiled grimly. “I’m sorry to see you in this situation, Cairo. I’d like to introduce you to Chaz.”

She indicated the young navy gargoyle, whose face was stained with tears. Malachi introduced MadBrook at the same time, and the five gargoyles spent a few moments reflecting as the vampires arranged themselves. Finally the gargoyles were separated and bound at their feet and arms to poles. This completed, the poles were carried up a ramp and suspended over a grate alongside one another. All the while, swarms of evil creatures set about arranging charms and other items.

***

Llewelyn awoke to discover that she was no longer burning! However, as she opened her mouth and river water poured into it, her lungs soon were. Stupid! She should have remembered that she’d jumped into the river just before dawn. Her ordeal the night before had exhausted her, and even a day’s stone sleep had not been enough to fully replenish her. Exhausted or not, she managed to swim to the surface and then crawl onto the riverbank.

She lay there for a few minutes, unable and unwilling to do anything else apart from enjoying the simple, pain-free sensation of breathing. Finally, she turned onto her back and looked up at the sky above. Another clear night. Just like the previous one. She sat up and looked around her. There a little upstream was the tree she’d leaned against when she had created the phoenix symbol. The tree’s trunk was scorched and blackened but the fire had not spread. Good. She’d had enough of fire -and rivers, she decided, looking down at her drenched clothing. It wouldn’t take long for her to dry off; a matter of seconds if she used her powers. But she wasn’t sure if she trusted them -not just yet. What if one little spark started an encore performance?

And then there were the others. Silver and Chaz…where had they gone? Had the vampires captured them? Had they-?

She shook her head. Uh uh...no way. Silver had a protective streak a mile wide and Chaz seemed to have the largest amount of luck she’d ever seen. Nah, they’d probably be far away by now and safe. Ans and Gigi were a different matter. Llewelyn growled. She’d never gotten along with the vampires, Ans especially. Last night had been a bittersweet justification of her suspicions.

But what was the use of a ‘I told you so’ when there was no one to share it with? Llewelyn sighed, her voice catching as her emotions conflicted with each other over exactly it was she should be feeling. Anger, guilt, fear…and loneliness.

Suddenly a dark shape disengaged itself from the bushes just behind Llewelyn, and in seconds the halfling found herself flat on her back and receiving a very wet greeting from-

“Sirius!” She couldn’t believe the scent and the physical reality that was literally overwhelming her. But then if Sirius had found her, then…

“Llewelyn!” A voice she hadn’t heard in many months rang out clear across the wood.

“Shaiya!”

For a moment there were no words as the two females embraced, before Shaiya quickly disentangled herself.

“We saw the symbol,” she stated, quickly falling into the neutral expression that Llewelyn remembered.

Llewelyn smiled. This was good. If Shaiya had seen it, perhaps the others had too. “Where have you been?”

“In the mountains behind the mansion, we never strayed far. Sabrina, Madbrook and-”

“Who’s Madbrook?”

“I see we have a lot to catch up on.” Shaiya looked over her shoulder. “What has happened? Why did you call everyone now? Why not before?”

“I wasn’t desperate before. I was with Silver and Chaz, and we were attacked by vampires. Two of our so-called travelling companions betrayed us.”

“There is a lot to catch up on,” Shaiya repeated, looking down at Sirius. The gargoyle beast had moved a short distance away, his tail wagging.

“What’s he so happy about?”

“I think I can answer that question,” a deep voice rumbled from the woods. Sirius barked happily and dashed through the trees, only to reemerge seconds later at the side of one of the last people the two females expected to see.

“Flynt!” Llewelyn squealed happily, rushing over to give the clan’s long absent second in command a quick hug. “You wouldn’t believe how happy I am to see you!”

“We both are,” said Shaiya, smiling. “Welcome back Flynt. You’ve been missed.” She frowned. “Where’s…”

“Later,” Flynt said, a shadow crossing his face. “For now it’s just good to see some familiar faces again. But stories will have to wait.” He turned to Llew. “We saw the phoenix. What happened?”

“Silver, Chaz and I were attacked by vampires. They got away but the vampires poured something on me,” she paused, recalling the painful memories of the night before. “I couldn’t stop burning. I…I was scared, I guess. I made the symbol and jumped into the river. Then the sun came up.”

“And you haven’t seen either Silver or Chaz since then?”

Llew shook her head. “No.”

Flynt frowned. “We received a message from Vashkoda. She gave her location and then she was cut off. She may be in trouble too. Come,” he said turning and walking back the way he had come. “It isn’t safe for us to be out in the open. We‘ll be better off waiting for the others in Kahreen’s ship.”

“Hey how is Kah anyway?” Llewelyn quickened her pace so that she caught up to the tan gargoyle.

For a moment Flynt said nothing. His eyes closed and he let out a sigh. “She lives,” he said, worry and concern lacing his voice.

“Well, she won’t be doing that for much longer and neither will you!” shouted a voice as a team of vampires swarmed out of the darkness and surrounded the group. One of them smirked at Llewelyn. “Run out of homes to burn, darling? One mansion and one cottage and oh, lets not forget…urk!”

The vampire never got to finish his taunts. In one leap Flynt had crossed the space between them and had thrust his talons clean through the creature’s heart. He didn’t stop there. The vampire’s body, still impaled, was dragged around as he threw the corpse at its comrades. The moment it turned to dust was a signal for all hell to break loose.

Flynt had already launched himself into the middle of the group of vampires, fighting with such anger and ferocity that for a moment even his clanmates were temporarily stunned.

“Damn, we could have used some of that last night,” Llewelyn thought as she picked up a branch and snapped it in half. The splintered end of one half was then plunged into the body of the nearest vampire while she used the other, longer piece to bat away another vampire that had launched itself at her. Below her skin she could feel her powers stirring, eager to be unleashed upon the vampires. But she wasn’t sure if she wanted to use them, memories of last night still burned fresh in her mind. Around her Flynt, Shaiya and Sirius fought against the vampires, trying to clear a way to Kahreen’s ship. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught Llewelyn’s attention. There, creeping up on Shaiya, was a vampire.

“Sha…” she began, intending to warn her clanmate as the vampire leapt at the small female. However before she could finish her shout an invisible force caught the vampire mid leap and threw it to the ground. In almost the same moment a ball of green light appeared and was thrown at the vampire as it tried to get back up. The creature screamed briefly as its body was incinerated.

With the aid of this unseen ally the vampires were quickly defeated, the last one turning to dust as Flynt ripped its head from its shoulders.

“I found you!” Sabrina appeared and raced over to Llewelyn, tears streaming down her face. “And Flynt! Shaiya…this is more than I could have hoped for!” The two females embraced and Sabrina looked over towards Flynt, her eyes shining. “The clan is coming back together!”

“Thanks to Llewelyn’s symbol,” Flynt said. He looked around him, searching for any other vampires who might still be around. “We should get back to the ship before we’re attacked again.”

Sabrina nodded, still smiling. “I’ll just get my egg and…”

“Egg?” Llewelyn and Flynt repeated in unison.

“Yes, it’s a long story,” she said, disappearing into some bushes. Seconds later she reemerged, clutching a canvas bag.

“Woah! You’ve been busy,” Llewelyn said, rushing over to get a better look. Behind her a pained expression crossed Flynt’s face and he turned away.

“Back to the ship,” he said, his voice tight. “Before the vampires return.”

The three gargesses exchanged confused glances. Wasn’t Flynt happy that the clan had new life? New hope? Nonetheless, they followed him through the woods and towards an open area where the ship stood. There, Ed was waiting for them, nervously clutching a weapon. Sabrina and Shaiya frowned when they saw the human.

“Who is he?” Shaiya’s hand strayed to where she kept her knife.

‘That’s Ed.’ Llewelyn grinned and waved at him. ‘So you finally earned all that cash Thay paid you huh?”

“He didn’t pay me nearly enough,” Ed muttered under his breath before raising his hand and returning Llewelyn’s wave. “Is that everyone who came?” he asked Flynt, moving back into the ship. The tan gargoyle merely scowled at him as he jumped inside. “Okay,” Ed said, backing away. “Just stating the obvious.”

Flynt turned his back on the New Olympian and helped Llewelyn, Shaiya, Sirius, and finally Sabrina up into the ship. The hatchway was quickly sealed behind them. Flynt opened a small door to his left and gestured for Sabrina to come forward. “Your egg should be safe in here,” he said, indicating the bed that took up most of the space in that small cell-like room.

Sabrina nodded. She didn’t really understand Flynt’s actions since he had seen her egg, but she wouldn’t argue. For now it was enough that he was back.

While Flynt was showing Sabrina where to put her egg, Llewelyn and Shaiya had moved up into the main section of the ship -and there they had stopped. Not sure how to take the scene before them, they waited for Flynt.

