The Gryphon Generation Book 2: A New Era

by Alexander Bizzell

  “You mean to tell me Thyra, a player of the Redtails, knows the slasher personally?” Sandra asked.

  Rachel cocked her head. “Yes and no. Well, apparently they were made in the same lab together, but were separated long ago. Thyra found out he was still alive when she saw his attacks on TV, but he’s not the gryphon everyone makes him out to be! Or, so she says. But he did attack all of us after the bomb exploded. Thyra told us that Anfang was being held hostage by Matthew, a preacher for the Gathering in Macon and I believe her.”

  “Matthew Darnwall, the bishop of the church?” Sandra said with a gasp.

  The tiny gryphoness nodded. “He’s always hated Thyra and all us gryphons. I think that Anfang has been forced or brainwashed into doing that bigot’s bidding! He was forced to kill all those cops, all those innocents, and Matthew wanted this stadium destroyed tonight, but it think Anfang had a change of heart. Or he didn’t know about the bomb. I’m not really sure on what’s going on either. But from what Anfang said on the field, I know he was under Matthew’s control. That old bastard is the one at fault!”

  Sandra took the microphone back and looked at the camera as she summarized in her own, more professional words, her face white. “We seem to have a new story developing here at Chanel Ten News tonight! Allegations that Matthew, the leader of the Gathering, has just attempted a bombing at the Redtails’ stadium tonight.”

  Antonio raised a foretalon to ask for the microphone next. “What my colleague has said is true. We have known about Thyra’s past relationship to Anfang and he had never been this way before Matthew got hold of him. I am aware what he has done means he is a criminal, but it is due to the acts of the evil man controlling him.”

  The camera panned back to Sandra as she began to summarize and ask questions, but Matthew no longer wanted to watch. He threw the tablet down at the ground, roaring with anger. The device shattered into multiple pieces with a loud snap, causing the bodyguard to wince behind him. Matthew never lost control like this. He cursed under his breath and stared at the broken remains of the tablet on the ground as silence filled the hallway again.

  “Where did he go?” Matthew snapped and grabbed the collar on his bodyguard’s suit. The man shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, causing Matthew to grumble and drop his hands down to his side. A moment passed as Matthew ran his fingers across his temples, rubbing them gently. “I’ll figure this out in a few minutes. Learn all you can about this while I finish the sermon.”

  As he finished that sentence, Matthew heard a commotion coming from the hall, and quickly burst through the door onstage. His eyes widened as he saw everyone standing to their feet and showing each other their phones. As soon as Matthew stood on stage, a series of loud shouts erupted from the congregation.

  For the first time in his life, Matthew felt pure fear strike into his heart. These people that had once been his sheep were now looking upon him like enemies holding proverbial pitchforks and torches. Matthew held his hands up high, palms facing towards the crowd and tried to speak, but his words were lost in the outcry. His mic soon cut back on, but all he could do was stutter nonsense across the loudspeakers as he was shouted down.

  “Liar!” “Killer!” “Antichrist!” were several of the words that Matthew could understand.

  They began to pour out of the rows and started to make their way towards the stage. Matthew felt his heart pound in his chest, and he fled. He broke through the door and closed it behind him. The bodyguard stood next to the door with a blank expression, not knowing what exactly to do. Suddenly, the door burst open, and people began to rush through it

  Matthew fled down the hallway, looking back to see his bodyguards being overrun by the enraged audience. He sprinted down the long corridor, faster than his aging legs had carried him in years, and burst out the back entrance.

  His Jaguar was parked out back, hidden from plain sight far away from everyone else’s vehicles. He hastily dove into the car and slammed the door shut, listening to his deep labored breaths as the interior lights dimmed.

  The angry mob of once-obedient people poured out of the church in search of Matthew, but none knew where he was parked. He could see people moving about in the rearview mirror a good distance away, yet none approached him. Within minutes, the angry mob dispersed, and multiple headlights across the parking lot switched on.

  Matthew had been exposed. Daniel had tried to warn him this could happen, but he had refused to believe it. His empire was in shambles and there was nothing he could do about it. Now, he was without backup. He was without his people, his contractors, and his religion. All he had left was fear, and anger.

