A screech pierced the air.

Jurot was quick to move, climbing up the rocky cliff beside them with feline grace, before hoisting himself above. 

“Gryphon!” Jurot shouted, before his head jerked downwards. “Adam!” Jurot scrambled over the hill and out of sight. 

Spell: Guidance
D3 = 3 (3)
Athletics Check
D20 + 9 = 23 (14)

“Up we go,” Adam rubbed his hands together, filling himself with the magic of the trick, before climbing up the hill, looking over to see a half bird half feline creature, which was currently speeding its way to a tiny form. “Fuck! Lucy!” 

She was already at his side, and upon seeing the scene, she darted over the hill with the pair.

Battle Order
D20 + 1 = (11) 10

The Gryphon screeched as it flew through the air, coasting towards the child who was running, tears streaming down his face. Though the trio were rushing forward, the Gryphon was a rapid beast. It managed to close to the child, and it tore the child’s back apart withits claws.

The cries of the child were cut quiet. 

“You cannot kill it!” came a shout from behind. Sir Landon had climbed up the side of the hill in order to shout towards them.

Adam’s brow pulsed, and his chest grew cold. ‘What the fuck? What do you mean we can’t kill it?’

“Vonda!” Adam shouted, hearing another set of rushed steps following after him. “Heal him!”

“He cannot be healed, Adam!” the woman shouted back at him. She had accepted reality, having seen the way the Gryphon had torn into the boy. With him now in the talons of the creature, what could she do?

Unfortunately for the Gryphon, Jurot was quite quick too, as he leapt onto the beast with frightening speed, his entire face red as he tore into the creature’s wing and side.

It screeched in pain as it leapt up into the air to flee with its prey, though Lucy had only been a step behind Jurot. She jumped onto Jurot’s back, stomping against his shoulder to leap further into the air, summoning her greataxe in hand. 

She swung down with all her strength, fuelled by the same rage which pumped through Jurot’s veins. Her greataxe cut through its back like a hot knife through butter, the flames of Destroyer splashing against the creature, before its two halves dropped on either side of the pair.

Adam slid to a halt, dropping down to the young boy.

Mana: 18 -> 17
Spell: Healing Word
1D3 + 3 = 5 (2)

“Hey!” Adam shouted, trying to wake the boy up, wrapping his arms around the child, the hot blood turning his puthral red. The boy was pale, and his chest did not move.

Vonda placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Adam. He is gone.” They had been too late, and there was nothing which could be done for the child. 

“Gone?” Adam whispered. He shook his head, inhaling deeply, trying to calm himself. He reached into his pocket and brought out one of the two diamonds. 

Mana: 17 -> 14
Spell: Revivify

“Hey, Baktu. Would you mind?” Adam asked, feeling the way his entire body grew hot, his heart tingling as the magic flowed through him and into his arms, before the magic flowed into the boy.

The child opened up his eyes, staring up at the helmet. “Harold?” 

“Hey, sleepyhead, what are you doing sleeping in a field?” Adam asked, his thundering heart slowly beginning to calm. 

Sir Vonda stared at Adam, unsure of what to say. ‘Did he just…’

Lucy roared once more and slammed her greataxe into the Gryphon again, just for good measure, before her axe disappeared. 

Victory!
Gryphon
XP Gained: +50
XP: 4325 -> 4375

The child stared up at him for a moment longer. “Gramps!” he quickly gasped. “Gramps! The Gryphon’s got him! They took him away!”

“Alright, alright,” Adam said. 

“What did you just do?” Fred asked, mouth agape. He had ran after them after a moment’s hesitation, and he was sure he had heard Sir Vonda say the boy was gone. “Did you-“

Sir Landon, the Knights, and the Porters had forced the captives to head over their way too.

“What have you done?” Sir Landon exclaimed towards them. “The slaying of Gryphons has been outlawed in South Aldland! Sir Harold himself banned it.”

“I don’t give a damn!” Lucy snarled back. “If that guy has a problem with it, he can take it up with me.”

“Wolves!” Jurot’s voice cut through the air, raising his axe as he noted the figures all about them.

There were two Elder Wolves and eight Wolves, each of them shades of brown like the hills around them. 

“You have got to be kidding me,” Adam whispered.

Battle Order
D20 + 1 = 5 (4)

“Fred! Look after the kid!” Adam shouted as the Wolves descended upon them.

They were a storm of claws and teeth as they shred into Lucy and Jurot, who had managed to intercept the Elder Wolves, though there were a pair of Wolves who also added fuel to the fire as they tried to drag Lucy down.

“Bastard Wolves!” she roared, cutting into an Elder Wolf, while Jurot supported her at her side, wildly crashing his axe against the other Elder Wolf, almost cleaving its head clean off. 

Sir Vonda stepped forward, crashing into a Wolf which had tried to pounce at the child during the fray, and Adam hopped forward towards another. 

