"The Legend of Blade: The Birth - Chapter One" by Josh ´Boo Boo´ Walls

       Blade had made the treacherous trek to Goherda, the lowest valley in all of the world they came to call Adger., and halted his horse on the precipice that surrounded the dark city below.  His horse raised up on her hind legs as if scared of the place, seemingly knowing the dangers that were there-

       -not to mention the demons and God only knows what else he's been able to harness and tame.  I'm afraid I'll be walking; Streak doesn't seem to want to go down into Goherda, and I can't say that I blame her.  Poor girl, I probably won't see her again. - Blade thought to himself.

       Blade climbed off of his horse and stood there, stroking her mane as he spoke ever so softly into her white tipped ear, "Good-bye, Streak, have fun in the wild, enough for the both of us.  I probably won't be able to come back from this, but don't lose hope for me.  Good-bye."  With those words, he left go of her reins, allowing her to back up a few steps before turning her magnificently beautiful around and running away.  Blade, out of sorrow, watched, half hoping that she would change her mind and return to him, but he solemnly knew that he should go to the gates of Goherda.

       Finding a steep path the easiest and quickest way down, Blade Atmostrata began his descent down the crevice.  The path may have been the easiest, but it was still very difficult and fairly steep, nonetheless.  He pondered the thought of going after Streak for a while and he dropped from rock to rock.  It would make it easier on him, but he knew deep down that it would be harder for her to make the attempt than himself.  He dismissed the thought as he knew that she couldn't jump as far as he, from crevice to crevice.  The cold probably would have frozen her by now, too.  It seemed to be deathly cold, but he had left a desert like heat only fifty feet above or so.

       -Man it's c-c-cold.  And it's pretty dark, too - he thought to himself. -This would be easier if-

       -His thoughts froze as his body shuddered at the terrible bawl that had sounded.  Blade balanced himself evenly on the crevice at which he stood, preparing himself for an attack.  Reaching over his right shoulder, he drew a long sword from its sheath.  The black blade was looked almost invisible in the dim light and shadows.  Almost as cloaked as what he was looking at, straight into the eyes of an oversized bird, but it was different, strangely different.  Its eyes were a dark black, as if he were peering into large gaping holes at the forehead in place of the beads from which it would see.  The feathers had a look as though they had been melted together, or maybe it was the was its body radiated... evil.  Almost like a possessed griffin...

       His thought were yet again cut short as the beast sprung into action, leaping from its foothold above to land next to him on the little overhang on which he stood.  Blade had no time to think, instead he dove for the next crevice, trying to maneuver for more room.  The magnificent beast leapt off his perch and, instead of falling, it began to fly towards him.

       -It can fly!  I'm in trouble if I don't get to the bottom and fast.  Not good, not good at all, oh God, this isn't good.  Need more room to maneuver, need more room! - he cried in his mind.

       He dared to look down the cliff in a passing glance, only seventy feet or so to the bottom, but that was seventy too many.  He was jumping, desperate to reach the bottom, but was cut off by his flying foe.  Blade dared not to stop, instead aiming to push right past, but it was all in vain.  The massive claw slammed into his side, blowing him back into a wall of rock and dirt.  His ribs pulsated as it drew its claw back and pressed it into his chest.  Blade's breath began to fade along with the pain and cold as he felt himself slip into darkness...

       It howled again, as if to say it had won.  The incredible terror was enough to bring back to his senses.  His right hand had the feel of blood everywhere on it.  The claw was pressed tighter and tighter, as the other claw began to squeeze his right femur into the rocks.  Blade soon found he was pinned too tightly to free himself, and he swung he sword frantically with what little weight he was able to put behind it.  He raised it high over his head and dropped it down into the animal's offending calf on his chest.  The griffin hissed in pain, letting up as Blade pried himself loose.

       Blade knew it was a great risk, but he did it anyway.  If he didn't, he would die for sure.  Shoving his sword back into his holster, he jumped onto the steep slope, sliding down.  Blade shifted his weight as far back as he knew he could handle, but he struggled to keep from tumbling just the same.  He knew it before it happened, his feet betrayed him and he started to roll, banging his body with every bounce.  Only forty-five feet remained betwixt him and the bottom, and he was picking up tremendous speed-

       WHAAAAM!

       He knew he was at the bottom when his left side slammed into the ground harder than before, his descent ending.  His body wanted to stay there on the ground, and his mind jogged to take in everything that happened in the past few seconds-

       -The griffin! - Blade's mind yelled.

       Blade was on his feet, grabbing the hilt of his sword out of an instinct, and felt himself relaxing at the feel of the handle.  He sighed in relief as the griffin could be seen flying away to the north.  He collected himself and walked to the gate, with deep gratification of his ability showing through, only to disappear at the sight of the plaque beside the gate.  It had an insert for something, but that something was shaped like the indention he felt burning from the griffin's claw on his chest...

       Blade wasn't sure about this "defense" but he knew he didn't want to run into it. The gut feeling told him otherwise, outweighing all of his other feelings. He was already pondering the claw print on his chest and wondering if he could even find the griffin...