AETHER BEASTS

Chapter 173

Zirani's mother had once told her that she'd know when she found the one, the person who she would love. At the time, Zirani had brushed her aside, and ignored her. She hadn't cared for that sort of love back then, just the green. She had been a free spirit and as much as many thought her naive, she wasn't hated by anyone in the verdant court. In her aunt's court, yes, but not her mother's.

Life had been well, and for three hundred years she had stayed safe in the lands of the court, protected by the greatest nature arcanists around, and above all of them stood those two. She had only ever uttered their names twice, and both times she had regretted it. To attract the attention of one of them was to be like an insect under inspection, feeling utterly helpless as something beyond your understanding looked down at you. That was one of the reasons she had made sure Aiden and the girls never uttered such names, even thinking them was too dangerous as the intent could be sensed.

The simplicity and peace hadn't lasted, and things had changed. She still remembered that night. The blue fire, that titan of burning flame striding across the land like something out of a legend. The screams, the pain she had felt from the green. In these lands, the plains, the green wasn't really alive, not like it was in her lands which were far richer in aether. She heard them all that night. The green for miles had been screaming.

That had been her wake-up call.

She had died that night as she had watched the king and queen appear to do battle with the Titan of blue fire.

The peaceful dryad had died that night, and the jungle queen had been born.

She had dedicated herself wholly to becoming stronger, and against all odds she had caught up and surpassed all her peers, even going against her mother and heading to her aunt's court to train. That had been hell, but when she'd left, she had been far greater than before, even if a part of her had died there.

Through all of it, she had abandoned the idea that she would ever love. She would dedicate herself to the court, to her lands, and to her people. A vigilant guardian, a ferocious hunter, a kind friend.

Then, of course, she'd picked an unfavorable fight and things had escalated. She had ended up in the plains. She still didn't know exactly how it had happened, but she knew one of the causes had been that damn spatial arcanist and the breaking of the gateway.

Whatever had happened had left her in a sorry state with barely a scrap of aether and a body that had been in the process of failing, but she had survived. Somehow, a coreless arcanist with the right bloodline had found her. They had bonded and the rest was history.

She smiled as she remembered those first few weeks, and how she had felt. Things had slowed down compared to her life back home and she had time to try and love. With someone like Aiden, it had been easy to fall in love. He had been so honest and naive. There had been times she had wanted to smack him over the head and other times where she had wanted to hug him in pity.

That boy was no more though.

After the encounter with the hag, or maybe as far back as the twin horn elder. He had realized what he needed to do, and in that month, he had changed as he accepted everything.

She watched as he approached the burning sands sect arcanist who had so idiotically pointed at him.

The way he held himself, his stride one of utter confidence and a belief and hope in his ability. He deferred less to her now and no longer saw her as something unreachable.

The boy was dying, the man was being born.

'He'll make a fine leader one day.'

He had the qualities even if he didn't realize it, and the others had accepted their place at his side. Both held amazing potential, both in future power and position, though it was more uncertain for Misty.

She knew enough to know that the girl's bloodline and abilities were of a royal lineage. Whatever the artifact that had changed her had been, it must have been something very powerful.

A full transformation and an absolutely clean one at that were not a common occurrence. The change was often hard and one out of three died while it was more than likely the other two would join the masses.

Very rarely did one of common blood become a Crimson Lord or Scarlet Lady. They did not permit others to join their ranks so easily.

All three had challenges ahead of them, but somehow she had a feeling they'd get through it.

It was rather comedic to watch Aiden so easily overpower the arrogant arcanist, not just in physical and arcane power, but in sheer presence. Aiden probably thought that all the stares were because of his arcane power, but that wasn't it. It was his presence and everything else that drew gazes. In the masses of coal, he and the others were like shining diamonds.

Misty's features and hair attracted the gaze of many men, most leers, but there were those who looked at her like she was a beast. The smart ones.

There was Sandra whose hair was dark as night and eyes of emerald that would attract most eyes.

As Aiden caught a punch from the arcanist as though he were a child, Zirani felt her roommate stir. She turned her attention to the lost queen. The beast or whatever she was had been very quiet as of late, though from Aiden's memories, she saw that she had been adamant about purchasing something, a piece of glass that refracted light into different colors. Maybe that could use that to get her to talk or cooperate.

There had to be something as Zirani didn't really want to force the lost queen, even if she deserved it. She didn't think Aiden would go for it anyways. He had an extreme dislike of slavery or being forced to do something. He valued not just his own freedom, but freedom in general.

The burning sands leader cursed and Zirani held back laughter as he began to form a technique pattern. It was a condensed gout of flame, but as most techniques were in the plains, it was crude, wasteful, and took too damn long. Aiden could have killed him ten times over by now, but he just watched, his own amusement matching hers.

Once the arcanist was done he pushed a hand forwards, and Aiden caught it with his own, palm to palm. He had covered his own palm in a layer of igni wood, and Zirani enjoyed the shocked look on the arrogant arcanist's face as his technique did absolutely nothing.

"I think you should end this now," Zirani said mentally.

Aiden agreed and his knee rose and met the arrogant arcanist's private area. Zirani could imagine the winces on everyone's faces as the arcanist's face froze and he let out a sorry little whimper before he toppled.

Aiden yawned and turned to the others who quickly took a step back.

With the problem solved and the obstacle out of the way, Aiden and the others continued on to the hotel.

"How dull," The lost queen said, surprising Zirani. "He didn't even kill or maim him."

"You truly are a violent person you know that?" Zirani questioned.

"Better than a tree-hugging dryad."

Zirani rolled her eyes. "Oh, how original. If you truly think of me in such a way then you must be delusional."

The lost queen snorted. "I will admit you are powerful, but compared to me you are nothing."

"The only reason you could be me is because of your overwhelming power," Zirani replied. "Not because of skill. Anyone could do what you did if they had your power, most probably better."

"How dare you—"

"How dare I what?" Zirani waited. "You're trapped in here forever, there's no leaving. Why don't you do yourself a favor and stop with this childish act of silence, and ignorance? It's clear as day that you're hoping for something that isn't going to happen."

The lost queen didn't respond but Zirani could tell she was still listening.

"If you want more freedom then cooperate, who knows maybe you'll change, as unlikely as that is."

"I will not be a servant or puppet to that boy," The lost queen ground out. "And certainly not some wench that he can beckon whenever he wishes

"who said anything about being a servant or a puppet, and you know he is not that type of person," Zirani said. "I am his equal and who knows, maybe you could be one day. If you help him achieve his goals. We could force it from you."

The lost queen tensed and there was a tinge of fear.

"But we haven't. That should tell you something about us, mainly Aiden. We are not like you or the twin horn, remember that. Oh and if you try and force Aiden into a deal then consciousness and morality be damned, but I will do everything I can to have your personality and everything you are torn from your power. I know it is possible and with my mother's connections and sheer wealth it could be done."

There was a burst of overwhelming fear before everything went silent. The lost queen had blocked herself off.

'That should give her something to think about.'