Anansi's Web

When my feet graced the ground beneath me, I smiled. I had never felt anything like that; it was the most incredible feeling of release, and happiness. I finally did it, I can use magic. To think that a few days ago I wouldn’t have even known I had powers, I mean, how incredible was that?

Ember gave me a huge hug after her purple light faded away into shiny sparkles. “I am so proud of you, can you believe it?”

“It felt great,” Was all that I could say.

“Wow, you really can use magic.” Cara said, with a bit of an edge.

“Great, but we should keep moving if you wanna leave before sundown.” Vince said holding a full bottle of water.

Ember let go, and when I looked at her again I saw real admiration on her face, like she was my mother, and I just got onto the honor roll at school. I felt like I could trust her a little more.

We set off on the trail, and everyone was asking me questions it was difficult to keep up. “What would your parents say if they knew?” Ember asked.

“They’d probably be happy, but my dad would shrug it off in a day or two.” I said, watching my feet as we walked up a steep hill. I wondered how far up we were, it couldn’t be that high.

“So how amazing did it feel to be up there? Boy, I bet it felt like you were the king of the world. Did we look like ants to you?”

“A little bit, but it wasn’t like I was flying.”

“Now that you’ve used magic, you need to know something,” Ember began. “Magic isn’t as strong as you think. If anything magic is weak. What matters is how you use it. Magic users are known for being clever, not powerful.”

“That’s interesting.” I said. I never thought of myself as particularly clever, and I wonder if I’d ever be good enough at magic to be successful.

“I wish someone would tell that to my people. They keep thinking that they can summon gods just because they can make sparks come from their fingertips.” Vince said.

Cara and I laughed, but Ember crossed her arms with a slight smirk on her lips. “That’s not funny, they don’t know any better.”

“I keep trying to get them to mix into society, but they don’t want to. I don’t know how they’ve lived here so long without being exposed to some kind of technology. I don’t know where they even came from.”

“You were just stranded here one day?” Ember asked.

“Yeah. They found me in the back of the mountains, washed up from one of the Calathea islands.” Vince murmured. After that no one asked anymore questions.

Over the course of two hours we finally got to the place where Vince said that the griffins would be. To get here we had to briefly climb up the mountain, and my shirt snagged on the jagged edges more than once. Everyone’s clothes had been mangled, but we survived. We saw one, or two trolls on the way there, but Embers magic would push rocks off of ledges and onto them while we hid behind boulders. The whole way Vince was yapping about how he’s been all over the mountains, and how he used to camp here, and right there, and how he sat that one rock.

When I stood on the mountain peak now though, it almost seemed worth it. We were on a flat ledge, empty of all decoration. It was a barren plain, but from up here, I felt like I ruled the world. The sun was so bright up here, and it seemed so big. The heat dulled the cool blue of the sky, and the wind refreshed me each time it drifted across my face. Vince says that the natives called this peak the star piercer, because when the sun is up, the peak seems to poke the edge of it. It’s also the meeting ground for male and female griffins, he told us.

We stood up there, hiding behind the one large boulder we could find, waiting for a griffin. I felt like this would take forever, but I also wondered what it would be like to ride a griffin. I looked up at the sky, and imagined soaring through the sea of wind, with the sun resting on your cheek, and the wind brushing your skin.

“It’s nice up here.” Cara said.

“I know, but I really don’t want to stay longer than we need.” I said.

“When do griffins mate?” Ember asked Vince.

“Anytime I think…”

After fifteen minutes, we hadn’t seen a single thing, until a single griffin land away from us on another ledge, where its nest sat holding three fat white eggs. The griffin had the head of an eagle, with brown feathers, and the body of a lion, complete with sandy fur. This one’s feathers were entwined with light pink, making it look like a girl. Its wings were folded up, and its tail swung slowly behind it.

“Why don’t we go over there now, and get it?” I said.

Vince hummed, pondering the question. “I don’t want to. It feels wrong to separate the mom from her kids.”

“Ugh, come on, who cares?”

“No, I don’t think it’s right.”

“So you don’t want to offend the mountain gods?” I teased. I knew it was wrong the wrong thing to say, but I was so tired, and annoyed. I couldn’t stop myself. I knew I wasn’t right, but I didn’t want to give in.

Vince stood up, his eyes burning through me. “You’ve got a smart tongue. If I were still a pirate, I’d cut it out.”

I swallowed, but tried to keep calm. “What’s so bad about taking one griffin?”

“It’s not fair, that’s what’s wrong.” He said, with a voice so stern it froze me.

“I’ve gotta agree with Vince. I’m sure there’ll be more. We just have to wait.”

“It would be so much faster just to take that one.”

Ember turned to me, and looked me in the eyes. “Angelo,” She began. Her voice was soothing, and commanding at the same time. “I think we should just wait for more griffins, like Vince says.”

I nodded. Ember was right, they have feelings too. I blinked a few times, and wondered why I just thought that, but I decided not to say anything else because I didn’t feel like arguing.

