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

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

    The beautiful golden sun slowly sank beneath the horizon, casting the last of its shadows upon the stone statue of the Skydancer.  As the last of the yellow rays flickered across her granite surface, spider-like cracks appeared over her body and with a roar the gargoyle leaped to life.

    Looking around her balcony, the tan gargess felt the coolness of the late Autumn air.  Winter was not far away.  Caping in her wings, Skydancer turned around and headed indoors, out of the chill wind.  Skipping briefly across her as-yet empty room, the gargess leaped out into the tower and started a spiral glide down to the bottom.  Landing softly, the gargess opened the door into the living room and stepped out into the large airy room.  "Lis!!" she called, her voice echoing around her.

    Pausing in her humming, Lisette glanced up from the stone walkway that led from the mailbox that hung on the end of the gate and smiled at the house.  She hadn't even noticed the setting sun.  "Coming!" she called out as her soft shoes tapped off of the hard stone, joining in on the swish of her old blue jeans and white long-sleeved shirt.  Humming softly to herself, Lisette slowly walked up the long walk that led up to their beautiful manor.  In the end, the restoration spell had done wonders for the old home, making the paint look fresh and clean and the house look well.. just like new.  Smiling, Lisette stepped onto the bright white porch and then slipped inside one of the large double doors and into the large foyer beyond.

     Sky turned inquisitive green eyes onto Lisette as the mage came in through the front door.  In her hand was a business envelope.  "What's that?" the Skydancer asked, nodding towards Lisette's hand.

     Startled, Lisette glanced up from the stack of mail and met her friend's eyes.  "Our first mail call!" she called out in response as she beckoned her friend closer.  "I never even thought to check the mail, seeing as how we have not even been in our home very long... it has been piling up."

     Smiling, the gargess went over and glanced over her friend's shoulder and stared at the envelopes in her hand.  "What IS all of that?" she questioned.  Sky knew the concept of mail, but most of it looked like gibberish to her.

     Shrugging her shoulders, Lisette slowly held up the envelopes and inspected them under the bright light of the towering chandelier above.  "Well, this one appears to be an... electric bill?" she murmured in curiosity as she slowly passed it to her friend.  "And this one is an.. advertisement for.. what in the world is 'lipo suction'?" she questioned, holding up the glossy sheet of paper as she turned her large blue eyes to her garg friend.

     Taking the  glossy paper from the mage, Skydancer carefully read the caption at the top of the paper.  "'Need to get rid of that fat?  Want to look better in a matter of hours?  Lipo-suction is the thing for you!  Call us at 555-9657 now...." Skydancer's voice trailed off as her browridge knotted in puzzlement.  "What does getting rid of 'fat' have to do with one's lips?" she questioned in bewilderment.  Looking back over Lisette's shoulder, the gargess shook her head.  "This world is a never-ending puzzle to me, sometimes."

     Just as puzzled as her friend, Lisette quickly shrugged her shoulders.  "I have not the slightest of ideas," she murmured as she began flipping through the pile of mail faster and faster.  "It is all the same!" she murmured in disbelief.  "An advertisement for camera equipment, for a tanning salon, for a new restaurant..." she laughed as she began tossing the pieces of paper and envelopes to the hard marble floor.  "Look, this one is even offering me a credit card, whatever that is!" she cried as she tossed the new envelope to her friend.

     Skydancer grinned at the mage as she glanced at the papers all over the foyer floor.  "We ought to put a waste can in here just for that," she commented wryly as she turned her attention back to the remaining mail in Lisette's hand.  "What's that?" the she-gargoyle asked, gesturing towards the last envelope in the mage's hand.

     "Probably another bill or trash," she murmured sarcastically as she eyed the inconspicuous envelope.  "Oh wait.. it is a letter from Kathy Higgens," Lisette said, surprised to be hearing from the woman as she quickly tore into the envelope.  Curious, she quickly unfolded the letter and moved so that Sky could read as she did.

     The gargess cast her green eyes upon the letterhead of Higgen's note.  "Get a load of that address!" Sky said laughingly.  "'1313 Corporate Blvd!?'  Is that an omen or what with those numbers!"

     Laughing, Lisette quickly shook her head, her long blond hair swishing loose around her shoulders.  "Is there not some saying about Corporate America?" she asked as she arched her eyebrows at her friend.  "Then again," she murmured, turning her attention back to the letter as a soft frown played across her lips, "that does not say much for ourselves... '666 Old Janua Drive?'" she questioned, actually taking notice of their address for the first time.

     The gargess turned her eyes to the second address on the letter.  Sure enough, the triple sixes stared back up at her.  "Touché," the Skydancer said with a grin.  "Still, I don't believe any of that hocus-pocus...... and then again, as Shakespeare said, 'there are more things in heaven and on earth...than are dreamt of in our philosophies..."  The gargess paused in her recitation and smiled at her friend, her emerald eyes twinkling.  "Wise man, Shakespeare was."

     Laughing, Lisette winked at her friend.  "This Shakespeare of yours could not have been too wise if he could not find a way to be with us now, no?" she asked as she quickly turned back to the letter.  "Let's see what Ms. Higgens has to say... 'Dear Miss DeBuschelle," she said, reading aloud to her friend.  "'How is life at Janua Caeli?  We at Castellum Realty hope that you are enjoying your new manor and that the restorations are going well!..." she trailed off as she turned to her friend in confusion.  "But how can she have heard of the restorations to the manor?"

     Sky shook her head in puzzlement, her braid whipping over her shoulder in the process.  "I don't know, Lis..... unless, perhaps she was out here snooping around??" she questioned, clearly trying to find the answer to the mage's bewilderment.  Glancing back down at the letter, the gargess continued to read.  "'From what I've been hearing you must have hired private contractors from out of town the very weekend that the deal was signed'..... uh oh, she's getting nosy, Lis!"

     Sighing, Lisette bit her lip as she met her friend's eyes worriedly.  "Perhaps it was not so wise of me to cast that spell," she murmured as her eyes were drawn back to the letter that had already spoiled her evening.  "'The mail personnel that I happened to run into just happened to be YOUR mail carrier," Lisette trailed off as her eyes narrowed.  "Yes, I am just sure that she just HAPPENED to run into our mail carrier.. but at least now we now how she is hearing of the changes," she murmured as she risked a glance at her friend.

     The tan gargess nodded as she continued reading, "'...and he mentioned that the house was in complete disarray on Saturday morning, but by Monday afternoon the house looked as good as new and the property was even trimmed and groomed with flowers in full bloom.  I had laughed when I heard, for all I remembered seeing were weeds!'"  Skydancer's green eyes narrowed into a hot-white anger.  "I'll 'weed' her for snooping around... nosy woman!"

     Despite the grim circumstances and the chance of being discovered becoming more evident, Lisette couldn't help but laugh at her friend's expression.  "We shall not worry, for if it came down to it, I do believe that we could take on Ms. Higgens," she giggled, picturing her friend firing a bolt of lightning at the impertinent woman's perfectly groomed behind.

     The gargess smiled at her mage friend, a devilish gleam twinkling in her emerald eyes.  "I do believe you are quite correct in that area!" Skydancer agreed, almost choking on the picture that crossed her mind of a toasted Ms. Higgins at the stake.

     Smirking, Lisette quickly turned back to the letter.  "'Still,'" she said, reading aloud once again, her voice taking on the comical tilt that she had heard so often in the older woman's voice, "'I find it curious that you finished the outside so quickly--the inside of your home must still be so devastated by ruin.  Still, I would love to drop by one of these days.  You must be so lonesome, all alone out in that large manor.  I couldn't fathom doing it myself!'.." she trailed off as she laughed aloud.  "When hell freezes over will be the day that I invite that woman, of my own accord, to our home!"

