Scales and Honor: Darkened Skies
Chapter 3: Pursuit
Nivra yawned as she stretched out against the sleeping form of her black furred gryphon companion. His soft fur and feathers tickling at her senses and making her let out a groan. She had been having a wonderful dream. One that was slipping from her grasp like many grains of sand. The blurry images and pleasing sounds alluded her groggy mind. With a quick sigh she tossed it from her mind , hoping to remember it later perhaps. Maybe when she was enjoying an afternoon snack or some other moment which would make her stop and shout “Aha!” like she was remembering something important.
She cracked open her icy blue eyes, the sun's golden rays flowing through the grey window blinds and into hey cozy little room that she had spent the night. The brilliant rays instantly had her shade her eyes and clench them shut as she buried her face into her friends white furred chest. She took a breath, his lion like smell filling her senses making her head feel fuzzy. She let out a content sigh. How relaxing it was to be pressed up against the sleeping gryphon. The steady rise and fall of his strong chest, and dull thumps of his powerful heart always brought calm whenever her mind was troubled. Each steady beat from his chest made her want to stay like this for hours scooched up close against him, maybe even a forelimb draped around her and pulling her firmly against his chest. This was not to be however as her mind reminded her. She was on an important mission. One that could not afford to be disrupted by her cute gryphon lover. For the quest she was on could mean the very survival of her nation of Lumara. She groaned softly, pulling herself off of the wonderful bed of gryphon fur and kneading it with her fingers as her mouth parted and another yawn snaked it's way to the waking world.
She gazed down to the gryphon beneath her fingers, watching his white chest slowly rise and fall. The decent accompanied with a slight ruffling of his silver lined wings that were hugged up close to his body. She pushed her raven colored hair from her face as Voidwing's little lion ears twitched with the next intake of breath.
“Come on soft paws.” She said softly, gently pushing the sleeping gryphon. The pet name for him flowing off the tongue as her heart beat a tad faster. Despite her words the gryphon did not wake, he did not even stir. Instead he let out a snort of air from his blacked beak lined with silver. “Typical.” She sighed with a half hearted smirk, pushing against the gryphon a tad harder than she had. Still he did not stir, his only response was a lazy smack of his tail against the off white sheets of the large over sized bed that was typical in the town of Trost. “Fine...have it your way cutewing.” She shifted her posture so that she was sitting straight up. She pushed herself off the bed, feet touching the wooden floor and hands instantly going to her side to fight the morning chill. She glanced back to the gryphon, his soft and warm fur begging her to return. She shook her head with a grumble and padded over to the dresser within the room, where her traveling clothes had been laid out for the day.
She ran a finger along the worn wood, admiring the scratches and dents that surely would have some interesting stories if she had the time to listen. Her eyes were drawn to the dark purple fabric of her wool shirt. Something she had picked up to replace her Lumarian mage robes. She had needed something, and purple was her favorite color. She slipped on her shirt with little effort, grabbing her grey breeches the moment she pocked her head out the neck. She shoved her legs in one at a time, liking how they did not bite at her or make her itch. She snatched her royal purple tabard with a gold trim stitched into it, tossing it over with a shake of her head before fastening her pouch laden leather belt around her waist. She grabbed her black traveling boots, sliding the leather pair onto her feet with a sigh. She wiggled her digits inside their new home, letting out a sigh at the pleasant, familiar feeling. She grabbed the last two things laying on the dresser, a leather headband of gold and her onyx colored cloak. She slid the headband on easily, resting it above her ears before tossing the cloak around her shoulders and fastening it with a clasp.
“There.” She smiled, doing a slight twirl as she inspected herself from shoulders to boots. Everything appeared to look in order. She strode back over to her sleeping bundle of fur and gave him another shove, firmly stirring the gryphon. He gave a few grumbling clacks of his beak, raising his head with blinking eyes.
“Finally. You're up.” She chuckled softly, “Thought you might have slipped off into an eternal sleep. Almost started kissing you to wake you up!”
“I...” The gryphon snapped his head to the window, his eyes widening in realization. “Overslept?” He bowed his head instantly, beak touching the bed. “You have my deepest apologies princess. I'm so sorry I...” His voice cracked as she shut him up by grabbing his beak with a cup of her hand.
“It's okay Voidy.” She smiled, feeling his heart start to slow through her palm. “It wasn't too bad.” She leaned in, kissing him on his beak. She giggled when she heard him sigh and his tail flop back and forth.
“Still though.” He pulled away, “I should have been up long before you. It's....My duty to protect you.”
“You don't have to keep acting so serious Voidy...We're not in the castle anymore.” She sighed, remembering the day she had murdered her father before heading out on this quest of hers to find the red scaled dragon that had visited her lands more then once. “So we need to find a lead today. So we can track that red dragon friend of ours.”
“Friend is he?” Voidwing tilted his head to the side with a raised furred brow.
“You know what I meant.” She sighed, kneeling on the bed and quickly snatching a rune covered tome from her leather pack. “Can't believe the dragon is able to hide from being scyed upon.” She opened the soft covered book with a small plop, and eyes falling to the magical runes she had inscribed on each manila page. It was to tell her how to preform each spell of her repertoire. It even described in detail how to preform each hand movement or gesture of the body. “I have only heard of a few things that can stop things like that. Each one being older magic than the rest.” She sighed deeply, resting a hand on Voidwing's back and giving it a few scratches of affection. “I guess he doesn't like to be spied upon.”
The gryphon leaped off the bed, hinds touching the floor softly as he gave a quick chirp. The pleased sound summoning warmth to her heart as he began to stretch. His limbs cracking as Nivra pictured herself casting the spell feather fall. She mentally went over each action, reciting the phrase spell to herself. For wizards prepared their spells ahead of time. Going through the casting of each except the final trigger. This was used to complete the spell later in the day whenever she chose.
“So...” The gryphon ruffled his feathers with a flick of his tail, his talons dragging softly against the wood. “If you can't scry on him, how are we going to...”Voidwing looked away from her but she knew his concern was growing. For they had been looking for the red dragon for a month now and had no sign of him. It was as she had said. He could not be located by magic, and had been staying away from towns. Not even the random villagers or a passing merchant to confirm where the dragon was heading. Instead she was forced to go on the blind hope that she was going on the right path. The uncertainty brought a lingering worry of doubt that hung heavy on her shoulders.
“Don't worry.” Voidwing brushed up against her. The tender touch of his wing bringing a moment of calm to her troubled mind. “We'll find the dragon..in no time. We always think of something.”
“Never doubted it....Just..” She flipped a page. “A matter of time until I can locate him with my abilities. Didn't do all that training over the years for nothing after all.” She smiled as Voidwing nestled up beside her, coiling around her and placed his head into his forelimbs. His presence was relaxing as she went from page to page, but she couldn't help but feel a tad guilty. After the fifth minute of her reciting her spells and him quietly lying there she said something. “You know softpaws...You don't have to sit there. You can go have breakfast or something. I still got a length of time to get these spells ready.”
