Fire Breath
Journey

Whispering roused Aiden from his sleep that morning. He blinked his heavy eyes while trying to catch the conversation around him. But there were no words he could hear well. After twitching a few times, his eyes opened as well. He found himself lying on the bed with a transparent purple mosquito net covering him. In the middle of the dimly lit room, he tried to find the source of the voice that was still whispering. It turned out that beside the bed Sabina and Sybilina were standing on her back.

"There's no need to bring this much food right," Sabina said half in whisper.

"But you're going with the humans. I'm not worried about you going hungry or not. What you're worried about is your witch friend. He needs human food" replied Sybilina.

"He didn't eat this much, Mother," Sabina replied.

"Once you have, just take it. Better the food is left out than less" Sybilina said.

"But.." Sabina's words came to a halt when she realized Aiden was awake. He immediately looked towards Aiden who was trying to get up.

"Oh, you're awake" said Sybilina, who turned her head.

"Yep," replied Aiden getting out of bed. His eyes were immediately fixated staring at a leather bag that was almost as big as his own body, filled with food. Even Sybilina was still trying to stuff a bag of sponge bread into it.

"What is this for?" ask Aiden later.

"Ah, a bit of travel for the two of you" replied Sybilina.

"This much? I think Sabina doesn't really need human food" Aiden said.

"No, not for Sabina. All this for you. You need a lot of food, don't you?"

"Huh?! It doesn't need to be this much, I guess," Aiden said half in confusion.

"Yes, mom. If you bring this much will even interfere with the trip," said Sabina added.

"Oh, okay. I'll cut it down a little bit" replied Sybilina who finally relented and took some food out of the bag. "This, I have reduced by half," continued Sybilina handed over the bag of food that had been reduced by half.

"alright. It's enough of this," Sabina replied nodding, handing the leather bag over to Aiden.

Aiden was bewildered imagining him carrying such a large bag in his upload. However, miraculously, once Aiden put it on, the bag shriveled to become much smaller and lighter than before.

"Be careful, Sabina," Sybilina said as she took a deep breath. Sabina replied with a nod. "You too" continued Sybilina turned to Aiden.

"Yes." answered Aiden briefly.

"We're leaving, Mother," said Sabina.

"pull up. Nora's waiting ahead,"

Just walking to the front of the castle felt like a long journey. Almost an hour Aiden and Sabina walked down the hallway after the passage. The longer they walked, the more Aiden hesitated that they could get out of the castle. But in front of him Sabina walked steadily. Aiden's doubts were slightly treated for it.

In the front yard of the castle, Nora was waiting with her half griffin form – resembles an unusually large lion. He casually licked his paws as big as Aiden's thigh. Sabina approached him and stroked his back. They seemed to understand each other even though no words were spoken. Nora immediately stopped her licking activities and soon turned into a griffin complete with the head and wings of an eagle. While Sabina had finished with her transformation into a black-winged vampire

"Go to Nora's back" Sabina told Aiden.

Aiden complied and immediately climbed on Nora's back. They also moved away from the ground. The forest was green under Aiden's feet. The trees immediately looked so small. Even the Rickle family castle became only as big as Aiden's palm. The sweep of the wind brushed Aiden's hair and made him even more flattened. Holding Nora's back made her a little uncomfortable given her slippery fur and no grip. He just grasped Nora's chest hair very firmly making Nora growl all the way.

"Flying broomsticks are much more convenient" Aiden thought.

It feels like they have been flying for minutes but the forest has not disappeared from view. The trees did not stop as if following them. Suddenly Aiden realized the unusual sparkles behind the forest. Aiden noticed one of them but couldn't figure it out.

"Nora, are you aware that this forest is sparkling? Or is it just my eyes that are exposed to the sun's trick?" ask Aiden later.

"That's the dryads," answered Nora.

Aiden nodded in understanding, imagining Leuce and the other dryad he met a few nights ago.

"The days like this the dyads are still glittering," Aiden thought in amazement. Suddenly his mind became aware of something else.

"Nora, isn't the vampire's power during the day weakened?" ask Aiden again to Nora.

"If you're worried about Sabina, take it easy. His strength is indeed weak, but he is strong enough to fly across this forest" Nora replied.

"Why should we fly across this forest? We can walk through this forest, right?" ask Aiden curiously.

"The forest is divided into 2 regions. Belonging to the dryad and belonging to the Sabina family, what we pass now is the pre-dryad territory. If we pass through this area, even Sabina's power will not be strong enough to withstand the magic of the dryads. Many humans and even werewolves are lost in this forest" Nora explained.

Slowly there appeared the boundary line of the forest in front of those who were getting closer, signaling they would soon pass through this forest. It turns out that behind this long forest towering hills that are not less potent. These hills are not visible from the city because it is located far to the west and is still surrounded by dense forest.

Finally the tree ranks behind them had already been passed. They landed on a field that bordered the forest behind him with the towering hills ahead. A small river with slowly flowing water stretched out before them. Far across the river was another vaguely separated forest from the previous forest.

