11****Castle Wyvern, the Great Hall, just after sunset
A small feast had been prepared for the new arrivals to the castle for the clan and their guests' breakfast, enough to even make Broadway proud, yet the delectable food was nearly forgotten as Griff regaled everyone with an exciting war story.
"So, there I was soaring though the skies over London, Nazi planes to the right of me and Nazi planes to the left as gunfire blazed all around me like a swarm of raging hornets taking all of my wits to avoid and dodge them with evasive maneuvers I'd only seen the RAF pull off. I would down as many enemy aircraft as I could with only my bare talons after I'd do barrel rolls or loop-de-loops to outwit them and toss the murderous pilots from their planes. I may have only been one lone Gargoyle fighting alongside the RAF at the time, but I knew it was my duty to help protect King and Country, and for a time I was willing to take on the entire Luftwaffe in order to protect all of London, and perhaps even Great Britain and the world."
"Were you not frightened or even conflicted about this whole war being only a human concern?" Aurora asked a bit enamored with Griff, making Lexington give a bit of a jealous look he couldn't quite hide.
"At first I was," Griff shrugged a bit, "But even then I knew I had to do something to protect my home, and I learned even then if something is a human problem, if it's ignored too long it can become a Gargoyle problem."
A brief look of agreement and comradery passed between Griff and Goliath as they gave small nods to each other.
"I can tell you stories of how I took out an entire battalion of Vikings or ten Steel Clan robots all at once," Lexington spoke up boldly as he tried to puff out his chest.
"Really?" Aurora questioned with a raised browridge, not sure if she should believe him or it was cute he was trying to outdo Griff, "Would you care to share such a story now?"
"Uh…" Lexington's brain raced but blanked on an answer, trying to think of a way to at least embellish his past battles, but the pressure was too much as he just mumbled or stammered for a long minute.
"Yeah, Lex," Brooklyn finally spoke up, "Tell us how you took out the whole Viking army when you weren't geeking over how the catapults worked, or some other mechanical weapon."
Sata gave him a steel hard look, but he just smirked.
"Or how you smashed ten Steel Clan robots after getting knocked out by one in the first five minutes," Broadway laughed before Angela elbowed him and made him groan "Ooch" while trying to suppress a small snicker of her own.
Lexington tried to hide his face and his growing humiliation as he groaned in his throat, certain Aurora now thought the worse of him as she tried to hold back a snicker.
Griff tried not to smile himself, feeling embarrassed for and sorry for Lexington, knowing the opposite of what Lexington must be going through with the fairer sex.
"Well, that does sound impressive, Lex," Griff spoke up, "I'd like to hear them, too, but why don't you tell about how you single handedly defeated that great stone dragon."
Lex just gave a confused look as Aurora skeptically and amusedly said, "Really? You battled and defeated a stone dragon on your own?"
"Uh, well, uh, kinda…" Lexington stammered with a blush.
"Oh, yes, I saw it all myself," Griff fibbed, "Some years ago when Arthur and I were seeking Excalibur here in Manhattan, Lexington and his clan assisted us greatly, but it was him who figured out every part of the riddle leading to it and even thought of innovative strategies in battle such as using hover cycles to climb up when there was nothing to climb for a good gliding height and how to defeat the dragon. So he is quite a capable warrior as well as having a keen mind, I must say."
Lexington smiled pridefully as he puffed out his chest again hoping Griff could tell how much he appreciated what he was trying to do. For those who knew the real story, they just shook their heads in amusement.
"How about I tell you about the time I saved the city from the Unseelie attack," Lexington suggested with a smile, making Aurora give an uncertain look.
However, at that moment Arthur and Xanatos walked in as Arthur, once more clad in his old armor, said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, my friends, but I have important news for Sir Griff. David and I have determined the Grail's next likely location and we are on our way tonight."
"I'll get Merlin and Mary," Griff said, but Arthur stopped him.
"No, I think for now Merlin can stay behind to rest, though we will welcome any volunteers to join us."
"What do you say, Goliath?" Griff inquired as he stood up, "One last adventure for old time's sake?"
Goliath looked thoughtful for a moment as he answered, "As much as I wish I could, old friend, I must stay here to lead my clan and protect the city. Regrettably, the city is in the midst of a rising crime war between rivaling factions and it would be irresponsible of me to leave in the middle of it."
"Actually, it's been pretty quiet for a while, Goliath," Brooklyn said, "aside from the usual petty mugging or robberies. So, I can take the reins while you're gone."
"And besides," Hudson whispered to him not so subtly behind a hand, "It might be a good way for you and Elisa to have some time apart and take a break from her mood swings."
Goliath frowned a bit as he said with a sigh, "Our arguing has become less frequent, Hudson, though you may have a point. But I should inform her nonetheless."
"Alright, I will join you," Goliath announced as he and Griff clasped forearms.
"Anyone else is welcomed to join," he encouraged.
"I'll join," Lexington announced as he proudly stood up straight, "There may be ways I can help, like with riddles and stuff."
"Actually, I'm hoping to hear more about your heroics, Lexington," Aurora said with a smile, "And I'm curious about your new garments."
He blushed a deep rosy color, momentarily losing his boldness as he shrugged a bit, "Uh, okay, and maybe I could show you around…"
"Why don't you go, Broadway?" suggested Angela, making him momentarily give a flummoxed look.
"What, are you sure, Angela? Why?"
