“What do you think, Sam?” asked Vantana, who sidled up to him, along with Chriscanis. “Think you could take one of them on?”
Sam shook his head. “I don’t think anyone could take any of them on.” He watched two Guardians cross swords with such force, a volcano of sparks erupted into the air. They appeared to be experts in just about every method of self-defense Sam knew existed. And they were faster and jumped higher than humanly possible. Sam had seen his share of action movies, and nothing could compare to the fierceness he was witnessing firsthand.
“Tough as nails, these Guardians,” Vantana observed. Sam nodded in disbelief.
He watched as one of the Guardians lost his staff in a particularly thrilling fight. It flew through the air and landed at Chriscanis’s feet. The cynocephalus leaned over to pick up the seemingly innocuous weapon and quickly learned it was anything but. A flash of blue light shot up from the ground and out of the staff. The problem was that it used Chriscanis’s body as a conduit. The surge pulsed through his muscles, causing them to instantly contract. Sam watched bolts of electricity move through Chriscanis’s body as it sought the staff in his hand. A Guardian appeared and wrested the staff from the cynocephalus, whose muscles finally relaxed. His short fur was standing on end.
“That is a shekchen. It is a Guardian weapon, and as such can be wielded only by a Guardian,” Yeshe said as he joined them.
“Good. To. Know,” Chriscanis said haltingly.
“How does it work?” the doctor asked.
“It’s like a lens that draws out the energy inside Gaia and focuses it,” Yeshe answered.
“Gaia?” Sam inquired.
“Earth,” Vantana replied.
“You see, Sam, the earth has an innate energy,” Yeshe explained. “Think of it as an electrical current that runs through the entire planet. To us, it is the living, breathing energy of Gaia herself. Guardians can channel that energy and use it when necessary. Our bodies are not like yours. That is why we alone are able to harness this power.”
When Yeshe was finished explaining the shekchen, he led the trio into a mess hall. Though the food looked much more appetizing than what they had been surviving on for the journey, it still left Sam longing for his usual fare. He asked about Tashi and was told the Guardian’s condition was still unknown.
Over breakfast, the Guardian leader revealed more about his people. The origins of the Guardians dated all the way back to the initial meeting between Alexander the Great and Phylassos.
“You mean when humanity was cursed?” Sam asked.
Yeshe nodded. “There were about a dozen humans who witnessed the exchange and sought forgiveness from Phylassos. There were slaves, warriors, even doctors in Alexander’s army who recognized the evil that had been done.”
“I remember this part of the tale,” Dr. Vantana interjected. “The first Guardians pledged to protect the gryphon and the curse for eternity.”
“In many ways, we are part of Phylassos,” Yeshe revealed. “Our blood is not completely human. The gryphon endowed us with special abilities to help us in our mission.”
“What kinds of abilities?” Sam inquired, leaning in.
“According to Knox, not only do the Guardians possess certain powers, they are invincible.” Vantana turned his attention to Yeshe. “Is that right?”
“As long as the claw is under our guard, we are protected from mortal injury or disease.”
“So that means Tashi is going to be okay?” Sam asked with a new sense of optimism.
“Like everything in this world, Sam London, it is not always that simple. Our human minds are still quite strong. As such, they hold great power over our physical bodies. It is faith, and faith alone, that can recognize and embrace the gryphon’s power within us.”
“You mean, you must believe in this power for it to be real? To work?” Chriscanis inquired.
Yeshe nodded. “It is a rite of passage for all Guardians, when we face our own mortality and must find the strength to overcome our own thoughts. That is what Tashi is confronting as we speak. If Guardians emerge from this trial, they are stronger and have proven they can be true protectors of the claw.”
“And once you do get through this…you become immortal?” Dr. Vantana asked.
“Oh no. The gryphon would never have cursed us with such a thing,” Yeshe replied, smiling. “There is a time we spend here and a time beyond. We age just as you do, and when the moment comes for us to leave this plane for another, we are ready and excited to step into the next stage of existence.”
