The King And His Goddess Of War

Chapter 5: Mighty Griffin

Honestly, tea was my savior on these sleepless nights. I had woken up to a fight breaking out in the room beside me, more or less the noisiest thing I have ever heard since I moved into the Academy, and couldn't go back to sleep. Countless hoots and hollers for the champion of the fight made sure of that.

And so, I wrapped myself in the blanket I had brought with me and went down to the kitchen, where a lone fridge stood for the soldier's food. I opened it, enjoying the sound of the magnets inside the rubber coming apart from each other and blinking in the new light that shone into my eyes. I blinked a few times, my eyes adjusting.

Yogurt, apples, and a fruit smoothie caught my attention first, leaving everything else in the dust. I picked up the strawberry yogurt and honey crisp apples and the mango smoothie and placed them all on the counter. I poured myself some of the smoothie and placed it back in the fridge before eating the apple and working on my yogurt. By the time I got to my mango smoothie, the bell for midnight struck and I nearly jumped at the sound. Even though it was faint from the main hallway- where thankfully no one slept for that exact reason -I heard it pretty clear in the silence of the kitchen.

I took my mango smoothie back to my room, my blanket still hung on my shoulders and my bare feet rubbing against the expensive carpet. The lights were dimmed instead of at their full brightness like in the daytime, which at this time, I was very thankful for. My eyes were horribly awful in bright light after sleeping, and I will not deny that.

But I was surprised when I opened my door. Prince Zuka was sitting on my windowsill, looking out the window and his leg swinging from the sill and occasionally brushing the floor. He noticed me immediately, turning his head to face me. "Well, did you have a good time raiding the kitchen for that?"

I look down at my smoothie and a nod, taking a sip of it. Zuka gets off the windowsill and takes the drink from me, gulping it down. What is it with men stealing my food in this castle? First Tyson, then Colby, and now Zuka. He placed the empty cup on my dresser and smirked. At this point, I did not have a care in the world. I moved to my bed unsteadily and flopped down on top of it, pulling my blanket on top of me. 

I heard Zuka chuckle behind me, but again, I didn't care anymore. I felt Zuka's skin against my arm and I rolled over, finally making it to a pillow. I held it close to my chest, falling asleep faster than I thought I would have.

I woke considerably late, according to my clock on my nightstand. Eleven. I missed breakfast, but I was feeling quite warm so I understand and I'm fine with missing breakfast. Shocking, I know. 

I heard a groan behind me and my eyes widened. An arm hooked around my waist and another arm happened to be the pillow my head rested on. My back was tugged closer to something warmer than the blankets above me. I looked behind me and there was Zuka, his eyes closed and his lips parted slightly in his sleep. His bare chest was against my back and his hair was tousled in a way that I like more than when it was kept nice for the kingdom. 

The Prince slept next to me. 

I jolted up, waking Zuka in the process. I muttered curses as I got up, hugging my blanket closer to defend myself from the sudden cold and jolted away from my bed, staring at Zuka. His eyes fluttered open and he groaned at the new light shining through the window, placing the pillow I thought I had underneath my head on top of his face. "Zuka, you have some explaining to do."

Zuka sat up hearing my voice. The pillow dropped and he looked at me innocently. "Ari, I promise my intent was clean."

"Was it now?" I ask, hugging my blanket closer.

"I was just comfortable sleeping next to you, Ariana," he explained. "And it was late and I was tired from climbing across windows to get to yours and-"

"You climbed from your room to mine on windowsills?" I ask, cutting him off.

"Well, yeah, but that's not important-"

"Why would you do that?"

"I needed company," he replied simply.

I walked outside of my room once Zuka left, sighing and fixing my hair from when he played with it in the middle of the night. That was definitely... an experience I will remember. But s**t, he will probably go tell Colby and there goes a friendship I might've had here. 

But I didn't have much time to think about it before Tyson ran to me, nearly knocking me over. "African forces on the border! Get to the griffin!" My eyes widened and I started back into my room, Tyson still in my tail. I would hear soldiers running outside my room, desperate to get to the barracks for weapons. I attach my weapons to my belt and slide on my one piece of armor and then Tyson grabs my arm, dragging me to a room I've never been before. 

It was like a stable, but for only one creature. There lay a full-sized griffin, perched on the edge of a runway where I assumed it was supposed to take off. "The King says that Mighty is yours now, so, go kick some ass." He sprinted away, joining the others in the hallway.

The griffin noticed me, the armor already on his body reflecting the dim sunlight. He made his way to me, nuzzling me with his beak. I caressed his face for a moment, and then pet his feathers to show I was who he thought. I was the next Guardian, and he was the steed chosen for me. 

I climb up onto his back and he immediately darts away, taking flight and sparing through the air over the castle. I watch the troops below march towards a faint blob in the distance. I narrow my eyes as Mighty leads me to an area just outside the castle walls. Boulders of all sizes were here, untouched and large. "Good thinking," I muttered. He picked many up at a time- as much as he could carry -and this time I led him to the battle ground, the troops not nearly there yet. I could see the size of the African forces, creatures fighting for them like the one I fought in the arena. Once we were directly over the forces, I nudged Mighty, causing him to release the rocks on top of one of the more bigger monsters. It was a direct hit, slamming to the ground and smashing several monsters. 

