by Marcus Sloss
Drums blared to life at our arrival and a company of dvaren clanged my way in heavy armor. At their head ran Nate in a new shiny armor set with a cape. On the white cape was yellow and blue with my golden griffin emblem. The man smiled from ear to ear as his formation enclosed around me. He approached and then kneeled.
“Your Captain of your Guard welcomes you home your eminence,” Nate said.
“Arise my friend. I was only gone for two weeks,” I said and the portal behind me vanished. Which meant that the goblins were going to be arriving soon for slaughter. “Knights of Fernlan. I am sorry, but you may not rest. You will slaughter those goblins when they come in. A feast for our griffin friends! I will try to get you relieved though. Now come, Nate, I am sure I have a mountain of work to do. Who has been hounding for my attention the most?”
“Well, the three new kings would probably be your first stop. They are in the governmental building under the castle. King Horus, King Vlad, and King Omarr have all stepped down at the request of Empress Amber. Their heir have assumed their thrones and the old kings are stewarding the kingdoms. They are requesting an audience to discuss former King Devon’s cities. Which we have lost word from the capital and two other cities. Griffins have been dispatched to figure out why trade has stopped there. They were no griffins in those cities that went dark. The next pressing is this Virtue. The shaman has a sly tongue. He said our peace accords were being violated from loopholes. Something about an enemy demigod on Vin…”
I had never had the opportunity to mention how gods were real to Nate. I bubbled us in a silence shield. “Where is Virtue… Now!”
“In the castle third floor, east wing…” Nate paused as I picked him with my aura strength and sprinted. “Okay, I missed something. MAKE WAY!”
We raced down the road and up into the castle. I had to slow once we entered the tight corridors of the actual castle. “I am a demigod Nate. Run me to Virtue, and we will never speak of how I carried you again.”
“Gryff, that is a mighty tale, but I trust you. This way. Out of the way evlath. They are so hot… My brother’s wives left me when I was able to send them enough money to sustain on their own. My wife and I are looking to add an elvath. I hear they are searching for strong men to help give them babies. There is a rumor their vaginas vibrate. Could you image… nevermind I see it on your face. Let me guess you already married two?”
This castle was a maze of twists and turns. I was already dreadfully lost. “They don’t marry. As much as I love catching up… Are we close?” I asked as we entered a section with prison etched above the doorway.
“Third door on the right my lord. We will get an ale and you will tell me of the tundra later. I will ensure your conversation remains undisturbed.” Nate said he turned and blocked the entrance. The clang of my dvaren honor guard could be heard trying to catch. Cursing, shouting, and squeaking from surprised women made it obvious they were not happy to be left behind. Oh well.
I stepped down the doors until I saw Virtue. “You are a pariah to the Horde, you know that right. An outcast of no value. Until the seven’s champions started asking for a human male named Gryff. I was studying on one of our worlds of knowledge. Champion Temi found me researching relics on the retreating four. I was trying to link AI Sara or Madam Mastermind with Perception. I think they are one and the same. Temi is the son of Marku, the god of time from the seven. It was demanded I reveal everything I knew of you. My report of you did reach the high command and Temi connected me to you. I was lucky. Temi gave me a contract for honesty to spare my life and I did exactly that. Word reached the six other champions that I was the honey pot as you humans call it, of intel on you Gryff. You are enemy number one for the demigods of the seven. I fled to outside of Fernlan and was allowed in as a prisoner. You need to check your peace accords. They have loopholes that have been exposed.” Virtue paused as I was inspecting the contract magic.
This was a major spell, with thousands of layers and loose ends. Almost half of it was fluff that allowed many leeways. I found the portion that had recently been exploited. There was a clause that any city missing a single payment could be eradicated if a previous two violation from any city occurred before. Which it had. I remember the story from before. This meant the three cities I was missing reports from were probably gone.
