Aether Beasts

"As I'm sure you noticed, Sandra wasn't acting normal against the troll," Zirani said.

"I just assumed it was a technique she couldn't handle, though that dark smoke seemed odd," I replied.

Zirani sighed. "It's her bloodline, Aiden. She's from below the scar."

I blinked. "What?"

Below the great scar? But Sandra was only first core and she'd seemed surprised by Zirani and the things she'd done.

"She came here as a child with one of the expeditions, and somehow ended lost. She can't for the life of her remember how, and when I first met her I thought little of the secret and didn't really understand why she wanted to hide it until I got a good look at her insides. When she was passed out I did a quick check on her and a few things started to come together. Her eyes, her hair, and her techniques. That dart technique she has is a technique the Umbrin Clan teach their children."

"Clan? She's from a clan below the great scar? But you said she got lost, they never came after her?"

Zirani's words were a shock and a surprise but didn't really add up.

"That's what I'd like to know," She replied. "The Umbrin are a powerful family. I don't know much about them, in fact, the only reason I knew Sandra to be one of their ilk is because I've met one of their main family members a while back and she looked very similar to Sandra, not to mention the bloodline makes it clear."

I sat back and tried to process her words. "And you kept this from me, why?"

"Aiden, if you told me a secret then asked me not to tell anyone and I told someone, would you be angry?"

I nodded.

"Then why would you expect me to tell you her secrets? Honestly, I would have if I hadn't made a promise and given her my word not to mention if I told you then she might very well go sprouting our secret."

I sighed. "I get it, but Zirani I don't like the fact that you're keeping things from me. We are literally bonded, body, mind, and soul. It feels weird when you have these private talks and then just ask me to trust you. I do, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it feels like I'm out of the loop and you don't trust me."

She gave me an apologetic smile and leaned in to touch a hand to my face. "I know. I've been treating you as if you were a member of the green court or someone who's familiar with me already, but I shouldn't be. You're right in that we are bonded and that I shouldn't be keeping things from you, but I also hope you understand that sometimes it's necessary or it's because it will make things easier."

"I'm aware. Which is why I let it happen and trusted you, but please if you don't have to keep it from me then tell me. If you believe it's better for a later date or if I do not know then as I said, I trust you. Just make it clear that's why you're keeping it from me and not just say later, because I've no clue if later means a day or a month."

She moved in close and gave me a hug which I returned. "I promise. I may be a four-hundred-year-old aether beast, but remember most of my interactions have been with my sisters and my own kind. Our social norms are different."

"What are we going to do with them?" I asked, glancing over to Sandra and Misty.

"Well Misty's body is undergoing more changes and I suspect that troll blood and essence will speed up the process so I'll probably have to add to her array. As for Sandra."

Zirani shot the sleeping girl a look halfway between anger and sympathy. "We're going to have a talk when she wakes."

"Ok… Well, I'm going to get some food, you want anything?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine, although I might send you a message through our bond when she wakes. She used her bloodline poorly and she's going to be tired, aching, and hungry."

I nodded and left the tent, stretching once I was out. That had been quite the odd little outing, though I was glad everyone was safe and Zirnai and I had worked things out. Even though we were bonded we were going to have problems but if we worked them out like we'd just done then I had no doubts all would be well.

I headed over to get a quick snack, mainly just some steak and veggies with a little dessert.

Afterwards, I headed in search of Kara. She'd probably like to know what had happened and it's not like I was really doing anything anyways. The camp was still lively even as trust night grew closer and the happiness and celebratory air were still there, though a bit dimmer. I ended up finding Kara in the bounty house collecting payment for a bounty.

"Aiden, good to see you, is… Sandra with you?"

I shook my head and I could see sympathy flash across her face but I held up a hand before she could talk.

"She's back at my tent, resting, we managed to catch up with her and actually took the troll down."

Kara seemed taken aback at my words and she stared at me for a long moment. "Just the two of you?"

"No, there were three of us."

"Three," She parroted. "Three first cores against a two-core troll and you won?"

Her voice was filled with incredulity which wasn't a surprise. It sounded fucking ridiculous to my own ears.

"Mhmm, we used a special plan to take it down and an alchemical bomb to negate its healing factor."

"Oh, I see," She replied, some of her surprise fading.

Alchemical bombs and other similar things could be very useful and were often used when fighting beasts with special abilities like regeneration.

"Well congratulations are in order, even with that it's no small feat to take down a troll at your level. It seems Markem is right about you."

"He's still talking about me?"

"Of course, the genius youth from a small plains town that wip[ed the competition in a tournament and led his team to victory. A bit dramatic if you ask me, but people like dramatic."

I winced. "Please tell me he isn't telling everyone?"

She chuckled. "Not everyone, but it's spreading, but don't be worried. Stuff like that helps the mood and brings hope and joy to us. Everyone round here loved a good story about one of our own taking down the twin horn. Plus it gets you recognition and you can do a lot with that."

"I suppose," I replied.

"You should go talk to him," She said. "And you still haven't picked up rewards. You'd best get to that."

We talked for a bit longer before I left. I'd pick up my rewards with Sandra when she went in to collect the bounty. I heaped back to my tent and was just about to enter when I heard Zirani's voice. I considered what to do. I could enter, but why? This was clearly between the two of them and I already knew everything anyways. It was best to return later or so I thought until a message from Zirani came through our bond.

"You can come in Aiden."

I hesitantly entered the tent to find Zirani looking at Sandra with sympathy. The black-haired girl had her face down and a look of shame and regret on her face.

"Now Sandra, what is it you wanted to say?"

Sandra looked up at me and I could see that her eyes were slightly watery.

She took a deep breath then spoke. "I'm sorry Aiden. I'm sorry for being selfish and for acting the way I have. I'm sorry for endearing myself and forcing you to have to come after me."

"And?" Zirani prompted.

"And I'd like to ask if I can come with you and Zirani. She's told me you're planning to go beyond the great scar and I want to come along. I want to return home… please?"

I glanced over to Zirani and tried to convey my confusion to her, but she just shrugged.

"It's up to you," She mouthed.

I looked back at Sandra and thought about it. She was in a way, like me, searching for something, but not her parents, no, she was searching for a way home. She did have an attitude and it's not like we knew each other that well, but could I really deny her? If I said no then her chances of reaching home became extremely low. She didn't have Zirani or anyone for that matter, it seemed. She had her bloodline but from what I'd seen she couldn't control it.

"You can," I began and raised a hand to cut off her reply. "But no more keeping secrets, no malicious actions against me or Zirani and you will do as she says, Ok?"

Sandra nodded happily and before I knew it she was bowling me over in a hug. I returned it, patting her back awkwardly, while Zirani looked on with a smile on her face.

For a second I swear I thought I heard Zirani mutter 'one down, one to go' but it was so faint I couldn't be sure.

As I kept patting Sandra on the back I couldn't help but think of what an odd turn of events today had been.