“What’s wrong with her?” Llewelyn whispered as Flynt moved past them and knelt by Kahreen. The biomech was curled up on the bench-like seat that ran down one of the walls of the main section. Her eyes were half open, seemingly staring into nothing. The clothes she wore seemed to be two sizes too big and hung loosely off her slender frame. Flynt picked up a blanket from the floor and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“She’s been like that since I ran into them at the mansion last night,” whispered Ed as he came up behind the three females. “Here’s a tip. Don’t ask him what happened. He’s a bit touchy on the subject.”

“He’ll tell us when the time is right,” said Shaiya. She walked up to Flynt. “Is there anything we can do?” she asked him softly.

He shook his head. “No. Nothing. She needs time as do I.” He stood and gestured towards the cockpit. “We need to get airborne. We’re an easy target for any enemy on the ground.”

“What about the rest of the clan?” Llewelyn asked. “The ones who turn to stone will take longer to get here.”

“We can’t wait. Vashkoda sent me the location where she and others are being held captive. If they are in danger then we cannot just leave them there. If the rest of the clan come here then we will return for them.” He gestured to Ed. “Come human, I will need your help navigating this ship.”

“Me?”

“Yes,” Flynt growled. “Don’t worry, you won’t need to tax your brain too much.” He pointed towards a small screen. On it was a map, with two points blinking. “One of these lights is this ship. The other is Vashkoda’s location. All you need to do is tell me whether or not we’re going in the right direction.”

Ed swallowed nervously. “Yes…sure. I can do that.” He sat down in the navigator’s seat.

“And if you mislead us-”

“I know, you’ll rip my head off.”

“Then we understand each other. Good.” Flynt took a seat at the controls.

“Umm, we’ll just go keep an eye on Kahreen,” said Sabrina, gesturing back into the main section.

Flynt smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

Sabrina returned the smile. “Anything for clan,” she said, disappearing through the hatchway, with Llewelyn following. Shaiya remained behind in the cockpit. They might need an extra pair of eyes, she told him.

Flynt nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. He still wasn’t comfortable at the controls of the ship, having only learned to use them the night before. It wouldn’t do if he lost control and sent them all crashing into the ground. One by one he pressed the buttons that started the engine and then lifted the ship into the air. As they cleared the treetops, Shaiya called out, “Over there!”

In the distance was a winged figure. “It’s Silver!” Shaiya called out, bringing Llewelyn to the cockpit entrance.

“I can go get her,” the halfling said. “Flynt can you…”

“The hatchway is open.”

Llewelyn nodded and bounded back into the main section and then out of the hatchway.

*

Silver blinked as the ship rose above the treetops. She had expected to find Llewelyn here but this ship, Kahreen’s ship, was beyond her wildest hopes! She watched as Llewelyn dived out of the hatchway and glided over to her.

“Silver!” Llewelyn waved, a smile threatening to split her face in two. “We found Flynt, Kahreen, Shaiya, Sirius and Sabrina! I…” her face fell as she noticed that Silver was alone. “Where’s Chaz?”

“The vampires have him,” Silver said, tears springing to her eyes. “Rakaar attacked us on a train. He took Chaz.”

“This is my fault.” Llewelyn hung her head. “Can you…”

“It wasn’t your fault Rakaar was on the train. But we don’t have the time for such things. Finding Chaz is more important.”

“Bet we’ll find him at the same place Vash is at.” Llewelyn turned and headed back to the ship, Silver following. “Don’t worry. Flynt’s back. Everything’s going to be okay now.”

The reunion was brief as Silver told the clan what had happened to her and Chaz. Flynt’s face became more grim as she told how the vampire lord had attacked her son.

“He will die for that,” Flynt swore as he turned back to the controls.

Silver frowned and turned to the others. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“Vash contacted us and gave us the coordinates of her position,” Ed spoke up as he hunched over the navigation controls.

“It has to be a trap,” Silver said, staring forward.

“Of course it is,” Flynt stated. “But they will be the ones at a disadvantage, and besides, what other option do we have?”

“I can think of a few,” Ed mumbled as he looked up. “Ok, according to this thing we should be coming up on the place.”

Shaiya went up to the window and looked out. Below them was a vast, heavily fortified area. Through the center of it ran a river. “We could get in by swimming under the river,” she suggested.

“Uh uh,” Llewelyn shook her head. “There’s no way you’re getting me in a river again.”

Flynt frowned. He had a better idea. “Brace yourselves!” he called out as he put the ship into a steep dive. The females barely had the time to get into the main section and secure themselves, the egg and Kahreen as the ship reached the outer wall and smashed right though.

***
A pair of white eyes watched from a window and took in the sight of the gargoyles being tied to the wooden poles. Aynton snorted in disgust, his rage barely controlled.

“I should be the one down there slitting their throats! I’ve earned the right to do that! No one else has!” He swung around and marched towards a small group of Zentech guards who had remained human. The rest had suffered fates worse than death the night the gargoyles’ mansion had burned down. Unable to quit or leave, they had opted to be as inconspicuous as possible, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. They had been ordered to patrol the inside of the building and considering the number of vampires that were swarming outside, they considered it the better deal.

Or so they thought.

“Follow me. We’re going outside!” Aynton marched right past them and through the open doors.

“But Varges said-”

“Screw Varges! Where the hell is he? Not here. And while he’s absent I’m in command.” He turned viciously on the soldier who had questioned him. “Do you understand that?”

“Perfectly, sir.”

“Good,” Aynton said, visibly calming down. “Zentech have no idea what these gargoyles are capable of. I do. They have some, but not all, and that is our employers’ first mistake. The other gargoyles will show up and those fools out there-” he gestured at the crowd on the other side of the window “-will screw up.”

“So we’re going to save the day?”

“No.” Aynton smiled, a thin little up-turning of the corners of his mouth that made some of the guards further doubt the man’s sanity. “No, my friend,” he continued. “We’re going to kill the gargoyles while we still have the chance. I trust no one here has any objections?”

No one did. All the guards present had suffered humiliation at the hands of the clan. This was a chance for payback.

“Good.” Aynton turned and marched out the door. “I want to get as close to them as possible.”

The remainder of the guards nodded and followed him, all save one. He lingered at the back, doing what he has been doing for the past few months--keeping out of Aynton’s way. He had kept his cap pushed down firmly on his head, the brim obscuring his features. Colored contact lenses and a beard had further helped the disguise, but he still knew that if Aynton had gotten a really good look at him, there would have been no chance of doing what he planned to do.

Gregory Harding pulled the door shut and walked back down the corridor. He knew where the weapons were kept. He also needed a high vantage point overlooking the open area. There had to be something on the upper floors...some office or maybe the roof. He’d have to move quickly though. Time was running out.

***

A human dressed in a Zentech uniform waited until Vashkoda and the gargoyles were in place for the sacrifice, before walking around to inspect each.

“My name is Lange,” he announced, “and I am the regional director of Zentech. I’d like to take this moment to congratulate you. You will soon die in a ritual sacrifice that will summon to Earth a terrible creature. It will reign destruction here. You’re ending history. It's quite an honor.”

He reached the end of the line, and paused. “These are all mere gargoyles. Where are the half-breeds we spoke of? This is unacceptable! Bring me Rakaar!”

Chaz began to cry at the name. Cairo tried to turn her face towards the navy child to comfort him, but could not manage it. Vashkoda grimaced and waited for a while. After a few moments, Rakaar was brought forth, still clutching the sword he had stolen from Silver the night before.

“Rakaar, I asked you to gather for me the powerful elements of SteelClaw and you brought me gargoyles. Idiot! Where is the girl of fire? Where are the ones with faerie blood?”

Rakaar shrank back and pointed to Chaz. “This one’s mother is… he has faerie blood.”

“And where is the mother, pray?”

“She took my sword, so I… I… killed her.”

“You killed her,” Lange repeated, weighing the words. “And the others?”

“I ordered the fire girl to be sprinkled with Altrite dust - it serves to stop her using the power against our kind.”

“Altrite dust is powerful… it sends an adrenaline surge through the body of its victims to bring to the fore any magical power they have before they die of exhaustion. Your victim, however, managed to set the sky alight before she died-if indeed she did die, for her body has yet to be found and the symbol was made near dawn. Who was investigating the matter?”

The vampires fell into silence. Rakaar looked to the ground.

“Who searched the area?!” demanded Lange, pointing a large laser rifle at Rakaar.

“Please sir, Mord said-”

“Mord said, Mord said, did he? Mord does not give you orders, feed you blood, nurture you. Mord is not a part of this family, Rakaar, do you understand me?”

“Yes sir.”