     Sky's brow knitted in puzzlement over Lisette's comment.  "How can 'hell' freeze over, Lis?" she asked in wonder of her mage friend.  "Do your powers extend to even there?"

     Her laughter cutting short, Lisette felt herself begin to grow warm in embarrassment.  "Um.. well, actually.." she murmured weakly as she met her friend's curious eyes.  "I really have no idea what that means," she continued quickly.  "During my travels in these United States I have heard that expression used quite often when describing a situation that is not likely to happen..." she trailed off.  "I do not even know what the English word of 'hell' means," she admitted meekly with a weak smile.

     The gargess tilted her head back in laughter.  "Well then," she quipped, "I guess that makes two of us!"  Still smiling, Sky turned her attention back to the letter.  "'In any case, my apologies for taking so long to reply back to you in your request for information.  It was more difficult that I had anticipated to get a hold of the police report and the few newspaper clippings that my assistant could find,'" the Skydancer read.  Her eyebrow perked up at this part of the Higgens letter.  "Now, THIS is getting interesting!"

     "Oui, very interesting," Lisette murmured as she squinted at the neatly typed letter.  "'Still, here are the facts that you requested: According to our records, the last owners of Janua Caeli were a young couple, Gregory and Violet Johnson, that lived there for ten years.  Back in 1956, Mr. Johnson, a prominent investment banker from Castellum, called the police and reported an intruder, but by the time the police reached Janua from Castellum deGens, all that they found was Violet and Gregory's bodies.'..." she trailed off she raised her wide blue eyes to her friend.  "Oh là là!  That is horrible!" she gasped.

     The green eyes of the gargess widened as she continued with the note.  "'Apparently, Mr. Johnson's company was doing badly and suffering from some really bad investments.  The police believed that had prompted the man to take out a very large life insurance policy on his wife the month before and then stage the intruder to cover the murder,'" Skydancer read, hissing in her breath.  "Oh, what a fiend this man was!!" she exclaimed, her emerald eyes flashing a brief white.  "To plot the murder of his own mate!"

     Wincing at her friend's words, Lisette slowly closed her eyes and shook her head.  "He must have been a horrible, horrible man," she murmured as she turned back to the letter.. she was hooked now, eager to find out the rest of the story.  "'Yes, they thought that Gregory had brutally killed Violet in one of the third floor rooms'..." she trailed off as her blue eyes grew even wider, if such a thing was possible.  "Do you think that the large stain that we found in the rookery was...."

     "Was the blood of Violet?" Skydancer finished for the mage, her voice barely above a whisper. With her wide green eyes meeting the deep blue of Lisette's, horror reflected between the two friends.  "I don't know....I don't think I want to."  Taking a deep breath, Sky turned back to Higgens' letter.  "'...but then, before he had a chance to change his bloodied clothes, finish staging the set-up, or even stash the murder weapon (which I have been told was an ax), Gregory Johnson somehow fell over the balcony on the third floor and fell to the marble floor in the foyer, breaking his neck and killing him instantly.....'" Skydancer's voice trailed off as she turned wide green eyes to the walls around them as she cast a sweeping look over the foyer.  "Oh good heavens....."

     "He died right here?" Lisette whispered, her eyes wide and filled with horror as she glanced up at each of the open doorways that led to the third floor hallways above them.  Trying to stop the shivers that ran up and down her spine, she quickly turned back to the letter.  "'A terrible and gruesome story, isn't it?  Some of the newspapers during the time even alluded to Violet Johnson being a witch and that it was her angry ghost or the house itself which pushed Gregory over the balcony'..." she trailed off as she quickly turned to stare into the darkened library.  "All of the books in the library... they were hers.. Irma's, or should I say Violet now?" she croaked as her wide frightened eyes turned back to Sky.

     "I like Irma better," the Skydancer replied firmly.  She was not about to let a ghost-story spook her, despite the quivering in her stomach.  "'Personally, I believe it all to be foolish nonsense and am ecstatic that there is someone, with money of course, who can finally rise above the manor's grisly past and above the rumor of hauntings... you haven't had any strange occurrences have you?'" Skydancer continued on, her temper flaring again at the woman's nosiness.  "Not very subtle, is she?"

     Laughing without mirth, Lisette slowly shook her head.  "I think that Ms. Higgens was never about subtlety," she replied as she wrinkled her nose, her nerves finally calming down at the small joke at the realtor's expense.  Sighing, she quickly turned back to the letter.  "'In any case, Castellum Realty and my staff would like to thank you once again for your business and would like to wish you nothing but happiness in your new home.  And please remember that if you ever need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to give me a call!  Perhaps we can do lunch sometime soon?  Sincerely Yours, Kathy Higgens, Realtor, Castellum Realty'..." she trailed off as she looked at her friend in confusion.  "Now what on Earth did she mean by 'do lunch'?" she asked in confusion, feeling the beginnings of a headache at the irritable letter.

     Skydancer shook her head in puzzlement.  "Must be some odd term again.  As far as I know, you EAT lunch, not DO it....." the gargess replied as she read a small note at the bottom of the letter. "'I have a feeling that you may be in need of a financial advisor, of sorts, of your own.  If that's the case, I suggest Mr. Blake Adams.  He is a fine lawyer in a prosperous and emerging firm here in Castellum that can take care of everything financially for you, ranging from banking, investments, to paying all of your bills for you and, of course, to all of your legal needs.  I told him to expect your call and I urge you to do so!  Good luck!'"  Skydancer hissed in her breath again.  "'Good luck!??'" she exclaimed.  "Why that nosy-busybody!  Who the devil does she think she is, taking it upon herself to manage our affairs.....our home??!!!!"

     Sighing, Lisette slowly closed her eyes and breathed in the dark night that seeped through the quiet house.  When she felt that her calm had returned she slowly turned and met her friend's eyes.  "As far as Ms. Higgens is concerned, she will never be hearing from ME again," Lisette said, a sharp edge to her voice as she quickly glanced down at the letter and re-read the last part of the letter.  "But on the other hand, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to check into this Blake Adams... he may be of some use in these areas where both of us are so unfamiliar," she murmured thoughtfully, her eyes far, far away from the cool foyer.

     The tan gargess nodded agreement.  "Yes, I have to agree with you there," she commented wryly.  "I'm afraid I know next to nothing about the financial situations of this world.  There was never any need...." Sky's voice trailed off as the foyer took on a sudden eerie chill.  A coldness crept into the hall, an unearthly feeling that penetrated to the gargess's very bones.  A creaking sounded suddenly above the two females, and the gargess whipped her head up, white flashing in her emerald eyes in  warning.  There above them, the newly restored chandelier was swaying back and forth.  Watching it, Sky could have sworn it seemed to pick up speed as it started to sway violently above them.  "Lis...." she started to say.

     Startled, Lisette quickly followed Sky's wide eyes up to the high curve of the ceiling three floors above them.  What she saw caused her heart to start hammering rapidly in her chest, beating against her smooth skin as her mouth went dry.  "Sky!" Lisette screamed in horror as the large chandelier, looking brand new in the madly whirling light--the only light to be had in the house, broke loose from its bearings and began hurtling quickly to the hard marble floor... directly at them.

