Chapter 9
Kendra shook herself as the castle in Avalon faded from around her, she hadn't been privy to Demona's thoughts, but watching what had happened and what those present had said had been both chilling and eye opening. Hearing the Archmage's instructions to the three fey had prompted an unwelcome thought to surface, had the Weird Sisters had anything to do with the Canmore families' pursuit of Demona? Was the vendetta entirely her ancestors' decision, or had they too become one of the playing pieces in the Weird Sisters intrigues?
Demona sunk to the ground with a groan, pulling Kendra abruptly from her thoughts. The black-haired woman pushed her own concerns away, if it had been hard for her to watch as a third party observer she could guess at how much harder it had been for the gargoyle to relive. "Demona?" she knelt by the blue-skinned gargoyle, her heart aching for her, and gently placed her hand on the gargoyle's shoulder.
The flame-haired gargoyle looked up at her; the green eyes were hollow, lost. "My life, all these centuries I have fought and survived, have been nothing but the Archmage's revenge," she whispered.
"Not true," the stag spoke authoritatively, "You never stopped fighting against the enchantments they placed upon you. It was your determination to resist the compulsion the Sisters placed upon you that helped lead to the Archmage's defeat upon Avalon."
Demona looked up at him, "You were with me," she stated as if realizing something.
"I broke the enchantment upon your memory," the great stag responded gently, "it was necessary for me to mediate their return." He lowered his head and gently brushed her forehead ridge with his muzzle, then blew out a warm breath ruffling her wild mane of hair. "You have a strong soul and a strong will; otherwise you would have never continued to fight against their compulsions for so long. Do not begin questioning your own strength because of what you have remembered; it was that strength that allowed you to resist killing your clan's children."
Demona looked stunned, and Kendra wasn't certain whether it was due to the giant stag comforting her or the words the stag had said, probably both she decided.
"Please tell me that man is dead," Kendra did not want to interrupt, but she needed to know whether or not he was still a threat.
Demona responded, "Angela said when Goliath tore the Eye of Odin from his head he lost control of the Grimorum Arcanorum's magic and it consumed him."
The stag lifted his head, "That is what occurred, the magic burned through his mortal body when he lost the power of the Eye."
"Good," Kendra responded, pleased. That concern out of the way, she regarded Demona thoughtfully, her mind meandering through the memories of what she had seen and heard. "There is at least one thing in your life that I don't think they planned, or even anticipated."
Demona turned her green eyes toward Kendra, and the black-haired woman was relieved to see a spark of curiosity in them. "Nightstone," she answered, "I don't see how it furthers their goals at all." She paused, "At least I don't think it does, it doesn't make you bitter or angry does it?"
The immortal gargoyle shook her head, "No, most days I look forward to going into work, it gives me something useful to do, and I often spend most of my nights and weekends working on Nightstone business as well."
Kendra nodded, she had suspected as much, "And I suspect it doesn't make you alone either, you are talking with or interacting with someone for most of the day, even if they are humans."
"Your right," Demona straightened, "Thailog and I pooled our resources together to incorporate Nightstone Unlimited after what happened on Avalon. It's possible the Weird Sisters don't even realize it exists," she theorized.
"Nightstone is yours then," Kendra said emphatically, "Something that you created, something that gives your life meaning. It makes you less angry, less bitter and less alone; you've already started to unravel the Archmage's revenge."
Demona looked hopeful for a moment, and then with startling abruptness she slid into anger. Her eyes glowing red she rose and snarled, "And that will last how long? Only until those three fey decide they have need of me again, and then they will destroy everything."
"That is what that does," the owl spirit's satisfied voice interrupted the flame-haired gargoyle before she could rant further.
The red eyes faded slightly as Demona stared at the owl, "That is what, what does?" she asked aggravated.
"One of the enchantments I did not recognize. One of the ones more subtle in nature than I'm used to associating with the Fey, it amplifies your anger, specifically it seems to double it." The owl spirit answered.
Demona stared at him for a moment before her eyes flashed bright red and she screamed, "Are not even my emotions my own?"
The great stag snorted and took a step back at this display, the unexpected movement setting the owl upon its antlers flapping. "Perhaps this is one of the first spells we should teach her how to dispel."