“What of the traitor, Cesar?”

***

After waking that night still in pain but otherwise unhurt, Cesar had collected his bearings. He remembered that Zentech had a base not far from where he was - a high security prison complex. As long as he steered clear of that, Zentech need not know that he was still alive.

But then he looked up and witnessed an airborne craft moving at high speed. Curiosity getting the better of him, he took the sky and followed just in sight of the craft. As he realized the direction he was heading, he considered turning back, recognizing a secluded valley that he knew all too well. Hiding near a cliff that served sufficiently as both vantage point and cover, Cesar watched to see what the craft would do. At the end of the valley he spotted a large dome-shaped prison complex: the Zentech base in Newbridge.

***

“Varges said he’d take care of Cesar, sir.”

“I see. And how do you propose that I should bring destruction upon this world with such meager sacrifices?”

Rakaar said nothing. Lange bent close to him and drew the sword sharply from his hand.

“Interesting. Finely designed. Powerful. This sword hums with life energy, and that is what is needed. Gargoyles live twice as long as humans, so they’ll at least contribute something, though not as much as a Child of Oberon. To bring a creature of destruction to Earth, that power is crucial to sustain it. This sword may save you your life, Rakaar… for the time being.”

Rakaar’s eyes flicked venomously from the sword to Lange, but as he leant forward a pair of vampire guards seized him by the shoulders. He snarled.

“Don’t think that your powers over vampires will stop them from hurting you,” said Lange carelessly. “We are the greater evil, and you cannot imagine what we can offer them that you cannot. Try and turn them against us, and in the balance, we shall control their minds - and yours.” He nodded to the guards. “Take him away.”

Lange passed the sword to Tritz. “When we kill the gargoyles, smash the hilt of this sword. Let us hope that its power may be released by the same ritual.”

Tritz took the sword dubiously, but Lange did not react to his expression and turned to address the vampire minions.

“Ready the sacrifices.”

Two vampires each attended a gargoyle and drew knives to cut the throats of their victims. Ansalong and Gigi moved next to Vashkoda.

“Don’t, Ans!” shouted Chaz. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you but snap out of it!”

Ansalong and Gigi’s expressions did not change, and one of the vampires guarding Chaz struck him sharply about the head.

“I shall now speak the ritual incantation. When I say ‘with this sacrifice, let Drekor rise,’ the vampires must kill their victims. Ready?”

The vampires nodded. Lange turned to a group of human soldiers, all of whom looked distinctly nervous and spoke. “My friends, this dark time of uncertainty will pass: think of the endgame and take courage, when the world is weakened and our true plan can commence.”

Lange coughed and stood tall. He began to speak in a loud, commanding fashion.

“Hear me, Drekor. I summon you as the ancient Societatis Draconistrarum, the Order of the Dragon, did long ago. I bind you to the path of destruction, awakening from your ancient sleep to purge the land. With this sacrifice, let-”

***

Before Lange could finish his incantation, a number of things happened.

Ansalong suddenly felt her mind clearing: she looked to Gigi and her expression showed that her possession had also been broken. It did not take long to realize that the disgruntled Rakaar had ended the enslavement of their minds. As Lange chanted, the two hastily mouthed a plan to each other and as he neared his climax, they quickly snapped the ropes holding Vashkoda, dropped the pole, and leapt to strike Lange. A group of vampires rushed to intervene.

But before that could happen, the entire wall of the dome smashed away and in crashed a large alien spacecraft.

Flynt had arrived.

***

“Thaylog definitely didn’t pay me enough for this.” Ed grabbed the edge of the navigator’s seat and used it to pull himself up off the floor. The force of the impact had thrown him from his seat and almost clear across the cockpit. He shook his head and tried to gather his senses, stumbling slightly as a large figure barged past him.

“Are you ok, Ed? Yes Flynt, I’m fine. That’s good then,” Ed mumbled under his breath as he turned and followed Flynt into the main section. He stopped when Flynt’s voice carried back into the cockpit.

“Is everyone ok?”

As the clan members present answered in the affirmative, Ed slowly descended the steps.

Flynt barely registered his presence as he turned back to the clan. “We’re not here to take on the evil present. Our only objective is to rescue our kin and get out of here.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Llewelyn as she ran over to the open hatchway. “So just grab the clan and scamper, right?”

Flynt nodded. “Now go!”

He watched as Shaiya, Llewelyn, Sabrina and Sirius leapt out of the hatchway. Ed went to follow but as he reached the opening, Flynt’s hand fell heavily on his shoulder. Ed cringed. He had the feeling that whenever Flynt did this it wasn’t a good thing.

“You will stay here.”

“Why?” Ed looked at the hatchway; sounds of battle were already filtering through. “Don’t you need me out there?”

“I need to you to guard the ship, Sabrina’s egg, and my mate. Finding the clan will not matter if we cannot escape.”

“Makes sense.”

“And if anything should happen…”

“You’ll…”

“No.” Flynt grabbed Ed by his shirt collar and pulled him close. “Losing your head will be the last thing that happens to you. If you fail I will make sure that you suffer for a very long time.” His eyes flared white at those last words and he lifted Ed clear off the floor.

“Err yeah, sure,” Ed managed to choke out before Flynt dropped him unceremoniously to the floor and leapt out of the hatchway. Rubbing his neck, the New Olympian closed the door and made his way back to the cockpit. Thaylog had told him that Flynt had suffered at the hands of humans in the past, but bloody hell! He’d never mentioned that the tan gargoyle had the tendency to become psychotic in the company of humans.

A thud on the window of the cockpit made him look up. A vampire had latched itself on the ship and was now busy trying to claw its way through the window. Ed sat down in the pilot’s chair, picked up the gun-like weapon he had dropped in the crash and sat watching as the vampire wore its sharp fingernails down to bloody stumps. It wasn’t going to get through the ‘glass’ any time soon. Hell, even crashing the ship straight into a wall hadn’t inflicted so much as a scratch on the surface. Ed frowned as an unwelcome thought slithered into his mind. Maybe the glass wasn’t broken, but what about the rest of the ship? What if everyone got back and the ship couldn’t take off? With growing unease Ed glanced over the complicated control panel and realized that he didn’t know the first thing about this vehicle.

“Oh bugger.”

***

“I own you! You will obey me!” Lange stepped back quickly, allowing two of his human guards to interpose themselves between him and the vampires that now advanced on him. Rakaar had released his hold on their minds and then the back-stabbing little bloodsucker had vanished. As the two guards were torn apart, he fumbled within his robes for an amulet. It was ancient, made from the blood of the first vampire. As such it gave the wearer the ability to control the minds of any vampire.

Lange slipped it over his neck and muttered the incantation that would activate it. All around him the vampires halted in the middle of whatever they were doing and turned to him. Letting out a shaky sigh of relief, Lange quickly composed himself and gave one simple command.

“Get the gargoyles, feast on them, bring them to me. Get the gargoyles.”

***

Chaz blinked, the tears in his eyes clearing as he focused on the craft that had crashed through the wall. “That’s Kahreen’s ship!” he happily cried. Beside him one of the vampires that had been guarding him cried out and crumbled to dust. Seconds later it’s comrade had suffered the same fate. In the next moment Vashkoda was by Chaz’s side, undoing the ropes that bound him.

“Yes, I told Flynt where we were,” Vash said as she slashed through the last of the ropes. Moving quickly, she undid Cairo’s restraints. Madbrook had broken free and was busy keeping the vampires away from the gargoyles as Vashkoda released them.

Cairo’s gaze was fixed upon the ship that now lay half in and half out of the compound. “It’s an omen,” she breathed as she turned and embraced Malachi. “We will win this fight and this war.”

“A ship told you all that?” Malachi said dubiously, and then his gaze fell upon the laser cannon mounted beneath the craft. He grinned and rubbed his hands together. “On the other hand, who am I to argue with an omen?” He turned to Vash. “That’s our ticket out of here?”

The golden-furred gargoyle nodded as she kicked a vampire off the stage. She looked over to the ship and pointed. “There’s Flynt.” She breathed a sigh of relief as Llewelyn suddenly appeared. “And Llewelyn.”

“There’s Mom!” Chaz gave a squeal of delight.

“And Sabrina.” Madbrook smiled. “After last night I didn’t think I’d see her again.”

“Fortune is smiling upon us,” Vashkoda said as she watched Flynt carve his way through the mass of vampires and Zentech guards that stood between him and the clan. The tan gargoyle had somehow gotten his hands on a new battleaxe and was using it to deadly effect. Within moments he was on the stage.

“Is this everyone?” he asked, scanning the small group. Vash nodded.

“This is Malachi, Cairo and Madbrook,” she said, indicating the three new gargoyles. Flynt nodded.

