After a short night's sleep for everyone except Junayd, who unfortunately for the others had the final watch, they set off hoping to reach their destination that day. "I slept better than I thought I would up in those branches." The young soldier said as he stretched his arms to relieve the tension in his muscles.

"That makes one of us. Your fear of heights translated into the loudest snoring I have ever heard," Nurlan spat bitterly. He was particularly cranky.

"Really?" Junayd was surprised. "I did not hear it."

The others rolled their eyes upward. "We seem to be making good time," Devrim changed the subject. "We did not even need your wind magic to speed us along."

"It is just as well, using magic is exhausting." Brinn told him. She strode along effortlessly such that Devrim wondered if she were not using just a little magic for herself.

The grey-eyed man kicked at the ground. "Still, I liked the feeling of flying—" Just like that, Devrim lifted from the ground as giant, razor-sharp talons wrapped around his torso. The griffin sailed upward with the man in his grasp and released a screeching cry. The others covered their ears as they watched in horror. The griffin's alkaline, feathered head held two intelligent eagle eyes while his lion body clawed at the air around Devrim, threatening to shred him.

"What does it want?" Aurora screamed at Brinn. The creature was obviously upset.

"We have entered his territory. He thinks we are after his treasure." Brinn translated. She said something to the griffin, but he shook Devrim like a rag doll in response.

"He did not like whatever you said," Junayd observed.

The elf grunted. "I told him we mean no harm, but he does not believe me. We have to stop him before he kills that boy!" Brinn took off in a run after the flying beast. She jumped high and slung a knife at the griffin, which lodged in the lion's hide. Aurora followed suit and drew a bow from her cloak and shot two arrows in quick succession at the eagle wings. The griffin reared back in the air and nearly dropped his captive.

Devrim, whose arms had been pinned to his side in the griffin's grip, wriggled free and managed to unsheath his sword. With all his might, he shoved the blade into the claw. Instantly, the talons released, and he went falling through the air.

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When he thought for sure he would become a pancake, he was lifted back into the air by the griffin's other claw. "Put me down!" He screamed. The griffin swooped low over the tree tops. He was teetering dangerously as blood dripped from the griffin's wounds.

Out of the branches a group of lizard-like monsters launched toward the lion-eagle. The wyverns, two footed dragons about the size of a man, were blood thirsty and hunted in packs. When they smelled the griffin's wounds, they instinctively flew to attack their prey. Unable to fight against so many foes, the griffin careened into the foliage under the weight of the wyverns. Devrim grasped wildly at the branches as the group fell mercilessly to the ground.

—————

Aurora, Brinn, Nurlan, and Junayd came on the scene as the wyverns were feasting on the griffin. The scene was grotesque, and the Empress searched frantically for Devrim. Brinn used her wind power to shoo away the scavengers temporarily. Their wings filled with a push of air, and they were held at a distance as they fought to return to their food.

"Hurry!" Brinn yelled. The three humans dove into the carnage and pulled at the griffins talons. Even with their great effort, the first claw yielded nothing, but in the second, a man covered in blood lay lifeless. They dragged him away before the elf stopped her magic.

Leaving the fray behind, they carried Devrim to the bank of a nearby stream. "Is he breathing?" The Empress asked as Nurlan examined him. He rolled Devrim on his side and hit him on the back a few times. Aurora took a strip of her clothes and rubbed his face with a wet cloth. "Come on, my love. Breathe!"

Her words called the man from the darkness. He slit his eyes and coughed, spitting blood from a cut in his mouth. Devrim groaned and tried to sit up.

"Take your time." Nurlan tried to lay him back down.

"I am fine," Devrim sputtered. He held his side and groaned.

Brinn pulled out something from her pack. "I am no doctor, but I think the griffin broke some of your ribs. Take this." She handed him some purple leaves. "Crush them in your mouth. They will help with pain."

Devrim nodded his thanks and did as instructed. Then Aurora helped him sip some water while he rested. "Why would that creature not listen to you?" Junayd asked Brinn.

Brinn shrugged, "Griffins are fiercely territorial. They have been known even to kill their own mate because they felt threatened. Their lair holds their treasure, and they will not share with anyone. Apparently we were trespassing."

"And what were those hideous lizard things? They make my skin crawl." Nurlan shivered with disgust.

"The wyverns? They are cousins of the dragons, but with less brains and only two arms. They are normally scavengers, but I guess the smell of blood was too much to resist. Speaking of which, we should get you cleaned up," she said to Devrim.

With the men's help, the pulled the injured man into the stream and washed all the crimson off of his body. The water had a rejuvenating effect. Devrim found that he was able to stand and that his body did not ache as it had. The other men felt the power in the water as well.

"Fill the water-skins," Junayd advised. "I think this water has healing properties."

Brinn nodded, "Everything close to the Mystic Spires has power in it."

"Then why don't the elves and fairies live closer to the Fates?" Devrim asked, stretching as he worked out the last kinks in his muscles. He felt almost as good as new.

"You saw the griffin and the wyverns? They are tame in comparison to some of the things around here…" Her words made the humans shiver.

Aurora looked up at the sky. The sun was halfway across the opening of the ice barrier. "We should get to Dew Mountain."

"Agreed," the others said. They packed up and hurried away before the scavengers could turn on them.

With their pace quickened, a tall multi-pointed tower soon loomed on the horizon. As they came closer, they could see the Mystic Spires perched atop a white peak: Dew Mountain. They had arrived.