Chapter 104: Right-hand Man

Gryphon: “This is ridiculous, the fight has been decided, you can barely stand.”

Thorn: “Barely standing just means I haven’t fallen. And before I do, I will have you bolster your strength unrivaled.”

Gryphon: “What nonsense.”

With that said, Thorn charged Gryphon once again; Gryphon as unmoving as always and with his still posture, it was nearly impossible, to predict what he was going to do, and Thorn knew this better than anyone.

After figuring out that Thorn needed to smash his hammer against an object to build an electric charge, Gryphon made sure not to let that happen as much as possible. Every time Thorn tried to strike the ground to build a charge, Gryphon would throw himself at the hammer. Sure, it hurt and there was a slight dis-charge, but it was insignificant compared to what he could build up from continuously striking the ground. With the discharge now a no longer a real threat Gryphon was free to pummel Thorn whenever he got close. After a while, the winner became clear as Thorn just couldn’t build up enough charge to cause any real damage.

Thorn: “ *heavy breathing* Th-This isn’t over. (This will get him.)

Raising his hammer into the air, with all his strength he hurled it at Gryphon. Surprised by the attack, but not hindered, Gryphon stepped out of the way of the the weapon smashing through the wall of the arena with great force. Gryphon never took his eyes off Thorn, undistracted by the hammer impact with the wall and with that impact, it had charged enough to affect Gryphon, but it was useless, if not wielded. This was it; Gryphon was going to end this fight with his next attack, quickly closing the distance.

Thorn: “Predictable.”

*Clap*

Thorn placed his hands together, as the mana within him began to surge. Just as it he did, ‘Crimson Herald’ began to crackle with electricity.

*Bzzzzzzzzzt*

Gryphon stopped his charge as the air around began to crackle with electricity. The hair on his body stood on end as the static cover his body.

Gryphon: “What?”

Then all at once, electricity filled the area between the hammer and Thorn, with Gryphon caught between the two points, was bombarded with red lightning. Like a crimson cage, the electricity held a spherical shape, with Gryphon right in the middle.

Gryphon: “Gaagh!”

The cage of electricity crackled madly, like thousands of chirping birds as the spectator’s roars were drowned out by the mass of electric crackling. Even with electricity, Gryphon remained standing, refusing to take to a knee.

Somewhere in the audience, someone, screamed for him to fall, then another. Soon the entire coliseum was screaming for him to fall, but still, Gryphon would not submit. Falling here would seem him replaced and in the wake of that the young people screaming for him to lose would be made to fight a senseless battle.

Gryphon: “I will not let that come to pass.”

Thorn: “(That’s right Gryphon, don’t fall, show them.)”

Amongst the screaming of the spectators and with the searing pain from being bombarded with electricity, Gryphon who should have been paralyzed and unable to move, defied all odds and took a step forward. Gritting his teeth, he took another and another, slowly closing the distance between him and Thorn.

Spectator D: “H-Hey, this is crazy right, how is he able to move?”

Spectator C: “Are you sure he’s weak, I mean he was pushing back Thorn.”

Spectator A: “Yeah, but he’s sure to fall from this right, he couldn’t possibly keep standing.”

Gryphon nor Thorn could hear it, but a gradual change was happening amongst the spectators. It was faint, but those who were witnessing this battle, a question was forming.

Seeing Gryphon draw closer, Thorn unleashed even more lightning, the sphere growing larger and threatening even to swallow up the audience and Thorn as well. Even with Hammer pulling, Gryphon didn’t stop, his fist releasing a blue aura as he came closer to Thorn.

Gryphon: “I…will….not fall. They know not the horrors of war. Thorn my old friend, you can’t possibly want to see us return to that time.”

Thorn: “…………..”

Gryphon: “I will NOT have my people go through such a thing ever again, and that is why, I shall heed this throne to no-one.”

Thorn: “Hmph, don’t just spout pretty words, show me your convictions.”

Thorn let out even more electricity, as Gryphon was standing right next to him. With blue aura raging around his fist, he brought it to the edge of the sphere.

*Boom*

A thunder-like sound was omitted when Gryphon’s fist struck the side of the sphere, forcing his fist through the wall of lightning. Thorn poured on the power into the sphere, but the stronger lightning, the more intense Gryphon blur aura grew.

The struggles between the two intensified, merging into a violet light before exploding. The violet light blinded everyone, forcing them to cover their eyes from the light.

When the light died down, all eyes fell back to the center of the arena. One man remained standing, with a smoldering fist. It was Gryphon, as he stood over the unconscious Thorn. In the wake of their mighty clash Gryphon stood supreme and as they did before the spectators let out a flurry of disdain and venomous words.

