Child of the Gryphon

by David Lugsden

‘More or less, yes.’

  ‘Then how come we don’t we live together with humans? Why do you – we – live here, hidden away from the humans?’

  Omari sighed. ‘Once upon a time, very long ago we did. Unfortunately, Gabriel, humankind as a whole is a very complex group. They are capable of immeasurable kindness, but at the same time can carry out acts of despicable evil. Do not misunderstand me, I do not resent humans, the same can be true of other species too. Humankind’s biggest weakness, however, comes in the fact that their natural tendency is to fear what they do not understand; five hundred years ago, humans misunderstood the very world they lived in. They thought the Earth was flat and were afraid to sail too far across the seas in case they fell off the edge. Even up until little over three hundred years ago people with abilities humans did not understand, were tried as witches and burnt at the stake. In most cases it was members of our society living amongst them.’

  ‘What kinds of abilities? You mean like magic?’

  ‘Oh, heavens no! Our society, as fantastical as it may seem to outsiders, is still entirely natural. We do not delve at all into the supernatural, nor do we possess any magical abilities.’

  ‘OK,’ Gabriel said breathing a sigh of relief. He didn’t think he could handle a world with witches and sorcerers and the like, in addition to everything he had already witnessed. ‘So you were saying?’ he added.

  ‘Ah yes... Even in the last century there have been acts of unspeakable atrocities that humans have committed against their fellow men, as a result of people not understanding a particular belief or ideology. Rather than attempting to understand that which they did not, they instead developed a fear of the unknown which in turn evolved into hatred. The same has been true throughout the ages.’

  ‘It has?’ Gabriel asked shocked.

  ‘Unfortunately, yes. As the modern human race expanded, they persecuted and systematically exterminated the lower orders of their race, Neanderthals for example. But they did not stop there. Despite us all having lived amongst each other for millennia, and determined to assert their dominance, humankind slaughtered us. Our very existence in jeopardy, we fled to the furthest reaches of the planet. Some believe that our early ancestors should have fought back, but even in hindsight it remains unclear how that would have turned out. What happened next requires little explanation: human beings went virtually unchallenged. As their numbers increased exponentially they sought out more land. We went into hiding and as time passed, became creatures of myth and legend... at least in the eyes of humans. Over the ages our habitats shrunk more and more, forcing us into areas that were inhospitable to humans. Since that time our society has flourished in its secrecy, somewhat at least. Obviously we are still vastly outnumbered by humankind, but we have achieved an acceptable balance.’

  ‘So all of our kind now lives underground?’

  ‘Not all of us, no. There are still some smaller pockets of our society that reside on the surface, in the densest jungles, on the tallest mountains, the remotest islands and so forth. A few still coexist amongst the humans, albeit hiding their true heritage. And largely they remain undisturbed.’

  ‘Largely? So that means they have been seen before, right? You mean like Bigfoot?’

  Omari chuckled to himself. ‘Ah that old one: the Bigfoot-Sasquatch-Abominable Snowman-Yeti myth.’

  ‘So he does exist then?’

  ‘Indeed they do, although there is some confusion in the human world about them. As you know, it is a commonly held belief that the Bigfoots, Sasquatches, Abominable Snowmen and Yetis of the world are the widely sought after “missing link” in the evolutionary chain between human and ape. Unfortunately, because of their persecution in the early days of the human race, most of the Bigfoots and Yetis of the world are now quite reclusive and rarely venture out onto the surface world. Today, it is a common misconception that what people claim to be a Bigfoot or Yeti, is more often than not a more highly evolved branch - though still rather hairy - of the order Ursidae, or rather, bears. In fact, I believe our own Tolero was spotted once or twice during the travels of his younger days, although he may be a little embarrassed to admit it.’

  ‘And the Loch Ness Monster?’

  ‘Charming family.’

  ‘There’s a whole family of them?’ Gabriel gaped in disbelief.

  ‘Certainly. How else would they have lasted since the time of the dinosaurs? The term “monster” however is quite disparaging and inaccurate. It implies some horrible, blood-thirsty creature. The “Nessies” as they are colloquially known, are actually entirely herbivorous, surviving on the plant matter growing at the bottom of the Loch. Occasionally they also venture out to sea to feed there too.’

