First Resorts

[Ambrosios]

Hawthorne hadn't gotten a good night's sleep the previous evening. He caught a few rough hours waiting until morning in the airship bay, then a few more on the flight back to Royal Rocks. When the airship had arrived at the Griffon capital, the professor took no time in making his way to his destination. After what had happened that night, how Aeolus had approached him in undead form... someone needed to know. And Admiral Gregoros was really the only griffon Hawthorne could think to tell. He wasn't about to go and find Tempest.

The professor quickly flew to one of the city's government buildings, navigating his way to a receptionist desk. "I need to speak with Admiral Gregoros," he spoke, somewhat apprehensive about the receptionist's response. He was worried he would get shooed away. After all, Gregoros was an admiral, and surely he didn't meet with civilians for private, unscheduled meetings. But Gregoros knew Hawthorne. Sort of. He knew who he was. "Tell him it's Hawthorne, and that what I need to tell him is very important."

[Red Charge]

The 4th fleet officer that recieved him was about to shoo him, but once he said the name the officer shrugged and called the Admiral.

Not a second later the Admiral's voice came through - "Let him in." And Hawthorne was granted access. The palace was still under reconstruction and Hawthorne had to make his way through dusty and charred corridors to find his way to where Gregoros' makeshift office was. Unsurprisingly, the office was rather large, but surprisingly, it had only one wall - the one Hawthorne just entered from.

"I make do with what I have." The Admiral greeted Hawthorne, "Please Professor, have a seat. How may I assist you?"

[Ambrosios]

"Thank you," Hawthorne said, taking a seat opposite the admiral's desk. He found the structure of the massive griffon's makeshift office interesting, though not impractical considering his size. "It's Aeolus. He was... undead, and tried to attack me in the valley last night."

"I left the library yesterday afternoon and suddenly was in some, dark, empty duplicate of Royal Rocks where some shadowy figure began chasing me into an alley. But as soon as I entered it was several hours later and I was now in Stone Valley. After talking to a local farmer and... accidentally scaring him off I suppose, Aeolus was there and, he was clearly undead. He told me that dying was the best thing that ever happened to him and he wanted to return the favor. And then he chased me and, something must have stopped him because he had vanished right before he could grab me."

Hawthorne paused for several seconds, realizing how delusional he sounded. Had he spoken to any other griffon, they probably would of thought he was mad. Maybe Gregoros did too. But he was positive he wasn't. He knew what had happened. "I know it doesn't make much sense and I don't hardly understand any of it myself. But surely someone needs to know. Maybe you're not that individual, but you're the only person I could think to tell. And I'm sure you have a better idea of either what to do next or who this information needs to go to."

[Red Charge]

Gregoros looked at Hawthorne uncomfortably behind his desk. He seemed very hesitant and carefully considered his words.

"Professor, Major Aeolus was cremated, his body turned to ash. You have been through a very traumatic experience and are likely to be suffering signs of post traumatic stress disorder. I would suggest that you go see a mental consultant..." He said slowly, looking at the blood on Hawthorne, "Actually, I'm going to insist that you be escorted to one." The admiral clicked his intercom, but it appeared to malfunction.

"Stay right here." He instructed, leaving the room and Hawthorne by himself.

[Ambrosios]

Hawthorne could tell as soon as Gregoros had begun talking that he didn't believe a word of what the professor had said. Great, Gregoros really did think Hawthorne had lost it. The griffon let out a heavy sigh after the admiral had left, rubbing his forehead with his mechanic talon. "Mental consultant" probably meant straight jacket, and if Hawthorne stayed here he'd probably get taken to the asylum.

And it wasn't like he could shrug off the whole thing. Gregoros might send orderlies after him if he was afraid there was a mad griffon on the loose. He could either flee Royal Rocks or go find the only other person who could possibly help him: Tempest. Hawthorne was sure the triad leader wouldn't be happy to see him, especially after he and Gregoros had blown the lid off her secrecy, but she had also given her word that she wouldn't harm him. Besides, she seemed a lot more interested in the necrolord's forces than Gregoros had. Maybe she would take what he said seriously. Better that someone know.

The professor hopped out of his seat, flying out of the room through the three non-existent walls lining the office. He took off for the shady neighborhood he and Aeolus had visited while they were disguised, letting himself into the same warehouse where they had set up their first meeting with Tempest. There he found the same griffon from last time, who he immediately approached. "Tell your boss I need to talk to her about something," he spoke, assuming the griffon would recognize him. "It's about the undead. I don't doubt she wants to know this." Normally Hawthorne wouldn't have been so gutsy about flat-out asking for a meeting with such a powerful criminal figure, but she had given her word she wouldn't harm him. Hopefully that would be enough.

[Red Charge]

The griffon studied him quietly for a few minutes before pointing a thumb back to the warehouse office. Hawthorne seemed to have caused a certain silence around the warehouse at the mention of the undead and many sharp eyes were now upon him.

Approaching the back office, Hawthorne was greeted with two brand new thugs wearing the tempest triad colors, they seemed much bigger and stronger than the last he met. One of them opened the door for him, "No funny business, or we'll rip out your tongue and use it as a toilet brush."

