AETHER BEASTS

The hellish training continued on for a week, and each day Zirani introduced a new form of training for us to do.

It started with the elixirs which will similar to those she'd made in the tower however these were greater variants of those and also affected the body more rapidly. She hadn't used them in the tower simply because she thought they'd be too painful and she was already using the baths and mediation technique, however, she was not holding back anymore. She had us taking the elixirs every day, three times a day, with no rest to allow them to settle. The worst was the elixir than increased the gains we'd received from the physical training. It was like a bath but not as bad and starting from inside rather than outside the body. When paired with weights and the aether practice, it made things near impossible for the first few days as my body was constantly bombarded with pain and uncomfortable sensations.

It didn't help that Zirani taught us an improved version of the original meditation technique which involved a similar principle to the first, but this time the pattern was more like a drill entering the core rather than a needle. I actually thought Sandra might give up that first week, but she pushed on. I could feel through the bond that she was determined to stick by me and Misty and not lag behind. She had been given a one-in-a-million chance opportunity and didn't want to squander it. It was the same with Misty who pushed just as hard.

For that first week, it seemed like we would never learn to change our aether as forming patterns and aether manipulation was incredibly difficult, however, slowly but surely we learned to ignore the pain and focus on the training as the body gets used to most things over time, especially when you were actively trying.

Despite all the pain, even within the first week, the results were showing as each time I took the weights off, I felt a lot stronger, and more solid, more durable. The baths and elixirs were definitely working, however, the physical side of things was just one aspect of training and all three of us were looking forward to one thing in particular that we'd been waiting a long while for.

New techniques.

It wasn't like we couldn't make our own, but as Zirani said, there was a reason lower-level arcanists didn't have dozens of techniques, and despite everything we'd learned, Zirani was still far more powerful and knowledgable when it came to the arcane.

"I know all three of you have been waiting to learn new techniques, and well, there's only one more step before we do so." She held up a hand as Sandra opened her mouth. "I know, but this step isn't difficult. Sandra, you need to fill your second core with the gravity essence, and Misty you need to do the same with your second core. The idea we spoke about was very good, and I've seen similar arcanists before."

"I'm going to need blood," Misty bit her lip and glanced over at me. "A lot."

"I'm aware." Zirani nodded in my direction. "Since Aiden doesn't need to fill up his second core, he doesn't need to do this step and will allow you more of his blood than usual."

Misty gave me a questioning look to which I nodded. "I'm fine with it as long as you don't go overboard."

A normal person who didn't know us might have thought Zirani was deciding for me but with our bond, she was able to tell that I would be fine with it. Misty and Sandra's bonds with me were strong but they hadn't fully gotten used to them yet, though I was sure in time they would.

"And what about me?" Sandra asked. "Is there anything different for gravity essence?"

"Somewhat," Zirani replied. "But I will help you in that regard, and hopefully tomorrow we can begin teaching you the techniques that you are most likely going to be using for a while. I want each of you to have a wide variety of techniques, and with the bonds strengthened due to Aiden's divine bloodline, I can share patterns and information far more easily with him which he can then send to you.

However, there is one more thing. This will be the last sort of training regime or period so to speak. As Aiden has said, you three have become quite reliant on me and while that isn't a bad thing, it had limited your self-growth and you are lacking in certain experiences. I won't stop training you, but once we reach the border it will be up to the three of you to continue this type of training. I will be there if you need guidance or a training resource but everything else will be up to you."

"I'm probably going to be getting training from my family," Sandra said. "If they accept me."

"They will," Zirnai assured. "You have that medallion, and there are ways for them to test the legitimacy of your blood, not that they would need to. The strength and purity of your bloodline are clear, and your power will not be lacking."

That night, at the end of the first week, after our baths, Misty drained a fair amount of my blood before heading off with Sandra and Zirnai to fill up their second cores. I chose to stay in the camp, not just because the draining had left me worn out, but also because I wanted to do some more testing with my divine bloodline.

Over the week, I had continued trying to access the power and I was getting close, though there seemed to be one final hurdle that was getting in the way, and I'd spent today trying to figure out how to get over it.

I had come to the conclusion that I couldn't use even a fraction of it, but I would be happy with a drop since even that much was brimming with power. The feeling it gave me every time I was close to accessing it was euphoric in a way. In the battle with the lost queen, I hadn't had the chance to truly savor it since I'd been fighting for my life, but now I truly understood why the hag had called it divine essence. It was like essence but on a completely different level.

If I could just use a little bit of it, maybe to power up my techniques or my body then I would have an edge on everybody else. Right now, both Misty and Zirnai both had abilities unique to them. I wanted something like that whether it be the spatial effect our nature core had or this divine power, and maybe even the ki, if I could ever get the lost queen to talk to me for more than five minutes. We'd spoken some during the week, but our conversations were brief and usually ended with mild threats from her. I was following Zirani's advice and hadn't mentioned anything about the soul or agreements, and good thing too as the lost queen had tried to bring it up multiple times, asking for us to make another deal to allow her some more freedom. I usually ended the conversion then and there which obviously pissed her off. It wasn't looking good, though it was better than it had started, so at least there was that. Baby steps were still steps.

"Maybe if you let me out then I might help you."

The lost queen's voice broke me from my concentration and the divine drop of power retreated back the whole once again.

I felt her amusement and joy at my frustration so I pushed it down. "What, so that you can harm one of the girls, as if."

"I would make a deal not to," she replied. "And before you reject me so casually, I would allow your green whore to make the terms."

"Green whore, how original."

"And yet so accurate," she said in a condescending voice.

"Watch it." My voice was a growl. "I may not be able to lock you up, but I can easily block you."

"Temper temper," she tutted.

I snorted. "Look whose talking, Ms scream your heart out. My ears are still ringing."

That got me a burst of anger from her, but unlike other times she didn't retreat. "So?"

"I'll talk to her, and if it does happen, you will aid me in figuring out how to use my divine bloodline," I said firmly.

"Of course." I could practically hear her smile. "I'm always up to help an insolent child figure out how to walk, though in my lands you'd have been exiled or as you humans say, put down, by now."

Oh heavens, why had I been cursed with her? I wasn't cut out for verbal sparring, especially not with someone who seemed to have an ego as tall as an aether tower.

"And where are your lands?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't think so," she replied. "Unless your willing to trade questions?"

"Perhaps, you're very talkative today, what's changed."

Normally by now, she would be threatening me, or the conversation would be coming to a close.

"Boredom, you try staying inside the core of fool, forced to watch his actions for entertainment." She sighed. "Though your pain and worry does bring me a small amount of joy."

"You're a real angel you know that?"

Anger surged through our bond. "I am no divine puppet, nor a servant of any of the heavens. Certainly, not one of those feathered fools."

I blinked. "Angels are real?"

The lost queen did not reply and instead of deciding to push, I let her retreat. That had been, the first proper conversation I'd had with her that hadn't ended in threats, though she was clearly pissed.

"Baby steps, Aiden, baby steps."