heir of the cursed blood

The road stretched endlessly, a winding gray ribbon across the golden hills of Raghas. For two days, Kael and Eorun had sat in the creaking carriage, passing scattered farms, abandoned shrines, and ruined forts now reclaimed by vines.

Kael leaned out the side, wind in his hair, eyes following a trail of migrating skywhales in the clouds.

"The world's too big," he muttered.

Eorun chuckled beside him, arms folded, legs crossed in the corner like a man used to waiting.

"You finally realizing that?"

Kael looked over. "If it takes us this long just to get to the forest's edge, how long would it take by carriage?"

Eorun raised a brow, then casually said, "Five… maybe six months. Depends on weather, monster attacks, collapsing bridges, griffin cult ambushes…"

Kael groaned. "I don't have that kind of time."

"Obviously," Eorun said, stretching his back. "Which is why we're not taking this thing the whole way."

Kael tilted his head. "Then how are we—"

"The Great Griffin."

Kael blinked. "The what?"

Eorun smirked. "You'll see."

Two Days Later — Talven Skystables

The carriage rolled to a halt before a massive outpost carved into the side of a cliff. Wooden towers stood alongside steel landing platforms. Dozens of griffins — beasts with the bodies of lions and the wings and heads of hawks — rested inside fenced pens, some snapping at handlers, others lazily preening.

Kael stepped out of the carriage, staring wide-eyed as one griffin took off into the clouds, its cry like thunder.

"This is insane," he whispered.

Eorun didn't even pause. He walked straight to the counter, greeted a wrinkled dwarf behind the desk with a slap on the back, and said, "Rent me a King Griffin. Three months."

The dwarf paused. "Three months? That'll cost you…"

He scribbled something.

"...300 gold."

Kael nearly choked. "THREE HUNDRED?!"

Eorun casually handed over a sack that hit the table with a metallic clunk.

The dwarf took it without blinking. "You got it. She's fueled, fed, and fit."

Kael pulled Eorun aside. "Do you even know how much that is in real world money?! That's like—"

"About two hundred thousand dollars, yeah," Eorun said.

"You're insane!"

Eorun grabbed Kael by the shoulder with a grin. "You think strength comes cheap? That's my hard-earned cash you're flying on, kid. So you better make it worth it."

Kael slumped, defeated. "...Do I have to pay you back?"

Eorun's eyes narrowed mischievously. "Every single coin."

Kael groaned dramatically, leaning against a fence. A nearby griffin snorted and snapped at his hood. He jumped, falling into the mud as stablehands laughed.

"Look at the rookie!" one called."Griffin don't like weaklings!" shouted another.

Kael muttered under his breath as Eorun laughed so hard he nearly choked on his water flask.

🦅The King Griffin

When they were finally escorted to their ride, Kael's jaw dropped.

It wasn't a griffin. It was a mountain with wings.

Standing three stories tall, its feathers shimmered gold and silver under the sun. Its talons were the size of tree trunks, and its wingspan could blot out the sky. It wore ornate armor plating etched with warding runes, and its eyes burned like molten amber.

"That… is a King Griffin?" Kael asked, dumbfounded.

Eorun nodded with pride. "Normal griffins can fly, sure. But not like this. This one's bred for speed, size, and altitude. They only hatch one every few decades."

"And you rented this thing?!"

"I invested," Eorun corrected smugly. "Big difference."

The stable master handed Kael a harness and climbing hook. "You don't ride her. You climb into her saddle structure."

Kael scrambled up the metal ladder to the beast's back, where a small camp-like area had been constructed. Supplies were already packed — crates of dried food, potions, maps, even a fold-out alchemy table.

Eorun set a hand on a glowing rune.

"We're covered for a month. After that, we'll find ground towns to restock."

Kael sat against the railing, watching the crew unfasten chains and release arcane anchors.

The King Griffin crouched.

Wind surged.

Then—

It leapt.

The entire platform shook as the beast exploded into the air with a burst of raw power. Within seconds, the outpost was a dot below them. Kael grabbed the railing, heart pounding as the wind howled past his ears.

Clouds tore apart in their path.

He had never flown this high. Never seen the world so wide, so… small.

Eorun stepped up beside him, arms resting on the edge.

"Still think three weeks is long?"

Kael swallowed, then grinned. "...No. This is worth every gold."

Eorun nodded.

"Then don't waste it. Practice your aura. Try to channel it without weapons. If you can form even a shell around your fists, you'll be one step ahead of most low-ranked knights."

Kael nodded.

"No distractions. No excuses."

"Just you, the sky… and the path ahead."