Chapter 155: 141-150

Chapter 141

The blizzard finally abated two hours later, and I was very thankful as I'd grown less and less comfortable in the tight space. It had been cramped with just one of us, but with all four of us, I quite literally had to keep my knees close, and my back against the wall. It also didn't help that I couldn't stand and that the air had quickly become stale, which wouldn't have been as bad if we'd been in a cave back above, but something was up with this piece. There was barely any ambient aether in the cave, and thinking back, it had lessened the further away we'd gotten from Allana's home.

I was the first out and was quickly followed by the others.

Sandra let out a breath. "The cold is gone."

That wasnt quite right, the cold was still there, but it no longer felt like it was attacking us. It was more of a slight chill now rather than the biting cold from before. The land looked a lot more beautiful now and with the blizzard gone, I could acutely see more than a few feet around myself. There wasnt much to our right but more flat terrain covered in snow, but to our left, in the distance, I could make out some trees and behind that a large mountain which spoke to the sheer size of this place. Piece of a world, indeed.

"Alright, let's head back quickly," I said. "I don't want to stay here any longer."

The others agreed, especially Hope, who after waking up seemed to be full of energy and eager to get back home. I had Misty watch over her as she was the fastest and Sandra and I, took up positions beside her, though I was slightly ahead while Sandra took up the rear. If the beasts here had any form of intelligence then they would go for Hope so we needed to limit any chance of that.

"Hope, why did you run from Allana?" Misty asked as we traveled.

"Who?" Hope asked.

"The pretty woman in the house," Misty answered.

Hope looked confused. "What pretty woman? All I saw was an old woman, and she gave me some tea that smelled weird. I drank a bit and it made me feel sleepy so i ran?'

I froze and turned to Misty and Sandra who both had confused expressions, and at that moment I felt myself straining against something, no, not myself, but my bloodline. A sliver of golden power was attempting to break through something that was wrapped around my mind. I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me followed by a feeling of clarity as my golden light broke through whatever had been influencing my mind. Suddenly, things became clear and I felt fear rise as I turned to the other two.

"We left her," I muttered. "We just left her… with a stranger. We believed everything she said."

Both Misty and Sandra seemed to have gone through a similar revelation and I swore their eyes shone golden for a moment.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com"Oh shit," Sandra cursed as Misty shook her head. "She did something to our minds."

"We need to get back there now!" I shouted. "Misty, carry Hope."

I didn't wait for a response and instead began to sprint towards the direction of the home. If I hadn't been bonded with Zirani I wouldn't have known where to go, and perhaps the witch or whatever she was had been hoping I'd get lost? Whatever the reason, she had messed with our heads and there was no way it was for anything but a bad reason.

I was such a fool. I'd so easily fallen under her power and had left Zirani with her. Dozens of possibilities of what could be happening to her raced through my mind, each worse than the last, and increased my speed, using aether burst to enhance myself. I heard the crunching of snow from behind me, so I knew the others were following.

"Aiden look out!"

Despite my focus on getting to Zirani, I had enough awareness left to heed Misty's warning and dodge the snow wolf that leapt at me, mouth open and claws extended. I turned as it hit the snow and jumped once more.

I felt rage that this thing was wasting my time and stopping me from getting to Zirani. I formed a bark spike and stepped to the side, shoving my hand with the spike attached, into its mouth. I felt its mouth snap shut as its whimper was cut off, but I'd formed bark armor all the way up to my shoulder, and while its teeth grazed my skin, they failed to penetrate, and I lengthened the spike while it was still inside the wolf. It convulsed and flayed for a few seconds before it went limp, its jaws slacking and allowing me to extract my blood and gore-covered hand.

I flicked the blood and guts off the spike before dispersing it and turning to the others who'd stopped in shock.

Hope flinched as she met my eyes, but I ignored her fear. "Come on."

If there were any more snow wolves then my gruesome display must have aced them off as none bothered us and we arrived back at the home in only two hours. Still, even that felt like too long and I raised a foot and kicked the door off its hinges, sending it crashing into a wall.

I ran inside and almost immediately fell to my knees as yellowish vines grew rapidly and leapt from a nearby plant and wrapped themselves around me.

"Well, I didn't expect you back for another day or two."

Allana's voice was not the only thing that sounded different as the once pretty woman had shed her fake visage and now stood hunched over in the form of an old woman, face so wrinkled, that it was hard to tell where some of her features weres. Her eyes, however, pitch black and gleaming with malice, were very visible.

"Where's Zirani!" I yelled, my voice strained as I tried to fight against the vines. Where the hell was Misty and Sandra, they had been right behind me. I turned my head and saw that an invisible wall seemed to be blocking them from getting inside, though that didn't stop them from trying to beat it down. Shadow tendrils attempted to pierce through as did Misty's death claws.

It was hopeless though as neither seemed to be doing anything.

"She is in her room." Allan chuckled. "Almost ready for what I have planned. Honestly, I expected it to be done, but here you are."

She shook her head and spoke as though she were scolding a child. "It's rude to interrupt your elders, boy."

"You bitch!" I hissed as I tried to pull aether from my core, but something was blocking it.

At my words, vines from another plant extend and lashed out like a whip to strike my right cheek. I hissed at the pain, that seemed greater than normal.

Allana tutted and shook a boney finger. "That's no way to speak to me, now is it. No matter, I can teach you some manners while I drain you of your divine essence, and well, everything else."

Her last words turned into a cackle, and she pulled a wicked dagger from a fold of the dark robes she was wearing.

I felt my blood run cold as she walked over to me, her mouth open in a smile to reveal black and yellow teeth. I remembered an old-world book full of old-world myths and fables, and one, in particular, had been about a witch who disguised herself as a beautiful maiden to lure in unsuspecting victims. Another that came to mind was about a house made of candy to lure in children.

"I will do so much with what I harvest from you, boy." Allana chuckled darkly. "Perhaps if there's anything left, I'll make some stew, perhaps bonemeal, and some fried liver. I haven't had that in a long time."

I felt sick and made a disgusted face which caused Allana, if that even was her name, to make a face of mock hurt. "What, you don't like dear old Allana anymore. Not pretty enough, nothing for you to stare at. Perhaps I should have a ride to see why those three share you."

My fear increased as the image appeared in my mind, but I banished it as soon as it had formed.

She was only a few feet away now, and as she raised her dagger, I cursed myself for a fool. If only I'd been less naive and more careful.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see anymore. Seconds passed and I heard her chuckle once more as her footsteps stopped and just as I heard the sound of the dagger wooshing down, there was a loud crash followed by a loud curse from Allana.

My eyes snapped open to see that the dagger had fallen from Allana's hand which had been severed cleanly at the wrist, a fountain of blood leaking from the wound as Allana shrieked in clear pain. I turned and let loose a shaky breath as I saw Zirani standing in the doorway, two sets of arms open, and a pissed-off look in her eyes.. "Get away from him, you bitch."

Chapter 142

Relief washed over me at the sight of Zirani, not just because I was saved, but because she was ok. Sure, she looked worse for wear, but she was breathing. My relief, however, was short-lived as Zirani collapsed to her knees with a pained grunt.

"Zirani!"

"You whore," Allana hissed as she pressed a hand to her wound and muttered a few words. I watched as the blood stopped flowing, and before my eyes, tendrils of a yellowish substance pushed out from the open, yet not bleeding wound, and moved to the twitching hand that lay on the floor. They dug into the hand and then retracted in a flash.

Allana hissed in pain, but when all was said and done, her hand had been reattached to her arm.

What the hell was this woman?

I strained against my bonds and tried to figure out what was wrong with Zirani when it hit me. Her core, she wasnt able to pull aether from it. The link was still there but frozen, and whatever was blocking me from using my aether was doing the same to her. In fact, it seemed like she barely had enough to stay manifested as she occasionally flickered, and became see-through.

"I must say, I'm surprised you managed to break free of my charm." Allana walked over to Zirani, flicking her hand towards the dagger which moved into her flew into her waiting palm. "You are more powerful than I expected."

Zirani did not, could not respond as she knelt there, gasping for breath and trying to get to her feet.

Allana stopped in front of her, and I felt a tear escape my eye at just how helpless she looked.

"Let us see how much agony I can inflict on you in this form," Allana said sweetly as she leaned down and grasped Zirani's chin to lift her head up. "It's not as though it matters since your essence lies in him."

