Alk's Perspective******
"Where are we going?" I politely ask the boar while observing the forest, getting grimmer and greyer at every step we take. It was as if the life force from the woodland had sucked everything into the abyss.
"To the shelter," The swine answered twice already, repeating what he had said earlier.
I shrug my shoulders and continue to walk with the pig, still suspicious of the drastic change in our environment.
Before my brain could even think about leaving the place, the warthog stops on its track and sniffs out the forsaken berries growing in the middle. The hog then gobbles the seeds with no hesitation, on condition that it knows what it's doing in the forest.
"Isn't that spoiled?" befuddled, I pend the swine a question, hoping to understand the meaning behind its action. Instead of giving me a response, the animal instantly gets sucked underground, leaving the berries looking as if it was untouched by anything. I knew that the plant got crunched by my companion. But, somehow, the air feels abruptly fresh, akin to the waterfall.
"Mr. Pork?" I called out, hoping for a reply. But its voice said nothing. All I could hear was the rolling sound of something underneath me, continuing to thump the walls of the tunnel.
'Do I need to eat this?' The occurrence left me with no choice but to adhere to what the boar had done before. If I want to proceed, I have to copy its action and hope somebody would dig me into the hole.
'Here goes nothing!' Holding my breath, I force the nourishment from my mouth, swallowing it in one gulp. As soon as the food enters my stomach, the vines appear before me, dragging me to the pit of hell.
Fortunately, my butt landed first and protected my body parts upon impact. As I peer my globes open, a new world enters my view, with vibrant colours and distinct species roaming free.
The world around me felt different on the surface, yet has a similar outlook. The world coloured the plants violet and yellow, complementing each other with their designs. All the make-shift houses made with torn sticks and leaves bring out the simplicity to call it home. Even the stall stationed at each side makes the place entertaining the beasts that want to have fun.
"What is this place?" My perplexed voice could not hide my curiosity, as my orbs wandered around the scenery.
"More like a den than a place," The boar simply answered and strides forward, meeting the rest of its species.
"If you want to stay, then go find a gryphon named Diamante. He should help you," the hog said and bid me farewell, leaving me isolated inside a crowd that I did not know.
Accepting his proposal, I march through the mass and swim my way inside, looking left to right for clues about this individual called Diamante.
'I don't even know what a gryphon is!' my mind blurted, annoyed that I lack the knowledge of understanding the term used by the pig.
As if hearing my concerns, the azure screen pops up from my window, answering the question which boggles my mind.
[Gryphon]
-is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and sometimes an eagle's talons as its front feet.
'So I need to get my eyes peeled on the shape of a lion with wings,' I told myself, remembering the features of both a lion and an eagle.
As I imagine the picture of a bird and a cat inside my head, I bump into a wall with bristle hair, head first before landing flat on the floor. I lift my head and spot a monstrous pigeon, with its beak clad in a golden hue. It has a tail whirling in every direction, creating a cloud of dust around him. His eyes, darker than the shadows, leers at me with delight, observing my actions.
"Hmm?"
"I am really sorry for hitting your back," I said, pleading to the towering, majestic beast.
"No, it's fine. Likewise, I apologize too for my rudeness," The creature said, with its eyes broaden in amazement. "I have never seen a goblin this intelligent before."
"Thank you!" I ended the conversation, wanting to skedaddle my way out from the presence of this mighty being. After all, I am looking with a griffon named Diamante.
"Diamante, what's the holdup!"
"I'm coming! Geez, talk about rudeness."
My eyes blink instantly after hearing the familiar name. I stop for a second and listen to their conversation, still doubting my senses and the words that I hear.
"Diamante, where were you?" The gigantic cock said, pecking the scattered grains on a silverware tray.
"I told you, I met this peculiar gobl-,"
"Excuse me, are you perhaps Diamante?"
I assemble my courage and walk towards the aisle, disrupting their conversation with an uncomplicated quiz.
