The entire castle was in chaos. With Brennan shouting at the tiny creature to let go, and Darius wildly fighting off the other for creatures.
Brennan slammed his body against the stone wall, the impact making the creature fight even more violently.
At Darius's end of the fight, he's trying his best to fend the four creatures by himself. With one clinging in back, another on his leg, the third waving its clove in front of him, and the fourth occasionally hurling stones at him.
Darius lifted his leg and shook it wildly, hoping that the creature will fall off. But it did nothing but cause him a bit on the leg.
"Ah! Fuck!" He cursed slamming his leg against the wall, forcing the creature to let go. But once again, it only made it worse. Because the creature bit him harder.
Giving up on that one, Darius turned his attention to the creature in his back. Taking a hold of its arm, Darius tried to pull it off.
Only to stop, realizing it was a foolish endeavor. As he watches Brennan struggle as he tries the same thing.
A stone came flying, hitting his right in the chest.
"Gah!" he groaned upon the impact.
'I'll fucking kill you later,' he clenched his teeth as he watched the creature laugh at his pain.
Giving up in the physical struggle, Darius used his borrowed power from Ravana.
A sharp, ZAP! Echoed in the castle and both creatures went running. A thin string of smoke came from his body, as it stung from the electricity but it was worthwhile. Because he's now free to move after the creature runs off.
The creatures started circling Darius when he tried to approach Brennan.
Clearly telling him that this is his fight, not the one on the other side of the room.
The creature on the left attacked first, but due to its size, he just kick it away. The creature went tumbling away, rolling three times before hitting the cold stone wall.
The sound of the creature as it smacked against the wall was music to his ears.
'Serves you right,' he thought letting out a snicker. Which angered his other opponents.
Darius drew his sword, he need to end this soon. Dawn is coming and they must be off.
These creatures are weak that became certain for Darius. Which was the reason why they had to attack silently, they knew they are outmatched.
With a swing of his sword, Darius easily cut one of the creatures in half. Its body falls to the ground with a satisfying thud before turning into ash.
When Darius turn to the other creature, they started running off. Even the one he kicked managed to run away.
Leaving only one behind.
Darius went to his companion's aid, and with a strong punch, he sent the creature to the ground.
The creature screeched as it backed away. But it was too late, Darius stabbed the creature as it tried to crawl on the floor.
CLINK!
The sword hit the stone floor, a wave of electricity traveled through the sword. Electrocuting the creature.
SCREEEEECCCHH!!!!
The creature struggled due to the immense pain. Desperately trying to get away.
But with such a small body. It couldn't withhold the wave of magic power.
The force caused the body to explode into tiny pieces.
Blood, flesh, and bone splattered everywhere. Before eventually disintegrating into ash.
"I remember now," Darius muttered.
"Their redcaps."
Brennan turned to him as he catches his breathe, "Those…" He scrunched his nose.
Redcaps are malevolent creatures, they live in ruins, caves, and abandoned places. And even with such small bodies, they are known to be a bunch of murdering savages.
Usually, they can easily kill traveling humans, because of their strength. And the ability to withstand some damage, probably ranging from punches to stabs or even arrows. While such defense is handy, it is not sufficient when facing a stronger enemy.
"They are called redcaps because they soaked their caps with the blood of their victims, right?" Brennan pondered.
"We can't let those other three live, they will just kill more people if they did." Darius looked over the ashes slowly dispersing into the air.
"Let's go find them," Darius started walking further into the castle with Brennan in toe.
"W-wait!" Clara shouted.
"Just stay here and keep Feli safe, we will be back," Darius instructed.
Clara only nodded and let the others go.
As they went deeper into the castle, Darius realized that tracking the creatures is not easy. With the darkness stealing their vision, they can only listen to every bit of sound around the castle.
'There was a series of a light footsteps on the side,' Darius noted.
Listening to the smallest pitter-patter.
PLINK!
The drop of water echoed.
SWISH!
There was rustling on the back.
The three remaining redcaps are surrounding them. But they did it before and it never worked.
A redcap jumped from the table, but Darius only cut it down. Leaving them with only two opponents.
"Aaaah!" Clara screamed from the other side.
Suddenly, Darius felt his heart sink.
'I should have left Brennan with them,' his gut twisting into knots.
