Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 14] Ch.8 Next Quest

[Sebas/Jekyll]

"I heard someone had a romantic date last night. Hehehe." Amanda said when we met at the entrance of the hotel. "Did you both have a lovely late night scuffle? It's a little strange to see you both so refreshed."

I'm getting Liz vibes from her teasing and hold myself back from chopping her on the head like I do with Liz. not that I'd be able to hit Amanda in a million years.

"They are students. Separate rooms, separate beds. I assure you." Alpha dashed her perverted hopes with a few simple words on cue.

Amanda pouted. "You're no fun, Alpha." Then she poked him on the chest. "But at least you sound better. Well, are you all ready to go?"

"I didn't make any plans, but where are we going?" I asked.

"I want you to meet my friends. We are going to be in a party for the escort quest so I figured we could be in one big super party with all my lads and lasses. So I got us a quick quest to investigate a haunted mansion on the outskirts of the city." Amanda said. "With the six of us we should make short work of them and get back in time for dinner."

"That's not what we agreed." Alpha said.

"Oh don't be a party pooper, my friends are super cute! You aren't getting any younger." Amanda teased and elbowed him. "Come on, I rented a floating griffon carriage so if something goes extra wrong we can just leave the kiddies with the griffons and the driver. Come on, we got some shopping to do first!"

"A floating Griffon carriage?" I said, unable to hide my surprise and excitement.

That was how Amanda got me.

*

I have no regrets.

The carriage was amazing; it was a flat bed with no wheels. It was made out of some kind of light-colored wood with golden accents. Its design reminded me of a ferry river boat, but it had a hooded roof for shade almost like a baby carriage mixed with a wagon. It was obviously made for style over function. The most amazing part was that it actually floated above the ground.

"Amazing." I said as I examined the carriage itself.

Talisa was more interested in the Griffons. She was with the driver and was more interested in the breed of griffons that were used to pull the carriage. It was on the smaller side for a griffon with a shimmer coat of dark greens, blues, and black accents like a hummingbird. Even its beak was a little longer and thinner than the others I knew.

The Demonkin were the major breeders of Griffon so I had seen my fair share of them. This was a Hilder Griffon, a breed that was meant to be similar to a commercial horse with a more docile temperament and with a stronger palette for vegetables and fruits than meat. While their attack power wasn't nearly as high as their cousins of similar size, they were faster, more graceful, and much easier to maintain. They even came with beautiful coats.

On the other side of the equation were the Griphide Warbirds and the Warmounts of Gryfis. The Warbirds were the largest and most prideful of the Griffons. True griffon royalty with majestic black coats. They were rumored to be as ageless as the first dragons. And were the almighty stewards of the Demonkin Towers making their nests only at the top-most nesting areas. The only riders they usually took were the Royalty, and only if they were worthy.

The Warmounts were patterned after bald eagles with white heads, golden wings and fur. They were the mounts of the royal guards and the most esteemed within the Demonkin culture. Their numbers were almost triple of the Warbird but there was a hierarchy for a reason it was said that a Warbird at its weakest was worth no less than 10 Warmounts at their best.