That night, Anza's apartment felt quieter than usual. Hana sat on a chair, watching the small golden-furred creature lying on the couch with a focused expression. Though its wounds had been bandaged, something made the atmosphere in the room feel strange—like a foreign energy lingering in the air.
Leo—that's what Hana had started calling it—no longer whimpered in pain, but its body was still very weak. Its breathing was steady, but from time to time, its golden fur faintly pulsed, glowing in rhythm with an unseen heartbeat.
"Are you sure he's okay?" Anza asked, breaking the silence.
Hana exhaled softly, still staring at Leo without blinking. "Hard to say. I've never treated a creature like this before. But at least he's not in pain now."
Anza nodded slowly. He stood and walked to the window, looking out. The rain had stopped, but the streets remained wet and glimmering under the soft glow of the streetlights. Normally, a night like this would help calm him. But not tonight.
Something gnawed at him—a sense of dread.
"I'll make some tea," Hana said suddenly, rising from her chair. "Want some?"
"Yeah, sure," Anza replied briefly.
But before Hana could head to the kitchen, a loud knock slammed against the door.
BANG BANG BANG!
Anza flinched and turned quickly.
"Are you expecting anyone?" Hana whispered, her expression instantly tense.
Anza shook his head. "No."
The banging got louder, followed by a harsh voice from outside. "Open the door! We know you're hiding something!"
Anza's blood ran cold.
"What the hell?!" he hissed, panic creeping in.
Hana instinctively moved closer to the sofa, shielding Leo with her body. "Za, they're here for him," she said firmly.
Anza looked at Leo, still weak on the couch. The small creature slowly opened its eyes, its gaze sharp, as if fully aware of the situation. It let out a faint sound—almost a warning.
The knocking turned into pounding, like someone trying to break the door down.
"Hand over the creature, and no one gets hurt!"
Anza locked the door tighter, though he knew it wouldn't hold long.
"We need to escape," Hana whispered, her face tense.
"To where? We're on the fifth floor!" Anza replied, his voice almost shaking.
Hana thought fast, then forced the window open. The cold night wind rushed into the room. "If they get in, we'll have no other choice."
Leo struggled to stand, though still weak. Anza grabbed a small bag from the table and gently placed Leo inside. "Sorry, little guy, this might get uncomfortable," he murmured.
The sound of the door breaking echoed behind them.
"They're escaping!"
Without thinking, Hana leapt out the window onto the neighboring apartment balcony, not too far away. Anza followed, clutching the bag that now sheltered Leo.
Once they made it down to the back courtyard, the sound of heavy footsteps grew closer.
"They're definitely not normal people," Anza muttered under his breath.
"Trust me, I noticed," Hana snapped back. "But we don't have time to analyze it now."
They ran through a narrow alley behind the apartment, but before they could reach the main road, one of the pursuers blocked their path.
A large man in a black uniform stood at the end of the alley, holding a strange weapon—something like a rifle, but its design was too modern, too alien.
"Hand over the creature, or you'll die here."
Anza instinctively stood in front of Hana, even though he had no idea what to do.
"We don't know what you want!" he shouted, trying to sound brave.
But before the man could step forward, Leo suddenly let out a sharp cry from inside the bag.
Instantly, a golden light burst from within the bag.
Anza and Hana gasped. The bag trembled violently, radiating a growing brilliance.
In a flash, Leo began to transform.
His fur lit up, his body expanding rapidly, and his once-small wings unfolded into majestic, massive wings.
The Griffin had awakened.
The pursuer froze, stepping back in shock.
Leo let out a thunderous roar.
The sound echoed through the alley, rattling nearby windows. With a single beat of his wings, a powerful gust exploded outward, slamming the pursuer into the wall. His weapon flew from his hands and shattered into pieces.
Hana grabbed Anza's arm. "We need to go, now!"
Leo looked at them, then lowered his body slightly—an invitation to climb onto his back.
Anza was still in shock, but there was no time to hesitate. He helped Hana up, then climbed after her.
"Let's hope this isn't a terrible idea," Anza muttered as Leo flapped his wings.
In a blink, they soared into the night sky.
Below, the remaining pursuers could only stare in fear.
They had lost their target.
And now, a far greater game had just begun.