His mother’s warm arms embraced him as soon as Tiona saw Nero and he felt how his fear and cold left him with each passing moment. He once again felt that he was protected and wasn’t alone. Gustav also released a relieved sigh as he moved his glance through his disciple’s body finding no wounds or injuries. The boy was fine and such a sudden and potentially dangerous adventure might help him in his future training. Some trial is always good for growing talents.

“Mother, I am sorry, I shouldn’t have acted that way,” said Nero as soon as he felt comfortable in Tiona’s embrace. “I understand why you did that. Please sorry me for my harsh words and action. I made you worry.”

Tiona only smiled while liquid appeared in her eyes as she tightly embraced her son. She quickly put away her armor before that into her bracelet.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry. I am just glad that you are fine. If you want to talk about it more, we can do it when we get home and I will tell you more about your father,” Nero only nodded when Gustav coughed, attracting their attention.

“Disciple, where did you get it?” asked the old man, pointing at the blackbird on Nero’s clothes that was long ago standing in a strange pose without taking its eyes from Tiona and Gustav, ready for battle.

When Nero turned and saw where Gustav was pointing, he quickly realized what he meant and only released a sigh before starting his story from the moment he fell into the pond.

...

..

.

“So, you only touched a strange egg, and when you woke up, this creature was looking at you an inch away from your face,” asked Gustav as he took his tube and started smoking. Nero didn’t notice, but he quickly exchanged glances with Tiona. They seemed to have recognized what type of creature it was.

The boy nodded at the old man’s question.

“A pact and ancient treasure, activated when the member of the true royal family was nearby. Interesting,” mumbled Gustav as he stood up and tried to approach a small, black creature. The bird only hissed at him before quickly retreating away.

However, Gustav quickly took a small piece of jerked beef and threw it at it. At first, the creature only smelled it before quickly attacking it with its small beak and tearing the meat pieces before swallowing them. A strange smile appeared on Gustav’s lips while Tiona slightly widened her eyes when she saw what has just happened. She also had an idea what type of creature her son found in this cave.

Of course, Nero saw that his mother and teacher felt strange as if they knew what type of creature it was. So, his curiosity once again came ringing, forcing him to ask.

“Do you know what it is?” asked the boy as he looked at the back of his teacher. Gustav turned and looked at Nero with the same smile and put away his tube.

“This is griffon, and not a simple one. Only the heirs of the ancient griffon, the first griffon, had black feathers and big strength,” said Gustav as he continued to look at Nero. “Why don’t you try to approach it?”

“I?” asked the purple-eyed boy with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Gustav only nodded and pushed him a bit towards the small, black griffon that was busy eating a jerky beef.

At first, Nero hesitated to approach it, but after some time, he quickly reached the griffon and bent over to touch it. He expected to get bitten, and that’s why his eyes widened when the griffon at first smelled his hand before taking a small piece of jerky beef and approaching Nero to give it to him. The boy never expected such a gesture from the unknown creature he had seen several hours ago. He didn’t know why, but he felt it won’t harm him and that it was his friend.

Gustav and Tiona also exchanged glances when they saw what happened. They understood much more than they showed. Besides, when Nero’s stomach showed that he was also hungry, Tiona only smiled before raising her hand and quickly drying her son’s clothes and turned at him.

“Nero, dress up and take your new friend. We are returning,” said Tiona before turning and moving towards the direction they came from.

Nero could only quickly exchange glances with a small griffon before rushing to dress. He didn’t want to spend any minute in this damned cave. The small, black griffon seemed to agree with the purple-eyed boy and left behind his jerky beef with clear hesitation in his eyes before climbing at Nero’s hand.

As soon as they left the cave and started their return journey, another bunch of runes appeared inside that cave. Shelters started moving along the walls, and soon that cave was buried below the ground.

...

..

.

It was already the early morning when Nero returned to the village. Along the way, he saw many villagers that looked strangely at Gustav and his mother. They looked shocked and moved away from their glances when he looked at them. Many had dark bags under their eyes and Nero clearly noticed that almost every villager he saw held pitchforks, rakes, and other similar things. Just that and an absolutely devastated area around the pond told him what most likely happened when he combined some details.

In short, it seemed like when his teacher and mother arrived at the pond to look for him, something happened and resulted in a big battle that alerted the whole village. That’s why it was too active right now when even the earliest villager usually still slept. Most villagers widened their eyes when they saw a small, black monster in Nero’s hand, and spun away from Gustav’s company.

Anyway, Nero’s head was already too filled with many worries to spend his time thinking about it. He just wished to get something to eat and learn what type of creature he had found in that cave.

“So, will you finally tell me what is griffon?” asked Nero after finishing his meat soup and pointing at the small, blackbird that was actively eating its jerky beef.

The small griffon seemed to pause his eating and turned at Nero when he heard his last word as if he was wondering why he called him. Gustav and Tiona exchanged glances and smiled when they saw such a scene before the old man drank another sip of tea and looked at Nero.

“Don’t you know the history of your ancestors?” asked the old man while Nero only shrugged his shoulders at his question.

“Teacher, I don’t get your question. I learned about my origins just yesterday, which you could have told me a long ago. How I am supposed to know about their history? I read those books about the kingdom and found no traces of griffons there. It can only mean that needed information is in those few books about Empire which you hide from me,” said Nero, as if he was accusing his teacher of something.