  ‘So they can talk?’

  ‘Oh, good gracious no. At least not in any language you or I could understand. Very intelligent and pleasant nonetheless. Now, if there’re no further questions for the time being, how about I fix us up some dinner?’

  Actually Gabriel still had a mountain of questions he wanted to ask. However at the mention of dinner, he decided to put them aside as his stomach had started to growl quite angrily. He realised that he hadn’t eaten since he had passed through Artisan Plaza and even then it had only been sweets and snacks that the others had introduced him to. Omari fixed them both a piping-hot bowl of wild mushroom stew with buttered toast on the side to soak up the gravy. The little home was filled with the most delightful aromas for quite some time afterwards.

  After dinner Gabriel and Omari cleared away the dishes and sat by a warm fire and chatted until late into the night. They talked about Gabriel’s parents (both of who had grown up within Sanctuary) and Gabriel’s life in the human world. They hung on each other’s every word. They also discussed Gabriel’s new life and his place within Sanctuary. Omari informed him that he had enrolled him in school along with Seth and Tamera and if he felt ready, could start on the coming Monday. The next day, Omari assured him, they would spend together and the other Elders would have to just resolve any problems that arose themselves. The pair would travel back to Artisan Plaza where, Omari would help equip Gabriel ready for school. The school year here began in late January, he informed him, so unfortunately he had already missed almost seven whole months, not to mention the several years prior to that. Although Colony education entailed a whole array of subjects that would be wholly unfamiliar to him, Omari assured Gabriel that he would get along just fine and if and when he struggled, he would be there to offer help and guidance.

  Later that evening they both retired to bed and Gabriel settled into his new room. Compared to Omari’s studio, the circular guest bedroom was surprisingly spacious. Four lanterns were spaced equally apart on the walls and engulfed the room in a surprising amount of light. A semi-circular bed (with the comfiest mattress he had ever slept on) was positioned between two floor-to-ceiling oak wardrobes. A bulky chest, similar to those in Omari’s room, stood to the left of the door; an old and ornately carved frame housing a mirror hung on the wall above it. Despite being hundreds of metres underground, the room was cosy and warm and in ways he couldn’t explain, as familiar to him as his bedroom at number seven Rosewood Close.

  He lay in bed staring up at the uneven rocky ceiling and suddenly remembered that in their discussions of that evening he had forgotten to ask his grandfather about the peculiar looks people had given him in the market place or why he had had to rush off so suddenly earlier on. He shrugged them off. Never mind, he thought, those are things that can wait for tomorrow. His thoughts cast back again to the life he had left behind in Upper Blessingford. He corrected himself: the life he had lost. What had caused the explosion? he pondered. Was it somehow connected to all of this? No. He immediately dismissed the idea. Life here was so peaceful, he thought. What happened, as painfully tragic as it was, was probably just some freak accident. A ruptured gas main maybe. And yet, as he drifted off to sleep, he couldn’t shake the thought that it wasn’t just a simple accident and somehow, in some way, everythi
ng was connected.

  ***

  His sleep that night was restless. He awoke several times throughout the night with the sense that some evil presence was lurking in the shadows spying on him. Of course this wasn’t the case; he was safe and sound in his grandfather’s cosy little home. These irrational fears were brought about by the same dream each time he fell back asleep.

  He was back at the Fête. Bodies were strewn everywhere: friends, family, neighbours. He looked on helplessly. He could feel the heat from the flames singeing his hair, biting at his skin. All around him the buildings burned. Orange flames and black smoke battled for control of the sky.

  On the rooftops of the school buildings several shadowy figures stood glaring down at him, their bodies silhouetted against the inferno raging all around them. In the centre of them all stood their leader, arms raised in triumph, head tilted backwards. Above the deafening roar, Gabriel could hear the figure shrouded in darkness. He was laughing. A maniacal, wheezing cackle.

  All of a sudden the figure fixed upon him with a steely glare. Even at a distance Gabriel could see the fiend’s blood red eyes glistening in devilish delight. He pointed at Gabriel. All around him flaming fingers rushed up and grasped Gabriel in their searing grip and dragged him down into a fiery oblivion.

