Ill bite Nova a smaller than average griffi unique and one of the few of her kind she was born in the firey death of a distant star star and fell to earth billions of years ago and was frozen in ice later to be discovered by scientists investigating the retreating polar ice caps at first she was afarid of the new creatures she met having never seen any other living thing in flying through interstealer space the year was 2016 when her life of exploring sylestia began .... the story continues if i win C:

[I apologize if this is too long. I've never done one of these before.]

"I didn't know it was molting season for Aurleons."

Ganymede held up one of the shimmering feathers she and Yokuutu had found in the snow while journeying to the Winter Festival.

Yokuutsu shook her head. "It's not. Maybe there was a battle and somebody's pet lost feathers?"

"Maybe," Ganymede considered, examining the snow around them. "But there's no evidence of a struggle. No footprints ahead of us, no charred trees or shattered rocks. It's weird."

"Good point. I have no clue, then."

Just as they were about to shrug it off and continue travelling, their Sylesti companions bristled at the sound of something rustling in the bushes and poised to attack if it was dangerous. Then, the mysterious creature stepped out to reveal itself, striding towards them in all of its majesty, peacock feathers and royal blue fur glistening in the sunlight.

"Pretty!" Yokuustu squealed, wide eyes shimmering.

"It's four vis, I'm going to die!" Ganymede screeched in delight. "Do we have any master traps with us?"

"No, but I don't think we'll need one. It's just standing there. I'm gonna touch it!"

The majestic Griffi soaked up Yokuutsu's affections, and it was then that Ganymede noticed the scroll tied with a ribbon around the Sylesti's neck. Curious, she untied the ribbon and opened the scroll:

Greetings, traveler.

If you are reading this message, it means that the worst has come to pass, and the Dark Forces have overtaken the northern territory. In an attempt to stop the Ice Queen's advances, my party and I gathered the Four Crystals of Aurora to summon the powerful mountain guardian of ancient Sylestian myth. We hadn't anticipated that the guardian, though beautiful in its splendor, would manifest as an inexperienced adolescent.

If you be brave of heart and strong of will, I beseech you to train the guardian and raise it to its full potential. Take our guardian into battle once more and save our people from tyranny. You are our last hope.

Ganymede rolled up the scroll and quirked an eyebrow at Yokuutsu. "Well... looks like we just found the next storyline quest on the map."

Yokuutsu paused in her fur snuggles. "What is it?"

"We gotta supe up this Griffi and take down evil Elsa before she takes over the world or something."

"Cool. What'll we name the Griffi?"

"Uh..." Ganymede scratched her head. "It's got peacock feathers, so how aboouuuuut... Kujaku?"

"Works for me." Yokuutsu shrugged and proceeded to bury her face in Kujaku's downy-soft fur.

With what was sure to be an even longer road ahead of them, Ganymede searched their inventory for some level-appropriate equipment for Kujaku. The young Griffi had quite a way to go.

Jawahir

There once was an Emperor that ruled all of Asia. The man was kind, wise, and above all else; generous. After a life spent giving to his people and leading them fairly he eventually became old. On his deathbed he told his loved ones not to fear or cry. That his legacy would live on in the hearts and minds of all those touched by his generosity. As the last breath left his body the magnificent blue jewel upon his simple crown shone with a bright light that enveloped the entire room.
When everyone was able to see again they watched as a beautiful Griffin, the symbol of wisdom and strength, leaned over the man's body and shed tears for her master. For the jewel itself had been an egg that the man had cared for, hoping that it would one day hatch.
The people named her Jawahir, meaning Gemstone, and she became the symbol of the throne of the Emperor. Always standing by and ensuring that those who took the throne after her Master continued to be kind, generous, and wise.

Aziera of the Stars
"What is your story?" I wondered aloud, as she nuzzled me again. I closed my eyes and the story bloomed in my mind, she was utterly unique, created from darkness, each of her feathers painted on with a galaxy of stars. She had wandered Sylestia alon for years, awaiting the perfect opportunity to make herself known. I could sense her power, though she seemed to be completely peaceful. I couldn't help but wonder if this beautiful creature was completely alone in this world. She deserved a name as beautiful and unique as she was, "Aziera" I murmured, pondering the way the name felt. The griffi looked up, responding instantly to the name, and I was certain that it was a perfect fit for her. I brushed my hands through her, and I could feel soft vibrations, I couldn't contain my giggle. "Griffi can purr?" I questioned as she rolled over sprawling out, half of her body lay on top of my legs. I laughed again, amused by her antics. "Alright, alright! I'll take you home" I said, looking forward to the opportunity that I was going to have to see her power, and share her world.