“No.” He said with a thump of his tail. “It's my duty to protect you remember? I can manage an hour of quiet contemplation. I'm not that impatient. So I will be staying by your side the entire time during this trip of ours.” He fluffed up his feathers proudly as his crown feathers extended one by one.
She chuckled to herself, running a hand over his soft fur. It was so sweet how much he liked protecting her, and being there to ease her mind. “Very well my brave gryphon. But I did warn you.” She thumbed another page. “Hope you're not too hungry when I finish.”
“Knowing you're safe with satiate my desires for the moment.” The gryphon nodded, as she sighed and went back to her preparations. It took the rest of the hour to get every spell ready and swirling around in her head. It was like a small tingling sensation in the lower left of her skull. One that she had learned to block out over the years of study. One that told her she had spells begging to bubble to the surface and be let loose upon the world. She closed the tome with a slam, Voidwing's head snapping up in surprise. “Calm down Voidy.” She stretched, standing up with a loud stifled yawn. “Only a book. Not under attack or anything.” She ran a hand over the tense gryphon's flank. She felt his muscles relax the moment her hand grazed his fur.
“Heh...right of course.” Voidwing chuckled softly, pouncing from the bed with a rumble of need echoing from his stomach.
“So you were hungry.” She sighed grabbing her pack and waving for her loyal gryphon to follow her out the door and into the hallway. She snatched up her wooden staff leaning next to the door, admiring the smooth surface. It was curled and twisted into a shape that looked to be more art then weapon.
“Never said I wasn't.” Voidwing chirped, shutting the door behind them as they strode down the hallway barely large enough to fit the gryphon's size.
“You could have left.” She held up her hand as the stairs to the lower level came into view. “And don't give me any of that it's your duty speak again.”
“So you're learning then.” The gryphon laughed as they descended the stairs and took a seat in the dining room filled with wooden tables and chairs all worn with years of use.Nivra was surpsied the things were even standing up and able to support her weight. Scrapes and scratches covered the floor, some parts of the wood even having chunks missing. Wooden rafters were overhead, dangling chandeliers with mana crystals hanging within metal grasps. Through the windows streamed in the morning light, highlighting the dust wafting through the air. She sighed as a morning breeze came wafting in through an open window, bringing the scent of horses mixed with gryphons to her senses The place was filled with the chatter of the morning patrons, several where seated by the bar, sipping cups of steam curling coffee. Others gobbled away at their wooden plates, laughing away with a series of gryphons beside them. Her stomach rumbled as she caught the scent of rok eggs being cooked. The spicy aroma snaked it's way into her nostrils and begged to be eaten. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “Think I know what I'm having.” She mumbled.
“Hello there sunshine. Thought ya two would be sleepin in.” Came the rough voice of the innkeeper. Nivra cracked open her eyes as the balding man came over with an apron and a smile. “So what can I do for ya two?”
“I would simply adore some rok eggs if you have them good sir.” She gave him a tooth filled smile that only made him chuckle.
“You some sort of noble or somethin? Don't usually get yer type around here.”
“Of...sorts.” She lied, looking to Voidwing, trying to steer the conversation to his food. Last thing she wanted was everyone talking about how the princess came to this little inn. “What'd you want Voidy?”
“Same as her actually.” The gryphon licked his beak with a single swipe, settling onto his haunches next to the wooden table.
“Hmm..Makes it easy for me.” The man smiled, tapping his forehead. “Though I chuckle each time a gryphon orders eggs.”
“We're not birds. So why would that bother you?”
“Ah yes...Well...I always thought it was always funny.” The man cleared his throat with a cough as they eyed him. “So what brings you two travelers to the town of Trost?”
Nivra eyed the man's warm expression. She knew that it was most likely something harmless. Small talk it was called, but despite that she could not cast out the small voice at the base of her head It whispered to her that this man couldn't be trusted. “We...were passing through town. Looking for some friends of ours.”
“Friends huh? Happen to have names? Maybe I seen them round these parts.”
“They...are a unique bunch. Ones a big red dragon with cerulean eyes. Some have said they sparkle like sapphires.” She held up her hand, cupping the fingers.
“Huh.” The man rubbed his chin, “No dragons round here...Although..” The innkeeper turned his head to several large gash marks in the floor. “We had one this one months back now. Came in with this armored fellow...Arcturus!” The man snapped his fingers as realization sparkled in his amber spheres. “That's it..ya..Arcturus Lund. Well that red scaled bastard bumbled in here like a drunk! Took no more then four steps and tripped. Took out my whole damned table. Dishes went everywhere. Shoulda seen the mess-”
“Months ago?” Her voice filled with concern as she glanced to her gryphon. No sign of the dragon?” She felt the weight of her choice settle heavily on her shoulders. Doubt worked it's way into her heart like a knife as the man continued to describe how the dragon sang to his patrons. “So...nothing recently then?”
“None since.” The man chuckled. “Probably for the best. Figure if he kept at it I'd have lost the whole building in an accidental fire.”
“Was there anywhere else they visited before they left?” She sighed, crossing her hands in her lap.
“I know they visited several shops..Fetched some things with that half-elf lass they picked up...You know..You're kind of late to go finding your friends miss.”
“Darn the luck.” She snapped her fingers in feigned defeat. “Thank you for the help innkeep. I was merely interested in knowing if it was recent and all.”
“Though you should have seen this pair that came in the other day.” The man laughed, holding his sides. “This dwarf lass with hair like flames, most vibrant green eyes...And a temper to boot! She and this blue gryphon fella drank so much ale I thought it was going to kill them!” The man held up his hands, “And that's saying something for dwarves and gryphons. Usually you..”He gestured to Voidwing with his neck. “And dwarves can handle quite the stuff..But these two...They go up and beyond what I thought possible.”
Nivra sighed, eyeing the man's infectious smile as he went on about the two mischievous pair. She was sure there was some mention of a gryphon getting kicked in the stones over some lewd comments they made. “Why on paladine's name would I want to know about the drunk antics of a dwarf and a gryphon?”
“Wasn't one of our friends a blue gryphon with teal tipped feathers?” Voidwing cocked his head, “I believe his name was....”The gryphon tapped his beak with a talon. “Started with a K.”
“Karl?” Nivra rose a brow. “Kenneth?”
Voidwing shook his head.
“Krotos?” The barkeep snapped his fingers.
“That's it!” Voidwing chirped in joy. “The bird was named Krotos!”
Nivra smiled, folding her hands against the table not believing the luck. Hopefully if they had any more luck the gryphon would still be around the dragon. “Did you by chance catch where those two ruffians were heading?”