     "Look out!" the gargess yelled as she dived into her friend and knocked them both to floor.  Just as they landed a crash could be heard behind them as the chandelier slammed into the very spot where they had been standing.  The breaking of the glass chandelier sounded like a thousand little bells clinking throughout the house.  A faint laughter could be heard then, echoing around them like a swirl of mist.... and then it was gone.  Getting up on her elbows, Skydancer's eyes flashed a white glow into the darkened foyer, searching for where the faint laughter had originated.

     "What.. what just happened?" Lisette murmured, her voice unusually shaky as she slowly pulled herself off of the hard marble floor, wincing at the bruises that she knew were already forming.  Turning, she quickly lit a ball of magical fire that lit the foyer in a bright white light, showing the devastation: the shattered chandelier, glass scattered throughout, and the hard marble floor cracked and scarred beneath the heavy weight.  Just from the sight of the cracked marble floor, Lisette knew that her friend's quick reflexes had just saved them both from a very painful and untimely death.

     Sky's eyes lost their white flames as she saw nothing in the foyer.  Returning to their normal emerald green, puzzlement filled the twin orbs as the gargess met the gaze of her mage friend.  "I don't know," the Skydancer replied, her voice barely above a whisper.  "Whatever it was.... I would have to say that it definitely was not 'normal'...... did you hear that laughter?  I don't think I've ever heard anything so.... chilling..... in all my life."  The tan female turned her head to the broken chandelier.  "What a mess," she commented in dismay.

     Briefly shocked that her friend had heard the laughter as well, Lisette slowly nodded her head.  She had thought.. had HOPED, that the chilling laughter, decidedly male in origin, had come from her own imagination in an attempt to make a frightening event even more so.  "Perhaps.. perhaps my restoration of Janua Caeli wasn't as complete as we thought," Lisette joked lightly as she turned her wide and frightened eyes to her friend.

     "Or perhaps," the Skydancer continued, meeting the blue eyes of Lisette, "there is more to Janua Caeli than meets our eyes?" she asked, raising her own.  Looking back down at the broken shards of glass scattered across the floor, she shook her head.  "Let's clean this up," Sky stated, firmly believing they needed a change of subject, however small.  "Magic or mortal method?" she asked.

     "Magic," Lisette answered quickly, feeling foolish yet afraid at the same time.  For some reason, she wanted to get this job done as soon as possible and then get as far away from the frightening event as they could, even if for a short while.  Quickly, she turned back to the mess and quickly concentrated on the shattered chandelier.  A moment later, a flash of green light flared around the ornamentation, leaving nothing but the smooth unmarked marble foyer with the chandelier twinkling once more from the ceiling above them.  Even then, though, the coldness that radiated from the foyer was seeping deep into her, filling her with a despair that she couldn't quite name.

     Shaking off the cold fear, Lisette quickly closed her eyes and concentrated on the spell that she had memorized so recently.  "Guard all those who lie inside and wrap them within a cocoon of warmth," she murmured, feeling the warmth of her magic wrap around her and fight out the chill.  "Protect them until my return from all evil outside and all those within.  I will return when needed," she whispered as she felt the drain of the magic, pulling almost everything from deep within herself.  Gasping, Lisette willed her legs to remain strong and to keep her standing as she quickly turned away from the eerie room.  "Come, let's patrol," she murmured as she turned and hurried towards the door, changing form in mid-step, thankful that the small spell could be cast despite the tether that now linked her to Janua Caeli, not looking back to see if her friend followed.

     With a glance back at the blackened foyer, Skydancer followed Lisette into the coolness of the Autumn night.  Spreading her fourteen foot wings, the gargess caught an updraft and sailed up into the starry cloudless night.  A full moon danced high above them like a ghostly white ship alone on a blackened sea, lighting their way as they glided towards the twinkling lights of Castellum deGens.  The warmth of the city beckoned to them as Sky caught another wind current and rose even higher into the skies.  "That was an..... unusual.... experience," the tan gargess commented, brushing a stray tendril of hair out of her grass eyes.

     "Demented would be more of the word that I would use," Lisette murmured absently as she allowed the cool breeze to carry her beside her friend, her wings stretching out into the night.  Even as the wind carried her higher, she still couldn't help but shiver at the memory of the falling chandelier and the eerie laugh.  "There is something not quite right about Janua... mayhap I restored more than just the manor," Lisette murmured as she felt the invisible line that linked her with their home.  Through it the manor would be safe... she would know if trouble befell on the manor... or more importantly, to the egg that they guarded.

     Sighing briefly, Skydancer flew in closer to Lisette as the approached the city so they could talk more easily.  "I agree that there is something more to Janua than meets the eye....a presence of some sort is what I sensed.  But, it was only briefly and I've only felt it in the foyer.  I think perhaps a more thorough investigation of the house may be warranted.  More than that ghost story that Ms. Higgins decided to tell," the gargess stated firmly, snorting briefly in the disgust she felt for the realtor.

     Shrugging her small shoulders, Lisette slowly nodded her agreement.  "Perhaps you and I shall have to take a closer look into Janua... until then, patrol duty calls," she murmured softly as she turned her head to cast her bright eyes on the city below.  She and the Skydancer had a city to protect.

Castellum deGens

     "Oh...wow..."

     Byrdie Fae had come down from the mysterious mountain cavern a while ago to find a large metropolis at its foot--a city filled to the brim with its humans of many races and personalities.  The Faerie woman had later found it to be called 'Castellum deGens,' a mix of Latin and French from what she could tell.  "Castle of People..." she mused as she had read a roadway sign on the city's outskirts.  She had then flown into the city, deciding that besides the mountain distraction, it would be nice to have a little break from this little journey of hers.

     Breaking away from the reverie of her arrival, Byrdie flew high above the people, her dragon pendant shined with the new stars' shining light--the sun had set from its majestic throne in the sky and let Sister Moon take its place--a switch that the magic maiden liked best.  Turning her gaze to the streets of Castellum, she giggled softly at the sight of the frivolous humans bustling about with their own affairs that probably meant nothing in the long run.  ~Silly things...~ the dark haired Faerie thought, a twinkle in her eye. She then smiled mischievously.  "But, they do have the greatest sense of humor... unlike some Faerie lords I know..." she finished out loud, referring to Lord Oberon. "I wonder what Big Daddy Oberon's doing now...?"

    Shrugging the thought away, Byrdie continued to look down to the bright lights and sounds of the city with a mountain guardian, thinking only of the unsuspecting humans and the possible games she could play--after all, she was a Faerie trickster...

~Astral Plane of Shaylyn and Storm's Home~

     Sighing, Shaylyn brushed her long, silky black hair over her shoulder as she bent down and fluffed the large and plump pillow that rested beneath her battered husband's head.  Standing upright, she smiled down at her husband and admired him through his pain.  Despite the red skin that showed through many of the white bandages that wrapped his bare torso, he was still handsome.  "Storm, darling, how are the burns?  Would you like anything?  Perhaps a glass of ice water?" she asked quickly, the concern touching her eyes as she gently set on the large bed beside him.

     Storm groaned again, more in exasperation than in pain.  His beautiful wife had been mothering him ever since the battle he had waged against the gargoyle and the human mage in the Earth Realm.  Moaning some more, he ignored Shaylyn's questions and directed his thoughts elsewhere-- to the golden egg of the slain gargess, Sunshine.  The need, the drive to capture the egg and discover what secrets it held was an all-powering quest that drove him to almost mindless desperation.  "The egg...." he muttered.  "You must capture the egg!"