"That would seem wise," agreed the owl mildly after she had her balance again.
"Not that I do not want your help, but that will last how long?" Demona protested, her eyes glowing slightly with her anger, "I could not stop them from placing these enchantments on me before, what is to stop them from simply replacing these once they have need of me again. You heard what the Sisters said; they let me go only because they thought I might prove a useful tool in the future," she spat the last bitterly.
"I promised that you would not stand alone against them." The great stag spirit reminded Demona regally, "There are things that can be done to protect you from being enchanted once again."
"You can teach me ways of protecting myself?" Demona asked, the red in her eyes fading.
"There are multiple ways of achieving that end," the great stag said, "I have not yet decided which method is most suitable for you, nor do I know which you will find agreeable."
At these words, the owl hunched over and stared at the giant deer, apparently finding what he had said startling. The great stag shook its head slightly, setting the owl bobbing briefly. The owl straightened, blinked once, "Yes, there are various ways to be considered I see, we will have to consult on what is best for you. And of course what you think is best for yourself."
"I will need one day to decide," The great stag spoke. "Tomorrow we will discuss this matter further and what choices you have to make," the great stag directed to Demona. His next statement seemed directed toward the owl spirit, "Tonight we need to teach her how to see the enchantments upon herself and guide her in dispelling the two we have identified completely. Then they must leave, their bodies are growing tired, they risk damage to themselves if they stay much longer."
"Two?" the owl spirit questioned, "Oh yes the anger amplification enchantment and the enchantments they placed on her to persuade her that the only way to protect other gargoyles was by driving them away. Simple enough," she finished.
The great stag cautioned Demona, "Do not touch any of the enchantments no matter how angered you may feel. It is quite possible for you to injure yourself beyond all hope of aid if you dispel the wrong enchantment." He paused and stared at the gargoyle sternly, "If you cannot do this, it would be better for me to dispel the enchantments for you, but I would rather teach you how to do so. Can you promise not to act on your anger; will you wait for our directions?"
Demona clenched her talons in determination, "I promise, I will not act until you direct me where and how." It was easier to accept such restrictions on her actions now that she understood the Weird Sisters had meddled with her emotions as well as her actions.
The great stag's brown eyes caught and held her own gaze, "Then learn how to look deeply into the world and see the fey's work where it is present."
Green, sickly green strands of magical energies weaving around each other, and there were so many of them. No wonder Kendra had recoiled when she first sighted them, Demona wanted to recoil from herself. "What have they done to me," she raged quietly, keeping the stag's admonition foremost in her mind.
The great stag and owl didn't respond. They didn't need to; the answer was rather obvious, quite a lot.
A hand wrapped around her clenched fist, Demona glanced over and met Kendra's compassionate sapphire blue eyes, "You'll be free of all of it, it will just take some time, patience, and deliberately considered action. It's nothing I haven't seen you do already in your business decisions." The black-haired woman said, deliberately reminding the gargoyle of how she acted when it came to her company. That was where the immortal gargoyle exhibited calm, well thought out planning.
It was a timely comment. "The Weird Sisters don't have any enchantments on me that affect how I run my company," Demona realized. The realization calmed her; she did run her company well. Otherwise, Nightstone Unlimited wouldn't have become the third largest company in Manhattan within less than two years.
"Let's work on reducing some of these enchantments," said the owl spirit. "First think of holding an iron knife in your hand, feel the weight of it, the handle in your hand and the short length of iron blade. It doesn't need to be very sharp; it's the iron that does the dispelling."
Demona closed her eyes and concentrated upon creating a knife to destroy the enchantments the Weird Sisters had placed upon her. She felt her talons close around its handle, the solid weight and heft of it. She opened her eyes and looked down; the knife was heavy, the handle solid and thick as she gripped it, the thick blade almost twelve inches in length.
The flame-haired gargoyle heard an amused snort from beside her, "Kill it, kill it dead?" Kendra commented.
A grin formed on Demona's lips as she looked at the knife she had willed into being, it did seem like it could get the job done.
"Well that's a bit larger than what I was thinking of, but it will do," the owl spirit commented dryly.
