Flight (new version)

Chapter 24: The Phoenix

The following morning, Flood met them at the door with a satchel in hand.

"Here. For your trip." She held it out and Griffin took it.

Fern tipped it toward her and looked inside. "Food and herbs. Thanks, Flood."

"Thank you for everything," Griffin added, hefting the satchel onto his shoulder.

Flood dipped her head. "We'll miss you. Be safe."

"You too."

Fern gave Flood a hug and then they set off, heading north-west toward Eriton per the decision they'd made the night before. They both slowed as they reached the edge of the forest, able to see the main road and open hills through the wide gaps between maple trees.

"Last chance," Griffin murmured. A powerful gust of wind swept through and he pulled in his cloak tightly around him.

"Let's go." Fern exited the trees.

Griffin walked alongside her, following the main road. It was still early, and no one else—either Elder or Human—joined them on the road.

"What do we do if we see humans?" Fern asked after a few minutes.

Griffin glanced over his shoulder. The road was still clear. Tepora Forest was fading from their sight. "Wait to see what they'll do, I guess. Then attack and run?"

"I guess."

They pushed onwards, keeping a wary eye out for any traveling humans as they trekked through the open grasslands.

#

They stopped to eat around noon. Sitting a good distance away from the road, Griffin pulled out some bread and dried meats.

Fern accepted hers. "No one's bothered us so far." She took a large bite and chewed slowly.

Griffin emulated her. He swallowed his bite. "The humans we have seen were traveling alone. They probably didn't want to take on two magical people."

"Or they didn't know we were Elder. Our clothes are fairly nice, and we weren't using magic," Fern pointed out.

"True."

Griffin finished his meal and gazed around them at the land as Fern finished. The immediate land was relatively flat here. Waist-high grass rippled in the strong winds making it look like an invisible hand was brushing the land like one petting a dog with thick fur. A few dark, scraggly bushes poked out of the yellowed grass. Behind and to their left the grasslands swelled into gentle hills. Before them, far in the distance, rigid structures poked out of the earth, signifying a town.

"Looks like we're getting close." Seeing that Fern had finished, Griffin stood up. "Keep going?"

"Hold on." Fern remained sitting. She closed her eyes, and Griffin noticed that she'd summoned her magic. Her shoulders tensed and her face grew pale.

Griffin glanced around, though he didn't see anything. Not even travelers were currently passing by on the main road. "What's wrong?"

"I felt something when I touched the earth." Fern's hands colored green for a moment as she summoned more magic and sent it into the ground. "I don't know how to describe it. I can feel something...I can feel something wrong."

"Do you know where?"

Fern's hands grew more green. "I think so. Hold on." She stood up suddenly, wide, panicked eyes locking onto his. "Blood."