     Sighing in annoyance, Shaylyn quickly stood up and began pacing in the small room.  "Please do not start THAT again," she groaned as she turned to glare at her husband, her hands planted firmly on her shapely hips.  "Always with you it is the egg, Sunshine's egg, get the egg," she cried out, mocking his voice.  "All that I care about is you, my love, and your return to health," she murmured as she quickly crossed back and draped herself across the bed, her black eyes boring into his.  "... and getting even with the two wenches that dared to harm you!" she growled, almost as an afterthought.

     Reaching a hand up to caress her silky cheek, Storm grabbed a shank of his wife's dark hair and brought her down for a passionate kiss.  Tongues intertwined as the lightning of the Astral Plane blazed around them, reflecting the evil passion that crossed between the two.  Breaking apart finally, Storm decided to play upon Shaylyn's avenging aggression to accomplish his own agenda.  "Yes....." he said, staring into the fiery depths of his wife's violet eyes.  "The two of them must not be allowed to escape the injustice that they did to me."

     Feeling her anger burn within her, Shaylyn quickly nodded her head.  "Of course my love!  They both shall pay for what they did to you!" she hissed, her head still reeling from her husband's kiss.  Even after all of the years that they had spent together Shaylyn knew that their love burned bright.. semi-ironic that love bound the two when that is exactly what they sought to destroy for everyone else.  "As soon as you are well, we shall make them pay!" she vowed as she brought her husband's large hand to her lips, her tongue tracing a fiery trail across his soft skin.

     Storm hissed in his breath as his loins caught fire in his desire for his wife.  One by one she playfully licked his fingers and saliva dripped from his mouth as he moved to engulf her into another passionate kiss.  Lightning streaked the heavens of the Astral Realm again as the two devoured each other in a moment of heated longing.  Breathing heavily as they broke apart again, Storm forced himself to sit up despite the pain he was feeling.  Caressing his wife's flushed cheek, he looked deeply into her eyes.  "I want you to attack them now, my love," he said in a hypnotizing voice.

     "Are you sure you wouldn't prefer later?" she murmured huskily as she allowed her pale violet hand to drift lower down his smooth chest, wary of his burns, her proposition more than evident.

     Storm smiled tightly as he lowered his hand to capture the one of his roving wife's.  As much as he would love to take her up on her proposition, there was another more important task that required and consumed his attention.  "I can.....wait....my dear," he said, smiling briefly.  "Revenge....." he whispered, kissing Shaylyn briefly again.

     Sighing as another frown flitted across her face, Shaylyn quickly withdrew her hand from her love's and stood stiffly.  "Fine.  I shall take care of the meddlesome mortals," she said, her face once more a cold mask as she acknowledged her husband's wish.

     Laying back amongst the pillow, Storm breathed a sigh of contentment at his wife's surrendering to his wishes.  "Hurry back, my darling," he said, a passionate look crossing his darkened eyes.  "We have unfinished business to attend to...... let the twosome know the full power of your wrath!"

     Grinning evilly, Shaylyn slowly nodded her head.  "Do not fear, my love, the two shall suffer..." she murmured as a steel glint entered her dark eyes.  "Oh, and I shall retrieve the egg for you while I am gone," she murmured, almost as an afterthought before disappearing in a flash of light.

     The black haired Faerie laughed uncontrollably as she sat on the edge of a deserted rooftop, her latest tricks on her lighthearted mind.  That tight nosed human should have seen the look on her face when her little terrier started to fly in the air and land on the street light--suspended by her magic the whole time of course.  Letting the cute black dog fall in the middle of traffic would be just plain cruel.  "But she looked like a catfish!" Byrdie laughed out loud into the sky, the stars seeming to laugh with her as they twinkled in the velvet sky.

     Her laughter rang in the breeze and softly floated away as those blissful times passed away.  She sighed and levitated into the air, laying back as if she was being supported by a lawn chair, watching the night in a silent moment of rhapsody.  There was something strange about this city, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on.  A few times that night she had felt a magical aura in the atmosphere that made her want to stay--like a magnetic pull she couldn't shake off.  Was this what she was searching for?  A city of humans that seemed isolated despite its own population?  No... it had to be more than that.  "But then again..."

     Byrdie let out a short sigh of thought, fingering the outline of her dragon pendant.  Looking down at her silver accessory, its eye of jade stared back at her... but it looked quite strange.  "It... it's glowing...?" But she wasn't using any magic, save her levitating, but nothing major.  The oriental shaped piece of jewelry shined softly like a star, its green eye boring into her mind.  Byrdie had no idea of what was going on--in all of her years, the dragon had never done that without her influence.  "Agh!" she let out a short cry of pain as a green light shot from the green stone into her own right eye, blinding her for a second or so... long enough to break her concentration as she fell out of the sky.

     Rubbing her eye in pain and frustration, the Faerie woman fell a little ways before she caught herself in the air, just in time for her to avoid hitting a flagpole on the side of a building.  Breathing heavily, she opened her now sore eye, wondering what was going on.  "What in the Nine Hells just happened...?" she groaned as she flew helter-skelter in the sky.  "Was it trying to tell me something, or what...?"

    But she didn't have too long to think about that--there was a shift in the air. Something in the city's aura seemed to go off balance, bringing Byrdie's attention to another direction, looking off into a far away distance...

     Shaylyn entered the Earth Realm in a brilliant flash of green witch-light.  Bringing with her all the evil energies of the Astral Realm, she summoned them to do her bidding.  Before her stood the glittering array of lights of the mortal city, Castellum deGens.  And just beyond that, the darkened visage of Janua Caeli.  Bringing her evil powers to the surface, she honed in on the mansion, her entire focus in punishing the two who dwelled there.

     "Come out, come out little ones!" she crooned, her voice carrying out over the dark night as large storm clouds began to brew and twirl around the darkened mansion.  "Come out wherever you are and deal with my vengeance!" she roared as she floated high above the manor, her eyes glowing with her fury as the burgundy silk of her clothing fluttered around her slim form.

     Darkened silence answered Shaylyn's crooning as the storm clouds came in closer with their mistress.  Floating from window to window, the she-witch was met only by her own reflection on their dark surfaces.  "Deciding to hide from my awesome powers?!" she demanded to the silent mansion.  "Very well then, FEEL MY WRATH!!!!"

     As lightning struck down all around her, dropping massive trees in a single blast, Shaylyn slowly floated away from the house and glared at its silent structure.  "You shall PAY!!!" she hissed as bolts of energy, very similar to the electricity from the storm, flew forth from her fingers and crashed into the large stained glass window that made up a large portion of the second and third floor wall, the sound of the shattered glass bringing a cruel smile to her lips.

     Suddenly, from deep inside the darkened mansion, an inner glow radiated outward, throwing Janua Caeli into the deep green of Avalonian witch-light.  It pulsed back at Shaylyn with a forced that sent her spinning backwards into the very storm clouds that had accompanied her.  Completely stunned, Shaylyn watched in fascination as the protective energy formed a cocoon around the mansion and pulsed out to the one responsible for its power--Lisette.

    Byrdie gasped in surprise and fascination as she heard loud booms of thunder off in the distance, long streams of what seemed to be lightning rip through the sky above that particular spot.  But the clouds only seemed to cover that one spot--the rest of the dark night sky was clear.  "What in the world is going on in this city...?"

    But no longer than she said that, a bright flash and a pulse of deep green witch-light shot back out into the clouds, making contact with a surface and bursting like fireworks.  The aftermath of the blast sent Byrdie sprawling backwards in the air in shock--a battle?!  "What in Oberon's name was that?!  Avalon magic?! Who of the Ancient Isle is here...?"