Born of the winter spirits and celestial stars a majestic creature was born. Throughout history legends have only given this glorious creature "Gloria" as wherever pure winter magic and cheer would happen to those around it. Only a few ancient drawings have been found on this creature and to spot it is extremely rare. To this day Gloria is told as a Christmas season legend to bring hope to the world.

A little girl sits by her window, looking at the world with decreasing hope. Tomorrow is Christmas, a day of joy and wonder... yet the ground is green and the air warm. Opening her window she looks at the starry sky with tears welling up in her eyes. "I wish, I wish with all my heart to see snow and feel the Christmas magic like all the other children," she cried to the stars. Knowing that stars couldn't make snow the little girl was about to close her window, when the soft sound of bells could be heard. Thinking first to be Santa and his reindeer the little girl looked around the night sky, but saw no sleigh. The bell chimes got closer and a heavy blast of cold wind ran past the window. Looking about the little girl spotted a blue sparkly, glowing creature flying towards the house... But the creature did not stop at the window, it flew straight past at a fast speed; doing flips and twirls in the air. The creature flew straight up and started to come back down at a fast rate, glowing brighter and brighter and missing the ground just barely... A bright light exploded from the area and a rush of cold wind twirled around it, engulfing the town in light and blinding the little girl watching from her window. When she opened her eyes, the sky was full of bright stars... and the whole town covered in glistening white powder. "Snow!" the child exclaimed happily as her wish was granted. Only to look around and see the creature gone. Closing her window, the little girl was about to jump back into bed... when she looked at her pillow, and written in yellow and blue stardust was "Gloria."

I was watching the full Christmas moon when a deep blue shadow crossed the snowball in the sky and landed without a sound in the snow-padded clearing before me. Wings the color of the clear winter night sky seemingly descended from the stars themselves. She was a rare sight to behold, but this was possibly not my first enounter with her. I may have seen her dark blue shadow crossing the moon before it was full, or her pattern fading into a sparkling blizzard, or the eyed ends of her liquid tail tracing a winding trail, leaving only a fragment of a cryptically-patterned feather. But looking at her now, reflecting the rare hue of the moonlit skies, I could see that she far surpassed any guesses I would have had of her beauty from a distance. She knights me with a nod of her crested head, and I feel it is my duty to care for her, but first I need to know what to call her. I may never know what she calls herself, or how she would like to be known, but I know she'll always remind me of the Midwinter Midnight.

Note: Now that I wrote this I am very tempted to write a version about a griffi coming alive from a jewelled statue, or thawing from the depths of a clear frozen lake, or a story like that of Argos/Argus (the origin story of how the peacock got eyes on its tail), but I'll leave those ideas for anyone who needs a little inspiration :)

You shiver in the snow as ice crystallizes on your once-elegant feathers, their once-vibrant hues dimmed by years of pain.

Another year has nearly passed, and you're cold; so cold.

The passing of time is something you've long since ceased to notice, and days you once counted down, eagerly waiting to greet the rising dawn, pass by in a static blur filled with emptiness.

You once played in the snow. You loved it, like your mother and father and sister. You once had things that were precious to you, and oh, how it hurt when you lost them.

Waiting to sleep. Wanting to sleep. Forever, and a day; oh, how you wished for the eternal sleep to take you, to end your curse.

You shake your plumage and lift your wings, remembering days of glory past. Crystalline ice shatters from your body with every movement, melting silently into the wind.

It's then you notice the human, standing unflinching in the eddying snow. You cant tell if they're male or female, but you can't seem to care. It doesn't matter, anyway; humans are all the same to you.

Your body automatically responds, raising your drooping feathers as best it can as a bolt of adrenaline rushes through your veins. You growl. What do you want? You ask with your threatening stare, and your bristling hackles.

The human returns your gaze. Dark eyes like the night sky seem to pierce through you, but their gaze holds no aggression. Rather, they're almost familiar, like something you lost long ago. This nostalgia confuses you, an indistinct feeling rising up in your stomach.

They shake their head slowly, sadly, almost.

"Oh, friend..." They murmur, "How you've suffered so."

You don't move. You cant move, entranced as you are in the midnight sky you can glimpse behind their eyes.

Why are they calling you friend? How do they know your pain?

They don't. You cant believe, you wont believe, that there's a single individual in the millions that exist that shares your burden.

They don't. So why do you have to try so hard to convince yourself of that?

Please... stop. You beg with your gaze since you cannot speak, wanting to rid yourself of that pain, that hiraeth, that longing for what never could have been.

"Friend..." Their words reach you distantly, each syllable perforating the wall you've carefully built around your emotions.

You close your eyes and surrender to yourself.

They whisper your name, something you haven't heard in centuries.

"Please..."

Your curse shatters with the ice around your heart, the pain of hundreds of years falling away like the new snow.

