AETHER BEASTS

"Stop Struggling, this will go much smoother for the both of us if you just accept it."

I ignored the voice and continued to struggle as I was pulled closer and closer to the center of the circle, not that I could do much. With my aether and body locked down by invisible restraints, all I could do was try and tug at them, but it was like I was a child trying to break out of steel chains, no matter how hard I tried, how much effort I put into it, nothing budge.. My heart was beating a mile a minute, and for the first time in a while, I was feeling true fear, the type that sent chills down one's spine. It didn't help at all, that I was unable to feel Zirani. A wall stood in between our bond and I could feel her trying to smash it down, with no luck.

As I drew closer to the figure, my struggles died down as my restraints seemed to tighten. I was lowered to just next to the humanoid beast, but I didn't care much about that or getting a better look as I was too busy trying to figure out what I could do. I didn't have Zirani with me this time, and Sandra and Misty were out for the count.

"Now, remain silent while I prepare you for the transition," The lost king said gleefully, his voice smug with satisfaction. I had no doubt he was enjoying every second of this, and I wanted no more than to strike him down, not that I could in my current position.

My body was turned until I was lying on my back, spread eagle, and then four string of energy with needle tip points formed around the figure, and shot down towards me. I braced for impact, but it didn't help as they pierced into my body.

Bruning agony coursed through me as ki was forced into my body. My bones, blood, core, and everything else were soaked in power and I might have been appreciative if not for the fact that I knew deep down I couldn't handle it, that raw ki was not meant to be used by someone at my level. Zirani had said as much and from the way my body was tearing itself apart, it was obvious it was breaking me down.

I'd felt pain before, but nothing like this. It stopped my thoughts in their tracks, and all I could think of was the pain, so much pain. If I'd been able to make a sound, I would have been screaming. It was like every part of my body had been lit on fire while it was slowly tearing apart. Bones broke and shattered, organs ruptured and muscles tore themself apart. Why hadn't I passed out yet? Why wasn't I dead? Surely this much pain and damage should have killed me by now or at least put me out?

"Almost."

The voice sounded relaxed as it commented on my torment. For what felt like an eternity but was probably only a few minutes, I burned and broke all while Zirani smashed against the wall that had been erected, her blows far greater now as despite the wall, she was probably getting some hint of what was happening.

When the pain died down I did not sigh in relief, and not just because I couldn't. My mind felt numb, and my thoughts traveled at a snail's pace. I was almost certainly in shock.

"Now, time for your souls." The voice giggled. "If you thought that was bad then this next part will shock you."

The voice guffawed at its own words, and before I could even muster a shred of concentration to think on them, I felt a few more of the needle pierce me, but not into my body. I shuddered and felt my fear and pain increase to levels I hadn't known were possible. It was attacking my soul.

I had little strength of body or mind left to muster, but even so, I tried to struggle tried to do anything to stop this as new pain, like lighting flowing through my veins, hit me. I'm not sure if it was because my nerves were destroyed or I'd gone through so much pain already, but the lighting did not feel as bad.

"These pesky seals," The lost king muttered, and I felt him probing my soul, attempting to get rid of something I'd never noticed before. Most likely because I'd rarely had a look at my own soul. The only times I had been during bonding.

A dozen layers of intricate patterns wove around my soul, or a part of it that pulse lightly with golden light. The needles and power that had entered struck and slowly began to destroy and wear down the patterns which fought back ferociously as though they were living things.

"Pesky seals." The voice sounded annoyed.

For a moment I let myself hope that these seals I hadn't been aware of could hold this thing back, but they were shattered as more ki was flung against the seals, and though they lasted for a long while, eventually they broke down under the sheer amount of power being used against them.

"Finally, now I can—"

The lost king did not get to finish his words as the seals which had been holding back something I hadn't been aware of broke, and golden light surged from within me and outwards. I felt the ki attempt to batter it down, but every single bit of foreign power was pushed out, and I convulsed as something began to build up within me.

"No, no, no!" The lost king screeched, the power that had been masking its voice, distorting with its anger. "You were meant to remain still. No matter, I will force you to bend!"