“It’s good to see you.” He pointed towards the ship. “Get Chaz and the others to it. Once everyone is aboard we’re getting out of here.”

That was easier said than done. The area in front of the platform had turned into a battlefield.

***

Harding lowered the rifle, his mouth open in disbelief. Insane or not, Aynton had been right. The rest of the clan had turned up! He grinned. Oh man was Zentech in trouble now! He stood and stepped over the piles of dust that surrounded him-remains of the four vampires who had tired to stop him. Quickly he descended the stairs, almost breaking into a run at one point. The gargoyles were more than capable of taking care of themselves. What it meant for him was that he was now free to wrap up some long unfinished business.

One way or the other, the last of the Dominion aliens would die tonight. After months of hunting them down, only Aynton was left and Harding would finally be able to pay the bastard back for the loss of his men and his arm.* Zentech had been very accommodating when he had first joined up, giving him a cybernetic replacement. Zentech may be the evil bastions of hell, but they sure knew how to make decent replacement limbs.

Harding wanted to show Aynton just how good Zentech technology could be.

***

Cesar alighted on the rubble that had once been the outer wall and surveyed the carnage before him. This didn’t make sense. If SteelClaw and Zentech were allied, then what in hell’s name was going on? Had he made the wrong assumption, or was Zentech in the habit of sacrificing their allies?

His eyes took in the small blue form tied to a post. A child? He blinked, and the same revulsion and disgust he had felt back at the mansion resurfaced. Neither side in this battle had his trust, but that blue tear-streaked face had decided things for him.

Tonight he’d help the gargoyles.

***

The object of Cesar’s resolution was the sole focus for Silver as she tried to make her way through the crowd, lashing out at any vampire who stood in her way. Ahead of her Flynt had already made it to the platform, and was busy giving instructions. A large male, with horns similar to her own, said something to Flynt and gestured towards the ship. Flynt said something, looked at Vashkoda, and then nodded at the ochre male when Vash gave a nod of her own. The crown-horned male then leapt off the platform and glided towards the ship. She growled in frustration as the throng of vampires before her grew thicker. She’d never get through them, never get to her son at this rate.

Very well then, if she couldn’t cut through, she’d go over. Backing up, she looked around for something to climb up...something that would give her enough height to glide. There! Behind her was a support pillar. She’d use that. She turned and fought her way back to the pillar, leaping towards the stone construct as vampires reached out for her. She cried out as a pair of cold clammy hands latched onto her ankle and tried to pull her back into the waiting throng below. She felt a sudden warmth and the vampire holding her cried out and let go. Silver climbed higher and glanced down. The vampire was rolling around on the ground, desperately trying to put out the fire that had suddenly sprung up in its clothing.

Fire. Then that meant…

Silver looked up and saw Llewelyn perched atop a pile of rubble a short distance away. The halfling grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up before turning on a group of vampires that had decided to rush her.

Silver smiled and took to the air, almost marveling at the irony of it all. She feared fire, hated it, and yet tonight it had saved her. It might do so again, but she found herself hoping it wouldn’t. All she wanted to do was get Chaz and get out of here.

It wasn’t going to be that simple.

***

Malachi watched through the ship’s window as Silver leapt off the pillar. A short while ago he had kicked Ed out of the ship and to go and make sure the clan could reach it safely. Ed had tried to blabber something about Flynt telling him to stay in the ship. Malachi had told him that he’d be able to do that outside too...instead of hiding inside and letting everyone else face the danger.

And so Ed had gone, leaving Malachi alone at the controls. After a couple of aborted attempts, he’d managed to get the engines to splutter to life. Then a grubby label caught his attention. By the navigator’s seat was what looked like a small pair of binoculars welded into the control panel. Beside them was a small touch-screen panel and a button. It was beside this button that the label, one of the cheap paper ones that were available anywhere, was stuck. On it was written one very simple four-letter word.

Fire.

He’d found the controls for the cannon a moment later and had figured out how to use it. Touching the screen activated it. Looking through the binocular eyepieces revealed a targeting system, the direction of which was controlled by moving his finger around the touch-screen, much like the mouse panel on a laptop. And the firing mechanism? Well, that was self explanatory.

All this brought him to this moment in time. He’d seen Silver leap up on the column and had seen Llewelyn throw a fireball at the vampires who attacked the crown-horned female. And then he watched as Silver leapt off the column and glided away. He turned his attention back to the views and zoomed in on the area around the column. There were no more gargoyles in that vicinity, only vampires.

Locking the targeting mechanism on the base of the column, Malachi pressed the fire button and was thrown back as a beam of light shot out of the cannon beneath the ship and homed in on the column.

***

All eyes were on the column as the beam struck it, exploding in a brilliance of light and sound that knocked the vampires close to it to the ground. It was followed by another noise as--deprived of its support--the upper part of the column and the section of ceiling it had carried lurched forward and crashed.

All the vampires in its path were crushed. Silver had to dodge pieces of falling masonry and was forced to move further away from her son. Flynt and the gargoyles on the platform took advantage of the distraction and began to make their way back to the ship. When they were a short distance away, Madbrook spoke.

There had been something on his mind ever since he had overheard the conversation between the Zentech guards who had thrown him into the cell.

That meant that there had to be other clones somewhere in the complex. The ones in the Creighton Park labs had been underdeveloped, abandoned, sick. He had realized from the moment they had awoken that they wouldn’t be able to survive in the outside world. But the clones here? Perhaps they were a different story.

“Flynt? I need to talk to you.”

“Now?” Flynt ducked and swung his axe in a wide arc, slashing at any vampires who came near him.

“There are clones here…like me.” A bolt of light flashed by him and the orange gargoyle turned quickly and fired back at the human soldier. “I need to free them,” he finished, coming face to face with Flynt. “Please understand.”

The look that Flynt gave him, along with the accompanying silence, seemed to stretch on forever though it lasted mere seconds. Finally, Flynt shook his head.

“I understand, but you must understand that this clan comes first. When we’re all safe and have found shelter far away, then we’ll come back. But not now; we don’t have the time.”

“But we do have the time Flynt.” Sabrina came to stand beside her mate and took his hand. “I can teleport us both in and out. The clan needn’t be in danger.”

Flynt sighed. “Very well, but if you’re in danger-”

“Then I’ll teleport us both straight back to the ship.” She smiled. “Thank you, Flynt.”

With that both she and Madbrook disappeared in a blaze of green light, leaving Flynt and the rest of the clan to fight their way back. However as they neared the vessel, they spotted a familiar figure making it’s way towards them.

“Hey!”

Flynt looked up and growled in disgust. He really didn’t want to have to deal with that human at the moment.. “I thought I told you to-”

“Blame Malachi.” Ed said, stopping to catch his breath. “Besides, he’s having too much fun with that cannon to let any vampire get near the ship.”

It was true. The constant blasts of white light and the accompanying explosions and screams of dying vampires had provided a constant background to their escape from the sacrificial platform. Flynt growled again and Ed’s eyes flicked nervously to the bloodied blade of this axe.

Cairo chuckled. “My beloved does love his technology.”

“Umm yeah…” Ed’s eyes flicked back to Flynt. “Anyway, I wasn’t much help there. I thought that you might need-”

“Make sure Chaz gets back to the ship safely.”

“-my help,” he finished, blinking in surprise as that one sentence was uttered without an accompanying death threat. Behind him Chaz protested loudly until stern glares from all the adults present convinced him otherwise.

“What about us?” Vashkoda stepped forward.

“Silver, Llewelyn and Sirius are still on the battlefield.” He looked at the remaining adults: Vashkoda, Shaiya and Cairo. “We have to make sure that they get back to the ship safely.”

Suddenly a ball of flames erupted some distance away.

“Well, at least we know where Llewelyn is,” Shaiya remarked dryly.

Flynt nodded. “Let’s go, and do not lose sight of each other!”

“We won’t,” Shaiya assured him. “Never again.”

With that the four members of SteelClaw launched themselves into the fray, leaving Ed and Chaz to make their own way back to the ship.

***

“Oh look. A great big puppy.”

“Really? Maybe we should go and kick it then.”

Cesar looked up. Perched on the wall above him were two female gargoyles…members of SteelClaw? No. He sniffed the air. They may look like gargoyles, but they had the scent of…

“Goddamn vampires,” he growled.

“And a nice warm hello to you too, furball.” Ansalong leaned forward and smiled. “Or should I say traitor?”

“Who are you working for?” Cesar demanded, quickly looking around for any sharp objects. He knew that by shear strength and size alone he could overpower the pair, but to finish them off he’d need something with a point.

“Well, well, well. Whatever do we have here?” Lange approached the trio, flanked by another pair of vampires. Cesar turned quickly, now fully aware that he was cornered on all sides.