Eventually the mother griffin took off back into the air, and I watched her go. Her wing span was enormous, her body nearly looked like a speck compared to her enormous wings, but I guess they need that to be able to fly in the first place. Her tail swayed in the breeze, and she gave a roar of triumph.

We were pretty quiet after that, up until a few minutes later when two griffins came into view. They were tangled together, screeching and roaring. Their bodies were a blur of feathers, and fur as they twisted in the air. “Two males, they look young. Should be good enough to fly. How’re you catching ’em?” Vince asked.

“I’m going to hex them.” Ember said. She walked out from behind the rock, and caught the two griffins in her purple light like she did it every day. She tore them apart from one another, and brought them to the ledge. They were screeching, and roaring, stuck in very uncomfortable looking positions.

After a few seconds she let go of them, and they stood in front of her, calm, with eerie purple eyes. Ember dropped to her knees, breathing heavily.

We all walked up to her. She was sweating, and gasping for air. She looked exhausted. “They are so different from humans; so much emotion is hard to control. I’ll…be fine.” She said between gasps.

I put my hand on her back. Vince walked up to a griffin, and pat it on the head. They stood silently, not objecting.

“Might need to fix some wounds… but not too bad.” He said.

“So now all we need is one more.” Cara said, her light voice perking up.

“I don’t feel like waiting, can one of us just ride with someone?” I asked.

“Don’t think they’d able to lift two people.” Vince said without looking at me. “We should move these two in case another griffin sees ’em, and moves away. You think you’ll be ready Ember?”

She nodded. It was weird seeing her kind of weak like this; she’s always been so calm, and tough.

We all moved behind the rock again. The two griffins were lying down in the shadow of the boulder. After a while another griffin flew over, its wings casting a long shadow over the peak as it circled above.

“Ember, do you think you can control that?” I asked.

She shook her head, “I need time.”

“Do we have any time?” I asked.

“Little bit, she might land soon.” Vince said. “You three were going where again?”

“Neptia” I said.

“Never been there. Have a safe trip.”

“Um, so, like, you could come with us.” Cara suggested.

“No, my place is here. My people have little enough land, and fighters. Taking you guys here was dangerous for them. That’s why I wanted to get back quick.”

“Okay, I think I’m ready.” Ember said with an unsteady voice.

“Positive?” Vince asked.

She nodded, and stood up. Before the griffin could fly away, Ember caught it, and like the others it went still after it came to the ground.

When all of the griffins were side by side, we each go onto one. The one that I got onto was one of the males that were fighting. He had brown eyes, and his feathers were naturally streaked with red. It felt like sitting on a horse kind of. The griffins were facing the edge of the platform, and were backing up to take off on Ember’s command.

“Have a safe trip.” Vince called.

“You too.” Ember said. She gave him a hug before getting onto her griffin. “Thank you for your help.”

He nodded, and waved at Cara and me. “Watch out, there’s danger out there.”

I never knew him well, and I didn’t feel that I was going to miss him much. “Thanks for the help.” I said.

“Watch what you say in the future, kid. Bye.”

The griffins backed up, and began to run forward. I watched the ledge shake as we got closer and closer until the griffins extended their wings, and jumped off. I felt my stomach heave and I wanted to throw up, but eventually they flapped their enormous wings, and we were flying. Cara screamed, and I was trying to hold back my voice, but it was being forced out. I remembered that time in Sraff on the roller coaster. It seemed like nothing to me now.

The griffins had a lot of room between each other because they needed to flap their wings, so I had a hard time seeing Cara, and Ember.

I looked out at the sky. I’m finally flying. Birds squawked as they flew past. I wasn’t comfortable enough to raise my arms, but I did lift my head, and let the wind beat against my face, messing with my hair. The air smelled sweet, and fresh and the sky became a windy sea, and I was boat with wings. My griffin screeched like a hawk, and I bit my lip. We were really doing this; we were going to Neptia on griffins.

I watched the high mountains peaks below us disappear in flashes of brown, orange, and grey. Small blue lakes that streamed through the mountains became blue veins in the ground.

Cara hooted above the rushing wind, and I called after her. The griffin flew so fast that soon I could see the camp site where the train had been attacked. The griffins few higher as we passed that, to avoid being seen I guess. Now we were above the green grass, and I looked at all of the people still there. We would be there if we didn’t leave last night, or maybe we would be killed by the general.

We flew over the green sea of fields for a few more minutes until the griffins slowly began to descend. When we landed, Cara was a few yards away, and I got off to meet her. The griffin immediately collapsed, and fell asleep. I wondered if it would stay hexed, or if it would just go wild again when it woke up.

Cara got off, and ran to meet me. “So that was awesome.” She said as her griffin fell to the ground, snoring.

“Yeah, but I don’t think we got very far.” I said. There was nothing but grass, and an empty grey road, but where there were roads they led to towns, and where there were towns there was rest, and stability.