The last one was nothing but a ploy, a sacrifice to make it even.
'Cunning little bastards,' Darius cursed as they sprinted to Clara and Feli's rescue.
When they reached the door, it was stuck. The redcaps are smart enough to lock them in, and with a quick kill, they plan on running away through the front door. Before Darius could manage to get to them.
Darius could feel his heart hammering against his chest. Just like how both Brennan and him, are trying to force the door open by slamming their bodies against it.
"Ah! Get away from us!" Clara shouted the sound of wood whacking a body was heard.
'Good fend them off,' Darius thought, still forcing the door open.
"Feli!" Clara shouted.
The sound of the young griffin's name sent a wave of fear in Darius.
With one last forceful slam, the door broke.
Darius could only stare in disbelief, his heart beating faster. His breath was ragged and his body was trembling.
"Gah!" he collapses on his knees.
His head hanging low, shoulders shaking.
"Mama!" Feli chirped as he came running towards Darius.
On the floor were two disintegrating bodies of redcaps.
Darius held Feli close, "Once we reach Orienta, I will buy you all the bread that you want, understand?" He told the young griffin.
"Bread!" Feli exclaimed happily.
When the morning came and everyone had managed to get some proper rest. The travelers decided that it was time to go back on the road.
Just like before, Feli was sitting in front of Darius. But the ravenette noticed the change, he was bigger now and his pinfeathers were replaced by real feathers. They were now fully grown feathers and they can definitely manage to lift him up a little, he reckoned.
'I need to start teaching him how to fly,' Darius thought. Pursing his lips as he raked his brain for a solution. He has no idea how to fly, all he knows is that birds flap their wings.
'How?'
Then, his eyes landed on Brennan.
'I'll put you to good use,' he thought. Smiling as he tried to envision his idea.
"Mama?" Feli looked at him with curious eyes.
"Huh?"
"What are you doing? You seemed happy." He asked.
"It's nothing Feli, I just think it's time for you to learn how to fly."
"How?" Feli asked.
"You'll see" Darius smiled once again.
It had been three days when the so-called lessons had started.
And truth be told, the free entertainment never gets old.
Sitting by the fire, Clara and Darius tried their best not to laugh.
"No. No, Feli. It's like this." Brennan moved his arm up and down. To imitate the flying of the birds.
Feli, on the other hand, looks at him with resolve. After all, Darius kept on encouraging him with the best reward Feli can think of.
And yes, just like before… it is bread.
Feli started copying Brennan, flapping his wings up and down.
"Now try jumping," Brenan instructed.
Which the young griffin did, Feli started jumping over and over. Completely forgetting to flap his wings.
"Wiieeee…" he cheered as he jumped up and down.
While the lesson was not entirely useful, at least Feli was enjoying himself. That's what Dariusthinksk of the matter.
"No. No, we've done this before. You have to flap your wings while jumping." Brennan explained.
"Like this, copy me" Brennan flapped his arms then started jumping up and down.
At the same time, Brennan and Feli started flapping and jumping. While Darius was covering his mouth to silence his laugher, Clara on the other hand was hitting the ground.
"Stop laughing you two!" Brennan shouted at them, stopping the lesson for the nth time that night.
"I told you if you don't stop laughing, Darius will take over," Brennan said with knitted brows.
Clara kept laughing, imagining Darius doing the same thing.
The image of the two along with Feli jumping up and down, as they flap their arms is just too much.
"It wasn't me it was Clara," Darius said with a stifled laugh.
"Why stop, we were great…" Feli said sadly.
"It was, up and down. Up and down and wieeee…"Darius's eyes widened, he did it.
Feli managed to fly.
"Hey!" he exclaimed a wide smile plastered on his face.
"You did it!" Brennan cheered.
Feli flew over Darius, carefully sitting on his lap.
"Bread!" he chimed.
"Yes… you will get more soon." Darius promised.
"But from now go, back to Brennan and thank him for teaching you how to fly."
"Okay!" Feli flapped his wings, chirping as he slammed at Brennan. Both of them landed on the ground.
Brennan pets his purr body, while the young griffin rubs his body against Brennan.
Their laugher filled the air, the sound of happiness echoing through the night sky.
'If only those moments lasted forever… then my heart will not break into a million pieces.'