Chriscanis followed. “But if the claw was destroyed or—”
“Or simply taken from our guard, the legends say we would become vulnerable. No longer protected by the gryphon’s magic.”
When they finished eating, Sam helped Vantana and Chriscanis gather their belongings and prepare for the journey to Phylassos’s cave. The Guardians provided additional supplies and even gathered to see them off.
“The cave of Phylassos is heavily protected and cannot be entered without a Guardian,” Yeshe revealed. “So I have decided to send you with one of our most courageous and capable warriors.” At that moment, the crowd parted and Tashi stepped forward.
“Tashi!” Sam exclaimed. “You’re okay!”
Yeshe grinned. “All healed in time to escort you. We wish you good fortune. Farewell.” Yeshe bowed to his visitors, as did the crowd. Sam, Chriscanis, and Vance bowed back.
Tashi ventured ahead of the trio and started up the slope of the mountain. As they began their ascent, Sam kept glancing back toward the village. The Guardians were still gathered and watching. But as the wind sent the snow swirling into the air, visibility diminished, and soon Sam could no longer see them.
The first few hours of the journey were uneventful, just a lot of walking up a steep, narrow, winding path. Dr. Vantana insisted on walking between Sam and the edge of the trail. Even if they were traveling with a healer, the good doctor wasn’t taking any chances. Tashi walked a few feet ahead of them, shekchen in hand.
“I just don’t get it,” the doctor said to Chriscanis in a hushed tone. Sam listened intently. “The Guardians think the claw is just fine, evidenced, I’m sure, by the fact that Tashi up there survived healing Sam.”
“Yet Phylassos was concerned enough about the claw to mention it to a complete stranger,” Chriscanis added.
“It’s got me wonderin’ if old greenie was being honest about not sending those gargoyles,” the doctor posited.
“But if Cernunnos didn’t, who did?” the cynocephalus asked.
“That’s what I can’t make heads or tails outta,” Vantana replied. “But I am awfully curious to get to this cave. Maybe the claw is in danger in some way we don’t yet understand.”
When night fell, the group set up camp, and Chriscanis and Vantana tried to start a fire. The temperature, which was already below freezing, fell a few more degrees. Sam had prepared for the weather by piling on the layers once again, but he was still thrilled by the prospect of a fire for warmth. Unfortunately, the relentless wind was making it impossible to ignite the kindling. The doctor and Chriscanis were huddled over the pile of wood, feverishly trying to achieve combustion. They didn’t even generate a spark. Sam noticed Tashi quietly observing from a few feet away. After a few moments, the Guardian pulled a spherical object out of a bag, walked over, and placed it atop Chriscanis’s woodpile.
“Pardon me, but we’re trying to start a fire here,” the cynocephalus said. “Perhaps you could move that—”
“Hang on,” the doctor said to his companion. He turned his attention to the Guardian. “Tashi…is that a warming bell?” Tashi nodded. Sam craned his neck to get a better look at the object. It was white, almost translucent, with a rounded top that flared out at the bottom like a bell. But it didn’t stay white for long. The object began to glow a light orange, which deepened to a fiery red within seconds.
“What exactly is a warming bell?” Chriscanis inquired.
&n
bsp; “It’s what was linin’ the main street of Kustos. Didn’t dawn on me till now. They’re like lights that only glow hot when they sense a creature who seeks the claw,” the doctor explained. “They work as a warning for the Guardians.”
“Ah. So that’s why those streetlamps only lit up when we entered the village,” Chriscanis recalled. He placed his hands near the bell. “It is quite hot.”
“So we’re the ones triggering it?” Sam wondered.
“That’s right,” the doctor confirmed. “Now come over and get yourself warm.” Sam gladly followed the doctor’s orders and basked in the heat. The bell warmed the camp for the rest of the night.
—
The next morning, the group awoke early and continued their journey. The ascent grew steeper with each passing hour, but the clouds had finally receded and the sun made a welcome appearance.
As they moved ahead, Sam noticed the mountainside was intermittently blanketed in shadow. When Sam looked upward for an explanation, he was baffled by what he saw: the sky was clear. If the clouds weren’t creating the brief moments of shade, what was?
