"It's a good thing this bastard died so quickly!" Liam snarled as he spurred his horse forward, coming to a halt beside the lifeless body of the Kantadar noble. He spat, his face twisted in disgust, his anger not quite spent despite the sight of their fallen enemy.
Olivia, the blonde girl, stood still, her movements having been as swift and precise as always, though her expression was anything but triumphant. It was over too fast. Liam hadn't even had the chance to savor the moment, to finish the noble off himself. Instead, the clean, execution-like stab had ended the life of the cruel leader in an instant, leaving no room for lingering satisfaction.
As Olivia stood over the body, her eyes, filled with a deep sadness, flickered from the noble's lifeless form to the battlefield strewn with loss. Her face hardened, her gaze empty. This had been the first of many disasters to sweep through her homeland, yet even in victory, it felt like waking from a nightmare that still clung to her like a shadow. She couldn't shake the feeling that, come morning, all of her friends, those she had lost; would be there, smiling, greeting her as though none of it had ever happened.
Leon noticed her daze and stepped closer, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. "It's over," he said, his voice soft, yet firm, anchoring her to the present. His touch was a reminder of reality, of the here and now.
Olivia shook her head, blinking back to awareness. The confusion ebbed, replaced by a quiet resolve. "Yeah," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if speaking any louder would shatter what fragile peace remained.
A sudden whoosh filled the air, the sound of flapping wings overhead. The horses beneath them stirred nervously, hooves scraping the dirt as their riders fought to keep control. Liam, eyeing the sky, gripped his reins tightly. "That big guy's headed straight for us," he muttered, a note of uncertainty in his voice. "Should we... get out of the way?"
Leon looked up, recognizing the creature approaching with astonishing speed, a griffin, its vast wings cutting through the air with terrifying ease. He furrowed his brow, considering their options before finally raising a hand. "Hold your ground. It's already seen us. Any sudden movement could be mistaken for a threat, and trust me, we won't outrun it, not on these horses."
Liam hesitated but nodded, steadying his restless horse. Leon turned to Olivia and added, "Take off your helmet. If the griffin can recognize its enemies, it should recognize its friends too."
With a swift motion, Leon removed his own helmet and handed it to Olivia. "Help me down," he said. The girl dismounted gracefully and extended a hand, assisting Leon off his horse.
"Stay back," Leon warned, his tone serious. "If something goes wrong..." He trailed off, catching the determined glint in Olivia's eyes. He sighed, knowing full well that no matter what happened, she wouldn't leave him behind. He handed her his sword for safekeeping and stepped forward unarmed.
With his hands raised, Leon called out to the beast as it soared closer. "Hey! Look here! Do you remember me?!"
The griffin's sharp gaze, capable of spotting prey from thousands of feet above, locked onto Leon. The creature slowed its descent, its massive wings beating less frantically as it circled lower. Its cry, once fierce, had softened, as if the sight of the boy below stirred something familiar in its heart.
The wind from the griffin's wings whipped across the field, sending dust and grass swirling into the air. Leon shielded his eyes, squinting against the gusts as the beast finally landed with a heavy thud in front of him. For a tense moment, he held his breath, waiting.
The griffin folded its wings, its enormous eyes focused on Leon with an almost curious warmth. The joy in those eyes was unmistakable, though it seemed perplexed by the unfamiliar armor Leon wore. But there was no mistaking him; his scent, his face, and the unmistakable aura of magic surrounding him.
Relief flooded through Leon. The beast remembered him, after all.
As soon as Leon lowered his arm, he saw the enormous, razor-sharp beak of the griffin coming straight at him. His heart skipped a beat, but before he could react, the massive creature let out a surprisingly gentle call and nuzzled against him, its version of a friendly greeting.
The only problem was that Leon, still weak from the fight, wasn't exactly prepared for such an enthusiastic gesture. The force of the griffin's giant head sent him sprawling onto the ground with a grunt.
"Leon!" Olivia's green eyes widened, and her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her sword. She stood frozen for a moment, torn between charging in to help and staying put.
It wasn't a reassuring sight. The griffin's claws and beak were still stained with blood, and fragments of what looked like internal organs clung to its talons. From where Olivia stood, it looked more like a wild beast ready to feast than a friendly reunion.
But Leon quickly waved his hand, signaling her to stay back. "It's fine! It's fine!" he called out, pushing himself up with a groan, brushing dirt off his armor.
Turning to the giant creature, Leon smiled and, despite the blood and grime covering its chest, stretched his arms wide and embraced the griffin's feathery neck. "You overgrown chick," he muttered affectionately, rubbing its head as if it were a pet. "You left so fast, I thought we'd never see each other again."
The griffin leaned into Leon's touch, its great eyes gleaming with recognition and trust. Leon chuckled softly, unfazed by the blood streaking his armor. "You know, it'd be a lot easier if you could talk. You could be my mighty death claw, and I'd be your loyal sidekick, forever picking up after you. Wouldn't that be something?"
He paused, patting the griffin's side as if he were saying goodbye to an old friend. "But hey, we're even now. I saved your life back in that cursed land, and today, you saved all of ours."
The griffin made a soft sound in response, as if acknowledging the bond they shared. It let Leon rub its neck a little longer before it straightened, its gaze drifting to the corpse of the Kantadar noble lying not far away. With a final, soft call, it gave Leon a nod, a farewell of sorts.
Leon sighed, watching as the creature began to retreat, stretching its massive wings. "Leaving again, huh?" he muttered, knowing this time it would be a while before they crossed paths again.
He gave a wistful wave. "Safe travels, Your Majesty Deathclaw. I hope we meet again someday."
