AETHER BEASTS

Relief washed over me at the sight of Zirani, not just because I was saved, but because she was ok. Sure, she looked worse for wear, but she was breathing. My relief, however, was short-lived as Zirani collapsed to her knees with a pained grunt.

"Zirani!"

"You whore," Allana hissed as she pressed a hand to her wound and muttered a few words. I watched as the blood stopped flowing, and before my eyes, tendrils of a yellowish substance pushed out from the open, yet not bleeding wound, and moved to the twitching hand that lay on the floor. They dug into the hand and then retracted in a flash.

Allana hissed in pain, but when all was said and done, her hand had been reattached to her arm.

What the hell was this woman?

I strained against my bonds and tried to figure out what was wrong with Zirani when it hit me. Her core, she wasnt able to pull aether from it. The link was still there but frozen, and whatever was blocking me from using my aether was doing the same to her. In fact, it seemed like she barely had enough to stay manifested as she occasionally flickered, and became see-through.

"I must say, I'm surprised you managed to break free of my charm." Allana walked over to Zirani, flicking her hand towards the dagger which moved into her flew into her waiting palm. "You are more powerful than I expected."

Zirani did not, could not respond as she knelt there, gasping for breath and trying to get to her feet.

Allana stopped in front of her, and I felt a tear escape my eye at just how helpless she looked.

"Let us see how much agony I can inflict on you in this form," Allana said sweetly as she leaned down and grasped Zirani's chin to lift her head up. "It's not as though it matters since your essence lies in him."

Allana cackled far more intensely than before, and time seemed to slow as the dagger moved closer to Zirani, its target her face. I felt my body shaking, not with sorrow, but anger. Anger at myself, at this, messed-up situation, and most importantly at this witch.

"Get away from her!"

She ignored my shout, but that would be her mistake as I dug deep into a part of myself that I'd been trying to ignore. I was worried for a moment that I wouldn't be able to do it, but it seemed I still had enough mental control to shatter the wall between me and the lost queen. She was dormant so I sent her the mental equivalent of a scream. That seemed to ake her as she jolted awake and then seemed to take in everything that was happening.

There was anger there, but no screaming or curses.

"Well, well, well," Her feminine voice didn't have the same grating quality as it had before. "Seems like you've gotten yourself into quite the mess. Stumbled right into the den of a hag."

"Help me!" I said.

She snorted. "Why?"

"Because I doubt you'll survive whatever she does," I replied quickly, my heart stopping momentarily as Zirani let out a grunt of pain.

"Please!"

There was silence for a long moment before she responded. "On one condition, you have to stop locking me up."

"Fine!" I shouted aloud. "Just do something!"

She chuckled darkly. "Very well."

My body froze, and a white mist formed a few feet away. It quickly turned into the shape of a tall woman, and then mist turned into flesh and a physical form, revealing the lost queen.

She was stunning, and not at all like the hideous monster I'd expected. Pale, porcelain skin contrasted with dark eyes full of malice and cruelty upon a face more beautiful than any other I'd seen. She had an hourglass figure and her nails were painted black, as were her lips, which curved into a cruel smile, aimed at Allana, who'd turned at the sound of my shout.

The hag, as she'd been called, looked terrified, and stood frozen into shock, the dagger falling from her hand. The cockiness and confidence were all but gone, replaced by fear. I wondered if the hag knew what the lost queen was because, despite her human form, I knew she wasn't human.

"You've come very far for a common swamp hag." The lost queen stepped closer to the hag, her gait elegant, and smooth, like that of a queen's. "But I'm afraid your life comes to end here."

Allana opened her mouth, but no sound came out as the lost queen pointed a single finger at her. A second later, the hag's flesh began to wither rapidly, and in just a few moments she was nothing but a pile of ash on the floor. It was smiler to what had happened to the flesh abominations we'd killed in the tower.

Sadistic pleasure washed through our bond, and I grimaced at the emotion, not wanting any part of it. Despite the fact she'd just saved mine and Zirani's life, I couldn't let myself forget what she was and what she'd done.

The vines loosened and dried up at her death, and once I was free, I immediately rushed over to Zirani, who thankfully only had a deep cut on her cheek. Even so, the sight of that minor wound made my blood boil in anger and I wished that I could somehow bring the hag back just to kill her myself.

"I'm here," I said softly to Zirani, as I pulled her into my arms. She was cold, yet covered in sweat.

"I knew you'd come," She replied in a hoarse voice, her eyelids flickering. "I knew…"

Her words trailed off as she vanished and retreated back into her core, presumably to rest and recuperate.

"Thank you."

The sound of footsteps approaching from behind made me turn, and I stood to come face to face with her for the first time. Despite the anger in her gaze, I couldn't help but marvel at her sheer beauty. I had to look up at her as she was actually taller than me, and up close, I could see that her ears were somewhat pointed, though it was hard to see as her long onyx covered them for the most part.

"Remember your promise," Was all she said in response before she too retreated back into her core.

I was definitely surprised as I'd expected shouting, cursing, and maybe even some threats that I let her go or else she'd kill me, but while the anger was still there, I could also feel just a hint of reluctant acceptance, though it was so weak and brief that I could be sure I'd actually sensed it.

Suddenly, I remembered Misty and Sandra and turned to the door, to see that they had all passed out just beyond the threshold. I cursed and rushed over, but to my joy and relief, they were all just knocked out, most likely due to some sort of defensive measure of the house. I pulled the three of them inside then frowned at the lack of a door. There was no way I would risk leaving them outside the house, in the area with the bird beasts, so I would need to fix this. Luckily, I had a nature affinity.

I picked up the largest piece of wood from the door I'd kicked in then using what little aether I had, created a new door. It took far longer than normal due to this pieces' ambient aether problem, but in the end, I got it done and attached it to the door frame.

I was panting by the time it was all done, and once I'd gotten the others into the bedroom, I collapsed on the rocking chair in the main room, exhausted to the core, mentally, physically, and emotionally

I didn't immediately fall asleep though and spent a long time reflecting on what had happened, and just how close we'd come to death once again. This was like the third or fourth time something like this had happened and once again I'd been unable l to do anything, but rely on luck and something else to save me.

I was weak, too weak, and I realized that I needed to push myself further. I could be doing more and learning more. I was neglecting things I could be using like the lost queen or my bloodline, simply content to follow Zirani's plan, and though there was nothing wrong with that, I needed to do more if I wanted to stop things like this from happening. I knew I couldn't beat everything and that there would be those stronger than me, but I wanted to be able to at least do something. In this case, if I'd known how to use my divine bloodline then perhaps I could have broken free of the vines and ended the hag myself. I should have had a mental shield up, and been more careful when we'd first met Allana. I was letting my growth get to my head as while out there in the plains I faced little difficulty, my goal was beyond the great scar, and the way Zirani talked about it, at my current level, I'd been little more than average.

I didn't want to be average, I wanted to be more.

I needed to be more.

It was that thought that echoed through my mind as I fell asleep.