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Gargoyles: Rise of Daniel

🇺🇸PhantomMaster1999
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Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Slumber and Awakening

944 A.D., Scotland.

"Brother, I don't think it's a good idea to go after the Vikings by yourself. At the least, take Mentor and myself with you in case you need help," I ask my brother Goliath as we discuss the situation with the Vikings who have had Castle Wyvern under siege. With us is the former clan leader, myself, Goliath, and his love, who is also his second-in-command. She was suggesting taking the entire clan to go after them, while I and the former clan leader believed that doing so was unwise. Goliath suggested going himself, which Mentor and I were against. So, I suggested that at least he should bring the two of us in case things go south, which I believed was a very high possibility. He looks thoughtful for a few moments and says, "Very well, Daniel. It is perhaps wise to bring you two at least." "Very good, brother, but we should put the three troublemakers into the rookery first, to ensure they don't cause any more trouble," I suggest. "Aye, lad, those three had best be put there for the time being," said Mentor.

After about half an hour, Goliath put the three troublemakers in the rookery and told his lover he loved her, and then we were off. We quickly caught up with our target until we discovered it was a trick. "It was a trick to draw us away from the castle, brother. We must return as soon as possible," I said quickly. We then glided off as fast as we could, but we didn't make it back before sunrise. We were forced to land and rest for the day. It was later the next night when we returned, and our clan was gone—destroyed in their sleep. Including Goliath's love, from the courtyard, me, and my mentor heard him yell, "NOOOO!" and roar in rage and sorrow. I felt for him, but I was concerned about the lack of an actual battle and the few number of Viking bodies outside or inside the castle walls. When I noticed a bow with its string cut, I knew something was amiss.

"Look, mentor," I say, drawing his attention to me, and proceed to say, "the strings have been cut, and there are very few Viking bodies inside or outside the walls. I believe they were sabotaged from within, and I think they took the people. What do you think?" "Aye, lad, I agree. Too few bodies, both Viking and residents of the castle, as well as your belief of sabotage. Go check the rookery. See if any were in there when the attack happened," he said. "I was just hoping the same thing, mentor," I say, and went to check the rookery. When I arrived, I found the three troublemakers coming out, along with three of our sisters. "Brothers...sisters, I am glad you seven are safe. Were there any others down in the rookery, and sisters, what were you doing down there?" I ask. "Daniel, the three of us took dinner down to them and stayed with them to keep them company, but other than us, the seven of us, there was no one else," one of the sisters said. I look down sadly and raise my head to them, saying, "Then the ten of us are all that are left of our clan. Come, Goliath will want to rescue the humans and take revenge for our fallen brothers and sisters." We walk back to Goliath and mentor. After seeing us, Goliath asks, "Were there any others?" I shake my head no and say, "The ten of us are all that are left of our clan, Goliath. What are your orders, brother?" "We will rescue the humans, and we will take our revenge," he said with a growl.

After a short while, we find the Viking and attack me. My mentor and the other seven chase off the Viking and free the humans. "Go... Go," I say to some humans that I release. After a few minutes of fighting, the battle begins to die down, and just then, the Magus jumps out and yells, "You monsters, because of you, she is dead." "What are you talking about?" I ask. He doesn't answer; he merely says, "It doesn't matter. If I could wield a sword, I'd send you to hell myself, but this will have to do." Then, he chants a spell before I can try to counter him, and everything goes dark.

Third Person Point of View.

"Stone during the night, but how," Goliath says. The Magus then says, "It will do you no good because your next." "Magus, stop... What have you done?" says the Princess. Upon seeing her, the Magus is completely shocked and says, "Princess, you're alive!" "What did you do?" asks Goliath. "I placed a spell on them, that they shall enter an endless sleep," "Reverse it now!" Goliath yells. "I can't; Roderick burned the page with the counterspell on it," he said. A few hours later, Goliath, the Magus, and the Princess took the nine now sleeping gargoyles back to the castle and placed them on pedestals. When the Magus said, "I am so sorry, Goliath. I wish there was something I could do," the Princess asked, "So, they'll sleep forever?" The Magus shook his head and said, "No, not forever. The condition of the spell is that they shall sleep until the castle rises above the clouds." "Is there anything we can do for you, Goliath?" asked the Princess. "There are two things you can do. The eggs in the rookery, take them. They will hatch soon, and they will need protection," he said. "Yes, and the other thing?" answered the Magus. Goliath looked him in the eyes and asked, "Cast your spell one last time." As the Princess and Magus leave the castle with the eggs from the rookery in a wagon, they look at the top of the tower, where the now sleeping Goliath slumbers with what remains of his clan. The Princess says, "Goodbye, Goliath, and I am so sorry."

