Gargoyle

Chapter One

I sat here, alone on the roof of this tower, the bell tower of this old cathedral. I had been here a long time, nearly as long as the cathedral itself has stood, and it is over five hundred years old. At first glance I was like my stone brethren who adorn the edges of the roof. I look as if I was hauled up here and not used because there was no room for me. But I am much larger than my brethren who are evenly spaced around the edge of the roof, and I appear to be made of a darker material. On close inspection, one would notice that my surface was not weathered or worn like the others. That is because I was not at all like them. I was not even a statue, but an enchanted being.

Once, long ago, I was even human. I was tall, handsome, strong, and proud. It was my pride that caused me to end up here. My pride in my station, my wealth, my appearance. The stupid things that I valued so much. My family name would probably be recognized even today, so I will not give it. But my given name is, or was, Alain. That is all you will need to know.

She was pretty enough, even for a common girl. She tried hard to catch my eye, but I was used to those things and remained aloof. After all, she was common, and I, nobility. She even dared to approach me and tell me her name was Leanna, and let me know that she wanted only my love for a little while, nothing more. But I ignored her at first, then finally laughed at her, calling her silly and trivial. She finally left me, head lowered to hide the blush of shame my words, my laughter had brought to her cheeks. This made me laugh all the louder, calling out remarks at her in a loud voice, to embarrass her further. After all, she was just a common little wench. What could she possibly do to me? Such was the depth of my vanity, my pride. Had I but known.

For she was anything but a commoner. Her grandmother was well versed in the magical arts, and she had started learning from the old woman, to carry on the family tradition. Her embarrassment turned to anger, and she threw herself into her studies with a single-minded fervor that bordered on fanaticism, the only purpose in her life to be vengeance, directed solely at me for my actions. And I knew nothing of her anger or of her plans for me. Until she was ready to carry out her plan for revenge.

I awoke that night from a troubled slumber, to find myself trembling and sweating from a dream I couldn't remember. All I could recall was uncertainty at first, then fear, then sheer terror. I felt a breeze and turned to look at my open bedroom window, a window I distinctly remembered as being closed. The breeze strengthened into a wind, blowing into my bedroom. I could see a cloud approaching. My first thought was that a storm was coming, so I made to rise and shut the window, assuming that the wind had blown it open. That is when I discovered that I could not move my body. I could turn my head and move my eyes, but from the neck down my body would not respond. A sudden gust of wind drew my gaze back to the window and my soul froze at what I saw.

It was Leanna, riding the wind, approaching my window which was high up in a tower of my parent's castle. She was clothed all in black, her raven tresses blowing madly about, her arms outstretched like fantastic wings. She floated into my room and as her feet touched the floor the wind abated. She lowered her arms and smiled down at me. Her eyes burned into my soul and that smile chilled me to the quick.

"Hello, Alain," she said at last. "I've waited for this moment for some time now. You hurt me deeply, you know. All I wanted was to love you for a little while because you are so beautiful to me. I didn't want your wealth, your name, or even for you to say you loved me. But you laughed at me, called me names. You wouldn't even just let me go away quietly; you had to call after me and let my shame be known to the whole village. I've thought long on how to repay you for all of that. I've learned all my grandmother could teach me for just that purpose. Now it is time for my revenge. Come with me."

With those words I felt myself lifted on the wind and saw her fly out the window in front of me. We were carried high over the earth at such a speed as I had never known. I saw the city in the distance, then a few moments later we were soaring over it toward the new cathedral. The builders' scaffolds and cranes were still in place for the finishing touches being applied. We came to rest on the roof of the bell tower, the tower's steeple the only thing higher than this point. I was held in a standing position now, still unable to move anything but my head and eyes, not even able to speak; I know because I tried.

