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Post by Red Charge on Feb 17, 2013 9:03:19 GMT -5
The griffon stopped dead in his tracks, he looked at Hawthorne curiously, then quickly retreated slightly, "It's nowhere in particular, near my farm milord, surely you have no interest in that, would you?" He asked fearfully, "It's a modest farm, we grow vegetables and catch field rats and birds to eat mostly. You can find Royal Rocks up the mountain naturally, but of course you knew that, sorry if I offended..." The griffon bowed, one eye still cautiously trained on Hawthorne as the griffon tried to make itself as small as possible.
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Ambrosios
Griffons
Disciple Griffon
"And from the ashes, life begins anew."
Posts: 150
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Post by Ambrosios on Feb 22, 2013 10:07:51 GMT -5
Hawthorne looked confusedly at the other griffon, wondering why he was acting so skittish. The professor then looked at his good arm. Now that he had some light, he could see that it was covered in blood, and not in the greatest condition. "No wonder. I look like a mess," he thought to himself.
"Sorry if my current appearance is... erm, startling you. I literally woke up in the valley a few minutes ago like this. No idea how it happened." Well, it was the truth. Hard to believe, but still the truth. "I... don't suppose you wouldn't mind allowing me to clean myself up at your farm. I don't think it would be a great idea returning to Royal Rocks looking like this."
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Post by Red Charge on Feb 28, 2013 14:53:15 GMT -5
The griffon stared at him for a few moments, then sped off, yelling bloody murder. "Pa! Get the crossbow!" He flapped his wings and leaped and bounded across the distance, getting as far away from Hawthorne as fast as possible. Lights in the farmhouse grew brighter and Hawthorne could see silhouettes in the porch and in the windows.
So he was alone again, in the middle of the night, in the valley just beneath Royal Rocks... but how long was he out.... and why?
"Pssst." He heard that eerily familiar whisper, "Over here." It came from the shadows behind him, it seemed almost pitch black in there. That eerie whisper he could not place from any time in his memory yet he knew for a fact that he had heard it before. Did he just forget? Or was he missing something? He could go where the voice came from, or he could try going another direction or even go back up to Royal Rocks.
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Ambrosios
Griffons
Disciple Griffon
"And from the ashes, life begins anew."
Posts: 150
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Post by Ambrosios on Feb 28, 2013 15:18:25 GMT -5
Hawthorne let out an aggrevated sigh, watching the torch-bearing griffon as he ran back to the farm. A simple "no" would have been fine. He was about to take off again when he heard that whispering voice, beckoning him to the shadowy void behind him.
"Oh, no. Last time I followed you I got chased by some maniac in a darkened street and woke up covered in blood and with a severe case of amnesia. Unless... "you" have some sort fo explanation, I won't be going over there".
The professor waited for a response from the whispering voice. If he didn't get one, he'd just turn back around and head somewhere else in the valley, try and find a place where he could sleep. He had spent countless nights sleeping in the valley, and one more wasn't going to change anything. Maybe he could find a brook to clean himself up, and then tomorrow he could catch an airship to Royal Rocks.
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Post by Red Charge on Feb 28, 2013 15:37:28 GMT -5
Then the character in the shadows revealed itself, or at least, it took one step towards the light. Though he was barely illuminated and Hawthorne could only at all see a sliver of his face, he was unmistakably a griffon Hawthorne knew.
Knew to be dead.
Aeolus.
"Come over here." He whispered, before stepping back and melting into the shadows again.
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Ambrosios
Griffons
Disciple Griffon
"And from the ashes, life begins anew."
Posts: 150
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Post by Ambrosios on Feb 28, 2013 15:49:47 GMT -5
Hawthorne's face went pale when the mysterious griffon finally showed himself. "A-...Aeolus?" The professor was left staring blankly at the shadows, not even sure how to comprehend what had just happened. Hawthorne was sure it had been him. But Aeolus was dead! Then again, he had just been chased by a maniacal griffon through some sort of dark illusion realm and found himself awake in Stone Valley covered in blood. Perhaps he didn't have much room to decide what was and wasn't real at this point.
The griffon gulped, looking over his shoulder back at the welcoming silence of the valley. At this point, who knew if it really was Aeolus. Maybe it was a trick meant to lure him into something. But... if it wasn't?
Taking a deep breath, Hawthorne stepped forward into the shadows, hoping this time he wouldn't encounter a repeat of the previous events. He wanted answers, why "Aeolus" was doing this, what had just happened to him, and whether it was going to stop.
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Post by Red Charge on Mar 9, 2013 0:15:01 GMT -5
When he entered the darkness he could still see Aelous' outline in the dark, but why was Aeolus standing in the darkness all by himself? Hawthorne approached cautiously, wanting answers to why he was there, why Aeolus was there, what was going on?
"You..." The griffon in the dark said, "You left me behind."
A freezing breeze blew through the valley, the distant lights of the farm now seemed miles away, suddenly Aeolus seemed much more threatening than comforting.
"You left me to die." The Griffon continued.
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Ambrosios
Griffons
Disciple Griffon
"And from the ashes, life begins anew."
Posts: 150
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Post by Ambrosios on Mar 9, 2013 0:36:46 GMT -5
Hawthorne froze at Aeolus's word, staring blankly at the shadow of a griffon. He hadn't been sure what to expect, but certainly not an accusation. Aeolus seemed hostile, bitter, hardly something Hawthorne thought he would find from the griffon who had saved his life. It was discomforting to say the least.