  Anger was the emotion that took over in this instance, as it would in most humans. He gritted his teeth, thinking of Anfang’s failed mission. Thyra, and Johnathen’s mocking faces rose in his mind. It was they who had started the whole fight between the common man and gryphon. They were to blame. He was sure of it. And he knew where they lived.

  Matthew slammed his fist against the fine leather steering wheel and screamed out in anger. His head throbbed and his chest heaved with breath as his mind whirred over his options.

  Matthew pushed the cylindrical button on the dash to release the glove box. The hatch opened revealing a small Kimber 380 pistol. The old man took a deep breath and grabbed the weapon in his shaking right hand. He pulled the slide back. A round cycled into the chamber and he dropped the clip, checking to see if it was filled.

  Matthew chuckled to himself, madness in his voice as he placed the handgun on the seat next to him. He reached down, and pushed the start button to his Jag, causing it to roar to life. If there was nothing else he could do, he was going to make sure Johnathen and Thyra got what they deserved.

  Chapter 26 Like Moths To A Flame

  Aadhya adjusted her angle of flight as she recognized Thyra’s neighborhood coming within distance. Despite only being to the house once in her life, she had a photographic memory for location, as well as a fine-tuned feel for direction, perhaps due to her avian genetic heritage. The lights and house arrangements told her that this was the place.

  She looked down at the gryphoness in her talons as she glided in. Thyra stirred and Aadhya whispered to her. “Thyra?”

  Thyra slowly opened an eye. She was clearly disoriented as she looked around, her eartufts whisking in the wind. Nevertheless, a sign of recognition sparked in Thyra’s green eyes when she looked upon the bearded vulture.

  “Aadhya?” she asked gently.

  The bearded vulture smiled and nodded. “Yes. You are almost home,”

  Thyra stiffened as she saw Anfang gliding within close proximity. Her feathers ruffled as she began to stir in Aadhya’s foretalons. Surprise and fear entered her voice. “W…what is Anfang doing here?”

  Clearly, she recollected the events of their encounter. Anfang saw that she was awake and folded his one eartuft back in shame. He slowed, starting to glide slightly behind the two.

  “Do not fret, he wants to help. He did not mean to hurt us. He only meant to protect you,” Aadhya responded calmly and began her decent.

  Thyra looked up at the large gryphoness and relaxed slightly, knowing that she was in her trusted friend’s grasp instead of Anfang’s. Still, she did not know where she was. The breeze that pushed her feathers apart told her that she was flying, yet the way she was laying, she couldn’t tell where they were.

  Aadhya saw her uneasy demeanor and quickly readjusted her grip so that Thyra could look at the ground. “We are seconds away from home.”

  Thyra seemed to relax as she looked around and saw the familiar buildings of her neighborhood. She had flown home at night more times than she could count and easily recognized her position from the sky. Aadhya slowed her decent, flaring her wings wide and gliding into a soft landing in Thyra’s yard.

  Once on the ground, Aadhya placed Thyra on her feet, and took a step back to give her friend a moment to regain her mind.

  Anfang landed nearby, but still kept hi
s distance, clearly ashamed by his actions. “Thyra, I…”

  “Why didn’t you just stay in the house?” Thyra growled. Anfang avoided her gaze and looked down at his talons. “Why?! Why did you have to ruin my life!” Aadhya blinked in surprise at her outburst and moved in to put a wing over her, but Thyra shrugged it off.

  “I just want to help,” Anfang responded and folded his eartuft flat against his head.

  “Well, you’ve done a terrible job at that. All you have done is stir up trouble and bring death and destruction to everyone around you!” Thyra took a step forward towards Anfang and flared her wings out, hackle feathers rising with fury. “What made you think that coming in to kill another gryphon during the most important game of the season was helping me?”

  Anfang looked up into her eyes and grimaced, his beak muzzle souring into a frown. “Anfang think Thyra in trouble. Think you forced to play. I thought it was hurting-.”