"Yes, and you forgot the word 'mighty' Diamante," He said and raised his head, posing a confident stance. Everyone around us, however, did not mind what he did and continued to their lives.
Dejected, the mighty Diamante shifts around, embarrassed from what had happened. I don't blame him. For me, he still looks as magnificent as he thought himself to be.
"What do you want, goblin?" Diamante alters the flow of the talk, interrogating me who was an outsider with nothing to prove to anyone.
"My name is Alk White. My tavern got attacked by the humans and killed my acquaintances." I truthfully responded to the reason for my trip. Although I wanted to add that a strange boar invited me over to this place, maybe he won't believe me when I'd say that.
"Humans?" The yellow-beaked griffon utters. "You mean those freaks? I already told them not to meddle with the caves."
His wings stretch from the side, preparing to take flight despite the not so spacious area. He then slides his body to his right, allowing my undersized stature to hop in.
"Fellas, I am afraid that I will leave you here for the time being," Diamante evenly speaks to his comrades as we deliberately rose above the ground, with his wings gently flapping concomitantly.
____________________________________________________
"So, what brings you here, uninvited?"
"A boar invited me,"
"A hog?" Diamante repeated.
"Yes,"
As we continue our exchange, the bright lights flicker below us, signalling the flying animals to spread to avoid traffic.
"In my knowledge, goblins do not have their name." He utters, dumbfounded to the remark he had said.
"I don't know. My head just knew that I am Alk White." I answered, puzzled by my comment.
A moment of silence shuns the atmosphere, making us wait stiffly for our destination.
At last, we perch on the plain dome made of grass, twigs, and leaves. The entrance has a pile of stones that works as a fence, fending off any trespassers in a small radius.
"It isn't exactly what you can call a throne, but I cherish this place more than anything that those treasures," He points his limb at a secret passage filled with golden coins, sealed treasure box, and magical scrolls.
"Anyhow, I am one of the Three Kings that governs the sky! The mighty-and exceptional- Diamante!" as if on command, the ground suddenly quivers, shuffling the stones on the front door.
"No, my collections!" I feel terribly sorry to witness the scene. An episode where I watch the frightening beasts wallowing in tears after discerning his library of rocks fell to the floor.
"Disregard my attitude you've seen, Alk. I've shown you a sight that you shouldn't know."
"It's alright, gryphon," I replied, closing my eyes to let him know I was not paying attention.
"Good to hear." Now, for our principal topic, the humans. Ah, yes!"
He said to himself while rummaging the entire room, searching for something that he only knows. After a while, Diamante finally finds what he was looking for, and throws a book on the ground.
"This is the book of legends. Everything you need to know, you can find it here, written in this volume."
My eyes sparkle upon perceiving the novel, despite its rugged look and ancient designs. Browsing through the pages, I noticed three prominent images of ferocious beasts that rule the world-an Icarus, a Shark, and,
"A gryphon,"
I turn around and face the replica drawn in the paper depicted in the book.
"Look closely. You'll find something worth your time," Diamante added while adding his smirk within his beak, amused by what he is looking at.
Accepting his request, I flip through the pages and read everything inscribed from the texts.
"Legend says that the world of Demancian began from the dust of the Deities above. Their breaths are our life, their eyes are our beauty, and their arcane is our strength. These were the features destined to shower the mortal realm. However, there will come a time that new power will rise. Labyrinths will emerge, and a horde of monsters shall escape."
I flip through the book and carry on reading onto the next page.
"Against those trials, worthy heroes shall obtain immense power, and the Thirteenth Kingdom must fall to rise. A war between races, granting them the authority to govern the world. Thou art, hero, I beseech thee to change the Legend and return the balance."
I shift my view towards the gryphon, who was now standing at the pillar, bowing his head to me."
"A hero? Don't tell me I am a hero?"
"Who knows?" Diamante simply answered, replacing his smirk into a genuine gleam.
"By the way, I cannot read that scripture." He said while making a comical expression.
"The book chooses its readers and will not let us see what is inside,"