The great stag spirit spoke, "I will highlight and draw out the enchantments this time. In the future we will teach you how to do this yourself, but you have neither the time nor the energy to learn tonight." One of the pulsing strands of green energy wrapped around Demona's chest began burning more brightly.
"Let's pull that out a little more so you can get at it better," the owl spirit murmured, she made a motion with her wing and the energy thread pulled slightly away from the others.
"Take your iron knife and slide it under the fey enchantment and continue pulling it away from the others," instructed the giant stag.
Demona carefully maneuvered the length of the blade as the stag instructed, realizing belatedly that perhaps a smaller knife would have been easier to use.
"Wrap the enchantment around the blade three times," the stag continued his instructions.
The immortal gargoyle carefully maneuvered the knife until the green strand was coiled around the blade three times.
"Now pull it free from you," the noble stag ordered.
Pulling sharply Demona ripped the enchantment from her, grimacing at the brief moment of disorientation that accompanied the action. The green strand hung briefly free around the blade then seemed to lose cohesion, dimming rapidly and then disappearing as if it had never been.
"That's it?" the flame-haired gargoyle asked disbelievingly.
The great stag and owl stared at her quizzically for a moment before the owl spirit offered, "You can chant a few words in Latin if you want, but it's not really needed. While nature can be loud and noticeable, it is more often quiet and unobtrusive."
Before Demona could formulate a reply to this, the great stag spoke, "Wise One, look at where that enchantment was attached, what do you see?"
"Hmm," murmured the owl before craning her head forward, "Well what is this?" she asked, and a moment later she answered herself, "Very old sorcery…very old. The amplification spell was originally layered on top of it I guess and the Fey obviously kept renewing their enchantment, but the original sorcery was left to decay."
"What are you talking about?" asked Demona looking down and trying to see what they were seeing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kendra coming closer to look as well, a concerned frown upon her face.
"We will have to teach you how to see sorcery, before you can see what we are looking at," the great stag stated. It took only a few moments for Demona and Kendra to learn the variation it was not complicated, just slightly different.
"It looks wispy, like a thin black cloth that's been frayed and torn," observed Kendra.
To Demona it looked more like the barest wisps of black cloud, but she could see the resemblance to what Kendra was describing. More important to her was when it had been placed and what it had done, "Did the Archmage cast this when I was his apprentice?" she wondered aloud.
"No way of knowing without some research," the Eagle Owl spirit answered, "Given where it is and what was cast on top of it I would guess that it did the same thing, but I might be wrong. It's not doing anything now it's too old. We can use the remains however, to discover who cast it and what it did."
Demona nodded, her mind was now whirling with more questions. She didn't like the idea of leaving it there, but she could see the owl spirit's point. If the remains were harmless and could lead them to the caster, it was best to leave it alone for now.
"We will address that later, for now we need to dispel the other enchantments and then they must leave," the great stag spoke with some urgency.
"Of course," the Eagle Owl responded, "let us move on then, now these are the enchantments that make up the compulsion they placed upon you to drive away other gargoyles. They tied them into your natural instinct to protect and then warped that instinct by persuading you that you were the danger. There are multiple enchantments, but we will deal with them in the same way, just choose one strand and begin there." A multi-stranded enchantment lit up and pulled away from the others.
The immortal gargoyle didn't need any further instructions, starting on the easiest strand to get to and dealing with it as before. As each enchantment was uprooted and dispersed, she promptly began on another. She understood the great stags hurry; she could feel herself tiring rapidly.
As the last strand faded the Eagle Owl spoke, "I believe it will be best if you remain in the wilderness for another few days while we deal with the enchantments the Weird Sisters placed upon you. You will likely have several distractions present themselves immediately upon your return. Those charged with enforcing the law will need to speak with you about what happened and you Demona will have responsibilities toward your company. One of my chosen has her home on the shore of the lake southwest of your current location. If you remain here she can bring supplies to make the stay easier."
"That might be a good idea anyway, if they ever find the plane they will know what distance we had to cover to make it back. It might be a good idea if we stayed away enough days to make it seem like we traveled a reasonable amount each day instead of the fifty to sixty miles we did travel." Kendra pointed out, giving voice to a concern of hers.