“Go.” Lange motioned to Ansalong and Gigi. “Go and find the ones who were once your kin. Feast on them.”

The two females nodded and--extending their wings--caught an updraft of air and glided away.

“As for you-” Lange smiled and stepped forward. “You should be glad that I found you before anyone decided to permanently harm you. That would be most unfortunate.”

“Ha! Y’should tell your buddy Varges about that little rule,” Cesar said, backing away. Each step backwards was matched by an advancement from Lange and the vampires, the distance between them never increasing nor decreasing. “He made it pretty clear he wanted me dead when he shot me last night.”

“Really?” Lange frowned. “That is most improper. He’ll have to be reprimanded for jumping the…” he stopped, and smiled. “Gun, like that.”

“And you’re gonna have to forgive me for jumping the gun too!” Cesar shouted as he leapt towards Lange, colliding with the human and struggling with him briefly before a host of vampires swarmed all over him, pulling him away. Cesar struggled, lashing out and throwing many of the vampires off him. Several of the creatures had bared their fangs and were trying to bite him.

“Hold him! Don’t bite him!” Lange shouted. Two of the vampires looked at him with decidedly interested looks on their faces. Lange frowned as his hands fumbled for the amulet under his robes. “I said…” He stopped. The amulet…where was the amulet? He paled and bolted towards the nearest set of doors into the complex.

Cesar noticed this as he pushed the last vampire away from him. What had gotten into him? He opened one massive paw and looked down at the amulet that rested there. Was it because of this? He looked up. All of the vampires around him were looking at the amulet and Cesar expectantly. Had Lange been using it to control the vampires? Cesar decided to test it out.

“Umm, would y’all back off?”

The vampires backed away.

Cesar grinned. Ultimate power over vampires. Now this was something he hadn’t seen in a movie.

“Okay, go and find some Zentech guards and fight ’em.”

One by one the vampires drifted away, leaving Cesar standing by himself. He looked down at the amulet again. It gave him power over vampires, but it would also give anyone else who got their hands on it that same power. Could he risk Zentech getting their hands on it again? Should he use it to help the gargoyles? He had to make a decision and he had to do it quick. He frowned. Like it or not there was only one thing he could do.

***

“Kid, we have to get out of here!” Ed grabbed Chaz’s wrist and tried to pull the youngster towards the ship.

“Uh uh.” Chaz shook his head and pulled in the opposite direction. “We have to help!”

“Getting killed is not helping!” Ed shook his head in exasperation. “Plus if anything happens to you, between Flynt and your mother there won’t be anything left of me!”

Chaz stopped and his lip trembled, for a moment Ed thought that he’d be subjected to a full-fledged tantrum. However Chaz glanced over his should over at the battle and let his shoulders slump, seemingly in defeat.

“Ok,” he mumbled. “We won’t fight.”

Ed smiled. “Great. I might to get to live a bit longer then.” He gestured back to the ship. “Let’s go then.”

Chaz shook his head. “Uh-uh. There’s something weird here, something out of place. I wanna look at that first.”

“Look Chaz, if you hadn’t noticed there’s a battle raging all around us. We haven’t got time for sightseeing.”

“But it’s something good. Why is something good here? It might help Mom and the others,” he added hopefully.

“Look….”

“Please?” Chaz turned his face up and gave Ed one of his best puppy-eyed expressions. “It won’t take long an’ then we’ll go back to the ship. I promise.”

Ed frowned. As far as he knew, Chaz was usually pretty good at following orders in crisis situations, years on the run with his mother had probably installed that kind of response as second nature. For him to be this much of a pain in the arse…

“What is it?

“A tree, big and healthy. I saw it in a courtyard when they were taking us up to the posts.”

“What’s so special about that?”

“Do you see any other trees here?”

Ed searched his memory. As far as he could see there had been no sign of plants in the compound. Nothing, not a single weed. “Fine,” he relented. “We’ll go and have a look and then we’re getting the hell out of here.”

“Great!” Chaz grinned and then raced off. Ed followed, having to break into a full sprint in an effort to keep up with him. At one point he’d almost lost sight of him, only spotting him again as he rounded a corner and found himself in a small courtyard. Chaz was only a few feet away, looking at a point halfway up the trunk.

“Kid,” Ed managed to gasp out between breaths. “You do remember what ‘staying close’ actually means, right?”

“Um, yeah.” Chaz looked over his shoulder and grinned apologetically at the New Olympian. “Sorry.” He turned back to the tree and walked up to it, peering into a hole halfway up the trunk. He gave a delighted laugh and glanced back at Ed. “That’s why there are no nasty vampires here.” He gestured for the New Olympian to join him. “Look!”

Ed walked up, wondering what exactly the kid had found. He was right about one thing, though. Although there were sounds of battle all around them, no vampires had actually followed them into the courtyard.

Or so he thought.

As he neared the tree a familiar voice rang out, sending his heart crawling into the pit of his stomach.

“Well well Gigi. Looks like we found ourselves some nice mid-battle snacks.”

Ed whirled around, seeing two familiar yet unwelcome shapes slink into the courtyard. “Oh shi…Chaz! Get out of here!”

“You’re not going anywhere warm blood.” Ansalong smiled, revealing her long vampire fangs. “I promised to snack on both of you and that’s a promise I intend to keep. And since Gigi and I are both here, neither of you has to wait for us to finish with the other. Isn’t that accommodating of us?”

“It’d be more accommodating if you both just buggered off and left us alone,” Ed suggested, his throat dry. He glanced behind him at Chaz-as long as there was something between the kid and the vampires then Chaz might have a chance of escaping. He tried to swallow. It looked like neither Flynt nor Silver would have the opportunity to torture him for this. Ansalong and Gigi wouldn’t leave anything to torture. He closed his eyes. As he was now he wasn’t much of a threat to the two vampires. He needed something more and there was only one thing that would better his chances. He grimaced and tied not to cry out as he let his new Olympian form take over. He didn’t know how Silver could stand it, this shapeshifting.

The two vampires split up, circling the pair from either side. No, Ed looked up, swallowing and trying get some moisture into his parched throat…this wasn’t circling...this was stalking! How many nature documentaries had he seen when lions or other predators did the same thing before ripping the throat of…

He grimaced, that was not the thing he should be imagining right now.

And then the moment for thought passed. Both vampires rushed the pair, leaping at them with talons outstretched and fangs bared. Ansalong crashed into Ed and sent them sprawling into Gigi, who had somehow found herself without a target. The green vampire tried to go for Chaz, but Ed found himself doing the unthinkable. As Gigi’s tail flashed by, Ed reached out with his free hand and grabbed it. His other hand was busy trying to keep Ansalong’s open mouth from closing on his throat. This was not good. In seconds Gigi would turn on him and it would be all over. He had to buy himself some distance and time. He screamed, closed his eyes and jerked violently forward, headbutting Ansalong and giving her a face full of his hair…his burning hair.

Although it wasn’t a true flame, something that would have reduced the vampire to nothing more than a pile of ash, a face full of this flickering heat was all the persuasion Ansalong needed. She screamed and rolled away, hands clutching at her face. Ed rolled in the opposite direction, not fully in control of his senses. Getting groggily to his knees, he looked up and almost panicked when he saw four vampires, and then his vision began to clear. Only two, and neither one looked like they were going to attack him. Gigi was a short distance away, a confused expression on her face. Ansalong was still on her knees, uttering a stream of obscenities that literally turned the air blue.

“Stupid moron! Why the hell did you go and do that for?”

Gigi blinked slowly and turned to Ansalong, kneeling beside her hunting partner and trying to assess her injuries. “I…I don’t think he had any choice. We…” her pupils contracted to pinpricks as memories of the past two days were recalled. “What did we do?”

“You don’t want to know.” Ed slowly got to his feet, changing back into his human form. The danger had passed. He reached up and gingerly touched his nose. It felt broken…just wonderful. He looked around.

“Chaz?” he called out, looking for the child. There was no reply.

“Chaz?” He called louder this time, stumbling over to the tree and peering around the trunk. What if Gigi had managed to get a lucky strike in and had taken the kid out before he’d pulled her away?

No…still nothing.

Now panic did set in. Silver’s son had vanished. Red turned, his eyes doing a wide sweep of the courtyard, angry at himself, angry at Ansalong and Gigi and especially angry at Zentech for starting this whole mess in the first place. Chaz was nowhere to be seen. What had happened to him?

“Chaz!”

***

Cesar sat back on his haunches and looked at the shattered charm. He noticed a sudden lull in the fighting. With the vampires no longer under Zentech’s control, what would happen to them now? He didn’t know, but at least his former bosses were no longer calling the shots. They had lost control of most of their forces present, and with any luck many of the vampires would turn on any warm blooded being there, including the humans that worked for this ‘parent’ company.

