44 Griffin Anthology: The Gryfon King Returns (1/2)

The great Griffin Halreom, the kingdom's sacred guardian, spread its wings to protect Lethenia's last living prince from the raging needles thrown by the rebel's giant knife eagle.

After receiving multiple needles on one part of his body, its steel-like feathers parted, giving enough opening for a needle to penetrate his flesh, straight into his heart.

Halreom sounded a high-pitched cry and hid the prince within his arms and wings before his feet staggered to kneel.

'Gylbart, don't try to come out or shout. Wait for the right time. You must survive and restore our nation. Farewell, my child,' said the Griffin in the eighteen-year-old prince's mind.

Gylbart heard a sigh and felt hot air engulfed his body. He had no inkling for what it was. Somehow, he cared less.

Gylbart pounded the griffin's chest and wailed, ”Just let me die. I should be dead for being born weak and powerless,” but stopped after he felt the griffin's whole body hardened like steel, dead.

”Halreom,” he whispered and cried in silence.

After the war, one could see a huge Griffin kneeling in the vast plains of Cardlem, the borderland between the human kingdoms of Lethenia and Dessesiah.

However, the rebels had to secure the griffin's corpse to their camp.

Its body was worth a nation. Devouring the blood and flesh could transform soldiers wielding supernatural powers. The bone and feathers could be used as divine weapons.

The rebels tried plucking its feathers or slicing and poking holes on its body using magical weapons but failed. Even the knife eagle's needle that killed it, broke when pierced this time.

They had no choice, but to leave it there, expecting changes thereafter.

”Leave some men to protect it from thieves and scavengers. No one is allowed to touch it. Guard it with your life,” said a man riding a white horse. His fancy attire and red cape signified his status, the rebel General.

Gylbart knew the owner of that voice, the former Major General Malech. He insisted on producing more weapons but the king opposed, so he left the army.

It turned out he was the rebel leader they sought.

Gylbart swore, ”I'll kill you, bastard. Just you wait. I'll definitely kill you.”

Suddenly, ice crystals materialized on his feet all the way to his head, sending him to sleep.

Days passed, the griffin's corpse remained intact, frustrating the rebels.

A month after, Gylbart was awakened by excruciating pain in his body, somewhat like something inside was ready to explode any second.