Islands of the Sky

Chapter 17-The Trial

You will always miss all of the options you don't take. It is better to know you tried then to always ask 'what if?'.

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My breath was gasping as the image of the mysterious woman walking away was floating in my mind. Her figure and voice all seemed far too familiar for some reason. I pushed myself from the bed and paced my room letting my body relax to find myself standing in front of the mirror again to see my body had started flaking in my sleep as the spell for this form was wearing off and would need to be reapplied or the disguise would break. 

I murmured under my breath as I thought through the vision I had seen last night. "This woman, why does she seem so real. I know my magic is strong but even that seemed too real. My mind and body were affected in a vision... This hasn't happened since... Catrova..." I shuddered at the thought as memories flashed through my mind from my past. 

This Catrova, I haven't ever heard you say her name out loud before. She carries even more pain in your soul than the name of the man I killed. Another member of your pack that you tried to train? 

The beast's question prodded my already busy mind, like little Timothy tugging on his mothers dress while she made dinner for her family. I swatted him aside mentally as I walked outside to consult with Griffin face to face. I needed something to look at to shake this woman's image from my head. 

I found him in the hall still chewing on the air as if he was eating my cake from last night. I realized the memory loop I put him it didn't have a set time end; so he just was stuck in a memory of eating the bundt cake all night. 

Well, that wasn't supposed to happen like that. He was supposed to be released after twenty minutes. I sighed and walked by stroking his neck releasing him from the loop as I smile up at him and rub his neck happily. 

Thank you, Kiero that was delicious! Griffin spoke into my mind as he nuzzles his beak against my face softly. As I rub his neck scratching the special spot at the back of it so that his wings would spread out and flap slightly. 

Griffin... I said nothing else and shared the vision of Animal Island with him and the woman. My pain and confusion flooded into his mind and were met with curiosity, pride, and concern. 

I could feel his thoughts as he looked over then memory and looked into my eyes, he seemed pleased I had even given his idea some serious thought. He lowered his back to allow me to get on not wasting another second. I was hesitant because there were still so many variables I did not know. 

I turned my back to him to walk away, showing I did not want to do this today. He ignored this action and ran behind me and lowered his head throwing me onto his back as he charged to the door letting it open as we lept into the sky. I held on for dear life as he rocketed through the sky before I could stop him. 

....

I swatted at Griffin's head when I had gained my balance. Next time, listen when I say no! I am not prepared for this. Tomorrow would have been a better day. There is going to be far too much traffic on this day. The vision said so, remember? 

However Kiero, you know now what the vision said. So won't you do something to change it? You instructed me that's how the future worked. When you perform that ritual the future automatically changes because you now have information that you did not posses when you performed the ritual. He spat back snarling at me for swatting at his head. What he had said was true, now that I saw what I would have done and how it would have reacted, I was going to change my plan but that wasn't the issue...