“Sadly..no.” The barkeep sighed, calling back to his cook that the two patrons wanted rok eggs. He thumbed towards a blue feather sticking out of a rounded hat resting on a coat rack behind the bar. “Damn lewd bird slipped that to me before making a pass at me.” The man chuckled, gazing long fully at the sea foam tipped feather. “Flattered I was...You get that a lot when ya work with drunk gryphons.”
“Did you...you know.” Nivra giggled slightly as a red tint came to the man's face.
“No! Just kept the feather I did. T'was pretty. Figured it look good in me hat!”
Nivra eyed the blue quill, a prickle in the back of her mind insisted she needed that feather. For if she could not track the dragon. Perhaps she could track one of his traveling companions instead. It might have been a long shot, but it still might be worth trying. “Would...you be willing to part with such a wonderful bit of plumage my dear sir?” She shifted in her seat, putting on the sweetest face she could muster. “It would look positively radiant with my things.”
“You want the feather?” The man turned to her with a confused look.
“That..is what I just said.” She smiled through her teeth.
“Oh...I get it..” The innkeeper smirked, “There's something rare about it aint it? That color of feather...I knew it!”
“No..Nothing of the sort my good man.” She swished dismissively. “Just a nice looking quill it is. You know woman and all...Collecting pretty things.” She flashed Voidwing a smile, brushing his fur tenderly with her hand. She sighed as he leaned into her touch, and let out a soft chirp.
“Two hundred.” The innkeeper snapped her attention away from her gryphon.
“Two hundred what?”
“Gold coins o course! What else coulda I meant?”
“Gold coins for a simple quill?” She laughed, “For a mere feather? That seems utterly preposterous.” She made sure to cover her mouth as she began to snicker. However, to her disappointment he didn't seem to budge.
“Course..How rude of me milady. I meant to say.” The man pressed his palm to the table, glaring into her eyes with a smug smile. “I meant to say. Two hundred platinum.”
Now the man was just being ridiculous. “Two thousand gold pieces? No one has that kind of money on them.” She laughed into her hand. “What makes you think in your wildest dream that I would actually pay for that?'
“Cause yer a noble woman I figure.” The man cupped his chin, leaning back as stood back up. “Tell ya got coin ta spend and ya want that feather something awful. I can see it in those eyes of yours. So it's as I said. The feather is two hundred plat. Take it or leave it.”
Nivra chuckled, moving her hand from Voidwing's face to his head, scratching behind his ears as she watched the man's confident grin. He thought he had won of course. That she was just a woman who would pay for such an extravagant thing. “You're right innkeep. I do need that feather to find these travelers, but the price you offer is absolute madness.”
“Still stands.” He crossed his arms with a quick bob of his head.
She sighed, taking her hands off of voidwing. She had indeed brought some coin for the adventure ahead, but she could not just go spending it all here right now. “Suppose you're right...Nothing I can..” She flicked her wrist, drawing a small circle in the air. Brilliant purple light flowed from her fingertips, sparking around her skin. It hung for a moment as the man's eyes widened, transfixed by the swirling light. With the command phrase the ring moved from the air to jolt into the man's widened eyes. The light circled his pupils with a soft purple ring. The innkeeper's grin faded away as his jaw fell open and his arms slacked.
“Nivra.” Voidwing said softly, poking the innkeeper with a talon like he was a delicate flower “What did you do to him?”
“Charm spell.” She patted the gryphon calmly, a smile working it's way to her own lips. “now innkeeper.” She said in a confident tone. “I'd like that feather please if you would. It would look ever so lovely in my hair. You want to help someone like me don't you?”
“Yes Maem.” The man replied with a monotone voice.
“Good.” She turned to Voidwing with a grin, whose beak was slightly parted. His apricot eyes were shifting from corner to corner of the inn, looking for any prying eyes or ears. “Now be a good man and fetch it for me. I'll even be a good sport and pay you ten gold pieces for it. More then fair despite your rudeness to me.” She opened up her pouch and fished out the amount of coin and set it on the table with several clinks. “Sound good?”
“Yea it does maem.” The man replied, stumbling over to the coat rack to pluck the blue feather from his hat. “Here we are.” He came back with a smile. “One feather for my best friend.”
“Why thank you!” She snatched the feather from his outstretched hand. It was a dark cerulean and was soft to the touch, just as soft as Voidwing's. It certainly looked like one from that of a gryphon. It looked like the man was telling the truth after all. She stashed it quickly into her pouches as her gryphon flashed her another worried look. She could tell by the way his tail was flicking, despite his ability to try and hide it behind him.
“Come on Sweetpaws.” She stood up, pushing in her chair with a scrape. “Let's get out of here before my new friend comes to and realizes what we've done.”
“We've? If I recall correctly it was you that cast the spell!” The bird chirped, voice heightened as she simple waved to him to follow.
Quick glance around the inn revealed that no one had seen what had happened, or at least if they had no one cared. Not a single patron rose their head to offer them even a casual glance in their direction. Save one pockmarked man nursing an off white mug.
“At least you gave the man some coin.” Voidwing snorted, opening and nearly slamming the door behind her. “You cheated him!”
“He was being quite rude Voidy.” She quickened her pace in the large street missing the usual coblestone. It was made of worn dirt with the hoof prints of horses, and hinds of gryphons formed into it's surface. They started to pass shop after shop, leaving the inn far behind them as gryphon's flew overhead with a series of joyous chirps. She curled her head to peak back to the inn with a sign designating it the gallant gryphon. She didn't want to be around when the spell ran out shortly. She chuckled to herself as she almost expected him to come running out, red faced with a shaking fist.
“Still no excuse to cheat the man and practically steal his feather!” The gryphon stopped, stamping his rear hind pad against the smooth dirt and smearing it's brown onto his white limb.
“We needed it Voidwing.” She sighed, turning and cupping the gryphon's beak. “He was trying to scam us out of our coin! Did you not hear the ridiculous price he put on it? Each second we waste without a clue is another that the red brute we're after is flying away. Maybe even to get this army of dragons as we speak!” She ducked into a space between buildings, motioning for her bodyguard to follow. She scanned around the wooden crates that littered the area, thankful that no one was near by. She smiled when the gryphon slunk over towards her, even if the fire in his eyes didn't fade.
“Listen Voidy if it warms your feathers I could have simply pulled the princess card on him. Would that have been better?”
“I...Er..” Voidwing squirmed as she focused on him. She chuckled at how cute he always looked when flustered. “It certainly would be.” He swelled up his chest. “If you're to be a good queen Nivra you can't go abusing your power just cause you have it. This sounds something your father would have-”
“I'm not my father.” She snapped, touching the surprised gryphon's beak with a jab of a finger. He clamped his beak instantly with clack as she ran her finger down the smooth surface. “I'm...better than that man will ever be.” She glanced over her shoulder, actually feeling guilty that she taken the feather from that man. Curse you Voidwing. She rested a hand on the gryphon's furred shoulder, letting out a heavy sigh. “When I get back and become queen I will make sure he is compensated for his troubles.”