Sometimes payback could be quite, quite sweet.

***

“This way.” Madbrook motioned towards an open door. In the room beyond there came the soft green glow of a computer screen. In seconds he and Sabrina were inside and had closed the door behind them. Moving to the computer, Madbrook began accessing file after file.

“What are you doing?” Sabrina asked from the door.

“Looking for something to tell me where the clones are,” he said, his eyes scanning a map that had appeared on the screen. “Ah, here we are. Damn!”

“What is it?”

“They change the codes every fifteen minutes. I can’t access them!”

“We don’t need codes, Embee,” she said, walking over to him and looking at the map on the screen. “I can get us into the control room. You’ll be able to rally them. We won’t need any codes.”

He smiled. “Sabrina, you’re a wonder.”

“I’m making up for last night. I didn’t see it before, but I do now. To you, all clones are family, and we have to do what we can to help our family.”

“Sabrina...”

“Shhh.” She put her arms around him. “I have to remember the details of the map clearly…I don’t want to end up transporting us into the middle of a concrete floor.”

Their ears pricked up as the sounds of footsteps became audible.

“I think we should go now,” Sabrina said, and the two vanished as the door opened and a Zentech guard entered the now empty room.

***

Silver landed on the ruins of the outer wall and turned, fully intending to launch herself back into the air. However as her eyes quickly scanned the battlefield, she reconsidered. Flynt and the rest of the clan were making their way back towards the ship and there, in their midst, was Chaz. She let out a sigh of relief. Good. He’d be safe now.

She frowned as an orange beaked gargoyle and Sabrina approached Flynt and exchanged words with him. The frown deepened as the pair suddenly vanished. What was going on now? She didn’t know, but decided she’d find out when she rejoined the others. What was important now was that she get to Chaz and then…

She started as a dark shadow darted though a gap in the wall. She turned and leaned over the edge, watching as the shadow exited on the other side and slipped away into the night. As it moved she caught a glimpse of something metallic in its arms.

Her grip on the rubble tightened, sending pieces of crushed masonry tumbling down the pile. At that same moment the night breeze carried the confirmation of what her instincts told her.

At the sound of the falling masonry the figure whirled around to face her and Silver found herself looking into the pale features of one that she loathed more than any other that night.

“Rakaar,” she hissed.

The former vampire lord returned the greeting, extending the sword he had been cradling. Silvers hiss turned into a growl as she recognized the sword that had once contained the Oni which had possessed her. Why Rakaar wanted it so badly, she didn’t know, but she was certain that he would be using it to harm others again.

As they glared at each other down the length of the blade, Rakaar smiled and was the first to speak.

“Go back to the battle little mother! Who knows what is supping on your son right now?”

“My son is safe!” Silver cried, leaping from the wall with talons extended. “But you are going to die!”

Rakaar readied himself, holding the sword so that if Silver tried to tackle him directly, she would be impaled on its blade. However a frontal assault was not what Silver had in mind. Angling her wings slightly, she landed beside the vampire and crouched low as he swung the sword around. Before he could bring the sword back and plunge it into her, Silver turned, snaking her tail out and sweeping Rakaar’s legs out from under him. As he fell she lashed out, knocking the sword from his hand. Quickly she kicked it away, grimacing at the feel of the cold metal against her skin.

“My sword!” Rakaar cried out as he got to his feet. “That’s mine! Give it to me you stupid creature!”

“No!” Silver readied herself. “If you want it then you’re going to have to come through me. You can’t hide behind a sword, in a box or behind my son now, monster. You have to face me!”

Rakaar’s eyes flicked from the sword to Silver and then to the dark landscape that surrounded them. Yes, he could escape if he wanted to. Come back and finish this creature another night. His eyes flicked back to the sword. But he wanted that. It was his and he wasn’t going to let a gargoyle stop him from reclaiming it! Uttering a cry of rage, Rakaar leapt into the air only to realize his mistake an instant later. Time turned to treacle as he watched Silver’s form change. Watched as she went down on all fours, her hands and feet morphing into hooves, her facial features lengthening and two long sharp spiral horns emerged from her forehead.

As those horns slid through his body, Rakaar caught the traces of a smile around her mouth. And then there was no more as the horns pierced his heart, and with a scream, his body crumbled into dust.

Silver sank to her knees as her body slowly changed back to its usual form. To change so quickly took a lot out of her. She looked around as she rubbed the back of her neck. Rakaar had been heavier than she’d expected. Still…her glance fell on the dust that covered the ground and her. It had been worth it. Rakaar wouldn’t hurt her son - or anyone else, ever again.

Now that only left one other thing. Silver slowly got to her feet and staggered over to where the sword was half buried in the dirt. She didn’t want to touch it, but she couldn’t leave it here either, not if it meant that someone like Rakaar could pick it up. Reaching for the dusty scraps of Rakaar’s clothing, she tore them into strips and wound them tightly around the sword. Once bound, she made a strap from another piece of cloth and swung it over her shoulder. It was time to get back to Chaz, to the others, and finally get out of this place.

***

“This is just like Creighton Park.” Sabrina leaned over the edge of the walkway they had appeared on and looked down. Luck had been with them and no guards were there to stop them when they had materialized in the room.

Madbrook shivered. “I know.” He looked down at the rows of cylinders, many of them empty. He moved along the walkway and gazed down into another room. Inside were a dozen large black chairs, each occupied by a slumbering clone. Electrodes were attached to their bald heads and drips were inserted into their arms.

“This must be the final stage,” he said, searching for the controls that would allow him access to the creatures.

“And after that, they must put them in there,” said Sabrina, indicating a third and final room. Between thirty and forty clones milled about inside. Most were dressed and had small devices fitted about their ears, ready, it seemed, to join the battle outside. Through the reinforced glass, Madbrook could see a number of small windows beyond which many figures moved.

“Those must be the human guards,” he said, pointing them out. “We’ll have to work fast before any of them realize something is wrong up here.”

“And that won’t be long,” Sabrina said, looking nervously at the door.

“Then let’s hurry,” he replied moving towards the end of the walkway where the controls had been welded into the wall. They were similar to the ones he had used at Creighton Park, and soon he had worked out which one allowed him to talk to the clones.

“Here goes nothing,” he said. Sabrina squeezed his hand in reassurance before turning to watch the door.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed the button that opened the com channel. “My friends, my name is Madbrooklyn and I’m a clone like you. The humans here created you and forced you into a fight that is not of your choosing. I’m giving you that choice. You can stay here and fight for the humans, letting them choose your thoughts for you. Or you can come with me and think for yourselves. Choose how you want to live.”

He looked over at the third room where all the clones had turned to look up at the figures above them.

“No!” One voice rang out loud and clear. “No choice. We want to kill. They will let us kill. No choice!” Around it, its fellow clones began stamping their feet and chanting. “Kill, kill, kill, kill…”

Madbrook hung his head as his heart and his hopes sank. “This was a mistake,” he moaned. “I should have learned from the last time.”

“Oh Embee,” Sabrina said, moving to comfort him.

“What ways are there to live?”

Madbrooklyn’s head snapped up as that single voice came through the intercom. There, in the second room the newer, more developed clones were sitting up and pulling the electrodes from their heads. The speaker, one of the larger clones, was walking down the room, his eyes fixed on Madbrook. He spoke again.

“Apart from killing and fighting. What ways are there to live?”

“Many, many ways,” he replied, his heart soaring. “But you can’t learn them here. You have to go out into the world outside. Come with me and I’ll lead you into that world.”

The clone frowned and looked back at his companions. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, he looked back at Madbrook. “Lead us outside.”

“Yes!” Madbrook slammed his palms down onto the control panel and looked over at Sabrina, his smile threatening to split his face in two. “Yes,” he said, speaking through the intercom. “I’ll lead you.”

“How do we…” The clone began, his own mouth quirking up into a mimic of Madbrook’s smile. Then, suddenly a puzzled look crossed the clone’s face, quickly turning into a mask of pain as the clone screamed, clutched at his head and fell to the floor. Madbrook and Sabrina looked on in horror as the other clones did the same. Wails from the third room told the pair that the same fate had befallen the clones there.

“No!” Madbrook roared in rage and horror, pulling the control panel away from the wall in a shower of sparks.

Sabrina had backed away, her hands clasped to her mouth. “They killed them,” she said in a small voice. “Even the ones who were staying loyal to them. They killed them all.” She walked towards Madbrook, her arms outstretched. “Embee, we have to go, we…”

She stopped mid sentence as the ground beneath them shook violently. Madbrook whirled around as parts of the ceiling began to rain down on them.

