Gryff the Griffin Rider 2

by Marcus Sloss

  “If I ordered this how long until you could have it delivered,” I asked and Dvar fidgeted.

  “Well, how informed are you with the political happens of late?”

  “Very,” I replied and the man figured out then as to who I was. “Yes, I am Gryff. Why has the Deltan trade masters sent a representative here?”

  “I was tasked to learn of Fernlan and see if we could move some trade up north here. I admit I was sent out of Deltan almost a month ago when you sent Lady Velia and Lady Pipi to the capital. Our trade masters pay to be well informed and I quickly was ushered to Lakeland for a livestock listing. I was told to visit here after and thank goodness. Griffins stopped flying from Deltan a few days later and the last news I heard was the Emperor was fighting his own citizen.” The man said picking up the lists. “These are old but we do have lots to trade with you up here. The amount of goods flowing in and out of the griffin capital means more people like me will show up. I admit though, I am cut off for now and the foreseeable future.”

  King Aves hovered over and landed. The ground shook as it pushed back on his sudden weight. “I will take this Dvar with me tonight. I need someone to record what happens anyway. Then he will get fresh lists, there are many things us griffins desire in trade that we do not have.”

  I translated word for word then added my own warning. “You should go. Bring a pen and paper to record what you witness. I hope we can do much trade in the future. It was nice to meet you Dvar… Yes, go ahead and get in his saddle.”

  Dvar swallowed his fear with a gulp and when he was situated Aves flew him up to Zenith. I looked forward to reading his retelling of the event.

  I left the market with friendly waves as I walked for Dennis’ smokestack. The furnace billowed smoke and as I neared I could feel the heat. I entered the opening room with a four foot high counter and immediately felt too hot. I shed down to my undershorts not wanting to sweat in my armor. Vern was here and heard my commotion. A moment later Dennis himself came to the front.

  “Aye, it tis hot. Come we need to talk anyway.” Dennis motioned me forward and left the front of the room. We passed his storage room and his smelter. When we exited to his training ground I saw the largest pile of spears ever. “These are gems, it tears at my heart to melt em down. Some crafting went into these. This is a guess… These weren’t human crafted.”

  He handed me a spear. There were runes etched into the surface… No, runes implied magic, this was a language. The symbols and text completely beyond me. The quality of work was flawless. I balanced one and then twirled it. Perfect.

  “Wow,” was all I said and Dennis nodded.

  “Save fifty please, not two dozen. I get it, my lord, I really do. Each spear has unique writing. If I were a scholar then I would ask to save them all. Actually, I can melt the silver and save the metal to smelt down as needed. I recommend that. You’re right on the silver. It is a waste leaving it on the tips. Elan said it was for one beast you needed to farm. No need to have thousands of spear with the peace accords. For the Horde sure. For us no. Did I convince ya?”

  “It is not that I needed a ton of convincing. If you can salvage the silver and leave the metal inscriptions then do so. I will…” I sighed and rubbed my temples. I reached into my bag to locate paper. I quickly penned a note for Dennis to handle. “Hire a language expert. Expect a Derfran to arrive sometime soon. It will take Empress Amber a few days if not weeks to come up with a castle design. So also be prepared to hire more or expand. You should probably do that before you get overwhelmed. The to do lists only… ever… gets… longer.”

  “Empress Amber? As in Igrad’s eldest?” He asked and I nodded then pointed to my ring finger. “Well, it will be an honor to help build your castle. It was barely over a month ago you came in here and now look at you. I will make a list for Lady Pipi to approve. She will see it gets passed I think.”

  “You do that, and leave me a note if you run into trouble. Derfran certainly needs to send me one when he translates the runes. I will pass a message to expect the silver and hold off on the metal. I need to regear and head for a mission north. Thanks for watching Vern for us, Dennis. I appreciate it. You be mindful Vern, I am off to the roost. Take care of each other, you two.”