“Good.” The gryphon nosed her with his beak, refolding his wings. “Knew you had the heart.”
“Now, Now.” She pulled out the feather as she scratched under her bodyguard's chin. “I hold in my hands the feather that could very well save our kingdom Voidy.” She watched his eyes focus on the item clutched in her hands.
“How is a simple feather from a gryphon going to do all that?”
“Scrying.” She cut him off, retracting her hand to a disappointing coo. “Don't worry Softpaws, I can scratch you later. After we look into the only clue we have gotten. She ran a finger along the feather's surface, brushing aside the cerulean thing. She spoke the command phrase softly, thinking to the quill's owner and his navy blue fur, yellow beak with an orange stripe, and his teal tips that lined every part of his wings. The feather rose from her hands as if suspended by an invisible wire, the thing trembling in the air fractions of an inch at a time. It then shook, entering a rapid spin. The quill turned into a blue and teal whirlwind as the wizard watched with excited breaths. True this was only a lead, and there was no guarantee that he was with the red dragon, but this was the best one they had.
“Whats it going to-”
The feather stopped almost on cue to Voidwing's question, pointing east towards the mountains and beyond that. the kingdom of Drendar.
“See!” She snapped her fingers with a smile. “There! What did I tell you!” She snatched the feather.
“Never doubted you.” The bird chuckled, spreading his wings as he bounded to the street with a wagging of his tail. The black and white gryphon lowered himself, gesturing to her with his neck. “I didn't think you'd want to stick around.”
“You speak truth. I knew you had an excellent brain within that feathered head of yours.” She smiled warmly, tapping her wonderful gryphon on his head and gently running a hand through his crown feathers. “I trust you to fly swiftly?” She slung one leg over Voidwing, nestling onto his back with a pleased sigh.
“Of course I will! Do I do anything for you that is less then excellent?”
“No.” She hugged him around the neck. “You're my perfect and wonderful Sweetpaws.” She quickly checked all her gear, making sure it was properly secure before tapping her staff held within her hands once. She muttered the spell softly, the wooden staff instantly shrinking to be the size of a small stick hardly any bigger than her hand. “Okay...Ready.” She patted Voidwing's side, the gryphon releasing a pleased chirp before testing his wings with an excited flap.
“To Drenedar then?” He smirked, gazing up into the bright blue sky, filled with practically flocks of gryphons darting playfully overhead.
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“That would appear to be the case.” She held out her hand, the feather just hovering close to her palm a mere inch above it. It instantly jolted to point to where it had been pointing before, just like the needle of a compass.
“Hang tight then!” Voidwing cried out, bounding into the air with a loud keening cry. “What about breakfast?” He laughed as he climbed. Bringing them high above the town in a matter of moments. He spread his wings wide into a glide as they drifted along the currents.
“I suppose we can stop for you to hunt something.” She peaked back to the tavern. The innkeeper rushing out into the street and giving them a rather rude gesture. “This good fortune is worth the delay.”
“I'm...thinking fish.” Voidwing beat his wings against the sky, the wind making the gryphon's fur and her clothes flutter carefree. “You can cook it with some magical fire.”
She held a hand to her chest, laughing as the gryphon peaked back at her with an amused smirk. “You expect the princess to cook for you? I warn you gryphon, that I have burned water before.”
“Burned water?” He chuckled, dipping his wing with a joyous sound that echoed in the air. “I would pay to see that.”
Nivra sighed, her eyes drifting from the feather to the hills around Trost that rose and fell like waves of a stormy sea. On the horizon she could see the grey tipped mountains, and the fluffy white clouds that hung just over their tips. “There.” She pointed to the heights. “That is where our quarry lies.”
Voidwing nodded and carried them towards the mountains with a pleased chirp, as they happily enjoyed the sun's rays that warmed and enveloped them like a warm blanket.
*
The next month passed rather quickly as they followed the blue gryphon who traveled with the dragon they sought. They had come across several places that had been used as camp sights for the group of adventurers. In these places with empty fire pits they found large paw prints and deep claw marks on the ground. With quick kisses to her gryphon she had cheered, that their little feather had paid off. It was not long until their careful flights brought them across the hills, the buildings of Bromwhich looking like little rocks in the distance among the sea of green.
Nivra felt her heart beast faster with each pounding of Voidwing's wings. They had been gaining that she was certain, for gryphon's were faster then dragons. It had been recorded numerous times in Lumarian history, and Voidwing was as fast as they came. She smiled as she would bet on him to win a race with any of his kin. “You ready?” She asked, rubbing the gryphon's neck. They had not been to a town in a number of days. The red dragon and his group seemingly avoiding them on their way through here.
“Of course.” Voidwing replied in a calm tone, beak swaying slowly as the observate bird took in their surroundings. “Do you think he really came here? I don't see any flames cackling away.”
See that father? More proof that he wasn't the monster you made him to be. “Excellent. That means there is people to question about him. Maybe we can learn a thing or two before we have to have an extended chat with the red drake. Can you imagine? Traveling all this way with nothing to say? I think I'd die of embarrassment.”
Voidwing didn't reply, dipping his wings and following the current above some sparse trees as the rocks of the village rose forth into tall buildings of sturdy wood. First thing she noticed as they drew closer was the place was empty. Not an exaggerated saying one might say to a friend out of jest. Literally no one was walking the streets leading to this place. And we haven't seen any movements save some traders on wolves. And they were giving this place a wide berth. She wrinkled her brow as a pit grew in her stomach. “Careful.” She tapped her staff, letting it grow into it's full size in a flash. She could feel the knot in her stomach grow, almost making her sick as her eyes drifted to the buildings. “Shouldn't there be people?” She mumbled, thankful for the steadying beats of the gryphon to sooth her heart. “Best we land on the outskirts then. Avoid throwing ourselves into that mess.”
“Or we circle from above princess. Get a better look of the area before we go risking my feathers and your skin.” His voice became stern as his job took over.
“Then let me help your watchful eyes.” She whispered a quick spell, running a hand along the gryphon's cheek. Small light blue runes appeared around the tips of her fingers. There was a brief shimmer of light as the magic transferred to the gryphon. The runes that had been on her fingers were now in the irises of his eyes.
“What'd you do?” Voidwing chirped, starting to make his way around the deserted town. “It's like I can see twice as good!”
“Little enhancement spell.” She said calmly, patting the excited gryphon as his head darted back and forth. “Decided that your eyes could use the boost.”
