I'timad

"Today is the day."

I'timad raised his head. Nimat approached the young griffin with a warm smile. "It... it is?"

"Indeed. Come. I have something special for you." I'timad quickly got to his feet. The older, darker griffin led them out of the den and started to unfurl his wings. Taking the cue, I'timad did the same. Nimat took to the sky with his protege following closely behind him. The longer they were in flight the more I'timad came to realize where it was they were heading. The roost. It was a unique location accessible to only those griffins granted the ability to manipulate the masir, a relic used to determine fate. It was a prestigious honor to be a syd alqadr, for a Master of Fate had a great role in the way of life. His heart raced as they neared The Roost and only pounded harder when they landed. "Still with me I'timad?"

"Yes, sir." The young griffin looked around. He had never been here before, only hearing the stories of what happened here. Griffins could be seen everywhere around here. Some flying out to start their work, some fluttering to the higher branches which he could only assume were personal work spaces, and even a few walking about conversing with colleagues. "But...what are we doing here?"

Nimat gave a warm chuckle. "As I said- today is the day. Come." I'timad was still unsure what that had to do with him or explain why they- why he was there, but followed along behind the older griffin anyway to what appeared to be a reception area. Several griffins stood as receptionists. Nimat approached one of them who then asked for his name. "Nimat the Blessed. I will be accompanied by I'timad the Reliant for an orientation."

"Of course. Welcome back, Nimat. And a warm welcome to you, I'timad. I suspect we'll be seeing you around more often after today. Good luck." She smiled at the two, Nimat was also smiling and I'timad was still trying to wrap his head around the orientation comment. There wasn't time to question it as they were moving off to allow others to speak with the receptionist.

Nimat continued to lead I'timad around The Roost and eventually up to one of the branches. He stood back allowing Nimat room to work though inside he was still wondering what this was all really about. He wasn't a syd alqadr. He wasn't anyone special. He was just I'timad. A griffin. Perhaps there was something about him. After all his father is a syd alqadr. But he knew a lot of griffins that were given the title. There were a great number of creatures that relied on their unique talents of dream weaving and memory accessing.

"I'timad." The call of his name pulled him from his thoughts. "Please, sit. I'm sure you have questions."

"Of course I have questions." He moved to sit before Nimat. "Orientation? I'm not a syd alqadr. I don't have-"

"I'timad."

He fell silent at his name being called again. Perhaps he was getting too carried away. Or too hopeful.

"You must understand. Syd alqadr is merely a title. A role. When a griffin is assigned to be one, they are given a masir which is used to enhance ones natural abilities."

I'timad was confused. "I thought the masir was a unique relic that told ones fate?"

"Not quite. You see, all griffins have the innate ability to access another's memories and dreams. Some have it stronger than others, the strongest of which are assigned to be syd alqadr. A masir is merely an accessory to a syd alqadr. Think of it as a device that helps fine-tune your abilities. Alone the masir is merely an astronomical clock. When it is paired with a griffin, it can be used to tell more than just dreams and memories. It can tell you their fate. Hence the title- Master of Fate." Nimat gave a warm smile. "I suppose your information is half right. While the masir can tell fate, it can only do so in the talons of a griffin."

The young griffin let the words sink in. "So. Any griffin could be a syd alqadr?"

"Potentially, yes. But only those with a strong affinity for manipulating fate are given the title." Nimat stood up and moved to a shelf. "You, I'timad, are one of those gifted a strong ability."

"How can you be sure?"

"Please," he chuckled. "Give your old man some credit. It may not be a hereditary trait, but I've seen your fate. You have the gift and you will be the greatest syd alqadr yet to come."

He couldn't believe it. A syd alqadr? Him? It was uncommon for his father to address himself as such and even more so to have used his masir for personal use. Not that it wasn't allowed, just wasn't the intended purpose of the tool. Nimat came back with something clutched in his right talon.

"I had this made the day after you were born. It took three years to complete and, if I do say so myself, it is the finest misar I've seen." Nimat gingerly lay the device before I'timad. It was indeed an intricately designed astronomical clock. Golden numerals depicting the hour circled the outer edge of the day cycle dial. An inner ring containing the zodiacs to help determine the time of year. Hands to show the position of the sun and the moon as well as the time. The colors were a range of blues from navy to sky, a few dashes of gold and silver laced into it. "Go on. Take it."

With a slow claw, I'timad reached out and picked up the masir. At the touch, he felt what he could only describe as a hum course through his body. A gentle talon traced over the glass dome which encased the delicate clock workings. He flipped it over to see two things. First it was engraved. Syd Alqadr I'timad the Reliant was etched elegantly around the top curve. Second there was an impression of what looked like a toe pad. "What's this?"