  I put my armor back on and they both waved and nodded as I left for the roost. My mind spun in thought. Those runes were not symbolic or for a purpose. That meant, in my mind, someone was trying to send a message. One that probably did not matter to the Horde. I could imagine some Horde shaman accepting ten spears with silver tips a month and warping it to a collection point to be sold. Then Rakmar buying the spears on a trading planet and ending up on the wagon I sacked. Not one green or grey skinned enemy giving any concern about what was engraved. It could be a trove of information.

  Feeling more confident in my theory I jogged to the roost. Friendly faces and people I knew waved as I passed. When I arrived I paused by the loading teams resting area and found a nice crate to sit on. I pulled out my note from earlier and stressed the importance and possibilities of my guess to Duke Riza and Derfran. With my letter more thorough I asked for a volunteer to ferry my message. Gaius the red tipped male griffin who I had met earlier in Xiq volunteered. I sealed my note in his pouch and he was gone.

  “Everything okay Gryff?” Lord Nova questioned as he landed beside me. “My hundred that will escort you are resting until you are ready. In your new castle, please include a map stable… Yes, that term works here. A covered area where we griffins and humans can meet. I need to know where we are going. An oversight we shall not make again. Luckily for you, I have griffins who are four hundred years old with extra time on their hands.”

  As he said this four griffins flew a massive board to the ground not far outside the roost in the cobbled road. A few villagers had to get clear as it landed loudly. I walked over to the detailed intricate board. Seven Hells!

  “This has Vartin Tundra… Is this Nagoland. Why is there so little?” I asked and was afraid to dirty the perfectly etched board. I kneeled and scurried over it on all fours like a dog. I raced to the unknown continent to the west to see it only outline some of the land. The rest was blank as if the artist only got to view that much.

  “We can discuss your… our dreams of future expansions later. Please indicate our route once our entire team is in hover.” Lord Nova paused and the roost burst forth with flying griffins. They darted, ducked, dived, and dodged each other to assemble over me. “You may begin Gryff.”

  I was not one to be embarrassed by refusing to step on such a work of art. I scurried to the east coast and placed myself over the ocean. “Here I made a mistake, but we can find a good use for any barrier regardless. Even if it is a clean slate. Baron Elan said there are tall cliffs and deep water. North is Uhara. Uhara used to be a busy port harbor and who knows what it is now? We will camp there tonight probably. Next is a barrier reef port called Livina. It is here, where I place my right hand. We will use it to jump to this island. It should be rich in our target. Tree worms. It also may have sandworms, I hear they are deadly. We may end up fighting, but it will be in the barrier, allowing griffins to fight also. I don’t know if you want to bring extra bags for carrying kills home but we can freeze what we kill. Your call though.”

  “Show us the other three locations.”

  “Oh, further east is this spot, then on the other side of the continent here and north here.”

  “I understand why you picked port locations. It was wise given the situation. We yearn for a mountain peak but it would not help us with food. We have many females with cubs brew… cubs incubating… Yes, that works. Food, food, and more food. I will add another fifty griffins if there is a chance of battle. Which seems likely. Include as many bags as you can and we will do the lifting. Remove this map for storage once Gryff is off it. Thank you for valuing the effort that went into creating this. It will be a centerpiece of your eventual castle. A common map room for our two species was missed in our designs of Ze
nith. Sometimes even weeks of planning is not enough. Off now.” Lord Nova ordered and I retreated from the board.

  He was right, there would be plenty of time to reflect on Nagoland later, and fifty more griffins meant he thought we would get a fight. The extra wings meant extra mouths though. We had a full sack of rats set aside and I saw another being brought in. I guess I needed to keep buying rats even if the price went up. I immediately realized that the second sack was not rats and very much fish that was not frozen.

  “Janice!” I screamed out. We needed that frozen to make it last and to get the smell down.

  “Right here my lord, we all are. It was fun to watch you crawling around.” Janice chuckled with Addilyn. “Oh by the seven hells, let me freeze that. I finally caught that smell.”

  She froze that bag and the rat bag. They would rot fast, better to freeze kill them all now.