“Thank you dearly. Can't see anything yet...but look at that.” Voidwing pointed towards a large pile of what looked like burned corpses in the center of the town. It was placed right next to a cracked and shattered statue. The stone was scattered around like puzzle pieces waiting to be put back together. “Looks like the pile is made from orcs.. They...are stripped of everything...” Voidwing wrinkled his face, sticking out his tongue in disgust. “Hard to see where one of them begins and the other ends.”
“Wonderful.” She groaned, casting her eyes from the pile of death to the arrows stuck in each building, and risen stone walls from the earth. Each stone section had craters and whole parts that been broken or blown away. A battle had taken place here, that she was certain. She could even spy the marks of dragon fire that had painted the ground black, and turned any grass into ash.
“I don't think there will be anyone left to question.” Voidwing beat his wings, placing more distance between the graveyard of a town and themselves. “Voidwing carried them safely through the air. The only sound filling his ears was that of his quickened heart and breaths of his fair princess.” The gryphon's mumbled, carried a worried tone.
She sighed, running a hand through his fur and kneading at his muscles. She hated to admit it, but the unease swirled within her heart like a storm. Dead orcs with no villagers? Things looked very grim indeed. Did the dragon come to burn this village? Or did he defend it against these orcs? “The lovely princess stroked her gryphon's feathers, reminding him that he was the finest warrior to protect her, and she hoped her words would sooth the troubled bird's heart.”
Voidwing chuckled as he angled a wing through the air, drifting over a building that was burned away to resemble more of a corpse than anything built by man. “Thanks my lovely princess I...Needed that.” He flapped his wings, swooping over a grey scaled roof. “So..where too next? Things don't look in our favor for our scaled friend.”
“True..But why leave everything standing? I shall need answers Voidy. That way we can accurately deduce his intentions.” She plucked Krotos' feather from her pouch, holding the thing in her palms as Voidwing spread his wings out into glide, the air wafting through his tips. It was so smooth that if she were to close her eyes and ignored the light wind tickling her face she might forget they were flying in the first place.
“Give me a second of time Softpaws, and we shall be back on the trail of our gryphon friend who dashed away with his band of-” Her words were cut short as a twang sounded through the air. A large weighted net collided with Voidwing, wrapping around the gryphon and princess quick as a flash. Nivra screamed in surprise as the gryphon she loved plummeted like a brick towards the hard earth below.
“Nivra!” Voidwing shouted out, struggling against the course ropes that bound them tight as a serpent's coils.
“Got..to..” Nivra struggled to pull a hand free as the ground came racing towards them faster than she would have liked. She just had to..She yanked her hand free and snapped her finger. “Ufte mahad!” She shrieked at the top of her lungs, seconds before she and her gryphon were introduced to the ground. They landed with a dull thud, lacking the sound of bones cracking or wet smacks.
“Love..that spell.” Voidwing gasped, straining against his binds with a frustrated squawk.
“Yea...Featherfall. Watch closely...” She groaned, wiggling her fingers, “You'll like this one even better.” She grabbed the gryphon tightly, his fur brushing against her face as she drew a square with a free hand, a strand of sparkling green energy left in her wake. “Bruheld bulde” She uttered, a cooling sensation wrapping itself around them. Like a breeze had swept over them on a hot day. Her body wavered, the lines marking it suddenly fading away. She looked to her hand to see that it now swirled as if made of little strands of smoke. The net that bound them so tightly glided right through her form, landing at their feet with a thump. “Mistform.” She smirked as she and the gryphon's bodies returned to their corporeal form. She let out a long sigh as the cold was replaced with warmth, and a small wisp of mist escaped her mouth like on a cold winter's day.
“Yup, you were right. Loved that one too.” Voidwing chirped, his eyes instantly going from the mage to that of the battered and broken buildings that lay before them. Silence lingered for a moment or two as motes of dust wafted along in the beams of light streaming through the blackened, charred beams that had once made up a shop for armor. The sign still was attached to it's hinges, singed with the picture of a blue heater shield on it.”Now.” The gryphon refolded his wings, holding his onyx beak high and sniffing along the air. “We find where our attackers decided to hide.” His tail flicked only once before he lowered his neck to sniff at the ground, like he was some sort of bloodhound from the northeastern section of Lumara. “Nivra..Did you hear that?” His ears swiveled and twitched as he pulled his head back, his fur standing on edge.
“No.” She eyed the wrecked buildings, dropping to a combat stance as a piece of the ruins broke away with a loud crack, scattering up dirt into the air. She did a quick swish of her hand, summoning forth a whips of blue white electricity that grew from her hand like little crackling serpent.
“Get down!” Voidwing roared, wrapping her tightly around the waist with his forelimb and dragging her with a single bound. They struck the ground with a thud, his bulk not diminishing the quick flash of pain. She saw another net go flying over where they had just been. She silently thanked whatever god was listening for the wonderful ears of gryphons.
“Get dem lads!” Came the loud booming voice of an armored orc that came bursting out of a ruined building's door. The chipped tusked greenskin thrust a sharpened ax towards them with malicious intent, as dust settled onto his studded leather armor that adorned his muscular frame.
Oh darn
From buildings came other orcs adorned as he was. Like water they burst out of doors, half ruined walls, some even crashing over a cart and leaping over the twisted and broken remains. Each one had either an ax, spear, sword, or any other instrument of pain they could carry. She even spied one such creature with a scythe a farmer would use from the fields. They bound towards the gryphon and mage in a disorderly fashion, boots tossing up any loose debris as they roared their battle cry through the deserted streets.
Ten
She took a calming breath, letting the electric whip coil and twist around her fingers as Voidwing let out a keening call of warning and flaring out his silver tipped wings to protect her. The thought to leave crossed her mind in the next second as the wave of orcs advanced, but she needed answers about the dragon. These could very well be the souls they needed to get information on their scaled friend. “Can't we talk about this?” She asked in a polite tone, taking a position between Voidwing and the mass of orcs.
“Get da witch!” One orc cried out, tossing a spear towards them with a violent throw. It sailed through the air towards her, eager to taste blood with it's sharpened head. Voidwing swerved to avoid it, smacking the thing right out of the air with a quickened strike from a claw. The spear clattered uselessly to the cobblestone.
Why do they always pick the hard way? She sighed, lashing out at the closest warrior. The electrical whip wrapped around him. The blue white energy that was cackling around it spread to the skin of the orc. It swirled around him in a quick beautiful fashion, then instantly made his body twitch and spasm. “This could have been avoided you know!” She retracted the whip with a crack, bounding backwards as a javelin sailed by her and crashed into the ground with a clatter. “I just wanted to talk!”
