All of Norway was deep into spring. The trees had branches thick with green leaves. The smell of freshly-cut grass filled the air. To Lieutenant Gerry Clouds, this was a far cry from the bitter winter before. The time was May 1990.
Gerry Clouds was a man of twenty-five with green eyes, red hair, and a height of five and a half feet tall. Gerry worked hard at his job as part of the Bergen Police Force. He enjoyed his beat, especially taking down criminals while they were committing their crimes. That's where the real action was.
The air was cool, bringing a clear night sky with it. Gerry had just finished his beat for the day and was exploring an old, deserted part of town. No one lived here, so there was no point in hiring any police officers to it. As Gerry past an abandoned mansion, he stopped his car and stared at it. It looked like someone had been working at keeping it up and running. Gerry decided to investigate the mansion and possibly find whoever was living in it.
Gerry walked up to the front porch and eased the front door open. He grabbed his gun and flashlight and began exploring. The kitchen was clean and spotless; the dining area had a large table with many place settings. The living room had several armchairs and a couch. A television was in one corner.
As Gerry looked around the attic, he heard a growl. He turned around. No one was there. Then, he heard it again and it was right behind him this time. He whirled around, flashlight focused on the spot before him. There, in front of him was...a monster. A dog-like beast with a dragon-like head and tail and skin the color of an emerald. The beast, furthermore, did not seem mean. He seemed rather...friendly.
Gerry put his gun and flashlight away and shakily reached out and patted the beast. He made a sound that indicated that he was enjoying it. Gerry smiled. The beast didn't seem liable to attack anyone that didn't pull the trigger on him. Or hurt his home. But how could he restore a house like this with only paws? Suddenly, a voice said, "Vell, vho is t'is, Oslo?" Gerry turned around.
There, in the doorway, was a being with wings, a tail, claws, yet looked almost human. His skin was an ebony color, his hair was blond, he seemed to be at least thirty, and stood at a height of seven and a half feet. Gerry realized that this person could be the one who fixed up the house. His claws definitely could work like fingers.
"V'o are you?" asked Gerry.
"I am Venice, leader of t'e gargoyle clan t'at lives 'ere. And t'at's our dog, Oslo," the being introduced.
"Gargoyles?" thought Gerry. "I thought they were just rain spouts."
"T'ere's more of you?" Gerry inquired, astonished.
"Yes. T'ere are eig't more of my kind. And v'o are you, 'uman?"
"I'm Lieutenant Gerry Clouds of t'e Vergen (Bergen) Police Force."
Venice nodded. "Allov me teux(to) introduce you teux(to) t'e rest of t'e clan."
Venice led Gerry downstairs to the recreation room. Inside were indeed, eight more gargoyles.
"Everyone, meet our 'uman friend. Lieutenant Gerry Clouds," Venice announced. The clan stood up and, one by one, introduced themselves to Gerry. Starz, Venice's second-in-command, was a female gargoyle with blue-green skin, white hair, six and a half feet tall, and twenty-eight years old.
Demo was a male with amber skin, brownish-blond hair, six feet tall, and twenty-nine years old.
Then he met Diams, a female with teal skin, red hair, six and a half feet tall, and twenty-seven years old. Gravas, a male, kite-winged gargoyle with sapphire blue skin, five and a half feet tall, and twenty-three years old. Judice, a female with green skin, brown hair, 7 feet tall, and twenty-four years old. Aquarius, a male with red skin, no hair, six feet tall, and twenty-two old. Libra, a female with topaz skin, blue-black hair, six and a half feet tall, and twenty-one years old.
And then, there was Olivia. She was, in Gerry's opinion, a beautiful gargoyle. She had olive green skin with black hair, a height of six feet tall, and she was twenty-six years old.
Olivia stared back at Gerry. He was a very handsome human. His red hair was the color of a tomato and his eyes resembled a shamrock. He was half a foot shorter, which was okay, and he looked to be about twenty-five. Olivia wasn't sure why she described his looks the way she did, but she guessed it was love. Possibly. But she couldn't. Not after her almost love dishonored the clan centuries ago.
Hours later, Gerry started to head out so he could report for duty. Well, actually, he was going to see if he could go from day shift to night shift. He heard that some officers were needed for nighttime patrol. Being asleep and awake the same time as his new friends might strengthen the relationship. As he climbed into his car, he saw the winged shape of a gargoyle. Normally, he would have shot at the shape, but his recent meeting with the clan, caused him not to.
The winged shape watched as Gerry pulled away from the mansion. After all these centuries, he found his clan. They thought he was dead and he thought they were dead until he saw them two years ago. Boy, they had a surprise coming for them when they saw him alive. He would finally have his revenge, especially Olivia. His "would be love" did nothing to prevent him from being banished from the clan as well as the castle. Olivia was only nine, though.
"Soon Olivia. Soon, I vill 'ave my revenge on you. You and t'e entire clan," the gargoyle vowed.
Checking to be sure that his enemy wasn't anywhere to be seen, Devon leaped off the roof of the building he was on and glided off into the night.
