Griffin
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W00t, here is Griffin's introduction. Hopefully you love him (or hate him). Either way, welcome to Thessaloniki, Greece: the home of Griffin! Enjoy!
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I jerked myself from my memories, breathing heavily and enveloped in darkness. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I rose to my feet hastily, leaning on the wall to my right and feeling the two appendages on my back twitch nervously for a few moments. They subsided, resting easily against my back once again.
I hated to reflect on my memories. They only brought back foul emotions, ones I could live without. I could not afford to feel anymore. Then again, what do I have to lose?
It is more painful than anyone can imagine to remember what I've been through, but remembering is the only way I know I am still alive.
There were no sounds in the room to accompany me, but that is the way it has been for years. I could not complain. I relished in the silence of my home. It was the only place I did not have to hide, where I could be myself. But who am I really if I only exist in the dark?
I could not answer that question. I did not know the answer, not then and probably not ever. I do not know who I am, but I did know what I was. A monster. Just as a man once told me long ago, I was an abomination. I should never have existed, not in today’s world. Not in any world, really.
It is kind of ironic, in a way. I have never been a fan of ancient history, yet here I am, a living relic. Something born from the legends of the Ancient Greeks. A human with the wings of a Wyvern.
Normal humans would love to fly, to experience the wind beneath them and the clouds at their fingertips, but, when someone who can accomplish such feats enters their world, that person is shunned. They are feared. I cannot help who I am. I did not chose to be born this way. I would kill for a normal life, but normality is not possible, not for me.
I spent far too long dwelling on the past that night. The moon was high, and I needed some fresh air. Being cramped up inside for an entire day did a number on my wings. I could only take so much.
I folded my wings against my back, hooking the top claws over my shoulders, and, donning my trusted trench coat, I made my way to the door, knowing that the night was still young. It was the eve of Easter, the night before the celebration of their Messiah's resurrection. Everyone was inside the church, awaiting the arrival of Easter day, but they soon would be on the streets in a celebration. I had a good half an hour to kill before the streets were crowded. Plenty of time for a nighttime flight.
Keeping my time limit in mind, even though I knew it will not be a problem, I strode out the door, shutting it quietly behind me. None of my so-called neighbors were home, but old habits die hard, I suppose. Before long, I was on the empty street, and my wings were extended, twitching in anticipation. I would hate to disappoint them.
With that, I took off, and I was soon soaring with the moon shining on my back and the city beneath me. I have always felt free there, in the clouds. I could not live without flying. While no humans would accept me, the sky would never reject me. The sky is, was, and always will be my only friend.
Almost half an hour passed before I finally descended into the square, folding my wings once more and sweeping my coat over my shoulders. No one would suspect a thing. I glanced at my watch, commending myself on excellent timing. Only five seconds before the streets filled.
“Five, four, three, two, one,” I counted down to myself, shouts of excitement answering my whisper. Soon, doors all over the city opened, and people of all ages flooded out. I could not fly away now. I would be forced to endure the celebration, but that does not mean I would do so in public.
I backed into an alleyway off the side of the square, lifting the collar of my coat to surround my face. My anonymity is one of the few things I have left.
My eyes did not need to adjust to the darkness; they never need to. It is what one might call a gift. With my enhanced vision, I watched as the crowd gathered, the people all merry and excited for the fireworks.
However, two people caught my attention more than normal. The first was a girl, a very thin and petite girl with ebony hair that glimmered in the starlight. She captured my eye with her uniqueness; she appeared lost yet confident, and she obviously was not from this town. She roamed the street alone, her eyes scanning each person’s face as if she were searching for someone.
The second was a rugged man, hiding in the shadows of an alley adjacent to my own. His eyes appeared glazed as if he had consumed too much alcohol, and a small weapon glinted in his hand. His cloak was tattered and stained, but, despite his obvious stupor, he was steady on his feet. He, too, was transfixed by the girl. His intentions were clear. I could not let this crime happen.
The girl stopped a mere five feet from the opening, pulling out a folded photograph from her pocket and biting her lip, pulling her cap down lower with her other hand. The hidden man saw his opportunity and took it, but so did I.
He lunged with wild eyes, his mouth twisted into a grimace, and the girl did not have so much time as to glance up. Luckily for her, I had already shot forward with a speed her human eyes would have been unable to follow, and, without a second thought, I outstretched my arms before her, shielding her from view.
The man did not sense the danger; he was too intoxicated to realize what I was capable of. He continued his advance, his rusted blade pointed toward me. Within an instant, I swept my foot under his, landing in a crouch and sending him tripping over me, tumbling off to my right. His knife easily sliced through the back of my coat, revealing my darkest secret.