A second later he spotted the culprit, although he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. It was the largest bird he had ever laid eyes on. He nudged Dr. Vantana in disbelief and pointed. The doctor looked, then turned to Chriscanis.
“You didn’t do any howlin’ in your sleep, did ya?” Vantana asked while gesturing to the circling creature. Chriscanis peered skyward and his face went grim.
“Holy Himalayan Mastiff! It’s the roc!” the cynocephalus exclaimed.
“The roc?” Sam asked. He had heard that name before. If memory served, it was a giant mythological bird mentioned in Henry Knox’s book.
“I suggest we pick up the pace,” Chriscanis advised anxiously as the roc began to descend.
The doctor grabbed Sam’s hand and hurried up the slope. The trio sped past Tashi, who seemed confused by their sudden burst of speed.
“It’s a long story,” Vantana said to Tashi. “But we have company.” Tashi spotted the roc but didn’t appear fazed by the creature or the impending doom Vantana and Chriscanis believed it would bring.
When the doctor noticed that the Guardian wasn’t keeping up, he turned back and shouted, “Keep moving! It’s lookin’ for food!” That last declaration sent a chill up Sam’s spine, which he could somehow feel despite the frigid temperatures. But Tashi didn’t budge. The Guardian turned to face the creature as it swooped down. Vantana pulled Sam to the side of the mountain, protecting him with his body. Chriscanis joined him, also positioning himself to shield Sam.
The monstrous bird screeched a cry so piercing, the doctor, Chriscanis, and Sam reflexively covered their ears. Tashi stood firm. The roc landed on the edge of the slope and flapped its massive wings, sending up a tornado of ice and snow. The gust was powerful enough to blow the hat right off Tashi’s head. A mane of long black hair tumbled out and billowed in the rushing wind.
“Well, I’ll be a Shetland sheepdog!” Chriscanis declared.
“Ain’t that somethin’…,” Dr. Vantana followed.
“Tashi’s a girl!” Sam declared. Not only was Tashi female, she also appeared to be around Sam’s age.
They all watched with surprise as Tashi slammed her shekchen to the ground. A torrent of blue bolts shot up from the earth and through the staff, erupting into a brilliant burst. It reminded Sam of the plasma lamp in his science teacher’s classroom. The clear glass sphere housed an electrical discharge that when touched would make your hair stand on end. The Guardian then let out a screech with the same resonance as the roc’s call, though not as loud. The creature instantly responded to her, slowing its flapping wings.
“What in Dalmatian?” Chriscanis uttered in disbelief.
“Is she—” Sam started to ask.
“She sure is,” Vance answered. Not only was Tashi a healer and a warrior, she could also talk to giant birds. That was three special skills to Sam’s none. He was in awe.
As Tashi walked toward the roc, Sam heard her make several cawing sounds in a soft voice. She reached her hand out and the bird leaned forward, allowing the Guardian to gently rub its beak. The roc closed its eyes, like a puppy having its belly rubbed. She whispered to the creature and it responded with gentle squawks and a low-pitched staccato screech. Tashi stepped back and bowed her head to the bird. The roc bowed its head in return and flapped its giant wings once more as it lifted off the mountain slope and took to the air.
As the roc flew away, Tashi headed back toward Sam, Vantana, and Chriscanis. She eyed Vantana and Chriscanis with irritation.
“It doesn’t like you two very much,” Tashi said.
“Us?” Vance responded. “What did we do?”
“If you wanted a ride for the boy who saw the gryphon, all you had to do was ask,” Tashi scolded them. “You didn’t have to bait him. It is demeaning.” She retrieved her hat and ventured forward.
“How was I supposed to know?” Chriscanis said guiltily to Vantana.
“Ya learn something new every day,” the doctor quipped.
“Hold on,” Sam shouted to his companions. “We rode that across the valley?”
Chriscanis smirked. “We didn’t ride so much as hang on for dear life.”
“That’s the last time I fall asleep before you two,” Sam concluded. “That is way worse than any slumber party prank.” Vance and Chriscanis shared a laugh at Sam’s assessment.