The griffin let out one last, resounding cry, a sound that echoed across the battlefield, before it took off, its wings stirring up dust and wind. The massive beast soared into the sky, its silhouette shrinking as it flew higher, chasing down the remnants of the Kantadar forces. It wasn't done with its revenge yet.
With the griffin gone, Olivia hurried over to Leon, helping him to his feet. He winced, brushing off the dirt clinging to his armor. "That big guy sure knows how to make an entrance," Leon muttered, glancing at the bloodied battlefield. "Looks like no Kantadar soldier made it out alive. The village should be safe for now."
He turned to Olivia. "Go check on your father. See how he's doing."
They mounted their horses again, but the poor creatures, still shaken from the griffin's presence, refused to move, their legs trembling beneath them. No amount of coaxing from Olivia or Liam could get them to budge.
"Looks like we're walking," Liam grumbled, hopping off his horse and tugging it along by the reins. Olivia followed suit, and the small group trudged forward, leading their jittery horses on foot.
Thankfully, the blacksmith's home wasn't far. They made their way into the woods and soon found Olivia's father, the old blacksmith, lying in the grass, resting.
After ensuring the area was safe from any remaining threats, they pressed on, returning to the village. The sight that greeted them was grim.
Blood stained the dirt roads, and scattered limbs of Kantadar soldiers were strewn everywhere, a brutal reminder of the griffin's fury. Bodies lay in heaps, torn apart, unrecognizable in their mangled state. The only thing that remained intact were the still forms of the villagers who had been slaughtered earlier, their lives snuffed out by the enemy's earlier raid.
Leon paused, surveying the devastation. It was a victory, but a hollow one.
"The leader's dead," he said quietly. "The village should be safe... for now."
Some of the surviving horses, now without their riders, huddled nervously in the corners, their eyes wide with fear. They had witnessed the horrors of battle, their senses overwhelmed by the violence of men and beasts alike. The unlucky ones had not fared as well; mangled bodies of horses and their riders lay scattered, gruesomely fused in death.
Olivia's gaze swept across the bodies of the fallen villagers. Her heart ached, but she forced herself to look away from the familiar faces, trying to steel herself against the wave of grief threatening to swallow her. She couldn't even begin to fathom the suffering of the men who had gone off to war, only to return to their homes in ruins.
Suddenly, a faint, broken voice interrupted the eerie silence. "O-Olivia..."
The weak cry came from a shadowed corner of the village. Heads turned, and there, hiding in the alley, was a young village woman; naked, bruised, and trembling violently.
"Aunt Milia!" Olivia gasped, rushing over without hesitation.
Milia, her eyes wide with fear, reached out towards Olivia, but the moment her gaze fell on Leon and the others, all dressed in the armor of Kantadar mercenaries, terror overwhelmed her. She screamed, desperately trying to crawl away, her body weak and battered from her ordeal.
"No! Aunt Milia, it's okay! Don't be afraid!" Olivia pleaded, her voice breaking with emotion as tears welled up in her eyes. "They're not Kantadars! They're my friends. It's all over now."
Leon, realizing the situation, quickly turned to Liam and Brandon. "Look away!" he ordered, his voice sharp. "Don't stare."
The men averted their eyes respectfully. Leon called out to the terrified woman, keeping his tone calm and reassuring. "Aunt Milia, don't be scared. We killed the Kantadar scum. We're friends of Olivia, not your enemies."
Slowly, Olivia's soothing voice and Leon's words began to calm Milia's panic. Her breathing steadied, but tears continued to fall as she curled up, sobbing softly, the weight of everything that had happened crushing her.
Liam, Leon, and Brandon stood in silence, their faces grim. The sight of Milia, broken and traumatized, stirred deep sympathy within them. This wasn't the worst they had seen; the Kantadar had been a living nightmare, bodies strewn everywhere like a vision of hell, but that didn't make this any less painful.
"Liam," Leon said quietly, "find her something to wear."
Liam nodded and slipped into the nearby house. It was in disarray, but he managed to find a blanket and some clothes. He handed them to Olivia, who gently wrapped Milia in the blanket, offering what little comfort she could. Even then, Milia's sobs persisted, her heartbreak clear.
As Olivia knelt beside her, she glanced around, her heart sinking even deeper. Milia's two children were nowhere to be seen. Olivia bit her lip, understanding all too well why the woman was so shattered.
After a moment, Olivia stood up, her face marked with sadness. "Leon," she said quietly, "my home is just ahead, the big house. Take my father there to rest. I'm going to stay with Aunt Milia and look for any other survivors in the village."
Leon nodded, his expression tired but understanding. He and Brandon were in no condition to help search, and Olivia was more than capable of handling herself. She didn't need Liam's protection.
The group mounted their horses and moved on, following Olivia's directions. When they arrived at her home, they found the door smashed in, the entire place ransacked. Tables and chairs lay overturned, cabinets torn open, their contents scattered.
Liam tethered the horses and set to work clearing a path inside. His strength hadn't waned, and with a grunt, he managed to carry the wounded Brandon and Olivia's father, the old blacksmith, into the house.
Inside, the chaos from the looting was obvious. Furniture lay in ruins, and the once-cozy home now felt cold and abandoned. But it was a place to rest.
Leon and the others stripped off their heavy armor, the weight of it finally gone from their aching bodies. Leon leaned against the wall, the exhaustion of the day catching up to him as his eyelids drooped.
Liam, always dependable, volunteered to keep watch at the door. "Get some rest," he muttered. "I'll stand guard."
Leon gave him a grateful nod, then closed his eyes, sinking into a much-needed rest.