  CHAPTER SIX

  WINGTAIL ACADEMY

  It was a quarter to seven on Monday morning when Gabriel awoke to the tempting aroma of bacon, toast and jam wafting into his room. He quickly showered, threw on his clothes and strolled into the living room. He said good morning to his grandfather and gratefully devoured the breakfast that awaited him on the dining table.

  The pair had spent the remainder of the weekend together getting Gabriel prepared for school. On Sunday morning they had travelled to Artisan Plaza, calling first at the Sanctuary Bank. The bank was run by a group of very tall, scrawny-looking people, all with neatly cropped, white hair and long, pointy noses. Gabriel thought that the people looked as though they were all related and heavily over-worked. Omari assured him that whilst they were indeed all loosely related, their appearance only reflected their heritage; they were descendants from the orders Ciconiidae and Sagittariidae, or storks and secretary birds respectively. Their fatigued appearance, Omari explained, was not a result of intense stress, just their own genetics.

  As well as inheriting his parents’ home in years to come, Gabriel was also the sole heir to their savings. The total of which Omari had informed him, would allow him to live quite comfortably for several years, until he was of an age where he could start to earn his own living. Omari had also firmly declined Gabriel’s offer to contribute money for allowing him to stay in his home.

  After the bank, their next stop was at the bookshop of one Geremiah Idleby of Pilosa, to collect Gabriel’s schoolbooks and writing materials. This had taken them close to two hours as Idleby was not one to hurry. The bookshop owner was an ancient-looking man with thick bottle-bottom glasses balanced precariously over his short stubby nose. His kind eyes (magnified tremendously through his glasses), nose and wide mouth looked as though they had been forcibly squashed together on his large round face. The old man was hunched over quite severely and shuffled around his store painfully slowly, squinting at and examining each book requested very carefully. The pace at which he moved was enough to drive even the most patient of people to frustration, however his ever-present friendly smile could immediately soothe any such aggravation. Gabriel, by no means an expert at identifying family lines of descent yet, was sure he had accurately guessed Idleby’s family line from the old man’s speed alone, or rather lack of.

  From the bookshop, Omari and Gabriel had stopped for a spot of lunch at Martha’s Tearoom. Martha Fedsome of Caprinae, the owner of the shop was a goat-headed woman with toffee-coloured hair bunched up around her horns and held in place by a flowery bandana. Despite the limited dexterity of her stumpy hoof-like hands, Mrs Fedsome was renowned throughout Sanctuary as a remarkable chef, able to whip up a delicious meal out of almost any ingredients.

  After lunch, they had stopped by Franco’s Outfitters Shop. Franco Fantail of Pavo was a thin-faced, flamboyant gentleman, decked out in colourfully extravagant robes and a gaudy scarf wrapped around his long neck. Strutting around in sparkly sandals, his overenthusiastic manner had made Gabriel feel a little uncomfortable. A short while later Gabriel and Omari left Franco’s with bags of new clothes (thankfully nothing like the ones Fantail wore himself).

  Throughout Sunday evening, several important looking people had come to talk to Omari about various different matters. During that time Omari and the visitors had gone into Omari’s study, leaving Gabriel alone in the living room. He had used that time to glance over his schoolbooks and try to understand some of what he was to be taught. Gabriel, a fairly average student in the human world, had never been a new student in his life (excluding when he had started Primary and Secondary school, but at that time everybody in his class had been new to the school as well). Now, not only was he beginning a new school midway through the year, but he was starting within a whole new education system, in a whole new world! As he had looked at the subject names on the books in front of him he had felt his stomach sink:

  Unlocking your Genetic Potential; Innate Abilities within Family Lines by Lance Velocity of Falco,

  The Great Ape; Analysing the Modern Human by Rex Bobtail of Leporidae,

  Species Awareness; Studying Diversity by Artemis Slink of Mustela

  Primitive Languages; Communicating with the Ancients by Myra Song of Sturnidae

  Surviving the Wilderness by Jax Nuttall of Sciuridae

  Where We Live; a Study of Colony Habitats by Hans Tunneller of Talpidae

  Ancient Creatures; What They Can Teach Us by Yang Jun Ping of Ailuropoda

  Where Are We Going? By Rufus Platefoot of Loxodonta

  As Gabriel sat at Omari’s small dining table munching through his breakfast that Monday morning, he stared at his schoolbag with trepidation. Soon Tamera and Seth would arrive to escort him to his new school.

