Aether Beasts

I was awoken in the middle of the night by someone shaking me.

"Aiden damn you, wake up!"

I blearily opened my eyes and for a second I didn't recognize the black-haired girl in front of me, but then i noticed her emerald eyes that shone in the low light.

"Fucking finally," She muttered. "How the hell did the shouting and fighting not wake you up."

Shouting and fighting? I stared at her in confusion for a moment before the sounds outside the tent registered in my ears and my eyes widened. Screaming, shouting, and the sounds of steel on steel. I bolted up and without hesitation began to form bark armor around my hands and legs.

"What happened? Beasts?"

She shook her head. "Twin horn."

She spat the words with venom.

"It's a raid. They attacked in the middle of the night, luckily a sentry saw them, but we need to leave now."

"Leave? we need to help," I said, moving to rush past her and out of the tent.

"Idiot," She hissed. "They have at least triple our numbers and that includes the merchant's guards. If we stay we'll kill some, but we won't live. I sensed at least two mid-stage second core arcanists, and one peak stage. Elder Samuel won't be able to beat them. If we don't leave now, then we die."

I stopped, and turned back to her, my hands shaking. I wanted to run out there and fight, but her words stopped me. I suddenly felt someone else surge to life in my mind.

"She's right Aiden," Zirani said. "We can't take them as we are. We need to go."

I stilled my shaking hands and took a deep breath. "Ok."

"Ok?" Sandra asked. "As in ok we can get out of here?"

I nodded. "Yeah, though I have to ask why did you come for me?"

I saw Sandra as a friend but I was surprised she'd come for me. We weren't that close.

"I woke Lucas first, then went to the elder but he was in combat at that point, so I came to you next. It's always good to have allies with you and I've fought alongside you two so who better, now enough questions we need to hurry. Lucas is waiting for us."

I nodded and we moved out of the tent. The camp was a warzone. Arcanists clashed with one another, and techniques flew, fire lighting up the night as the earth trembled and even an occasional bolt of lighting or beam of light flew. There were corpses littering the ground and people screaming for help. I saw one older woman being dragged away by two twin horn disciples as she pleaded for help. My anger rose and I looked around wildly, wanting to help, wanting to fight, but I felt Sandra tugging at my arm.

"Let's go."

I grit my teeth, wanting to shout in rage.

I turned to follow her, my eyes moving about as we did. I wasn't looking where I was going so I ended up bumping into her.

"Sandra?" I asked. "Why did you stop?"

She didn't respond, and I looked forward as I looked around her form. I felt the blood drain from my face and my mouth fell open as I saw Lucas' dead body laying on the ground, a twin horn sect disciple rummaging through his pockets, a sick smile on his face. I moved to step forward, but Sandra's hands stopped me and she turned to run in another direction. I stared after her then glanced back at Lucas. He would never get to see his sister or mother again. I felt my anger rise and I took a step forward, but Zirani's voice stopped me.

"He's second-core Aiden. We can't beat him. I know it feels like the coward's choice, but we must live to fight another day. I promise we'll get revenge, but please don't let your anger blind you to the current situation.

Goddamnit, it all! Why had this happened?

I felt a tear of frustration leave my eye as I turned and ran after Sandra. My heart thumped in my chest and the tornado of emotions threatened to send my head spinning as the sounds of battle and screaming sounded behind me.

"Don't stop, Aiden," Zirani said, her voice completely calm and serene.

I ran and I ran, disappearing into the trees as the sounds grew fainter and fainter. I didn't even know if I was following Sandra or if she had gone off in a different direction, but I didn't care. I just kept running. The memory of the gale wolves and my run from them seemed to play over and over in my mind as though mocking me. I'd thought I'd grow stronger but here I was once again running because I was too weak.

I don't know how long I ran but eventually, I spotted a dark shape in front of me. I froze, unsure of what to do, but then the figure burned and I saw the emerald eyes of Sandra looking at me. I let out a sigh of relief and moved up to her.

"I thought I'd lost you," I said, my voice raw. Had I been screaming? Crying?

Sandra didn't respond, instead, she just turned and began jogging into the forest.

"Should I follow her?" I asked Zirani.

"Yes, for now. We can figure something out when we're further away from the camp."

I took one last look behind me, seeing smoke rising up into the sky and an occasional flash of light from what I thought were probably techniques before I turned and followed Sandra into the night.