    Looking back down to her pendant, Byrdie's eyes widened to find that the jade eyes were still glowing their own green witch-light.  It shot out green beams of magic in the direction of the booms.  Did it want her to go there?  Why?  This little discovery was something that was definitely worth checking out--the silly humans might actually need protection tonight.

The Skies Above Castellum deGens

     As the night breezes caressed the two gargesses, the silent night beckoned to them both.. the silent night that was suddenly ruptured as an agony-filled scream tore through the dark night.  Gasping, Lisette felt herself lose her transformation as her body twisted with a pain unlike she had ever known.  "Aaaaggggghhhhhhhh!!" Lisette screamed again as darkness threatened her vision and as her small human form began to plummet down from the heavens.

     "Lis!!!!" Skydancer screamed as she saw her mage-friend lose her gargoyle form and start to fall towards the city below.  Quickly folding in her wings, the gargess went into a steep dive after her friend.  Picking up momentum, the Skydancer caught the young woman moments before she went crashing into the streets below.  Expanding her wings wide, Sky caught another updraft and began climbing back up into the cool night as she cradled the stunned mage in her arms.  Pain blazed within the blue depths of Lisette's eyes, and Skydancer grew concerned as puzzlement entered her own.  "Lis....Lisette!" she said sharply, alarm growing quickly within her at the mage's lack of response.  "Lis!" the gargess said again.  "What's wrong?  What happened?"

     Groaning, Lisette shivered as the pain slid over her body like pins and needles.  Already she could feel the drain as the answer to her plight became obvious to her.  "Janua Caeli..." she murmured as her eyes drifted shut.  The manor was under attack, and in defending itself, the spell had linked Janua to her.  In essence, the attacks were upon her own body as the spell drained down on her, protecting all that lay within.  "... Janua... under attack..." she murmured as darkness claimed her battered body.

     Alarm raced through Skydancer's body as Lisette lost consciousness.  Knowing the strength of the young woman's powers, the gargess knew that only one thing-- actually two-- could drain the mage of her powers with such drastic clarity.  "Storm and Shaylyn!" the Skydancer swore under her breath.  Flapping her wings a bit to gain more altitude in the deepening autumn night, the gargess turned back towards the distant visage of Janua Caeli and the battle that raged around it.

Janua Caeli

     Shaking her head, Shaylyn slowly drifted closer towards the manor as lightning streaked around her.  "What is this?" she murmured as she stared at the fading green shield that draped around the darkened manor.  "A force field?" she queried as she slowly shook her head, her black hair trailing around her in a dark wave.  "Well, that won't save your precious house," she vowed as she quickly drew her power to her once more and unleashed it upon the dark sentinel.

     Shards of electrical magic went swirling from Shaylyn's hands at the green glow of Janua Caeli.  The white wands surrounded the house but had no effect as the powerful protective spell that Lisette had cast held true.  Again and again the wife of Storm attacked the house, unable to penetrate the magic of Avalon.  Unbeknownst to Shaylyn, Skydancer was closing in on her with Lisette in her arms.

    Byrdie watched with caution and silent fascination as the dark haired woman tried her damnedest to get inside the unusual manor from within a straying cloud.  She didn't know what this powerful being could have possibly wanted inside, but she did know that she wasn't going to get inside anytime soon--from what she could tell, there was an incredibly strong protection spell on the house, and her attacks would only bounce her back.  ~What a complete idiot, she is.  Whatever mission she has, she is failing miserably...~

    The petite Faerie was pulled out of her thoughts when she saw a strange sight to her right.  There was a gargoyle and a human--both female, she suspected--gliding towards the mansion and the enraged woman, landing behind dense shrubbery.  She frowned when she noticed that the blonde haired human was hurt badly--she was quite limp in the gargess' arms.  "Oh boy. This is definitely not the place for the human..." she said quietly, lest she be taken notice of.  Why in Oberon's name would that gargoyle bring her to this danger zone?  I thought a gargoyle's duty was to protect.... Hate to say it, but I don't like the look of this at all..."

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Janua Caeli

     Skydancer drew in her wings as she came down behind some thick bushes about one hundred yards behind Shaylyn.  As the evil wife of Storm continued her assault on the towering structure of Janua Caeli, the gargess gently laid Lisette down in the dry grass.  Concern shone in the emerald eyes of the gargoyle as she gently shook her mage friend.  "Lis?" she called in a hushed whisper.  "Lis?!"  A sigh of relief escaped her as the young woman began to stir.

     "Oh là là... that hurts," Lisette slowly murmured as her eyes fluttered open.  Weakly, she slowly raised one thin arm and rested her hand against her pounding head as she focused on her friend's concerned visage.  "What happened?  Where are we?" she asked, confusion evident in her blue eyes as she took in the wooded foliage.

     Skydancer risked a glance over the top of the hedges before answering the mage.  "We're behind some bushes in the front of the house," the gargess whispered, motioning her friend to be quiet.  "Shaylyn is attacking the house."  Skydancer looked over the bushes once again.  "And she's doing a damn good job of it too, I might add!" the gargess hissed in an angry whisper.

     "What?" Lisette asked quietly as she weakly got to her knees and crawled till she was kneeling beside her friend and staring over the hedge, unconcerned about the grass stains that she was getting on her blue jeans.  Sure enough, Shaylyn was arching back, her hands glowing with magical energy.  "What on this Earth is she..." Lisette trailed off as the fiery arc streaked across the dark night and collided.. with a magical green shield.  But Lisette didn't get a chance to watch further than that as another explosion of pain wracked her body, causing a small whimper to slip through her lips as she sagged against her friend.

     Casting a sharp glance at Lisette as she heard the mage whimper in pain, Skydancer immediately crouched down next to her friend and put a concern hand on her shoulder.  Worries lines etched the planes of the gargess's face.  "You feel it, every time she attacks Janua, don't you?" she whispered.  "It's the protection spell?"

     Blinking back her tears, Lisette quickly nodded her head.  "I did not understand it before, but now I see.. the attacks that she launches at Janua are protected by me," she quickly explained, wincing as she heard the rhyme within, unable to stop her small smile before a frown quickly tore it down once more.  "We need to get her attention diverted elsewhere and away from attacking Janua," Lisette hissed, her eyes flashing green.

     Nodding, the gargoyle female helped her mage friend to her feet while still crouching low.  Brushing a stray tendril behind her ear, Sky gestured towards the left of Shaylyn.  "I'll take this side of her, you take the other.  One of us ought to be able to draw her fire power away from the house," the gargess whispered, her emerald eyes taking on a familiar white-hot glow as she prepared to launch herself into battle.

     Nodding grimly, Lisette slowly straightened her posture, unwilling to see the she-witch see the damage that she had already wrought.  "She shall learn what happens to those who mess with our home," she murmured dangerously, a glint in her eye.  Turning, she was about to step out of the clearing when she suddenly turned and hurried back to her friend.  Without a word, she quickly wrapped Skydancer in a warm, sisterly hug.  "Be careful!" she murmured before darting away and into the open night.

     "You too, Lis," the Skydancer whispered after, worried again that Shaylyn's attacks had weakened the mage too much to battle her effectively.  Turning back to the task at hand, the gargess emerged from the left side of the thick hedges and began advancing on Shaylyn in warrior-style.  Getting within twenty feet of her, Skydancer suddenly sprang up and called the powers of nature that were hers to command.  "Lightning!!" she exclaimed, sending a burst of heaven's wrath at the unsuspecting villainess.