Allana cackled far more intensely than before, and time seemed to slow as the dagger moved closer to Zirani, its target her face. I felt my body shaking, not with sorrow, but anger. Anger at myself, at this, messed-up situation, and most importantly at this witch.

"Get away from her!"

She ignored my shout, but that would be her mistake as I dug deep into a part of myself that I'd been trying to ignore. I was worried for a moment that I wouldn't be able to do it, but it seemed I still had enough mental control to shatter the wall between me and the lost queen. She was dormant so I sent her the mental equivalent of a scream. That seemed to ake her as she jolted awake and then seemed to take in everything that was happening.

There was anger there, but no screaming or curses.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com"Well, well, well," Her feminine voice didn't have the same grating quality as it had before. "Seems like you've gotten yourself into quite the mess. Stumbled right into the den of a hag."

"Help me!" I said.

She snorted. "Why?"

"Because I doubt you'll survive whatever she does," I replied quickly, my heart stopping momentarily as Zirani let out a grunt of pain.

"Please!"

There was silence for a long moment before she responded. "On one condition, you have to stop locking me up."

"Fine!" I shouted aloud. "Just do something!"

She chuckled darkly. "Very well."

My body froze, and a white mist formed a few feet away. It quickly turned into the shape of a tall woman, and then mist turned into flesh and a physical form, revealing the lost queen.

She was stunning, and not at all like the hideous monster I'd expected. Pale, porcelain skin contrasted with dark eyes full of malice and cruelty upon a face more beautiful than any other I'd seen. She had an hourglass figure and her nails were painted black, as were her lips, which curved into a cruel smile, aimed at Allana, who'd turned at the sound of my shout.

The hag, as she'd been called, looked terrified, and stood frozen into shock, the dagger falling from her hand. The cockiness and confidence were all but gone, replaced by fear. I wondered if the hag knew what the lost queen was because, despite her human form, I knew she wasn't human.

"You've come very far for a common swamp hag." The lost queen stepped closer to the hag, her gait elegant, and smooth, like that of a queen's. "But I'm afraid your life comes to end here."

Allana opened her mouth, but no sound came out as the lost queen pointed a single finger at her. A second later, the hag's flesh began to wither rapidly, and in just a few moments she was nothing but a pile of ash on the floor. It was smiler to what had happened to the flesh abominations we'd killed in the tower.

Sadistic pleasure washed through our bond, and I grimaced at the emotion, not wanting any part of it. Despite the fact she'd just saved mine and Zirani's life, I couldn't let myself forget what she was and what she'd done.

The vines loosened and dried up at her death, and once I was free, I immediately rushed over to Zirani, who thankfully only had a deep cut on her cheek. Even so, the sight of that minor wound made my blood boil in anger and I wished that I could somehow bring the hag back just to kill her myself.

"I'm here," I said softly to Zirani, as I pulled her into my arms. She was cold, yet covered in sweat.

"I knew you'd come," She replied in a hoarse voice, her eyelids flickering. "I knew…"

Her words trailed off as she vanished and retreated back into her core, presumably to rest and recuperate.

"Thank you."

The sound of footsteps approaching from behind made me turn, and I stood to come face to face with her for the first time. Despite the anger in her gaze, I couldn't help but marvel at her sheer beauty. I had to look up at her as she was actually taller than me, and up close, I could see that her ears were somewhat pointed, though it was hard to see as her long onyx covered them for the most part.

"Remember your promise," Was all she said in response before she too retreated back into her core.

I was definitely surprised as I'd expected shouting, cursing, and maybe even some threats that I let her go or else she'd kill me, but while the anger was still there, I could also feel just a hint of reluctant acceptance, though it was so weak and brief that I could be sure I'd actually sensed it.

Suddenly, I remembered Misty and Sandra and turned to the door, to see that they had all passed out just beyond the threshold. I cursed and rushed over, but to my joy and relief, they were all just knocked out, most likely due to some sort of defensive measure of the house. I pulled the three of them inside then frowned at the lack of a door. There was no way I would risk leaving them outside the house, in the area with the bird beasts, so I would need to fix this. Luckily, I had a nature affinity.

I picked up the largest piece of wood from the door I'd kicked in then using what little aether I had, created a new door. It took far longer than normal due to this pieces' ambient aether problem, but in the end, I got it done and attached it to the door frame.

I was panting by the time it was all done, and once I'd gotten the others into the bedroom, I collapsed on the rocking chair in the main room, exhausted to the core, mentally, physically, and emotionally

I didn't immediately fall asleep though and spent a long time reflecting on what had happened, and just how close we'd come to death once again. This was like the third or fourth time something like this had happened and once again I'd been unable l to do anything, but rely on luck and something else to save me.

I was weak, too weak, and I realized that I needed to push myself further. I could be doing more and learning more. I was neglecting things I could be using like the lost queen or my bloodline, simply content to follow Zirani's plan, and though there was nothing wrong with that, I needed to do more if I wanted to stop things like this from happening. I knew I couldn't beat everything and that there would be those stronger than me, but I wanted to be able to at least do something. In this case, if I'd known how to use my divine bloodline then perhaps I could have broken free of the vines and ended the hag myself. I should have had a mental shield up, and been more careful when we'd first met Allana. I was letting my growth get to my head as while out there in the plains I faced little difficulty, my goal was beyond the great scar, and the way Zirani talked about it, at my current level, I'd been little more than average.

I didn't want to be average, I wanted to be more.

I needed to be more.

It was that thought that echoed through my mind as I fell asleep.

Chapter 143

"Aiden, wake up."

I opened my eyes to see Sandra's face inches away from my own, a worried look in her eyes. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and sat up.

"You ok?" I asked. I'd known she'd been passed out, but I hadn't known how to check for any other injuries. After all, there could have been more defensive the home had that I hadn't noticed.

"We're all fine." She shook her head. "A bit dizzy and I've got a killer headache, but that's all. Hope has it the worse since she's only level one."

I sighed in relief and then stood from the chair to take a look around. The pieces of wood from the broken door were gone, presumably cleaned by one of the ladies, and to my surprise, Misty was cooking some tea on the stove while Hope was helping her. The small girl, or more accurately, lady, looked worse for wear, but as Sandra had said, nothing too serious. She simply looked tired and worn out, nothing some rest wouldn't fix, though after we made it out of the labyrinth

"What happened, Aiden?" Sandra asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We passed out just as Zirani broke cut off Allana's hand."

I yawned and checked on Zirani's bond before I wandered. She was still resting, but as far as I could tell, she would make a full recovery.

"Allana was a hag," I explained, and Misty and Hope turned their heads to listen. "She did something to stop Zirani or me from being able to use our aether, and so, I, err, asked."

I hesitated for a second. "I asked the lost queen for help."

Sandra's eyes widened. "And?"

"And we made a deal." I shrugged. "It wasnt that bad, she just wanted me to stop keeping her locked up. She didn't attack or even threaten me, so I guess that's progress."

I could feel her through our bond and knew that she was dormant, sort of like sleeping, but deeper. It seemed that even though she'd helped me she was still not ready to interact, not that I really cared. She may have saved my life but that didn't excuse everything she'd done.

"And Zirani?" Misty asked as she set some cups on a tray and walked over.

She handed Sandra and me a cup, before offering the last to hope who shook her head. Misty shrugged and took the last cup for herself.

"Zirani's resting," I answered. "The hag did something to her, but she managed to break free."

"So Allana's dead?" Sandra asked.

I nodded with a grim smile. "Withered to ash."

We lapsed into silence as we drank our tea. I savored the warmth and flavor of the tea, which was the best I'd ever had.

"This stuff is ok?" I glanced at my cup then at Misty. "Right?"

She smiled. "I made it using some of the herbs I found. It's very much safe."

We finished the tea and then proceeded to ransack the home of anything that looked even remotely valuable. There were a few locked chests that we stored to open later and plenty of herbs that Zirnai might find interesting. I even took the chair since it was very comfortable, and would be wasted here.

By the time we were done, Zirani was stirring and Hope was asleep on her feet. Misty picked her up without any sign of effort. Hope probably felt as light as a feather to her.

"Zirani, you awake?"

She manifested herself instead of responding. through our bond, and I worry glanced over at Hope, but relaxed when I saw that she was fast asleep. "I'm fine, and it seems so are you."

"We are, for the most part," Sandra said. "We have the Hope, so we need to get out of here."

Zirani looked over at Hope and shook her head. "Why someone as weak as her would venture into a labyrinth is beyond me. I'm going to need some time to draw out a circle. It's going to be harder in here, but we can use cores as a substitute for lack of ambient aether."