Spectator B: “So even the mighty Thorn has fallen to the coward.”

Spectator E: “Just how far have the mighty fallen to be laid out at this man feet.”

Spectator F: “Humiliation doesn’t even describe how I would feel. Useless Thorn. No wonder he wasn’t king back then.”

Gryphon: “FOOLS!”

*ROOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR*

With a mighty roar, louder than anything they’d heard before, Gryphon brought everyone in the stadium to their knees. Not just the stadium, far around the city many were shaking and brought to their knees by the sound. Those outside the arena all turned their eyes to the coliseum, while those within its walls were unable to lift their heads out of fear.

Gryphon: “You dare speak of Thorn in such a way?”

The venom and disdain from before, instantly evaporated and replaced with fear. His voiced was carried with its fierceness that dominated all who would oppose. He could deal with the mockery towards him, it was a given when one ruled over the many, there was bound to be such thoughts amongst them. However, it was a different story when it came to his long-time friend

Gryphon: “All who mocked him, do any among you valiant enough to challenge me as he did?”

The stadium had gone quiet upon his query. From shifting in their seats to coughing, many had even held their breaths in fear of being acknowledged in this moment. They may have mocked him and called him a coward, but subconsciously they knew, there was none mightier than Gryphon Ro’ark Bravly.

Gryphon bent down and with great ease lifted Thorn off the ground and carried him off. Grabbing Crimson Herald, on the way, the sound of the metal sliding & skidding across the ground, echoed through the silent stadium, as he lifted it to his arms as well. Only the sound of his footsteps could be heard as Gryphon made his way out of the stadium, carrying his friend. Even after he had gone, it remained silent, the fear they felt, still fresh in their heart and soul.

_

_

Thorn: “Hmm, where am I?”

When Thorn awoke he found himself, laid out on a bed and bandaged up. He winced in pain as he tried to sit up. He chuckled under his breath; the force of that blow was just as strong as he remembered.

Thorn: “Hahahahaha, you still got it old friend.”

Over in the corner of the room, ever watchful over him, sat Gryphon. He stared at his friend, not sure what to say.

Thorn: “Come now Gryphon, I’ve been hit by you many times, why would this one be any different? Think I’ve grown old?”

Gryphon: “Why did you make me do that?”

Thorn face turned serious upon the question.

Thorn: “Gryphon when we were fighting, what did you hear?”

Gryphon thought back, all he remembered hearing is the drove of people screaming.

Gryphon: “Droves of people cheering for you.”

Thorn: “No Gryphon, they’re cheering for me, they want to dethrone you.”

Gryphon: “I know that.”

Thorn: “No, no you don’t.”

Thorn leaned up in bed, fighting the pain.

Thorn: “You know of the Hero, he has been active as of late, and upon this, the humans are inciting war and yet, the people see they’re King doing nothing for it.”

Gryphon: “Thorn, surely you don’t wish for war, you know better than most of all the horrors of war or is that scar on your face not a big enough reminder? And the Hero is of no threat to us.”

Thorn ran his hand unconsciously across his face. When the Pristyne went to war with the humans, over the bountiful resources found on Trosan, many had lost their lives in the beginning. While all three sides battled one-another for the sake of their individual races. It wasn’t until two sides made truce to oust the Therians. Thorn was so lucky just to only come out with a scar.

Even now, small skirmishes weren’t unheard of, but it was done on Trosan and would usually end with both sides backing down, never really escalating. A stupid and drawn out pissing contest. A full-out war with the humans now would see the fighting brought to the shores of Atoa and Gryphon would not stand for a battle in his own frontyard, if not for the sake of his people then for the sake of his daughter.

Thorn: “Rather he is or isn’t, that’s not the problem. The problem is the people see a threat and they see a king doing nothing about it.”

Gryphon: “What would you have me do, incite chaos? Throw the people into a mass frenzy over the thought of war?”

Thorn: “Things are already that way.”

Gryphon: “THEN WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO!?”

Gryphon roared, the simple act of him yelling, sending a shockwave, through the room.

Thorn: “ACT LIKE A KING!”

Gryphon: “WHAT DO THINK I AM DOING!? IGNORING THE RAMBLING OF THE HUMANS, IT WOULD BE FOOLISHNESS TO PAY THEM EVEN A BIT INTEREST.”

Thorn: “AND IN THE WAKE OF THAT, DAY AFTER DAY, YOU’VE HAD BEEN CHALLENGED FOR THE RIGHT TO THE THRONE.”

Gryphon: “AND I’VE DEFENDED THIS THRONE THROUGH COUNTLESS ASSAULTS, YOU INCLUDED.”