     Surprised by the loud and bold cry from the left of her, Shaylyn turned quickly and watched as a fiery bolt of electricity flew at her.  Not amused, she hissed in anger and barely had time to throw up a shield of protection before the powerful bolt slammed against her.  "I will NOT be harmed in the same way that you harmed my husband, you flea-bitten tramp!" she cried out as her eyes glowed with her magical fury.

     White fire flashed even brighter in Skydancer's eyes as her lightning bolt was easily reflected by Shaylyn.  "That's what you think, witch!!" the gargess exclaimed, getting ready to attack again.  "Lightning!!" she screeched again, sending another blast of nature's fury at the wife of Storm.

     As the powerful words left her friend's lips, Lisette quickly called her own magic prowess to her.  Like before, a good distraction was all that was needed in order to get a blast past their enemy's defenses.  Now, it was her turn.  "Entourez cette sorcière avec ces chaînes," <Bind this witch with these chains> she murmured, her soft voice sliding over the French words as a green energy formed around her hands before flashing towards the demon's unprotected back.

     Caught totally off guard, Shaylyn gasped as the green glow of Lisette's witchlight encased her from behind.  The magical chain surrounded her and caused the witch to fall to the ground.  Taking advantage of Shaylyn's disadvantage, Skydancer called forth her own magic to attack again.  "Lightning!!" the gargess shouted to the heavens, bringing forth a new bolt of lightning.

     Cursing the witch rolled just in time to avoid a blast of Skydancer's lightning bolt.  "Disengage!" the wife of Storm hissed through her teeth.  Immediately, Lisette's magical chain dropped from around her and disappeared into the earth.

     Sighing in frustration, Lisette quickly called her magic to her once again, firing an immediate attack at the witch.  "Fulmenos venite!!" she called out as two powerful fireballs erupted from her fingers and streaked at Shaylyn, the spell a familiar one that Craigen had taught her long ago.

     But, like before, Shaylyn was prepared for this one as she watched the attack blaze at her.  As her eyes narrowed, the powerful magic-wielder quickly drew up a magical shield, easily deflecting the fireballs towards the mansion, where they in turn were blocked from whatever magical shield guarded all therein.  But, just at the moment that the balls collided with the shield and the sky flashed green, Shaylyn watched in confused interest as the human mage doubled over, a wince of pain on her young face.

     "Lis!" the gargess screamed as she watched the young woman double over in pain once again.  Turning back to the witch, the female raised her hands to the heavens.  "Summer Storm!!" she commanded into the night sky.  Thunder clouds immediately rolled in and lightning charged down out of them towards Shaylyn.  Quickly the witch switched the direction of her magical shield to deflect the lightning bolts as Skydancer raced towards Lisette.  Green eyes flashing concern as she stooped down beside the fallen young woman.  "Lis?" she asked again.

     "I.. I am fine," Lisette murmured weakly as she straightened slowly with her friend's help.  Turning, she threw her worried eyes in Shaylyn's direction, all the while cursing herself for allowing Shaylyn to see her pain.  "I.. I am sorry," she murmured as she turned and stared worriedly back into her friend's eyes.  "I could not help it.. the pain was so great..."

     Skydancer shook her head at Lisette's apologies.  "It's not your fault," the gargess said.  "Don't be silly."  Turning her head back towards Shaylyn, the gargess's emerald eyes took on a familiar twin glow of white fury.  "You're going to pay for that, witch!" she yelled at the beautiful villainess.  Helping the mage to her feet, the gargess took a protective stance in front of Lisette.  "Why don't you go back to whatever hell spawned you!!  You'll never win here!"

     As her dark eyes narrowed, Shaylyn regarded the two mortals thoughtfully.  The way that the young mage had doubled over in pain after her own blast had hit the manor puzzled her--almost as much as the gargess's sudden fury.  After all, there was plenty of things that the little fool would probably yell and curse her for.. but why would she only be threatening her and telling her that she 'would pay for' something when she had done nothing.. but reflect the human's blast into the home.  Suddenly, an evil glint shined in Shaylyn's black eyes, her pale violet skin barely hiding her triumphant flush.  "The fool mortal has magically linked herself to the manor!" she laughed, her eyes narrowing.  Shaking her head, she realized that the foolish girl had even harmed herself with her own blast!  And all that she had to do to come home victorious to her love was attack their home... as the humans would say, it was all in the bag now.

     Skydancer advanced on Shaylyn, careful to keep herself between the witch and the mage.  The wind had picked up with the storm clouds that the gargess had called forth.  Now it whirled around her, causing her long braid to flap in its wake.  With her emerald eyes completely hidden by the white glow of gargoyle anger shining from within, the Skydancer was a formidable foe to be reckoned with.  Growling in fury at the witch, the gargess issued her another warning. "I would leave now, Shaylyn, while you still have the chance."

     Taking in the tan fury that looked as if it were about to leap on her at the next given chance, the wife of Storm cast a glance at the house.  "Perhaps I can turn this to my advantage...." she whispered to herself.  "Since the little fool decided to link herself to the house, she can be destroyed with it!"  Turning back to the imposing image of Janua Caeli, Shaylyn pointed her hand towards the manor.  "Let's see how you handle some of my magic, you foolish mortals!  Death ray!" she exclaimed, sending a beam of evil magic towards Janua Caeli.

     As her eyes grew wide with terror, Lisette knew one thing for certain: if the beam wasn't stopped she would be in some serious trouble.  Quickly, the young mage closed her eyes and rapidly wrapped her magic tightly around her.  "ARRÊTE!!" she screamed out as the hot magic flew from her fingers, intending to destroy, if not divert Shaylyn's powerful ray.  But unfortunately, even as she cast the spell she knew that her efforts were too late.  "Oh, mon Dieu," Lisette whispered in horror as Shaylyn's powerful beam smashed harmlessly past her magic, only one bolt destroyed, and collided with the magic shielding of the house in an event that could only be described as catastrophic for the mage.

     Instantly, bolts of pain unlike any that she had ever known, more intense than the last, ripped through her body as her senses reeled from the shock.  In the end, it was all too much for the young woman as the hard ground reached up to meet her and as darkness claimed her once more.

     "Lisette!!!" Sky screamed in horror as she watched in sickening slow motion the mage's weak attempt to cut off Shaylyn's attack.  Her emerald eyes lost their white glow as she saw Lisette collapse to the ground.  Eyes wide with fright, the Skydancer turned towards Shaylyn, knowing suddenly that she was alone.

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    The Faerie trickster watched in horror as the human was given what was sure to be a death blow by her black haired enemy.  Even though she knew none of them from Adam, a fiery anger burned inside herself and she felt a rush of magic surge to her fingertips--no human deserved that, no matter how silly they were. Overwhelmed by the sudden emotion for revenge, Byrdie looked over to the gargess and her violet eyed adversary--she knew that the tan gargess was probably shocked out of her mind.

    She wanted to--no, NEEDED to do something.  She felt the power at her disposal, and she was going to use it.  Byrdie pointed at the woman that caused the death blow and chanted slowly through gritted teeth:

    "Thunder... Faerie... SHOCK!!!!!!!!"

     Lightning in the shape of pixie faeries flew from her hands and circled around the dark haired woman, blowing out streams of lightning, catching her and the gargess completely off guard.  Byrdie grinned with sadistic delight when the woman screamed in absolute pain--revenge for the human and gargess was a truly sweet thing to behold.  "Heh heh heh..."