"Oh yeah, was anything she said true?" Misty asked. "Allana, I mean. She went on about so much, but was it all fake?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

I paused before adding, "I could ask… her, but she's asleep, and she wouldn't help without wanting something in return."

Misty shook her head. "Nevermind then."

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.comAs Zirani moved to the center of the main room which was pretty clear now after our looting, I headed to the other room just to see if there was anything of value in there. In the end, there was only a small chest and an exotic flower, both of which I took. As I was turning to leave, Sandra entered the room, a devious smile on her face.

Before I could say a word she pushed me against a wall and pressed her lips to mine.

I was frozen for but a moment before I wrapped my arms around her, and opened my mouth so that our tongues could meet in a dance of passion and need. After everything that had happened, I could use some release and it was clear Sandra felt the same.

My hand trailed along her back, down to her tight ass, which I squeezed and groped with both my hands, needing the firm flesh.

She moaned and pulled back. "I need you."

"Same here," I replied with a grin as she fell to her knees and began to pull down my trousers. My manhood was pressing against my underclothes, and Sandra licked her lips once before pulling them down in one swift tug, letting me out of my prison.

"Damn," I groaned as she wrapped a smooth and around my member and slowly began to move it up and down, staring at the head hungrily. She leaned forward and began to lap at the tip while her hand worked my shaft, up and down, in a smooth and slow-motion that sent waves of pleasure coursing through me.

"Sandra, I- Oh!"

She released me from her grip, then in one smooth motion leaned forward and swallowed me halfway down her throat, her tongue slathering my tip then shaft in attention. The warm wetness of her mouth felt like bliss, and the pleasure only increased as she took me further into her, until I reached the back of her throat and beyond. Her eyes were watery but filled with lust as her lips reached the base of my manhood. Sheathed fully inside her mouth, every part of me was engulfed in wetness and heat.

Then she began to swallow, massaging me with her throat in a way that set me off.

I groaned loudly. "Sandra I'm, ah, cumming!"

She closed her eyes and made an "Mmm." sound as burst after burst of my seed spilled into her throat and straight into her stomach.

She swallowed all I had to give her and then slowly pulled back, cleaning me with her tongue as she did.

"Now, fuck me!"

I didn't need to be told twice, but I wanted to try something different.

She stood and quickly shucked her pants off followed by her combat robes and was about to pull me to the bed when I stopped her. Her confused look turned into one of surprise when I lifted her up by her ass and aimed myself at her dripping entrance.

I grinned then pulled her down at the same time I pushed up into her.

"Oh, Aiden, fuck!"

Her cry of passion echoed through the room along with my groan as her tunnel wrapped around my silken flesh in the most pleasurable way.

"I'm going to bounce you ok?"

"Yes." She nodded frantically. "Do it."

I pulled her up until only my tip was inside her and then brought her down, pushing myself up as I did. Up and down she went, her ass bouncing as I speared in and out of her, all the way to the entrance of her womb. Each time I bottomed out, she would spasm against me and scream in pleasure which would, in turn, cause me to groan as her tunnel tightened reflexively, wanting to milk me.

And milk me she did. We didn't have long so I didn't hold back and pounded up into her until I could feel her orgasm rising through our bond. It was faint and weak, but I could feel it, which said something about how powerful the pleasure she was feeling must be.

"Aiden, Aaah." She threw her head back and moaned as her tunnel tightened into a vice grip.

I was a moment behind her, but before I spiled inside her, I felt someone watching us, not from outside but from within me. Before I could think further on it through, the dam burst, and I bottomed out in her and shot my seed into her womb, coating it white.

I stumbled over to the bed and onto my back, bing Sandra down with me. "That was… fun."

She snorted. "You could say that. I'm glad you're ok, Aiden. I know I don't show emotion that often, but I do, erm, I, err, l-love you."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her before kissing her cheek tenderly. "I know, Sandra. We are bonded now, and I can feel your mention, as faint as they currently are.

I paused. "And you know what, I love you too."

She had tensed after asking the question, obviously waiting for my reaction and at my words, she relaxed into my embrace with a soft exhale.

There was a minor shift in one of my bonds, and I frowned as I checked on Zirani's and then the lost queens. After Allana's death, the bonds had become clearer, though they were still faint. I could tell Zirani was working on the circle, and the lost queen seemed to still be dormant. I shrugged. I must have thought it up, I was in a piece of a world with a lack of ambient aether so maybe that had caused something to happen or maybe I was still tired.

Chapter 144

After cuddling for a few minutes, we dressed then headed out into the main room where Zirani had finished the circle. This one was not as complex as the others she made like the bonding circle for me and Sandra, but it was odder. It was similar to the circle the twin horn had been using for the lost queen in that smaller circles were attached to a large circle, and items, mainly cores, were placed in the circles. What was more interesting was that strings of aether had appeared from the cores and attached to the circle and aether was flowing. I would have never been able to understand what was happening early, but now with more knowledge, I was able to come to the conclusion that the strings were a power source and the circle was like a pattern and pathway for the aether.

"What's it going to do?" I asked Zirani.

"This will teleport us outside of Bullrock, the higher city, not the lower." She frowned. "I hope so at least. This is my first time creating such a circle and it's different. Honestly, this wouldn't be working if our core didn't have a spatial mutation."

It had been so long since I thought about the mutation, but it made sense. Teleportation was a common technique for those with spatial affinity, though I'd never actually seen an arcanist with a spatial affinity in the plains. The affinities of space, time, and gravity were so rare in the plains that some didn't think they existed, mostly those who lived in smaller communities away from the cities. The only reason I knew better was because of the academy. That was what set West Vale apart from the rest. Everyone in West Vale was well educated, at least more so than most people in the plains.

"It's going to be hard to explain how we managed to get to the higher city, isn't it?" Sandra asked. "The only way out of the labyrinth they're aware of is the exit pillar."

"That would be a problem if we were staying for long," Zirfani replied, walking over to the center of the main circle. "We enter the city and then we can deliver the girl, get our rewards and then leave quickly. I'm somewhat disappointed we didn't find any cores down here, but there's bound to be something in the chest you took."

"I don't know how we're going to get them open." Misty sighed. "I couldn't open it or even scratch the lock using my death claws."

"I'm not too worried about that." ZIrani smiled. "I'm guessing they have some sort of defense created using whatever power the hag and well…"

She trailed off and a thoughtful look appeared on her face. "The hag was speaking some truth. I do, and still am feeling a tug whiting, drawn to the power here. I can sense it smiler to how I sense aether. Misty showed me one of the chests and there's an intricate pattern embedded into the lock, made up of the same energy the hag was using, however, it's powering itself with the bits of ambient energy in the air. When we leave, there won't anything for it to use as a power source."

"So she was telling the truth then?" Misty asked.

"Partially," Zirani replied with a shrug. "At least that's what it seems. She's dead so I don't think we'll ever know unless we come across someone else from another world, now everyone into the circle."

"Is hope still asleep?" I asked worriedly as I stepped into the circle beside Zirani.

"She is." Misty entered the circle with the girl in her arms. "She's exhausted, mentally and physically. I think we're going to have to tell her some of what she saw was a dream. I'm not sure if she saw Zirani, but no reason to risk it."

Once we were all in the circle, Zirani closed her eyes and began to focus. The aether that had been moving through the pathways within the circle began to speed up, and a new form of aether left our core, a green, tinged with blue. It entered the circle which began to shine so brightly I had to shield my eyes.

What happened next was like falling but in reverse. My body became weightless for a long moment and all sound, smell, and sensation left, only to return in a wave as the light cleared.

I stumbled forwards and pressed a hand to my mouth to stop myself from vomiting. Sandra was not so lucky as she puke her guts out nearby, and even Misty looked sick.

Once I was sure I wasnt going to spill the contents of my stomach, I stood and inspected my surroundings. We were in small forest cleaning, presumably outside Bullrock if the circle had worked correctly.

I turned to Zirnai who looked comely fine. "Please tell me that's not what it's going to feel like when you teach me to teleport?"

She chuckled. "No, it won't. Now I should probably go, the girl's waking up."

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.comAs Zirani retired to her core, Hope opened her eyes slowly. Misty had set her down so she could walk over and lean against a tree.

I walked over, and Hope's eyes remained hazy for a long moment before they cleared and focused on my face. "Aiden?"

