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 well anything. Only bones… The countless dead never properly laid to rest. I was about to a
sk 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.
Addilyn was still in shock but broke out of it. “Are we going to torch all the Horde we see? That was impressive. I thought they wanted to keep their magic a secret?”
“Lord Nova was righting a wrong. I saw griffin bones down there, and even some on spears around that city. I will support them regardless of the direction they go as long as we are allies…” I let the sentence hang and Addilyn nodded. “Now finish the tale of this battle as we cruise for the first new barrier please.”
“We expect to have access to the rest of the catalyst soon. The real issue was Herodian Bay, we disclosed our power there. It has been open season since then. We do not report every engagement to you Gryff. Since the dragons, if the Horde target is ripe, the griffins have permission to burn. Everywhere between the cities of man the Horde is being removed. Trust me, we want your caravans to move freely again. It allows so much less stress and burden on us.” Lord Nova declared.
Addilyn thanked Lord Nova and asked for him to thank the other griffins. I stayed quiet wanting the story to come out.
“The Horde waited near two months as their armies piled on top of each other. The first to arrive died of dehydration and were fed to the others. They are truly fodder. Of course, the ogres and shamans all lived to battle day. The goblins died in the millions the same as the orcs. The enemy leadership had pressure to advance eventually and it was comical to watch them form up. It was a three day process of orcs in the front, ogres second, and shamans on wooden towers in the third row. When they were ready they marched forward to meet our awaiting army. It is important you understand how slow an army that size moves. Your human army had archers in the front for a full day. Releasing torrents of arrows into the slow moving enemy lines. It was those platforms that carried the shamans. There were always problems with them, but the enemy general demanded they be in oversight and close to the front. How they kept the orcs from breaking or charging to this day I still wonder… The damage was horrendous. So bad that lines parted from the rear to allow fresh orcs to be arrow fodder.
“When the two sides collided we sprang into action. We were five thousand griffins pouring out of the mountains. A lot of our females joined the fray, which was hotly debated to continue our lineage. Instead, a swift victory was the conclusion so every able griffin fought. The enemy had never seen so many of us in one place, and I never recall that many of us together either. It was a historic moment. Our targets were the shamans and the ogres. As the humans fought to maintain their line we fought to disarray the enemy. It was our most costly battle of the war. Griffins shredded and spooked ogres. We snatched, clawed, and barreled over shamans on their platforms. If only we had golem blood back then we could have saved so many. I saw my mate, Lady Uina take a spiked ogre club. She hit the dirt hard crushing orcs as she struggled to rise. I was the only one who saw her fall. I healed her as she was swarmed. I faltered unable to keep up as the orcs and ogres in the hundreds covered her in wounds. She faded and died. I lost my sense then and recall little after. When I came back to coherent thought I was in the enemy's backlines covered in blood and a cyclops was offering parley. That was how the peace accords were won. Through the blood and death of millions of humans, and hundreds of griffins. We always wanted to return and bury our dead. When you come for the metal we will ask you to dig some graves while we provide air cover.”
The story ended and Addilyn and I confirmed we would be happy to help when we trekked out here on foot. I was doing the math in my head and it was at least a four day trip each way with yakins. Not a fun adventure and it would be hard work, but it would be a worthy endeavor. We increased our speed after this and I watched the ocean as we flew north. Ten minutes later we were inside the new barrier.
“Well shit…” I said out loud. Sure enough, I had not circled the small port city. Havenu was clear to the eye about three miles north. Lord Nova flew us in and out of the barrier on the cardinal directions so we both understood the boundaries of this safe zone. All around us the griffins were testing the edges. I saw the cliffs, and they were hundreds of feet steep. The water churned with anger at their base. There was good land up here that was cleared and a mix of rock and grass. There was no way down to the water though. Any dock would be smashed by the crashing waves. I racked my brain to find a purpose for this large area. Maybe sheep pens. I was interrupted by my thought.
“We want it, gift it to us please,” Lord Nova said asking nicely… He never was polite.
“Not that I am saying no. And I will probably say yes, but why?”
“We can dig into the facing cliff and have breeding homes. It is also a great place for young griffins to learn to fly. You will not get a dock in here but maybe you can use the city docks down there. Sure you will be outside the safe zones but build a workers settlement up here for off hours. Walk down to fish during. Most fishing is outside a safe zone. If you gift us this it will also help ensure we can protect those workers.” Lord Nova explained.
“To my mighty griffin friends… I Emperor Gryff, and officially the owner of this barrier – hereby transfer ownership to King Aves!” I proclaimed loudly and there was cheering. “Now if you would be so kind as to land us. I want to get some training done before nightfall and leave early in the morning.”
Lord Nova thanked me and my team immediately went to work setting up tents while there was still sunlight. I then realized something, our standard operating procedure was two per tent but Addilyn made it thirteen. When I went and started unpacking Tammy came over.
“You had to bring a wife… Nate sent me this way. Normally he would bunk with you but since your wife is here you get me. Let me get this side of the tent.” Tammy said as she worked the wooden tent stake into the ground. I looked to see Addilyn handing out frozen fish to griffins. “So things never worked out with Jak, and before you start raising eyebrows at me suddenly gushing about my love life… listen. This is not easy for me. I am nearly thirty, no husband, a military career, and I get rejected a lot. There are so many women fighting over men. I say this because we are going into this tent tonight. I see the way your wife devours you with her eyes. There is almost a certainty she will have a talk with me before we slide in there to sleep. I am a fairly carefree, uninhibited woman. I have no noble upbringing or fancy titl
es besides the one you gave me. I am nervous around Addilyn, you not so much. I trust you Gryff… We all do. So if I do something wrong or something gets awkward, you save me. I am not talking about only the battlefield. I mean… Ugh… I preferred sleeping with Janice. Far less stress. Oh well, she got lucky and is probably going to be Victor's third wife soon.”
Rambling, nervous, and agitated. Tammy was my friend and teammate, so I reassured her. “Tammy relax, I am never going to be untoward to you or any woman. Addilyn is a princess…” I paused thinking of how much the woman loved sex and desired a female’s touch. “Okay, maybe you should establish ground rules. But with her, not me. I will help you out if you get overwhelmed.”
The tent was completed and I dropped the subject. Time for a run. I called the team over and Fwar was the last to arrive with Donnie. I went over how we would run past sunset then start a cooking fire, eat a meal, and crash for an early morning rise.
Fwar struggled to keep up, but never quit. We encouraged him instead of harassing him. Dinner was travel rations I had packed, while the griffins had roasted some fish with fireballs. They really loved using their magic. When dinner was over Addilyn and Tammy went for a walk and I retired to my bedroll in the tent. There were three pillows and large blankets laid out. Outside the tent entrance were two small flickering lava torches. I pulled one in and dug into my bag in the corner of the soft blankets. I found my papers and added a sleeping bag to my to do list. The seamstress would probably get the idea. We could add a button and loops instead of a zipper. I then found a fresh sheet of paper and wrote of the Battle of Saquin pass. On another sheet, I wrote out the requirements for securing all that metal. The list was long. I finished it and set the torch back outside.
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