"Come home, Lark. Come home..."

And you're running, leaping, wings unfurling. Your glorious plumes shimmer in the light of the starlit snow, and you scream a cry of freedom to anyone who will listen, as your old friend keeps pace with you on snow-white wings. You've won over your curse, at last---

---And the two immortals run and laugh and play in the snowdust, dancing around the starlight. You don't look back as the snow continues to fall, blanketing and burying the still form of a griffi, returning your body to the earth as your spirits soar.

Note: This was condensed somewhat from the original idea, and so some is left to interpretation, and the story moves much more quickly than it would with a higher word count. Despite this, I hope it stirs something in the readers' hearts this holiday season.

Celes, the Majestic Guardian

Long ago, in a time before Humans, Elves and Faye recorded their history, there lived a great and majestic guardian who watched over the earth from above. Ever in flight, ever watching and never interfering with the world below her. But one day, seeing all who lived happily below with friends and families, she grew lonely. So, she descended from the sky, appearing to all as a shooting star. But there was not one in all of Sylestia who saw where she landed. In the epitome of grace, she landed in a lush, vibrant forest at the shore a calm, clear lake of whose waters were unimaginably pure. And there she waited, taking the form of a magnificent Griffi and wondering what soul would meet her. But it was in a distant land, and there were were vary few who travelled that far out.

There she waited for many years. So many, that she wondered if any ever would come to this beautiful place. But...
One day, a young Faye wondered, alone, into the forest. This Faye's name was Terra. With hair of spun starlight that reached to her knees, silver eyes and a pale complexion, but her most distinguishing had once been her wings. But they were now crumpled, withered, and useless to fly with. They were a deformity that caused many to shun her.

Wondering into the forest, where none had ventured in living memory, she came upon the lake. As the Faye knelt at the lake's edge to take a drink, the guardian stepped forth. As Terra arose, she saw the great and majestic Griffi. She stood, transfixed by the creature's majesty, and extremely conscious of here own deformity. 'At last, thou hast come' a voice spoke into her mind. "You were waiting... For me?" Terra asked, perplexed. No one wanted to be around her. The Griffi blinked. 'I have been awaiting the one who would come to this place. And that is thee, youngling' The guardian said. "What is your name?" Terra asked. 'I have no name, youngling' The Griffi said to her sadly. Realizing this majestic being's loneliness, Terra decides to give this kind creature a name. "May I call you... Celes?" Terra asked. The guardian's eyes widen, but her expression softened considerably. 'Thank thee, youngling. For this, thy gift of friendship, I shall be thine wings. None shall dare to ostracize thee because of them ever again' Celes told her in gentle firmness. 'What of thee, youngling? What is thine name?' Celes asked gently. "My name is Terra" Terra replied quietly.

With that, Celes stepped forward and Terra reached out and touched her beak. Celes nuzzled against Terra's hand gently. 'Climb upon mine back, Terra' Celes told her. Bemused, Terra did so, and the majestic Griffi took flight, streaking across the darkening sky like a star once more. The dark, celestial Griffi and the pale, terrestrial Faye.

And in the sky they remained friends evermore, for the guardian's power rendered the lonely Terra immortal, as Celes herself was.

~The End~

(Apologies if this is too long but I the story just came to me)

There are many legends be it old or new, but there is one that is just a mere myth that everyone on a single day of the year celebrates. That's right. Christmas. The story of its beginning has been told many times in many variety of ways. Yet how many have heard of the Sylestia story of Christmas? The story of Saint Nicholas and his trusted Griffi? Well... whomever is willing to read this... this is the tale of a beautiful Griffi, the most rare of all that shimmered like the stars. Everyone knows the story of Santa Claus. A kind man who grew up with elves, making toys for the poor sad children. What many do not know, was before Santa Claus was but a old man, still just a everyday young but kind man known as Nicholas, he had found a Griffi. One so unique and awestrucking. The feathers shimmering like stars and shining like perfect gemstones. This Griffi was nothing more than a hatchling, not too long from being hatched, but was all alone and lost.

Nicholas decided to take in the young Griffi, deciding to call her Majestic Celestial because she was such a majestic and beautiful creature like the stars. His Reindeer Griffi were a bit suspicious and maybe a little jealous of Majestic Celestial's Beauty, but over time they adored her like she was their own. When she grew older, she wished to be among Nicolas's sleigh. Yet she was not a Reindeer Griffi, and it was tradition that Reindeer Griffi would pull Santa's sleigh. Despite this, she trained everyday and competed in the Reindeer games in order to one day be part of Santa's sleigh.