Demona looked back and forth between Kendra and the two spirits, "You believe we can dispel most of these within the next few days?" she asked indicating the tangled web of fey magic within her that was only slightly decreased by the removal of the two enchantments.
"Most of what remains appears to be the enchantments that bind you and the human male called Macbeth together and grant each of you immortality, and the more recent enchantments that allow you to become human during the day. I believe we can determine what of the remaining fey magic are manipulation or compulsion enchantments and remove them within the next few days," stated the great stag confidently.
Demon nodded reluctantly, "Very well, I just hope those idiot managers of mine don't believe I've died."
"No, they are looking for you even now," the Eagle Owl stated, "The chosen I spoke of has heard about the search for you."
The immortal gargoyle glanced at Kendra, "The chances of them finding the plane are high then," she turned back to the owl spirit, "When did you want us to come back?"
The great stag spoke, "Come at the beginning of each night after the sun has set. Farewell"
"Farewell," echoed the owl, the spirit realm began disappearing into mist.
"Wait what are you?" Asked Demona staring into the great stag's eyes
"My kind never had a name when my children were living, but the humans now call us Irish Elk or simply Giant Deer," answered the great stag's voice even as he disappeared.
The gargoyle found herself drawing in a deep breath of steam-filled air, as she heard Kendra's drumming come to a stop. She realized they had left the spirit realm and were once again in the living world as she opened her eyes and saw the interior of the lodge.
Kendra pulled further open blanket lodge door and crawled out, only pausing to look around and verify that they were still completely alone. Then with a gasp, the black-haired woman plunged into the cold water for a quick moment and then grabbed a blanket and went to sit by the coals where she began to build up the fire again.
Demona stared at Kendra in astonishment for a moment then followed her example, to her surprise after being over heated in the lodge the water was a brisk shock that was not unpleasant. Demona shook the water from herself and then went to join Kendra in letting the warmth of the fire dry them off while the survival blanket kept them from getting too chilled.
Kendra handed Demona a food bar, the black-haired woman was already eating her one of own, "Eat this, in a bit I will go and start something warm for us to eat."
Demona accepted the bar gratefully she was rather hungry. Kendra got up after finishing hers, dressed and went back to the shelter to begin cooking. After awhile Demona covered the lodge fire, reclaimed the blanket covering the lodge opening, and started back toward the shelter. It was warmer in the forest than it was near the river, the gargoyle noticed as she wound her way through the pines. As she approached the roughly made shelter, Demona eyed it critically; perhaps they should considered building something more permanent since they were to be staying here a few days.
Kendra had finished preparing the stew and had placed it among the coals to cook, she then came over to Demona and asked, "Mind if I sit with you?" Demona opened her blanket and Kendra layered her blanket with it then snuggled against Demona while they waited for the stew.
Demona had been silent since Kendra had asked to sit next to her, enmeshed in her own thoughts, but she finally commented quietly, "You didn't need to ask Kendra, I like having you near me. I would think you would know that after what we experienced in the spirit realm."
Kendra smiled gently, "I know we felt each other's emotions, but you said you wanted to keep this casual and I didn't want to take things for granted."
Demona shook her head, "You know I feel…" the gargoyle paused, she couldn't continue, how could she when she didn't know how she felt. Finally she admitted, "I want more than just a mutual satisfaction of our physical needs. I never mean to imply that it was just for one night Kendra. I just don't know…"
Kendra filled in, "Don't know how not casual you're feeling exactly? It's nice to know I have company in my confusion if that's the case."
Demona smiled wryly, "You have company. My emotions are a jumbled mess at the moment."
"Not really surprising considering everything," Kendra commented and leaned her head on Demona's shoulder. The two sat in companionable silence. "By the way," Kendra said after a few minutes, "I thought those enchantments would be more difficult to get rid of too. I don't know what I was expecting, but something more than…weeding."
Demona snorted in amused surprise and then chuckled aloud at the word choice. "But that's what it was, wasn't it," she realized.
"Pretty much," responded Kendra. The black-haired woman was silent for a moment, before turning to the redhead next to her and asking seriously, "How are you doing?"