“No talk to witches lads!” One orc cried out, going to slice at Voidwing with his jagged blade. The gryphon. bless his feathers was quicker than this petty rabble. He avoided the strike and ripped out the orc's throat with his beak. Crimson rivers spurted forth from the greenskin as he stumbled backwards in a shocked daze.
“Save at least one of them!” Nivra cried out, pointing her staff towards another attacker. Little sparks of light danced around her skin before it collected into her wooden staff and shoot forth a bolt of brilliant lightning that hissed through the air. It passed right between two orcs, the bolt spreading out to lick at their torsos and made them do a weird stumbling dance. They slumped to the ground smoking as Voidwing sliced another orc's head clean from his shoulders with a loud squawk.
“Come on lads! Only a witch an her little birdy!” Another orc shouted, his companion him punching Voidwing clear in the face. The bird stumbled and squawked in pain, smacking back the orc that struck him. Throats rang out in a battle cry once more as the mage and gryphon found themselves surrounded rather quickly as they continued their deadly dance. Nivra was forced to dodge and weave her way through the numerous clumsy strikes being swung her way. She blinded one orc with a shower of red sparks right into his eyes, tossed acid into another one's face, anything to keep the blades being swung at her from slicing anything important.
“Come on! She's just a small thing!” A orcish blade passed right passed her neck, missing the fair flesh by mere centimeters.
No more playing around then.
She had studied under the wizard Shandalar after all. With a small focus to her spells she could weave holes into the effects of her more powerful ones. “Yolgramta” She shouted, forming a ball with her hands of flickering flames. She pushed it down towards the ground right at her feet. The ball struck the cobblestone and exploded with the force of a hurricane. It roared it's fury as it expanded outwards and enveloped the street in it's destructing wave. The two closest orcs to her were incinerated where they stood, their bodies being reduced to nothing but blackened ash. Those further from them were lifted off the ground and flung to the ground, tumbling to a stop. This all happened while she and Voidwing remained perfectly safe, as if the spell itself weaved around them. Though she could still a slight tingling sensation that brought warmth to her skin.
“That's the way!” Voidwing cheered as the clattering of their weapons stopped, and a slight ringing sounded in her ears. The smoke cleared away, to reveal the gryphon standing proudly over three orcs, all sliced to ribbons, and the gryphon's claws dripping with their blood. “Although. You should warn me! Makes me shiver in my feathers something awful each time you do that!” Voidwing cried, ducking as another spear was loosed from a hiding orc's grasp. Others seemingly coming to avenge the fallen warriors that were blackened and burned at their feet.
“Don't these ruffians give up in the slightest? Did they not just see me incinerate some of their kin?” She counted at least ten more sprinting up the street towards them. Their weapons held at the ready, and issuing their own battlecrys. She briefly wondered how many other of their brethren waited within this ruined town. She had many spells of course to handle the ones before her, but she had a finite number. There was no possible way she could keep this up all day. She and her gryphon had to get away, regroup. She struck an orc in the chest with her wooden staff, the tip glowing a bright white before sending the startled warrior flying back ten feet. He tossed and turned with pained grunts, eventually crashing into a wall with a groan. With the closest threat managed she slunk passed another towering orc, blinded another with her acid until she stood nearly side to side with her agile gryphon defender. His fur was ruffled in several areas, and thin red gashes lined his fur. They seemed to be mere cuts, nothing too serious that a health potion would not cure. “Push them back! Quick!” She shouted, her gryphon nodded and slamming the orc he had been fighting with his talons. The greenskin shouted out some curses as he was tossed back onto his ass, and Nivra started chanting.
“Iizt vunded” She said smoothly, touching the tip of her staff with a cupped hand. Blue energy collected within her palm that tickled her senses. It felt like she was holding a ball of ice, her fingers soon starting to feel as though they were on fire. She spun round and threw the collection of energy towards the ground. It touched the cobblestone, the ball of magic splitting and shining brilliantly on the ground that made several orcs rushing towards them cover their eyes to avoid being blinded. From the impact point rose a blue wall of thick ice. It quickly grew from a small thin slab to one that was ten feet fall and stretching wide enough to cover the entire street.
“Come on!” Voidwing shouted over the angry cries of the orcs, as the sound of thwacks against the hardened ice filled the air. “By the time they get over that wall we will be long gone!” The gryphon took a step, spreading his wings wide. But something was off, his leg crumpled the moment his talon touched the ground. The black and white gryphon let loose a pained. “Grah.” before stumbling to the ground with ragged breaths.
“Voidy!” She shouted, nerves turning to ice as she sprang to her gryphon's side and throwing her staff to the ground with a clatter.
The gryphon slowly raised his beak, breaths coming hard as he closed his eyes shut from the effort.
“Whats wrong?” She raised her hands over his form. She spied the thin cuts from before, they didn't look too bad. What could have him acting in such a way?
“Can't....Move.” He said weakly, his voice but a whisper. It drove a needle into her heart as she cupped one of his talons in her palms.
Not one to sit by and watch. The mage inspected his body, every inch until she found the culprit. There were a few fat darts sticking out of his flank with purple feathers. She pulled one out, the metal tip dripping a viscous purple sludge onto the stone at her feet. “Found the cause Softpaws.” She wrinkled her brow, quickly turning the metal thing over. It was rather plain besides the feathers lining near the end. Since when did orcs start using poison? They always prefer straight fights. She stashed the dart in her pouch, pulling free the other ones and tossing them to the ground. “Looks like a crippling poison.” She stroked his feathers, trying to fight off the worry pounding it's way into her skull like a drum. She closed her eyes and focused on her breaths. Being worried wasn't going to get them out of this. Nor would it save her gryphon from being cut and gutted from those greenskinned brutes. Just another lesson that her elvish teacher had instructed in her. For moments like this she wished she had the same emotionless outlook that they had. Would make things plenty easier...Think Nivra..
“Go round boys! Stop hacken away at the witches spells!” Cheers of orcs soon following that lingered in the air and made Nivra's skin prickle.
If only they knew just how lucky they were.
“Just go...If you can't lift me. No sense in both of us dying here.” Voidwing's tail twitched, almost as if he had wanted to flick it. His words cut into her, but made her shake her head.
“Not going to die Voidy..” She tapped her chin, trying to push out the victorious cries of her orcish pursuers. “Just...Need the right spell is all.” She lowered her hand to tap the gryphon three times with a finger, mind delving from spell to spell that she had prepared earlier in the day. It came to her as she hovered over the blackened fur. “Got it!” She exclaimed, stifling her excitement with a hand. She took a breath, preforming sequences with her hands and finally smacking the air with the flat of her hand. “Don't worry Voidwing..I got you...Would never leave you behind.” She pictured Voidwing the size of a cat, easily picked up to be held. She knew the gryphon would hate to be smaller, but it couldn't be helped. His pride could be hurt if it meant being able to survive the next few minutes.
