“What you did not know then is warlocks weren’t allowed to call a Familiar till their power ascended to show the hidden mark, which you still do not have. For a warlock to summon their griffin, they must be in control of their power for it takes much to pull us through, no matter our current size.” His blue eyes shifted to Megdline. “Unlike today’s mages, like yourself, to summon a Familiar easily, warlocks had to be as strong as possible and on occasion, even a warlock who was as strong as he could be often resulted in their death and that of their partner. You likely summoned Frill with ease because the two of you combined power for the summoning. A warlock must pull alone. If their strength was insufficient and a griffin wasn’t strong enough to break the summoning, the warlock would die, unable to break the flow leaving them.” His eyes turned back to his contemplating human partner. “I went mad, thinking my partner was a fool and destroyed my glacial mountain palace, in the southern pole. I eventually calmed down and came to understand that if a warlock returned from which you weren’t supposed, that you would be all alone and not have anyone to teach you your ancestral ways.
“A week passed as I struggled to reach a decision, for I made old laws that prevented a failed summoning of a fellow griffin from being together with their partner till that human was strong enough to successfully claim them properly. But because you and I are the last, I could not stay away till I knew more of you. I flew for many weeks in search of you, but because our link is weak and new, you were difficult to track. Days passed, how many, I’m unsure because I looked day and night, but I could not find you in my flight.
“One day I was resting high on a snowy mountain peak and was curious to see a wyvern hunting. I watched it circle until it found something. Far below I saw a group of humans in a valley…”
Recognition smacked Cage in the back of his head. “That sound as it flew away… It was you I heard. I thought I was delusional… wait… Daku, have you been the one I’ve sensed from time to time following me?”
“Took you long enough.” Daku smirked before laughing in his way. “Yes, I have been following you since then. I watched the wyvern do a typical hunt as it dive-bombed, slowed itself and spewed fire. I didn’t think much of it till I sensed an extremely faint trace of magic, but it was just enough to tell me it was yours. I could tell it was you as if it were my own. The wyvern’s decent stopped but it still rained fire. I got up and looked down to see a barrier holding back the flames. I thought it would be my end and watched, but then the fire stopped and it landed yet I could not see you and wondered how it is I was alive. Not long after it took flight I saw a large group of gathered humans appear on a green patch of grass and understood what you did. My anger got the better of me when I saw you being carried to the forest and I flew after the wyvern.” Daku smiled. “He was a great snack, as I’ve heard you say.”
“Wait… You ate the wyvern?” Brooke asked in amazement.
Daku smiled. “Of course. It wasn’t too hard a fight. The foolish creature tried burning me before I ripped it apart.” He chuckled.
“Why is that funny?” Sean asked.
Megdline answered automatically as she remembered from a text. “Because it was said that griffins had but one weakness. To kill them, it must be done physically. Their size changes down to that of a humming bird to that of a mountain, but the biggest advantage is said that magic cannot harm them. Anything done by magical means is nullified.”
Cage felt recovered enough to test it himself. He conjured a black flame and held it out. Daku took one look and understood the intention. He gave Cage an irritated look as he said not to do any more magic, but the griffin leaned his head forward and laid it down under his chin to allow the flames to harmlessly lick around his face. Cage killed the dark flame, smiled and scratched the furry underside of his Familiar’s jaw. Daku purred in enjoyment. “Seems it’s true.” He stated as his magnificent partner pulled his head back.
“Yes, my species is immune to magical means and we cannot actively use our unlimited magic to do anything more than change sizes.” Daku proceeded. “This is the main reason we became bonded by the warlocks. Their power is great, a match for our own…”
“But nothing I studied about warlocks had any reference with griffins. Nothing, not even an insinuation. Their Familiars were the same as ours. When I saw your eye I didn’t even suspect you were a griffin. Frill and I both thought you were some new creature never seen before.” Megdline asked, feeling like a little girl, learning her lessons again.
“Some warlocks had lower life forms for a Familiar.” Daku emphasized. “Those were the weakest, the less than average warlocks. Not everything has survived since they were forcibly Jumped to the mana void universe. But it was we who made warlocks a threat to this world, in truth.” He explained to fill in the gaps so Megdline would understand. “Believe me, I tried to make the warlocks see it was too dangerous to have too many on one planet, but as there was no elite warlock worthy of me, my power held little sway with their people and I would not fight my flocks who were bonded. Eventually, it was I who proposed to the dragons the need to disperse warlocks throughout the worlds, but I was betrayed.” He growled deep in his chest. “Instead of them being separated, all the warlocks were forced to a planet dubbed Earth and with them went all of their bound partners, but it seems as if without magic they didn’t survive for long. Only about two thousand and thirty three griffin’s and I were unbound and left here, but over the long years the last of my flock either disappeared or died, I do not know. For the past nine hundred years I have not seen one other griffin or found a scent and whenever I asked a dragon colony, they have not seen one either.” Daku’s calm blue eyes met black. “We are the last true partnership of our flocks.”