More needles of ki attempted to pierce me, but all were pushed back and some even dispersed by the golden light that was flooding my body. I let out a loud scream as golden light burst from me, tearing my restraints apart and turning them into dust. The wall between me and Zirnai shattered as the lost king screamed, not in anger, but in pain.

"Aiden, what are doing!" Zirani sounded panicked.

I grit my teeth. "I don't know but— Aaah."

I let out another scream as a burning sensation filled my body, though not as bad as the last, and not harmful. The golden light, whatever it was, had started to repair my body. Bones reformed, and torn muscles and tendons knitted themself back together, stronger than before, bathed in this power I hadn't known existed within me.

"Nooo!"

The voice screeched and now with my body free, I was able to turn my head towards the figure of light. Orbs of light had formed around it and they shot down towards my prone body, but I raised a trembling hand and focused willing this new power to act. My eyes widened as a wave of golden light exploded from my hand, intercepting the incoming projectiles and pushing them back. It seemed that this golden power was stronger than the ki the lost king was using, but not by too much as neither form of power seemed to be able to destroy the other, only push them back.

"Aiden, that power, h-how?" Zirani asked in awe.

"I'm not sure," I replied mentally, my voice strained. "But I could use some help."

"My core is changing, growing, I c-can't." The last word was a grunt, and I felt her mind going dormant. "Aiden, i.."

I cursed and turned my attention back to the lost king, trying to think of what to do. Firstly, I got to my feet and somehow ended up jumping several feet into the air.

"What the—"

All I'd meant to do was stand, but it seemed like the boost had been greater than I thought, not that I had a lot of time to think on it as the glowing white being sent a wave of ki at me. I raised a hand and a wave of golden light met his ki, pushing it back once again and dispersing it, but failing to do any sort of lasting damage, or any damage at all for that matter.

I glanced over at Sandra and Misty who had gotten to their feet. It seemed that my power had broken their restraints too or the lost king had released them by accident when I'd broken free. Whatever the case it didn't matter.

"Any plans?" I shouted toward them over the sound of whistling wind. When had that popped up? I looked around and blinked as I noticed the sandstorm we were in. Either my mind had fully healed yet or I'd been too busy with the king to notice.

"The circle!" Sandra shouted poting down at the arcane circle. "The elders are gone, it's the circle!"

I frowned and with a glance at my surroundings, confirmed that the elders had vanished, either they'd run away or been destroyed in my clash with their master. Sandra was right, the circle was probably what was keeping him here since the entire plan had been to get him a body. He still didn't have one so if the circle was destroyed then he would be sent back to wherever he came from.

I forced and brought up the golden light, but the king had not been idle nor was dumb enough that he hadn't realized what I was trying to do. Just as I shot out a wave of golden light around me at the circle, the glowing white figure shot towards me, its hand latching onto my neck.

"You're mine, mine, mine, mine!" It screamed in a childish tone like it was having a tantrum.

"I'm nobodies, but theirs," I said, meaning Zirani and my lovers, just as they were mine. "Now get. The. Fuck. Off me!"

Its hand pulsed with light just as mine did, but it was too late for him as my light had broken the circle, and the figure shimmered, screeching and screaming obscenities as he did. I began to relax as he grew fainter and fainter, but I staggered back as the human figure turned into white light and tried to enter me. I tried to push it back with golden light, but it kept on moving down.

Its voice, no longer masked, echoed in my head. "I will tear your soul apart!"

It was grating but sounded far more feminine than I'd expected.

I tried to calm myself and build up as much of my power as I could, and just as he was about to attack my soul, I pushed it all out. Instead of him being pushed back as I expected, I felt something entirely unexpected happen.

Glowing white light was surrounded by golden light and by some unseen force, began to form into the shape of a core. His or her voice began to fade as a glowing orb of brilliant white light settled down next to my first.

I looked over at Sandra and Misty one last time, words trying to escape my lips but failing as I fell.. The last thing I saw before my darkness engulfed me was golden light surge out of my body one last time, towards the two ladies.