The Gargoyle's Lovely Rune

Chapter 1

Korvex

I stood watch over Everlyn, protecting it from the mortals, and none of the citizens even knew.

Every day I watched as life passed me by.

Many moons ago, I was created and given this task.

Together with my brother, we maintained the veil that protects all the magical creatures in Everlyn from being known by the mortals who visited.

This ward of protection was my burden. Without me standing guard, upholding the magic in place, the whole town would be vulnerable and the secret of magic would be revealed to humans.

It had been centuries. Centuries I had watched the people of this town grow, love, and die. Technology has changed, my surroundings had changed, but I still remained.

I watched as a small child chased a ball across the path. They had created a park around me now. Many families came to it daily to spend time with one another and for children to run and play.

Families.

I couldn’t help but feel envious.

The shadow creature that visited me every few years, I called him brother, but he was not such.

He was made entirely differently than I.

Together we were tasked with keeping the town safe.

His task is much more valuable than mine.

While I protect the town, he protects the leylines for all of Wych Valley.

I have asked him if there were others like me in the other towns. He never answered.

Or, at least, I would think to him, for I could not speak. My body was stone, my wings forever open and menacing. I was a grotesque, terrifying creature perched high on a pedestal.

The children were afraid of me.

I knew I could never show them otherwise. My duty there was to protect, not befriend children.

Their giggling continues, warming my soul. They were truly innocent. What wonders they might create as they grew older. Everlyn was safe because of me, because of my brother.

Or…

It should be. I had been sensing something of late.

I had seen my brother lurking in the shadows more often, never addressing the issue with me.

It worried me. I could feel the change, feel the degradation of magic.

My wards were intact, so it is not I who was causing it.

If he did not fix it, I didn’t know how well my wards would hold without magic coursing through the valley.

Motion caught my eye. A large van pulled up reading, “Adela’s Stonework.”

A petite woman hopped out, grabbed a bag from the back, and turned toward the park’s center. She looked directly at me, smiled, and approached. She looked familiar, as all the townsfolk who passed through did, but I did not know this woman.

No one ever came just to see me.

Who was she and why was she coming toward me?