“What in hell are those bastards doing now?”

***

That same question was on the lips of all those still on the battlefield as the ground beneath them began to shake.

“What’s happening?” Flynt shouted as he pulled his axe out of a piece of fallen timber, dislodging the dust from what had once been a vampire unfortunate enough to get in the blade’s way.

“There!” Llewelyn shouted as she leapt down from the wall to join Flynt and his small group. “By the platform!”

All eyes followed her outstretched arm as the ground before the platform began to buckle upwards. Around them, the vampires had begun cheering, although their voices were soon drowned out by the sound if the tortured earth.

“By Merlin’s beard! This, this must be what they were trying to raise by sacrificing us!” Vashkoda shouted, trying to be heard over the noise. “But we didn’t die. So how is this possible?”

“Raise? Raise what?” Flynt shouted back.

“The Drekor!” Vashkoda replied, falling silent as a giant fist was thrust upwards into the night air.

What kind of beast it was, no one could be sure. Some thought it looked like a dragon, but the monster that now pulled itself free from the earth--destroying the Zentech building behind it in the process--was something more hideous than even their darkest terrors could mold into being.

“Madbrook and Sabrina,” Flynt said, his eyes widening as the dust from the building’s collapse began to settle. “They were still in there.”

“No, I see them!” Cairo called, pointing a short distance away to where the two missing clan members suddenly appeared. The pair dove out of the way as the Drekor’s tail, now feed from its prison, began to lash out. The spiked appendage struck the ground, barley missing them.

A short distance away, the ship suddenly burst into life and the clan watched as it backed away with moments to spare as the Drekor’s tail pounded furiously at the spot where the ship had once been. It seemed that Malachi had finally figured out the controls of the alien vehicle.

From his vantage point, Flynt had seen enough. “We’re getting out of here,” he said, starting towards the ship. “Where’s Silver?”

“Here,” the crown-horned gargess called as she leapt down from the wall.

“We’re leaving,” he said. “Call Sirius and let’s get out of here.”

Silver nodded and put two fingers into her mouth, whistling loudly. Within moments the gray gargoyle beast came into sight, his tail wagging as he happily carried a leg in his mouth.

“Ewww!” Llewelyn grimaced in disgust. “Drop that.”

Sirius obeyed, dropping the leg and bounding over to Silver. “Well,” she said, rubbing his head, “At least one of us is enjoying this.”

“We shouldn’t be leaving,” protested Cairo as they made their way towards the ship. “That creature-”

“Is something the humans will have to deal with on their own,” Flynt interrupted. “We came here to rescue our kin. We’ve done that. We’re leaving.”

“But...”

“No arguments,” he said, putting an end to the discussion.

Cairo never got the chance to say more as Llewelyn cried in outrage. “What the hell is he doing with them!”

All eyes turned as Ed, Ansalong and Gigi stumbled out from the dust.

Without Chaz.

***

Harding watched in a state of fascinated horror as the creature rose from the earth. Moments earlier he had finally spotted Aynton and had begun to make his way over to the son of a bitch, when the ground had begun to shake and Harding found himself flat on his back. When he managed to get back on his feet, all those around him, human and vampire alike, had paused in their struggles to watch this creature emerge.

Everyone, it seemed, except Aynton.

The Dominion alien was making his way over to where the clan of gargoyles were gathering. In his hands he held a high powered rifle, charged and ready to fire.

“Only you,” Harding swore under his breath. “Only you would go gargoyle hunting while this is going on.”

Still, Aynton’s fanaticism worked in his favor. While he was focused solely on the gargoyles, he would be oblivious to anything around him. That included Harding, who now pulled a small knife from its hiding place. Aynton wasn’t going to leave this world courtesy of any gun or other such long range weapon. No, this was going to be up close and personal. He glanced sideways at the hole the Drekor had crawled out of. With a beast that size, the hole had to at to be at least a couple of hundred feet deep. Enough to be fatal to any who fell into its darkness. He looked back at Aynton. He was tired of all this chasing. All he needed now was this one last bit of closure, and then he could rest.

A short distance away, Aynton had crouched behind a pile of rubble and was slowly taking aim. Harding picked up speed, covering the distance between him and his prey in no time at all. This wasn’t the way all his training and years of experience had taught him to take down a target, but he was past all that. He’d done what had been expected of him, but his encounter with Dominion and the gargoyles had changed all that. And it was obvious that Aynton certainly wasn’t expecting this. The surprised look he gave Harding as the mercenary crashed into him was evidence enough of this.

“Hey there,” Harding spat as he stamped down on Aynton’s rifle arm, crushing the limb and forcing Aynton to let go of the weapon. “Did you miss me?”

Aynton’s only reply was a howl of pain and rage as he rose to meet the challenge that Harding presented him.

***

“Where is he? Where is he?” Silver cried frantically as she tried to pull herself away from the arms that were restraining her.

Malachi grunted and readjusted his grip, trying to stop Silver from leaping back onto the now eerily quiet battlefield. Many of the vampires had pulled back as three large vats filled with a red liquid were wheeled out and left before the Drekor. All were silent as the creature bent over the vats, sniffed the liquid and then began to drink deeply.

Well, almost all were silent. A little distance away two humans were busy fighting, their struggles edging them closer and closer to the Drekor. Malachi snorted in disgust and turned back to watch the exchange taking place only a short distance away.

“I told you to take him back to the ship! Not take him into danger!” Flynt roared, pinning Ed against the side of the ship.

Gigi rushed towards them, trying to ignore the disgusted looks the rest of the clan were giving her and Ansalong. “Please, it wasn’t his fault. He and Chaz were safe. What happened was our fault. We attacked…”

“Oh put a sock in it!” Llewelyn roared, stepping forward. “You have no right to talk, you don’t even have a right to be here! I should have incinerated you last night!”

“Yeah, but you didn’t,” snapped Ansalong. “Live with it.”

“I’d rather you die.”

“Shut up!” Flynt roared, silencing the trio. He turned his attention back to Ed. “I warned you what would happen to you if anything befell that child.” He pulled his free hand back and flexed his talons. “You only have yourself to blame.”

“Wait, Flynt.” Vashkoda stepped up and grabbed his free hand. “You might be being a bit too hasty.” She pointed towards the Drekor. “Look.”

All eyes turned in the direction Vashkoda was pointing to. There, little more than a speck in the sky, was a familiar figure.

“Chaz!” Silver screamed, finally wrenching free from Malachi’s grasp. There was a thud as Flynt released Ed and the New Olympian landed on the ground.

The clan watched in trepidation as the small blue gargoyle child glided towards them, realizing in horror that his path would take him directly over the Drekor.

“No,” Silver whimpered as Chaz suddenly dived towards the vats, only to be swatted away moments later by a casual flick of the Drekor’s tail. Silver started forward, trying to get to him before he hit the ground. Such a fall would kill him, she knew. But she was to far away. They all were. They’d never get to him in time.

Suddenly from the edge of her vision there came a streak of brown, heading towards Chaz and scooping him up before he hit the ground. As it slowed, turning so that it was now heading towards the ship and the clan, they got a good look at Chaz’s rescuer.

“Cesar!” A number of the clan members shouted out in unison.

He landed a short distance away, heading straight towards Silver who had rushed towards the pair, her arms outstretched. “Ah think this is yours,” he said, gently handing Chaz over to her. As she cradled her son in her arms, he looked up and gave her a weak smile.

“Hi Mom,” Chaz said, squinting up through one eye that was already beginning to swell and close up.

“Where were you?” Ed said, starting forward. “I thought something had happened to you!”

“Sorry,” Chaz mumbled as Silver carried him into the ship and laid him down beside Kahreen on the long seat in the main section. “But I couldn’t let them get their hands on it.”

“Hands on what?” Ed had followed them into the ship, certain that at any moment he would feel Flynt’s hand on his shoulder and would be tossed out into the night. “That thing that was in the tree?”

“Whatever it was, it wasn’t worth being used as batting practice kid,” commented Llewelyn as she jumped up inside.

“It was!” Chaz protested, grimacing as Silver began to asses his injuries.

“Whatever got into your head, it can wait until later.” Flynt’s voice carried back into the ship. He waited as one by one the remaining clan members climbed up into the main section. Now only he, Ansalong, Gigi and Cesar were left outside. “We’re getting out of here.” He looked back at the trio. “All of us.”

“Are you serious, Flynt? Even them?!” Llewelyn’s outraged voice tore though the open hatchway.

“All of us,” he repeated ushering the two vampires and a surprised Cesar into the ship, quickly following them and then closing the hatchway behind him. As he made his way up to the cockpit, Cesar spoke.

“Ah don’t know what t’say except thank you.”