"Need you ask? I'm glad you've started to come out of your self-doubt these past few weeks, but this may be a good chance for you get out of the castle and hone your skills in a new way."
Broadway was taken aback as he asked insulted, "You think I'm still a moping hatchling?! I'm fighting bad guys on the street every night!"
She gently took his hand as she said patiently, "And I'm proud of you for it, I just think you could use a bigger challenge than just muggers or jewel robbers. And besides, it's a real adventure with King Arthur and not just one to read about in stories."
Broadway couldn't help but smile, yet his heart ached a bit as he asked low, "Won't you come with me?"
She just kissed him on the cheek as she said, "I have personal projects I need to tend to, and no doubt I'll be needed here. Besides, I'll be with you always, right here."
She held their hands to her heart, making Broadway's smile bigger.
"Why don't you join, Othello," Desdemona suggested, "You have told me you hope for more challenges besides the street criminals infesting this city."
Othello scoffed indifferently, "And why should I join in what may be a foolhardy errand for a piece of crockery that's nothing but a myth?"
Arthur gave an insulted look at this as Desdemona said, "Because as our rookery daughter just said, I too believe you could do with a bigger challenge and not just going through the motions." He gave her a hard look as she leaned in closer to say quietly "And it's a chance to spend time with our brother, as you hardly have spoken to each other since we encountered that New Olympus Gargoyle and I'm concerned you both are drifting apart."
Othello was momentarily pensive glancing to his lifemate and then to Goliath as he stood next to Arthur and Griff.
"Perhaps you are right," he said with a low sigh, "It has been a long time since we joined forces together just for the sake of a brotherly bond." He stood proudly to announce his volunteering for the mission, even taking a moment to clasp forearms with Goliath.
"Perhaps we should bring Bronx as well, as the best tracker in the clan may find things we cannot," Goliath suggested.
Bronx gave an acknowledged bark as he walked up proudly to Goliath and Othello.
"Jolly good, then," Griff cheered as he clasped Othello's and Broadway's forearms and gave Bronx an ear scratch, "Looks like we have a fine team for the journey, Arthur."
"More than I expected, and am honored to be serving with, even if temporarily," Arthur respectively stated as he crossed an arm over his chest then shook forearms with the new volunteers.
Goliath then gave a look to Xanatos, who was wearing what looked like hiking clothes covered with various pockets, as he closed his cellular phone with a smirk on his face to just state casually, "My schedule's cleared for the next few days, who knows how long this will take. It's just too bad Alex is too young to come along, he'd love the adventure with his daddy."
"You're coming, too, Xanatos?" Goliath asked with unsurprised suspicion.
The multi-billionaire just shrugged to say with his usual smirk, "It's a chance to get out of the office and clear my head; a lot of strange anomalies have been popping up all at once all over my company for some reason and it feels like it's hitting me all at once. It's like someone or something is trying to take over right under my nose little by little without too much notice, or daring me to try and find them. Fortunately, there're people to keep me informed about it all, but I could use a short break and an adventure with the King Arthur is a once in a lifetime opportunity, even if I could've lived forever."
Goliath just gave an unamused stone hard look, but just sighed as he asked to momentarily borrow Xanatos' phone.
A few minutes later they all made their way out to the courtyard as Griff said glumly, "It's too bad Merlin can't come this time, even though this whole Quest has been for him, but it would be handy in case we have to deal with some kind of magic."
"Not to worry, Griff, it's covered," Xanatos said happily as the Gargoyles then saw their transport and two more additions to the unlikely team.
They were all stunned to see Macbeth, once more in his signature battle armor and trench coat and had brought his airship, but they were even more stunned and confuse about the new unknown elderly looking human in similar armor and holding a black cane.
"You all know Macbeth," Xanatos said as respectable nods were given between the Gargoyles and Macbeth.
"And who might this be?" Othello asked suspiciously as he crossed his powerful biceps and Bronx gave a cautious deep sniff to, then a curious grunt with a head tilt.
"Everyone, this is my good friend, Alonso Proselli," Macbeth happily introduced Alonso as he gave a polite smile and respectable nod, "He's a scholar of sorts in history and occult knowledge, as well as the proprietor of a bookshop near Columbia U."
"It's quite the privilege to be meeting you all," Alonso said as Xanatos introduced the Gargoyles.
"So, you're going to be the magic expert?" Broadway asked a bit confused, "I thought you already knew magic, Macbeth."
"Only amateurishly, Broadway," he shrugged, "Everything will be explained along the way as we must be leaving now while the weather is favorable. Welcome aboard, everyone!"
The airship's engines hummed to life, sending a downdraft around itself to make dust and dirt cloud about in a wave as the craft ascended quickly on its new journey to the North, unaware it was being watched by the apathetic gaze of the bespectacled Owen as he put in a phone call to Anastasia Reynard.
However, he too was unaware he wasn't the only one watching Macbeth's aircraft takeoff into the night, but also being watched by less benign eyes.
"They're leaving," Jackal reported as he watched the front view screen.
"Then follow them," Lilith ordered coldly, making Jackal frown as he mumbled,
"I know that. Who's in charge of this motley crew anyway?"
"I am, as Thailog has made clear." Lilith either didn't notice or ignored Jackal's frustrated growl as he piloted the upgraded and cloaked Pack's old attack hovercraft behind the one carrying the rich man and his friends.