By the time they reached the top of the mountain, the sun had just begun to set. The journey had grown easier in the last few hours, though Tashi spent most of that time shooting disapproving looks at Chriscanis and Vantana. Sam had tried to make conversation with her, but she reminded him to save his energy and his oxygen.
“I didn’t know about the roc,” Sam told Tashi. “I just want you to know that.” Tashi peered over at the boy, her eyes emitting that faint emerald-green glow.
“He told me,” the Guardian responded with a slight reassuring smile.
“Can you talk to all animals?” Sam asked.
“Those who wish to listen. Now we must be quiet, or the snow lions will hear us.”
Sam wondered what that meant. The foursome reached a clearing at the mountain’s peak. It was only a few yards wide, but that was enough for them to pause and take a short respite from the wind. Sam spotted a large opening in the face of the mountain. The cave was pitch-black inside, but as they approached the entrance it began to glow.
“Warming bells?” Sam asked Tashi, who nodded.
The cave was only about twenty feet deep. At the back of this outer cavern were massive doors carved into the rock. The carvings depicted two gryphons from the side, standing on their hind legs, ready to attack.
“Is that—” Sam started, but was silenced with a stern glance from Tashi. He looked back to the cave and noticed two statues sitting on either side of the doors. They resembled the decorative lions Sam had seen all over San Francisco’s Chinatown. The statues sported flowing manes of curly hair carved into the marble, as well as wide-open mouths that made them appear almost cheery. These must be the snow lions Tashi had spoken of, Sam concluded. But how could they hear anything? They were only statues.
Tashi thrust the end of the shekchen to the ground. “Don’t advance any farther,” she said in a loud whisper to the group. But the doctor was already a half step beyond the staff. “Freeze,” she said firmly. Vantana immediately did as he was told. Sam looked to Tashi, who for the first time since he’d met her appeared nervous. Everyone stood stone still for a few moments, eyeing Tashi with concern. When she finally relaxed, Sam and the others let out anxious breaths. Sam concluded they had all just dodged some invisible danger that only Tashi was aware of. But their silent celebration was short-lived.
The marble snow lion statues began to crack and split open with a ground-rattling rumble. Sam watched slack-jawed as two creatures emerged from the broken chunks of marble. They were part giant Lhasa apso and part African l
ion. They sported turquoise manes and gleaming white coats.
“Those are the guards?” Chriscanis asked, amused. At that very instant the snow lions spotted their guests and opened those big, cheery mouths.
“Get down!” Tashi commanded. She dropped to the ground, along with Sam and Dr. Vantana. But Chriscanis was still standing. Tashi yanked him down just as the snow lions released terrifying roars. It was the single most fearsome thing Sam had ever heard. It made the gargoyles’ squawks sound almost delightful.
The sound shook the mountain like an earthquake and sent a powerful blast of wind barreling toward the group. Sam could feel his body begin to move, pushed by the force of the gust. And as the blast strengthened, his body moved faster, sliding straight toward the edge of the mountain. Sam scrambled to grab something that could stabilize him, but his hands kept slipping. Tashi spotted Sam’s struggle. She slammed her shekchen to the ground and reached for Sam’s hand just as it slipped again. The shekchen was acting as an anchor against the gust of wind, and Tashi was now fully extended, with Sam desperately holding on to her.
Dr. Vantana and Chriscanis were losing their own battles with the punishing rush of air and were both sliding quickly toward the edge. The doctor reached out and clamped onto Sam’s foot, while Chriscanis grabbed hold of Vantana’s leg. All four were stretched out to the maximum their bodies would allow, and clutching each other for dear life. But the wind blast grew stronger, and Tashi’s shekchen slipped. The entire group slid farther toward the edge, with Chriscanis tumbling over the side.
Tashi let out a cry and slammed the shekchen back to the ground, halting their movement once more. Chriscanis dangled over the edge of the mountain, still latched on to Vantana’s leg, the thousand-plus-foot drop looming beneath him.
Guardians of the Gryphon's Claw Page 15