"I did. With a harpoon to my back and in not much a better condition then you were, I'd like to say I didn't have a choice. If I had stopped or tried to do something, they might have killed me. Maybe they wouldn't have, but either way I don't feel good about it. And I haven't stopped thinking about it either."
The professor questioned whether or not he should give a verbal apology. The words might set Aeolus off, giving him just what he needed to go on a tirade. But not giving one might make him seem selfish and uncaring, which wasn't true. "I'm sorry for what happened, and that you ended up dying because of me."
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Post by Red Charge on Mar 9, 2013 0:42:50 GMT -5
"Don't be sorry."
Again the cold breeze ran through the valley, Hawthorne noticed Aeolus seemed to be shaking. Again the lights from the farm seemed incredibly distant and Hawthorne wanted nothing more than to be there, Dang be the farmer's crossbow.
"Dying was the best thing that happened to me." Now Hawthorne realized why he couldn't recognize Aeolus' voice. It was dry and gritty, much unlike his voice when he had last saw him alive. Suddenly an eerie sense of dread began spreading in Hawthorne. Suddenly Aeolus did not feel safe to be around.
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Ambrosios
Griffons
Disciple Griffon
"And from the ashes, life begins anew."
Posts: 150
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Post by Ambrosios on Mar 9, 2013 0:50:01 GMT -5
Aeolus's eerie words were disconcerting to say the least. The solemn statements wasn't sitting well with the professor, nor were the realization of the change Aeolus's voice had undergone. What he wouldn't give to be away from here right now.
"And is there a reason you've come to see me?" Hawthorne asked. "Or why I blacked out and ended up in Stone Valley? I'd like to know what's going on." The griffon was ready to turn tail at a moment's notice, but was afraid of the consequences of fleeing prematurely. He didn't want a deranged Aeolus barreling towards him.
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Post by Red Charge on Mar 9, 2013 0:54:50 GMT -5
"I just wanted to return the favor."
The griffon sillouette moved forwards, out of the darkness and for the first time, Hawthorne managed to get a clear look at him. He was dead, have been so for days. It showed in every feature on him. His movements were stiff, his eyes were bloodshot, he was for all intents and purposes, not supposed to be walking around, much less talking.
"You will prefer it that way." The undead griffon said, now Hawthorne noticed his mouth had not moved when he talked, the voice had manifested itself regardless. His ex-comrade had become one thing griffons fear most, a Death Glider.
Aeolus sprang forwards with surprising speed.
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Ambrosios
Griffons
Disciple Griffon
"And from the ashes, life begins anew."
Posts: 150
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Post by Ambrosios on Mar 9, 2013 1:07:38 GMT -5
Hawthorne looked wide-eyed at Aeolus as he moved forwards, finally getting a good look at him. He was as shocked as he was scared, watching Aeolus's very unnatural movements. He was certainly dead, but there was more then that. Despite what Admiral Gregoros had said, it seemed the Necrolord had gotten ahold of Aeolus, turning him into one of his terrifying death gliders.
The possibility of any more conversation or attempts at reason were dashed as Aeolus shot forwards towards the professor. The griffon attempted to get out of the way as quickly as he could, then flee as fast as his wings would take him. Where? Right now the farm seemed like his best bet, but at this point Hawthorne's only goal was to get away from the Death Glider coming after him.
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Post by Red Charge on Mar 9, 2013 1:12:44 GMT -5
Aeolus gave chase as the two sprinted across the valley. Hawthorne ran into the light, sprinting at the farm, he was too far away to call for help and even if he did would anyone come out to help him at all? Aeolus was catching up with every second, not having to slow down due to fatigue. To begin with Aeolus was faster than Hawthorne, but now that he had no boundaries to his body, he was quickly catching up.
And then, when he was just the tip of a talon away from Hawthorne, he disappeared, something shot from the side, or rather some things, and knocked him out of pursuit and into the shadows. Hawthorne could only see several more blurry shapes bolting into the darkness after him before the valley became completely still again.
Aeolus, and whatever it was that tackled him out of the air were gone and once again, Hawthorne found himself completely alone in the valley. The sense of dread he felt around Aeolus had disappeared.
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Ambrosios
Griffons
Disciple Griffon
"And from the ashes, life begins anew."
Posts: 150
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Post by Ambrosios on Mar 9, 2013 1:29:44 GMT -5
Hawthorne had no idea what had stopped Aeolus from grabbing him, nor was he certain if he should be thankful for it. All he knew was that he was back in the valley, alone. Aeolus was no longer here.
The griffon landed a good distance away, looking around frantically as he ran his good talon through his head feathers. To say he was terrified was an understatement. Aeolus was now part of the Necrolord's army, and determined to have Hawthorne share the same fate. What could he do? When would Aeolus strike again?
Finally the griffon stopped in his looking, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. He needed an airship back to Royal Rocks, and once there he needed to talk to someone. Admiral Gregoros, that was his best bet. The professor didn't feel safe travelling at night, but sticking to one place wasn't going to keep Aeolus from attacking. Without wasting time, he took off for the nearest airship bay, praying that his former savior wouldn't show up again. And when he got to Royal Rocks, hopefully he could meet with Gregoros, and hopefully he would know what to do.
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