“He try to kill you. They all do. They control you. Come with Anfang now, Thyra! I protect you!” Anfang shouted, his eyes turning into small green slits. Thyra took a step back and looked around the stadium, seeing the cameras focused in on them both.
“Sweet Jesus, it’s the Sabertooth Slasher!” the announcer shouted.
Many in the crowd screamed with horror, but surprisingly these cries were overridden by a surge of yells and boos towards the killer gryphon. Anfang’s eartuft lowered as he noticed multiple police offers beginning to pour out onto the field. He looked back to Thyra and took a step forward, extending his bloody talons once more.
“Please! I protect you!” Anfang pleaded.
“No! Get out of here, Anfang! Leave me alone!” Thyra shouted at him.
Anfang hissed and turned his attention back towards the cops surrounding him now, weapons drawn. Thyra noticed Anfang taking a defensive position, ready to strike.
She flared her wings and screeched for the officer’s attention. “Don’t! He will kill you all!” Thyra pleaded. A couple of officers turned to look at her and she could see the pure fear in their eyes. Even their weapons were shaking. “Anfang! Please don’t kill them!”
Anfang looked between the surrounding officers and let out a low growl, turning around slowly to face each human. He heard Thyra’s pleading, and remembered Thyra’s conversation on wing just yesterday. Some form of recognition shown in his eyes.
One of the officers yelled and started to open fire on Anfang, causing everyone to scream. The beastly gryphon leaped towards the officer, but instead of going for the throat, he slashed the weapon out of his hands. The policeman fell to the ground clutching his bleeding hand and cried out; causing the remaining forces to take a step back, their own weapons lowering. They could tell their guns were useless.
Suddenly there was a flash of light and a loud explosion shook the stadium. Thyra dropped down to the ground and covered her face with her wings and talons. The stadium lights flickered, and the audience erupted into cries of terror.
Chapter 25 Chaos
Chaos filled the stadium as everyone fled. Time stood still for Thyra. She rose to her feet, beak agape with horror. Everything seemed to be a blur. There was a glow coming from the parking lot just outside the stadium and a towering plume of smoke rose above the bleachers, drifting into the air above the field.
She looked over to where Johnathen had been seated in the stands, and saw him being pushed out with the crowd despite his best efforts to resist. She could see the worry in his eyes, even from far away, but there was nothing he could do. He was a fish trying to helplessly swim upriver but he was dragged along with the current.
Power returned to the stadium and immediately sirens started to blare across the loudspeakers. The remaining officers on the field fled, heading towards the exit of the field.
“Thyra!” shouted multiple voices from behind her.
She snapped back to reality and looked to see Aadhya, Rachel, Jason and Nathanial flying towards her. She grit her beak and turned back to Anfang, staring at him with hatred in her eyes. He seemed just as lost and confused by the explosion as she was, but now anger overtook her.
“Why did you do this?!” Thyra screeched.
Anfang looked down at her with frown and took a step forward. Thyra stepped back and found the rest of her teammates standing next to her. Their protective demeanor angered Anfang.
“Anfang come to rescue,” the great beast growled and took another step forward.
“No! You didn’t! Look at the mess you made! What was that explosion?” Thyra asked as the other gryphons stood next to her, wings flared in defense. Anfang looked down to his wrist where the large watch used to be, and something clicked in his head.
“Matthew give me watch. I dropped it over there. I not need it . . .” Anfang began to explain. As he put the puzzle pieces together, he screeched with anger, now feeling betrayed. “He… meant to kill Anfang. Meant to kill us!” He looked at the other gryphons and hissed. “Move. I take Thyra to safety.”
Aadhya was the first to step in front of Anfang. She dug her talons into the ground. “No. You will not touch a feather on her,” the huge vulture said sternly.
Anfang looked to the group and spread his leathery wings out to make himself seem even larger. “Then you will die,” he promised and rushed forward.
Thyra yelled for Aadhya to move, but it was too late. The two gigantic gryphons collided with one another, talons raised in the air. Anfang swiped a foretalon across Aadhya’s side, sending her tumbling.
