Burning the Ropes [Sylvia]

[Ambrosios]

Ambrosios knocked twice on the door to Sylvia's room, waiting for her response. It had been a week, give or take, since he had met the young dragoness, though he'd had minimal interaction with her since. He had seen her here or there (it wasn't like a dragon was hard to miss), but they hadn't spoken. It was now clear that she was here to stay, an official part of the organization.

A week ago, give or take, his left arm had been a grotesquely underdeveloped stump of an appendage. Now it was much improved. Still not to full size and strength, but he was told it only had a quarter of the way to go. In the meantime they had given him a mechanical talon of sorts to wear over it.

The griffon's eyesight had also improved, to the point where he could see better with the glasses off than on. If they got to 20/20 he could just throw the stupid things away.

He was sure Sylvia had been kept busy since he'd seen her last, as had he. But today was a little less exciting. Ambrosios was told to show her the cremation process. Give the dragon a tour he supposed.

[Deleted]

Sylvia heard the knock at her door, but very barely. She gave a loud yawn, stretching her wings as she woke up from her deep slumber. Throughout the week she had been given a bit of information here and there about her task, how she would try to convince her fellow dragons to help the organization in their attempts to thwart the undead that wished to snuff out all life. Despite this, the dragon never lost sleep.

"One moment!" She called to the door, pushing herself wearily to all fours. She was having the most wonderful dream about hunting, and had been snapped out of it just as she was about to pounce on the unknown prey. Shaking herself, the sound of scales rattling echoing within the room, the dragon crawled lithely to the door and opened it, greeting a familiar face.

"Oh! It's my old pal Ambrosios!" She almost hadn't recognized him, given the mechanical claw he had been given, but he was one of the few griffons she met personally, and she was glad to meet the creature that gave her so many answers when she first arrived her. "Come on in! I'm afraid I haven't really spruced up the place..." She turned her long neck towards the mess of gold and gems that she had been laying upon, scattered upon the floor and gleaming in the lights of the room, "I do apologize..."

[Ambrosios]

"Good to see you again, Sylvia," the griffon spoke, taking a single step into the dragon's room. "And good to see you've settled in."

"If I'm not interrupting anything, I'm here to show you the furnace. Important, now that you're part of the triad, that you understand the entire process. Even the ending."

"Whenever you're ready, unless you needed something to eat first. It sounded like you had just gotten up."

[Deleted]

"I think I'll be fine for a little while." She stated as she stretched her legs before her once more. With a loud yawn, a few sparks fluttering around her fangs, the dragon stood up and motioned for him to lead the way. "We can go ahead and see this...furnace." She wondered what would be so important about such a thing, but it seemed very important. His words seem cryptic, the ending? What did that mean?

"Lead on, good sir. I've been cooped up in that room for a while, it'll be nice to stretch my legs." The dragoness stated with a light chuckle.

[Ambrosios]

"Good. This way then," the griffon spoke, leading Sylvia down the corridor. "You've been made clear on what it is we do, correct? And how seriously we take our work," Ambrosios said as they walked. "Every griffon here has a significant impact. And for you, I'm sure the impact will be tremendous."

[Deleted]

She gave a nod and blinked at his last statement, "You...you really think I can make such an impact?" She asked. She knew her task would be important, but how important, she still wasn't sure. Having the dragons aid would be a great thing to have. "And I understand what you all are trying to do. If those undead do rise, nothing will be left of this great world, there would be nothing for me to explore." She stated with a frown, her claws clacking gently upon the ground as she followed the griffon. She would occasionally look around, taking in the scenery around her. This place fascinated her, but she knew there was more to see, and she was eager to explore some more with the help of her griffon friend.

[Ambrosios]

"This isn't just about you and me," Ambrosios responded. "It's about griffons, and dragons, now and for generations to come. What you'll be doing will be for the good of not just yourself, but also of those who come long after. It's important not to forget that."

"And yes, I do think you can have such an impact," the griffon continued, leading the dragon down a flight of stairs. "Having a dragon as part of the organization brings a lot to the table. Lots of skills and opportunities."

The two soon arrived at a large set of doors, the word FURNACE labeled above them. "Ah, here we are."

Ambrosios pushed open the doors, revealing a large, almost pitch black room. The only light seemed to be coming from the orange glow of a large furnace. The construct's flames revealed the outlines of a lone griffon at work. Close to him was a pile of what appeared to be... bodies. Yes, corpses. Griffon corpses. All piled together, waiting to be processed.

