Just to clarify![...] -u003e Caphriel through Griff"s Mind
"..." -u003e Griff"s Inner Thoughts
"..." -u003e Speech
———————————————————————
The walls were slightly shaking now as Griff ran towards the door he came through.
[We don"t have too much time. This whole place will go down in a few minutes because I"ve been released.]
"Will anyone find out?"
[Thank...G.o.d...h.e.l.l... I don"t even know anymore, but they won"t notice. I"ve been imprisoned here for a while with nothing to do. I have a couple things up my sleeves.]
Griff quickly reached the door and ran through it. Behind him the walls had already started to crumble.
"The girl!"
[...]
Griff quickly ran towards where he had left the demi-human girl, and picked her up. He didn"t have time to ensure her comfort so he basically ran with her on his back.
[Quick! To the opening I pulled you through.]
Griff dashed with his stamina running low, and as a flash of light slightly blinded him, he reached the previously dark opening in the underground structure.
[I can use my chains one more time. It"s you who has to make the best of it.]
"What do you-"
[Your Plan...]
Griff clicked his tongue. The path he had already came from had already crumbled. This wasn"t the time for this... a spark. He looked up again and saw a slight bit of sunshine escaping through a crack. Since the ceiling was so high he wouldn"t have noticed before.
He pointed upwards immediately.
"Get me as close to there as you can!"
Suddenly the chains that had previously pulled him down appeared once again. They were radiating a weaker mana now, but that didn"t matter. Two chains stuck into the stone next to the small opening.
[Make sure the girl doesn"t fall... I"m not interested in coming back here.]
Griff quickly held on to the girl. The ground below them had also started to shake and it was a matter of time before the ceiling collapsed on them.
The chains suddenly pulled Griff with immense strength. It was... much faster than he expected.
"Let"s just hope this works."
[I"m regretting my actions already...]
Griff"s right hand was engulfed in his black flames once more, and just as he was about to crash into the wall... he punched.
[ARE YOU KIDDING ME!]
The rocky surface bursted open, and Griff managed to make it out onto a narrow walkway looking down a cliff. The sunlight striking down on Griff as he was looking down at the steep cliff. He was grinning to himself, without a moment"s hesitation he looked up to see that they were still basically at the edge of the plateau, a few meters below where they had fallen from, but still there.
"d.a.m.n it worked!"
[YOU COULD HAVE HAD US ALL KILLES YOU MORON!]
Griff simply grinned smugly to himself.
"It worked didn"t it? Now be a good winged woman and shut up so I can figure out a way to get up."
[WINGED- I"LL HAVE YOU KNOW I"M AN ARCH-]
"GRIFF! GRIFF WHERE THE h.e.l.l ARE YOU!"
"Brother... I don"t think... he might have survived."
"NO HE DEFINITELY DID! Did you see his magic?! There"s no way he"d die that easily."
"Come on you two, stop bickering. We got to keep looking. It"s the least we can do for him chasing that pack away."
Caphriel was still fuming, but Griff was basically ignoring her at this point.
"HEY! DOWN HERE!"
He shouted ecstatically.
"Did you hear that?!"
"OH THE G.o.dS HAVE SENT HIM BACK AS AN ANGEL!"
Griff clenched his right fist in annoyance. That was definitely Galvain"s voice.
"THE CLIFF YOU MORONS!"
He heard a few footsteps, and suddenly several heads popped out, looking down at him a few meters above.
"By the G.o.ds... it really is you!"
Danyell was among the crowd that looking at him.
"Quick! Someone get me a rope!"
"Um... I"ll need more help than that."
Griff gestured at his left shoulder where he was still carrying the demi-human girl.
Danyell looked shocked at him, but shook his head. Now wasn"t the time.
A few minutes later Griff was lying on the gra.s.s patches of the plateau happily, panting to catch his breath. He"d just realized how tired he was.
A group of volunteer villagers had set out to find him. All thanks to Danyell. The kid"s charisma could be a weapon!
Danyell crouched next to him with a look of relief, lending a hand for him to stand up.
Griff happily took it, and rose to his feet.
"Where the h.e.l.l did you even disappear to! I heard some weird noises and turned back to see you were gone!"
He was basically shaking Griff at this point.
"Jeez... this guy."
[Seems like someone cares about you.]
Griff snickered in his mind.
"Unlike you."
[I"m yet to elevate you from "interesting living thing" to an "intelligent lifeform."]
Griff decided it was best he continued to ignore her who kept fuming in his mind.
He scratched the back of his head sheepishly after Danyell had finally finished shaking his worries off... literally.
"It"s just-"
[Don"t say the truth...]
"While we were fighting we fell down the cliff. I"ve been trying to get up since yesterday. She fainted so... I said why the heck not I guess."
Danyell poked him in the chest.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to help an enemy!"
Griff laughed.
"You would too in my situation."
"Come on you two! We better get back to the village. We got the demi."
"Aye Jose! Come on Griff, let"s head back. I mean... you still got a reward to collect."
Griff smiled looking upwards. To where he supposed the G.o.ds were. His life wasn"t going to be easy, he knew it after what happened.
"But... I"ve definitely got something I want to live for now. A purpose!"
He clenched his fist in excitement.
"And oh boy will it be fun."
"Griff?"
"Sorry! Zoned out a bit. I guess sleepless nights do that to ya."
"Come on we"re running late!"
Danyell ran behind the villagers who were carrying the demi-human girl on their backs, finally able to walk among the woods with ease after the wolves ran off.
"My first... self earned reward. Don"t mind if I do!"
Griff ran behind Danyell. This was only the beginning. It was time to start his life truly.
[You"ve found your purpose? What is it... slaying the G.o.ds or something?]
"Not anything that extreme! I"m ready... to make memories and adventure. I want to be... the very best out there!"
[Such a childish dream...well I guess... it"s not a bad one.]