The Last Guard by KJ Taylor

Author:KJ Taylor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shooting Star Press
Published: 2023-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

Kraego watched him for a while, but his own weariness soon made him lay his head down on his talons and close his eyes. Humans almost seemed to enjoy letting their problems keep them awake, but nobody slept easier than a griffin. Besides, Kraego was every bit as tired as he had suggested.

He drifted off in no time, sinking into the darkness that lay behind his eyes.

Outside that darkness, a shaft of moonlight fell across his beak and turned it silvery. It touched his eyes as well, and that was when the dream began.

He dreamt of an icy void, where he stood alone. Somewhere far away he thought he heard the whisperings of a thousand voices, too distant to be important. When he looked up he saw stars, glimmering faintly in the blackness.

Unafraid, he turned to look around and did not flinch when he saw utter nothingness.

And then, light came. It was white and pure, but it did nothing to dispell the darkness all around. The void simply swallowed it and gave nothing back.

Kraego turned again, and found himself face-to-face with another griffin. She was female, and unnaturally slender, but managed to look bigger and more powerful than even him. Her fur and feathers were white and silver, and one of her eyes was silver as well. The other, though, was missing. She didn’t have a scar. Instead there was simply a hole in the side of her head, with blackness inside, like a portal into the void where they stood.

Kraego stared at her. ‘What griffin are you?’ he asked.

The white griffin’s tail swished. I am your master, Kraego.

Her voice was not loud, but it was full of force.

‘I have no master,’ said Kraego.

You do, and I am that, the white griffin said sternly. I am the one who gave you your great power, as I gave it to your father. You are my creature.

Kraego snorted. ‘My power was not given to me; I was born with it. It is mine.’

You were born with it because I willed it, said the white griffin.

‘You lie,’ said Kraego. ‘Tell me what griffin you are.’

I am Scathach, said the white griffin. I am the Night God. I am the god of the North, and the god of death.

Kraego drew back. ‘You! And you have appeared to me in a dream, but I know this is not a dream. Dreams are not like this. Then you are real, and not a fantasy created by humans.’

You are intelligent for a griffin, said the Night God. Yes, I am real.

‘Then appear to me in your true shape,’ said Kraego. ‘I know that the Night God is human.’

Gods are not human, said the Night God. We appear in whatever form is right. A human sees a human, and a griffin sees a griffin. Listen to me now, Kraego, son of Skandar.

‘Why?’ said Kraego. ‘Why should I listen?’

Because I have a command for you, said the Night God.

‘I take commands from no-one, human or griffin,’ Kraego said immediately.

But you will take orders from me! she hissed.

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