"It just feels beautiful from one forest to another," thought Aiden aware of the existence of the forest in front of him.

"From here we walk," said Sabina who had not said too much.

Nora shriveled to turn her body into a lion.

"Why don't you turn into a cat" asked Aiden who started walking after Sabina.

"Fathering as a cat is not my true form. Because it requires no small amount of energy, very ineffective and wasting energy," explained Nora walking to teach Aiden.

They walk in silence. The wind became louder than before. The gurgling of the river water they just passed sounded further and further away. The sun was already right above them and increasingly made Aiden and Sabina exhausted. The forest is still far away from them. It seemed like they would only reach the forest after the sun was already far to the west.

Suddenly Sabina stopped her steps and took a shabby paper out of her pants pocket. She spread the paper until it almost covered her entire face. Aiden and Nora immediately crowded nearby, coming to see the paper containing drawings resembling floorplans.

"What's this?" ask Aiden.

"Map. Father made it for us" replied Sabina.

"So you didn't know the silver bullet was?" aiden asked a little surprised.

"Of course I don't know! Do I look like an adventurous vampire?" tanya Sabina turned her panangan to Aiden.

"Hey..why are you being so sensitive today?" asked Aiden who saw the furious frown on Sabina's face.

Sabina took a deep breath and diverted her panhandle from Aiden. In a moment his face had turned sad.

"I hate this trip. I don't like adventure. It makes me feel alienated," Sabina said sighing. "More than the responsibility I bear on this journey. I had to find a silver bullet or my family would be destroyed" Sabina continued, looking very frustrated.

"Calm Sabina. You're not alone. There I am with you" said Aiden calmly.

"You yourself don't even know this place," Sabina retorted in despair. "Looks like you're punishing me,"

"Of course not!" sergeant Nora. "Mr Hazel loves you. He gave up this task because he believed you could do it" Nora continued.

"But..."

"That's it. I don't really know this place. But at least I have some adventure experience. And I'm still alive today" Aiden said later.

Nora snorted loudly at Aiden's words. Sabina followed Nora's grunts.

"That's not at all a word of consolation, Witch," said Nora who began to burst out.

"But I'm quite amused by your words, Aiden. Thank you," said Sabina with a small smile. "Norah! Stop laughing!" sabina continued on their journey.

"Sabina!" call Aiden. "We definitely managed to find the silver bullet and save your family" Aiden said running after Sabina.

Sabina replied with a nod.

***

The shadows of the hills held back the sunlight that entered into the forest. The meeting of the trees added to the darkness of the forest and made the group feel it was night. Aiden began to feel hungry after that long journey. He reached into his backpack and offered Nora and Sabina who immediately refused. He decided to eat by himself while walking.

For a while they walked through the thick forest. Aiden then realized the forest was too quiet. There was not even a sound of wind blowing in it. Sometimes they cross paths with deer and some other animals, but the taste of animals in the forest is not as much as in the dryad forest. Suddenly Nora stopped her steps and began to growl. Sabina in front of him also stopped. His eyes had turned silver and his fangs and nails were elongated, looking alert.

"There's a.." Aiden hasn't finished talking, Nora's already snatched her body with her muzzle making her shirt a little chuckled.

"What are you doing Nora?" asked Aiden to rise from the ground. Nora was silent still looking alert.

The next moment Aiden realized an arrow was stuck in a tree near where he was standing. It seems that Nora saved him from the arrow attack. Soon the second, third and subsequent arrows appeared in various directions. Nora transforms lightning into griffin and continues to protect Aiden behind his hard body and is immune from sharp objects.. While Sabina avoided almost all of the arrows nimblely so as not to hit the vital parts of her body. For a few minutes the attack did not stop. But neither Sabina nor Nora looked tired at all. Nora even casually pecked the ground while Sabina squinted pretty like a dancer. Aiden was almost out of breath when Nora's weight was crushed when the attack stopped. Nora did not rush to raise her body fearing that there would be a follow-up attack and possibly injuring Aiden. But for a few minutes things calmed down. So Nora immediately raised her body because Aiden had thrashed under her

"We don't mean to bother you. We are just travelers who happen to pass by" Aiden exclaimed slightly breathlessly.

There's no answer. But a few seconds later from behind the trees, large creatures of mixed stature horses and humans surrounded them.

"Centaurus.." whispered Aiden.

The centaurs looked at them coldly. One of them, the largest in stature with a long and bushy beard took a step closer to them .

"This is our territory. We will not allow anyone to pass through it" he said in a raucous voice.

"But we won't bother you" said Aiden.

"No one can know the existence of this forest. Especially human! You're just going to pollute our sacred forest!" yell that centaurus. Instantly he stormed followed by his other friends.

"Saoica!" aiden exclaimed throwing an attack-reversing spell in all directions. Many arrows turned towards attacking the centautus.

"Fireve Flames!" aiden shouted again throwing a fire spell.

