heir of the cursed blood

The wind whistled past Kael's ears, mixing with the flap of titanic wings above him. Three weeks had passed since they had taken to the skies atop the King Griffin, and finally—finally—they soared over the dense canopy of the Great Forest.

A sea of green stretched to every horizon, endless and breathing like a living god. Rivers slithered through valleys below, shimmering like snakes of silver. Trees as tall as castles rose from the depths, their roots like stone bridges curling over ancient ruins and moss-covered statues.

Kael leaned over the side of the saddle-deck, his hair whipping in the wind.

"So that's the Great Forest…" he whispered.

Eorun sat cross-legged, calmly sipping tea from a metal flask.

"Forty-seven percent of Raghas' land," he said, gazing over the horizon. "And not a single human kingdom in all of it."

Kael nodded. "It's beautiful. Wild. Like it doesn't want to be ruled."

"Exactly. Because it isn't."

 Forest Stop

Later that day, Eorun pulled the reins slightly, and the King Griffin began to descend toward a quiet clearing between the trees. Sunlight streamed down in golden shafts, and birds scattered as the massive beast landed with a graceful thud.

"We'll rest here for a while," Eorun said, stretching his arms. "Griffin's wings need to cool."

Kael jumped down, landing softly on the mossy floor. He crouched beside a pond, splashing his face with cold water.

For the first time in days, it was peaceful.

Too peaceful.

Suddenly, a rustle broke the stillness.

Kael reached instinctively for a blade he didn't carry. Eorun stood still, but his aura stirred slightly.

From the trees emerged a figure.

A young man — maybe in his twenties — with bright orange fox ears twitching atop his head. A long, fluffy tail swayed lazily behind him, its tip snow-white. He had sharp amber eyes and a human face, but the subtle features of a predator were unmistakable.

His steps were silent, his posture confident but not hostile.

Kael's eyes widened. "A… demi-human?"

The stranger stopped a few feet away, arms crossed.

"You two shouldn't be here without permission."

The Fox

Eorun raised a hand in greeting.

"Relax. We're just passing through. Heading toward the dwarves."

The fox-man studied them for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But don't fly over the river systems. Especially not near the southern lakes."

Kael blinked. "Why not?"

The demi-human gave a fang-toothed smile.

"Because if you do, you'll be eaten alive by the Great Sea Serpents. And they don't spit out bones."

 Demihuman Lore

Kael turned to Eorun, whispering. "He's… strong. I can feel it."

Eorun nodded slowly.

"Demi-humans," he said under his breath. "They look like us, but with traits from animals — foxes, wolves, tigers, falcons, even mythical beasts. They're several times stronger than normal humans, even without training. Reflexes, agility, aura sensitivity. Everything."

Kael stared at the stranger again, this time with newfound respect.

"So… they have kingdoms too?"

"Of course. The Demi-human Kingdom sits deep in the Great Forest — isolated but powerful. And at its heart is one of the most renowned bloodlines in all of Raghas…"

"The Fenrir family."

Kael's eyes widened. "Fenrir? Like… the legendary wolf?"

Eorun smirked. "Exactly. Royalty among demi-humans. Graceful. Dangerous. They've ruled for centuries. Some say the current queen is one of the most beautiful and terrifying women alive."

Kael said nothing, but his curiosity was definitely piqued.

🌊 Sea Lords Warning

The fox-man tilted his head. "You're lucky I noticed your flight path. Another few minutes, and you'd have been over the Lake of Whispering Teeth."

"That doesn't sound friendly," Kael muttered.

"It isn't," the fox said. "The Sea Lords rule all major water bodies in this forest. The underwater kingdoms — merfolk, krakens, tide elves, and worse. They don't like humans. Especially not ones flying over their territory."

Kael exhaled slowly. "Thanks for the warning."

"Just don't make me regret it."

With that, the demi-human turned and melted back into the trees — silent as shadow.

 Takeoff

Eorun patted the King Griffin's neck. "Let's keep altitude above the clouds from here."

Kael nodded. "I didn't think flying could be dangerous like this."

"This is Raghas, boy," Eorun said as he climbed back into the saddle. "Everything is dangerous."

"Even the water."

As the King Griffin leapt back into the air, Kael looked over his shoulder once more — toward the trees where the fox-man had vanished.

He smiled faintly.

"This world's bigger than I thought."

"Good," Eorun replied, "because you're not going to stay small."