Thorn: “Gryphon……… since when have anyone dare challenge you to a battle for the throne?”

Gryphon suddenly froze, he had not though about it.

Thorn: “I remember a time when the name Gryphon was revered and respected across the many Pristyne races. No one would dare challenge you to a fight.”

Thorn coughed a bit before leaning back against the head board.

Thorn: “They think you’ve gone weak Gryphon. The humans, they preach war, yet you do nothing in return. Not even so much as to address the issue. Their scared, they think their king is afraid and they would sooner see someone else sit there, rather than lose to the humans.”

Gryphon sat back down, holding his hand to his head. He was by no means weak and was afraid to respond to the human’s foolish call for war. However, from the prospective of his people, he seemed too afraid to even talk back.

Addressing an issue is dangerous as well, given heed to the humans display at all, is equal to saying it is a plausible threat. He, as well as Thorn, knew rushing head-first into a war, was the impediment of foolishness.

Yet to the people who knew nothing of the horrors brought about by war, it would be an act of a true king.

Gryphon: “Again, I ask, what would you have me do?”

Thorn: “There is no need, you have already done everything you needed to do, at least for now. One such as I, my plan should have already come to fruition

Gryphon: “What?”

Thorn smiled a big toothy grin.

Thorn: “A show of power, an unrivaled strength, we need to show them you are still as strong as you have always been.”

Gryphon: “A show of power… you wanted me to injure you, have you gone mad!?”

Thorn: “Call it what you will, but with such a mighty display, there will be no more talk for the throne.”

Gryphon: “Thorn, I’ve struck down many a challenger, let alone you.”

Thorn: “Yes, but every time, it was done with your prissy way of battle. Countering and strategy bah, the people wish to see raw might, not your frilly dance. What greater challenger to best, with said might, than I the mighty Thorn?”

Gryphon: “My dancing is not frilly; I mean my fighting methods is not dancing or frilly.”

Thorn laughed out loud at Gryphons, who was growing even more angry by the minute.

Thorn: “Be that as it may, today, you demonstrated a might so fierce, it shook the air and ground alike and to deliver such might to one of your strongest, no the strongest general amongst the Pristyne. With such a display, who would dare challenge you? Heed my words, surely the masses opinion will change from ‘he’s a coward who doesn’t want to fight’ to: ‘with strength like our kings, why should we worry about the humans Hero.’”

Thorn laughed a mighty laugh, praising himself, ignoring Gryphon’s stares.

Thorn: “With you on that throne, the Pristyne knew an age of peace. Nothing like that war monger who started a fight for some stupid magic stones and land we don’t really need. It may now be threatened, but now I have no doubts, you are the man to see it comes again.”

Thorn put his hand out, for Gryphon who took hold with a mighty grip. His closest friend and ally, Thorn, one-step ahead of him as always. Even with his doubts, his loyalty knew no bounds.

Thorn: “Alright enough talk, I’m going to take a long-needed nap, I think you busted a few of my ribs.”

Gryphon: “A few, I was sure I busted all of them?”

Thorn gave Gryphon and annoyed look.

Thorn: “You wait until I’m healed, I’ll pay you back in full.”

Gryphon: “Rest well my friend.”

Gryphon stood up to leave.

Thorn: “Don’t worry, even if the Hero shows up, me and you can take him down with ease.”

Gryphon suddenly stop remembering something he had forgotten to tell Thorn. Something his daughter Viviana had told him.

Gryphon: “Thorn, about the Hero, actually-”

Gryphon began to explain things to his sworn friend. How the Hero, isn’t with the humans and how his daughter had foreseen, events where he could be consider and ally. Thorn face becoming stuck in a permanent state of shock. Then he let out a roar that could be heard though the halls of the castle.

Thorn: “WHAAAAAAT, I DID ALL THAT FOR NOTHING…? SAY THINGS LIKE THAT BEFORE I TRY TO SAVE THE DAY, YOU BASTARD.”

Gryphon: “IF YOU HAD WARNED ME YOU WERE COMING, I COULD HAVE EXPLAINED, YOU IDIOT.”

Thorn: “WHO’S AN IDIOT, DUMBASS, YOU FRILLY DANCING FOOL!?”

Gryphon: “YOU, YOU’RE THE IDIOT, ARE YOU DEAF. AND MY DANCES AREN’T FRILLY, I MEAN MY FIGHTINGS STYLES NOT DANCING!?”

Thorn: “SO DON’T DENY THE FRILLY!?”

Several people heard the two roaring at one another from far into the corridors of the castle, however none dared to enter or go near the room of the two most respected Pristyne screaming at each other like children.