I screamed in rage. Not at Virtue. Instead at the contract. I closed every side path, every opening, and every part not favorable to us humans. I stood there for hours rearranging that document when I was finally happy with it, I sealed the corrections into place. The meat of the accords still stood solid.
“That was impressive Gryff. I do not contain the same level of contract magic and I have been a mage for a very long time. Rakmar retired. He was replaced by Temi himself. Temi is a cyclops like any other, you would never know his hidden aura if you did not know who he was. He will not take kindly to you altering the peace accords. I expect him to show up outside of Fernlan soon. Which leads me to my next point. I want to study you, and ensure my protection. I saw what you griffins can do. Temi and the six others will die. I have theorized the griffins can even kill the advancing seven. You certainly can. Therefore I have rationalized I will forever be a target and the safest place for me in hiding behind you.”
I sat on the ground across from his cell. The bars I leaned against were the pikes repurposed. The dvaren engravings etched into the bars. I scoffed at the irony. War was coming. War against the other demigods. War for Vin. I did not have long to rest when Nate called out. “Your grace… An enemy army has approached from the west. They have three dragons, a few thousand ogres, and millions of orcs. A cyclops is demanding your attention.”
I let Nate finish while I thought. I sent a contract for employment with a no harm clause to Virtue. I added a bonus to it. He immediately accepted and his robes shifted from black with white to blue and yellow with my griffin emblem on the back. Over his heart, a second emblem rested.
“Your advice?” I queried.
“This is on you to decide. I am a mere long lived mortal after all. I would talk with your griffins first though. You led and I follow,” Virtue said.
I did not have the keys to free him so I used my strength to burst the door open. Virtue gave me a look and pointed to the keys handing not three feet away. Oops.
“Nate ready the troops. Meet me in the western fields everything we got. I am going to talk to Lord Nova and King Aves. Hey Nate… direct me out of here first. This is a cluster of a maze. I need to get outside sometime this year.” I chuckled nervously at my own joke.
Lately, I had not felt like I could die. Sure I broke a hand trying to grab a cyclops heart, but my power was only growing. If Temi was a demigod could he burn like me, or did his bones shatter still as mine did? Would vole fire consist of removing his head and heart? I recalled talking to Warg, it seemed demigods died often. We trooped down the brown hallways devoid of decorations until we reached the exit ramp to Fernlan.
King Aves and Lord Nova awaited with Empress Amber. My lovely wife looked pale and she was in a wheeled chair with two healers behind her. The griffins nodded for her to go first.
“I bore you a lovely daughter. Lila. The princess is doing wonderfully. Me… not so much. I would have died many times without healers. It got so bad that poor Velia who was fourth to deliver had to be healed by griffins to stay alive. Pipi is due to have her water break at any moment. Alas, we can address our family once our home is secured. The cyclops banging on the barrier is irate. Claims he is Temi and sent by the gods. Is demanding a renegotiation of the peace accords. Rakmar gifting you cities is in violation and clause for accord collapse.”
I checked and that was, in fact, true before I fixed the contract. Glad I did that before he arrived. I was apprehensive about how to proceed. I turned to my griffin friends and allies.
“I fixed the peace accords. We are safe behind our barriers. We lost three cities. All in King Devon’s lands.” I noticed three men hovering not far
off. These must be my new kings. I waved them into the conversation where they knelt. “Introductions please.”
“I am King Vercies, son of former King Vlad. I do hereby swear my fealty to you Emperor Gryff of the Fernlan Empire.”
“I am King Warva, son of former King Horus. I do hereby swear my fealty to you Emperor Gryff of the Fernlan Empire.”
“I am King Olon, son of former King Omarr. I do hereby swear my fealty to you Emperor Gryff of the Fernlan Empire.”
“Arise my kings. I am glad you are here for this. Later we will partition out the lands that were held by former King Devon. I will interpret for our griffin allies. The question is do we bide more time or push the enemy back here and try to close the portal next?”
