Chapter 65 - Bryn's Origins
A sharp, deafening whistle interrupted their conversation as Cael explained to Eamon they wouldn’t cross the distance toward his family’s territory by carriage.
Eamon had to cover both ears, thinking the noise would hurt his brain if he didn’t.
As it calmed down, a fast-moving shadow started to circle them on the ground. The cadet saw a winged figure coming from behind a cloud.
The closer it got, the sharper its shadow on the ground became. The moment Eamon used his hand to block the incoming sun, his jaw dropped.
“Are… are those Gryphons?!” Eamon asked as his palms started to sweat profusely.
“Have you ever flown in one?” Cael asked.
“They are only depicted in legends! I have never even heard of one alive.”
“The world is much greater and vaster than you imagine, Cadet,” Gabriel interjected as he got up on one of the creatures.
Eamon looked closely at the magical beast in front of him. At his eye height was one of the creature's chest and the other one’s thighs.
Looking up, Cael was mounted on a four-legged eagle. Its eyes were sharp, and feathers surrounded its aggressive head and neck, covering the start of its brown fur. The end of its tail and the tip of its paws were as white as the feathers on its head. Looking down at the paws, Eamon fixated on its sharp claws, which could probably cut his sword and armor like butter. Rising his head to look at Cael, the sun behind him created a majestic effect.
Eamon looked to the side, but even looking up towards Cael was far from enough to see Gabriel above the second creature. A Gryphon variation, Eamon saw a golden, almost orange mane instead of a bird or eagle's head. The eyes were yellow and black, radiating mana. When their eyes met, Gabriel’s gryphon huffed, showing its fangs, causing Eamon to fall on his back.
“Come, cadet.” Said Gabriel, extending his hand as the lion gryphon kneeled to facilitate. Even lying down, the creature was about Eamon’s height, forcing him to stretch his arms to reach for Gabriel’s hand.
The moment they took flight, Eamon closed his eyes, holding tight with both hands at the beast's fur. Gabriel’s mana started to project outward, creating a bubble around their group, allowing both creatures to fly at top speed without losing their mounts.
Eamon slowly opened his eyes, and his GC was before him. He looked down and confirmed that his hands were still holding the creature. At his periphery vision, he noticed the forever-changing horizon. He looked to his side and noticed he could barely recognize the trees below. They looked more like a blur whenever he watched anything close to them. On the horizon, be it mountains, planes, or forests, they came as fast as the creatures left them behind.
He completely forgot he was over one of the most feared magical beasts known in the kingdom, guided by the person he dreamed of overcoming. He was simply a young man flying in the skies at that moment.
Accompanied by the magical beasts and Gabriel’s mana shield, they arrived in Earl Thornebrook's territory as the moon peaked.
Gabriel ignored the hour, knocking at the earl's front door. The guards inside opened the door, aiming to lash out at whoever was on the other side. However, both recognized Carl’s and Eamon’s uniforms, forcing them to apologize for their rude behavior. They instantly woke the earl, asking the officers to wait at the mansion's main entrance. Earl Thornebrook arrived a few minutes later, dressed in his official uniform to greet the visitors.
Who would come in the middle of the night to an earl’s home… Still, for an officer and an Academy Cadet to come here at this hour, it should be severe, Cedric thought.
The moment his eyes met them, he couldn’t believe it. His eyes filled with tears as he saluted the group, head wholly lowered.
“GC Gabriel, I salute you.” The earl said, making his men confused about the situation. The blond wore a regular uniform with no stripes, stars, or extra detail. But they knew the type of person Cedric was; he wouldn’t joke about anything, much less such a serious matter. Both instantly apologized and saluted the man the same way as their lord.
“Interesting, how did you recognize me?” Gabriel asked.
“I’ve seen you in battle, sir. I was young, but how could I forget?”
“At ease, I came here to request your help on an official matter.”
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“Your visit is the greatest honor we have ever received in our territory. Whatever you wish, this humble servant will help however I can. You two order the chef to prepare a light meal and refreshments for our guests. It must be the best that our house can offer!! Sir Gabriel, please, you and your party can come here with me; let’s talk in a more comfortable area.”
Cedric guided the group toward an office as they started talking. Gabriel presented, who accompanied him, explaining to the earl that he had business with Eamon's family.
Cedric had never met Eamon, but when Wycliffe's last name came into the conversation, he instantly recognized Aric and Isolde's traces on him.
Cedric was happy to share that their family was nearing forming a bond and that he would be pleased to accompany them to the farm. They talked a bit more, and after the refreshments, they went to separate bedrooms.
That night, Gabriel and Cael were the only ones able to relax and sleep. Cedric was ecstatic due to the most incredible honor he had ever experienced. He woke Vivienne for a night of passionate lovemaking, hoping it would bear him another heir. Eamon felt similarly to the earl; the last day seemed like a fairytale and one he wished never to wake up from.
The following day, Vivienne helped the staff prepare a breakfast feast to welcome the presence of the General Commander of Astralhaven Kingdom. Apart from the wars against the demi-humans, it was the first time one of the GCs had ever visited, so everything needed to be perfect.
Gabriel didn't care for the nobility but knew his role as a relevant figure. He indulged the Lady of the House and Earl Cedric for a couple of hours after sunrise, but as the third hour approached, he ordered the earl to prepare carriages to take them toward Wycliffe's mansion.