Thyra yelled again, tears pouring from her eyes, but that did not stop the rest of her teammates. They all rushed to move onto Anfang, but it was not enough. He easily shrugged off their attacks, and struck each gryphon down as they came within reach.
Thyra saw her friends on the ground as they groaned with pain. She clicked her beak and looked to Anfang now, seeing the murderous intent in his eyes. With a bellowing roar, Thyra leapt forward.
Her beak connected with his throat, and she clamped down as hard as she could. Anfang hissed with pain and rolled onto his back, using his hindlegs to kick Thyra squarely in the stomach. All her breath and energy left her as she was sent flying through the air, and hit the ground headfirst.
Anfang quickly maneuvered to his feet and looked over to the motionless Thyra lying on the ground. His pupils dilated as sentience came back to him. His beak fell open with horror at the realization he had hurt the one he loved. Anfang ran over to her, and placed a foretalon on her side, rolling her over to her back. She was still breathing, but clearly unconscious. The other gryphons started to recover, returning to their feet.
“L...leave her alone,” Rachel coughed and struggled to stand. Anfang looked over to the small gryphon with a growl before reaching down to Thyra and scooping the limp gryphoness up with his foretalons. “Put her down!” Rachel pleaded, wings hanging limply next to her.
Anfang stood on his hindfeet, cradling Thyra in his massive foretalons, and jumped. The rest of the band watched helplessly as the great beast took to the skies with Thyra in his grasp, beating his leathery wings against the darkening sky. Rachel slammed her foretalon against the ground and squawked at Anfang. Aadhya, Nathanial and Jason all slowly rose to their feet, checking themselves for wounds.
“What do we do now?” Rachel asked in a panic. Her wing was damaged, missing flight feathers with a long gash running along the length.
Aadhya placed her talons on her chest, and pulled it away looking down at the blood. She was hurt, but not too badly. “I can fly,” Aadhya confirmed with a stretch of her wings. Before anyone could argue, Aadhya pushed away from the ground and ascended into the sky. The rest of the team sat in helpless silence, watching the gryphons disappear from sight.
“Anfang!” Aadhya called out when she was within earshot of the flying beast.
He turned his head to look at his pursuer and snarled. Anfang picked up the pace, flying harder and faster. Aadhya matched his speed, despite the injury to her chest. The wound had numbed by now as adrenaline pumped through her body.
“Anfang, please listen!”
The stadium quickly disappeared behind them as they flew away from the city. The sounds of car alarms and sirens slowly diminished until there was nothing more than the rhythmic beat of their wings and the blood pumping in her eartufts. Yet, the monstrous gryphon would not listen. She gave chase still, and waited for him to calm down enough to be talked to.
After what seemed like ages of patient pursuit, his pace began to slow, giving Aadhya an opportunity to gain on him again. “Where are you taking her?” Aadhya asked as she flew up beside him.
Anfang snarled again and moved towards her to attack, but Aadhya easily dodged the slow strike. “What are you going to do?” she asked once more, forcing her voice to calm. Anfang looked over to her, and she saw the indecision in his eyes. He was scared, lost, and wanted only one thing, to protect Thyra. “I am Thyra’s friend too.
I want to keep her safe, just like you,” she said gently, trying to level with him.
“Anfang want to save Thyra. Thyra is a slave. Slave to human. Slave to game,” he finally responded.
His wings straightened out to catch the wind and began to glide. Aadhya rose up next to him once again and did the same, matching his speed. She looked at Thyra tucked into Anfang’s massive foretalons, still unconscious.
“What has made you believe that is true?” Aadhya asked curiously.
Surely, he had been manipulated into thinking Thyra was miserable, but she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Anfang readjusted his wings as he started to lose altitude, his chest heaving from exhaustion.
“Matthew told Anfang that Thyra is slave to all. She unhappy. She is in danger. Thyra not belong with humans. Thyra belong with Anfang,” he said under his breath, struggling now to keep upright. They had been flying for a while and she could tell the weight of carrying Thyra was getting to him.
