The gryphons landed nearby, eyes gleaming with open curiosity.
"They're impressed," Telamon said, clear amusement in his voice.
Clara walked forward slowly, smiling so wide it looked like it might hurt.
"Look at you two... Cutest things I've ever seen. Want to come with us?"
Brammel gave the Archmage a sideways glance.
"We got rid of the Aerie years ago."
A flash of brown marked Pudding's arrival—
the falcon-owl perching on Cane's shoulder, unimpressed with the larger newcomers.
Cane chuckled, stroking Pudding's head.
"Don't be rude, little guy."
He turned to the gryphons.
"You two want to come with us?"
The group remounted a few minutes later.
Cane gathered the ruined Strix blades and a small piece of the shattered disc, storing them carefully.
Overhead, the gryphons circled, playful and curious, occasionally swooping low over the riders.
Dhalia smiled at the sight.
"See the feathered tuft on the larger one's neck? He's the male."
Cane gripped the saddle tightly, feeling his energy dipping.
"The net-gun worked well... field test successful."
"That's right, lad," Brammel laughed, giving Clara a thumbs up.
"My aim was a little low," Clara admitted, cheeks pink.
"But I think that gryphon likes me!"
Fergis didn't comment—focused instead on the numbers.
"Contribution points?"
Brammel coughed into his hand while Telamon looked thoughtful.
After a moment, the Archmage spoke.
"Flying beasts are a major contribution. I'm awarding your team one thousand points, plus another five hundred for taking down the Strix."
Clara: How's that rank us?
Fergis:Second tier still... but now we're middle pack.
Sophie was waiting at the gate, her fingers clasped tight with worry.
She had been the one who reported the distress flare.
Cane spotted her immediately and grinned tiredly, waving before handing his horse off to Odom.
Sophie's expression said she had a dozen questions, but instead, she simply hugged Cane tightly, her fingers threading through his hair.
"As long as everyone's okay…"
A sudden gust of wind sent her light brown hair into her eyes.
When she brushed it aside, her jaw dropped.
The two gryphons were approaching, extending their beaks until Sophie, stunned, placed a cautious hand on each.
The gryphons moved closer, nudging her playfully.
"Hey…" Sophie glanced at Cane.
"These yours?"
"Nope," Cane laughed, just as one ducked its head and lifted Sophie's arm over its neck.
"They like you."
Sophie tried to step away, but both gryphons followed eagerly.
"Oh no... Stay. Okay? Good... uh, gryffs..." she soothed awkwardly.
Brammel chuckled warmly from the side.
"Do you know where the old Aerie is?"
Sophie nodded, even as the gryphons pressed against her, cheeping like oversized, feathered chicks.
Cane shook his head, still dizzy. The sudden expulsion of darkness had drained nearly all of his energy.
"There he is."
Tor arrived just then—grinning wildly, the new wood elemental teacher and beast trainer beaming with excitement.
"My goodness, they're young. Perfect age for forming relationships."
Sophie sighed. "What do I do?"
"We can't pen them or tie them up—that'll break the trust."
Tor extended a hand, letting the male sniff him before patting its beak gently.
Clara wrinkled her nose, hugging the neck of the smaller one.
"So… let them just roam around?"
Tor nodded. "For a few days. If they decide to stay, they'll start looking for a nesting spot."
"Follow me," Brammel said—more to Sophie than the gryphons, since they seemed happy to trail her anyway.
The old Aerie wasn't much—just an open wooden platform, three stories tall, with ladders connecting each level.
Tor studied it.
"Not high enough. Double the height. And add a ton of straw and sticks to the top platform…"
"Shouldn't be a problem." Brammel turned to Sophie.
"We'll talk to the Archmage. You should head inside for now—they'll roam a bit. Oh, and make a broadcast. Emergency announcement: no feeding them. Tor's in charge of their diet from now on."
Sophie took Cane's hand, noticing how pale and tired he looked.
"You're coming with me."
Cane nodded, falling in with the procession to Sun Tower. Sophie shut the door behind them, blocking out the crowd—and the gryphons.
"You fought in those clothes? Take them off and get in bed," she said, waiting by the desk to make sure he listened.
Then she sat and tapped the announcement rune.
Good afternoon, everyone. This is Sophie Sweetwater with a special announcement.
Thanks to one of our mid-tier cadet teams, the Magi Academy now has gryphons.
The Archmage asks that cadets do not feed them—Professor Tor will be handling their dietary needs.
In the coming days, the Aerie will be under construction. Please use caution when moving around the new facility.
Sophie jumped as one of the gryphons poked its head through her window, warbling curiously.
"No—no! Stay outside. That's a flowerpot, not food—what are you doing?"
She rushed to the window, trying to push the feathered head back out.
"Go outside. Fly around or something!"
From the bed, Cane tapped his psi-rune.
Cane:Still broadcasting, Sophie.
She froze, color rushing to her cheeks as she hurried back to her desk.
"This is Sophie Sweetwater. Have a pleasant evening."
Sophie closed her window and drew the shades.
"Goodness, they sure are persistent."
"You seem to have an affinity with them," Cane smiled, closing his eyes.
A moment later, he opened them again, feeling a soft weight on the bed.
Sophie lay beside him atop the covers, sharing the pillow, her hair falling across his face.
"Tell me all about it."
Cane nodded and began, starting from the ride through the woods, the gryphons, and then the encounter with Terror.
Sophie stopped him there, her voice sharp with concern.
"Terror? Are you sure?"
"That's what Brammel called him. You know who he is?"
Sophie turned toward him, brushing his face with gentle fingers.
"Yes. He's the Commander of the Terror Legion. Why would he be here?"
Cane shrugged, not wanting to mention that Terror might have come for him.
"No idea."
"Then what? Did he attack?"
"No... he left. Something bad took his place. Brammel called it a strix."
"A strix?" Sophie shook her head. "Never heard of it. What did it look like?"
"Ugly. Big black eyes, feathered wings, long talons on its feet—and it dual-wielded poison blades."
"Goodness…" Sophie rested her head on Cane's chest, listening to the steady thump beneath her hand.
"How'd you kill it?"
"Group effort," Cane said, his voice rumbling against her ear.
"I purified its artifact. That caused serious backlash. Fergis blasted it with balefire, and Brammel took its head off."
"How did you purify it?"
"Same way as always. I immersed into it." Cane grimaced.
"It was darker, fouler than anything I've ever touched."
"Weren't you scared?"
"A little," Cane admitted.
"Then I remembered—metal belongs to metallurgists."
"So brave," Sophie whispered, kissing his lips softly.
"What happens when you purify metal?"
"I pulse my Starpower."
"You can do that?" Sophie grinned.
Cane nodded. "When I'm immersed in metal."
"Then what?"
"Metal sings… but corrupted metal is muted. I bring back the sound. My own version of it. Things I cherish."
"Oh? Like what?"
"The steady beat of a hammer. Your laugh…"
Sophie froze, her face just inches from his.
"That's the nicest thing…"
She tucked herself under his chin, letting the sweetness of the moment saturate the air between them.
"Cane… I…"
His light snore interrupted her. She smiled into the fabric of his shirt and hugged him tighter, drifting off with him into peaceful sleep.