“Feels..weird..” Voidwing's tail tapped the ground softly as the gryphon started to shrink. Before her eyes he was the size of a human as his breaths started to pick up, and surprise making his iris' swell.
“Whats going on? Why is everything growing?”
“Not growing.” She plucked the now cat sized gryphon into her hands. It was rather odd to be the bigger one for a change, but she pulled the little thing against her chest softly. “You got smaller Cutewing. Now hold on tight. This time it's me who has to get us out of here.” She bolted off with a deep breath, one that left her lungs all tingly. Her legs carried her swiftly down the street as she heard the hollering and whooping of the orcs follow her pounding steps. To her disappointment it sounded like the rowdy bunch of thugs had seen her, or at least heard her footsteps hitting the cobblestone. She cursed to herself, repeating darn over and over again in time with her steps. She scanned every scattered stone, each burned out corpse of a building, every turned over cart missing some wheels. Anything that she hoped she could use to get away from her pursuers. She ducked under a collapsed beam, nearly tripping as her boot caught an uneven stone. Just...need a moment...to hide. She rounded a corner, the calls of orcs closing fast on her heels. She might have considered herself quick on her feet, but this...She was no trained athlete, no fighter to keep this up. She knew in the bottom of her heart she needed to find somewhere fast. If...Only I'd remembered to prepare invisibility. She sighed, already scolding herself. Though...I would have only been able to shield one of us. She leaped over a stone in the middle of the street with a loud thump. “Might have helped for the the after part.” She felt her legs start to burn, rebelling against her constant running. Always....prepare..that god darned spell.
“Over here!” A voice called out as she ran passed a boarded up smithy. The anvil wooden sign was broken and splintered before the door.
Nivra came to a screeching halt despite her better judgment. She fought the voice in her head begging her to keep running, her legs thanking her moment of rest as soreness started to creep up her thighs. She scanned the ruined place for the concerned voice, not seeing anything among the broken and beaten wood that had been covered with arrows sticking out here and there.
“Oi I said over 'ere!” A woman with braided raven hair poked her head out from a crack in one of the wooden beams. “Dart in here lady! The orcs don't tend to visit this place!”
“Who are you?” Nivra raised a brow, ignoring the sound of orcs getting ever closer. Seconds from now it wouldn't even matter if she decided to go in or not. They would see her and follow with snarls of victory. “Gah....okay.” She gritted her fighting back her distrust screaming into her brain not to listen.
“Just squeeze between the bleeden cracks.” The woman rose a slender hand to point to a small section of wood that had a narrow pass between the planks. “Hurry now, before dey catch ya!”
Nivra nodded, clutching the gryphon tightly within her grasp. “Hold on Voidwing.” She said softly, bounding to the planks and taking a deep breath. She squeezed herself between the planks, thankful that she didn't catch anything on a loose splinter or sharpened edge. The last thing she needed was to get stuck right now in her moment of victory. It was a tight fit, but she managed it. She passed through with a heavy exhale. She got a quick flash of the darkened room only lit by the thin strands of light that leaked in through the wooden beams. Splintered tables scattered the room, mixed with rocks and things she hoped were not bodies covered in soiled sheets. The woman from before stood before her, peaking out the window with her bright yellow eyes. She must have had some sort of inhuman blood in her, since they even glowed slightly within the shaded room. She wore a loose fitting grey shirt and black breeches, a dark brown belt around her waist fitted with several pouches of worn leather. Her hands and legs were covered in dirt and soot, and appeared to not be carrying any weapon of any kind. That at least was something to be thankful for. Nivra sighed, her inner voice reminding her they still might find her here.
We need some sort of guarantee.
She set Voidwing down on a darkened red rug, spinning around on her heels before heading back to the small gap.
“What are ya doing miss? Are ya focken crazy?”The woman lowered her voice with a hiss, shooting daggers with her eyes. “Ya going ta get us killed you is.”
“I...got a plan.” She replied, squeezing herself into the small wedge. She quickly thought to all her spells in the back of her mind. The magical energies begging to be released to the world. Which one to use however. Which one would guarantee that they not be found? An illusion. Her mind whispered. Something for them to keep chasing until they are good and gone. She nearly smacked her head from having to wait that long to think of it. Of course that was the answer that she needed. She positioned herself so that she could see the worn streets before her, stretching down to the small broken gate of the place. She preformed a motion with her fingers, pushing them together and quickly pulling them apart. Lights of indigo followed her movements as she focused on the spell she needed. She pictured herself running down the street in a full sprint, clutching at the gryphon she loved at her chest. Sure enough, the moment she snapped her fingers an almost perfect copy of her sprung into existence several feet from her. She watched for a moment as her illusion self looked back towards the street in worry, dread spreading to her fake face. The fake Nivra gave a loud scream, sprinting down the street with her cape fluttering behind her.
The mage watched for a second, squeezing herself back between the boards as the rowdy sounds of orcs sounded near by.
“Don't let dat witch git outta here ta spook da boyz!” One orc cheered, pumping his fist into the air as a mob of at least twenty of the greenskin warriors stampeded down the street kicking up dust and loose stones in their wake.
Nivra curled her lips in disgust, the smell of sweat and grime wafting into her nose and almost making her wretch .She gave them a final look before slipping back into the small room. “Aaaaand done.” She sighed, feeling the slight tugging of her mind fading away. She knew that these chasing orcs had just witnessed her illusion fade away into the nothing the moment she had let it go. Hopefully they assumed the “Witch” teleported away in a poof of smoke. “By Paladine's grace...Let stupidity be their strong suit.” She gasped as she popped back into their temporary hiding spot.
Voidwing had returned to his normal size, scattering parts of a table every way. This was no surprise to the mage, she had switched what spell she chose to maintain. The illusion being more important to their safety than keeping her gryphon the adorable size that he was. The woman from before was crouching near the gryphon's beak, tapping it slowly as she rubbed between his ears and ruffled his fur. She hummed to herself with closed eyes, like she was remembering some lost time.
“What are you doing to him?” Nivra demanded, sounding a tad more forceful than she intended as she slipped over to her gryphon in an instant.
“I was trying to diagnose what was wrong with your friend here. While at the same time trying to soothe his heart. It must be rather frightful to be frozen inside your body and have some bleedin stranger here for comfort. Besides...Looks like he's breathin, just no other movement.”
“Could you step away from him woman?” Nivra shood her away with a wave of her hands.
“But I was only helpin him, you'd think ya be bleedin grateful!”
Nivra's eyes fell to the onyx fur of her bodyguard, rising and falling slowly. It felt like a cold hand had grabbed at her sides each second she looked to him. She sighed, running a hand along the gryphon's beak. She noticed his eyes were locked onto her. She could see his fear, and frustration shining through them. “Don't worry Voidy.” She smiled, moving her hand back to scratch his cute lion ear. “We're safe..I won't let you get hurt anymore.”
