"Man, stone-cold 'n stubborn as hell." Garth's head lowered, his chest heaving with a sigh. "You sure about this, kiddo? Might make or break ya…"
Erviel exhaled in exasperation, impatiently tapping his foot against the floor. "I'm pretty sure I made myself clear when I said 'try me.' Now, quit stalling and tell me what makes this place so damn special already."
"Your call." The gargoyle leader shrugged, gaze rising with yet another sigh. "Well, to be blunt, there's really only one reason why those cultist schmucks barged into our turf to begin with." He admitted quietly, dropping his eyes to meet the lavender pair far in front of him. "Va'grond, you see, has what you'd call a big ol' vault--an archive of information, so to speak, on the very thing you're made of. Records, stuff like that."
"...On the Corruption?" Erviel inquired, attention fully ensnared at the possibility. "Explain. And get to the point."
"'Course." Garth nodded, his stone talons clicking against the cathedral floor as he walked forward. "I've heard what they're after is some sort of… codex. A scripture of sorts on it all." He paused before Erviel, studying him intently. "And well, think you more than any 'goyle here knows what that's all about, eh? Why those sex-crazed academy rejects are even after it."
The Corrupted averted his gaze, a scowl crossing his maw whilst his eyes narrowed. "Yeah, somewhat. Not interested in explaining."
"Somethin' you can't even trust us friendly 'goyles with telling, hm?" Garth inquired at Erviel's almost evasive movements, maw widening into a playful smirk. "I see, I see. Your secrets are your secrets, after all."
"Let's just say I'd prefer to not have you or your gang of boy toys getting all tangled up in my personal affairs." He whispered discreetly, before fully turning so he faced the entrance of the decimated church. "Anyways, where exactly is this 'archive' at?"
He slowly turned back to face the stone gargoyle leader at his silence, narrowing his eyes.
"...You don't even know, do you?" scoffed, before he craned his neck to glance at the rest of the gargoyle squadron. "None of you winged bastards do? Or is it something you just can't reveal no matter who asks?"
"Bingo, kiddo," Garth chuckled, regaining the Corrupted's attention, "much as I'd love to, can't actually reveal the location itself… though the ones that put us in here never said anything against us guiding someone to the place."
"Good. Then it's settled." Erviel nodded, gazing up to meet the crimson-violet lights of Garth's eyes. "Dragon and cultists first, orgy, then you and your harem take us to this vault of knowledge."
"Getting to the point, eh? Sounds good to me." The stone demon smirked, extending his wings and whipping his tail out behind him; his talons raking against the floor as he walked past Erviel to stand before his gang. "You heard 'em, boys! Ready to show them cultists what a 'goyle's like when he's pissed?"
A collective shout of agreement alongside a select few gargoyle's roaring and growling in joyful hunger made the feelings of the whole stone legion more than clear; the runic inscriptions upon their stone forms illuminated with a bright crimson glow, the brightest of all from Garth himself.
The stone demon leader turned to gaze back down at Erviel as the whoops and growls of his underlings quieted, the runes across his chiseled form dulling back to a more violet hue.
"...Alright, kiddo. Time we scour every inch of this city for those property-infringing bastards."
"Know where to start?" Erviel inquired, the scales of his arms squeaking against each other as he crossed them across his chest.
"I don't, but Worc should." Garth muttered, diverting his eyes to the stocky frame of his second-in-command who still held Ilvir. "Hey, you done strangling the human, you big lug? Looks like he's about to pass out from all that blood flow you're blockin'."
"O-Oh."
The stocky stone demon perked up with a shocked breath as he looked down to meet the pale form of a half-conscious Ilvir, near instantly releasing his clawed grip on the man to let him fall to his feet.
"Sorry 'bout that, boss. I kinda forgot I was even holdin' em…" Worc scratched at the back of his head sheepishly, runes shifting to an almost pinkish-violet hue as he rested his other hand on a gasping Ilvir's shoulder. "Uh, cultists. Think one of the boys said they saw some of them hooded freaks 'round those abandoned worshipping grounds. Y'know, the one with the pillars."
Garth tapped at the bottom of his jaw thoughtfully, walking forward until he was near the exit of the cathedral; pausing to glide his eyes across the entirety of the darkened skies overhead. He remained observant even as the Corrupted neared his side, before his fangs widened into a smile.
"Ah, clever little bastards…"
"You know where they're at then?" Erviel glanced at him expectantly, tapping his claws against the ground in growing impatience.
"'Course. It was actually the hideout of another gang of 'goyles we used to have sessions with every now 'n then. They went off the grid after those cultists showed up."
"...So, they're at a hideout you and your gang knew about, that you didn't bother to even think of checking out previously." The latex-scaled reptile muttered in annoyance, shaking his head. "Guess that means you're more of a think-with-your-dick kinda ''goyle.'"
"Stone-cold as ever," Garth smirked, facing him fully, "but at least we have an idea where they're at now. We'll be able to give our old friends some sweet release. N' save that scaly stud you've fallen head over heels for."
Erviel rolled his eyes, sighing. "Not exactly, but sure, I guess."
He glanced up as Garth extended a hand, large stone bat-like wings at his back flaring out and causing his cloak to blow in the gust created. His gaze averted to the sky as a few gargoyles already took to the skies overhead, narrowing as he spotted the familiar shape that was Ilvir clinging to the stocky-bodied 'goyle that was Worc.
"...You serious?" He asked with a snicker as he dropped his gaze back down to Garth's outstretched hand.
"As serious as a 'goyle gets." Garth replied with a wink, his signature fanged grin growing ever-wider as Erviel accepted his hand with a begrudging sigh.
Extending and stretching his wings for good measure upon taking the Corrupted's legs into his other arm, the stone demon crouched and dug the claws of his feet into the stone beneath, before shooting up into the air and taking flight amongst his underlings.