“I know it, but haven’t I told you any legends. Just think, do you really hear about griffons for the 1st time?” asked Gustav. Nero touched his chin, diving into his thoughts. “Griffons, griffons, hmm,” mumbled the boy before his glance shined with light as he turned at his teacher, “The legend about knight Krystalis. There was a griffon inside that tale. I also heard about their appearance in the other ancient tales and legends. But, I have never thought that they were real,”

“Haven’t you realized why I told you all those tales and legends?” asked Gustav as he looked at Nero.

“To teach me different lessons,” said the boy, watching how his teacher nodded.

“But, also to inform you about the existence of such legends. Remember, there is always a grain of truth in every tale or legend you might hear, and you would never know which one is real. That’s why it's fatal to ignore them. Bards and other people wouldn’t have spent so many efforts if there was no need for it.”

Nero carefully listened to his teacher and noted to think about it later before he once again turned at the small griffon.

“I get it, but can’t you tell me more about griffons, and why it didn’t attack me. Also, why do I feel as if it’s friendly towards me?” asked Nero, pouring all his doubts and questions at his teacher.

Gustav already opened his eyes to start another story when Tiona interfered.

“I can tell him about griffons and the pact. My husband told me some stories about them which only royal family knew about,” said Tiona as she poured another portion of the tea for Gustav. The old man nodded and closed his mouth.

“Son, I would start from far away. A long ago, there was a strong Empire that ruled thousand of km to the north, south, east, and west. That Empire was the hegemon of the east and was very rich. There were countless heroes and legendary mages whose names were famous across the whole Continent. The banners of the griffon waved everywhere at that period,” explained Tiona as she saw how Nero changed his facial expression, getting some clues from her short story. “Yes, son, the imperial family that ruled that Empire are your ancestors. The survivor of the imperial bloodline found the current Griffon kingdom after Great Rebellion,”

“I guess your teacher would tell you more about Great Rebellion in your lessons. You might wonder how your ancestors founded such a great Empire. The answer is simple, they had help. Each imperial member knew how to tame griffons because the Empire’s founder gave a taming manual to his children. They used it to tame griffons, the strong beasts only weaker than dragons and phoenixes,”

“But, if they were so strong, why their Empire collapsed and why at the Griffon kingdom the only knight Krystalis had it while even my father who was the prince didn’t have one,” asked Nero with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Tiona only released a regretting sigh.

“Many things happened when Empire collapsed. I only know that before the collapse, they have already lost their manual and didn’t get any young griffons. There were only old ones. When chaos erupted, griffons died in battles, rebellions, and even their yards. When the last imperial family survivor was saved by the knight Krystalis, there was only one, tamed griffon left on the whole ex Empire’s territory. Knight Krystalis and his griffon died to protect the future founder of Griffon kingdom.” explained Tiona, as both she and Gustav released bitter sighs.

“That’s why your father never had a griffon, the most trustworthy comrade of the imperial family. If only he had one, he wouldn’t have died in battle,” said Tiona, as she saw that both her son and a small griffon were attentively listening to her story.

“Anyway, this is common knowledge. You could have found yourself. I will share with you what I heard from your father.” said Tiona as she took a sip of tea.

“Back at those days when Empire still had manuals, they completed pacts with griffons when they were still in their eggs, binding the griffon to the person. Future princes and princesses grew up together with their griffons, took care of them, and trained together with them. After many years of such training, the griffon and the person were like one unit that showed tremendous effectivity on the battlefield,” said Tiona, finishing her explanation and watched how Nero was immersed deep in his thoughts.

“Does it mean that I have made a pact with a griffon just like my ancestors many years ago?” asked Nero with a clear doubt on his face. Tiona only nodded while Gustav took his turn to speak.

“If it wasn’t for a pact, this small griffon would have killed you, using his abnormal strength. He felt a unique bloodline in your veins and was also tied with the pact. You better don’t underestimate your new friend,” said Gustav, pointing at the griffon which as to prove his point, easily broke a bone with his beak.

Nero widened his eyes when he saw what his griffon did with that bone and didn’t know whether he was blessed or cursed with such luck.

“But if it’s a pact, and I get a loyal comrade, what the griffon would get from me?” asked Nero, as he turned and looked at his teacher and his mother.

“We don’t know. We weren’t members of the royal family. Find out about it in the future,” said Gustav, watching how his disciple released another sigh because of another problem for him to decide.

Nero has already once again regretted asking his mother for the truth. He was still just not ready for such quick changes. Yesterday, his thoughts were busy with training and learning new things, and now he had at least two too difficult things inside his mind. His life seemed so simple yesterday, and now it was so much harder.

“Anyway, son, a griffon that would listen to you can add more realism to your desire for revenge. Take care of it because, starting from this day, this griffon is your friend, comrade, and brother. Now when he still can’t hunt by itself, find meat for him. I won’t share the meat I get for this purpose with you. It’s high time to check what you have learned during all this time,” said Tiona as she looked at her son.

Nero only nodded seriously when he heard about his father and innerly agreed with his mother. He needed this griffon. How will he revenge his father if he can’t at least take care of a small, black griffon? How much a griffon could eat meat, one kg or two? It was easy for him to get it, using the traps he placed in the forest.

At this period, the purple-eyed boy still didn’t know the harsh reality and that he would curse the day he found a small, black friend.