  “Well you thought wrong,” Thyra interrupted again. “I don’t know how to forgive you after this, Anfang. I’m at the end of my rope here. I don’t know what to do with you or how to help you. Everyone now knows there’s a connection between us, and just that fact alone could cost me my position as a gryphball player or worse, get me arrested and tried for helping a fugitive.”

  “But...”

  “No. You’re going to listen to me now,” Thyra demanded and approached him until her beak was close to his.

  Her eyes were beginning to water with animosity and Anfang could see it. He cowered before her and lowered himself down, feathers falling flat against his body.

  “After tonight, you’re going to leave,” she said. “I don’t know where you’re going to go, but you have to leave until I can figure out what the hell I’m going to do with you and how I’m going to clean up your mess.” Thyra waited for a moment more and cocked her head slightly. “Do you even understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yes. Anfang understand. I hurt you. Hurt you and friends. Cause bad things for Thyra,” Anfang summed it all up simply.

  He broke eye contact with her and looked down at his deformed talons again. Thyra took in a deep breath, letting her fury subside and as it did, she could feel the heartache building in her chest again. Anfang understood that Thyra was hurting but truly did not understand the consequences of his actions. He had never lived in the real world and the complex society that it held. It had been tough enough for her to adapt to the world even though she had grown up in it.

  “Can I trust you for tonight at least? Just one damn night. It’s all I ask.” Thyra asked firmly. Anfang nodded his head as it hung low. Thyra glanced at Anfang with distrust, but before she could decide what else to say to him, Aadhya pointed towards the driveway.

  “Thyra, I hate to interrupt, but who’s car is that?” the bearded vulture asked.

  Thyra followed her gaze and looked to the open garage. Johnathen’s Mustang was still gone, and another vehicle was parked awkwardly in the driveway. She let her eyes adjust to the darkness, and felt a jolt of fear rise through her spine when she recognized the car.

  “That’s Matthew’s car!” Thyra exclaimed. They looked through the windows of Thyra’s home. There was movement in the dim light, which could only mean one thing.

  “He’s inside,” both gryphonesses said at the same time.

  Anfang was the first to rush up the steps. Wood splintered and a loud crack filled the quiet air as Anfang broke down the front door and burst inside. The dizziness that Thyra had been feeling left her body as she quickly followed.

  As she surged into the dimly-lit living room, she saw Matthew standing there. The old bastard was in her own home, holding an upturned gasoline jug in his left hand. Liquid was pouring from the nozzle and pooling on the floor. The smell of fumes was chokingly strong.

  Matthew’s loud laughter filled the room and she saw a handgun in his right hand. He was pointing the muzzle directly at Anfang. Thyra’s blood pumped quickly through her veins as she saw Anfang hunker down and hiss loudly to the despiteful human standing before him.

  “The whole crew is here! I didn’t expect you so soon,” came the old man’s mocking voice.

  Her hackle feathers rose. In the low light, Thyra could make out a wicked smile, and his grey eyes were glazed over. When she had faced the man in the past, Matthew had always been composed and controlled, but his current demeanor was completely different. He had the crazed look of an animal pushed into a corner, with no other option left but to attack.

  Fear shook her very form as he quickly dropped the jug. Matthew stepped back and flicked out a lighter, the flame burning bright in the dim lighting. She stood next to Anfang and looked up at the crazed human.

  “Matthew! Please! Wait!” she pleaded.

  Matthew laughed loudly and shook his head, pulling the small hammer back on his handgun. “It’s too late for that, you feathered bitch! You…. You and your bastard husband are done. You have taken EVERYTHING from me and now I’ll take everything from you!” His hand trembled, the lighter shaking in his hand. The flame continued to burn brightly, and Thyra took a step forward.

  A gunshot rang out, barely missing her and striking into the wall behind her. Anfang hissed again and took a step forward, ready to lunge. Thyra held a wing out to hold him back as Aadhya stood in the background, frozen with indecision.

  “The world was fine before your kind arrived!” Matthew snarled. “We were perfect. We were happy.”