“What are those eyes you been given him? The ones that make ya look like a love sick pup?” The woman froze, a smirk growing on her face before she let out a harsh laugh. “Ya like dat gryphon don't ya? He's your boyfriend aint he?”
“Is that strange to you?” Nivra caressed under his chin, running her fingers through his soft fur. She rose a brow to the woman. Such things were common in Lumara, she had always assumed it was like that everywhere. “I love him with all my heart.”
“Not going ta judge you miss. Jus strange is all. Didn't get too many gryphons round there parts. Less so of gryphons shackin up wit ladies.” The woman started to rifle through some of her pouches, scrunching her brow together. “You two from Lumara? The place to the north with all the flying ships?”
“You could tell?” Nivra quickly checked over her robes, finding them covered in dust and dirt from her encounter with the orcs. She was certain she had removed all trace of her lineage from her clothes. How did this woman know?
“From how ya speak girl. You got an accent about ya. Jus screams that yer from that blighted place.” She held up her hands, “Course I don't care where ya from. People are people wherever ya go.” She gestured to Voidwing with a swish of her hand, resting it on his stomach. “I can help ya friend here. Got a anti poison potion I can use on him....Course there is a side off for using such a thing.” The woman plucked out a blackened potion with the symbol of a green caduceus painted on the surface with broad strokes of a brush.
Nivra eyed the woman's slightly trembling hands as she stroked the gryphon's neck, more for herself more than anyone else. She could feel her heart pumping away frantically as she traced every inch of his paralyzed body. She didn't like taking help from this woman, her mind screaming at her to not trust her. The poison coursing through his veins could wear off in a matter of no time. She sighed as her mind told her it could last for days. How she wished she had studied the art of medicine more. Or hired a cleric to remove such things...Or a driud. She sighed, petting Voidwing. She wondered what the gryphon would say to her if he had the chance. Something about learning to trust people, not to turn down help when presented. “What's the drawback?” Her attention snapped passed the woman as the sound of orcs echoed from outside the building. By the sounds of their shouts they had been rather spooked by her “disappearing act.”
“Now it's true dat this potion will heal this bundle of feathers for ya. He'll even be able to move...But..” The woman held up a bony finger. “The potion will also drain him of his strength. It will be like he spent the entire day in hard work, never stopping to rest. I would be amazed if he could even be able to go faster than a walk.”
Nivra groaned. That's not too helpful. “So no flying? How does that help us? We'd be stuck here waiting for the orcs outside to find us!”
The woman shifted towards them, the sound of her leathers folding filling the air with a groan. “So shall I give it to him miss? You two can rest from the potion in my hut not too far from here.”
“Your hut? How is that possibly any safer than staying here? If you haven't looked outside madame. There are orcs running amok out there. This town seems to be destroyed. Your little hut will provide hardly any protection at all!” She had to clamp a hand over her mouth, as her voice had started to rise on its own. The last thing she needed was for their hiding spot to be discovered because she couldn't stifle her wagging tongue.
“Well..That would be true miss, but my hut has something that I'm rather fond of.” The woman smiled sweetly. “It has an enchantment placed upon it.” She tapped the air with her finger. “If you don't know where it's there, ya will pass right on by. The average person's mind will even tell them anything is there. Generally it's something impassible so they avoid it. Like a rock, tree, or a huge bolder to block their path.”
The woman's words sounded promising, and she was here after all. Alive and well among the destroyed town full of orcs without so much as a scratch on her. “Did you cast the spell?”
“Guilty as charged.” The smiling woman crossed her arms proudly. “Simple hedge mage. Use to come round here to offer some spells for harvests and such. But....Since the orcs came and ruined everything...” She sighed, turning her head to look at the boarded window with a saddened look. Like she was watching something she loved be torn to pieces.
“What'd they do?”
“Story for another time my dear. We've stayed too long here as it is.” She stood up, stretching her arms towards the ceiling. “We can have this little chat back at the safety of my hut. Then I can brew you some tea, works wonders to relax. Your boyfriend here can sleep off the anti poison, and I can fill you in about what has happened here in the past days.”
“Hmmm.” Nivra gazed shifted from the happy woman and that of Voidwing's paralyzed form. It was against every instinct she had...But this woman was being helpful...And Voidwing's inner voice told her again and again until her resistance crumbled away like a city wall. “Fine..Give the potion to my Sweet paws...But before you do..What's your name? I can't simply call you woman can I?”
“You may call me Hilda.” The woman bowed her head, holding up the potion. “You can be the one to heal him. Figure it will be better for him from the hands of those he loves rather than my bony clammy things.”
Nivra nodded, grasping the glass firmly with her fingers. She could feel a slight warmth spreading from the bottles contents, like a shirt that been resting in the sun all afternoon. “Names..Nivra.” She said, moving towards Voidwing's beak. She watched his eyes shift to the bottle. “Just a traveling mage.”
“That's more common then you'd think. Ever hear the story of Jandar the traveling mage?”
Nivra shrugged as she wrapped a hand around the cork stopper. “Rumors is all. Stories about Drenedar are rare around Entis. She popped out the cork, a wafting line of steam slowly curling from the glasses rim. She instantly plugged her nose as the smell of something truly vile wafted into her nostrils. It smelled as though someone had left eggs out to spoil and mixed it with rotting fish then let it sit a week or two. “Good gods.” She gagged. “What is that?”
Hilda just chuckled, egging her on with a wave of her hand. “Never said healing tasted or smelled good. But it will work Nivra. Your gryphon will be healed.”
“Sorry Voidy.” She said softly, opening his beak slowly. “Bottoms up. You'll thank me later.” She dumped the vile smelly liquid down his pink tongue and into his throat. She massaged his neck, making sure he swallowed the entire disgusting bottle.
“Grah!” Voidwing gasped, hacking and coughing as his body recoiled in on itself.
Nivra couldn't help it, it felt as though that cold hand had suddenly pulled away. Her heart swelling close to bursting. “Voidwing!” She cried out, wrapping her arms around the gryphon's fur and pulling her head close.
“That...That was...Vile..” He groaned, his white leg twitching as he trembled and clacked his beak several times. He rose a forelimb to wrap around her back, pulling her close against him with a gentle chirp. “Damned poison...Shoulda seen it coming.” The gryphon drooped his head, “I failed you.”
“No you didn't Softpaws.” She hugged him tighter, kissing him on his onyx beak. “Thank you Hilda, thank you!” She turned to the woman, cheek pressed to the gryphon's face.
Hilda just chuckled, gesturing to the door with a thumb. “Your welcome dearies. But we best be off. There are still orcs running about out there. Don't worry though. The trip wont be too far..and then. We will be safe from their grubby hands.