"I'm here, Hope," I said. "We're out of the labyrinth."

She shot up at that then immediately winced as she pressed a hand to her head. "Ow."

"Yeah, you hit your head pretty bad," I explained, crouching down. "What do you remember?'

"Ermm, you saved me, and then we ran back to the old woman's house, and then." She paused and tilted her head. "And then blackness."

I held back a sigh of relief. It seemed she'd been tired enough that she hadn't been paying much attention, which meant things would be easier for all of us.

By now Sandra had finished puking, and Misty looked better. They both walked over, and Misy once again picked up the girl who had closed her eyes once again and fallen back to sleep. Apparently, she was more exhausted than I'd thought.

"Come on. I can use green pulse to find which way we need to go."

"If we even are outside Bullorck," Sandra said.

"Zirani's never failed us before," I reminded.

Sandra shook her head. "I know that I'm just saying. She herself said this is her first time doing this, and usually the first time you dos something you make a mistake."

I felt Zirani's emotions, and she didn't seem offended by Sandra's words at all.

"She is partially right," Zirani said mentally. "But I'm also a four-hundred-year-old aether beast and an expert when it comes to the arcane. That circle was based on principles and methods I am well trained in, though fate and chance do love to prove us wrong."

"Well, they've been kind to us so far," I replied. "We met each other after all, and well we're still alive despite the fact we keep getting into very dangerous situations."

Not that I wanted to leave things up to chance, not anymore. I could feel Zirani worry as she knew what i thinking and I didn't hide what I'd been thinking about a few hours ago. I let her see it all because I wanted her to know that things needed to change. I need to learn more and stop relying on her so much. I made sure she understood that I wanted her close and with me always, but that I needed to learn to make decisions for myself and truly gain some experience. Everything that had happened since leaving West Vale had been eventful, to say the least, and I'd had Zirnai with me the entire time, knowing that if I screwed I had her. I'd always asked her for help, and though I made smaller decisions, I'd always relied on her for what to do and where to go, and while there wasn't anything wrong with that, I was realizing it had reached a dangerous degree.

If Zirani suddenly vanished now then I wouldn't know what to do, and that was very much a bad thing.

Zirani didn't say anything, but I could tell she was deep in thought and thinking things through.

As we walked through the first I used green pulse and It took only ten minutes to find the trail that led to Bullrock, though we got a few looks, no one bothered us, and we were able to make it back to the city quickly. The guards were shocked at first but once we told them who we and they had an entire squad escort us to the mayor's building.

I'd rather we headed there more discreetly, but it didn't really matter since we'd be leaving immediately after getting our rewards. If we stayed then questions would be asked and we could not answers them as that would lead to more questions and most likely violence.

Chapter 145

"Hope!"

Jericho rushed over and took his daughter from Misty, embracing her tightly. He pulled back then frowned as he noticed she was asleep and pale. "Hope? What's wrong with her?"

Aether surged around him and he turned a glare onto Misty, but before he could do anything else I stepped between them, allowing some aether to bleed off me. "She's just tired, now disperse your aether. I don't think it wise for us to fight, especially since we just saved your daughter."

It was also because Misty would probably tear him a new one if he tried to pick a fight with her and I did not want to start a war with the upper city of Bullock. It didn't matter how big and strong he looked, she was a vampire, and even with one core not yet filled, I knew she could take him.

He calmed visibly at my words then sighed. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to accuse. Porter had your reward. I used all my connections to find the best cores I could, I think you'll be pleased with the selection."

I nodded. "Thank you. If that's all then we'll be leaving."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "There is a place for your three in Bullrock, we could always use three powerful arcanists."

I shook my head. "We have our sights on something else, but we appreciate the offer."

There was no way we could stay here and we wouldn't even if we had the choice. Our goal was the border cities, and the lands that lay beyond the great scar.

"Well, then goodbye and thank you, if you're ever in Bullrock again and need anything then please come to me." He bowed low.

We bid him goodbye then collected our rewards from Porter who thanked us profusely before running up to the mayor's room, presumably to check on Hope. He would undoubtedly be busy in the next few days if word got out that we'd been seeing the mayor and with the way the guards had escorted us, it most likely would. I felt a bit bad, but with his strength and influence, he could deal what it, or so I hoped. It wasnt like we'd done anything against Bullrock so it shouldn't be too bad.

With our reward in hand, we quickly made out way out of the city before any stone revenants caught up to us. It wasn't that I thought they could actually pose a threat, but I'd rather not have to fight in a densely populated city. The chance of people getting hurt would be larger even if I did think I could end things quickly. The only ones who could challenge us in the plains were those who led sects and those at the border cities which we were headed to now.

But first, I needed to have a long conversation with Zirani, Misty, and Sandra since there were all just as much a part of this as I was now. I love both of them as odd as that seemed. It had only been a few months and my life had changed so damn drastically, and I had a feeling it would only escalate as we moved towards the border. With everything I'd learned about the lands beyond the great scar, it was shaping up to be a very interesting and dangerous place, after all, they called the plains, the peaceful lands.

Once we were a distance away from Bullrock, we took a break and went over the cores Jericho had acquired for us. There was a wide variety, and we had plenty of all the elemental cores and to my great surprise, he'd somehow managed to get his hands on all of the combination cores such as Ice, storm, molten, or magma as some called it, and nature. Combination elements were exactly how they sounded, they were combinations of the base elements. Nature was of earth and water while ice of water and wind, etc. There were generally rarer than base elemental cores, but that was not the greatest of the cores.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sandra asked, staring at the glowing purple core in Misty hand that she'd pulled from the spatial ring Proter had placed the cores in.

"A gravity core." Zirani sounded shocked. "It seems it was all worth it. This is a very rare core, even in my lands. Time, space, and gravity cores than to go for higher prices when sold. Here there are almost nonexistent, in my lands, they are just rare."

"Whose going to use it?" I asked.

Misty and Sandra glanced at each other and for a second thought an argument might occur but then Misty handed it over to Sandra who frowned. "You don't want it?"

Misty shrugged. "Not really, I have another plan I want to try out for my second core."

Sandra looked at me. "And you."

"My second core is already filled," I replied somewhat bitterly.

I understood that my second core was impossible and had a lot of potential, but it also held her, and well, I didn't really know how that was going to work. Ever since the fight with the had she'd been silent. I could sense that she was awake and listening at times, but no emotions came through our bond and she never talked, not even when I tried to communicate when Zirnai asked me to try. It seemed she'd gone from screaming to ignoring.

"We'll do it together," Sandra said to Misty. "What is your plan for your second core."

Misty smiled, showing fangs. "I have death, I want life."

With that piece of information revealed, she turned and walked away.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com"Where are you going?" I asked, confused.

She turned back to me with a smile. "To test something out. I'll explain later. I couldn't do it in the labyrinth since we were all in an enclosed space. If you need me just use the bond."

Sandra placed the core in her won spatial ring then ended up going off on her own to do some training, leaving me and Zirani alone.

"So, you want to talk?" Zirani turned to me.

"Not now," I replied. "I want it to be with all three of you."

"Alright, then let's talk about her." Zirani glanced down at my chest like she could see the core and the queen who resided within it. It sort of felt odd to call her queen, but I didn't really have any other name for her. I sure as hell wasnt about to call her great master or mistress. She may have saved my life, but that didn't me I was suddenly going to treat her like one of my lovers or even as a friend. I'd called us acquaintances but I doubted we were even that.

"What's there to talk about?" I asked. "She's gone from screaming and curing me, to just ignoring me. I get that you want to use the power and I do too, I really do, but is there no way we can—"

I blocked off my bond with the queen, not tapping her, but essentially hiding my emotions. She was currently dormant, but no point in risking it. "Get rid of her?"

Zirani shook her head. "The core, yes, her, I'm not sure. It would most likely involve some sort of soul ritual where we would pull her from the core while leaving her power behind. I'm not sure, it seems as though her natural form is one of pure energy, pure power. I have some knowledge of the soul and its inner workings, but I'm not an expert and the last thing we need is for it to backlash onto you or worse, free her."

"Could we find an expert to help us?'

She snorted. "Aiden, the moment someone saw your impossible core, every single powerful arcanist would want to get their hands on it, even… them."

I was confused for only a moment on who 'them' was, but then I remembered back to how she'd told us about the arcanists who were above the rest and extremely powerful."

"Well, would they not sense me when I cross the scar?"