  ‘Did you sleep well?’ Omari said brightly.

  ‘Uh... yes, I did – like a log,’ he lied. The same dream had haunted him now for three nights straight; him, stood helplessly in the blazing school grounds, the evil cackling man looking on.

  ‘Don’t be nervous, Gabriel. You’ll be just fine. Your new subjects may be a challenge to begin with, but you’ll get into the swing of things in no time. And in the meantime I’ll help you catch up as much as I can, as I’m sure your new friends will. And speaking of which – here they are now!’

  Omari opened the door and invited Tamera and Seth inside.

  ‘Good morning Gabriel of Gryphus,’ Tamera started, ‘Are you ready to leave? Morning Gathering begins in one hour and we first need to escort you to the Grandmaster’s office.’

  Seth bowed deeply and in an over-exaggeratedly posh accent, said, ‘Oh yes. Rather. Quite. Splendid. Indeed. It is once again an honour to grace your presence, young master Gabriel of the order Gryphus, on this wonderful morning in the company of the lovely Whiskers of-’

  He was cut short by a sharp slap across the back of his head. Tamera had flushed red and looked fit to explode.

  ‘Give me one minute,’ Gabriel cut in. He quickly sped into the bathroom to brush his teeth before sprinting back into the living room. He picked up his schoolbag and threw it over his shoulder. ‘All set.’

  The three said farewell to Omari and set off for school. As they wound their way through the maze of passageways of the Suburban Caverns, Gabriel listened to his two new friends bickering. He couldn’t help but be reminded of his walks to school with Ashley and Jessica in a life, a world, a million miles away. His stomach knotted tightly at the thought but he said nothing.

  The trio headed north through the residential estate. The Suburban Caverns were located quite centrally within Sanctuary, the reservoir was located to the east, with Artisan Plaza and the Theatre of Life positioned towards the sou
thwest corner. Wingtail Academy, where they now headed, stood alone in the northern sector.

  Leaving through the north gate of the Suburban Caverns, they travelled down a wide, low-ceilinged passageway. The long tunnel angled steeply downwards, seemingly leading them into the bowels of the Earth itself, Gabriel thought, when all at once it levelled out. They continued on a little way further before the passageway began to climb again. As the ceiling rose sharply above them, a little way ahead Gabriel could see a large opening leading into yet another cavern. Over the top of the opening were the ornately carved words: Wingtail Academy.

  Just inside the much larger cavern, lay an old weathered jetty jutting out into the expansive Wingtail Lake. There were four other students already waiting on the jetty for the boat to moor and take them across. Two older waif-like nymphs, that neither Seth nor Tamera knew, stood at the end of the jetty looking towards the approaching boat and barely acknowledged the trio’s arrival. An ugly, wrinkled, short boy with a large pig-nose, stood between them and the nymphs, eying them all warily. Seth whispered to Gabriel that the boy was a juvenile troll and that was about as attractive as they got. The fourth student nervously introduced himself as Aures Biggears of Panotioi. He was from a race known as the Panotti. Evolution had not been particularly kind to them. The Panotti, it turned out, had exceptionally acute hearing but paid for this with massively over-sized, rabbit-like ears that grew throughout their entire life. As their ears grew bigger they began to droop; Aures’ ears had already begun to fold over at the tips. Born with a shock of white hair, this would steadily turn black as they aged. To complete their unusual appearance were large hands, each sporting three stumpy fingers and a thumb, and big hairy feet with four equally hairy toes.

  The boat arrived and a figure sheathed in a dark grey cloak, known only to the students as the Boatman, waved them aboard with a pale bony hand. The children took their seats on the damp rotting wooden benches and the Boatman pushed them away from the jetty. He paddled them across the dark waters in silence. For a time the only sound was the gentle lapping of the water against the hull of the boat.