Aether Beasts

[Short timeskip after next chapter.]

Compared to the solar absorption technique and the patterns it involved, the aether change techniques were simple. Zirani wanted me to learn a few simple techniques such as a poison and paralytic cloud, and a technique that would allow me to create edible food such as fruit just in case of an emergency. It wasn't like I needed much food, but as she said, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"This shouldn't be too complicated," Zirani explained. "I don't need to transfer this to you since you are at a stage where this should be relatively easy for you to understand and replicate."

She wasnt wrong. I had been practicing for two weeks using the exercises she had taught and had been using green scan since my time in the tower. Combined with my deeper understanding of aether and techniques, it was time to follow her actions, and only seconds after she was done, I too had the pattern formed. It was pretty basic as far as aether change techniques went, but effective.

She nodded and sent me a mental message to release the technique.

We both blew out and a thick blackish-purple cloud of smoke poured from our mouths. It was a form of poison that would cause severe pain and extreme damage to the lungs. It was primarily meant for humans, but any beast who had lungs could be affected.

The next technique was a yellowish smoke that would paralyze anything that came into contact with it, at least anything made of flesh and at lower to mid-level. After a certain point, weaker poisons just wouldn't work against arcanists of a higher level.

Zirani actually had me stick a hand in paralytic smoke just to test it, and I confirmed that it did indeed still affect me, though it didn't last for that long once I took it out and was more like a feeling of pins and needles and muscle cramping rather than an electric surge as I'd expected.

"Is there any smoke techniques for a quick getaway?" I asked. I didn't have a form of dark vision yet, but even without that, the ability to obscure someone's vision would be a great ability even if I already had the solar flare technique. Having two of something was usually never bad, and there might very well come a time where I didn't have any solar energy stored, and it wasnt day. There was also the fact that solar flare was to blind while a smoke screen would be to obscure

Zirnai agreed and taught me a simple smoke technique that actually muffled sound as well, though I could take that aspect out. It wasnt like I had been back at the steel heart camp when she had first tried to teach me a technique involving aether change. Now I actually understood what she was showing me and could make adjustments.

"Alright, now onto the food." Zirani knelt and placed a hand on the ground. "You don't need to be around fertile land to do this, but it cost less aether if you are. I'll teach you both ways.:"

To her surprise and joy, she only needed to teach me the first as I managed to figure out the second by myself. I couldn't hold back the smile. Seeing the training pay off always lifted my mood.

"This must be amazing for the green court," I pointed out. "Able to grow crops so easily."

"You've no idea," Zirani replied."We grow and export the most food out of all the lands beyond the great scar. Usually for trade."

A wistful smile came to her face. "I can't wait till you see it. Fields of bright red apples, modified and changed to be the perfect blend of flavors. Fruits and other crops were made by the court for different purposes from simple great taste to healing, combat, and even more sensual reasons. There so many different types, that we'd been here for a while if I tried to go over them all."

"It sounds amazing." I smiled. "I take it as the daughter of a prominent member, we shall have access to such things."

"Prominent is an understatement, more like queen."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well that doesn't put any pressure on me to impress now does it. She won't behead me if I displease her will she?" p and a

Novel Zirani rolled her eyes. "You read too many old-world fantasy books. She's more the grind your body and turn you into fertilizer type."

I waited for her to laugh, but she kept a straight face. Not to self, do not piss off her mother.

After we were done with those techniques, we moved on to something that I had been looking forward to ever since the tournament back in West Vale. Zirani had gone on and on about the importance and benefits of the warp seed but in the months since we had used it, I hadn't really seen any of its power, apart from recently when she had teleported us out of the labyrinth, but that wasn't what I wanted to see.

"I know you're eager, but there's just one last thing before we move on, ok?"

"I'm all ears," I answered.

"I need to teach you the pattern sets I use when it comes to wood manipulation."

I blinked, not having expected that, although now that I thought about it, she hadn't said she was going to teach me any more conventional nature techniques, not that she really needed to. There were dozens of techniques I could create with the patterns sets I already knew, and the knowledge Zirani had taught me. I had just been holding off since she had said I shouldn't make too many.

"I know I said that," Zirani said, reading my thoughts. "But this is different. When it comes to wood manipulation, the higher-level methods are a lot more free form in nature, no pun intended, and with the sets you already have, when you get what I'm about to transfer over, you won't need to create wood techniques like shield or wall. The manipulation of wood as a whole will become more and more natural to you. When it comes to most arcanists, there is a point where they let go of more simple techniques. A higher-level fire arcanist will not care for a fireball technique as his manipulation of fire as a whole will allow him to make any kind of simple fire attacks such as a fireball or a flaming lance or arrow. We, arcanists at the higher levels, are able to weave origin patterns in such a way that we no longer need the static patterns as some say, that you currently use. Normally, you would learn this at such a young age, but as you said you don't want to wait years, and you are talented enough that it won't be impossible as it would be for the average arcanist. Don't misunderstand though, it will take time, and I won't be transferring anything involving it over as there is too much and it is too big of a risk. Start off simple and work your way up. With time, it will become easier and I predict you will get the hang of it even sooner than I did, though I suppose it's like that in all regards. You three have been progressing at a ridiculous speed that is only seen in the upper echelons."

"Like you?"

She nodded with a roll of her eyes. "Yes like me, but don't think I'm some sort of coddled princess."

I snorted. "As if. I know you, and you don't fit that picture, although you did say for your first three hundred years you were sort of a pacifist. I'd loved to see some memories of that."

She suddenly grew very quiet and her smile faltered as a sad expression appeared in her eyes.

"Zirani." I walked closer to her. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."

She shook her head. "It's not that. I enjoyed those times, it's just the ending and what caused me to pursue becoming a jungle queen that causes me grief."

"Well you know I'm always here if you want to talk about it," I said.

She smiled and gave me a quick peck on the lips before taking a few steps back. "Now, brace yourself. This won't be anywhere near as bad since it's just a few sets, but it won't be pleasant either."

"I'm ready whenever you are. Oh, and what about everything else, like plant matter?"

"That's not as simple," Zirani said. "And when it comes to that it's a lot more complicated and as I've explained creating different plants and parts of plants involves changing the aether. Simple plant matter like that which makes up a lashing vine or the shell of an impact seed is easy to create and you probably could learn free from manipulation of them if you wanted to. Remember I was at the seventh level, but I don't know everything. What I can tell you is that once you reach a high enough level like them things such as this become no less easy than breathing or so I've been told."

"As easy as breathing huh, perhaps one day."

"We won't reach that day if you keep talking to yourself." Zirani chuckled.

I coughed. "Sorry. I'm ready, go ahead."