12. I Miss You

Aranjo felt a strong wind, her body retreated backwards and she held her gaze with her hands. Aranjo didn't want dust to get into her eyes.

The evil spirits that had been following Aranjo immediately disappeared feel the presence of Griffin.

At once, the strong wind no longer blows but Aranjo feels something is in front of her. Aranjo lowered her hands and slowly opened her eyes.

Aranjo jumped back and fell down, Aranjo's eyes widened to see the creature in front of her.

"Please don't eat me! I don't have much meat and if you eat me I'm sure you'll choke!" Aranjo said while continuing to retreat backward.

Aranjo stared straight at the creature, she had read a scroll about such a creature before her. A rarely seen majestic spiritual beast, it is said that each age has only one Griffin, and when they die, they turn to ashes.The next Griffin will be born from the ashes of the previous Griffin, they will simply die and be born in the forest of fog.

The Griffin is almost as tall as her body, the Eagle's face approaches Aranjo's. The eagle's eyes are a combination of black and gold. The Griffin's plumage was pale gold with fine strands of red in between the golden feathers.

'Thank you for helping me!'

Aranjo seemed to hear the voice of someone talking to her. Is she hallucinating? inner Aranjo.

'I'm the little bird you saved first!'

"Are you talking to me?" asked Aranjo as she approached Griffin.

'You can listen to me if I let you!'

"Wow ...." exclaimed Aranjo as he jumped to his feet and walked around the Griffin.

"You look different than you used to! there are differences!" said Aranjo still staring at Griffin.

'Sure! And you look different too!'

"Nice to see you back friend!" said Aranjo who is currently standing in front of Griffin.

'Nice to see you back!'

"Can I touch you?" asks Aranjo, she wants to feel the golden feather in her hand.

'Please.'

Aranjo touched the golden feathers behind the Griffin's head and touched his back. The feathers are very fluffy and soft, but this bird is already not as cute as the first time they met.

After touching the golden feather, Aranjo walked to the big stone and sat on it.

'What brings you back here?'

"Just like that time. I am condemned to reflect on my mistakes here!" said Aranjo.

"Have you ever met that demon again?" asked Aranjo.

'Demon?'

"The friend I was with when we first met! A friend who gives a little of her strength to you!" said Aranjo enthusiastically.

She only met the demon twice, the first time in this fog forest and the second time in the reading room she often visited.

Griffin was silent, if the Goddess thought the Emperor was a demon, that was what he wanted. So Griffin won't say anything about the Emperor.

'No!'

Aranjo let out a long sigh and thought about how to get back to the pavilion. At that time, Aranjo knew that the Demon was helping her to return to the Pavilion safely.

"Can you take me home?" asked Aranjo.

'I can't get out of this fog forest! But if you want, I can take you around the forest!'

"Really?" Aranjo asked happily, nodding her head as she wanted to go around.

'Come on up!'

Griffin bowed slightly so that Aranjo could climb onto his back.

Aranjo jumps for joy, her magic has not reached a high level so she has not been able to play with gravity. Aranjo jumped up onto Griffin's back.

'Hold on tight!'

Aranjo hugged Griffin's neck and spread his wings wide then flapped his wings. They fly, Aranjo laughs happily and it feels very nice to fly in the sky. There is not much to see, most of the forest is covered in fog.

Griffin carried Aranjo flying around the fog forest for a few moments. Then landing in front of the cave where he lived, Aranjo jumped down from the Griffin's back and saw the scenery in front of her.

The atmosphere here is very different, this place is not the same as the fog forest. The trees here are green with colorful flowers and there is a small river along the eye view containing very clear water.

"Is this still part of the fog forest?" asked Aranjo.

'Yes!'

Aranjo ran towards the river, with both hands taking water and washing her face. Very fresh, Aranjo can also clearly see the fish swimming in it.

Aranjo ran around happily and then approached Griffin.

"Are you forever unable to get out of this forest?" asked Aranjo.

'I was able to get out after my strength was perfect and I suffered a lightning disaster. After experiencing the lightning disaster, I will have a human form and be able to get out of the fog forest. That moment will return your kind favor!'

Aranjo pondered for a moment and then again walked around the Griffin. Aranjo thought, is this bird male or female? Is his human form female or male? inner Aranjo.

Griffin avoids Aranjo's gaze, Griffin can clearly hear Aranjo's heart.

All Griffins that are born are male and after experiencing a lightning disaster they will have the ability to transform from a human back into a Griffin and vice versa.

Griffin sensed the Emperor's presence and immediately bowed respectfully.

As with Aranjo, when she saw the presence of the emperor, she immediately ran to the Emperor and hugged him tightly.

"I missed you! How come you never showed up again after we last met in the den?" Arango exclaimed enthusiastically.

The emperor, who was always flat-faced, raised Aranjo's hands hugging his neck and slowly released the hug. The emperor gently pushed Aranjo's body away from him.

"You must re-read the scroll on manners!" the Emperor said flatly after distancing Aranjo from himself.

"We haven't seen each other for a long time! Does it have to be this stiff?" asked Aranjo as she walked up to the Emperor and stood beside him.

Aranjo stared at the perfectly sculpted face, and admired it. As a child he only described his friend with beautiful words, but after growing up Aranjo felt his friend was very handsome.

"Do you want to go back?" asked the Emperor.

"Sure! But could it be any minute? We rarely get together and the fish looks very tasty. Let me grill the fish for you guys!" Aranjo said excitedly.

He's a good cook and he's been doing it since he was a kid.

The Emperor did not answer and just walked slowly towards the big rock and sat down on it. Griffin still lowered his head not daring to move or look at the Emperor.

Aranjo saw how the demon was sitting, it means that the demon agreed.

Aranjo ran towards the river and jumped into it trying to catch the fish. After a while, not a single fish he managed to catch and her whole body was soaked.

"Help him!" the Emperor's order to the Griffins.

'Sure!'

Griffin jumped into the river. Aranjo saw Griffin coming and said, "Why are the fish so hard to catch?"

The Griffin did not answer, but rather stared into the water and not for long many fish voluntarily jumped out of the pond.

Aranjo stared at it with his mouth open.

"You should have said you could do just that!" grumbled Aranjo.

'You didn't ask!'

Aranjo stared intently at Griffin, she did not yet have such high magic abilities. Aranjo tried to dry her body using his magic power, but it didn't dry completely. It was better than getting soaked like before! his inner self.

The emperor saw clearly the ability of Aranjo who could not dry her own clothes. Then the Emperor uses his magic to help Aranjo and instantly Aranjo's body and clothes are completely dry.

"Thank you!" said Aranjo while waving to the Emperor.