Zirani rolled her eyes. "Aiden, you've been walking around freely without a disguise for the past two weeks. How have you not realized that no one's noticed? It seems it appears as empty to anyone who tries to sense it, which may be her doing, or an instinctual defense to keep yourself safe."

"Oh."

Now I felt pretty dumb, and lucky since if people had sensed it, I would have been in trouble.

"So what then, you want me to try and negotiate with her again?" I asked.

"If you think that will work." Ziranisuddenly became serious. "But do not, and I mean do not, make any soul oaths, deals or agreements or agree to any deals that are asking for too much or seem too good to be true."

"Soul oaths?"

"A binding agreement of the soul," Zirani explained. "If you make a soul contract and then break the contract your soul is considered forfeit and depending on the contract could either be destroyed on the spot or be taken as payment for breaking the deal."

I gulped. "Really?"

She nodded. "Be careful how you word anything, do not mention the word soul when you speak with her. All it would take is one wrong-worded contract for her to have limited control over you. An example would be if she asked to be let out every time you were happy. Now it sounds simple, but if you didn't clarify whose definition of happiness then well, you get the picture."

"No soul deals." I nodded. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Don't let her push you around." Zirnai placed her hands on her hip." She may have saved us, but she still started a war and committed many evil acts. Do not let her get under your skin or provoke fear or terror. She is more your prisoner right now than bonded, and don't speak of harshness. If she were a normal beast then it would be different but after everything she's done, she does not deserve mercy, not until she changes."

Zirani sighed. "if she can even change."

I held back a sigh. Trying to communicate with the queen seemed like it was going to be rough and complex, and somehow worse than the screaming.

Chapter 146

After our talk, Zirani headed off to speak with Sandra and Misty about their cores since she wanted them to have tier second cores filled before we reached the border cities. Currently, we were a few weeks travel away from the border. West Vale, Orton, and even Bullrock were deep within the northern plains and lay past the long stretch of forest, more commonly known as the northern stretch, that cut through the plains Most people didn't travel through even though it was the fastest way to move from one side of the plains to another, mainly because of the high beast population.

We, however, didn't really have to worry about that since we could take on any of the beasts, and the only way we'd truly be at risk is if we came across a large group of two core or three core beasts which was unlikely since Zirani and I had green pulse and she was planning on teaching me a movement technique and a form a spatial travel which I was very much looking forward to. The one thing I was lacking in comparison to the others was speed. They were both faster than and while I had the most utility, if I wasnt fast rough to dodge a blow then I couldn't use it.

That brought me back to the topic of the lost queen. She was one aspect of my power I wasn't using just like my divine bloodline, though while my divine bloodline was mysterious and hard to figure out, the lost queen was just, well, evil and hated my guts.

I sighed. Even so, I would need to figure something out since for the foreseeable future we were stuck together, however before I started in on that problem I wanted to try and see if I could make some headway with my divine bloodline. It was sort of a long shot, but it wouldn't hurt to try, and well the benefits would surely be great. After all, it had held its own and even defeated whatever power the lost queen held and when all else had failed, it had broken through the mental manipulation of the hag.

I walked over to a nearby tree, and leaned up against it. I didn't really have much of a clue when it came to how to approach using my bloodline, and it's not like I had my parents for help, if this power came from them. Zirani didn't know what it was, and the only thing I'd learned from the hag was that it divine in nature. Did that mean my mother or father were divine?

My mother was related to my aunt, and as far as I knew Jenna had never displayed any sort of golden power or anything odd so that only left my father who I knew nothing about. Although, my aunt had never really been in a situation that might bring out the power. Whoever had placed the seals on me could have placed seals on her aswell.

My hand trailed up to the necklace I constantly wore, and I brushed a finger against it before shaking the thoughts away. Nothing good would come of me thinking of my parents, and stirring my emotions. The trip across the scar was a few months and after that, I would be presumably heading to the green court so it would be a while before I got the chance to seek them out.

I took a deep breath and then focused on the center of my being, where my core was. My two cores shone brightly one a mix of greens and the other a shell of gold containing an ocean of bright white power that undulated like waves on an ocean. I wondered if that meant anything, that Zirani's core swirled calmly and slowly while the lost queen seemed angry, and like it couldn't remain still. I checked and noted that she was still dormant so perhaps it was a reflection of their general mood or feelings. In that case, it made perfect sense since even if she'd stopped shouting and cursing at me, it didn't mean that her feelings had changed. She probably still hated me and despised me just as I did her, though not as much since she'd saved mine and Zirani's life.

With my eyes closed and focus on my inner being, I wondered how to go about conjuring the power since I couldn't really feel it all that well. I knew it was there like a sound or word that I knew but couldn't remember exactly. I tried to grasp at it, but it didn't budge.

I forward and tried again, pushing all my focus on that feeling. I imagined pulling it as I did aether from a core, but that just seemed to cause a negative reaction and I winced as a sudden burst of pain blossomed in my head. It faded quickly and my next attempt was more gentle as I tried to coax it out, but that didn't do anything and made me feel slightly stupid. It was my power wasnt it, so why wasn't it listening to me?

Suddenly, I felt the lost queen awaken and her attention turned to me, or more specifically what I was doing.

I waited for her to speak or do something but she remained silent so I continued. It was a bi9t distracting with her watching but I tried to ignore her as I attempted to command the power to come to me, and for a second it seemed like it would word but then it stopped and the small feeling of building power went with it.

I held back a sigh and jumped when I heard a snort in my head.

"Zirani?"

No, that hadn't been her, it had been the lost queen.

"You find something funny?" I asked, not really expecting a response.

"Apart from everything you are, yes," she replied much to my surprise. "In all my years I have never come across a being of divine descent who couldn't control their own power. That's like not being able to walk."

"Well I've never done it before," I said.This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com

She chuckled. "Oh, that much is clear. At least there will be some form of amusement while I'm trapped here."

For a long moment, I was tempted to block her off but I'd promised I wouldn't, and I wasnt one to break a promise, not even with someone like her.

"Well… do you have any advice?" I asked. I didn't want to ask, but as Zirnai had said, I needed to try.

"None I shall give my jailer," She said coldly. "Perhaps if you set me free."

"I don't think so." I shook my head. "You are not getting out of there."

"You think this will hold me forever?"

I held back a laugh. "You know, you're not hiding your emotions, you haven't been since I trapped you in that core."

She was silent for but a second before I felt her slam her mental walls down with the equivalent of a mental growl.

There was no more talking after that, and I spent the next hour and a half trying and failing to get my divine power to do as I wanted. Multiple times I got close, but only for a split second, and then it would retreat. There was something I was missing, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

At one point I was tempted to see what I could do with the ki in my second core, but almost immediately Zirani sent me a stern warning, and a few mental images from her time beyond the great scar of injuries people had received by trying to wield ki. The problem with ki was not gaining access to it. Ki was just aether without the shell, it was the control that was the problem and safely containing the power. That's why my second core was impossible. Zirani had never heard of a ki core, and she suspected that the only reason I was ok was because of the golden shell that was containing it.

In the end, I made little progress and stopped when the others returned.

Misty looked pleased as did Sandra. At least they'd had productive training.

"What's wrong?" Misty asked, noticing my frown.

"I can't get my divine power to do what I want, or even anything for that matter, and well." I sighed. "She… is not being so cooperative."

"Time and patience," Zirani said. "Just keep trying."

"Yeah, I mean at least you got her to talk to you this time," Sandra added. "Better than shouting and curses."

Their words lifted my mood and I decided that I would prepare a proper meal. Zirani could make a simple fire enchantment and we had pots, pans, and other cooking utilities, not to mention a ton of food, and before I'd left my aunt, she handed me a book of her recipes that she'd created just for me. I was eager to try a few of them out.

I'd still have that talk with them but first some food. If I did it beforehand then during the meal their minds would be on other matters and not the delicious food I was planning on making.

Chapter 147

"That was better than the fried meat you made back in the tower," Misty said with a sigh as she leaned back.

"Really?" Sandra shrugged. "It was great, but I think I preferred the chicken."

I smiled. "Well, we can change what we eat every day. It's not like it took that long to make."

I'd ended up making simple beast steak wraps filled with rice, beans, my aunt's special sauce, some spices, and a few vegetables. I'd been worried how it would come out since I'd never cooked with so many ingredients before, but considering how they'd all scarfed theirs down and then asked for seconds proved it had been a success.

"Now, that we're done with that." Zirani turned to me. "You wanted to talk?"