Leanna smiled that bone-chilling smile again as she walked slowly around my frozen form. "This will be your new home now," she said at last. "You will remain here until my curse is lifted. And oh, I have thought so long and hard about the terms and conditions of that curse. Are you ready, my sweet Alain?" Her hands and arms began tracing intricate patterns in the air as she spoke words my mind could not comprehend. Her eyes glowed with an inhuman light and sparks of lightning danced on her fingertips. Then the pain hit me, awful in its intensity. My body twisted and shook through no will of mine. I could feel it begin to change as Leanna chanted on. I felt something growing painfully between my shoulders and atop my head. I was forced into a squatting position and in a final burst of agony was frozen there.

Leanna's laugh and the look of triumph on her face was terrifying. "I've done it!' she cried. "It worked! I've done it!" Again that terrible laugh of triumph. "Now I think it is only fitting for you to see what others will see, so you can fully understand the curse I am placing you under."

I suddenly found myself looking through Leanna's eyes, knowing that the thing before me was in fact myself, horribly changed. I saw a dark statue of a gargoyle such is common on the roofs of churches and cathedrals, but a larger statue by far. It squatted there, naked but for short breeks, a brooding scowl on its face as it looked out over the city. If in a standing position, the thing would easily be over two meters tall, the furled bat-like wings would easily span over four meters. The thing had short horns and a misshapen face with a protruding jaw and teeth. Pointed ears showed through long hair. The arms, body and legs were heavily muscled. The gnarled hands and feet ended in talon-like nails. Every detail of the statue was as clear as if done by the finest sculptor. Then my view shifted and I knew I was once again looking out of my own eyes.

"You have seen your new form, Alain, now hear the conditions that bind you to it! You will remain here for as long as it takes for the conditions to be met. You will not change though the very stones of this place crumble. You will only once again become animate if and when a woman sheds tears over you. But even then you will still be imprisoned within the gargoyle's form until a woman gives her body and love willingly to you. And just in case you actually do regain life and movement, you will never be able to tell anyone the exact terms of your curse." Leanna laughed in triumph. "How long will you wait? How long before your mind snaps? Will you last days, weeks, years, centuries? I wonder. Perhaps I will visit you from time to time, just to see if you remain sane inside your prison, for you see, I can feel your thoughts when I'm this close." She stepped to me and ran her hand over me as if caressing me. "But perhaps this is the last time you will see me. I will only come to see you if I lack other amusement. Good bye, Alain. May you know suffering as painful as you gave me."

With those words, Leanna once more stretched out her arms and caught the wind, to be lifted and borne off still facing me, still laughing until I could no longer make out her dwindling form.

Chapter Two

So there I sat. It was days before I was even discovered on this high rooftop, and then the workmen assumed that some others had put me there, for as I have said, there were cranes and winches still in place. But they told the leader of their work crew, for he came with them to see me for himself.

"Well, you weren't lying after all," he said upon seeing me. "I thought perhaps you were making this all up."

"No, sir, as you can see, the statue's real enough."

The foreman walked around me, studying. "Hmm mm," he said, "I wonder what he's doing up here? He is certainly not the same as the others. His mouth is closed, and he has no rain channel, He appears to be merely decorative, if such a monster could be considered a decoration." He was referring to the usual function of gargoyles. They are actually a decorative form of rain spout. The water on the roof is channeled into an opening along the back of the statue, to pour forth from their open mouths. The sound the water makes as it does so in a heavy rain is where the name gargoyle comes from.

Then the foreman turned to leave and said, "Come along now, back to work. I will look into this matter further."

Over the next several days, he and others came to examine me, each time, of course, my origin and purpose was unknown. After a visit by representatives of the Church, it was decided that I should be removed. So block and tackle was brought up and the crane was positioned to lift my form. The attempt failed, of course, for Leanna had said I would remain here even if the building should be destroyed. Try as they might, there was nothing that could even slightly shift me. They then decided that they would break my form into pieces that they could handle. Men of great size were brought, men used to breaking great rocks with the sledges they carried. The first swung a mighty blow against the horn on the left side of my head, to have the heavy hammer rebound ringing like a bell, the workman exclaiming in pain and surprise at the stinging in his calloused hands. The horn was not even chipped. Others tried, raining blows on my unmoving form, to the same results. Nothing could mar the surface of the statue before them. In the end, it was decided that all they could do was leave me where I was. So I was finally left alone again, keeping my vigil on the rooftop.

