AcQuest : A sneak preview

Q faced the golden griffin floating in front of him, his face beaded with sweat. He gripped his double-edged sword tightly with both hands, a line of neon red shining brightly on the nightmare-black blade. His legs bent, and he crouched low, sharpening his reflexes.

His eyes stared at the beast towering in front of him, it’s golden-brown feathers glistening in the warm light like a hundred little lamps. They painted the air with their liquid movements, kicking up powerful torrents of wind that pushed him along the rough floor.

“Concentrate,” he muttered under his breath.

His breathing into a steady flow of air as he tried to calm himself down. He knew he needed a clear mind if he wanted to get out of this one unscathed.

The great beast eyed him carefully, like it was waiting for him to make a mistake. Q paced around the griffin in a circle, his steps quiet and soft, his hands firmly latched onto his sword, his eyes fixed on his target. He knew that even a moment’s distraction would let the griffin gain the upper hand. His mind went into overtime, analyzing every movement, every possibility.

The griffin didn't seem to like all the silent waiting, and screeched at Q with a sharp, shrill pitch

Q didn't like waiting either and shot forward from his crouched position, recoiling his muscles like a spring. He dropped his right arm to the side, his fingers curling around his sword’s handle, raring to strike. His legs ate up the distance between him and the griffin, his steps fast and heavy, his entire being eager to land a blow.

The griffin held it’s ground, it’s intimidating stare watching him thunder down towards it, it’s body still as a rock. It’s panicless presence dented Q’s confidence. Was he making a mistake?

He cleared his thoughts, knowing that he couldn't let the situation get to him. He was sure the griffin was just playing around with his mind, enticing him to make the first error. But he wasn't going to give into it’s plan. He surged forward, his legs hastening to a faster pace.

His sword arm shot across towards his left, ready to slash through the monstrous beast.

Griffins could normally never show any facial emotions, but Q could swear this one was looking at him mockingly. The huge beast lowered its body, like it was ready to go for the kill, it’s golden eyes bloodshot with the same intent.

It shot towards him with incredulous speed and in the blink of an eye, his weapons were knocked free from his wrists.

His black sword scraped against the ground, it’s sharp blade enveloped in a curtain of bright orange sparks. Q winced as he caught his wrist in pain. The blow had almost snapped his arm right off.

The griffin sensed the opportunity and pushed him to the ground, its claws pressed against his chest, its sheer weight preventing him from moving even an inch. It threw it’s head up into the air and screeched fiercely, the victory cry of a griffin.

“C'mon Ruby, that’s enough for today,” Taylor walked over to Q.

The griffin retracted it’s claws and walked away from him, each step showing serene grace and rugged pride at the same time.

Taylor held her hand out and helped Q onto his feet, a warm smile on her face.

Q had known Taylor ever since he was little. As the younger one, he’d been her sidekick for as long as he could remember. One look at the tomboyish, confident Taylor and you’d never realize that she’d been as girlish as one could get back when she was little. Around then her mind had been filled with nothing but princesses and princes.

Q reminisced of the time she wanted to grow out her golden hair to be more like Rapunzel. She even tried getting contacts to turn her electric blue pupils into some complex shade he couldn't recollect. She’d spent quite a while grooming her hair and making sure it remained razor straight, though all that seemed like quite a waste when he looked at her now, her still-golden hair hanging in loose curls right above her shoulder.

Her frame was thin and frail, like that off a delicate girl, but what it his was a girl who was well-trained in almost every single form of martial arts. Q had always felt sorry for boys who went after her. It was the same story every single time. They’d treat her as the delicate flower she seemed to be and declare their undying will to protect her. And she’d just knock them to the ground if they pestered her a little too much after she rejected them.

Q found it pretty ironic that after all those years of talking about true love and finding her perfect prince, she just rejected every single guy that came along. He never mentioned it to her though. He didn't have a death wish just of yet.

Taylor was seventeen years old, a year older than Q, so she had this ‘I must protect him since he’s still a child’ attitude. Surprisingly though, that attitude seemed to vanish whenever she dealt with him for breaking the Academy’s rules. Q really did like having someone who cared for him but Taylor’s protectiveness got downright silly at times.

Just last week she’d gotten into panic mode when she’d thought Q was choking, while in reality, all he had done was cough. The day ended up with him getting a scan to check if his lungs were okay. He wished she’d give it a break already, it wasn't like he was still a little kid.

Taylor was also a ‘Dark Knight’. No, that doesn't mean she’s a female Batman, though that’d have been really really cool. The Dark Knights were this amazing legion of highly-skilled space mercenaries.

That was pretty much all that Q knew about them. Taylor wasn't exactly very talkative when it came to her ‘mercenary’ life and he didn't ask her about it either.

“Looks like you had a tough one,” Taylor looked at him, a smile appearing on her pointy face.

“You’re never going to beat me, you know that?” Ruby said.

“Yes, I know Ruby,” Q said, trying not to show his irritation.

Taylor held a protective feeling for Ruby as well, so it wasn't exactly wise to be irritated at the griffin for the time being.

Taylor had found Ruby during her last mission, and the griffin had stuck to them ever since.

Ruby couldn't talk in a conventional way though, so she communicated with them telepathically instead. But the problem with her telepathic method, was that she could read your thoughts whenever she wanted to.

Not fun.

“Just when do you plan on actually using your powers?” Ruby asked. “I’m tired of these physical bouts. A human could never beat a griffin with just a sword”

“Give it a break Ruby,” Taylor said. “The Academy banned him from using his powers, remember?”

“Can’t he just disobey that rule?” Ruby asked.

“Actually that’s a pretty good-” Q stopped himself mid-sentence. He could almost feel Taylor’s deathly stare piercing his soul. She could be really scary when she got serious.

“I’m sorry,” Taylor said, a wide, fake-smile appearing on her face. “What was that Q?”

Remember when you get a chill, and you feel a shiver down your spine? When Taylor does the fake smile thing, you’d feel like your spine ran away.

“Uhh..Nothing,” Q managed to say. “Can we go to the training center?” he added, hoping that would get Taylor back into cheerful mode.

Taylor smiled, “Let’s go then”