"Follow me," Ambrosios said, stepping into the room.

[Deleted]

She could smell it as soon as he opened the doors. The scent was both sickening, and intriguing at the same time. As she saw the corpses lit by the gentle glow of the flame, a shudder ran through the dragon's body, starting from her neck and ending at the very tip of her spiked tail. Her stomach churned slightly, and she was glad that she hadn't had anything to eat quite yet.

"I...I wasn't expecting this." She murmured softly as she followed him in, her sensitive nose wrinkling at the scent of burning bodies. She kept close to Ambrosios, not wanting to lose her way in the near pitch black room.

[Ambrosios]

"Over here," Ambrosios spoke, stopping right in front of the pile of corpses. "A large part of the organization is collecting vessels, like these, that the undead could use to add to their own. Every one that we destroy is one less possible undead we have to worry about."

The griffon turned his head from the dragon to examine the pile of bodies closer. "Certain vessels, such as warriors or soldiers who were of particular skill or strength, become greater hazards if the undead get their hands on them. Naturally, we give their collection higher priority."

The griffon turned away from the pile to look back at Sylvia. "Questions?"

[Deleted]

His words did make sense...if the undead could raise such warriors, it would spell disaster for the world. However, the morbid thought of it still made her uneasy. If she too fell during a battle, would she meet the same fate?

"I...I don't believe so." She murmured as she looked at the pile of bodies, wondering what the griffons were like. Whether they had families or friends, or what their ambitions were before they were struck down. It felt eerie and uncomfortable. "It's sad that they don't receive a proper ceremony...but I guess you have to do what you have to do." The dragon whispered.

[Ambrosios]

"That's a very poor way of looking at it," the griffon stated flatly. "These griffons had their proper ceremony. Most of them anyway. They were given a funeral and laid to rest. What's sad is that a vessel left un-cremated gives the Undead an opportunity to defile that griffon's remains for their own twisted purpose. That is not only sad for the griffon, but presents a danger for the living."

"If a griffon is responsible for another's remains, and he knows what I just told you, it is his duty to prevent the Undead from getting a hold of them." Ambrosios stared solemnly at Sylvia, looking directly into her eyes. "In most cases ignorance is to blame, or at least an underestimation of what the Undead are capable of. But letting them take control of a vessel, with full knowledge of what that means, is unforgivable."

[Deleted]

She frowned apologetically. She didn't mean to offend, heck, she didn't even know how griffon burial ceremonies work, "I'm sorry, if I had said something that offended you." She whispered softly, the grimness of the room seeming to sink into her tone of voice.

"I can't imagine dying and being revived to fight friends and family. Though I don't have many of either. I'm glad you have a way to put their souls and bodies to rest." She shuffled nervously on her claws, the room seeming to sadden her as she saw what must've been proud warriors being thrown into the flames, their remains burned away to avoid such a morbid fate.

[Ambrosios]

"You didn't offend," Ambrosios responded. "It's just important that you understand." The griffon remained silent for several seconds, pondering Sylvia's mannerisms. Apologetic whisperings, shuffling on her feet. She was a lot more timid than he expected from a dragon.

Ambrosios rapped his mechanical talon on the floor once before speaking again. "You haven't seen one." He didn't need to ask. By now it was more than obvious. The soldier remained silent again, letting his statement hang there and waiting to see what Sylvia would say next.

[Deleted]

She looked at him, wondering if he was speaking of the undead, "No...I haven't seen any of the undead. I believe that's what you're referring to." She sat on her haunches, her lengthy tail curling around her forelegs as she took a deep breath, the smoke from the open furnace not bothering her much due to her own flames. "I've been pretty much blind to the world until I left my father's cave. I only know very little history, and my father really never speaks much of current goings on. And I only explored his territory a bit while growing up and have seen no dead rising from their graves."

[Ambrosios]

"Most people don't. That's why they're so underestimated." Ambrosios walked over closer to the furnace, its orange glow lighting up his shadowed figure better. "You'll probably see one eventually. Might change you."

"Now, vessels get dropped off here," he said, pointing at the pile of corpses, "Get cremated here," he continued, pointing at the furnace, "Come out as ashes."

"Usually only takes one griffon. Though it can get lonely." Ambrosios spoke, turning to look at the griffon moving vessels into the furnace. He seemed to be ignoring the two. "I'm sure he enjoys our company."