Meet Garrud the Gryphon

The Gryphon named Garrud was Al's familiar. A familiar is a being of another species tied in a pseudo-master-slave relationship with a mage. The bond is at the soul level, is hence an irreversible process, and is generally a mutually beneficial relationship. As the mage progresses in their cultivation, the familiar receives positive feedback in theirs which helps them advance, and vice-versa. However, due to the ingrained nature of this bond, should either party face a catastrophe of fatal proportions, the other will face equal retribution through their soul connection.