"Are you absolutely sure about that?" Faleah asked him with eyebrows raised in confusion. She had seen plenty of people who were always way in over their heads in the past. She had seen some of the records of Samuels basic achievements and he wasn't the type to be cocky normally.
Something had changed, "I am sure!" He affirmed and gave her a nod as in saying to trust him. "I just need some time, also are there any large training grounds to use?"
Faleah nodded, "The entire estate grounds and the areas north of the city away from the estate are ours to use. You will probably find other riders up there however, just so you are aware." She started humming and walked away.
"I wish you good luck then!" She waved her hand as she left. A part of her wanted Samuel to fail, but mostly she wanted him to succeed, hoping that someone could tame the black feathered griffin.
Samuel rolled his eyes. She was teasing him for sure, he turned his eyes back towards the big griffon that still seemed to lie there in its corner, calculating. Its eyes grew slightly wider as Samuel pulled off the hinges that kept it closed.
Opening it slowly he looked at the griffon expectantly while it squinted its eyes at him as if he was a prey to escape from. "Cautious and intelligent, if I must have a griffin, I would have one like yourself! What do you say." Samuels questioned lingered in the air that was silent for quite some time.
The griffon looked at him with a hint of curiosity but still cautious. It slowly stood up when Samuel fetched a saddle and came back looking at the creature while holding the saddle.
The griffin took a few steps forward until it stood in the middle of the pen, Samuel took his first step inside. Nothing, the griffin stood completely still as if it was waiting for him to put everything on.
"Okay!" Samuel said slowly and walked forward until he reached the griffin, he kept looking at it from time to time as he slowly started putting on the saddle, it wasn't too different from saddling up a horse so it was easy for him to do.
Everything was attatched and prepared with one final click, thats when the griffon suddenly spread out its wings really fast, knocking Samuel off balance to the side. It dashed out of the pen and started running before it took a leap down to the level below where it quickly flew outside.
"1...2...3! That should be enough of a head start!" Samuel spoke to himself, he had expected such a reaction from the griffon and decided to play along. He got back on his feet and started running toward the open flight hole in the center of the building. During his run he cast his flight and gravity spell.
He jumped down to the lower floors level and left behind three sonic booms as he flew outside the tower, he quickly looked around and found the direction the griffin was flying, north east. That was good for a while.
Samuel smiled as he entertained the creature to fly away for a bit. He made sure that he was flying at roughly the same speed so as not to lose sight of the creature, as they made their way outside the city walls, thats when he finally started speeding up.
But for another few minutes he decided to only slowly speed up, as the creature seemed to notice him it also sped up much to Samuel's joy. It wasn't giving its all just yet, but he was intending to make sure it would give its all before it was over.
He quicly accelerated to high speed and the griffon suddenly started flapping its wings to stop itself, because in its path was Samuel all of a sudden. It didn't understand how he so suddenly had passed below and arrived in the way of its path.
The griffin quickly dove down and changed direction to west. Samuel allowed it to fly in the direction for about a minute before he appeared in front of it once more, so they continued their dance for several minutes. After about the tenth time the griffin had enough and tried to attack him.
But Samuel just stayed outside of its range whenever it got close, he was clearly trying to tire it out and wasn't hiding it so the griffin in one last ditch attempt effort started one final flight where it twisted and turned to the best of its ability.
Samuel was impressed as he saw the creature doing loops and turns and twirls like a magnificent dance, all to try and escape him. Samuel smiled, he now wanted this griffin to be his steed more than anything else.
It ended in failure for the creature as Samuel appeared in front of it even after everything one last time. The creature became so shocked it started tumbling towards the ground after he appeared in front of it the last time.
Samuel grabbed one of its feathers and casted a simple hovering spell which made the griffin slowly descend and land on its feet where it collapsed into heavy breathing completely exhausted.
The griffin submitted and after resting for a bit it grumpily followed him home as he held the reigns and led it back home while they were both flying. He took it all the way back and it followed, when they finally got back inside the pen he made sure to give it water and food.
He walked out of the building a little while later after locking up. "So how did it go?" Faleah's voice startled him and made him jump a bit. "Wooh, okay so thats what we're doing now?"
"Hoooh, that was a good one!" Samuel held his hand on top of his heart for a few moments. "Yeah no, It went about as expected, but give me a few more weeks and it will all be good." He said while holding up both hands.
Faleah nodded, "Alright! I will bet on a month at most!" She gave him a smile before putting her arm around his shoulders. "Let's go get something to eat!" They spent some time together talking and eating before they both returned to their respective work/studies.
Over the coming few days, Samuel spent his times in the classroom or training, but once every day he repeated the training he did with the griffin. Each and every time it tried to find new ways to escape or avoid him.
Samuel was taken aback by how clever it truly was, because as the days passed it was improving. It was coming up with new ideas and new tricks, its speed and maneuverability also improved ever so slightly.
Samuel grew more and more impressed and even more decisive in his choice. While during the days at the college were calming down slightly, no more nightly trouble. No new word from anyone of his 'faction' members.
He knew that he had to go speak to them one day, but he was going to avoid doing so for a few more weeks if he could.
"So, have you given her a name yet?" Faleah asked him as he came out of the tower for the 8th day in a row. Samuel shook his head, "No I have not." He replied and she looked at him with a mischievous smile. "Well you should, since you have spent so many days training her."
He shrugged, "I suppose its a good idea!" He assumed a thinking pose to annoy Faleah who stood there tapping her foot waiting for a name. After a while he looked like he had a sudden epiphany and held up a finger. "I will go for something original like; Blackwing!" He gave her a smile and she rolled her eyes.
"You do you kiddo!" She scoffed and walked away, often she was the one playing around with him. But he had started learning the language of friendly mockery and could not retort back at her games, it made her annoyed but in a happy way.
She was nothing more than a proud mother.
Samuel woke up to another day of academic struggles and training but as he was making breakfast someone knocked on the door. He opened the door and found a human male with a few draconic scales on his body.
He had sharp features not too different from Samuel and his hair was of a simillar chestnut brown, but his eyewhites were black instead of white and he had yellow eyes with dragon slits instead of regular human ones.
"Can I help you with anything?" Samuel asked with his interest piqued. "Well I suppose you could! I was hoping to join your faction, but more importantly I was hoping to converse with a fellow child of mana!" The man who seemed to be a second year like Samuel spoke.
Samuel's eyes instantly went wide and he furrowed his brows. The man gave him a small head bow, "My name is Zalbas! I do not partake in many of the magical classes at this college!" Zalbas said while holding out his robe, where those that were primarily learning magic had darker blue color, Samuel first now noticed that Zalbas robes were dark red instead.
A warrior or a martial artist. But Samuel could see that there was plenty of magical things about him, so after a bit of staring Samuel widened the door. "Come on in!" He sighed and let Zalbas in before closing the door and looking around to make sure no other surprises were outside.