As the morning sun beamed down on the Sadunese rain forest, Aoules woke up shaking from a horrid nightmare. He dreamed he was free, but how can that be true? Queen Ladia would never grant him his freedom. Aoules sat up and looked around. He was in a field of what looked like purples and yellow bluebells, and his wrist was free. No chains, no cuffs, nothing. He was free. How can that be? Exactly what had happened? Still, a bit dazed, Aoules got on his feet and shook out the cobwebs that lay scattered in his memory. The last thing he remembered was the usual beating. It had hurt, but he was used to it after all his years of bondage. He was beaten two times a day, every day, rain or shine. But last night was different. He was beaten, but it was like Ladia had something she had to do and the beating was getting in the way. Questions, questions. Too many questions and not enough answers. But then that was his life. Wasn't it?
Sitting cross-legged, Aoules thought back a few hours trying to make sense of this page of his life. It really wasn't much to think about. Like his father before him, Aoules was born a slave. As a matter of fact, all Griffins for the last three hundred years were born into slavery. No one knew why, but that's the way it was in Aspana. Tote that bundle, plow that field, trade or be traded. If one was lucky enough to stay with a master, and his service was worth it, you might be granted your freedom. But that hardly ever happens. But I'm getting off track. Where was I? Oh yeah.
Aoules had been in service to the Harpys. It was unbearable. but he used to it. Aoules was in the service of Queen Ladia, one of the meanest bitches in all of Aspana. No matter what he did, it was wrong. As far as she was concerned, he couldn't even wipe his ass right. He was one of her private slaves meant to come and go at her commands. He made her food, cleaned her suite, and he was there for her sexual pleasure. It's not that bad if you could stand the smell which Aoules couldn't. Oh and there's one more thing I forget to mention. Though she looked female, she had one of the biggest cocks he had ever seen. Yes, there is no male and females in the Harpy species. Harpy's only need a mate of their own species to reproduce. Anyone one will do for pleasure.
Once Aoules was done cleaning and feeding Ladia, she took him to bed and had her way with him. Drained and exhausted, Aoules left her bedroom staggering and went back to his nitch for a few hours sleep. But he was forgetting his nightly beating. As the first strike of Ladia's whip hit Aoules, he screamed and jumped out of his bedstraws. With a row of laughter, Ladia ordered Aoules, held down while she beat him. Again and again, the whip came down stripping lines of flesh from his back. Though it hurt, Aoules didn't make another sound after his wake up scream. He just grit his teeth and took the beating. Once it was over, he made the shift to his Griffin form and crawled to his sleeping nitch where he passed out.
As the mourning sun crept over the horizon, Stormcrest stood over the sleeping form of Queen Ladia. She was beautiful he thought. With her vibrant red and blue feathers and her golden crest. One would think she was magnificent until they spent time with her and learned how cruel and horrible she really was. With a frown, he looked to the left and picked up a knife from her dinner tray. He took a step closer to her and looked down at her as she snored the night away. He didn't have to be there. He should've been miles away with Nereus on the way away from the Dragons. Instead, he found himself here in the crags and caves of Drachena where the dark things call home.You might ask how Beno found himself here amongst slaves and Harpys. It is a relevant question, he should be back somewhere in the east hunting Dragons with Nereus and the rest of the clan. Well, it seems he heard a desperate cry for help while he slept. He wasn't sure who it was from, but he knew someone was in real pain and they really needed help, so he opened his mind to the call and let the feelings flow through him.
It was from someone named Aoules. He was a dark-haired young man, a slave in the service of Queen Ladia, a Harpy who ruled her perch in the faraway land of Drachena. A dark and desperate place where Harpys ruled over lonely cliffs filled with sad and brutalized slaves desperate to be free.
As Stormcrest woke up from his night of dream revelations, he looked all around for Nereus, the leader of his clan. When he couldn't find him, he felt it was a chance for him to fly east and see if he could find some way to get Aoules out of his dilemma.
From the Griffins cave, Stormcrest flew east pass Tinpa and the capital city of the Pantheren nation. At the coast, he turned south-east and he started his ascent to the high mountains of Drachena.
Though Drachena was in the eastern sea of Aspana, it really was a cold barren place with very little vegetation and no safe beach to land a ship. It was surrounded by high cliffs and dangerous currents that made it impossible for shipping. Though rich in minerals, Drachena wasn't much by way of a center of trade. They usually ate whatever they caught and that included the slaves at times. Being carnivores, the Harpys did their own nightly hunting while the slaves were responsible for their own food. They kept small farms with potatoes, carrots, radishes, and onions with whatever their queens left as meat. As to other supplies, there were things that came to the Harpys by way of raids on ships and travelers that managed to get to close to the east coast of Sudan.