“Then why have you waited so long to show up?” Cage asked. “You’ve had plenty of chances to pop your head up and say hi. Why did you wait till I was nearly dead and about to be wiped out by all them mages back in the city?”
“WHAT?!” Brooke shrieked towards her mate. “What do you mean almost dead? You’ve never before said this. Are you exaggerating? Tell me he is exaggerating, Megdline?”
Brooke saw both the woman and cat visibly shiver as they recalled what recently happened. “No, Child.” Megdline admitted in low tones. “We were ill prepared for what happened. Cage did his best, even tried to buy Frill and I enough time to get away. If not for Daku, Cage’s barrier wouldn’t have endured the beating of close to forty mages for more than a few more seconds.”
Brooke paled slightly and looked at them all with little knowledge of what truly transpired, but then she noticed all the blood staining Frill’s fur. She was cut off by Cage as she was about to ask another question. “Yeah, about that, why the fuck didn’t you two get away?” Daku went to open his beak, but Cage saw it to say “Shut up for a second. I need to hear why they didn’t leave when I told them to. It wasn’t a request, I gave them an order.” Daku raised his eyebrow before smirking. “Granny, you should have left to make sure Brooke, Meeka, Sean and my people got to safety. Why did you stay?”
His direct questioning brought her a little more back to herself and pull her out of shock. “Because, Dimwit, I couldn’t leave you to fight alone. I’m your teacher and leaving a student behind to save my own ass is something I’ll never obey. I couldn’t leave a friend either. Frill fought to occupy most of the other Familiars while I distracted some mages, but I got surprised by a first class sorceress and lost a chunk of my shoulder.” She then poked Cage in the forehead. “Get it through that thick skull of yours, we do not flee. Frill and I would rather die helping a friend in a losing battle then ever running away. We would never forgive ourselves if you had gone alone got killed and we fled like cowards.”
“What about Grandpa? Did you think about him in your decision?”
“Yes, and if I had died, he would be more proud to see me die saving a friend then have me return home a coward. I would not even be able to look at him if that scenario had come true.�
�� Her grey eyes hardened. “Expect it to happen every time. I would rather fight than flee, to help someone.” Frill nodded.
“Much better.” Cage stated.
“What is?” The sorceress asked.
“You’re back. The shock was messing with your head. You can think more rationally and realize the past is over and the pain gone.” He explained.
Daku noticed that their side conversation ended to say “Cage, the reason I didn’t make contact is because I didn’t know you. After eating my prey I ran off the male’s mate who saw me killing the large male. If I hadn’t, your people would have had to defend against her. My size and unfamiliar scent drove her away.” Daku adjusted himself to get more comfortable. “I found you and the other humans in the night, moving in the trees to get away. I will tell you my reason for not revealing myself in a few moments.” He promised. “In the morning, when everyone rested, I heard the screams of a human female yelling in birthing pains and watched as you fought with her.” Daku indicated towards Brooke. “And I watched as you delivered new life to the world. It made me wonder more about you for never in my time have I seen a warlock ease the birth of a female and hatchling. It gave me hope that you were unlike past warlocks. The flock you led went out of the mountain and rested again for the night.
“I became small and watched more closely behind a tree for some time. Then you disappeared, but I felt your magic working. You and Brooke left the others and I got very curious as to why you would do something so odd. I followed, always just out of sight.
“Then I got to see the two of you fight those other humans to find that you, my partner, are truly a frightening warrior, more than I’ve ever seen from a weaponless human…”
“Wrong.” Cage admitted. “My body is the weapon. From what I saw earlier, you are the same. Our bodies are the most deadly weapon, but it is the mind that wields these natural gifts.”
“Quite true.” Daku considered. “After seeing you dispose of the filth I made myself very small when the trees thinned days later. Like a mouse. Then before I realized it, you turned around and I knew that careful plans were needed because you sensed me. I was forced to fly behind a rock, before you located my position. You exchanged words with Brooke before heading into the large human nest. I snuck in during the night and found you walking oddly right behind a man. I never knew someone could be almost touching while walking and not notice something odd. You entered a stone building and not long after, you climbed down off the roof and fled in the rain to another place.
“I even saw what you did to that angry looking man with the plant and had to fly away to not be seen laughing so hard like everyone else. I didn’t see you, but it was unquestionably your magic that did that.
“Not far did I stray from you, not even when the cruel human you used a cactus on, captured you and your female. I would not have allowed the castle to stand if it drained near enough to kill you, but the two of you escaped and Cage, I had never seen a human not scream from the wounds you wore when you came out behind the metal door. It made me very angry, but I hid far in the corner of the dark tunnel and didn’t stare directly lest you would have turned around and found me standing there. My intervention was not needed and I was proud that you made Brooke make him suffer.” Daku smiled wryly. “What you do not know is that female of the one you call Lord Doyle, left the room and the stone nest. She sent help for him, but not before she gathered some of her belongings and left. I overheard her saying his infidelity broke their marriage contract and she was on her way to Emroc to remove him from title and the nest. Apparently it is her nest in Dalaran and he married her for it. She even warned men with swords to not follow the two of you for you have done a great service for her.” Cage and Brooke looked to each other wickedly and smiled at such wondrous news. “She headed south last I saw before finding the two of you.