The silence hung in the air. King Aves and Lord Nova spoke to each other rapidly. They nodded in a consensus.
“While more time is beneficial at first thought, it is not here. You have attracted too much attention. We must shut the portal down. I want to see more cubs grown and more cities grow in peace. The reality is this will help our endless foes more than us. We vote war. We break the accords and push for the barrier.” Lord Nova said and I relayed.
“War,” Amber voted. The three kings voted “War.”
Everyone looked at me. “I am not set up to fight this scale of a battle King Aves. Can you defeat that army? I have not marched a unit to war, nor do I have an army ready. At most I have my twelve knights, some mercenaries, and my honor guard. The fighting will mostly be up to you.”
The two griffins cackled in laughter. “The moment that the army arrived outside Fernlan the griffins have been loading up on golem and vole blood. We are leaving minimal vole blood for later. The elvath have been a godsend on getting things done. We are even getting a quarter heart of yeti each for just in case. Fire will carry the day though. All we need is for you to stall… Ten minutes please.”
I walked to where Amber sat. I gently lifted her chin and planted a firm kiss on her lips. She was so weak right now. “Healers secure my wife. Honor guard, you are to stay with my family. Kings with me. DONNIE!” I yelled out as I walked for the western fields. The young man came running covered in blood. So soaked in the remains of goblins that he dripped blood. “Gross.”
“Exactly. They stand there and let you behead them. The bodies always squirt so much blood though. We finished recently, what can I do for you, my Emperor?”
“Assemble the dozen and fall in on me. We are marching to greet our guests,” I said as we left the upper step of the village that was now a city. The ramp down to the western field brought back so many fond memories. How had things spiraled so quickly? Focus… I needed to focus on the situation. A demigod awaited me. The Knights of Fernlan joined us as we trekked along the path through the tall ryegrass.
There was no singing or side chatter only determination. When an angry cyclops spotted us approaching he stopped banging on the barrier. The cyclops was ten feet tall. His iris the standard teal while the sclera was black with sparkling yellow suns. He was immense in bulk with a mouth full of sharp teeth. His claws were twice as long as any other cyclops I saw. He wore a thin armor set of tan and crimson red. He played with a chained reaper attached to a bracelet. The weapon looked impressive and he handled with dexterous expertise. The distance closed and he addressed me.
“I am Temi, new leader of Vin. I seek the foul creature known as Gryff to bring him to justice for his high crimes.” Temi demanded.
“Most certainly, if he is guilty as you say. Step right in.” I replied.
“I cannot you twit.”
“Let me see, high crimes… It allows you entry for securing said criminals... Clause five paragraph B.” I retorted. My goal here was to stall time. I immediately felt my blood boil and demand I kill this cyclops when he insulted me. Instead, a smoothed my anger and decided to enrage him.
“They are accusations, not proven yet. We need his testimony. Fetch him for me lowly human.” Temi said.
“Of course wise leader of Vin. It will take but ten minutes,” I said and led our group away from the barrier wall.
“Make it twenty,” Lord Nova clarified.
“Now what?” Donnie asked.
“We are stalling. We wait here until King Aves and Lord Nova are ready. Seeing as how they are doing the fighting and the foe cannot get in we simply give them the time for the preparations they need. Now since you got questions go mopingly walk back to Fernlan. Go see your wife. If those elvath had their way you’re a dad now. It will give me an excuse to stall more. Poe you too. Pretend to argue on the way back.” I ordered and the two left.
They let the fake drama flare which caused Temi to stop his pacing and watch. The good ole we are infighting tactic for stalling.
“Uhh… don’t send me off on a side task but are we planning on fighting because I am not in my combat set?” King Vercies said while gazing around. He was in robes with a dueling sword. “I can cast fire but still robes are shit for fighting.”