From the coast of Sudan, Stormcrest made the shift to Beno and started his way into the jungle. Sudan had a lot of wildlife which included many different types of insects, small monkeys, and a few Human Settlements. Beno avoided the Humans, he didn't need any trouble from them. With his mind deeply connected to Aoules, Beno followed his pain through the jungle. Pass the Hippogriffs and the dog like Grinda's. Around the swamp where the deadly Aligors swam and through the valley of the dry moisture sucking Breo. Beno stopped out beyond the walls of Trevan, the Human colony and watched as they set out new traps through the jungle to keep the monsters away.
From Trevan, Beno started on his way up into the mountains. He kept hidden because he didn't want the Harpys to know he was coming. Halfway up he doubled over screaming as Aoules as was being beaten by Queen Ladia and her warriors. He knew he had to hurry before they killed him.
Groaning to himself, Beno shifted forms and Stormcrest took off running up into the mountain. This wasn't how he expected his day to go. All he wanted was to get back to Domina where the rest of his family was. He never thought he would be here carrying out the wishes of two ancient gods.
Last night as he slept in the Griffin cave, he had what he thought was a dream. Tyree and Nurisha appeared before him and called him out of his dream.
"Beno," Nurisha called as she knelt down to face him, "Wake up my Son."
"Where am I?" He said rubbing his eyes.
"You are here with us," Tyree said. "We have something we want you to do."
As Beno looked up at the great gods Tyree and Nurisha, he blinked and rubbed his eyes. He jumped up and took a step back.
"Am I dreaming?"
"Yes, you are," Nurisha smiled. "But this is real. We are here talking to you."
"W, What do you want?" Beno bowed down keeping his head down.
"We have a task for you," Tyree said. "Get up off the ground and face us."
As Beno climbed up on his feet, the two gods shrank themselves down to seven feet and approached him.
"Now isn't this better?" Nurisha reached out and touched Beno on his cheek. "There's someone we need you to free. He's a Griffin just like you."
"Me?" Beno said surprised. "Why me?"
"Just find him," Tyree said as they started to fade away. "He's in the land of the Harpys. A place called Sudan, then find Sakura. He will need you."
As they disappeared, Beno woke up. He sat up and looked around. He was still in the Griffin cave.
"Was that a dream?" He said to himself.
[No, it wasn't,] Tyree whispered into his head. [Now go!]
As the fourteenth hour rang, Ranjer stood beside Ferel as they watched Mulu pay homage to Xuthulu at his altar. It was a bloody mess as one by one each sacrifice was lead to Xuthulu's altar where their life was given to the hungry god. Watching the slaughter wasn't easy for Ranjer. As a vampire the smell of blood was enticing. But it was also sicking. He couldn't even for a second dream of living that way. He knew about his parents and what they had done, and he knew he could never live like that. Watching Mulu take lives one after another, he knew he had to do something to stop him.
Slowly Ranjer inched his way away from the carnage. As he reached the side door, he took a last look at the crowd of Demondogs and Hyenen and disappeared. He ran as fast as he could through the temple and out into the back part of Mancora.
Though most of Mancora's citizen were in the temple, there was still a number of Demondogs and Hyenens on the streets. Guards, warriors, slaves and masters, Though Mulu was master of Mancora, there was still some that opposed his rule. From the temple, Ranjer led Ferel back into poor part of Mancora. Males and females ran and ducked into hiding when the saw them. Not many would take a chance hiding the fugitives when they knew what Mulu would do if they were caught.
As they made their way through the shabby huts, a lone Hyenen came out from one of the huts and approached them.
"Who are you stranger? You are not like Mulu and his warriors. Why are you here?"
"I am here to find my friends," Ranjer said being honest. "They were captured by Mulu. Can you help us free them?"
"Mulu holds all power here in Mancora. There isn't much we can do except follow his commands or be punished."
"Mancora was not always like this," Ferel explained. "We were once hunters and artist. We kept cattle to feed our people, crops to trade. My father had a blacksmith forge, he made tools for all of our neighbors. Life was so peaceful, until the Amins took control and made us into killers.".
"Then we have to do something to stop him."
"Like what?" The villagers asked. "We have no weapons. No magic that can compare with Mulu. What are we to do?"
Ranjer stopped and stared out at the warriors on the city gate. He could shift forms and be out of here in the snap of his fingers, but that would leave Quynn and Sky stuck here in Mulu's hands. He just couldn't do that. Jandar and Rage would never forgive him. He would have to find a way to get them free.
As the sun started to make its way over the horizon, Palas pushed himself for another burst of energy. Tigaress was just over the next mountain range and down in the valley. He was almost there. He had been flying all night with only one rest stop for water and some wild fruit. As he sat there eating the pineapples and bananas he gathered, something moved just outside of his visual range. He stopped eating and put down the pineapple to get a closer look. It could just be his mind playing tricks on him. He was exhausted and he needed sleep, but that would have to wait. This was an important mission, Astan would be counting on him.