Aadhya herself had started to feel the pain in her chest return. It was taking tremendous effort to keep concentration. She was more adept to longe didstance flying with her broad wings, and knew it would not be long until Anfang had to land. “But that is not true. Thyra is happy with us. She is happy with her life. Matthew has lied to you, Anfang. He is Thyra’s enemy.”
Doubt flashed across Anfang’s features. “Matthew try to kill us. Anfang threw away watch. Not need anymore, and it explode. Matthew want to use Anfang as bomb. Matthew lie.”
“Then you see if for yourself. Matthew has lied to you on every account. Thyra did not need to be rescued, because she was not in any danger. Well, not from anyone, but Matthew.” Aadhya was trying her best not to stir up more emotion for the hair-trigger gryphon. It was in her best interest to keep calm and he seemed to understand reason. Anfang’s speed started to slow once more, and he forced his wings to beat harder.
Aadhya knew this would not last long. “Anfang, let me take Thyra. You cannot hold her any longer. I can carry her home to safety.”
The bestial gryphon looked over his wingshoulder to face Aadhya. His eyes were no longer angry as he stared at the gryphoness for a moment more. He held out the limp Thyra in his foretalons and offered her to Aadhya. “We take her home. Then safety, yes?”
Quickly, Aadhya moved in, gliding next to him and carefully retrieving Thyra from his talons. She beat her wings harder to adjust for the weight shifting as Anfang did the same.
“Yes. She will be safe at home,” Aadhya responded.
She was not sure what Anfang’s idea of safety was. He had always been moved from one cage to the next. He had no home or a place to go. Did he mean to take her into the wilderness, to live as ferals and never to be seen again?
She did not know, nor did she intrude on his thoughts. She had Thyra in her possession and that was all that mattered at the moment. The main goal was bringing Thyra to her home. She would wait for Johnathen. Surely, he would know what to do.
“Anfang…Anfang not mean to hurt others…” the gryphon said as he struggled to keep righted in flight.
Aadhya adjusted herself and turned her head towards him, curious as to his explanation. As far as she had observed, he had brought nothing but despair and death to all those around him. Yet he now displayed some form of guilt.
“Humans always hurt Anfang. Angry, alone, hurt. I not know how to act. Thyra says she teach Anfang. Learn how to be better. How to be with people.” Anfang lowered his head and turned away from Aadhya. “But, I hurt you. I hurt friends of Thyra.”
The gryphoness looked to Anfang, carefully selecting her next words. “I believe that you mean well, Anfang. You are lost, and you require help. Thyra has told me of your history or what she knows of you. I believe you can be a better gryphon, and become one of us.”
Anfang looked over to her with wet eyes, ones that searched for redemption and recognition. “You think Anfang can be good?”
“Yes. I believe you can be good,” she said, though she didn’t think the rest of the world would give him that chance. “First, let us return Thyra home safely.”
***
“A plague has been placed upon the non-believers of this town!” Matthew slammed his fist down on the preachers stand before him. The loud thump echoed in the great chapel room over the loudspeakers, and he adjusted the mic hanging from his ear to his liking.
“God has sent an archangel, a demon, into our midst. He has sent him to punish us for our wrong doings and not doing what is right for our community! This abomination has killed, maimed, and hurt many of our innocent townsfolk. Yet out there in the world, there will be many who call it a creature in need, one who simply needs help emotionally. They would treat this monster as they would any common man, but this, this thing is much less than that!”
The congregation remained silent in their seats, watching him with unbroken attention. Normally, the bottom rows of the chapel were packed shoulder to shoulder with most of the upstairs overflow full as well. Yet today, rows of benches remained empty in the great hall.
Over the weeks since silencing the female interloper that had hidden in the congregation, Matthew had noticed the crowd gradually becoming lighter than normal. He had hoped it was for simple reasons like illnesses or vacations, but as he looked over the small gathering for his usually busy Sunday night sermons, he began to grow worried.