I was unable to react at first. The cold breeze on my scales was a shock, to say the least, and, without my consent, they spread behind me, arching out to touch the sides of the alleyway. I heard the girl’s gasp behind me and the whisper of a paper falling to the ground, but I did not have time to focus on that. The man was rising to his feet beside me, his eyes murderous, his mind oblivious to the fact that I had six-foot wings sprouting from my shoulders.
I kicked out quickly, landing a foot on his chest, and he collapsed with a groan, his knife spiralling through the air. I exhaled heavily as I spun around and rose to my feet to face the girl, her shock evident. Yet, she did not seem afraid. I was grateful.
“We need to get out of here,” I instructed, ushering her out of the alleyway. In a mere three seconds, screams reached my ears, the sight of my wings causing a riot in the square as talk of “a demon from the depths of Hell” immediately circulated. She nodded, gesturing for me to lead the way. I was surprised, naturally, but I motioned for her to step closer. I would never give up the chance to share my flight nor to help someone in distress.
I wrapped my arms through hers, lifting her off the ground with little effort. Soon, we were in the skies once again, and she wisely remained quiet for the time being. I landed after a few minutes, assuming I had gone far enough, and released my hold, folding back my wings and bowing farewell.
“Wait,” she ordered forcefully, and, to my surprise, I obeyed. “My name is Akira. Thanks for, y’know...” Puzzled, I nodded in response, not knowing how else to reply. “I owe you big time. I should have been paying more attention. But that isn’t what’s important. The thing is, Griffin, I’m trying to find people like me around the world, people from legends.” I whipped around, unconsciously seizing her shoulders.
“How do you know my name?” I demanded, loosening my hold. She appeared unfazed, for the most part.
“I have my sources,” she stated simply, brushing my hands off of her. “Anyways, you’ve made quite an impression on the people here. But you managed to keep your location under wraps. I’m impressed. You’re a very skilled flyer. You’d make a great addition to our team.” I narrowed my gaze, turning my back.
“Not interested,” I snapped, cracking my neck.
“What? But you don’t even know what I —” she began, stepping towards me. I spun around, catching her outstretched hand and tossing it down.
“I work alone. Nothing changes that,” I explained briefly, staring down at her. “Thanks for the offer. And you don’t owe me for saving your life. No big deal. Goodbye.” With that, I took off, her protests drowned out by the wind.
I admit, it may have been a tad bit rude to blow her off like that, but I could not allow myself to bond with anyone. Not after all this time. I simply could not.
I made my way back to my apartment in record time, my mind racing. I could not express my anger at having my only disguise destroyed and currently discarded in the streets, but that was not really the biggest issue at the time. Someone had been looking for me. They had found me. And that person was but a teenager like myself. I could not begin to imagine how many others would try and succeed in the future. I would have to move again. I hated having to relocate.
The commotion outside had died down, the panic brushed off and excused as being caused by raw excitement and tipsiness. What incompetent fools humans are, coming up with an explanation for everything.
Once inside my home, I automatically began to pack, assuming that, in the near future, someone else would discover me, someone who did not wish for me to join them. I did not desire to become someone’s trophy. I knew I needed to leave, but, in all honesty, I did not know where I would go. I had lived in this place since I was eight years old. I did not know anything but the inside of these walls.
It did not take long for me to gather all my belongings in a single bag, and, grabbing a wad of bills from the safe I kept under my cot, I made my way to the front room, tossing the bag near the door and sitting down on my worn-down chair. Just waiting for something to happen.
In all honesty, I had not really expected anything to occur, nothing that would immediately force me to move. Nevertheless, within minutes, a rapid knocking arose from the other side of my door, and I was on my feet in an instant. My wings automatically spread as my mind wandered. Who could have discovered my location this soon?
Figuring that it was inevitable, I moved toward the door, creeping stealthily across the floor. Unfortunately, I did not have any windows or a peephole to glimpse what awaited me. I would have to find out the hard way. Preparing myself for the worst, I threw open the door, ready for a fight.
She leaned casually against the doorframe, her breathing slightly accelerated as she stared me down with menace in her gaze. I stepped back, eyes wide.
“I told you I owed you, and I meant it,” she barked, tossing a folded black bundle at me. I scrambled to catch it, easily doing so, and unfolded it immediately. My coat. The gash that it had endured was completely healed, the stitching clumsy but effective.
“What... Why did you do this?” I questioned instantly, cradling my disguise carefully. She simply rolled her eyes. “I told you, you did not owe me! I greatly appreciate this, but there was no point in you doing me a favor. Now I am in your debt, and I would rather not be.” I felt I should give her the honest truth, but she did not seem pleased, to say the least.