"That is how you can tell another's fate. With a touch, the masir will help you focus."

'I..." I'timad delicately ran a claw over the clock again. He couldn't believe it. This was his. He was going to be a syd alqadr. "I don't know what to say."

"Well, first, why don't we get you accustomed to how to use it, huh? We'll start with a memory. The past is easier to access as it has already happened and can't be changed. Usually," Nimat added under his breath. I'timad tilted his head and raised a brow inquisitively. "But that's another matter. Even with the help of the masir, if you don't know what you're doing, it can be difficult to conjure the right information. Now. I want you to place your toe on the back of the masir. Right over the impression."

The young griffin did as instructed. The humming he felt surged when he placed his toe upon the pad impression on the back of the clock. "Is it...normal...to feel a, uh..."

"A hum like sensation? Yes. It's the connection you have with the masir. Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Now for the tricky bit. You'll need to think of a memory. Since this is a first-run trial, a strong memory is best. Think of what was happening. What did you see? What did you feel? Was there a certain scent in the air? A particular taste? Any detail you can recall will help." I'timad closed his eyes, focusing on concentrating. The first memory that came to him was when his father showed him a masir. More specifically, Nimat's personal masir. "Have you got the memory?"

I'timad nodded his head gently. "Yes."

"Good. Now I want you to hone in on the memory. Feel your mind slip back into the memory as if you were really there."

He took a deep breath then slowly released it as he fell into the memory, letting it consume him. Something...strange was happening. He could feel himself being pulled but not in a physical matter. The voice of his father saying "don't fight it" pushed through his thoughts. Allowing himself to fall deeper, it ended almost as soon as it had started. His eyes opened but rather than seeing his father in his personal office in the roost, he was back in the den. His father was showing him a trinket around his neck.

"This, I'timad, is a masir. It is a very unique astronomical clock. A beneficial tool to my work."

The young griffin stared in awe as if he was reliving the moment. But it wasn't reliving the moment. It was as if he had been transported back in time. He wasn't himself but rather a younger version of himself. Details he might have missed before now stood out to him. How proud his father looked sharing this special accessory with him. How loved he felt in the moment. Small things he didn't really notice as a young griffin. Once the memory came to an end, he fell back to the present. He reopened his eyes to see his father smiling brightly.

Good. Very good, I'timad. I think you'll pick up on this just fine." Nimat nodded his head in approval. "Now. Let's access a dream. And I don't mean overnight thoughts or visions. No, I'm talking about potential dreams for the future. This is a little trickier than accessing memories. The easiest way to get accustomed to tapping into dreams is start with something small. Something fresh with a high chance of happening."

"Alright. What would you suggest?"

"How about your first assignment as syd alqadr?"

I'timad took a moment to think about it. "I suppose that will work."

"As before, place your toe on the impression. You'll feel that humming sensation again. As before, you'll feel a sort of tugging. Don't fight it. Just let it take you."

I'timad took a steadying breath and closed his eyes, his toe gently resting on the impression as before. As expected, the humming surged again and that pulling feeling started coursing through his mind. But it was subtly different. He could tell it was being pulled forward and not backward. "Remember to focus," his father prompted. He cleared his mind, focusing on what his assignment could be. Where it would take him. Just as before, the sensation of "falling through time" ended almost as soon as it had started. When he opened his eyes, he was among tall grass. A pride of lions stood gathered around a pond. The breeze he felt was cool so he assumed it was fall or possibly early winter. More than that, the lions didn't startle at his presence. They acted as if he had always been there. Was this really in the near future? As his thoughts wavered, the dream started to ebb away. Before he knew it, he was slipping back into the present. His father gave him a small smile.

"It's alright, I'timad. As I said, the dreams are a little harder to access. With more practice, you'll get the hang of it."

"I could see it, I just... it didn't seem likely to happen so soon."

Nimat looked thoughtful. "What did you see?"

"There was a pride of lions. It was autumn or possibly winter. They gathered around a pond. They were...comfortable with my presence. As if I had been there for a while."

"Well." Nimat smiled brightly. "It seems I was right after all. You, my dear son I'timad, have a destiny to fulfill. Remember. The masir is merely an accessory to a syd alqadr." Stepping forward and taking the masir from I'timad, he leaned back and gingerly placed the intricate clock around his sons neck. "I'timad the Reliant. You will do great things. I have seen it. You are a syd alqadr, master of fate."