Chapter 86 - Rebuttal

Tiffaniel’s eyes were drawn from her brother by the sudden sharp movement in the background. Instantly her power came to the fore as she saw Calasylara burst into motion, rising from her haunches and starting her charge toward Groyven and Silvast’s exposed backs. From her right side she saw a flash of movement in her peripheral, but that was not her concern. Her power thrummed within her, reacting instinctively to the threat. She ran forward, her hand outstretched as Groyven turned slowly. Hendosphyre using what was left to leap into motion as sudden shards of ice snap-froze in the air around them.

“No!” screamed Tiffaniel, sweeping her hand across, throwing Groyven aside into Silvast and pushing them, stumbling out of the way with a gust of sleet-filled wind and facing Calasylara head on.

Before the enraged gryphon had made half the distance, Tiffaniel’s eyes were screaming with white light, her streaky grey hair flying, more white strands forming by the moment. The sheer act of the sword’s disobedience and her brother exposed to attack, drove the ice cold spike of anger in her heart.

She stalked forward, her hands low with Hendosphyre limping at her side, bloodied and torn, but ready. She drew in a deep breath, vertigo pulling at her, a singular spear of ice forming in the air behind her. Calasylara was approaching in rage, the frozen ground cracking under her weight. Tiffaniel stumbled, her face pale, nausea tearing at her. She lifted her hand and released the spear, falling to her knees and watching in horrified silence as it flew out wide, ricocheting off the ground, spitting up dust and missing the charging gryphon.

Hendosphyre threw himself in front of Tiffaniel, curling his battered body around her as fire exploded to life behind them. Tiffaniel tucked into a ball in fear, her eyes on her brother as he ignited. In the split second before silence descended over the clearing she saw and followed Silvast’s upturned face. A flash of light fell from the sky, then a deep resounding thud that she could feel reverberate through the ground itself.

She looked to Groyven, his fires extinguished almost as quickly as they sprung to life, a measure of shock on his face. Tiffaniel crawled out from behind Hendosphyre and struggled to stand, feeling her twin’s hands helping her up as she stared with wide eyes over Hendosphyre’s back at the downed and struggling female gryphon, weakly trying to move.

Talessia the valkyrie stood before the stunned gryphon, her russet hair gently shifting in the breeze that ruffled the feathers on her spread wings. Her sky-blue eyes sharp and observant. Her left arm hanging limp at her side, the shield battered and with a snapped strap. Her silver armour crumpled and dented.

Talessia reached up with her right hand and flipped the buckles, shrugging and letting the breastplate fall. Silvast walked up to her shaking her head, helping her with her shield, and letting it fall to the ground. Silvast took the valkyrie’s arm, Talessia quickly looked at her and nodded, before staring again at the weakly struggling gryphon. Wincing while Silvast set it back in its socket, her eyes flared slightly, her body rapidly healing now that the joint had been set right.

“I did not expect you to intervene like that, Talessia.” Silvast said calmly.

The valkyrie shrugged slightly, “I will let no harm befall the descendants of Alehra.”

She nudged Calasylara with a foot, nodding slightly, satisfied, “Master Groyven, Tiffaniel, it is safe now, you can approach.”

Tiffaniel stared at Groyven with wide eyes, “Did she?”

Groyven nodded, helping her walk, “She did.”

He looked up to his other side, Hendosphyre limping heavily, “Hendosphyre, do you want me to release you? You are injured.”

Hendosphyre clicked his beak, nodding toward his fallen mate.

Talessia turned to them, appraising them carefully as they came close, “You are both unhurt?”

“They are fine, Talessia.” Silvast said quietly.

Talessia bowed to Hendosphyre, “I am sorry, great one. It may not have been what you were intending, but it was necessary.”

She nodded as Hendosphyre bowed his head in return.

“I think it is best you explain to the children what just happened. Even I am surprised by the turn in events.” Silvast said, her eyes on Winter, Sian and Antrandis as they stood near the treeline, gesturing for her come.

Talessia nodded with a slight smile, “I am sorry children, but it was necessary to defeat her in an overwhelmingly aggressive manner. Hendosphyre, after he learned of how Alehra was defeated, he requested my readiness and assistance in case.”

She looked at the downed gryphon, her eyes narrowed, “Calasylara fought until she ran out of blood, she died in the rage of battle, defending her Mistress until the end. In a few moments she should wake, but be too disoriented from my strike to be able to fight.”

Talessia looked at Hendosphyre, “Once she recognises what she has done to her mate, it will temper her edge. Both are an even match in a fight if it were to come to it.”

Tiffaniel’s eyes widened in alarm as she stared at Hendosphyre, “You let her do this to you?”

Hendosphyre met her eyes and nodded. Groyven looked at Hendosphyre in understanding. He frowned, concentrating.

Talessia watched him, “Groyven, are you starting to hear his thoughts?”

Groyven nodded.

“That is good. Soon, you too will be able to hear Calasylara’s, Tiffaniel.” Talessia said offhand, looking back to the downed gryphon.

“But I can’t, the amulet is Groyven’s.” Tiffaniel said, her eyes on the valkyrie in confusion.

Talessia chuckled, “Alehra was not the bearer of the amulet that your brother now wears.” she looked at Tiffaniel, “She was also a twin, her sister was the bearer.”

Hendosphyre clicked his beak, shrieking quietly.

Talessia listened to his words telepathically before nodding, “The bearer of the amulet is the wielder of the shield, the head of the family line. Meaning, Groyven must have been born first. But the amulet itself is only a safeguard, a vessel for their souls and a gateway to return to their master’s side. These steeds were never meant to be remain stabled in the amulet.”

Tiffaniel quickly turned from the valkyrie and stared at Groyven, “She is mine? Calasylara is mine?”

Hendosphyre nodded, nudging Tiffaniel’s shoulder.

“Either of you could bear the amulet.” Talessia looked up and across the clearing to Winter, who nodded.

“The Lord and Lady of Meliandra are impressed with your conduct and determination despite Silvast’s intervention and the danger you faced. The dragoness is especially impressed in your instinct to protect all in the path of danger and act on it, Tiffaniel. You managed to make her stumble, a feat in itself. She has expressed her interest in the both of you.”

Talessia watched Calasylara carefully, and as the gryphon’s wings twitched, she smiled, “Tiffaniel, I will now ask, what will you do when this gryphon awakens in a few moments?”

Tiffaniel looked at her brother, her twin with an understanding look on her face. She frowned, watching Groyven lift the fine chain and amulet and placing it in her hands, a small smile on his face before he hugged her.

“I will do what my brother did for me.” she said, her eyes on Talessia’s.

She walked right up to the slowly waking gryphon and sat directly in front of her, stroking Calasylara’s beak and realigning dishevelled feathers gently.

“I will forgive her.”

Shadow of the Eclipse: Chapter Timeline

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