Scotland, 1994

"Owen, there really needs to make the call," says a man named David Xanatos to his assistant Owen. "Very well, Mister Xanatos, but you know this will be a colossal undertaking," Owen says. "You know the answer to that, Owen. Pay a man enough, and he will walk barefoot through hell," David said.

Time skip

A few months later, Castle Wyvern now sits atop Xanadu Tower, and David stands there next to the slumbering Goliath as the sun sets on the horizon. After it sets, Goliath and the rest of the clan wake from their stone slumber. "Yawn," I say, shaking off sleep. Looking to my sides and seeing my brothers and sisters, I yell in excitement, "Brothers, sisters, we are awake, we're alive!" "Yes, Daniel, we are," Goliath says, pulling me and the others into a hug. I look over the castle wall and see something that astounds me. I point and say, "Brother, look." He follows where I'm pointing and sees what I see, then asks, "How long have we been asleep?" Then, a man approaches us and says, "For over a thousand years. Come, there is much to talk about."

Timeskip

After introductions and explanations, the man named David Xanatos tells us how we have awakened and why he did so. But the man seemed to be withholding the truth from us, but I wasn't sure how or why. Then suddenly, the castle was attacked. After we repelled the attack, a new human came into the castle—a woman. She was asked to leave, but I suspected that she wouldn't, so I followed her. One of us started her and drew a strange contraption from her waist. I quickly grabbed it and crushed it in my hand. She was then startled by the gargoyle beast and fell off the side of the castle. I dived down after her, catching her and stopping close to street level, and said, "It is alright; I mean you no harm." She caught her breath and said, "Okay, I'll believe you, but who are you?" "I believe it would be safer if we returned to the castle first," I said. "Yeah, since you can fly, you can," she replied. "I'm afraid my kind can't fly; we can glide on currents of air. Sadly, there aren't any strong enough to carry us back up," I explained. "So, we're stuck," she asked. I shook my head and said, "Not quite. Here, hold on," as I pulled her close and had her wrap her arms around my neck. As we climbed up, she appeared to be afraid, and I said, "Don't worry; you'll be safe."

As we arrived back at the castle, the beast was there, growling. She then says, "Oh... right. I forgot about you." "Don't worry, down, boy," I say, and he does just that. "Thank you. I suppose we should try that again. My name is Elisa Maza, and if you could, can you please tell me what and who you are?" she says. I took a breath because I couldn't stop thinking how beautiful she was. I coughed and said, "My kind are known as gargoyles. Most don't have names, but our leader is called Goliath. My name is Daniel, and it is a pleasure to meet you, my lovely lady." I took her hand and gently kissed the top of it, causing her to blush lightly. She coughed and asked, "So, what is your story, then?" I proceeded to explain the story of me and my clan, from our battle with the Vikings to our enchanted sleep and how David Xanatos awoke us, as well as my suspicions of him trying to deceive us. Shortly later, Goliath and the others came over, and I explained the series of events that led us here. "Maybe I can help you. I can teach you about our city and time," she offered. Goliath didn't entirely trust her, but I put my faith in her and asked, "Goliath, I can go on this tour of the city and report back to you when I return." He thought about this and reluctantly agreed, "Very well, Daniel. I will trust your decision." "Thank you. Elisa, meet me on the roof over there after sunset," I asked. "Okay, but why not here?" she asked. "Because I don't trust Xanatos," I responded. She looked at me with a smile in her eye and said, "Neither do I."