“Do you have to be so annoying?” she demanded. “Just forget about it. It was the least I could do. Are you gonna let me in, or what?”
“Please, come in,” I muttered sarcastically under my breath, figuring there was no way to stop her, not without causing her serious harm.
"Nice uh place you got here," she commented, scanning the stained cement walls. "I like the whole 'creepy abandoned warehouse' atmosphere you've got going on." I simply glared for a moment, not understanding her point. "I mean, it is an abandoned warehouse, but it's ah very nice?"
"Please, stop wasting my time," I begged lowly, my voice quiet but menacing. Clearing my throat as I shut the door, I added in a louder voice, “How did you find me? What do you want from me? I already gave you an answer.” She merely stared at me for a moment, eying me down as if she intended to pry my thoughts from my mind.
“Yeah, yeah,” she began, rolling her eyes, “but, you see, I know you didn’t really think about it. You’re alone here. People are afraid of you. Don’t you want to be recognized as a hero?” The last word struck me, and I shut my eyes tightly, breathing evenly.
Heroism was my calling; I knew that to be true. Even with my shameful history of theft, I lived for justice. It was as if she knew that.
“I am not agreeing to anything, but... you may tell me more about your organization,” I breathed resentfully, reopening my eyes to catch her amused expression.
“It’s not really an organization per se; it’s more like a club,” her voice took on a dark tone, and I found myself drawn in as she explained the MCC. I had to admit, I was kind of intrigued. Yet I still had my doubts. Who was this girl? How could she know about this secret group when she appeared so... normal?
“Then what is so special about you?” I blurted, unaccustomed to such intimate conversation. She seemed offended at first, but she quickly recovered, reaching up to her hat. Puzzled, I simply watched.
Two furry ears revealed themselves, twitching as they escaped the confines of her cap, the tips stretching a few inches above her head. She reached behind her, tugging at her khakis, and a bushy tail made itself known, swaying as if it had a mind of its own.
“I’m a werewolf,” she stated simply, crossing her arms over her chest. “And you are, what, a dragon?”
“Wyvern,” I replied automatically, still rather shocked. A werewolf. Who would have guessed it? “It is different than a dragon. Stronger. Do not confuse the two.” She nodded thoughtfully, her expression unchanging.
“Well, Griffin, you’re welcome to join the club,” Akira insisted, her persistence annoying yet admirable. “There’s something strange about us, the mythological creatures that we are, and I’m going to need all the help I can get to solve this.” I cast my gaze downward, exhaling in a sigh.
I was tired of being alone, and this was possibly my only chance at become a part of something. Yet, a commitment was something I was often opposed to. It had been so long, so terribly long, since I had been accepted; I could no longer remember that time, yet I knew it existed. Maybe this was the opportunity I had been waiting for.
This group of people, of monsters like myself, would not discriminate against me for they were outcasts just like I was, like I always had been. Maybe I could give it a try, see if they were trustworthy, and ditch them if not. I always had my home to come back to. Or, in the least, the sky.
I turned my attention back to the wolf-girl who seemed to be growing impatient, her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes narrowed tightly.
“Look, if you aren’t up to it, fine,” she snapped, crossing her arms firmly across her chest. “See if I care. I’m just trying to find the truth, but if you want to keep living in solitude here like a hermit, that’s fine with me.”
She turned away, making for the door, but I stopped her automatically, planting a hand on her shoulder. For a moment, she froze, and, ever so slowly, she turned around, her annoyance clear.
“I will join your club,” I managed to choke out, the words foreign on my tongue. A slight grin spread on the corner of her lips. “You might need my help. You seem a bit incapable of keeping your temper.” Her smile melted off her face as her glare returned. “Nonetheless, I, too, wish to find the truth. Just do not double cross me, or you will regret it.”
“Yeah, OK, Dragonboy,” she taunted, no evidence of a playful tone in her voice. “Welcome to the club. Try not to bore everyone to death.” Quickly, she yanked the door open, leaping out the doorway and not bothering to wait for me.
“I am not a dragon,” I corrected, racing after her and snatching up my bag. It was a good thing I had been prepared, as usual. “Wyvern. I am a Wyvern. Get it right!”
THE END
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Wow, honestly, I didn't realize it was so long until right now... : Sorry about that... I'm not trying to be an overachiever, OK? I just love to write! And I'm totally in love with Griffin... ;) So... yeah... Um... I hope you liked it! Um... stay tuned for more? ... Yeah...
See ya! :3