Time passed; the days began to blend together for me. The day the church was dedicated I remember well, because the bells rang all day long. In the days that followed, people came to the roof and enjoyed the view of the city spread out below them. They would look me over as well, making comments on the fine craftsmanship of the sculpture. Several offered guesses as to the identity of the unknown sculptor. Had they but known!

On clear days I could see the village where Leanna lived, far in the distance, and sometimes the towers of my family's castle beyond. I came to know that this was no accident one night. The breeze began to strengthen, finally becoming almost storm-like in its strength. Then, in the distance, silhouetted against a cloud, I saw Leanna riding the wind, arms outstretched like the night she had brought me here. She came on rapidly, finally arriving and alighting on the roof in front of me. That cold, evil smile was on her lips. Her eyes glowed with a witch-light of their own. The wind tousled her raven hair and sparks leapt and cracked and spat between the strands.

She stood looking at me for a while, admiring her handiwork, I'm sure. I could see the changes in her face and body that told me of how she had matured in the time since she had left me here. It was then that I realized how I had lost track of time. How many weeks, or years had passed?

Then Leanna finally spoke. "Hello Alain, I see the time has passed well with you. I was bored tonight and decided to come to see you." She smiled wider, her eyes glowed more intensely. "I hope you like the view from here," she said. "I placed you just so, for I thought you might like to see your home when the weather allows."

She walked to me and caressed my head. "Would you like me to free you from your curse?" She laughed, knowing how my thoughts leapt at those words. "Well, I'm afraid that is not to be, for I have no tears to shed over you. I am far too satisfied at seeing you here like this to feel any remorse, any sorrow for you." She laughed again, knowing how those words crushed my hopes. "But I tire of this game. Good bye, Alain." Saying this, she lifted her arms, the wind increased, and she swept up and away from the roof toward the village that was her home, never looking back.

Chapter Three

More time passed before my eyes. A war came and went. I had heard and seen the battles that raged around the city. The church was damaged, and repairs were made. People came to my rooftop, sometimes the priest, sometimes others. During the war, a lot of people used the roof as a vantage point to watch the battles. Then one night, Leanna came again, riding the wind as she always did. As she stood before me, I could tell that no small amount of time had passed. Her black hair was streaked with white, her face showing wrinkles. When she spoke, her voice was no longer the smooth sound of youth. But she greeted me with the same "Hello, Alain." as she had always done. There was only the trace of a smile on her lips as she said, "I thought you might like some news, now that the war has ended and I have the time to come to see you. I managed to protect my village with my powers, even though it taxed them greatly to do so. After all, it is my home, and the people have left me alone, though whether out of fear, respect, or admiration, I do not know. Unfortunately, your family did not fare so well. Your castle was in no small part destroyed. Your father is dead; he was grievously injured and died in great pain. Your sister was raped and carried off. I do not know what has become of her; perhaps she still lives and may return. Your mother was raped as well, and left for dead. But she lives, Alain. Her mind is gone; she still calls out to your dead father and missing sister, but she is alive, wandering through the ruins of your castle, calling for servants long departed. I expect she will die soon enough."

Leanna looked past me, her eyes staring off into the distance as she continued, "Know this, Alain, I did not wish them harm. I had no love for your parents; it was they who taught you your arrogance and pride, both you and your sister. But I did nothing to aid in their destruction. I simply did nothing to protect them. I had my village to protect, and that was all I was able to handle. But I did not wish upon them the things which befell them." With those words, she turned from me, raised her arms and summoned the wind to carry her off. When she was gone, I realized that she had not taunted me as usual during her departure. Perhaps she was feeling sorry for me at last, perhaps she was merely tired.