Matthew stood straight and disregarded the butterflies in his chest. He folded his arms behind his back, and began walking back and forth across the stage. The white robe he wore dragged gently along the carpet behind him. His mic picked up his heavy breathing as he forced himself to calm down.
“I come to you asking, why? Why do we continue to let sin into our community? Why do we sit idly by as others try to change our tradition and spit on the grave of our ancestors, forefathers, and beloved past teachers? How can we allow this to continue when God Himself so belatedly tells us to take action against such injustice? To anyone who would treat this killer with mercy, I say no. This monstrosity does not deserve a trial. He deserves a swift death!” Matthew yelled out.
His outcry was met with more silence. Matthew had expected some applause or amens in agreement, but not a soul moved in the crowd. He looked over the people once again, noticing some shuffling in their seats, as if they were uneasy by this sudden change of sermon. Matthew had made an unexpected jump in the usual script.
Somewhere in his sermon, the subject of God’s punishment had evolved into a hate speech against the gryphons once again, especially Anfang. He felt it was necessary, what with the fear in the community over resent actions the gryphon had taken. Not to mention, the more grievous actions that would appear on the news soon.
Surely, the bomb had detonated by now. Anfang would have blown up on the field of the Gryphball finals, taking Thyra and her other gryphon teammates with him. Perhaps there would even be human casualties. Either way, the world would have reason to fear gryphon kind once more and Matthew would be vindicated for his fight against them. Any moment he would hear the news.
“A swift death for the demon. That is what I call for action. His existence goes to show us that the demons live in each one of the gryphons. They are man-made living beings without a soul, without a purpose. They can become savage at any time, and their power is beyond what we know!
“We have flown too close to the sun, like Icarus before us, and now we must pay in blood. Unless we are to be rid of these mistakes, we are doomed to repeat history and fall farther from God’s grace. And we know what wrath can be brought down upon us from above. I say to you!” Matthew raised his hands but a door opening from the side stage caught his eyes.
One of the well-dressed bodyguards came on stage and locked eyes with him. Everyone in the congregation began to mumble as Matthew hastily walked over to the man and faced him.
“What is the meaning of this?” Matthew whispered urgently, holding the mic with one clenched fist. His back was turned towards the congregation, and he could
hear slight whispers between people as they began to murmur amongst themselves.
“It seems the plan has failed,” the man said plainly.
Matthew’s eyebrows raised in surprise and he turned his head to look back at the mumbling audience. People began to check their phones, showing the screens to one another and pointing at their devices.
“What do you mean, it failed!” Matthew exclaimed, his voice rising enough that the mic still picked it up. Matthew heard it over the loudspeakers and made a cut-off motion with his hands towards the sound guy behind the stage. A loud click emitted from the speakers as Matthews mic was turned off.
Hesitantly, the bodyguard pulled out a tablet and handed it to Matthew. “I’m not sure. The detonation was successful, but it missed its target and exploded in the parking lot. The stadium still stands, and there are news reports of Anfang interrupting the game.”
Matthew quickly took the tablet from the bodyguard and watched a live news feed of a reporter standing next to the stadium, retelling the events that just unfolded. Next to the news reporter, a small gryphoness and larger gryphon stood, both wearing Redtails jerseys.
Matthew recognized them to be players of the Redtails, Thyra’s friends. He recognized the harris hawk gryphon right away. It was one of the beasts that had been in his office when they threatened him months ago. Matthew shoved past the bodyguard and entered in the back hallway before turning the volume up on the tablet to listen in.
“I stand here with gryphball players Antonio and Rachel who have seen the action unfold before their very eyes. Rachel, what happened here tonight at the stadium?” The reporter asked and knelt down next to the small gryphoness. Rachel took the microphone into her foretalons and looked directly at the camera.
“Gladly, Sandra. A gryphon attacked us at the game tonight, and we know who he is. His name is Anfang. He… well, let’s just say he’s an old friend of Thyra’s,” Rachel began. Sandra spoke into the microphone
The Gryphon Generation Book 2: A New Era Page 28