Climbing up on his feet, Palas walked on into the jungle. He could hear monkeys and wild birds chirping and squawking. From the sounds of the chirping, Palas knew they were wild unintelligent creatures, nothing like his people, but there was one thing he understood. They were scared. There was something out there they were afraid of.
Flexing his talons, Palas slowly made his way into the jungle. His eyes were sharp and use to the darkness of the night. As he walked, he caught a scent. It was heavy and musky. Palas didn't recognize it at first, but it was familiar, like something out of his nightmares. Suddenly there was an ear-piercing screech. Palas jumped, then spread his wings and flew up into the trees. As he clung to the tree, he searched the jungle and the trees around him. Everything was quiet. No more monkeys or birds. He couldn't even hear the sound of wind in the trees. Then something black jumped at him from the trees. Palas pulled himself back out of the way just as a black hand with long sharp claws scratched deep lines in the tree Palas had been perched in. As he took off into the air, he looked back and saw a huge black winged monster coming after him. But that can't be. He must be seeing things. Making a sharp left, he took another look behind him. There it was, coming up on him fast. But this time he recognized it. It wasn't a monster, it was a full-sized Vampire Bat with twelve to fifteen feet of wings and deadly claws and fangs.
Palas and his clan had come up against them in the past and lost friends that were deeply missed. That had been a horrible time for the Avians and their peaceful life. The first turn of what would be the end of a magnificent species.
With a flip in the air, Palas took off to the east. He held his wings in tight and dived down toward the jungle with the bat hot on his tail. With a sudden opening of his wings, he braked and slashed out with his talons slicing deep cuts in the Bats wings. With a screech, the Bat turned slapping down sending Palas rolling off to the side head over heels. Shaking his head, Palas pulled himself out of the roll and turned east again. As he streaked his way east, two more dark shadows came out of the sun flying straight at him. With three great Bats on his tail, Palas for a minute felt fear break its way through his heat.
"This will not do." He said to himself. "I have faced Gorillas, Warlocks and all the things in Domina's dark jungle. These Bats will not bring me down!!"
With another flip, Palas turned and with a loud squawk, dived at the center Bat. As his talons came out, Palas was on the Bat ripping at its wings until it couldn't stay in the air. With a scream, the Bat fall and Palas was on the next Bat with a rage in his heart.
"Your kind killed my brothers," He shouted as he ripped into the Bat tearing it apart. "I will not let you harm anyone ever again!!"
With a jump out of the way, Palas turned to face the last Bat.
As he faced it, he realized this Bat was much bigger than the other two. It had a wingspan of close to twenty feet. No burst of rage was going to take it down.
"Are you ready to die little one?"
"It will take a lot more then you have to kill me," Palas yelled as the rage again started to build inside his chest. "I will kill you and ever Bat on this jungle if I have too."
As Palas dived at the Bat. he let out the loudest, strongest scream.
As he dived at the Bat, a sonic burst of energy ripped its way out of his mouth and went straight for the Bat. Like a twenty foot sledgehammer, it hit the Bat in the face crushing its skull. As it fell, Palas watched surprised at what he had just done. With a grim shrug, he took off heading back on his way to Tinpa and the Tigaress royal family.
Chaos reigned all throughout Ladia’s aerie, Beno made his way out through Ladia’s private exit. With the elder queen dead, all her young daughters fought over the right to take over while the slaves took that as a chance to escape. From the queen's gate, Beno headed into the jungle. He knew Aoules was in here, he would use his pain to lead him right to his exact position. With his senses open, Beno followed the pain trail right to a clearing near the cliffs where he found Aoules just about to take to the morning skies.
Shifting quickly, Stormcrest called out to Aoules to stop him.
[Myumbo my friend. I am Stormcrest. It’s good to see you free.”
Aoules turned to look at Stormcrest. Who was this new Griffin? Could he have something to do with this situation?
[You did this?] He asked. [You got me out of there?]
[Yes.] Stormcrest bowed to him. [Ladia is dead and all her slaves are free.]
[Why?] He asked him confused. [Why would you do that? I don’t even know you.]
[Does that matter?] Stormcrest made the shift back to Beno. “Someone very important wants you to help me. Besides, you and the others deserve to be free, I’m glad I could help.”
[What if I don’t want to help?] Aoules looked at Beno with a frown. [What happens then?]
“You go on your way, and I go on without you.” Beno stepped up closer to Aoules. “I’m not here to force you into anything. I need your help. If you don’t want to help, you’re free to go anywhere you want.”
Aoules made the shift to his Human form and moved over to the edge of the cliff. Helping the Gorilla could get him killed, but he knew he should have died long ago from Ladia’s torture and crazy bed games. Besides, this one had done him a service he could never pay back for freeing him. The least he could do was serve him loyally.
“Alright,” He said. “I owe you my life. I will help you. Where are we going?”
“Mancora.”
