AETHER BEASTS

[Some more good news. I've got five chapters ready for release tomorrow, and it will three to five chapters a day for the rest of the month. That's not a joke either, If you're reading Growth&Boost then you know.]

Sandra wondered how long it would take before they finally grew confident enough to approach and try and talk with her. They had once before, but she didn't understand their language so hadn't responded. Then they'd tried violence. It hadn't ended well, and afterward, she'd broken free and after being recaptured was back here. So far, she'd made some progress on her bonds, and knew in another day or two she could break free if they didn't move her or increase her chains.

So far the only times they came close was to give her food that she didn't need to eat nor did she eat it. They'd gotten angry, but hadn't risked coming close. If they tired from a distance, then she'd burn a lot of aether, and break free quicker. It was one of the reasons she hadn't yet left. She could, but it would take a lot of aether, and since wherever she was didn't have any ambient aether, she only had her current amount and those in her spatial ring, which luckily was still with her.

Most of her time was spent looking around, trying to get a better sense of things. So far, she had the basic layout, and she was in some sort of camp outside a city. When she'd been trying to escape, she'd seen walls, but it made her wonder why they were outside and inside. It didn't really matter, but she had nothing else to do.

Aiden was still getting closer, and at his current speed he'd arrive in a few days, but hopefully, she'd be free by then and on her way to him. She still wondered where she was. It definitely wasn't the great scar, and a part of her didn't think it was anywhere on the continent or maybe even the world. It would have sounded stupid and ludicrous if she wasn't aware that other worlds existed. Her time with Zirani and the others had taught her a lot.

"Get back to the others, then go from there."

*****

Hojin wasn't a good person, not even a little. He was a pirate, he raided, killed, and took whatever he wanted. Only those more powerful than him could boss him around, and in the crew, only the first mate and captain were above him, so he got a good pick and share of all the loot.

He was a minor mage born with some modicum of power, and at a young age, he realized it was forced service in the army of his nation or a life where he could do whatever he wanted. The correct choice had been obvious to him.

They'd been following the merchant vessel for a few hours as it tried to escape, but the wind was on their side, and their ship was made for hunting, not carrying a ton of cargo. So, they'd caught up and up even as the weather workers on the other ship pushed themselves to the limit trying to get the ship to go faster.

Then things had gone wrong. It had started with a rocking, the ship had tilted as if something had hit its side. They'd rushed and found nothing, but when they turned back, stood before them was the most beautiful woman Hojin had ever seen. However, his lust had been overwhelmed by a feeling of absolute fear. His instincts had told him to run, run and run as fast as he could and never to stop.

Many had tried to jump ship only for their bodies to disobey them. They'd been frozen and the beautiful women with eyes of crimson walked among them. Her stride of a wolf among sheep, no a dragon among sheep. Whenever she met the eyes of one of them, they flinched, some cried, and others begged, but all she did was tilt her head to the side, a confused expression overcoming those magnificent features.

Hojin didn't consider himself unlucky, but many times in his life things had seemingly gone against him. As the crimson eyes woman walked the deck, she stopped in front of him. She was even more beautiful up close. Maybe she was a siren or a mermaid. That was still terrifying, but not all of them were bad. Then she smiled, and he saw the fangs.

He couldn't even scream as she placed a hand on his head. The last thing he felt was a tugging on his mind before everything went black.

*****

Zirani didn't know what was going on. In all her many years, she'd slept plenty and been through many experiences, some involving dream walking and other arts that were performed when the mind was in a different state. Though after reaching a certain level, sleep had become a comfort, not a necessity. Except, this time it was different. She could tell she was asleep, but couldn't wake herself up. Everything was hazy, though slowly clearing, and she felt thin. Stretched, and like all her energy was being pushed into keeping her together.

She'd felt this before when she'd ended up in the northern plains before Aiden had found her. Her body had gone into an energy-saving state where all functions not needed for survival were shut down, and all energy was pushed into the parts that needed to keep working. It wasn't as bad as then, but still, it was worrying.

But that wasn't all. There was something else. Something familiar. She'd felt it before, back in the labyrinth. A form of energy that her ancestors from a different world had used before aether had changed them. That worried her as well, but what was more concerning was Aiden. She could sense him, but he was far, far away. Too far.

She remembered the great scar and the incident with the alchemist. They were alive but split up. The question was where? Where it was, she needed to wake up and get to him. She wouldn't last like this, and he needed her. The others needed her. She pushed at the edges of this mental cage created from exhaustion and lack of aether. It was risky, but she had the reserves for a few weeks at least. She could get to him, she hoped.

As though she was trapped in a bubble, she slowly began to push out until she felt the pop.

Zirani's eyes shot open, and she awoke.