     As the pain flashed throughout her body from the unexpected attack, Shaylyn screamed in agony as she felt herself drop to the hard ground below.  Groaning, she allowed herself to rest for only a moment before climbing to her feet, her black eyes flashing with boundless anger.  "WHO DARES TO ATTACK ME???  SHOW YOURSELF YOU COWARD!!!!" she screamed, her rage causing the heavens above to crackle with demon light.

     In stunned silence Skydancer had watched as an unexpected charge of magical lightning attacked Shaylyn from another direction and threw her to the ground.  Totally taken by surprise, the gargess turned to see where the attack on Shaylyn had come from.  There, high above on a passing cloud, sat one of the fae of Avalon with a dragon pendant hanging around her neck.  Brushing back another stray tendril of her long hair, Skydancer whispered to the heavens, "Oh my stars.... who...???"

     Her gaze still transfixed upon the violet eyed sorceress, the dark haired faerie stood above the cloud with a feat of levitation, not at all intimidated by her adversary's screams.  "A coward, am I?" she asked calmly as she lifted a finely shaped eyebrow though her dark eyes showed nothing but hatred towards the enraged woman.  The Faerie brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face as she continued, "I think not.  But that statement seems to speak volumes about you..."

     Hissing quietly between sharpened teeth, Shaylyn slowly eyed her adversary.  Even though her attacker seemed to be no more than a child, she knew that there was much power hidden behind her small frame.  Smiling coldly, she slowly levitated once more into the air and glared at the child.  It seemed that there was much hidden behind appearances at this human dwelling in the cursed city: incredibly powerful strengths of nature within the gargess, equally amazing magical prowess within the halfling, and now an equally powerful force to be reckoned with in her new adversary.  Biting back her laughter, she quickly shook her head.  But none of that mattered as long as her husband stood beside her.. the three prehistoric beings were nothing compared to the power that she and her husband possessed... nothing.  "This matter concerns you not, GIRL," Shaylyn laughed, her eyes glowing with evil, "but I shall involve you if you so please.. and you shall be destroyed along with the others!"

     Smiling, she eyed the waif of a girl once again.  Puny.  "Where is your mighty Lord Oberon and Queen Titania to back you now?" she laughed as she slowly turned her attention back to the fallen mage.  "Already one has fallen.. one obstacle that blocks my path to the egg... the egg will be mine and you ALL shall fall!" she vowed as she called her magic to her once again and turned her cold eyes to the gargess.  "DIE BEAST!!" she roared as her magical fury flew from her hands, straight towards the gargess.

     Skydancer had watched with growing interest at the exchange given between the Witch Shaylyn and the unknown child of the Fae.  Now her immediate attention was drawn back to the hovering witch as the wife of Storm directed her madness back at herself.  Drawing in a sharp intake of breath, the tan gargess dived to the left as Shaylyn's magical blast meant for her went crashing into the Earth instead.  Curling into a ball and drawing her wings in around her, Skydancer allowed herself to continue rolling until she came to a stop naturally.  Instantly springing to her feet, the gargess glanced back up at the witch as she continued to hover above her and the fallen mage.

     "Beast, am I, witch?!" the gargess exclaimed, her emerald eyes taking on a familiar hot-white glow of gargoyle challenge.  "The only monsters around here are you and that fiend you call your husband!!"  Raising both of her hands at the same time, the gargoyle female called upon the powers of the storm that were hers to command.  "LIGHTNING!!!" she shouted, sending a double blast of the powerful electricity through the black sky at the beautiful she-witch.  Glancing quickly up at the unknown Child of Oberon who was off to the side, Skydancer motioned towards Shaylyn.  "I don't know who you are, Fae, but if you intend on joining this fight, the time to act is now!" the gargess said and quickly turned once more to the witch.  "LIGHTNING!!" she shouted again, sending a second round of Nature's wrath at the wife of Storm.

     Smiling faintly at the magically inclined gargess, Byrdie took the invitation to fight along side her in stride.  ~I would gladly join the fight, she-gargoyle...~ she thought.  The Faerie glared back at the violet eyed witch, the anger of her adversary vexing the will of her Lord and Lady showing up on her dark face.  "I shall show you where my Lord Oberon and Lady Titania stand, wench!" she hissed, her eyes glowing an Avalonian witch-light.  The child-like Faerie then hailed to the sky, the black clouds around her swirling to her command.  "KNOW OF OUR FURY WITHIN THE HOUR!  MY LADY TITANIA, LEND ME YOUR POWER!!!"

     And with that, an immense discharge of green witch-lightning blasted through the velvet sky towards the raven haired sorceress in a gargantuan bolt of electricity, showing the wrath of the 'puny' Faerie and her Lady Titania combined.  Breathing a bit heavier from the drain of the rather large spell, though not daring to show it to her rival, Byrdie glared down at the witch--now was NOT the time to show weakness of any kind!  "The might of Avalon is a force to be reckoned with, is it not?!" she called, masking the drain of her assault with a disdainful voice.

     Hissing between clenched teeth of pain, Shaylyn slowly picked herself up from the ground.  The magical blast had been quick and she hadn't time to escape its destructive force.  Now, as the pain coursed through her slim form in frightening waves, Shaylyn knew that the time to depart had arrived.  Growling, she slowly lifted herself into the dark sky once again.  "A force to reckon with, perhaps, but not a force that is any match for that of my love and mine," she hissed, her raven hair whirling out around her as the magical storm slowly built and surrounded her in a haven of darkness.  "Like Sunshine the halfling has already paid for her meddling and soon I shall be back to end your troublesome affairs!" she cried out, her dark eyes boring back and forth between the tan gargess and the slight fae, smirking at the fallen young woman.  "Be warned that my wrath shall be felt!!!" she boomed as she disappeared in a cascade of light, thunder crashing from the heavens above and illuminating all that rested below.

     Sky shut her eyes against the brilliant white light that flashed across the night sky with the departure of Shaylyn.  "Good riddance," she muttered, her eyes flashing a brief moment in anger before finally settling back to their natural emerald green.  Glancing about her, the gargess's eyes landed upon the fallen form of Lisette, still lying on the ground.  Drawing in a sharp intake of breath, the tan female rushed over towards the unconscious mage, not sure if she was dead or alive.  "Lis!!" the Skydancer whispered in a strangled voice.  Shivers flowed down her spine quickly with the fear that perhaps she had lost the friend who had become like a sister to her.

     From her viewpoint in the sky, Byrdie's gaze fell upon the sight of the gargess kneeling over beside the blonde human woman. Frowning slightly, the Faerie faded away into the night, sorrow for the possible death of one she never knew biting her mind.

    She then reappeared beside the gargess silently, staring down at the battered human.  The sorceress had done quite a number on her.  Byrdie then looked to the female gargoyle and placed a small hand on her tanned shoulder. "Is there anything that I can do...?" she whispered, not completely sure if it was the time to speak... or if there was truly something that she could do.

    After all, the young mage was still and silent, lying as she had fallen on her front, her form twisted in the pain that she had experienced.  In essence that was the one good thing about the situation that she was now in--if Lisette still lived then the pain could not reach her where she was at now.  As the green grass cushioned her lean frame, contrasting sharply with her light blue jeans and white shirt, her pale blonde hair spread around her, beneath her still and pale face and half hiding it from the stormy night--all in all giving her the peaceful appearance of sleep... although that could not be further from the truth.

