The stable's exit led into an underground cave, with enough space to house a dragon. The roof was covered in a sugary-white substance that glowed faintly, allowing Vondell to just barely make out his armored feet. There was a constant tip-tapping, as drops of water dripped from sugary hills on the ceiling to small pools of glowing white on the floor.
Vondell walked to one such pool —his footsteps echoing throughout the cave— and used the sharp tip of his thumb nail to prick his index. He let the blood drop into the pool, and it began sparkling red.
The griffin stalked its way beside Vondell, staring down at the pool of crimson with drool dripping out of its maw.
"Eat," he ordered, and the griffin splashed its maw into the small pool with enthusiasm. It growled in satisfaction as the pool level steadily depleted.
Vondell looked around.
Towards one side of the cave, the wall had been sculpted into a large rocky closet that housed dozens of saddles. He chose a shelf towards the left end, and returned with a blue one.
"Calm," he whispered, gently touching the griffin on its side. It growled softly in response and lay down on its belly.
He threw the saddle over its back and fastened all its straps, before climbing on. He then fastened his own straps, double-checking each one with a rough pull. Once he was done with the last one, he pricked his finger again and used the blood to draw symbols on different parts of the saddle. It was a triangle, the rune of stability.
"Activos," he whispered. And the blood symbols burst into flames, leaving imprints in the saddle.
"Quickly, Jinx," he whispered, tapping its neck.
The creature drank faster, and once it was done, it flapped its wings slightly, creating small bursts of wind. As it stood up, lifting Vondell into the air, he could feel the raw strength behind every movement, even with the saddle between them.
He pulled on the reigns slightly, and the creature moved forward. There was part of the ceiling, towards the end of the cave, where the sugary substance wasn't glowing; he led the creature there and held up his hand.
"Oh greater wills, hear your child. Set free my path," he whispered, and the blue gem glowed in unison with the ceiling. It slowly fizzled away, revealing the cloudy midday sky. He could hear the sound of metal clanging as the scions in the courtyard above trained with each other.
The griffin stepped back tensely at the sudden change in light and sound, but a few strokes over its nape and it slowly calmed down.
"To the skies, Jinx," Vondell shouted, snapping at the reigns. The griffin let out a thunderous screech, before spreading out its wings. The full span was the length of two wagons, both horses included. It flapped them, sending gusts of powerful wind out in all directions. Another flap and it was in the air.
It sped through the gap and shot toward the skies. The rushing wind pushed Vondel back slightly, so he repositioned himself flatly on the creature's back.
The griffin let out another screech, and cheering erupted from behind them on the ground. Vondell looked back for a moment, the gap in the courtyard was already closing. The guild members who had been training there waved, and cheered as they tore through the air.
The griffin beat its wings again, thrusting them faster into the cloudy skies. With another powerful flap, the wind roared as it crashed against them.
"Calm, Jinx," Vondell shouted against the wind.
The griffin tucked its wings right as they cut through a cloud. Slowly but surely they lost speed until eventually they were suspended in mid-air. The air was so cold up here, but at least it was peaceful. He could see the entirety of Antras, a great circle of man-made structures, pushing against a vast forest on one side, and pulling dozens of roads and trails on the other.
The Hall sparkled grandly at the center, reflecting beams of sunlight back to the heavens. Even though he disliked the building, he imagined that it must blind the empyreans every once in a while, and that brought him some peace.
They began plummeting back to the ground, speeding even faster than when they were coming up. The griffin held its head out slightly so that the rushing air would not weigh so heavily on Vondell, and in turn, he squeezed against it even tighter, furrowing himself into its feathers.
The air behind them began to turn white, rushing down with them as if trying to catch up.
Itzel's manor was back in sight, becoming larger and larger with every passing millisecond. Right as they were about to crash into the courtyard, the griffin spread its wings, and the air thrust them back.
The sky above them boomed, and everyone training in the courtyard unsheathed their weapons in silenced shock.
The griffon squawked at this, circling the stunned scions.
"Enough playing around Jinx. Fly," Vondell shouted humouredly.
They streaked back into the skies, and then across the city, chasing the sun towards the west. Jinx flew above the clouds, reducing visibility for both them and the citizens down below. No good would come if people knew that Lord Black, was not in the city. Especially with so many 'new recruits' from Leeds walking around
As they flew above The Hall Vondell felt the air around him shift.
"Lord Black, you have not been authorized to roam the skies. This is the second time today I almost smited you down," the air bellowed.
"I apologize for the first time, Reana. I'm on an onyx directive, do I have permission to proceed?"
The air went calm for a moment, before shifting once again.
"High Lady Helen has approved. She sends you a package to take along," it said, before going calm once again.
Vondell felt a stream of air rushing at them from behind, pushing slightly against his back. A moment later a trail of white flowers rushed through the stream.
"Gods be damned," Vondell cursed under his breath.
"Did you miss me?" a voice called out from behind him.