The immortal gargoyle drew in a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled it. She didn't answer immediately, "I don't know," she finally answered softly. "I should be angry, but I'm starting to think maybe something was damaged when I removed that amplification enchantment. I can feel some anger, but it's so much less than what I would expect given the circumstances."
Kendra frowned thoughtfully, "I wonder," she mused, and the redheaded gargoyle turned a curious gaze her way. The black-haired woman continued, "I wonder if it's just the fact that you're used to feeling a much greater amount of anger. You probably got used to it over the centuries, feeling that much anger each time I mean. So now that you're feeling a normal amount, well it just probably seems like too little because it's not what you got used to anymore," she offered.
Demona frowned thoughtfully, "That could be I guess, it certainly sounds reasonable." She looked relieved. She gazed into the flickering flames, her face marked by sadness, "Otherwise I feel lost, confused, its…" she sighed, "It's very hard to accept that for almost all of the past thousand years they've controlled almost everything I've done, the things I've felt, and all for their and the Archmage's revenge. So many deaths, so much pain, so many, many bitter lonely years," her voice became bitterly self-mocking, "And for most of it I thought I was pursuing my vengeance against the humans…how completely wrong I was."
Kendra shifted to face the redhead, she stroked through the silken wild hair, and cupped the beautiful face, "And yet there is the promise of better times ahead for you, a chance to undo all their revenge."
Demona leaned into the caress, her eye fixed on Kendra's face, "How do you undo a thousand years of revenge?" she asked, her voice was bitter, but she also looked as if she hoped Kendra possessed the answer to her question.
"They wanted you to be angry, bitter and alone. If you are none of those things, then they have none of their revenge." Kendra answered simply.
"That simple?" Demona asked her voice doubtful.
"No," Kendra replied gently, "I know it's not that simple, but it's the only place you can start. The past is the past, it's only the present and the future that we have to work with, and is there anything that wrong about being happy, fulfilled, building friendships and perhaps even more?"
Her eyes are so blue, thought Demona, as she stared into the black haired woman's face and considered her words. "No I guess there isn't," she whispered in reply as she leaned closer. She hadn't expected to feel any desire after what happened tonight, but here it was rising swift and hot within her. Their lips met briefly before Kendra pulled away, Demona retreated immediately confused.
Kendra's hand upon her shoulder stopped her, the black-haired woman said, "I want to, but honestly I don't want to subject you to being that close to me until I've bathed and had a chance to rinse out the various micro flora and fauna setting up housekeeping in my mouth."
Demona blinked, and then began laughing. "Too true," she admitted thinking of her own state. She frowned, they were using the only container they had to cook the stew, "I guess after we eat we can warm some water for you, I can stand the cold of the stream to wash, but you can't."
"Mmm, before tonight no, but I can now," Kendra said, "Most of the lessons the priestess taught me last night were about how to control my body. I can deal with the cold for long enough to bathe providing we eat afterward." She leaned forward and peered at the stew, "Why don't we go now, this should be done by the time we get back."
They hadn't discussed what Kendra had been taught, so this information caught Demona by surprise. "Alright," she agreed belatedly, they rose and started toward the river. The gargoyle glanced at the woman walking beside her and wondered what exactly she had learned from the priestess.
The clear, swiftly moving water of the stream was cold. No matter one was a gargoyle and the other a shamaness with the ability to increase their body heat, both hurried about their business rinsing their mouths, and using their fingers to roughly clean their teeth, then rubbing briskly at their bodies cleaning as best they could without soap.
Demona chuckled as she followed Kendra's swiftly moving bare figure through the forest. The woman hadn't wanted to put her clothes on her wet body so she was streaking through the trees, and the gargoyle was quite shamelessly enjoying the view though she was having trouble keeping up Kendra was moving so quickly.
Kendra was wrapping the survival blankets around herself when the immortal gargoyle stepped into the small area lit by their fire. "I've got a better idea," Demona said huskily, extending her wings forward and holding out her arms invitingly. Kendra rose, letting the silvery blankets fall to the ground and stepped into her arms. The sapphire blue eyes closed and a sigh of pleasure escaped from the rose-colored lips as Demona pulled the black-haired woman against her and wrapped her wings about them both.
Continued...