Mystery of The Shadow Dragon (A Shorter Novel)

Chapter 5: Call Me Angel

Fezua fought the undead with his griffin form. He won't think of flying away. He will help to defend this town. But the whole town was swarmed by the undead. He changed his appearance into a winged human, in this form he can move fast like the undead, but the advantage is that he uses a sword, and the undead does not.

Fezua dashed through the road slicing every undead on his way. He went straight inside the old man's house. The house was crowded with the undead. He saw Harned and the old man were upstairs fighting. He flew and reached the stairs, he fought the undead alongside with the two, but to found themselves being trapped. The door is crowded, countless undead struggling to enter.

"There's a window upstairs." The old man said, "Go! I'll hold them off."

"No, we won't leave," Fezua said.

But he and Harned were pushed by the old man. In return, the old man got bitten and fell on the stairs. The undead swarmed his body, devoured him.

Fezua's eyes widened, shocked, sympathy. He can't move even though he's in the winged human form. Then he got interrupted by Harned.

"Come on, let's go!" Harned yelled.

Fezua got back his consciousness, he pushed himself to be on his feet. They dashed through the room, Fezua broke the window and jumped outside, then he turned into a griffin. Harned jumped and fell on the griffin's back.

The undead we're dashing straight to them, Fezua flew immediately. Harned tightened his grip on the griffin's feather. They flew in the dark stormy sky. Then lightning just hit the griffin's right-wing. The griffin screech, he was out of balance and fell on the muddy ground of a forest. The Griffin exhaled heavily as he struggles to flap his wings.

Harned went in front of him and said, "Don't push yourself."

The Griffin breathed heavily, desperate. But then they heard skittering sound from behind. The Griffin and Harned turned to look and saw many glowing red eyes. Undead are rushing on their way. Harned's sword at the ready, Fezua managed to stand up.

Then, flaming arrows went across flying from the sky behind them. The arrows hit so many undead. The Griffin can sense someone is sneaking behind the woods, then the creature revealed itself. It was a white wolf. Fezua was right about it, it's her!

The Griffin's heartbeats grew faster as he saw the wolf. Fezua was never been happier seeing her again. Despite this situation, he felt happiness. It was like a dream come true.

But there were still undead coming on their way. The wolf communicated to the Griffin by telepathy, "Follow me."

The wolf dashed and the two followed. At their rate of speed, the undead would be able to catch up to them. But the wolf suddenly stopped and turned to look back. The two also turned to see out of curiosity. A fire emerged out of nowhere and blocked the undead. It won't hold for long, the storm might turn it off anytime now. So the group continued moving.

It was already dawn when they reached a camp up in the mountain, but not so far away from the town. People went out of their tents and turned to gather. The wolf went to the center, and then it changed its appearance. Indeed it was the girl, Fezua's eyes widened. 

"Tell us." The girl began to say, "Is that the Red Griffin who killed the prince of Stonia?"

"Indeed," Harned said, "And I belong to the knights of knowledge, I was sent to protect him."

"Is that so?" The girl said, "Why did you come here?"

"We were supposed to be hunting the Shadow Dragon," Harned said, "Please we need you, people, to help us."

"You can stay here if you like." The girl said. "But we won't be here for long. We will attack, and reclaim Amidar."

"Commander Erthei and his knights of knowledge finally went there to put an end to King Grion," Harned said.

"After we have learned about your battle against the prince, we have received news about it." The girl said, "I am very sorry to say this, but they were all dead. King Grion beheaded the famous knights leader."

After those words, Harned felt something stung his chest. How could that happen? The plan now is all screwed up.

"What happened?" Harned asked.

"I don't know the details." The girl said.

...

Afternoon came and Fezua hasn't changed his form yet. His friend Harned was so depressed and he wanted to be alone for a while.

The Griffin sat near the mountain cliff. It was cold up there so he had a nap. After those fights, he hasn't slept overnight, he fell asleep easily.

"Have you waited to see the sunset?" A girl's voice asked while he's asleep.

He opened his griffin eyes and rolled them to see. It is the girl sitting beside him, watching the sunset. His heartbeat grew faster.

The girl turned her head to look and said, "Thank you for avenging my sister."

The Griffin didn't speak, he's just gazing at her with complete silence.

"You don't talk a lot don't you?" The girl asked with a little smirk on her face. "You know, I can't read a griffin's mind, nor emotions."

The Griffin stood up and bent his left-wing. Gesturing to offer her a ride.

"You want me to ride?" The girl asked, now with a smile. "Okay."

The girl clambered on the griffin's wing and sat on his back. The Griffin flapped his wings and jumped off the cliff, then they flew. The girl was so nervous by that sudden fall, then flew up in the air. She tightened her grip on the griffin's feathers.

"Woah!" The girl whined, "Take it easy!"

She trusted him so much, she just rode on his back not even thinking that the griffin might betray her, or he might be on the side of the Stonians. She trusted the griffin from the very first time she saw him. Because she knew, griffins are admirable for being chaste, they are not used to betraying others, especially their partners.

So they flew under the orange sky, under the sunset. The wind is getting cold now. The Griffin turned around and landed back on the mountain.

The girl jumped from his back, giggling, and said, "Hey, that was amazing! I never felt how it is to fly before."

The Griffin stood in front of her with grace and majesty. Then he began to sparkle and changed his form into a boy.

"You didn't have to thank me." He said, "Without you, I would be long dead back in that castle."

"Cool." She said with a big smile on her face.

"I want you to know." Fezua began to say, "Where ever you go, I will willingly serve you In return for saving my life."

"Well then." She said, "Better be prepare now, coz tomorrow we'll be on our way."

Then she turned around and walked.

"Hey," Fezua called out. "May I know your name?"

She turned around and said, "Call me Angel. Yours?"

"Fezua." He said.

"Well, Fezua," Angel said, "Let's go back to the camp and help me prepare the people for war. Shall we?"