It takes us a few days to recuperate from the hawk incident. My wing is still not fully healed, I doubt I will ever fly properly again, but at least I can fly at all. Squeaks is as chipper as can be. I only wish he had some other mice he could tell the tale of his heroics to.
The moon rises full the night I get my first glimpse of the twisted black tower. I shiver, not from the cold, as I take in every inch of the tower locking it in my memory.
“We need a plan Mist. We can’t just go storming in there. He’s probably got traps set up everywhere.” Squeaks pointed out.
I shake my head. “He’s a necromancer. They are cocky and arrogant by nature. They do not believe anyone can best them in anything. But you are right. I do not intend to just fly in and demand Merle be released.”
This seems to satisfy Squeaks and no more was said on the matter as we draw close enough to see every minute detail. Stone gargoyles flank the corners and balconies of the tower. They make no movement, their eyes hold a strange red glow.
I dip out of the currents and land behind a large charred tree. “We will need to split up. If I get too close to the gargoyles they will tear me to shreds.”
“They’re statues Mist. They can’t hurt you.” Squeaks states as if I have lost every ounce of sanity I have.
I shake my head. “No. Their eyes have an otherworldly light to them. They are puppets of the necromancer. I am almost certain they were once flesh and blood before the necromancer got to them.”
“Gargoyles..Alive? Mist, I may just be a simple field mouse, but I think I’d know if gargoyles had ever really existed.” Squeaks says with a small chuckle to his voice.
I sigh in exasperation. “Not as they are. Necromancers deal with the dead. They manipulate things to their will. I think each gargoyle was once many animals.”
“Chimeras?! Are you sure?” Squeaks asks with pure fear in his voice.
I nod and extend my good wing. “I will show you.”
Once Squeaks is securely on my back, I carefully take off, careful not to get close enough to wake the gargoyles, but close enough to prove my point. I let my body lilt to the right take the front corner slowly. I stop to hover in front of one of the gargoyles. It has the wings of a hawk, the body of a cat, and the head; the head is a mouse only made large enough to fit the cat’s body. Its front feet are those of the cat, the back those of the hawk, its tail is a scorpion’s.
“It almost looks like a manticore!” Squeaks says in fear. I turn my head to him to find his eyes are glued to the gargoyle. “Bantam…” I barely hear his whispered word.
I barely have time to land before Squeaks hops off my back and takes off at a run to the tower. “Squeaks no!” I call out, but it is too late.