Dragon Aster Trilogy

11: GATEKEEPERS



The fires from the torches alongside the Sanctus’ streets glowed brightly, blanketing its shadows in warmth. With the breeze created by the energies from Atrum’s Aur and Toria’s across the Eternal Waters, there was a constant imbalance of static energy in the air. Half of the white stone temple was interwoven into a high cliff that rose above and over it like a roof. Blue flags and fabrics fluttered in the wind, signifying a place of peace.

But the peace was not matched by a phelan and a griffin, who fought across the tall grass inside the perimeter’s wall. Then the griffin fluttered up onto the high wall and sat down on his cat-like haunches, facing the opponent he had left below.

“Once again, I am the beautifully winged, glorified proof that the griffin species were created in perfection to reign in godliness,” Gwa said as he stretched out his dusty-red and white feathered wings at his sides. “I shall now sit on my great wall of conquest and gloat over your misfortune.”

Kenshe growled angrily at the griffin from the ground below. The wall was more of a decoration now than an added defense, as there were numerous chimeras living at the Sanctus who could easily fly over its height. Like his irritating friend. “Yea, so self-righteous, you think destroying the world will make it a better place.”

“If you stupid dogs would stop eating everything in it for a min—” the second he started the word, he felt the sharp hit from someone’s psi trying to get his attention. Gwa looked back and across the field with his perfect eyesight to see Jasper approaching. Then his eyes quickly fell to the ones who were with him. “Who do you suppose Jasper dragged out of the woods this time?”

“Huh?” Kenshe asked, jumping up to the top of the wall as if its height had suddenly became irrelevant.

Gwa took to the air to get a better look, as Kenshe jumped down the other side of the wall in a race to get to them first.



Sybl nearly fell off of Jasper’s back when the griffin swooped down over them before landing. But his landing was cut short when Loki somned by instinct, and caught the half bird’s neck in his teeth. Then he threw him to the ground with enough force to snap its neck. If Loki were bigger.

“Hey! Easy! He’s an ally!” Jasper shouted at Loki, clamping his teeth down on the dragon’s wing until he let go of the griffin. “That is Gwa, one of Master Kas’ Custos.”

“A griffin?” Loki replied, then spat out its white feathers into the tall grass.

Sybl looked back at the creature, as it was sitting on its bird-like tail now. Its chest and head puffed up, as if his feathers were statically charged. It was almost enough to cover his bird-like front legs and talons. It had stopped shaking, as if it had been accustomed to predators tackling it to the edge of death.

“She’s so perfect!”

Sybl had no idea what to say back, as its brown, not yellow eyes watched her from its eagle-like face. The griffin puffed his feathers out some more, until he looked like a fluffy piece of popcorn. It caused three times as many white and rose feathers to snow from him. It was hard to see the enemy up close on a normal day, and now this one was going out of his way to appear cute.

“Jasper, what have you been telling her about me?” The griffin next to cried, as its feathers dropped as if suddenly hit by a torrential rain.

“Just unsomn already,” Jasper said with a shake of his head.

Gwa did so, and he now stood in his human-like appearance that his white mist had left him in.

Sybl looked more closely. His skin tone wasn’t pale white like other griffins she had seen, but darker. Gwa’s knotted white hair had light rose streaks and eyes remained brown.

“My mother is a human from Earth.”

Sybl’s eyes grew wide. “There are other humans from Earth, here?” She didn’t move when the phelan behind her dared a closer look and scent of her.

“Kenshe, stop it! You’re scaring her!” Gwa snapped at the grizzled phelan.

“Her aura—it’s amazing. Is this really the Asterian Caelestis?”

Loki’s orange eyes fell on the new phelan who didn’t unsomn.

“Yes, Kenshe. But she is without a lot of her memories still, so be nice. I am going to find Jru.” With the howls confirming that the griffins had retreated at their Borders, Jasper went inside the Sanctus.

“Jru is gonna freak.” Gwa laughed.

Loki finally calmed down enough to unsomn, and wiped the remaining taste of the griffin from his mouth. “Is this a temple, or a complete zoo?”

“It’s a complete zoo, now. Seeing as you’re officially the only dragon here,” Gwa replied, as he sized up the shorter dragoon.

“I don’t think I’m going to fit in here well,” Loki said, looking at Sybl, but she only caught his hand and stopped any thought he had of leaving.

They followed Gwa to the gate he had been guarding with Kenshe, and to the other side of the perimeter wall. Then they climbed the stairs that led to the top to get a better view of the Sanctus.

The rooftops of the Sanctus were white stone domes or glass. They were spiked with spears as if to ward off much larger birds, or dragons. All but the color red decorated the windows and clothing of those who walked about its open atmosphere. It was as if Sybl had fallen back in history to see an ancient city of Rome.

“Heh, it has gotten a lot bigger over the years. So, what does her Lady think? How does the Sanctus compare to the structures on Earth?” Gwa asked, curiously.

“You’ve never been there?”

“Nope. I mean I have pictures and stuff that others have brought over, but it’s not easy for a somnus to visit the place. Our Threads ignite easily in sunlight.”

“I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“The same can be said about you,” Kenshe added.

Sybl went a bright red in embarrassment, as she didn’t so much as know what the phelan staring at her looked like in his unsomned form. But his cat-like abilities did have the effect of unnerving her more, starting with how he effortlessly balanced on the thin wall like one.

“Kenshe will you stop gawking at her already!” Gwa snapped at his friend.

Sybl was perplexed as to why the phelan was doing just that. When she tried to see into his thoughts, his psi retaliated painfully. She rubbed her forehead to ease the new throbbing in her head.

“Sor…sorry,” Kenshe said, before jumping down to run inside the temple.

“Is he going to be okay?” Sybl asked Gwa.

“That one is psycho on a good day,” Gwa replied with a shake of his head. “May I have the pleasure of giving you the tour?”

“Um, sure. Sorry about the whole first-impression thing. You are the second griffin I’ve met who didn’t have the intent to kill me.”

“Heh, understandable.” Gwa brushed his hair back from his eyes with one hand. “You’re the first human woman who hasn’t fallen instantly in love with me.”

Sybl raised an eyebrow at him.

Loki didn’t waste a moment taking her hand in his and leading her away, before the griffin somnus could think of it first.