The worry was clear on her face as was the understanding. Unlike the others who had a harder time reading my thoughts and emotions through the bond, Zirani had no such problems and already knew what I wanted to talk about and the emotions that had been plaguing me since the incident with the hag.

"I do." I nodded. "It… well…"

I sighed and tried to get my thoughts in order as Sandra and Misty turned their attention knot, cursory clear in their gazes and some worry. They might not have been able to read me as clearly as Zirani but they could sense the emotions I was feeling. It wasn't like I was trying to hide them.

"Ever since the fight with the twin horn elder I've been feeling sort of inadequate."

Both Misty and Sandra opened their mouths but Zirani raised a hand. "Let him speak and finish first."

"Thank you." I nodded gratefully. "I understand that it's pointless to feel that way, and it wasnt too bad until we reached the hag. It was after that whole debacle that I realized that I've been too lax, and wasting time I could be using training. We could have all died if not for the fact my divine bloodline saved us and broke Allana's charm or whatever she did, but even without that, the fact that I couldn't function properly when I was away from Zirani put things into perspective. Zirani and I are bonded, we are all bonded and i would never want any of you away, but I have become too reliant, too relaxed with the speed at which things are gone when I could be moving faster"

I stood and began pacing, unable to sit still. "You said it yourself Zirani, here we may be powerful but in your lands, we'll be above average at best, and don't bring up my unique gifts."

Sandra, who had just been about to speak, shut her mouth.

"I can't use my divine bloodline nor can I use my ki." I took a deep breath. "Think about it. We've stopped with the baths when we could be doing it and we're not training as hard as we could be. I know I said I wanted a break before with some training, but I'm regretting that decision"

The next part was hard to say, but I continued before I could stop myself. "Zirani, I understand that it took you hundreds of years to get to where you are and that patience is important, but I don't want to have to wait a hundred years to have the strength to hold my own against people that would threaten me or any of you. I don't want to waste any more time, I want to push myself harder and harder because I've realized that it doesn't matter how strong I am here if my goal lies beyond the great scar."

"So what then?" Misty asked slowly.

"I just said what," I replied more snappily than I meant to. "I want to push myself harder no matter how much pain I feel because honestly. I-I—"

My emotions began to rise, but I pushed them down and took another deep breath to stop and push away the flood of memories that wanted to overwhelm me.

"Nothing will ever compare to the pain, she, put me through. Zirani, I want you to hit me with everything you've got, the hardest training and exercises and practice you can imagine no matter how much damage or pain it will inflict, so long as it's temporary because such pain will fade and I will be better after."

Zirani hadn't shown much of a reaction to my words, but finally, she smiled sadly and walked over to me.

"Aiden."

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com"I won't let you change my mind ZInrai." I took a step back. "I want this."

"Aiden, your hands are shaking."

I glanced down to see that she was right. I let loose a shaky breath and pressed them together. When I looked back up, ZIrnai had closed the distance and her hands came to cup my face. "I understand Aiden, I do."

She sighed. "I… haven't been perfect and—"

She pressed a finger to my lips when I opened my to protest that I didn't expect her to be perfect.

"have been training you in a way I think best, and I assumed I was pushing you hard enough. After all, your growth is outstanding, but if you wish for more then I will help you."

"So will we," Sandra said, and Misty echoed her a moment later.

"I'm not keen on the pain," Sandra began as she walked over.

"But we're willing to go through it," Misty finished

The three ladies placed their hands around me, and I let myself give in to everything, the emotions, the pain, the memories, everything. I'd been holding things back ever since the tower thinning I could just keep it inside and that it would fade, but how was a wound meant to heal and fade if I did not allow it to heal. It wasn't weak to show emotion or to open up to those around me, and I needed to remember that because I wasn't the only part of this group. I'd been there when Sandra and Misty had opened up and I was a fool to have thought that they wouldn't do the same for me.

"It's ok, Aiden." Zirani placed a gentle kiss on my cheek. "We will get through this and I'll set up the most grueling training I can so you'd better be prepared because I don't want to hear any complaining, not after a speech like that."

I shook my head. "I won't, I promise, but you guys don't have to push yourselves just because I am. I would never have you two be in pain just for me."

Sandra pulled back and rolled her eyes. "You know I really like the way you care for us sometimes and want to protect us, but remember, I am my own person and this is my decision. I want to stand beside not, not behind you."

"I agree," Misty added. "We are a team, and I don't want to be left behind while the two of you charge on ahead. I never thought this would be my life, and I still find it hard to believe that it's only been a few months since I first left West Vale and became a vampire, but I'm accepting things. My old life is gone, my…"

She trailed off and I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "My father is dead as is my mother. She died in childbirth, and I thought I would be alone, either becoming a monster or… ending it myself."

The words were a shock, but considering how she'd been back then I could understand.

Her sadness turned to joy though. "But then I met you three, and I found out that I could control what I was, and well, I found friendship, love, and family. I'm not alone anymore."

To my surprise, Sandra seemed to be on the verge of crying. "My family isn't gone, but they might as well have been. I've been alone for a very long time and I'd lost all hope of ever returning to my family or my home, but just like blondie over here, I met you, Aiden, and Zirani. Not only did you accept me and also give me love, but you're helping me return home."

Their words hit me like a charging beast and at that moment I understood just how lucky I was and just how far we'd all come.

We all turned to Zirani who had a faraway look in her eyes. She snapped out of it when she noticed out gazing at her. She smiled. "You already know about me. Aiden saved my life after an unfortunate incident and well, I found love, which is something I'd sort of given up on. Living for four hundred years you'd expect to at least find someone, but it turns out I just needed to get into an accident and end up in the northern plains."

I chuckled. "You saved my life just as much as I saved yours."

"You might regret that come morning." Zirani smiled wickedly. "I don't think you realize just how hard training is going to be."

Chapter 148

Zirani hadn't been joking when she'd said that the training would be grueling.

After our emotional talk, we'd decided to take a break and head to sleep, but that didn't last long, and what must have been around two hours later, Zirani was waking me up with a large smile on her face.

"It's still night," I said, letting out a yawn.

"You're at the third level, an hour would be enough, you've had two." She pulled me up to my feet and then gave me a deep kiss which most definitely woke me up, though I didn't get to savor it for long as she was already waking over to Misty and Sandra.

I stretched as Zirani woke up Misty and Sandra who both seemed just as surprised though none made any protest and soon all three of us were facing my bonded nature beast who had a grin plastered on her face and her hands on her hips. "The three of you wanted harder training and for me to push you as hard as I could, well, while you three were sleeping I did some planning."

There was an ominous tone to her voice.

"You might not have noticed but behind are three wide holes I dug and each is currently filled with water mixed with a few different elixirs which are going to make the previous baths seems like gentle massages in comparison. I want all three of you to spend an hour in each and I want you to be practicing the exercise I gave for basic aether changing while attempting to form the patterns from the sets I taught you. I will be watching all three of us while I continue to plan and if you make three mistakes in a row then I'm going to punish you."

"Oh no," Sandra muttered, her gaze wandering over Zirnai's shoulder and to the three pits full of dark greenish liquid that were quite literally bubbling. They looked quite ominous in the darkness and if not for the sunlight orbs close by, they would have just looked like three pitch-black holes.

"Oh yes," Zirnai said. "And once you're done with that, we're going to be moving onto physical training as we head towards the border with training weights of course, and some limiters which I will explain after you've… cleaned up."

Despite how awful it all sounded I made no complaints and even Sandra, who was muttering under her breath, undressed and walked over to one of the pits.

Once I was out of my clothes, I dipped a foot in and almost immediately winced at the searing pain, though I didn't pull it back out, and slowly but surely I lowered my entire body up to my neck into the liquid. It felt awful and the muffled scream from Sandra told me she was feeling the same thing. Even Misty seemed in shock as her eyes were wide and her fangs showing as she grit her teeth against the pain. It was like I was burning and being frozen at the same time while being slowly pulled in all directions. It was like being torn apart and then put back together only for it to repeat again and again.

Even so, it was nothing compared to what had happened in the tower, and I made no sounds or screams as I lay there. It wasn't that I didn't feel or acknowledge the pain, just that it didn't compare and if I could get through what she'd done to me then I could sure as hell get through this, as many times as it took.

"Ok, now get to forming those patterns."