    The Skydancer watched as Lisette's body continued to reflect her agony.  A light green glow seemed to encircle her as the Avalonian magic that connected her to vast visage of Janua Caeli continued to keep her within the throes of the havoc that Shaylyn had created by her attack.  Knowing that she had to sever the connection with the protection spell that surrounded the mansion or else the mage would die, Sky turned worried green eyes up to the Child of Oberon who stood behind her.  Pushing a stray tendril behind her ear, the gargess gestured to her friend.  "She's being affected by the attack that the witch fired upon our home.  We have to sever the protection spell," the gargess said in response to the faerie's question, "the trouble is, I do not know this kind of magic.....the magic of Avalon."  Sky turned worried eyes back down to the still figure of the young woman.  "If we don't stop it, Fae, I fear she will die."

    The young Faerie said nothing, silently contemplating the gargoyle's troubled plea.  Her gaze then settled on the human on the ground...no ordinary human, she suspected.  The magic of the Isle covered her lightly and she looked to be in excruciating pain--the Faerie sighed softly.  This would be no easy spell to break--an old linking spell of protection that she, to tell the truth, didn't have that much experience with.  ~I may end up a bigger fool than that witch before...~ she thought, not knowing if she could do it or not and if she would fail the human and gargess.

    After a moment, she nodded slowly, kneeling on the ground beside the human, only uttering, "I will try, she-gargoyle..."  She then placed her small hands on the injured one's side, closing her dark eyes:

    "I call upon the magic of my Lord Oberon, Father of the Third Race. This worthy soul is in need of your mercy.  Entrust your power into the hands of your child to sever the spell that binds her and nullify her pain.... Detoxify..."

    As the Child of Oberon chanted these words, the human and the mansion behind them began to glow even brighter with Avalonian magic, signaling to the Faerie and the gargess beside her that the magic was working to both of their delights.  The green witch-light then started to remove itself from the injured human and the house, collecting into a large sphere above them, then faded into nothing as it disappeared into the night.

    The tan gargess watched in wonderment as the Avalonian Fae used the same green witch-light to counter-react Lisette's protection spell upon the house that the mage commanded herself.  Awe-struck, Skydancer watched as the magicks of Avalon converged into one great glowing sphere above them and then disappeared all together.  Suddenly, the three beings--the gargess, the fae, and the fallen mage-- were surrounded by complete darkness as the deep velvet of the night enclosed around them.  Desperate to see if the breaking of the spell had any effect on her friend, the gargess gently reached out and slightly shook Lisette.  "Lis....Lis, are you alright?" Sky called out softly, concern filling her emerald eyes.  "Can you hear me?  Lis?"

    Groaning, Lisette slowly shook her head as she once more swam up from the darkness... only to be enveloped in an even darker night.  "Sky?" she murmured quietly, her voice frustratingly soft amongst the dark night noises.  "Where are you?  Qu'est-ce qui ce passe... what happened?" she asked slowly as she tried to climb to her feet, only to fall back to the soft grass, her weak legs unable to hold her own weight.  "Oh la la.. and I am so weak, no?" she moaned as she settled back on the soft grass.  "Qu'est-ce que c'est..."

    The gargess caught ahold of her friend's arm as the young woman slipped back down onto the grass and watched as a look of bewilderment and weariness crossed her lovely face.  Sighing in relief that the mage was not dead, Skydancer kneeled beside Lisette, trying to assure herself that she was alright.  "Shaylyn attacked Janua,"  the gargess recanted to the weakened mage.  "The spell of protection you placed upon the house did its job, but it weakened you in the process.  You've been out cold for the last half hour while the witch has been attacking."

    Taking a bitter breath as she remembered the onslaught that Shaylyn had wrecked upon themselves and their home, Skydancer suddenly remembered the Fae who had come to their aid.  Glancing up quickly, the gargess looked over at the dragon-pendant faerie who was watching them nearby.  Sky's eyes sparkled with a look of gratitude as she smiled over at the fae.  "It would seem that we have much to thank you for, Child of Oberon," the gargess said with friendliness.  "Who are you?  What is your name?"

    Amazed at her friend's description of the past half-hour's events, Lisette slowly shook her head before turning to regard the stranger that the gargess addressed.  Surprised, she saw a girl that looked to be no more than thirteen to fourteen years old with short black hair that feathered out just below her chin line.  "Child of Oberon?" Lisette asked in confusion as she looked back and forth between the two.  "Yes, who are you??"

    Grinning, for now she had gotten some recognition, the young Faerie took a small hold on the corner of her cape and bowed, reciting a small introduction:

She then looked back up, winking. "But enough about lil' ole me. How's about you two?"

    Blinking in surprise, Lisette slowly shook her head.  "'The rising star of Avalon's tricksters?'" she asked in confusion, raising a
slender eyebrow as she slowly climbed to her feet and looked down upon the small fae.  "Well.. welcome to Janua Caeli, Byrdie Fae, Oberon's special child.  I am Lisette, le mage magique," she murmured as she nodded softly, a small smile playing across her lips.

    The tan gargess rose to her taloned feet to stand beside her mage friend.  Grinning at the fae's introductory poem, she bowed herself in return, her brown braid flying forth over her shoulder as she did so.  "The hour of unmasking is at hand it would seem," the gargess said as she uncaped her fourteen foot wingspan as she straightened.  "I am the Skydancer, fae.  And as Lis said, welcome to Janua Caeli..... our home."  Emerald eyes met brown with a welcoming smile.

    "And while I am still unsure as to what exactly has happened," Lisette added as she slowly turned to look at the manor, her home, which suddenly seemed to loom above the three, "I thank you, mademoiselle, for your assistance.... do you... do you have a place to stay?" she asked timidly as she turned and regarded her closest friend, her bright blue eyes questioning.  "For if not, surely for your assistance we can offer you a room in our manor for as long as you would like...." she trailed off as she awaited the young.. or rather, old fae's response.

    A small frown crept onto the Faerie's face as she heard the timid offer.  Chin in hand, she thought for a moment.  "Umm.... Well... as much as I'd like to..." the sprite surmised, "...I'm on a little journey of my own right now..."

    She was cut off by a flash of witch light.  She looked down and her suspicion was confirmed--it was her dragon pendant.  Its single eye of jade had begun to glow on its own again.  Then without warning, it shot out two streams of light--not one like the last time.  The two light pulses stopped short when they made it over to Skydancer and Lisette, resting above their heads... like two green angel halos.  Looking at the mage and gargess questioningly, Byrdie let out a small, involuntary sound of confusion.  ~Is this what you were trying to tell me before, Star Dragon...?~

    The tan gargess watched as the eerie green Avalonian light circled above her and Lisette's head.  Emerald eyes watched the marvelous mist as the Skydancer turned back towards the Faerie.  "It would seem that your pendant has made your decision for you, Byrdie Fae," Sky said, smiling.  "Won't you join us at Janua Caeli??"

    Smiling softly, Lisette nodded her head slowly.  "I agree, mon amie," she murmured as she stepped forward and took one of the small fae's hands in her own.  "It would seem that it is meant to be.  What started out as two... and then there was three," she smiled as she took Sky's hand in her other.  "Bienvenue, welcome, to Janua Caeli... our home," she whispered as she turned her smiling face back and forth from the small faerie to her dear friend.  "The household of females... the manor le femme."

    The tan gargess squeezed her mage friend's hand as she reached down and took that of the Fae's.  Smiling wide, her emerald eyes twinkling, she nodded her agreement.  "No, Lis, not the 'manor la femme,'" the Skydancer replied.  "We are the CLAN LE'FEMME!"