AETHER BEASTS

It was morning when the three returned and both Sandra and Misty had wide smiles on their faces and their second cores filled up. I was happy for them, but I couldn't help but feel a bit of envy. I understood that I had an impossible core as Zirani put it, but what was the point of it if I couldn't even use it?

"Are you ok?" Misty asked as she walked up to me. "I didn't take too much did I?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine, just eager to get started. We're finally going to be doing some interesting training."

"We are," Zirani confirmed. "And it's a perfect time."

She looked up to the sun and breathed in deeply. "It's bright, and there is plenty of clear space. You two—" She pointed at Misty and Sandra. "—Should continue with the regular exercises and get sued to your cores while I work with Aiden. I will be focusing on him for most of the day and then the two of you tomorrow."

As the two walked off to train, chatting as they did, Zirani walked over to me with a wide smile on her face. "We've got a lot to learn today, Aiden. I've been promising this for a while. I know you're excited but remember to take things slow if needed and not too rush, ok?"

I nodded, full of energy.

"Well, we're going to focus on three major things today," Zirani raised a finger for each as she spoke. "First are solar techniques, second are techniques focused on the changing of your aether, and lastly is the spatial aspect."

I understood two of what she had said, but the first had me stumped. "Solar?"

"Yes." She smiled. "Solar. This is going to change a lot for you and play a big part in how your fight. It is a technique that was created by my mother and granted to those of high position or who have proved themselves in green court. She created it by studying a very common process that many plants go through. Photosynthesis."

Zirani raised a hand and multiple patterns of aether began to form before weaving together into a large whole. Strings of aether worked their way through her body along with other patterns. It was overwhelming to see so much aether being used so precisely, but what happened next left me in absolute shock.

Her skin seemed to glow faintly as a golden light shone around her hand. She aimed her hand, palm facing forward, towards a nearby rock, and then the pattern that had been forming in her hand, was released, and a beam of white light shot from her palm and I was forced to shield my eyes for a moment but I managed to clear my vision just in time to see the sunlight strike the rock and blast it apart.

"That, Aiden, is a solar technique." Zirnai turned back to me. "A technique which utilizes the energy of the sun. The energy is combined with aether which is changed. There are many solar techniques, but to use any you must first learn solar absorption. You need to learn how to absorb the energy, and how to store and channel it. How to combine it with aether. It is not easy, and many have died attempting to use solar techniques. The energy of the sun is no little or simple thing and if you take more than you can handle then you burn up from the inside. It is easier for beasts of the green but I have seen humans accepted by the green court, utilize it before. There are many aspects to it from the burning heat which can match the flames of fire arcanists, or its pure destructive force, its life-giving properties, and more. If we did not share a bond and I was attempting to teach you normally this would take months if not years."

She smiled. "But we do, and a very close bond at that."

I was still glancing over at the rock which was now lying in bits and pieces. That beam of light had moved so fast and struck with so much power. The power of the sun itself, and I could potentially wield it. How the hell had I ever thought the nature affinity was weak? Pa nda

Novel "I'm ready," I promised.

"I can tell." Zirani chuckled. "Now, this next part will be somewhat difficult. I know you can handle it, but you might want to lay down for this. Remembered what happen last time? I'm going to be sending you everything, the patterns, the methods I use, but also my instinctual memory. You will essentially be receiving my skill in Solar absorption, and it's going to hurt and overwhelm not just your mind but your body."

I remembered what had happened when I had first learned green scan, and so I followed her advice and lay down, taking a deep breath and bracing myself for the flood that was about it. It wasnt the pain I was worried about, but the feeling of not being able to even think to focus on anything. That was the worst part of it.

"Zirani, if you can send me your skill and experience then why have me doing these exercises for changing aether?"

It was a question that had been bugging me for a while.

"Because it isn't safe," Zirnai answered. "I have thought about it, and we will be doing something similar, but I need the three of you to have a solid foundation and understanding at least. There have been many arcanists who have tried to go down such a route and usually it doesn't end well. The best path has always been your own. Learning from others is encouraged, and something we all do, but taking their skill and experience completely without any self-growth or without ever having done anything? Negative effects on the soul have been recorded and even mental problems as some forget who they are or their minds are overwhelmed or internally fight themselves. It's a dangerous thing and the only reason I'm so confident is that our bond is incredibly close, and you have the arch-bein bloodline, not to mention the boost your divine bloodline gave us. Even so, I want the three of you to have a good understanding and foundation before that. I'm doing this because as I just said, I'm confident in our bond and as you said, you don't want to wait years."

"Oh."

"That's it, oh?"

I shrugged. "Not much else to say. You are once again the most knowledgeable of us."

"Glad to be your walking library," She said with mock hurt.

"And my lover, don't forget that," I said with a smile.

Zirani tried to hide it, but I could see her smile wanting to break through her stern face.

"Ok enough of that, let me focus." She took a seat and placed my head on her lap. "Just relax and don't panic."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," I replied. "Last time I wasnt about to do anything because I couldn't think or focus on anything."

I waited, trying to calm myself down, as Zirnai closed her eyes and focused in on our bond. I could feel her attention on our link and the reassuring feelings she was sending me. It helped me to calm down which was a good thing too, as a moment later, the flood began.

It was worse than last time as my mind froze and I became nothing more than a passenger watching as thought after thought, information after information, and now instinct entered me and was processed by my mind at a speed that would not have been possible at level one or probably even level two. Patterns, methods, secrets, and certain tips on using the technique flooded the deepest parts of my mind, each being replaced by the next too quickly for me to ever focus on one. It was like flipping through a book. I only got the briefest of glances at each new page, before it moved on to the next and then the next and on and on it went for what felt like hours, but in reality, must have been only minutes since when it came to a stop, and I was able to open my eyes, I saw that the sun hadn't moved much.

My mind was hazy and random bits of information kept popping up until I was finally able to get a grip on things. I cleared my mind and just took long deep breaths for a minute.

"Is it over," I said in a tired voice. "Please tell me it's over."

Zirani leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my brow. "It is, and it went better than expected."

"How long is my head going to feel like this?"

"It should only be a few more minutes, but here, drink this." She held up the lip of a glass vial to my lips and I eagerly gulped down the odd tasting liquid. It was like orange juice but more bitter and with a medicinal aftertaste. "It's something to help with headaches and migraine but it should work for what you've got."

"Once you're ready we can finally begin our training on your solar absorption and then try out of of the two basic solar techniques I sent over before moving on to aether change techniques and the spatial aspect of our core."

Despite the mental fatigue, I smiled, images of me of sunlight coming to mind. I couldn't wait until I got to test this out.