Inside was none other than Tempest herself, obviously this was not her headquarters but rather she was here on business. When Hawthorne entered he noticed a door opposite of him closing, perhaps a contact leaving in a hurry. Tempest, now wearing her new pair of gauntlets glared at him quietly, she did not invite him to sit down.

[Ambrosios]

Hawthorne noticed the room go quiet after he had brought up the undead. Perhaps it was a good thing he had, otherwise they might have thrown him out on the street. Or worse. He wasn't terribly intimidated by the two large griffons standing guard outside Tempest's office, mostly because he wasn't going to be causing any "funny business". He nodded in acknowledgement at their warning, continuing to the room inside.

Inside was Tempest, wearing the gauntlets she had procured from the last time he had seen her. She didn't seem very inviting, but at least she hadn't attacked him yet. "I'm sorry to bother you, but something's happened that you might be concerned with. An undead attacked me last night, more specifically Aeolus, the officer that was with me the night we got your talons. The one who got left behind to bleed out."

"I left from the library yesterday afternoon, and suddenly ended up in what looked like Royal Rocks but was a lot more dark and empty. Some shadowy, griffon-shaped thing stalked me, and eventually chased me into an alley. From there I was somehow immediately in Stone Valley, several hours later, looking like I do now. I talked to and, inadvertently scared off, a local farmer, then was beckoned into a darker part of the surrounding area by a voice, which turned out to be Aeolus. He told me that dying was the best thing to happen to him and that he wanted to return the favor. Then he chased me, and almost grabbed me before something stopped him right before he could reach me. Then he was gone."

"Gregoros doesn't believe me, and I don't know what to do or what to make of it. I'm hoping you do."

[Red Charge]

Tempest rapped her clawtips on the table but said nothing, instead continuing to glare up at the standing Hawthorne.

One of the guards in the room gave Hawthorne's back a nudge, "Bow first, talk later." He said warningly.

[Ambrosios]

Hawthorne waited for Tempest to respond, only to be nudged by a guard behind him. Bowing, she wanted him to bow. If it would get her to listen to him, fine. The griffon complied, bowing in front of the triad leader without any sign of annoyance or frustration. Then he repeated what he had told her.

[Red Charge]

The guard nudged him again as soon as he started talking, "You wait for her to invite you to sit, you thank her for seeing you and then when she says 'state your business' you can talk."

[Ambrosios]

The professor nodded several times, not even daring to verbally apologize. He kept his eyes down, not wanting to break some other rule by looking directly at the triad leader before being permitted.

[Red Charge]

Tempest let Hawthorne stand this way for several long minutes before finally inviting him to sit down, staring at him as he thanked her for her hospitality. A few even longer minutes later she asked him to state his business.

[Ambrosios]

"An undead attacked me last night in stone valley. He was Aeolus, the griffon who was with me and died the night you got your gauntlets. After leaving the library yesterday afternoon, I was suddenly in some Royal Rocks look-alike that was much more dark and empty. There a shadowy griffon figure stalked and chased me. I ducked into an ally, but was suddenly in Stone Valley several hours later. I talked to and, inadvertently scared off, a local farmer, then heard a voice calling me into a darker portion of the surrounding area. When I entered, I saw it was Aeolus, who told me that he was glad to be dead and wanted to return the favor. Then he chased me, and something stopped him right before he could grab me, making him vanish."

"I told this to Gregoros and he went to fetch me a straight jacket. That's why I came to see you, because I'm hoping you'll believe me and know what to do. Even if you don't want to help me, I'd rather someone who knows what to make of this know about what happened."

[Red Charge]

"Oh I have no doubt in my mind that Gregoros believed you." Tempest said after Hawthorne had finished, the former Air Marshal stretched her neck lazily, "I don't think they ever did cremate his body, maybe they even left it out as bait for the Necrolord, getting a for lack of better word 'live' undead is very difficult work." She grinned to herself, "Maybe the fools finally found reason."

"You are not unwise to have come to me with this information, but it was mistake going to Gregoros. Though I doubt he was overly involved with the details, there is no doubt that whoever it was that left your friend to get resurrected would not allow you to walk free. Putting you in an asylum at best, killing you at worst. What delightful irony." She of course was referring to the fact that not long ago she herself had been trying to assassinate Hawthorne for 'knowing too much'.

"My theory is that they allowed Aeolus to turn, then abducted you from Royal Rocks and dropped you in Stone Valley to lure him out, at which point they captured him. That blood on you is likely because you fought back."

"So I suppose this leaves you with few choices, you're too involved to be left alone, however..." She seemed to ponder this a moment, "I am not unforgiving. You cost me good griffons, if you are willing to make up for it, I can keep you hidden from them."

[Ambrosios]

Hawthorne litstened to Tempest carefully, trying to line up her theory with everything that had happened. Almost everything fit, except one nagging detail. "Can you think of why I was somehow in the dark and empty version of Royal Rocks after leaving the library?" Hawthorne asked, not doubting Tempest but merely trying to get an explanation for what had happened. "There were whispering voices, shadows of griffons who appeared and disappeared in a flash, street lights that spontaneously all went out and came back on... it seemed nothing short of supernatural."

"I just don't know what might have caused it. I doubt an abductor could have caused something so bizarre, but if it wasn't then... I suppose I'm afraid of what did."