Aether Beasts

Zirani and I ended up having quite a nice time just relaxing together, and after an hour or so, I stacked up two plates full of food and brought them back to the tent. Fighting, training, and the thrill of using the aether was good and all, but I had to admit sometimes it was stuff like this I wanted. Just relaxing and being near the people I loved. It was still hard to believe sometimes that Zirani and I had only known each other for about two weeks yet we were already so close. I'd never stop being grateful for the fact that I'd found her and that she was in my life and I was happy to know that she mirrored my emotions.

At the start, I hadn't wanted to say it, but the bond had been odd, and the fact she could read my thoughts was disconcerting, but now, I didn't care, in fact, I liked being linked this closely, and now I could read her emotions, and although I wasn't able to know what she was thinking exactly, I could get a good impression of it.

We finished up our food quickly and I ended up getting us some dessert as well, after which Zirani pushed our plates to one side of the tent and shot me a smile. We'd been eyeing each other all throughout our dessert and she'd licked off her spoon in a rather suggestive way that had definitely heated up the atmosphere of the tent. She leaned back and pushed her chest forward shooting me a sly look and stretching leisurely.

I knew what that look meant and was about to move in closer when a voice reached me.

"AIden!"

I frowned and shot Zirnai a confused look, but she just shrugged. I left the tent and was surprised to see Kara, the disciple who led us to the camp, looking around, presumably for me. Her two friends which had been with her when we'd first met were no were in sight and Kara had a worried look on her face,

"Kara?"

She turned to me and a relieved look crossed her face when she saw me.

"Thank god I found you," She said.

"Is something wrong? Does elder Kayling want to see me?"

She shook her head and a mix of emotions flashed across her features. "That girl you were with, you know the one with the attitude, Sandra I think her name was."

I nodded, an unsteady feeling starting in my gut. "Yes, what about her?"

"Well, I was in the bounty house, looking over the boonies when she stormed in, headed to one of the boards, and snatched up a bounty then left. At first, I didn't really care, but then I noticed which one she'd taken. It was an extermination request for an aether beast, a two-core aether beast, a troll of some kind if I remember correctly."

My eyes widened as I processed her words. Sandra wasn't an upfront fighter, and wouldn't stand a chance against a two-core beast, especially a troll, who would have a strong defense. I'd seen her attacks and while she was fast, all it would take for her to die was one solid hit. She didn't have any good defense. It was her speed and agility she relied on. Why the hell had she taken on a bounty like that? It couldn't be because of her conversation with Zirani, could it?

"Has she left already?" I asked, not trying to hide the worry in my voice.

Kara nodded grimly. "She did and with her speed, she'll reach it in a few hours. The payout for the bounty is high, but either she's stronger than I thought, or she's suicidal. I just wanted to let you know."

"Well thank you," I replied.

Kara left after that and I entered the tent to find Zirani's face set in a grim expression with an edge of annoyance. "I should've expected her to do something stupid like this. She isn't going to be able to control it, the silly girl."

"All right Zirani you need to tell me what's going on," I said firmly.

"We don't have time," Zirani replied. "We need to get to her quickly. I'll explain everything once she's safe. Honestly, I knew that girl could be foolish but this is just idiocy. Then again perhaps I should have been a bit more careful."

I let out a sigh. "How are we going to catch up to her?"

"About that, I put tracking arrays on both of them."

I blinked in surprise. "Both of them? I can get how you did it to Misty, but Sandra?"

Zirani nodded. "When she was first passed out, now come on, let's get away from the camp then I'll lead the way."

For a moment I wondered about just leaving her, but then I immediately pushed that thought away. Sandra was a friend even if our relationship was odd, and a lot of things had happened. I wasn't the type to leave her, hell even if we hadn't gone through all of that and she was just a regular friend I'd probably still do. Some might call it stupid but that's just the type of person I was for better or for worse. She wasn't going to be able to beat a two-core troll, not with the way she fought, although that comment of Zirani had been odd, and I probably would have asked about it, but as she said we didn't have time.

She entered back into her heart and I left the tent. Misty was waiting for me there, and I gave her a very quick explanation of what was happening. To my surprise, she wanted to come along and I ain't about to refuse or question her. She was fast, and deadly when she needed to be.

We quickly left the camp, and when I was far enough away, Zirani manifested and we began our chase after Sandra, hoping we made it in time.