Aether Beasts

I was flying high the next day from the previous night's events. We'd spent the better part of the entire night enjoying one another, and by the end, I felt like a dry husk as the four of us slept in a pile.

We didn't let our passions cloud our minds from the goal though and the next day we were up and ready for training early, despite the lack of sleep. We were all at the second level of infusion which meant we didn't need as much sleep as a normal human, and that would only increase as we got stronger. I knew Zirani was looking forward to the day we hit the third level as our bodies would change drastically, far more than they had for the first two. We would get a large boost in all physical aspects and mental as well, but the biggest bonus would be the fact that we would no longer need food or water to survive. Our bodies would be able to live on aether and aether alone, although I would still be eating food since I wasn't about to give that up.

To get to that point we needed to finish our training which was currently focused on advanced and affinity sets.

"I'm going to teach you one at a time," Zirani said as she paced in front of us. "You all have different affinities and different fighting styles so while you may be learning some of the same sets you will also be learning sets I think are best suited to you. Aiden you'll be last as our training will be more in-depth. I want to make full use of the environment and teach you more about nature as you learn the sets."

"Should we continue the meditation as usual?" Sandra asked.

Zirani nodded. "Always. You need it if you want to reach the third level by the end of this week and be ready to form your second core, speaking of which, while I'll be gone with Aiden for the majority of the day, when I return if you have any questions about affinities or want to discuss things then please ask. It's crucial we get you the right affinity for your second core."

I knelt and meditated while Zirani focused on Misty and Sandra. I took slow deep breaths and just let myself relax, which was very easy since after yesterday a lot of the stress I'd been feeling had vanished, and not just because of the pleasure but also because the three had come together.

I'd always been worried that things might not work out and that they wouldn't be able to share me, which was a shocking thing in and of itself, and that one of them might end up remaining just a friend, which stung more than I expected. I hadn't known them for long, but we'd been through so much together in such a short span of time. I was glad to know that I wouldn't have to give any of them up. My aunt was probably going to freak out when I visited her, which I would before I headed to the border cities because I imagined that once I crossed the great scar I wouldn't be able to return for a few years or until I was strong enough that I could go it without an expedition.

"Aiden get up."

I snapped my eyes open after what must have been an hour or two to find Zirani looking down at me. "Come on, it's time we began the second half of your foundation."

Misty and Sandra seemed to be deep in their own training, forming patterns far more complex than the origin patterns we'd been practicing from the base sets.

"I'm going to teach you the advanced sets first," Zirani explained as we jogged through the floor. "You can practice those as we move, and after I've taught you I think you need to know then I'll teach you the affinity sets. I'd rather you have a deeper knowledge of nature before you begin with the affinity set as it should help."

The advanced patterns were a lot more complex than the origin patterns, though their use was similar. They were patterns that were very commonly used and the best for certain types of techniques. Just like Zirani had said before, arcanists beyond the great scar had figured out long ago which patterns were best used, though there were those who used unconventional patterns, they were the minority, and most times it was for noncombat, though not always.

The advanced sets she was teaching me were very varied as unlike Misty or Sandra, my fighting style was a mix of everything. I'd gotten used to the variety of my techniques and having a lot of options, which Zirani had planned for as it was the way she fought. She didn't stick to one form of combat or possess a specialty for skirmishing, defense, or offense. She wanted it all, and while it would take longer and more effort, the payoff was great.

"Fighting me when I was at full power was a nightmare for anyone at my level or below," Zirani said. "I had a counter to everything, and such a wide array of techniques along with my freeform control, that I was near impossible to defined against me. It's different at the highest levels as one seeks ascension but that's a topic for when you've at least passed the sixth level."

She turned to me with a feral smile. "That was just with my nature affinity, by the time you hit the seventh level you will have three cores and three affinities, which will make you a monster on the battlefield. It took me many years to perfect my arcane arts, but that only means that I can teach you the best of what I know and that you won't make the same mistakes I did."

"I'm not sure what my second affinity will be," I replied. "I've always wanted wind or storm, mainly for the speed and versatility, but what do you think?"

"Both could work." A thoughtful look appeared on her face. "And you are correct in that they are versatile, but don't cross out the others just yet. I doubt we'll come across a time or gravity core, but you never know."

"What exactly can be done with gravity?" I asked, not fully understanding it. I knew what gravity was, but I failed to see what can be done with it. I'd paid close attention in class when it came to the arcane, but I tended to care less about the other topics which were coming back to bite me. "I mean I know what it is."

"Gravity is a powerful force." Her eyes grew distant for a moment as though she was remembering something or reliving it. "I've seen arcanists pull down rocks the size of mountains from the sky, and that's not even a complex use of gravity. It's a terrifyingly dangerous power and very rare."

"So I'm unlikely to get my hands on one by the time my second core is formed?" I asked. "Not to mention I want a bond like yours for my next beast."

"It's very unlikely," Zirani replied. "There are no gravity beasts on this floor, although this tower isn't exactly normal so who knows, maybe on the next floor, we'll run into some. It's definitely something to consider as it is the affinity of time, which would be amazing alongside the space mutation we have. Almost every arcanist I've met that has a space of time affinity will always get the other. I've heard it said by many great arcane scholars that they were meant for each other, something about spacetime."

Perhaps wind and storm weren't the way to go, and time and gravity were what I needed, although as Zirani had just said it was unlikely that I'd get my hands on a time or gravity core. I'd have to think about it.

"How about life or death?"

Zirani's face became ridged at the word death.

"Not death?"

She sighed. "I have a history with the death affinity."

"You seem fine around Misty?" I questioned.

"That's different." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's your decision at the end of the day."

I frowned and stepped closer to her. "Zirani we are partners, lover, you are not my slave or servant. If you think it's a bad choice or will feel uncomfortable then I won't do it. Plus, it's not like I really want a death affinity, I'm just asking out of cursory. It seems very… deadly."

She snorted. "It's the death affinity. If we're talking about the affinity which can cause the most harm to life then it's the death affinity."

That should have been obvious, and I could only imagine what a higher-level arcanist could do with a death affinity. Zirani had talked about destroying mountains and bringing down meteors, and she'd spoken as though it was at her level which it probably was since she had been at the seventh level. Could a death arcanist just wave a hand and kill a town of people.

"Yes they could," ZIrani said, having read my thought. "Though that's the least of it. You're thinking too narrowmindedly again, which is another reason this type of training is important. Believe it or not but those who focus on healing will often take both the life and death affinity as will those who use death for combat"

"Life for combat? Isn't it just for healing?"

She shot me an exasperated look.. "Still so much to learn. We can talk about it later, for now, let's continue on our way,"