The Shattered Constellations Between Stars

The Constellation of the Griffin god of sloth, had a peculiar case. For the others that fell due to their incompetence, he didn’t fall from Asnexis Nèons.

He left on his own accord. Due to the fact that the others were causing a lot of noise in the realm because of them falling, he decided to leave as well to get rid of the noise.

Before leaving he had one of the other constellations take over his duties.

Since Griffin left on his own accord, he does have the ability to return to the realm but not the others. In the universe, if a constellation is banished from Asnexis Nèons, they lose their authority to return. Conversely, if a constellation leaves willingly and appoints another to take over their duties, they are always welcomed back.

So he can go back but he is too lazy to do anything.

Two months later

Two months had passed since Nyx and Len began their routine of visiting the griffin’s cave. Each day, they would meticulously clean up his mess and pluck out the dead feathers scattered around. Initially, it felt like a small price to pay, but as the days wore on, Nyx grew increasingly frustrated. At Drac’s cave, she wasn’t tasked with menial chores, and the shift in her daily activities was wearing her down.

One day, after they had finished another tiresome cleaning session, Nyx’s frustration finally boiled over.

“This is getting ridiculous,” she muttered, her hands clenched into fists. “We’re here every day, cleaning up after you, and what do we get in return?”

The griffin, lounging comfortably as they worked, barely lifted an eyelid. “You’re still complaining about that?” he replied lazily. “You’re doing a fine job. I don’t see the problem.”

Nyx’s temper flared. “Of course you don’t! You’re not the one scrubbing floors and picking up feathers!”

Len, sensing the tension, tried to intervene. “Nyx, maybe we should—”

“No, Len. I’m done with this,” Nyx interrupted, turning back to the griffin. “I’m not cleaning your cave anymore unless something changes.”

The griffin, clearly annoyed by her defiance, finally sat up. “And what exactly do you want?” he asked, his tone edged with irritation.

Nyx hesitated for a moment, then squared her shoulders. “What can you give me?”

The griffin’s eyes narrowed, and after a brief pause, he gestured for her to come closer. “Come here.”

Nyx, cautiously, took a few steps forward. “What is it?” she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

“Open your eyes,” the griffin instructed, his voice softer now, almost curious.

Nyx did as she was told, revealing the cloudy, unseeing eyes that had been her reality since birth. The griffin stared at her for a moment, realization dawning.

“So, you’re blind,” he murmured, more to himself than to her. “I hadn’t noticed before. I just assumed you could see, given how well you clean.”

Nyx’s heart skipped a beat, a flicker of hope igniting. “Can you… can you help me see?”

The griffin’s expression hardened. “No, I can’t do anything about that,” he said bluntly.

Nyx’s face fell. “Then I’m done here. Len and I won’t be coming back,” she declared, turning to leave.

“Wait,” the griffin called after her, a hint of desperation in his voice. “I might not be able to fix your eyes, but I have an idea.”

Nyx paused, curiosity getting the better of her. “What idea?”

“There’s a constellation that controls the West—the Snake God of Pride. He might have a skill that could help you see something beyond your Echo Vision,” the griffin explained.

Nyx’s mind raced. “The Snake God… Could he really help me?”

The griffin nodded, though he seemed unsure. “Convincing him won’t be easy, though. He’s not one to grant favors lightly.”

Nyx thought back to the time she and Len had ventured west and had been paralyzed with fear at the presence they felt. Could it have been the Snake God? “I remember something… scared us to leave the cave while it was raining,” she muttered, mostly to herself.

The griffin nodded. “It was probably him. But convincing the Snake to give you that skill would be difficult. He’s not exactly generous.”

Nyx’s hope wavered. “So, there’s nothing you can do for me?” she asked, her voice tinged with defeat.

The griffin sighed, realizing he was on the verge of losing his convenient helpers. “Alright, fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll give you a skill and teach you how to use it, but you have to keep cleaning my cave.”

Nyx’s eyes widened. “Really? What kind of skill?”

“Teleportation,” the griffin replied, his voice smooth and persuasive. “A useful skill, especially for someone like you.”

Nyx’s eyes widened in surprise. “Teleportation? Really?”

The griffin nodded. “Level B. It’s a decent skill. You’ll need to practice, but I’ll guide you.”

A spark of excitement flared in Nyx’s chest. “Alright,” she agreed, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “But you better keep your word.”

The griffin raised a brow, slightly amused. “I always keep my promises, little one.”

A faint glow surrounded Nyx as the griffin blessed her with the skill. The sensation was strange yet thrilling.

Skill Acquired: Teleportation

Level B

Blessing from the Constellation of the Griffin, God of Sloth

Excitement bubbled up within Nyx. She couldn’t wait to try out her new skill. “Thank you!” she exclaimed, grinning widely. “When can we start training?”

The griffin waved a dismissive claw. “You’ve got what you wanted. Now, back to work.”

Nyx hesitated. “But you promised you’d teach me how to use it…”

The griffin’s eyes snapped open, and he let out an exasperated sigh. “I said I’d teach you, but not right now. Keep cleaning, and we’ll get to it later.”

Nyx frowned but didn’t argue. She knew better than to push the griffin when he was in one of his moods. With a resigned sigh, she returned to her chores, though her excitement hadn’t completely faded.

After finishing their duties, Nyx and Len made their way back to Drac’s cave. As soon as they arrived, Nyx eagerly recounted the events to Drac. “The griffin gave me a new skill!” she exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement. “But he didn’t teach me how to use it.”

Drac’s interest was piqued. “What skill did he give you?” he asked, his tone curious.

“Teleportation,” Nyx replied, a proud smile on her face.

Drac nodded approvingly. “That’s a good skill. If the griffin won’t teach you, I will. I’ll start with the basics, and we’ll see how you progress.”

For the next two weeks, Nyx’s days followed a new routine. Each morning, she and Len would head to the griffin’s cave, clean up, and attend to his feathers.

Afterward, they’d return to Drac’s cave, where Nyx would practice teleportation under Drac’s watchful eye. The work was grueling, but the thrill of learning a new skill made it all worthwhile.

And so, the days passed, with Nyx growing more proficient in teleportation. But even as she trained, the words of the griffin lingered in her mind, the thought of the Snake God and what he might offer a constant, tantalizing mystery.