“No I may duel Temi, but I probably shouldn’t. I want to… badly, I should not though. There are dragons and a million plus Horde out there. The reality is we will probably be on defense duty. I am breaking the accords today. Does that make you nervous?” I asked and everyone nodded. “Me too. So no we will not directly fight. We will retreat to guard Dais and Fernlan from the western ramps. Sometimes the smart thing means no heroics. We will get to watch the griffins kick ass though.”
“Kick ass?” Janice asked.
“This is why I don’t curse besides with the local swears. Defeat easily with flair. Roughly translated.” I informed them.
“We are ready to kick ass as you say Gryff.” King Aves said.
I was going to ask if he was certain he was ready but I learned that lesson. I suddenly had a plan of my own. “When the barrier drops do not engage. Wait for me to yell “burn”. Got that?” I asked and the griffins replied they understood. “My friends, knights, and kings. Today we become free. Today we no longer fill quotas or adhere to the demands of the vile Horde. Today… we return to war and the enemy will fear our wrath. I need you to form a shield wall on the western fields by Dais and the ramp. Go now. This last part I must do myself.”
Temi was banging on the barrier again. I twirled my short sword in my hand as I approached alone. I whistled off tune and there was no actual song behind it. Music was a bane for me and it was working in frustrating Temi.
“Stop that incessant noise human. Where is this Gryff, I am growing impatient.” Temi said while glaring at me from just outside the barrier.
“Funny thing… Last I heard he was getting a blowjob from your mom.” I taunted Temi.
I stepped up to the barrier and tingled my fingers through. Temi reacted with a speed I expected. He was incredibly agile and fast. The rapier he carried clanged off the barrier trying to get my fingers. I stuck my hand out lower and he swung lighting quick again. Off balance, his eyes recognized what I was doing too late.
I swung from inside the barrier while pouring aura into my swing to increase its speed and power. I was bringing down the protections with an action he never fathomed. My sword sliced through his neck and removed his head in a fraction of a second. I lost my hand, but it was well worth it. I propped his headless body over my shoulder and then ran with all my power for Fernlan. I left his head and his stunned allies there on the field.
With a raging intensity, I tore apart the accords. When they shattered a woosh encompassed every city. Portals crumbled, barriers dropped, and once again… Humanity was at war.
“BURN!” I shouted as I ran for a friendly formation.
As one three thousand griffins launched from the eastern end of Fernlan. They soared over me as I returned with Temi’s body. The enemy was stunned and shocked. Their demigod beheaded and an armada of griffins barreled there way. I reached my allies and the shield wall parted.
Fwar immediately healed my amputated hand. He staggered and fell, yet refused to pass out. I dropp
ed the body of the demigod that twitched. Now that I felt safe behind my friendly formation. I did not hesitate. I plunged my sword deep into the chest and cut until I found the heart. When I pried it out of the body a tormented scream erupted from the soul. The body turned to ash in disintegration. As that was how Temi the demigod died.
I turned to look at the enemy lines that were frozen with indecision. An exit portal was generated but it was small, then five more leaped into existence. The enemy dragons were the first to escape the portals. They knew what Temi was and his loss signaled their retreat. They did not know what the griffins were capable of. It was nice to watch them find out.
The griffins passed the front lines without a single attack. It was as if they were joining the foe. When they hit the middle point of the formation the front half stopped and the back half turned. The Horde looked up in confusion.
An ear splitting roar was belched out from the griffins as they dove to only dozens of feet above the ground. You could see shields slow the first griffins to hit the invisible barriers. Their sheer weight and volume burst all the magical defense the enemy shamans had. A few fireballs raced for the incoming griffins. It was turned aside with shields or healed. Finally, fire erupted from the thousands of griffins.
They stopped in a hover and burnt everything around them. When the destruction was complete in one area they moved forward. The Horde was caught unprepared. They were trained to smash cities and break against shield lines. The trolls who were the biggest threat to the griffins were the first to die. I saw Lord Nova hover over a clump of trolls shielding their projectiles. I had never seen them use air magic defensively. I knew they could but seeing it in combat, this was a first.