  Tammy approached me with an update. “Both Winst and I got conflicting answers. Seems the sandworms have not been farmed for catalysts for some time. There were reports with different sets of answers. It was recommended we collect blood, hearts, teeth, eyes, and tongues. Best I can do boss, not a great answer but I hope it helps.”

  I thanked her and addressed the gathered crowd at the roost.

  “Combat checks everyone, find a buddy and ensure you are ready. Bags too.” I ordered and the team got to work. Nate checked me, and I checked Nate. We both over packed. Good. Addilyn walked over and Nate inspected her. I might get distracted and miss something. “Okay, say your goodbyes and load up.”

  I walked to my family waiting for me. Velia got the first deep kiss, Pipi the next while a greedily grabbed her plush ass. Amber passionately kissed me and Bella got clingy. I beamed at them all and told them I would miss them and to write. I certainly would if I found downtime. I liked the letters, I found they helped and Bella coyly grinned in pride at this.

  Addilyn got hugs and a full kiss from Amber and Velia… Okay… I wanted to call the whole trip off and race to get naked. Calm… I had to kick dirt and pretend the ground was amazing to gaze at.

  I did a final wave goodbye and Addilyn clasped my hands. I raised an eyebrow at the bold gesture. I could easily break her grip. She spun me to face the griffins waiting when I figured… ouch… ouch… ouch… and that last one was weak. The smacks on my armored ass hurt somehow. I looked over my shoulder to see the crafty girls had used a wooden paddle. Bella was still holding the offense object. I broke Addilyn’s grasp and used aura to suddenly snatch the paddle. I hurled it with such a force it would take thousands of feet to land. I beamed in pride of never seeing… Dina rocketed off the ground and caught it mid flight. She then performed a lazy, show off turn while flaring her wings, and dropped the paddle back at Bella’s feet.”

  “Ladies rule!” “Ladies rule!”

  I mumbled in defeat as the griffins joined in the laughter at my expense. I did have to admire their thought of an appropriate sendoff and Dina’s skills. I loaded up onto Lord Nova himself with Addilyn at my side. We gave a final goodbye and a hundred plus griffins left for the northwest. Our flight organized and then we flew at a slow pace. This probably meant a camp out at our first stop. Which to me at least, was better than leaving tomorrow.

  When I say the flight was slow, I meant it. We spent five minutes moving at a snail like pace until we crossed the northern boundary. I let out a long whistle. So much land to utilize. Addilyn was deep in thought when I nudged her.

  “How did the meeting go?” I asked with curiosity. I felt it was right to let my wives to discuss things in private. I knew if I needed to know she would tell me now.

  “I will be poor soon. At least I think I will. I signed over my estate to the family. Fernlan will never be the same. It had been sitting there for years. Better to invest it in what I believe. Amber has some great ideas, and I trust her, exactly like I trust you. Once I came to that conclusion and signed the document we talked of you… Well you, and then how we want to raise our children. It was a girl talk type thing. I am sure you could handle it and give constructive input, but it was mainly for us.” Addilyn said and ran a hand down my shoulder. “Anyway, they were jealous of me going with you. Velia is butterflies, so uncertain if she is pregnant. Pipi has seen the changes and now wants to try too. The baby fever in the Gryff house is in full effect. Then we spent ten minutes scheming how to get a ladies rule in. It was a delight. Ah… I will miss them.”

  “As will I. As will I,” I said and held her hand. We were passing over the remanents of the path the mighty Horde caravan used to travel south. I saw a few wolfs eating decaying dead from the trip. If I had to guess it was old, frail, or beaten to death lower class Horde that were left behind without a care. The settlement that the five armies fought over was still here in the distant west. I wanted to burn it but not yet. It was on my to murder list. “So much filth. The Horde prides itself on being the saviors of the universe with its divine rules and contracts. Yet this is what they leave behind.”

  “Not justifying the Horde, but I trailed after my father’s armies before. It was not much cleaner. A moving army consumes and expels. That was rather putrid though. Glad it is behind us. If the team does training tomorrow morning can I join?” Addilyn asked. She batted her eyes at me.

