Am I die? Am I really, really die, like my soul finally released its bind from my body? I did loss my mind a while ago but my body still feel like flying in the sky.
The pain in my shoulders is slowly dissipated little by little, as my body try to resist something sharp that grip strongly my shoulders.
Oh, thanks god, thanks god! Now I understand that I am still alive despite struggle to grasp the reality (or fantasy) of my situation. Is it really a Gryphon that "kindly" fetch me during my failed skydiving? I afraid to look back, worry and hesitate that I may faint again.
"AARRRKKKKKK!!!"
A loud piercing sound thrust directly into my eardrum. Okay, calm yourself. This shriek voice definitely owned by an eagle. Yes, an eagle. But what's species of eagle that have enough strength to clutch my body while still perfectly flying.
Hahahaha, hey crazy scientist, is this your doing? Does your new pet experiment escaped from its laboratory? Ha, ha, ha, i laugh inside my heart while thinking which movie is this coming from.
After fitfteen minutes I fly with my new "pet", the Gryphon start to slow descend into a certain hill. Slowly I see a big cave in 300 metres. The big trees around here do not disturb my view to analyze my surrounding but I feel a bit weird.
I was always joined hiking group to conquer big mountain so I know a little about forest. But this forest right now, is not a forest I know. Yeah, this forest is too quiet compared to forest I had previously explored. Even the trees here are too big and enormous, like they already living for hundred or thousand years. Yeah, it is weird.
The Gryphon slow its speed as soon as it enter the cave. My sight become worst in cave as sunlight is limited here. I try wink my eyes as "pebble" effort to perceive my surrounding. Yeah, not good, the darkness really robe my ability to judge my survival situation.
As the Gryphon arrive at his (or her) destination, he throw me to the hard ground as soon the claw release it grip from my shoulders. I roll a few seconds before i collide with big rock. Yeah, triple pains here, nice throw, your damn Gryphon.
I touch my left and right shoulder to judge my wound. Both of my shoulders had medium opening of hole "thanks" to Gryphon's claws. I held both shoulders to stop the bleeding. My clothes is already drenched in blood, making my shirt wet in red colour.
My parachute bag still attached on my back. Well, I don't think this failed bag has any value for me but right now I don't want to throw this bag, yet.
As I sit silently trying to subdue my pain, I watch carefully the movement of Gryphon. I don't need to think hard of why this mystical beast brought me here. The question here, does he want to finish me right now or later? Yeah, in his eyes, I am the "steak" here.
I don't have gun with me. I don't even know how to pull the trigger. Is the gun can kill this guy? Even a small boar need a few shots before it die. For this jumbo beast, I need a tank. The one that German use in world war, the Panzer. Yeah, maybe I need to call EU to borrow some tank from German, IF I CAN MAKE A CALL FROM HERE.
A knife? Who brought knife in skydiving, huh? What else weapon I can use to withstand this guy? Yeah, oh yeah, I know the best weapon to fight here. Running, I can only running right now.
I hope my participation in a dozen marathons don't let my legs down here. In any marathon, I can easily get top ten place. Hopefully I can get the first place here as my reward in second place is getting eaten alive by Gryphon. What a reward for century.
I slowly rise my body as I have been watchful with the Gryphon in front of me. One step, two steps, three steps, I move back with slow strides. The Gryphon watch patiently my movement as I try to escape here. Why he don't try to stop me? What is his plan? He doesn't want to eat me? Or he had another sinister plan?
My escape route available to two plan. Either I run forward to exit this cave or I run inside the cave to go deeper. If I try run forward with my top speed, I don't think I can outrun the high speed of flying Gryphon. So, obvious choice is I need to go deeper inside the cave, as I can utilise the structure here to minimize the movement of Gryphon. I am just praying there is no any mystical creature inside here.
As I slowly move backward, the Gryphon also follow my pace toward me. What is this? What are you doing Mr. Gryphon? The sweat start to flood my forehead. The pain in my shoulders is nothing in front of my terror here.
Clinggg!!
The metal sound is rang near to my footstep. I look down and see sword. Wait a minute, a sword? What a freaking sword doing here? But the sword still not enough to freak me out. What's really scared me is the hand that hold the sword. Oh my god, a skeleton hold the sword in its hand. How long this guy had been rotten here. Then, a panic attack rush my head.
I had just aware there is more skeletons here inside this cave. Some is holding sword, some is carrying shield, and there is also a spear and axe. Oh, this is weapon that I had been try to search when I think how to defeat this big guy.
"Aaarrrrkkkkkkk!!!"
The Gryphon start to shriek again. He purposely gaze to sword near me. He make weird smile as he encourage me to take the sword. Why, are you not scared with me defeat you with this sword?
Then, my thoughts start to run really fast. These skeletons here, are they also fight with this Eagle-Lion. If this Gryphon brought me here and not even try to eat me, is he want me to fight him? Me, a man without a weapon skill to fight with fantasy creature.
Is not a mystery again, he really want to fight me. He even grinned as a provocation to anger me. Yeah, if these skeletons with weapon skills more high than me but still loss, what am I in front of death?
I pick up the sword with my right hand. The shoulders pain already become numb in these weird situation. Now, I hold my sword toward the Gryphon. This Colosseum of Gryphon, I push my strange luck to survive in this gladiator fight.
I pray mercy in front of this battle junkie of Gryphon.