Some smarter ones looked up at us and tried to throw stuff without any success. The smarter ones were the weaker monsters, so I wasn't that afraid of them. The ones I had to worry about were the actual boulder-throwers. They were goblin-like things with the fattest stomachs I have ever seen. Talk about rolls. They have one eye in the center of their heads and their arms are the size of them. They can pick up things larger than the Eiffel tower and throw them across a great distance. I would rather not be the thing thrown in that situation, so we turned back for more rocks. 

As I flew over the troops, some soldiers looked up and gawked at the sight. The next time we brought one bigger boulder to bring down on some of the bigger ones. I wasn't going to get off of Mighty before the troops came because, well, that would be called suicide.

When I went back to go get another boulder, someone caught my eye. Prince Zuka at the front of all the troops, riding a beast. It was like a tiger but larger, still not nearly as large as Mighty, but large enough to be considered huge. The muscles in the cat's body pulsed with anticipation, ready for a fight. The canines protruded from the beast's mouth, making the yellow glare in its eyes even more dangerous looking. But Zuka, on the other hand, was looking even more dangerous than the beast. Metal that was formed into armor, coating his shoulders and torso. The shocking thing was that it was all titanium. All the other Vargrum chosen soldiers were beside him, using their power to create a defensive line in front of the others.

I did notice someone from Lyra was behind lines, controlling beasts that we had captured in previous battles and making them hate the African soldiers. I honestly thought that would be the best power.

I flew back for one more time to get my last batch of rocks and made Mighty fly the fastest he could towards the battlefield, dropping all the smaller boulders on top of the African front lines. 

The troops were just about to arrive when Mighty dived downward, swooping above the troops and into the enemy, sending the ones in our path crashing down. I wish he could breathe fire or something because that would be the best thing ever. Then, as if I had said it as a command, he blew fire to anyone close to us, burning the grass beneath us and the African soldiers around us. 

I was suddenly thrown off of Mighty and onto the ground, surrounded by the enemy and American troops too far away for help. I stood and drew my sword, hoping the armor I did put on was enough to keep me alive. Thankfully, the crest on my arm scared some off. But the more stupid creatures were aware I was from America and came to attack.

Thank you, Serria. 

Serria gave me a boost to my strength. Every time I was in war, my strength would be amplified. I narrowed my eyes at a certain ugly beast that I had never seen before in my life and punched directly between the eyes. At impact, the head flew backwards, never to be seen again. 

I was shocked, but there was no time to linger on it. So, using my obsidian sword, I slashed at anything around me, my hair falling down somewhere in the process. There goes my only hair tie. s**t. I had plowed through monsters like they were weeds, taking them by their roots and tearing them up. Eventually, fed up with the fight some were giving me, I sent a surge of pain through the enemies in front of me, nearly killing them instantly. 

There were maybe five troops left from the enemies at the end of that surge, but they were farther away so I had some time to rest. I crashed to my knees in exhaustion and stabbed my sword tip into the ground, leaning my head on the handle. I took several deep breaths before Mighty appeared next to me. I mounted and looked behind me. 

Apparently, the troops had arrived and were shocked. Zuka was emotionless and stone-faced like always. His sword was drawn and ready, but I took nearly everyone out. I sighed and Mighty took off, going directly for the remaining troops. Mighty did his thing while I did mine, slashing and punching the heads off of monsters all around me. 

To me, in a flash, the battle was over, only Mighty and I standing, both exhausted and breathing heavily. I could tell that Mighty was in no condition to fly by the large mark on his side, but it scarred over immediately and he shook it off, surprising me once again. 

He didn't fly, but he carried me on his back to the troops, who stopped and waited for us to arrive back. Zuka nodded faintly and the army turned around and Mighty seemed to relax slightly. 

"Ariana, may we speak on the way back?" Zuka requested, waiting until every soldier was in front of the metal wall that the Vargrum chosen made on the way back. I nodded and he gave me a small grin. My armor was torn from some blows I dealt to other monsters, leaving it to scrap. 

Mighty and his beast walked side by side, letting us speak. "Have any complaints?" I tease.

"No, maybe some requests," he says, the playfulness in his eyes still hidden from everyone else but myself. "Leave some for me, will you?"

"Nah, I think I quite like handling all those monsters with Mighty," I say. "Mighty makes a very great battle partner. The best I've had." Zuka frowns and motions for his beast to stop. Mighty naturally follows the same instruction, stopping.

"Then you clearly haven't had me as a battle partner," he says, his eyes suddenly becoming more dull and sad. "Next time, Toothy and Mighty can fight together, but I want you next to me the whole time." 

"Yes, Prince Zuka," I say carefully. We stared at each other for a moment, letting the troops go ahead for a few moments before I sigh and brush my hand through my hair. I pat Mighty's neck and dismount, letting him follow the troops. "Why don't we walk back? Mighty and Toothy can walk together."

Zuka's eyes light up and he slides down, grinning at me. "I knew you couldn't go without my company." He pats Toothy and lets him go ahead with Mighty as we talk.

"Sure, or maybe I know the King would kill me if his son came back sad," I tease, lightly punching his arm. Thank the gods I know how to control my strength.

"Or maybe you would be depressed because you wouldn't have talked to me."

"Keep dreaming, Prince Zuka."