The Other Clans

Stone

Lilias followed Goliath numbly as he glided over to the others. She couldn't believe that she had actually breathed fire, let alone taken someone's life with it.

"How'd you do that?" Brooklyn asked quietly. Lilias just shook her head.

"I-I don't know. I couldn't stand by and let him hurt you guys. I was so angry, it just... came out." Lilias hugged herself and closed her wings around her.

"We'll sort it out tomorrow," Goliath said.

"Aye, we'd best prepare to sleep right here. Dawn is upon us," Hudson said as he was brushing off the glimmering powder from earlier. He then unsheathed his sword and crouched down in an aggressive stance. Everyone followed his example and prepared for the day ahead.

As the sun set the next night, the clan broke out of their stone skins. Everyone except Hudson and Lilias. Hudson still stood frozen in place.

"Hudson," Goliath said, shocked.

"What's wrong? Why doesn't he wake up?" Broadway asked.

"I-I don't know." Goliath briefly placed a hand on his mentor's shoulder. "Wait, last night MacBeth threw some kind of powder on Hudson."

"Guys." Everyone turned at the sound of Brooklyn's voice. At his feet was a pile of stone rubble. There were flecks of gold here and there but nothing was overly distinguishable.

"No," Goliath breathed as he looked down at the ruble. His eyes glowed white and he threw his wings back and roared into the night sky. Brooklyn crouched down and placed a hand on the pile gingerly. It was as cold as the snow that surrounded them. He dreaded telling her clan the news. Their clan leader was gone. Smashed by some coward while they slept. The almost silent sound of wingbeats hit the grieving group and they looked up in time to see Gillian and Shona land on the rooftop.

"What's wrong?" Gillian asked concernedly. "We heard you from our roof." Shona caught sight of Hudson first.

"Stone? At night?" She turned to the rest. "How is this possible?"

"Some magical concoction to keep him asleep," Goliath told them glumly. "But there is more." He gestured over to the stone rubble. The golden flakes glinted up at each of them accusingly.

"What happened?" Gillian growled, his eyes glowing a vibrant white.

"We were attacked last night and she... breathed fire, destroying the one who attacked us." Goliath set his wings over his shoulders. "Someone must've seen and..." he trailed off, not able to force himself to finish the statement.

"Sitting here mourning her is getting nothing done," Shona said, her voice tight. "We need to focus on saving Hudson right now."

"But how? MacBeth's dead. Who else would know about the powder?" Lexington asked her. Goliath clenched his teeth as he looked at Hudson's stone form and made up his mind.

"Lexington and I will go to MacBeth's mansion and see what we can find."

"I'd like to go with you," Gillian said as he stood up and brushed the snow from his knees. Goliath nodded his consent.

"Brooklyn, Broadway. Stay here and protect Hudson." He walked off with Lexington and Gillian in tow.

"I'll go inform the rest of my clan. We can help you protect him, as well as pay our respects." She hung her head. "Despite being uncomfortable with the position, she was a good leader."

"Leader?" Goliath paused and turned to face Shona.

"Yeah. Faulkner asked her to be the clan leader for our small group. She didn't like the attention and was uncomfortable making decisions. But she was the best out of all of us."

"I'm sorry," Goliath told her, "I didn't know."

"I'm not surprised." Shona turned towards them fully. "Now go. Don't let her die in vain."

"But... what if there is no cure?" Brooklyn voiced everyone's concern.

"There is a cure," Goliath insisted. "There must be." With that the three gargoyles took to the skies. The three remaining gargoyles stared at a stone Hudson and Lilias' remains.

"I'll go and get the others," Shona told them before jumping from the rooftop and unfurling her wings.

"I'm worried," Broadway started, turning to Brooklyn. "Even if Goliath finds something at MacBeth's place, how we going to make it work? None of us are sorcerers."

"Let's just focus on protecting Hudson," Brooklyn told his seriously as he tried to ignore the glittering pile that lay close by. "We can't let anything happen to him."