Challenger

Slowly a figure moved forward, head raised high as she examined the human youth.

Ashton wasn't surprised when the largest, pure white gryphon approached. The mana core embedded in her breast plate was from a dragon she defeated more than two hundred years ago.

Ashton turned a gave a beep bow of respect, "I pay greetings to Agapi, Guardian Hurricane of the Savannah." Several generations ago, the Inago had partnered with they gryphons, if his Ember rekindled the relationship, he would not interfere.

Agapi let her eagle eyes narrow, she tilted her head to the right, "The Pride answered your call, dare you answer ours?" She asked.

Ashton gave a sweeping bow, "For the Pride." While they were both beasts of the sky, only one was a predator. Ashton would not begrudge his Ember finding a beast more inclined to war, though he doubted this gryphon would simply bow her head.

Agapi let out a long screech as she threw her head back. A moment later Ashton once again burst into red silver flames as he shot straight into the sky.

Neolani watched as a bird of flames expanded the higher it flew, flapping its growing wings as it spiraled into the sky. Soon the flaming beast stopped extending its wings, even several hundred feet up its figure clear. He was beautiful...

With a powerful screech of warning Agapi launched herself up as well, her own figure doubling in size. The ground shook as the pavement cracked from the force, knocking several guards and nearly all the nobles to the ground.

The red silver bird of flame dowve down to meet the gryphon, his left wing made only the lightest contact with her right wing as he dove past all the while she continued to ascend. He made a quick turn to make another pass, making tight, almost perfect liness as he continued to make sure only the silver flames touched the very edge of her feathers.

After the tenth pass Agapi leveled out and started to circle, Ashton right on top of her. Without warning the rest of the gryphons gave a screech startling the people. Without hesitation they launched themselves up. All of the Inago started to beat their shields with their swords or stamp their spears on the ground.

Ashton accepted the challenge as his form once again gave a large burst of flames that expanded to the capital gates as he stayed with Agapi. She was now trying to shake him off.

Agapi started spiraling toward the fastest gryphons, they mercilessly reached their talons to kill or maim. But that was not Agapi's concern. Her task was to evaluate if the young male was worthy of their allegiance. Despite the young Ragina's stories, seeing was believing.

The arial battle left the Smyrnaean's in shock and awe, no matter how the largest gryphon ducked or rolled Ashton was never more than a wings width away. When the first challenger approached it burst forward in a twister aiming for wings. Without missing a beat, Ashton met the challenge head on, using his own fire talons to grip the extended gryphon talons with a quick barrel rolled under Agapi and flung the challenger aside as he fell back to cover Agapi.

The wind arrow from his left heralded the second of his twenty-three challengers. Ashton waited for the next two to come closer before he doubled the size of his wings and gracefully caught them in a talon each as he spiraled. Tucking them close to his chest before the gryphons could regain their wits about them. Just as the gryphons regained their senses, he pulled up swiftly disorientating them enough that they spiraled out of the designated challenge arena.

He was strong enough to crush even the strongest gryphon in his claws, but... that was not the way he lived. Many saw this as mercy, as weakness, but he had never been a fighter. Nor did he plan to start today.

While he or his challengers could maim or kill each other, a single injury to Agapi would mean failure. He only had to knock them outside of the area Agapi had traveled from their first to last wing pass. Luckily he'd been swift so the area wasn't too broad. While the sphere wasn't visible to the humans, Agapi had marked the boundaries.

She made sure to make sharp turns to stay as close to the center as possible, but she also charged the oncoming gryphons so Ashton couldn't get distracted. Ashton didn't forget the two largest gryphon challengers who were circling above their arena, watching, learning. Let them, raw power could overcome much.

The next three attacked from the sides and underneath as Agapi left herself exposed. Ashton knew they wanted him to barrel roll again, but this time he darted past Agapi and dove into the challenger, catching the gryphon on his wing so fast, the poor male was like a rag in the wind. His challenger scrambled to dislodge himself from Ashton's left wing, but Ashton spiraled right hard and fast catching the second gryphon's front claw in his talons.