Health: 65 -> 60
Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2
Health: 60 -> 65

Attack (Two Handed)
D20 + 8 = 11 (3)
D20 + 8 = 18 (10)
Hit!
1D6 + 1D6 + 7 = 14 (2)(5)
14 damage!

Attack (Two Handed)(Flanking)
D20 + 9 = 15 (6)
D20 + 9 = 17 (8)
Hit!
1D6 + 1D6 + 7 = 17 (4)(6)
17 damage!

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Attack (Two Handed)(Flanking)
D20 + 9 = 17 (8)
D20 + 9 = 19 (10)
Hit!
1D6 + 1D6 + 7 = 14 (2)(5)
18 damage!

Attack (Two Handed)(Flanking)
D20 + 9 = 14 (5)
D20 + 9 = 27 (18)
Hit!
1D6 + 1D6 + 7 = 12 (1)(4)
12 damage!

As the Wolf bit into Adam’s shin, the Half Elf cut the Wolf’s head clean in half, before he leapt up beside another, cleaving it in half. He flexed, pushing himself forward as Fred caused another to duck, cutting the Wolf in half, before he dropped down as another pounced towards Vonda, slicing it’s gut wide open, allowing it to spray him with blood before he turned on his heel. 

Vonda crashed her mace against the wolf she was facing, and heard the other drop beside her. “Thank you.”

“Any time,” Adam replied.

Sir Landon roared with rage, though not quite the same rage as the pair nearby, and brought his blade down with both hands with a mighty swing. He cut into the back of the Elder Wolf which Jurot had almost cut in half, taking the kill for himself. 

The other Knights had taken three Wolves out themselves, and within moments, there was only an Elder Wolf and a Wolf which remained. They snarled towards the group, but turned and fled the scene. 

“Let them go,” Sir Vonda said, watching as the Wolves retreated, posing little threat to the large group of Adventurers. “They must have come for the Gryphon.”

“And the kid,” Adam said, glaring at the Wolves as they darted away. He could have shot at them with Flame Bolt, but he decided against it for Vonda.

Victory!
Hill Wolves
XP Gained: +125
XP: 4325 -> 4450

Sir Landon brought his sword down upon the Elder Wolf once more, cutting its head clean off, though it was already dead. 

“Looks like we made a ton of coin,” Adam said, looking at the Wolves and the Elder Wolf they had slain. ‘I hope the Gryphon’s death doesn’t bother us, though.’

Sir Vonda grabbed his arm and pulled him aside. “What did you do?” she whispered. 

“Hey,” Adam said. “If the Wolves didn’t want to die, they shouldn’t have come for us.”

“I do not mean the Wolves, Adam.” Her voice was sharp, though quiet, as though there was a conspiracy afoot.

“You don’t?” Adam asked. “Then what are you talking about?”

“I saw the diamond,” she said. “Do you think I, a Priest of Life, would not recognise the spell you cast?”

“Just a healing spell,” Adam said, already knowing that it was probably something he shouldn’t have done.

“It was not just a healing spell!”

“Sir Vonda,” he said, sternly. “As a Priest of Life, I’m not sure you should take that tone with me?”

“It is not that I do not agree with what you did, nor do I not appreciate it, but-“

“But what?” Adam asked. “What else did you expect me to do?”

“You… you…” Vonda fell silent. The magic was outlawed in the Kingdom, and it was only the Priests of Life who were able to cast the spell, though under certain limitations. However, it was an open secret that many Adventurers cast the spell, and the various temples left them be, as they provided quite a valuable service in keeping the lands somewhat safe.

“Hey, kid,” Adam said, dropping down to his knee. “You alright?”

“They got gramps!” he said, sniffling. 

“Jurot?” Adam asked. 

The Iyrman shook his head. “We should retreat to Ever Green. If a Gryphon has his grandfather, they are already lost.”

“There was Knight with us too. He stayed back. Maybe they coulda beaten the Gryphons?” the boy asked, still sniffling.

“How many Gryphons were there?” Jurot asked.

“Four,” the boy said. 

“Including this one?” Jurot motioned to the dead Gryphon. 

“No…”

Jurot shook his head. “One Gryphon is dangerous, but four? With knowledge that they hunt around this area, we cannot split the party.”

“An Iyrman running from a fight?” a Knight said. “Never thought I would see the day.”

“We can go to the Gryphons if you wish,” Jurot said. “You and I against four Gryphons. It would be a good story, and Adam can come take my body to the Iyr.”

“Whoa,” Adam said. “We are heading to the nearby town and that’s that. You said Ever Geen?”

“I’m from a village near Ever Green,” the boy said. 

“Let’s head to the town first so we can sort stuff out, and get you properly safe,” Adam said, patting the boy’s shoulder. 

The boy sniffled, but nodded his head slowly. 

“We should go now,” Jurot said, his eyes upwards. 

 

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That Gryphon had no chance.

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