After their conversation the previous night, Cedric had already ordered carriages to be ready in the morning. He also sent messengers to the Wycliffe's to prepare for a visit. Very little time passed from Gabriel's order until their departure, and they all left toward the south.
While the carriages were traveling, a great confusion was cooking up at Wycliffe's house. Aric and Isolde had received the notice that the Earl, Vivienne, Adrian, and a trio of special guests would arrive for lunch. Both Aric and Isolde have been preparing for the visit for the past hours. Aric and the guards hunted fresh meat for the visitors while Isolde and the staff cleaned the house and prepared everything to receive them. It would be close, but happily, the preparations were completed with enough time for Aric to bathe before everyone arrived.
At noon, the Thornbrook carriage group crossed the gates of the farm. Unlike the banquet, they had a few extra carts this time. But Aric and Isolde were not worried. Ever since Eamon had been accepted into the Royal Academy, the family had received one blessing after the other. Evelina had met Adrian, stealing his heart and attention, and Rowan received the blessing of strength. Both were sure that this visit was to arrange the last details of the wedding, so neither could contain the smile on their faces.
As the carriages stopped, the first one to open the door and disembark was a small in the back and not the Earl's. The moment a person came down, Aric and Isolde's shock was visible in their expressions. It was Vivienne, accompanied by an army officer and Adrian.
Aric had spent time working in the military, and even though he had never risen in their ranks that much, he recognized the shoulder markings of that man anywhere.
"Isolde, the Earl brought a Commander in the army…" he whispered to his wife before saluting Cael, Vivienne, and Adrian.
Isolde could not say it, but if a commander came down from the rear carriage, who would come out of the main one? What robbed her of the opportunity was that Cedric came down from the central car accompanied by her baby. Her eyes started to water as she saw Eamon's face. He wasn't a kid anymore, resembling Aric in his youth. Her first son was becoming a man. It had been years since they last spoke, and she felt so guilty about how he grew up that she didn't realize another person had disembarked from them.
She greeted Cedric, barely looking at the Earl, running into her son's embrace.
"Eamon!!" she cried.
"Isolde, don't be rude to our guests," said Aric as he approached the four of them.
"Cedric, it's a pleasure to meet you once again. Thank you for bringing our son home."
Before Cedric could answer, Cael interjected.
"Lord Aric, it is our pleasure. We know that the time apart during the academy can weaken family bonds."
"Commander Cael is right, Aric. Don't mind for etiquette and welcome your son home." Cedric said as his hands waved toward Eamon and Isolde's embrace.
Her eyes had already cleared from the tears, but she hadn't let go of Eamon yet.
As they regained composure, everyone entered the mansion. Eamon told his parents stories about the academy, and Aric thanked Cedric and Cael for this opportunity.
From time to time, both Eamon, the earl, and his wife looked at Gabriel but said nothing.
The feast happened as any other. Isolde, Aric, Evelina, and Rowan did all they could to pamper their guests. Evelina then left the table to walk with her fiance, Adrian, and Rowan asked to spar with his older brother.
As the adults were left at the mansion, Cael asked to speak alone with Aric and Cedric, ordering the officer to take a walk outside the farm for a while. In the eyes of a small noble, a request from a Commander was similar to an official order from a duke. Isolde and Vivienne left the room as Aric poured a glass of his best wine for the three of them.
"Aric, Commander Cael needs your help." Cedric introduced himself as his friend was serving them.
"Please, Commander Cael, how can I be of service once again?"
"I'll go straight to the point, Aric. A few months ago, your farm sold some slaves in Valorheaven. I need to speak with whoever organized the deals."
Worried they could be in trouble, Aric quickly passed through his memory of the events and found nothing outside the current law had happened.
"My guard's chief was responsible for those exchanges, but we broke no royal decree on the occasion," Aric answered as the glass of liquor hit the table in front of Cedric.
"Do not worry, Aric, Commander Cael is not here because you broke any decree… Right, Commander Cael?" Only now did Cedric realize that Gabriel and Cael had been extremely vague in their explanations; still, he could do nothing about it.
Cael kept talking with them and then the guard's chief to accumulate considerable information and organize the next steps Gabriel had ordered him to take. In the meantime, Gabriel had asked two cat demi-humans to take him toward a small house alone in the fields and close to a tree line and a small creek.
Using mana, he scanned his surroundings, trying to identify any traces of Bryn to confirm this was where he had lived. Unfortunately, he could not identify anything since neither of his parents had ever awakened. The harsh reality of the tiny house depicted hit Gabriel's heart. The young faun rarely allowed these experiences to leak out of himself, always happy to learn to talk about training. There were very few times Gabriel even remembered the tragic history Bryn had shared.
About to leave, his senses picked up a small signature of fire elemental mana in the farm. Walking toward it, both guards followed the strange officer toward a muddy area near the farm's colony. Arriving there, Gabriel felt the mana unease in the area as if the mana flow had been twisted in a whirlwind.
"What happened here?" he asked.
Both guards were unsure what to say, looking at each other for the correct answer.
Gabriel then unleashed a mana pulse, and his eyes glared at both of them. As his eyes shone, Gabriel's impression of the strange officer changed completely. His petite figure now seemed as massive as the mountain range on the horizon.
"I'll ask again. What… Happened… Here…" Gabriel said as his mana output increased with each step he took toward the two.