Sandra opened her mouth, probably to protest the insanity of what Zirani was asking, but only a grunt came out before she hung her head and began to form patterns. I did the same and I had to agree with Sandra. It was extremely difficult not just because of the pain, but because it was as though my body was rejecting my control and I quickly learned what Zirani meant by punishment.,

I cured as I failed for the third time on the first pattern and then a stinging pain blossomed on my head as something small hit me. I was able to catch a glimpse of the projectile before it dispersed. It was a seed similar to the impact seed though a lot smaller and clearly not as deadly. I was curious about it as I was with most of Zirani's techniques, but I didn't get long to think about it as Zirnai hit me with another seed.

"Keep your mind on training."

I sighed and got back to work.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com"Ow!"

Sandra shook her head and glared at Zirani who just shrugged. "You three asked for this. You can quit anytime you want."

"As if," Misty ground out.

"I'm… with y-you… two," Sandra added slowly, barely managing to get the words out

None of us took the bait and we continued on through the hour, enduring the pain and attempting to form aether patterns. It took a while and by the end of the hour I was only able to form a few, but it was still progress and if I could do it while feeling this pain then when I was injured in a fight or under a lot of stress, I could do it then too. I understood what she was trying to do.

Both Misty and Sandra collapsed to their knees the moment they pulled themselves out of the pits and I almost joined them, but I managed to keep myself standing, though just barely. My body and legs wanted nothing more than to rest, but Zirani's voice erased any possibility of that.

"Get dressed, if you are not ready in the next two minutes then you're going to wish you were." Her voice was back in that familiar teacher mode as it had been in the tower when we'd been training, though it was far colder this time and the look in her eyes told me she wasnt joking or playing around, not that I would have it any other way. After all, I'd asked for this.

Sandra and Misty must have come to the same conclusion as they quickly got dressed and ready.

"Good." Zirani smiled. "Now, I have created a set of training weights for each of you to be strapped onto your bodies. I want each of you to wear them for the entire day and only take them off if I say so and when it comes time for baths, understand?"

We nodded.

"Good." She nodded and produced and motioned to three boxes full of what I assumed were the weights. "I made these while out three were sleeping. They are basic, but I will increase the weight and add new effects as you improve and get used to these ones. Get them on and get ready for a whole of lot physical activity. I want the three of you to be in a constant state of training as we move, and pushing yourselves to the limits."

We dragged ourselves over and I inspected the first weight I picked up. It looked thin but weighed a ton and was somehow elastic, not to mention the intricate carvings. It was most likely something she made by caching her aether. There were twelve in total and they went around all parts of the body and the first step I took informed me of just how difficult things were going to be. Sandra and Misty seemed to have it just as bad which was a surprise, not for Sandra but for Misty, considering she had the most physical strength and durability. It was then that I realized Zirani must have accounted for that and either increase the weight or added more of them.

We were all able to remain standing and walk back over to Zirnai, though it was less of a walk and more of a stumble. She had been understating how heavy these things were. We were all at the third level which made us very superhuman and yet these wights barely allowed us to move half normally.

"You want us to train in these?" Sandra asked in disbelief. "I think I'll fall over if I try and run."

"No," Zirani shook her head. "I want you to train in those and with limiters."

"Limiters?" I asked.

"Yes, you see when you feed aether into the weights, they will begin to push against you whenever you try and do anything with your aether, even pulling it becomes a task," She explained. "It's a form of training that is very popular and well know in my lands and is that improves control and just like the baths, gets you used to manipulating your aether under pressure. These will also be on for the majority of the day. The weights and limiters will cover both the physical side and the arcane side of your training. Of course, that's only the passive training."

Sandra's groan echoed through the dark forest.

Chapter 149

"Come on pick up the pace!"

I held back a groan as I continued to jog beside Sandra and Misty who both looked just as winded as I imagine I did. Zirani had us going as fast as we could while attempting to form patterns and practice the exercises she gave us.

The jogging, if our stumbling steps could be called that, was hard enough, but the patterns made it ten times more difficult especially due to the limiters. She hadn't been exaggerating when she had said they would fight back when we tried to use aether. Every time I pulled aether from my core it felt like I was in a tug of war, which I lost half of the time due to the physical exertion and trying to change the aether at the same time.

I hadn't sweat in a while, not since passing the second level, but I was currently drenched in sweat. My body protested every movement and action I took, but I didn't stop. It didn't help that if one of us stopped to take even a second of rest then we would all be hit by seeds until they started moving again.

It was a beautiful day with the sun shining brightly and illuminating the land with rays of gold. It was unlike the forest near West Vale or Orton. The trees were far apart from one another but not sparse and none were crooked or bent. Each had branches brimming with vibrant leaves that swayed gently in the breeze. It was peaceful and serene, or it would have been if not for our gasps and groans which joined together to create a cacophony of weariness.

"How much longer are we going to be doing this?" Sandra asked between gasping breaths.

"If you mean when I will allow you a break," Zirani replied. "Then not for another few hours. Your current pace is slow but we have time. We'll be focusing more on your arcane arts when we do stop, and soon I will be teaching you new techniques and I mean it this time. We've gotten side-tracked but not this time."

With that, she had us jogging for a few more hours before we finally came to a stop in a small area next to a dirt road, probably used by the locals. We weren't that far from Bullock, which wasn't a surprise considering how slow we were moving. We probably had only made a few miles today and I might have been worried if we didn't have plenty of time left before we needed to get to the borders and we cut through the northern forest to get straight there.

"Alright, I want you three to focus on forming your most used patterns, with the limiters and slowly at first, then slowly ramp up the speed until you are forming them in quick succession. I don't expect you to get it done in a day but I do expect you to try your hardest. I don't want any slackers. Oh, and I'll be busy preparing your baths."

Sandra opened her mouth and then shut it as Zirani shot her a pointed look. 'Something wrong?"

"No." Sandra shook her head. "Not at all."

I'd used my current techniques so much that at this point it was complete instinct and I could from my bark armor with a single thought and flex of my will. I'd proven so when it reflexively formed whenever I thought I was in danger or sensed an imminent fight. However, with the limiters it felt like I was back at the warehouse where I'd first met Zirani, trying to learn them all over again. I had to pull at my aether and try to form the patterns at the same time while staying focused. One single lapse or distraction and the limiters will force the aether to disperse or worse return to my core, which caused an unpleasant feeling.

I started with lashing vine as it was the easiest of my techniques, but might as well have been the hardest as for the first hour of trying, I failed to form even half of a vine, but slowly I got there until I was able to form a full lashing vine, without the thorns. I would try that later.

Next came bark armor which halfway in attempting to form some bracers, Zirani called us over to take our baths.

She had us take off our weights and almost immediately stumbled forwards, not used to how light I felt even though it had only been a day. I stretched and jumped, enjoying the feeling of not being weighed down by tons or being unable to use my aether without having to fight for it.This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com

That joy was short-lived however as I entered the bath and my world became pain. There were no dreams or any other sounds of protest from Sandra this time, though at a glance I knew she was still having trouble coping with the pain as was Misty if the way her jaw was clenched was any indication. I have to admit I felt quite bad, and there were times when I felt like telling her she didn't need to do this, but that would be an insult considering everything she'd revealed to me yesterday. I didn't want her to think I thought of her as weak or unable to stand beside me and Sandra, nor did I want Misty to think the same of me and Sandra. They had chosen this so who was I to deny them? It wasnt like I didn't want them beside me. I remembered an old quote then from one of my aunt's old-world books.

Those who stand at the top, above all others, are often plagued by loneliness.

I didn't want that, and I certainly wasnt going to be looking down on anyone, at least not innocents or your average bystander. People like the twin horn, well, they deserve what they'd got and any others like them should take care because Aiden Hawke was done playing around.

I was adamant about entering Zirani's lands not as some above-average arcanist but as someone who could hold his own and impress her mother and court since it seemed like their approval would mean a lot to Zirani. I also didn't want to start any conflict with them since Zirani had said her mother could pull out her core, which probably would not be a pleasant experience nor one I'd survive.

I imagined it would also be good for Sandra when she reunited with her family and showed that even in the plains she'd grown and wasn't lacking when it came to the arcane arts. As for Misty, well I imagined it would be harder for vampires to take advantage of her if she was stronger than a lot of them. Those at the top would be a problem but that went without saying and was the same for everything from government to sects to arcane families.

After the hour had passed, we exited the baths and this time Sandra and Misty managed to stay on their feet, though barely, and with the support of one another. I almost fell but not just due to the pain. Both Sandra and Misty's naked bodies were on full display, beads of liquid slowly running down their curvy and athletic frames.