“You saved his life,” said Flynt as he passed Chaz and Silver. “For that we at least owe you passage out of here.” The tan gargoyle disappeared into the cockpit. Seconds later the ship began to vibrate as the engines sprang to life, a few seconds more and the ship was airborne, flying away from the scene of chaos that was once the Zentech compound.

“If only we could have done something about the creature those men of evil summoned,” sighed Cairo.

“But we did do something!” Chaz protested once again as Silver began to splint and bandage his left arm. She sighed.

“Exactly what did you do?”

“The white diamond,” Chaz said hissing as Silver pulled the bandages tight and tied them. “You remember it mom?”

“I remember,” she said recalling the night she, Llewelyn, Ansalong and Gigi had tried to take back the mansion…and had failed.

“It was in that tree we found.” Chaz continued as he looked at Ed. “I thought we could use it to scare the bad vampires away.”

“But Ansalong and Gigi attacked us,” Ed finished, gingerly feeling his nose.

“Hey, mind control. We didn’t have any choice,” Ansalong said, defiantly meeting the glares and growls that were directed at her from some of the clan.

“Anyway, I got scared and ran away,” Chaz said, his voice now sounding small. “I’m sorry, Ed.”

“You’re forgiven.”

“And then the ground began to shake and the buildings started to fall down. I dunno how, but I ended up far away from Mom and the others and I wanted to get back. So I started gliding straight back to you and saw that monster.”

“You should have glided away from it,” said Silver softly.

“I know mom, but I saw it drinking from those big bowls and I thought if the diamond could hurt vampires…if it could hurt me just by touching it, then what would it do to the monster if it ate it? So-” he mumbled, not seeing the dawning looks of realization that spread across the clan’s faces, “I dropped it in one of the bowls.”

***

The last of the vats had been drained as the gargoyles’ ship disappeared into the distance. Not that any of the assembled host of Zentech personnel and vampires cared. The creature they had come to see brought back to this world now stood before them, fully awaked and fed. Soon it would be time to unleash it upon the world, to revel in the destruction and chaos that it would cause. It was at this moment that Lange chose to emerge from the safety of his bunker. The board of directors would reward him greatly for this, he thought, as he strode towards the Drekor, clutching the incantation that would put it under Zentech’s control.

However, as he raised his hand to begin the spell, something odd happened.

The Drekor let out a large belch.

Many of the vampires and humans began to gag as the nauseating smell of sulphur spread across the compound. Lange, covering his own mouth, frowned as the Drekor let out a low moan of pain. What was going on? The texts had said nothing about this.

There was one man, however, who could clearly see what was happening and what was going to happen. Harding grunted, pushing the stunned form of Aynton off him and looked straight up into the belly of the beast. In the last few seconds, the Drekor’s stomach had begun to expand alarmingly. And now a glow began to emanate from there. The Drekor moaned again and let rip one of the biggest, loudest and goddamn rankest farts Harding had ever encountered. He got to his feet, eyes streaming and his bile rising. Reaching down, he hauled Aynton to his feet. The Dominion alien and its host were vomiting, the last physical sensation Harding was going to allow them to have. Holding the stricken alien close to him with one hand, Harding pulled out his gun with the other and aimed it at the glow in the Drekor’s stomach. With so much methane gas in the air and possibly much more inside the creature, there could only be one possible outcome.

“Look up, Aynton,” Harding directed, a smile crossing his face. “You don’t want to miss this you son of a bitch.”

And then he pulled the trigger.

***

The shockwave caused by the explosion buffeted Kahreen’s ship even at this distance.

“Holy…” Cesar breathed. “The little diamond of yours did that?”

Chaz grinned. “Told you,” he said, as Silver kissed the top of his head.

“I don’t believe it.” Madbrook embraced Sabrina. ‘We did it. We beat them.”

“All right!” shouted Llewelyn, grinning from ear to ear. “We won!”

“This fight maybe,” said Vash, her voice subduing the celebratory mood that was sweeping the ship. She remembered her fight and encounter with Mord. “But are we safe?”

****

The ship circled and finally settled on an open area near the summit of one of the mountains behind Newbridge. Shaiya had pointed out the old cabin as they approached. Humans used it in the summer, but as winter began to tighten its grip on the land, it was now empty.

“It will have to do,” said Flynt, now suddenly sounding tired and weary. “For now.”

They landed close to the cabin and many of the clan were all for spending the day sleeping inside it, but Flynt shook his head in disagreement. It was too close and too soon. They would be better off spending the day inside the cloaked ship.

“Thaylog is gone. So is the mansion.” Flynt sat down on the steps that led from the cockpit to the main section. “I only know some of this story, and many new faces have come since I was last here. Some I’m not sure I can trust,” he said, taking a sideways glance at both Ed and the vampires. “But some of you say they can be trusted, and until I know the whole story I’m going to have to accept that.”

“What we need now is a leader,” Vashkoda said, turning the others who nodded their heads in agreement.

Flynt sighed. “And I’ll be that. But the one I’d choose as my second cannot fulfill that role at the moment.” His eyes drifted to the room where Kahreen rested, and many of the clan looked shocked, wondering why he would choose someone he had always been hostile to in the past. “As for who should take her place until she recovers….” Flynt gazed around at them, looking indecisive. So many faces were new to him, and even those he once knew had changed. “I think there are many tonight who should be honored,” he said at last, smiling as he looked at Chaz. “Especially you, young one...”

Chaz grinned, his face falling, however, as Flynt continued.

“…but such honors, I think, should be deferred until you are older.”

“That sucks,” Chaz muttered under his breath, as Silver ruffled his hair.

“Well I’m very proud of you,” she said. “But until you are older, I think that will be the last time you get involved in such battles.”

Chaz grumbled something, obviously not very happy about his lot. Then his eyes fell on the wrapped bundle behind his mother.

“The sword-you got it back,” he said in surprise, recognizing the shape. “Hey, I deserve a prize, right? After what I did?”

But Silver frowned and pushed the package out of sight. “No one is ever to touch this thing. It brings nothing but evil to those that use it.” Chaz sighed and stared grumpily down at the floor.

Flynt continued to look around the room expectantly. Finally Vash pushed herself off from the wall she had been leaning against and spoke, her voice and expression bitter, as if she would rather not be sharing what she had to say.

“When you and Kahreen vanished and Thaylog disappeared, the rest of us had to decide on a temporary leader. Shaiya was chosen.”

Flynt looked up at Shaiya hopefully, but she declined with a firm shake of her head.

“I accepted only because Thay’s clan needed guidance in his absence. But now that you are here, I gladly return that duty to you-to whom Thaylog once entrusted it.”

Flynt looked puzzled. “But then who-?”

Shaiya’s eyes fell on Vashkoda, still wearing her usual frown. “My pupil is well suited to take my place. And if swords are to be a reward, you may have mine,” she said, lifting from a fold in her robes the sword that she had once taken up in defense of the mansion before it fell. Vashkoda’s expression-which had flickered to annoyance when Shaiya reminded her of their mentor-pupil relationship-became one of surprise and guilt as she accepted the sword.

“Vashkoda, until Kahreen is well again would you be this clan’s...and my second in command?” asked Flynt.

Vash sat back, stunned. “I…” she looked around at the others, many of who nodded their approval. Her gaze lingered on Cairo and the delighted look that crossed her face. “Very well,” she said. “I accept.”

Flynt nodded his thanks and stood. “Dawn is approaching,” he said, feeling the familiar lethargy overcoming his limbs. “It’s been a long night and we could all do with some rest.”

“Umm Flynt?” Ed held up his hand. “I know you want us to stay in the ship today, but since I don’t turn to stone, I was wondering if I could go check…out the …cottage,” he finished, gulping as Flynt glowered at him. The tan gargoyle’s eyes flicked to Vash and she nodded.

“Very well, you may go to the cottage, but no further.” With that he turned his back on the surprised Olympian and went to kneel by Kahreen’s side.

Before Ed could say anything more, the sun rose above the horizon and all the gargoyles turned to stone.

***

Dawn aged to midday, and by then Ed’s search of the cabin had proven to be fruitful. In the small kitchen he found a small gas burner. The canister was half full, but it was enough to heat the can of soup he had found in the cupboard and to stave off some of the chill that had crept in on his brief journey back into the ship. He had brought two mugs of the soup up to the ship, intending to give them to Shaiya and Kahreen. The white haired female had promised to give Kahreen hers. He then ducked back out and returned to the masses of blankets he had pulled out of the closet. Pouring the soup into a mug, he moved the gas burner to the fireplace and sank into the comfy chair beside it. As he sat sipping the soup, he felt something digging into his waist. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the airline ticket which promised to take him far away from this.

He turned it over in his hands, considering his promise. Finally he