More time passed, people came and went on the roof. The most frequent visitors I had were the caretakers for the church. There were several over the years. Some would come here only to see the curiosity that was me, some did work on the structure, one actually cleaned my form.

Another war, more vicious in its intensity, came and went. Finally Leanna returned to visit me. She now stood aided by a long staff of some dark, polished wood. Her hair was white as snow, her body bent with age. Her face had lost its beauty and was creased with wrinkles. It had also lost the torturing leer of her past visits. But she still greeted me the same as of old.

"Hello Alain," she said simply. "I have come to see you for what will probably be the last time. I can still feel your thoughts in my mind. Yes, I am old, much older than you can guess. My arts have kept me alive much longer than a normal person. I have lived over two average life spans, and now my time grows short. The war took all but the last of my powers; I was unable to completely protect my village. But there are things I thought you would like to know."

"Your mother died many years ago; she never regained her sanity. Your sister finally returned, too late to see your mother, herself an old woman. She too is dead for many years now. I learned from others that she had been held as a slave until she was finally thought to be of no further use, then cast out to die. She made her way back to find only the rubble of what had once been your family's castle." Leanna paused, her eyes looking off into the distance. Then she continued, "I told you before that I had no hand in the ill fortune that befell your family, Alain. As much as you do not wish to believe me, it is true. You were the only one of your family that I ever wanted revenge on. I find no comfort in the knowledge of their fate beyond the pain it causes you. For you see, I still have not forgiven you for what you did to me. So your curse will continue. Perhaps in the fullness of time you will be released from it; my arts will not allow me to see into the future anymore, so I cannot know for sure. All I know is that I will soon be dead, and you will still be here after I am gone."

"So goodbye, Alain. We will never see each other again." With those words, Leanna turned and raised her arms, to be borne off by the winds, fading from my sight, gone from my life at last. I was left alone to ponder what fate had in store for me.

Chapter Four

The years passed slowly, and caretakers came and went. Finally one day a new caretaker came to the roof. He appeared to be middle aged, and was leading a young girl by the hand.

"See honey, there he is, just like I was told," he said.

The girl replied, "Oh, Grandfather, he's beautiful!" They were referring to me. The girl ran to me and then walked around me, studying my frozen form. "They should have used him instead of just leaving him to sit here."

"I know, Dianne," the man said. "I've looked over the Church records in the archives. The statue dates back to the final construction of the cathedral, but no one ever knew where he came from or even how he got up here. One day he wasn't here and the next he was. They tried to move him and couldn't. They even tried to smash him, but couldn't even chip him."

"Why would anyone want to destroy such a beautiful work?"

"Not everyone sees him as you do, child."

The child, Dianne, walked around me for a while, running a hand over my frozen form. Then she explored the rest of the rooftop, gazing out over the city, telling her Grandfather how much she enjoyed the view. That fellow had looked me over, then walked with her, pointing out various sights of the city, explaining to her the various changes it had gone through since the cathedral had been erected. In this manner I was able to deduce that I had been sitting atop this roof for over 500 years. My mind went numb at the idea. I knew that no small time had passed, but the idea of five centuries my mind could not grasp.

Finally the man and child left the rooftop. But over the time that followed, they returned, sometimes the two of them, sometimes just the man. He would often come up in the evening, or at night. He would usually have a bottle of wine with him and spend the time drinking it. And he talked to me. He told me about Dianne, and how she had lost her parents, how he had taken her in to raise. Of course, he did not know that he was talking to an enchanted being. He thought that his words fell upon the deaf ears of a statue of a mythological beast.

Dianne, for her part, came to the rooftop and spent her time cleaning my form until at last I was so clean that I actually gleamed. She did this so that she could climb on the statue that was me without soiling her clothes. I was her personal climbing toy; she would perch on my shoulders and look out over the city from this higher vantage point, her grandfather always with her to ensure she was not hurt.