Ashton then shrank to his former size darting into the third gryphon, catching him on his right wing before spiraling toward the sphere. He'd had to leave Agapi's wing range but pulled up hard tossing the challengers almost thirty yards before they could right themselves enough to fly. All three had passed the boundary by several feet.

Ashton was just in time to deflect two more wind arrows, and a water spear by blanketing Agapi's form. 6 down, 17 to go.

The next set was of four, clearly they were testing his ability to multitask opponents, if his guess was correct the next group would be five. Suddenly Agapi started rapidly ascending without warning, Ashton shrank to conserve his very limited mana.

All four kept their distance as they followed Agapi up, only using arrows. When Agapi reached the top of the arena Ashton flared out, shooting four feathers, one for each. Before they could dodge each feather expanded into a net of fire catching their wings causing them to plumet. As soon as they breached the barrier the fire went out. Not a single feather singed.

Ashton let the five get close, with a blinding flash Ashton expanded his wings to fill the entire barrier as soon as they entered the arena they were pushed out. Agapi gave a screech as she started to spiral down. Ashton flew back-to-back with her as the six started to dive bomb. The first he caught mid spiral was flung at another, so they were knocked out of the far side. Both had been in a wind cushion, so they weren't injured, but Ashton had less than a third of his remaining soul mana. He could access more... but he'd further damage his current body. Control.

Ashton let the four coordinate attacks, but they were stalling. Ashton glanced back up at the two still circling above the arena. As the four were creating a wind javelin Ashton stayed on the still spiraling Agapi. As soon as she extended her wings to pull up the javelin was launched, since it wasn't corporeal he couldn't grab it, but he could meet it head on.

Ashton only took a moment to create a javelin twice the size and launch it, the sheer force even after dissolving their javelin blew the quartet out of the arena. Ashton let out a song of encouragement to the circling duo. He was ready for anything. Surprisingly only one came diving at him in a spiral dive so fast it created a twister. Ashton shot straight up leaving Agapi a single flaming feather that followed her now much slower figure that continued to circle near the bottom of the arena.

Ashton's spiral created more than wind, his left wing made a trail of silver fire. The head on clash of talons had them grappling midair as they started to free fall. Ashton could have easily cut through the gryphon, but he controlled his strength to match the larger beast.

Ashton didn't focus on his raw strength, he might accidentally rip something off. Instead, he let himself be physically overpowered just long enough to be convincing. As the gryphon started to make use of his advantage, Ashton flapped twice as fast, forcing another spiral down. Ashton refused to let go, when even that wasn't enough Ashton sent four feathers that turned into nets. Two nets wrapped around each of the gryphon's wings. The first net broke almost instantly, the second a moment later, but it was long enough to reach the bottom of the arena. Ashton released so the much larger gryphon fell out as he pulled up hard, missing the arena by a feather's width.

The last gryphon had already started his spiral down, the sheer speed had created a shock wave. The gryphon ignored Ashton as it aimed for Agapi, even when Ashton attempted to catch the male it barreled around him. Ashton didn't immediately give chase.

The gryphon gave a victory cry as his talon reached for Agapi's neck.

Suddenly the flaming feather expanded into a full-sized copy of Ashton, meeting the clash head on. It was barely able to knock the giant off course, missing Agapi's right wing by less an inch. Ashton was able to land between the gryphon's shoulder blades. With the gryphon between the smaller birds, his course became awkward, but he stayed in control. The two flaming birds were dragged along as the gryphon corrected course, then locked onto his still circling target.

Agapi was also ascending, whether to help Ashton, or simply because the challenge was entering the final state Ashton wasn't sure. Ashton let the copy fade away as he increased his size five times. Now the gryphon was caught in his talons, valiantly still attempting to rest control of their course, but Ashton didn't give him time to think, let alone fight.

He was finally able to force the course as he started a spiral dragging the gryphon along for the ride. Ashton was finally back-to-back with Agapi again as they ascended. Ashton gave a final spiral flinging the last gryphon outside the arena with a victory cry.

A moment later Agapi echoed the cry. They circled each other twice, then as Ashton shrank to a size comparable to Agapi they started a slow circling decent. With each pass the distance narrowed, accelerated. Halfway down they were belly to belly talons clutched in a spiral straight for the ground.