A flash of light filled Aiden's battlefield. Some centaurs flew and fell into the trees. On the other hand, Nora was covered with centaurs that were like ants. He then spread his wings, causing some trees to fall. He shook the centaurs who were riding on his back and band, trying to stab him with a dagger. It's a waste because the griffin skin is as hard as steel. Sabina herself nimbly jumped from centaur to centaur, breaking each other's heads or hollowing their bellies with her claws.

"They are endless!" exclamation Sabina.

"They have regenerative abilities. Attack both hearts!" reply Aiden.

"Two?" nora asked confusedly.

"Yes! In the body of man and his horse!" answer Aiden.

"If this much will take a long time!" Sabina.

Eventually they felt quite overwhelmed by the number of centaurs attacking them. One of the centaurs managed to ambush Aiden and lift him up high.

"Focuse Intiomete!" aiden tried to move his free hand.

A sudden wind whirlwind hit them making it and the centaur crashed. Aiden tried to get up from the ground with great difficulty. His body was now full of bruises and bathed in blood. Lucky not his own blood.

"The spell is dangerous" Nora said. Aiden just grimaced.

The centaur army began to decrease as well as the power of Aiden, Sabina and Nora. The three of them had almost given up when suddenly the black shadow finished off the rest of the centaur. The black shadow approached the centaurs one by one and immediately tore their bodies in two. A few minutes later, the number of centaurs has decreased. The surviving Centaurus immediately ran from the place while exclaiming. "Head hunters attack!" and galloping away.

The black shadow then shot down into their midst. All three are alert. It turned out that the black shadow was a beautiful girl with a black robe frayed to the ground. His hair was black, long and wavy with silver eyes and long fangs in his mouth. A vampire. She was as pale as Sabina and had the same beauty.

"Vallery?" sabina said later. He soon returned to human form, followed by Nora, who then became a lion again.

"It turns out you're Sabina. Why are you here with Nora and.." said the vampire, looking at Aiden with his silver eyes.

"Aiden," Aiden replied briefly.

"... this witch" continued Valerie.

"I'm supposed to ask why you're here? We're in danger of war with werewolves while you're having fun in this place" Sabina said in a high note.

"really? It's been a long time since I've been home" replied Valerie. "Where is my little brother going?"

"We are looking for silver bullets to fight the werewolves," Nora replied stopping Sabina's swear words that were about to come out of her mouth.

"Finding silver bullets? Silver Bullets? Why go this way? You guys should be further west" Valerie continued.

"You know the way?" ask Aiden later.

"I don't know exactly. But ask Miangase. She's a witch who lives on that hill" Valerie said pointing towards the hill. "I think he knows where the silver bullet is. Well, as far as I know her, she knows everything" Valerie continued.

"So she's the one who made you never come home?" sergeant Sabina.

"You don't have a mirror apparently, Sabina. Your boyfriend is a witch, right?" valerie won't lose.

"But it doesn't get me out of the house!" sabina replied.

"Oh, huh? I heard you built a house in an urban area and preyed on humans" Valerie said back to Sabina. Sabina was speechless. Both of them seem ready to attack.

"That's it," said Aiden. "Can you take us to the witch?" ask Aiden to Valerie.

"Sorry I can't. I had to do something about these centaur carcasses before. Walk through these trees to find the path that will lead you to the hill," explained Valerie pointed west. "Be careful of Miangase's pet. They are stupid, but not evil. They'll take you to Miangase's house" Valerie continued.

"Thank you" Aiden said later.

"Patience to face my selfish sister yes" Valerie said later. Sabina just glared at him.

They walked through the lush trees and found the path Valerie said. They walked down the path, and not a centaur stood in their way. It seemed that the path was shrouded in powerful magic to the point of petrifying the eyes of the centaurs.

"So, is he your brother?" ask Aiden to Sabina later.

"Yes," answered Sabina.

"Your family's a lot of people" Aiden said.

"Not really. We're just the three of us, Valerie, me and Irish. Savio and Misa are just other vampires who live with us and dad makes it family" Sabina explained.

"It's still a lot" Aiden said. "I'm an only child, I don't have any brothers. My only family is my grandfather. My parents died while on a mission to another village. So now, after my grandfather died, I'm a kara" Aiden told me.

Sabina looked at the man gently, though dimness surrounded them.

"I will be your new family" Sabina said with a faint smile.

Aiden smiled back.

"That's the sweetest sentence I've ever heard from you," Aiden replied reaching Sabina's face. They almost kissed when Nora growled loudly and shocked the two.

"Sorry Nora, you look small when the world belongs to both of us" Aiden laughed. Sabina also held back the laughter of hearing it.

"You better remember this trip is not a picnic" Nora grumbled.

"Sorry, we got carried away," Sabina replied followed by Aiden's nod that stroked the lion's hair Nora.

A few minutes of walking, the trees were getting rarer and the path had started to disappear. It turned out that the sky was already completely dark and the full moon had already replaced the sun. The hill in front of them looked even more haunted than before. They kept walking towards the hill.

***