I was snapped from my admiration of the two women when I felt some hit the back of my head and I winced before turning around to see Zirani standing there with a stick in one hand and an amused look on her face. "Get your head cleared, it's training time."

"What?"

She pointed down and I followed her finger to see that I was standing at attention, so to speak.

I blushed and then walked over to my clothes as I tried to get rid of the erotic thoughts. It was hard since I wanted nothing more to relax and get some release after the day I'd just been through, but Zirani was right. It was training time.

"All right get back to training, we'll be moving out in a few hours," Zirani announced.

"No rest?" Sandra asked.

"You are all at the third level," Zirani pointed out. "Even with the staring on your bodies and cores, you only need a few hours of sleep a week, which will happen when I say so. Now, back to work, I'll be working on some more training resources as your practice, and tomorrow I should hopefully have some elixirs ready for you. Don't think you can go easy though, I will be checking up every now and then and you know what happens if you mess up thrice. Oh and don't forget the weights."

Sandra hung her head, and even Misty looked tired, but none made any complaints as we put on our weights again and fed aether into them to activate the limiters. immediately it was like I was moving in a thick substance and the familiar tug of war began once again as started in on my training.

Through all the pain, weariness, and frustration though was a sense of hope and excitement. I was finally being pushed to the limit and truly doing all I could. The results of the training in the tower had been amazing, and I could only imagine what a month of this would do to the three of us.

Chapter 150

The hellish training continued on for a week, and each day Zirani introduced a new form of training for us to do.

It started with the elixirs which will similar to those she'd made in the tower however these were greater variants of those and also affected the body more rapidly. She hadn't used them in the tower simply because she thought they'd be too painful and she was already using the baths and mediation technique, however, she was not holding back anymore. She had us taking the elixirs every day, three times a day, with no rest to allow them to settle. The worst was the elixir than increased the gains we'd received from the physical training. It was like a bath but not as bad and starting from inside rather than outside the body. When paired with weights and the aether practice, it made things near impossible for the first few days as my body was constantly bombarded with pain and uncomfortable sensations.

It didn't help that Zirani taught us an improved version of the original meditation technique which involved a similar principle to the first, but this time the pattern was more like a drill entering the core rather than a needle. I actually thought Sandra might give up that first week, but she pushed on. I could feel through the bond that she was determined to stick by me and Misty and not lag behind. She had been given a one-in-a-million chance opportunity and didn't want to squander it. It was the same with Misty who pushed just as hard.

For that first week, it seemed like we would never learn to change our aether as forming patterns and aether manipulation was incredibly difficult, however, slowly but surely we learned to ignore the pain and focus on the training as the body gets used to most things over time, especially when you were actively trying.

Despite all the pain, even within the first week, the results were showing as each time I took the weights off, I felt a lot stronger, and more solid, more durable. The baths and elixirs were definitely working, however, the physical side of things was just one aspect of training and all three of us were looking forward to one thing in particular that we'd been waiting a long while for.

New techniques.

It wasn't like we couldn't make our own, but as Zirani said, there was a reason lower-level arcanists didn't have dozens of techniques, and despite everything we'd learned, Zirani was still far more powerful and knowledgable when it came to the arcane.

"I know all three of you have been waiting to learn new techniques, and well, there's only one more step before we do so." She held up a hand as Sandra opened her mouth. "I know, but this step isn't difficult. Sandra, you need to fill your second core with the gravity essence, and Misty you need to do the same with your second core. The idea we spoke about was very good, and I've seen similar arcanists before."

"I'm going to need blood," Misty bit her lip and glanced over at me. "A lot."

"I'm aware." Zirani nodded in my direction. "Since Aiden doesn't need to fill up his second core, he doesn't need to do this step and will allow you more of his blood than usual."

Misty gave me a questioning look to which I nodded. "I'm fine with it as long as you don't go overboard."

A normal person who didn't know us might have thought Zirani was deciding for me but with our bond, she was able to tell that I would be fine with it. Misty and Sandra's bonds with me were strong but they hadn't fully gotten used to them yet, though I was sure in time they would.

"And what about me?" Sandra asked. "Is there anything different for gravity essence?"

"Somewhat," Zirani replied. "But I will help you in that regard, and hopefully tomorrow we can begin teaching you the techniques that you are most likely going to be using for a while. I want each of you to have a wide variety of techniques, and with the bonds strengthened due to Aiden's divine bloodline, I can share patterns and information far more easily with him which he can then send to you.

However, there is one more thing. This will be the last sort of training regime or period so to speak. As Aiden has said, you three have become quite reliant on me and while that isn't a bad thing, it had limited your self-growth and you are lacking in certain experiences. I won't stop training you, but once we reach the border it will be up to the three of you to continue this type of training. I will be there if you need guidance or a training resource but everything else will be up to you."

"I'm probably going to be getting training from my family," Sandra said. "If they accept me."

"They will," Zirnai assured. "You have that medallion, and there are ways for them to test the legitimacy of your blood, not that they would need to. The strength and purity of your bloodline are clear, and your power will not be lacking."

That night, at the end of the first week, after our baths, Misty drained a fair amount of my blood before heading off with Sandra and Zirnai to fill up their second cores. I chose to stay in the camp, not just because the draining had left me worn out, but also because I wanted to do some more testing with my divine bloodline.

Over the week, I had continued trying to access the power and I was getting close, though there seemed to be one final hurdle that was getting in the way, and I'd spent today trying to figure out how to get over it.

I had come to the conclusion that I couldn't use even a fraction of it, but I would be happy with a drop since even that much was brimming with power. The feeling it gave me every time I was close to accessing it was euphoric in a way. In the battle with the lost queen, I hadn't had the chance to truly savor it since I'd been fighting for my life, but now I truly understood why the hag had called it divine essence. It was like essence but on a completely different level.

If I could just use a little bit of it, maybe to power up my techniques or my body then I would have an edge on everybody else. Right now, both Misty and Zirnai both had abilities unique to them. I wanted something like that whether it be the spatial effect our nature core had or this divine power, and maybe even the ki, if I could ever get the lost queen to talk to me for more than five minutes. We'd spoken some during the week, but our conversations were brief and usually ended with mild threats from her. I was following Zirani's advice and hadn't mentioned anything about the soul or agreements, and good thing too as the lost queen had tried to bring it up multiple times, asking for us to make another deal to allow her some more freedom. I usually ended the conversion then and there which obviously pissed her off. It wasn't looking good, though it was better than it had started, so at least there was that. Baby steps were still steps.

"Maybe if you let me out then I might help you."This chapter upload first at NovelBin.com

The lost queen's voice broke me from my concentration and the divine drop of power retreated back the whole once again.

I felt her amusement and joy at my frustration so I pushed it down. "What, so that you can harm one of the girls, as if."

"I would make a deal not to," she replied. "And before you reject me so casually, I would allow your green whore to make the terms."

"Green whore, how original."

"And yet so accurate," she said in a condescending voice.

"Watch it." My voice was a growl. "I may not be able to lock you up, but I can easily block you."

"Temper temper," she tutted.

I snorted. "Look whose talking, Ms scream your heart out. My ears are still ringing."

That got me a burst of anger from her, but unlike other times she didn't retreat. "So?"

"I'll talk to her, and if it does happen, you will aid me in figuring out how to use my divine bloodline," I said firmly.

"Of course." I could practically hear her smile. "I'm always up to help an insolent child figure out how to walk, though in my lands you'd have been exiled or as you humans say, put down, by now."

Oh heavens, why had I been cursed with her? I wasn't cut out for verbal sparring, especially not with someone who seemed to have an ego as tall as an aether tower.

"And where are your lands?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't think so," she replied. "Unless your willing to trade questions?"

"Perhaps, you're very talkative today, what's changed."

Normally by now, she would be threatening me, or the conversation would be coming to a close.

"Boredom, you try staying inside the core of fool, forced to watch his actions for entertainment." She sighed. "Though your pain and worry does bring me a small amount of joy."

"You're a real angel you know that?"

Anger surged through our bond. "I am no divine puppet, nor a servant of any of the heavens. Certainly, not one of those feathered fools."

I blinked. "Angels are real?"

The lost queen did not reply and instead of deciding to push, I let her retreat. That had been, the first proper conversation I'd had with her that hadn't ended in threats, though she was clearly pissed.

"Baby steps, Aiden, baby steps."

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Chapter 155: 141-150

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