Zulia P.O.V
Prince Travis led the way, we walked away from Prince Cyrus, but still in our sight.
Prince Travis stops and faces me,
"I'm sorry I kissed you but it was a mistake in my part, seems you've taken it to your head, I thought if I just pretended it never happened, you will forget about it but instead you're losing your mind and talking to me like we are from the same caliber and being annoying" Prince Travis says with his normal emotionless face.
"This journey is a very important one to me and my brothers, so please stay put and stop trying to annoy me Lia" he walks out on me.
Why did his words hurt a bit, I don't even know why I tried to get close to him.
"Yes Prince Travis, it's not like I want to scurry around you all day, I just had this feeling you had a lot bothering you and I wanted to help out ,I never had feelings for you, please don't misunderstand me, I only respected and admire your strength, I know I got ahead of myself and wanted something a bit close to you as a friend but aren't you treating me way too bad for—"
"Lia I apologize, I'm grateful for taking care and respecting me but I am Prince you should show more respect, I'll treat you as a regular member of my squad and nothing else" he says firmly and finally walks away.
I went under the tree and slept on the bare floor, it's cold yet a bit warm.
What's wrong with me?, I specifically told Zamora we shouldn't get attached to any of the Princes and here I am, getting worried over the second Prince.
I'm pissed at myself for having indecent thought about Prince Travis and the worse part is he remembered the kiss all along.
I took a deep breath and proceeded to sleep by closing my eyes, I felt a warm cover on me, I opened my eyes to seeing Prince Cyrus face close to mine.
"Travis is really worried about his ex lover and I feel he took it out n you, on behalf of my brother I apologize"
He smiles at me as the moon reflected in his eyes as he turns over and went back to sleep.
The cloth he covered me with is filled with his scent, it weirdly smells really comforting.
I think I'll be able to have a goodnight now, I've fairly cleared things up with Prince Travis, the kiss was nothing but a mistake i should get it out of my head.
THE NEXT MORNING
I woke up and couldn't find the Princes anywhere in sight, I sat up and waited for them to come.
"It's taking more time than I thought, the horses are still tied to the tree so I presume they didn't abandon me but where did they go?".
Time passed, the sun has tisen and still not trace of the Princes nearby.
I walked around in search for them, as I entered deep into the woods, it had a path-like trampled grass.
"Wait this isn't a trampled grass... it's a foot print, of a large creatute"
I turned back, seems something is watching but what is it?".
"Lia!, Lia!?" I heard Prince Cyrus voice call.
I ran after the voice and came out to seeing a large waterfall.
How's that possible, I didn't heard the sound of that large force of water.
"Lia!!!, we are down here" Prince Cyrus shouts my name from behind the waterfall, seems there's a cave behind.
"Theres a narrow passage across the mountain, come over and meet us in here" Prince Cyrus yells.
"They left me behind, if I didn't get up they'll carry on without me".
I finally went across and saw a very thin passage, if I make one mistake I'll slip off into the lake.
The sound of gushing water scares me which only made me more nervous, I got close to the edge of the cave at the side, the waterfall keeps pouring down as I lose my balance...
Prince Cyrus grabs my hand before I fell off.
"Are you hurt?" he asked worriedly.
"The map says it's probably hidden in here" Prince Travis says ignoring the fact I almost died, not even one glance, If Prince Cyrus didn't catch me that'll be the end.
All he cares about is that stupid map, what are they even searching for?.
We walked into the cave as it got darker and darker, Prince Travis uses his fire element and lights the way.
We got to the middle of the cave, it had a large space with two statues facing eachother other with their palms open.
One of the statues headless and the other one with two head,one on the neck and the other on its palm, the same mark I found in the Oaz district was all over the cave, two triangles with an eye in the middle, but this time the iris of the eye glowed green.
"This is the right cave, we found it" Prince Cyrus says.
"Be careful Travis, don't touch anything recklessly, After we get this piece it will remain just one piece left".
They both search for something, but I have no idea what it is.
"I could also help out if you tell me what we are search—".
We heard a loud screech as something runs towards us with a large wind force.
"That's...that's a ...GRYPHON!!!" I screamed.
It's body is as large as thrice the size of the Empire's front gate, compared to me his claws is as long as my entire body, it can destroy me with one scratch.
"Seems this one will be stronger than the last" Prince Cyrus says to Prince Travis.
I couldn't take my eyes off neither could I move, I heard Gryphon's went extinct, who would believe one this large still exist.
I finally got a grip and and took a step backward.
"Don't move Lia, if you get close to the statue you'll lose your head" Prince Cyrus says
The Gryphon didn't move neither did it make a sound, it kept staring at a particular space, it felt like it was guarding something.
"It won't attack until the gem of Xanxer has been taken" Prince Travis says
"Gem of Xanxer, what's that?" I asked
"Cyrus hold him off for me, seems that's where the third piece is" Travis points at the spot the Gryphon has been staring at.
Travis walks carefully and went in between the two statues, he carried the head on the palm of the left statue and places it on the headless statue.
The Gryphon didn't react still, waiting patiently and watching the statue, Prince Cyrus unsheathes his sword
"Lia!, concentrate, I won't be able to protect you, get ready to attack" Prince Cyrus says firmly.
A green stone emerges from the palm of the newly headed statue, Prince Travis picks it up
In a blink of an eye the Gryphon slashes Prince Travis, Travis rolls off as he fell to the ground, The green stone slips off from his grasp, Prince Cyrus tried to hold down the Gryphon as he unleashes his wind element, he blew a strong wind against the Gryphon but it didn't budge.
The Gryphon flapped it enormous wings releasing a great wind force, which throws me and Prince Cyrus off our feet.
Prince Travis held my leg, preventing me from flying away, Prince Cyrus on the other hand hits the rock hard wall as he went unconscious.
"Run!, I'll hold it off for you" Prince Travis says to me.
I'm having the same flashes of when Father told me to run...before he died, I lost my whole family because I ran away, will I keep running forever.
If I can't defeat this Gryphon, Toketa will be impossible to fight head on with.
I took a deep breath then stood my ground.
Just like I read in the book Prince Cyrus gave me,
I gathered all my energy to my core and concentrate it to my left palm, I stretched out my hands and ...
poured out a large force of fire, it's hot and it's burning my insides, can't hold on any longer.
I managed to burn half of the Gryphon's body, it screeches loudly and looks at me in pain.
I'm exhausted as I have no energy or power to fight or run.
I stared at the Gryphon
"Your eyes looks just like Artemis' " it picks me up and plans to destroy.
Seems this is the end of me.