Their circling had given even the final gryphon time to descend to the ground in a circular formation beneath the duo. Soon each gryphon was channeling enough mana that sparks of beast mana were felt throughout the garden.

As soon as they passed the previous arena bottom, an arrow of wind, fire, water, and earth was launched. Ashton didn't let go as he created a five-tiered barrier as they continued to spiral. The arrow was stripped away to nothing, but Ashton didn't let Agapi go.

Sebastian was staring in awe as the duo were approaching the ground fast, the Inago had correspondingly accelerated the rhythm of their weapons clashing. When it looked like they would crash into the ground they broke apart landing hard. Agapi's landing left a creator... Ashton's was so gentle... you'd think a feather had landed. Not even the grass had swayed.

Ashton was back in his... human form elegantly bowing while a wing of fire was raised behind him and one wing held to his chest over his heart. Agapi was facing him, she slowly bowed as well, both wings curved in front of her as her beak dipped almost to the floor.

"You are the honor of the Pride." Agapi intoned formally as she stood up again. "We renew our vows to protect and fight with the tribe." She added as the rest of the gryphons gave a more formal bow bending their knees in submission.

It may have been decades ago, but the Inago and gryphons used to work together. Unfortunately, one of their own had been mutilated, defeathered, and eventually slain. Nearly a hundred years had passed since the tragedy. Only because the young female came bearing the blessing of the fire bird had they agreed to tentatively cooperate once more.

Ashton stood up, "May the Pride remain worthy of your allegiance." There was a deafening roar from the pride lions, shouts of celebration from the Inago, and screeches of welcome from the gryphons. Ashton decidedly did not accept their kinship... he was not a beast of war after all.

Neolani dashed forward as the silver flames slowly faded away. Ash only stumbled but she caught him by the arm, then lifted him as she spun him around. She then clutched him tight in a hug, nearly squeezing the life from him.

"Ember! I'm still mortal, mercy!" Ashton gasped patting her shoulder. He was covered in sweat and hadn't even caught his breath yet.

Neolani rubbed her face in his shirt, then pulled back with a smile. "These clothes do not suit you, also... you're so small..." she laughed setting him down. Alexei came forward with an outfit of woven silver over one arm, created with the help of the gryphons, in the other he held a ceremonial Usekh.

Ashton grumbled, "No congratulations, just straight jabs to my pride."

"We never had any doubt, even if you're smaller than last we met." Neolani boasted as sweat dripped from under his mask into his collar.

Alexei couldn't hide his grin, "I never thought I'd see you so small... even with your down feathers." He agreed towering over their little guardian. Last time they'd met, Alexei had been less than a hair shorter... but Alphonse had always made sure to look down at him teasingly.

Ashton rolled his eyes, "I see you're as insufferable as ever Alexei. Watch your shins." Ashton half threatened taking the enormous Usekh... far too large for him to wear as is.

Alexei burst out laughing, "Pray tell, what shall we call you now that you've... shrunk?" When Neolani smacked Alexei's shoulder, he continued to grin.

Ashton kicked Alexei's shin, "You can call me master, the rest can call me Ash." Ashton informed haughtily.

Two bursts of giggles caught Ashton's attention as the two smallest of the delegation ran up behind Alexei. Alexei rubbed his seven-year-old son's, and his thirteen year old daughter's heads, "Give your greetings."

Both children gave a practiced flourish, right arms extended back, left over their waist, and one foot back, "We give our greetings to Ash!" Black hair tumbling all over the place and covering their faces.

Ashton stepped around the two tanned skinned giants, "I accept your greetings, rise." They both jumped up and pounced on him. He was nearly knocked over, the thirteen-year-old was almost as big as he was.

Alexei laughed scooping Ashton up, "Be careful children, don't forget he's still a baby himself." Ashton knocked on his head.

Ashton groused, "I'm older than both of you."

Neolani took Ashton from her lover, "Yes yes, we enchanted your clothes, so they should fit as soon as you put them on."

Ashton hopped down taking the clothes and accessories, "Let me change, the clothes around here are rather stuffy."