  “We didn’t ask for it either!” Thyra yelled out to him. Matthew’s smile faded slightly as he narrowed his eyes at the gryphoness. “I didn’t ask to be created! All I’ve done my whole life is try to fit in with humans! Even though Johnathen never asked me to, I’ve tried to prove myself, tried to act like a human. Yet all you can do is deny my existence and call me an abomination!”

  Tears streamed down Thyra’s cheeks, dripping down her beak as she closed her wings in close to her body. “I’m no different from any of you! All I want is a happy life and to live peacefully, but its people like you that hold me back!”

  “No! You will never be the same as I!” Matthew yelled and held the lighter out further. He lowered his voice, his gaze fixed with determination. “You’re an abomination! I was made in God’s image with a soul to serve him. You come from human sin. The human sin of trying to create and become an equal with God, and I can never forgive that.”

  Matthew tossed the lighter. The room erupted into a roaring flame, blinding Thyra and throwing her back. She hit the ground and rolled before struggling onto her feet again. Her ears rang painfully loud as everything in the room burned in a bright yellow light.

  Adrenaline scorched through her veins, causing everything to move slower than usual. She could see Matthew clearly as he recovered back to his feet. Pure terror and fury filled her body as she watched her living room burn and the man responsible for it was standing before her.

  She screeched and rushed towards Matthew, heedless of the fire between them. Gunfire rang out again and a sharp pain filled her leg. She fell to the ground a few inches from the flames.

  Anfang screeched to the top of his lungs and lunged through the fire towards Matthew. Thyra watched the man’s eyes widen with fear as he emptied his weapon into the gryphon, but the bullets had no effect.

  Anfang’s talons slashed towards his throat, catching the tender flesh and flaying it into multiple pieces across the living room. Blood splattered across the television as Matthew dropped to his knees and let the weapon fall to the floor. He clutched his throat, gurgling on his own blood, the deep purple liquid coating his hands.

  Thyra rolled onto her side to get away as the fire caught quickly, turning the once dark room into a blazing inferno. She screamed at Anfang as he clasped his talons around Matthew’s wounded throat and squeezed.

  A snap echoed in the blazing room, and the human’s head twisted at an unnatural angle. Anfang released the old man and he fell limp on the ground. His eyes glazed over as Thyra stared into them.<
br />
  The shock of seeing her enemy dead filled her very soul, causing her crop to lurch in an unnatural fashion. She was sickened by the sight before her, but even more sickened by the satisfaction she felt at his death. She didn’t even notice her tail catch on fire.

  “Thyra! We have to go!” Aadhya called out as she rushed up next to her. Aadhya quickly used her own wings to beat out the fire that caught on Thyra’s tail.

  Thyra tried rising to her feet, but found the wounded leg unable to move. Aadhya saw this and quickly lifted the gryphoness. Thyra grimaced and clicked her beak at the pain, putting her weight onto her friend. By then, the fire had overtaken most of the living room and had spread to their entrance.

  Anfang twisted around, flaring his wings out protectively over the gryphonesses as he looked for an exit. A loud crack rang out as a piece of structural timber fell from the ceiling. Anfang called out and began to rush towards the back. Thyra coughed while smoke filled her sensitive lungs.

  Anfang lunged at the back door and broke it open to create an exit. Aadhya lifted Thyra and carried her onto the back porch, jumping over the railing to glide roughly into the back yard. They collided with the ground hard and let out a wince of pain as they laid breathless in the grass, looking to the burning house before them.

  There was nothing they could do. Anfang, Aadhya and Thyra could only watch as the home quickly burst into an inferno, the fire swallowing it whole for fuel. Thyra put her beak into her foretalons and wept. The home she had come to love and feel safe in was now a burning wreck. All her possessions and the place where she and Johnathen had made so many memories, gone.

  Aadhya held Thyra close in her wings, comforting her as best she could with gentle preens. Anfang sat silently, watching the fire blaze into the night sky.

  Sirens in the distance broke their concentration while the sounds of neighbors pouring from their homes began to grow apparent. Anfang looked to the two gryphons, clearly worried and confused.

  “Where we go?” he asked.