“Later, I followed you into the snow filled forest where I flew too low where clouds thinned too much and I had to fly up quickly before being spotted clearly.” Well that explained the odd swirling I saw in the clouds that time. Cage thought. “I watched Megdline and Frill go to your cave and roosted in a nearby tree to listen to everything she said and felt bad when she had you eat meat. Sorry, I knew it would happen and could do nothing to stop it.” Daku’s eyes turned to the sorceress and her Familiar. “Megdline, Frill, I am glad the two of you came and became his teachers when you did. You are by far the finest substitute for a warlock trainer as I had ever seen. I have listened to all you have taught and must say that your methods are quite like how warlocks were trained. They must be out, actively engaged in their abilities. It is who warlocks are, they have a hard time sitting for long periods, studying from a book.”
“I read that too. If they sit still for too long it is said that they become overly anxious and go in search of something challenging.” She said. “Most times for trouble.”
“True. Warlocks need something to fixate on or they will do something to gain attention or have excitement. It is why they paired well with griffins, our personality is strikingly similar.” Daku returned to the story. “I have been with you all and watched closely, even as Sean became a cub of yours though neither of you created him. When you first connected with me to mind-link, I was actually up in the tree right above all of you in the rain… Sean, let me ask you, do you fear your father and me?”
“Very much so.” Sean blurted out. “But not so much as to not want him as my father. You scare me, Daku. I do not know you, but if Dad isn’t worried then neither will I.” The boy pulled out the sharp blade from his forearm sheathe and all of them watched it tremble in his little hands. “But if you hurt Mother or Dad and take them from me I… I’ll hurt you.”
“Well said, Cub.” Daku stated. “But as I said before, you need not fear me. Those who challenge me or my partner for the right to live will though.” The griffin extended a finger to make a very humanlike point towards the beach. “This brings me to today. When the fast tree carried you over there and you rested for a time, I flew towards the city in search of Meeka, as I had seen her many times when you used the sight mirror, but did not find her. I found those three.” He pointed to Moril, Lanna and Zatal. Cage looked back to find the three gathered among other tribal people, trying to answer many questions. When they saw their chief and the others glancing, all conversations ceased. “Meeka, I could not find anywhere and because I do not know her scent I cannot follow it. But I flew back and waited near all of you as the sun began to rise.
“I flew high above where even the clouds were scarce and grew as large as you saw me if anything went wrong or you did not prove yourself. I watched you from high above and spiraled lower when I saw flame, smoke and running humans. Destruction from a warlock is always clear to see, even after ten thousand years of absence.
“Then I saw your fight below and knew this confrontation would answer my question, if you were worthy of me. I watched you, Frill and Megdline fight, the beacon of blue light and all the mages Jump to that open place. You stood for a moment then attacked against so many numbers directly and alone. And judging from the seconds of hesitation from Frill and Megdline spoke that you were stalling for time. They joined to aid you and then she got hurt.” Cage watched Daku’s eyes fixate meaningfully on him and the words were of upmost importance. “It was for that moment I waited to find the true depth of your character.” Daku reached forward and placed a rough hand on Cage’s bare chest and the palms felt more like a warm cat’s pads. The touch was gentle and calming for them both. A deep connection they shared. “That moment you had a choice, continue fighting or protect. The moment you saw her hurt you didn’t need to think as you put yourself between her and them. You devoted everything left for defense. I staked my life on that moment, for if you had chosen to fight as most warlocks would have and left her to battle for the enjoyment, I would have let those humans kill you and me, your Familiar. I would have let it happen and the four of us would be dead.” Daku smiled and pulled his hand back
. “It doesn’t matter that you are an elite and I’m a king, what made you worthy are our ideals. You said griffins were seen as protectors and tricksters, well we are, but I’ll not have a master who would sacrifice someone who stayed and helped just to kill another one or two enemies and die anyway. When I saw you stand and protect Megdline, I dove to save all of us. Warlocks and griffins live and revel in combat, but we do not seek death lightly. Warlocks of the past forgot what the pact between our races signified and why my race was doomed and yours punished for such danger our combined strength posed. Too much power without a strong mind and weak heart is simply a disaster waiting to happen. It is because of our power why so many are afraid, why even your own mate and son instinctively shy from us. They love you because they know you and are able to cope, but ignorant others will not see us as they do. Alone, you and I are still a true danger for when you fully realize your full potential, even the greatest dragons will find you difficult to kill, but us together… no single or duo stands a chance. I would not want to live if you were a warlock mad with bloodlust, for none could stop us, but as a protector, a guardian of the worthy, I would do as I did. You and I are one, now that I can trust you. Do you still want me as your Familiar?”
Familiar's Ancient Throne (Book 2 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 42