One stormy night, Nicholas asked Majestic Celestial to lead his sleigh, for her glimmering feathers would light his way through the thick fog that had taken over one Christmas Eve. Happily agreeing, Majestic Celestial lead Santa's sleigh through the fog, successfully delivering presents to all the good little girls and boys. Everyone was so happy over a successful Christmas Eve, Majestic Celestial always lead Santa's sleigh every year to help guide through thick weather.

Many years passed and Nicholas grew old and frail, much to everyone's displeasure, including his faithful Sylesti. Upon his final hours, Majestic Celestial begged to the spirits above to save her master and friend. For Nicholas had brought so much joy to people around the world, as well as all Sylesti. He was too kind of a soul to just die, and it would bring sadness to everyone. Hearing her call, a voice she could hear amongst the storming winds of winter.

"We shall grant thy wish to restore this kind soul's life, Nicholas, the Santa Claus. The one who brings joy to the world. He shall live forever as the spirit of Christmas, continuing to bring joy and good will to the world every year. However... to do this, you must become one with the stars, a constellation amongst the stars that will be shown every night of Christmas Eve. Trapped amongst them until one who truly holds the true spirit of Christmas comes and frees you."

The voice explained and Majestic Celestial eagerly agreed. Even if she has to stay amongst the stars for eternity, and never seeing her friends again, she shall watch over everyone from the stars, and just be happy to see the smiling faces of all the girls and boys on Christmas.

So, Majestic Celestial was turned into a constellation that only could be seen on the night of Christmas Eve. Centuries passed and she was still trapped amongst the stars. Until one fateful night, on Christmas Eve... there was one human in a little house in the middle of no where. With only their Sylesti to keep them company. Yet they were happy with just sitting at home with their friends and drinking hot cocoa. It was a young girl, she was poor with very little money, yet she was happy all the same. There was no presents under her tree, no flashy decorations, or anything really Christmas like how it was now a days. The holiday that was used as commercial use, for companies to grab money, to be seen as some commercialized holiday. The only thing in the house was some white socks above the fireplace, and a drawing of a Christmas tree amongst the wall.

Several other pictures were plastered around it, most of them pretty sloppy and full of paw prints. What was most noticeable was a giant wallpaper, covered in paw shaped pawprints, hoofprints, and fins. With a single human handprint in the middle. All of her pets had made a little art piece, leaving their own little signature upon the wallpaper. And here she lay in front of the fireplace, surrounded by her wonderful friends, all cuddled up against their warm bodies and drinking hot cocoa.

This was the true meaning of Christmas. It wasn't the pretty decorations, it wasn't the presents, it wasn't even about the stories of Santa Claus. It was just about being with your family. The season of giving, yet that didn't mean just presents. Just love. And she loved all of her wonderful family members. No matter how big or small. No matter the fur or scales.

They were her wonderful family, and that was all she needed this wonderful Christmas Eve.

Just then, a flash of light emitted from outside, making several of her Sylesti friends jump a little. Some growled protectively, some tried pressing against her for comfort, and others looked curiously toward the window. Shushing her friends to relax, she untangled herself from her friends and headed outside, telling them to stay inside. She heard whimpers of complaint but just shushed them, reassuring that she would be fine before grabbing her coat and heading outside.

Her footsteps crunched against the snow beneath and she looked around to see where that light was coming from. Soon enough, the human girl discovered it was the sky that was glowing. A particular place in the sky, a constellations stars were glowing. The moment the girl looked upon them, the stars glowed brighter and a white string started connecting each star together. Forming the constellation clearly so the shape of a Griffi was now clearly noticeable.

Once formed, the clearly visable constellation glowed before seeming to fall right out of the sky. Landing just a few feet in front of the girl. The human covered her eyes a snow sprayed over her body, but when she looked up again, there stood the most beautiful Griffi she has ever seen. The Griffi blinked her gemstone like eyes, as if surprised before slowly looking toward the human then at the sky in what seemed to be amazement.

Slowly, the Griffi stepped closer to the human, whom didn't move away, and gently nudged the human girl. Nuzzling the human gently, the Griffi gave a soft coo sound, as if happy. The human girl blinked a little before smiling and petting the Sylesti's head with her right hand, while using the left to gently scratch underneath the chin.

"Awe you are sweet. Do you have a home? Where did you come from?" The human asked but the Griffi just looked at her with such a soft gaze.

"Do you want to come home with me?" The human asked, smiling as the Griffi gave a soft nod.

"Alright then. You need a name then. How does... Majestic Celestial sound? A pretty name for a pretty Griffi right?" The human chuckled.

Majestic Celestial blinked a little surprised as this human gave her the same name as her previous master, and gave a happy chirp, nuzzling the human even more and practically knocking over her new master over. It seemed that this was the one. It had to be fate for them to meet.

On this wonderful night of Christmas Eve.