  “Yes… What happens when you get pregnant?” I asked curious because Addilyn did not seem the rearing type. She was a gifted manager, loved the outdoors, and enjoyed attention but never thirsted for it.

  “I see your look. Honestly… I do not know. I will have servants, nursemaids, and a castle by then. So we will see. I enjoy this now. The fresh autumn air, my handsome husband, and an army at our backs. The view is not bad either.” Addilyn snuggled into me enjoying the moment.

  We were further north than I had ever been. Lord Nova had flown us for the coast and I could see it on the horizon. Off to my left, the end of the Saquin Mountains sloped to meet the flatland and then transition into the coast. A major battle had been fought there in those flatlands. Lord Nova told me about it and I translated it for Addilyn.

  “The battle of Saquin pass was a defining moment in the Horde campaign. Those mountains saved the war for humans and us as much as our teamwork did. When the hundreds of millions of Horde marched from their portal they split into each continent. This landmass was the most congested with humans and us griffins. Even with that fact, both armies were pushed south. We fought for every inch we could but this was the best place to stand our ground.”

  As Lord Nova said this the outline of the pass was coming into view. I could see what he meant. It was only ten miles wide. The ocean on the right, rising mountains on the left. This far out there were no signs of battle beside the wide trail from marching armies. Even that had regrown significantly since the last army trooped this way.

  “Emperor Salvoni was in charge at this point and with great reluctance listened to King Horus, King Omarr, and King Vlad. I think he knew, even as a cowardly leader, this was his best option. Humans marched by the tens of millions. That day at the start of Saquin pass there were so many humans that the pass was clogged. That was the mission. To hold the line while we griffins thinned the numbers. This was the spot to do it. There could be no flank or rear surprise. We held the high ground and the air. It was the right call and history reflects that.

  “The human armies made it before the Horde caravans. They waited a full month in the summer while the enemy prepared. I think they wanted us to charge and give up the natural funnels. We waited instead. Ten thousand griffins flew every day to bring fresh supplies. We feasted on the enemy sent to collect water. It was a win for us that placed the enemy cyclops general in an unfavorable position.” Lord Nova paused as he paid respect to the site of the battle.

  I gazed down at the tramped dirt and saw endless amounts of sunbleached bones. So many bones. The most memorable thing from this pass will always be the bones. There were so many scattered in a thick east-west line. I was expecting to see weapons, carts, shields, and wel
l anything. Only bones… The countless dead never properly laid to rest. I was about to ask where all the remnants went off to when I saw a Horde city. The outskirts of the settlement were metal weapons by the millions stuck into the ground making an exterior wall. I guess that was one way to do it. Lord Nova saw it before me and flew us closer.

  “I can hear your wife’s heart increasing. Calm her, we will get no closer. This is a good enough view.” Lord Nova said and I looked over at Addilyn who was breathing rapidly. I think she feared being shot by shamans. There was no healing for us in the air except by Lord Nova himself and that was not prudent. “This metal we will share. Add it to your to do list.”

  The mighty griffin pealed out a cackle. Addilyn frowned. “Why are we stopping?”

  I looked around and only the griffin’s carrying my team and supplies hovered by us. “We are paying respects to the dead.”

  The other hundred plus griffins dove toward the orc city. Fire spewed from their paws. The metal was spared, the residents were not. I never got a good look because of how far we stayed out. I got to see the shield burst under the mass pressure of the griffins, and a few fireballs raced off the ground. Then there was flame and smoke. It lasted five minutes at most. When we left, it was as if burning a Horde town was a minor ordeal. The city was massive and deep, my best guess a hundred thousand Horde.

  I glanced over my shoulder as we left to see the billowing smoke rising.

  “We will torch the survivors again on the way back. Then when we find the time, we need to take those two wagons in Streb out here. We will secure this metal by traveling the distance on foot. We want some for Zenith and other projects. For another day though. It has long been on our list to eviscerate those that desecrate this holy place to us.” Lord Nova said with anger.