Geis of the Gargoyle Read Online Free PDF

"I hate to see any creature suffering.   I'm surprised there are so many of you in such a small section of water."
     
    "It's not normally this crowded," the fish confessed.
     
    "We're here for the playoffs."
     
    "Playoffs?"
     
    "This isn't generally known, dryside," the fish said.   "But we of the wetside have a secret passion for baseball.   We play it all the time.   In fact we have twenty thousand leagues under the sea.   We gathered here for the Xanth championship series-and got caught by the drought.   We are extremely fortunate that you managed to abate it."
     
    "Yes, now you can swim back to the sea," Gary agreed.
     
    "By no means.   Now we can finish the series.   We've been tortured by our inability to complete it and determine the winning teams.   Ah, I think the moat is full enough now; it's time for me to go o-fish-iate.   Thank you and good-bye.   I'll send Naia." The fish swam away.
     
    Gary hardly had time to consider what to do next before another kind of fish swam up: a mermaid.   "Hi, winged monster.   I'm Naia Naiad, wearing my tail for this occasion." She twisted, showing him a piece of tail.   "The big fish told me to guide you across the moat, so you can make your appointment with the Good Magician."
     
    "My appointment?"
     
    "Everyone who gets past the challenges gets to see him.   Didn't you know?"
     
    "But I didn't get past them!" he protested.   She shrugged.   "You must have.   Well, come on, hero." Bemused again, he stepped into the water, which was now almost to the top of the moat.   He sank to the bottom, being denser than any water.   It was cloudy, because of the stirring of the mud, but the naiad swam close enough so that he could keep her tail in sight.   In fact sometimes he saw more than her tail, as she looped around to check on him; but since he wasn't human those parts didn't much concern him.   It did occur to him, however, that such creatures must be very good at feeding their babies.
     
    Naia led him to the far bank.   He couldn't bound very well underwater, but he made sufficient progress by slowly flapping his wings instead.   He climbed out, shook his body and wings dry, and turned back to thank her, but she was gone.   The surface of the moat was rippling as the storm eased; the fish were already into their playoffs.
     
    He bounded to the inner side of the drawbridge, and to the castle gate.   It opened as he got there, admitting him.   A human young woman of about twenty stood there.   "Hello," she said, looking past him.
     
    "Hello.   I am Gary Gargoyle.   I am not sure I-"
     
    "Oh, yes; we were expecting you.   I'm Wira, the Good Magician's daughter-in-law.   Come in."
     
    "Well, I'm still a bit wet, as you can see, and-"
     
    "I can't see, but I know what gargoyles look like.   I'm sure a few drops of water won't hurt.   Mother Gorgon wants to talk to you." She set off down the inner hall.
     
    He bounded cautiously after her.   His state of bemusement seemed to have become chronic.   "Who? Your mother?"
     
    "My husband Hugo's mother.   She's very nice, but her gaze turns people to stone, or it did before she had Humfrey make her face invisible and replace it with an illusion of her face.   She says she has an affinity for stoned creatures, so she came here for this occasion."
     
    The business about an invisible illusionary face was beyond him, so he fixed on something simple.   "I am a stone creature, yes."
     
    They came to a nice inner chamber with stone walls and stone furniture.   He felt quite comfortable.   Within it stood an older human woman.   "So nice to meet you, Gary Gargoyle," she said.   "I am the Gorgon.   We must talk."
     
    "As you wish," he agreed.   "But I'm not sure I should be here.   I didn't-"
     
    "You handled the challenges in your own compassionate fashion.   You are a good creature, worthy of the Good Magician's Answer.   But are you aware that there is a payment in service